Arcadia (Book 1): Damn The Dead (28 page)

“Dunno,” was all John could say.

“X-ray, get TSG running,” Spence called up. “We’ve got an armed suspect unaccounted for.”

The Territorial Support Group was a unit specifically trained to deal with violent people. Pretty much all they did was drive around in carriers, waiting for something to kick off.

“Go check next door,” John told Spence. “There’s a trail of blood leading into the house. There’s possibly another victim inside.”

“Okay,” Spence replied, running across the lawn, with Danny behind him.

“And be careful,” John shouted after him.

“Three One Two, what have you got?” The radio said. It was the Skipper again, demanding an update.

John didn’t respond. At the end of the hallway, from a door to the right, a man stepped into view, his face and hands drenched in blood.

“Get on the ground. Now!” John shouted at him, brandishing his baton.

Raj didn’t respond. He simply stared back with an empty gaze for a few seconds. Then his lips curled in a snarl and he took a step forward.

“Get back. Get down on the ground. I don’t want to have to hurt you,” John said now, trying to reason with him.

Blood and drool dripped from the clearly insane man’s chin, as he now looked at the woman on the floor.

“Drag her out,” John told Sheena. “Quick.”

As John crouched to grab the possibly dead woman’s arm, Sheena sprayed her CS, aiming it down the hall at where Raj was stood. The canister’s nozzle had become twisted however, and the jet of liquid went in almost completely the other direction, hitting John square in the face.

“For fuck’s sake, you got me,” he yelled, already beginning to cough and squinting his eyes.

Half-blind, he fumbled for the injured woman’s arm, grabbed it, took hold of Sheena, and pulled them both backwards out of the house. He then slammed the door shut between them and the crazed man inside. Another police car was just arriving in the road.

“Oh shit, oh shit,” John panted and coughed, trying his best to compose himself.

“I think she’s dead,” Sheena said, looking up at him for advice.

“You’d better start CPR anyway,” he told her. “At least until LAS get here.”

Kneeling in the blood-soaked grass, Sheena tilted the flaccid woman’s head back and opened her mouth. Just then, Kate’s eyes opened and she stared up at the female officer.

“She’s alive,” Sheena cried, startled but extremely grateful.

“What’s happening, mate?” asked the lone police officer, getting out of the newly arrived car.

It was Jack, Sheena saw with an element of relief. He was a six foot five great lump of a man. Just the copper you wanted at your side when it all went pear-shaped.

People were emerging from the houses all along the street now, eager to see what all the drama was about.

“Get back in your houses,” John shouted as best he could at them. They ignored him. “Please, for your own safety, go back inside. We’ve got things under control.”

As he was saying this, there was a scream from inside number seven.

“Get back! Get back!” Danny could be heard shouting.

“Are you alright here with her?” Jack asked Sheena.

John, beside her, stunk of CS gas and was doubled over, practically bringing up his lungs. He wouldn’t be any use to anyone for the next few minutes.

“Yeah, go,” Sheena told the tall officer.

Jack ran over to the door of number seven, booted it open, and disappeared inside with his baton held ready.

“More units,” John choked out the words into his radio, his eyes streaming so badly he couldn’t see a thing now. “X-ray, we need more units.”

“John, I need an update,” the Skipper responded back.

“It’s okay. You’re going to be alright,” Sheena tried to convince the woman she was now cradling in her lap.

The injured Kate lifted her head slightly, enabling her to stare down at the mess of torn flesh and exposed ribs where her breasts had so recently been. The pain she was in was clearly evident from the agonised expression on her face. Despite this though, Sheena noticed that the woman’s breathing wasn’t laboured.

“What the hell?” Sheena murmured to herself, as she realised now that what was left of the woman’s chest wasn’t even rising and falling at all.

She stooped even lower, in order to place her ear just above the injured woman’s mouth and nose. Nothing. The woman wasn’t breathing. So how could she possibly have regained consciousness, Sheena wondered, her face knotted in confusion.

Kate, her own expression still one of raging pain, reached up with a sudden strike and grabbed Sheena by the back of her neck. Though the officer tried to fight her, her strength was no match and the woman dragged her down, mauling her neck with bite after bite.

In Raj, the foreign amoeboid cells had taken hours to assimilate his body fully, but in doing so, they had adapted. In Kate, their second human host, they had taken only minutes to perform the same feat. And now, just as Raj had, the woman craved raw meat with an uncontrollable hunger, her body desperately attempting to rebuild itself while the attacking alien cells killed off the majority of the tissue they came into contact with.

With her larynx crushed, Sheena wasn’t even able to scream, as her throat erupted in an arcing plume of hot blood. Her eyes fixed in disbelief, she slumped forward, her face resting with a splat in the other woman’s open chest cavity. Kate’s face lost its expression of agony for a moment and instead became one of satisfied lust, as she greedily drank the torrent of blood that spewed into her mouth.

So silent and ferocious had the attack been, that John, sat beside them, the heels of his palms pressed into his eyes and snot oozing from his nostrils, was completely oblivious to what had happened.

