"You were thinking fifty people then? We got enough cars for that?" asked Hank.
Gonzales answered "Not without taking some off the line, giving up a little space, we got drivable vehicles, but that would take, what? A dozen cars?"
"Okay then, how many free vehicles do we have?"
"We-ell" Gonzales began in his Spanish accented drawl, "I got nine I could spare pretty easily, plus we got the semi and trailer, but we need a bus, you know?"
"But if we send all the cars to the hospital, how long will it take to get, say another ten cars ready to go? If we need to caravan to another place."
Gonzales thought about it for a minute, his wrinkled forehead flexing while he thought, bringing his gray white eyebrows almost together, "About forty minutes, is all. For the good ones, I mean we are putting a lot of em into the wall, but we try to hold back the better vehicles."
Kevin volunteered an idea, "So send eight cars, while Gonzales starts pulling ten from the line, send em in twenty minutes so at least half the cars are ready in case of an emergency and get the truck ready to roll in case we have to bail out of here."
"That is a pretty good idea, anyone see anything wrong with it?" asked Hank again.
"No, well, we won't be able to send fifty people though, not in eight vehicles, figure four each, that is thirty two people, I can ask for volunteers, but probably half should be the worst hurt, we have a lot of broken bones and that guy who got electrocuted trying to hook his generator up, he should go now, they probably can't do anything for him, but they can do more than I can." said Doc.
"Good, that all sounds good to me. Do I qualify as one of the most wounded?" asked Hank.
"No!" the others said in unison. Doc continued, "You are stable, probably a second tripper, unless you start going all pale and pissing out blood. Yeah I want to get you checked out better, but we have bones that need to be set, they take precedent. You stay. For now."
Sighing, Hank conceded with bad grace, "Fine. You get me to stay here, any ideas on who else should go?"
"You better send Nanci!" Evaine called over, then returned to watching the toddlers.
Hank thought about it and nodded once, "Yeah, we better do that. Gonzales you and the doc get the people worked out, you know who is who and who we still need here better than I do, then you work on getting some basic supplies sent over, maybe some of the shotgun ammo, I bet they could use it. Kevin why don't you help him by either pulling the cars or the supplies, you volunteered an idea, so now you get to do some of the work."
Kevin smiled to show his willingness and soon the three men moved off discussing what to do and how they were going to get it done, leaving Beth to check Hank's bandages and smile at him, "Trying to weasel out of here huh? Why don't you like us?" she held up a silencing finger, "Don't deny it! Oh I know you just want to be reunited with Juan, we all want to cover our friend's backs, so I get it. You really should have time to rest though; you have done your part, right? Killed a hundred zombies with your bare hands, fought Dave to a standstill inside the Quick Trip. You are like a living legend already!"
"Aw now, don't you start in, people are not really saying that are they?"
"Well, no really the kids though, you rescued Cage and Sylvia, well they are talking you up a lot. The stories get back to the adults who are taking care of them and then get talked about more, so you are practically a legend. Not quite there yet. You mind if I ask you another question?"
"Sure, shoot." said Hank a little puzzled.
"How many zombies did you kill since you left the clinic anyway?"
"You're pulling my leg right? I mean, you think I kept track? Juan and I shot a lot of them, I had a lot of head bashing to do, probably a couple dozen shots and eighteen or twenty head bashes. Does it matter? There are surely a lot of guys out there that have taken down more than that. Juan, for one."
"I suppose it doesn't matter, but I can at least tell everyone the rumors are wrong. Yeah, you killed more than we all gave you credit for. So how do your ribs feel?"
"Well better, now that you have tightened the bandages. It's the fact that I can hardly breathe that bothers me now."
"Deal with it, hero. I will be back to check up on you before you hit the hay. Unless I am wrong your lady friend wants to talk to you without me around." Beth glanced briefly at Evaine, who was still standing close by, near the children. "I will leave you two to it, no rough activity though, got it?"
Hank's face turned red and he nodded, "Nothing like that, she is just a friend I dated a couple times."
"Sure, Hank, sure." Beth nodded and walked away.
It took about five minutes, then Evaine managed to find her way over to Hank's chair. Hank had picked up the latest and probably last 'Field and Stream' magazine someone had left nearby with another cup of juice and was reading an article on Bass fishing in Michigan. Evaine stood near the foot rest, put her hands on her hips and said, "So, you know that woman?"
"Beth? Yeah, sure Doc's nurse, we rescued her and doc out of the clinic, gave 'em our car and directions on how to get here. Why?"
"I think she is too old for you."
"Oh?" Hank didn't really know what to say to Evaine. Sure, they had dated, but that was about it. Hank liked her, thought she was great, and had no intention of saddling her down with a man thirteen years older than she was. Not even if it would make Nanci happy. "Ah, what makes you think I am interested in her anyway?"
Evaine made a slightly rude noise and said, "Maybe not you so much as her, but every man has needs Hank, even cold men like you, I just don't want you suckered in by the first thing that comes along."
Hank made a look that suggested 'who? Me?' and laughed, "No need to worry about that darling, plus I got you looking out for me right? I'll be okay."
"Sure Hank, you'll be fine." Then Evaine switched to Spanish and muttered, "better than fine when you finally get over our age difference, then you will be mighty good indeed!"
Continuing in Spanish Hank said, "Oh yeah the old 'Spanish Culture' thing, huh? Funny how you always see young girls marrying old goats and never young boys doing the same thing. Makes you wonder which is the smarter sex?"
A rather uncomplimentary word spilled out of Evaine's mouth, along with a good natured smile and she turned back towards the children.
Chapter 16
John spotted the convoy first, when he did he excitedly yelled out, "Juan! There they are Juan! Do you see em?" The eighteen year old was dressed in green hospital scrubs badly in need of changing. He stood about five foot ten inches tall, had black hair and hazel eyes with long soft looking eyelashes. His hair was, like his clothing, in need of a good washing, his face had the pall of someone who has been up too long and is running on pure adrenaline and caffeine.
Juan was in the bathroom, which did have a window, however he was sitting down and could not see outside, let alone back along the road leading to the hospital, "No. I don't see them, Give me a minute to finish! Jesus wept! Call it in to Jack, let them know they are coming, okay?"
"Sure thing!" pulling the walkie talkie of off his belt he pressed the send button and said, "I can see them Jack, they are pulling up the street now. Juan is on the pot, so I am calling to let you know."
Some laughter came back at John a moment later as Jack replied, "Thanks, we'll open the doors for them and tell Juan not to rush things, cleanliness is next to godliness, right?"
John looked puzzled for a second and looked at Juan as he came through the bathroom door, "What did he mean by that? God that guy is so weird sometimes!"
"Sì. Don't worry about it. Next time you don't have to mention I am on the pot, right?"