Rotter Apocalypse (31 page)

Ari had removed her belt and used it as a tourniquet to stop the flow of blood in her leg.

“How bad is it?” Natalie asked.

“It didn’t hit an artery, but the bone might be fractured. It hurts like a… Oh, my God.” Ari moved closer to Natalie. “Are you okay?”

“I got something in my eye, that’s all.”

“It’s worse than that. You’re bleeding.”

Natalie studied her reflection in the rear view mirror. When she opened the lid, pain stabbed through her face and her eyes shut. Opening the left lid with her fingers, she examined the pupil. She could see a tiny fragment of metal lodged in the eyeball. Natalie carefully closed the lid. “Do you have anything I can put over this?”

“Hang on.” Ari unbuttoned her ACU and pulled out her t-shirt. Removing her hunting knife from its scabbard, she cut off the bottom two inches and passed it to Natalie. “Here.”

Natalie wrapped the makeshift bandage around her face, covering the left eye.

“What do we do now? Sit here and wait for them to come and save us?”

“Screw that.” Natalie tied the bandage tight in the back so the pressure would keep her lid closed. “I still have a lot of fight left in me.”

With that, she crawled between the seats and into the back where the machinegun was.

*  *  *

Branson and his men reached the end of the building where Akers waited for them. When he heard them approach he spun around and aimed, stopping when he realized it was his own team.

“What’s going on?” Branson asked.

“We have three men down. Two women are stuck in the Humvee. I think they’re both wounded.”

“Bites?”

Akers shook his head. “Friendly fire.”

“Shit.” Having them trapped inside the Humvee limited his options. He couldn’t risk firing at the horde without the possibility of a stray round punching its way into the vehicle and wounding or killing one of them. With that many revenants swarming the Humvee, it wouldn’t be long before they smashed their way in.

“What are we going to do?” Akers asked.

“Go down to the other corner of the building by the med tent and keep watch. Don’t let anything sneak up behind us.”

“Copy that.” Akers rushed off.

“The rest of you, switch to single shot. Concentrate your fire at the revenants at the front and rear of the Hummer.”

“We’ll never take them down doing it like that,” said a private.

“I’m not trying to take them down. I want to draw them to us so the women have a chance to escape.”

*  *  *

Napier saw the ineffectiveness of the line’s fire against the horde and ordered his men to stand down. He was recalculating his options when he spotted Branson’s team moving along the edge of the building. That gave him an idea.

“McDaniels, Jonesy— take your squads and reinforce Branson. The rest of you, tighten up the line and make sure nothing gets past us.”

*  *  *

Natalie picked up the M240 and the belts of ammunition, and dragged them up front.

“How many rounds do you have?” Ari asked.

“I don’t know. Hopefully it will be more than enough.” Natalie draped one belt around her neck and handed the extras to Ari. “Start linking them together so I have one continuous belt.”

“Be careful.”

Natalie crawled over the SINCGARS radio in the central console and onto the transmission tunnel. She popped open the hatch, hefted the M240 through the opening onto the roof, and stood up through the hatch. The rotters worked themselves into a frenzy upon seeing her. Mounting the machinegun onto its pivot base, Natalie fed in the belt of ammunition, chambered the first round, and fired a one-second burst into the horde. At this range, the 7.62mm rounds ripped the rotters apart. Heads exploded and torsos ruptured, spewing blood and chunks of flesh across the side of the Humvee. Natalie rotated the machinegun back and forth, firing a few bursts every few seconds so as not to burn out the barrel. Except for those next to the vehicle and out of the machinegun’s lowest declination, every burst took down the living dead.

Every time one rotter went down, another climbed over the body to take its place.

*  *  *

When Branson saw Natalie emerge from the top hatch of the Humvee with the M240, he ordered his unit to shift their fire from the horde around the Humvee to the deuce-and-a-half. As McDaniels’ and Jonesy’s squads arrived, they joined in. It took only a few minutes to clear the area around the truck. Those around the Humvee were too intent on getting at the women inside to care about his squads.

“What now?” Akers asked.

“We move up to the other side of the truck and get ready to get the women out.” Branson waved his hand over his head. “All of you, on me.”

The three squads moved toward the truck.

*  *  *

Ari finished linking the last belt of ammunition to the main line when the driver’s door flung open. A rotter in a Scoutmaster’s uniform centered itself in the doorway and climbed into the cab. Ari had dropped her gun outside when she got shot; thankfully Natalie had left hers resting against the center console. Ari leaned over and clutched the barrel as the rotter lunged for her. It missed, and Ari yanked the M-16A2 toward her. The barrel faced away from the rotter, and she had no room to maneuver it around, so she used the butt to hammer the Scoutmaster rotter in the face. Each blow disfigured its features, fracturing the skull or knocking out teeth. With each strike, the rotter drew a little closer. The fifth blow dislocated its lower jaw. The sixth broke open its skull along the top of the forehead, exposing the brain. With the seventh hit, the butt smashed into its brain. The rotter shuddered once and fell onto Ari, spilling blood and gore into her lap.

