The Virus Within (Original rough draft)

Chapter 51

Nicky once more brought me a plate of food, which was more for appearance's sake than anything else. I nibbled on an apple slice, but Nicky ate everything else. Liz didn't accompany Nicky this time.

Nicky stacked the two dirty plates, "So what is our plan for the evening? By the time I finished last night my aim was good enough that Ben was scared, although it might have just been the fact that I had a bow in my hands. He didn't know I had been practicing."

"I never really had been into archery. I thought I heard someone talking about a place we could practice throwing knives?"

Nicky nodded and pointed with her thumb over her shoulder, "Yeah, it is in the back of the second garage. Two lanes. I doubt anyone goes there after supper since there are targets out behind the hotel that they prefer to use in good weather."

I glanced at the garage she was pointing toward, "Trying my hand at knife throwing sounds much more appealing to me."

She chuckled, "Well, if you are throwing knives, then I am keeping out of your way. I will go torment that bow again. One of these days it is going to throw in the towel and quit fighting me."

I shook my head as I got to my feet. I felt the one edge of the scab over my heart pull and come loose. It wasn't going to stay on for more than a day or two if the edges were starting to let go. I headed down the stairs and went in the direction of the garage.

Nicky had been correct, no one was here. Half a dozen windows let in plenty of light even for humans to see in this place. I eyed up the ten knives of various sizes that were carefully arranged on a tray. I picked up the smallest one and tested its balance before throwing it.

I frowned as the hilt hit the target. I had tried throwing knives in the past and I had sucked at it. Looks like the trend was going to continue to hold true. I picked up the next knife and tried again.

My Nightstalker instincts were apparently of no use when I was throwing a knife. I had thrown each of those ten knives dozens of times and the blades had only stuck in the target six times. The knives hit the center of the target without fail, but I just couldn't seem to get the tip of the blade to hit at the precise angle that was required for the knife to sink into the target. I growled lightly in frustration as I went to collect them again.

I heard familiar footsteps, but didn't bother turning around as I collected the various knives from the floor. Only one was actually in the target. I rolled my shoulders slightly as Daniel's scent reached me. I picked up the last knife as I turned around to walk back to the throwing line.

Daniel leaned against the wall by the doorway and watched me silently. I turned my attention back to the target and threw another knife. He watched without a word as eight of the knives bounced off the target one after another. I snorted, "And this is why I prefer a crowbar. Considering I haven't killed anyone yet, when can I have my sickle back?"

He shrugged, "You really don't need weapons in here. I would rather wait until your injuries have healed up."

I growled faintly in annoyance, "If anything did happen, then a weapon gives me the advantage I need until these blasted injuries heal."

My pitiful attempts at knife throwing were not helping my temper. Daniel was watching me fairly closely as I whipped another knife at the target. This one at least stuck in the target, even if it was on the far side of the center ring and barely hanging on. I wondered what thoughts were rolling through his mind.

Daniel spoke first. "I saw you pacing on the roof earlier. You seem a bit more restless than usual."

I should have known that people would have noticed. I huffed, "That is because I am getting more restless."

He tilted his head in intent curiosity, "And why would that be? I don't think I have seen you like this since we arrived."

I snorted as I sent him a look of disbelief, "When we first arrived I was so seriously injured that I was sleeping three quarters of the day. I even managed to sleep in the back of a moving truck with all of you in it. It certainly wasn't by choice, it is just what the body does when it is trying to patch up what would otherwise be fatal wounds."

Daniel blinked in surprise at that tidbit of information. I hadn't actually slept that much, but he had no way of knowing that. With luck it would mislead him a bit. I threw the last knife and growled when it bounced off the target. I went to collect them once again before returning to the throwing line. Daniel looked deep in thought.

I threw three knives before I spoke again, "My lung and heart must have mostly healed up since I am no longer sleeping the entire afternoon. I haven't felt any blood in my lung for the last couple of days at any rate. Before I got injured, I quite often went off by myself while we were on the road, not to mention that I often went hunting at night. I have barely moved for an entire week and I have never been around this many people since I turned. So I can't see why you are surprised that I am restless."

I balanced a knife in my hand to get the weight of it. It was a nice blade, but if it disappeared people would certainly notice. I hadn't had any luck in snagging one from the kitchen either. I threw the knife only for it to hit sideways.

Daniel was silent as I threw the last of the knives. I collected them before placing them on the tray. I glanced at him, but he seemed lost in thought although he was still watching me. I put the tray back to where it had originally been sitting.

I tilted my head, "Where do you usually hunt? I haven't crossed your trail on the way to where those traps are."

"I usually go east or south, although I do circle the Stronghold to check for any trouble."

In other words, he was circling the area further out to see if I had wandered out of that section of the forest. I exhaled gustily as I stretched out my throwing arm and rotated it a bit. It was the same one that the bullet had hit. I could feel the nearly healed wound twinge a bit, but it wasn't anything that would slow me. It didn't escape my attention that Daniel's eyes focused on the part of my shirt that hid the old injury. The motion would likely make him think that it was sore.

I shook myself lightly, "Well, I am heading for a shower."

He nodded, but remained where he was as I exited out the other door. I headed to the secondary building and went up to the third floor to use their showers. Hopefully it would help me avoid Nina.

I took care not to touch the scabs in case they fell off. An injury always looked worse if there was a big scab on it. Miracle of miracles, I actually managed to get to my room without Nina appearing. That was two days that she had not seen my injuries.

I watched as the sun approached the horizon while debating on different ways to confuse the scent trail that Nicky and I would leave until we found a vehicle. We had several old water bottles filled with gas that we had siphoned from the side by side. They were hidden in the forest.

I was glad that I hadn't tried to scout out a road to find something that just needed gas to run. Daniel's nose may not be as sharp as mine, but if he crossed near my trail he would certainly know it. The longer he thought I was incapable of traveling long distances, the better it would be for me. Nicky was having no luck tagging along with a group outside of the fence for any type of work to see if she could spot such a vehicle.

There hadn't been any such vehicle along the road we came in on, which left only two other main roads. Our best plan at the moment was to aim for a nearby small town shown on the map and hope to find something out of gas.

I sighed heavily as I tried to relax and sleep a bit.