Dana squeezed him back and buried her face in his neck, giving him a gentle kiss. “I love you, Eric.” Dana didn’t want to think about all of the horrible things that had happened. All she wanted to do was stay in this cabin forever, but things had a way of not working out in this world. The dead would never allow them to rest.
“She needs antibiotics,” Hank said.
“We have some, but not enough.” Eric responded quickly. “Craig’s going to need them, too. We don’t have enough for Dana, let alone the two of them. We are going to have to go into Deer Lake and find some.”
“You are in no shape to do that.” Hank stood up, a trickle of blood ran down from his nose. “I will go, I can get around a lot faster by myself. Sasha can keep an eye on the gate. You two need to get some rest. I can’t have you running around like a lunatic killing people.” Dana couldn’t tell if he was trying to make a joke or if Hank was serious. She could tell by the expression on Eric’s face that he didn’t find it one bit funny.
“I can go with you.” Eric slowly stood up. Dana could see his leg muscles cramping through his jeans. His quadricep muscle was twitching. Eric’s face was strained as he fought to hide the pain.
“Eric you can’t leave me again. I need you to stay, please.” Dana knew that she couldn’t let Eric go back out there right now. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally.
“I need to make sure that you get those antibiotics. I need to make sure Craig gets them too. He can’t die.” Eric sounded remorseful. After everything that happened to him since the outbreak, he still couldn’t allow anyone else to take the lead. He would always be a police officer first. It was his duty to protect others.
“God damn it Eric. You can’t leave me. You need to trust Hank. He is perfectly capable of getting those pills without your help.” Dana saw the look of disappointment in Eric’s eyes and it made her cringe. She never meant to insult Eric, but she was afraid he took her words the wrong way. “I need your help. I need you to stay with me. You have to realize that it’s okay to let others help you.”
“It looks like the only option I have would be to stay. I’m counting on you, Hank. I need your help.” Eric asked for help.
Hank nodded his head. “I won’t be gone long. I think I know exactly where to look.” Hank walked over and put his arm around Sasha. “Check around to see if you can find any food for the horse. I won’t be gone long.”
“You’re going out there on foot?” Sasha asked.
“I won’t be leaving these walls, I’m sure there will be a stash of drugs at Aaron’s shack,” Hank said.
“Who’s Aaron and why do you think there will be a stash of drugs in his shack?” Eric didn’t sound very impressed.
Hank laughed. “Everyone got their drugs from the Pelley’s. Just because I’m a famous actor doesn’t mean that I got my drugs anywhere special. Aaron has been my friend for years. He has something for everyone.”
“You are a real piece of work Hank MacDonald.” Eric muttered.
“I told you to trust me,” Hank said, as he left the room.
Dana knew that Eric’s pride was suffering far worse than his physical body, but he wasn’t able to keep going at this pace anymore. If he went out again, he probably wouldn’t come back to her. He needed to get some food into his stomach and some rest for his muscles. He would also need some time to get over the mistakes he had made recently, but he would never be able to forget what he had done.
CHAPTER TEN:
PLAN
Byrne walked through the woods, enjoying cigarette after cigarette. He inhaled deeply with every puff, savouring the bitter hickory taste. The moon had disappeared behind the clouds making it easy to stay concealed in the dark forest. The snow crunched underneath his combat boots and the smoke clouded his vision, but he felt confident he was on the right path.
“Hands above your head.” A voice from the darkness demanded.
Byrne spun around towards the source of the command and raised his rifle, but he couldn’t see anything. He refused to drop his cigarette. It dangled in his mouth.
“He said put them up.” This time the voice was much lower and rougher.
Byrne started to turn when he thought he saw a flash of movement between the trees. He stopped and waited. He could hear the crunch of snow in the distance, but whoever was stalking him remained in the shadows.
“You don’t know who you’re messing with.” Byrne yelled out.
“I know you’re some dumb shit private that doesn’t have any common sense.” The rough voice sounded much closer now. Byrne gave up on trying to spot anything in front of him and started to turn. He bumped into a solid object and nearly fell over. “You have a lot to learn, Byrne.” Byrne looked up at Sgt Doucette. He wasn’t very tall, but he was as broad as any man Byrne had ever met. Doucette reached out his hand to help Byrne get to his feet.
“How do you know who I am?” Byrne asked, taking the sergeants outreached hand.
“You have earned yourself quite the reputation, young man, but you’re still just a stupid private.” Doucette yanked Byrne to his feet.
Byrne’s shoulder nearly came straight out of its socket. He rubbed it with his hand to try and get the feeling back in it. “How’d you find me? Were you waiting for me to pass by or something?”
Doucette had a scowl on his face. “You had a burning cigarette dangling from your lips this whole time. We spotted you coming from hundreds of metres away. Light can carry extreme distances in conditions like this. Like I said, kid, you have a lot to learn.”
Byrne felt his face flush and he wanted to crawl into a hole and bury himself in the snow to get away from the snickers. “It won’t happen again.” Byrne responded the way he had been trained to respond when a superior teaches you a lesson.
“Knock that shit off boy, we got more important stuff to deal with than following proper procedure. What’s your first name anyway.”
