Despite the engine chugging, the river water slapping up against the side of the ship, there was no mistaking two sounds. If the wind wasn’t blowing, Char knew she’d smell them, as well.
Moaning.
Growling.
Both fast and sluggish zombies were coming.
She knew the sound attracted them. The engine. The warning shot. Calling cards. Zombies were coming. Getting off the boat didn’t make sense.
Keel must have heard them, too. He wasn’t laughing. His smile froze on his face. He looked up and to the left, but it was far too dark to see anything. He said something to Deisenroth, and then turned. “Get off my ship!”
Allison pushed Cash behind her. “The things are coming.”
“You wanted off. You wanted to go wait for your man. Go. It’s not a request. Get off my ship.”
Spencer climbed aboard.
A gunshot was fired. Char didn’t see who did it. She saw, instead, Spencer stumble back a step, another, hit the side of the boat before falling over and splashing into the icy river.
Something slammed into her arm. She dropped the handgun as she turned her attention back on Maar.
He twisted her arm at the wrist, spun her around and shoved her arm halfway up her back.
“Get them off my ship,” Keel said.
“You can’t do that,” Allison said.
“Break the girl’s arm,” Keel said.
Maar applied pressure. The threat, the possibility he’d break bone was very real. She didn’t want to cry out, but couldn’t hold it in. Pain shot through her arm to her shoulder. “Let go of me!”
Maar forced her to walk.
“Keel, tell him to stop,” Allison said.
Keel shrugged. “We’re pulling away. Either you get off right now, or once we pull away, we’ll throw you into the water. All three of you.”
“Captain,” Erway said.
“Stop choosing the wrong sides, Erway. Learn your place, dammit!”
Erway grit her teeth and hefted a medical bag over her shoulder. “I’m getting off, too.”
Again, Keel laughed. “You’re not going anywhere. I’ve had enough.”
The zombies were closer. Char couldn’t tune them out. She couldn’t look to see how many either. Cold tears filled her eyes. “Let me go, please,” she said in a whisper.
“You put a gun to my head,” Maar said. “Where was your mercy?”
“She’s a kid. Leave her alone. She doesn’t have a gun. She’s not a threat.”
The pressure stopped. Just like that. Gone. Char pulled her arm up to her chest and cradled it.
Allison was wide-eyed.
Char turned around. Maar wasn’t behind her. He was balled up on the ground, out of it. Blood spilled from a crack on the back of his head.
Sues Melia held a fire extinguisher in both hands. She smiled. “Now what?”
The rest of the Coast Guard crew was on deck. Char counted them. Too many to fight. She bent down, picked up her handgun. “We’re out of here,” she said.
Allison said, “What?”
“We’re not staying on the ship.”
“Charlene,” Allison said.
Char faced her. “Staying on this ship isn’t safe. They’re crazy, Allison. We won’t be safe. Look at him. The captain has lost his mind. They’ll kill us. They just shot that corporal guy. See anyone flinch? We’re getting off.”
Char went to the side of the boat, put one leg over, and then the other. “Cash, come on.”
Allison held her brother’s hand.
Cash tugged and yanked in an attempt to pull free.
“She’s right,” Crystal said. She was on her feet, standing beside Sues. “I’m not staying.”
“Come with us, Allison,” Char said.
Keel fired three shots into the air. “Get off my boat. Now!”
“We were leaving. Why did you do that? Why did you fire that stupid gun? You just called more zombies over here!”
“Too fuck--”
Char shot him. She just raised her gun, pulled the trigger and shot the captain. The impact spun him around, arms flailing. He did more than a one-eighty, leaned over the helm, and swore as blood pooled and then spilled from the corner of his mouth.
“Oh, shit,” Allison said.
Char was far from done. She aimed, fired and fired and fired.
The Coast Guard returned fire.
Screams came from everywhere. Char drowned out the noise. She concentrated instead on targets. And fired. And fired.
She only stopped when she thought she heard Allison scream out a name. Her ears rang from all the gunplay. A slight shake of her head would clear the clouding. That was when she heard it again. Only Allison wasn’t screaming. Not anymore. Now she sobbed. Sobbed and said the same name, over and over.
“Cash. Cash!”
Chapter Eighteen
“I can walk,” Saylor said. He shrugged off hands trying to help him. He held up his handgun. “I’ve got this.”
He could walk. He’d never be able to run. He winced every time he put any weight on his leg. Ankle was probably worse than a sprain.
“We going for Marf?” I said.
“See if he’s out.” Palmeri checked the clip in her rifle. Seemingly satisfied, she locked it back in place.
“Marf?” I said into the radio.
“Yeah,” he said. No ‘over’ this time.
“You out?”
“No. Still here. Can’t get out through the floors. Place is kind of well constructed, surprisingly, and if I’m not mistaken, there’s even more zombies,” he said into my ear.
I told Palmeri, and then went over the radio again. “Anyone else copy this transmission? Anyone?”
Silence.
Everyone looked at me. I shook my head.
The Coast Guard should hear us. They should be answering at the very least, but they weren’t. I couldn’t help wondering if we were going to return to an empty slip. The vessel gone. My kids, gone.
“Tell Lou we’re coming for him.”
It finally hit me. Lou, short for Lieutenant. I told him and he thanked us.
“You know where he is, right? You were at his apartment?” Palmeri said.
“About two back that way,” Dave said, pointing. “I’ll lead the way.”