100-Days-in-Deadland(93)

“Standard recon,” Griz replied. “Damn, I never expected to run across the pair of you. That teaches me for betting against Tack.”

I lifted a brow.

Griz busted out a wide grin. “The odds were twenty to one that you two were zeds. Tack was the only one to bet on both of you.”

Tack gave a nod.

“Thanks.” I lifted a brow. “I think.”

“So everyone thinks we’re dead?” Clutch asked by my side.

“Everyone at Fox, anyway,” Griz replied. “With the exception of Tack, me, and now Captain Masden.”

Ah, so that was whom he’d been talking to on the radio.

Griz, joined by Tack, headed our way. Griz whistled at the church. “Gutsy move to clear out a church. We’ve learned to keep our distance from churches. They’re right up there with grocery stores and police stations as being zed hubs.”

“Beggars can’t be choosy,” I said.

Griz nodded to the boxes. “Here, we can help.”

“We’re good,” Clutch said, grabbing the boxes.

Griz held out his hands. “We’re not trying to take what you’ve rightfully stolen.”

“Recon, you say? You guys still out looking for survivors?” I asked.

“Some, but our focus has shifted more to tracking down Doyle. His guys are still a pain in the ass.”

My muscles tightened as I watched Clutch for any sign of emotion. I knew he’d never forgive himself for killing that woman. Not that Doyle would be any less forgiving if he found out Clutch was still alive.

“Lendt hasn’t taken care of him yet?” Clutch asked.

Griz frowned and shook his head. “We busted into Doyle’s camp and caught several of his men and freed some of his ‘indentured servants’.”

I cocked my head. “Indentured servants?”

“That’s what Doyle told them,” Griz said. “Doyle convinced them that Camp Fox wasn’t safe. So, for food and shelter, they had to sign contracts to service the militia for seven years. Lendt figured his attack on Camp Fox was as much to convince people that with him was the only safe place.”

My jaw dropped. “Holy. Shit.”

“But he’s surprisingly wily for his age,” Griz added. “His guys have gone guerrilla on our patrols, but there have been no more attacks on the Camp, so we know we’ve got him on the run.”

“I wouldn’t be foolish enough to count on that assumption,” Clutch said, pushing the box onto the truck bed and heading back for more.

“We’re not,” Griz said, keeping up. “But we’ll get him one of these days. You can bet on it.”

“It doesn’t sound like you’ve made the smartest bets yet,” I said with a smirk before stepping back to the reception hall. Tack and Griz followed.

Tack picked up a box, and Griz lifted the top. “Who would’ve guessed that cheap toilet paper would become a luxury item?”

“How’s Camp Fox holding up? The civilians are all safe?” I asked, thinking of one in particular.

Griz sighed. “We’re getting by, but Doyle’s attack put a hurt on our supplies. Before long, we’ll be out doing what you’re doing.”

Tack dropped the box into the back of the truck and faced me. “That friend of yours, Jasen Flannigan, he’s all right. Fitting right in at the Camp.”

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. When I reopened my eyes, I smiled. “Thank you.”

Griz and Clutch set down the last of the boxes.

“We’d better head back,” Clutch said.

I checked the sun sitting just above the roof of a two-story house across the street. Zeds tended to disappear at night, especially on cloudy nights. I suspected it was some sort of instinctual need for self-preservation. They couldn’t see any better than us, so they could walk right into a river or off a ledge in the dark. Not that they were bright enough to avoid doing that in the daylight.

Except last night was a full moon. Tonight wouldn’t be much better, without a cloud in the sky. It would be a good night to be back at the park and locked in before the sun set.

“I saw what they did to your farm. That’s a damn shame,” Griz said. “Where you staying now?”

Clutch narrowed his eyes. “Why do you want to know?”

“I’m guessing it’s out this way,” Griz said, looking around. “We’re tight on resources, but whenever we have a squad out this way, I can have them stop by to check in to see how things are going.”