Zombie High Chronicles (Book 1) (15 page)

“What Quadrant did they say?”

I step away from the window and settle my rifle against my shoulder as I head for the door. “It’s the hospital.”

“Oh, Roan, that’s where your mom works, right? I’m so sorry.” She rushes to catch up with me as I pause to check on Lathan and warn him to keep everyone away from the windows and then head downstairs.  

We take the stairs three at a time. Somehow Ember stays up with me as we throw ourselves around each bend and attack the next set of stairs until we reached the bottom floor where silence reigns. I can see a couple of students sitting off to the corner nursing injuries. Two of the teachers are lying on the floor of the gun cage when we pass by but I didn’t have time to care.

“Flynn!”

“Yeah, I’m here.”  He turns away from the front door and holds out his hand to me. I took it and nod. “That was crazy, right? I mean that building just imploded.”

“I know.”  I try not to think about whether my mom was there when it happened. Judging by the screams, I almost hope that she was so that she wasn’t left to suffer. “What’s happening with the guys outside?”

“They turned tail and ran, man,” Vaughn shouts and several other students join in cheering. Ember shoots me a glance and I know she is just as on edge as I was.  I grab hold of Flynn and move him further away.

“Did you hear the radio call?”

“Nah, it was chaos down here, man. All shouting and crying. I didn’t hear a thing.”

I glance down at the lifeless radio in my hand. “That building was sanitized.”

“Wait,” he grabs onto my hand. “You’re saying that was done on purpose.”

I nod. “And the last thing we heard was that the breach was not contained.”

“Oh, shit.” He slumps back against the wall and runs his hands through his sweaty hair. “So all of that shooting and the soldiers leaving...they are still fighting, aren’t they?”

“Yeah, and it doesn’t look good. Whatever it is out there, it’s bigger than anything we’ve faced. Ember and I saw hundreds of guns firing out there, Flynn. What if,” I swallow hard, “What if these are the things that got Tompkins and that other guy?”

Flynn goes pale. “We can’t let them get in!”

“My thoughts exactly. How secure are we?”

Scratching his head, Flynn begins to slowly shake his head. “We’re good, I mean decent enough to last a bit, but if we’re up against something like Tompkins I don’t know, man. That thing was super strong, right? Like it could tumble over that tower of chairs and tables by itself?”

I nod, feeling my stomach flip flop again.

Flynn blows out a breath. “Well, then I think we are officially screwed. That’s how we are doing.”

“Ok, then we make sure they don’t get in.”

“How?”

I kick at the wall and feel only a small amount of relief from the pain growing in my chest when I stub my toe hard. “We barricade from the outside as well.”

12

Playing nice with the enemy isn’t so nice...

With a whistle I grab Jacobson and Clockman’s attention and usher them into a room down the hall.

“You both up to speed on what’s going on outside?”

Jacobson looks to Clockman. “We know that something made those soldiers bugger off and the only thing that would do that is a full-scale attack.”

“Exactly.” I take a step toward them and Ugly Face bristles. “You two have any idea what it was they were holding in that hospital?”

“People,” Jacobson says but Ugly Face looks away.

I shift and walk straight up to where he has sunk down on the edge of a desk. “Something you want to tell me, Clockman?”

“Nope.”

“Are you sure? Because from what I’ve heard the sanitization of that lab didn’t work. Seems like the breach wasn’t contained and from the view upstairs there’s a whole lot of your buddies out there dying.”

A muscle along his jaw twitches. “It was above my pay grade.”

“But people talk, right? I mean, you look like the sort who could bribe a bit of information out of someone when he wants to.”

When Ugly Face shrugs, I lean in close enough to properly breach his personal space. “You don’t like me, and believe me when I say that the feeling is mutual but I think we both can agree that whatever it is they were playing with in that lab is not something we want getting in here, right?”

Clockman nods. “That doesn't mean I plan on taking orders from a punk like you. Maybe I’d rather take my chances on the outside.”

“Screw that. I’d rather take my chances out there.”

“Be my guest.” I hold up my hand toward the direction of the blockade at the front door. “Just know that when they come, and they are coming, I’ll be the one putting a bullet through your brain when you try to get back inside.”

Clockman’s face shifts through several colors before settling on a pallid white.

“Now that I’ve made myself clear, why don’t we work together as partners before they get here?”

“They?” Jacobson steps closer. “What’s he talking about?”

“Ain’t nothing for you to be worrying about, Jacobson. Just keep your head down and your finger on that trigger. This kid here seems to have a plan and I think we should listen to it.” Clockman looks as if he’s swallowed a bad tasting pill without water when he says it.

