Green Fields (Book 2): Outbreak (41 page)

I sadly didn’t get to see the Jackalope statue in Douglas, but after making it across I-25 in the middle of nowhere in the singing heat of noon, I stopped protesting. And as we crept further west and the land started to rise toward the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, I could see why Nate and his people had selected this region for their hideout. Sure, it was hot and dry now, and from what little I remembered from high school geography, it would be cold and barren in the winter, but the landscape had a unique, rugged beauty to it—while at the same time being so completely devoid of human life that I was sure that in a few years from now, it would be possible to go an entire day without even seeing a house or fence anywhere. As we continued to drive along winding roads that were in different states of disrepair, I wondered if here of all places that much had even changed.

We saw the odd zombie in the distance, but after leaving the east of the state behind us, it was just that—us. The towns we passed had three-digit population numbers rather than thousands. There were signs of looting and destruction visible, but less so than elsewhere.

I would have missed the road Nate told me to take as we got into yet more hilly regions, mountain peaks shining in the distance. Gravel took over, and not for the first time I was glad that we had stuck with cars that could navigate such a terrain. And then there was no road at all, and I had a hard time following what Nate insisted was still some kind of trail.

“Stop. Right there,” he told me, making me roll to a halt practically in the middle of nowhere. There were a few pine trees around, but not much else. Certainly not anything that warranted the note of caution in his voice.

Nate waited until the other cars had pulled up behind ours before he got out, looking around. While he stretched, the sun glinting off the blond roots visible in his hair by now, Andrej walked up to my door, his arms crossed over his chest.

Lowering the window, I squinted at him. “Remind me why we are stopping in the middle of nowhere?”

I only got a moment to enjoy the grin spreading across his face before a sharp whistle made me look forward. Seemingly out of nowhere, two shapes appeared from where they’d been pretty much indistinguishable from the grassy ground. A third joined them, dropping down from one of the pine trees. I still didn’t really know much about military tactics, but even I could name a ghillie suit if I saw a sniper wearing one. Or three, in this case.

“Never mind,” I told Andrej. We were definitely on the right course.

Nate exchanged a few words with the three, but they melted back into the surroundings after a few moments. He then returned to the car, getting in after nodding at Andrej to do the same.

“Drive around the right pine, then continue straight across the meadow until you see a small formation of rocks. From there on out, the road should be clear.”

That sounded ominous enough that I just followed his directions until I had cleared the tree.

“Just for kicks and giggles—what would have happened if I’d driven straight through between the pines?”

Nate shrugged. “Depends on how thick the undercarriage of the Rover is, but I’d say you’d have at least crippled us. Or blown us to bits.”

Anger flickered alive, but I knew that if I complained that he should have warned me ahead of time, he would just shrug and tell me that there was a reason for why he’d told me to go around.

“Let me guess… mine?”

“A whole cluster of Claymores,” Nate agreed, flashing me a grin that was way too bright. “Tomorrow I’ll show you how to arm one.”

In another time, a sentence like that would have greatly distressed me, but now he just got a shrug. “As long as you also show me how to disarm them, fine.”

“You’re such a spoilsport.”

The rock formation was easily recognizable—now that I knew what to look for. And, indeed, after a sharp turn around it, the grass gave way to hard-packed ruts that were more road than deer trail.
 

Five minutes later, I stepped on the brakes one last time, and shut off the engine.

Before us, at the edge of the forest, a meadow opened, seamlessly transitioning into the rolling prairie that spread on and on into the valley and the wide plains beyond, away from the mountains. To our left, a few yards uphill, there was a house, the dark wood and shingled roof melting into the hill and trees behind it. It even came with a wraparound porch, and someone had been busy converting part of the grass around it into vegetable patches. Adjacent to it, I saw another, similar building—a garage, judging from the larger door on the front.

The door to the house opened just as I got out of the car, still taking in my surroundings. A man and woman stepped out—both armed, but their guns remained in the holsters on their belts. They both seemed to be in their early fifties, and they made quite the disparate pair. While he looked right at home at this cabin in the woods—including a full, gray-streaked beard and flannel shirt—her crisp, white blouse and dark jeans were office chic at best, but they somehow fit her perfectly.
 

“Gunny, always good to see you,” Nate called out, then nodded to the woman. “You, too, Emma.”

She gave a small smile back, while her husband—Bert, presumably, who had been talking to Kevin—was grinning under all that fur on his face.

“Told you they’d make it,” he grumbled to his wife, already clomping down the steps and coming toward us. People streamed out of the cars, packs and weapons forgotten for now, and there was a lot of hugging and handshaking going on. I couldn’t help but feel a little lost, same as Cho and Santos, but that changed quickly when Nate returned to my side, sweeping one arm across my lower back so he could physically push me toward the house.

