Pandemic Z | Book 3 | Pandemic Z 3

by Lawson, Hayley

  Joel sighed. A sad smile crept across his face, and he nodded. “I had just divorced my wife,” he said softly. “That’s why I drank so much that night. You were there to tell me it was okay. It didn’t matter how much I bitched or cried that night, you listened.”

  His eyes suddenly looked distant, sad. Terry wondered if he recalled that night.

  “You don’t have to do this, Joel. We can help.” The sergeant’s words were slow and barely audible. “Untie the ropes, will you mate?” he asked hopefully.

  Joel hung his head sadly. “I don’t know if I can do this,” he said sadly.

  Harrison sat forward in his seat. He didn’t care about the ropes digging into his chest. Joel was in the middle of a personality change right in front of him.

  “I just thought I was doing good…” Joel sniffed, forcing a tear from his eye.

  Sergeant Turner nodded along. “We can still help you, Joel,” he said, hoping Joel would free his ropes, even if only a little.

  “I want this inner turmoil to end!” he whined while standing in front of Sergeant Turner.

  The sergeant looked hopefully at Joel. “Untie me, and I will help you.”

  Joel pressed his lips together. “If only it was that simple,” he said quietly. “I can’t just let you go after working so hard to get you. This is my moment. You’re proof—I did well.”

  Joel turned to walk away, but Terry thought he heard the words, “I just want this moment—this feeling—to last,” leave his mouth as he walked away.

  Chapter Ten

  The crowds moved and thrived around Buckingham Palace, eagerly snapping pictures and selfies to remember the crowning masterpiece of the United Kingdom. Sean, Ryan, and Nathan pulled through the gates, amazed at the sheer size of the crowd filling the courtyard outside of the Queen’s palace.

  “Holy fuck. What the hell are all these people doing here?” Nathan said into the intercom.

  The city had been dead; they had expected the palace to be quiet, too. Instead, the crowd of both humans and non-violent zombies filled every inch of space.

  Sean reached across from his place in the passenger side seat and grabbed the microphone. He hated not being in his own vehicle. He felt useless. “I’m not exactly sure, but this can’t be good!” That much was obvious, but he had nothing more to offer.

  Ryan stopped the Land Rover. The thick crowd pushed and converged around them. “Driving would be faster, but this crowd is really thick,” he reported, smacking the steering wheel.

  Sean scanned the horizon. The front gates of the palace would be well-guarded, and they needed another way in. He knew there were service doors for the staff, but he didn’t know where. People and zombies were everywhere, but he still searched for anyone who might have control over the zombies.

  “Over there!” Sean cried out, shoving his finger towards the windscreen.

  Ryan followed Sean’s finger. He expected to see someone controlling the zombies or one of the large brute zombies. Instead, all he could see was a door.

  He looked at Sean, confused. “A door? What’s so important about a door?” he asked.

  Sean smiled as he pointed again. “It’s a way inside!” he proclaimed excitedly. “The front entrance will be heavily guarded, so we needed another way in.”

  Ryan nodded. He looked back over at the door and saw two men in formal black suits pacing back and forth in front of the entrance. “I don’t think we’ll get through that way, mate. Look.” He pointed at the security guards. “It’s guarded by a couple of dicks in suits.”

  Sean stared at the well-dressed men. “We can take them. We have a Land Rover after all,” he said, reassuring Ryan.

  “Mate, this really isn’t a fucking James Bond Aston Martin. We don’t have cool weapons or fancy gadgets,” Ryan told Sean. He couldn’t see how they could take down the two security guards without running them down and making a lot of noise.

  Sean sighed, knowing Ryan was right. “There has to be a way.”

  The intercom crackled briefly before Nathan’s voice boomed across. “Hey folks, are we just going to sit here watching the insane crowds, or are we going to go do something?”

  Ryan took the Land Rover out of park. “The crowds are crazy, but if we drive, then surely they’ll move out of our way,” he responded. He turned the wheel towards the crowds.

  The zombies kept wandering around in circles repeatedly. The humans walked in perfect step, putting one foot in front of the other. Occasionally, one of them would stop to snap another picture. As Sean watched them, he noticed they weren’t taking pictures of anything important. One woman snapped a shot of the pavement slabs while the man next to her took a picture of the gates.

