HAYWIRE: A Pandemic Thriller (The F.A.S.T. Series Book 2) Read online

  HAYWIRE

  Shane M Brown

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  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter One

  Justin was having the time of his life.

  The ship was amazing.

  Last night he’d seen a circus. A proper circus with lions and monkeys and clowns. He’d never expected to see a circus on a Pacific Islands cruise.

  Even more incredible was the aquarium.

  The aquarium wove right through the heart of the ship. The grand dining hall offered the best aquarium views, but the atrium was a close second.

  Justin glanced around the atrium now.

  Where is everyone?

  Normally the atrium was bustling at 7am.

  Suits me, he thought. I get the aquarium window all to myself.

  Justin still hadn’t explored the entire aquarium, and he’d been at sea for three days.

  It looked magnificent.

  Passengers could even learn to scuba dive in the aquarium.

  If my birthday fell in March, I could be scuba diving today.

  Justin desperately wanted to earn his scuba ticket, but he wouldn’t turn fifteen until May 20th.

  He’d already passed the medical test back in Portland, but the ship’s policy stated:

  ‘SCUBA TRAINING IS UNAVAILABLE TO GUESTS

  UNDER FIFTEEN YEARS OF AGE.’

  What difference does two months make? he thought bitterly.

  Back in Oregon, Justin only needed his mother’s consent to learn.

  ‘When you’re fifteen,’ his mother promised. ‘I’ll do my refresher course. We’ll dive together.’

  Justin stared into the giant aquarium, disappointed.

  His phone beeped.

  ‘LOW MEMORY’ flashed on the screen.

  How many photos did Mom take last night!

  He thumbed through her photos of him wearing his mask, snorkel and fins in their cabin.

  When she began taking photos, Justin pretended to swim around their cabin in his snorkeling gear. His mom laughed so much she fudged half the photos.

  This morning Justin really wanted to photograph a shark.

  He hadn’t spotted one yet.

  Just colorful fish nibbling coral and occasionally looking back through the glass. They didn’t look concerned about sharks.

  Justin scanned the water. A large shape loomed up before him.

  It hovered in the water column, studying Justin back through the glass.

  A turtle!

  It looked huge and curious, with an expressive face and gentle-looking eyes.

  Justin put his hand on the glass, wishing he could touch the incredible animal.

  With a powerful thrust of its fins, the giant turtle glided away.

  Incredible, thought Justin. Absolutely incredible. This is the best trip ever.

  Erin barely glanced at the cabin numbers as she ran.

  She didn’t need to.

  This was the First Lady of the Sea, the most expensive cruise ship ever to sail the world’s oceans.

  No ship was larger.

  None boasted as many forms of entertainment.

  None lavished as much opulent indulgence upon every guest, every minute of every day.

  The four gold stripes on Erin’s shoulder epaulettes identified her as the Hotel Manager, in charge of everything passenger-related.

  She kept everything running smoothly.

  But right now, things weren’t running smoothly.

  Everything was rapidly going off the rails.

  This was becoming the worst night of her life.

  How can everyone fall sick at the same time?

  It was an absolute nightmare.

  In the last four hours the First Lady of the Sea had turned into a floating hospital.

  Worst of all, she couldn’t find the cause.

  She’d checked everything.

  It’s not food poisoning, water contamination, or a gas leak. What am I missing?

  The norovirus bug had been Erin’s first guess, but the sick passengers didn’t have noro.

  The feverish, confused patients experienced hallucinations, disorientation, rapid loss of coordination and then seizures.

  Violent, barely-controllable seizures.

  Just as many crew as guests had succumbed, and every minute that number grew.

  Is it something new? Erin thought desperately. Something a guest carried onto the ship?

  According to the medical staff, the bird and swine flu combined couldn’t have devastated the ship this quickly. Eleven older guests had died from seizures. The ship’s doctors predicted dozens more.

  The medical staff sounded completely overwhelmed.

  Erin slowed at cabin 630 and straightened her uniform. All senior officers wore white naval-style uniforms. Her tall build and fair hair suited the uniform. Lucky, because she wore it every day.

  Cabin 630 was occupied by her cousin, Charlie, and his new wife, Monica.

  This was their honeymoon suite.

  Erin had purchased the couple this cruise as a wedding present, so when security reported a woman screaming in room 630, Erin had come running.

  She listened at the door, trying to settle her own breathing.

  What’s that sound?

  She heard a muffled thumping sound.

  Certainly no screaming.

  She swiped the lock and heard the ‘click’ of the door unlocking.

  She cracked the door an inch.

  ‘Charlie? It’s Erin. Is everything all right?’

  No one answered.

  She opened the door cautiously.

  The room resembled a hundred other elegantly furnished suites on board the First Lady of the Sea.

  Charlie was standing in stripy blue pajamas, holding up a chair like a lion tamer. He stared at the bathroom door.

  Someone in the bathroom began bashing on the door, making an incredible racket.

  Erin looked around for Monica, Charlie’s new wife.

