“We’re gonna provide you and Marla with a safe, happy life,” Sandy said, “a life most people only dream of these days.”
“That sounds fantastic,” I said, playing along. “I’d love to give my girl a real home.”
“She deserves it. And you know what?”
What?”
“You already fit right in with us.”
I shot her a smile, then glanced up. My grin grew even wider when I saw Claire approaching the table. “Sandy, meet Marla, my beautiful fiancée.”
Claire kissed my cheek. “I hope you didn’t miss me too much, darling.”
“You know I can’t be ten seconds without you in my loving arms.”
“Aw. Such a sweet-talker,” Claire said in a sickeningly flirtatious tone.
“You two are too cute,” Sandy said before she walked away.
Claire sat on my lap and wrapped her arms around me, then whispered in my ear, “Max’s nephew, Frank, went along on that ambush of the lab. He’s been missing ever since.”
“Hmm. Well, Sam and Larry haven’t been seen since either. I guess a few barely escaped, and they don’t know what happened either.”
“Sam and Larry left town because they were scared of getting their butts kicked by the gang,” she said softly.
“If zombies finished those gang members off, I see why they didn’t come back. They probably ran as fast as they could to get out of town.”
“There are rumors that the lab is involved,” she whispered.
“I know. Do you think Larry and Sam played up on their grief? This gang believes the scientists at the lab kidnapped some of their loved ones. I bet our good old boys played the ‘revenge card’ good just to elicit their help and support, maybe their guns? They probably went on and on about how the scientists screwed them too.”
“It would make sense,” she said. “I didn’t see any signs of foul play in the lab. Even when Val and I were there, they went out of their way to make us comfortable, and they even gave you free run of the facility. If they were hiding something, they would’ve never let you roam around in there like that.”
“I know. I’m sure Larry and Sam just ran off, not wanting to face the wrath of those gang members. Still, I have to wonder…”
“Wonder what?”
“Do you think the lab let a few hybrids out just to help them gain the upper hand?” “It sounds crazy, but if that is the case, I’m sure the hybrids killed Larry and Sam along with all the others.”
“But how would they control the hybrids? How did they keep them from killing any of the scientists?”
“I have no idea, but we’ve got a mystery on our hands,” Claire said. “Maybe we should discuss it with the Scooby gang back at headquarters.”
I laughed. “
“A storm is brewing,” Claire said.
“I know. The gang wants to take over the city.”
“Trouble’s coming big time,” Claire said, exhaling a deep sigh.
“We’ve gotta get out of here and warn Max. He needs to know that Frank was either killed by the pack of zombies attacking the lab or by the hybrids.”
“He never should have gone on such a dangerous mission,” Claire said, shaking her head.
“I know, but at least now Max will have closure.”
“What are you two whispering about?” a woman asked.
Claire glanced up, still straddling my lap. “Sweet nothings into my ear.”
“She’s my sweetie pie,” I said.
“Aw. You two just can’t get enough of one another, can you?” she said. “I remember being in love like that.” She pointed over to a queen-sized bed. “You can sleep there. You might wanna snuggle close. It’s gonna be a chilly night,” she said, then walked away.
Claire bit her lip.
“What?” I asked.
“If we don’t figure out how to get out of here, we’re gonna end up saying our I-do’s.”
I shook my head. “They won’t do it without Z, and if he sees us, they’ll have to be worrying about last rites more than wedding vows.”
“Right. We’ve gotta to get out of here fast. Z sounds like the kind of guy who’ll execute spies in a heartbeat.”
We casually strolled past everyone and outside, holding hands all the way.
An Army truck pulled up, and the driver called us over. He was huge and buff, with brown hair and brown eyes, and he looked to be about forty years old. “We’re goin’ to a warehouse in the red zone to pick up some oil,” he said. “It’s pretty much an in-and-out gig, and we could use a couple of lookouts.”
Claire played up the girl angle. “Um, that sounds scary. I’d rather just stay here with the women.”
The man eyed her up and down. “That’s odd. Z said you aren’t afraid of anything.”
“I’m not,” she said. “Gotcha!”
He laughed. “Get in, honey.”
The men looked like mercenaries, armed to the hilt, and I was afraid of what they’d do if we refused, but I still tried to get us out of it. “I’m so tired. I promise we’ll go on the next mission with you.”
“Not good enough,” he said. “You’re welcome around here as long as you do your part. Now c’mon and show us what you’re made of, or I’ll put a bullet in your head.”
Chapter 27
When we realized we weren’t going to get off the hook, Claire and I jumped into the Jeep and made small talk with the people in the back. We laughed and joked and fit in quite well with the ragamuffin crew of zombie-killers.
When we arrived at our destination, we walked into a huge warehouse that contained barrels upon barrels of precious oil. Claire stood guard while I helped to pack up the large drums.
Suddenly, after the man called Claire to step into the warehouse, all of the men circled around her and pointed their weapons at her head.
“What’s going on?” Claire demanded.
The driver stepped forward. “I’m Z.”
My heart thundered in my chest, for I knew we were screwed.
