A dead city – my hometown – passed by the window I stared out of the entire way to the headquarters. I relived my childhood as places with fond memories stood vacant. Restaurants, houses, schools, stores, and everything in between could be seen as we snaked down side streets.
Most of the roads were clear, minus a few abandoned cars the closer we got to the border. The section of highway that changed into a main road could be seen in the distance, a traffic jam of cars beginning to build steadily as we neared our destination.
The hummer screeched to a halt in front of a border crossing building, most of it made of glass. I stepped out of the vehicle and looked around the parking lot: entertainment district to my right, border bridge to my left.
Streets were completely empty, almost as if they had been cleared, or blocked off. In the distance I could see the roadblock of cars, fences and cement blocks they used to seal the border off. Barbed wire topped the fences, several dead bodies still stuck over the closest ones on either side. People had tried to cross at some point.
"Follow me," commanded Officer Owens as he headed toward the main doors to the building.
Yates and Sidel stayed with the hummer, lighting up cigarettes. There were no zombies in sight as I inspected more of my surroundings. As familiar as the place should have felt, I was more of a traveler in a far away land. This wasn't the city I grew up in and used to know.
Owens led me upstairs and into a room with counters and tables set up, as well as a refrigerator. It must have served as a break room and kitchen for the employees before the outbreak.
He leaned against the counter nearest the entrance and pushed on what must have been an intercom button on the wall-mounted phone. I observed with folded arms as I eyed the threshold leading to the hallway.
"Jenna, I need you in the lab."
"On my way."
Minutes later a brunette in white hospital attire entered the room with a medical bag. She opened it to reveal needles and other supplies, as well as a scalpel. I made sure not to linger my gaze as she readied a needle for me.
As she moved a chair over for me to sit on for the procedure, I lunged for the scalpel and spun her around.
"Please don't kill me," she begged, as I held the surgical tool against her throat.
Owens laughed. "Kevin... do you really think I care about her? There are a dozen more nurses at my disposal, not including Emma."
Stepping forward, I began to shuffle out of the room with Jenna, whispering in her hear, "It's okay."
Just before reaching the doorway, I shoved her into the officer, knocking him over as they crumpled to the ground. I saw him reach for his sidearm as she tried to get back up.
Driving the scalpel into the back of his hand, he growled in pain, his other hand reaching over to remove it. As Jenna scurried away behind me, I pulled the knife from his pants and held it against his throat before he could deal with the scalpel.
"Don't even think about," I warned, fighting back a grin.
His Adam's apple moved upward as he swallowed. "You'll never get out of here alive," he threatened.
"That was never part of my plan."
With one swift motion, I drove the army knife into the side of his skull. I treated him like a zombie threat after what I saw in his eyes and heard him say. The man was power hungry and couldn't be trusted. Emma warned me about him for a reason. Something horrific must have occurred at the hospital for her to not tell me right away, but I was on the verge of finding out.
Turning around, my eyes met Jenna's blue ones. She didn't run, yet I could tell she was thinking about it by the positioning of her feet.
"You killed him. Thank you." Her face looked like that of a scared child who had just seen the boogie man die.
Brow furled, "Wha' did he do?"
She looked away from my intense stare into the hall for a moment before replying. "He was a monster. So are some of the others. That's all you need to know." Looking away from me, she began packing up her kit.
"Wait." She froze, then slowly met my gaze. "Can you actually do anything with my blood?"
"I can try," she shrugged. "Honestly though, I think it might be a long shot."
"Take what you need," I offered, sitting down in the chair. "Maybe you'll get lucky," I added as I rotated my arm for her.
After taking a sample, we stood just inside the door as she poked her head out to scan the hall.
"Once you're out, don't come back," she urged. "It's not worth it."
"What about you, or the others he mentioned?"
"He's dead," she reminded me. "Don't feel bad. I can take care of myself now."
Briefly nodding, "Okay."
My eyes met hers once more before she instructed, "Follow closely behind me. Once I get you the spare key and uniform, make sure you don't stop. Act natural and they won't even notice."
"And you're sure this'll work?" I was a bit skeptical.
"Yes," she nodded. "I trusted you when you had that scalpel to my throat, now you have to trust me."
Jenna didn't screw me over. Ten minutes later I was barreling down the side streets in a military hummer wearing a camouflage uniform. I gripped the steering wheel as tight as I possibly could, taking a hard left as I navigated a different route home.
The hospital where my mom and Emma had spent winter came into view. I reduced my speed as I drove by, no signs of activity anywhere. Heaps of what looked to be bodies were scattered around the parking lot, but I wasn't going to stop now to inspect anything. My main goal was to get home, nothing else.
Pulling up behind my Saab, I saw the front door to the house ajar. Engine turned off, I bolted into the house in the clunky army boots, my runners stuffed under the camouflage jacket.
"Mom! Emma!" I yelled, opening the kitchen door.
