The Infected (Book 5): Battleground

by Zuko, Joseph

  “For what?” Duke knelt onto his mat.

  “For not asking me what’s wrong.”

  “I might not be married at the moment, but that doesn’t mean I don’t understand women. If you wanted to really talk about what’s wrong, there is nothing on God’s green Earth that would stop you.”

  “You’re right.” She breathed out a long, deep and clearing breath. “Are you ready to sweat?”

  “I love it when a beautiful lady asks me that,” Duke joked.

  Chapter 3

  Jacob unlocked the last shackle around his ankle. He climbed to his feet and stood on the interior wall of the bus. The steel beast lay on its side and the seats that held the dead bodies hung from the wall on Jacob’s left. Snow drifted through the busted windows. It was dark in the ravine and darker inside the bus. Jacob moved his arms, legs, spine and neck to check for broken bones. Everything moved normally.

  “Hurry up boy, let me loose,” Arthur hung from his chair. Blood caked his white hair. Jacob knelt down and worked at the man’s restraints. “Don’t worry. I’m not hurt. It’s the guard’s blood.”

  After a few twists of the keys Arthur was released. Jacob helped the old-timer to his shaky feet.

  “Oh, God it’s cold,” Arthur held his arms close to his chest.

  Jacob noticed the wind blowing through his long hair. He understood that his orange jumper was damp with blood and melting snow, but he couldn’t feel the chill in the air.

  “Help me get his coat,” Arthur moved closer to the dead guard. He attempted to move the zipper, but his fingers didn’t possess the dexterity. Jacob took over and muscled the heavy coat off the limp body. He helped Arthur into the warm fabric and zipped it up tight. Arthur was the son Jacob never wanted.

  “That’s better. Thank you.”

  Jacob checked the guard’s belt. He found cuffs, zip ties, pepper spray, a handgun and extra ammo. Then he found what he was looking for, a flashlight. He clicked the button. A cone of light flashed over the gore inside the bus. Blood and broken bodies were everywhere. The fact that the two of them were alive was a miracle.

  A grunting sound grabbed their attention, “Get me down.”

  “Regan?” Arthur stepped close to the grunting. Jacob panned the light over to the noise. It reflected Regan’s shiny scalp. The man hung from his seat, three feet off the ground and was at Jacob’s mercy.

  “Are you hurt?” Arthur crouched in front of Regan.

  “I don’t think so,” Regan said as he pulled against his chains.

  Jacob moved closer and reached out with the keys.

  Regan lifted his head, “Was it forty-five?”

  Jacob paused. He looked back and forth between the two cons. Their faces grew with excitement. Jacob extended his hand and raised his thumb into the air.

  “Over forty-five. You were a machine,” Regan’s smile was contagious. The game would have to continue. Rules said they would have to wait until the next day to ask again.

  Jacob removed Regan’s cuffs and helped him out of his seat. He was a bigger man than Jacob. His chest was shaped like a barrel and his arms were squeezed into his jumper.

  “It’s so damn cold. My nuts are climbing into my body. Where’s the other guard?” Regan’s words puffed out in white clouds.

  Jacob moved his light over the interior until they found the second guard. His body was a few feet from the front of the bus. His last moments of pain frozen on his twisted face. Glass crunched under their boots as they moved to the front of the vehicle.

  “Sorry Jacob, I hope you don’t freeze to death, but that jacket’s for someone that can feel this blistering winter air.” Regan removed the coat from the guard’s body. He wrapped it around his shoulders and zipped it up quickly.

  The bus shook around them.

  Regan squatted down. “It’s rolling over.”

  A voice boomed from above them, “What the fuck!”

  Jacob aimed the light straight up in the air above them. Zarren twisted his massive body in his seat. He sat only one foot above their heads. Chunks of meat from the bus driver and deer dropped off of his broad chest. The flesh landed at the three convict’s feet. The monster flexed and strained against the restraints. Grunting like an animal.

  “Calm down. We have the keys. Jacob will climb up and get you out of there.” Arthur elbowed Jacob, encouraging him to climb up and release the beast.

