Zombie Attack! Box Set (Books 1-3)

by Devan Sagliani

  “Why didn't you just tell us that Moto sent you?” I asked.

  “Actually that was my fault,” Moto offered, casting an apologetic glance toward Sonya. “I didn't want you to know more than you had to know, just in case you were captured again.”

  “I wanted to tell you so much,” Sonya said, looking to Felicity for some kind of forgiveness.

  “So why did you abandon us to John and his men?” Felicity asked, crossing her arms. “If you were supposed to be taking care of us, why would you lead us right to the enemy – and then vanish without a warning? We could have died! We nearly did! Tank was going to kill us despite John ordering him not to harm us. How do you explain that?”

  The look of guilt and hurt on Sonya's face made me feel sorry for her. Clearly, it wasn't her intention to see harm come to us. She was part of the family now by virtue of her importance to Moto, but Felicity was right. She needed to explain why she'd abandoned us when we needed her most, or we'd never be able to trust her again.

  “I meant to take you here, back to Xanadu,” Sonya said in a small voice, “but I got turned around by the zombies tied to the trees. They were blocking the path over the hill. I guided Nelly along the main road into Ojai, not realizing what had happened. Haki found me first. He warned me that the others were just behind him, and not to waste a second. I slipped off into the trees and Nelly kept walking along until you were surrounded. By the time I reached the ridge I could hear the Jeep headed your way.”

  “Why didn't you warn us?” Felicity demanded.

  “There wasn't any time,” Sonya pleaded. “Don't you see? If I tried to warn either of you it would have made things worse. I knew the best thing I could do for both of you was to get back to Xanadu and raise a rescue party. I didn't stop, not even for water, until I was here and able to get help.”

  “She was so out of breath it took us nearly five minutes to understand what she was saying,” Apache said sympathetically. “I contacted Moto after that and got him out here. He was able to get word from Haki that you were still in one piece, and being held for ransom by John on Franco's orders.”

  “How were you able to get off base without raising suspicion from Franco?” I asked, feeling a lump in my throat as I anticipated his answer.

  “I wasn't,” he replied, confirming my fears. “I didn't have time to play games with him and his squad of Blackshirts. I took a Humvee and drove it off base, ordering the guard at the gate to open the gate and not log me down. I didn't look back, either. I drove to the rendezvous point and covered up the Humvee, then met up with Apache and we rode straight to Ojai.”

  “So I guess we're never going back again,” I said.

  “Actually, we need to head back before dawn,” Moto countered.

  “What?” Felicity and Sonya both asked in unison.

  “Why?” I asked, feeling genuinely confused.

  “After I sent Sonya to watch over you and my brother, Franco started a new project on the base,” Moto explained. “He had his men track down and kidnap a scientist named Dr. Winterbourne. They brought him back to the labs and have been keeping him there ever since. No one is allowed in or out to see him, except for Franco's men.”

  “So what's the big deal with this scientist?” Felicity asked.

  “Yeah man,” I joined in, unable to believe we were actually going back to face our known enemies, as if nothing had happened. “What's so special about this Dr. Winterbourne guy?”

  “Nothing much,” Moto shrugged. “Except he created the zombie virus.”

  Chapter Five

  “So it's true then,” Felicity said, feeling numb at hearing his words. “Someone actually made this plague that's ruined the world. Someone is responsible for all of this misery, after all.”

  After I had been brought back from being turned into a zombie, Moto had given me similar news. I remembered feeling as shocked as Felicity was at the revelation. The idea that someone had intentionally created a virus that caused so much death and destruction that it brought down all of mankind seemed like a hard pill to swallow at first. Over time I'd come to accept it as part of human nature – the dark side that yearned for chaos and annihilation, the dark side that built bigger and more terrifying weapons like the atomic bomb.

  There will always be people like Franco and John, I thought. Men who crave absolute power, and the means to inflict suffering on others.

  “Who ordered it?” Felicity asked.

