Outbreak The Beginning (The Outbreak Series Book 1) (8 page)

Chapter 14

Hank and I walk though the dining room and head down the basement stairs. “Ok Hank down here there are 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, and a laundry and weight rooms. This is Nate’s room here on the right and on the left is the weight room.”

I open the door and walk in. Hank looks around and see’s there’s a full size refrigerator in there and he looks at a door that leads under the stairs. It’s locked so he grabs his keys and flips through them looking at me with a question in his eyes.

“It’s the gun room,” I tell him and he gets the right key and opens it and walks in. I follow behind him and he starts looking around.

He turns to me and says, “Wow Egypt you have an armory down here. I knew you were buying ammo and guns but I guess I just didn’t realize how much you really have. This is really, really good we’re going to need this and more.”

We walk out of the gun room and back into the weight room. He makes sure the door is locked and we head out into the hallway. We go into the rec room and he looks around in each of the rooms. When he’s done we head back upstairs and out to the garage. He stops on the last step and I almost run into the back of him. I know this is a lot to take in. He continues down in the garage and walks over to Nate and sits down. They start talking about all the computers so I sit on the bottom step and just listen.

About 30 minutes later he gets up and asks, “So Egypt anything else you need to show me?”

“Yep’ sure is Hank!” I walk over to the steps that lead under the garage and unlock the door and open it. I motion for him to go down. He shakes his head and heads down the stairs. At the bottom he finds the key to open the storage doors and walks in. He looks around, walks into the adjoining room and comes back out.

“Egypt I must admit I really thought you were just plain old crazy when you’d buy stuff like this. But my God!!! I think you just gave us the chance to live through this,” he says.

He walks up and hugs me. Wrapping my arms around him I feel safe, like the world can’t touch me. For a while there, I can just be me, not someone that’s in charge of everything. Letting go I step back and smile at him.

“I’m not crazy Hank. I just thought in the back of my mind that this really could be a possibility and if it did happen I wanted to be ready!”

Laughing, he grabs my hand and we head back up stairs to the garage. “Well time for a drink, I think!!” Hank says.

“Wait Hank, one more thing.” I head up the stairs to the roof. He follows me up and is awestruck.

We walk around looking everywhere. This is amazing and a very good advantage point. He sits down in one of the chairs and I do the same. Looking over to the stairs I hear someone coming up fast…

It’s Nate and by the look on his face it can’t be good news. He stops in front of us and tosses us each a Dr. Pepper Cherry. Looking at both of us he shifts from one foot to the other.

“Mom that was Pete on the phone they have 15 minutes left on the highway and it sounds like they are being followed or chased.  And it’s not in a good way. They said they’re being shot at!!”

Jumping up!!! Jogging to the steps I yell behind me, “Nate get them back on the phone and find out which way they’re coming. Tell them we’ll head right to them. Don’t stop for anything. Grab the M4 Carbines, extra ammo and get in the SUV.” I say.

Hitting the bottom of the steps, Nate goes past me into the house and down the basement. I say, “Hank, you’re in charge while we’re gone. I’m hoping that it won’t take too long but be ready when we get back we may have company.” I head to my bedroom, Hank is right behind me.

“Listen Egypt, you may have to kill those people that are after them. It’s everyone for themselves just shoot and think about it later. You hear me!! It’s you or them. Got it?”

“Yeah Hank I got it.” Running to the bathroom I quickly change into jeans and tank top. I run to the closet and look for my boots. Where are they? Looking around I see Hank holding them out. Just like him to be a step ahead of me. I grab them and put them on. Just as I finish up my mom comes rushing in with Tabby in tow. Hank jumps up and starts talking before I have to hear what everyone has to say.

“Listen you guys, she has to go. So don’t go whining and making her feel guilty! She can handle this, so trust me,” Hank says.

I really don’t have time to listen to all this. I hug them all and head out to the driveway. I have my 9mm on my hip and Nate tosses me the M4.

“Mom wait we’ll take my truck,” Nate says.

Nodding yes, I hop up into the passenger seat. “Ya buddy you’re driving, that way I can shoot freely if I need to,” I say.

Liam hits the code and opens the gate and we head out to meet them. I don’t know what we’re getting into I just know we have a ways to go. They are still on the highway two exits from ours.

“Nate don’t worry about the speed limit. Just GO.”

We drive by my mom’s house. I can see that there’re windows already broken. Man that was fast only hours of leaving and they start. Well I know nothing of importance is left in there. But man that still hurts and makes me mad. I see that Nate notices it too as he slows down a bit.

“Nate. Don’t!! We need to just go we can’t change it or stop it,” I say.

