Zommunist Invasion Box Set | Books 1-3

by Picott, Camille

  Cassie stopped breathing at the sight of Leo. He leaned against a tree, pressing a hand to his side. Even in the dark, Cassie saw dark liquid seeping through the fabric of his flannel shirt.

  “Leo!” She ran to him, pressing her hands over his.

  As if that could help.

  “Fucker cut me,” Leo ground out.

  Cassie dropped her pack and yanked it open. Nonna had sent her with a small first aid kit.

  Griggs groaned, also leaning up against a tree. “Hurts like a motherfucker.” He gripped his shoulder wound.

  “I found it!” Cassie held up the small first aid kit. Her heart sank as she registered its small size. There was no way it contained enough bandages.

  She yanked it open anyway, rifling through the contents. She found only one roll of bandage. “We only have one.” Panic threatened to choke her.

  “Wrap Leo,” Jennifer told her. She turned to Bruce. “Cut off my sleeve. We’ll use it to bandage Griggs.”

  Bruce pulled out his knife and cut off the sleeve of her shirt with curt efficiency.

  “Did the bullet go through, man?” Spill asked Griggs.

  “Think so.” Griggs was sweating from the pain.

  “Take this.” Cassie handed Leo two pain killers from the kit, then handed another two to Griggs. The men swallowed them dry.

  “Let me see it,” Cassie said to Leo.

  When he raised his hand from the wound, blood gushed out. Cassie dragged the edge of his wet shirt out of his even wetter jeans.

  The gash was long, wrapping from the front of Leo’s lean torso all the way around to the back. The sight of it made Cassie’s eyes water with tears. Even though Leo was alive and standing right in front of her, she was hit with a wave of crippling loss. In that split second, she understood how much it would cost her if anything happened to him.

  The mutants were still out there. They had once again begun to howl on both sides of the river. How long before the monsters hunted them down and ate them like rabbits?

  Or would the Russians find them first? Cassie heard nearby shouting. There were more Soviets out there. Fear nearly choked her.

  Cassie couldn’t remember ever feeling so frightened. Which, all things considered, said a lot. She was pretty sure she was going to have PTSD for the rest of her life. If she lived that long. Honestly, considering the current circumstance, she wasn’t giving any of them great odds. Math wasn’t her strongest subject, but it didn’t take a genius to measure the facts:

  a) There were Soviets out there hunting them.

  b) There were mutants on both sides of the river, also hunting them.

  c) They’d lost their kayaks.

  d) Visibility within the trees wasn’t more than twenty or thirty feet. It was like moving around in a really big closet. With monsters of all shapes and sizes.

  “Cas.” Leo touched her cheek.

  She sniffled and shook herself. Leo was alive. She needed to make sure he stayed that way. She needed to bandage his wound so they could keep moving.

  She pressed the bandage over the wound and wrapped it around his waist. The blood soaked through.

  “Here’s my other sleeve.” Jennifer handed her a wad of flannel. Both sleeves of her shirt and been cut off, loose threads handing around her exposed shoulders.

  Cassie took the wad of flannel and shoved it beneath the bandage. She stared at it critically, watching for more blood flow.

  “Thanks, Squirt.” Leo gave her a smile that didn’t quite touch his eyes. It occurred to her that Leo was scared shitless like the rest of them.

  She swallowed, summoning every scrap of courage she could find. “You’re welcome, Jock Face.”

  This time, the smile did touch his eyes. Leo pushed off the tree. Pain pinched the corners of his eyes and mouth.

  “Griggs, you okay?” he asked.

  The solider’s shoulder had been wrapped with Jennifer’s flannel sleeve. Griggs grunted. “Rambo makes this shit look easy.”

  That may have brought a round of laughter if the Soviets couldn’t be heard out there in the forest. Cassie wasn’t sure what was more frightening: Soviets or mutants.

  “We keep moving,” Leo said. “Stay alert. Come on.”

