United States of Z - Book 5: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller by Olin Lester

Author:Olin Lester [Lester, Olin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Black Pelican Publishing
Published: 2026-02-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Another Dark Friend

Josh Allman

Williard Avenue Neighborhood Park

Chevy Chase, Maryland

Nightfall

Josh led Moon and Tag into the cover of the trees. Glancing back over his shoulder, he made sure the men were close to him and that no one had followed. Moving another thirty yards into the trees, away from the urban world, he flipped his mapping system down and stared.

“What you got?” Moon asked. He knew he could just check his mapping system, too, but that would only leave one set of eyes for security, and that would be a receipt for disaster.

“He’s on the move, down the ridge and along the creek forty yards from us,” Allman replied. He wondered if they stayed put, would Yorgey stumble upon them, or should they push deeper? At least keep the high ground and spot him before he had the chance to find them. “I’m going to take us as far as I can while keeping us on the high ground above the creek.”

Moon nodded. They would have to do the best they could without communications with Yorgey, but it wasn’t the first time they had faced the issue at hand. In Moon’s mind, everything would work out in due time.

Allman stood, and Tag moved off his left while Moon moved off Allman’s right, everyone staying within eye shot of one another while providing enough space to keep the best security they could.

Damp oak leaves stuck to the bottom of Allman’s boots as he stepped lightly and smoothly through the trees like a feral kid that had been born and raised in the woods. His feet moved in and around twigs and dead fall, hugging the contours of tree trunks for cover while avoiding the branches that would tell of their approach. His methodical pace ate away at their precious clock but had kept them safe as they stopped, overlooking the creek just a couple of feet below.

Allman, now lying on his belly, looked out over the trickling water, taking note of the rapidly approaching night. The shadows of the day had given way to nightmarish thoughts of what the woods would be like if they didn’t hurry. Carriers would come, driven to a water source and looking to feast. The men were rapidly running out of time, yet they stayed and watched. They weren’t about to leave without Yorgey.

Both Moon and Tag were behind Allman, positioned in a way that all three men had their legs splayed out and over top of each other. Each man faced a different area of woods that allowed them to have three-hundred-and-sixty-degree security. The last thing they could afford was for a Carrier or group of Carriers to stumble across their position.

Then, like a magic trick, out of the misting fog hovering over the water and from within the darkness, Director Will Yorgey stumbled out among the rocky creek bottom, sloshing water and slinging his arms.

Allman used both feet to tap each man behind him. He alerted them that something was present, but until he spoke, they wouldn’t know it was Will Yorgey.

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