Dead State (Book 4): Immune

by Shupert, Derek

  Lucas chuckles under his breath. He places his hands on his hips and offers a smirk. “No offense, but you’re a stubborn little shit.”

  I smirk, then say, “None taken.”

  I walk past Lucas, and approach the others. Cindy lays on her side with her head resting in Cassie’s lap. Duke’s sitting on his hind legs next to the chairs as Cindy slowly runs her hands through his coat.

  The sight warms my heart. It’s a peaceful moment where we’re not running for our lives or fighting to death with the chasers.

  “Looks like someone found a new best friend?” I remark. “Have I been replaced, squirt?” I jokingly ask.

  Cassie looks up to me and half smiles as she runs her fingers through Cindy’s hair.

  “Maybe.” Cindy tilts her head back and looks up to me. “She does it just like Mom did. Feels really good. Makes me think of her.”

  I glance over to Cassie who’s still smirking.

  “What did you find out?” Cassie asks.

  I look to Lucas, then back to Cassie. I don’t want Cindy to worry. She seems calm now, which is good, and I don’t want to change that.

  “Not too much. They need my help with something. Nothing big. I shouldn’t be too long, though,” I say.

  Cassie doesn’t seem too keen on what I said. She rolls her eyes, then looks to Lucas who shakes his head.

  I kneel down next to the chairs, place my hand on top of Cindy’s head, and smile at her. “Are you going to be all right hanging out with these two until I get back?”

  Cindy cuts her eyes back up to Cassie who winks at her. “Yeah. Especially if she keeps running her fingers through my hair.”

  I pet Duke’s head, then scratch under his snout. “Would you mind if I took Duke with me, so he can keep me company?”

  “Nah. You can take him, James. I know how much he loves going on adventures with you.”

  “That he does.” I lift up, and kiss Cindy on her forehead. She leans back on her heels and looks at me with a bewildered gaze as if I have done something extremely odd. “What?”

  “I don’t think you’ve ever done that before.”

  I kiss her on the forehead again. “Times have changed, squirt.” I stand back up, and Cassie grabs my wrist. Her worried gaze isn’t lost on me. I place my free hand on top of hers, and offer a reassuring half smile.

  “We’ll see you and Duke shortly,” she calmly says.

  “That you will.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  The rich static of the soldier’s radio fills the air around us. It draws my attention away from Cassie. Standing next to Lucas, the soldier holds up a finger as he speaks into the receiver.

  “Is the lobby secured? over.” He releases the button and lowers his hand. “You ready to move out?”

  “Yeah. I’m good.”

  The radio beeps. A panting breath looms from the speaker. Loud crashing noises play in the background, making it difficult to clearly understand what he’s saying.

  “Lobby is secured. We’re going to check all possible entry points to make sure we are completely locked down, over.”

  “Copy that.” The soldier lowers the radio and attaches it to his hip, as he pulls his rifle close to his chest. “All right, let’s move out.”

  I pat my leg, which snaps Duke to attention. He springs up from his hind legs and comes to my side.

  The soldier walks past me and heads for the entrance to the stairwell.

  Lucas places his hand on my shoulder. He keeps his voice low so as to not draw Cindy’s ear. “Watch yourself down there and no funny business. Get done what needs to be done and haul ass back up here. If things don’t look or feel right, you cut and run.”

  “I will. Besides, I’ll have Duke with me. He’ll have my back.” I glance down to Duke who’s staring up at me. His ears stand on end as he waits for my command.

  “Come on, we need to move now,” the soldier orders.

  “Be back shortly,” I say to Lucas and the others. “Come on, boy.”

  I turn and head for the soldier who is waiting for us. Lucas and the others watch as we enter the red hue of the stairwell. We move off to the side as the soldier pushes the door closed.

  “You stay on my six, and move as I move. You do as I say without question. Am I clear?” He turns on the light mounted under the barrel of his rifle. The bright beam washes over the walls and concrete stairs.

  I confirm with a nod.

  The soldier glances down to Duke.

  “He’s obedient and won’t cause any problems. We’ve been through worse together, anyway.”

  “Better make sure of it. Let’s move.” The soldier turns sharply about and makes for the flight of stairs to our left.

  Both Duke and I stay close behind. We pound the concrete steps rapidly as we fly down the first staircase. We continue the quick pace, and make short work of the second flight as well.

  I’ve gotten so used to moving fast now that it has become second nature. My once fragile and out of shape body has turned into a system of coordinated muscles that work at peak levels.

  Duke maintains a steady pace by my side.

  We hit the landing to the first floor. The soldier approaches the door, and carefully opens it up. A slight clatter and banging echoes down through the long stretch of dark hallway before us.

  The eerie feel of death lingering in the hallway sends a shiver of uneasiness down my back. I gulp down the fear. I’ve got this. I can do this.

  The soldier shoulders his weapon and advances. He sweeps right, then left. He motions with his hand for us to proceed.

  Duke heads out first with me close behind.

  I shut the door to the stairwell, and stand near the soldier. “Is all of that racket the chasers from outside?”

  “Yeah. They’re piling up at the front entrance and banging against the doors,” he says.

