Chapter 5

The only radio stations still broadcasting were on a loop, telling people to stay in their homes, away from the rioters, and to only evacuate to the FEMA shelters as a last resort. Sensible in a way, but one of the centers listed was the arena they'd fled. Another was a hospital that had been overrun. If what she had seen was any indication, all off the announced locations would be deathtraps.

The van behind them flashed its lights and honked. Melody scanned the area, just fields on either side with a few farm buildings in the far distance. "One this is two. Halt." They eased to a stop. She checked her shotgun, and opened the door. Tommy, Cindy's son, was right behind her. "You stay here." She wished she could hope Top was wrong, but the sick feeling in her heart told her he was right.

"But my mom! Something could have happened."

"If it did, she would want you to stay here." She shut the door in his face, cutting off any protest.

Sandy met her halfway. Behind her, the van wobbled as someone moved around inside. "Your boss was right," Sandy said, "she changed into one of them. I'm not going to drive with her in there."

Melody patted her shoulder, then handed over her shotgun. "No, I'll deal with it. You see any of them, shoot them in the head."

Richard got out of the car, he wasn't wearing his suit coat anymore The collar and right side of his white shirt were wet with fresh blood. "No, you can't kill her, she can be cured!" He took a few steps towards them. "I'll take her to a hospital, just let me get our son and we'll go."

Sandy brought up the shotgun, not quite pointing it at him. "She didn't want you to do this, I heard her tell you."

That explained the blood; he must have taken her gag off. Melody drew Top's pistol. "You don't want me to take care of her, that's fine. You want to stay with her, your choice. She bit you, and you're going to change just like she did. I'm not going to let you murder your son. Get her out of the van, we might need it to keep him alive." He hesitated, flexing his hands, like he was weighing the odds. "Do it now or I'll shoot you and do it myself."

Sandy hissed in surprise. Without looking away from Richard, Melody sent her to check on the other people they'd recovered. She took a step forward and aimed right between his eyes. "Just you and me, decide."

He folded, not calling her bluff. Yet it wasn't really a bluff, and knowing that made her sick inside. If he hadn't caved, she would have had to shoot him, and she would have. Cindy snarled and tried to bite him as he half lifted, half dragged her out the side door. Melody blamed herself, if she'd had someone else there to watch him ... But it was too late for that.