Robbie led her toward the cabin and within moments they were standing on the porch. Loud drunken voices accompanied by raucous laughter could be heard through the logs. Robbie opened the door and Joelle held her breath.

Inside, the cabin was just as she remembered it the year before: crumpled beer cans littered the floor, yellow and brown stains adorned the walls, a man in leather pants and no shirt was passed out on the worn couch, and the rest of the furniture was either broken or stuffed into the fireplace.

"Home sweet home," Robbie said.

"Where is everybody?"

"Most of them are in the back room. Graves is in the yard. Would you like to see him?"

Joelle's stomach dropped at the mention of the back room. Harvey's daughter was back there without a doubt. She pressed forward, stepping over crumpled beer cans and onto a torn porn magazine.

Robbie cut in front of her before she could make it down the hallway. "Whoa there, let's go out to the back yard first, okay? Graves will want to talk you before . . ."

Her fist crashed into the side of his face with a dull smack. She hadn't even thought about the action or its repercussions, had just acted as Sarah would, and let her emotions make the decisions for her.

Robbie shook off the blow and rubbed his reddening cheek. "You've changed."

"Get out of my way before I decide to do something worse."

Robbie raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"You didn't think I came here without a couple of explosives now did you?" She adjusted the backpack and heard a few pipe bombs clicking together. Not that it made a difference, he wouldn't know if she had dynamite of a handful of grenades.

Robbie stepped out of her way. "You've got five minutes, but then I'm calling Graves."

Joelle nodded. As she walked down the hallway her legs began shaking and a churning pain wrenched her gut. She heard men grunting and low whispers. Her hand found the doorknob and trembled as she twisted the cheap brass. Upon opening the door she could smell cheap whiskey and something sour and foul.

Four men were sitting in a circle, a little blond haired girl sat between them. In the middle was a board game and one of the men, bearded and wearing sunglasses, rolled dice and then moved his metal car down a few squares.

Joelle's stomach lifted in relief. "You're playing Monopoly," she laughed in relief.

The men and the girl turned away from their board game to look at her.

"Who the hell are you?" a bald, fat man asked.

"My God . . ." the bearded man said, "It's Boom Boom. We thought you were dead and gone."

"I'm still here," Joelle said.

"Stop talking," the girl said. "We're playing a game and its Cutter's turn. He's trying to think."

"I'm sorry," Joelle replied, eying the little girl.

"It's okay," she said. "Do you want to play too? You can sit by me. I'm Abbey."

"Maybe later," Joelle said.

"You just remind me of someone I knew," she said and shrugged. Abbey watched as Cutter bought Park Avenue from the bank.

Robbie's clammy hands gripped Joelle's arms. "Let's go now," he said and pushed her out.

"Bye," Abbey said.

"Bye," Joelle choked as she was led down the hallway, through the living room, and toward the back door.

Chapter 30.

Sarah checked her pistol and found all the cylinders full. Next, she counted the shotgun shells in her jacket and her mouth turned into a downward loop. She only had six shells. Alex stood next to her adjusting the sights on his sniping rifle. He offered her a quick smile.

"We're outgunned, outnumbered, and after Joelle tells them we're on our way we'll lose the element of surprise. In short, I think that we're screwed," Sarah said. "But I'm happy to be here with you."

Alex grinned. "They won't stand a chance."

"Don't get cocky on me," Harvey said from behind them. He stuffed the remaining shotgun shells they had into his pant pockets. "It's that kind of behavior that led to me losing Abbey."

"We'll get her back," Sarah said.

Harvey kicked over the empty canister which had held the shotgun shells. "How could we just let her go like that? She's probably blabbing to them right now about us."

"I trust her," Alex said.

"I don't," Harvey spat.

"You don't know her like we do," Sarah said.

"I know enough," Harvey answered.

"I thought you liked her?"

"I did, but my daughter comes first, always."

Alex finished modifying his scope and strapped his rifle around one shoulder. He shook his head at Harvey.

"What?"

"She won't betray us. I know she won't," he said.

Sarah smiled. "He's right, you know. She's probably planting bombs around the place right now."

"Great," Harvey said. "She can blow up my daughter and all those biker losers at the same time. Are you two even listening to yourselves? She abandoned us. Graves means more to her than either of you or me."

Sarah went to slap him but Alex snatched her wrist before she could.

"Take that back," she said. "She'd never choose that lowlife over me. We're like sisters. What would you know?" She broke free from Alex's grip and stomped away.

