Z14 (Zombie Rules) Read Free Page B

with concern. “Do you have a cadre of soldiers Zach?” He asked quietly.
                  I did not answer directly. “I’m going to try it out with a small group. If everything goes according to plan, we’ll gain access to the fuel. There are a lot of variables, and to be honest it might not work. But I think we should try. I could use a few people with rifles.”
                  “What do you think Andie?” He asked.
                  “I think he’s full of shit. He’ll probably get eaten or blow himself up.” Andie replied.
                  “Did you hear that? My niece thinks you’re full of shit.” I glanced over at her quickly. Ah, so that explained it. He was in fact, a she. I could see the feminine features now. She was very much a tomboy, but yes, definitely a she.
                  The Captain sat back down and pulled his chair closer. He leaned forward and placed his big meaty hands on his knees. “Alright Mister Gunderson, you’ve got my attention. Tell me your plan.”

Chapter 2 – A Matter of Trust
                  “Don’t tell me you trust him?” Howard asked. We were standing around, near the burned out house. I told them about the conversation between the Captain and me as Howard gathered some dead wood and debris.
                  I shrugged. “Short answer, no.” Once I proposed my plan to the Captain, he agreed to assist in the endeavor. He even helped me reattach the wheels to the tanker and shook my hand before driving off. I waited for five minutes before I drove away.
                  Fred had been inspecting the tanker for any signs of sabotage. “I have to go along with Howard on this one, Zach. He can’t be trusted.”
                  I nodded. “I agree Fred, but in spite of the trust factor, I think we can pull it off. We’re going to need the extra firepower if we have any hope of getting into downtown Nashville. Besides, this will give us an opportunity to learn who and what we’re up against.”
                  Howard chewed on his lip a moment. “You might have a point Zach. Know your enemy, that’s what one of them war generals said, right?” I smiled and nodded. “You’re thinking if the racist bastard sees we’re an asset, he won’t try to kill us. Like when I fixed his bus. Is that what you’re thinking?”
                  I nodded again. “He has a grand scheme of rebuilding the world. He’ll view us as nothing more than minions, but it should be enough for him to not try any nonsense.”
                  “So, he wants to rebuild the world, with him being the king of this new society of course. He has grandiose delusions.” Fred said. He stacked the corpses together and Howard began stacking the kindling. Soaking it with some of our newly acquired fuel, he lit it carefully.
                  I nodded. “Yeah, I suppose. The point is, he claims he wants to rebuild, not go around killing everyone. He may be Machiavellian, but we can work with it, at least for a little while. What do you think guys?” I asked as we got the bodies burning sufficiently. Both men thought about it as we got in the truck and started toward home.
                  Fred pointed at the two of us as he drove. “You two decide and I’ll help out however I can. I’m leaving soon and I don’t know if I’ll even make it back. So, I don’t believe I should have a vote on the matter.”
                  I looked at Howard, who shrugged noncommittally. “We need fuel, that’s a fact.” He rubbed his face. “I don’t trust him. He’s not right in the head, I’m thinking. But, I’ll go along with it if you think it’ll benefit us, Zach.”
                  We ultimately agreed. We drove back to my farm with Howard chitchatting about the weather. Fred was his usual quiet