Anno Zombus Year 1 (Book 2): February by Dave Rowlands Read Free Book Online Page B

lab, we saw the new group waiting for something.  A small group of Dead were nearly upon them, and attacked as we watched from high above.
     
     
     
    I was all over fairly swiftly, as after six weeks of survival you get pretty good at killing the Dead.  One of the newcomers moved slowly up the road, clearly scouting the way ahead, while the others remained behind.  The scout returned back to his position before much longer.  They spent some time discussing the matter at hand, then they turned to the dead Dead lying around them.  It was difficult to see what exactly it was they were doing, but before much longer, the thermal images of the group moved up the road.  There were seven of them, at least for now there were seven of them.  By the time they reached the compound there would be a few less, if any reached us at all.
     
     
     
    The Colonel insisted that we try to do whatever we could to get them up here safely, and we made for the surface, heading immediately to the helipad to get a good look at everything.  The Twin could see the seven newcomers through the scope of her sniper rifle, though she said the only reason she could tell they were the new group was by their movements alone.  She told us that it looked as though they had covered themselves in Dead glorp as a disguise.  The Colonel admitted that, since all evidence pointed to the Dead hunting by scent and sound rather than vision, it was a damned good idea.  As long as they don't move too quickly, and the weather stays relatively clear.  She suggested that we should go to the gates, maybe make ready a welcome for our new guests, something that will keep the Dead off their backs.  Telling The Twin to cap a Dead one near us when the group of Living draws near, The Colonel, Apocalypse Girl, Redbeard, Smart Guy and I headed down the stairs.
     
     
     
    noon
     
    The Dead had swamped the gate once again, not quite to the point where they can simply walk into the compound, but that would not have been far off had we not arrived when we did.  The Colonel flamed up those Dead who were at the fore, then we moved away from the fires to discuss our next move while the Dead burned.  Apocalypse Girl pointed out a ledge along one side of the road where one or two of us could theoretically make our way down the line a little, maybe give the approaching group a hand up and quickly fuck off back to the compound.  Redbeard volunteered, and I offered to go with him, thinking that my sword could prove useful.
     
     
     
    Getting up there proved hairy enough, as we passed within reach of multiple Dead arms, many of which burned fiercely, but once we were up there their talons could no longer reach us.  The downside, other than the rank odour, was that there was barely room enough for us to sidle along for the first twenty metres or so, after which it widened considerably.  We were able to make good, swift progress down the side of the road, and saw the group cunningly weaving smoothly in and out from between Dead, covered in gore and slime, an instant before a Dead head near Redbeard exploded, showering his boots in rotting brains.  The survivors saw this, and then us, moving slowly in our direction.
     
     
     
    Redbeard open up on the Dead nearest us with his dual .45s, giving me an opportunity to leap into the fray, katana drawn and at the ready.  I cleared a swathe through the Dead, giving the new arrivals a chance to run past me and scramble up to where Redbeard waited, guns in hand.  The seven passed me, the last one patting me gratefully on the shoulder, leaving a reddish-brown smear of stench-ridden muck behind.  I cut down several more Dead, then almost flew back up to the relative safety of the ledge.  Redbeard was reloading, the survivors already running past him, the ones in front already almost at the narrow part.  I wiped the blood and brains from my sword onto my shirt, after all it needed a wash now anyway, then sheathed it, before