Free Empty Bodies 3: Deliverance (Empty Bodies Series Book 3) by Zach Bohannon Page A

cold.”
    He lifted her chin so she’d look at him and then said, “Everything we’re doing is to save whatever humanity we have left. That’s why we’re here. Guys like David Ellis, I’m sure there’s a lot of them out there. People who’ve already let go of any dignity they had. But that’s not gonna be us.”
    Without saying another word, Jessica eased off the brake and pulled the car toward the door.
    ***
    Gabriel
    “They’re back!”
    The shout in the hall came from Holly, and Gabriel rose out of bed and rubbed his eyes. After he and Marcus had gathered the bodies of Melissa, Kristen, and Trevor, he’d tried to lay down for a little while. It had been useless, as he’d had far too much on his mind to grab any sleep.
    Gabriel stepped out of his room to see Will coming through the door at the end of the hall. Marcus took a bag from Will as Will set a shotgun and a rifle on a nearby table. Will’s hands were red and his clothes were soaked in blood. Holly ran to him and he held her tight. She was crying, and Will gave her long strokes up and down her back, assuring her he was fine.
      When Jessica walked in just after Will, she shut the door behind her, then set down a rifle she’d had in her hands. Gabriel’s eyes narrowed. Sarah came from her room and walked past Gabriel, and she was able to get the question out before he could.
    “Where’s Brandon and Sam ?” Sarah asked.
    Will pulled back from Holly and looked at Sarah. It was a familiar look, and Gabriel knew right away—just from Will’s eyes—that the news wouldn’t be good. Will glanced over to Marcus with tired eyes, then looked back to Sarah and shook his head.
    “I’m sorry,” Will said.
    “Sorry for what?” Sarah asked quizzically.
    Will lowered his head, placing his hands on his hips.
    Sarah covered her mouth and started to cry, and Holly left Will’s side to go to her. Holly wrapped her arm around the nurse, then led her down the hallway to her room.
    Gabriel made his way over to Will, Marcus, and Jessica, and he reached out to shake Will’s bloody hand, pulling him in for an embrace.
    “Glad you made it back,” Gabriel said as they patted each other’s backs. He pulled away.
    “What happened to them?” Marcus asked.
    “I really need to sit down,” Will told them, collapsing down at a nearby table.
    Gabriel listened as Will first explained to them the good news about how his strategy to lead the Empties out of the garage had worked, making it a breeze to get back into the hospital when they’d returned. Will then told them everything that had happened at the house, and how Brandon had eroded once he’d found his father lying in his bed, dead of an apparent suicide.
    “I tried to get him out of there, but he fired a shotgun at me. Told me if I didn’t leave him, he wouldn’t miss the next time. Sam ran inside once he heard the gunshot. He decided to stay with Brandon. We ran into some resistance on our way out to the parking garage, and he got bit.”
    “Shit,” Marcus said.
    Will bowed his head. “There was a large horde that had made it to the back patio, but I still shouldn’t have left them.”
    Gabriel started to say something, but before he could, Jessica spoke.
    “I would have done the same thing after I found my parents if your mom hadn’t been there to talk some sense into me. But I wanted to live. Brandon made his choice.”
    “And you can’t blame Sam for what he did,” Marcus added.
    Will looked up and nodded, and then his eyes met Gabriel’s. “How’d everything go here?”
    “We’ve got everything ready to go,” Gabriel said. “Just take your time getting cleaned up and we can start whenever you’re ready.”
    Will squeezed Gabriel’s shoulder. “Thanks, brother.” Will stood up, then leaned down to kiss Jessica on the forehead and mumbled, “Thank you.”
    He left for his room.
    ***
    Will
    The rest of the group were awaiting Will when he came back out of his room about a half hour