“Just got back into town,” he said. “You don’t look a thing like Marla,” he said to Claire, “so I guess that makes you a spy.”
Claire fumbled for words, but there was nothing she could say to salvage the operation and save our necks, and she knew it, so she held her tongue.
“That’s right. You can’t lie your way out of this one,” he said. “Who are you, and why are you pretending to be Marla?”
My pulse ramped up.
Claire inched closer and got on her knees. “My name is Andrea. My brother was Frank Maloney. I just needed to know what happened to him, if he is dead or alive. I didn’t mean to lie to you, but we didn’t have any answers, and…” She trailed off for dramatic effect and let out a long breath. “I was hoping to find him here, safe and sound.”
“Your brother died a hero,” Z said. “He was killed by zombies when we attacked the lab.”
Claire sobbed.
Z pulled her into a comforting hug. “We’ve lost a lot of good men and women to this crap. Best advice I can give you is to take your anger out on the lab that killed him.”
“I want revenge!” she screamed, her voice echoing off of the walls.
“And you’ll get it, sweetheart,” he said. “You didn’t have to trick me. You could’ve just come to us and told us the truth. We’d never hurt Frank’s sister. We loved him like a brother.”
“Yeah we did,” one of the men said.
“I’m sorry. But I was scared and I wasn’t thinking straight.”
“It’s okay,” he said. “Let’s go back to the compound.”
“If she’s Frank’s sister, then she’s one of us,” one of the mean said.
“Do you have a place to stay?” Z asked.
“No,” Claire said.
“You can come stay with us.”
“Thank you,” Claire said.
Was there anything Claire couldn’t pull off? They actually fell for her story. She’d gotten us off the hook.
“You work for the lab?” Z asked, his accusing eyes ripping into me like daggers.
“No!” I said. “He must be mistaken. I just tagged along on this adventure to keep Andrea safe.”
“I’m not mistaken,” the man insisted.
“My brother was killed in that lab explosion,” Z roared. “And now those mad scientists are sending spies?”
We had gotten ourselves out of the John and Marla lie, but things turned sour when one of the men recognized me from the gun battle at the lab. That was just my luck!
Z turned to Claire. “And you’re as much of a liar as he is!” He grabbed her by the throat and squeezed hard with every bit of rage within him. How could he turn on her that quickly?
I moved to help her when her face began to turn purplish red and her eyes bulged out, but the men pointed their guns directly in my face. “Let her go!” I shouted.
“I won’t tolerate liars,” Z said, his voice rising to a furious crescendo.
All of the sudden, something pounded on the door that led to the other side of the factory.
Z loosened his grip on Claire, and she stumbled back and gasped in a giant breath.
I raced to where she fell as she sucked in gulps of air. Pain radiated across my back as Z kicked me. When moans echoed from the other side of the door, we all knew what was back there.
The door started to rattle, and Z smiled. “Beyond that door is a warehouse full of zombies, eager to meet you—or rather, eat you.”
“No!” Claire pleaded. “You can’t kill us like this.”
“I can, and I will, and I’m also gonna kill the people you work for,” he roared.
“We’re not with the lab,” Claire said. “Please believe us.”
He motioned for his men to leave as Claire screamed and begged him to stop.
“I’ll tell you what,” Z said. “I’ll do you a huge favor. I’ll shoot the first couple of zombies so I have time to get away. Good luck.” He opened the door and shot about four of them, then took off out the main door.
I heard the rattling of chains as he and his men secured the door behind him. My mouth gaped as I gave Claire a yank to move away from the door.
She rushed over to a wooden crate and began smashing it with her boots, then picked up her wooden weapon. I picked up a piece of wood, but I knew it wasn’t strong enough to take out my opponents that were quickly filling the room.
Zombies poured into our section of the huge facility, and I was painfully aware that we couldn’t take them all on, especially without suitable weapons. Our only chance was to outthink them. Suddenly, an idea came to me. “Oil!” I said. “Zombie slip n’ slide!” I rushed over and tried to pry the lid off, and with Claire’s help, we managed to free it. We dumped the barrel, and black oil spilled out like a river. We went and got another one and another, spilling them all until the floor looked like a black sea of slippery slime.
The shuffling dead began to slip and fall, and I couldn’t help but shout in joy. When others came from behind, they just fell on their friends, creating a zombie barricade.
Claire and I frantically lined up the drums so we could climb them to reach the open window. When I peered out, the men were still waiting, just laughing and talking around their Jeep, waiting to hear us die.
“They want a show?” Claire said. “Let’s give ‘em one. They need to think we’re being mauled to death.”
“Right. They won’t leave till they think we’re dead,” I whispered back.
Claire let out a long shriek. “Nooooooooooooo!”
I screamed in agony and watched Z double over in laughter. After we put on a good show, we kept silent. My throat felt coarse and dry as Z’s men poured fuel around the building, then lit it on fire.
“No one messes with me!” Z shouted at the building. He hopped in the Army truck, and tires screeched as they sped off.
Claire started to climb out the window, but I pulled her back.
“Just wait a minute, in case they come back.”
She nodded.
