* * *
Babe.
Wake up, Michael.
Michael slowly opened his eyes and blinked away the blurriness of deep sleep. He rubbed his eyes, clearing the gunk out of them. When he finally did get a clear picture, Lindsey was standing beside the bed, a cellphone in her hand. While he was happy to see her smiling face, he wasn’t ready to wake up just yet.
“What time is it, babe?”
Lindsey smiled and handed him the phone. “A little after twelve, sweetheart. One of your supervisors from the prison is on the phone. I think they might need you for something.”
Michael frowned. He had just finished training, and it was unlikely for him to be at the top of the list for call-in. New guys at the prison weren’t eligible for overtime until after their six month probation was up, and he still had two more months until that happened.
He took the phone from Lindsey. She kissed him on the forehead and left the room. He couldn’t help but stare at her ass as she left. Since he had laid eyes on her, he had rarely been able to take them off. She was sexy when he needed sexy, caring when he needed caring, and a friend all the time. They thought alike, had the same taste in music (a non-negotiable issue when it came to choosing a wife, in his opinion) and they enjoyed one another’s company almost one hundred percent of the time. They connected to each other on every level imaginable. The fact that she had a smoking hot body didn’t hurt, either.
“Yeah, this is Caine. What can I do for you, sir?”
“Caine! This is Captain Winston. I need you to come in a little early this evening. I know you just worked off this morning, but we have a bit of a problem here and we need to call in some people. Even the new guys are being called in.”
Michael sat up in bed. While it was a distinct possibility for him to be called in the event of a riot or disturbance, he had dismissed it. There had not been a riot at a Virginia prison in over a decade, and conditions didn’t seem that plausible for one to happen at Black Mountain. He had been taught that most riots had very distinct signs that were often overlooked before it broke out. Those signs were no longer overlooked. The slightest hint of a disturbance – even a small one – was dealt with quickly and without much problem.
“Yeah, I can do that, sir. Can I ask what happened?” Michael answered.
“It’s not a riot, if that’s what you’re asking, Caine,” Captain Winston said, laughing. “You’re not gonna see anything on the news or anything like that. We’ve just had a rash of call-ins today and we had to send a couple officers home early. We’ve had a couple fights today and had some injuries, so we are down five more officers.”
Michael’s heart skipped a beat. The likelihood of a fight was high at a maximum-security facility such as theirs, but this was the first time that he had been privy to it. “Shit! Is everybody all right?”
“Yeah, we sent all five of ‘em to Bluefield Regional to get checked out, but they are going home as soon as they get cleared. We had a dozen new intakes today, and they seem to be the ones causing all the problems, so SHU is getting a little crowded. Nothing we can’t handle, but we need some more hands on deck.”
“Sure thing, Captain. What time to I need to be there?”
“Get here as soon as you can. We definitely need you her by three o’clock. When you get here, report to me. How far away do you live?”
“I can be there in about twenty minutes or so.”
“Good deal. See you soon, Caine.”
Michael hung the phone up and tossed it on the bed. He wanted to go back to sleep, but there was no point in it now. Might as well get up and get going. It was going to be a long night. Add another couple of hours to his shift, and it was going to be an extremely long night. He got up and sauntered into the kitchen, where Lindsey was feeding Anna in her high chair.
“Morning, sunshine. I take it that you have to go in early, babe,” Lindsey said.
Michael went to the refrigerator, grabbed an oversized can of Red Bull, popped the top, and took a long swig. Lindsey laughed, and fed Anna another spoonful of applesauce.
“Ah. Going to be one of those kind of nights, huh?”
Michael kissed the back of her head. “I’m not sure. I’ve only been there four months, so I’m not sure what one of ‘those kind’ of nights is like, but yeah I do have to go in early.”
“Well, we need the money and I have to go in to the hospital, too. I’ve already called my mom, and she’s going to watch Anna until I get off. Since her place is on the way to the hospital, I thought it would be easier than trying to get hold of the babysitter.”
