Walkers (Book 2): The Rescue

by Davis-Lindsey, Zelda

  "Sedated?" You can sedate one of those things.?"

  "Please, JD, try to understand. In order to find an anti-virus, we had to experiment on an infected subject. It's safe, I swear it is. Please, just wait to talk to dad, he'll just argue with you and nothing will change, anyway. Please."

  I took another big breath and probably made the biggest mistake of my life, but I nodded. "One day, George, one day is all I'll be able to stand being in the same area with those animals. One day, George and then we leave. End of story." I turned and walked away, not really sure of where I was going but knowing I needed to be alone.

  We'd laughed and talked for quite a while so I wasn't sure where anyone was. I was not going to have any guilty feelings in the future over this trip so 24 hours from now I was leaving out that damn door in the mountain with anyone else or not. I wasn't going to feel guilty about it either. Just making that decision lined the Karma up on my side for a change, just where I wanted it.

  Chapter 5

  I wandered around for awhile, getting lost, backtracking, walking in on people doing things no one else should see. I finally found my way back to the Mess Hall, got a cup of lousy coffee and looked around. I sent Mason the message of where I was and to find me when he got around to it. That reminded me of the time Ken got into trouble for not taking out the trash. He was around 10 or 11 at the time. When asked when he planned to do it, he said when he got around to it. Near dark, my dad presented him with a wooden disk, painted all pretty, that said 'to it' in the middle. There was a bright blue, ribbon attached to it and when my dad put it around his neck he said "Now you've got 'a round to it'. Take out the trash." He did and never used the term again. I wondered if he still had that pretty round disk.

  Mason finally sauntered in after about an hour and we shared lousy coffee together. "I sure miss that stuff at the lodge. I'm not sure what this stuff is."

  "It's wet, that's what it is. That's about all it is. I think the self destruct will do these people a favor if they have to live on this very long."

  Mason gave me a look and I was sorry the instant the words left my mouth. Many of these nice people were going to die because their general wouldn't listen to reason. We sat in silence for a bit until a stranger came over and sat with us. Mason and I looked at each other but sat silently until some unseen signal prompted the man to speak. The words rolled around and over each other as if he was in a hurry.

  "We know about the self destruct Sunday evening. We plan to leave that morning and was wondering if you had any words of wisdom for us."

  I nodded to Mason and he began, "Don't go east, the winds will blow the radiation that direction. Go north or west, California maybe but not the coast. Stay away from high population areas because high population means a high population of walkers. Take the state roads or even gravel roads. Hit the army/navy stores and small mom and pop stores. Most of the bigger warehouse stores were hit when the virus began and you won't find much except walkers. Electronics like night vision cameras, motion detectors and weapons of any kind are a must but forget assault weapons. After the first shot, the recoils screws with accuracy and to kill a walker it has to be a head shot. A RV is great just reinforce the doors and paint the bottom of the windows just in case a herd comes your way you can be quiet and they won't know you're there. Watch out for anyone wanting to be your friend, he will probably kill you. Get as much drugs and MRE's you can carry and study survival and first aid books you can get from the library. Education is your best friend."

  The man's mouth had begun to droop when Mason started speaking and by the time Mason was finished his jaw was hanging wide open. He shook his head when Mason quit speaking and looked at his watch. Giving us his thanks he stood but stopped when Mason grabbed his arm. "You planning to go out through the front?" At his nod, Mason continued. "There's a newer model, king cab, pickup, fully fueled, parked out front, with the keys in it. There's a map in the glove box."

  The guy looked like he wanted to say more but looked at his watch again, frowned and simply said, "OK, well it was nice talking to you." Then he mouthed thank you and walked away.

  I think maybe someone in charge of the mike keeps turning them off for two minutes at a time.

  I agree, and I want to say how proud of you I am. You put about all the information a person will need into practically one breath.

  "What are you talking about woman. That was one breath." I laughed like he intended and then we set out to find George. Mason had a better grasp on the layout of the facility than I did, so by the time we entered the Lab, I was hopelessly lost...again. Actually, it was the loud voices that drew us in that direction. George had found her dad and they were going at it pretty good.

  "I won't have you speaking to me that way. Show some respect."

  "Respect? Respect? You want respect, you show respect or earn it. That's what you've always taught me. But you haven't earned it. You think just because you have a bunch of letters after your name that you can demand it and get it. Well, I have news for you."

  "Fine, then respect me because I am your father. Do you dispute that?"

  "There are days when I'd like to. You spend a lot of time forgetting I'm your daughter until it suits your purpose, then you want respect. You have to treat people the way you want to be treated. But wait, I think that is your problem, you're getting some of the ill treatment back and you don't like it."

  "I don't care what anyone thinks of me as long as they do their job."

  "Fatherhood is a job."

  "You are much too old to be acting like a hurt child. Now I have work to do and so do you."

  "Not till you agree to leave here tomorrow at the latest."

  "That is not going to happen. You know why. I won't discuss this anymore. Now, get out."

  "No dammit, I won't get out."

  SMACK!!

