Tainted Future (The Rememdium Series Book 3) (23 page)

Burning pain, the worst he’d ever felt, consumed all rational thought. He knew the bites were a death sentence. He tried, but couldn’t pull up images of Martha or Turner.

“No, they’re gone. We got ’em all, Walt. That’s our help over there,” Kyle said. “Hang tight. Let me get the bleedin’ stopped.”

“Oh, shit. Mason—get the first aid kit!”

Walt felt another presence at his side. Forcing his eyes open, he tried to grin. “Chief?”

“Yeah, Walt. It’s me. Be quiet now. Save your strength. We’ll get you outta here in a flash.”

“He’s been bitten! That means—”

“Hush, Teresa! Walt? Walt, come on. Stay with us, buddy. Hang on,” Cooper whispered.

Walt’s eyes were open, but he couldn’t see a thing. He knew what was coming, and that he didn’t have but mere seconds. “Take care of my family, Cooper. And me. Put me down. I ain’t gonna be…”

With no more strength left to speak as convulsions took over, the last thing Walter Addison heard was Kyle’s voice. “No, Cooper. I’ll do it. God’s speed, Walter. I’m so sorry.”

DEADLY NEGOTIATIONS - Thursday, December 25
^th
– 4:15 p.m. – Central Standard Time

“Don’t do this, Jesse. It’s a mistake.”

Jesse shook her head. “No, Turner. The mistake is sittin’ on our asses like a bunch of frightened chickens. We’re gettin’ on that plane, no matter what.”

“Stop frettin’, son. We’ve got this,” Martha added.

“You’ve got maybe an hour of daylight left, so you best scoot. I’ll stand guard by the door, and when I hear y’all comin’, I’ll slip back inside. Me and Ms. Jane will get into position, and welcome those boys right proper when they step inside.”

Jesse kissed Turner’s hand and stood. “Remember, only knock them out. If we kill them, we lose our bargainin’ chips. Promise?”

Lamar nodded and Jane shivered. “I ain’t killin’ anyone. Completely against my callin’. Don’t worry.”

“Let’s do this. I’m ready to live somewhere that ain’t underground anyway,” Jesse smiled at Turner. “I love you. We’ll be back soon. Promise.”

Martha swiped a kiss on Turner’s forehead, grabbed her rifle, and followed Jesse and to the front entrance.

“Be safe. Remember, they’re trained killers. Don’t let your guard down even for one second.”

“We won’t, Lamar. You stay sharp, too. We’ll be back soon.”

Jesse and Martha stepped out into the cold air, each with rifles slung over their shoulders. Martha led the way, following Lamar’s instructions toward the lab. Jesse didn’t say a word, preferring to let Martha concentrate.

Something inside her mind shifted when Walter and the others returned the night Shaun died. Though she felt saddened by the loss, she didn’t really know Shaun too well. What bothered her was the news they brought back; how all of this tied to drugs; and how close Jesse came to turning into the undead her first day in the mountains.

Heart. Her mother said she was strong, and would make it, because of her heart. Finally, Jesse understood what she meant. The second she heard drugs were involved, Jesse grew up. Literally, in seconds. The cravings were gone; the reality of the world broke through the haze of sadness and sorrow. Pushed past the pain and ripped away the old girl she’d been.

The new sense of determination to survive—and thrive—was kicked into overdrive when Lamar told them of the other danger they faced. People she loved, and even some she didn’t, risked their lives to save hers, and it was high time Jesse Parker embodied her mother’s spirit of service and sacrifice. She’d do whatever necessary—no matter what—to live, and be a productive, reliable member of the group.

Drugs ruined everything, not just her life. Every. Fucking. Thing. Jesse refused to let them control her thoughts any longer.

Martha slowed her pace and whispered, “Okay, we’re close. About fifty yards up yonder. Lamar said they have sensors, which have probably already picked us up. Time to start our act. Remember, we can’t walk right up to the entrance. We run around like we’re lost. Just follow my lead, okay?”

