Death Be Rising by Katie Epstein

Author:Katie Epstein [Epstein, Katie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-01-28T00:00:00+00:00

Hanley gave his soldiers a pep talk.

All of us waited at the border of the shield, armed and ready for the mission. Hanley paced, his chest puffed up with pride. He faced his soldiers with determination, reminding them of the formation, the strategy, and our purpose. When he came to a standstill before his subordinates, he looked upon them with honor.

The Lieutenant General told them to remember their duty, and to fall back onto their training when doubt hit. He motivated them, gearing up each one to rid them of fear. With careful words, he focused his solders, giving them the inspiration they needed to go into battle and end the threat. And I’ll be damned if I wasn’t buzzing from the pep talk, too once he’d finished.

We’d assigned every soldier going with a blade, sitting in a harness on their backs. Their guns had flashlights, and their belts and packs loaded with extra ammunition. Uniformed, they had on their helmets, their vests, ready to go in.

The IET had forgone the helmets. We hadn’t trained with them, and it’s not like we were expecting a bullet to the head. Or we might be. Maybe we should wear a helmet in case a bullet ricocheted off a zombie?

Stop it. You’ve faced worse. Pull yourself together.

We had our vests, our own guns. I’d also changed into my combat gear and lost the leather jacket.

Mayra had formed a hole in Dreven’s shield. Zax and Libby marked it by standing at the edges where she’d formed the gap. They stood about fifteen feet apart from one another, their weapons of choice being something sharp and poised on their shoulders like sentry guards.

“Bring my soldiers back to me, Agent Vane,” was all Hanley instructed, saluting. But he didn’t give me time to do it back. Off he went to man the comms from the tent, ready to take over if we failed.

It was time to go in.

Bernard stepped through first, guiding Mayra in behind him. Kaleb and I followed. Grady shouted to the soldiers going in with us, instructing them to stay close. He ordered everyone to move in fast toward the main entrance of the mall. And to not engage with the zombies who stood in their clusters, hair and clothes swaying in the breeze.

Everyone stayed silent, each move purposeful as we made our way across the parking lot toward the mall. Zax and Libby caught up to us, staying close with the IET.

Only synchronized steps echoed against the ground. I kept my blade in its harness, keeping my hands on the army issued weapon Grady had given me. I’d trained with such a weapon—something Dan had made sure of when he had me assigned me to the FBI while on Earthside. And I’m not only talking training with a standard issue.

Leading the way, the IET stayed in front, shadowed by The Bodyguard Six who refused to leave our side.

We walked in sync among the zombie collection. Men and women with varying ages from sixteen to pushing seventy.

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