*****

  Evelyn looked at the twisted neck of the firefighter. How his eyes were still, wide and open, but yet contained nothing of life. “I… I… didn’t want…” The sound of Zoe’s sobs were fighting for space within her mind, while the crushing, chewing sounds Karl was making on the neck of the scientist, enticed and sickened her in equal measure.

  They will kill him… They will kill us.

  She knew it with certainty. Once the contents of this room were—

  She grabbed Zoe back from where she was creeping too. The pool of blood which had grown around her son and the body he was feeding on.

  He’s still your son… They will kill him. Have to run. Have to get out of here.

  Footsteps were approaching. Her mind was frozen by panic when the door opened.

  Shock and disgust flashed across Brad’s face, before he pushed the door closed behind him. “What happened?” he questioned with a tinge of fear.

  Evelyn threw a hand in his direction, making him back up against the door. “Please you have to help us! They will kill us! Including Zoe!”

  Brad looked across the teen, his clothes, face and hands covered in blood. His mouth continuing to chew.

  “He didn’t mean to do this… it was an accident. I… I thought he was immune! I don’t… I don’t…”

  Brad held his hand up. “I’ll help you. But we have to leave, right now. Before the others…”

  They all fell silent on more footsteps being heard outside. A door opened and closed and they let out a breath again.

  “Mommy… Why does the blood smell so good?”

  “I… don’t think about it.” She looked at the young man. “How? It’s dark out. The others will be up there, in the streets!”

  “We keep to the roofs. I can get us back to my penthouse. Okay?”

  She nodded.

  He looked to Karl, shaking his head. “Once they feed…”

  “No! We have to bring him.” She scrambled across the room, her boots sliding amongst the wet crimson substance still leaking from the woman, and moved closer to…

  Karl growled in her direction, making her pull back. He then returned to his feast.

  “There’s nothing we can do for—”

  She grabbed held of Morgan’s foot and tugged her away from Karl, who growled then sprang to his feet in one athletic movement. Brad fell back against the door, then slid along the wall, further away from the dark-eyed individual whose face was blood red. He bent over, grabbing the gun from the floor.

  “No!” said Evelyn in his direction.

  Karl flicked his head back to his mother.

  She approached slowly, stepping over Morgan, holding a hand out to her son. “Karl… It’s me, your mother… Can you hear me?”

  His head tilted slowly to the left, then to the right. His mouth slowly opened, rasping words tried forming in his throat. “Mom…”

  “Yes! It’s me! Your mother!”

  Karl blinked, looking down at the two bodies, emotion beginning to make itself known across his features. She moved closer, reaching out her hand until she touched his arm. Then shoulder, then pulled him into an embrace.

  As his sobs shuddered through her, she looked at the astonished young man to her left. “We can go now.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Todd looked into the night as he sat in the back of the SUV. Ramses was driving. August in the passenger’s. Angel was to his left. They had parted company with the New Yorkers, and even though the whole operation had been a failure, Tyrus thanked the River gang for their efforts. August told him that when they learned of other locations, they would pass that on.

  The vehicle swerved to the right, then left.

  Ramses shook his head. “There’s a lot out here. I’m moving onto smaller roads. But it will take us longer to get back.” He looked to his right for confirmation of the plan and August nodded.

  Humanoid shaped shadows fluttered amongst the ever changing darkness. Blurs which became hands, lunging at the vehicle which sped past. Some even managed to make contact with a thud or a scrape of the paintwork, but the engine kept roaring, the truck moving along the narrower roads, until they were bordered by fields once more.

  “We can only get so far being out in the boonies,” said Angel. “Can’t avoid the things forever.”

  Her words hung in the air.

  ‘Can’t avoid the things forever,’ thought Todd. Before their attempt to find Noah, he had some hope of surviving the chaos, but since…

  “Why do you think they were keeping vamps…” he said to anyone with an answer.

  No one did, but Angel finally broke the silence. “Looks like everything the kid told us, is true…”

  “Indeed it does,” said August. “He will be useful.”

  Angel snorted. “You mean we can use him as a bargaining chip with his father.”

  August smiled, but remained silent.

  Todd thought seriously about jumping out, the next time the SUV slowed to a stop. He was surrounded by psychopaths. Inside and out of the truck. There was no way any of this ended good for him if he stayed. But knew he would be torn apart within the hour if he did try to escape. August was right. The night belongs to them. And then there was Evelyn and her kids. He wanted to help them through the madness. At least one family had to survive this.

  The glow from the remaining fires were now on the horizon, partially blocked out by other buildings.

  “We’re heading back in,” said Ramses.

  *****

  Evelyn held her son aloft, with her arm under his shoulder. At the back of her mind a part of her that was still questioning her new found condition was shouting. She knew she should be exhausted by virtually carrying someone probably double her weight, but she pushed such thoughts aside. There was no time for them.

  Her son seemed drugged, as if she was carrying him home from a night out. The blood being a stand-in for alcohol. Even so, as the background din of the others like him grew louder, his head flicked up, sniffing the air, his eyes darting left and right, as if searching for someone. It was in those moments she had to force him to look at her. Remind him of who he was and what he meant to her. So far it had worked.

