There had to be a reason her mom didn’t leave them in the food. A memory tickled the back of her mind. Something about bay leaves being tough, even after stewing for hours on end. Maybe that was why they were plucked from food after their seasoning work was done. They were tough and hard to eat.
But that didn’t mean they couldn’t be eaten.
Possibilities. She had just promised herself she was going to live a life based on possibility, not unfounded assumptions.
She pulled off two bay leaves and shoved them into her mouth. The strong flavor almost made her gag. She paused, swallowed, and resumed chewing. After a few seconds, the strong flavor didn’t bother her nearly as much. The chewing even brought out saliva, which helped strip away the unpleasant feeling of cotton mouth.
“There’s an ATV coming in our direction,” Dal hissed down from his perch. He’d crawled nearly to the top of a tree. “Don’t move.”
Amanda stopped chewing. Her scalp prickled with fear. She rested her hands on her machine gun. It would be temping to shoot the Soviets, but that would just draw the rest.
She didn’t have great visibility in her position, but she did have a clear view of the ground. When the ATV passed beneath them, she held her breath, praying they wouldn’t notice their tree.
The ATV rolled out of sight, never slowing. She listened to the engine fade away into the distance.
Dal crawled down the trunk, stopping when he reached Amanda and Lena. “I had a good view from up there. We have another few miles of forest before we reach pastureland. Unless we go miles out of our way, we won’t have cover once we get to the pastureland.”
“We don’t have the supplies needed to go miles out of our way,” Lena said.
“Agreed,” Dal said. “But we’re not going to make it through the pastureland if we don’t figure out how to deal with the Soviets. We’ll be sitting ducks.”
His words made Amanda want to curl in a ball and hide in a hole.
“We have to do something,” Lena said. “Think we could hunt down one ATV, kill the soldiers, and take their ATV?”
“I thought about that.” Dal shook his head. “But the others would be able to follow the sound of our engine. We could inadvertently lead them straight to the cabin. We have to come up with something else.”
Amanda forced herself to think. Possibilities. She’d promised herself she was going to start seeing the world through the lens of possibility. She might not be as good at chess as Cassie, but she still had a sharp mind for strategy.
They had a few advantages. For one thing, Dal was a damn good shot. So was Lena. Snipers was an appropriate moniker for their group. They also had eyes on the Soviets, while the Soviets were still searching for them.
The Soviets had numbers on them. They also had the ATVs, which gave them speed and agility Amanda’s group didn’t have. Their advantage no doubt made them cocky as hell, which could also be used to their advantage.
A solution leaped into sharp focus in her mind.
“We have to eliminate the Russians before we get to the pastureland,” Amanda said. “We could set a trap and lure them to us with gunfire. As soon as they’re within range, you guys can sniper them from a distance. Once we—you guys, I mean—eliminate them, we can steal their ATVs and go home.”
“That might be doable,” Lena said. “If we find the right place to ambush them.”
“We need the high ground,” Dal said. “Somewhere they can’t reach us on their ATVs. This tree won’t work. There isn’t enough visibility. I saw a bluff southwest of here. It’s two miles out. If we can get there, it would give us the high ground.”
Two miles. Knowing they had to cross unfamiliar terrain infested with Soviets made two miles feel like two thousand. Still, what choice did they have?
Amanda grabbed handful of bay leaves and passed them to Dal and Lena.
“What are these for?” Dal crinkled his brow at her in amusement.
“Food,” Amanda replied. “The leaves are tough and they don’t taste good, but we need whatever nourishment we can get.”
“Good idea, Amanda. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that.” Lena nodded in appreciation at the leaves in her hands. “Nonna would never let me live that down.”
“We won’t tell her.” Dal winked at Lena. Shoving a few leaves into his mouth, he led the way back to the ground.
24
Trap
They spent the next few hours creeping through the forest and dodging ATVs. The Russians were dogged in their pursuit.
It seemed to Amanda they spent more time hiding than moving. It was late morning by the time they reached the bluff Dal had seen from a distance. The three of them stood looking up at a steep hillside covered with oak trees. It rose fifty yards into the air and overlooked the forest behind them. Amanda estimated the grade to be thirty or forty percent.
To Amanda, it looked like they’d need a rope and grappling hook to climb the bluff. But Dal and Lena tackled the hillside with their bare hands, leaning forward to grab rocks and roots as they scrambled up.
Amanda firmly reminded herself she was an amazon. Following her friends, she grabbed onto a tree root and began to climb.
She was panting within minutes, but kept up with Dal and Lena. Her foot slipped once on loose leaves, but she caught herself on a rock.
In the distance came the constant hum of the ATVs. The higher they climbed, the louder they sounded. She decided it was officially the worst sound on the planet, even worse than the growl of zombies. At least zombies would just eat her and get it over with. Zombies wouldn’t drag her into a KGB dungeon and torture her.
“We need to spread out,” Dal huffed. “Shoot at them from different locations. It will make it harder for them to pinpoint where we are.”
Amanda eyed the distance between where they stood and the small clearing below them. “I’m not a great shot.” Even though she’d learned how to handle a gun, she was a long way from being able to sniper things the way Dal and Lena could.
