Wayne pounded the temple of another zombie with the bat and Zeke made an abbreviated slash with the katana and left a teen goth zombie with its neck halfway severed.
"Where they hell did they come from?" Jen yelled.
A blur zipped from her right, and she ducked just as the zombie cat sailed over her. Son of a bitch!
She holstered the pistol and yanked the tomahawk from its sheath as she scanned for the devil cat. "Where the hell did you go?"
Her eyes fell on the open door to the next car. "Tell me it isn't chasing the rest of the passengers."
She rushed the aisle, slashing and knocking zombies to the side. Wayne cracked the skull of a woman who collapsed back into two other zombies.
"Keep moving," Jen yelled. "Almost there."
Something grabbed her arm and she jerked back as a heavy man with a bloodied eye socket dipped his head to take a chunk out of her. Kicking out, she connected with one of his knees. He lost his balance and Jen threw him backward. He fell onto the floor in the doorway, blocking access to the fourth car. Jen brought the tomahawk overhead and jammed the point through the zombie's good eye and into his brain. He went limp.
Lungs heaving, Jen leaned on the doorway and looked into the fourth car. The outbreak had spread there and she faced more than twenty fresh zombies.
Wayne and Zeke had reached her. Eight more zombies pursued them, all the rest having been destroyed or moved into the next car.
"Change of plans," Jen yelled. "We stay in this car. Take the rest of them out."
Zeke stepped next to Jen. "Stay back." He pressed into the remaining zombies, his katana a blur around him. No longer worried about hitting a human, he spun, swung, and danced down the aisle, thinning out the remaining zombies until only one remained.
A shot took that one down, and Wayne stood behind Zeke with his pistol pointed at the zombie and a smile on his face.
More zombies entered the fourth car from the back and rushed up the aisle as Jen tried to close the door, but the heavy zombie she'd killed blocked the door from closing.
"Look," Zeke yelled.
Jen turned back to the third car. The old man was fumbling with the door latch.
"The old man's a fucking leader," Jen yelled.
The door between the second and third cars slid open and the horde burst through.
13
The old man lurched into the second car, his intense yellow gaze on Jen. She grabbed the dead zombie blocking their escape. "Help me."
Zeke and Wayne pitched in and they rolled the zombie out of the way.
Zeke ran into the fourth car and took a stance halfway down the aisle. Jen pushed Wayne through. "Back him up."
Wayne raced down the aisle and Jen stepped into the car, closing the door behind her. The horde up front held back, and the old man stumbled toward the door.
"Oh, hell no." Jen pulled her pistol and let the old man get closer. When he was only fifteen feet away, she slid the door open a foot and propped her gun against it for stability. A quick aim and a squeeze and she hit the old man in the neck. The horde roared and pushed forward.
Sweat pouring down her back, Jen aimed again. The horde had just about reached the old man and would be on her in a few seconds. Time slowed. Jen lined up the sights and held her breath. Fighting the urge to hurry, she squeezed slow enough to make sure she didn't pull the sights off target.
The pistol boomed and recoiled. A hole appeared in the old man's forehead and Jen leaned back, slamming the door shut. Three fingers made it through the doorway and were sliced off when the door closed.
The horde roared and banged on the door. Jen gave them the finger and spun to help out Zeke and Wayne.
Her breath hitched as she took in the scene. Zeke and Wayne stood side by side in the middle of the car. Waves of zombies pushed forward, the seats the only thing keeping them from sweeping over the brothers.
Jen aimed at a middle-aged woman in a bloodied pantsuit and put a bullet in her temple.
Wayne knocked back a zombie climbing over a seat.
Zeke beheaded a young man charging down the aisle, then spun and sliced at a teen goth girl who'd climbed on the back of a seat and squatted there like a gargoyle on a medieval church.
Jen shot another zombie about to reach Wayne. We are so screwed.
She holstered the pistol and drew the tomahawk. Darting forward, she planted her blade into a one-armed zombie's forehead. Stunned, but still undead, it struggled to its feet and Jen finished it off with a second blow to the same spot.
