The Fighter Series (Book 1): Not Alone (The Beginning)

by Kolleen Bookey

  “You were kidding about the tiger, right?” Blake asked.

  “Where’s your big boy skirt now?” Jack teased, trying to lighten the mood. “We only have to go twenty feet.”

  Blake shook his head, “I’m not wrestling a Siberian Tiger.”

  “Better than a hospital full of infected people,” Jack said. “I‘d rather take my chances with the animals.”

  Jack cracked the door open. A hushed silence fell across the hall. He pointed at the doors, motioning the women forward. It was twenty degrees cooler outside the surgery room and the cold stole the warm air as it drifted through the opening. The women guided Matt through the door, slipping quickly through the next. The sound of the gurney wheels blending in the wind.

  However, not even the storm outside hid the high-pitched cry of the tiger coming from within the building. They all stopped.

  “Keep going.” He whispered leading the others to the studio. Sherry and Shay slipped into the apartment securing Matt. Jack slipped past Shay into the hall. Blake followed merging into the darkness of shadows and light. Jack looked at Shay, putting his finger to his ear and then pointed down the hallway.

  “Don’t open this door unless you’re positive it’s me.” Jack whispered. “Understand?”

  Both Sherry and Shay nodded.

  THIRTY-EIGHT

  As Ringo disappeared into the darkness, Riley searched for the girls keeping to the folds of shadows. The hospital was much larger than she thought. Sectioned off and separated by doors and windows for exams, the rooms were perfect hiding areas. She looped back around searching through windows for Utah and Megan. All the while paying heed to her back. Coming to the last door, which was closed, she turned the handle hoping she’d found Megan and Utah. Instead, something large and pissed off slammed into the door. Jumping back, she caught the scream working its way out between her lips.

  Backtracking, she moved away from the closed off room. Now team evil had gone silent, leaving her more skittish. Where are you hiding?

  “Pop.” A bullet ripped past her head. A poof of air grazed her hair as it passed. She sprinted down the hall, speeding past several doors towards the back end of the corridor. Ringo was behind her. She could feel his presence, strong and chilling. Hear footfalls coming fast and hard. Veering left towards the double doors ten feet from her. The smell of the hospital changed. The aroma of urine and feces grew pungent. Claws shuffled behind the barrier, animals stirred.

  “Please tell me you didn’t go in there.” Riley whispered.

  The hallway forked. Moving right, she kept within the shadows peering through the windows as she passed. The building was like a giant maze and she’d just done a full circle.

  “Listen.” Ringo said.

  Riley jumped at the sound of his voice.

  “You’d be a mere morsel for a hungry cat.” He was getting closer now. “I like this place….” His words sounded drug induced. “Here kitty, kitty.” The slight scent of cigar stirred. He was stalking her while smoking a cigar.

  “Riley.” Utah’s voice was a heavens scent.

  Riley squinted, peering through the darkness. She could barely make out Utah. Riley nodded. Utah had ahold of Megan behind boxes not fully camouflaged from sight. Just behind their silhouettes, another person lay sprawled out on the floor. If not terrifying enough, another shadow appeared. Riley’s mouth went dry. Holding her breath, the cat stepped out of the darkness stopping thirty feet from the girls.

  The cat let out an angry cry slinking down into a stalking position. Megan turned and let out a blood-curdling scream. Startled and confused, the cat reared back. Utah pulled her sister behind her pinning them both against the wall. There was no time to think. Riley lunged out of the darkness, taking aim at the cougar’s head. Both cat and enemy knew her presence. Ringo didn't step into the corridor, Dave did. His pistol raised in her direction. For a split second, Riley thought he’d fire at the cat, but she was wrong. The bullet grazed her shoulder stinging the flesh. The gun in her hand loosened. The cat bolted and then stopped. Riley trembled, setting sights back on the cat. Snarled lips showed blood stained teeth. The cougar lowered herself to the ground. Her tail moved from side to side making her body sway.

