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

by Higgins, Baileigh

  In case you missed it, there’s a prequel as well. You can get it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YNNXB5F

  Plus, there’s plenty more where that came from. Apocalypse Z - Books 4-6 (Boxed Set) is now available on Amazon, and I’ve included a preview for your enjoyment. Continue the adventure to find out what your favorite characters are up to next. Available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L5HLNW8

  Apocalypse Z - Books 4-6 (Boxed Set)

  Chapter 1 - Amy

  Amy’s eyes snapped open when a hand clamped shut over her mouth. In the dim light of her room, she could barely make out the shape of her attacker. All she could see was a hulking shadow bent over her bed, its figure silhouetted against the moonlit curtains.

  She lashed out with her hands and feet, hampered by the heavy folds of her winter blankets. Her voice came out as a muffled cry, and the smell of the stranger’s skin was sharp in her nostrils. Panic shot through her veins and the only person she could think of was her brother. Alex, help!

  Seconds later, Amy froze when the cold steel of a gun barrel pressed against her temple. In a low voice, her attacker said, “Stop moving, or I’ll shoot.”

  She could tell it was a man but couldn’t place his identity. He was a stranger, and somehow, that made everything worse. It was the middle of the night, and a strange man held a gun to her head while she lay in bed. She’d never felt so vulnerable in her life. Dressed in pj’s with her shotgun three feet away, she was defenseless.

  The barrel dug into her skin, and the man said, “Don’t say a word. Not a peep out of you or your brains will be scattered all over this room. Got that?”

  His voice was cold, and Amy believed every word he said. With wide eyes, she nodded. Just do whatever he wants for now.

  Suddenly, the hand across her lips was gone, and she sucked in a deep breath. Despite her overwhelming desire to scream, she kept quiet.

  The man chuckled. “That’s a good girl. Now get up and walk downstairs to the living room. We’re having a meeting tonight, and you’re invited.”

  On shaky legs, Amy climbed out of bed and shoved her feet into the waiting slippers. On autopilot, she crossed the room and walked toward the stairs. Her attacker followed, a menacing danger. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought that he could shoot her at any moment.

  The house was dark and silent, but a faint glow emitted from downstairs. She made her way toward it, and the light grew brighter. On the kitchen counter, a lamp shined, and another burned on the dining room table. A couple of candles lit the rest of the area, though dark hollows remained in the corners.

  A group of people stood in the center of the living room, and Amy spotted both Tara and Alex in an instant. It took all of her self-control not to cry out with horror, but she remembered the stranger’s threat. With her lips pressed together, she halted a few feet away from them and waited.

  Alex was on his knees on the carpet, his hands placed behind his head. Tara was next to him, but on her feet, arms folded around her chest. Both looked shocked and bewildered, much like Amy felt.

  The rest were strangers except for Dr. Bannock, whom she recognized in an instant. She’d only seen him once on the day he let free the zombies in the lab. It had been a brief moment, but enough to brand his aging, bespectacled face into her memory for life.

  A tall man with pale eyes addressed her kidnapper. “Is she the last one, Red?”

  The man behind her grunted. “She’s the last, Lieutenant. I didn’t see anyone else.”

  Amy’s eyes flew to the lieutenant, her mind buzzing. King! It must be King and Bannock. What do they want? Revenge?

  Both the lieutenant and doctor were dressed in ordinary clothes, and a glance at Red confirmed his plain garb as well. They were rough and unshaven; their bodies rail thin. Apparently, life outside the base was a lot harder than on the inside.

  The others were dressed in fatigues, their hair cut short, and their jaws as smooth as a baby’s behind. Soldiers, all three of them. It seemed that despite his disgrace, the former Lieutenant King still had friends inside the fort. That explained how he got inside and how he made it across the grounds without getting caught.

  Amy glared at the soldiers, anger boiling in her chest. They’re supposed to protect us, not betray us. Cowards.

  King frowned at Red’s answer and turned toward one of the soldiers. “Damn it, Perez. Where are the rest? You said they’d all be here.”

  Perez shook his head. “I’m sorry, Sir. I thought for sure they’d be together. It’s New Year’s Eve, after all.”

  “So, what happened?” King asked. When no one answered, he leveled his gun at Alex. “Where are the rest of you?”

  Alex stared at King, his lips pressed together. “Screw you.”

