The Decaying World Saga (Book 1): Tribes of Decay (22 page)

Garret leapt forward the moment the gun went off, shoving Jonah as we went. He slammed into Dr. Olric and wrapped his arms around the bigger man’s waist. Dr. Olric fell like a tree in the forest, crashing onto the ground with Garret on top of him. Rowan pushed Himu aside, ran to Jonah and picked him up.

“I’m fine,” Jonah assured him.

Rowan took half a second to look him over before turning to the melee. The gun went off again, this time the round careened off a table and into one of the screens on the other side of the room. Sparks from the hit pulled Rowan’s attention from the fight up to the main screen. The view of the compound was barely recognizable. The undead horde and their driving infected leaders had begun an assault. A wave of countless bodies climbed over one another trying to get to the top of the wall around Canaan. A ferocious growl pulled his attention back to the fray inside the room.

Erin stood erect in the center of her cramped cell looking down on Dr. Olric and Garret’s intertwined bodies. Her skin had darkened several shades and the golden hue of her irises were terrifyingly memorizing. Himu screamed in frightened delight as Erin’s limbs twitched erratically before she leapt down to the floor. Dr. Olric fired twice, hitting her once in the neck and once more in the shoulder. Neither round deterred her, nor did it stop her from hurling herself down on the two men.

Garret managed to roll out of the way. He scrambled to his feet and backed up as Erin climbed on top of the doctor. The mountain of a man wrapped one hand around her throat and forced her head back as she tried to bite him. He shoved her with enough force to lift her body into the air. She landed on her back, sliding into the foot of the cells. Dr. Olric was up and running for the door before anyone else could react.

“Don’t leave me here,” Himu cried. Rowan grabbed him before he could run after the doctor. “Get your hands off of me.”

Rowan gave him a straight jab to his already broken nose and Himu’s legs buckled. Rowan had to wrap both hands around him to keep from hitting the floor. Erin was up on her feet, growling at Jonah. The boy stood directly in front of her unable to move. She grabbed him by the sleeve and he sprang back to life, trying to get away.

Garret leaned in with a punch, catching Erin on the jaw. Her head snapped to the side and she let go of Jonah. The boy sprinted for the entrance without much of a thought for who was standing at the door. Rowan pushed Himu out of the way and ran after the boy. Jonah ducked away from the doctor’s grasp then continue racing down the hallway beyond him. Rowan was only a few feet away when Dr. Olric tapped the panel on the wall and the door slid closed.

“No.”

Rowan banged his fist against the door then turned around. Garret and Himu were on the far side of the tables with Erin circling around after them. Rowan reached the table without her noticing him. He picked the microscope up and swung at the back of her head. The first strike cracked her skull and the second split her head open. Rowan watched her fall to the floor in a heap then took a deep breath and wiped the blood splatter off his face.

“Open the door,” he said.

Himu scanned back and forth between Garret on one side of him and Rowan on the other.

“I can’t.”

“Why not?” Garret asked then took a step toward him.

“Your little friend stole my access card,” Himu said.

“You’re going to figure out a way—”

Garret reached out for him, but before he could grab his arm, Himu pulled a syringe from his pocket and slammed it into Garret’s leg. Himu leapt up onto the table and jumped off on the other side. He was down and running before Rowan started to move. Himu reached the end of the row of cells and turned down a narrow walkway adjacent to the rear wall. He was on his knees, pulling at a vent cover when Rowan reached the walkway. The cover bounced toward Rowan as Himu slid in through an opening in the wall. Rowan dove, slamming down on Himu’s legs before they disappeared.

“Get over here.” Rowan could barely breathe as he tried to keep Himu from crawling away. “Cut it out.” He hauled back and punched Himu between the legs. The slender man went limp and let out a painful groan. Rowan pulled him out and patted him down, removing another syringe from his pocket. He stood up and forced Himu to do the same. “Get going.”

