The Virus Within (Original rough draft)

Chapter 136

Nicky regarded the new items that were in the back of the truck, "Ohhh... What are these?"

I shrugged, "Something to help pass the time."

To my surprise John wasted no time in grabbing a couple of the IQ puzzles. Daniel started the truck and the locals opened up the gate for us. Liz slowly picked through a shoebox filled with toys that I hoped were more suited to her age. It contained numerous objects such as tiny toy horses, a few small containers of playdough, some little binocular color kaleidoscope thing, wax crayons and paper, and more such odds and ends.

Nicky became fascinated with the hammer shaped ball and cup game as I had hoped. Nina opened up the back window and once more started discussing plants with Logan. It looked like Logan had hit the jackpot with his knowledge of plants from his days of living off the land at his father's remote cabin.

I snagged one of the IQ puzzles and idly tormented it. It was hard to believe that I was actually looking forward to getting to Ironwind just so I didn't have to sit in the truck anymore. We weren't going to get there today though. We were still too far out.

Closer to noon Daniel spoke, "We can either stop for the night and get there tomorrow evening, or I can drive all night and we can get there by noon. We have all day to decide."

John looked over at Daniel, "That is a long time for you to drive. We can help. No sense crashing because you get tired."

Daniel chuckled, "It would take a lot more than simply driving for two or three days to tire me. That isn't the question. The question is if you guys want to be stuck in the back of the truck overnight."

Logan shrugged to indicate that he had no preference. John was still trying to absorb what Daniel had said. Nina looked back at us through the window, "I think I would rather sleep in the truck, but it will be more crowded back there for you. Nicky, what do you think?"

"I think we need an airplane, but since that option is likely not possible, then I say we stop for a longer supper and just ride it out."

Nina nodded before looking at me, "Trinity?"

I had done it once before when we had captured that feral Nightstalker. It wouldn't be pleasant, but after eleven days in this truck I was seriously tired of traveling. I couldn't sleep at night anyway. I shrugged, "Either is fine by me, although the sooner this truck permanently stops moving the better."

Nicky snickered, "Careful now, talk like that might turn this trip into something like our first one. How many trucks did we go through? Four? Five? I forget..."

I growled faintly at her, "Don't you dare jinx us..."

She pretended to zip her lips and throw away the key. I huffed in skepticism at her. She had probably jinxed us already... Nicky grinned at Liz, "Hey Liz, feel like having a slumber party in the truck tonight?"

Liz perked up, "Sure!"

Nina grinned, "Well, it looks like we have a long night ahead of us then."

Oh goodie. Neither option sounded like fun and I really just wanted this trip to be over already. I was being a grouch and I knew it. Almost two weeks of not getting enough sleep will do that to you. I could go a day or two without sleep, but only catching fifteen minutes or so in the morning was slowly affecting my mood.

I turned my head to watch the scenery passing in boredom once more.

~

There was no way I was taking off my sunglasses even though the sun had set long ago. Someone had upgraded the lights on this truck before this trip and also added a lightbar to the bumper. There was enough light that I was pretty sure Nina could read inside the cab easily enough if she had been awake.