Dark Days (Book 1): The Collapse

by Davis, James

  “Roger that. I’ll get Jim and a few others and double back to help you boys get those girls out of here, now move your asses!” Dub shouted as he reloaded his own weapon. The trio got to their feet and sprinted toward the building, circling around the side to the back. A single wooden door was positioned in the middle of the back wall. Clay bolted toward it, followed closely by Hank and Randy. The three stacked up outside the door and waited. Clay grabbed the doorknob and gently tried to twist it, but it was locked.

  “Randy, go across and get ready to crack this bastard open then fall in behind us.” Clay said in a loud whisper.

  Randy nodded once then moved to the other side of the door. He placed the barrel of a tactical shotgun he had swiped from a dead soldier on the door next to the knob. Clay put his hand up and looked at Randy,

  “On three.” he said then began counting down with his fingers.

  “3...2...1!”

  *****

  Jim led his men around the back of the first building they came to. He quickly stuck his head around the corner spotting several soldiers as they rounded the front of the building.

  “We got five bogeys around front. Jake, Tanner, go back around the other side to the front and cut them off. Mike, you’re with me. Jake and Tanner are going to cut them off and when they double back away from their fire we’re going to cut them off again. Let’s try to take at least one of them alive so we can get some information out of him.” Jim said. Mike nodded and fell in behind Jim. They waited at the corner until they heard the gunfire start. Jim and Mike stepped around the corner right as the last two men turned to run.

  “Easy now. You boys just stop right there and drop those weapons.” Jim said as he brought his rifle up and aimed it at the two fleeing soldiers. The two soldiers stopped in their tracks and glanced around looking for a way out.

  “Don’t even think about it. We have you both dead to rights.” Jim stated, holding his aim and moving toward the pair.

  “First of all, do I look like a fucking man you dumb bastards?” The soldier on the left stated as she ripped the helmet off of her head, revealing a thick mane of blonde hair that was pulled back in a bun.

  “And second of all, you pussies don’t have dick on us!” She shouted as she tore a grenade from her vest faster than Jim thought was possible and lobbed it toward Mike. The two soldiers turned and sprinted as soon as it left her hand.

  “Grenade!” Jim shouted as he and the rest of his group scrambled to get away. A muffled boom sounded behind them just as they turned the corner and ran into Jake and Tanner.

  “Mike, go find that crazy bitch and bring her back here!” Jim said with a low growl. When no response came Jim glanced around at his team. Not seeing Mike anywhere Jim asked,

  “Where the hell is Mike? Did he already go after that bitch?”

  “Sir, Mike is gone.” A large man with a gigantic red beard said quietly.

  “Well no fucking shit! I can see that Mike is gone jackass. Where the hell did he go?” Jim said angrily.

  “Sir, he dove on the grenade when we all turned to run.” The bearded man replied.

  “Adam, you better be fucking with me!” Jim said, continuing to look around for Mike.

  “I’m sorry sir.” Adam replied. Jim stepped around the corner and saw what was left of his friend. The area was covered in blood and body parts. Jim’s knees started to buckle but he shoved the pain down deep and checked his rifle.

  “Let’s move! We need to get away from here before that bitch and her boyfriend come back with backup.” Jim said.

  “That won’t be necessary.” A familiar voice sounded from a distance. Jim started to say something but the voice cut him off.

  “I saw this bitch toss that grenade at you fellers, then they ran right towards me. It was like shooting fish in a barrel.” Dub said, pushing the two forward with the barrel of his rifle.

  “Where in hell did you come from?” Jim asked in a surprised tone.

  “Clay sent me to find you after they busted in over there to get their women.” Dub said, pointing his finger back the way he came.

  “You’re dead bitch!” Tanner’s voice sounded from behind Jim. He shoved Jim out of the way and smashed his pistol across the woman’s face, knocking her to the ground. The man started to protest but Tanner fired a round into his leg. The man screamed in pain as he hit the ground next to the woman who was out cold.

