Defensive Instinct (Survival Instinct Book 4) (43 page)

Danny slept fitfully. The side he was used to sleeping on was the one with his injured shoulder, which meant he either had to lie on his other side or his back, neither of which was working well. He was in that strange zone where he was too tired to sleep. Even when he did manage to make it into the land of dreams, he couldn’t stay there long, constantly thinking it was time to get up when it wasn’t. Then there was the fact that his container was near the community centre. The people were silent as they were gathered in groups and moved to either Animal Island or to a place from which they’d be defending, yet Danny could somehow sense them moving around out there. Maybe that was just a psychological thing, but the occasional soft footsteps of someone walking over his container, and the sounds made as his solar panels were removed for safe keeping, certainly weren’t. Neither was the constant drone of the dead. He wondered if Jon was sleeping all right on the bunk bed beneath his. Jon had always been a bit of a roller, so his movements didn’t tell Danny anything, and he didn’t want to risk asking only to end up waking him with his words. Mostly Danny lay still on his back, his eyes closed, listening to the sounds of his own breathing and the heartbeat in his ears.

At the opposite end of the container, one of the doors was opened a crack, letting in the faint light of the night sky and an even fainter breeze. When a stronger puff of air rippled across his skin, Danny opened his eyes and rolled onto his good shoulder to look at the door. It had been opened further by someone, the silhouette not quite identifiable. Whoever it was stepped inside and carefully closed the door behind him.

“Danny?” Even when whispering, Danny could identify the German accent as belonging to Karsten.

“Sir?” Danny whispered back.

“I’m sorry to bother you, but I’d like to request your help with something.”

“Do you need my help?” Jon whispered from the lower bunk sounding like he hadn’t been asleep at all either.

“It’s all right, Jon, you go back to sleep, I just need Danny.”

Wondering what was happening now, Danny slid off his bunk and carefully climbed down the completely vertical metal ladder that he and Jon had bolted on to replace the angled one the bed had come with. Once on the floor, he followed Karsten outside, glancing back to see Jon watching them from the darkness. What would they need Danny’s help with that Jon couldn’t do? He had two working arms after all, whereas Danny was temporarily crippled. Clearly it couldn’t be a physical task.

Outside, the eastern sky had become a dull grey. The sun would be rising in maybe an hour or so. Danny tried not to think about the chaos and death that was likely to come with it. Karsten led him to the community centre and then past it. Through the open doors, Danny was able to see that only Evans’ people were left inside, huddled around a couple of gas lamps, many trying unsuccessfully to sleep. When they stopped at the containers beside the community centre, Danny figured out why he had been called over. If they were going to risk having a massive horde of zombies come over their walls, it would be cruel to keep Evans and his party locked up.

“I’ve been told that despite what happened to you, you seem to get along with these people to some degree.”

“I don’t think Evans is all that bad.” Danny hadn’t really realized he thought this until he said it. “I just think he made a bad call letting an angry mob decide what his group should do.”

“I can understand that,” Karsten nodded. “It’s easier to go with a mob, than try to change their minds. Do you think they will help us? If we give them their weapons back, will we regret it?”

Danny chewed on his lip as he thought, but he didn’t have to think for long. “I don’t think so. I mean, they wouldn’t have much of a choice would they? No one is just going to stand there and do nothing when a horde of zombies is coming at them unless they want to die, and I don’t think these people want to die.”

“I’m more concerned about afterwards, once the zombies are gone.”

There was no way Danny could know what would happen then.

“Of course, their children will be on Animal Island,” Karsten continued, talking more to himself now. “I would rather not have to use them as hostages, but I could.”

“I think we should talk to Evans. I mean, that’s why you brought me out here, right? So he has a familiar face present while you deal?”

Such a small smirk crossed Karsten’s face, it was almost impossible to see in the dark.

When Karsten approached the containers, the guards didn’t even bother to ask questions, they just merely stood more alert when he grabbed one of the door handles. Danny wished he had a rock for his new sling, a silent weapon to use in case he was wrong and someone charged out. When the container door opened, no one moved inside. Several sleepy eyes peered out of the darkness, while those closest to the door blinked rapidly, attempting to focus on Karsten from their seated positions on the floor.

“I’m looking for the one named Evans,” Karsten whispered to the half-asleep people. “There’s something important we need to talk about.”

The large form of Evans moved forward from the back, his blond hair and beard catching the meagre light before the rest of this face. He stopped at the threshold of the container, looking down on Karsten. Karsten was only slightly below average height, but beside Evans, he was downright short.

“May we speak in private?” Karsten gestured away from the container.

