The Uncivil War Series Box Set

by B. T. Wright

  Jake glanced over his shoulder and saw his group filling up the back of the two SUVs with supplies. A fleeting moment of relief hit him when he saw Amy jump into the backseat. When Jake put his focus back on the incoming aliens, he and Bryan took the five of them out straight away.

  A shotgun sounded off behind him.

  Jake whirled around and watched Jess fire at several infected running at her from the trees.

  “Watch my back!” Jake shouted to Bryan.

  “Copy!”

  Bryan began firing immediately. More aliens must have rounded the corner of the grocery store behind Jake. But Jake didn’t turn to look. His eyes were trained on the end of his AR-15 as he began to fire on the infected running at Jess. He began to jog as he fired so he would be close enough to intervene if she became overrun. Mark and Jason stepped out from behind the SUV—beside Jess—and began defending with shots of their own as Tyler and TW continued tossing bags of groceries into the SUVs.

  Then Jake heard a man scream. Not an infected man, but one of the members of his group. There was so much chaos surrounding them that it wasn’t immediately clear who’d been hurt. Jake took down two more aliens at the tree line and rushed forward. When he rounded the back of the SUV, Mark was putting a bullet in the head of a large infected woman that was chewing on Jason’s throat.

  “No!” Mark shouted. He shot twice more, but it was too late. Jason was hemorrhaging blood from the side of his neck.

  “Jake!” Tyler shouted. Jake could hear the panic in his friend’s voice.

  Three more infected were running around the side of the building, opposite where Bryan was continuing to mow down aliens.

  Jake stepped around his friend and fired at the three aliens. He couldn’t believe his eyes when he watched them begin to run in a zigzag pattern, clearly attempting to make it more difficult for him to shoot them.

  Evolution.

  “Close up the SUVs and let’s get the hell out of here!” Jake shouted. He ejected the magazine from his rifle, pulled a spare from the side pocket of his bag, and snapped it in place. “Do it now!”

  Jake pulled and released the charging handle, loading the first bullet into the chamber, and began squeezing the trigger. Despite the infecteds’ efforts, Jake was able to shoot them down before they made it to the SUVs. Like clowns out of a circus car, more of them came running around the corner. The only difference was that this time there were far too many to shoot.

  “Let’s go! Go, go, go!”

  Jake turned, and everyone but him and Bryan were back in the SUVs. Nobody had taken the time to pick Jason up off the ground and help him in a vehicle. When Jake hurried past him to pick up his axe, Jason’s vacant stare told him why. He was already dead.

  Jake fired a few shots at some more infected running behind Bryan to give him time enough to jump in the SUV. Amy opened the back door for him, and Jake jumped in. As soon as he did, Tyler threw the SUV in reverse, and the tires smoked as he backed up. Jake looked to his left and watched Bryan fire a few shots before he got in the SUV with Mark and TW. They were down a man, so Jake was happy to see him lend them a defensive hand.

  “Keep your head down,” Jake told Amy. She laid down in the backseat beside him. Jess and Tyler were in the front.

  The tires squealed against the blacktop as Tyler floored the gas pedal. The SUV raced forward, and Tyler swerved to avoid hitting two infected running at them. He clipped the third in the group—the thud of its body slammed against the right side of the hood. Tyler swerved again, going around three more aliens. There was a break in the onslaught of infected as they approached the end of the building. Jake glanced back and saw TW and company right behind them. Even though they had just escaped a horrible situation, and had plenty of supplies in tow, the mission had been an absolute failure. One of them didn’t make it.

  “Make a left at the end of the building,” Jake said. “Go through the parking lot and make a right. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  Jake’s heart was heavy. He didn’t know Jason well—didn’t even know his last name—but he seemed to be a stand-up guy. He didn’t deserve the death he was dealt, but neither did any of the humans that had been infected with these aliens. Even the one that killed Jason.

