Brent Acuff - Undead Nation 03 by Revenge Read Free Book Online

hard material. Smaller shades and blinds were erected around the edge of the roof to provide shooter teams with some relief from the blazing sun above.
    The access door to the roof swung open and the remainder of the Stryker team strode through. "Cleared and secured," Donovan reported.
    "Good. How many?"
    "Eight. Looked like they had been there a while too. Skin had already started sloughing off most of them" Donovan shuddered. "It was pretty bad."
    "So is everything secure? We going to be able to stay?"
    Donovan nodded his head. "Shouldn't be too much of a problem. With the heat things might start to stink in a day or two, but the building is secure enough."
    "Okay," Alex agreed. "Good work. You and the others get some rest. Liam, the Doc and I will take first watch."
    Donovan and the others wasted no time unslinging their gear and finding shade and refreshments. Everyone knew they might be thrown into action at any moment.
    -----
    "Contact! Multiple targets inbound!" Calls were coming in from all sides of the warehouse. The horns of the trains rang through the streets, calling the undead to their demise. Targets were tracked and counted, but no shots would be fired unless the Stryker team's position was in danger of being compromised.
    "Good god," Hayden exclaimed. "There are so many."
    The dead were everywhere. Thousands upon thousands streamed through the streets of Independence, shuffling towards the sirens and their awaiting annihilation.
    "We have to warn them," Dr. Cahn urged. "They have no idea what's coming their way."
    Alex didn't hesitate. "Hayden, Liam, get on the radio. Let the base camp know what's coming. Theresa," the lone woman of the Stryker team started, "how much ammunition do we have?"
    Theresa did a quick calculation in her head. "About a thousand rounds per person."
    "Set back one hundred for each and pass out the rest. We are going to do our best to thin this crowd a bit."
    The Stryker team dispersed around the rooftop, taking up positions that would give them the best vantage point to attack the oncoming dead. "Make sure every shot counts," Alex called out. "Happy hunting!"
    Gunfire erupted across the rooftop, dropping zombies with each crack of the rifles. Every time one zombie fell, a dozen more rushed to fill its space. The gunfire drowned out the moans of the zombie horde below, but despite their attempts, no amount of gunfire seemed to make a difference.
    "Fast mover!" came the call from behind Alex. He and Dr. Cahn turned to see Jenero Croft running across the rooftop yelling. "Fast movers," he called repeatedly until everyone had given him their attention. Fast movers was the code for someone alive and running from a zombie. They were relatively easy to spot since the runners were typically moving significantly faster than the shambling dead chasing them.  
    Everyone broke off their attack and followed Jenero. Looking over the edge they could see a break in the mass of corpses making their way to the trains. In their place were three people, a man, woman and young boy. The woman pulled the boy through the streets, and the man followed close behind, manically looking about him, trying to fend off any danger approaching. The man never saw the zombie coming.
    When running through a heavily infested area, most people know to look for the obvious threats. Zombies around a blind corner, the zombie that is stuck behind a bus stop or large stand of trees. What almost everyone forgets are the zombies that have been damaged or have decayed beyond the point of being able to walk or stand. Everyone forgets to look down.
    The zombie, or more correctly the remaining pieces of the zombie, reached out and grabbed at the man's ankle. He fought to keep his balance, but the delay was more than enough time for the zombie to attack.
    The man screamed, his cries of pain carrying even over the gunfire and deader moans. The broken teeth of the creature tore into the man's flesh and blood poured from the wound.
    The