by Kris Norris
Sully snagged his collar giving him a tug. “Climb!”
The man nodded but stubbornly waited until Sully was halfway up before starting his ascent. Sully muttered under his breath. Cogan had always been that way. Ensuring everyone else was taken care of before he considered his own safety. Even as their captain back at the station, the man had risked his life more than once putting their well-being ahead of his.
Sully offered Cogan his hand once the man had reached the first level, pulling Cogan the last few feet as Jake shifted to make room. The zombies engulfed the bottom of the ladder, the view nothing more than a sea of pale flesh mixed with torn, faded clothing and exposed bone. Eerie grunts filled the air, bouncing off the buildings until the noise became a dull roar.
Sully nodded at the horde. “What the hell? I’ve never seen any of them run that fast before.”
Cogan shrugged, moving past him to join Jake at the next set of stairs. “There’re bound to be anomalies. Let’s just get to the roof and see if there’s another way down.”
Sully looked away, the stench of death heavy in the crisp air. God how he hated this. Always running. Never finding people alive, not that they’d done half as many recon missions as Barrett or Hunter’s team. Still, staring into the mass of undead made him realize how futile even this search was. How unlikely it was that Gunner and his crew were still alive.
He leaned against the brick, listening to Cogan and Jake’s boots ring on the metal steps, when one of the infected grabbed a rung, pulling itself up. Sully rubbed his eyes, certain he was finally losing it, when the creature gained the next one, snarling at him as it slowly ascended.
Sully rounded the stairs, grabbing Cogan by the shoulder when he reached the next floor. “One of you guys had better pinch me and tell me I’m dreaming because if I’m actually seeing this shit, finding Gunner won’t matter. We’re all dead.”
Cogan released a weary breath, staring Sully in the eyes. “What the hell are you bitching about now?”
Sully motioned toward the zombie halfway up the ladder “Take a look below us, jackass, and tell me if you’re still smiling.”
Cogan sighed, shifting his gaze downwards, when his breath caught in an audible rasp. “What the fuck?”
“I thought those bastards couldn’t climb?”
“They can’t. At least, I’ve never seen them climb. They knock shit over and sometimes scale small walls, but never a ladder…not like that. Only humans…”
“Reckoned as much” He turned to Jake. “Any ideas, bro?”
“Fuck no!”
Jake descended, moving purposefully over to the ladder and stabbing the bastard in the head as it crested the metal grating. The creature fell into the waiting crowd, but another simply took its place, fingers curling around the rung as it somehow pulled its body upwards.
Jake kicked at the rungs, trying to yank the damn thing up, but there was obviously too much weight below to do more than shake it. Mumbled curses floated up to Sully as Jake shook his head, moving back along the stairs to their level.
He clenched his jaw, his gaze never leaving the zombies ascending below them. “This is insane. What the actual fuck is going on?”
Sully huffed. “No goddamn idea, other than we’d better get ahead of them and find somewhere else to go, because we don’t have the resources to fight all of them.”
“Shit!” Cogan ran a hand through his hair, cursing more as he ran up the stairs, heading for the roof. “This is wrong. Something’s very wrong here. How the hell are they suddenly running like trained athletes and climbing ladders as if…”
“They were still human?” Sully suggested.
Cogan stopped at the top floor, staring down again. “They’re evolving.”
“Something like that, though I’m sure Kace will have a better understanding. He’s always going on about how we’re lucky the parasite only turns on part of the brain.” Sully kicked at the brick. “Shit. I don’t understand the man half of the damn time with his scientific jargon and complicated theorems. But that.” He pointed at the creatures just cresting the first level. “That I understand.”
Cogan grunted but nodded, climbing up the last ladder to the roof. Sully motioned Jake to follow, ensuring they still had time before scrambling up behind them. Cogan gave him a hand then headed for the far side of the roof, glancing over at the adjoining building before backing up and sprinting toward it. Sully groaned inwardly when the man cleared the distance, rolling to safety on the other side. Jake copied Cogan’s approach, not even bothering to size it up first as he crossed the open space, landing gracefully on the adjacent roof.
