1
Ianto was like a machine, Owen watching with awe "Will he get tired soon?"
"He has a purpose" Jack said as he carefully drove the SUV at the fence post, crunching it under the vehicle as they followed, the fence folding over, "He will go until he stumbles, realises he is not safe out there. Then we will drive with him in here."
"Is that….shit." Owen sighed as they came to a halt, Ianto kneeling by a body with a grimace, "Ianto?"
"Not them, one of the staff from the camp. Looks like she was attacked" Ianto said as he looked up, "We are heading in the right direction."
"Tosh and Suzie are watching for them in case they reach the Homestead before we do, they will not fire on them." Jack promised as he leaned out the window of the SUV, "We can move faster now we know their direction, Crypto? You wanna ride or run?"
The animal answered by taking off and Ianto sighed, clambering in as they took off. Soon Ianto was laughing along with the other two men as they bounced and rumbled, fences, and bush no match for the huge grillwork as the animal tried to lead them through the less dense areas.
"You think we will get there before dark?" Owen asked, "We are fair booking it."
"Mimi can't walk this far, Rhia will be carrying her by now" Ianto said as he leaned through the seats, "They will be slow moving, we should catch up to them."
"If we go by a timeline, they must have spent at least one night in camp after the event before turning happened this far out … slept rough at least one night, maybe two" Jack panted as he swung the wheel and grimaced, the SUV slamming against a rock then bouncing off, "Fuck, Suzie will go off about that."
"What's that? He's stopped" Ianto said after another hour of bouncing about and they stopped, Ianto feeling sick as he slid out and walked over to look down at the body face down in the creek. He knew without looking and stepped back, "its Rhia."
"Are you sure?" Owen asked as he knelt to reach out.
"I … her scarf…Don't…don't touch her. Please. She's dead" Ianto said thickly, "Mica is out here alone."
"Will she keep heading in the same direction?" Jack asked "Ianto?"
"I don't know, she didn't know the place like we did, we played here as kids, this entire valley. Mica only came here a few times, she is just so little. Crypto, go ahead and find her please."
He obliged and Ianto crouched, taking a moment near his sister's body then he rose, blowing out air, "I am walking to the SUV. Please don't turn her until I am gone. I don't want to know …I ….just… be quick."
Jack watched Ianto wearily clamber in the back of the SUV then nodded, Owen reaching out to turn the corpse over and he swore softly, "She was not turned. Look. Something attacked her."
"Shit" Jack started to run, "Come on, it will be chasing the child won't it?"
Owen followed and soon they were racing along, "Tell me Crypto is micro chipped or something."
"No, but it's over that way" Ianto pointed, "he's sure she is close, go faster."
They crested a small rise, the SUV taking some air as Owen whooped and then they smashed down. Owen glanced over at Jack, "I know. Don't tell Suzie, right?"
Wild laughter as they sped along, "Ianto?"
"Wait, it's not like a phone call" Ianto sighed as he rubbed his temples, "Oh shit. He has her up a tree, trees, look for some trees."
"THERE" Owen pointed with a glance back of confusion and they stopped at a copse of trees, Crypto underneath peering up with interest.
"MICA" Ianto staggered from the vehicle, running towards the dog, then he looked up and cried out with relief, "Darling. Oh Mimi, come here."
She just stared down at him silently.
"What if she's one of them" Owen said as he drew back, "Can she jump?"
"She had her appendix out six months back" Ianto said as he looked the tree up and frowned, "Mimi? You stuck honey bunny?"
"Uncle?"
Ianto seized a branch and hauled himself up, Jack moving to assist and he enjoyed the 'hand on the butt' manoeuvre…which one? Well, both of them enjoyed it I think. Ianto glanced back and grinned, then was gone as he climbed like he was born to it.
He reached her and found her clinging on for dear life, her eyes wild as her fingers seemed to be stuck.
"You cramping?" he whispered, "want me to hold on for you?"
She looked at him as he moved closer, sliding behind her to cuddle her and she sobbed with relief as she saw it was really him.
"Bad Mister Hayes hurt Mama" she whispered into his big safe chest.
"I know love, but he's gone now" Ianto replied.
"No he's not" she said with a frown, "He's over there by the creek."
Ianto looked where she was pointing and felt ill as the Zomboid seemed to hear and turned in their direction.
"JACK! TO YOUR LEFT" Ianto yelled and Jack swung to see the thing starting to move towards them.
"Owen, run for the SUV, I will put it down" Jack said as he drew his Webley.
The Zomboid came.