The Coalition: Part 1 The State of Extinction (Zombie Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

they say in the funny papers, the third try was the charm.
    Siskey had knocked on the door of Unit 412 for a good two minutes before he inserted the master key. Ron hadn’t liked that they were making so much noise, but neither did he want to get shot by an irate homeowner. So they’d rapped on the very solid door and called out, leaning into the door to speak to anyone who might be inside, holed up for the duration.
    “I’m going to unlock the door,” Siskey yelled to the wooden barrier, informing anyone on the other side that he was going to do just that. He inserted his master key and disengaged the lock. More light flooded into the hallway as he opened the door.
    “I’ll be damned,” Ron said. Ted just stood there, staring at the room.
    Inside, the place was furnished in an almost minimalist manner. There was a bland couch that was obviously also a convertible bed, colored in what Ron had often heard described as ‘corn’, a kind of pale yellow. A small coffee table sat in front of it and a flat screen TV was mounted on a wall some six feet beyond that table. To the left of that room was an alcove that contained a small kitchen and dining area, with a door leading back to another space that was likely a single bedroom with a bath.
    However, the living area was what held their attention. Four maple wood gun cases stood against one wall and each was full of rifles and shotguns. Just a quick inventory revealed to the pair that they were looking at twenty-eight firearms. Drawers at the base of each case soon gave up more content: half a dozen pistols, ranging from a compact .38 to a 9mm Glock to a .357 Smith & Wesson police issue revolver. Some small .22 caliber pistols glittered where lightly oiled rags failed to cover them. Each gun case held no fewer than 100 rounds of ammunition for every gun present.
    Going to one of the cases, Ron was happy to discover that like the others it was unlocked. He opened it slowly and put his hands on one of the rifles. “Do you care if I take this one?” He thought it best to ask Siskey before he acted. He didn’t want any conflict to arise over some small slight.
    “No. There are only two of us and…” Ted counted silently. “Over two dozen rifles and shotguns. Anyway, I didn’t come up here for a rifle. I want a pistol and I see what I need.” He knelt and retrieved the .357 from the space that had been custom built for it in the case. Opening a drawer, he found a box of shells and loaded the weapon. All the while, Ron was hefting the 22.220, getting the feel of it, smelling the good scent of gun oil and feeling the polished wood of the stock. This was pretty much like his favorite gun back home. With this, he could shoot his way to his old neighborhood and rescue his family, if he was able . Or he could blast his way to freedom and leave Charlotte , North Carolina , far behind and take refuge in the hills to the west. With that gun, he could do just about anything.
    “Ron.” He heard Ted’s voice and it startled him from his daydreaming. He turned to face the young man who had pulled him out of such a bad situation.
    “What is it?” He looked at the tall, athletic fellow standing before him. For the first time , Ron took a really good look at him and saw the dirty jeans he was wearing, the scuffed Air Jordan’s , and the white shirt that covered his body, much like Ron’s own shirt. And that was when he noticed the tracery of fresh blood on Siskey’s left wrist.
    “I was bitten ,” he told Ron. He waved his free hand, the bloodied one. “Nah, it wasn’t when I was pulling you in. Don’t feel guilty. I was trying to save my pal, Jake. He didn’t make it, but he did give me the master keys. I just wasn’t careful and one of them took a bite out of my arm.” A drop of blood came free of his wrist and fell to Mr. Edmundsen’s new carpet.
    “Damn,” Siskey said. “If Edmundsen comes back, tell him I’m sorry about the carpet stain.” He smiled.
    “What