  As Jacob climbed the seats he became a little worried Zarren might not adhere to the same code of conduct he had laid out for himself.

  Jacob stood on the lower set of seats, he reached and quickly unfastened the chains that held Zarren to his chair. He was good at reading other humans, but Zarren was like staring at a marble statue. His eyes gave no clue to his state of mind. The last lock popped and the monster was set free. Jacob jumped down and the three convicts stepped back as Zarren climbed out of his chair. The whole bus shook again when his boots hit the ground. The big man straightened his back and towered over the others. He inhaled a lung full of the cold winter air.

  “We should get moving,” Arthur pointed to the blown out front window.

  “Where should we go?” Regan jammed his hands into his jacket’s pockets. Jacob stepped passed Zarren and headed for the front window. The safety glass was pink from the mix of snow and blood. The bus driver’s body hung from his seat. The deer’s mangled torso was cut almost in half. Its head, neck and shoulders were sticking through the windshield and entwined with the bus driver’s corpse. A gallon of blood pooled below. The tail end of the deer hung by threads from the front of the bus.

  “It’ll be hours before the hospital notices we haven’t arrived.” Arthur inched in behind Jacob. The bus was laying on its door side. All of the windows had bars. The only way out was the windshield.

  “We need to get out of the cold.” Regan kicked his foot at one of the bodies, testing to see if it was truly dead.

  “A town.” Zarren’s words were as cold as the winter chill itself. He wanted to get back to work. Before the law caught up with them. Before they were forced into the state run hospital to wait to die. He wanted to spill blood.

  “Yeah, let’s find the closest town and play,” Regan said as he nodded his head.

  Jacob was excited to hear that they were all on the same page. He pointed at the dead corrections officer on the ground close to Regan. Then he made a gun with his hand signaling what he wanted. Regan squatted down and liberated the firearm. He passed it over to Jacob.

  He aimed at the windshield and emptied the gun into it. The glass gave way and the weight of the deer crushed its way through the clear barrier. As the animal fell, its antlers tore the driver in half. A couple hundred pounds of meat fell before Jacob and a gust of icy wind peppered them with snowflakes. Jacob passed the gun back to Regan. Then he climbed over the two carcasses. His hands squished through their organs as he pushed his way through the window and stepped out into the snow. He could see the red stains on his scarred hands but he couldn’t feel the sticky texture or the remaining warmth from their slowly cooling bodies. The snow was knee deep and wet. It was going to be a slow and miserable hike off of this mountain.

  Outside the bus Jacob could feel something he had not felt in a long time. Freedom. If they hurried and had a bit of luck on their side they could find a nearby town. If they did, he would be able to add to his Reckoning. There wouldn’t be time to stalk his prey. He wouldn’t worry about properly disposing of the bodies. If he could find a town, hit it hard for one night he just might reach his goal.

  The others joined him out in the snow. The fresh air filled their lungs. They sizzled with excitement as they scanned through the thick trees that surrounded them.

  Regan tucked the gun into his jacket pocket. His smile spread ear to ear. “I’m fucking rock hard right now. Jesus Christ, I can’t believe we survived that crash. You know what this means.” His eyes bugged out of his skull as he continued, “The Universe wants us to go on a spree. I know we all like to do
our own thing, but we should stay together. If the four of us hit one town. Oh my God.”

  “What?” Arthur wiped a snowflake from his lashes.

  “We could wipe it out. Ever last citizen.” Regan pointed to the scar on his scalp. “My cancer is back. I’ve got less than six months. It’s time to go crazy, you know, fuck it all. If we hang together, we’ve got a better chance to make it. A trooper rolls up on us. He’d have a hell of a time trying to take all four of us down. Safety in numbers or whatever.”

  Jacob and Zarren nodded at him. Everyone was onboard.

  “We got a party to get to then. It’s almost New Year’s Eve.” Arthur gazed up the ravine to the highway. “Boys, it’s too steep for me. If I was twenty years younger I could make it, but there ain’t no way in hell I’m getting up there with these,” he said as he waved his claws at Zarren. The big man just stared through him and never gave an ounce of emotion.

