Dangerous Days: Boxed Set (A Zombie Apocalypse Survival Thriller Books 1-4)

by Baileigh Higgins

  “How many of them are there?” Max asked.

  “Upwards of thirty,” Ronnie replied. “We’ll need more intel before I can give an exact figure. Kabelo here couldn’t tell us.”

  “Couldn’t or wouldn’t?” Max growled, staring at the captive with narrowed eyes.

  The boy in question had sat in silence the entire time, his eyes jumping from one to the other. He dared not move while Lenka loomed over him. Now he shook his head vehemently. “I don’t know, please. Will tell everything but don’t know.”

  Ronnie sighed. “Apparently, they come and go a lot, and his maths isn’t too great. Didn’t have much schooling, I guess. Before all this shit went down, he was an illegal immigrant from Mozambique. His English is pretty bad.”

  “Zama Zama?” Max asked.

  “You guessed it. Illegal miner.”

  Max stared at the boy. “I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s where most of these gang members come from. Living down in the mine tunnels would’ve spared them from the worst of the zombie outbreak.”

  “Then in the aftermath, they crawled up from beneath the ground like rats from the sewers, forming gangs and running amok,” Ronnie agreed. “It seems that Ke Tau took care of them, though, either wiping his rivals out or assimilating them.”

  “And now he’s after us. Why?” Max said.

  “Why does any tyrant do what they do?” Ronnie shrugged. “Power. He wants power.”

  Max sucked in a deep breath, considering all he’d heard. “Seems to me we’re faced with a choice. Run or fight.”

  A murmur broke out among the gathering. He let it continue for a few seconds, allowing each to voice their thoughts. Finally, he held up his hand. “This is our home. I wouldn’t give it up to murdering thieves, but it’s a big decision that could cost us everything.”

  “Thirty is a lot of people, Max,” Lucas said. “What if we lose?”

  “I know. That’s why we all need to agree on this.” Max looked around the table, letting the weight of his words sink in. “Let’s vote on it. Elise?”

  “If we run now, we’ll never stop. There will be Ke Tau’s wherever we go.”

  Max nodded. “Joseph? What do you say?”

  Joseph hesitated, his brows furrowed. “I have a wife and unborn child. Where will they run? We need to fight.”

  Max turned his attention to Ronnie and his group. All three nodded.

  “We’re in,” Ronnie said.

  “What be life without a good fight,” Mike said, cheeks dimpling.

  Kirstin nodded.

  Max turned to Julianne. “Mom?”

  “This is our home,” Julianne said.

  “Lucas?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t like it but…I guess I’m in.”

  “Then it’s agreed.”

  Murmurs of assent rose around the room.

  Ronnie jerked his thumb toward Kabelo. “What about him?”

  Max considered the boy, noting the thin, shivering shoulders, threadbare clothes, and hunted expression. Life hasn’t been kind to him, and he’s just a kid. But I can’t afford to be soft either. I was soft once, and it cost a life. Jacques’ life.

  “Set him loose,” Joseph said. “The infected will take care of him.”

  “What if he makes it back to his group and tells them our plans? This is going to be hard enough without them knowing we’re coming. No, I say we kill him,” Ronnie said.

  Kabelo’s eyes widened, and he shook his head, mouth working soundlessly.

  “We can’t kill him,” Elise protested. “He’s just a boy!”

  “He’s a boy who’s raped, murdered, and tortured. I say we get rid of him,” Julianne interjected, her tone cold.

  Lenka growled and took a step closer to Kabelo, his hand on the hilt of his knife. The boy quailed, his shoulders hunching down.

  “How do you know that? Maybe he was forced. He could be a good person for all you know. Why not give him a chance to prove it?” Elise asked. She stood up, her chair falling backward with a bang.

  Kabelo nodded vigorously, latching onto the shred of hope Elise offered. “Yes, Madam. Please, Madam. I good. I not kill people.”

  Max ignored the boy’s pleas. “Elise, he’s dangerous. We can’t let him go, and we can’t keep him here. What if he hurts someone? He can’t be trusted.”

