Fracking Apocalypse - a ZNation 10K/Tommy Fanfiction

S1E07

S1E07:

"Good morning people. Welcome to the third day of the sixth month of the year aught-three A.Z. if you're listening to this, it means you're still alive. So congratulations. Or condolences. You know, whatever." Bailey heard Citizen Z's voice over the radio as she sat in the back seat of the truck between Cassandra and Warren. Mack and Addy were on a motorbike ahead of them as they passed a sign that said 'Welcome to Kansas' but Bailey didn't think Warren saw it. Her mind was far away as she gazed out the window blankly, she hadn't said anything since she'd gotten back in the car, she'd barely even had any food or water while Doc drove. Actually, no one spoke, they all just listened to Citizen Z over the radio, it was like they'd left their thoughts back in Province Town.

"If you're noticing more despair in my voice than usual today, it's because we lost someone special. I know, we lose people all the time. Getting your face chewed off by a Z is more common than making it to your next birthday. But this guy. . . this one's worth mentioning. Charles Garnett, First Sergeant, Army National Guard Reservist, was an honest-to-God, real, live, actual good guy. He fought for other people, not just for his own survival. And he did something that's pretty much impossible these days. He gave people hope. Remember hope? Remember thinking that we might actually come out on the other side of this thing? Yeah, that. Sergeant Garnett died trying to give us a reason to hope. And for that. . . " he started to sniffle before he pulled it together, "Sergeant Charles Garnett, on behalf of a grateful nation, or whatever the hell we are now. We salute you."

They didn't drive much longer after CZ's eulogy, something went wrong with the truck and Doc was forced to stop. Addy saw them and signaled to Mack to turn the bike around. There was smoke pouring heavily out the engine and 10K hopped out of the back and crawled under to check it out.

"Radiator?" Mack asked when he and Addy had parked the bike.

"Yeah." Doc said.

"Fixable?"

"Don't know."

"Gee, if we only had a mechanic." Murphy grumbled as they all got out of the truck except Warren.

"You got to let her deal, man." Doc said, "She's got that post traumatic stress."

"She's got post-traumatic stress?" Murphy asked as Mack reached in and checked the engine. "The whole world's got post-traumatic stress. Actually, there isn't anything 'post' about it. We all got plain old present tense, all traumatic, all stress all the time. What makes her so special?" he asked walking around to Warren's window to bother her. Bailey followed, she might agree with Murphy that every survivor had something they were still dealing with, a past kill or a past loss but it didn't mean he shouldn't let Warren grieve. She stayed back ready to step in if she thought he was pushing too far, surprisingly, Murphy actually made a good point instead.

"Hey. Wake up. Hey. You can't just check out. We got a job to do." He said before catching a glimpse of himself in the side mirror, "And I am running out of time. And California is still two thousand miles of bad road away. And we are not going to make it without you. Cause it's not like they're gonna follow me, or the old man, or the Wonder Twins or Texas Hatchet Massacre back here. Hey." But Warren only turned so she wouldn't have to look at Murphy anymore and he gave up.

"All right," Mack said doing all he could for the engine, which wasn't much, "Addy and I will scout up ahead. See if we can get some help."

"We will?" the red head asked.

"Yeah."

"Yeah, I dunno guys. I think we should stick together." Doc said as Bailey leaned on the driver's door of the truck.