"Where are you going?" Alex called after her. "We need to stick together."

"I just need a minute alone," Sarah said and hid behind an oak tree.

"We don't have a minute to spare," Alex told her.

Sarah closed her eyes and braced herself against the cold. "Why is this happening to me?" She rubbed against the tree and didn't open her eyes until she felt something cold and sharp clawing at her leg. Snapping awake, she saw a zombie, frozen but still active, rising from the snow and reaching for her. She didn't have time to react as it went to take a chunk out of her thigh.

A bullet whined from her right and buried itself into the zombie's skull. The zombie went limp and fell onto the snow.

When Sarah turned she expected to se Alex holding his rifle. Instead, she saw Harvey holding a small service revolver and wearing a heavy frown.

"Thanks," she said.

"Don't thank me. I'm the one asking for a favor," Harvey said.

Sarah moved away from the tree and toward Alex who stared at her dumbfounded. She patted him on the cheek and then faced Harvey.

"Let's go save your daughter."

When Joelle stepped into the backyard she saw Graves' naked back. He wore only a pair of faded jeans and held a broom handle fashioned like a spear. His muscles bulged beneath his skin as he reared his arm back to throw the makeshift weapon.

Joelle's eyes darted to where the spear would land and her mouth formed a silent O. Nailed to a tree was a male zombie. He was thrashing his limbs but the long nails through his arms, chest, and hips held him in place. He would've grunted or given a guttural moan except that his lower jaw was missing, and from the blood stains lining his shirt, he had lost the ability to make noise only recently. His tongue flapped around just as Graves threw the spear, impaling the weapon deep into the zombie's stomach.

"Dammit," Graves muttered.

"Good throw, sir," Robbie commented.

"I was aiming for his head," Graves retorted and spun around. He looked ready to punch Robbie in the face but then he saw Joelle and his hard exterior instantly melted away. "Boom Boom? Is that really you?"

Joelle stepped forward and pushed her golden hair out of her face. "Did you miss me?"

Graves spread his arms wide. "Come here and give me some sugar."

Joelle limped over to him as fast as she could. She curled her thin arms around his waist and snuggled into his chest. "I've missed you."

He rubbed her backside and waved Robbie away. Robbie shrugged and went back inside. Alone, Graves kissed her forehead. "What are you doing here, honey?"

Joelle stiffened in his grasp. "I came back for you."

He dug his nails into her arms. "Are you alone?"

She hesitated for the briefest moment and he shoved her away.

"Yes, I'm all alone," she quivered.

"Really, all alone?" He drew his hand back and slapped her across the face.

Joelle barely flinched. He slapped her again and then planted his knuckles into her stomach.

Joelle felt her breath explode out of her mouth. She hunched over but refused to fall down.

"My . . . you've certainly gotten stronger since I've seen you," Graves said.

"Please . . ." she huffed, trying to catch her breath. "Don't hurt me any more."

Graves towered over her. He lifted his boot and was about to bring it down on her head when a bullet flew by a few centimeters away from his head.

"Shit," he said, and went for his gun around his waist only to find an empty holster. He looked toward the cabin and saw his gun lying beside two sharpened broomsticks. He lunged for the firearm but another bullet whined, missing him by a hair.

A man in all black, carrying a long barreled rifle charged out of the forest. Behind him were Sarah and Harvey. He aimed the rifle at Graves as he approached.

Graves raised his hands in mock surrender.

"Don't move," Alex said. "Don't you fucking move a muscle or I'll put a bullet right between your eyes."

"Do you promise?" Graves laughed. "I could use a vacation."

Alex drew closer.

"Alex . . . wait . . ." Sarah said.

"Hi Sarah, hi Harvey," Graves said. "I see you've brought along a friend. What happened to the ones I lent you?"

"They're dead," Harvey said. "Where's my daughter?"

"She's inside," Joelle said.

Harvey raced toward the backdoor, shotgun ready.

"Dammit! Wait a minute," Sarah ordered.

Harvey threw the door open and received a gun blast to his abdomen. One minute he was racing into the house, and the next he was falling down, gripping his belly, and dropping the shotgun.

Two men peered outside but didn't get far enough to take aim.

Sarah fired off two rounds from her pistol in quick succession, placing one bullet into a head, and the other through into a man's neck.

Joelle raced toward Harvey. She propped him up on her cast and held him close.

Graves continued laughing.

"Shut up you prick," Alex demanded, shoving the rifle into his face.