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

“Pretty good. I was at home with Billy during the attack and wasn't in any danger, although when the fires started I went out to help fight them.” She gave him a sympathetic look. “How about you? I heard about what happened with Jay.”

“Jay shot Larry!” Tallie told her, clutching tighter around Nick's neck with eyes wide with fright at the memory. “It was really scary.”

In spite of his daughter's distress, in a way Nick was relieved she'd replied so he didn't have to. The truth was he was still numb from what had happened in the clearing, doing his best to focus on other things so his mind wouldn't flash back to it.

And often failing.

“Oh honey,” Gen said in a gentle voice, looking at the point of tears at Tallie's expression. “I can't believe that monster would point a gun anywhere near a sweet little girl. And that poor woman in the tent.”

Nick nodded grimly. “Well, he's not a threat to anyone anymore. And hopefully neither are his followers.”

“Hopefully,” she agreed. “Don't we have enough problems with Zolos and trying to rebuild our lives?”

“Well, with Jay dealt with hopefully we can get back to doing that,” he said. “We're ready to be done with our 21 days so we're not on the outside looking in anymore, right Tallie?”

She nodded fervently. “I want to see Mommy and Ricky and play with Billy! And then you and Daddy can go on your date!”

Gen looked surprised for a moment, then laughed at that, and Nick felt his cheeks redden. He'd told Tallie that Gen was his girlfriend and they'd planned a date as soon as it was safe to be together, but with their relationship still quasi-long distance it was a bit embarrassing to have her just blurting out things like that.

“That's right,” Gen said. “And I can't wait to give you a big hug too, sweetie.” She glanced over her shoulder, brightening. “Hey, here comes your mom and big brother. And Billy too!”

Tallie excitedly yelled a hello to the unseen new arrivals, and began waving wildly as Ellie, Ricky, Hal and his family, and the Norsons with Billy all climbed up onto the barricade to stand beside Gen.

“Mommy, we came to visit you!” she shouted practically in Nick's ear, making him wince slightly. “Daddy says things should be safe now, and we'll be able to visit all the time!”

Ellie smiled down at her daughter, although her face was drawn with weariness and the strain of the earlier battle. “I hope so, sweetie. I've missed you so much.”

“Me too,” Ricky declared. “You need to do your three weeks and come play with Linny so she'll leave me alone.”

Nick couldn't help but chuckle at that, and Ellie and Hal laughed outright. “Well, if things with Wensbrook really are over then you guys can get started on your 21 days right away,” Ellie said. “I've waited too long already to hold my baby girl.”

“Me too, Mommy!” Tallie called, giving Nick a hopeful look. “Can we start right now, pretty please?” She batted her eyes the way she did when she was trying to be especially cute.

Nick laughed again and tussled her hair, although he was slow to answer. “Soon. I want to wait a few days to be sure they aren't going to try anything else, but then I think our group will go through isolation again. We've all been separated for too long.”

“Amen to that,” Gen said fervently.

He returned her wry smile as he continued. “Although I did have one thought about our 21 days . . . I think we should spend it in the Norsons' house.”

Ellie frowned. “Take Tallie out of the safety of the quarantine camp? I'm not sure I like that.”

“We can set a 24/7 watch,” he argued. “The house is close to the barricade, and Denny's patrols will still be combing the surrounding area.”

Bruce Norson cleared his throat, not looking terribly pleased at this line of discussion. “Why our house?”

Nick paused, choosing his words carefully. “Well when you went to pick up the cache in the shed, it had been stolen. And we know Jay's thugs have been out ransacking and destroying houses. If they went in yours it might be contaminated with Zolos, and they had to have gone in at least the part of the yard around the shed. To be safe it should probably go through three weeks, too.”

The older man's frown deepened; had he not considered that, and he'd been planning on moving back home soon now that Jay's group seemed to be dealt with? “You may have a point about that,” he said grudgingly. “But why do you want to stay there now?”

“To guard it,” Nick said simply. “Our group's long term plan was to move back there when it was safe, right? Focus on our future survival from there. I want to keep a watch on it, make sure nobody else wanders in and potentially contaminates it.”

The Norsons exchanged a look. “That's not the worst idea,” Winn admitted. “I don't like the idea of some infected person coming in and jiggling our doorknob and killing us all, like what happened to the poor McCleeses and Masons.”

“Also I know we were going to start a garden, and we're almost past the planting season already,” Nick added. “We've got the seeds and the tools from our scavenging, so we can get to work on it right away and do something productive during our 21 days.”

“Yay!” Tallie said, wiggling excitedly. “Can we plant strawberries? Can I help?”

“Yes and yes,” he said with a laugh, kissing her forehead. “We'll get a nice big garden planted, enough to feed everyone. And we can get started on other projects too, including maybe another house on the neighboring vacant lot. Or at least some lean-tos so we can get out of our tents.”

“It's a good thought,” Bruce agreed grudgingly, although he obviously still had reservations about them living in his house. “With all this trouble with