The Chasing Series Box Set [Books 1-3]

by Hamrick, R M

  From the front lobby, Satomi and Gordon entered the lab ahead of Audra. As they crossed the threshold, a flash of color filled up the doorway and pushed the two out of sight. Someone had blindsided them both. Audra sidestepped and braced herself against the wall. Her knife found her hand.

  Why the hell was she so stupid? There was a reason Ziv was nowhere to be found, not just because he was lazy.

  “Come on in here. We have your friends now. Nothing you can do but get one of them killed if you don’t show your face,” said an unknown voice from within the lab.

  “What do you want?” she asked buying time.

  “We’re just going to take you to headquarters. We have a nicer lab, less zombies.”

  The voice moved something inside Audra, but she did not know what. Did she know him?

  “Are the three of you all right in there?” Audra asked, seeking more information.

  “The three of us are fine. These two haven’t hurt us yet.”

  So, there were just two in there. Audra scraped the number “2” into the wood panel as quietly as possible. She pushed her knife in between the panels to punctuate it, hoping Dwyn would see it in time. She then raised her arms above her head and pivoted around so she was in front of the lab entrance.

  “OK, I’m coming in.”

  “Good job, now sit down there and keep your arms up.”

  The spindly cowboy held Gordon with one arm, the other hand wielding a switchblade. He motioned to a chair for Audra before tying Gordon up and leaving him seated on the floor, several feet away from the whimpering, half-leaning Ziv. The man sauntered up to Audra. He looked at her face and his expression changed. Audra did not recognize him, but he appeared to recognize her. His grin got wide and his eyes sparkled.

  “Shit, Lars. We’ve met this one before.”

  He grabbed her outstretched wrists and zip-tied them together behind her chair. He pivoted the chair on its back legs, presenting Audra. Audra imagined that if they still had football teams, Lars would be on one. He was wide, strong, and without a neck. He was an overwhelming presence in the room.

  “Geez, we have!” he said.

  Hearing their voices together reignited Audra’s memories, too. These were the voices she heard after she’d been knocked out by the car door on I-16.

  “Is this level 2 now?” asked the large guy anxiously. He hugged Satomi with one large arm over her arms and breasts and the other around her waist, but he looked at Audra greedily.

  Gordon jumped up and charged into the man that had secured Audra. They both ended up on the floor in the struggle, but Gordon was at a disadvantage. A few hard punches into the side of his jaw left him slack.

  “Thanks for the help, Lars,” the man snarled.

  He pulled himself off the floor, favoring his left knee.

  “Aw, you had it, Lindon,” Lars said with his arms still around Satomi.

  Lindon tied Gordon’s feet and dragged the unconscious body into the closet.

  They returned to their conversation.

  “Well, I guess since this is our second meeting, by default, it IS level 2, Lars.”

  He tied each of Audra’s ankles to one of the chair legs. Out of desperation, Audra considered biting the top of his head but did not think that would help. The two looked strong, and Satomi was the only one not tied up. They would have to buy time until Dwyn and Ryder arrived to change their odds.

  Large motion caught her eye. She looked over at the conference room. Subject Four was writhing in front of the window, foaming at the mouth. The duo looked to see what Audra was watching.

  “Why you got this one?” asked Lars.

  He looked around the room for a volunteer, but no one offered an answer. Had he been told why he was sent here? The terms they used like ‘Level 1 and 2 encounters’ led Audra to believe they were privy to nothing. Lars squinted his eyes as he came to his own conclusion.

  “Well, you’re scientists. That looks like an experiment,” he said.

  He tapped on the window. Subject Four did not respond, yet he seemed overstimulated, perhaps even having a seizure. His eyes closed, and he slid down to the floor.

  “Wow, you guys are sick.”

  He walked away from the window and turned his attention to Ziv, who had found his rear and was sitting up against the wall.

  “Do you want to watch?” he asked Ziv.

  “Psh, we should make him join in. I bet he’d be enthusiastic after a while,” said Lindon.

