Rise of the Undead Box Set | Books 1-3 | Apocalypse Z

by Higgins, Baileigh

  Dylan swallowed hard to keep the contents of her stomach in place and turned to Amy. “Where’s your car?”

  Amy leaned out and pointed to a white sedan parked not far away. “It’s that one. Alex is in the back seat.”

  “It’s locked?”

  “Of course. I’m not that stupid. What if someone tries to steal it while I’m gone?” Amy said.

  “Do you have the keys?” Dylan asked.

  Amy nodded. “I do.”

  “Give them to me. When we get there, you stand guard with the shotgun while I open the car and haul your brother out.”

  Amy eyed her with cold blue eyes. “No offense, lady, but I don’t know you. I’ll unlock the door first, and then I’ll stand guard while you get him out.”

  Dylan chuckled. “You’re a smart one. I like that.”

  “What’s the plan?” Amy asked.

  “We run like hell and hope nothing without a pulse spots us,” Dylan answered.

  “That’s not much of a plan,” Amy said.

  “Yeah, well. I’m not much of a planner. Let’s go,” Dylan said, dashing out of the alley.

  She ran straight for the sedan, reaching it within seconds. She hunkered down next to it and was joined by Amy a moment later.

  “Did any zombies spot us?” Amy asked, her head swiveling like an owl’s.

  Dylan took a careful look around. Cars pushed up the street, swerving around knots of feeding infected and crashed cars, while a steady trickle of people ran past them. These were mostly families or singles carrying their belongings, and she even spotted one lady with a parrot on her shoulder.

  One heavily armed group jogged along the opposite pavement, heading to the evacuation zone. They were more organized than most with their senior members and children clustered in the center. They gunned down anything that looked like a threat, a bonus for Dylan. Most of the feeding infected had now focused their attention on this group, leaving Dylan and Amy in the clear. “Now’s our chance.”

  Amy quickly unlocked the back door and opened it while Dylan peered inside. Sprawled on the seat lay a young man of solid build, and she wondered whether she’d be able to carry him by herself. “We’ll just have to see, won’t we?”

  Dylan tucked her machete into her belt and leaned over to grab his shoulders. With Amy’s help, she managed to lever him upright into a sitting position. Looping one arm around his back, she propped him onto her shoulder and heaved him upright.

  By this point, Alex was semi-awake and doing his best to help with Amy’s gentle prodding. “Come on, bro. You can do it. We can’t carry you all by ourselves.”

  “I’m sorry,” he mumbled, shuffling his feet forward in a semblance of a walk.

  It was good enough for Dylan, who hustled him forward as fast as she could manage. She hated being out in the open and exposed like this. They reached the clinic doors, and Amy raised one hand to Dylan. “Wait here while I check inside.”

  Dylan glanced around, relieved to see they were in the clear for the moment. No one paid them much mind, and the infected had all fallen to the armed group’s guns. “Okay, but hurry.”

  Amy shoved the doors open with one shoulder, her shotgun raised and ready for anything that might be inside. She disappeared for a few seconds, but to Dylan, it felt like forever. She glanced around nervously, shifting from one foot to the other.

  Alex was growing heavier by the minute, his cooperation fading as he drifted in and out of consciousness. Even through his clothes, she could feel the fever blazing from his skin. His heat matched hers, and she became more aware of her own advancing infection. He’d better be on his feet soon, or I’m taking those keys and leaving by myself.

  Amy returned at last and waved them inside. “It’s clear.”

  Dylan rushed inside, never happier to hear the sound of doors being shut behind her. Amy dropped the blinds and pulled a heavy chair in front of the entrance, blocking it off. “That should hold us for a while.”

  “Alright. Where to now?” Dylan asked.

  “Follow me,” Amy said, leading the way to the waiting room where long leather couches lined the walls. “Put him on one of those.”

  Dylan shrugged Alex off with a sigh of relief, massaging her aching neck. “Man, he weighs a ton.”

  “I know. That’s why I needed your help,” Amy said, which Dylan could believe with the girl’s petite build.

