The Girl Who Punched Back (Death Fields 2)

She lifts a finger to her lips and shakes her head. A soft breeze passes and I’m slapped with the worst odor.

“God, do you smell that?” I ask, instinctively gripping my weapon. Jude nods with his hand already over his nose. There’s an Eater nearby. The stench gets worse. Make that Eaters.

I look up at the tower and spot the guard lifting up a pair of binoculars to his eyes.

“Night vision,” Jude says. “I had the same ones.”

A thud sounds against the fence next to us and the three of us jump, weapons ready.

“They’re out there,” Parker says.

I frown. “How many? Why are they so quiet?”

“I don’t know,” she replies.

I move away from the fence. One of us needs to alert the other fighters something is out there, but before I get far, I hear it. Them. The low chorus of sound bouncing off the metal fence.

The sound is coordinated, a deep, building roar signaling the full size of the swarm outside the barricade. I’m frozen.

Thankfully, not everyone has the same reaction. A cry from above sends out an alert and emergency lights I didn’t know still worked cut through the

pitch-black night. I’m instantly blinded and shut my eyes in protection.

“Sweet mother of…,” Jude shouts, followed by a curse. Anything else he says is drowned out by the sound of Fighters running out of the barracks, weapons drawn.

“What do we do?” Parker asks.

I’m clueless and scan the area for a veteran. Now that my eyes have adjusted, I spot them climbing up the makeshift ladders attached to the interior of the fence. I run to the one closest to me and start to go up.

What I see and smell up top takes my breath away. The back side of the compound is ten deep with Eaters, probably a couple hundred in all. They managed to sneak through the woods and get close to us without alerting any of the watchers or guards. Their quiet is gone now that they’ve found us. The growling and screams grow, only now shattered by a loud command, “Incoming!”

I can’t see anything but I grab onto the fence top, nearly shaken off the ladder by an earth-shattering explosion under my feet. The Fighters have moved into action, tossing grenades and explosives below. A shrill ring rattles my ears and pieces of flesh fly through the air. There’s a full assault going on below and it’s clear that I’m useless up here, so I turn to descend the ladder.

“Alex!” Jude waves at me from the ground.

Halfway down, I see the front gate opening and watch a group of black-clad Fighters leave the entrance. I’m certain one of those soldiers is Wyatt. From my vantage point they split into two groups, each going in an opposing direction to confront the infected from the sides.

At the bottom I follow Jude, who’d received instruction from a ranking Fighter for us to head toward the buildings used for medical. Hayes stands in the open doorway and gestures for us to move quickly inside. Once we’re both clear, the door closes quickly behind us. Even behind these walls, we can hear the sound of fighting in the distance.

I realize Parker is here as well and we huddle in a small reception area. I was processed through one of these buildings when I arrived, receiving a vaccine check-up, but it only took a few minutes.

“We have three survivors that came in earlier today with one of the scouting groups. They’ve all been processed and under orders by the physicians. I need you three to keep them safe while the fighting is going on outside.”

“Safe?” Parker asks.

“Do not let anyone in or out until the all-clear has been sounded. These are not healthy people. They were out in the elements for a long time. They need rest and continued care before they can get the vaccine.” We all glance up at movement at the end of the hall. Jude lifts his weapon, but Hayes pushes it back down when it’s clear it’s a member of the medical team.

“No one comes in or out. Do you understand?”

We all agree and he steps outside, fading into the dark. The door locks with a loud click behind him. Jude reaches past me and slides the additional bolts. I move further into the room, looking for some air to process everything. Jude stops in front of a chair and sits down, still but alert. Parker…well, Parker stands unmoving with a blank, distant look on her face.

“Hey,” I say, trying to get her attention. “You okay?”

She blinks but doesn’t say anything. Her hands clench around the black, taped handle of a spiked bat. “Parker?” I try again. “Come away from the door. We’re good for now. They’ll keep them on the other side of the fence.”

That statement seems to snap her out of it, but the look on her face makes me step back. Her eyes have a crazy glint when she asks, “How do you know?”

“Because I trust them. We’re a team.”