Another rotter attempted to crawl over the Scoutmaster to get to her.

Ari grabbed Natalie’s pants leg and pulled. Natalie stopped firing and yelled down the hatch. “What’s up?”

Ari pointed to the driver’s side of the Humvee. “I could use a little help here.”

When Natalie saw the rotters climbing in through the driver’s door she swung the M240 around and fired on the living dead along that side of the vehicle. Each one fell under the fusillade of fire, except for the one half inside the Humvee and the five gathered by the door.

*  *  *

Branson saw Natalie rotate in the open hatch to shoot on the opposite side of the Humvee. By now, only eighteen of the living dead remained on the passenger side, so he took advantage of the situation and moved forward. When within ten feet, he signaled for his men to stop and fire. Each of the revenants went down with shots to the head. Those last five on the driver’s side went after the new source of food, not making it more than a few steps before they were also taken out. With the last shot fired, an eerie silence fell across the fairgrounds.

“McDaniels, Jonesy, stay here.” Branson pointed to the mound of bodies piled up along the passenger side of the Humvee. “If anything so much as twitches, put a round in its head.”

“Copy that.”

“The rest of you, let’s get the ladies out of here.”

*  *  *

Natalie dropped down inside the Humvee and gasped when she saw the Scoutmaster and the pile of gore in Ari’s lap. She crawled over the transmission tunnel and placed her hands on Ari’s shoulders. “Are you okay?”

“I look like shit, but I’ll live.”

Branson stuck his head inside the Humvee. “Jesus H. Christ. Are you two all right?”

“We’re banged up pretty bad,” said Natalie.

“Give me a few minutes to clear out some of these bodies and call up a medic, and then we’ll get you out of here.” Branson stood up and shouted orders to his squad. He bent over and leaned back into the Humvee. “Congratulations, by the way.”

Natalie was confused. “What for?”

“Wounds like you two ladies have will get you yanked from the line and placed in a cozy desk job somewhere. For you, the war is over.”

Ari reached up and squeezed Natalie’s hand. “We made it.”

“Thank God.” Natalie leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Ari from behind, embracing her tightly.

Robson heard the vampires approaching, only this time he anticipated the encounter. He had mentally prepared himself all day for this. Even Roberta had bolstered her courage, although he could tell by the tremble in her hands that she was still terrified of what would happen. As well she should be. The next ten minutes would be the most dangerous either of them had faced since the vampires had released the Zombie Virus against mankind. Yet they both agreed it had to be done. As the sound of the chains being removed from the handles echoed through the barn, Robson mouthed, “Are you ready?”

Roberta swallowed hard and nodded.

A moment later, the doors swung open. Light from the kerosene lamps bathed the interior of the barn, sending shadows dancing along the walls as the coven entered. Dravko was prepared for the verbal and most likely physical abuse he would suffer once Vladimir realized his captors were gone. The vampire’s eyes went wide with surprise when he saw the two humans sitting in the same spot he had left them the night before. Robson ignored him and focused his gaze on Vladimir.

The coven spread out in a semi-circle around Robson, with their backs to Roberta, and placed their kerosene lamps on the ground. They each stared at Robson, hatred for humans and a lust for violence in their eyes, especially from Corey, who sneered. Vladimir positioned himself in front of Robson, a sardonic grin on his face.

“I hope you enjoyed your last day as a human.”

“I slept most of it.” It took every ounce of courage Robson could muster to sound nonchalant.

“What a shame. You should have taken advantage of it. You’ll never see sunlight again.”

Robson shrugged. “I thought a condemned man would get a last meal.”

“I have given you a last meal.” Vladimir glanced over at Roberta and leered. He then crouched down in front of Robson. “And don’t think of it as being condemned. You’re being given an opportunity few humans have ever been offered, though that will change in the future.”

“The difference is that once you turn me, you’re going to leave me out here on my own to fend for myself or die.”

“Just as you did to me. It’s rather fitting, don’t you think?” Vladimir patted Robson on the leg and stood up. “Enough talk.”

“So this is it?” Robson asked.

“I’m afraid so.” Vladimir faced his coven. “Are you ready?”

The other vampires nodded or stretched their jaws, including Tibor, who had fought beside Robson for close to a year.

