by Garth Ono
"It had to be said," she replied. "I promise, I don't try to be aggravating, but apparently I am."
"Well, you scare me to death with all of your wild antics," he said. "So stop it."
Kate was taken aback. That might've been the first time ever he kind of acknowledged he cared, too. And then she thought, Wild antics? Me?
"I'm always careful. That's why I'm so good at my job," she said. "But thanks for caring."
"Speaking of your job," he said. The sheriff leaned forward again, holding her gaze. He was a bear of a man, so rather intimidating when he wanted to be. "Tennyson and the school district pay you good money to be on standby."
"Okay."
She wasn't going to argue the point. Between them, she was paid $1500 a month in retainer fees. That meant if there were multiple calls, she answered their calls first. There were no other stipulations. As far as she knew, Kate had not violated that agreement. Since signing the agreement she'd only received two calls from either of them, and she went right over and killed the zombies. No hesitation or delay.
"So I don't want to hear about you running off to St. Louis to cash in," he said. "We need you here."
"Bloody hell, why does everyone think I'm going to St. Louis?" she said. "I happen to like sleeping in my own bed at night. Besides, I've probably missed the boat on that one. I'm sure they have the problem well in hand by now."
"No, they don't," he said. "It's getting worse every day, but I want you staying right here in Tennyson. That place is too dangerous."
Of course it was dangerous. St. Louis was inside the Zombie Lands. Nothing but unholy wild things and crazy people lived there.
"You must have information the TV and radio stations don't have," she said.
He nodded grimly.
"Three slayers have already died fighting the zombies," he said, pausing to give her a stern look. Did she see more than a little concern, too? "And the city's different vampire factions are battling for supremacy at the same time."
"Everyone wants to be Master of the City," she muttered, bad memories coming back.
If that was true, then the situation in St. Louis was a lot more precarious than being reported. Every vampire wanted to be top dog in his or her city. They gathered living and undead minions around them and set up little shadow world kingdoms. The vampire that attacked Tennyson back in June was attempting to set himself up as Master of the City.
Kate thought they all read too many urban fantasy books before dying and rising again.
Then she thought of Daphne's disturbing call. Her old friend, and the sheriff's daughter, didn't answer when she tried calling back. Daphne sounded scared and uncertain. Kate's first instinct was to drop everything and rush to St. Louis to help. But it was still a large city and she had no idea where to look.
"Sounds like lots of fun," she said. "But I don't have any plans to visit."
Yet, she thought. He graced her with a doubtful look. I really need to work on my poker face.
"Can I have my money? I'm saving up for a pair of the cutest stilettos," she said, enjoying how he winced at the mention of feminine footwear. He never wanted to hear anything "girlie." She wagged her brows, a big grin spreading across her face. "They're the pink pair in Miss Ellie's Boutique window. Five and a half inch stiletto – "
"I'll pay you," he interrupted. The sheriff gave her a disapproving look, but she noticed a hint of a smile when he turned to get her money. "You just be careful, with both your safety and your money. Don't go wasting it on senseless frilly stuff."
"What if I bought an Uzi submachine gun?"
That got her a dirty look. Kate laughed and stood up. He counted out five $20 bills into her hand.
"Thanks, Uncle Sheriff," she said. "You're the best."
"Get out."
The reception area was empty when she passed through and both police cars gone. Kate left the Defender where it was parked and headed up Main Street. She lived just a block and a half away, on the other side of the street. There was a big crowd in the diner, so she entered the door next to the diner. The stairs led straight to her office and apartment. Morgan was sitting at her desk in the office.
"Hey, girl," Morgan said. "Mayor Gilbert just called. She wants reassurances that you aren't going to St. Louis."
Morgan was sitting behind her desk in a t-shirt and sweat pants, despite it being past 9 AM. Her long blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her face looked newly scrubbed. She probably overslept again.
"What did you tell her?"
"That if you were planning to go it was news to me," the pretty blonde said.
