going to run into the Mississippi,” said Dakota. “Let’s face it, there is no easy way to do this. All we can do is keep going north in as straight a line as possible.”
“True. I guess if we run into trouble, we deal with it then. Hopefully Bishop will spot it before it spots us.”
Jonas noticed that Lukas had visibly relaxed and could hear that the tension had gone from his voice. The mention of trouble up ahead had Jonas thinking again of Javier. He wouldn’t worry about detours or running into trouble. He would have gone as fast as he could. He would’ve taken the easy option and made Quinn or Erik drive. Javier wouldn’t put himself in trouble. Jonas knew they had to get to Thunder Bay as fast as possible.
“Stick with it, Lukas. We’re on the I90, right? So we go hard and keep our fingers crossed we don’t run into any problems. I need to get there, to my sister. We’re already way behind him.”
“Once we’re past Madison, the road should open up a bit. I’m hoping it will be a bit easier then.” Lukas drove the truck around another crash, a three vehicle pile-up that had ended badly for all the occupants judging by the amount of bloodstains on the vehicles’ windows.
“If we can avoid Minneapolis, I reckon we could make the border by tonight. Why not?” Lukas wound down his window and adjusted his side mirror. He was concerned that if anything began to follow them, he wouldn’t be able to see them until it was too late.
“Yeah, why not?” said Jonas. “It’s about time lady luck smiled on us for a change.” He felt Dakota shift in her seat next to him, and she moaned uncomfortably. “You okay? I can try to move over a bit, but…”
“No, it’s fine. I’m just wiped out. I felt fine when we got up earlier. I think I’m not used to the driving. It’s like I’m getting motion sickness. I just feel a little queasy.”
Dakota wound down her window, too, letting more fresh air into the truck. She pushed her hair behind her ears and turned to Jonas. “I’ll be fine.”
Jonas could tell she wasn’t fine. There was little he could do about their mode of transport, though, and the best he could do was to reassure her and get them to Janey as fast as possible. Once they were there, they could relax. There was no plan after that. Janey was it. He and her boys were all he had. There was the small matter of getting Erik, Quinn, and Freya back from Javier too. He was going to have to rely on a little luck in tracking them down. If Javier changed his mind and took them elsewhere, then Jonas knew he would never find them. After what had happened to Pippa, Jonas wanted desperately to make sure Freya was okay. He knew Dakota felt it too. They were responsible for her, for what had happened; once they had found Janey and her children, Jonas intended to go looking for Javier. He wasn’t prepared to abandon his friends again. He owed it to Erik and Quinn to make sure they were okay. He owed it to himself. Jonas couldn’t rewind time and change what had happened, but he could try to do something about the future. The next time that he met Javier, he would be ready.
It was a long way to Thunder Bay, and Jonas had plenty of time to think up fantastic ways of killing Javier. They drove in silence for a while, enjoying the peace. No zombies bothered them, and Lukas drove well, navigating the road with relative ease. It was a short while later that he was forced to stop.
“What’s up?” Jonas noticed they were slowing down, and looked at Lukas peering over the wheel.
“Bishop,” replied Lukas without taking his eyes off the road ahead.
Bishop suddenly appeared as if from nowhere. He was sat astride Black Jack, casually waiting for the truck to catch up to him. Lukas drew them up carefully and stopped by a blocked culvert. Dirty sludge spilled onto the side of the road, and weeds grew in thick clumps. Bishop drew Black Jack up alongside the open driver’s window.
“How’s it going in
“True. I guess if we run into trouble, we deal with it then. Hopefully Bishop will spot it before it spots us.”
Jonas noticed that Lukas had visibly relaxed and could hear that the tension had gone from his voice. The mention of trouble up ahead had Jonas thinking again of Javier. He wouldn’t worry about detours or running into trouble. He would have gone as fast as he could. He would’ve taken the easy option and made Quinn or Erik drive. Javier wouldn’t put himself in trouble. Jonas knew they had to get to Thunder Bay as fast as possible.
“Stick with it, Lukas. We’re on the I90, right? So we go hard and keep our fingers crossed we don’t run into any problems. I need to get there, to my sister. We’re already way behind him.”
“Once we’re past Madison, the road should open up a bit. I’m hoping it will be a bit easier then.” Lukas drove the truck around another crash, a three vehicle pile-up that had ended badly for all the occupants judging by the amount of bloodstains on the vehicles’ windows.
“If we can avoid Minneapolis, I reckon we could make the border by tonight. Why not?” Lukas wound down his window and adjusted his side mirror. He was concerned that if anything began to follow them, he wouldn’t be able to see them until it was too late.
“Yeah, why not?” said Jonas. “It’s about time lady luck smiled on us for a change.” He felt Dakota shift in her seat next to him, and she moaned uncomfortably. “You okay? I can try to move over a bit, but…”
“No, it’s fine. I’m just wiped out. I felt fine when we got up earlier. I think I’m not used to the driving. It’s like I’m getting motion sickness. I just feel a little queasy.”
Dakota wound down her window, too, letting more fresh air into the truck. She pushed her hair behind her ears and turned to Jonas. “I’ll be fine.”
Jonas could tell she wasn’t fine. There was little he could do about their mode of transport, though, and the best he could do was to reassure her and get them to Janey as fast as possible. Once they were there, they could relax. There was no plan after that. Janey was it. He and her boys were all he had. There was the small matter of getting Erik, Quinn, and Freya back from Javier too. He was going to have to rely on a little luck in tracking them down. If Javier changed his mind and took them elsewhere, then Jonas knew he would never find them. After what had happened to Pippa, Jonas wanted desperately to make sure Freya was okay. He knew Dakota felt it too. They were responsible for her, for what had happened; once they had found Janey and her children, Jonas intended to go looking for Javier. He wasn’t prepared to abandon his friends again. He owed it to Erik and Quinn to make sure they were okay. He owed it to himself. Jonas couldn’t rewind time and change what had happened, but he could try to do something about the future. The next time that he met Javier, he would be ready.
It was a long way to Thunder Bay, and Jonas had plenty of time to think up fantastic ways of killing Javier. They drove in silence for a while, enjoying the peace. No zombies bothered them, and Lukas drove well, navigating the road with relative ease. It was a short while later that he was forced to stop.
“What’s up?” Jonas noticed they were slowing down, and looked at Lukas peering over the wheel.
“Bishop,” replied Lukas without taking his eyes off the road ahead.
Bishop suddenly appeared as if from nowhere. He was sat astride Black Jack, casually waiting for the truck to catch up to him. Lukas drew them up carefully and stopped by a blocked culvert. Dirty sludge spilled onto the side of the road, and weeds grew in thick clumps. Bishop drew Black Jack up alongside the open driver’s window.
“How’s it going in
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