Alex’s head whiplashed forward and smacked into the cold, top bars.
He saw everything in real time and felt the impact, but couldn't understand why his eyes felt like they had five-hundred pound weights attached to them. For a moment, he felt complete weightlessness and the sensation of a warm liquid dribble down his forehead.
He blinked once, and then when his eyes opened again, he realized he was falling backward, off the crane. Even then, he couldn't comprehend what was happening.
He blinked again, but his eyes stayed closed.
Alex was knocked out cold, and his body plummeted down to the abyss of infected below.
***
“Charlie!” Dylan screamed. “Hold on, I'm coming!”
“Better hurry up, eh?” Charlie replied, laying stomach down on the lower bars. The muscles on his right arm were bulging, painfully, as his hand held desperately on to Alex's leg.
As Dylan made his way back to the end of the arm, he could see the mass of infected gathering at the rooftop.
Some of them tried following Alex, but their trajectories were off. Others were accidentally pushed off by their undead companions. The rest snarled, moaned and groaned at the survivors.
Dylan reached down and helped pull Alex up to safety. With Dylan's muscle, it was like lifting up a five-pound dumbbell.
After a series of light slaps, Alex came to, groggy but awake. “Wha-what happened?” he asked, touching the gash on his forehead. He winced, but the pain was manageable.
“You over-jumped it,” Charlie answered, for some reason finding humor in Alex's near death scenario. “When you came down you smacked your noggin on this top bar here pretty good. Musta knocked you out, cause you just let go of your grip and fell back.”
Alex tried to blink himself out of the daze.
“You’re lucky Charlie here was at the end waiting for you, or you'd be a goner, eh?” Dylan added.
Suddenly, Alex stopped and turned back to the others. “Wait a sec. Are you telling me that Charlie pulled a Stallone on me?”
Alex’s reply was met by a pair of confused, Canadian faces.
“Seriously? Sylvester Stallone? Cliffhanger? Damn, maybe you guys should have let me go. I don't know if I want to live in a world where people haven't seen one of the greatest Stallone movies ever.”
Despite the explanation, both guards shook their heads. Neither had seen the movie.
“I think you're all alone on that one, eh.”
“Ya, I mean we can just give you a little push over the edge if you want?”
“Next time. So what's the status?”
“Eddy was able to move the crane away from the rooftop, but I think we're hosed,” Dylan said, pointing below.
Alex's still-focusing eyes followed Dylan's direction. On the bottom, he observed two devastating realities. First, Isla had apparently fallen to her death during the escape. Second, Saul had attracted the attention of the horde below. He was running back up the parking ramps to the top level of the structure. He made it to the crane’s ladder before getting mauled by a pair of sprinters.
“That baby-blue shirt wearing asshole just royally screwed us over,” Dylan said.
“Where are the others? Aren’t there two more?” Alex asked.
“Ya, Ricky and Eliana. Not sure. Might have made it,” answered Charlie.
Dylan clenched his jaw and instinctively put a hand to the back of his head. “For his sake he better not have. If I ever see him again, zombs are going to be the least of his worries. That was a cheap shot to the back of my noggin I tell ya.”
Charlie, Dylan and Alex made their way back to the operator’s cabin. Matty, Ally, the woman and her son huddled around the ladder waiting for instruction.
Eddy exited the cab and joined the rest. “So what do we do now? Looks like our escape plan got axed.”
A moment of panic befell the group.
“What are we going to do?”
“We are trapped!”
“We are going to die aren't we?”
“We should have left with the others!”
“You and your doctor friend held us there. You killed us!”
Everyone looked scared, because for once, no one knew what to do. It wasn't that they were leaderless or even tentative to make a decision, because there was no decision to make; no alternatives, no plans and certainly no backup plans. They were trapped, out in the open, fifteen stories above ground. Thanks to a selfish and unnecessary escape by Ricky and company, their one and only route had been discovered and blocked by a mass of infected gathering on the top level of the parking structure. The rooftop of the WHO building was equally as populated and impassible.
“Maybe it's the concussion talking,” Alex started to say, sounding woozy, “But I might have an idea. I'm not gonna lie, it's not pretty though.”
Immediately everyone quieted down and let him speak. The prospect of a plan, any plan, was better than nothing.
“Eddy, if you can, rotate the crane so the arm hangs out over the river, then lower it however far you can,” Alex said, before pausing to look out toward the river.
“And then?” Eddy asked. Both he and the others were eager to hear the rest of the plan.
“I really can’t believe I’m about to suggest this...And then we jump and swim down the river to our boat. It's gonna be colder than a witch’s titty, but it's our only option.”
As expected, the plan was met by gasps of uncertainty.
“Won’t we die from the impact?”
“Can't you just lower us down on that hook thing?”
“Ya, we could just take multiple trips, then only one of us has to jump.”
Eddy took over and answered, “Good luck rappelling down the cable. It would tear up your hands before you even made it ten feet. If you slip, that metal can slice right through you like a hot knife through butter. You willing to risk it?”
Those with questions retracted them after hearing the alternative. All that remained was a series of complaints.
“Damnit. My computer is going to be fried,” Matty said, giving his laptop a kiss before tossing it.
