Jake's Law: A Zombie Novel (20 page)

He was still bruised and sore from his beating and exhausted from his journey into San Manuel
and his fight with the zombies. He wanted nothing more than to rest, but he knew he couldn’t linger in the area. He was too exposed. If he didn’t reach his destination before he collapsed, he never would. The lure of sleep nagged at him with every step, but he ignored it. Each foot in elevation he gained meant safety. He followed one of the canyons northeast of San Manuel because it was easier hiking than the Copper Creek trail that ran higher along the ridges. In places, the runoff from the rain was deep and swift, channeled by the narrow canyon walls. Fording the streams was dangerous, and the cold water drained his energy. In spite of his condition, he made good time, reaching Bluebird Mine Road just as the last light of day was failing.

He gathered
what dry brush he could find and built a small campfire. Sitting down to a dinner of hot soup, followed by half the can of peaches, he finally allowed his weariness to overcome him. He stripped off his wet clothing, hung them to dry beside the fire, and collapsing on top of his sleeping bag naked. He ignored the voice inside his head telling him to secure the area and trusted to luck that he would see the sun rise again. He rolled up in the sleeping bag and slept.

17

June 22, 2016  Split Rock Canyon, AZ –

Jake was gone. Through a window in the work shed,
Jessica watched in horror as two of Levi’s men dragged him to the jeep and drove away while Levi stood on the balcony of Jake’s seized house smiling down on the proceedings like a vengeful judge presiding over a hanging. She didn’t expect to feel as she did. After all, Jake was just a man with whom she had traded sex for a safe place to stay and training in how to survive in the new world. She didn’t love him. She felt something for him, some emotion just beyond gratitude, but she wasn’t certain what it was. It was certainly less than she had felt for her boyfriend. Whatever emotion coursed through her veins, she still didn’t want him to die.

“Don’t give up on him yet,” Reed said.

She turned to him. “He’s tied up and naked. What do you expect him to do?”

Reed’s brow furrowed as he stared at her. “Wh
at’s with the sudden concern? He doesn’t care about us.”

She found herself in the awkward position of defending Jake.
“He’s a loner. Being around people was something new to him.”

“Now you’re making excuses for him?”

“I’m not … Oh, shut up.”

When one of the guards walked by the window
, stopped and made lewd gestures at her, she walked away from the window and sat on a stool by the workbench. They had been prisoners in the one room house for two days. Food and water was brought to them sporadically, but going to the bathroom was a humiliating experience, as she was forced to squat beside the building with her guards standing over her watching and smiling. She knew it wouldn’t be long before Levi decided her fate.

She had seen the way he had looked at her, like he was staring through her clothes. She couldn’t use him like she had Jake.
Levi was a hard, dangerous man. Besides, the black-haired bitch that orbited him like a moon wouldn’t allow that to happen. He would use her like a whore and discard her with the trash. She would become like one of the other girls around the camp, doing drudge work and keeping the men happy. It was fate she didn’t wish to contemplate.

“Do you have a plan?” she asked.

“I’m going to try to be as useful to Levi as I can. It’s the only thing I’ve got to offer him.”

His
veiled reference to her sex didn’t amuse her. “I don’t know. I don’t think his men would shy away from anal sex with a cute fat guy.”

Reed fumed and glared at her.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “You didn’t deserve that.”

His features softened. “Jake will find a way to come after us.” He nodded his head as he spoke, as if he were trying to convince himself.

“I thought you said we were own our own.”

“He’ll never give up this ranch.
Freeing us will be … collateral.”

“They’re going to kill him.”
The truth left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Reed
ignored her. He looked around the workshop at Jake’s reloading machines. “I’ve been studying these machines. I think I can use them. If I can make myself useful …”

Jessica shook her head
. “Levi will never trust you. He doesn’t trust his own men. He only allows two or three of them around him, and the bitch, of course. He keeps the rest at a distance. Oh, if they had only left something to use as a weapon. I’d rather go down fighting than wind up one of Levi’s whores.”

“Jake mentioned something buried on the north side of the chicken coop wall. I’m figuring
it’s weapons of some sort. That’s the kind of secret he liked to keep.”

Jessica perked up. “If we could get to them …”

Reed guffawed. “Fat chance of that. They’ve already slaughtered the goats and chickens. If they saw either of us around there, they would suspect something was up.”

“The water pump is nearby. Couldn’t you make up an excuse to check on it?”

While Reed considered her proposal, she returned to the window. One of the men grabbed a young girl, barely sixteen, and dragged her into one of the tents. The girl struggled as best she could, but it was futile. Her fate was sealed. Was that her future, a whore for Levi’s army? She made up her mind that she would die before she let one of the creatures calling themselves men touch her.

“I can try, but not too soon or he’ll be suspicious.”

“Don’t wait too long,” she warned. “Levi doesn’t strike me as patient.”

Two armed men came for them
an hour later and escorted them to the house, shoving Reed in the back with the butt of a rifle when he moved too slowly for them. She noticed that Levi had already made himself at home. He sat in Jake’s favorite leather chair with a bottle of whiskey beside him. His raven-haired angel hovered near him like a faithful dog. She sneered when Jessica entered the room. A vein throbbed beneath the scar on her temple.

“I hope you’ve been comfortable,” Levi said.

“As comfortable as your guards would allow,” Reed answered, “Though a bed would have been nice.”

Jessica ignored Reed
and his attempt at chit-chat and snapped, “What did you do with Jake?”

Levi stared at her
for a moment, and then smiled. “We staked him out for the mountain lions to gnaw on. As a hunter, I’m sure he appreciated the irony.”

A rage she couldn’t control swept over her.
“Fuck you!” she shouted and lunged at him.

