Starting the Slowpocalypse (Books 1-3 Omnibus)

by James Litherland

  It wasn’t the murderer, but Sgt. Carruthers who sprang from his seat and whirled to face David. But when he recognized who it was, he relaxed again.

  Moving his hand away from the empty holster on his hip, Carruthers stared hard at David. “What are you doing here? For a moment I thought it was this armed killer we’re supposed to be on the lookout for. But it’s just you.”

  David smiled weakly and looked swiftly around the room. It wasn’t much more than a cupboard—with one uncomfortable looking chair and an array of video screens set into the wall. He saw what appeared to be feeds from dozens of cameras.

  The sergeant noticed his gaze and grinned. “I take it you’ve been so busy over at Security that you hadn’t heard—our new chief had plenty of cameras installed. Both on the perimeter wall to monitor the buffer zone and on the fence to watch what goes on outside.”

  David should’ve known Ken would upgrade the external security. Shaking his head, he realized he owed Carruthers an explanation—after all, the man couldn’t be the murderer. “I was just wondering if our mysterious killer might’ve thought this room a good place to hide out. I thought I’d check.”

  The sergeant just shrugged. “We had been able to keep a man posted here twenty-four seven. Until the poisoning. Since there’s not much else I can do for now, I thought I’d keep watch.”

  David nodded. But what he was wondering was why the sergeant was bothering to explain himself—and why Carruthers hadn’t asked David how he had gained access to the room. While the man couldn’t be the killer, he could be the co-conspirator who’d let the murderer into the building. Or David might just be getting paranoid, again.

  Sgt. Carruthers rolled his shoulders. “I’ve been sitting down too long anyway. I’ll take a break and stretch my legs—and maybe I should just leave the door open? It’s not like this room is still a secret.”

  “That’s a good idea. If our killer does show up, at least you can see him coming. And if either of us sees the door’s been closed we can assume the enemy did it.”

  The sergeant gave him a strange look. “That’s good thinking, Belue.”

  They smiled at each other and stepped out into the hall, leaving the door open behind them. They both walked to the end of the short corridor, David turning one way and Carruthers heading the other. The sergeant might be just stretching his legs—David had a destination in mind.

  If there was another hack attack, and the killer himself might well be that hacker, the secure lockdown wouldn’t be working for thirty-nine seconds. And during that interval, special access wouldn’t be needed to get into the building—just a key. Which this killer probably had. Maybe he was anticipating another blackout—or about to cause one.

  If the theory David was mulling over was right, then chances were the murderer was on the outside of the building right now, waiting for his chance to get inside.

  David had spent enough time staking out this very building at night to know where the best vantage points were. Those were the places he’d check out next. And since he was coming from the other side of the HQ, he wouldn’t even have to pass by the back-up pantry on his way to the back door.

  When he arrived at that rear entrance, he used his FURCS pad and his new security access to open the door. As he was pulling the knob though, someone else pushed the door in from outside. Before he realized what was happening David was driven back against the wall of the corridor by a muscular arm. He raised his head and gasped in shock. He recognized the blond giant who’d surprised him.

  Talk about someone who shouldn’t be here.

  With his left forearm pinning David against the wall, Eric jammed the gun in his right hand up into David’s ribs. “This is an unexpected pleasure.”

  It was certainly unexpected, but not pleasant at all from David’s point-of-view. His bête noir from what seemed like another lifetime had returned, a man who should be long gone, preferably dead.

  Everything clicked into place for David, though it no longer mattered. He probably wouldn’t live to tell anyone. But what really rankled was that it had been David himself who’d carelessly let the intruder back into the building.

  Finding it hard to breathe, David nevertheless had to try to buy some time. “Not unexpected. We knew it was you. We found your little hiding place, but we thought you were still in the building. They are combing the place right now looking for you.”

  Eric smirked. “You really expect me to believe that?”

  “Crystal left me a message. You didn’t manage to silence her after all.”

