What Remains_Reckoning Read online

  Table of Contents

  What Remains: Reckoning

  What Remains: Reckoning Copyright © Kris Norris

  Book Description

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  About the Author

  Also Available from Resplendence Publishing

  www.resplendencepublishing.com

  What Remains: Reckoning

  A New Reality Story

  By Kris Norris

  Resplendence Publishing

  R·>♦<·P

  www.resplendencepublishing.com

  Gems of Romantic Fiction

  What Remains: Reckoning

  Copyright © Kris Norris

  Edited by Liza Green and CJ Slate

  Cover Art by Les Byerley

  Published by Resplendence Publishing, LLC

  1093 A1A Beach Blvd, #146

  St. Augustine, FL 32080

  Electronic format ISBN: 978-1-60735-794-0

  Warning: All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Electronic Release: July 2014

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and occurrences are a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places or occurrences, is purely coincidental.

  A never-ending battle. One final reckoning…

  Gunner, Wolfe and Hamilton are accustomed to the rigors of war. SEALs before the world all but ended with the rising of the dead, their unique skill set has proven to be irreplaceable. But their latest mission is putting even their survival instincts to the test.

  One girl. One last chance at saving their humanity…

  Finding a camp full of humans should have been the shining accomplishment of their new career as reconnaissance specialists. Instead, it turns into something far more sinister.

  She didn’t want to fall for one man, let alone three…

  Morgan has no reason to trust the three men that stumble into her life. Helping them is a means to an end—a way to gain her freedom. She promises herself she’ll ditch them the moment the opportunity arises. There’s just one nagging little problem—with every day that passes, every ounce of faith they restore—she realizes she’s falling for them. Hard. And in a world where death no longer brings peace, she needs to decide if what remains of her soul is worth saving.

  To Jess…what can I say? Without you and the nightly check-ins, this book would still be sitting unfinished on my computer. The laughs, the frustration, the late nights—and I know we’ll be doing it all over again with the next one, lol. Love you to bits, girl.

  To Bronwyn…for paddling in the same procrastination pond as Jess and I. As always, your insight means more to me than you can imagine. And I hope we get to complain to each other for the next fifty years! Love you!

  And to Liza…for never losing patience with me. Thanks, honey.

  Chapter One

  “It doesn’t matter how long we stare at it, Gunner, we won’t know shit until we walk in there.”

  Gunner Hansen glanced at his friend over his shoulder, noting the stubborn press of Wolfe’s lips as the man leaned against a tree, hands tucked in his pockets, focus shifting between Gunner and the fence line a few hundred yards away.

  Gunner scrubbed a hand down his face, hating the truth in the other man’s words. He glanced at Hamilton. “I suppose you think we’ve wasted enough time, too?”

  Hamilton merely shrugged. “We’ve been watching them for four days and haven’t seen them do more than shuttle one group of women out then back in. And the perimeter’s too big to cover with just three of us, especially with that lake bordering the back forty.”

  “There’re at least a dozen guys inside. Not saying we can’t take them, but…doesn’t hurt to be prudent.”

  Hamilton shrugged. “You know what they say, bro. God hates a coward.”

  Gunner huffed. “I’ve heard He’s not too fond of stupid people, either. Best not to be either.”

  Hamilton sighed, glancing at Wolfe. “We’ve been gone nearly two months. Colby’s bound to think we’re dead by now. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if Hunter isn’t strolling around in my damn leather jacket. Bastard’s been eyeing it forever. And I’d rather get back before they give away our cabin to some family unit. You know it’s only a matter of time before Emersyn makes Hunter realize there’s a woman beneath those fatigues she wears.”

  “She’d still be a couple of men short, but I get it.” Gunner followed the easy movement of men beyond the barricades. “I just hate going in blind.”

  Wolfe nudged him. “Blind or not, we can’t stay out here. Even sleeping in the trees isn’t going to keep us safe much longer. Those damn infected motherfuckers are getting stronger. Faster. Hell, we should have turned back after we got swarmed on that rooftop back in that hick town. Thank Christ we can all jump.”

  Gunner grinned. “You’re just sore because you lost that damn Paracord bracelet you never take off.”

  “That bracelet was a godsend. A thousand ways to use that cord. Damn thing has saved our asses more than once.” Wolfe rubbed the bare inch of skin at his wrist. “Could’ve helped us a dozen times since then. And I didn’t lose it. That infected bastard ripped it off my arm before Ham knifed his head.”

  Gunner nodded. Once Wolfe got his mind set on something, there wasn’t much anyone could do to talk the man out of it. And Gunner hated to admit it—both men had a point. The camp was too entrenched in the surrounding forest to enable them a direct view. And simply staring at the people as they walked the perimeter wasn’t going to tell them anything they didn’t already know—had known within an hour of finding the compound. Sooner or later, they’d have to venture inside.

  Hamilton chuckled. “It’s okay, Gunner. We’ll all still pretend like it was your idea. No need to get those big alpha panties of yours in a twist.”

