What Remains_Mutation

by Kris Norris

  “I know what the fuck we’re talking about. I’m not naïve. But you’re making it sound as if Harper doesn’t have a choice.”

  Rhys stared at him.

  Sully growled. “Fuck that. This isn’t marshal law. The last time I checked, we didn’t force people to go on suicide missions.”

  “You heard her. We won’t find it unless she goes. Case closed.”

  Cogan echoed Sully’s previous displeasure, drawing himself up as Jake followed suit. Neither man moved, but they’d made their intentions clear.

  Rhys glared at them, stepping forward. “She’s not the only one who’d be taking a risk.”

  Sully snorted. “Is that supposed to make this morally right? Will it help you sleep at night if she dies—”

  “Boys. Enough.” Harper turned to him, an odd emotion clouding her eyes as she raised her hand, drawing a finger along his jaw. She looked completely out of her element.

  She gave Cogan and Jake similar gazes, her brow furrowed, her breathing increasing before she shook her head. Sully watched her, wondering if she’d ever had anyone stand up for her.

  She graced him with a stunning smile then turned back to the others. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t go. But it’s a pipe dream at best. The mutation started there a couple of weeks before we left. Damn things run like the wind. And forget about walls keeping you safe. They scale those. I barely made it out. I had to break through a second story window. Cracked two ribs. And that’s when Lelin was somewhat cooperative. The last thing I saw was a sea of pale skin swarming the building.”

  The lines around Rhys’ mouth tightened, but he didn’t back down. “This isn’t our first rodeo, honey. We’ll see you safely in and out.”

  “You?” She half-laughed. “You want me to get you the serum? Fine. But I’ll go alone.”

  A knot formed in the pit of Sully’s gut. No fucking way she’d go without him, Cogan and Jake leading the damn way. Simple as that.

  He snagged her waist. “Like fucking hell you will.”

  She spun to face him. “Sully.”

  “Sully’s right.” Rhys moved closer. “There’s no way you’re going alone. This is too important to risk that you won’t make it back. And then there’s the matter of trust…”

  Harper glared at him. “Thanks. Glad I made the first concession for nothing.”

  Barrett stepped between them, palming Rhys’ chest. “What Rhys means is that we can’t ask you to take this on if we aren’t willing to risk our lives for it, too. It’s only fair.”

  “Somehow I don’t think fair is what he’s worried about.”

  She huffed, marching to the other side of the room. Sully watched her war with some internal demon, periodically glancing at the door. His gut clenched, afraid she’d simple dart out of the room and out of their lives, but she sighed instead, turning to lean against the wall. Her brow crinkled, and he knew she’d reached a decision.

  The tension eased from her shoulders and for the first time, he caught a true glimpse of the operative in her. The cold, calculated one, weighing her options, removing any emotions from the equation. Her gaze clashed with his, and a hint of the woman beneath the façade bled through.

  She raised her chin, addressing all of them at once. “Let’s cut through the bullshit. I’ll get Lelin’s damn serum on two conditions. One, only a small team goes with me. No more than two or three. This isn’t an assault. It’s a stealth mission. The fewer people tagging along, the less chance of us being seen or making a noise. There’s still little hope we’ll live through it, but it ups the percentage a point or two.”

  Rhys shuffled his feet. “Last time I counted, we fit that condition.”

  “Two. I choose who goes.”

  “Something wrong with my team?”

  “Other than the fact you’re lovers?”

  Rhys gave her a smug smile. “Our personal life doesn’t matter. Not when it comes to the safety of this entire camp.”

  “The hell it doesn’t” She scoffed at him. “With Lelin dead, Kace is now the key. Operative training one-o-one. Don’t take the only guy still capable of saving the world on a damn suicide mission.”

  Rhys scoffed. “Do you honestly think I’d let Kace tag along? He stays, whether he likes it or not.”

  “And how effective do you think the man will be if you three don’t come back? Serum or not, this compound will have to continue adapting. Fighting. Don’t take away his only reason for living and expect him to give a damn about others. That’s…inhuman.”

  Rhys scowled but Barrett patted him on the shoulder, nodding at Harper.

