Zeke stood next to her. "Where are they?"
Tingling ran up Jen's side. "They're out there."
She approached the bank's glass door, trying to peer inside for any movement. D-Day took up position on one side of the door, while Wayne took the other. "Zeke and I will go in first," she said.
Wayne pulled the door open and held it. Walking on the balls of her feet, Jen choked up on the tomahawk and crept in. Zeke had his katana held ready, and he entered by her side.
It was a small bank, and Jen could see most of it from the door. Nothing stirred, so she gestured for Zeke to approach the teller windows on the right while she took the left. She got up on her tiptoes to look over the counter. There was nothing but empty stools and papers scattered across the floor.
Wayne entered the building and crept toward the single restroom door. D-Day hustled to catch up with him. "Don't go wandering off alone."
D-Day pushed the door open, revealing a lightless room of shadows. Wayne reached in and flipped the switch. D-Day let the door close. "Nothing."
The tingling had dropped to almost nothing. It was like playing the kid's game Hot and Cold. The tingling increased when she was near a zombie, and died when they were far enough away. I wonder if having buildings and walls between me and the zombies makes a difference?
She walked toward the back door, which had an exit sign above it. The tingling slowly built back up. "This way."
The door opened into a back parking lot with an ATM drive. Older homes sat across the road.
Jen took several steps into the parking lot and looked down the street. Still nothing.
Zeke hitched his thumb to the right. "Do you want us to do this building next? If I don't get to kick some zombie ass soon, I'm going to burst."
The next building over was the back entrance to a store. A two-story white building with fresh colorful paint, it stood in sharp contrast to the bank with its barred windows and plain exterior.
Jen approached the store and stopped, clenching her teeth. The tingling down her side went into overdrive. "They're close. Be ready."
Wayne put a hand to his ear. "Listen."
The sound of hundreds of pounding feet came from down the road.
"Get in the building," Jen yelled.
20
Jen dashed through the doors, nearly running over Zeke, who stood looking at the oncoming horde with a faint smile on his face. She grabbed him by the sleeve and pulled him inside.
D-Day and Wayne pulled the doors closed and followed Jen and Zeke into the small shop. She led them to the far side of the store where a staircase went to the second floor. No sooner had they reached the stairs than banging began at the back doors.
D-Day pointed at the store's front windows, which looked out over Main Street. Scores of zombies raced past, heading for the militia lines. Guns barked and men yelled as they engaged the horde.
"We're surrounded," Wayne said. "Can't go out the front or back."
"Then we go up." Jen climbed the stairs, which opened onto a landing with three closed doors. Jen opened the one straight ahead and turned on the light. A small office, it had an industrial metal desk, a reclining chair patched with electrical tape, and a cabinet overflowing with papers.
"Nothing in here." She closed the door and turned to the others. D-Day had opened one door and Zeke the other. He immediately closed his, holding his nose. "Just the bathroom."
D-Day stepped through the third door and disappeared for a moment. He stuck his head back out. "Looks like this is our best bet."
Jen followed Wayne inside. "An apartment?"
"A lot of these buildings that have businesses on the first floor have apartments on the second," Wayne said.
The banging downstairs increased. Jen crept to the top of the stairway. The left side of her body had gone practically numb from her built-in zombie detection alarm. There has to be more of them.
"I don't think we have more than five minutes before they're inside." She peered down the stairway trying to see the shadow-covered stairs. She flipped a switch on the wall and an overhead light buzzed, flickered, and went dark. "Shit."
She took her sunglasses off and put them in her shirt pocket. Better.
Wayne stood in the apartment doorway. "Come on."
She turned to him and he flinched. She almost felt like apologizing. I wonder if any of them will ever look at me the same again.
"I'm staying here," Jen said. "Top of the stairs is a good choke point."
Zeke pushed past Wayne. "Then I'm standing there with you."
