Rise of the Undead (Book 4): Apocalypse Z Page 14

  “I won’t fail, Sir,” Perez said. “I promise.”

  King scowled at him. “You’d better not. Take West and a radio with you. You’ll need to be in contact with Grissom at all times. Tell the man to be careful, though. It won’t do for his extracurricular activities to become known to the Fort.”

  “Yes, Sir,” Perez and West replied. After a final salute, they left the room, and King was able to relax.

  He leaned back in his chair, gazing out into the night. He was playing a dangerous game. For the time being, the odds were in his favor, but the slightest mistake could tip the balance. If Red, Perez, and Grissom did their jobs, all would be well. If not, he faced a full-on assault from the forces of Fort Detrick, and he wasn’t sure who’d win.

  Chapter 22 - Amy

  Amy yawned at the rising sun, her eyes bleary with exhaustion. Things hadn’t worked out quite as she’d hoped. Driving in the dark took a lot longer than she’d thought it would. While they’d passed a couple of towns, including Chantilly, they were only halfway to Fort Detrick.

  She yawned again, her eyes drooping shut. She was exhausted but didn’t want to stop. She knew she should find a place to hole up for the day and sleep. Being out in broad daylight increased the risk of Red finding them, but she was eager to get home. Just a little bit further.

  She focused her gaze on the road and gripped the wheel with both hands until her knuckles shone white. When her eyelids drifted shut, she blinked furiously and shook her head from side to side. Her chin dropped to her chest. If she could close her eyes for a few seconds...

  A loud bang jerked Amy back to reality, and she woke up with a frightened cry. Tree branches and leaves scraped against the side of the car while the wheels bucked over the rocky ground. With a yank of the steering wheel, she swerved back onto the road. Slamming on the brakes, they ground to a stop in a cloud of dust. “Holy crap, That was close.”

  Her heart bounced around in her chest like a jackrabbit, while shrill screams from the back alerted her to Jenny’s distress. She reached back a comforting hand. “It’s okay, sweetie. Calm down.”

  “What…what happened?” Jenny asked with a sob.

  “It’s nothing serious. I just drove over a rock or something by accident.”

  “Are you sure? I thought it was the bad men come to catch us.”

  “No, no. It was nothing like that. It was just a silly little accident,” Amy replied, lowering her voice to a soothing monotone. “Everything will be okay, I promise.”

  After a couple of minutes, Jenny had calmed down enough for Amy to take a good look around. They were in the middle of nowhere. To the back and front stretched the empty road lined on both sides by trees. Nothing moved except for a couple of birds that flew across the grey sky overhead.

  Amy picked up the shotgun from its spot next to her seat and flicked off the safety. “Sit tight, Jenny. I need to check that the car is alright.”

  “Don’t leave me, please,” Jenny responded in a scared little voice.

  “I won’t, sweetie. I’ll be right here the entire time,” Amy said before climbing out of the car. After shutting the door, she circled the vehicle. While the driver’s side looked fine, her heart sank when she reached the other side. Both tires were flat, the wheels down to the rims. “No! This can’t be happening! Why both? Why?”

  She looked back the way they came and spotted a ridge of sharp rocks sticking up into the air. Anger at her own stupidity overcame her. If she hadn’t fallen asleep, they’d still have a working car. Now they’d be forced to walk. “Damn it. How could I be so reckless?”

  The urge to give up overcame her, and she crumpled to her knees. She sat with her eyes fixed on the nearest tire as if she could miraculously restore it with her mind. But the fact remained, they weren’t going anywhere except on their own two feet. Bitter tears welled up, stinging her eyelids. How did it come to this? How?

  “Amy, are you okay?” Jenny asked from right behind her.

  Amy jumped, scared out her wits. “Jenny! Where did you come from? I told you to wait in the car.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Amy sniffed and wiped away her tears. It wouldn’t do for Jenny to see her in such a state. She had to look after Jenny, not the other way around. “It’s okay, sweetie. It doesn’t matter anyway. We’ll have to walk to the next town.”

  “Is the car broken?” Jenny asked.