Michael slurped down another drink of Red Bull. “Sounds good. More call ins?”
“Yeah, something like that. Everyone is freaking out over this new virus going around.”
“Shit. What is it?”
Lindsey shrugged. “Not sure. Some have had seizures while others became extremely violent. It’s a crapshoot trying to diagnose it properly, but it is quite the nasty little bug. Valerie texted me about your CO buddies. It appears that two of them got bit on the hand.”
“Bit? Damn. They are testing for HIV, Hep C, that kind of thing?”
“Yes, they are. Poor guys are going to have to take that nasty ass medication for a while, too.”
Michael finished off the Red Bull and tossed it in the trash. “Well, that’s why I have to go in. apparently we’ve had some call ins on top of those guys getting hurt.”
Lindsey sat Anna’s food down and stood up. Michael could sense something was a little off. She stood in front of him, gently holding his face in her hands. He reached up and held them.
“I know what you’re thinking. And I will be as careful as I can, babe.”
She leaned forward and kissed him. “I know you will be. Just promise me that you’ll make it home in one piece.”
“I promise, babe. None of those convicts are gonna keep me from my beautiful girls, I swear.”
Lindsey gave him a quick peck on the lips. “Good. Now, go get ready so daddy can go make us some money,” she said, smiling.
Michael returned the grin. “Yes ma’am. I’m gonna grab a quick shower, get dressed, and hit the road. I need to grab some smokes on the way to work, anyway.”
“All right, sweets. I will…”
Lindsey’s cellphone began to ring. She gave Michael another quick kiss and grabbed it off the kitchen counter. Whatever the conversation consisted of, it couldn’t have been good. Michael watched as her facial expression went from a smile to a confused frown. Michael gestured to the bathroom, to which Lindsey waved him on.
After Michael got out of the shower, Lindsey was already dressed in her navy blue scrubs. She was in a hurry to get out the door, which was evident to Michael. He grabbed his navy blue BDU pants off the hangar and quickly put them on.
“What’s up babe? Something wrong?”
Lindsey scurried into their bedroom. “Yeah, that was the ER. They need me to come in as soon as possible. There are more cases of that virus shit going on and they are calling everyone in to assist.”
Michael was putting on his boots when she came back into the living room. “Damn. You had better be careful, babe. I don’t want you getting it or bringing it back home to Anna and me.”
Lindsey rushed into the bathroom. Through the door, he could hear her. “Don’t worry, honey. We are all wearing all of our PPE. Mask, gown, gloves, all of that stuff. It’ll suck having to wear all that for ten hours, but I’m not taking any chances.”
“Good enough for me babe. I will call you as soon as I can get a break from the action at Black Mountain. I don’t know what all they have planned, but I’m sure I’ll be busy, as will you.”
“Yeah, I’d say we are both in for a hell of a night, babe.”
Lindsey came out of the bathroom and took a deep breath. “How do I look?”
“Sexy as hell! Hell, I’d hit that!” Michael said, winking at his beautiful wife.
“Maybe later, Officer Caine. You have to hit
the road, too. We are definitely taking a vacation sometime soon!” Lindsey said.
Lindsey grabbed Anna’s diaper bag and flung it over her shoulder. She picked up Anna and headed out the door. Michael gave his daughter a quick kiss and his wife a hug. Anna waved and said “bye,” one of the few words she could adequately speak. Michael’s heart melted at the sight of his beautiful daughter and wife having to leave so quickly.
“You guys be careful. I love you and I promise we will take that vacation. Just as soon as we can, baby. Where do you want to go?”
“I don’t know. Maybe a trip to see your folks up in Ohio…maybe a trip to the Outer Banks…maybe Hawaii,” she said, laughing, and headed out the door.
