The Extinction Series | Book 4 | Spread of Extinction

by Ellis, Tara

  Making sure the hammer was pulled back all the way, Jess held the weapon out the way Paul showed her and tried not to think about how fast the jaguars were.

  “They’re distracted,” Jess muttered to herself. Distracted by the generator and lights. By Paul, Mavi, and Akuba. Before Jess had too much time to think about what she was doing, she was already halfway there. To her right, she could see the cars and truck. A banging sound from inside the car was drawing the cats, and Jess suspected Paul was intentionally trying to keep them away from the house. She saw several low, slinking forms circling the vehicle, but it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t even a dozen.

  Jess’s step faltered in the dew-dampened grass. She was only twenty feet from the doors of the barn, which were open just wide enough for her to slip through. But she was being watched. She could feel it.

  Spinning to her left, she saw the shadow just before it sprang. She fired the gun.

  The muzzle flash blinded her at the same time that her ears rang. Screaming, Jess fell backwards as her arms shot up from the recoil. It saved her life.

  The huge cat was almost on her when the bullet tore through its muscular neck. She sat down hard and watched in stunned silence as it twisted away from her in midair and fell to the ground.

  Jess didn’t know if she killed it. She didn’t care. Rolling back to her feet, she sprinted for the barn. Her head throbbed with the beating of her own heart, and her vision was reduced to only the doors right in front of her. Her thoughts were sharp though, heightened to a sense she’d never experienced before.

  And they were behind her.

  Throwing herself at the black space between the wooden doors, Jess exhaled a desperate whimper as she staggered into the barn. Spinning around to face them, she tried and failed to keep her footing. Dropping onto her back, she kept the gun extended and focused on the entrance, at the predators.

  There were two of them. Slinking into the barn like well-oiled machines with all the time in the world. As Jess tried to decide which one to aim for first, she heard the third one behind her.

  Pushing her bare heels into the dirt floor, her breath came out in ragged gasps as she scurried sideways, into the hay bales, while swinging the gun wildly between the approaching hunters. Sucking in the dusty air, Jess called out to the one person who had always protected her, but left her when she needed him the most.

  “Daddy!”

  She pulled the trigger.

  Chapter 27

  TYLER

  Amazon Jungle near Bottopassi, Suriname

  Northeast interior of South America

  The hand-painted sign that sat crookedly on the side of the dirt road looked daunting in the glare of the Jeep’s headlights. Tyler was reminded of at least three different horror shows that involved lost teens stumbling across a remote town and making one poor choice after another.

  “Bottopassi,” Devon read the sign out loud.

  “It’s on the map,” Peta confirmed, waving the paper in the air from the front seat.

  Jason looked over at her, and Tyler noticed how his knuckles were white from tightly gripping the steering wheel for the past few hours. It had taken some mad skills to navigate the narrow and overgrown road through the jungle without getting stuck. “It’s the only one worthy of a mention,” he huffed. “That’s got to mean something.”

  “You think we could stop here?” Devon suggested. He was stuffed into the very back with Marty, after offering to give Tyler a break from the cramped quarters. He was most likely regretting his generosity as they’d plowed through countless ruts, and water-filled pot holes big enough to go swimming in.

  “That would be unwise,” Eddy countered. Leaning forward, he took the map from Peta and spread it on the backseat between him and Tyler. Switching on a flashlight, he studied it for a moment before shaking his head. “But we may not have a choice.”

  “Yeah,” Peta agreed. “No more red lines after this place. I guess this is where we’re supposed to rely on the signs. A little hard to do that in the pitch-black, on roads that barely qualify as anything more than trails.”

  It had become apparent as soon as they’d driven through and beyond the final city of Pokigron, that the main mode of transportation to the villages was by boat. The Suriname River snaked in from the east and then flowed to the south, straight out from Pokigron, and its course was dotted by the tiny settlements. While they were interconnected by the impossible roads, it was easy to see why most people chose the river.