Kate went over to her own desk in front of the window. She opened up her laptop and got online. Her newsfeed was full of the St. Louis zombie issue. Some sites called it a "zombie infestation" others a "plague of zombies," and one "a mini zombie apocalypse." One site in Chicago had the headline, "Zombie Wars." Everyone thought either the vamps or the Zombie Mafia was behind it.
"Oh my god, did you know a third of the St. Louis police force has been killed by zombies in the last five days?" Kate said. "It's worse than I thought."
The office phone rang. Morgan answered while Kate continued to read about the trials and tribulations of St. Louis. She looked up when Morgan put the call on hold and cleared her throat. She looked spooked.
"Let me guess, Mayor Gilbert?"
Kate was convinced Tennyson's mayor would never warm to her. Mayor Gilbert, her three grown daughters, and her son-in-law were all bitten and turned into minions by a vampire earlier that summer. She rescued them from virtual slavery by killing the vamp, but she also killed the son-in-law. Word was the mayor was especially close to him.
"No. Mayor Tim Lawrence of St. Louis."
Kate just stared at her a second. She looked at the phone on her desk, and then at her laptop. There were pictures of carnage and destruction on that page. Pictures of a city in chaos and maybe at the brink of civil war.
And Daphne was right in the middle of it.
"Hello, Mayor Lawrence," she answered, putting the phone on speaker so Morgan could hear. "How can I help you?"
"Miss Brokenshire, I'll get straight to it," he said. His voice sounded hoarse. "We need you. We need you desperately."
"Maybe so, but I have commitments here in Tennyson, sir," she said. Kate hated turning him down. The city truly was suffering. In truth, that disaster could break the city. She wouldn't be surprised if all of the honest citizens packed up and left, along with most businesses, and leave the city to the bad guys. "We get zombies down here, too."
"But every day men, women, and children are being slaughtered here. Our need is greater. I'm sure the local police can handle any stray zombies while you're up here," he said.
No doubt, but she didn't want the people turning to the cops instead of her. She barely made a living with the number of zombies that wandered into her area of operation. Yet, one call in five days wasn't going to support her either.
Maybe I could pad my savings…
"We will pay you a $1000 bonus just for showing up," he said. "And then the city is offering $100 a head bounty for all zombies killed. Even a week up here could prove quite profitable, Miss Brokenshire."
She did a little math in her head, and it was stunning. There was a potential of up to twice what she made in a month in just a week. Kate looked at Morgan, who was staring open-mouthed back.
"Call me, Kate, sir," she said. "No promises, but I'll think about it. I might be able to arrange things so that I can come up."
Morgan rushed over when she hung up. Her eyes were huge.
"You can't seriously be considering going up there," the blonde said. "The mayor will freak out."
"The mayor doesn't own me," she said. Kate worried her lip. The money was tempting, but that call from Daphne was first and foremost in her mind. Her friend was in trouble and scared. She couldn't imagine what could frighten a vampire that much. "I have to go. Daphne called me for help, but hung up before I could f
ind out what kind of trouble she was in."
Chapter 3
"Call me three times a day," Morgan demanded. "I absolutely have to hear from you every morning, noon, and night. I'll freak out thinking you're dead if you don't call."
"My mother isn't that bad," Kate said.
"Did you tell your mother where you are going and what the situation is like there?"
Kate's mother was in back in the UK. Cornwall, to be exact. There was no reason to worry her about something like that. One could argue it would be cruel. She wasn't sure how she'd operate when her parents returned to Tennyson next summer.
"Wait. You can't go," Morgan said. "You have a date with Randy tomorrow night."
"Good try," she said, shaking her head. "Deputy Dog cancelled on me. Rumpstead is sick, so Randy has to pull his shift tomorrow night."
That knocked the wind out of the blonde's sails. Kate hugged her.
"Thanks for caring," she said. "I'll be fine. Now, don't forget my instructions, especially if you get a zombie call."
