Outbreak by Eric L. Harry

Author:Eric L. Harry [Harry, Eric L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2017-11-14T19:33:26+00:00

Chapter 16

MCLEAN, VIRGINIA

Infection Date 21, 2000 GMT (4:00 p.m. Local)

“W-T-F?” said Chloe. Noah cautioned his daughter on language. “They’re letters, dad. This is your surprise?” He’d given Natalie a Groupon for two spa days and picked the kids up from school. “A gun store?” Her thirteen-year-old brother, Jacob, looked ecstatic.

“We’re taking a little course,” Noah said, opening the tailgate of their new giant SUV. The rifle he handed his aghast daughter sagged in her grip. Chloe held it like a bomb awaiting defusing. They each carried their rifles inside. Their pistols were in Noah’s bug-out bag, and he also lugged the shotgun. “Dad?” Chloe whispered. “Have you gone nuts?”

Salesmen watched the news on a small TV even though the previously empty store was now full of shoppers. A small woman inspected a large shotgun. A man in hospital scrubs perused pistols under glass. Two pierced girls, hair shaved on one side and dyed pink on the other, nodded wide-eyed as a salesman demonstrated how to load their new rifle.

Noah’s Western-wear-clad salesman peeled away from the TV and ambushed Noah’s children. “It’s Miller time!” He apologized. “Lost some hearing in the Corps.”

Chloe glared at her father. On the walk to the back, the salesman asked Noah, “You followin’ that Chinese flu? Those customers back there don’t believe a word outa the president’s mouth. Think he’s coverin’ up some plague that turns people bloodthirsty. You were my first big customer, so I was wondering if maybe you know something?”

“Just what I see on TV,” Noah replied. Chloe looked at him, knowing he was lying. “But I think it’s gonna get bad,” he added, feeling guilty.

They stopped at a countertop and laid the imposing arsenal on a carpet remnant. The muffled sound of firing came from beyond a door labeled, “Range.” Chloe kept trying to get Noah’s attention. She had lots and lots of questions. The salesman fitted them with headphone-like over-ear protection and large, amber shooting glasses.

“No, thanks,” Chloe said, doing emergency repairs on her mussed hair. “Pass.”

“You’re doing this, Chloe,” Noah said. “It’s all paid for.”

“Does mom know you did this?” It was more threat than question.

“Shh,” Noah replied as the salesman led them into the firing range. There were half a dozen shooters at the dozen positions. Each used a cable to reel targets out and back in. A young man wearing a private security company jacket fired a revolver. A woman and her two daughters took turns with an antique double-barreled shotgun. A heavier man, probably a veteran, fired an AR-15 three times in rapid succession.

Chloe turned, “Okay!” and almost collided with Noah. “I know experiences are all the rage now, dad, and this one has great selfie potential, but I’m a no.”

“Chloe,” Noah reasoned, “I’m looking for things we can do as a family.”

“So you picked this?” she said at glass-breaking pitch.

“Humor me. Please. I’ll make it up to you. What do you want?”

“I wanta pierce my belly button.” Other than that. “A car at sixteen.”

“Done,” Noah said disingenuously.

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