The Infected Dead (Book 3): Die For Now by Bob Howard

float and took it to full power as fast as he could. We watched the plane get smaller as it sped away, lifted off, and banked to the south.
    “We should start moving,” said Kathy.  
    I saw her and Tom exchange looks for a moment. I wasn’t sure what they meant, but Kathy’s look seemed to say, “You could do better,” and Tom’s look seemed to say, “I know.”
    We gathered our gear and headed for the dunes. The infected dead had made it onto the beach, and they were in our way but not being a problem. They held their arms out greedily as we approached, but they were all in the sand and not moving within seconds.  
    Once we had ended the miserable existence of the infected, we set out as quickly as we could go, using the high resolution pictures to locate the hidden tunnel entrance. It only took about thirty minutes to find the right spot and another ten minutes to uncover the secure door. It was located in the side of a dune and sat at about a forty-five degree angle. Bus dialed in the combination on the lock, and the door opened as if the hinges had been oiled recently.
    We quickly stashed our gear inside and then gathered as much loose brush together as we could. I pulled out a huge roll of duct tape, and we began taping the brush to the outside of the door. We even fastened several long strips of tape to the door with large areas of the sticky side facing outward. We threw sand against it and were pleased with the results. When we pulled the door shut from the inside, it had to be hard to spot from a distance.  
    With the door shut behind us, the four of us dug out our flashlights and got together in a huddle over a hand drawn map.
    “While the Chief is gone, there’s no reason why we can’t scout this tunnel,” said Kathy. “I think it would be a good idea to find out if the Fort Sumter shelter has been compromised before we get too comfortable.”
    “I agree,” I said. “We should use flashlights until we’re sure it’s safe. No talking unless we have to. We don’t know how well sound carries in this tunnel.”
    Kathy said, “Good thinking, Eddie.”  
    She turned to Tom and Bus and went back over basic hand signals we had used before. Then she took the lead as we started down the tunnel.
    It was a long tunnel, but the floor was totally dry, and there was no moisture in the air. It didn’t smell as if anything had died in the tunnel, so we didn’t expect to have anything lurch out of the darkness at us. I felt the walls with my fingertips, and it felt like we were inside a big stainless steel tube. It was probably one of the most expensive tunnels ever made, and it was intended to save the lives of important people, but from the looks of things, it hadn’t saved anyone.
    It wasn’t long before Kathy gave the hand signal to stop, then the signal to get down. We didn’t know if there was someone up ahead in the tunnel or if she was just being cautious. She shined her light into the distance then stood up and signaled for us to join her. She was standing next to something that looked like an oversized golf cart.
    Bus said, “Of course, why didn’t I think of it before. This tunnel is really long, and they wouldn’t have wanted important people to walk all the way.”
    “It’s electric,” said Kathy, “which means it would be relatively quiet.”
    “Not quiet enough the way sound carries down here,” I said, “but I’d rather ride than walk.”
    “Me too,” said Tom. “Why don’t we use it most of the way then walk in the last bit? We could be there in no time.”
    It wasn’t much of a vote since all four of us were in favor. Bus was the designated driver, and the rest of us kept our weapons pointed forward just in case we were being incredibly stupid. The tunnel was illuminated by widely spaced lights, but some were burned out, so we couldn’t see well enough to go full speed. We still covered the distance from the tunnel entrance to Fort Sumter in no time, and we didn’t stop