The Infected (Book 6): Last Shot

by Gowland, Justin

  People parted like the red sea and I stood looking at the door that was barely hanging on by one hinge. Pushing gently on the door the hinge screeched with protest and I thought it was about to fall off. The door opened just enough for me to squeeze through. The room was empty I thought with the crowd outside someone must have killed Tom, but there was no body or blood to say he had been killed. The plastic zip ties we had used to tie his hands were lying in the centre of the room. Someone had cut them and then thrown them down on the floor. I turned round and pushed back outside.

  “Where is he?” I shouted.

  I got blank faces in reply.

  “Who the fuck let him out?” I was starting to see red.

  A young woman lifted her face and mumbled something.

  Stepping close I asked “What?!”

  She never raised her eyes above my waist and said “It was like this when we got here.”

  “Really?!”

  “Yes really, we all came to kick him out. Some had wanted more but…” She said looking up at me.

  Tell you the truth I couldn’t blame them for feeling the way that they were. But we now had the answer to whether Tom had any other accomplices here in the Bunker.

  I looked at everyone and said “Look as you know Tom was one of the people who created the virus that killed a lot of people, but Rosa did not have anything to do with it. She was used much like we have been.”

  “Yeah right!” a male voice cried out from further back.

  “Look I know you all want someone to blame and someone to string up for all this and truth be told I am probably just as responsible for all this as Tom is. I let the virus out with that cat. So if you need anyone to blame, then blame me. Here is something for you all to think about and that is I am leaving in the morning to take care of the fuckers that started this and I may not be coming back.” With that I pushed people out of the way headed back to the lifts and down to Rosa’s room. I knocked and the door was opened by Mike.

  He stepped to the side and I walked inside and Mike closed the door behind me. I walked over to the small sink and poured a small glass of water and drank it all before turning to face everyone.

  Chris looked at me and said “Was he dead?”

  I shook my head and said “No! He wasn’t there.”

  Mike stared at me “What the fuck do you mean he wasn’t there. I left him tied up when I came down here.”

  “He wasn’t there, but there was huge crowd outside of the room. They said that he was gone when they turned up to kick his ass out of the Bunker.” I said looking down at the floor.

  “Who let him out?!” a quiet female voice asked.

  I looked up and saw Rosa staring at me with hate in her eyes.

  “I don’t know Rosa, but I plan to find out.” I replied.

  She stood up from the bed and walked over to the door.

  “Where are you going?” Amy asked

  Rosa stood at the door and turned “I helped you use the security system when we looked for Marc. I can use it again to find out who helped Tom escape form the Bunker.” She threw the door open and stomped out into the hallway.

  Amy and I ran after her. We caught up to her as she came to the lifts.

  “Are you sure you want to know?” I asked breathing heavily from running after her.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The doors to the lift opened and she walked inside saying “I need to know who was working with that two faced bastard. I think we all need to find out who it was and if they stayed behind after he escaped.”

  Amy and I followed her into the lift and I pressed the button for the second floor. I had to admit that she made sense. We did need to know who had betrayed us again and if they had stayed behind to cause any other trouble. The lift stopped on the third floor and the doors opened. We saw a crowd stood waiting to enter and when they saw Rosa their faces hardened. I stepped in front of the doors and just stared at them.

  Reaching out with my right hand I pressed the button to close the doors. They slid closed slowly and I could see that the crowd wasn’t pleased.

  The lift continued up to the second floor and we all stepped out into a quiet hallway. We headed to the security room and as we passed the Communications room I noticed the door. It was slightly open. I held up my hand and crossed to the door and listened for any noise coming from inside. It was silent. Slowly pushing the door open with my foot I entered the room and instantly regretted it. On the floor was Jake’s dead body. The hole in the back of his head told me how he had died. Crossing the room, I stopped at the edge of the blood pool. I looked down at the old man that had helped me when I was at Jane’s house. He had a look of surprise on what was left of his face. Whoever had shot him must have been someone that he had trusted. Jake hardly left the Communications room except to go to bed or to get food. He never spoke to many people and he had very few friends among the Bunker populace. Mike was going to be upset and Tessa was also going to take it badly. They had been the only remaining relatives that Jake had. I started to get mad, now I needed to know who had helped Tom escape. Because they would have been the ones that had killed Jake. I took Jake’s jacket off the back of his chair and draped it over his body. Turning I saw Amy stood in the doorway her hand covering her mouth. I could see Rosa over her shoulder crying against the wall. I walked over to Amy and gently pushed her out of the room and then turned to close the door.

  “Come on we have to look at the CCTV footage!” I said walking down to the Security Office door. It was closed and when I looked inside I was surprised to see everything left alone. I walked over to the chair and sat down. Amy and Rosa slowly walked in behind me.

  “I am sorry about Jake!” Amy said putting her hand gently on my shoulder.

  I shrugged it off and said “Let’s find out who did it then I can go find them and blow a fucking hole in their head.”

