Dead State (Book 5): Evolved

by Shupert, Derek

  Bill runs his fingers over the dark stubble on top of his head. He finally looks at me.

  “Let’s just say that I have some stuff that I need to atone for. Perhaps helping you and your family out will help me to right some of the wrongs I have done.” Bill pauses and takes a moment before continuing. He glances out of the driver’s side window, then rubs the scruff on his chin. “I’ve done bad things to people, James. Folks that were just trying to survive this whole mess. After a while, I couldn’t stomach it anymore, so I bounced. Ranger didn’t care for that, though. See, Hive is like a cult. Once you’re in, it’s for life. Leaving isn’t an option, unless you’re dead.”

  We’ve all done things to survive—horrible, terrible acts in the name of staying alive. I’m no angel by any means, and I’m certainly no one to judge the actions of others. As long as he’s true to his word of helping me get my family back, then his past misdeeds are of no concern to me.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  The cab falls silent as we push through the dead of night. The loud humming coming from the large tires of the Jeep lingers inside my ears as I think of Cindy and Cassie. I’m racked with worry and guilt, as if I have failed to protect them.

  I gnaw at the skin around my fingernails—a coping mechanism to stay the stress and anxiety burning in my gut. So far, it isn’t working.

  Bill’s elbow rests on the door. His palm is pressed to the side of his face as he stares out the windshield with a long, weary gaze. I feel much the same way.

  “How much farther until we reach this place?” I inquire.

  He rubs the back of his neck and yawns as we follow the curve in the road. “Shouldn’t be much longer. It’s in the next town coming- whoa!”

  The brief flash of a man stumbling out into the road from the ditch catches us by surprise. Bill slams the brakes.

  Tires screech, and we turn at an angle. I brace myself against the dash. The man’s eyes widen with fear like a dear caught in headlights as the Jeep crashes into him. A faint yelp and the crunching of tortured metal creates a horrifying crescendo.

  His broken body flips up onto the hood and smashes into the windshield. The windshield cracks and spiderwebs out from the point of contact. He rolls over the roof and drops off the back of the Jeep.

  Bill brings the sliding vehicle under submission and stops us from going into the ditch. We sit there for a moment, panting.

  My heart pounds. I feel like I’m going to hyperventilate. The man didn’t appear to be a chaser from the naked fear on his face, but everything happened so fast I can’t be sure.

  “You all right?” Bill asks as he glances over his shoulder through the back window.

  I gulp, then nod. “Yeah. Where the hell did that guy come from?”

  I look to the side of the road where he appeared, but don’t spot any vehicles or anything else for that matter.

  Bill peels his hands from the steering wheel and puts the Jeep into park. The steady hum of the engine signals that everything is still operational. I can only imagine what the front looks like.

  He points through the busted windshield.

  “There’s a car up there in the middle of the road.” Bill grabs his piece, then wraps his fingers over the door handle. He slings open the driver’s side door with his gun trained ahead. “I’m going to check things out.”

  I retrieve the Glock from the dash and the Maglite from the floorboard. I open my door. “I’m coming with you.”

  Duke leans forward between the seats and turns to me. I put my hand up. “Whoa. You’re staying here, boy. We’ll be right back.”

  He groans and paws at my arm as I step out onto the road. I shut the door behind me. His sad eyes stare at me through the window.

  Bill slams his door shut and heads to the rear of the Jeep. I follow along the passenger side with the Glock up and at the ready. I sweep the ditch to my right with the light for any more surprises that could be lying in wait.

  Busted glass crunches under my boots. I look at the roof of the Jeep and notice the rack of lights are smashed and disfigured. Ouch.

  The man is prone on his stomach in the middle of the road. He isn’t moving. Bill approaches with the barrel of his gun aimed at the back of the man’s skull. Bill extends his leg out and nudges the man’s arm with the front of his boot. No response. Bill nudges the man a bit harder. Still, nothing.

  “I think it’s safe to assume he’s dead,” Bill says.

  I scan over the road and ditch on either side of us before glancing to the body. “Chaser or not?”

