A second-floor window was opened and smoke boiled out. A face appeared, the raider coughing and spluttering from the smoke. I took aim and fired once, the sound echoing from the houses as the man died and I smiled.
I ducked down behind the low stone wall and waited. Another scream sounded from within and glass shattered as someone tried to escape the flames. Then came the sound of running feet on the road.
As they came close, I rose up and fired three times at the running raiders. They died with looks of surprise on their face and I walked slowly around to the back of the house. A man was moaning as he lay amidst the weeds and grass.
He clutched at his ankle and I guessed he’d dropped from the smashed window above. He looked up and his eyes met mine as I raised the gun. A single shot rang out.
I switched the safety back on and stuffed the gun back into the waistband of my jeans and went in search of my friend.
Chapter 26
The crowds began to die down as the sun lifted itself above the horizon. Fires still burned and I directed more of the CDF troops to help and put them out. We’d lost people fighting the zombies and more of the civilians too.
It was only a rough estimate but initial reports put it around two hundred dead from the rioting and zombies. Likely that number would rise as the day wore on.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and squeezed my eyes shut. I was beyond tired and had a headache that felt like needles were being stabbed into my temples repeatedly. A morning spent counting the cost was enough for anyone and after a night without sleep, more than enough for me.
“Samuel is back.”
“Thanks,” I replied to Cass and looked over at the door.
The tall, rake thin, man walked in with his head high and a pleased smile on his face. He bowed low and I held back the sigh. It seemed there was no way to stop him from doing that.
“You have him?”
“And several of his accomplices, My Lady.”
That was some good news finally.
“Where was he?”
“We cornered him in the beer cellar of a pub. He had quite a stash of foodstuff down there with him. The family that had been living in the pub have been handed over to your CDF people.”
“And Wells?”
“Is being held at the sports centre.”
Which is where Samuel and his people lived. A handy way to ensure that the former first minister wasn’t going anywhere. At least until I decided it was time to deal with him.
“Thank you.”
“May I ask, My Lady…”
“We’ve not heard yet. As soon as we do, I will let you know.”
“Thank you.”
Another worry that I had been trying not to think about. Ryan and Gregg should have been in touch to let us know they were on their way to the airfield. I couldn’t help but think the worst.
My hand pressed against my stomach, an action that was becoming a habit for me of late, and I sent a silent prayer that we would hear from them soon and that they were safe.
“I’ll have to update the census with the names of the dead,” Shepherd said irritably. “If I can even identify them.”
“Do what you can.” I let out a sigh and stretched, pressing hands against my lower back. I was just a walking ball of tense muscles.
“What are you going to do with those idiots they arrested?”
“The same as we do with everyone else. They can fight the undead for us or they can rot in a cell.”
“And Wells?”
I looked at the minister through narrowed eyes and wondered at what she would prefer I do. Not that it mattered, I had already made up my mind.
“Death.”
“Are you going to do it yourself?”
There was a silent ‘again’ added on to that. I’d executed one former minister already after all, and that child molester that had been caught. It wasn’t unreasonable to think that I should do the same.
But, and there was always a but, I had to learn to delegate some things. I couldn’t be the one to save everyone when I was seen to kill them too.
“No. There will be an execution. That cannot be changed because of what he has done. I can’t be the one to do it though. Not anymore.”
“I shall do it, My Lady.”
“You don’t need to, Samuel.”
“It is our duty. We protect the Living and that means we also kill the Damned. I told you once that we kill so others do not have to. This is our burden to bear and we do so gladly.”
“Don’t bother arguing,” Shepherd said. “Just accept the help and move on. We’ve a lot to get done.”
“Yes, including…”
“Boss-Lady!” I looked over at Charlie. She was as tired as the rest of us but wore a wide grin. “Think this calls for you.”
I was across the space between us and reaching for the headset almost before she’d finished speaking. She handed it over with her wide smile in place and I slipped it over my head.
“Hello?”
“Hello, Lily.”
I very nearly burst into tears right then and there, so relieved I was at hearing his voice. My stomach lurched as I heard the weariness and pain there too.
“Are you okay? Is Gregg?” I looked over at Cass who took a step forward, eyes shining.
“Gregg is his usual annoying self.” There was a muffled sound and Ryan replied with an irritated. “Yes, you are.”
I shared a smile with Cass and saw my relief reflected in her face. I was very sure that once I was alone I would break down, but had some need to retain my composure for the moment. I very much wanted him home with me, to share with him everything that had happened and just to have his support.
“We’ll be at the airfield in a few hours.”
“Did you…”
“Yeah, we have them. Some others too so hope the plane is big enough.”
“Tell her,” I heard Gregg say quite clearly.
“Why?”
“She’d want to know.”
“Tell me what?” I asked, stomach lurching.
There was a brief squabble and some static and then it was Gregg’s voice I heard.
“Hi. Look, I don’t want you to worry but…”
“Oh God! What?”
“Would be a good idea to send some bandages, antibiotics and pain relief.”
