SurvivorZ: Grave Harbor

44

BARBARA

In the two weeks since Colonel Hayes and his men rescued them from a rampaging ghoul and a horde of zombies, Barbara Ellison struggled to find a place to belong in Harvard. She didn't have military or police training, nor did she possess the security clearance necessary to handle the army's clerical work or to even empty garbage cans in the restricted areas. That left her volunteering with kitchen duties when she wasn't looking after Katie. It was a thankless role. Certainly not one she ever would have expected to provide her with the closure she sought for months.

Yet here she was with an order of lunches, about to face those responsible for Frank's death.

She never knew of her husband's involvement with the DiMarco crime family until Mike revealed the details behind his shooting. Frank contributed their financial upswing to wise investments. He would even sit at the kitchen table for hours, obsessing over the stock market page, in an effort to sell her on the lie.

That was what hurt the most. He knew her so well that he could have hidden anything from her and she never would've been the wiser. Until Mike opened her eyes, she firmly believed him to be the same honest, decent man she fell in love with. Deceiving his family was the only crime she still couldn't forgive.

He could have come to her with any concerns he may have had about the job or supporting his family. Instead, he turned to a devil in a designer suit. It might've been Mike's hand on the gun that killed him, but it was Carmine DiMarco who pulled the trigger.

DiMarco's death robbed her of the closure she desired, but it didn't still her need for answers. After learning of his family's arrival, she laid awake all last night in anticipation of this moment.

The power was out since the bombings, leaving them on generators running only the essentials. That meant the service elevator was out with it. Gone too was the cart full of hot soup and beverages she would normally push during her rounds to the bedridden patients in the infirmary and elsewhere. From here on in, it would be packed sandwiches, small cartons of milk, and thermos coffee, delivered with disposable cups, creamers, and utensils. Whatever she could easily carry in the bag slung over her shoulder.

This was her first time in the basement. It was probably a first for the soldiers stationed down here too. Every other civilian in Harvard, including her, Mike, and Katie, got off easy with a simple physical examination, rather than an extended stay under lock and key. It was fitting that the DiMarcos had the honor of being the camp's first detainees, even if it was only for a few days. After flaunting their disregard for other people's property by showing up in a stolen military Humvee, it was the least they deserved.

Simone, one of the infirmary nurses, nodded at her in greetings as they passed in the hall. Judging by the vials she toted, she was here to collect blood from the prisoners for further examination.

Barb knew the medical screening they were conducting was mainly for show. It didn't take three hours to determine if someone was infected, much less three days. Mike told her the real reason for their lengthy incarceration was so they could observe the prisoners through the hidden cameras and microphones placed throughout their cell. Between them and a battery of interview questions, they stood a good chance of catching anyone hoping to infiltrate Harvard on behalf of another group.

Mike's experience with the DiMarcos made him the perfect candidate to sit in on their interviews, which was why she wasn't surprised to run into him down here. He accompanied an armed guard as they escorted one of the newcomers back to her room. She didn't know who the blonde woman was, but seeing her walking next to Mike made her think of Julie Marsh for some reason.

She hadn't seen or heard from Mike's girlfriend in ages, despite being good friends once. It was understandable, she supposed. After Mike hit the bottle, Julie probably wanted a clean break from everyone, including her. She could hardly blame her, seeing as how Barb had effectively cut ties with them first.