“Oh yes of course, but I am working with limited resources.”
“Is there anything I can do for you?”
“I am in need of as much rabies vaccines as you can find.”
“I’ll have the doctor check the hospital to see if they can come up with any,” Damon offered while attempting to shoo the gray and brown ferret away from his ankles.
“Don’t be an imbecile. I have already obtained those doses.”
Heat flushed over Damon’s body. “Watch it on the imbecile thing. Remember who brought you here.”
“My apologies.”
Damon couldn’t help but feel like he didn’t mean one syllable of it, but regardless it was moot anyway. He needed the guy. “We are going on another supply run soon. Toss me one of those bottles, and my crew will find it.”
The old man looked from his microscope for a second after changing the glass side. “I most certainly do not toss.”
Oh Christ. Damon moved to the table and reached for the vial he had seen the scientist pull a syringe of fluid from. “This one right?”
“Yes.”
Damon stuffed the vial in his jeans. When he noticed the scientist wasn’t paying any more attention and his teaching lesson was over, he decided to pop a squat at the table across from the old man. He slid a notebook in front of him and flipped it open.
“No smudges on the pages please.”
“I’ll be careful,” Damon grumbled, trying not to be annoyed with being ordered around in his own safe zone.
The first few pages consisted of photographs during autopsies performed by Dr. Dellinger, Damon guessed. The subject had once been a male, age unknown, the chest cavity had been cracked open and pulled back to reveal the lungs, heart and other vital organs. The next few pictures were of the brain that had been removed and then dissected into parts laid out on a surgical tray like steak. Damon flipped passed uninterested, he knew vividly what zombies looked like on the inside. In the margins were tons of notes in medical jargon that he didn’t understand, but he didn’t want to interrupt the old man again; he was already snippy enough, and Damon didn’t want to strangle someone today.
Damon didn’t know how long he sat in that chair flipping through a variety of notebooks, paperback and leather bound, and loose pages of notes, coming across some notes that had other names scratched on the bottom. He could barely make it out given the way it was signed, something like Dr. Pasmison. “Hey Dr. Dellinger. Who is Dr. Pasmison?”
At first the old man didn’t respond, but as soon as Damon opened his mouth to ask again, he spoke, “A former colleague of mine. We went our separate ways.”
“Huh. Okay. You got a lot of notes here.”
“How very observant of you.”
Okay. He was so done talking with this guy today. Damon got up from the chair and milled about the dining room with his arms strained behind his back. He noticed the doctor’s certificates hanging on the wall by the foyer. It looked like the old man had a PhD in epidemiology and a Masters in microbiology. No wonder the dude was a little off, Damon thought to himself. The only thing Damon thrived at was automotive technology, which had proven very useful given their current situation.
A harsh knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Damon moved to the door knowing the scientist wasn’t going to bother with it. When the mechanic opened the door he saw Riley standing on the other side, his bright blue eyes shining in the afternoon sun.
“Hey. What’s Igor up to today?” he asked with a shit-eating grin on his face, looking around Damon to see if there was anything entertaining on the other side.
Damon stopped him from passing. “Not today Riley, Dr. D isn’t in the mood.”
“Bummer,” Riley said with his face falling. “Anyway, I knew I would find you here. Looks like you found him a nice spot. I’m sure Harper’s thrilled.”
“Yeah. I guess he’s still pissed.”
“It’s whatever, the big guy will come around.” Riley stopped just before Damon closed the door. “What’s that smell?”
“I don’t know.” Damon looked over his shoulder. “See you later doc.”
The old man didn’t budge from his spot or call out any goodbyes, he was already back to muttering.
As Damon closed the door he caught the man’s voice say something about living samples and test subjects, but shut the door knowing why Riley came to get him. “Oh shit, I’m late aren’t I?”
“You’re not the only one.” Riley smiled and continued, “But yeah everyone is waiting.”
