Z Children (Book 2): The Surge by Eli Constant, B.V. Barr Read Free Book Online Page A

off of reinforced steel and it just keeps going, keeps ricocheting.
Meanwhile, you’re cringing…waiting for it to finally hit something that will
accept the shot so it’ll shut the hell up.
    It was
hard to believe, in a paradigm-shifting way. I mean, I was all for “don’t ask,
don’t tell” in the military, but not because I was a bigoted asshole who
thought socket and plug was the only way. I just hadn’t pictured her as a…well, as that.
    There
was no Chris on the list, no Christopher or Kristoff or any other variation of
a man’s name that might result in Virginia calling her beau Chris. First,
before it dawned on me, I was pissed. Thinking all sorts of shit: This is
bullshit. That psycho woman brought us all here to die. Active fucking imagination.
Wishful thinking. I’m going to kill that woman. Shit. Shit. Shit. Swear to God,
I’m going to feed her to one of those…
    And
then it had dawned on me, mid-mental threat.
    There
was no Christopher or etcetera, but there was a Christine.
    Christine
Hastings, PhD Neonatal and Pediatric Surgery. Third Floor. Office 312.
Extension -*312.
      A
lesbian. A fish-taco-eating fanatic. Holy crap, that takes the damn cake.
    End
of the world and I’m here with a mouthy kid and two guy haters! Thank God for
Ranger.
    For some
reason, I thought that was the funniest thing I had ever run into, and I’d run
into a lot of gut-busting funny things—like an elderly woman back in 2008 in
Kabul that sold used condoms and ran a backdoor fertility clinic. She was off
her rocker of course, always surrounded by baskets of collected rubbers and a
payment basket that was always, suspiciously, full of afghani.
    “Well
the good news is…” I was shaking with silent laughter now, although part of me
was dying to laugh out loud. I’d gotten by with speaking before, I shouldn’t
take more chances, “…I won’t be losing my edge, because of a woman’s
distraction. God, this is funny, funniest damn thing ever.” I wiped at my eyes,
drying the tears flowing from them. “Guess it’s time to play cavalry and rescue
the damsel in distress. No kiss for her hero, though.”
    More
silent laughter.
    Then a
pop of sound behind me sobered me, reminded me where I was. And I slowly,
cautiously began moving toward the emergency stairs.
     
    The
elevators were down so the stairs were going to be the only way up to
Christine’s floor. Christine. That was really going to take some getting used
to. Opening the heavy exit, I glanced into near-total darkness. The only sliver
of light was coming from way, way up. Switching on the photon light again, I
looked around. The little blue beam flashed across the hideous face of a Z
bounding across the small stair landing on my level. I slammed the door hard
and fast, only to jam on the creatures arms as its hands reached for my face.
    It was
strong, unbelievably so, and it was all I could do to keep it pinned into place
while I dropped the light and drew the Colt. Jamming the gun through the door,
I let off one quick shot and felt the struggle end instantly. A head shot will
do that. Releasing pressure on the steel door, I let the now-mutilated body
fall forward and kicked it out of the way into the hospital hallway behind me
before re-shutting the door.
    “Crap,
way too close.”
    I
checked my six then picked up the little light to try again, but this time I
was fast and ready. Door opened. Door closed. Two Z adults, immediate threat. Z
kid just past them on the stairs going down. Door opened. Snap off two rounds.
Two bullets, two Z adults. Door closed. Deep breath. Door opened. Z kid on the
first flight—one to the head and one to the chest. Door closed. Deep breath.
Door opened. Three adults were shambling down the stairs from above… bang,
bang, bang… reload. I was on my game now. I stepped into the stairwell,
shoulders straight and mind calculating. Just act, move, shoot. It was like
being in a training kill house, but while moving up stairs. Two