Jen shook her head. "Narrow stairs. Only room for one. You should take that doorway to the apartment as a choke point. Keep the door closed. The three of you can defend it once it's breached."
D-Day tromped toward her. "Bullshit. We don't need heroes."
Jen smiled. "Looks like you're getting all emotional on me, big guy. Who said I was going to let myself get overrun? I'll hold this choke point until I can't hold it anymore, then I'm falling back into the apartment with you. I'll catch my breath while the three of you defend the door. That is, if you can handle it for a few minutes without me."
D-Day clenched his fists and lumbered back into the apartment. "Damn Homeland Security agents," he murmured.
Wayne followed him in, but Zeke didn't move. "You got bit because of me and I don't feel right leaving you out here to get bit again."
Jen's left leg spasmed. "The freaking zombies will be in here in another minute. I need you back in the apartment, and I won't take your shit. I've already been bitten and haven't turned, so I'm probably immune. That's more than I can say for you."
Zeke stared at her for a moment, then said, "I'll leave. But if I think you aren't coming back, I'm coming out to get you."
Jen grinned. "I expect nothing less. Now get the hell out of here."
Zeke disappeared and the door closed. The gunfire and the banging had reached a crescendo. Sounds like they're hammering in the front door, too.
Jen positioned herself two steps down the stairway and took a couple practice swings with the tomahawk. I should be able to hold this thing for a while.
A crash and the tinkle of shattering glass came from downstairs. Banging, as if furniture was being tossed aside followed, and underneath it all, the shuffling of dozens of feet.
A wave of zombies flooded the bottom of the stairwell, creating a pile of intertwined limbs and snarling, yellow-eyed faces. Blood poured from their wounds and predator eyes searched for prey.
Jen widened her stance and bent her knees slightly, swinging the tomahawk back and forth. Two zombies broke from the pileup and raced up the stairs toward her. Twenty steps, fifteen, ten.
The lead zombie's eyes burned into hers, but it stopped two steps away. Its head tilted as its gaze bore into hers. "One more step and I'm dropping your ass," she said.
The second zombie clambered to get over the first, but stopped as his eyes locked with Jen's.
What the hell? They look confused.
"You can't tell if I'm friend or foe, can you?"
She closed her human eye. Both zombies straightened and stumbled down the stairs. The pile of zombies at the bottom unraveled and headed into the store.
"Well I'll be dipped in dogshit."
Jen crept down the stairs and peeked out. The zombies poured out the front door and joined the street zombies attacking the militia.
Jen opened her human eye.
Boots stomped down the stairs behind her and Jen spun, bringing her tomahawk above her head.
Wayne and Zeke stood at the bottom of the stairwell, their weapons raised with puzzled looks on their faces. D-Day clomped down and leaned on the railing. "I guess you didn't need our help," he said.
Jen shrugged. "When you've got it, you've got it."
The horde on Main Street surged past, their attention on the militia.
Wayne stood next to Jen, watching them flow past. His hand brushed hers. Jen's heartbeat picked up. We're going to have to do som
ething about this when the time is right.
She swallowed and turned to him. "Sorry I didn't leave you any."
He gave her his crooked grin. "That's okay. Looks like there's plenty more." His eyebrows lowered. "But what happened? We didn't hear any fighting and there are no bodies."
D-Day lumbered forward. "That's a question I'd like answered, too. What the hell's going on?"
Jen licked her lips. "They didn't attack me at first, I think because of my yellow eye. But they were thinking about it. So I closed my human eye, leaving only the yellow open, and they turned around and walked away."
"Holy shit," Wayne said. "They thought you were one of them."
D-Day didn't say anything, just stood there with his arms crossed and his eyes staring beneath bushy brows.
"Damn, Jen," Zeke said. "Someone's going to have to write a comic book about you." He laughed. "Zombie fighter Jen and her sidekick, Zeke the ninja." He took a couple of swipes with his katana.
D-Day went to the back door. "Totally busted back here. The front doors will keep out any strays but it's open season from the rear. We should move."
