Dead Drop Series (Book 1): Dead Drop (Rise of the Elites)

by K. S. Black

  The cabin was nicer than he expected. He told Hayley to stay in the Humvee with the doors locked and checked the perimeter before walking onto the porch. With the Tavor in one hand, he knocked on the front door with the other. The Kimbers were holstered behind his back for added security.

  Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have taken a chance like this, but these weren’t normal circumstances. An extra set of eyes on the road would make things easier, especially after what they had gone through. But people lie, especially when they were scared and desperate. Any hint of danger, he’d shoot first and ask questions later. After their brush with the Stryker, the rules of the game had changed.

  “C’mon in.”

  The door creaked when he opened it. He pointed the Tavor in front of him and stepped inside. Now, there was a face to go with the voice, and it wasn’t quite what he expected. Kevin was twenty-something, with a manicured beard. He wore his hair in an undercut with the sides shaved against his scalp and an abundant crop of slicked back hair on top. The guy looked like he could have walked out of Hipsters’ Quarterly if there was such a magazine.

  Kevin sat on a well-worn leather couch holding a Smith & Wesson .357 magnum revolver with an eight-inch barrel in his lap and had one leg propped up on the coffee table. A CB radio sat on a small side table next to the couch.

  “Holy crap, Batman! I didn’t think you were going to be a giant.” Kevin said.

  “I didn’t think there’d be so much hair involved. You look like that guy—”

  Before he could finish, Kevin cut him off. “Funny. And yeah, I’ve heard that a lot, but the ladies don’t seem to mind. I think it’s made me more popular.” He flashed a rakish grin that revealed perfect, white teeth. “If you stop pointing that supremely awesome rifle at my head, you can have a beer. These are the last of them.” He lifted the lid to a small cooler. “Don’t get all trigger happy. I’m gonna set my gun down.”

  Cooper waited until the gun was on the table before he slung the rifle over his shoulder. Kevin tossed him a beer. He wasn’t going to drink it, but he took it anyway.

  “Thanks,” he stepped next to Kevin who had extended his hand. He sized up the younger man. Underneath the facial hair and nonchalance, Kevin seemed genuine enough, but he remained on his guard as he shook his hand.

  He noticed blood on the bandage around Kevin’s thigh. “Your leg isn’t broken, is it?”

  “I lied.”

  He frowned. “I see that. Don’t lie to me again.”

  “I won’t. I thought you’d be more sympathetic to a broken leg than a gunshot wound. I didn’t want to be stuck here in case the Army decides to try and evacuate me. I’m not going anywhere with them. I swear I’m not looking for any trouble. All I want is to get out of here."

  Cooper spotted a bong sitting on the coffee table and asked, “So, are you a smuggler or a grower?” His head came up with a dozen reasons to leave, but his gut told him to stick it out.

  “I do a little of both, but I guess that’s over for now. I was trying to get into medical marijuana distribution.”

  “Uh-huh. How’d you get shot?”

  “I was coming back from my last run a couple of days ago when I bumped into some of those army dudes dressed in black that I told you about. They were setting up camp about five miles from here. They must not have liked that I saw them because they started shooting and followed me. I lost them in the woods. One of my associates fixed me up. There were four of us. Long story short, they left without me.”

  “That’s too bad.”

  “No worries. You’re my ride now. You want to have a seat? I was expecting more than just you. You kept saying us on the radio.”

  “My daughter’s outside. I’m going to bring her in. But you better believe that I’ll shoot you dead if you try anything.”

  Kevin nodded his head.

  Cooper went to the door and waved Hayley into the cabin. She came inside holding the puppy tightly against her chest.

  “I’m Cooper, and this is my daughter, Hayley.”

  Kevin nodded his head at her. “Where’d you find such a beautiful wolf pup?”

  “Wolf?” She turned and faced Cooper.

  “He’s a wolf hybrid but over ninety percent wolf.”

  “Thanks for letting me know that, Dad!”

  “Well, it was supposed to be a surprise, but things got a little crazy, so I thought I‘d wait and tell you about him later if you didn’t figure it out first.”