He had been so distracted by his visit with the scientist that the supply meeting had slipped his mind. Victoria was going to kill him for this one.
Damon strode into the remolded visitor’s center with Riley on his right; the gangly marine bounced when he walked, along with his blond curls. He was packing a glock on his thigh and a rifle across his back. There was a small group of men scattered in the circular shaped room. Harper was posted by the rear exit with his hulking arms strung across his chest. Judging by the sour look on his face, he was still angry with Damon.
Victoria sat against a charcoal colored column with one of her knees drawn up to her chin, and a throwing knife balanced on her skilled fingertips. When she saw Damon she quickly sheathed the dagger in her boot, rose to her feet and swung her hips as she glided towards him. “You’re late,” she informed Damon and nipped his right earlobe.
Damon squeezed her with his thick arms and kissed her hard on the lips. “Sorry, I got distracted.”
“Let’s just get this going. I’m due back at the hospital to help Scarlet.”
Damon scanned the room and realized they were missing Chloe, but quickly remembered that she was going to sit this round out. He wasn’t used to her being on the sidelines, but sighed with relief. It would be the first time he wouldn’t have to worry about her out in the field.
Damon clapped his hands twice for attention and when everyone was looking at him he began the meeting. “So let’s make this quick, so everyone can get back to work. We are going out on another run next week. This time we will need to have two teams. Myself, Victoria, and Jeremiah will be the first team. Our goal will be medication, so we will need to hit as many hospitals and clinics we can find.” Damon took a breath and continued on, “Team two will be Riley, Harper, Reese and Patrick. Your focus will be on food and ammunition. I understand our supply of food is okay right now, but we need to keep it up. The ammo is looking a little pitiful. Both teams should keep their eyes open for fuel. Now I’ll let Harper tell ya’ll where we’re going.”
Harper moved into the center of the room and explained to the group they would be traveling to central Wyoming since they had already covered most of the eastern border.
Damon listened until Harper was finished speaking, and then released the group. He joined Victoria back at the door and slung his arm around her waist. “Ready to go home and let me make it up to you for being late?”
Her slender form tucked into his body a little further. “Well when you put it that way, I think Scarlet can wait a little while longer,” she whispered as the two strode out of the visitor’s center into the warm sunlight, the breeze gently tugging at their shirts as they turned to head home.
chapter 9
The next morning came, and Harper rose early, just like any other day. He stepped into the pale sunlight and headed to the hospital.
Harper waited outside the entrance of the emergency room for Nikoli; the two of them had become fast friends over their shared mistrust for the scientist Damon had brought into their safe zone. The old man was a liability, but there was no getting through to Damon. As the big marine leaned heavily against a support beam of the ambulance annex, he surveyed the work that the new couple had done to the hospital, spotting several improvements right away. The old broken windows had been removed, and even though no new pieces of glass had been installed, the area looked much less apocalyptic than before. Inside the hospital the furniture had been rearranged to sui
t a smaller patient number and any evidence of hell had been washed from the walls.
He stood stiffly once he saw the tall dark haired form of Nikoli walk out into the sunlight, shielding his eyes with his paddle of a hand. Harper nodded a quick hello.
“You’re not creeping too, now are you Harper?” he laughed with his heavy accent.
“I wouldn’t call it creeping,” he replied.
“I’m sure. What can I do for you? I hear you’re going out on a run soon.”
Harper nodded, “Today, actually. That’s why I’m here. I need you to keep an eye on that crazy old scientist guy while I’m gone.”
“That old crow? Yeah, no worries. I’ve had a bad feeling about him since he was over here looking for some vaccines or something. He’s been in here multiple times snooping around. Talks more to himself that anyone else.”
“I’ve noticed. I’m happy to know I can count on you to be my eyes. I just couldn’t take it if anything happened to Liz or the guys.” Harper had really fallen hard for the blonde haired beauty queen they’d found in the morgue of the same hospital he was standing outside of.
“I would do anything for my Scarlet. And shit, you guys saved me, too.”
