I lifted my son into my arms and sat on the bunk, Allison beside me.

“What do we do?” she said.

We all had questions, and the fear was evident in each one.

What do we do?

A gun fired. Cash wrapped his arms tighter around my neck. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to breathe.

The gunshot wasn’t loud down here, but we heard it. No mistaking what it had been. I waited for more. I counted to ten, but nothing else.

Allison had her hand on my knee. A tight, tight grip.

Dave came down the stairs. His skin was pale.

Sues walked down behind him. Once below, they held hands again. I gave them a look. I was about to ask where Charlene was, when she came down last.

“Dentino was sick,” Dave said. “We thought he died. Erway checked for a pulse. He didn’t have one. No sooner had she stood up, he sat upright. Bolted upright. His eyes were…they were like their eyes, you know. And that one guy, the one who’d walked Chatterton away, he did it.”

What do we do?

A valid question. I’d made assumptions. All along, I’d been making them. Guesses that I believed. I made them seem plausible, possible, and probable. I’d fooled myself. I figured the zombies here was all there would be. Eventually, humanity could step up and wipe them out, once we got a handle on the situation. Once the initial shock ended. Once the survivors gathered and unified.

“Here’s the thing, Chase. I think we were the only ones who were surprised that he changed into one of those things. I couldn’t tell, but it was almost like the others. They seemed to expect it.”

“Can’t be. If Erway thought he was going to turn, they would have isolated him. They wouldn’t have let him down here with us,” I said.

“They wouldn’t have?”

I shook my head, but didn’t say a thing. Couldn’t, because I wasn’t positive. Thought about what Chatterton and his group talked about before everyone went to sleep. Why weren’t these particular military people zombies? The military is huge on vaccinating the shit out of its boys. Sounded so sarcastic, but in a time of crisis, who can you count on if not the military?

What do we do?

They’d get hungry and die off. The vaccination itself would gradually kill them. Undead would have to go back to being dead at some point. The virus already infected all those that could ever be infected through the vaccinations. It wouldn’t spread. It couldn’t spread. It couldn’t get worse.

What do we do?

I had the answer.

We don’t get bitten, that’s what. We don’t get scratched and we don’t get bitten.

Chapter Nine

Cedar Point State Park--NY Interment Camp, 2120 hours

Captain Keel ordered everyone back up on deck. Lieutenant Marfione gathered us, ushered us to the stairs.

“What’s going on?” I said. We needed answers and it was about time we got them. At this point, we deserved them. Being kept in the dark wasn’t going to cut it.

“I’m not sure, but I don’t like it,” Marf whispered. It was honest. I respected that. “Just stick together. We’re all in this, you know what I mean?”

“I do,” I said. “Thank you.”

We climbed the stairs. Couldn’t get closer if we’d been medically joined. Lights on the vessel helped. The boat seemed to be hovering in mist. Not floating on the river. The mist moved like water, rolling all around.

Sergeant Vitale stood among the six Coast Guard crew, along with Lieutenant Erway, and their captain. They were up by the helm. We filed in and faced them. They’d have to talk down to us. Had to be on purpose. A power play.

Cash and Charlene were in front of me. Allison, Dave and Sues stood beside me. Chatterton and Crystal were side-by-side. Spade, Spencer and Marfione huddled together, with hands on their rifles. Three other military people we hadn’t yet met were shoulder to shoulder by the edge of the boat.

I needed to know where everyone was, help keep track of things. Might be OCD. Could be, I just didn’t like surprises.

Keel cleared his throat. “Military is going to explore the compound. We’ve lost all radio contact. We’ve not seen any signs of people, or zombies for that matter. We need to know what’s happening out there before we all get off the boat.”

“What do you think is going on?” It was Dave. He’d raised his hand, but didn’t wait to be called on. I wanted to tell him this wasn’t school. We weren’t a part of any military branch, and the time for raising our hands before speaking had passed days ago, but I didn’t. Raising a hand seemed like the kind of thing that made Dave more comfortable, so let him.

“As soon as we know more, we’ll share that information,” Keel said. It was a snap-answer. Curt. Perhaps meant to dissuade questions.

“That wasn’t what he asked. He wanted to know, we all want to know, what you think is going on,” I said.

“Sir,” Keel said.

“Chase,” I said. “Chase McKinney.”

“Mr. McKinney, I wasn’t avoiding the question. Truth is that I don’t have an answer. I have no clue what’s going on. I’m not going to guess. Guessing doesn’t get us anywhere. It doesn’t help the situation one bit. What will help is actual intel. The longer we stand here talking about it, the longer it takes the soldiers to go and bring back actual, helpful and factual information.”

“Captain,” I said. “If the internment camp has been breached, the soldiers could be walking into a mess.”

“It’s what they’re trained for, Mr. McKinney. Now, please, can we let them do their jobs?”

“Sir,” Spencer said. “Do you know anything about the layout? That would help. I mean, anything you do have, we’d appreciate it.”

Keel removed his captain’s hat. Using both hands, he held it in front of his chest. “What I know is that the compound is surrounded by chain-link fence. Coiled barbed wire ran along the top. There is supposed to be watchtowers in each corner.”

A prison. It’s what it sounded like. Once inside, there was no getting out, unless allowed out. How long ago was it that this particular facility had been constructed? Why keep it all this time? Who was it the government worried they might have to incarcerate?

“Inside the fence?” Spencer said.

“Inside, what I’ve been told, there are roughly thirty houses. Each about twenty-by-one-hundred. Four —what they called them— apartments in each.”

“That’s a hundred and twenty homes we have to clear?” Spade said.

“Way I understand it, there are no walls between apartments. Imaginary lines are what have been explained. Each apartment is twenty-by-twenty-five feet. Tight living quarters, but it’s a camp, not meant to be luxurious, not by any means. There are also three separate mess halls. Buildings where people could congregate to eat, or hold meetings. There are also four military barracks, and a central stage area. The military barracks are at the four corners of the compound. The stage and mess halls are in the center. There is a mobile army surgical hospital. I believe it is also centrally located.”

“How many people are supposed to be here already?” Spade said.

“Roughly seventy. Between military, medical and civilian personnel.”

Vitale stepped forward. “I want three volunteers to explore the compound.”

Dave, along with six soldiers, raised their hand.

“Palmeri, Barron, Saylor, you three will maintain radio contact the entire time. Do not engage any hostiles if it can be avoided. Scope out the perimeter first. If you need to enter, enter. Gather as much information as you can, and then get back here. Is that understood?”

In unison, “Sir, yes, sir.”

“I’d like to go as well, sir,” Dave said. He sounded all military. Deep voice. Showed courage.

Chatterton stared at me. First time I couldn’t figure out what thoughts spun around inside his skull. Either he wanted me to rein in my guy, or he thought Dave’s volunteering was commendable. Couldn’t tell. Not for sure. It was one or the other, that much I was certain.