Rapture (Apocalypse Gates Author's Cut Book 1)

by Daniel Schinhofen

  He looked over the buildings, “Ore processor, lumber mill, butcher shop, garden, textiles, chemical plant, and quarry.”

  “Two of them are food suppliers?” Susan asked

  “Butcher shop and garden,” Alvin told her as he started to place the buildings inside the gated area.

  “That works for me,” Susan agreed.

  Alvin tapped the display, setting all the buildings up. The firing range was now bracketed by buildings. As they appeared, the group dispersed to check them out.

  Susan was frowning as she stood inside the butcher shop when Alvin walked in. “It will produce only mystery meat until it’s upgraded, three pounds every eight hours. But I can’t get it to actually do anything, or find out anything else.”

  Alvin sighed, “Well, it’s a start. Let’s hope the Settlement XP goes up quick enough that we can work with it. Does someone have to stay here for it to work?”

  “Not that I can see,” Susan replied.

  Alvin touched the plain counter area that took up a portion of the back wall. A pop-up confirmed what Susan had just relayed to him. He did notice the indication that the building could produce other stuff once it was given samples of the product. “Susan, grab me a bit of ground beef, a chunk of chicken breast and a bit of bacon, please.”

  She frowned, but went back to the house without any argument. She was back a few minutes later carrying a small plate with portions of each meat. Alvin took the plate and placed the chicken on the counter. The meat vanished with a small flash of light and Alvin smiled at the notification that popped up. He set the other two portions of meat onto the counter in turn, with identical results.

  “There, it can now produce each of those types of meat in addition to the mystery meat.” He checked the production time and winced. “A lot slower, though, it’ll take a full day to produce three pounds of chicken or bacon or ground beef.”

  “I can work with that for now. It will be faster once it upgrades, right?”

  “I fucking hope so,” Alvin shrugged. “Okay, let’s check the other buildings.”

  The mill would only produce particle board to start with. The ore processor would only give out pot metal, and the quarry gave out pea gravel. Each of the buildings would take samples to produce more things, with similarly slowed production times for anything above basic material.

  “Susan, while we’re in town if you could feed these buildings a bit of everything. If we bring back stuff that hasn’t been added, snag it please,” Alvin requested and got a nod in return.

  “We should get a trailer for the rig,” Bill commented. “We can also use the rig along with my heavy chains to drag the cars up here.”

  The redheaded nurse raised her hand, “What can we do?”

  Alvin cut in, “I have a plan, and it’s going to take all the hands we can get, minus Susan to hold the fort and give our buildings more stuff to do. The four guys will go into the first few streets and make sure there aren’t any zombies wandering around. Once it’s clear, we drag all the bodies into a pile and burn them, we don’t want the corpses laying around. Once we have the bodies cleared out of the houses, the ladies will begin the process of taking everything you can out to the curb for us. I mean everything that you can shift. This is going to take a lot longer than what we were doing before. The guys will carry out the furniture and fixtures. We’ll leave the houses standing for now, but we’ll go street by street stripping them bare.”

  “We should prioritize upgrading the cabin to make the living space better for the numbers we have.” Susan looked at Alvin, who nodded agreement at her words.

  No one had any questions or other ideas to offer, so they all got ready to head out for the day. James stopped next to Alvin for a moment, “You don’t have designs on Susan, do you?”

  Alvin laughed, “Gods, no, but I wouldn’t mind getting some hot nurse action. The redhead is my type, not that I’ve heard her name yet. Bill said he liked the look of Betty, so I’m leaving her alone.”

  “Bridget is her name,” James chuckled. “You think you would even have a chance if you don’t know her name?”

  “Well, today she hasn’t frowned at me yet, so there is hope.”

  Half an hour later, they were ready to head out. Frank drove the truck down with the guys in the bed. James drove behind them with the nurses in his car. The brunette nurse was with them today, though she seemed uncertain.

  At the first street, Alvin walked over to Bill after they had stopped the vehicles. “How’s your shoulder?”

  “Sore. According to my character sheet it’s down two health.”

  “I’ll see about getting you a medkit after today,” Alvin told him. “I would have last night but I spent all my XP upgrading the guns.”

  “Huh, okay.”

  “Which reminds me, I can bring the recoil of that down for you, so its stops kicking as hard. Well, after I get some more XP, that is.”

  “Sounds good,” Bill’s lips turned slightly up in a smile.

  Alvin looked over as James and Frank joined them. The nurse group started to clear the bodies out the houses one by one, dragging them into a pile for burning. The guys worked on clearing the bodies littering the street.

  Clearing the first street went fast, as no zombies were found. The nurses started on clearing the first house of all items. Alvin noticed them chatting as they worked before the guys turned onto the second street.

  “Think it will be okay to leave them alone?” Frank asked.

  “Should be, but one of us can stay back if you think it’s a good idea,” Bill replied.

