Catalyst (Book 1): Decay Chains Read Online Free PDF

handles.”
    “That’s not good,” Ian said.
    Stormy wasn’t shocked when another super ripped the door handle out of her grip. She could smell her coming. The super’s violent entrance did scare the hell out of Ian and Josh, who dove back.
    “Yeah, that’s definitely a fucking reanimated corpse,” Ian said.
    “Told you so,” Josh said.
    “You were right.”
    A shot to the head dropped the female super, but not the male directly behind her. A second shot took him to the ground as he stepped over his dead accomplice.
    The guys had recovered and were now right behind her. As Josh stepped over the male super, a bloody arm reached out for Ian’s ankle. He promptly whacked the super across the jaw with his laptop and broke both computer and jaw in a single swing.
    “Shit,” Ian said. “I just built this damn thing too.”
    Stormy had an unobstructed view of the next immediate threat. The dead doctor released the door handle he’d been fixated on and faced her. He cocked his head to the right before charging down the hall in her direction.
    “Incoming.” Stormy backed up. The plan was to shoot him in the head, but when her gun jammed, she improvised. Face first, arms out, she dove across the hall.
    The super’s impact with the double doors sounded like a three car pile up. The left door swung open and lodged in the dry wall. Dazed, he rose to his hands and knees. Yeah, barreling into doors can have that effect, idiot.
    Stormy popped the magazine out and tried to rack the slide. No dice. This was normally when Matt would come to her rescue at the range, but she was on her own now. The super’s eyes rose from the floor and found her. Empty little balls, framed in anger and a dash of confusion, locked onto their target. He straightened up and bolted toward her. Stormy snuck glimpses of Ian as she retreated. With Josh’s support, he limped down the hall behind her earless predator.             
    To keep the super fixed on her, she crept backward. She gauged the distance between her and the exit sign to be one solid dash. Given the speed he demonstrated earlier, she wasn’t getting around him unscathed.
    The super grunted and cocked his head again. His gaze darted from side to side at a breakneck pace. It was dizzying to watch. He was about to make another insane move. The guys probably left her. Why save her just to let the doctor have at her again later? Portion control? She needed to make a run for it before she got too far from the door.
    Stormy yanked harder and the stuck shell budged, but she lost her grip and the magazine crashed to the floor. That thud would be the last sound she heard before Heaven’s choirs. The super’s battered fingers clasped around her wrist and dug in. Let her grave marker reflect that clumsiness could get you killed.
    She wriggled, but couldn’t free her hand. His grip tightened and bit into her wrist. Bits of skin flaked off his fingers as they rubbed against her arm. Something slimy, she wasn’t sure what, rubbed into her skin as she contorted against his hold. She screamed in his face. He shouted back at her without words, just hot air and force. With her other hand, she trapped his, yanked down with all her strength, and twisted her wrist in the direction of his thumb, the weakest part of his grip. Meanwhile, his teeth neared her flesh.
    He lost his hold on her arm and thrashed about trying to retrieve it. She was on her way back out of her leaning stance when he grabbed two handfuls of her hair. Stormy cried out slurs, directed at everyone but God, as the super yanked upward. She reeled as she stood on her tiptoes, trying to ease the pressure on her scalp. Choice words meant for Josh, then even Ian, flooded the hall. The super leaned into her neck and grunted. This is it. Cause of death: reanimated corpse attack. Never would’ve believed it. Not even if someone handed me my own obituary.
    Stormy’s eyes watered. Her scalp hurt so badly. She wished he would