“Have the authorities confirmed that?”
“No. All they’ve told us so far is they need a QRF on scene ASAP.”
“Doesn’t the Army have their own quick reaction force?”
“They do, but they’re at Peterson. We’re closer, so we’ll be the first on scene.”
“What about the cops?”
Gabe paused. “They’ve sealed the perimeter.”
“What?”
“No one in or out.”
“I thought they only do that when there’s…oh shit.”
“Yeah.”
I stopped walking and scratched at the back of my neck. “Look, I know you have plenty of guys, but me and my crew can help.”
Another pause. “Bring them to headquarters. Allison and the baby too. If things go south, we’ll evac all of you.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about.”
“I know. For now, just get here. We’ll figure out the rest later.”
With that, he disconnected the call.
I looked at the phone, said a few unpleasant words, and then dialed Great Hawk’s number. He answered on the second ring.
“What have you heard?”
I smiled a little. That was the Hawk for you. No introductions, no pleasantries, just straight to business.
“The police have sealed off the Refugee District.”
A few seconds passed. “What do you want us to do?”
“The Blackthorns are mobilizing a QRF. Gabe wants us at BSC headquarters just in case. Get the guys to together and head over there now.”
“What about you?”
“I’m going to get my family and meet you over there as soon as I can.”
“And the cargo?”
“Leave it. It’s not a priority right now.”
“It is a lot of trade, Eric.”
“I know. We’ll come back for it later.”
“If there is anything left to come back to.”
I let out a sigh. “One problem at a time, Hawk. See you there.”
I ended the call and went back into the hotel. As I crossed the lobby, a few people noticed my expression and aggressive stride and stared at me. At the elevator, a bellhop pressed the call button and looked at me with concern.
“Is everything alright, sir?”
“Not really. You armed?”
The kid looked startled. “Uh, no sir. None of us are.”
“What about security?”
“There are a few armed officers. And the hotel detective carries a gun.”
I watched the numbers on the readout count down as the elevator descended. “You live nearby?”
“Yes. Just a block away.”
“Got a gun there?”
“Well…yeah, I do.”
A bell chimed and the elevator door opened. “Go home and get it,” I said. “And then head toward the nearest perimeter gate.”
I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for my floor. The kid leaned over to watch me. “Why? What have you heard?”
As the door closed, I said, “Trust me. Just do it.”
Allison and Little Gabe were sitting at a table in the kitchenette when I came through the door. My wife looked up, and whatever she saw on my face told her there was trouble.
“What happened?” she asked.
“The police have sealed off the Refugee District.”
A look of confusion. “But they only do that when there’s…”
I stopped her by nodding. “Yeah.”
“Oh my God.”
“Gabe is waiting for us at BSC headquarters. We need to pack up and get moving before things get too bad out there.”
The little guy stared at me wide-eyed, then looked at his mother. “Mommy, what’s wrong?”
She kissed him on the top of his head as she stood up. “Something bad happened, sweetie. We have to leave now. Daddy and I are going to pack up. You finish your breakfast, okay?”
“Okay.”
He went back to eating. His cheeks were dirty, and his hands were red and sticky. I have never met a child in my life who loves strawberry jam more than my solemn little rug-rat. A powerful ache pulled at something in my chest, and I took a moment to kiss his soft cheek before helping Allison gather our belongings. In five minutes, our bags were packed, Gabriel was bundled from head to toe, and we were headed for the elevators.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Eric,
Western Estates Hotel
The bellhop was not at his station when the doors opened.
Allison carried Little Gabe out and held the door while I maneuvered the luggage cart into the lobby. A manager in a red blazer with the hotel logo embroidered on the lapel saw us and hustled over.
“Is everything alright Mr. Riordan?”
I thought about telling him to piss off—my go-to reaction to being interrupted in stressful situations—but my conscience got the better of me and I leaned close to speak to him.
“Keep your voice down and don’t react, okay? I need to tell you something.”
His brow furrowed. “Certainly, sir.”
I glanced around before responding. “There’s been an outbreak in the Refugee District.”
To the manager’s credit, his only reaction was to go pale. “Where did you hear that?”
“One of my business partners is an executive with the Blackthorns. They’ve been mobilized to respond.”
A quiet nod. The manager glanced around and kept his voice low. “What about the police and the Army?”
“They’re on their way. Listen, you need to notify your head of security. If word gets out, it could cause a panic.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll do that right away. Thank you.”
He started to walk away, but I caught his arm. “One last thing.”
“Yes?”
“Arm yourself.”
The man laughed nervously. “I don’t think that will be necessary.”
I held onto his arm and locked eyes with him. “Where were you when the Outbreak hit?”
“I uh…Denver. I was in Denver.”
My mind crawled back across the years, and I remembered something I had heard on the news before the networks shut down for good.
“You were evacuated to Wyoming, right? You and about a hundred thousand other people.”
“Yes, I was. I was lucky.”
“You never had to fight the infected?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“Not ever? Never killed a ghoul yourself?”
His face reddened. “I’ve had it better than most since…you know.”
