Liberation (Wasteland Road Knights Book 1)

by Andrew Dobell

  ‘I think that’s best,’ Nyx answered her before turning to Nero. ‘How are your arms feeling?’

  ‘Good,’ Nero said and tested out their range of movement. They were getting on for being back to normal, really. They ached, but the pain was significantly reduced and was certainly bearable now. He had no idea what Pheen had given him, but it had worked wonders. He’d seen a glimpse of her laboratory when he’d been brought down here, so he guessed she was some kind of herbalist or alchemist or something. A useful person to have around, he thought.

  ‘Great, what’s next?’ Nyx asked.

  Nero stood up. ‘We leave,’ he said and moved to the door to look down the corridor. He turned his head left and right, checking each direction, but the tunnel was empty. He stepped out and made his way along the hallway towards the guards room with Nyx and Pheen following along behind him until, after a turn in the tunnel, Nyx asked him to wait.

  He stopped. They were next to the entrance to Pheen’s lab, and she was giving Nyx a hug.

  ‘I’ll miss you,’ Nyx said.

  ‘You’ll be fine. I always hoped you’d get away from here one day, little one. It wasn’t right of Rex to keep you locked up and to treat you the way he did,’ she said.

  ‘You helped me get through it,’ Nyx said.

  ‘I didn’t do much. You’re tough; tougher than you realise. Now, get out of here and don’t come back,’ Pheen said before turning to Nero and offering her hand to him.

  Nero stepped up and took it in his.

  ‘Thank you,’ Pheen said. ‘Look after her, won’t you.’ It wasn’t a question, but more of an order, or the request of a friend. Nero nodded.

  ‘You promise me,’ she said.

  ‘I promise,’ Nero muttered, feeling the weight of responsibility fall on his shoulders. ‘You’re not coming?’

  ‘No. I’m needed here, and anyway, this is my home. I’m not a slave, I can leave anytime I like, but there’s no need. I’m happy here,’ she said.

  Nero understood. There was something to be said for having a home, something he’d not really had for years now unless you counted the charger. He wondered if he ever would again.

  Nyx said her final goodbyes to Pheen, and they continued on up the tunnel and into the guard's room. Nero scanned it, and quickly noticed a stash of weapons on a side table, spotting his own shotgun, pistol, and dagger amongst them.

  With a smile, he walked over, picked up the items, checked them over to make sure they were okay and loaded before holstering or sheathing them about his person. He also grabbed whatever suitable ammunition he could find as well.

  Nero turned and looked at Nyx, she looked concerned about something and wore a bit of a frown.

  ‘What’s up?’ he asked.

  Nyx shook her head. ‘Nothing, don’t worry about it,’ she said and moved to the next door. Moments later, they were walking carefully up the slope and out of the tunnel entrance into the main complex of the Watchtower. It seemed quiet when Cryptus suddenly appeared around a corner up ahead. Nero flinched and went for his gun, but stopped the moment he recognised who it was.

  ‘You did it!’ he said to Nyx.

  Nyx smiled back at Cryptus. ‘Of course, was there ever any doubt?’

  ‘You were taking a while, so, I was beginning to wonder,’ he said. ‘How are you?’ he asked Nero.

  ‘I’ve been better, but I’ll survive,’ he said.

  ‘Good to hear,’ Cryptus said. ‘Let’s get to your car, shall we?’

  Nero nodded. It felt great to be out of that cell and free to walk around again, but he was also well aware that they weren’t out of danger yet. They didn’t have far to walk to get to the garage, but they would be passing close to the brothel, which Nero guessed would be busy on occasion. Both Nyx and Cryptus seemed happy for Nero to take the lead, so he forged ahead, staying as stealthy as possible.

  As they finally passed one of the entrances to Madam Privay’s house of ill repute, the door suddenly slammed open and a figure stepped out with a huge smile on his face.

  Panic flooded Nero’s system for a second until he realised he knew who it was.

  ‘Ras?’ Nero asked.

  ‘Nero? But I thought you…’

  ‘Yeah,’ Nero said.

  ‘Rex had him brought back and threw him in a cell,’ Nyx said.

