The Last Five Days: The Complete Novel: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller (10 page)

"I had everything in place to control this. Byrd was going to monitor the infected. It progressed faster than I thought. It's beyond containment."

"Carrie was in on this?" Fisher asked.

"No. She was just doing her job," Salk said.

"I should just walk away now. You all deserve to die here, but those people in that town don't. Once this is over, you're going to pay for this."

Hendricks received another text.
More fires spotted.
He stepped away from the conversation and sent a reply.
Eliminate Fisher.

* * *

"
H
e's just going
to set more fires," Melanie said.

"Maybe Neal's doing us a favor," Winston said, walking a few steps in front of Melanie.

"How so?"

"He's taking out the enemy."

"You mean the government."

Winston smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "Black Dog is like Hotel California; once you check in, you're never leaving. For some reason, they want the fires out. It sure as hell isn't to save us, but I'm sure every helicopter they send in here is going to meet the same end as that one. And I bet once the pilots figure that out, there will be a mutiny." Winston stopped and faced Melanie. "OK, they're probably going to draw guns when we get close, so stay back a bit." He paused and smiled again. "And try not to call them assholes."

Two black tanks blocked the south exit of Black Dog. Melanie hesitated, but Winston kept toward them. A man dressed in a black biohazard suit emerged from behind the tanks.

"You are not allowed to leave Black Dog. Turn around or face deadly force."

Winston froze and locked his hands behind his head as if he were being arrested. "Why would I want to leave this paradise? I need to speak with Dr. Robert Salk. I have information from Dr. Byrd."

* * *

"
Y
ou'll
both burn in hell for this."

"Believe me, Mark, I never wanted this to happen."

Fisher laughed and looked at Hendricks. "Did you brainwash him? Bob used to be one of the smartest men I knew. Now he's just a dumb son-of-a-bitch." He turned back to Salk. "You didn't want this to happen? Tell me, Bob, what exactly did you think would happen when you infected a town with a man-made biological weapon that you have no control over?"

"We have control over it. It's contained," Hendricks said.

"Great. Then you don't need me anymore. I guess I'll be going home."

"We need a cure," Salk said.

"Yeah, you do. That's something you should have thought about before you made those people guinea pigs."

"We need the cure to continue the project," Hendricks said.

"Are you shitting me? The only correct answer is you need the cure to save the innocent people you infected," Fisher said.

"Excuse me, General."

All eyes moved to the soldier who interrupted the conversation.

"There is a man who is asking for Dr. Salk. He claims to have spoken with Dr. Byrd before her death."

Salk started to leave the tent. Hendricks grabbed his arm.

"I need to talk to him first. Stay here with him." Hendricks pointed at Fisher.

* * *

"
S
o
, either one of you ever killed a man?"

Neither soldier acknowledged the question. They stood still between the tanks, clutching machine guns.

"You're wanting to shoot me right now, aren't you?" Winston pointed to Melanie. "Maybe her too? You got itchy finger syndrome, don't you?"

The men didn't move.

"Hey, either one of you launch that rocket at the helicopter?"

"That's enough." Hendricks split the soldiers.

"Ah, you must be the badass. No body condom for you, huh?"

"I'm General Hendricks and I don't need a hazmat suit. You're not going to get close enough to infect me."

Winston laughed. "Guess I was wrong about the badass thing. Where's Salk?"

"You can speak with him, but I have a few questions first."

"OK, the answer to your first question is, no, I am not sick. And your second question, I have no idea why I am not sick."

"Are you the one starting fires?" Hendricks asked.

"Really? I thought you guys were here about a virus, not to prevent forest fires."

"Are you the one starting fires?"

"No. I'm afraid I forgot to pick up marshmallows before you closed our town down."

"Do you know who is starting fires?"

"Maybe. That's a few questions. It's not my fault you asked the same thing. Where's Salk?"

"I need you to stop the person who is setting fires."

"And I need to speak to Salk."

"You can talk to Salk after you do what I ask."

"If I don't?"

Hendricks smiled. "If you don't, then I have no use for you, and I'll order my men to kill you."

Winston didn't have a response. He stood in silence, trying to muster a comeback.

"Douse the fire starter and then I'll let you speak with Salk." Hendricks turned to walk away.

"You want me to kill him?" Winston asked.

Hendricks didn't bother facing Winston when he replied. "I want the fires to stop. I do not care how that happens. Just make it happen."

* * *

"
I
f you don't tell
Richie and James what you told me, I will tell them," Fisher said.

"No one is telling anyone anything," Hendricks said, walking back into the tent. "Nothing said in this tent leaves."

"They have the right to know, Tom," Salk said.

"Bob's right. They really should know how big of assholes you two are," Fisher said.

"Nothing leaves this tent."

"Can I go meet with the guy now?" Salk asked.

"Later. He's running an errand for me."

"I don't think they would even believe me if I told them how big of an asshole you are, Tom," Fisher said.

* * *

W
inston walked
by Melanie with purpose, with rage. Not rage from the sickness, but inside, he was boiling. Winston held valuable evidence toward a cure for the infection and the only thing that pompous asshole cared about was putting out fires.

"Wait. What happened?" Melanie ran to catch up to Winston.

"That guy was the biggest dick I've ever met, and that is saying a lot, given what's going on."

"Salk?"

Winston stopped to take a few deep breaths. "I didn't see Salk. Apparently, I have to do the military's dirty work before they let me talk to him."

"Dirty work? What the hell is going on?"

Winston pointed to a plume of smoke rising just below Luther's Diner. "They want me to stop that."

"Neal?"

Winston nodded and started toward the smoke.

* * *

N
eal Harvey was born
in Black Dog. He never left. After high school, he worked full time at his family's grocery store, The Corner Market. It was the same path most people took who were born in the small town. Black Dog held a warmth that made everyone feel like extended family. When his father passed away ten years ago, Neal took over the store. He knew every face, every name, and yet he felt no remorse torching the bodies of people he once called friends. Singeing heat replaced the warmth he felt for his neighbors. Unlike Winston, there was never a moral tug-of-war with Neal. His actions were bestowed upon him by a higher being. Neal was never much of a religious man. He went to church on Sundays because that's what people did in Black Dog, but sitting at home getting ready for an afternoon of football appealed more to Neal. His wife, Nancy, made sure he never missed church. Another thing about small-town life is gossip and Nancy wanted no part of it.

Nancy was the first to get sick. Neal's daughter, Sally, didn't get sick. Her fate was much worse than becoming infected. Neal watched his peaceful family turn into harbingers of violence. He had no choice but to kill Nancy after he caught her tearing at Sally's flesh with her teeth. Neal shot Nancy in the head, but it was too late. His daughter's screams stuck with Neal like tinnitus. A constant ringing, reminding him of the horror. The image of his daughter coming back to life after her mother ripped her throat out was scorched his mind, laying waste to happy memories. Several times, Neal tasted the metal from the barrel of his gun, but he couldn't pull the trigger. Every time he applied slight pressure to the trigger, the words of Reverend Garland Ashley wouldn't let Neal kill himself. "I have not denied the words of the Holy One."