Zombie Attack! Box Set (Books 1-3)

by Devan Sagliani

  He threw his arm around me and began guiding me out the door. I looked over my shoulder to see Haki leading Sam and Felicity off to the same building I'd been locked in during my last stay. Tank didn't follow us back outside, which made me way more nervous for some reason, not knowing where he was. No matter what John promised me, I was certain Tank would stop at nothing to get his revenge against me. One way or another things weren't going to end well between us, and I knew it.

  Chapter Two

  “I find taking a daily walk helps me clear my head,” John said, as we began to march up to where the zombie pits were the last time I was a guest of Bryan Crowe. “I love all this open country out here. Back in New Lompoc, if I wanted to go for a walk I'd have to loop around a bunch of tract homes that all looked the same, plus I'd need an armed escort. Out here all you have to do is let your feet do the walking.”

  “So you brought me out here to experience the joys of nature with you?” I asked sarcastically.

  “Actually I've got big plans,” John said. “The wheels are already turning, in case you didn't notice. That's where you come in.”

  “How's that again? Looks like you've got everything you need here in Ojai to start plenty of trouble,” I said, trying not to picture what terrible fate John had in store for me.

  Maybe he's going to hang me publicly as a warning to others not to rebel, I thought darkly. Or draw and quarter me. Or worse yet, turn me.

  “You're right,” John beamed. “But this is just a small part of a much bigger, more beautiful picture. By the way, your little girlfriend looks awfully familiar. Mind telling me why my men seem to recognize her when she goes past?”

  “She was a child movie star,” I shrugged, not really wanting to give him much, but realizing it was just a matter of time before his men started lining up to gawk at her and ask for autographs.

  “What's her name again?”

  “Felicity Jane,” I mumbled, my mouth going dry at his sudden interest in her.

  “Felicity Jane,” he repeated, scratching his chin. “And how do you know her again?”

  “She's my wife,” my voice now barely above a whisper. The look in his eyes was terrifying. I no longer feared for what he might do to me. All I could think about was protecting her, even if it was already too late.

  “That will do the trick,” John said with a big, evil smile.

  “Look man, whatever you're going to do to me, just leave her out of it,” I said, blood rushing to my face as I fought to control myself once again. “If you want to make an example out of me I get it, but Felicity didn't do anything wrong.”

  “Oh Xander,” John laughed, shaking his head. “You haven't changed a bit. You know that? Still just as eager as ever to be the big martyr, still first in line to sacrifice himself for some lost cause, and worst of all, still so fully self-absorbed that you think everything is about you.”

  “What's that supposed to mean? How is this not about me when you sent people to hunt me down and bring me here?”

  “Sure I was hunting you,” John kept on talking. “But not for something as petty as revenge. You think I went through all this trouble just so I could give you to Tank and let him rip your arms off? Is that it?”

  “So I'm not here as your present to Tank, wrapped up with a big bow on my head,” I taunted him. “I'm not here to show your men what happens to people who cross you? Is that what you're saying?”

  “Yeah, slick,” John said, looking less amused by the second. “That's what I'm saying. And to be clear, Tank owes me a favor for bringing him back from the land of the brain-dead. I don't owe him a damn thing!”

  “So why am I here?”

  “Ibogaine,” John concluded, “in a nutshell.”

  “Why do I know that word, and what does it have to do with me?”

  “Everything and nothing,” John said, walking ahead slowly and making me follow him. “Ibogaine is just one of the ingredients to make the antidote. It's a powerful hallucinogenic given to junkies to help them kick, as part of experimental addiction therapy. Before that, it was used by Shamans and medicine men.”

  “It was what caused me to have those wild dreams while I was in a coma recovering from my bite,” I recalled, realizing at last what John was talking about. “It's what made me see melting clocks in the desert and dead people from my childhood.”

  “I hear it's better than anything synthetic that’s been made up since,” John added. “That's why they use it on the addicts I suppose. It's a trip so hard and heavy you never wanna trip again, a last ride to Psychedelic Town that permanently rewires your consciousness.”

  “What does Ibogaine have to do with me again?” I wasn't trying to upset him. I was just genuinely confused at that point.

  “Nothing per se,” John said. “Except that your brother, Moto, stole the last traces of it from the base and hid it where we can't find it.”

  “That's not possible,” I claimed in disbelief. “He told me there isn't a plant anywhere closer than Tijuana, and that no one can get through the hordes down in Mexico to get it.”

  “Well then, he either lied or didn't trust you,” John sourly replied. “There was a grow house on the base with several plants coming along, that is until Moto and his accomplice broke in one night and stole them.”

  “If that's true, then he's been charged as a criminal,” I interjected.

  “Not exactly,” replied John. “Moto is smart. I'll give him that. He had his partner pull off the robbery, and then claimed he didn't have any knowledge of it. They found him sitting up in uniform, playing cards, waiting for someone to come question him. He also made it clear that he's not sorry the Ibogaine is missing and that he won't help the military locate new sources.”

  “Then he must have a good reason,” I threw out defensively. I didn't like people talking about my brother like he was a criminal.

