Apocalypse Aftermath (49 page)

“Nothing.” Austin said loudly.  “He thinks he can hold the facility and I told him he was being a goddamned fool.   He disagreed, so I’m out.”

“Out?”

“Out.” Austin agreed.  “Severed ties.  Got no part in this.  He’s on his own.”

“And you came out here to tell me that?”

“No.  We came out here to tell you that and leave.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.” Austin confirmed.

“Who’s we?  Some of those rent-a-cops Tyler thinks he can turn into real men?”

“No, a friend of mine and her kid.”

“Oh ho, now it’s getting a little clearer.  You’re not a coward, you’re just jonesing for a piece of
tail.”

Jessica flushed a little, but said nothing and did even less.  If Austin was shocked or upset by the lewd comment, he gave no sign, and his voice remained steady.

“We just want to leave.  We’ve got no part in this.”

“We’ll see.  You in the truck, step out.  Carter, you know the drill.  Toss the guns.” the voice commanded.

“She’s hurt.” Austin said quickly.  “Her leg.  She needs a cane to walk.”  He was slowly, very slowly, lifting his MP5 off himself by the sling.

“Out of the truck, now.”

Jessica opened the truck door cautiously and looked around at the trees.  All she saw were shadows and light; nothing dangerous lurked just yet.  She got out and made a bit of a show of leaning on her cane as she hobbled clear of the door so Candice could slide across and down to the ground.  “Stay right behind me.” Jessica told the girl very softly.  “Right behind me.”  Candice nodded silently, hovering behind her mother as if clinging to her.

“All three of you, walk towards me.”

Austin waited for Jessica and Candice to make it level with the front of the truck, then fell into step with them a car width to the side.  His MP5 and pistol lay on the ground in front of the truck.  Jessica felt her heart hammering as they crossed the pavement between the townie truck and the vehicles owned by the armed men with the loud leader.  As she drew closer she was able to figure out a better count on what was in front of them.  She saw fifteen men, and suspected at least a couple more were lurking in the tree line to either side of the road.

“That’s good.” a silhouetted figure standing in front of the parked vehicles said when the three of them were about six feet away.  “Anyone else in that truck?”

“No.”

“If there is, they’re gonna get shot.  And I might just shoot you three for lying about it.”

“Two bodies in the back.” Austin said, shaking his head again.  “That’s it.”

A chuckle floated up into the night.  “Thinning the herd inside the fence for me?”

“They’re from the town.  They came here for medical help.  Didn’t make it.”

“Keith, Forscal, check it out.”

Two of the shapes detached themselves from the vehicles blocking the road and trotted forward; staying well clear of Austin and Jessica and Candice.  They went past, and a few seconds later Jessica heard them at the truck.  The door hinges creaked a few times, then she heard the shocks groan faintly.  A pair of shots startled her, but she resisted the urge to do anything except flinch.  Candice grabbed at the back of Jessica’s shirt in alarm, but also stayed silent.

“If they were faking, they’re dead now.” one of the voices called from behind her.

“We’re just trying to leave.” Austin said in a calm tone.  “Whatever’s happening here doesn’t concern us.”

“Who shot Ken?”

“Reese.”

“That bitch.” the man swore.  “Didn’t think she had the chops.”

“You know what she’s like.  It’s not all bad though; he got a piece of her before she took him out.”

The man sighed audibly.  “Would’ve never bet on her over Ken though.”

“She got lucky.” Austin shrugged.  “Sorry Matt.”

“Not as sorry as she’s gonna be when I get my hands on her.” Eckert said in a fairly unpleasant tone.

“So go to it then.”

“That’s the plan.  So, what’re we dealing with.”

Jessica barely had time to wonder what his response might be before Austin was replying.  “Ten wannabe shooters.  A handful of others that aren’t even wannabes, including Doc Morris.  Won’t be a problem.”  Eckert laughed, and Austin shrugged.  “Why do you think I walked?”

She found she couldn’t muster the . . . whatever . . . to feel bad, angry, or anything at all over Austin so casually and promptly giving details of who was left at the Eagle site.  Not even Dennis.  All she cared about was getting out of here.  The others had made their
choice.  They’d stayed.

She just wanted to go.

“And you don’t care what’s gonna happen?”

“It’s between you and them.  All I’m interested in is getting back to the main road, then we’re out of here.”

“Never made you out to be quite this cold.”

“I told you, Morris thinks he can hold the place.  I don’t.  I’m experienced, not stupid.”

“So it seems.  You know, I could use you.  If you’re willing to be reasonable about all this, I can put you to work.”

“I’m reasonable, but I’m just interested in walking up this road and off in the moonlight.”

“Don’t be like that.  You know what we’re in the middle of.  Why not throw in with a good strong team?”

“Things are different now.  I’m just looking to ride this thing out in peace.”

“What if I won’t take no for an answer?”

Austin let a few moments of silent spin out, then shrugged.  “I’m a package deal of three.”

“Normally I’d tell you to grow up, but looking at her I can see why you’re willing to put up with the kid.  Nice catch.  I’m willing to work something out if you’ll be a little open minded about visiting privileges.  We’re sort of heavy on testosterone at the moment.”

Jessica felt her cheeks heating
further, but she stepped on her temper and fear both quite firmly.  It was bad enough she had to listen to the man discussing her like she was a piece of meat, but in front of Candice?  She renewed her prayers for about the fiftieth time in the last two minutes. 
“Please God, please get us out of this.”

“Is that how it would have to be?”

“Probably.  At least until we can expand our roster.  Come on Carter, be reasonable.  I’ll take your word; I know you’re good for it.”

“What if I wanted a couple of hours to think on it?”

“Sure, suit yourself.” Eckert turned and made a circling motion in the air over his head.  “Alright, show’s over.  Get to it so we can get it over and see about settling in sometime before midnight.”

