​​Chapter ​​15​​

We reached our last refuge—Finance.

Chu Zhan gashed his arm on a vent screw lowering Chairwoman Li. The makeshift bandage seeped red.

Qiu Ze snapped. He lunged for Chairwoman Li’s throat. I swept his legs. He knelt, gasping.

We all knew the truth. Zombies would break in.

We would turn.

Hope was gone. We waited to die.

Drowsy… a deep thrumming shook the windows.

An olive-green military helicopter cut through the blue sky.

"Citizens! Your nation has not abandoned you! Protect yourselves! Hold on! Rescue is coming!"

"Citizens! Your nation has not abandoned you! Protect yourselves! Hold on! Rescue is coming!"

…

Tears of pure relief.

But our supermarket wasn’t downtown. Waiting was suicide. We had to reach them.

"I’ll get the satellite phone."

Chu Zhan moved to follow. I pushed him back.

His bleeding arm was a beacon for death.

I convinced Qiu Ze to help me back to the main office. Some supplies remained.

The satellite phone sat untouched in the desk drawer. I stuffed it into my pack. We grabbed the last food and water.

"Mei… I’ve always loved you. Let’s start over."

I glanced at his pig-gut face. Nausea surged.

"You need to ditch Chu Zhan. His blood will get us killed."

"Dream on."

"Mei… let’s kill the Chairwoman. That money—"

My hands froze. Revulsion and disgust sparked a murderous urge.

A shadow crashed through the broken window.

Zhao Kai.

Zombie Zhao Kai.

Before I could run, Qiu Ze seized me—and hurled me straight at him.

A snarling maw lunged.

I twisted. Agony tore through my right shoulder.

Karma?

But Chu Zhan… I hadn’t even given them the phone.

I couldn’t die.

Zombie Zhao Kai ripped flesh from my shoulder. My left hand found the stun baton in my pack. Jammed it against his skull. Thumbed the trigger.

ZAP! ZAP! ZAP!

The jolt numbed my own arm. The baton clattered away.

As Zhao Kai recoiled, paralyzed, I yanked the cleaver from my belt. Plunged it into his neck. Twisted. Half his skull flopped sideways.

Blood poured down my shoulder. Pain threatened to black me out.

Minutes left. Maybe ten.

Qiu Ze was gone.