“Better to be safe than sorry.” Julianne’s voice took on a sharp edge, her cheeks flushing with angry blood. “Until we know for sure, I’m not trusting him for one second.”
“I’m not asking you to trust him. I’m asking you to trust me.” Breytenbach leaned forward and took her hand in his. “I’d never let anything happen to you or the kids. You know that.”
“I know.” Julianne sighed, squeezing his fingers. “It’s just so hard, seeing him walk around eating our food and wearing our clothes, knowing what he’s done.”
“If he has done any of those things, we’ll find out, and he’ll get his just punishment.” Breytenbach paused. “In the meantime, give him the benefit of the doubt, at least.”
“Fine, just don’t expect me to act like he’s just a regular teenager because he’s not. I don’t want him anywhere near either Meghan or Sam.”
“Lisa wouldn’t let him anywhere near them.” Breytenbach chuckled. “That’s one mean-tempered little girl.”
The corner of Julianne’s mouth quirked, and she looked away.
“Come on, admit it,” Breytenbach teased.
“Yeah, okay. She’s a firecracker. Goes with the red hair, I suppose,” Julianne admitted. “Still, I feel kind of bad for asking her to babysit Kabelo.”
“Don’t feel sorry for her. Lisa needs to work through her feelings of anger.” Breytenbach tapped his fingers on the table in a rhythmic jig. It relieved the shaking in his hand somewhat. “It’ll be good for her.”
“Really?” Julianne’s brows lifted.
“Or she might just kill him. Who knows?”
“You think she might do that?”
“If he pisses her off enough…” Breytenbach trailed off. “She certainly is capable of it. At any rate, I’ll be keeping an eye on those two. Both of them, all the time.”
“Maybe we should—”
A sharp rap on the door interrupted her and Michael walked in, followed by Dr. Lange. Breytenbach stood up and extended his hand, shaking theirs briefly. “Dr. Lange, Michael. Nice to see you.”
“Captain,” Michael greeted. His dark eyes cut around the room, missing nothing. “Where are the others?”
“They’ll be along shortly. Today’s meeting is a small one.”
“But an important one, I hear,” Michael said.
Breytenbach’s eyes narrowed. “Where did you hear that? We kept it quiet so as not to alarm everyone.”
“I have ears.”
“So I see. Sit, won’t you?” Breytenbach gestured to the table. “Dr. Lange, have a seat.”
“Thank you, Captain,” Dr. Lange replied, sliding into a chair.
Michael ignored the proffered seat, choosing instead to make his way to the corner where the coffee waited. He poured himself a cup then leaned against the wall, sipping the bitter black brew while his hooded eyes flickered over each of them in turn.
Breytenbach took his seat, proffering a smile to the doctor. “Julianne says you asked to meet?”
“Yes, indeed.” Dr. Lange nodded. “Let me get straight to the point. I understand we’re in a bit of a pickle? The camp, I mean.”
“Understatement of the year, but yes, we find ourselves in an awkward position.”
“Do you know what you face? Do you have a strategy in place to deal with the problem? Backup plans? Anything?” Dr. Lange’s earnest eyes fixed on Breytenbach, and he leaned forward, placing a thin hand on the table. His features were lively, the fingers of his hand moved ceaselessly, plucking at a seam in the wood.
Breytenbach’s eyes traveled to Michael, taking in the latter’s alert state of rest before cutting back to Lange. “May I ask why you’re so interested?”
“Besides the obvious? That I live here now and have a vested interest in keeping my body from expiring? Becoming a plaything to some gang member with glorified ideas of self?” Dr. Lange shrugged. “I’d like to help. As I said, I live here now. I’m one of you.”
Breytenbach studied the doctor for a moment, taking in minute details. The man had filled out, his cheeks no longer gaunt and his eyes bright instead of haunted. The shirt he wore was clean, the old lab overcoat free of stains. Quite a change in such a short time.
“I’m glad you feel that way, and I’m sure we can use all the help we can get. You’re welcome to stay for the meeting if you like. Suggestions are always welcome.”
