by L J C Fynn
“I only need you to make those boys like Teeka. Nothing more, nothing less.” I walked away from her. I didn’t have time to argue. I had plans to set in motion.
***
Captain actually half-listened to me. He was going to let me go out with the others tonight. I dressed in the clothes provided for me by Alexia—puncture proof cargo pants, and a long sleeve black shirt. Alexia even braided my blonde hair off my face. She tried to convince me to cut it the other week, saying the length would get in the way of a fight. My hair was the last thing I have left of my choice, I wasn’t ready to lose its length.
There were nine of us going out tonight, meeting in the same gym where I killed the infected girl last night. I forced myself not to look into the fenced ring; instead, I looked at the black bags sitting by the door. Each bag contained its own arsenal of weapons, ranging from knives to full out pistols. My heart dropped, there were only eight of them. I turned around when the other eight fighters filled the gym.
One of the fighters was a smiling Rhea. “Captain wants you to stick close to me tonight.”
“I don’t understand.” I was by far a better fighter than her. I don’t understand why Captain would want me to follow her.
She leaned in close and threw her arms around me. I don’t do hugs ever. I tried to take a step back, but her arms were too tight. “I asked him to let me show you around New Paris. It has changed a lot in the last few years and you are going to need me.” She hugged me even tighter, and pulled me to her, ending with her lips directly on my ear. She spoke so softly if I wasn’t hanging on to all her words, I could have easily misheard her. “I heard you yesterday, and please don’t make me regret this. I will take you to your father’s house.”
She let me go and I stepped back away from her. “Okay.”
If it were possible, her smile grew. “Excellent. Tonight will just be the two of us.”
She grabbed a bag and left the gym. She didn’t even look back to see if I was following her. I only left after all the fighters of the night were gone, I looked back into the gym one last time. Standing at the far corner was Captain, watching me. I lifted my head in acknowledgement to him and walked outside to Rhea.
***
By the time my dad brought me to Captain’s compound, I was so sick. I don’t remember too much about New Paris city proper. I couldn’t remember exactly how to get there, but the house I grew up in was well into the suburbs of Virginia. Even though the infection and my illness didn’t allow me out of the house much, Dad would tell me about the city.
“Where’s the center?” I rolled my eyes. Dad was always so serious when he described the city.
“Does this matter? I am not going out anytime soon. And, besides, why would I ever go out without you?” It took me a few minutes, but I managed to sit up in the bed.
He always gave me independence. He could have helped me sit up, instead he let me do it on my own. It wasn’t until after I was completely up did he sit down beside me and grab my hand. “I think I might have found a place that can find your cure. So, there may be a time where you need to know more than just the inside of this house. I might not be here to guide you.”
Struggling with tears, I didn’t make eye contact with him. Instead, I watched his strong hands hold my own. They were so much bigger than mine. I couldn’t do this without him. Dad was all I had left. “I don’t understand. You will always be here.”
He released my hand and patted my leg. “Where’s the center of the city?” He repeated his question.
My throat was burning from unshed tears. I didn’t speak until my eyes dried up. “The center of New Paris is the Eifel Tower replica.”
“Good.” I half-hearted smiled with his praise. I knew all the questions he was going to ask by heart.
“Where is the infected stronghold?”
“Anywhere and everywhere.”
He stood up and grabbed me a glass of muddy-looking water. It was the only water we could get from the well. My stomach churned as he was pushing it to my lips. I forced myself to swallow the thick liquid, knowing it was either hydrate or die. “Good. Where is the stronghold of the uninfected?”
I let the last of the dirt slide down my throat. “There is no stronghold. We survive the best we can.”
“Good. Never forget, your survival depends on you. I will never hold what you do against you, ever. Mountains are east of us, and the ocean is to the west. Both of them are about equal distance. If you ever get in trouble, head to New York. There are rumors of a human stronghold up there.” He sat the glass down on the table and walked toward the exit of the room.
“If I ever make it to New York, head to Empire State Building.” I knew by my own tone, I was mocking him, but I was so tired of the same conversation.
He turned back around. “I tell you every day. There may come a time where I won’t be here. You need to know everything I know. One day you will thank me.”
He walked out of the room without saying one more word.
***
“I have something to tell you.” Rhea’s voice broke me out my thoughts.
I shifted the bag from one of my shoulders to the other. This bag was filled with double the weapons just in case. I fought Rhea before, she was good. But, if it really came down to it, I was going to have to do more of the fighting than her. “What’s that?”
“I heard what you said to Captain last night. I snuck into Alexia’s office and found your records. I know exactly where you house is located.”
I must have been lost in my thoughts. I followed Rhea pretty far out of the city without even realizing the distance between us and New Paris skyline. I stopped walking when it hit me what she said. “What do you mean?”
“Do you want to see your dad?”
I was stunned. Rhea would do this for me? I didn’t answer her, she didn’t give me time. She grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the run-down streets. This small neighborhood wasn’t completely intact after the infection hit. The asphalt was cracked and weeds were growing through. We had to climb over trees that had fallen over the path. There was smoke everywhere, smelling like fresh fires. It was hard to breath because the air was so thick. With my free hand, I pulled the collar of my shirt over my nose, trying to filter out the smoke.
