Badlands Trilogy (Book 2): Beyond the Badlands Read Online Free PDF Page B

“They’ll find your dad, sweetie, you have to trust him.”
    A wild scream echoed throughout the car as the two carriers looked up from their meal. Tall Guard produced a pistol from a hip holster, dropping the carriers with two shots. “Now!” he yelled, gripping Trish’s arm and yanking her along with him. The boys followed reluctantly behind.
    As they exited the train car, Trish got her first good look at the true devastation surrounding her. Train cars lay in pieces around the track. Dead bodies littered the ground, the infected gathered around them, feasting like a pride of lions. The few survivors remaining fled from the snarling infected.
    Her nausea worsened as Tall Guard dragged her along. Before she knew it, she was vomiting on herself. Tall Guard didn’t wait on her to finish. “Come on!” he bellowed, firing two shots into a group of carriers headed their way.
    Wiping her mouth on her sleeve, Trish fought to stay focused through the haze. They ran away from the train, across two-lane streets and through side lots beside small-town businesses. They fled into a city subdivision and across overgrown front yards.
    Eventually the houses all ran together in a blur before Tall Guard decided to stop. “In here!” he yelled as they approached a small house. He dragged Trish up the front steps and onto the house’s dilapidated porch. The boys followed.
    Using his elbow, Tall Guard shattered the glass on the front door of the house before reaching in and unlocking the door. He threw the door open, dragging Trish inside. “Get in,” he said, ushering both boys inside before closing the door behind them.
    Tall Guard released his grip on Trish’s arm. She fell to the floor, dizziness overwhelming her. She vomited again, producing only a thin string of bile that clung stubbornly to her chin.
    “The boys’ father…” she croaked, her throat like sandpaper.  
    Tall Guard turned to her, his back to the door. A smile split his face. “Oh, he’s dead, Trish.”
    Confused, Trish’s mind raced. “Wait..how do you know my name?”
    “You don’t remember me?” Tall Guard asked.  
    Trish shook her head.
    “You will.” He grabbed her by the hair, yanking her to her feet. Retrieving a syringe from his coat pocket, he pulled the cap off with his teeth and plunged the needle into her neck. Her eyes fluttered and her body went limp as he depressed the plunger.
    Zach sprang forward, but Tall Guard had his pistol pointed at the boy before he’d taken two steps.
    “Bad idea, little man,” Tall Guard said, the smile still on his lips. “You sit your ass down. I’m just getting started here.”

Chapter Ten

    The last time Dave Porter felt so utterly helpless, he’d been standing on a bridge over the Mississippi River with hundreds of carriers bearing down upon him.
    Now, tied up in the back of a truck, those feelings of helplessness returned. A dozen other prisoners sat around him, their hands also bound. A third gunman, who the two men in the cab of the truck had called Peterson, sat in the back with the prisoners.
    Sitting across from Dave, Annette’s eyes implored him. He could only return her stares with his own equally helpless gaze. He didn’t speak; he’d tried that earlier and the back of Peterson’s hand had been lesson enough for keeping his mouth shut.
    The truck bumped and bucked as it swerved through the city streets. With the back covered, Dave could only see through the open space above the tailgate. Outside, gunshots peppered the air. He could only imagine what was going on.
    Glancing around, he noticed that women made up the bulk of the prisoners inside. None of Dave’s explanations for their kidnapping provided him comforting answers.
    Things looked very bad.
    Minutes later the truck abruptly halted. Peterson sat facing the rear of the truck, his back against the cab. His angry eyes glared at the captives as he gripped his rifle tightly.
    Once the truck came to a stop, Peterson stood.