“Thank you.” Dr. Lange sat back with a faint smile.
“May I say you are looking well, Doctor,” Julianne said.
Lange nodded, the movement quick and birdlike. “You may. I feel well. The loss of my lab hit me hard, but it’s time to move on. Recoup.”
“Recoup?”
“Yes, I have begun writing down my findings and discoveries. Copying the work that I lost.” Lange laughed. “What I can remember, at any rate.”
“Which is a just about everything,” Michael interjected. “The doctor here has an eidetic memory.”
“Really?” Julianne sat up straight. “That’s amazing. Does this mean your work isn’t all lost? Can you continue with your research?”
“Yes, and no.” Lange shook his head. “Yes, my work is not lost. Not all of it, at least. But without the proper facilities and equipment, I cannot continue my research.”
“That’s a shame.”
Julianne’s face mirrored the disappointment Breytenbach felt. “Perhaps,” he interjected, “when this is all over, we can revisit the idea of getting you the equipment you need.”
“Perhaps,” Lange agreed. “Now, can you get us up to speed on the current situation?”
“All right. Here’s the deal. Mike and Ronnie went on recon. They returned this morning and will present us with their findings. I have already been briefed.” Breytenbach drummed his fingers on the table, nervous energy tingling through his veins. “Max and Joseph are inspecting our defenses. At the meeting, they too will present their thoughts. Then we decide on a plan of action.”
“I see. We shall simply have to wait.”
“You won’t have to wait long,” Max said, his large frame filling the doorway. “Joseph and I are done with our inspections.”
Joseph walked into the room, slumping down in the nearest chair. He looked tired, and the worry lines on his face were more pronounced than usual.
“So?” Julianne asked. “What do you think?”
Max shook his head, pulling out a chair. The legs scraped across the floor, the metal legs settling slightly off-kilter on the uneven tiles. “Let’s wait for the rest to get here first. Who are all coming?”
“Besides you and Joseph, nobody. Lucas is repairing an electrical fault, and Elise is busy.”
“Elise is here,” the woman in question interrupted as her head appeared around the doorjamb. Her face was followed by two hands gripping a tray piled high with biscuits. She placed it in the middle of the table, avoiding Julianne’s gaze. An uncomfortable silence fell.
Breytenbach cleared his throat, shuffling the papers in front of him. “Everybody is here so we can begin. Max. Joseph. What is the state of our defenses?”
Joseph leaned forward in his chair, placing his hands on the table. “We’ve cleared a wide swath of vegetation around the camp, allowing for an open field of fire. The gate has been fortified as has the walls and watchtowers.”
“Can we hold if another horde arrives?”
“I don’t know.” Joseph shook his head. “It depends on the size of the swarm. I’ve done all I can with the material available.”
“We could dig more trenches at strategic points,” Max offered. “Fill them with sharpened sticks like the moat.”
“That didn’t stop the infected the last time,” Julianne pointed out. “They simply filled the hole until their bodies formed a bridge.”
“Yes, but if we dig enough trenches, it will thin the herd and slow them down, at least.”
“Do we have the manpower to dig that many?” Breytenbach looked at Joseph.
He shrugged. “Hands are
few, but we’ll do our best. At least we’ve got the backhoe.”
“All right. See what you can do.” Breytenbach looked at Elize. “How are our supplies holding up?”
“We’re doing well. Dave is busy cataloging the stores with the help of Michelle and the kids. Keeps them out of trouble.” She shrugged. “A rough estimate puts us at a few months if we’re careful. Plus it’s hunting season. We can cull a few animals from the game farm and store the meat. Our crops weren’t large, but helped a lot.”
“Good. That gives us breathing room, at least.” Breytenbach stared at the scarred wood of the table, following a seam with his eyes.
“Our more pressing concern is weapons training,” Max added. “Nobody has the time, and we need to be prepared to defend ourselves against an attack.”
