The Zone: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller (Infection Chronicles Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

hardwood floors, minutes from downtown. Exposed brick and ductwork were aesthetic choices. The lobby was decked with abstract art from local artists, complete with inflated price tags. Paintings that would never sell, even without the apocalypse.  
    Steele crept through the lobby and held up his fist, pausing at the main lobby doors. He scanned the street in both directions—it looked clear. But looks could be deceiving. Hordes of infected could be lurking in an alleyway or around a corner. A clear street could turn into a river of shufflers in an instant. There was a lot of ground to cover, and not a lot of time. They had better get moving if they were going to make it back to the extraction point in time.  
    “Stay invisible,” Steele said, then slipped into the street. The others followed. Steele hugged the wall and dashed to the corner. The cross street was clear. He darted across the intersection, hugging the wall of the next building. Steele balanced speed with caution, moving at a good pace.  
    After a few clicks of running like this, Ferris was sucking wind. He huddled over his knees, gasping. “Hang on. I gotta catch my breath.”
    Steele slowed up and shook his head. He gritted his teeth and marched back to Ferris. Steele grabbed him by the collar and pushed him forward. “Keep moving.”
    “Just give me a minute.”
    “We don’t have a minute to spare.”
    “You need me, remember,” Ferris said. “Nobody gets shit without me.”
    Steele’s eyes narrowed, scowling at Ferris. He didn’t like it, but it was true. He needed him, for now. “Fine, you’ve got a minute.”
    “Holy shit,” Delroy said, eyes bugging out.
    Steele followed Delroy’s gaze, wondering what he was getting worked up about. Across the street was a red car, covered in three months of dust and pollen.  
    “That’s a ’63 split window Corvette coupe,” Delroy said in awe. He started toward it, but Steele put a hand on his chest, stopping him.
    “Don’t get distracted.”
    “That’s just a damn shame. Perfectly good car like that going to waste in here.”
    “Everything goes to waste in here,” Parker said.
    “I’m gonna buy me one of those,” Delroy said, beaming. “And a Porsche. I’ve always wanted a Porsche. In fact, I want a garage full of classic cars. What about you Parker? What do you want?”
    “With the way the world is, I want an underground bunker. Fusion powered with a stockpile of food, weapons, and medical supplies.”
    “No, I mean something fun.”
    “What could be more fun than surviving?”
    Delroy shrugged her off. “What about you, Major?”
    “Don’t go spending your money before you earn it. It’s bad luck.”
    “How did you get so rich, Ferris?” Delroy asked.  
    Ferris was still wheezing. “I have one guiding philosophy. Money isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”
    “I hear that,” Delroy said.
    The sound of a bottle clinking across the pavement startled them. Delroy snapped his weapon into the firing position. The sound was coming from around the corner. Delroy’s finger gripped the trigger, just waiting to take out a lurker.  
    A disheveled little girl stumbled around the corner and stepped into his sights. She froze and stared back at Delroy. Her face was dirty, and her clothes were tattered.   She was maybe 8 or 9 years old. She had curly brown hair and brown eyes. Steele pushed Delroy’s weapon down. The little girl turned and ran back the way she came.  
    She ran . That was something that lurkers didn’t do. Stagger, lurch, plod, trudge— yes . Run— no .  
    “I don’t think she was infected,” Parker said. There was just a twinge of concern in her eye.
    “Doesn’t matter,” Steele said. “Lets keep moving.”

CHAPTER 8

    FROM THE ROAD, it didn’t look like much. Just a concrete wall and a security gate. What was past the gate was a different matter entirely.
    Delroy was the first over the gate, followed by Parker. Ferris was pale and looked like