Edge of Instinct: Rabids Book 1 Page 13

“If we come across a horde of Rabes or any Cuts, stick close by me and do as I say without argument. It could save your life, honey, so no second thoughts, just actions. I’ve upgraded the stuff on your bike so that it’s nearly as good as mine now, though it don’t got as many provisions which makes it lighter and faster. Should somethin’ happen to me, y’all ride outta there like a bat outta hell, ya understand? Don’t so much as think about me. Y’all just concentrate on getting’ where ya need to go. The nav system will guide ya.” She swallowed hard, nodding stiffly.

  “Don’t worry, honey, I don’t plan on anythin’ happenin’ to me, but just in case, we have to be prepared, right?” She nodded again. He pointed to the gun strapped to her thigh.

  “Remember, semi-automatic, a cartridge already in the chamber. Aim and pull the trigger. Ya only got 11 cartridges before ya gotta reload. No wasted shots.” She nodded again, remembering the training from the days before.

  “Good. Now, these bikes are modified to run the most fuel efficient I can make ‘em. We’ll be runnin’ on a mix of gasoline and solar energy. Y’all remember how I showed ya to release and stow your solars?” She nodded, remembering the way the little black disks slid from the inner workings of the bike at the touch of a button, but were in a position so as not to interfere with the rider. “Good. There are fuel stations in each safe zone, so there should be plenty of gas for us to make it safely. We’re gonna be travelin’ at high speeds, so we can make it to each safe zone with plenty of time, and the Rabes are a bit lazy when it comes to chasin’ a fast bike in the hot sun. Stay right beside me, no droppin’ back, or shootin’ forward if y’all can help it. The Rabids see it as a sign of weakness if someone travels at the back. Side by side.” She nodded again, forcing down the panic once more.

  “Most of it is a straight shot from here to there, so ya’ll should do just fine on your bike, even at the high speeds. Some parts we gotta pick our way through real slow, cause the roads ain’t real great after misuse for so long and zero maintenance. But if we travel throughout the day, we can make it to each safe zone before night fall when the Rabid danger is at its peak. Keep in mind, this is the Vasts and the Rabes ain’t gonna be as cautious out there. It’s likely we’ll see some of ‘em durin’ the day. Certain times of the day when the sun ain’t as focused, they like sunnin’ themselves on the rocks.” She swallowed hard.

  “Like lizards.”

  “Like lizards.” Tandy nodded grimly. “Just keep goin’, don’t stop unless I say so.” He leaned close, pointing to the sleek screen on her bike.

  “Remember this screen here shows ya the map of the land from here to our destination. Here’s how much gas ya got. This shows ya if there’s any problems with the bike, where the stop points are, what time it is, the heat index on your mother’s temper…” He paused and waited for his words to sink in. Looking up at him blankly for a moment, she burst out laughing and he smiled back at her.

  “That’s better. I know this is a lot to take in, but y’all can’t let it overwhelm ya, honey. We’ll get ya there in one piece. It’s my job to protect ya, and y’all better believe I’ll do it.” She smiled at his strong assurances, and nodded with a sense of relief this time. He pointed out a few more important things she needed to know, where to plug in the coolant system in her jacket, and had her try on the helmet to test out the mic connection between them.

  “Is there anythin’ else ya need to know, honey?” he asked her through the mic as he sat on his bike.

  “You never told me what your dog’s names are.” He laughed gently, humoring her, knowing she was trying to distract herself.

  “Lugnut and Ratchet back at the shop in town. Wrench and Bolt here.” At her disbelieving laugh he shrugged unapologetically. “I am a simple man, with simple ideals, honey. The names suit just fine. Sometimes I think the names even suit the size of their brains.” She smiled in agreement. Turning back to said dogs, Tandy gave a stern command for them to stay and protect the garage while he was gone. She noticed he had left out several large bucket dispensing systems of food and water for them, and she was sure he had done the same at his shop in town. The dogs lay down lazily, and she realized this was a common place occurrence for Tandy and his dogs.

