Mark Clodi - Discovery

Katie could only shake her head and bit her lips, there was not much she could do for the soldiers while they were inside the building. She looked at the pad of paper where Randy had written the firing coordinates. 'They have five minutes, then number two is raining fire down on their asses.' She knew this was supposed to be plan 'B'; explosives were not that effective on the undead, they shrugged off shrapnel that killed ordinary men and women. That was why she was there, to get the head shot and confirm the kill. Katie took a risk by cleaning out her rifle barrel, she didn't break down the gun completely only ran a clean swab through it to remove some of the impurities that had accumulated from all of her firing so far. It only took her a moment, then she was back on target watching the front doors of the art center, hoping that the fools down below had enough sense to spill out into the front and not into the side park where her visibility was so limited.

Max and Stewart walked down a wide exhibit corridor towards the front of the building. “How many Max?” asked Stewart checking the loads on her pistol and the shot gun she was carrying yet again.

“I can see two who are really powerful. A half dozen more of the smart ones. Shoot anything that comes towards us. I know I will.”

“You can't tell what they look like or anything can you?”

“No. Well you know how Red looked in the field?”

“Not really, it was dark.”

“He looked alive. These guys, look stronger than him by a long shot, so shoot at the ones you think are alive first.”

“Fair enough.”

They rounded a bend and could see the main gallery and entrance to the Art Institute far ahead. Between them and the front doors the floor gleamed as if it were freshly cleaned, there were a couple things out of place, someone had thrown some rags on the floor near the far end, the rag piles stood out and pulled Max's vision towards them. His brain screamed 'gun!' as the first shots rang out. Stewart was thrown backwards by a fusillade of bullets and Max felt a sharp sting on his upper arm as he spun wildly and backpedaled for the corner they had just rounded.

Max made the corner and ran right into a woman dragging Ruben and Kirk by one arm each. Quick as lightning she let go of both men and clapped Max on both sides of the head. He reeled in pain and dropped his gun. Max almost stepped back into the hall to get away from the woman, but she saved him from being shot by grabbing him by the front of his shirt and pulling him towards her. Max made a feeble attempt to punch her in the stomach, which she blocked easily, pulling her arm back she punched him one, two, three times in the face.

“We done yet?” the woman asked.

Max gurgled and looked behind her at the men on the floor. Ruben was staring at him and shook his head 'no' slightly, an indication that Max took to mean that he should not fight anymore. Sagging in the woman's grasp he said, “Done.”

“Good. Some of them like their meat tender, but I find all this punching makes my hands hurt.” Calling around the corner the woman yelled, “Harry? It's me! Ella! I am coming out, I got these guys, three of them, plus the one you shot. Send some help down here to carry them along would you?”

“You got it.” a masculine voice called back, “You only left three of them alive?”

“So far, there are a few stragglers outside, but the gang will bring them in.” Turning back to Max, Ella said, “Move.” while gesturing for him to go around the corner. She bent to grab Ruben and Kirk's arms, but Ruben shook her off and lifted himself to his feet.

“I can walk myself. Let me get him.” Ruben said, while pulling Kirk upright and putting the man's arm around his shoulder.

“That leaves me on body duty. No, fuck that. You!” she pointed at Max, “Grab her and lets….are you bleeding?” she said, breaking off suddenly and looking at his arm, she reached towards it tentatively and Max pulled away. “You are! That is just…lovely…”

Ruben and Max stared at her as she gazed at the blood dripping from Max's sleeve.

Max looked down at Stewart, then at his shotgun which lay between him and her, he stepped around the corner bent down, then felt a body next to his, looking up he saw Ella standing over him, “I wasn't born last night, buddy.” One of her feet was on the barrel of Max's gun. He sighed and grabbed Stewart by the arms and pulled her up. She was heavy, her rifle clattered off of her body to the floor as Max tossed her over his shoulder and stood up.

Grunting Max moved in front of Ella, along with the other two men. Ella reached down and grabbed both of the guns from the floor, where a few drops of blood marred the surface, why this gave her pause, she couldn't say, instead she shrugged and herded the men towards the front of the building.

Stewart's hand kept bumping into Max and he was very aware of her pistol digging into his shoulder, Ella hadn't said anything about it when he pulled her up, she had been too focused on the guns laying on the floor. The troop of them slowly moved towards the main hall and the two intelligent zombies who had been waiting in ambush for them. Max tried to keep up with his surroundings, he was thinking furiously, trying to find a way out of the mess they were in. The side passages looked promising, but he wasn't going to outdistance Ella with Stewart on his back. Her hand bumped into him again and seemed to claw at his pants. Finally it hit him, she was alive. He hadn't seen any blood from her wounds and she, unlike him, had been wearing a bullet proof vest. The vest was on under her military clothing. Max had taken a helmet from the soldiers, but it was now sitting around the corner behind him, a lost artifact from Ella's punching.

Max shrugged his shoulder twice and squeezed Stewart's leg where he was carrying her. She responded by tensing the muscles in her leg.

“You okay Ruben?” Max asked, immediately followed by “Yes?” as Stewart squeezed the muscles of her leg again.

“Fine as a Turkey the weekend before Thanksgiving Max. You?”

“Well my face feels, hell Ruben I don't know how to describe it. I think my cheek is broken. I have all my teeth though.”

“Then you're doing better than me.” the man replied.

“Can you can walk okay?” Stewart tensed her leg once.

“Sure, I was just a little beat down is all, she got to me first outside. I wore her down for you. After Kirk wore her down for me.”

This prompted a laugh from Ella behind them.

“Geezus, if that was her wore down I don't think I'd want to see her at a hundred percent. Can you fight again?” Stewart tensed her calf once.

“Maybe in a couple of weeks, this little bronco wore me out Max.” Ruben answered, then asked, “How is your arm?”

“Feels fine. I think they just winged me.” Max said nodding to one of the smart zombies on the floor as they passed. “I think it was lefty there.” he said, turning slightly to look back down the hall. The zombie on the floor smiled up at him as if to say, 'nothing personal'.

Looking back at Ella, Max asked, “How'd you get in behind us so fast?”

“Does it matter? Less talky-talky, more walkie-walkie.” She made a pushing motion with her hands, as if shooing them forward. Both guns were slung over her shoulder by their straps.

“Are we that easy to take down that you don't even keep a gun on us?”

The woman smiled, “I didn't need one the first time and won't need one when I smack you so hard you fly into next Tuesday. Stop stalling and walk.”

Max turned back and stepped into the grand hall, “You are fast, I'll give you that.” Then a thought struck him and he looked back at the woman. He stopped dead in his tracks and said, “You are alive!”