Dead Endz Read online

  Carly’s face darkened. “That seriously sounds like a crock of shit. They really won’t let you see her?”

  Kris stood up and began pacing. “I demanded they let me see her and Dr. Hill refused, saying it wasn’t his call. I don’t know what else to do, dammit!”

  “Have you spoken to your husband?”

  She shook her head. “No, I can’t get a hold of him. His cell phone must have died. At least that’s what I’m hoping and it isn’t something else.”

  Carly’s lips tightened. “If they are refusing to let you see her, than you have to take matters into your own hands. Shoot, I’ll even help you.”

  Kris stared at her. “Really?”

  She nodded. “Of course. Let’s start right now by sneaking into her room.”

  Kris sighed. “If it were only that easy, she isn’t there. They’ve moved her.”

  Carly bit the side of her lip. “What about the research lab? I hate to say this but maybe they’re experimenting on her.”

  She clenched her jaw. “They’d better not be or I’ll kill every last one of them. I swear to God…”

  ***

  They needed a plan and by the end of the day, they had one. Carly, with her voluptuous curves, blond hair and bright blue eyes had gotten the attention of one of the soldiers. It was obvious that he liked her and she was going to use her all of her feminine wiles to help locate Allie.

  “So, I’m going to talk him into giving me a tour of this place. He’s been trying to get me alone and I’m going to give him the opportunity this time, so we can find your daughter.”

  “Oh, Carly, you don’t have to go that extreme. It just wouldn’t be right,” said Kris.

  She smiled. “I’m not going to jump in the sack with the guy. I’m just going to sweet talk him into giving me a private tour. I might let him kiss me, cop a feel, but nothing more. Don’t worry,” she said, shaking Kris’s shoulders playfully. “I know what I’m doing. I’m a grown woman.”

  Kris sighed. “Just be careful.”

  “If I can help you find your daughter, it’s worth being a little friendly to one of the soldiers. You’ve been so kind to me and I want to return the favor. I mean…the fact that they’re keeping your daughter from you, actually lying to your face is really pissing me off.”

  She frowned. “It’s infuriating, isn’t it?”

  “Damn right it is! But don’t you worry, hon; we’ll find Allie and then get the hell out of here. I’m not going to sit around and let them do this shit to you.”

  Kris’s eyes filled with tears again. “I don’t know what to say, you’re amazing.”

  She smiled and then looked over Kris’s head towards the door. “Showtime…here comes stud muffin,” she said under her breath.

  Kris turned around and sure enough, Lieutenant Michael Smith stood just outside of the door, his eyes lighting up the moment he saw Carly.

  Carly flipped her long blond curls and batted her eyelashes. “Well hello there Lieutenant. Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”

  He grinned. “Now, I told you to just call me Mike,” he said, and walked into the room. He was younger than Carly, maybe early twenties. From the love-struck look in his blue eyes, he was already putty in her hands.

  “Can I talk to you for a minute, Mike? Alone?” asked Carly, walking towards him, her hips swaying seductively.

  He licked his lips and nodded. “Of course.”

  She looped her arm through his and guided him out of the room. “You’re arms are so firm. Do you work out?”

  Kris chuckled and then sprawled out on top of her cot. She closed her eyes and as usual, her thoughts went to her family. She missed them terribly and prayed silently they were all safe. It had been almost a week since she’d spoken to Dave and even longer for Cassie. The last she’d heard was that Cassie had escaped the clutches of the soldier from Texas, Austin, who she herself had actually saved the night the zombies showed up. She’d been very upset with the news but Dave had assured her that Cassie was doing well and that they were all on their way to Atlanta. But that was a while ago and they had yet to arrive. Now that Allie had been moved to a different facility, the chance of them meeting up seemed to be getting slimmer every day.

  Chapter Four

  He made it to Atlanta in record time. The motorcycle had been a good choice when it came to weaving through the crowds of zombies and the countless abandoned cars. The problem was that he didn’t know where to start once he crossed into the city so he decided to wing it. He’d drive until it felt right to stop.

