Capital Falling | Book 4 | Sever Winkless, Lance (most popular ebook readers TXT) 📖

M4 across my midriff. She has probably never seen a real-life assault rifle before, I think as her eyes widen upon seeing it. “That’s why we need to wait, let things calm down before we leave the building. We’ll give it ten minutes and if everything’s quiet then we’ll go.”

“Okay, Andy, whatever you say,” Jim says, as I look around the room.

As I thought, the office is small with no ventilation of its own, apart from one air vent in the ceiling which has stopped working. The only desk inside has been pushed against the left wall to open up the floor space to sleep on, which is where we are all standing. Under the desk is a waste bin that has a folder strategically placed over the top of it. I have no doubt what the waste bin has been used for and my nostrils twitch to confirm it.

“How was Stacey when you left her?” Karen asks.

“She was okay. Anxious as you can imagine, but okay,” I tell her.

“Were things bad outside on the streets?” Jim asks.

“They weren’t good,” I tell him honestly, without going into any detail. There is no point scaring the shit out of everyone before we go. “That’s why I’m so late, but I am hoping I’ve dealt with the main threat.”

“What was that?” Jim asks.

“It doesn’t matter,” I reply as I skirt around him to have a look out of the window. Phil Matlock’s office is positioned on the side of the building, overlooking another tower close by. I can just about see the edge of the Lloyds building, which is down on the right. Luckily, the section I can see of Lloyds includes the side of the building with the entrance I went into and escaped from. Smoke still drifts out of the side of the building and rises into the sky above where the entrance is. I am relieved to see that there aren’t any Rabids near the entrance, and with any luck, the three grenades I left them with have put them all out of action.

“When we get on the streets we need to move swiftly and as quietly as possible,” I tell them all as I turn away from the window. “The river isn’t that far, but we will run into trouble, I am sure of it. Everyone needs to keep calm and let me deal with it, okay? If you see me giving you this signal,” I pull my fist down from head height, “then get down and take cover. Do you understand?” I ask, and everyone nods their understanding to me.

“Jim, I am going to need your help to cover our rear. Do you think you can do that?” I ask as I put my rifle down, standing it against the wall so that I can get the rucksack off my back.

“Yes Andy, I’ll try. How do you want me to do it?” Jim questions.

“Basically, I’ll lead us, and you follow on behind. Karen and Tanya will be in between the two of us. If you see anything, you will tell me, but you will need this just in case.” I tell him as I pull a Glock handgun out of the rucksack and present it to him.

“I’ve never used a gun,” Jim says, taking a step back from the weapon as if it might shoot him accidentally.

“I know you haven’t, and it’s only for emergencies. The first thing you do if you see anything is to make me aware of it. My rifle is silenced, this gun is not, and if you shoot it, the sound could attract more trouble, okay?”

“Okay,” Jim says nervously, not making any attempt to take the Glock off me.

“Take the gun Jim,” I tell him. “Or should I ask Karen to have it?”

Jim glances at his wife and then quickly reaches for the weapon. There is nothing like challenging a man’s masculinity to convince him to step up to the plate.

Jim holds the Glock and looks down at it like a child. The gun looks oversized in his grasp. Perhaps Karen would have been the better choice after all?

“Hold it properly,” I tell him with frustration, “by the grip. That’s it, hold it up.”

Jim’s fist closes around the grip of the weapon and finally, he looks as though he might actually be able to wield it.

“The safety catch is on,” I show him. “Try to pull the trigger now, with it on,” I tell him making sure the weapon is pointed away from anyone. He does and nothing happens, the trigger will not depress.

“If you absolutely need to, flick the safety off, like this,” I show him, reaching over. “Then point and squeeze the trigger. Don’t yank it. Understand?”

“Yes Andy, I understand,” Jim replies.

“Don’t take off the safety unless you mean to fire the gun. The trigger is easy to press unintentionally, and we don’t want any accidents.

“If you do have to fire, aim square into the chest,” I tell him jabbing my hand into my own chest to show him. “A shot to the chest won’t kill these creatures, but it will slow them down. Only a headshot will kill them. If you think you can hit the head, then do it. Okay?”

“Yes okay. Don’t worry Andy, I can handle it,” Jim says, with some confidence at last, as he raises the Glock to aim it.

“Good, keep your arms fixed, out straight,” I encourage.

“Are we going to look for anyone else, before we go, Andy?” Karen asks, with Tanya now stood beside her. I assume that Karen has quickly told the young girl what is happening.

“No,” I tell her bluntly. “If anyone else was still alive they would have come out to make themselves known, as Tanya did. It’s too risky to start opening doors and asking for trouble. I can’t cover a big group of people either, not effectively.”

“I agree, totally,” Karen tells me, her self-preservation coming to the fore, which I am pleased to see. That is the mindset