"What about the militia?" Jen said.
D-Day shook his head. "I ain't afraid of a fight, but attacking that mob out there would be suicide."
"He's right," Wayne said. "The militia was expecting reinforcements, and they'll do them a lot more good than we will. Besides, I think we need to find out more about your new...condition, and what you can do with it."
Jen sighed. "Agreed. We should probably move to the next—"
A sharp pain in her gut folded her in half. Wayne grabbed her and kept her from falling. "What's wrong?"
D-Day and Zeke rushed over.
"Don't know," Jen grunted. The pain subsided enough for her to straighten, but it was still strong and getting stronger.
She looked out the front window. The horde had passed, but one figure walked unsteadily toward the front door. An older lady, her skin hanging loose on her bony frame, shuffled to the door and peered in, her yellow gaze sweeping the room and resting on Jen. She reached out and pulled the door open. A leader.
Zeke stepped forward, his katana ready to attack. "What are you doing?"
Jen put her arms out, her gut still twisting. "Step back. Don't attack unless she does first."
Jen waited as the old lady shuffled to her. The zombie stopped and examined her from head to foot then stared into her eyes. A buzzing grew in Jen's head and the pain disappeared. Not unpleasant, the buzzing grew louder.
"You guys hear anything?" she asked.
"Not me," Zeke said.
"Nope," D-Day said.
"You're the only one," Wayne added. "What are you hearing?"
The buzzing reached a crescendo, then stopped. The feeling of being under a microscope rushed over her. "Do you understand me?" Jen asked.
The zombie continued to stare, motionless.
Jen took a deep breath and exhaled. "If you understand me, raise your right hand."
The zombie's right arm jerked up. Jen gasped. "Lower your arm." The arm dropped.
"Do you know who I am?" The zombie's right arm shot up. Jen's heart hammered her chest.
"Am I talking to the old lady who stands before me?" The zombie didn't move.
"If the answer is no, please raise your left hand." The zombie's left hand lifted.
Jen's breathing became shallow and rapid. She stumbled and Wayne rushed forward, putting his arm around her waist. She leaned against him.
"Jen?" he said.
She ignored him and locked eyes with the zombie. Let's get to the nitty-gritty.
Forcing the words from her mouth, Jen asked, "Am I talking to Butler?"
The zombie's right arm shot up.
21
Zeke jumped in front of Jen and knocked the old lady to the floor. She sprung at him as soon as she landed.
Zeke spun, the katana a blur.
"No," Jen cried.
The zombie collapsed at Zeke's feet and its head flew, striking Wayne's chest and bouncing onto the floor. Wayne scrambled backward, brushing his shirt. "Shit!"
Jen grabbed Zeke by the collar. "What'd you do that for?"
Zeke's eyes were downcast. "It was Butler. You said he needs to die."
"I wanted to find out more from him. I need to know why he keeps trying to contact me." Zeke wouldn't meet her gaze. He did what he's always doing—protecting me.
She released her grip and straightened his collar. "Sorry about the reaction."
A goofy grin spread across his face. "No worries."
"What do you mean when you say he keeps trying to contact you?" D-Day asked.
Jen licked her lips. Zeke and Wayne moved closer.
"The drones in the CDC basement," she said. "I think Butler could see through them, but he didn't have as much control."
Wayne rubbed his chin. "But he has clearer communication with leaders?"
Jen nodded. "I think so. First it was O'Connor and now this old lady. You saw what happened."
Wayne pointed out the front window. "Look."
The disciplined army of zombies had turned into an unorganized mob, but still pushed up the street in the direction of the gunshots.
"That leader must've been directing the drones," Zeke said. "Now they're just a normal, everyday horde."
D-Day lumbered to the back door. "Then now's the time to leave."
"Agreed." Jen followed him and stuck her head out of the door. "It's clear."
She crept into the parking lot and scanned the area. Butler knows where I am. He'll find himself another leader sooner or later and have the whole horde rain down on our heads.
