Dead, But Not For Long (Book 2): Pestilence and Promise

by Kinney, Matthew

  “If we can bring in some food, I can preserve most of it,” Theresa said. “What can’t be frozen or dried can usually be canned.”

  “Everybody, make a list of what you need, and we’ll try to get it,” Jack told them, adjourning the meeting.

  As he went to leave the room, he noticed Ernie, the janitor, sound asleep in his chair.

  “Meeting’s over, Ernie,” he said with a grin.

  Startled, Ernie looked around. “Hope we figured some stuff out,” he said, wincing as he got to his feet. At seventy-five, Ernie was the oldest employee at the hospital, and he had arthritis that made it difficult for him to even walk when he didn’t have his meds.

  As Jack watched him hobble away, he wondered what would happen when the meds ran out. There were others in similar situations, but even if Snake and his men hit every pharmacy in town to collect the drugs needed, eventually there wouldn’t be any more. Jack shook his head, knowing there was nothing that could be done about it.

  ~*~

  It was decided that Keith would be in charge of getting the exercise room moved to the administrator’s office on the first floor, which was the largest office. Snake quickly volunteered his men to help dismantle and transport the equipment.

  Marian approached Snake as some of the others were leaving.

  “I was kind of hoping you could check on my sister and her kids. I heard from her a few days ago, and they were getting short on food. I talked to her about coming here, and she said she’d consider it, but I haven’t been able to reach her since then.”

  Snake took down the information, promising Marian he’d do his best.

  “And if you happen to come across any books . . .”

  “We’ll see what we can do,” Snake told her.

  “Good. That should help keep some of us out of trouble,” Marian said, looking pointedly at Moose.

  Most of the bikers scattered, deciding it was time to start helping with the move.

  “I was thinking,” Lindsey said. “Maybe we should put out flyers letting people know we’re here.”

  “Can’t hurt,” Snake said.

  “I’ll help,” Autumn offered. “We can make them on the computer.”

  “Great,” Lindsey said, walking off with the girl. “Let’s go do that.”

  A big biker named Bull approached Snake after the others left.

  “Boss, can you talk to the docs for me?” the man asked. “They won’t give me anything for pain, and my arms are killing me.”

  Snake took a closer look at the man.

  “That’s funny, Bull, because Dr. Sharma told me she gave you something.”

  The biker had been thrown from the top of the truck on a supply run, and he had managed to grab a chain to keep from going over, but the momentum had pulled both of his arms from the sockets. His left arm was in a sling, though his right hand was free so that he wasn’t completely helpless. Dr. Sharma had told Snake that Bull would be in pain for a while, but mentioned that she had given him some pain pills.

  “Yeah, she gave me something, but it wasn’t enough,” Bull said, not meeting Snake’s eyes. “Look at me, Boss. I’m a big guy. I need a higher dosage than the average person. She didn’t give me enough.”

  “I think she’d know all about dosages since she’s a doctor,” Snake pointed out.

  “She’s one of those student doctors,” Bull said. “Maybe they didn’t teach her that part yet.”

  “She’s an intern, and she’s been through years of medical school. Dude, you finally kicked that habit. Do you want to get hooked on that stuff again?” Snake asked.

  “It’s not like that,” Bull insisted. “You got it all wrong, Boss. My arms are just hurting. Feels like they’re being ripped in half.”

  “Let’s just find something to keep you busy,” Snake said, not sure what to believe. He thought about it for a few moments. There wasn’t much the man could do without the full use of both arms.

  “Why don’t you join the guys up in the crow’s nest?” Snake suggested. “I know you can’t hold a rifle right now, but you can keep an eye on the gate in case anybody needs to come in.”

  Snake also knew that the guys tended to talk a lot while in the observation room, and he hoped that shooting the breeze with the others would keep Bull’s mind off of wanting more drugs.

  “Yeah, sure,” Bull said, walking away.