  “We don't know,” Moto replied. “It was approved by the vice president, but the president himself most likely knew about it.”

  “Not signing gives him the ability to deny knowing later on,” Apache scoffed. “When it all hits the fan.”

  “How did it get out?” I asked. “I mean, was it intentional?”

  “We don't know that either,” Moto admitted.

  “What do you know?” Sam asked innocently, looking up with his big puppy-dog eyes.

  “We know that we don't want Franco being able to synthesize a new antidote,” Moto patiently explained. “Or something even worse.”

  “What do you mean by something worse?” Felicity asked. “What could be worse than the zombie virus?”

  “We're not planning on finding out,” Moto said curtly.

  “So what is the plan then?” I asked. I was ready to go to war if Moto commanded. I'd heard enough. There was no way I was going to let John and Franco get away with whatever diabolical scheme they were darkly dreaming up, no matter what it was. These were bad guys, plain and simple, and it was our job to stop them or die trying. Moto looked pleased, but not surprised by my enthusiasm.

  “You and I will take the Humvee back,” Moto said, doing his best to hide a smile. “We'll radio ahead and try to get hold of my personal security detail. That way we can get a bead on what we'll be in for when we arrive. We'll leave in the morning so we have full visibility. It's still dangerous to travel between the base and Xanadu, even in the armored vehicle. We never know when we might run across another horde of flesh eaters.”

  “What about us?” Felicity asked indignantly. Sonya crossed her arms as well, looking equally outraged.

  “You'll stay behind, for now,” Moto instructed.

  “Like hell I will,” Sonya started, but Moto held his hand up and stopped her.

  “Look,” he said. “We need to keep you and the rest of the gang here, out of harm’s way, at all costs. You've already been through enough to turn your hair white. I'm not going to allow you to suffer any more.”

  “Allow me?” Sonya fumed.

  “This is still a military issue,” Moto shot back, growing visibly upset before catching himself and regaining his composure. “There is still a chance I'll be able to resume control when I get back.”

  “I don't see how,” Felicity protested, nervously wringing her hands. “Franco's gonna know the score when you turn up with Xander for sure, that is if John hasn't already told Franco his story. He's probably got half the military out looking for both of you right now, scouring the woods near the entrance for any sign of us.”

  “Maybe,” Moto said. “But I doubt it. Remember he can't risk tipping his hand…not yet anyway. Not until he has enough supporters to keep the rest of the enlisted men in line. Sure, now he realizes I know about his part in the plans, he knows that I'm on to him and am part of the conspiracy to stop him, but he won't be able to do anything about it for the time being.”

  “How long will it take him to have you killed in an accident just like he did with General Conrad?” Felicity demanded.

  “I'll have my team assembled long before then,” Moto assured her. “Franco and his Blackshirts will all be under arrest awaiting trial for treason. There is already a plan in place to take them by force if necessary.”

  “So you're really just gonna hand yourself over to him?” Sonya said in disbelief. “I don't know which part of your plan is crazier; the fact that you want to put yourself in mortal danger for no reason at all, or the fact that you expect me to just
sit here and wait for word you've been killed at the hands of a petty tyrant.”

  “I'm still the ranking officer on base,” Moto said confidently. “I have a responsibility to my men and to my country. I don't take that lightly. We've talked about this before. You're going to have to learn to trust me.”

  “It's not you I don't trust,” Sonya hissed, her eyes flashing in anger as she balled up her fists.

  He reached out and put his hand on her shoulders, but she furiously shook it off. She stormed out of Apache's shelter without another word. Moto chased after her, leaving us standing there in shock. Apache clapped his hands together.

  “Time for dinner I guess,” he said warmly, glossing over the obvious tension still in the room. “Who's hungry?”

  “Xander,” Felicity whispered, using her small voice as she took my hand. “Please tell me you're not going on this suicide mission with Moto, that you'll help us talk him out of it? Please, baby? For me.”

  I looked at her, then around to see Sam and Apache trying not to stare at us.

