THEM (Book 0): Invasion (12 page)

At first glance it looked like things were pretty sedate around the place, at least until they took us to the cafeteria. I realized there that they had quite a sizable group of people holed up in here. The cafeteria was full of families, the elderly, and people of all ages and types, most of them looking shell-shocked and confused. We got our food and sat down at a table with an elderly woman dressed in a flower print shirt, mom jeans, and tennis shoes. She wore a ball cap that said “I’m A Virgin” in large letters. Underneath that in small type it said, “(but this is an old hat).”

She held out her hand as we sat down, and I took it as introductions were made all around. “I’m John and this is my son, James.”

She gave me a wry smile. “Barbara Baumgartner. Friends call me Bibi. I take it you two aren’t from around here?”

“No ma’am, we just drove in from around Leakey.”

She screwed up her face as if wondering whether she should tell us whatever it was she was thinking. I could tell she was going to spill anyway; she looked like the type who said whatever was on her mind regardless of the consequences. She looked at Rayden. “I have a grandson about your age. Full of piss and vinegar, that boy. Looks a lot like you. And if you’re this guy’s son, I’m a horse’s ass.”

Rayden thought that was pretty funny, and he shot a little milk out of his nose as he expressed his mirth. She nodded and turned to me. “Uh-huh, thought so. I take it you were on your way out of wherever the hell you came from, and decided to help this young man out. No need to explain, I can read people pretty well. Seventy-three years on this earth will do that for you.”

She looked me up and down, appraising me much more closely than I was comfortable with. “You’re ex-military. I can tell by the way you sit. My Lou was a military man, gave three decades of his life to the Navy. Retired and we settled back here in my hometown so we could be near my family. He volunteered at the Nimitz museum. Gave tours to the visitors from Austin and Dallas. A good man, my Lou. He’d never have put up with this shit, that’s for sure.”

I decided to take that opportunity to get a word in edgewise and find out more about the town and what was going on here. “Mrs. Baumgartner, if you don’t mind me asking, just what sort of shit are you referring to?”

She sat back in her chair and gestured like a game show model showing off a new car to the contestants. “Well, just look around you and marvel at what our good sheriff and that two-bit weekend warrior have cooked up to keep us all safe.” She made quotation marks with her fingers as she said the word “safe.” “Has us all locked up here in this school like cattle, just waiting to be slaughtered. Oh, Lou would have raised holy hell, yes he would have.”

“But Mrs. Baumgartner‌—‌”

She cut me off mid-sentence. “That’ll be enough of that ‘misses’ crap. Call me Bibi.”

“Bibi it is, then. What do you mean when you say you’re all just waiting to be slaughtered?”

She looked around a bit, then leaned in close with her elbows on the table. On cue, Rayden and I likewise leaned in. “Now, you listen to me and you listen good. These aren’t just the ravings of some crazy old widow. I’m as sharp as the day I received my doctorate from A&M, and let me tell you that you two aren’t safe here! The last two families that came in from out of town disappeared, and no one knows what happened to them.”

I furrowed my brow and replied. “What makes you think they disappeared? I mean, the sheriff and the commander might have just let them leave.”

She cocked an eyebrow at us and chuckled. “Oh, so then tell me why their vehicles are still here? Auggie works down in the motor pool‌—‌he’s our local mechanic, so he’s one of the first ones they pressed into service when they rolled into town after the bombs fell. Auggie sees all the vehicles they bring in, as he works right down there where they lock up all the Hummers and personnel carriers. And I’m telling you that those people vanished, but Auggie says their cars are still parked down there in the motor pool with all the rest.”

“Is there any way you can get me a chance to speak with this Auggie guy?”

She shook her head. “I don’t really think you have time for all that. It wasn’t but the same night those folks came in that they disappeared. I’m telling you that you need to get out of here, and pronto. Else you two might end up as gone as the rest of them.”

I rubbed my chin, ready to pose another question, when she suddenly stood up and grabbed her tray. “Well, nice speaking with you boys, but I promised to do some sewing for the Johnson family, and after that me and some of the girls are meeting for a game of bridge.” She winked at me and scurried off as a soldier walked up to our table.

“Commander wants to see you as soon as you finish your meals and get settled. Head up to where you signed in at intake and tell them you’re there to see Captain Hillis.”

The wait to see the commander took no time at all. We were soon ushered into what looked like a principal’s office, where a trim and fit-looking man with light hair and glasses sat behind a desk reading what looked like mission status reports. He stacked and shuffled them neatly, tucking them inside a manila folder as we walked in. Then he looked us up and down for moment before gesturing to a pair of chairs in front of the desk.

“Please, have a seat. My name is Captain Paul Hillis of the 136th Military Police Battalion out of Tyler. We’ve been assigned here by request of the governor to aid local law enforcement and set up safe zones in the Texas Hill Country, where we can provide increasing support and protection to the people of this and the surrounding counties.” The whole thing sounded like a speech that he’d memorized and practiced in the mirror a few times. He reminded me of a politician. I had him pegged as a cake eater from the moment he opened his mouth.

“John Sullivan, and this is my son, James.” I gestured at Rayden, and he gave a smart-assed two-fingered salute. “If you don’t mind me asking, sir, why do you have all the local residents sequestered here at the high school?”