“It’s Gilbert. What’s yours, sergeant?” Gilbert watched three other soldiers appear from the darkness. They all had their balaclava’s covering their faces. Only their eyes and lips poked out from behind the dark green masks.
“You have to earn that, kid. Until then you can call me Doucette or sergeant.” Doucette turned towards the approaching soldiers. “Did you find it?”
“We did, it was right where you said it be.” A soldier wearing the corporal rank answered. “Gaudett and Abbott are trying to get it open now.”
“You left those two idiots to take care of it.” Doucette laughed. “You may as well have waited for the metal to rust away.”
“What did you guys find?” Byrne was confused. He didn’t understand what they were talking about.
“We found the old entrance to the sewer system. It’s going to lead us to just about anywhere we want to go in Grand Falls,” Doucette said, proudly. “So all I need from you is the building where they’re holding the warrant.”
“They took him into the courthouse, and I believe that’s where he is being held.” Byrnes wasn’t sure, but he didn’t want to waste time. If the warrant was taken somewhere else they would need time to find him.
“All right troops, let’s get a move on.” Doucette started to lead his troops into the woods.
Byrne quickly followed. “How do you know where to go?”
“Before I joined the army I was an engineer, I helped repair the sewers below the town of Grand Falls. Most of the signage should still be down there and I know my way around like the back of my hand. We will be at the courthouse before you.” Doucette had a sly look on his face. For the first time Byrne noticed a scar that ran from Doucette’s lip to his nostril.
“You mean before we know it.” Byrne asked.
“No, I meant what I said. You’re not going with us. We need eyes on ground level. Since you already know your way around.” Doucette handed Byrne a pair of night vision binoculars. “You can be our eyes.” Byrne stopped dead in his tracks while the rest of the troops slowly disappeare
d into the darkness of the woods. “Make contact with me once you have the courthouse scouted.” Doucette blended into the woods leaving Byrne by himself.
Byrne reached into his pant pocket, he hauled out his cigarettes, and opened the pack. “Fucking bullshit,” Byrne muttered to himself as he stared at his last fag.
Heavy footsteps could be heard just outside the door. The room had fall deathly quiet, everyone dreadfully waiting for the door to swing open. Warrant Smith stood up tall and ushered everyone behind him, he was willing to do whatever it took to keep everyone safe. Jack stood just behind the warrant, placing his hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have to do this alone,” Jack said.
“I know, but I can handle this.” Smith placed his hand on top of Jack’s. “You keep them safe if something goes wrong.” The footprints continued pacing back and forth, almost in a rhythmic fashion. The floor boards creaked underneath the weight of the person outside. “I think we are going to be fine for now. The guard outside probably got bored standing in one place.” Warrant Smith knew exactly what the sentry was doing. He had done it himself a countless number of times.
“Are you sure?” Stella questioned.
“Well, he’s either bored or his feet hurt,” Smith said, with confidence.
“It’s just a matter of time before they come get us. This place is well organized and they aren’t going to keep us in here forever.” Tina held her chin against her chest and grasped her hands underneath he legs as she sat on the floor. Her eye was swollen completely shut now and her lips were cracked all over. They had all been in this room for hours now without water or food and it was taking its toll on them. “We will all have jobs.”
Stella started to use her fingers to try and pry apart the plywood boards covering the walls. “They brought us here to help make drugs.” She started to pull with all of her might. Her fingernails pulled back and nearly ripped off as she struggled with a board.
“Jesus Christ Stella, what are you doing?” Jack knelt down and pulled Stella’s hands into his own. Blood trickled out from underneath her torn fingernails. “It won’t be so bad.”
“I’m not doing this.” Stella tried to pull away from Jack, but he wouldn’t let go. “I can’t become a part of this. I should have died back at the cabin.”
“Don’t say that.” Jack was clearly frustrated. “You can’t give up.”
Stella refused to look at her husband, turning her head back towards the loose board. “I need to end this.” Stella kicked the wall.
“Stella stop,” Jack pleaded with his wife. “We aren’t going to get out of here through there.”
“I know that.” Stella sobbed as she kicked the wall again, rocking the stud behind the plywood boards.
The door burst open and the guard rushed into the room with his weapon raised. “Stop that now.” The man barked, his face covered by a black mask with a silver skull painted on it. The eyeholes were covered with a dark tinted visor and his neck was covered in black with a single bar of silver paint running up the middle.
Warrant Smith tried to cut the man off, but the sentry smashed the barrel of the gun into the side of his head, sending the warrant tumbling to the floor. His vision filled with stars that danced around. Before Smith could steady himself on his elbows, the man rammed his steel toe boot into Smith’s diaphragm knocking the wind out of him. The brutal force of the blow slammed Smith against the wall. He could feel the vibrations from Stella thrashing against the wall. Jack tried desperately to stop her, but he couldn’t wrap his arms around her long enough to prevent her outburst. She flailed her limbs wildly against the wall.
“Stop.” The guard barked one last time without warning. He grabbed Jack by the collar and flung him backwards with ease. Once he placed his bear-like paws on Stella she stopped suddenly and turned to face her captor.
“Let her go!” Jack bellowed at the masked man.
