She lashed out with her hands and feet, hampered by the heavy folds of her winter blankets. Her voice came out as a muffled cry, and the smell of the stranger’s skin was sharp in her nostrils. Panic shot through her veins and the only person she could think of was her brother. Alex, help!
Seconds later, Amy froze when the cold steel of a gun barrel pressed against her temple. In a low voice, her attacker said, “Stop moving, or I’ll shoot.”
She could tell it was a man but couldn’t place his identity. He was a stranger, and somehow, that made everything worse. It was the middle of the night, and a strange man held a gun to her head while she lay in bed. She’d never felt so vulnerable in her life. Dressed in pj’s with her shotgun three feet away, she was defenseless.
The barrel dug into her skin, and the man said, “Don’t say a word. Not a peep out of you or your brains will be scattered all over this room. Got that?”
His voice was cold, and Amy believed every word he said. With wide eyes, she nodded. Just do whatever he wants for now.
Suddenly, the hand across her lips was gone, and she sucked in a deep breath. Despite her overwhelming desire to scream, she kept quiet.
The man chuckled. “That’s a good girl. Now get up and walk downstairs to the living room. We’re having a meeting tonight, and you’re invited.”
On shaky legs, Amy climbed out of bed and shoved her feet into the waiting slippers. On autopilot, she crossed the room and walked toward the stairs. Her attacker followed, a menacing danger. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought that he could shoot her at any moment.
The house was dark and silent, but a faint glow emitted from downstairs. She made her way toward it, and the light grew brighter. On the kitchen counter, a lamp shined, and another burned on the dining room table. A couple of candles lit the rest of the area, though dark hollows remained in the corners.
A group of people stood in the center of the living room, and Amy spotted both Tara and Alex in an instant. It took all of her self-control not to cry out with horror, but she remembered the stranger’s threat. With her lips pressed together, she halted a few feet away from them and waited.
Alex was on his knees on the carpet, his hands placed behind his head. Tara was next to him, but on her feet, arms folded around her chest. Both looked shocked and bewildered, much like Amy felt.
The rest were strangers except for Dr. Bannock, whom she recognized in an instant. She’d only seen him once on the day he let free the zombies in the lab. It had been a brief moment, but enough to brand his aging, bespectacled face into her memory for life.
A tall man with pale eyes addressed her kidnapper. “Is she the last one, Red?”
The man behind her grunted. “She’s the last, Lieutenant. I didn’t see anyone else.”
Amy’s eyes flew to the lieutenant, her mind buzzing. King! It must be King and Bannock. What do they want? Revenge?
Both the lieutenant and doctor were dressed in ordinary clothes, and a glance at Red confirmed his plain garb as well. They were rough and unshaven; their bodies rail thin. Apparently, life outside the base was a lot harder than on the inside.
The others were dressed in fatigues, their hair cut short, and their jaws as smooth as a baby’s behind. Soldiers, all three of them. It seemed that despite his disgrace, the former Lieutenant King still had friends inside the fort. That explained how he got inside and how he made it across the grounds without getting caught.
Amy glared at the soldiers, anger boiling in her chest. They’re supposed to protect us, not betray us. Cowards.
King frowned at Red’s answer and turned toward one of the soldiers. “Damn it, Perez. Where are the rest? You said they’d all be here.”
Perez shook his head. “I’m sorry, Sir. I thought for sure they’d be together. It’s New Year’s Eve, after all.”
“So, what happened?” King asked. When no one answered, he leveled his gun at Alex. “Where are the rest of you?”
Alex stared at King, his lips pressed together. “Screw you.”
King sighed. “Let’s try again, shall we?”
He turned the gun on Amy, and Alex’s eyes widened. “No, don’t hurt her!”
“Answer my question, or I’ll kill her right now,” King said, his expression as smooth as marble.
“If you hurt my sister, I swear to God —”
“Enough with the insults. They’re pointless,” King interrupted. “Either you tell me what I want to know, or she’s dead.”
Alex stared at Amy with a helpless look on his face. “I —”
“Alex, don’t tell him. They’re our friends,” Amy cried, but she knew it was futile. He’d do anything for her. It was both his greatest strength and his greatest weakness.
“Saul and Dylan are helping Nick to keep the peace tonight. They’re patrolling the perimeter and doing spot checks in the barracks,” Alex said, his shoulders sagging with defeat.
“Why?” King asked. “Nick’s in charge, isn’t he? Why’s he doing the dirty work?”
“Nick’s not like that. He’s a hands-on leader,” Alex replied with reluctance. “And, we can’t afford to let zombies breach the walls because a couple of soldiers decided to get drunk and abandon their posts.”
“Then why aren’t you out there as well?”
“I’m due for a dawn patrol.”
“What about the doctor, Ethan Hayes?” King asked.
“Ethan is at the infirmary. We rarely see him anymore since Dylan and Nick got together.”
“What a shit show,” Lieutenant King said, pacing back and forth. “I guess I should’ve seen this coming. Instead, I relied on intel from a bunch of morons.”
Directing an angry look at Perez and the other two soldiers, he continued, “I suppose my revenge will have to wait. We’ve got Dr. Lee. That’s the important thing.”
“What
