Her breathing quickened, rasping through her mask. She leaned against the wall, only to have Colton pull her back. He pointed at a stain she’d leaned against. Her stomach churned If she’d had a hole in her suit, she could have doomed herself to some type of horrible living death. Why did people work in places like this? Was it that important to come up with a virus that could eradicate most of the human race?
“Clear!” Rachel’s voice rang down the hall.
The rest of them stepped into a cavernous room. Glass from test tubes crunched under their feet.
Rachel held up a black box. Tears shimmered in her eyes. “Here is the beginnings of an antidote. With this, I can finish the scientist’s work in a matter of days and help us reclaim this world.”
Hope leaped in Chalice. Leaving the rest of their group behind at the mall they called home might be worth it after all.
“We need to find a place to hole up for a week,” Colton said. “Quarantine ourselves before heading home.”
“The living quarters are a floor under us.” Rachel held the box as if it were the most precious item in her life. Which, it probably was. “There may be undead down there. I noticed some beams blocking the door. Anything down there would not have been able to get out.”
Hope fled, and fear filled Chalice. They had to fight the undead while wearing bulky suits? Sure, they wore their leather clothing underneath, but it wasn’t a bite from a monster that scared her the most. It was what she would be exposed to if her suit was torn. She eyed the broken glass on the floor. Who knew what other silent killer floated on the air?
She raced down the hall and into the sunshine. Still, it wasn’t safe to remove her mask, no matter how strong the feeling of suffocation had grown. She bent at the waist, placing her hands on her knees, and struggled to regulate her breathing.
“Chalice?” Colton put his arm around her. “Are you all right?”
“No.” She straightened. “To have a safe place to sleep, we have to go underground, again, and clean out the undead. I’m sleeping in the Hummer. I don’t care if I can’t lay down.”
“It isn’t any safer out there.”
“Then, let’s leave. We can find a place to camp far away from here and take off these suits. Please. I can’t stay here.”
“I agree.” Mom stood next to them. “Let’s leave. This place has done enough evil. We have what we came for.”
“Okay.” Colton turned and marched back into the building.
*
He didn’t blame Chalice and Marianne at all. The thought of sleeping underground was enough to make his stomach churn. “We’re leaving,” he told the others. “Chalice won’t sleep here. We’ll be more comfortable out of these suits.”
“But we’ll be safe from the undead here,” Rachel said. “Once we clean out—”
Colton shook his head. “We’ll find somewhere else to hold up. I’m sure there’s something in that small town we passed through a couple of hours ago.”
“There is.” Rachel frowned. “I stayed in the motel when I fled here. If it hasn’t become overrun, there’s plenty of room. But—”
“Okay. We got what we came for. Everybody back in the vehicles.” He turned and moved back to Chalice’s side, leaving the others to follow at their own pace.
The thump-thump of helicopter blades kicked up the dirt as the machine landed. Colton grabbed his rifle as three men in army uniforms, gas masks covering their faces, jumped to the ground.
“Drop your weapons,” one ordered. “Get to your knees with your hands clasped behind your head.”
Colton set the rifle back in the Hummer and followed orders. He pressed his shoulder against Chalice in an attempt to keep her calm. She didn’t respond well to strangers telling her what to do, whether they wore a uniform or not.
“I’ll take that box, ma’am,” the soldier said, taking it from Rachel. “Then, you all get in the chopper.”
“Why?” Colton squared his shoulders.
“This area is restricted. You’ve violated a direct posted order, and are wanted for questioning.” He motioned his weapon toward the chopper.
One-by-one, they all filed in. The other two soldiers climbed behind the wheel of the automobiles driven by Colton and the others and sped across the field. Once everyone was buckled in, the gun still trained on them, the copter rose into the air.
“I’m one of the scientists that worked here,” Rachel shouted over the noise.
“Then you’re of special interest, ma’am.” The soldier kept his attention straight ahead, focusing on a spot above Colton’s head.
Colton looked down as the helicopter flew over hordes of the undead. Unless those driving the Hummer and the truck knew of a back way to where he was being flown, they’d never make it. All their weapons would be gone, guarded by those so sick their main focus was to devour the living. He slumped in his seat. The loss of the weapons was as detrimental as being carted off to places unknown.
After an hour of flying, the copter landed on a military base heavily surrounded by barbed wire. Spikes on the outside of the fences displayed several decaying bodies. Left because of a lack of manpower to remove them or to cover the smell of the living?
“Everyone out and kneel.” The soldier ushered them from the helicopter and stood guard as a man in a suit and five soldiers marched toward them.
The man in the suit stopped and faced them. “Follow me.”
“On whose orders?” Colton stood.
“The president of the United States.” The man turned.
Ushered by the soldiers, the group was led into a tent and sprayed with a chemical, then ordered to drop the hazmat suits in order to be sprayed again. The second time, the chemical stung Colton’s eyes and the inside of his nose. Saturated and smelling like alcohol mixed with gasoline, they were then ordered to follow the soldiers to another building in the center of the compound.
They were led to a small room and ordered to stay until summoned. The door was locked to prevent them from leaving. A long table held an assortment of packaged crackers and canned soda. Chalice grabbed a package and a can before sitting in a hard plastic chair.