  ‘What?’ Ras exclaimed in confusion and surprise. ‘I don’t understand, why would he do that?’

  ‘Long story,’ Nyx quickly answered again.

  Nero didn’t mind Nyx responding to these questions as the real reason for his capture concerned her more than him anyway, so he let her deal with it.

  ‘Oh?’ Ras answered her, before glancing at Nero, then back to Nyx, before he seemed to get an idea of what was going on. ‘Oh, I see,’ he said. ‘Care to fill me in?’

  ‘Later. We don’t have time now; we need to get out of here,’ she said.

  ‘You’re working together, aren’t you? Busting out of here,’ Ras said, with a smile. ‘Awesome, count me in. Let’s do it.’

  Nero shrugged to himself, and they continued on their way, making it to the garage without any trouble as they walked through the quiet fortress. These days, with the lights from the cities of old long gone, the nights were dark. Really dark. The Watchtower was better lit than many camps, and there was a mix of electric lights, gas lights, and lamps around. Various sconces on the walls and out in the courtyard there were a couple of burning barrels as well. But even so, the hallways and corridors in here were very dark, allowing the group to move through the shadows and stay out of sight for much of the time.

  Eventually, they reached the garage and Cryptus led the way over towards a car that had been covered by several sheets to hide its identity. But even with the covers on, Nero recognised it as his own right away and ripped the sheets off as quickly as he could.

  The garage was also quiet and devoid of people, for the time being, allowing them to work undetected as Nero checked the car over. As he moved around it, with Ras already climbing inside, he noticed Nyx standing a short way off and looking troubled.

  Nero watched her for a moment, and after a few seconds, she looked up at him with an expression that concerned him. She looked scared and suddenly unsure. Nero left the car, which looked as beautiful as ever, and walked up to her.

  ‘What is it?’ he asked.

  ‘I can’t leave,’ she said.

  Nero’s heart sank. Was she having doubts now she had done all this?

  ‘Why?’ he asked, his tone serious but concerned.

  ‘I mean, I want to; I need to leave, but I need to get something first,’ she said.

  ‘What?’

  Nyx looked up into his eyes and he saw steel and resolve in there that would not be denied. ‘My sword. I need my sword. I can’t leave without it.’

  Nero pressed his lips together in consternation. They were so close to getting out of here, and now she wanted to walk right back into the lion’s den. But that look in her eyes told him how much this meant to her. She could not leave here without at least trying to get it.

  Nero took a breath and with a sigh, put his hands on his hips. ‘Where is it?’

  Nyx gave Nero a nervous smile. Nero knew he was not going to like the answer to his question.

  ‘It’s at the top of the Watchtower,’ she said. ‘I’m going to get it, and I’m not leaving without it.’

  Chapter 15

  *

  Nero closed his eyes. He knew she was going to say something like that. Of course it wouldn’t be in the next room, or somewhere else that was easy to get to. That would be too easy. But, it was fairly pointless complaining about it. He could see she was not about to let this go. He had no idea why, but this sword was clearly important to her, and if that is what they needed to do, then so be it, he thought.

  Opening his eyes again, Nero looked down at her. She stood there with nervous energy bubbling up inside her. He could see she was desperate to go and get the thing and th
e look in her eyes was filled with hope that he would go with her. Nero couldn’t resist those eyes, and suddenly the decision was made for him.

  Nero gently nodded once, and the biggest smile he’d ever seen her wear yet spread over her face in a second. Before she could say anything, Nero raised one finger, indicating she should wait one moment.

  Nero turned to Cryptus. ‘We’re not leaving yet,’ he said.

  ‘Hmm? How come?’ Cryptus asked.

  ‘What?’ Ras yelped.

  ‘We have an errand to run, Nyx and I. We won’t be long. Get the car sorted out and be ready to get out of here in a rush,’ he said.

  Cryptus nodded. ‘You can count on it,’ he said.

  Nero nodded and turned back to Nyx, gesturing with his hand that she should lead the way.

  Nyx smiled and gave a quick nod before setting off through the garage at a rapid pace. Within seconds, they had left through one of the various exits out of here and were making their way through the compound, heading straight for the base of the tower.

