“I want to go back,” Cody whispered.
“We will. When it’s safe. Then we’ll have a nice new home in the hotel,” Yolanda assured him.
“That’s what Mama says,” Cody admitted with a sigh.
“And she’s right.”
“Can I have your attention, please?” Mayor Reyes called out as he stepped up on a chair in the center of the store.
The din quieted down as people twisted around in their seats to view the mayor. Peggy smiled, knowing Manny was quite good at this sort of thing.
“As you all know, Juan and the construction crews worked long hours to secure this area for us, so we can wait in comfort and safety while the hotel operation is under way. Steven Mann provided valuable information about the hotel that helped us plan. Mike did a fine job training the people who have stepped up to put their lives on the line for all of us—the volunteers who are going into the hotel at eight this morning.” Manny smiled and waited for the smattering of applause to die down before continuing.
“Another brave group of volunteers will enter the hotel and fortify the bottom floor. And I know that a large number of you have offered to clean up the hotel once it’s been cleared of the zombie threat, while others have asked me what they can do to help out since they don’t have a direct role in today’s events.”
Peggy would have called the people too scared to volunteer a bunch of chickenshits, but the mayor was much more diplomatic than she was. Of course, the very old, the infirm, and small children were not able to contribute. Peggy gave them a free pass.
Mayor Reyes continued: “I know it’s hard to stand by and wait while people you love and care about do the hard jobs. Let’s all join in a prayer to our Creator, asking him to protect our volunteers and their souls. We’re a God-fearing town, and I think it only right that we take this moment to bow our heads and pray together as one.”
Around Peggy, people were nodding. Yolanda muttered, “Amen.”
“So, please join me for a minute of silence and pray in whatever way you wish.” Manny lowered his chin, closed his eyes, and clasped his hands together.
Peggy didn’t feel much like praying, but she closed her eyes, too. Her eyes felt hot and tearful and she stifled a small sob. Yolanda’s hand settled over hers. Peggy couldn’t focus her thoughts into a coherent prayer. She just kept thinking, Please, God, please, over and over until Manny said, “Amen.”
“Amen,” echoed the survivors.
“Thank you, Jesus,” Yolanda said under her breath.
“And now to wait,” Peggy muttered.
“It will all be okay. One way or the other,” Yolanda said.
Peggy could only hope she was right.
4.
Check-in Time
Nerit strode up onto the platform overlooking the designated point of entry to the hotel. Clad in her old jeans, a button-down shirt, and Ralph’s hunting jacket, she was warm, despite the cool, damp wind gusting through the small fort. Her yellowish white hair was tied back from her face. Her senses felt sharp and her vision keen.
She felt like killing.
“Almost eight, Nerit,” Mike called out from below. “You ready to go?”
“That I am,” Nerit replied.
In Israel, things had been rough when the nation was first created after the Second World War. Then, she had fought bravely and with pride in her fledgling country. Not only was she a brilliant marksman, but she also had the cool detachment needed to be a sniper. Her almost eerie ability to nail any target from a great distance had given her an illustrious reputation.
Some had called her one of the most calculating and aloof women they had ever met. In reality, she was just good at her job. There were moments when she was haunted by the people she had killed and by the people she had seen killed, and sometimes there were nightmares, but she had always tried to stay focused on the greater good. Defending Israel had been her priority, and she had done her job well.
Nerit still killed with skill and cold detachment, but she no longer had nightmares about those she shot. After all, she was living in a nightmare. Now she destroyed not terrorists, or the enemies of her homeland, but the undead citizens of her adopted country. America had fallen. This fort was Nerit’s new home, and the zombies were the enemy.
She lit a cigarette, taking a drag, and exhaled the smoke in a long plume. She was already in a dispassionate mode where the world was gray and devoid of anything other than her pulse and breath.
