The Zombie Uprising Series: Books One Through Five

by M. A. Robbins

  “It’d help if you told your friends to leave ten feet or so around the Humvee,” Wayne said. “I’ve accidentally run over several of them already.”

  “No,” Jen said. “We’d be too easy to pick out from the sky. Howell knows if he takes me out, the battle’s over. Running over a few zombies here and there is a small price to pay.”

  “OK.” Wayne pulled onto the highway and paced the zombie horde. He looked at the speedometer. “Keeping at just above twenty-four miles an hour.”

  Jen switched her focus to one leader, the leader she’d sent earlier with its thousand-member horde. It raced up a grassy embankment with an interchange on its right. Houses and a school lay in the distance.

  “My recon has just hit Lawrence,” she said.

  “The one going in on the south side?” Zeke asked.

  She nodded.

  The leader’s horde spread out and they raced down streets and through yards. No sign of any humans. Nothing in the sky.

  Jen opened her eyes. “No resistance so far. They’re going to the university. When they get there, I’ll take a look and see if there’s any signage for a studio.”

  “How far out are we?” Zeke asked.

  “Our leading edge should be hitting north Lawrence any minute,” Jen said. “We’re ten minutes behind them.”

  She tilted her head and stared in the distance. “Recon’s at the university and has spread out.” She went quiet for a minute, then her eyes came back into focus.

  “No station,” she said. “Looks like we’ll need to get to KC.”

  Recon, move through the city to the eastern edge, then work your way north to join up with the main forces.

  “Wait,” she said. “Helicopters on the leading edge.”

  “Are they firing on the horde?” Wayne asked.

  Jen squeezed her eyes shut. “Four helicopters. Mix of Blackhawk and Apaches. Flying over the horde, but not firing.”

  Wayne jerked the Humvee to the left, running over several zombies and nearly flipping the vehicle as it jumped the curb.

  “What the hell?” Mercy said.

  Goosing the accelerator, Wayne broke through the zombies and swerved just in time to avoid a parked tractor.

  Jen tracked the helicopters through her leaders. “They’re not far off.”

  As if on cue, the thup thup of multiple rotors came from their right. The Humvee veered onto a dirt road, kicking up a cloud of dust. Two long red buildings loomed ahead.

  A burst of machine gun fire kicked up dirt just ahead of the Humvee. A Blackhawk zoomed past.

  “We need cover,” Jen yelled.

  Wayne steered onto an open field and zigzagged toward the buildings. Another burst from a chain gun barely missed. An Apache overshot them and turned around.

  One of the buildings came up fast. The Humvee straightened and sped toward a half-open warehouse door. Several rounds hit the Humvee and Mercy screamed.

  “Anyone hit?” Wayne called out.

  Jen looked around at the crew. No blood. “We’re good.”

  “Then hold on,” Wayne yelled.

  More bullets flew by as the Humvee rammed into the partially open door, knocking it to the side. The vehicle zipped into the building and Wayne slammed the brakes, narrowly avoiding pallets of wooden boxes and barrels. He brought the vehicle to a stop.

  “Everyone out,” Jen screamed. “Weapons ready.”

  She jumped from the Humvee and took position behind a metal barrel, her M4 pressed to her shoulder and aimed toward the door. Wayne took cover behind a crate, while Mercy hid behind a forklift and Josh knelt next to her, pointing his camera at the door.

  Jen raced back to the Humvee and pulled out two M4s. She shoved them at Mercy and Josh. “Time to grow a pair.”

  Mercy looked at the M4 in her hands as if Jen had just given her a snake. “I don’t know how to use this.”

  “Point and shoot.” Jen rushed back to her position and checked out their situation. Wayne ready. Mercy and Josh, who the hell knows? And Zeke.

  “Where the hell’s Zeke?” she said.

  Zeke popped up in the Humvee’s gunner position. He took hold of the mounted M60 and fed a belt into it. “Haven’t had a chance to shoot one of these babies for months.”

  A helicopter sounded as if it were landing just outside the open door, then its rotor sped up and it left. Another one did the same, and then a third. Jen caught a glimpse of the third as it rose past the open door.

