Refuge From The Dead (Book 1): Lockdown by Joseph A. Coley Read Free Book Online Page A

in one of the most secure buildings in the entire state. The down side is that it’s filled up with a bunch of convicted felons.”
    “This is true. What do you think?”
    Ryan held the door open for Michael. “I think that we need to make plans to get your wife and daughter someplace secure if the shit hits the fan.”
    “You really think that it will come to that? Having to hole up somewhere?”
    “I don’t know, buddy. But it’s getting a little weird out there. Best to have plans laid out before it gets any worse.”
    “Weird? How?”
    Ryan approached the front search desk, and then turned around to face Michael. He lowered his voice. “I’ve got a CB in my truck. Now, it doesn’t reach out very far – only about thirty miles or so – but I have heard all kinds of panicked calls on in asking for help and talking some seriously crazy shit. Like horror movie worthy crazy shit.”
    Michael laughed humorlessly. “What kind of crazy shit?”
    Ryan stepped forward, his voice nearly a whisper. “Like dead people coming back to life. That kind of crazy shit.”
    Michael couldn’t help but chuckle a little bit. “This ain’t Dawn of the Dead , Ryan.”
    Ryan frowned. “Well it sure as hell sounds like it on the CB. You know that traditional news media isn’t going to have that kind of thing on TV. It would go tits-up real fast around here if it did. I doubt even Fox News would cover the apocalypse, Caine.”
    “All right, let’s say that you’re right and the end of the world is upon us. What should we be doing right now?”
    Ryan shrugged. “Not sure. I don’t have a wife and kids to think about, but you do. I would give your wife a heads up and have a plan to get somewhere safe.”
    Michael gestured around him. “Like you said, this is the safest building in the state.”
    Ryan pointed a finger. “No, I said it was the most secure building in the state. It is by no means safe. ”
    “Beggars can’t be choosers, Ryan.”
    “You’re right. Let’s go talk to Captain Winston and see what is going on around here. Maybe they have a plan for this kind of thing.”
    Michael raised an eyebrow. “You think the emergency plans for here involve the dead rising? I kinda doubt that, Ryan.”
    “No, but the emergency plans for here have everything we need to know about the continuity of government and the services available to the prison. If things have gotten this bad this fast then something tells me that we might be on our own for a while.”
    Michael nodded and followed his friend inside.
    The dead coming back to life…
    Shit.

CHAPTER 7
     
    The entire prison was on lockdown. No movement, no inmates outside of their cells, nothing. While that may seem like an easy night, it was far from a cakewalk. Michael had an idea that a lockdown might be in order, but it just added to the sneaking suspicion that he and Ryan Helton shared. That suspicion was confirmed when the two men walked into the Watch Commander’s office.
    Captain Winston sat at his desk on the phone. When Michael and Ryan came inside, he waved them to have a seat. Captain Winston was dressed in khaki pants, a black polo shirt, not the usual navy blue pants, and gray shirt that made up the DOC uniform. He was somewhat out of uniform, including a black tactical vest. The khakis and vest were compliments of Black Mountain’s Tactical Services Unit, or TSU. TSU was to the prison what a SWAT team was to a police department. They were called in when a hostage situation arose, or when a facility was in danger of being overrun or attacked. They were the best of the best in the DOC’s arsenal. The fact that TSU was ready for something to go down did not sit well with either man.
    Winston had a reputation for being straightforward, if a little blunt. He certainly had the demeanor of a salty drill sergeant. Two tours in Iraq, one in Bosnia, and countless other missions that could neither be confirmed nor denied were in his portfolio. Winston was no