“It’s going to be a very long trip to Florida. I suggest being on your best behavior.”
“Or what?” I snarled. “There is nothing left you can do to hurt me. You’ve taken away everything.”
“Trust me, Krista.” His voice was low, “There are worse things than death.”
I scoffed. “Like what? Being a zombie? I’m pretty sure wandering the earth with nothing on my mind but flesh would be a blessing right now. The only thing that would suck is I wouldn’t remember to come after you!”
He tightened his grip on my neck. The air barely made it into my lungs. My headache increased.
Without saying a word, he released me and put the vehicle in drive. I had him. I knew it. There was nothing he could do to me. The one thing I wanted was for him to kill me. It would save a lot of heartache. Yeah, the people in Florida still needed me, but the mission seemed hollow without Quinn to help. Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I averted my gaze out the window.
Liet found a Hummer, more than likely outside the Army cave. I attempted to look over the seat, see what he packed in the back. From the corner of my eye, I saw dark green duffel bags and a stack of guns. Liet was smart enough to know he’d need food and water, but he also needed to take something to appease The Families.
No doubt they were going to be angry the workers took over North Platte. They were probably upset they had to come out and level the whole place. They were going to be furious to know they didn’t actually kill any of the uprisers in the attack. Liet had a lot of explaining to do, but he could smooth the way with a gift.
Liet. Even thinking his name made me nauseous. Why had we shown him mercy? Why didn’t we string him up on the barbed wire fence in North Platte and let the zombies take care of him? We wanted to lead by example, show how compassionate we were. You know, the complete opposite of Liet. But what did that accomplish? Quinn got shot, and I was kidnapped. Plus, he knew where the survivors were. He could send out an extermination crew once we got to Florida. I could only hope Pam and Tanya got back to camp and told them to move out.
I clenched my jaw. What else could possibly go wrong? Lately, it seemed like everyone I ran into wanted to kill me. My luck ran out. It was the only explanation. It had to happen sooner or later, but why couldn’t it have been after the siege on Florida? Maybe during the victory party I could randomly get struck by lightning.
“Life doesn’t work like that, Krista.” I heard my father’s voice in my head. “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
I punched the car door, frustrated. There was nothing I could do about my situation. I was stuck. Dad would say, “There’s always a way. You might not see it, but you’re never truly stuck.” Obviously, that man had never been handcuffed inside a car with a lunatic.
“You know, Krista,” Liet’s voice was soft, kind.
I focused my glare on him, just to make sure it was actually Liet in the car.
“It’s not too late to fix things between us.”
My jaw dropped open. He was joking. He had to be.
He glanced at me. “What?” His voice had a hint of anger to it.
“Did you do drugs as a child?”
“What?”
“How else do you want me to ask it? It’s a straight forward question.”
“Yeah. Some.”
“That probably explains a lot.” I turned my attention back out the window.
“Whatever. Either way, we’re still family. The only we have left. With Quinn gone, you have no one left. Except me.”
I balled my hand into a fist. Did he really believe I was going to run back to him after he shot Quinn? Was he really that narcissistic? I decided not to respond. I wouldn’t have been able to say anything nice.
“If you come back, I’ll make sure The Families go lenient on you.”
I snorted and faced him. “You’d still take me down there?”
“What other choice do I have? You broke the rules. You have to pay the consequences. But I can make sure you aren’t killed for what you’ve done.”
“Really?” I made my voice rise unnaturally high. “You’d do that for me? Oh, Liet, I don’t deserve you.”
He glanced at me sideways.
“You can shove it up your butt!” I snarled. “I’ve never needed you to do me any favors.”
His lip curled into a snarl. “Fine. Suit yourself. I was trying to give you one more chance.”
I rolled my eyes, but he didn’t see it. I slouched down into my seat, turning my back on him as best as I could. I wanted to spend the rest of the trip in silence. It would take days for us to get to Florida. Not talking to him would make it slightly bearable.
