“You’re not answering our questions,” Broussard hissed, unable to keep the anxiety from his voice.
“All in due time.” Higgins turned back and continued leading them through the complex. “In here is the kitchen and recreation areas.”
“We don’t care about this,” Carol nearly shouted. “Why won’t you tell us what’s going on?”
Higgins stopped and spun on them, a flash of anger in his eyes. “Because in order for you to understand completely what you are needed for, you first have to understand the underlying context.”
Broussard opened his mouth to say something but Higgins shot him an angry look and thrust a finger in his face. “All in due time.” He glanced to Carol then back to Broussard. “Now, let us continue.”
He turned and began marching through the complex again. “Over there is where the president would do whatever it is he would do. It’s an office with the presidential seal and, believe it or not, TV cameras and radio broadcast equipment.” He turned and gave Carol an odd look. “They say there’s even a direct line to the Kremlin, if you can believe that.”
“Very interesting,” Broussard barely kept the irritation from his voice. “Can we please get to the point?”
Higgins sighed then turned to the right. “Over here is where the various cabinet members would work…congress…and so on.” He stopped and beat on another door. Without fanfare, the steel door opened and Higgins stepped inside. “Follow me.”
Carol glanced at Broussard and muttered, “Yeah, now I’m not feeling so good about this.” She looked over her shoulder and shook her head. “But I don’t think running is an option any longer.”
Higgins led them into a large chamber and both researchers froze in their tracks. “This is why you are here.”
Broussard stepped forward slowly and stared at the numerous acrylic cells. Most had smears of dark fluid that could be dried blood or perhaps even fecal matter. The people inside appeared to be afflicted with the same mutated strep that Dr. McAlester had. “What is this?”
Higgins took a deep breath and eyed the two. “This is what is left of Congress.”
“You missed on purpose!” Lana all but screamed.
Simon readjusted and fired again. “They’re moving, dammit!” He fired again then paused, cursing under his breath. “They got around the corner.”
“Why didn’t you just shoot them?”
He turned and gave her a look she hadn’t seen before. “I tried.” He pushed away from the window and sat in the floor again. “Between my bad arm and them moving, it’s more difficult than I thought it would be.” He turned back around and peered through the scope again. “They aren’t running.”
“Christ!” Lana exclaimed as she began to pace. “What do we do?”
Simon shook his head as he tried to control his breathing. “I don’t know.” He fired another round then cursed as the target ducked. His fight or flight response was in high gear and he knew it.
“Well, now they know where we are.” She continued to pace. “And there’s three of them.”
“I know this, Lana,” Simon said softly. He continued to stare through the scope as she paced. “Grab what you can. Load the Ferrari.”
“Why the Ferrari?” She stared at him blankly. “It has like zero trunk space.”
“It’s fast,” he replied steadily. “If we have to outrun them, that car will do it.”
Lana stared at the garage then across the street at the car they had driven there. She knew there was no way she could get to it without being in the line of fire. “What should I pack?”
“Whatever you think we can’t live without or would be difficult to replace.” He glanced over his shoulder at her. “The meds for sure. Weapons and ammo. I think everything else we can replace easy enough.”
Lana cupped her hands together to prevent them from trembling. “Okay. I’m on it.” She felt her mouth go dry and her mind seemed to freeze up.
He gave her a soft smile then added, “Go ahead. I’ll keep them pinned down over there. By the time we’re ready to leave, they’ll be too scared to even look at what we’re driving.”
She bent low and kissed his cheek. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“I’m not used to…” She trailed off, her voice cracking.
He let go of the rifle and took her hand. “We’ll be okay.” He kissed her knuckles. “I promise. I won’t let anybody hurt you.”
She nodded slowly then pulled away. He picked up the rifle again and peered through the scope. “Let’s keep you assholes busy for a while.” He popped off another round, then another for good measure. “We’ll see just how bad ass you are.”
32
Hatcher gripped the pistol in his hand and cursed under his breath as more bits of earth rained down on top of him. He clenched his jaw and felt anger begin to rise up inside him.
He fought the urge to pop around the end of the wall and pepper the house. He knew that Buck was working his way towards the place and he didn’t want to inadvertently put the boy’s life in danger.
Hatcher duck walked to the end of the wall and put his hand beside his mouth, trying to direct his voice. “Stop shooting!” He paused and repeated himself. “Stop shooting! This isn’t what I want!”
The voice that yelled back at him shocked him. “I don’t care what you want! You shouldn’t a come here!”
To punctuate the statement, another shot separated the compacted earth wall, sending shards of debris into Hatcher’s shoulder. “Godammit!” he yelled as he pressed his other hand to the wound. He pulled back and saw tiny specks of blood. Leaning away from the corner, he pulled his shirt back and looked at the spot. It was just dirt imbedded in his skin, no entry wound.
Hatcher growled as he gripped the pistol. “We didn’t come here to hurt anybody!”
“I don’t care!”
More rounds.
Hatcher ground his teeth then stepped away
