I ignored Logan and began counting. “1… 2… 3… 4….”
“Okay Atlas. You win. Put the gun down and we will let Calvin go,” Trout said calmly.
I looked at Calvin and told him to run for the tree line and follow the path until he was safe. Calvin stared at me and then looked back at Trout.
“Go on boy. Get,” Calvin demanded.
Calvin stood from the pavement and began staggering to leave the crowd.
“Oh, wait just a minute there Calvin,” Trout interrupted his escape. “There is one more thing I need from you before you go.”
Trout gave a nod to one of the members and they quickly pulled out a gun and pulled the trigger. Blood splattered across the air and Calvin fell to the ground. I removed my gun from my head and pulled the trigger once the barrel was aimed towards the shooter. The rest of the crowd began cocking back their guns.
“Hold up,” Trout yelled while putting his arms in the air. “We need this one alive. Mr. Cross will be incredibly pleased with this capture.”
“We had a deal you son of a bitch,” I yelled while pointing my gun at him.
“We all know you wasn’t going to end your life. You are too proud to go down that easily. Plus, you wouldn’t be able to find your precious daughter with you being dead and all. We know all about you. You had an outstanding military career. You have such a devotion to protecting your own people. You wouldn’t take your own life because there is no one else to pick up the slack. You ain’t fooling anyone precious,” Trout proudly preached. “Why would you want to miss out on something so grand as to meet our one and only prophet? He is on his way here now.”
“Oh, this isn’t good,” Logan said still standing next to me. “I can’t be here. I’m going to go stand with Farrah as back up.” Logan disappeared.
A gut-wrenching pain began twisting in my stomach. I looked over at Farrah and Logan in the tree line. Farrah was watching as she prepared to help. I discretely shook my head so she wouldn’t move. A faint sound could be heard in the distance. Everyone focused their attention on the road, as a cherry red truck with a purring engine drove nonchalantly to the group. Each member turned and stared at the truck as it gradually halted.
“He came just for Calvin, but he will be more pleased to see you here Atlas,” Trout bragged proudly.
I watched in anticipation as a tall man in a long raven trench coat, glossy leather boots, pasty white skin and shoulder length black hair stepped out of the truck. He walked with a stern swag and carried a black cowboy hat. Each member placed their right fist to their chest and kneeled down on one knee. He spoke to the group as he entered the circle and placed his hat on his head.
“My children. Blessings be upon you from the Heavens down to this land,” Warren preached.
Each one took turns as they kissed his hand and said, “My loyalty to you.”
As he approached Trout, he lifted him from his knee. “My child, where is the traitor Calvin?”
“My lord, I have something better for you,” Trout boasted as he pointed towards me. “It’s the one that you have been searching for.”
Warren’s eyes sparkled as he noticed who I was. A grim smile crackled across his face and his arm reached out towards me.
“Atlas Wade Conrad,” Warren said behind his breath. “This is an introduction that has been long overdue. I am much obliged to be in your presence.”
Warren extended his hand out further for my hand, instead of accepting I raised my gun towards his head. He paused while leaving his arm extended.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, young man. Put your gun down, I just want to shake your hand,” Warren said in a soft voice.
“Warren Cross. Why in the Hell would I allow you to shake my hand?” I asked while gripping my gun tighter.
He smiled and lowered his hand back to his side. “I guess you don’t have high regards of me like I do you. You are a worthy opponent my friend. I’ll always show a little respect to someone of your caliber. It’s just my way,” Warren explained.
“Why are you hunting me and my family,” I questioned.
Warren looked around at all of his followers as they stayed kneeled to the ground. “Oh, forgive me, my children. Please stand. I didn’t forget your embrace, I was just caught by surprise to see this young man and my mind focused on what I would say to him,” Warren said before turning back to me. “Would you like a cup of warm coffee? I always keep my thermos on hand full of delicious ground beans?”
“Answer my question! Why are you hunting us” I yelled.
