She leaped out of the way just as Dal opened fire. The rock smashed into the ground right where she’d been standing. Dal’s bullets thudded into the giant boulder where the mutant hid. More giant rocks sailed in their direction. One of them smacked into the side of the truck.
No way should anything be able to throw rocks that big, let alone so far.
“Take cover,” Dal yelled.
Cassie was sweaty with terror, but she held her ground. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Amanda helping Stephenson out of the truck. His foot was bleeding. The two of them scuttled under the truck with the antenna, keeping it out of harm’s way.
“Cassie,” Lena cried. She and Dal had taken cover behind the back of the truck as more more boulders rained down.
Cassie saw everything in a blink. They were in deep shit. There were several reasons for this.
a) The was a ton of rocks out there. The mutant pretty much had an endless supply of ammunition.
b) The mutant was intelligent. Not only was he using a big boulder for cover, he had figured out how to weaponize rocks.
c) He could destroy their truck with enough of those rocks. If that happened, the portable broadcasting system they’d worked so hard to create would be stranded. They would be stranded out here.
The answer was simple. She saw it all in a flash, like she did in a chess game. Someone had to draw the mutant into the open so Lena and Dal could shoot him. It was the only way to protect the truck.
Cassie knew what she had to do, even though it scared the living crap out of her.
She didn’t give herself time to think about it. “Lena, Dal,” she shouted, “cover me!”
She sprinted down the hill, screaming at the top of her lungs. She raced straight toward the boulder, hoping her approach would draw out the mutant.
Her plan worked. The mutant’s head popped up from behind the boulder. As soon as he saw her, he sprang out of hiding.
He sailed right over the boulder and hit the ground running—coming straight for Cassie. She prayed Dal and Lena were damn good shots. Cassie dropped to the ground, covering her head with her hands.
Bullets ripped by on either side of her. Cassie couldn’t stop screaming. She braced herself for impact—whether from the mutant or stray bullets, she wasn’t sure.
Silence. Her ears buzzed with the aftershock of the gunfire. Cassie dared raise her head.
The mutant, no more than ten feet away from her, was dead. Dark blood poured out of his body, sinking into the earth. He looked like he’d been shot more than a dozen times.
Was it really dead? Cassie crept toward it, gripped her machine gun. When she was five feet away, she pulled the trigger. Bullets tore into the body, sending droplets of blood flying upward.
Panting, she lowered the gun.
“Cassie?”
She jumped. Lena and Dal were beside her.
“Are you nuts?” Lena grabbed her in a brief hug. “What the hell was that?”
“Someone had to draw him out.” Cassie’s voice shook. “Otherwise he would have ruined our radio station. It was the only way.”
“Don’t do that again, okay?” Dal patted her on the back. “You scared the shit out of us.”
Cassie just nodded. She couldn’t take her eyes off the mutant corpse. The muscles of his legs had grown so large that most of his pants had ripped away. Skin criss-crossed with poisoned veins was exposed. The same had happened with his arms and torso. Unlike the other mutant they’d seen, this one’s muscles had expanded evenly. The distended hump on his back was huge.
“He looks like a zombified Incredible Hulk,” Lena said.
“What—what’s it doing out here in the middle of nowhere?” Cassie asked.
“I think that might be Mr. Peterson,” Dal said. “These are his cattle. I recognize his belt buckle.”
It was one of the few articles of clothing still intact, though it was covered with so much blood that Cassie wasn’t sure how Dal could see well enough to recognize it.
“I guess—I guess we can officially say mutant zombies are not a fluke,” she said. “They’re smarter than regular zombies. This one had an attack plan.”
Lena and Dal gave her tight looks.
A long wail from Stephenson carried down the slope. “I’ve been shot!”
Cassie jerked around. Crap. She’d forgotten about Stephenson. She raced back up the hillside with Dal and Lena.
They found him rolling on the ground beside the truck. His foot was a bloody mess. Amanda was trying to get his shoe off.
Cassie’s lungs stopped working. She’d shot her friend.