  ‘We won’t be able to just walk up there,’ Nyx whispered to him as she slowed her pace to allow him to step up to her.

  ‘Guards?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes, two of them, at least. One at the base of the tower and another at the top,’ she said. ‘I can go through fine, but they won’t let you through.’

  ‘We can use that to our advantage,’ Nero mused as they neared the base of the tower. As they reached a left branch in the corridor, Nyx slowed and peered around the corner before ducking back.

  ‘Yep, just one of Rex’s Dogs,’ she whispered. ‘I’ll walk up and distract him,’ she said.

  ‘Once his back’s turned, I’ll come over,’ Nero finished, smiling at how quickly Nyx was picking up his thought process.

  ‘Perfect,’ Nyx said, smiling at him and looking deep into his eyes. Nero had seen pretty girls before, he’d even slept with a few of them during his travels, but Nyx was different. When he looked at her, a strange warmth filled him up and washed away the cares he was dealing with right at that moment. It was an alien feeling, and one he’d not really experienced before, not to this extent, anyway. All he knew was that he liked that feeling and wanted to keep on experiencing it.

  For what seemed like a lifetime, Nero just looked into her eyes and took in every detail of her face. Beauty is of course in the eye of the beholder, and although other people saw his car and thought it looked like some kind of brutish machine of death, Nero saw something wonderful. He looked at his charger and saw his life mapped out on it. Each dent or scrape or stain told a story and reminded him of something that had happened. That car was his life, his saviour and his home, and he thought it was beautiful. A work of art. But he wondered how many others saw it and thought the same thing.

  When he looked at Nyx, he saw a different kind of beauty. Hers was a softer, more inviting and friendly beauty, but a beauty that was just as valid as the one he saw in his car.

  Nyx’s ash blonde hair framed her face, shot through with braids on the sides of her head with little trinkets tied up in it.

  She wore some freckles on her fair skin that spread lightly over her nose and upper cheeks, while her arresting blue eyes had a depth to them that was captivating and all too easy to drown in.

  For those few seconds that she looked up at him, he was lost, his mind forgetting the dangerous situation they were in. Instead, he drifted off to some fantasy dreamland where he could hold her in his arms and press his naked body into hers.

  ‘Ready?’ she asked, and suddenly he was ripped from his daydream back into the rust and dirt of the Watchtower.

  ‘Ready,’ Nero said and pushed the carnal thoughts of endless nights in Nyx’s arms away for the time being. Nyx winked at him, took a deep breath, and then strode confidently around the corner.

  Nero waited for a while, letting her footsteps trail off as she walked away before edging around the corner to wait for his cue.

  He spotted Nyx first and caught himself enjoying the rise and fall of her butt cheeks as she walked away before he remembered what he was meant to be doing and looked past her to the guard on duty.

  He was leant up against the wall next to the door that led into the tower. He seemed bored, and when he suddenly noticed Nyx walking up, he stepped off from the wall and smiled at her. He couldn’t make everything out, but he heard him greet her and engage in exchanging pleasantries. She probably knew all the guards by name now, he was willing to bet. He wondered how she felt about killing each of them? Would she be remorseful or would she not even care?

  As she spoke to the Dog, she continued moving past him and opened the door to the tower. She made sure to keep him engaged, though, and as she hauled open the door and stepped inside, the guard turned to continue facing her, putting his back to Nero.

  That was his cue to move, so he pulled his dagger and stepped out into the corridor, being careful to walk as quietly as he could.

  As he got close, the tension he felt grew. He was painfully aware of how loud his footsteps sounded and hoped that this guard wouldn’t pick up on them too soon.

  He was just a few feet from the guard when he suddenly heard Nero’s footsteps and turned to look at him. Nero lunged forward, and brought his dagger up and under the man's jaw and rammed it up into his skull, right up to the hand guard between the blade and the handle.

  The position of the blade and the force of Nero’s arm pushing the blade up under his jaw kept the guard's mouth shut tight and prevented him from calling out or screaming.

