Catalyst (Book 1): Decay Chains (12 page)

“It means the same thing in the real call of duty.”

“So if you’ve been in a while, why are you still a corporal?”

“Man, listen. I’m going to tell you this once and then you have to shut up until you get out of my damn M-RAP. I just signed for my third enlistment. Listening to stupid white people got me demoted. I was Sergeant First Class Purdy till my last LES.”

“Leave him alone Josh,” Stan said. “He’s grumpy.”

“Grumpy,” Purdy mimicked Stan. “Only white people would call pissed the fuck off in the middle of the damn apocalypse being grumpy.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

DAYS UNTIL THE SUPERVIRUS GOES GLOBAL: 30:16:03

The truck stop was void of life, which was good because the closer they came to uninfected areas, the more they stood out. Armed civilians hopping from the back of an M-RAP downtown just looked suspicious.

Purdy waited in the driver’s seat while Stan gassed up the M-RAP. Ian and Josh headed to the restroom. Purdy’s eyes darted from mirror to mirror on constant alert for a beige Cadillac or a black Camaro Stormy prayed wouldn’t follow them.

Matt’s threat stung with its intensity. She knew that the next time they locked eyes, one of them would die. She tried not to make a hasty decision. If she got out and followed Ian and Josh on foot, she might convince them to help her take on Cold World. But what she garnered in support, she lost in safety. Not one of them had any of the skills Purdy or Stan possessed. If they didn’t get to a hideout and lay low, they would be eaten in the streets.

Stan wanted no part in her plan. She wasn’t dumb enough to even bother asking Purdy what he thought. If she went with them to the cold zone, she would be relatively safe for a while. Safe enough to sit and wait for the government to stop Cold World or be conquered by it. But by then, Ian and Josh would be in the wind somewhere, strung out on video games and energy drinks. She would never find them again.

The M-RAP hummed back to life. Stan hopped into the passenger seat and Purdy revved the accelerator. When the door slammed, it jarred Stormy out of her thoughts.

Stan turned in his seat. “Glad to see you made the right choice.” He smiled at her. It was like watching the frost melt off a statue.

Her eyes glistened as she walked in a hunch down the space between the benches. She uttered not a word as she slipped out the back. The door clanked shut. She banged her fist on it twice to let them know she was out and they could go. 

The M-RAP circled around the gas pumps once and then pulled up beside her.

Purdy rolled his window down and leaned his head out. “Girl, don’t be crazy. Get back in here.”

“You guys go ahead. I’m staying with them.”

“It was nice knowing you girl,” Purdy said. “Shouldn’t have bothered saving your ass though, not if you’re just going to let yourself die like this.”

“I’ll see you again, Purdy. I promise.”

“Stormy, please.” Stan’s calm evaporated. “Get back in here.”

With no warning, the radio went haywire and screamed indecipherable words.

“Echo Four, Echo One.”

Purdy took forever to reach for the handset. “Echo Four, copy.”

“Purdy,” the grainy radio voice coughed and then spoke to someone in the background. “Guys, it worked. We got comms again.”

“Go ahead, brother,” Purdy said.

“Got any men left?”

“It’s just me.”

The mic remained keyed up while the soldier relayed Purdy’s info inaccurately, but convincingly. “Shit. The UCC said Purdy’s ECP’s gone too. Yeah, they’re all dead. No one’s coming.”

The voice was muffled when it came back up and whispered, “Don’t fall back.”

Purdy clenched the handset, but never spoke into it.

“Purdy, find my kids, man. Talk to my kids, tell ‘em—”

Screams broke the radio chatter. A live broadcast of an unevenly matched fight ensued. “Jesus, that was Smith. He’s down. Shoot him before he gets back up. Is Sergeant Major back yet? They’re overrun over too? What? Fuck!”

The transmission was muffled again. “Get the fuck out of here, Purdy.”

The radio clipped short a barrage of gunfire to scream digital last words and then it died.

Purdy held the mic, but never pressed the button. “Roger.”

