“Good then. Van? Are you up to helping Dove and J?”

  The wild look he gave me left me more uncertain than I’d been in the past, but hell, I needed him, if not on his game, at least useful right now. I’d have to take a chance.

  “Ye… Yeah. I think so.”

  I caught the eyes of Jack and Reg, then we slipped down the back of the dray to the asphalt.

  Dropping to my knees, the sting of stones reminded me that we needed to move. “Come on!”

  The three of us took up defensive positions at the back of the cart, holding onto our guns as we made our way up the road.

  We walked, the sun beating down on us as we trudged, alert and aware until we reached the final approach.

  “Dove? We’ll go ahead and clear the entrance. Van? Stay alert. J?” I looked at her and realized I didn’t quite know what to say. Everything would sound inane because I was suddenly aware that she, most of all, had wormed her way into the area I’d kept shut off from everyone around me. “Stay safe.”

  Without thinking any further, we peeled off and started running, knowing that we might never meet again.

  Chapter 3

  Julia

  As we rumbled around the corner, I gripped my rifle tight, senses alert, thankful that until now we’d seen no zombies.

  It felt different coming into Canberra proper after all this time. The emptiness, abandoned vehicles, and broken glass made it feel like an alien world.

  The whole time I looked around, billowing materials fluttering in the breeze through smashed windows and a layer of dust covering everything we passed.

  We’d seen more than one skeleton, a sobering reminder that we were no longer the alpha predator. No, we were fodder for those mindless creatures that now preyed on us.

  The building loomed ahead, and we rolled around the corner. No zombies. I breathed deeply for the first time since half my team had left. Now, if only they were there waiting.

  “Dove, let’s slow down a bit, just in case they haven’t cleared the area—”

  Small arms fire started, and I swallowed. Did that mean the team had made it? Or was it a wild attempt to let us know that the mission was a failure?

  I squinted into the gloom.

  “There!” Dove gestured to an opening,

  Jack was waving both arms, indicating we should move. The urgency had my blood humming.

  “Where are the others?” I scanned the area but didn’t see Reg or Leroy. Reg had been with me since the beginning, but Leroy? I really didn’t want to accept that he fascinated me, or that losing him now would wound me.

  I bit down on my lip as we rumbled into the parking area. The empty area surprised me. I’d been sure that it couldn’t possibly be empty.

  “They’re clearing the building. We found a few starving zombs, but Jack and Leroy were adamant that we needed to check everywhere in the building then secure this zone.”

  “Oh. Good, then we should unhitch the horses. Dove?”

  “We need to close the gates first and secure them.” Dove threw me the chain and lock, and I moved quickly, the weight and noise settling my nerves.

  He’d already dropped to the ground when I rejoined him. Dove was so soft and gentle with the mares. I forgot that so often because he was one of the team. The smile he gave me, his eyes crinkling at the corners, had me smiling in return.

  “How about you set up the stove and organize a coffee while I get busy here?” He pulled the box of equipment from the dray and placed it on the ground beside me.

  “Uh, sure.”

  He set to work as I unpacked the small propane burner, pot, bottle of water, and other necessities, including the premade food we’d packed.

  A whir started up and lights blazed. I sucked in my breath as Reg and Leroy entered the underground area from the access door. We rolled the already unloaded drums in front of the door. It would do until we could find keys to lock the door properly.

  “Coffee? Excellent.” Reg headed in my direction while Leroy headed for Dove, assisting in removing the cage and unhooking the horses.

  I watched Leroy and Dove covertly. Two very different men, yet both of them strong and capable in their own way.

  When they came over, after hobbling the horses and setting out water and food, they crouched beside me, gratefully accepting the drinks.

  “Now, we’re here and the building is just across the way. How are we going to manage this?” Dove’s quiet tone settled me.

  “I’m thinking we should leave Van and Reg here to finish setting up an overnight camp, while the other four of us make our way over to the lab building. It’s just across the way, but you know how it is, there’s many a slip and all that.”

