deadheads, jade swiler [reading eggs books .txt] 📗

smiled to take the sting out of what happened.

I nodded and went and got my things from the office. I took a minute to shift all the papers in to a neat pile. I didn’t want them all to think I didn’t do my job professionally.

Jess and Sammy were home when I got there. Both were sitting outside under the awning and enjoying a cool glass of tea. It was hot today, middle of summer usually is but today was in the 90’s.

“hey guys, what’s up?” I asked as I sat down next to jess and took a drink from her tea glass.

“nothing, we were sent home today early. No school tomorrow either.” Jess told me.

There must be something going on but I decided not to speak out loud just yet. I wanted to see if Seth had anymore ideals.

We spent the rest of the day hanging outside. As night fell, we made a light dinner and jess and the kids went to bed. It was too hot unless they were under the fan that was in their room. I said goodnight and went back outside to sit. Seth came out of the darkness quietly and at first I was startled, I didn’t see or hear him right away.

“hey.” I said softly.

“hey yourself. Been out here for long?” Seth asked as he took off his army belt and laid his gun on the chair next to him.

“ no not long. Jess and Sammy are sleeping and rain is at a friends down the roll of trailers. “ I said and handed him a beer out of the cooler next to me.

“ I have tomorrow off, I was wondering if you all want to go outside the fence to the lake just north of here. I asked LT Harris if we had permission and he said yes. So what do you think?” Seth asked.

“ oh Seth that sounds wonderful, do you think it will be safe enough?” I asked him. I didn’t want to be in the water and have a deadhead come up on us.

“yes, Lt .Harris gave me use of one of the jeeps to use. It will make getting there quicker and easier.” Seth told me.

Now I was troubled, what was going on that we were being allowed to leave the fences and be out of the way. What was going on? But I knew not to even bring it up. I too believed we were being bugged.

Seth finished his beer and we went inside. I started for my room and Seth followed me without saying a word. We laid on the bed and held each other through the night.

Tomorrow a lot of things had to be figured out.

 

(4)

 

The lake was beautiful, it was some kind of camp ground as near as we could figure, the only building was a bathroom and shower. Tree’s dotted around the lake with picnic tables near by to eat on. A small dock led out in to the water and a floating dock was out in the middle. It was a perfect day as well. Still in the 90’s but not as humid.

LT. Harris even had the kitchen pack us a lunch and we were told to spend the day out here. Seth was allowed to bring his rifle and I had my sword. Jess had a long wicked looking hunting knife as well. We would be okay.

 

We got in to our bathing suites and went swimming for a while, rain and Sammy were screaming and splashing and having a ball.

Jess and I got out while Seth swam to the floating dock.

I quietly told the kids to be a little more quiet. I didn’t want to but deadheads could hear pretty good and was attracted by the sounds.

Seth came back and climbed out of the water and came to sit with us. I handed him a towel and he sat across from me and jess.

“I parked the jeep across from us so the sounds of the kids playing will drown out anything we say. There is something fishy going on at the camp, I don’t know what it is but I have a bad feeling. I think we need to maybe get out of there soon.” Seth said firmly.

Jess and I nodded at the same time, we both had those feeling as well.

“Penny never came back to school. I looked for her but that trailer she said was hers? Its empty.” Jess said quietly next to me, I turned to look at her.

Seth nodded.

“there was a guy on wall duty with me a few nights ago. 2 mp’s came and got him. He’s not been back either.” Seth told us.

I was shocked. If there were people missing, why haven’t anyone been concerned or asking questions?

 

That was easy to answer, because everyone in the camp knew what would happen if they did ask questions. The 5 of us were in the dark for some reason but I had a feeling we were going to find out what was going on sooner then we thought.

 

“lets not go back.” I said looking at the others. “lets just get in the jeep and leave, make our way somewhere else.”

 

I could see the others thinking about it. Then they both looked at the kids. It was hard out here with out the protection of the army. I understood it. I didn’t agree with it.

 

It was getting late when we headed back to the wall. We were checked just like last time and told to go home after we were cleared by the gate people.

Lt. Harris was standing inside the gate with 10 soldiers waiting for us.

“Jade will you come with us please?” Harris said and stepped closer to take my arm.

Seth went to jump in front of me and the soldiers raised their guns at him and jess and the kids.

