Live Free or Die Complete Series Boxed Set: Age Of Madness - A Kurtherian Gambit Series Hayley Lawson (ebook reader play store .TXT) 📖

looked at him and rolled her eyes as the men tried to open it but failed because of the weight of the dead men piled against it.

“How did you open the door?” Terrier asked Samantha.

She leaned in and whispered, “When I was on Level Six I saw the code the generals typed in, I’ve been watching them for years and they key in the same code every time.” She grinned mischievously.

“Cool.”

“Now what?” Shane asked General Murray. “What are we going to do?”

Murray considered their options. “We could wait for Afana to send someone to clear the door, or go down to Level Six.” Everyone looked through the floor at Level Six. There were a few people around, and it looked quite peaceful compared to the other levels.

“One thing. That level is filled with women, and they will be easier to fight off than the men on Level Five,” Shane said.

Samantha growled at Shane.

“I say we wait it out until I get the camera on this level fixed,” George insisted, nodding rapidly.

Murray snorted in exasperation. “What is it with you and these damn cameras? I know Afana told you to do it, but really?”

George scratched his wiry ginger hair. It was clear that all this man had was his work, and when he couldn’t do that, he didn’t know what to do.

“Because…because… It’s my job! I have to do it,” George snapped.

Murray started to argue back, but Martin grabbed his shoulder. “Dad, we need to go.” They all heard the growls and groans getting closer again.

“Up or down?” Murray asked.

Why were they even questioning it? Terrier carried Samantha toward the staircase.

“Down,” everyone yelled.

Shane ran in front of Terrier and George and squeezed through.

“Be careful, you idiots,” General Murray snapped. “Afana is looking for you. He’s on a killing spree,” General Murray whispered to Terrier.

“Shut the fuck up. What’s the code?” Shane yelled, since he was the first at the doorway.

Samantha giggled. “14368, dumbass.”

Everyone looked at her in surprise.

“Hey, don’t curse,” Terrier told her.

“But he is a dumbass,” she replied sweetly. “I heard Natalie tell Mama Lou and Mama Lou agreed.”

Terrier couldn’t help but smile. “True.” He winked, and from the corner of his eye, Terrier saw movement. “Open the door,” he urged.

Samantha screamed and buried her face in Terrier’s shoulder again.

Shane fumbled with the numbers. “They’re the wrong numbers!” he shouted, blaming Samantha.

“No, they’re not!”

“14368,” General Murray repeated.

“Run down the stairs,” Terrier told Samantha. He tried to loosen her grip, but the little girl wasn’t budging. Her arms and legs were locked fast around Terrier.

The red eyes appeared around them just as Shane opened the door. Peter was standing at the bottom of the stairs on the other side with Mama Lou. Shane and George ran down the stairs, pushing past Mama Lou in their rush to get to safety.

“Go,” General Murray yelled to Terrier. “Get the kid to safety. I’ll hold them off.”

Since Samantha wasn’t going to let go, Terrier ran down the stairs and was greeted by Mama Lou. He quickly passed Samantha to her.

“Peter, Terrier…my Dad!” Martin cried.

Peter and Terrier pushed Shane out of the way and headed back up for Murray. He was shooting and they were dropping, but there were more right behind the ones who fell.

“Murray, get down here quick,” Terrier yelled,.

Murray spun to face them and headed down the stairs. Peter and Terrier pulled the inside handles down to lock the doors when everyone was on Level Six and out of danger.

They all looked up through the glass floor at Level Five as the infected tried to get through the door. Everyone held their breath for a moment, even though they knew that they couldn’t open the door without the code. They still felt nervous, though, since Afana could override the system and let them in.

“Get off me. I’m sorry, all right?” Samantha pleaded as Mama Lou showered her with kisses.

“Don’t you ever do that to me again, you hear?” Mama Lou told, waving her finger.

“I hear you.”

Mama Lou squeezed Samantha so tightly it seemed like her head was going to pop off, but Samantha didn’t try to get out of Mama Lou’s grip. She was enjoying the hug too much.

Mama Lou stopped hugging her and looked her straight in the eye. “Where’s Kari?”

“I told Terrier she didn’t come with me. She said she was going to get some food. I saw her head to the kitchen,” Samantha informed Mama Lou.

We need to block the door from the inside just in case, Terrier thought. He took the wrench from George and slotted it through the handle. It would do for now. He went back and stood next to Peter to watch what was happening. It was mesmerizing.

Terrier pointed up toward the glass ceiling, shaking his head, and laughing. “That sneaky dumbass Decso is still alive.” Decso was standing at the edge of the sleeping tunnel watching the carnage unfold around him.

“He won’t be if he hangs around there any longer,” General Murray murmured.

When the infected couldn’t open the door, they started to pound on the floor to try to break through the glass to get to them, but it was pointless since the glass was unbreakable. They couldn’t understand that, though, and kept pounding until their fists were broken and bleeding. Their need for flesh was too overwhelming for them to have any rational thoughts.

Their heads all snapped around when they heard something. One of them let out a bloodcurdling scream, and the Mad ran toward their prey—Decso.

Martin yanked the wrench out of the door before anyone could stop him and pulled it open. “Over here, you stinking rotten flesh-eaters,” he yelled, waving his arms.

The Mad turned instantly. He’d gotten their attention, and they hungrily sprinted toward him.

Before the Mad got too close Martin slammed the door and placed the wrench back through the handle, locking it again. “Did Decso get away?” he asked breathlessly.

Everyone looked to where Decso was a few moments ago. He was no longer there, and the Mad had apparently