The Zone: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller (Infection Chronicles Book 1) by Tripp Ellis Page A
Authors: Tripp Ellis
Ads: Link
hurt.”
“Please, we can’t last much longer in here. You’ve got to help us.”
“There’s food, water, and supplies in the house,” Steele said. “Take what you want.”
“Then at least, take our children to safety. Please.” Her eyes flicked to Chloe, watching from the SUV, then back to Steele.
“I’m sorry. I can’t,” Steele said.
“We may have a problem, Major,” Delroy said. His eyes were focused in the distance. At the end of the block, an armored personnel carrier had pulled up. It was fitted with a .50 caliber machine gun on top. It was an Army vehicle, but the guy manning the machine gun wasn’t Army. Enough tanks, APCs, and munitions to outfit a small country had been left behind when the Army took a retrograde position. Now they were in the hands of the warlords of the wasteland.
Tension hung thick in the air. Delroy had the gunner in his sights. “Should I take him out? I’ve got a clear shot.”
“Hold tight,” Steele said.
The gunner just stared back at them. He called down into the APC. A moment later, the vehicle lurched forward and rumbled away.
“You see what we’re up against,” the woman’s husband said. “We have some weapons, but we’re no match. They take our women. They kill all who resist. Please, you must do something.”
“I promise, I will speak with my superiors when I return,” Steele said. “But I can’t take you out of here now.”
The man looked heartbroken. His eyes filled, on the verge of tears. “My name is Xavier. This is my wife Sarah. My children, Abigail and Ava. We’re American’s. Doesn’t that mean anything?” Xavier was smart. Using names personalized them. Steele knew what Xavier was trying to do.
“Please, mister?” Abigail, the eight-year-old, said.
Steele clenched his jaw. He hated to be in this situation. He felt for these people, but he just couldn’t take them. “Delroy, saddle up.”
“Yes, sir.” Delroy climbed into the driver’s seat. Steele hopped in on the passenger side. Parker and Chloe sat in the backseat.
Delroy dropped the car into gear and rolled backwards. But Xavier stood in his way. Delroy lurched the SUV back a foot, but Xavier didn’t flinch. The rear bumper was inches from his kneecaps.
“I will run you over,” Delroy yelled out the window.
Xavier stood firm.
Delroy lurched the vehicle back again.
Xavier jumped back a foot.
Delroy mashed his foot to the floor. Tires screeched. Blue smoke billowed and the air filled with the smell of burning rubber.
Xavier leapt aside, tumbling to the ground, narrowly escaping.
The Range Rover sped into the street. Delroy slammed the brakes, shifted into drive, then peeled away. Steele could see Xavier in the side mirror shouting and cursing at them.
Chloe was visibly shaken by the ordeal. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. “Why didn’t you help those people?” she said, stammering in between jerking sobs.
“We don’t have room on the transport ship for them,” Parker said, trying to comfort her—it wasn’t working very well.
“Make room,” Chloe cried.
“So, Major, is crying allowed in this squad now?”
“Shut up, Delroy.”
The major kept his eye on the side mirror, watching the family linger in the middle of the street. As Delroy was about to round the corner, Steele caught a glimpse of the APC in the mirror. It had doubled back and rolled up to the family. The gunner had the .50 caliber drawn on them.
“Stop the vehicle,” Steele said.
“Why?”
“Because I said so. Stop the vehicle.”
Delroy glanced in the rearview. “Sir, I think it’s a bad idea to get involved in local disputes.”
“Stop the vehicle.”
The brakes squealed and Steele sprung from the SUV, his weapon ready to fire.
The APC gunner was menacing the family. Another gang member climbed from the vehicle and was scuffling with Xavier. He was trying to drag away Sarah, and Xavier wasn’t going to let that happen. There was
“Please, we can’t last much longer in here. You’ve got to help us.”
“There’s food, water, and supplies in the house,” Steele said. “Take what you want.”
“Then at least, take our children to safety. Please.” Her eyes flicked to Chloe, watching from the SUV, then back to Steele.
“I’m sorry. I can’t,” Steele said.
“We may have a problem, Major,” Delroy said. His eyes were focused in the distance. At the end of the block, an armored personnel carrier had pulled up. It was fitted with a .50 caliber machine gun on top. It was an Army vehicle, but the guy manning the machine gun wasn’t Army. Enough tanks, APCs, and munitions to outfit a small country had been left behind when the Army took a retrograde position. Now they were in the hands of the warlords of the wasteland.
Tension hung thick in the air. Delroy had the gunner in his sights. “Should I take him out? I’ve got a clear shot.”
“Hold tight,” Steele said.
The gunner just stared back at them. He called down into the APC. A moment later, the vehicle lurched forward and rumbled away.
“You see what we’re up against,” the woman’s husband said. “We have some weapons, but we’re no match. They take our women. They kill all who resist. Please, you must do something.”
“I promise, I will speak with my superiors when I return,” Steele said. “But I can’t take you out of here now.”
The man looked heartbroken. His eyes filled, on the verge of tears. “My name is Xavier. This is my wife Sarah. My children, Abigail and Ava. We’re American’s. Doesn’t that mean anything?” Xavier was smart. Using names personalized them. Steele knew what Xavier was trying to do.
“Please, mister?” Abigail, the eight-year-old, said.
Steele clenched his jaw. He hated to be in this situation. He felt for these people, but he just couldn’t take them. “Delroy, saddle up.”
“Yes, sir.” Delroy climbed into the driver’s seat. Steele hopped in on the passenger side. Parker and Chloe sat in the backseat.
Delroy dropped the car into gear and rolled backwards. But Xavier stood in his way. Delroy lurched the SUV back a foot, but Xavier didn’t flinch. The rear bumper was inches from his kneecaps.
“I will run you over,” Delroy yelled out the window.
Xavier stood firm.
Delroy lurched the vehicle back again.
Xavier jumped back a foot.
Delroy mashed his foot to the floor. Tires screeched. Blue smoke billowed and the air filled with the smell of burning rubber.
Xavier leapt aside, tumbling to the ground, narrowly escaping.
The Range Rover sped into the street. Delroy slammed the brakes, shifted into drive, then peeled away. Steele could see Xavier in the side mirror shouting and cursing at them.
Chloe was visibly shaken by the ordeal. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. “Why didn’t you help those people?” she said, stammering in between jerking sobs.
“We don’t have room on the transport ship for them,” Parker said, trying to comfort her—it wasn’t working very well.
“Make room,” Chloe cried.
“So, Major, is crying allowed in this squad now?”
“Shut up, Delroy.”
The major kept his eye on the side mirror, watching the family linger in the middle of the street. As Delroy was about to round the corner, Steele caught a glimpse of the APC in the mirror. It had doubled back and rolled up to the family. The gunner had the .50 caliber drawn on them.
“Stop the vehicle,” Steele said.
“Why?”
“Because I said so. Stop the vehicle.”
Delroy glanced in the rearview. “Sir, I think it’s a bad idea to get involved in local disputes.”
“Stop the vehicle.”
The brakes squealed and Steele sprung from the SUV, his weapon ready to fire.
The APC gunner was menacing the family. Another gang member climbed from the vehicle and was scuffling with Xavier. He was trying to drag away Sarah, and Xavier wasn’t going to let that happen. There was
Similar Books