  She pulled him off the top of the ladder and took hold of him again on another roof. She had lost count of how many they had climbed up to and crossed over. She turned to Brad, who was a few yards ahead. “How much further.”

  Brad looked at the surrounding buildings. Some still stood at their original height. Others less so, and a few were completely missing from the landscape. Most still smoldered though, lending the air a smokey, dust scented aroma.

  To her they all looked the same, just with varying heights. She knew most of these buildings like the burgeoning lines of age on her face. Glass and steel towers full of offices and apartments that made hers seem cheap. These were the homes for the truly wealthy, and each came with a spectacular view of the river.

  He pointed at one of the buildings that was still vertical, and mostly intact. “My place is at the top of that one. Not far now.”

  In the streets below, a low rumbling roar rattled off the scorched sidewalks. Evelyn did her best to ignore the sound, which at times sounded like a choir calling for her to join its chorus.

  They moved off again, she pulling Karl along with one hand, the other the same for her daughter. Evelyn wanted to cry. Wanted to stop, sit on the rooftop and let grief consume her. But oddly her emotions felt… stunted. Each time a rush of panic or sadness threatened to overcome her mind, it quickly dissipated. It was if she was physically incapable of being lost to her emotions. Instead, she was clear minded about what needed to happen. Get somewhere safe. Survive. Then get out of the city with her family. Get to where Matt’s parents lived. They would understand. She would make them.

  They reached another stairwell and moved inside. Brad descended, she doing her best to get Karl to do the same. She hated going back down. Moving closer to the hordes which roamed the lower levels. She wasn’t sure how, but she could feel their desperation to find new sources of blood. It was as if the whole city had become one huge mass of addiction. With the added bonus that the addicts were blood thirsty killing machines.

  At least they only roamed at night.

  They got to the lowest level and Brad pushed open the doorway to a lobby of a marble and glass. She glanced at the steel nameplates of the listed companies, being sure she had been within the building before, then moved across the smooth floor to the entrance. Luckily the glass only allowed a view one way. For the sidewalk was full of staggering souls, lit by what moonlight made it through the clogged night sky.

  “We can’t go out there,” she said, dropping Karl down onto a single leather chair, in the waiting area. One of the thing’s outside, whipped its head in her direction, then moved slowly to the one-way glass, pressing its face up against it, trying to understand why it’s crazed mind was indicating that something worth knowing was on the other side of the reflective surface. After not understanding why that was, it turned and continued on its listless walk.

  “My apartment is at the top of the building across the street. And lucky for us, we don’t have to. We need to head down. Into the parking garage. Problem is, we might encounter them there too. I wanted to see if the street was clear, and if it was, just cut straight across. But that’s not happening.”

  She nodded, pausing a moment before talking. “Thank you for helping us. August would have killed us once he returned. I’m sure of it.”

  “How… did it happen. With the woman and that guy?”

  Emotion threatened to well up within Evelyn and once again, it quickly subsided. “Karl was sleeping. Zoe and I had just woken. We felt good. I was looking forward to exploring the bunker with her. Morgan… Morgan came in. Told us it was time for another dose of pure blood. She was injecting it into my arm when he… Karl… I don’t know. It happened so quick. She was dead before I knew what was happening. I tried to stop him, but he was too strong…”

  “And the guy?”

  Evelyn looked away. “Can we go. I want to leave here.”

  Brad nodded, turning back to the elevators and the doors near them. “Follow me.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  The SUV quickly swept into the parking garage, making its way deeper, its tires screeching. Inside the cabin, August tried again to reach Callum.

  “Callum? We’re almost back. Give me an update. Over. ” Only static responded. He exchanged a brief glance with Ramses.

  They arrived at the false wall which was already sliding back, and drove into the elevator.

  Ramses checked the magazine on his PPK, Angel and August doing the same with their Glocks. But Todd did nothing. He wasn’t ready for another fight. Whatever they found in the bunker he was going to run from it.

  The large metal container ground to a halt, the door sliding back, but the Ramses kept the SUV within the elevator. They looked into the area of the large room that was used for parking. Nothing looked out of place, except there was no one there. They had returned a hundred times from difficult situations and Morgan would always come out and greet them. Make sure no one was hurt.

  “Drive in,” said August.

  Instead of parking in the usual spot, Ramses just drove forward ten or so feet and stopped, then with the engine still running, pushed open his door and got out, everyone else doing the same.

  Cash ran out from under the coffee table, running up to Todd, who kneeled petting him.

  Hand signals were exchanged between Angel and Ramses, with she taking the right door, him the left. August started to walk towards the lab, but they all stopped on seeing the pool of blood outside the small room. Its door was slightly open.

  “Is there anyone in there!” shouted Ramses.

  “I’m in here,” said Callum, his tone flat.

  Ramses let his weapon lead the way and inched into the small room, immediately seeing Coles body and then… Morgan’s.

