back, and his bed was made, unused.
Dimly, Don wondered where he was. He wondered if Jim, Danny, and Frankie were asleep. Then alcohol and fatigue got the best of him, and he passed out.
The zombie army rolled over the bridges and tunnels leading into Manhattan. Riding in armored tanks, Humvees, and deuce-and-a-half trucks, they poured into the Necropolis, bringing ordnance and reinforcements. Tractor-trailers and civilian vehicles followed along behind them. The caravan rumbled through the streets, smashing aside the few remaining abandoned and wrecked vehicles that the New York forces hadn't cleared away. The concrete and steel canyons echoed with their thunder.
Ob ordered all of them to converge on his location, several blocks away from Ramsey Towers. Although the streets had been cleared of major blockages, barricades were constructed in the streets surrounding the skyscraper.
Watching the approaching forces through binoculars, Ob said, 'Our forces arrive quicker than we predicted.'
'Our brethren are anxious to begin, sire,' said one of his lieutenants.
'Have our rat spies returned yet?'
'Not yet, lord Ob. They are overdue.'
'Perhaps the humans discovered them. No matter. We have what we need from other sources.'
Turning to the plotting table at his side, Ob resumed his study of the maps of the area, blueprints of the skyscraper and the sewers and tunnels that lay beneath it. He conferred with his generals and gathered his army together. They planned and plotted until dawn.
One of the sentries radioed Bates as he was on his way to search Ramsey's office, and private living quarters, along with Branson and Quinn, who was still drunk from the card game. The red-haired pilot sipped a mug of hot coffee, trying to sober up as quickly as possible.
Bates had filled both men in on Ramsey's crumbling sanity. Bates then advised Quinn of the approaching zombie army, which Branson verified. Bates told them both about the possible escape route.
Bates answered the radio and told the sentry to go ahead.
'Sir, this is Cullen, down in the lobby.'
'What is it, son?'
'There's-there's some kind of activity going on down here. Several trucks just pulled up, and it looks as if they're arming the zombies.'
'Arming them?'
'Yes, sir. It's hard to tell for sure through our barricades, but it looks like they're handing out weapons and ammunition. And there's more zombies showing up too. A lot more than we normally have milling around outside. I think they're lighting the other buildings on fire.'
Bates stopped in the middle of the hallway and exchanged wide-eyed looks with Branson and Quinn. 'Are you sure?'
'Yes, sir. What should Newman and I do?'
'Stand fast, and keep me advised. I'll send some reinforcements down to you.'
'This is getting fucking bad, man.' Quinn moaned.
'We've got to alert everybody. I need the two of you to continue searching for Mr. Ramsey. I'll send you some help as soon as I can.'
'What are you gonna do, sir?' Branson gulped.
'Call an emergency meeting.'
The radio squawked again. Frustrated, Bates answered.
'This is Bates.'
'It's Forrest.'
'Did Doc Stern get you fixed up?'
'Yeah. Any sign of the old man?'
'None. Obviously, he's somewhere in the building. Wake up Carson and DiMassi. Apprise them of the situation and get them involved with the search too. Tell them to meet Branson and Quinn on the top floor.'
'But DiMassi's still quarantined.'
'Then he'll need to get better in a hurry. Meanwhile, have Val sound the alarm over the P. A. system. I want everybody in the building, with the exception of those on watch, to assemble in the auditorium in twenty minutes.'
'Before that, there's something else you ought to see.'
'What, Forrest? I don't have time for anything else.'
'I'm down on the thirtieth floor.'
'And?'
'There's a shitload of zombies out there. That army you were talking about? I think they just arrived.'
'I know. I'll be right down.'
Forrest stood at the end of the hall, looking out the thirtieth floor's big observation window. The way the building had been designed, it seemed as if he was standing overtop the street itself. Raising the binoculars, he
