Zombies vs Polar Bears: Sirens of the Zombie Apocalypse, Book 5 by E.E. Isherwood Read Free Book Online Page B

the hanging nets under the
nearby railroad bridge but now the powerful boat sped right under the
bridges. When he turned around to check his progress, he saw another
boat bouncing on the waves just behind him.
    One of the men pointed a rifle right at him.
    He looked very familiar.
    2
    The man used his free hand to motion for Liam to stop his boat.
    “We've got company,” he said matter-of-factly.
    His mom turned behind and went for her rifle, but Liam stopped
her. “Mom, they could have shot us at any time. They still can.
I'm going to stop and see what they want. You keep the guns in here
and I'll talk to them.”
    “Absolutely not. I'll talk to them. You keep the guns
in here.”
    He wanted to argue with her, but there wasn't time. He
decelerated, then stopped the boat in the middle of the narrow
channel. The engines idled in case they needed to make a hasty exit.
The other boat came right up and an older man jumped on board Lucy's
Football . He wore the same worn button down shirt he had on days
ago.
    “Give me my GD boat back! Drop those weapons.”
    The captain had found them. Liam didn't bother staying in the
cabin, nor did he bring his gun with him. It was the captain's boat,
after all.
    “Mom, I know him. He's, uh, the owner.”
    “Not the owner. This expensive piece of government equipment
belongs to the United States Corps of Engineers. But I'm responsible
for it.” Then, as if it needed to be said. “I'm taking it
back.” He walked into the pilot's cabin.
    “Fine. We're probably going to the same spot anyway. Cairo.”
    “Oh no. That's not how it works. You ship-stealing kids and
your soccer mom friend here are going to get out right here and now.
We've been tracking you since yesterday. We saw you take the boat
from up on the cliffs. Only I didn't know it was you, per se. But now
it makes perfect sense. Trick us into thinking you were going down
into the pit, then steal the boat. A nice little racket you got
there.”
    The blonde haired, middle aged man in the other boat was someone
Liam recognized, too. Jason Hawkes. He'd been told over the secure
text link down in the mine that he should find Mr. Hawkes and that he
could trust him. That he knew his father. Did that also mean he knew
his mother?
    He carefully observed Jason as he tied off his boat and boarded
the Football . If he knew his mother, he was very smart about
hiding it. His mom didn't show any recognition either.
    What's happening to me? I don't trust my own mother?
    He snapped himself out of it.
    “Fine. Can you take my mom? She had no part in stealing the
boat.”
    “Liam, no. I'll stay with you.”
    “No! Someone has to get back to Grandma and watch over her.
If it isn't us, then it has to be you.”
    “Mr. Hawkes, I believe you knew my father. Jerry Peters?
Will you please take my mother downriver with you?”
    It was a desperate play, but the captain looked ready to run
aground and push him onto shore. They were already closing the short
distance to the bank.
    “Jerry Peters?” He seemed to study his feet. “I
don't recall anyone by that name. Where did he work?”
    “We don't have time to play hard to get, sir. My dad is
dead. He died of an infection to his leg.”
    “I'm sorry to hear that, kid. But I don't know of any Jerry
Peters.”
    The hull of the boat gently struck the rocky shore. The captain
made good on his threat to put them off the boat. All that was left
was the old heave ho. Or maybe a plank.
    “There you go, kids. Now get out. I'll take one of these
guns as payment for my trouble.” He'd grabbed one of his dad's
AKs, which stoked a deep resentment inside Liam. That was his dad's
gun.
    The captain tossed the other two guns on shore. At least he'd left
them with something to defend themselves. Plus they weren't all that
far from Camp Hope. But, this was possibly the last boat capable of
making it back to Grandma.
    Victoria and his mom were already ashore. The gun pointed at his
back suggested he join them.
    He