The Undead Chronicles | Vol. 3 | Dead of Winter, page 20
part #3 of The Undead Chronicles Series
Bryce made certain to speak the military terminology, rather than the term ‘undead’ that so many civilians tended to use.
“They ran some blood tests,” Linderman confessed. “Our medical personnel believed if you survived the attack, you’d recover.”
“And they told you all of this?” Bryce questioned. “That kind of thing is usually above your paygrade, sergeant.”
Even Molly now looked at Bryce, openly wondering why he grilled the young Marine about details. After all, the man offered to get them back safely to the base.
“Sir, it’s not exactly a secret at the base. The fact that you survived means they could develop a cure from your blood.”
Linderman looked to the bodies on the street.
“Looks like you had a skirmish.”
“Not so much us, as them,” Molly said. “We got close to locating Nadeau, but he chose the easy way out.”
Linderman nodded, though he didn’t appear very concerned about Nadeau or the events taking place in Goshen.
“How did you get here?” Bryce questioned.
“I took a civilian aircraft,” Linderman answered. “I learned to fly crop dusters before enlisting, so they asked me to come find you.”
“Evidently I don’t rank that high on their list of priorities,” Bryce acknowledged.
“How so?” Linderman questioned with an arched eyebrow.
“One man. One plane.”
“Sir, they wouldn’t deploy a lot of manpower and valuable equipment on a hunch. Limited numbers prevent us from doing things like we used to.”
“I know,” Bryce said, finally cracking a grin and lowering his firearm. “I’m just giving you a hard time, sergeant.”
Linderman appeared relieved.
Fully aware that the Marines would send an elite squad of two to four men during normal operations, Bryce wondered why they hadn’t sent at least a few more if he was so important to them. Perhaps the Marine wasn’t being completely straightforward, and they sent individuals, or pairs, to track him in various directions from the airport.
“I’m across the Ohio border,” Linderman said. “Been following you by foot or car the past few days.”
“You ditched the uniform awfully quick,” Bryce noted.
“Fatigues,” Linderman said. “Call it self-preservation. Some people would just as soon shoot us as they would the infected.”
Bryce looked to Molly.
“Doubtful we’re going to get far before dusk,” he commented before directing his attention to the Marine. “The lady comes with us, sergeant.”
“Of course, sir,” Linderman said without hesitation.
“This aircraft does have more than two seats?” Molly questioned.
“Yes, ma’am,” Linderman answered. “Cessna with room for four.”
He turned to Bryce momentarily.
“If I may say so, you look like hell, sir.”
“Being out here, you tend to go native,” Bryce stated. “There aren’t exactly packs of razors and hot showers around every corner.”
Bryce motioned for Linderman to lead the way toward the plane.
“We can probably get a few hours in before dark,” he stated.
“Yes, sir.”
“Have you seen my family, sergeant?”
“No, sir,” Linderman answered. “From what I understand they’re anxious to see you, sir.”
“They’re still safe at the base?”
“Last I heard, sir.”
Getting a good start, the trio walked to the edge of town before spying the first pack of undead ambling their way after hearing the gunfire. What often started as one or two became a mob when something caught their attention and they grouped up, following whichever one took the lead. Bryce counted seven undead, separated by several feet, heading directly for them. He never understood how they could tell the living apart from their own kind, but he supposed the living didn’t drag their feet when they walked, or shuffle so slowly.
“You want a crack at this, sergeant?” Bryce asked, cupping the top of his sheathed knife with his left hand.
“I can handle it, sir.”
Linderman pulled his own knife out, and Molly assisted with a few of the zombies, keeping things quiet by stabbing them in the skulls. Bryce measured the Marine, observing the man’s peak fitness in action, and why he was selected to bring the Navy officer back to Norfolk. Bryce realized he didn’t have time for more conflict as the younger man took down five of the seven zombies within a matter of seconds. Bryce waited until Linderman stabbed the final zombie in the skull before swinging the butt of his sidearm against the younger man’s head, knocking him cold in an instant.
“Why the fuck did you do that?” Molly asked in bewilderment.
“To avoid springing the trap,” he answered a few seconds later, taking a few deep breaths as he scoured the area for more undead, or worse, the living.
Fifteen
Three Hours Earlier
Deciding they were too close to Fournier, Bryce asked Molly to have a look at the rest stop on their right while he checked a few of the cars for useful items. She agreed, and both knew they would need to deal with a few of the undead meandering around the parking lot. Bryce quickly dealt with two in his proximity, spying at least four more that took notice of him. Because they weren’t about to reach him quickly, he checked a few cars and found two duffel bags and a backpack in the back of a hatchback that hadn’t been disturbed. Unfortunately, a preteen zombie remained in the back seat, determined to keep anyone from getting inside.
“Where are your parents?” he questioned aloud, seeing no evidence of an attack near the car.
He spied a bite mark on the girl’s neck, wondering if her parents stayed with her, only to suffer the same fate. If so, they might be wandering in the parking lot, or heading inside the small building where Molly was about to check for supplies. While looking into the rear glass, Bryce caught a glimpse of his reflection, noticing his beard began to look like his brother’s because he hadn’t shaved since leaving the base in Virginia.
