“What did you tell them?” Luca whispered to the body once again. He knelt and heard the whisper of his imagination in George’s voice. He watched as G’s swollen eyes crept open and a smile of broken teeth broke across the dead man’s face.
...what are you afraid of Dimitri…
“Nothing!” he clenched his jaw and focused on the hallucination. George laughed with a gurgling sound. A bubble of blood formed and burst from his mouth. A trickle of black tar erupted from the fresh bullet hole in the corpse’s forehead, and a drop landed on Luca’s hand. He pulled his hand back, wiping it on his trousers.
...you’re afraid… you don’t work in the open… you work in the background…
“Yes, I work in the background.”
...but the Neighbors had another fight… a fight they didn’t tell you about…
“Yes. This only works when they’ve already won the fight.”
...the army post was soft… you scared them away for the Neighbors… they owed you more than this…
“Yes, they owe me for this. They had an enemy too close. Too strong. They kept it from me.”
...yes…
“I’ll show that old mu-dak what happens when he crosses me. He’ll regret ever working with us. I’m not his lapdog to order around.” Luca looked back at the body on the ground. There was no smile, no voice.
Just the stench of death on a broken carcass.
Chapter 32
- Broken Home
Broken Home
The helicopter that flew overhead disturbed them all.
It had happened only a few minutes after they fled from the courtyard, right as the man Deb and Kahn killed reanimated and began to walk around. Deb, Lars, and Kahn watched the familiar black chopper burn through the air in the direction of the destroyed shop. Lars held his breath as he slammed the brakes, bringing the bullet-ridden vehicle to a halt as the Black Hawk passed low overhead. They listened to the fading sound of the engine before driving on.
“He didn’t know what the Neighbors were,” Kahn said as they drove onto a sidewalk to escape a roadblock of wrecked cars. He looked to the driver’s seat at Lars and to the back where Deb sat in between the two mostly catatonic others. “I don’t know if we’re fighting the right group.”
“They had Mel,” Deb said, a little louder than she intended in the closed cab. She looked at Jesse sitting next to her and lowered her voice. “They killed her. I don’t care if they called themselves Neighbors or what.”
“That helicopter was the same one that attacked us at LOSTOP, I’m pretty sure,” Private Lars added.
“Yeah, I think it was too,” Kahn said. “The flyers at our post and your compound both came from the Neighbors. But I don’t think these guys were part of that group.”
“Unless he was lying to you,” Deb added.
“Right, but I don’t think he was. Jesse had already broken the guy and he had no reason to lie. I think whoever they are--they’re working together. The helicopter group is helping the Neighbors, and the Neighbors must have kidnapped Mel for them. But I don’t understand why.” Kahn shrugged.
“Powerful men have different standards than the rest of us,” Deb said softly. “Working together with other powerful, immoral men is the natural order of things.”
Her statement was met with silence as the truck bounced along the broken road. Deb leaned forward and helped Lars navigate. The roadblocks to the southern entrance under the false bottom of the truck meant the northern, walking entrance was the way to go. It was a maze of wrecked vehicles and rubble, but once they were close enough Deb knew the best route and she brought them to a familiar road with angled parking spaces where Lars stopped.
“Why aren’t we seeing any of the dead?” Kahn questioned, receiving shrugs from Deb and Lars as they unloaded Jesse and Ricky from the back of the extended cab truck.
“We don’t usually see many in this corridor to home,” Deb replied. “Maybe there are just less around this part of town after the storm.” Kahn nodded and kept watch as the two catatonic team members were half-dragged to the small group’s formation. He didn’t say, If they aren’t here, then where are they?
Deb led the way past a collection of shopping carts onto a road that was wide and clear. The day’s hiatus on summer was over, and the five of them were broiling only a few minutes into the journey. They had no water, and no food for twenty-four hours. They trudged up to an abandoned bar with the name Toro’s painted on the outside brick. Kahn sat on one of the patio chairs and the rest of the group followed his exhausted lead. Lars was handling Ricky as the mourning brother asked the mechanic for water. His shirt had dried to an ugly brown color and he picked at the blood stains on his hands and arms. Deb sat Jesse down and did a quick search inside the place, coming back empty handed. They suffered silently in the August sun.