  “We’ve got company,” Wayne said. “Be ready.”

  A figure clad in black streaked through the door and ducked behind some heavy machinery. “Damn, that was too fast to fire on,” Jen said.

  The figure popped up and fired at Wayne’s position. Several more dark figures entered the warehouse and took cover.

  Jen shot back at the lone gunman and ducked when two others returned fire from different positions. The chatter of the M60 cut off the soldier’s fire.

  Popping her head up for a second, Jen fired a burst and then ducked back down, but not before more soldiers infiltrated the building.

  “How many are there?” she said.

  Wayne moved a couple feet to the side, then popped up and fired. He took cover as return fire raked his position. He looked at Jen. “At least two dozen and they seem highly trained.”

  “What are you saying?” Jen asked.

  “We’re screwed.”

  A shot came from Jen’s right and a spark pinged off the top of the Humvee, inches from Zeke. He dropped into the cab.

  Shit. They’re flanking us.

  She crawled several feet to the end of a stack of boxes. Several more rounds fired, one of them from somewhere behind her. She looked back. Mercy hid behind the forklift, a curl of smoke drifting from the end of her barrel. She does have some balls after all.

  A fusillade of shots came from the soldiers. Jen peeked out from the side of the boxes. At least a dozen soldiers moved forward in a crouch, their weapons blazing.

  Jen aimed at one on the far end. She tracked him and slowly squeezed the trigger. The soldier dropped and the others hesitated.

  That was enough for Zeke to pop out the side of the Humvee and fire several times with his M4 before jumping behind cover. Several rounds pinged off the floor where he’d stood seconds before.

  “Jen.”

  Jen turned.

  “Can’t you get some of your zombie troops in here?” Wayne asked.

  What the hell? Why didn’t I think of that?

  She closed her eyes and zoomed in on the leader with the strongest connection. Go to where the helicopter sounds are coming from. Attack the soldiers in the big red building. Remember those you are ordered not to attack or bite as they’re in the building, too. Kill everyone else.

  The leader turned and fought his way through the horde. He broke free, but the red building wasn’t in view.

  Listen for the helicopters.

  A bullet whined over Jen’s head.

  Her arm tingled. Another leader was close. Very close. But this one was unfamiliar to her.

  She closed her eyes and connected. The leader was somewhere dark. Flashes of light caught its eye. A man stood, shot a gun, and ducked back down.

  That man was Zeke. This guy’s in here with us.

  Look down.

  The zombie looked down. Its black uniform had a hole in the gut where blood leaked out.

  It’s the guy I shot.

  Attack anyone in this building who’s dressed in black.

  She looked at Wayne. “We’ve got some help. One of them has turned.”

  He gave her a thumbs-up and fired another round. Jen peeked out and shot at one soldier only fifteen feet away.

  A man screamed and the firing stopped.

  Jen peered over a crate. Several soldiers retreated to a far corner, where several shots rang out. She aimed at the back of a retreating soldier and squeezed the trigger. He fell out of sight and she aimed at another.

  The M60 came to life and th
ree of the soldiers were peppered with rounds that tore through their bodies.

  The screaming stopped and Jen heard nothing above the thup thup of the helicopters’ rotors. One set grew louder and a shadow darkened the doorway.

  Jen glanced at the doorway. An Apache floated mere feet from the ground, its cannons pointed into the warehouse. A burst of light exploded from one of them, and Jen’s world turned upside down.

  23

  Jen bounced off the wall and slammed onto her back while debris rained on her. Choking, she struggled to regain her breath and tried to roll over, but her legs were pinned to the floor.

  Another flash and another explosion farther off rattled the building and shook the floor. Jen’s ears rang and her eyes filled with grit.

  “Fuck!”

  She lay helpless, trying to gain her senses. She couldn’t see anything beyond the destroyed crates she’d taken cover behind. Got to clear my head.

  A shadow crossed her chest and she stared into the flat eyes of a soldier. The muzzle of his M4 pressed against her head, he said something.

