The Humvee reached a four-way crossing, and Saul headed straight over it. She craned her neck to look ahead, praying there wasn’t yet another barricade. As they reached the middle, something bright caught her eye. Tara turned to look, and her mouth opened in a silent scream.
A bus was headed straight for them, its windshield flashing in the sunlight. Before she could shout out a warning, it crashed into them with incredible force. Tara was thrown sideways, her seatbelt cutting deep into her ribs. Her body lifted into the air, and for a second, she felt as weightless as a feather.
The Humvee slid across the tar until it smashed into a lamppost, and she was brutally flung against the door. Her forehead hit the window, and she blacked out, her consciousness fading into nothing.
Tara jolted awake with a start. Shouts rang through the air, and her door was yanked open to reveal an unfamiliar face. Her attacker shoved a gun barrel into her face, and she raised her arms to shield herself. “Please, don’t shoot.”
“Don’t move. None of you move a muscle,” he screamed.
Tara froze in place while rough hands disarmed her. Before she could do anything, she was pulled out of the Humvee without ceremony. The same happened to Saul and Dylan, and within seconds, the trio stood surrounded by guns.
Huddled on the sidewalk, Tara shivered. Every muscle in her body ached, and her head swam until she thought she’d throw up. She groaned and pressed one hand to her bleeding temple.
Saul grabbed her shoulder, his voice urgent. “Are you okay? How badly are you hurt?”
“I’m okay. I’m—”
“No talking,” one of the men shouted, shoving them apart. “Start moving.”
Tara and the others had no option but to obey. They walked up the street, surrounded by a large group. They were a mixture of men and women dressed in mismatched uniforms from the National Guard, police force, and SWAT.
They were in good spirits, congratulating each other on their latest score. Tara tried to take it all in, but it was hard to stay on her feet. Her vision blurred, and her head ached. She struggled to breathe, and each step sent a stab of pain up her left side. It could be a concussion and possibly cracked ribs.
Just when she thought she was going to pass out, they reached their destination, an old school turned into a makeshift home by their captors. They were led into the grounds and marched to the assembly hall, where a crowd of people awaited them. Loud cheers rose as they were paraded around like prize animals, and an argument about their fate ensued.
“I say we throw them in the ring. Let them provide tonight’s entertainment,” a woman shouted.
“That one looks strong. He should last a long time,” another agreed, pointing at Saul.
“What about the women? They could join us. There aren’t enough of you as it is, and we could use a couple of pretty faces around here,” one man said with a leer.
“Screw you and your pretty faces. I say they die in the ring,” the first woman cried. “Throw them to the dogs.”
“How about we let them fight for a place among us? The last one standing wins,” the man argued.
The two continued to fight about it until a tall man with a hawk-like nose stepped forward. He raised his hands until the room quietened. “Alright, calm down. Let me decide their fate.”
“What will it be, Seth?” the woman said, tapping one booted foot on the floor.
“I like Brett’s suggestion that they fight until only one is left,” Seth said. “Agreed?”
“Oh, come on. Why not kill all of them?” the woman protested.
“Two’s good enough, Lila,” Seth replied. “Even for your bloodthirsty nature.”
Raucous cheers filled the air, and the crowd seemed to reach a consensus.
“No, wait,” Saul cried, grabbing Tara by the upper arm. “You can’t make her fight. She’s too valuable.”
“Valuable? What value does she have other than to provide a night’s entertainment?” Seth asked.
“She’s a doctor and a scientist. Surely, you can use a doctor,” Saul said, his desperation evident.
“How do we know you’re not lying?”
“I swear it. Please, give her a chance,” Saul pleaded. “Do with me what you want, but leave her alone.”
Silence fell, broken only by a couple of fierce whispers. Tara stood frozen, a sliver of hope blooming in her chest. If they spared her life, she might be able to find a way to save Saul and Dylan. Please, say yes.
Finally, Seth spoke in a smooth voice. “Alright, we’ll give her a shot. We already have a resident doctor, but I suppose a spare wouldn’t hurt. You know, in case something happens to the other one.”
Laughter rose all around them, but Tara didn’t care. She was being spared, that was all that mattered.
“Take her to the infirmary. She can stay there with Dr. Hayes for the time being,” Seth commanded. “As for these two, rough them up and throw them into the stocks.”
Rude hands shoved Tara toward the exit, and she cast a despairing glance over her shoulder. The last she saw was Saul and Dylan being beaten into the ground by two men armed with police batons.
She bit back a cry and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. They’re not dead yet. There’s still a chance to save them.
Tara was led to the infirmary and handed over to a guard at the door. “She’s to join Dr. Hayes, but keep an eye on her. She’s new and likely to try something.”
“I’ve got her, don’t worry.” The new guard eyed her with a look of pure menace. “Don’t try anything, okay?”
Tara nodded, her head hanging low, and her expression meek. She had to make them believe she was harmless.
“Good,” he said with an approving nod.
The guard opened the door and shouted. “Dr. Hayes, I’ve got someone for you.”
A dark-haired man around Tara’s age turned to face them. “Another patient? What did you do this time?”