Dravko stepped back, moving away from the coven. “I won’t do it.”

“I didn’t think you would,” snorted Tibor.

Vladimir brushed off Dravko with a wave of his hand. “We’ll deal with you later.”

Dravko stepped forward to confront Vladimir. Tibor and Corey morphed into their vampiric forms and blocked his path. When Tibor and Corey moved toward him, Dravko backed off into the shadows. He looked over at Robson, his expression questioning why he and Roberta had not escaped when they had the chance. Vladimir grabbed Robson by his collar, yanked him to his feet, and dragged him to the center of the barn. The coven closed in around him, all except Dravko. Rather than resist, Robson stood his ground. The Master morphed into his vampiric form, bent his head at an angle, and plunged his fangs into Robson’s neck. Robson winced as the tips penetrated his skin, but refused to cry out or show pain. That became more difficult when the other vampires moved in to feed. Corey and Tibor held out his arms, each biting into a wrist. Vampires fed from each of his forearms, inner elbows, and upper arms. Linda and Gabrielle stepped up behind him and leaned forward, plunging their fangs into his shoulders. Robson felt his lifeblood being drained. He felt his pulse growing weaker and his respiratory rate increase.

He cast a glance over at Roberta.

*  *  *

More than anything, Roberta wanted to avert her gaze. She couldn’t allow herself that luxury. She crawled into a crouching position, doing so slowly so as not to draw attention to herself or the fact that her ankle had been freed from its shackle. When Robson glanced at her, she focused on his eyes. Once he had lost enough blood to slip into unconsciousness, she would act. Until then, she fought back the tears.

*  *  *

Dravko lowered his head to avoid witnessing Robson’s death. He had failed his coven, both as a vampire and as their leader. He had failed his human friends. Worst of all, he had failed himself. Dravko contemplated sneaking off while the rest of the coven were busy and heading north until the morning sun would end his existence. Maybe then—

An agonized scream came from the center of the barn.

*  *  *

Vladimir stepped back from Robson and clutched his chest. Over the centuries he had been shot, set on fire, and doused with holy water. Never had he experienced an agony as intense and crippling as this. The burning began in his stomach, ate its way through his veins, and spread through his body. The muscles in his chest and arms contracted violently, causing his upper body to twist and spasm. The skin on his hands darkened and shriveled, and the fingers bent in until his talons dug into his palms. As the pain raced up his neck, Vladimir’s throat constricted and his vision blurred. When the scorching sensation reached his head, the torment became unbearable. It felt as though his brain was melting. Memories and motor functions seared away, leaving behind an overpowering hunger. Falling to his knees, Vladimir howled in agony. He stared over in Robson’s general direction, unable to see him clearly through the murky gray cloud in his eyes. He tried to speak, his voice croaking out unintelligible sounds. Vladimir focused the remnants of his mental skills to ask one final question.

“Wha’ did ‘ou do to me?”

*  *  *

When Vladimir dropped to his knees and howled, the rest of the coven jumped away from Robson. He saw the uncertainty and fear in their eyes as they shifted their attention between him and the Master. Then Stamos clutched his abdomen and doubled over in pain. It struck Tamara a moment later. She tore through the skin on her chest trying to rid herself of the searing agony. Dizzy and confused from the loss of blood, Robson stepped back and propped himself against the central support.

“Wha’ did ‘ou do to me?” screamed Vladimir.

“I infected you with the Zombie Virus.”

“How?” Vladimir asked, the word so twisted and distorted it was barely recognizable.

“The vaccine Compton developed was derived from samples of the Zombie Virus. When I was inoculated, my blood was infected. And now, so are all of you.” Robson chuckled. “Kind of ironic, isn’t it? You wiped out the human race with the Zombie Virus, and I wiped out the vampire race with the vaccine.”

Vladimir struggled to stand, and instead fell over onto his back. In his mind, he ordered the coven to tear Robson apart. The command left his mouth as a gurgle. Not that it would have mattered. One by one, the other vampires succumbed to the virus, each too busy being consumed by the infection to have obeyed. Only Tibor and Corey had not yet begun the transformation. The two vampires lunged at Robson.

*  *  *

For a brief moment, Dravko thought things would be all right. With the rest of the coven dying off, he could sneak out and start over, and rebuild the vampire nation in the manner he and Elena had envisioned. That thought was short lived. Even though staying meant his own death, he could not allow a pack of zombie vampires to roam the countryside.

And he would not betray his friend again.

