Brandy Creek (Book Two Completed)

Part 22

His name turned out to be Nick Miller. He was actually two years younger then me, he had grown up just out side of Jackson, with his dad. He never even thought about being in any sort of gang. After his dad was killed in the first rush of panic because of the zombies, he found himself in Jackson. With The Unwanted -he did what he had to to survive. I could understand that. The only reason why he was with us in the daycare building with the rest of the community was because he had answered every question. He was more then willing to give up information about The Unwanted.

One of the most important questions was, when were they expecting his group to be back? The answer, tomorrow night. We had one day before they started to become suspicious. Maybe until the following morning until they decide to send a group out to look for McCreepy's group. Yes I had been told his name, and no I didn't remember it because it wasn't important.

"We have about a day and a half to move on this group before they start looking for their recon group." Mato tells everyone. "This was the plan, to move on the group, now we just have a time limit."

I turn to Bjorn. "Think we should make a stop to Indiana?"

He stares me down, a frown marring his face. "I still don't get why you haven't already."

Bjorn and Faith are the only ones who knew about my storage in Indiana, at least before all this happened. They even knew what was in it, because they've been in it. Right now, some of the things in there that may come in handy.

"We can drive there and to Jackson in what?" Bjorn asks. "Seven hours? Three there, four to Jackson?"

"What's in Indiana?" North asks.

"Weapons and gear a hit women hoards in a couple of years." I tell him, his eyebrows shoot up almost to his hairline. I look from him to Mato. "We can drive there, gather what we need and go straight to Jackson with some time to scout their area. But we would be leaving the community for possibly a couple days."

Little arms squeeze around me tighter. Had I mentioned Sarah had latched onto me the moment she saw me again? I felt horrible that she was scared, and it was clear she was scared for me. I had disappeared once, apparently she was unlikely to forget any time soon.

"Those not going on the OP can go to Brandy for the day." Mato suggest.

"With all do respect, son." Gad speaks up. "I think I speak for majority of us saying we'd rather stay. We are finally settled and we have things we want to get done. Plus most of us can use guns if we have too."

There's a bunch of agreeing sounds and nods of heads. I look to both teams. "Then a few people need to stick behind, I'd say at least two. We need as many on this trip because The Unwanted have a numbers advantage already."

"We can stay." Milo says, him and Ajax were sitting close together, hands in each others. I didn't know them well, just that they liked keeping to them selves for the most part.

Ajax looks to North. "No offense, I loved working with you but if it wasn't for Milo and the pay I wouldn't of joined the combined team. OPs aren't for me, I'll do them if I have to but I rather stay here and guard the community. Because at least I can have somewhat of a normal life with Milo."

"We will help the community." Milo nods. "We will defend it and even go out for supply's. We rather not be apart of any mission though."

This wasn't really my place to decide, it was Norths. So I look to him. His expression blank, I had no idea what he was thinking. He just gives them one solid dip of his chin. I very much so wanted to know what he was thinking, but right now wasn't the time to ask.

"Then Milo and Ajax will stay behind to help guard." I say out loud, turning to look at the group. My hand absently rubs Sarah's back as I think about a plan.

"I'm going." Tyler says loudly in the lull of talking, I raise a brow to him and he huffs. "I have a box of pipe bombs I've made, I want to use them."

Oh, wonderful. We had someone with homemade pipe bombs somewhere in camp.

"You weren't going to tell us?" There was a controlled anger in Mato's voice. Tyler just gives him a shrug.

"I make them all the time, when I wont get reprimanded for it."

"Or arrested." North says half under his breath. It was still loud enough for most of us to hear.

Tyler screws up his face at him. I myself, am trying not to laugh. "And what would we do with pipe bombs? They have civilians there that don't want to be there, along with a bunch of supply's."

"Distraction." Tyler says simply with a nod, and that gave me a light bulb moment.

Smiling I ask him. "Can you make trip wire?"

I think his eyes started shinning with excitement. "I can do that, and pressure mines, I can have the stuff to make them in fifteen minutes."

And then he was off, with no other words about it. He just leaves almost at a sprint. He was going to loose it when I showed him whats in my storage.

"So we are settled, stay here in the settlement, don't go out." Mato says that to the people staying of course, then he turns towards the rest of us, the ones going. "We need to leave soon."

"Thirty minutes." I tell him, and by extension everyone else. "Grab a to go bag, one pair of clothes, extra ammo, and a little packaged food. We can grab more on the way."

Sure we had enough food to take with us and still have a large store of it here. The need to hoard everything was to strong. We wont always be able to just go out and still find canned food and bottled water. We needed to grab it while we can, and save what we have.

"Dismissed." This is from North who gives some people an encouraging nod. A few people leave, I know some of them had wanted to work on starting the garden.

"Do you have to go?" Sarah's voice is small and I think I feel my heart break. Is that possible?

I lean down to wrap my other arm around her and give her a tight hug. She squeezes me back and I fake whisper into her ear. "I have to go because I'm the biggest badass in the room."

A surprised giggle escapes her. I pull back and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, giving her a smile I tell her. "This is my home now and I plan on coming back. I promise to do my best, to fight the bad people and help who I can but I will do everything I can to come back home."

She doesn't say anything, she just goes back in and hugs me tightly.

God I feel like I had been hit by a truck, mostly in my chest area. This little girl had gone through way to much, and she was attached to me. No I don't really get why. I never took care of kids before and now there was two, well three.. did I count Theo? Was it to early to count him? I would kill anyone who tried to hurt him, and I would do anything in my power to keep him happy and healthy just like I would for Sarah and Hunter.

When Sarah felt comfortable enough to let go, I was able to go grab my to go bag. Soon after we all huddled in a few cars and started north. The drive is shorter then expected, mostly because we could speed for most of it, only slowing to drive around obstructions in the road. Otherwise beautiful trees and farm land pass us at a blur. The storage facility is called Happy Happy Self Storage, a weird name but its memorable. Its south of Columbus, in a small neighborhood of maybe fifty single family homes, and surrounded by farmland. The storage buildings aren't even that big, six green long buildings right next together, a row of garage doors on the far left building. There's halls on the inside with bright orange roll up doors (these are a little smaller then garage doors) into the storage. When we get there almost three hours later, I lead both groups to the fifth building.

"Ready for a hit women's wonderland?" I ask them. I get a snort from the crowd, I roll my eyes at that and open the door leading them to the second bright orange roll up door. I unlock the large lock, dropping it to the ground and grab the bottom of the door. When it rolls up all the way, lights start popping on, good to know this place still had electricity. Maybe there was a generator.

"Holy shit." One of the guys says from behind me, and I agree, holy shit. I had forgotten how much I had in here.