“Don’t sass me, Doc. She’ll work alongside you from now on. You’d better get acquainted.” Without ceremony, the guard shoved Tara through the door. It slammed shut behind her, and she was left to face the mysterious Dr. Hayes.
He walked toward her and extended a hand. “You’re injured. Let me help you. I promise I won’t hurt you. I’m as much a captive here as you are.”
Tara allowed him to help her toward the nearest bed, and she slumped onto it with a grimace of pain. “I’m Dr. Lee. Tara Lee. A Research Scientist specializing in virology.”
“I’m Dr. Hayes, but you can call me Ethan.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“That would be true if the circumstances were different,” he replied, studying her with a somber gaze. “But, I have a feeling you were sent here for a reason.”
“A reason?” Tara asked, her brow knitting together.
Ethan nodded. “I’ve been waiting for someone like you.”
“Someone like me?” Tara said, her confusion deepening with each passing second.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To help me escape.”
Tara smiled, though there was no humor in it. “In that case, we’re agreed. The sooner we get out of here, the better.”
“Let’s shake on it,” Ethan said, offering his hand.
Tara accepted the offering, and the deal was struck.
Chapter 16 - Saul
Saul endured the beating with gritted teeth and zero resistance. The only thing he did was tuck his body into a tight roll to minimize the damage. It was to be expected — a tactic meant to cow them into obedience. He understood this, but Dylan did not. She fought back, which meant her punishment far exceeded his. When they were finally tossed into their cages, she lay unconscious.
Saul used that time to assess himself and their situation. The people who had them were amateurs. None of them possessed any real training. They were simply a bunch of people who’d banded together and decided to prey on other survivors. In his opinion, they were the
worst of the worst — the scum of the earth.
That did not mean they weren’t dangerous, and he had to hand it to them. They were inventive. The bus had come as a complete surprise, and he wanted to kick himself for falling into their trap. I should’ve known better.
It was too late for recriminations, however. What mattered now was getting out of there. In that regard, Saul knew he could rely on Tara. She was smart, and he was willing to bet she had a plan in mind already. But, he couldn’t leave it all up to her.
The stocks turned out to be a series of cages placed next to each other in the open air. He counted six. Three were occupied: His own, Dylan’s, and another which contained a stranger. Saul attempted to talk to the man, but he avoided Saul’s gaze and refused to answer any questions. It looked like he’d been there for a while.
Saul examined the cage around him. It was a simple affair of planks nailed together. A dirty blanket and a stinking bucket were its only furnishings. As the sun began to dip toward the horizon, a man emerged from the nearby building.
He carried three bottles of water and three packets of potato chips which he tossed into each cage. “Eat up. You won’t get any more until tomorrow, assuming you live to see it.”
Saul eyed the man. “What are you going to do to us?”
The man grinned. “Didn’t you listen back there? You’re going to fight for your lives tonight. The last one standing gets free citizenship.”
The other captive’s head jerked up, and he spoke for the first time. “Me too? You’ll let me out of this cage if I win tonight?”
“Yeah, you too, dumbass, though I’m not too sure I want you for a bunk buddy. You stink,” the guard said before pointing at Dylan. “I’d much rather she be the one to live.”
“Are we to fight each another?” Saul asked, pressing for more information.
The guard shrugged. “Each other, a couple of Pitbulls. Maybe a zombie or two. We’ll see what Lila comes up with tonight. That woman is batshit crazy, but she sure can think up some wild surprises for our prize fighters.”
“Do we get any weapons?”
“Of course. We’re not monsters, you know,” the guard replied with a low laugh. “We simply don’t have time for weakness.”
“Now, eat up. You’ll need your strength tonight,” the guard said before he went back inside.
Saul turned toward the other prisoner. “What’s your name?”
“Why? What do you care?”
“It’s a simple question.”
“James,” came the sullen reply.
“We don’t have to fight each other, James. We can work together and escape from here,” Saul said.
“Escape?” James laughed. “There’s no escaping this place. You either fight, or you die.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way.”
“Trust me, whoever you are. When they throw you into that ring, you’ll fight,” James said. “In the end, we all do.”
“We can get out of here if we work together,” Saul insisted.
“Shut up, will you? I don’t care about you or the woman. When it comes to it, I’ll kill you both if it means earning my freedom,” James said, shaking a fist at Saul.
“Your freedom?” Saul asked. “You heard what the guard said. You’ll have to become one of them.”
“So? They’re not that bad. Most of them, at least. As long as I steer clear of Lila and Seth, I’ll be fine,” James said. “Besides, it’s better than the alternative.”
“Which is?”
“Going out there. It’s much safer in here with a group to watch my back,” James replied.
“A bunch of criminals, you mean,” Saul corrected.
James shrugged. “It’s the apocalypse, man. Only the strong survive. Now, piss off, and leave me alone.”
James turned his back to Saul who nodded. One more enemy to contend with in the ring. It wasn’t a problem for him. He liked to know where he stood with everyone, and right now, James was the first he’d kill. Rather him than us.