  Eric frowned. “Having her get close to you was my mistake. She was too soft, and her sympathetic feelings made her a liability. So I’d have had to get rid of her anyway.”

  David found himself squinting. He couldn’t allow the man to make him angry—he needed a clear head. He was trying to think of a way to change the dynamics of the situation when a loud voice echoed down the hall.

  It was Sgt. Carruthers calling, and coming closer. “Is that you, Belue?”

  David and Eric both turned their heads and saw the sergeant round the corner. Carruthers stopped and stared—and David wondered what was running through the man’s mind in that moment. And how he would react.

  Probably nothing went through Eric’s mind. He simply swung his gun out to aim at the sergeant as he stood there and fired without hesitation.

  David didn’t hesitate either. When Eric pulled the trigger, the pressure of his arm against David’s chest lessened, and David let his legs go weak and slid down the wall.

  Eric turned back and looked down at him, with a sneer on his face and his gun waving around. David reached under his pant leg to draw the twenty-two he had in an ankle holster. He raised the gun to aim for center mass and fired two shots into Eric’s chest. Just like Ken had taught him.

  With wide eyes staring in disbelief, the traitor crumpled to the ground. Trying not to look at him, David kicked Eric’s gun across the floor and struggled to his feet. Then he looked down the corridor for Carruthers.

  The sergeant had been hit—he was lying on the floor and bleeding out from the leg, which he held, presumably trying to staunch the flow of blood. It didn’t seem to be working.

  David holstered his gun and ran the short distance. He kneeled next to Carruthers and pressed his hands against the wound, even as he tried not to look at it. “You need medical attention, and fast.”

  “You think so?” His voice became cross. “What are you doing with that pistol?”

  “I’ve got friends.” David didn’t want to tell the sergeant that Chief Cameron had given him the gun and the ankle holster to carry it. It would look like favoritism. And he’d been told to wear it in the ankle holster so people wouldn’t know he was armed. That had turned out just as well with Eric. And David should keep Carruthers from finding out where it had come from.

  Though he should be worried about keeping the man alive. Continuing to press down on the wound, he looked around feeling helpless—and started yelling for help. Which came quickly.

  Officer Michelle Mori came trotting around the corner, lugging a large metal case in her arms. She saw David and dropped the case and ran to crouch down on the other side of the sergeant. Just who he needed—someone with medical training.

  “Michelle. Please do something for him.”

  Taking a quick look at the wound, she unwound her belt and fashioned a tourniquet faster than David could even follow. “Keep applying pressure and I’ll run and get a first aid kit.”

  She rose and scurried back down the hall. Carruthers, meanwhile, was beginning to pale. “Don’t worry, sir. She knows what she’s doing.”

  Michelle had returned in the blink of an eye, a large plastic case in her hand. Which she set on the floor and opened. Grabbing a big roll of gauze and a bottle of antiseptic, she looked at David. “Help me get this wrapped tight.”

  He nodded and watched as she poured antiseptic over her hands and then his and handed him the gauze. As he took the roll
and blood began welling up from the wound again, Michelle poured the antiseptic directly into the wound. Then she was winding a bandage tight around the leg while David just lifted the leg up off the floor for her and kept spooling out more and more gauze.

  She threw some towelettes at David and took a handful for herself to clean the blood off her hands, and he did the same. Then she was grabbing some giant white bandages from the case and going back to her patient.

  David’s help didn’t seem to be required, but he had to do something. “Should I call the sisters and get them to send help.”

  Michelle glanced at him, blinking. “Of course. I can only try to keep him stable until he’s in surgery. That means we need to get him to the clinic.”

  David tapped out an emergency call on his pad and glanced down the hall at the metal case she had dropped. “What do you have in there?”

  Michelle didn’t even glance to see what he was talking about. “People’s firearms, to be returned to them now they’ve been cleared. And because Chief Nelson seemed to think they’d be needed.”

  David nodded. There might be more intruders like Eric, or other traitors. “Since you don’t seem to need any more help from me here, I could take everyone their weapons.”