She was elevated above the construction site so she could see easily into the brick pen they had built around the old entrance to the hotel. The walls were high enough to keep any zombies from getting into the fort. An old wrought iron gate was the doorway into the small courtyard. The pen was as safe as it could be.
The construction crew that had volunteered to brick up the doors and windows in the front of the hotel huddled together under the makeshift tarp tents erected over the equipment. Wheelbarrows were set aside for fresh cement, while the bricks that would be used to secure the bottom floor were piled up on pallets that were already hitched to pallet jacks. The men and women who had volunteered to act as sentries sipped steaming coffee under another tarp as they watched the morning activities.
Dark gray clouds slid through the blue sky, briefly obscuring the bright sun as drops of rain fell on the fort. In the distance, almost-black clouds spoke of a violent storm, but Nerit ignored the weather. Slipping into position, she relished the feel of the cold metal of her sniper rifle in her hands. Closing one eye, she became one with the gun; the sight became their mutual eye, harsh and unblinking. She could easily see everyone gathering to go in. She could see the bricked-up entrance.
She was ready.
Travis was not ready. His stomach was in knots and his hands wouldn’t stop sweating. Looking around at the people gathered in small tight groups around him, he felt panicked.
What if hundreds of those things had somehow gotten into the hotel? What hope would they have of holding them off? The small walled-in enclosure abruptly seemed so inadequate.
Travis glanced up at Nerit. She looked calm, deadly, and ready. His gaze flicked to Juan, who was talking intently to Jenni. Travis knew Juan was very worried about Jenni helping clear out the hotel, and he understood why. Jenni was excellent at zombie killing, but the situation was fraught with danger.
Katie was standing nearby, also preparing to enter the hotel. Travis knew she was a good shot and had more experience dealing with zombies up close than just about anyone, but that didn’t keep him from being worried sick. He had confidence in her abilities, but still he felt a sense of dread. He had come close to losing her too many times before.
After their surprising kiss a few weeks ago, Katie had drawn far away from him. That stung him, though he tried to understand. Then, yesterday, she had given him hope. When she had whispered please to him, he took it as a sign that she wanted time to deal with the feelings she had for him. He had seen something surprising and encouraging in her eyes. He was willing to give her time, but now that they were going into a dangerous situation, he craved one last significant moment with her.
Mike, the man in charge, moved to the center of his groups. He had taken the people who had volunteered and made them into effective fighting units. If he was worried, he wasn’t showing it. His dark skin was beaded with sweat and rain, but he looked strong and unafraid.
“Remember to stay with your group. Stick to your predetermined route. If you meet with a large amount of zombies, call for reinforcements. You are not to return to the fort until the hotel is clear. If you feel you’re going to be overrun, start climbing and go to a higher floor.
“We know that the power is off and has been off since an energy surge on the second day after the zombies rose. We expect to eventually restore power to the hotel, but for now, it is still dark, and with the storm coming in, it’s going to be very gloomy in there. The good news is that this is Texas, so that storm will be in and out of here fairly quick.
Just don’t let it distract you.
“Keep your eyes open and remember to sweep each area carefully with your flashlight. Remember how we practiced clearing the rooms? Take up your positions and don’t let your guard down. We’ve got twelve hours of daylight. Let’s not waste any of it.”
His voice was firm, intent, and commanding. Travis could see people responding to Mike with deep respect despite their fear. Maybe, once they were settled in the hotel, Travis could find a way to fade into the background and let Mike take over. The other man definitely had the leadership abilities Travis felt he lacked.
Once Mike finished rallying his troops, everyone stepped back to let the first two volunteers, Jimmy and Roger, step up and unlock the wrought iron gate of the small courtyard. Travis watched anxiously, feeling sweat starting to trickle from his brow down his cheeks. This was the moment he had been dreading for weeks now.
