Outside, the pistol shots intensified. Guns emptied, and the fight turned medieval as the squad switched to their axes. Danny and his squad slipped out the door, pistols drawn, and started dropping Zeds. Marines followed, turning east with the medical staff between columns of riflemen.
After a year of this shit, all zombies looked alike to Danny: rotted, maggot-eaten, missing body parts. It took a lot to get his attention these. He’d forgotten about the Chicago Bears, but this group did the trick.
A half dozen giant Zeds made their way through the crowd of deaders filling the street. Danny gaped for a moment, then dropped one with a neck shot. The round shattered Zed's spine but left the man still snarling as he spasmed on the ground.
More Zeds pushed in on them. Jenny swung her ax, and one went down with a split skull. One of the big ones yanked her off her feet and spun her around to face him. She cursed and kicked his groin. The Zed didn't even flinch. With her free hand, Jenny buried her ax in his shoulder. No luck. He bared his teeth, tightened his grip on her wrist, and snapped it like a breadstick. She screamed. The deader pulled her forward and clamped down on her wrist with his slimy mouth. She screamed again. She fumbled around on her harness until she found the combat knife Tom had given her. In a blink, she slid it from its sheath and drove it through the top of the deader’s skull.
The corpse went limp, and she crashed to the street with it in a pile. Jenny rolled away, yanked her ax free, and went back to work with one arm tucked up against her belly.
A few yards away, Danny staggered to his feet. He'd taken a solid hit on top of his helmet from one of the big boys. The Zed had hands the size of a catcher’s mitt, and Danny was trying not to get caught up in them. He swung his ax, and the deader lost an arm from the elbow down. The corpse looked at Danny and sneered. Danny reached high and buried his blackened blade in the side of the big Zed’s skull.
Pausing for an instant, Danny shook the stars from his head. Around him, his squad fought its way free. Axes gave way to pistol shots as they gained ground. Marines held the corners alongside Raiders. Danny’s squads folded back into the rest of the unit. They gathered Bailey and the CDC staff and formed a square around them. Danny checked his watch. Ten minutes.
A blast of the horns from the train got their attention. Lungs heaving, the troops raced for their ride home. They passed the perimeter, and those posted there fell back with them.
Together, they scrambled aboard. Danny did a quick head count. Zeds followed as the train started to roll.
“Where’s Tony?” Catfish shouted. “I can’t find Tony!”
“Didn’t make it,” Hunter said. He cut loose with another blast from the SAW as a group of Zeds got too close to the train.
Catfish's scream drew their attention. She tried to jump off the train, but friends caught her. Jenny held her while she cried.
Meanwhile, Danny came up one more short. Jones hadn’t made it, either. With everyone else aboard, the train started down the tracks, back the way it came. Deaders clung to the engines until they were shot off. Others got themselves run over as they tried to surround the train. Someone in the pullers laid on the horn as they passed out of town.
Tom checked his watch. Once. Twice. Danny understood. They had to get clear of the blast zone. Again, Tom checked.
The train rolled out of the city limits and into another suburb. They gained four miles. Now five. No one heard the missiles, but they heard the explosion. It rocked the train on its tracks as the engineers hit the throttle. They gained speed as the fireball raced through the city at their backs.
Flames boiled around buildings as the city burst into flame. Tens of thousands of Zeds were incinerated. Open-air oxygen fed the explosions. The inferno raged.
Danny looked back as the train made a bend in the tracks. A wall of orange raced toward them. It scorched the trailing engine and came on.
“Shit!” he shouted. “Everyone down!”
Troops and civilians alike hit the floor as the fireball roared around them.
Danny threw himself over Jenny and Catfish. He felt the train jump ahead and risked a glance up. The fire fell behind them.
He stood and stared back at old Chicago. They left everything ablaze in their wake. He felt nothing.
He gathered Jenny in his arms. Catfish stopped crying and just stared at the floor. They rode home in silence.
Chapter Nine
“You’re shittin’ me,” I blurted.