  Just before Jake was able to let out a sigh of relief that his girl, his friend, and maybe the most important one of them all—Amy—made it out of there safe, there was another surprise. When they reached the side of the front parking lot, his breath was stolen entirely. What he saw in that parking lot, amongst the smattering of abandoned cars, was the most terrifying thing he’d ever seen. Hundreds of infected, maybe more, had flooded the lot. It was an ocean of what used to be people there, covering the area entirely. It looked like a football field after the home team won the big game and the entire crowd of fans rushed the field. The exception was that when their SUV became visible, every single one of the aliens turned its head in his direction.

  Then they started to run.

  Jess screamed.

  Tyler gasped, unable to make a sound.

  Amy watched in horror. Then she placed the palm of her hand against the window.

  “Turn right! Turn right! Cut through the Lowe’s parking lot!”

  Jake was able to see that up ahead, the wave of infected was going to cut them off before they made it to the road. Their only shot was a shortcut through the empty parking lot on the right. He remembered the other side would spit them out right back onto US23.

  Tyler yanked the wheel to the right. The infected were so close. Jake looked back, unsure if TW would be able to make it.

  “Amy,” Jake said as the SUVs turn pinned him against her. “Whatever your thinking, don’t do it. We’re going to make it.”

  Jake didn’t want her to try to stop the aliens with her mind. He didn’t think her body would be able to survive it—at least not this soon after the last episode. Jake looked back again, and TW’s SUV had made it into the parking lot with them.

  “Turn right up here and follow the road through town.”

  Tyler did as Jake said, and TW followed right behind them. The highway ahead looked clear. They had made it. Amy began to cry softly beside him. Jess turned around to see what was wrong. It was the first time Jake had noticed over the last four horrific days that Jess truly looked weary. Her normally bright eyes were heavy, her hair was a mess, and dirt clung to her sweaty face as if it were glued on.

  “It’s all right, Amy,” Jess said. “We’re okay now.”

  “No we’re not!” Amy shouted. She wiped tears from her cheek with the back of her hand and sat up straight. “I could have saved him. But I didn’t!”

  Jake placed his hand on hers. “Saved who, Amy? Jason? There was nothing you could have done about that.”

  Amy turned and looked him right in the eye. “You know that’s not true. You know I could have stopped them!”

  “Amy, you can’t save everyone,” Jess said. “It’s not your responsibility.”

  “Why?” Amy sat forward. Her breathing was rapid. “I’m the reason everyone is in this mess, aren’t I? Aren’t I one of . . . them?”

  Jess hesitated. Jake understood why, because he had never really thought of it that way himself.

  “N-no. No, Amy, you are not one of them.”

  “Then how do you explain all of this?” Amy shouted. “They’re saying my name, I can understand them, hell, I can even communicate with them! Can you do that, Jess?” She turned to Jake and said, “Can you Jake?” Then she looked up at the rearview mirror. “What about you, Tyler? Can you talk to the things that are trying to eat us? No! None of you can! Just stop the car and let me out. They will leave you alone then!”

  The vehicle went quiet. Amy was about to pass out she was breathing so hard. Jake put his hand on her back, but for the first time, Amy rejected it. She scooted as far away from him as she could and laid her head against the inside of the door. Nothing any of them could say was going to help her, so they all left her alone. />
  Jake’s radio squawked and startled all of them. “Go ahead, TW.”

  “Jake, uh, we have a problem.”

  Jake’s stomach did a somersault. “What now?”

  “It’s Mark . . . he’s been bit.”

  18

  Emily shot straight up in her bed. When she looked around, frantic, she realized she wasn’t in her room at all. She was in what looked like an ordinary hospital room, and she was sitting up in a hospital bed. She jumped when she felt a hand on her arm.

  “It’s all right. You just passed out.”

  Emily whipped her head to the hand on her arm, then to its owner’s face. The woman staring back at her wore a caring smile. Her skin was mahogany, and her black hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

  “Who are you? What’s going on?”

  “Try to stay calm, Dr. Fraser. Everything is fine.”

