by J. R. Rain
“Jack!” It was Carla, on the other side of them. “I can’t see you. I don’t want to fire in your direction.”
“Get inside!” I hollered. “Get Anna safe!”
I guess hearing my voice was enough for Carla because she started firing at the ones to my left. I heard more shots on my right; that must have been Jared. So much for listening to me.
There was no time to argue. I whirled around just in time and fired almost point blank. Blood and brain and bone splattered on me.
I took out three more. That these had once been people, neighbors, tourists and even friends, was too horrific to imagine now. Thank God I didn’t recognize anyone. I heard Carla and Jared firing, firing...and then silence. The zombies were gone or dead.
I came around to the other side of the truck where I could see them. Bodies spread out on the ground, everywhere. Then...
“Anna, duck!”
She hit the ground as the three of us pointed our weapons in her direction at once, and took out another one.
Now my daughter was in my arms. She had an iron rod and she was covered with blood. Holy hell.
“Quiet,” I ordered. We stood still. No movement. I glanced at Carla, who was amazingly calm. “Is it unlocked?”
“Yes.”
“Inside. Now. Everyone.”
“I’ve got food and water—”
Carla jerked her head to her patrol car.
I nodded. “Good. We’ll get it. Anna and Jared, get up there. We’ll bring the food inside.”
Jared grabbed her hand and pulled her up the stairs.
Carla had been thorough. She’d thought of food, water, first aid, even a deck of cards. It took two trips for us to carry everything up the stairs. Jared opened the door just long enough to bring the bags inside.
We were just getting the second load together when we heard more crazies in the distance.
“Come on,” I said. We rushed up the steps. Carla tripped, dropping a case of water. Bottles scattered down the stairs. I rushed my load to Jared and then went back to help Carla. Water was our most precious commodity; if the observatory was really closed up, the drinking fountains might not be working.
Outside, they were coming closer. Another fifteen or so. How did this happen so fast?
“Leave the rest,” I told her. She picked up one more and we dashed for the entrance.
Inside, Carla relocked the door. All the doors and windows were glass in the observatory, but they had strong brass crisscrosses barring the way for any intruders. We all collapsed in the main entry, breathing hard.
Anna found her way over to me. “I thought you’d died,” she told me. “Dad, I thought you were gone for sure.”
“Not me.” I tried to sound brave. “I’m not going anywhere, angel.” She snuggled up to me. Rested her head on my shoulder. I could see Jared had conflicted emotions. He wanted to comfort her. Or, more likely, he probably wanted the comfort of his own parents. The thought of his parents worried me all over again.
I held my daughter until we heard movement on the steps outside.
“They’re here,” whispered Carla.
The observatory was dark. Whoever had left last hadn’t taken time to set the alarm. That was good for us. We had to move, though. No more time for comfort.
Chapter Thirty-two
“Get out of sight, out of hearing distance,” I said.
I felt worlds better now that I knew Anna was safe. At least physically. I was back, and I was calling the shots.
We moved to the other side of the large enclosed circle with the pendulum that counted seconds. It was a real crowd pleaser. In normal times, that is. Now, there was no one to admire it but us. Still, it was solid, and we were hidden from them on the far side.
We took a moment to calm ourselves, catch our breaths. I said quietly, semi-sarcastically, “Family meeting. Where do we want to set up a command post?”
“The office,” Carla suggested. “We’ll have computer access there.”
“No,” Jared countered. He was feeling more comfortable giving input. After all, he’d been with us for over a week now. He continued, “We could be trapped there. In case they get in, we’ll have nowhere to go.”
“Good point, son,” I said. I thought I saw a trace of a smile on his face at the endearing term.
“What about the lower floor?” I offered. “There are bathrooms down there and plenty of room to move.”
“But we can’t hear anything down there,” Anna countered. “What if Uncle Joe comes? He’ll look for us here probably.”
So far, it was the best argument. My brother Joe. I hadn’t heard from him all day, but I still had hope. Anna, of course, would never abandon her Uncle Joe. Neither would I.
“Okay,” I said. “This is going to have to be a democracy. From here on out. Ruling vote wins. If we settle in the office, we have internet. If we go downstairs, we have room. If we stay here, I think we can have both, although we’ll have to be very careful to not be seen or heard. Very careful. Shall we vote?”
Everyone nodded.
“Who wants to go downstairs?” I asked. No one raised their hand. Not even me, especially after Anna’s reasoning. Yes, I wanted to know if my brother was outside. And, yes, he would come looking for me here, eventually.
“Who votes for the office?” Carla raised her hand. Alone.
“Who wants to stay here, out of sight?” Anna, Jared and I raised our hands.
“That’s it,” I said. “I say we move our stock, quietly, over to the theater entrance. We can bolt those doors closed with...” I paused, “with whatever we find.”
“We can keep watch,” Jared suggested. “There are four of us. Two, three hours each. Stay close with weapons handy.”
“Right.” I glanced at Carla. She had been a saint the last few days. I could tell she still felt safer locked up in an office.
Anna and Jared began to move our stock toward the theater entrance.