“Maybe you should be stationed here, lower down on the bluff?” Lena suggested.
Dal shook his head. “I don’t want us to be too far from one another. If we have to make a run for it, we could get separated.”
Amanda didn’t like the idea of not being able to help. There were only three of them against eight Soviets. They were going to need every gun they had and a whole lot of luck to pull this off. Sticking her somewhere in a tree where she had no hope of making a decent shot was not the answer.
“I’ll stay here.” She tried to sound decisive, even though a tiny voice inside her head hoped they would try to talk her out of it. “We’re going to need every advantage to pull this off. I’m no help up there.”
“Are you sure?” Lena asked.
“Yeah.” Now that was an outright lie. Amanda wasn’t sure at all.
“Okay.” Dal’s eyes were pinched on the edges. “I don’t like us being scattered, but it’s the best play we have. Amanda, pick a tree that gives you a good vantage point over that open area below.”
“Okay.”
“When Lena and I are in position, I’ll fire into the air,” Dal said. “That will draw them to us. If we get separated for some reason, head southwest. That will get you home.”
Amanda didn’t bother telling him she had no idea which way was southwest. What was the point? Besides, they were going to pull this off. They were going to lure the Soviets, kill them all, and get their ATVs. There was no need for her to worry about directions.
Right?
She stuffed down her doubts and as Dal and Lena picked their way up the slope and disappeared from sight.
Amanda found an old oak tree that had split near the base when it was young. It created a vee that made it easy for her to scramble up. From there, it was only a matter of climbing up high enough so she could see the land below. She straddled a wide branch and leaned forward, resting her forearms on a large patch of lichen. Once she was secure, she readied her gun.
She had a good view of the clearing below. Even better, she realized there were wide gaps between the trees. There wouldn’t be many places for the Soviets to hide when they came for them. In theory, the Snipers should be able to pick them off like sitting ducks.
She could hardly believe they were actually doing this. Common sense said to avoid enemies, not wave a flag and get their attention.
Ten minutes later, Dal discharged his machine gun into the air. The staccato of the gun echoed over the woods.
It was as good as setting off a flare gun. As soon as he ceased firing, Amanda detected the ATVs shifting direction. They’d heard the shots. Dal fired one more time, just to help them get a lock on their location.
Within minutes, she saw the first of the ATVs zipping through the woods. It headed straight for them. The driver hunched low behind the steering wheel.
The soldier mounted behind him had his machine gun ready. He swept his gaze left and right, clearly trying to locate them. Dal sent up another burst of machine gun fire.
The gaze of the soldiers whipped in their direction. They shifted trajectory, coming straight for the bluff.
Just as they did, Amanda spotted the second ATV. It was only a short way behind the first and closing fast.
“Here goes nothing.” Amanda licked dry lips. Resting the tip of her machine gun on a the branch, she waited.
The first ATV came closer, closer, closer . . .
A shot rang out behind her. The driver’s chest bloomed red.
A second shot followed the first. The head of the second Soviet exploded.
Damn, her friends were good shots. Amanda made a silent promise to keep practicing with her gun when she got back to the cabin.
The ATV careened to one side and went straight into a tree. The bodies fell off, blood welling out of the corpses to pool on the ground below.
“One ATV down,” Amanda whispered.
The second one drew closer. She spotted the third and forth ones in the distance. They snaked through the trees, en route to their location. At the sound of the gunshots, they sped up.
The next set of soldiers both had their weapons up. The driver steered with one hand and pointed his gun straight ahead. The second soldier was busy scanning the area, weapon poised.
“Sitting ducks,” Amanda murmured.
Another shot came from the trees above her. Just as that happened, the ATV dipped into a divot. The bullet went wide, grazing the driver on the shoulder instead of hitting him in the chest.
Dal and Lena didn’t let up. More bullets punched the air. The driver tried to swerve the ATV behind the cover of a tree, but the ground was too uneven for the sharp turn. The ATV tipped onto its side. Both Soviets spilled to the ground.
Once they were down, Dal and Lena made short work of them. Another few shots, and both soldiers were dead.
The third and forth ATVs slowed and converged, coming together in a united front. They rolled slowly through the trees, edging forward. From their position, they could see the bodies of their dead comrades.
Their element of surprise was gone.
The remaining Soviets stayed out of range, careful to keep trees between them and the bluff. Taking them out wasn’t going to be easy, especially now that the Soviets were onto them. Amanda’s neck and back prickled with nervous sweat.
This has to work, she told herself.
The Soviets stopped behind a stand of trees. When they emerged a short time later, they were on foot. They dashed from tree to tree, steadily making their way toward the bluff.
Dal and Lena tried to take them out, but these Soviets were freakishly fast runners. Amanda was pretty sure they could all qualify for the Olympics. They stayed close to trees and shrubs for cover.
One of her friends got in a lucky shot and managed to bring down a Soviet as he attempted to slink down into a creek bed.
Three left.
The bodies of one of the dead below her twitched. Panic spiked through Amanda. At first she thought it was reanimating. She fired reflexively at the body as it disappeared from sight.