  “Yes, the two tires are flat, and I only have one spare.” Amy looked up at Jenny. “Are you up for a little walk?”

  Jenny nodded. “I don’t mind. My dad and I used to walk all the time. He loved being outside.”

  “That’s nice,” Amy said, standing up and dusting off her knees.

  She looked down at her clothes and realized with a start that she still wore the cop’s jacket over her mud-streaked pajamas. Not once had she had the chance to stop and dress since raiding Cabela’s.

  Fixing a bright smile on her face for Jenny’s benefit, she said, “Well, I guess we might as well take a break. Are you hungry, sweetie?”

  “I need to pee,” came the instant reply.

  Amy laughed. “You know what? So do I. Let me make sure there’s no one around.”

  Shotgun in hand, she did a quick tour of the area. Once she was satisfied, she allowed Jenny to do her business behind a nearby bush. When the girl was done, she also took a turn. The relief on her full bladder was instantaneous.

  Afterward, Amy stripped off her rags and got dressed in the clothes she’d stolen from the mannequin at the shop. Disinfectant and a clean bandage took care of the cut on her head, and she tied her hair into a rough knot.

  “That’s better,” she said with a relieved sigh. It felt good to wear clean, warm gear, and she was able to loop her ax onto her belt as well. “Now it’s your turn, sweetie.”

  Jenny didn’t reply. In her hands, she held her father’s jacket while silent tears rolled down her face. Splotches of dried blood and ragged bullet holes marred the thick material.

  “I’m so sorry, sweetie,” Amy said as the icy touch of grief invaded her heart. It was always there whenever she thought about Alex, but she felt it afresh on Jenny’s behalf. Poor girl. She lost her entire family in one night. She’s an orphan now, just like me.

  “This is my daddy’s jacket,” Jenny said, burrowing her face in the collar.

  “I know. He gave it to me because I was cold.”

  Jenny nodded. “He was always nice like that. He wanted to help people. That’s why he became a po…police officer.”

  “He was a great man, your father. Without him, I wouldn’t be alive today,” Amy said, wiping the tears from Jenny’s face. “You can keep the jacket. It belongs to you now. I don’t need it anymore.”

  “Thank you, Amy,” Jenny murmured.

  “Anything for you, sweetie. Now let me help you get dressed.”

  Once Jenny was washed and ready for the road, Amy reorganized both their backpacks. She tucked in her spare clothes, the first-aid kit, flashlight, batteries, space blanket, and as much food and water as she could carry. The utility knife went into her pocket, along with the extra shotgun shells and the map.

  Into Jenny’s pack went her extra socks, underwear, vests, her hairbrush and ties, a storybook, and the family photo she’d grabbed. She also tucked the father’s wallet in there, along with an extra bottle of water and two protein bars.

  “Try this, Jenny,” Amy said, handing over the pack. “Is it too heavy?”

  Jenny shook her head and picked up her teddy bear. “No, it’s okay. I’ll carry Rufus too.”

  “Well, if it starts to hurt, tell me,” Amy instructed before handing over a can of coke and a packet of chocolate-covered nuts. “Eat this.”

  “Mommy says coke is bad for me,” Jenny replied, eyeing the can with a dubious frown.

  “She’s right, but this once won’t hurt,” Amy replied. “You’ll need the energy. It’s a long walk.”

  After devouring two protein bars and a coke, A
my felt prepared to take on the road. She draped the father’s jacket over Jenny’s shoulders for extra warmth and handed her a bottle of water. “That’s to sip on if we get thirsty. Are you ready?”

  “I’m ready.”

  “Stay close to my side the whole time, sweetie. I can’t hold your hand because I need to be ready with this,” Amy said, indicating the shotgun.

  “I’m a big girl. I don’t hold hands anymore,” Jenny replied.

  “Oh? How old are you then?” Amy asked with an indulgent smile.

  “I’m eight and a half.”

  Amy gasped. “Wow, you are a big girl and you’re tall for your age. I almost thought you were ten!”

  Jenny giggled. “Ten? That’s a lot.”