  “Tanner stop!” Jim shouted, grabbing his arm and pulling him back.

  “There is a time and place for these two. Here and now ain’t that time son. You’ll get your revenge. Jake, help him pick her up. Dub, follow me. We have to get the hell away from here while we still can!” Jim shouted.

  Dub fell in step behind Jim and they made their way over to a small building across the road. Jim kicked the door in and they all moved inside clearing the building as they went. Adam moved quickly through the building, clearing each room as he went. He was looking for a couple of chairs for their prisoners. Finding a pair, Adam snatched them both and headed back to the main floor.

  The building looked like a mechanic’s shop with just one giant room. The main level was a large concrete floor with sectioned off areas for lifts and oil changing pits on either side. A steel staircase on the right side led up to a walkway that ran along the sides and back of the building. There were offices positioned on both sides and what looked to be a makeshift break room in the back. Adam set the chairs down in front of Jim and stepped back.

  “Tie em up! We’re about to get some answers out of these bastards! Especially this bitch right here!” Jim said as he lifted the woman’s head with the barrel of his rifle.

  “Make sure you stuff a gag in their mouths. Don’t need their screams drawin’ any unwanted attention to us.” Tanner said, his voice full of malice.

  Chapter 25

  Karen's eyes opened to the sounds of gunfire and explosions coming from everywhere. She jumped in surprise as a familiar female voice sounded from behind her,

  “Don’t move. I don’t want to cut you with this knife.” Ashley said as she worked to saw through Karen's bindings.

  “Ashley? Is that you?” Karen asked, craning her neck to see behind her.

  “Yes, it’s me. Now hold still so I can cut through these thick ass ropes!” Ashley replied.

  “What's going on?” Karen asked, as her arms and feet fell to the mat.

  “There! I got it!” Ashley exclaimed as the ropes fell away from Karen. Karen pushed herself up to a seated position and rubbed her wrists.

  “What the hell is going on out there, and where did you get a knife?” she asked, shoving herself to her feet. Ashley turned away from the door and looked at Karen with wide eyes.

  “Hurry lay back down! Someone is coming!” Ashley said in an urgent tone, pushing Karen back down to the mat. A muffled voice sounded outside the door,

  “I’m checking on them now. Chill the fuck out!” A guard said as he opened the door. Ashley stood behind the door as it opened. The guard stepped inside,

  “Hey, how’d you get untied and where is your bitch sister?” The guard said in a loud voice, as he moved angrily toward Karen. Ashley burst out from behind the door and jumped onto the man’s back, plunging the knife deep into the side of his neck several times. The guard started gagging and coughing as blood began filling his mouth and lungs. He tried to throw her off, but she held on just long enough to wrench the blade free once more and dropped down off of him. He started to reach for his sidearm, but Karen was up and on him before his hand ever got close to the holster. Ashley stepped in and slammed the knife into the guard’s eye, a sickening pop sounded as the contents of the man’s eye socket started to ooze out.

  The guard fell to the floor and twitched a few times before drawing his final breath. Ashley took several of her own deep breaths trying to calm her nerves. She looked down at the man’s still body and puked when she saw the vacant space where the guard’s eyeball had just been. The man’s rifle was on the
floor a few feet away, and Ashley wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and walked over to the rifle. She knelt down and picked it up, checking the weapon to make sure it was loaded. Satisfied as she saw brass, she turned to Karen,

  “Come on, we have to find the kids and get out of here,” Ashley said as she turned and started for the door. Karen followed and together they exited the room. Gunshots peppered the wall at the end of the hall, causing them to stop in their tracks. A loud groan sounded from a man as he stumbled around the corner and fell to the floor, reaching for the two women. Karen raised the pistol she had taken from the first guard and fired a single round into the man’s head. A familiar voice sounded from around the corner.

  “Drop it now and I’ll let you live!” The voice said, sounding closer with each word.

  “Clay?” Ashley shouted, before sprinting toward the end of the hall.

