Free Tammy and Ringo by N.C. Reed Page A

preoccupied.”
    “He’s got ears everywhere,” Ringo told her. “He’s hearing news from all over the place. Probably going to check on some of them right now.” Almost certainly, in fact, he didn’t add.
    Tammy turned her gaze back to the lake, watching the waves.
    “It’s so peaceful here,” she said after a minute. “Seems crazy, doesn’t it? How quiet, peaceful it is here, considering that the whole world’s gone crazy.”
    “Can’t be crazy everywhere, I guess,” Ringo shrugged. “We got lucky coming by here,” he said seriously. “Very, very lucky.”
    “I know,” Tammy’s voice was soft. “I was able to tell my dad. . .tell. . . .” Her tears started despite her best efforts and Ringo slid over to her side.
    “Hey, I know,” he told her softly, placing an arm around her shoulders. “You may as well let it out. There’s not enough room for it inside.”
    “I’ve got to stop,” she shook her head, wiping her eyes as she did so. “It doesn’t help and it won’t change things. And all things considered, we’re blessed to be here.”
    “I’d say that’s accurate,” Ringo agreed. “So you’re going to stay here, then?” he asked.
    “Yeah,” Tammy sighed. “At least as long as I can. As long as it’s safe and we’re welcome.” Ringo nodded absently, looking back out over the water.
    “What?” she asked, looking at him.
    “Well, I said I wanted to get you home or some place safe,” he said, leaning forward, bracing his elbows on his knees.
    “I told you I can take care of myself.”
    “So you did,” he nodded. “And you have. If this is where you’re going to stay, then. . .well, I have something I have to do.”
    “What’s that mean?” Tammy asked, her face showing puzzlement.
    “It’s just a job,” he shrugged. “I’ll be leaving soon,” he told her.
    “What?” For all that she didn’t raise her voice he could hear the desire to in her tone.
    “The CDC needs people in the field to observe the infected and gather samples. Blood and tissue samples, I guess,” he added when her face showed confusion. “I’m going to be one of those people.” Well, so much for not telling her about it, he thought.
    “What can you possibly know about that kind of stuff?” she demanded, harsher than she had intended.
    “Nothing whatsoever,” he admitted. “But Hiram says the CDC people can teach me what to do over the next day or two. What information they need and how to get it. Once I’m finished with that, I’ll be leaving.”
    Tammy just looked at him for a long moment. Suddenly she shot to her feet, her body rigid. Rather than speak she simply turned away from him and walked back toward the house, her posture stiff. Ringo watched her go, sighing to himself.
    “Well, that went well.”
    *****
    Tammy stalked toward the house furious with her travel partner. What was he thinking? Going out there was suicide! And it could only get worse.
    “I take it you talked to Ringo, then,” Hiram’s voice broke her out of her fuming. It also gave her a target for her ire.
    “How could you ask him to do something like that?” she demanded, hands balled into angry fists.
    “I just mentioned it had to be done,” Hiram replied evenly. “And he’s far more capable than anyone else I know of.”
    “He’s nineteen years old!” Tammy wanted to scream but settled for a yell instead.
    “He’s a grown man,” Hiram replied calmly. “When I was his age, I was lying in a rice paddy looking across the DMZ into North Korea. And he’s a hell of a lot more capable than I was at his age,” he added almost reluctantly.
    “How do you know?” she hissed. “We just got here yesterday! You don’t know us at all!”
    “I know a warrior when I see one,” Hiram smiled sadly. “I’ve known more than one in my lifetime. And Ringo is a warrior, pure and simple.”
    “Warrior?” Tammy goggled. “Is this some kind of game? Wizards and warriors, dragons and demons, whatever the