  My fingers flew over the keyboard as I brought up to screens. One showing the hallway and door to the Comms Room and the other showed the entry to the Operations Room. I started the playbacks just after breakfast and let them run at triple speed. It was fast enough to see people but not so fast that we would miss anything happen. I was watching the Comms Room screen more than the other. I held the thought that whoever had helped Tom escape had killed Jake first. We watched the screens and then we saw Philip, David’s son walking up the corridor from the armoury carrying a rifle. I leaned forward and slowed the playback to normal speed. He stopped outside of the Comms Room and knocked on the door. I saw Jake’s head appear at the door and smile. He had always liked Philip. The young lad had always brought Jake meals if he had missed them. Philip had also been getting training from Jake on the communications equipment.

  Jake stepped back and Philip pushed the door open and went inside. After a few minutes, there was a small flash of light around the doorframe. A few more minutes passed and Philip opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. Oh, shit! If Philip had done what I just thought he had then it would send David off the deep end. I stopped looking at the hallway and started to watch the Operations Room door. I was hoping against him being the one that let Tom out. The doors to the Operations Room opened and Philip stepped through. Again I slowed the tape and we watched as he moved out of shot. Few seconds later the two lads Mike had set to guard Tom walked out through the doors. Another couple of minutes and we watched as Philip and Tom walked out of the doors. My hands were shaking as I tried to catch them leaving the Bunker.

  They both walked to the gates and I could see Philip waving to the gate guard and then opening the gates. Tom and Philip walked out of the gates and disappeared into the trees at the side of the road.

  My voice was shaking “Amy I need to speak to the gate guard and the two guards that were on duty when Philip went to free Tom. Can you have them meet me in the Operations room, please?”

  She just nodded her head, her eyes looking red with the strain of retaining her tears. Amy turned and walked out of the room not say
ing a word. Rosa had slumped down the wall and was hugging her knees against her chest.

  “Rosa none of this is your fault,” I said trying not to cry.

  I stood there for a few minutes looking down at her. I honestly didn’t know what to say or do. Her boyfriend had been one of the main people to end the world as we knew it and now he had somehow convinced a young man to kill someone and help him escape. She just sat there silently crying. I heard footsteps and turned to see Chris and Tessa standing at the open doorway. Tessa crossed the floor and bent down and pulled Rosa into her arms.

  Chris walked over and looked at the screens “What did you find out?”

  I nodded to the corner of the room away from Tessa and whispered what we had seen. Chris’ face went pale and then his eyes went hard. He looked over to Tessa and just shook his head. I don’t know what he would say to her about what had happened.

  “David!?” He asked.

  “I haven’t got a clue how or what to say to him. Then there’s what do, I say to Mike. Chris this is so fucked up mate. The only thing that I know is that I am going to make sure each and every one of those fucker’s pay for everything they have done.”

  Chris nodded “You’ve got that right and I don’t give a fuck what anyone says when you go after them I’m coming.”

  I just nodded and looked over to where Tessa was holding Rosa. I needed to head up to Operations and talk with the guards that had been on duty. I had a rough idea as to what Philip had said to the two guards, but I wanted to confirm it face to face.

  “Look Chris take care of Rosa. Try to keep this quiet as well because if anyone finds out who let Tom out and killed Jake, we’ll have a riot on our hands.”

  “Sure. Tessa and I will take her back to her room and stay with her. I’ll try to talk to Tessa about what has happened.” Chris said looking down at the two women that were holding each other.

  The fucking drama of it all was getting too much. I left the Security Room and headed up to Operations. Amy was standing next to the school area and had two men seated in front of her.

  She pointed to the two of them and said “These two were on guard outside of the office.”

  I walked around and stood in front of them. “What did Philip say to you?” I asked.

  The one on the left looked up at me and said “He said that we were to go and get something to eat and that you had sent him to cover whilst we did.”

  “Didn’t you think it was strange that I would send only one person to cover, whilst there were actually two of you doing the guarding?”

  The one that had spoken actually looked down at the ground and then answered “I said as much to the young lad, but he had said that all he needed to do was keep the door closed and make sure no one opened it without you or the others present.”

  The man on the right spoke “It did make sense.”

  To be honest it did sort of make sense, but I would never have sent just one person and I would never have let it be a young man like Philip.

  “Did he say anything else?” I asked them both.

  They looked at each other and they shook their heads.

  “Ok thanks, guys you can go.”

  They both stood and headed out through the doors to Operations. I stood there watching their backs as the left the room. Movement beside me made me turn and I saw Amy stood watching me.

  “You’re going after them aren’t you?” Amy said stepping closer.

  I nodded “I have to. If they get to the oil rig then we might be if for more trouble than we can handle.”

  “Why did Philip kill Jake?” She asked and I could see tears standing at the corners of her eyes.

  “I don’t know,” I said shrugging my shoulders.

  “I really don’t want you to go.” She said placing a warm hand on my arm.

  I looked into her eyes and said “I know!”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Her face looked at me with a puzzled expression.

  “The baby, the one you haven’t told me about yet.”

