Free THEM (Book 0): Invasion by M.D. Massey

kept the pistol on him just the same. “Kind of dangerous, sneaking up on people like that.”
    He chewed his lip and shrugged. “Yeah, I guess so. Haven’t seen too many people come through here, not since yesterday, anyway. I guess we’re a little out of the way.”
    “You alone, kid?”
    “You mean am I working with someone to distract you and steal all your stuff? No. Or, I guess yeah. Meaning I’m alone and not working with someone else.”
    I gave the kid a raised eyebrow. “Hmm. Say I believe you‌—‌so where are your parents?”
    He rolled his eyes. “Is this where you tell me I shouldn’t be out by myself, all alone during a zombie outbreak? Don’t worry, it hasn’t really reached us yet, so things are still pretty safe. Most people are staying indoors, working on nailing everything down. Or, they already left town.”
    I nodded. “Fair enough. You still didn’t tell me where your parents are.”
    The kid threw his hands in the air. “Fine. My dad was getting drunk, the last time I saw him. And my mom works in San Antonio. I don’t know when she’s going to be back.”
    The words, “if at all” were implied in that statement. I nodded again. “Okay, I guess I’ll just take you at your word. Now, you mentioned there was an easier way to get in here. Do you folks still have power?”
    “Yep. So far, although it’s been kind of fading in and out. Pumps still work though. I had to get some gas for my dad earlier. You just have to turn on one of the pumps from the inside.”
    “Okay, so how about you go inside and turn on a pump for me?”
    The kid screwed his face up. “Well, about that. I may have made it harder to get in there when I went in earlier.”
    This time it was my turn to roll my eyes. “Seriously, kid? You’re not just scamming me?”
    He snickered. “Man, you really aren’t the trusting sort. Here, I’ll show you.” He rolled under the car door and stood up next to me, then he banged on the door hard three times. Almost immediately, I heard the low moaning of two or three voices, and I saw figures shuffling from the back of the store towards the door. The kid grinned. “See, they were locked up in the back earlier, only I didn’t know it. I went in there looking for supplies, like cigarettes for my dad, real food for the house, stuff like that, because the owners moved all that stuff in the back before they locked it up. So, I accidentally let them out when I was looking around for stuff.”
    I rubbed my chin for a minute, eyeing the deaders who were pawing at the glass and snapping their teeth at us. “How did you say you were getting in and out of this place again?”
    The kid pointed up. “The roof. There’s an access ladder on the other side, and I found a way to get up there that nobody knows about. So long as no one sees me, the place is all mine right now.”
    “Okay, so if I can go in there and kill these things, you think you can go inside and turn a pump on for me so I can gas up and be on my way?”
    The kid crossed his arms and squinted. “What’s in it for me?”
    Somehow, I knew he was going to say that. I pointed at the window. “Well, for starters your motherload is pretty much locked down right now, considering that those deaders in there aren’t going to take too kindly to you sneaking in and out of their home. I figure you’d make a pretty handy snack for one or all three of them. Doesn’t sound like the best option for a young enterprising man like yourself, to end up as chow for those freaks.” I paused for effect. “Or, I could take care of your zombie problem. I help you, you help me, your old man gets his cancer sticks, and everyone lives happily ever after.”
    The kid acted like he was thinking about it for a moment, then he stuck out his hand. When I reached for it, he snatched it back. “Okay, but only on one condition.”
    “Whatever you say, kid. Hit me with it.”
    “All Hostess products are off limits when you go