“We need to get him back to Nonna,” Dal said.
Stephenson’s shouting abruptly cut off. His body went limp on the ground.
“I think he fainted,” Amanda said.
“Oh, God,” Cassie whispered. She couldn’t stop staring at Stephenson’s bloody foot. She had done that. Would he still be able to walk?
“It was an accident,” Lena said. “Come on, we have to get him back to Nonna.”
They lifted Stephenson’s bony form into the back of the truck. Cassie cradled his head on her lap while Amanda wrestled the shoe and sock off his wounded foot.
“It doesn’t look too bad,” she said, heedless of the blood that got on her clothes and hands. She’d never been squeamish in biology when they had to dissect frogs, either. “I think your bullet hit his little toe.”
“Use his other sock to stanch the bleeding as best you can,” Dal said. He threw the truck in reverse and turned it around. Seconds later, they were driving back to the cabin.
Amanda wrapped Stephenson’s wounded foot with his good sock. When she was done, she leaned back against the back of the cab.
“He’ll be okay,” she told Cassie. “You know him. He just doesn’t take pain well.”
“I shot our friend.” Cassie still struggled to process this. She felt terrible.
“You also risked your life to draw the mutant out into the open,” Amanda replied. She glanced at a clump of trees they passed. “I wish I’d had a chance to see it up close. What did it look like?”
It took Cassie a moment to realize she was talking about the mutant. She described it as best she could.
Amanda shuddered. “It must be a virus mutation. The scariest part is that it actually displayed intelligence. I mean, that thing launched an assault on us. A regular zombie wouldn’t have done that.”
“I know.” Cassie smoothed one hand over Stephenson’s forehead. It was definitely better that he was unconscious. At least this way he wasn’t feeling his messed-up foot.
“Lena told me the Russians have some sort of vaccine that makes them immune to the zombies,” Amanda said. “Some sort of repellant that keeps the zombies from attacking them. I wonder if that also applies to the mutants?”
Cassie shrugged. She wasn’t in the mood to talk about the mutants anymore. “Did Dal finish his broadcast before the mutant attacked?”
“Most of it,” Amanda said. “Anyone listening knows to keep an eye out for them.”
Well, that was something. At least this mission hadn’t been a waste. They’d accomplished what they’d set out to do.
Except they now had more information the people needed to hear. “Not only are the mutants strong, but they’re smart,” Cassie said. “That one was smart enough to stay out of gun range.”
“Dal will have to tell that to the people in the next broadcast,” Amanda agreed.
They lapsed into silence as the truck bounced its way over the uneven ground back to the cabin. Cassie kept her eyes peeled for mutants the entire way. Her hands never stopped smoothing Stephenson’s hair across his forehead.
Chapter 14
Trade
LEO WASN’T SURE WHICH fact was more disturbing: the fact that Cassie had shot off Stephenson’s little toe, or the fact that she’d charged a mutant zombie with the intention of drawing him out into the open.
Leo had to go outside while Nonna cleane
d and bandaged Stephenson’s little toe.
He was a complete wreck. The kid wouldn’t stop crying. It was too hard to watch. Leo wasn’t use to guys like Stephenson. He was ... delicate. Jennifer and Tate were busy trying to liquor him up with shots of grappa. The other chess girl, Amanda, was helping Nonna.
As he stepped onto the porch, he caught sight of Cassie’s curly hair disappearing beneath the cabin. He followed her without thought. He arrived in time to see the door to the storage room close.
While it occurred to him that Cassie might want privacy—it wasn’t every day you accidentally shot your friend—Leo instinctively barged in after her. He was treated to one look of her tear-streaked, devastated face before she stiffened and turned her back on him.
“Cassie?”
“I need to be alone for a few minutes, please.” Her voice came out shaky and strained. He could tell she was making an effort not to break down in front of him.
He hesitated. She had asked him to go
Stephenson’s screaming from upstairs reached a new crescendo. Cassie flinched and hunched her shoulders, keeping her back to Leo.