“Jack,” Carla whispered, “being in the center of this building is a mistake. We don’t know that we’re alone here. And the...zombies.” She made herself say the word. “They could come from any direction. It’s not safe. Just think, please.”
Her face held nothing but affection for me. I was a park ranger, but she was a cop. Despite my ranger training, she had more training than me.
I thought about how I should answer her, then said, “It’s my brother, Carla. Anna’s right. In the office, or down below, we wouldn’t be able to hear him, even if he did come. I couldn’t live with that.”
Carla turned away. “If you say so.”
“Don’t be like that.”
“Like what? Like saving our lives?”
“Yeah,” I said more loudly than I intended. “You all saved my ass out there. What if no one is there to save my brother?”
Carla took a deep breath, blew it out. “I might have to leave tomorrow. I can help by finding out what’s going on. Why the hell are there so many of them, so soon?” She looked me dead in the eye and said loud enough for Anna and Jared to hear, “I’m just trying to help, Jack. Because I care about you. And Anna and Jared. And your brother. Believe that.”
Chapter Thirty-three
Too late, I realized we didn’t have any sleeping bags or blankets.
So, we bedded down for the night, jackets on and clothes strewn over us. Carla and I stayed next to Anna and Jared, for more than one reason. I knew Jared respected me, but I also knew what teens did. I had been one once.
Minus the zombies.
I’d given both Anna and Jared one of the semis I’d picked up. Made them practice switching clips until they could do it quickly. Carla took the first watch.
“Have you tried calling Uncle Joe?” Anna asked me, while we lay next to each other. Knowing she was close and temporarily safe meant the world to me.
I told her I had called, but there was no answer, adding, “But I’m sure he’s okay. Your uncle is smart and strong.”
“Ye
ah, I guess so,” she said, but I heard the concern in her voice.
“Just sleep, sweetie,” I said, and noticed she was cuddling up to Jared for warmth. Lord, first zombies and now teenage hormones. I wasn’t sure which was worse, or more out of control.
I settled myself as best I could. Soon, Anna and Jared were out. Long, crazy day for them. Long, crazy day for anyone. They held hands in slumber. I gazed up at Carla, who stood watch near the main entrance. She held her gun down, but looked this way and that and listened for any unwanted visitors.
“Carla, you do understand, don’t you? About my brother?”
“I understand what’s good for the many as opposed to the good of the one.” The line sounded like something out of a Star Trek movie.
“Do you have family?” It was the first time I’d considered this.
She looked down at me coldly. “No. I don’t.”
“I’m sorry about that.” It was all I could come up with.
“Don’t be.”
I let it go. I was too tired. Physically and emotionally. I trusted Carla to watch over us. I drifted into fitful dreams. Dreams full of brains and splattered blood. Somewhere in my dreams I saw Anna. She was running for her life. I tried to follow her, but my feet were too slow and I kept getting lost.
I think I was trying to cry out when someone pushed me.
A desperate whisper penetrated the dream. “Jack! Jack! Wake up.”
I opened my eyes. Remembered where I was. Carla was shaking me. “What...?” I asked, not quite fully awake.
But her next words brought me to full consciousness. “Get up now, Jack,” she whispered. “They’re here. They’re inside the building.”
Chapter Thirty-four
It was fully dark by the time Joe and Mike were ready to go.
Things would have gone more smoothly if they hadn’t had to keep an eye on Cole. And a gun. But the two former LCDRs soon found a nice Suburban with government plates and almost a full tank of gas. Then they had to break into the weaponry barracks and take as many firearms and as much ammunition as they could. If this thing was spreading like wildfire, they wanted to be prepared. They loaded the vehicle with every gun they could find: automatics, rifles, a few machine guns, and even some grenades. At the last minute, they decided to change into officers’ uniforms, in case of any mishap driving such a vehicle.
Joe tried not to think about how many laws they were breaking.
And, throughout all of this, they had to watch out for the crazies. They shot and killed about a dozen more while they prepared to leave.
Joe laughed at Mike when he came out of the room where he’d changed into an officer’s uniform. He saluted Mike. Mike smiled, returned the salute.
“I always wanted to wear one of these,” Mike said. “Never thought I’d earn it this way, though.”
“I know what you mean,” Joe said. He turned to Cole, who was sitting, handcuffed, away from them. “What should we do with him?”
“Well, we can’t bring him with us,” Mike said. “I don’t trust him any farther than I can throw him.”
“No, of course not,” Joe agreed. He would never let Cole near his family, either. “But I really think we should drop him off somewhere. As much as I hate the bastard, I can’t leave him here. If we just un-cuff him here, he’ll follow us.”
“It’s dark,” Mike said. “I have an idea.”
* * *
Joe drove.
Mike sat in the back with Cole. He kept his gun down low, but watched Cole like a hawk. They were cruising up Beach Boulevard.
“Just look for any dark alley or something like the back of a 7-Eleven,” Mike said.
“Got it,” Joe answered.
Eventually they found a tire store with a large but unlit back parking lot, and a row of trees and shrubs lining a tall brick wall. The place was closed. Joe pulled in, close to some pathetic bushes.