  This time, Spill took the lead. Leo insisted on bringing up the rear, even though he walked slightly hunched over his wound. Cassie kept both hands on her machine gun, ready to shoot at anything that moved.

  The howling was getting closer. She couldn’t hear the Russians anymore, but she had no illusion to the fact they were out there. What were they doing out here, anyway? They were in the middle of nowhere.

  Soviets were definitely scarier, she decided. At least mutants would crack open their skulls and kill them quickly. There was no telling what the Soviets would do if they captured them.

  Catcalls erupted off to their left. Cassie jumped, but she couldn’t see anything. It was too dark under the tree canopy. They were being taunted by the Russians.

  “They’re making so much noise,” Jennifer whispered. “They must not know their nezhit immunization doesn’t work on mutants.”

  Cassie’s mind spun. Jennifer was right. They could use this to their advantage. “There’s a chance the Russians and mutants will kill each other off if we give them the chance. We should find a place to hide.”

  “But where?” Jennifer asked. “We’re in the middle of a forest. Hell, we don’t even know where we are—“

  “What the hell is that?” Spill ground to an abrupt halt.

  Cassie stopped, gaping. Out of the darkness rose a giant—a giant thing. What they heck was it?

  “It’s an owl,” Griggs said, dumbstruck.

  It was an owl. It had to be at least thirty feet high and made entirely out of cement.

  And it was out here in the middle of the woods, surrounded by a large wooden dais. Where the hell were they?

  “We’re in the Bohemian Grove,” Jennifer breathed. “I worked here one summer.”

  The Bohemian Grove. The place was infamous around West County, though Cassie had never been here before. It was a private, men’s-only campground for the rich and famous. Every year for two weeks in July, rich men descended on the elite, secretive campground.

  Rumor said that plots to control the world were hatched in the Bohemian Grove. She knew for a fact that Ronald Regan was a member. Richard Nixon too, and even Walter Cronkite. She’d even heard the Manhattan Project had been hatched here.

  And Jennifer had worked here one summer with the club’s catering company.

  “Come on,” Jennifer said. “I know a place we can hide.”

  She led the way, threading through the trees. Cassie glimpsed well-worn dirt paths, which Jennifer avoided like the plague.

  The Soviets had gone silent. So had the mutants.

  Cassie’s shiver had nothing to do with her sodden clothing. If they could just get to the hiding place, everything would be okay. Or at least, this is what she kept telling herself.

  “There’s a small general store just up ahead,” Jennifer whispered. “One of the girls I worked with used to hide cigarettes under the back porch. We can hide under there—”

  Cassie had a brief glimpse of the darkness moving. A large shape detached itself from the trees and launched itself through the air.

  “Look out!” she cried.

  The mutant tackled Griggs.

  Spill and Leo were on them in a flash. They didn’t shoot for fear of killing Griggs. They instead attacked with knives, going for the monster’s head.

  And then another shadow detached itself from the darkness. It came straight for Cassie and Jennifer.

  Cassie reacted. She opened fire, depressing the trigger of her machine gun with her right forefinger. She did her best to aim for the head, though it was hard to tell in the dark. Jennifer joined her, the two of them peppering the air with bullets.

  The mutant tripped and went down, skidding through the pine needles. Cassie and Jennifer kept shooting. Cassie registered a mashe
d-up head as the thing came to a stop in front of them.

  “Move!” Leo hissed. He and Bruce supported Griggs. The soldier was bleeding from a huge gash in the side of his face. Cassie realized with a jolt of fear that he’d been bitten in the neck. The second mutant was dead, stabbed in the face.

  There was noise all around them, voices and growls. The Soviets were closing in on them. So were the mutants. It was like being in the center of a hurricane. They had to get to that store and hide.

  Jennifer grabbed her hand and yanked. She raced through the trees, pulling Cassie along beside her. The guys followed with Griggs.

  Gun shots rang out. A dark building loomed up in front of them.

  “There!” Jennifer practically threw Cassie to the ground.

