The Long Night Box Set

by Kevin Partner

  Solly shrugged, feeling his cheeks warm at the unexpected compliment. "I wanted Ross to be examined by a qualified doctor and, in any case, I'd hoped your tech guys would be able to reactivate Alison."

  "Yes, that's been disappointing. But, as for DC, it's resisting the Lee Corp's stranglehold so far, but there's growing unrest as more and more people come in. It seems DC's been reinforced by a contingent from the Pennsylvania National Guard—also your doing, I believe. You are something of a catalyst, Mr. Masters. DC can survive for a while at least, but we need intelligence if we're to act against the Lee Corporation and our other enemies."

  Downing the last of his coffee, Solly said, "I certainly seem to attract trouble everywhere I go, Colonel, so the sooner I'm back on the road, the better."

  They headed south on I-675, skirting the eastern side of Dayton and aiming for the 75 which would take them to Cincinnati. The first ten miles of roads had been cleared by McBride's forces and the suburbs they passed through also seemed to be organized and well kept. Many people heading for DC from the south and west had stopped here, in the protective shadow of the base, and were reestablishing the city piece by piece.

  Soon enough, however, they were on Route 75 and, by nightfall, they'd arrived at McBride's forward base on the north side of the Ohio River. A detachment of around one hundred soldiers had occupied a gas station opposite a hotel that they were using for accommodation.

  Solly pulled the Humvee into the forecourt and was half-blinded by an arc light that was turned in their direction. A face appeared at the door, and Solly was aware of rifle muzzles pointed at him from the darkness. He handed over the pass and orders McBride had given him and watched as the sentry examined them under a flashlight and then peered suspiciously into the vehicle.

  "Please get out of the vehicle while we search it," he said with a brusqueness that, Solly thought, didn't quite hide an edge of fear.

  Hands raised, Solly and Vivian got down.

  "You too!" the sentry called out to Ross, who'd sat motionless.

  "He can't walk," Solly said quietly. "Give us a moment to get him out."

  They felt suspicious eyes on them as they pulled the wheelchair out of the back and unfolded it. "Come on, son," Solly said as he helped a red-faced Ross down from the passenger's seat and into the chair.

  Half a dozen personnel swooped on the Humvee, one checking the outside, one beneath and four the interior. "Clear," they called in turn.

  "You may proceed," the sentry said, "but all weapons must be left in the vehicle. You may refuel, then park over there and report to Lieutenant Bryant across the road."

  "Thank you," Solly said. He thought he saw a flicker on the man's face, but the mask was on tight. He looked as though he was barely functioning, but whether that was due to stress or lack of sleep, he couldn't tell. The poor devil had probably only pulled a military uniform on for the first time after the Long Night. He'd probably been an accountant in the old world.

  Solly examined a sooty patch on the outer wall of the hotel and a mound of debris beside the entrance as his pass was again checked by a guard before he was shown inside.

  Lieutenant Bryant came out of the office he'd commandeered and offered a weary hand to Solly.

  "Have we arrived at a bad time?" Solly asked.

  "What? Oh. Yes," Bryant responded. "We're at FPCON Charlie. There was an attack on the hotel yesterday. No friendly casualties, but they tried to ram the main entrance."

  "No wonder your sentries are jittery. Would it be better if we left immediately?"

  Bryant scribbled a signature on the clipboard he was carrying and handed it to a waiting soldier. "Tell Kamau to bring the guard rotation forward an hour," he said before returning the salute and watching the man march off.

  "Honestly Mr…I'm sorry…"

  "Solly Masters, Lieutenant."

  Bryant nodded and then tried to crack a smile, but only succeeded in making his exhaustion all the more obvious. "Of course. It would be safer for you to be elsewhere, I think. My advice is to get across the river and south of the city before you stop for the night. Even a Humvee isn't safe in the city."

  "What's going on here?"