Nate hits the gas and we lurch forward. We get to the end of our street and turn right onto Duck Creek Road. This is the way to the school. It wasn’t that long ago that I had to come this way to get my boys. Shivering I really don’t want to think about what happened. Or what it looks like now for that matter.

We get to the intersection of 224 and turn left. We are coming up to the school on the right and nothing could prepare me for what we were about to see. As we passed the school, Nate slowed down so that he could get a good look. Maybe this is what we really needed, a reality check. Most of the building was gone. In places it’s still smoldering. The smell is enough to make you lose your lunch. There are those zombie things just walking around. Some are still bending over the ones on the ground tearing out their insides. There’s blood and body parts all over the place. I put my hand over my mouth to stop from throwing up or gagging I don’t know. Some are walking around chewing on torsos missing arms and with guts trailing out. I see a few adults walking around or trying to maybe looking for their kids to see if they can find them, or maybe just to see if they are still around. Wiping tears from my cheeks, I know there’s nothing I can do for them. I just feel their hearts breaking as I know mine would do if things were reversed and I was looking instead of them! I reach over and grab Nate’s hand and give it a squeeze.

“Babe just go!! Let’s get out of here,” I say.

I know it has to be hard on him. He lived it just 24 hours ago. Some, if not all his friends didn’t make it. I know at one time he had two girls with him. I will have to ask about them but I don’t think now would be a good time to get into that.

We come up to the intersection with the Berlin Bear at the corner. We turn right and head to the highway in less than 20 minutes we will be at the highway. I wonder what those guys want. It really can’t be good. I mean come on. It’s the zombie apocalypse. I mean, at a time like this it could be anything. Theft, rape, carjacking, all those are bad.

Looking over at the speedometer, he’s going 80 mph, wow that would be one hell of a ticket.

Nate breaks me out of my day dreaming. “Mom there’s an RV heading right at us and I got Pete on the phone. What do you want them to do?” he asks.

“Tell him to blow right past us and then about a half mile out stop. Tell him we will be right by him NOW. Back into this driveway we will wait here as they go past and get behind them,” I say.

Nate talks on the phone fast. I can only hear what he’s telling them. He gets off the phone and says, “Mom, listen they brought two of Pete’s Fire Fighters friends with them, they are in the truck behind the RV. So just be careful of them.”

“What the hell did they bring people with them for? Damn it we can’t turn them away now I guess but still, they’re outsiders. This was a family thing.” The more people we have at the house, the harder it will be to take care of everyone!! How can I trust strangers?

Nate interrupts me, “Mom, here they come!! You can bitch out Uncle Pete when we all get home safe. For now lock and load mommy dearest, we got some bad guys to shoot!”

Shaking my head I grab my 9mm and slide it back. The RV flies past with the truck close behind and another truck with what looks to be 4 people in it. Nate peels out of the driveway and gets as close to the truck as he can. A woman looks out the back window and says something to the guys up front.

“That’s right bitch! We’re coming for you!” I say out loud before I can catch myself. Nate chuckles.

All of a sudden The RV in front hits the brakes and comes to a stop. The other trucks follows suit. Nate was smart he stayed back a bit so when he stops we were about 300 feet behind the assholes.

Here we go, I jump out and stay to the side of the truck for cover and Nate does the same. Pete’s friends do the same. They look like they have shot guns and one has a crossbow. Really?? This isn’t the Walking Dead and he sure isn’t Daryl. I snort and shake my head whatever.

I aim my gun at the people getting out of the truck. I can see into the back of the RV and Pete gets out with some kind of hand gun. Does he even know how to use it? Rolling my eyes. Oh never mind that!!

“Get out of your truck with your hands up NOW!!” I yell at them.

Nate is on the other side of the truck with his rifle aimed right at the driver’s head. That guy doesn’t understand that Nate can hit him from over 500 feet!! He may just look like a punk teenage boy but he’s deadly with a rifle. We can thank Hank for that!

Their doors open up slowly and they get out. I hear a crack and a ping right next to me. Son of a bitch they just shot at me!! Nate pulls the trigger and takes the driver out in the knee, he goes down screaming.

Good boy Nate!! That will teach that asshole not to shoot at someone’s mom ever again.

“Stop your shooting or I swear to God we will take you all out!!’ I yell at them. “Let’s work this out without anyone else getting hurt!” 

The one huge guy on the passenger side spoke up, “Really, no one getting hurt, you fucking bitch!! That kid just shot my brother!! I’m fucking going to make you wish you never came out here. I can’t wait to get my hands on that hot little body of yours!!” He grins slowly at me.

I totally understand his meaning. The pig! Pete’s friend takes aim and I shake my head no. Nate let out a low growl.

“Easy Nate!” I say.