  ~*~

  Demolished Office Building near St. Mary’s

  Chuck woke to a chorus of moans, and he felt his pulse begin to race. He realized immediately that the noise was louder than it had been earlier. Swallowing hard, he tried to determine the location of the sound. He’d checked every inch of space for openings and had not found any, except for the small tunnel. He crawled toward the source of the noise, finally stopping to put his ear against the flat piece of wood he’d tried to move earlier. His heart skipped a beat when he heard another low moan on the other side of the board. Just one, he thought, but it was under the rubble with him. The others were outside, their voices muffled by layers of debris. He pushed lightly on the board to make sure it hadn’t moved. He was relieved to find it firmly in place. If he couldn’t move it, hopefully the dead thing on the other side couldn’t move it either.

  He made his way along the wall until he found the broken bottle that held his water. Drinking greedily, he grew frustrated when he realized that he’d drained it. It sounded as though the rain had stopped, and Chuck wondered how long he could live without water. Quietly, he returned to his resting spot. He had found a couch cushion in the debris earlier and had dragged it over. Lying on it had not been an option with his damaged ribs, but he had propped it against the wall to provide some comfort for his back. He leaned back against it and closed his eyes, though he did not sleep. He didn’t dare, not with a zombie so close.

  ~*^*~

  ~06~

  St. Mary’s Hospital, Lansing

  Most of the residents of St. Mary’s Hospital were busy for the rest of the day as furniture and equipment were moved and construction projects were started. Snake grinned as he watched Moose start to tear down the wall between the ER and the waiting room. The big biker was using a sledgehammer and had a look of glee on his face.

  In the afternoon, a few of the bikers ran out of work, and Snake decided that maybe it was time to check on some family members. There had been no sign of the jets for the last several hours, and it was late enough in the day that they shouldn’t be coming back out.

  “We’ve only got a few hours before dark, but we can at least get out there and check on a few people,” he said to the small group in front of him.

  Moose walked over to join the others.

  “You going with us?” Snake asked.

  “Might as well,” the big biker said. “There’s nothing else to tear down.”

  “Xena will want to go, I’m guessing,” Wolf said, using the nickname that Snake had given Lindsey.

  “I’m sure she will,” Snake said. “Why don’t you give her a heads-up?”

  Helga walked over and announced that she would also be going.

  Snake didn’t argue with her. He knew how hard she could hit since he had been the target of her ire recently. He also knew that he had deserved it. Years earlier, Snake had left Helga at the altar and had disappeared from her life until fate or karma had brought them together again. He was torn between being relieved that someone with her fighting skills had his back and being nervous that he had made such a volatile person so angry. The fact that she carried an AR-15 only added to the angst.

  “We’re taking bikes this time, boys,” Snake started, then caught Helga’s scowl, “and girls. We’re going to check on some family members of people here, and I also want to do a quick trip around the neighborhood to see what kind of world the bombers have left us. Hopefully there’ll still be some stores standing. We’ll probably want to do our shopping later, once we give everybody a chance to make their lists. You know the drill. I want some people doubling up w
ith shooters on the back of the bikes, but leave a few empty seats just in case.”

  They’d learned quickly that a mechanical problem with one of the bikes could easily leave someone stranded. In other unfortunate cases, they had needed someone to take a bike back when a rider had been injured.

  Mouse hurried over, the kitten sleeping soundly in his pocket.

  “Mouse, why don’t you stay here today?” Snake asked. “You don’t want to be bringing that kitten along, and besides, it’s smoky outside. That ain’t good for your asthma.”

  “You sure you don’t mind?” Mouse asked.

  “Go ahead and take a break today,” Snake said. The small biker tended to be impulsive and often acted without thinking. He’d almost gotten a group of men killed because of his actions, and Snake had been trying to come up with excuses to leave him behind when they went out.

  ~*~

  When Lindsey came to join them, she tucked her long, light brown hair up into a hat that had been left in one of the lockers. She quickly donned a leather jacket that she’d borrowed from Mouse and a pair of gloves that she’d found. As she slung her crossbow over her shoulder, she caught Helga staring at her with narrowed eyes.