Breytenbach thought about it. Able-bodied people were scarce and the work plentiful. There weren’t enough hours in the day to do everything. He sighed, aware that the dull ache in his skull was growing sharper by the second. “Why don’t we discuss this at dinner tonight in the common room? Everybody will be there. We can decide who to assign to what, work out a duty roster and squeeze the training in somehow.”
“Some of our younger and older members can take a more active role, perhaps,” Julianne suggested. “Also, we must implement stricter water rationing.”
Nods and murmurs of agreement followed each other around the table even though nobody was thrilled at the prospect of more infrequent baths.
“Now, to the real reason we’re all gathered here. Ke Tau,” Breytenbach said.
The words dropped into the atmosphere like a stone in a pond, the effect rippling out until it affected everybody.
“As you all know, Ronnie and Mike returned this morning. They were debriefed and on my orders have kept the information to themselves until this meeting,” Breytenbach continued. “I’d like for them to tell you what they found out themselves. Afterward, we need to decide on a course of action.“
“Where are they?” Elise asked.
“We’re here,” Ronnie replied, entering the room, followed by Mike. They had washed. Their damp hair clung to their skin, fresh shirts replacing their stained, sweat-soaked fighting gear.
“On time, as ever,” Breytenbach affirmed, glancing at his watch. He waited until each of them sat down and the room fell silent. “Whenever you’re ready, Ronnie.”
“Right, I’ll make it short,” Ronnie said, eyes traveling around the room. “We met and spoke to somebody from inside Ke Tau’s gang. She has provided me with information and also agreed to help us if she can.”
The room broke into a low hum of conversation.
“Who is this woman?”
“Are you sure she can be trusted?”
“How can she help us?”
Even Dr. Lange raised his voice.
Ronnie lifted his hands until the noise died down before continuing. He told them about the old woman and the talk he’d had with her. “Her name is Rebecca. She acts as a servant to Ke Tau and his men, tolerated because of her usefulness and age.”
“Why would she help us?” Julianne asked.
“Ke Tau infected her son with the virus then tied him to a pole, forcing her to watch him turn. All because he refused to join them. His corpse is still there, serving as a warning to both others and her.”
Julianne shook her head slowly, her face filled with pity. “The poor lady.”
“What else?” Breytenbach prompted.
“She confirmed the information Kabelo provided and gave more.“
A lightning glance shot between Julianne and Elise. Elise’s eyes hinted at triumph while Julianne’s fingers tightened around her pen until her knuckles shone white. The sudden tension between the two women did not go unnoticed, and Breytenbach gestured to Ronnie to sit before an argument could erupt.
“With the information we now have, we can plan an assault on their base with a possible chance of success. However, casualties will be high, and the chance of failure remains,” Breytenbach said. All eyes turned to him, personal gripes forgotten in the face of this grim news.
“Is there no other way?”
“There is one.” Breytenbach sighed. “The woman, Rebecca, hinted at possible allies within the gang. They would have to be persuaded to join our cause, though.”
“Persuaded how?” Dr. Lange asked.
“One of us would have to infiltrate their base.”
“Infiltrate their base?” Julianne said. “Like a spy?”
“Yes. It’s both crazy and dangerous,” Breytenbach said. “But it might tip the odds in our favor. With someone on the inside, we could coordinate a double attack. Both from without and within.“
“And who would be willing to do this? What if it backfires and they kill him or her?” Julianne asked.
“It can’t be a woman. We all know what they do to women,” Elise said.
“And it can’t be one of my team or anyone who’s been on a raid recently, either. They might be recognized,” Breytenbach said. “We know they’re watching us.”
“I’ll do it.” The gruff timbre of Michael’s voice startled them all.
Breytenbach’s head swung toward the man in question, sending a sharp pain through his temple. He suppressed the resulting wince and studied Michael with surprise. “You? You’re willing to take the risk?”
“I am.” Michael looked at each of them with flat eyes, no expression crossing his features. “They don’t know me, have never seen me, and I possess the necessary training.”
He’s right. They don’t know him. Breytenbach turned to Michael. “You’re sure? You realize what this entails?”
“I do.”
“Then it’s decided.”