The dark-haired
woman took a menacing step toward her, growling deeply in her throat, as her hand fingered the long knife at her hip. Levi stopped her with a wave of one hand, grabbing Jessica by the throat with the other. She pulled at his hands as he squeezed the breath from her, but his grip was too strong. Just as she was passing out, he released her. She collapsed to her knees gasping for breath.

“Don’t try that again
, or I’ll let Hawk slice you up. Now, you two can join our little group or die. I leave the choice to you, although I’m sure Hawk here would love to gut you both just for practice.”

Reed stepped forward. “I
apologize for Jessica. We’ve both been under a lot of stress lately. I for one am willing to join you. I vote for surviving.”

Jessica glared at
Reed, unable to speak. She had made a foolish move that had almost cost them their lives. She studied Reed’s face. If he was lying to get in Levi’s good graces, he was hiding it well. Taking a deep breath she said, “I don’t for a minute think you’ll let us live long, so go ahead and kill me now.”

Levi shook his head slowly.
“You have courage, if not wisdom.” He looked at Reed. “As a science teacher, you might prove useful, but if you screw with me, I’ll hang you outside the wall as zombie bait.” His gaze returned to Jessica. The intensity of the look in his eyes made her shudder. “You, however, bear watching. You know how to hate. I like that. You’re like me.”

At this, Hawk again
fingered her knife and paced the room, clearly agitated at the attention he was paying to Jessica.

“I’m nothing like you,” Jessica replied. “You’re a murderer.”

“Murderer? I seem to remember you three killing several of my men. We were no threat to you, yet you took it upon yourselves to become judge, jury, and executioner. By what expediency do you claim that right, yet withhold it from me. I intend to survive. I’ll help as many as I can of my choosing to survive with me, but I’ll tolerate no slackers or enemies. You must choose.”

Quietly, Reed whispered
to her, “For God’s sake, Jessica. Don’t ruin this. He’ll kill both of us.”

As much as she wanted to drive a knife into Levi’s heart, she knew that opportunity wouldn’t come without a price.
“Okay, I’ll play along. I guess I have no choice.”

“Kill her,” Hawk cried
, stepping forward. “Kill her now!”

Levi scowled at her
and snapped, “Shut up.” 

Hawk continued, “She’s lying! They both are.
Look at her. She’ll kill you the first chance she gets.”

“Then don’t give her the chance. Keep a close eye on her, on both of them, but if you hurt her, I’ll make you pay for it.”

Hawk fumed as she paced. Her dark eyes focused on Jessica with so much rage and hatred that Jessica feared they would burn her skin.
It’s not loyalty
, she thought,
and it’s not love. What thread binds her to Levi so tightly?
Jessica knew without a doubt that one false step and Hawk would kill her in spite of Levi’s orders. Slowly, she rose to her feet, rubbing her throat where Levi’s fingers had dug in so deeply. She backed up and stood beside Reed. Reed’s hand pressed into the small of her back trying to reassure her.

He
whispered, “Thank God, Jessica. You scared me to death.”

Levi stared at them. “My men have removed anything dangerous from the RV. You two can share it for now.
” He nodded to Reed. “I will allow you limited access to the workshop under guard. I want a few of those bombs you used so effectively against me.” He smiled at Jessica. “I advise you to cause no trouble. My people are stupid and a bit ornery. They might act before thinking. Later, we’ll discuss your roles in my little society. You may both go now.”

Beside her, Reed released his breath. Her anger still simmered just below the surface. She fought to keep it under control. To Reed, Levi’s pronouncement had sounded like a reprieve. She had watched Levi’s not-so-subtle body language and the way his eyes lingered on her and knew that he wasn’t finished with her yet. 

* * * *

June 24, 201
6  Split Rock Canyon –

However restricted their movement, life in the RV was better than confinement in the workshop.
They had beds, a bathroom, and a kitchen to cook their own food. They avoided the other residents of the ranch as much as possible. Reed maintained the solar panels and produced ammunition. She repaired what remained of the vegetable garden, tended to the remaining pigs, and washed clothing for everyone like a camp follower. Everywhere she went, she felt the men’s eyes on her. She knew that only their fear of Levi kept them from treating her like they did the other women. She didn’t know how long that would last.

Of the five women, two were pregnant, but she doubted they knew who the fathers were or that the fathers cared. Once, when she tried to help one of the pregnant women, heavy with child,
as she carried a heavy load, Hawk appeared from nowhere and shoved her to the ground. Looming over her, she smiled down on her.

“Let her do her job.”

“She’s pregnant,” Jessica pointed out. “Look at her. She’s weak.”

“The weak die.”

“What kind of monster are you?”

Hawk’s cheek quivered in anger, as she narrowed her eyes
at Jessica. She pulled her knife from its scabbard. The sun gleamed off the long steel blade. Fear rose in Jessica’s throat, bringing with it the sour taste of bile. For a long, breathless second, she thought she was going to die. Then, to her horror, Hawk slashed out at the pregnant woman instead. The tip of the blade left a long slice along her cheek. The woman screamed in pain, dropped the load she was carrying, and ran off holding her hand to her bleeding cheek. Hawk pointed the bloody blade at Jessica.

“That is what I will do to you if you look at Levi.”

Jessica was aghast. Did Hawk think she wanted that animal? “I want to kill him,” she replied.

“He is mine,” Hawk said. She shoved the knife back into the scabbard and left, leaving Jessica relieved but confused.
Had Levi been discussing her with Hawk? What did she know that upset her so?

She discovered the answer sooner than she wished. The next
day, Levi paid her a visit. After sending Reed away on the pretext of checking the engine in one of the vehicles, he sat at the table ogling her. She wore a pair of cut off shorts and a t-shirt with no bra, and his lecherous gaze made her decidedly uncomfortable.