CHAPTER 6
Michael drove to work, desperately trying to ignore what was happening. As he exited town, there was something ominous in the air. Turning down Bishop Valley Road, there was an unusual amount of traffic. Normally, the small community of a little over a thousand people would have a few random folks out and about, maybe a sheriff’s deputy coming through occasionally. Not today, though. There was an unusually high amount of traffic in the small community. There was a mass exodus happening, and Michael had a sneaking suspicion as to why. The virus, as far as he could tell, was making the rounds through the news and social media, infecting all that it touched with a sense of urgency and panic. The virus itself was doing far more damage online than it was to the people actually infected with it. From what Lindsey had told him, it was highly contagious but ultimately harmless as near as they could tell. The government didn’t seem too concerned with it, at least as far as he could tell. There would be a sign up at Black Mountain before too long, asking if anyone had symptoms associated with the virus. Visitation would be the most affected, only happening on weekends. There were far more people turned away for less legitimate reasons than an infection.
Uneducated people watch too much TV, and this is what happens. They believe all that stupid shit on Facebook, and call their equally ignorant relatives and friends. From there, the number of panicked ignoramuses grows exponentially until one of them decides to hit the road or raid the local grocery store for “essential supplies.” Once that first person goes to Food Lion to buy ten cases of water, the masses follow.
On the other hand, it could be the end of the world. Maybe I’m just too cynical to realize it, Michael thought. No, it’s all those damn prepper shows. All those people that think the Yellowstone Caldera is going to explode any day now, or that guy that thinks that next year’s flu season will be the end of humanity. Those people are the ones responsible for the panic. They think that since they are prepared, they have some insight to what is actually going to happen out in the world, when in reality, they don’t know shit. Just let the grass-eating natives have their panic.
Twenty minutes later, Michael was pulling into the parking lot at Black Mountain. Compared with the previous day, there were quite a few vehicles missing. Other than the state vehicles – vans and couple Crown Victorias – there was maybe another dozen or so cars and trucks. It was commonplace for a lot of the COs to carpool, but with the call-ins, he expected that wasn’t the case. They were short several staff members, and most of the office staff parking was vacant as well.
Michael grabbed his duty belt once again and headed towards the admin building. The prison looked nearly abandoned from the outside. The only signs of life that he could see were the officers stationed in Black Mountain’s two towers. There was almost no sound, no movement, nothing to indicate that behind the locked doors and the fences waited nearly a thousand convicted felons.
“Kinda creepy, ain’t it?” Ryan Helton said.
Michael had been so caught up in taking a gander at the prison that he did not hear his friend and co-worker walk up behind him. Michael turned and smiled at Ryan.
“Now I know there is some shit going down,” Michael said, extending his hand. Ryan met it and shook it quickly.
“How’s it hanging, Caine?”
Michael snickered. “Short, shriveled, and always to the left, Helton.”
Ryan’s tone changed quickly. “So what in the hell is goin on around here. It looks like a damned ghost town around here. Something ain’t right about all this, Mike.”
Michael absently looked around. “I know what you’re saying, brother. My wife was called in to Bluefield Regional ER right before I was called in here. There’s a shit-ton of traffic in Bishop Valley and a generally shitty atmosphere to everything. That about sum it up?”
“Unfortunately, yeah. Your wife, she knows about this virus shit going around?”
“Yeah, she said there are some cases at Bluefield Regional. If that shit is at a small West Virginia hospital, then you know it has to be everywhere else, too. Between the shit going on here and all that crap on the news, it looks like a full-blown panic is about to ensue.”
Ryan turned towards the admin building entrance, waving Michael to follow. “Well, on the up side, we are in one of the most secure buildings in the entire state. The down side is that it’s filled up with a bunch of convicted felons.”
“This is true. What do you think?”
Ryan held the door open for Michael. “I think that we need to make plans to get your wife and daughter someplace secure if the shit hits the fan.”
“You really think that it will come to that? Having to hole up somewhere?”
“I don’t know, buddy. But it’s getting a little weird out there. Best to have plans laid out before it gets any worse.”
“Weird? How?”
