Zombie Mountain (Walking Plague Trilogy #3) (4 page)

She didn’t ask questions. Surely she would look at this as stealing, but he knew in time she would adjust. While he waited for her, he picked up a few things, too. Hats, sunglasses, a lightweight torch, and an extra pair of hiking boots for himself.

* * *

A few hours later, after he and Julie had parked in what seemed like a secure spot near the observatory, he covered the SUV with branches and they made their way up the hillside to get closer to the main building. Julie did as she was told, which was what he had hoped. Darkness approached, and in the cool evening breeze she donned her jacket. A campfire would be tempting, but too risky. She understood, and the small lightweight tent provided protection from the elements, and once Cole made sure it blended into the hillside, they settled in for the night.

Once Julie was comfortable and at peace, Cole staked out a spot behind some nearby brush. The perfect vantage point where he could clearly see the building housing his prey. He put on the night vision goggles and waited.

Chapter Five

Anna pulled her jacket tightly around her.

She leaned back against a wall on the observatory’s roof, lifting her gaze to the stars. The nights were getting colder now. Soon the rains would come. The sky was clear and, since half the lights down below in Los Angeles were out, a billion stars illuminated the sky.

“I wonder why they did it,” Anna commented. Her uncle Joe was shoulder to shoulder with her. Although she had wanted some time alone to think—and both Jared and her dad had offered to join her—it was her uncle Joe who had insisted on accompanying her. Yes, she had wanted to come up here alone, as she’d done at least a hundred times. But she was glad her uncle was here with her. He had, after all, been infected himself. And he was so down-to-earth. He relaxed her.

“
Why who did what?” Joe asked. He also looked heavenward.

“
Send us this infection,” she said. “The aliens.”

“
Maybe we have something here they don’t have.”

She shrugged. “Or maybe they made a mistake—maybe those things should have come a thousand years ago, or sometime in the future.”

“It doesn’t really matter now, does it, kiddo?”

Anna pulled away and stood. Grateful there was no fog tonight. From up here she could see a few zombies roaming the grounds below. Looking for a way in.

The sight of them made her sick. But she didn’t turn away; she wanted to see them, to feel their presence. She wanted to know what made them tick. Because that’s what she soon might become.

Initially, Anna had been horrified at the possible alternative treatment the group offered her. They didn’t think the infection had spread. Cut her ear off to save her life. That was their suggestion. She shuddered. They wanted to spare her the terrible ordeal of drowning. Of course, that cure was only available to her
after
she’d turned and went mad....

* * *

Joe watched his niece, could tell what she was thinking. He’d wanted to come up here with her because... well, they hadn’t had a moment together since God knew when. He thought she might talk with him more freely than with Jack. The truth was, Joe was the true guilty party. He’d been infected first, along with Mike. Joe had been responsible for bringing this sickness to others, including his brother and now to Anna.

“
You know, I’d do anything for you, sweetheart.” It was all he could say for now.

Anna smiled a little. “I know.”

He decided to change the subject from zombies to something he knew she loved. “You’ve been fascinated by the stars ever since you could walk.” He got up and joined her.

“
Yeah, I guess so.” A chilly breeze came upon them. Anna leaned into her uncle for warmth. He took comfort in the fact she had always looked at him as someone she could confide in when she didn’t want to talk with her dad. “I feel so bad,” she told him now.

“
You feeling sick?” he asked

Anna smiled at his concern, or so he hoped.

“No, not that,” she said. “I feel bad. Guilty. This was my doing. Because I was not careful and I was distracted by what I figured was a free laptop I could grab.... I still can’t believe a
thing
was able to get close to me and bite me. Now, everyone has to figure out what to do with me. Because I was focused on something other than security and personal safety. I was greedy. And I totally blew our security protocol.”

Joe wanted to smile at hearing his niece say “security protocol.” But he knew he had to set her right. No way in hell he could let her take the blame. Jesus, she was just a kid.

“Anna, listen to me. None of this is your fault. If anything, it’s mine.”

“
But now I’m going to slow everything down! There’s no time for me to be sick, or have my ear cut off,” she choked the words out, “Or to turn into... into....”

Joe lifted her chin, looked into her eyes. “You didn’t choose this. You never meant for this to happen. You’re a good girl. It’s bad, yes. But we’ve all been there for each other... you were there for me.” He wrapped his arms around her waist to draw her close. “Oh, honey, whatever you decide will be all right. Believe me. You’re my favorite niece. Always.”

She giggled. “I’m your
only
niece.”

“
Oh, right,” he said, chuckling. “There’s no way in hell I’m gonna lose my only niece. I’m right beside you always. No matter what.... Okay?”

Anna pulled on his arms to hug her tighter. They stayed that way, sitting on the roof that overlooked Los Angeles. A car alarm sounded in the distance until it died on its own. The wind brought with it the scent of surrounding pine trees.

He hoped she was beginning to feel better. He felt her relax further, and prayed her worries were slipping from her.

“
Thank you, Uncle Joe.”

Her loving tone made him smile. “Any time, kiddo.” He playfully socked her shoulder. She socked him back.

“Oww,” he faked. They both chuckled.

“
Come on,” Anna said, standing. “It’s freakin’ cold up here.”

* * *

The delicious smell of food wafted toward them as Anna and Joe made their way back to the others. Carla had been busy, putting Jared to work. They’d found a little hibachi in the basement, along with some charcoal.

