Exhaustion hit Tommy as he stared from the passenger window.

Laila steered through the debris-strewn city, her watery eyes fixed on the road ahead.

Tommy shook images of Dee’s last moments from his mind, trying to bury them along with everything else since Berkley.

The parking garage loomed ahead, concrete and shadows concealing whatever remained inside. He hoped Micky and the others were okay, that the zombies hadn’t managed to find their way up to Zero’s van.

Laila eased their van beside the garage entrance. Squinting towards the upper levels, she let out a sigh.

“What’s up?” Tommy asked.

“I don’t want to go back into that place. Could still be zombies wandering the lower floors.”

Tommy’s mouth twitched. “Signal them.”

Laila punched the van’s horn, startling Tommy as the sharp blare cut through the morning gloom outside.

Seconds crawled by with no hints of response.

Laila hit the horn again and another blast came from Roxy’s van.

“Come on, give me a sign here,” Laila muttered under her breath.

She leaned on the horn once more.

A shape emerged from the upper deck.

Zero shouted something.

Getting only confused looks, he made exaggerated ambling motions then pointed off down the street.

“I think he wants us to draw the zombies away,” Tommy said. “We’ll pull a pied piper, lead the dead-heads away with noise then double back quiet.”

“Like Jimbo did?”

“It worked, didn’t it?”

Laila sniffed. “Too well.”

“If we can draw them away from our way out…”

“Fine.” She restarted the engine and pulled away from the garage, making her way along the street.

“Just hold off the horn for now.”

As Laila drove at a crawling speed, Tommy watched the side mirror for shambling shapes. A couple of zombies staggered into view, listlessly wandering without aim.

“Take that next left and slow down more when you can,” Tommy said. “No need bolting away quite yet. We wanna give Zero and the others a clear opening, not lead more of those things to block their way.”

Laila grunted

Tommy followed her worried glance towards slumped wrecks.

“Let’s make sure we don’t get barricaded in, yeah?”

Laila whirled on him with a glare. “I know what I’m doing, Tommy.”

He raised his hands. “Sorry. I’m just…I’m sorry.”

“No. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”

Tommy sniffed. “Things are tense. I can take it if you need to let off steam.” He forced a smile. “We’re cool, right?”

Laila nodded. “Always.” She gestured to the horn. “What do you reckon?”

“Do it.”

Laila honked the horn and rolled the van forward. She honked again, and again..

New zombie clusters wandered onto the street ahead, cutting off an easy detour.

Laila muffled a sharp curse, braking hard.

“Go faster,” Tommy said.

Laila slammed her foot down on the gas and hurtled forward.

The van clipped a couple of zombies, hurling them to the sidewalk with a resounding crack.

“Good one!”

Laila smacked the horn again and slowed down, drawing out more zombies before speeding forward again.

She took another turn and the parking garage came into view. “They’re not there.”

Tommy gazed up at the garage, looking for any signs of Zero’s van. “Damn it.”

“What should we do.”

“We keep moving. Keep drawing those things away.”

“How the hell we going to avoid being circled in if Zero’s crew gets stuck in there?”

Tommy winced at the thought. “We just keep tight loop circulating best we can, Buy them a chance to get through.”

Laila made another loop around the city, blasting her horn and drawing out more zombies.

They passed the parking garage again.

Laila frowned. “Where the hell are they?”

“They must be trying to get out.”

“What if they’ve already left? What if they’re already out of Reno?”

“We’d have seen them, surely?”

“We don’t know that.”

Tommy sighed and glanced at the garage in the side mirror. “You’re right. We’ll give them a bit longer.”

“We can’t abandon Micky.”

“We’re not abandoning anyone. If Micky’s with them, he’ll be safe.”

Laila sniffed. “Yeah, right. He’s withdrawing. And I don’t think Zero’s going to help out when things get bad.”

“We got him methadone.”

“No. You’ve got his methadone. And if he doesn’t get another dose soon, he’ll start spiralling again.”

Silence stretched out between them before Laila spoke. “That’s two full revolutions since Zero’s signal.” She turned the corner and smacked the horn again.

More zombies filled the streets and Laila hit the gas. She swung them around towards the garage again.

Zero’s van burst from the garage and raced off down the street.

“Gun it.”