  “Can we talk about it after dinner when we've had some time alone?” I asked, feeling embarrassed and darting looks around the room again.

  “Sure,” she said at once, letting go of my hand. The tension began to seep slightly from the room. “I trust you, baby.”

  “Thank you,” I said, feeling better about it right away. “Now that you mention it, I am pretty hungry. What's on the menu?”

  “I thought you'd never ask,” Apache said, coming back across the room and stepping between Felicity and me. Taking us in his arms, he guided us back outside.

  Apache began at once to tell us about the village and how things operated. He explained that everyone in Xanadu was trained in a particular skill, but that they all took turns doing unpleasant jobs, like making sure the sewage pipe was properly removing waste, or helping prep and cook. He explained that he was the last of a council of Elders, but that he had turned decisions about their future over to a group vote. He showed us people patching thatched roofs, while others were making pottery and necklaces, and some taking out bundles of trash to the compost piles out by the crops. There was so much happening in the bustling village that it was hard to keep up. Sam followed along like an eager puppy adding comments that, for the most part, fell on deaf ears – a fact that his excitement did not allow him to notice, as far as I could see.

  “This is Tarunika,” Apache boasted, as they briskly walked past a beautiful girl working on a fabric loom, making cloth out of wool. “She's not only the best fabric maker in Xanadu, she's also a fierce warrior and teaches math to the children. Her hobbies include baking desserts and making herbal ointments.”

  “That's amazing,” Felicity sighed. “I'd love to try a sample some time.”

  “Here,” Tarunika offered, thrusting out a small wooden bowl with purple foam in it. “It's lavender hand and body lotion.”

  Felicity took a dab and began working it in, her face lighting up as the lotion spread.

  “It tingles,” she exclaimed. “I wasn't expecting that.”

  “It heals small wounds and cuts,” Tarunika explained.

  “Thank you,” Felicity said appreciatively. “It's amazing.”

  “Have some,” Tarunika graciously offered, handing her a small vial. “My gift to you.”

  “I don't know what to say,” Felicity quickly replied. “You're very kind.”

  “It's nothing,” Tarunika smiled. “Maybe later I can help you oil and braid your hair to keep it from tangling.”

  “I'd like that,” Felicity beamed.

  “Here comes just the person I wanted you to meet.” Apache waved as a muscular young man with dark eyes and dark brown hair came strolling up. “This is my son, Kaya.”

  “I heard you were back,” Kaya said, embracing his father. “Welcome home.”

  “Any troubles while I was gone?”

  “Nothing I couldn't handle,” Kaya laughed. “Mostly just watching Sonya pace back and forth and make herself sick with worry.”

  “Speaking of which,” Apache warned, “she's in a mood right now. Best to go easy on her.”

  “Guess that explains why she and Moto blew me off when I said hi a moment ago. They were headed out toward the waterfall.”

  “They'll be fine,” Apache assured Kaya. “They just need some time alone to sort things out. Smells like the stew is nearly ready.”

  “It is,” Kaya said. “I worked kitchen detail today. We just started serving. In fact that's why I came up in the first place, to grab Tarunika and bring her down. When she gets going on a project she can get so absorbed she forgets to eat.”

  “We can't have that,” Apache said pleasantly. “Let's all go down together.”

  Apache led the way and we followed, Kaya taking Tarunika by the hand and trailing just a little behind us. They kept giggling, but I didn't want to turn around and invade their space, so instead I took Felicity's hand in mine and gave it a gentle squeeze. She smiled at me, delighted by the gesture.

  We sat in small groups on the open grass, with no central focus. People came and went, some eating, some serving drinks and handing out fresh baked sourdough bread, some taking dishes away. The food was amazing. There was roast deer meat in the stew along with fresh potatoes and carrots. The bread was like nothing I'd ever tasted before in my life. We drank clean stream water and freshly squeezed orange juice. I gulped down as much as I could until Felicity told me to slow down so I wouldn't get sick.

