by Damon Hunter
Vampire rotter Dancin rose and spit out Faber’s nose. Curtis, who had lost his rifle but not his helmet, put two pistol rounds directly into Dancin’s face. The rotter with two big holes in its head rose from Faber and prepared to pounce. Curtis put two more rounds in him, one through the neck and the other higher in the brain, instead of face area of the head. Dancin finally went down.
Curtis stepped forward and put one more round through Dancin’s head to make sure he stayed down.
“Are you bitten, Sarge?” he asked as he turned to Faber.
Faber touched the boil growing on his face, rolled onto his back and said, “You know the protocol, kid, tie my feet and hands. Do it quick before I completely turn.”
“You sure?”
“You think I wouldn’t notice my nose getting bitten off and a big ass bag of green goo exploding on my face? Get it done quick.”
“Yes, sir,” Curtis said as he holstered his pistol and started going for the zip ties in one of his armor’s many pockets.
He put a knee in Faber’s lower back and pulled the sergeant’s arms together to bind them.
“I’m sorry about this, Sarge,” he said as he wrapped the hard plastic tie around Faber’s arms. Before he could pull it tight, Faber jerked his arms away and rolled over.
Faber’s sudden, unexpected movement knocked Curtis down. Curtis scrambled back to his feet fearing the worst and saw his fears were correct. Faber, having already gone into full predator mode from the rot, opened his extended jaw and leaped at Curtis. For the second time in the last couple of minutes, Curtis found himself on his back with a vampire rotter on top of him. Unlike before, there would be no man with a gun to get the thing off him.
The infected version of Dancin had nearly gotten his helmet off, breaking all but one of the locks before it decided to deal with Faber. The infected version of Faber succeeded, breaking the last lock, and tore the helmet off with shocking force.
Curtis tried to get his hands up to hold the monster away from biting him in the face, but it slapped his arms down and pinned them under its knees. Curtis tried to wiggle free, but was trapped with no way to stop what looked like a mouthful of dirty, broken glass coming for his face.
Vampire rotter Faber’s plunge down to deliver the bite was stopped. Curtis saw a long sword go through the rotter’s right eye, halting his progress. Curtis looked back to see a girl no more than fourteen holding the samurai style katana sticking into Faber’s eye in one hand. In the other was a shorter version of the same sword.
Despite having his face impaled on a sword, vampire rotter Faber was still looking determined to sink his teeth into Curtis’ exposed flesh. With Faber’s head held still impaled by the long sword, the teenager swung the short sword into his neck. The armor the TMRT Soldiers wore kept the blow from doing too much damage. Faber swung an elongated arm and knocked the teenager away.
Faber rose and pulled the blade free. He was about to go in for a final try at passing on the rot to Curtis when the teenager said, “Hey, asshole.”
Vampire rotter Faber looked up and saw the wrong end of the rifle he used to own before getting bitten by Private Dancin. The vampire rotter tensed to pounce on the girl, but she put a three round burst into his head before he could leap.
With the infected version of Faber dead, Curtis was able to push him away. He sat up to see the girl was still pointing the gun his way. He put his hands up and said, “Don’t shoot. I’m rot free. No bites.”
“That’s what they all say,” she told him.
“Come on,” he said as a long-haired guy in his twenties, carrying what looked like a medieval broadsword, came limping toward them.
“Is he bit?” the long-haired guy asked.
She kept the gun on him and stepped closer, saying, “Stand up.”
Curtis did as she said.
“We need to hurry,” the long-haired guy said. “Every infected within earshot is going to be heading this way.”
“He looks clean,” she said as she lowered the gun.
Without the wrong end of the gun or a ravenous sergeant turned rot-driven predator diverting his attention, Curtis got a good look at the girl in front of him.
“Are you Killer Kate?”
Before she could answer, the other guy said, “Let’s go.”
“Yeah,” she told him as she moved to take all the ammunition she could carry off of Faber, as well as his sidearm and his combat knife. She turned to her friend and said, “I don’t see anything yet, we should grab the guns and ammo.”
The long-haired guy said, “I can’t shoot for shit anyway. With any luck, we will be on the right side of the QZ before we need any of this shit.”
“If we don’t need it, we can give it back,” she said. “At the very least grab a Sick Slaying Stick.”
“She’s right,” Curtis said as he started grabbing all the weapons he could. “They may not let us across. I’ve heard some stories.”
The guy took Sams’ rifle and slung the strap over his shoulder. He put the pistol and the spare magazines for both weapons in his belt and then took the TMRT’s custom weapon, the Sick Slaying Stick. The SSS was a metal staff with a heavy ball on one end which could become spiked with the press of a button, and the other end had a retractable blade.
They tossed the weapons into the Humvee and then the long-haired guy went over and picked up a square metal object.
“Is that a transponder?” Curtis asked him.
“You think we would risk leaving the Humvee without one? Have you seen what happens to someone when one of those missiles hits them?”
“I haven’t, but I can guess. This area hasn’t been put under drone protection yet, you could have left it.”
“I didn’t get the memo.”
“I suppose not, you two don’t look exactly official.”
“There’s a reason for that.”
