Dead & Alive Collection #1 [Books 1-6]

by Smith, I. J.

  Jack looked down. He stood up and walked over to Tommy, he placed his arms around him.

  “I’m never leaving you brother!” he reassured him.

  They stood there for a moment.

  Raven appeared. “You guys OK? We found The Riverhouse,” she told them.

  Jack held Tommy’s face. “So, shall we go and save our family?” he asked.

  Tommy smiled and nodded his head.

  “Come on, let’s go and get them!” Jack said with a big smile.

  CHAPTER NINE

  BITCH

  Blood dripped onto the floor, Ray had his hands tied behind his back as the men took turns punching him. His eye was already swollen; he was barely able to see Kat anymore. She was tied up with the other kids and kept screaming out.

  “STOP! PLEASE! STOP!”

  The tattooed woman approached her; she smiled as she kicked Kat in the face.

  “Shut it!”

  Kat slumped to the ground. Lifting her head, she revealed a deep cut above her eye; the dripping blood blurred her vision of Ray.

  Three men were now standing around Ray kicking him; he was lying motionless on the ground.

  Suddenly there was three loud knocks on the door.

  ‘BANG! BANG! BANG!’

  Alina was sitting on the edge of the bed; she held a bottle of Vodka to her lips.

  “Who the fuck knocks around here?” Alina asked the people in the room.

  Then it happened again. ‘BANG! BANG! BANG!’

  The three men stopped kicking Ray and watched two others walk towards the door. Alina stood up and took a deep drink. As the men reached the door it suddenly flew open with force. The men fell backwards onto the floor. Alina stood frozen to the spot at what she could see.

  “Jack!” she muttered under her breath.

  The tattooed woman ran over to protect Alina.

  The two men stood up from the floor and backed up, the three other men also backed away. Everyone watched as Jack held a machete to the neck of the man he had put into the boot. Jack slowly guided the man into the room.

  Jack looked around the room; he could see Ray on the ground bleeding. He noticed Kat and three children tied to a table.

  “Come on in!” Jack said.

  Jacob walked in with his rifle raised, quickly followed by Sarah and Raven.

  “Welcome to hell, bitches!” Jacob joked.

  Jack glanced at him.

  “I’ve always wanted to say that,” Jacob added.

  Sarah and Raven rushed over to the children.

  “Are you all OK?” Raven asked, while cuddling them.

  Sarah made quick work cutting through the rope. Raven helped the children up and guided them outside to the car. Sarah struggled to help Kat to her feet, she was unsteady and focusing all her attention on Ray.

  “Grandad!” she shouted.

  “It’s OK, your both safe now!” Sarah reassured her.

  Ray started to stir; he looked up, with his bleeding face and looked at Jack with a smile.

  “Sarah, get her out of here!” Jack told her.

  “The other kids!” Sarah snapped back.

  Jack looked at her sternly. “They’re not here, they never were. Don’t worry I will find out where they are,” he replied.

  Sarah noticed the look in his eyes and decided not to argue, she instead led Kat outside.

  Glancing over his shoulder to make sure the others were gone. Jack slid his machete across the neck of the man he was holding. Blood sprayed out, the man grabbed for his neck and fell dead to the ground.

  Five men stood in front of them looking in horror at Jack.

  “Now, who’s next?” he asked.

  The tattooed woman pushed Alina back.

  “Hello Alina!” Jack said with a smile.

  Alina pushed her guard to one side and stepped forward.

  “Oh wow, you look…you look like shit!” Jack laughed.

  “I thought you would have learned your lesson by now, don’t fuck with my people!” he continued.

  Alina took a deep breath; trying to hide her fear of the man who scarred her for life.

  “Jack! I never knew they were with you!” she struggled to say.

  “We can make a deal, Jack,” she added.

  Jack laughed aloud, his laughing echoed through the room.

  The five men began to move, Jack noticed them clenching their fists and keeping their eyes locked on Jack.

  Looking at them, Jack gave his half-smile.

  “Oh, boys! Think very carefully, are you sure you want to die here and now?” Jack said to them in a calm voice.