  Callum was sitting against the wall near her, his hands covered in blood.

  “What happened?” August shouted, coming into the room behind Ramses.

  “What…?” said Todd, then stopped at the entrance on seeing what was inside. Angel looked at what was on the floor of the former storage room, shook her head then moved back to the corridor, exiting through the door to the tunnels.

  “They did it…” said Callum. “Our perimeter alarm was triggered. The knocked out Tracey and Dylan, then left through the tunnels…”

  “And the others…” said August.

  “They’re in the tunnels, making sure no more vamps come—”

  Ramses lunged at Todd, grabbing him by his throat and lifting him clear of the ground, slamming him up against the door.

  “You brought them here!”

  “I…” Todd tried to force words into his mouth, but nothing was getting past his constricted wind pipe.

  “Put him down.”

  Ramses head flicked to his boss. “He deserves to die!”

  “Yes. But right now, we can use him to find the woman.”

  Ramses dropped Todd to the floor, where he kept on going sliding to the ground. He had no intention of fighting back. Ramses was correct. He did bring them there. It was his fault the scientist and the firefighter died.

  Callum sniffed. “And that Brad. I think he left with them… I knew there was something off from the start about that kid!”

  “We don’t know what happened…” said Todd.

  Anger returned to Ramses. “We know Morgan’s dead! We know they were vamps!” He turned to August. “Angel and I can find them. We can hunt them and put them down. They need to pay.”

  August let out a breath. “The night belongs to them… At daybreak. We’ll find them. Wherever they are.” He looked at Todd. “You will not be leaving this room until the sun rises. And if we do not find the woman and her family before the next sundown, you will not live to see another.”

  Ramses pulled Callum to his feet and with August, left.

  *****

  With each floor and scrolling digital number came a ping. The sound coinciding with the buzzing inside Evelyn’s brain growing fainter.

  She looked at the pulsing red neon digits above the exit.

  ‘Eighteen… Nineteen… Twenty…’

  Brad had already told her of the destination, the twenty-third floor and she was filled with relief when the final ping sounded, and the door slid open. Ahead was an open plan area four times the size of her apartment. With a panoramic view of three out of the four compass directions. The north being the one behind her.

  He stepped out onto the marble floor, but she stayed inside the confined space, despite the darkness outside. “The windows?”

  “Maximum UV protection. Had them installed a year ago, when I started taking the pills…”

  She shuffled out, suddenly aware of her son’s weight. Zoe meekly followed them both into the lobby area. The Kitchen was off to the left. Modern and looked as if it had never been used. A square column in the center of the room had a built in fireplace, while doors were on the right-side wall.

  “There are two guest rooms, so take your pick.”

  She lowered Karl onto a white leather sofa. He immediately curled up, his knees coming up to his chest.

  “What’s wrong with him?” said Brad.

  She looked at her son, knowing she should feel pity. Should feel something, but instead she just judged him with a calm, calculating mind. “He knows what he did. He feels remorseful. As… I should. But I don’t feel much of anything. And I don’t understand why.” She looked at Brad. “Pills?”

  He let out a sigh. “There was one thing I left out of my story, earlier. Wait here.”

  He disappeared into the furthest of the doors.

  Zoe looked at her mother. “Is this our new home?”

  Evelyn nodded. “For a while, until we can find a vehicle and leave the city. We are going to visit Matt’s parents. They have a place in the countryside.”

  The bedroom door opened, and Brad returned with a small plastic bag full of yellow pills. A vague memory floated through Evelyn’s mind, but it was Karl who reacted first. His eyes fell upon the contents as he sat up. He looked at Brad. “Frog… Master…”

  Brad finished Karl’s thought. “007…” Brad smiled. “Looks like you’re one of my…” A realization flashed across his eyes. “That’s why you didn’t turn!”

  “What?” said Evelyn. “What are you talking about? He was immune!”

  Brad held up the bag. “Your son has bee taking these pills. He was never immune. These pills neutralize the effect of the virus. They make you artificially immune.”

  She looked from Brad to Karl. “So if you give him one of those pills…”

  Brad nodded, moving into the kitchen and pouring some water into a glass, then returning. “I don’t know what happens if you take these pills after you have turned.” Then looked at Evelyn. “They might not have any effect.”

  She waved him towards her. “Give me the water and pills.” He did and she sat next to her son. “You need to swallow one of these. You understand?” He groaned a response to her and she handed him the water and one of the pills from the bag. As if he was already heavily drugged, Karl lifted a heavy hand, held the glass with trembling fingers and swallowed the tiny yellow pill with a gulp of water.

  Everyone stood in silence waiting for a reaction.

  “How long will it—”

  Karl bent over in pain, letting out a cry of anguish. Evelyn threw her arm around him, trying to stop his body from shaking, but it only increased in ferocity, his arms and legs snapping outwards, his limbs and torso tensing to such an extent that to everyone watching it look as if they would break.

  “Karl!” screamed his mother. She looked at Brad. “Help him!”

  Brad stood rooted to the spot, unable to offer any assistance. “I don’t know what…”