A Blackhawk lifted off from the runway and flew north. Several bombers streaked high overhead.
The Cessna zipped by the tower, causing several of the air traffic controllers to duck. "I think we have their attention," Mark said.
Mark took the plane in a wide turn then straightened for the runway. He lowered the flaps and decreased speed. The runway came up to meet them and the plane bounced once, twice, then settled.
Emergency vehicles, their lights flashing, sped toward them.
"Don't stop," Jen said. "Get us to our parking spot. We can jump in the truck and get to HQ faster."
Mark pulled up near the pumps and cut the engine. Without waiting for the props to stop, they hopped out of the plane and ran to the truck. A maintenance crew member looked at them curiously. Jen pointed at him. "Get the plane refueled quickly. We're under orders from General Lewis."
The crewman nodded and ran off.
Howell hopped into the driver's seat and started the truck. The others boarded and the tires left rubber on the tarmac as they tore down the road.
A fire truck roared down the runway and stopped at the Cessna. The MP vehicle made a sharp turn and chased the truck.
Heavy vehicle and troop traffic forced Howell to slow and stop for others. The MP truck pulled up behind and they got out, but the traffic cleared and Howell sped off, causing the MPs to scramble back into their truck and give chase.
The truck arrived at HQ with a screech. Howell threw the truck into park. Jen jumped out just as the MP vehicle pulled up.
"Halt," a bearish-looking MP said, his pistol aimed at her.
Jen ignored him and ran into the building. The MP chased after her, but Howell tackled him into a wall, knocking the air out of him. Mark disarmed the second MP and followed Jen.
She burst into Lewis's office. Surrounded by soldiers in full combat gear, he looked up from his desk. "Where the hell have you been? We haven't heard from you since Ritzville."
Howell burst in.
Jen leaned on the general's desk, panting. "Radio problems. Huge horde coming from the south and west. Millions of them. The northern attack is a diversion."
"They're heading here at full tilt, sir," Howell said.
Lewis stood. "Divert all air units to the southwest. Keep half the artillery pounding the north and divert the other half to the southwest. And I want a helicopter out there on recon. We need eyes."
The men scattered and Lewis faced the wall, his head down and hands pressed against his back. "Millions, you say?"
"There had to be," Mark said. "We couldn't see the end of them. I think we found the expected surge from Seattle and Portland."
The general sighed. "There's no way we can hold that back."
Jen swallowed. "I don't think so."
The general turned around. "It's time for you to leave. Cartwright needs you. Our only hope is for some kind of cure, and she needs your blood and the information you have."
Zeke scratched his head. "It'd be a great battle. Imagine how many zombies I could take out."
Lewis sat on the edge of his desk. "We all have our role, and this isn't yours." He cast a steely gaze at Jen. "You go take care of business."
Jen's throat tightened. She nodded.
The MP burst in. "Sorry, General. I'll get them out of here."
"You see that you do." He pointed at the MP. "Escort them back to their aircraft, Code One. Radio the tower on the way and get them cleared for takeoff. Highest priority."
The MP looked at Jen, then back at the general. "Yes, sir."
Howell saluted Lewis. "Honor to serve with you, sir."
The general returned his salute. "Sergeant, your mission is to get these people safe to Atlanta."
"Yes, sir."
Howell followed the MP truck, its lights flashing and siren wailing, through the traffic and to the flight line. "Look," Zeke said.
The zombies had reached the gap. No artillery hits sounded in the south. "I don't think they've re-aimed the artillery yet."
An Apache zoomed over them and sprayed gunfire at the zombies climbing over the wall. "It's too damn late," Mark said. "They can keep some back, but can't bomb the horde at the wall without taking the wall out."
Humvees, APCs, and trucks streaked toward the gap. Ground troops rushed in and took cover, then opened fire.
The zombie wave crashed over the wall, overwhelming the forces lined against them. Soldiers continued pouring fire into the mob, but one by one they disappeared under the wall of undead.
Jen pulled up to the plane. The crewman had a rifle and fired at zombies washing over an APC. "You're fueled up," he said. "Get the hell out of here."
They piled in and Mark started the engine. "We may not have a clear runway. Hang on."
The MP rolled down his window and gestured for them to follow. Mark nodded.
The leading edge of the mob had reached the runway. A zombie here and a zombie there, it wouldn't be another minute before it was flooded with the main body of the attack.