  Wombat walked up next to Lindsey and she jumped, startled.

  “You scared me,” she said.

  “I noticed that,” Wombat said. “I found out why Helga keeps giving you those looks. Snake told her that you were his new girlfriend.”

  “He what?” Lindsey asked, trying to keep her voice down. “Well, that explains a lot. He started calling me honey, and winking at me when Helga was around. Is he trying to get me killed?”

  “I think he’s trying to make it look like he’s unavailable,” Wombat said.

  “I figured he was trying to give that impression, but I never realized he actually lied to her and told her that I was his girlfriend. Now I have to face her wrath because he doesn’t want to tell her the truth? That’s not right. I’m going to go talk to her.”

  “She won’t listen. Besides, I’ve got a better idea,” Wombat said. “She’s watching, so smile.”

  “What do you have in mind?” Lindsey asked while trying to keep a smile on her face.

  “This,” Wombat said, pulling her into an embrace.

  “Oh, good idea,” she said, slipping her arms around his neck. “Is Helga still watching?”

  “She’s riveted. Of course, so is everybody else. In fact, I see several jaws hanging open. I may have some explaining to do later.” He gave her a quick kiss once he was sure that Helga was watching. “Why don’t you ride with me today, just to be safe?”

  “I’ll do that,” Lindsey said. “Thanks, Wombat. You may have just saved my life.”

  As they walked to his bike, Lindsey noticed that Helga’s attention was focused back on Snake.

  “Thanks a lot,” Snake grumbled as they walked by.

  “Don’t mention it,” Lindsey said with a smile.

  ~*~

  Yucca University Medical Center, California

  George was almost done eating his lunch when Dan Hixson walked over.

  “Mind if I join you?”

  “Please do. I don’t have anybody to talk to.”

  Dan took a seat and lowered his voice. “I’ve been asked to keep an eye on you, just to make sure you don’t run off. Apparently you’re a VIP here.”

  “That’s what Bob told me, and I just don’t understand it,” Rayburn said, making lines in his mashed potatoes with a fork. “My name was first on the list, and it was even highlighted. In yellow! My patients are all gone, and I haven’t had to lift a finger since they left. Why am I even here?”

  “I don’t really know,” Dan admitted. “All I know is that it’s of utmost importance to keep you safe. And you didn’t hear that from me.”

  “So is there anything new outside the walls?” Rayburn asked, eyes darting around to make sure nobody was within earshot. “I can’t get on the internet anymore, and now we don’t have any TV reception, either.”

  “It’s gotten worse since I talked to you earlier,” Hixson said. “I’ve heard that there have been new outbreaks.”

  “How bad?” Rayburn asked.

  “The plague finally reached the east coast and spread like wildfire,” Dan said. “The cities were hit the worst, of course, so everybody wanted out. A lot of those who managed to leave were already infected, so they took the disease with them.”

  “I heard some of that before they cut off the internet,” Rayburn said. “I can’t even contact my friends now. Then again, I’m not sure how many of them are even still alive.”

  Dan had no reply. There was no point in telling Rayburn that things were going to get better because he didn’t believe it.

  “Dr. Rayburn?”

  George looked up from his meal to see a young soldier over the rims of his bifocals.

  “Hi, Natasha. How are you?”

  “I’m good,” she smiled. “Bob would like to talk to you.”

  “Sure. I just finished my lunch,” Rayburn said. He chatted with her for a few minutes before excusing himself and leaving to go to Burnell’s office. Halfway there, he ran into one of the janitors and stopped to talk with him for a while.

  Almost a half-hour later, Dan found Rayburn in the hall.

  “Dr. Rayburn, Bob is still waiting to talk to you if you have a minute.”

  “I have thousands of minutes,” Rayburn replied. “I have nothing but time these days.”

  They walked down the hall to a large conference room where Bob waited with another man whom Rayburn had seen around the hospital.

