Uprising by T. L. Payne

Author:T. L. Payne [Payne, T. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Post-Apocalyptic | EMP | Survival | Thriller
Publisher: Shaky Rock Publishing, LLC
Published: 2019-09-21T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Houston, Missouri

Event + 23 Days

After a stop at the prison to unload most of the MREs, Maddie and Rank drove down Highway 63 to Houston, Missouri. When they reached the checkpoint on the outskirts of town, no one was manning it. Maddie weaved through the cars and drove toward downtown. The streets were deserted. Maddie was unsure where to start looking for Jacob. She drove to the only place she knew to ask—the courthouse.

Margaret would know.

As they pulled into the parking space in front of the courthouse, a man ducked inside the building.

"Will you be okay in there on your own?" Rank asked. "I think I should stay with the truck."

"Yeah," Maddie replied, as she opened the drivers' door.

"Radio check?" Rank asked.

"Yep."

Just inside the door, Maddie pressed the mic on her handheld radio.

"I'm in. How copy?"

"Loud and clear. Over," Rank's voice said through the radio.

At the top of the steps, Maddie again pressed the mic.

"At the top of the stairs. How copy?"

When she didn't hear a response, Maddie stopped and waited. After a long pause, she heard the crackle of the radio.

"Loud and clear. Might want to make it snappy in there. The truck has attracted attention. Over."

“Roger,” Maddie said as she rounded the corner approaching Margaret's office.

The door was open. A young woman stood in the doorway. When Maddie reached the office, the woman stepped back and let her inside. Margaret was on her knees, loading books into a box.

"Hello, Margaret," Maddie said, looking down at the woman.

"Hello, dear."

She tried to get up and was having difficulty. Maddie and the young woman rushed over, and each grabbed her by the arm. Back on her feet, Margaret used both hands to brush strands of gray hair from her face. She patted the oversized bun on the back of her head and tugged on the bottom of her flower print blouse.

"You heard?" Margaret asked.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry for your loss."

"The whole community lost a great man today," Margaret said, lowering herself into her office chair.

"Margaret, unfortunately, I don't have much time to talk. I'm looking for Jacob," Maddie said.

"Prison business?" Margaret asked.

Maddie nodded.

"He's over at the Justice Center. He is trying to rally as many of the city police as he can to stop ole Edgar Guffey from taking over the town, now that the judge isn't here to stop him."

"Thank you, Margaret," Maddie said as she turned to go.

"Margaret, you've lived here all your life, right?" Maddie asked, turning back to face her.

"I sure have. All seventy-three years of it. Why?"

"Well, my family has been considering opening our place up to folks who may want to get out of the city. I'd like your input on who to invite, so we can avoid trouble-makers."

"Oh, honey, I'll tell you all about the trouble-makers. There's those Allens over on Chestnut Street. Laziest bunch of sons-a-bitches..."

"I have to go find Jacob right now, but hold that thought. Do you think I could come by a little later and have you point out a few folks you think would be okay to invite?" Maddie asked.

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