Territory of the Dead (Book 2): Phase Two: Evaluate

by Rose Wynters

  The gate to the road was wide open. It was connected to an extremely tall chain-link fence. Behind it was an empty guard shack. I shivered, despite the heat. On each side of the fence were two large signs, warning us that it was a restricted area.

  Walking to the back of the Suburban, I asked Drake, “Was the gate open when you escaped?”

  Drake stopped what he was doing, but he didn't look at me. “Yes, it was how I escaped. I was too weakened to climb the fence.”

  “You didn't open it, though?”

  He shook his head.

  “Why?” Jayden asked quietly, putting his own backpack across his shoulders. I didn't know what he had in there, but it really didn't matter.

  “It's a restricted area, so the gates wouldn't be open unless someone left through them.” I took the pistol Kellan handed me with barely a grimace. “By them being open, it makes me believe that some of the guards left, which means they are probably still alive.”

  I wasn't exactly excited about the prospect. Anybody that could be a party to the events that had happened here weren't people I wanted to be around.

  We started up the gravel road on foot, spread out in a horizontal line. Drake was one end, Kellan on the other. I made sure that Jayden stood next to Drake. For once, Kellan seemed the least dangerous.

  “I want all three of you to follow my orders, without hesitation,” Kellan demanded, in a low tone of voice. “I'd like to see all of us leave here, but I won't think twice about leaving any of you behind if you don't listen to me. I don't intend to die just because someone got a burr up their ass and deviated from the plan.”

  Ouch. “Oh, don't stop now,” I said sweetly. “Why you haven't even cursed us, yet. I don't see how any of us made it all these years without you ordering us around. Boy, you sure know how to make a person feel all warm and cozy, don't you?”

  Kellan stared at me. His expression was almost comical. He looked like a man that simply didn't know how to respond. Instead of replying, he just grunted as he picked up the pace.

  The woods were so quiet. I was certain there had to be zombies out there, but so far we hadn't seen them. I trudged along as I wondered just how far we had to go.

  “I smell fire,” Drake muttered, scenting the air. “It's coming from the direction of the research facility.”

  “Shit,” Kellan ground out, grabbing me by the arm as he started running. Jayden was right on our heels. “Head over there, Drake, and see what's happening. We'll meet you there.”

  I'm sure that Kellan and Jayden would have made much better time without me, but neither man complained. I ran with everything I had in me. It wasn't easy, especially considering we were going up the hill. Thankfully, the research facility wasn't far.

  Cresting the hill, we stopped. I stared at the burning building in front of me as I struggled to catch my breath. There wasn't just one building, though. There were several, and they were swarming with zombies.

  “Help me,” a weak voice cried out, from somewhere close by.

  I gasped as I spun around, but I didn't see where it came from. “Over here,” Kellan ordered, leading us behind a thicket of trees. Immediately, I saw the man behind the voice, and he looked bad. He was missing part of his face, the obvious victim of a zombie attack.

  Kellan dropped down next to him, his blue eyes scanning his face and body. He was wearing a military uniform with a helmet on his head. I frowned in puzzlement. Was he a survivor from the research facility?

  “Are you a soldier?” Kellan asked, nearly echoing my thoughts. His pistol was still in his hand. We all knew there was no way to save him. The man was infected, it was only a matter of time until he turned.

  He stared at Kellan blankly, more dead than alive. He was beyond answering any questions. “Deuteronomy 12:23,” he panted out, his eyes wide and unseeing. Every breath was a struggle. With each beat of his heart, blood poured out of his many wounds. I turned away, but I could still hear his pain-filled words. “For the blood is the life...” And just like that, he died.

  “Shit,” Kellan muttered quietly. “He's dead.”

  Several guns went off, the woods suddenly alive with the sounds of gunfire. I dropped down, but I didn't turn around. I knew Kellan wasn't done, yet. I didn't move until after I heard the lone shot behind me. The dead soldier wouldn't be a threat to us now. It was over, and I hoped he found eternal peace.

  Kellan pulled me up. “What's happening here?” I asked, staring at the buildings in front of us. Some of them looked like military barracks. Strangely, none of them were on fire.

  Several camouflaged figures moved out of the trees, shooting the zombies at will. “Kellan, that's the military. We need to let them know we're here.” I couldn't believe it, but it explained why the soldier was there.

  Kellan didn't respond. His rifle was up and aimed at the building, his eyes narrowed as he watched it all unfold. “Kellan,” I demanded, my voice louder. “What the hell? We need to get their attention.”

  A loud noise filled the air. A helicopter flew over the trees, slowing down above the clearing where the soldiers were at. With their automatic weapons, they were making quick work of the dead.

  There weren't a lot of soldiers, but there was enough to get the job done. The helicopter landed, the soldiers yelling to each other as they moved toward it. I stared at Kellan in disbelief. “You're letting them get away.”

  Kellan shook his head. “You don't understand, Tabitha. I'll explain later.”

  I couldn't see Drake anywhere. The research building was burning brightly. Even from where we was, I could feel the heat. Surely, the vampire hadn't went inside?