  A low growl emits from Duke’s throat. I pat his side, and rub his head, shushing him.

  The soldier heads down the corridor to our left. He keeps his weapon trained ahead and sweeps any nooks or nurses’ stations we pass by.

  The boisterous clamoring of the chasers grows louder with each step we take. Up ahead is another dimly lit hallway. That seems to be where the front entrance of the hospital is located.

  As we near the corridor, the soldier slows his pace. He eases out past the corner of the wall. Another soldier is stationed in the hallway, facing the entrance. He looms large within the shadows, looking like a giant keeping watch over his territory. He stops, then turns back toward us. He shines his mounted light from his rifle at our faces.

  “Christ, Stevens!” the giant exclaims with a huff. He lowers his rifle and relaxes his tense posture.

  The soldier accompanying me trains his rifle to the floor. “Are we secured down here, Lance?”

  The giant runs his forearm across his brow and turns back toward the entrance. “For the most part, yeah. Damn things are beating the hell out of that glass front, though. Hopefully, it’ll hold until backup arrives. More and more seem to be showing up. Nothing but a blob of bodies out there now, and it’s only growing.” He looks to me and Duke. “Where you taking the kid and dog?”

  “I’m taking him down to the lower level to help out with the generator per the commander’s command,” the soldier escorting us responds.

  “Are you staying down here with us?” Lance inquires. “It’s just me and Cooper patrolling the halls down here. The rest are positioned near the front. Holed up behind the front desk and anything else that can provide cover. We lost a half dozen or so out there before falling back. Damn things surged past the blockade. Tore through our men like a pack of damn wolves. There are only about six in total of us down here now covering things on this floor.”

  “Yeah. Let me drop them off, and I’ll come assist. Be right back. Watch your six and stay frosty.”

  “Likewise.”

  We get back on the move through the abandoned halls of the first floor. We maintain a steady,
brisk pace. We pass by other corridors that dart off to the left and right. There is nothing more than the familiar, endless gloom that drapes over us like a veil. At least we have the light from the soldier’s rifle, to guide our way.

  It looks like we’re heading back the way we came when we first arrived. I spot the lab that we were held in. It’s dark and eerie. I can barely see the outlines of the curtains and bedframes within the ether of blackness.

  The clomping of our shoes against the tile floor echoes through the halls. I want nothing more than to hurry up and get this generator operational, so I can get back to Cindy and the others. The thought of being down here with the chasers pounding away on that entrance is almost enough to have me turn around and run back upstairs. If it’s one thing I have learned about the infected it’s to never underestimate them.

  Stevens slows us up as we near the exit to the hospital. Beyond that door is the way to the parking garage. Down the stairs and hook a left. Follow along the long, narrow bricked corridor and out through the hefty double doors.

  I repeat that in my head a few times to ensure it’s engrained since that’s where our Humvee is parked. You’d be surprised what you might forget in a tense situation.

  Stevens pulls down cautiously on the door handle. His fingers press against the door’s exterior as he pushes forward. My heart beats faster. The farther away I travel from Cindy, the more I start to worry. I know the faint whispers of the chasers pounding at the glass entrance doesn’t ease my worry.

  The hinges squeak. I cringe and my body tightens from the sharp noise. A black hole of darkness meets our gaze. He brings his rifle up and sweeps the space. The absence of any ambient noise allows me to hear every hard thump of my heart beating. To hear Duke’s heavy panting.

  We head inside and down the stairs. The door behind us clicks shut. Stevens cuts to the right, and heads for a single door that has Authorized Personnel Only imprinted on the front of it.

  The power fights to come on. A loud humming looms from overhead as the lights flicker and spark to life. Dimly lit, they offer a view of the space, which is washed in a dull, white sheen.

  A low growl emits from Duke’s throat. His body tenses and the fur along the ridge of his back stands on end. I pat his side softly, trying to calm him down. Aside from it being creepy, I haven’t noticed any cause for concern.

  Stevens opens the door. The melody of machinery grinding greets our ears. It’s low and subtle, but loud enough to break up the silence.

  The power dies once more, and we’re swallowed by the darkness. Stevens grumbles under his breath as he fumbles around with the front part of his padded vest. He retrieves a flashlight and hands it to me.

  “Here, take this.”

  I take it from him and thumb the switch. The light flickers for a few seconds before coming to life.

  Stevens pushes the door open farther and steps to the side. He points dead ahead. “The generators are around that first bend there. Simons and Daniels are back over that way working on it. After the repairs are finished, they’ll escort you back up to the third floor.”

  I nod, then glance at Stevens. “What about you?”

  He looks to the corridor, then back to me. “I’m going to make sure we’re secure down here. Double check the doors and such.”

  Stevens pulls the stock of his rifle closer to his shoulder. He steps away and heads for the double doors at the end of the corridor.

  Duke continues to growl. He isn’t letting up. I look to my right and train the flashlight inside the dark space. First bend, make a right, and I’ll find the generators. Seems easy enough.

  “Come on, boy. Let’s get this done ASAP.”

  My fingers slip under his collar, and pull him toward the entrance. He turns about and pauses. I nudge his backside with my leg, trying to move it out from in front of the door. He’s a big dog and not easily moved when he doesn’t want to be.