  He found many of the tourist attractions in Atlanta right away, including a very popular one, the Georgia Aquarium, but unfortunately it did nothing for him. There was no pull, nothing. It was, however, crawling with zombies who were a little too excited about his arrival. He kicked it down as they approached the bike and drove further, until he was in an area of the city that appeared to have less walking dead traffic. As he began to relax, he noticed an abandoned mini mall in the middle of nowhere that looked inviting. He was thirsty and needed something to keep him going. It seemed to be less volatile than most other places he’d driven passed.

  He parked the bike off to the side of the building and grabbed his ax. He then headed towards the small health food store in the center of the mall that had caught his eye. As he walked into the entrance he stepped over a couple of dead zombies that appeared to have been shot in the head. He tightened his grip on the ax and made a mental note to start looking for a gun, too.

  It was quiet and appeared to be void of people, living or dead. Fortunately, there was also plenty of non-perishable food. He grabbed a canvas bag and started filling it with protein bars, energy drinks, and water. As it started to get heavier, he thought about trading in his motorcycle for a truck or SUV. He could carry more and have a place to sleep if needed. The question was gasoline; could he still acquire it and how long would that last?

  He clenched his jaw as his head started to throb again, then sat down behind the store’s counter and took more pain reliever, hoping the pain would subside quickly so he could get moving again. As he began to relax, more images of people flashed through his mind; this time of two men aiming guns at him and shouting pretty angrily. Quickly, the images faded and he couldn’t recall anything more.

  The memory lapse was really starting to piss him off.

  He grunted and then stood up, stretching his arms. It was definitely time to move on.

  He grabbed his bag of supplies and headed for the exit, halting in his tracks when he noticed the van in the parking lot.

  Shit.

  He ducked down as a man got out; a man that was built like a brick shithouse. Something about him looked vaguely familiar but also very dangerous, so he decided not to approach. Especially after his recent memories of being shot at.

  There was laughter coming from somewhere in the van.

  He crawled closer to one of the store’s broken windows and watched as the man walked around to the passenger window and kissed a woman with long dark hair. She smiled and pointed towards the store next to the one he was hiding, which was a tobacco shop. Something about her also niggled at his brain, but he just couldn’t place it. It didn’t matter though, after what he’d been through, he wasn’t about to approach them, especially with the incredible hulk holding such a large powerful rifle.

  “Aw…thanks hon!” called the woman as the large man stalked towards the tobacco store.

  He ducked down so the big mug wouldn’t spot him, thankful that he’d hidden the motorcycle in a fairly inconspicuous spot. He watched and waited until the man returned empty handed which produced an immediate scowl on the woman’s face.

  “It’s a sign,” echoed the man’s voice in the parking lot. It was high and unusual for such a muscle bound guy. “Someone else ransacked the place…no smokes left, babe. No cigars or chew either, sorry gramps,” he motioned to someone else in the back of the van. “You should both quit smoking anyway. You’ll live longer.”
/>
  The woman snorted. “Hell, I don’t think I’ll survive another day if I don’t get my hands on a cigarette. Damn thieves.”

  His lips curled up at the woman’s logic; considering he probably wouldn’t have left any money on the counter for her smokes either.

  “What about the store next to it?” she asked, pointing.

  Her “hon” shook his head. “Are you kidding me? That’s a health food place. Everything in there is natural and good for you.”

  “Natural, huh? Maybe they have those clove cigarettes? Aren’t those supposed to be better for you? All natural?”

  The man burst out laughing and then got back into the van. A minute later they were peeling out of the parking lot.

  “Wow, do you know who that was?” blurted an excited voice behind him

  He dropped the bag of food and whipped around to find a teen-aged boy staring at him. The boy’s face turned white when he noticed his firm grip on the ax and he took a step backwards.

  He lowered the weapon. “You scared the shit out of me, kid. Don’t ever sneak up on someone like that again. It’s dangerous.”