Three streets in, she stopped in front of a blue one-story house. I knew for a fact, there was a swing on an old tree in the back. I also knew there were five sets of handprints on the sidewalk. Two for my parents, two for my siblings, and one for me. I knew this house.
I jerked my hand out of Rhea’s and ran up the sidewalk. I knew the door would be open, because dad said he would leave if open for me when I healed and returned home. Once I stepped inside, I figure out where the fire was coming from. My family home was about to go up in flames. I had to find my father. I ran room to room, and finally stopped in the living room—his favorite chair. Time seemed to stand still as I made my way around his chair.
My chest hurt because my heart was pounding so hard.
Tears streamed down my face.
The last living relative I had left, had no one here to help him. He sat on this chair defenseless, his throat literally ripped open. There was blood everywhere.
I would find out who was responsible for this.
I dragged him out of his chair, through the front door and onto the front yard. I kneeled by his body as I watched my home burn down. I stood up and looked down at him. The only reason I saw this was from the shuffle of dragging him outside. Directly above his torn throat, were two puncture marks from teeth.
I leaned down and touched his face one last time. Leaning into his ear, I promised him, “You can rest now, Dad. I will kill every last infected for you.”
Accepting my fate, I rejoined Rhea, who still stood in the street. She tore off the bottom of her shirt and made two long strips. She had one already tied around her nose and mouth and she handed the other to me. Before I tied it around my face, I took one last look at my house and my
dad’s body. I turned back to Rhea, “I have had enough of this for tonight. Can you take me back to the compound?”
We were both silent as we made the long walk back.
Chapter Four
“Who would do this?” I leaned down and looked at the dead man’s body.
This was definitely not the wound of an infected. We would not have wasted any blood. This man was covered in it. His throat was ripped out. He did have carefully placed puncture wounds on his neck, but it was done post mortem because not a single drop of blood oozed out the opening.
I watched the two females walk off in the horizon. Neither of them seemed frightened that it was nightfall, time for the infected to take over the city. They slowly walked the path toward the human section.
“Whoever did this, they wanted her to see it.” I turned to Rafe, who nodded his fading tattoo face toward the female in the back.
We have never come across anything like this. “What do you think her significance is?”
“I don’t know. This may be something not to tell Blythe, until we figure out. Let’s follow her and see where she goes.” Rafe looked back to me with eyes highlighted by dark skeletal tattoo rings. He looked like the dead reaper walking, which was how he gained the named Death Bringer.
I smiled and began tracking the two females. “Let’s not kill anybody this time.”
“Whatever you say, Damien.”
“And when we finish tonight, let me touch up your tattoos. They are starting to fade, tomorrow you will look like baby skin.”
Rafe laughed, but stayed a few feet behind me. He let me take the lead, because if he were in charge, both of the girls would be dead already.
***
She was gone.
Alexia took the last two remaining subjects and left. She didn’t even get to see how my plan played out. She just took the two men, her lab, and has somehow disappeared.
“Find her.” I didn’t raise my voice. Hell, I didn’t even turn around. I knew one of my fighters were behind me and I knew he heard me by the immediate reply of “Yes, Captain,” and the shut of the exit door. They will find her, because my property will always be mine.
I smiled when I heard the door re-open. I was expecting Alexia. When I turned around it was Rhea and Teeka. Rhea followed my directions with no complaint. If she wanted to see ever Rex again, then she would do everything I asked her to do.
They were both covered in soot from the fires I set in Teeka’s old subdivision. Head to toe, they were filthy. Teeka was covered in blood. She must have found her father. I wasn’t sure what Rhea has told her, but I wasn’t expecting for Teeka to walk right up to me and drop to her knees.
“Whatever you need from me. I want to eradicate as many infected as I can. You assign them, and I will find them.”
Teeka’s eyes remained on the floor. I smiled and looked up to Rhea, whose eyes were big and fighting back tears.
Perfect, everything was falling in line.
Imagine what my infected wife would have to say about this. Bless her soul.
Part Two:
Only Human
Chapter One
6 P.M.
Five years later
“Two hours until darkness.”
Every night Captain’s muffled voice gave the warning that it was almost time for the darkness to come alive.
Like last night, the night before, and the night before that. For as long as I cared to remember, I was already awake. Just like the muffled voice, I awoke like clockwork. Always before nightfall hit. Just like all those nights before, I had to wait for the automatic bindings holding my arms and legs down to the bed to be released.
The sound of rusty metal moving was the first sign of the few minutes of pain that always followed the freedom of movement in my body. My arms were always released first. From years of experience, I had slowly rotate both arms in circle, forcing my blood to circulate. This was the worst, pins and needles crawling through my arms from shoulder to my wrist. Legs not so bad, except for the raw skin and bruises on my wrists and ankles. I slowly stood up and slathered some balm on the raw spots while covering the wounds with soft cotton bands.