Sully punched his leg, hoping the simple act hid the slight tremor in his hands. “Shit! You guys know I hate jumping.”
Cogan gave him a smug smile. “You wouldn’t mind so much if you weren’t so bulked out.”
Sully sneered at his friend. This wasn’t funny. “I’m a fireman. It used to come in handy…saving people, remember?”
“Guess you can still impress the ladies with your muscular charm.”
“Fuck off.” Sully eyed the gap. No more than eight feet. A challenge, but hardly impossible.
Cogan merely raised a brow. “Get your ass over here, unless you think facing those things is better?”
“You’re a real jerk, you know that?”
“The jerk who’s waiting for you to stop being a baby and just jump already.”
Sully huffed then backed up. He kicked at the rooftop, hating the anxious feeling welling in his chest when a small object by his left foot drew his attention. He bent forward, snagging the length of cord off the rubber covering. His stomach dropped as he stared at the braided bracelet, the metal clasp wrenched open.
Cogan whistled at him. “Jesus, Sully, just fucking jump. Those bastards will be cresting the roof any minute.”
Sully fisted the cord in his hand, the hollow feeling inside growing as he held up the fabric.
Cogan moved over to the edge of the adjacent roof. “What’s that?”
“Paracord bracelet. A Navy SEALs one.”
The other man muttered something under his breath, glancing away. “Shit.”
“Wolfe never took this damn thing off. Some bullshit about it saving his life. He wouldn’t have left it behind unless they were in a world of hurt up here and he didn’t have time to retrieve it.”
Cogan palmed the edge of the other building. “Maybe they just got overrun and had to jump like us. Doesn’t mean they’re dead.”
“No, but it doesn’t give us much else to go on, either.”
“We’ll keep looking. We just need to lose our friends and get back to the Hummer. Try the next town before we decide what to do.”
Sully nodded. Cogan had a way of grounding him. Making him focus on the immediate task without giving up the bigger picture. It was one of the traits he respected most about the man. Sully tucked the bracelet into a pocket. They’d find Gunner and his crew even if they had to break ranks to do it. He took a deep breath then ran, launching himself over the sheer drop before landing on the far roof. He tucked and rolled, cursing when one of his weapons jabbed him hard in the ribs. Great. That one would bruise.
Cogan’s hand appeared in front of him and he grudgingly accepted it, giving Cogan a shove once he’d gained his feet. The other man smiled, looking up when Jake came jogging over to them.
Jake pointed at the far corner. “There’s a flagpole about four feet away from the edge of the building. Area below looks clear. Seems with all the noise, most of the residents headed for that alley, though it’s impossible to tell for sure. But I’m thinking we can slide our way down and decide from there. Lord knows we can’t stay up here. Even if those bastards haven’t learned to jump, we might lose what little opportunity we have to reach the ground without having to beat back another group.”
Cogan chuckled, though it didn’t sound as if he found the situation funny. “Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve slid down a damn pole?”
Sully nudged him, resisting the smile tugging at his mouth. “I can always carry you with my muscular charm.”
The man’s laugh sounded genuine this time as he swatted Sully in the shoulder before heading for the corner. He eyed the drop then scanned the area, his mouth firming into a thin line. “Looks safe enough. We’ll head for that park area as soon as we hit the ground. That way we can circle around to the Hummer without traveling the main roads. I just hope those trees don’t thin out too much, though being small town Colorado…”
Sully shrugged. “Beats the alternative.”
“Why doesn’t that make me feel any better?” Cogan nodded at the pole. “Okay, boys. Let’s see how much we’ve forgotten in the past year and a half. Who’s first?”
“You were the captain.”
Cogan glanced at Sully, a smile touching his lips as he moved to the edge, lunging forward, catching the pole between his hands. He wrapped his legs around the metal length, descending quietly to the ground. Sully grinned, looking at Jake. The other man merely shook his head, leaping for the pole and sliding effortlessly down.