  “Since you’re a big girl, I’m going to give you a special job.”

  “What’s that?”

  “While we’re walking, I want you to help me look for anything that moves. Anything at all, even a car or a bird. Deal?”

  Jenny smiled. “I can do that. Kind of like, I spy with my little eye. “

  “Yes, almost like that,” Amy replied.

  Together, they set off down the road at a steady pace. Each kept a wary eye on their surroundings, though for Jenny, it was all a game. Even so, her sharp little eyes missed nothing, and her bright chatter made the distance seem shorter.

  According to the map, the next town was Point of Rocks, and Amy hoped they’d make it by nightfall. It wouldn’t do to be caught out in the cold woods at night. Especially not with a seven-year-old in tow.

  While Jenny’s presence was, in many ways, a blessing, it was also an added burden. Her health and safety were Amy’s concern now, and the responsibility weighed heavily on her shoulders. Even so, she was glad she’d found the girl. If I hadn’t gone to their house, she’d be dead.

  An hour passed without mishap, though Amy was beginning to feel the strain. She estimated they’d covered perhaps four or five miles and wondered how much further they had to go. It didn’t help to dwell on it, however, and she put it from her mind. After the second hour, she noticed that Jenny was starting to lag. The child wasn’t talking as much either, and the bottle of water was empty. “Hey, sweetie. Let’s take a quick break.”

  Jenny bobbed her head and plonked down on the nearest stump of wood she could find. Amy dug out another two cans of coke and two candy bars. While it wasn’t nutritious food, she hoped the sugar would keep them going.

  As they ate, Amy noticed a steady drop in the temperature. A glance at the sky caused her eyes to widen. Thick banks of clouds were rolling in, heavy with a threat. The wind was starting to pick up, and she knew they were in for a big storm. “Come on, sweetie. We need to get going again.”

  “Already?” Jenny groaned. “My feet hurt.”

  “Let me carry your backpack for a while, but we have to hurry,” Amy said, shouldering both packs.

  “Why?”

  Amy pointed to the sky. “There’s a storm coming, and I don’t want us to get caught outside.”

  Jenny glanced up, and she paled. “Yeah, let’s hurry.”

  They set off once more, this time at a much faster pace. An hour passed, and another as the miles fell behind them with no end in sight. The storm grew ever more threatening until, at last, it began to snow.

  Jenny was doing okay without the backpack, but Amy suffered beneath the combined weight of all their supplies. Her muscles burned, and her delicate skin was chafed raw beneath the straps. She was starting to despair when she spotted a faded sign that read, Point of Rocks, 3 miles.

  On the one hand, it was a relief to know they’d made it, but on the other, she couldn’t believe she had to walk three more miles. I don’t think I can make it.

  But in the end, she didn’t have to. Scarcely a mile further, she spotted the outline of a building. The growing storm made it hard to see, but she thought it was a motel. One of those where you rented a crappy room for cheap when you couldn’t afford a proper hotel in town.

  In their current situation, none of that mattered. They needed shelter, and they needed it fast. The air was freezing, and the snow was falling faster by the minute. Hope spurred her onward, and she began to run. “Come on, Jenny!”

  Within minutes, they’d reached the place, and Amy was proved right. It was a motel. Not a very big one, by usual standards, and pretty run down. To her, it was perfect. “Guess what, Jenny? We’ve got a place to sleep for the night, and in the morning, I’ll see if I can find us a new ride.”

  “What about zombies?” Jenny asked.

  “Don’t you worry,” Amy said “I’ll make sure it’s safe.”

  “What about me?”

  Amy eyed the girl. “Have you ever shot a gun before?”

  “A little bit. My dad taught me some last summer,” Jenny said.

  Amy lifted the shotgun. “Do you think you could handle this?”

  “I could try.”

  “Let’s see. You hold it like this, over here and here.” Amy proceeded to give Jenny a quick lesson in firing. “Just lift, hold it very tight against your shoulder, and squeeze the trigger. Got it?”

  Jenny nodded.

