Out Of The Fire Read online

  “Sure.” He turned and ushered Jake out of the room.

  Richard sat Harriet on the commode and pulled a hand towel from the rack. As he wet it, she continued to tremble and cry. “I’m so sorry. I never saw him.”

  “It’s okay, Honey. It’s not your fault. He came after you,” he soothed.

  Richard began wiping away the blood from her arms when she suddenly pulled away. Harriet hissed, “Ooh, that hurt.”

  Richard stared at her forearm and saw a nasty scratch along the inside of her arm. He looked up at her and met her gaze. “So, he scratched you?”

  “I guess so,” she responded softly.

  Richard smiled warmly and patted her arm. “It’s okay. We’ll get this disinfected and bandaged right up,” he said. He pulled down the bottle of hydrogen peroxide and poured a small amount across the scratch. She winced slightly as it foamed up. “Let it sit for just a moment, okay? I’ll be back to finish drying it and then we’ll bandage you all up, okay, sweetie?”

  She smiled at him and nodded and Richard kissed her forehead as he got up. He walked into the bedroom and pulled his pistol out of his pants again. As he felt the heavy steel weapon in his hand he glanced back at the open bathroom door, then at the bedroom door. Richard sighed and turned to the dresser. Their wedding picture still sat there, encased forever in the sterling silver frame. He picked it up gently and ran a finger down her cheek.

  “I’ll always love you,” he whispered.

  Tucking the pistol back into his pants, Richard walked out the bedroom door and pulled it shut behind him. He strode into the living room like a man on a mission. “Bill!”

  Bill came out of the kitchen with a piece of ham in his mouth. “Sorry, it looked too good to pass on.”

  “Come here,” Richard said as he grasped the wide screen TV mounted to the wall. With a slight pull, the TV slid out and to the side. Behind it was a false wall with a fire safe. “I need you to do something for me.”

  Bill watched him and got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knew it wasn’t the ham. “What are you doing, Richard?”

  Richard pressed his thumb to the scanner then punched in the buttons and the door opened. “I need you to take Jake home to his dad, please.”

  “Yeah, sure. As long as you come with me.”

  “I can’t.” Richard pulled out a black leather satchel. “Harriet was scratched,” he said solemnly, his eyes never leaving his purpose. “She only has a few moments, so I need to work quickly. I’d like to maybe spend a little time with her before she…” he trailed off.

  “Aww, hell,” Bill breathed. “We can wait. Maybe lock her up, come back for her later?”

  “I’ve got bearer bonds, gold, cash…my Rolex.”

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  “This is my cash. For in case things go bad.” He continued to stuff the items into the bag. “I think things have gone bad, don’t you?”

  “So, what are you doing?” Bill asked again.

  “This is yours now,” Richard said. “All you have to do is get my grandson home, safe and sound.”

  “No!” Bill grabbed Richard and spun him around. “I won’t do it. Not unless you come with me!”

  Richard staggered with the spin, but kept a hand up to hold the leather bag in place. He met Bill’s stare and his jaw ticked. “She’s my wife, Bill,” he said quietly. “For richer or poorer, sickness and in health. I can’t leave her like this.”

  “In just a little bit, she won’t be your wife any longer,” Bill said quietly, hoping his words would sink in.

  Richard smiled and patted his new friend gently on the face. “All the more reason I need to spend as much time with her as I can.” The sadness in his eyes was more than Bill could stand. “Please. Just use this to help get Jason home, the rest is yours. To help make your retirement years more comfortable.”

  Bill grimaced as he looked over his shoulder at Jason coming up the hall with his bag over his shoulder. He sighed heavily, then nodded. “Fine, I’ll do it. But I’m doing it for the kid.”

  Richard smiled and nodded, pulling the larger man into a hug. “I knew I could count on you,” he whispered in his ear. He let him go and turned back to his safe. As he continued to pull items out and stuff them in the bag, he hollered for Jason, “Jake!”

  “Yeah, grandpa?” he asked as he came up beside him.