“Why? Whose hurt?”
“Look, he’s fine. This doctor fixed him up but they didn’t have much in the way of meds.”
“For goodness sake, Gregg! Tell me!”
“He was shot, but it wasn’t that bad. The Reaper did more damage to his back, to be honest and we cleaned it up, but there might be the start of an infection.”
I was pretty sure my legs were going to give way and hands guided me to a seat. I looked up through a sheen of tears at Shepherds face and she squeezed my shoulder.
“Seriously, Lily. He’s fine, if a little bit more irritable because of the pain.”
“H-how did it happen?”
“There were some raiders and a Reaper. It’s a long story but he did what he did and we’re fine.”
I closed my eyes and rubbed at my temples. It just never seemed to end. The headset was lifted from my head and Shepherd spoke into the microphone.
“This is Minister Shepherd. We’ll send the plane now with some support and supplies. It will be there not long after you are but if there’s nowhere to land, they will drop the supplies for you.”
“Aw, crap. I upset her didn’t I? tell her I’m sorry and let her know we’re all fine.”
“Get yourselves moving and we’ll hopefully see you soon.”
She passed the headset back to Charlie and gave my shoulder another comforting squeeze as I gave her a smile of thanks.
“I shall detail a fist of acolytes to accompany the plane,” Samuel said. “My Lord Death may require their aid.”
“The planes prepped,” Admiral Stuart added. “Just waiting for orders to set off.”
“How many c
an it hold?”
“Passenger plane so, sixty, easily. I’ll see what medicine we can send with it. Sounds like they have a doctor there so we don’t need to send many people.”
“It also sounds like they accomplished their mission,” Shepherd said softly. “We all know what that could mean for us.”
“I want to go,” I said quietly. “I know what you’ll say. All the reasons I shouldn’t but I don’t care. I want to go to him and I know that makes me a poor leader but…”
“Nonsense,” Shepherd said. “Not a one of us wouldn’t do the same for someone we loved. We’ve all lost too many loved ones to think less of you for this.”
“Your bodyguards will be waiting,” Samuel added softly.
I looked over at Cass who smiled but shook her head. “I can’t leave my daughter. I know you’ll bring him home to me though.”
“For sure.”
“We’ll keep the island running in your absence,” Shepherd said. “It’s just cleaning up after last night and counting the cost anyway.”
“Thank you. All of you.”
I rose from my seat and headed for the door, determination in every step. It had been too long already and I wouldn’t wait another minute.
Chapter 27
The walk down the A9 was remarkably dull. Not that I was complaining. I’d had more than enough excitement in the last few days and I was just looking forward to having some actual rest. It had taken a toll on my body and as we turned off of the main road and followed a smaller one towards the airfield, I was starting to feel it more than ever.
Gregg led the way with Vanessa walking alongside, talking animatedly. It was clear she had no experience of walking the zombie-infested world but I was too tired to bother warning her. What would happen would happen.
After them came the other scientists. I’d not spoken to them and they kept themselves a little apart as they escorted the bound and gagged, Briony. Each of them carried a bulging backpack which, from what I had overheard, were stuffed full of external hard-drives and paper files.
Whatever they had come up with was contained in those packs they carried. It was a risk to carry them so openly but we had little real choice.
Behind them were the nine women we had rescued from the raiders. They were skittish and kept glancing fearfully at me. Normally that would have amused me but just then, it irritated the hell out of me.
So, I plodded on with my head down and just concentrated on putting one foot before the other. Pain wracked my body and the skin of my back felt hot and inflamed. I was pretty sure that was the start of an infection and in an apocalyptic world, that could easily be a death sentence.
Not that I hadn’t survived worse, but it hadn’t been pleasant and had very nearly killed me. I’d prefer not to have to endure that again. I had just endured a week of torture after all. It wasn’t too much to ask for a bit of rest.
“Runway looks clear,” Gregg called back. “One of them anyway.”
I raised my head and peered up the road. A chain link fence surrounded the airfield and there were two runways. One of which was clear, while the other had a plane sitting halfway along its length.
More planes were pulled up near a row of hangars. When things had been going to hell, a lot of airports were shut down to outgoing flights and would only accept incoming flights if an emergency. As a result, they ensured their runways were clear.
Which was a huge benefit to us.
“I can’t believe there’s no zombies,” Gregg said as he trotted back to me. “I mean, you’d think there’d be some.”
Which was true and the fact that there weren’t any could mean that there were people living in the large airport terminal just south of the runways. It could also mean that they had wandered off in search of food.
I knew for a fact that I wasn’t up to a fight with another Reaper but I could handle some Shamblers if I had no other choice.
Parts of the chain-link fence were down, the metal bent and twisted and trampled into the muddy field. It was bent inwards which suggested zombies had broken in after people that were there.
That didn’t bode well.
Either the zombies had eaten them all and wandered on or the people had won the fight. As I peered at the airport though, I was pretty sure there were no people living there.