Opening the door, Bryce watched the girl lurch at him and fall forward, striking the concrete with her skull. Taking advantage of her misfortune, Bryce reached down to thrust his knife into her skull, ending her misery. He then turned his attention to the back of the car, popping it open and pulling the first of the duffel bags out for inspection. Strangely, he found mostly maps and family photos in the two bags, though one held a box of ammunition. Some credentials that identified an adult woman as working with the CDC were also stuffed in the second bag. Bryce wondered if she was going to, or escaping her workplace when whatever unfortunate circumstance left the family stranded.
He set the bullets aside, figuring at least one of the parents that left took a gun with the intention of returning. Putting any terrible images aside, Bryce pulled the backpack to the bumper, unzipping it for a look inside.
Sounds of the undead drawing closer reached his ears, and he peeked around the open hatch, finding two a few car lengths away. Bryce sifted through the pack, finding a few granola bars, which he pocketed, a small towel, two unopened water bottles, and clear plastic packaging of some kind. He pulled it out, along with a small box taped to it, finding a small miracle in his hands.
“Could it be?” he questioned, believing he’d found a satellite phone, still in its original packaging, along with a car charger.
He quickly put down the two zombies endangering him, cleaned off the blade, and set to opening up the phone by cutting the plastic packaging. A sticky note contained the phone’s assigned phone number, so he stuffed the paper into his pocket with the granola bars. Bryce then slit the seal on the charger, saying a little prayer that the phone was indeed activated before these people met their untimely ends. Once he had everything out of the packaging, he slipped into the driver’s seat of the car, plugging the phone into the charging port, trying to get the phone a minimal charge so he could turn it on to see if it worked.
Early in their quest to track Fournier, Bryce attempted to be chivalrous and assist Molly with the undead when they did sweeps for food and supplies. He soon realized she required no help, and she actually grew cross with him when he dealt with the undead in her vicinity. Now he hoped she wasn’t in need of assistance, because he powered up the phone, which warned him of low battery power, and dialed the number from memory of the phone his father kept in the kitchen in case of emergency.
Bryce never understood why his father purchased a sat phone, but it worked out, because his younger brother ended up taking it when he visited the family homestead.
Ringing twice before someone picked up, Bryce felt certain it wasn’t his brother’s voice on the other end.
“Hello?”
“Who’s this?” Bryce asked.
“Who’s this?”
“Bryce Metzger,” Bryce answered, using his real name because it wasn’t likely anyone could track him down in the apocalypse.
“Dan’s brother?”
“You know my brother? Is he okay?”
“Yeah, yeah. Well, last I knew. I’m Colby Sutton, a friend of his. He gave me this phone before he headed back to Buffalo to look for you. I’m guessing he didn’t catch up with you.”
Bryce felt stunned that his brother would leave the safety of the military installation to look for him, when he knew damn well Bryce would want him to stay with Isabella and Nathan.
“Why would he come look for me? And why did he give you that phone?”
“He found that other phone in Canada, so he gave me this one because he remembers the number. And it was your wife’s idea to come look for you.”
“What?” Bryce demanded, raising his voice. “She left the base, too?”
“Yeah,” Sutton replied. “They figured out that you two had immunity to the infection and they were keeping your brother prisoner to draw blood samples.”
Bryce couldn’t believe his ears. People he worked with left him for dead and used his brother as a guinea pig for their experiments.
“Have you talked to Dan?” Bryce inquired.
“He hasn’t called, and I don’t have the number to that phone. I can relay a message if he calls, though. I’m sure he’d be thrilled to know you’re alive.”
“That would be great,” Bryce responded. “It’s unlikely I’ll see him again for a while because I’m in Indiana.”
“I figured you would’ve been on your way back to the base,” Sutton said.
“Under normal circumstances, yes. Look, I need to get off here and help a friend. Did Dan say where he’d go if he didn’t find me?”
“No, but he won’t return to the base, and you shouldn’t either.”
“I don’t plan to at this point.”
“New York is your home state. Would Dan have a safe spot in mind?”
Bryce considered the possibilities, knowing Isabella wouldn’t leave Nathan exposed to the dangers of the undead and impending winter conditions.
“Look, I need to go,” Bryce said. “If you talk to Dan, please tell him I’m heading back to New York.”
“I will,” Sutton assured him.
“Thank you. For everything.”
“Good luck.”
Both severed the connection at the same time, and Bryce looked up in time to see Molly emerge from the building, stabbing an inattentive zombie in the skull. She searched the parking lot for Bryce, and he felt guilty for not being more help. Taking the phone and the charger, he stuffed them into his own pack, planning to explain the find to Molly later.
He emerged from the car, catching her attention.
“Everything okay?” she asked, tossing him a generic candy bar made of peanuts and caramel that sounded much like a PayDay.
“Yeah,” he answered. “Found a few little things.”
“These were hiding in a supply room under some other boxes. All the good ones were picked over.”