The workers gave the thumbs-up to Mike, entered the small area, and locked the gate behind them. Taking turns with sledgehammers, the two men chipped away the bricks, creating a small hole about shoulder high in the wall. The sound of the hammers filled the hushed silence of the fort. With one last blow, Jimmy punched through the bricks and cement. As the hard little bits of the wall crumbled away and the dust cleared, the hole—around two feet wide and two feet high—stood stark and black against the red wall.
“We’re through,” Jimmy said with a smile.
Travis wiped the sweat from his brow and cast a glance in Katie’s direction. She was biting her bottom lip as she watched the events unfolding.
“What’s inside?” Juan called out.
Roger cautiously leaned forward to peer in through the gap in the wall. A hand lashed out of the hole. Roger yelled and jumped back. A torn, gray, black mottled face came into view, teeth gnashing.
“Get back!” Mike ordered.
Bill unlocked the gate and pulled it open. Jimmy and Roger dashed out. Once they were clear, Bill slammed the gate, locked it, and backed away.
The creature snarling behind the broken wall was Travis’s nightmare. What if there were more inside? The zombie’s head jerked back as a nice round hole appeared in the center of its forehead, oozing black blood over its suddenly limp features.
Travis was shocked, then realized what had happened. He glanced over to where Nerit was poised for another shot.
The zombie hung awkwardly in the hole, caught on the bricks by its chin; then a skinless hand appeared from behind it, desperately reaching toward the humans. Struggling to get past the other zombie, the new one grunted and growled until the truly dead zombie was dislodged and fell away into the darkness. Triumphant, the new zombie thrust its head through the gap. A bullet hole was punched through its forehead and it dropped out of sight.
A third zombie appeared, this one feminine. Blond hair clung to the dried blood on its face. Someone screamed in horror, “Natalie!” then the zombie’s head snapped back and she, too, was gone.
They all waited and watched. Travis could feel rain trickling down the sides of his face.
The broken opening remained empty.
Bill unlocked the gate and entered the courtyard, rifle in hand. He flicked on a flashlight, shone it into the room, and gingerly peered in.
“Check the floor!” someone shouted.
“Clear! Inside door appears to be locked.” Stepping back, Bill motioned for Roger and Jimmy to finish the job.
As the sledgehammers busted through the wall, creating a more sizable entrance, Travis started walking toward Katie. As he neared, he could tell that she was tightening her grip on her gun.
“I wanted to talk to you before we go in,” he started.
She didn’t answer, just nodded slightly.
He regarded her intently. “If anything happens to me … if I’m bitten—”
“I will,” Katie promised. “You’ll do the same for me?”
“Yes,” he swore with a hitch in his voice.
Katie stood on her toes and kissed his rough cheek. Her lips lingered near his ear. “We’ll be okay.”
He breathed in the scent of her hair and skin and looked into her eyes as she drew away. “We will?”
“Yeah,” she answered.
He almost kissed her, but the moment was shattered when Nerit strode past them, smoking a cigarette.
“Let’s go clear it out, children. Daylight’s burning.”
5.
Breakfast Is Served
“Let’s go zombie killing,” Jenni said with a wild grin of delight. Throwing one arm about Juan’s neck, she drew him down for a long, smoldering kiss. When she let go of him, she hugged a very surly Jason.
“Loca, be careful,” Juan said urgently. His fingers trailed along the nape of her neck lovingly. “Please, don’t be too loca.”
“No worries. Seriously, I’ll be fine.” She gave him a reassuring smile without letting go of her son.
“Mom,” Jason said, his voice cracking.
“It’s okay,” Jenni assured him with a kiss on his forehead.
“Mom, just don’t be loca. You know, like Juan said.”
“Have a little faith here, Jason. I’m good at this.”
“Maybe a little too good,” Juan teased her.
She rolled her eyes. Leaning over, she kissed Jack on the top of his head. “Be a good dog. Take care of the boy.”
Jack whined a little and pawed at her knee.
