Chapter 71

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Logan and John lingered just inside the barn door and gazed around at the zombies while Daniel deposited our newfound cloudy-eyed friend in the reinforced cage. Nina took a few blood samples, although she had some issues collecting the thick liquid and muttered something about the blood thickening after being unconscious for so long.

Once she finished, Daniel made sure it was possible to see the head injury from the other side of the bars to monitor its healing. I remained outside the barn to keep an eye on Nicky and Liz, who were collecting dandelion flowers in the grass.

They hadn't mentioned why they were collecting the yellow flowers, although they wouldn't have enough time to build a dandelion crown before we'd arrive at Ironwind. Thankfully.

Those inside soon came back out now that the zombie was in his new holiday suite. As much as I didn't want to get back in the truck again, I wanted to see Luke's reaction when he spotted his brother.

The others quickly reclaimed their previous seats. Their focus and energy reflected their building excitement, which was a stark contrast to the half-vacant, bored stares they'd worn the last two days. The end of our trip was just mere minutes away.

Finally.

Daniel drove down the well-maintained road, reaching speeds we hadn't hit throughout most of our trip.

"Finally!" Nicky exclaimed in an uncanny echo of my thoughts when we rounded the bend and could see the tall fence surrounding the Stronghold. "We made it!"

It almost felt like coming home after a holiday that had gone on far too long. Something akin to a promise of familiarity and semi-peace. Like I could finally relax and unwind.

It was a feeling I hadn't experienced in almost a year.

Shaking my head slightly to dispel the reverie, I took a deep breath to check the air. Luke and Jess were still here. There were about two dozen unfamiliar scents, although I'd smelled them at least once before, so I assumed they were from that group who had been heading here. Nothing smelled out of place, although our arrival was about to shatter the peace and quiet.

A short horn sequence came from the gate, announcing our arrival, although it sounded nothing like when the traders had arrived. The guards had clearly recognized the truck and its occupants. Well, I guess if a familiar man and woman are in the front while a redhead and a grouchy-looking lady wearing sunglasses rode in the back, it should be quite obvious. The truck isn't exactly unknown to them either.

They had no way of knowing who our passengers were, but the guards assumed they were friendly since they were riding with us. One person in Ironwind would certainly recognize the lanky, brown-haired man across from me though...

"John."

He looked at me, surprised by my serious tone. "Yes?"

I gave him a level look. "Remember, even though Luke is your brother, the virus now runs through his blood, and that will change his reactions slightly. Especially when it comes to direct contact. Watch his body language. If he's open for a reunion hug, then go for it. If he avoids such things, it's only because he's worried about possibly harming you."

John nodded slowly. "Thank you. I will keep that in mind."

With my warning relayed and John now cautious, I turned my head back to the Stronghold, where the guards were already opening the gate for us, ready to welcome us home.

Part of me was curious to see what the upcoming reunion would look like, but I also knew Luke could still feel the bloodlust much more strongly than I currently could. The controlex had reduced it, but it hadn't completely removed it.

If nothing else, Luke has spent all this time creating more vials of the cure, serum, and the controlex. If an accident occurs, we have something to help with any collateral damage on John's side. I didn't mention that thought aloud lest it make the two men riding in the back unduly nervous.

A small welcoming crowd was already gathering as we approached the gate and slowed down. They cheered as we drove inside and past them. Everyone was smiling and happy to see us. All of the attention was annoying the hell out of my instincts, proving that I hadn't magically become a people person during this trip. No surprise there.

I scanned the crowd but was disappointed when I didn't see a particular brown-haired bundle of excitement, although Jess wasn't exactly the fastest person around. As Daniel rounded a corner and drove toward the secondary building, a red-eyed man came outside and looked our way.

John spotted Luke the same instant the Runner saw him. Luke paused, gaping at the brother he had spent so long searching for. John waved enthusiastically, and Luke broke into a sprint to meet the approaching truck with an ecstatic grin on his face.

"John! You're alive!"

"You can't get rid of me that easily!" He rose to his knees, too excited to remain seated. He didn't seem the least bit bothered by Luke's red eyes. Blood ran deep, and family bonds often bent rational law.

As the truck came to a stop in the middle of the road, John slid over the side and jogged toward Luke. I stepped past Nicky and jumped down, waiting to see if my assistance might be needed. Daniel also watched, not bothering to turn off the truck since he could park much closer shortly. He had stopped here so the two brothers could meet on foot.

John slowed as he got closer to his brother, hesitating as he remembered my warning, but Luke had no qualms about opening his arms for a hug. John took that as a good sign and wasted no time in mirroring his brother's actions.

I should have figured this family would be the huggy type. I kept a close eye on Luke but waited where I was. His jaws were held tightly shut against the bloodlust that still somewhat bothered him, and the faint tension in his muscles reflected how little his instincts appreciated the contact. But he was in control and happy to see the brother he had searched so long and hard for.

