Part 8 (1/2)
”These two just keep circling the place like vultures; we're gonna have to make a move before they do. I don't want any more bloodshed on our hands.”
”You heard what they said. You don't really think they plan on killing anyone here today, do you?”
”They're freaks, boy. I never a.s.sume I know what they're going to do. I do however think it's time to force their hand.”
Leekasha and Andreas headed up the escalator to the top floor of the shopping mall.
”The restaurant is up there, Chaz.”
”I know, they've already walked by it twice. At this rate, they're going to eventually spot the two of us doing exactly the same thing. What I'd really like to know is, where the h.e.l.l is Christa? She's the one responsible for all this. After what she did to Abby, she and I need to spend some quality time chatting.”
”Did you know she could do whatever that was she did to Abby? What if these ones can do that too?”
”Christa was different than the rest of them. That much I know. These ones, I don't know. They look human, so they're definitely some of the advanced ones. Maybe they can do what Christa can. They've also been under Pacize for a long time, so who knows what kind of side effects that caused.”
”I don't think Christa is showing up here, Chaz. If she is, she's not doing it with these two. None of the surveillance equipment showed her anywhere in the vicinity. Maybe if we take these two, we'll draw her out.”
”She's been in hiding for years. If she doesn't want to be found, she's not going to be found. We need to take these two alive, regardless of what Rabban's orders are. I mean to get my hands on Christa, and these two are my best shot at that.”
”OK, so what's the plan then? You do have a plan, right?”
”Yeah, I do. For the moment, you're going to hang back and blend into the crowd. I'm going in alone. If it looks like I'm in trouble, I want you to shoot them. Understand?”
”Yes, but ...”
Before Alex could finish, Chaz picked up the pace, narrowing the gap between himself and Andreas. As soon as none of the evening shoppers stood between himself and the two zombies, Chaz pulled out his weapon and fired two shots, one into Andreas' right leg, and the other into Leekasha's right leg. Every shopper in their vicinity immediately dispersed in a panicked frenzy. Chaz ignored the panic and walked directly to Andreas and Leekasha, who were writhing in pain on the ground.
”Where is she?” Chaz demanded. ”Where is Christa?”
Both Andreas and Leekasha did their best to slide along the floor away from him.
Chaz aimed his gun directly at Andreas and said, ”I will put another round into you if I don't get the answers I'm looking for. I'll ask one more time, where is Christa?”
Leekasha was the first to answer. ”We don't know. He sent her away days ago, back on the old highway. We haven't seen her since then.”
Chaz looked to Andreas. ”How the h.e.l.l could you send her away? She's stronger than the rest of you freaks. Why would she let you send her away?”
Andreas stared back at Chaz with a cold glare. Chaz noticed that his leg was no longer bleeding. He aimed his weapon and shot again, this time into his left leg. Leekasha screamed, but Andreas just grimaced and gripped the new wound.
Chaz said, ”I can do this indefinitely. I've got plenty of bullets. How many do you have room for in that body of yours?”
”Relax, man,” Andreas answered. ”I sent her away by getting into her head. Just like she did to me on the boat. I got into her head and forced her to walk away from us. I'm stronger than she is. That's how I did it.”
Chaz shook his head. ”I don't believe it. Christa could control all the advanced freaks. What makes you so special?”
”I don't know, man, I just did it.”
”Show me. Do it to me. Force me to turn over my weapon. Prove it.”
”I can't. I can't focus right now when you keep shooting me. What the h.e.l.l is wrong with you?”
Alex, who had been keeping an eye from within earshot, now came up slowly next to Chaz. ”Chaz, what the h.e.l.l are you doing? You trying to get killed? We need to restrain these two and get them out of here. I'm sure by now someone's alerted the police, and we'll have to deal with them as well.”
By now, Leekasha's wounds had healed, but she made no threatening movements towards them.
Chaz looked at her and said, ”Why the h.e.l.l aren't you bleeding? No one heals that fast.”
Leekasha took her hands away from the wounds and said, ”I don't know. No one's ever shot me before.”
”Chaz,” Alex interrupted. ”We need to restrain them and get the h.e.l.l out of here. We don't want to be dealing with local authorities here. Remember, we don't want the public knowing there are freaks free from the Pacize drug.”
”Fine. If they try anything, shoot them again.”
Chaz grabbed both Andreas' arms and cuffed them behind his back. He then placed walking restraints on his ankles. He did the same for Leekasha. Chaz hauled them both to their feet.
”d.a.m.n, man,” Andreas complained. ”How do you expect me to walk with bullets in my legs?”
”Don't even try s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g with me, freak,” Chaz said. ”I see your wounds are healing already. I don't know how you're doing that, but I'd bet you can walk just fine. Quit stalling. I'm also betting you can't mess with both our minds at the same time.” Chaz looked to Alex. ”I promise you, if you mess with one of us the other will shoot you.” Alex nodded in agreement.
The four of them made their way through the mall without any incident. Andreas led the way, followed by Leekasha, with Chaz and Alex side by side. It was slow moving with leg restraints on the zombies.
Walking through the parking lot, Alex asked, ”What now, Chaz? The regent and Rabban gave us orders to kill these two. I'm not so sure they're going to be happy if we show up with these two in tow.”
”Actually, they gave us kill or capture orders, and it was for all three of them. Not just these two. I opted for a capture this time, and they're still our best chance to find Christa.”
”We're going to capture her as well though, right? You're not thinking kill, are you?”
”The orders were kill or capture. I'll make that decision when I come to it.”
Alex wasn't happy with Chaz's answer as they approached their SUV, but before he could say anything else bullets ripped through the air around them. Windows shattered and car alarms started going off. The four of them dropped instantly to the ground. Chaz and Alex did so out of instinct, but Andreas and Leekasha dropped because bullets tore through both their chests.
Adventures in Shopping More shots rang out in the now emptied parking lot. One whizzed by Alex's ear, while another clipped Chaz on the shoulder. They both scrambled under the SUV for protection as Leekasha and Andreas lay bleeding in the parking spot next to them.
”Jesus, Colonel! Who the h.e.l.l is firing at us? Are there other freaks on the loose that we don't know about? Christa wouldn't shoot us, would she?”
Checking the blood coming from his shoulder, Chaz said, ”Not likely. Why would they shoot their own kind? On second thought, this one is kind of a p.r.i.c.k, so maybe they would.”
”Are they dead, Colonel?”
”They should be from where those shots. .h.i.t them, but you never know with these freaks. They always seem to have some trick up their sleeves. Did you notice how quickly their wounds healed?”
”I did. That can't be a good thing.”
”It's certainly not good for us. Keep an eye out. We need to get a bead on whoever is shooting at us. I think there are only two shooters. Otherwise, we'd all be lying out there bleeding.”
Whispering, Alex replied, ”I've got boots over to my side, Colonel. Two pairs. See them?”
Chaz could see two pairs of boots moving in their direction from under the parked vehicles.
”We gotta move, kid. Follow me and keep low.”