  “She has a point.” Barrett held up his hand. “I’m not going to argue with you three. Besides, we need a tactical team here to keep up with the new challenges. If just one of those advanced motherfuckers gets over the barriers…” He glanced at Harper, but she shook her head.

  “Sorry, chief. But you guys aren’t going either, unless you can look me in the eyes and tell me one of you didn’t get Abby pregnant. No way.” She sighed, her focus falling to Sully. “Besides, there’re only three men I trust with this.”

  Barrett glanced at the ceiling, looking as if he was searching for patience as he scrubbed a hand down his face. “Cogan’s crew? You want to take three, non-tactically trained men into a maze brimming with zombies? Lady, you’re either crazy or you’ve got yourself a massive set of brass balls.”

  Harper merely smiled. “Maybe. But there could be fires, dangerous chemicals. There were a couple of abandoned fire trucks outside the premise. I couldn’t access them on the way out…not dragging Lelin, worrying about watching my back as much as avoiding infected. But I was told they still had some supplies. I need men who have experience working with respirators. Who know the structural integrity of the walls and the ceiling. Who can navigate a hallway full of smoke as well as they can if it’s clear.” She looked at the men, compassion coloring her eyes. “I’m the one who doesn’t measure up. I just hope I don’t slow them down.”

  The lump in Sully’s throat damn near gagged him. Barrett had a valid point. Despite his sudden determination to keep Harper safe, and that he knew without a doubt Cogan and Jake shared his feelings, they weren’t tactically trained. Sure, he and the guys had been holding their own since the start, but they hadn’t faced some of the numbers the others had. Hadn’t been forced to kill with their bare hands. Barrett. Hunter. Gunner. They’d taken the brunt of the dirty jobs. And just the thought that they might be the cause of Harper getting killed…

  Harper met his gaze, and the thoughts vanished. She believed in them. It was written in the curve of her lips, the line of her brow. The way she held her head high, confidence pressing her shoulders back. He’d be damned if he’d let her down. Not after she’d stood up for them. Put her life in their hands.

  Her trust.

  Cogan glanced back at him, giving him a nod as if he’d read Sully’s mind, before stepping forward, stopping beside Barrett. “Look. I realize we don’t have some of the same skill-set as all of you. But I assure you. If Jake or Sully or I thought for one second we’d be jeopardizing Harper’s safety, or the viability of this mission, we’d back out. Truth is, we have everything to lose, and far more to gain than anyone else here. We’re going. Period. If you try to stop us, send another crew, we’ll follow. Anyway we have to. Not sure I can make it any clearer than that.”

  Barrett stared at them, mouth pulled into a firm line then chuckled, shaking his head as he looked between them and Harper. “You know. If I’d known fireman were so damn stubborn, I would have kicked Gunner in the ass for bringing you three here.” He sighed. “Fine. We’ll get a Hummer ready. Give you as much as we can spare. Kace will ensure you’ve all been vaccinated.” He held up his hand. “It’ll give you some protection against the original strain. That’s better than nothing.” He nodded at Harper. “Does that fit with your conditions, Agent Rawlings?”

  She pushed off the wall, walking over to the men and stopping in front of Sully. She st
udied his face, turning to do the same to Cogan and Jake. Something flashed in her eyes as she took a deep breath. “You realize what you’re getting into, right? I can get us there but…”

  Sully pressed a finger to her lips, savoring the feel of her soft flesh against his. “You’re stuck with us, darling. So save your breath. There’s no talking us out of it.”

  Tears glittered in her eyes before she blinked them away, giving him a shove as she drew herself up. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She glanced over at Barrett. “There’re a few bunkers located around the perimeter. They were used as sentry positions. I’m not sure if any of the surveillance is still operational, but our best bet is to head there first. Camp out for a few days, maybe a week. Get an idea what kind of numbers we’re looking at. If they’re all this advanced strain or a mixture. Once I’m certain we’ll last more than a minute inside, we’ll make some dry runs. But this could take a while…if we don’t die before we even get there.” She spun on her heels and walked away, gazing back at them when she reached the doorway. “I’d love some arrows if you have any. But I’ll use the time before we leave making some, just in case. And I prefer a pistol. Not too heavy. Good range. But I’ve already got plenty of blades.”

