“I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right. He’s had a rough few days which taxed him severely, but Jonathan said as long as he takes it easy from now on and looks after himself, he’ll be fine. He’ll be on medicine for the rest of his life, though.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Do you know what happened to him in Hennenman? And Mike? He hasn’t said much himself,” she asked.
“Not really. I heard there was a gas explosion. Mike got the worst of it, and they were all stuck there for most of the night and the following day. We found them on the road on the way here and patched Mike up with what we had in the truck.”
“I’m glad you found them. Jonathan said most of Mike’s burns are second degree except for his right hand and arm.” She sighed. “I think he’ll be okay, but he might never have full use of the limb again.”
“What about everyone else?” Logan asked. “How many casualties are there?”
“We were lucky, I guess. There are a few people with minor injuries from the fight, nothing serious. Nombali should be fine if no infection sets in. The bullet passed right through her shoulder, and Lenka’s with her now.”
“Lenka?” Logan frowned.
“Oh, yes. He’s got quite a thing for her, you know.” Julianne laughed. “You’ve been gone awhile. It’ll take time to catch up.”
“I’ve noticed. It’s like a soap opera around here.” He chuckled. “You and Breytenbach, Max and Kirstin, and who’s that Michael guy? He’s quite the fighter.”
“That he is. You just missed him. He swung by for a few stitches. Man doesn’t feel a thing.” Julianne shook her head in wonder before sadness filled her eyes. “It’s too bad about Ben, though. That’s a real loss for us. And have you heard about Joanna?”
Logan nodded, his mood turned somber. “Michael told me about Joanna and Ben. I’m sorry.”
“Perhaps, it’s better for Ben. He never really recovered after…you know.” Her voice hitched in her throat.
“After Angie,” Logan said, his mood darkening as remembrance set in. “I guess it was hard for him.”
“It was. At least, Sean is okay. He’s got a cracked rib and a concussion.”
“Poor guy. How’s Elise?”
“She’s recovering from the shock.” Julianne sighed. “We all are.”
“It’ll take time, but we always rebuild,” Logan said.
“Julianne?” a deep voice interrupted. “Who are you talking to?”
“Logan,” Julianne replied.
“Well, bring him in.”
Julianne led Logan behind a curtain where he found a pale but otherwise healthy-looking Breytenbach lying in bed. “How are you?”
“I’m good. Don’t need to be here; I can tell you that,” Breytenbach said with a gruff look in Jonathan’s direction. “The doc’s just overreacting.”
Logan chuckled. “If you say so.”
Julianne shook her head and sidled closer until Breytenbach pulled her down onto the bed. “I’ll tell you one thing, though. I don’t mind using this as an excuse to take it easy for a while. I’m tired of fighting.”
Logan nodded. “I get that. I’m tired of running. Why don’t you let Ronnie take over from you for a bit? Maybe sign up a few new recruits.”
Breytenbach nodded. “That’s not a bad idea. The team could use fresh blood.”
“How about Lisa?” Julianne suggested.
“She’s a mean one,” Breytenbach agreed. “She’ll fit right in.”
“Christo,” Julianne admonished him with an elbow in the ribs.
“I mean it in the best possible way, love.” Breytenbach shot Logan a sharp look. “You seem better. Did you find what you were looking for?”
“Sort of.” Logan laughed. “It came in the form of a rebellious teen called Nadia.”
“Nadia?” Julianne asked with a frown. “A teenager, Logan?”
“It’s nothing like that, I promise,” Logan hastened to reassure her. “She’s just a friend. We saved each other’s lives, you could say.”
“I see,” Julianne replied. “I’d like to meet her.”
“I’ll bring her over as soon as I can,” he said. “But I’d better get going now. Max needs me.”
“It was good seeing you,” Breytenbach said.
Logan prepared to leave, but a shrill scream froze him in place for a brief moment. He bounded to the exit, his head swiveling as he followed the sounds of a struggle.
Not far from the entrance, in a pool of golden light cast by the clinic’s flickering bulbs, a girl struggled against a snarling figure. It snapped at the air with ivory teeth, its movements unnatural and inhuman. Zombie.