Rowan pushed his bloody captive back out into the room where Garret was waiting. Garret grabbed him the moment he was within reach and punched him in the gut.

“What did you do to me?”

Himu tried to speak, but he didn’t have enough air in his lungs to get it out. The sound that crept from his mouth was not a plea for his life. He coughed and gagged at first then chuckled to himself. Himu raised a single finger and pointed at the monitors displaying the view of the dead cascading over the walls into Canaan.

“It doesn’t matter now.”

22

A red glow filled the darkness as a series of lights surrounding the chamber blinked on and off. Mia wasn’t sure what was happening. A high-pitched squeal sounded off in tune with the lights. The effect sent her already panic-stricken mind into a swirling mess. She’d maneuvered herself through the towering maze of crates to a small opening near the exterior wall. Mia eyed a set of stairs leading up to an exit.

She lost sight of Connor after their melee, but she was sure that he was still on the hunt. She hadn’t had time to process everything that happened nor did she want to. She’d lost more in the past week than any other time in her life and adding Jacob to the list was enough to break her if she let it. She was crying and couldn’t stop, at times holding her hand over her mouth to keep her sobs quiet.

Jacob wouldn’t want her to think about him, that much she was sure. Mia figured he’d be angry with her for crying and that idea was enough to get her emotions under control, if only for a moment. She focused on the sounds between the ringing sirens, listening for footsteps. It wasn’t long before she was rewarded for her careful attention, but the herd of stomping boots wasn’t what she expected.

She slipped behind a crate, leaving a single eye to look out beyond her hiding spot. Several groups of soldiers rushed through an opening in the exterior wall and continued around the walkway, all of them dressed in black fatigues and armed with multiple weapons. They raced across the chamber in a lengthy procession until the last of them finally poured out of a far side exit as quickly as they entered. Mia decided to make a run for it.

Her foot hit the bottom stair before she got a reaction. The response was loud and clear. The first shot went wide, but the second ricocheted off the stairs, missing her by a hair. Mia raced to the top and through an opening before the third shot hit the wall.

The adjoining chamber was a dizzying sight both high above and far below. The walls of the immense manmade cavern were lined with a series of sporadically placed platforms, most connected by stairs running up and down. Something told Mia that she needed to climb, but her platform didn’t offer a choice. She was running down a moment later, several steps at a time, nearly taking a tumble before she made a turn and reached the platform below. The stairs continued downward, but the sound of boots hitting the grated flooring above encouraged her to slip in through an archway attached to the platform. Mia eyes met a pair as confused and frightened as hers.

“Help me.”

Mia’s plea slipped out in a whisper. An old woman stared back at her with a stoned expression. The pale skin of her cheeks was a stark contrast to the mane of pitch-black hair hanging down around her shoulders. The old woman reacted a heartbeat before Mia rushed past her. She grabbed a hold of Mia’s hand and pulled her into the light.

“Come, child.”

The light rained down from an open ceiling. One look revealed the long walkway crossing from the room above and a sudden recognition told Mia where she was. Several people scurried out of the old woman’s way as she led Mia to the far side of a spacious workspace. She motioned toward a long line of plump sacks stacked in front of a container.

“Quickly now,” she said, pointing.

A moment later and Mia was hidden, crammed into a tight space with her knees pulled up against her chest, between the row of sacks and the metal container. Shadows danced across the walls as figures moved beyond her view. The sirens continued their chant in the background in unison with the flashing red lights. A scurry of motion drew her attention to the opening at the end of her hiding spot. The old woman came into view, her ragged clothes were made of the same material as the sacks. A sudden fear on the woman’s face chilled Mia’s heart. The voice that followed her stare confirmed the fright.

“Did someone run through here?” Connor asked. He was close, but Mia couldn’t see him. “Come now, out with it.”

The woman’s eyes went to the floor. She shook her head slowly and replied.

“No sir, no one.”