  “Fuck off.” Gunner couldn’t quite hide the smile that tugged at his lips. “Fine. We’ll go say hello. But we should approach from that dirt road. I can’t imagine they’d be too friendly if they thought we’ve been watching them for a while.”

  “So what do we do? Just mosey on up the damn trail?” Ham shook his head. “Thinking they’re going to figure it out one way or another. Can’t imagine they get many strangers dropping by.”

  “Better safe than sorry, dude. And walking out of the trees might just get us shot.”

  “That’s if those good old boys can hit anything.”

  “Let’s assume they can to have survived this long.”

  Hamilton huffed. “They’ve got a fairly solid enclosure. Pretty damn sure that has a lot to do with their survivability. But you’re right. Most people still breathing have at least some weapon sense.” He glanced at Wolfe. “Anything you want to add before we make nice with the locals?”

  Wolfe grinned. “Twenty bucks says they’re some kind of weird cult and we end up shooting our way out of there while they’re deciding which one of us is going to taste better grilled.”

  Gunner laugh
ed. “You’re on.” He pointed at the road. “We’ll backtrack a bit. Hit the road beyond any sight lines from their perimeter.”

  Hamilton took a couple of steps away. “I’m on it. Hope you two can keep up. You’ve been dogging it ever since the Hummer broke down and we’ve been on foot.”

  Gunner swung at the man, but Ham was already darting through the undergrowth, heading toward the bend in the dirt road. Wolfe nudged Gunner’s shoulder, motioning him on. Gunner gave the man a quick nod then struck off, keeping both men in sight as they wove through the trees. Despite their cavalier attitude, he knew the guys were as jumpy as he was. It’d been several months since they’d come across survivors, and never a group. A straggler or two. But nothing organized. And after eighteen months’ worth of fighting, there was no telling how this camp would react to them, threat or not.

  Gunner shook off the uneasy feeling prickling the back of his neck as he moved in behind Hamilton. The man had stopped near the edge of the road, his gaze fixed on something in the distance.

  Gunner bumped his arm. “You okay?”

  Hamilton frowned. “Something doesn’t feel right.”

  He resisted the grin that tugged at his mouth. “Besides the usual dead people walking around?”

  “I feel like there’s something watching us.”

  Wolfe darted in behind them. “My spider sense is tingling, too. Feels like a damn ambush to me.”

  Gunner scanned the surrounding area. Hamilton and Wolfe had watched his back for over a decade and he knew better than to question their instincts.

  He glanced behind them. “If you two think this is a bad idea…”

  The bushes on the far side of the road parted, several infected barreling onto the dirt road, pale skin gleaming in the sunlight. Black, bloody wounds marred their bodies as they pulled their lips back into a snarl.

  Gunner yanked Ham into his chest, moving them both behind the trunk of a large tree, peeking at the creatures through the thick foliage. They stared at the area where Hamilton had been standing just moments earlier, tilting their heads as if trying to figure out why he wasn’t still standing there. Gunner motioned to Wolfe, acknowledging the man’s nod with one of his own. Wolfe edged away, weapon raised, focus centered on the infected as they stared at the forest, growling.

  Gunner lowered his mouth close to Hamilton’s jaw. “If they make a move, Wolfe will get the front runners. You go left and circle around while I draw them toward us.”

  “Or I could just kill the motherfuckers where I stand.”

  “And if there’s a horde behind them?”

  Hamilton grunted. “I fucking hate this shit. Especially this new breed.”

  “You and me both. You ready?”

  Ham nodded when the crunch of gravel filled the air. Gunner stilled, holding Hamilton firm as the hum of an engine rose above the other noises. The infected turned, more of them breaking out of the underbrush, the group blocking the dirt road. Headlights beamed through the shadows as a truck bounced around the far corner, wheels skidding to a halt in a blinding cloud of dust.

  “Fuck!” Gunner released Hamilton, swinging his rifle up to his shoulder. “Why the hell are they stopping? They’ll never get through without a shit load of momentum behind them. Not against those numbers.”

  The creatures tipped their heads back and howled, charging the truck as lurched backwards.

  Ham hit Gunner in the chest. “They’ll get overrun unless we help them.”

  “Shit!” He whistled to Wolfe, giving the man a series of signals. “Stay close. And if it turns ugly, get up a damn tree. We haven’t lasted this long to die over sheer stupidity.”

  “I know the drill. Just make sure you do the same, or I swear I’ll kick your ass.”

  Gunner grinned. “Deal. Now move.”

  They headed out, Hamilton branching left as Gunner plowed through the brush, reaching the road as the first zombies attacked the truck, leaving bloody streaks along the paint. The driver revved the engine, spitting dirt and gravel into the air as the tires tried to find purchase on the dry road. A series of pops lit the air, those hanging onto the side mirrors dropping in a splatter of blood and bone. Gunner glanced to his right. Wolfe had positioned himself off to the side, keeping the area around him open. With the numbers of infected filling the road, they needed to maintain a viable escape and ensure nothing surprised them from behind.

