Saving Humanity Series (Book 1): Humanity's Hope

by Sinclair, Pembroke

  She straightened up in her seat and ran her hands over his thighs, smoothing the wrinkles out of her pants.

  “I’m not going to tell you to get over it or that I can fix what troubles you. I can’t. Only you can decide what route you want to take from here. What I can do is offer a sympathetic ear, let you know you’re not alone. And you’re not. It’s your life. You decide the best way for you to heal.”

  Caleb continued to look at her from the corner of his eye. He hadn’t known what to expect when he entered her office, but his defenses had been up. He was ready to argue his actions and refute anything she said about needing to carry on. He had visions of yelling and screaming at her she had no idea what he’d been through. But now, he didn’t know how to react. He didn’t know what to say. What he did know was he at least wanted to try. Her words touched something inside him, something buried beneath the hollowness and blackness. If she was going to attempt to help, he would let her.

  She was right: he was a survivor. The humans who were left all were. It had been a trying time for everyone; no one was coming out of it unaffected. That thought was both comforting and depressing. But he had been saved. Despite the odds, Caleb had been given another chance. Perhaps he would see what life had in store for him. Perhaps he would look for that ray of light she talked about and see what it illuminated.

  * * * *

  The van lurched to a stop. A zombie slammed into the wall next to Caleb, and he felt the vibrations throughout his entire side. His eyes popped open, and he lost control of his breathing again. Scraping sounded on the metal. A high-pitched squeal vibrated every nerve and involuntarily caused him to clench his jaw. It couldn’t get through the metal, and it wouldn’t bother him even if it did, but that didn’t make Caleb feel any more comfortable. It just added to his anxiety.

  “God, I hate those things,” someone said from the front seat. It was soft enough that Caleb couldn’t tell who it was. He concurred with those sentiments.

  Both doors opened and closed.

  They were there? Already? That didn’t seem possible. It didn’t seem long enough. But then again, Caleb hadn’t exactly been paying close attention. He was too busy focusing on not freaking out. Inwardly, he breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t sure he could maintain for much longer, but now he didn’t have to. His time under the seat was getting shorter, and that made him feel world’s better.

  The van shook as the back doors opened. Moans filled the silence, followed by cursing. The van rocked harder for several minutes, then all went still. The doors slammed shut. Silence followed. Caleb strained his ears, trying to hear if the driver and passenger were coming back. He had assumed they would move the van. Time ticked by. Slowly. Caleb counted his breaths. Two hundred fifty slow even inhales. Nothing happened in all that time. If it was going to, Caleb assumed it would have already. It had to be safe for him to crawl out. He was going to risk it. The thought quickened his heartbeat and caused sweat to drip down his forehead. He stretched his hand out from under the seat and let it rest on the floor. As much as he wanted to get out before, now his body tensed and refused to budge.

  You don’t know what’s out there.

  Maybe not, but I can’t say here forever.

  He flexed his fingers into the floor mat and wiggled his body toward freedom. He stopped right before sliding all the way out. Already the air felt cleaner and cooler, but it also caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end. He turned his head to look over his shoulder and out the window at his feet. He half-expected to see someone looking back at him, but there was only darkness. He relaxed slightly—very slightly. He wiggled the rest of the way out from under the seat.

  Caleb sat up cautiously. His lungs expanded as far as they could as he took in a deep breath. Every muscle in his body ached. His hands shook as adrenaline coursed through his veins. He wiped his hands down his face. Thoughts of soldiers with guns surrounding the van ran through his mind. Visions of being thrown into a lab and hooked up to machines were seen in vivid detail. What was he doing? He just gave himself to the enemy.