Uncle and niece found Jared tending hamburgers on the grill and Carla preparing the buns.

“A hot dinner!” Anna exclaimed in delight.

Jack came out from the corner in which he’d been brooding and approached his daughter. Anna pushed the pain in her ear away and gave him a big hug. “I love you, Daddy.”

Jack embraced her, catching Joe’s eyes. Joe gave him a thumbs up. “I love you, too, darling.”

They dined on what seemed like a feast. At least compared to lately. Carla had brought mostly canned goods to their sanctuary, but also some perishables; the beef patties and buns, pre-made potato salad and crisp apples. Along with chips and soda, they ate to their hearts’ content. Jared remained close to Anna. He seemed relieved by her calmness. But she knew he was dying to ask her what had changed, but wouldn’t dare, lest he jinx her good mood.

He didn’t have to wait long. The group had finished dinner, grateful for full bellies, when she spoke, “I’ve been thinking about the ear thing.” Anna glanced around to see all watching her. “The thing is, we don’t know if it will work.”

“
But honey, we don’t know that it
won’t
work either,” Jack countered.

Anna took a deep breath. “I guess that’s true. But I know you will all take care of me.” She meant the drowning cure, and they knew it. “Daddy, if you could do it—and Uncle Joe and Mike—then I can do it, too.”

The great hall was silent. Jack was about to speak when Anna raised her hand. “It’s the only way to be sure. I mean, if you cut off my ear,” she couldn’t believe she was actually saying that, “then we still won’t know. The waiting period could be slower. And in the end, it still might not work. I want both of my ears. I want to live as a whole human being.” She paused, looked each of them in the eye. “And, so, I choose the water cure.”

Chapter Six

After dinner, the group locked up the observatory to go get more food and supplies from Jack’s Los Feliz home. Covering each other as they scurried to their respective cars, they took out six more zombies.

Filthy business,
thought Jack. How many had they killed now? Dozens, certainly. Dozens and dozens.

The trip down to the house was mostly uneventful. They swerved around a handful more of the infected gathered over what appeared to be a dog carcass.

When they reached the house, everyone piled in and locked the doors and windows after doing a perimeter and interior sweep.

Home sweet home.

* * *

“
I’m going alone,” Carla was saying. She gave Jack that ‘I dare you to argue’ look. He hated that look, and stepped closer to her. They were alone in the kitchen; the others were upstairs watching a DVD movie. The cable was out, but the electricity still worked. For now.

“
But why?” he asked.

“
I already told you why. I want to see what’s happening out there, Jack, and I can do it better on my own. I don’t need someone breathing down my neck. Besides, you should stay with your daughter.”

“
She’s in good hands with Joe,” he said, indignantly. He suddenly felt a premonition that if she left, he’d never see her again. “Let me come with you. Please.”

Carla sighed. “I need this time to myself. It will help me wrap my head around what’s happening. Besides, it will give me a chance to see if I can learn anything new.”

“I get it. And I want to come with you—”

“
Accept you’re ignoring that I want to be
alone.”

“
Being alone, in these times, is a bad idea!”

“
Just a couple of hours,” Carla insisted. “I have my radio, and you have one. I just need an hour to clear my head.”

“
Where are you going?”

“
The station.”

He took a seat in the kitchen. Defeated. “All right... fine. But I want you to tell me when you get there, what’s out there, and call me again when you leave. Okay? Is that too much to ask?”

Carla knelt before him, smiling lovingly. She took his hands and kissed them. “I’ll be back before you know it. Thank you, Jack.”

He waited for her to leave the house and then ran upstairs. Everyone was gathered in his bedroom watching
Rush Hour
. Singing along with the “War” song.

“
I’m going with Carla to check out a few things at the police station,” He told Joe. “Be back in an hour or so.”

Jack’s brother muted the movie. “You want some company?”

“Naw,” Jack answered, smoothly. “I’m just going with her while she gets the latest news. We’ll be fine. Got your radio on?”

Joe nodded and watched his brother carefully as Jack gave him a fake smile and left.

* * *

The Los Feliz Police Department parking lot was empty.

Carla frowned at the lack of staff cars. She’d seen increasing numbers of people walking around dazed—more than double the number of zombies she’d seen on the drive just a couple of days before. She parked, checked her gun and got out of the car.

The ever-present front desk officer was noticeably missing from the lobby. The halls were lit, but empty as well. “Hello?” she called out. The last thing she wanted was to surprise a colleague.

She moved cautiously down the empty hall closest to her. There was a small holding tank to the left. Three men sat inside, but when they saw her, they jumped up. “Hey! Hey, Officer!”

She paused in front of the cell.

“You gotta get us out of here,” one of them said, a young man with a stubbly beard. “It’s not safe. We’re locked in here, and there are some seriously screwed up crazy people out there! Ya know what I mean?”

“
You’re safer here,” Carla answered with police-like authority.

An older, disheveled man said, “Miss Officer. I don’t want to contradict you, but—”

“Watch out!” It was the younger man who yelled. Carla’s ears pricked at movement behind her. She spun around.

“
Taylor?” She barely recognized the officer. He didn’t know her either; he moved toward her slowly, his arms hanging down by his side, the pose she had come to dread.

“
Move back, Taylor. This is an order.” He didn’t obey, dragging his feet. She backed up, careful to avoid reaching distance of the inmates. “Stop!” she said again.