  The man struggled for a moment, his eyes going wide and then bloodshot as blood welled up and seeped from the corners of the man's mouth, out of his nose and even out of his eyes. With his other hand behind the guard’s head, Nero held him still for the few seconds it took for him to fall limp before guiding the man into the bottom of the tower through the door. Nero laid him out and withdrew the knife, letting the blood pour free from the man’s head.

  Nero wiped his knife against the man’s trouser leg before putting it away and looking over at Nyx. She was looking down at the man, the guard, with an air of remorse about her.

  ‘Sorry,’ she whispered to the corpse.

  ‘You okay?’ Nero asked.

  Nyx seemed to take a moment to steel herself before she looked at him. ‘I’m fine,’ she said and moved to the nearby ladder that led up inside the tower. ‘I’ll go first, there’s another guard up at the top. He should be expecting me,’ she said.

  Nero nodded and let her start to climb up first. Nero followed and looked up at what he considered to be a lovely view of her undeniably pert ass and the thin bit of old lycra or leather that separated her cheeks and hid her modesty.

  The climb was a long one up - roughly one hundred meters of ladder. Nero couldn’t help but enjoy the view as her legs pumped back and forth as she climbed, her muscles tensing and relaxing, causing her flesh to wobble as she moved.

  Again, he found himself imagining all kinds of erotic scenarios with her where he finally got to get his hands on her.

  Minutes later, they finally approached the hatch at the top. Suddenly, Nyx stopped, breaking Nero from his thoughts. He tore his eyes away from Nyx’s ass and looked up at her face. She raised her eyebrows at him and tilted her head in an expression that told him she knew he was looking at her rear and enjoying it, like some horny teenager who should know better. Her slightly disapproving look also suggested he get his mind out of the gutter and concentrate on the dangerous situation they were currently in.

  ‘Sorry,’ he muttered.

  ‘Whatever,’ she whispered back. ‘Are you ready?’ she asked.

  Nero took a breath and did his best to banish those naughty thoughts away for now and concentrate on what he was about to do. Nero looked up and nodded to her.

  Nyx winked at him with a smile and continued up the last few meters before climbing out of the top of the hatch. If he didn’t know any better, and he wasn’t sure he did, he thought he noticed a
change in the way she was moving, almost as if she were presenting herself to him, knowing he was looking at her.

  That was ridiculous, though, he thought and shook his head as he neared the top as well. He waited for a moment, unable to clearly see into the room from where he was, when Nyx suddenly appeared at the hatch again with a finger to her lips, urging him to be quiet.

  ‘He’s asleep,’ she whispered to him.

  Nero smiled and started to climb out of the hatch. He found himself inside the housing for the turbine that used to be in here but had clearly been removed. It looked like the space had been divided into two, with a fabricated wall to his left with a metal door in the centre of it. The inside of the housing had been retrofitted with sheets of metal and various other materials to create a floor and thicken up the walls. He could see fabric and old foam and other bits stuffed into the makeshift cavity walls to give the place some insulation, too. Nyx stood nearby, looking a little nervous, while right in front of him, one of Rex’s guards sat in a chair against the far wall, in a deep sleep, gently snoring.

  On the wall above the guard, he could see Nyx’s sword, in pride of place. To his right, a set of steps led up and out of the housing. Nero climbed out of the hatch, being careful to be as quiet as possible, and eventually stood up next to Nyx.

  ‘What do you think?’ Nyx whispered.

  Nero looked at her wide eyed, and then at the guard. She was taking a risk talked in here, he thought.

  ‘Oh, don’t worry, he sleeps like a rock, as long as we whisper, he won’t wake up,’ she explained.

  ‘Oh. Is this…?’ Nero started to ask in a low whisper, gesturing at the room.

  ‘My place. My bedroom’s in there. This has been my home for the past few years. When I was younger I lived down in the complex, but as I… …developed…’ she said, gesturing to her chest, ‘Rex decided he wanted me closer, and to have me to himself…’ she said, clear disgust toward him in her voice and body language.

  ‘Is Rex nearby?’ Nero asked, thinking it would be a good idea to change the subject slightly.

  Nyx nodded and pointed up. ‘He’s above us, playing cards with some of his guards.’