Another zombie pushed up the aisle between Jen and Zeke. Zeke was locked in a struggle with a wiry, athletic zombie coming over the seat. It had avoided the swings of his katana, but was kept off balance and unable to attack.
Jen took on the aisle zombie and swung sideways with the tomahawk, planting the pointed end in the zombie's temple. It dropped like its strings had been cut, but took the tomahawk with it.
No time to get it.
She yanked the pistol from its holster and shot the two closest zombies point-blank in the head. She shoved one on top of the other, which slowed a third that was creeping up on her.
Too many. Getting tired.
A booming voice came from the other end of the car. "Work your way to me."
Jen looked up. D-Day's head and shoulders towered over the zombies, his machete rythmically mowing down the undead.
She retrieved her tomahawk and attacked with new energy. Maybe we can get through.
The bodies had stacked up in the aisle, which kept the zombies from rushing them full force, but also blocked Jen's way forward.
"We can't get them all," D-Day said. "Make your move now. Straight down the middle."
Zeke hopped onto the pile of bodies blocking the way and took out two zombies climbing over. His eyes were wide and maniacal and his face was splattered in blood.
Jen ran to Wayne. "Follow Zeke. I'll be right behind."
Wayne shook his head. "I'll take the rear and cover you."
Here comes the freaking testosterone. "I need you to help clear the way with Zeke. The rear is easy. Is that what you want to do?"
Wayne pursed his lips, then dashed to join Zeke. He leapt onto the body pile and jumped off with the bat over his head. He landed next to Zeke, the bat crushing a redheaded zombie's skull.
D-Day reached the brothers. Both of his bare arms were wrapped in clothing and taped. He used them to push back snapping zombies. Even when one latched onto his arm, its teeth didn't penetrate to the skin.
Smart idea.
D-Day glared at her. "Now."
Jen raced toward the others. She jumped onto the pile of bodies and used it as a springboard to leap down the aisle, avoiding several zombies spilling in from the seats.
D-Day turned and rumbled toward the back door like a human plow, his forearms pushing back the remaining undead.
Jen split one zombie's skull and avoided another's grasp as she hurried to catch up.
D-Day reached the back door and yanked it open. Zeke and Wayne sprinted through the door.
Six feet away, D-Day yelled, "Duck."
He swung the machete at Jen's head and she dove for the floor, tumbling through the doorway. She slammed into Wayne's shins, taking him down.
A zombie woman's head rolled in behind her and came to a stop between her outstretched legs.
D-Day slashed another zombie across the face, then backed into the car and slammed the door shut.
The zombies piled up at the door. Jen stood and brushed off her pants. "Thanks. Good thing for us you were on board."
He shrugged. "First thing I saw was people running down the aisle. It was like a cattle stampede. I looked to see what scared them and this car had a bunch of zombies tearing into people."
He patted his sheathed machete. "Figure I'd take a few of 'em out then join the cattle, but that's when I saw you guys."
Zeke sheathed his katana. "Maybe we should just stay in here. Both doors are secure."
&n
bsp; A low rumbling came from beneath the seats. It grew into a maniacal growl, then a figure streaked across the aisle and disappeared under the seats on the left.
Jen hefted her tomahawk. "That fucking cat. That's what caused this shit storm."
"Then we've got to kill it." D-Day raised his machete.
"I'll get it." Wayne crept down the aisle, his bat cocked over his shoulder.
"Wait," Jen said. "We need to do this together."
The cat sprang at Wayne and he swung wildly, clipping the cat and knocking it back between the seats.
Wayne scrambled back to the others, his eyes wide. "Damn, that thing is fast."
Zeke kept his eyes on the seats. "How do you want to do this?"
Jen took a deep breath. "Zeke, you and I will each take a side of the aisle. We climb over one seat at a time together."
She pulled her pistol and handed it to D-Day. "Get down on the floor with the pistol. If the cat tries going underneath, take it out."
Wayne looked at her. "What do you want me to do?"
Now there's an attitude change.
