“How are you feeling?” Brandon had joined Noah and March in the back of the vehicle, leaving Mac and Alex to keep watch.

I’ll feel better once Devin gets back and I know what the hell is going on.

“I’m all right,” Noah said, laying his arm across his stomach.

Brandon offered a comforting smile. “I’m sure they’ll be back soon.”

It wasn’t just Devin Noah was thinking about. He had people he cared about inside, people he feared for. Infected had been inside the gates.

“So how long have you and Devin, you know, been together?” Brandon pursed his lips and shifted his gaze to the bed of the truck.

Noah opened his mouth. What was he supposed to say? “It’s complicated.” He rotated his shoulder. “It’s harder for Devin.”

“He had someone before the outbreak,” Brandon inferred.

“How about you?”

Leaning back his head, Brandon took a deep breath. “I did. Maybe I still do.” He gave a small smile. “My husband flew out to Berlin a few days before things got crazy. I have no idea where he is. If he’s okay.”

“That must be hard.”

“Sometimes. But I have hope. It’s why I’m out here looking for a solution. Maybe one day I might get to be with him again. Regardless, things won’t ever be the same.” Brandon pushed his glasses a little higher on his nose. He met Noah’s eyes. It seemed he was aware of Noah’s sympathy. “I’ve screamed and shouted, cried, broken down. I’ve mourned that life.”

Noah flinched when someone banged on the side of the truck.

“Heads up, we’re on the move,” Mac called.

Noah closed his eyes and idly ran his fingers over his wrapped wound. They were being let in so that had to be a good thing, right?

“Concentrate on yourself,” Brandon said. “Worry about the rest later.”

Opening his eyes, Noah stared across the truck at Brandon. He was enchanted by the gentle sway of Brandon’s body as Mac turned the vehicle. Brandon was right, he figured. He couldn’t help anyone in his current condition. He lowered his head and stared at his blood-soaked and tattered T-shirt. What-ifs started to play out in his mind. What if Devin hadn’t come for him? What would that have meant for him, for their people at the prison?

After a short drive, the truck rolled to a stop. Noah eyed the gap in the canvas, relieved when Devin pulled the loose material back.

“Hey,” Devin said and released the back panel. He jumped up and inside. Devin gave no indication as to what had greeted him on entering the prison.

“Hey.” Noah licked his lips as he tried to battle the dryness of his mouth. “So, did you see everyone? Are they all right?”

Devin pressed his mouth in a line and busied himself with attending to Noah, readying him to dismount the vehicle.

“Devin?”

“We’ll talk about it later. Let’s get you inside and checked over.” He went to hook his arm around Noah, but Noah grabbed his wrist.

“What’s going on?”

Devin tensed his jaw. “Something happened while we were gone.”

Please let everybody be okay. “What kind of something?”

“Kerry, Emily, Jack, they’re all fine.”

Guilt tightened in Noah’s gut. “And everyone else?” He gripped Devin’s arm firmly as Devin looked grim. “Is this because of me?”

Devin’s expression shifted. “God no. This was…” It was clear Devin felt his own guilt over whatever had happened.

“Because you came to get me?”

Devin inhaled a lung-filling breath as he seemed to be deciding if his being there would have made any difference. He released his breath and shook his head. “It wouldn’t have made a difference. Not really.”

“But it might have.” Noah closed his eyes. “I feel sick.” He glanced up at Devin when he felt Devin’s hand over his.

“I chose to come after you. It’s not your fault.”

Noah shook his head. “And it’s not yours either.”

Devin averted his gaze and stared down at his hand on Noah’s.

“What happened?” If there was blame to be handed out, it wasn’t to them. Had someone messed up?

“It was the men Lukas came in with. The ones he joined up with on the road. They wanted what we had.”

“They killed people?”

Devin cast a cautious glance over his shoulder. Brandon was still seated, probably waiting to offer his help to get Noah out of the truck. “They let John out. Hoped to use the ensuing chaos as a distraction.” He tensed his jaw. “I should have put that thing down a long time ago,” he said, quick to pile more blame onto his own shoulders.

With his other hand, Noah cupped Devin’s jaw. “It’s not your fault. They’d have looked to take advantage whether you were there or not.”

In a strained, uneven voice, Devin said, “Eleven dead, Noah. Eleven. Maybe—”

“Stop.” Noah slid his hand around to hold the back of Devin’s head. “Just stop.”

After shaking himself free, Devin leaned back, managing to smooth over the brief crack in his stoic armor. “We should get you seen to.”

“Devin.”

“Not here. I can’t do this now.” Devin twisted his arm and Noah released his hold.

“Brandon, will you help me? Please.”

Noah studied Devin’s face. He didn’t know what to say, how to ease the unfounded guilt he knew they both felt. So he remained silent, focused on the pain as he was raised to his feet. As he had already realized, he was no good to Devin or anyone else right then. He would figure out what needed to be said when things had settled down.

“What happened to you?” Tatum stood in the doorway.

Noah tried to push himself to sit up higher. He regretted it as his stomach muscles tensed. With a sigh, he leaned back against the pillow and grimaced. “Long story."

Tatum looked at her feet.

“Damn.” Noah groaned and lifted his head. “What are you doing here?”

With her hands behind her back, Tatum swayed into the room with childish innocence. “I was going to see my brother. Spotted you and thought I’d say hello. Plus I’m nosy.” She shrugged and sidestepped to slide into the chair at his bedside. “I’m glad you’re not dead.”

