The Zombie Chronicles - Book 4 - Poisonous Serum (Apocalypse Infection Unleashed Series)

by Peebles, Chrissy

  I squeezed her hands. “I feel the same way. I don’t believe in accidents and coincidence.”

  “Truly a Kodak moment, you two, but c’mon!” Val said. “School’s out, and it’s time to get the heck outta here.”

  We gathered up the kids and proudly led them out the school doors. The moon was shining brightly in the sky when we stepped out. Tom’s team had collected other children, as well as janitors, teachers, and other adults. They were all cured, albeit quite shocked, as he attempted to explain what was going on.

  “Zombies? Are you sure? I mean, it doesn’t seem possible that—” a science teacher began to argue.

  “Trust me, Mrs. Dupree,” Tom said, holding up his hand to stop her. “No matter what those biology books tell ya, you have all just been saved from a walking-dead kind of fate.”

  Tom sobbed uncontrollably as he picked up a little girl in a tattered, green dress and swung her around. “I never gave up on you baby girl. Not ever!”

  “Daddy,” she squealed.

  He hugged her tight. “I love you so much.”

  “There’s mommy,” she said, pointing.

  When he laid eyes on a dark skinned woman walking toward him with two more little girls, he screamed the woman’s name as emotion overwhelmed him.

  “Carla!” he said between trembling breaths.

  “Tom!” she yelled frantically. She jumped into his arms and hugged him as tears rolled down her face.

  “I never gave up hope on our family,” he said, voice wavering. “They said you were dead and to forget about you. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t, baby.”

  She cried into his shoulder as his girls hugged his legs.

  Jackie gripped my hand. “Isn’t that beautiful?”

  I nodded. I’d never seen such a powerful, emotional reunion.

  Several of Tom’s friends ran over and scooped up the children they knew by name. In the spite of all the death and darkness that still lingered in the world, people wept, cried, and laughed as they were reunited with their loved ones. I’d never seen something so touching, and I was flattered that I’d been able to be a part of it.

  Chapter 3

  “Dean!” Nick said, hugging me. “Why do you insist on pulling stunts like that? You got some kind of death wish or something? You’re gonna go and get yourself killed!”

  “Nick, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m alive.” I held out an arm. “Would you like to feel for a pulse?”

  “Don’t ever take off alone like that again!” he shouted, a frown creasing his forehead.

  “He wasn’t alone,” Val scolded. “He had me…and Jackie.”

  Nick let out a long breath. “Well, either way, you guys about gave me a heart attack.”

  “Well, I had complete faith in them,” Lucas said, playfully punching me in the arm. “Dean and Val have your DNA, Nick. They’re far too stubborn to die.”

  Nick rolled his eyes and stormed off, shouting over his shoulder, “I gotta go find Tom.”

  I knew I’d given him quite a scare, but I’d proven my point. I wanted my big brother to know I was capable of helping people without getting myself killed in the process. I didn’t need him to protect me twenty-four/seven, even if he wouldn’t believe it.

  Tahoe clapped my shoulder. “I can’t believe you guys pulled this off. A lot of the parents in town have already written the kids off as dead, mourned their deaths. It’s gonna be better than Christmas morning when we show up with their little ones.”

  Tom walked over with his wife and kids, tears flowing down his face. “You-you kids saved my family,” he stuttered, sounding far less gruff than he had when we’d first met. “I-I don’t know how to thank you.”

  “I’m glad we were able to help,” I said. “All we want in return are those vials.”

  “A deal’s a deal,” he said. “They’re all yours.” He then motioned us over to a blue sedan and opened the back trunk. “Here ya go. I want you to know I’m keeping a few vials for myself.” “What!? Why?” Claire asked. “Those vials are ours, and you promised—”

  Nick gently grabbed her arm. “It’s fine, Claire. Just let it go.”

  I couldn’t believe the vials had been in the trunk of Tom’s car all along. So the best place to hide something really is in plain sight. I sighed as I collected them and carefully put them back into the black bag.

  Tahoe anxiously held out his hand. “A deal’s a deal, remember?”