I sat at the table, eating lunch. Across from me sat Doctors O’Shea and Leary. Beside them sat three women who could have formed a progressive illustration of the Z-virus. A black girl with blue eyes, holding a child in her lap, appeared to be healthy. She exhibited no outward sign of the disease, other than looking a little tired. Next to her sat a blonde, a little further along in the sickness. Her face was drawn, and she had a haggard look to her, like a junkie who'd shot up one too many times. Her blue eyes held a gray overcast. The third was an Asian girl. She looked like she'd shrunk into herself—skin pulled back, face like a shriveled apple, eyes opaque.
All of them were symptom-free. All were carriers; all were scarred. They said little, concentrating on the raw beef livers on the plates in front of them.
“We’re not kidding, Danny,” Kenny said from his end of the table. “We have to send a unit up to Andalusia to retrieve the data. It’s too valuable to leave it. If someone else gets it, we don’t know what they might do with it.”
“How would anybody do anything with it at this point?” Pepper asked. “The data might already be gone. And anyone can look around and see what it’s done already. I say we leave it where it’s at.”
“Do you want more people to die?” the black girl asked. “What about your children? What if someone finds this data, messes with it more, and finds a way around the medicines we’ve developed?”
“If we get that data, we find a way to completely eliminate the virus,” O’Shea said, sighing. “We need the data secured. From there, we can develop a way to protect the people still alive as well as the next generation.”
“So why can’t Tom’s people help out?” I asked. I tried to take a bite of my sandwich, but the blonde's noises as she slurped up her raw liver put me off my feed.
“We’ve talked to your brother," Kenny said. "We would've preferred he lead up this expedition, actually, but he’s got problems in Davenport. He said whoever comes up is welcome to stay at the Arsenal. They’ve got the housing.”
“If I do this, I want my best squad and all the Marines we have stationed here. Otherwise, O’Shea, you can walk.”
“Agreed.” Kenny took a bite of his meal. “Tell me what you want, and it’s yours.”
“Great,” I said. I looked up. The blonde grinned at me. Blood ran from both corners of her mouth. “Great. No problem.”
I stood, my appetite gone.
“Be polite, Cindy,” the black girl said, nudging the blonde. Cindy giggled and popped another juicy slice of liver into her mouth.
Pepper stood beside me. “We need to start getting ready, then. C’mon, Danny.”
She headed for the door.
“I’ll get back with you in a couple hours,” I said over my shoulder as I followed.
“I don’t like this,” Pepper told me as we walked the sidewalk back to our house. "It’s ninety miles up there, and we don’t even know if the place is still in one piece.”
“Why would anyone mess around some old, fallen-down farm?”
“Who knows? People like to destroy things.”
“They've got more important things on their mind these days than vandalism.” I glanced down at the sidewalk as we turned up a little hill. Someday, this section would need to be re-poured. “I’m not taking any pregnant women or women with babies that need to be left behind. That means you, darlin'.”
“What?” Pepper nearly shouted. I'd caught her off guard. She or Jen always went on missions with me. “You can’t think you’re leaving me behind while you go tra
ipsing off to God knows where!”
“I'm leaving both of you," I said. "I know where I’m going. I don’t know when I’ll be back or what risks we’re taking. Nobody’s going who’s got a baby.”
“What about you, buddy? You've got two.”
“I’m not nursing.”
“Funny. Bring that up.”
We argued all the way back to the house. Jenny joined the battle, but as the babies started to cry, both of my wives saw the point. Rachel and Mikey still needed tending. Heather was upstairs feeding Jimmy. Unfortunately, they did have a good point of their own. If I left my girls home with the babies, I would leave some of my best fighters out of the loop.
As Pepper lifted her shirt and let Mikey find his lunch, I decided I was okay with that.
“So who will you be taking?” Jenny demanded as she changed Rachel’s diaper. It was a tough job for her with her arm in a cast, and I took over.
“I’ll take Jinks and her popgun, Bill, Hunter, and two of the Mennonites. The Marines are going, too.”
“Yeah, well, stay out of Jinks’ panties. She’s got a little crush on her CO.”