"Stand back with D-Day and watch the aisle. In case D-Day misses, you're his backup if it charges him."
"I don't miss," D-Day said.
Jen climbed onto the first seat on the left. The next seat was clear, but she couldn't see all of the third seat.
Zeke crouched on the seat on the right, his eyes surveying the tops of the seats in front of him.
"Anything, D-Day?" Jen asked.
D-Day lay on his side with his back to the door and the pistol in his outstretched hands. "It ain't on the floor."
Jen caught Wayne's eyes. He nodded. "Ready."
"Next seat." Jen stepped onto the next seat as Zeke did the same across the aisle.
"I'm clear," she said.
"Same," Zeke said.
"Next seat," Jen said.
Jen froze as her lead foot touched the seat. She held up her free hand and listened.
A soft purring came from somewhere ahead. "Is that on my side?"
Zeke squinted and tilted his head. "Can't tell, but it's not far off."
"Still nothing on the floor," D-Day said.
Jen's heart pounded and her mouth went dry. Is this it? Am I going to be taken out by a cat?
She brought her other foot over and stood on the seat. Nothing in the next seat. She looked at Zeke and he shook his head.
"Next seat," she said.
With a high-pitched growl, the cat launched itself at Zeke's face. He ducked and brought his sword up. The cat sailed over him and missed the blade by a half inch. It landed on the floor in the aisle, then sprung at Jen without hesitating.
A shot went off and Jen flinched. The yellow-eyed beast sailed through the air, its claws out stretched.
Jen brought the tomahawk around with all her strength, but it would be seconds too late.
The silver barrel of an aluminum bat flashed by Jen's face, barely missing her, and slammed into the cat, sending it flying into the wall, where it hit with a crack and fell to the floor.
Another gunshot. "Got it," D-Day yelled.
Jen plopped to the seat and put a hand to her face. That was too fucking close.
Wayne stood over her, concern in his eyes. "Are you OK?"
Jen nodded. "Yeah. I'm good."
He nodded and turned.
"Thanks," Jen said.
He looked back at her and smiled. "We all watch out for each other, right?"
She found herself smiling back. "Right."
He held out a hand and she took it and pulled herself up. They stood face-to-face a few inches apart. His eyes were a deeper hazel up close.
He leaned toward her and her heart picked up again, but not from fear, not from exertion. His lips were inches away from hers. She closed her eyes in anticipation.
"Jen," D-Day said.
She blinked and stepped back from Wayne. What the hell was I thinking? About to make out with a guy in the middle of a zombie apocalypse? It's like a bad movie.
She turned to D-Day. "What's up?"
He pointed to her waist. "Didn't you have a pouch belted around you?"
Jen followed his gaze. The pouch with the serum was gone.
14
"The serum," she shouted. She checked the seats she'd climbed over and examined every inch of the floor.
"Fuck," she screamed.
"So it was important?" D-Day asked.
Zeke put his head in his hands. "Only the cure for the zombie virus."
"A cure?" D-Day said. "Then why the hell did Jen have it?"
"It's not the cure," Jen said, "but the closest thing to it. I was bringing it to a research lab in Boston to finish it."
Wayne put an arm around her shoulders. "Do you know where you lost it?"
She pushed away from him. "If I did, I would've known that I'd lost it. It could be anywhere in the cars ahead of us."
"Anywhere there are zombies," D-Day said.
Jen's phone rang. "Great. What's next?"
She flipped the phone open and put it to her ear. "Yeah?"
"Jen?" Cartwright's voice hit her like a ton of bricks. Does this woman have a sixth sense about bad news?
"Dr. Cartwright," Jen said.
Zeke's eyebrows shot up. Jen put the phone on speaker.
"What's the situation?" Cartwright asked. "Agent Rodriguez was supposed to check with me every hour."
"Rodriguez and Daniels are dead."
"What?"
Jen took a deep breath and let it out. "There was an outbreak on the train. Both Rodriguez and Daniels gave up their lives to keep me safe."
"And you're safe now?" Cartwright asked.
