Anno Zombus Year 1 (Book 8): August by Dave Rowlands

Deathwish's supply seemed in no way diminished by our efforts.
     
    Scout and The Twin had taken Tiny and Apprentice on an expedition, exploration and extermination being their primary goals.  Jester had given them a brief list of things to look out for, certain cables, some smaller devices that he needed for his idea.  He offered to go with them but we decided that, just in case, the more important of us should stay behind.  The Queen wanted him back in one piece, after all.
     
    After a couple of hours waiting I opened the door to the rest of the centre and peeked out.  Nothing, at least nothing other than the few corpses remaining from our friends' exit.  Closing it behind me I shrugged, saying that there was no sign of anything or anyone out there.  Twist looked relieved.  Butler and Jester, however, looked concerned.
     
    Sitting back down next to Apocalypse Girl, I extended an arm.  She took the opportunity to snuggle in closer than I had thought possible.  “They said you were dead, you know.”  She told me in a quiet voice.  “Those Ghouls or whatever they were.  Said you'd run into the trapped passage and gotten yourself killed.  I knew better, though.  I spat in their faces and told them you were coming for me and that you'd kill them all.”
     
    noon
    They're still not back yet.  Deathwish went out with Machete briefly, just to the end of the hall, to see if there was any sign.  When they returned their only news was that they had seen a trail of dead Dead leading in the direction that the four had gone.  “There weren't even that many of them, only a couple of dozen.  I could have taken them by myself, easy!”  Machete bragged.  Deathwish spared her a sceptical glance that he shared with me.  I just shook my head, knowing the small blonde girl's capabilities.  I hadn't left my sword with her for no reason, after all.
     
    Apocalypse Girl and I took the dog out for a brief walk after a while.  He sniffed at a couple of corpses, urinated on one, then moved along and examined everything he could find in his own doggy fashion.  Some stuff, he decided, was worth piddling on, some was not.  As Apocalypse Dog arched his back to defecate I spotted Scout, solo, running back over corpses, skipping lightly over them.  Skidding to a halt, her sneakers squeaking on the lino floor, she smiled at us.  “They're all dead, it looks like.  The Ghouls are, definitely, the rest of the girls are disarming their traps now.  Some of those are pretty bloody nasty, too.”
     
    Breathing heavily, she told us that they had encountered a reasonably sized group of Dead as they left the security office, clobbered as many as they could reach while drawing them away in vaguely the direction of the Deadnappers Lair.  All of those were down by the time they reached this site of our little battle with the Ghouls, so Scout was tasked with running back to inform us of the situation and take another small group out in the other direction.  I wanted to go with her myself, but ended up sending Deathwish and Twist with her instead.  Machete pouted a little about not being asked, at least until I told her that I wanted her with us in case anything else went wrong.  There was nobody else I trusted more to help keep Apocalypse Girl safe.
     
    evening
    I figured they'd probably be back by now, both groups.  Hunger is a remarkable driving force, after all, and I myself was nearing the point of raiding Deathwish's supply bag.  Butler got there before I did, however, offering to cook up as much as was needed.  That, I must say, was easier.  If I have to smell the shit cooking, at least I don't have to be up close and personal with it, too.
     
    As we ate, Scout returned with Deathwish and Twist.  A moment later, the other three returned as well.  Collapsing onto the remaining couches, the two groups reported that there seemed to be no more Dead plaguing the centre.  The few that had remained had been brained, now