The Zombie Awakening (Complete 6 Volume Series, plus prologue)
Page 36
“They will let us use the cow, right?” Chalice paled. “They won’t make us be the bait, will they?”
“If they do, we’ll take the Hummer. It’s gotten us through before.” Colton shook his head. “Or a tank, if they’ll give us one.”
“So, you do think the cow was an empty promise.” Chalice shoved her plate away.
“Mychal had a good point. They had to be using the soldiers to lure the undead in. “Well, we’re the outsiders. It makes more sense to use one of us.”
“Good deduction.” A man in a general’s uniform stood beside their table. “You and the young lady are smart. We won’t ask you to go, but those two …” he pointed at the Dillow brothers, “are expendable.”
“What? No!” John leaped to his feet. “I’m a married man.”
“So was I, once.” The general stiffened. “You’ll be safe in an armored vehicle pulling a trailer with a couple of cows inside. You’ll be more safe than my men were.”
Colton met Chalice’s gaze. “No, sir, we’ll go. We’ve more experience at this type of thing.”
“I’m with them.” Amos stood.
“Me, too,” Mychal said. “It’s nothing we haven’t done before.”
Colton moved to stand face-to-face with the general. “You tell President Balch, that if we succeed at this, anything we want, we get. Understand? If not, I’ll release that horde and lead them straight inside this base.”
The general gave a thin-lipped grin. “You survive this mission, and you’ll be treated like royalty. I guarantee it. President Balch will give you anything you want.”
Colton had a new thought … one that sent spiders scurrying up his spine. He feared the president wasn’t the one in control. The General was, and he may have just made a new enemy.
3
At daylight the next morning, Chalice climbed into the Hummer along with Colton, Marianne, and Mychal. Amos rode with the Dillows in the truck reinforced with steel panels and large spikes on the bumper. Each of the vehicles pulled a trailer containing a cow. The tops of the trailers were left open to further entice the monsters searching for a meal.
Overhead, a helicopter circled, ready to drop chickens at different intervals. All means to get the horde to follow the vehicles. Even with her familiar weapons at hand, Chalice still felt very inadequate for the task in front of them.
The growls of the undead on the other side of the fence sent fingers of dread up her spine. Her skin prickled under her thick leather clothing.
Colton grabbed her hand. “We’ve been in tight spots before.”
“This is bad.” She stared at him. “If I get bitten, you have to shoot me. Promise me.”
“There’s no need for that.” Mom leaned over the seat. “Rachel thinks she has the antidote.” She handed them each a vial. “Shoot this into your leg. If nothing else, she said it would slow the virus down, giving her time to perfect the medicine before the need to kill anyone arises.”
Chalice stared at what she hoped was the salvation of the world. “What about those in the truck?”
“Already taken care of.” Mom grinned. “It isn’t sure proof, unless one of us is bitten to where we can test it, but it’s something at least. Hide it. The General is coming. Rachel doesn’t want him to know she gave this to us.”
Chalice slid the hypodermic needle between the seat and the door. “General.”
“Miss Hart.” He glanced inside the car. “Looks like you’re as ready as you can be. Once you drive to the front of the base, we’ll press the lever that opens the gate. Do whatever you have to do to lure those things away.”
“It’s strange how you were content to have them here until we arrived to point out the danger.”
His features hardened. “I’ve never seen the reasoning. Thank you for convincing the president of the need.” He tapped his temple with his forefinger. “Our leader isn’t as … competent … as he once was. Still believes those things are his people.” He banged on the door. “Good luck.”
“Too bad he isn’t coming along,” Mychal grumbled from the back seat. “I’d like to toss him out with the chickens.”
Colton turned the ignition and steered them through the back gate. “There’s nothing wrong with President Balch. That man holds something over the president’s head to get him to agree with just about anything.”
“You think there’s an ulterior motive for keeping all those undead?” Chalice glanced toward the herd.