  Her eyes went wide and her mouth hung open. I smiled at the dumbfounded expression on her face. “At least I now know why you’ve been such a bitch toward me lately and why you didn’t want me to place myself at risk.”

  Amy stepped back and let her hand fall to her side and she started to cry. I stepped closer and pulled her into a hug. She rested her head on my shoulder and I could feel the tears soaking into my shirt. I had to admit having her body close to mine felt good and I really couldn’t hold anything she had done against her. We stood there for a good five minutes whilst she got herself under control.

  “Who told you?!” She asked sniffing back the last few tears.

  “It doesn’t make a difference as to who told me. Everything that has happened between us now makes sense” I said placing a hand under her chin and lifting her head until I could look into her eyes.

  “But you will still go after them, even after knowing about our child!” She said with panic in her eyes.

  I gave her a sad smile “I won’t lie to you and say it doesn’t make it hard, but yes I’ll go after them. Amy, I have to otherwise we’ll never be safe here or anywhere else.”

  She looked down at the floor and I could see her trying hard to see another way, but I knew she wouldn’t find one. I reach out and gently stroked her cheek with the back of my hand. I felt like crying.

  “I really need to go and talk with David and Mike before they hear it from anyone else,” I said dropping my hand to my side.

  She just stared at me looking despondent. I turned around and started to walk away toward the doors.

  “Who told you?” She asked in a quiet whisper that I hardly heard.

  I half-turned toward her “I overheard some stuff and sort of put it together and then had confirmation from a couple of people.” Walking out of the Operations room I saw her out of the corner of my eye sitting down on one of the chairs.

  I managed to find David in the dining room with his wife. They were sitting together sharing a flask of something hot. I walked over and David looked up as I stopped beside them.

  “Hey, Marc did you find out who let Tom out?” He said sipping at the dark brew in his cup.

  “I did. Look is there any chance I can have a chat with you and Jennie?” I asked looking around the room there were a few people in the dining room.

  Jennie looked at me “Sure take a seat.”

  Sitting down I looked at my hands and then up at their faces and felt seriously uncomfortable at them looking at me. To tell the truth, I didn’t know where to start. Their son had released Tom from that room and to cap it all he killed Jake, Mike’s father.

  I shook my head “Look there is no way to tell you this, other than just to come out with it.” I paused “We’ve viewed the security footage and the same person who killed Jake helped Tom out of the Bunker and the compound outside. David, it was your Philip…” I never got to say the rest.

  “NO!” He screamed standing up. Jennie burst into tears and shook with each huge sob. “I don’t believe you. Philip would never do anything like this.”

  Jennie reached up and pulled on his arm. David looked down and saw the look on his wife’s face. He slumped down into the chair beside her and pulled her into a huge hug.

  “David I saw it all with my own eyes and I hate to say it but it was him there wasn’t any doubt,” I said shaking my head feeling the waves of hurt coming from my two friends.

  David’s eyes stared over the table at me, they had a distant look. Jennie shook with quiet sobs against his large chest.

  “I’ll let you be,” I said standing up to walk away.

  “Why?” David said with a voice that held controlled anger.

  I shook my head slightly “I don’t know to tell you the truth. The only thing I can think of is that Tom managed to convince Philip it was the right thing to do or that he was going to get rewarded for it.”

  David stroked Jennie’s long hair “I want to see the
footage. It’s not that I don’t believe you Marc, but this is something I need to see with my own eyes.”

  “Chris is down in the security room. He’ll show you the tapes. Sorry for the bad news but I thought it was better if I came and told you rather than anyone else. I’ve got to go and talk with Mike about his dad.”

  David’s eyes went wide “Oh shit! I forgot that Jake was Mike’s dad.” He shook his head “Jennie and I will head down in a little while. Thanks for letting us know Marc.”

  He still looked pissed, but he seemed to be in control. I turned and headed for the doors. The next visit was bound to be worse than speaking with David and Jennie. I loved Jake; he meant more to me than I could say. When I saved him and the others, it was he who helped me to see who I could become. I tried hard to live up to that ideal and now he was gone and it seemed for no reason. The lift opened on the third floor and I walked into the library. I looked around and couldn’t see Mike anywhere. A young lad was walking out of one of the bunk areas. I stepped in front of him and he stopped and looked at me.

  “What the hell do you want?” He asked glaring at me.

  I grinned “Have you seen Mike?”

  He shook his head a tried to push past me.

  “Hold up, you haven’t answered my question,” I said placing my hand on his chest.

  The glare returned and he tried to slap my hand away “I haven’t seen the old fuck!”

  Growling I grabbed his hand and twisted it over and he howled in pain. I hate hurting any kid, but I had lost a good friend thanks to an ignorant kid and I wasn’t in the mood.

  Leaning close to his ear I whispered “I don’t have time to deal with shitty little kids. So stop being a little shit and think. Have you seen Mike?”

  The kid was gritting his teeth and had tears in the corner of his eyes. “I think that I might have heard him saying that he was going to check the guard towers.” He grunted out.