Apocalypsis 04 - Haven

as you can imagine.”
    “How do you know this?” asked Trip. He was standing next to Peter.
    “We got two messages from the Amazon contact today. We’ll discuss it with you in a minute. But we think Gail is behind it and will be coming with them. She is not to be trusted, no matter what she says.”
    Before it could get loud again, I spoke up. “Peter and his city crew, come with me. Derek’s crew meet in the armory to get armed first. The rest of you with Paci and Trip. Do it like we practiced.”
    There was a crush of bodies for a minute or so while everyone headed in different directions and tried to move around the lobby to get there. Eventually, I had the whole city corp with me in the corner. There were about fifty kids there in all.
    “What’s happening?” asked Peter, coming to stand next to me. Winky was right behind him.
    “We got two messages, very mysterious. First one said Gail is with the canners and did something to the bird feed, and the second one said some friends are coming and to welcome them in.”
    “What’s so alarming about that?” asked Winky.
    “Whoever sent it didn’t know the code. So we have to assume it’s someone faking it.”
    “Gail.” Winky’s face got red. I sensed the berserker coming online.
    “I think so. What do we have ready to go?” I asked Peter.
    “Well, we have the pits dug, if they decide to try and get past the concrete barriers that are already out there. Of course, Gail knows where most of them are. Remind me to poke her in the eyeball for that if we see her. And we have several trip wires in place with grenades, but I caution against using them at all because they could breach our gate if something doesn’t fly right. You know it was Fohi out there directing traffic most of the time.”
    “But Rob was there too, so we’re good,” said Winky.
    I nudged her with my elbow but said nothing. We’d be girl talking later about her little love triangle.
    “We have the watchtowers and all of them have a full stock of rifles.”
    “Which Gail also knows,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Why did we have to let her in here? Someone remind me.”
    “Because you’re not evil, that’s why,” said Peter. “Now, one problem … we have the long stretches of fencing where someone could cut and get through. We need to have people all along the edges. I’ve got several barriers up inside the fence line for those watchers to hide behind, and we have the dogs.”
    “Do we want to risk the dogs?” I asked. “We use them with the animals and everything else.”
    “How about Buster?” suggested Winky.
    Peter hit her lightly on the arm. “You aren’t suggesting we use Buster as a watchdog are you?”
    “Why not? Everyone has to pull his weight. Even the naked poodle.”
    “Buster’s going to get involved even if we try to keep him out. He always finds a way to be a pest,” I said.
    “I’m putting him in my cell,” said Peter. “They’ll shoot him to shut him up. Or poison him or something.”
    “Keep all the dogs inside,” I said. “We can’t afford to lose the workers.”
    “Not all of them are workers,” mentioned a kid who worked with the cattle.
    “We have a shepherd and terrier that aren’t worth anything for that.”
    “Fine. Take those two out and keep them behind a barrier outside, one on each side of the compound.”
    He nodded and left to do what I asked.
    I pointed to several other kids. “You guys go get armed and then find spots along the outside to protect the fences. Make sure every barrier has at least two kids behind it. Bring some water and food packets.
    They took off running through the lobby to the far hallway that housed the armory.
    I shook my head. The size of this place had seemed so ideal when it came to dreaming up what we’d need to house a lot of people. But it was suddenly much less ideal when it came to defending it. There were so many weak spots.
    “What do you want the rest of us to do?” asked another kid.
    “Go get armed up and come to the lobby when you’re ready.”
    Winky, Peter, and I stood in the corner alone.
    “What do you think’s going to happen?” asked Peter, looking out the front windows.
    Everything was calm and cool outside. The sky was blue and the clouds puffy and white.
    “Defend our home. What else can we do?”
    “Let’s go get some guns and flak jackets,” said Winky. “I don’t like standing here by this window knowing some asshole canner might be looking at me