All Is Silence - Deserted Lands #1

Chapter 18 - Part II

ON THE RIDE TO SEATTLE, Zach’s brain flitted from thought to thought: the kiss with Nev, the one with Lizzie, the responsibility of Saj and Spike. Nev had switched seats with Liz. She smiled sideways at him, flipping through stations to find tunes she wanted to hear: Fitz and the Tantrums, Muse and the Foo Fighters.

They crossed Lake Washington on I-90 and headed toward the Space Needle.

Lizzie popped her head over the front seat. “I don’t want to go into the city.”

“What the hell, Lizzie,” Zach asked. But she had that look on her face. “You agreed.”

“Under duress.”

“Shit, Lizzie. You been watching reruns of Law and Order? Under duress?”

“Stop the Tank, Zach.”

“What?”

Lizzie shoved her door open. “Stop. I’m getting out.”

Zach engaged the brakes and the giant SUV slowed. When the ground wasn’t moving too fast Lizzie jumped out and back, stumbling to catch her footing. Then she strode past where the Tank had come to rest.

Zach hopped down and slammed the door. “Lizzie?” he called after her.

Ahead Seattle lay partially enshrouded in fog. Lizzie kept walking down the freeway.

Zach opened the driver’s door and stuck his head in. “You want to talk to her?”

Nev shook her head.

Zach sighed and shut the door more gently this time. “Hey, Lizzie. Wait for me.” So he was going to try to convince the crazy girl not to be crazy. He jogged after her. “Can we talk about it?”

“Take the exit. Go see what’s going on. You’ll catch up.”

“Do you realize how crazy that sounds?” He hustled ahead and walked backwards in front of her. “Lizzie, we’re not moving in. We want to know what’s going on. Maybe we need something these people have. What if the pandemic has returned?”

“What if, what if, what if.” Lizzie glared at him and pushed him aside. “There’s no what if. My dad’s alive and I’m going to get where he’s at.”

Zach walked beside her. “Yes, Lizzie. And we’re going into the city for a little while. Scouting, call it. I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave you walking through Seattle.”

“Why? What’s going to get me? Everybody’s dead.”

“Not everybody.”

There was a rumble behind them. Lizzie spun, but not as fast as Zach.

“Oh, shit, Nev,” Zach muttered, “Thought you couldn’t drive.”

“She’s going pretty slow.”

The Tank rolled toward them. “Come on, Lizzie,” Zach pleaded, “An hour? Give us an hour?” He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him. He stared into her eyes. For once let me be more stubborn than you.

Lizzie jerked her arm out of his grasp. “You better go help Nev drive that beast.”

“Lizzie?”

“Yeah. An hour.” She walked toward the Tank. “Then we hit the road.”

“Thanks.” Zach ran on ahead. The Tank ground to a halt.

“Not bad,” he told Nev as she slid across to the passenger seat.

“I got tired of waiting for you to quit fighting again.”