Rebuilding Ch 03 1

# Chapter 3

## Day 7 - Morning

The morning sun caught the fresh paint scratches on the two Ford F-350 Super Duty trucks as they pulled out of the Yosemite Valley maintenance yard. Both were recent-model crew cabs in dark green, commandeered from the park's heavy maintenance fleet, their diesel engines rumbling with carefully checked fluid levels and fresh filters.

Andy drove the lead vehicle, while Daniela rode shotgun, her Remington propped against the center console within easy reach and the binoculars Andy had found yesterday hanging around her neck. She sat at attention, eyes sweeping the treeline. Despite the A/C, they were sweating a little under their body armor.

In the truck's bed, they'd packed their supplies with care. Multiple jerry cans of diesel fuel secured in metal racks, the heavy weapons cache (including the RPG and its rockets, carefully cushioned), cases of ammunition, tactical gear, and the most essential survival equipment. The rear seats held their medical supplies, communications gear including the Starlink array, and several days of ready-to-eat food and water.

Sarah followed close behind in the second truck, its bed loaded with the bulk of their food stores, camping equipment, tools, and additional fuel. She'd gotten her way about the clothing - she wore a matching set in a striking deep purple: high-waisted Alo Yoga leggings that hugged every curve and a longline sports bra under a cropped zip-up jacket. Her highlighted hair was styled in loose waves, and she'd even put on light makeup.

"If we get into any actual fighting, I'll be useless anyway," she had insisted, gesturing at Andy and Daniela's tactical loadouts. "You two are the ones with the training. I'm just a driver." She gave one of her practiced smiles. "Besides, first impressions matter. When we meet other survivors, one of us should look... approachable."

Andy had started to argue, but Daniela simply shrugged. "She's right. We look scary. It'd be good to have someone look not scary." The conversation had ended there.

Now, as they passed the park boundaries, Daniela pulled out their carefully annotated road atlas. Their route would take them west on Highway 140, then north on 99 through the Central Valley, avoiding both Fresno and Modesto. They'd skirt Sacramento to the east, then cut west to the Bay Area through the Delta region. The path balanced speed with security, staying on main roads for ease of travel while avoiding major population centers.

"Time check," Daniela's tense voice crackled over their handhelds. "0700 hours. Three hours to the first waypoint."

"Have you spent much time outside of the park?" Andy asked, trying to see if conversation might help her relax.

Daniela shook her head, staring out the window at the wooded hills. "No, not really. Just for track meets. Dad hates cities. He'd always complain to the school that our trips weren't secure enough."

Andy had a sudden mental image of Miguel lecturing an exasperated school bus driver on sight lines and evasive maneuvers. He chuckled slightly. "Yeah, that sounds like him." Noticing Daniela still looking somber, he tried to pivot. "Well, are you excited to see San Francisco?"

A pause. "I don't know. I know it's the right place to go, but I'm a little scared to leave Yosemite behind." She looked off into the distance. "I'll definitely miss being in nature."

"You might be surprised, SF has a lot of parks and green spaces. Maybe we'll end up somewhere nice."

## Day 7 - Midday

The Sierra foothills gave way to the Central Valley floor, and with it came the strange emptiness of abandoned agriculture. Vast almond orchards stretched to the horizon, their spring blossoms still clinging to the branches. A dairy farm's holding pens still contained its imprisoned casualties, forcing them to detour around the sprawling facility to avoid the smell. In an adjacent field, a small herd of escaped cattle grazed freely, looking up at the trucks' passage with mild curiosity. They passed a tomato field where harvesting machines stood frozen mid-row, the ripe fruit beginning to soften on the vine.

"Movement, two o'clock, approximately two miles out," Daniela reported suddenly, her binoculars trained on the horizon. "Vehicle heading north." She tracked it for a moment, dust trail visible against the morning sky. "Pickup truck, moving fast. Can't make out details at this distance." Her voice remained neutral, but her grip tightened slightly on the Remington.

Andy glanced in the indicated direction but kept the truck steadily on course. In the rearview mirror, he saw Sarah's truck maintain its careful following distance. After a few minutes, Daniela lowered the binoculars. "Vehicle has maintained its course northward. No change in direction."

The radio crackled. "Everything okay up there?" Sarah's voice carried a hint of nerves.

"Just another survivor," Andy replied. "They're heading away from us. Nothing to worry about."

