Read Online Wake the Dead 2 (Wake The Dead Series) by Gary F. Vanucci - Free Book Online

rope until the water filled up and then he climbed out.”
    “I'm glad it worked then,” Kelly mentioned absently as he dragged himself up off the floor.
    “We need to get upstream to a car and to the hospital for Hannah. Here,” she said, handing each of them a protein bar. “I brought you something to eat. Now, c’mon!”
    “We’re gonna need to carry this thing out and place it into the water,” called Kelly, stare at the two of them over where the boat rested on a table.
    “And hope it floats, right?” Alex said with a spirited smirk.
    It wasn’t long after that the group managed to carry the smallish boat out of the castle, lower the drawbridge once again, and then place it gently into the water of the surrounding moat.
    They then pushed it along as far as they could toward the mouth of the moat where it met the river and Alex stepped inside to test its buoyancy. He was pleasantly pleased to see no water entering from the sides or bottom.
    “Not bad for having little to no power tools,” Alex commented. “Now hand me my weapons and backpack and let’s get upstream.”
    Phil handed him his gear, along with Selina’s pack and her sword, which she had prepared for them late last night. Selina climbed in after him. He caught her and helped her to find a seat beside him.
    “Anyone else?” Alex asked.
    “I’m in,” said Alexis as she stepped into the boat without a second thought. She looked a bit more haggard than everyone was used to seeing her. She still wore a very tight shirt that accentuated her breasts and a very short pair of shorts that exposed her shapely legs. But she also wore a bandana over her normally immaculate hair, and a pair of work boots covered her feet instead of the usual stylish leather boots. As she carefully climbed into the boat, Alex was relieved that no water seeped in through seams.
    “And so am I,” said Bryan, stepping onto the boat gingerly. His button down shirt was soiled with dirt as was his jeans and sneakers, but his spirits seemed high as he immediately plopped down beside Alexis. He carried his mace gingerly in one hand and a backpack was slung over his shoulder.
    “I think we’re at capacity then,” Alex said with a chuckle.
    ‘You’ll be needin’ these,” Kelly said as he stepped up beside the boat and handed Alex and Selina the oars.
    Nick suddenly appeared from behind Kelly and knelt low to stare at Alex. “Remember, the hospital first. We need IV bags and as many meds as you can get your hands on.”
    “You got it,” Alex said with a nod.
    “And take this,” Nick said, handing Alex a folded towel, which Alex grabbed and looked at peculiarly. “Open it.”
    Alex unfolded the towel to find one of the sticks of dynamite inside the folds, tucked neatly in a zip-lock bag. “Just in case,” Nick said. “Only use it as a last resort.”
    “Obviously,” Alex agreed. He fished inside his pack and found his Glock along with the silencer. He checked his quiver and bow and made sure there were extra clips and his first aid kit in the pack. He placed the towel inside the pack, too. “Ready?”
    The group waved goodbye to them and shoved the boat off. Once they exited the moat, Alex and Selina placed the oars into the water and began to row in unison. They were clumsy at first, but a few moments later, they were working in tandem to guide the boat up the river.
    Alex took note that the undead were certainly out in droves still, even finding some along the riverbank. It was an odd thing to watch as one of them, upon seeing the boat, wandered right into the river and disappeared in the water a few minutes later.
    They kept moving upriver for a long while until the riverbank was clear of the undead and guided the boat toward the riverbank at that juncture. They saw a few abandoned vehicles all gathered up, too. They had actually gone in a northerly direction for the most part, following the river’s gait, and the gas station and the shopping centers they