The juke box in the corner played Blue Öyster Cult’s This Ain’t Summer of Love while Fox sat in the back of the bar watching Vince work his magic.  Between the two of them, Vince had always been better at finding and picking up women.  Fox wasn’t a slouch, but he didn’t have magic charm his friend did.  Usually, Vince would just have to lock eyes and smile at a bar fly and she’d be at his feet an instant later.  The tattooed blond had made him work for it though.  Their eyes and smiles had danced for the better part of ten minutes before Vince approached.  The next moment, they sat at the bar together and Vince ordered a round of drinks.  The blonde periodically laughed and brushed his shoulder with her hand.

            Going into the bar late in the afternoon, they hadn’t been optimistic.  There were a few women in the guard and a handful stationed in the compound as medical staff or a handful of other positions.  Of the women in the compound, many were there to be with husbands or boyfriends.  Even if they’d found a good number of women, the rest of the men in the bar would have been after them.  Luckily, Fox and Vince had made it through the doors before prime time.  There were a few full tables, but most of the guards were absorbed in their own groups.  When he’d walked by some of the tables, Fox had overheard bits of exaggerated war stories.  Perhaps the men in the bar didn’t bother with the blonde because they knew their chances were slim anyway.

            Vince said something and the blonde’s jaw dropped and she put a hand to her chest.  He wasn’t sure what emotion she exaggerated, but the playful gesture was a good sign.  As she leaned into Vince’s ear, the song changed to a Led Zeppelin tune.  Fox couldn’t name the song.  Instead of thinking about it further, he sipped his beer.

            Suddenly he was glad the soldiers under his command were dead.  He sure as hell wouldn’t have trusted them in battle and probably would have ended up killing them himself.  They’d openly chattered about wanting to rape the York and the red head even after they’d had their asses handed to them.  Sure, Fox had wanted to start a fight too, but he’d backed off when he’d been told they were on a list.  His three stooges were sloppy and if they’d have been caught breaking orders or committing an offense, Fox and Vince would have been thrown over the wall as well.

            A sudden euphoria swept through Fox and he took another swig.  The beer tasted thin and a buzz eluded him, but Fox didn’t care.  Not only was one menace gone, but he and Vince were about to become war heroes.

            Before his glass touched the table top, the blonde kissed Vince on the cheek.  He wrote something down on a napkin and slipped it in her hand.  She kissed him again, this time greedily on the lips.  It lasted for a few seconds, but when it was over the blonde walked outside, looking back at Vince as she reached the doors.

            “Fuckin’ A!” Vince said.  “Tori has a friend.  They’re going to meet us at our room a little after dark.”

            “How the hell do you do that?”

            “Magic,” Vince replied.  “Stop drinking that shit.  I know where we can get a bottle of the real stuff.”

*

            The sky turned orange and red as the sun dipped towards the ground.  A few weeks ago, Robert had dragged a couple of lawn chairs into a guard tower and they’d enjoyed the view together, holding hands.  Again, Catherine wished her husband was there, but she didn’t have to wonder what he’d do.  As a reporter, Robert’s inquisitive nature had gotten him in trouble a few times, but it also helped to advance his career.  When the dead started to walk, it had driven him to the center of the action.  Instead of huddling in a news studio protected by barricaded doors and armed guards, Robert had gathered a small, willing crew to shoot front lines footage.  Later when his group had either been killed or disbanded, Robert spent a night traveling throughout the city alone, looking for survivors and when rescue stations started sending out search parties, Robert had been right there with them.

            Even if he thought he was walking into a trap, Robert would have met the mysterious friend.  The alternative wouldn’t have even entered his mind.

            For maybe the sixth time, Frank inspected the gun.  Catherine was glad he was there with her.  Aside from Sam, there weren’t too many people Robert had trusted more than Frank.

            “So how’s this gonna work?” she asked.

            “We leave now.  Technically we’re not breaking curfew yet and hopefully we’ll get there before your mystery date.  If he tries anything, plan A is to take him alive.  If he’s not alone or if I can’t take him with my bare hands, I’ll shoot to kill.”

            She wanted to say something reassuring, but the words remained in her throat.

            Earlier, they’d spoken with a lieutenant who they instructed to wait twenty minutes then walk to the other hotel where he’d deliver the stranger’s note to Scott.  With that loose end out of the way and the sun getting ready to set there was no reason for them to stay.  Frank slipped into the waistband at the back of his jeans and tossed on a black windbreaker.  While walking to the door, Catherine slipped on her denim jacket.

            Outside, Catherine paused to gaze at the sunset.  She’d been told the best way to sneak around was to look casual, like you belonged but her stop wasn’t part of a charade.  The situation was out of their control.  If their mysterious friend had malevolent intentions, then this would have been the last sunset she’d ever see.