  Leroy nodded. “I think that’s best. Where in the lab will we find them?”

  Dove held up the tiny radio. “We came to an agreement months ago that we use one channel exclusively. I’d be surprised if they don’t have access to a unit. Once we’re ready, we should call them and find out exactly where we meet them.”

  “Cool. Drink up then, so we can get moving.” Now that we were close nervous energy flooded my system. “Reg, I need you to finish getting this place ready and take care of Van.”

  Reg simply nodded at the direction.

  “The generator is working, so I’m thinking we should drag some bedding down here, because I doubt we’ll be leaving here today,” Leroy said.

  Those words bothered me, immensely. “Why?”

  “Because we’re supposed to gather the files and vials, plus a couple of civilians. I doubt we’ll get out of here with everything before dark, so we should start to organize ourselves to bunk down here tonight.”

  Certainly I’d slept in worse conditions before, but something about this felt off. My mind crawled with scenarios of what could go wrong and being cornered, yet out there would be worse.

  “Once we start to prepare food we might as well put out a huge beacon to the zombies.” My words sounded weak, even to myself.

  Dove covered my hand. “We’ve been in tighter corners before, and tonight, we’re in a defensible position. Besides, we can hide the light easily, with bedding from the hotel rooms above.”

  They were right, but I felt that we were exposed with so many damned unknowns.

  I finished my coffee, wiped out my cup, and stowed it back in the box. “Right, let’s get moving then.”

  Dove collected his radio and bag while the others caught up their rifles, and as one, we moved to the door leading to the heart of the hotel.

  * * * *

  Leroy

  We moved together, a fluid group, while Dove spoke quietly into the radio. I stuck close to J, my attention split between her and the need to be aware of any incoming attacks. I’d already scouted out the back door to the hotel and opened it just a crack, thankful the door didn’t squeak. The coast looked clear, so I crooked my finger, indicating they should follow.

  We stopped at the edge of the building, peering around corners. No zombies that I could see. As one we crossed the street, moving rapidly. We needed to get around the street corner and up the stairs. It should be clear, but you couldn’t be sure.

  We’d almost reached the corner when Dove held up a hand and waved to the earpiece he was using with the handset. “Wait!” His word was barely whispered. “There’s another entry, halfway down the road. They’re going to open it and let us in. There’s zombs in the building, but this is the secured, safe entrance.”

  I frowned at his words. If it was secured, there had to be power, otherwise how were they getting in and out? A question for later.

  I glanced at the side of the building, looking for the door. I spied it just as it opened, and we hurried in its direction. Just as we reached the edge of the building, I heard the sound I dreaded. A low, dirge-like moan. “Zombies on the way. Speed up.”

  As one, we now sprinted, using every ounce of energy to get us to the entry. We’d nearly made it to the steps when J tripped. She cried out, and the zombies stopped, realigned themselves, and I started to sweat.

  “Hang on. Dove, take my stuff.” I shoved my rifle into his hands and headed back to where J was splayed on the ground, gripping her ankle while silent tears rolled down her cheeks.

  “Hurry!” someone called to us as I reached down and scooped the woman up.

  “My stuff.” She spoke with a snuffle, but Jack was there, already collecting it.

  Now laden with the injured woman and her pack, we hurried, not quite a run but as fast as we could manage. The zombies were closing in as we made it to the steps. We scampered down and through the door before they could catch up to us.

  Inside, the lights blared, and I sucked in my breath, thankful we’d made it this far.

  “That was too close,” Jack muttered, and I had to agree.

  The man on the door slammed it shut after we cleared the doorway. “Through here.”

  “Allan?” J’s voice was thready and weak as she turned in my arms.

  “Yeah. Bring Julia this way.” He led us down a stairway and past a glass door with a card entry. “Julia, prepare yourself.”

