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A platoon stood in neat lines in front of Patrick and the other man.Obviously trained soldiers, not like the original platoon sent to find Molev had been.However, it was half as many personnel we’d arrived with.
The other man began talking.“The Denver and Boulder watchtowers have reported increased activity in both locations.To avoid drawing the attention of the undead, the convoy will head east, picking up one-nineteen, seventy-two, and seven.Once we reach the watchtower at the outskirts of Loveland, it’s a straight shot on thirty-four.By all reports from the watchtower there, the bombs left the road mostly intact.Undead activity is minimal.However, the sound of our engines will draw any in the area.We will need to keep the numbers low until we reach the distribution center and can establish a perimeter.Every vehicle in this convoy is carrying the personnel and supplies needed to complete this mission.We will not lose a single one.Am I clear?”
“Yes, sir!”
He dismissed them to their vehicles, and I looked at Molev.
“Ride with us until the watchtower, okay?”
He nodded and took my hand, leading us toward Patrick, who missed nothing.
“We’ll reach the watchtower before midday.It should give us plenty of daylight to reach the distribution center and set up a fence and lights.If all goes well, you’ll be back in your own beds by tomorrow night.”
Patrick turned on his heel and got into the Stryker.I hurried after him.
“What’s the activity in Loveland?”I asked, taking the seat beside him.
“Lieutenant Darbin never said.”
“I know,” I said, not falling for Patrick’s play on words.“That’s why I’m asking you.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
Molev sat across from us,tucking my gear under his seat as he waited for Patrick’s answer.
“The last report was that there was no activity,” Patrick said.His steady gaze and body language were all wrong.It felt like he was challenging me to disagree.
“When was the last report?”I asked.
He sighed and rubbed a hand over his shaved head as the engine rumbled to life.
“You really don’t miss anything, do you, Andie?They were due to report two hours ago.”
“That means they went dark between two and twenty-six hours ago,” I said.
“How many other watchtowers have fallen?”Roni asked.
“Just the one.We’ll reestablish before continuing on and remove any undead we find.”
The vehicle rolled forward, and I looked at Molev as my mind raced.How many alternate routes were between the two locations?Would the infected be wandering the mountains, or would they stick to the roads?If we were four hours away by road, how long would it take any infected to reach Gypsum?
Was that why we’d left so many men behind at Gypsum?Because they anticipated the infected were already on the move?Most likely.
“We’re using the FLIR, then?”I asked.
“We are.”
Everyone was watching me as if waiting for my opinion on the matter, and I realized why.Molev was inside the vehicle where he would be the least effective if something came our way.And he was here because of me.
“What’s the most likely scenario?”I asked Patrick.
“Each tower has a ten-man crew.If the tower fell, it would have involved either a single hound or a group of undead.If it had been a hound, we believe we would have heard it last night.Which means we have an unknown number of undead within the barrier.”
“Not unknown,” Katie said.“At least ten.”
Roland shook his head.“The guards will be newly turned and slow.They’ll linger around the watchtower until something catches their attention.”
Patrick nodded.“Exactly.Which means an unknown number.The reports are that the undead are evolving.Their traps are growing more complex.We’re not sure what we’ll find or what to expect along the way.But it doesn’t change our orders.We need supplies, and that distribution center was the most accessible location outside the barrier.”
