Read Online The Infected: A Post Apocalyptic Thriller by Matt Cronan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Matt Cronan
Tags: Zombies
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her name," Sam demanded.
"Rebecca," Holden said.
There was a long pause as the two stared at each other.
"Maybe we should take a break," Robertson said. "It's getting late. We can resume this in the morning."
"Why would we stay here?" Sam asked. "We're done as far as I'm concerned."
"Where are you going to go?" Robertson asked. "There's a whole city looking for you. Orders are to shoot on sight."
"We'll take our chances," Sam said.
Sam rose from the table and Jordan followed suit, but Cole stepped in-between them and the door.
"Miss Sam," Cole said, "what if I asked you to stay? Just tonight. And listen to the rest in the morning? You do that and if you still wanna leave, I'll help you get out of the city myself."
"Cole, I—" Sam started.
"I helped you get Jordan out," Cole interrupted. "All I'm askin' is you hear the man out."
"That's not fair," Jordan said. "Rebecca died."
"Ain't got time for fair," Cole said. "And everybody in this room is sad about that little girl. I can guarantee that. Wasn't no one's intention to get anybody hurt. That infected boy wasn't supposed to make it to the city. The soldiers at the gate shoulda seen him. Shoulda pulled the alarm a lot sooner."
"It doesn't make it better," Sam said.
"Naw," Cole said. "I reckon it doesn't. But neither will runnin' away from this. This thing is bigger than all of us."
Sam gritted her teeth together. She wanted to run out of this place, but where would she go. How long did she have on the outside before they caught and executed her? If she stayed, she'd compromise everything she believed in, but if she left, she'd be putting Jordan at risk as well as herself.
"I'll stay the night," Sam said. She turned back to Holden and Robertson. "You have two hours tomorrow morning to say whatever you have to say and then we're leaving."
"Thank you," Holden said.
"Don't thank me," she said. "Thank Cole."
They excused themselves from the group, and Sam and Jordan followed Cole into the offices beyond the conference table. He stopped at a small office toward the end of the hallway and opened the door with one of the many keys on the massive key ring.
"I know you two ain't married." Cole said. "But I don't suppose no one here is gonna mind you shacking up tonight. Unless, you two want separate rooms and that ain't no problem either."
"One room is fine," Sam said.
He pointed down the hall, back toward the conference room. "Washrooms still work. Tapped into one of the Ministry's water lines a few months ago when Tyler and his crew got recruited. Ain't got no soap or toothbrushies—"
Sam snorted at the pronunciation of toothbrushes and Cole's face flushed. "I'm sorry Cole," she said. "I wasn't trying to hurt your feelings. Toothbrushies…it's cute." The red in Cole's cheeks deepened, but a smile widened across his face. No damage done.
"I set a couple MREs on the table in your room," he continued. "Found a bunch of 'em at the hospital locked in one of the supply closets. Don't taste great, but they'll keep the meat on your bones. Laid the first-aid kit next to 'em."
"What's an MRE?" Sam whispered to Jordan.
"Meals Ready to Eat," Jordan whispered back.
"Why do you think there was a bunch stored at the hospital?" Sam asked.
"Don't rightly know, Miss Sam," Cole answered. "Got Holden all confused too."
"How are they still edible?" Jordan asked. "There's no way they would've kept for 300 years."
"They ain't that old," Cole answered. "These were made in Concordia. At least that's what it says on the packaging."
"But it doesn't have a date?" Sam said.
"No," Cole said.
"Do you know what year it is?" Sam asked.
Cole stroked his thick gray beard and shook his head. "Naw. Holden said it's been about 300 years since the fall. That would put us at 2332. Can't be entirely sure though."
"About anything it seems," Sam said.
"Or anyone," Jordan added.
"I know you're mad at Holden," Cole said. "I would be too if I was in your position. But he's playin' for the
"Rebecca," Holden said.
There was a long pause as the two stared at each other.
"Maybe we should take a break," Robertson said. "It's getting late. We can resume this in the morning."
"Why would we stay here?" Sam asked. "We're done as far as I'm concerned."
"Where are you going to go?" Robertson asked. "There's a whole city looking for you. Orders are to shoot on sight."
"We'll take our chances," Sam said.
Sam rose from the table and Jordan followed suit, but Cole stepped in-between them and the door.
"Miss Sam," Cole said, "what if I asked you to stay? Just tonight. And listen to the rest in the morning? You do that and if you still wanna leave, I'll help you get out of the city myself."
"Cole, I—" Sam started.
"I helped you get Jordan out," Cole interrupted. "All I'm askin' is you hear the man out."
"That's not fair," Jordan said. "Rebecca died."
"Ain't got time for fair," Cole said. "And everybody in this room is sad about that little girl. I can guarantee that. Wasn't no one's intention to get anybody hurt. That infected boy wasn't supposed to make it to the city. The soldiers at the gate shoulda seen him. Shoulda pulled the alarm a lot sooner."
"It doesn't make it better," Sam said.
"Naw," Cole said. "I reckon it doesn't. But neither will runnin' away from this. This thing is bigger than all of us."
Sam gritted her teeth together. She wanted to run out of this place, but where would she go. How long did she have on the outside before they caught and executed her? If she stayed, she'd compromise everything she believed in, but if she left, she'd be putting Jordan at risk as well as herself.
"I'll stay the night," Sam said. She turned back to Holden and Robertson. "You have two hours tomorrow morning to say whatever you have to say and then we're leaving."
"Thank you," Holden said.
"Don't thank me," she said. "Thank Cole."
They excused themselves from the group, and Sam and Jordan followed Cole into the offices beyond the conference table. He stopped at a small office toward the end of the hallway and opened the door with one of the many keys on the massive key ring.
"I know you two ain't married." Cole said. "But I don't suppose no one here is gonna mind you shacking up tonight. Unless, you two want separate rooms and that ain't no problem either."
"One room is fine," Sam said.
He pointed down the hall, back toward the conference room. "Washrooms still work. Tapped into one of the Ministry's water lines a few months ago when Tyler and his crew got recruited. Ain't got no soap or toothbrushies—"
Sam snorted at the pronunciation of toothbrushes and Cole's face flushed. "I'm sorry Cole," she said. "I wasn't trying to hurt your feelings. Toothbrushies…it's cute." The red in Cole's cheeks deepened, but a smile widened across his face. No damage done.
"I set a couple MREs on the table in your room," he continued. "Found a bunch of 'em at the hospital locked in one of the supply closets. Don't taste great, but they'll keep the meat on your bones. Laid the first-aid kit next to 'em."
"What's an MRE?" Sam whispered to Jordan.
"Meals Ready to Eat," Jordan whispered back.
"Why do you think there was a bunch stored at the hospital?" Sam asked.
"Don't rightly know, Miss Sam," Cole answered. "Got Holden all confused too."
"How are they still edible?" Jordan asked. "There's no way they would've kept for 300 years."
"They ain't that old," Cole answered. "These were made in Concordia. At least that's what it says on the packaging."
"But it doesn't have a date?" Sam said.
"No," Cole said.
"Do you know what year it is?" Sam asked.
Cole stroked his thick gray beard and shook his head. "Naw. Holden said it's been about 300 years since the fall. That would put us at 2332. Can't be entirely sure though."
"About anything it seems," Sam said.
"Or anyone," Jordan added.
"I know you're mad at Holden," Cole said. "I would be too if I was in your position. But he's playin' for the
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