The Survival Chronicles (Book 7): Hard Mercy
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Hard Mercy
The Survival Chronicles VII
by Fergal F. Nally
Copyright © Fergal F. Nally 2020
“Life is the great torturer. Death is the great rapture—” President Mitchell, Commander-in-Chief, New State Army.
“I’m gonna put bullets on your grave—” Brother Bastion of the Kindred.
“The human experience is just fear wrapped up in skin—” Laurient of the Angels, Hell’s Kitchen, NYC.
“There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." Acts 24:15 King James Version Bible.
“What are the children of men, but as leaves that drop at the wind's breath?” Homer-The Iliad
The moral right of Fergal F. Nally to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs & Patents Act, 1988.
All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
Cover design: Beetiful Book Covers
Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Chapter 1—Detection
Chapter 2—Blood and Iron
Chapter 3—Infiltration
Chapter 4—Deeper
Chapter 5—Smithsonian
Chapter 6—Hidden
Chapter 7—Knockout
Chapter 8—Crack
Chapter 9—Past Life
Chapter 10—The Approach
Chapter 11—Penetration
Chapter 12—Gone
Chapter 13—F&T
Chapter 14—Resurrection
Chapter 15—L’Enfant Station
Chapter 16—Chase
Chapter 17—Barboursville VA
Chapter 18—Crash
Chapter 19—Entrapment
Chapter 20—Respite
Chapter 21—Mind Cipher
Chapter 22—US-33 West
Chapter 23—Campground
Chapter 24—LGM-25C
Chapter 25—The Oaks Overlook
Chapter 26—Riptide
Chapter 27—Oscar Mike
Chapter 28—Rubicon
Chapter 29—The Gathering
Chapter 30—Silver Flame
Chapter 31—Overkill
Chapter 32—Freedom
Chapter 33—Crash Site
Chapter 34—Incursion
Chapter 35—Stealth
Chapter 36—Wish
Chapter 37—Damage
Chapter 38—Beginnings
Chapter 39—Word
Chapter 40—Deep Blue Dark
About the Author
Chapter 1
Detection
The red laser filled the room. Mercy froze.
It’s a DARPA hunter killer robot. It’s scanning me—
Mercy blinked.
Move—
She dropped to the floor, rolling right. She brought up her HK45 pistol and shot twice. Her rounds bounced off the machine’s armor. Mercy’s eyes narrowed.
NSA markings on its side. It’s a beefed up version of the bots we saw in Annapolis. It’s read my biometrics. They know I’m here. Shit—
The machine stepped into the room and advanced on Mercy. A panel on the robot opened, revealing a nozzle.
Christ. Flamethrower—
Mercy rolled left and fired her pistol at the sensory array on top of the hulking machine. She grabbed a combat jacket from the floor and hurled it at the robot. The jacket landed on the array’s revolving drum, partially covering it. Mercy grabbed an M16 from the floor, ran to the open window and threw herself out onto the fire escape. A few drops of liquid fell from the flamethrower’s nozzle. An explosion of flame filled the room with incandescent rage.
Fuck—
Mercy scrabbled back under the tongue of flame as it burst through the window, searing the night air. The flame vanished and she threw herself down the fire escape steps to the level below.
Get away. The NSA will be here in minutes—
Mercy rolled over and pulled herself up using the railings. The machine appeared at the window and tried to climb out. Mercy scrambled down the fire escape toward the night-shrouded street. She glanced back.
You’re too big, you bastard. You’ll not get through that—
The machine rammed itself against the window frame and the surrounding wall. The brickwork bulged then disintegrated.
Jesus—
Mercy looked onto the dark street below. She clambered to the end of the fire escape, reached down, and released the sliding ladder to the ground. The fire escape grated and shook as the DARPA robot stepped out onto the metal platform above. Mercy climbed down the ladder and jumped the last few feet to the sidewalk. She glanced around.
Clear—
A distant siren pierced the night air.
The bastard’s called for reinforcements. I need to get out of Dodge—
Mercy cradled the M16 and ran across the road, she ducked down an alleyway and glanced back. The DARPA robot was stuck on the fire escape. It fired a burst of flame after her, lighting up the surrounding buildings with an eerie glow.
Fucker’s too big to get down. You need wings you bastard—
Mercy’s eyes darted to the sky overhead.
Shit, don’t forget they’ve got drones—
The sirens drew near. Flashing blue and yellow lights lit up the next street. Mercy shot down the alley and turned left at the end. An IAV Stryker and an M113 Armored Personnel Carrier raced by fifty yards to her right, heading towards the building she had just escaped from.
The net’s tightening—
Mercy entered another alley and slowed down, to avoid tripping in the dark. She picked her way through the next few blocks, stopping finally at an overgrown residential complex. She leaned against the wall breathless, her eyes taking in the building.
I could hole up in there. Wait until the heat’s off—
She glanced back. The sirens had stopped. The street was dark behind her, she shivered. A light drizzle filled the night.
They’re in stealth mode—
Mercy stared at the building ahead.