He just keeps staring at the guys out in front of us. The woman that’s with them keeps giving me dirty looks. I’m not worried about her I know if push comes to shove, I can take her.

“Listen, for the last fucking time, put your guns down. And no one ELSE will get shoot. Why are you following the RV anyways?” I say.

Chapter 15

“We wanted it, you bitch, we’re hungry and we could live in there,” the woman says.

“Ok bitch really? Do you know me? I think not so shut the hell up!!” I say. I’m now really getting pissed at that bitch. She wants to hurt my family and take what’s theirs.

“And that bitch in the RV was throwing things out the window and almost making us wreck,” she says.

Chuckling, I look dead at her. “That bitch as you call her is my sister!! So don’t be calling her a bitch. Only I can do that,” I say.

Looking at Pete I say, “Pete get in the RV and go! Your friends and I we will stay here and not let these morons follow you guys. Nate go with them.”

“Mom no!!” Nate starts to say.

I head around the truck. “Go Nate! I need you with them. Nate make sure they get home. You know I have to do this. Think of everyone back home. What could happen to them? I will hitch a ride with Pete’s friends they can’t be bad or Pete wouldn’t bring them with him you know that.”

“Ok Mom I’ll do it but I don’t like it!!” He grumbles and gets into his truck, starts it heads around the other truck.

I see Pete talking to one of the two guys that came with him and they both look at me. The guy nods and Pete gets into the RV and pulls away. I keep my 9mm pointed at the others until they are far enough away that I know they can’t shoot at them. Looking over at the two that Pete brought with them, they have their guns trained on them as well.

“Ok guys listen up I’m going to come and take your keys out of your truck and walk right on by. You stay where you are or I’ll shoot the shit out of you. You hear me?” I say.

They start grumbling and I know I’m going to have trouble with that woman. Grinning, I hope I do. I need to let off some steam. It’s been all bottled up for way too long. I start walking and the guys keep their guns trained on the others. I get to the truck and reach in and grab the keys. I stand up and turn around when that woman plows into me, knocking us both to the ground. I land hard! Ugh!! Knocking the wind out of me a little I lay there stunned looking up into her grinning face. I grab at her hair and yank to the side to get her off of me. The others run forward but I don’t take my eyes off the woman.

“No don’t. I got this! Keep them other fuckers from coming any closer!!” I say to them.

The one guy that I talked to before chuckles and shakes his head. “There’s no way I’m getting in the middle of this. This is going to be good,” he says.

I look at him. “Shut the hell up, you ass, or your next.”

I never get to hear what he was about to say because at the same time that woman rushes me again and I see the Daryl guy pistol whip the other guy. He falls to his knees. I hit the ground for the second time today, hard! Fuck!! That’s it now I’m pissed. I elbow her in the nose and she falls off the side of me. Getting up I grab her by her hair to make her stand.

“You stupid bitch!!” I yell and punch her right in the mouth. She hits the ground and gets back up slowly. Looking at her she’s got blood coming from her nose and mouth!! I might have even knocked a few teeth loose. She takes a swing at me and just grazes my check. I come back with a kick into the stomach and knock her on her knees.

“Stop, stop, I won’t do it again,” she says.

I swing my leg around and connect my foot to her face and she goes down. I bend down and grab her by the hair I pull her face up. She has blood coming out of her mouth like one of those zombies.

“I ever catch you around my house OR my family I will kill you without a thought!!You hear me?” I say.

She nods her head yes and I let go of her hair. I look up at where the guys are standing and I see the one with the bow grinning, shaking his head.

“What so fucking funny?” I say to him.

“Nothing,” he says and walks over to me. He throws a first aid kit at the guy on the ground. “You ready to go ninja girl!!” 

Grinning, I nod my head yes and start walking away.

“Hey wait,” the guy on the ground says. “You can’t leave us out here like this. We’ll die!”

I turn around and look at them all. “I’ll drop your keys about three miles down the road. You can get them there. But don’t let me see any of you again or next time I will shoot first talk later!!” I say.

Turning around I head to the truck and hop in. I scoot to the middle and crossbow guy gets in next to me. The other guy gets in and takes off. Wow this is a little weird I don’t know either of them.

“So I’m Egypt. Gabby’s little sister,” I say.

The crossbow guy talks up, “I’m Sal and this is Mack.”

“Nice to meet you, Egypt,” they both say.

“Nice to meet you too. Wish this was under better circumstances, but I guess this is all we have.” 

“Hey where did you learn how to fight like that? Man you could have kicked her ass. I know you was holding back,” Sal says, laughing.

“I took self-defense classes and stuff like that,” I say.