Sully took a deep breath. He really didn’t like jumping, even the four feet to the pole. He sighed, launching forward, his instincts kicking in. Though it’d seemed like forever since he’d played the part of a fireman, the feel of the smooth pole passing beneath his hands felt right. A reminder of where he’d come from. Why he kept fighting.
He landed with a dull thud, quickly following his crew into the park and over to the tree line. Cogan darted through a copse of evergreens, stopping behind a couple of large pines. Sully moved in behind him, scanning the area as Cogan held up his fist.
He pointed toward a thicker patch of brush. “You hear that?”
Sully punched him in the arm. “I can’t hear past my blood rushing through my head from that damn jump. Maybe you could be more specific.”
Jake took a few steps forward, cocking his head to one side. “Sounds like…fighting.” His breath caught. “Gunner!”
The man rushed ahead, ignoring the hushed curse Cogan rasped at him and disappeared into the brush. Sully shoved his friend, sprinting for the thicket, nearly bowling Jake over when he bumped into the guy just shy of breaking out into a clearing.
He grabbed Jake by the shirt, yanking him back. “What the hell, Jake? You know better…”
His voice died off as he stared at the scene before him—at the woman moving along the creek, some guy in tow, stopping to launch a volley of arrows into the woods behind her—half expecting to suddenly wake up and discover the entire day had been nothing more than a dream when Cogan’s hand landed on his shoulder.
The man inhaled roughly. “Is this for real? Or did we die up on that rooftop?”
“Very real.” Sully shook his head, snapping out of his shock. “Looks like the lady could use a hand.”
“Then let’s intercept. Just stay vigilant. Those damn zombies aren’t what we’re used to fighting. And while she looks human…”
Sully nodded, falling in behind Jake, praying they hadn’t just walked into an even bigger trap.
Chapter Two
“Damn it, Lelin, keep up!”
Harper Rawlings darted along the edge of the creek, pivoting just long enough to release another arrow, hitting the creature closest to her. The zombie’s head snapped back, making an eerie cracking sound before it fell into the water, a circle of droplets spraying into the air. The splash sent a ripple undulating across the surface, destroying the crystal-clear reflection of trees and brush. She glared at the man trailing behind her, his feet moving methodically along, his gaze blank. Unreadable.
She cursed again, kicking another creature in the face when it jumped out from behind a tree, knocking it down, the hard crunch of bone ringing through the air. She checked the area in front then took off, winding her way down the narrow trail, wondering why she even bothered dragging Lelin’s ass from day to day when she’d move quicker without him. Without the scathing looks and vile comments on the rare occasions he showed any sort of consciousness at all. He’d been somewhat cooperative when they’d first ventured out of the facility three months ago, but had grown increasingly agitated with every passing day. She’d finally had to bind his hands when he’d become violent, trying to stab her one night when they’d holed up in an abandoned building.
He growled behind her, the sound disturbingly similar to the chorus of grunts echoing around them. She glanced back at him, disgust and hatred churning in her gut as he glared at her, his lips curved into a cruel smile. Great. Of all the times for his personality to make an appearance, it had to be now. In the middle of nowhere. An aggressive group of infected on their asses.
He laughed, the sound bitter and smug. “Do you see how fast they’re running? It’s happening everywhere. Quicker than I ever imagined. I told you it was only the beginning.”
“Well, it’ll be your end if you don’t move your damn feet.”
“Untie me and I will.”
It was her turn to laugh. “And have you run off on me and get yourself killed? Or maybe you’d like to try and stab me in the back again? No thanks.”
“They won’t kill me. And I don’t have any weapons to kill you with.”
“They aren’t human. They kill everyone. And everything’s a weapon in the right hands.”
“You mean like yours?”
She jumped across a narrow twist in the creek, stopping long enough to ensure he made it. “People like you are the reason people like me were necessary. Not that any of that matters now.”