Stella stared at the man with a wild look in her eyes for what seemed like an eternity. Warrant Smith rolled onto his knees, but he couldn’t find the strength to intervene. His face was turning deep red with a lack of oxygen. Stella spat in the guards face. He laughed at her attempt and wiped the spit with his gloved hand. “You’re a fighter. We may have use for you yet.” The brute turned his head towards Jack and sized him up. “We don’t have any use for you.” He let out a hearty chuckle as he raised his weapon back up and pulled the trigger.
BANG
Jack’s head rocked back violently and a wet thud echoed off the wall behind him. His left eye disappeared behind the nasty red wound that opened up. Jack stood tall with a shocked look etched permanently on his face, his mouth left gaping with the words that would remain with him. Stella pounded her fists against the man’s chest, the Kevlar vest absorbing her blows with ease. “It was supposed to be me.” She shrieked.
Warrant Smith sucked in a deep gush of air, the colour slowly returning to his face. He managed to get up on one knee as the heinous guard dragged Stella out of the room by her messy hair. The door slammed shut and the studs rocked with the tremors from the sheer force. Tina remained in a ball on the floor, her head still buried in her chest as she started to rock back and forth again pulling at her hair. She was mumbling something over and over again under her breath.
“Tina.” Smith clutched his stomach with one hand, the pain slowly receding now. “Tina, we are going to get out of this.” He looked over at Jack who was somehow still standing. It took a minute to realize that Jack had fallen against the wall and was propped up by the dent in the wall he had made when he fell backwards.
Smith didn’t have time to get Tina to come around. He grabbed her by the wrist and slung her over his shoulder. He pulled Jack’s arm and let his body fall onto the floor. He timed the thud of the body with his kick as he sent his boot into the rotting boards of the old courthouse. A frigid breeze stung the open wound on his face as he pushed his way outside. The morning sun would be up soon. The clouds in the sky were lit up a brilliant hue of pink and orange. Hopefully private Byrne wouldn’t be too far away now. They headed out into the frigid morning air. His warm breath was visible and he could feel goosebumps popping out on his arms.
“Tina, can you walk?” Warrant Smith couldn’t get through to her. She stared blankly into the sky. “Shit.” The sound of footsteps could be heard approaching from around the old courthouse. Smith scooped Tina up, cradling her against his chest. Her limbs dangled uselessly from her body. “Tina can you hold on.” He dashed towards an alley between an old brick building and the town bank, it was the darkest place he could find. He nearly dropped Tina as he rushed into the alleyway. He placed her back down on her feet and braced her with his shoulder. He dragged her down the alley to the corner. Looking both ways down the street, he could see tire tracks on the road but didn’t see the vehicle that had left them behind. Car doors could be heard closing back in the direction of the courthouse, but the brick building obscured the view.
“Tina I need your help. I can’t carry you the whole way.” Tina didn’t respond, Smith couldn’t leave her behind, but he didn’t have much left in his tank. His lungs burned from exhaustion. The bruises on his ribs made it hurt to draw in deep enough breaths. “Come on.” Warrant Smith continued to drag Tina around the corner, her feet bouncing of the pavement as they ran past the front of the bank. A dull light could be seen in the offices of the bank. People were probably using them for their bedrooms and were just waking up.
The park was just across the street. It was wide open and it didn’t offer many places to hide, but the forest ran along the back of the old playground. Smith didn’t want to go further into town, the risk of getting caught was far too great. “Let’s go.” He slung Tina over his shoulder and carried her across the street, her legs bouncing off his stomach as he started to run. Short gasps of air was all Smith could get into his body, his muscles cramping up, making it difficult to run. They passed the large archway to the park and he followed the frozen dirt path through the middle of the
park. A slide and swing set on his left side was dusted with snow and the monkey bars rested near the top of a small slope.
The sound of footprints pounding in the grass startled Smith, sending a rush of adrenaline coursing through his body. He knew he wouldn’t stand a chance in a straight-up fight, but if he could make it to the tree line he could use the terrain to his advantage. He was nearing the edge of the tree line, he could see the root sticking out of the ground, but he couldn’t lift his knee high enough. He tripped up in the root, crashing down onto the frozen stones and Tina fell out of his arms and rolled onto the grass. Warrant Smith turned around just in time to look up at his stalker. “You son of a bitch.”
Warrant Smith’s shoulder dug into Tina’s abdomen as he carried her down the back alleys of Grand Falls. His boots hit the ground heavily, his breath becoming more laboured with every step. The sky was a brilliant array of pink and orange as the sun raised up to greet the clouds. Snowflakes drifted lazily in the wind and covered the tree’s in a blanket of white. The horizon bobbed up and down as Warrant Smith made his way towards the edge of the woods.
“Almost there.” Warrant Smith’s voice was resilient. Tina wanted to let a surge of happiness flow over her body, but she was expecting this beautiful scene to be ripped away from her at any moment. “Get me in touch with Sergeant Doucette now.” Tina didn’t know how she could possibly help with that request.
“Here.” A stranger’s voice startled Tina.
Zombies On The Rock (Book 3): The Republic of Newfoundland Page 7
