Julia shook her head. “No. Now that we’re here, that’s our job. Alvarez, Sanchez, and I are going in tonight. I’ll be sure to look for your grandmother and mom if I have time.”
Chas beamed from ear to ear. She trusted Julia, Alvarez, and Sanchez completely. She knew they’d get in, and she knew they’d clear the mine shaft at the top, no matter what obstacles they encountered. Failure was not part of their makeup. “What about the horde of zombies at the safe zone? Just about every infected in a fifty-mile radius ended up there. Once the people are gone, won’t they come here and attack us?”
Chas shuddered at the thought, imagining an ocean of infected rolling over their little community like a tidal wave of death. Could they withstand such an attack? She didn’t think so.
“It’s a possibility, which is why Stokes is remaining here to ready the base for the influx of survivors and to secure it against any possible attacks,” Julia replied. “You don’t need to worry so much, Chas. It’ll all work out, I promise. Besides, we have something in mind for the zombies at the safe zone.”
“Yeah, what is it?”
“We’re going to draw them into the mine once the survivors are gone and blow it up. They’ll be buried underneath tons of rubble. Gone forever.”
“Won’t that be dangerous?” Chas asked with a frown. “Who’s blowing the mine? You?”
“No, it’ll be with a remote detonator,” Julia answered. “So, you see? Nothing to worry about.”
Chas thought about it. It was a good plan, though much could go wrong. Still, Julia seemed very confident in its chances of success, and that was good enough for her. Then she thought about the reason they were all here in this situation in the first place, and her hands curled into fists. “What about Major Brown? Where’s he in all of this?”
“Major Brown and his nephew have volunteered to drive one of the evacuation trucks,” Julia answered.
“What?” Chas cried, stupefied. “He should be in jail for what he did!”
“I know, sweetie. If it’s any consolation, they’ll be tried for their crimes after the evacuation, and they will be punished.”
“Then why are they allowed to help? Why aren’t they in a cell somewhere, rotting. It’s what they deserve.”
“I agree, but we don’t have much of a choice, Chas. We need all the help we can get if we want to pull this evacuation off without loss of life.”
“If that’s true, why can’t I help?” Chas asked. “I’ve healed enough to drive a car, or shoot a gun, at least.”
Julia shook her head. “I’m sorry, Chas. You know your grandfather won’t allow that. Not after your little trip the other night.”
“It’s not fair,” Chas burst out. “I made a stupid mistake, but I can still help. Why can Major Brown and his sniveling nephew drive a truck after everything they’ve done, but I can’t? Can we even trust them? What if they run away again?”
“Things don’t always work out like we want them too, sweetie. It’s been decided.”
“If it wasn’t for Anke and me, you wouldn’t even know about the mine. Please talk to Grumps. Convince him to let me help,” Chas pleaded.
“I can’t,” Julia said, standing up from the bed.
“Why not? I thought I was your friend?” Chas said, her fists knotting into her sheets as her frustration grew. Why wouldn’t anyone give her a chance? She could be useful. She knew it.
“You are my friend. Which is why I’m saying no. You’re injured, Chas. What if something happens and you need to run? Or fight? I can’t risk it.”
“There won’t be any risk if I’m inside a truck all the time,” Chas insisted.
“Can you even drive?” Julia asked with a pointed look.
“A little.”
“A little isn’t good enough. We need experienced drivers for this,” Julia answered.
“I could ride shotgun and provide extra protection,” Chas protested.
“It’s too dangerous.”
“How is that too dangerous? I’m inside a metal box?” Chas cried.
“Because I don’t trust you, okay?” Julia said, throwing her hands in the air. “There. I said it.”
Chas gasped, hurt burning through her core like molten lava. “What do you mean, you don’t trust me?”
“I don’t think you’ll stay inside the truck. You’re too impulsive, Chas. You’ll lose your head and do something stupid, just like the other night.”
“I promise, I won’t,” Chas said. “I swear it.”
