by Tom Cain
"Yeah as far as I know they are ready to go, sitting outside by fifteen".
"Oh they cleaned it up?" asked John.
"Yeah well, fifteen wasn't hit so bad really. They got it together pretty quick" Burke said tidying the table and putting the tools back.
"That's good news. Need to get a move on. Thanks Burke, for fixing my arm".
"Not a problem John, anytime. and good luck up there" Burke replied.
John moved off to meet Mia at the vehicle bay near outside of exit fifteen. The vehicle bay was a large square area with fenced vehicle sections. In the far right hand corner of the area there was the fuelling station, most of the fuel was kept under the forecourt and locked at all times. Mia was waiting for John on a wooden stool next to one of the low running white chain fences. She heard John's foot crunch behind her, she smiled.
"You ready then?" Mia asked still facing the opposite direction.
"Ready when you are. But I have to ask. are you sure you are ok to come along?" asked John.
"Then you don't need to ask John, this is Marko we are talking about" Mia replied standing up and facing John.
"We taking those bikes?" John asked pointing onto the forecourt and at two yellow and green off road motorbikes.
"They are the ones, all fuelled and ready to go" Mia said.
"No time to lose, let's go find Marko and the crew" John said stepping over the chain fence.
"Yeah, lets".
With that Mia and John mounted up and jumped on the bikes, setting off out of exit fifteen and towards the north and to their goal.
The drive was long but they did not stop other than to top up the fuel with fuel cans they brought along. The landscapes and built up areas were disturbingly quiet after such a monstrous battle. The greeners had mostly scurried back into hiding to regroup. A deafening silence befell the state, Ahiro's obsession had taken the population down even further. The battle would discourage migration of new families to the state, and with the Border Control Company not protecting the borders, anyone or anything to cross into New Kansas. It was the ‘anything’ that John was most concerned about.
"Mia, whereabouts were you? It looks devastated, so much smoke still" John asked sitting atop his bike staring out over the rubble which used to be the conference building and now apparent burial ground for Marko and his team.
"They are under there somewhere. I was over here when the blast went off. I managed to get the dimmer piece from just over there" Mia pointed to a large pile of debris.
They drove the bikes over to it to study the area.
"We really could use a tracker here" said John studying the area.
Mia was staring intently at this area as the memories of the blast flashed before her eyes. She remembered seeing someone escape the side entrance located on the left hand side of the building.
"John I remember seeing someone from here, a dark figure leaving the building on the left, right before the blast" Mia explained.
“Could it have been Seven?” Asked John.
“Could have been, but can’t be sure” Mia replied.
"Ok let's head over there and have a look".
They left the bikes safely on the stands and walked to the far left hand side of what used to be the building. The floor was covered in debris. Much of it burned and blackened, the smoke still covering the area. Mia stopped and crouched down next to a charred green door.
"Wait John look, prints" she said confidently. John walked over grabbed the door and flung it ten meters with one hand revealing several more prints on the ground heading further north.
"These Markos?" John asked hopefully.
"Could be, around about the same size, prints are deep though, heavy" Mia thought for a moment and scanned the area.
"John look" she said pointing over to a visible black boot poking out from under some rubble. John made his way over to where Mia was now standing and picked up a large piece of burned drywall laying on top of the boot. The boot was attached to a leg and that leg was attached to half a torso.
"oh" Mia grabbed her mouth reaching.
"Who is this?" John asked.
"A lot of the body is missing, but this looks a lot like Hatchers boots" Mia said trying to force her vomit back down.
"There are more over there".
The both moved onwards to find another body, this time a torso, wearing a torn black leather jacket.
"Doesn't look like one of ours, I guess this must be a greener" Mia said not getting too close.
"Ah shit, they are all buried under this rubble aren't they Mia? somewhere. We gotta get them all" John said looking around the decimated area.
"Yeah, we gotta get them back, but how?" Mia asked.
"We will work something out, we will have to pull something behind our bikes" said John.
Mia took a moment to realise the situation and took a deep breath in.
"John all of these guys, all of them, are gone. They are all gone." She felt a surge of emotion come over her like a warm blanket.
Her eyes began to fill as she let out a short but brave whimper.
"John, they have all gone. Blown away.".
John rested his hand on her shoulder swallowing a lump of his own.
"All we can do for them now if find their bodies and get them home. They were heroes doing what they did. fucking heroes" he said.
The rubble covered the area, they had to search every nook and cranny. The series of bombs that destroyed the area were laid under the floor of the buildings, creating many small blast craters in the ground which were then filled with debris from the fallen buildings. After a two mile radius search Mia managed to find an abandoned car cart they could attach to the two bikes and pull behind. This slowed them down and meant they had to stick to flat roads and clear and obstacles on their return.
The pair searched through the wreckage for a further two days, found the bodies of most of the group but not Markos bar his jacket and his knife. They gathered what they could and headed back to Little london with the cart in tow.
They had to sleep overnight in an abandoned takeaway shop a distance down Underidge Street. The night had come quickly at the end of day two, the pair had needed the rest. During the night John felt a tug on his shoe, he grumbled awake to find a hooded man sitting at his feet.
