Alissa flashed him an awkward smile.
“And you have to stop that shit right now.”
The harshness of Nathan’s statement caught her off guard. “What do you mean?”
“You have to start looking out for yourself.”
“That’s not in my nature.”
“I know. That’s one of the reasons I… that’s one of the things that makes you so special. The world fell apart yesterday and the social order collapsed. You have to change the way you think if you want to survive.”
Archer jumped up on the table with a loud meow. He circled around the empty wrappers the bagels came in, keeping a wary eye on Nathan. The smell of sausage was too enticing. He inched closer and sniffed the wrapper. A small chunk of meat stuck to a piece of melted cheese clung to the paper. Archer licked it once and, upon finding he liked it, bit down on the glob and dived off the table.
Nathan chuckled. “If you won’t do it for yourself, then do it for him.”
Alissa smiled. “Thanks. For lunch and the pep talk.”
“In my years on the force I’ve seen a lot of people tear themselves up inside over decisions they made, most of them the best possible decision but with bad consequences. You can’t let that happen to you.”
“I won’t.” Alissa patted the top of Nathan’s hand. “I promise.”
“Good.”
A moment of contented silence passed between the two before Nathan said, “I have a question for you. You saw the outbreak up close. How long after a person is bitten before they turn?”
“The determining factor isn’t when they were bitten but when they die. Reanimation took place within a few seconds after death.”
“You’re certain about that?”
“Oh, yeah. The State trooper I worked on had been bitten a good five to ten minutes before he reached the ER but didn’t turn until after he died. The trooper he attacked bled out quickly and then reanimated.”
Nathan thought for a moment. “That makes sense.”
“What does?”
“The reason they were such assholes at the roadblock last night was the result of an incident that took place earlier. The state set up emergency detention centers for anyone who escaped Boston to make sure that anyone infected did not spread the disease.”
“I know. I almost got picked up by one.”
“You’re lucky you didn’t.”
Alissa felt a chill race through her body. “Why?”
“Around seven o’clock, one of the detention centers outside of Quincy suffered an outbreak. No one is sure how it started, but within fifteen minutes most of the people in the detention center had turned into deaders. The police wouldn’t let the survivors out, so they tore down the gate and made a break for it, releasing the deaders in the process.”
“That’s horrible.”
“It’s why the chief is refusing to let anyone on the island who doesn’t belong here and is not letting those who leave come back. That all changed this morning. Now no one is allowed in or out.”
“Why?”
“A second outbreak occurred in a detention center near Waltham. Same scenario as Quincy, except this time the Guard took no chances and machine gunned everyone in camp, living and living dead.”
Alissa gasped. “That’s murder.”
“That’s why we need to get out of here as fast as possible.”
“Are you serious?”
“Unfortunately. Sooner or later, either deaders or those seeking safety are going to come down the causeway and we don’t have enough manpower to stop either of them. I’m going to take one of the squad cars and get out of here while I can. I’d like you to come with me.”
“You really think it’s going to get that bad?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’m in, as long as I can bring Archer.”
“Deal.”
“Where are we going?”
“Our best bet is to head as far north as possible where there are few people, maybe the mountains or the coast. I figure we can hold up in motel for a while and see how the situation develops.”
“What about my cabin in New Hampshire?”
“I thought you lost that in the separation.”
“Paul and I couldn’t agree on who would keep it so we decided to share it rather than spend thousands fighting it out in court. It’s available if we need it.”
“That’ll be perfect. Here’s the plan. I’m working from three this afternoon until three in the morning. I’ll gather as much intelligence on the situation as I can and see if I can steal any extra weapons and ammo. Pack only the essentials and as many canned goods as you have. I’ll swing by at dawn to pick you up. We’ll head north and hold up in your cabin until things blow over. Sound like a plan?”
“Do you think we’ll get off the island?”
“Getting off won’t be a problem. Once we leave, we’ll never be allowed back in.” Nathan pulled a small notebook from his shirt pocket, jotted down a phone number, then ripped off the page and handed it to Alissa. “This is my cell phone. Call me if you need me. Otherwise I’ll see you at dawn.”
Alissa escorted Nathan to the front door and opened it. As he left, she gave him a friendly hug. “Thanks. For everything.”
“My pleasure. And get a good night’s sleep. God knows when we’ll have a chance to rest again.”
Alissa watched Nathan head down the driveway and get into his squad car, waiting for him to drive off before locking up.
* * *
After drinking such a huge cup of coffee, Alissa couldn’t get any sleep, so she spent the next two hours preparing for their bug out. She removed the cat carrier from the laundry room, which got her several suspicion and angry glares from Archer. Pulling luggage from the top shelf in the garage, she filled two large carry-on bags, one with Archer’s cat food, some toys, treats, a spare bowl, and all the medical supplies she had stored in the house, the other with all the canned foods and non-perishables she could find. She placed all three in the front hall. By then it was nearly two in the afternoon, so she decided to go upstairs and get some sleep.
A banging on the front door and the incessant ringing of the bell startled Alissa out of REM sleep. The clock on her nightstand read 3:53. Archer crouched by the stairs, wearily peering down into the front hall. For a few moments she remained groggy until she heard Nathan yelling her name. She bolted up and ran downstairs, whipping open the front door.