  She eyed Alex’s husky frame and dark hair, comparing it to the blonde, blue-eyed Amy. “You don’t look like brother and sister.”

  “I take after my mom,” Amy said. “Alex looks more like my dad.”

  “Where are they?” Dylan asked.

  “Dead.” The word came out flat, but the look of grief on the girl’s face caused a pang of sympathy to rise in Dylan’s heart. She regretted the question instantly. I can’t afford to feel sorry for them. Not if I might have to steal their car.

  “Where’s the medicine?” she asked, changing the subject.

  “I’ll go get it. Just watch him, please. He’s all I’ve got left,” Amy replied before rushing off.

  “Will do,” Dylan said, squashing another jolt of regret for the girl. She liked Amy. The teen might be young and small of build, but she was tough, and no fool either. That was the problem. She couldn’t afford to form attachments. Not with her injury.

  After a couple of minutes, Amy showed up with an armful of goods which she dumped onto an empty space on the couch. While she set to work sorting the stuff out, Dylan unslung her duffel bag and removed a bottle of water and a protein bar. She quickly ate the bar and downed the water with a handful of the pills Ethan had given her for the fever. It didn’t feel like it was helping much, but at this stage, she figured anything was better than nothing.

  She also checked the remaining bullets in her gun. The magazine was about half-full, and she still had one more loaded handgun and the rifle as a backup. The machete wasn’t half-bad either. The blade was long and razor-sharp with a firm grip, but it was also coated in zombie blood.

  “Ugh,” she said with a shudder. “Is there a bathroom in here?”

  Amy pointed at a door in the far corner. “Over there.”

  “Thanks. I’ll be right back.”

  Dylan used the opportunity to empty her full bladder before cleaning the blade with soap and a towel. Afterward, she washed her face and hands too, feeling refreshed.

  She returned to find Amy struggling to unwind Alex’s bandages, and she stepped forward. “Here. Let me help.”

  With a pair of scissors, she cut through the cloth and propped him up so Amy could remove it. Together, they inspected the wound, and Dylan wrinkled her nose at the smell. “Ew. That’s almost as bad as mine.”

  Amy threw her a questioning look. “Yours?”

  Realizing she’d said too much, Dylan shrugged it off. “Uh, nothing. Don’t worry about it. Let me clean up the cut while you ready the shot.”

  “Okay. I’ve got antibiotics and something for the pain and fever too. It’s pretty strong, so he’ll be out for a while.”

  “How long is a while?” Dylan asked. “I can’t wait too long.”

  “A couple of hours, maybe. And don’t think about ditching us, lady. Alex is your best shot at getting out of here. He knows this place better than most,” Amy said.

  Dylan groaned aloud. “Fine. Whatever. And the name’s Dylan. Not lady.”

  “Whatever you say.”

  Dylan swallowed a sarcastic retort and turned her attention to Alex’s injury. With clean gauze and antiseptic, she flushed out the wound and bandaged it. Afterward, she gave him the shot Amy handed her, relieved to find his veins were quite prominent. Once she was finished, she sat back on her heels. “I guess we can’t do anything but wait, right?”

  “Right,” Amy said.

  For the next three hours, Dylan paced up and down while Amy coddled her brother. She washed his brow with a wet cloth, fed him sips of water, and even found a fan in one of the offices to cool him down.
<
br />   During a brief bathroom break, Dylan found herself eyeing Alex with a sour look. With every minute that passed, her impatience grew. She was down to roughly thirty-seven hours, and she wasn’t feeling so hot herself. The only upside to the situation was the gradual emptying of the street outside. No doubt, people had reached the evacuation point with the sole exception of a few stragglers. Hopefully, they’d drawn most of the undead with them, leaving the way clear for Dylan and her group.

  A frown formed between her brows. Since when were they part of her group? It’s too late. I’ve grown attached, damn it!

  “Maybe I should just smother you in your sleep,” Dylan muttered to the sleeping Alex.

  His eyebrows twitched, and a half-smile twisted his lips. “I heard that.”

  “You’re awake?” She rushed to his side and pressed one hand to his forehead. “You’re still hot, though. The fever hasn’t fully broken.”

