The Aftermath Trilogy (Book 3): The Aftermath [Ground Zero] Read online

  She moved slightly away from the woman. Raising her pipe above her head. Bringing it down in a vicious swift arc onto the man's skull. An audible crunch resounded as the skull caved in conforming to the shape of the pipe. The moaning stopped as the man fell backwards to the ground dead.

  “All right then,” Dan said trying to sound pleasant. “Let's take a walk to the police station.”

  He let the woman with the broken arm walk several feet in front of them. She would turn her head every so often only to see them paying attention to her. Then gloomily looking forward once again.

  This did not worry him if she tried to run as they walked down the center the street he could easily take her out with the bow before she got too far. Katrina had been quiet as they walked this far as Dan fell slightly back to walk, beside her.

  “Are you okay,” he asked her quietly with concern.

  She did not look at him.

  “Yes,” she replied quietly.

  Dan shook his head slightly.

  “I don't think so. I've never seen you act that way,” she turned to look at him with an accusatory look on her face.

  “You don't understand,” she stated angrily with her southern drawl.

  “I know, that I do not understand. That's why I'm asking,” he said calmly.

  “I'm not saying what you did was wrong. I just want to know why,” she looked at him for several seconds before replying.

  “I remembered him,” she said distantly. Dan's mind raced. She never talked about her past. She always stated that she never remembered anything. Dan just nodded his head he remembered something Doug had told him after he had first met her. Doug had said something about repressed memories. People repressed events trying to erase bad memories that had happened Doug would know he had been a psychiatrist before the plague. Dan never paid much attention to it then. After all, many bad things have happened to people, including him. Since the plague’s start he remembered it all. He looked at Katrina.

  “Is there anything I can do to help,” he said calmly as she shook her head. He could see the start of tears in her green eyes.

  “No,” her southern drawl stated barely holding back the emotion.

  “That man and some of his friends attacked my family at the onset of the plague, they killed my father and assaulted my mother and sister before killing them. I was next. My father turned becoming a zombie. That startled them giving me a chance to escape,” she blurted out before breaking off the sentence and taking a deep breath.

  Dan nodded his head slightly.

  “I understand,” he said sadly. “I do understand.”

  As the three of them walk down Main Street to Dan the street was eerily empty looking a sense of growing unease overcoming him. He knew people should be on the road today walking, riding bicycles or traveling in the occasional golf cart or even car but none was in evidence today. They had just passed the sign proclaiming City Hall as they turned into a medium-size asphalt parking lot that bustled with commotion around the front of a modern two-story office building. The building made of bright metal frames and dark tinted glass with a smaller identical building of the same construction. Sitting off to one side a white sign with black letters proclaiming that it was the police station. Dan looked at Katrina while her face had returned to a semblance of the calm look. She normally had she had not stop looking at the ground. The woman holding her broken arm started slowing as she walked needing a slight nudge with the end of Dan's recurve bow to make her move again.

  They started up the concrete walkway leading towards the well-tended flower beds near the three-tiered fountain. Stopping looking at all the explosive movement of people moving around makeshift wooden barriers of blackboards with police painted on them in white block letters. Dan looked at the squat bulky rectangular shape with sharp angles of the black armored personnel carrier sitting on top of four knobby heavy-duty industrial looking tires. The block white letters proclaiming police was near the open side hatch. Dan saw a man in a black uniform sticking out of the top hatch behind an M 60 machine gun he studied the armored car for a moment. He never knew the city had one. From around the side of it Dan caught site of the short black woman with close-cropped black hair. Checking the pulse of the man carried on a stretcher by two police officers she had just put his arm back onto the stretcher. When she turned to see him a look of recognition crossing her face. She started to make a move to come over to him.

  “Margaret over here,” she stopped as a man wearing riot gear called out waving his arm.

  Margaret looked at them. Sadly, shaking her head and pointing further along the line, pointing out the way he should go before she turned and jogged off. They moved into the chaos of the armed people moving about. Dan saw the slender figure of Doctor McGee her short brown hair was moving wildly around her ears as she moved around a police officer towards them.

  Dark spots of varying sizes sat on her blue jeans with outdoor shoes; and brown short sleeve shirt. Covered by her M.O.L.L.E (Modular lightweight load carrying equipment) an adjustable vest type harness with pouches configured for medical supplies. Dan then spotted she was wearing her standard Beretta model ninety-two military nine-millimeter pistol. She seemed stressed making her look older then her late thirties should be. Her brown eyes looked up to his blue eyes but did not notice him at first. Dan took no offense she had not recognized him.

  “Loren what’s going on here,” he asked pointing out the commotion. She stopped in recognition.

  “Glad to see you're okay,” she started but stopping suddenly as she saw the woman holding her arm.

  She started to move forward before Dan stopped her by shaking his head she looked at him puzzled but before Doctor McGee could answer a frantic voice called out.

  “Doctor over here,” a strained voice shouted.

