Read Recovery: V Plague Book 8 for Free Online

emergency
crash bar.  There were five closed doors, three on one side and two on the
other.  A discreet brass number was on each, labeling them one through five. 
Nothing was moving and after a moment Crawford tapped my shoulder.
    Standing, I
pushed the entrance door firmly against the wall, taking a second to peek
through the gap on the hinge side to make sure there wasn’t a surprise waiting
for us.  Seeing it was clear I moved into the hall, staying on the left side,
Crawford to my right and slightly behind me.  We moved to the first door on my
side and repeated the room entry process.
    The room turned
out to be a suite, almost certainly exclusively reserved for high rollers.  The
floor was marble, the counters granite and the fixtures gleaming gold.  The
furniture was substantial and stylish, subdued art on the walls.  I quickly
checked the entire suite while Crawford remained at the open entrance.  He was
only feet away if I needed backup, but an eye needed to be kept on the hall in
case someone or something came out of another door.
    Space
cleared, I rejoined the Colonel and we stepped across to clear the next suite. 
It was as opulent and empty as the first.  Continuing on, we moved down the
hall.  The next suite was clear, then a pair of infected males greeted me when
I opened the door to number 4.  They were both Indians and dressed like casino
workers.  Dropping the rifle to hang on its sling I drew my Kukri and quickly
dispatched them before clearing the rest of the room.
    Suite 5 was
situated at an offset from the others so that when the occupants exited they
weren’t directly across from another door.  I expected this one to be the
largest and most luxurious and I wasn’t surprised when I pushed in.  It took me
slightly longer to check the space as it was nearly twice as large as the
others, but it was empty.
    “Dibs,” I
mumbled to Crawford as I walked past him into the hallway.
    I took a
moment to check the fire door, glad to find it was securely locked as well as
having a stout chain and padlock that would prevent it from being opened.  The
Colonel and I made our way back to the VIP area where Katie, Martinez and Dog
waited for us.  They were behind a long bar, rifles trained in the direction of
the stairs and the exit to the casino floor.
    Behind the
bar was a paneled swinging door that blended well with the surrounding wall. 
It led to a small kitchen.
    “Did you
check it?”  I asked Martinez in a low voice, tilting my head towards the door.
    “Didn’t go
in,” she answered without taking her attention off the area she was responsible
for.  “Just pushed the door open and stuck my head in.  Dog’s keeping an eye on
it.”
    I patted
Dog’s head and shot a look at Crawford.  He nodded and we moved to the door, a
moment later pushing it open as both of us aimed into the room.  It was most
likely there to service the five high roller suites.  This time, with the ladies
at our backs, he followed me in and we cleared the space quickly before
returning to the bar.
    “All good,”
I said in a low voice.  “Just don’t open number four down that hall.  I left a
mess on the floor.”
    “What’s
next?”  Katie asked.
    “We’re going
to get some rest, but first this whole building has to be cleared.  I don’t
know if we accounted for everyone when we got you out, and I’m not about to go
to sleep until I know we’re alone.  After that I want to find a maintenance
closet and get some tools to put that door on the roof back in place.
    “We stay in
pairs.  You and Martinez remain here and make sure no one slips into this area
behind us, or comes down the stairs.  The Colonel and I are going to take Dog
and go clear the building.”
    “Big
building,” Martinez said.  “The power’s on, so why don’t you find the security
office?  I’m betting the cameras are on, and there’s probably not an inch of
floor space in a casino that isn’t covered by video.”
    I