Siege (As the World Dies #3)(151)

Jerking around, Curtis saw Jenni and his expression was one of utter surprise. “Why don’t you try f*cking with me, *?” Jenni taunted.



Abruptly letting go of Katie’s hand, Curtis turned as he straightened. “You’re dead,” Curtis exclaimed.



“So?” Katie managed to hold onto the rail for a second with her other hand, but the sudden release of her weight by Curtis let gravity grab her and she half-slid, half-fell down the side of the wall.



Jenni’s eyes flicked toward her friend’s falling form, then she stared Curtis straight in the eye as he turned fully to face her.

“Bang,” she said, and grinned.

“Wha-” he managed, then a hole was punched neatly through his brow above his left eye. He fell slowly to her feet, crumpling like a puppet. Jenni looked up to the sixth floor window and waved to the woman perched there.





*

Juan reached the catwalk just in time to see Katie fall, Curtis turn toward Jenni, and then die at her feet. Startled, he could barely breathe as he stumbled toward the woman he loved.

Jenni waved to someone in the hotel, then turned to see him. “Loca,” he whispered.



“Hey, baby,” she answered with a wide smile, then said, “Shit!” And just like that, she swung her legs over the rail and dropped down below.





*

Travis lunged to catch her and Katie fell into his arms and sent them both sprawling. Immediately, they both scrambled to their feet to see the zombies moving ever closer to them. There were now maybe twenty moving slowly, but resolutely toward them. Behind those zombies, more staggered into the light in the street beyond. Their twisted, gnarled bodies were grotesque in their decay.

“They’re early,” Katie said.

“Yeah,” Travis answered, holding her close. “Curtis?”

“I think Jenni has him covered.”

Travis looked at her sharply. “Jenni? Huh?”





*

Nerit saw Jenni wave to her and she smiled briefly, then was on the move again. To get a clear shot of the zombies she had to be in a different location. The fire escape to her left would be perfect. Leaping off the chair, she ran across the room and out into the hallway.





*

Katie clung to Travis as they both began to shout at the top of their lungs for help. A form fell from above and they both ducked slightly as it landed near them.

It was Jenni. She landed on her feet and flipped her hair back from her face.

“Hey, Travis” she called out.

“Jenni,” Travis whispered in shock. With a grin, Jenni walked toward the zombies, her long hair flowing in the night wind. She sauntered up to the determined flesh eaters and her laughter drifted into the night.



“What the hell?” Travis managed.

“She’s back...sorta...kinda,” Katie answered.





*

Jenni’s hair danced around her face as she smiled at the undead approaching her. She understood them now in a way she could not in life. They were desperately sad and terrible, but they were hunger personified and her friends were their chosen meal.

That was simply not acceptable. This was no place for pity or mercy.

“Hey f*cktards, why don’t you stop right there and wait for the nice sniper lady to shoot your heads off?” she said, then stepped into the midst of them. The zombies stopped in mid-step. Slowly, they turned toward her, their hands grasping at her arms, face, and neck. The growled in confusion and hunger. They could not grab their delicious prey.

“Good zombies. Now. Bang.”

The first zombie’s head exploded.





*

Holding each other tight, Katie and Travis watched as Jenni walked into the center of the approaching zombies and they gathered around her, grabbing at her hungrily. From the wall, Juan and Peggy stood in shock and stared at the form of the woman in a red sweater, hands on her hips, standing the midst of the zombies as Nerit took them down one by one.

“Get the loading dock open and get them in,” Juan said finally.

“The zombies,” Peggy began to protest.

“She’s got them,” Juan answered in awe. “Loca’s got them.”





*

Anyone who saw it, could barely believe what they witnessed. Others, who were not there, did not believe it at all. But the woman in the red sweater with the long black hair held the zombies at bay as Nerit shot their heads off one by one.

The loading dock doors slid open and heavily armed fort personnel covered the distracted zombies as Katie and Travis ran to safety. The heavy doors clanged shut. Those gathered in the hotel windows and along the wall watched in awe as Jenni walked calmly over the downed monsters, pulling the remaining zombies along with her.

“Jenni!” She turned at the sound of Juan’s voice, her dark eyes smiling up at him. She lifted her hand and blew him a kiss as the zombies clustered around her.



More were coming now. Jenni shoved a few out of her way as she walked, but none could grab her. They followed her relentlessly, moaning with aggravation.

As Jason and Jack joined the group on the wall, Jenni squatted down and looked at the ground.