They passed through Merced without incident. The smaller city was eerily still, traffic signals dark at every intersection. A home security alarm wailed somewhere in the distance, its battery backup still functioning after a week without power. The highway was mostly clear - the outbreak had moved too quickly for large-scale evacuation traffic.

Sarah's voice crackled over the radio: "Hey, I've had cell signal for the last few minutes - must be near a tower that's still running. There's a Beacon post from yesterday - someone near Turlock warning about a big pileup blocking the 99 around Keyes Road. They've been detouring around it on country roads."

"Noted," Daniela responded crisply, already marking the atlas. "OK, here's the alternate route. We'll exit at Pueblo Avenue, rejoin the 99 past the blockage." She paused, then added with mechanical precision: "Adding fifteen minutes to estimated arrival time. Let us know if you see any other posts while you have signal."

"Actually, let's stop real quick so I can give you my phone - it looks like I'm more likely to get signal than you, and I shouldn't be looking at this while trying to drive this thing."

The valley heat was building as the day wore on. The radio stayed quiet. Each member of their small convoy seemed lost in their own thoughts, processing the scale of the abandonment around them. Occasionally they'd pass a house or farm with a hastily painted "HELP" sign. Once they saw a pickup truck that had crashed into a pole, its driver still sitting upright behind the wheel, succumbing to the virus before the accident could kill them.

As they approached the outskirts of Modesto, Daniela began scanning the atlas with renewed intensity, plotting their route around the city center. The midday sun cast a strong heat, and in the distance a thin column of smoke rose from somewhere in the city's north- whether from an electrical fire or something else, they couldn't tell.

"Contact ahead, approximately one mile south," Daniela reported suddenly, binoculars trained on the distant road. "Single vehicle, silver Mercedes sedan. One subject visible outside the vehicle." She paused as she assessed the scene. "Vehicle appears to have front-end damage. Subject is... actively signaling for assistance."

Andy keyed his radio. "Sarah, hang back for as sec." Through the windshield, he could just barely make out a glint of metal on the horizon.

"Copy that," Sarah responded, as she let her truck slow to a stop behind them.

"Update on subject?" Andy asked.

Daniela adjusted her optics slightly. "Female, white. Light-colored hair. No visible weapons. Standing clear of the vehicle, continuing to wave." She swept her view across the surrounding terrain. "I don't see any other movement."

They approached slowly, staying in the northbound lane, until they were about a hundred yards from the Mercedes. Andy could now make out a figure in light-colored clothing standing near the disabled vehicle's front end, still waving periodically.

"Hello!" a woman's voice carried across the distance. "Please - I could really use some help!"

"Stay where you are!" Andy called back through his opened window. "Are you alone?"

"Yes! Just me! My car hit something back there - I think the suspension's broken!"

Andy glanced at Daniela, who gave a slight nod. "Could be a trap," Daniela said quietly, though her tone suggested she didn't really believe it. "Though... it's a really crappy location for an ambush. A random gravel side-road in the middle of the fields? Plus you have poor sight lines, no cover, and multiple escape routes for potential targets."

"Agreed," Andy said. He keyed his radio again. "Sarah, we're going to pull up closer. Stay a little bit behind us."

They rolled forward slowly, closing the distance to the disabled Mercedes. As they got closer, the woman took a few steps back from her car, keeping her hands visible. Andy's breath caught slightly as her features came into focus. Even disheveled and stressed, she was stunning - the kind of beauty that belonged in magazines, not stranded on an abandoned highway. Tall and gracefully built, probably 5'9", with the kind of natural curves that didn't need strategic athletic wear to enhance them. Her light red-orange hair fell past her shoulders in natural waves, gleaming in the midday sun despite the obvious lack of styling products. Her face was a study in classical proportions - high cheekbones, full lips, straight nose, and large bright blue eyes framed by naturally long lashes. Even with smudged makeup and a light sheen of sweat on her forehead, her beauty remained striking.

She wore form-fitting designer jeans that accentuated her long, slender legs, paired with an ivory silk blouse that was wrinkled and stained with grease from her attempted car repair. Impractical Italian leather boots completed the ensemble - the kind meant for Los Angeles sidewalks rather than Central Valley backroads. Despite her obvious exhaustion and the stress evident in her expression, there was something magnetic about her presence - an effortless grace that made even her nervous fidgeting seem elegant.