  “Maybe not, but I feel a lot better. It’s not so painful anymore,” he replied, pushing himself upright with a grunt.

  “Here. Drink this,” Dylan said, handing him a bottle of water.

  “Thanks,” Alex replied, chugging it all down in one big gulp. “Who are you?”

  “The name’s Dylan. I’m helping your sister out.”

  Amy returned from the bathroom and spotted him awake and lucid. She rushed over and hugged him tightly. “Alex! You’re okay.”

  “Thanks to you and Dylan here,” he replied.

  “It’s nothing. As long as you get me to Fort Knox within the next few hours, we’re even,” Dylan said.

  “What’s the rush?” Alex asked.

  “That’s for me to know,” Dylan said, skirting the issue. After Maddie, she wasn’t about to let people know she was infected again. Not unless she was sure she could trust them.

  Amy shocked her with her next words, however. “You’ve been bitten, haven’t you? You’re infected.”

  “How did you know that?” Dylan asked, taking a defensive stand.

  “I figured it out when you said his wound was almost as bad as yours. Besides, your veins are starting to show.”

  “Where?”

  “In your neck.”

  Alex nodded. “I can see them too. How long have you got left?”

  “A day and a half, roughly,” Dylan answered. Now that the cat was out of the bag, she might as well be honest with them. Besides, if they were going with her to Fort Knox, they’d better be aware of the risks.

  “Are you having episodes yet?” Alex asked with a shrewd gaze.

  “It’s begun,” Dylan admitted. “I’m dangerous.”

  “And you want us to take you to Fort Knox. Why there?” Alex asked.

  “Because they’ve got a cure,” Dylan said.

  A shocked silence ensued.

  “A cure? For real?” Alex asked.

  “I can’t believe it!” Amy said.

  Dylan nodded. “It’s not a joke. It’s real, and I need to get it before it’s too late.”

  “I see.”

  “Are you thinking of backing out?” Dylan asked.

  “No. You helped us even though it could’ve cost you.”

  “It did cost me,” Dylan pointed out. “Three hours and counting, to be precise.”

  Alex held up a placating hand. “Okay, okay. I get it. It cost you, and I owe you one for that.”

  “We keep our promises,” Amy interjected.

  “Great,” Dylan said. “With that settled, can we go now?”

  Alex peered at his watch. “I’m up for it on one condition.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I drive. With your infection, I can’t trust you behind the wheel. What happens if you have an episode?”

  “No problem. I’ll ride shotgun,” Dylan said, itching to go.

  “You should eat something first, Alex,” Amy protested. “You’re still weak.”

  “I need to use the bathroom too,” Alex said.

  “And we should take some medicine with us,” Amy said.

  Dylan rolled her eyes and slumped down onto the nearest couch. “Fine. I’ll wait, but hurry it up, damn it. I’m timing you.”

  Amy flashed her a dimpled smile. “You know. I think you’re all bark and no bite.”

  “You do?” Dylan asked with raised eyebrows. “Then you’re dumber than I thought.”

  “Or smarter,” Amy replied, sticking out her tongue before flouncing off.

  Dylan couldn’t help but laugh a little. The girl had guts. Lots of it. Alex too. Injured as he was, he’d still committed to helping her — a man with integrity.

  As she waited for her new posse to get ready, Dylan realized that she quite liked having company. She didn’t have to cope on her own anymore, and that was a pretty awesome feeling.

  Chapter 25 - Alex

  Alex navigated the quieter streets of Louisville with old familiarity. His teen years were spent joy-riding with buddies after school and taking girlfriends to secret spots. During his adult years, the few times that he’d been granted a pass, he’d had more appreciation for the place of his birth. He’d explored its every nook and cranny, relishing in its combination of old-school charm, history, and progressive energy.

  It wasn’t like that now. The streets were deserted, empty. Those who could had made their way to the Churchill Downs racetrack for evacuation and the dead had followed the trail of fresh meat like the predators they’d become. Those who couldn’t, or wouldn’t leave the city, were holed up inside their barricaded homes.