“I-I don't know if Christopher and I can do it,” the woman said, pulling her son in tight.
“It's okay, Marilyn,” Ally said. She squatted down next to the boy and continued, “You're a tough kid aren't you, Chris? It's just one jump then you don't have to worry about those monsters down there.”
“Ya, I hate heights more than anything,” Alex added, trying to further encourage the boy. “But like she said, it's just one jump, and then we'll be safe.”
Christopher found some courage. He nodded his head, and then grabbed on to his mom's hand to give her strength.
Many hoped there was another way, prayed they didn't have to use Alex's daredevil plan. But in the end, it was jump or wait for the infected to learn how to climb. Everyone agreed, and then made their way back to the end of the arm. Eddy hopped back inside the operator's cab, pressed a series of buttons, and then pulled a variety of levers.
Slowly, the metal arm rotated until Alex signaled for Eddy to stop. Everyone continued to hang tight while the unit was lowered.
Alex waited until Eddy exited the cabin. “That it?” he shouted back.
“Unfortunately,” Eddy replied dismally.
“That's about, what, seven stories?” Dylan asked.
“Six,” Charlie corrected, using the WHO building as a reference.
“So that makes it about a sixty foot jump. Great,” Alex said, stomach tightening as he looked down. With his focus still jarred but returning, the distance appeared even further than it was. He did his best not to let the others see his fear.
Charlie gave Alex a pat on the back. “Hey, it was your plan, no backing out now, eh?”
“Is it too late to blame it on the concussion?”
“I guess I'm up first, huh?” Matty said. He wasn't volunteering so much as he just happened to be at the end.
“I used to swim back in
high school,” Ally said from the third position back. “So make sure you plug your nose, keep your arms in tight and point your toes to break the surface of the water. Whatever you do, do not belly flop.”
Matty looked back. “Good advice. Anything else?”
A smile crept up on Ally's face. “Pucker up or you'll get a very painful enema.”
Matty rolled his eyes. He took a series of quick breaths, said a silent prayer and went for it.
***
One by one, the survivors followed Matty and jumped off the crane, plummeting into the frigid Vancouver water. Everyone survived the plunge, but by the time the current dragged them down to the boat, they were in the initial stages of mild hypothermia. As they pulled themselves up and out of the water, their bodies shivered, but they were glad to be alive.
After receiving the all aboard signal, Matty and Dylan untied the boat. Eddy started the motor and positioned the vessel in the middle of the river. From there Eddy turned off the engine and let the current carry them downstream. Then, he climbed down the stairs and entered the cabin.
Inside, everyone grabbed whatever dry clothing and garments they could find, and then huddled together for warmth. Alex started brewing a pot of coffee to assist.
As Eddy, Alex, Matty, Charlie, Dylan, Ally, Marilyn and Christopher shivered and drank their way back to ninety-eight point six degrees, no one looked outside.
Had they peered through the circular starboard windows they would have seen Ricky and Eliana. The reporter and his female companion had successfully climbed down the crane and eluded the infected- at least initially. Now a gang of undead chased them along the river.
In the end, the reporter and public relations associate were overpowered and brought to the ground. Piece by piece, bit by bit, their bodies were fed on without mercy.
Providence State Beach
1902 hours
After a long, nervous night spent anticipating an attack from Los Tres Demonios, many in Camp were beyond exhaustion. The guards struggled to stay awake during their double, and for some, triple shifts. But when dawn arrived and no attack transpired, most celebrated with sleep, a warm meal, or time spent with a loved one.
Inside the darkened Com-room, Collin sat alone, working on the computer. With Matty's skills, they were able to unlock and decrypt a cache of secure files stored on the late Colonel Seaton's hard drive.
The matrix of military files was more like a labyrinth. Collin was forced to click each file and work his way one by one until he found answers. Even then, there was no guarantee he would find any.
Collin started with the ones time-stamped from before the outbreak. As he dove deeper into the files and the files contained within the files, his eyes widened. Stored in countless folders were mission reports, coded transcripts and a plethora of information Collin figured were at the very least Top Secret. He discovered page after page of terrorist organizations and assault operations on such groups.
Collin was so enthralled with the data; he didn't even hear the door squeak open.
“Knock, knock,” Elias said, standing in the doorway, forearm pressed against the wood frame. He noticed Collin’s startled reaction and apologized. “Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you, Collin.”
“No, don't be. I guess I was just in the zone.”
“I bet you were. I didn’t see you at dinner.”
“Ya, about that. I’ve been busy. What can I help you with, Eli?”
“Actually, I wanted to see if I could help you. With those files.”
“I'm sorry to shut you down again, but I don't think it's such a good idea…”
“Hear me out, Collin. I know you have, well something going on here. Everyone knows you’re working on a secret project. And I'm not here to interfere or step on your toes or anything like that. Like I mentioned earlier, I have experience in politics, more specifically in dealing with Intelligence and National Security. I'm pretty sure I can help you. At the very least, helping you with this kind of stuff will help me get back a piece of the past; do you know what I mean?”