“Best actin’ job ever, comin’ right up.”

Martha walked forward another ten feet then started crying. “We don’t know where they are! Walt never said, just they were this way. How in the world will we find them in time?”

“It’s okay, Martha. We will. Somehow. Turner needs us to! Don’t give up hope.”

“I can’t believe the minute they leave to get supplies, Turner takes a turn for the worse! His fever is really high! What’re we gonna do if we can’t find them? I don’t want my boy to die! We’ve already lost enough.”

Jesse put her arms around Martha’s neck, hugging her while giving a quick scan of the woods. They weren’t far from the lab’s hidden door. Lamar said they had to have another way out, or they never would have been able to get the drop on them before. “It’s okay, Martha. We’ll find the doctor. I just know it. Turner’s gonna be okay.”

Jesse felt Martha stiffen at the same time she heard leaves crunch about twenty feet away. She prayed they were from one of the soldiers, and not a corpse. Pulling away from her embrace, Martha backed up, her eyes scanning the woods, hands clasping the rifle.

“Help! Please! My son needs a doctor! If you can hear me, please!”

“Ladies, enough. You’re loud enough to wake the dead, and that’s a death sentence nowadays.”

Jesse and Martha exchanged glances, nerves on high alert. The male voice came from behind a large crop of boulders not far ahead.

“Oh, thank God! Please, are you the doctor? My son is dyin’.”

“Put the weapons down and we’ll talk. Nice and easy.”

This was the only part of the plan Jesse hated, but there was no choice. They had to play the role of frightened women. Jesse and Martha set their rifles on the ground and put their hands in the air.

“We mean you no harm, I swear. My fiancé, her son, Turner—he’s hurt. Bad. Fell down the mountainside a few days ago, and he’s not doin’ well. His fever spiked and he’s unconscious.”

“My husband, Walter, said you’ve got a doctor. Is that true?”

“We do, but he’s busy at the moment.”

Jesse took a deep breath, steadying herself for the performance of a lifetime. “That’s your answer? He’s busy? Aren’t we all? Busy tryin’ to survive! You think we risked comin’ out here, near dark and alone, for fun? Turner is dyin’, and we left him alone to find help! Everyone else left us to search for food, and if I lose one more person, I’ll go insane! Just five minutes, please?”

“If it’s such an emergency, you should’ve brought him with you.”

“His leg is broken, and some ribs! We couldn’t carry him and keep an eye out for monsters! We need help, so please—oh, Jesus, Martha, they’re just gonna let Turner die!”

Jesse sobbed, crumpling to the ground. The racket worked, because two me appeared from behind the boulders.

“Look, take our weapons—just please, help us!” Martha urged.

“Stop that noise, right now, or we go back inside.”

“Shhh, Jesse. It’s okay,” Martha said.

“Denton, go get the doc. Tell him to bring meds with him.”

“You sure, Dirk?”

“Yes. Go.”

Slowing her tears, Jesse glanced up. The man named Denton disappeared behind the boulders. The other remained, studying their faces with mild curiosity.

“You’re Walter’s wife?”

“Yes. This is Jesse, Turner’s fiancé. We had to get help. Turner’s ill, and we didn’t know what else to do. Walter mentioned your name, said you were a good man. Thank you for helpin’ us.”

“Step away from your weapons, please. Can’t take any chances nowadays.”

Martha walked over to Jesse. Dirk stepped over and picked up the rifles, securing them around his neck.

It was time for act two of Jesse’s performance. She faked hyperventilating. “God…can’t…breathe…Turner’s…gonna…die!”

“No, he’s not. Doc will be here any second, so calm down,” Dirk said.

“Breathe, Jesse. Slow. In and out,” Martha urged, rubbing Jesse’s back.

Flapping her arms, Jesse yelled, “Can’t breathe!” Then, she flopped onto her back, eyes closed.

“What the hell?” Dirk asked.

