Pandemic Z 01: The First Night by Ryan Casey

Author:Ryan Casey [Casey, Ryan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Higher Bank Books
Published: 2024-08-07T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY

Smithson's Jewellers, it turned out, wasn’t the worst place in the world to end up holed up in a crisis like this.

The main lights were off. But there were lights in all the glass displays, illuminating the jewellery on show. At a glance, it looked decent quality. Gold rings. Flashy watches. Diamond necklaces. But inspect a little closer, and Brian knew for a fact it was cheap tat.

He knew the owner of this place. And not in a personal manner. Strictly professional. Asian bloke. Mr Thompson. Dodgy as fuck. Set up a whole string of businesses across town that barely ever got anyone through the door. Got a lot of stick for buying old properties and keeping them empty. About as money laundering as it got. The fact he didn’t even bother properly securing his fucking jewellers at night said everything about how much he actually valued his products.

The jewellery wasn’t in the cabinets anymore. It was smeared across the floor. Brian and his new pals had emptied as many cabinets as they could, as hastily as they could. And they’d pushed them up against the door, barricading it as much as possible. It wasn’t going to hold forever. But it didn’t have to. It just had to hold long enough for them to figure out their next move.

Behind the counter, there was a secure area where a cash register and more expensive items were kept. At the back of the jewellers, a little room for inventory and a safe. The emergency lights casting a dim glow over the shop.

And all the time, those metal shutters, covering the entrance, rattling as the angry bastards pounded against them.

Filling the shop with a constant reminder of the predicament they were in.

Brian looked down at the phone he’d grabbed off the road. He’d try ringing Kelly, if he knew her bloody number off the top of her head. And now he had Abigail’s number keyed in. All he had to do was hit the dial button.

But something was holding him back.

Stopping him hitting that green icon.

Simon—the balding ginger bloke in his business suit, who stank of aftershave—paced back and forth, around the jewellers. He kept on raising his phone to his ear, then cursing when no one answered. Sweat trickled down his face and gathered in his ginger beard. The way he kept walking back and forth like that was beginning to piss Brian off.

The Asian guy—Raj—spoke. “It might help if you take a moment, Simon.”

Simon swung around to him. “Take a moment? Take a fucking moment? Have you heard them out there?”

Raj didn’t bite. He remained calm. He had dark hair, a well-groomed beard, and was very muscular. There was almost a monk-like aura about him. Exactly the kind of bloke you wanted to get stuck with in a situation like this. Oozed calm. “I’ve heard them. We’ve all heard them. I’m just saying⁠—”

“Yeah, well maybe say a little less. I’m not interested in what you have to say.”

Raj stayed calm. “I’m just trying to help⁠—”

“You’re not helping!” Simon screamed.

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