Anno Zombus Year 1 (Book 9): September by Dave Rowlands Read Free Book Online Page A

seemed happy enough to see us, at least at first.  When I asked if they had any trouble with Dead locally, one guy pointed us to a building that they had used in the beginning to house anyone that was infected.  Now, it was a run-down old dilapidated building that was almost ready to fall down around its own foundations.
     
    Once the front door was opened, the Dead wandered out.  Maybe thirty, perhaps a few more.  In all, nothing we couldn’t handle.  Wall was covered in Dead giblets by the end of it, choosing to use his survival knife rather than his handgun or assault rifle.  I completely understood: I preferred the katana myself.
     
    The locals were happy that we had accomplished what they could not, at least now they could bury their loved ones.  Some of those had been there since the very beginning.  Some were a little more recent.  In any event, there were far fewer people in danger of having their quarantine zone fail and being overrun by the Dead.  In the end, we helped them erect fresh barricades, a little more likely to withstand assault by large numbers of shambling corpses.
     
    They thanked us by offering to share their limited reserves of food with us, an offer that we obviously declined, telling them about the Meat-Beasts and even giving them the location of one nearby, that I had taken note of when flying overhead.  The leaders of the community were almost in tears at this show of generosity, swearing that they would send their youngest and brightest to the AR-18 facility.  I wasn’t so certain that The Boss would really want any more small town dribs and drabs, but accepted their offer gratefully enough.  More trained guns to mow down the Dead would never not be handy.  Until we run out of bullets.
     
    evening
    I was able to make radio contact with Fluffy once again, though it was able to tell me little that I didn’t already know.  It refused emphatically any meeting with Apocalypse Mum, unless it was on the surface of the facility and I and her daughter were the only other humans around.  Telling it that I could probably arrange that fairly easily, I bade it farewell.
     
    Butler was next.  No news from Adelaide, just the usual ranting from Her Majesty.  He was of the opinion that, given time, she could be reasoned with.  Perhaps even enough for an alliance with The Boss.  It was not going to happen any time soon, though.  From there, it was time to talk with Doctor, at The School in Melbourne.  He had taken over after The Principal’s death, with almost universal approval from the residents.  He wanted us to know that a large contingent of Mech-Techs had left Melbourne, heading for the big red rock in the middle of the country, where Nutter had told them he had seen Viking and myself in a dream, needing their help.  He and Stutter had convinced nearly all of the Mech-Techs to join in the expedition, and The School’s defences were lacking somewhat as a result.  Doctor had even considered hiring a few extra mercenaries from The Puller to keep the roads between Melbourne and Brisbane clear.
     
    Curiously enough, nobody at The School had heard or knew anything about Sydney’s new owners.  A quick request and a brief wait of around ten minutes later, and I had an answer from New Brisbane as well, not a single iota of information was available.  The Puller wanted to send in some scouts, though.  He even went so far as to order them to report to AR-18, directly to me, with whatever they discovered.
     
    Finished with the radio, I glanced up, up some more, to see Giant’s worried expression.  Asking her what was up, she heaved a huge sigh.  “The locals have told Maori and Wall about a Righteous recruitment centre about twenty kilometres from here.  The thing is, they didn’t want anyone to go there, except to wipe the post out.  When they told me about it, though, it sounded more like they were going to try and join up.  I know you didn’t want that, so I came