Hide or run? Stay or go? Make your mind up, dammit—
A high pitched buzz broke through Mercy’s thoughts. Her eyes flicked to a building in the next street. A small red light flashed twice above its roof.
Shit, their drones are out. They’re doing a sweep, widening the search area. Keep moving—
Mercy turned and ran along the side of the fire-damaged building, through a car park and into the next street.
Stay dark, keep going, get to Stadium-Armory Metro Station; that was the plan. Barnes and Rose will figure it out. They’ll be there, they have to be—
Mercy pulled out the Washington DC map from her pocket. She ducked into a covered doorway and crouched down, turning away from the street. She pulled her jacket and hood over her head and switched her torch on, using its red filter.
Rose said we were just south of Lincoln Park… just off 11th Street—
Mercy found the area on the map and traced the surrounding streets with her finger.
Shit, it’s not good
enough. I’ve no idea where I am—
She slapped the wall in frustration. She felt a metal plate, her eyes narrowed. She peered at the words engraved on the sign: RUSH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
Hell yeah, I saw that somewhere on the map—
Mercy returned to the map, scrutinizing the streets and avenues. A few seconds later she breathed a sigh of relief.
Gotcha. D Street Southeast. So… Stadium-Armory Metro Station is just a klick and a half away. I’ll keep to D Street, head east and make it to 19th Street then head north. I’m back in the game—
Thirty minutes later Mercy reached the junction of D Street Southeast and 19th Street Southeast. Moonlight bathed the city in a stark monochrome. A huge concrete building blocked her view on the far side of the road. A large part of the building was fire-damaged. Some levels showed blast damage. A lone army truck sat in the middle of the junction, its tyres were flat and its loose canvas covering flapped in the breeze. Mercy checked her map and watched the road.
It’s the old jail. It looks deserted enough but there’s something not quite—
Mercy frowned, unease creeping through her bones. She retreated, back along D Street Southeast. She headed north up 18th Street Southeast and reached the intersection with Massachusetts Avenue. She stopped. Her skin crawled as she glanced back. Weeds and long grass rustled in the breeze, a distant crow called out, an old plastic bag rustled in an overgrown bush.
Something’s back there—
She waited, watching, her M16 in the low-ready position.
It’s not showing itself, whatever it is. Maybe it’s my imagination. Keep moving—
Mercy backed across the intersection, her eyes glued on the road behind. Without warning a large shape burst out of an apartment block garden and charged at her.
What the fuck—?
Mercy raised her M16 and fired a short burst. The wild boar squealed as three 5.56 mm rounds tore through its chest and two more rounds caught it in the rump. It collapsed to the tarmac in a quivering heap. Mercy held her ground, her eyes scanning the area for more of the beasts. Nothing came. The dying animal made a choking sound, shuddered, then was still. Mercy took a step forwards and stared at the boar. She pulled a face.
What the hell are you? Some kind of souped-up pig?
She leaned a little closer, examining the dead animal’s squat, powerful body.
It’s a pig alright, a damn hog, except—
Mercy squinted, tilting her head. She jerked back, a look of disgust on her face.
It’s got two snouts. A second mouth on the side of its head. Christ, it’s some kind of freak, a mutation—
Mercy stepped away from the dead animal, her eyes returning to the surrounding buildings.
Get away from here, it’s some reject NSA lab experiment. Move, someone could’ve heard my shots—
Mercy turned and ran north, up 18th Street, her eyes scanning the houses on either side of the road. The next two blocks passed in a moonlit blur. Mercy arrived breathless at the junction of 18th Street Southeast and A Street Southeast. She leant against a utility pole and listened to the night. An owl hooted somewhere nearby, otherwise the city was quiet. A drop of sweat ran down her nose and onto her top lip. She shivered in the chill night air and scanned the area. She waited for the rumble of an engine, the buzz of a drone or the metallic footsteps of a DARPA robot.
Nothing—
An urge to laugh… to scream, filled her. Rage surged through her veins.
Keep it in, keep the lid on. Don’t let the madness out. Not yet—
Mercy glanced up at the moon then stared at the silver world around her.
Flynn? I wonder if you can see the moon where you are. I hope you can. I will find you. I promise—
Mercy turned around and recognised the arched building at the end of the street.
DC Armory. I’ve found you—
Chapter 2
Blood and Iron
Mercy crept to within thirty yards of the Stadium-Armory Metro street entrance. She concealed herself in tangled undergrowth on a raised bank overlooking the station. She checked her watch; 3:47 am.
Come on guys. I’m here. Where are you? You need to be here. Come on, come on—
She lay shivering on the ground for the next two hours. A dreamless sleep finally claimed her just before dawn.
Wind chimes? Wind chimes in the breeze. Where’s it coming from?
Mercy reached out to the bright light, her body felt heavy.
Why can’t I move?
She tried to speak but her tongue would not respond. She was trapped in silence. The wind chimes grew louder. Her fingers touched the light and she woke up. Her eyelids fluttered, letting in shards of early morning light.