“You guys are wasting time,” Stormy said. “Get out of here.”

The M-RAP’s brakes screeched. Stormy crossed the gas pumps and made it to the curb before her cheeks turned into watersheds. She looked behind her once, just in time to watch the M-RAP roll in front of a beautiful black cape dotted with half-lit buildings. Halfway through the gas station door, her vision became too blurry to see straight through. She wiped her eyes and followed the sound of Ian’s voice to the junk food aisle.

“Look, my sugar intake is the last of my worries right now,” Josh said. “I need my calories if I’m going to be fighting supers, okay?”

“All I’m saying is that a lower body weight would be advisable given the fact that I may have to drag you to safety at some point in the near future,” Ian said.

Josh looked him dead in the face while he stuffed his backpack full of beef jerky and Twizzlers.

Ian rolled his eyes. “You are so immature sometimes.”

Josh cocked his head to the side and then stuffed three bags of potato chips on top of the rest of his stock. The zipper couldn’t close now.

“Whenever you’re ready,” Stormy said.

Startled, they both looked up.

“We thought you guys left,” Josh said.

“They did leave,” she said.

One half of Ian’s unibrow rose. “They left you behind?”

“I stayed behind. Let’s go before it gets darker.”

Josh slipped his backpack on. “Just a second, ‘kay? I have to piss.”

A door slammed. Stormy railed at it and in the process took out a row of spam containers, most of which hit Ian’s cast. He bit back his curse words and hugged the shelf. She was at a loss for words.

A teenager unbuttoned his uniform shirt as he departed the back room. “Shit, I thought I locked that door.”

Stormy was so grateful the M-RAP was gone.

“You guys hear about the thing in the Business District?” The teen’s eyes widened when he took a good look at the group. “Whoa, you all look like hell. Do you need me to call 911?”

“We’re fine.” Josh’s voice was too high to sound anything near innocent.

“You guys were in the hot zone weren’t you? That’s cool as shit.” As he spoke, he clicked off light switches and glided behind the register. “You know, until they clear the area you’re not supposed to leave because the outbreak could spread. Whatever, I won’t tell.”

Ian shuffled toward the exit. “Thanks.”

“No worries. I’m locking up so it’s too late to buy anything. We’re out of water and almost out of gas anyhow.”

“It’s okay,” Stormy said. “Try to stay safe.”

“I’ll try. You guys need to keep under the radar if you’re gonna blow off the lockdown. It’s mandatory.”

Josh held the door so Ian could hobble through. “Yeah, thanks.”

Ian made no effort to hide his pain any longer. Stormy had no clue how they were going to get him out of the city.

The evening air was just the shot of cool she needed against her skin, but it was making Ian shiver. The door had barely swung shut when they all heard the sound. A cat yowled in pure agony. It creeped her out. They were still consumed by the yowl when the deadbolt clicked behind them. Only Ian didn’t flinch at the sound. These were all motivators, especially when paired with the police sirens that streamed in from Reamer’s direction. A new sound joined the choir, the blare of an emergency siren. Its warning cry wavered in and out. The group stepped off the curb and followed the bike lane into the night.

“You’re absurd.” Ian words were clipped to fit in-between pained breaths.

Sweat gloried in rings along his armpits and neck. They trucked on, desperate to get off the grid post haste.

“You knew I was crazy the whole time,” Stormy said. “Wonder what that makes you for going along with me.”

“Crazy or not, we lucked out,” Ian said.

“How so?”

“Well, if we’d gone toward the interstate instead, I think we’d of hit the traffic.”

“Yeah, good call back there, Stormy,” Josh said. “Even if you were driving in circles.”

“Why are they calling it an outbreak and not an attack?”

“No telling,” Josh said. “The government probably can’t admit to the attack. Definitely won’t know the whole story till I see the news spin.”

“Regardless, we aren’t joining your little rebellion,” Ian said. “But thanks for the offer.”

“I didn’t even say anything yet.”

“Heard you on the way to the truck stop.”

