Holly Fever (Mondamin Court #1)

Chapter 34

Zoey grabbed her winter coat and made Esther get hers too. It was warm outside at the moment, but when night fell, it would be cold again. And night would undoubtedly fall before they could find the bandits, let alone save Ruth and Misshasha.

"He came from that way," Esther said as she followed Zoey down back of the U, away from where Darren had come.

"I know," she said. "First stop, that house." She pointed to the opposite end of the block, where the survivalist had lived.

"Oh," Esther said and fell into step beside her. "Umm, will Darren be okay?"

Zoey sighed. "No," she admitted.

"What were those pills you gave him?"

"They were for the pain."

Esther thought a long time. "When Grandma was really sick, they gave her stuff for the pain. Said they were making her comfortable so she could die."

"Yeah, that's exactly what we did."

"But Darren ain't old."

"No, but what is wrong with him, the damage they did to him, we can't fix it. A hospital, if there was one left, might," Zoey paused and added for emphasis, "might have been able to fix it. I don't know."

"I'm sorry," Esther said as Zoey unlocked the door and went into the house.

Zoey's heart clenched. "Me, too," she said quietly. "But we'll have to be sad later. Right now we've got a couple of girls to save, you and I."

"Yes," Esther agreed, setting her face in determination.

Zoey used a flashlight and went down in the basement. She stared at the open gun cabinet for a long time. She grabbed a couple of walkie-talkies, handed one to Esther, and pocketed the other.

"Are we gonna take one of the machine guns?"

"Assault rifles," Zoey corrected. She shook her head. "Don't know how to shoot one. I told Darren that—no point in carrying a gun you can't use. I can use the rifle." She bumped the rifle she had over her shoulder. "Oh my, lookie here." She pulled a thick handgun with yellow striping from the case. "Taser. That'll do." She also selected a revolver. She didn't like handguns, but it might come in handy. She found a small backpack and loaded it with extra shells and the box of flashbangs. Finally she took a long bowie knife and strapped it to her waist. "I bet I look ridiculous," she muttered and headed back up the stairs.

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Holly woke stiff and sore, on the floor of the back supply room. She rolled and stood, stretching her aching back. Most of the staff members were still sleeping. Out in the main kitchen area, there was a single light on. Cat was up, along with Blakely and the sergeant.

Holly staggered out and joined them. "The colonel been back?" she asked. Colonel Lefish had showed up in person late yesterday evening. He'd traded words with Cat for some time. When it became clear they weren't about to give in without a fight, he'd left a team of guards in the dining room area. This team had given no sign of wanting to surrender or switch sides. It had been a long, uneasy night.

"No, he hasn't," Cat said. "There have been other developments, though. Heard bits and pieces on the radio." She gestured at Blakely's radio.

"Figured out which frequencies they were using," Blakely said with a smile.

"What sort of developments?"

"They moved against the protestors in the night," Blakely said.

Holly's eyes were wide. "But . . . they attacked them?"

"It was a crowd-control action, mostly," the sergeant said. "Tear gas and rubber bullets. Minimal casualties."

"Did they capture them?"

"That wasn't what they were trying to do. They forced them out of the lower level, out into the street."

Holly scrunched up her brow. "But why?"

"He can't capture them," the sergeant said. "There are too many. And too many sympathizers inside. Bringing them all back at once would only encourage further actions. Besides, he has to walk a fine line. If he uses too much force, he proves his critics right and the whole community will fall apart. He has to get Daniels or us to submit willingly. And as long as we have the kitchen, he can't starve them without starving his own men."

"So then why drive them out in the street?" Holly asked.

"It's the only weapon he has left: water. Now they don't have access to running water, and so it becomes a waiting game again. The protestors have one, maybe two days, and then they'll be forced to submit or move on."

"We've got to do something," Holly said. "We can't let them die out there."

"But what can we do?" Cat asked.

"You can trust us," the sergeant said. "We want to help. My squad can create a path through Lefish's men to the protestors. Take them supplies."

"Can we?" Cat asked, looking around at the rest of the crew.

"We don't all have to trust them," Holly answered. "Just me." Cat gave her a blank look. "I'll go with them. We'll put the supplies for the protestors and the soldiers' weapons out in the back hallway. Then release the soldiers and bar the door behind them. If they are trying to trick us, they can't get back in. If they are trustworthy, they can fight through the men and I will carry the supplies. The rest of you can stay barricaded in here."

"You'll need more than just you, if you're going to take enough supplies to really help them," Cat said. "But yeah, I think that's what we should do."

Two other workers volunteered to go with Holly. She was glad of their support.

"So what's the plan?" Blakely said to the sergeant.

The sergeant took a sheet of paper and started sketching a map. "They'll expect us to try for ground level. But they won't expect us to go up."

Holly smiled as she recognized the hallway he was sketching.