The Zone: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller (Infection Chronicles Book 1) (21 page)

“The water is getting higher,” Steele said.

“I noticed,” said Parker.

“This is a gravity drain. It has got a slope of .5 percent. That keeps the water feeding to the outfall. The water was calf deep when we started.”

“I’m not a civil engineer, Steele. What does all that mean?”

“I think they sealed the tunnel.”

Parker looked devastated. Her shoulders sank.

Steele handed Chloe to Parker. She wrapped her arms around Parker’s neck. Steele climbed up the rungs and pushed aside the manhole cover. He poked his head out into the street. Rain was pouring down. It had been raining almost non-stop for the last several days and the ground was fully saturated. Flash flooding was entirely possible. Water was pooling on the sides of the street, not able to drain fast enough. The feeder pipes were rocketing out water at maximum capacity. 

Steele lowered himself back down into the mainline. He waded through the water back over to Parker and Chloe. The wake was now cresting over his navel. In the last few minutes, the water had risen five inches. 

Delroy, who was leading up the rear, had caught up with them. 

“I don’t think we can get out this way,” Steele said. “If we get caught in a flash flood down here, people are going to die,”

“How are we going to get out then?” Parker asked.

Steele shrugged. “Let’s get these people topside.”

The water had risen a foot by the time everyone was evacuated from the mainline tunnel. The sky was dark and angry, and rain pelted down. The street was flooding, not able to drain fast enough. Bolts of lightning flashed in the darkness.

They had emerged in the middle of a suburban street. Steele kicked in the door of one of the homes. He and Parker cleared the house, room by room while Delroy kept watch outside. Then the refugees filed in, taking cover from the storm.

Steele reached into a pocket and pulled out the news reporter’s business card. An encrypted, mobile communication’s card that was a direct link to Cassy.

“Z-SOC is going to pickup the communication as soon as you dial that card,” Parker said. 

“It’s supposedly encrypted.”

“What if Z-SOC can break it?”

“Hopefully by the time it takes them to break it we’re out of this place.”

The card was a translucent touchscreen, about the size of a credit card, and slightly thicker. Steele pressed the call button. The screen displayed a rotating icon that read:
connecting to network
. A few moments later, Cassy appeared on the screen. She looked tousled—Steele had woken her out of a deep sleep.

“Miss me already?” Cassy said.

Steele smirked. “You still want that story?”

Cassy’s sleepy eyes perked up. “The refugees?”

“I’m in the zone. I’ve got forty of them with me. But I need a way out.”

“How do you expect me to get you out when I can’t even get in?”

“Find Lieutenant Chase Kilgore.”

“Shit, really?” Parker gasped. “Kilgore won’t do you any favors.”

Steele frowned at her.

“She’s right,” Cassy said. “I’ve been trying to get Kilgore to take me into the zone for weeks. He’s more by the books than you.”

“Tell him there’s $40 million in it for him.”

Cassy’s jaw dropped. “$40 million? Who’s got that kind of cash?”

Steele pulled a bar of titrillium from his pack and held it up to the screen.

“Is that what I think it is?”

Steele nodded.

“How much of that do you have?” Cassy’s eyes sparkled.

“Enough,” Steele said. “Go get Kilgore. If he gives you any flack, tell him I’ll send his wife those rather compromising pictures I have of him.”

Cassy looked perplexed.

“YOU MUST HAVE good dirt on Kilgore?” Parker said.

“You have no idea,” said Steele.

Parker was waiting for an answer. She seemed a little frustrated when it didn’t come. “Well, spill the beans?”

The black night sky was beginning to turn grey. The rain was still coming down in sheets. The distinct rumble of a CAV rippled through the air. It was flying nap-of-the-earth—extremely low altitude to avoid radar detection. The old-school pilots called it hedge-hopping. And that’s exactly what Kilgore was doing. He was following the terrain so closely, the CAV would clip a tree top every so often. It dodged over, or around, buildings and topographic features. Even if the CAV did show up on radar, it would only appear as a blip for a millisecond every now and then. And the radar operators wouldn’t be watching that closely.

Z-SOC had a satellite in geosynchronous orbit over the containment zone. On a clear day, it provided them with excellent realtime imaging and tracking capabilities. The automated system could pick up movement of people or vehicles, then identify and track them. But the system was useless during inclement weather. Steele had caught a lucky break with the storm. It provided the perfect cover.

“Let’s just say Kilgore and a cadet expressed their feelings for each other in the shower one day,” Steele said.

“And you’ve got pictures?” Parker asked.

“No,” Steele said. “But he thinks I do.”

Parker smiled. “I grow more impressed with you by the minute.”

Steele’s muscles were starting to cramp and seize. He was twitching and fighting the pain. His hands were shaking like a bad alcoholic in dire need of a drink. 

Kilgore's CAV landed in the middle of the street. The hydraulics engaged and the back ramp dropped down. Steele and Parker rushed out to the vehicle. By the time they got there, Cassy, and her cameraman, were descending down the ramp.

“Where’s my story,” Cassy said with a smile. Her cameraman, Liam, followed behind.

“In the house,” Steele said, pointing back to the structure. 

“You look like shit, Steele. And that’s hard for you to do,” Cassy said with a smirk. 

“You got something for me?” Steele asked.

Cassy handed him a pill bottle of Neuromodix. “We’ve really gotta get you off that stuff.”

Steele agreed and gulped down the pills. In a few moments, the pain would subside, and his spasms would cease. 

Cassy dashed in front of the camera and started her countdown. “In three, two, one… Cassy Williams, KXNAC news, reporting to you live from within the containment zone. Inside this house is unequivocal proof that there are survivors within the quarantine zone.”  She ascended the walkway to the house, continuing her monologue.