With mechanical movements, he ate his food and drank his water, determined to keep his strength up. He wasn’t too worried about fighting a bunch of dogs or even zombies. His injuries were minor: Mostly bruises. He was more concerned about Dylan and sat watching her until she stirred. “Dylan, how do you feel?”
“Like shit,” came the muffled reply.
She rolled onto her back and stared up at the sky. The light was rapidly waning as darkness fell, and Saul knew they didn’t have much time.
“I mean it. How do you feel? Do you have any serious injuries?” he said.
She sat upright with a groan and examined her body with probing fingers. After a while, she shook her head. “I’m okay. Nothing’s broken. I’ve got plenty of bruises and a couple of lumps, but I can fight.”
“What about your arm? And that cut on your head?”
She felt her forearm through the bandages and checked the cut on her head. “The stitches are still in place. Everything hurts, but I’ll live.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“I am thirsty, though.”
Saul pointed at the water and chips. “Eat up. You’ll need the energy.”
“So, what’s the deal here? Are we zombie chow, or what?” Dylan asked while she ate.
In simple terms, Saul explained to her what he’d learned.
“So, we’ll have to fight each other in the end?”
“That’s right.”
“That sucks,” she said, rolling the empty chips packet into a ball and chucking it at his head. The package bounced off his cage bars and rolled away. “What about Tara?”
Saul explained to Dylan where Tara was but nothing about his plans. That would have to wait until they were alone. He couldn’t risk talking in front of James.
“What’s with him?” Dylan asked, pointing at the man in question.
“He doesn’t want to be one of us. He made that very clear. Tonight, he’s fighting to win, and that includes killing us. He’d rather be one of them.”
“Not if I kill him first,” Dylan said with a predatory smile.
James stiffened, but he didn’t reply.
Dylan laughed. “I think he’s scared of me.”
But her mirth didn’t last very long, and she picked at her jeans with a somber expression. “What are we going to do, Saul?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll think of something, I promise.”
James snorted, and Dylan threw him an ugly look. “Shut up, you coward. At least my head isn’t neck deep up some two-bit raider’s ass.”
Saul laughed, long and hard. “You sure know how to cheer a person up.”
“Glad to be of service,” she answered with a grin.
“It feels good to laugh. I haven’t done that in a while.”
“You and me both.”
Darkness closed in around them as the sun dropped behind the horizon, and the temperature dropped rapidly. Dylan shivered, rubbing her arms to keep warm. “I sure wish I didn’t leave my gloves and beanie in the Humvee, but at least I’ve still got my coat and scarf.”
“You can have my blanket,” Saul offered.
“Keep it. I’ve got one too, I see.” She picked up the one in her cage and wrinkled her nose. “Man, this thing smells, but beggars can’t be choosers.”
“I guess not,” Saul said, draping his blanket across his shoulders.
“This is one crap storm of a shitty situation, huh?” Dylan said, hunched into a little ball.
“Colorful way of putting it, but yes, it is.” Saul shook his head. “I’m sorry, Dylan. I should’ve listened to you. This whole thing is my fault.”
“You’re right. You should have listened to me, and if I were the type, I’d say I told you so,” Dylan said. “But I’m not, so forget about it.”
“Thanks.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes before Saul said, “Try to get some rest. It won’t be long until they come for us.”
“Yeah, okay.” She s
ighed and closed her eyes, leaning against the side of her cage. “One last thing.”
“What is it?”
“I told you so.”
Chapter 17 - Amy
Amy woke up slowly, her body cramped from lying in the same position for too long. She blinked in the dim light of a single lamp turned down low. For a moment, she didn’t know where she was until the memory of the night before came rushing back.
She jerked upright, wincing when her head throbbed. It mirrored the sounds that echoed from above, the dull thumping of undead fists on the door. Pushing the hair away from her face, she shook Alex. “Wake up. Wake up, Alex.”
“Huh, what? Is something wrong?” he asked, shaking his head.
“They’re still there.”
“Who’s still there?” he looked around with a befuddled expression on his face.
“The zombies, Alex. They’re trying to break down the door. They haven’t given up,” Amy whispered.
Alex didn’t answer straight away. After a few seconds, he rubbed his eyes and yawned. “Where are we?”
Amy lost her patience and smacked him on the leg. “Wake up, sleepyhead. We’re in the basement, remember?” His face cleared, and he stood up so suddenly, she felt dizzy just by looking at him.
“I’d better see if the barricade is holding,” Alex said before jogging upstairs.
Amy didn’t move. She didn’t want to see.
After a while, Alex came back. “Do you want the good news or the bad news first?”
“Just hit me with it,” she said.
“The barrier is standing strong. That’s the good news.”
“And the bad?” Amy asked.
“We’re still stuck down here.”
Amy resisted the urge to throw something at him. “That’s great. What do you propose we do now?”
“There’s nothing we can do, Amy. Nothing but wait it out.”
Amy sagged, and tears pricked her eyelids. “What if they never leave? What if they never grow tired?”
Alex sat down next to her and gathered her into his arms. “They will go away, I promise. All we have to do is keep quiet and not make any loud noises. After a time, they’ll forget all about us and move on.”
Rise of the Undead Box Set | Books 1-3 | Apocalypse Z Page 26