  "I'm not sure," Bryant said, shrugging. "We set up the outpost to guard the gas station. We've been using it as a fuel dump for operations to the south of Wright-Patt. Some of the local politicians have been trying to set up an administration and they welcomed us; we even provided some gas to the local population. Then yesterday's attack happened, completely out of the blue."

  "Any idea why?"

  He shook his head. "No. One driver in a van. We didn't find anything on him or in the vehicle, except the IED on the driver's seat."

  "I've got a bad feelin' about this place, Solly," Vivian said, tugging on his arm. "Let's go. We can camp somewhere once we're out of the city."

  Solly couldn't help thinking she was right. He was not a sensitive soul, himself, and had always been suspicious of gut feelings and intuition, but his spider sense was tingling.

  "Perhaps some people don't like the idea of any sort of normality being established," Bryant said, as if he hadn't heard Vivian's words. "We're only trying to help."

  "Have you contacted Colonel McBride?"

  "Yes, we should have reinforcements tomorrow. Good luck, Mr…"

  "Masters," Solly said, shaking hands with the officer before grabbing the handles of Ross's chair and swinging him around.

  The lieutenant was marching back to his office before they'd left the building.

  "This place gives me the creeps," Ross said as he was guided across the road, aware they were being watched by guards in every direction.

  The sentry who'd greeted them earlier had received directions by radio and was waiting for them when they walked into the forecourt. He escorted them to the Humvee and helped Ross get back into the passenger seat.

  "Thanks," Solly said as they stepped back.

  The guard nodded and Solly put out his hand then noticed movement over the guard's shoulder.

  "Who's that?"

  A figure in black was walking with determined purpose towards the gas pumps, from the direction of the river.

  The guard spun around and immediately went for his sidearm. "Halt!" he called, running off into the darkness.

  Without thinking, Solly grabbed his Glock out of the glove compartment and sprinted after him.

  The figure in black appeared from behind the forecourt, ignoring all orders to stop.

  Shots punched the darkness and the figure stumbled backwards but then righted itself and moved forward again. Bulletproof vest!

  It appeared between two pillars and Solly realized he was the only one with a clear shot. He raised his Glock, aiming for the legs. Then he saw. The figure was female, there could be no doubt about it. What had he become, that he would open fire on a woman?

  Whatever he'd become, he squeezed the trigger just as she plunged her hand into a pocket and she was instantly engulfed in a thunderous ball of flame that expanded in all directions. Solly dived sideways and ended up in a heap behind a trash can as heat licked at his boots. Stinking smoke filled his lungs and he retched before pushing his face to the ground and sucking in cleaner air. Cries erupted from all around as he pulled himself to his feet.

  The sentry who'd helped Ross into the car was on the ground. He'd been closer to the woman and had taken the full brunt of the fireball.

  "I can't feel anything!" he was crying, over and over. The skin of his face was a blackened ruin and any moment now the pain would engulf him, followed by the threat of shock.

  "Solly! You okay?" Vivian was calling out to him and Solly could also hear Ross's voice in the distance.

  "I'm fine. Get a medic, quick!"

  She had hardly run five paces when the guard gripped Solly's hand. "John. My name's John Summerton."

  "Okay, John. We're going to get help."

  "How are the others?"

  "I haven't checked them," Solly said. "I didn't wa
nt to leave you."

  "You did the right thing. Any closer and the whole gas station would have gone up. Go help the others."

  Solly hauled himself to his feet and ran over to the nearest prone form. He didn't need to get too close to know that he couldn't help that soldier.

  He heard the thudding of boots and a figure bent down to examine the third soldier before almost immediately getting up again and running over to Solly.

  "Are you hurt?"

  "No. This one's gone, but Summerton's alive," Solly said, pointing behind him.

  After no more than a cursory glance at the body, the medic passed Solly who got up just in time to see Lieutenant Bryant running through the clearing smoke.

  "Form a perimeter!" he barked as the rest of his contingent fanned out.