“What in the hell is going on?” Amos peered through a barred window. “The president? A functioning military base? Why haven’t we seen signs of this before?”
“The survivalist group did tell us that someone was broadcasting on the president’s behalf,” Chalice said.
“What do you think they want with us?” Mychal, despite being seventeen and doing the job of a man most days, leaned into Marianne, his adopted mother.
“Questioning for being at the research facility is what the soldier said.” Colton pulled a chair away from the wall and straddled it. “My question is … if they knew that black box existed, why not have someone go and get it before now?”
“Waiting for fools like us to risk our lives.” Amos plopped his large bulk into another chair. “No one, us included, knew what was in that facility until we went in. Why risk their own people?”
Colton folded his arms on the back of the chair and rested his chin on them. Made sense, in theory, but he’d never heard of the government not risking the military before. Maybe there just wasn’t enough soldiers to take such a chance.
The lock on the door clicked, signaling someone was about to enter. Colton bolted to his feet. If it wasn’t something good, he didn’t want to be caught off his feet. The others formed a half circle behind him. Whatever was going to happen, they’d face it as a unified front.
A soldier stepped inside, gun on his shoulder, and left the door open. “President Balch.”
2
“Sit, please.” The president took a seat at the head of the table. “We don’t have a lot, but you’re welcome to what we do have.” He motioned toward the crackers and soda.
“Why are you holding us here?” Chalice crossed her arms.
He raised his eyebrows. “Which of you is the scientist?”
“I am.” Rachel stood.
“The facility where you worked is off limits.” The president steepled his fingers. “What’s in the black box?”
“I’m hoping it’s an antidote.”
“Hmm. You believe you can cure the world of this affliction?”
“I hope so.” She put a hand on Eric’s shoulder. “This is Eric King. He’s immune to both the virus and the bite. If I combine his blood with what is in the vials in that box, I believe I can. Yes, sir.”
“What do you need?”
“A laboratory.”
“You shall have it. Please, you and this man go with this soldier.” Once they had left, he directed his attention to Chalice and the others. “As for the rest of you … well, you’re free to remain. You’ll be safe here. Please introduce yourselves.”
After introducing everyone in the group, Chalice shook her head. “We have quite a large group at the mall in Wilbur Springs. We’d be happy to stay with you if we can fetch them.” She glanced at Colton, who nodded. “There are women, children, a doctor. They’re expecting us back soon.”
“Children?” President Balch smiled. “I’m impressed that your group alone has survived, much less young ones. I’ll send some men with you to retrieve your group and any supplies you have.”
Chalice stood and offered her hand. “Thank you.” They were all going to be fine. The world would regain some normalcy. Hopefully, by the time they returned, Rachel would have the antidote and all those inside the military compound would be safe from the undead’s bite.
“I will request that anyone over the age of fifteen join the military. While our walls are strong, there is still an element of danger,” the president said, shaking her hand. “The others will be assigned duties benefiting their experience, or lack thereof.”
“That’s the same as we have it now, sir.”
“Good. Rest. Dinner is at five.” The president stood. “I will send you with five soldiers in the morning.”
“Sir?” Colton stood. “I saw the hordes of undead as we flew in. How do you propose we get out?”
President Balch grinned. “Through the back way, of course. That herd you saw is fully enclosed within an impenetrable fence. We sound a horn every morning to draw more in. Soon, we’ll rid this part of the country from those monsters.”
“Why Missouri?” Chalice asked. “What brought you here?”
“This, my dear, is the least affected part of the country.” He marched from the room.
Chalice plopped back into her chair. They were drawing the undead to their gate? What if something went wrong? They’ll be overrun. “That’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard of.”
“What does he hope to gain by surrounding this place with those things?” Colton unscrewed the top of a water bottle.
“To make it safer out there, I guess.” Amos shrugged. “Would make more sense to enclose them things farther away, in my opinion.”
“On second thought, I’m not bringing our people back here.” Chalice paced the room. The thought of hundreds of those monsters surrounding them, chilled her blood. They had everything they needed in the mall. Everything except a steady source of food, which this place probably didn’t have either, and the antidote. Surely, the president would let them leave and allow them back once Rachel had accomplished her goal. “Maybe we can sneak out?”
“Not with that camera watching our every move.” Amos motioned his head toward a camera in the top right corner of the room. “I’ll bet you they’re listening to our conversation now, too.”
“Looks like we stepped into a hornets nest by joining up with y’all,” John Dillow said. “Still, we’re safer in these concrete walls, than out there. My family is staying.”
“Mom?” Chalice faced her.
“I go where you go. This place makes me nervous. I’d like to go home.”
“Me, too,” Mychal said. “We have everything we need there.”
“I guess it’s settled.” Colton headed for the door. “I’ll request a meeting with the president.”
Chalice laughed. “I bet you never figured you would ever have the opportunity to say that.”
“No, I never did.” He held out his hand for her to grasp. “Come with me. The rest can wait here.”
She glanced over her shoulder. Mom nodded. Chalice squared her shoulders. “Let’s make a deal with the president.”