Laila followed in Zero’s wake, Roxy’s van close behind.

Tommy heaved sideways as Laila swerved to avoid a cluster of zombies.

Block by block they pushed onward.

Tommy finally breathed deep as Reno faded behind them.

They were clear.

“I think we’re past the worst,” Tommy said.

“Don’t say that. Don’t tempt fate.”

Tommy turned to her. “We’ll get through this, you know?”

She kept her eyes on the road. “I hope you’re right.”

Tommy stared at nothing as Laila guided the van back onto the open highway. The rural road unfurled under the late morning sun, a more welcome sight than sagging powerlines and boarded shopfronts.

A heavy silence still choked the van’s interior, lingering exhaustion and grief resting like a shroud.

When the first gas station appeared, Zero pulled off the road.

“Looks like we’re taking a break,” Tommy said.

“Thanks, Captain Obvious.” Laila pulled their van to rest beside the aging fuel pumps.

As the others piled out, Tommy stuck the nozzle in their tank then leaned heavily upon the van grille, the worn store sign creaking in the breeze.

He took slow steadying breaths as the others began migrating towards him.

Jimbo gave Tommy a broad grin and embraced him in a hug. “You missed out on Chez Asphyxiation, dude. Where windows stayed shut and any fart lingered for fifty miles.”

“It’s good to see you, Jimbo.”

“You too. Squeezed leg room I can deal with, but let’s just say certain comrades kept stinking the place up.” He nodded towards Micky staggering closer.

Tommy chuckled. “You good, Micky?”

Without answering, Micky came in for a tight hug, slapping a hand on Tommy’s back before stepping back, his forehead coated with sweat. “I’m gonna need some of that medicine, man.”

“We’ll get you sorted, Micky. Don’t worry.” He shook his head and smiled. “Can’t tell you how good it is seeing your ugly face again.”

Micky blinked back. “That was pretty intense, huh? Was starting to wonder if my number got called back there. One of those dead bastards nearly made me its bitch.”

“You coming back with us?”

Stolen novel; please report.

“Of course, man. If I hear another thing about the New World Order, I swear to God I’m gonna start ripping my hair out.”

“That’s good, man.” He clapped Micky on the shoulder. “Glad to have you back. And we’ve got enough of that stuff to help you get back on your feet.”

Micky looked past him and gestured to the Minks’ van. “What’s Roxy doing?”

Tommy followed his gaze. Roxy remained in the driver’s seat, staring into the distance. He shrugged one shoulder. “Been an intense few days.”

“Yeah. You think she’s alright?”

“We’ll keep an eye on her, make sure she is.”

Her gaze remained locked unseeing on the middle distance, her hands still tight on the steering wheel.

Tommy jerked a thumb towards her. “I’ll go speak to her.”

Before he had chance to move, Zero arrived stone-faced before him. He clasped Tommy’s shoulder. “Was starting to worry you were a goner back there.” He released his grip. “I’m glad you made it.”

“You too, man.”

Zero gestured to the Minks’ van. “Roxy and Dee are still in there. Think they’ve had a falling out, or something.”

Tommy bit down on his bottom lip. “Dee…Dee didn’t make it.”

“Wait. What?” His fists clenched. “Why didn’t you say anything.”

“I am saying something.”

Jimbo tapped Tommy’s shoulder. “Did you just say Dee’s dead?”

Hating himself, Tommy turned to face him and gave a weak nod. “There was an ambush we couldn’t outrun in the city. Dee saved us so the rest could escape. He went out hard taking more with him…”

Jimbo just stared, mouth working silently.

Spike joined Tommy’s side, his hands fumbling to light a cigarette. “You sure…” His voice wavered.

Tommy closed his eyes. “Yeah.”

Spike turned and punched the van, his face contorting with pain.

“Hey,” Tommy said. “What you doing, man? He saved us. If it wasn’t for Dee…he saved us all.”

Spike glanced down at his knuckles with detached blankness.

Tommy shifted his weight. “He was a hero. He—”

“This is your fault, Tommy.” He took a step forward and jabbed Tommy’s chest. “He’d still be here if it wasn’t for you and your stupid plan.”

Roxy’s door slammed and she marched over to Spike. She took his wrist and turned his hand, examining the knuckles with a clinical eye. She released her grip and glared at him. “Hurting yourself won’t ease the loss. And blaming Tommy is a douche-bag move.”