  “I can’t hear you.”

  He bent closer and yelled. “...now who...you think you can...asshole.”

  Jen felt along her hip for her knife. She kept her eyes locked on the soldier and shook her head. “All I heard was you telling me you’re an asshole.”

  The soldier scowled, grabbed the front of her shirt, and lifted her a few inches off the ground. He said something, none of which she caught. She stared blankly back at him.

  Teeth gritted, he knelt down to her and put his mouth next to her ear. “Sergeant Howell has requested your presence.”

  Jen’s fingers played across the hilt of her knife. She pulled it from its scabbard and shoved it into the soldier’s side.

  He roared and stumbled to his feet. Another soldier appeared at his side and steadied him. He spoke rapidly to the stabbed soldier, who pointed at Jen and said something. The second soldier drew his 9mm pistol and aimed it at Jen.

  It had to end somehow. I just hope the others get away.

  The soldier with the gun was jerked off his feet and into the shadows. The soldier she knifed glanced over his shoulder then looked down at her, screaming something. His eyes wide and drool coming from his mouth, he seemed to be pleading with her.

  A gnarly hand grasped his throat and pulled him from sight.

  The ringing in Jen’s ears increased and she dropped into a pool of black.

  Floating in the air, Jen’s body jerked back and forth. Am I flying?

  Back into the black.

  Jen’s eyes fluttered open. A light with an unmoving fan hung from the ceiling above her. She turned her head and the bones in her neck cracked. “Shit.”

  She lay on a bed in a plainly decorated bedroom. The shade on the one window was drawn.

  Propping herself on her elbows, she coughed. Where the hell am I?

  Footsteps paced outside the door and the low murmur of voices seeped into the room.

  I can hear again.

  She slid to her feet and almost fell over from a shot of pain jabbing her left shin. Sitting on the bed, she slid her pant leg up. Dried blood and an ugly sprawling bruise spread across her shin. She felt around the area and winced.

  Seems stable. Not broken. Just hurts like hell.

  Easing herself to her feet, she held onto the bed frame for support. She limped to the door and cracked it open, then peeked out into a kitchen. Zeke stood by a sink, his face smeared with soot and a cut across his cheek.

  Wayne sat at a table taking a sip from a coffee cup. “Tastes good, but you made it a bit too hot.”

  “I’m a ninja, not a waitress.”

  Mercy sat across from Wayne, her gaze far off. Josh had his camera in front of him and seemed to be tightening something with a tiny screwdriver.

  Jen pulled the door open and stepped into the kitchen.

  “Jen!” Zeke rushed over to her and clamped his arms around her.

  “Careful with the merchandise,” she said.

  Wayne reached out. “Want some coffee?”

  She took his hand. “How long have I been out?”

  “About twelve hours,” Zeke said. “You were pretty out of it.”

  Jen eased into a chair. “What happened?”

  “Your troops arrived.” Wayne rose and pulled back the window curtains. A couple dozen zombies stood outside, wandering back and forth.

  “Where are the rest?” Jen asked.

  Zeke frowned. “That’s all of them.”

  “But there had to be a couple hundred of them.”

  Wayne cleared his throat. “Those things not only took out all of those soldiers, but they even climbed on one of the helicopters and brought it down.”

  “Did they?” Jen felt a little burst of pride.

  “You ought to see the wreck,” Zeke said. “It’s a miracle any of them made it. Those helicopters strafed them pretty good.”

  Jen closed her eyes and reached out. The rest of the horde was intact and in Lawrence.

  Take cover in buildings near you and await further orders.

  She opened her eyes to a quizzical look from Wayne.

  “I ordered them to lay low,” she said.

  Wayne nodded. “Good idea.” He stood and put his empty coffee cup in the sink. “The nearest news station is in KC, have I got that right, Mercy? Josh?”

  Mercy broke from her trance. “Oh. Hi, Jen.”

  Jen shot a look at Wayne and he shrugged.

  Josh closed a compartment on the camera. “You’re right. KC is our best bet.”

  “But won’t they be waiting for us there?” Zeke said.