Evans looked out into the space, spotting Danny. “This door stays open and we stay within sight of my party members.” It wasn’t a request.

Karsten nodded and led the man out of the container. Danny tailed behind the two men, glancing once over his shoulder. Evans’ party members were clustering at the door, being careful not to step outside. The men guarding the containers had grown more tense, but they kept their hands off their guns. Instead, they tightly gripped their clubs and knives, under orders not to risk a gunshot. Karsten stopped within sight of the container, but out of hearing range of both the people within it and those guarding it. Bearing in mind that they were whispering and the zombies were still moaning, they didn’t have to go very far.

“As you can hear, the zombie horde hasn’t gone away like we had hoped,” Karsten waved an arm toward the wall. “We have a plan, but it’s dangerous.”

“You’re not using my people as cannon fodder.” Evans’ voice was flat as he whispered, the lack of emotion making it hard for Danny to figure out what he was thinking.

“Of course not, we would never do something like that. But there is a risk of zombies coming over the wall. I want to ask you to stand with us, to help us fight them off should that happen.”

Evans considered the thought, his eyes roaming around the container yard and taking in the activity.

“We’d move the kids and the infirm somewhere safe,” Danny added. “Ours have already been moved to an island, and we’re going to disconnect the bridge before anything happens.”

“Will we get our own weapons?” Evans asked.

“Yes,” Karsten nodded.

Evans looked back at the community centre and the containers where his people were being held. “Can I trust there won’t be any friendly fire from your people?”

“No one here would dare risk that. We’re not that angry with you. Can I trust the same from yours?”

“Not all of them,” Evans spoke honestly. “There are a few that I would keep locked up for now.”

“Then keep them locked up; that’ll be your call.”

Danny shifted nervously from foot to foot. It seemed to him that maybe Karsten was putting too much trust in Evans, and he hoped that wasn’t because of what he had said.

“Tell me what the plan is.” Again, it wasn’t a request.

Karsten explained about the slings and the grenades, how people outside the wall were going to set off fireworks to hopefully draw a bunch away.

“You know how to use a sling?” Evans looked at Danny when it was mentioned he’d be one of the slingers.

Danny nodded, not wanting to admit that he and Karsten had only just learned that night. Evans’ eyes then focused on Danny’s injury.

“It doesn’t affect my ability to sling,” Danny whispered, showing Evans the motion he got out of his other arm.

“That’s not what I was thinking.” Evans said it so quietly that Danny almost didn’t hear him. “We will help you,” Evans whispered, redirecting his attention to Karsten.

“Good. Great,” Karsten nodded again. “I’m leaving it to you to tell your people, and to decide who’s going to the island and who’s staying to fight, as well as who you think should stay locked up. Be aware that those going to the island won’t be allowed to bring weapons with them. We have a few guards there in case a zombie manages to cross the water, but also our pregnant women can handle themselves and all our teenagers know how to use the weapons they carry. It’ll be safe there, but anyone who demands a weapon has to stay here.”

“I understand. Will my party be stationed together, or are you going to spread us out among your people?”

“Not knowing your people’s skills, I would like to spread them out, but I can understand why they would want to fight beside people they know.”

“We’ll compromise then. Those I know who will be all right beside your people will be spread out, while the rest stay together.”

Karsten agreed. “When your people are ready, head toward the wall. A man there will return your weapons to you. After that, come back here and find me; I’ll tell you where to set up. Those not fighting can head straight to the bridge.” He pointed in its direction. “Someone is already waiting there to help people across.”

Danny didn’t know what to do with himself. He felt like he had contributed nothing to this conversation, that Karsten had already known how it was going to go.

“You’re coming with me,” Evans told him unexpectedly.

The request startled Danny to the point where he didn’t know how to respond; he just followed Evans back to the community centre. As the man stepped inside the building, he was recognized right away by those who were awake, who then had everyone else woken up by the time Evans and Danny reached the corner in which they were clustered. Evans explained the plan to his non-combatants, asking if any of them would like to volunteer to fight. Only a small handful did, the rest more than willing to cross the bridge they had never seen. With that done, Evans got them up and moving outside, wanting to make sure they had ample time to get to safety. As they left the community centre, a few glanced at Danny. They looked confused and afraid. Danny tried to smile for them, hoping he looked friendly as opposed to creepy.

Letting his fighters cool their heels awhile longer, Evans personally led the others to the bridge. Danny figured he wanted to see it for himself, to know where it was and how far the island lay. In the darkness, Bitch Bridge looked more dangerous than ever. Its long hodgepodge length of floats, barrels, and boats bobbed on the gentle waves, bending wherever the ends of two of the overlaid boards met. They were lucky the water was as calm as it was.