  That made no sense at all to him. The crowd was thick, and the people were so unlike normal tourists. “Something’s not right—even with the humans. I think they’re being controlled,” he told Ryan while focusing out the passenger window.

  “Mmhmm,” Ryan muttered. He focused on the people in front of him. They slowly moved and took their time getting out of the way of the large Land Rover as it drove through.

  “Mates, I hope you weren’t looking for the element of surprise,” Nathan said, chuckling slightly.

  Sean focused on the odd movements of the groups of people as Nathan spoke. “Why’s that?” he asked Nathan. That hadn’t been his intention at all.

  “Two Land Rovers running down a thousand people who are being controlled… not very discreet, mate.”

  Ryan breathed heavily through his nose. He gripped the steering wheel tighter as he continued through the crowd that seemed to thin out closer to the building.

  Ryan stopped the Land Rover beside the impressive brickwork. Nathan was close behind.

  The building towered over them. The windows were ornate and made with thick glass, and there was no way to break them. The fence to the side was too high to climb, even with the help of the Land Rovers. So far, Sean couldn’t see a way inside the building.

  Ryan bit his lip as he thought. “We could blend in,” he said slowly, looking out over the crowd.

  Sean looked at his friend. “What? Just waltz right through the front door?”

  Ryan nodded. It was the only idea he had, and no one had come up with anything better. “We can pretend we’re here to protect the queen. You know, tell those buff security guys that we’re here to…” his voice trailed off.

  Sean felt the cogs whirring in his head. Ryan was onto something great. Sean leaned on the dashboard, looking closer at the security men in suits.

  Ryan stumbled over his thoughts. “Uh… I mean… Well, what I meant to say was…” he stuttered, feeling silly as he tried to find the best words to use.

  “I got it!” Sean exclaimed, smacking his hands on the dashboard. “You figured it out, Ryan.” He liked to give credit where it was due.

  Ryan stared at Sean with his mouth open. He didn’t know what he had figured out and why his teammate was so excited about it.

  Sean pulled the microphone to his mouth. “Nathan, listen up,” he said quickly. “The EJG isn’t here yet, so we have to do something useful.”

  “I’m listening,” Nathan said into the intercom system.

  Sean cleared his throat. He watched the crowds move as he spoke. “We’ll break into Buckingham Palace because we, my friends, are bad ass like that.” He raised his eyebrows as he spoke.

  Nathan chuckled. “How are we going to do that, mate? There’s only three of us,” he said.

  Sean rolled his eyes. He should have known Nathan would interrupt him. “We’re going to pretend we’re part of H.I.V.E. forces to make sure the queen doesn’t get taken,” he said, scanning the horizon again. “We’re going to pretend we’re meant to be here, so look sharp, be smart, and walk with confidence.”

  “But we have our military numbers and identification all over our uniforms,” Ryan pointed out.

  Sean paused. “Yes, but that’s the whole point. It tells the guards we’re real soldiers
here to give proper protection to Her Majesty,” he said, speaking closely into the microphone.

  Nathan cleared his throat. “What if the EJG come while we’re doing our heist?” he asked, nervous that back up would show up at the wrong time.

  Sean focused on the security guards pacing around the front of Buckingham Palace. “First off, this isn’t a heist. We’re not stealing the queen.” He paused. In reality, that’s exactly what they were doing: kidnapping the queen. That didn’t mean Sean was ready to admit that out loud. Even the sound of it made him sick. Still, he sighed and shook his head, relenting. “Okay, so it sort of is, but it makes me feel very uncomfortable to say it.”

  Nathan chuckled. “Yes, sir. We’ll pinch the queen from her home. Isn’t that like a big crime?” he asked. “I don’t want to go to prison for saving her. I’m too pretty. I wouldn’t last very long locked up.”

  The thought of Nathan Davids in prison made Sean laugh. “Too pretty… Right. Whatever you need to tell yourself to feel better. Mate, we’re wasting time. Follow closely and pretend you belong here.” He shut off the intercom.