“I think the General knew someone would come along someday that could make the antidote. We fell right into his plan with our own method of getting rid of those things.” He shrugged. “Why use the antidote on us outsiders when he can save his military men and women? I think he’s trying to start a new world with fighters. The only way we’re going to be included is if we succeed today.”
“That’s the sickest thing I’ve ever heard.” Remembering the look in the General’s eyes, she was inclined to believe Colton. The only way they would have a future is if they survived the day.
They parked a few feet in front of the gate. Amos pulled next to them. They’d agreed the night before that they would drive side-by-side rather than leaving one of them trailing behind. As they sat there, the undead crowded that section of the gate.
Chalice glanced at the twisted barbed wire over the monsters’ heads. The fence started to bend under the weight of hundreds of bodies. “Time to take our medicine.” She plunged the hypodermic into her thigh.
Colton revved the engine as the gate lumbered open. “Here we go. God help us.” He inched forward as the first wave of zombies squeezed through the gate.
Chalice clutched the strap above her head, as if holding on would keep them from being overrun. “Can we risk going any faster?”
“I’ll pull ahead each time they get within touching distance of the trailer. If we get too far from them, they’ll turn back to the base.” Colton glanced in the rearview mirror. “Get on the walkie-talkie and make sure Amos follows my lead.”
Chalice did as he requested, then resumed her tight grip on the hand strap. The Hummer continued moving slowly forward as the crowd behind them grew and the copter, hovering just above the heads of the undead, dropped its first chicken.
“This is going to take forever,” Mychal said. “Those things don’t move fast enough.”
“It’s about to get a lot more interesting.” Chalice spotted five sprinters breaking free from the herd. “We’ve got to stay ahead of them, but not too far for the others to stay interested.”
“The slow ones will come,” Colton said. “They seem to have some kind of sense. Where a few find food, the others follow.” He pressed the gas, shooting the Hummer forward.
The sprinters kept pace with the vehicles. Soon the main herd was left behind.
“Damn.” Colton stopped the Hummer and grabbed his sword. “We’ve got to take care of these guys before they eat our bait.”
They climbed from the vehicle and plastered their backs against it. Chalice raised her sword as the first sprinter raced toward the trailer. “Hey!” The monster turned toward her.
The others did the same, directing the faster breed of zombie away from the defenseless animals and onto the humans. Amos stopped the truck next to them, covering them in dust, and shoved open his door. In his hand, he held an ax big enough to fell a small tree. The Dillow brothers exited after him, both wielding spears. They surrounded the frightened cows and prepared to fight.
*
Colton’s heart leaped into his throat as he faced the rapidly approaching threat. They needed to dispose of the sprinters quickly. If they were overrun by the hundreds following, they would have no chance of surviving.
The first swipe of his sword took the man’s head from his body. The second jab through the eyeball, halted the zombie’s gnashing teeth.
Chalice gave a war cry and sunk her sword into a woman’s head, then leaped onto the trailer and hacked at a teenager who was going after the terrified cow. The cow
bucked sending Chalice and the undead teen over the side and to the ground.
Colton leaped over the body of an undead and grabbed the teen boy by the back of his shirt. He yanked the thing off Chalice and stabbed it through its gaping mouth. “Back in the vehicles!”
They scurried back to the safety of the reinforced automobiles, just as the horde reached them. Before any of the creatures could climb into the trailer, Colton pressed the gas pedal. “I hope we don’t have to do that very often. Everyone okay?” He glanced in his rearview mirror.
Marianne nodded. “I’m getting better at fighting. It might have something to do with the fact those things want to kill me.” She grinned. “Before you found me in the farmhouse, I rarely saw one of the undead.”
He returned her smile. “You’re welcome. Anything to keep your life from getting boring.”
“Boring would be nice.”
He reached over and took Chalice’s hand. “You’re awfully quiet.”
