Against Zombies Box Set, Vol. 1 | Books 1-4 Read online

  “Sorry about Denny,” I called up to him.

  “Thanks, man.” He waved us through since we’d left Ray with the three rifles. I’d kept my ankle gun attached because I wasn’t going to be without any weapons, no matter how much I was reassured that I wouldn’t need one.

  I drove slowly to the grocery store and was greeted by Beth herself. She had a few helpers—teenage girls, that were probably bored to death since all internet connections had gone silent.

  “What have you got for us today, Jessica, besides this hunky man? You were going to trade him in, correct?” Beth asked as she squeezed my arm, trying to determine if my muscles were real.

  “Not today, Beth. I’m only trading in vegetables. Although, Linc does need some parts for some project he’s working on out at the farm.”

  Beth gave me a disappointed look, but moved toward the back of the truck, peering in to see what we had available.

  “Girls unload this truck while I go help the gentleman find the parts he’s looking for. Just stack them up inside the door and we’ll inventory them when I get back.”

  Beth crooked a finger my way as she started walking down the street.

  Shrugging an apology to Jessica, I followed Beth so that I didn’t get into trouble. Or I could be walking into a different kind of trouble with this lady so obviously on the prowl.

  She only hit on me three times, telling me how I was underappreciated on the farm and should come work for her. If only Jessica didn’t keep all the good stuff to herself.

  “Is there any way I can get these parts?” I asked, interrupting her sales pitch. “They’re all smaller, mostly screws and stuff to connect my project. I just wasn’t sure how much credit we would get for the produce?” I held up a list of everything I needed.

  “Why, for you honey, anything, but don’t let on to anyone that I gave you special preference.” She winked at me as she gave her hips an extra swing, I guess hoping to entice me.

  “You certainly seem to know where everything is,” I remarked as she found the third item on my list easily.

  “Oh, pooh. Denny would go on vacation and I’d fill in for him. In fact, when I was young, I worked here so that I didn’t have to be in the grocery store where my parents would’ve been all over me. It was nice to have a job where everything you did or didn’t do wasn’t going to ruin your future, you know? Then I inherited the grocery store, and now it’s a trade business. Never thought I’d see the world come to this.” Beth suddenly seemed much older than she was in reality.

  “What’s next on that list?”

  “Connecter ties.”

  “Sounds like you’re putting in solar panels.” Beth looked at me curiously.

  “Trish’s husband, Cooper, ordered them a few weeks ago before they moved in, and I’m doing the installation. I had most of what I needed but didn’t have enough connectors and a few other things to make things work when the electricity goes out.”

  “You think the electricity is going to stop?” Beth’s face expressed shock.

  “Cooper told us that if the sickness spread, it’ll effect everything. We’ve been lucky so far, but even if we go to the backup generators, how long until the gas supply runs out?”

  “This really is the end, isn’t it? Are you sure that you and I can’t go have a quickie in Denny’s office just in case we all die tomorrow?” Beth batted her eyes in my direction.

  “No.” I placed a kind hand on her shoulder. “Please don’t tell anyone about what I got to today, though. It’s not the end of the world, we’re just going to have to make do with a lot less people in it due to this illness.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of, and we’ll be stuck with the Jim’s of the world.” Beth shook her head and got back to hunting for the connectors.

  The other items on the list were easy, and I carried the paper bags with all the items I needed out to the now empty bed of the truck.

  Jessica had been standing on the sidewalk, talking to the girls and gathering information.

  “Beth, can you point us to the clinic? I think my mom’s been volunteering over there.”

  “Sure, honey. Only Mavis works the early morning shift, midnight to 7:00 a.m. She should be home right now. Tell her I said hello.”

  “Will do and thank you. We’ll see what else we can find some extras of and bring them your way when they’re harvested.”

  As they watched us drive toward my mom’s, Jessica reached over and rubbed on my cheek.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Wiping the lipstick off your cheek. How many times did she ask you to have sex on Denny’s desk?”