  “Fine?” Emily was shaking. “Everything is not fine! What happened to the patients—to the infected? Please tell me they are alive!”

  “Take a deep breath,” the woman said. She was using a calm and even tone, but it was ineffective at soothing Emily.

  “Stop telling me everything is fine!” Emily’s voice echoed. The woman took a step back. Emily realized she was taking out her fears on an innocent woman. “I—I’m sorry. Just unhook this thing. I have to get out of here.” Emily glanced down at the IV in her right arm.

  “I’m sorry. I can’t do that, ma’am.”

  Emily ripped the IV from her arm and slid off the bed.

  “You aren’t ready to be moving so fast!”

  Emily ignored the woman and took a step forward. Her brain felt as if it was swimming, and it made her entire body wobble. She caught herself by grabbing the mattress. The woman moved in behind her and helped keep her upright. The room did a dizzying spin, but Emily was determined. She shook her head a couple of times, hoping to clear the cobwebs, then she not-so-gently brushed the woman’s hands away and started for the door.

  “Please, just finish the IV . . .”

  That was all Emily heard of the woman’s sentence before the door shut behind her. She blinked hard when the sign in front of her in the hallway was blurry. After a moment, it cleared, and she made her way down the hall to get back to the room where all hell had broken loose a while ago. On the way, she wondered how long she’d been out and what they had done with Karen and John One. She remembered the two men with guns debating whether or not to shoot them, and Emily prayed someone had been able to stop them after she passed out.

  Emily made a couple more turns and finally was in the hallway that led to the infected’s room. At the end of the hall she could see a few people gathered in front of the door. As she got closer she could see that it was the president himself, along with Elaine’s assistant, Shelley, the secretary of defense, and the two men she tried to keep from shooting the aliens.

  “Please tell me you didn’t kill them!” Emily shouted halfway down the hall. She jogged forward and looked the president in the eye.

  “Emily,” the president said. “You shouldn’t be here. You should be resting.”

  Emily made it to them, out of breath and feeling weak. “Just tell me they are still alive.”

  The president looked to his right. Through the glass door Emily could see both of them were strapped to gurneys. The way they should have been before they attempted to inject them.

  Emily let out a sigh of relief. There was still hope. Then she remembered what happened before she passed out. “And Elaine? Is she all right?”

  The president nodded. “I watched the surveillance. You were very brave. You saved her life.”

  Another sigh of relief. David being rag-dolled by John Two played in her head. She already knew the answer, but she still had to ask. “And—and David?”

  The president’s face turned sorrowful. “I’m sorry, Emily.”

  Emily began to sob. Not cry, not whimper . . . she was full-on weeping.

  “Get her a chair, please,” she heard the president say.

  Emily inhaled deeply and shook her head. “No, I’m fine.” Then her mind began to spin forward, assessing what needed to be done next. “How long was I out?”

  “About an hour,” Shelley said. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  “An hour?” Emily couldn’t believe it. “Get me two syringes, both with a dose of Beritrix inside.”

  “Emily, I don’t think—”

  “I didn’t ask you to think, Shelley. Did I?” She didn’t wait for a response. “I’m not going to let what happened to David and Elaine happen for nothing. Karen and John One’s Propofol will be wearing off any time now. Get me those syringes.”

  Shelley left for the lab adjacent to the room with the infected inside.

  “Emily—”

  “All due respect, Mr. President, but this needs to be done right now.”

  The president gave a faint smile and nod. “I admire your fortitude.” Then he turned to the two military men beside them. “Stay in the room with her, but stay out of her way.”

  “Yes, sir, Mr. President.”

  “Thank you,” Emily told the president. His gray hair seemed grayer than the day before, and the lines on his face seemed deeper. She imagined that the end of the world was probably having the same effect on her.

  “You’re in charge for now, Emily, while Elaine is out of commission. See if you can’t find us a way to stop this mess.”

  The pride Emily felt surprised her. She was never one to contemplate her standing in life, but when the president of the United States makes a statement like that to you, it’s hard not to feel some type of way.

