The Outbreak Series Boxed Set

by Thomas Baker

  It was a long moment before Randall answered. JT was about to tear the house down to find what he wanted if Randall didn't want to help.

  "You will find what you need in the garage and I will make you a deal. I'll come to the church with you. I will keep a lookout for you, but fighting anyone is off the table."

  "Suit yourself Sheriff. Just don't get in my way." JT snarled his words out.

  JT wasted no time collecting what he wanted from the garage. He tore off, back to the school, without another word. With little in the way of caution, JT rushed through the college using the bolt cutters on the pool doors and he was in. He watched the zombies mill around aimlessly, almost hypnotized by there random movements. Ironically, it calmed him down enough so he could think somemore on exactly how he would proceed.

  The bolt cutters were long. He could reach through the fence and cut open the lock on the inside gate. The rattling attracted some attention. He held up the small lantern he brought. In the faint light, he could see one of the faces pressed again the chain link was Tyrone's. JT cut the outside lock and threw open the gate.

  He dropped the bolt cutters. The clang echoed across the gym. Now all the zombies focused in his direction. The press of there bodies opened the outside gate, and they funneled through and out the second gate like cattle down a chute.

  At this point JT was already across the gym and at the door. He banged it with the bat he had brought. Soon as he was sure they were following him, he backed out and down the hallway, banging on lockers as he went.

  "Stop right there," a voice shouted from behind him.

  JT spun around. It was Daryll. His leg wasbandaged up still, but he didn't seem to have much trouble walking. Shame Randall didn't shoot him in the head. Daryll's gun was trained on JT, a red dot in the middle of his chest. Guy has a laser sight?

  "Look at this," Daryll said, stabbing his gun towards JT. "I came down for a routine check and looky what I find. Albright will be-JESUS CHRIST."

  JT figured he must have seen the zombie parade. Using the distraction, JT dove for the next hallway. Daryll took two shots at him. JT raced down the hall as fast as he could, lantern clanging in hand. He had to admit he was begrudgingly impressed. He didn't think Daryll would have the stones to worry about JT in the face of the zombies. JT heard more shots echo down the hallway. He stopped. I'm going to have to stop him before he shoots all of my decoys.

  "Hey! Ass wipe!" JT's voice echoed down the empty hallways. "They put you on simpleton duty after getting shot by Randall? Now what, you're going to let me get away? What will your bosses say when they find out? Will you be demoted even further? Maybe Charlie won't even let you wipe the sweat from his balls anymore?"

  There was a guttural roar when Daryll charged around the corner, firing wildly. JT turned this way and that, flying past classrooms, blindly running away, having no idea of the layout of the school.

  Here I go again. I rushed off in anger. Now look at the mess I'm in. I don't even have a gun.

  He must have doubled back somehow, as he turned a corner and smacked full steam into two zombies. He stumbled, hands full, trying to keep upright. His shoulder banged off the concrete wall but he stayed upright. Both of the zombies fell flat on there back. They wriggled around like turtles trying to get right side up.

  JT lifted his lantern up and out, squinting down the hallway. He could see the rest of the group of zombies coming towards him. Behind him he heard. "Where are you, you son of a whore?"

  Shit.

  JT looked around. Across the hall was a door. It had a good-sized window in the middle. JT could see written on the window the words Assistant Dean's Office. He tried the knob, but it was locked. With his bat he broke the window,reached inside, and opened it. A glance behind him showed him the two zombies he had knocked over had regained there feet.

  A popping sound echo through the enclosed halls. Warm goo sprayed the side of JT's face. He ducked through the door and shut it behind him, wiping as he went. In front of him was a counter, about waist high, that cross the length of the room, cutting it in half. Behind the counter there sat office desks and computers. There was an open door to the left of him and a closed door to the right. He opened the door to the right and clumsily making his way over the counter. He ducked down behind a desk as he heard the office door bang open. He wished with all his might for Daryll to take the bait.

  "You're trapped now," Daryll huffed. "And don't think I'm so stupid as to think you would leave the door open behind you."