“Would I do something like that?” I asked.
“Yes,” all three women answered.
I frowned. “I’ll be too busy, anyway.”
I pulled my people together for the run. We met with Doctor O’Shea and Tess, the black girl who'd sat next to him at the table. She seemed different since lunch. She didn’t look as tired. Cindy, the blonde, had transformed even more radically. Her eyes were still gray, but she'd filled out some. She wouldn’t stand out in a crowd now, except maybe for being pretty.
No one offered an explanation. I didn’t ask for one. I had more important matters at hand.
O’Shea, two of the girls, and ten Marines would ride in our one armored personnel carrier. I’d take point with a Humvee. Tess would ride shotgun and navigate. Jinks and Bill would round out my truck. The rest of my squad and the rest of the Marines would make up the rest of the convoy.
“Interstate 80 or the trade route?” Kenny asked.
“Truth be told, I’d rather take the water route and eliminate the road risk altogether,” I said. I looked at the map. Sheffield wasn’t totally secure, and I didn’t want to get bogged down in Moline. “I-80’s going to be our best shot.”
“Mad Max?”
“Mad Max it is.”
“Stay on your guns.” Kenny looked at me, his brows knitted together.
“Hey, don’t worry. We’ll jump on at Buda. That knocks off twenty miles."
“Yeah, and it just leaves the other sixty.”
I grinned. “It’s a good day to die, Boss. Besides, I got the firepower.”
“When do you leave?”
“Crack of dawn. Scavengers don’t get up too early.”
We hit the sack before dark. Other units took my patrol. Lieutenant Gibson, a giant black man who led what was left of his unit of the Corps, met with me as they loaded up. He wasn’t keen on following orders from a civilian, but us Raiders had proven ourselves. We’d helped to bail him and his troops out of Glen Ellyn before we fire-bombed the place. He'd since run a couple of missions with us in the last two weeks, and he didn't see anyone screw up.
Of course, this would be the biggest mission for either of us in the fourteen months since Z-Day.
Together, we fed belts of fifty-cal ammo into the bay on the personnel carrier.
“Any idea how long we’re staying, Cap’n?” Gibson asked.
“No, Lieutenant. Major Jackson offered us an overnight stay at the Arsenal, though. It might be a few days. It might be a week. I don’t plan on being out any longer.”
“Roger that,” Gibson said. His thin smile showed little emotion. “We was cooped up for over a year in Chicago. I got no love for the cities no more.”
I briefed him on the route. If we made it to the Quad Cities without being noticed by the scavengers who ran the Interstates these days, we’d be okay. The survivors in the QC had gone a long way toward eliminating the hordes of Zeds that had infected their area. Random packs did still wander the countryside. They’d find a small cluster of humans in a small town and camp out there until the food ran out or until help came.
I still didn’t like any of it.
I showered in one of the bath houses, as we now called them, and headed for bed as the sun fell behind the hills. The house lay dark, except for three candles in the center of the table. Pepper had a place set for two.
“Where’s everyone else?” I asked as I slid my arms around her waist.
“Jen went over to Cat’s place. She’s still having trouble with Tony being gone. Rachel’s with her. Mikey’s asleep. Bill, Sandy, and Heather are upstairs already. Ella went to bed early. She’s got studying to do.”
“Just us?’
“Just us. Jen said to tell you goodbye. She’s afraid you’re not coming back.”
“You?”
Pepper turned up her face to me. “You’ll come back, or I’ll hunt you down.”
“Thanks.”
She kissed me. Softly. Tenderly. I felt her tears run between us.
“I worry about you, Danny. But I know how good you are. Not just in general. You’re a good fighter. Smart. You’ve got thirty killer Marines going with you. You’ll come home.” She turned to the camp stove. “Now, let’s have some dinner.”
Fried rabbit, mashed potatoes, and gravy washed down with ice water never was such a good meal.
