Man Eaters Read Online Free Page A

man eaters. We all saw that.”
    Roper shook her head. “Whoa. Wait. You’re saying they’ll what? Just up and walk out of the bay?”
    “They don’t need oxygen. They’re dead. So water doesn’t really change anything for them.”
    “So they’re going to just walk out and start attacking more people?”
    Einstein dug the toe of his sneakers into the gravel before answering. “The mass of the horde grows exponentially with each populated area they pass through.”
    “Oakland.”
    “And Berkeley.”
    “And Alameda.”
    “Shit.” Roper paused a second to listen. “Do you hear that?”
    The other two listened. “What? I don’t hear anything.”
    She nodded. “Exactly. Where are the cars? Where are the sounds of life? We need to get out of here.”
    “Wait. No cell phone use, but the news is reporting it.” Einstein held out his cell phone and started watching the local news. “This will probably be the last real newscast we get. In all of the zombie and virus movies I’ve seen, the government has to shut them down for fear of panic.”
    All three crowded around the tiny device.
    “Oh god...”
    The disheveled newscaster was being force-fed paper after paper and she couldn’t keep up. Before she could read the first one, the emergency warning sounded and the red ticker tape crept across the bottom of the screen warning everyone to stay inside their homes.
    “Terrorist attack?” Dallas asked as she read the tape’s explanation.
    “Shh.”
    The ticker tape warned everyone of a poisonous gas released on the bridge and that everyone—everyone—needed to stay indoors until further notice. If you were home, stay home, and only allow military medical personnel into your home. If you were not home, return home as soon as possible. It appeared that Marshall Law was going to be announced and go into effect at dusk.
    The buzzer continued sounding for another ten seconds before returning the stage to the newscaster, who read the warnings:
    “The United States is under attack in several major cities from a toxic gas leveled at them from an as-of-yet unknown terrorist cell. This bioweapon causes a violent reaction in those who breathe it in. If you come in contact with the infected, do not attempt to engage or help. The virus is transmitted through bites, much like rabies. Do not try to help or subdue the victims. Do not try to cure them or allow them into your homes.”
    The ticker tape came across the bottom of the screen, naming the ten cities that had been infected. Before they could read the ten names, there was the sound of a chopper overhead.
    “Come on!” Dallas pushed the Harley up against the building, and they all tried several doors before opening a service door. Once in, they closed the door and looked at each other.
    Dallas walked over to them as the chopper sound was replaced by the now familiar sound of bullets hitting things. “Get down!”
    All three dove for cover.
    “They’re not shooting at us,” Roper said.
    “No, but they’re shooting at something, and that’s never a good thing.”
    Einstein scooted closer. “They don’t want to take any chances. They’ll kill everyone who is in the general vicinity. They’ll kill everyone who is outside. They have to.”
    “Who?”
    “The military. It will be their job to contain this...virus.” Einstein sounded dubious.
    “Then how do we get out of here?” Roper asked.
    “The Harley. I live in Berkeley.”
    Roper’s eyebrows rose. “Going to Berkeley is a bad idea.”
    Einstein nodded. “The infection, or whatever it is, is already on its way there. This stuff spreads like wildfire. Cities are the restaurants of the undead, to be avoided at all cost.”
    Dallas rose and brushed off her chaps. She put her hands out to help Roper up. “Until we know otherwise, I say we consider Einstein an expert on all things zombie and let him take the lead.”
    Roper brushed herself off and turned to him. “Agreed. I have to say, I’m just a