  JT peeked over the top of the desk. Daryll had gone through the left door. Still wrong dipshit. As quietly as he could, JT climbed up on the desk and crouched. He held his bat at his shoulder.

  "Damn you," Daryll said, coming back through the doorway, his focus fully ahead.

  JT swung down as he passed. He slipped on the desk as his weight shifted. Instead of clocking him on the head, the bat grazed down the side of it instead and bounced off of his shoulder. Daryll's gun clattered to the ground.

  JT jump down was less than graceful. He gripped the bat at both ends and raised it over Daryll's head. Like a gator grabbing its prey JT pulled back the bat at Daryll's neck, trying to strangle him. Daryll tried to get ahold of the bat. They shuffled back and forth, spinning around. Daryll turned slightly and rammed his body backward. JT's back hit the counter hard. JT winced and his grip slipped.

  Daryll apparently closed the office door behind him. JT could hear the scraping and scratching of zombies on the other side. Pushing off of the counter, JT put a hold on Daryll, like the ones he put on drunks back in his bouncer days. He wrenched Daryll's right arm behind his back, pulling it until Daryll howled in pain. JT hitched closer to the door, dragging the struggling Daryll with him.

  "Enjoy being a zombie, you prick."

  JT let go, grabbed Daryll's deadened arm, and shoved it through the hole in the window. He pressed his body against Daryll's, back to back. Daryll screamed and convulse. Hepushed off the wall with his left arm. JT stumbled a few steps away. Daryll dropped, slumping against the counter. He clutched his arm to his chest. The arm looked like it had been a victim of a terrible industrial accident. JT thought he could see bone.

  Knowing he only had moments before Daryll turned, JT scooped up his bat and his lantern. He also took Daryll's gun and shoved it in his waistband. He went into the room on the right, closing the door behind him. He could make out a few tables and a fridge. It must have been a teacher's lounge. At the other end of the room was what JT was hoping for, a window. He busted it out and into the night he went. Goosebumps formed on his arms in the fall air. It wasn't until then he realized he was covered in sweat.

  Man, what a close one. I sure hope Daryll enjoys sharing Tyrone's fate. Next stop, Albright.

  Now thathe was outside, he wasn't sure how he would keep up his crazy pied piper routine. JT went around to the front door of the college. It pleasantly surprised him to see zombies shuffling and stumbling out the opening. JT continued to back up, holding the lantern at his side with one hand and the bat with the other.

  He smacked the bat on the concrete, satisfied with the hollow echo it produced, which carried through the empty night. When he was convinced the zombies were more or less going in the direction of the church grounds, JT popped back into the college through the front door. Remember the rough sketch of Randall's; JT went down the main staircase and through a door down into the basement. There in the boiler room, he would find the entrance to the tunnels.

  Gus was beside himself with nerves as he watched Randall pack up a bag of what looked to be tactical gear. Both he and Linda couldn't help but stare when the Sheriff retrieved a large aluminum looking briefcase from another room. He popped it open, displaying an obviously well kept unassembled sniper rifle. Linda and Gus both swapped awe shocked looks as Randall made quick work of locking together all the pieces in seconds. Gus felt like a kid who had been caught spying on their parents wrapping presents when he turned in their direction.

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nbsp; "Gus, Linda, you two might do good to hit the garage before I depart for the church, in case there're any problems."

  "Where you charging off to there, Sheriff? I thought you told JT this church business was his problem?"

  "Damn JT is what the problem is. Now I'm sitting here feeling all guilty. When I thought I was protecting my people I was damning them. Also, I can't ignore what my gut is telling me any longer about your friend. JT would shoot the whole place up in a rage if it meant getting Hannah back and making Albright pay for what he has done to Tyrone.

  "Are you going to help JT, the church people or yourself then?"

  "A mix of them all I reckon." Randall shook his head. "My talks with JT. I don't know if they did a damn bit of good. So yeah, I'm going out. You two stay here, protect each other."

  "Now Sheriff, I know I'm just a wounded old man but those are like my kids out there. I can hold my own and I won't get in anyone's way. I can't sit around here with my thumb up my ass while JT is out there trying to get us all out of here."

