Read Online Infection Z (Book 4) by Ryan Casey - Free Book Online Page B

Saw a few harsh squints in his direction.
    He knew why.
    He’d not stepped up.
    He’d let Jack step up, and he’d let Jack die.
    He took a deep breath, the silhouettes of his mind returning to remind him of all the things he’d done, all he’d lost.
    And then he walked out from under the staircase.
    Followed Miriam’s group up the steps.
    Away from the prison.
    Away from everything.

Chapter Thirteen
    T he end of the world and a cold Cobra beer still tasted just as delicious to Terrance Schumer as it always used to.
    He leaned back in his reclining chair, eyes closed, just letting the taste of the beer invade his senses. He took deep breaths in, then exhaled, then took deep breaths in again. Meditation. A trick he’d learned years ago. Something to ease the tension whenever he needed to.
    He needed to ease the tension a lot these days.
    He let memories exit his mind. Let all thoughts and opinions slip away as he stared up into the darkness of his closed eyelids. He knew it was late afternoon on a… Tuesday? Damn. He was forgetting the days. Losing track of them.
    But the days didn’t matter.
    Not when he meditated.
    All that mattered?
    The now.
    Peace.
    As he swallowed the beer—not technically a meditation essential, but something that undoubtedly helped—he couldn’t help but think about just how similar his life was now to how it was before the country collapsed. Before the world collapsed. He still had his beer. He still had his meditation. He still had his peace.
    The only thing he no longer had was his wife, Anantha.
    His daughter, Dawn.
    A lump swelled in his throat when Dawn entered his mind. Little Dawn. Mousy hair. Cute little button nose. Poor kid. This wasn’t a world for her. Wasn’t a world for anyone.
    But he knew he was one of the lucky ones. Knew he was one of the fortunate survivors.
    One of the future.
    He had to play his part. He had to follow his duty.
    The world required it of him.
    Required it of—
    A knock on the door snapped him out of his meditation. He opened his eyes. The bright spring sunlight shone in through the window. His room had a blue-ish tinge to it, as was always the case after meditation.
    That knock.
    That knock at the door again.
    “Alright,” Terrance said, putting his Cobra to one side and climbing off his recliner. Who wanted him at this time anyway? He was specific when he told people not to interrupt him during the hours of four and five. He thought he’d made himself clear. Very clear.
    He coughed, ignoring the dizziness as he walked. Unlocked the wooden door, turned the handle.
    Luis stood outside. He was short. Ruffled dark hair. Beady brown eyes. Olive skin underneath his thick black beard.
    He looked concerned.
    “What’s wrong?”
    Luis glanced away from Terrance. “I—I’m sorry to disturb you Mr Schumer but I—”
    “Woah. Slow down. Slow it right down. What’s the problem?”
    Luis closed his eyes. Took a calming breath. Opened them again and looked right at Terrance. “It’s the Crewe facility.”
    “What about the Crewe facility?”
    “We… We lost contact. Something happened there. Last thing I heard on the system was something about a breach. An escape.”
    “How many?”
    Luis’ face twitched. “I think… I think all of them. All the ones who survived. It’s weird. The people we had working there. Something happened. They just went… silent.”
    Terrance’s stomach sank. He shook his head. Walked over to the large window at the far side of his room. “So we’ve got another Luton on our hands.”
    “They might not know,” Luis said, walking after Terrance even though he hadn’t been invited in. Brave. Bold. “The citizens there. They might not know. About this place.”
    Terrance stopped at the window. Looked out at the view. The beautiful view. “Oh, they’ll know.”
    In the distance, from his high-rise apartment block, he saw the city beneath. Saw the streets. The houses. Families. Normal life. That’s what they’d