“Outside in the pen, ready.”
“Then let us begin.”
Her eyes glowed with enthusiasm and she reached up to adjust her hood, scratching at her cheek, before turning to the others and calling out for them to attend us. I followed her towards the rear entrance, her workers setting down their tools and joining us.
Outside, the gravel-covered yard was surrounded by a high wooden fence. Beside which were hundreds of wooden pallets. I’d no doubt there had been more at one point, but some enterprising soul in the town had been taking them to break up for their fires.
As a result, there was a wide open space in the centre in which another shipping container sat. Just visible above the fence behind it was the crane they had used to put it there. I moved over to it, ignoring the falling rain as I inspected it.
Gregg, following behind, scratched at his head as he stared at it. “Okay, mate, I don’t get it.”
The front doors had been removed and the rear wall, leaving a rectangular tunnel of sorts. Holes had been cut into the sides at several points in seemingly random patterns. I flashed him a grin and nodded at the lead worker minion.
She clapped her hands and her crew began lifting some of the piled steel parts that had lain unnoticed beside the door. Gregg watched in fascination as they ran in and began slotting them into the holes and fixing them in place.
His eye widened as he watched what was happening and my grin widened. Once the minions were done, I walked across to stand at one of the open ends, allowing me to stare through the rear of the container.
Steel rods crisscrossed the interior, each of them with a spiral of metal teeth running down the length of it. Like some ancient beasts teeth, they stood out from the steel, sharp and lethal looking. Gears had been fitted to the outside and oiled chains strung across them, connecting them together.
On the side, a motor was added and a minion stood beside it, waiting. I nodded towards the lead worker and she raised her hands, clapping once more. Opposite us, several pallets were removed revealing a rough wooden cage filled with the undead.
“What the hell!”
“Be calm,” I said as I reached out and grabbed Gregg’s arm, preventing him from moving.
From where we stood, we were looking directly at the zombies. They were Shamblers, a dozen in number and left over from the invasion. Shortly after my return, Charlie had discovered a small group with her drone. They were wandering lost on the far side of the island in the hills and valleys.
Even then I had seen the merit of having them close to hand, a germ on an idea forming and I knew I would have a use for them.
“Release them,” I called and the gate was opened.
The first of the zombies stumbled out, head turning this way and that as it sought its prey. I lifted my hands and clapped, once, then twice. The creature heard and took several steps towards me, its foul brethren following.
I clapped again.
Slowly, they moved towards the opening of the container and I nodded to the minion beside the engine. He flipped the switch and slowly, with the sound of metal grinding on metal, those steel rods began to turn.
“Oh hell!” Gregg whispered as he realised what was about to happen.
The zombies didn’t need any encouragement. The noise was enough to set them to stumbling ahead, sure that prey was close. A moan rose from the throat of the first that was silenced as it stepped into the meat grinder.
Blood sprayed into the air in a mist, foul and black though it may be. Bloody gobbets of flesh were flung about and the creature's limbs were thrown clear. Then the next zombie stepped into it.
A chuckle escaped me as one after another of the zombies marched straight into the grinder. Those steel teeth making short work of their rotted flesh. They were dismembered, torn apart, destroyed utterly.
“I feel sick,” Gregg said quietly.
“Why?”
“There’s something wrong about that, mate. There just is.”
I shrugged. It was efficient and, it seemed, successful at what I required of it. I nodded towards the lead worker minion who stood up a little straighter, proud of her work.
“Well done,” I said to her as the engine was shut off.
“Thank you, My Lord Death.”
“How many are ready?”
“We have parts enough for four and the casings have been readied.”
“Good. Get them loaded on the ship and make sure there are spare parts with them.”
“As you command.”
“You have someone here you can trust to continue the work?”
Her brows drew down behind her hood and there was a flash of confusion in her eyes but she saluted with a fist to breast and nodded. “Yes, My Lord Death.”
“Good. Have them take over. You’ll be leaving with me in a couple of days. Bring a couple of assistants but I want to make sure those are working when we need them.”
“Yes, My Lord Death.”
She stood straight once more, no doubt honoured that I was taking her with me to the island. She spun about and set off to give out orders.
“You’re taking them with us?”
“Yes,” I said with a smile.
“What are you planning?”
“Why, the slaughter of all the undead on that island,” I replied with a grin.
Chapter 6
I was tired and emotionally wrung out by the time Evie left to go about her business and there was still a great deal of work to be done that day. It was going to be another long one with me stumbling into bed long after everyone else.
Not that I had much choice and it was my own damned fault for taking over the island anyway. I leant my head back against the cool leather of the chair and waited for the first appointment of the day. My stomach rumbled loudly.
“My Lady,” Lisa said softly as she held out a bag of dried fish.
“Thanks,” I said as I took a piece. She nodded and placed the bag on the desk before me. “Didn’t have time for breakfast.”