  Cassie registered short wooden piers that supported a raised, wraparound porch. She dove through the small opening and got a face full of cobwebs. She pushed through them, crawling as fast as she could. She heard movement behind her as the others followed.

  Seconds later, she found herself beneath a wooden building, huddling in the dark with her companions. She crawled over to Leo and put one arm on his waist. The bandage bulged beneath her fingers. She wasn’t sure if the damp was from river water, or his blood.

  Leo drew her close and pressed his forehead against hers. Cassie squeezed her eyes shut, listening to the sounds outside.

  The Russians were out there. Their boots crunched on the dry sticks and pine needles. They spoke in mocking tones, catcalling to them again.

  They were going to find them. It was only a matter of time.

  And then what? Two of their strongest fighters were wounded. They were all cowering in the dirt like animals.

  She couldn’t believe it, but she was actually praying for the mutants to come. They were the only things that might help them get out of this alive.

  But that was a very, very big maybe.

  36

  Tell Me Something

  Leo wasn’t an idiot. He knew things were bad. Really, really bad.

  They were trapped underneath the general store of the Bohemian Grove, surrounded by Soviets. The could only pray the mutants found the Russians before the Russians found them.

  His shirt was soaked with blood and water. His side hurt like a motherfucker.

  He had been an idiot to think they could pull this off. He’d put everyone in danger. If they survived the next fifteen minutes, it would be a miracle.

  He smoothed Cassie’s hair away from her face. Her eyes were full of fear. Leo understood exactly how she felt. He’d never been so scared in his entire life.

  The Russians were getting closer. Their catcalls were like barbs in the night air. They would be here soon. When that happened, they’d have to pray they didn’t look under the general store. If they did, their only choice would be to try and shoot their way out. Leo did not like those odds.

  But the Russians weren’t here yet. Neither were the mutants. Leo still had a little time with Cassie, even if it was just a minute or two.

  “Tell me something you’ve never told anyone.” His voice was barely audible, filing only the small space between their lips.

  “Now?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  He decided to be honest with her. “We could both be dead in the next few minutes. If we’re going to die, I want to be able to say I knew you in a way no one else knows you.”

  She shivered in his arms. He wasn’t sure if it was from cold or fear.

  “Junior year,” she whispered after a long pause. “I decided to wear a dress to a chess tournament. When I used the bathroom, I got the hem of the dress stuck in my underwear, but I didn’t know it. Everyone in the tournament room saw my pink heart underwear.”

  He pulled her tight against him and allowed himself to picture the moment. The story would have made him laugh if the situation weren’t so dire, but it did ease the suffocating tension in his chest.

  He would never get tired of the way she felt in his arms. If they survived this kamikaze mission, he was going to fall in love with Cassie Miola. He knew it as surely as he knew his shoe size.

  “Your turn.” Cassie rested a hand on his neck, fingers smoothing softly against his skin. “Tell me something you’ve never told anyone, Jock Face.”

  He smiled at the use of her old nickname for him. “I made varsity my sophomore year. The guys invited me to a post-game party in an orchard. Jim Craig tried to show me how to spit fireballs with vodka. I burned the inside of my mouth so badly I got blisters. I sucked on ice cubes for the next two weeks.”

  The story brought the smallest smile to Cassie’s lips. That was the most he could hope for. He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand and kissed her forehead. They held each other in silence, waiting.

  Footsteps sounded outside, followed by low voices. The Russians were here.

  Leo gave Cassie one last squeeze before rolling onto his stomach. He grabbed his machine gun. Cassie did the same. Leo peered through the dark, surveying the rest of their companions. Bruce, Spill, and Griggs were on their stomachs, gripping their guns in preparation. Jennifer looked fierce as always, weapon ready.

  Leo held up a closed fist, a silent signal to wait. He didn’t want to risk tipping their hand if there was even a chance the Russians would miss them. Everyone nodded in acknowledgement.

