The Zombie Plagues (Book 2)

by Sweet, Dell

  Billy came out of the shower, his hair sticking up all over the place.

  "Coffee from the machine," April said and lifted her cup. Billy's eyes went to his own cup she had gotten him. He looked at her, she was still naked. She had only managed to get one sock on.

  "Did you go down to the machine like that?"Billy asked.

  "I threw my robe on. It only fell open one time," April said. "Go on; drink it while it's hot, even though it has this yucky cardboard taste."

  "I could never walk to the coffee machine naked, with just a robe on," Billy said.

  "I could," April said.

  The TV broke into their conversation, silencing them:

  "Bethany?" the news anchor said to his co-anchor, "Here is a story from New York. Authorities here in Alabama are looking for two missing teenagers amid some very disturbing circumstances. For more here's our own Rebecca Monet."

  The room was silent, all the banter back and forth gone. Two pictures flashed up on the screen. Billy on one side, April on the other.

  "Thanks, Bob. As of this morning police are still looking for 18 year old April Evans and 23 year old William Jingo. A third young teen has now been added to the missing list, 17 year old Brian Smith: A paper carrier who disappeared on his route right in front of the home of a known drug dealer. When the cops searched that home they found the bodies of the drug dealer, Richard Dean, his girlfriend and his two young daughters. Three other bodies were found in the home, but authorities are withholding their names until next of kin are notified. There were no signs of young Brian Smith, William Jingo, or April Evans.

  "This comes on the heels of a bizarre chain of events that began early Friday morning in a small northern New York town known mostly because of its proximity to Fort Drum, the largest military training base for winter exercises in the world.

  "Friday started with a car chase. Two wrecked cars, one burned, three dead men and what authorities have said is a large quantity of drugs and money missing. It escalated when cops discovered that William Jingo, one of the material witnesses to the car chase, and his 18 year old girlfriend, April Evans, had both vanished. It took another serious step with the discovery of the body of 18 year old Alice chambers, murdered and dumped and in a nearby state park. Officers say they believe she was murdered by someone looking for information about the two missing teens."

  April gasped and put one hand to her mouth.

  "Police have also disclosed that there has been a grizzly find of body parts of another victim behind William Jingo's trailer home. Jingo and Evans are believed to be traveling in one of two vehicles. A late model Jeep Commander which is alleged to have been involved in a shootout in the city of Rochester, some one hundred and fifty miles to the West of Watertown." A stock picture of a Jeep Commander flashed on the screen as Rebecca Monet read the license number. Billy moved close to April and pulled her into his arms. She was sobbing uncontrollably.

  "This vehicle," Rebecca continued, "was allegedly purchased by Ms. Evans in Rochester. The second vehicle is a late model GMC Suburban, white." She read off the license number as an image appeared on the screen. This vehicle was purchased by a Benjamin Neo." Neo's picture flashed up on the screen, along with a grainy photo of Billy as Neo from a security camera at the dealership.

  "Neo was thought to have been one of those killed early Friday morning in the car crash, but now authorities are unsure whether he was killed or someone else was driving his car. Cops are waiting for blood work and DNA results, Bob, which they say could take several weeks.

  "Authorities in New York have received tips that the four missing people may be heading south in one or both of the vehicles. The numbers on the bottom of screen are where you can call with information pertaining to this case that authorities are now calling organized crime related. If you see any of these four," all four pictures popped up on the screen, "don't try to apprehend them yourselves. They are considered armed and dangerous. Call one of the numbers on the screen. Bob?" She finished.

  "Now, Rebecca, aren't we also hearing that the young woman is perhaps being held against her will? Possibly the young boy too,” Bob asked.

  Rebecca's serious face filled the screen as she nodded. “Bob, authorities are tight lipped about the circumstances, but our sources say there is real concern that the kids may have been taken by Benjamin Neo and forced by him to drive across several states. Their concern now is that none of the three young adults have been seen in recent sightings of Neo.” She lifted one hand helplessly. “We can only hope that the events that are playing out have not taken an even more serious turn, Bob.”

  “And they believe they may be heading for Mobile,” Bob asked.