Donya had it by the throat and was barely keeping it away from her flesh. Her fingers slipped, and the infected dove forward to take a chunk from her unprotected face. Logan watched helplessly, knowing there was nothing he could do. It’s too late.
Caleb and Lisa likewise watched with horrified expressions, both of them just out of reach. Suddenly a slight figure with spiky black hair hurtled toward Donya. Nadia! “No, don’t!”
Her pale face was determined, her lips were set in a thin line.Their eyes met, but she never paused. Without hesitating, she pushed her arm into the zombie’s mouth. With her elbow, she shoved Donya aside.
Logan’s blood turned to ice as the infected sank its teeth into her flesh. The incisors dug deep, and its jaws closed. Blood welled up then spurted as the zom reared its head back. A chunk of meat tore loose. Strands dangled from the thing’s lips as it chewed, and Nadia screamed in agony.
With a yell of insane fury, Logan launched himself at the zombie with his bare hands extended. He grabbed it by the throat and ripped it away to throw it to the ground. With one swift move, he whipped his rifle from his back.
The cold eye of the barrel lined up with the zom’s head. It snarled at him through bloodied teeth. He pulled the trigger. The bullet demolished the skull, spraying brains and bone across the ground.
Logan’s lips curled back in disgust as he eyed the corpse. It was fresh with a bullet wound to the chest that had bled. A bite mark on the shoulder explained the rest. One of Ke Tau’s men. Bitten just before he got shot.
Dismissing the zombie, he turned toward Nadia. She lay on the grass, cradling her arm while she whimpered with pain. He pushed the others aside and gathered her into his arms.“I need a doctor right now!”
Jonathan rushed outside, summoned by cries for help. He was followed by Dr. Lange, and they ushered Logan inside. He laid her down on an open gurney and stepped aside while they assessed the bite wound.
Reaching for a syringe, Jonathan looked at Logan with resignation. “I can make her as comfortable as possible, but you know what this means. She’s infected, and in a few hours, she’ll turn.”
Logan shook his head. “She won’t turn.”
“I know this is hard for you, but…”
“She’s a carrier,” Logan burst out. “She was infected months ago already. The virus can’t kill her.”
Jonathan stared at him. “You’re sure of this?”
“She carries the bite mark on her shoulder.”
“This is…I’ve never heard of anything like that,” Jonathan said. His expression spoke of utter disbelief. “A carrier? She’s immune?”
“It’s true, believe me, doc.” While Logan couldn’t blame Jonathan for his disbelief, it frustrated him to no end. He ground his teeth together and clenched his fists.
“He’s right,” a pale Donya said, speaking for the first time. “I was there when she was bitten. I saw it with my own eyes.”
Jonathan sucked in a breath. “I see. That changes things, but we’ll still have to take precautions.”
“Yes, yes, just help her all right? She’s in pain.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“You’d better.”
Dr. Lange cleared his throat. “If what you say is true, this girl is the most precious being in the world right now. I’ll pe
rsonally look after her.”
Logan nodded, somewhat mollified by his assurances. He looked down at Nadia. “How do you feel, sunshine?”
“Like shit,” she said with a tremulous smile.
“We’re taking her now, Logan. We need to stitch her up before she loses too much blood.”
Nadia reached out with her good hand. “Stay.”
“Don’t worry; I’ll be right here when you come out. I won’t leave.” He winked. “I made a promise, remember?”
“I remember.”
They wheeled her away to a separate room reserved for surgery, and Logan sank down on the nearest chair to keep his vow. His legs twitched while he waited.
“I gather that’s your friend?” Julianne took the seat next to him. “Don’t worry. She’ll be fine.”
“Thanks.”
“She seems like a tough girl.”
“That she is. When I found Nadia, she was alone, surviving on her own for months already.”
“So she’s immune? A carrier?”
“Yes.”
“Why don’t you tell me about it?” Julianne asked. “Max will be along soon, and I’m sure he’d like to know as well.”