“How’s she doing, Sheena?” he asked, still coughing pathetically. “Sheena?”

There was a frenzied banging on the door of number nine now, as the crazed Raj beat it with a strength he would not normally have possessed, causing it to rattle violently in its frame.

The ambulance arrived now, its crew simply abandoning their vehicle, blocking the road, along with the three police cars. Their eyes were immediately drawn to the scene of carnage on the front lawn. The men couldn’t believe what they were seeing. The woman lying on her back, whose grievous chest wound should have left her dead, was frenziedly gnawing on the neck of the female police officer slumped over her.

As they ran over, the male officer, who had been rubbing his eyes, managed to open them and saw his partner’s blank, dead face looking back at him. Deeply disturbed at the sight of the other woman eating her, he began to drag himself away, in an uncoordinated thrashing of arms and legs.

The paramedics simply stood where they were, not knowing how to respond. They were not trained for this. They had two seriously injured casualties, but how could they even begin to treat them when one was eating the other?

It was then that the already ajar door of the house next door fully opened and out strode three more police officers.

“Hey, get over here. Quick,” Shouted one of the paramedics at the men. “Your colleague needs your help.”

The coppers looked over and responded, clambering over the partition hedge.

“Sheena’s dead,” John blurted out at the other men, still not able to believe it himself. “That crazy bitch is eating her.”

Spence, Danny, and Jack, made their way over and simply stood, watching the injured woman feed. The residents of the houses all around were continuing to emerge into the street, slowly drawing daringly nearer, with murmurs between them of disbelief.

“Spence, you prick,” John shouted angrily, stunned by his colleague’s apathetic reaction. “Drag her off.”

Spence turned to look at him now, a terrible hunger in his eyes, baring his teeth.

“Spence? What the f...?”

Spence’s attack was both sudden and devastating. John’s adrenaline levels were already dangerously high, and having seen the savage look in Spence’s eyes, he made an effort to defend himself, as the man fell on him. He instinctively knew he was fighting for his life and didn’t hold back, jabbing both thumbs deep into his fellow officer’s eyes. Though Spence roared with pain, as the delicate balls of gelatine burst free of their sockets, his attack didn’t lose momentum for even a heartbeat.

As the paramedics simultaneously turned and ran in panic for the safety of their ambulance, Danny and Jack reacted, sprinting after them, bringing them down well short of them reaching the vehicl
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Sudden Death is available from Amazon
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Praise for BLOOD RIVER

“I finished Blood River in one reading. It was a cinematic ride that I didn’t want to stop!” –Allen Gamboa, author of Dead Island: Operation Zulu

“Blood River is a thrilling blast of cryptozoological fun, a wild ride down tropical rivers in pursuit of a terrifying legend. It will leave you hungry for the next catch!” –David Sakmyster, author of The Pharaohs Objective and Jurassic Dead

“Tomasso takes you on a wild jungle ride where secrets are revealed and Stone is forced to fight for his life. I think anyone who enjoys life threatening suspense with no conceivable way out will appreciate this story.”– Cellar Door Lit Rants & Reviews

“I have enjoyed … a number of Phillip Tomasso books and can always count on him to deliver a good balance of developed characters, engaging story lines and gore. Blood River was no exception. Tomasso crafts a story that reels the reader in and never unhooks … this was an incredibly enjoyable read that I highly recommend.” –H.E. Goodhue, author of Tidal Grave and Pink Slime

“Author Phillip Tomasso has crafted a taught thriller that reels you in until the last page of the book.” –Briar Lee Mitchell, author of Big Ass Shark

“A jungle adventure by way of a fishing show in search of a mysterious lake creature intent on devouring the local natives. This book has it all and more, but the best thing about it, the thing that makes you keep turning the pages…THE PACE! The pace is incredible, out of the frying pan, and into the fire. There’s no lack of danger for these characters! I loved it.” –Michael Clary, author of The Guardian Interviews

Praise For The Vaccination Trilogy

VACCINATION - EVACUATION - PRESERVATION

“I loved this book because of the concept; zombies didn't just appear after somebody woke up in a hospital bed! The group of survivors were believable, and I loved the fact that they weren't perfect. Highly recommended.” – D.A. Wearmouth, bestselling author of First Activation

“VACCINATION is a thrill a minute. Narrated in a gritty noir voice, Phillip Tomasso drags you into a zombie outbreak face first and doesn’t let you go until you’ve ripped your fingernails off clawing for help. Smart, intense and damn right frightening, VACCINATION is a must for any zombie fan.”– Max Booth III, author of Toxicity

“It’s hard not to get emotionally attached to the small group of survivors and root for them despite their personal flaws. It’s pretty much impossible to describe the end without giving away too much. I’ll just say that it was a great twist. Whether you are new to zombie fiction or have been a fan for years, I’d tell you to check this one out. It’s a great read.” – Ian McLellan, Zombie-Guide.com