  "You'll do as you're told or by God I'll have you locked up in the brig for insubordination!" Then he turned and saw us. His face was purple, he was so angry and when George saw us she ran to the back of the room where we heard a door slam. I leaned against the door jam, crossed my arms and waited. I was so angry I couldn't breathe.

  He started toward me and when he got close enough he said, "This is all your fault. You and Ken have filled her head with ideas and now it will take me months to fix the damage you've caused."

  "Really? Months? You have days remember, not months or is your your head so far up your ass...

  SMACK!

  I let the momentum of the slap swing me around in a circle and when I came full circle my doubled up fist caught him right on the nose. The force of the hit was felt all the way up my arm. I just barely stopped myself from flexing my damaged hand. I could feel the cut of my lip and knew it was bleeding but his nose was broken and it was worth it. He went down on one knee and stayed there. "How's it feel asshole? Hurts doesn't it?" All of a sudden I was hit with something that jerked my head back and blackness rolled over me in painful waves as darkness pulled me down into nothingness.

  I woke up in Mason's arms surrounded by cement. He was whispering words I couldn't understand in my hair. One ear was ringing or both I wasn't sure and I had to pee. My cheek was damp which meant I was drooling on myself again and parts of me was numb while other parts hurt like hell. I'd been hit with with a Taser, not the sissy ones the cops carried but the hard core ones, for the military.

  I tried to focus my eyes but that wasn't working too well so I just closed them. Then I tried to sit up but parts of my body didn't respond very well. Mason tried to help but I felt disconnected from my hands and feet and I think my eyes were permanently crossed. I felt like a rag doll, trying to hold my head up and touch Masons face. After several minutes things started to work right and I was able to growl out a sentence. "No... more... nice... girl."

  He smiled, like I knew he would. I looked around me and realized I was in the brig. Tased me and threw me in jail. What a shit. Mason held a cup of water to my mouth and I didn't realize I wa
s thirsty until I took a sip, then I was like a camel, filling up before the long trek. I think I ended up wearing most of it but I was dry, so I drank until I was finally full. I smiled weakly at Mason and asked what the hell he was doing in here with me.

  "Well, when he hit you I was coming around you to smack him a good one but you took care of that so I nearly fell on you but fell on him instead and when the goon squad arrived it looked like I was beating up on the old man. I tried to tell them what really happened but they took his word over mine and here we are."

  "What do you mean they took his word?"

  "He said lock us up and they did. Course, my giving one a soldier a black eye and another a bloody nose probably didn't help."

  "Great, now how are we gonna get out of here?"

  JD, are you okay now? I just came from the general and she won't budge on letting you out. Says you have to stay there a week, but I'll get you out before that I promise.

  Sounds great George and until then, I do not want any of that lousy coffee, understood? She laughed softly, then was gone. I looked at Mason to see if he'd heard some of that and he nodded. We would have to operate on the assumption the cell was bugged, so we decided to do the old mind thing for important stuff for the time being. Much embarrassment issued when I had to use the restroom but Mason was a gentlemen and plugged his ears. I looked around the room and decided we would probably sleep better here than in the large room with ten other people so it wasn't so bad. Of course, the door being locked presented some problems but none we couldn't get out of, I hoped. After much thought, I remembered there was a walker in the facility so then I felt a lot better about that locked door.

  That night we took the sheet from one of the bunks, tied it to the bars in front of the camera, threw the mattresses on the floor side by side and went to bed. He threw his arm around me and cupped a breast, whispered all the stuff a girly girl wants to hear, nuzzled my neck and we went to sleep. Except for having to use the restroom several times that night (all that water I drank), it wasn't so bad.

  The slamming of a steel door jerked me out of a deep sleep. Mason was on his feet so fast I didn't feel him move. I hate people like that. Especially in the morning. I don't speak English until noon, as a general rule but at least Mason did, so it worked out in the long run. He was standing at the bars when, of all people, Northern Uncle Bill walked into view. Mason snorted, yes snorted, then proceeded to put the mattresses back onto the bunks, while I leaned against the concrete walls, watching him, ignoring the other man completely.

  So, he sighed loudly, cleared his throat, then coughed. I looked up at him and nearly swallowed my tongue. He had two black eyes, and wad of white tape encased his nose from top to bottom to the extent that he couldn't wear his glasses.

  I laughed, oh yes I did. Mason turned and looked at me but I couldn't speak, so I pointed instead. Mason's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets and then he started to grin. I was laughing so hard I had to sit down. By then, my stomach hurt from it. Every time I thought I had it under control I would look at him and begin again. The funniest part of all was Northern Uncle Bill just stood there with his arms crossed over his chest glaring at us. I thought at one time he had left but he returned with a chair, sat down and watched us. After a time we finally managed to control ourselves long enough to assume a somewhat natural pose on the bunks. If you can be natural in a prison cell. Okay, it wasn't a prison but the warden was a natural.

  When all got quiet, he cleared his throat, again. "The mike is off for," looking at his watch, "another 3.4 minutes so I'll have to make this brief. I am confident that you will be able to take care of George..."

