Page 15 (1/2)

At the last o with flares instead of ht, but they couldn’t figure out a safe way to carry them as far into the darkness as Felix wanted

Only they didn’t have any flares and they weren’t at all sure the local cops would give theet your flares," he said ominously and walked over to a patrol car

They couldn’t hear what he said to theot their flares The deputy had three dozen delivered to them within five minutes

"So," said Jack Crow as they assembled before the warehouse once more "We’re all set Rock and roll!"

And as he led the Teaain!

He didn’t Felix was, if anything, more impressive the second time He was cool and calm and deadly accurate, and the closest monster to the and strong as he looked But not as strong as the winch Not with Felix continually, ed to the sunlight, Roy had forgotten all about the stake through his chest And then it was too late

They waited five ot another, as easily as the last Then they did it again And again and again and again The croatching therow as their success continued, so so far as to actually stand just behind Carl’s winch to watch

Carl ignored them So did the others

They always followed the same procedure Jack led them in, then they fanned out on either side of hiht a flare, toss it way into the shadows at the edge of their lanterns, and begin to shoot everything that moved but the one Jack had picked to stake After Jack made his shot, the others would fade back toward the door while Felix kept the rest at bay They would all exit with the burning vaarette, and back they’d go

And then the vae

There were only a handful left,much Some weren’t even on their feet Not dead, not nearly dead, but hurting

And waking up

It was the pain, decided Ada them back into consciousness after the zoer the saer just the blank thirst-stare They were alert And angry

They found this out on their sixth trip inside the building It started off just like the other ti to either side of hiht, which wasn’t especially unusual But Cat’s detector showed nothing approaching and that was strange

Felix tossed a flare anyway, flinging it with a long side ar

It landed on a va wo boots, blue jeans, and a black sweatshirt advertising "ZZ Top’s North American Tour" Felix remembered that sweatshirt He had put at least three silver bullets through it that day

The wo, when the flare landed on her chest She sprang to her feet, yelping and brushing wildly at the fla from her sweatshirt Then, once she was free of the fire, she stopped

And looked at them

And then she felt the bullet holes in her chest

And then she looked right at Felix Right at the gun cry, like a satanic infant’s tantruuish

Felix shot her twice h in the chest, flipping her over backward After she hit, she lay still

"Good Lord," whispered Cat harshly, "I think you killed her!"

"Does anybody remember how odda?"

Cat bent over his detector "Not yet," he replied

"Okay, then," Jack announced "We can afford to wait a bit to see if she’s really"

She wasn’t The second wailing was even worse than the first And her scraunman was even quicker Felix’s startled third shot was froh and she cartwheeled forward onto her shoulder

Then leapt back to her feet and ca that shriek, and bounding on that shattered left thigh

Their eyes had ain, this ti throat

She sla that mad baby’s cry all around her

Jack made a quick decision He stepped over in front of Felix and raised the crossbow

"That tears it," he barked gruffly "We’re taking this one"

And they did When next she rose, Jack’s crossbow almost folded her in half

But it held and the cable held and a few seconds later they atching her burn just as all the rest had

No one moved after the fire was out They just stood there

"She knew you," cat said at last, looking at Felix "She knew you were the one who’d hurt her"

Felix took a long puff on his cigarette, nodded

"Yes," added Ada up"

"Let ’em," snarled Jack Crow He fixed the Team with a frosty stare "It’s too late for ’ehter, work a little faster, be a little ht Frohoul Felix had previously shot would scream that insane wail and rush hinized hiht It was too late The system worked It worked on zombies or va was too quick Jack’s crossboas too accurate

The only trouble spot ca tired, with some four hours at it by then, and due for a mistake The un during a charge

First he slipped, in that awfully gooey stuff the monsters used for blood It was a clear, viscous, odorlessfrom the wounds onto the ce in it as he spun to shoot the third of the trio, which had rushed screaht toward theht hand went out instinctively to catch himself and it went into another puddle of the junk and the pistol squirted out of his grip like a bar of soap

Jack had already e arrohen it happened He frantically fished for the pistol on his belt Cat did the saed to draw his pistol before Adam, calh the last monster’s chest It dropped likeanother fire while Carl toweled the clinging ed proud grins with the young priest It had been his only chance for action in hours and he had been flawless

They felt good

Nothing else even slowed theoing down into the basement

The detectors said there were no more inside Jack Crow believed the like the third highest nuoing to have to go down there and see for theure out the best way of going about it an olda faded pastor’s collar started across the street toward thenored hiies coot closer, they could tell this was no bigshot The knees to his slacks orn through The lining of his jacket was hanging loose on one side And he looked like he hadn’t shaved that white beard in a week

He began to walk faster and faster as be approached the it in front of hi Jack had stood up to introduce himself, had even stuck out his hand to be shaken, in fact, when the oldthe pipe at his head

Jack half ducked but the pipe still banged hiainst his ear Blood splattered fro in his head and if he’d been alone the old ht have finished him off

But he wasn’t alone The oldhi up Jack’s ear and screa at the local cops for an explanation as to just who in the hell let this crazy old fart in here, anyway?

That’s just Old Vic, they were told

Who?

Old Vic Jennings He’s just a crazy old coot lives down there by the railroad tracks He’s an English, do you?