The Survivalist (Frontier Justice)

Chapter 15

Tanner drove east on Highway 20, the red Honda Odyssey minivan slowly navigating the congested road, like a mouse working its way through an experimenter's cruel maze. For the past ten miles, the number of abandoned cars had been steadily increasing, and while the interstate was still passable, it never allowed him to exceed ten miles an hour.

The two rows of rear seats had been folded down, and Samantha lay resting in the back with a couple of blankets draped over her.

"It's not very comfortable back here."

"And yet you slept," he said, catching her eye in the rearview mirror.

"Evidently, being in a helicopter crash makes you tired. How far have we gone?"

"About eighty miles. We'll be coming up on the outskirts of Atlanta soon."

Samantha climbed up into the front passenger seat, pulling one of the blankets with her.

"Are we going to drive straight through?"

"No. We'll get on the 285 loop and go around the city."

"Why not go through the middle? Wouldn't it be quicker?"

"Atlanta had roughly five million people living there when this thing hit. You can imagine how bad it must be."

"Oh, right. Okay, let's go around."

"At this rate, though, it will take several hours."

She looked out the window.

"We won't make it before dark."

"Another reason to stay out of the city."

After a moment, she said, "I'm sorry, but I really need a bathroom break."

"Okay."

They drove in silence for a few minutes. When Tanner spotted an exit that was still passable, he pulled off the interstate. A McDonald's restaurant and two gas stations came into view. He pulled into the parking lot of the larger of the two gas stations.

"Let's hit the restroom and maybe grab a few snacks," he said.

They got out of the van and approached the store. Surprisingly, it was still in remarkably good shape. There were a couple of deserted cars out front, but the glass door to the store was unbroken, as were its large windows.

Tanner gave the door a push. It didn't budge.

"Try somewhere else?" she asked.

"Give me a sec." He went back to the van and returned with a small crowbar.

"You don't mind breaking into places, do you?"

He cut his eyes toward her.

"If you'd rather pee in the bushes, that's okay with me."

"I was just making an observation."

"Uh-huh." Tanner slipped the blade of the pry bar between the door and the jam, and leaned into it. The doorframe bent and the bolt pulled free of the striker plate. He gave the door a gentle push, and it swung inward. "We're in."

"Two thieves in the night," she muttered under her breath.

Even with the limited light remaining, it was clear that the store had been cleaned out. Shelves were mostly empty, and the glass coolers had only a few bottles lying in the bottom.

"Not much here," he said. "Let's hit the restroom before it gets too dark."

He led Samantha through the store until they found the door of the women's bathroom. "Let me check it."