Lost Roads (Benny Imura 7)

Morton did, but Gutsy could see how much it cost the doctor. She fished inside her heart for a splinter of pity, and surprised herself by finding it.

“You’ve been giving Karen some drugs for Sarah,” continued Ledger. “Something to keep the Reaper Plague from spreading. That’s the only reason Karen hasn’t put a bullet in your brainpan. Those same drugs could keep you alive. Am I right?”

“Yes! The RZ16 pills. That’s what I need. Get me to my office. I have some. I need them, before it’s too late!”

Gutsy heard Benny gasp, but beat him to the punch with the obvious question. “How many of those RZ16 pills do you have?” she demanded.

“Enough,” said Morton quickly. “There’s enough for me to keep working. I can still be of use. I’m the only doctor left, and—”

“Slow down, sparky,” said Ledger. “How many is ‘enough’?”

“Thousands of capsules. Enough for me.” He flinched as he looked at the faces of the people gathered around him. “And I can make more.”

“Wait a minute,” snapped Gutsy. “You can make as much of those pills as you want?”

“Yes. But you need to get me back to my office so I can—”

Gutsy made a sudden lunge, but Ledger shoved her back, and then Spider was there, pulling her away. Gutsy fought

against the hands holding her, yelling so loud that spit flew from her mouth. “You could have given those pills to everyone who ever got bitten. All those people who got hurt on the wall. Everyone who was hurt today—you could have saved them all! Why didn’t you? What’s wrong with you?”

Morton whimpered, bleeding, sobbing, defeated and terrified. “I’m sor—” he started to say, but Ledger grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled forward with shocking force.

“Doc,” said the soldier quietly, “if you say you’re sorry, I’m going to let Gutsy have you. I’ll hold you for her.”

The doctor flinched but said nothing. Ledger shoved him back against the wall.

Gutsy was breathing hard, but she stopped fighting, and Spider slowly relaxed his hold. She nodded to him but continued to glare hatred at Morton. She got to her feet and moved to stand close so her shadow fell across the doctor’s face. Ledger pivoted on the balls of his feet and glanced up at her.

“Do you know what’s going to happen now, Dr. Morton?” asked Gutsy. “Right now, we’re going to take you to your office. You’re going to show us where these RZ16 pills are. You’re going to tell us everything we need to know in order to get the right dosages to everyone in town who’s been bitten. Everyone. You want to know who’ll be the last person to get those pills?”

Morton stared at her.

“Then,” continued Gutsy, “you’re going to tell the hospital pharmacist how to make those pills. You’re going to make sure it’s done right and that there’s enough for everyone, for as long as they live. That’s the way you get to stay alive. If you mess this up—if you don’t do everything you can to help us—then I’m going to kill you. I’m going to make it hurt, and I’m going to make it last a long, long time.”

“God… Gutsy…,” murmured Alethea, shocked.

Gutsy didn’t look at her friend. She didn’t look at anyone except Dr. Morton. The world around her seemed to be made of ice.

“Do you understand me?” she asked.

Morton said nothing. He sat there, weeping. Ledger leaned close.

“The lady asked you a question,” he said. “If I was you, I’d give her the answer she wants to hear.”

14

THEY GOT MORTON TO HIS feet. Benny and Sam took an arm each and half walked, half carried the doctor down the alley and into the hospital, following Gutsy and trailed by everyone else. Nurses, techs, orderlies, and the many wounded stared in fear and confusion. There was no sign of Karen, and Gutsy figured she was still looking for Manny. It hadn’t been more than a few minutes since she’d left them, after all.

Gutsy walked alone, aware of the looks her friends gave her. Even Benny seemed surprised by her threat to Morton. Nix, on the other hand, caught Gutsy’s eye and gave her a single nod. Everyone understood, but Nix seemed to truly get her.

Sombra trotted beside her, throwing nervous looks around. The coydog’s devotion softened Gutsy’s heart, but only a little. Rage was a furnace inside her chest, and she knew that at the rate things were going, it was going to consume her. Ever since Mama died, the rage and pain seemed to define the whole world. It made her envy the dead.

They reached Morton’s office, but before they got to his door, the two dogs began growling again.

“No more,” whispered Spider. “Please, no more…”

But, of course, there was more.