Zombie Rage (Walking Plague Trilogy #2) by J. R. Rain, Elizabeth Basque Page B

they did it, the sooner this would all be over.
    They each took hold of one of Jack’s wrists and pulled him down to a kneeling position. Even now, he could be dangerous. They moved quickly. First, they moved one of the water buckets a little closer. Carla came as close as she dared. She pointed the gun straight at his face while Joe and Mike moved the other bucket into place.
    “I’m not fucking around, Jack.” Carla’s tone was cold now. “Don’t move or I’ll shoot you.”
    He growled at her but he wasn’t certain she wouldn’t shoot. He trusted no one now. All he could think of was saving his own life.
    They’d agreed that Mike would do it. They’d figured out the logistics, and now Joe moved behind his brother and, as he lifted Jack’s legs, Mike dunked Jack’s head into the cold water.
    It only took a few minutes but it seemed like forever. Carla couldn’t watch. She was a good, strong cop, but she ran to the corner and vomited while Mike held down the man she cared so much about.
    Jack finally stopped struggling. Just like Joe had, Mike watched as Jack’s arms and legs now convulsed. Then he was still. As Mike gently lifted Jack’s head out of the bucket, Joe set his legs down.
    It was done.
    Joe just stood there, looking at his brother’s lifeless body. He couldn’t hold back any longer, and let the tears come. Carla was just about as useless. She finally holstered her gun.
    Mike knew what to do. It wasn’t any easier the second time drowning someone. He unchained one of Jack’s hands, turned him on his side, and hit him hard in the back.
    Nothing.
    Fuck.
    Jack just laid there, eyes wide open, mouth open, completely still. Mike hit him again, harder.
    Joe picked up on Mike’s growing anxiety. He bent down next to him. “It’s not working?”
    “I don’t know,” Mike said.
    “ What should we do?” Now Joe was starting to panic. Carla just backed away, her hand over her mouth, horrified.
    “ Jack! Come on, man! Wake the fuck up!” urged Mike.
    “ Let’s take the other cuff off.”
    “ No,” Mike argued. “We all agreed he’s not getting loose unless we’re sure he’s cured.”
    “ Fuck that. He’s my brother, goddammit. Carla, give me the cuff keys.”
    Carla looked up at Joe, her eyes round and full of fear. She looked from Mike to Joe...then shook her head.
    Joe was about to get up and get the keys, one way or another, when Mike locked his fingers together for maximum force—and whacked Jack in the back as hard as he could.
    Finally, Jack started coughing.
     
     
     
    Chapter Twenty
     
     
    Anna was wild with fear and worry.
    He had managed to get her away from the door, but she fought him, and he knew her, too.  If he didn’t hold his ground, she’d be down in the cellar to possibly mess everything up. Or worse, get hurt.
    So, he did all he could to keep her in the room without hurting her. Jared didn’t know what was happening any more than she did, but he had to keep her away from whatever was going on down there.
    They ended up laying on her bed side by side, Jared with his arms around her and Anna sobbing quietly. He wondered how many more tears she could possibly shed. He handed her a water bottle from the nearby nightstand. Maybe that would help replenish her tears. She took it and drank the whole damn thing.
    It wasn’t until the knock came at the door, that he let her go. She leaped up and ran and had the door open before Jared could even roll over.
    Uncle Joe stood there, sweating, shaking, but smiling. He embraced her, still smiling. That said it all. As Anna wept happy tears, Jared wondered if he would cry like this, too, if his own parents were involved in this crazy mess. He was, after all, becoming more concerned about them. They worked at the zoo, too. But where were they now? Why hadn’t they called him?
    “He’s all right,” Joe said, stroking Anna’s hair. “He’s all right.”
    “ You swear?”
    “ I swear.”
    “ Can I see him?