They opened the door and asked the soldier standing guard to take them to President Balch. The soldier led them down a long stark hallway and into a large room full of chairs. At the front, the president sat behind a large desk, his feet propped on the polished surface
“Miss Hart, Mr. Morgan.” He lowered his feet to the floor. “What can I do for you?”
“Sir,” Chalice moved to the front of his desk. “We’re uncomfortable with the amount of undead you have around this compound. If you’re overrun … well, I’m not sure I want to bring the rest of our people here. We’re safer at the mall.”
“Do you agree, Mr. Morgan?”
“Yes, sir.” Colton stepped to Chalice’s side. “No disrespect, but we’ve seen enough of what’s out there to know that the horde needs to be moved to another location. We won’t allow our group brought here unless they are. Not to mention we have an entire mall at our disposal.”
President Balch frowned. “We can force you to stay, you know.” He held up a hand as Chalice opened her mouth to protest. “But, we won’t. You’ve survived out there longer than most people twice your age. I value your opinion.” He folded his hands on the desktop. “You move those monsters to a new location, and I’ll transport every single item in that mall to this spot. Deal?”
Chalice wasn’t sure how they would manage it, but she knew with every fibre of her being, that they’d find a way. “Deal.” She thrust out her hand. “We need your soldiers to follow our orders.”
The president shook her hand. “Done.”
*
Colton walked in silence back to where the others waited. Moving a group of zombies the size of what shuffled around outside was nothing more than a pipe dream. He entered the room and slumped at the table.
“What?” Amos leaned forward.
“The president will allow everything in the mall to be moved to this location if we come up with a way to relocate that herd outside. Otherwise, we’re stuck here and those in the mall are staying there or brought here by force.”
“Democracy died with the birth of the virus.” Amos rubbed his face. “Had to happen sooner or later.”
“All we need is bait,” Chalice said. “Go up in the helicopter, find a location, then lure the herd with live bait to the spot. Close them in and let them rot.”
“We’re going to need a lot of bait.” Colton shook his head. “It’ll work, in theory, but it’s a huge gamble.”
“Sir?” The soldier stepped into the room. “I’m Sergeant Mason. We’ve a pen full of chickens. We can use some of those, maybe even spare a cow or two.”
Colton glanced at Chalice. “We’ve seen the chicken idea work before.”
“Or.” Her eyes brightened. “We hook a cow to the bottom of the copter, hoist it a few feet from the ground, tossing out a chicken every once in a while, and lure those things that way. Some are bound to stay behind, but the soldiers can finish them off.”
“You have livestock?” Amos leaned forward.
“And a garden.” Sergeant Mason shifted his rifle. “We’ve collected every animal around these parts that we could find. Otherwise, those … things … would kill everything. We lost quite a few good men fencing off a large section of the forest to allow the deer to populate in peace. President Balch believes in saving everything that breathes.”
“That’s something good to say about the man,” Amos chuckled. “I didn’t vote for him, but I might change my mind after all this.”
“If you’d like to go now, we can take the helicopter and scout out a place.”
Colton pushed to his feet. “No time like the present.” He kissed Ch
alice, glad she had decided to stay behind and rest. Their plan was insane, and she’d need all her strength.
He followed the sergeant to the helicopter pad and climbed inside the black sphere. He spotted the Hummer as they rose, thankful the trusty vehicle had made it. That machine had saved them a lot of times.
They flew low over the terrain. Colton scanned the ground under them. “There.” He pointed to a narrow valley between two steep mountain ranges.
The pilot dipped lower. The entrance to the canyon looked to be half the size of a football field. The valley not much bigger. Since the undead seemed to lose the ability to climb, they’d never scale the steep cliffs. All Colton needed to do now was figure out a way to keep them enclosed.
“Can we get our hands on some dynamite? If we blow up the opening to that canyon, we should be able to keep them inside.”
The pilot nodded and turned back to the base. “Sounds like a plan to me. Have fun luring those things all the way out here.”
“You give me my weapons, my vehicles, some livestock, and this helicopter, and I’ll show you what my group can do.” Colton grinned. It would work. It would have to.
Back at the base, he joined the others in the dining hall where they were served stew and canned biscuits. He’d eaten a lot of the same over the last year, but food was food. They’d be up for a few more hours finalizing the details of their plan and needed to eat.
He told the others of the canyon. “I think it’s perfect. “Half a day by automobile. If guards are posted there, this base would have a few hours notice if the undead found a way out, which I doubt.”
“Do they plan on bringing every undead they find to that place?” Marianne asked.
He shook his head. “No, they kill what they can, but you know how easy it is to run across numbers to difficult to handle.”
“How do they lure them inside the pen?” Mychal’s spoon paused half-way to his mouth. “Whoever goes in, probably doesn’t come out. I saw quite a few in military uniform.”
Colton’s stomach soured. He didn’t want to think about them using the living to lure the dead. They wouldn’t, would they? Surely, mankind was no longer expendable. There wasn’t enough of them left.
The Zombie Awakening (Complete 6 Volume Series, plus prologue) Page 35
