“Besides, maybe it’s not the army at all. Just rogues. Deserters,” the Reverend added.
Things were becoming very agitated now. Voices swelled as arguments broke out. Some people seemed almost desperate to believe this was good news while others looked dubious.
Katie was one of the doubters. She couldn’t see how someone taking Jenni could possibly be a good thing.
Nerit held up a hand and things quieted somewhat. “The truth is, we do not know the situation. We do not know why Jenni and the others were taken. We just know for sure that they were and that it was most likely a faction of the military. ”
“We shouldn’t get overly excited yet,” Travis added. “We’re not sure what this means for the fort. ”
“But they’ll rescue us,” someone said persistently. It was Janice, a local.
Her face was flushed and anxious. “They kept saying on the radio they would save us!”
“Save us how?” Travis asked her point blank.
“Take us to where it’s safe,” Janice answered.
“But it’s safe here,” Katarina said, stepping out of the crowd. “It’s safe where we are. ”
“But they’ll have real weapons. Real ways of defending us,” another voice said from the back.
Katie noticed it was the newer people who clung to this idea of a rescue more tightly than the townsfolk. Also, the people f
rom larger towns or cities seemed to immediately embrace the idea of the army coming to the rescue.
“What is true is that we don’t know what is happening yet,” Travis said in a loud voice. “And that is where it stands. ”
Pulling Katie with him, he moved into the manager’s office, Nerit following.
“I don’t like how this feels,” Travis said grimly, leaning his hands on his desk.
“Until we know what is going on, we need to keep people calm,” Nerit said.
Picking up the phone, Travis dialed Peggy’s line. “Gather the council, please. ”
“They’re going to go ape shit,” Katie decided. “The idea of being rescued is going to have people completely nuts. ” She leaned against Travis, comforted by the gentle touch of his fingers through her hair and down her neck.
Peggy slipped in the door followed by Curtis. Katarina entered, standing in for Bill. Eric arrived last, wearing his usual khakis and a sweater. He ran a hand over his dark hair as he sat in a chair.
There was a moment of tense silence as they realized how many of the council was missing. Jenni, Juan, Bill. . . Katie even missed Calhoun whipping out his camcorder.
“Rumor is that the army is coming to rescue us,” Eric said, starting the conversation.
“We’re really not sure what the military wants,” Nerit answered, and quickly filled him in on the details.
Curtis looked tense, sitting near Katarina. “Can we trust them? Right before it all went to hell they were killing people left and right in the streets. ”
“Killing infected people,” Katie corrected.
“We don’t even know if it’s the real military,” Katarina pointed out. “What if it’s just a bunch of AWOL guys like the Reverend said?”
“And acting like gods,” Curtis chimed in.
Travis nodded solemnly as he leaned back against the desk. “That is my fear. ”
“Or they could be men and women doing their job and rescuing civilians,”
Nerit interjected.