  Perhaps she’s gone for help. The security staff is as overwhelmed as the medical staff.

  Erin let the door close behind her.

  ‘Charlie, are you okay? Charlie?’

  ‘It’s Monica!’ Charlie blurted. ‘She’s gone crazy. She just flipped out. She’s gone completely berserk.’

  Erin glanced around the room, noticing the overturned nightstand and broken lamp.

  ‘Listen,’ warned Erin. ‘Other guests are complaining. You need to calm her down. And I don’t mean by hitting her with that chair. Why are you arguing?’

  Charlie never took his eyes off the bathroom door.

  ‘We weren’t arguing. She was having a fit on the floor. She was all twisted up in the bed sheets.’

  ‘Is she epileptic?’ asked Erin.

  ‘No. I thought it was a nightmare. I tried to wake her up and she bit my ear. Look. She bit a piece right off!’

  Charlie twisted so Erin could see the chunk of missing earlobe.

  Blood stained Charlie’s left pajam
a sleeve.

  Erin noticed red scratches under his eyes.

  ‘Christ, Charlie. Your face is a mess. Did Monica do all that?’

  Charlie pointed his chair at the bathroom. ‘I went in the bathroom to wash my ear. She followed me. I turned around and she tried to claw my eyes out. She went ballistic. She didn’t even recognize me. I pushed her into the shower and then yanked shut the door.’

  Thump!

  ‘See?’ pointed Charlie. ‘She just keeps hurling herself at the door.’

  ‘Has she spoken?’

  ‘Not a word.’

  ‘Wait,’ Erin pointed at the bathroom door handle. ‘It’s not even locked. Why doesn’t she just open the door?’

  Charlie wiped his watering eyes. ‘It opens inward. She’s trying to bash her way out. I don’t think she can figure out how. She’s too confused.’

  Erin imagined Monica’s precisely manicured fingernails clawing at Charlie’s eyes. She missed what Charlie said next.

  ‘What?’ Erin asked. ‘Did you say she had a fever?’

  ‘She’s boiling hot,’ confirmed Charlie. ‘Like she’s been in an oven. What’s taking the doctor so long? Can’t you do something?’

  Erin stared at the bathroom again, wincing as Monica threw herself at the door. She doubted the door could sustain such punishment for long.

  ‘And this just started?’ Erin asked. ‘She wasn’t feeling sick yesterday or the day before?’

  Charlie thought about it. ‘No, she was completely...wait, do you know why she’s sick?’

  Erin avoided eye contact.

  ‘Erin!’ barked Charlie. ‘Look at me. What do you know?’

  Erin met his eyes. ‘Lots of people are sick, Charlie. We don’t know why. It’s spreading through the entire ship.’

  Objects suddenly rained against the bathroom door like hail. Monica was throwing things now. It sounded like makeup and toiletries.

  ‘What kind of sickness?’ Charlie waved at the door. ‘What can we do? We need to help her!’

  Erin shushed him quiet and then whispered. ‘Listen. She’s stopped.’

  Charlie listened.

  Monica had halted her assault on the door.

  ‘Maybe she passed out,’ Charlie whispered back.

  ‘Did you hear her fall?’

  Charlie shook his head. ‘She’s small. She might have hit her head. We have to help her.’

  Erin wasn’t sure.

  ‘We have to do something,’ insisted Charlie. ‘We need to cool her down. Let’s get her under the cold shower. I’m sure it’s the heat making her crazy.’

  CRACK!

  The bathroom door shuddered on its hinges.

  ‘What’s she got now?’ said Charlie, staring at the door in wonder.

  Erin knew what she had. ‘It’s the sandstone toilet brush holder. She’s going to break through.’

  ‘Let’s wrap her up in a blanket,’ suggested Charlie desperately. ‘Then we’ll drag her into the shower.’

  Erin thought they’d have more luck wrapping an angry mountain lion in tissue paper.

  ‘We’ll have to rush her,’ decided Erin. ‘You tackle her. Pin her down. I’ll tie her hands and then we’ll drag her into the shower. Okay?’

  CRACK!

  Charlie began rummaging through the bedside drawers. ‘She’s got a belt in here. We’ll tie her hands with it.’

  Erin listened to the furious sounds coming from beyond the door. Her plan suddenly seemed ludicrous.

  This won’t work. This is crazy!

  CRACK!

  ‘Forget it, Charlie!’ yelled Erin. ‘Let’s get out–’

  CRASH!

  The bathroom door burst open.

  Monica’s transformation shocked Erin. The delicate, young newlywed was gone. The woman who burst from the bathroom had leaped from a horror movie. Her black, sweat-soaked hair stuck to her neck and shoulders as though painted on one strand at a time.

  Her face shone with psychopathic rage.

  She looked possessed.

  Erin had seen enough.

  She’s insane. She’ll kill us both. We need to get out of here!

  Monica leaped at Charlie.

  Charlie was still kneeling at the drawers.

  He looked up just in time to see Monica swinging the sandstone block down onto his forehead.

