In single file, a steady stream of walkers was heading from the compound toward the boat.

Merryn grabbed her radio. "Sergeant. Cast off, right now."

"Affirmative Scout 2," came the calm voice of the Sergeant.

"Get the stuff back to base, we'll make our own way back."

"Roger that. Good luck Merryn, see you soon."

"About face everyone, we need to get to the floating platform."

The group changed direction, working their way back up the dock and away from the steady stream of walkers making their way out from the compound. With a roar, the engines of the fishing boat fired up and Dave steered the vessel out into the main river channel.

The moaning picked up a notch as the engine sprang into life, and Andrew ran ahead on soft feet, waving back to them as he reached an iron ladder set into the side of the concrete dock. Tom dashed away from the group and ran over to a pile of junk by an old warehouse, re-joining them with a couple of sturdy-looking wooden poles carried under one arm.

"Good idea Tom," said Merryn. The team filed down the ladder, Tom passed down the poles and they made their way onto the platform. Eddie flicked open a knife from a pocket and Merryn unsheathed her bayonet, each sawing at the ropes holding the platform. Tom and Andrew stood ready with the poles. As the two hawsers fell away from the raft, the first of the walkers appeared at the edge of the dock, several toppling into the water as their fellows continued to push from behind. Two landed on the wooden boarding leading to the platform and Merryn motioned to the two lads to push. There was a twang and a dull thud as Eddie fired a crossbow. The lead walker staggered back into its colleague and fell into the water. More and more deadheads were falling into the deep water next to them and Tom and Andrew pushed with all their strength, widening the gap between their slow-moving pontoon and the dock. There was another dull twang and Hope joined the fray, her first bolt taking a zombie high in the shoulder and spinning it off its feet. Eddie shot another and then the pontoon was clear, more and more water appeared between them and the dock and everyone relaxed.

"Well done folks," said Merryn. "That was a little tight, but we got there."

"Where should we go next Merryn?"

Merryn looked at Tom who was doing his best to steer the heavy platform in the sluggish swell of the river. "Let's get back to the other shore if we can. It's more countryside and lower risk. If we can, we'll get back to the Sea Scout Hut or even your original Scout Hut, then bed down. Then we go cross-country back to base unless you know of another useful sailing boat."

"Okay, you're the boss. Andrew, let's see if we can get over there." Tom pointed to a shingle beach on the opposite side of the river and downstream a few hundred yards.

~

"Control, this is Scout 2. Do you read me?"

"Good to hear from you Scout 2, Mal here."

"Do you ever sleep Mal?" asked Merryn, a smile in her voice.

"Not when you're out and about my friend, You keep a guy worried you know?"

"Good to have you there Mal. How're things up the coast?"

"The sergeant and his crew got back a couple of hours ago with a surprising amount of gear given how long they had in the end. Captain Summers is looking over the footage you took with the drone. Great idea on flying that to the boat."

"Glad to hear everyone got back ok, it got a little hairy there."

"Where are you and the rest of the scouts?"

"We're back at the Scout Hut. We managed to get across the river and back across to where I originally found this motley bunch. Grabbed some food from a little corner store Eddie knew on the way here. We're eating through some pretty decent tins of curry, and Hope's knocked up some flatbreads. They're looking after me rather well."

"Sounds good Scout 2, glad you and the team are okay." There was a pause and a muffled sound."

"Why do I get the feeling Mal's got his hand over the mic and someone's about to relay a new order to us?" muttered Merryn.

"I'd say you were being cynical," muttered Eddie through a mouthful of food. "But you're probably right."

"Are you still there Merryn?"

"Still here control."

"Ok, I've been talking to Lieutenant Osborne and he's got a request."

"Should've put money on that one," said Eddie sighing. "Or chocolate at least."

"Sorry Scout 2, I missed that."

"Nothing Control, Eddie was saying how excited we were to be heading into the unknown."

"Er... yes, of course,"

Merryn rolled her eyes at Eddie who grinned at her. Mal continued, oblivious. "Well, it seems we picked up a radio signal from an old army camp up on Dartmoor."

"The one near Okehampton?" asked Merryn. Andrew pulled out a map and laid it out on the table in front of them. Merryn pointed at the old camp.

"That's the one. It's pretty remote from where you are now, but once you get there it's a short hop to the railway line and a straight route all the way back to here along the rails."

"That's all very well Mal, but I'm not going in those tunnels near the city."

"You can bypass those, it'll be safer, but most of the route is above ground and less likely to be traveled by anyone else."

"Ok, you mentioned a radio signal, what did it say?"

"It was morse code. Set on a loop, repeating over and over."

"Well that would imply they've got power at least, but it could be a solar panel and battery set up that could've been going for years."

"Well that was our initial thought too, but we've scanned that frequency before and it's not been picked up 'til now."

"So you want us to drop in for a cup of tea and say hi?"

"Yes please Scout 2. And if you find any pineapple chunks..."

"Ever hopeful eh Mal?"

"Always Merryn, always."

"Okay, Roger that, we'll alter our route back to a more northern trek and take in the delights of rural Dartmoor. I hope this lot have packed their waterproofs, it's pretty exposed up there."