“Where were you anyway?”
Bo put the transponder in the Humvee and pointed to the building across the street. “We hid in there.”
“I’m glad you didn’t go far.”
They piled inside with the long-haired surfer type behind the wheel. They directed Curtis to sit shotgun. He had a feeling this had less to do with leg room and more to do with letting the girl keep a gun on him, in case he had been bitten.
He looked out the window to see the street was starting to slowly fill with the infected.
“I guess the gunshots do draw them,” he said. “This area was supposed to be clear.”
“No shit,” the long-haired guy said as he put the Humvee in gear and pulled away. “You assholes should know that by now.”
“This whole thing is new for everybody,” Curtis replied. “We’re learning on the fly.”
“You should have learned about the dogs already, too. Dumb shit like going to pet a canine rotter is why the QZ goes halfway into Arizona.”
“I’ll be sure to tell somebody. You know, it may have been dumb but those dead guys back there were friends of mine. You shouldn’t call them dumb shits. Have some sympathy, please.”
“Did you get to watch your mother get infected today?” the girl asked from the back.
“No…”
“Then fuck your sympathy.”
“Hey, I’m sorry…”
“Don’t worry about it,” the guy said as they moved under the freeway toward a hotel parking lot. “We’re just tired of fighting for our lives and seeing friends and family lose that fight, and we’re just plain tired. It’s hard to get a good night’s sleep out here.”
Curtis nodded. “I guess I should thank you for saving my ass. My name is Curtis.”
“I’m Bo, that’s Katelin.”
“Killer Kate,” Curtis said. “She has been all over the internet.”
“Call her Katelin, we aren’t on the internet.”
“Sure, no problem.”
Bo pulled into the parking lot and stopped. He looked around before saying, “We should be far enough away to wait h
ere.”
“Wait for what?” Curtis asked.
Instead of answering Curtis, Bo turned to Katelin and said, “See if you can call your dad and tell him our location has changed.”
The girl was reaching for her phone when four TMRT Humvees pulled into the lot. They quickly circled around them. Each one had a soldier manning a fifty caliber belt-fed machine gun mounted on the roof and all four guns were aimed at the them.
“Come out unarmed with your hands up,” a voice from one of the Humvees commanded.
“They don’t sound like they are here to rescue us,” Bo said.
Chapter 4
Main Street - Goodyear, Arizona
The phone buzzed in Vance’s lap. He looked at the screen, even though it seemed there should only be one person calling him. He was relieved to see Katelin’s number.
“Where are you?” he asked as soon as he made the connection.
“Major Vance?” a male voice replied.
“Who is this? Where is my daughter?”
“We have her, Major. She is safe and waiting for you in the holding area at the I-10 checkpoint. You should get out of Goodyear and meet her.”
Vance wasn’t sure what to say.
“We have heard from the brass, they are looking forward to Dr. Talbot returning, and as long as the rest of you are infection free, you are welcome as well.”
“Do you understand why I might be slow to trust the TMRT?”
“Yes, Major, I do. Talbot should be getting confirmation as we speak. I assume you are familiar with General Doctor Barrington?”
“I am.”
“Do you trust him?”
“More than most.”
“I am going to hang up then and let him call you.”
The connection was broken, Vance turned to Ana and said, “Go back and see if anyone has contacted Talbot.”
Ana went to the back of the transport. She had just left the cockpit when the phone buzzed again.
Vance opened the connection.
“Major Vance?” a familiar voice said.
“Yes.”
“This is General Doctor Barrington telling you that you and your people have permission to exit the Quarantine Zone.”
“Do you have that authority?”
“No, but General Doctor Thompson does, and he has used that authority. Do you want me to have him call you?”
Before Vance could answer, Ana came back into the cockpit and said, “Talbot just got permission to leave the QZ.”
“No, sir,” Vance said. “A call from General Doctor Thompson isn’t necessary.”
“So I take it you are leaving the QZ?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Excellent. I look forward to seeing you on the other side.”
Chapter 5
TMRT Holding Area - Phoenix, Arizona
“At least we are the right side of the checkpoint,” Bo said.
“Technically,” Katelin responded. “Still feels a lot like being in quarantine. I wish they hadn’t taken my guns and my swords.”
“They said they would give them back.”
“I know. I might feel better about it if I didn’t feel so much like a prisoner.”
“We are,” Curtis said, “but only until a doctor checks us out and declares us rot free. Face it, if any of us do have the rot, what will it matter if we never make it out of this holding pen?”
“Well, it’s nicer than the pit the Sacred Sons of America’s True Patriots put us in,” Bo said as they sat in the walled area just on the other side of the checkpoint. Like in Cam Carson’s compound, armed guards on the walls watched them from above, in case any of them started to turn.
“The what?” Curtis asked.
“Long story,” Katelin told him.
“You mind if we get a picture together?” Curtis asked Katelin as he dug into his pocket for his phone.
“Dude, she’s like, thirteen,” Bo said.
“Fourteen,” Katelin told them, “almost fifteen.”
“I didn’t mean that way,” Curtis said. “She’s something of a celebrity.”