  She squirmed in my arms as we pushed past the jamb. “What are you talking about?”

  “I found your mother and sister. Julia, they’re here.”

  “What? You found my zombie mother and sister and brought them here? Why? Why would you do that? Don’t you have—”

  “Allan? Is that Julia, darling?”

  Julia stilled in my arms, and I’m not sure what I felt…

  “Mum?” She barely spoke; in fact, I detected a whisper of disbelief.

  “Darling? What happened to you?” A woman in her late forties, her clothes hanging on a spare frame, rushed over and grabbed J, patting her face and hair, anything she could get her hands on.

  For a moment, I wanted to rip J away and hug her close so I could check and make sure she was indeed fine. A thoroughly unnerving reaction.

  “Hang on. Let’s just find somewhere to put her so Dove can check her leg.” I settled J into the padding of the seat inside the room.

  A girl about twelve came barreling out of the room. “Mum?”

  “Look, it’s Julia, Ab. We’re all back together again.”

  * * * *

  Julia

  My mother. Abby. How could this be? Perhaps the fall had actually been worse than I thought and I banged my head? This had to be some coma-driven fantasy. Right?

  “Mum?” The word slipped from my mouth, and I reached out, fingers curling then tugging back before touching. If this was a dream, then they were likely zombies.

  I curled in on myself, ready to propel myself forward and away, but she grasped me. I felt the heat of her body, the suppleness of her skin. No groan or moan emitted, and deep inside my chest, the frozen section warmed.

  “Yes, darling. Now we need this lovely young man to check you out.” My mum was beaming at Dove like he was some angel of mercy. And as soon as she spoke the pain radiated from my leg.

  “Come on, J. Let me see what’s happening and fix you up.” Dove spoke quietly, in that reassuring way I’d heard countless times before. The softly sexy voice married with his wicked hardness. It made him… I stopped my thoughts before they got out of hand. After all, Dove was a priest!

  “Uh, it’s my leg.”

  He smiled, the corner of his mouth ticking up while the lines at the edges of his eyes crinkled deeply. The blue of his irises mesmerized me.

  Leroy cleared his throat. “Sir? You must be Allan Anterrum? We were sent here to collect you, the two civilians, your assistants, and the files?”

  “Yes. Myself, my wife and daughter, and two scientists. They’ve been living here since the plague outbreak.”

  I heard Leroy—I needed to really find out if that was his first or last name—and Allan talking, at least I listened until Dove moved my leg, pulled my trouser leg up, and started his inspection of the injury. Then a lance of pain shot through every nerve, and I arched my back, an involuntary reaction to the stimulus.

  “Oh God! Dove! What are you doing to me?”

  “It’s okay, J. It looks like a severe sprain rather than a break. So it could be worse. We can strap it up to get you back to our transportation. Then the doctors back at camp can take a look at it.”

  “Dammit, Dove, you’re wasted as a priest.”

  He stilled at my muttered words, and I closed my eyes. What a grossly stupid thing to say!

  “I wasn’t a Catholic priest, you know. I can still marry. Or I would if…” He sounded disgusted by my words.

  I gaped at him, then shook my head. I guessed I must have glowed like the proverbial light bulb, if the heat radiating from my neck and chest were anything to go by.

  “Dove, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”

  “Yeah, well, don’t worry.” The brush-off made me feel guilty and small, while my chest tightened under an impossible pressure.

  I wanted to apologize, but before I could say any more, Allan was there. “How are you, Julia?”

  “I’m fine. Or I will be. Dove thinks it’s a sprain, so I’ll recover.” My heart beat rapidly as I waited for Allan to say something, anything, that would let on to my mother how I’d treated him since losing her. I’d spoken harshly on more than one occasion, accusing him of being uncaring and unconcerned about her loss and Abby’s.

  “I’m glad.” He slid a hand over the top of my head, and I closed my eyes.