Dravko saw that Tibor and Corey were about to attack Robson. He launched himself across the barn and slammed into Tibor. Both men crashed against the opposite wall. Tibor came off the wood and swiped at Dravko with his right hand, the talons tearing across the Dravko’s face. Dravko fell back, stunned by the pain. Tibor lunged at him again, slashing half a dozen more times. Dravko felt the lacerations on his face open wider with each blow and the skull around his eye socket fracture. Tibor grabbed Dravko by the collar, spun him around, and slammed him face-first against the wall. He leaned in close and snarled in Dravko’s face.

“I’ll be damned if I allow you to be the last vampire on Earth.”

Tibor bent his neck to bite Dravko and gasped. He fell back several paces and collapsed, clutching his gut. His body convulsed and twisted in a violent angle as the virus took hold, coursing through his veins and changing him from the undead into the living dead. Tibor’s skin discolored as decay set in. He turned his head in the direction he assumed Dravko stood, unable to see through the gray film covering his eyes. Tibor issued a final plea to his friend, the rotting brain making it slurred and disjointed.

“No let me be one of them.”

Dravko circled around behind Tibor. He would eventually kill Tibor, but not before offering his friend the same mercy Tibor would have showed him and Robson. Raising his foot, he slammed it down on each of Tibor’s ankles, shattering the bones so he could not walk. If Tibor felt any pain, he didn’t show it. He lay amongst the hay and thrashed around.

Dravko checked on Robson.

*  *  *

Linda had never felt anything as painful as this, including the other night when James had broken her jaw. She knew she would be dead in a few minutes. No, worse than dead. She would be one of the living dead. Linda tried to summon up the courage to stick her talons through her eyes and scramble her own brains.

She heard a commotion and lifted her head in time to see Dravko tackle Tibor to the other side of the barn, leaving Corey to face off against Robson by himself. Hatred seethed in her almost as painful as the infection. Robson had taken immortality from her before she could enjoy it, and had condemned her to an eternity of walking the Earth and feeding on human flesh. Now he stood with his back to her, only ten feet away. Her last conscious thought was that she could not let him live.

Pushing herself to her feet, Linda lumbered toward Robson.

*  *  *

Roberta struggled to stand, using the wall of the horse stall as support. Limping over to the nearest kerosene lamp, she picked it up and lifted it above her head to see. Most of the vampires were still turning, except for Dravko and Tibor, who battled in one corner of the barn. She found Robson against the center support, with Linda sneaking up behind him. She didn’t have time to go to his aid or warn him, which left only one option.

Roberta threw the lamp at Linda.

It crashed against the vampire’s chest and shattered, dousing her in kerosene. The fire from the wick ignited the fuel, engulfing her in flames. Linda howled. Throwing herself against the animal stalls on the opposite side of the barn, she slid to the ground and slumped forward. She tried to extinguish the flames until her muscles burned away. Linda’s body teetered for a moment before rolling to the side into a pile of dried hay.

The hay ignited.

*  *  *

When Dravko tackled Tibor out of the way, Robson focused his attention on Corey. The teenager paused, confused by both the transformation of those vampires around him and the sudden disappearance of Tibor. That second bought Robson the time he needed. Reaching down, he picked up the chain that had shackled him to the central post and twirled a length of it around both hands. The noise snapped Corey out of his daze. He snarled at Robson and lunged. The vampire had taken only a few steps when he stopped, clasping his arms tight against his chest to lessen the pain of the infection gnawing through his abdomen. Limping behind Corey on his one good foot, Robson looped the section of chain between his hands around the vampire’s neck and yanked his arms to the side, tightening it. Corey gagged and choked, too consumed by his transformation to fight back. Balancing himself on his good foot, Robson placed the knee of his bad leg between the vampire’s shoulder blades. Pushing down with his knee, he pulled back on the chains. Corey flailed his arms and reached back, clawing at Robson’s face. A cracking sound came from Corey’s neck, and his head tilted to one side. Robson loosened his grip on the chain. Corey collapsed face-first onto the barn floor, his head at an obscene angle. Although Corey’s body remained motionless, his mouth still snapped at Robson.

The sound of shattering glass behind Robson caught his attention. He glanced over his shoulder to see Linda burst into flames. That gave him an idea.

“Get Roberta out of here!” he yelled to Dravko. “Then use the lamps to set the others on fire.”

*  *  *

Dravko ran over to Roberta and scooped her up in his arms. Making his way through the coven, he carried the woman to the double barn doors and placed her outside. As she fought to steady her balance, Dravko closed one of the doors. He had closed the second one halfway when Roberta grabbed the edge and stopped him.

“I want to help,” she pleaded.

“You can.” Dravko bent over, picked up the chain that lay on the ground that Vladimir had used to secure the handles, and handed it to her. “Once I close these doors, lock us in.”