The Dead War Series (Book 1): Good Intentions (21 page)

“What the fuck?” he whispered; then he looked up and down the hallway. So far, it was just the one zombie they were going to have to deal with. Motioning for his team to join him, he led them towards the zombie crawling their way.

“Oh my God, Philip,” Vincent gasped. He watched through Nicholas' camera. His friend—the brilliant man that had worked diligently beside him for years had been reduced to a mindless monster.

Philip's black eyes remained steadfast on the soldiers approaching him. He crawled toward them faster. The scent of their blood filled his nostrils making his hunger rise. He could smell the heat rising off their skin and it was all he could think about—feasting on their flesh.

“For fuck's sake, put him out of his misery,” Vincent pleaded softly.

“You don't think we aren't,” Sgt. Jackson replied as he aimed the barrel of his gun at Philip's head and pulled the trigger. Blood, brain matter, and pieces of Phillip’s skull exploded from the back of his head. He didn't stop there. Kneeling, he took his knife and removed the head, placing it beside the body.

“Shit. Do you hear that?” Cpl. Marks asked.

“Shhhhh,” Sgt. Jackson said. Everyone remained silent as they listened for whatever Cpl. Marks had heard.

Down the hall, they could hear it—the sound of footsteps coming towards them, faster and faster.

“Oh shit! How many of them is it?” one of the soldiers asked, his voice wavering in fear.

“Get ready!” Sgt. Jackson said, aiming his gun.

His soldiers positioned themselves in preparation for the attack. Over a dozen zombies rounded the corner, heading towards them at top speed.

“Shit! Fall back!” Sgt. Jackson commanded, seeing that they were grossly outnumbered.

The soldiers ran back through the door heading up the stairwell. The zombies followed them, catching up with ease. They grabbed one of the soldiers, bringing him down from behind.  He screamed as his gun went off, firing dozens of bullets in the air and towards the attacking zombies. Bullets ripped through the flesh of one zombie's face, tearing away skin and muscle revealing the white of his teeth through the holes in its cheek. The other soldiers turned and fired into the mob as several of them began to feast on the soldier they had caught.

“We have to leave him, let's go!” ordered Sgt. Jackson as he began to rush up the stairs.

Several zombies followed him and his men as they tried to retreat. One of the zombies reached out, grabbing a hold of another soldier's ankle, tripping him. A second zombie latched onto his shoulders as it sank its bloodied teeth into his jaw, ripping away a huge chunk of flesh. The soldier screamed wildly as he struggled to break free. More zombies climbed on top of him. Others crawled over him as they rushed to get to the remaining soldiers.

Sgt. Jackson and Cpl. Marks fired repeatedly, aiming for their heads and hitting some targets. Above them, the door swung open and five more zombies rushed at them, trapping them in the middle.

“Fuck!” Sgt. Jackson said, turning and placing his back against Marks as he tried his best to cover them.

“Jesus Christ!” Vincent said, as he watched them getting attacked. “They're going to die.” He couldn't believe what he was seeing even though he knew it was real.

“Marks, it was an honor,” Nicholas said, firing away, making sure every bullet counted. 

“Likewise, sir,” Cpl. Marks replied as he gave his all at their last stand.

“Semper Fi, bitches!” Both men yelled as their final battle cry.

Beside them, the glass window shattered, splattering them with shards that sliced their skin in places. They shielded as best they could as they moved to the side, trying to prepare for the new threat that came at them from their flank.

Cassian didn't engage the soldiers in conversation after seeing how close they were to being attacked. With his sword, he advanced on the zombies that were coming at them from the upper level, slicing his blade though their necks at a speed no human could manage. The two soldiers continued to shoot at the zombies coming at them from the lower level, trying their best to keep them at bay as the rose up the staircase.

Cassian decapitated another zombie, sending its head flying into the air. It landed on the steps next to Sgt. Jackson's feet. He kicked it towards the approaching zombies.

“A little help here!” Sgt. Jackson yelled, hoping to get the attention of their new companion.

“Who is that guy?” William asked, looking at the monitor.

“Hell if I know. He just jumped through the window from the seventh floor. Did you see the way he moved?” Vincent said as he leaned in even closer to the monitor.

“Watch your backs,” Maj. Garrett told the two remaining soldiers.

Cassian turned, seeing more zombies coming into the stairwell from the lower level.

“Follow me,” he said, leading them back to the seventh floor. The soldiers ran behind him carefully jumping over the decapitated corpses. They made it to the seventh level and Cassian closed the door behind them, placing his hand against it.

“You're going to need more than that to keep them back,” Sgt. Jackson told him. He leaned against the door, offering his help.

“How did you know there weren't any more zombies on this floor?” Sgt. Jackson asked.

“Had there been, more would have attempted to attack you in the stairwell,” Cassian said.

“We need to get to that floor,” Cpl. Marks stated.

“Seems like I'm going to need more assistance than I thought,” Cassian murmured as he placed his back against the door and pulled out his cell phone, making a call.

“Who is this guy?” Felicia asked out loud to no one in particular.

“Can we get a picture on him and send it in for a facial recognition?” Maj. Garrett asked one of the technicians.

“Yes, sir,” a male employee said, pressing numerous buttons on his keyboard.

“Need help?” Ovidius asked upon answering Cassian's call.

“It seems I might,” Cassian replied with a hint of annoyance. He never liked being wrong about anything and he never enjoyed being in a situation where he wasn't in control.

“Logan should be there shortly. I sent him to assist you against your wishes,” Ovidius stated.

“Defiant as ever I remember you,” Cassian said.

“Good for you that I am.”