After checking every other room in the house, I finally rushed into my own. Lucky was lying on my bed, curled up in a ball with not a care in the world. Every room was empty and there didn't seem to be any signs of a struggle. Where the hell are they?
Mind continuing to race, I stomped around the main level a second time before even considering to check the basement or garage.
The oily cement floor greeted me as I opened the door from the porch. Tools and food had been left untouched to my delight, but there were still no signs of either woman.
Boots thumping down each step, I finally found Emma tied up on the basement floor with a gag in her mouth, her face pale and hair soaking wet.
"Emma!"
I took off my jacket, runners tumbling to the ground so I could maneuver around her better. The gag was the first thing I removed, then I realized I needed to free her arms. Quickly running back upstairs, I retrieved cutters from the garage that made quick work of the rope. I laid Emma down on her back and began performing CPR.
My training certificate had expired ages ago, yet I still remembered exactly what to do. There was no way to tell how long ago she had lost consciousness. Tears began trickling down my cheeks as I continued blowing air into her mouth, then switched to compressing her chest. I was on the verge of giving up when she finally coughed up a mouthful of water.
"Emma," I gasped, grabbing both sides of her head in my hands.
Leaning down, I pressed my lips against hers. I felt her push back as we held the kiss for several seconds before opening our eyes.
"Why hello, Romeo." She sounded weak, but she was alive.
"Sorry I was late."
"You made it just in time," she confirmed, as I gave her another kiss.
Once she was in a sitting position, I asked her, "Where's my mom?"
She frowned as she tried to maintain eye contact. "They took her. I guess you were too willing, so they took her as collateral." Her eyes focused on our overlapped hands she added, "Their words, not mine."
"Were they the same guys that picked me up?"
"No," shaking her head slowly. "Different soldiers. Officer Owens wasn't with them, but I know he ordered them to do it."
I wiped my nose with the back of my hand as I sniffled.
"I don't know when he planned it, but it wasn't after he picked me up. That's for sure."
"What do you mean?"
The corner of my mouth tugged briefly in an attempt to form a victorious smile.
"I killed 'im."
Her jaw dropped open in disbelief. "Really?"
"Yeah," I nodded. "Knife, right to the skull."
She wrapped her arms around me, knocking me over onto my back. Our lips touched again as she seemed to thank me for what I had done.
"I'm glad you killed him."
Peering up into her light brown eyes, "So was Jenna."
"You saw Jenna? Is she okay?"
"She said she would be. She made me promise not to come back. But it looks like I might have to break that promise."
"Maybe," Emma began, getting off me and sitting up again. "There's no way to tell where they took your mom. And if Owens is dead, I have no idea what's going to happen. He was their leader. Ever since I first saw him, he was calling the shots."
"At the hospital?" I asked, sitting back up to face her.
Nodding, "Yeah." She looked away for a moment as she recalled the moment. "He came in guns blazing. He wanted to kill everyone because he thought all the people at the hospital were infected." Pausing briefly, I could tell she was upset by what had happened there. "The doctor who amputated your mom's hand was infected. He saved her, and then got a bullet in the head before he turned. I even had to fight for them not to kill your mom." Tears were now steadily cascading down her cheeks. "I had to give Owens my word that she wouldn't turn before she recovered. He said if I was lying..."—her eyes tore away from mine—"he'd rape me."
I gently cupped her face in my hands, turning her head back toward me.
"But he didn't," I whispered. "And he never will."
"Some of the other nurses weren't so lucky." Her lips turned out into a trembling pout as I wrapped my arms around her, sobs muffled as she pressed her face into my chest.
After Emma stopped crying, I untied her ankles and guided her upstairs to my bedroom where I helped her lie down. I brought her a warm bowl of chicken noodle soup, then returned with a bowl of my own. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I spent more time watching her than eating.
When I returned from rinsing the bowls in the kitchen, she was eagerly awaiting me, propped up on one arm with an alluring gaze.
"What?" I asked, half laughing.
"Take off those silly army pants and join me."
"I still have pants on underneath these, you know."
Gently whispering, "Then take those off too."
Emma passed out naked next to me, I propped myself up with my hands behind my head. We both deserved this moment of peace in our lives. My mom's whereabouts were unknown, and an army of lost soldiers could be on their way back to my house seeking vengeance any minute. If my mom was still alive, I would find her, I guaranteed that. I would swear on my father's grave I would do everything in my power to bring her home again.
As I caressed Emma's dark blonde hair, I realized I had more at stake to lose now. No one could ever replace the woman who birthed me and raised me, but I had no idea where she was, nor did I stand much of a chance against guns and soldiers. If I was going to have any chance at all at finding and bringing my mom home safely, I needed a smart woman to help me scout and infiltrate. I also needed someone with knowledge of all the military personnel, as well as someone on the inside.
Reaching down for the army pants, I fished around in the right pocket before pulling a piece of paper from it. Written on it was a set of numbers: the phone number to reach Jenna.