Wherever people set up camp, you would see the same signs. Washing hanging on lines, boards over windows and other such security measures. Even water barrels and cooking pits. There was none of that.
The terminal was dark and lifeless. Weeds and long grass grew everywhere and the terminal windows were uncovered. If anyone were inside they were fools because they would be seen and any light sources would show up for miles.
“We gonna check it out or just wait?”
I stretched slowly, feeling the pull of the stitches in my back and the accompanying pain. I wiped away the sweat from my face that seemed to persist despite the chill and looked over at the terminal again.
“Better to check it and not be surprised.”
Gregg led the way once more, directing the column of civilians to follow him. They would be useless to us inside but better to have them stay close and out of sight.
Small planes littered the grassy area before the terminal like a flock of birds. They had been wheeled out of the way of the larger planes and then abandoned. I glanced into one curiously as we passed but there was nothing inside but dust.
“That’s far enough,” a voice called and I almost groaned. I was in no condition to fight anyone.
My heart sank a little as four men and a woman stepped out from behind a small tractor that had likely been used to tow the planes into place. They each wore grey fatigues and camouflage netting and carried an assault rifle in their arms.
“Seriously?”
“Mr Smythe hasn’t finished with you,” the lead mercenary said.
He was tall and well built with the healthy glow that comes with being in the prime of good health. His beard was neatly trimmed and shaped and his clothing was clean. The other mercenaries were much the same and they all bore the hard-faced look of people who had seen combat and survived.
My day was going from bad to worse. A few raiders I could have probably dealt with, even in the condition I was in. But, a squad of mercenaries sent by the green-suited prick who’d had me tortured for a week were a different thing entirely.
“Are you going to let the others go?”
“Why would we do that?”
“Courtesy,” I said simply. “If nothing else it will ensure my cooperation.”
“We don’t need your cooperation, pal,” another of the mercenaries said with a guffaw. “You’ll come whether you want to or not.”
“Now, drop your weapons and-“
Blood spurted from the side of his head and his eyes went blank before he dropped to the ground. I stared at him, more than a little surprised and then looked up at the equally startled mercenaries.
“What the hell?” one exclaimed just before he died, a bullet ripping through his throat.
The other mercenaries dived for cover, and straight into a hail of bullets from an assault rifle. I just stared, trying to process what had happened.
“For a clever bastard, you’re not that clever,” Isaac said as he stepped into view, assault rifle still in hand.
“Hello, Isaac.”
The large mercenary still looked as brutish as ever. He grinned mirthlessly as he checked the bodies. Gregg looked at me and I gave a half-shrug that hurt more than it should have as my stitches were pulled. The scientists and rescued women were watching in confusion and more than a little fear.
“First thing you need to learn is to use an encrypted channel. Otherwise, you just tell anyone who is listening where you’re going.”
Like Smythe and Isaac, it seemed.
“You were listening?”
“Smythe wouldn’t just be after you, laddie. Of course, I was listening. Picked up your chatter straight away. Hear
d about your trip and that you were gonna be picked up here.”
“And that interests you, why? Last I recall, you were wanting to keep far away from me.”
“Aye, well.” He scratched at his chin and raised his hand into the air. “Soon realised there wasn’t many places we’d be safe anyway.”
In the distance, a column of trucks began moving towards us. I guessed them to be the rest of Isaacs people. Those that had escaped the bunker with him.
“Your people gonna take offence at my abducting you?”
“This is the guy who did that?” Gregg asked. “He torture you too?”
“Not really,” I said with a grin. “If there’s any ill will, I’m sure they’ll get over it.”
“Good to know.” He hesitated and looked at the approaching trucks. “I’m risking a lot to trust you, Clever Bastard.”
“You wouldn’t be the first.”
The lead truck pulled up and Erin nodded at me from where she stood, her sniper rifle resting on the cab of the truck. The red-headed mercenary was quiet, competent and hadn’t been one of those rushing to abuse me on the trip to the bunker. I liked her.
Introductions were made and the trucks were unloaded as I settled in to wait. It was a surprisingly short time before I heard the drone of an engine and looked up to see a sight I’d not seen since before the fall of the world. A plane flying through the sky.
It landed with no problems and taxied to a stop. I walked with the others towards it. There was an eagerness to be gone from that place as many others would have heard that plane too and followed the sound.
A door on the side opened and a rope ladder was thrown down. Two black garbed figures came out first, scrambling down the ladder to stand at attention. As soon as they caught sight of me, their fists thumped against their breasts in salute.
The next person out was one I recognised and I even managed a rare and genuine smile at the sight of her. She was down the ladder and running towards me in an instant and I groaned as she pulled me into an embrace.
“Oh! Sorry!”
“It’s fine,” I said. “Just a little pain.”
She grinned foolishly, holding onto my arms as though afraid to let go. She looked tired, but determined and perhaps a little pleased to see me.
Killing the Dead Season 3 Box Set | Books 13-18 Page 51