  Michelle nodded without looking at him as she strapped more bandages around Carruthers’ leg. “I guess it makes sense. But the case is secured, and I don’t have time to open it for you.”

  David grinned, though she wasn’t watching. “I have security access, now.” Temporarily, at least.

  “Then if the sisters are on their way, go ahead.”

  David stood and paused before he left, but he’d no idea what to say. So he just shook his head and walked over to pick up the gun case. He wanted to see his colleagues armed before there was any more trouble.

  I wonder how Sara will react to getting her gun back from me. Maybe she would thaw a bit.

  Down one corridor then another, he came to the intersection where the short hallway led to the back door to the kitchen past that back-up pantry. Not only Paul and Sara, but Chiefs Nelson and Cameron were standing there. All four turned to stare at David as he rounded the corner.

  Chief Nelson glanced at the case David carried. “Where’s Officer Mori?”

  “Trying to keep Sgt. Carruthers alive. Did you not hear the shots?”

  Opening his mouth, it took the man a moment before the words came out. “Report. The short version.”

  David approached his boss. “Eric shot the sergeant. I shot Eric. Michelle’s with Carruthers, and I’m here with the guns to give back.”

  Chief Nelson squinted at him. “I’ll have to hear the long version later. I’m in a hurry. Give Officers Macklin and King their weapons now.” Turning to Paul and Sara, he continued, “I’m going outside the main gate, and I want you two to cover me going out and coming back in.”

  Ken grunted. “You’re not going out there alone. I’m coming with you.”

  David set the gun case down on the lid of the big rice barrel and opened it with his FURCS pad—to find his two colleagues their guns. By then the two chiefs were already headed down the hall. Paul and Sara rushed off as soon as they were armed.

  David found his own nine-millimeter, the gun he’d trained with, and returned it to the holster at his belt, then trailed after the others.

  He found Ken standing outside the break room, barking. “Grab your rifles and get to the main gate.”

  David heard Neilson complain. “Our rifles are locked in the armory when we’re not on patrol. We need Sgt. Carruthers to open it and we don’t know where he is.”

  Ken turned and looked at David. “You said he’s been shot. Out of action?”

  “Yes, sir. But hopefully he’ll survive.”

  Ken grunted. “What I need right now is a sergeant, and none of them are here. So you’re getting a field promotion. Get these men their rifles, then I want you to take charge at the main gate. Keep the enemy out—you ought to be able to do that.”

  Then Ken was on his way. David gestured to the two guards coming out of the break room. “To the armory.” And David double-timed it across the hall to the small room with a large locker for the rifles, which he used his FURCS pad to open.

  Handing Neilson and Wagner a couple of rifles and a couple boxes of ammunition, he closed it and took Michelle’s gun case and led them back toward the main entrance.

  They caught up to the others in the lobby. Chief Nelson had just started out the door when the first shot cracked the glass in it. They all dropped to the ground.

  Ken looked across the floor to Chief Nelson. “I glimpsed two shooters, behind one of those electric carts of yours that’s parked out front.”

  Chief Nelson grinned at Ken. “I was in a hurry when I got here. I didn’t know I’d be providing cover to the enemy.” He sighed and looked back at the rest of them. “David, I want you and Paul to crawl up here to the doors and get set. You’ll count three minutes from my mark and then, staying low to the ground, push the doors open and fire off ten rounds each at the shooters. Don’t worry about damaging the cart. Understood?”

  David nodded, and Paul muttered a weak, “Yes, sir.”

  Chief Nelson slid backward along the floor like he was a greased pig while David and Paul crawled forward and got into position. Behind them, Chief Nelson’s voice was clear. “Alright. Mark.” And he was gone.

  The man must’ve headed for the back exit to go around and outflank the shooters, but David didn’t see how the man could make it out and around the building that fast. He looked over at Ken, who was bristling with fury and abandoned any idea of asking him what Chief Nelson was up to.

