17
They drove for a while in silence, then as they passed the road that headed another half hour towards the Fire station and continued on the main road Ianto finally spoke "Well… that was… something."
"Yeah" Jack agreed, "and.. yeah."
Both men snorted with amusement at their inability to find words for the weird feeling they got. Then Ianto sighed "Rain's going away like I was afraid it would. We are going to be out in the open. I wonder if wet ground is enough, how long before they realize it's safe to come out?"
"Fuck, it's another two hours to the Outpost on this road, I don't think we are gonna make it ir if we do, we are likely dragging Bugs in our wake straight to the home" Jack agreed "Let's signal to pull over and all discuss this."
Ianto flashed the headlights as agreed and they all stopped and got out, looking around at the soft drizzle was now stopping now and then, the umbrellas they held feeling foolish made bright flashes of red and black, stark in the dim light.
"Look, this is rain about to stop. In half an hour or less those things might come out to test the dryness of the ground" Jack said.
"I was thinking the same thing" Rhys nodded "There is a truck stop dinner ten minutes up the road here I used to stop in at, maybe we need to pull in and settle for the night, it's already late and I would rather spend a night and head home fully awake and refreshed then make a mistake now. Not with the little ones on board."
"Agreed." Andy nodded as he added "I know the place. It has a large back loading bay that had a roll door. Maybe the RV will fit inside so the kids feel safe? We can park the other two vehicles out back as well so anyone or anything scuttling past don't know we are there?"
"Yeah, it's a nice place. Big grocery store for those on the road adventuring as well, like tousristy shit too. I loved their pies" Rhys added.
"OK, let's make for that" Ianto looked over at Rhiannon "You OK?"
"Yeah" she nodded, still slightly afraid to be out in the open.
"Maybe the Fire Truck needs to move behind the RV for this last push, so if the water canon is needed then I can stop and clamber on top?" Mickey asked.
"I will travel with you, Rhys can drive the RV." Andy offered, "then if I need to go topside to spray some Bugs, we can keep moving."
"Agreed" Jack clapped his hands and grinned widely "And who knows… that RV has gas right? Maybe a hot cuppa?"
"God, that sounds great" Ianto groaned.
They moved with purpose.
.
.
He was right. It was a huge old place and the loading bay was ample space for the RV, the Transporter and Fire Truck parked out by the small side door so they could lower the roller doors and still get to and from the other vehicles until the first tendrils of fear told Ianto to close that door and lock it firmly
The kids had erupted from the RV like mad things, the dog not much better as she whimpered and danced around for Ianto to let her out and he again stood with a nervousness to him as she ran for some grass to pee on and then do a circle before squatting to take a dump.
"Need a doggie bag?" Jack asked and Ianto grunted before replying that maybe he should pick it up.
"No, her pee is still there. If they key off smell her pee is probably worse. Owen would tip some bleach all over the place" Jack snorted with mirth.
"We never did test that theory. He might be right" Ianto defended as he ushered the dog in and then closed the door again, they then headed in to see what everyone was up to.
The kids were pillaging the sweet aisle and Ianto groaned, grimacing at the thought of the sugar overload, then he realized it might be a good thing. They will crash about like nutters and after some real food will crash from the sugar rush. Early bed.
"Rhia" he said softly as he stepped over by Rhiannon "Let them eat what they want today. Then after they burn out they will go to sleep in the RV. If you settle beds for them, let them sleep they will not think about what is out there in the dark."
She nodded as she went to do as he said but paused as he grabbed her arm "Hang on a sec. Come have a look behind the counter with me."
They walked behind the counter and stood watching everyone else working away. Andy and Rhys trying to set up a tent inside the store with loud sniggering and arguing while Mickey was setting some solar lights on sale from the garden aisle, along the window to charge up.
"Hey everyone… can we set up the tent and such in the back? If we can see out those windows, they can see in?" Ianto called out.
"Good point. And let's get those tarps out of their wrapping and we can close over those windows so we can still move around in here looking for the fu…. dgers." Jack stumbled over the last word and cleared his throat, then added "We will take shifts watching for them. Hopefully any in the area will just amble on by as this place has probably been checked relentlessly from the beginning of this."
Everyone went to work, Ianto held Rhiannon's hand and then pulled her over further by the cash register. Ianto then showed Rhiannon what he had hoped to find, crouching to feel up under the counter and pulling out the sawn of shotgun.
"Anti-theft device" He said softly "I saw the box of shells earlier and hoped… here. You take this and the extra shells, go hide it all in the RV, in the bed you are taking."
She accepted them without comment, glad to have something to protect the kids with and Ianto let her go, knowing this would help her sleep tonight. If she was calm, the kids would be too.
God knows, they need to be quiet.
The Bugs were sure to be about as the damp ground dried.