His back screamed at him to stop, knots forming, spine creaking, but he didn't listen. Kell bent in an arch, head and feet holding him in a half-circle away from the ground. The weight of the zombie tangled against him was too much. His legs began to shake, the joint between pelvis and spine started to give. Still, those extra few seconds were time alive, not being shredded by the hands just out of reach of his face.
Though their place beside the car was dimmer than the rest of the killing field lit by the headlights, he couldn't miss the dull gleam of metal as it passed over his eyes. A hollow thunk followed by the quiet squelch of a weapon being pulled from flesh, and the snarling mass atop him was instantly still. A second glitter of metal, and the zombie on his left arm also went from life-threatening to lifeless, just another feature of the landscape of dead bodies.
“Thanks,” Kell said in a groaning pant.
“No problem,” Scotty replied, leaning on the spear.
Twenty
The rest of the team was in better shape; though the fight seemed to last a thousand years to Kell, everyone else cleaned up their opponents quickly and with minimum fuss.
The wave of New Breed was the last of them. Somehow they had compelled their less-intelligent brothers to move toward certain death, acting as a distraction while they hit the group from the sides. As human strategies went, it wasn't the best piece of warfare imaginable. That a group of dead men were capable of thinking it up sent shivers down his spine.
There wasn't time for a deep postmortem, but between the seven of them dragging bodies out of the way to make a path through, they saw enough details to raise many more questions. The bodies of the recently living—each getting a nice dose of head trauma for safety's sake—were different than most of the people Kell knew. For one, there were no obvious scars on any of them. Among survivors injury was common. Scars were notable only by their absence.
More curious, the bodies were what Kell, fan of Frank Herbert and his Fremen, thought of as water-fat. The corpses could have been plucked from the world as it was two years before, when people could buy a day's calories for five dollars at any drive-thru. Only two had any armor at all, and those clearly military men. The rest could have dressed for a day at the park rather than a trip through the wasteland of America.
The source of the bodies was plain; a large school bus had overturned. A section of highway was missing close by, a neat half-circle simply vanished, the soil beneath it gone. Moving at speed and driving over a six-foot gap in the road, it was no surprise the thing had tipped.
“Bad luck they happened to hit a swarm when they climbed out of the bus,” Nicole observed. “Though if they'd been this way before they would have known how zombies cluster on well-traveled roads, especially around bridges.”
Kell nodded to the missing section of road. “Lucky we didn't hit that,” he said.
Nicole grimaced. “Not really. If we got here first, you might have seen the paint where we marked the road.”
Uncomprehending, Kell stared at her. Then the light went on. “It was a trap?”
Nicole nodded. “Oh, yeah. Why do you think we drive in the middle of the road? Over the months we've been out here, the girls and I have set a lot of them. Dig out a nice cavity beneath the road, and if you're lucky when you're being chased, it'll hold the weight of you and your bike. Chances are whoever you have on your ass is driving something a lot heavier.”
“I want to be disturbed by that,” Kell said, shaking his head ruefully. “But it probably saved us from running into a bus full of people...”
With a sad smile, she clapped him on the shoulder. “I know. I'm not happy about it either. I had nothing against these folks. Still, look at them. Don't look starved to me. Seem like...I don't know, I can't put my finger on it.”
“Tourists,” Kell said. “They look like tourists. People in a strange land, everything new and weird.”
She nodded appreciatively. “Yeah, that feels right. Which begs the question, where did they come from? I mean, not many survivors out there who haven't been in the shit for the last few years, you know?”
“I couldn't begin to guess,” Kell said. “Feels familiar, though. Second—no, third—time lately we've seen strangers in places they shouldn't be.”
“Can't be coincidence. They've got to be related.”
“I think so too,” Kell said. “But we'll have to worry about it later. We should get going, unless you want to go through and spike every one of these bodies. Some of them are going to be rising soon.”
Once past the bridge they continued for another hundred miles. By then even the scouts were too exhausted to go much further. As they had been told, Juel peeled off from the pack, leading them down an overgrown side road Kell would have sworn wasn't there. Dense vegetation brushed the car, but only for a few hundred feet, when the way forward opened into a clearing in the woods. Blackened trees stood at the edges amid the fallen husks of many others. The center had burned to ash long before, leaving a huge open area closed off nearly all the way around.
“Welcome to the campground,” Juel said. “It's not much, but it's safe. Mostly.”
A few minutes later, Nicole and Emilia returned, pushing their motorcycles through the narrow gap in the trees. “We'll rest for four or five hours,” Nicole said, removing her pack from the bike. “We should make it where we're going in a few hours if the roads are clear.”
Chris, who was leaning against the SUV drinking out of his canteen, asked, “Where are we going, exactly? Will was...vague.”
Stifling a yawn, Nicole pointed at Kell. “Ask him. I've been there before, but I have no clue what the place is.”
A significant look passed between Kell and Kate, who paused in the process of waking Scotty up. That glance said a hundred things at once; she cautioned him with it, warned him to consider the repercussions.
Scotty stumbled out of the car, rubbing a hand over his forehead and down his face. “We're stopped? Are we there yet?”