  “Ash! Is that you?” Clay said as he bounded around the corner. He scooped his wife up into his arms and began kissing her. Clay looked over at Karen who was standing there with a sad look on her face.

  “Hank was right behind me. He should be here any second.” Clay said.

  “Karen! Where are you baby?” Hank's voice sounded from around the corner followed by his loud footsteps as he ran down the hall. Karen sprinted down the hall and the couple slammed into one another as they each rounded the corner at the same time. They hit the ground in a heap and started laughing and kissing passionately.

  “Come on, let’s go find our babies!” Ashley said grabbing Clay by the hand and pulling him toward the end of the hallway. Clay stopped her,

  “Babe, the kids are fine. We got them outta here the first night. We waited for dark and saw you two bust out and head for one of the buildings. Figured that's where the kids must be, so me and Jeff cut the fence, came in, and got em out." Clay said, smiling at his wife who was now in tears.

  Karen came over and hugged Ashley and the two women sobbed together. Clay and Hank looked at one another and then back to the two women.

  “I don't want to ruin the moment, but we kinda need to move,” Hank said. As soon the words left his mouth three guards came rushing around the corner with their rifles up. Everything went into slow motion for Hank and Clay as they both lunged for their wives. A round clipped Ashley in her right arm as Clay pulled her to the floor next to Hank and Karen. Karen was the first to fire back, followed by Clay, then Hank.

  The cacophony of gunfire was deafening inside the narrow hallway. The three guards fell to the ground in a heap, their bodies riddled with bullet holes. The men managed to get off several rounds, but most of them hit the walls and ceiling. The bullet that had struck Ashley also grazed Clay's left cheek. A line of blood ran down from the two-inch cut on his face. Hank was hit twice in the chest, but his plate carrier took the brunt of the 5.56 rounds. Karen escaped the firefight unscathed.

  The two couples got to their feet and backed into one of the rooms to take a quick assessment of their wounds. Karen jerked the first aid kit from Hank’s vest and went to work on Ashley’s arm. Clay used his own kit to clean and bandage his face. Hank was catching his breath from the rounds he had taken.

  The vest had stopped the rounds, but it still hurt like a bitch getting shot. It felt like taking a right hook from Mike Tyson right in the chest. Clay stood, left the room, and went down the hall to the three fallen guards. He slid the vests off two of the guards then grabbed their weapons and headed back to the room. He laid the stuff on the floor in front of Ashley and Karen

  "Take a weapon," he ordered

  Ashley grabbed a few more mags for the AR-15 she already had, and Karen grabbed an M4 style rifle. Clay and Hank helped them put the vests on and they all stood and checked their weapons. The girls were no strangers to firing weapons but they had never been in any firefights until today.

  “Alright is everyone good to go? We need to get you girls out of here before more guards show up.” Hank said, looking over the two women in their new gear.

  “I’ll take point. Hank, you’re on rear guard. Girls, you stick in the middle and watch for anything we might miss. Check your weapons one more time, then we go on my mark.” Clay stated, quickly peeking out the door once more. He turned to see that they were all ready and nodded before bringing his rifle up and moving out of the room and down the hall. The group exited the building and started up the sidewalk toward the main gate. Gunshots rang out all over the base followed by explosions and the occasional woosh of an RPG flying through the air at the choppers. Clay led the group around to the back of the building and up through the back street in the same direction he sent Dub in earlier. Clay grabbed the mic strapped to his shoulder and pressed the button.

  “Jim, this is Clay, what's your 20? Over.”

  “This is Jim, change over to the frequency we had in place for emergencies. Over.”

  “Roger that, doing it now.” Clay said before reaching for the handheld strapped to his chest rig. He dialed the radio to 146.52n. Before they left for the battle Jim had told everyone this frequency was for emergencies. He also said that it was the frequency that NASA used, which Clay thought was just awesome. The radio crackled to life and Jim’s voice came through loud and clear. Startled, Clay quickly tried to turn the volume down, but the damage was already done. If there was someone close by they definitely heard it.