  “Sorry,” he replied. “I saw you and then I saw Tiny. It freaked me out to see a real live celebrity in the parking lot.”

  He stared at the tall lanky boy who couldn’t have been more than thirteen or fourteen. His red hair was messy and his face was caked with dirt.

  “Who’s Tiny?” he asked the boy.

  The kid stared at his “I love hooters” t-shirt and grinned, his mouth full of metal. “Far out dude, love the shirt!”

  He didn’t respond.

  “Yeah…um…Tiny’s a famous wrestler. Everyone knows Tiny.”

  Seriously? Tiny? .

  He bent down and picked up his supplies from the floor. “You all alone?”

  The boy looked away. “My parents…they’re…”

  He sighed. “Gone, huh?”

  The kid’s lower lip trembled slightly and it took him a while before he answered. “Yeah.”

  Something tugged at his heartstrings and he sighed. “Well, you’re welcome to tag along with me, if you want, that is. I’ve been thinking about trading in my motorcycle for something bigger, anyway.”

  The boy’s green eyes lit up. “You have a motorcycle?”

  He smiled at the kid’s excitement. “I do at the moment.”

  “Sweet. I was getting tired of this place, anyway.”

  He nodded. “It’s also way too dangerous to be alone.”

  “I’m Luke, by the way,” said the boy, holding out his pale hand.

  He shook it. “Nice to meet you, Luke.”

  Luke tilted his head and smiled. “And you are…?”

  He sighed and scratched his head. “The hell if I know, kid.”

  Chapter Five

  Their bad luck started when they arrived at “Fred’s Gas and Go” in Deer Ridge. The station had appeared promising from the outside, but on the inside it had been totally cleared out. No food or beverages, no first aid supplies, and definitely not any kind of tobacco products. The one thing they did luck out on was maps. Nobody cared enough to steal them.

  Apparently most people have enough common sense to understand things like, road signs, thought Paige. Everyone but Tiny…the dumb ass.

  Henry had been the first one back inside the van with the news. He’d sat down, then opened his empty can of chew and grimaced. “No cigars and no tobaccy; the world has truly gone to pot.”

  Kylie, who was still groggy from sleeping, lifted her head from the seat. “The world is on pot? But that’s against the law!”

  Paige turned to her. “No, he means the world sucks, worse than ever.”

  Kylie bit the side of her lip. “Oh.”

  Henry shook his head. “We need to get to Atlanta before my blood pressure settles. I’m sure we’ll find something there. Tobacco’s the only thing keeping me on my toes, by golly.”

  Paige raised her eyebrows. “What kind of logic is that? High blood pressure can kill you, Henry.”

  Henry shrugged. “At least I’ll go out with a spring in my step, little lady. When you get to be my age, you use whatever you can to keep you ticker pumping.”

  “Even when it’s too fast?”

  He nodded. “You’re damn tootin.”

  Paige didn’t feel like arguing so she just dropped it.

  “Where’s mom and Tiny?” asked Kylie, stretching her arms.

  Henry cackled and said, “Why I believe they’re finding other ways to keep the heart pumping.”

  Paige groaned. “Seriously, Henry…”

  “See,” said Henry, motioning outside. “They’re getting their exercise.”

  Tiny and Kristie were running towards the SUV followed by a mob of zombies. She was screaming bloody murder although Tiny looked more excited than anything.

  “Jesus, let’s get the hell out of this town,” hollered Kristie as she slammed the door. She was out of breath and her hands were shaking.

  Tiny got in. “Did you see that? I haven’t had that kind of rush since my last cage match in Chicago. That was intense!”

  Paige snorted. “Like your cage matches are anything compared to this crap.”

  “Even though you know it’s staged,” he said, his eyes shining, “you can’t help but feel the adrenaline rush, man. I’m going to really miss wrestling.”

  The zombies surrounded the van and Kylie began to whimper as even more staggered towards them from other parts of town. Soon, there was hundreds of disfigured undead crowding the truck, some even crawling onto the hood and slobbering all over it.