  Bill drops to a knee, then flips the man onto his back. The glow from the Jeep’s taillights wash over his bloody face. He has numerous lacerations across his forehead and the sides of his cheeks.

  Bill reaches his hand out to me and wiggles his fingers. “Let me see the flashlight.”

  “Here.” I toss the Maglite to Bill. He grabs it out of the air and trains it at the man’s face. He takes a closer look as if he’s searching for something.

  “What is it,” I ask while keeping watch.

  He moves the light down to the man’s chest, then pulls the blood-soaked shirt away.

  “I know this guy. He’s a member of Hive. He’s also infected. A chunk has been ripped from his left peck.” Bill lets go of the tattered shirt, then grabs his jaw. He pulls the man’s lifeless head toward him. “I don’t think he’ll be coming back, though. His head has been bashed in pretty good.”

  “So, it looks like we’re on the right track, then.” I look in the direction of the flipped over car. “I wonder if there are any others who may have survived the crash. If so, we might be able to get some better info on what we’re walking into.”

  Bill stands up and walks toward me. We head to the front of the Jeep and stop. The grill is busted and dented in. There doesn’t seem to be any other issues except for cosmetic damage.

  A faint voice calls out from the darkness. Bill spins around with his gun up and trained ahead. I stand next to him, sweeping the road and ditch for the source of the tortured voice.

  “Help,” the weak voice bellows from what seems to be the car in the middle of the road.

  “There’s someone in there,” I say.

  “Yeah. They could be infected. Let’s just take a moment to think this through. More could be close by.”

  The voice continues to call out from the flipped over sedan.

  “There’s nothing to think through.” I hold out my hand for the light. “Give me the flashlight, and I’ll go check it out then. Someone is alive in there, and they could possibly give us some answers.”

  Bill sighs, then hands me the light. “All right. Keep your eyes peeled for any movement.”

  We advance toward the car with weapons hot and ready. Duke barks from the cab of the Jeep. I keep my focus on the task before us.

  The headlights from the Jeep shine on the trunk of the car. I cock my head to the side and bend over, trying to get a visual of the interior of the sedan. I spot multiple bodies through the busted back window, but can’t tell which the plea for help is coming from.

  Shards of busted glass and other debris litter the road. Our boots crunch over the glass as Bill grabs my arm.

  He lowers down and trains the Maglite through the missing back window. It flickers, then dims. He grumbles while banging it against his palm. “Damn light.”

  “Hello! Is anyone there?” a frantic female voice pleads. “Please help me. I’m stuck and can’t get out.”

  Female? It’s too old sounding to be Cindy. Could it be... Cassie?

  I stoop down, and spot movement on the passenger side. Long, flowing hair tied up in a ponytail brushes along the roof of the car. “There.”

  I skirt the rear of the red sedan with my gun trained ahead of me. I swing wide, and skim over the side of the car as Bill focuses the light on the backseat.

  “Cassie! I’m here. Hold on. We’re going to get you out of there!”

  A bloody palm presses to the window. I step toward t
he door and reach for the handle.

  “James! Is that really you?” the muffled voice cries out.

  “Watch yourself. They could be infected,” Bill warns.

  I ignore his words of caution, and yank on the door handle. It doesn’t budge. Feels like it’s stuck or jammed. I try again, pulling with all of my might. It refuses to give.

  “Hang in there. I’m working on it!” I advise.

  Cassie hammers the window harder as a growl looms from the interior of the vehicle. “Hurry up. The driver’s turning!”

  I slide down to the open passenger side door and bend down. There’s a man suspended upside down, growling and thrashing about as he fights to free himself of the seatbelt. Consumed with rage, the man gnashes his teeth and reaches for me.

  Bill pounds his fists on the window and motions for Cassie to move away. He kicks the window until it breaks. I fire a single shot, and nail the infected driver in the middle of his head.

  An arm emerges from the vehicle and waves about. I grab Cassie’s hand, and drop to my knees without thought. The tiny, busted pieces of glass stab at my kneecaps.