  Sully ran a hand through his hair, watching her lithe form disappear into the compound. The girl definitely had a way about her, though he wasn’t sure whether he was impressed or intimidated.

  Barrett gave him a hard pat on the back. “Damn, guys. You sure picked an odd time to get interested in a woman.”

  Sully’s heart swelled at the thought, followed by his cock. He willed the damn thing away, focusing on Barrett. “Something tells me Harper picked us. But this is about far more than that.”

  “Right. Let’s just hope the woman doesn’t get you all killed.” Barrett reached for Abby’s hand, leading her to the door. “And don’t go sightseeing along the way. I know you guys still want to find Gunner but… We won’t have much of a haven for him to return to if we can’t protect our borders. Let’s tackle one issue at a time. You can go after the big jerk once you’re back.”

  Sully raised a brow. “If Harper doesn’t get us all killed.”

  “See that she doesn’t.”

  Sully nudged Cogan, heading toward their barracks. “You guys okay with this?”

  Cogan shrugged. “Does it matter? Harper’s going. That means we are, too.”

  He nodded, mulling over everything she’d said. “She didn’t have to stand up for us. Hell, she could have taken Rhys or Barrett up on their offer. They are better trained.”

  Jake scoffed. “Not better. Just different. And as much as I’d love to think Harper is having similar confusing feelings about us, I’d also like to think she wouldn’t risk her life just to make us feel good. Though that thought certainly fuels the ego.”

  Sully punched him in the shoulder. “Jackass.” His smile faded. “About Gunner…”

  Cogan sighed. “I want to go after the jerk as much as you do. But this… They’re right. We’re talking about the safety—the lives—of everyone in this compound. Of any others we may eventually find out there. It’s not just us risking ourselves anymore. We’re risking Abby’s unborn children. Kace. Not sure I could live with myself if our actions resulted in their deaths.” He ran a hand through his hair. “The only thing I’m sure of is that…if it were us out there, waiting for help. I’d hate to think they put our three lives ahead of a hundred.”

  Sully nodded, knowing the man was right but hating every second of it.

  Cogan nudged his arm. “This isn’t us giving up, Sully. It’s merely a detour. One that may end up saving Gunner, too.”

  Sully shoved him back. “Let’s just get ready. No telling what Harper’s going to get us into. One thing’s for sure, though. The woman’s going to be damn hard to keep in line.”

  Cogan beamed. “Good thing there’s three of us.”

  Chapter Six

  Jake paced back and forth across the bunker, stopping to stare at the facility off to his left. They’d been gone too long. Something was wrong. He slammed his hand against a wall, embracing the stinging pain that vibrated up his arm. He never should have agreed to stay behind. Watch the damn camp. It wasn’t as if anyone was going to happen along and steal their stuff. At least nothing human.

  He glared at the overly white collection of buildings. Though he wasn’t sure what he’d envisioned in his head, it’d paled in comparison to the real thing. The facility was massive—a collection of four buildings arranged in a rectangle connected by hallways and a series of underground tunnels. It’d exceeded his expectations. It also meant the reality of their mission was far more complicated than he’d initially thought. Despite any previous beliefs, there wasn’t a way to secure the site, not even a fraction of it. And the daily scouting missions were getting riskier with every outing. Their only saving grace was that the bunker was still well stocked. Food. Water. Power. Even a functioning toilet and shower. Though the crowning glory had been a couple of boxes of cookies they’d found in a cupboard. He laughed. Of all the brands to make it through the apocalypse, Watermelon Oreos hadn’t been his first choice. But who was he to argue. And it, along with the other amenities, had made surveillance bearable—except when his damn team didn’t return on schedule.

  He slammed his hand on the wall again when the door crashed open and Sully stormed in followed by Cogan and Harper. Jake could tell by the firm press of Sully’s lips the man was pissed. And he had a distinct feeling their feisty little brunette had something to do with it.

