Free Station Hope (Book 1): Humanities Last Stand by Thomas Bach

sight in the dark, in an area we were not familiar with.
    “Stop right there! Don't move! Is anyone else with you?
    “No, it's just me.”
    Her voice was soft, with a hint of southern in it. How could this small woman be out in the middle of nowhere by herself and with no weapon. Questions that would be asked and answered at a later time. I looked around and saw David was just behind me off to my left.
    “David, is she from your group?”
    Walking forward to get a better look he studied her for several seconds.
    “Can't be certain it was a large group but I don't know her.”
    “Spencer, go pat her down and check that bag, the rest of you keep him covered.”
    She made no fuss and did what Spencer asked without objection. A thorough search revealed a few cans of food, an old tattered map of the area, an extra shirt and an old faded picture of a man and a small boy, but no weapon. Spencer threw the bag over his shoulder, took hold of her arm and led her to me. There was something off about her, I couldn't put my finger on it.
    “What's your name?”
    An uneasy tension followed as I waited for her response. She seemed slightly scared or confused. I was sure she was sizing us up as much as we were sizing her up.
    “Where did you come from Nancy?”
    “West, I came from the west.”
    “Are you alone or with a group.”
    She scanned back and forth as if she was attempting to memorize each of our faces. After she had looked at each one of us she said, “I was with a group but they are gone now.”
    “Gone where, what happened to them,” I asked.
    Her expression changed in an instant, pain, anger and fear griped her as she looked me in the eye.
    “They're gone, all gone!”
    Any further question along those lines would be pointless so I moved on.
    “How far west, how far have you traveled.”
    She returned to scanning us, her face emotionless now. It was obvious she had been through something traumatic, I couldn't help but wonder if she was completely crazy.
    “Minneapolis, we lived in Minneapolis.”
    “What happened to make you leave?”
    Her head sank, when she raised it again a tear was running down her cheek.
    “The same thing that will happen to you if you stay here.”
    “And what's that Nancy?”
    “ They will come for you and kill you all.”

8
    The second morning at the hospital brought with it a clear blue sky. The sun was just about to break when I made my way down the main corridor just off the ER. The third examining room on the left had Rob, a WDT member for two years now, stationed in front of it. He was a tall gangly kid only 17 years old. He wore an old olive green army jacket and desert camo pants. An AK-47 laid across his legs as he sat on an old metal folding chair. He sprang to his feet when he saw me coming almost dropping his AK.
    “Good morning Rob, how's our new stranger been?”
    “Sleeping like a baby all night.”
    “Good, good.” I peered through the small window into an examining room. She was lying on a gurney with her back to me.
    “Well it's time to get her up. We have a lot to do today and she needs to answer a few questions.”
    This strange new female stood up as we entered the room, it was as if she had been awake for some time.
    “How are you feeling Nancy?”
    “I'm fine, she looked around a bit bewildered. “what is this place, where are we.”
    “You don't know?”
    “I have no idea.”
    “What's the last thing you remember?”
    “I remember last night, meeting you. Before that I was in Minneapolis.”
    “So between Minneapolis and showing up at our doorstep you don't remember anything?”
    I looked at Rob, he had the same confused look I'm sure was on my face. Just then Ivy and James entered the room.
    “Thought we would see if you needed any help Billy,” Ivy said.
    “Ya, Billy everyone is wondering what's going on with her and what our next move is,” James said.
    “Well, I just started asking her a few questions. She doesn't seem to remember much