“What’s wrong, Agent Rawlings? Losing faith?”
“Faith isn’t going to stop this plague. That’s up to you. And I’m not an agent anymore.”
“Who said I’d stop it?”
“Who said you’d have a choice?”
He chuckled, the tone rising sharply at the end. “That’s the problem, isn’t it? The reason we’re out here. I do have a choice, one that’ll get you killed for your efforts. You never should have left the facility. I told you I needed to stay.”
“The damn place got overrun. Those motherfuckers were everywhere! I can’t kill them all, Lelin. Not alone.”
She cursed when he purposely slowed. He was right about one thing. He’d get her killed if he didn’t cooperate at least a bit. Lelin gave her a cruel smile just as three zombies pushed out of some brush off to her right, gazes focused on her. One tipped its head back and screeched, the raspy sound sending shivers down her spine. They raced toward her, feet pounding the dirt, bodies uncharacteristically steady.
She notched an arrow, releasing it and reaching for another before the first even hit its mark. Thank God she’d been able to grab the bow during their escape. Ammo had become more extinct than humans. At least she could make her own arrows when needed. Damn hard to make a bullet from a branch and some bone.
The creature dropped, as did the next, leaving the third several feet away. Harper pushed Lelin aside, unsheathing her knife when a pop echoed through the woods. The zombie collapsed, pieces of shattered skull spraying across the ground.
She pivoted, sheathing her knife then swinging her bow back into place, another arrow held firm when her breath left her on a startled gasp. Three men stood on the other side of the small creek, guns drawn, gazes fixed on her. They wore faded cargo pants with shirts and jackets, the sleeves frayed around the edges. Firm, thick muscles bunched the fabric of their clothes, and she could tell just by looking at them they were intimately aware of each other. A team.
She stayed vigilant, not sure whether to offer her thanks or slowly back away. Zombies weren’t the only danger lurking in the towns, and just because the men had come to her aid didn’t mean they weren’t a threat.
One of the men stepped forward, his gaze darting between her and Lelin before he raised his other hand palm up. “We heard the fighting. Just thought you might need help.”
She breathed through two more heartbeats before lowering her bow, keeping t
he arrow notched just in case. She glanced at the monster the man had killed. It’d died only a couple of feet from her, its pale arms stretching toward her. Acid burned along her throat. Eighteen months and she still hated the sight of them. The stench. The way their blood turned black, the thick fluid mocking the very essence that made them human. It didn’t matter how many were killed; more simply took their place. An endless stream of death. She glared at Lelin, but he’d spaced out again, staring into the woods though she wondered if he saw anything other than the world he’d created.
Fatigue burned her muscles and she sighed, finally easing up on her bow. The men seemed to take her outward show as a sign to join her, the wet sounds of their feet in the river a welcomed distraction. They stopped a few yards away, confusion evident in the way they glanced at Lelin’s bound hands then at her. She saw uncertainty flash in their eyes a moment before the bushes behind them parted, a gathering of infected running toward them.
She raised her bow, instinct taking over. “Duck.”
The two men closest to the bushes dropped just as she released a volley of arrows, taking the first three creatures out. More gunfire echoed beside her, the third guy dropping the next four.
She grabbed Lelin’s hands, tugging him toward her as she nodded at the other men. “We have to go. These bastards aren’t like the others.”
Lelin trotted along then stopped, pulling her to an abrupt halt. More infected barred the way, rotting flesh gleaming in the filtered light.
The man cackled. “Aren’t they magnificent?”
She didn’t grace him with a reply, drawing smoothly, killing the frontrunners as they ran at the small group. The man who seemed to be the group’s leader shouldered up beside her, dropping a zombie every time she reached for another arrow. Her fingers wrapped around the few remaining ones, tensing her stomach.
She spared the newcomer a glance. “I’m nearly out. We won’t last long without somewhere to go.”
His gaze was just as quick. “We have a vehicle, if we can reach it.”
“You have a…”