  "Be careful," Solly said, "Vivian and Ross are over there."

  "What happened?" Bryant said.

  "Suicide bomber. Aiming for the gas pumps."

  The medic appeared on Solly's shoulder. "Summerton should live, but we need to get him inside, sir."

  When Bryant had barked his orders, the medic said, "He wants to give his report, sir."

  Bryant nodded and Solly watched as he knelt beside Summerton's form, leaning close to listen.

  "It seems we have you to thank for preventing total disaster here, Mr. Masters," Bryant said, all the weariness and indecision banished by adrenaline.

  "Two men are dead," Solly responded. "If I'd shot sooner…"

  Bryant took his hand and shook it. "I knew those men and no one in this twisted new world will mourn their deaths more than me, but if you hadn't taken that action, we'd have lost far more people and a strategic fuel supply. I'm going to get Summerton inside and leave him with the medic and one guard. The rest of us are going to put a ring of steel around this dump. I can't order you to help, but I'd sure appreciate it."

  Bryant had a dozen personnel—not counting Solly, Vivian and Ross—and a military transport, so his ring of steel was badly perforated. He arranged his forces in pairs, each of which was tasked with building some sort of cover for themselves from whatever they could find.

  Solly helped them move three rusting cars from the road, each placed on one side of a square surrounding the gas pumps with the Humvee completing the perimeter. Their vehicle had been fitted with an access hatch in the roof, though it had no minigun, and he kneeled on his pack so he could poke just enough of his head out to see without presenting too big a target.

  The night inched past, the only sound being the hum of the generators that were powering the construction lamps sweeping their surroundings for any sign of movement. They had one infrared scanner which was passed around each side, but they'd seen nothing since the attack. The medic had done his best to shovel up her remains, but blood and pulverized body parts were still scattered across the asphalt.

  Why had she done it? What was the motivation for blowing up a fuel dump? Especially one that was distributing at least some of the gas to the local community.

  "Intruders, I wish to speak to your leader!"

  Solly's head snapped around, trying to locate the source of the voice. It had come from the direction he was facing, and it sounded as though it was amplified.

  Lieutenant Bryant appeared beside the Humvee. Solly could see him using its hood for cover as he, too, searched for the voice. "Who are you?" he called out.

  "Who I am is unimportant," it continued, and Solly was now able to pinpoint a single-story building beyond the range of the lights, probably a fast food restaurant. "What matter is who we are. We are the Children of Revelation and we will not allow you to stand in the way of our purpose!"

  There was something familiar about the voice.

  "What is your purpose?" Bryant asked.

  "You support those who would wish to restore the ways of the sinful past. You support the perverted government in DC. We cannot allow it to take root. The world must be prepared for the end of days. Retreat and we will spare you, fight and you will die. For we are many."

  Bryant glanced up at Solly, who shrugged. He felt as though he ought to recognize the speaker, but also knew that he wasn't from here.

  "We are ordered to secure this facility for the military and the common good," Bryant called. "We do not wish to harm anyone, but if you approach us, we will use deadly force."

  "The common good? The end of days is coming and the world must be cleansed! The people must be brought low so that they welcome the new Earth that will arise when the righteous ascend. You have made your choice."

  "Lieutenant!" Another voice called across the forecourt. "We've got incoming!"

  Shapes ran into the patchy illumination of the construction lights, heading for the perimeter. "My God, there are hundreds!" Solly said.

  Chapter 8

  "They're unarmed!"

  The shapes were walking slowly towards the perimeter, their unified chants forming a backing track to the urgent calls of the defenders.

  "Lieutenant, they have no weapons. What are your orders, sir?"

  "Do we open fire?"

  From his vantage point, Solly could see them inching closer and closer. It was as if they'd been hidden in the landscape waiting for their leader to signal for them to begin the attack. If walking and singing can be called an attack. As they got closer, the circle contracted and they were able to join hands. Above it all, Solly could hear their leader, exhorting them to do their duty to their creator. And he still couldn't place the voice.

