Episode 5

Mike sighed, leaning against the roof's edge, and looked down at the grotesque creatures roaming the streets. He noticed something out of the corner of his eye and turned his head.

"At least we know we've been talking to a real person, and they truly want to help," he said, pointing to the far edge of the parking lot.

The group watched a green truck pull in between a box truck and a blue car, and four mutants staggered toward the vehicle. Two people got out of the green truck, and the man ran at two of the zombies, stabbing them in the head. He ran to the box truck, got in, and left.

The redheaded girl walked toward the blue car, and three zombies staggered her way. When the mutants got close, the group on the roof watched her stab one in the head while kicking another and spinning around, grabbing knives from her hips and stabbing the last two.

"Whoa, sweet mother of corn, I think I'm in love. My brother is going to be sorry he missed this," squealed Terry, and everyone shook their heads.

They watched the girl bust the blue car's window, and the alarmed blared, attracting the undead. She waited a moment and then ran to the green truck. She took off the opposite way of the cube van, and Mike scratched his head.

"What are they doing?" asked Andy, and Mike shrugged.

A few moments passed, and then Mike heard static on the radio.

"Hey, you there?" asked the girl.

"Yeah, we're here."

"Get down to the loading dock. My dad will meet you there. Listen for a rapid double knock. Go now while the freaks are distracted."

Mike, Edmond, Andy, Teresa, and Terry scrambled, gathering their bags, and ran down into the store. Some of the mutants weren't distracted and broke through the front glass windows of the shop. The group yelled in surprise and ran to the bay doors in the back.

"Where is he?" yelled Edmond frantically.

Suddenly, there were two rapid, loud bangs on the metal door, and Andy nodded.

"That's him. Open the door!"

Edmond pulled the chains, opening the bay door, and they heard the snarling and growling getting closer.

"Hurry up!" said Teresa, and the door fully opened.

"Come on!" yelled the dark-haired man in the back of the box truck.

Andy started throwing backpacks inside as Edmond, Terry, Teresa, and Mike climbed into the back of the truck. Andy grabbed the last bag, the strange man jumped in the driver's seat, and Andy jumped into the back. Edmond shut the truck's door as Mike jumped in the passenger seat, and they sped away.

*****************

"Thank you," said Mike, and Abraham nodded, grabbing his radio.

"Papa bear to little bird. Do you copy? Over?"

"Really, Dad. Stupid code names. I'm not five anymore," Bella said, and her father laughed.

"You know me, little bird, it's all or nothing. I've got the cargo, so follow me."

"I know. I'm right behind you," she laughed and started coughing.

Abraham rolled his eyes and scowled.

"You better have those windows cracked, and don't get stupid," he said over the radio.

"You know me, Dad. I'm your star child. Remember, Papa Bear, or I mean old-fashioned man," she teased.

Abraham shook his head and looked at Mike.

"Teenagers."

"Yeah," Mike laughed nervously.

"So, you're a cop?" asked Terry, and Abraham shook his head.

"No. I am a Sergeant for the Baker County Military Base. I just put this on because we raided the police station before we left. Name's Abraham, and the mouth on the radio, well, that's my daughter Bella."

"I'm Mike, and this is Terry, Teresa, Andy, and Edmond. Thank you for saving our asses back there."

Abraham chuckled and gave Mike a thoughtful look.

"Thank my daughter. She's the one who came up with the idea. So, you said you had a camp?"

Andy walked up to the front and nodded.

"Yeah, turn off at Baker's Field. It's about two miles up."

**************

"Hey, Liam, any sign of them yet?" asked Megan.

Liam was a tall and thin older gentleman with salt and pepper hair and a beard to match. He was standing on top of his old red farm truck where he could see if anyone was approaching them from up the road a ways.

"No, nothing yet. I hope they're okay," he said.

"But they should have been back by now!" exclaimed a girl with long red-brown hair.

Her name was Bonnie, and she was Andy's little sister.

"I'm sure they will be back soon. Maybe they had a little setback, and it held them up," said Liam.

"It's been a few days! My brother isn't coming back!" she cried, running off.

"Bonnie!" called Megan, but the thirteen-year-old girl ignored her.

"Just let her go. She needs to accept bad things do and can happen," Liam said, and Megan glared at him.

"Liam! She's thirteen, for god's sake. Have a heart!"

"Maybe if the world wasn't this way, I would still have one," he said, and Megan sighed.

Liam only nodded and looked out his binoculars. He noticed a box truck and a green truck driving up the road and held up his hand.

"Hold on, wait a minute. We have vehicles approaching."

"Is it them?" asked Megan, and he waved his hand.

"I don't recognize the vehicles, but they would be the only ones who know how to get here. They're driving like they know where they are going."

"I'll go get Bonnie," said Megan and walked away.

******************

"Andy!" yelled Bonnie, running toward her brother and throwing her arms around his neck.

"Hi, Bon," he said, hugging her tightly.

"Daddy!" squealed three little dark-haired girls and ran to Edmond.

His wife smiled at him with tears, and he hugged his family. Charlie looked at his mom sadly, and she pulled him close, hugging him tightly.

"I know, baby, me too," she said, and Steve looked at them with care.

Liam climbed off the truck and hugged Mike and Teresa.

"What the hell happened to you guys? You're never gone for more than a day?" he asked, and Mike chuckled.

"Well, our dumbass got trapped by freaks, and this guy and girl show up out of nowhere and save our asses. They were pretty impressive," said Andy, and Steve looked around.

"Did you bring these impressive people with you?"

"Yeah, they came. Guy's some military branch just like you," said Edmond, and Steve glanced at Megan and Charlie.

They didn't hear what Edmond said, and he blew a breath. It couldn't be them. Mark and Brian said they took care of everything.

"Hey, you two. Why don't you come out and say hi?" called Edmond.