Isolation , Jones, Nathan [top 20 books to read TXT] 📗

calm down enough to find a target. Part of her wondered if she'd even be able to bring herself to take the shot if she had it, to injure or kill another person, even though the attackers were trying to hurt the people she'd taken responsibility for.

That reminder galvanized Ellie, and she grit her teeth and forced herself to begin squeezing off shots even though she didn't have a clear target; if nothing else, she might force the attackers down there to duck and hide from her bullets, keeping them from having any clear shots at Starr's fighters in the camp.

At her side Hal fired shots off methodically, aiming through the scope of his big hunting rifle and working the bolt smoothly between each booming retort. Every four shots he ducked down behind cover and worked to feed the gun's internal magazine with shells from a box sitting nearby, then popped back up again.

She hoped he was having more luck than she was; Starr's barking voice over the radio was becoming more and more desperate, his fighters' position so poor thanks to this surprise attack that they were having trouble returning fire on their attackers without getting shot.

The small silver lining was that at least Jay's Zolos-vulnerable recruits couldn't do much to the camp either, thanks to the berm. The best they could do was keep shooting to keep Starr's people pinned down, at least until they ran out of bullets and had to retreat.

That actually worried Ellie. Such a weak and poorly planned attack didn't seem like Jay's style, which made Nick's warning that the Wensbrook leader and his core of Zolos survivors might have something else planned all the more likely.

What, though? And more importantly, where?

✽✽✽

Nick pounded down the lane between tents towards his people's camping area, Tallie in his arms and Larry, Liza, Val, and Charlie close behind him.

His daughter's face was buried in his shoulder with her arms clutching him tight around his neck, and he rubbed her back soothingly as she whimpered in fright. He wanted to murmur comfortingly as well, but he didn't have time.

“What's going on here?” he shouted back at the prisoners. “I thought you said Jay wouldn't hit the quarantine camp.”

Larry caught up to run beside him, expression angry and ashamed. “I don't know! In all our plans we were pretty clear about leaving you alone, in case we could sway you onto our side. Jay never even mentioned anything like this.” He paused, then continued bitterly. “Then again, he never mentioned sniping your Mayor, either.”

“Maybe it's desperation,” Liza suggested, looking grimly towards the continuing sounds of gunfire. “He's mostly just got the people he recruited from the camp and the surrounding area. Thirty-five people at most. And a lot of them were probably thinking of deserting themselves after we left, since we were his closest supporters.”

“Yeah, he could be trying to score a big win to solidify his leadership,” Larry said, looking even more unhappy about that idea. “Especially since we were the main voice of reason keeping him from more extreme measures before we left.”

“So with you out of the picture he's gone full murderer mode and decided to attack a bunch of refugees?” Charlie demanded, warily eyeing the earth berm up ahead, as if he expected Jay's thugs to swarm over it at any moment. “You guys really know how to pick your leaders.”

The big man flushed. “He wasn't like this at the beginning. It was only when he saw what you did to our . . .” He trailed off, as if realizing that rehashing the topic right now was counterproductive.

Nick had to agree. “It doesn't matter why he's attacking, just that he is,” he snapped. “Let's gather everyone we can and find good positions where we can defend-”

Larry stumbled and gave an odd, strangled sort of grunt, staring down at his chest in bafflement. Nick skidded to a halt and joined everyone else staring at the man, realizing with a surreal sort of horror that there was a large hole in Larry's side just below the rib cage, blood pouring out to soak his shirt.

The crack of a rifle coming from somewhere east of him jolted him out of his shock, even as the big man slumped to the ground with a strangled cry.

“Get behind cover!” Nick yelled at the shocked people around him, shoving Tallie into Val's arms and pushing them both towards a pile of felled logs waiting to be cut into firewood.

This was obviously Jay. Nick could understand the man going after Larry after he and Liza deserted, but Nick also knew he was almost as high up on the bald psycho's list of targets, and he didn't want his daughter anywhere near him when the bullets were flying.

Besides, there was another consideration.

As Val joined the others bolting to safety, clutching a screaming Tallie protectively to her chest, Nick dropped to grab Larry under one arm, helping Liza drag the big man towards safety behind a stack of bins full of grains and beans.

He expected a second shot to hit him any second, was braced for it, but he couldn't leave the wounded man to bleed out or take another bullet.

“The shots are coming from the trees east of here!” a panicked voice shouted over his radio. “He must be up in a tree so he can shoot over the berm!”

A familiar voice responded. “Me and Ben are going out to chase him down,” Chet said, voice harsh. “Anyone who's got a gun, back us up.”

More distant shots rang out, kicking up dirt between Nick's feet, and he fell over backwards as he yanked Larry's massive bulk the last of the way behind the bins. Scrambling back to his knees, he turned the man onto his uninjured side to check the wound as Liza hovered over his shoulder, the poor woman sucking in sobbing breaths of grief and panic.

It looked bad, with a big entry wound and an even bigger exit wound,