  Rebecca nodded. “Unnamed sources have told us that they believe they are heading south, possibly for Mobile.” The picture switched back to the studio.

  “Well, Rebecca, our prayers are certainly with the families of those young kids tonight. Hopefully they'll be located soon.” He turned more squarely to the camera. “As always, when you see breaking news give us a call here at Channel Eight. The numbers are on the screen. It's a free call, even from your cell phone. Let's go to Bethany with breaking national news on that far away light in the sky, DX2379R the meteor that is still claimed by some to be on a collision course with Earth. Bethany?" Bob said.

  Billy held April and she cried. It was a long time before she could talk.

  Watertown

  Don

  Don managed to get the bedside phone on the third ring, by then it had awakened Jenny too.

  "Goddamn cops," Jennie muttered as she buried her head back under the blankets.

  "Yeah?" Don managed.

  "Sammy," Sammy told him. "You gotta get down here; we're out of here, like, 3 hours ago... You there, Donny?" Sammy asked.

  Don set up in bed which caused Jennie to complain even more. "What the fuck are you talking about, Sammy. Say it slower. My brain has no caffeine yet." He rubbed his face with one of his large hands.

  "We're going to Alabama... Mobile. Several tips put the Suburban on I65 yesterday, just outside of Mobile: Nothing after that. The chief thinks they went to ground and there are rumors of a big deal that is going to happen there with an associate of the late Richard Dean. We don't have names yet, but they're working on it. The guy is a big drug dealer in that area. We're going down on a flight out of Syracuse in 2 hours. We're going to meet with the locals, it's their ballgame, but the chief wants us to be there when the whole thing goes down. Sort of like the New York liaison," Sammy said.

  "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard," Don said. He reached for the night stand and got a cigarette. He lit it and then tossed the heavy silver Zippo back onto the table with a metallic clunk. Jenny raised her head.

  "What is it?" she whispered.

  "Fuck," Don said.

  "Fuck ain't the half of it," Sammy agreed. "You're awake now? I'll be there in about twenty minutes, we have to hurry," Sammy finished. He clicked off before Don answered.

  Don slammed the phone down. "The chief, Mr. political aspirations himself, has decided in all of his wisdom to send us to Mobile-Fucking-Alabama of all places, because some tips came in that placed the GMC on I65 yesterday and nothing since then," Don said as he worked his way out of bed and headed toward the shower.

  He called from the shower. "Brilliant, over-react now to cover his ass for not reacting when he should have... Jen, could you get me out a suit of clothes?" He called as he turned on the shower. He kicked off his boxers and stepped under the spray which was still slightly cold, forgetting about the cigarette in his mouth. He caught the soggy mess in one hand and tossed it toward the toilet. It landed on the lid with a wet plop.

  "Fuck," he muttered. "That's why the lid should be up."

  Mobile

  Jimmy West

  Jimmy stared at the TV. The weatherman was on now talking about the fall weather and the start of the hurricane season.

  He had been out once to dispose of Ronnie Lee. It was a
large shop, but a body couldn't hang around too long without air conditioning and this place had none.

  He had found a state park next to a swamp, they called them bogues here according to the sign, but they were still swamps. He had tossed the body in. There were alligators all over down here. The body wouldn't last long. He hadn't wanted to wait that long to do it, but he had been afraid to leave: As the night wore on though he became convinced that they were not coming by. Maybe he had been wrong. Maybe what he would do wasn't necessarily what a couple of green kids would do.

  He wondered about the other kid. The paper boy, but he had no idea who he was or where he'd come from. And if he was honest with himself he didn't care either. The kid was one of those anomalies: A fly in the ointment a nothing, at least to him.

  It bothered him that the cops had such a lock on the two vehicles. Every red neck with eyes would be calling every time they saw a Suburban of any kind. It would be a bad couple of days for anyone who owned a white Suburban.

  He wondered about Neo. He was positive that Neo was dead. Or he had been. If he was honest now there was more than a little doubt in his mind. It could have been anyone in that car. Neo could be smart enough to be behind this whole thing. He could be pulling the kids strings, both of them. And if that was the case he himself would have to be very careful. Getting shot in the back of the head in a car chase was one thing. Facing Ben Neo in a one on one situation was not something he wanted to do. His phone rang: His own cell phone and he knew who it was before he answered it.

