The Hungry (Book 2): The Wrath of God by Steven Booth, Harry Shannon Read Free Book Online Page B

isn't it? Look, take it easy. You'll be perfectly safe with us."
    Miller shook her head. "I think we'll be a hell of a lot more perfectly safe if we had a couple of those M-4s I saw on that rack over there." She really wanted to toss out there how perfectly safe Dale had been, but resisted the urge.
    "Major?" said Sheppard.
    "Yes, Sergeant."
    "I respectfully recommend that you consider our request. Give us some sidearms at least. We've been through a lot and we function well as a unit. I think you'll find us a lot more relaxed and cooperative if we are armed."
    Outside the sky filled with colors and shadows. The sun was going down. Night was trotting forward on sharp claws.
    A voice came through the headphones again. "Major, we're over TK-508, but the hangar doors are closed, and they are not responding to the signal."
    Sheppard shifted in his seat. He looked out the window into the fading light. "That's damned strange."
    "What's strange, Sergeant?" demanded Hanratty.
    Sheppard turned to look at her. "When they evacuated us from the base, those hangar doors were wide open."
    "Could they have closed automatically, or been closed by the last to leave?"
    "I suppose."
    "Well they sure as hell are closed tighter than a gnat's pussy now," said Scratch. "So it appears we're going right in the front door."
    "Major," said the pilot. "How do you want us to proceed?"
    Hanratty paused for a moment. "Sergeant, these are your old stomping grounds, not mine. What course do you recommend?"
    Sheppard didn't smile, as Miller thought he would. In fact, he had gone a bit pale. A long finger of dusk crawled across his features. "Have the pilot land in that empty patch near the parking lot. We'll enter through the south gate."
    Hanratty gave the orders. The huge ship cut a swath through the evening air. It lurched as it came in for their final approach. The world had gone dark. As the helicopter eased down onto the cement, Miller breathed a sigh of relief, but the feeling was short-lived. Being back on the ground was good, but being on the ground at Crystal Palace—whether there were animated zombies to be found or not—brought back a shitload of uncomfortable memories. She blinked away more disturbing feelings and images that she had been trying to rid herself of for the last month. She had seen too much death and destruction.
    Instead of racing out into the twilight like they owned the place, they had the pilots turn the helicopter's external lights up to full. Psycho used infrared night-vision goggles to get a better look at the landing zone. After a long moment, he declared the area clear, and Hanratty gave the order to disembark. The desert around them was lethally still. The pocked moon leered coldly, a disinterested eye in an unkind sky.
    Brubeck and Psycho stood guard over the operation, which mostly included offloading the crates. Hanratty, Lovell, Cochrane, and Ripper moved with a purpose as they shifted the crates onto the electric pallet truck and rolled it down the ramp onto the concrete. The tires crunched gravel. A coyote howled. Miller studied the night sky outside. Stars winked overhead as if they were in on some crude joke. She hugged herself against the cold.
    When everything was offloaded, Major Hanratty came back into the aircraft.
    "All right, folks, it's time to get to work."
    "Major?"
    "What is it, Sheriff?" asked Rat warily.
    "What's your decision on arming us?"
    "Decision's already made. My orders are to maintain the security of the operation, and that includes protecting you and your team. My instructions were specific. The handling of weapons by you four is strictly off limits. End of discussion."
    "Need I remind you that if I had had a weapon…" Miller broke off. The look on Rat's face made finishing the sentence unnecessary.
    "Sheriff Miller," said Rat crisply. "I am not giving your people weapons, and that's the bottom line. We've gotten you this far. It's time to do your job. Please join me outside." She held out