  “Uncle Bill is going to take you home, okay, buddy?” Richard said. “I’m afraid Gram is going to need some special care, and I’m going to stay with her for a little bit,” he lied. “You need to listen to Uncle Bill. He used to be a cop you know.”

  Jason turned to Bill, “You’re my uncle? How come I never met you before?”

  “I was in Texas.”

  Richard finished packing the leather bag and handed it to Bill. “Remember what I told you,” he said. “The address is right here.” He handed him a folded slip of paper. Bill took it and slipped it into his shirt pocket.

  “I really wish you’d change your mind and come with us,” Bill said.

  Richard shook his head. “Can’t.” He looked down to Jake and squatted in front of the boy. “Give your Grandpa a hug.” He pulled the boy in and squeezed him tight. “I’m so sorry you have to go right back, Jake. I know you were really looking forward to staying, but…” Richard choked up a bit and looked up to Bill while he still held his grandson. “Just remember always that I love you, okay?”

  “I know, Grandpa,” Jason said as he hugged him back. “Tell Gram I love her, and I hope she gets to feeling better, okay?”

  “I will.” Richard’s tears started to form in his eyes.

  He motioned for Bill to take the boy before he lost his nerve. He watched them walk out the back door before he turned down the hall and toward the bedroom. He paused by the door and put his ear to it for just a moment. When he opened it, Harriet sat on the bed, her head in her hands.

  “Hey, sweetie. Ready for me to wrap that arm?”

  She looked up at him and shook her head. “I’m infected, aren’t I?”

  Richard contemplated lying to her. In all the years they’d been married, he’d never once lied. He couldn’t start now. “I don’t know. Maybe. Why do you ask?”

  She inhaled deeply and stared at him. “I feel hot,” she said. “And, there’s this.” She pointed to her eyes.

  Richard leaned in and saw that the whites of her eyes were beginning to fill with blood. He felt his lower jaw quiver as he sat down on the bed beside her. “Then, yeah. You are.” He nodded. He felt the tears run down his cheeks as she reached over and took his hand.

  “Where’s Jason?” she asked, suddenly worried.

  Richard smiled at her. “Bill is going to take him home.”

  She gasped slightly and cocked her head at him. “He’s going to drive him, instead of flying? That’s quite a drive.”

  Richard nodded. “He’s retired. What else is he going to do with his time?” He gently pressed his forehead to hers.

  For the next few moments the two sat quietly, heads pressed together, hands gently folded into each other’s. Finally, Harriet, pulled him close and kissed him. “Do you think it’s going to hurt?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

  Richard sniffed back the tears and shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll find out.”

  She looked at him, somewhat startled. “What do you mean, ‘we,’ big boy?”

  He squeezed her hand and stared at her. “Where you go, I go. For better or for worse, remember?” He smiled at her and the tears squeezed out of his eyes.

  Harriet shook her head adamantly. “No, Richard, I don’t want to live like that,” she said. “As soon as it happens, I thought you would…” She stared at him expectantly. “I’d hoped you’d put me out of my misery.”

  Richard’s mouth dropped open and he shook his head. “No, Harriet, you can’t ask me to do something like that.”

  She held his face in her hands, a tear escaping her eye. “Sweetheart, I didn�
��t think I’d have to ask you,” she said. “I would have thought certainly you’d know I wouldn’t want to live like that?”

  “You can’t ask me to…” Richard choked.

  Harriet suddenly winced. “Ooh, Richard?”

  He pulled in closer to her and squeezed her hand. “Yes, darling?”

  She shivered again and her shoulders nearly convulsed. “It does hurt,” she said through clenched teeth.

  “I’m here, my love.” Richard moved to her other side. “What do you want me to do?”

  She shook harder and fought to regain control of herself. She reached out for him, but, instead, grabbed the pillow. She sunk her nails into it and all but screamed, “Shoot me!”

  Richard stepped back away from her, his hand going for the pistol in his pants. As he pulled it and released the safety, he backed up to the wall and brought the barrel up to line up with her head. “I don’t know if I can,” he whispered.