“Thanks.” Noah shifted his shoulders against his pillow in an attempt to get comfortable. “Me too.”

Tatum screwed up her mouth and sat back. “You’re special, aren’t you?”

Special? He sure didn’t feel that way.

“What makes you say that?”

Tatum’s gaze fell to his exposed arms and the scars that ran up them.

“Oh.” He instinctively went to cover them, but stopped himself. He relaxed his shoulders and said, “I guess I am.”

“Why?” Tatum slouched in the seat.

Noah frowned. “I don’t know. Wish I did.”

Tatum poked one of the old bite marks.

“How is your brother?” Noah broke the silence they had fallen into.

“Better. He’s awake.” She sighed then smiled. “So he’ll be annoying me again soon like he used to, I guess.”

“Your mom and dad, are they okay? Last night must have been a bit scary for you all.”

“A bit. We were eating in with my brother. Kerry came and told us to lock the door and stay there.” Tatum fidgeted her hands together. “But Mom smiled this morning. Like really smiled. Not seen that in forever.”

I don’t think there’s all that much to smile about these days.

“I’m glad your family is all okay.” Noah hoped his words weren’t edged with the twinge of jealousy he felt in his heart. “You take care of them.”

“I will. You should too.” Tatum sat forward and stared at him. “Family can mean all sorts of different things and groups of people together. That’s what Mom says.” She sighed then got to her feet. “Maybe we can be family too one day.”

Noah smiled, his mind going to the memory of his sister. “I’d like that.”

Tatum shifted her weight. “Thank you for bringing us here. For fixing up my dad’s leg and for what you did for Sammy.”

Thank you. Noah considered the words. His heart ached at the thought that just maybe this one time he had made a difference. It might not have been earth-shattering, but to Tatum maybe it was everything.

Noah wanted to say thank you in return. With everything they had come back to, her simple words of gratitude gave him a glimmer of hope that he could do something, no matter how small. In the end, he simply smiled when Tatum leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Without another word she grinned then ran out of the room.

“Hey, watch it,” Hank said as he pulled to one side to avoid Tatum. He stood with his hands on his hips and stared along the corridor. “Kids today, huh?” he said and entered the room. He folded his arms across his chest and came to stand at the bottom of the bed. “You look better.”

“Do I?”

Hank tilted his head. “No, not really. Was just being polite. Devin asked me to check in on you if I was over this way.” He looked Noah up and down. “So this is me checking in.”

“How is everything? Everyone?”

“Devin’s fine.”

Was I that obvious? Noah smiled and lowered his head.

“He’s doing what he always does, looking for a way to fix things. To get us back on track.” There was admiration in his tone as he spoke of Devin.

“How was Corden ever in charge? Devin could have easily gotten support,” Noah said.

Hank unfolded his arms, circled his hands around the rail at the foot of the bed. “When we got here, Corden had already put himself in that role. And as hard as it is to believe, he was pretty good in the beginning, organized people, got them working together, even started thinking about the future. It wasn’t until later, you know, when people started losing hope. That was when he changed.”

It had been Corden’s desperation that had made him dangerous. His need to stay on top had led him in a dark direction.

“Devin had his ear, though. Did his best to see people were treated right,” Hank said. “He never took anything from Corden. Not like Conroy and his buddies did. And you know Devin as well as any of us now. Staging a coup isn’t really his thing.”

“I know.” Noah ran his hand over the raised scars on his arm. Going against Corden would have been foolish and would have caused more hurt, considering the support Corden had had from Jonas Conroy and the others.

Hank straightened and tapped the bed frame. “Anyway, like I said, I just came to check on you. Anything you want me to pass on to Devin? A message or anything?”

“Just that I’m okay and hope to see him later.” There would be time to talk when things had settled down once again.

“Okay. Well, we’re having a small gathering to remember the dead this evening. To say goodbye. If you feel up to it, I’ll come and get you.”

Though Noah hadn’t been close to any of the dead, a few names were familiar, and he wanted to show the respect they deserved. “I’d like that.” He paused. “What about the others?” How could those people have done this to them? Why take when they could have become part of something? There were still people who were out for themselves and that came with consequences.

Hank shook his head. “Their bodies will be taken far from here along with those rotted things from outside.” He turned to leave.

“Hank.” Noah needed to ask. “Would it have made a difference if you and Devin had been here?”

Hank glanced over his shoulder, screwed up his mouth as he considered his answer. “As much as I want to say it would have, I can’t. Conroy and the others are, were, just as capable, maybe more so. Us being here, it could have gone either way. Those eleven people might be standing here right now or, hell, we might all be lying down there with them.” He met Noah’s eyes. “We can’t predict that stuff, what difference, if any, it would have made. I think you know that. I think Devin knows that too.”

An ache spread through Noah’s chest. Despite Hank’s words, he couldn’t help but feel guilty.

“None of this is on you. We chose to come after you because you’re important. To both of us.” He sniffed a laugh. “Not in quite the same way, obviously. But I believe there’s still a chance you can make a difference and end all this.”

“Really?” Noah met Hank’s eyes. Hope had been stripped away from them when Lukas had returned with news of Chicago.

There was a beat as Hank pressed his mouth in a line. “Yeah. Really,” Hank said. His tone was certain. He gave Noah a small nod then left the room.

Relaxing against his pillow, Noah chewed on his thumbnail. He had thought there was a choice to make.

There is no choice. I know what I need to do.

He just hoped Devin would understand.