A few seconds later, Luke twisted his arm around and rubbed his knuckles over John's head in a quick noogie.

"Ack!" John jerked back while sending a light, playful punch into his brother's ribs.

Luke skipped out of reach with a wide grin on his face. I shook my head at their antics. If Luke could hug his brother without losing control, then I had no worries unless John cut himself badly in close proximity.

Daniel seemed to take my sudden lack of focus as his cue to drive to the door. Several bystanders and those from the welcoming group watched the brotherly reunion in surprise.

With a rueful recollection of how fast news traveled, I knew it wouldn't be more than a couple of hours before almost everyone in this place knew who the newcomer was. I caught up to the truck and collected my backpack.

"Thank you for finding John," Luke told us when he came over, his brother just behind him. In an unwavering display of manners that seemed to be a family trait, he said, "Lunch is almost ready if you want to relax with a warm meal."

"I'd like that," Nina replied with a smile. "It'll give us a chance to catch up. Afterward, you can give John a tour of Ironwind, if you'd like."

"That sounds good to me," Luke replied.

"Where'd you bury my sister?" I idly asked Luke. "I halfway expected I'd have to pry her arms off my neck."

"She's just finishing up in the lab. I'm sure she'll be out any min-"

"Trinity! You're back!"

I wasn't sure whether to smirk at the sight of my sister practically falling down the stairs in her rush, or sigh at the sheer level of excitement she was bringing with her.

"I told you I was coming back," I said.

Nicky helped Liz out of the truck, and piped up, "And I reassured her that I'd drag you back regardless of what happened."

With a faint sigh, I opened my arms as Jess practically tackled me. I pivoted and spun in a partial circle to turn her speed into a spinning motion to reduce some of the bruises she was going to have from such a greeting.

"I know you did!" Jess said, squeezing her arms around me. "But you were gone for almost two weeks! I was so worried!"

I pried her arms off my neck. "We told you we'd be gone that long if the wave was here. And it was. And now it's over, so we're back."

"I know, but-"

"No buts," I replied firmly, wondering if it was safe to release her wrists yet. Probably not.

"Are they hugging or wrestling?" Liz asked Nicky, looking up at her with a confused gaze.

The child's voice caught Jess's attention.

"Oh, who's this cutie?" Jess asked.

I let go of her wrists and stepped back. "That's Liz. Most of the people here will know her, but her previous caretaker is... gone, so we brought her back when we found her."

"I'm sure she'll be happy here," Jess replied, "especially with the other kids to play with." She asked Liz, "Are you hungry? Do you want some lunch?"

"Yes, please."

"We were just about to head to the dining area," Luke told Jess.

He began leading the way, pointing out the buildings for his brother and trying to relay as much knowledge as he could.

Jess walked beside me, looking me up and down. "How was your trip? You didn't get hurt, did you?"

"Sitting in the back of a truck for four or five hours at a time is so fun that you get to go next time," I told her. "And no, I didn't get so much as a cat scratch."

"Well, that doesn't sound too different from spending most of the day in the lab," Jess admitted, "although I did get a couple of papercuts, so you win there."

"How'd Luke react?" My casual question hid my concern. In close confines, even a papercut was a serious problem for a Runner.

"I don't think he noticed. Or if he did, he didn't say anything."

My sister clearly hadn't learned much about zombies in my absence. Luke would have known within seconds of her blood touching the air, but his control with the controlex was apparently sufficient that he hadn't even left the room. From the quizzical glance Logan gave her, even he knew this. At least I wasn't the only one questioning my sister's intelligence.

I wasn't hungry, of course, but I trailed along with the group to catch up on the gossip and see how Jess had fared in my absence. Even my instincts were willing to put up with a small crowd in order to learn what might have changed. We had been gone for almost two weeks. Lots could have happened in that amount of time. As our recent trip had proven.

Without being asked, Jess grabbed a second plate for Liz and helped her pick out some food. Nina glanced back and also saw this. She seemed a bit disappointed both of her lab assistants were thoroughly preoccupied.

Luke and John had a lot of catching up to do, and Luke was eager to give him a tour of the Stronghold. I wasn't sure how long it would be until we found someone to look after Liz, so Jess would probably be side-tracked with the child until then.

If Nina lived up to her usual habits, she was bound to disappear into the lab as soon as she finished eating. Daniel would probably run a lap or two around the perimeter and do a bit of hunting.

I wasn't sure who was going to give Logan a tour, but it wouldn't surprise me if he tagged along with John or found another volunteer among the welcoming residents of Ironwind. I planned on going for a nap, which left Nicky to... well, do whatever it was Nicky did when I wasn't around.

Luke pushed another table over to the one that still sat in its isolated corner. I brought a few more chairs over so everyone could sit together. As per usual, I sat in the corner with Nicky beside me. Luke looked completely at ease wedged between his brother and Liz. He had clearly gotten used to being around humans while we were gone.