Stiffness. Disorientation. Confusion. Memory.
Mercy blinked, the real world came into sharp focus.
Hell, that was one rough night—
She wiped the corner of her mouth and rubbed her eyes. Her stomach ached with hunger, making her gasp.
Christ. I need something to eat—
Mercy took a drink from her water bottle.
That was one strange dream—
Movement interrupted her thoughts. A blur in the shadow under the station’s canopy. Mercy froze then reached for her M16. She looked through the scope and adjusted the focus.
Come on baby. Show yourself. Show your… self—
Ten seconds later a familiar profile filled the scope.
Rose. You made it—
Relief swept over Mercy, she lowered her head to the gun stock and took a deep breath. She looked up a moment later and saw more of Rose, standing just inside the shadow. She watched for a few more minutes and, satisfied Rose was in the clear, she called out. “Rose. It’s Mercy. You good? Everything OK?”
Rose turned in Mercy’s direction. “Mercy? Where are—?”
Mercy stood up and raised a hand. Rose stepped out from the canopy and ran towards Mercy. Mercy scrambled down the overgrown bank and met her friend half way. They embraced in the middle of the road.
“Mercy, I thought I’d lost you—” Rose blurted out. “We made it back to 11th Street. The place was crawling with NSA. The building was on fire.” Rose held Mercy at arm’s length, “Are you OK? Are you hurt? What the fuck happened?”
“I’m good,” Mercy replied. “It was a close call though.”
They walked back to the station shelter.
Barnes was waiting at the top of the steps. He held his hand out to Mercy and smiled. “Glad you made it Dawes. You sure as hell had us worried. You stirred up a hornet’s nest back there. You clean? You’ve not been followed?” His eyes strayed over her shoulder to the street behind.
“I’m pretty sure I’m in the clear,” Mercy answered.
A groan came from the shadows at the bottom of the metro steps. Mercy reached for her rifle and stepped back. “What’s down there?”
Barnes glanced over his shoulder, “Mission accomplished. We got us our two decoy tropes. Scrawny bastards but they’ll do the job—”
Mercy descended a few steps to get a better view. Two semi-clothed tropes stood tied to the steel gates at the bottom of the steps. One was wearing a motorcycle helmet, the other was missing its lower jaw. Mercy let out a low whistle. “Good job.”
Barnes spat on the ground, “So, what happened with you?”
Mercy filled them in on her encounter with the DARPA hunter killer robot, her escape from the apartment block and the attack by the mutated boar. She finished and slumped to the ground, exhausted. “Have you got any food?”
“Sure, sorry… I should’ve asked you before,” Rose said. She pulled an MRE from her pack and handed it to Mercy.
Mercy read the label, “Chicken with noodles and vegetables. Nice. Not had chicken in a long time.” She tore the MRE open and scooped out a handful of food, cramming it into her mouth.
Rose smiled, “Do you want the good news… or the good news?”
Mercy looked up, raising an eyebrow. She
stopped chewing and shrugged.
Rose reached into her cargo pocket and pulled out a chocolate bar. “Me and Barnes scored some candy. I kept this for you—”
Mercy swallowed and rubbed her hands on her jacket. She reached out, her hand shaking, and took the bar. “Rose, I’ve not had chocolate since… the ship. I thought I’d never see chocolate again. I can die happy. You’ve made my day girl.” Mercy sniffed the chocolate bar and traced her fingers across its faded label. “This, this right here… is magic.”
“Yeah, that’s what the world used to be all about. You’re holding a piece of history right there, enjoy it,” Barnes said.
Mercy put the chocolate into her jacket pocket and returned to her chicken and noodles. She ate in silence. Barnes kept a watchful eye on the street. Rose sat beside Mercy and lit a cigarette. Mercy finished her food and took a drink from her water bottle. Rose handed her the cigarette. Mercy took a drag. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the concrete wall.
Rose sighed, “So… what do you wanna do? You could probably use some rest—”
Mercy exhaled smoke and shook her head. “No Rose, they’re getting closer each time. This might be our last chance, this happens now, today—”
Barnes glanced down from the top step, “I agree with you on that one Dawes. We’re on NSA turf here. It’s only a matter of time before they find us. Our luck won’t hold out much longer, not with all the resources they’ve got.”
Mercy closed her eyes, “Yeah Barnes, on that cheerful note you and I both agree. So, we’ll go in now. We all know the plan; use those two tropes to trigger the laser alarm in the metro. We’ll sneak in and hide, the NSA patrol will find the two tropes and think there’s been a breach further up the tunnel. They’ll investigate, leaving us free to infiltrate their facility. We could hitch a ride on one of those body bag carts… or not. We’ll just have to wing it, see what happens—”
Rose frowned, “Not so sure about the cart idea. I’d prefer to advance on foot but yeah, we’ll see—”
Mercy nodded and turned to Barnes, “You happy Barnes? Got any other ideas?”
Barnes grunted and reached into his pack, “Me and Rose came across an ambulance and found a couple of space blankets.” He threw a small packet down to Mercy.