  Kabelo fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. “Please, don’t kill. I not bad.” He shuffled forward, clutching at the hem of Elise’s pants. “Please.”

  Lenka stepped forward and grabbed him by the shoulder, picking him up like a rag doll. He slammed him back into the chair, his other hand hovering over his blade. “Sit.”

  Kabelo sniffled but stayed put, not moving a muscle.

  Elise looked at him, her face twisted into a mask of sympathy. She raised her eyes to Max. “Please, Max. We can’t kill him.” She looked around at the stony faces surrounding her. “When did we become cold-blooded murderers?”

  Silence met her accusation, people shifting in their seats. Max felt a twinge of guilt at her words and lowered his eyes. If we kill him we’re no better than they are but what else can I do?

  “Let me watch him. He can work in the kitchens during the day, and at night we can lock him up,” Elise continued, pressing her advantage. “Just until all of this is over. Then we can let him go.”

  Max sighed, rubbing his fingertips over his temples. A throbbing headache had formed, adding to his discomfort. It was a difficult decision, one that carried repercussions no matter what.

  “Make him work,” Kirstin said, adding her voice to the debate for the first time. “Elise can watch him. I trust her.”

  Max looked at her, surprised. “You think that’s a good idea?”

  She nodded. “I do.”

  “Fine,” Julianne said. “But I don’t want him anywhere near either Sam or Meghan. Someone else has to watch over him besides Elise as well. What if he overwhelms her when they’re alone and escapes?”

  “I’m never alone, Julianne. You know that,” Elise protested.

  “Even so,” Julianne replied, folding her arms. Her jaw had set into a stubborn line that Max recognized from his childhood. Privately, he agreed with her, though. He raised a placating hand toward Elise. “It might be better to assign a permanent guard to him just to be on the safe side.”

  Elise shot Julianne an angry glare but nodded after a while. “Fine.”

  “Who do we assign to him?” Ronnie asked. “I cannot spare any of my team.”

  “Peter and Thembiso?” Elise asked.

  “I’d rather not. They’re the same age as this boy and might get too chummy,” Max replied.

  “What about Lisa?” Julianne said. “She’s tough.”

  Max thought about it. “Do you think that’s such a good idea? Considering her…er…background?”

  “Exactly. She won’t let him out of her sight for one second.” Julianne smiled grimly. “Can you imagine a better guard?”

  “No, I guess not. Will you speak to her?” Max asked.

  “Consider it done,” Julianne replied. “In the meantime, can one of you watch him?”

  Lenka grunted his assent, much to Kabelo’s dismay. His skin paled to a sickly gray and sweat broke out on his forehead.

  “Right. I’ll call a general meeting tonight after dinner so we can inform the rest of the camp and vote. In the meantime, keep it quiet.” Max turned to Joseph. “How are the repairs going? We need our defenses back up in full before Ke Tau strikes again.”

  “We’re halfway there and working on improvements too.”

  “Good. If you need more hands just ask.”

  “Will do,” Joseph said.

  “We should reconvene tomorrow to discuss tactics. I also think we should double the guard. Everyone agreed?”

  “Good idea,” Ronnie replied. “I’ll tweak the duty roster.”

  “Any questions?” When no one answered, Max said, “Then I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

  Chair
s scraped, and the air hummed as everybody began talking at once until they were interrupted by a hoarse voice. “What did I miss?”

  All eyes turned toward the newcomer. Leaning against the doorjamb looking tired but determined, stood Breytenbach.

  A worried looking Jonathan trailed behind him wringing his hands. “I tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen.”

  “Christo!” gasped Julianne, rushing towards him. “You shouldn’t be up; you’re sick. When did you wake? Why didn’t Jonathan tell me?” She rounded on the unfortunate doctor. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  He backed away, raising his hands in the air. “Not my fault, I promise. He came out of the coma a few hours ago and wouldn’t let me call you.”

  “Why on earth not?”

  “Because I wanted to be strong enough to do this.” Breytenbach straightened up, wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her, smothering her protestations. After a few seconds, he lifted his head. “Any more questions?”

  Julianne shook her head, struck mute.

