by Casey, Ryan
Clouds had thickened over, suffocating the light from the moon and stars. It was freezing. Biting cold. So cold Noah could barely feel his fingertips or toes. He knew winter was going to be tough. Harsh. Always was. The hardest time of year; that went without saying.
But weirdly, he had the feeling this winter was going to be different. It certainly wasn’t going to be anything near to ordinary.
This winter was going to be different, one way or another. Whether Phase Three worked, or whether he was able to do something about it.
They sat back against the cars and ate some squirrel meat they’d brought along with them. Noah’s favourite meal these days. Really living a life of luxury. Everything was totally silent. Not even the sound of birds, which he supposed was pretty normal at night. But even when it was light, he didn’t hear those sounds quite as much.
He wondered if birds spread the virus. If maybe they were carriers too. He knew dogs could get it, and he’d seen his fair share of dead wild dogs since the helicopters passed over a month ago.
At least Bruno was still here. At least he’d made it this far.
He looked around and saw Shel staring at him.
It was weird, for one. She’d been spending all her time staring at Jaan ever since they’d run into him, not moving that rifle of hers from him.
But right now, her focus was firmly on Noah. Kelly and Jaan sitting against the car beside them, lying back against it.
“Looking at something?” Noah asked.
Shel puffed out her lips. “Got a problem with me looking at you now, pretty boy?”
“Pretty boy? That’s a new one from you. Makes a nice change to ‘prick’ and ‘dickwad’. I’ll take it.”
Shel laughed at that. Shook her head. “You’re alright, really, you know?”
“Thanks?”
“No, really. I was a dick to you at first. Don’t let anyone hear me being all soppy or anything. But I was a superbitch, and I treated you like shit. But you’re alright. Head up your own ass a bit, but hey. It’s clearly got you somewhere.”
“Again. Thanks, I guess?”
Shel sighed. Walked over to Noah’s side. Sat by him and Bruno. “Look. I guess what I’m trying to say in my courteous and compassionate way is… you’re a good bloke for doing what you’re doing. Not saying I’m fully on board. Not saying I’m not ultra fucking sceptical about it all. But you’re a good guy for even trying. But have you stopped to think maybe what might happen if this doesn’t work out?”
“You think maybe I’ve not thought a lot about that already?”
“Look. Jaan here’s all bigging up your abilities. But, like, you ain’t so confident in them yourself. You not think you should be like, practicing? For the main event?”
Noah frowned. “I mean, I guess I haven’t thought that far ahead.”
“So we’re all beacons for you apparently. Or whatever bullshit he said. Some better than others. Don’t you think you should be trying? Trying to like, connect? I mean, I dunno how it works. But I just worry if you’re sitting on your arse here, we ain’t gonna get nowhere. I wanna help you, buddy. Really, I do. But I just think maybe there’s more we could all be doing. And don’t take that the wrong way. You know I shoot from the hip.”
Noah nodded. He didn’t like the suggestion he wasn’t pulling his weight. But he got it. Maybe there was more he could be doing. And the thought of getting to Liverpool and not knowing what the hell to do, that scared him a bit.
“Hell,” Shel said. “I guess it’s nice to be able to sit out here in the middle of No Man’s Land and not have to worry about infected goons. Guess we can enjoy that, for a couple of hours, at least. Until we’re off again.”
“Yeah,” Noah said. “A nap is probably a good idea right now.”
“That your nice guy way of telling me to shut the fuck up?”
“Maybe it is.”
Shel smirked. “You know what? Maybe I will just do that. I have mad dreams. Better than reality, sometimes. Figure I’ll pay my dream girlfriend a visit for a good fucking if I can.”
“Yeah. I’ll, erm. I’ll leave you to that.”
Shel closed her eyes. Went quiet, right away. Seemed like she dozed off almost instantly.
Noah looked over at Kelly. Saw her looking at him.
Saw her smile.
He smiled back, then looked away and stared up into the clouds, tried to squint through at the stars peeking through, Bruno by his side.
Tomorrow, they got to Liverpool.
Tomorrow, they ended this. One way or another.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
He didn’t hear the footsteps approaching.
Chapter Sixteen
Noah felt his presence close by.
There was an energy. An energy walking through the jet black of night. Only he felt darker, somehow. Even darker than the darkness itself. Like a void within a void. Threatening to suck everything into it.
But Noah felt connected to it, somehow. He felt like he was outside his body, floating. Like he was above himself, watching himself from the outside. And then this energy had got nearer, grown closer, and he’d spotted it and absorbed it; merged with it.
And now he was one with it.
Now he could use it.
Now he could control it.
Now he could…
He felt that darkness inside himself, now. That bubbling over of energy. The temptation. The temptation to destroy. The temptation to erupt. The temptation to crush.
But there was another energy, too. A rival energy.
An energy that told him he could infect.
That he could start things again, somehow. That he could begin the cycle.
And if that were true—if the infection were inside him—then he knew how dangerous he was. And how in danger he was if any of Jaan’s people found out, in turn.
He watched through the eyes of this figure, walking through the night. He knew he was sleeping. Knew this was a dream. Kind of a lucid dream, where he was fully aware that this wasn’t reality and that he could wake up at any moment.