  Sean pushed open the passenger door open and jumped out with confidence. Ryan and Nathan both came to stand beside Sean. Each of them turned and inspected the area, making sure no humans or zombies followed them.

  “I feel like we need some action music right now,” Ryan said quietly as he looked out at the crowd. Humans and undead walked around aimlessly, just as they had before the trio had arrived.

  Sean, Ryan, and Nathan walked towards the front entrance as if it was a normal day. The morning drizzle made their steps sloshy. Every step they took was noisy, despite their attempt to be professional.

  Sean found Ryan’s previous comment amusing, but he refrained from laughing. “We do need some damn music,” he agreed with Ryan.

  The doors loomed ahead. The large and ornate structures stared down at them as they reached the steps. Sean inhaled deeply, hoping his plan would work. Two men in suits emerged, seemingly out of nowhere, and stood guarding the large doors.

  Sean raised his head higher. “We’re here as ordered,” he told the guards as bravely as he could.

  The taller security guard looked at the other. “We asked for more than just three.” He turned to his coworker. “Did you tell them that?” he demanded sternly.

  The shorter guard gulped. “I did, sir,” he said, his voice cracking and nervous.

  The first guard sighed, looking back at Sean, Ryan, and Nathan. He motioned his head towards the doors. Without a word, the large doors swung open, and they couldn’t believe their eyes.

  Sean led the way through the entrance, and Ryan and Nathan followed closely. Inside the main entrance, the lobby was empty. The marble floors were freshly polished, and the furniture sparkled flawlessly. Sean stepped carefully, his footsteps echoing loudly around the hallway.

  “Where to now?” Ryan asked. He’d never been to Buckingham Palace despite living in London his entire life.

  Sean didn’t reply as he stepped towards the main conference room. Sean had been on several missions to protect the queen and knew if she was being held anywhere, it would be in the conference room. The glass in the room was too thick to break, and the walls could withstand a large bomb.

  Nathan looked around the well-decorated room. He’d dreamed about being inside Buckingham Palace. He’d only been to Osborne House on the Isle of Wight for a school trip, and the royal households had fascinated him since. He followed the others, careful not to make any loud noises with the thick soles on his boots.

  “Follow me,” Sean told the others.

  As the three men stepped closer to the room, a zombie snarled as it made its way toward them. Sean sighed. He hadn’t t expected to meet a zombie, and it growled and stared intently at him as if sizing up his next meal.

  Ryan smiled. He had a small knife in his pocket and knew it was the perfect time to use it.

  Ryan removed the knife from his pocket and hurled it at the fleshy tissue of the zombie’s neck. He was silent as he moved forward, hoping not to alert anyone around. He stopped in front of the zombie, watching as it oozed goopy blood from the wound. He forced back the bile as the hideous stench hit his nose. He pulled the blade back and stabbed it deep into the undead’s neck again before kicking the monster down to the floor.

  Nathan was impressed. The fight—even though the zombie didn’t have a chance at all against Ryan—had been impressive. “Well done, Moo. An-udder one bites the dust!” he said, using cow references to poke fun at Ryan’s last name.

  Ryan chuckled at Nathan’s joke. The adrenaline pumped freely through his veins, and he didn’t care if Nathan made fun of his last name. He felt powerful while standing over the fallen zombie.

  The closest door clicked open, and a tall man in a suit stepped out. “Finally, protection!” he said, seeing the three men in military gear.

  Sean stood tall. “We’re reporting for duty, sir,” he said confidently.

  The man stepped aside, his eyes coming to rest on the dead zombie on the floor. Sean, Ryan, and Nathan stepped inside the room. Sean had expected the man to say something about the corpse, but he didn’t. There was a long conference table that filled the space in the room. Chairs were neatly placed around it, but no one was there.

  Sean blinked, hoping his eyes had played a cruel joke on him. “She has to be here!” he said in disbelief. The queen wasn’t in the conference room, and now he had no idea where she might be.

  “I know who you are,” the man said in a low voice, sliding the door shut behind him.