  Nodding for her to start her bike, he waited until she was ready, then closed and locked the garage door. Pulling out slowly, she shakily followed him. They exited the gates, and headed for the electric field. Tandy dropped the field, and they shot forward. She ignored the surge of panic that rose at the snapping electricity behind her, signaling that her safety net was officially cut off. They made it to the Outer Gates without incident, and she was pleased to see they were the only ones waiting to leave. It shouldn’t have surprised her. Not many people were anxious to leave the gated safety of their small haven.

  Amiel wobbled slightly as they pulled to a stop at the gate, and Tandy talked to the guard. Apparently the guards were used to seeing Tandy going in and out of the gates, as they were instantly laughing back and forth over one thing or another. She couldn’t hear over the roar of their bikes, and even if she could hear, her pulse was pounding so fast it would have drowned out the conversation. The guard looked over at her, and she fought the urge to jerk her face away. That would be too obvious, wouldn’t it? She gave a careful nod in his direction, grateful for the black visor that closed off anyone’s view of the details of her face. Instead, she focused on calming the staccato rhythm of her heart so that she didn’t pass out. A siren went off on the giant wall rising far above their heads, and the guards motioned them to back off to the side of the road. Amiel panicked.

  “What’s going on. What’s wrong?” she hissed into the mic. Tandy’s voice echoed calmly in her ear.

  “Easy, honey. Y’all look wound so tight you’re gonna snap.”

  “Sorry, I’m trying for casual, but it’s just not happening. The freakishly loud siren isn’t helping either. What’s going on, did they figure it out?”

  “It means the gate’s openin’. Someone’s comin’ in from the outside. They do the blood testin’, and if they pass, the siren goes off to warn the guards to be ready for any Rabids that try and get through at the same time.”

  “So we’re safe, we’re good.” Amiel breathed in relief. The relief was short lived. “Wait. Someone’s coming through? You don’t think…” She paused as the doors swung open, and none other than Malinda Hilden’s entourage lumbered through the gate. Her Harley designed bullet proof car sat smack dab in the middle of a fleet of other guard cars. Huge waste of gas, huge risk of life, all for a week cut short at the spa.

  “Wicked Witch of the East, 3 o’clock,” Tandy joked through the intercom, though his voice had a warning edge to it. Amiel slowly turned her head to the right, coming face to face with her mother’s steely gaze as she drove by. Amiel stopped breathing, waiting. Malinda leaned out of the window to talk to one of the guards.

  “Markwell, is there any word from the city of my daughter?” Malinda’s pristine voice grated on Amiel’s nerves, and it wasn’t until that moment that she realized how much she had treasured the relative quiet of the garage.

  “No word of her as of yet, ma’am. We were just about to let these two through, unless you wanted us to look into them further.” He seemed hesitant to even ask, proving he really was a friend to Tandy. Malinda Hilden took one look at the two bikers at the gate, and shook her head in disgust.

  “Let them through. The sooner we are without their sort of filth, the better. My daughter would never do something so stupid.” She spared them not so much as another glance as she rolled up her window and signaled her driver to continue. Amiel heaved a heavy sigh of relief and a shaky laugh.

  “You were right, Tandy, helmets are a great idea!” His deep baritone laughter ringing in her ears made her mouth stretch into a grin and her weary heart a little warmer. The guard signaled them to move forward.

  “Have a safe journey, Tandy.” He glanced at Amiel, and something in his eyes told her that he suspe
cted just who she might be. She held her breath, afraid he would turn her in at any moment. “Ma’am.” He nodded to her, before backing up and signaling them onward. Once outside, the heavy gates began their slow closure, and Amiel noticed there was no black charred line signifying an electric field.

  “Why don’t they have one of those handy bug zappers like you do?” she asked curiously, knowing she was looking for any excuse to procrastinate the next step in their journey.

  “Too big of a perimeter to cover. They’re workin’ on findin’ a way to make it work over a larger distance, such as clear round a city. But til then, they just gotta use guards, weapons, and giant walls to keep the buggers away. Biggest distance they’ve gotten it to work on is the size of a house. My garage is pushin’ the limits.” She gulped in exasperation, wondering why he left that part out while she was there alone. He shrugged innocently, as though he could read her thoughts. He turned her way, and though he wore thick sunglasses, she was sure he was studying her in that searching way of his.

