Z Children (Book 2): The Surge by Eli Constant, B.V. Barr Page A

next to me with a jerky, fearful movement.
For the first time, I really studied her. The rest of her body was as tone as
her stomach and she was taller-than-average for a woman. Up to my chin, so
about 5’7”. She was very nearly the type of woman I’d have been attracted to…in
another life, before experience changed me into what I was now. Of course, it
wouldn’t matter if I did find her attractive. She pitched for the other team,
and didn’t play with balls.
    It
didn’t take long to find the access the construction crews had made to the
third floor; the Texas heat wafting in lead us to it. The crew had removed a
massive floor-to-ceiling window in a small waiting room that was now serving as
material storage. I stared down at the ground three stories below. The long,
yellow dump tube terminated into an enormous Dumpster full of debris—glass,
steel, screws, busted drywall, and electrical conduit that looked a lot like
punji sticks.
    Traveling
down the tube would be okay, but the landing did not look survivable.
    “Fuck
way to go, but no other choice,” I said out loud, forgetting Chris was behind
me.
    “You
have got to be kidding me?” came the incredulous response, “You don’t actually expect me to slide down that thing, do you?”
    I
didn’t turn around to look at her. “You need to get your pretty little head
wrapped fully around our situation, Doc. This may look like the slide from
hell, but we’re three stories up, surrounded by monsters that are hell-bent on
killing us, and we are not equipped to blow our way out of here by force.” Stay
calm, even tone, JW. Don’t get her worked up. Shit, I’m hungry and I have to
piss now. “We are on the run, trying to survive, and this is as good as it
gets. So quit your damn belly-aching and buck the fuck up.”
    “If we
go down that thing, there is no way to avoid injury. Look at all that
shit—glass, screws, who knows what else. Best case scenario, we need a few
stitches. Worst case—we’re impaled and bleed to death in seconds. I am not
doing it.”
    “I’m
not saying it’s not going to be rough as hell.” I was pretty sure I could
handle my way down the chute, control the fall enough to come out of it with
minimal damage, but if Chris got screwed up really bad…I couldn’t carry
deadweight and make it. Turning around now, I studied the piles of construction
materials and spotted a thick spool of electrical cord. “Doc…how much you
weigh?”
    “What?
God, that’s none of your bus—”
    “For
Christ’s sake, woman, I’m not asking if you’re a virgin, just how much you
weigh. I’m trying to get us out of here. How. Much. Do. You. Weigh?”
    She
looked at me like I was asking her to reveal her darkest secret. When she
finally spoke, her voice was pissed, “Fine. I’m 127 pounds, maybe a little
less.” Her arms crossed, Chris stared daggers at me as if daring me to make a
comment on her size.
    So I
indulged her. That’s just the kind of generous-hearted person I am.
    “Regular
behemoth, aren’t you. Don’t even know if I can support that much.”
    “What
the hell did you just call me?” Her eyes were wide now, her mouth open in
disbelief.
    “Thought
you were an educated woman.” I smirked, knowing I was baiting her and we didn’t
have time for game-playing.
    “Who
do you think you are?” She advanced a step, trying to be intimidating.
    I
looked away from her dismissively. “Here’s the plan. I’m going to lower you
down the chute—controlled descent, less damage at the bottom.” I paused,
waiting for her to protest. She didn’t. “Then I’ll follow you.” A muffled noise
in the distance made my body forget all its urgings. “And we have to go now.”
    “You’re
an asshole. I’m not going anywhere—”
    Another
noise.
    “Fine.
Stay here and let the monsters get you, Doc. I’ll tell Virginia that I tried.”
    Another
noise.
    “Did
you hear that?” Her eyes were wide once more, but this time for a