Jenni’s smiled grew wider as she felt their love pouring over her. She felt needed, wanted, desired, and important. All the things she had never been before the zombies came, when she had been Lloyd’s child bride … and punching bag. She wouldn’t let her family down.
“Be careful in there. Don’t do anything crazy. I can’t come rushing in to save your ass if something goes wrong,” Juan said, his voice slightly catching.
“I know that,” Jenni answered. “You have a job to do. So do I.”
Juan forced a smile and kissed her lips. “Just be careful.”
“See you later,” she said with a parting wink.
She joined her two partners in crime, Ashley and Ned. A former waitress, Ashley was a frail little thing with a determined expression on her face. Ned had been a school bus driver. Jenni wondered how he’d fit behind the wheel; he was tall and gangly and moved a little awkwardly.
Each team consisted of three people, all armed with a gun and a short spear or bowie knife. Though Jason had desperately wanted to volunteer, only people above the age of eighteen were allowed on the assault teams. Jenni had been relieved to know her stepson would not be entering the hotel with them.
Jenni’s long hair was tied up on top of her head and under a cap. No one was allowed to leave their hair down. It would be too easy for a zombie to snag it. The cap felt itchy and heavy on her head, and she scratched at it awkwardly. Clad in jeans, boots, a denim jacket, and work gloves, she felt overheated and slightly claustrophobic. She understood the importance of shielding themselves from zombie bites, but that didn’t make her attire any more comfortable. It was little solace that all the other volunteers were dressed the same way.
Jenni was in charge of her team. She was the best shot and had the most experience with the zombies. It was hard to know how good Ashley and Ned would be at shooting zombies, since they’d all used ammunition very sparingly during training, but she was hoping the sessions with Mike would pay off. Her life depended on it.
Ed and Bill took their places at the entrance to the enclosure. Ed unlocked the gate as Mike gave the signal to enter the hotel. Mike, Felix, and the former Walmart driver, Chuck, were the first into the room beyond the jagged, door-sized hole in the wall. Nerit followed, along with the two construction workers who made up the rest of her team, Jimmy and Shane. Jenni hated Shane with a passion. He had attacked Katie after she killed his brother during a battle with the zombies. Shane’s brother had been bitten, so what Katie did was a mercy, but Shane just went wild.
Ed shut and locked the gate behind the first team
s.
Jenni moved to the entrance and smiled at Ed, who nodded in response. She pushed up on her tiptoes to see over his shoulder and watch the teams enter the hotel. Mike’s group went first, then Nerit’s. Once in the room, the groups moved cautiously toward the door that would let them into the hotel’s hallway. Mike swung the door open as Nerit covered him. Checking the corridor with his flashlight, Mike gave the all clear, and the first two sets of volunteers disappeared into the gloom.
Ed unlocked the gate and pulled it open.
“Here we go,” Jenni muttered, and led her fighters into the enclosure. The stench from the small room assailed her senses, and her eyes watered. Drawing up all the bravery she could muster, she stepped past the broken bricks and into the hotel. Gore, desiccated and black, was splashed on the walls.
“Shit,” Ned whispered, looking at the remains of the zombie feeding frenzy. The zombies Nerit had killed had been shoved out of the way against the walls.
“Don’t let it get to you,” Jenni ordered. It was easier to say than to put into practice.
“What do you think happened?” Ashley asked.
“I betcha they all hid in here and one of them or all of them were bitten by a zombie. They turned and—” Jenni shrugged. “—it got messy.”
Ned stared at the carnage smeared on the wall. “Obviously.”
She moved across the room, her eyes still adjusting to the lack of light. The gloom was stifling and the reek overwhelming.
The storm was drawing closer and loud booms of thunder filled the room. What a perfect background for the day—lightning, thunder, hard wind, and rain. It was like a horror movie. Jenni shivered at the thought.
Behind her, Ashley used a high-powered flashlight to illuminate their path.
As The World Dies Trilogy Box Set [Books 1-3] Page 38