  “You knew she would do that? Why did you let me go alone?”

  She laughed. “Because you needed to see how many women want you now that the world is ending and decide if I’m really what you’re looking for in a relationship.”

  “Well, I can tell you this, it’s certainly not a woman the same age as my mother. She was sweet, though.”

  “Which is why I didn’t come along and protect you. Beth has good taste in men, and if she hit on you and you resisted, well, you passed the test.” Jessica scooted across the seat and snuggled up to me.

  I looked at her in confusion. “Were you doubting my loyalties?”

  “No, but Beth comes on pretty strong and you managed to gracefully turn her down. She wasn’t even mad at you. Most guys don’t get a second chance with her because they mess up.”

  “It could also have to do with the fact that the likes you as well,” I retorted, enjoying the fact that she was willing to claim me in public now.

  We pulled up to my mother’s house and the curtain fluttered for a second before the front door was thrown open.

  “Hi, Mom.”

  She didn’t waste words but swept me up into a hug like she hadn’t seen or heard from me in months. When she released me, she did the same thing to Jessica.

  “With the world ending, it’s no time to stand on formalities. My son likes you and I approve. Wherever you two are in the relationship, or if you’re just friends from here on out, I’ll still consider you family.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Jessica mumbled to my mom’s back.

  “Come in so we can talk.” She glanced nervously at the houses around hers.

  “We can’t stay long. We left Ray at the gate getting to know everyone.”

  Once inside the house, Mom just started crying, and Jessica moved her over to the couch, handing her a tissue from the coffee table.

  “I’m sorry. I’ve just been having this feeling that I wouldn’t ever see you again and I’ve been so worried. All those who are sick are going to die. We haven’t been able to find anything that stops this disease from making them worse. It’s hard working and caring for so many that I know aren’t going to live. I’ve had patients that died when I was nursing full-time, but this is different. There’s no hope for them.” She sniffled and blew her nose.

  “There, I got it all out.” She laughed and patted Jessica’s knee.

  “Mom, are you really all right, though?”

  “Yeah. Don’t be mad, but Peter has been here a lot. I think he’s got the sickness and I’m afraid of what will happen when…”

  “Mom, I could never be mad if you’re happy. Has he been helping at the clinic as well?”

  “No, but I might be carrying the sickness even though we’ve taken care not to have that happen.”

  “Where is he right now?” I suddenly became concerned. If he was sick and no one was watching him…

  “He’s at his house, three doors over. I’ve been checking on him. I carry my gun just in case,” she hurried to reassure me.

  That was such a burden to be carrying around. My mom had already lost my dad, and she would be devastated if Peter was gone as well.

  “I’m going to have Ray sneak in after dark. He’s going to stay with Peter just in case.” I looked at Jessica, feeling helpless.

  “Don’t, Linc fret yourself. You can’t do anything
and having Ray nearby will be welcome. I’m just tired from working the early shift and then worrying over Peter. You both need to get back before Jim figures out that you’re here and he gets upset.”

  “Mom, I love you. Don’t overwork yourself so much that you get sick as well. I can’t lose you too.”

  “Now, this isn’t goodbye. I’ll call you when Ray gets here tonight and let you know he made it. Take this lovely young lady home. That’s an order.”

  A smile played at the corners of my mouth. “Yes, ma’am.”

  She got up and walked over to the door, firmly opening it. “Shoo. Go.”

  I jumped up and gave her a quick peck as I went out the door.

  Jessica burst out laughing. “Guess I’m going to have to be a little more commanding if that is how he’ll respond to it.”

  Mavis laid an arm on Jessica’s, glancing to make sure that I was out of range, but she had no idea how good my hearing was.

  “He’ll try to take out those he thinks are responsible if something happens to me. You can’t let him do that. I’ve made my peace with the man upstairs, and whenever it happens, I’m ready. Tell him to live. That’s what I want for him the most.”