  Ziv stared down into his lap, afraid to ask what he would be watching. Nobody said anything. Satomi now lay hogtied on her side on the floor. Audra shot glares at the closet door that hid Gordon. He had disadvantaged himself so much. He made no noise in the closet. He was either still knocked out or he had realized his mistake.

  Despite the discussion, it seemed to be just idle talk for now. Audra was not sure why the men waited. Were they waiting for Dwyn and Ryder or more from their own team? The two men perched themselves on the laboratory counters. Lindon kept alert, hands on each side of his hips ready to spring up into action. His dark eyes read the room, and he swung his greasy hair out of his face. Lars pulled his legs up onto the counter and jammed himself into a corner. He barely kept his eyes off Audra, who sat spread on the chair.

  Dwyn and Ryder would arrive soon. Would they heed the warning signs? Audra tried to glance nonchalantly out the window looking for any hint that the duo was out there and making a plan.

  “Looking for your friends?”

  Audra’s eyes shot to the speaker too quickly.

  “That chick and your boy? Must have found something fun to do in the woods…” he trailed off as he made a crude gesture.

  He must have watched them jump the fence and let them move the zombies. Why? And were they being taken to Lysent or were they going to be executed here? Audra imagined that even if a trip to Lysent was on the horizon, a trial and execution would also be.

  Shouting came from outside and disturbed the pair on the counters. Lindon and Lars jumped down. Lindon walked to the front room to investigate. Lars remained behind to watch the prisoners. He pulled out his knife and traced it high along Satomi’s thigh. Satomi whimpered and pulled away, her face hidden by the fall of her black hair. Audra listened hard to the noises outside.

  It was Dwyn.

  “Audra! Audra! It’s Ryder! Oh god, we got overrun! She’s gone! My leg… I think it’s broken.”

  “So you’re the only one left. Come inside before I kill the others.”

  “Argh, we’ve got a runner,” Lindon yelled into the lab. “Come help, Lars! I ain’t running after him myself.”

  Lars cursed under his breath.

  “Did you threaten to kill his loved ones?”

  “Guess he don’t love them much,” called out Lindon.

  Lars chuckled at the crew and headed out the door. It was the first time they were left by themselves, but it wouldn’t do much good. Audra pulled on her bindings, but they only pinched tight on her skin. Was Dwyn providing a distraction or had something horrible really happened to Ryder? Satomi was crying.

  A head peeked from the doorway - Ryder.

  “Me first!” cried Audra, her tone somewhere in the broad spectrum of a fierce command and a pathetic cry. Ryder obeyed and snipped the hard plastic zip ties that constrained Audra before rushing to Satomi and holding her. Audra jumped up as soon as she felt the freedom gather around her wrists and ankles. Without a word to the others, she made a direct line to the door to chase the men chasing Dwyn. Dwyn’s actions had freed her, but she would not let him fight them alone. She crashed through the front lobby, turning to jerk her knife from the wall. She had enough. She didn’t want to know what a level 3 encounter was, but she did want them to regret pushing that door into her months ago. She launched through the front door, readying her sprint to Dwyn.

  BAM!

  Audra hit something hard. A human arm was braced in front of the door in anticipation for someone Audra’s size to come barrelin
g through. Audra felt the back of her head smack the floor and stars floated through her vision. The owner of the clothesline maneuver, Lars, filled up the doorway, solid and angry. He must have assumed subterfuge and had doubled back. Despite the fog in her brain, she did not lose her determination to leave. She rolled away and pulled herself up. She thought for a moment about attacking Lars, but she remembered that was ill-advised. He was at least twice Audra’s size. Audra was no match, no matter her enthusiasm. He was an employed goon, paid to be a fighter. Audra was paid to run.

  Lars took his time entering the lobby, pleased with his power and in no hurry to run after Dwyn.

  “You think I’m that dumb? I’m taking you all back for my payday.”

  “I get that, but didn’t you ever stop to think about why Lysent wants us? We’re trying to create antivirals here, but Lysent wants to keep control.”