  Laughing, Dave fired. This time the cat bolted towards the girls with all four legs scrambling into boxes past Megan and Utah. It slid to a stop, spun around and faced the girls. Megan screamed again, but this time the cat stood her ground confused buying Riley precious seconds. There was little doubt none of them would survive a cougar attack, but even less doubt that Dave would kill Riley first leaving the girls alone. Riley set her sights on Dave just as he fired. The first bullet whizzed past her catching the wall and upsetting the cougar once more. The cat, now outright frantic, turned and faced Riley. Ready to defend herself, she crouched down.

  Megan wrenched free of Utah and began to run. Riley saw Ringo off to the side and leapt forward to tackle her to safety. Ringo fired. His bullet made full impact with flesh and bone, but not Riley’s. Megan’s body propelled backward and the sound of the bullet hitting her small body made a thunk sound. Riley screamed sliding to the floor while emptying the magazine into the corridor. Ringo disappeared into the darkness.

  The cat dodged off to the side, her claws tapping on the slick floor as she bounded down the corridor away from the spray of bullets.

  “Come on now kitten.” Ringo shouted.

  With clenched teeth, Riley crawled towards Megan. Dave stepped out with the woman behind him embracing a large semi-automatic. Riley’s now empty magazine clambered to the floor, but before it fell, she had a fresh one in. Riley gathered Megan into her arms with one hand and shot with the other. Dave dodged her bullets. The woman honed her sights in on Riley and Megan.

  Two high impact shots sounded. Utah fell into Riley. She waited for the impact of a bullet. Nothing came. Blood sprayed outward not from Riley but from the front of the woman’s body. Slipping pressure in her finger, her trigger sent a steady round of bullets outward. Gothic pale anyway, the woman shuddered, eyes wide and fell.

  From within the darkness, they’d been spared. Pulling Utah down to the ground, Riley placed Megan in her lap. Pressing her fingers to her lips, Riley told her to be quiet. Teary eyed, she nodded. The nightmare wasn’t over yet. Ringo and Dave were still alive.

  Withdrawing another pistol, Riley glanced back at Megan who lay still. Utah cradled her in her arms crying softly while covered in blood. Riley squeezed her eyes shut. This will not end this way.

  “Utah.” Riley said. “Utah.” Utah looked up at Riley.

  Riley laid a hand on Megan’s chest. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Through the blood soaked jacket, Riley felt the slight rise and fall of the little girl’s chest. “She’s breathing, but we need help.”

  Utah laid her hand on Megan’s chest unafraid of the blood. She looked up and nodded yes.

  “Take her into that room.” Riley pointed only a few feet away. “Lock the door. Hold your hand on the wound. Press.” Riley tried to right her voice, but the tears flowed free and her throat burned. Once again, Riley wanted to kill.

  “There’s so much blood,” Utah whispered. “I can’t fix this.”

  “Take her into the room. She’ll be safe there.” The stranger’s voice came from the darkness no more than a whisper. Riley spun around. He was no more than a dark blur, but she sensed he wasn’t there to hurt them. He was the one who’d saved them.

  “Riley.” She cried.

  “Utah, honey, pull her in, lock the door.” Riley said helping Utah take Megan in. “I’ll come back for you. Press on the wound. Can you do that, can you press hard on the wound?” She asked Utah. The voice who’d spoken was gone. Utah wiped the tears away from her face. Her fingers left a red bloody streak on her cheek.

  Moving past the dead woman towards the two dark figures, Riley stopped at the opposite side of the reception area when a man told her to stop. Through the darkness of enclosed hospital, she saw his pistol pressed out
front of him.

  “Shhh.” He said in a low whisper, his finger barely visible and pointing.

  Saying nothing, Riley heard it. Someone or something was coming. She slipped over the dead woman and dipped into the room hiding in the shadows. If the combination of adrenaline and anger made sound, Riley was as good as dead.

  The cat stepped out of the shadows into view claws tapping on the floor. It lowered its body and then started crawling toward the dead woman.

  “Here kitty, kitty,” Ringo called from the darkness. His timing was impeccable and Riley’s skin chilled.

  The cat froze midstride. This time Riley could see that she was a female. She’d licked her bloodied whiskers and then relaxed to clean a paw. Riley could smell them both, the cat, the woman and the distinct odor of body fluids pooled in blood. Summoned by the scents, the cat sought out the source. The cougar moved forward placing a paw on each side of the woman’s head and claimed her prize.

