Zombie Road , Simpson, A. [best authors to read TXT] 📗

deadly killing machines that were best kept out of the wrong hands. There were still bands of outlaws and enclaves of jihadi’s that popped up every once in a while.

Mizuki had volunteered him for the rather unusual courier job. She had been to the doctors in Lakota and a woman had come in with a baby. She was ushered past everyone else in the waiting room and out of idle curiosity she aimed one of her earbuds at the closed door. The little music player had come from the vault and had been some sort of spy apparatus. It doubled as a sound amplifier. The mother was concerned about the alarming growth of the baby but Sara and Stacy assured her everything was normal; the baby was healthy. Mizuki almost flipped back over to her music when the mother asked if it was because of his father.

“The serum he was injected with gave Jessie some unusual abilities.” Stacy had said. “His broken bones mend quickly. His cuts heal in days when it should take weeks. His baby is exhibiting some of the same qualities. He’s perfectly normal, Sandy. I think his rapid growth will slow in a few years.”

“But people will notice.” She’d said. “Nobody can know. Jessie made a lot of enemies and a lot of them are still out there. They may try to hurt him if they find out. I can’t stay here; I think I need to keep moving. I can catch rides with the truckers to different settlements and stay a few months in each. Nobody will know, then. We won’t be there long enough to for them to realize he’s not growing normally.”

“Maybe.” Sara had said. “But truckers gossip worse than the church ladies. All they do is blab all day long on the CB’s.”

Mizuki had let herself into the room and apologized for her intrusion. The SS sisters glared at her and Sandy had wrapped baby Jessie in a protective hug.

“I can help.” She said “We all owe much to Jessie. I know of a place where the boy will be safe.”

Takeo hadn’t been exactly thrilled when Mizuki told him their next job was couriering a woman and her baby but that changed when he looked into the cobalt blue eyes of the child. He was definitely Jessies son and he said it would be an honor to take them to the most secure place in the world. Christopher had brought the armaments back on line and although there weren’t a lot of them, there was no way anyone could approach undetected. All of the various sensors and cameras worked and an alarm sounded as soon as someone turned off the main road.

The plains of Oklahoma fell behind them quickly and became the deserts of Texas. He avoided the cities, cut up through the mountains and took thirty mile an hour curves at ninety. He would usually radio ahead so a way station crew would be standing by to refill his tanks and check the machine over while he ran in to the bathroom but there was no need to rush on this run. Sandy wanted to get out and stretch, let the baby hold to her fingers and try to walk.

“The monitors picked up a horde shambling down sixty-four near Farmington.” Gokkuu said as he closed the deck lid on the Countach and wiped his hands on a rag. “You can take the bypass or wait for a few hours; they should continue straight and you can take the shortcut through the reservation.”

“No rush on this run.” Takeo said. “They need a break. The kid travels well but he was getting restless. We’ll wait until the horde clears; the res road is better.”

When they arrived at the hollow mountain, Chris, Valerie and the two children were waiting for them in the hangar. He’d radioed he was coming and the monitors had picked them up once they left the highway. The kids were excited to have them back and show them some of the new things they’d found in the endless aluminum cases. Besides Jessie, Takeo and Mizuki were the only ones who knew of the place. Valerie fussed over the baby, the kids asked them if they brought a puppy like they’d promised and Chris started refilling their machines so they would be ready to go.

“Can you stay for a while?” he asked “We’d be happy to have you for dinner and I’ve found a few more things in the cases that you might find useful.”

“We aren’t on a schedule this time.” Mizuki said and hooked her arm through Takeo’s before he could protest. “We can take some time off. I want to make a new poodle skirt with the impact cloth, do you have any in pink?”

“The boss has spoken.” Takeo laughed. “I guess we stay.”

21

Lakota

The old Mercury burbled into the sallyport as the spotlights illuminated the checkpoint. Phil greeted him as he walked into the bite station, his sleeves already rolled up.

“Didn’t figure you to be working night shift.” Jessie said as a man he didn’t recognize examined his arms and patted his pants to ensure there weren’t any hidden bandaged wounds.

“Surprise inspection.” Phil grunted. “Gotta keep these slackers on their toes. Had some trouble a few weeks back.”

The head of security didn’t elaborate but watched the man as he thoroughly patted him down. Jessie grimaced, he hated the man’s hands touching him, but suffered through it. The guy was just doing his job. When the man finished his inspection, he tried to make Jessie sign in, declare where he was from and what his business was in Lakota.

“I’m not signing anything.” Jessie said starting to let his annoyance get the better of him. “I have a house here. Open the damn gate.”

“Not until you sign in.” The man said. “It’s the rules.”

“You can take your rules and shove…” Jessie started but Phil cut him off.

“It’s alright, Goldberg.” Phil said. “Let him through this time. We