Ben held the button down with his thumb. “Go ahead. What do you see? Over.”

  “Looks like a gas station on the left. It’s pretty intact, too. Over,” Joel reported.

  Sandy let the Blazer drift into the left lane, sliding out of the Jeep’s draft so she and Ben could see for themselves. Joel was right; the Shell station ahead looked like it could have been open if not for the broken windows and shattered glass doors leading inside.

  The closer they got to the gas station, the more damage Ben noticed, although the place had fared better than most they’d stopped at. There were a few other buildings nearby: the skeletal remains of a McDonald’s a few hundred yards down a side road and a Ford dealership across the street that had seen better days. Ben scoured the used car lot area on the side for a Chevy that might have a matching lug pattern and possible donor spare tire for the Blazer, but he saw nothing. He turned his attention back to the Shell station and made the call, although there was little choice in what needed to be done.

  “Go ahead. You know the drill.” Ben pulled his AR-15 out from where he kept it wedged along the seat and held it across his lap with the barrel out the window. A few seconds later, he noticed Joel doing the same in the Jeep’s passenger seat. Brad’s head popped up from behind the pile of gear, and he eyeballed the Blazer before disappearing again. They were all on edge, and they had every right to be. A lot of the trouble they’d encountered on their trip had started in places just like this.

  Allie steered the Jeep through the outskirts of the parking lot as she made her way around the fuel island and the battered remnants of the building. Sandy hung back without needing Ben to suggest she do just that.

  “What do you think?” Emma leaned forward over the center console.

  “I think it looks okay. No different than the rest of them.” Sandy sounded ready to stop.

  But Ben wasn’t convinced this place was a better option than emptying the last couple of gallons from the jerry can into the Jeep and looking for the next gas station. He was as confident as he could be that the building was empty; they could see all the way through thanks to the lack of windows. However, he was still suspicious of their surroundings. But no amount of driving around the gas station parking lot or time spent staring at the neighboring businesses would change that.

  “All right, cut through there and park in the shade. Let’s check this place out.” Ben pointed, and Sandy obliged, cutting their second pass short and bringing the Blazer to a stop under the fuel island canopy. Allie joined them from the other side of the parking lot and pulled in next to the Blazer, leaving the passenger windows adjacent to one another.

  “Don’t we need to park over by the fill pipes?” Joel looked confused.

  Ben popped his door open as Sandy cut the engine. “I want to see if I can do a better job plugging that hole before we fill up.”

  Sam whined from the back of the Blazer while awkwardly trying to move around in the cramped space.

  “I think Sam needs to go to the bathroom.” Emma sighed. “I’ll take her, I guess.”

  Ben had hoped to keep the fuel stop as brief as possible, although they had more to accomplish now than they did during a normal stop. It wasn’t completely unpredictable, though; they had encouraged the dogs to drink their fill back at the river before getting on the road. After all, well-hydrated dogs meant the filtered water would last much longer for the two-legged members of the group, who had no choice but to rely on the limited amount of clean water they could carry. Judging by Sam’s urgent whimpers and frantic pacing, though, letting the dogs fill up on the dirty river water might not have been the best idea.

  Emma climbed out over the console and out through the passenger door of the Blazer, coaxing Bajer to follow her. “Might as well let them all go, right?”

  Ben sighed. “Might as well.”

  There was no point in fighting the process, even though it felt wrong to be stopping already; they’d been on the road for less than an hour. At least Ben didn’t have to remind his daughter to take her weapon with her. Gunner, seeing the other two dogs outside the Blazer, helped himself and jumped from the Scrambler without waiting for an invitation.

  Brad shimmied down the side of the Jeep using the back tire as a step, AR-15 hanging off him by the sling. They had enough of the carbines now for everyone to carry one, and Ben thought it was a good idea so they could share ammo in a pinch if need be.

  “I’ll go with her,” Brad announced before running after Gunner, who was trying to catch Emma and the other dogs as they headed for the edge of the searing-hot pavement and the brown grass beyond.