  Jacob moved to stand beside Jack; he kept his rifle aimed at the men.

  “It’s OK Jacob, go help Ray,” Jack told him.

  “But!” Jacob began to speak, but Jack raised his hand stopping him.

  Jacob moved over to Ray.

  Alina and her guard watched as the five men surrounded Jack. He sheathed his machete and stood perfectly still.

  “Last chance, boys,” Jack said with a smile.

  One man rushed forward, Jack side-stepped and punched the man in the throat. Jack threw his arm around the man’s neck and snapped it clean. Another man grabbed Jack from behind; Jack turned and sunk his teeth into the man’s eye socket.

  Jack then took a bite into the man’s eye and ripped it out of the socket, then spat it to the ground. The sound of Jacob once again being sick echoed out around the room.

  Jack spun to face the last three men, instead of waiting for them to approach, Jack ran at them.

  Kicking one of them in the balls, the man screamed in pain. Jack grabbed the second and smashed his head into a brick pillar that stood by them in the room. The head popped like a balloon, blood and flesh covered the floor. The last man rushed at Jack, who moved to his side and stamped on the man’s knee, snapping it in half. Jack kneeled down, he grabbed the man’s head and with two hard hits he smashed it into the floor.

  Jack stood up and looked over at Alina with a smile.

  He walked towards her and her guard; the screaming man with the missing eye was still on the floor.

  “SHUT UP!” Jack shouted as he stamped on the man’s head. Jacob, once again, was sick.

  “You’re one mean motherfucker!” Jacob shouted.

  Jack continued to walk towards Alina.

  “Now, come and talk to The Reaper!” he said to her.

  “A deal, we can make a deal! I can tell you where the kids are! All I want is to go free!” she begged.

  Jack came face to face with her. He looked at the filled blisters on her face.

  “I warned you once, never to fuck with mine. You did, twice and both times I burnt you, fucked you over,” he said to her.

  Suddenly a voice shouted out.

  “IT’S A DEAL!” Ray said.

  Jack looked at him angrily. Walking over to Ray, Jack looked at the blood flowing from his face.

  “Ray, she has to die!” Jack told him.

  “Your right, but not now and not by you!” Ray replied.

  “They took you and Kat, they hurt you,” Jack said.

  “Yes, they hurt me. And you killed them,” Ray said pointing to the floor covered with bodies.

  Ray placed his hand on Jack’s shoulder.

  “You’re not that man anymore!” Ray added.

  Ray walked past Jack. “We have a deal,” he told Alina.

  Jack glanced at Alina who looked at him smirking.

  Alina and the tattooed woman sat at the table where the kids were tied up, Jacob had tied their arms and feet up.

  “Where are they?” Ray asked.

  Alina looked at Jack.

  “How does it feel Jack?” she asked.

  “How does it feel, losing to me again?” she gloated.

  Ray slammed his hands on the table, and then he slapped Alina across the face causing her blisters to pop open and causing her massive pain.

  “THE TRAIN YARD, THEY ARE THERE WITH THE OTHERS!” Alina cried ou
t.

  Ray grabbed Alina round the throat, blood started to run from her wounds as Ray sank his fingers into her skin.

  “Never, ever go near The Reaper again! Or I promise I will fucking kill you myself!” he told her angrily.

  Ray let her go and walked towards the door, Jacob waited for Jack.

  He watched as Jack walked to Alina.

  “Well I guess this is goodbye,” he said.

  “No, we have a deal. You said you would not kill us,” Alina panicked.

  Jack gave his half-smile. “I’m not going to kill you, but I am leaving the doors open. So, you better get through those ropes quickly. Because did you know there are lots of zombies out there?” Jack said as he walked towards Jacob.

  “Yeah bitch and they love some barbecue whore!” Jacob added.

  “Nice,” Jack remarked.

  “Maybe the zombies would like some Soy sauce with her ass,” Jacob added.

  Jack walked out the door shaking his head.

  Jack laughed and said, “That was just desperate.”