  After an extremely short debate before it was dark, everyone agreed they couldn’t risk losing the Jeep by taking a boat. According to the map, they still had several miles inland to go from the river village of Bottopassi before they’d reach the preserve and resort.

  Tyler thought their chances of finding the Libi Nati that night were getting pretty sketchy. None of them had wanted to stop earlier and wait until morning to continue. The idea of being holed up in the Jeep in the middle of that eerie jungle wasn’t something any of them were game for. Looking at the sign again, he tried to push his slasher-movie thoughts aside and focus on the positive. At least there were probably buildings there. Maybe they could find an empty one to sleep in. One with a door, preferably.

  “It’s two in the morning here,” Jason said, looking at his wristwatch. “I’d like to at least get through here before the sun comes up. If we don’t spot the road or a sign for the preserve after a few more miles, we can stop until it’s light out.”

  Peta glanced back at Devon, who shrugged, and then nodded. “Okay. I guess my backside can tolerate a few more miles. It’s probably the smartest move.”

  “Agreed,” Eddy said. He then looked expectantly at Tyler, and he realized the guy was waiting for him to throw his opinion into the mix.

  Somewhat surprised at Eddy’s attempt to include him, Tyler sat back with his arms crossed. “I think we should find someone to ask directions. If this place is like the other villages we’ve gone through, I’ll bet you there’s people here, too. They’d know what road to take. Otherwise, we could be wandering around out here for way longer than I want to be.”

  Jason raised an eyebrow at him, and then turned to grin at Peta. “Kid’s got a point.”

  “Every once in a while,” she said, jokingly.

  “Um, do I need to remind ya’ all about how unfriendly the locals have been?” Devon said, leaning forward over the backseat and rubbing playfully at Tyler’s head.

  Tyler dodged him and batted his hand away, which caused Marty to chuff at them. The dog was always looking for some sort of rough-housing to get in the middle of. “This is a bigger place,” Tyler said, struggling to come up with a valid counter to Devon’s concern. “And they’re way out here, so they might be more open to seeing new people.” He knew it sounded lame, but he could actually be right. The three other tiny villages they’d driven through that night all had people left in them, but they had scattered as soon as they saw the Jeep.

  “We never tried to talk to anyone,” Peta agreed. “Since we’ve been so focused on not stopping. But if we don’t want to get lost, this might be the time that it’s worth trying.”

  Jason put the Jeep in gear, and they slowly rolled past the sign. “Like everything else on this adventure, let’s play it by ear. If we see someone approachable, we’ll go for it.”

  As soon as they passed the first few grass huts, it became obvious that the village hadn’t been spared either the disease or the violence in its wake. Even in the darkness, Tyler could see the remnants of burnt-out houses and scattered belongings. It was an interesting mix of mostly primitive-looking dwellings and more modern stucco buildings.

  Jason steered them around what appeared to be a military truck left sitting in the middle of the road. Like several others they’d seen over the past couple of days, it was abandoned after an attack left it immobile.

  Garbage littered the road beyond it, and several bicycles were scattered haphazardly, leaving a sort of obstacle course for them. Tyle
r spotted the first person as they approached a large sign that read ‘Medische Kliniek’. Based on the red cross below the words, he assumed it was a medical clinic.

  The shadowy form of what looked to be a large man stepped out from behind the rubble of the burned building. “Company,” Tyler whispered, pointing out his window.

  When Jason hit the brakes, the man dodged back out of sight again. Grunting, he gunned the engine and continued on. “Guess he’s not up to playing tour guide tonight,” he grumbled.

  “I see some lights up there,” Peta said with some urgency.

  Both Tyler and Eddy leaned forward, trying to see out the front window. She was right. Only they weren’t lights, but flickering campfires. At least three of them, off to the left. It was beyond the last couple of larger buildings and in what looked like a row of the grass-huts, spread out along the bank of the river.