  I peer inside the cab as Bill flanks me. He shines the light over my shoulder as Cassie looks at me with fearful eyes.

  “Are you ok?” I ask.

  Cassie latches onto me. Her bloody fingers wrap up into the fabric of my coat. “I’m ok. My foot is caught on something under the seat. I can’t get it loose.”

  I drop the Glock to the pavement, then reach my hand up to Bill. “Let me see the flashlight.”

  Cassie pulls at her leg, but the seat refuses to let her go. She grunts and whimpers as she fights to break free. I lean inside the cab, and shine the light up to the seat.

  Across from her another armed man dangles from the seat. The back of his hand presses to the roof as blood drips from his forehead. I don’t spot Cindy anywhere or Commander Reynolds.

  “Stop moving for a minute.” I tilt my head, and look around the seat until I find what has her trapped. “I think I see what the problem is.”

  Cassie does as requested. “How did you find me?”

  I grab her leg and push up. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you more once we get you out of here.”

  Her leg doesn’t budge. I move it from side to side until it slips free. Cassie unlatches the seatbelt and drops to the roof with a dense thud. She turns on her back to face the busted window. I hand Bill the flashlight, then take hold of her shoulders.

  “Watch the glass. There’s still some jagged pieces wedged around the window,” I caution.

  I pull Cassie out of the car as she scoots her feet along the roof of the sedan. The heels of her shoes run over the mouth of the jagged glass until she’s clear of the vehicle.

  Cassie stands up and wobbles about. She braces her palm against the side of the car and takes a moment to get her bearings.

  Strands of hair drape over her bruised and bloody face as she exhales a deep breath. I place my hand on her shoulder, then move the hair away from her flush face. She has a few cuts and scrapes, but nothing that looks too serious.

  “Are you sure you’re ok?” I ask.

  Cassie nods, then glances up to me with teary eyes. She lunges forward and wraps her arms around my neck. She holds me close, whimpering on my shoulder.

  “You have no idea how happy I am to see that you’re still alive,” she cries. “I thought for sure those chasers would have gotten you in the chopper.”

  I hold her tight, pulling her closer to me. “They would have if it wasn’t for Bill here. He saved my hide.”

  Cassie holds on for a bit longer before letting go. She takes a step back, then brushes her hand across her face. She avoids eye contact with us as she sobs in her hands.

  I place my hand on her shoulder, and lean in close. “What is it?” Fearing that Cindy has been hurt or even killed, I prepare myself for whatever devastating news she’s about to unload on me.

  “Those people still have Cindy, James. They separated us and kept her with their leader. Some guy named Ranger or something,” Cassie whimpers. “We tried to escape, but they caught up to us. They even shot-” She lowers her head in shame, unable to look at me.

  “It’s ok. I know about Lucas,” I say with a soft tone.

  Cassie lifts her head. Her eyes widen with hope as she wipes away the flow of tears from her face. She cranes her neck and looks in the direction of the Jeep. “You do? Is he ok? Is he with you?”

  I shake my head. “We came across him in the city. He was holed up in a gun shop. His wound was pretty bad. Plus, he had been bitten.”

  Cassie places the palm of her hand over her mouth. She fights through the pain and tries to stay the flow of sadness seeping from her.

  “I’m sorry about the loss of your friend,” Bill says. “I imagine he was a good man.”

  Cassie clears her throat, then looks to Bill. She extends her hand. “He was that for sure. Thank you for your help as well. It is much appreciated.”

  Bill tilts his head as he shakes her hand. “You’re welcome. I’m just glad that we came across you when we did. What happened here?”

  Cassie moves the loose pieces of hair away from her face and slips them over both of her ears. She wipes away any remaining tears as she turns toward the car.

  “They were transporting us to some military facility when the guy in the front passenger seat turned. I guess he got infected when the chasers attacked us earlier. Anyway, he bit the driver, which caused us to wreck. The car flipped over a number of times. I hit my head in the process. I thought for sure I was going to die in that car.” Cassie probes the gash that runs diagonally along her forehead. She grits her teeth and snarls from the wound.