  “Thanks, buddy. Stay close, okay?” Ben instructed.

  “Yep,” Brad answered without slowing his pace.

  Joel was already on the ground, inspecting the Jeep’s gas tank, while Allie and Sandy started to unpack the fuel pump and hose. Ben joined his son on the ground and crawled under the Scrambler with his flashlight ready. The hole wasn’t currently leaking, but that was only because the fuel level was too low. When Ben gently poked at the patch he’d made from the melted pen with his fingers, it nearly fell off.

  “Well, that’s not going to work anymore, is it?” Ben held the light on the hole as he tried to think of a solution. He initially thought that, if nothing else, he could melt the plastic again and reform it into the hole, but that wouldn’t be possible. The fuel had changed the composition of the plastic in a way that left it porous and brittle, crumbling in his hand at the slightest pressure. It was a wonder the temporary fix had lasted so long.

  It was clear that they were going to need something else to plug the tank, and he wasn’t going to find it under the Jeep. He’d search the remains of the gas station building for something before sacrificing anything else from their gear.

  “Let’s take a look inside and see what we can find.” Ben slid out from under the Jeep and grabbed his rifle. Allie and Sandy were ready to help, abandoning the unpacked refueling equipment. Ben was going to have them start filling the jerry tanks, but the more eyes they had scouring the trashed store for something useful, the better. He wasn’t counting on finding epoxy, but there had to be something he could use inside the looted shell of a store.

  Ben glanced over at Brad and Emma, making sure they were all right and not letting the dogs wander too far from the parking lot. He didn’t like letting his youngest out of his sight, even if they were just several yards away, but he also didn’t want the dogs anywhere near the broken glass scattered around the gas station.

  “Get ’em loaded back up when they’re done,” Ben called out.

  Brad didn’t answer but gave a thumbs-up to the request. At least Ben would be able to keep an eye on the kids through the broken windows of the convenience store. Between the four of them, they ought to be able to give the place a thorough going-over in just a couple of minutes. Ben was determined not to waste too much time here. And if they came up empty-handed, he’d melt another patch from whatever he could find in the trucks, and they’d move on. There’d be other places to search along the way. Another temporary fix was better than staying here too long and inviting trouble.

  7

  Allie and Joel were the first ones up onto the sidewalk surrounding the store. They stepped lightly, but the crunch of glass underfoot was unavoidable. It didn’t really matter, though; if anyone was hiding inside, they would have already heard the trucks pull in. Ben let them take the lead, mostly because he was pretty sure they were alone but also because he thought it was a good learning experience and a chance for him to witness their acumen when entering an unknown space.

  Allie held her rifle firmly in both hands and used her foot to push the bent aluminum door frames apart, plowing a pile of glass shards and discarded food wrappers across the smooth tile floor. Joel was shoulder to shoulder with her and immediately started clearing the aisles of empty shelves one after another.

  The ransacked convenience store wasn’t that large, and it didn’t take Joel long to make sure there weren’t any immediate threats. Ben took it upon himself to check out the back of the place, including the small kitchen, which stank of rancid fry oil and rotten food. Satisfied they were safe from any unwanted surprises, he made his way back out front, where the kids and Sandy were already searching for anything the looters might have missed.

  Sandy emerged from the restrooms with her shirt pulled up over her nose. “All clear.”

  Ben let his rifle down and spun the weapon around to his back. He got down on the floor and used his flashlight to search under the bare shelves.

  “Not much left here but trash,” Allie stated.

  Ben got up slowly, put his flashlight away, and spun all the way around where he stood, giving the place a quick glance before admitting what he’d assumed. “It was worth a shot.” He shrugged.

  “Now what? Melt another pen, I guess,” Joel suggested.

  “No, I mean, if we have to, but that type of plastic doesn’t hold up very well to gasoline. That’s why the leak has been getting worse.” Ben continued looking around the place, but he was thinking about a solution to their problem more than he was looking for anything now.