Lisa tapped one of the bodyguards on the shoulder and he dashed off. I watched him go, with a bemused expression on my face. A minute after he slipped out of the council chamber, the doors opened once more and two people walked in.
A squad of CDF soldiers flanked them and I waved them back as they stopped and came to full attention. They moved back to stand beside the door, hands on the hilts of their weapons and expressions hard as I studied the two guests.
The man was tall, six foot or more easily. He had the build of a wrestler and the brutish look of a fighter. His nose had been broken more than once and not set properly at least one of those times. His beard though was well tended and his hair kept short. A tactical decision and not fashion, I guessed.
He crossed his arms over a barrel chest and studied me with the same intensity as I looked at his companion.
Shorter of stature with red hair tied up in a ponytail. She was quiet, demure even, and I suspected, utterly lethal. She was clearly fit and carried herself like a soldier. From what I had been told, she favoured a sniper rifle and was skilled with it.
“So, you be the leader here, eh?”
“I am,” I said with a quiet smile of my own for him. “And you are Isaac. The man who abducted my partner.”
“Aye, that I did. Your man said you’d not hold it against us.”
“He might not, but he’s not like the rest of us.”
“True enough.”
He paused and looked back as the door opened. The acolyte who had left earlier had returned and with a bowl of porridge to boot. It steamed gently as he ran forward and placed it on the desk before me.
“Thank you,” I said with a smile that made the corners of his eyes crinkle in what I assumed was due to a smile hidden beneath the hood he wore. He saluted and returned to his place, but not before casting a dark look at the two people.
“Didn’t mean to bother your breakfast,” Isaac said, with a touch of humour. “Can come back later if you like.”
“I think not. We shall be done with this now.”
“So, it’s like that is it? I can see your boys in black giving us the hard look. So be it, do as you must but let my people go. They did nothing wrong.”
Erin, the red-headed sniper merely stared at me. It seemed they were both ready to die if that was to be my decision. I shook my head at that. It was such a foolish idea.
“We are not in the business of murdering people.”
“Tell that to them lot,” he said with a nod towards my bodyguards.
I glanced at them and saw what he did. They certainly looked very fierce and they all had their hands on their knives as they stared at the two people. I wasn’t sure if it was because they were in bodyguard mode or pissed that these were the people that had abducted their beloved leader.
“Ryan,” I said loudly. “Has no problem with you. His followers won’t either.”
Lisa pressed her fist gently against her breast and I could feel her humour, even with the mask she wore.
“Aye, well, be that as it may, you’ve had us locked up for weeks now.”
“It has been a busy time.”
“We did what we had to. It was that or die, our families too. I’ll not apologise for what I did.”
“No one is asking you to.” He blinked at that, confusion crossing his face for a moment. “I have an offer for you.”
“An offer?”
“I understand that you were mercenaries. Can I assume that you were good at your job?”
“Aye, that we are.”
“And you want a place of safety for your families?”
“That we do.”
“You will have it either way. I will not deny safety to anyone willing to live here and work towards rebuilding the world.”
“What’s your offer then?”
“A chance to redeem yourself. Not just to us, but to yourselves too.”
“You think we need to do that?”
I stared at him for a moment and I smiled, a little sadly, at what I saw.
“Yes. I think you do.”
He scratched at his chin and shared a look with his companion before looking back at me. I swallowed a spoonful of the porridge. It was hot and sweet and tasted quite delicious.
“Aye. What do you offer then?”
“You came here the first time to abduct, Ryan. I want you to leave here to protect him.”
“What?”
“My Lady,” Lisa said, her voice low and full of anger. I held up a hand.
“The Dead will give their lives to protect him. I know that. But I know Ryan too.” I looked directly at Lisa. “He is your leader and his word is law. Do you deny this?”
“No.”
“If he gave you a direct order, would you refuse it?”
“No.”
I offered her a smile to take the sting from my words.
“He is a stubborn and willful man. He will put himself in danger because he enjoys the chaos and because he is stupidly brave at times. I know the Dead will do all they can to protect him but I need someone to protect him from himself, which I will not be there to do.”
“We understand, My Lady.”
There was honest sincerity in her words and I hoped I was right. I didn’t want to upset her or her people but at the same time, I didn’t want to lose Ryan. He needed someone around that he couldn’t command.
“Do you?” I asked Isaac.
“Aye. I don’t know him as well as you do, but I know enough. I think I see what you’re wanting.”
“Then will you do this? Will you travel with him to the Isle of Man and make sure he comes home to me?”
He cocked his head to the side, scratching at his beard once more.
“What makes you think you can trust me?”
“I don’t but Ryan does. If he didn’t, you’d be dead. If there was any thought that you were a threat to me or the people of this island. You would have never made it here.”
“Besides,” I added with a warmer smile. “You’ve abducted him once before and I can trust you’ll be able to do it again should the need arise.”
