The Dying of the Light (Book 1): End

by Jason Kristopher

  “Uh, sure, mister. I get it, national security and all. Here ya go,” he said, pulling the memory card from the camera and handing it to the soldier.

  “Sorry, kid, it ain’t that easy.” Jason jumped a bit as a short, dark-haired woman appeared at his side. “You look like a smart one, and smart ones always have a backup plan.”

  She then proceeded to give him the most thorough search he’d ever experienced. When she pulled the extra memory cards from his jeans, he had the wit to seem chagrined as she arched one eyebrow at him.

  “What?” he said. “They’re spares.” The female soldier shook her head and handed them to the other, who smiled.

  “Alright, kid, you can go. Just make sure to talk with the guy over there to get your receipt. Assuming you want these back, of course.”

  “Nah, they’re my ex’s. I could give a shit if she gets them back. She’s not even paying me for this.”

  The soldier shrugged and moved off through the crowd towards the others, and Jason breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the real memory card against his ankle. Just what in the hell is on there that they didn’t want me to see?

  Gaines chuckled as he walked back to the rental cars, bouncing the memory cards in his palm. Rachel smiled up at him, but managed to look concerned at the same time. “Do you think these were the only ones he had?”

  “Not even for a second, babe. But we could hardly strip-search him there in the parking lot, could we? I got his picture while you were busy searching him,” he said, holding up his phone. “I don’t think he even noticed, what with your hands all over the place.” He grinned down at her as she rounded on him in anger. She snorted as she realized he was pushing her buttons, and punched him in the arm.

  “Ass. So, what? We just let him walk away?”

  “Hardly. I’ll make sure that the major or the commander gets his photo. I’m sure there’s some way to track this kid down and find out who he is. Once we do that, we can put a team on him to monitor his movements, internet usage, the works. Whatever it was that he found, he’s not going to be able to use it.”

  Rachel sighed. “I wish we didn’t have to do crap like this. I’d rather just be out killing zombies. All this political crap is too much for my fragile little military mind.”

  This time it was Gaines that snorted. “Fragile and little are not words I’d use to describe you, darlin’,” he said. “Now short, on the other hand…”

  She hit him harder.

  “Alpha Six here, go ahead, Bravo Six.”

  “Ma’am, we’ve found the cafeteria, but no one’s here.”

  Kim paled as the radio squawked, and looked at me. “Maybe they went somewhere else? The kitchen, the freezer, who knows?” I said, trying to ease the tension just a bit.

  “Bravo Six, can you confirm evidence of walkers in the cafeteria?”

  “No, ma’am. There’s no blood, at least that we can see. No dead or dying; it’s just empty, ma’am.”

  “Spread out and check all exits from that location. Those people must’ve gone somewhere, lieutenant.”

  “Yes, ma’am, we’re already looking.”

  “Shit, shit, shit. Underwood said there were maybe sixty people in that cafeteria,” she said, looking at Anderson. “Where the hell did they all go?”

  The radio crackled once more. “Alpha Six, Bravo Six.”

  “What’ve you found?”

  “Ma’am, we found a roof access ladder at the back of the kitchen. Looks like it’s been used recently; Arkady is on his way up now to check it out.”

  “Acknowledged.” She looked at me. “The roof?”

  I shrugged. “That’s probably what I would’ve done. Walkers can’t climb ladders, so that’s one of the safest places they could be.”

  “Surely we would’ve seen something by now — at least someone peeking over the edge.”

  “Not necessarily. They could be hiding, waiting for an all clear from Doctor Underwood.” An all clear that would never come, now.

  “Bravo Six here, we’ve found them, ma’am. They’re all on the roof. They seem a bit dazed; one of the nurses was scared but in charge. It was her idea to get everyone up here.”

  “Get them down here, but bring them around the outside of the building. And I want to meet this nurse.”

  “Yes, ma’am, on our way.”

  Kim turned to Anderson. “Sir, I’d like to send these vehicles back and get 3rd Team so we can finish clearing the hospital.”

  “Make it happen, major.”

  Kim assigned Rachel, Dalton, and I to drive the rental cars back to the airport, and we managed to pick up Echo and Foxtrot squads. Although there was some squishing involved, we made it back to the hospital in what I believed to be record time. I noticed Kim talking to a tall brunette in scrubs as we pulled up, but I didn’t have time to think about who that might be. Kim was obviously busy, so I took charge; after all, that was my job as her XO.

  “Alright, Bravo and Echo squads are on point for this final sweep. Foxtrot, maintain the perimeter; take these four with you,” I said, pointing at Angelo, Dalton, Rachel and Tom. “I don’t want anyone else dying today, so be careful, people. Move!” The fine professional soldiers that they were, 1st and 3rd Teams moved out in almost preternatural silence to their assigned tasks.

  “Looks like something’s got the gawkers spooked,” Anderson said, coming to stand next to me as I waited for the major to finish her chat with the nurse. I looked over at the barricades; he was right, something had the press and the rest of them more agitated than before, and it wasn’t just that we’d taken all their discs, drives, and media.