“Thanks. Now I have to get the caravan moving. See you around Nikoli.”
Nikoli nodded a salute and disappeared into the ER once more.
Damon checked the death machine for the last time, the extra gas cans were filled so they didn't have to stop. He was sure Harper would do the same in his own ride, it was just something they each took care of. Fuel was a necessity that was difficult to come by on the open road. They had cleared out most of the surrounding area in the year they had been there. It was a dangerous business to retrieve fuel from the underground containers at gas stations, even cars on the side of the road. Zombies had come to roam in larger numbers, which posed an obvious hazard.
He did another check on his shotgun ammunition and caught eyes with Victoria who was checking her curved blade for imperfections. He gave her a quick wink, feeling lucky he wasn't the one that blade was meant for. The two had been waiting for the others to show for the last hour, and he was getting antsy. He felt his nerves creeping up the skin of his shoulders. The purr of a truck motor made him pull his head up and glance down the street as a cool breeze rushed passed his ear. His reddish brown eyes found Harper behind the wheel of his beat up white Ford truck with Riley riding co-pilot. There was a wide smile on the gangly marine's boyish face, he loved to go out, Damon didn't know why. He guessed it was something to do with him being bored all the time, Riley blamed it on undiagnosed ADHD. On the other side of the truck, Harper looked less than excited with his sour mug frowning behind the steering wheel.
He was still pissed, Damon thought. The mechanic shook it off, the big marine would come around soon enough, it wasn't like there were a ton of options for living arrangements. Behind the marines were the scavenging recruits, Reese and Matt. Reese had come to them from somewhere in Arizona, while Matt was a Colorado native that was holed up in his basement until he ran out of food. Damon had guessed Reese to be in his mid-twenties and Matt nearly forty. Damon was still waiting for his new recruit, Jeremiah, or Jerry as most of the survivors called him. His thick hand clicked the door handle and popped it open, he would just wait for him in the truck.
A second later Victoria threw open the door; her slight frame slid into in the passenger seat with her katana positioned between her knees. Damon reached over and brushed his rough hand over her thigh and gave it a squeeze.
"Careful," she warned playfully. "You could cut yourself doing that."
He slid is hand up towards her core, but the crew cab door flew open interrupting Damon's next move.
"Sorry I'm late," the graying man rasped. His voice sounded like sandpaper was caught in his throat.
Damon growled under his breath, his smoldering eyes reluctantly leaving Victoria's face to peer over his shoulder. "No worries. Harper and Riley barely beat you."
"Reese and Matt comin' to?"
"Yeah, they're in the other truck."
"Gotchya. Hey Victoria."
Victoria flashed a brilliant smile. "Hi Jerry, how's your leg?"
Jerry was in a construction accident long before the outbreak where his left lower leg was broken and never healed right, leaving him with chronic pain and a slight limp. Damon did give the man credit because he never let the limp hold him back, and the zombies hadn't caught up to him yet.
He gave his leg a rub and nodded, "It's good today."
"Good," Damon said, shifting the truck into drive and letting it roll out the gate with Harper, Riley, Reese and Matt in tow.
Soon after the start of the trip Damon let Harper cruise ahead since he had become designated navigator of the crew. He settled back into the cloth seats, staring at the rusted tailgate through the chain link welded to the inside of his windshield. It was going to be a few hours before they would be in Wyoming, so he let his eyes wander the sides of the highway. He felt Victoria’s hand clasp his and looked over to see her smiling while staring out the passenger window.
Damon smiled to himself and squeezed her slight hand gently.
"This place is empty too," Jerry shouted from the back of the pharmacy in a tiny town they stumbled upon.
The pharmacy shelves were stripped of anything useful, and it didn’t sit well with Damon. Usually they were the ones doing the taking.
"Dammit, this is the third place that's been empty," Damon cursed and jammed his hands on his hips. "What the hell?"