  I look at Bill who stares at Cassie with a bewildered gaze.

  “What military facility were they taking you to?” he inquires.

  “Some place in Eureka. It’s close to the coast. They made some deal with the military to exchange us and the data from the hospital for a ride out of here. They couldn’t risk sending in anymore choppers because of the infected,” Cassie answers. “It’s a time sensitive deal since the military is planning on dropping nukes in major cities or high concentrated areas where the infected are.”

  Do what? Did I hear her right?

  “They’re planning on dropping nukes in the states?” I parrot. “That’s insane. They’ll not only kill the infected, but who knows how many innocent people.”

  Cassie bows her head. “I freaked out too. Commander Reynolds said he knew it was an option, but only as a last resort if they couldn’t contain the infected. Since they seem to have evolved and grown more intelligent, I guess that’s the only thing they can think of to stop them.”

  “Bastards are going to kill a lot of innocent people and us in the process.” Bill chimes in, his voice thick with anger. “I imagine the cities have been emptied out, but the fallout from radiation will be what gets a lot of the folks. How much time until they blow this place to hell?”

  Cassie’s brow furrows as she thinks back. She purses her lips. “I can’t remember the exact time that was said. I think it was supposed to be sometime early this morning, though.”

  Christ.

  Who knows how much time we have until the bombs drop and pound this planet back to the stone age? I have to find Cindy before that happens.

  I turn and head for the Jeep. Cassie grabs my arm.

  I stop dead in my tracks, and peer over my shoulder at her. “What? We need to go.”

  Cassie licks her lips, then leans in close to me. “I don’t think Hive is planning on doing as they say.”

  I stare at Cassie, then turn to face her. “What do you mean?”

  Duke barks from the cab of the Jeep, breaking up our conversation. Each gruff warning slips out of the cracked passenger side window as he paws at the glass. Something has him spooked.

  “What’s wrong with that dog?” I mutter while watching him fight to get out of the Jeep.

  The rustling of gras
s within the darkness draws Bill’s attention. Cassie flinches, then deflates against the side of the car.

  “What was that?” asks with an unsteady voice.

  Bill turns toward the ditch with his gun trained at the swaying weeds. The light swims over the blades as he surveys the area. “We need to go, now.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Yowls call from the murk that surrounds us. They’re faint, but grow louder by the second. I retrieve the Glock from the road as we scan over the ditch, then the thicket of weeds for the infected. We retreat to the Jeep, unable to locate the looming threats.

  Duke lowers his ears and paws at the window as we approach the passenger side. His groans can be heard from the cab as he lays eyes on Cassie.

  “Duke!” she calls out while throwing open the door.

  His tail wags fast, and his body swells with excitement as Cassie rubs his head. He laps at her face with his tongue, showing how happy he is to see her.

  Bill climbs into the Jeep from the other side and settles into the driver’s seat. “Get in. We need to move out.”

  “Duke. Back seat, now,” I hiss.

  He stops licking Cassie and hops to the rear of the Jeep. Cassie threads her thin frame between the front passenger seat and the edge of the vehicle. She settles into the seat as Duke sits next to her.

  I grab the rounded handle near the dash, and place my foot on the edge of the Jeep. Something grabs my shoulder. My instincts kick in. I twist and throw an elbow, connecting with something that’s but a scant inch away from me. A growl fills my ears as I’m yanked away from the vehicle and thrown to the pavement. I hit the road hard. The Glock pops free of my hand.

  From the flat of my back, I spot a man standing near the opened door of the Jeep. Duke barks and growls from the inside as the ominous figure stumbles toward me with a bum leg. Where the hell did he come from?

  I glance to the rear of the Jeep and find that the man we hit is no longer on the ground. He’s coming for me.

  Gunfire erupts from the cab of the Jeep and hammers the man’s shoulder and arm. He brushes it off and keeps coming. My hand glides over the pavement, searching for the Glock as he growls and snarls. Greedy hands reach toward me.