“So, what do you think went on in the Army base?”
Thank goodness Liet’s split personalities could still come out and play. It wouldn’t be a family gathering without everybody there.
I didn’t respond.
“I think they studied zombies there. Maybe created them.”
“Then where were they?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, if they studied the undead or even created them, wouldn’t there be some kind of evidence? Wouldn’t the creatures still be in the cells? They couldn’t get out of those rooms.”
“What do you think happened?”
“I don’t know, Liet. I wasn’t there. You were in there longer than we were, what did you find?”
“Nothing but those crates of guns. And a few roaming zombies. All civilians. No military people.”
“Then I guess we’ll never know what happened.”
“That place is kind of like Area Fifty-one, isn’t? Buried deep in the mountain, unknown to the vast majority of people. Anything could have gone on in there.”
“Maybe it was a safety shelter. You know, like Cheyenne Mountain.”
Liet sat quietly for a moment. “Maybe. But I didn’t see any living quarters in there.”
“Then maybe it was just a storage facility. Maybe they were going to take creatures there but never had the chance. Maybe they turned before they could get the zombies imprisoned.”
“It would make sense. I mean, you’d want to make sure you were stocked to the gills with weapons before bringing in a dangerous creature. It would also explain the few civilians. They’re probably the ones who left this baby there.” He patted the steering wheel. “Not that I’m complaining.”
“Are you done speculating? I have a huge headache. I’d like to rest.”
“Oh, sure. Sorry. I forgot I whacked you pretty hard with my gun. When I stop for a break, I’ll get you something for that.”
I responded by getting as comfortable as I could and closing my eyes. The pain subsided slightly, almost to a tolerable level. I tried not to think about my situation. I didn’t want to think about Liet and his twisted idea of family and the actions he thought he needed to do to accomplish his goal. I especially didn’t want to think about Quinn because I knew I couldn’t keep my emotions in check forever. The last thing I wanted was for Liet to know he hurt me. If anyone was going to get hurt, it was going to be him. I didn’t know how or when I was going to do it, but I was going to do it.
The tires vibrated and sound rumbled through the Hummer. I opened my eyes as Liet pulled over onto the side of the road.
“Where are we?”
“I don’t know. Somewhere in Colorado, I think. I need a break, though. And I’m sure you could use some water.”
He opened the door and walked to the back. He returned a few minutes later and held out a bottle of water and two ibuprofen.
“Are you kidding? How do you expect me to take that?”
“Oh, yeah.” He placed the pills into my right hand, then turned the top of the bottle. “You’ll have to bend down.”
“Or you can undo the cuffs.”
Liet chuckled. “Yeah, right. You’re resourceful. You’ll figure it out.” He took a swig of his own water.
I stared at him, hard, hoping he would burst into f
lames. Sadly, he didn’t, and I desperately needed water.
I lifted my hand as high as I could, then bent my head to meet it. It probably didn’t look pretty, but I accomplished my goal. Liet finished his water before tossing the plastic bottle onto the ground. He climbed back into his seat and headed down the road.
“What do you plan on doing with me when I have to pee?”
Liet smiled. “I guess we’ll figure that hurdle out when we get to it.”
I had half an inclination to flip the rest of my water at him, then throw the bottle, but I knew if I did, he’d take water away from me completely. Eventually, I’d need my strength. And I read before that dying from dehydration was a horrible way to perish. Even more torturous than having to spend days in a car with Liet. If nothing else, I could pee my pants. Yeah, it’d be miserable, but it would make Liet miserable too. I wasn’t completely defeated.
CHAPTER 13
It took us four days to get to Florida. And trust me, they were the longest, most intolerable days ever! Nice Liet was present for the trip. That helped a little. He even let me pee on my own. However, he never untied my feet, and I only had one hand to undo my pants. It would have been better if I peed my pants.