“That woman does not screw around, does she?” Parker said.

Steele grinned. “Make sure she doesn’t get eaten. We need her and that live feed of hers.”

Parker didn’t seem too thrilled about babysitting a reporter. Especially one that got on her nerves. She may also have been slightly jealous. But Cassy was their ticket out.

Kilgore was standing at the top of the ramp, waiting for Steele. He was flanked by two soldiers—each with their weapons drawn. Kilgore wasn’t screwing around either. “Let’s get this straight, Steele. I require payment upfront.”

Steele reached into his pack and pulled out a bar of titrillium. He threw it to Kilgore. It slammed against the metal ramp at the Lieutenant’s feet.
 

“That’s a good start,” Kilgore said. “But how am I supposed to split this between my men?” 

Steele’s eyes narrowed.

“We each get a bar,” Kilgore said.

“That was not the deal.”

“Well, looks like I’ll be taking off now.”

Steele gritted his teeth and sighed. “Fine.” He dug into his pack and threw out two more bars.

Kilgore knelt down and picked one up. He examined it carefully. Like most people who held a bar of titrillium, the sensation was intoxicating. His eyes sparkled with greed and fantasies of wealth. “It seems you have yourself a ride,” Kilgore said. “But I can only take twenty.”

Steele’s face tightened. “I’ve got almost 40 that need to get out.”

“That sounds like two trips to me. That will be double.”

Steele clenched his jaw and scowled at him.

“Don’t get upset with me, Steele. This is just basic economics. Law of supply and demand.”

“It would be a shame for your wife to see those pictures,” Steele said, threatening him.

“Shit. I’m holding $40 million in my hand. I’m having a midlife crisis.” Kilgore smiled. “First thing I’m gonna do when I get back is divorce my wife. So, go ahead. Send her those pictures. I’ll even autograph them.”

“Fine.” Steele dug into his pack and tossed his last bar to Kilgore. “That’s all I’ve got.”

“Bullshit. Give me two more, or I’m not coming back.”

Steele’s eyes burned into him. “Two more. That’s it. And if you double-cross me, I swear to God it’ll be the last thing you ever do.”

“I don’t think you’re in a position to make threats.” Kilgore tried to sound tough, but his voice came across thin. He knew making an enemy of Steele was a bad idea. “Round up your people. I’m lifting off in five minutes.”

Steele jogged up the walkway to the house. 

Inside, Cassy was interviewing refugees. Steele stood beside her, waiting for her to finish. When she was done, she turned to Steele. The cameraman cut the light and dropped his rig down to his side.

“Are you getting what you want?” Steele asked.

Cassy’s eyes beamed. “Yes. Yes I am.”

“Is that a live feed?”

“It goes out through the uplink, direct to the station. There’s a 7 to 10 second delay. Whether or not the station airs it live is up to them.”

“But it's recorded somewhere, correct?”

“Both on the camera and at the station. That’s standard protocol.”

Steele nodded. “We’re not out of this yet. You should get out on the first flight.”

“What, and miss all the action? I think you know me better than that.”

“I don’t really know you that well at all.”

“Maybe we should change that,” Cassy said, her blue eyes sparkling.

“Maybe.” Steele smiled. Then he pointed to Gabriel. “See the man in the corner. You should interview him. I think you’ll find what he has to say very interesting.”

“Thanks for the tip.” Cassy nodded to her cameraman and they dashed to Gabriel.

Steele found Parker. “The injured, the women, and the children go first.”

Parker nodded.

“That includes you, Delroy,” Steele said.

“Hey, I ain’t no woman or child. And I certainly ain’t no injured.”

Steele lifted an eyebrow at him.

“I’m not going out before you guys,” Delroy protested.

“Somebody’s got to get Xavier into a med-pod. And I need you to look after Chloe.”

Delroy huffed. “Fine. But that’s the only reason I’m going.”

Steele rounded up two bars of titrillium from the refugees. Then dashed back out to the CAV. He gave the bars to Kilgore, hoping they would be the final payment.

The refugees filed out of the house and up the ramp. Cole and Andrew carried Xavier on the makeshift stretcher.  He was conscious now, but he looked horrible. His skin was pale, almost green. 

As Xavier passed, he reached out his hand. “Thank you.”

Steele gripped Xavier’s hand and nodded. Andrew and Cole carried him up the ramp. Once Xavier was secure, they darted back down.

“Hey, what are you doing? You guys ride out with your family,” Steele said.

“We’re not getting out until you get out, sir,” Cole said.

“Absolutely not. You guys have family. Stay with them.”

“We wouldn’t have a family if it wasn’t for you,” Andrew said.

“That’s an order, soldiers,” Steele said.

The two men hesitated for an instant. Then saluted Steele and climbed back up the ramp.

Delroy hobbled out of the house, holding Chloe’s hand. She ran to Steele and leapt into his arms. 

Steele lifted her up. “Go with Delroy. I’ll get out on the second run.”

Chloe shook her head.

“Get out while the getting is good, kid.”

She shook her head again. “I’m not leaving without you.”

“I promise, I’m right behind you.”

Chloe’s eyes were brimming. “You need me to keep you out of trouble.”

“I’ll be fine.” Steele set her down. “I’m giving you a direct order, soldier.” He gave her a sharp salute. 

Chloe snapped to attention and returned the gesture. “Yes, sir.” Tears were rolling down her cheek. 

“Delroy will look after you until I get there.”

“Come on, short stuff,” Delroy said.

“Who are you calling short?”

Delroy chuckled and took her hand. He led her up the ramp.

Steele stepped back as the HK engines powered up. Lurkers were meandering at either end of the street. Steele wasn’t worried about them yet. It would take 10 or 15 minutes for them to stumble their way toward the house. But there would be more soon.