America Offline | Book 3 | Citadel by William H. Weber

Author:William H. Weber [Weber, William H.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, azw3
Tags: Post-Apocalyptic | Survival
Published: 2022-03-24T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 27

“There she is,” Nate said the moment he caught sight of the truck.

Billy leaned forward, his face pushed between the two front seats. “Is it clear?”

“Seems to be,” Nate replied tentatively. But of course, they wouldn’t know until they got right up close.

“Keep an eye out for an ambush,” Walker told them, his military experience coming to bear.

Todd rubbed his hands together, working out the nervous energy. “What makes you think they’d set up an ambush?”

Walker glanced back at him. “Because it’s what I would do.”

Moments later, both pickup trucks pulled up to the stranded truck, a deep pathway carved through the snow where the Beast had just passed.

The men hopped out, their weapons in hand, eyeing the perimeter. When it appeared the coast was clear, the group went to work. Nate tossed Sam the keys as the latter jumped into the cab to start the engine. Nate, Trey and Todd then headed toward the rear of the trailer and opened the large double doors. Once inside the cargo area the three men checked behind every pallet to ensure none of Gibbs’ men were planning a Trojan horse-style sneak attack. The contents of the trailer were in the exact same state they had left it in earlier.

Suddenly, Sam’s voice came over the walkie. “Hey, Trey, I can’t get her started. The driver must have left her running after he got stuck, because she’s out of fuel.”

“Roger that,” Trey replied. “Walker and Ash, you’re up. Grab those cans of diesel from the pickup and fill the truck.”

“Will do, boss,” Ash called back.

That took another few minutes. The whole time, Nate scanned the horizon and listened for the telltale whine of a snowmobile motor.

“Okay, cans are loaded,” Ash said, tossing the empties back into the truck bed. “She was a thirsty girl.”

“Sam, give it another go,” Trey told him.

They all listened intently but didn’t hear a thing. Nate felt a growing sense of dread rise in the pit of his belly.

“She’s not turning over,” Sam cried, although the silence had already told them everything they needed to know.

“All right, Allison,” Trey barked. “Time for you to show us why we pay you the big bucks.”

“You don’t pay me a damn thing,” she shot back and laughter erupted from all those gathered.

Nate left Trey and Todd in the trailer section and headed to the cab up front. At Allison’s suggestion, Walker and Ash had already tilted open the hood. Unlike a sedan, the hood on a semi-truck opened by tilting forward.

By the time Nate arrived to see what was going on, Allison was already hard at work.

“Shine some more light in here, will you,” she ordered anyone who was around.

Ash leaned in with a pocket flashlight.

“Any idea what might be wrong?” Nate asked.

Allison stopped long enough to wipe a thick layer of sweat from her forehead. “Could be lots of stuff. Bad fuel filters, fuel line, or fuel pump among other things.”

She was still fiddling around with the engine when Nate caught a familiar sound in the distance.

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