  Jake crossed the room, running a hand through his short hair. “Jesus Christ, Cogan, I was starting to think you three weren’t coming back. You disappeared off the monitors thirty minutes ago. I was just about to come looking for you. Last bloody time I stand watch. You damn near gave me a heart attack.”

  Cogan sighed, nodding at Harper as she headed straight for the far side of the room, her back stiff, her hands fisted at her side. “We ran into a bit more resistance than we’d planned. They’re scaling the damn chain-link now. Had to kill a couple dozen of them once we cleared the exit.”

  Jake hissed out a breath through clenched teeth. This fucking assignment was insane. They’d been facing increasing numbers ever since they’d arrived. And not the shambling infected they’d been battling these past twenty months. Fast, nimble bastards that kept coming until their brains had been splattered across the pavement. A sight they’d witnessed more times than he cared to count. And despite their determination, they hadn’t been able to recon more than a fraction of the facility before they were forced to retreat.

  Jake gazed at Harper, his breath hitching at the blood dotted across her shirt. He marched over to her, tugging on the sleeve. “What’s this?”

  Her muscles tensed, her knuckles turning white. “What the hell do you think it is? I eliminated the threat.”

  Her voice sounded cold. Distant. As if the question had wounded her somehow.

  He slipped closer, pressing his chest into her back. “Harper? You okay?”

  She spun, shoving him aside as she retreated into another corner, once again isolating herself.

  Cogan walked up beside him, shaking his head. “These bastards are getting faster. Stronger. Even with us using our guns, with Harper drawing arrows like fucking Robin Hood, we barely made it back. The last one got a bit close when she leaped off the ladder to stop it from grabbing my leg. The resulting kill wasn’t pretty.” He moved into the center of the room. “You shouldn’t have risked your life like that. I would have made it up in time.”

  Harper’s back stiffened before she glanced at them over her shoulder. “And if you hadn’t? What was I supposed to do, watch that thing eat you?”

  “I could say the same thing. My heart fucking stopped when you dove at it. Shit, Harper. You’re not the only one here who gives a damn. Do you think it would have been any easier on Sully and me to watch you get shredded?” Cogan huffed out a breath. “You think we haven�
�t noticed that you’re getting more reckless as the days go on? We’ve been here a week, yet you seem to trust us less every day.”

  “Do you honestly think this is about trust? Damn it, Cogan, you three are the first men I’ve ever truly trusted. This has nothing to do with my faith in you.” She turned away, a shiver working through her body. Something akin to a sob drifted along the air. “There’s no way we’ll all get in and out alive. There’s too many of them. We’re too visible. I need to go…alone.”

  Cogan growled when Jake grabbed his shoulder, shaking his head as he motioned to Harper. Cogan glanced at her, his lips twitching in irritation before he grunted and stalked away, pounding a fist into the console along the opposite wall.

  Jake watched the man pretend to study the screens, the tilt of his head more than indicating his mind was somewhere else. Harper had claimed that the power grid supplying the facility hadn’t been depleted, and she’d been right. A few of the security cameras still broadcasted to the bunker, giving them fleeting images of the interior and some of the grounds. But even with the small measure of insight, they’d yet to find a way in or out that wasn’t crawling with infected.

  He looked at her. She had her back to him, head bowed toward her chest. She’d gotten increasingly withdrawn with every failed attempt to access more than just the first level of the facility, her latest announcement not coming as a surprise to him. Shortly after they’d arrived, she’d starting acting differently. As if their presence made her happy and sad at the same time. He’d caught her watching them, confusion furrowing her brow. She seemed to be warring between wanting to draw them close, but acting as if she didn’t know how. Or maybe she didn’t want to take the risk. Either way, her unrest was palpable.

  He sighed. She wasn’t the only trying to make sense of everything. Every minute he spent next to her, studying her, listening to the easy sound of her voice, only made him acutely aware of how much she’d come to mean to him in what he knew was a short time. But damn. Time wasn’t a luxury they had any more, and after spending all of his just trying to survive, he couldn’t help but wonder if there wasn’t something more. If the four of them could make something worth fighting for.