Julia raised a hand. “It’s final, Chas. You’re sitting this one out. After the evacuation, we’ll talk again, but for now—”
“I’m stuck here, like a prisoner,” Chas finished, the taste of bitterness tainting her tongue.
“Please, don’t be mad at me. I’m just looking out for you,” Julia said, reaching a hand out to Chas. “I’ve already lost my whole family. I couldn’t stand losing you too.”
Chas turned her face away. “Don’t bother. You’ve already said enough.”
“Chas, please. I—”
“Go away!” Chas screamed as raw sobs threatened to burst free from her chest. She didn’t want Julia to see her cry.
Julia sighed. “Alright, I’ll go, but try to understand. Please?”
Chas didn’t reply. She turned onto her side, presenting her back to Julia. After a few seconds, the hollow echo of footsteps signaled Julia’s departure, and she was alone. Tears dripped onto the pillow beneath her, and humiliation burned through her veins. Why did everything have to be so hard all the time? Why?
Chapter 16 - Julia
Julia went over her equipment one last time, making sure everything was in place. Once they took the jump, there was no turning back. “Right, let’s see. A flashlight, a knife, a handgun, extra ammunition, a first-aid kit, several protein bars, bottled water, a set of dry clothes, a towel, my boots, a radio, wire cutters, and a length of cord. Check.”
She closed up the waterproof bag and inspected all the seams for leakage. Nothing. The bag was good to go. After the brief inspection, she stood up and slung the pack onto her back. Two straps clipped together over her chest, ensuring there was no chance of losing it.
A cold breeze stirred the leaves on the trees around them, and Julia shivered. The swimsuit she wore offered zero protection against the chill of the night, and neither did the tiny shorts she wore. Goosebumps rose on her skin, and she rubbed her arms to generate some body heat. This had better be a quick swim.
Sanchez flashed her a look. “Worried?”
“Not about the mission,” Julia answered, shaking out her arms and legs.
“Is it Chas?” Alvarez asked.
Julia nodded. “She hates me now.”
Alvarez shrugged. “She’s just a kid. She’ll get over it.”
Sanchez snorted. “Clearly, neither of you know teens very well. Besides, she’s not a kid anymore. Not after all this.”
Julia eyed Sanchez. “Do you think I was wrong? I’m just looking out for her.”
“Coddling the girl does her no favors. You could have let her do something. Anything, no matter how small. Then she wouldn’t feel so out of things.”
“She’ll have plenty of opportunities in the future,” Julia protested. “It’s not like the zombies are going anywhere.”
“These are her folks we are rescuing. Her mother and grandmother. Of course, she wants to be there when they’re rescued,” Sanchez said.
“Maybe you’re right.” Julia bit her lip, wondering if she’d make a huge mistake. I could’ve spoken to Grumps and convinced him to give her a small role, but what if something happens to her? I’ve already lost my mom and sister. I couldn’t bear to lose her too.
“None of that matters now. It’s done,” Alvarez said in a gruff voice. “The mission comes first. Are you guys ready to do this?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Julia answered, eyeing the inky black water with a sense of trepidation. She wasn’t scared. That wasn’t it. She just
hated the unknown, and the murky river hid all number of things from her eyes.
Strange things.
Evil things.
“It’s just water,” Sanchez said with a shrug, clearly not of the same opinion as Julia. “Let’s go.”
Without another word, the woman jumped in followed soon after by Alvarez. Julia took a deep breath and leaped in before she could change her mind. She hit the water feet first, and a squeal escaped her lips as her muscles seized up with shock. The current tugged at her body and swept her downstream at a much faster rate than she’d anticipated. Man, it’s cold!
“Swim,” Alvarez cried. It was the last word he uttered as each of them struck out for the opposite bank, swimming with all their might.
To Julia, it felt like it took forever. Each stroke, each kick was harder than the last as the cold water sapped the heat from her bones. Her muscles grew weary, and she despaired of reaching the other side before being swept past their infiltration point. If that happened, the mission was a bust.
