Read Online The Demented Z (Book 2): Desolation (Book 2) by Derek J Thomas - Free Book Online

Satisfied he spun in his chair and waited.
    Boots echoed down the hall that led to his office.
  Moments later Big Mike and his youngest son rushed
into his office. Both were breathing
hard and had excited looks on their faces.
    “What have you got for me?”  
Lincoln growled.
    “We found them.”   Mike
said. Stepping closer to the desk, he
went on, “Tracked them to the north.  
They made it to the old Cranley place.”
    Angered excitement filled Lincoln’s face as he stood.
  “Still there?”
    Mike shook his head.  
“No. Grabbed a truck and took
off.”
    “Then why do you have that stupid grin on your face?
  You piece of crap, I told you...”
    “Relax...I know where they went.”
  With a smirk he added, “Where all of them
went, including his wife and kid.”
    “Now I like the sound of that, go on.”
    “One of them, the blonde, was hurt.
  They had to pack her out.
  Took off north on highway
2, headed for Newport.   I am sure
they are looking for medical supplies at the hospital there.”
    Lincoln rubbed his shaved head, looking down at the
desk. Turning back to the window, he
said, “Brad and his men still there.”
    “Last I heard.”
    Lincoln nodded his head thinking.
    Little Mikey stepped toward the desk.
  “They’re weak...we’ve thought about taking
everything they had weeks ago. I’ve been
up there. All the infected surrounded
the school...it’s the only reason they’ve survived this long.”
      Lincoln thought for a
bit. “Brad is smart, but you’re right,
they don’t have fighters. Trips and all
the others are out gathering. Let’s pull
together weapons and ammo. When they
return, we all head north.”
    ******
    “Should we move?”  
Eddie said.
    “I don’t want to.”  
Tom replied. Groaning, he sat
up. “But I guess we should.
  You did good Eddie.”
    Looking back toward the wall surrounding the roof, Eddie
shook his head.
    “There is nothing we could do for him.
  He knew as well as us what the risks were.”
    “It’s just...it’s just seeing it...hearing it.”
  Eddie said with a shaking voice.
    Tom patted Eddie’s shoulder.  
“Let’s just make it worth it.”
    Eddie gave a nod of his head.
    The two of them grabbed their rifles and stood.
  Tom gave an overhead wave to Hank and Dennis,
letting them know they were okay.
  From this distance it was tough to make out,
but he thought one of them waved back.  
The growls and moans of the surrounding infected made Tom want to get
inside the school as soon as possible.
    “Let’s do this...rock and roll.”
  Eddie said, trying to sound tougher than he
felt.
    Partway across the roof they found the door they looked
for. Tom listened intently for any signs
of infected on the other side. Not
hearing anything, he opened the door, rifle raised,
and peered into the dark stairwell.
    Hank watched through his rifle scope as the two men entered
the stairway door. “Now we wait.”
    Dennis let out a soft reply.  
“That didn’t go as planned.”
    Standing at the top of the stairwell, Tom thought back to
Kelly and Sam. He had finally found
them...had her back in his arms, and now he risked it all.
  She had been angry when he told her.
  Unable to blame her for being upset, he could
only offer apologies that she did not want to hear.
  Understanding his reasons, she agreed with
the need, but did not okay him being on the mission.
  He just had to make sure the trip was worth
it, and that he returned to her.
    Eddie whispered, “What’s up...you okay?”
    “Yeah...yeah, I’m fine.”  
Tom stood thinking for a bit and then said, “This is a high school...there
will be kids.”   In the near darkness he
grabbed Eddie’s shoulder and looked him in the eyes.
  “You can’t hesitate.
  They’re not human anymore, remember that.”
    Eddie nodded his head in acknowledgement.
  Even while he nodded his head, he wondered if
he would hesitate. He hoped