“But I thought you said—”

“Forget what I said, ok?  We’re doing this now.”

I watch the interaction in silence. Once Clockman seems to have Jacobson under control I make my play.

“There are a few soldiers that have remained behind, I assume to man the post. Did you see any of them out there that might be willing to switch sides in exchange for shelter?”

Ugly Face scowls but nods. “Yeah, I know a few but only when I had good reason to.”

“And do you feel that they have a good reason now?”

Clockman spits to the side. “I reckon it's the best reason I’ve ever given them.”

“Good,” I turn and walk toward the exit, pausing in the doorway for them to join me, “then let’s go roll out the welcoming mat and do a bit of barricading while we are at it.”

Austin greets us in the hall, limping on his bad leg but I’m relieved to see that he’s at least wrapped a bandage around it. I know that Flynn has filled him on by the look of panic lingering in his eyes but he keeps himself together and I admire him for that. His sister is out there, most likely dead or dying but he’s finding a way to be here, in the present with me. I guess he and I can relate to that struggle.

“The only way out now is through the rear doors in the gym. The lock was broken and we’ve only managed to put a chain on it for now. It is our weakest point but perhaps it will go unnoticed until we have a chance to correct that.”

Clockman scratches at the stubble on his cheek. “That won't be good enough. We will need to create a proper barricade once we get back inside if there’s time.”

Jacobson shifts beside him as Austin and I exchange a glance. We are at least three miles from the hospital explosion. Best case scenario is that we have an hour, or a little less before they get here if the soldiers can slow them down and they don't make any detours. From what we saw of Tompkins upstairs, these things move fast and are strong. I would place my bet on the fact that we have far less than an hour.

“Head down that corridor and meet me at the double doors. I’ll be there in just a moment.” I say and then pull Austin aside. “I don’t want you near that door in case anything happens, not with your leg like that.”

“Who else are you going to get that’s crazy enough to stand at the door?”

I look around me and see only fear looking back at me. Austin is right, even if the others don't fully know what’s happening, I can’t ask someone who has no clue about the threat bearing down on us to take his place. They wouldn’t react properly unless they had someone there to warn them.

“I’d feel a lot better about you having someone else with you.”

“Who do you have in mind?”

I glance all around and see several people working to reload guns and others bandaging up the injured students. One girl catches my eye. “Darby seems eager to help. Why not let her be there to close the door in case you need help?”

“Darby? Really? Have you heard the way she talks?”

I snicker. “Well, yeah she’s a bit of a chipmunk but she would at least keep you company.”

“Or drive me batty.”

“That too,” I laugh.

“Fine, but just make sure you get your ass back through that door in plenty of time so I can hobble my lame butt back to safety without asking her for help. Deal?”

I smile. “You’re alright, Austin.”

“I keep telling people that but do they ever believe me?”

Stretching out my hand, I seize his wrist and press my spare .45 caliber into his palm. “Don’t turn your back on those two and do not go outside those doors.”

“Right.” He nods and tests the weight of the gun. I can tell that he is not comfortable holding the weapon. Taking it back, I show him where the safety is and how to make sure there is a round in the chamber.  

“And Austin, if you see anything unusual out there, put a bullet through its forehead and lock the door.”

“Trust me, I’ll shoot first and then ask forgiveness later if anyone tries to get through that door without you!”

I watch from between a stack of chairs at the front entrance as Ugly Face and Jacobson walk out from around the side of the building with their hands in the air. The soldiers are instantly on alert at their approach.

“What are they saying?” Flynn calls out from several feet away.

“I don’t know. I can’t hear anything. It’s all muffled by the gunfire.”  Coleman is right. It is too hard to hear anything over the rapport of gunfire and the occasional explosion in the distance, but by the sounds of it, they are getting closer. Of course, they are heading in our direction. We are sitting in their fall back shelter and they are successfully leading those things straight to our front door.

The radio is nothing more than static with an intermittent scream for help that usually cuts off shortly after. I can’t understand why the other soldiers who high-tailed it out of here aren’t communicating with those we remained behind here. Are they on another frequency? Do they know something we didn’t?

“Roan, what do you think the chances are that those jerks are going to double-cross us?”

Looking over at Flynn, I know that I don’t want to answer him aloud. There are too many people nearby listening. I have to remain positive even when I know the risks are high.

“They know what’s at stake. We can trust them.”

Ember snorts from beside me and does not lower her sniper rifle. “Those guys would turn on your in a heartbeat.”