  Sean stared at the man in the suit. “Yeah. Like we told the other guys, we had orders to remove the queen. She’s in danger.” He could tell by the look on the other man’s face he didn’t buy a word, but Sean wasn’t about to give up trying yet.

  The man sniggered, the sound low and eerie. “Bullshit. You’re not here to better the human race. You’re the part we’re trying to get rid of.”

  “Did anyone understand any of that?” Ryan asked. He couldn’t understand what the man meant by that.

  Sean whipped around, pinning the man against the wall. Talking had wasted enough time. “Where is she?” he growled. “Where is the queen?” he repeated, pushing harder on the man’s neck.

  Sputtering, the man replied, “She’s upstairs, but she’s heavily guarded.” His words came out in sputtered gasps and squeaks.

  Sean let the man go, dashing towards the door. He yanked it open and sprinted down the hallway. H.I.V.E. already knew they were there, so they had to be fast. Ryan chased after Sean while Nathan tried to keep up.

  Nathan skidded to a halt at the end of the hallway. The door in front of him had a sticker with a dolphin on it. “Wait! Come back here,” he quietly called out to his teammates.

  Sean and Ryan dashed back to Nathan, each of them annoyed by the hesitation. They were both eager to get to the queen. They looked at the hefty door with the odd sticker plastered to the front.

  “This isn’t the time for games, Nate,” Ryan hissed, turning to sprint off again.

  Nathan grabbed Ryan’s arm, knowing the other two wouldn’t recognize the sticker. “This is the military sticker for a weapons closet. First used after our first tour in Syria, it’s to stop people stealing weapons.”

  Sean looked at Nathan. “Weapons?” he asked, amazed. “It’s filled with…” He didn’t finish his comment.

  Nathan punched in numbers on the keypad, “Each one uses 1953–the year her majesty was crowned,” he said quietly. The door clicked open, and he fought the urge to cheer. “Perfect!” he said more to himself than the others. It was the first time he’d used a weapon’s closet since his training.

  Sean pushed passed Nathan and smiled to himself at the sight of the weapons that lined the walls. Going in and looking for a fight while unarmed had been a bad call, but it had been the only one they could make. Now, they stood a chance.

  Each of them strapped themselves with knives, extra magazine
s, and handguns because of their convenience in close quarters. They had empty slots in their gear for a couple of smoke bombs and grenades—just in case. The object was to get the queen out safely, but once they were on their way out, Sean had no issue doing whatever he needed to on the way out.

  Once they were strapped and ready to go, they each popped a magazine in their guns and slowly moved out of the room, making sure they had a clear shot to the stairs. Sean nodded back to the others, giving the all clear, and they rushed forward, moving as quickly and quietly as possible.

  At the top of the stairs, Sean dropped to the ground. The sounds of voices came from the closest room. They heard a man’s voice as well as the unmistakable voice of the queen. Adrenaline pumped through Sean, knowing they were so close to their objective, but the relief of knowing she was alive and well flooded through him simultaneously. He motioned Ryan and Nathan forward, and they moved to stand beside him.

  “I hear her!” Ryan hissed quietly, lying on the floor beside Sean. “We have lots of weapons. Let’s blow this place up!”

  Sean shook his head. “No. We can’t risk killing the queen. We have to distract them.” Slithering forward like a snake, he reached the hallway and looked around. “Nathan, I need those chipmunk teeth!”

  From where he laid on the floor, Sean could see the room holding the queen was sealed. The door was closed, meaning if a grenade went off farther down, she would remain unharmed.

  He felt something brush against his side, and he looked back to see Nathan nudging a grenade in his direction. Sean took it planned his trajectory quickly before pulling the pin and throwing it.

  The grenade bounced down the hallway, rolling against the far wall before coming to a stop. The three men standing there ducked out of the blasting zone as it exploded and ripped through the end of the hallway. The closed door in the room holding the queen opened, and men flooded out of the room, rushing to the destroyed area of the palace.

  Sean signaled to Nathan and Ryan, and in a flash, they were on their feet. They stayed low as they ran into the room. The queen sat on the edge of the chair beside her desk. She looked rather unimpressed by the situation; her face neutral and unreadable. She was calm despite the situation she was in.