But at the same time, something about this whole sequence of events felt real. Even more real than life itself.
And he was merely a passenger. Merely watching as this person grew closer. As it approached the cars. As it approached him.
And then he looked around at Shel.
And—
His eyes opened.
He saw the man standing there. Standing over Shel. Saw the long dark hair down his back. Saw his body, big, larger than life. Both tall and fat, far fatter than anyone in this damned world of starvation had any right to be.
He saw him standing there, and he froze. The way he looked down at Shel, sleeping. The smile on his face.
And then the way his eyes darted to Noah.
He acted before Noah could do anything.
Pulled back a boot. Cracked it against Noah’s face.
Sent his head banging against the car behind him.
Ringing in his ears. Screeching through his skull. A sense of commotion around him. Shouting. Scrapping.
He turned around and saw already it was too late.
The man. Standing over Shel.
Her rifle in his hands.
“Well, well,” he said. “Would you lookie here? Shel. How you doing, princess? Thought you’d gone the way of everyone else.”
Shel was bleeding from her mouth. Looked like the bloke had given her a fair old whack over the head. Blood poured from her nostrils, too, down her face. “Renault,” she said. “Of all people to survive, it would be you, wouldn’t it?”
Noah raised an eyebrow. “So, you’re the famous Renault?” He remembered Shel telling him about Renault when they first met. She was taking him to his place, actually. Planning on turning him into some kind of slave there. How things changed.
Renault grunted. “Huh. She tell you all about me? About what I do to skinny little urchins like you?”
“Somethi
ng like that,” Noah said. “Did she tell you what I do to monsters like you?”
Renault frowned like he didn’t quite understand.
Noah smiled.
He closed his eyes and sank into that void.
He didn’t know why it was so close. Why it was so immediately accessible. It exhausted him. Drained him.
But when he was in danger, he knew how important it was to access it.
He felt himself slipping inside that man’s head.
Moving behind Renault’s eyes.
But something else, too.
Subtle. He didn’t understand it. Not at first.
But there was more energy.
Energy from those around him.
Strong from Jaan.
But there from the others, too.
A beacon.
He opened his eyes.
Saw Renault’s eyes widening. Bulging.
“What the fuck?” he muttered.
And then Noah tensed his fist.
Renault’s face started to turn blue.
His eyes bulged.
Went bloodshot.
Then completely red.
Then—
His rifle dropped to the ground.
Noah loosened his grip.
Shel lunged forward, grabbed the rifle, lifted it. Put her finger on the trigger.
“Wait!” Noah barked.
Shel turned around. Frowned. “He’ll fucking kill us, doofus.”
But Noah was on his feet. Holding out a hand now. Staring Renault in the eye.
Because he saw his value.
Saw the value of having as many people around as possible. As many survivors around as possible.
“Listen,” Noah said. “I know you don’t understand, not completely. But I know you felt it right then. And believe me when I say I can make you feel it again in a flash. Only next time, you won’t be so lucky.”
Renault’s eyes widened. “What the… what the fuck did you just—”
“I’m gonna fucking kill him,” Shel barked.
“Wait,” Noah said. “Renault. Listen. Listen very carefully because I’ll only say it once. A lot depends on how you answer this question. Truth is, we’ve all done shit. We’ve all made enemies. We’ve all done things we aren’t proud of. Question is, do you want to keep on punishing one another? Keep on holding our past grudges? Or do you actually want a chance?”
“A chance… a chance of what?”
“A chance of a new start, but for real this time? And a chance to finally make the people who wiped all your people out pay for what they did?”
“Trust me,” Shel said. “Renault ain’t to be trusted, buddy. You’re out of your goddamned mind.”
“Renault,” Noah said. “Answer the question and answer it very carefully. Or I’ll let Shel shoot you. Believe me when I say that. Are you willing to work with us? To help us? We don’t have to be friends. But we can have our shared enemies. Then we settle our grudges. Then we settle our shit.”
“Noah…” Kelly said. Bruno growling by her side. Barking at Renault.
“Answer,” Noah said. “Answer goddamned carefully. And answer goddamned now.”
At first, Renault’s eyes narrowed. He looked like he might stand his ground. Looked like he might do something stupid.
And then a big, dumb smile stretched across his face.
He raised his hands.
“Sure, brother,” he said. “Sure. You know what? I just saw fucking Jesus Christ in a piece of toast, and that’s the power you have.”
He dropped to his knees, somewhat theatrically.
“I’ve motherfucking met my god. And I’m willing to serve. But first, can we get some fries or something? I’m really fucking hungry right now. So fucking hungry, I could eat a man. No fucking kidding.”
Chapter Seventeen
The addition of Renault to the group certainly made for an interesting new dynamic.
It was morning. The sun peeked over the horizon, reflecting against the frosty ground. None of them were talking much, really. Didn’t really feel like there was a lot to say. The goal hadn’t changed. Reaching Liverpool. Getting there and using whatever strength he had to turn the tide, to stop Phase Three in it tracks, before it became a thing.