  She backed up into the laboratory.

  “Let them have control. I like it here.”

  Audra looked around. The second door had been barred shut, a poor decision on their part. The only other escape routes were the windows. Audra grabbed the centrifuge, much to Satomi’s disagreement, and threw it through the window and followed it, cutting her arms and legs in the process.

  It was not until she was a hundred yards away when she realized she had left the scientists on their own. Would Lars follow her? Everything in her wanted to find Dwyn. The predicament was resolved when Lars emerged from the building and began his chase. Perhaps he had taken the time to secure his prisoners. Now he would be on her tail.

  Having someone chase her almost felt natural to running. Sure, this person was more intelligent than her typical pursuers, but this one could tire. Audra’s mind forgot someone was behind her, more encouraged by the possibility of what was in front of her. She knew what general direction Dwyn would head, to their more familiar and favorite running grounds. They would treat them as zombies and pull one of their tricks. Audra would bet anything that Dwyn was setting up for a Bait & Switch, but he might not know Lars was behind her. The configuration required Leap Frog. Would Dwyn figure it out?

  Audra was ready to see this end. There was no way she would let them get the best of her again. They handled the zombies. They would handle these two thugs. Her mistakes reeled in her head – giving up Belinda, getting attacked by these two on I-16, letting Vesna be killed by Greenly’s men, it had to stop. It would stop. She had given Lars a chance and he had refused to listen. The only way it would end was if Audra ran fast.

  With Lars at her tail, she picked up speed, but not a sprint. The thugs were built to bully on even ground, but this was challenging terrain. She decided to catch up to Lindon and veer left. Her closeness would be too tempting for him, and he would go after her. This would allow Dwyn some distraction while he doubled back to come up from behind. That is, if Dwyn knew to do that.

  It wasn’t long before she caught up to Lindon.

  “Hey! I’m about to pass you!” she jeered as loudly as she could.

  She could see movement in the brush, of someone just out of sight. That must be Dwyn. He would be able to hear her. He would know her plan without a word of confirmation.

  Lindon let out a slew of curse words, already tired from his current chase. He looked up ahead at his target who was getting away, then looked sideways to Audra. Her tease was just too much. He would make her pay for all of this inconvenience. Jobs were not supposed to be this hard. He changed directions.

  “Oh, you think you’ll get me? I’d like to see you try,” Audra flirted.

  She was flirting with danger though. It would only take one misstep in the root bundles to twist her ankle and have both men on top of her. She was playing with fire.

  With the change in direction, Lars met up with Lindon and they ran as a pair.

  “Where are you even going?!” shouted Lars. “There isn’t a sanctuary in this whole world. We will get you.”

  Audra was impressed he could form full sentences behind her. She took a glance back. They didn’t even have their weapons out. They were just going to manhandle her to the ground once they caught her. Audra knew it was perfect. She ran north, then northeast, before heading back around. She ran right under an outcropping of rock and felt a little dust and pebbles hit her shoulder, signaling he was in position. As the two thugs ran past the outcropping, Dwyn launched himself from above and fell on both.

  As soon as she heard the thumps and crash, Audra turned around and sprinted back. Her knife in her hand, she was ready to come down on one of the two and end their lives at first physical touch. Audra arrived to see all three struggling. Even in the tussle, Audra could tell that Dwyn was not ready to take anyone’s life. His moves were defensive and his cuts shallow and toward extremities. Audra reached in and kicked a head. It just made it angry.

  Lars had managed his knife. He was close to Dwyn’s neck while the other punched Dwyn hard. Audra launched herself and her knife sank into Lars’s ribcage. He cried out in pain as Audra yanked it out and slashed for his partner. Lindon pulled back, but into Dwyn’s arms. It was Dwyn who cried out as he made the gash along Lindon’s neck, ending his life in a violent, pulsing gush.

  Holding his side, Lars lunged again for Audra. Audra held out her knife in front and Lars stumbled onto it. Audra was not sure if he was disoriented or if the move was purposeful. He gasped a few breaths, whispered sorry to no one, and slipped away.