We ate and slept in the Hummer, so every muscle in my body ached. My shoulder was the worst of everything, and I was concerned it wouldn’t heal properly. Liet’s tackle didn’t help. I needed a doctor, peace of mind, but who knew if Liet would let me see one. I could’ve played nice, pretended like I wanted to be a family again, then I’m sure I could’ve asked for a checkup, but I couldn’t do it. Just the thought of it made my skin crawl and my stomach cramp. He didn’t deserve my worst acting skills.
All the pain and anguish I felt over Quinn’s death hardened into hate and revenge and settled into the center of my chest. I didn’t care about compassion or how future generations would look at me, I wanted Liet dead. And I wanted to kill him.
I sat uncomfortably in the seat, attempting to take a nap. What else was I going to do? If Liet thought I was asleep, he wouldn’t talk to me. I resolved myself to my fate. The Families’ anger would be satiated with my death, I knew that. Plus, I’d become an example. I imagined how they would sensationalize my case. It would strengthen their control over the masses. I didn’t care. I had nothing left to fight for. It was a hopeless mission we set ourselves on anyway.
Liet slowed the Hummer, and I opened my eyes. Florida’s chain link border was directly in front. The guards flanked the side of the road, guns at the ready. Thank goodness, I thought. My time with Liet was close to an end. A jail cell was going to be heaven.
Liet stopped and rolled down the window. He placed his arm on the door, taking on an air of nonchalance. The guard stepped forward, his face scrunched with seriousness.
“What is your business in Florida?” His eyes scanned the vehicle. Confusion covered his face as he glanced at me. He opened his mouth to speak, but recognition sparked when he looked at Liet. “General Liet!” he breathed. “We thought you were dead.”
The smirk on Liet’s face flipped into a frown. Red crept up his neck. “Why would I be dead? I can handle a few upstarts.”
“Uh, yeah, right.” The guard straightened up. “Of course you can, sir.” He signaled to the others behind him. “Give us a minute, we’ll give you an escort to Johnsons’ Town.”
I snorted in distaste. Of course Mrs. Johnson renamed the town. How many other places had been renamed? The guard raised his eyebrows and stared at me for a moment. I rolled my eyes and looked away. Two topless Jeeps took positions in front of and behind us. Large machine guns were secured to the roll bars. Strings of bullets hung out of the side, like disemboweled intestines. Really? They needed that much fire power? I guess keeping the humans in line in Florida was a tough job. Or maybe they were trying to keep the rest of us out.
Quinn and I, and the rest of the Westerners, could have done so much with a weapon like that. We could’ve cut through a whole herd of undead. Oh, well. Too late to change it. Why worry about it?
“Looks like we’re ready to go, sir.” The guard pulled me out of my thoughts. “If you want, I can drive you into Johnsons’ Town. Give you some rest, sir.”
“Yeah. I’d like that.” He turned to me. “Looks like you’ll be riding in the back.” He flashed a smile.
I scowled and looked over the seat. The only places to sit were two fold downs chairs. They weren’t going to be comfortable. But Liet wasn’t concerned with my wellbeing.
Liet made sure my handcuff was secured to something on the underside of the seat before putting on my seatbelt. Another guard sat across from me. Liet wasn’t taking any chances. After everyone was loaded, we passed through the gate into Florida. I stared at the fence until it faded from view. I settled into the seat as well as I could and closed my eyes.
“It’s really nice to see you alive, sir,” the driver said. “We were told to expect the worst. We thought the rebels might try to attack us.”
Liet chuckled. “You don’t have to worry about the rebels.” He spit the word out like it left a bad taste on his tongue. “They aren’t even close to being a threat.”
I opened my eyes and tried to shoot lasers into the back of his head.
“That’s good to know, sir. I’m sure The Families will be happy to hear it, too.”
The vehicle drifted into silence. After a few minutes, snores sounded from the front. Liet fell asleep.
“When’s the last time you saw a zombie?” I asked the soldier across from me. She didn’t look much older than me, maybe a couple of years.
“You don’t have to answer, Private.” The driver’s voice was low, authoritative. “You can make the prisoner shut up.”