“But—”

“No. He did the best he could back there. We all did. Dee sacrificed himself so we could all live. It was his choice, his call. He went down how he wanted to. Don’t you dare take that away. And don’t you dare put that on Tommy.”

Spike looked between Roxy and Tommy, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Zero stood nearby, his eyes fixed on Tommy.

Tommy too ka breath. “You should blame me. It should have been just me and Roxy. We didn’t need four of us. Probably made things more risky…”

“Again with the guilt saviour complex, Tommy?” Roxy glowered at him. “Stop trying to shoulder blame that’s not yours.”

Zero grunted. “The issue isn’t Tommy playing leader. It’s him making unilateral calls based on ego. I wonder if there’s more to this—”

“Oh that is such crap, Zero,” Roxy said. “Don’t pretend you’ve got some moral high ground judging calls you never had to make. Tommy tried saving everyone. But Dee’s the one who actually did it. And correct me if I’m wrong, but you’re the one who wanted to stay back guarding the van.”

“It was a tactical decision—”

“The road to hell blah blah, yeah yeah…” Spike shoved between them with an eyeroll. “How’s about we don’t all go savaging each other when there’s zombies happy to handle that for us?” He gestured around the group. “We’ve lost two of our own. Two from our band. Can’t even call ourselves that anymore.” He dropped his cigarette and stamped it into the asphalt. “We’ve all done what we’ve had to to survive. Ain’t our place throwing stones about right or wrong choices. Dee did what he thought was right. Tommy did what he thought was right.” He narrowed his eyes at Zero. “So screw you, and the horse you rode in on.”

Nix drifted up beside Spike wrapping one slim arm round his lean waist.

A heavy silence draped the group again.

A sudden nudge against Tommy’s shoulder made him glance left.

Roxy eyed him levelly, her expression unreadable. She searched his face a moment longer then shook her head. “You can’t own the blame for group decisions, Tommy. It’s wasted energy that just hurts more in the end.” She took his hand and squeezed. “Trust me on that.”

Too numb to respond, Tommy managed a grateful nod.

Roxy maintained a firm grip for a few wordless moments before releasing his hand.

“We…we should say a few words,” Spike said, swaying in place, his eyes fixed on the mottled concrete. “Another bandmate” He shrugged. “I mean, what can I say, man? Dee was solid. Great friend. Great guitarist.” He gazed up at the sky. “I’m gonna miss you, man.”

“Amen,” Laila said. “Dee knew how to rock. He was a freaking hero. Saved me, Tommy, and Rox. The fact we’re here now’s thanks to him. I’ll never forget that.”

“Yeah,” Tommy said. “We can never repay that debt.”

“We can,” Zero said. “We repay it by getting through this.”

“Exactly,” Roxy said. “He died on his terms. The best way we can pay tribute, is to make what he did mean something.”

Zero dipped his head. “I didn’t know him long, but what he did for us speaks volumes.”

Roxy turned to Spike. “Remember that festival spot Dee scored us in Richmond?”

“Yeah.” Spike laughed. “Barely into our first tune before thunderstorm of the century opened up. Lightning turned the stage boards into an electric chair. It was insane.”

Both musicians cackled while the others looked on.

“Right?” Roxy said. “He was so chuffed scoring that spot, I don’t think a wild grizzly could have torn him off that stage once the amps started blaring.”

“Yeah. And I remember him chewing out that promoter trying to get us to stop.”

“Raw nerve, that one. I swear that promoter nearly pissed himself getting away from Dee’s glare!”

When the laughter faded, Micky stepped forward. “Dee saved us all, man. He went out like a goddamn hero.”

Spike nodded. “Dee was family. But he didn’t deserve to go like that.”

Laila placed a gentle hand on Spike’s shoulder. “None of us do. But his sacrifice means we have a chance to keep living.”

Zero sighed. “All we can do is keep moving forward together.”

Nix squeezed Spike’s hand. “Dee would want us to remember him with smiles, not tears.”

Roxy nodded. “Nix is right. Dee loved life on the road. The best way to honour him is by sticking together.”

Jimbo approached Tommy. “No one blames you, man. We all know you did your best back there.” He pulled Tommy into a bear hug.