  “I’ll make sure he’s okay, but don’t go playing the heroine either. Don’t die on us.”

  Jessica joined me outside, but she wouldn’t tell me anything. Just that my mom would be fine, so I didn’t push for more.

  I truly hoped that would be the case because it sounded like my mom had been saying she was ready to die.

  Ray made it inside that night, but Peter wasn’t doing so good. I ran my hands through my hair in frustration that I couldn’t fix this for my mom.

  Several days later, everything went wrong at the same time. My mother, called frantic.

  “He’s coming to the farm,” she cried into the phone before it went silent.

  I almost fell over trying to reach the walkie-talkie. “Incoming rednecks, prepare to defend the farm.” The fastest way to the house was to run, but I hadn’t had to do this kind of distance run in years.

  Everyone were already taking up their positions when I arrived slightly out of breath. Roxanne was perched on the four-wheeler with Joy, and Nicole was holding onto Trevor.

  “Go!” I yelled at her. “Don’t come back until one of us comes to get you.”

  Jessica and Trish met me on the porch, each with shotguns.

  “What happened?” Trish asked, hiding behind the plants for better cover.

  “Mom called and said they were coming to the farm. The call was disconnected so I have no idea what went wrong, but it sounds like they’re holding my mother hostage.”

  “What about Ray?”

  “He may not know that mom’s in danger.” I pulled out my sat phone and dialed Ray’s number. When it just rang, it confirmed my worst fears. Jim had both of them, or Ray was already dead.

  “Where are the boys?”

  “In the barn’s loft, loaded up with guns behind the hay bales. Do you think they’re ready though? I mean, they might miscalculate or shoot too early.”

  I walked out a little bit and waved at the boys. “Are you going to do exactly as I tell you?”

  I grinned when I saw two thumbs go up. They might be young, but they were ready to fight.

  “They’ll do just fine,” I reassured Jessica.

  The clouds of dust flying on the main road could be seen a few miles away, and I hurried down to the gate so that they didn’t plow right through it.

  The oversized trucks on steroids arrived, peeling to a stop when they saw me waving at the gate.

  “Hey, what’s going on? Is there a fire?” I yelled out, playing dumb.

  “Nope,” Jim replied as he got out and came around the truck, holding a rifle.

  “Whoa! Jim slow down. I don’t know what you think is going on, but we don’t have anyone who’s sick on the farm.”

  “Really? How can I trust the word of an ex-spy?”

  Surprise flashed across my face. “Ex-spy? I was in the normal military, Jim. The army. I wasn’t a spy. Plus, you knew I’d been in the military, so I haven’t been lying to you.”

  “Oh, no? Then why do you have a military guy guarding your mother? How many of those fuckers do you have hiding out here? I’ll bet you have an entire arsenal hidden out here, don’t you?”

  “This is private property and you’re trespassing. We don’t owe you an explanation, and the ones with guns trained on you are women and children. So, if you want to be a big man, shooting at women and children, then go ahead and try to search this farm.”

  “Oh, you’ll let me search this farm or I’ll do to your mother what I did to your military friend. Ray, was it?” Jim motioned to one of the other trucks.

  They held up Ray’s severed head.

  “You dirty bastard! What did he do to you?”

  “Well, nothing. He just gave me the perfect opportunity to have you under my control. I know that morning I came by had to have been planned once I got to thinking about it. You almost had me, but the more I pondered it the more I became certain that you’d set me up.

  “Now, you’re going to let me and my men search this farm or in ten minutes, they’re going to do the same thing to your mother that we did to Ray.”

  “Well, if you’re certain that’s what you want to do then proceed to take your life in your own hands.”

  I rolled the gate open and held both hands up in the thumbs up gesture. I’d told the boys that would be the signal to shoot. I hoped that they got the message.

  The trucks moved closer to the house and barn as I started walking leisurely after them, knowing that they shouldn’t make it past the truck doors.