Deb stood and paced in the road, restless but unwilling to force the others onward just yet. She took a few steps to the middle of the road and looked over the crest of a slight hill toward home. Kahn watched as her expression turned from fatigue to fear to shock as she took off running down the street.
He jumped up and chased her, leaving Lars shouting and trying to rally the last two squadmates. Kahn’s head pounded in rhythm with his feet as he came to the top of the rise where Deb was standing in shock. Kahn came to a stop next to her, bending in half and trying to recover from the short sprint.
Forward of their position, about a quarter of a mile away, Kahn could see the remnants of the curved sewer pipe wall. From this angle he could see that the wall was designed to extend around a large building and parking lot to the south of the home they had visited. This side, coming from the north, had another false entrance through the cab of a eighteen-wheeler.
But it was all gone. Destroyed somehow. The north wall was nothing more than a heap of gray rubble. Kahn could see at least a dozen figures staggering around the parking lot. Where is Daisy? Where is Daisy!
“Oh god,” Lars said as he joined them. “Oh my god.”
“Come on, there might be survivors,” Deb said, checking her weapon and taking a step forward.
“Wait,” Jesse said. Kahn hadn’t noticed that he and Ricky had followed on Lars’ instruction and now looked upon the wreckage that was their home. “If we rush in there we’ll run out of ammo and get killed. That church is the armory. We need to get there and then look for survivors.”
“Let’s go,” Kahn said impatiently. “We have to find the others. Daisy and the kids and Louis. Where would they be?”
“Probably in the main living area. I don’t know if they would have come out and fought back. Probably not with the kids,” Deb said.
“Probably right,” Jesse said. “Let’s head to the corner hidden by the building and climb on top. We might be able to get in without a fight.” Deb suddenly stepped toward and embraced Jesse in a tight hug.
“I’m so sorry, Jesse,” she said. After a moment he sighed and wrapped his arms around her in return.
“Me too. Let’s go.”
They released and Jesse led the small group carefully down the side of the road. They worked hard to keep their steps quiet, even Ricky in the rear kept pace and kept silent. They cut across an overgrown patch of grass and made it to a right-angle piece of the large concrete pipe that made their wall. Jesse slung his rifle and gripped his hands together, gesturing toward Deb. She gripped his shoulders and stepped into his hands, vaulting to the top of the wall and straddling it. Jesse caught Kahn’s surprised look at their agility in scaling the obstacle.
“Before we built the entrances we had to do this every time we brought supplies home. It’s a bitch to lift boxes of canned goods over this wall, let me tell you,” Jesse said. He gestured toward Kahn and his own hands. “Come on man, we’re not waiting all day.”
Kahn vaulted to the top of the barrier much more awkwardly than Deb. Once stable he straddled the wall and looked around. They were indeed at the front of the building Jesse had called th
e armory. There was a concrete block with the words Church of Christ - Science etched into them. He barely had time to ponder what a science church was before Lars was grabbing for a hold using Kahn’s coveralls.
“God damn man, help me up,” the mechanic cried. Kahn pulled him over and then held his shoulders as he lowered himself to the ground on the other side. No biters could be seen down either side of the building, but Kahn thought he heard the low growls of the ones in the parking lot.
Ricky was next, easily hurdling up and over despite his awkward bulk. Jesse made a running start and leapt as high as he could, using Kahn and Deb’s assistance to get over. It had only taken a few minutes and the group of five was safely on the other side of the wall. Jesse snapped his fingers quietly and led the way down the narrow sidewalk to the front door.