  Taking another deep breath, Caleb moved backward toward the van door. Getting his feet under him, his raised up a few inches and peered out the window. Beyond the glass lay a dimly lit concrete garage. Two more white vans sat in his line of sight, but nothing else. There were no guards with guns, no scientists in white coats and masks holding needles ready to sedate him. It was a boring garage. He didn’t doubt there would be cameras, though. Zomtech took its security very seriously. But that was probably the only security measure. He was positive the door wasn’t locked from the inside, so getting out wouldn’t be a problem. If he got into the city, he could disappear. They’d see him in the garage—for sure—but they wouldn’t find him later. He just had to figure out where the door was.

  He turned toward the windshield and peered out. Bingo. The red exit sign above the frame beckoned to him. He licked his lips, realizing how dry they had become. His tongue was sticky. He was so close. His gazed darted around the garage again. Still empty. Methodically, he pulled the handle of the van door. When it popped open, his heart leapt into his throat. The sound bounced off the smooth walls, loudly. He shrunk back into the van and waited. He counted to twenty in his mind. When the silence continued, he made his move.

  Throwing open the door, he jumped out of the vehicle and prepared to run for the door. His leg muscles cramped, and he lost his footing, but he caught himself before going down. A surge of panic pushed him forward. It took him a few seconds before he was able to get his legs moving rhythmically, but after a few steps, he was running. His footsteps echoed through the concrete room, his heart pounded in his ears. The door drew closer. Caleb extended his arms in front. His momentum slowed as he slammed into the metal handle. It gave way beneath his hands, and sunlight danced around him. He charged up the incline and his eyes fell on the chain link fence. Yes! This section wasn’t even covered by the hedge. That would make it so much easier to get over.

  Determination drove him on. He hadn’t made it this far to be stopped now. Leaping, he made it halfway up the fence, then scrambled over. He jumped onto the ground on the other side, then continued running as fast as he could. He turned down side streets and zigzagged his way through buildings. With his lungs on fire and his legs going numb, he ducked into a door alcove to catch his breath and take in his surroundings. He had contemplated hiding in an alley, but that was where the RBZs hung out. He didn’t want to risk running into one of those.

  He was six blocks from Zomtech in the doorway of a deli. The scent of fresh-baked bread and smoked meat entered his nostrils. His stomach audibly growled, and his mouth watered. On display right inside the door was various cheeses—wheels of mozzarella and triangles of cheddar. His mouth remembered the firm but soft texture and the tang as he bit into the orange cheese. He licked his lips. These things were a delicacy. They weren’t often available to the general public anymore. Caleb was surprised to see a shop like this on the street.

  He placed his hand on the door handle and was about to push it open, but he stopped himself. How would he afford any of that? He was paid well from Zomtech, and he had his wallet with him, he had grabbed it before leaving the apartment with Hale out of habit, but all he had was his card. They would track him immediately if he used it. Still, he needed to get something to eat—and soon. His body was desperate for energy.

  It had been a long time since he’d been that hungry and desperate for food. He distinctly remembered the sense of weakness in his limbs, the hollow yet painful feeling in his midsection. He had experienced it more than he wanted to while in the wilds before coming into the city. He’d really hoped he would never have to feel like that again. Sadly, the last few days were reminiscent of the zombie days. The running, the hiding, the fearing for his life. But this time it was worse. This time he had humans to worry about. They were far more conniving than the undead. No wonder the darkness was creeping back in. He could only hope he was better e
quipped to deal with the situation than he had been before.

  A shudder ran through his body. He barely survived the first time. How was he going to make it through this time? At least back then he had help—for a while. Now, he had no one. His knees felt weak, and he wobbled on his feet. Nausea cramped his stomach. The faces of his family and friends flashed through his mind. Their lifeless eyes stared at him accusingly, their mouths were twisted open in silent screams. Blood splattered across the individual faces before changing to someone else. Instinctively, Caleb’s fingers went to the inside of his wrist, and he traced the length of the scar.