  “My father always taught me never to wonder when you can just ask, sir,” I replied.

  Anderson snorted. “Right; let’s take a little of that advice, shall we?” I started to move towards the barricade, but he stopped me. “I’ve got this one. Why don’t you see what that’s all about?” he asked, jerking a thumb in the direction of the now-finished gabfest behind us.

  Yippee, I thought. Just don’t let me walk in on something I’d be better off not hearing. “Yes, sir,” I said as he moved off to the barricades, and turned to find Kim and the new girl approaching.

  “David, I want you to meet the nurse that took all those people to the roof. This is Morena Forrest.” It took everything I had to keep from leaping backward in fear when I turned around. She wasn’t alarming to look at; far from it. She was tall, maybe five-seven or five-eight. Startling blue eyes and long raven-black hair. That wasn’t what frightened me; what I was scared of was that except for the hair color, I knew this woman.

  It was Rebecca.

  It’s not her, I thought frantically. It can’t be her.

  That damned voice was back with his helpful little addition to the twisted mess that was my thoughts at that moment. It can’t be Rebecca, because you killed Rebecca, remember? The few seconds that had passed seemed like years as I tried to figure out what to do, what to say. Eventually my overheating brain gave up and just went into default mode.

  “Hi, I’m David,” I said, reaching out to shake her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Hi, David, good to meet you, too.” Then she did the oddest thing I’d ever seen anyone do after being stuck in a hospital with zombies for hours.

  She smiled.

  I realized I was still holding Morena’s hand, and I let go like I’d grabbed a live power line. At least, that’s what it felt like. Of course, that was also the same moment that I noticed a dangerous glint in Kim’s eye, so perhaps it was merely self-preservation, at that.

  “Uh, so, good job with the staff and patients,” I stammered, trying to look nonchalant and failing.

  Morena appeared worried. “Did you get all the other ones out, though?”

  Kim and I glanced at each other and looked back at Morena. “What others?” I asked. “We thought all the staff and patients were in the…” I broke off and looked back at Kim. “Oh fuck, that’s not what he said at all.”

&
nbsp; “What who said?” Kim asked as I ran a few steps toward the building.

  “Bravo and Echo teams, be advised there are more targets in the hospital. Say again, more targets in the building,” I yelled, turning back to Kim. “Underwood. He said ‘the rest of the staff and all the patients we could move.’ Morena, how many weren’t you able to move?”

  Morena and Kim reached the same conclusion as I did, and as Morena paled, Kim whirled and started giving orders through her mike.

  “I’m not sure exactly,” Morena said, taking obvious control of her fear.

  Impressive, for someone who hadn’t known what she was going to be getting into when she clocked in this morning.

  “There were four in the critical care unit, and at least two others in emergency. I know that Shelly was prepping one of them for surgery, and there was another that was in surgical recovery. We did what we could, but…”

  “You did the right thing, Morena. I just hope they’re still alright,” I said, one hand on her shoulder in consolation. I turned to catch up with Kim, but she was already coming back.

  “Looks like Echo found one guy near emergency. He’s dead.” She shook her head at a quick look from me. “No, not turned. Santos thinks he died of respiratory arrest; something to do with his surgery, she guesses. He was already cold when she got there.”

  “Morena says there were four in the critical care unit, too, and another one somewhere in emergency.”

  Kim wasted no time. “Echo Six, Alpha Six.”

  “Echo Six here.”

  “Be advised there may be another target in the emergency area as well as surgical recovery.”

  “Roger.”

  “Bravo Six, Alpha Six.”

  “Got another one for me too, boss?”

  “Four more targets, critical care unit. All teams confirm walker status before kills; no friendly fire here, people.”

  “Bravo moving to critical care unit; out here.”

  Kim turned back to us. “Ms. Forrest, the patient being prepped for surgery didn’t make it. I’m sorry.”

  To her credit, Morena’s voice only stammered slightly. “Was he… did he…”

  Kim shook her head. “No, he wasn’t, uh, infected. Our corpsman thinks he died of respiratory arrest, long before they ever got to him.”

  Morena sighed. “That’s really unfortunate. He was a very nice man. Still, better to die that way than turn into a zombie.” Kim and I exchanged startled looks, causing Morena to raise an eyebrow. “Oh, what? You don’t think I watch movies? Sure, they’re mostly made up, but that’s what those things looked like to me.”

  Kim and I avoided looking at each other, trying to stifle grins as Morena looked back and forth between us. “Wait, you’re not saying what I think you’re saying, are you?” she asked. “These really are… Oh, shit.” She clapped a hand over her mouth and blushed as she swore.

  Rebecca used to do the same thing, I thought, then swore under my breath and turned away, checking Foxtrot’s perimeter. Thank God she’s just a civilian.

  “Alpha Six, Echo Six.”