  Jen cracked her neck. “Doesn’t matter. We’ll kick their asses out of there, too.”

  “Have you still got enough troops?” Wayne asked.

  Jen closed her eyes. “Let me check.”

  The screens appeared in her mind’s eye. “Holy shit. There are more.”

  She chose one where the connection was the weakest. The leader stood on the side of a road surrounded by zombie drones. A sign was posted a dozen or so yards ahead, but Jen couldn’t make it out.

  Run up to the next sign.

  The leader raced to the sign and stopped. Its drones converged around it.

  Look up at the sign.

  The leader’s view rose. The sign said Omaha 76 miles.

  Jen opened her eyes. “Farthest one is seventy-six miles outside of Omaha. Isn’t that north of here?”

  Wayne whistled. “That’s damn near two hundred miles north. You’ve got a hell of a reach.”

  “I think the more I use it, the stronger it’s getting.”

  Zeke pulled his pistol and checked the load. “Shouldn’t we be going? We’ve got some ass to kick.”

  Wayne pushed his chair back and stood. “Sounds like a plan.”

  Ten minutes later they were back on Interstate 70 in a late model SUV.

  “I guess the Humvee took some hits,” Jen said.

  “That beastie wasn’t going far,” Wayne said. “I’m good at fixing vehicles, but even with a fully equipped shop at my fingertips, that thing wouldn’t be going anywhere for a while.”

  They took Interstate 70 across the north of Lawrence to the bridge over the Kansas River. “Stop on the other side,” Jen said.

  Wayne pulled off on the first exit after the bridge. He stopped in front of a set of gas pumps and jumped out.

  Jen hopped out of the SUV and stretched. “I’ll get the troops moving.”

  She closed her eyes. All of you in Lawrence proceed east on I-70 to Kansas City. Full run.

  She watched the screens as leaders left buildings and raced for I-70. Within minutes, the highway was packed with zombies crossing the bridge over the Kansas River.

  Zeke shaded his eyes and watched them run past. “Are they all going over the bridge?” he asked.

  “I told them all to go to I-70, so I suppose so.”

  “But isn’t that a bottleneck?”


  Jen shut her eyes. “Let me try something.”

  Several leaders raced down I-70 toward KC, but others stood behind the bottleneck at the bridge.

  She zoomed in on one leader.

  Leave the bridge and go down to the river.

  The leader pushed its way through the horde then sprinted to the river’s edge. The dark water flowed by swiftly.

  Turn around. Let me see your group.

  The leader scanned the zombies gathered around it. There had to be two hundred or more.

  Swim across the river and continue to Kansas City on I-70.

  The leader didn’t move. None of its group entered the river.

  Swim across the river.

  No movement.

  Was the connection lost? Turn around three hundred and sixty degrees.

  The leader turned. The zombies in its group still crowded behind it, but none seemed to have moved.

  Swim across the river.

  Still no movement.

  Jen opened her eyes. “I think we have our answer.”

  “What’s that?” Zeke asked.

  “Howell was right. The zombies won’t cross the river.”

  “You mean like swim?”

  “Swim, walk, whatever.”

  Zeke scratched his chin. “That’s going to slow us—”

  The bridge erupted in flames, tossing chunks of concrete and body parts in the air.

  “Take cover,” Jen yelled.

  24

  Jen ducked under the gas station’s awning. A second explosion rumbled from the south.

  She ran through the connections in her mind, but several were missing.

  Debris rained down and a dust cloud settled on the bridge. When it cleared, Jen gasped. A hundred-foot span of the bridge was missing. The zombies still lined up on the other side.

  “They may be running out of bombs,” Wayne said, “but they’re being smart in how they’re using them.”

  Mercy huddled next to Jen. “There’s another set of bridges at Vermont and Massachusetts Streets.”

  “Let me guess,” Jen said. “They’re south.”

  Mercy nodded.

  Wayne jogged into the convenience store.

  “Great time for a doughnut fix,” Jen called after him.

  He came out and spread a map on the SUV’s hood. He pointed at the I-70 bridge. “This is us.”