We slip into a comfortable silence for a while. Sitting in the middle of these two guys is a bit uncomfortable. Looking out of the corner of my eye I glance at Sal. He’s well built way taller than my five-foot-one-inch self. He’s a little scruffy around the edges and has arms the size of trees. Looking into his face I see that he’s grinning looking right back at me. Blushing I look away, great!! He just had to have noticed me checking him out. What’s a girl supposed to do?

Looking up at where we’re at. “Hey, we need to make a left coming up at the blinking light.” Digging out my cell phone I punch in Nate’s number and hold it to my ear. It doesn’t even ring once and he’s picked it up.

“Mom are you ok? Where are you? You need me to come get you I can turn around?”

“Stop Nate! I’m fine,” I tell him. “We are just coming up to 224. We will be home soon. How are you guys? Are you at the house yet?”

“Yeah, we are just pulling in Mom. Those things are everywhere and be careful of those guys you’re with.” He pauses like he’s thinking what to say next.

“Nate I’m fine. You’ll like Rambo and Daryl!!” I say laughing. Cute names I gave them I think. I look at them and they don’t look that happy about the new names. “OK babe I’ll see you when we get home. Have Uncle Pete drive the RV in the back. Our ETA is about 20 minutes. Love ya babe,”

“Love ya Mom and Mom be careful,” Nate says.

I put my phone in my pocket and I see Mack is grinning. “What?” I say to him.

“Was that your son?” he asks.

“Yes, he’s my oldest out of the boys.”

“He’s a bit protective of you isn’t he? He doesn’t trust us to bring his mommy back safe and sound? If he’d seen his mom about 15 minutes ago he wouldn’t think like that.”

“Whoa, whoa. First off, it’s been five years with just them and me. And we’re a close family. So if he worries about me what of it? And you’re right I can handle myself. That’s never been a problem,” I say.

“Sorry I wasn’t trying to be rude ya know, just stating a fact,” Mack says.

“No you were just being a prick and don’t say that you weren’t!!”

“Ok guys let’s take the fight to the zombies not between us,” Sal says looking over at us.

I see that Mack has slowed down as we pass the school. They both stare at the school like they can’t believe this is happening.

Sal looks at me and asks, “Is that where your boys went to school? Did you have to go save them?”

Looking him in the eyes, I shake my head yes. I don’t want to relive the horrors of that day but I know at some point it will be talked about. Now however, is just not the time!

I look away from him and look straight ahead. I don’t need to see it again and again.

“Hey Mack speed it up will ya man!”

I look at Sal, grateful that he has said something. Mack hits the gas and we are at Duck Creek in no time at all.

“Hey make a right here,” I tell Mack.

We make it to Berlin Station Rd in three minutes flat. I have to say that guy can drive. He doesn’t slow down when we turn on the road. I slam into Sal, just about falling into his lap. Mm, his body is hard. Grinning he sits me back up and I mumble sorry to him. My face has to be the reddest shade I’ve ever had. 

“Hey you know what the brakes do?” I ask Mack.

“Nope thought we were in a hurry to get back,” he says.

“Really?” Giving him a dirty look I shake my head.

We are just about at my mom’s house. “Hey slow down and turn into the driveway on the right. I want to check it out. It’s my mom and dad’s house and earlier when we came through here I saw that windows were broken,” I say.

“What? Is your mom and dad still there?” Sal says.

“No they’re up at my house but the house was only left empty five hours ago,” I say. “It sure doesn’t take long for looters to start in on it. They must have been watching the house for some time, just waiting for us to leave.”

They didn’t say anything as we pull in and head up the driveway. Mack stops the truck and we sit there for a few minutes looking over to Sal.

“Hey open up! I want to take a look around,” I say.

He looks around and opens up the door and gets out, so that I can do the same. I go to walk around him and he puts his hand on my arm. He looks down at his hand I notice that I’m bleeding from my shoulder. 

“Hey Egypt that needs to be looked at,” he says. “I bet it happened when that crazy bitch tackled you to the road.”

Looking at my shoulder, ugh it’s messed up pretty bad, looks like there might even be gravel in it. “It can wait. I want to check the house first. Why oh sexy EMT are you going to take care of it!!” I say grinning at him.

He looks me right in the eyes. “Well yes that’s what I do,” he says, grinning.

OK that backfired on me!! Blushing, I say, “I will get it looked at back home.” Grabbing my 9mm from my hip I walk past him and head into the garage. They are right behind me and just as armed.

“Listen Egypt, let one of us go in first. I mean you know us being guys and all,” Mack says.

“OMG no, you just didn’t!!!” Looking behind me, I say, “Don’t think you guys are going to pull that shit with me.” I head inside and things look the same in here. Heading to the door I slowly open it. I go up the steps and head into the kitchen.