  “Go ahead, Echo Six.”

  “We have retrieved two more survivors and are evac’ing them now. ETA your position two minutes. Request medic.”

  “Roger Echo Six, confirm evac and medic request.” I glanced at Kim and saw her jaw set. If Echo was asking for a medic, then something had happened to them that was bad enough that our resident field medic — Corpsman Lucia Santos, USMC — couldn’t handle it. Hopefully, it was just a regular injury. “Ms. Forrest, could you help us out here? We’ve got wounded on their way.”

  Morena nodded, almost coming to attention as she straightened. “Call me Morena, please. And yes. Where do you need us?”

  Kim drew her closer to the emergency room doors, talking quietly. Morena nodded and whistled. “Saunders, McElroy, get over here with those e-packs!” She yelled louder than Kim, her voice carrying into the parking lot. Two of the nurses milling around the emergency vehicles looked over, grabbed emergency kits out of a nearby ambulance, and sprinted over to the head nurse, who began organizing a field trauma station.

  Kim chuckled as she came back over. “That one’s a force to be reckoned with. I’m keeping my eye on her.” I ignored the sideways glance she gave me, knowing it wasn’t just Morena she was going to be keeping her eye on.

  I pointed at the doors as 3rd Team came bursting out, two patients on stretchers and one of the soldiers leaning on the arm of the last man out, Captain James — also known as Echo Six, squadleader for half of 3rd Team.

  Well, that explains the need for the medics, I thought as I watched James ease Santos to a resting position on one of the impromptu tables set up by Morena’s people.

  “Looks like Santos is hurt,” I said as Kim and I got closer, staying well clear of the working medical personnel.

  “How is she, Morena?” Kim asked, pulling her pistol from its holster.

  Morena didn’t look around. “She’s not bitten, major.”

  Santos spoke up. “Madre de Dios, that hurts. I’m fine, ma’am. That jackass attacked me with a bone saw,” she said, jerking her head at one of the patients they’d brought out on a stretcher. “He was in surgical recovery; I guess he thought I was a walker, sir. He’d barricaded himself in the room. He just forgot that the door opened outward.”

  Kim put her pistol back in the holster and snorted. “Lemme guess, you decked him.” I noticed the oh-so-evident bruise on the man’s jaw, and turned to hide a smile from the corpsman.

  “Yes, ma’am, I did. We didn’t have time to deal with him going crazy, so I figured that was the fastest way.” She shrugged. “I’d keep him pretty well sedated, if I were you, at least until medical clears him,” she said to Morena.

  “Don’t worry, he’s out for a while. I gave him a nice cocktail.” The two medics shared a smile, and even Kim grinned a bit, some of the tension easing from the group.

  Too bad it didn’t last.

  “Alpha Six, Bravo Five.” I wondered why Arkady was calling in instead of Commander Powell, but as I heard the muted cough of the silenced battle rifles in the background — as well as Powell’s fluent cursing — I realized why. “Alert three, ma’am. We’re engaged with what appears to be at least four, possibly six or seven walkers.”

  “Maintain your position, Bravo Five. Alpha squad, move to reinforce Bravo.”

  “Acknowledged,” Reynolds said, and I saw four figures break off from the perimeter at the other end of the hospital and move inside in staggered formation, covering each other well. That’s my team, I thought. Foxtrot squad reconfigured to provide maximum coverage as they left.

  A few minutes went by, and there was a crackle of static and Bravo Six came on the radio. “…cking thing, dammit! Alpha Six, Bravo Six.”

  “Alpha Six here, go ahead.”

  “Five walkers confirmed down, ma’am, with one other infected, also confirmed down. One survivor. We are finishing our sweep now.”

  “Acknowledged. Send the survivor out with Alpha, through the emergency room doors.”

  “Roger, Bravo Six clear.”

  Kim turned to Morena, who held up a hand. “I heard. We’ll take care of it. Looks like you might have some unpleasantness headed your way though,” she said, looking over our shoulders. We turned to see Anderson striding toward us, and if ever a man could be said to look murderous, that was our commander.

  I just hoped I wasn’t the reason he was pissed.

  “Problem, sir?” I asked as he got closer.

  “One of those little bastards with a camera got away. One of the other idiots swears up and down that he saw the little shit put something in his shoe. Fuck! There goes OpSec.”

  “Sir, it may not be that bad.” Kim and Anderson both looked at me, startled. “Surely someone got video of the crowd, right?”

  “I believe Gaines and Eaton were collecting the tapes and discs and whatnot from those assholes. Where are they?”

  “Sir, they’re e
scorting another survivor out of the building while Bravo and Charlie finish their sweep,” Kim answered.

  “Good. Have them report…” He broke off, looking over my shoulder. “Never mind.”

  He strode off, leaving us to catch up as he walked toward the field trauma unit, where the rest of Alpha squad had appeared and left their survivor. I waved Tom and the others over.

  “Gunny, I need those memory cards,” Anderson said without preamble.