  “Uh, guys,” Devon said, sounding nervous. “We’ve got some more admirers.”

  Tyler twisted around, and made a hissing sound as he sucked in an extra-large breath between his teeth. He could see at least three other shadows creeping along behind them. “So, maybe stopping isn’t such a hot idea.”

  “Yeah,” Devon urged. “I’m not getting the best vibes here, compadres. I mean, the creepy sign was the first big clue, right?”

  Tyler didn’t feel any relief or extra sense of camaraderie at not being the only one to have those same thoughts. He really preferred not to be right about that.

  “Not so fast,” Jason said, as they pulled up closer to the fires. “There’s people here, and they aren’t hiding from us.”

  The stalkers disappeared again when they stopped, slinking back into the shadows. His unease growing by the second, Tyler trusted Devon to be the lookout, and checked out the guys by the fire.

  There were two of them, seated on stumps and watching them casually like they were simply new tourists passing through. Putting the Jeep in park, Jason shifted so he could see everyone. “I think Peta and I should go talk to them, so they don’t feel outnumbered. They’ve got weapons, but haven’t picked them up yet. Unless they do, I’m going to approach them as if they’re friendly.”

  “And if they do?” Devon asked.

  “Then we react appropriately,” Eddy answered before Jason had a chance to.

  Jason stared at Eddy for a moment before nodding slowly in agreement. “Be ready. And Tyler,” he added, looking at him. “Why don’t you get out too, but stay near the front of the Jeep. Seeing a kid will make us less threatening and help put them at ease.”

  “You think that’s a good idea?” Peta asked, clearly not a fan of the strategy.

  “I’ll be fine,” Tyler said with some irritation.

  “Just make sure you’ve got the Glock in your waistband,” Jason replied with a wink. Glancing back at Peta, he ignored her glare and went to get out of the vehicle.

  His legs were a little unsteady when he stepped outside, and Tyler didn’t know if it was from fear, sitting still for too long, or a lack of sleep. Probably all three. As he walked near the hood of the Jeep, he saw the two men had stood as Jason and Peta approached. Their hands were empty.

  Looking over his shoulder, Tyler confirmed the area behind them was still unoccupied by any creepers, but he knew they were there. He could feel the other people watching them, and he hated how he couldn’t tell if it was out of curiosity, or because they wanted to kill them and take all of their stuff.

  “Hello!” Jason called out.

  Tyler jumped, and shifted his attention back to where it was supposed to be. He was only ten feet or so from the fire pit, so he was able to clearly hear and see everything.

  Both of the indigenous guys looked between thirty and forty years old. They were dressed in jeans and old t-shirts, and definitely didn’t look like they were eager for a fight. In fact, if Tyler had to use a word to describe them, it would be exhausted.

  “Hallo,” the older of the two said back in greeting. “Amerikanns?”

  Tyler had never heard the language before, but Eddy had said the main dialect there was Dutch. Fortunately, you didn’t have to speak it to know they were saying American.

  “Yes,” Peta answered, although technically she was Australian. “We need help.”

  The men exchanged a look, before the younger one spoke. “No Kra Puru?”

  “You mean The Kuru?” Jason asked.

  The man shook his head, and spoke in halting English. “Here, is called Kra Puru. You are not sick?”

  “No,” Peta said. “We’ve come to try and stop it. We’re looking for the Libi Nati.”

  The older man stiffened and took a step back. “No Toevlucht,” he said, waving his hands like he was trying to keep something away. “No…resort. Has been touched by Kra Puru.”

  Tyler felt a small twinge of relief when he saw the obvious fear on the man’s face. At least they were immune like them, and not part of the new freaky race of Cured people. Except, he’d really like to know what he was freaked out over, especially since that was the last stop for them.

  “Not the resort,” Jason said, ignoring the other man’s reaction. “The preserve. The science station where Eric Davies lives. There’s a house? I think it’s a different place than the resort.”