“Panic attack. She’s had several since all this started. Lost her mom in the mess, and now she’s terrified of losin’ Turner.”

“Dirk? What’s going on?”

“She just fainted, that’s all. Drake? See if you can wake her back up.”

“Are you the doctor?” Martha asked.

Jesse kept her eyes shut as more footfalls approached. A cold hand patted her cheek, soft at first, then with more pressure. She forced her body to remain still.

“Yes. Dr. Everett Berning. Drake tells me your son’s unconscious? High fever? For how long?”

“About two hours. We were so scared he wouldn’t make it all we could think of was findin’ you. Thank you. Please, our cave ain’t too far away.”

“She’s out cold,” Drake said.

“Carry her, then. Let’s go and get this over with before night settles in. Lead the way, Mrs. Addison,” Dirk instructed.

Strong arms hefted Jesse from the ground. In seconds, she was slung over Drake’s shoulder. Biting her lip to remain quiet, Jesse let her body flop around as the group walked back toward their cave.

Plan A—completed. I hope Lamar and Jane are ready for Plan B.

“This is it, right this way,” Martha said.

The words were Jesse’s cue, and Lamar’s, they were close. Dirk and Drake hadn’t spoken much during their hike, but Martha and the doctor talked nonstop about Turner’s injuries. Martha did a fine job explaining, recounting all the medical terminology Jane coached her to use.

“Glad you and your family decided to evacuate to a cave,” Dr. Berning said. “Preppers?”

“Yes, though we certainly didn’t plan on stayin’ here forever. After what you told my husband, that’s the new plan, and the reason they all went on a supply run. We only had enough stored here for three months, and we used up a lot of medical supplies after Turner got hurt. Please, hurry. He’s all alone in there, and we’ve been gone over an hour.”

Jesse could tell from the footsteps that Drake was bringing up the rear. Opening her eyes, she peeked around, grimacing in the dark. She couldn’t see shit, but she knew they had to be close to the entrance. Martha was to say the words when about thirty feet away, giving Lamar enough time to slip back inside and close the door without the sound of the grinding metal reaching their position.

“Look, there’s the door,” Martha said.

“Doorway’s too low, I’ll have to resituate her first, or I’ll smack her head. Jesus, she’s been out for a good fifteen minutes, and a crack on the noggin might leave her out for hours.”

“Come, Mrs. Addison. Take me to your son,” Dr. Berning said.

“Wait until we go in first, Doc,” Dirk instructed.

“Every second counts when someone is unconscious, Dirk. I’ll be fine.”

Jesse felt Drake lower her to the ground. He slapped her cheeks with too much force. “Come on, girl. Wake up!”

Jesse let her head loll around, followed by a low moan, though what she really wanted to do was knock the son-of-a-bitch on his ass.

“What a wimp. She certainly won’t last much longer,” Drake muttered. “Didn’t Walter mention she was an addict?”

“Shut up, Drake. Just carry her inside. I don’t like the idea of Doc being in there alone. Something’s wrong.”

Drake hoisted her into his arms, following Dirk inside. “Thank God, a cot to set her on. Girl’s heavy for such a skinny thing.”

No sooner did the words leave Drake’s mouth, they were followed by two, heavy
thumps
. Drake crumpled to the ground, right alongside Dirk. Jesse was ready, so she tucked and rolled away.

Wasting no time, Jesse and Jane disarmed the men while Lamar tied them up.

“What’s going on here?” Dr. Berning asked.

“Securin’ a way out of this nightmare, that’s what,” Jesse responded. She crossed the cave floor, rifle pointed at the man’s head. “Your flight outta here just got delayed. We’ll take off when the rest of our group returns.”

“How did you know?” Dr. Berning asked.

Jesse sensed he was about to faint, so she motioned to the cot behind him. “Have a seat, doctor. Can’t have the man who’s gonna find a cure to this mess damage brain cells. Doesn’t matter how we heard. What’s important is that we know. We didn’t make it this long just to die in a cave from radiation.”