Ryan approached the front search desk, and then turned around to face Michael. He lowered his voice. “I’ve got a CB in my truck. Now, it doesn’t reach out very far – only about thirty miles or so – but I have heard all kinds of panicked calls on in asking for help and talking some seriously crazy shit. Like horror movie worthy crazy shit.”
Michael laughed humorlessly. “What kind of crazy shit?”
Ryan stepped forward, his voice nearly a whisper. “Like dead people coming back to life. That kind of crazy shit.”
Michael couldn’t help but chuckle a little bit. “This ain’t Dawn of the Dead, Ryan.”
Ryan frowned. “Well it sure as hell sounds like it on the CB. You know that traditional news media isn’t going to have that kind of thing on TV. It would go tits-up real fast around here if it did. I doubt even Fox News would cover the apocalypse, Caine.”
“All right, let’s say that you’re right and the end of the world is upon us. What should we be doing right now?”
Ryan shrugged. “Not sure. I don’t have a wife and kids to think about, but you do. I would give your wife a heads up and have a plan to get somewhere safe.”
Michael gestured around him. “Like you said, this is the safest building in the state.”
Ryan pointed a finger. “No, I said it was the most secure building in the state. It is by no means safe.”
“Beggars can’t be choosers, Ryan.”
“You’re right. Let’s go talk to Captain Winston and see what is going on around here. Maybe they have a plan for this kind of thing.”
Michael raised an eyebrow. “You think the emergency plans for here involve the dead rising? I kinda doubt that, Ryan.”
“No, but the emergency plans for here have everything we need to know about the continuity of government and the services available to the prison. If things have gotten this bad this fast then something tells me that we might be on our own for a while.”
Michael nodded and followed his friend inside.
The dead coming back to life…
Shit.
CHAPTER 7
The entire prison was on lockdown. No movement, no inmates outside of their cells, nothing. While that may seem like an easy night, it was far from a cakewalk. Michael had an idea that a lockdown might be in order, but it just added to the sneaking suspicion that he and Ryan Helton shared. That suspicion was confirmed when the two men walked into the Watch Commander’s off
ice.
Captain Winston sat at his desk on the phone. When Michael and Ryan came inside, he waved them to have a seat. Captain Winston was dressed in khaki pants, a black polo shirt, not the usual navy blue pants, and gray shirt that made up the DOC uniform. He was somewhat out of uniform, including a black tactical vest. The khakis and vest were compliments of Black Mountain’s Tactical Services Unit, or TSU. TSU was to the prison what a SWAT team was to a police department. They were called in when a hostage situation arose, or when a facility was in danger of being overrun or attacked. They were the best of the best in the DOC’s arsenal. The fact that TSU was ready for something to go down did not sit well with either man.
Winston had a reputation for being straightforward, if a little blunt. He certainly had the demeanor of a salty drill sergeant. Two tours in Iraq, one in Bosnia, and countless other missions that could neither be confirmed nor denied were in his portfolio. Winston was no stranger to missions involving life and death. During his dozen years in the Navy, he’d seen a lot of shady shit, but he’d also seen the best that a man could offer. His job as a SWCC – Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman – was just below Navy SEALs in the hierarchy of military badassdom. He spent the majority of his career picking up SEALs from hostile environments. Half his career was spent taking enemy fire, so he was no stranger to returning it if necessary. An older man than what he looked, Winston was by no means “old.” While most of his adult life had been spent in the military, he had started early and retired before hitting forty. That was eight years ago, but he was still two years shy of fifty.
Captain Winston hung the phone up and ruffled his hair. He hadn’t slept much in the last few days, and it was starting to show. A five o’clock shadow, bloodshot eyes, and unkempt hair complemented his haggard look. He blew out a long sigh.
“No nurses, no counselors, and now no supervisors. It fuckin’ figures,” Winston said to no one in particular. He looked up to the two men standing before him. “Let’s see. Caine and Helton, right?”
Refuge From The Dead (Book 1): Lockdown Page 4