Warren’s eyes pierced mine as my gun was still aimed towards his head. He graciously faced away from me and said, “Of all the things on this earth, there is one thing God got right. That perfection was coffee. It is so pure. All it takes is pressure and water. It is one of the most perfect creations.” Warren turned to me and said, “You can put that gun down son. No one is going to kill you here. There is a time and place for that.” Warren paused as he saw Calvin bleeding on the asphalt. “Mr. Trout, what happened to poor Calvin there?”
“Atlas wanted to make a deal. His life for Calvin’s. I agreed to letting him live, but I didn’t say for how long. I had Georgiana over there make sure Calvin didn’t go anywhere,” Trout announced proudly.
“Is Georgianna the one laying on the pavement with her skull fragments scattered in a murderous fashion,” Warren asked.
“Yes, my lord. Atlas killed her,” Trout answered.
“She lost her life after you allowed Ms. Georgianna to act on killing Calvin under your direct order,” Warren questioned.
“Well sir, I knew that if he got away you would be disappointed even with us capturing Atlas,” Trout explained.
“We needed to find the girl Mr. Trout. She is a prize possession in this entire fold of events. We needed Calvin to tell us where she went,” Warren’s voice began to rise.
“Mr. Cross, he claimed he didn’t know where she went. He said he just let her go,” Trout pleaded his case with a crackle in his voice.
Warren abruptly grabbed Trout by the throat and effortlessly raised him off of the ground. His feet dangled as he hysterically grabbed at Warren’s hand in an attempt to loosen his powerful grip and catch a gasp of air.
“You don’t give orders you worthless degenerate. You follow mine. And I said to keep Calvin alive.” Warren angrily reminded him. I noticed Warren’s grip becoming tighter as Trout struggled for his life. “You disobeyed me which shows lack of loyalty and respect!”
Warren sustained his hold on Trout’s throat a little longer waiting for the exact moment the hope in his eyes faded and he gave into the lack of oxygen. Confident his point was made, he released Trout. His stiff body crumpled onto the ground. He held his throat as he desperately took in a large amount of air.
“The red cross you bear represents loyalty, respect and faith! When you disrespect the symbol, you disrespect me! When you disrespect me, you disrespect the symbol. If any of you want to take charge like Mr. Trout here then please step forward now so I know who stands with me,” Warren commanded while looking around at the crowd. “No one else believes that Mr. Trout done the right thing?!” Warren’s attention averted back to Trout. “Now as you can see, these people know what it means to be loyal and a follower. They abide by my word.”
Trout gripped Warren’s pant leg and began to beg. “Please my lord. I’m sorry. I won’t go against you again. I only thought I was helping,” Trout begged as drool leaked from his mouth.
“No Mr. Trout you won’t,” Warren agreed as he removed his six shooter from his holster, pointed it at Trout’s head and pulled the trigger.
Trout’s body went limp and he collapsed to the ground. Blood spilled around him. Warren’s focus left Trout and was averted back to me. “Oh Atlas, forgive me for my outburst. I simply just don’t tolerate insubordination. It’s a pet peeve of mine.” Warren placed the gun back in his holster. “Now, where were we? Oh yes, I remember. You asked why I was hunting
you. You play an essential role in the world’s destruction. Knowledge of you and your confidants are pivotal to the big picture. You are in my way to a better life.”
“A better life? What life? We are here just trying to survive like the rest of you. How are we the problem?” I asked while keeping my gun aimed at him.
“That’s just it right there. Survival. We can’t have you surviving. You need to die for the big plan to work,” Warren explained.
I gazed at Warren as he leaned in to tell me something that he didn’t want to say out loud.
“These people you see around you are mindless fiends that need someone to follow. They believe everything I say no matter what it is. I know you weren’t the cause of this virus because that was my sister. She is an extremely genius woman who can conjure anything she puts her mind to,” Warren confessed.
“You caused the virus? How,” I asked.
“The thing is that it was her job to do it just as it is mine to see you gone. You are the only thing standing in my way,” Warren replied.
