Chapter 2

Reunited

Gunner POV

I time her on how long she's in there. 14 minutes in and she's skipping across the parking lot with a shopping cart full of shit.

"What's wrong with the dock?"

"Had to trap some back there. They were in the employees only area as it was and I think they've been there since the fall cause they were slow as hell. I'm gonna pull up and use the lift."

And more are flocking to us. They must've heard the truck start up again. I've noticed these things are kinda ADD. If they don't see or hear anything they don't do anything.

"There's another cart by the front door."

She pulls up and makes a circle in the lot to take out everything coming towards us. The second cart is loaded onto the lift and she uses a handgun to take out what's coming towards her.

"Not a bad shot. But it won't save you the next time you grab my dick like that."

"Whatever you say, blondie."

"You get your tampons?"

"Yes, I got some tampons." She mocks me.

"But forgot the chocolate."

"Actually, I found some. And just for that, I'm not sharing it with you."

I smirk. "Whatever, Roxy. That sounds like a dogs name."

"And what's your name? Oh fearless Norseman?"

"How can you tell that?"

"Your appearance. Duh."

"Gunner Jensen."

"Wow. That suits you so much."

Roxanne suits you, but I'm not telling you that. We're a few minutes down the road when she apologizes.

"Pinching you was the only advantage I had and it was for your own good."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry about it. It's the first hand he's felt in months that ain't mine. It's nice to know it's still alive."

That gets her laughing. "Must be hard finding Cialis, huh?"

"I'm old, but I'm not that old. You be careful the next time you grab me like that. I might take it as an invitation."

"What makes you think I'm interested?"

"Right. Val. Who's apparently much older than you. How's that working out for ya? Tumor and all."

"Low blow, Gunner. Not cool. And after many years of waiting, I'm so taking advantage of that."

"You're terrible. That's even worse than me. Or maybe not. I don't know."

"He's interested. It's just the age gap is what stops him. It's not like I'm giving him roofies and molesting him in his sleep. There are moments he doesn't remember who I am but I remember who he is. And the tumor just makes it worse."

"Inoperable?"

"Um-hm. He was going through chemical therapy to shrink it, but shit happened."

"Yeah."

That's gotta suck. How much older is this guy? She's probably what? 40? Ish? I can't tell. I'm 54.

She drives for hours and pauses only to pee and check in with Frye. I'm tired so I take advantage of that bed she's got in the back. When I wake up, she's asleep on the floor this time.

"Don't step on me, Lurch."

"I didn't know you were there. Is it night?"

"Uh-huh."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You're injured and you need sleep. Your friends haven't moved. I'm sure we can catch up to them tomorrow. Don't move."

I can hear her move and a small light clicks on that lights the whole place.

"Early breakfast?" I suggest. I'm always hungry these days.

"Go for it."

She sits on the bed and I don't know how she can go back to sleep with her legs hanging off of it. Vienna sausage and crackers. I haven't even had canned meat in months. It's always beans or fruit cocktail.

"You snore."

"Stalker broke my nose."

"You could've slept with me, y'know. I don't bite. Unless you're into that."

There's a little smile. "You were sprawled out on this thing. I wasn't about to go poking someone that might wake up swinging."

"This bed's too small."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Lurch. I wasn't expecting any giants to visit. Now shut up before you- never mind. I'm awake."

"Oh good, we can go then."

She squints at me. "You did that on purpose."

"I thought, if she wakes up and we're moving she might think I'm kidnapping her."

"Well, at least you're not as dumb as you look."

"Still snarky when you're half asleep. How does Val tolerate you?"

She shrugs and points to her water bottle. I hand it do her and she downs what's left of it.

"I don't think it's a good idea joining your friends in the middle of the night. Y'know, dead people walking and live people being assholes that rather kill you and take your shit than share. I'm not in the mood to get shot at."

"Maybe you're right."

I offer her one of the peanutbutter crackers before I eat them all. She shakes her head no. Then checks her watch.

"Got somewhere to be?"

"Just curious. It's 4 AM."

"When'd you go to sleep?"

"When it got dark. Bright light attracts them."

"What gave you the bright idea for this?"

"Remember how author is on that list? Apocalypse was one of my series. Two, actually. I just applied the what if into reality and ta-da."

"You did this?"

"What? You think a girl doesn't know how to do shit?"

"I never said that. I just think it's unlikely."

"Val's excuse is I'm too old for this shit. Oric with a welder is just no." She smiles, "And the other guys didn't do it right."

"How old is this guy?"

"69."

"And you don't see the age gap? You're what? 30?"

