“Alright,” Alex said, hoping they’d get there soon. He was growing tired of the lovestruck looks Jax kept throwing at Molly. He’s going to start drooling all over himself any minute now.
Luckily, they arrived at the place not long after that, and Alex climbed out of the truck with his rifle held ready in both hands. Like most of Radcliff, the streets were deserted with little of interest to see. The horde of zombies that had run over Fort Knox had not returned, a ten-fold blessing for all concerned.
A brightly painted sign beckoned to them from above the mall’s entrance, and Officer Brown quickly organized their parties into teams. “Right, everyone. Gather around. Let’s do this quickly and quietly.”
“Molly, you’re with me on the center aisles, Jax you go with Rooney and take the left. Mick and Scott, you’re on the right. Grab a shopping cart each and remember your lists. If anything happens, we all run straight back here. Got that?”
“Got it,” everyone but Alex and Tony said.
“What about me?” Tony asked with a frown.
“And me?” Alex echoed.
“You two are on guard duty. Keep an eye out for zombies, and warn us if you see anything out of the ordinary.”
Tony didn’t bother to hide his dismay. “You’re not serious. I’m supposed to stay outside with this guy?”
Officer Brown nodded. “Exactly.”
“Why?”
“Because, I say so, Tony,” Officer Brown said, his expression bland. “Do you have a problem with my commands?”
Tony shook his head. “No, but I’d be more useful inside. Not wafting in the wind like a glorified fart.”
“It’s my decision, Tony,” Officer Brown said, not giving an inch.
“Fine,” Tony grumbled, turning his back on them, shoulders stiff and his spine ramrod straight.
“How about you, Alex?” Officer Brown asked.
Alex wasn’t thrilled with the decision either, but he had more sense than to argue with Officer Brown. “I heard you, Sir.”
“Good. Here you go,” Officer Brown said, handing him a two-way radio and securing the other to his belt. “Remember, if you see something, or if you run into trouble, let me know.”
“Yes, Sir,” Alex replied, fiddling with the knob on the radio.
“Move out,” Officer Brown ordered. He jogged toward the shop entrance with the rest of the group and tested the doors. They were unlocked, and after a thorough look inside to check for infected, they went ahead.
Alex resigned himself to a long morning spent guarding the trucks while the others had their fun. With his rifle slung across his chest, he patrolled the area with measured steps. Tony did the same, and they studiously avoided each other. Twice, Alex stopped at his truck for a swig of water and a bite of his protein bar. Other than that, he kept moving.
After forty minutes had passed, the first load of supplies came out of the shop. Alex watched with jealous eyes as Molly, Jax, and the others unloaded their loot, their glee evident. Cases of water, cool drinks, juices, canned goods, dried foods, batteries, candles, baby food, diapers, and even candy bars filled one of the trailers to the brim. With rope and canvas, they covered and secured the load.
“Okay, guys. Let’s go back for more,” Officer Brown said. “Is everything clear out here, folks?”
“Yes, Sir,” Alex replied.
“Tony?”
“All clear,” Tony said.
“Good. See you soon.”
The three teams ducked back into the shop, and Alex resumed his endless patrolling. After a while, he grew tired and sat down on the tailgate of the nearest truck. His legs dangled in the air, and he chewed at his bottom lip. His frustration was growing with each passing minute, and the lack of action chafed at his nerves. Today’s a total bust, damn it. I should’ve spent it with Amy rather. Instead, I’m stuck with Tony’s company.
His eyes panned across the road, following it to the end where it bent around a corner. A flicker of movement caught his attention, and he jerked upright. For a long moment, nothing happened. He was about to relax when he saw it again.
Movement.
Definite movement.
Within a split second, Alex was on full alert. Lifting his rifle to his shoulder, he looked through the scope. The lens caught the reflection of an infected moving up the street with their telltale jerky stride. Behind it was another, and another.
They kept coming until he could no longer count them, a swarm headed straight for the strip mall. They were still a fair distance away, but the moment they spotted Alex and Tony, they’d break into a sprint. Whatever he was going to do, he’d better do it fast.
Alex jumped off the tailgate and whirled around, searching for Tony. The other man was leaning against the second vehicle’s front grill with his back to Alex. He hummed beneath his breath, nodding along to the words of the song in his head.
Alex dared not shout to him. Instead, he hunched down low and ran toward Tony as fast as he could. He ducked around the side of the truck and reached Tony within seconds. Without hesitation, he grabbed the man’s arm and yanked him to the ground.
“What the —” Tony began to yell.
“Sh, zombies,” Alex whispered frantically, one finger pressed to his lips.
Tony shut his mouth, looked around, and asked, “Where?”
“Close. Too close.”
“How many?”
“Dozens, maybe more,” Alex said with a shake of his head. “We need to hide.”
“Where?”
Alex took a quick look around the corner of the truck and jerked his head back. “Too late to make a run for it. Get down.”
“Huh?” Tony asked.
“Get underneath the truck. It’s our only chance,” Alex said.
With a muttered curse, Tony dropped to his stomach and shimmied underneath the vehicle. Bit by bit, his legs disappeared. In the meantime, Alex grabbed the radio at his waist and pressed the button. “Officer Brown, come in. Officer Brown. Over.”
“Roger that. Go ahead, Alex. Over.”
“There’s a horde coming up the street. I repeat, a horde of zombies. Over.”
There was a brief moment of silence