Tommy hugged him back, finding comfort in the embrace.

When they parted, he turned to the group. “Let’s not let Dee’s gift go to waste, yeah?”

Spike wiped his eyes and glanced up at the clouds. “Rest in peace, man.”

“Rest in peace,” everyone echoed.

Spike straightened up and gestured to the vans. “We should get back on the road. Still got a long ways to go.”

Zero unfolded a map across the hood of his van, the group crowding round. He traced a line with his finger. “If we take this route here, we can reach Salt Lake City tomorrow.”

Jimbo wandered over to Tommy’s van, glancing between the open side door and Zero’s map. “Hey, mind if I ride with you guys again? Could use a change of scenery.”

Before Tommy could respond, Zero looked up from the map. “Why aren’t you riding in your own van?”

“Sorry, dude.” Jimbo hauled himself inside. “Seats are comfier over here.”

“Now hold on a—”

Jimbo slammed the van door shut.

Tommy glanced at Jimbo then back at Zero. “Guess that’s settled then.”

He climbed into the driver’s seat as Micky and Laila piled in.

Doors closing behind them, Tommy turned the ignition.

The engine rumbled to life and they pulled away from the pumps back onto the open highway, the vans setting off in convoy once more.

Tommy drove on through the deserted landscape, everyone in the van seemingly lost in their own thoughts.

Despite the bright blue sky overhead, a darkness still hung over them after Dee’s sacrifice.

Tommy eased up, squinting at the barricade blocking the highway ahead. He could make out figures emerging from two vehicles. Even at a distance, the sunlight glinted off unmistakable weapons.

“You think it’s National Guard?” Laila said.

“They don’t look like soldiers.”

“Could be road pirates,” Jimbo said.

Tommy eyed the nearest one’s military uniform and shook his head. “It looks official.”

Jimbo leaned between the seats. “Ram through, dude!”

Tommy glared back at him. “I’m not ramming anything.”

He pulled up slowly, the other vans coming to a halt behind him. He lowered the window as a bearded man wearing camouflage and wielding a shotgun swaggered over.

“Well howdy folks. Hate to trouble ya, but me and my crew are gonna need all your supplies before we let you through.”

Tommy tightened his grip on the steering wheel, hiding his shaking hands. “We’ve got sick people with us. How about we share some medicine and food? That would help us both.”

The man took a half-step back and inclined his head. “When you say sick?”

“Withdrawal,” Micky said.

The man grinned. “Oh, well in that case, we’ll be taking it all…unless you wanna taste buckshot.”

Tommy chewed his lip. They were blocked with no room to turn around. “We’re not giving up all our supplies.”

“You lot travelling together?”

“Yeah. We’re just trying to get home, man.”

“You look like good kids. Here’s what I’ll do. I’ll save you the effort of unloading your supplies. Instead, you’ll be getting out of the van and handing over the key.” He shrugged a shoulder. “And because I’m feeling in a charitable kind of mood, you can take the rest of your convoy and go.” The man aimed the shotgun at Tommy. “What’s it to be? Make the smart choice, now. Leave your van, then be on your way.”

“Best give the dude what he wants,” Jimbo said.

Laila nodded and unclipped her seatbelt.

“Alright,” Tommy said, raising his hands.

Micky slammed his fist against the window. “We can’t just let them take our stuff.”

Tommy glared at him. “You got a better idea that don’t involve getting shot?”

“There’s more of us than them,” Micky said. “If we rush them—”

“Then we all die,” Laila cut in. She turned to Tommy, her eyes pleading. “We gotta give them what they want, Tommy…whatever it takes to save our skins.”

Tommy nodded.

He eased open the door. “Stay here. I’m gonna talk with them.”

Ignoring the protests behind him, he approached the leader, hands raised. The man eyed him as Tommy stopped a few feet away. “I reckon we got off on the wrong foot.” He held out a hand. “Name’s Tommy.”

The man lowered his shotgun a fraction. “You think I give a crap?”

“We’re trying to get to Salt Lake City. You’re right though, we do have extra food and meds. But we can’t give up the van. What if we split it 50-50 with you? Help each other out.”

The man smirked. “And if we just take it all?”

Tommy nodded. “You could. But we’ll fight you for every damn can. And some of your boys might not walk away from that.”