Mia was drawn to the woman’s hand. The flutter of the material covering her legs revealed her panicked shaking. A rush of sound followed, none of which Mia could identify. Mia squeezed her legs into her chest, closing her eyes. Her thundering heartbeat blocked out everything else. It felt like an eternity before she had the courage to open her eyes again.

“He’s gone.”

Mia heard the woman, but could no longer see her. She steadied her nerves before sliding out into the open. A small group joined the old woman, all of them focused on Mia as she got to her feet. The group whispered to one another while nervously peering at the room’s exit.

“I’m called Agnes, of the Provo Tribe. Not that I expect you to know where that is,” she said then rubbed her hands together before reaching out to Mia. “Come along, there’s not much time now.”

Mia didn’t know what she meant. She was hopeful Agnes would be able to explain what caused the alarm and more importantly how they could get back to the surface. Agnes pulled her around the backside of a line of crates parallel with the exit and all of Mia’s questions evaporated.

“Jacob.”

The old man was barely breathing. Blood covered his shirt from a wound in his chest. The color drained from his face as he turned his head in her direction and grinned.

“I’m glad to see you.”

Agnes leaned in close to Mia and whispered in her ear.

“He doesn’t have much time.”

Mia tried to hold back her emotions as she slumped down next him. She ground her teeth as her eyes swelled.

“I’d like to point out that my hunch about Connor might have been a little closer to the mark than you believed.”

The sarcastic cut was enough to get Mia to laugh at him. She took a hold of his hand and squeezed.

“I don’t know where I’m going to go,” she admitted. “Something’s going on with the soldiers, I think they’re looking for me.”

Jacob shook his head.

“No, they don’t care about you,” he said. “I think these people are slaves.” He gasped then coughed, blood spilling from his mouth down his chin. “This is what awaited your people.”

Mia glanced up at Agnes then back to Jacob.

“There was never a paradise for us,” she said.

Jacob coughed again and it drew her eyes to his.

“You make sure you get out of here and build a damn paradise for yourself.” His coughing worsened and he began to choke. His grip tightened on her hand and she lost her battle with her emotions. She leaned over him and pulled his hand to her chest. His coughing suddenly stopped and he looked up at her. “Thank you.”

He took one last breath then closed his eyes for good. Mia clenched her teeth so tight that the pain rode up her jaws and into her temples. She let his hand go then wiped the tears from her cheeks. She gathered herself enough to stand and face the growing crowd behind her. Mia knew what she needed to do for Jacob, but at the moment she couldn't bring herself to consider it.

“Something’s happening topside,” Agnes said. “The soldiers aren’t at their posts.”

“We have to get out of here,” Mia announced, raising her voice so everyone could hear. She didn’t understand the alarms nor did she comprehend the soldiers’ response. “How do we get to the top?”

Agnes glanced at the dozen or so onlookers, each of them waiting for her reply.

“We don’t,” she said. “They’ll kill us.”

It wasn’t good enough for Mia.

“Then stay here and die,” she said as she started for the archway leading out to the open cavern. “I’d rather die trying.” She was out on the platform before Agnes caught up with her.

“You’ll never reach the top.”

“Then help me,” Mia said.

Agnes looked back at the crowd, most of them anxiously watching the walkways above for their familiar watchers.

“You don’t know what you’re saying,” Agnes said. “The remains of countless tribes are locked away in the bowels of this God forsaken place.”

Mia climbed the stairs then froze mid-step.

“Can you take me to where they hold you?” she asked.

Agnes studied her face.

“I’ve been here longer than I care to remember,” she said, “and I’ve watched most of my people die like animals.”

Mia had heard enough. She scanned the faces of everyone gathered in the archway. “I won’t die here a slave,” she said. “The story of my people deserves a better ending.”

Agnes slowly nodded.

“I’ll show you the way, but I can’t promise they’ll help you.”