We said little as we ate. Afterward, I helped her with the dishes. We blew out the candles, took up a flashlight, and climbed the stairs. Mikey had eaten before I got home. He slept with a full belly. In our bedroom, Pepper slid out of her clothes as I pulled back the covers. She turned to me, and I ran my hands down her body.
“You shaved again,” I said. I smiled.
“I like to do it for you now and then.”
“Maybe I’ll shave my beard.”
She smiled back at me. “Don’t you dare. Then I’ll really feel like I robbed the cradle.”
I chuckled as I lifted her in my arms. She buried her face against my shoulder.
“No tears,” I whispered.
“Can’t help it. I’m scared.”
I laid her on the bed and stroked her cheek as I lay down beside her.
“I can’t go off into the backwaters with my wife back home so worried.”
“I know.” She sniffled a bit.
We kissed. Our hands roamed. I pulled her to me and felt her warm skin against me. For a moment, I thought of Jenny and silently thanked her for letting us have this night together. It wasn’t often I had just one of them.
Pepper rolled on top of me, and our bodies melded together. Slow and tender at first, our hands played across each other's warm skin. I nibbled her neck, her shoulders, her breasts. Her climax came as a surprise, and I followed her over the edge.
We entwined together afterward, sharing soft kisses as we caught our breath. She stroked my face as I ran a hand over her hip.
“You’re gonna get pregnant again, if we keep this up.”
“Good." Her face darkened. "My ex never would admit he was the one with the fertility problem. He wouldn't adopt, either. You just keep me barefoot and pregnant, and I’ll be happy.”
I could see her smile a little in the low light. The curve of her lips faded away as she pulled herself to me.
“Danny, tell me you love me.”
“Huh?”
“Tell me you love me. Like you mean it. Like I’m your wife, and we’ll be together forever. Not just for sex and babies.”
I ran my fingers through her short hair. I heard her sniffle.
“Oh, Pepper.”
Her shoulders began to shake as I pulled her against my chest. I kissed the top of her head.
“I love you. I love you more than life. I know it’s strange having two of you. It’s not what society told us, but all those people are gone. I love you, and I’ll be with you and Jenny and the kids f
or the rest of my life. I will be back. I can’t stand to be away from you girls.”
“I’ll miss you, you big jerk.”
“I’ll miss you, too. Don’t worry. I've got thirty killer Marines watchin' my back.”
“I know. Stay out of Jinks' pants.”
“She’s too young for me. I like older women.”
I held her until we both fell asleep. It seemed like a short night. Pepper got up to feed Michael when he started to fuss. One of the other girls joined her from the other room. I heard them talk softly, but I couldn’t hear what they said. I dozed until Pepper came back to bed, then I slid an arm around her and slept until the alarm went off.
As quietly as I could, I geared up for the trip. My unit’s camo went on first, followed by body armor. I strapped one pistol across my chest and another on my hip. Belts of extra magazines went on last. I picked up my rifle as I clicked my comm link to see who was there. Everyone reported in.
Pepper never got out of bed. I held her for a few long seconds, gave her a kiss, and left. Bill was already in the nursery with his family. I stroked Michael’s cheek. He was a light sleeper, and I didn’t want to wake him. My son. He had Pepper’s dark hair and my blue eyes. He’d be a heartbreaker when he grew up. I kissed his little forehead and ducked out of the room.
Downstairs, Ella was already up as well. She hustled around the kitchen to make a quick breakfast for us. Jinks, Hunter, and Dustin waited for us. Everyone carried enough gear to rattle when they walked. Good thing we weren’t trying to sneak up on anyone. Ella handed Bill and I an egg sandwich each, tears in her eyes. I gave her a hug. Six months with us, and she was almost back to being a little girl again.
“You ready for this, Boss?” Bill asked.
“Ready as I’m gonna get. Let’s move."
We walked to the parking area of the old trucking company. Four Humvees idled under the muggy morning. The APC—the Rhino, as we called it—sat among them, a monster of a truck. Anything short of direct artillery fire would bounce off its ugly, heavily armored hide. There were gun ports in the sides and mounted a fifty-caliber Browning up top.
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