I let go of his arm. “Luck of the draw. Nothing to be ashamed of. But here’s the thing—if this city gets overrun, it’s going to be pandemonium. Believe me, if that happens, you want to be armed. If you know where you can find a weapon and some ammo, go get it. And if you have time to throw a few days’ worth of food and some water in a bag, do that too.”
He nodded slowly. “Okay. I can do that. Anything else?”
“Find a good knife and a sturdy pair of boots. And dress warm. Good luck.”
I pushed the cart through the lobby and out the front exit. Across the courtyard, a line of wagons and carriages lined the street. A traffic cop stood watch nearby, plainly visible in his reflective yellow vest. His demeanor was watchful as he kept an eye on the quarrelsome drivers who, if not for the police presence, would have been shouting and knocking each other over for fares.
I spotted a carriage of sufficient size tethered to two hulking draft horses and approached the driver.
“How fast can you get us to Blackthorn headquarters?” I asked.
The driver was a squat man with several teeth missing from his too-friendly smile. “I can get you there in ten minutes.”
I drew a wad of bills from a coat pocket, counted out a pair of fifties, and held them out. “I’ll double that if you can get me there in five.”
The driver made the bills disappear. “Be happy to.”
As I opened the door to the carriage, the man saw the hardware in my shoulder harness and hesitated. “Any reason you’re packing heat, mister?”
I gave him a cold stare. “You want the money or not? Plenty of other carriages around here.”
“Hey, just curious. No big deal. Let me get your bags.”
Allison and Little Gabe got in the cab while the driver helped me load our luggage. In less than a minute we were moving down the street. The iron bound wheels clattered loudly, and the interior of the carriage rocked like a ship tossed in the wind. I did not mind. At the pace we were setting, the driver was going to earn his bonus.
*****
Great Hawk and the others were waiting at the main gate when we arrived.
Gabe had sent four men, an extended bed pickup truck, and several golf carts to bring us all to the main headquarters building. Through the double-layered gate, I could see dozens of armed men in charcoal-colored uniforms running from building to building. The sound of revving engines echoed from the walls and the strong odor of diesel fumes poured into the air along with columns of steam from heated exhaust pipes. From the other side of the compound, I heard the distinctive whine of helicopter engines spinning up.
“Mr. Riordan?” A young Blackthorn said as he approached me.
“That’s right. These men are with me.” I pointed at Great Hawk, Cole, Thompson, and Holland.
A single nod. “Understood, sir. I’m here to take all of you to the main office.”
I turned to Allison. “You and Gabriel ride in the truck. I’ll take one of the golf carts.”
Allison held our son in her arms. The little guy’s hands were clutching her coat, his legs clinging to the swell of her pregnant waist. A pair of wide blue eyes the same shade as mine stared at me with raw, innocent fear. I stepped closer and put my arms around my family. Allison gripped the back of my jacket with one hand and pressed her face into the hollow of my shoulder. I touched my lips to the top of my little boy’s head.
“You’re going to be alright,” I said. “You’ll be safe here.”
“So will you,” Allison said. When she looked up, her amber eyes were stern and sharp. “You’re staying here with us.”
I stared back a few seconds before looking away. “Come on. It’s cold out here. Let’s get inside.”
She gave me another withering glare before climbing into the truck and shutting the door. Little Gabe stood up on the seat and pressed his hands to the glass. Allison lowered the window so he could talk to me.
“Are you coming with us, Dada?”
“I’m right behind you, son. Don’t worry, okay? Sit down now. No, not in your mommy’s lap. On the seat.”
He looked worried but did as I said. Allison put a seatbelt on him, and as I turned to walk away, I could feel her eyes boring a hole in my back.
I spent the next couple of minutes putting our luggage and the heavy duffel bags Great Hawk and the others had brought along into the bed of the truck. When we were finished, I slapped the rear fender twice to signal the driver we were all set. He gave a thumbs up, put the truck in reverse, turned the big vehicle around, and drove through the main gate.
Holland walked over to stand next to me. His hands were stuffed in his coat pockets, and when he spoke, his voice was uncharacteristically subdued.
“You got any idea what the fuck is going on here, bossman?” he asked. “These Blackthorns look scared shitless. I’ve worked with these guys plenty of times. Never seen ‘em like this.”
I shook my head, still watching the truck’s tail lights. “Not really. But I’m pretty sure we’re about to find out. Let’s go.”
Cole, Thompson, and a Blackthorn driver took one of the golf carts. Great Hawk, Holland, and I climbed into another one, along with the young man who had greeted me when I arrived.
“I’ve been told to take you straight to the office,” the young Blackthorn said.
“Fine by me,” I replied.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Eric,
BSC Headquarters
The main office was a large building.
It stood four stories tall and housed all of BSC’s corporate offices on the first two floors. Most of the third and fourth floors had been converted into small apartments for senior BSC staff, as well as high ranking officers and their families. Gabe’s suite was long and wide, taking up a quarter of the north side of the building on the fourth floor. It had a sitting room with two couches, a coffee table, and several chairs. There was also a bookshelf laden with a few dozen volumes that I knew were Gabe’s favorites. The rest of the apartment consisted of a small kitchen, four-seater dining table, bathroom with toilet, shower, and sink, and two well-appointed bedrooms. The wood paneled walls were adorned with nautical themed artwork, and decorative oil lanterns hung from iron hooks bolted to the building’s frame.