Again, I tried to make lasers shoot out of my eyes into the back of his head.
“It’s all right, sir. She’s not bothering me.” She focused her gaze on me. “It’s been a while. I bet you’ve seen a lot.”
I shrugged. I wasn’t trying to make friends, I was just sick of silence. Besides, any voice other than Liet’s was more than welcome. “It varies from day to day, but there’s never a dull moment. Lots of opportunity to keep my skills sharp and use my brain. Every day is an adventure filled with excitement.”
She looked at me skeptically. “What’s the most zombies you’ve ever killed at one time?”
I could’ve made up a story, made myself into a heroine, but what was the point? I’d been through and seen a lot. I’d faced down and killed more zombies than I could count. I could’ve told her about International Falls or about the gauntlet we had to run to get into North Platte or even about the hordes that roamed the highways, but she wouldn’t have believed me. She would probably politely nod, all the while cursing me in her mind as a liar. I didn’t need her approval or awe.
I smiled. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
She pursed her lips. “I might. We’ve heard stories down here. Are there really millions of creatures?”
“Probably worldwide. No one knows how many there are here. No one’s taking the time to study them.”
“Why would we study them?” The driver didn’t attempt to keep the contempt out of his voice.
I shot a dirty look at the back of his head. “You’re not the least bit curious where they came from? What caused them to be zombies? Is it a virus? Bacteria? Can they be cured?”
The Hummer sat in silence for a moment.
“Even if we don’t study them, why isn’t something being done about them?” I interrupted the quiet. “Why do the humans have to cower in Florida while the zombies roam free on our land?”
Liet adjusted in his seat and cleared his throat. After a few minutes, the snoring resumed. I leaned my head back on my seat.
“I guess complacency is easier than taking a stand. I guess being told what to do is easier than thinking for yourself. I wouldn’t know. I’ve been out there, trying to make a difference.” I cocked my head to the right. “Is it easier?”
“
I do my part.” Her tone was defensive.
I nodded. “Sure you do.” I directed my attention to the driver. “What about you, Captain Butt Kiss? Does complacency and moronicy make life easier?”
“This conversation is over. Private, refrain from talking to the prisoner.”
I smiled and focused my gaze out the back window.
***
Our menagerie drew quite a crowd at the high school. Of course, I’m sure watching me shuffle by with my tied legs, handcuffed to Liet, and surrounded by armed guards was the most exciting thing the kids had seen in a while. It gave them something to talk about other than who was dating who and what outfit they were going to wear the next day. I glanced back at the gawkers, a smile on my face. I’m sure they thought I was insane. I’m sure they wandered why I didn’t walk with my head hanging low, ashamed of what I’d done, defeated. Oh, if they only knew the truth. Poor, brainwashed sheep.
We walked into the school, past the front desk, and headed directly into the elevator. Four of us made the trip up: me, Liet, Captain Butt Kiss, and the soldier who sat across from me in the Hummer. I called her Private Lamb Chop in my mind, she reminded me so much of that puppet. Plus, if she ever did run into a zombie, she probably would get slaughtered.
Mrs. Johnson wouldn’t be surprised to see us. The minute we stepped through the door, someone was on the phone informing her of our approach. As the lights for each floor lit up, I chuckled to myself. I imagined Mrs. Johnson scurrying to prepare for our arrival, yelling orders at the servants, clapping her hands to hurry them up. But when we walked through the door, she’d be sitting on the couch, like she’d been lounging all day.
The door dinged open and we stepped into the hallway. Mrs. Johnson’s bodyguard, the same one who made the trip to North Platte and put zombies in the back of the semi, stood in front of the suite door, smirking at me. He thought he was so superior, like he single-handedly brought our rebellion to an end. I contemplated spitting on him as I walked by, but why give him the satisfaction of knowing he got to me? Instead, I put on the cheesiest, sweetest smile I could muster.
Life After The Undead Omnibus Page 36