  It sounded like a sledgehammer hitting a watermelon. Or a wooden mallet hitting a cooked crab.

  Charlie’s spine compacted as his wife caved in his forehead.

  His body toppled like slaughtered livestock. A silver belt snaked from his fingers.

  Monica lifted the stone over her husband for a second pulverizing blow.

  That’s when Erin reached her.

  Erin tackled Monica sideways, knocking the sandstone from her hands. They hit the bed together and rolled.

  Monica came out on top and instantly grabbed Erin’s throat.

  Erin couldn’t breathe.

  Monica slid forward in her black satin nightie, bringing her full weight down on Erin’s throat.

  She’s strangling me! She’s going to kill me!

  Erin pulled desperately at Monica’s wrists.

  I need to breathe. I need to breathe right now.

  Erin bucked her hips. Monica’s weight lifted for a moment.

  Erin used that moment to tear Monica’s hands away.

  Monica’s fingernails clawed across her throat.

  Erin sucked in a breath - Fwaaaah! - and then rammed her shoulder into Monica’s ribs. The smaller woman crashed sideways off the bed.

  As Monica fell one way, Erin rolled the other.

  On her feet, Erin saw she’d never reach the door in time.

  Monica was already on her feet.

  I need a weapon!

  Erin scanned the bedside table, the writing desk, even the floor.

  Nothing! There’s nothing!

  It was too late anyway.

  Erin was trapped in the corner.

  Monica came scrambling across the bed, wild-eyed and teeth bared.

  Erin grabbed the only object within reach.

  She swung with all her strength.

  The laptop struck Monica’s temple with a resounding Crack!

  Monica dropped like a charging predator felled at the last moment.

  Erin lifted the laptop above her head, ready to slam it down again if Monica even twitched.

  When Monica didn’t move, Erin raced around to Charlie.

  Oh, God no....

  The depression in Charlie’s skull overflowed with blood.

  Erin searched his wrist and then his neck for a pulse.

  No pulse.

  Her cousin was dead.

  Erin slumped back against the bed, staring in disbelief at her younger cousin.

  After a moment, she carefully covered Charlie’s body with the bed sheet.

  A voice sounded from the radio clipped to her belt. Erin recognized her security manager’s voice.

  ‘Erin! Where are you? For Christ’s sake, we need help!’

  Erin lifted her radio in a daze. Her own voice sounded strange. ‘What is it?’

  ‘Erin, you’re not going to believe this, but we’ve got people killing each other. It’s happening all over the ship!’

  ...thump...thump...thump...

  Amy woke to the annoying sound.

  Oh, God - why did I drink so much? Why do I keep doing this?

  She pushed herself up on one elbow.

  Where’s that stupid noise coming from?

  The bathroom. She could hear the shower running. Wisps of steam curled around the door.

  ...thump...thump...thump...

  The sound repeated over and over, like a blanket stuck in a washing machine.

  Are the girls washing clothes in the shower?

  The whole idea of paying for a cruise was to relax.

  She threw a pillow at the bathroom door. ‘Shut up in there. I need more sleep!’

  The thumping stopped.

 
Then started again.

  ...thump...thump...thump...

  Sharing a four-berth cabin kept the price low, but Amy decided it wasn’t worth it.

  Living in each other’s pockets sucked. She would rather have stayed home this time.

  This seals it, she thought. This is the last trip I’m taking with the girls.

  Next year she’d be married and (fingers crossed) pregnant. She’d have an excuse to skip the next trip.

  Amy listened to the noise again. It sounded like nothing she’d ever heard before. Across the cabin, the two empty bunks meant that either Shelley or Amanda was making the racket.

  Last night Shelley had felt sick.

  She’d come back to the cabin to lie down.

  Amy kicked the bunk above her. ‘Kim, you awake?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘What’s that noise?’

  ‘Who cares? Go back to sleep.’

  ‘What are they doing in there?’

  ‘Just tell them to shut up.’

  ‘Hey!’ Amy yelled toward the bathroom. ‘People are still trying to sleep in here!’

  The noise paused for a moment and then started again.

  Amy rolled over and put her head under her pillow. The sound easily penetrated.

  ...thump...thump...thump...

  She rolled over and grabbed her watch. It’s not even 7am. For Christ’s sake!

  She got up, walked over, and shoved open the bathroom door. ‘What are you guys doing in here?’

  Amy peered through the foggy bathroom, barely believing her own eyes.

  Amanda lay naked in the bottom of the shower.

  Shelley squatted over her, still dressed in her clothes from last night.

  The thumping sound was Shelley bashing open Amanda’s head with her aluminum toiletries case. Amanda’s thin body lay motionless in the shower enclosure.

  The shower pelted steaming hot water over them both, washing Amanda’s blood down the drain.

  Amy dropped her watch.

  Clank.

  Shelley stopped instantly.

  She looked up and locked her mad eyes on Amy.

  One second Shelley was kneeling, and the next she was running toward Amy.