Screw this. He wasn’t going to leave her down here to feel miserable about herself.
“It was an accident, Cassie.”
She didn’t say anything. Not a word. She was too busy sobbing.
Leo stepped in front of her and pulled her into a hug. She tensed. He didn’t let go. After a few seconds, she went limp and rested her forehead on his shoulder. His shirt grew damp as she cried. She shook in his arms as sobs wracked her.
Leo just held her. He figured it wouldn’t matter if he pointed out that she’d saved everyone and the truck with her stunt. None of that changed the fact that she’d accidentally shot her friend.
“I ...” She hiccuped. “I need to learn how to use a gun. Will ... will you teach me?”
He tightened his grip on her. He liked the way she felt in his arms, though he wished the circumstances were different. “Of course. Tomorrow. How does that sound? I’ll take you, Amanda, and Jennifer out for a few hours of practice. We’ll go way out into the woods where the Russians won’t hear us. We can get Anton to help. He’s a great shot.”
“Thank you.”
He squeezed her. “Will you do something for me in return?”
She lifted wet, red eyes to look at him. Her nose was no more than an inch from his. “What?”
“I want you to give me chess lessons.” He liked how tall she was. “I want to learn how to play like you play.”
She blinked in surprise, a small dent appearing between her brows. “You want to learn to play like I play?”
“Yeah.” If chess was good enough for Napoleon, it was good enough for him. “Will you teach me?”
She sniffed. “Okay. But just because I give you lessons does’t mean you’ll be able to beat me. I’m really good.”
He searched her eyes, trying to determine if she was cracking a joke.
She wasn’t. Her emotional state was making her blunt.
“That’s okay. I don’t mind being beaten by you.” Apparently, her emotion state was making him blunt, too.
Their eyes locked. His gaze strayed to her lips. It took all his willpower not to kiss her on the mouth. He diffused the tension of the moment by kissing her on the forehead and pulling her back against his shoulder. It felt good when she relaxed against him.
Jennifer was right. He liked Cassie. It didn’t matter if he’d only just gotten reacquainted with her. She ignited a slow burn that went from the top of his head all the way down to his feet. He was pretty sure she liked him, too.
But they were in the middle of a goddamn war. This wasn’t exactly the time to date a girl. It wasn’t like he could ask her to movies.
Hey, Cassie, want to go kill some Soviets with me? That wasn’t any girl’s idea of a good time. His, either.
She had quieted against him. Sobs no longer wracked her body. Upstairs, Stephenson’s cries had leveled off.
“Come on. Let’s go check on Stephenson,” he said.
She nodded and pulled back from him. Leo reluctantly led her go. He watched as she dried her eyes on the sleeve of her shirt. The process left blood smeared across her eyebrow and forehead.
“Here, wait.” He cupped the back of her head and wiped the blood away, ignoring the way his heart leaped when she closed her eyes and relaxed into his grip.
“There. All gone.” He gave her shoulders a squeeze before releasing her.
Her eyes opened, looking straight at him. “I don’t know why my sister ever broke up with you. That was the stupidest thing she ever did.” Red crept up her neck. She turned her back and hurried away.
Leo followed her, feeling glad she had asked him for shooting lessons. He didn’t want anything to ever happen to her.
Chapter 15
Lesson
THE NEXT DAY, CASSIE awoke early, ready for her shooting lesson. Jennifer and Amanda got up with her, both of them eager to learn how to defend themselves.
Stephenson opted to stay behind. Even though the sun hadn’t fully risen, Nonna put him to work peeling carrots in the kitchen.
“Don’t worry,” he said to Cassie. “I don’t need to learn how to shoot. By the time Leo is finished with you, you’ll be able to protect me.”
“I’m so sorry about your foot,” Cassie said for the hundredth time.
“It’s okay.” The smile he gave her was genuine, even though his face was wan from the ordeal.
“It’s not like anyone needs a pinkie toe.” Amanda elbowed Stephenson. “Besides, just think of all the girls you’ll impress with a missing toe.”