  "Gus! You're in no shape to be going on a rescue mission!" Linda placed her hand on Gus's back as she spoke.

  "Linda, honey, you're a true sweetheart but this isn't up for debate. I'm going. I owe it to JT and I damn sure owe it to Tyrone. What happened to him I still can't..."

  "Look, I promised I would look after you and I keep my promises. I have an old Sheriff's cruiser stashed close by. I'm going to go fetch it. I want you two armed and waiting for me in the driveway in seven minutes or I will assume you're not coming." Sheriff Randall didn't even give them a chance to reply as he turned and headed out the door.

  "Seven minutes, you reckon he is that good or just one oddball guesstimator?" Gus shot Linda a signature Gus smirk.

  "You're one stubborn old mule, Gus!" Linda scowled as she pushed past Gus and made her way out into the garage.

  "Well Crusty Dusty, where the hell are ya' when we need ya'?" Gus kind of chuckled to himself as he made his way into the garage. Gus had already been through too much loss. He didn't want to lose anyone else.

  Gus walked into the garage to find Linda locking shells into a rifle and putting more into a bag slung over her shoulder.

  "Well, look at you Annie Oakley. You a shooter?" Gus snickered.

  "I've had some self-protection classes. I didn't always live in such a small town.I've been to the gun range, it's taught me enough. Who would have thought I would need them for something like this? I heal people, I don't kill them. Don't expect me to do much except in self defense. You want the other rifle?"

  "No, no, ole Gussy Poo here has his eyes on a different prize."

  Gus made his way past Linda towards an open gun cabinet where two Smith and Wesson.44 Specials hung in a Wild West style gun belt. He couldn't resist his own smile as he strapped it around his waist.

  "Typical man. You ready to head out there Doc Holliday?" Linda mocked.

  "Yes ma'am, except for the time being you better just call me Huckleberry Hound."

  Linda rolled her eyes. "Let's head out then, Huckleberry, our seven minutes is about up."

  Sheriff Randall made short work of the trip to the church. He skirted around the church through some wooded area and ending at a spot maybe a half mile away. Randall informed Linda and Gus this was a place the local Boy Scouts used to hike to and rest for lunch. You could tell because of the carefully placed logs in a circle.

  Gus and Linda watched as Randall took out what they assumed were night vision goggles. The Sheriff methodically scanned the area of the church.

  "How's it looking down there Sheriff?" Gus quietly inquired.

  "Few church folks, I don't see any sign of Albright, JT or this Hannah you've all toldme so..." Randall trailed off.

  "Sheriff? What is it? You act like you've seen a ghost."

  Gus and Linda waited in silence for a moment before Randall spoke again.

  "No ghosts Gus, just ghouls, more than JT estimated I reckon. They're headed dead on for the church."

  "How many are you estimating?" Gus wasn't sure he wanted the answer.

  Randall looked through his goggles again. "Twenty-eight."

  Gus laughed at his thought of them taking on all those zombies and the church people.

  "There's Charlie and three others, all armed, headed into the church. You two stay in the cruiser."

  Gus waited all the thirty seconds before getting out and joining Randall. Linda was right beside him.

  "I thought I asked you to stay in the car," Randall growled low, as he knelt beside one log in the circle.

  "Guess you'll have to keep us safe by your side," Gus sternly replied.

  Randall sighed and went back to looking through his goggles.

  "I got zombies at my three o'clock." Randall relayed.

  Gus stood up behind Randall, holding his arm in the air making a pretend clock and looking in what he thought was the right direction. Randall handed the binoculars to Gus. Gus saw them rambling up the road towards the church. There didn't seem to be any sign at the church they knew danger was coming. I guess that business with Charlie and his gang was something unrelated. A bright light temporarily blinded him. He pulled the goggles away with a jerk.

  "Sheriff, what the hell?" Gus's temper broke.

  Blinking he could make out Randall standing, pointing an oversized gun up into the air. A pop and an explosion of color broke the night right about the hanging tree in front of the church.