Kate could be back in an hour if she drove just a little over the speed limit. So, if there was a service call, Morgan was to call Kate and the slayer would return ASAP. If anyone demanded to see her immediately, and that would likely be the sheriff or mayor, then Morgan was to say Kate was on a call and would be there as soon as she could. That would give Kate an hour to return. An hour didn't seem that long to her.
She also asked Morgan to get online and search for any and all information about the St. Louis zombie issue and report back on her findings. Kate was good with a computer, or her phone, but Morgan had a gift. She'd find things Kate never dreamed to look for.
"I think we can pull this off without anyone being the wiser," Kate said. "And if I earn enough in St. Louis, maybe you'll get a little bonus."
"Ooooh, shoes," Morgan said, eyes bright. "Did you see the pink pumps in Miss Ellie's window?"
Kate's jaw dropped. "Yes. I had my eyes on them."
"Perfect. You buy, and I'll borrow."
Kate shook her head as she headed for the back stairs. That was a real problem. She really should have thought twice about living with someone who wore the same size everything. But Morgan was much more of a fashionista, so had a more impressive wardrobe to raid.
The Defender was backed into her allotted parking space in back. Everything she'd need for a week's trip was already loaded. Kate wanted to help, but didn't plan to spend more than a week in St. Louis. She wasn't lying about her love of home and her own bed.
It was dark when she left Tennyson. And that was on purpose. There wasn't anyone around to see her leave town on the highway north. Word would spread real fast. She didn't need that kind of grief.
She sped all the way to St. Louis to confirm her estimate on time. Just going 5 MPH over the posted speed limits took her fifty minutes to reach the Interstate 255 bridge. Kate could see the old VA medical center across the river. It was abandoned shortly after the Zombie Apocalypse, but Kate noticed it was mostly lit up. The city of St. Louis must've found another use for it. Since the police headquarters was further north, she passed that bridge and headed for the Popular Street Bridge.
East St. Louis, Illinois had grown dramatically just since her last visit six months back. Construction was everywhere. The migration from St. Louis, Missouri probably put pressure on East St. Louis as more residents wanted to leave the west side.
As she approached the Popular Street Bridge, Kate noticed a sign that proclaimed St. Louis as the Gateway to the West was vandalized. Someone painted a line through "West" and spray painted "Zombie Lands" underneath.
The Gateway Arch was lit up on the other side of the river. The sight of it always thrilled her. The first time she remembered visiting the city as a child her father had taken her up inside it.
The bridge was transformed into a modern day castle. Every bridge across the Mississippi was similarly transformed. There were high fences topped by razor wire on both ends, with machine gun pillboxes and staffed by specially trained cops armed with boar spears and machetes.
"I should check into fighting with a boar spear," she whispered.
From what she understood, one cop would spear and hold a zombie while another took the rotter's head off. That fighting style required a partner. Still, it was one way to stop them dead in their tracks and give her a little extra time.
There was a sign directing "zombie bounty hunters" to stop at a side building. The cops on duty checked her driver's license, license to carry, and slayer's license. Technically, she wasn't absolutely required to have a zombie slayer's license in the state of Illinois or in the Zombie Lands, but having it proved she'd taken the state approved course and gave her some more legitimacy. They also photographed and took the serial numbers of her firearms.
"Wow, you guys don't make it easy for slayers to come in and help," she grumbled as they fingerprinted her. "You know the mayor called me personally."
The cop gave her a cool look, and then passed her on to the next station. Her picture was taken while she held a board with her name on it. Kate felt like she'd been arrested and booked. No one bothered to explain it was all to issue an identity card.
"How lovely, all that for a laminated picture of myself," she said. "If I'd know you were going to issue me a license to kill, I would've given my name as Jamie Bond."
"Everyone here is pulling a double shift," the issuing cop said. "We don't find anything funny. But if it makes you happy, with that card you can come and go without being processed."