“Why am I the one in your way? What do I have to do with any of this?” I asked.
“Those are answers I cannot tell you. There is nothing more I want to do right now than to end your life. You have caused my mission to abruptly halt. I’m not used to created souls of your stature being a problem, but hey I persevere. Also, I am a patient man. The eclipse is approaching and that is the day of reckoning. When night cascades day, it can end and I can go home,” Warren whispered.
“Go home? What are you some type of alien?” I asked in confusion. “Answer my question. Was you the cause of the virus?”
Warren laughed and answered, “Oh far from it my son. I’m much bigger and greater than some green toned infant with a Marco Polo complex. No. I am something you will never comprehend.” Warren placed his arm around my neck. “Now that the conversation is over, you have to come with me so I can keep an eye on you until the months end. We have something special between you and I.”
I shrugged his arm off of my shoulders and pressed my gun against his head. His followers aimed their weapons at me again. Warren raised his hands.
“Here’s what I’m actually going to do you bad shit crazy asshole. I’m going to put a bullet in your head, kill all of your people and end this whole thing. Then I’m going to find my daughter and go home.” I cocked back the hammer of my gun. “There is nothing special between us. You’re just a man with a God complex that needs to be put in check. I’ve got the pen to write it.”
Warren began laughing hysterically. “Please tell me you haven’t been working on that punch line this entire time we have been speaking. That was horrific.”
The crowd began laughing and I pulled the trigger on the gun. Warren moved instantly from the barrel and gripped my throat. He lifted me into the air and my gun fell to the pavement.
“You listen to me you pathetic meat sack. I don’t know why he believes you are so special, but to me you are just a speck of wasted creation taking up room and causing trouble,” Warren said as his tone changed from humorous to ominous and I saw a white and red tinted glow in his eyes. “Screw the crossover, I’m killing you now.”
His hand became tighter around my throat and everything began to fade.
“Close your eyes!”
I heard a faint voice from Farrah as the metal bounced across the pavement. A bright flash of white light surrounded us, and my body hit the ground. Gasping for air I felt a grip around my arm and a powerful tug.
“Let’s go Atlas! Get off your ass,” Farrah yelled.
I struggled to my feet and Farrah led me into the woods. I could hear Warren yelling in the background as he told the crowd to hunt us down. Bullets were whizzing past our bodies as we dodged trees and bushes. Logan was running next to us.
“Where are we running to,” Logan asked.
“Craters Point. We can hide there until nightfall,” I said while panting.
Farrah was occasionally turning around and shooting towards the crowd.
“Farrah, you and Logan run to the cliff side. I will hold them off and I’ll meet you there,” I yelled while we ran.
“There is no Logan Atlas! And we are running together and hiding together. You almost died back there,” Farrah yelled.
“Just go! Logan, watch over her,” I yelled.
Farrah threw me her AK47 and continued to run. Logan began to run faster and kept the same pace with Farrah. I posted next to a tree with the AK47. As each member came into eyesight I began firing. Most dropped instantly while others hid behind trees and fired back. Bark from my tree transformed to splinters as the bullets made contact. I could see a constant stream of breath as the panting appeared. I held the gun close to me with my back turned to them as I leaned against the tree. I was limited on ammo and no extra clip.
“Calm down Atlas. Take a deep breath and focus,” I whispered to myself. “Listen for their footsteps and anticipate their path.”
I posted my arm against the tree trunk as I turned around to search for them. The handle of the gun was held tight with my grip. The barrel rested on my wrist as I stared down the iron sights. I focused in on the heavy woods, and I could see the breath of each person behind the trees. I searched closely on who would move first. I began to think about what Warren said to me. They are all just people looking for someone to follow.
“Listen to me,” I yelled. “You don’t want to die today. I know you don’t. No person ever wants to die. So, I’m going to give you a chance to just walk away. Take your weapons, take your breath, and take your souls with you. Or you can die for a false cause. Choice is up to you!”