“What’s wrong?”
“We have to get out of here. Now!”
Chapter Eighteen
Alissa felt that all-too-familiar adrenalin rush pumping through her body. “Why?”
“The blockade has been breached. Several thousand deaders followed a family trying to escape to Nahant. Let’s move.”
Alissa pointed to the floor. “Those are packed and ready to go. Give me a minute to get Archer.”
“Hurry.” Nathan scooped up the bags and headed for the squad car parked out front.
Alissa ran upstairs. Archer lay curled up on the bed. First, she removed the Glock off her nightstand and stuck it between her jeans and the small of her back and slid the remaining magazine in her pocket. Then she picked him up, cuddling and petting him before putting him into the carrier and locking it. “Don’t worry, cat. Everything will be all right.”
Archer responded with a dissatisfied meow. Alissa made her way downstairs and headed outside, closing the house behind her. She placed the carrier in the back seat of the squad car, secured it with a seat belt, then stood in front of the open passenger side. Nathan talked on his cellphone.
“How are we going to get out if the causeway is blocked?”
“I’m working on that.” He held up his hand. “Steve, this is Nathan. Do you still have your boat docked at the Marine Science Center?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“The island is being overwhelmed by deaders and we need a way to escape. Will you help me?”
“Can I bring my family?”
; “Of course,”
Alissa waved at Nathan to catch his attention. “They can stay with us in the cabin.”
“Steve, Alissa says—”
“I heard. We’ll be there in a few minutes.”
The other line went dead. Nathan pocketed his cell phone.
A volley of gunfire erupted three streets away followed by screams and the snarls of thousands of deaders. Moments later, an explosion occurred, sending a black cloud of smoke billowing into the air.
“Let’s move before others get the same idea I had.”
A deader wearing civilian clothes exited from Winter Street a hundred feet ahead and, upon seeing them, charged. Alissa withdrew her Glock, studied her arms on the top of the open car door, and fired two carefully aimed rounds that blasted away most of its head. The deader’s momentum continued driving it forward for a few feet before it toppled over, slamming onto the hood of the squad car and sliding down along the left front fender. The sound of the gunshots attracted other deaders. Three more raced out of Winter Street and rushed them, while another three approached from behind. Alissa raised the Glock and took down one of the deaders to the rear.
“Get in the car,” ordered Nathan.
She climbed in and closed the door as Nathan shifted into DRIVE. The car moved forward a few feet and stopped, the left front tire wedged against the civilian-clothed deader. Nathan applied more gas, succeeding only in moving the car a few more inches and digging the tire deeper into the body. The five deaders reached them a second later. One dove onto the hood, hanging on to the upper rim with one hand and slamming the windshield with the other until it cracked. One jumped onto the trunk and clawed at the rear window while the other three went after Alissa, banging against the window. It would not hold up much longer.
Nathan shifted into REVERSE and pressed his foot on the accelerator. The car backed up and bounced onto the deader corpse behind them. The rear wheels could not get friction on the road, spinning uselessly on top of the body. Nathan kept shifting into DRIVE and REVERSE, hoping the rocking motion would free the car before the deaders got to them.
Alissa’s window shattered and three sets of hands reached in, clutching her hair, face, shoulders, and arms, pulling her toward snapping mouths. She attempted to pull away, but too many hands held her in place. Placing her left palm on the interior of the door and locking it to brace herself. One of the deaders in a leather biker’s jacket dug its hand into the back of her neck and used the leverage to pull itself into the car. Its teeth were inches from her cheek, biting frantically. Alissa placed the barrel of the Glock underneath the deader’s chin, closed her eyes, and fired three rounds. Inside the confines of the interior, the gunshots were deafening. For a few seconds she couldn’t hear anything. However, she felt the remains of the deader’s head splash across her face—blood, flesh, teeth, shattered bones. Alissa shook her head, feeling the gore fly off, and opened her eyes. Nothing remained of the deader’s head except the rear of its skulls dangling from loose skin. The body blocked the window, preventing the other two from gaining access. Alissa used the opportunity. Grabbing the deader by its leather jacket, she held it in place and used it to block the others, taking careful aim and pumping two rounds into the heads of the other two deaders. With the threat gone, Alissa pushed the leather jacket-clad body out of the window.
Nathan continued trying to dislodge the squad car from the body caught beneath, not paying attention to the deader on the hood that continued pounding on the windshield. The glass fractured more with each blow. Alissa aimed the Glock inches from its face. It turned its head toward her and snarled. She fired a single round into its mouth, shattering the windshield outward and blowing the back of the thing’s head away.