  Harriet shook nearly to the point of convulsions, and Richard wanted nothing more than to load her in the car and rush her to the hospital. She suddenly snapped her head around and stared at him, her eyes a ruby red. She sniffed the air and cocked her head to the side as if trying to decide what exactly to do with him.

  Richard took one last look at his wife, and for the briefest moment, his mind registered the fact that, other than the red eyes, she looked just as beautiful now as she did the day he met her. Then she opened her mouth to scream and he squeezed the trigger.

  Colonel Vickers stepped from the helicopter and strode across the open space that was now filled with blowing trash. Major Chappell was hot on his heels, her hands full with paperwork and briefcases. Before the second chopper touched down, the side door was sliding open and men with automatic weapons were slipping out and falling to the ground below. The squad members quickly double timed it away from the chopper as it shut down its engines and began to power down.

  Colonel Vickers walked across the gravel lot and only gave a cursory glance at the natural amphitheater. He noted the equipment still on stage, the lights hanging askew, and the clothes and trash scattered about.

  “If those are blood smears, we’ll need samples before the CDC gets here,” he announced. “And have them set a perimeter all along the natural borders, here, here, there, there, and I want a set of eyes up on that hill.”

  Major Chappell nodded. “Consider it done, sir.” She glanced to the squad leader who simply nodded and hurried off to relay the colonel’s wishes. “And the Ghost Unit when it arrives?”

  “Let them do what they do best, major,” the colonel said as he pulled open the door to the Visitor’s Center. “Search and destroy.”

  “And are we caring about any non-infected civilian casualties, sir?” Major Chappell asked as the colonel led her through the room.

  The colonel paused for just a moment and shook his head. “Not particularly, however, if this is what we think it is, the infected will have a much higher body temperature,” he explained. “If we use thermal goggles to search out all living things, we should be able to tell infected from non-infected.”

  “And the primary mission, sir?”

  Vickers paused again and smiled at her. “Is still our primary mission, Major. If we can capture one or more of the subjects, preferably in pristine condition, then that is our primary objective.” He turned and headed for the office in the rear of the center. “But we are in no way to allow the CDC to know about the primary objective. The primary is strictly black book, off the record.” He paused at the door and pointed his finger at her. “Remember what I told you about plausible deniability? That’s why,” he reiterated as he tried the knob.

  Vickers stepped back half a step and stared at the locked door. “Your sidearm, Major,” he ordered as he held out his hand. Margaret Chappell pulled her Beretta 9mm and handed it to Colonel Vickers. He released the safety and aimed at the doorknob.

  The door opened just before Vickers squeezed the trigger. “Most people just fucking knock,” Hatcher spat as he stood and stared at the man with the gun in his hand.

  Vickers stood with the gun still aimed at Hatcher’s dangly bits and for just a moment, Daniel wondered if he might still pull the trigger. Vickers set the safety again and handed the weapon back to Major Chappell. He pasted on a smile that sent a cold chill down Hatcher’s back. “I’m Colonel Vickers. And you are?”

  “Ranger Daniel Hatcher.” Hatch did his best to keep a poker face. “This is my park and my office.”

  “Hatcher? I believe we spoke on the radio.” Vickers pushed his way in to the tiny office. “We’ll be setting this up as our primary command post, Major.” He ignored Hatcher and moved behind the desk. “Have the unit commander report to me here.”

  “Very well, sir.” Major Chappell turned to leave.

  “Hold on there just a moment.” Hatcher turned and faced Vickers. “I just told you, this is my office.”

  “Yes, and thank you for vacating it.” Vickers motioned toward the door. “I have a lot of work to do now, so…”

  Hatcher was just about to unload a double barrel mouthful of Grade A, Choice, Prime Cut curse words, when two men he’d not noticed appeared out of nowhere and scooped him up from under the arms and dragged him out of his own office. Vickers stuck his head out of the door and motioned to Hatcher, “Congratulations on getting out of that tower. I hope the rest of your people have as much luck in getting back here before my men go to work.”