"Maybe you guys hit this place before," Victoria suggested and placed her hand on Damon's tense shoulder.
Harper stalked through the door, his shadow stretched to Damon and Victoria's feet. "That's impossible," his stern voice resounded in the small pharmacy. He wasn't angry, rather just as confused as Damon was.
The outside world was usually bountiful with supplies. Now it was as if somebody else was getting to them first.
"Do you think this has something to do with that Hagerty?" Damon wondered out loud.
"I don't see how we can overlook that as an option anymore. I just assumed we were far enough west," Harper said.
They heard some rustling in the back. Riley appeared with a few boxes in his hand. "What are the first three letters of assume?" He cracked a smile and tossed a black box at Harper. "Look what I found."
Harper turned the box over so he could read the lettering. "Viagra. What the hell would I need this for?"
Riley just laughed.
"You are unhinged," Harper said and tossed the box to Damon.
"Thanks, but my equipment works just fine."
Harper cleared his throat. "Can we get serious for a minute?"
“Harper's right," Victoria agreed. She had only heard bits and pieces of the boys talking about this Hagerty guy.
Before the two trucks came upon the pharmacy they had checked every home in the small town and nothing could be found-not even dog food. Damon rarely thought about the idea that there could be more communities out there, which made him feel foolish now.
“I think it’s time we set out again,” Damon told the group. “I don’t like this.”
Harper shifted his thick shoulder and palmed his rifle. “I agree.”
“Well ain’t that sweet, you two are on the same side again,” Riley laughed and brushed passed Harper with smile on his face.
Damon and Harper groaned at the same time, the mechanic even slapped his hand against his forehead.
“Oh shut up, Riley.”
“Be serious, Marine,” barked the big man.
“That’s impossible,” Riley shouted from outside the building.
“You know I’m armed?”
Riley smiled. “You wouldn’t shoot me.”
“Maybe if you keep tempting me,” he warned through a smirk.
“I don’t see why you guys don’t just leave him at home,” Victoria said as they started for the door.
Damon shook his he
ad, squeezed her hand. “Believe it or not Riley is someone I wouldn’t consider leaving the safe zone without.”
The groups split and both motors rumbled as they turned down the road. Harper in front, Damon at the rear, they were off to the next town, and hopefully more supplies.
Damon’s mind wandered about random nothingness for the next thirty minutes. Victoria was humming softly to herself, and Jerry had managed to fall asleep across the bench seat. Lost in his mind he dropped back about two car lengths wandering between lanes, driving lazily and carefree.
In the next second time stopped. Fire erupted like Damon had driven straight into hell. The vehicle lurched forward and flipped. Pain exploded through him as fire stung his flesh. Victoria’s screams rang in his ears, but his eyes would not work, all he could see was orange. He had to move-they had to move-it was only a matter of time before the fuel that was in the bed of the truck would ignite. Maybe it had and they were burning from it. His hands felt for the door, which was above him now, and his brain registered the truck must have landed on its passenger side. He managed to shoulder his door open and without stepping on Victoria, he hefted himself out of the burning vehicle. With the metal burning under his boots he pulled Victoria through the small opening, her face black with soot; streaks of red poured from a small wound on her forehead. All the while Jerry had remained silent. When Victoria was safe he scanned the back for the man and found him motionless against the shattered glass of the rear passenger window. His neck was snapped in a horrible way, blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.
Damon knew he was gone, and they would be too if they didn’t move in the next few seconds. He pulled Victoria off the crumpled death machine. Their boots hit the grass and fingers dug in the squishy mud as they frantically clawed their way up the ditch and onto the road. A gut rippling explosion blasted both of them in the back, pushing them against the hot asphalt. Damon’s amber brown eyes were staring at the black scorch marks on the pavement. He knew the death machine wasn’t the cause of the blast, but what had created such an explosion? He was on his chest about to hoist himself up when he felt the weight of a boot on his back.
The Beginning of the End Page 10