  "Jimmy," Tommy's voice rasped. "I got a fuckin' cold so bear with me... And now I'm getting a fuckin' headache. I hear from my sources that Ben Neo might still be alive. My own, turned against me... You heard that shit, Jimmy?" Tommy asked.

  "I just heard it," Jimmy acknowledged.

  "You think these cops are jerking our chains? You hear they're talking organized crime ties? This is getting out of control, Jimmy. Out of control... I need the truth, Jimmy. If it is Neo, can you handle him...? Can you handle him? I need to know that, Jimmy: If this fucker has turned on me... Like... Like some fuckin' dog that doesn’t know his master... Like that, Jimmy, I need to know that you can fix that, Jimmy... A thing like that has got to be fixed, and I need you to tell me that you can fix it," Tommy said.

  "I'll get him," Jimmy said. "I'll be honest, Neo is no joke, but you know I'm not either. I'll get him," Jimmy said.

  "Or else?" Tommy asked.

  "Or else, he'll have to fuckin' kill me... I know my job. You know where my loyalties are, Tommy. He'll have to kill me, but he won't. He won't because he has nothing on me at all. I know him. I know how he operates: His methods. He's a dead man, Tommy. He just doesn’t know it yet. When I get him, believe me, he'll wish he did die in that car with the top of his head blown off," Jimmy said.

  "I don't ever doubt you, Jimmy. I don't. Get this done for me. Make it all work out and I'll take care of you. You know that," Tommy said.

  "I know that," Jimmy said.

  "You need something, you call these people. They're right there. They'll help," Tommy said. He rattled off two local phone numbers.

  "Okay," Jimmy said. He clicked off, tore off the square of paper with the two numbers on it from the pad. Folded it, and slipped it into his pocket. He wandered over to a long display of acoustic guitars, took one down and strummed the open strings. He had never learned. He couldn't figure out how anyone could learn, it was killer on your fingers. He hung the guitar back up, walked back to the stool where he had been sitting and sat back down. There was nothing he could do but wait.

  Mississippi

  Billy Jingo

  She finally calmed down, but Billy still held her for a while. “Is it your friend Alice? Is that it?” Billy asked her.

  "How they could have possibly found out about us... What they could have thought that she would know," April said. “She's nothing to me at all... Why did someone do that to that girl?” She finally thought to finish dressing, and pulled away from Billy. She pushed her hair out of her eyes and put her second sock on.

  "We've probably got to get out of here pretty quick," Billy said.

  She looked at him while she slipped her jeans on over her panties and then slipped into a sweat shirt, leaving her bra abandoned on the bed. "You think someone will recognize us?" she asked.

  Billy shrugged. "The picture of you was terrible, what was that, high school yearbook?"

  "Junior high: That's why it doesn't look much like me," April said. She looked down and noticed that she had forgotten the bra, tried to put it on under the sweatshirt, gave up and slipped the sweatshirt back off and put the bra on. "The picture of you is old too, but it still looks a little like you, except you don't look like you, you look like someone else, a cross between Dan Gaynor and you, with Neo's receding hairline," April said.

  "We should still go. I think any young guy and girl traveling together are gonna be looked at... We shouldn't chance it," Billy said.

  "I need a drug store... I can make us look completely different," April said.

  "We need another place to stay too... For the daytime," Billy said. They both began to load up the Camaro. It was still fairly early and no one else was out of their rooms yet so they managed to slip away unnoticed. Billy headed toward the mall, paranoid every time he saw a cop.

  Mississippi

  Jane on the Phone

  Rebecca Monet

  "Could I talk to Rebecca Monet?" the young woman's voice asked.

  "She's busy right now, can I help you? I'm her assistant, Cindy," Cindy told her. She wasn't exactly Rebecca's assistant, but close enough now that it really didn't matter.

  "Well, I really wanted to talk to her about these two kids on the news: This Ben Neo guy and this girl April I know right where they are," she said.