  “It’s okay, baby,” said Kristie, reaching back towards her youngest. “Tiny’s going to get us out of here.”

  “Jesus,” scowled Henry, looking sick. “I never thought I’d live to say this, but Tiny, put the pedal to the metal and get me away from those knockers!”

  A naked female zombie was pressed up against his window, her fleshy breasts now a cesspool of squirming maggots and oozing sores. She began licking the glass with her blackened tongue and even Henry shuddered at the horrifying sight.

  “I think she likes you Henry,” chuckled Kristie.

  “Jesus, woman…my standards are higher than that,” he said gruffly. “That one’s not even breathing.”

  Paige smiled. “But look at the longing in her eyes. You’re going to break her black heart.”

  “Better that than her eating mine!” he snapped.

  The zombies were beginning to slap and hit the glass so loud, it sounded close to breaking.

  “Okay, enough gawking at the animals,” said Paige. “Get us out of here, Tiny.”

  “Ready babe?” he asked Kristie, rubbing her knee.

  She nodded. “Oh, yeah. Let’s move before they figure out a way in and Ol’ here Henry gets molested.”

  “Mom, that’s so not funny,” said Kylie, crossing her arms under her chest. “This is a very serious situation.”

  “Sorry, sweetie,” she answered, trying to keep a straight face.

  Tiny put it in drive and floored it, knocking several zombies down, many of them catching under the tires. The sounds of bones crunching and the groans from the zombies shut everyone up and it wasn’t until they were well past the mob that everyone began to breathe normally again.

  Kristie studied the map they’d grabbed and directed Tiny so they made it to Atlanta within forty-five minutes. On the way to the C.D.C. she hollered at him to stop at a small mini mall.

  “Tobacco Shop,” she pointed, with a triumphant smile.

  “Oh for heaven’s sake,” groaned Paige. “Enough with the nic-fit, mom.”

  “Quit being so sassy, Blondie,” piped in Henry. “Tiny, you just pull into that parking lot and make this woman of yours happy.”

  Tiny sighed. “Fine.”

  “Oh, and get me a tin of chew while you’re in there, son. And if they have cigars, I prefer them Montecriscos.”

  “You mean Montecristos?” asked Tiny.

&nbs
p; “Yeah. Whatever.”

  “I’ll see what they have.”

  “I knew you had an agenda,” muttered Paige.

  “Don’t talk back to your elders, kid,” answered Henry.

  When Tiny returned without anything, both her mother and Henry became very surly.

  “Come on, babe,” said Tiny, grabbing Kristie’s hand. “You told me earlier that you’d stopped smoking for a couple of years. You can handle this.”

  Kristie scowled. “That was pre-zombies. Now I’ve found that smoking is the only way I can manage my Z.S.S.”

  “Z.S.S.?” he asked.

  “Her Zombie Stress Syndrome,” muttered Paige.

  “Jesus Christ, I think I have that, too!” hollered Henry, sitting up straighter. “I knew there had to be a name for it.”

  “For the love of God…we’re wasting time!” cried Paige. “Forget Z.S.S and B.S.S. and let’s do what we came here to do; find our friends? They might need our help. Heck, they could be dead for all we know while we’re tooling around town on the hunt for nicotine!”

  The van was completely silent after Paige’s outburst. Nobody said a word, not even Henry.

  Kristie cleared her throat, then grabbed the map and started charting a course to the C.D.C., which, fortunately, wasn’t very far. When they arrived, Paige’s heart took a plunge; the place looked utterly abandoned.

  “What now?” groaned Paige.

  The large glass building which had always seemed impressive on CNN, looked very dismal now. Windows were broken, trash blew across the once manicured lawns, and zombies stumbled in an out of the entrance. It was like a bad horror movie.

  “Don’t worry, Paige. We certainly didn’t come all this way for nothing,” said Kristie. “We’ll just sit and wait for something to happen.”

  Tiny nodded. “Or… I could go in and look around if you want.”