Katelin stood up and said, “Sure, I guess.”
Bo started to say something, but decided it wouldn’t do any good. It wasn’t like he had known her more than a few days.
Curtis took the picture and then they sat back down.
“You kill a lot of infected?” Curtis asked.
“Leave her alone,” Bo said.
“Seems like a legit question, surfer boy. Maybe you should shut up. You ain’t her dad.”
“No, tough guy, I’m the surfer boy who saved your ass without even having a gun. Maybe you should shut up.”
“It ain’t easy when it’s your friends…”
“He’s right, you should shut the fuck up,” Katelin said.
“You kiss your mother with that mouth?”
“Not anymore,” Katelin said, “because she would try to infect me if I got that close, and then when she couldn’t do that, she would try to kill me.”
“Oh.”
“Maybe you should look at this as a second chance to take my advice and shut the fuck up,” Bo told him.
The gate opened and they expected to see the Humvee filled with doctors in protective TMRT armor. Instead, an armored transport drove in. It came to a stop and opened the back hatch. They watched as Vance, Ana, and Talbot walked out.
Katelin stood and ran to her father, who could barely even walk. They stood and hugged. Eventually the teenager known as Killer Kate put her head on her father’s shoulder and cried until she had no more tears left.
Bo and Ana had only known each for the last couple days, and much of that time was spent fighting to survive. Even though they hardly knew each other, that did not stop them from embracing as well. They had suffered losses as well, but had run out of tears, having shed plenty since they found themselves trapped on the wrong side of the quarantine.
Once they broke the embrace, Bo said, “Do you drink, Ana?”
“I’m only twenty, drinking age is twenty-one.”
“I didn’t ask how old you were. I asked if you drink.”
“Yeah.”
“Want to get drunk with me when we get out of here?”
“Yeah, I think I do.”
She looked over and saw Curtis staring at her.
“Two celebrities in one day,” Curtis said.
“What?” Ana asked.
“Killer Kate and Annie Annihilation both in the same day. You are Annie Annihilation, aren’t you?”
“No.”
“You sure look like her, that and being friends with Killer Kate made me think you had to be her.”
“Where did you see Annie Annihilation?”
“Viral video on YouTube, she was with some kind of citizen’s militia called S.W.A.R.C.”
“That video went viral?!” Ana asked.
“Probably over a million hits and rising.”
“Shit.”
“You’re her, aren’t you?”
Ana didn’t answer.
Bo looked at Curtis and said, “Her name is Ana.”
“Does this mean I can’t get a picture?”
“Yeah,” Bo said as he guided a shaken Ana over to the other side of the holding area away from Curtis.
“The funny thing is, when we formed S.W.A.R.C. that is what we wanted, and now I fucking hate it. I wish I’d never posted the footage of that first day. I bet you think I’m an awful person for doing it.”
“No, I don’t,” Bo said as they sat on the ground against the wall.
“The only reason I did it was because friends of mine died to get that stupid video of us fighting the infected. It seemed even more a waste if someone didn’t put it online. Or that’s at least what I told myself.”
“No need beating yourself up over it,” Bo said. “It’s done, and it doesn’t change anything either way.”
“Still makes me feel like shit.”
“Are you still going to let me drink with yo
u now that you’re, like, a celebrity?” Bo asked.
“Are you kidding? I need a drink more than ever.”
While Bo and Ana talked, Talbot found the man in charge of the holding pen and said, “I need to get to a lab. If you’re worried about me, you can lock me in.”
Talbot was surprised to see General Doctor Thompson enter the pen, along with his ever present assistant Torrance.
“I think sleep and a medical exam are the first order of business, then a thorough debriefing,” Thompson said. He then leaned close and said, “It appears you were on a very classified mission.”
“That nuke stunt was yours?!” Talbot asked.
“Not mine alone, but yes, I had my part. I’d like a separate debriefing to find out what happened.”
“I’d prefer to get to work. The list of people who have died to help me get this information is too long to waste time with your bullshit debriefing.”
“I’m still the ranking officer on site.”
“Not for long,” Talbot said. “You were in charge when the rot had not moved any farther east than Escondido, California. We’re in Arizona. Get my research and I into a lab, let me test a theory, and then we can talk.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t make me an enemy, Dr. Talbot. I know what you did to get your samples. It would be better for you if the public didn’t.”
“The best thing for the public would be to let me do my work.”
“I agree with him,” Barrington said as he entered the pen. Unlike Thompson, he did not feel the need to have an assistant at his side, though a man in a TMRT flight suit trailed behind him.
“I’m not sure your opinion matters,” Thompson said.
“It matters as much as yours, since we are both on our way to demotions and disgrace. The incoming General Doctor is the one whose opinion counts. I just talked to her. She thinks if Talbot wants to get to work, we should let him and supply him with the means to do so.”
“You spoke to General Doctor Carruthers?”
“We go back. A research space is being prepared as we speak, as well as connecting quarters so Dr. Talbot can get some rest without losing any time going back and forth. She also directed that Vance and his family can spend their time waiting to be cleared in the segregated quarters instead of here in the holding pen. Some soldiers should be here shortly to escort them.”