  "Hold on," Cindy said. She put the girl on hold and took two quick breaths.

  "What?" Rebecca asked from beside her.

  "The girl on the phone says she saw Ben Neo and April Evans. Knows where they are." Cindy reached forward and pushed a button to tape the call. "You better take it, just in case," Cindy said.

  Rebecca picked up the phone. "This is Rebecca Monet," she said.

  "Oh, my God, Rebecca, I've always wanted to talk to you. You're so much better than Bethany is," the young woman said.

  "My assistant said you saw Benjamin Neo and April Evans?" Rebecca said.

  "God yes: Right over here in Pascagoula, Rebecca. I can't tell you my boyfriend's name because he's married, you know, but, see, we were coming out of our room this morning and we saw Mr. Neo first. Probably he had gone out for something. He was going back into the room. Well, me and Ricky, we walked down to get some coffee, see? And we're coming back and here she comes. Well she's only got on a robe. I don't think anything else of that though, I wear a robe myself, sometimes out of the motel room, except she's walking and it falls open and you can see her bare legs, and my Ricky he noticed... And anyway, that's the reason I noticed. She walks down there half naked like that, buys two of them cardboard coffees and then takes them back to her room. Like everything was fine, and half the United States wasn't looking for her and that Neo guy and them other two. I know it said on the news she's supposed to be that boy William's, his girlfriend, but, well, they was in that room together, her and that Neo guy, and she only bought two coffees," the young woman said.

  "Did you happen to notice what they were driving? What room number they were in? Anything else that might be helpful?" Rebecca asked.

  "Well, there was a big Jeep, what you call them sport utilities? Looked like the one on TV. Parked a few rooms away, kind of sneaky, you know? They was in room 118, Starlight Motel... It was a pink robe... One of them fuzzy ones, you know?"

  "Anything else?" Rebecca asked.

  "Well, no... Well, Ricky said she was cute... Had nice legs... I don't know, maybe. I didn't think so," the young woman said.

  "I need your name," Rebecca said. "For the reward: If they catch them t
here is a reward."

  "Oh, Rebecca, I can't do that. I can't bring my boyfriend into it or mention his name," the young woman said.

  "It's a substantial reward," Rebecca said.

  "Jane Roberts," she said. "My friends call me Janey, only you can leave Rickey's name out of it?" she asked.

  "Absolutely," Rebecca said. "Where can I reach you? Are you still there at the motel?"

  The young woman gave her a cell phone number. "I'm in my car. I have to go to work. But I'm looking at the big Jeep, it's still there, and check out is not for another 4 hours. Me and Ricky had to leave early, to go to work, you know."

  "I know, Jane," Rebecca said. "I'll be in touch, okay?"

  "Okay," Jane Roberts said. She hung up.

  "Oh. My. God," Rebecca said. "What do I do now, call the cops?" Rebecca looked at Cindy.

  "Calm down, Baby," Cindy smiled. "I got the camera crew loading up. Bob already knows. The truck's waiting on you," Cindy said. She eyed her critically. "I'm going with you. I'll make you up in the truck. Bob is taking care of calling the cops. He'll play them the tape. Shake your buns, Becca, this is big. You got about an hour's drive. I'll have you looking good by the time we get there," Cindy told her. They both hurried away. Ten minutes later the stations Live Eight satellite truck was racing for Mississippi. Cindy worked on Rebecca's face as the crew drove.

  EIGHT

  The Friendly Skies

  Sammy and Don

  "Detective, right?" the flight attendant asked. She looked from Don to Sammy.

  "Me," Don said. She handed him a phone.

  "Jennie?" Don asked when he heard her voice.

  "Don't worry it's official. Listen," Jennie said. "They think they have Neo and the girl holed up in some lowbrow motel in Mississippi... Pascagoula," she spelled it.

  She spent a few minutes telling him what the eyewitness had seen and then moved on to explain where was located. "It's maybe an hour from where you're going, an hour and a half. I'm looking at a map. It's not far. So the plan is, if they don't flush them out before you get there, to get in the rental car and drive right to where they are," she gave him a short list of directions, which he wrote on a small pad the flight attendant had given him along with a pencil.