Zombie Rush 2 by Joseph Hansen

fell … dead.
    “What the hell?” Krupp said before looking at Lu pleadingly.
    “I don’t know. He was here talking about the kind of trouble you were going to get in as soon as he could turn you in to the other cops, and then he just started acting weird. I remembered his limp and the one who had grabbed him, along with the blood on his pant leg. He was turning; I know it.” Lu was panicked, but in Krupp’s eyes, it seemed a little dramatized.
    “He kept on ranting about that girl on the boat and … an …”
    “That was self-defense; they tried to jump me.”
    “I'm sure they did,” Lu replied. “We just didn’t see that girl’s weapon, right?”
    Krupp suddenly knew what she was doing and didn’t quite know how to react. Did she have his back, or was this some kind of set up? Not that it really mattered. Someone like Stanley would never survive this new world, so whether it was Lu who took him out or a zombie, it didn’t really make much difference.
    “It’s all right; just calm down. In the future get me before you start executing people, all right?” A sudden thought occurred to him, and he pulled out his cell phone and texted, R U huntin wabbits? While he did this, he kept a side eye on Lu and would from here on out. She had a game of her own and he had no desire to get caught up in it. Sadly, he felt he already might be.
    Then he watched as Cat, who had joined up with Benson, answered her phone. He could tell that her world stopped as she read the screen, and she looked around to see if he was in sight. She texted back as she walked over to the other officers.
    Thank god u r alive. Where r u?
    On top of the world looking down on creation, he replied.
    Don’t mess with me, Dad; we’ve been through enough. Is Mom with you?
    No He paused before sending another text wondering how much he should tell her like this.
    It’s just U and me now, sweetheart. I am on the highway watching you through the optics on my rifle
    Well, get down here; we need u
    Looks like you’re doing fine without me
    Trust me, Dad, u r needed
    K. C ya soon He ended his text message only to have his phone suddenly ring.
    “Hey, glad to see you made it.”
    “Hi, Art. Who’s in charge down there?”
    “Couple of contractors, me, and Lisa.”
    “Lisa is it now? What, did you two have a layover where you got to sniff each other’s biscuits?”
    “Too soon for jokes like that. I lost my wife yesterday, Ed; how ’bout you?” Benson asked.
    Krupp didn’t reply right away. He and his wife had stopped entertaining each other years ago. You could say that they stayed together for the kids, but the truth was neither cared enough to spend the energy to leave. In a way, they still loved each other and always would, and there was genuine regard or respect for one another. It was just that the magic had passed with the events of life. He didn’t feel much for his son and considered him to be a little on the effeminate side, even before he came out and admitted he was gay. Surprisingly, everyone thought Ed would fly into a rage finding out that his son was gay. In truth, it was simply confirmation of what he already knew. He was aware that they are born that way, but it didn’t matter; it was still unnatural in his book.
    Cat was the apple of his eye, the son he always wanted in the shape of a girl. It was only fitting that the two of them survived, while the others perished. Shit, that girl could shoot. She was born with an assault rifle strapped to her back and a Smith & Wesson on her hip. She preferred a Glock, but Ed didn’t want her shooting any of that foreign crap. It would be like driving a fucking Volkswagen.
    “Yeah, it is too soon. I lost my wife and son yesterday, so seeing Cat with you was … I can’t even tell you what it was, bro.”
    “I know; I get it. You got more family than you have ever had down here now.”
    “I hope you are not referring to that tequila queen as family now, Art,” Ed said,