  Sure enough, the boys took out those closest to them, but left Jim standing there while Jessica and Trish took out the ones on the other side.

  Jim was the only one standing as I approached, holding my ankle gun on him.

  “So, Jim, I think we have a call to make and keep my mother alive, don’t you?”

  He nodded wordlessly and picked up the phone, only to hold it in his hand.

  Leaving nothing to chance, I reached for the phone and dialed the last number in his phone, putting it on speaker.

  “Hello, Jim. Do I get to kill the mom now?”

  “No, she’s better off working as a nurse. Let her live for now.”

  “Did you find the gun stash?” the voice on the other end asked excitedly.

  “I’ll be there shortly,” Jim answered, ignoring the question.

  “But—”

  “We’ll talk when I get there.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The call ended.

  “What are you going to do with me now?” Jim muttered anxiously.

  “We’re going to take your trucks back to town for you.”

  “Hey, guys, bring it in so we can go get my mom. Jessica, can you handle things here?”

  Jessica gulped before answering. “Yeah. We’ll be fine.”

  “It’s a shoot on sight rule now. I’ll try to call when we have the situation taken care of properly.”

  I chose to ride in the truck with Jim, while the others each took a truck to follow us. They loaded the others up and had them propped up so that the trucks looked like they had the same number of people as they’d left town with.

  “I know you think maybe you can wrestle the gun away or somehow alert the town but remember that my guys won’t hesitate to take any and every one of them out, including you.”

  Jim shook his head in acknowledgement but continued to drive.

  As we approached the town, I pulled a knife out, putting the gun under my right leg.

  “Just remember this knife will puncture your lung much faster and more painfully than any bullet can.” To emphasize my point, I let the sharp blade slice open his shirt and touch his bare skin.

  The all clear sign couldn’t have changed in the past few days, and so I watched as Jim raised his hand, giving the okay to move through.


  The gates opened and we drove through without any problems.

  “Drive to where you’re holding my mom,” I demanded.

  “She’s at Peter’s house. That’s how we found out about Ray.”

  “Let’s hope so,” I muttered as we pulled up.

  Once in park, Jim started to get out, but I stopped him. I’d seen a pair of handcuffs on the back seat, so I snagged them and put one on each wrist, threaded through the steering wheel. He’d have to yank it out and make it past the other three guys who were all looking for an excuse to kill him.

  “Watch him.” I ran up to the house with my gun drawn, throwing the door open.

  My mom was sitting on the floor with her throat torn out, starting to twitch and come back to life, while Peter was munching on the guard Jim had left behind.

  Bracing myself, I fired three headshots and walked out of the house, barely making it before I started puking my guts up in the bushes.

  “She’s dead.” I managed to get out between heaves. “Peter got infected and killed her and the guard. They’ve all been put down now.”

  Sam moved closer to the truck, pointing the gun at Jim’s head, ready to take him out.

  “No, we’re going to make an example of him. I just need to rinse my mouth out.” There was an outside faucet and I used it to clean up and catch my breath.

  “Unhook him. I think the keys are in his pocket.”

  Jim looked at me in surprise. Apparently, he hadn’t remembered that important piece of information.

  Sam uncuffed him from the steering wheel and then re-cuffed him behind his back. The cuffs were really too tight because of his large size, but I didn’t care anymore. Most police forces would probably have used zip ties, but at this moment, I didn’t care how much pain he was in.

  We walked, keeping our guns on him as people started coming out of their houses to see what was going on with their leader.

  The guards saw us at the same time I yelled to get their attention.

  “Hey, we need everyone to listen carefully. Where’s the mayor, Chris?”

  Someone pushed him to the front to stand beside Jim.

  “Did you know that your leaders have been taking the sick out of the clinic at night and killing them?” I ignored the gasps and continued. “They buried them out in the Oak Cemetery. If you don’t believe me, you can go out there and count the amount of newly dug graves. He also took my mother hostage today and killed one of my farmhands because he wanted the guns he thought we had stored out there.