“Ask me again and we'll turn this car around,” Kell said, amused.
“What did she mean, ask you?” Chris asked. “We agreed to come because you told us you needed people you can trust. If you know something we don't, maybe you should share with the rest of the class.”
Kell looked over at the scouts, now three bodies bundled up in sleeping bags. Not far away at all, in fact too close for the rapidly vanishing shred of comfort he still possessed. “All right,” he said, resigning himself to it. “Follow me. Kate, will you keep watch, please?”
She nodded, squeezing his arm as she walked past to stand guard. It was a small thing, but from her as good as a hug. She might disagree with his choice, but once he'd made it she would, as always, support him. Much like a look, touch conveyed a variety of messages.
The three men ambled to a tangle of fallen trees on the other side of the clearing. There was an almost fae quality to them, the ancient wood like bare bones among the moss and greenery slowly enveloping them. He sat wearily and warily, tired to his core in every way.
He sat with elbows on his knees, hands dangling in the air. His gloves and jacket, brand new only a day ago, were scored and torn. Pieces of black plastic gleamed through the rents, evidence of the latest of too many close calls.
“I almost died last night,” Kell said. “It's funny, but for a while I was starting to get used to that. I wasn’t afraid to die.” He looked up at Chris and Scotty, saw the curiosity in their faces. “I nearly died, and Scotty with me, and I'm ashamed he almost lost his life for someone he doesn't really know.”
As he did with Andrea, he told them the truth. There was less detail this time, by necessity; they had to get some sleep. For a solid ten minutes he spoke, explaining the major details of who he was and what they would find at the research facility where his work was hopefully still intact.
Neither man said a word the entire time, never interrupting. When he finished, it was Scotty who broke the silence that followed.
“
Did you know something like this would happen? When you were working on this thing?”
Kell sighed. “I knew it could. I warned them over and over again. I told them it wasn't ready. But they didn't listen. The results were too good to wait for. A friend of mine told me it wasn't my fault what other men did with Chimera, and she was right. I did everything short of burning down my lab, and even that wouldn't have worked at the end. They took their samples long before I knew about it.”
Chris leaned forward. “But you still feel responsible.”
Kell nodded. “Yeah. It's easy to understand logically that I didn't cause all this, but there's no off switch for the guilt. Honestly, I can't blame you guys if you're pissed. All I ask is to get through this mission, to see if there's any hope I can salvage work from this place we're going. I just want to do what I can to fix things.”
“You know,” Scotty said angrily, “it's more that you kept this secret from us. We followed you, man. We had your back. You trusted me with your life, but not with this?”
“Telling you this is trusting you with my life,” Kell said with a sad smile. “I don't doubt there are people out there who'd kill me for my part in it.”
Chris stood, pacing. “Maybe it's just me, but I can't see it. I mean, I believe you're telling the truth. But I don't think anyone who knows you would really care. I've seen people die, people I care about ripped apart in front of me. When I think about that, after what you just told me, I don't see your face doing the deed.”
Kell tried to find words, but they escaped him.
Scotty scrubbed a hand across his face. “Look, man, we know you. I've seen you jump in front of zombies to save people more times than I can count. You're probably right; there are people out there who'd scream for your blood. And to be honest, I can't help feeling a bit of that myself. Like you said, it isn't logical, but yeah. I do blame you a little, now that I think about it.”
Kell clenched his jaw. It wasn't unexpected news, but still unpleasant.
“But what should I do about it?” Scotty asked. “Should I give in and put a bullet in you? What good would that do? It's not bringing back anyone I love. It isn't going to make me feel better. You say you might be able to cure this thing? I fucking hope so. Even if you can't, I don't see how killing one more person trying to help people adds anything good to the world.”
Chris was nodding. “I think what Scott is saying is, your secret is safe with us, Batman.”
Kell shook his head in disbelief. “That's three people I've told in the last few weeks, and all of you had basically the same reaction. It's more than I could have hoped for.”
Scotty shrugged. “It's not that hard to understand, K. We're your friends. You'd die for us. I saw that last night. Hard to hate a man who stands with you to the end.”
Five hours later they were back on the road. After a nap and a nourishing if extremely boring meal of jerky and dry chia seeds, the group was in better shape. Not much better, but functional enough to drive while watching for threats.
They passed the miles with questions. Now that Scotty and Chris knew the truth, they wanted details. Kell supplied them, only shying away from Karen and Jennifer. There he gave the men the bare essentials, and both had suffered losses enough to understand his desire to leave that wound alone.
Two miles from their destination (according to the directions Nicole gave them, anyway), the scouts pulled off down a gravel road, leading the group to a secluded parking lot behind what had once been a veterinary clinic.
“What's up?” Kate asked as they exited the SUV.
“Orders,” Nicole said, handing over a sealed envelope. “Those are from Will, to you. Ours are to split from you here and hit a refuel about fifty miles southwest. There are directions in there, and we'll point you the right way before we leave.”
“I don't understand,” Kell said. “Aren't you supposed to take us all the way there?”