  Beside David, Paul had his FURCS pad out and on the stopwatch screen. “Sixty seconds.”

  David inched forward and pressed his left hand against the bottom of the door. It was heavy and he hoped he had the strength to push it out enough to get his shots off. Actually aiming wasn’t in it.

  Paul’s voice to his right. “Ten seconds. Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one—now.”

  They both pushed with one hand and fired their ten rounds out at the enemy with the other. David wasn’t able to see if Paul tried to aim. Doubting he’d even hit the cart, David shot in the general direction and hoped it would be good enough.

  Then through the open doors in the silence following their gunfire, Chief Nelson’s voice rang out from the darkness outside. “All clear.”

  David scrambled to his feet. And still carrying the gun case along with him, ran out and around to the other side of the parked cart. There, Chief Nelson stood looking down at two prone figures. “I’m sure I’ve seen one of these guys.”

  Paul came up behind David and looked down at the men. “I know one of them—Councilman George Radley’s son. I don’t remember his name, but I sure remember the night Officer Miles had to deal with him.”

  “That’s right. Kat’s favorite troublemaker. The other must be a friend of his, but we can deal with them later. I’ve been delayed too long already.”

  Sara was there with them, but Ken hadn’t come over. He and the two guards were already halfway to the main gate and shouting at the guards on duty there. No doubt describing the situation which David still didn’t understand.

  David turned to ask Chief Nelson if he’d fill him in on what exactly was going on, but just then a loud crack of thunder hit and rain started falling. Chief Nelson was already moving, and by the time David and Paul and Sara caught up to him, their boss was already sliding through a gap in the perimeter gate just wide enough for one man. The guards pulled it back a bit further and Ken went through.

  David looked out into the buffer zone and at the security gate and the dark forest beyond that. Ken turned on the other side and looked at him. “Remember, you’re in charge, Sgt. Belue. Keep the enemy out until we get back in, and pray we’ve got Lt. Miles with us.”

  David snapped a crisp salute to Ken’s departing back, for the sake of the other guards watching. He could trust
that they’d follow the chain of command. But Paul and Sara were standing there looking lost, and David wasn’t sure how they’d react to his temporary authority over them. If they didn’t want to accept his leadership, they could just go elsewhere and let him get on with his job.

  Which he had no clue how to do.

  Dismissing his doubts and getting on with it, he looked at his two fellow security officers. “You two go and secure the gate in the security fence behind the chiefs after they’re out. Then stay in the buffer zone, to the side, in the shadows.

  “You’ll need to be ready to open the gate and let the chiefs in before they have to do it for themselves. They may be coming in hot. We’ll provide covering fire from this side of the perimeter.”

  David reached out to one of the guards for the keys to the fence padlocks and handed them to Paul. Sara hesitated, but Paul just nodded and walked out through the gap. After taking a moment to glare at David, she followed her partner out into the buffer zone. David motioned the two guards who had been stationed there to close the gate behind them. He looked out then, but the two chiefs had already disappeared into the night.

  Taking a step back so he could see all five of the guards he had to defend the gate, he thought he had better act as if he knew what was going on and what he was doing. “Chiefs Nelson and Cameron are out there facing the enemy.” What enemy? “Lt. Miles is out there as well.” Apparently. “We want them all back inside safe. Take up firing positions, but don’t shoot anyone approaching the fence until you know for sure it’s not one of them. Otherwise, feel free to fire at will.”

  The guards should know what they were doing. And David knew the best thing he could, or should do now, was pray.

  Chapter 16

  Thunderstruck

  8:00 p.m. Monday, March 3rd

  KAT glanced back as she swerved the jeep around another tree. Still no sign of her pursuers, but they were back there somewhere—she knew it. But they were probably making their way through the forest with more caution, and that was to her advantage—she was slammed forward into her seatbelt, the jolt reverberating through every bone in her body. The seatbelt yanked her back and saved her from being assaulted by the exploding air bag. The engine was dead, and there was a definite ringing in her ears.