  It was hard to be too disappointed when he hadn’t really expected to find anything in the first place. Resorting to using another melted piece of plastic seemed like a waste of time considering they’d be in the same position by the next fuel stop or sooner.

  “What about this?” Sandy tugged at the rubber gasket hanging off one of the refrigeration unit doors at the back of the store; the row of coolers had been emptied of drinks long ago.

  “I’m not sure it’s the right kind of material, but it’s worth a try.” Ben produced a pocketknife to cut off a piece of the gasket, but she was way ahead of him.

  “I got it.” She sliced through the thick gasket material with her own knife and tossed it to Ben with a hopeful smile. “Worth a try, right?”

  Ben nodded, looking the piece of rubber over for a moment before shoving it into his back pocket. Allie and Joel led the way out over the glass-covered sidewalk. Sandy followed while Ben lagged behind several feet. He wasn’t ready to give up yet but knew the search was over. He’d use the piece of gasket and they’d limp along until they found a more promising place to search for a solution.

  Back outside, Ben got busy prepping for the tank repair while the others got to work filling the jerry cans until the Scrambler was ready to hold gas. Before crawling under the jeep, he checked on his youngest two with the dogs and saw that they were still lingering in the adjacent, empty lot.

  Emma caught him watching them. “I don’t think Sam is feeling too good. She’s still going.”

  “That’s okay. We’re going to be here for a few more minutes.” Ben watched as Sam staggered around and squatted yet again in a different spot. The river water must not have agreed with her, and she was paying the price now. Bajer hadn’t complained like Sam, but she was also hobbling around the barren lot, suffering from uncontrollable diarrhea as well.

  Great, just what we needed.

  Not only were at least two of the dogs sick, but they’d need extra water to stay hydrated now that they were losing fluids. So much for making any real progress today. Ben shook his head and finished gathering what he needed from the toolbox: a file to clean the metal around the hole and something else he’d just thought of that might make the gasket piece take hold a little better. Ben held the T-handle tire plug tool in his hand and wondered if his idea would work. There was only one way to find out.

  He slid under the Jeep with everything he needed, including the leather gloves he should have been wearing last time. He prepped the damaged area by removing any grime and remaining pen fragments from the metal. Then he cut a strip off the gasket piece just a little bit bigger than the quarter-inch chink in the tank. Threading the rubber strip through the T-handle tool, Ben pulled equal parts of the material through the eye, then rolled out from under the jeep and the leaky tank before holding a lighter to the rubber strip. It didn’t take long for the gasket piece to catch on fire and begin to melt. He blew the flame out, and after making sure there was nothing left that could ignite the remaining fuel in the tank, he forced the piece of almost-liquid rubber into the hole.

  Once the bulk of the gasket was inside, he placed a gloved hand over the entire thing and extracted the tool slowly, making sure to leave a healthy amount of melted gasket inside the tank. After tossing the tool aside, Ben continued to form the pliable material around the damaged area as best he could, pulling his hand away as the rubber hardened. He used his finger to fine-tune some of the thinner spots until he was happy. He took the sticky, hot glove off and removed the flashlight from his mouth.

  “That looks really good, actually,” Joel said. “You think it’ll work?”

  “Let’s find out.” Ben gathered his tools and rolled out from under the Jeep, feeling much more optimistic about the repair than he’d anticipated. The patch was an improvement over the pen, and although he didn’t want to get his hopes up too much, he was sure it would perform better than the pen as long as the rubber didn’t dissolve.

  Allie was ready and drove the Jeep over to the vent pipe, where Joel was waiting with the pump. Ben decided they might as well top the Blazer off while they were here, just in case a minor miracle occurred and the patch held.

  The Chevy only needed a few gallons to reach full, and in a matter of ten minutes or less, they were ready to get back on the road and leave this dismal town behind. All they needed were Emma, Brad, and the dogs.