  “Good.” He grinned at the gathering. “Guess the cat’s out of the bag.”

  Max snorted. “Oh, come on. We all knew it was just a matter of time.”

  Surrounded by chuckles and well-wishers, the couple kissed once more. Ronnie clapped Breytenbach on the shoulder. “Glad to see you’re okay, buddy.”

  “Me too,” Breytenbach replied then raised a sardonic eyebrow. “Been keeping my seat warm, have you? Not getting too comfortable?”

  Ronnie grinned before he drew himself up and saluted smartly. “Not a chance, Captain. Not a chance.”

  Chapter 20 - Lisa

  Lisa stood sentinel on the wall with a metal spear gripped firmly in her right hand. A small pistol rode on her hip, balanced by a machete on the other. Her eyes drifted over the bare landscape surrounding the camp, searching for signs of life. Or unlife as she liked to call it. Today, there was nothing. All was calm.

  In the distance, figures moved about as they worked on the outer fence and gates, improving on the hasty repairs of the previous day. She’d heard there was talk of digging the moat deeper and wider. That posed a problem for the gate, though. How would their vehicles get across? Lisa imagined an old-fashioned drawbridge spanning the length and snorted with suppressed laughter.

  She patrolled the edge of the wall without cease. It wasn’t her turn to stand guard, but she did it anyway. It beat any other job she could think of and got her away from all the inquisitive eyes and sympathetic smiles. Even after all these months, people still felt sorry for her. I wish they’d forget. I wish they’d let me move on.

  She thought of Michelle. The younger girl was still traumatized, shying away from men and jumping at the slightest noise, while Lisa wanted nothing more than to forget. Forget and fight. I’ll kill the next man who lays his hands on me.

  The period of brutalization and rape she underwent before Morgan saved her was something that changed Lisa forever. But unlike Michelle, it made her stronger. Or so she told herself every day until the nightmares ripped her apart at night and tore her soul in two.

  “Lisa!”

  A voice pulled her from her thoughts, and she turned, recognizing Julianne’s petite form. The older woman hurried toward the wall, and alarm bells tinkled in Lisa’s brain. Something’s up.

  “Yes?”

  Julianne climbed the ladder, a sense of urgency in her movements. A coil of tension unfurled in Lisa’s stomach as she waited. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good.

  “Hey, Lisa. I thought I might find you here.”

  “Something the matter?” Lisa noted the host of conflicting emotions chasing each other across Julianne’s face. A peculiar mix of worry, anger, and elation seemed to have hold of the other woman.

  “You could say that,” Julianne gasped, a little out of breath after her rush across the grounds. “How do you feel about a job? An important one.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Lisa stood stock still while Julianne filled her in, telling her all about Ke Tau and his gang, the ambush that nearly cost Ronnie and his team their lives and finally, Kabelo. A tight knot of cold rage formed during the tale, solidifying into a ball of ice by the time Julianne finished.

  “I’ll kill him, the little shit. Where is he?”

  “That’s the thing. You can’t kill him.”

  “Why not? Has nobody else got the guts to do it?”

  “Elise argued against it and managed to convince everyone to give him a chance.”

  “What?” Disbelief coursed through Lisa’s veins, followed by a sense of betrayal. Elise stood against it? Even though she knew what he was?

  “Yes, she did.”

  “He’s a rapist and a murderer. He deserves to die,” Lisa said, pressing her lips together. “How could she do that? She knows…she was there when Michelle and me…I can’t believe this.”

  Julianne shifted from one foot to the other and looked uncomfortable. “I’m sure she doesn’t mean it like that.”

  “Then how does she mean it? Has she even thought about what this might do to Michelle?” Lisa’s cheeks burned with anger at the thought of the younger girl’s reaction to Kabelo.

  “You have to understand; she’s biased. This boy is just a kid about the same age as her son.” Julianne shook her head. “She’s wrong. He can’t be trusted, but she can’t see him as anything but a child.”

  “Has she forgotten Tommy? He was a kid too, not even finished with High School, and look what he did to us.”

  Julianne winced at this reference to the sadistic Tommy who’d murdered Jacques by shoving a newly turned zombie onto him. Lisa had told them about the teen and his brutal ways.