“private Greene, you will stand down and go to your trailer with miss Jessica and the children. Jade will be fine. We just want to ask her some questions. If you try anything, I will kill you and the others in front of her, do you understand soldier?” Harris was practically yelling in Seth face.

Seth nodded and was taken with the others to the trailer. Harris made me get in to the jeep and I was put in to handcuffs.

I was taken to the labs to a south eastern door I didn’t know had been there. It was dark inside but Harris and the guards seem to know it all well enough that they didn’t need a light. I heard the scrapping of a door opening and a bright light suddenly came on. A small room with a table and 2 chairs were in there. I was put in to one chair and harris sat across from me.

The other soldiers left and closed the door behind them. I was scared to death. Harris laid a Glock pistol down in front of him.

“where is file 654?” he said very quietly.

He was doing this to me and my family over a damn file?

“its in the office I was given to use. Its on the desk.” I replied.

“no, no NO!” he shouted in my face. “its not there, it was searched, so lets try again, where is the file jade!”

I started to sob. “I don’t know, I went to lunch , it was sitting where I left it on the desk!” I shouted back at him. I may be scared right now but I wasn’t going to let this little piss ant bully me.

 

A low beep sounded and Harris got to his feet with a sigh. He left the room and I was left alone. My arms and wrists were aching so bad after 3 hours of being handcuffed to the chair. A click sounded and Grayson stepped in to the room and stood looking at me.

“well my dear, it seems Harris was wrong about you, we caught the thief, it was Rosa. But now that it is taken care of, we now have a new problem, do you know what that is?” Grayson asked as he sat down across from me.

“no I don’t know, please let me go. I just want to go home.” I said plaintively.

“I’m sorry my dear, but we can’t do that. There is too much at stake right now. But you will be a subject for a new trial that may save the rest of mankind. So your life won’t be a total loss. “ he lunged towards me and a needle went in to my neck.

 

The world tilted on its side and everything went black.

 

When I woke, I was tied to a wall next to 5 others, I turned my face to the side as much as I could and saw Rosa tied like I was. Inside the room were a lot of people. Grayson and other lab techs as well as military personal I had never seen. The 5 of us had duck tape over our mouths so we couldn’t scream for help.

“ok gentlemen, my name is Grayson Whitmore. We are about to test virus RT-85. As most of you were informed, RT-84 was released by terrorists 2 ½ months ago, 60 % turned to Deadheads, 30% of the population was killed off right away and remained dead. The remaining 1% are non infected. Us in other words. RT-84 was the United States greatest man made weapon of its time. But there was not a cure of it. RT-85 was made to kill off RT-84 and give protection to the 1% from getting the RT-84 that may still be in our soil or drinking water. So far it has worked with a 40% success rate outside the fences. On human trials, it was much lower. “ Grayson paused here to let it sink in and I was staring at him with horror. That’s where the people had been disappearing to. We were experiment lab rats.

“so we went back to work and made the RT-85 better. On the tests outside the fence, it worked 81%. Tonight we will be injecting these subjects with the RT-84 virus by natural methods. Then we will wait for the change and start the 85 trials. Any questions before we start?” a few hands went up and while Grayson was answering them, a lab tech went around and closed a clear glass wall around us. I, like Rosa and the others tried to struggle free but it was no use.

Everyone in the other room sat and watched as 3 soldiers brought in a deadhead man, it was almost rotted away. The soldiers had a collar around its neck and it was attached to 3 poles. They brought it to Rosa first and let the thing bit her arm. They got to me and I tried to scream as the thing got closer to my shoulder. Its slimy wet mouth closed over my upper arm and bit down. The pain was like nothing I had ever known.

 

Hot fire raced through my veins, I could hear the others trying to scream and struggle, the 3 soldiers went out towing the hideous thing with them. My heart started to beat weirdly and I passed out.

I could hear strange sounds all around me, screaming and shouting, gun fire. It was confusing. I got my eyes opened slowly and saw to my horror, that the others were full deadheads. I saw Seth’s face come in to view but couldn’t make out what he was saying, it kept going in and out of my head.

I heard Grayson yelling something, something like “you can’t take her. She’s the key!’ but I felt myself being carried outside to fresh air and a warm breeze.

 

I could hear more gun fire and moans of the dead. It was close. Screaming was also heard. I wanted to ask what had happened but I just could not keep my eyes open.

I thought I heard Sammy or rain ask if I was okay, I saw Jessie’s face above me and