  “Clay, where the hell are you guys? Did you get your women out?” Jim asked.

  “Yes, we got them out and are coming to you. What's your location?” Clay asked.

  “We’re two blocks from the main gate inside some kind of shop. Look for a mechanic shop sign on the main drag. I have a team on the roof that will be watching for you guys. I’ll give you a heads up when you’re getting close.” Jim said.

  “Copy that Captain. See you in a bit. Clay out.”

  The battle around the base raged on as Clay led his group toward the main gate. Gunfire was almost constant and explosions shook the ground over and over. Clay brought his group to a halt at the back corner of a Domino’s Pizza. They were all out of breath and gulping down air from the strenuous run.

  Clay leaned his head out from the corner looking for any enemies. He spotted them immediately. A group of six enemy soldiers were walking up the street in the same direction Clay and his people were going. Before Clay could get a single thought out, one of the men spotted him.

  “Contact left!” The man shouted as he brought up his rifle and began firing. The rest of his men soon fell in line firing at Clay. Chunks of brick and mortar exploded from the corner of the building where Clay’s head was just at.

  “Six hostiles on the street. Fire when ready!” Clay shouted, dropping to a knee and firing a burst around the corner. A gut-wrenching scream sounded from the street as Clay took cover and fished out a new mag from his vest. He shoved the mag in and slammed the bolt home.

  “Hank, try to keep them busy at this corner. I’m going to flank them and end this shit before more show up.” Clay said. He stopped and kissed Ashley and said,

  “I love you.” Before sprinting down the back of the building and around the corner. The enemy soldiers must have had the same idea, because Clay slammed into a running soldier and they both hit the ground hard. Their rifles slid away from them and both men bolted to their feet and yanked their K-BARs out. Clay moved forward and began to circle the man. He could see his face clearly now and the man was young. He had an angry look on his face as they circled one another. The man blindly attacked, slashing his blade from left to right in wide arches, but Clay was too fast for him.

  He dodged the attack and slammed his elbow into the side of the man's head, momentarily stunning him. The soldier shook off the blow and bore down on Clay once more. Seeing that the man’s steps were a bit wobbly from the strike from his elbow Clay stepped in, ducking the blade and came up next to the man. He grabbed the man and hip tossed him, slamming him to the ground. The blade fell from the guy’s grasp when he hit the ground and Clay dropped down on t
op of him and sank his blade into his throat and twisted it.

  When Clay jerked the blade out it nearly severed the man’s head. Blood spurted from the wound, soaking Clay in a shower of crimson. He got to his feet and wiped the blade off on the dead man’s pant leg before getting back on track with his mission.

  Gunshots rang out in the front of the building and Clay took off in a sprint. When he reached the final corner at the front he stopped and quickly stole a peek, seeing the enemy soldiers advancing on his group. Clay leaned out and began firing on the group, killing one of them with his first few shots. They spotted Clay as he ducked back behind the corner to reload. Bullets slammed into the side of the building causing Clay to take a step back. He grabbed the mic on his shoulder and radioed back to Hank.

  “Three hostiles left. Going to need your help on this one. Get the girls into cover behind that building and get your ass over here.” Clay said as he counted how many full mags he had left.

  Shit, just a mag and a half left. He thought.

  “Roger that, girls are safe. On my way to you now.” Hank’s voice sounded over the radio. Hank rounded the last corner and spotted Clay leaning out from the building taking pot shots at the enemy. He put his hand on Clay’s shoulder so he didn’t startle him and dropped to a knee. Clay fired a few more rounds then sank back away from the corner.

  “Hank, go find a position on the other side of that building and take these pricks out. I’ll keep them busy while you get over there.” Clay said pointing at the building next to them. Hank nodded and took off back towards the alley. Clay pulled his mag out and checked his rounds. Seeing the mag was almost empty he stowed it in his drop pack and grabbed his last full mag. He seated the mag and slammed the bolt home before standing and inching toward the corner of the building. Clay could hear shots ringing out in the distance from a different battle that was taking place further into the base.