  "She has a husband to do that." I grumbled

  "Yes, well, he isn't family, you are, so I am putting her in your care. She has described this paradise you told her about and I know she will flourish there, so that's a good thing. I won't be going with you. The reasons are mine and George doesn't know. She wouldn't leave if she had to leave me behind. I am her father regardless of her feelings for me. I will be happy knowing she is going to live. I am under the impression," glancing at his watch again, "that she will have enough room to continue my work, just don't let her become emotionally tied to it. It has a tendency to ruin relationships."

  He stood and grasp the chair he brought in. "I have talked to the general and have convinced her that what happened will not happen again. I think under the circumstances it would be best if we don't remain too long in the same room together. Mason, I think you have bitten off more than you can chew with Josephine Darling so I wish you both well." Then he left. I was stunned beyond belief . Did I knock some sense into him or has an alien taken his place?

  I don't know but I do know I don't want to be the one to tell George.

  We aren't.

  Are you sure? She has a right to know.

  I agree with you there, but we both know she isn't going to leave without him.

  Well, lets think this over before we decide.

  Yea, I wonder when we get out of here.

  "I wonder where the nasty coffee is." He said loud enough for the person on the other side of the mike to hear. We waited a bit longer before we were released from the cell and led back to the Mess Hall. When we entered, there was a spattering of applause and several thumbs up. Well, looks like dear old uncle wasn't a favorite among a lot of people. The man who plans to sneak out Saturday, just smiled and left the room. We got a nice breakfast and a lot of lousy coffee. It was wonderful.

  Have you ever noticed that wonderful doesn't last very long?

  We wondered about, holding hands like kids, then found ourselves in the lab. The end of the room held a small group of people in lab coats standing in front of a window. Curiosity drew us to stand behind them and what I say took my breath away.

  There was a silver table sitting in the center of the room. Northern Uncle Bill and another man stood between the window and what was on that table. I knew before they moved what I would see, but still I wasn't prepared. A walker, in pretty bad shape, although to be fair they all looked like that, lay strapped to the table. A clear plastic looking mask was strapped to his face with air holes where the nostrils should be. The mouth was covered and a strap wrapped around his head from his chin over his head to keep him from opening his mouth.

  The whole length of his body was encased in the mysterious plastic material holding him in place. His arms were out to his side like he was gonna fly out of here, strapped in four places, his hands in leather looking gloves and his feet were bare. I could see bone in places so I quit looking. The IV stand stood near his head with the hose leading to a place in his neck. The bag held clear fluid so I had no idea what that was. The man in the white coat had drawn some liquid from the thing and they were on their way out.

  Northern Uncle Bill paused when he left the room, locking the door and making sure it was locked before he turned to leave.

  "A moment please." I said.

  "I'm very busy so be fast."

  "What is the clear material holding him down?" He seemed pleased with the question so turned and said to the window. "It's weapons grade, bullet proof, glass. He is basically encased in it."

  "Why is he still trying to move?" He frowned but answered anyway. "Something about the virus I think, but they never stop moving or searching for their meal similar to a shark, I think. I don't know if they hunger or not, just that they want to eat, live meat not dead."

  "Yea, I figured that one out." He turned and looked at me, head slanted to one side, like he found something interesting. I shrugged, "I was trying to figure out how they tick so I could avoid or fight them. If you use Scent B Gone the hunters use, they won't bother you." I looked at the thing on the table. " I was inches from one and it sniffed me then turned and walked away. I was lucky that day." Shaking myself a bit I asked, "What's in the IV bag?" He looked back into the room.

  "Saline solutions which doesn't do much but allow us to inject him with different meds. The iv is run in
to his neck. His hand are quick so we decided to avoid them by gloving him."

  "Is he in any pain?" He looked back at me again. "Just wondering."

  "I don't know. As far as I know they don't feel anything but I just don't know. We just injected him with the anti-virus and now we wait 24 hours to see the results."

  "What do you expect to happen?"

  "He has to die, dead, the forever kind. If he doesn't then I need to 'tweak' my formula a bit. Anything else."

  "No, nothing else but when I go to bed tonight, I will sleep in the brig with the door locked. Nothing against you and your work, but I wouldn't be able to sleep unless I was sure I was safe. Being in the building with that thing doesn't make me feel safe." I took one more look at it, turned and walked away. Mason just stood there looking at it. I'd seen enough.

  Chapter 6

  Day six and one day before the big event found me getting on everyone's last nerve. George had shut me off completely and I was afraid of what Mason might do if asked him anything. I spent a lot of my time in front of the glass proof window willing the walker to die. I felt if I stood there long enough and stared at him hard enough, he would. The power of the mind or some such thing. I watched everyone that went in there and came back out. Northern Uncle Bill just plain wouldn't talk to me anymore and when the general stopped by she warned me about any more trouble. Yea, like I couldn't knock her silly with a look. I was in a mood. All I could think of was getting out of there...NOW. But no one else seemed to be having the problem I was.

  Kenneth materialized next to me and stared at the creature in the other room. "Want me to go in there and kill him for you?" He asked. "If I wanted him dead that much, I'd do it myself. I don't need anyone to do my killing for me."

  Suddenly I felt strong arms embrace me from behind and a chin settle on my shoulder. "I've seen better things to stare at. What's the fascination here?"