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

Ryder leaned back into Massimo. “I love a bit of colorful language. That was one part of the bunker that was fun. The men came up with some of the craziest things.”

“Really? Please share.”

Ryder thought for a moment. “Whoring piss-bogle,” she deadpanned, and Massimo snickered like a schoolgirl. “Ranting wank-basher,” Ryder added, and this time Massimo snorted. “Wrinkled-dick pig-packer,” Ryder finished. That was it—they both cracked up.

“My turn,” Massimo said between snorts. “Barrel extractor.” Tears rolled down Massimo’s face.

What did that even mean? “Oh, yes.”

The pair laughed until their ribs ached.

Afana watched through the glass floors. He could see that the generals were losing the battle against the infected. No one could do what they’re trying to!

He thought about leaving the generals down there on their own as punishment for not doing their job, but he couldn’t do that because he needed the generals to replenish his cattle stock. Without them, his blood supply would be gone.

He looked at the advisors. He couldn’t send them out to get new cattle. They’d never left the bunker. The shock of being outside might kill the wusses.

Afana steepled his hands, deep in thought. He didn’t want to go down there and sort it out himself, but what option did he have? The advisors had also been intently watching what was happening on Level Five.

Afana marched over to Advisor Robert, who was actually doing his job. Afana had a feeling he was only doing it because he was a twisted old man.

“What will happen if one of those fuckers bites me?” Afana asked Robert. Afana knew Robert couldn’t be a hundred percent sure, but he should have some idea since he had been testing Afana’s blood.

“Early results show that your blood fights off the infected blood, so those results indicate that you cannot be infected with the disease. As you know, these are early results. To be a hundred percent sure, we’d have to run more tests and allow for a waiting period,” Robert told him.

Afana knew he was correct, but that didn’t help him. He didn’t have time.

Afana paced for a moment, then stopped. “Screw this,” he declared. “Keep working on a cure.”

With that, Afana headed to the circle doors in the floor. He wanted to be in and out, and the doors in the floor would be the fastest way to do that.

Afana placed his hand on the scanner next to the door and it opened.

“It should have been you!” General Murray railed as he grabbed George. “You should have gotten the disease, not Martin.” He sprayed spittle as he shook George.

“Why is it my fault? I didn’t bite him,” George whined.

“He was bitten when he went after you, after you ran away! You cowardly little shit!”

“I can’t turn back time, and he’s at peace now, isn’t he…” George trailed off, as though General Murray’s son meant nothing to him. Murray gripped George tighter.

“You’re hurting me,” George squawked, trying to get out of Murray’s grasp.

“You’ll be at peace soon, so don’t worry about it!”

George’s eyes bulged. “You can’t kill me. Afana said. Afana said.”

“I don’t give a fuck what Afana said. He’s got nothing on me now!” Murray had followed Afana’s rules because he was fearful of what Afana would do to his son Martin, but now he no longer had that fear.

“Help! Help, he’s infected. He’s gone mad like his son,” George screamed.

Everyone came running out of the tunnels, drawn by George’s high-pitched feminine screams. Terrier and Peter were at the front of the pack, followed closely by Mama Lou and the pole-wielding women.

“You lying soul-sucker!” General Murray screamed as he released George.

George shrugged in response. “You gave me no choice. What was I supposed to do?”

Murray stepped forward, and George backed away. George waved his hands in front of him. “False alarm, false alarm. Well, he is mad, but not the red-eyes drink-your-blood type.”

Murray went for George again, but this time Terrier held him back. Terrier looked at Murray. “He’s not infected, he’s just lost his son. He’s not worth it,” Terrier told them all as Murray shrugged himself out of Terrier’s hold. “George, show General Murray some respect. If it weren’t for him and Martin, you’d be up there in that bloodbath.” Terrier waved his finger at George and then pointed up to the fight on Level Five.

George looked up. He knew Terrier was right, but he didn’t like hearing it.

“Afana is coming, and he’ll kill all of you. I’m going to tell him about all of you disobeying the rules.” George let the venomous comments roll off his tongue.

Terrier looked at the petulant advisor with disgust. For someone who thinks he’s smart, he’s not really, since he’s just threatened the whole level.

However, Terrier knew George was right, and so did the others. Mama Lou looked at Peter, and then back at Terrier. They needed to do something to stop Afana from getting into Level Six until Ryder came to rescue them.

General Murray slumped down on the stairs with his head in his hands.

Terrier walked over to Mama Lou and Peter.

“The soul sucker is right,” Peter conceded. “Afana’s going to be down on Level Five soon to save his generals, and next he’ll come to our level.” Even though Peter himself was a general, he had never felt like one of them and never wanted to be like them—which was why he spent most of his time down on Level Six. He even had a bed down here.

“If George does as he threatens, Afana will kill all of us,” Peter added.

“I could leave now, and everyone else would be safe,” Terrier offered.

Mama Lou and Peter shook their heads. “It’s not just you who’s been breaking the rules. I should have reported you. I helped break the cameras for Ryder since he’s too small.” Peter smiled at the thought of Ryder trying to break the cameras.

Terrier thought it was time to share Ryder’s secret. “Ryder’s a girl,” he told them with a sly grin.

Mama Lou punched