Suddenly, her feet hit bottom. Her soles scraped across mud and gravel as she fought for purchase. A hand reached out to grab hers, and Alvarez hauled her up onto a grassy bank.
Julia heaved for breath and coughed a couple of times. “Did we make it?”
He nodded and pointed at a concrete wall. “We made it. This is the water plant itself. We need to follow the wall until we reach the fence.”
“But first, we have to dry off before we freeze to death,” Julia said. Her teeth were chattering now, and she shook so badly she almost couldn’t undo the clip across her chest.
With numb fingers, she opened her wet bag and almost cried with relief when her hand encountered the dry towel. The rough material felt warm against her skin as the toweled off, and her clothes felt like heaven once they settled into place. Her socks and boots went last before she squeezed the excess moisture from her ponytail.
Alvarez and Sanchez were jumping up and down to restore their circulation, and she joined in. Soon, they were warmed up and ready to go.
The night was dark and still as they made their way down the narrow strip of the bank between the concrete wall of the water plant and the river bank. The fence was a short strip with barbed wire on top, and Julia handed over the cutters. “Here you go.”
Alvarez made short work of it, and they crawled through the hole in quick succession. With the roll of chord she’d brought along, Julia laced the wire together again until it was secure. No matter how unlikely it was that any zombies could cross the river and reach that specific point, it paid to be cautious. She wiped her hands on her pants and stood up. “All done. Let’s find the guards.”
They walked toward the tower where Alvarez called out. “Hello! Anyone home?”
A spotlight lit up the area, and two heads popped over the railing. “What the…where did you come from?”
Julia waited impatiently while Alvarez talked the nervous guards down from their perch. Now that they were here, there was no time to waste. Luckily, the guards didn’t dawdle once they heard the whole story, and one offered to lead them to the top of the mountain.
“Most people will be in their beds by now, but I’ll take you to Lieutenant Steele. He’ll know what to do,” the guard said, visibly excited. “Man, am I glad to see you lot. We thought we were forgotten up here. Abandoned.”
“Well, you’re not. You’ve got a whole community working around the clock to save you,” Alvarez assured him.
On the way up, Alvarez quizzed the guard on the situation within the camp, and it was as they had feared. Supplies were running low, and the people were forced to ration what was left.
“At least, we have enough water and power,” the guard said, “but conditions are growing worse. People are getting sick, and there’s not enough medicine for them all.”
“What about the zombies?” Julia asked. “Is the barrier holding?”
“For now, but there are weak points, and we’ve run out of material to shore it up,” the guard said. “We’ve stripped everything we can from the top and dumped it in there. It’s not enough, however. They’ll break through sooner or later, and then we’re done for.”
“How long?”
“A few weeks maybe.”
“That’s why we’re here,” Alvarez said, and Julia relaxed a little at the news. A few weeks gave them enough time to clear the mine shaft and get everyone out. They just had to make the food last a little longer.
The guard led them to Lieutenant Steele’s tent and quickly explained the situation. After that, he shook their hands with a huge grin plastered across his face. “I’d better get back to my post, but dang it all, I’m happy to see you.”
He jogged off into the night with a jaunty step, leaving them behind with Steele. The older man was just as overjoyed to see them, especially when he heard what they had to say. “A mine shaft? I know of the entrance, but it’s blocked. It’s just the head gear sticking out. I never thought it could be an escape route.”
“Only if we can get it opened up, sir,” Alvarez said as they shook hands. The success of the mission depended on cooperation from Steele and the other leaders, so he made a point of being extra polite.
“Oh, I’m certain we can. I’ll wake the others, and we can get the ball rolling,” Steele said.
“So soon? You don’t want to wait until morning?” Alvarez asked, surprised.
Lieutenant Steele turned a grim grace on him. “The sooner we get off this mountain, the better. It’s hell up here, Sergeant. Hell. The isolation, the rationing, the horde at our doorstep…it’s enough to drive anyone mad.”