  Dan and Katrina looked towards the voice recognizing it as Sara. Her five feet seven inch frame covered in a medical responder vest that did nothing to hide the curves of her body. Intense brown eyes stood out on her light brown complexion of a Latin woman. Her black hair flowing around her shoulders as she moved towards them. Dan noticed a few stains of blood on her pants and shirt but it did not appear hers she seemed unharmed. She stopped at seeing them her eyes widened.

  “I'm glad you're okay,” she said rather hurriedly. Before looking at Doctor McGee.

  “We have an abdominal wound and I need your help,” she said motioning and moving off Doctor McGee turned immediately.

  “We'll talk later take care,” she said without looking at him as she hurried off to follow Sara.

  Dan used the tip of his bow to signal the woman should get moving again toward another armored personnel carrier. Traveling only a few yards before several people in black riot gear intercepted them near the arch entranceway that sat over the black double glass doors. Dan looked at their prisoner her face having a look of confusion on it. A large man wearing riot gear broke off from the group approaching them.

  “John what's going on,” Dan asked questioningly.

  John's brown eyes moved behind the curve plastic shield that sat in front of his face from him to the woman holding her arm.

  “In a minute what's with her,” John asked.

  “Her and a friend tried to rob us,” Katrina said in her slow southern drawl as she looked up from the ground.

  “Friend,” John asked.

  “Not a threat anymore living or dead,” Dan said rather smugly. Dan watched as John studied the woman for a moment as he decided.

  “Follow me now,” John said as he turned and started to walk away.

  John lead them towards a small table were several people were standing around studying a large blueprint laid out on it. John walked up to a small frame man in riot gear wearing the black helmet with a silver eagle painted across the front of it leaning in to talk with him for a moment. The small man's gray eyes turned to study Dan, Katrina and the woman from moment before he walked over to them. He surprised Dan as he addressed the wo
man first.

  “I will give you one chance to tell me the truth the first time and I will be lenient lie to me,” Commander Hudson left the threat unfinished.

  The woman now genuinely looked terrified.

  “What do you want to know,” she said slowly

  The small man studied her making her sweat for a second before asking.

  “Are you part of this,” the woman looked down at the ground before nodding her head affirmatively.

  Commander Hudson made a motion with his hand as two people in police uniforms came up. One putting their hand on the woman pushing her forward to follow the other police officer and led her away. Dan and Katrina stood quietly watching all of this go on in silence before turning questioning eyes towards Commander Hudson.

  “I'll be brief,” he said quietly but in a voice that commanded respect. “Council member Jarvis is trying a coup.”

  “A what,” Katrina southern drawl, asked questioningly.

  Commander Hudson did not notice the interruption.

  “He is trying to take over the town He has taken over part of City Hall and have several town officials as hostages.”

  He didn't even look at Dan as he answered his unspoken question.

  “Yes he has Sandra as one of the hostages but she is safe for the moment,” he finished looking at them.

  “We have to do something,” Dan said urgently.

  But his sentence and train of thought cut off by yelling.

  “Commander Hudson someone is coming out the front door.”

  Commander Hudson turned from them and started walking towards the front of one of the armored personnel carriers. A policewoman walked up handing him a Bullhorn Dan Katrina fell into step behind him to get a look at what was going on. They stopped using the armored personnel carrier for protection as they looked towards the double glass doors that made up the entrance to City Hall. The doors pushed open as a man emerged. Wearing what looked like a version of woodland camouflage civilian hunting clothes with a baseball style cap covering his long brown hair. He was holding a woman with his arm around her throat and revolver pointed at her head as he worked his way out the door.

  “You will listen to what we have to say,” he yelled towards the assembled group Commander Hudson raised one hand and made a motion with it as the other started to raise the Bullhorn. A single shot rang out causing the man's baseball capped head to explode splattering the glass door and windows behind them with blood and chunks of brain and skull onto it. The woman did not scream but took the opportunity to take off running. Commander Hudson placed the Bullhorn to his mouth and spoke.

  “You in City Hall listen carefully this is Commander Hudson,” he spoke his usually calm soft voice sounding loud and harsh. “If you wish to get out alive you will not harm any of your hostages if you do I guarantee none of you will live.”

  Finished Commander Hudson turned handing back the Bullhorn to the policewoman. Dan stood stunned for a moment at what he saw but recovered quickly as he addressed the retreating form of Commander Hudson.

  “You have one free now we have to free the others,” Dan said urgently.

  What seemed like an eternity to him but was only a couple of seconds before Commander Hudson replied in his quiet voice.

  “We are I have bought us some time they were not expecting what I did now they will have to reconsider their plans. Knowing I will not negotiate with them and that will give me a chance to put my second part of my plan into action. But I will need your help for that,” he said calmly looking at Dan and Katrina.

  Dan’s mind was in overdrive at what Commander Hudson had asked him to do. As he and the group of seven people walked down the street with purpose. Five of whom were in black riot gear with long rifles with scopes in their hands ready for action walking slightly in front of Dan and Katrina who were trailing behind them by several feet.