She was on the verge of panic when she realized the Soviets had taken cover behind the ATV that had tipped over. They’d dragged a dead guy out of sight. As she peered through her crosshairs, the second body was pulled out of sight.
A machine gun poked into view, followed by the dark-haired head of a Russian. The Soviet opened fire on the area where they hid, raking bullets across the steep hillside. Amanda fired back, hoping to catch the guy by surprise.
No such luck. The machine gun disappeared from view.
She heard the Soviets moving, but couldn’t see them. A dull knocking sound drifted up to her. It sounded like they were banging rocks together. What were they up to?
Licking her lips, Amanda kept her eyes pinned to the crosshairs of her gun. As soon as the communist bastards showed themselves, she’d lay into them.
The minutes dragged. Nothing happened. The Soviets remained hidden behind the ATV with the bodies of their dead comrades.
Sweat drizzled into her eyes. Amanda realized how hot it had become. The sun beat down and the air was stifling.
Still, nothing happened. Had this turned into a game of chicken? Were the Soviets hoping to wait them out?
The Snipers needed those ATVs. They couldn’t outrun the Russians on foot. Their only chance of making it home was to kill the Soviets and take their vehicles.
After what seemed like forever, something moved behind the ATV. Amanda fired. Whoever moved quickly disappeared from sight.
“Don’t shoot!” said a thickly accented voice below her. “Don’t shoot.”
“Like that’s gonna work,” Amanda muttered.
“We surrender. Don’t shoot!”
To Amanda’s shock, a piece of white cloth on the end of a stick went into the air from behind the ATV.
“We surrender,” the Soviet called.
What the hell? Were these guys for real?
She wished Lena and Dal were within eyesight. She wanted to know what they were thinking. For her part, she didn’t trust the Soviets.
The stick with its white scrap of cloth continued to wave back and forth. “We surrender. Please don’t shoot.”
“Come out where we can see you.” Dal’s voice carried down the slope.
“Don’t shoot.”
“I won’t shoot. Come out where I can see you.”
Amanda tensed as one Soviet revealed himself. He had a thick, dark beard. In his left hand he gripped the stick. In his right hand, he held his gun.
“Put your gun down and come into the open,” Dal said.
“Try anything, and I’ll blow your head off,” Amanda muttered. She got the guy in her crosshairs, ready to pull the trigger at the first sign of danger. She would have killed him already if not for Dal. She would follow his lead as long as she could.
The Soviet made his way around the ATV. When he was fully exposed, he placed the gun at his feet. He never let go of the flag.
“Come forward,” Dal said.
The Soviet stepped forward another dozen steps.
There was something odd about him. Amanda couldn’t put her finger on it. There was something weird about his eyes, but she was too far away to see details. There were gray splotches on his face that looked like bruises. His bread glimmered in the sunlight, as though he had spilled a bunch of liquid on it.
There was blood all over his neck. It stained the collar of his uniform. From the way the sun hit it, she could tell it was fresh. No doubt it was blood from one of his dead friends.
“We surrender,” he said again.
“Why should we believe you?” Dal asked.
“You are Snipers, no?” the Soviet replied. “We give you information. You give us immunity.”
Amanda tried to wrap her head around what appeared to be happening. Were these guys really defecting?
As much as she wanted to see them all dead, their offer gave her pause. Without a doubt, if they had intel t
o share, it could be valuable to their fight. They could be staring at a pile of gold.
Then again, it could all be a ploy to draw them out and capture them.
Amanda weighed the odds and came to the conclusion that it was worth the risk.
Dal had obviously come to the same conclusion. “We accept your surrender,” he called down the slope. “Have your friends come out and lay down their arms.”
“No.” The Soviet shook his head, beard still glittering under the sun. “It could be trap.”
“That’s the risk you’re going to have to take,” Dal replied.
A twig snapped below her. Amanda jerked around just in time to see a Soviet hit the slope and dash into the trees.
The guy was moving fast. Really, really fast.
“They’re coming up the slope,” she screamed. “Trap!”
25
New Zombie
Below her, the Soviet dropped the white flag. He didn’t retreat behind the safety of the ATV as she expected. Instead, he sprang forward like an animal. Amanda tried to shoot him, but he was too fast. His disappeared into the cover of the trees. Her bullets hit bare ground.
Above her on the slope, gunfire erupted.
Something blurred below her. Her breath caught as the bearded Soviet materialized below her.
Their eyes locked. He smiled up at her, revealing bloody teeth.
The gray splotches covering his skin weren’t like any bruise she had ever seen. Up close, they looked like patches of rot. Like zombie rot.
She got her first good look at his eyes. They were blood-red, even the irises. He looked like a demon.
She shrieked as he leaped into the tree, heading straight for her. Swinging her gun around, she fired.
Her aim was off. He was too fast. No one should be able to scale a tree that fast. He was like a gorilla on steroids.
This wasn’t a normal Russian.
Just as this thought registered, the soldier burst through the branches and came for her. He hit her just as she fired.
Zommunist Invasion Box Set | Books 1-3 Page 63