  She lowered her jaws and razor sharp teeth around the woman’s neck. Bone and cartilage broke under the cat’s teeth. Riley felt a sudden excess of saliva rise up into her throat. With little effort, the cat lifted the woman up and shook her as if she were no more than a rag doll. Feet scraped the floor in front of her. Riley closed her eyes.

  Finally, the cat grew bored, yawned, exposing a blood-covered tongue. She dropped to her stomach, licking the blood off her coat, paws, and lips.

  Go away! Riley screamed the words screamed in her head.

  “I’m getting bored.” Ringo sang out. The cat climbed to her feet.

  “Good kitty.” Riley whispered. “Good kitty,” She said. Kill the devil.

  The cat moved away from the woman, slipping through the opposite door. Two strangers suddenly appeared out of the darkness. One of them grabbed a hold of the woman’s feet and dragged her deeper into the room.

  THIRTY-NINE

  Riley hurried to the girls. Utah appeared after a few taps. Behind her, Megan’s form was no more than a curled up ball wrapped up in Utah’s jacket. The only discernible part of her was her face and it was pale. The two strangers were at the door by the time Riley had Megan scooped up in her arms.

  “Come on.” The man said.

  “She’s been shot.”

  Untrusting, Riley held Megan close to her. She could feel the life draining out of Meagan’s body. They moved at a fast pace through the reception area, which looked like a battleground. Almost falling over the debris, Riley sidestepped furniture and files that cluttered the floor. She struggled to keep the pace just about dropping Megan for the second time. The wound on her shoulder stung, her eye swollen, blood had poured down her neck from the gash on her cheek. Thinking she was strong while the desperation made her feel like a mess.

  The taller man stopped Riley, taking Megan from her and into his arms. She started to argue, but he ignored her disapproval.

  “You’re slowing us down.” He said.

  Riley followed. They stopped at a door at the far end of the hospital. The man knocked a series of sequences and the door opened. As they entered through the doorway, it felt like another world one of light, warmth and the pungent odor of blood and medicine. A frail looking woman rushed forward.

  “What happened?” She asked gesturing at the table.

  “She’s been shot.” Riley said brushing everything off the table with one single swipe. The woman pulled at Megan’s jacket searching for the wound.

  “Here! Just one shot?”

  Riley lowered her pistol. “Yes.”

  She moved quick stripping away Megan’s layers. When Riley saw the sparkly butterfly shirt was soaked with blood, she grimaced. Utah grabbed a hold of her jacket watching from her side. The woman ripped the shirt away, exposing blood covered skin. She tossed Jack some gauze and iodine. Riley felt the rush of warmth in the room and the sudden escape of the darkness that still lived just outside the door.

  “That’s Shay, Jack is the tall one, and Blake is the puppy.” She said never looking up. She tossed blood soaked pads and then grabbed another bundle. “Matt is the other patient on the bed over there.”

  “Riley, Utah.” Riley said softly. In full-face masks and beanies, they all looked the same.

  The woman she’d introduced as Shay stepped forward. “This is Sherry.”

  Riley glanced at Sherry while she inserted an IV into Megan’s arm.

  “The bullet hit her here.” She said, pointing. Blood seeped out of the wound. “Press here,” she said, taking Riley’s hand pressing it onto Megan’s wound. She took her vitals and then sighed softly. “What’s her name?”

  “Megan.” Riley said. “Can you get the bullet out?”

  “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.” She looked at Jack. “I’ll do everything

  I can for her, but we need to get her to a surgeon.”

  “A surgeon.” Riley feared the worst. “Over half the population’s dead. We’re a long way from any hospitals not to mention there is one hell of a blizzard outside.”

  “Trust them,” Utah said softly, her fingers wrapping into Riley’s. Riley felt a hot tear roll down her face. “She’s right, she needs a surgeon.”

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to take the bullet out. There’s no exit wound so the bullet’s still in her. If it’s lodged in or near her spine…I…” she stammered.

  “Can you stabilize her and we can get her to Nick?” Jack said, looking at Sherry and then at Riley. “You’re bleeding.”