Once his brother started eating, Luke wasted no time in bringing Nina up to speed. "-so we've sent out dozens of batches of the cure, sanity serum, and controlex with the traders and other groups. There are a few vials in the last room, but otherwise, we've been sending everything out. As you likely noticed, this wave seems to have ended."

"Thank you for doing all that work," Nina replied. "Yes, we noticed that. I have a bunch of notes and a number of things I want to look into."

"Using some tricks from culturing bacteria, I found a way to convince most of the enzymes from Trinity's tears to multiply, although two types aren't cooperating. They might require a different method."

Nina's eyes lit up. "Really? That's amazing!"

"I didn't really have anything else to do." Luke shrugged self-effacingly.

A discussion about genes, catalysts, inhibitors, and more weird terms quickly emerged. John must have had more medical and science knowledge than I did, because he joined the conversation. I had a feeling Nina had just gained another lab assistant.

Daniel looked just as lost as I did. While they kept talking, he told me, "I believe Cynthia is still in charge of the daycare, and she'll be able to find the best candidates to adopt Liz. Do you mind taking Liz to her after we finish eating?"

"I guess." My nap was going to have to wait, but it was probably the fastest way to get the child into reliable hands.

The conversation between the trio eventually came back to Luke, who said he was fitting in much better than he had anticipated. The locals were making it as easy for him as they could, and they made sure to never crowd him.

"Otherwise," Luke continued, "not much really happened. A feral Runner showed up, and I helped lure it into a shed. I wasn't sure if I could get it into one of the cages in the barn by myself, so it's still in there."

"Don't worry," Nicky reassured him. "We volunteer Daniel for those sorts of fun tasks."

Daniel sent her a long-suffering look, possibly wondering what Nicky had against him. Neither of them noticed how John blinked and regarded his brother as if he kept forgetting he was a zombie. I did though, and my eyes lingered on the brother who was going to need some lessons if he kept that up.

Unaware of my thoughts, Luke shrugged lightly and continued, "A group of twenty people showed up with a letter from Nina. Two of them apparently turned during their trip, but the serum and cure worked, and they were human when they arrived. They're still settling in, but they're eager to get to work."

"I was hoping that group would make it here," Nina said. "I'll have to stop by and say hi to them later."

"A rather strange group also stopped by, but they refused to come inside the Stronghold. They just asked for a box of the cure and continued in a different direction. All of them were infected and sneezing."

Nina blinked. "How many were in that group?"

"About fifty?"

"I bet they came from the anti-vaccination group," Nicky commented. "They probably continued to another Stronghold. Oh, you should ask Nina about her new pet."

"New pet?" Luke glanced at Nina.

"A zombie," Nina clarified. "Daniel and Trinity decided we should bring it back. He's unconscious, but they said he isn't a regular zombie. I have some blood samples I want to check out. Speaking of pets, did those rabbits come in?"

"Yes, the traders brought them back last week. The domestic ones are much calmer than the wild ones. Everything seems to be working beautifully. Thank you again for helping with that."

"It wasn't much, but you're welcome."

Luke turned to Daniel. "Josh will probably be coming to find you in a few days. They want to expand the fence. I'm willing to lend my aid, but I already told them my strength isn't sufficient to lift those posts."

"No worries. I can help them with that."

"They're planning a big expansion," Luke warned him. "They want to at least double how much room we have inside the Stronghold."

"Can they protect that much fencing?" John asked, frowning in faint concern.

Daniel shrugged without any apparent concern. "I have a few ideas to run past them as well, so the timing is actually perfect. By the time we finish, not much will get over the fence. Solar LEDs can keep feral Nightstalkers at bay, and I plan to suggest a few layers of roller bars for Runners. Not that I can see them reaching the Stronghold without being detected by at least one of us."

Luke nodded slowly. "Very true. I've been driving a quad along your border at least twice a day, and the feral Runner hadn't gotten too far before I found it. In fact, I even met a sane Runner along the edge several days after you left."

"Really?" Daniel blinked in faint disbelief.

"Yes, we had quite a long talk. He didn't want to go near the Stronghold, but he was interested in the controlex. I came back with a handful of vials. I also gave him a few doses of the cure in exchange for him mentioning Ironwind and the various drugs to any other sane zombies he encounters. I warned the residents in case he returns and approaches the fence, although their first reaction was to wonder if they could build him a cabin in the forest."

I snorted. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" I shook my head, then tilted it thoughtfully. "I'll have to keep an eye out for any other sane zombies during my nighttime travels. Such rumors will likely bring others closer, even if just out of curiosity."

"That's a good idea," Luke replied. "He was intrigued by a place that welcomes zombies, especially since they somehow convinced a Nightstalker and a Terror to remain."

"That fact still confuses me," I responded in a dry tone.

Luke bared his teeth in a grin before turning his attention back to his brother.


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