Free Resurrection: A Zombie Novel by Michael J. Totten

capable. Maybe that was part of the problem.
    “I think we should take bicycles,” she said.
    “Bicycles,” Lane said.
    “Yes,” she said. “Bicycles. We can weave around abandoned cars and ride faster than anything that tries to chase us.”
    “That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Kyle said, smiling. “It’s a good idea.”
    “I didn’t ask you,” Lane said.
    “Actually, you did just ask me,” Kyle said.
    It made sense, and Lane had considered the same thing himself, but there was a problem. “We won’t be able to carry as many supplies.”
    “We can carry enough,” Kyle said. “We make another run at the outdoor store up the road, get a few more huge backpacks, load ’em all up, and ride off to Olympia. Shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours. But I think we should wait until dark and ride up there by moonlight. We can get more night-vision devices when we pick up the backpacks.”
    Lane nodded. “I’ll send some of you up there on a supply run. And I’ll send Roland with you so you’ll have protection in case you’re attacked.”
    Lane still wasn’t sure what to do with all these people once they got to an island. That Parker character would have to be dealt with, of course, and maybe the big black guy too. The others were on probation. Kyle might turn out okay. He wasn’t stupid and he seemed okay with following orders. Frank wasn’t outstanding material, but he probably wouldn’t cause trouble. Probably.
    But something was up with Annie, and Lane wouldn’t know what to do with her until he knew exactly what it was. Why did he know her face? And why did she give him the creeps? He didn’t get the feeling he knew her from the distant past. He felt like he’d seen her somewhere in the past couple of days. But he’d hardly seen anyone the past couple of days. How was that possible?
    “Annie,” he said. “You and Kyle are on bicycle duty. Go out and find one for everyone. Bobby will go with you for protection.”
    “You want us to go now?” she said.
    “Yes, now.”
    “Isn’t someone taking the truck to the outdoor store?”
    “You don’t need the truck. Go on foot, find three bicycles, ride them back, then go out and find more. You’ll be fine. Bobby will be with you. You’re less likely to get attacked if you don’t take the truck anyway because you won’t make as much noise. There are rows of houses behind the store. You probably don’t need to go more than two or three blocks to find bikes.”
    “But—”
    “Girl. You do what I tell you.”
    She clamped her mouth shut and swallowed.
    She didn’t look dangerous. She looked like a scared college student. But some knowing part of his mind could not stop flashing a red alert whenever he saw her face. He studied her hard but could not figure out why he couldn’t remember.
     
    *   *   *
     
    Annie knew the real reason Lane sent Bobby with her and Kyle to scavenge for bicycles. Bobby wasn’t their bodyguard. He was Lane’s bodyguard. Lane didn’t want Kyle and Annie scavenging for weapons instead of for bicycles.
    Bobby unholstered his pistol with one hand and picked up two crowbars with the other.
    “Let me see one of those,” Kyle said and reached out his hand.
    Bobby jerked away. “You can have one of these when I tell you.”
    This wasn’t going to work, Annie thought. They didn’t need to like each other, but they did need to work together out there, especially if they were attacked. She approached Bobby slowly and placed her hand on his shoulder.
    “Hey!” Bobby said and shrugged her away. “Keep back.”
    This was going to be worse than she thought.
    “Let’s try to be civilized,” Kyle said. “We aren’t your enemy. Our enemies are outside. We all need weapons if we’re going out there.”
    “You can have one when I say you can have one,” Bobby said.
    “You keep your pistol,” Kyle said.
    “You’re goddamn right I’m keeping my pistol,” Bobby said, his upper lip curling.
    Annie