“I’ll see you all across in groups of five,” a man waiting on the shore told them. Danny recognized him as one of the veterinarians, all of whom had plenty of experience crossing the bridge. “Those two kayaks there will be pacing alongside us, so if you fall in, don’t struggle even if you can’t swim. They’ll save you, even if they have to dive in to do it, just don’t make any noise. Also, I recommend crawling if you can.”

Evans looked at the light still slowly growing on the horizon. Danny knew he was worried about the sun rising before his people could cross.

“It’s okay,” Danny told him. “We won’t put the plan into action until the bridge is disconnected, and we won’t do that until everyone waiting here has made it across.”

Evans scratched his cheek beneath his short beard, and slowly nodded. “All right. Let’s go get the others then.”

When they turned to head back to the holding containers, they had gained two more volunteers who would rather risk the zombies than that bridge.

Back at the holding containers, Evans first went to the one that had held him, which was still open. As he explained what was going on, the guards left to go take up positions elsewhere, adding weight to the truth of what Evans was telling his people. Danny watched as Evans studied the faces of every man and woman who exited the container. Two of them he stopped and turned back inside. The pair looked pissed and ready to argue, but the constant zombie groaning and a severe expression on Evans’ face kept their mouths shut. Opening up each container, Evans repeated the process of explaining and picking out people he was worried about. Those denied the chance to fight, he moved into the same container and locked the doors. Once that was done, Evans found a ladder leaning against the side of the holding containers.

“Danny,” he whispered, waving him over.

Danny had been standing apart from everyone, simply observing. He walked over to Evans to see what he wanted.

“Is this ladder going to be used to get people on top of these?” he asked, gesturing at the containers that had held his party.

“Most likely, yeah,” Danny replied.

“What happens to the ladder afterward? Is it dragged up there?”

“Yes, to keep any zombies from using it.”

“I want it put into the container I put the aggressors in. They may pose a threat to your people if armed, but I don’t want them trapped in that box with no way out if something goes wrong.”

“I’m sure we can arrange that.”

“If my own people can be stationed up there, then we can put the ladder next to that opening I saw in the roof. That way, they can decide if and when the ladder needs to be lowered.”

Danny thought that sounded like a good idea and said as much. He still didn’t know why Evans was keeping him nearby; it wasn’t like Danny could make any actual decisions. Maybe he was just being used as a source of information and happened to be the closest person free at the time to follow him around.

Once the aggressors were secure inside the container, Evans led the party members to where Karsten had indicated. As promised, their weapons were waiting for them. Danny stood to the side once more, watching as they silently went through the gear, picking out what belonged to whom. The weapons that had been taken from the aggressors and the non-combatants were divided equally amongst the fighters, and they dug through the contents of their carts for more ammo. Danny noticed several people hastily putting together packs of food. It was a good idea in theory, but he thought they would just weigh the people down. If a zombie came over the wall, that would mean it could climb in some way, so getting trapped on top of a container was unlikely. Danny guessed that maybe the packs of food would be useful if they found themselves hiding on the inside of a container, but if there was no way to draw those dead away, the food would only prolong the inevitable. Danny wondered where the carts were going to be put afterward.

Once everyone had collected what they wanted, some carrying all that they could, Evans led the party back to where Karsten was waiting. Everywhere he looked, Danny could see people moving about. On top of containers, people settled into their assigned positions, winces rippling through nearby folk whenever a particularly loud footstep fell upon the metal boxes. Everyone was being extra cautious not to drop anything. At one point, Danny spotted one of Misha’s dogs staring down at him, but couldn’t see his owner anywhere. On the ground, people scurried to and fro, delivering messages in sign, checking that all the containers were secure, putting loose solar panels away, and collecting more ammo. The horse containers were currently open, the veterinarians settling in with food and water; they would need to wait out whatever was going to happen, administering the remaining sedatives as needed. The stables were the only structures Danny didn’t spy someone on top of.  As they approached Karsten, Danny could make out the toilets; there were even people gathering on top of them, including an old man, who probably hadn’t seen combat since the Diana sank, carefully climbing a ladder to join a young teen who must have just recently finished her gun training.

“Thank you for helping us, and in turn yourselves,” Karsten whispered, allowing those near the front of the group to quietly pass his words to those in the back. “Once this is all over, you’ll be free to leave with all of your equipment. We’re also prepared to discuss your joining us here if some of you would like that, but for now, we have to get through this together.” Karsten looked directly at Evans. “Did you share the plan with them?”