Chapter 23 - Michael
The moon hung full and fat, a gigantic orb dripping silver droplets of light onto the landscape below. It illuminated the steel bars crisscrossing the gate, giving it an unearthly glow.
Dark shapes scurried about, working to open the monstrosity in hushed silence. Michael stared at the scarred wood, waiting. Next to him, Dr. Lange stood. Neither said a word for what was there to say?
The wind shifted, a sharp breeze swirling through the camp. His nostrils flared, searching for any clues the air might offer. The night was dark, and when he set out, he would be vulnerable to attack. A tall shadow approached, revealing itself as Max.
“Ready?” Max asked.
“Yes.”
“We’ll be in touch.”
Michael didn’t bother to answer, settling for a stiff nod. He hated idle talk. As he turned to go, the voice of Dr. Lange stopped him. “Good luck, and thank you for your service.”
Despite his natural inclinations, he felt profound respect towards the scientist. For almost a year, he’d served the man, protecting him from harm and enabling him to continue his research.
Long after the army disappeared, falling beneath a barrage of dead flesh, conflicting orders, poor morale, and a dissolute government, Michael continued to stay. All because he believed in the scientist and his abilities. “Farewell, Dr. Lange.”
Settling the worn canvas bag across his shoulders, he set off into the night. It was quiet but not silent. His ears picked up on the rustling of field mice in the grass and the chirping of crickets. The gravel of the rough path leading to the gate in the fence crunched beneath his boots. In the distance, a goat bleated, awoken from its sleep.
Though it was unlikely any infected lurked in the field around him, he stayed alert, nonetheless. He had not lived this long by underestimating the enemy.
Likewise, he kept low to the ground, using cover whenever it was available. Ke Tau had people watching them. That much was evident from their past experiences with the man. It would not do for Michael to be seen leaving the camp, only to show up on the gang leader’s doorstep looking for asylum.
He reached the gate guarding the fence and climbed over. Dropping low to the ground, he paused, listening. Now that he had left the safety of the
grounds, zombies became a much more immediate problem. After a few seconds, he concluded he was alone and settled into a swift, ground-eating pace. He had far to go, and many obstacles stood in his way.
When Max had heard he planned to walk, the young leader objected, offering him a vehicle. This was folly, and Michael told him so in no uncertain terms. Ke Tau would recognize the car. Or one of his watchers would.
No. Michael would walk. He would show up looking the way the gang members did: scruffy, dirty, unwashed, and rough.
Minutes ticked by, one blending into the next with numbing sameness as time ceased to exist. The pitted dirt road flowed beneath his feet, while his senses tracked any noise, movement, or smell that occurred.
Stunted trees arced up to the sky, reaching gnarled fingers to the light. It was a relief to be away from people, away from the stresses and demands of society, even one as small and uncertain as the camp. He’d never been one for the social niceties, left baffled by the overt display of emotion shown by human beings.
He reached the highway and, his hand hovered over the handle of his knife. The brush tapered out, giving way to the road that wound through the countryside like a gray snake, twisting and turning, yet unnaturally straight. Man made.
The going became easier, the dangers of breaking an ankle lessening on the tar. It boasted its fair share of potholes, of course, worsened by neglect and inclement weather. But it was easier to navigate by the light provided by the moon. The problem was, that made it easier for infected too.
Not letting his guard down for an instant, Michael pushed on, devouring the kilometers beneath his boots. His breathing was smooth and regular, his broad chest rising and falling rhythmically.
A man of precision, he had not let slip on his physical exercise for even a moment since the outbreak began. He trained each day in a manner that would kill a lesser man, a fact that now stood in his favor.
To his left, a low hill rose from the ground like a hulking bear. His first landmark. Michael nodded with approval. He was making good time.
At the same time, his muscles tensed. He slipped his blade from its leather holster, holding it low with the cutting edge up. Ahead lay a four-way crossing, clogged with cars both crashed and abandoned. A path had been cleared through it by Breytenbach and his team, but it remained a dangerous place, a prime spot for infected.
Children of the Apocalypse: Mega Boxed Set Page 52