The Girl Who Punched Back (Death Fields 2)

“That these Eaters all came from the same place? Maybe another camp? Is it Jane? Or maybe an evacuation center?” I don’t say what I really wonder, but Wyatt’s not a chicken like me.

“Or one of Erwin’s camps.” he says.

“Or one of Erwin’s camps.”

He shifts like he’s going to get out of bed, but his long arm reaches out to the wall to steady himself. I press down on his shoulder. His skin is hot. “Whatever happened there is long over,” I tell him. “We can check it out when you’re better.”

He nods, but doesn’t look happy about it. “Send Davis in here.”

“Davis?”

“Yeah, we’ll make a plan.”

I step out of the room but pause. “So, you think there’s something to it?”

He sinks into his pillow, shuts his eyes, and says, “We’re going to find out.”

Chapter 14

The branch flies in my face with a loud thwack, nearly taking out an eye. “Jesus, Parker, I need both my eyes.”

“Sorry.”

“Are you?”

“Shut up, Alex.”

“I swear if you don’t both shut up,” Wyatt mutters from the front of the pack. “I will use you as bait the next time we come across a group of Eaters.”

Parker blanches, because she doesn’t know Wyatt that well and he’s completely terrifying. I keep my face even but swallow back any retort because I do know Wyatt, and yeah, he’s still a little terrifying.

“Ramsey,” he says.

“What?”

He cuts me a look. “Come here, please.”

Please? “Sure.”

I push past Parker and Jude. Davis is in the back and Hayes is in the way, way back. After much discussion, we decided to bring him along to have another set of skilled hands. We got out of the truck thirty minutes ago and are walking in the thick copse of woods between the highway and the land beyond. Most of the land has fencing separating private and public land, allowing our left side to have a bit of security.

I fall in step with Wyatt, keeping an eye out on the deserted road. We’re headed toward the access ramp where we’d been attacked on the way down here. “What’s up?”

“Why did you bring her with us if all you’re going to do is argue?”

“Parker?”

“Yes.” He exhales. “Parker. The person you’ve been bitching with for the last three hours.”

“She’s just nervous. I think that’s how she expresses it.” Again he gives me an exasperated look, his jaw tense and eyes narrowed. “What?”

“Remind me not to put you in charge of recruiting for missions from now on.”

I snort. “You guys chose them for the team. I had to assume they were up to snuff.”

Wyatt abruptly stops, holding his hand out as a signal. The barricade of cars is up ahead—large vultures sitting atop like ornaments. From here I can spot the white, baked bones. Animals cleaned up the mess we’d left behind weeks ago. Even so, the smell of death hovers in the air. Wyatt and I wait until everyone catches up.

“I do not want to go over there,” Parker declares, waving a hand in front of her face. It’s fall, but the Indian summer has lasted longer than normal. There’s been little rain, which makes travel easier. But the earth is dry, which has other repercussions.