“Jeez,” I said, looking around as Gabe unlocked the door and let my family and me inside. “This place is gorgeous. You ever stay here?”
“I’ve never been in this room for more than a couple of hours,” Gabe said. In the short time since the Blackthorns had been alerted to the outbreak, he had changed into dark combat fatigues and strapped a drop holster containing a Sig Sauer pistol to his leg.
“Tyrel lets senior officers in the expeditionary unit room here when they’re not on assignment. Saves them having to spend money on housing they’ll only use a few months out of the year.”
“Isn’t there an officer’s barracks?”
“There is, but the guys in the expeditionary live a hard life. We want to keep them around, so we treat them well.”
“You certainly do. Are they here now?”
Gabe shook his head. “Riding with a caravan. Probably halfway through Nevada by now.”
“Lucky them.”
I watched Gabe turn on the circuit breaker and open the main water valve. When that was done, he tested the lights and plumbing fixtures. Once satisfied everything was working, he made his way toward the door.
“You should be comfortable here,” Gabe said. “There’s food in the pantry, and more in the refrigerators down the hall. The tap water is from a filtration system here on base, so it’s safe to drink. Stay put until I get back. If we can’t get the outbreak under control, I’ve left orders to have you all evacuated by helicopter. You’ll be taken to an Army outpost twenty miles east of here. It’s on open ground and well-fortified. You’ll be as safe there as anywhere.”
“Do you really think that will happen?” Allison said. She stood in the middle of the living room with little Gabriel clinging to her leg.
“I doubt it,” Gabe replied. “But I’m not taking any chances where your lives are concerned.”
“What about your family?” I asked. “Where are they?”
Gabe met my eyes for a moment, then looked away. “I’ve sent riders to bring them in.”
“Any word yet?”
“No.”
“Want me to send my guys?”
“No. I was hoping you’d let me use them for something else.”
“Of course.”
“Good. Walk with me.”
I gestured toward my wife and son. “Give me a minute?”
“Sure. I’ll be outside.”
Gabe left the room and shut the door. I crossed the hardwood floor and stood in front of Allison. I did not try to touch her.
“What are you doing?” Allison said, her voice strained.
“I’m going to see what I can do to help.”
Allison closed her eyes and wiped both hands across her cheeks. It was an unconscious motion I had seen her do only a few times before. In every instance, she had been on the verge of screaming at me.
“Why? Why you? Why do you always have to get involved?”
“Allison…”
“No, Eric. I’m serious. You’re not a soldier. You’re not a Blackthorn. You’re not a cop. You’re a businessman with a wife and son
and a baby on the way and a goddamn future. What is it that makes you go out and risk your life when you don’t have to? I don’t understand it, and to be honest, Eric, I’m sick of it. I’m sick of worrying about you. Do you know how many nights I’ve laid awake crying myself to sleep wondering if I’ll ever see you again?”
I could think of nothing to say, so I stayed quiet.
“But none of that matters, does it? The great Eric Riordan never backs down. He doesn’t compromise. He just does whatever stupid fucking thing pops into his head and nothing anyone says is going to stop him. Isn’t that right?”
Her tone struck a nerve, and I felt heat rising in my face. “What do you want me to do, Allison? I mean it. Tell me. You want me to stay here and hide in this room and let other people go out there and do my fighting for me? Is that it?”
“Yes! Yes, that is exactly what I want you to do. For God’s sake, Eric, haven’t you done enough? What are you trying to prove?”
“I’m not trying to prove anything.”
“Then why do this!”
“Because it’s who I am!” I shouted. Allison’s eyes went wide. To the best of my recollection, it was the first time I had ever raised my voice at her. I took a deep breath, ground my teeth a few times, and when I spoke again, my tone was even.
“You’re always telling me you believe I’m a good man. A brave man. Do you remember saying that? You told me it’s why you fell in love with me in the first place. Well, Allison, if you want me to keep on being the man you married, this is what I have to do. If I don’t, then a little part of me is going to wither away every time trouble comes up and I don’t meet it head on. The part of me that’s kept me alive and made me successful will weaken and shrink until there’s nothing left but fear and regret and a hollow place where my courage used to be. And if I let that happen, I won’t be the man standing in front of you anymore. I’ll be a flaccid little husk of a man with nothing left to give.”
Allison pressed her lips into a thin line and her eyes brimmed with tears. I stepped closer and put my hands on her shoulders.
“I know I’m not an easy man to love, and I know I can be impossible sometimes. But do you really want me to change? Do you really want me to stop believing the world needs people like me? Do you really want me to stop fighting for a better future, not just for us, but for everyone? Because I have to tell you, Allison, if that happens, I don’t know what kind of person I’ll become. And I really, really don’t want to find out.”
Surviving The Dead | Book 9 | War Without End Page 11