  “Good girl. Remember to hold it really tight against you shoulder, right there,” Amy added. “Your jacket is thick, which should help with the recoil.”

  “Recoil?” Jenny questioned.

  Amy ruffled her hair. “Never mind. Just remember what I told you.”

  “Okay.”

  With the ax in hand, Amy approached the room right at the end of the line. It was the closest to the road and escape, and its windows were barred. A light tap on the door brought forth nothing but silence, and the door was locked tight. The number read twenty-eight, and she jogged to the reception area with it fixed in her mind.

  The doors were propped wide open, and the counter was covered in dust. The till yawned empty, and she guessed the staff had made a run for it on Z-day with what cash they could grab. On the wall behind the counter hung the keys, and she quickly took them.

  Back at the room, she unlocked it with the ax held ready to strike. When nothing attacked, she stepped inside and gave it a quick once-over. The en-suite room was empty, and apart from a layer of dust, it looked clean.

  With a massive grin on her face, Amy ran to Jenny and grabbed their stuff. “It’s clear, sweetie. We’ve got a place to spend the night. Whoop!”

  ***

  Red cruised along the road in his truck, his sharp gaze missing nothing. He’d been driving all night and all day. Dusk was falling, he was tired, and his temper was close to boiling point. He’d almost blown his top when that moron West relayed King’s threat. “Come back with the girl, or not at all.”

  “Who the fuck are they to threaten me?” Red growled for the hundredth time.

  It didn’t matter, though. He’d find her, and when he did, he’d wrap his fingers around her throat and squeeze until the life faded from her eyes. As for King, one day he’d discover who Red really was, and he’d be sorry. But first thing’s first. The girl.

  Another couple of miles passed before he spotted the police car by the side of the road. After a quick inspection, he determined the girl was on foot. She’d taken what supplies she could carry and hoofed it to the next town. With any luck, he could catch her by the side of the road.

  Twenty minutes later, he drew to a stop not far from a motel. A bad storm had blown in, and the snow was falling fast and thick. If the girl had any sense at all, she’d have sought shelter in one of the rooms. He fumbled for the binoculars inside the cubby-hole. “She has to be here.”

  With the lenses pressed to his eyes, he searched the building. He was looking for any sign of her presence. Any sign at all.

  Suddenly, a door opened, and there she was in the flesh. All his anger and rage surged to the surface, and he longed to get his hands on her. As he reached for the door handle, a slow grin spread across his face. “There you are, you little bitch. The time for running is over. “

  Chapte
r 23 - Saul

  Saul marched down the row of vehicles prepared for the search party. There were four in total: Army Humvee’s with mounted machine guns. Fully enclosed and steel-plated, the vehicles were an awe-inspiring sight.

  Each carried three people: The driver, a gunner, and an extra passenger. That brought the total party up to twelve. All were dressed in army combat uniforms complete with a helmet and kevlar vest. While these items might not help much against the infected, they did protect against stray bullets. In addition, each person carried a rifle, a sidearm, a combat knife, extra ammunition, a couple of grenades, and a walkie-talkie.

  Loaded into the back of each Humvee, was a selection of food, bottled water, camping gear, extra fuel, a first-aid kit, and more ammunition. He’d made sure that he got the best of the best, and everything was in readiness for the search. I’m not coming back until I find Tara, and that’s final.

  As Saul completed his final inspection, he nodded at each of the men and women who gathered around. They were good people who’d volunteered to join the mission. None of them were soldiers, but all of them were tough, loyal, and experienced fighters. The kind he could entrust with his life.

  His gaze locked with Dylan’s, and she nodded, her expression somber. She was as eager as he was to find Tara and Amy. Clearing his throat, he addressed the group. “Thank you all for volunteering for this mission. It rests on our shoulders to find our kidnapped friends and bring them home. Let’s do this.”

  A round of cheers rose in the air before everyone sought their places. The roar of four engines blasted slumbering birds from a nearby tree, and they were off. As the sun peeked its head over the far horizon, the convoy left Fort Detrick and headed for the center of town. Once there, it turned left and began the first of many sweeps around the base.