Time was running out. They had two days left, according to Jaan’s predictions. Two days to get there. Two days to stop this. To end it.
Without any problems, they should be in Liverpool by the day’s end.
But that was without any problems.
Noah knew not to take a problem-free existence for granted, to take it as given at this point.
He’d never had a journey that hadn’t resulted in some kind of hitch, in some kind of hurdle.
And he couldn’t help feeling Renault was at the centre of any problems they might run into.
Or rather, the relationship between him and Shel. Which certainly didn’t seem all warm and cosy, that was for sure.
Shel held the rifle, pointed at Renault at all times. Seemed like she’d lost all interest in Jaan as some kind of antagonist by this point. Her attention had very much been shifted.
Renault didn’t seem to mind. He walked along, this tall, imposing figure, smile on his face. Like he was just grateful to be in company again.
He puffed out his lips. “Sunrise. Considering I ain’t a morning person, it’s just beautiful, ain’t it?”
Shel jabbed the rifle into his back, right against his spine. “You don’t need to speak. Not one bit. You’re here for one reason only, buddy. Until you’re spoken to, you zip it.”
Renault laughed. He didn’t seem all that intimidated by Shel. “Hell, you really changed your tune, didn’t you? Used to be the most ruthless damned woman there was. Now, look at you. Serving these new masters like this. Hell. I don’t blame you. I’ve seen what Noah over here can do. What he’s capable of. I just never expected you to lap it up, y’know? Shel, of all people. Noah here really must have a dong of steel, huh?”
Shel jammed the gun into his back again, harder this time. “Believe me,” she said. “I think we’ve both figured out I’m not a fan of ‘dong’ by now. Now shut the fuck up.”
Renault laughed again. But it seemed like he was complying this time, at least. Truth be told, Noah didn’t feel so sure about this himself. Jaan was enough of an unknown entity himself. Hell, Shel was an unknown entity in the grand scheme of things, although he was pretty convinced of her loyalty by this point.
It just felt like there were far too many possibilities for things to go drastically wrong. Far too many variables for Noah to feel any kind of comfort.
It made him feel uneasy. Really fucking uneasy.
But he just had to crack on. Because it was like Jaan said. Every person in their company was a bonus. Everyone could be used as a beacon.
And he’d tapped into that now. He’d felt it for the first time last night, in the early hours. That subtle undercurrent. That feeling of connection with the people around him.
That sense that he could fall into it and cause such destruction to those closest to him... that feeling frightened him.
But at the same time, there was an opportunity with those abilities, too. A chance. A—
“Hey.”
Noah looked around.
Saw Jaan looking at him. Smiling.
It said a lot about the impact Renault’s arrival had on the group that Jaan wasn’t even being watched anymore. Wasn’t even being guarded anymore. That they were just trusting him to lead them to Liverpool.
It felt like unfamiliar territory for Noah. Deeply fucking uncomfortable territory, that was for sure.
But fuck. What other shot at glory did they have?
“Hi,” Noah said.
“How’re you feeling?”
Noah frowned. “Ready to get to Liverpool. But still a bit clueless what I’m actually supposed to do when I get there.”
Jaan’s smile widened. Seemed like he’d been entranced by Noah ever since he’d run into him
. Ever since he’d seen what he was capable of.
“You’ve felt it, haven’t you?” Jaan asked.
“It’s one thing to feel it. Another thing entirely to do something with it. Especially on the scale you’re talking about.”
Jaan sighed. “Tap into it. Now.”
“What?”
“Just do it. Right now. The more familiar you get with it, the better.”
“But I—”
“Do it, Noah. I know it scares you. But it’s that familiarity you need to develop. Without it, it’s like you say. Jumping into the deep end?”
Noah sighed. He didn’t want to do this. Jaan didn’t understand the physical effects it had on him. Hell, the physical effects it’d had on Iqrah...
“I still believe Iqrah was like me,” he said.
Jaan frowned. “You really do, don’t you?”
“I know what I saw. And what I felt.”
Jaan shook his head. Sighed. “Perhaps there is a chance you really bumped into another like you. Unlikely. But from the things you say, I’ve no reason to doubt you. But the fact she is gone just increases our urgency. We had two great chances to stop Phase Three before it came to pass. That sounds to me like a gift from God. But now we only have one chance. One final chance. And that chance is you. So go on. Tap into it. Feel it.”
Noah took a deep breath. He didn’t know what to think. It all sounded coincidental. It all sounded doubtful.
But what else did he have?
He went to close his eyes and take a breath when he heard footsteps approaching from behind.
He looked around and saw them.
Just as he saw Jaan’s face drop.
Because there were five of them.
Five of them, all in grey, emerging from the alleyways. Emerging from the shadows.
“Shit,” Jaan said.
The helicopter people—the Greys—were already here.
And they were armed.
Chapter Eighteen
Noah saw the people from the helicopters walking towards them, fully armed, and he felt an immediate bolt of fear shoot up his spine.
These people. They weren’t supposed to be here. It didn’t add up with anything Jaan had told him. They’d told him they were all gathering at Liverpool. All waiting to fly across the sea to someplace else; to begin Phase Three.