“Emma, Bert, this is Bree, my—“ Nate stopped there, eyeing me critically while fighting a smile. “What are you to me, exactly?”

Glancing back at the car, I shrugged. “The driver who didn’t back up to get your ass blown to pieces back there after you belatedly mentioned the mines?”

His grin broke through. “The woman who hasn’t killed me out of spite yet. Works for me.”

I rolled my eyes at him, extending my hand to the others. “Nice to meet you.”

Bert’s handshake was as strong and warm as expected, while his wife’s was almost crushing, and I could tell that she was judging me for the grime engrained in my skin. Nothing I could do about that, I figured, mentally shrugging it off.

“Glad you’re here,” she replied, and even with her level of reservation, I could tell that she meant it.

We all looked up when the door at the porch opened with a bang, and a lithe, blonde whirlwind came charging down the steps, hurling herself at Nate.

“You’re finally here!” the girl squealed as she hugged him, making Nate laugh as he whirled her around. I couldn’t help the hint of trepidation coming up inside of me—until I realized that she couldn’t be much older than seventeen, eighteen tops. He set her down again, ruffling her hair like you’d do with a much smaller girl, but she laughed just the same, even if she batted him away. “Stop it!” she protested, before her eyes found me, narrowing. “You didn’t tell me that you had a girlfriend, and we talked the day before this shit went down!” she accused.

“Bree. Nice to meet you,” I said, offering my hand.

She shook it, no reservations whatsoever, and turned the motion into a warm hug before I could avoid it. Not that I wanted to.
 

“Sadie,” she replied, letting go. Then a shrewd look passed her face as she kept studying me. “Hey, wait. Is she that girl from the coffee shop? The one you couldn’t shut up about?”

Now that made me wary for an entirely different reason, but Nate’s smile got me to relax again as his arm snaked back around my waist, pulling me against his side. He couldn’t have told her everything, even if they were obviously close.

“She is.”

Sadie’s blonde brows drew together as she studied us. “Weren’t you afraid that she’d never talk to you again after that mission you absolutely didn’t tell me anything about?”

“Looks like I can be wrong once in a while,” Nate answered, grinning down at me. “But not very often.”

“Yeah, keep talking like that and you’ll see where that gets you,” I threatened.

His grin widened as he looked around, his gaze skimming the house, meadow, and rolling hills beyond.

“Right now I’m home, and you’re here with me. I don’t care about anything else.”

In that, at least, we could agree. We were home.
 

For now.

To be continued in
Green Fields #3 - Escalation

Coming Winter 2015/2016

About the Author
 

Adrienne Lecter has a background in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, loves ranting at inaccuracies in movies, and spends increasingly more time on the shooting range. She lives with the man and two cats of her life in Vienna, and is working on the next books in the Green Fields series.

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Books published

Green Fields

#1: Incubation

#2: Outbreak

#3: Escalation (Winter 2015/16)

Books 4 - 6 expected 2016

Acknowledgement

Writing a first book in a series is a mind-blowing experience. Writing a second book? Now that shit’s crazy as fuck.

Writing “Outbreak” confronted me with an entire new world of research. I know a lot more about a lot of things than I ever wanted to. If I botched any details, that’s all on me—the people who helped me know better. Also, YouTube. We live in interesting times.

If you were wondering about the different locations mentioned in the book—some are real. Others got a different name slapped on them, but are essentially cities as they exist now (like Lexington, WV, where everything started). Still others are completely made up, either because there wasn’t anything close to where a plot point had to happen, or I simply felt like taking some artistic license.
 

This book is special to me in so many countless ways, but so are the people who came along with me for the journey. First and foremost, the man who keeps me on a steady supply of caffeine, thus saving the world from one more raving, ranting lunatic writer. He’s also to blame for Bree’s Beretta, because that was the first gun I ever shot, and it has a very special place in my heart.

My beta readers, Shayla and Jaana. When you’re out there with your back against the wall, ready to send your deranged brainchild into the world, it just helps a lot to have someone by your side, cheering you on.

My editor and cover designer, because without these guys this book wouldn’t be in your hands right now.

Thank you!

Hey, you! Yes, you, who just spent a helluva lot of time reading this book! You just made my day! Thanks!

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If you enjoyed reading the book and have a moment to spare, I would really appreciate a short, honest review on the site you purchased it from. Reviews make a huge difference in helping new readers find the series. Seriously, they do. Wanna make a difference? Now you know how you can!

Or if you’d like to drop me a note, or chat a bit, feel free to email me or hit me up on social media. I’ll try to respond as quickly as possible!
 

Email: [email protected]

Website: adriennelecter.com

Twitter: @adriennelecter

Facebook: facebook.com/adriennelecter