Read Online The Last Town (Book 2): Preparing For The Dead by Stephen Knight - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Stephen Knight
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us?” Narvaez asked. He looked from Reese to the hospital nurse and back again.
“We have folks in the hospital who are turning,” Reese said.
“Okay. We knew that would happen,” Narvaez said, and his right hand moved along the frame of his M4, coming to a rest on the weapon’s pistol grip. “How many?”
Reese looked at the nurse, who said, “Maybe about fourteen.”
Reese was surprised at the number, and so was Narvaez. “Fourteen?” the Guard commander said. “We’ve seen like maybe seven or eight cases come in through emergency. How can there be fourteen?”
“They come in through different parts of the hospital,” the nurse said. “Some of them were here undergoing treatment for another illness, and … well, they got sick.” She stopped for a moment, then looked at Reese directly. “There’s actually more than fourteen. Fourteen patients are likely to turn, but I’ve been told we have almost thirty people who are potentially … infected.”
Jesus. “All of them are in isolation, right?” Reese asked.
“No. The ward is full. We’re isolating them in different areas of the hospital.”
Reese did an epic face palm. “Do you know where in the hospital these other cases are?” he asked. An LAPD squad car rolled up then, and Sergeant Bates emerged from behind the wheel. Three other police officers stepped out of the vehicle as well. The squad car was a full house. Reese waved him over, and Bates sauntered toward them, hitching up his heavy patrol belt.
“I don’t know exactly where all of them are,” the nurse said.
“Well, holy jumping shit, ma’am, who does?” Narvaez asked.
“The chief of staff’s office is—”
She was cut off by gunfire from somewhere inside the hospital. Gunfire that, if Reese was correct, came from above them.
SINGLE TREE, CALIFORNIA
“W ell, if it isn’t my billionaire guardian angel,” Danielle said as Corbett perused the menu before him.
“Hello there, Dani,” he said, tilting his head to the right a bit so she could kiss his cheek. “How are things?”
“Same as always,” she told him, putting her hands on her hips and she stood beside the booth he sat in. “You know how things are in Single Tree—nothing happens until the snow falls. Didn’t know you were in town. What brings you back here?”
Corbett spread his hands. “What, you don’t watch the news?”
Danielle nodded. “Yeah, I’ve seen it. The world’s going to hell, I guess. Looks like New York got hit pretty hard. Are things headed south in Dallas, too?”
“Actually, Dallas was fine when I left. Now that the FAA has shut down the airspace, maybe it’ll stay that way for a while longer. But I decided I’d be better off here than there.”
“Huh. Why’s that? Single Tree is so boring, even the zombies wouldn’t pay attention to it?”
“Well, I don’t know about that.” Corbett jerked his thumb toward the window beside him. The diner faced the main drag, and there were more than a few cars and trucks tooling past in both directions. It was almost six o’clock, and darkness was slowly uncoiling over the town. The traffic flow was unusual for this time of year.
“Seems like Single Tree is kind of popular these days,” he said.
Danielle looked around the diner. It was only half full. “I don’t know about that,” she said. “Seems to me most people are staying home for dinner tonight.”
“Business off?”
“Well, just for today,” she said. “Yesterday, it was normal. Today, it’s been off.”
“Talked to your father earlier today,” Corbett said. “His tanks are getting sucked dry. Says he had to put in an emergency request for more gas and diesel, but he’s not sure anything’s going to be available.”
Danielle ran a hand through her short brown hair. “Really? I think he just got a delivery.”
“Three days ago, he said. As of then, he had about forty-seven thousand gallons of product available. Now, he has a little over fifteen
“We have folks in the hospital who are turning,” Reese said.
“Okay. We knew that would happen,” Narvaez said, and his right hand moved along the frame of his M4, coming to a rest on the weapon’s pistol grip. “How many?”
Reese looked at the nurse, who said, “Maybe about fourteen.”
Reese was surprised at the number, and so was Narvaez. “Fourteen?” the Guard commander said. “We’ve seen like maybe seven or eight cases come in through emergency. How can there be fourteen?”
“They come in through different parts of the hospital,” the nurse said. “Some of them were here undergoing treatment for another illness, and … well, they got sick.” She stopped for a moment, then looked at Reese directly. “There’s actually more than fourteen. Fourteen patients are likely to turn, but I’ve been told we have almost thirty people who are potentially … infected.”
Jesus. “All of them are in isolation, right?” Reese asked.
“No. The ward is full. We’re isolating them in different areas of the hospital.”
Reese did an epic face palm. “Do you know where in the hospital these other cases are?” he asked. An LAPD squad car rolled up then, and Sergeant Bates emerged from behind the wheel. Three other police officers stepped out of the vehicle as well. The squad car was a full house. Reese waved him over, and Bates sauntered toward them, hitching up his heavy patrol belt.
“I don’t know exactly where all of them are,” the nurse said.
“Well, holy jumping shit, ma’am, who does?” Narvaez asked.
“The chief of staff’s office is—”
She was cut off by gunfire from somewhere inside the hospital. Gunfire that, if Reese was correct, came from above them.
SINGLE TREE, CALIFORNIA
“W ell, if it isn’t my billionaire guardian angel,” Danielle said as Corbett perused the menu before him.
“Hello there, Dani,” he said, tilting his head to the right a bit so she could kiss his cheek. “How are things?”
“Same as always,” she told him, putting her hands on her hips and she stood beside the booth he sat in. “You know how things are in Single Tree—nothing happens until the snow falls. Didn’t know you were in town. What brings you back here?”
Corbett spread his hands. “What, you don’t watch the news?”
Danielle nodded. “Yeah, I’ve seen it. The world’s going to hell, I guess. Looks like New York got hit pretty hard. Are things headed south in Dallas, too?”
“Actually, Dallas was fine when I left. Now that the FAA has shut down the airspace, maybe it’ll stay that way for a while longer. But I decided I’d be better off here than there.”
“Huh. Why’s that? Single Tree is so boring, even the zombies wouldn’t pay attention to it?”
“Well, I don’t know about that.” Corbett jerked his thumb toward the window beside him. The diner faced the main drag, and there were more than a few cars and trucks tooling past in both directions. It was almost six o’clock, and darkness was slowly uncoiling over the town. The traffic flow was unusual for this time of year.
“Seems like Single Tree is kind of popular these days,” he said.
Danielle looked around the diner. It was only half full. “I don’t know about that,” she said. “Seems to me most people are staying home for dinner tonight.”
“Business off?”
“Well, just for today,” she said. “Yesterday, it was normal. Today, it’s been off.”
“Talked to your father earlier today,” Corbett said. “His tanks are getting sucked dry. Says he had to put in an emergency request for more gas and diesel, but he’s not sure anything’s going to be available.”
Danielle ran a hand through her short brown hair. “Really? I think he just got a delivery.”
“Three days ago, he said. As of then, he had about forty-seven thousand gallons of product available. Now, he has a little over fifteen
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