The Zombie Chronicles - Book 2 (Apocalypse Infection Unleashed Series) by Chrissy Peebles Page B

What?” I asked.
    “ By my calculations, Tahoe stopped in a town called Kingsville.”
    Nick handed the map back to Jackie.
    “ Kingsville, huh? Sounds like the perfect place for a royal pain in the butt. We’re en route to catch his sorry self,” Jackie said.
    “ Why would he risk his life by stopping in a town in broad daylight?” I asked.
    Nick shrugged. “Maybe the Jeep broke down or his wound got infected. I don’t know, and I honestly don’t care. All that matters is that we finally have a chance to catch up with him and get back what he stole from us.”
    Lucas nodded. “You’re right. I don’t care what happened to him. If the zombies got him, good. Karma or whatever. At least then the vials will be safe.”
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 14
     
    An hour later, we pulled off the highway and into the outskirts of Kingsville. A giant United States flag flapped atop a tall pole right outside the towering gates. Tanks , military trucks, and infantry troops were stationed around the city. Clearly, the military wasn’t messing around when it came to battling the undead. About a thousand feet ahead, a seven-foot barbed-wire perimeter fence stretched as far as my eye could see, as if to surround the entire city. In seconds, sirens sounded, and military vehicles rushed toward us. I glanced at Val. She seemed motionless, but we had no idea how long that peacefulness would last.
    “ Uh…this isn’t a deserted town,” Lucas said.
    Everything had suddenly become more complicated. “Do you think Tahoe’s under military protection or something?” I asked.
    “ Without a doubt,” he answered, stuffing the tracker inside a pillow. “According to my device, the idiot’s here.”
    Claire immediately stopped the vehicle.
    I shot Nick a look. “They’ll kill Val the second they see she’s a zombie.”
    “ My thoughts exactly, and we can’t let them see her with a sack over her head either,” he said, taking it off and throwing a dusty green blanket over her.
    “ What good’s that gonna do?” Claire asked through the partition window.
    “ Yeah, that’ll never work!” Jackie suddenly raced out of the passenger side of the pick-up truck and jumped in the back with us as the military vehicles headed steadily in our direction. “I’ve got an idea!”
    “ What?” I asked.
    “ I’ll play the ditzy card and get under the covers with Val. We’ll tell ‘em we girls are embarrassed to come out because of how dirty and awful we look. We can blame it on a bad hair day!” She slipped into the covers next to Val.
    “ Think they’ll buy it?” Nick asked.
    “ Yep!” she retorted.
    I knew some girls who wouldn’t leave the house without makeup, so I had to hope her ploy would work, even though I didn’t think Jackie could ever look awful. “Val’s gagged and everything, so you won’t get bitten.”
    “ That doesn’t mean she can’t scratch me,” Jackie said.
    “ She’s tied up pretty tight,” Nick assured her.
    Jackie glanced up at him. “Yeah? Well, I’m not taking any chances.”
    “ They’re coming!” Claire said, gripping the steering wheel as she glanced over her shoulder at us.
    I glanced around for something to cover Val’s hands.
    “ Just use the sack that covered her face,” Claire yelled through the open back window.
    “ Got it!” Jackie said. She grabbed the burlap sack and put it over Val’s hands, then pulled the cord tightly, tying it in a knot.
    Nick covered the girls up as I held my breath, wondering how it was all going to play out. The trucks squealed to a halt as armed soldiers fanned out around us. The blanket over Val’s head seemed to calm her.
    “ Put your hands up in the air!” one of them shouted.
    I slowly raised my arms. We all knew it was best to act like naïve drifters, just trying to survive another day. If the troops discovered that we were there like bounty hunters, looking for someone in their custody, they’d never let us enter. “We’re just