  King sighed. “Let’s try again, shall we?”

  He turned the gun on Amy, and Alex’s eyes widened. “No, don’t hurt her!”

  “Answer my question, or I’ll kill her right now,” King said, his expression as smooth as marble.

  “If you hurt my sister, I swear to God —”

  “Enough with the insults. They’re pointless,” King interrupted. “Either you tell me what I want to know, or she’s dead.”

  Alex stared at Amy with a helpless look on his face. “I —”

  “Alex, don’t tell him. They’re our friends,” Amy cried, but she knew it was futile. He’d do anything for her. It was both his greatest strength and his greatest weakness.

  “Saul and Dylan are helping Nick to keep the peace tonight. They’re patrolling the perimeter and doing spot checks in the barracks,” Alex said, his shoulders sagging with defeat.

  “Why?” King asked. “Nick’s in charge, isn’t he? Why’s he doing the dirty work?”

  “Nick’s not like that. He’s a hands-on leader,” Alex replied with reluctance. “And, we can’t afford to let zombies breach the walls because a couple of soldiers decided to get drunk and abandon their posts.”

  “Then why aren’t you out there as well?”

  “I’m due for a dawn patrol.”

  “What about the doctor, Ethan Hayes?” King asked.

  “Ethan is at the infirmary. We rarely see him anymore since Dylan and Nick got together.”

  “What a shit show,” Lieutenant King said, pacing back and forth. “I guess I should’ve seen this coming. Instead, I relied on intel from a bunch of morons.”

  Directing an angry look at Perez and the other two soldiers, he continued, “I suppose my revenge will have to wait. We’ve got Dr. Lee. That’s the important thing.”

  “What do you want from me?” Tara asked, her voice thin but steady.

  “I want you to work for me, Dr. Lee. I want you to manufacture the cure for my men, and eventually, the vaccine.” King’s eyes scanned her face. “You will be looked after, and you need not fear being harassed.”

  “Forget it, King,” Tara replied, her hands curling into fists. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “I’m afraid you don’t have a choice, doctor. You’re coming with us,” King said. He waved at Perez. “Tie her up.”

  “Yes, Sir.” Perez used a cable tie to secure Tara’s hands behind her back; her feeble struggles were no match for his brute strength.

  Amy wanted to protest, but one look at Red’s face and the way his gun pointed at her back convinced her otherwise. She pressed her lips together while trying to think of a way to escape.

  The entire time, Dr. Bannock watched from a shadowy corner, his sweaty hands wringing together in a display of nervousness. His eyes blinked behind his thick spectacle lenses, and his thinning hair did little to disguise his shiny scalp.

  “Dr. Bannock,” Tara cried. “Aren’t you going to do something? This is crazy. You can’t just run around kidnapping people.”

  Dr. Bannock shrugged. “Why not? It’s a new world out there, Dr. Lee, and Lieutenant King has promised to look after me.”

  “He’s lying. He only cares about himself.”

  Dr. Bannoc
k smiled. “Great minds think alike.”

  Tara whirled toward King. “Why take me? Why not my research? You’ve got a scientist already. Take what you want and leave us alone.”

  “It’s not that simple, Dr. Lee. Dr. Bannock has assured me of his usefulness in that regard, but apparently, it will take some time for him to interpret your work,” King said. “Time I do not have since I’ve been forced to flee the fort. Without a secure base, I need that cure, or my men don’t stand a chance.”

  “I can’t believe you’re doing this,” Tara muttered, an angry flush staining her cheeks.

  “Believe it, Dr. Lee,” Bannock replied. “Soon, we’ll be working together again. Just like old times.”

  “Screw you, Bannock,” Tara said.

  “What about the rest of them?” Perez asked. “We can search the base. I’m sure we’ll find them. There are only so many places they could be.”

  “It’s too risky,” King said. “I would’ve liked to grab the doctor. I could use a surgeon, but it will have to wait for now.”

  “But Sir.”

  “No, Perez. We can’t afford to get caught. We’re leaving, and that’s final,” King replied. “Besides, there will be other opportunities. This isn’t the last Fort Detrick will see of me.”

  “And these two?” Red said, nudging Amy and nodding toward Alex.

  “Kill them,” King commanded. “We don’t need either of the two.”

