Hold the Line (Heroes of the Apocalypse Book 4) by Baileigh Higgins

Author:Baileigh Higgins [Higgins, Baileigh]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Independent
Published: 2022-10-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9 - Leo

Once Lt. Kingsley gave him the go-ahead, Leo took the lead. He swept the area with his rifle, looking for any signs of life. When he was sure it was clear, he moved ahead, picking his way through the piles of corpses that littered the floor.

The smell of death made his eyes water, and his stomach remained on edge, ready to let rip at any moment. He swallowed hard and tried not to breathe through his nose, but even the cologne-soaked bandana tied around his mouth didn’t help much.

Flies buzzed around his face, eager for a taste of his sweat. He twitched his head to dissuade the nasty creatures, but they ignored him. Several crawled across his forehead and cheeks, moving to the corner of his eyes. Blinking furiously, he picked up the pace. Let’s just get this over with and get the hell back home.

Lt. Kingsley had fallen to the back of the group, covering their rear, while Chris and Priya flanked him on either side. Blanca and Matt were in the middle, their feet silent and their focus absolute. It was good to know he had backup, not questioning their ability once. They were excellent fighters and good people. That much he’d seen first-hand. Still, they weren’t his people. They weren’t Frank or Sarah. It doesn’t matter. You’re part of the team now. Make it work. It’s what Theresa and Frank want from you. To set an example to the rest of the firefighter community.

With that thought in mind, Leo crossed the last few feet of the reception area and headed toward the hallway leading to the various offices, stock rooms, and more. The light from the shattered front faded as they entered the dim corridor, and he slowed as his visibility dropped.

A body lay crumpled at his feet, a police officer. The uniform was visible, but the man’s features were nothing more than a ruin of flesh and bone. A bullet had blasted his skull apart, and Leo guessed he’d been a zombie. Either way, he was glad he couldn’t recognize the guy. He didn’t want to know which of his former colleagues lay rotting in the precinct. He preferred to indulge in the fantasy that they were still out there, somewhere. Surviving like him, Frank, and Sarah.

Stepping over the corpse, Leo pushed onward. He passed Donna’s old office and paused. He stared into the space, saddened to know she’d spent her last days trapped inside. Papers lay strewn about, and it was empty, but there were signs of her presence left behind. A forgotten handbag stood on the desk, and a pile of old files formed a pillow on the carpet—her old bed. A trashcan in the corner had served as a toilet, and another created a step to the air vents in the ceiling. Cool drink cans and candy wrappers lay decaying on the floor, remnants of desperate meals stolen from the kitchen. It was a dismal setting, the air filled with the stench of death.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.