I had more freedom with Alexia here. When she left, the painful bindings began. I had to wake up before night fell, to allow my body time to heal. I couldn’t fight the infected with open wounds. Alexia managed my treatment through fluids. Somehow, Captain has found someone to convert the treatments into pill form. The results from pills didn’t last as long as the fluids, as I had to always carry more on me. However, they were portable. I was never without more.
I ate my food and pills before the cramps started. The red was for the cramps, and the yellow pill was for the energy. I took a shower after I ate, taking care not get my bandages wet. I wore my anti-puncture black pants and long sleeve top. I recently cut off all of my hair, shaving the sides down to my scalp and leaving the top just a little longer so I could tease it up and out of my eyes. A few weeks ago, a fast-infected man got his hands on my hair before I could get my pure silver knife in his throat.
My hair was inconsequential. I would rather live another day.
I heard my door open behind me, with no knock. I smile because there is only one person that could be. “You ready for tonight?” I didn’t bother to stand up as I tied up my boots. When I did stand, it wasn’t to answer her question, but it was to insert my many blades into the specially designed holsters on the anti-puncture pants, and to put my pills into a side pocket. “Teeka, you ready for tonight?” Rhea snapped her fingers in front of my face.
I grabbed her wrist and pushed her into the wall, effectively trapping her. “What’s tonight?” I was genuinely confused.
Rhea gently pushed me back, laughing. “You forgot again, didn’t you?”
I released her and stepped back. She had a flash of anger in her eyes, but she came off as cute instead because of her petite build. Deadly in her own right, she never went on missions with me because of her childlike trust in the world—despite the infected having taken over. I still didn’t have anything to add to the conversation, so I just blinked at her, waiting for her to continue with whatever tonight was supposed to be.
“You were going to take tonight off. Remember? We were going to cut loose at Flamme éternelle.”
I felt my eyes widen as I remembered that we did make plans. “You suggested we go out. You never mentioned going to that club.” I shook my head ‘no’. Forget the fact that humans and vampires illegally intermingled at the underground club. Forget the fact that many of our own fighters come back with bite marks on their body every time they return from said club. The truth of the matter was, I have the highest vampire kill rate of the past twenty years. I accomplished this in the five short years I have been allowed to hunt the streets. I had a ransom on my head. I would be an idiot to think that the vampires would just let me attend their club. I was wanted dead or alive.
I walked out of the room without answering her. Her footsteps were clinking on the marble in sync with every step I took, she was close behind me but I didn’t bother turning around to look at her. Rhea grabbed my arm, forcing me to stop before I could knock on Captain’s door. “You haven’t stopped in two years. You need to take a night off. What harm will it do if you don’t go out? Or we could stay here and do nothing.”
I jerked my arm out of Rhea’s grip, and gave her a hug. “I appreciate that you worry about me, but I am the best we have at fighting. What if one of us died because I was not there fighting alongside them?”
She returned my hug, “Tonight could change everything.”
I watched her walk down the hall, away from me. I didn’t understand her cryptic words.
Chapter Two
8 p.m.
Rhea left with the others to go to the club. Captain said we could all have the night off if we wanted, but I decided to walk the streets as soon as the safety bars lifted on the doors. Most of the human resistance fought in groups, but they trusted me to go out
alone. This won’t be the first time I fought by myself, nor would it be the last.
New Paris stopped looking like Paris, France a few years ago. I could never imagine dubbing this city as the City of Love. If anything, it was the City of Death. As I walked the quiet streets, I couldn’t help but look up at the attempt to replicate Paris. Some buildings had walls and no roof and others were skeletons of a project left unfinished. Most of the construction stopped when the infected took over New Paris. We, humans, almost had the opportunity to rebuild with Alexia and her incredible knowledge. When she disappeared, so did the hope to reclaim the city. Walking closer to center of the infected power, there was one structure that remained lit and held strong. Of all the structures in New Paris, the Eifel Tower replica stood proud. Maybe it was the light under the tower. Maybe it was the tallest structure in the city, but even after ten years of fighting, this small area was where I got the most kills—night after night.
The sound of footsteps to my left caused me to jump into the shadows of an old alley way. I trained myself to slow my heartbeat to almost a stop and regulate my breathing. The three young vampires never knew I was there until my blade severed their heads in one swift stroke. The only sound they made was their stiff bodies hitting the sidewalk with a loud thump. First three of the night, seven more to go. I promised Rhea I would stop at ten tonight. I smiled, because of all the people at the compound, she worried the most about me. Selfish, obnoxious, girly, Rhea has been by my side for the last year and she has grown on me.
A bright, luminous light poured down into the alley from the top of one of the dilapidated buildings. I looked up, and was momentarily blinded as my eyes adjusted to the bright light.
“That her?” I heard a male voice above my head on the rooftop.
Just as suddenly as the light turned on, the alley way filled with darkness. Once again, my eyes took a moment to adjust to the natural night. The few seconds it took my pupils to dilate, I was surrounded by seven of the largest vampires I have ever encountered. They formed a semi-circle around me, leaving me no choice but to press my back to the wall behind me. Never leave your back exposed, I learned that lesson a long time ago.