  Dwyn shook. His whole body trembled in the excitement, the heaviness, and the distress. Audra cleaned her knife and put it away. She then took Dwyn’s and cleaned his too. She put it in his side holster before pushing her arms underneath his to wrap him in a hug. He stood limply for a moment before draping his arms around her. She kept close contact for several minutes, trying to get his body to settle. When Audra thought it safe to proceed, she took him by the hand and they walked wordlessly toward the laboratory. They needed to make it there before dark and preferably before Dwyn went into shock. They had nothing out here and they had run quite a distance.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  “They made it back! They’re safe!” yelled out Ryder.

  She was keeping watch from the front. Gordon came from the back of the property. The others rushed from the laboratory with crying and smiling and hugs all around.

  “Where are the men?” asked Gordon.

  “They weren’t men. They were goons, and they refused to be anything else,” addressed Audra.

  “We had to… we…” tried Dwyn, who shook again.

  “We killed them.”

  Satomi gave her a hug and whispered, “I’m sorry, thank you.”

  “They deserved it,” sneered Ziv, “they killed Vesna.”

  No one agreed, and no one disagreed. It wasn’t the outcome they had wanted, but it seemed to be the only acceptable one. They were alive. They had survived. A solemn calm washed over them. Ryder pushed the group inside. Satomi gave them food and turned on the kettle for some foraged tea of mostly dandelion. The entire team was wordless for the entire night. No one ventured to their rooms, but instead, they shared the lab again as their sleeping space. Eventually, bodies shut down despite brains reeling, and sleep overtook them.

  Ryder was first to broach the topic in the morning.

  “What will happen when the goons don't return to Lysent?”

  “I don’t imagine that the corporation will care where they are and why they haven’t collected payment. But, they will send someone to check on the status of the laboratory. If we’re still here, they will attack again. This time with trained people, not shamblers,” said Audra.

  It was important that they understand that the corporation was not going to forget about them.

  Dwyn suggested options for the crew.

  “The safest course of action would be to close up shop and move elsewhere. Otherwise, we tear up the place to make it look abandoned and hide out until the coast is clear. We could even hide a spot for you guys to do limited work while we wait for the chec
kup.”

  Ryder sat in silence. Her brain worked through the options, trying many simulations and perspectives. She then reported her findings.

  “We can’t move the things necessary. Some are fragile. The thermostat-controlled fridges are impossible to find replacements for, and too bulky to move. We need this place. We will have to convince the corporation it is destroyed, so when they arrive they do not set it on fire or smash it up more, but just go on their way.”

  “Who will stay?” she asked her friends.

  Satomi said nothing but grabbed Ryder’s hand to affirm.

  “Of course I’m in,” said Gordon.

  He had nowhere else to go.

  “I was here for Vesna,” explained Ziv, “now she’s gone…”

  Audra expected to hear his opt out, but wasn’t sure what his alternatives were.

  “I guess I must carry on for her memory.”

  They all nodded in agreement. No one had any time to process that Vesna was gone, murdered, but they would keep going for her and to stop Lysent.

  “We will have to break down the fence, burn down some of the buildings, and have zombies marching around. And we have to do it quick. When will the corporation expect Lars and company?” asked Dwyn.

  “Lars and Lindon would have finished up yesterday, set up camp overnight, then made sure the stragglers wandered the opposite direction of the villages. They wouldn’t push their horses to cover the ride back in one day. That would take them two. And then the corporation would give them at least one extra day before sending another couple of riders to check on us. I imagine they’ll just take a day to get out here on fresh horses.”

  “Four days,” said Gordon. “That should give us enough time to hide the valuables and destroy this place.”

  “After breakfast,” claimed Ziv.

  They worked together in glorious fashion destroying the laboratory. Gordon noted that everyone else had an eye for it. Satomi suggested it was all the destruction they had witnessed. When you realized what was essential, everything else faded away or in this case, could be smashed. Dwyn suggested that it was that Gordon may still be attached to things.