            “Come on Catherine,” Frank said.  “We have to get moving before the patrols start.”

            “Robert and I used to love evenings like this,” she said, not taking her eyes from the sunset.  “I wish he was here with me.”

            Frank gently grabbed Catherine by her shoulders and spun her towards him.

            “He is and I don’t just mean in the spiritual sense.  Every time I look into your eyes I see his fire.  I hear it in your voice.  You two shared a strength and passion for life, adventure, and your people.  Why do you think everyone looked to you for leadership?”

            “I didn’t ask them to.”

            “The best leaders never do.”

            Frank continued walking.  Legs shaking, Catherine followed.

*

            The sun had gone down by the time they reached the theater.  When they left the hotel, they’d walked out in the open as though enjoying a leisurely stroll together.  Once past the hotels, they stayed off of the roads making sure they weren’t seen.

            Before entering, Frank moved his gun to his right pocket, where it was still somewhat concealed but within easy reach.  Catherine entered after him, peering back at the doorway, though she doubted anyone followed.

            An old man sat behind an empty snack counter.  He wore a dark apron over a white button up shirt.  The top of his head was bald and his hands shook.  Catherine also noticed his knuckles swollen from arthritis.  If there was a trap planned, he wasn’t part of it.  He waved at the entering couple and Frank waved back.

            “Head right in there and enjoy the show.  Your friend should be arriving shortly.  Enjoy the show.”

            Images of a small seaside town greeted them when they entered the theater.  After a few seconds, Catherine recognized the movie.  When Jaws first hit theaters, Catherine’s parents hadn’t let her see it.  Three years later, she’d snuck out of the house to catch a showing at a dive theater down town with some friends.  Catherine immediately stopped taking baths and had never since dove into a swimming pool.  A year later the dead started to walk, and the horrors on screen paled in comparison to what she’d seen in real life.

            It was actually kind of peaceful.  Sitting alone in a dark theater was the most conventional activity Catherine had done in a while.  Aside from the possibility of impending doom, she almost felt like she was a teen again.

            Somewhere between shark attacks, a figure seemed to materialize in the seat next to her.  Catherine wasn’t sure if Frank missed his entrance as well.

            “I’m sorry we had to talk under these circumstances,” their friend said.  “I’d like to tell you that your missing friends are okay.”

            Catherine recognized the voice.  It was Lou Sanchez.

            “And now for the bad news,” Frank said.

            “Olmstead plans to have your people executed tomorrow.  My sources tell me you’ve been too much trouble.”

            “How are we supposed to defend ourselves?”

            “You’re not as outnumbered as you think.  Most of the troops wouldn’t be willing to kill civilians.  A few of us want to take down Olmstead, but he does have a good number of troops on the inside.  Your people were never supposed to be here.  We were just supposed to grab some of your higher ups for talks and leave the rest of you to starve.  You can thank Grant for your rooms.”

            After mentioning his commander, a pained expression crept over Lou’s face.

            “So you’re saying they’re not likely to attack us on the inside,” Frank said.

            “Not unless you force their hand.  What they’ll probably do is move you and attack the personnel carriers.  Olmstead can blame the resistance for the attack.”

            “So how do we defend ourselves?” Frank repeated.

            “We still have your weapons stockpile.  They won’t expect you to be armed.  If I can gather enough troops, we could launch an attack on the base here.  There’s also been buzz of a mobilization a few miles away.  I think a couple of your friends are involved.”

            “If the timing’s right,” Catherine said, “his troops will be all over the place.”

            “Tomorrow around noon, a group of soldiers should show up to help relocate your people.  Just make sure your people go with them.  If you try to make a stand on our grounds, you risk a confrontation with a larger number of troops than you do on the outside.  It’s possible that the guards who aren’t in Olmstead’s fold would mistake your fight for an act of aggression.”

            Lou’s eyes wandered to the screen for a moment.

            “Besides,” he said, “I don’t think we can get your weapons back to you any other way.”

            “Where’s the transport taking us?”

            “I don’t know.  It’s possible that they’ve been given the location of another outpost compound or that they’re heading to an unpopulated area.  The drivers are likely collateral.  Just in case my end of this plan doesn’t go well, you’d better just get the drivers to go to a remote area.  I think you’ll be able to make it to the mountains.”

            Frank nodded.

            “It’s not what we’re used to but I think we can survive.”

            “I have to be going now,” Lou said.  “Finish the movie before you sneak out.”

            After Lou walked out of the theater, Catherine leaned over to Frank.

            “Do you think we can trust him?” she asked.

            “What do you think?  You’re the one he requested a meeting with.”

            “I don’t think we have much of a choice.”

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