  Chapter 3

  Buck and Skeeter continued down the hill, slipping from car to car, sliding between the parked vehicles, and when the occasion called for it, sliding under a taller vehicle if they thought they heard or saw something that was a bit too close. As the two now pressed themselves into the ground under an SUV, Skeeter peered past Buck to the rear of the auto.

  “I don’t see anything,” she whispered. “I think it’s clear.”

  Buck continued to lay where he was, his face turned away from her. Skeeter edged out farther and stole a quick glance in both directions. Sliding back to her hiding position, she tapped Buck. “The coast is clear. We should move out.”

  Skeeter began to scoot closer to the edge again and noticed Buck not moving. She paused and studied his form in the dark shadows of the car’s undercarriage. Scooting closer to him, she placed a tentative hand on his shoulders and felt his body shaking, the silent sobs reverberating through his body. Skeeter inhaled deeply and moved closer to him. She wrapped a comforting arm around him, but he pushed her away.

  “Stop,” he whispered.

  “It’s okay,” she replied softly.

  “You have no idea.”

  “I understand you’re sad,” she said. “I’m upset, too. I’ve lost my sister and—”

  “I’ve lost my entire fucking family,” he nearly shouted. He caught himself and lowered his voice again. “My dad and I may not have always got along, but he was all I had left.” He turned to face her, and she stared into his swollen and teary eyes. “Keri was the first, then my mom, and now…” he trailed off.

  “There wasn’t anything you could do. He made you go.”

  Buck snorted with derision. “You still don’t get it, do you?” He shook his head. “All of this? The zombies, my parents, my sister…I could have stopped all of this. I knew what was going on as soon as I saw it. If I had just spoken up and made my dad quarantine my sister. Or made him realize when mom got attacked what would happen to her. But no. I thought it couldn’t be real,” he mocked himself.

  “I ignored everything I knew…everything that was right in front of my face and pinned my hopes on my dad getting us to the hospital tomorrow morning.” He shook his head and beat his brow against the dirt road beneath them. “I should have trusted my gut and made him listen to me. Keri might still be infected, but at least my parents would still be here and nobody else would be hurt.”

  Skeeter stared at him open mouthed. “Seriously? You’re going to blame yourself based on what? Late night movies?”
She punched him hard in the arm. “You need to quit being a pussy and straighten up. There is no way your parents would have listened to you, even if you had threatened them,” she whispered sternly. “You couldn’t have convinced them your sister was a zombie if she had risen from the dead and staggered around moaning ‘bra-a-a-i-i-inz’,” she mocked him back. “If you tell me you invented this zombie plague with a basement chemistry set, then I’ll let you blame yourself. But unless that’s the case, we need to get out of here and I need you to help me keep an eye out for these things.”

  Buck kept shaking his head, ignoring her. She punched him again and he twisted his face to meet hers. “Besides, you have the gun, remember? I don’t know how to use one, so man up, big boy.”

  Buck stared at her for a long moment, then pursed his lips. “You can be really demanding, you know that?”

  “I’m a woman.”

  “You’re a girl.”

  “And you’re a boy. But I need you to man up like you’ve been doing,” she said more softly. “Seriously, Buck, I can’t get out of here by myself.”

  He stared into her eyes and nodded. “Okay,” he sniffed. “Let’s do this.” Buck crawled to the edge of the SUV and stole a glance out from under the car. The coast was still clear, so he waved her out from under it as well. The two made their way farther down the hill, staying along the roadway the entire time.

  Skeeter tugged at his arm and pulled him close. “Tell me again why we’re sticking to the road? Isn’t it awfully open?”

  Buck paused to catch his breath and nodded. “Yeah, but it leads back to where the concert was. And there were buildings there like a ranger’s office or something. Maybe there will be normal people there, or a phone or…something.”

  Skeeter rubbed at her lower legs. “My legs feel like someone is driving spikes into them.”

  “Shin splints. You’re not used to hiking up and down these kinds of hills, are you?”