  Together they walked off into the night, leaving Alina and her guard alone. As they struggled with the ropes, the sound of groaning echoed from the night sky. Several zombies dragged their feet towards the banquet of dead bodies and those not so dead…yet.

  CHAPTER TEN

  LEFT BEHIND

  Tommy stood by the black car holding a large metal bar waiting for Jack and the others to return. He could see movement in the distance; he gripped the metal bar tight. Kat came into view, Tommy dropped the bar and rushed to greet her, throwing his arms around her and almost knocked her off her feet with his excitement.

  “YOU’RE ALIVE!” He screamed as he held her tight.

  Kat was amused by Tommy’s reaction but what happy to see him too. Raven and Sarah appeared holding the children. Raven and Sarah both gave a thumbs-up to Tommy, who then backed off.

  “Sorry…” Tommy said.

  “It’s OK, I am happy to see you too!” Kat replied, with amusement in her voice.

  Raven led the children to the car and helped them inside.

  “Over there!” Kat pointed.

  On the other side of the road was the motorhome they called home. Tommy rushed over, quickly followed by Sarah. They opened the door and climbed on board.

  “OK, IT’S CLEAR!” Sarah shouted to the others.

  Raven grabbed the kids and with Kat walked over, they were met halfway by Ray. Kat grabbed her grandfather and hugged him like never before. Ray noticed the tears in her eyes.

  “It’s OK, I alright!” he said softly.

  Ray wiped her tears away, and touched his bleeding face.

  “Look what they did to you!” she whispered.

  “Jack stopped them! They will not hurt anyone now!” Ray replied.

  They were disturbed by laughter.

  “I am telling you, that was a good joke!” Jacob complained while laughing.

  “Let it go, you’re just embarrassing yourself now,” Jack replied shaking his head.

  Kat was quick to rush to Jack; he hugged her tightly and kissed her on the top of her head.

  “I’m here now!” he comforted her.

  “Hello again little one,” Jacob said. Kat looked up to see his sparkling white smile.

  Ray joined them, offering his hand in friendship to Jacob.

  “Hi, I’m Ray,” he said.

  Jacob grabbed his hand and began to shake it hard.

  “Ray, it’s good to meet you! Any friend of Jack is a friend of mine,” Jacob greeted him.

  The sound of groaning interrupted them.

  “We should go!” Sarah told everyone.

  Leaving the black car behind everyone headed for the motorhome. Ray stopped and looked towards the open doors of the restaurant, Jack walked over to him.

  “I didn’t kill her,” Jack told him.

  Ray glanced at him.

  “I know, you left the doors open,” Ray replied.

  “Yeah, just because I didn’t kill the bitch doesn’t mean I have to save her. I gave them chance, that is more than they gave anyone else,” Jack told him as he climbed into the motorhome.

  Ray watched the small swarm of zombies enter the restaurant, he could the screams of Alina and her guard echo out.

  “Die you Bitch!” he muttered.

  Jacob drove the motorhome away from the restaurant.

  The children ate some biscuits given to them by Tommy.

  “So where are we headed?” Sarah asked.

  “The Train Yard, the other kids are all there,” Jack told her.

  The relief could be seen on Raven and Sarah’s faces. Jack felt the warm hand of Sarah against his back.

  “Thank you!” she told him.

  “Don’t thank me yet!”

  Jack was unpacking some bandage and iodine, he handed them to Kat who was taking care of Ray.

  “So, what’s your plan?” Ray asked.

  Jack looked at him.

  “Well first of all, you, Kat and Tommy are staying here in the motorhome,” Jack told him.

  Ray stood up in anger. “You need help, you can’t do it alone!” Ray replied.

  Jack gave his usual half smile and then softly tapped Ray’s ribs with the back of his hand. Ray winced in pain and doubled over.

  “I’m not going alone, but you’re not coming. Me, Sarah, Raven, and that crazy bastard driving will handle it,” Jack replied.

  “I HEARD THAT!” Jacob shouted out.