“Just wanting this day to be over with.” She gave him a shaky smile, her face pale. “Then, we can get married and form a new life. Won’t that be wonderful?” A shadow passed over her eyes.
Something bothered her, but with those things following like a ravenous crowd at an all you can eat buffet, Colton couldn’t pressure her for answers. Not yet. They’d have to talk once those things were locked up. He caressed the top of her hand with his thumb before releasing it.
“So far so good,” Mychal said. “They’re coming slowly, but steadily.” He uncapped a water bottle. “I hope those soldiers have the barricade for the canyon built. Otherwise, we’ve wasted our time.”
“They will. They’re going to have a fence and also blow the entrance.” They’d have plenty of time with the slow progress of the vehicles. Those in the helicopter couldn’t go as slow and had to keep doubling back to drop another chicken to entice the zombies ever forward. It was a waste of precious fuel in his opinion. The undead would follow Colton and the others easily enough.
“Look.” Chalice pointed to a thick stand of trees. “There’s more.”
His theory of some kind of sonar attracting undead to undead seemed to be true. About twenty more shuffled from the woods and joined the herd. “As long as no more sprinters arrive, we’re okay.”
She leaned her head against the window. “You’d think there would be more of them, if the virus mutated.” She turned to look at him. “Do you think the sprinters, being as few of them as there are, could have come from the facility? They would have had a more concentrated dose.”
“Or maybe the experiment that escaped from its cage had the strongest dose and those who caught the airborne version are what we see the most.” Colton really had no idea, and no amount of speculation would answer most of their questions. Not that the answers mattered. All that mattered was putting an end to it all.
“Another sprinter.” Mychal aimed his rifle out the window. “No need to stop. I can do this out the window. Since we want to attract the undead, noise doesn’t matter.” A shot rang out, dropping the zombie.
The canyon loomed ahead. It wasn’t until that moment that Colton realized that in order to lure the undead in, the living must go in, too. Several soldiers waited on top of a tank, a large wooden gate leaning against the cliff wall.
“What now?” Chalice asked. “They’re going to dynamite the opening closed. How are we going to get out?”
“I don’t know.” Colton drove through the opening, hoping, praying, they could climb out the other side.
The helicopter hovered above them. Sergeant Mason peered down. “Come on!” He lowered a rope ladder. “Make it quick or you won’t have enough time before those things reach you.”
Despite Colton’s wishes, Chalice waved her mother and brother ahead. Another helicopter joined them and picked up Amos and the Dillows.
“Let’s go.” Colton stared at Chalice.
“No.” She shook her head, then peeled the collar of her shirt away from her neck.
Distinct teeth marks showed in her skin. Blood oozed from the cuts. Dark lines radiated from the wound.
“But you took the shot.” This couldn’t be happening. Not after everything they’d gone through.
“We can’t take that chance.” She handed him her pistol. “You promised.”
“No.” He took the gun and hit her, catching her as she fell. She might not want to take the chance the antidote worked, but he did. He pulled her unconscious body close and wrapped his arm through the ladder, planting his booted feet on the rung just as the explosion closed the entrance to the canyon.
4
“You can’t tell anyone,” Colton whispered to Chalice. “You have to wait and see if the antidote works. Otherwise, they’ll kill you before you have a chance.” His arms tightened around her as they were helped into the helicopter. “I’ll do what needs to be done if I have to.”
She nodded, praying the drug would work and hoping Colton could go through with killing her if it didn’t. She’d have to make sure everyone stayed away. Somehow, she’d find a way to quarantine herself in her room.
The General met them the moment they stepped off the copter after landing at the base. His grimace, which Chalice presumed was a smile, sent chills through her heated skin.
“Well, well. It seems my trust was not misplaced. No wonder your group has survived this long. You all will be worthy soldiers,” he said.
“Once we’ve had a day or two of rest,” Chalice said, stepping away from Colton, “we’ll need transport trucks to retrieve the rest of our group. Not one of them, minus the youngest, is without fighting experience.” And using the pretense of rest would give her time to see whether she would turn into one of those things.