“Just think about it, but not now. Later.”

“Right. I’ll be sure to do that,” Ian huffed.

“You need a break?” Josh asked.

Even with one of them on each side, Ian still carried a substantial burden and it exhausted him. “Just for a second, if you don’t mind.”

The group took a respite on the curb.

“Traffic’s getting bad,” Josh said.

“Bet they’re going door-to-door now, forcing everyone in the surrounding areas to evacuate.” Ian tried to get on his feet. “The clock’s ticking. We’ve got to get gone.”

Stormy pulled him back down next to her. “Just take a rest.”

Ian cocked his head to the side as he sized her up. She released his arm right away. This wasn’t worth losing him over. They could establish the pecking order later. When he tottered back to a standing position a minute later, she didn’t resist at all.

The group staggered a half-mile away from the gas station. Ian’s grip on her shoulder and his composure weakened. They were making good time, all things considered, but they still needed a better plan.

From his side-glances, Stormy could tell Josh wanted in on whatever she thought up. Ian’s body would give out before his brain would concede to the pain. Nondescript vehicle liberation was on her mind when the honking started. The group rushed off the road, but when she recognized the sounds of the engine, Stormy turned back. She had to blink twice to make sure she hadn’t lost it.

The M-RAP cut through the traffic and hopped the curb. It came to a stop across the vacant lanes heading toward the Business District.

“Girl, you look like you need a ride,” Purdy said.

Stormy gravitated to his window. “Told you we’d meet again.”

“Cause I’m a nice guy, I’ll give your reject friends a lift too.”

Stan met them at the back door. “Hello again.”

Stormy managed a smile for Stan that almost didn’t look like a threat.

“Kind of glad it worked out like this,” he said. “I felt like shit about leaving you behind.”

“Guess it all worked out . . . sort of.” She avoided eye contact and rode on Josh’s heels as they loaded up.

Stan closed the door and made his way back to the cab. Ian lay down and the others sat on the edge of the bench so they could hear Purdy and Stan. Once the wheels were moving, the M-RAP comforted Stormy. She considered never stepping out of it again. Even though it barely creaked along and the smoke that flowed from the engine fogged up the cab, it felt like the safest place in the world.

“Did I hear you right?” Josh asked.

“Yep,” Purdy said.

“They were going to blow you up?” Josh couldn’t hide his astonishment. His voice cracked on the last syllable.

“Well, you remember how I was going to radio in when I got out of range of that jammer in the Business District?”

“Yeah?”

“I did.”

“And? They didn’t answer?”

“The ICP responded.”

“Wow, this story is really awesome. What with the cliff hangers and all—”

“They told us to put her in reverse or they were going to make splatters on the roadway. How’d they put it exactly, Stan?”

“If we made one more tire revolution in their direction—” Stan’s impersonation involved a puffed out chest out and pursed lips. He reminded Stormy of a rooster.

“So, my squad has officially been considered killed in action, whether that’s what actually happened or not.”

“So you’re with us now, huh?” Josh’s words were intertwined with smacks and gulps as he helped himself to his food stores.

“Do you have to do that?” Purdy asked.

Josh’s mouth lay agape and exposed half a chewed up honey bun. “Do what?”

Purdy’s eyes stabbed through Josh. “Man, we’re going to have to have a talk.”

“It would be great if we stuck together though,” Stormy said.

Ian’s arm never left its resting place over his eyes. “Don’t listen to her. She wants you to join the cause.”

“What?” Purdy asked.

“Stormy thinks we should exact revenge for her boyfriend,” Josh said.

“I’m down with some revenge for my squad,” Purdy said.

All eyes were on him now.

“They were crazy, but they didn’t deserve what they got.”

Stormy leaned into the cab. “Really?”

“This is such a bad idea,” Josh said.

“I’m not fighting Cold World,” Ian said. “They’re not trying to shoot me.”

“No, they’re only trying to make a super out of you,” Stormy said.

“Look, Stormy—”

Stormy talked right over Ian. “Can we beat them?”