  For the first time, in a long time, a small amount of laughter broke out. Ray listened, thinking how long it had been since he had heard it.

  “OK, you win!” Ray replied.

  Jack placed his hand on Ray’s shoulder. “Hey, I would stand with you anytime. But right now, you’re fucked up and would slow me down!” Jack told him.

  Ray smiled.

  “Just remember, you’re not that man anymore,” Ray whispered to him.

  Jack nodded and turned to sit in the passenger seat.

  “You OK, coming with us?” Jack asked Jacob.

  “Those kiddies need help, I’m there!” he replied.

  Jacob glanced over his shoulder, he could see Kat tending to Ray, with Raven, Sarah and Tommy talking next to them. He noticed the look Sarah gave Jack.

  “You know, I think she likes you,” Jacob said.

  “What?” Jack said looking around and saw Sarah smiling at him.

  Jack turned back and looked out the window.

  “Unless you already have someone,” Jacob remarked.

  “You are one nosey bastard,” Jack joked.

  “Yeah, no papers or internet, I need my gossip fix,” he replied.

  Jack smiled as he looked at the blood on his hands, he picked up a rag that lay on the floor and began wiping them. Jacob was surprised when Jack suddenly began talking.

  “I was soldier, came to London to find answers and got stuck here. My team, my friends are still out there. Worst part is they think I’m dead!” Jack said quietly.

  Jacob looked over to him, “And?” he asked, knowing there was more he wanted to talk about.

  “Frank, Bray, and Elle, Ryan, Zoe, and some others. Oh yeah, and my dog Paige,” he replied.

  “YOUR DOG! YOU BOUGHT YOUR FUCKING DOG WITH YOU!” Jacob laughed.

  Jack smiled at him.

  “No, I found Paige here, I am sure Elle is looking after her,” Jack replied.

  “AWW! Elle, she is special,” Jacob remarked.

  “They all are!” Jack was quick to point out.

  “Yeah, but you said her name twice my friend.”

  Jack continued to wipe the blood from his hands.

  “She saved me; in every way someone can be saved. I’m a soldier, I’m good at killing. But she showed me how to love. I dream about her every day; I can feel her in my heart every day. I never loved anyone before; I just want to be with her. I just need to find her!” Jack said with powerful emotion.

  Jacob was surprisingly silent.

>   “Your heart beats for her, it’s that love that will keep you alive my friend,” Jacob said quietly.

  Both men smiled at each other. Sarah sat in the back, having heard everything they were saying she suddenly realized Jack’s heart truly belonged to Elle.

  They continued to drive for a few miles; a large blue sign appeared from the darkness.

  ‘Railway’ it read.

  “We’re close,” Jacob said.

  “OK, find somewhere to park. We go on foot from there!” Jack told him.

  Raven and Sarah stood up.

  “Jack, this is not your fight!” Raven told him.

  Ray appeared from behind them holding his rifle; he had hidden in the back.

  “The Reaper is not done yet!” Ray told them.

  Jack looked at Ray, holding his gun.

  “I got your back!” Ray told Jack.

  Jack smiled, “You keep these two safe and we will be back soon.”

  Ray tilted his head in agreement. Ray stood with Kat and Tommy watching the others walk away into the darkness.

  “They’re going to be OK, right?” Kat asked.

  “Nothing can hurt Jack,” Tommy said to Ray’s surprise.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  THE RESCUE

  Kneeling by the tree line, Jack and the others looked towards a large building. There was a large wire fence surrounding the old train yard. Locomotives were scattered around; motorbikes and cars were parked all around the main building. The river ran alongside the wire fence, a few roaming zombies circled the fence. They watched a drunken man and woman laughing loudly, having sex against a car.

  “Romantic,” Raven muttered.

  “Come on, we all like a bit of rough and tumble, now and again!” Jacob remarked.

  Raven, Sarah and Jack glanced over at Jacob.

  “Oops… did I say that out loud,” he joked.

  Jack laughed quietly.

  “OK, best way in is the river,” Jack told them.

  “Fuck that, you know how cold that is?” Jacob asked.