“A sound plan. I’ll have someone show you to your rooms. I hope you don’t mind sharing with your mother?”
Chalice shook her head. Mom could be trusted to keep her secret.
Sergeant Mason led them to a block of rooms in a building behind the main one. “Mrs. Hart is already situated inside. Mr. Morgan, you will be with Miss Hart’s brother. The others will also be assigned two to a room. I hope you’ll be comfortable.” He smiled. “After your bravery today, we are in your debt. Dinner will be brought to you.”
Perfect. Chalice cast a glance of longing at Colton and stepped into her room. She pulled her mother close for a hug. “Don’t say anything. The room is probably bugged,” she whispered. “I’ve been bitten. We’ll know by morning whether the antidote is a success.”
“Oh, god.” Mom cupped Chalice’s face. “Where?”
“Shoulder. I’ll shower and clean it out the best I can. You can’t say anything.”
“I won’t.” Tears shimmered in her eyes. “I’ll get you something cold to drink. Believe it or not, this place has an ice maker and several generators. It’s almost as if nothing happened to the rest of the world.”
But, it had, and now it had happened to Chalice. She turned the water in the shower as hot as she could stand, then peeled off her soiled leather clothing. She’d have Mom rinse them in the sink so no one would see the amount of blood on the inside.
She stepped in the shower and grabbed a bar of disinfect soap. Biting her lip to keep from screaming, she scrubbed her wound as hard as she could, watching her blood mingle with the water and swirl down the drain. Finished, she leaned against the shower wall to catch her breath. Fire burned through her body. With shaking hands, she toweled dry and donned the fresh fatigues folded next to the sink.
On legs that threatened to buckle with each step, she made her way to her bunk and collapsed. She felt as bad as she had the one time she’d had a serious bout of the flu. Hopefully, anyone watching through the camera mounted on the wall would think her only exhausted.
How long would it take to turn? With Colton in another room, it would be up to her mother to finish her off. Something Chalice seriously doubted would happen. She needed to keep her mother out of the room until the transformation was complete.
“For you to leave.”
“Not going to happen.”
“Mom,” Chalice hissed. “You know the danger.”
“Yes, I do, and I know there is nothing to worry about. I trust Rachel. Now,” Mom put a foot on the ladder leading to the top bunk. “Drink your soda. I’m tired today, too, and I’m going to sleep for a while before they bring us our dinner.”
Dinner! Chalice bolted to a sitting position. What if she turned by then? Whoever brought their meal would be in danger.
“Tell them not to bring anything in. Tell them you’ll go to the mess hall.”
Mom hung over the bed and stared at her. “You’re really frightened.”
Tears poured down Chalice’s face. “More than I’ve ever been in my life.”
“I’m coming down there to sleep you with you.” She jumped from the top bunk. “No arguing.” She bent close. “I’d rather die, than live without you.”
Chalice covered her face. “Colton said the same thing.”
“I knew I liked that boy.” Mom climbed in beside her and pulled back the blanket. “Come on. It will be like when you were little and had nightmares.”
It was a stupid idea. But suddenly, she craved her mother’s comfort. If she felt herself get worse, she’d insist Mom leave. Until then, she’d allow herself to be babied.
She laid on her side, letting Mom wrap her arms around her. Chalice took a deep, shuddering breath and closed her eyes against the pounding in her skull. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too, sweetie. Everything will be okay.”
“I’m afraid to fall asleep.”
“I’m right here. You won’t hurt me.”
Chalice hoped so. Dreaming of the day she would marry Colton, she drifted off to sleep.
By the time night had fallen, her temperature had risen high enough to send her body into convulsions. It was time for Mom to leave. The only problem was, Chalice couldn’t speak. Her tongue seemed swollen, filling her mouth with the nasty taste of illness.