Read Online Orbital Decay by A. G. Claymore - Free Book Online

like flicking a switch?”
    “Keeping me quiet didn’t seem nearly so important once the plague got loose. Kind of like what Granddad used to say about flying those secret bombing missions in Cambodia. It was sure as hell no secret for the Cambodians.”
    “You trust him?”
    “Hell, he’s still a risk,” Ben said mildly, “but we’ve all had to redefine what constitutes a risk, haven’t we?” A sleeping bag tumbled past, looking like a giant caterpillar, complete with many pairs of tiny legs. Ben sighed, patting Lise’s knee. “We need to get everyone together, give out the shots and then get back to the shuttle.”
    “I can’t leave,” she answered indignantly. “These people took us in; saved our lives.”
    “And we’ll give them five shots,” Ben answered reasonably, “and they’ll pass it on until everybody’s immune. But we’ve got an entire planet of people out there that needs this stuff.” He lifted her left hand, the vial still clasped in her fingers. “I’ve got the researchers that made this waiting over by Wampum lake, along with Abe’s shuttle. We need to get back to them and get them to somewhere they can work without getting overrun, and we need to start getting this out to any living humans we can find.”
    Five shots later, they were saying their goodbyes. Once the five had survived the two-day incubation period, they would pass it on to the rest of the refugees. The pastor had already organized five armed parties to escort the ‘Five’ once they were ready to go out into Chicago, carrying hope in their veins for all who wanted it.
    “Thank you, Detective Marks.” The pastor shook his hand. “Giving that last shot to Michael was the right thing to do. He’s the only other doctor we have, now that Lise is going to be leaving us.” Michael was the man who had started to show symptoms earlier. His poor family was even more distraught, pulled back from the thin comfort of certain despair, but teetering now on the brink.
    “We were getting pretty low on hope around here until you boys showed up,” the big man went on. “Heck, son, we were running on fumes. But now…” He looked around the room, nodding at a young man sitting with his wife. “Now we’re gonna send out our ‘Blood Missionaries’, just as soon as we can. An hour ago, we were wondering if any of us would get through this. Now we’re planning to take our city back, and after that…” he looked at Ben. “We can send out teams to other cities.”
    “Well, thanks for taking my family in,” Ben flexed his right hand to restore circulation. Does he shake everyone’s hand after Sunday service? “I never would have found them, if not for you.”
    “And yet, folk still say the Good Lord doesn’t work miracles anymore.” The pastor chuckled. We’ll draw attention to the rear,” he offered, nodding toward the back door that Ben and Abe had come in through. “You folks should be able to get out the front door without too much trouble.” He turned and led them down the hall to the sanctuary, stopping to pop his head in an office.
    “Edna, could you put something on the back speaker, please?” He resumed course for the front door, Ben’s party in tow. “They’re drawn to any man-made noises. Music pulls them in like flies on honey, poor souls.” He took a quick look through a side window and then pulled the door open. “God be with you,” he said simply.
    And they were outside in the cool air.
    A scratchy song was playing in the distance. “I think that’s ‘Falling in Love Again’, in German,” Abe said. “Sounds like an old copy from the ‘30s.”
    “If this day gets any weirder,” Ben muttered, shaking his head. “I suppose this is the new normal, now.” He unslung his G-19. “Alright, we probably drew most of them out of the main street already, so we’ll head back the same way. Nothing fancy, just straight down the middle and shoot anything that isn’t human… anymore.”
    They