“Later,” Logan replied. “Right now, I just want her to be okay.”
“She’s important to you,” Julianne murmured.
“She saved my life,” Logan said. “Without Nadia, I probably wouldn’t be here.”
“Well, you’re not alone anymore. Either of you.” Julianne placed her hand on his, while Breytenbach gave him the thumbs up.
A wave of warmth washed over Logan. It had been a good idea to bring Nadia here. These were good people. More than that, they were family. Our family.
Chapter 24 - Hiran
Hiran watched from a distance as the camp’s inhabitants won the day, stopping up the breach in their defenses with a wall of dirt. He’d known the attack would fail, had seen it the moment their reinforcements arrived. These were no ordinary survivors. They were tough, well-armed, and organized.
He’d told Ke Tau as much, but the arrogant leader was blind to the truth and refused to back down. Hiran was no fool, though, and had purposely stayed behind, keeping the best men with him. By now, Ke Tau would know Hiran had betrayed him. He’s probably dead already.
Now Ke Tau and Carlito were gone, along with all those that had followed them. Most of their vehicles were scrapped, and their ammunition was running low. The time had come to retreat. Live to fight another day.
He lowered the binoculars and looked at the two shivering wrecks of humanity that lay at his feet. The man’s face was bruised and swollen, his nose cut across the bridge, and his spectacles smashed to bits. The woman cowered away from him, tears streaming down her face and blood dripping from a split lip.
They were captured earlier that day, fleeing the camp ahead of the attack. Sadly for them, he’d posted look-outs for just such an eventuality. Captives were useful as bargaining chips, but with the battle lost, their luck had just run out.
Hiran prodded the woman with his foot, and she sobbed pitifully. “Well, it seems I don’t need you two anymore.”
The man looked up, and his face crumpled. “No, please, don’t hurt us. Let us go, I beg you.”
Hiran’s lips curled with disgust at the naked cowardice the man displayed. “I’m afraid I can’t do that…Nick was it? You’re not going anywhere.”
“At least let my wife go. Sharyn’s harmless; she doesn’t deserve this,” Nick pleaded.
“Nobody thinks they deserve it.” Hiran smirked. “But rest assured that your deaths will serve a purpose, more than your miserable lives ever did.”
“What purpose?” Sharyn screamed, her voice shrill with raw emotion.
Hiran stared at her with cold disdain. “The purpose of entertaining my men. They deserve a reward after the disappointments of the day.”
She gaped at him, her eyes wide with horror. “You can’t do that!”
“Oh, but I can, and I will.” He stepped back and flicked his head at the dozen or so men assembled around the clearing. “You have ten minutes. Make it quick.”
“No! No, please,” Nick cried. “Let us go.”
Hiran watched as Nick struggled against his bonds with futile desperation. His actions reminded Hiran of a fly caught in the web of a spider. A boot to the face quickly put an end to it, and his head snapped back from the force of the kick. More blows rained down, and his ribs crackled like kindling. His face was reduced to a shapeless mass, and blood dribbled from his smashed lips. Broken and bloody, he lay whimpering on the ground as his attackers turned their attention to his wife.
Sharyn cries were abruptly cut off by a brutal punch to the jaw. Numerous hands pushed her face down into the dirt and ripped the clothes from her body. A line formed as the first of many took his turn upon her wriggling form, and raw animal sobs issued from her throat.
Bored with the spectacle, Hiran turned away and walked toward his truck, an armored contraption he’d built himself. He slid behind the wheel and glanced at his watch. There was still time. The inhabitants of the camp wouldn’t venture out at night. Not right after the attack. They’d consolidate first, and count their losses.
He waited patiently for the ten minutes to pass. When his team returned with wide smiles plastered across their faces, he drove off. Not once did he look back, the fates of the two human beings he’d tortured of no interest to him.
In the clearing, silence descended as Nick and Sharyn lay quivering in the dust, their bodies and spirits broken. Crackling leaves announced the arrival of several infected, their movements eager as they searched for the source of the noise they’d heard. They found it.