Nicole shook her head in irritation. “I tried to tell Will that. You might be new, but you're citizens of New Haven. That might not mean a lot to you just yet, but it means a hell of a lot to me. It's our job to make sure you get there safe. I don't like being forced to leave you.”
“Then don't,” Kell said. “You can take us in and—”
Nicole cut him off. “Honestly, I would. Except we really can't. According to Will, there's likely to be activity two, three hundred miles to the west. He has reports of large-scale movements of people where people haven't been spotted since the plague hit. If what I'm told is right, it's critical we get there as soon as possible.” Nicole paused, then huffed out another irritated breath. “Besides, that man knows when you're lying to him. It's just creepy.”
Inside the envelope was a map—a piece of paper from the folder Will showed him. It displayed the area, even the clinic they stood next to, and Kell was struck by how sparse it all was. This town was small, and if the maps he'd been perusing on the trip were correct, the southern part of the state was about as low-population as it got.
“You'll need a few details that aren't on that map,” Nicole said, taking out a pen and jotting down notes. “This is mostly farmland, but the area you're heading to is wooded. You shouldn't run into many zombies, if any. We only saw a handful the last time we were through.”
It only took a minute to add her notes, then Nicole was slipping her helmet back on. She turned to Scotty and Chris, eying them balefully. “All of you know it's vital we keep the existence of the people we're observing secret. Will filled you in before we left, but I want to be absolutely clear.”
Scotty, Chris, and Kell shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. Kate wasn't bothered.
“There are three reasons we can't let any of this become public knowledge. The first is to prevent panic. Some of our citizens react to threats with fear. The second is obvious; we can't let the enemy know we know. The third, you may not have had time to figure out on your own, and it's the one that worries me most. If our folks find out what's happening, there's a good chance they'll lose their shit and go on a hunt for these fuckers. Especially if they learn about the communities they've already hit. And we can not afford that.”
“Okay,” Chris said, putting out his hands in a placating gesture. “We get it.”
Nicole stared at him for a long few seconds. “You'd better. Because if I think for even an instant you'll run home and say a word, I'll leave your ass here. You understand?”
Everyone agreed, Chris somewhat faster than the others.
“Good,” Nicole said. “If we're not back in a week, assume we're dead. Be safe.”
As goodbyes went, Kell had heard worse.
The sound of engines faded into the distance as the four of them double-checked their packs and weapons, readying themselves for the unknown ahead. The reports Kell had read about the facility were sketchy; the scouts had been told to verify its existence from the greatest distance possible. Will's decision to use Nicole and her team was obvious, now. The scouts were driven by duty, and seemed to regard curiosity as a fatal flaw.
Just as Nicole's notes said, the road leading to the facility dead-ended with a blockage of abandoned military vehicles a thousand feet from the place. Taking her advice, they cut between two massive trees and gingerly drove across a walking path beside the road. The SUV was too large to go this way without damage, losing both side mirrors and gaining an impressive collection of scratches and dents from low-hanging branches. The idea was to have a vehicle as close as possible to the facility itself in case they needed to get away quickly. Basic survival.
As it turned out, the basics might not be enough. The path opened into a clearing, dense trees blocked by high fences. Not the chain-link Kell expected to find on the back forty of an abandoned farm, but solid metal planks affixed to heavy pylons. The defenses looked like they could hold off a small army. The path veered off to one side, following the outer perimeter of the fence, while the road next to it, only a dozen feet away, ended in a gate sitting open, the gap lar
ge enough for a person to walk through.
“Before we do anything else, we need to figure out a way to get the car turned around to face the way we came,” Kate grumbled. “And no one mentioned a fence to me.”
“It wasn't in the reports,” Kell said. “How much room do we have to work with?”They used the small open space between the path and the fence where the clearing began. In what closely resembled a slapstick comedy routine, Kate and Kell managed to use the space available to turn the SUV around. The cost was minimal; a few more scratches and dents, one cracked window, and two saplings cut down.
When the car was situated, Kate pulled everyone into a circle. “All of you gear up,” she said in a low voice. “That means everything you brought, including firearms. Yes, Kell, I know you don't use them, I know you aren't the best shot, and I don't care. We have no idea what we're walking into here, so we're proceeding as if it's a worse-case scenario.”
She took a long look at the open gate and the abandoned military vehicles littering the adjacent road leading to it. “If I remember, the reports we read said the scouts verified the location of this place from the north, and only saw it through binoculars. We'll assume the facility—whatever it looks like—is in that direction. You three are going to stay here while I run in and take a look around.”
“Absolutely not,” Kell said. “You're not going in there alone.” Chris and Scotty looked ready to argue with her also, but held back. Kate was scary. Truth be told, Kell thought so too but wasn't going to keep quiet on this. “At least take one of us.”
“Aren't you gallant,” she said, amused. “Let's be clear, guys; I'm not going in alone to spare you. It's the safest option for all of us. I'm faster and better in a fight than all of you. I'm a better shot. Alone I won't be slowed down by having to worry or watch out for you. So you're going to stand down and wait here, or we can wrestle over it. Spoilers; I'll win.”
The Fall (Book 2): Dead Will Rise Page 21