“He's gonna be pissed,” Juan responded.
“They love his calm demeanor and peacemaking skills. Plus, they know you got his back and won't let him be too soft. Your hard-line stance has everyone cheering. ”
“The ‘do your damn work or take a hike’ stance? I'm an asshole. ”
Juan shrugged.
“Yeah, but it kinda makes sense. Except for the really old people like Old Man Watson and the disabled and kids. ”
“I just liked it when people were doing stuff to help out and nobody had to yell at them. ” Juan drank more tea and grimaced. “We got into this damn hotel and it wa
s like everyone went soft and stupid. Travis complains about it all the damn time. I don't blame him. ”
“Well, nobody is going to vote for Mr. Mann, that's for damn sure.
His bitch-wife pisses everyone off. ” Jenni lifted her rifle and began to survey the town through the scope.
“They're both flaming assholes. ” Juan watched the teenagers lob another coffee can down the street. It flattened a zombie.
“I was surprised that the Manns just didn't back Manny for mayor again. ”
Juan snorted. “They want the direct power now, babe, instead of pulling someone else’s string. They want to be able to tell everyone what to do for their ‘own good’ and make sure that the social classes are restored. Must be hell for them to be forced to work. ”
“Yeah, Blanche tends to just stand there and pretend to be doing something when she’s on duty. ” Jenni slowly scanned the section of town they were watching over. “It’s so damn annoying. She told Katie that she was too delicate for hard work. ”
Juan shook his head and looked toward the towering hotel. “Yeah, my ass she’s too delicate. She teeters around in those high heels all the damn time. I’m sure that takes some work balancing on them. And her helmet head hair? How long does that take to shellac?”
Jenni rolled her eyes and squinted. Catching a glimpse of something suspicious, she froze, swinging the rifle back along the line of trees she'd been scanning. She caught sight of a figure standing under the shade of some trees, watching the fort through a pair of binoculars.
“What are the chances of a zombie knowing how to use binoculars?”
“Those shit for brains?” Juan realized it wasn't a joking question and leaped to his feet. “Damn! Where?”
“Two blocks down, near the front porch of the blue house. Under the trees. ”
Juan lifted his binoculars. “Can’t see-shit! Yeah…that’s someone alive. ”
Jenni tried hard not to blink as she tried to adjust the scope and make out the person. It looked like it was probably a man. As she watched, the person lifted what looked like a walkie-talkie.
“Bandits?”
“Maybe, Loca. Or someone trying to figure out if we’re alive in here. ”
“Well, obviously we are,” Jenni said. “I mean listen to the sound of the machinery working on the new extension. ”
“True,” Juan said. “So bandits it is. Shit. Anyone else would come up and knock. ”
Jenni snatched up her walkie-talkie. “Nerit, we have a situation.
I’ve spotted what appears to be a man observing us with binoculars. ”
There was a pause, then, “I'm on my way. ”
Within minutes, Nerit was on the roof with Travis right behind her.
“Where?”
Jenni pointed.