The Rot: Book 2

Chapter 22

We all just kind of looked at Cynthia. For once I didn't have a witty comeback. I was surprised that Cyn was serious about searching for Carter.

"Cyn, do you really want to take Carter out?" Angie asked.

"I am," Cyn answered. "Carter's more dangerous than the biters."

Cynthia did have a point. Carter really didn't seem like the type of guy that would be willing to coexist. Not that I was about to invite him over for milk and cookies. Fuck that shit. We didn't have those things in our supplies anyhow.

"Cynthia, that's nuts," Ang said.

"Is it? Is it really?"

"Yeah. Not only are you going to risk dealing with the stenches that could be outside, but you're gonna search for that fucking psycho? What if he gets you first?"

Cynthia sighed. "Angie, what else can we do? Wait for him to show up? Move again?"

"Hell no," Mick interjected. "Hell, we almost didn't make it out of that warehouse."

"The prick will probably just follow us again anyhow," I added.

"That's why we need to fortify this place a little better," said Angie. "Make it damn near impossible for Carter or the eaters to get in here."

I tried to see both Cyn and Angie's points. The two of them were right. But both of their plans were dangerous as well. Go out and try to deal with Carter? Or go out and fortify the outside of the building? Like picking between two bowls of shit. What a lovely image.

"We can try doing both," Janice said.

"What?" I asked. Janice said it so quietly, I didn't hear her the first time. A steady diet of heavy metal cranked up to eleven will do that to a person's ears.

"I said we can try both," Janice repeated herself.

Mick rubbed his beard as he thought about it. "Yeah."

"What? Half of us work on the office while the rest of us go wax carter like some kind of a fuckin' hit squad?" I asked the group. I didn't like where the conversation was heading.

"I guess so, Reid," Cyn answered.

"Wow," I sighed.

"'Wow' What?"

"I don't know. I just have a bad feeling."

"About what?"

"All of it."

Everybody sat in silence for a bit. I know I damn sure didn't know what to say.

"I'll help fortify the office," said Nicole. "We can use some of the equipment in here and stack the stuff up in front of the parking lot doors. The eaters shouldn't be able to move the stuff away."

I was relieved to have something else to talk about besides killing Carter. Don't get me wrong, Carter did deserve it, I just didn't like talking about it. "Stack up enough crap in front of the door? I like it," I told Nicole.

"Who's gonna carry it out there?" Mick asked with a little smirk.

I was in no mood for getting a hernia. "Dammit, Mick. Screw your logic."

"Not only that, Reid, what if we're carrying something out there and Carter happens to see us? We'd be sitting ducks."

"Good point." Maybe we did have to split up after all.

"I wonder if Carter has any of his lackeys with him?" Cyn asked.

"Possible," I replied. "But, the prick might have killed them too."