  “I know, trust me I know.” Julianne raised her hands in a placating manner. “I like this just as little as you do. If I had my way, he’d be tossed to the infected.”

  “Why listen to Elise?”

  “Because she made a strong argument, and people respect her opinion.”

  “Fuck that.” Naked rage quivered in Lisa’s breast, spilling over into her voice.

  “Look, I’m sorry. For now, it’s been decided to keep him captive until after the attack. Then the final decision will be made.”

  “What are you doing here then?”

  “I want you to guard him, Lisa. You’re the only one I trust to do it.” Julianne hesitated before continuing. “And if we’re lucky, he will do something to prove he is what we think he is. If that happens, Elise won’t have a say anymore.”

  Lisa studied Julianne’s face. “You’re serious about this? You don’t feel like Elise does?”

  Julianne’s typically lovely features hardened into an iron mask, her eyes glittering like diamond chips. “I made the mistake of trusting someone once. It cost me my daughter. I won’t make that mistake again.”

  Lisa remembered the day Angie had betrayed them all, revealing herself to be the snake in their Eden. Not only had she killed Morgan, but admitted to Armand’s death too.

  It was a bitter shock to everyone, most of all Julianne. The fallout has yet to settle, evidenced in Ben’s haunted eyes, the faraway look that entered Julianne’s eyes when she thought of that day, and Logan’s absence.

  “All right. I’ll do it. I’ll watch the little fucker, and I swear to God if he makes so much as one wrong move I’ll gut him like a fish.”

  “I’m counting on it.” Julianne turned to walk away but paused with a smile on her lips. “Oh, I almost forgot. Not everything that happened today was bad. Breytenbach’s awake.”

  “For real?” Lisa asked. “Judging by the blush staining your cheeks, the reunion must have been a happy one.”

  Julianne grinned, her cheeks the color of ripe tomatoes. “You got that right.”

  “I’m happy for you. You deserve it, and Breytenbach’s a good man.”

  Julianne left as quickly as she came, and Lisa thought of her new job. Her mood soured, and bile pushed up her esophagus. She waited for a few minutes, gat
hering up the shreds of her self-control. Get hold of yourself. You can do this.

  When she felt more like herself again, she climbed off the wall and made her way to the Casspir where Lenka waited with the captive. His hulking form materialized long before she spotted the shivering Kabelo, huddled on the ground.

  She paused a few feet away, studying him. Tears shimmered in his eyes and snot cut runnels down his chin. With a shiver of disgust, she turned away. “For fuck’s sake, clean yourself up before you make me sorry for not killing you now.”

  Lenka grunted in amusement before he barked something to the sniveling boy. Kabelo wiped his face on his shirt leaving long streaks of silver mucus on it.

  Lisa threw her hands in the air. “Oh, come on. You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m going to be stuck with this?”

  “Have fun.” Lenka flashed her a rare smile and wandered off.

  She turned her attention back to her prisoner, taking in his torn, dirty clothes and disheveled state. Her nose wrinkled when she caught a whiff of stale sweat and cheap tobacco. “When’s the last time you had a bath? You stink.”

  “Me good boy. Not kill. Not hurt. Me good,” he said in reply, throwing himself at her feet.

  “Shit, don’t you understand me?” she asked, backing away from his clutching hands. A blank stare and more pleas answered her question. “English?”

  A simple shake of the head followed. Lisa wracked her brain for the few words of Sotho she remembered from school but came up empty. Not that he’d be likely to speak that either. Probably Fanagalo like most miners or Portuguese as he was from Mozambique. “Damn.”

  “Come on. We might as well get you cleaned up.” She crooked a finger at him, the other hand resting on her pistol as a warning.

  He took her meaning and got up with the eagerness of a puppy. She pointed the way to the communal bathrooms and nudged him in the back with her spear. “Go on.”

  He shuffled off, and they made their way to the main buildings. Outside the bathrooms, she encountered Max.

  “Hey, Lisa. I see Julianne found you.” His voice held an unspoken question as his eyes shifted from her to Kabelo.