  “Let Frank do it, they all seem comfortable around him. They also won’t be as distracted as they would be if it was James instead,” Alvin chuckled.

  James shook his head, “Ass. I do agree though, they seem to be calmer with Frank around. Must be the grandfatherly vibe.”

  Frank frowned at them, “Not respecting your elders, you two. I’ll go, it’ll make me feel better knowing they have cover if needed.”

  Bill nodded, “Alright. After we clear this street we’ll head back and start moving the furniture.”

  “See you shortly, then,” Frank commented as he turned back.

  They had just finished the second street when James looked up, “I hear a car.”

  The other two paused and nodded, just now hearing the sound of an engine. “Flag them down?” Alvin asked.

  “Might as well, we can use more hands,” Bill replied.

  They stepped away from the piled zombie corpses to wait for the approaching car. A minute later a station wagon came around the corner and Alvin’s lips ticked up in a grin. He stripped off the medical gloves he’d been wearing, so he didn’t end up with zombie goo on his hands.

  “I got this,” Alvin told the other two as he stepped forward and waved at the oncoming car. It had slowed as the driver caught sight of the three armed men. Alvin kept his hands visible as he waited for the car to approach.

  The car crept forward then stopped as Alvin came even with the driver. He leaned down to grin into the shocked face of Gothy, Becky, behind the wheel. “What are you doing here?” she asked as she eyed him.

  “Looting at the moment, my friends back there and me. We have a safe place set up and we’re starting on building a Settlement. We have room for a few more…” Alvin was interrupted by the sound of somebody groaning in anguish from the back seat.

  Gothy looked back over her shoulder with a blank face before she looked back at Alvin. “My father, he lost most of his arm before we got out of our last stop.”

  “He needs help but we haven’t found anyone,” David said from the passenger seat, anguish clear in his voice.

  “We have three nurses with us. I think I have a better solution, though.” Alvin smirked at Becky, who was looking at him with a small frown as if trying to figure something out. “Open the package and place it on your father’s arm.” He held out his single medkit.

  David came around the car and snatched it, yank
ing open the back door and clambering back into the car in almost a single motion. He ripped the package open and placed it on his father’s arm before Becky could object. The thick bandage on the man’s bicep was soaked red as David held his breath.

  “David, we don’t know…” Becky started but stopped as soon as her father’s breathing evened out and he stopped groaning in pain.

  “Holy fuck,” David exclaimed as he watched the bandage bulge as his father’s missing flesh was reappearing. He cut the bandage off, staring in fascination as the skin regrew around the open wounds. “Dad?”

  The cop in riot gear in the back seat opened his eyes, blinking as he looked around. “What happened?”

  Becky looked behind her, watching as her father roused. “He is going to make it,” She tried to make the words sound happy, but Alvin felt there was a touch of malice to them.

  David looked at Alvin with tears running down his cheeks. His father was eyeing the trio of armed men outside the car with a frown. Becky turned back around to face the front with a fixed expression.

  “Who are you?” the man asked as he continued to watch the trio.

  “Al, Wild Bill and James,” Alvin replied. “We got your arm patched up. I also helped get your kids out of school in one piece.”

  David cut in, “This is the guy I was telling you about.”

  Sighing, the no-longer injured cop shook his head, “I barely remember that.”

  “Must be memory loss due to recent trauma,” Becky finally said. “We’re in Green River right now. Al is the guy who got us out of school. He says they have a safe place set up, it sounds like they’ll let us stay with them.”

  “It’s Bill’s place actually, but we’re starting up a Settlement for the survivors of this shit. We ask that you help with the work is all. I’m sure you’re all exhausted from your ordeal. You can head up to the compound and get some food, a shower and some sleep for now.”

  “I think that would be best,” Bill added. “Once you’ve had a chance to rest we can talk, if you want to stay on.”

  James finally chimed in, “Sergeant Woodrow?”

  The cop looked at James, “Officer Wilson, you’re with them?”

  James nodded, “They’re giving me and my gran a place to stay, sir. I can vouch for them, well minus the asshole doc up at the house. You can’t do better than here, right now, sir.”

  Sergeant Woodrow got out of the car. David followed, looking confused and relieved in equal measure. Sergeant Woodrow offered a hand to Bill, wincing as Bill pulped it. “We thank you for your offer. This is Rebecca, my son David, and I’m Will.” He looked at his daughter, still behind the wheel, “Rebecca Woodrow, get out of the car.” She did as ordered with a twist to her lips, but she didn’t say anything.

  Nodding, Bill released the hand, “My daughter Susan is holding the fort. Go up the road past our friends, it’s about five-ish miles. We’ll let her know on the CB that you’re coming.”

  “After I get something in my stomach I’ll be back down here to help,” Will told them as he got into the driver’s seat of the car. “Get in, David. Rebecca, you sit in the back.”

  David thanked them as he got into the front seat. Becky wore a fixed expression, her jaw muscles jumping as she ground her teeth. She got into the back seat without comment.