  “Don’t they teach y’all anythin’ in school these days?” She frowned. Apparently they needed to improve the current How To Survive The Zombie Apocalypse 101 courses.

  “So…that’s it? We just drive away now?” she asked in disbelief, almost afraid to believe it could have been that simple to escape the city limits.

  “The process on your way out of town is much easier than the one going back in, remember? If you’re headed out of town, they’re more than willin’ to get rid of ya. However, if y’all were tryin’ to get back in, the process would be a lot more intense. They want no opportunity for the infection to come into their town.” She nodded, torn between relief and fear as she looked out at the landscape before them. Whereas the space between the Inner and Outer Gates had been a vast open area of dirt and wasteland, the area standing before her now was in wild contrast. Green trees grew as far as the eye could see, only separated by a few thin meandering ribbons of road before them, each branching off in a different direction.

  The Outer Gates closed behind them with a loud thud of finality. Amiel sat astride her bike, the engine thrumming gently beneath her as she stared at the vast land before her. She had thought she’d been out on her own at the garage. But there she had still been inside the Outer Gates, with only a small clutch of rogue Rabids. She had been taught a few things in her school classes. But learning from books, and seeing it with your own eyes were two entirely different things, especially since the things in books paled in comparison to the true realities. And now, facing it, she felt the overwhelming depth of what she was about to endure. No more safety of electric fences and giant walls. Her true first step of adventure had begun, and there was no turning back

  “Ready to go, honey?” Tandy’s voice crackled in her ear. She turned to look at him, decked out in his bandanna, black goggles, and a lower bandana with the skeletal mouth panted over where his own mouth would be. Weapons covered him, guns and knives in various forms and sizes. He looked formidable, and he was on her side. Gripping the handles tighter, she faced forward with a solid determination.

  “Ready.”

  “Let’s go make ya a Texan then, Amiel.” He revved the bike and shot forward. With a smile, she moved forward to ride at his side.

  Chapter 7

  Amiel

  “Pit stop up ahead, Amiel,” Tandy warned over the Bluetooth at her ear. According to the read out on her bike’s screen, they’d been riding for almost ten hours. The roads had been in worse shape this time than Tandy had expected. Apparently a huge storm had blown through and the roads were filled with debris. They’d stopped off to fill up Tandy’s bike and topped off Amiel’s about four hours ago. According to Tandy her tiny size worked in her favor, making her bike more fuel efficient. They’d stopped only long enough to fill up, and then they’d been on their way again. She hadn’t even gotten off the bike. She’d been forced to use the bladder bag twice so far. As humiliating as peeing in a bag was, the creeped out sensation she’d carried since that morning was worse. The feeling that had been her ghostly companion since they’d left the Outer Gates was enough to encourage her onward without complaint.

  Still, Tandy’s announcement brought her a sense of relief in more ways than one. She needed to pee again, and stopping meant she wouldn’t have to pee in the nasty sloshing bag at her side this time. How much could that thing hold before it left a constant trail behind her, anyways? Here Rabids, follow my trail of pee. Gross. Her legs and butt had gone numb about three hours ago, her arms an hour ago. Honestly she was surprised it hadn’t happened sooner. This was her first time on a very long motorcycle trip after all. The idea of stretching her limbs felt like heaven.

  Mostly Amiel was eager to get to safety. Tandy had explained that these waypoints boasted the same protective measures as his garage, and since she’d been practically climbing out of her skin since the trip began, she couldn’t wait to get inside the cocoon of protection. At first she’d thought it was simply the nervousness of the trip assailing her. Her eyes had scanned every inch of terrain they passed. Surprisingly she hadn’t seen a single Rabid. Tandy had commented several times that that was quite out of the ordinary. He hadn’t said it out loud, but she could tell it was putting him on edge as well.

