Free Ground Zero: A Zombie Apocalypse by Nicholas Ryan Page B

Glenda confessed.
    “Including you…” Cutter said again, this time not asking the question. Just stating the fact.
    Glenda sighed. “I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t jealous,” she admitted. “Like you said, Hos is the one person in this room who is prepared for what is happening. It makes him the dominant male. Instinctively, he’s drawing every woman in here towards him.”
    “And so why are you talking to me?” Cutter as ked. His tone had suddenly become harsh. “Why aren’t you lifting your skirt to Hos and throwing yourself at him? Or did you realize Hos would choose one of the younger girls, and so you thought maybe I would be your second choice?”
    Glenda turned away for a moment, and when she looked back there was a flicker of venomous anger in her eyes. Cutter saw the conflict in her expression flare brightly and then turn cold.
    “Would it make any difference?” she said flatly, grinding down on her urge to stalk angrily away. “You decide. If you want me, you can have me. You can take me right here, right now. You can take me up against the wall and I don’t care if everyone else in the room sees.” She snatched at his hand and the look in her eyes was urgent and primitive. “I want to survive this,” she said. “I’m too young to die. I’ve got my whole life ahead of me and I want to live it, no matter how horrible the world becomes.” Her legs fell apart, and she slid Cutter’s hand up under her skirt and held it pressed against the soft damp silk of her panties. “Take me with you, Jack. Promise you’ll protect me, and I’ll be yours any time you want. Every time you want. That’s what I’m prepared to pay for you to get me out of here and keep me alive.”
    Cutter recoiled. He dragged his hand free and glared, his expression appalled. Glenda started crying soft tears of despair and humiliation. She jerked away from him. “I’m sorry,” she said in a tiny choking sound. “I… I’ve done this all wrong…” She covered her mouth and began to sob. Cutter sat frozen, watching the woman’s pain. Over her shoulder, in the gloomy distance, he saw Hos take the young redhead by the hand and lead her away towards one of the small storage spaces. He hunted the darkness with his eyes until the couple disappeared.
    When his eyes flicked back to Glenda, she was hunched against the wall, her bod y shaking and heaving with the depth of her desolation. Finally he reached for her. Drew her close to him and she looked up into his face with meek, fragile hope.
    “Thank you , Jack,” she whispered urgently. Her hand went to the front of his jeans in a desperate flurry to please him. “I promise I’ll be everything you want,” she said. “I promise you can have me whenever you say.” Her fingers were practiced, and with quick movements she unbuttoned the denim and began drawing down the zipper. She felt the hardness of him.
    Cutter grabbed her wrist. “Not that,” he said , and shook his head firmly. “Not anything.” Glenda’s head was nestled against his chest. She looked up at him, her eyes wide in alarm and renewed fear. “But –”
    Cutter shook his head again. “Just lay still, and get some rest,” he said. “I’m sorry. But for now, comfort is all I can offer you.”
     
     
    * * *
     
     
    Rough hands shook him awake and Cutter sat up with a start. Hos was standing over him, leaning close so that his voice was just a whisper.
    “It’s midnight,” the big man said. His eyes drifted down to where Glenda was laying with her head resting in Cutter’s lap. The woman was breathing steadily, but shallowl y, her brow creased into a furrow as she slept. Hos said nothing, but there was a knowing look in his eyes. He grunted. “You’ve got sentry duty at the steel door. I’ll relieve you at 4am.”
    Cutter nodded. His hand went to the bulky shape of the pi stol that had jammed itself against his hip as he had slept. “Okay,” he said.
    Hos leaned an inch closer.