Andy keyed his radio. "Sarah, we're going to talk to her. She's almost certainly not a threat. Your call whether to stay in your truck or join us."

"Come with me," he said quietly to Daniela. "Stay alert." He opened his door and stepped out, Daniela following smoothly with her rifle held low but ready.

The woman's face brightened with a nervous but dazzling smile as they approached. She took a step forward with her hand extended, but stopped when Andy halted several paces away.

"Thank you so much for stopping," she said, letting her hand drop gracefully to her side. "I'm Crystal. Crystal Parker."

Andy kept his stance neutral but ready. "Where are you coming from? Where are you headed?"

"I'm from Manteca," she replied, her eyes flicking briefly to Daniela's rifle before returning to Andy. "I was trying to get back to my apartment in LA, but..." She gestured at her car with a delicate wave. "The highways were so crowded with abandoned cars, I thought the back roads would be safer."

"Did you get sick?" Andy asked directly. "During the outbreak?"

Crystal nodded. "Yes, but just a mild fever for a day or two. Not like..." Her voice caught slightly. "Not like everyone else, like my parents." She stopped, composing herself with visible effort.

Behind them, Andy heard Sarah's truck pull up. Crystal's eyes shifted to watch Sarah's approach, something subtle changing in her expression.

"What happened to your car?" Andy pressed.

"I hit something -- maybe a pothole or debris, I'm not sure. There was this awful noise and then..." She gestured helplessly at the front end. "I don't know anything about cars. I tried looking at it, but..."

"Why are you going to LA? Are there people waiting for you there?" Andy asked. "Anyone you know who survived?"

Crystal's shoulders dropped slightly. "No, I... I haven't been able to contact anyone. I just..." She gave a small, elegant shrug, simultaneously helpless and dignified. "I didn't know what else to do. Where else to go. I thought maybe... maybe going home made sense?" The last part came out as almost a question, like she was realizing for the first time how little sense it made. A pause, then, "If you don't mind me asking -- what's your name? Where are you all headed?"

"I'm Andy," he answered. "That's Sarah and Daniela. We're heading north to San Francisco."

Crystal took this as permission to step closer, extending her hand again. This time Andy accepted it, noting the contrast between her dainty fingers and the engine grease on her fingertips from her attempted repairs. Their eyes met as they shook hands, and Andy found himself momentarily stunned by her beauty up close -- the perfect symmetry of her features, the remarkable clarity of her blue eyes, the way the midday sun caught golden highlights in her hair. She gave a small wave to Sarah and Daniela behind him, her smile warm and practiced. "Nice to meet you all. Sarah, I love your jacket."

"Thanks" mumbled Sarah, briefly taken aback by the brief change in topic.

"I hate to ask, but..." Crystal glanced back at her Mercedes. "Is there any chance you could take a look at my car? Or..." She hesitated, then continued with careful tact, "Or maybe give me a ride somewhere I could find another car? I know it's a lot to ask, but I'm really not sure what to do out here."

"Give us a second to discuss it," Andy said. He gestured for Sarah and Daniela to follow him a few paces away, out of earshot.

"Looking at the front end damage and the way it's sitting, could be a broken control arm, maybe the subframe," Daniela said quietly. "Either way, we'd need a lift and replacement parts. Not something we can fix on the road."

"So the car's done," Andy summarized. "Question is, do we give her a ride?"

"To LA?" Sarah asked skeptically. "That's like three hours away, more like six at the speed we've been going, and totally the wrong direction. To another car, maybe. Honestly..." She glanced back at Crystal, who stood waiting with perfect posture. "I know I'm not exactly Rambo here, but at least I can handle myself OK. She looks totally clueless." Sarah paused, then added with careful casualness, "She is, uh, gorgeous, though." Her eyes flicked to Andy's face, studying his reaction.

Andy kept his expression neutral, though his heart raced slightly at just the thought of Crystal's striking features. The idea of leaving her stranded here seemed unthinkable, but he didn't want to appear too eager.

"We could offer to let her come with us to San Francisco," he suggested, trying to sound logical rather than hopeful. "She'd never make it to LA alone anyway."

"Well, she has no supplies, no useful skills..." Sarah started.

