Race to Refuge

Chapter Nine: Charlie

Mojo started relaxing again as soon as we got back on the highway. For me though, the highway was anything but relaxing as once again I was driving off the road half the time, trying to get around traffic jams and the wrecks causing them.

He also probably wouldn't be too happy to know what my plans were. I wanted to stop by the huge sporting goods store on the way farther out of town. This place was one of those huge warehouse-style mega-stores ... a sportsman's paradise with all the hunting, fishing, and camping equipment you could possibly imagine. I could only hope that every able-bodied man in the city hadn't gotten the same idea. I wanted to stock up on some things that could help Mojo and me in the long run: stuff like water purification, guns, things like that. Being self-sufficient was going to be important since stores would probably start getting looted and cleaned out soon. Or overrun with zombies. Besides, there was only so long that fresh foods would stay fresh.

Another thing I wanted to do was to get in touch with an old high school buddy of mine who was in the army. He was sharp as a tack but too lazy to ever really advance much in the ranks. Still, I was guessing that he could be a real font of information. Once I grabbed these supplies I wanted to find a place to stash them. Getting them out of the store wouldn't be real easy as it was. I might have to make two or three trips on the motorcycle to dump things out and come back for more. But I didn't want to give up the bike yet. It hardly used any gas and could zip around almost any obstacle in its way. And no zombie was going to catch Mojo and me on that thing. So the temporary plan was that I was going to get Mojo and me settled somewhere away from the city with camping supplies, and then I'd try to put a call out to my buddy and see if he could throw a little light on the situation.

This sporting goods store was called Outbound Outfitter. And it was something to see. It was a kind of mecca for outdoorsmen. The whole design of the place was to attract attention to itself. It had the world's biggest fishing rod on one part of its roof, a fake boat on another part of its roof. It was on the top of a huge hill next to the interstate so that you couldn't miss it driving by. I can bet that any husband on his way to a family wedding, reunion, or something else was probably begging his wife to take the exit just like a kid wanting to go to Disney World. But silly as it looked, it was chock-full of guns, ammunition, and camping equipment.

At least, it had been. Right now it looked as if a few guys had the same brainstorm I had. There were definitely cars and trucks there, and some of them looked like they were already loaded to the gills with merchandise from the store. The only thing I was unsure about now was if we were in looting mode or legitimate purchasing mode. Then I saw a guy rushing out with his arms full of ammunition. He was wearing a forest green Outbound Outfitter golf shirt. Yep. Looting mode. Especially if we'd gotten to the point where employees themselves were doing the looting.

I cut the engine and was about to tell Mojo to stay with the bike when I realized that nobody was probably going to say a word to me about a German shepherd coming into the store. So when Mojo's eyes pleaded with me to take him in, I did. When I whistled for him to come, he joyfully bounded off the bike, grinning his dog grin, and ran into the store with me.

The first thing I needed was one of those huge duffel bags that you can either carry or wear on your back. The kind the military uses ... like a 30x50. That way I could cram as much stuff into it as possible, heft it onto my back, and hopefully still be able to handle the bag and the dog on the motorcycle until we could get to a spot where I could stash everything.

There were probably half a dozen guys in there, flinging stuff in boxes. I was hoping they weren't being real organized with it so there would be something left for me. There weren't many guys, but the ones that were there looked like they were serious stockpilers. The store was huge with a hardwood floor and vaulted ceilings that were supposed to make you feel you were in some kind of lodge. It had a ton of equipment and carried equipment for fishing, hunting, boating, and camping with ATVs and even tractors thrown in to boot. Mojo trotted after me as I hurried over to where I knew backpacks and duffel bags were. The large duffel bags were still in stock, I saw with relief. When you don't have a Plan B, it's good to see that Plan A will work.