Collin pursed his lips. Only a handful of people knew what he was working on, what he was trying to work on. He didn't want everyone in Camp finding out about his conspiracy theories. At the same time, Collin knew that he could use the help from someone who claimed to know more about this material than he did.
“Okay, fine. Come on in, but close the door behind you.”
Elias eagerly complied, pulled over a wheeled chair and sat next to Collin. “Fill me in.”
Collin took the next ten minutes and gave Elias a crash course on all he had learned until this point. He started with his time at The Eye and explained how Colonel Seaton used to be in charge of a clandestine outfit that operated out of Fort Kennedy in Colorado. How that army unit was responsible for tracking and stopping terrorists, specifically those groups who sought to develop, purchase and/or use biological weaponry. Then, how Colonel Seaton confided in Collin about his conspiracy theories regarding the outbreak.
He went over everything; starting with the failed capture of a known terrorist entering the U.S. through upstate Maine. He explained how the Colonel’s team had the terrorist's location surrounded and that the team waited on a capture/kill order from the President. When they finally received the order, the team breached the house, but whoever was inside had just left- later they discovered a secret passage leading to dozens of potential exits. Whoever it was, had inside help, the Colonel argued, because the only ones who had access to the operation were the ones in the Colonel's tactical room- all of whom were unable to transmit that information- and the President and his inner circle.
Collin ended his narrative, tapping on the screen in front of him.
“And I'm hoping these files from Colonel Seaton's hard drive might provide some more insight.”
“Wow, that's quite a story,” Elias said, neither overly dubious nor entirely convinced. “That's a lot to process. On top of it, you, well this Colonel Seaton makes a pretty solid accusation that this terrorist had help from inside our own government. I mean he's basically saying our government is responsible or at the very least involved.”
“I know it's pretty heavy, but the Colonel believed it and I want to follow it through.”
“Well, I guess let's keep going. What are you looking at now?”
“I was just about to open the file that you pointed out earlier. The one that was in Farsi?”
Elias leaned in for a closer view of the words.
“Ahh, yes, fareshtegan-eh marg, fareshtegan-eh marg,” he repeated, searching his brain for a definition. “I could be wrong, but I believe it means Angels of Death?”
Collin looked at him baffled.
“I told you, my emphasis was on Middle Eastern affairs,” Elias declared. “Everyone learns Arabic, so I wanted to set myself apart.”
“What other languages do you know?”
“You want my resume, or my help?”
Collin laughed. Just as he was about to double click the file, Nick swung open the door; Travis waited anxiously behind.
“Collin, good you’re here. Travis just told me some interesting news. Looks like we have a problem.”
“A big problem,” Travis added.
“Great,” Collin sighed. “Elias, don't touch anything. I’ll be right back.”
The political science teacher raised both hands in assurance, and watched Nick, Travis, and Collin exit the room.
1920 hours
“You’re not going anywhere!” Jigger Tamlin said, grabbing onto the back of Larry MacArthur’s shirt.
Immediately, the CFO spun around and delivered a right hook to Jigger’s chin. The sea captain had never been involved in a physical altercation before, and subsequently, the punch dropped him to the sand.
The entire altercation stemmed from a very criminal accusation.
While prepping the skiff for tomorrow’s fishing excursion, Jigger and Wally had overheard Larry and Kelly talking about stealing food and
abandoning Camp. Jigger and the others had approached Larry to question him, and when the CFO tried to scurry away and Jigger wouldn't allow him to, Larry got physical.
The CFO clenched his fists and puffed out his chest. He was ready and willing to hurt anyone who challenged him again.
“Anyone else want to try and stop me?”
The others weren't sure how to proceed. Joey positioned himself in front of Jenny, shielding her from any violence. Wally and Lisa Spencer helped Jigger to his feet; he was stunned, but able to stand on his own.
“I didn't think so. Let's go,” Larry said, forcibly grabbing Kelly by the arm to drag her away.
“Oh I’d love to,” Travis declared, calmly walking over. He cracked his knuckles and gave his neck a quick pop. He was excited to deliver some long overdue justice.
“Hold up, Travis,” Nick said, laying a hand on the second lieutenant’s shoulder. “Before we go all wild, wild west, let's get down to the bottom of this.”
“What's going on?” Collin asked.
Everyone looked to Jigger. The fisherman wiped a bit of blood from his bushy beard, and then spat on the ground.
“Wally and I were on the dock checking the fishing gear. We overheard these two talking about stealing food and leaving first thing tomorrow,” Jigger said, pointing at Kelly and Larry. “So, we went and told Wally and Joey what we heard.”
“That's a bunch of horse shit,” Larry tried to say.
“I'll tell you when it's your turn to speak!” Nick ordered. “Until then, shut up.”
Wally took over. “Then we followed Larry and Kelly up here and tried to confront them about it. That's when Larry socked Jigger in the face.”
“Jenny and I have been going through our food supplies and something isn't adding up,” Joey said. “We are missing food and not just a little here or there. I'm talking about multiple cans and some MRE’s.”
“This is ridiculous! It's been a witch hunt since day one with you people. I don't have to listen to this shit!” Larry protested. He turned to march away, but bumped into Travis.
The Longest Road (Book 2): The Change Page 25