PROJECT ANDERSON

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: ANDIE/SARGE

"How are you feeling?" Jesse asked softly from the passenger's seat.

"Fine, why do you ask?" I answered with a small smile.

"You looked like you were spaced out for a second there."

"Oh, I must have got lost in my thoughts."

"What were you thinking about?" He asked a little worried.

"Nothing that you have to worry about." I answered trying to reassure him.

"I don't believe you."

"Believe it or not, but not all of my thoughts are bad...I do have some good ones every once in awhile." I said as I tried to focus on the road.

"Then you should have no problem telling me what it was that had you drifting into the other lane." He said with a smirk.

"I was just thinking about what will happen after we get to the bunkers."

"What about it?" Jesse asked with the slightest bit of hope in his voice. "Do you still want me to stay behind the main bunker?"

"Yes, but I need you to take Ash with you."

"Does this have anything to do with what you need to figure out?" He asked curiously.

"Yeah, I'll need the other bedroom for that." I answered with a frown. "I don't want you to worry, but it might be a little too dangerous for either of you to come to the main bunker."

"What are you planning of doing Andie?"

"You are studying my blood I figured it was only appropriate for me to study something of my own."

"What are you trying to hide from me?"

"You're smart, you should be able to figure it out." I answered with a small laugh. "Just think it over for a little bit."

Johnny was standing by the bush with the limp body of the little boy in his arms.

"We can't just leave him here." He said as he looked down at the boy.

"What do you suggest we do with it?" Melissa asked from the hood of my truck.

"Have some respect Melissa, he was someone's child." I said as I headed over to the younger man. "We should lay him to rest."

"I'll dig the hole, you try to find a name for him." He instructed as he laid the body down at my feet.

"Yeah I'll get right on that, maybe he has an ID on him...oh wait he's a child John." I said as I bent down and searched the boy's pockets for something, anything that could help us know who he was.

"My mom used to stitch our names in the clothes, so if we were taken or whatever the police could identify us." Melissa explained from behind me. "Try checking the collar of his shirt."

I carefully rolled the child over and checked his shirt collar, well what was left of it at least; but Iv could find anything. "Nothing, any other suggestions?"

"The waist band of his underwear, that's where our mom put mine." Johnny said before heading into an old pool shed next to a smaller guest cabin.

I looked down, but found out that he must have forgotten to wear underwear.

"He went commando for the day." I said as I rolled his body back over and for the first time I noticed his jacket.

In bright red thread the name Christopher stuck out against the shiny black fabric of his Adidas hoodie.

"His name is Christopher." I said with a sad smile.

"Really? I never would have guessed that, he didn't look like a Chris to me." He said as he came out the shed with two shovels. "Now is anyone going to help me or am I going to have to do it all myself?"