  The soldiers were boarding the helicopter. I had to give them credit. They'd all but cleared the immediate area of zombies, but that wouldn't last long. With all the noise and the fire, every zombie in the area would be making their way to us. I guaranteed it.

  Kellan must have had the same thought. “Dammit, I wish the bastards would leave. We're not going to have time to search anything.”

  I gaped at him in disbelief. Safety was right in front of us, but all he could dwell on was the original plan? Stepping away, I slowly inched over to the clearing.

  Jayden had remained silent the entire time, his eyes locked on the scene in front of us. He was squatted down, his pistol in his hand. He looked at Kellan, both men ignoring me. “They are the only ones that could have started the fire. Why would they do that, though?”

  I heard their words, but I couldn't have cared less. My attention was focused on the helicopter. Inside of it, there were real people with a clear destination in mind. It represented everything we'd lost. With them, we would be safe. There was no telling how many survivors were with them, wherever they were staying at. But it wasn't only that. I wanted to be with others, to experience community again. Within their fold, our lives wouldn't be so bleak and desolate. I just knew it.

  The last soldier got in. I watched in horror as the helicopter started to lift off the ground. “No,” I whispered, watching our last chance for a normal life rising up into the sky. I stumbled toward the gravel road. “No.”

  The helicopter moved in our direction. I ran out of the woods waving my arms. “Help,” I yelled, although I doubted they'd be able to hear me. “Over here.”

  Kellan and Jayden called to me, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. Someone directed a spotlight at me. Elation filled my body as I continued to jump up and down. They saw me. We were going to be rescued.

  The helicopter stopped. It wasn't directly above me, but it was close. Close enough that I knew that they were aware of me. I stopped screaming and jumping as I waited for them to come back down and get us.

  Several seconds passed by. To my surprise, it just continued to hover. “Tabitha,” Kellan roared, an instant before he tackled me.

  Bullets exploded all around us. I screamed in surprise as our bodies rolled across the gravel and into the grass. We painfully landed in the woods as the soldiers continued to fire. �
�Are you hit?” Kellan yelled, his body on top of mine.

  “No,” I yelled back, pushing at his chest. “We've got to go back.”

  He lowered his greater body weight down on mine, holding me in place. “Are you fucking crazy?” He asked as I struggled against him. “Can't you see they were trying to kill you?”

  My mind recoiled in disbelief. It wasn't possible. “No,” I denied vehemently. “They just thought you were a zombie.”

  My words fell on deaf ears. Kellan continued to hold me down, his arms across mine to lock them in place. Tears of defeat rolled down my face as the soldiers finally stopped shooting. Within seconds, they were flying away, taking the last of my hopes away with them.

  “Get off of me,” I screamed in Kellan's face. “Can't you see what you've done?” My voice broke at the last word as I sobbed. Clearing my throat, I screamed incoherently. Because of him, all of us had lost out. At that moment, I hated him more than I'd ever hated anything, or anyone, in my entire life.

  His hands slid up to my face, gently locking my head in place. I was too irate to really notice as I continued to struggle to get free. Above me, his face angled to the side. I inhaled as I prepared to let lose again, but I didn't get the chance. Kellan pressed his lips firmly to mine, effectively ending my tirade.

  I was completely furious, but despite my best efforts, I couldn't escape his mouth. He pressed his closed lips to mine repeatedly, each kiss long and lingering. Without fully realizing it, my struggles ceased. Pleasure filled my body as my anger evaporated. As far as first kisses went, his was amazing.

  As experienced as he must have been, Kellan immediately sensed the change in me. Abruptly, he came to his feet. Picking up his rifle, he slung it over his shoulder as he turned away. Still caught in the passionate haze, I stared up at him in disbelief. I couldn't understand why he had stopped. After a moment, I came to my feet, too, but I did it a bit slower. I was sore from the tumble.

  He turned around to stare at me. There was nothing passionate or lover-like about his face, instead, he stared at me as one would look at a stranger. “Don't get any romantic ideas about that,” he coolly informed me. “That was nothing more than me calming you down. With your yelling, you left me no choice. It was the only way to save our lives.”

  “Why, Kellan?” I asked, hurt beyond belief. His words stung, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing it. “Why did you tackle me? If you wouldn't have done that, they would have landed and took us with them. We could have told them about the others, and they would have rescued all of us.”

  He shook his head in frustration. “They were going to shoot you, Tabitha. We saw them take their guns out and aim at you from where we were standing. That's why I came after your foolish ass. If it weren't for your parents, I might have let them do it. Damn you, you almost got us all killed.”

  I gaped at him in disbelief. “No, I don't believe you. The military wouldn't do that. Their job is to protect the civilians, not to kill them.” My voice trailed off.

  Kellan shot me a look of disgust before turning to walk away. “Open your eyes, little girl,” he called back over his shoulder. “Before it's too late.”

  He was right. I didn't want to admit it, but I knew deep within my heart that Kellan wasn't lying. Even before he'd made his appearance, the helicopter had remained where it was. If it hadn't been for his quick thinking, I would now be dead.

  I followed him back over to where Jayden was. Had he seen Kellan kiss me? I gnawed at my lower lip in worry.