  “That's what I think as well,” John said, “but the trouble is that he’s misguided. He's only looking at the here and now. My plans go well into the next decade and beyond.”

  “Why does it matter? I mean from what I can see so far it looks like you're building a zombie army, not trying to heal the sick.”

  “I need them, Xander,” John admitted. “It's the only way we can turn things back around and restore some version of society. I know it's hard to understand.”

  “Then why make the antidote at all?”

  “For influence. Think about it. Money is obsolete now. I could pay you a million dollars and you'd trade it for a week's worth of water at the drop of a hat, if push came to shove. Resources, on the other hand, are very valuable, including land and water rights. Ever since Z Day, small kingdoms have been growing across what used to the United States. Mexico already had them in the form of cartels. The rulers of these wild lands all have one thing in common, a whole lot of space and too many zombies. They'd gladly hand over some of it for a way out of this mess.”

  “I thought that was what the zombie army was about…,” I paused, “…to march in and take it from them by force.”

  “That's shortsighted,” John countered. “Sure, you wanna let them know that you're a serious force to be reckoned with. That's why you march them right up to the edge of the warlord’s territory, to get his attention. Once he's all ears, you make him an offer he can't refuse: the gift of life, of resurrection for him and his loved ones, of a do-over. Everybody's lost someone along the way since Z Day. What if you could bring them back?”

  “That's a hell of a sales pitch,” I admitted. “So you trade their land for a few doses of antidote?”

  “No,” John said. “That's the best part. We give them a choice. They can either cede the land to us, forfeiting any right to it forever, or they can keep it in their kingdom by agreeing to join our new union and abide by its rules and laws. Nothing changes except, of course, that we can now call on any of their residents at any time for any reason to be conscripted into our service. Usually that kind of thing only happens in times of war,
or if there is a betrayal.”

  “What if they just give you the land?”

  “It hasn't happened so far,” John said. “But hypothetically, they'd get all their antidote at once, as opposed to us holding it in safekeeping for them, which is our usual agreement. Then again, hypothetically, it would also mean that we'd have to wipe that warlord off the face of the map to keep the peace. Truth is, if they knew there was a cure it would only be a matter of time before they attacked us and tried to take it. That's just human nature.”

  Not for everyone, I thought. Some of us are just happy to be alive without having to mess with other people.

  “So the people you've made these deals with haven't been making you give them the antidote right away,” I concluded, putting the pieces together at last.

  “That's correct,” he agreed, heading up a dirt incline.

  “But they'd have certainly wanted a dose or two to try out,” I continued. “That means you must be running low, which is why you are so desperate to make more. If your warlords discover that you don't actually have the ability to fill their requests when they need them, they're going to lose interest in working with you real fast.”

  “Took you a bit, but you got there,” John muttered as he reached the top of the hill and looked down into the valley below. The sun was just starting to set in the west, filling the sky with golden light and pink fluffy clouds. “I love the view up here. It really is amazing. It's like there are never the same two sunsets in a row. You'll see. You're going to stay with us a while. That way your brother will have time to fetch us what he stole, and also let us make some new batches for our allies without causing any problems. Who knows? Maybe in that time you'll start to get a sense of perspective, of history, of purpose. This is the new Manifest Destiny. This is the way forward for the entire human race.”

  I was just about to open my mouth to fire off more snarky remarks, when John turned and stared into my eyes with deep conviction.

  “I meant what I said the last time we met,” he began. “You're a natural leader. You've got a talent that just needs to be developed. It's your heart that gets you into trouble.”

  “It's also what makes me human,” I replied.

  “Let's just hope that over time you'll decide you want to be on the winning side,” John said. “Otherwise, eventually, we won't need you anymore and, well, I'm sure you can guess how well that will end for you.”

  “And if I run?”

  “Then Sam and Felicity will pay dearly for your cowardice,” John said, looking pensive. “You wouldn't want their blood on your hands would you? And besides, let's not forget that I found you once. I will find you again, only this time I won't be so nice.”

  “If you touch a single hair on Felicity's head,” I began to huff, but John laughed and clapped me on the shoulder.

  “I know, I know,” he sang back, “you'll kill me. I get it. Let's head on back. I'm starting to get hungry and it smells like the squirrels are already on the grill.”

  He turned with an easy smile and walked back down the way we'd come, whistling a carefree tune as he went. I raced to keep up with him, but neither of us spoke. John acted like nothing had happened, like he hadn't just threatened my life and the lives of the people closest to me. It was just another routine day to him, as far as I could tell.

  I hate him, I thought, more than I hate Tank. How did I end up back here again? The first chance I get, I am making a break for it and taking everyone with me. Besides, it's not like I can really believe a word he says. For all I know this was just another trick to get me away from Felicity.

  My stomach turned at the thought, filling me with hot fear and anxiety until I felt like a teakettle waiting to boil over. I ran ahead of John, and he called out after me.

  “Leave some for me.”

  I didn't stop or look back. I couldn't. All I could think of was Felicity.

  How could I be so stupid? How could I let them take her away? I should never have agreed. They've probably already made her a zombie. Or worse.

