Reavers (Z-Risen Series Book 4)

by Timothy W. Long

  I counted to five, then peeked outside before ducking back around the protection of the concrete-reinforced frame.

  A pair of military vehicles had pulled up across the street and the paramilitary were shooting at them. Christ! We had a horde descending on us and these assholes were still shooting at each other. So of course the vehicle returned fire.

  “Creed, thought that was you,” a female voice said. “Is the horde that close? I heard shots.”

  I spun to find Melissa--the woman who’d helped sedate the shuffler a few days ago--staring at me. She had a clipboard in one hand and was writing quick notes. I grabbed her elbow and hustled her away from the entrance. Most of the civilians working the line had paused and dropped low.

  The trucks returned fire and that’s when it erupted into a panic. The workers bulged around the entrance, fighting to get back inside, where it was safe.

  “It looks like Bright Star may have been making a patrol and some of those guys from the back of the building opened up on them. Not their finest hour. Probably just trying to feel us out, since we’re outside for a change,” Melissa said, like it was no big deal.

  I kept my mouth shut not wanting to reveal everything I knew.

  More shots echoed from outside. I peeked again and found another vehicle had taken up station. It had one of those big machine guns mounted on top. The weapon swiveled and shots rattled, kicking up dirt around some of the Reavers.

  They ducked, but I knew from seeing one of those things up close that the rounds would punch through just about anything short of a few inches of steel. Joel had once told me that if I ever came under fire from one of those, my best bet was to just stick my head between my legs and kiss my ass goodbye.

  “Makes no sense. Why now?”

  “I don’t know,” Melissa said.

  “When will Douglas be back?” I asked.

  “He left about ten minutes ago.”

  “New location?”

  Melissa didn’t respond to my probing.

  More people fled inside the Costco. They dropped whatever supplies they’d been carrying and took cover. I didn’t blame any of them.

  More of the paramilitary guys streamed around us as they ran for the big entrance. One of the them, a guy almost as big as me, carried something that looked like a rocket launcher. Christ, these guys were indeed well-armed.

  “Melissa, I know about the shuffler. I know what Douglas is doing.”

  Melissa shot me a quick, tight smile but didn’t take the bait.

  I was a good thirty feet from the entrance. Reavers pushed over anything they could use for cover. Something pounded overhead and I realized they were shooting from the rooftop.

  I scanned the refugees, looking for Christy and Frosty. Where the hell were they?

  Melissa took shelter behind a pallet of supplies. I ducked and crawled toward her. A round whizzed overhead, because our location provided a direct line of sight to the fighters outside.

  “Where’s the girl and the dog I came in with?” I asked her.

  “Not sure. They were hanging around row five or six the last time I saw them, but that was almost an hour ago. It was all hands then, so they probably went out to help move supplies into the trucks.”

  “Shit, I didn’t see them. Are they also loading out the back of the building?”

  “Of course they are, Jackson. That’s where the ramps are. It makes it much easier to fill the truck with supplies.”

  Jesus. Melissa was as weird as Diane. Maybe the pair were related. Now that the bullets had begun to fly, she sounded like she was reciting a dinner recipe. At least she was smart enough to drop behind cover.

  “Bye Melissa,” I said.

  “This will be over soon, Jackson. No more nukes or hordes. The next location will be secure.” She offered another tight smile.

  “You can’t know that. You have no idea if Bright Star will pursue, or if that damn horde will even move on,” I said, exasperated.

  “It is no longer a concern. Bright Star will soon withdraw, provided Douglas made it,” she said.

  Then she rose, ran to another stack of goods and ducked behind it.

  I had to find Christy and get the hell to that airfield.

  ###

  42 – Fresh Hell

  15:50 hours approximate

  Location: The Warehouse

  I should have known what was going on earlier. The cars I’d seen fleeing from Costco. The fact that Douglas was no longer here and the fact that Diane seemed to think that everything was going to be golden in a few hours.