People moved, climbing back into the vehicles or stepping up to cling to the sides.  Engines roared as they were started up, then they rolled past on either side of Jessica and Candice and Austin.  She recognized them as very familiar looking black SUVs as they went by, and her heart sank.  It was about to get very bad back at the facility.  A single
SUV was left, its headlights still on and outlining Eckert.  Jessica’s arm was starting to get a little tired of being held out to show she was harmless, but Austin’s were still outstretched so she didn’t say anything.

“Nice night.” Eckert remarked as he glanced around briefly.  Jessica stilled the urge to flinch, but Austin didn’t move.  Eckert’s head came back to them after a moment.  “You
really just want to strike out on your own?”

“Lot’s happened lately.  Maybe I need some time to get my head around it all.”

“I’ll give you that time.  You throw in with me and I’ll give you a week or two to just take it easy and get acclimated to the new world.”

“It’s not new, it’s just more dangerous.”

A crackle of gunfire sounded to the south, and Jessica suppressed another flinch.  They were really going to shoot their way in.  She had been harboring a small hope that maybe Tyler would see reason, but as the shooting started to thicken, she realized a lot of blood was going to flow.

“I can use you.  Be reasonable.”

“I’d still like to just walk right past you and disappear.”

Eckert grunted thoughtfully.  “And if
it’s your word or a bullet?”

“Then I’ll sign up.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.” Austin nodded.  “If that’s what it takes.  We’re just looking to survive, same as you.”

“Straight answer.  Always liked that about you.  Sometimes it makes you come off a little naïve but I supposed there’s something to be said for playing a clean game.”

“This isn’t a game anymore.”

“No, suppose not.” Eckert answered.  A stick broke off to the left, in the trees.  Eckert turned a little and looked in that direction briefly.  “Please tell me you haven’t been standing here trying to distract me while one of those rent-a-cops sneaks up like he knows what he’s doing.”

“Nope.  It’s probably a zombie.  They’re wandering around you know.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Please tell me you’re not going to make me stand here while it eats us.”

Eckert barked a short laugh.  “That’d be something.  No, I’ll take care of it.”  He pulled his rifle up to his shoulder, tucking it in tight and starting to put his eye to a round tube attached to the top, then suddenly glanced back at where the three of them stood.  Jessica watched as he studied Austin, who was still standing motionless.  “Don’t be stupid Carter.”

“Just kill it so we can finish talking.”

“Crazy what things are coming to these days huh?” Eckert said as he settled his eye behind the scope and scanned the tree line.  Jessica felt Candice’s hands slip beneath the back hem of her shirt and froze.  She couldn’t help herself; it was just that unexpected.  She was still trying to unstick herself mentally when things began happening.

Eckert’s rifle fired, spitting a brief flash of flickering light from the barrel.  Jessica
started turning her head as Candice stepped out a little to her right, holding the Shield in both hands and raising it up.  Eckert’s head came around with an almost audible snap, and he started to spin toward them.  The pistol in Candice’s hands went off, Eckert grunted, and suddenly Austin was in front of her.

Jessica finally moved.  She grabbed for the pistol and shoved
Candice
hard
, stripping the weapon from her daughter’s fingers even as the girl reeled sideways and fell to the pavement with a cry of pain.  Eckert’s rifle went off several times, and she heard two meaty thuds followed by a frighteningly loud hiss-crack as a bullet zipped past.  A part of her brain noted the bullet went right over Candice and she felt very cold despite the pounding of her heart and the sweat suddenly beading across her skin.  Austin’s breath wheezed out, but he had a pistol in his hand as he stumbled back into Jessica.

She overbalanced as his bulk slammed into her.  Austin’s gun fired several times almost in unison with Eckert’s rifle.  Both men grunted, then she was toppling over backwards with Austin atop her.  Somehow she wasn’t crushed when they crashed down together, but even so he was too big and she didn’t go anywhere when she tried instinctively to squirm clear.  Austin was breathing heavily, each breath accompanied with a thick and liquid wheeze.

“Leave us alone!” Candice screamed.

Jessica felt Austin shifting and was able to free her right arm.  She cocked her head to one side and saw Eckert, down on one knee with his arm dangling limply beside him.  His rifle wasn’t in his hands, but as she watched he was reaching across himself with his left hand, fumbling for a pistol on his right side.  Suddenly she saw the trio of green dots of the Shield’s sights slide into view as she stared at the man, the pistol lining up with his face almost of its own accord.  Her breath exhaled out,
and she fired.

“Go . . . Goo—” Austin sputtered, then coughed violently.  Jessica saw Eckert on his side, a shattered mess having replaced his face.  A pool of blood was oozing out on the pavement around him.
  A
large
pool.  He was motionless, dead.  She felt her stomach lurch within her.  Zombies were bad enough; now she’d
killed
someone.  Someone still breathing.

“Good.  Shot.” Austin got out thickly.  He rolled to his left, grunting as he went face down in the middle of the road next to her.  Jessica scrambled up when his weight came off her and looked around wildly, almost hopping on her good leg as she turned, clutching the pistol in both hands.  Her fingers were sweaty. 
She felt like she wanted to be sick.  Gunfire was still sounding to the south.

Too much was happening, too much and too fast.  Then s
he heard something closer and turned.

A zombie wearing dirty
denim overalls was staggering out of the trees.  Bone showed on its arms in several places, and there was a hole in its upper chest almost big enough for her to see through.  Its arms were outstretched as it made right for Austin.  Jessica stepped backward in alarm, then screamed as she tripped over Candice and went down.  Her breath whooshed out with a gasp and she barely kept from slamming her head heavily against the pavement.  As it was, her skull cracked hard enough on the road to hurt.