Rise of the Undead (Book 5): Apocalypse Z Read online

  As he leaned on the counter, they snickered and laughed, eager to introduce themselves.

  “I’m Amanda.”

  “Brenda. Pleased to meet you.”

  “Such lovely names for such lovely ladies.”

  “Oh, God.” With a loud snort, Ethan turned away, and Amy had to smother a giggle as she followed. Clearly, the doctor was in no mood for romance.

  He led her toward a room with a single bed in the middle. In it lay Alex, his face pale in the dim light. A couch lined one wall, and Ethan deposited the sleeping Jenny onto it. “I’ll leave you alone for a short while to do my rounds. Not too long, though. Both you and Jenny could use a good night’s rest.”

  “Thanks,” Amy said, her voice rough with sudden emotion.

  Ethan left the room, and she edged closer to the bed. Alex was fast asleep, his features slack in slumber. Wires crisscrossed his body, while tubes and needles hooked him up to several IV’s. A monitor beeped in the corner, and the smell of disinfectant hung thick in the air.

  “Oh, Alex. I’m so sorry,” Amy said, reaching out a tentative hand. She touched his arm, tracing the blue veins beneath the skin. He was deathly pale, and it hurt to see him like that. “Don’t worry. I’m here now. I came back.”

  After a while, she grabbed a nearby chair and perched on the edge. It was an awkward position with the shotgun stuck in her belt, but she wasn’t about to dump it. After careful maneuvering, she managed to sit. I’m not going anywhere without a gun again. Ever.

  With both hands wrapped around Alex’s forearm, she lay her head down on the bed. Her eyes roved across his face. He looked so different from the strong and vital brother she was used to: A bundle of nervous energy that never stopped moving or doing. Now, he lay immobile. Frozen in time.

  Amy didn’t try to wake him. She was content merely being by his side, and after a few minutes, her eyelids drooped. She was tired—more tired than she’d ever been in her entire life. Sleep stole over her consciousness. Just a few minutes. That’s all I need.

  Chapter 2 - Grissom

  Grissom watched Dr. Hayes leave without budging from his spot on the counter. He kept up his negligent pose and lazy stance until he was confident the doctor was gone. Only then did he straighten up and reach for his radio. A glance reassured him it was set to the right frequency. The two nurses were laughing at something he’d said, but he hardly heard them. Now was his chance.

  He raised the radio to his lips. “Spitz. Spitz, come in. It’s Grissom. Over.”

  “This is Spitz. Over,” came the crackling reply.

  “Did you contact everyone? Over,” Grissom asked.

  “I did. They’re all ready and waiting. Over.”

  Grissom heaved a sigh of relief. He couldn’t afford any more mistakes. The next few minutes had to go as planned, or he was doomed. King would kill him if he failed again. He raised the radio and issued a command. “Operation Clean-up is a go. Over.”

  “Roger that,” Spitz replied. “We’re on our way. Over.”

  Grissom pocketed the radio with a smile and turned back to the nurses. They were staring at him like he’d grown a second head, and Amanda asked, “What was that?”

  “Nothing you need to worry about, little lady,” he answered with a crooked smile.

  She eyed him with open mistrust before pushing her chair back. “I think I’d better call the doctor.”

  Grissom’s smile grew stiff. “Now, why would you want to do that?”

  “To check on the patient, of course,” she said with a weak smile. “He’s due for an examination.”

  “Is he now?”

  “What’s Operation Clean-up?” Brenda asked, her brows knitted together.

  Amanda shot her a look that could kill and hissed, “Shut up, Brenda.”

  “What?” Brenda asked, her look of confusion deepening.

  “Wow, you really aren’t the sharpest pencil in the packet,” Grissom said with a snort. “As I said, it’s nothing for you to worry about.”

  “Um, okay?” Brenda replied in faltering tones.

  “And I’m sure the doctor will be back soon, Amanda. No need to run after him. Sit down,” Grissom commanded in no uncertain terms.

  Amanda hesitated, her body tensed for flight. At that moment, the security guard returned with a cup of coffee in his hands. He paused when he spotted Grissom and frowned. It didn’t take much to pick up on the tense atmosphere. “Is everything alright here? What’s going on?”