  I remembered how unnerved Felicity had been the last time we'd been here, how being a girl made things even scarier at times.

  I did my best to force the terrible images that came flooding in out of my mind. My feet stung as I picked up speed and ran as fast as I could for the room where they were keeping Sam and Felicity. Heads turned and men with guns uneasily began pointing them in my direction as I tore down the hill toward the building. John called out behind me again.

  “It's okay,” John assured his men, who seemed to relax at the news. “He's just working off some pent-up steam. Let him go.”

  I turned the corner and bolted toward the open front door. There were two armed guards outside, but they let me pass without a word. I saw Sam sitting on the floor in front of an old board game. He looked sad as his eyes came up to meet mine.

  “Where is she?” I managed to get out, my lungs burning from my quick sprint.

  “Who?” Sam asked, looking genuinely confused.

  “Felicity Jane,” I gasped. “Where did they take her?”

  I heard the toilet flush and the sound of running water. Sam's eyes turned toward the bathroom. The door came open and Felicity walked out looking no worse for wear than when I'd left her over an hour ago.

  “You better not have been cheating while I was using the powder room,” Felicity said cheerfully before seeing me. Her face went into a state of shock at my overly excited appearance, and she froze in place. I darted over and took her in my arms.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Xander,” Felicity breathed, her voice quivering a little. “Is everything all right? You're scaring me.”

  “Sorry,” I said, pulling back. “I just got worried, that's all.”

  “We've been entertaining ourselves while you were gone,” Felicity explained. “Sam here was telling me the story of how you met.”

  “How far did you get?” I asked, trying to regain my composure.

  “I was just telling her about how you gave me the Snickers bar,” Sam said, “before you sent me back to Vandenberg. I ate it right away too. I didn't know how long it would be until I turned, and I wanted to enjoy it.”

  “That's okay, buddy,” I reassured him. “That's what it was for in the first place. I'm glad to hear you got something out of it.”

  “What did John tell you?” Felicity asked. “Did you find out what's going on? Or what they plan on doing with us now?”

  “I did,” I answered back. “They're going to keep us around, for a while at least. It's all part of a plan to blackmail Moto into cooperating. We've just got to bide our time. I'll tell you more after dinner.”

  “Dinner?”

  “That's right,” John encouraged, walking into the room with a magnanimous smile. “You're my guests so you get to sit next to me. A word of caution, however. My men are fiercely loyal. They're dedicated to my vision of a new world, a better world. As such, many of them won't take kindly to your particular brand of sarcasm and backtalk.”

  “So basically you're telling us to just sit there and play nice?” Felicity asked, cocking her head and putting her hands on her hips.

  “That's right,” John cheered, “it's for your own good. Now let's get moving before the roast critter gets cold.”

  He turned again and walked outside. Felicity gave me a look of disbelief and I shook my head in reply. We simply didn't have a choice. Either we played along with John and were nice or we risked earning the wrath of his men, from Tank down to the common rank and file. Either way, we were in this for the long haul.

  “It's not so bad,” Sam said, trying to break the tension in the room. “They're nice guys for the most part.”

  Yeah, I thought. They're real nice until John orders them to hack you to pieces and feed your bloody limbs to their zombie army. Bunch of real good Samaritans, otherwise.

  “Lead the way,” I said, nodding and smiling at him. Sam walked out ahead of us. Felicity took my hand and squeezed it ha
rd.

  “I'm working on it,” I whispered in her ear.

  “I know you are,” she whispered back.

  We walked out of the door together, holding hands.

  A large group of warriors no longer wearing masks sat at the tables eating chunks of bread with strips of cooked rodent meat. There were no longer any bioluminescent lamps hanging about, they used fiery torches instead. John sat where Bryan Crowe had sat, and we joined him with Sam like we had with Benji. I got an eerie sense of déjà vu as I listened to him speak.

  “Where's Tank?” I asked.

  “He's working out some issues of his own,” John disclosed. “Yet again, he isn't thrilled with my decision on how to handle you. From the minute you two met something about you just seemed to get under his skin.”

  “How do you plan on keeping him from doing what he did last time and trying to set me up to kill me?” I asked.

  “Don't worry. He won't touch you until I give him permission.”

  “How can you be so sure?” Felicity asked.

  “I just know he won't,” John shook his head. “He don't like it. That's for sure. But he understands what's at stake. You don't have to like something to accept it. That's usually the way things are anyway. You'd think you'd know better than anyone how that works, being a woman and all.”

  I didn't like the tone of his voice and wasn't sure what he was getting at. I felt the urge to lash out verbally at him, but made a sweeping glance around the table at the rogues’ gallery of villains assembled nearby and thought better of it. It burned to hold back my vitriol, but I did my best not to show it.

  “Speaking of lady friends,” Felicity said, slamming her bread crust down on the table in frustration. “When can we expect yours to make an appearance?”

  “That's a good question. She was supposed to be wrapping up a piece of business, but she should be along before long. I know she'll be anxious to see you again, Xander.”

  “Why's that?” Felicity probed.