"Thank you," Kate said. "You're a peach."
In addition to the card, Kate was given a packet. There was a current city map, along with information on the hotel the city had secured to house all of the slayers at no charge, but she'd have to pay for room service, the mini-bar, and other amenities. There was a police substation setup on site where they could get police briefings and turn in heads.
Kate drove straight toward the hotel. She rolled down her windows and listened to distant gunfire. The fact zombies were getting so close to downtown showed just how precarious the situation was in the city. From news reports everyone's homes and businesses had iron bars over windows and reinforced doors. It was the only way to guarantee a safe place in the Zombie Lands.
The Residence Inn by Marriott was huge and conveniently located on Jefferson and just off I-64. She had stayed there before, so was happy the city commandeered it for the slayers. It was a big L-shaped brown building, which offered the extended stay suites complete with small kitchens. The parking lot was fenced and gated, with two cops guarding the gate when she arrived. Since she didn't have an access card yet, they opened it for her.
Cops were also helping to staff the check-in desk. She was given her free room and access card for gate and door. A police officer gave her a short briefing on how things operated. It was all pretty straight forward. Kate had to go to another office to collect her $1000 bonus, where they took all of her information, including bank. They would direct deposit the bonus immediately. In the future, she could choose between cash or direct deposit when cashing in bounties.
Her room was amazing. It was one of the one-bedroom suites, with a king-sized bed. Her bed at home was only a queen. The kitchen was tiny, but had a full-size fridge, dishwasher, and cupboards. Most importantly, there was a microwave. There was a desk and two TVs as well.
After moving all of her weapons and gear up to the room, Kate sat on the bed and called Morgan to let her know she'd arrived safely and was checked into the hotel. Next, she sent Daphne a text message. After ten minutes with no response, she tried calling Daphne's number. Someone answered, but ended the called a second later. After that Kate's calls kept going to voice mail.
"Daphne, I'm in St. Louis for about a week. Please call or text me," she said. "I want to meet up."
Now it was up to Daphne. Kate studied her map at the desk for an hour, before arming up and heading out. Might as well get the lay of the land and score a few heads. She
wasn't there on vacation.
The streets were eerily empty, though the street lights were all on. Kate headed up I-64 to the western edge of town. St. Louis appeared to shut down at night, and all suburbs were ghost towns after dark as well. The protected zone ran from the Mississippi River in the south at Mehlville and followed I-270 up to I-64 West to the Missouri River. The Mississippi and Missouri rivers made up the rest of the perimeter defenses. The actual perimeter fences were within sight of the two highways, with plans to put them up along the rivers in the near future. The closer she got to the perimeter the more the street became littered with abandoned vehicles, the more she spotted burnt out homes and businesses, and the more it looked like a battleground. She got off the highway at Lindbergh Boulevard, and ran over a zombie right off.
"Bloody hell, I'll kill you if you bashed in my bumper, you stinking rotter," she growled.
Kate bailed out, machete in hand, and checked the damage to her vehicle. It wasn't as bad as she feared, just a shallow dent on the edge of the hood. The Defender was twenty years old, with worse dents than that.
The zombie was trying to rise, but she'd broken both of his legs when she struck him. He was a good fifteen feet from her and in the middle of the road. She walked over slowly, brown eyes fierce. The rotter still put up a decent fight, so she ended up chopping off a few fingers and one hand before she managed a decapitating blow. She bagged his head and texted the body's location to the number given at the hotel. Before she could leave, two more came shuffling out of the dark.
She went back to the Defender and grabbed Lupara. By that time a third zombie had join the party.
"Well now, this might prove to be a much more profitable venture than anticipated."
Chapter 4
Daphne huffed and puffed, bouncing up and down. The king-sized bed creaked loudly. Her lover's hands were all over her breasts, feeling so right. She felt him peak and finish.
"That was amazing, baby," the beautiful vampire gasped out. "Sex is so much better undead."