"34. And yes, I'm aware of the age gap. What I'm also aware of is I'm well over legal age and sound of mind. There's this thing called personality. I like Vals. He just happens to be old as dirt. How about you? Any weird and complected relationships or an actual girlfriend?"

"Haven't had one of those in years. How long you been waiting on him?"

She has to think about it. "Six years."

"Six years?"

"We've known each other for ten."

"That's too fucking long."

She shrugs. "I'm not worried about it. I'm a workaholic and rich. Guys see me and think ooh, she's hideous so she's desperate. Which is why I don't date guys in my age group. There's only so much shallow and stupid I can tolerate. We've got an odd understanding and are fine where we are."

"You often this open with shit?"

"After you reunite with your buds, I doubt we'll be running into one another again, so I don't really care. But usually, no. Why?"

"I'm not exactly that guy you share your secrets with n' shit."

"Aw, is it too girly for you?" She teases and smiles. "It's not girly to say what you think or how you feel. And if someone doesn't like it, they can suck it. Just like those people that ask what do you think? And how's that make you feel? And when you tell them, they don't like it. They can suck it too. Besides, if you ever come in contact with a computer again and google me, it's all shit about me that you'd learn on there anyway."

She gets up. "I gotta pee. I'll be back. Don't fuck with my truck."

"Don't get bit in the ass."

Her choice of weapon to take with her is the spear from under the bed, handgun and hawk-axe. She grabs the TP and takes a look outside before hopping down out of the truck and wondering off the road into the tree line. While she's out there, I take a piss right off the passenger side.

"I hate you."

"Why?"

"You have it easy being able to pee standing up."

She plucks an antibacterial wipe from the pack in between the seats and rubs it all across her hands.

"Wash. Don't gimme that look. You've got injuries that can lead to infection just by touch. Wash."

She smiles when I make a show of washing my hands with the wipe.

"Happy?"

"Ecstatic. Did you eat all my sausage?"

"Maybe."

"You turd." She picks a can of beans.

"Now you're eating?"

"What? I can't eat when I first get up. Then I feel hungry though I ate. Don't rush me, gigantor. I'll take forever."

"Gimme the keys. I'll drive."

"No. You're going to be changing your bandages because you're leaking." She points at me.

"You're a pain in the ass."

"Fix yourself. Or do you have a medic in your posse?"

"Who says posse anymore?"

"I'm an author. My vocabulary's huge." Her cheek bulges, "Less staring, more fixing. And don't rip that shit off either. You might pull the stitches."

I peel it off slowly and take a look. Not bad. I've seen worse. But I did bleed sometime in the night. There's an old orange spot and a fresher redder spot. I apply the damn goop she gives me and put a new patch on.

"Good boy. Who wants a cookie?"

"Do you have any?"

"Even better. I've got Ferro Rochere and Russle Stover chocolates. I hate stale as fuck cookies. They taste like sand."

Half a can of beans is gone and she plucks a piece of chocolate from a drawer under the small table that's bolted to the floor.

"Should've known you'd have a stash."

"Nom-nom-nom." She picks one.

"Whatever you're having. I'm not big on chocolate."

But I might never have it again.

"How am I looking?"

"We get you some bolts and a few more scars and you can be Frankenstein for Halloween."

"Smart-ass."

The can of beans is almost gone when she starts burping.

"Still hungry?"

I have the little bit that's left before she goes to the computer. There's an e-mail on there from her computer nerd from 4 hours ago. Says that the red dots haven't moved. So my friends are still there at the gas station. She's driving and I'm in the front seat.

"You can lie down y'know. I doubt that seat's comfortable."

"I'm fine. And what would you know about getting shot and stabbed?" I question.

"You've only seen my back."

That looks like she's been whipped and there's an ugly blotchy red scar on her shoulder blade.

"You've been shot?"

"Twice."

"Stabbed?"

She's got the chocolate in her mouth now and holds up four fingers before opening her hand and there's a Ferro Rochere.

"Thanks."

"You're not allergic to nuts, right?"

"What's in it?"

"Chocolate and hazelnut."

I don't think I ever had one of these. It's not bad.

As we approach, I can see why my team haven't moved. They're cornered. There's a hoard surrounding the little gas station.

"Well, that's a rookie move."

"What?"

"Gas stations are hot zones. You see all these vehicles? Where did everyone go? Back to the city? In to the wilderness? How many city people you know can survive in the woods with nothing? If someone dies now, they get up as a ghoul. Just like if you see a pile up like this on the highway, you find a way around it cause chances are the people that died there are ghouls, and they've lingered around that area because there's very little to draw them away."