“I think I feel him approaching,” Cassian said, feeling Logan's familiar aura.

“Excellent. Do you need me to join you?”

“You will be the first to know if I'm that desperate.”

“Ahhh, you arrogant S-O-B. Very well,” Ovidius chuckled before ending the call.

Cassian placed his cell back into his pocket. He looked at the two soldiers. “Were you bitten?”

“No,” they said in unison.

“Why are you here?” Cassian inquired.

“Hold on, wait a damn minute, who the fuck are you and why are
you
here?” Sgt. Nicholas Jackson shot back.

“I don't answer to you, human,” Cassian replied as he peered at them with lethal intent.

“Human? What the fuck is going on here?” Nicholas asked once again as he switched positions.

Instead of his back against the door, now he was facing Cassian with his foot against the door.

“Who are you?” Cpl. Marks asked. He stepped back, aiming his gun at Cassian.

“If you want to live one more second, I suggest you lower your weapon, human,” Logan said from behind.

Both soldiers turned to see another man approaching them. The two soldiers positioned themselves so they could keep an eye on both men.

“I see you have your hands full,” Logan said, giving Cassian a slight bow as a show of respect.

Back in Springfield, Vincent and the others watched in silence as they monitored the activity on the screens. They didn't know who the men were or how they got there.

“Who are these men? Get a picture of the new guy who just walked in. I want to know what the hell is going on here,” Maj. Garrett ordered.

“Right away, sir,” the same male technician said, trying his best to carry out the Major's demands. His fingers typed furiously over his keyboard as he sent photos of the two men to numerous government agencies.

***

Cassian's smile faded when he looked back at the two men. “Answer my question. Why are you here?”

“You answer mine,” Nicholas shot back.

Logan advanced on Nicholas faster than either of the men could see him move. He wrapped his hand around his throat, lifting him into the air as he applied pressure cutting off Nicholas' air supply. Nicholas had to release his gun, as he tried desperately to free himself of Logan's grip.

“Let him go.” Cpl. Gary Marks attempted to aim his weapon to help his Sergeant, but Logan placed the tip of his sword to Gary's throat.

“Don't you
dare
,” Logan made sure to add emphasis to the last word.

Gary felt the sharp tip graze the skin right over his Adam's apple. He thought it best that he lower his weapon since he was at a disadvantage.

Logan smiled. “Very good. Now I believe my friend asked you a question. This one here...” He paused to slam Nicholas against the wall eliciting a wheeze from his captive. “... He can't talk as I'm constricting his windpipe. I'll allow him to breathe once
you
give us an answer.”

Gary swallowed hard, his Adam's apple visibly bobbing as it brushed against the point of the blade. Since it wasn't a top secret mission, he decided to answer. “We're here to search for any information that can help us come up with a cure. One of the scientists who are behind this is guiding us to his laboratory to gather the resources from their experiments.”

“One of the scientists survived?” Cassian asked. He made sure to keep his tone even in spite of the optimism he was feeling.
There was hope yet if one of the original scientists involve was still alive.

Cpl. Marks nodded. “Yes, sir. We're to go to his lab on the sixth floor, but we were attacked before we could get to it.” He looked at his Sergeant who was beginning to turn blue in the face. “Please, let him go.”

Logan smirked then released the other man. Nicholas fell to his side coughing and gagging as he gulped in air. Gary knelt beside him, checking him over.

“Let that be lesson number one, humans. You don't ask the questions. You answer them,” Logan warned. “Lesson number two: You don't give the orders--”

“--You follow them,” Cassian finished.

The two soldiers looked up at the two men, but remained silent. Nicholas didn't know what they were, but he wasn't completely sure they were human.

Logan smirked at the soldiers before turning to Cassian. “What are your plans?”

“My plans will most definitely include a meeting with this scientist,” Cassian said. He turned his gaze on Nicholas as the solider rose to his feet.

Cassian pulled away from the door and with one hand pushed the entire door into the frame, jamming it.

“How did you do that?” Nicholas asked and was answered by a backhand from Logan.

Nicholas fell back against the wall, but managed to keep his footing. He reached for his gun.

“Think again before raising your weapon. I don't want to kill you, but I will. Besides, you were warned about asking questions,” Logan reminded.

Cassian walked over to the two men, snatching the headset from Nicholas' head. “Is this how you are staying in communication with them?”

Nicholas wiped the blood from his split lip before answering.

“Yes.”

“What about the door, is that going to hold them off?” Gary asked. He didn't want a backhand from the tall man in front of him, but he didn't want to get eaten alive either.

“Maybe. Maybe not. I suggest we are not here to see if it will or won't.” Cassian looked at the young soldier.

“We're on the seventh floor; the lab is on the sixth. How are we going to get there?” Gary asked.

“That won't be a problem,” Logan answered.

“May I ask one question?” Gary presented.

“Actually, this would be your third question, but you may ask it,” Cassian replied.

“Who are you?”

Cassian gave him a pointed look. “We're the only beings in the world that can help you.”

The story continues in book two, “Desperate Times”.

Free Preview

Read chapter one of D.N. Simmons'

Desires Unleashed

Knights of the Darkness Chronicles

Book One

Special Note:

If you love reading about vampires and shifters, then you'll love the Knights of the Darkness Chronicles. Vampires are sexy and bloodthirsty. Shifters are badass and powerful. On top of all that, you ain't never going to read a series quite like this one. It doesn't hold back. It doesn't fit into one genre. It doesn't play nice with others, either. It marches to the beat of its own drummer. It's intelligent, face paced and puts you right into the action. 
Get ready for a brand new kind of vampire/shifter story.