  He couldn’t do this. Not again. Not alone. As much as he hated to do it, he needed help, but he would be honest about the situation. He would let her decide if she wanted to help. The first thing he had to do, though, was find her. He didn’t want to ask Samuel. Caleb was sure he would help, but this required stealth and secrecy. Samuel would get his underground friends involved, and Caleb didn’t want that. Granted, he couldn’t be sure she wouldn’t tell anyone, but at least he was starting with a blank slate. Without prior knowledge of his abilities, he could impress upon her the importance of remaining silent. Besides, he didn’t know anyone else. She was his only chance.

  Clearing his throat and taking a deep breath, Caleb took a shaky step out of the door alcove. He glanced up and down the street, expecting to see Detective Hale and his officers barreling toward him. Surely someone had seen him on the cameras at Zomtech and reported him to the authorities. A search would soon be underway if it wasn’t already. The streets were empty. That didn’t exactly fill him with comfort.

  Where to start? He knew so little about her. Wait! He had gone with her to pizza. Maybe they knew where to find her. Where was that? He wracked his brain trying to remember. He couldn’t find the name in his memory banks. No matter. It couldn’t be too hard to find. There weren’t that many places left. He’d just keep walking until he found it.

  He did the search methodically, walking the lengths of the street from beginning to end before turning down a new one. His plan was to start with the east/west streets, then traverse the north/south ones if he hadn’t found it. On the one hand, he was happy that the entire city hadn’t been repopulated. That would have made his task much more difficult. As it was, the area was only eight blocks long, which depressed him considering how large it used to be. For the most part, he was alone on the streets. Every so often he would pass others, but no one bothered him. More often than not, their eyes grew wide when they saw him before they hurried past or crossed to the other side of the street.

  Caleb knew full well how terrible he looked. It had only been a day since his last shower, but in that time, he’d been through a lot. Bumping into zombies in the ghetto hadn’t helped. Their dirt, grime, and other unsavoriness had rubbed off on him. Not to mention the filth he picked up under the seat of the van. In addition to him sweating profusely. He hadn’t actually noticed until after he’d left the deli. It was dangerous for him to be on the street in that condition. It could draw unwanted attention. A concerned citizen could report him. That coupled with the report from Zomtech was bound to draw attention. But what choice did he have? He just had to hope he found the pizza place quickly.

  Caleb was heading down the third—or was it the fourth? He was too tired to remember—street in his search. His feet slid across the sidewalk, his legs felt like they weighed 100 pounds each. A fog had settled into his brain, and he fought the urge to curl up on the sidewalk and fall asleep. Darkness crept over the city. Or maybe it only felt like it did. There was always a gray hue on the streets, and Caleb’s eyelids were heavy. He couldn’t be sure.

  What are you doing? You’re wasting time in this fruitless endeavor.

  Caleb stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. What was he doing? This was insane. All of it.

  Do you really think you’re going to save humanity?

  A weight settled onto his shoulders. Disappointment iced his veins. He just wanted to sit. He needed to rest for a minute, collect his thoughts. Lazily, his head turned to the right. His gaze was drawn to a red light across the street, and it took a moment for his eyes to focus. The word PIZZA blazed above the door to a well-lit restaurant. White light poured from the large windows, beckoning Caleb to come inside. He would have laughed with relief if he had the energy, but he couldn’t even muster a smile. Mechanically, he walked across the street and reached for the door handle. He really hoped she was going to be there.

  CHAPTER 16

  Caleb stepped into the dimly lit restaurant. It took his incredibly exhausted brain a minute to realize that the bright lights in the window were to draw the attention of potential customers on the street, but it was blocked to create ambiance inside. The smell of yeast and cooking meat reached his nostrils. His head spun. He really needed to eat. He was going to have to risk using his card. He was pretty sure he would die otherwise.