She goes to the back and turns on a small radio. She draws them to the back of the truck and uses a small gas powered nail gun to take them out.

"A nail gun? Seriously?"

"Seriously." She strikes a pose with it. "It's quieter than a gun and just as effective. Pew-pew."

Smirking, I get up and grab my gun from it's spot under the table.

"Thanks kid."

"I'm not a kid. I'm just younger than you, grandpa."

The music goes off and she swings the door open. "Take this down. You stretch too far and you'll tear your stitches."

She presses a button that causes the doors to lock.

"Open that door and you'll alert everything within miles of us."

"Brat. You got any ammo for this?"

"While you were sleeping, I refilled your magazine." She sweeps my bag off the floor and opens it. "Empties are refilled. You've got 3 days rations and about a weeks worth medical supplies and meds for your injuries. The only thing I took outta your shit was my inhalers, vitamin D, ibuprofen, and anything used to treat infections related to my lady parts. What? Don't gimme that look. I'm clean, but fact is I'll be filthy before I die of dehydration and infection can be caused by an imbalance in PH."

"Relax, girl. I know what causes infection. I've a degree in chemistry."

She looks surprised.

"Surprised?"

"A little. I kinda pegged you for the typical guns, girls, beer and sports type."

You're not completely wrong.

"Thanks Rox."

"You're welcome. Now shoo. Before your friends think I'm hostile."

"You could always stick around." I press the lever on the lift and it starts me down.

"I've got people waiting on me and then my ass is going home."

"Montana?"

"Um-hm."

I stop the lift and we're eye to eye when I plant one on her. I'm waiting for a slap or for her to push me off the lift, but she doesn't.

"See you later, Lurch."

When I growl, she smirks.

"I'll see you later, brat. I gotta find the right nickname for you."

As I'm heading towards my group that's gathered just outside the door, she's driving off up the road aways and takes out one by opening her door and nailing it right in the face.

"Someone picked you up huh?"

"Well don't everyone welcome me back all at once. You're overwhelming me. How'd you get stuck in there?"

"Hoard came outta nowhere. We walked through the place and there was no movement so we went in. Next thing we know, we're fighting to get the doors closed. We're all out so I hope that new friend you made gave you something." Barney says.

"Lie down and let me take a look at ya." Doc says.

"Here." I hand the bag off to Yang and he opens it, takes everything out of it and organizes it on the hood of a car.

"They a doctor?" Doc asks.

"No."

"That's a surgeons work."

"You think so?"

"I know so. I was a doctor and a surgeon. I know their work."

Someone lying to me? She seemed so honest. Women. All liars in the end. Great kisser though.

"We have enough food and water to last us until tomorrow. 3 full magazines."

"And the one in my gun makes four."

"Slice is shallow. If it went any deeper it would've hit your spleen. Gunshot was a through and through. Other stab wound is more like a poke. You'll live. What else we got in there? Anything for infection?" Doc asks.

"Yeah. About a weeks worth."

"Good. Cause what we managed to get from the pharmacy's just enough for me. Why were they there?" Lee asks.

"Inhailer."

"That's gonna suck later on when they die from asphyxiation." Toll says. "Or get eaten alive while having an asthma attack."

"Morbid." Hale comments and Toll shrugs.

"So who were they? Was it a man? Or a smoking hot woman? I haven't seen a woman in months. One that's y'know, a live one. This apocalypse is turning into a sausage fest." Galgos comments. "Well?"

"Doesn't matter. We won't be seeing her again."

"Ooh, sounds like someone wants to keep her to himself." Lee teases. "C'mon Gunner. Three months, we're gettin' desperate here."

"She's a nine."

"Blond?"

"Brunette. Brown eyes. A little on the athletic side. Great ass."

"I hope you said thank-you." Hale says.

"I wish."

"You're all pigs." Maggie comments.

"We're men. You're surrounded by a bunch of handsome guys. Imagine if it was the other way around and you saw a guy for the first time in 3 months." Galgos says. "I visited a town like that once. Women outnumbered men three to one and they couldn't keep their hands off me. Did you at least get a kiss?"

I just smile and they all laugh.

"She didn't punch you in the face?" Maggie questions.

"Maybe she likes my face?"

"Or maybe it's been that long since she saw a man?" Maggie throws back.

"C'mon, Maggie, don't be so mean. It's not Gunner's fault he's not the fairest of us all." Tool jests.

"You have seen yourself in a mirror, right?" I tease right back. "Lets get going before more show up."

"Good idea. Best idea ever! I was taking a piss and I thought my dick was going to get bitten off." Galgos continues rambling on about how he saw that in a zombie movie once, but he can't remember which one it was.