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

very displeased to hear you've resorted to unlawful activities.” She gestured at the convoy along the road. “Part of our mandate is restoring law and order to the areas we pass through, and I will ensure that it's done. Now that you know the situation, I'll hold you doubly responsible if you decide to go your own way in spite of my warning.”

Borden drew himself up stiffly. “Point taken.”

“Good.” Gorstrom turned to Ellie. “Got your vaccination, Mrs. Westmont? Then if you would, I'd like you to begin coordinating with my aides about getting the quarantine camp prepared to receive their vaccinations once we're done in the town. From what I've heard, I believe I can trust you to handle it.”

Ellie felt surprisingly honored by the indirect praise. “I'll get in contact with the camp's leaders and get started right away.”

The administrator nodded curtly and turned back to her monumental task, leaving Ellie to get to work.

Gorstrom's aides were polite and professional, but not exactly friendly. They had the weary demeanor of people who'd already done this several times, and were eager to finish here and move on to the next place. Personal attachments with the locals had no place in their plans.

What they needed from Ellie was fairly simple and straightforward; get everyone in the main camp organized and prepared for their vaccinations, and gather names, last place of residence, medical information, and any other details she could from everyone.

She found Hal waiting in line for vaccines with Cara and his siblings, Nick, Gen, Billy, and the Norsons, and made her way over to join them as she talked over the radio with Johnny and Starr.

Ricky ran over to hug her as she arrived, looking excited. “Is it true? Are we really going to be safe from Zolos now?”

“It's true,” Ellie said, and a joyous laugh escaped her as she hugged him back. “Look,” she continued, pointing to the little bandage on her arm. “I've already got the shot.”

“Wow!” Her son had gotten shots before, but he still stared at her arm as if it was the coolest thing ever. “When I get mine, will I be able to go out and scavenge with Dad, like Tallie got to?”

“Well . . .” Ellie was a bit surprised by the question, since Nick had long since abandoned scavenging. Of course, that had been to avoid exposure to Zolos and having to go through his 21 days again, so now that it was safe with the vaccine their son might think his dad would start going out again.

And he'd think it only fair he got to go too, since his sister had.

She hadn't been pleased to find out Nick was taking Tallie out scavenging, and had no intention of letting their son go, either. Thankfully she'd just listened to Gorstrom forbidding the practice, which made the answer easy. “The town isn't going to be doing that anymore, honey.”

“Oh.” Ricky scowled in disappointment. “But can we go somewhere and do something? I'm so tired of not being able to go anywhere or do anything.”

Ellie wanted to point out that they'd been going into town regularly, and that was pretty good. But she knew what he was talking about because she felt the same way. “Of course we can,” she said, kissing his forehead. “Once we know the vaccines have done their job and we're safe, we'll go do something fun.”

“Maybe camping,” Nick joked, and the kids all groaned in protest.

“What about swimming?” Tallie asked hopefully, joining Ricky in inspecting where Ellie had gotten her shot. “It's been so long since we've gone swimming.”

Tallie didn't actually know how to swim, but she loved going to the pool. Especially if she could hold onto someone's back while they walked quickly around the pool, or someone held her on her tummy in the water so she could pretend she was swimming.

“I think that would be fun,” Ellie said. “We'll have to see if we can find an open pool.”

Hal helped out as she coordinated with the camp, jotting down information while she talked with the camp's leaders. To her pleasant surprise Nick also pitched in, offering advice on the questions he'd asked the survivors, and some of the points he'd made to encourage them to share details. Most valuable, though, was that he offered to take the notes Hal wrote down and organize them in database format.

“The relief worker I talked to said that made her job easier,” he said to Ellie's questioning look. She smiled back; this was the first time they'd really worked together on something since the divorce, and it was nice to know their relationship was still amiable enough for that.

Between being occupied with gathering information and the efficiency of the relief workers, the line for the vaccine moved along quickly and in orderly fashion. In what felt like no time at all Ellie was holding Ricky's hand as they made their way into the tent, while Hal and Cara led his siblings into another tent and the others waited for their turn.

Nick and Tallie, already immune, waved goodbye to them there and headed around to wait for them by the exit.

Ricky had always been pretty good about shots, and he was even better with this one since he knew how important it was. In no time at all the nurse, not the man who'd given Ellie her vaccine but a kindly young woman, was offering Ricky a piece of candy for being such a trooper as she ushered them towards the exit.

When they got outside, they found Borden and a few of the other town leaders waiting with a crowd of people who'd already gotten their vaccines. “Gorstrom wanted me to get everyone together now that they're almost finished giving vaccines to the entire town,” the acting mayor explained when Ellie led Ricky over to find out what was going on. “I guess she's ready to give her speech to the town.”

Ellie checked the lines and confirmed that they were, indeed,