  Someone banged on the outside of the store. Beside him, Cassie jumped. He put a hand on her shoulder to steady her.

  Glass shattered overhead. Boots rang on the wooden floorboards as soldiers rushed into the general store.

  Spill rolled onto his back, pointing his gun upward. He cast Leo a questioning look. Leo shook his head. They needed to hold their position for as long as possible. There was still a chance the Soviets would overlook their hiding place.

  The Soviets ransacked the general store, knocking things over and moving furniture in their search for Leo and his friends. There were others outside searching the woods. They were everywhere.

  What were so many soldiers doing out here in the Bohemian Grove? It was practically in the middle of nowhere. How did this place play into their strategy?

  Someone kicked the foundation on the east side of the general store. Leo and the others shifted, aiming their guns east.

  Someone kicked again and shouted. Footsteps rushed in their direction.

  Leo swallowed. This was it. They were going to be discovered.

  Maybe there was a chance he could save Jennifer and Cassie. He, Bruce, Spill and Griggs could engage the Soviets and give them a chance to slip away.

  He tapped the girls, gesturing to the south side of the building where they had slipped in. Jennifer gave him a fierce frown and shook her head. Leo felt frustration tighten in his chest. Why could she never accept his help? Was it so bad he wanted her and Cassie to live?

  He turned an imploring gaze to Cassie. If she slipped out, maybe Jennifer would go with her. Maybe she could make her sister see sense. They didn’t all have to die tonight. Maybe—

  Shouts went up from the south side of the general store.

  So much for Cassie and Jennifer making a quick getaway. Their only way out was now blocked.

  Leo resolved to take out as many of the communist bastards as he could. If he was going to die, he would make sure some of those assholes went down with him. He—

  A bloodcurdling scream ripped through the air, followed by a howl. More howls went up all around them.

  Mutants. Holy shit. And there were a lot of them. This could be the break they’d been hoping for.

  The Soviets started to scream. Guns went off.

  Leo stopped breathing as the mutants descended on the general store. He heard them attacking the Soviets from all sides. It sounded like the packs from both sides of the river had converged.

  How many were out there? A dozen? More?

  The Soviets had blindly drawn the monsters here with all their noise. In their cocky confidence in their own vaccine, they’d unwitt
ingly sentenced themselves to a grisly death.

  A body was thrown up against the side of the store. The soldier’s cry was cut off by a dull crack. Leo guessed his head had just been cracked open by a mutant.

  The attack raged on all sides of them. Leo and his team were in the middle of the maelstrom. It sounded like World War III out there. They had to use the chaos to their advantage. With any luck, they could slip away without being caught in the crossfire.

  That was a big if.

  Still, it was their best chance.

  He army-crawled toward the center of their hiding place. The others joined him, gathering in a tight circle with their heads nearly touching.

  “We have to try and sneak away in the confusion,” he said. “We need to get back to the river. It’s the fastest way away from here and I don’t think the mutants like water. Jennifer, do you know the way?”

  She nodded. “I can lead us.”

  “Good. We stay together and run like hell.” He shifted his gaze to Griggs. He could barely see the other man. “How are you holding up?”

  Griggs didn’t answer right away. Everyone knew what it meant to get bitten by a nezhit, but this was the first person they knew who’d been bitten by a mutant.

  “I could cause a distraction for all of you,” Griggs said. “Help you escape.”

  Everyone held their breath at this suggestion. Griggs could turn into a nezhit. He could also turn into a mutant. Or he could just die. There was no way to know.

  “Only if necessary,” Leo said. “There’s still a lot of miles between here and Luma. We need you as long as you can hang on.”

  Griggs nodded with grim determination.

  “Everyone ready?” Leo waited until he had their nods. “Okay. Let’s go.”

  37

  Flight

  Part of Cassie was numb with cold. This was a result of her sodden clothes and the cool night air. The rest of her was hot with fear. Her heart beat with a spike of adrenaline as she crawled out from under the general store and paused with the others beneath the porch. Her head pounded.