  I reached in the bag and handed the promised vial to him. “You only need one tiny drop for each person. That vial can cure hundreds of people.”

  “Thanks. I can’t change the world, kid, but rest assured that Tom and I are gonna do our darnedest to de-zombify our little corner of the world. I’ve spent my whole life in this town, and I’m not leaving. I’m gonna consider it my personal responsibility to get a handle on the water supply and help everyone get back to normal. From here on out, our town is going to be a refuge, a place of safety for anyone who stops by and needs a place to stay.”

  “I’m glad to hear it,” I said.

  A second later, I spotted a megaphone in Tahoe’s patrol car. I grabbed it and jumped on top of the roof, and Nick, Lucas, Claire, and Jackie followed suit. Since there was no room for him up there, Tahoe grabbed a microphone from Lucy’s car, and then climbed on top of her cruiser.

  “Attention, everyone!” I said to the happy, weeping crowd. The megaphone screeched, and I cringed as the sound rang in my ears, but it did manage to get everyone’s attention. “My name is Dean Walters, and this is Claire and Jackie, Lucas and Nick. We’re going to leave you now to head to another city. Anyone who wants to come with us is free to, or you can stay here, in the capable hands of Tahoe and Tom.”

  Tahoe took his megaphone and announced, “Folks, if you decide to stay, we can fix this town together. This city will be considered a safe haven for all visitors. We will triumph over this problem. We will not live in fear anymore—only in victory!” He put the megaphone down to his side as the crowd cheered, then shot us a look. “You kids keep the patrol car. I’ll ride back with Lucy.”

  “Thanks, man,” Lucas said, offering him a smile—his own unspoken version of making amends.

  “Hey, Lake Tahoe!” I called.

  “Yeah?”

  “I know we’ve had our differences, but ultimately, everything’s worked out well for both of us. Best of luck to you and your family. I hope you get your town cleaned up and that you and Lucy have a happy, safe life here.”

  “I’m sorry for everything I put you guys through,” he said. “I hope you’ll see it in your heart to forgive me someday, even if we never cross paths again.”

  “I’m sure I will in time,” I said.

  His lips pressed into a grim line. “I get it, man. I really get it, and I wish you well.”

  Lucy blew me a kiss, tears flooding down her face. “Thank you, Dean. Thank you for…everything.”

  I held up a vial, and Jackie and Claire shined their flashlights on me as I announced into the megaphone, “People, this is the cure! This will save all of humanity from the horror that has threatened to take over our world!”

  Everyone cheered, screamed, and laughed.

  “We will deliver this to the proper authorities, and hope will spring up again for all humankind. No one needs to fear anymore. Soon, we will have our world back the way we knew it. We have hit a rough patch, a dark snag in the fabric of our history, but we are fighters, and we will fight to the end. We will have our world back! We will rebuild, repair, and live again! I cannot speak for anyone else, but I have decided to make it my life mission to save the poor, lost souls out there who are being overtaken by this foul invader, this virus that would leave them as nothing more than mindless predators. We can save them, and we will save them, because all human life is precious! We will conquer this disease, and victory will be ours. Humanity will thrive once again. I promise you that!”

  Again, everyone cheered, and as they did, it hit me: This is what I was
meant to do. I was meant to be a fighter in this cause. Just a short time ago, I’d been a naïve kid, sheltered from the ugly reality that our world faced. I’d seen some horrible stuff and had barely survived my journey through Zombie Land, but there I was like some football coach in the locker room, giving a pep talk like none other, making speeches, delivering hope, and encouraging people to fight for their deserved victory. The journey had changed me; it had thickened my skin and toughened me up, but it had also made me realize just how much I valued human life and how much I wanted to save it.

  Val and Nick grinned, and I knew they were proud of me. There was something very comforting about being there with my siblings, and I couldn’t wait to find my parents so we could be a family once again. Jackie shot me a smile, and I smiled back.

  I slid off the police car, and grinned, jiggling the keys. “Need a ride, pretty lady?” I asked Jackie, who was still standing on the hood.

