Jack charged past her, barking, excited.
When Katie hit the second floor, she saw no sign of Jenni. She saw the door to the back patio was open. Running to the doorway, she saw Jenni standing near the rail, gun raised, Jack poised at her heels, barking away.
"Hey, fuckface!" Jenni's voice was full of hatred.
The zombie turned slowly, saw her up on the balcony, opened his mouth to shriek, and rushed forward. As soon as he was clear of the window, Jenni put a nice little hole through his right eye. The enormous zombie pitched forward, onto two female zombies who had turned to see Jenni and effectively trapped both of them under his enormous girth.
Katie stood next to Jenni, a little shocked.
Jenni turned and looked at her, then shrugged. "He looked like my Dad," she explained. She walked past her into the building.
Katie stood for a moment, registering this. Jenni's sanity had been in question since yesterday; but then again, they were all slightly insane now, weren't they? She watched the two female zombies trying to wiggle out from under the huge dead man and slightly smiled. Turning on her heel, she followed Jenni back down the stairs.
Jenni stood near the top of the stairs waiting. From her expression, Katie knew she was struggling internally.
"We should have gone last night," Jenni whispered.
"In the dark? With those things?" Katie lifted an eyebrow. "Would you really want to do that?"
Jenni sighed and shook her head. "I'm just worried about Jason. "
"I know, but we have to take care of ourselves, too, you know. "
"I know, Katie. " Jenni sighed softly. "I know. "
Packing was quick. Ralph being an old pro, he knew what they needed.
Nerit gave them a cooler full of sandwiches and drinks. She seemed especially pensive, bu
t she smiled reassuringly whenever her gaze rested on them.
Katie was busy double-checking the small bag holding their ammo when Nerit came up and laid Katie's phone next to her on the table.
"I found this up on the roof. I thought you may want it," she said in her warm, rich accented voice.
Katie glanced at it and hesitated. "There isn't any service anymore. "
Nerit nodded, but flipped the phone open to show Lydia's lovely face smiling up at them. "For her, not the service. "
Katie looked at her sharply, her hand closing the phone, but her gaze anxious, waiting.
"She was beautiful. And she loved you. I can see it in her face," Nerit said softly.
Katie's eyes filled with tears for a moment. "She was my life. "
Nerit looked past her to Jenni. The other woman was rearranging one of the backpacks with a very dire expression on her face. "But now you are going to take care of her. And her son. I can see it in your eyes. It's what you do. "
"Well, I can't say you're wrong. I was a prosecutor. I tried to find justice in the world," Katie admitted.
Nerit took Katie's hand in her old, leather one, and pressed it between her palms. "You are a good person, Katie. Come back safe. I think I want to know you better and make you family. "
Katie smiled widely and flung her arms around Nerit in a tight hug.
"Thank you. Thank you for everything you've done for us. "
"Nuff of that. Sun is climbing. If you are going to round trip it today, gotta start now," Ralph said from behind them.
Nerit let go of Katie and nodded. "I'll be in position. " She headed toward the stairs, snagging her sniper rifle off the counter on her way.