SurvivorZ: Grave Harbor

72

MAUREEN

Maureen climbed through the open window at the south end of the Biological Labs building. After fleeing Hanscom two days ago, the speed with which their secondary home fell apart left her head spinning. She worried that coming here was a mistake, but never imagined she'd be proven right so soon.

Most people were already outside, keeping their eyes peeled for danger. That girl, Paige, and her gun-toting friends. The soldier who saved Charlie's life earlier. The muscular, angry-looking man with the automatic rifle, and his friends. That doctor from the lab, Brad-something. Charlie and Rusty. Robin and Lily. Richard and Laurie. So far, the worst thing biting anyone in their group was the chill of an early November evening.

She turned back to the window to help Danielle climb through. Her daughter took her hand and hopped down to her feet. She gave Maureen a grateful nod, before the loud clap of another explosion on the other side of the building startled her. With a worried expression, she pulled her new military hatchet from her belt and wandered off to join Richard and his sister.

Drew appeared inside the window. He reached down and lifted Emily up so she could dangle her legs through the open pane. Maureen was there to grab her on the other side.

"Mommy?" she whined.

"I got you, honey. Don't worry." Maureen planted her daughter's feet on the ground, and then planted a kiss on her forehead. "Go stand with Dani. I'll be right with you."

Next came Lee. Drew offered to help the boy up too, but Lee waved him off. "I got it."

He hopped up on the windowsill and slipped through the open window with youthful grace. Landing effortlessly on his feet, he nodded reassuringly to Maureen before heading off to stand with Charlie. She smiled and patted his back as he walked by.

Judith followed. Drew helped her climb through the window. Grudgingly, looking anything but happy about it, she also accepted Maureen's hand to drop safely on the other side. The women parted without exchanging a word. For a moment, the cold night dropped a few degrees further.

"You go," the sergeant told Drew. "Then you, Mike. I'll watch the door."

The men didn't argue the point. Maureen pulled the gun from her waistband and left to rejoin her daughters while the remaining members of their group emerged from the burning building.

"This is taking too long," a gruff, older man in Paige's group muttered. "We should go. We're sitting ducks just standing around here."

Maureen narrowed her eyes and tramped over to him. Standing before his surprised face, she held out her hand in greetings.

"Maureen Sommers," she said. "Those are my daughters, Danielle and Emily." She nodded at the others in her group, while he could think to do nothing but gape speechlessly. "That's Richard and Laurie. Charlie and his dog, Rusty. Judith, Drew, Robin, and the pregnant woman is Lily."

She regarded him again, her gaze flinty. "You can bail on us if you're afraid for your own safety, but I thought you should at least know the names of the people you're leaving behind."

A tight smile teased his lips as he shook her hand. "Carl Graves," he said.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Graves."

"You too."

One of his companions, a younger, drunken man, suddenly clapped a hand to his mouth and ran for the bushes to retch.

"Such a fucking embarrassment," the girl standing next to Paige mumbled. "I'm Erica DiMarco. That lush in the bushes is my brother, Tommy. This is Paige, and this one—"