“Sure,” I agree, knowing without a doubt that if the circumstances were different they would have thrown us to the curb without a second thought but as it stands they need us.  “but I’ve got a feeling they will see reason.”

She looks at me from the corner of her eye. “And Austin? Do you think it was really wise to send him to the gym door with Darby? She’s not exactly the brightest light bulb in the box.”

“No, but she can run faster than Austin can. If he gets into trouble she can relay the message and we will come running.”

“If there’s anyone left out here, you mean,” she mutters low enough that I hope I am the only one who hears her.

“Lathan,”  I step back toward the stairs and call up to the third floor. A sandy blond head appears over the railing a moment later “You guys still ok up there?”

“Nice and cozy. Any chance we could get some food for Teegan?”

“Sure thing. I’ll send Sammy right up.”

Even from the first floor I can hear Lathan’s groan and I can’t help but smile. “Sammy, you’re needed upstairs!”

Five minutes later, I continue to watch the stalemate on the front lawn. The soldiers who remain, no more than twenty in total, are in the middle of a heated debate that has left me pacing a hole in the foyer tile.

“Is it really that hard to speak reason to these guys?” I growl, turning for another pass. “We need to be barricading the front door, not gabbing like stupid girls!”

“Maybe we should go out there and help,” Flynn suggests.  He pats an asian kid on the back to hand over his gun and then leaves his post near the western wing barricade.

I think it over for a minute and have to admit that the idea has crossed my mind more times in the past few minutes. I was stupid to think Ugly Face and Jacobson could handle a task like this by themselves.

“I’ll go.”

“Hell no, Ember. The last thing we need is for you to go out there bossing those guys around.”  

She rests her rifle on the top of the table in front of her and looks back over her shoulder. “I’m not always bossy, and I do have certain...attributes that you guys don’t. Trust me, I can sweet talk them to come inside.”

Flynn rubs at the back of his neck. “She does have a point, man.”

“No.”  I clap him on the arm and start backing away. “You and me. That’s it. I need Ember here to hold the line if anything goes south.  You got that, sweetheart?”

Ember flips me the bird but presses her eye back to her rifle scope. As much as I know she loves to buck my temporary authority, I also know she is itching for a good fight. That is the soldier in her that I can relate to.

I call out orders to Vaughn and Bex to back up Ember before Flynn and I head toward the gym but come up short when Roderick crosses our path. “I must protest this course of action. To allow two of our leaders to just walk outside into the line of fire is highly unorthodox.”

Flynn snickers. “Why don’t you come right out and tell us what you really think?”

Roderick ignores Flynn and turns on me. “Let him go then. He’s expendable.”

“Hey!” Flynn protests but I place a hand on his arm to calm him.

“As usual, your opinion, though perhaps valid in this instance, is overruled. We know what we are doing, Roderick. You need to get back to your window and prepare to shoot.”

“I am hardly a good shot. I’m sure my services would be of better use in other places.”

I look him over. “Perhaps you are right. I might have underestimated your usefulness so I have a very important task for you, Roderick.”

He presses back his shoulders and raises his chin in that pompous manner that I’ve quickly grown to hate. “Name it.”

“Go relieve Lathan on the third floor and send him down here to replace you.”

“The...the third floor?”

“There is a storage room up there with some of the younger kids, a few whiny girls, and Teegan. It’s very important that Teegan is cared for.”

“She is the one who is with child?”

Flynn snorts at his accentuated proper wording and I can’t help but wonder what Roderick’s life was like before all of this. Prep school? Rich, snooty parents? A helicopter to take little Roderick to school each day?

“Yes.” I rest my hand on his shoulder and draw him in close. “The government has been experimenting on her and I think she may be the key to all of this. Can I trust you to guard her?”

“Of course. I shall do my best.”

“Excellent.” I shove him away and watch as he hurries along, running more like a duck than a boy.  

“Was that stuff true about the experiments?” Flynn asks.

I glance over at him and nod. “Yeah. I figure if things do go bad with the soldier boys outside they may take a bit more precaution because she’s here.”

“You’re using her as bait? With soldiers who probably don’t give a rat’s turd about her?”

“Hell no.”  I turn and head for the gym. “But I’m not opposed to letting them think that if the time ever comes.”

“Devious and good looking. Well, aren’t you just the total package, Roan Sterling.”

I grin and march ahead.  Flynn struggles to keep up with my rapid pace. Even though we are the same height and he can match me step for step, I feel a sense of urgency. We need to get those soldiers inside and fast.