"What the fu.." John said springing up, half asleep and pulling a rounded metal pipe from a holster on his side.
The stranger put his hand up to stop John attacking, for some reason John felt overwhelming calmness become him and he dropped the bar. The stranger removed his hood and revealed a pulsating ever changing face hued with green glowing particles.
It was the Bright Scribe in another form.
"John Test, we have returned after destroying the DMER. In fact we returned almost immediately" the voice shifted between male and female.
"We have come to see you again John, we wanted to tell you some news, and give you a gift".
John stared on intently his face lit up with the emanating green from the scribes face.
"What about Mia?" John asked pointing to the ground next to them where Mia laid in a comfortable and undisturbed slumber.
"Mia Jong will not wake up during our conversation John Test" the Scribe attested.
"Well, what? every time you appear you make no sense. What's the problem this time?" John asked.
"The DMER is now destroyed. Taking the parts you acquired, I disposed of them in deep space, in a place without time. With Katsu Ahiro now dead and his colleagues that helped him create it gone, it will never be rebuilt. Although, I see something will happen again at the laboratory." The scribe paused for a moment staring into the distance as Mia grumbled, dreaming.
"So what do you need me for?" asked John, Sitting back down level with the scribe.
"John Test, you are required in a different place, North actually, several states. There is a darkness there, we cannot enter" said the Scribe his voice suddenly becoming stable in a deep male tone.
"What do you expect me to do about that?" John asked still confused by the scribes ongoing indirect answers.
"It's not what we want you to do John Test, I cannot see through or into that place, something dark lurks in there" the scribes voice changing again by this time to a curious female.
"It's shrouded in malice, you must go and stop this malice. It cannot be allowed to grow further" a creepy silence befell the room like the scribe sucked the ambience from the air. For a moment John paused, his eyes glazed over, he entered a dream state for a moment. John saw a darkened land, smog filled horizons, the putrid smell of death in the air, a towering dark figure approaches from under a growing red light, the figure speaks.
"Command" it says in a slow menacing tone.
The figure reaches out a smokey claw and John suddenly snaps back into reality to be face to face with the Scribe.
"You see John Test, that creature can block our vision, and intends malice on this world".
"I thought you didn't care about this world anymore? The toils of men didn't matter" John remembered the conversation back in Little London.
"You speak the truth John Test, a part of us is not connected to this world any longer, she is working across the empty space, she left this place, but we remain, we will work simultaneously" a male voice said.
"So, what happens if this creature gets out of that place?" John asked.
The scribe pulled the hood from its head.
"I don't know John Test, but we think this being means to harm all humans, it can shift like me" the Scribe again paused.
John drifted into the dream state again and felt a horrible dread falling over him, he resisted and pulled himself out of the trance.
"Yeah, I felt it Scribe, no need to show me again" said John wiping his brow sweat.
"You see John Test, that being will bring that everywhere" The scribes form shifted into that of a child.
"You can stop him, you can save them all" the Scribe said in a child's voice.
"Let me get these bodies back to Little London and sleep on it" said John.
"There is need to think John Test you will do this thing" the Scribe morphed back into male shape.
"What do I get outta this?" John huffed through semi admittance.
"I can tell you that the rumours of your mother being deceased may not be true, we have felt her story in the north recently, it could be her, it should be her. Also the blood donors of the nine subjects are still alive, yours is up there too" the voice changed again to female.
“Let me get them back to Little London.” Said John confused but curious.
"I have already taken the bodies back to Little London for you and Mia Jong, you must leave straight away, there is no rest for the wicked John Test" said the Scribe.
"I need to say goodbye to my friends Scribe, not debating that. We must all go back to Little London", and with that John felt the contents of his stomach move up, he felt lighter than normal. like floating in water, a blinding green light grew right in front of his eyes, he felt completely at peace and time failed to matter, consequences drifted away deep into the back of his thoughts. The pleasant feeling was cut short by the feeling of falling. John landed on his back on the floor of Ron Shaws private quarters. The Scribe had dropped him and Mia back to Little London in a flash of light. Mia awoke suddenly after hitting the floor.
"Holy Shit, what the holy hell" she said in complete surprise.
Trying to get up with painful pins and needles in one arm. Ron, who was writing at his desk fell off his seat, knocked back by the dramatic entrance of three surprise people.
"The bodies are in the supply bay Ron Shaw" the Scribe said now floating.
"Scribe, what? why? why did you bring everyone to my personal quarters?" Ron asked picking himself off the floor and searching for some trousers.
The Bright Scribe turns to John.
"John Test, don't linger, the North awaits. I will meet you tomorrow at the Renegade Bridge, at noon". With that the Scribe vanished in a flash of green light making everyone stumble backwards.
"John, what does he mean?" Mia asked brushing herself off. John straightened out his clothes.
"I got something to take care of up north, doesn't look good up there right now. People need help" he replied calmly.
"So, you decided not to stay in the end huh?" Ron asked John.
"Don't really have a choice with this one. The scribe is pretty convincing" John smirked and raised his eyebrows.
