Travis narrowed his eyes, his hand trembling.
“Do it before he comes back,” Nerit said sternly.
Travis struggled to pull the trigger. Jenni could see the agony in his eyes. “Can’t,” Travis sighed, beginning to lower the gun. “Someone else-”
Mike’s eyes flashed open and he growled.
Blood erupted between his eyes and he was truly gone. A delicate little hole, bubbled with blood as Nerit stepped over Mike’s body.
“If you hesitate again, I will shoot you. I will not lose anyone else because you could not pull the trigger,” she said coldly, and brushed past Travis to stand guard at the door.
“This isn't right, man. This isn't right,” Felix exclaimed, falling to his knees beside of Mike.
“What do we do?” Katarina asked softly. Her shock was mirrored in the faces of those around her.
Jenni looked back at Mike, so peaceful in his final death. “We keep going. ”
Bill leaned down and grabbed up Mike's walkie-talkie. “We go on.
We finish this. Easy as that. ”
Curtis shook his head and grabbed a tablecloth to cover Mike with.
Jenni looked down at Mike and sighed.
You were supposed to make it to the end. Mike, does this mean this is the end?
Even Shane was solemn as Curtis laid the white tablecloth over Mike's still features.
Chapter 6
1. Pieces of Hell
“We keep going,” Bill said for emphasis. “We get this job done. ”
“How could she turn so fast?” Katarina asked.
Katie looked up at her, holding the dead woman's hand. “She was bitten. Looks like one of them got her hand and she yanked it back. It's not a distinct bite mark, more like a scrape, but it was enough. ”
“Ashley's been anorexic for years and has all sorts of health issues.
Probably took her down fast,” Curtis said softly. “Poor thing. ”
“So you have to kill whoever is bit immediately or we'll lose more people,” Nerit said in a cold voice. “We can't be sure how long it will take before they turn. ”
Katie shivered at her tone and glanced at Travis. His head was down and he obviously knew the comment had been directed at him.
He was staring at the gun in his hand in a strange, almost angry way.
“That's bullshit. What if they don't change? What if the bite don't take? We can't just shoot everyone like that lesbo bitch shot my brother!” Shane's voice was fierce and he glared at Katie.
“And what if we let one person with a bite live long enough to change and began spreading it through the fort? Then that is the end of us all. Do you want to be one of those things? Do you? Do you want to be the reason all the survivors of this fort die? Tell me. Do you want that on your hands?” Nerit gave Shane a cold, fierce look.
Shane didn't answer. He just looked away.
Bill began reorganizing the teams, trying to keep them evened out with skill level. Everyone was emotionally and physically exhausted, but they had to go on. This is what Mike had trained them for and even though he was no longer with them, they had a job to do.
Katie looked at all the bodies again and looked down at Mike's covered body. Jenni was standing nearby, her expression a little distant and disturbing. Katie reached out and took her hand and Jenni turned to look at her. Her eyes had a glazed look Katie hadn't seen since the first day they had met.