Verge of Extinction (Apex Predator Book 3) by Glyn Gardner Page A

zombie.  As he rose, to his horror, the zombie’s head moved with him.  In one last ditch effort to spread its vile disease, the zombie had bitten down on Jackson’s pistol belt.  The green nylon took the full brunt of the zombie’s bite.
    Bang!  Theresa’s shotgun suddenly broke his trance.  Several other shots rang out almost as one.  The gunshots quickly drew his thoughts back to the task at hand.  Strong hands grasped him under the arms and jerked him to his feet.  Josiah looked down at the zombie’s head as it fell to the ground with a thud, his eyes wide with fear.
    “Don’t worry,” Jackson said as he yanked his bayonet free.  “It didn’t get me.”  Josiah’s face broke into a slight smile as he grabbed the soldier by the front of his vest and dragged him to the storage room.  Kerry slammed the door behind them.
    Thirty minutes later, they were at the Haven, drinking coffee.  All but Jen; she was on the roof, staring at the hospital in the distance.  Several people had tried to talk to her since they had arrived.  She would always listen to what they had to say, and then politely ask them to leave.  She never let them see her cry; although many had seen the tracks of her tears on her cheeks.  She wouldn’t even talk to Theresa.
    SSgt Brown and Roy were busy planning their next move.  SSgt Brown figured that if he had friendly people around here and there were relatively few zombies, then he was going to try to work this area as much as possible.  He had even agreed that he would try to find things Roy and his people needed.  He said it would kind of be like a tax for hunting on the king’s lands.
    Roy had assured him that wasn’t necessary, but SSgt Brown insisted.  “Well then,” the sailor said as he stood.  “Come with me and I’ll show you what we have for you.”
    He led SSgt Brown outside to the Orange Jeep.  A pair of legs hung from the open door on the passenger side.  As they got closer, SSgt Brown noticed the large chrome antenna already mounted to the rear.  “We found a few CB radios,” Roy announced with a smile.
    He approached the door.  “How’s it going, Jeff?”
    “Almost done,” the voice replied.  “Give me about five minutes.” 
    The sailor turned to SSgt Brown.  “We have one just like it inside.  We’ll have ours on from sun up to mid-afternoon.  Anytime you’re in the area, we’ll keep it on until you leave.”
    “That’s great!  But, I need one more if I could get one.”  The sailor looked at him quizzically.  “You know, I need one for the boat.  I would think a sailor would have thought of that.”
    “I didn’t do a lot of time on ships my friend.  This ole’ sailor was strictly a land lubber.”  They both chuckled as they climbed back onto the roof.
    The two men looked at Jen and stopped laughing.  Roy had pushed SSgt. Brown to have Jen look at some his sick and injured.  There was nothing pressing, but he figured if he had access to a nurse, he’d use her.  SSgt Brown had to explain that the man he’d lost today was Jen’s husband.  At that point, Roy let the matter drop.
    Now he was face to face with her again.  He didn’t know what to say.  Everyone at the Haven had lost loved ones.  Some had been forced to do the deed themselves.  All had the same look as Jen when they thought about it.  Roy thought about it.  He still hadn’t figured out how to talk to someone who was grieving.
    The two men just stood for a moment staring, slack jawed, at the neophyte widow.  Her cheeks wet and streaked with tears.  She rubbed her bloodshot eyes.  Roy tried to speak first.
                  “Jen,” he began.  “I’m…  I…  Well, we…”  Mercifully, her gaze returned once more to the hospital.  SSgt Brown placed a hand on her shoulder.
                  “Jen,” he said quietly.  “We have to go soon.”  His touch was comforting somehow to Jen.  It was the gentle touch of