“Shit!” Nathan swore not because of the unexpected gunshot but because four more deaders slammed into the left side of the car. Their combined weight pushed it far enough to the side that the right rear tire connected with the pavement. The car shot backward and lurched to the left, throwing the deaders across the street and throwing off the one on the trunk, and continued until the rear crashed into a streetlamp. Dozens of deaders closed in on them from the side streets. Nathan shifted into DRIVE and took off, swerving around the closest ones and taking a sharp left onto Winter Street. A pack of deaders blocked their way. He had no time to maneuver, instead pushing the gas pedal to the floor and plowing through them. Four were thrown to the sides. The fifth bounced onto the front of the car, slid across the hood, and smashed into the remains of the windshield. Its head and shoulders broke through. Only the steering wheel stopped it from landing in Nathan’s lap. It clawed at him, its fingernails scratching his cheeks. Nathan accelerated.
“Put on your seatbelt!”
Alissa complied. When Nathan heard the click of the belt, he slammed his foot onto the brakes. Alissa lurched forward, the seatbelt preventing her from crashing face-first into the dashboard. Luckily the momentum had the same effect on the deader. It flew out of the car, across the hood, and hit the street, rolling several times, its dead skin being shredded by the asphalt. As it started to climb to its feet, Nathan gunned the engine. The car slammed into the deader, tossing it to one side.
Nathan paused at Nahant Road. Once again, Alissa found herself in the middle of the outbreak. Terrified civilians and deaders filled the streets. A few hundred feet to the right, five of the remaining volunteers from the roadblock had set up a skirmish line across the road trying to provide cover for those escaping on foot. Deaders flowed over them within seconds, tearing apart the volunteers. The civilians whom they had been protecting only made it a dozen yards before they were also taken down. The remaining deaders extended deeper into the island. A dozen rushed the squad car. Nathan accelerated and turned right, the tires screeching in protest as he swerved around the carnage and made his way to the science center.
Alissa could not believe how rapidly her hometown had devolved into chaos. A dozen cars and minivans raced past them in the opposite direction, trying to escape the island, not realizing they were heading into the horde. Two streets in front of them, a middle-aged woman driving a KIA Sedona jumped the STOP sign on a side street, cutting across Nahant Road and T-boning a family in an Infiniti, sending the latter spinning. The Infiniti crashed into a streetlamp. The middle-aged woman did not even stop to check on them, instead turning onto Nahant Road and heading for the causeway. Hundreds of panicked islanders ran for safety. By now, most had realized that escaping via the causeway was suicide, so they headed for the coast, which merely delayed the inevitable. Nathan avoided those trying to escape, instead plowing through the deaders or those in the process of being eaten.
The chaos dissipated at the edge of town where Nahant Road curved toward the southern shore. By this time, the car limped along on two flat tires and steam drifted from under the hood. The engine made a disturbing knocking noise, although not as loud as Archer who whined incessantly from his carrier.
“Do you think we’ll make it?”
“We should. But we’re not far if we do have to walk… We have company.”
A teenage girl stood in the center of the street, flagging them down. As Nathan slowed, she ran over to the window, breathing heavily. “Take me with you. Please!”
“Get in.”
A deader lunged from behind, knocking the teenager to the ground. Nathan reached for the handle to help her when a second deader rushed up to the window and attempted to climb in.
“Go!” screamed Alissa.
Nathan pulled away from the carnage. When they reached the science center, a chain link security gate blocked the driveway.
“Get down.”
Alissa ducked behind the dashboard as Nathan plowed through the barricade. One of the fence’s steel supports fell onto the squad car, pushing through the shattered windshield. The fence flew open under the impact, allowing them access. He sped past the science center complex, headed for the dock, and parked near the entrance ramp. Nathan jumped out and threw the carry-on b
ags over his shoulders.
“You get the cat.”
As Alissa pulled the carrier from the back, with Archer protesting with a series of loud and unhappy meows, Nathan opened the trunk and withdrew a large, long bag.
“Are those skis?”
“I raided the police armory for weapons and ammo. We’re going to need them.”
For a moment, Nathan reminded her of Paul. She owed her ex a huge apology for making fun of his survivalist skills if she ever saw him again.
Nathan rushed down the dock, huffing under the weight he carried. He stopped at a thirty-six-foot cabin cruiser named Ocean Escape and dropped the bags onto the back deck. He took the cat carrier from Alissa. “Get in.”
Alissa climbed onto the boat and took the carrier from him.
“Stow that stuff in the cabin and stay put.”
“Where are you going?”
“To make sure Steve and his family make it.”
Alissa brought the carrier inside. She placed it on the kitchen table and went out for the other bags. She could barely lift the one with the guns but managed to get all three inside and dropped them onto a bench by the table. After telling Archer everything would be fine, she headed outside. She couldn’t see Nathan. Jumping off the boat, she ran back to the entranceway.
Nathan stood by the squad car, nervously checking his watch.
“Where are they?” she asked.
“I thought I told you to stay on the boat?”
“You think I’m some damsel in distress you have to protect?” Alissa withdrew the Glock from her jeans, switched out the empty magazine with a fully loaded one, and held it in both hands. “Screw that shit.”
Nathan smiled.
They waited.
After three minutes that felt like an eternity, they heard the roar of a Hemi engine coming down Nahant Road. A minute later, a Ford F-150 pick-up raced around the corner of the science center and sped toward the wharf.
Nathan sighed in relief. “That’s Steve and his family.”
Nurse Alissa (Book 1): Nurse Alissa vs. the Zombies Page 11