  “George,” Burnell said. “I don’t know if you’ve met my . . . assistant, yet. This is Alexander Madec.”

  Madec frowned at Burnell’s choice of words, but he shook Rayburn’s hand and waited while the doctor took a seat.

  “I figured there wouldn’t be any more staff meetings since I don’t have any patients left,” Rayburn said, looking slightly confused. “In fact, the last time I checked, every single patient in the building was gone and their rooms seemed to have become apartments or something. Aren’t we a hospital anymore?”

  Bob smiled and leaned back in his chair. “The patients have been moved to other hospitals so that we can concentrate on finding a cure for this plague.”

  “I see. Then why am I here? I’m a doctor without patients.”

  “I’m sorry, George. I’m afraid that the current crisis has forced all of us to adjust our routines somewhat.”

  “Unfortunately,” Rayburn replied, “my routine added a bit of sanity to my life. I’m at a loss as to how to spend my time, lately. I can’t even take my daily walk. Is it really necessary to keep me locked up? I mean, it’s safe outside as long as I stay within the walls, right? I’m wearing a path in the hallways around here . . .”

  “I’ll see what I can do,” Bob interrupted. “We’re just worried about your safety, but I do see your point.”

  Looking more serious, Burnell leaned forward and steepled his fingers on the table. He appeared to be deep in thought for a moment before finally speaking again.

  “Dr. Rayburn. I’m sure that you realize that we’re desperately seeking a cure or a vaccine for this plague. We have top people working on it everywhere, and we hope to include you as part of this team.”

  “I’m flattered,” Rayburn said, looking no less confused, “but this is not my field, so I’m not sure how I could help.”

  “You’re one of the top oncologists in the country,” Bob pointed out, looking at a printout that Madec handed him. “You graduated from medical school with honors. You’ve made amazing advances in your clinical trials, so you’re familiar with medical research. You’re exactly the kind of person we need.”

  Flustered by the compliments, Rayburn took off his glasses and cleaned them before putting them back on again.

  “I’d love to help in any way I can,” he said. “It’ll give me something to do, besides walking around the building. You know, I’
ve climbed up and down these stairs so many times, I can tell you exactly how many steps there are on each staircase. Did you ever notice that the railing between the second and third floor is a little wobbly? Maybe someone could fix that. I’d do it, but I just don’t have the tools.”

  Bob blinked and glanced at Madec before looking back at Rayburn. “We’ll have someone look into that, George, but I have a few questions.”

  “Of course,” Rayburn said, taking his glasses off to clean them again.

  “As I said, we have a team here researching the plague, and we have reason to believe that a former colleague of yours might be of help in figuring some of this out. You worked with a man named Igor Petrov.”

  “Sure, we’ve done several clinical trials together,” Rayburn said. “Great guy. I’ve known him for years. Really nice, you know. He likes his vodka, but I don’t hold that against him. I kind of like my Scotch whiskey, so I’m not one to point fingers.”

  Impatience flashed across Bob’s face. “Have you heard from him recently? He seems to have disappeared, and we fear the worst.”

  “The worst being that he may have been eaten by zombies?” Rayburn asked. “That’s probably a good guess since half the population of LA has been killed so far, from what I understand.”

  “Dr. Rayburn, have you heard from him?” Madec asked.

  “Not lately,” Rayburn said.

  “But you did get an e-mail from him several months ago, asking you to keep a package for him. Is that correct?”

  “How did you know about that?” Rayburn asked, leaning forward.

  “We have our ways,” Madec said, smiling coldly.

  Rayburn looked back and forth between the two men for a moment before speaking again.

  “Igor said not to tell anybody about it, but since you already know, I guess it’s not a big deal. He wanted me to hold onto it until he could pick it up. He was working down in Colombia, and I guess he worried about people breaking into the room he was renting since he was gone most of the time. He was doing some kind of research in a lab in the jungle. He said the birds used to drive him crazy with their constant chatter.”