SurvivorZ: Grave Harbor

87

AMY

Amy followed Janice in silence. With her announcement of further development on the topic of their discussion last night, there was no point of saying anything until they could comfortably speak in private. The last thing they wanted was anyone here listening in while they discussed plans to abandon Fort Independence and strike out on their own.

Ignoring its flimsy chain link fences and corralled zombies wasn't always easy, but the power plant had begun to feel like home to Amy. It merely took the arrival of Harvard's tanks to dislodge the fragile illusion of safety in her mind. Now that they were with these same soldiers behind massive stone walls, the comfort she expected to find still hadn't come. If anything, she couldn't shake the tension keeping her tied in knots. It was as though they had taken up residence inside the barrel of a gun.

She shared a mindset with her longtime friend and neighbor, Janice King. The two of them lay awake for most of the night, whispering alternatives to staying at the Castle. The only consensus they were able to reach came from their shared desire to escape Boston.

Janice led them into the structure, past rows of empty and occupied cots draped with meager belongings. This communal gathering of refugees had become home for many, but it wasn't a sentiment Amy could bring herself to share. She missed privacy, especially when all she wanted to do was break down and cry most days.

They passed through the doorway into an empty room. When Janice still didn't slow down, Amy's patience reached its limit.

"Where are we going?" she pressed. "I thought you said you had news."

"I do. That's where we're going. To meet a guy."

"What guy?"

"His name's Gary. Gary Nessbaum. He used to work maintenance back at the plant," Janice said. "They put us both on cleanup around here, so we got to talking. He has a line on a truck we can use to get out of here."

Amy considered this. "Can we trust him?"

"I think so. He seems as serious about getting out of here as we are. Maybe more so."

"So why hasn't he just left already?"

Janice shrugged. "Not looking a gift horse in the mouth. You coming or not?"

"I'm coming."

They proceeded through the fort's interior, searching here and there for the custodian. As they were about to give up, Janice finally spotted a dirty water bucket in the middle of a hallway. She followed the clue to a plume of cigarette smoke blowing into the air from around a nearby corner.

"Gary." Her voice startled the jumpy man, almost making him drop his smoke.

"Christ on a crutch, girl," he moaned. "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"I brought my friend. Amy, this is Gary. Gary, Amy."

"Hi." Amy nodded.

Gary quickly sized her up, took another suck of his cigarette, and nodded back. "Hi, yourself." His gaze returned to Janice. "You two ready to do this?"

Amy blinked at her friend. "What? Now?"

"No better time than the present," Gary replied. He took a final puff and tossed the butt in the corner.

"Does that mean you have the car keys?" Janice asked.

Gary patted his pocket. "Snagged them when nobody was looking. That's why we need to go now, before someone notices they're gone."

"What's the plan?"

Gary headed for the exit. "I figure we can blend in with the folks patrolling the docks if we go now," he answered. "Shouldn't raise as much suspicion that way."