  I wished Douglas the best. I hoped he made it, completed his mission, and then came back here so I could punch his fucking lights out.

  They’d taken the shuffler. Not only had they taken the green-eyed monster, but they’d cut to the east, and that meant they were luring the horde after them and right toward Bright Star.

  They were going to use the shuffler as a distraction, to not only make their escape but also to wipe out the outpost there. Joel and Anna had told me the base wasn’t much, and it was protected by thin walls.

  What they had on their side was the ability to call in reinforcements and strikes. In fact, calling in for nukes seemed to be their main objective, but with them gone and the Reavers on their way to a new location, they’d buy a lot of time.

  This was the world now. Not only were we fighting for survival against the Zs, but opposing forces of humans were still trying to do their best to erase each other. Who was right didn’t matter. The only ones who’d come out on top were the dead.

  “Christy!” I started shouting as I maneuvered around crates, pallets and people.

  A pair of Reavers came at me, with guns hanging from two-point slings. They were both dressed in blue digital cammo.

  The woman, I’d seen a few days ago. She didn’t make eye contact, but they expected me to move out of their way, so I did the smart thing and sidestepped them.

  “Idiotic,” I mumbled as I moved away.

  “What was that, sir?” They’d stopped and turned to regard me.

  “Nothing,” I said.

  “You think we like protecting your dumb civilian asses? Just pick up something and put it on a truck,” the guy said. “It’s not that hard, and if you need some extra motivation I’m happy to help.”

  He wasn’t as big as me, but he moved with a steady swagger I’d come to recognize, thanks to Joel. He had that same grace; a guy who knew how to handle himself.

  “Protecting us? Protecting us? The only thing you’re doing is making this whole fucking situation worse. It’s like you guys want everyone one dead,” I said in anger.

  “You think is making this situation worse? We’re protecting you from all the big bad stuff in the world. In fact, why don’t you grab a weapon, go out there, and provide cannon fodder,” the woman said.

  This could go two ways: we could get into a fight and I could get my ass kicked--probably by her--or I could just walk away and find Christy.

  “I’ll do that. I’ll go find a weapon and shoot back at humans instead of zombies and ghouls. That sounds like a great idea to me. I’ll probably get shot, but hey, what’s another body in this fucking hell of a world? Just something for the dead to snack on when they get tired of walking around looking for trouble,” I said, trying not to snarl the words.

  “That mouth’s going to get you in a lot of trouble, boy,” the man said.

  He didn’t exactly point his gun at me, but he put his hand on the trigger guard and squinted his eyes like he was waiting for me to make a move… or he had to go poop. It was hard to tell.

  I could probably draw the Springfield and blow his brains out. Then the girl would erase me.

  My hand didn’t hear my brain saying “Walk away.” Instead it dropped to the grip of my 9mm.

  The guy tensed.

  “Jackson!” Christy yelled.

  She must have heard me calling for her. She came around a box of supplies and ran toward me.

 
Suddenly I had no interest in these dickheads. Let them go and shoot at stuff. They could get themselves killed for all I cared. Christy was here, and that meant half of my mission was complete.

  She threw her arms around me, and I hugged her back. The woman in digital camo relaxed. She started to walk away, but I guess tough and dumb wasn’t done.

  “How about after all this is over, I take care of the girl for you. She your kid?”

  That was it.

  I smiled at him and lowered my arm away from my sidearm.

  “What’s your name, man?”

  He looked taken aback.

  I swung my arm up and caught him under the jaw. As he came back on his feet, I followed up with a haymaker that his grandkids would feel. The guy dropped like a box of rocks.

  The woman drew on me. She lifted her assault rifle and pointed it right at my chest.

  “Sorry, but fuck. He's a dick,” I said in protest.

  Famous last words, right? Seems like I have a lot of those.

  “Please leave him alone. He’s the only thing I have left in the world,” Christy said, and put herself between me and the woman.