  With a sigh, Grissom swung the barrel of his carbine up until it pointed at the guard. With a flick of the thumb, he set it to semi-automatic, and his finger settled on the trigger. “I guess we’re doing this now.”

  The guard sputtered. “Are you crazy? Don’t point that thing at me.”

  “No, I’m not crazy, but I am dangerous, so I suggest you do as I say. First of all, not another peep out of any of you. Got that?” Grissom said with a pointed look at each of his captives, the gun unwavering in its intensity.

  The two nurses were frozen in fear, their eyes wide at the sight of the barrel that swung their way. Brenda’s mouth opened as if to scream, but Amanda shook her head. “Brenda, no. Do as he says.”

  Brenda pressed her lips together and nodded. “Mm, mm.”

  “Excellent,” Grissom said before turning back to the guard. “Now, I want you to drop your guns to the floor and kick them to me. After that, you’re going to tie up the ladies with that roll of tape on the desk.”

  The guard obeyed with reluctance, first disarming himself before tying up the two women. “You’re not going to get away with this,” he said as he placed the roll of tape back onto the table.

  “Oh, but, I am,” Grissom replied, taking a swing at the guard’s temple with the stock of his gun. The butt connected hard, and the soldier crumpled to the ground without a sound. Working fast, he tied the man’s hands behind his back and secured his feet. A final strip across the lips ensured silence, and he stood back with a satisfied grunt. “There. That should hold you.”

  The next moment, Spitz and two others marched into the room, bristling with guns and confidence. “Are we late to the party?”

  “I wouldn’t say that,” Grissom said. “I’m just getting started.”

  “Where is Dr. Hayes?” Spitz asked.

  “He left a few minutes ago,” Grissom replied.

  “No loose ends, remember?” Spitz said, his gaze running from the frightened women to the unconscious guard.

  “I know, but King wants him alive,” Grissom said.

  “Only if he’s not a liability. What if the girl told him where King’s base is, and he tells everyone?”

  “She couldn’t have. I was with them the whole time,” Grissom protested.

  “Were you?”

  Grissom paused, remembering the door that shut in his face during Amy and Jenny’s examinations. “Most of the time.”

  “That sounds to me like a no,” Spitz said in low tones. “The doctor dies. Agreed?”

  “Agreed,” Grissom answered, not happy with the direction things were taking. He’d hoped for a minimum body count, and hadn’t reckoned on the two women being around. Nor had he wanted Dr. Hayes to die, either. The man was the best surgeon they had.

  “I see we have company,” Spitz declared, smiling at the women trussed up on the floor behind the counter. The guard lay by their feet, still unconscious. Amanda closed her eyes while Brenda began to cry. It was apparent Spitz intended to kill them both along with the guard.

  Grissom looked away, a tiny seed of guilt sprouting inside his heart. This wasn’t what he’d signed up for when he joined the army. Killing women and unarmed men wasn’t his idea of sport. Still, he didn’t have much of a choice. He’d thrown in his lot with King, and there was no going back. No loose ends.

  “Where are the girl and her brother?” Spitz asked.

  “It’s down that corridor,” Grissom said, pointing the way. “Did you bring the weapons?”

  “We did,” Sp
itz replied, and they each slung their rifles onto their backs. He gestured to the other two soldiers with him, and they fished out four Berettas equipped with silencers.

  Once Grissom had his, he checked the load before tucking it into his waistband. While the silencers didn’t work like in the movies, it would stifle the worst of the noise. Even so, it was a last resort. Next, he pulled out his hunting knife and checked the edge. A drop of blood beaded on the surface of his thumb. Razor-sharp.

  “You know the drill. We do this quickly and quietly. In and out. Don’t draw attention to yourself and use the service exit to return to your posts as normal,” Grissom said. “We can’t afford to get caught.”

  “We’re ready,” Spitz said. He turned to the other two soldiers with him. “Ham, you watch this lot and keep an eye out for anybody else that might stumble upon us, including the doctor.”

  “Why not kill them now?” Ham asked, his jaw as square as his shoulders. What he lacked in brains, he made up for in brawn.