  Eventually, Moto and Sonya joined us. They didn't look like they'd worked out all their issues, but at least they were no longer openly fighting. Sam wandered off to play with a group of children, and Tarunika brought out a selection of her famous pastries. They were absolutely incredible; ripe peaches and apple slices wrapped in flaky crusts coated in sweet juices. I had forgotten how much I’d missed dessert.

  Afterward Apache, Kaya, and Tarunika took Felicity and me to see the Iboga fields, while Moto and Sonya snuck off again. We sat near them as Kaya inspected the bulbs and checked the root growth.

  “Looks like another mature batch is almost ready,” he told Apache.

  “Good,” Apache said. “You can start working in your lab again in the morning. I'll have some villagers come down at sunrise and start harvesting. That way you'll be all prepped and ready by the time the root is cooked dry and crushed to fresh powder.”

  “Ready for what?” Felicity asked.

  “To start synthesizing batches of antidote of course,” Apache replied with a big smile. “We've got everything we need right here to whip up hundreds of doses.”

  “What about spider venom?” I asked, recalling my brother telling me about how the brown recluse played a role.

  “Found a way around that,” Kaya said with a wink. “Trade secret. Turns out my way works better, or at least faster anyway. In most cases, I've cut the coma period down to less than forty-eight hours.”

  “We've got a small stockpile all ready, and are working on a delivery system,” Apache added.

  “How did you figure out how to make it?” I asked, remembering Moto explaining to me that it was a very difficult concoction to replicate.

  “It was all in the notes Sonya brought me,” Kaya said. “The solution was fairly straightforward once I had them, almost like a recipe. From there I just did a little tinkering.”

  “A very complicated recipe,” Apache threw in. “Don't let his modesty fool you. He's spent countless hours training in medical sciences and biology. Always was a smart kid. Hell, if Z Day had never happened, he'd probably be one of those big shot research doctors locked up in a building, trying to come up with a cure for cancer.”

  “Looks like I still found a way to try to save the world,” Kaya smiled. Apache, unable to help himself, took the opportunity to mess Kaya's hair up. Kaya, looking miffed, pulled away from his doting father with an embarrassed smile and ran his fingers through his hair, trying not to make it obvious he was watching to see how Tarunika would re
act. They were clearly head over heels for each other. You could tell by the adoring look on her face.

  “When you say you're looking for a delivery system, does that mean you're planning on using it for defense purposes?”

  “Not exactly,” Apache replied as he turned and looked at Felicity.

  “We were thinking more along the lines of using it for offensive purposes,” Kaya added. “We plan on turning back as many as we can.”

  “What about the ones that are already too far gone?” I asked.

  “Their spirits will finally be allowed to pass on,” Apache said reverently. “Either they will find their way back to the land of the living or go to the Great Beyond, but they will no longer be trapped here in terrible misery, suffering from mindless hunger. That's the most important thing. That's the best we can offer them now.”

  I thought about the vivid hallucinations I experienced when I was given the antidote, how I could no longer tell if I was alive or dead, how I'd wandered aimlessly from one vision to the next, working out issues from my past. By the time I came down and saw Moto was there with me, I could no longer tell what was real and what was a fantasy. My mind had been broken, but my soul had been purified of the hot, seething anger that clouded everything it touched. I imagined those who would choose not to come back would at least be liberated from that terrible state of helplessness, and I felt okay with it. I would have done anything to end that kind of unthinkable torture.

  “And most importantly, they won't be a threat to other people,” Kaya added.

  “How do you plan on administering the serum? It's not like you can just sneak up on a cluster, much less a full horde. Plus, won't someone have to monitor them as they turn back? I was out for nearly a full week.” I was really just thinking out loud. I hadn't meant to sound pessimistic, or to shoot down their plan. The questions were out of my mouth before I had time to think.

  “We're working on a plan,” Kaya stated, looking slightly peeved by my less than supportive sounding comments. “We just need people to believe in us; people that want to help should be part of the solution instead of being part of the problem.”