Apokalypsis | Book 6 | Apokalypsis 6 Morris, Kate (cheapest way to read ebooks TXT) 📖

“Look,” Tristan said, holding out some sort of walkie-talkie devices. “These are military-grade. These losers must’ve bought them online. We could use these. I found three so far.”

“Cool,” Elijah said.

Roman noticed that Tristan now had a pair of handcuffs on his belt that he carried at all times. He was pretty sure he got them from Jeff’s place. It was probably a good idea, too, in case they needed to cuff someone, someone evil, someone who’d do this to a young girl like Bianca.

“I have to use the bathroom,” she said, standing to her full height. She had to be around five-ten and had legs for miles, especially next to Jane, who was so petite. She looked to be around their age, too.

“That toilet looks weird,” Jane commented.

“It’s a composting toilet. I don’t know,” Bianca said as she left the room. “That’s what they told me when I asked.”

“What are we going to do with her?” Roman asked Tristan, who was rummaging the cupboards. He must’ve found what he wanted because he took down a can of instant coffee and scooped some into a mug.

“Take her back to our place,” he said and put the can of coffee in his pack when he was done with it.

“We have room at ours, too,” Elijah offered.

Jane immediately put in, “So do we.”

Tristan poured hot water from the tap and stirred his nasty brew. “I think it might be good for a while, at least, for the three girls to stay together. They’ve all been through something similar. They know each other. Avery’s mom was a shrink, my shrink actually,” he said and paused with a grim smile of remembrance. “I think she may be able to help them, work with them, ya’ know? She’s got access to all her mother’s journals and medical books. Her mom specialized in PTSD, so I’m sure the information is in her office on what to do to help people like these girls.”

“Why was she your doctor?” Jane asked bluntly.

“Army ordered it, not me. Sometimes when you do a lot of tours, they make you take a hiatus, a mental health break or some shit. I don’t know. She was a nice lady, though. Ophelia. Dr. Andersson. Really nice.”

“And that’s how you met Avery?” Jane asked again.

He nodded. “Yeah, and at the bar in town when she was with her friends. I saw her once at her parents’ house when I was leaving after my session.”

Jane smiled wistfully, “And it was love at first sight?”

He grinned. “Something like that.”

Elijah chuckled. Roman knew the feeling all too well. It’d taken him a lot of time to work up the nerve to insinuate himself into Jane’s life, but he felt the same about her. He was absolutely in love with her, and nothing would ever change that.

“Hey, I think they’re gone,” Elijah said as the girl came back.

They turned to stare in unison at the monitor again. Nobody moved. The bunker was only barely illuminated with the single bulb hanging down in the living room and another in the rear container. Being underground and closed in like this was making him feel claustrophobic.

“Maybe,” Tristan finally said.

They continued to watch for a long time until Tristan finally declared it was safe to go. Roman consulted his watch and saw that it was already almost three a.m., which surprised him. Tristan downed the rest of his coffee and gave a nod.

Roman turned off the light, and Tristan led everyone to the bunker’s only door in. Tristan was carrying a duffle bag with confiscated rifles, pistols, a compound bow, arrows, and even four live grenades. It looked heavy, so Elijah volunteered to carry it for him, which he took him up on. Roman was carrying two full-size shotguns on slings over his shoulder. Each of them was toting boxes of ammo in their backpacks. Even Bianca volunteered to take one. However, the girl said she didn’t know how to shoot, so Tristan didn’t give her a gun. She did have a dagger, though.

“Guns up. Be ready,” Tristan whispered. “Keep Bianca in between us, Elijah. Roman, bring up the rear.”

“Yes, sir,” he answered.

Jane pocketed her gloves, mimicking his move, and pulled her stocking cap down low. Roman didn’t like her out with them and wished she’d stayed at Avery’s. If she was too good for the world before, she was floating far above it now.

“Let’s go,” Tristan whispered more fiercely and opened the door.

It creaked slightly, which Roman was sure made everyone, himself included, cringe just a little. Jane’s slim shoulders rose to almost touch her ears. It bothered her even more.

Bianca was wearing a pair of boots that were too big for her, but she wasn’t complaining. She looked ready to bolt for the truck. He was, too.

Tristan gestured over his shoulder for them to follow. Bianca was right on his heels and then Elijah.

It took his eyes a moment to readjust to the darkness only illuminated by the scant few stars visible through the snowy night sky. It was no longer ice snowing, but actual snow was coming down fairly heavy now. Unfortunately, in the still of the night, it crunched under their feet in a manner that seemed as loud as an outdoor rock concert band whose drummer had just snorted some coke and was getting serious about his big solo.

They kept going single file but spread out a few feet between each other to prevent from running into one another. Roman’s nerves were on high alert. It was as if every sense he owned was awake and pricked with safety pins. His hands, despite the cold temperature of probably around twenty degrees, were truly sweating.

They rounded the bend in the driveway, and one of those things ran at him from the woods down a slope. He had no choice. He raised his gun to shoot right as it fell from the icy conditions. As luck would have it, the thing sprang up onto its