  Ben lashed the jerry cans down to the cargo rack, but as he was finishing up, he heard Emma call out for Sam. He knew something was wrong immediately by the tone of her voice. He spun around to see Brad returning with Gunner and Bajer.

  “We can’t find Sam.” The look on Brad’s face divulged that this was more than a case of simple stubbornness on Sam’s part.

  “What do you mean?” Joel headed toward the vacant lot.

  “She took off after a rabbit,” Brad confessed.

  “How do you lose a dog out here?” Joel held his hands up and glanced around at the mostly flat, barren landscape.

  The news instantly sank Ben’s spirits as he watched the rest of the day slip from his grasp. Two steps forward and one step backward. He wasn’t sure why he expected anything else these days.

  “Brad, get Gunner and Bajer loaded up, please. And how about you guys pull the trucks back under the canopy?” Ben looked at Sandy and Allie as he followed Joel toward the empty lot, where Emma was still calling out for the missing dog.

  It was already hot enough; there was no need to let the trucks cook further under the unforgiving midday sun. And Ben had an ulterior motive for moving the trucks as well. Tucked away in the shadows of the fuel canopy, they’d be less visible from the highway. They hadn’t exactly been stealthy while gassing up, but now that Emma was shouting for Sam at the top of her lungs, Ben felt like they were sure to attract attention.

  When he and Joel reached Emma, her face was flush, and she looked ready to cry.

  “I don’t understand. How could she disappear like that? She ran behind those bushes, and she was gone,” Emma huffed. “I think there was a rabbit or something.”

  “We’ll find her. She can’t be far.” Ben tried his best to assure his daughter that Sam would be all right, but her frustration was only exacerbated by the intense heat.

  “Dad and I can find her. Why don’t you head back to the others?” Joel suggested.

  “That’s a good idea. And get some water in you,” Ben added.

  Emma looked disappointed but didn’t argue. Instead, she turned and started for the vehicles. Ben and Joel resumed the search, calling for Sam but not quite as loudly as Emma had been. It wasn’t unusual for Sam to ignore orders; the dog had a stubborn streak, but her hearing was fine, especially when the crinkle of a treat packet was involved. And if she’d pursued a rabbit, it wouldn’t be long before the animal outmaneuvered the old dog and she gave up. At least that was what Ben hoped.

  He and Joel headed toward the tuft of brown, leafless scrub brush at the far corner of the lot that Emma had pointed out. He was more worried than angry, although it was a challenge to hide his annoyance from the kids. As far as the younger two were concerned, it might as well have been Jack himself who was lost out here somewhere. But all that aside, Ben had made a promise to take care of Sam and do everything in his power to make sure she made it home with them, and he intended to keep his word, barring any acts of nature beyond his control.

  Sam was no pup, and although he wasn’t entirely sure of the dog’s age, she was pushing the envelope for a Labrador retriever. Before embarking on their journey from Maryland, Ben had worried that Sam might struggle with the trek westward. Surprisingly, however, the open road seemed to infuse her with renewed vigor, as if the very act of traveling revitalized her spirit. Ben attributed that to the dog being right at home in the back of the truck. She always loved a good car ride through the countryside, something Jack often did with his best friend. But this was no lazy Sunday afternoon. And they were a long way from home, in a strange place.

  8

  Ben motioned for Joel to take the lead and investigate the raised cluster of vegetation while he kept his eyes peeled for any sign of the dog in the other direction, along with any activity on the highway. This was just the type of thing likely to distract them while unwanted visitors closed in on their location.

  “Dad, come here. I found something.” Joel was barely visible behind the thicket, and Ben held his breath as he joined his son, half expecting to find Sam lying on the ground, passed out or worse. Maybe this heat was too much for the old dog. But instead, he found Joel alone, staring down a concrete culvert that was almost as deep as Ben was tall. The empty channel hadn’t seen water in a while, leaving the bottom covered in a thin layer of crusty soil that clearly showed signs of a struggle.