The interior wasn’t like any church Kahn had seen and he was sure that the Burned Woman’s people gutted it for their own purposes. Once they walked through the small open chamber of the entryway they entered the open space in the center. There were no pews, just tables and chairs, and the whole building was organized with products in bulk. There was a stack of flat screen televisions, a miniature pallet of various soaps and shampoos, and one table was completely covered with folded clothing. The rear of the building had a small elevated stage that was now stacked with food and water in storage.
“Back here,” Jesse whispered, gesturing toward a closed office door. They waited together as Jesse retrieved the set of keys from his pocket and unlocked the entryway. Kahn saw a hanging decoration on the rear of the church’s wall. Eerily, someone had spray painted over every line of a poem or saying except one: Raise the Dead.
Once inside the office, Kahn was reminded of the gun shop. There were racks of rifles and shotguns, boxes of ammunition stacked in every corner, and brand new pistols and rifles still in the manufacturer’s boxes. Lars whistled and picked a short-barreled assault rifle from the closest rack. Deb and Ricky strode confidently to the far wall and began to load 9mm ammunition into Ricky’s backpack. Jesse took a few steps and stood over a desk in the middle of the room, picking up a small object.
“I found this in a shop,” he said as Kahn approached. It was an oval keychain with the word Melissa in the center. He flipped it over and over.
“I’m sorry about Mel,” Kahn said, repeating Deb’s earlier sentiment. After a moment he decided to add to his statement. “When I lost Aisha and Daniel, I thought I couldn’t go on. I thought I would die. But I didn’t, because I had people to help me get through it. When I couldn’t move, Kimble moved me. When I couldn’t function, the soldiers at LOSTOP gave me a job to do. You’ll never be fine, but you’ll survive. And we’ll find who did this, for Aisha, and for Mel.”
“Yeah, me too. Thanks, Hal,” Jesse replied. “She was just so beautiful and kind, and funny. She didn’t belong in this angry world. Just couldn’t stand the hate. I thought her job here was safe. But I guess even if you try to escape it, the world will still find you.”
“Here,” Deb said, handing a backpack to Kahn. Ricky handed a second one to Jesse. “What’s the plan?” Lars joined them, having loaded a backpack with ammo for his new rifle. Jesse put the keychain in his pocket.
“Over here.” He traveled to the corner of the packed office and picked something off the ground behind a rack of 12-gauge shotguns. He handed it to Lars, and then handed an identical one to Kahn and Deb before taking one for himself.
“A hatchet?” Lars asked, removing the packaging that had allowed the tool to hang from a store peg sometime in the past.
“We’ll be silent, in a line. Me, Lars, Deb, Ricky, and Kahn in the rear. Keep a few feet between you and walk quietly. Follow me and I’ll pick the order. They aren’t that smart, but they will come after us if they see or hear us. If one comes from behind, Kahn, you take care of it. Stick together. We’ll do the parking lot first, then we’ll head toward the buildings.” They all nodded and gripped their new weapons.
“We’re ready,” Kahn said. “Let’s do th--”
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM...
Chapter 33
- Allies
Allies
The group froze. The pounding noise echoed from the sanctuary and reverberated around the entire building. It stopped after a few moments, and then continued again rhythmically.
BOOM BOOM BOOM… BOOM BOOM BOOM…
“New plan,” Jesse whispered. “We exit from the vestibule and walk around. If they’re pounding on the doors they’ll be in a mass. Same order, but if there are more than two or three we shoot. Let’s go, now.”
The squad fell into step in the order Jesse described, each gripping their new hatchet. He locked the armory door and headed for the front entrance. Kahn glanced at the creepy Raise the Dead sign again on their way out. Probably not what they meant, he thought as the rhythmic hammering continued.
They gathered outside and were hit with a blast of heat despite standing in the shadow of the church. The booming noise on the rear door was echoing around the building with each strike. Jesse set off down the sidewalk to the southern corner and peered around. There were a few downed bodies in the parking lot, but nothing immediately threatening, so he continued to the next corner with everyone in tow. Now, each boom seemed to shake the air, but Kahn suspected it was only a single one hitting the door with its shoulder. As Jesse took a knee he pointed at Kahn with the hatchet, indicating for him to come around the corner and confront the noisy creature.
