Read Dead Highways (Book 3): Discord for Free Online Page A

Robinson insisted.
    “Fine,” Ted said, sauntering back to his cart.
    Aamod took Ted’s place at the side of Robinson’s cart. He had his shotgun resting against his right shoulder. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Why have we stopped?”
    “Why do you think genius?” Bowser said, smirking. “You blind?”
    “I see. But did you expect this to be easy? Find a lane through and let me take care of them.”
    “Ted is gonna try and find a better way,” Robinson said. “Be patient.”
    Aamod headed off to the left, slipping between cars as he crossed to the corner of Carrollton. Peaches and Naima both joined the gathering at Robinson’s cart right as Aamod wandered off by himself.
    “Well, so much for being patient,” I said.
    “Daddy, where are you going?” Naima whispered.
    “You stay,” her father replied.
    The Indian man stopped in the grass and ducked down beside a large tree.
    “The fuck is he doing,” Bowser exclaimed.
    As usual, no one knew.
    Ted finished consulting the map. “Nothing better,” he said. “Dixon is only about two or three miles from here. This is our best shot.”
    Robinson sighed. “Dammit.”
    “Sorry. If there was an easier way you know I’d be all for it. But there isn’t.”
    “Two to three miles, huh. I figured we were getting close. I recognize this area.”
    Aamod hustled back to the median.
    Ted hadn’t even noticed he was gone. “Where’d you go?”
    “Just looking around,” Aamod replied. “I found a spot I think we can get through.”
    “Yeah…what about infected?”
    Aamod shrugged. “Tons. But we’ll just have to clear them out.”
    “No chance,” Ted said, frowning. “We don’t have enough bullets to clear them out. Remember we left most of our supplies back at the dock, and even if we hadn’t that would still be too risky.”
    “I’ll clear them out,” Aamod said. “Take the carts to the grass.” He pointed to the corner where he’d just come from. “I’ll stay here and draw their attention away. If I can get enough of them to stop walking and focus on me, that should give you enough time to slip by in front of them. There is a space between the cars about twenty or thirty yards up I’m pretty sure you can get through.”
    “Pretty sure?” Bowser repeated.
    “If you can’t get the carts through, ditch them and go on foot.”
    “I don’t like that idea,” Naima said.
    “You can ride with Ted, Naima. We’ll leave our cart here.”
    “It’s not the driving that I’m worried about. I just don’t want you going off on your own like that.”
    “I can handle it.”
    “She’s right though,” Ted said. “What are you gonna do if you get surrounded?”
    “I’ll find a way.”
    I thought back to the day we’d stopped off at the side of I-95 and got bum-rushed by a horde of people recently awoken from their comas. Aamod had drawn them away from his Toyota after getting it stuck in a muddy rut, all so Naima could escape. This plan sounded eerily familiar, and more dangerous.
    “Well…” Aamod pressed. “Does anyone have a better idea?”
    I sure didn’t, and given the rest of the groups silence, they didn’t either. Aamod was unpredictable, which often made him a liability, but if carefully utilized at the right moments, his brazen nature could also be an asset. His place in the group wasn’t without its problems. He and I certainly weren’t best friends. I hadn’t forgotten the time he threatened me just for talking with Naima. He was the one person in the group that didn’t really belong, and yet we kept him around for moments like this one. Perhaps there was something unspoken between the rest of us (minus his daughter), a sort of realization that when push came to shove Aamod could be used as the sacrificial lamb. He could save us again. He could give his life and we’d walk away satisfied—glad we kept him around for our own selfish reasons.
    Glad he was there when we needed him. And when he wasn’t anymore, glad