  She looked so beautiful as the wind blew her hair around. Not only that, but she was also intelligent, sexy, and funny, and even in the midst of all that turmoil, I had trouble getting her off my mind. “Shotgun,” she said.

  I held out my arms, and she jumped into them. I spun her around and kissed her on the lips, basking in the undeniable spark—that connection between us that we could both feel. It had never been a question whether or not she’d come with me, because I knew we were destined to be together.

  “Hey!” Val called from another car. “Lucas and I are gonna hitch a ride with these guys so we won’t be so squished in the police car.”

  For a moment, I wondered if riding in a patrol car would remind Val of her old life as a police officer. I knew she still mourned her old life and was still grieving the loss of her fiancé, Travis, who’d been killed a little over a year ago in a horrible zombie attack.

  As Nick and Claire walked toward the cruiser, Howard pulled up next to us in a red sports car and called Claire’s name. Claire wasn’t the least bit interested in him, in spite of his blatant efforts to flirt with her back at the city gates in Kingsville. He was buff and muscular, but his ego was even bigger than his bulging biceps; he was so cocky and arrogant that I wasn’t surprised that Claire had no interest. I’d heard him bragging to some other guys about all his tattoos and battles with zombies. I was hesitant about him joining up with us, because the last thing we needed was for him and Nick to butt heads, two military Rambo types fighting over Claire’s dainty little affections.

  She turned her head. “Yeah?” Claire said, arching her eyebrow at him.

  “Wanna ride with me, doll?” he asked casually.

  “Thanks for the offer, but I’m riding with Nick.”

  He frowned. “Huh? Are you seriously going to ride with him in some jalopy when you could be riding in luxury with me? We’ve got leather seats, babe. Heck, I’ll even let you pick out some of your girly music to play on the stereo. Hop in.”

  “That’s a kind offer but—”

  “The lady says she’s with me,” Nick said, throwing his arm around her and pulling her close.

  “Whatever,” Howard said, then raced off, screeching his tires.

  “What a sore loser,” Jackie said as Nick and Claire climbed into the car.

  Lucy beeped the horn as she drove past us, wearing a big smile on her face. She and Tahoe would finally be able to put their children to bed for the first time since the epidemic had begun. They would be reunited with their loved ones, a joyous feeling that I’d experienced firsthand when I’d looked into the eyes of my sister, Claire, and Jackie and seen life there again. I threw the bag over my shoulder and patted it gently. This is it, I thought. We have the power to save humanity, and nothing’s gonna stop us now!

  Chapter 4

  After driving for a few hours, we found ourselves caught in the middle of a harsh rainstorm, the police cruiser being tossed mercilessly around in the forty-five to fifty-five-MPH winds.

  I swallowed hard as rain pounded on the windshield.

  “Are they keeping up?” Nick asked.

  I glanced back at the long line of cars trailing behind us to make sure our convoy of world-changers was keeping up. Some of the folks in our wagon train would stay with us to fight the good fight, while others were just along for the ride until we came across the next safe city. We knew there’d be safety in numbers, particularly with so many of them armed.

  “So, Claire,” I said in a joking manner, “you didn’t wanna ride with Howard in that sweet hotrod?”

  “The guy from the security check in Kingsville? Nah. I’ll pass.” She looked up at Nick. “Besides, I don’t need a cocky muscle-head like him. I’ve already got one right here,” she teased.

  I smiled as Nick grinned and squeezed Claire’s hand.

  Suddenly, Nick slammed the brakes, and my head jerked back, almost whiplashed.

  “Gosh, Nick!” Claire said. “What the…?”

  “Look!” he pointed.

  I glanced out the windshield and noticed that the gusting wind had toppled a tree over into the roadway. “No way you’re getting around that,” I said, staring at the giant obstacle.

  Nick backed up and made a left down a street called Mowry’s Lane. “There’s always an alternate route.”

  The howling wind shook the trees that were still standing, and I could feel the car swaying and fishtailing on the wet pavement. I squinted to see out the window, but it was impossible to make out anything in those heavy sheets of downpour. I had no idea how Nick was able to navigate the car in such poor visibility, and I hoped the vehicles behind us weren’t getting lost or on the verge of a ten-car pileup.