We waited until they were out of sight, then climbed out the window as leaping flames jumped at us. My eyes burned and I coughed from the smoke. It was overwhelming so I covered my face with my t-shirt. We scurried down the fire escape, then hid behind a tree as the flames crackled and black smoke swirled high into the sky.
I wrapped an arm around Claire. “We did it! We got some valuable info and didn’t get ourselves killed or married in the process.”
“Killed or married, huh? Wow. That’s some comparison.”
“No offense,” I said, shrugging.
She suddenly leaned into me, and her face grew serious. “They’re sick, Dean.”
“Yeah, well, we’ve met a lot of nuts out here.”
“I can’t believe Max sent us on this mission. It’s far more dangerous than he said. We almost got killed in there!”
“I don’t think he expected Z to come back early.”
“Or maybe he just doesn’t care,” she said. “Maybe that’s why he sent us and not his own people. His lame excuse about your age didn’t make sense.”
“The gang knows what his people look like,” I said. “We’re strangers.”
“Apparently not. I mean, that one guy did recognize you.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“We almost died for the umpteenth time,” she said. “If I had my gun, I would’ve shot Z,” she said, “but they stripped us of our weapons.”
“I’m glad you left your prized gun back at the apartment,” I said.
“He’s gonna pay for this,” Claire said. “I’m gonna go back and kill him.”
“Claire, you can’t just—”
As if she didn’t even hear me, she continued, “I’ll wait until he forgets about me, then I’ll sting him so hard and fast that he won’t know what hit ‘im. He’ll regret ever meeting me and leaving me for dead. I’ll make him pay if it’s the last thing I do.”
“Let’s focus on the task at hand. We’ve gotta find out what the scientists are hiding.”
“Does it matter? The gang threatened to burn down the building. If there are any hybrids living there, they’ll be zombie shish kebob in no time.”
“But what about Jackie?” I asked.
She pondered. “Right. We can’t let that lab be her final resting place.” She stopped and hugged me, looking at me as if she had just come out of a trance. “I’m sorry, Dean. I feel like…I think I’ve lost my mind.”
“Who hasn’t in this crazy world?”
Chapter 28
As soon as we got back to the apartment complex, we met with Max and told him everything we’d learned.
His eyes welled up with tears. “So Frank’s dead,” he asked.
“I’m so sorry,” Claire said.
“Do you think the lab really unleashed hybrids on him, or was it just the zombies?”
“I don’t know,” I answered. “We need to send a team into that lab. If they’re clear, we can rule that hypothesis out and move to the next one.”
“I agree,” Claire said. “We need to start there and then check their sister lab across the street. If there’s another lab location, which we think there is, we need to check that too. If we don’t find any hybrids or anything, we’ll try something else.”
Max cursed under his breath. “We need those scientists to help us figure out the animal epidemic, but if there is any truth to what the gang says…”
“We need to stockpile guns and ammo,” I said. “We also need as much manpower as possible. We have no idea when the gang is coming to claim Fairport, but they’re armed with plenty of guns, attitude, and vengeance on their minds.”
“I’m sure they wanted us dead so no information would get back to y
ou,” Claire said. “Z is no fool. He’ll try to catch the city off guard.”
“Right,” Max said. “I can’t thank you enough. I’ll send a team to check out the lab with you. The rest of us will start getting ready for World War III. I’ll do everything in my power to fight for Fairport.”
“We all will,” Claire said. “Besides, I owe Z a little payback.”
* * *
Two days later, Max sent a team with us to investigate the lab. We weren’t sure if they had hybrids or if they had anything to do with the infected animals, as it could just as easily have been a natural mutation or phenomenon. At that point, no one knew what the heck was going on. The only way to get answers was to do a little recon.
The team hid as I knocked on the door, with Val, Nick, Claire, and Lucas right beside me.
“Who is it?” Charles asked.
“It’s me, Dean.”
Charlie opened the door and let us all in. “Hi, guys. I know I promised you some more test results, but I need at least a couple more days to—”
“Can you show us what you do have?” Nick asked, cutting him off rudely.
“Um…sure.”
As soon as Charlie turned around to lead the way, Lucas put him in a chokehold and held him there until he passed out. “Whoa! It works,” he said. “See? All those weekends watching professional wrestling paid off.”
“Stop that!” Claire said.
Lucas laid the unconscious scientist on the ground “Pssh, he’s fine. He’s just taking a little nap.”
“That wasn’t part of the plan,” I argued, snatching the keycard from Charlie’s lab coat.
“Do you want to look around this lab or what?” Nick retorted.
“I’m sure he would’ve just let us in,” I said, “or somebody could have sneaked off.”
“You tried that route before, Captain Kindness,” Lucas mocked, “and where did it get you? Nowhere.”
Val glanced up, just as stunned as I was. “I could’ve easily distracted him.”
“He’s out now,” Lucas said. “Can we just get this over with already?”
“We need to tie him up,” Nick said.
As Nick and Lucas made quick work of securing Charlie, the team raced in and divided the building into sections. About six men came with us, and the others went about their separate ways.
The Zombie Chronicles - Book 6 - Revelation (Apocalypse Infection Unleashed Series) Page 18