Mike got out, motioned for Cole to get out of the car as well. Joe kept watch as Mike said, “On your knees, asshole.”
Cole did as he was told.
“Carter, take off his shoes and socks.”
Joe hesitated.
“It’s necessary,” Mike said firmly. “He can deal. We’re not in Minnesota or anything.” To Cole he said, “Try anything, and I’ll blow your brains out.”
Jack bent down in back of Cole and removed his shoes and socks. He put them in the back of the truck.
“Don’t shoot me,” he pleaded.
“You would think that, you sick bastard,” Joe answered. “If we wanted to kill you, which I kind of do, we could have left you handcuffed back at the base. Fortunately for you, we’re not like that. I don’t know why, but you’ll probably live. Get in the car, Mike.”
Mike moved around to the passenger side and got in. “You’re going to stay here until we leave. If I see you move, I will come back and shoot you. Understand?”
“You’re making a big mistake,” Cole told him.
“Maybe, maybe not. I saved your life once, and I’m doing it again. You’re a smart guy, I’m sure you’ll figure something out.”
Joe threw the keys to the handcuffs into the brush. “You’ll find them,” he said, “and you’ll figure out a way to get those off.”
Cole just knelt there. He didn’t say anything. In a way, Joe felt a little sorry for the man. After all, Joe was returning to family. He didn’t know if the Agent in Black had anyone. Probably not, he was such a dick. So, it was pity that made him pull a twenty out of his pocket and toss it in front of Cole.
“If we meet again,” Joe said, “Just remember. I saved your life. Twice.”
He got into the car and the lieutenant commanders drove off.
Chapter Thirty-five
Joe tried calling his brother, Jack, but he couldn’t get through for some reason.
He wondered why. Things were getting out of control more quickly than he could have ever imagined. Was there something wrong with the satellites? Or maybe Jack hadn’t paid his bill. Or was out of reach.
Hang in there, brother, he thought, the troops are on their way.
That was how Joe felt. He had enough guns, rifles, and even grenades for a small squadron. It actually made him a little nervous driving around with all these explosives just behind him.
For most of the drive up to Los Feliz, he and Mike were silent. They listened to the news on the radio, mostly traffic and weather, but also news here and there of mysterious murders. The newsman announced that the zoo, the Greek, and the Griffith Observatory were all closed due to “several homicides,” but that the police “had everything under control.”
“I’d bet the farm that’s not true,” Mike observed. “They’re trying to avoid panic.”
“Yeah,” Joe said. He had a bad feeling about this. Those areas were his brother’s beat.
Still, he kept his speed at sixty-five and his hands at ten and two on the wheel. The last thing he needed was trouble.
Soon, they arrived at the house in Los Feliz. The front door was unlocked, the place empty.
“Where do you think they went?” Mike asked, opening a can of tuna in the kitchen and eating it straight.
“Probably the zoo or the observatory,” Joe answered, opening a can for himself. He didn’t want to wait around, but a guy’s got to eat. They both needed their strength. He thought for a moment. “The zoo’s too open. Too dark. Lots of places to hide,” he said.
“These crazies don’t care about hiding,” Mike countered. “And your brother knows the best hiding places, I bet.”
“True,” Joe considered. “But the observatory can be locked. Contained. That would be my choice, if I were him.”
They tossed the empty tuna cans in the sink. “All right,” Mike said. “Let’s head up there and see what we can find.”
They felt safe with their ammunition, and confident as trained military men. But they had no idea what they were walking into as they pulled the car out and started up the winding road.
&n
bsp; Chapter Thirty-six
The Agent in Black wasted no time.
He was furious beyond reason, but kept his wits about him. As soon as they left, he rose onto his bare feet and looked around for anyone who might be watching. He saw no one.
He’d seen exactly where the keys had landed. He was no fool. He knelt down to where he could see them glinting from the street light. It only took him a couple of minutes to lay down on his back, grab the keys with one hand and get himself free.
He told himself he didn’t give a shit about walking down Beach Boulevard barefooted, but he had never been humiliated like this. The Agent in Black was one of the most respected officials on the planet. He’d always been treated as such.
He bought a pack of cigarettes and flip-flops from a 7-Eleven. Then, waiting at the bus stop—the bus stop, for God’s sake—he started forming a plan.
* * *
It took him over three hours to get back to the base.
He knew he had to work fast. He needed information. Even more than that, he needed protection. Those two fuckers had taken a lot with them, but they could never have emptied out the base’s considerable weaponry into one vehicle.
Carrying a machine gun in each hand, he walked boldly through the front entrance. He took out a dozen or so crazies, as Carter had called them, before he got to his office. He got out his gym bag and put on his Converse shoes and a pair of socks. The flip-flops went into the trash.
The file cabinet secure, he worked quietly at his computer. It was almost laughable that Carter and Mendoza were unaware of the tracking devices that all military vehicles had. He could calculate their location to within fifty yards.
Cole was slightly surprised to find the car’s location at the Griffith Observatory. Then he remembered that Carter’s brother was a park ranger. Cole was also aware that the observatory was closed down temporarily, due to murder investigations in the vicinity.