  The men visibly relaxed, but the older one kept looking back and forth between Peta and Jason, like he was trying to make up his mind. “Yes, the preserve is close,” he finally said. “But you should—”

  “Leave Bottopassi,” the younger man interrupted, turning to point down the street they’d been on. “Do not turn to river. Take next road to jungle. It is marked with name.”

  “Thank you,” Jason said. He reached out a hand to shake, but they both stepped back to the fire and sat without accepting it.

  Peta pulled at his arm, obviously eager to return to the Jeep. Tyler didn’t blame her. It was all creeping him out. He wouldn’t have been surprised if someone with white face paint jumped out and started chanting.

  As Jason and Peta reached the Jeep, Tyler went to follow them. Pivoting, he noticed the older man was staring intensely at him, the firelight making his eyes glow. Hesitating, Tyler tried to smile but knew he came up short. Suddenly feeling bold, he asked the one thing he was most curious about. “What’s Kra Puru mean?”

  The fire crackled as it consumed some sap, sending sparks up into the cloying darkness. Whether it was the shifting shadows of the dancing flames, or in reaction to the question, the man’s face darkened and his voice came out in a whisper. “Soul Taker.”

  Wishing he hadn’t felt quite so brave, Tyler climbed back into the Jeep. He didn’t bother to look behind them as they pulled away, already certain they would be followed until the edge of the village. He understood now why the people were acting that way. They believed The Kuru was something evil, and not just a disease.

  As the rest of his group discussed the new directions, Tyler thought about his parents and the rest of the world, and thought that maybe the old guy could be right.

  Chapter 28

  PETA

  Amazon Jungle near Kumalu, Suriname

  Northeast interior of South America

  The directions proved to be accurate, and after passing one road that led toward the river, they stopped at a second one that went in the other direction and disappeared into the heart of the jungle. They hadn’t gone more than ten miles before reaching it, but it felt like a much longer distance through the thick foliage that was winning its war with the rutted tracks.

  “A real sign,” Jason pointed out, as they all stared at a pole with the words ‘Libi Nati Preserve’ in red lettering on a metal placard at the top.

  He sounded optimistic, and Peta appreciated his positive energy. While she was eager to get to the preserve and possibly sleep before going to the resort in the morning, she was also scared for Jason. Even though the survival rate throughout Suriname appeared to be at least four times higher than in the states, he had to know how the odds were stacked again
st him. The horrible reality was that he was going there to confirm his daughter’s death.

  As they turned toward the preserve, Peta rested her hand on the rifle leaning against her leg. They had a limited amount of ammunition, but it still provided a small measure of comfort in a world that didn’t offer much. Glancing up at the rearview mirror, she could just make out Devon’s outline, where he was crouched down in the back. He had the other AR, and was pointing it out the back window, though she suspected he couldn’t see much. He’d been extra-nervous since the ‘cat incident’. Eddy was the only one who wanted to talk about it, but there were already too many unknowns, and it didn’t help to speculate on yet another.

  They hadn’t gone more than a few-hundred feet down the road to the preserve, when a blinding light suddenly flared behind them. Confused by the totally unexpected glare, Peta wasn’t sure at first what it was.

  “Truck!” Devon shouted. “And they’re coming up fast.” Turning his head, he looked past Eddy and yelled at Jason. “Who the hell would be out here, man?”

  “Open your window!” Jason roared back. “And get ready to shoot.”

  As they accelerated and began a dizzying flight over the narrow, winding road and uneven ground, Peta pulled the rifle against her chest and fumbled with the safety. She didn’t know what she was supposed to do with it, but it seemed the prudent course of action.

  “Seatbelts!” Jason ordered.

  Blindly reaching for the strap over her shoulder as a low hanging branch banged against the windshield, Peta reconsidered her first response, and decided the seatbelt was definitely more important than the weapon.

  “Get Marty down!” Tyler demanded.

  Peta turned enough to see that Eddy was buckling Tyler in, while the teen waved his hands at Devon.