  Jacob pointed down the hill towards the end of the ravine. It was difficult to see through the forest, but the highway switched back and laid about three hundred yards down the steep hill.

  He led them through the trees and they inched away from the crash site. The pitch was so extreme that it forced them to slide on their butts and crawl down through the snow. They used the evergreens as stopping points to catch their breath and slow their descent. Their cotton jumpsuits soaked up every drop of moisture they came in contact with. It was miserable, but in comparison to prison it was heaven.

  Halfway down Jacob noticed his legs were not working as well as before and his fingers felt slow.

  They must be going numb. He thought.

  The trees parted and the highway lay before them. The bus tracks were already halfway filled in. The ground began to level out and Jacob could stand upright. A mighty gust came crashing down the highway. It whipped Jacob’s wet hair into his face and the howl of wind filled his ears. It was so loud on the mountain he didn’t hear the work van approaching. Carl’s Plumbing was stenciled in white on the side of the blue van. Its chained tires dug into the snow as it skidded to a stop feet from Jacob.

  The window rolled down, “Damn, buddy. Are you alright?”

  Another flurry knocked a chunk of snow off Jacob’s jumpsuit, revealing his prison number.

  “Oh, shit!” Carl the plumber cursed. He didn’t notice the others coming down out of the tree line. His focus was on the stringy haired escaped convict in front of him.

  Carl shifted into reverse.

  Regan raced, gun drawn and aiming into the open window, “Hands off the wheel!” he commanded.

  Carl raised his hands, “Take the van, but let-”

  Regan cut him off, “Get in the back,” he said as he reached into the window, popped the lock and swung the door open.

  “I got kids!” Carl hyperventilated.

  Regan pulled himself up into the passenger’s side, “Get in the back!”

  Jacob observed Regan’s work. The baldheaded man was quick and precise. He climbed in, popped Carl in the nose with the butt of the gun and pushed him out of the driver’s seat. Carl disappeared into the darkness at the back of the van. Regan pulled the side door open and let Arthur and Zarren into their new ride. The van swayed to the left as Zarren entered and slammed the door shut. Regan climbed behind the wheel.

  “Come on Jacob, move it,” Regan called to him.

  Jacob’s body shook. It could have been from the ice forming on his jump suit. He was born without the ability to register injuries or pain. Doctors called it congenital insensitivity. Jacob had a lifetime of not knowing if his flesh was burned, cut or broken. His disease made it near impossible to know what his body needed or wanted. Maybe it was the freezing conditions, but Jacob was positive it was from the excitement. He was going to be on his way to a town. To spill blood. To add to his list. To continue his Reckoning.

  He moved with purpose to the opened door. He slid into the seat, closed the door and then the window. Jacob pressed the button on the glove box. The normal insurance and registration filled the small compartment. He dug to the bottom and found what he was looking for, a map. He had read every sign and street name on the trip to the hospital and felt he had a pretty good idea where they were in the state of Oregon.

  The back of the van had pipes of all sizes and tools for the plumbing trade. An extra chair sat with its back to Regan. Arthur took the seat and buckled himself in. He was out of breath and exhausted. Regan stepped on the gas and got rolling. The tires slid at first and then the chains caught hold and they were off.

  Carl cowered in the corner of the van. The bulge on his nose oozed blood. Zarren dropped to his knees so he could fit. Carl reached for the latch to the backdoor. Zarren caught Carl by the wrist and yanked his arm away from the handle. The monster sized convict pulled Carl’s hand close to his wide chest. At first it looked like Zarren wanted Carl to feel his heartbeat.

  “Please let me go,” Carl coughed blood.

  Zarren used his free hand to clutch Carl’s trapped fist, “I didn’t say you could touch that.” He twisted Carl’s hand. His wrist snapped like kindling. Carl’s eyes bulged, his jaw dropped. No sound escaped. The skin around the wrist was stretched on one side and wrinkled on the other. His palm facing the wrong direction.

  Zarren took a moment to look over the stash of tools. He popped open a rusty tool box. On top of the other tools lay a well-used ballpeen hammer.