  “No!” Alex shouted, surging to his feet. He charged at the nearest soldier but stopped mid-stride when a shot rang out. Red bloomed on his white t-shirt, and he stared at the spot with a disbelieving gaze.

  “Alex!” Amy screamed, her voice taut with horror and pain. She tried to run to him, but Red grabbed her by the arm and held her back. His grip was rough, and the gun barrel he jabbed into her spine held the promise of death. She didn’t care. All she cared about was her brother.

  Their eyes locked across the room, and time slowed to a trickle. Amy remembered all the years they’d spent together as a family. Years that had bonded them as brother and sister. The fights, the laughter, the tears, and the sorrow. It was all there, a glittering tapestry of love and loss ripped away by a single bullet. “I’m sorry.”

  Alex blinked once, and his lips formed the words, “I love you, Sis.”

  Slowly, he toppled over to lie face-down on the carpet. A growing pool of blood spread around his body, thick and viscous. Voices buzzed around Amy’s head, but she couldn’t make out the words. None of it mattered. Not even the thought of dying. She closed her eyes, preparing herself for the shot that would end her life.

  It never came.

  Instead, Tara threw herself at King and pleaded with him. “Please, don’t kill her. She’s just a child. She’s sixteen years old, for heaven’s sake.”

  King shrugged. “Her age doesn’t exempt her from death. The apocalypse should have taught you that by now, Doctor.”

  “I’m begging you, please. Spare her. If you do, I promise, I’ll do anything you want,” Tara said, her cheeks wet with tears.

  King’s gaze grew calculating. “Do you swear it? You’ll work for me, without complaint, and without trying to escape, if I spare her life?”

  Tara nodded, her hands twisting behind her back, already swollen from her bonds. “I swear it.”

  King nodded. “It’s a deal. Red, tie the girl’s hands. She’s coming with us.”

  “Yes, Sir,” Red replied.

  “Leave her here,” Tara said. “I swore, didn’t I?”

  “Maybe, but I’d feel better if she comes with us to ensure your obedience,” King said.

  Tara shook her head, and she looked at Amy. “I’m sorry. I tried.”

  Amy nodded. “It’s okay.”

  With rough hands, Red yanked Amy’s arms behind her back and secured her wrists together with a plastic cable tie. The sharp edges cut into her skin, but she hardly noticed. Her eyes went back to Alex, searching for signs of life. Any sign at all.

  King followed her gaze and said, “Perez, make sure he’s dead. I don’t want to leave behind unfinished business. It’ll only give the girl something to yearn for.”

  “Yes, Sir,” Perez answered, raising his gun.

  “No!” Amy screamed, struggling against Red’s hold as Perez pumped three more bullets into Alex’s back. “No, no, no, no!”

  Alex jerked with each successive shot, and the pool of crimson blood beneath him spread ever further. He made no sound, and at that moment, Amy realized he was dead. She squeezed her eyes shut and fought against the pain that threatened to overwhelm her.

  It was no use.

  Sorrow burned through her veins like acid, and she found herself unable to think or even move of her own volition.

  King continued to shout out orders, and the soldiers stripped the house of all its supplies. They even emptied Tara and Amy’s cupboards, stuffing their belongings into duffel bags along with the available food, water, and weapons.

  Once they were finished, Red forced Amy outside, where a van awaited them. Light snow crunched beneath her slippers, and she shivered in her thin pajamas. The moon shone down with a cold eye, distant and uncaring.

  Amy considered screaming, but what was the use? There was no one to hear her — no one to help. Her brother was dead, and the rest of her friends scattered around the base. She was alone, except for Tara.

  At the entrance to the van, Red taped her mouth shut with duct tape and tossed her into the back. She rolled across the cold metal floor, wincing when she hit her head on the side. Tara was thrown in with as little ceremony, and together they helped each other up into a sitting position.

  The supplies from the house followed them into the van, and Amy nearly cried with relief when Perez tossed them a couple of blankets. Huddled inside the warm folds, they could do nothing but wait as fate and a group of criminals tore them away from their home and loved ones.

  Leaning against Tara’s warm body, Amy stared into the darkness, her heart as hollow as a drum. The love and affection it once held was gone, replaced by anger, bitterness, and sorrow. With her teeth clenched together, she made a vow. I swear on my life that King and his men will pay. One day, I’ll kill them all.

  End of preview: Available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L5HLNW8

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