Evans nodded. “I have a request for placement of my people.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“I want to have only my people on top of the containers we were held in, as well as that building next to it. If something goes wrong, I want them to be able to decide when my people locked in that container should be let out.”

“All right, but make sure everyone knows to stay on this side of the roof peak so that they’re not spotted. Some of my people are already climbing up there, but I can reassign them. It doesn’t sound like you want to be up there yourself?”

Evans shook his head and offered no explanation.

“Danny, can you go clear the people off the community centre, and send them to me for a new placement?”

Danny nodded curtly and hurried over to the building. Just inside, Jon and some of the other slingers were making sure the food supplies kept in there were secure in tight containers being strapped to the wall to prevent any from tipping over. If the zombies were going to come over the outer wall, they didn’t want the creatures finding their way into the community centre and contaminating their food. Danny wondered how the other slingers were doing. He guessed the same as him: nervous, but focusing on a task they had been given in order to get through the wait.

At the side of the holding containers, Danny attracted the attention of someone who had just climbed up on top. The sun was now adding some colour to the sky, making it easy for the woman to see and understand his signing. She was confused and annoyed by what Danny said, but passed on the message to the others who had already climbed up there, carefully moving between the solar panels. One by one, they made their way back down and headed toward Karsten. Danny followed after them once he was sure that the community centre roof had been cleared.

When Danny returned, Karsten held a notebook that he and Evans were huddled over, quietly talking to one another. Occasionally, Evans would speak to one of his men standing on his other side, who then left to deliver orders to another of their party. Alone or in small groups, members of Evans’ party peeled away from the collective to set up at their assigned locations. The last group of people, the largest, was finally sent to the community centre.

“I’m going to check on my people crossing your bridge,” Evans told Karsten.

“That’s fine. We’ll start the assault when you tell us that they’re across and the bridge is disconnected.”

Danny could see the respect the two men had for each other as Evans nodded, then turned to run off. It was weird to think that they had been shooting at each other less than twenty-four hours ago.

Time to find the others,
Karsten signed to Danny.

Danny didn’t need to ask who he was referring to; he simply replied that he had seen some in the community centre.

It didn’t take long to round up all the slingers. None of them had slept heavily, and all had gotten up the moment the sky began to lighten. Most of them had found jobs near their meeting spot, keeping their minds occupied and hands busy. Once they were all together, they moved toward the wall, urging people still on the ground to get up on the containers and haul up the ladders.

When the box of grenades came into view, Danny felt his throat dry up and his bladder loosen. He had to excuse himself to go pee on the side of the wall, and he wasn’t the only one. When he returned, he saw the women signing to each other, grateful that they had thought to go earlier and trying to joke to each other about the unpreparedness of men. All the smiles were forced, however.

White and Tommy had joined them, even though they wouldn’t be slinging. Tommy didn’t want to separate from his friends; White explained to Danny that he was going to help him load his sling. Danny was grateful that he wouldn’t have to worry about his injured shoulder screwing him up at a critical moment.

The metal box had been waiting for them. Tommy opened it and handed out the grenades, while Freya positioned everyone, spreading out the best slingers who had the extra explosives. Danny was situated between Bryce and Katrina; White worked with him briefly to find the best place to stand that was out of the way, but close enough to load the second grenade quickly.

Karsten stood with his back to the wall, looking at the nearest container. Danny knew he was waiting for a signal from someone telling him that everyone was off the ground and all but one of the ladders were up. After that, they’d just be waiting on Evans. Danny again ran the path through his mind, reminding himself that he had to head around the nearest container row to get to the ladder. Not having been part of the discussion, he didn’t know why the ladder wasn’t situated as close as possible, but he couldn’t distract himself with thoughts of that now. After getting up the ladder, he was to fall back to the second row, his injury forcing him to use a pistol instead of a more accurate rifle.

Danny watched as White loaded the first grenade, making sure the handle was outside the leather as Freya had shown him. The former police officer was going to pull the pin and duck out of the way, giving Danny seconds to let it loose over the wall. The wall looked so much higher than usual. Under normal circumstances, that would be comforting, but these weren’t normal circumstances.

Trying to swallow the lump in his throat, he looked over at Bryce’s battered features. Bryce noticed, and nodded in his direction, trying to appear brave but the wideness of his eyes, even the swollen one, gave him away. Katrina didn’t look back as Danny turned his face to her. Her jaw was set tight, the muscles in her neck standing out. Her entire body was perfectly still, save the hand that held the sling. That, she swung gently back and forth, the grenade moving in a small arc.

Danny had to remind himself to breathe.