  “Good to see you both again, David, Gothy,” Alvin added as the car started. He made eye contact with them both.

  David smiled back and Becky smirked at Alvin. “See you later, hero,” Becky replied, with a smirk before her father drove off.

  Bill grunted, “Little young for you, isn’t she?”

  Alvin laughed, “Eighteen, I think. I’m only twenty-six. I just wanted to cheer her up, she apparently hates her full name.”

  “I doubt her father will be happy with that idea,” James added.

  “David is the kid I told you about who rigged a bomb in the Chem room of his high school. He’ll be a big help. Gothy there was pretty fearless about the whole zombie thing, so I think she’ll hold it together. Their father is a blank to me.”

  “He was a sergeant on the bomb squad,” James added as the group started back towards the others. “He’s a good sergeant, I’ve talked to him on and off over the years. He should be able to keep it together.”

  “If you are vouching for him, then I am sure he is fine,” Bill replied. “If David has skills with bombs, as well as Will, then they can be a valuable addition to our Settlement.”

  Frank walked towards them as they approached, “The car that went by, they heading up?”

  “A bomb squad sergeant with his two teen kids,” Bill relayed the story. “Need to use the CB to tell Susan.”

  “I’ll handle it,” James said, breaking into a jog for the truck.

  Alvin snorted, earning him a look from Bill, so Alvin lowered his voice. “I think James likes your daughter.”

  A sigh escaped Bill’s lips, “She told me last night to stay out of it, so seems like that’s going to be a two-way street.”

  Frank grinned, “They grow up so fast. I mean, here she is only in her twenties, and finally finding her first boyfriend.”

  “Wait, she never…” Alvin cut off, looking at Bill. “Yeah, never mind. I get it.”

  Bill punched Alvin in the shoulder, then rubbed his knuckles, “You upgrade that jacket?

  Grinning, Alvin nodded, “Yeah. Good thing, or my shoulder would probably be dislocated about now.”

  Frank laughed, “Good to see him finally letting her live a little. It only took the end of the world for that to happen.”

  Bill flung his one empty hand into the air, “Screw you guys, I’m going to see if the nurses need anything.”

  Frank and Alvin watching him go, both chortling. “It seems he’s finally willing to let her grow,” Frank said softly. “Good, it’s time we all start looking forward.” His eyes dimmed as he recalled his own recent past, obviously not ready yet himself.

  Alvin patted his shoulder as they walked after the others. He had no idea what to say as he didn’t have the empathy to connect with the older man.

  “The first two houses are cleared,” Bill told them as they got closer. “We can move the furniture out first. Load up the truck, then pile everything else on top of that. James can drive it up and get it unloaded into the scrapper, then come back down.”

  “Fun times,” Alvin replied as he started walking to the first house. “Let’s do this.”

  They called a halt just after noon for lunch. They had cleared six houses in that time. The Scrapper seemed mostly empty even with all the stuff from the houses they’d cleared. They walked into the main room to find Rahim and Susan in a shouting match. Will, Becky and David looked on with expressions of anger or embarrassment, depending on who you looked at.

  Rahim stood toe to toe with Susan, shouting into her face. “You are only setting these new people up to become drones for you,” His face was red, and a vein stood out on his forehead. “This tidy little budding dictatorship…”

  Bill slammed his hand against the wall. The sudden noise echoed in the room, cutting Rahim off mid-shout. “That is enough!” Bill’s voice was the echo of thunder during a thunderstorm. “Get out of my house, or I will remove you by force.” Bill said, his voice dropping to a low, threatening tone as he handed his gun to Frank.

  Rahim held up his hands, looking at the new trio of people, “You see what I mean. If you object to anything, this is how they will treat you.”

  Alvin broke into laughter, “Gods, you just don’t know when to stop. Gothy, did I not tell you to leave me behind before? I was more concerned with you and David getting out than I was with me being safe or bandaged, right?” Becky nodded, staring at Rahim angrily, so Alvin continued. “So you, all of you, might want to take his words with a grain of salt. The first time I met him, his flunky tried to brain me. The second time I met him, he punched me in the face while demanding the keys to the truck. This man, while a doctor, is also an idiot.”

/>   “You threatened to kill us the first time, and you sprained my wrist the second time,” Rahim rebutted as Susan shifted around behind him.

  “Correction, I put my gun in the face of the guy who pulled back to brain me with a strut. You sprained your own wrist by punching me in the face, dumb ass. Now, goodnight,” Alvin grinned.

  Susan wrapped Rahim up from behind. As Rahim began to struggle Bill stepped forward and punched the good doctor square in the solar plexus. Rahim sagged into the stranglehold Susan had applied and was soon out cold. The brunette nurse seemed torn on what to do, the other two touched her shoulders, speaking quietly to her as they led her down the hall away from the scene. Bill slung Rahim over his shoulder and walked with him towards the exit. Frank went with, after Susan handed him the Glock that Alvin had upgraded last night.