  Brenda burst into tears at the words, and Grissom tried his best to block out the pitiful sounds. “If the situation goes south, we might need hostages. We’ll leave them for last.”

  “Smart,” Ham said, his eyes the same dull gray as granite.

  “Jerry, you’re with us,” Spitz added, turning to the fourth soldier.

  “Sure thing,” Jerry said with a shy duck of his head. His coppery curls glinted in the light, and a spray of freckles gave him an innocent look he didn’t deserve. He was as deadly as a venomous snake. Cold and remorseless.

  Together, the four men were the last remaining soldiers loyal to King. An ace up his sleeve. A weapon to be wielded when least expected. They were also the worst of the worst, and Grissom often wondered how he’d ended up with them.

  Bad choices and circumstance, he mused as he led the way toward Alex’s room. He paused inside the entrance to survey the scene. On the bed, fighting for his life lay the young man he knew only as Alex. He didn’t know why King wanted the boy dead, but he guessed it was something minor. The mere fact that he was associated with Sergeant Dean and Dhlamini was enough to earn him a death sentence.

  Next, he looked at Amy, fast asleep on her brother’s arm. She was a feisty little thing. Strong for her size and gutsy. He admired that in her, and he wished he didn’t have to kill her. She was only sixteen, after all. The same age his daughter would’ve been if she’d survived the outbreak. His lips tightened, and his breath hitched at the thought of slitting her throat. Could he do it? He didn’t know.

  A faint cough drew his attention to the couch where Jenny slept, and ice water flooded his veins. He’d forgotten about the child. Panic rushed through his mind as he sought a way out of the trap he suddenly found himself in. I can’t kill a kid. She’s only eight. I can’t.

  His gaze flickered from Jenny to Amy and back again. They were both so young—innocent lambs to the slaughter. Thinking fast, he backed away from the room and pulled the other two men around the corner. Speaking in a low whisper, he said, “Change of plans. Kill the girl and her brother without waking the kid. Leave her alone.”

  Spitz shot him a disbelieving look. “You know we can’t do that. No loose ends, remember?”

  “I know, but leave the kid out of it. She knows nothing, and we can make it so she never sees us,” Grissom argued with growing desperation. If he couldn’t save Amy, he could at least try to keep Jenny alive.

  “What if the girl told the kid where King’s hideout is, and she spills the beans?” Spitz pointed out.

  Grissom hesitated, at a loss for words. “She wouldn’t. Why tell a kid stuff like that?”

  Spitz snorted. “No wonder King told me to make sure the job got done properly. You’re weak.”

  “King? You spoke to King?” Grissom asked with a sinking feeling in his stomach. He was already in trouble for not providing accurate information on the night of the kidnapping. Because of him, they’d missed Nick and Saul, the prime targets. If King was bypassing him for Spitz, that meant he was being replaced.

  “Yes, he contacted me a couple of hours ago,” Spitz said. “It looks like he doesn’t trust you much either. As of now, I’m taking command before this turns into a proper shit show.”

  “So, what then? We kill an eight-year-old child?” Grissom protested.

  “I’ll do it if you don’t have the stomach for it,” Spitz hissed in a furious whisper. “Jerry and I will finish this, right, Jerry?”

  “I’m in,” Jerry whispered back, his expression bland. Clearly murdering children wasn’t a problem for him. King sure knows how to pick them.

  “What about me?” Grissom asked as they turned away with their knives held at the ready. “People saw me come in with them.”

  “When this is all over, I’ll stab you in the leg or something,” Spitz said. “You can say you tried to stop us and got wounded. We’ll take care of the doc on the way out if Ham hasn’t already.”

  “Yeah, you’ll be a real hero,” Jerry added with a derisive snort.

  “Just don’t ID us. Tell that dumb ass, Sergeant Dean, we wore masks,” Spitz said. “We still have work to do here on the base. We can’t leave yet.”

  Grissom didn’t reply. He didn’t have to. It was all laid out before him, and there was nothing he could do about it. If he backed out now, he was a dead man. With his heart banging in his chest, he fell in line behind Spitz and Jerry. They stepped into the room and stopped in their tracks, dumbfounded.