  “Dan,” Katrina asked slowly.

  He looked over at her she was no longer looking at the ground but at him. The usual expression of calm her face held was not their one he would describe as longing had taken its place.

  “Yes what is it,” he answered the dazed feeling that had been hanging over him since City Hall receded for a moment.

  “Do you remember,” Katrina started slowly but before the puzzlement on Dan's face could form into a question Katrina continued.

  “Do you remember everything from the beginning of the plague?”

  Dan walked in silence for a moment before nodding his head yes.

  “Everything,” Katrina continued. “Good, bad everything that happen to you.”

  Dan walked on puzzled by this but once again nodded his head yes.

  “Then tell me please tell me all of it from the beginning I need to know what happen that I am not alone,” Katrina said almost pleadingly.

  Dan walked in silence for a moment before drawing a deep breath and started letting it out slowly in a sigh.

  “All right I remember it started when it was hot.”

  2 Ground Zero

  The yellow school bus pulled up to a stop in front of the small park flanked on either side by two-story stucco homes. A red stop sign unfolding itself from the side of the bus to start blinking with a red light. Several kids exited the bus some running straight to the small play set in a sandpit in the park others to their waiting parents. Three young boys wearing short pants and T-shirts exited off the bus to start walking up the street. Stopping for a moment in front of a large two-story house. They stood looking at a makeshift wood fence that separated the sidewalk from what look like twenty Styrofoam tombstones. All with funny sayings written on them a hand painted wood sign hung from two oversize fence posts saying.

  “Morbid lawn Cemetery.”

  “Have you figured out what you're going to be for Halloween Dan,” one boy asked the medium-sized boy with blue eyes and blondish brown hair.

  “Still thinking,” he replied.

  “I still have three weeks and I just barely figured out what to ask my parents for my birthday,” Dan replied thoughtfully.

  “I just hope it cools off soon summer is over we should be cooling down by now,” a smaller boy said.

  “It is cooling down the temperature is what ninety,” Dan said laughingly.

  The three boys walked up the street a little further before Dan turned towards the small single-story home with a small front yard. Landscaped with small rock waving good-bye to his friends looking in the driveway he saw both his parents cars that meant his dad was home early from work. It was strange to see his car home so early but he was home earlier more often. But he pushed it from his mind as he walked up to the faded red door and went in.

  “I am home,” Dan said calling out as he removed a blue backpack from his back and set it down on the brown wood dining table.

  “In here” a woman's voice called to him from another room.

  He walked past the kitchen and into the whitewall family room to see his mother and dad sitting on the couch watching TV. The news reporter on TV was looking straight at them with a map of the Middle East behind him as he started out.

  “The mysterious plague that has broken out in some Middle Eastern countries has been slowly growing. The United States is sending members from the Center for disease control and several other United Nation’s medical experts to see if they can discover the nature and extent of this plague.”

  Dan looked puzzled at the TV for a second.

  “What is a plague,” he asked his parents questioningly.

  “Nothing you need to worry about,” his dad said turning his partially bald head from the TV.

  “Do you have homework,” he asked his son.

  “Yes some math homework,” Dan said sourly.

  “Well you should get to it before dinner,” his dad said unsympathetically.

  Dan just gave a sigh and was about to turn and walk back to the dining room when he turned back to his parents.

  “I thought of something I wanted to get for my birth
day,” he started out hesitantly before continuing.

  “I would like to get that new paranormal monsters game,” he finished.

  He did not notice the glance that past between his parents before his mother responded.

  “Oh is it expensive,” she asked trying to sound nonchalantly. But before Dan could answer his Mother continued. “Speaking of your birthday instead of a party maybe just a small family get together.”

  Dan picked up on something in her voice.

  “Sure, sounds fine,” he said rather unsurely as he turned to start his homework.

  Several days had past and Dan was once again leaving the school bus with his two friends as they walked up the street. Stopping at the house with the large Halloween display in the front yard looking at some new skeletons now added among the tombstones. One boy reaching into his pocket removing a small phone that was vibrating to check the screen before putting it away.

  “I got a hurry home my parents want to go to the grocery store again,” he said rather sadly. Dan looked at him.

  “Your parents doing some extra shopping to,” the boy next to him asked smiling.

  “Yes since the first reported case of the plague in New York my parents have been stocking up on some extra food.”

  All three boys nodded their heads in unison.

  “Mine to,” Dan said rather frustrated. “That interests them not my birthday.”

  All three of them moved on before passing Dan as he once again stopped in front of his small home with his dad’s car in the driveway. Which meant he was home early from work again. He once again entered the house calling out to his parents as he put his backpack down on the dining table. He did not wait for their response as he walked around the corner into the family room to see both his parents sitting on the couch watching a talk show on TV.

  “Hi how was school,” his mother called out.

  Dan grunted something unintelligible as he looked up at the TV. The talk show on the TV cut to a scrolling banner proclaiming breaking news. Before the scene cut to an aerial view of downtown Phoenix around the ballpark.