Free The Sixth Level (Secret Apocalypse Book 2) by James Harden Page A

area?"

    "From the data we have from Perth and from the rescue footage we intercepted, we can assume that Sydney will be extremely hostile."

    "Wait a second," Ramirez said.

    "Yes?"

    "What’s our destination? Where’s our landing point?"

    "The transmission that came from Private Kenji Yoshida was traced to the middle of Sydney, near the Sydney Tower. We’ll find a landing point as close to there as possible and attempt to make contact. Intel indicates there are several buildings in the CBD with helipads on their rooftops."

    "So explain to me why we aren’t just going in with some heavy machinery?" Griffin asked. "Like a tank, for example."

    "We wouldn’t be able to move around the city streets. There are too many abandoned cars, too many obstacles and blockages. If we get trapped, we’re dead. Sticking to the high ground will prove crucial. And as I'm sure you're all aware, we can't proceed on foot. Not on street level. We can assume the streets are completely overrun with the infected. We won't last five seconds."

    "I thought the military had spent the past two weeks clearing out the city?" Smitty asked.

    Ethan shook his head. "Even though there have been some reports indicating that the military have begun to reclaim certain areas of the city, I’m not prepared to take that into account. The city should be safer than it was two weeks ago, but we all saw what happened to the rescue team and we've all seen the satellite images of Perth."

    Ethan then brought up the images of Perth on the whiteboard monitor. It was not pretty. The infected were everywhere. The streets were clogged with the walking dead. It was amazing to think just how fast this virus spreads.

    "Whatever, man," Griffin said. "The infected aren't armed. And according to the report they can't even think for themselves. It'll be like shooting fish in a barrel."

    Griffin and Smitty high-fived.

    I couldn't help myself. I spoke up even though I wasn't sure that was allowed. But these soldiers or mercenaries or whoever they were seemed to underestimate the situation. They didn't understand what they were up against. Even though they had seen footage of it and even though they were just attacked by a pack of ferocious dogs that were in all probability infected.

    "Is that what you think?" I asked them. "You think it'll be target practice? This virus managed to overwhelm the combined forces of the Australian and US military. All their containment protocols and extreme measures and believe me, they were extreme, all their tanks and jets and Apache helicopters couldn't stop this thing. The infected; they don't feel pain, they don't stop. Ever. Shooting them full of bullets, unless you shoot them in the head, won't do a damn thing. And do you think you can shoot a thousand violent psychopathic zombies, running at you? Let alone shoot them in the head? Do you think you're that good?"

    The soldiers were shocked into silence. Hopefully they were taking in the weight of what I just said. I guess maybe they did know how messed up it was. Maybe acting tough was their way of dealing with their fear.

    "She's right, gentleman," Ethan said, breaking the silence. "She's seen firsthand the devastating effects. Believe me when I say we are walking into hell. And believe me when I say we will not last five seconds on the streets. Not with six million infected psychopaths trying to rip us apart."

    He picked up a manila folder and threw it on the table so that it landed open. Inside the folder were close up images of the infected. The last images from the doomed rescue mission.

    "These are tough hombres," Ethan said. "Do not underestimate this."

    Smitty shut the folder and Ramirez crossed herself.

    Ethan nodded at me. "Thank you, Rebecca. OK, the plan is to land on top of one of these buildings," Ethan said as he pointed to a map on the white board. "The Sydney Tower shopping complex connects a number of buildings in the Central Business District. This is our