  “Come on, Duke.”

  He finally complies, and walks forward a bit more.

  I grip the edge of the door and push it to. I catch a sliver of the soldier’s light trailing off toward the parking garage before the door clicks shut.

  All right. Let’s get this done.

  Duke just stands there with his head lowered to the ground.

  “What’s wrong, boy?” I ask.

  He tilts his head back and looks up to me. His tongue licks the rim of his snout.

  A clanging noise fills the air. My arm springs up with the flashlight, searching for the culprit. It almost sounded like a tool, or something of the sort, was dropped against one of the machines.

  “Hello?” I call out. “I’m here to help with the generator. Don’t shoot me.”

  I add that last part as a caution. You never know.

  No response is given. It’s possible that they could’ve not heard me over the machine’s humming.

  “Stay close, Duke,” I command.

  Slow and cautious, we advance. The light sweeps the space, probing the inner workings of the pipes and other machinery before us. I spot nothing out of the ordinary.

  As instructed, we take the first right, and make our way down the walkway that opens up to a large space. A few lanterns have been setup around the periphery to battle the darkness.

  “Hello?” I call out once more.

  I’m met with more silence. I pause, and skim over the cluttered area. To my left, narrow gaps wind back through the various machines. Fixed in the center of the space are two large generators. A bundle of wires runs from each unit and into a breaker box on the wall. The unit in front of me rattles and vibrates as if it’s having a hard time running. The unit to our right is dead. That’s got to be the one with the faulty part.

  I walk toward the generator that’s closest to me while Duke veers off to the right. The flashlight wanes, struggling to stay alive.

  Duke’s nose is trained to the concrete floor. On the ground next to the generator is a tool box. The lid is flipped open with an array of tools and other machine parts scattered inside.

  “I’m here to help out with the generator!” I call out again while skimming over the area. “Commander Reynolds sent me.”

  I’m confused as to where they would be. Could the chasers have gotten in somehow?

  A figure emerges from the other side of the generator. Duke barks and growls, baring his teeth from the sudden surprise.

  "Christ!” I yell, startled from the sudden appearance of the soldier. I grab my chest as if I’m having a heart attack.

  He parrots my reaction. He back peddles away while trying to catch his breath. It takes him a moment to gain his composure as he breathes heavily.

  “SORRY! DIDN’T HEAR YOU COME IN!” he yells at me. He holds up his hand, then digs into both of his ears. “Ear plugs.”

  Duke stays by my side as he growls at the soldier. I rub his head, then pat his chest. “It’s ok, boy. They’re good.”

  The soldier pockets the plugs and extends his hand. “Simons. You must be James.”

  I shake his hand. “Yeah. Where’s the other guy? Daniels, I think it is.”

  Simons points to the area against the far wall. “He’s hunting down some parts we need for the other generator. It’s developing some issues from the additional workload.”

  Light dances over and through the shelves that are stocked with an array of parts and other machinery. I spot Daniels’s shadowy silhouette within the murk as he trains the light at us. He shines it at my face which causes me to squint and look away.

  I blink to clear the stars that fill my vision. “All right. What do you need my help with?”

  Simons points at a section of the generator he’s working on, then waves me over. I step around the unit, and train my light at the inner workings of the machine.

  “We’ve been trying to squeeze our hands through that narrow gap there, but can’t get them through,” he says. “You see that red cable?”

  I nod. “Yeah.”

  “We need it removed and
this other one put in its place.” Simons digs his hand into his fatigues and pulls out another red wire. On both ends are black rounded openings that look like plugs. “When you get that cable out, you’re going to plug this one into that same spot. That’s it.”

  Duke growls then barks. He’s facing in the direction of where we need to leave and where Daniels is.

  “Hey, I think I found something that might work on this other unit,” Daniels yells from the other side of the generator. I can’t see him, but Duke’s rigid posture lets me know he’s close. “We’ll see how it works. Could buy us a bit more time.

  Simons looks over the top of the generator we’re working on and offers a thumbs up. “Do what you can.”

  I keep the flashlight trained at the red cable and squeeze my hand through the tight opening. I have to contort it some to maneuver it through, but manage to do so. I snag the wire between two fingers and pull. It resists some, but pops free.

  “Got it.” I pull it out and hand it to Simons.

  “Excellent.” He takes the greasy cable from me and hands me the other. “The best way to do this would be to plug it into the top slot first, then connect the bottom. There’s only one spot it can fit and it will protrude some. Slip it over and make sure it’s secure in place. That’s it.”

  I take the replacement cable and slip it back through. Duke continues to growl at Daniels, but he doesn’t bark. He backs up some and stares at me while I try to find the mark.

  The end of the cable brushes along the inner workings of the generator until I find the spot Simons referred to. I slip it over and push. I give it a subtle tug, but it doesn’t pull from.

  “I got the top secured, I think.” My fingers trace along the wire to the other end. I repeat the process. It takes a bit more finesse to get it in place, but I manage to do so. “All right. The other end should be good to go.”

  “Nice work.” Simons pats me on my shoulder as I pull my hand out of the generator.