  “How’d you know he’s a wolf?” She looked up at Kevin.

  “I’ve seen a few. You never forget how beautiful they are. I almost got one myself,” Kevin winked at her. “Hey, are you guys hungry? I have a lot of food that’s going to go bad if we don’t eat it. Without the generator, this stuff would’ve already spoiled.”

  He struggled to get off the couch. Cooper reached out a hand and gave him a quick tug that brought him to his feet.

  He hobbled over to the refrigerator and pulled out two packages wrapped in white butcher paper. “You up for some surf-n-turf?”

  The packages contained the largest lobster tails and some of the thickest filet mignons that Cooper had ever seen. “Business must have been really good.”

  “It was, my friend. I’m afraid that’s all gone now, but tonight, we dine like kings!” He let out a hearty laugh that made Hayley giggle.

  Her giggle caught Cooper by surprise and gave him hope that she would get through this mess. He didn't know what to think about Kevin and kept a wary eye on him.

  Kevin reached in the refrigerator again and pulled out a New York strip, twice the size of the filet mignons and almost as thick. “This is for the little guy.”

  CHAPTER 10

  “Did your mom teach you how to cook like this?” Hayley asked between forkfuls of grilled lobster, scalloped potatoes, and Waldorf salad. She took another piece of grilled sourdough bread and slathered it with garlic butter made with fresh garlic.

  “My mother didn’t cook. I picked it up on my own when I left home,” Kevin said from across the table.

  “I can’t recall that I’ve ever had beef that tasted as good as this. Kudos to the chef.” Cooper was hungry, and from the way Hayley ate, she must’ve been starving.

  With a flourish, Kevin crossed his arm over his waist and bowed in his chair.

  Cooper ate until he thought he would explode and appreciated the diversion that Kevin provided them.

  * * *

  After dinner, Cooper settled into the recliner but kept his Tavor next to him. Kevin sat on the couch and propped both feet on the coffee table. He rubbed his injured leg. His revolver was in plain sight on the side table next to the CB radio. Hayley brought the puppy into the living room and sat on the small section of the couch not occupied by Kevin.

  Cooper talked about some of the things that he encountered since leaving Tucson but left out the details about Shannon and Rohnert Park. Hayley closed her eyes. They fluttered open a few times before they stayed closed.

  Kevin took in a deep breath and sat up straight. “I need to tell you something.”

  Cooper raised his eyebrows.

  “I want to reassure you that I’m not so stupid to think that I can get through this on my own with the entire country in a panic. I know my word doesn’t mean jack to you, but I promise I’ll work with you to get us out of here. You’re an asset, but then again, so am I.”

  “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think you could help us,” Cooper said, “but don’t be surprised if nothing is ever the same again.” He wasn’t going to push his views any further. He redirected the conversation to the facts he knew about the virus and the precautions they should all be taking to avoid getting sick.

  * * *

  They planned to leave after dark. Cooper fought hard to stay awake. He walked around inside the cabin but sat back down in the recliner after a few minutes. The combination of food and exhaustion made sleep inevitable. He didn’t completely trust Kevin, but he didn’t think
that he’d try to kill him in his sleep and take off with the Humvee.

  With her eyes closed and her mouth slightly open, Hayley’s chest rose and fell in a soft rhythm. She lay on her side with her back pressed against the couch. The puppy stretched out next to her. He could hear Kevin in the kitchen and finally allowed his eyes to stay closed.

  He felt a hand on his shoulder. Startled, he jumped out of the chair and reached for his Tavor.

  “Whoa!” Kevin hopped backwards on one leg. “Chill, Godzilla. You had yourself a little nap. I’m done packing. It’s almost time to hit the road, and I need help loading stuff into the Humvee.” He pointed to the coolers and two very expensive looking leather travel bags.

  “Give me a minute.” He checked the room to make sure nothing seemed out of place. He glanced at the clock. Two hours had passed since he checked it last. He rotated his neck and shoulders to loosen his stiff muscles. “I’m going to let Hayley sleep until we’re ready to head out.”