  She looked us both over then lowered her weapon.

  “He's a dick, that’s true. Just try not to piss off anyone else, 'k?”

  She didn’t wait around for an answer, because gunshots near the entrance drew her attention. She stared at her friend for a few seconds, then shook her head and ran off.

  The guy at my feet stirred, so I leaned over, took away his gun and ammo belt, and put them on. I considered taking his camouflage jacket too, but decided we didn’t have time to play dress-up. I also considered punching him a few more times to let off some more steam, but I didn’t think my aching hands would take it.

  Punching a dude isn’t like in the movies. It hurts like hell.

  I studied the side of the weapon and found out it was a Heckler & Koch. There was an EOTech scope attached to the top. I stared into it and found the floating reticle immediately. Good. The weapon was ready for business.

  Instead of further stupidity, I grabbed Christy’s hand, and together we ducked out of the area.

  ###

  16:00 hours approximate

  Location: The Warehouse

  “Where’s your aunt and uncle, and where’s Frosty?” I asked as we hustled away from the scene.

  My wrists hurt like hell. I remember back when we were on the ship and I saw my first Z. He’d had his teeth set on me, and I hadn’t known what in the hell was wrong with my fellow sailor. He’d been all blood and piss-anger. I’d had to hit him like that and felt it for days.

  “Come on, I’ll show you,” she said, and tugged at my hand.

  I stopped and crouched. I took Christy’s thin upper arms in my aching hands and met her eye to eye.

  “Christy, listen to me, because there isn’t much time. Anna and Joel are outside waiting for us. It’s too much to explain now, but they believe this whole area is about to be blown to hell. We have a rendezvous point and a plan to get out of here. There may be room for your aunt and uncle, but we need to go now.”

  She stared at me, and then cracked a smile.

  “Oh my god. I missed Anna,” she said. “How did you find them? Is that why you were gone so long?”

  “I missed you too, dude but let’s get in the game. We have to go. Now.”

  “Okay, but my aunt and uncle won’t go with us. I already know that. They want to leave with the Costco guys. I told them I was going with you if you came back. They have Frosty this way,” she said, and pointed toward the direction I’d arrived from.

  There was a second door in that area, but it wasn’t open. People milled around in a mass and looked panicked.

  “What did they say when you told them you might tag along with me?”

  “At first they just said no. Then I reminded them that they weren’t my parents and that I barely knew them. I don’t, not really. We only went to their house a few times. They seemed like they wanted to make a big deal out of it, but no one cares what they think except me. What are they going to do, lock me up? Besides, I don’t care. I want to see Joel and Anna again,” she said with conviction. “Hey, what about Roz?”

  I smiled at Christy in what I hoped was a reassuring manner. “We can talk about her later. Right now we have to get out of here, but I’m not leaving without the mutt.”

  Christy grabbed my hand and practically dragged me to the location. We covered the fifty feet in no time, and found her aunt and uncle waiting for us. Frosty acted like a puppy for a few seconds while I petted her head.

  Civilians near us had seemed to take a liking to the dog, and were all smiles as she greeted me. Made sense. When people get this anxious, it’s probably a safe bet to have a dopey dog to keep their attention off other events.

  Then more shots rattled around toward the entrance and many of them ducked.

  I barely recognized a single person in this little group. We’d been here for a few days, but Christy and I hadn’t exactly been polite to strangers. Call it distrust built on the fact that we had run into mostly bad people out there.

  I grabbed the radio out of my backpack and fiddled with it until I found the station Mateo had listed. He’d told me how to turn it on, but that was about it. I found a switch and spoke into the device.

  “Uh, Mateo?” I said.

  Christy spoke to her aunt and uncle. They did not look happy. Not happy at all. I was about ready for a scene when Mateo’s voice came back.

  “You got 'em?” he asked.

  “Yeah, but how are we going to get to the truck with all that gunfire?”

  “That’s the fun part,” Mateo said.