  Pride tightened Gunner’s chest. No matter how many missions he headed, Wolfe and Hamilton’s expertise always made him smile. They were more than his teammates. They were his brothers. Men who had his back. Who he trusted with more than just his life. Men he’d die to protect. Of course, knowing they’d do the same irked the hell out of him. From their first mission, he’d been in command. Had somehow earned their respect long before he’d probably deserved it. And he’d always considered it his place to make the sacrifice if it were ever needed. But Wolfe and Hamilton had broken ranks and saved his ass more times than he could count.

  Gunner pushed the unsettling feeling aside and concentrated on the undulating mass in front of them. He lined up his first target, quickly moving to the next as the discharge slammed the stock into his shoulder. They’d used up most of their ammo just getting this far, and if the stream of infected didn’t wane, they’d go through their remaining supply before they’d discovered whether the camp was even worth the fight.

  Hamilton joined in from the left, systematically eliminating anything that got past Gunner and Wolfe. The man never flinched, knifing one when it appeared from behind the truck.

  Gunner waved at the kid behind the wheel. “Get that sorry piece of shit moving before we’re out of ammo.”

  The kid stared at him, seemingly frozen until Ham banged on the side of the vehicle.

  “You heard him. Find the damn gas pedal and get the hell out of here. We can’t hold them off forever.”

  A loud screeching noise sounded over the grunts as the kid ground the gears, finally popping it into first. The truck jerked forward, nearly stalling before the engine revved high and the tires bit into the gravel. Rocks and dirt shot out behind the wheels as the vehicle moved ahead, knocking down more zombies as they raced out of the woods.

  Gunner waved at Hamilton, covering the man’s ass as he followed the truck up the road, scanning every direction as they headed for the gate. The kid blew the horn when he neared the enclosure, skidding to a halt again.

  Wolfe moved in beside Gunner as they stopped beside the tailgate. “He’s going to bring every fucking infected within earshot to our location if he lays on that damn horn again.”

  Gunner cursed. “Tell me something I don’t know. Did you see his face? Couldn’t be more than seventeen. And he looked as if he’s never seen a horde before. What the fuck is up with these people?”

  “Beats the hell out of me. But if we’re not going to follow the truck inside, we need to retreat to somewhere far safer than this damn road. Now.”

  Gunner waved Hamilton back to him as he moved along the side of the truck, stopping when he reached the gate. He glanced at the people manning the locks, raising a brow in question. The two guys simply stood there, staring, until a tall man dressed in a white shirt and kakis approached them, laying a hand on each of their shoulders. He nodded, motioning them to open the gates as Wolfe and Hamilton dropped another group of infected racing for the fence line.

  Gunner whistled, signaling the two men to join him as the truck lurched forward, quickly gaining entry. Gunner took a deep breath then darted through, going just far enough to clear the gate before pulling up short. He stood his ground, staring at the man who’d granted them sanctuary, wondering if he’d just sentenced his friends to death as Hamilton and Wolfe moved in, flanking him.

  The guy watched them, a smug smile lifting one corner of his mouth as the truck disappeared behind a building, nothing but dust swirling through the air. He sized them up, nodding at the other men again. Gunner glanced over his shoulder, making eye contact with Wolfe
.

  Wolfe inched forward, scanning the compound as he leaned in. “I’ve got the three on the right. Ham’s got the two behind us. That leaves pretty boy to you.”

  “Only one? You guys trying to tell me something?”

  Wolfe chuckled as the man in question walked toward them, his gait steady, relaxed. He stopped a foot away, once again openly sizing them up. He didn’t seem that concerned as he eyed their weapons, allowing the palm of one hand to fall to the hilt of the pistol strapped around his hips.

  He extended the other to Gunner. “That was quite the show. By the looks of it, you boys have been fighting these abominations for some time.”

  Gunner shook the man’s hand. Firm, but he had no doubt he could take the guy if needed. Though he hoped it wouldn’t come to that. From what he could see, the place had food, water and a healthy dose of guns. “I suspect anyone still breathing has been fighting these things for some time.”

  “But not all of us have MK14s.”

  “Or Glocks like the one you’re carrying.” Gunner nodded toward the man’s hip. “Police issue model from what I can tell. I’m guessing you were the local sheriff before…”

  The man’s lips twitched followed by a slow smile. The kind that made Gunner’s skin crawl. There was definitely something off about these men, but until he and the boys knew for sure, they couldn’t risk reacting. People were scarcer than supplies, and god knows they needed to make an effort to save every life they came across.

  “You know your guns. I’m even more impressed now than the way you three cut down those monsters. The name’s Keller. Beau Keller.”

  “Gunner Hansen. This is Wolfe Bridges and Hamilton Phillips.”

  Beau barely gave the other men a glance, his focus completely on Gunner. “You look like you could use a meal.” He motioned toward where the truck had disappeared. “Come. Eat. Give us time to get to know each other better. Discuss our place in this new order.”