Recovery: V Plague Book 8 Read Online Free PDF Page B

used my rifle’s
night vision scope to scan for threats.  The rain was slacking off and as I
stood there I thought about how what we just did wouldn’t have worked if it
hadn’t been raining.  Without the water we wouldn’t have been able to get the
entire group.  Was luck finally swinging in my direction?
    I didn’t see
any movement and a moment later heard a rolling door open somewhere in the far
wall of the building.  A few seconds later the forklift I’d used to block the
front entrance turned the left corner, Colonel Crawford behind the wheel.  The
forks were already coming up as he drove and by the time he reached my location
they were level with the roof.
    Stepping
over the parapet I put a foot on each fork and held tightly to the back of it
as he lowered me to ground level.  I started to step off but he waved for me to
stay put.
    “Why walk
when we can ride?”  He grinned and headed for the casino. 

6
     
    We didn’t encounter
any additional infected on our drive back.  As we pulled up to the base of the
wall, Martinez tossed the line over the edge.  I would have preferred to just
ride the forks up, but the edge of the roof was more than three times as high
as they were capable of reaching.
    The rope had
been sitting in the rain the whole time we were gone and was slick as hell,
which made for an interesting climb.  I had a couple of bad moments when my
feet slipped, but I made it.  Colonel Crawford followed, a little slower than
me but not enough to mention.
    Katie and
Martinez were soaked and shivering.  Both of them had waited at the edge of the
roof for us to return.  Dog had taken shelter under the belly of the Pave Hawk
but trotted over to see me when I appeared.  Kissing Katie, I got us all moving
towards the bulkhead door.  As I approached I could see the lights in the
stairwell.
    “We were
starting to get worried, then the lights came on and we knew you were OK,”
Katie said.
    “Piece of
cake,” I said, the Colonel nodding in agreement.
    Focusing on
getting us in out of the weather I led the way down the stairs, one cautious
step at a time.  The rifle was up to my shoulder and ready to go.
    I wasn’t
confident that everyone that had been in residence was dead from my raid the
other night, and neither was I willing to bet that someone else hadn’t shown up
and moved in.  Dog stayed next to me as I descended, Katie and Martinez right
behind and Colonel Crawford bringing up the rear.  Reaching the bottom step I
paused to check Dog.  He was alert but remained quiet.
    Holding up a
clenched fist to signal the rest of the group to freeze in place, I stepped
fully into the VIP area and scanned.  No bad guys and no infected waiting to
pounce.  Moving across the room I stepped over a dark stain on the red carpet
where Martinez had lain bleeding.  Checking the small foyer that was at an
angle to the room I quickly returned to the stairs and signed for the group to
join me.
    On the far
side of the space was a large door covered in thickly padded leather.  It was
unlabeled and other than a small kitchen was the only remaining location in the
VIP area where someone could be hiding.  Leading the way, I paused and signaled
for Katie and Martinez to stay in place and watch the rear as Crawford and I checked
whatever was on the other side.  I held a flattened hand in front of Dog’s face
to tell him to stay.
    The doorknob
was on the right side of the door and Crawford and I stacked up against the
wall just to the left.  I was in front, closest to the opening, and dropped to
a knee as he tucked in tight against my back.  Gently turning the knob I pushed
the door open and pivoted my body around the doorframe, rifle pointing into the
hallway that was revealed.  Crawford remained standing and swiveled around at
the same time I did so that his rifle was above my head, pointing in the same
direction. 
    The hallway
was at least two hundred feet long, ending at a fire door with an