"He she has a way of doing that, well if you gotta go John then you gotta go" Ron replied.
"John I am coming with you, I will get the team ready and" said Mia.
"Not a chance Mia. You got what's left of Marko growing inside you, your job is to stay here, protect the people and Marko Junior" said John.
"Listen guys" John continued. "I got to get my shit together, but it's been an honour, Mia listen, you got some serious grit, but I have known you for a long time, I know you will keep these people safe".
John gave Mia, to her surprise, a hug, it was brief but heartfelt. Felt like goodbye.
"Oh John, did the scribe bring the bikes back? If not I will get some guys over to pick them up from where ever you left them and get a couple ready for you. It’s the least we can do after what you have done." asked Ron picking his chair up.
"No idea Ron, he didn't tell us he was taking us back here. Just dropped in. But thanks." John said as he left the room.
John went back to the room he had stayed in a few nights ago and began to pack his things in a small black leather bag that could be carried or slung around his back. He didn't pack much. Just two t-shirts, a few weapons and a toothbrush. It didn't take long for the rest of the team to gather outside John's room.
Burke and Valeria stood in waiting on a silver bench outside his room. John opened the hatch lock and took a step outside.
"So you are leaving us?" said Burke somewhat annoyed.
"Ah Burke, it wasn't my plan. I was going to hang around for a while but the Scribe, you know?" said John closing the door behind him.
"Listen, John, I'm not going to be able to come with you on this one, not yet anyway, they need me here. There is is a lot to repair. Ron has asked that I head up the mechanical side of the repairs" Burke said proudly.
"Sounds up your street Burke. If they need you, then you need to stay" said John resting a hand on Burke's shoulder.
"And what about you?" asked John turning to Valeria.
Valeria, thought for a moment, looked at Burke who smiled back at her.
"I think she's coming with you John, by the look on her face, she's ready for another adventure" said Burke.
Valeria nodded.
"Alright then. Glad to have you onboard" said John moving passed them both.
"Meet me at seventeen in an hour Val" he said moving on down the corridor.
An hour passed and John was ready. He walked down to the exit which was about twenty minutes from Ron's office to the East. The exit, over the last few days had been repaired in the most part. Eight through eleven were still in a terrible state, but the repair teams were getting to them one by one. The rest of the team were waiting for him at the gate. Exit seventeen was a large steel sliding door, reinforced with metal girders either side, operated by a chain pulley and pulled by a motor. Ruf, Kairi, Huck, Carol, Lisa, Burke and even Bandoleer were waiting for him. Valeria had already packed and gotten to the exit first.
“So you got shit to do up north huh big John?" Kairi said speaking first of the now silent crowd.
"Yup. I heard you are a were a little crazy on the battlefield?" asked John with a smirk.
"I get shit done J that's all" she replied.
"don't call me J" John snapped.
"Sorry Testy" Kairi quipped.
John rolled his eyes and moved on.
"We will miss you John, nice to have you around" Lisa said.
John stopped his walk to face the group.
"Guys, thanks for
joining the mission. You didn't have to but you stood up, you took a stand against the bullshit that plagues this state. And you won, it’s just a shame we had to lose so many to win. Takes a lot of guts to do what you did. So thanks". Said John.
"No need to thank us John, we were protecting our homes" said Huck.
"Good luck John" said Carol giving him a hug.
"Thanks" said John moving down the line.
Valeria got to her feet getting ready to move out. John saw Bandoleer standing by the door. Holding the chain.
"You know that goes up by motors right?" said John part in jest.
"Yeah I know Test. Just can't wait to see the back of yer" said Bandoleer cheerfully.
"Thanks for chipping in captain, you heading back to your boat now huh?" asked John.
Bandoleer looked a little annoyed.
"Yeah, going back to the boat John. Will have to give me another shout if you need help up north".
"Oh, I don't know about that fisherman, not many ponds where I'm going" John smirked.
Bandoleer nodded his head and gave a sarcastic grin.
"Off you go Test"
John and Valeria marched off through the exit, Valeria glanced behind to catch Burke's saddened eyes, partially welling up. She didn't know when she would see him next. He didn't think she would be coming back. With reluctance the gate was lifting, chugging open with a clunk. The team watched as John and Valeria disappeared into the smog and up and out into the waste.
When John and Valeria reached the surface they mounted their bikes, packed to the brim with provisions for the long journey to the cold north. Neither knew much of what was to come, and less about the environment. Never been outside the state. three hundred miles of broken roads stood in the way of their next mission. For now at least New Kansas was at peace.
CHAPTER 20
The North, The Dark and The Rat
John and Valeria were tired, hungry and now quite cold. The weather was colder the further north you went and in contrast to the heat of the Badland desert, the Northern border was biting. No snow, and no ice. Just cold. and damp. There was a palpable feeling in the air, a history of violence, a feeling of dampening light, a lingering presence. They both had just woken up, in what was the morning but seemed to be endless dark. Dark green clouds covered the sky in front of them, a tram track ran straight through a now empty border control point and into the misty land. Valeria shivered while John picked up a duffle bag and made his way back to the bike.