  Dusk had fallen, painting the buildings in hues of gray and charcoal. No longer would the skyline light up with bright lights, ready to welcome the young and energetic. All that was gone now. Light, sound, and smell was the enemy for it drew the dead like moths to a flame. It had been threatening to rain all day, and now the first fat drops hit the windshield.

  Alex left his home behind with a glimmer of regret. He’d miss the place, but there was no use in looking back. As the rain drummed onto the roof of the car, wrapping them in a cocoon of rhythmic sound, he glanced at Amy in the backseat. “What happened, Amy? After the Robinson’s?”

  She glanced at him before looking down at her lap again. “I went to Louisville looking for medicine. I figured it was your only chance. Then I met Dylan, and you know the rest.”

  “That was brave of you. You saved my life.”

  She shook her head. “I’m not brave. I’m stupid. If it weren’t for me, Laura would still be alive.”

  A pang of pain and regret shot through his heart at the mention of Laura, but there was no point in dwelling on it. If he did, it would drive him mad. “You can’t think like that, Amy. You made a mistake. It happens. You can’t win all the time. Learn from it.”

  “That poor little girl,” Amy whispered. “I just wanted to help her. Instead, I killed her.”

  “It’s not your fault, Sis. Believe me. I’m sorry you had to see that, but at least you kept your head on straight. If you hadn’t dragged my ass out of there, I’d be dead too.”

  “I suppose,” Amy said with a sniff.

  “You’re stronger than you know. You’re a fighter, and you’ll get over this in time. I promise,” Alex said.

  Dylan twisted around in her seat. “It’s called ripping off the band-aid. Face what happened, admit your mistakes, try to learn from the experience, and honor Laura’s memory by becoming a better person.”

  Amy stared at her. “I’ll try.”

  “That’s pretty deep,” Alex said, eyeing his new traveling partner. To date, she remained a mystery, not revealing anything about herself.

  Dylan snorted. “I’d better believe in my own advice, or I’d go nuts.”

  “How so?”

  “I tore out a man’s throat with my teeth this morning and drank his blood. After that, I set his friend on fire and watched him burn.”

  Alex blinked, taken aback by her brutal honesty. “Good God, I can see how that would haunt a person.”

  “Exactly.”
<
br />   She glanced at him with those enigmatic blue-green eyes. They were an unusual shade, complimented perfectly by her dark red hair. He wondered what lurked behind them. A monster? Or simply a woman on the brink of succumbing to a viral infection. That remained to be seen.

  He patted his pocket. At least, he had brought insurance with him in case she had another episode. Amy had spotted them. Horse tranquilizers. Those in the process of turning often displayed incredible strength and aggression, plus they still had their intelligence. That made them doubly dangerous, and he couldn’t take any chances with Amy in the car.

  “Why don’t you two try and get some sleep? We’ll be there before you know it. About an hour,” Alex suggested. Ordinarily, he could make the drive in half the time, but it was raining, and he couldn’t see very far ahead in the murky darkness.

  Dylan and Amy agreed, and within a few minutes, both were fast asleep. A peaceful silence descended on the vehicle, and Alex was able to relax at last. He glanced at the map on his lap and hoped Dylan was right about the cure. It would suck getting there, only to find out it was nothing more than a mirage.

  ***

  They were about halfway to their destination when Dylan came awake with a start. She looked around her with a confused expression. “Who am I? Where am I?”

  Alex stared at her for a second. “You don’t remember?”

  She shook her head. “No.”

  In the backseat, Amy woke up as well. “What’s going on?”

  “I’m not sure,” Alex admitted.

  “I’m hungry,” Dylan said. “In fact, I’m starving.”

  “Will a protein bar do the trick?” Amy asked, rummaging in Dylan’s duffel bag.

  “Sure.”

  Amy handed her the bar, and Alex watched with fascination as she ripped into it like it was a hunk of meat. Within seconds it was gone. “More. I’m still hungry.”

  Amy gave her another bar and a packet of potato chips which she promptly tore into.

  “Man, you are hungry, huh?” Alex said.