  Riley reached up and took off her headgear. “Dammit.” She said angrily.

  Tears welled up in Riley’s eyes. Blood flowed freely now, exposed. The man called Jack pulled off his mask. There was a moment of awkwardness before Riley’s cheeks heated up. For an incredible instant, she thought it was Lucas. He was handsome, tall and his eyes were light green with splashes of yellow gold. His lashes were as dark as his hair, which was longer in length and curled at the ends. He was wearing a two-day shadow and yet he looked like he’d just stepped out of GQ magazine. GQ man, she thought. Why do I feel like I know you?

  “We still have a few problems.” Blake said, pulling off his mask and beanie. “There are still other people somewhere in this hospital and a very large pissed off cat.”

  “One of them is ours.” Jack said moving towards Riley with gauze and peroxide.

  “That needs to be stitched up.” Sherry said pointing at Riley’s cheek and then she saw the blood on her shoulder. “Is that you or Megan’s?”

  “Mine.” Riley said. “It’s just a graze.”

  “Who was the other guy?” Shay asked.

  “He’s on our side.” Jack set his pistol down on the table. “You need to take your jacket off.”

  Riley struggled with her coat while thinking she knew that voice. Smooth, in control tone that seemed to make her feel as though everything was going to be all right. Still untrusting, she had to set her pistols down. Riley watched Jack all the while.

  “How come he’s not in here with all of you?” Riley asked. Jack reached up and helped. She was down to a white t-shirt and bulletproof vest. Jack looked at her inquisitively.

  “A stranger, friend. He wants to join our cause.” Jack said. He rubbed his shoulder and then indicated for her to sit down. “He’s the one who shot the woman.”

  “He saved our lives.” Riley said softly. “The cat?”

  “That’s a big cat.” Blake whistled. “Matt’s going to be pissed he missed that.”

  “Bermuda.” Jack leaned forward looking at the gash on her cheek. He smelled good, like spiced soap.

  “No monkeys though right?”

  He looked at her with an inquisitive grin.

  “I’m not fond of monkeys.” Riley said.

  “No monkeys.”

  “I just thought since the asshole trying to kill us goes by the name of Ringo, there might be a few monkeys running about? “Seriously? Ringo. Sounds like a circus act.”

  Sherry and Shay turned in her direction. “What?�
��

  “Ringo; big guy looks like the devil.” Riley replied, but then she saw their faces. Pure fear and the tone of her voice changed. “Do you know him?”

  Jack sat down next to her wiping the blood off her face. Sherry set a sterile stitching pack on the table and then went back to Megan. The room grew eerily quiet.

  “Devil might be too nice of a word.” Breaking the silence, Jack murmured picking up a needle. “This is going to hurt.”

  “Have you ever done this before?” She asked.

  He smiled for the first time, “Yes, but not on a woman.”

  Blake chuckled.

  It had been a long time since Riley had been around men with the exception of Max who appeared from behind a chair. Riley started to move forward, but Jack stopped her with his leg. She could feel the heat from his body pressing into hers.

  Max’s tail went fluffy and his attitude angry. His senses were already on high alert with all the oversized cats and meat eating wildlife. He entered the room, meowed loudly and then made his way over to Utah who hadn’t left Megan’s side.

  “Hey little fella,” Blake said, kneeling down next to Max. The cat purred and rubbed against his hand. His tail flattened back out as he calmed. “You’re kind of out of your league here, fella.” Blake looked at Jack, “Hospital cat?”

  “He came with us,” Riley said. “That’s Max.”

  “You brought a cat with you?” Blake asked. “Seasoned traveler huh?”

  “I told him he had to get in the truck or get left behind; he chose the ladder of the two.” She grimaced as Jack pushed the needle through skin.

  “This is pretty bad. Healing gash, new gash.” Jack said, leaning in a little closer. “Hey Sherry, you got something to numb this with?”

  “It’s okay. I’d rather she stay with Megan.”

  “She’s stable.” Sherry appeared and applied something cool onto her cheek. There was a slight poke. “How’s that.” She pressed on skin. Riley felt nothing.