The answer was good enough for Mia, but that wasn’t what struck her with sudden panic. She caught sight of him from the corner of her eye. It took her brain a split second to register what she was seeing. Mia looked out across the open space between the stairs and the nearest platform to find Connor aiming his gun directly at her.

♦

Rowan moved through the ventilation shaft on his hands and knees with only a vague set of directions from Himu on how to proceed. Doctor Olric’s assistant crawled in the darkness behind him, no doubt dripping blood from his face, thanks to a pair of punches to his broken nose. Garret was in the rear, ensuring their captive had nowhere to escape. Himu was resistant to tell them what he injected Garret with, but one look at Erin’s remains gave them a probable glimpse of what awaited. Rowan couldn’t shake the view of the undead surge coming over the walls of Canaan moments before the screens cut out.

The crawl lasted longer than Rowan anticipated from Himu’s description of the route; however, the exit was exactly where he said it would be. He stopped short of the slotted vent and peered out at a small, dim room. A single light, inlaid in the wall, shown down on the lone door of a dirty, but empty space. A slight push sent the vent plate forward and Rowan scrambled out. He grabbed Himu by the arm the moment he crawled into the light and the pair waited until Garret was up before turning to face the door.

“Where are we?” Rowan asked.

Himu pinched the bridge of his nose and held his head back. His face was beginning to swell around his eyes as the blood continued to trickle down from his nose into his mouth.

“It’s a supply room,” he said. “No one ever comes in here.”

“And we can get out without your card?”

Himu nodded.

“Sit.” Rowan gave him a shove that ended with him on his back. Himu groaned but remained on the floor. Rowan kept his eyes on Himu as he leaned in close to Garret. “How are you?”

Garret shook his head then tilted it to one side.

“I can’t get the ringing out of my ears,” he said. “I’m hot, shaking.”

“I…I don’t,” Rowan struggled with his response. “I don’t know how I can help you.”

Garret’s face hardened. He clenched his jaw then ignored Rowan’s concern. “We need to find Jonah and get out of here.”

Himu chuckled and Garret stomped toward him.

“You think that’s funny?” he demanded. “I’ll bash your head in.”

Rowan grabbed him before he could do any damage. Himu’s smile vanished as he threw his hands up in front of his face.

“There’s only one way out of here alive,” Himu said.

“And what’s that?” Garret asked.

Himu put his hands down and shook his head as he made a silent calculation. “I guess it doesn’t matter now,” he said. “Doctor Olric will close off the way.”

Garret took another step toward him.

“What way?”

“There’s a safe passage on the bottom floor of this hive. The commission used it to get out without anyone noticing.”

“What’s a hive?” Garret asked, growing increasingly frustrated.

Rowan stepped up next to him.

“What’s the commission?”

“A hive is what we call the sections of the colony and the commission is the group that led us,” Himu explained. “They’ve known about the evolution of the infected for some time. They also knew about the gathering.”

“How?” Rowan asked.

Himu got to one knee then hesitantly stood up.

“Does it matter?”

Rowan changed his mind.

“How can we get to this safe passage?”

“I told you that Doctor Olric—”

Garret grabbed a fist full of Himu’s shirt.

“Take us there.”

Himu put his hands up again.

“Fine.”

“What about the soldiers?” Rowan asked.

Himu smiled.

“I can’t help you there.”

Rowan led them toward the door.

“If the doctor got a hold of Jonah,” Rowan surmised, “he’ll probably take him down to that passage with him.”

“If he didn’t just kill him,” Garret countered.

The remark was a harsh reality check. There was no way to be sure they’d find Jonah. All they could do was hope the boy was headed for the passage. As best as Rowan could tell, there were few other choices.

“We need to hurry,” Garret added.

The comment brought Rowan and him face to face and the view was startling. The whites of Garret’s eyes were clouded over, streaked with red. The sight was an instant reminder of the war going on inside his body. A war Rowan knew would end with Garret succumbing to the infection.