  * * *

  “Shit!” Kevin hobbled back into the house and headed to his room.

  Cooper followed him inside as far as the living room. Hayley woke up and rubbed her eyes.

  Kevin emerged from his room holding a small canvas duffle bag.

  “What’s in there?” he asked.

  “Almost forgot my cash. Won’t be able to stay in Bisbee without it.”

  “You mean cash crop, don’t you?” Furrows formed on his forehead.

  Kevin smirked. Hayley shrugged her shoulders and turned to Cooper with a quizzical expression on her face.

  At a quarter past midnight, they began the drive south with the two men up front and Hayley in the back with the gear and the puppy. Cooper drove with the headlights off, so they all donned night vision goggles.

  “These are fucking incredible.” Kevin took a closer look at the inside of the Humvee. “And what’s with the combo, mobile command station and armory on wheels? Dude, who are you?”

  “Thirteen-year-old girl in the vehicle. Watch the language.”

  “Sure. Sorry Hayley.”

  “Geesh! That’s so embarrassing. It’s not like I haven’t heard cuss words before. You say plenty of them.” She frowned at Cooper. “My dad has a website called MunninandHuguinn.com. It’s about conspiracy theories and urban prepping and stuff like that.”

  Hayley surprised him by speaking up so quickly.

  “No shit, dude! You’re Cooper Reid? I thought you looked familiar! Now, I know why. I’ve seen you on the news and on your website. You look much bigger in real life.”

  Cooper rubbed the stubble on his jaw. A slight grin moved across his mouth.

  “My friend Dave is a member of your website. He thinks you’re the shit. The Raven network lets us know what’s going on around here; well, almost everything. It’s helped with business. You really walk the talk?”

  “I try, but I’m still learning too, and I hope I’m prepared enough to survive what’s happening now.”

  “Now I get the whole super military Humvee thing with all the guns and shit. This is so fucking cool! I can’t believe it. Of all people to run into when the world as we know it is coming to an end—Cooper Reid!”

  “Language.”

  “Sorry. I’m used to hanging out with the boys. It may take some time.”

  “D-a-d!” Hayley pronounced each letter as a separate syllable.

  “Cooper Reid . . . We’re going to have to kill the nice bottle of Tequila that I have in my bag once we get to Tucson. So why aren’t you in a bunker or something instead of driving around?” Kevin cocked his head to one side.

  “I had to go get Hayley in Rohnert Park. She was with her mom—my ex-wife.”

  “The lady didn’t want to come back with you?”

  Cooper and Hayley didn’t answer.

  Kevin sat back in his seat and didn’t ask any more questions.

  * * *

  Cooper drove eighty-five mph through Tejon Summit’s rolling hills, known to locals as Grapevine. The night vision goggles lit up the night in an eerie green. A few miles past the last stretch of the treacherously steep descent, Cooper hit the brakes hard. Hundreds of cars blocked every lane.

  Kevin let out a long whistle. “Look at that.”

  “There must be another way—maybe the north bound lanes?” Cooper turned the vehicle around and drove toward Grapevine Road to see if he could find a way off I-5 through the north bound lanes. As they traveled north, cars lined the side of the road ahead as far as they could see, some abandoned but others blackened by fire.

  “What are those?” Hayley still wore her night vision goggles and pointed out the window past the shoulder where thousands of bodies were lined up in rows and stacked like cord wood.

  Kevin put his goggles back on.

  No one said anything until Cooper broke the silence. “Kevin, there’s an AK-47 above your door. Take it down; you might need it.”

  “Hayley, take the 9mm out and have it ready. Do you remember everything I taught you?”

  “Yes, Daddy.” She took the pistol out of its holster and brought the slide back about a half an inch and checked for a round in the chamber. She checked the magazine—full.

  “Good girl. Grab the shot gun back there, too. Both are yours now. The shells should be back there as well.”

  She snapped open the shotgun to check the ammo and snapped it closed.

  “What’s the most important thing to remember?”