"We don't know that," Daniela interjected, then paused. "Well, yeah, she probably doesn't. But still - we should help her," the younger girl said firmly. Her voice softened. "Dad always said the whole point of our preparations was so we could help others when the time came. That's why we trained so hard, why we stored so much." She glanced at Crystal, then back at the group. "Someone like her - no survival skills, no supplies, no real plan... that's exactly who he meant. We have room in the trucks. It's not that much further to San Francisco."

Sarah sighed. "Fine. We can give her a ride to San Francisco. But that doesn't mean she is a part of our group."

Andy raised an eyebrow, a slight smile playing at his lips. "Oh, we're officially a group now?"

"Yes," Sarah said defensively. "We are. The three of us."

Andy's smile faded as he recognized her genuine concern. He raised a hand and gently touched her arm. "Hey, I get it. Don't worry, I was kidding. We'll stick together, I promise."

Daniela nodded, and Sarah relaxed slightly. "Okay."

Andy turned and walked back to Crystal, who had been waiting with patience. "To us, it looks like the damage here isn't something we can fix - it needs replacement parts and proper equipment."

Crystal's shoulders dropped again.

"Also..." Andy continued carefully, "LA isn't a good place to go, now that we don't have working agriculture." He gestured vaguely around them at the quiet, empty fields. "They're gonna have real trouble with food after they scavenge everything already there."

He paused to let that sink in. "We can give you a ride to somewhere you can find another car if you want. But you're also welcome to come with us to San Francisco. The Bay Area is better for a lot of reasons; it has better natural resources, direct access to farmland, etcetera. Your choice."

Crystal bit her lower lip, considering. "Could I... could I think about it on the way back to a main highway?"

Andy nodded. "Of course. No rush to decide."

"Okay," Crystal smiled warmly. "Thank you again, I really appreciate this. Let me just grab my things."

Sarah and Daniela headed back to the trucks while Andy accompanied Crystal to her Mercedes. She popped the trunk, revealing a large designer suitcase. As Andy reached for it, she gave him another dazzling smile.

"You all seem so... prepared," she said softly. "I've been feeling so lost, but watching how organized you are, how you think everything through..." She trailed off as Andy lifted her suitcase. "It's impressive. Makes me feel a little less scared, you know?"

To everyone's surprise, Crystal walked to the front of Andy's truck, opening the passenger door.

"Oh, I..." Andy started, but Crystal was already sliding smoothly into the middle seat between the driver and passenger positions.

"I hope you don't mind," she said. "I'd love to hear more about your plans, and why you think LA isn't safe. If I'm going to change my whole direction, I should probably understand why, right?" The back row was too full of equipment to sit there, so she settled in next to Daniela, the tight fit of three people in the front inevitable.

Sarah caught Andy's eye, rolled hers, and shrugged before silently getting into her truck. Andy's mouth went briefly dry at the thought of Crystal pressed against him in the cramped space, but he climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine.

## Day 7 - Early Afternoon

The abandoned fruit stand provided a welcome break from driving, its weathered picnic tables shaded by an old oak tree. Fresh peaches and plums, barely starting to overripen, made a sweet complement to their rehydrated camping meals. The afternoon sun filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows across their impromptu lunch setup.

It hadn't taken much to convince Crystal to change her plans and head to San Francisco instead of Los Angeles. Though Andy wasn't entirely sure she'd fully grasped the strategic reasoning behind why LA was a poor choice, she seemed to have quickly intuited that his group knew what they were doing and that she'd be better off following their lead.

Daniela had grown surprisingly talkative during the drive, opening up to Crystal about her father's training regimen after Crystal had shown genuine interest in her rifle. Now she sat quietly eating her peach, some of her usual tension eased.

"So," Sarah asked, casually as she picked at her meal, "Have you thought about what you'll do once we reach San Francisco?"

Crystal dabbed delicately at her mouth with a napkin. "I suppose I'll need to find my place, see where I can be useful." She pretended not to notice the implication of separation behind Sarah's question.

"What kind of work do you do?" Sarah pressed.

"I'm a receptionist at an investment firm," Crystal admitted with a small, self-deprecating smile. "And before that I was a model. Neither are exactly critical post-apocalyptic skill sets." She straightened slightly, her natural poise asserting itself. "But I used to babysit for some of the executives' children. I'm good with kids - really good, actually. I've been thinking maybe I could help set up some kind of care center, for orphans or children who've lost their families." Her voice softened. "There must be so many of them now."