Bryce plucked one of the granola bars from his pocket, tossing it to Molly.
“Found these and some sealed water,” he said. “Not much else.”
“You sure you’re okay?” she asked with a quizzical stare. “You look a little shaken up.”
Bryce nodded to the body beside the car, not willing to share the news about his brother and the base just yet. Molly spoke skeptically of the military and the government, despite the position Bryce held within the Navy.
“It’s always weird putting down the young ones,” he stated. “I can’t imagine if anything ever happened to my boy.”
“Understood.” Molly paused to give him a moment before speaking again. “You ready to roll out?”
Bryce nodded, afraid of being alone with his thoughts while they trailed Fournier. Sutton provided answers, and good news for the most part, but Bryce didn’t like the thought of his family being on the road. He also felt betrayed by his employers. Overlooking why he was left behind at the airfield was one thing, but knowing they didn’t do right by his brother was another issue completely.
“You want a fresh car?” Molly asked.
Bryce saw five eligible prospects in the parking lot, suspecting at least one might start. They didn’t require fast transportation at the moment, but if Fournier swiped a vehicle, they might be hard-pressed to catch up.
“Let’s see what we’ve got,” he answered.
Stepping into the car where he discovered the phone, he found keys in the visor, and upon trying them, he discovered the car held less than a quarter tank of gas. He turned the key completely, and the car roared to life.
“Guess we’ll save our feet a few miles of walking,” he said, forcing a smile.
“We will indeed,” Molly said, climbing into the passenger’s seat.
***
Now Molly looked at Bryce as though he’d lost his mind.
“This guy was the ticket back to your base,” she stammered. “Why would you do that?”
“Norfolk is the last place I want to go right now,” Bryce answered, searching his pack for a zip tie.
He located one and used it to secure the Marine’s hands behind his back.
“Did I miss something?” Molly asked, looking at Bryce shrewdly.
“You did. I located a sat phone at the rest stop we hit a few hours ago and someone gave me a heads up. I’d rather talk about it once we get moving, because I don’t want to risk this kid hearing anything I have to say.”
Molly shot him a look that indicated she didn’t appreciate being left out of the loop. Because she trusted him, however, she shook her head, not doubting his words for a second.
“We can’t just leave him like this,” she said.
Bryce realized a subdued person in the middle of a street was a delectable treat for the undead, and fair game for unruly survivors.
After checking a few vehicles in the streets, they found a car that might get them a few miles down the road, and a van already open and cleared of the undead. Bryce located the GPS tracking device on Linderman, taking it so it couldn’t be used against him. Bryce then searched him for additional items, finding no sat phone, and only a few weapons. He heaved the Marine into the van and made certain all of the doors were shut tight. He left the man his weapons, but in the front seat where he wouldn’t immediately find them to free himself. Bryce felt reasonably certain Linderman possessed a sat phone when he left the base, likely stowing it inside the plane he flew, or somewhere along the way.
Considering he took the emitting device from the body of Fournier, Bryce didn’t want to be tracked personally. He knew the military would have other GPS trackers, and other people they could send after him. He figured he might use the device to lead them astray later. He might also be able to find a container capable of blocking its signal until he found another use for it.
“What was that all about?” Molly asked from the passenger’s seat once they were a few miles down the road.
Bryce explained the phone call, and what Colby Sutton told him.
“And you trust this guy?” Molly asked without any judgment either way.
“He knew things about Dan, and he wouldn’t have a reason to lie. He said Dan gave him that phone and kept the one he found in Canada.”
“If that phone was purchased in Canada, would it be able to call phones from other countries?”
“They work worldwide,” Bryce answered. “At this point, the only concern is how long the subscription plans will last.”
“So, your people sent that guy after you because Dan left the base, didn’t they? They’re working on a cure.”
Bryce nodded.
“At the expense of my brother. But I feel as though my wife was the driving force, because Dan would’ve stayed near them to keep them safe. Isabella probably guessed I was immune and conned him into escaping to look for me.”
“She sounds tough,” Molly said with admiration.
“And far more intelligent than me. Now I’m just hoping I can calculate her next move.”
“Where could she go once they realize you’re not at the airport?”
Bryce hummed in thought a moment.
“Dan would realize you weren’t there as well, so he’d assume we got out. Knowing my pragmatic wife, she’d go halfway across the state to see my in-laws.”
“Do you think they survived?”
“More than likely,” Bryce answered. “While Isabella would want to check on them, she’d be more concerned about reaching the area where they lived.”
“What do you mean?”
“They maintained a resort in the Adirondacks. Very isolated, very hard to reach during certain times of the year. And the perfect place to keep my son protected.”
“Ah, so she is a mama bear.”
“And Nathan is her cub.”
Heading east felt good to Bryce, knowing he might see his family again. Despite his disappointment that tracking Fournier ended up a complete waste of time, he felt worse that his employers treated his brother so poorly. His future appeared uncertain, but he’d already begun formulating some ideas where they might go if the resort was compromised. He also knew he was realistically a few weeks away from the resort, at best, and winter weather didn’t wait until the official start of winter to strike central New York.