His great, booming, laughter filled the room and even the quiet woman beside him smiled. He grinned, showing straight white teeth and inclined his head towards me.
“You have a deal, lass. I’ll keep your boy safe and bring him home.”
“Thank you. Please be assured that your people will be safe and welcome no matter the outcome.”
“Oh, aye. I have no doubt. You’re a different bunch to those Genpact arseholes, true enough.”
I hesitated then. I had a lot of work to do and the admiral’s staff had spent the better part of two weeks learning all they could about this Genpact group. Still, I had questions of my own that I wanted answered.
“What were they like?”
“Genpact? They were alright if you did as they wanted. They didn’t put stock in much but their intelligence. If you weren’t a scientist or great thinker, you weren’t worth as much to them.”
“And they did this to the world?” I gestured with my hand to encompass everything, from the zombies to the devastation and the thousands of refugees who had lost everything. “Why?”
“Best as we could figure it, they thought they knew better. They looked around at the world and figured it was a mess and people were more interested in celebrities, sports and social media than in actually doing anything to save the world. So, they figured they should do it themselves.”
“By killing everyone?”
“Aye. You see, in their mind, they looked at the whole thing and saw that people were the biggest problem. But there were also too many of them to actually fix the problem so it was better to start anew.”
That sounded more like something Ryan would have come up with than any rational person would have. It told me a great deal about the types of people we would be facing.
“They’ll come for us, then, won’t they?”
“Aye, lass. That they will.”
“How?”
Isaac scratched at his chin and scowled at the floor as he thought.
“Won’t be with soldiers. They have some merc troops, but not enough to take you on.” He looked at Erin who nodded once at him, some unspoken message passing between them. “Will be sneaky, no doubt about that.”
“Sneaky?”
“Aye. Set extra guards on food and water facilities. Watch for signs of trouble among the people out there. They’ll send agents in to get the lay of the land and stir up trouble. A divided people will be easy to destroy.”
“You’ve told all of this to the admiral?”
“Aye.”
“Thank you.”
“Nae problem, lass.”
The CDF soldiers escorted them out and I stared at my cooling bowl of porridge for a long time as I considered their words.
Chapter 7
Behind the sports centre that we had made our home, there was a running track and an open area of grass. Like much of the rest of the island it had not been well tended and the grass was overgrown and full of weeds. That didn’t stop the children playing there.
After the defence of the island by my minions, it seemed that a great many of the islands residents considered them to be protectors. They’d lost their fear and, with the absence of the vast majority of the CDF, they had begun actively encouraging the children to play close to the sports centre as they considered it the safest place.
Samuel, being the man that he was, had encouraged this and ensured that even in his absence, there would be a handful or minions placed around the edges of the track to ensure those children were kept entirely safe.
Since I had no real issue with children. I even liked some of them. I had not bothered countermanding that order. Which was why I found myself, leaning back on the wooden bleachers and watching the children play in the light afternoon rain.
My idea had seemingly worked quite well and I was ready to test those meat grinders out on the zombie population
of the Isle of Man. Unfortunately, it would still be a couple of days and there was the issue of transporting them.
Clearly, they could not just be picked up and carried around. A crane had been used to get them into the workshop and trucks would be needed to transport them to the boats. Once aboard, it would be easy to move them across the Irish Sea, but they would still need offloading and transporting once there.
That would require a crane, several flatbed trucks and likely some ramps. Since we couldn’t be lifting them on and off the trucks every five minutes, we either had to make them mobile or resign ourselves to using them infrequently.
It was an irritant that I had two days to resolve.
“My Lord Death.”
“Take a seat, Samuel,” I said without bothering to look around. “You’re early.”
“We worked through the night.”
Samuel seated himself wearily and I glanced his way. His hair still stuck up like he’d been electrocuted and his eyes had the wild, half-crazed look I had seen when we had first met. His black leather jacket and jeans were worn and dirty from travel and his boots were caked in mud.
“How did it go at the bunker?”
“Well, my lord. We managed to empty the stores but the servers, as you suspected, had been destroyed.”
“Any losses?”
“Three of the newest recruits. The bunker had quite a number of the Scourge, fresh and eager for our flesh.”
“Yeah, that was probably my fault. I killed them all just a few weeks ago.”
“As you say.”
He rested his elbows on the seat behind and leant back, letting the rain fall on his face. The four black-garbed guards stayed a suitable distance away to give us space to speak. Not that it mattered. They wouldn’t repeat anything we said anyway.
A drone flew past overhead, the quad propellers whirring noisily as it did a circuit of the field before heading over the small copse of trees just beyond. There were few such patches of trees on the island and Lily refused to let them be cut down, despite the obvious security issue they created.
As such, my minions made regular searches of those trees to ensure we weren’t surprised by anything or anyone.
“Six more people requested to join this morning.”
Killing The Dead (Book 16): Infected Page 4