The best thing to do with Cartwright is tell her the truth up front. "We are right now, but we're going to have to go back into the infected cars. The strap on the pouch must've broken during the fighting. The pouch with the serum is in one of those cars."
The phone went silent except for Cartwright's soft breathing.
At least she didn't have a heart attack.
"You must retrieve it," Cartwright said.
No shit. Why didn't I think of that? "We're trying to figure out the best way to do that."
"Hold on," Cartwright said.
The phone clicked, then a tired voice said, "Howell here."
"Sergeant Howell," Cartwright said, "we need your help with the serum."
"Not sure what I can do," Howell said.
"We had an outbreak on our train," Jen said. "The first three cars are full of zombies and the serum is in there."
Howell's voice picked up. "Let me get a railroad contact on."
Another click. Jen looked at Wayne and he shrugged. Zeke was cleaning the blade of his katana on a discarded sweatshirt, while D-Day sat on the edge of a seat staring out the window.
"Jen?"
"Here."
"There are direct-line phones on the wall of each car. Pick it up and the engineer will answer."
"They've already tried that," Cartwright said. "The engineer isn't answering."
"Hold," Howell said.
He came back a minute later. "Railroad communications can't raise him, either. This is a bigger problem than just the serum."
"What do you mean?" Wayne asked.
"Boston is the end of the track. If that train comes in at its current speed, it'll crash and release the zombies in the middle of Boston."
"That's irrelevant," Cartwright said. "If it crashes, it could destroy the serum."
"Are there any surviving passengers?" Howell asked.
"We're not sure," D-Day said. "A bunch of them fled to the back, but we had a zombie cat going around biting people. This whole train could be full of undead."
Cartwright cleared her throat. "Who is that who just spoke?"
"D-Day," Jen said. "Without him, we wouldn't have survived."
"I've got you identified by satellite," Howell said. "You have some low bridges on your route that are over bodies of water. You can jump off in
to the water."
"But not without the serum," Cartwright said.
"I'm open to suggestions," Jen said.
D-Day stood. "Stop the train and open the doors. The zombies will wander off and we can go through the cars and find the pouch."
"Then we start the train back up and head to Boston," Wayne said. "But how do we run the train?"
Zeke smiled. "From the engine. We climb on the roof of the cars and walk right over the zombies to the engine."
Jen exchanged a glance with D-Day. The crazy-ass biker grinned. He's eating this shit up.
"Can you do it?" Howell asked.
Jen shrugged. "As good an idea as any."
"There's a station in Kingston, Rhode Island," Howell said. "It's pretty rural and I can alert the state troopers to set up there if you think you can stop it in time."
Wayne shuffled his feet. His head was down, but he'd been listening. "Even if we get to the engine, we don't know how to stop it."
"I'll get an engineer on the line to walk you through it," Howell said.
Jen looked at the others. Zeke grinned and gave her a thumbs-up. Wayne looked her in the eye and nodded. D-Day stood. "I'm up for it."
"Looks like it's a go," Jen said. "We'll let you know when we're in the engine."
"Roger," Howell said. "I'll be ready."
The phone clicked.
"Jen," Cartwright said.
"Yes?"
"Mankind is counting on you." The phone clicked dead.
Jen blew a raspberry. "What a stirring motivational speech."
D-Day pulled the handle for the outside door and slid it open with a whoosh.
Jen held her hands over her ears. "I hadn't realized how much of the noise the cars kept out."
"I'll go first." Zeke approached the door and stuck his head out, the wind making the spikes in his hair bend. The door was at the back end of the car. Zeke held onto the inside of the doorway as he swung the other half of his body out.
Jen's heart skipped a beat as he pulled himself outside. She ran to the door. Zeke was around the back corner of the car. "There are a couple of places to grab," he yelled as the wind battered him and his clothes flapped. "Make sure you have a good grip before you come around."
He looked up. "There are handholds all the way to the roof. Just take it slow and keep your grip." He disappeared around the corner.
Zombie Uprising Series (Book 4): The Hybrid Page 7