  Carl’s lungs filled and let out an ear-piercing howl. Zarren drew the weapon from the rusty box. The head of the hammer ground along the ceiling as Zarren dropped it on to Carl’s ankle. His white athletic sock turned crimson. The impact left a divot. The joint was destroyed. The big guy had time to kill and he wanted to play. The wrist and ankle were just the beginning. Carl’s end would not be clean or quick.

  Jacob unfolded the map and got his bearings. He wished Zarren would just finish off the screamer in the back of the van. He never found pleasure in making them suffer. There was less chance for them to escape if you finished them off quickly. Jacob’s index finger glided across the map. He knew they were on Highway Twelve. Less than ten miles away was the next town. Sweet Home.

  Chapter 4

  New age music thumped through the room’s in-ceiling speakers. The rubber mat under Duke’s face had been flooded with perspiration. He had one leg tucked behind his neck and the other driving into the mat. His palm pressed firmly against the ground holding most of his weight. His free arm extended high into the air above him. Duke’s toned body twisted and flexed as he held this very difficult pose. Lisa called it the Destroyer of the Universe. Duke found that title very appropriate.

  Lisa whispered, “Breathe.” She was in the same pose as Duke, and made it look effortless. “Ten more seconds… and release.”

  Duke quickly untangled his appendages and dropped to his knees as he faced Lisa. He toweled away a gallon of sweat, “Something must be really upsetting you. That was brutal.”

  “I’ll see you at the next class?” Lisa remained emotionless.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Duke said as he gathered his belongings and left the room.

  As Duke headed back to the locker room, Dominic was on his way out. He was showered, cleaned and dressed in his dark blue police uniform. A heavy coat was tucked over his forearm and a duffle bag hung from his shoulder. The initials S.H.S.D were marked in gold on the side of the bag.

  “Deputy,” Duke nodded.

  “Duke, Sherriff wanted me to talk to you about your hood ornament.”

  Duke paused and exhaled a long breath. “Yes?”

  Dominic slid one arm into his coat. A shiny bronzed badge hung from its breast. “It’s got to go. Hang it on a wall in your cabin, donate it to The Oasis, but get it off the front of your truck. It’s a public safety hazard.”

  Duke growled, “Some say that about you.”

  Dominic zipped his coat and puffed out his chest, “Have it down before the start of the new year.”

  Duke stared the officer down, “Yes,
sir, you son-of-a-bit-”

  The radio on Dominic’s shoulder squawked and cut Duke off, “Deputy Spence? Please head down to the station.”

  Dominic turned his head and thumbed the transmitter, “I’m on my way.” When he looked back Duke had disappeared into the locker room.

  Ben sat in front of a computer screen in the gym’s office. Photos of Lisa and Ben were on every wall. Their wedding day, trips to Disneyland and Las Vegas, running marathons, dressed up as zombies at Halloween, and the two of them giving each other cheers with flutes of champagne. Framed family portraits were hung proudly. A set of twins, a boy and girl, joined Ben and Lisa in most of the photos. The most recent picture of their family unit sat on the desk next to the phone. The kids were now fifteen.

  Lisa stepped past the open door to the office. She had a towel draped over her shoulders.

  Ben didn’t look up from his computer screen as he spoke, “We only need a hundred people to sign up next week.”

  “Hmm,” her focus shifted around the room.

  “If we don’t, I’m not sure how we are going to pay… anything,” Ben said as he clicked at his mouse.

  “I need to pick up a few groceries for dinner. Can you get the kids?” Lisa turned and stepped from the doorway before he answered.

  Ben checked to make sure she was gone before he responded, “Sure, I wasn’t doing anything.”

  Duke exited the locker room, showered and dressed in his street clothes, he headed straight for the main door as he pulled on his stocking cap. Waiting for him behind the front counter was Ben. He had all his winter gear on and was ready to leave.

  “Heading out?” Duke asked.

  “I’ve got to get the kids. I doubt anyone else will show up today.” Ben stepped out from behind the counter and flipped off a bank of light switches on the wall next to the door. “Will we see you at the party tonight?”

  “Perhaps, Sheldon has been harping on me about getting out more. I take it you and the Mrs. will be there?” Duke picked up his coat from the rack.