  "You're leading them right to battle like an expert cattle herder!" Gus exclaimed. "Next time you should warn a man first. Think it's about time to move in?"

  Neither Randall nor Linda said anything at first. Linda darted her eyes back and forth between the two men until Randall spoke up.

  "Ok Gus, you win. We move in, but we have to go in on foot. You two stay behind me and follow my lead or I stay here. If I'm doing this, I am controlling the situation."

  Gus couldn't help but think of Dusty as Randall gave out commands.

  "Yes sir Sheriff, by all meanslead on." Gus left all wit out of his reply this time.

  Sheriff Randall led them down the hill and across the two-lane road. Randall moved in silent strides and stuck to the tree line as much as possible. They rounded straight across the road from the front of the church, reaching it without incident. The massive tree, stood like a sentinel at the church's entrance. The ropes creaked and groaned in the steady breeze of the night. Gus shivered and not from the chill. They had a good view through the front windows into the church. Light was blazing inside. They must have lit a thousand candles in there to be so bright. They know something is up?

  Gus saw Hannah and Albright dash past one of the windows. He about did a double take. Who would have thunk it? Gus remembered from Randall's map the direction they seemed to be going towards was towards the Reverend's office and living quarters.

  "That's my Hannah, and she looks upset. Cover me Sheriff I'm moving in."

  Gus was out of the bushes and making his way towards the church before Randall or Linda could even protest or try to stop him.

  "Gus, you damn old fool. You better careful. Randall go in after him." Linda steamed through clinched teeth. "I'll let JT know his friend Gus is just about as bad as he is about running off."

  Randall looked mightily pissed, but he said nothing. He crossed the road and went in behind Gus. Linda took off around the side of the church, watchful of the zombies as they ambled closer.

  JT sat his lantern on the floor and threw his full weight into the locked door, sure this was the one that led down into the tunnels. He wished he had Tyrone, Gus, or hell even Dusty right now to help keep an eye on the church. He didn't know if the zombies were. What if they go veering off in another direction? Or what if by his stupid luck the zombies were all taken care of by the time he got there? He would end up with an alert and pissed off church population to fight through.

  He ran at the door again, got a groan and a little crack but still it stood. He was revving up for anoth
er run when a sound made him spin. A figure stepped out of the shadows into the lantern's light.

  "Linda, what are you doing here? Something happen to Gus?"

  "He was born a stubborn jackass, that's what happened to him." Linda was breathless. JT looked at her, panic tried to rise inside him. He stamped it down. He needed to focus on his mission. Gus was a big boy.

  "We came down to the church with Randall. We were staking out the place. Gus saw Hannah through a window with Albright and took off. I came here, followed the noise you were making. I thought you'd want to know both are here to help you. We have to hurry. I don't want to lose him."

  "Damn it, Gus!" JT kicked the door hard enough to send his knee into a throbbing spasm. The frame cracked in places, but when he pushed it still didn't open.

  "Here, let me help," Linda said. She pulled the door open JT had been trying to push in.

  "Oh. Thanks," JT grumbled, He massaged his knee and felt like an idiot.

  Linda shrugged. "You know, the forest for the trees and all that. Let's go. I hope Gus hasn't done anything too stupid like going inside alone, but in all likelihood he has. You men." Linda let out an exaggerated sigh and went through the door. JT scooped up his lantern and followed. At the bottom of the stairs, darkness stretched out before them.

  It smelled of musty disuse and dirty neglect. The brick walls, the low ceiling, the unsettling silence. It gave JT pictures of creepy tombs from dozens of horror movies he had watched.

  The floors were uneven and rugged. It reminded JT of a drunken dare he accepted with his buddies back in the day. Stupid teenagers, going into an open sewage drain tunnel under this supposedly haunted bridge. They had all screamed when the dinky flashlight they had brought crapped out. The crazy scramble out in the dark left them laughingtheir ass off calling each other scared pussies.

  As they walked, it shocked him how many intersections there were in the tunnels. He wondered where they all lead to. He wouldn'tbe surprised if Albright set bobby traps in some. It's what he would have done.