  He scanned the restaurant. There were a few tables with customers at them, but the place wasn’t overly busy. Candles set in the middle of the tables flicked soft orange light onto the patrons’ faces and around the room. Caleb was actually thankful for the dimness. It hid his grunge. He found a booth at the back of the room and headed toward it. It was positioned perfectly so he could take in the whole room, and it was near the exit door in case he needed to make a hasty escape. He eased his body into the overstuffed vinyl, and his body relaxed thankfully. He was tempted to lean his head back and close his eyes. He didn’t doubt he would be able to drift into a deep sleep. But that defeated the purpose of him being there and lowered his guard. He had to remain vigilant. There would be a chance to sleep later. At least that’s what he told himself.

  A young man, probably not much older than Caleb, set a menu down on the table in front of him. He wore a dark blue shirt and jeans with a white apron that had splatters of red sauce on it. Caleb knew that it was tomato sauce, but in the dim light with his tired eyes, his brain could have easily mistaken it for blood. That caused goosebumps to form on his flesh. It brought back too many memories, reminded him of times he desperately wanted to forget—even recent events.

  “Can I start you off with something to drink?” The guy put his hands on his hips and smiled at Caleb. That eased his discomfort slightly.

  “Water,” Caleb croaked out.

  The waiter nodded once before heading off, then returned a few minutes later with a glass of water. He set it on the table. The ice clinked against the glass, and the beads of condensation on the outside ran to the table. Caleb snatched the glass and brought it to his lips. The liquid was cold and had a slight mineral taste to it. It slid over his tongue and cheeks and washed away the gritty feeling that had been there. It slid down his throat and coated the dryness that lined his esophagus walls. The ice slid into his lips, and disappointment hit him as he realized the water was gone. Setting the glass on the table, he took a deep breath. Instantly, the waiter was at his table with more water.

  “You still need a few minutes to decide?”

  Caleb nodded. “Please.”

  “Take your time.” He set the carafe on the table next to the glass.

  Caleb downed another glass of water. He was feeling worlds better, but the smell of fresh pizza made his stomach growl. He cursed himself in his mind. He should have taken the backpack with him. Fear kept him from doing what was logical. He didn’t want to leave any trace of his whereabouts or raise suspicious, so he traveled light and didn’t mess with anything that would give him away. And that was incredibly dangerous. Survival depended on him taking care of himself. He could have figured out how to hide and keep himself safe. It wasn’t like this was the first time he had to do this. Well, against the living it was, but still.

  And you failed.

  It was one incident, he snapped in his mind.

  It only takes once for things to go bad. The image of his father crept into his mind.

  Caleb pushed it away and grabbed the menu off the table. He studied
it hard to keep his mind occupied.

  “Caleb?”

  He barely heard the voice penetrate his thoughts.

  “I thought that was you.”

  Someone nudged his shoulder and Caleb’s head jerked to the side. His first inclination was to find something he could use as a weapon, but there was nothing close. His hands balled into fists. His gaze fell on Jan. His body relaxed, his hands opened, and he felt like he wanted to burst into tears. She wore a white button-up shirt with a powder-blue skirt that stopped just above her knees. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail with wisps sticking out on the side of her head. She smiled as she tucked a stray behind her ear. Caleb slid out of his seat and stood. He hadn’t realized that she was just as tall as he was. He smiled back. The urge to wrap her in a hug surged through him, but he refrained. How weird would that have been? He just found her, he couldn’t scare her away. There was the chance he would accomplish that in just a few minutes. He gestured toward the booth.

  “Hey, Jan. I was hoping to find you here. Would you like to take a seat?”

  The corners of her eyes crinkled as she narrowed her gaze slightly at him. “You were looking for me?” She took a seat across from him.

  Caleb nodded and sat back down. “Yeah. I have—” The words caught in his throat. Staring at her, visions of the video and Rachel flooded into his mind. The small amount of courage he had mustered to talk to Jan faltered. The desire to find out exactly who he was left him. If it meant she would get hurt, he didn’t care. His gaze dropped to the table.

  The waiter set a basket of breadsticks down, and Caleb snatched one. He stuffed half of it into his mouth before he realized what he was doing. Survival instinct had taken over. Manners meant nothing at this point.