  Amy was gone.

  The only sign of her former presence was the indentation her head had left on the bed. Alex still lay motionless on the bed while Jenny slept on the couch. Everything was quiet. Eerily so.

  Spitz whirled toward Grissom and asked in a fierce whisper. “Where is she?”

  Grissom slowly raised his hand toward the bathroom door. It was closed but for a small crack, and a light shone through the gap into the room. “Over there.”

  Spitz grinned and motioned to Jerry. “Get over there. I’ll take care of our injured patient. Leave the kid for last.”

  As they crept forward on silent feet, Grissom stood still. He found himself unable to move, and his muscles were frozen with indecision. Could he really stand there and watch Spitz and Jerry murder a helpless man, his sixteen-year-old sister, and a child of eight?

  As his hand inched toward the rifle on his back, a low creak caught his ears. He looked over his shoulder, and his eyes widened. “Oh, shit!”

  Chapter 3 - Amanda

  One look at the brutish face of Ham was enough to convince Amanda that she needed to escape. There would be no mercy for any of them at his hands. Nor any of the others. Both Spitz and Jerry were inhuman, and she cursed herself for falling for the charms of Grissom. She should’ve trusted her gut instinct. It had alerted her the minute he stepped through the door despite his wide smile.

  She couldn’t count on Brenda for help, either. The woman was hysterical. As for the guard, he was out cold. Guess it’s up to me then. I’m not dying today, that’s for sure.

  Hunched on the cold floor with her hands and feet secured by tape, she cast around for something to use. Her eyes fell on a letter opener. It dangled on the edge of the counter above her head, the shiny wooden handle tantalizingly close.

  She dared a peek at Ham and grimaced. He stood with his back to her, his gaze fixed on the hallway where the others had gone. She shifted closer to the counter and reached up a tentative hand.

  Ham shifted, and she jerked her arm back down before he could notice anything. He let his blank gaze to roam over her and Brenda before he yawned and turned away. She waited a few more seconds before trying again. Time ticked by while she inched her fingers closer to her prize. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her mouth grew dry with fright. If Ham caught her, she was a dead woman.

  Her fingertips grazed the handle, and she bit down on her lower lip. The letter opener shifted and made a slight grating noise. She froze, but when Ham failed to react, she stretched a little fu
rther. Come on, come on!

  She gripped it by the edge and dragged it over the rim of the counter. It tumbled into space and landed on her lap. For one terrified moment, she waited for Ham to notice, but he didn’t. Instead, he picked at his nails with the point of his knife, the epitome of murderous boredom.

  Almost crying with relief, Amanda grabbed the letter opener and folded it inward until the point touched the tape that bound her hands. The handle was hidden between her clenched fingers, the tool invisible to outsiders. With one eye on the sobbing Brenda and the other on Ham, she pierced the tape. Over and over. Within seconds, the plastic began to give. It was only a matter of time before she was free.

  Down the hall, she could make out a whispered discussion between the three soldiers who’d gone after Alex and his sister. Whatever she did, she had to move fast. One look at the brutish Ham had her questioning the wisdom of her plan. Plan? What plan? She didn’t have a plan. Maybe I should just make a run for it. I’m fast. He’d never catch me.

  But, if she ran, what would happen to Brenda? And Sam, the guard? Alex, and the two girls? Amanda shook her head. No. She had to do something, and that meant taking down Ham. The problem was how. He’s not exactly bite-sized.

  After taking a deep breath to calm herself, Amanda cut through the rest of her bonds. As the plastic split apart, she turned her attention to her feet. They took a little bit longer because of the awkward position, but finally, her ankles were free.

  Next, she reached for Brenda’s hands. It was a risky move to free the other girl, but going up against Ham on her own was foolhardy. If I can get her to snap out of it.

  Brenda hardly looked at her while Amanda freed her arms and legs. The girl simply stared into space with a blank gaze. When Brenda was loose, Amanda leaned close to the other girl’s ear and whispered, “You have to help me. We have to kill him.”

  When Brenda failed to respond, Amanda pinched her leg. “Wake up. This is life and death.”

  Brenda stared at her with red-rimmed eyes before shaking her head. “No.”