Kahn stepped quietly past the kneeling group and tiptoed around the edge. There was a brick extension to the building at the corner, so the body hitting the door was barely visible as he moved slowly closer. A few more steps and he’d have it. He raised the ax above his head… and lowered it.
“Ice?” he said. She spun around and lunged at him with a growl in her throat. She was covered in blood, marking her dark skin with a vulgar shade of crimson. Kahn threw his hands up to defend himself and dropped the hatchet to the asphalt. The force of her attack drove him back and he stumbled and fell off the small curb, landing on the ground with a thud. She landed on his chest with a knife to his neck.
Biters don’t use knives, was the thought that popped into Kahn’s head.
In an instant, Jesse and Deb were up and grabbing her arms and trying to talk her down, smearing blood all over themselves in the process. Lars grabbed her knife hand and worked to loosen the grip as Kahn shuffled backwards away from the attack. He stood as she seemed to realize who was wrestling her. She looked from familiar face to familiar face before fully collapsing in Jesse’s grip.
“Look, look!” Ricky said, his first statement since getting into the car in the shop courtyard. “The things are dead.” Everyone followed where he was pointing and saw nothing but bodies spread around the courtyard. Lars walked to one nearby and held the confiscated knife toward the dead creature’s head.
“I’ll be damned,” he said. “She killed them. All of them.” They all looked at Ice in amazement as her eyes fluttered back and closed. She was out cold.
“Come on, help me with her,” Jesse said, shifting her weight so Kahn could help carry her back toward the church. Once they were inside, Deb unrolled a spare sleeping bag and they laid her on top.
“Did you see Daisy?” Kahn asked Lars once Ice was settled. The mechanic shook his head. “I’m going to find her.” Kahn made for the back door and threw the thumb latch.
“Hold up, we’re coming with,” Jesse said. “Ricky, can you stay with Ice and guard her? Make sure nobody comes in?”
“Yes, guard her,” he replied. “I’ll keep her safe.” He sat heavily on the ground next to Ice, watching her closely and smiling at the rest of the group. Deb touched his arm and smiled back before following Lars and Jesse to the door where Kahn waited impatiently.
The parking lot behind the church was boiling in the summer sun. The stench of the newly dead bodies made them gag as they moved toward the far side. Jesse pointed and followed Kahn to a low
chain link fence, hurdling it, before running around the side of the main building toward the metal entrance gate. Skirting around the front sidewalk left them looking at another pair of bodies. Deb knelt to inspect them.
“Gunshots,” she said. “This was Josh and Maria Flores. Nice couple. They didn’t turn. Must have been caught outside whenever the attack happened.” She stood and they moved onto the gated entrance. After a few jogging steps Deb stopped and gasped.
The gate was blown off its hinges and sat mangled halfway down the short hall to the yard. Black blast marks stained the walls and one of the dead lingered in the open space. It was someone they knew, but the body had been so damaged it was impossible to tell who. Both arms were missing and after a moment Kahn saw the limbs on the ground near the broken gate, black with char. The clothing had burned away, leaving angry red skin showing in streaks through the blackened flesh. It turned and reached, jagged bone pointing from each amputated arm. Lars jumped ahead of Deb and swung his hatchet in a wide, one-handed arc into the creature’s skull. The charred face split from forehead to jaw and the creature fell heavily to the floor.
They crept forward, sneaking in single file down the short hall to the courtyard. As the yard opened ahead of them, living quarters to the right and the Burned Woman’s chambers to the left, two more of the undead creatures staggered toward them. Kahn and Jesse each swung and downed the creatures in a single blow from their hatchets.
The remainder of the two or three dozen people that had gathered to watch the Burned Woman speak the previous day lay slaughtered on the ground, in the entryways, and in the buildings. Jesse, Kahn, Deb, and Lars each stepped over the bodies of good people and friends as they first entered the main living quarters.
Nation Undead (Book 2): Collusion Page 23