  Amiel feared it was more than nervousness biting at her heels. The sensation was so closely related to those that she’d felt in the garage, she didn’t need the tags heated warnings to confirm her fears. They were being followed by Rabids. She’d been constantly monitoring the little black screen before her, but aside from a few distant warnings it hadn’t produced any conclusive evidence to back her theory. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the Rabids were following some carefully planned form of attack, as though keeping their distance until the right moment.

  Afraid that Tandy would tell her they needed to turn back or not make any stops at all, she’d refrained from mentioning her suspicions. Besides, what would she say? “My dead brother’s necklace gets all hot and bothered when Rabids come near. Oh and I’ve got the goose bumps.” Not the greatest story to tell a man who had the power to leave a crazy girl alone in the wilderness if he decided she wasn’t worth the bother.

  “Ready to pull off for the night, honey?” Tandy pulled the bandana down from his face, revealing a bright smile that was in blaring contrast to the dark dirt stains around the rest of his face. She smiled, once again grateful for her full face helmet. Her neck would be a disaster, but her face was dirt free.

  “More than you know, Biker Man! I think I may have left my legs somewhere back there.” He laughed at her, and she couldn’t help the sigh of frustration. Obviously he’d done this more than her, but she felt like a complete wimp. As though sensing her frustrations foundation, Tandy’s smile widened with the shake of his head.

  “No worries, girl. You’ll find your legs at the rest stop. And a toilet.” The humor in his voice remained, but she thought she detected a hint of relief as well. Her smile returned, pleased he wasn’t completely above the rigors of the trip. His arm lifted, silently pointing ahead and to the right of them. In the distance she could see a couple of small stubs sticking up out of the ground. As they neared, the stumps turned into a plainly built shelter consisting of four poles, and a roof, a secondary small and enclosed shed, and what looked invitingly like a porta potty. Porta potties aren’t exactly high on her list of things to get excited about, but this trip was quickly changing her perceptions of gratitude for the little things. That John looked like heaven.

  “Flip your solars off and bring ‘em in, honey.” Amiel did as he said, belatedly remembering his earlier warnings. They had to run on gasoline near the electric fields, or the intensity of the fields would burn out the solar instruments. Moving slowly and deliberately so as to ensure she didn’t push the wrong button with her numbed digits, the solars quietly slipped into their pockets in the bike, and Amiel felt the shift in power in the engine beneath her. Tandy gave her the thumbs up before pressing the correct
code on the screen of his bike to signal the release of the electric field. Apparently each travel agent of the Vasts knew the ever changing codes to the rest areas, an effort made to protect the precious gasoline resources within. The field winked out long enough for them to zoom inside before popping and sizzling into place at their backs.

  As their engines cut off, Amiel quickly yanked free her helmet and zoned in on the porta potty. The hairs on the back of her neck rose in the afternoon heat, but she ignored them, fixated solely on relieving herself. Tandy climbed off his bike, stretching with an audible pop or two from his back in the process. She watched his legs in envy as he moved toward her without a trace of wobble. Her guide pulled the dark shades from his face, revealing more pale vs. dirt stained outlines. It made the merry crinkles at the corners of his eyes stand out as he smiled.

  “Alright then, honey, nice and slow. Most first timers don’t run out on a cross country road trip first thing they learn to ride. Gettin your land legs back’ll take some time I reckon.” He gripped her upper arm for support as she kicked the stand on the bike and shakily stood. “Y’all wanna disconnect the tube in your pant leg first, or you’re gonna have a mess.” Her cheeks heated as she remembered her lovely black bagged companion. Giggling nervously she did as he’d instructed, then tossed her opposite leg over the seat. Almost immediately her knees buckled. Tandy chuckled, his grip on her arm the only thing keeping her steady and upright.

  “Sorry,” she whispered, humiliated.

  “Doin’ just fine, honey. Don’t go worryin’ yourself,” he reassured, before placing her hands on the seat. “Y’all just stand here til the world stops a rockin’. I’m gonna go check the facilities out and make sure they ain’t compromised.”

  “Compromised?”

  “Way out here, these waypoints don’t always get much use. Them Cut’s keep tryin’ to figure out how to bypass the energy field.”