He gave me a stern look as he replied. “Why, to protect them, of course. You carry yourself like a soldier, son. Did you serve?” I nodded. “Well, then you understand the importance of maintaining order under these conditions. We’re still under threat of further nuclear attack, we’re facing mass looting across the state, panic has erupted everywhere there are sizable populations of people left alive, and I’m certain I don’t have to explain the situation with the infected. Whether it’s a biological agent, chemical toxin, or some other unknown weapon, we aren’t certain. But what we do know is that it’s contagious, and we cannot let it spread among the local population. It has a 100 percent transmission rate upon exposure, so the safest place these people can be is here under our protection.”

“100 percent? So why didn’t you put us under quarantine when we came in?”

At that, a look crossed his face that told me he was hiding something. It quickly passed and his expression reverted to the baby-kissing politician once more. “If either of you were infected, we’d have known of it immediately. Once you contract the contagion, the transformation is almost immediate.”

I cleared my throat, because I was about to stir up some shit and wanted to be sure he heard me. “You do realize that this contagion is reanimating corpses, correct?”

The captain sat back in his chair with his hands on the edge of his desk. He fixed me with a look that clearly said he’d underestimated what I knew. “So, you’ve see this happen?”

I waved his comment away. “No, but several of the ‘infected’ that I’ve had to put down were missing so many body parts that there was no way they could’ve survived their injuries. I have yet to see a living person turn, so I assumed that it only affected the dead.”

He nodded. “Partially true. The infected have a toxin in their saliva that will kill within hours once it enters the bloodstream. Once the newly infected’s heart stops beating, that’s when they turn into those creatures you’ve seen.”

“Huh. That gives me something to think about as we continue on into Austin. I’m sure your people told you that we’re on our way to bring my parents back to the Hill Country?”

He nodded. “I assure you, we won’t hold you up. However, it is policy that we do not allow anyone in or out of the safe zone after 5 pm. It looks like you two will be spending the night as our guests. In the morning, your equipment, weapons, and vehicle will be returned to you, and you can be on your way.”

“That’s good to know, sir.”

“Now, I have some reports to review before evening chow, but I’ve arranged for Corporal Parker to place you in our overflow area, since the main living area in the gym is at capacity. It’s actually fortunate that you’ve come to us now, since you’ll only be sharing the room with a few other people.”

I stood up and extended my hand. “Thanks, Captain. We won’t be a bother while we’re here.” I noticed that Captain HIllis hesitated slightly before standing and shaking hands with me. I filed it away for future reference.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke. “I’m counting on it. Good evening, gentlemen.”

I motioned for Rayden to exit the office, then followed him out and shut the door behind me. He immediately grabbed my arm and began whispering in my ear. “Sully, I don’t trust that guy‌—‌”

I pulled him into an open doorway, covering his mouth lightly with my free hand. “Not here. Wait until I’m certain we’re alone.” I checked the hall before we exited the room, and we headed back to the front desk where Corporal Parker waited to guide us to our assigned quarters. I had a feeling it was going to be one hell of an interesting night.

TEN

CHAOS

SINCE WE’D JUST EATEN earlier, we passed on the evening meal. Instead of heading back to the chow hall, we followed the directions Parker had given us and made a beeline for our “quarters,” which turned out to be a small classroom upstairs. Obviously it had been set up in a hurry, because all the desks and chairs had merely been pushed out of the way, making room for a few cots and some sleeping bags.

I quickly checked the hall to make sure no one was listening in on us, then did a quick visual check of the room for cameras and wires. Once I felt satisfied that no one was eavesdropping, I pulled Rayden over to the cots and sat down, taking a moment to mull over what I was going to say. I could tell by the look on his face that he was a little worried, but I didn’t think it’d do to mince words with him.

I just put it out there.

“I think we may be well and truly screwed here, kid.”

Rayden chewed his lip and scowled. “Man, I should have stayed in Ingram. At least with Cody and his dickhead buddies, I knew what I was in for. Here, all I know is that these people have a seriously creepy vibe going on, but I have no idea what’s coming. Feels like I’m in a horror film or something, where you know something bad is going to happen, but you don’t know what.” He shivered like a wet dog and wrapped his arms around himself as his eyes darted around the room.

I punched him lightly on the knee and smiled in a way that I hoped was reassuring. “I know how you feel, but trust me, I’ve been in worse situations than this. That’s why we’re not spending the night; in fact, we’re going to sneak out as soon as it gets dark around here.”

The kid perked up at that. “Alright, so what’s the plan?”

“Well, I don’t know if you noticed, but the second floor roof is just outside this window. Should make it easy to sneak out of here. So as soon as it’s dark I’m going to go find my gear, and you’re going to wait here in case anyone comes by while I’m gone. Once I get my stuff and locate the truck, I’ll come back to get you.”

He shook his head and frowned. “I don’t know if I like the idea of being left by myself. What if they come to take me away while you’re gone?”

“I doubt they’ll do anything to us unless we’re together, so just tell them I went to the bathroom and stall until I get back. Deal?”

“I guess so. But don’t leave me here with these people, no matter what. I don’t like it here‌—‌this place creeps me out.”

“Yeah, me too. I won’t leave you here, kid. We made a deal, and I’ll see it through.” I smiled again, this time with more conviction. “Although you have to admit, this is a helluva lot safer than Ingram.”

He smiled back, but his heart obviously wasn’t in it. “Yeah, I’d say that’s a matter of opinion. I bet those people who disappeared don’t think so.”

“Don’t worry, kid. In a few hours we’ll be out of here and on our way to Austin.”

He dropped back on the cot and tucked his hands under his head. “I am
sooooo
looking forward to it.”