Coldbrook (Hammer)(145)

Vic didn’t ask where a casual gang of bikers had found and learned to use so many weapons.

They got everyone together, and Vic told them that Coldbrook was a government seed vault, a storage facility buried deep in the mountains and designed to withstand catastrophes ranging from nuclear war to climate change to meteor strike.

‘And there’s room for all of us down there?’ Chaney asked. There were over fifty survivors in the convoy now, in a collection of cars, trucks and motorbikes, as well as the bus filled with kids. Vic thought of Coldbrook jammed with all these people.

‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘For a while. There are labs and admin offices down there, and sleeping quarters. There’s an air vent leading to the surface – easy way in, in case it’s locked down.’

‘And what’re you?’ Chaney asked. The big man was smiling, Vic thought, though the extravagant beard all but hid his mouth.

‘Plant scientist,’ Vic said. ‘Er . . . fungi.’

‘Pomologist,’ Chaney said.

‘Yeah. That’s me.’

Chaney nodded. ‘So we get down into your Coldbrook seed vault, then find a cure for a disease that turns everyone into zombies.’

‘That’s it,’ Vic said. He nodded at Marc. ‘Marc and I were at . . . university together. He’s an expert in epidemics.’ He stared at Chaney. ‘A phorologist. And he’s in contact with a lot of his associates around the world. And with Jayne he thinks we might have a chance.’

‘Shouldn’t this all be . . . I dunno, the government?’

‘What government?’ Sean asked.

‘The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta is gone,’ Marc said. ‘And the fact is that Jayne’s here with us, not anywhere else. How that got to be is a story for when we’re tucked away safe and sound, but—’

Five gunshots rang out.

‘Three of ’em were coming up through the trees!’ a man shouted from the edge of the clearing.

‘Keep your eyes peeled!’ Chaney called. From away in the distance came that low calling.

‘Vic,’ Sean prompted.

So Vic told them all about Danton Rock, and how the only road to Coldbrook passed through that town. Never for a moment did it feel as though he was talking about his home.

‘So let’s roll,’ Marc said.

They returned to their vehicles, and as Vic and Lucy helped Olivia back into the car, Vic felt someone standing behind him.

‘Ma’am, could I speak with your husband?’ Chaney asked.

‘Only if you promise to dance for my daughter again,’ she said, smiling.

‘Well, now,’ Chaney said, and Vic was amazed to see a blush on his cheeks, ‘I’m afraid true art can’t be produced to order. But I’ll see what I can rustle up later.’

Chaney walked a few steps to the side and Vic followed him.

‘Okay, so it’s not a seed vault,’ Vic said.

‘No f*ckin’ shit. I don’t give a damn what it is, so long as what you told us is true. First, that it’s safe. And second, that your guy there might be able to come up with a cure.’

‘Both true,’ Vic said.

‘’Cos me and my guys have done okay staying in the hills away from other people.’

‘Really?’ Vic asked. ‘You’re doing okay?’

Chaney blinked a few times, but never looked away from Vic. ‘You got something heavy on your shoulders, man,’ he said.

‘Tell me about it.’ Vic smiled and held out his hand, and Chaney gripped and shook it.

Back in the station wagon, Marc was already working on his laptop again, and Sean was strapping on his seat belt. ‘Everyone belt up,’ he said. ‘Gonna be driving fast, and not stopping for anything.’

Vic breathed in the mountain air and heard that haunting call somewhere in the distance. They were about to drive through Danton Rock, where they would see people that he and his family knew.

He checked the M1911, then pulled the satphone from his pocket.





10


At the first scream Moira’s eyes widened and she darted past Holly, pulling free the crossbow slung around her shoulder, loading it as she ran. Holly had time to notice how gracefully she performed these actions. And as she burst through into the garage once again, Holly realised how foolish they had all been. She’d nodded to the door that the Hummer had been holding shut and had told Drake it needed guarding. But that had been wrong.