“That bad, huh?”
“We’ve already seen several suicides, and the infirmary is full to bursting. We can’t wait much longer, ” Steele continued. “Besides, the barrier will hold a few more days at most. If we don’t get out now, we never will.”
Alvarez halted, his expression shocked. “A few days? The guard said it would last a couple of weeks.”
“We’re keeping the news quiet to prevent a panic, but our engineers say we have a couple of days left. Maybe three, if we’re lucky. It’s not a precise science, but they seem fairly certain.”
“This is worse than I thought,” Alvarez said, and even Sanchez paled at Steele’s words.
Two days.
Maybe three.
Julia thanked her lucky stars they had gotten there in time. Three more days and it wouldn’t have been a rescue, but a mass burial. So much for finding Lala or Vivienne. There’s no time for that now. We’ve got work to do.
Chapter 17
Two days had passed since Julia’s visit, and Chas was ready to scream with boredom. Her wound had healed well, and she hardly felt any pain anymore. Every day, she walked around the park with Liam and was more than ready to leave the infirmary. Finally, after much begging, Nurse Inge declared that she could go back to her dorm room.
“Ugh, I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed again,” Chas exclaimed as she gathered up her things.
“Promise you’ll visit often,” Liam said.
“Of course, I’ll visit,” Chas said, throwing him a shy smile.
“I’ll miss you.”
The words were soft, so low she almost missed them. Chas paused, a blush creeping up her cheeks. “I’ll miss you too.”
The awkward atmosphere was broken when Vanessa and Emily burst inside, breathless and excited. “Chas, we’ve got news for you!”
She turned to face them. “What is it?”
“The evacuation starts in an hour.”
“What? An hour? That’s impossible. How?” Chas exclaimed, joined by an equally stunned Liam.
“That’s right. They’ve cleared the entrance at the top of the mine, and everything is set to go,” Emily said.
“Why the rush?” Chas asked.
“The situation in the safe zone is worse than they thought. The zombies are on the point of breaking through the barrier. They have to get everyone to safety before that happens,
” Emily exclaimed.
“Can they?” Chas said, more than a little worried at that piece of news.
“They sound confident enough. The shaft is clear of rubble, the lifts are working, and there is enough fuel for the generators. With Alvarez, Julia, and Sanchez on top, they’ll get those people down fast, and Captain Williams is providing a clear path for them back here.”
“That’s amazing,” Chas said, trying to muster a smile.
“What’s wrong? Aren’t you glad? Lala, your mom…they’ll all be saved,” Emily said, frowning. “We could be eating supper together tonight.”
“I know, but I won’t be there to see them come out. I’ve been grounded, remember?” Chas said, her shoulders drooping. “Even Julia didn’t want me there.”
“Not anymore,” Vanessa said. “That’s why we’re here. We talked Grumps into allowing you to join us.”
“You did?” Chas asked. “How?”
“We told him we’d look after you. That we’re a team,” Vanessa said. “Besides, our job isn’t very dangerous.”
“What’s that?”
“Dean’s driving one of the evacuation trucks. We’ll sit with him in the front as guards in case any infected come near us,” Vanessa said. “But, it’s unlikely. Captain Williams cleared the area pretty well.”
“It’s better than nothing, I suppose,” Chas said, her heart lightening at the thought of joining the action, even if it was on the sidelines. “What about you, Liam?”
“I’ll stay here. We’re bound to have boatloads of sick survivors coming in, and they’ll need my help,” he said.
“That’s true,” Chas said.
“Well? What are you waiting for?” Vanessa said, bumping Chas on the shoulder. “We need to get ready.”
“I’m coming,” Chas said, scooping up her things. “See you later, Liam.”
“You too. Be careful, please,” he replied.
***
An hour later, Dean sat behind the wheel of a Ford Transit Minibus getting used to its gears. It had space for fifteen passengers, though they could probably cram a few more into the aisle if needed.
Gen Z Boxed Set Page 43