Jen sprinted to the side of the next building and peered around it. The street was deserted. D-Day pushed up against her. "What do you see?"
"Nothing." She slinked out from cover. The small one-story building housed a jewelry store. "Nice bars on the window, but can't see shit from there."
Approaching the building, she craned her neck to get a good look at what lay ahead. Her zombie side went numb. Looks like my spidey senses are tingling again. The barred glass door of the jewelry store slammed open and an older man with balding gray hair, a huge beer belly, and organs hanging from a gash in his side lumbered forward.
D-Day swung his barrel toward the zombie, Zeke took an attack stance, and Wayne choked up on his bat.
The zombie stumbled past Jen. She put a hand up and gestured for the others to get back. The zombie seemed locked in on Wayne.
Jen ran in front of the zombie, blocking it. It stopped and glared, then shuffled around her.
She jumped in front of it again. "Stop."
Again, it went around her. Even with my human eye showing?
"Can I kill it now?" Zeke asked.
Jen grabbed the zombie and her body convulsed, slamming her to the ground. Her ears buzzed and everything grew darker. The last thing she saw before slipping into unconsciousness was Zeke's worried face hovering over her.
22
The buzzing grew louder until it reached a crescendo and became the whispering of a thousand voices. Blackness enveloped Jen—blackness so thick that not even a glint of light appeared.
What the hell? Am I dead?
She tried to stretch out her arms and realized she couldn't feel them. Shit. I am dead.
The whispering faded and a pinpoint of light appeared far away, but it grew as it came toward her. Or am I going toward it?
The circle of light sped toward her, filling her view then enveloping her in a blinding flash.
White. Searing white. Then it cooled and shadows appeared, becoming more distinct, until Jen found herself in a conference room, with six of the twelve chairs surrounding the table occupied.
Jen tried to move her head, look at the people around the table, but nothing she did worked. Like watching a movie.
A chubby thirty-something man with a shock of red hair adjusted his round wire-framed glasses and leaned forward. "I believe the risks of
Project Svengali are unacceptable." He sniffed. "And all the rewards appear to be military." He looked at Jen. "No offense, of course."
The door opened and two more people took their seats. One of them sat to her right. Her view panned to him. O'Connor.
Her gaze switched to the other newcomer. Dr. Preston. And where the hell's her wheelchair?
The redheaded man sighed. "And where's our fearless leader? Isn't our time important, too?"
The door opened and in strode Dr. Cartwright. "Forgive my tardiness. My call with the president went over its allotted time."
She sat at the head of the table and scanned the room. "Dr. Morgan. Where is he?"
Her eyes zeroed in on Jen. A voice rumbled, surrounding her like a theater sound system. "He's in the middle of a necessary procedure and will join us as soon as he can."
Cartwright stared at Jen, a tic on her eyelid the only thing giving away her thoughts. "Very well," she said. "We shall proceed."
She nodded at a stick-figure-thin woman to Jen's right. "Williams, I've read your report. Please summarize for those present."
Williams bit her lip and shuffled a stack of papers in front of her before picking up a few. "We believe we may have found viable hosts."
She looked nervously at the others and continued. "We scoured our electronic systems for any possible matches. When we found nothing substantial, we were given access to all other government agencies and expanded the search." She pushed her black plastic glasses up her nose. "Still nothing."
"Get to the point," Cartwright said.
Williams licked her lips. "We sent teams to government archive sites to go through physical documents that were never digitized. Last week, one of our teams found a promising lead in an old Navy file."
She looked down at the paper in her hands. "They assigned a naval officer, Dr. Winston Burrell, to a whaling ship in 1871 to observe and gather data on the health of the crew during the voyage. His journal is quite boring until a stopover in Haiti where he writes about a meeting with a Vodou priest, what they called a houngan."
Zombie Uprising Series (Book 4): The Hybrid Page 10