One voice appeared from beyond the trees, “You are the evil one here. We are here to stop you from ending this world.”
I took another deep breath and yelled, “I am not the enemy. I want to protect this world, not destroy it. Warren Cross doesn’t give a shit about you. He just wants you to do his dirty work. He lied to each of you. We didn’t set off the virus. He did! There was no cure in Louisville. That building was the host of something far more evil than I have ever seen, and we destroyed it. The Z.E.D.S. are here to protect and guard, not commit genocide to the human race.”
“All lies! You are the cause. We are the effect,” the voice yelled back at me.
“Well if that’s how you see it, then come on out and kill me. I’m right here waiting,” I yelled.
One stepped out from behind a tree and I fired a shot into her head. She fell to the ground and I searched for another.
“That’s one down! Any more of you want to step up. I have my sight on each of you. You won’t live to fight for tomorrow,” I yelled as another stepped out.
The bullet entered and exited his head and he fell to the ground along with his friend.
“You can’t take all twelve of us on Atlas! Even if you try to pick us off one by one there will be someone to reach you. Once we take care of you, we will find your daughter too and it’ll be my turn to make her my slave,” the voice said.
“Try me,” I yelled back.
Three more ran from behind their trees and sprinted towards me. One by one they fell as my gun fired. Four more ran out of their trees and I only fired two shots until my clip was empty. I threw the gun down and gripped my knives from my belt. I crossed them on my chest and whispered, “Death before Dishonor.” I felt the darkness beginning to take control again. One deep breath and a long exhale is all I took. I appeared out from behind the tree and sprinted towards them.
Everything appeared in slow motion. I could descriptively see the serrated blades slicing through the throats of each person. I felt the jagged steel vibrate against their skin. Blood splattered in every direction. Women and men both came from every angle. Each was without a gun, and their weapon of choice couldn’t find its way to my bones. As the carnage was done multiple bodies lay across the wooded floor spreading their blood. I stood staring at each of them trying to catch my breath.
I turned around and saw o
ne running in the direction Logan and Farrah ran. I focused my breath and began sprinting after him. He disappeared in the heavy forest, and I thought the worst. What if he got to Farrah and Logan before I could get to him? I cleared the woodland to find him standing near the edge of Craters Point. His stocky build and tattooed flesh were of no intimidation, but I knew it was going to be a challenge. My blades dripped with blood and he stood smiling at me with a gun pointed at my head.
“Well Atlas, this is it. Are you faster than my gun,” the man said behind his smile. It was the same voice I conversed with in the woods.
“How about you put that gun down and let me show you what real men do when someone threatens their daughter,” I angrily insisted.
“Okay, I will go hand to hand with you. Put them knives down and I’ll put my gun down,” he requested.
We both kneeled down and placed our weapons to the ground. I never took my eyes off him as he treated me with the same gaze. We slowly rose at the same time with our fingers spread. Once we stood erect, my fists clinched, and I began stepping towards him. He put his fists to his face, and he walked towards me. I swung with my right hand and struck him in the side of the head. His left hand retaliated in the same way. Back and forth we went with bare knuckles and bloody fingers. Spitting blood after multiple hits and he gripped his ribs in every other motion giving me the knowledge I had broken them. His boot took my breath away when it was planted into my chest and I hit the ground. He attempted to use the same boot for my head, but dodging it wasn’t complicated even with loss of air. My arm tangled in between his legs as I lifted him off his feet and forced him to the ground. He grabbed his ribs again and I continuously kicked him. His grip finally clutched my ankle and my legs went in the air as my back hit the ground.
He stumbled to his feet as I pushed myself from the ground. A leap of faith and an extension of my legs to his chest forced him off his feet and onto his back. It placed some distance between us. As I stammered upright, I begun to sprint towards him when I noticed he gripped his gun from the ground which forced me to stop.
Z.E.D.S. Series (Book 2): Z.E.D.S. Wayward Son Page 18