  “I’ll do my best.”

  The president smiled and Emily walked past her two armed guards and inside the room. A flashback of the terror that occurred an hour ago pulled at her fears, but she wouldn’t let them win. What she was doing was too important. She walked over to the two infected. Both of them seemed to still be in a state of sedation. She thought once again about David getting his throat ripped open, and she took a step back from John One on the gurney. She closed her eyes to center herself. She didn’t know why, but she thought of Jake. She wondered where he was at that moment—wondered if he was okay. Though what she saw was horrific, she imagined Jake had seen far worse being on the outside for so long. She needed a friend. Especially if Elaine was going to be out of commission.

  Shelley walked into the room with two syringes in her hand. “You sure you want to go through with this right now? We can always sedate them again later if you aren’t up for it, or if you would rather wait and see if Elaine is able to offer any suggestions.”

  Emily took both syringes. “Thank you, Shelley, but this can’t wait. We have to get started on finding something that can stop this thing. I’m only doing what Elaine and I already agreed was the best next move.”

  “I agree. I just wanted to make sure. What if these things go nuts when you inject them?” Shelley’s eyes watered. “We can’t lose anyone else.”

  “It’ll be fine, Shelley. Feel free to leave the room. These boys back here are already itching to shoot both of these infected, so don’t worry about me.” Emily flashed a smile. She hoped it looked more believable than it felt.

  Shelley smiled and nodded. “I’ll stay right here if you don’t mind. Make sure you don’t need anything.”

  “Thank you, Shelley.”

  Emily removed the plastic cover from the needle, then walked around to the left of the two side-by-side gurneys. She gave Karen a once-over. Her skin was a very pale grey, and her black eyes were staring off into the distance. The vein in her right arm was just as visible as the one in her left had been an hour ago when Emily injected her with Propofol. She didn’t hesitate in stepping forward and sliding the needle into Karen’s skin. Karen gave no reaction. It was as if Emily didn’t even exist.

  Emily depressed the plunger, and Beritrix coursed from the syringe into Karen’s system. Still no reaction. Emily wasn’t sure wh
at she expected, but she could only hope that the lack of response didn’t mean it wouldn’t work. She finished with Karen and administered the same dose to John One. Now all she could do was wait.

  Patience was not one of Emily’s best attributes.

  Especially when what she was doing was so unequivocally important.

  19

  “Would you please just radio him again?” Tyler said.

  It was the sixth time in the last half hour he had asked Jake to check on Mark and see if the bite he sustained had turned him into a monster. Jake was curious too, but he was fairly certain a bite would do no such thing. With the help of Amy, they had already established that they weren’t actually in a zombie apocalypse, so the rules of such a thing didn’t apply in Jake’s mind. If it was truly an alien inside each of their fellow humans, he doubted that alien could splice and turn into two. But Jake also had no idea, because they were right smack in the middle of uncharted territory.

  “Relax, Ty. If he turned, we would know, don’t you think? I think TW would either radio us, or at least swerve off the road when Mark’s eyes went black and he attacked him.”

  “Relax he says.” Tyler looked over at Jess while shaking his head. “The end of the world is here and your boyfriend tells me to relax.” He found Jake’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “Sir, yes, sir!”

  “Don’t be an asshole, Tyler,” Jess said. “How many times has Jake saved your life this week? Better yet, how many times has he saved your life since you’ve known him?”

  “Rah, rah, says the cheerleader. Now I remember why I hated you two together. It was always two on one.”

  “All right, Ty. We get it,” Jake said. “You’ve had a bad day. Wittle baby need a nap?”

  “Shut up, Jake. I’m not a soldier—I’m not used to this shit.”

  “And you think I am? People running around trying to eat me?”

  Tyler found his eyes again, furrowed his brow, and said, “Oh that’s right, I forgot, you wouldn’t be used to war at all would you? You were too busy trying to sleep with your doctor.”