"Thanks Scout 2. Let me know when you get within range of the army camp and we'll update you if we have any more info."

"Shall do Control, talk to you later. Over and out."

Merryn switched off the radio and sat back in her seat. "Well it's been a while since I've been to that side of the moor."

"How well do you know it?" asked Tom.

"Pretty well. I went to school in the town there and did cross country running up on the moor past the old army base. It's pretty rough country, not much up there but sheep, ponies and peat bogs, well that and great lumps of granite. We're best off using the country and farm roads to wind our way there. It'll take us a few days of good walking." She leant forward to point at Andrew's map. "I'd suggest we walk up the Tamar valley here to Tavistock, pick up some supplies there, then continue north up the road. Then a bit further up we branch right at the old stone quarry onto the army trails on the moor. Those will take us straight to the base." Merryn looked around the shadowed interior of the hut, a couple of rechargeable lanterns providing enough light to see by and checked her watch.

"For now, let's get some sleep. It's going to be a long few days, especially if it rains."

~

Andrew woke them around dawn, a finger held across his lips, eyes wide. Tom was already up and looking out of the window of the scout hut, and the pale light of morning from outside gave them scant light to see.

"What's going on?" mouthed Merryn. Andrew mimed the stiff walk of a zombie and held up five fingers, pointing outside.

Merryn nodded, lifted herself to her feet and grabbed her crossbow. "Wake the others," she whispered into his ear and the boy nodded, moving across to where Eddie and Hope lay back to back on some old sleeping mats they'd found in the storeroom.

"Where are they?" mouthed Merryn to Tom. He pointed towards the wooden jetty at the edge of the river. Three shambling forms were wandering across the grass. The other two stood by the fire pit.

"I heard a fox earlier," whispered Andrew. "But I've not seen it. Could they be following that?"

"Who knows," said Merryn. "But we either sit tight or we move out."

"If we try to move in this light I suspect someone will trip over something and we'll make a noise," said Tom. "We should sit tight and move when it gets lighter."

Merryn nodded and gestured to the others to sit down and stay still. Tom stayed at his window and Andrew moved back to the loft where he had been watching from the skylight in the roof. Merryn sat, trusting the others to keep watch, calmed herself by controlling her breathing, and waited.

An hour later Tom tapped her on the shoulder and she opened her eyes, hand reaching for the bayonet sheathed at her waist.

"You won't need that Merryn, they're gone. Time to move out."

She nodded and stood, stretching out stiff limbs. Merryn grabbed her pack, added the last few items, and shouldered her bag.

"Are you ready?" She looked around the room at the team. All of them looked determined and were dressed for a hike, wearing sturdy boots supplied from the scout's store room.

"Right, Andrew, take point please, Tom to the rear, Eddie and Hope each flank. I'll be behind Andrew. Anything odd, whistle. If you need to stop, we stop. We need to move quietly, and as quickly as we can, but we are not running headlong into danger. The moors are not a place to be trifled with. They look nice and green and are pretty to look at, but they kill people every year no matter how prepared they are. The weather can change at the drop of a hat up there and many of the tors are magnetic so that's why we're sticking to mapped trails and footpaths. Striking out across the moors without a point of reference is dangerous at best.

"I remember there being some useful hiking shops in Tavistock, so I'm hoping we can find some supplies there, but it depends how many scavengers have been through and already looted the place. We'll have to see how that one plays out. Be aware of your surroundings. It may look green and pleasant, but all it takes is one walker to spoil your day in a terminal way."

She smiled. "Does anyone need the toilet before we go?"

Eddie rolled her eyes and tutted. "Do we need to start calling you Brian?"

Merryn clapped Tom on the shoulder. "I would love to have your Dad here now Tom, but you've been well trained, and you survived here. Not many people could have done that. Now let's get moving."

Andrew moved out from the hut and to the edge of the treeline before turning to face them and waving them on. Tom shut the hut door behind them.

Merryn nodded her approval. "Always good to give yourself an option to return if we need it. This place has served you well, and me too."

Tom patted the building goodbye, and they moved north, following the river valley.

~

Andrew was waiting for them at the top of the first hill, and he was looking worried.

"What are you worrying about already?" asked Eddie frowning at him.

"That," said Andrew pointing back down the valley. "There's someone wandering around by the hut."

Merryn peered back down the hill and found the green patch around the hut next to the river. She could just make out a lone figure pacing the grass.

Eddie harrumphed. "So what, it's a lone deadhead isn't it?"

"I hope so," muttered Andrew. "'Cos if he knows how to track then he'll find us without any problem."

Merryn looked over at him. "Thanks to your eagle eyes we're now aware of him. That means we can try a few tricks to throw him off. He's not a bloodhound so he won't be able to smell us. Find some patches of rock to walk across, take us through water here and there. We know where we're going, he doesn't. If he's tracking us then each time we pull a trick he'll have to cast around to find us again. That will take time. Once we get to Tavistock we should be able to lose whoever or whatever it is when we hit tarmac again. All yours Andrew."

He nodded and led them on.