The man eyed Tommy a moment before barking out a laugh. “Well damn, look at you. Bargaining like your ass isn’t on the line!” He raised his shot gun. “Now. I’m not here to negotiate. Toss the keys and get your people—”

A gunshot cracked.

Blood sprayed from the man’s head and he dropped to the ground.

The other robbers moved.

Another gunshot rang out.

And another.

Tommy whirled as Zero lowered his rifle, a cold look in his eyes. “What the hell, Zero?”

Zero stared back, stone-faced. “You were wasting time. We need to keep moving.” He turned away, ejecting the spent shell casings as the rest of the group emerged cautiously from their vehicles.

Tommy grabbed Zero’s shoulder. “We could’ve talked our way through. You didn’t need to kill them.”

Zero scoffed. “Keep dreaming that hippie liberal bullcrap. We do what we need to survive out here. Or we die.” He yanked his shoulder free and walked off.

Fists clenched, Tommy started after him but Laila pulled him back. “Forget it Tommy. Let’s just see what we can find.”

The group spread out to search the roadblock, an uneasy silence hanging over them.

Tommy couldn’t get the image of Zero coldly gunning down those men out of his head. Killing the undead was one thing—but killing the living seemed a step too far.

They moved among the makeshift barricade of battered vehicles parked across the highway. The fenced-in area beyond appeared to serve as the robbers’ compound.

Tommy spotted a small concrete shelter just inside the perimeter, likely where they slept.

A stockpile of fuel cans stood lined up by a rusty tanker truck. Crates of preserved food, medicine, tools, and weapons were stacked around the shelter.

“Jackpot baby!” Jimbo whooped, opening a large footlocker spilling over with guns and ammo. “Looks like these psychos were loaded for war.”

Tommy grimaced as Zero began distributing the weapons and ammo from the stash. The ends would help them survive perhaps, but the cold execution still gnawed at him.

Laila appeared at his side. “Try not to let it eat you up. I don’t like his methods either but Zero’s mind is set on survival above all else.”

“Doesn’t make it right. We’re supposed to be the good guys here.”

Laila gave his arm a comforting squeeze. “Come on, let’s see if we can find anything useful in these vehicles.”

They searched the parked trucks and vans, recovering tools, tarps, camping gear and other supplies. But Tommy couldn’t shake his disgust over profiting from Zero’s handiwork.

The man’s capacity for violence deeply unsettled him, despite understanding it’s necessity out here. And where it might ultimately lead them if left unchecked.

“There’s no way we’re fitting all this in the vans,” Tommy said.

Zero shook his head and began lugging amps from the back of his van. “We need this. Amps and guitars just waste space.”

Roxy bristled. “Our instruments are part of who we are.”

Tommy held up a hand. “Nobody’s leaving instruments. But Zero’s right—survival is priority now over music.”

Nix stared down at a guitar case covered in stickers. “Far as I see it, we won’t be playing nothing if we’re dead.” He kicked the guitar case. “Wake up man. Ain’t no damn music careers until this thing’s over.”

A tense silence passed.

Laila stepped up and removed her bass from the vehicle. “He’s right. We’ll find new gear but we can’t replace each other if we don’t get moving.”

One by one the others handed over their instruments with muted resignation. Tommy swallowed hard as he passed his treasured guitar to Jimbo. Roxy lingered a moment longer before finally adding Dee’s guitar to the pile.

They redistributed the weight in the back of the vans and the others crammed inside.

Tommy gazed down at the dead men and wondered whether they would rise as zombies. But they stared blankly at the sky. “What should we do with them?”

Zero strode past and picked through the men’s jackets. “We take what we can and get back on the road.”

“I meant, about burying them, or something.”

Zero looked up over his shoulder and shook his head.

He retrieved radios from the men’s belts and rose to his feet.

The radio let out a static hiss.

Zero tested one and mumbled something.

A voice crackled through the speaker.

Zero scanned the area, narrowing his eyes. “We need to leave.”

Tommy stared at the gaping hole in the bearded man’s forehead. “I can’t believe you shot them.”

“I did what needed doing, Tommy. You can thank me later.” He marched back towards his van.

Tommy met Laila’s eyes and shook his head.

“Tommy,” Zero called back. “I said, we need to leave. Now!”