Orpheus by Dan DeWitt Read Free Book Online Page B

Holt picked up the phone handset on the desk closest to him. There was no dial tone. “Dead. But these phones might just be disconnected. There are a whole lot of other floors to check. Any vending machines?”
    “I haven't seen any yet.”
    The woman said, “There's a break room down that hallway. The machines are in there. Water, too.”
    The rest of the group stared at her.
    She peeked out from under her Red Sox cap. “I'm the senior network administrator here. Lena Moore.”
    “Okay. It's good to have someone who knows the lay of the land, so to speak. If you wouldn't mind, Lena, take...” He looked to the security guard. “...take Officer Salmon here and smash 'n grab those machines. It doesn't really matter what you take, just take a lot of it. After we catch our breath, I say we head up, floor by floor, until we find the ideal place to hole up and figure this thing out. Those barricades will probably hold, but I'm not betting my life on it. Holt?”
    He thought on it, trying to find any flaws. “It's as good a plan as any.”
    “Got it. And call me Fish.” He and Lena went about their task. She led him first to the supply closet where they grabbed trash bags, presumably to load them up with empty calories.
    Holt had a thought. “Grab any batteries! And, sorry about the gun in your face thing!” The pair heard him. Fish held up a peace sign in acknowledgment as they split up, Lena to the supply room and Fish to the break area.
    “Okay, do we even know what's above us?” Sam asked in between puffs of his cigarette. “It would make sense that the upper floors would be zombie...is that what we're calling them?...zombie-free. And that there are survivors, too. But the only way to know is to check each floor.”
    “Yup.”
    “Okay, then.” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “Just don't pair me up with the guy at the window. He gives me the creeps.”
    “You and me both, Sam,” Holt reassured him.
    “Sarge! SARGE!” Fish's panicked voice sounded from the break room. Holt and Mutt drew at the same time, expecting to see a pack of zombies on the kid's tail, but he was waving a two-way radio instead. Lena was a few paces behind him. “I just got a transmission from downstairs! They got a radio off of another guard!”
    “Say that again?”
    “Hold on!” He put the two-way to his mouth and transmitted. “Last caller repeat!” He released the button and they all waited. Even Anders moved close enough to hear.
    There was a crackle of static, then: “Thank God you're there! Me and a bunch of other people made it into the bathroom, but those things are trying to get in! Please help us!”
    Five people kept passing looks to one another. All of their gazes settled on the sixth.
    Holt grabbed the radio from Fish and held it out to Mutt. “You're the law,” he said.
    “What am I supposed to tell them? Congratulations on being alive, now smash a mirror and cut your own throats?”
    Holt said nothing, but continued to offer the radio.
    Mutt snatched it up with a grumbled curse. He cleared his throat. “This is Sergeant Mutters of the LWPD. What's your name, caller?”
    “It's Burt! Burt Allen!”
    “Okay, Burt, how is everybody else?”
    “Scared shitless!”
    “That's understandable, of course.” He released the mic and spoke to the group. “What am I supposed to do? I can't help them!”
    “You know what to tell them, Mutters,” Anders said. “You just told us.”
    Holt's watched the look of dawning horror come over his new friend's face. His heart broke for the Sergeant, and at that moment he decided he could be the bad guy. He took the radio from his shaking hands and walked away from the group. “Burt, my name is Cameron Holt.” Pause. “Yeah, that guy.”
    Lena asked, “Wait, where's he going? What's he going to tell them?”
    “He's going to tell them they should have moved faster, probably.”
    “You heartless asshole!” She pleaded with the others. “Isn't there