The MP sped ahead, swerving from side to side and knocking zombies out of the way. Mark pushed the throttle forward. Even with the help, it'd be close.
A mass of zombies poured onto the end of the runway. "Shit," Mark said. "They're shortening the damn runway. Hang on."
He pressed the throttle to the max. The MP truck accelerated, knocking zombies aside, clearing a narrow path for the plane.
The plane lifted as the MP truck plowed into a thick wall of undead and came to a stop. Zombies washed over it.
Mark had the wheel pulled back as far as he could. A drop of sweat tracked down his cheek. "Come on. Come on."
The plane shuddered, then soared over the wall.
"We hit something," Mark said, "but we made it. We'll need to do a tower flyby at Grand Forks and have them check our landing gear for damage."
The plane continued climbing. Mark banked it in a wide circle, and Jen pressed her face to the window.
The undead had penetrated halfway into the base. Gunfire erupted everywhere. Squads of soldiers held their ground and were swept over by the horde.
The battle for Fairchild was over in minutes.
36
Jen's heart sank. All those brave men gone. Turned into drones.
Howell held his head in his hands. "I don't know how we can stop that."
"We should head to Grand Forks," Mark said. "Report what we've seen."
Zeke had his nose pressed to the window. "Wait. Look there." He pointed to the west.
Howell raised himself up and looked past Zeke. "What the hell is that?"
Jen tried to look. "I can't see shit. What is it?"
"I think we found a leader," Mark said. "Going in for a closer look."
He banked the plane and descended to a couple hundred feet. The base was completely overrun and yet there were still miles of zombies outside its walls.
Mark pointed out the windshield. "Look at that, Jen."
She squinted. Ahead in the sea of undead, one stood alone, the horde flowing around it like a river around a boulder. "Can you circle it?"
Mark put the Cessna into a tight turn, and Jen took out a pair of binoculars. Pressing them to her eyes, she adjusted the focus until the figure came into focus. She hissed as she drew in a sharp breath.
"What is it?" Howell asked.
Zeke leaned forward. "I want to see."
"You won't believe it," Jen said.
"Say it," Mark snapped.
"That's Butler."
Butler threw his hands into the air and every zombie froze. "Holy shit," Mark said. "He's controlling them all. Look, even on the base they're all still."
"My God," Howell said.
Jen peered down at Butler, whose head moved to follow the plane with his yellow eyes. "Let's get the hell out of here and report."
"Agreed," Howell said. "The sooner the better."
Jen pressed both middle fingers against the window. You'll see me again, you son of a bitch, and then I'll fi
nish the job.
Continue the Journey
Get the next book in the Zombie Uprising Series
The Zombie Uprising, Book Four
Author’s Notes
So the plot thickens in the Zombie Uprising world. If you liked The Citadel, please leave a review on Amazon. This will help the book reach more people who like the kind of stories you and I do.
I had someone ask me if I know what’s going to happen in the next book before I write it. Well, I do to a point. I have certain milestones that I plan on meeting, but for some reason, Jen, Zeke, and the others seem to come up with a way to send the story in a whole other direction.
But that’s what makes writing so fun to me. I love letting the characters loose to wreak havoc. Sometimes it ends up as nothing but outtakes from the book, and other times it takes it to a whole new level.
That’s why I can’t wait to write the next book. I want to see what’s going to happen!
If you’d like to keep up with what I’ve got coming out, sign up for my email list at uprising.marobbins.com. You’ll get a free eBook, new release announcements, updates, and even some drawings to win prizes like signed paperbacks and other unique items.
Thank you so much for reading the Citadel. Know that I take no reader for granted and I’m truly humbled that you spent your time reading my book.
Till next time.
M.A. Robbins
Acknowledgments
I couldn’t write enough books to give my wife, Debbie, the acknowledgment she deserves. Thanks to Domi at Inspired Cover Designs for her talent, patience, and quick turnarounds. To Tamara Blain of A Closer Look Editing, who goes beyond the grammar and spelling, and finds other gremlins I’ve missed. And to the core beta readers who took their time to read the first three books of this series and provide their two cents: Maureen Meyer and Wayne Tripp. Last but not least, I have to acknowledge TBone for his patience not whining too loudly while waiting for me to finish a chapter before I take him outside to play.
Also by M.A. Robbins
The Zombie Uprising Series
The Awakening, Book One
The Gauntlet, Book Two
The Tilt Series
The Tilt, Book One
Zombie Uprising Series (Book 3): The Citadel Page 17