  “Nick, you’ve gotta pull over! It isn’t safe to be driving around in this freaking hurricane or monsoon or whatever it is,” Jackie scolded. “How can you even see?”

  My brother didn’t answer, as his mind was totally focused on the road.

  The car slowed and shook, jolting me. Glancing out the window, I gasped. Rivers and pools of water were gushing everywhere; clearly, we’d driven right into a flash flood. The water wasn’t all that high yet, but I knew it wouldn’t take much of a tidal wave to topple our car or catch us in the undertow of the raging waters.

  “We should pull over,” Jackie repeated.

  Claire let out a sigh. “Are you out of your mind? What…you have a bunch of lifejackets or something? Not to mention there are zombies out there.”

  “People die in storms like this because they’re too foolish to stay off the roads!” Jackie retorted.

  Claire glanced over her shoulder at us. “I realize this isn’t a pontoon boat or anything, but I’d rather take my chances floating around in it than trying to swim away from a horde of bloodthirsty, soaked-to-the-exposed-bone freaks! You thought Jaws was bad, I bet you can’t even imagine the feeding frenzy that would happen if we stepped out of this car right now.”

  “I get your point, Claire,” I said, “but if we keep driving through this, the belts will get wet, and the engine might stall. At the very least, Nick might lose his power steering, and that would be bad right now, since he can’t see anything as it is,” I chimed in.

  Nick gripped the steering wheel tightly. “Cars can be swept off the road in as little as one foot of moving water, not to mention that roads covered by water can collapse. Maybe we oughtta stop for a while, till the weather settles down a bit.” He tested the brakes, but they felt mushy and squealed, unwilling to stop the car immediately like they should have. “Crap! They’re wet. The water’s up to the center of the wheels.”

  “Oh no!” Jackie said. “If the water gets any higher, we’re gonna lose control of the car.”

  “Keep going,” Claire said.

  “No!” Jackie barked back. “The water’s gotta be two feet deep out there, enough to send an SUV or pickup floating away, and we’re only in a police car! If we get taken by the current and crash into something, the zombies will peel this car open and gobble us up like a can of sardines!”

  “Jackie’s right,”
I said. “We need to stop somewhere…and fast.”

  Nick peered out the window, somehow staying as sickeningly calm, cool, and collected as ever. “Hold on. Let me just find a safe place where we can hole up till the rain stops.”

  “Guys, I really don’t want to stop,” Claire complained.

  Nick glanced over at her and touched her hand. “If the water gets any higher, babe, our car and all these others will be in danger. The onboard computers will go, and when water gets into the cylinders, the motor will suffer hydro-lock and seize up on me. All the fluids will have to be drained and replaced, and we’ll all need new filters and spark plugs. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t seen an AutoZones around here. We can’t afford to be without transportation. The best option—for our sake as well as the cars—is to park and wait the storm out.”

  Claire glanced out the window, then back at Nick. She bit her bottom lip, as if she was unsure, but finally squeezed his hand and conceded. “You’re right. Just find us somewhere safe, Nick.”

  “I will. Trust me. I’ve always got your back.”

  “I know,” she said. “The zombies just freak me out.”

  “Remember that they’re not superhuman or anything,” he said, trying to reassure her. “They’re just slow, clumsy, and dumb. When we stop, we can outsmart them if we have to. I’ve been dealing with these monsters for a long time, and I know all kinds of different tricks and tactics. How do you think I’ve managed to survive this long out here?”

  “I’m sorry. I’m just not cut out for this apocalyptic, military stuff like you. I’m not gonna pretend to be something I’m not. I’m scared, Nick—really, really scared. Still, that doesn’t mean I won’t try and give it 100 percent.”

  “That’s all we’re asking for,” Nick said, smiling at her as he steered carefully, creeping along at a snail’s pace.

  “Maybe I’m better off behind the lines, ya know? I’m willing to help, but I’m not a frontlines kind of gal. I’m no Rambo.”