  “We have very different ideas on fun, my man,” I said.

  “Listen. Remember that forklift I was using to clear zombies when you arrived? I’m in it now. I made a quick modification. Get to that location and you’ll see what I mean,” he said.

  “Okay, man. I hope this works. The guys out front shooting at us seem to mean business.”

  “I don’t think they do, bro. They were firing that big gun, but it’s quiet now. Maybe they ran out of ammo, or maybe they just don’t care anymore. Seemed like a scouting mission, anyway.”

  “How many are down?”

  “Shit. There’s bodies all over the place out there, from both sides, but there’s also a lot of Z bodies. I saw a bunch of ghouls hanging around, but they’re keeping their heads down at the moment.”

  I told Mateo I’d see him soon, and then clicked off.

  “You can’t take her.” Christy’s uncle said, getting in my face.

  “Her choice, man. Not much either of us can do to stop her. We’re going somewhere safe,” I said, keeping it short.

  I press-checked the weapon I’d acquired, then did a quick ammo count. I had three extra magazines, but this thing would spit rounds so fast I could be empty in a minute if I wasn’t careful. I found the selector switch and set it to semi-automatic.

  A pair of gunshots outside made everyone duck again. I crouched next to a large crate of Tupperware, with Frosty right behind me. It wouldn’t provide a hell of a lot of protection, but it was better than nothing.

  “Are you going to shoot your way out?” Christy's aunt challenged.

  “Ma’am. I’m sorry you don’t like this, but kindly back the fuck off. We’re going.”

  Christy tried to hug her aunt, but the woman shied away. After a few seconds she must have reconsidered, because she put her arms around the girl. Christy’s uncle didn’t look happy. Looked like he wanted to go a round with me. Guess the gun must have put him off, because all he did was sit there and look mad.

  I took Christy’s hand, and she took Frosty’s leash. I rose and led her away. I didn’t look back to see the look on her relatives' faces.

  I thought we had it all under control. We were about to rendezvous with Mateo and get the hell out of here. That’s when someone ran toward us, followed by at least ten men and women dressed
in camo.

  “We need to move now, people. Into a truck. Grab anything you can and run. Now, people move!” the leader yelled through a bullhorn.

  Behind them ran the rest of the inhabitants of the Costco. Diane was among them, as was Melissa. At first I thought they were after us.

  “We need to run,” I leaned over and said in Christy’s ear.

  Some of the civilians started screaming. We ran past a door, and that’s when I realized what was happening:

  One of the hordes had arrived, and it was making straight for the building.

  I tugged at Christy, and together we ran faster.

  ###

  16:10 hours approximate

  Location: The Warehouse

  Mateo stood on his lift with his hands in the air as we rounded a row of supplies. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret that things had advanced so quickly. If we'd had a little more time we could have rounded up a few boxes of goods. The way things were going, we’d be lucky if we made it to the truck.

  Mateo had found a piece of corrugated metal and fixed it to the lift. It wouldn’t stop a heavy round, but it would keep the driver blocked from view.

  “Do you seriously think that’s going to work?” I asked.

  “Not sure, bro. All I know is that it’s better than nothing. Just stay next to the lift and I’ll get us there,” he said.

  “It looks like there’s less shooting now,” Christy offered.

  I moved to the opening and did a quick peek. Sure enough. The two forces were breaking off the engagement, or at least focusing on the Zs until they could start shooting at each other again. Several bodies of Reavers littered the ground, but so did a mass of Zs.

  “Looks like we have a break in the action. Let’s put this plan in motion, Mateo,” I called back.

  I pointed out a spot on the converted forklift that might offer Christy some cover. She crawled on the lift and tried to make herself small.

  The paramilitary guys were done shooting at Bright Star, and Bright Star seemed to have had enough of them. Instead they concentrated fire on the Zs closing in, but after a minute or two of sustained fire, they retreated around their vehicles.