  “Allan, I’m—”

  “Shhh. It’s okay. I understand, trust me.”

  Guilt spread through me, but before I could say anything more, he turned away.

  “How soon can we get moving, and what transportation do you have?” he asked.

  Leroy strode forward, glancing only quickly in my direction. “Sir, we can be on the way in the morning. We have to make the airport—there’s a secure base there now—and we have two horses and a dray. Depending on the amount of data and equipment, plus the civilians, it’s going to be a slow journey, and one I don’t recommend in the dark.”

  It felt odd not to be making the decisions, but Leroy slipped into the role of team leader as if it were a second skin. At that moment, I decided I needed to discover more about his history.

  “So where is the cart? And when do you intend to load up?” Allan settled in the old computer chair he’d tugged away from the console.

  “It’s in the car park at the Neapolitan Hotel. Depending on how much there is, we can load up now, bunk down there for the night, and head out as early as first light.”

  Allan seemed to consider Leroy’s answer then frowned. “I’ll show you and the rest of the team what we have, then you can work out how to ferry it all. There are a couple of trolleys, so they might help.”

  Jack, Leroy, and Dove trailed after Allan while Mum and Abby gathered close.

  “We didn’t think you’d survived. Mum said…” Abby broke off and started to cry, her hand over her face.

  “How did you?” I levered up off the couch where Dove had carried out his assessment.

  “When it happened, I saw them falling and turning. It was awful, you know? I ran as fast as I could to the house. Mum hadn’t left for the hairdresser yet, so we holed up in the house for a day or two. When the food ran out and the power failed, Mum got on the landline while it was still working. Mr. Coventry at the post office said he heard there was a safe place at the police station, so we went there. They turned it into a camp until Dad came and found us. We’d given up hope.”

  Abby’s shoulders shook, and I reached over and tugged her close. I too understood giving up hope.

  “When Allan brought us here, he said he knew where you were. That you were safe the last time he’d seen you, but that it had been some weeks. We’ve been here about four weeks.” Mum looked at me, and I felt sure she knew how I’d acted toward my stepfather.

  “Mum, I said and did—”

  “It’s okay, Julia. We’ve all done things we’ve regretted. The important thing is we have time to fix these things and make them right. Now, Allan says that Camp Queanbeyan has all sorts of facilities, and did you say you had horses? I haven’t seen any in so long!” She waved her hands, just like she always had when she got excited.

  “Yeah. We’ll be traveling on a dray, just like in the olden days.” I tried to inject as much mirth as possible into my voice, in the hopes of lightening the atmosphere, though I still felt the guilt of my actions pressing down on me.

  * * * *

  Leroy

  There were indeed boxes of files and serums, and God knew what else, but the two scientists were quick to inform me that most of the information had been carefully backed up onto thumb drives since the plague had hit.

  “So we need these three boxes of drives and two of serums? Anything else?” I asked.

  “The paper files are important, but we’ve managed to get it down to four archive boxes and the backup computers here.” The older scientist, probably in his fifties, given the salt-and-pepper that liberally sprinkled his formerly dark hair, indicated to a pile of five laptops, each carefully packed in padded backpacks.

  “All right then. You said there was a trolley?”

  I glanced at Allan Anterrum. I don’t know what I expected really. I knew he was J’s stepfather, but I guess I thought there’d be something in common in their looks. He didn’t resemble Julia at all though. Where he was a receding blond, Julia had a hot shimmering red head of hair. He was spare-framed whereas Julia had curves, not a lot, but enough to hold and enjoy. His face echoed the years of hardship we’d all lived through, where Julia’s was sun-kissed and smooth.

  Julia looked more like her mother, and Abby, her little sister, was similar except with her father’s blue-gray eyes. I preferred Julia’s bright green, and the way she smiled made the sun and moon bask in her reflection.

  “Leroy? Is everything okay?”

  I shook myself at Allan’s query. Daydreaming. Urgh!