If possible, Stephenson went even paler at this suggestion.
Nonna bustled over and inserted herself between Amanda and Stephenson. She plopped a cup of tea in front of him. “Willow bark tea. Drink,” she ordered.
Cassie and the other girls went outside to where Leo and Anton had the three horses waiting.
“Jennifer, are you okay to ride a horse by yourself?” Leo asked.
“Yes, Mr. Quarterback,” Jennifer replied. “I can handle a horse.” She jumped astride the stocky mare Leo usually rode. She made it look easy.
Leo rolled his eyes, but didn’t comment on the snide remark. Cassie watched the exchange intently. All she saw was the two of them annoying one another like siblings. It baffled her.
“Amanda, ride with Anton,” Leo said. “Cassie, you’re with me.”
Cassie threw a quick glance at her sister to see how she would react to this. Jennifer didn’t appear to be paying attention. She was already riding away like she knew where they were going.
Leo grabbed Cassie around the waist and boosted her onto the horse. Seconds later, he jumped astride in front of her. As they rode away from the cabin, Cassie snugged her arms around his waist.
“Jen, do you know where you’re going?” Leo called.
“You said we’re going north. So I’m riding north,” Jennifer replied.
Cassie laughed despite herself. Jennifer always thought she knew where she was going, even when she didn’t.
They rode to a remote valley a few miles away from the cabin.
As Leo pulled his horse to a stop, he said, “The natural shape of the valley will mute the echo of the guns.”
“Great,” Cassie replied. “I’m ready to learn how not to shoot my friend in the foot.”
Leo didn’t laugh at her, but he looked like he wanted to. Well, that was okay.
“Our father taught us to shoot when we were kids,” Leo said. “When it comes to guns, the first rule is always, always assume a gun is loaded.”
Anton flashed a grin a Leo. Cassie could tell they were sharing a happy memory of time spent with their father.
“The second rule is never, ever put your finger on the trigger until you’re ready to fire,” Anton said.
“The third rule,” Leo said, “is never to forget rule number one and number two. That will keep everyone safe. Now, you guys read
y to learn how to shoot?”
Cassie spent the next several hours sweating her brains out under the sun while Leo and Anton attempted to teach the three of them how to handle firearms. Anton had spray painted a target on a big tree. They practiced with rifles, Soviet machine guns, and a .22 caliber.
Of the three of them, Jennifer picked it up the fastest. Cassie and Amanda threw themselves into the training with determination.
“You always make everything look easy,” Cassie complained. “It doesn’t matter what it is.”
This was why Jennifer had always been their mother’s favorite. She was perfect in everything, from cheerleading to gymnastics to her looks.
Cassie had tried to catch up with perfect grades, but what was a four-point-three GPA when your big sister could do flips like a Shanghai acrobat and snag the hottest guy at school?
“It’s not that I make things look easy,” Jennifer replied. “It’s that I decide going into things that I’m going to kick ass at them. It’s all about confidence, Cas.”
“That’s your secret?” Amanda asked.
“Yep.” Jennifer illustrated this point by firing the rifle five times in a row. Every bullet hit the target tree.
When she finished, she lowered her gun and gave Cassie a gentle smile. “Try it,” she said. “You can do it.”
Cassie decided to take a page out of Jennifer’s book. By the time the day ended, her hands and forearms shook with fatigue. But she couldn’t stop a pleased smile from splitting her face. She had hit the target no less than seven times in a row.
“Nice work.” Leo grinned at her.
Cassie tried to pretend the look didn’t melt her from the inside out. Honestly, it was amazing she could even concentrate with him constantly touching her and adjusting her stance.
“Do you think the rest of Stephenson’s toes are safe?” she asked.
Leo burst out laughing. “I hope so.”
“I knew you could do it.” Jennifer slung an arm around Cassie. “Good job, Sis. The Soviets don’t stand a chance.”
As they rode back to the cabin, Leo said, “Still up for a a chess lesson tonight?”
Zommunist Invasion | Book 2 | Snipers Page 9