Chapter 874 Chapter 874
Kevan got in the van. “Is good.”
Foster looked out the windshield and watched Ena turning the car around. He didn’t know old cars like that still existed. When she got very close to the shoulder, he held his breath.
“I think Kevan would have drives.”
Foster exhaled when she got it facing the right direction. “I have a feeling we’re going to need her to lead the way there.”
“Her peoples hides well?”
Foster nodded. “I think so.”
“Car is no good for long.”
Foster glanced at him. “Pretty sure that car should have retired twenty years ago.”
Kevan grinned. “Yes. Is old.”
“We’ll get the groceries to her aunt, assess the situation with her clan, and then get back to the motel. Gia and Deacon will be there soon.”
“This Deacon is same man Kevan help clan arrive to?”
Foster slowed down when Ena took a turn very wide. “Were they maned wolf?” The road seemed to be getting narrower.
“Yes. I think it name. Tall fox-wolf.”
Foster grinned. “Yeah, I guess they’re the same clan.”
“Is good clan here now.”
“Everyone we find is good.” Foster slowed even more when Ena turned onto something that he wasn’t even sure was a road.
“Hide well,” Kevan said as he braced a hand on the dash as the van leaned to the one side.
Foster looked around. There were houses in there? All he could see were trees.
When Ena disappeared into the trees, Foster gripped the steering wheel tighter. The last thing he needed to happen was to get stuck following her into the bush. If that happened, he’d have to call a tow truck, and that would not help their presence to remain unknown.
“Road is good. All the little, ah –”
The van was vibrating from all the ruts. “Bumps.”
“Yes. That. Is help to no get sinked.”
Foster was afraid to go faster, but if he moved too slow, they might not have the traction to keep going forward. “Yeah. That would suck.” This was not a road. It was a wide trail. It turned right, and then he had to hit the brakes or hit the car Ena was in.
She pulled the car in front of a house.
Foster leaned closer to the windshield. It was barely a house. He looked around. There were more of them. They were in worse shape than the one she parked in front of.
“Is no too bad. I see much badder.”
Foster glanced at him. What kind of conditions had his people lived in? “I’m going to park behind her.”
“I think more is needed, but the foods she get.”
Foster parked and then turned the van off. “Like a construction crew?”
“Builder. Yes.”
“Uh-huh.” Foster opened the door and got out. He looked at the building across from where she parked. It looked like the roof was a quilt made out of wood patches.
Ena came around the van. “That’s Aunt Heidi’s, but I talked her into staying here at Orson’s because it’s warmer.”
“Is that even safe to be in?” He motioned to the building.
Ena looked at it and sighed. “No. Not really, but my aunt and I made it work.”
Foster looked around. A man stood on the steps of another ‘house’ that was in slightly better condition.
“That’s Savan. I’ll go talk to him, and then we can take the groceries to my aunt.”
Kevan came around. “Is good time to call your Zain?”
Foster nodded. “Yeah. I’ll give him a heads up and then supply more details later.” Getting his phone off the dash, he closed the door and took some pictures of what he was looking at.
His signal wasn’t the greatest, but he still sent them to Zain. He wasn’t sure if he’d have enough signal to hold a phone call, so he texted him. Found the woman and what’s left of her clan. Will call when I know more. He watched it send.
“The flood last spring took out the tower. The new one isn’t as strong.”
Foster turned to see a man standing behind him. He looked to be in his forties, with a touch of grey in his blond beard. He had a rifle tucked under his arm and two dead rabbits in his hand. “Savan has one of those signal boosters, so if you need to use the phone, go over near his place.”
Foster nodded. “Thanks.”
Ena came toward them. “Zach, this is Foster.” She went around both of them and opened the side door of the van. “He’s from the Alliance.”
“Really?” Zach nodded his head slowly. “So Orson was right.”
“He was.” She picked up the three bags she’d come out of the grocery store with.
“Orson inside?”
Ena closed the door. “No. He’s missing.”
“Shoot. They got him.”
Kevan came around and took two bags from Ena. “Is team to come get your man back.”
Zach’s eyes widened as he looked at Kevan.
Foster wasn’t sure if it was the accent or if he didn’t understand him. “We have a team coming to help.”
“A team?” Zach looked at Ena and then Foster. “You let me know if I can help.” He started walking away. “I’m pretty handy with my twenty-two.” He stopped, dropped the rabbits, and ran.
“Foster.”
Just the tone Kevan used had Foster following Zach. They ran to the side of the one building. Foster slid to a stop when he saw a young woman leaning against it.
“Nyssa.” Zach reached her.
“Harland took off, and I tried to follow, and I got hung up in a trap.” She wiped her face, leaving a streak of blood behind. “I didn’t think I’d make it back here.”
Foster looked to see her bloody leg.
“I had to shift to get my leg out of it, Zach.”
Zach nodded, leaned down, scooped her up into his arms, and started walking.
A woman in her later years came out of a building across from it. “Bring her in, Zach.” She looked around. “Where is Harland? I told him she has to have someone with her being new to shifting.”
Foster turned and ran back to the van. Kevan already had the back door open, pulling out a black tote.
“Is medicine in here?”
Foster nodded. “Yeah. Take it wherever they take her.” He leaned in and grabbed a small bag with extra medical supplies in it.
Ena came running out of Orson’s house and slid to a stop. “What happened?”
Savan went by them. “Harland bailed on Nyssa, and she got hung up in a trap.” He sounded angry. “I had a tow call, or I would have gone with her.”
Ena followed him.
“Ena,” Foster called out to her. She turned and looked at him. “We have medical supplies.” He caught the relieved look on her face before she followed. He hurried after Kevan.
“All helps for these peoples.”
Foster nodded. “I’ll call as soon as we assess her state.”
“Good.” He went up the stairs and followed Ena and Savan inside.