  Jayden turned to look at me, a look of disapproval in his eyes. “That was pretty messed up, Tabitha,” he informed me, turning away to survey the burning building. I stared at him in horror, but he didn't seem to notice. “You could have been killed.”

  I exhaled, all of my pent-up breath rushing out of my lungs. “I'm sorry,” I replied quietly. “And you're right, I did screw up. I thought I was doing us a favor, but instead, I almost got us all killed.”

  “I hate to break up this pity party,” Kellan said, his voice grim. “But we need to get out of here. We might as well leave. They burned up anything that might have been useful. There's no point in hanging around now, not unless we want to become the zombie welcome committee.”

  “Yes,” Jayden agreed, sliding his pistol into the back waistband of his pants. He put his hands on the ground, preparing to push himself up. “Let's get the hell out of here. The sooner the better.”

  It all happened so fast. All of a sudden, Jayden screamed, the sound echoing all around us. He fell forward on the ground, grabbing at something behind him as he continued to yell in pain.

  “Shit,” Kellan bit out, dropping to his knees next to Jayden. I stood there in shock as I tried to see what was wrong. “Tabitha, grab the flashlight out of my bag. Hurry.”

  I quickly obeyed his orders. Pulling it out, I pushed the button to turn it on and shined it at Jayden.

  A snake was coiled where Jayden had been, its mouth opened up to us as it revealed the white within. He was the biggest I'd ever seen, easily five feet long. Its tail vibrated, its body poised to strike again. “Oh, shit,” I whispered hoarsely. “Watch out!”

  Kellan jumped up to his feet. He pulled Jayden away before grabbing his pistol. In one quick movement, the snake was dead. Kellan didn't miss a beat. Using his knife, he cut Jayden's jeans open as he revealed the puncture site.

  The snake had got him on the back of his thigh. Already his leg was swelling, the area red and angry. The two puncture marks were clearly visible. Jayden remained on his stomach, his body tight with pain. He stared up at me, his breathing harsh, with something akin to panic in his eyes.

  “You're going to be okay, Jayden,” I reassured him, dropping to my knees across from Kellan. I kept the flashlight trained on the snake bite. “Tell me what to do, Kellan.”

  “We need Drake,” he responded harshly. “Stay here with Jayden and keep him calm. I'll be back as soon as I can.” He quickly disappeared around the trees, in the direction of the burning building.

  Jayden groaned, his hand reaching to the back of his thigh. “God, it hurts,” he panted out, his voice strained. “Shit, I'm going to die.”

  “Don't say that,” I ordered sharply, scanning around us to make sure a zombie wasn't in sight. I prayed that they wouldn't find us. “Kellan has went to get Drake. You'll be okay.”

  Jayden grunted in pain. “Don't let them turn me into a vampire, Tabitha.”

  I hadn't thought of that. I stared down into his face, admiring his strength. Bite and all, he was holding it together, but I knew that it could be fatal. As I watched him, I didn't know that I could let him die, not when there was an alternative. Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that, though.

  To my relief, I saw Kellan and Drake running back to us. “He's been bit by a water moccasin,” Kellan informed him as Drake studied the bite. “I think we both know what you're going to have to do.”

  “Wait,” I interrupted, staring between the two men. “What does that mean?”

  “Take her out of here,” Drake told Kellan, jerking his head in my direction. “In fact, the two of you should head on back to the Suburban. After all, you've been shot. We don't need you collapsing out here, too. I'll bring Jayden over when I'm done. We'll make much better time than the two of you will.”

  I stared at all of them as if they were crazy. “You've been shot?” I asked in disbelief, lifting my hand up to shine the flashlight over his body. On the upper right side of his shirt, he was bloody. “Oh, my God,” I gasped, lowering the flashlight. “You have been.”

  “It passed all the way through,” Kellan retorted, picking up his bag and rifle. “I'll live.”

  I felt horrible, knowing he'd been shot because of my thoughtless actions. Jayden groaned, reminding me of his request. I shined the flashlight at Drake. His lips were open, his fangs clearly visible. “What do you think you're going to do to Jayden?”

  My voice was hoarse but firm. I pulled my own pistol out and aime
d it at Drake's head, or at least I hoped I did. My aim still wasn't great. Drake stared at me in amusement. “I asked you a question, and I expect an answer. I'm not going anywhere until I know what your plans for Jayden are.”

  Drake arched an eyebrow up as he stared at Kellan. “She's a feisty one, huh?”

  “You have no idea,” Kellan replied, somewhat sourly. I was willing to bet I wasn't on his top ten list of favorite people, but I couldn't care less. He wasn't on mine, either.

  “You can lower the gun, my dear,” Drake replied, with a lisp. His large fangs were interfering with his speech. “I'm only going to suck the poison out, that's all.”

  Jayden's body contorted on the ground. “We don't have much time,” Drake continued. “If you want him to live, I need to get on with it.”

  I lowered the gun. I was being pulled in two different directions. How could I send Kellan to the Suburban alone, after he'd been shot because of me? Then again, how could I leave Jayden alone with a vampire as he suckled his blood?