  “Don’t aim at anything I don’t intend to shoot.”

  “Good.”

  “Why am I surprised?” Kevin asked. “Is she any good?”

  “She’s good enough, which is probably better than you.”

  CHAPTER 11

  May 7 – Heading to Tucson

  Cooper exited the freeway at Grapevine Road. A dozen large canvas tents lined the road ahead. A third of them had been blown over by the wind. A lone military cargo truck with its hood raised was parked on the shoulder. The encampment appeared deserted even in the moonlight. He drove around the truck and stopped the Humvee behind the cover of several giant oleanders.

  “Oh god, the smell.” Kevin swallowed hard. Even with the windows closed, the odor had made its way in.

  Hayley held her nose and grimaced. “What is it?”

  Cooper hesitated. “That’s the smell of decomposition.”

  “What?” she asked.

  “You’ll see soon enough, unless you want to stay in the Humvee.”

  “Oh no, I’m not staying here by myself.”

  The puppy sniffed furiously at the air with his nose tilted upwards.

  Cooper handed Kevin a respirator mask that he slipped on over his night vision goggles. Hayley put on the pink one he had given her in Rohnert Park before he could say anything.

  “Arm up.” He waited for everyone’s feet to hit the ground and locked the doors behind them.

  Hayley attached the leash to the puppy’s harness. He struggled against it and tried to bite through the offending straps. She snapped the leash to get his attention.

  Cooper led them towards a row of tents still standing upright. The canvas flapped in and out with the breeze.

  The night vision goggles took away their depth perception so they walked slowly at first until their eyes adjusted. Kevin grimaced with each step but managed to keep up. When they reached the tents, boxes of supplies and other equipment were stacked inside and covered in dust.

  “Why would they leave everything?” Kevin’s voice was slightly muffled but still intelligible through the mask.

  Cooper shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t have a clue. Something happened that caused them to leave in a hurry, but I’m not sure what that would’ve been.”

  To the west, three large ditches, all about fifty feet long, came into view. They continued to walk through the encampment.

  “I’m getting whiffs of burnt hotdogs.” Kevin said.

  “I wish that’s what it was. You’re not going to be able to get a good seal with that be
ard. You shouldn’t be able to smell anything with it on.” Cooper looked back at Hayley.

  The puppy whimpered and refused to go any further, his tail tucked under his hind legs. She picked him up and tried to soothe him.

  They walked about fifty yards and reached the edge of the first trench. The contents of the trench next to it and the one behind it smoldered. The smoke drifted towards them and spread over the dirt like fog. There had been a fourth trench, but a mound of dirt covered the contents underneath.

  “What the hell?” Kevin stared down into the trench and took his goggles off. “There’s gotta be two hundred bodies in there. And room for a thousand more. Insane. Why would anyone do this?” Tears welled in his eyes, but he didn’t turn away.

  Cooper peered over at Hayley before he answered. She stood frozen in place. Red, hot anger burned inside him. He wanted to find the people who gave the orders for this extermination and kill them with his bare hands or watch them plead for their lives while he held a gun to their heads. He imagined thousands of Americans who had done nothing wrong being herded into internment camps. The unthinkable terror that must have flooded through them before their lives ended was almost unbearable. The disposal of their bodies in such a barbaric manner only made him angrier. He refused to entertain the possibility that anyone was burned alive—it was too much.

  He struggled to maintain the façade of calmness he was hiding behind. “I’m guessing this was some kind of FEMA camp gone wrong. Maybe everyone was infected with the virus. The soldiers could have killed them all and gotten the hell out of there as fast as they could.”

  “Who do these fuckers think they are? How could they kill people like they were a bunch of animals? What kind of people throw other people in a pit and burn them like they were nothing? Shit! We have to do something.” Kevin turned to Cooper.

  “We can’t do anything about this, but we can take a look around and see if we can find any information. Then we’re going to get to Tucson as fast as we can. I am going to find out what happened. After that—I don’t know. But something has to be done.” He clenched his teeth together and the muscles along his jaw line twitched.