  "Warning shots only!" Bryant called.

  Immediately, the air was punctuated by rounds fired over the heads of the walkers.

  "Some of them must have weapons," Solly shouted down to Bryant. The problem was, they couldn't know which. "Don't you have any tear gas?"

  "No," Bryant shouted. "We weren't expecting to have to do crowd control. I haven't seen this many civilians together since this all started."

  Solly's subconscious flashed an image into his mind's eye like an impatient child jumping up and down to attract the teacher's attention. The last time he'd encountered so many people outside a military base was…yes, back in New York. He, Ross and Janice had been trying to get out of the city in the days after the Long Night, and they'd stumbled across…a community on Broadway. And the head of that community…

  "I know who their leader is!" Solly called. He dropped down into the Humvee where Ross and Vivian were staring out at the approaching crowd. "If they get too close, Viv, drive away. Don't risk yourselves for the sake of a fuel dump."

  "They're not going to run away," Ross said, pointing at Bryant who was shooting high from the hood of the Humvee.

  "They're soldiers, following orders. You're not. Promise me you'll go if I don't come back quickly."

  Ross nodded and took Solly's hand. "Where are you going?"

  "Remember that religious group in New York? That's him. That's Pastor Fisher."

  "I thought Janice had killed him!"

  Solly shook his head. "The devil looks after his own, Ross. He's the key to this. I'm going to finish what Janice started." As he said this, his throat closed up and he choked back a tear, pulling Ross into a brief embrace.

  He left his assault rifle with a puzzled Vivian, pulled the door open and jumped out.

  Suddenly, his thirst for revenge had coalesced into a single target. Pastor John Fisher had led a repressive religious community based in a hotel in New York. He'd tried to force himself on Janice but, in the end, they'd escaped, and she'd left him with a knife wound to the groin. It should have been enough to kill him but Solly was happy it hadn't.

  He knew that the Lee Corporation was the bigger villain, and that he would have to face it sooner or later. But that felt like a mission he was obliged to attempt with little hope of success. Dealing with Fisher, on the other hand, was something for the here and now. Killing him would bring one small measure of relief. At least, he hoped so. And he had no doubt that the world would be a better place without him and his particular brand of po
st-apocalyptic craziness in it.

  Carrying the Glock in his right hand, he crouched as he scampered through the pools of light and into the darkness. He stopped for a moment to allow his eyes to adjust and then he saw them—shapes coming toward him. Only yards away.

  They were all women and they formed an almost continuous fence as they walked slowly, hand in hand, towards the waiting soldiers. They sang a psalm and many wore an ecstatic expression though others looked terrified, as if they were being propelled forward by those around them or some other force.

  The cry went up as he darted for one of the few remaining gaps.

  "A demon!" one called.

  "Catch him!"

  The line broke up as many figures stumbled toward him, looking to cut him off. Solly freed up his hands by stowing the Glock in a pocket—he wasn't going to shoot at unarmed women whatever the provocation. He hadn't fallen that low.

  Hands grabbed at him as he plunged through the closing gap, but he ripped himself away and was out into the open air beyond, pulling the gun from his pocket as he tried to orient himself. He'd have lost himself in the dark had the voice not risen again.

  "Stay firm to your purpose, soldiers of the end times! Form the righteous ring and enclose our enemies. Onward!"

  Solly located the direction and plunged on. He had no idea how far away the speaker was, as his voice was obviously amplified, but he had to be close enough to see that the circle had broken momentarily, while too far away to tell that someone had broken through.

  So, Solly had the advantage, but he had no time. Shots rang out and he knew that it was only a matter of moments before Bryant would order his troops to shoot or the attackers would get within the defensive circle. Either way, one side or the other would be massacred. He ran on, flitting around the cars that littered the road on the other side of the gas station and towards the rectangular building, black upon a dark sky.