Zombie Uprising Series (Book 4): The Hybrid
Page 14
Jen gave him a quick hug. "Promise me you'll get your family and get out of here."
"I promise. But I should help you get Cartwright first."
"I've got all the troops I need, and your mother and sister need you right now."
She turned to the zombies. "Follow me and attack anyone on the roof. Except Red and Cindy. You two stay with me."
Bulling the door open, she rushed onto the roof. Gunfire came from the Blackhawk that had landed on the far end of the roof. Cartwright was just boarding. Three guards next to the helicopter opened fire on the charging zombies.
No time for tactics. Jen broke into a full run toward the helicopter. If I can get close enough to at least take a good shot at Cartwright...
The helicopter lifted a couple of inches. One of the guards looked back at it and yelled. He and the others made a run for it, but were brought down by their fellow guards from behind.
The helicopter moved a few feet up and away from the roof. Jen's gaze locked on Cartwright's. For the first time, the bitch smiled.
Heat flared in Jen's face. "Cindy. Jump on the helicopter."
Cindy sprinted past Jen, making a beeline for the helicopter. Cartwright pointed at her and said something. The helicopter started ascending just as Cindy leapt. She missed the door and wrapped her arms on a landing skid.
Guards, follow Cindy. Get your weight on that helicopter.
The guards left their meal and streaked toward the helicopter. Cartwright gestured frantically and looked like she was screaming into her headset. The pilot gritted his teeth and the helicopter began to rise again.
The guards leapt. The first one missed and dropped out of sight, but the next three hit with two of them managing to hang on.
The helicopter descended. The pilot screamed into his mic and flipped several switches.
Jen slowed. "Red, I need you to take out the tail rotor."
Red shot past Jen and leapt at the rotor. She hit it and turned into a pink mist.
"Shit. That did nothing?"
The helicopter pulled away, the zombies still clinging to the skids. It barely made it over nearby buildings and it moved slow, but it was moving.
"Son of a bitch. She's going to get away."
The thup thup thup of the rotors changed rhythm and Jen shaded her eyes to get a better look. The tail rotor seemed to be slowing. As she watched, it stopped altogether.
"You did it, Red."
The helicopter started spinning, black smoke trailing from the rear. One by one, the zombies clinging to the skids were thrown off.
Losing altitude, the helicopter dropped out of sight somewhere near Emory University. Seconds later a thick plume of black smoke rose into the air.
31
Jen adjusted her sunglasses as she walked toward the helicopter wreckage. Two students stood next to the blackened skeleton and looked up as she approached.
"Hell of a thing," one student, a beefy jock-looking kid said. "Everyone thought all the aircraft went west, but they say the CDC kept one for emergencies." He kicked a burned piece of metal. "Shame they wrecked the damn thing."
The skinny long-haired girl next to him pushed one brown lock behind her ear. "I heard the military is pissed about it."
"Anyone survive?" Jen asked.
The boy shrugged, but the girl nodded. "I heard four died and one survived. At least long enough to go to the hospital. Good thing it's close by, the bodies were supposedly pretty burned up."
I heard. I think. Can't get a straight answer anymore. "Could you point me to Clifton Road?"
The boy pointed at a large building looming over the trees. "Just the other side of the hospital."
Jen hiked up her backpack. "Thanks."
Walking up to the brick-faced house on Ridgeway Drive, Jen had an uneasy feeling in her gut. Looks more like a typical suburban family lives here, not some bikers.
She took the walk to the front door and rang the doorbell, fully prepared to tell the homeowner she had the wrong house. When no one answered, she shaded her eyes and peered through the window.
Inside looked just as nice as the outside. It had the kind of furniture she wouldn't dare sit on in case it broke.
An engine roared to life from somewhere behind the house. She crossed the perfectly manicured grass to the driveway that wound around to the back. A standalone garage came into view with its two overhead doors open. Three men and a woman worked on three motorcycles. Even among his own people, D-Day stood out, bent over and working on the sidecar.
Jen approached, and as soon as the woman shut off the engine she was gunning, Jen waved and said, "D-Day."
D-Day straightened as the others reached for weapons.
He put a hand out to the others. "She's cool."
Wiping his hands on a greasy rag, he loped to Jen. "Needing some help?"
She nodded. "A lot has happened. I'll tell you all about it on the road."
White teeth appeared under D-Day's mustache. "On the road. I like that. Where are we going?"
"West."
32
Jen wiped up egg yolk with her last piece of toast and placed it in her mouth.
"What did Wayne and Zeke say?" D-Day asked.
Washing down the food with some orange juice, Jen put up a finger. "They're in Pennsylvania. Told them we're heading for Colorado so they have a general direction."
"Did you say Colorado, young lady?" An older man in faded jeans, a cotton shirt, boots, and a cowboy hat stood next to their table.
D-Day nodded. "What's it to you?"
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop," the cowboy said, "but you're heading right into the front lines. News this morning said the undead have overrun Salt Lake City and are heading east. They expect Colorado to be the next major battleground."
Jen downed the rest of her orange juice and looked from the cowboy to D-Day. "Then Colorado it is."
Continue the Journey
To keep up to date on the release of the next book in the Zombie Uprising Series, go to www.marobbins.com
Author’s Notes
In many ways The Hybrid is a lynchpin in the series. It answers some questions going all the way back to Book One, The Awakening, and sets the table for the rest of the series.
This was the first book of the series that was written after the The Awakening was released to the public, and reader reactions to the series gave me plenty of motivation and inspiration to keep the series moving along.
We’re now heading into the fall and winter where my writing pace usually picks up. Other than a trip to Pittsburgh for Night of the Living Dead 50th anniversary events, and a follow-on to New England to see family, I’ll be holed up in front of the computer, pounding away at the keyboard. Like you, I can’t wait to see what happens next.
If you’d like to keep up with what I’ve got coming out, sign up for my email list at uprising.marobbins.com. You’ll get a free eBook, new release announcements, updates, and even some drawings to win prizes like signed paperbacks and other unique items.
Thank you so much for reading the Hybrid. Know that I take no reader for granted and I’m truly humbled that you spent your time reading my book.
Till next time.
M.A. Robbins
Acknowledgments
Thanks go to my wife, Debbie, for her steadfast support. Tamara Blain, editor extraordinaire at A Closer Look Editing, was a godsend for this book as events gave her a shorter turnaround time and she aced it with a smile. Domi at Inspired Cover Designs just keeps adding to her legend. To the beta readers, I really appreciate your input and honesty. You made the book better.
To all the readers, I’ve received such positive feedback since the series launched in May 2018. Rest assured that I’m putting my heart and soul into the books to provide you with top-notch zombie action. Thank you for reading!
Also by M.A. Robbins
The Zombie Uprising Series
The Awakening, Book One
The Gauntlet, Book Two
Th
e Citadel, Book Three
The Tilt Series
The Tilt, Book One