Free Zombie Mountain (Walking Plague Trilogy #3) by J.R. Rain, Elizabeth Basque

them?” asked Jack.
    “ No, the woman doesn’t sound crazy. She sounds scared... maybe hurt.”
    “ Shit!” hissed Jack. His heart felt like it would come up through his throat. Was it Carla? He couldn’t be sure. “C’mon,” he said, jumping out of the truck bed and running to the restroom.
    “ Wait!” Jared call to them, once Brice joined Jack. “We have to make sure Anna is safe!”
    Anna was indeed top priority. But someone had obviously done some serious planning here; the strip tacks, whoever was held in the restroom, and the pounding on the door to the observatory. Another muffled voice resounded from inside the restroom, this time a man’s.
    “I’d swear that’s Mike,” Jack advised.
    “ Who cares?” Jared replied angrily, and then caught himself. “I didn’t mean it like that. But we know they’re likely not in danger of dying immediately. Right? But we don’t know about Anna.”
    “ Which is why we have to be smart,” said Jack.
    “ I’ve had a feeling all day....” Jared’s voice cracked and he slammed his palms against the steering wheel. “And you didn’t listen. Something’s seriously wrong, Jack It feels like a setup.”
    “ All the more reason to be cautious... maybe Mike can tell us what’s going on.”
    “ You’re wasting time!” Jared jumped out of the cab, shaking his fist at Jack.
    Brice broke in. “You’re both wasting time.” He put a hand on Jared’s shoulder, but Jared shrugged it off.
    “ It will only take a second to check this out.” Jack pointed to the restroom, fighting to keep his voice calm.
    Jared wheeled around, gathered as many bullets as he could fit into his pockets from the truck’s glove box.
    “Then you’ll only be a second behind me,” He said without looking back. He retrieved one of the hunting knives and headed for the building, and Anna.
    Jack stared after him. Jesus, this kid has it bad for my angel. At least she was in good hands with Jared. Reckless hands, granted, but good nonetheless.
    Jack reloaded his gun from the remaining ammo and handed Brice a handful of bullets. Jack grabbed the remaining knife from beneath the seat and then headed for the restroom with Brice.
    “Let’s see what the hell’s going on in there.”
     
    * * *
     
    The door was padlocked.
    “ Mike,” said Jack, holding his gun out before him. Brice hovered nearby, watching the back side of the building. “Is that you?”
    “ Mmmm... Mmmm... mmmm!”
    Obviously gagged, a woman moaned, gagged as well. Jack didn’t recognize her voice. It wasn’t Carla.
    Jack looked around. Despite misgivings about making too much noise, there wasn’t time for other options. “Stand back, Mike. I’m going to shoot the lock.” He heard shuffling inside the room and pointed the gun down and away, blowing the lock off once he was reasonably certain Mike had moved away from the door.
    Brice shined a flashlight inside the restroom. Mike and another woman were up against the wall, turned away from the door. Bound hand and foot. Mike was pissed as hell; the woman was a pitiful, tearful mess. Mike desperately tried to speak.
    “Cole’s here,” said Mike, once the gag was loosened.
    The agent in black? Shit!
    “What’s going on, Jack?”
    “ You tell me,” said Jack, cutting quickly through the cords. Brice approached the woman to remove her duct tape.
    “ Don’t do it!” Mike warned Brice, rubbing his head. Jack saw a lump pushing through his blood-matted hair. “That bitch set us up!”
    She tried to say something, wiggling closer to Jack with a pleading look.
    “Leave her for now,” he told Brice. To Mike, he said, “Tell me quick. Jared’s probably trying to get inside and he’s alone.”
    Mike gave a brief rundown of how Julie had lured him and Carla into the restroom, only to be knocked unconscious and locked inside.
    “He took Carla,” Mike continued, gingerly touching his head. He winced. “About an hour ago. He said he’d be back for this one.” He