***
Twenty minutes later, Hiran arrived at the compound. It was a haven no longer, and he knew they had to be gone by morning. Still, that left plenty of time to do what he had in mind. He climbed out of the truck and called to his right-hand man, George.
“Yes, Sir?”
“Gather up the guards and round up the remaining vehicles. Load everything of use. Food, supplies, weapons…anything you can think of.”
George nodded. “Yes, Sir.”
As he turned to leave, Hiran added, “Oh, and George…kill everyone inside.”
George paused. “Everyone?”
Hiran nodded. “Except the old woman, Rebecca. Bring her to me. Alive.”
George gathered up all the men as well as those who’d stayed behind to guard the compound, and they trooped inside. Gunfire punctured the quiet night air, and frantic screams rose from inside the building.
Hiran leaned against his truck and lit a cigarette. He dragged the savory smoke into his lungs while he listened to the symphony of horror and pain that issued from the doors. A smile played on his lips. The camp and its inhabitants had won, but the cost was high.
He looked around him, at the spikes that still held the writhing forms of infected, those lashed to poles, and more sprawled in the road, killed where they fell. He’d miss the place, but it was time to move on.
Ke Tau’s men, now his, performed their orders with swift efficiency. They killed and looted, loading the last of their vehicles with their booty until they were ready to leave. Only one small matter remained.
Rebecca.
Hiran waved his hand. “Bring her to me.”
George dragged Rebecca over, and she cowered in front of his cold gaze. “Please, Sir. I’m just an old woman. I mean no harm.”
He snorted. “An old woman who saw fit to betray her masters. It was you who helped your granddaughter to escape, wasn’t it? She warned the camp. They were ready for us. They knew we were coming.”
Rebecca shook her head. “No, I swear, I didn’t. She ran because of Carlito, because he abused her.”
“I used to have great respect for you, for your wisdom. You’ve proven me wrong.”
“No, I swear it’s the truth.”
Hiran raised a hand to silence her. “Spare me your lies. You’re a traitor,
and as such you deserve a traitor’s death.”
Rebecca’s eyes widened in terror. Ke Tau’s punishment for those who betrayed him was a fate worse than death. Being fed to the infected was the ultimate horror, the same end that befell her son.
“But,” Hiran said, raising a finger, “I still have use for you. So I might be inclined to a more merciful punishment if you’re willing to do something for me.”
“What must I do?” she asked with cautious hope in her voice.
“Live.”
Her wrinkled brow furrowed in confusion. “Live?”
“Just long enough to deliver a message to your granddaughter, Mpho. After that, you can die.” He smiled as his next words brought her to her knees. “Nail her to the door, George. Let her be an example to all those who cross me.”
“Yes, Sir,” George replied. Not an ounce of sympathy showed in the man’s face. He was Hiran’s second-in-command for a reason and obeyed without question. He dragged the old woman away, ignoring her please for mercy.
Two men hoisted her up, and Rebecca screamed as George hammered a long nail through each of her wrists. Her frail figure shuddered with each blow of the hammer, and blood trickled from the wounds.
Her feet followed, requiring several blows to drive the iron nails through the flesh and into the scarred wood. Afterward, she hung like a rag doll, her body shuddering with each breath she took. Blood pooled beneath her feet.
Hiran watched the entire scene with an impassive face. No one would question his authority now, and the camp would know who they were dealing with. When George was finished, he walked toward Rebecca.
She moaned, her eyes glassy with pain. “I…you said you’d be merciful.”
“I was,” he said, unsheathing his knife. With the point, he scratched into the door above her head. “I could have fed you to your son. As it is, you’d better hope other infected don’t find you during the night.”
“Please,” she whispered.
“Save your breath, old woman. You’ll need it.” He replaced his blade and turned to the waiting men. “Let’s move out.”
Hiran climbed behind the wheel and ignited the engine. At the head of the convoy, he moved out, heading for greener pastures. As the town dwindled in his rearview mirror, he made a silent vow. I’ll return, and when I do, it’ll be at the head of an army.
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