“Tomasso created a Zombie book that seems all too possible! This book kept me wired tight from the beginning until the very end. If you like awesome adventure, and vivid storytelling, then you will LOVE Vaccination! 5 BIG Stars!” – Cedric Nye, author of The Road to Hell is Paved with Zombies

“There's a bit of a cliff hanger at the end of the book, which left me wanting more. I'm anxiously awaiting the publication of the second book. If you're looking for a great zombie book, then I highly recommend you grab a copy of Vaccination. Props to Phillip Tomasso for writing this fantastic zombie novel!” – J. Cornnell Michels, author of Jordan’s Brains

“Tomasso explores a humanity left dormant in the infected with graceful elegance. While we get glimpses into that unexpected possibility throughout the book, I would have loved digging deeper down that rabbit hole and see what he would have gifted us with. Simply put, however, VACCINATION is on fire!” — The Bookie Monster

“Evacuation is a great read. A taut thriller of a zombie book that is wonderfully violent while continuing a great story about a guy who is simply trying to keep his kids safe during the absolute worst of times. It is fast paced and full of action, but also contains a few scenes that are gut-wrenching to go along with all of the gore and tension.” Ian McClellan, Zombie-Guide Magazine

“Tomasso is a warmhearted writer with an edge. Evacuation is as much emotional and compassionate, as it is horrific and ruthless . . . Evacuation ends in such a way that readers are left with no other option than to read the final installment. It left me with a buildup of anticipation, and questions that must be answered.” Shana Festa, The Bookie-Monster Review

“This book was better than the first. While it was still fast paced and zombie filled, it was also filled with many emotions, not only felt by the characters in the book but by you the reader. The author made you feel scared, nervous, [it made you] want to scream you were so mad, and the ending was filled with sadness and left you crying and waiting to find out what happens next . This book brought you even closer to the main characters.” MLP, Amazon

“A very entertaining zombie story. The interrelationships between characters are surprisingly deep with an unanticipated moral theme that gives this book a deeper and more moving character than most. Very well written engrossing and moving. If you are thinking about reading it I say go ahead.” LGreen, Amazon

“Phillip Tomasso is one of my favorite writers & this book certainly didn't disappoint . . . If you're looking for a really excellent ZA book, then read this series. I promise you won't regret it! I’m waiting impatiently for the sequel!” ZAreader, Amazon

“OMG loved this book. Can't wait for the next one. Makes you think if we could all stick together if something like this was to happen. Thanks for writing these books. Please keep writing.” Amanda Simmons, Amazon

“A great spin on the tried-and-true zombie tale with non-stop action. I couldn't put it down! Can't wait for the 3rd book!” Tony Bartosiewicz, Amazon

“Very fun series to read. I'm a firefighter and paramedic so to see this group is fun, can't wait for the last one to come out!” Roam, Amazon 

Praise for Phillip Tomasso

“This is different … confident, addictive storytelling, great characters, and an intriguing plot. You’ll read it fast but remember it for a long time. ” —Lee Child, bestselling author of One Shot and the Jack Reacher series

“(Tomasso) takes the standard fare of the private investigator genre and adds twists and turns to make it anything but standard. Tomasso’s writing is crisp and clear … thoroughly enjoyable.” —Joseph Nassise, author of Internal Games and King of the Dead

“Phillip Tomasso understands what drives people who live on the edge. His characters are three-dimensional and they engage your sympathy and your anger. . .”— William Meikle, author of Night of the Wendigo and The Midnight Eye Files

“I have a selection of authors that I turn to when I need a break from Fantasy and Phillip Tomasso has just become one of them.” —The Eternal Night Magazine

“Phillip Tomasso breathes new life into an old genre – an EXCELLENT read!” —M. R. Sellers, Author of In the Bleak Midwinter and Never Burn a Witch

“Tomasso weaves a fantastic tale of supernatural proportions in Third Ring. This book keeps you at the edge of your seat, makes you question what you really believe, and entertains, all at the same time. I enjoyed reading this novel because it had just the right amount of characterization to make me feel like I know Tartaglia (the protagonist) but not so much that it took away from the plot.” —John Mirak, Jr., author of Time Stand Still and Soft Case

“Tomasso has a hit with his Nick Tartaglia series. His writing is real and flows just the way a detective novel should … THIRD RING is a frightening ride, full of twists and turns. But when the ride is over, all you want to do is buy another ticket and go again.” —Nancy Mehl, author of Unbreakable and Inescapable

“ . . . This guy is GOOD! . . . The characters are terrific and I can’t think of anything better on a cold winter’s night than another Phillip Tomasso novel . . . Well done!” —Thom Racina, best-selling author of Hidden Agenda, Secret Weekend and Deadly Games

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“Phillip Tomasso’s supernatural tale develops three-dimensional characters for a different style of detective series … where the unexpected prevails.” —N.B. Leake, Write Time Write Place

“Fast-paced and deftly told—Tomasso knows his craft.” —Olivia Boler, author of Year of the Smoke Girl and The Flower Bowl Spell

“…I look forward to more by this talented author in the future.” —Tracy Farnsworth, The Romance Readers Connection.com