by Damien King
She walked up to him all business. “This site is now under a United States’ military investigation. You were on watch the night of the attack which makes you a person of interest and possible war criminal.”
“Last I checked, The Confederate States of America and the U.S. are not at war.” Julien said.
“Depending on the town of Rockwell’s cooperation, we soon might be.”
“You’d love that wouldn’t you Agent McKinney. Finish what you started.”
Julien could swear he saw Gabriella hesitate before she continued. “We would like the drone samples your men come up with. You may have lost business assets, but the U.S. has lost two good men. It seems both our countries have a common interest.”
“The company examining the drone have nothing to do with me. You will have to ask them yourself.” Julien reached in his pocket and pulled out Freddy’s business card. “Call them. Ask them. We stay out of other people’s business here. Is that all Agent McKinney?”
Julien didn’t wait for an answer. He turned and began walking away.
“We have reports that the two men were with a young girl. Has anyone seen her?”
Julien stopped and faced Gabriella. So that’s why they are here. They are not here to investigate the deaths of two men. They are not here for the cries of justice and public outrage the U.S. people are most likely demanding. They are here because of that little girl. Why?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about Agent McKinney. Enjoy your stay in the CSA.”
Julien walked down the hill and into the trailer. He plopped down on the bed and rubbed his eyes. The little girl. He wondered where she was. Did she go back over the border? Where did she come from? Why was she here? Was she with the two men in the warehouse? Did she know the attack was coming? Were the men helping her or chasing her?
Julien closed his eyes. The last 24 hours finally getting to him. If Easton wants to deal with Gabriella and Bear Guy let him. Julien needs a few hours to get his energy back. He is going to find that girl.
The night came cold and black when Julien woke up. His mouth was dry. He realized he hadn’t eaten in almost two days. He opened the mini-refrigerator in the trailer and found some sliced salami and a half a bottle of Poland Spring water. After a few slices and polishing off what was left of the water he grabbed his AK and headed out.
He went up the path to the exact spot where he saw the girl the night before. He went into the woods trying to pick up any signs. He noticed some broken twigs and crushed underbrush but he knew this was the spot she froze and reached out to him.
He went deeper into the woods. Every now and then he would stop and listen. As long as the crickets were chirping and the owls making their noise, he knew nobody was close by. Neither the girl nor anyone else was following him. Complete silence in this forest would be a red flag.
He walked and searched for an hour going deeper and deeper in the woods. If he went any further he would come out on the west side of the hill at the actual town of Rockwell – his home since he was a teenager. He turned back when heard the scream.
It came back the way he had come. It was hard to pin point a direction. The scream was far and faint. He ran anyway, AK in hand. Another scream. He headed towards it. As he got closer, he heard someone crying.
Twenty feet away in the dark he saw shapes. Grown men grabbing and pulling on something. It was the little girl.
“Hey.” Julien yelled.
There were three men, long greasy hair, skinny to the point of looking sickly. They looked up at Julien and froze. That was enough for the girl to scramble away and run behind him.
The guy on the left reached into his pants and pulled out a pistol. Julien raised his AK and fired. Rounds hit the guy in the chest, dropping him. The other two turned and began to run. They got a few steps when there was more gunfire. Julien could see both men fall. Stepping over the two bodies was Gabriella, gun drawn.
“I’ll take her now Julien.”
Julien made sure to stay between Gabriella and the girl. “Not happening Gabriella.”
“Julien step away and give me the girl.”
“Why? Going to kill me? You probably thought I was dead that day in school.”
The little girl was still frantic. Waving her arms up and down and tugging on Julien’s shirt, pulling at him. Julien realized she couldn’t talk.
Gabriella looked at her confused. The little girl let go of Julien’s shirt and ran a few steps away from them and waved frantically for them to follow. She pointed at the dead body at Julien’s feet.
But then they understood her fear. The dead man began to move. A twitch at first then fluid movement. He got to his hands and knees. Bullet holes wide open on his chest and blood flowing onto the ground. The puddle of blood shiny even in the dark night.
The girl screamed. The dead guy got to his feet and went towards Julien. Julien fired his AK again only feet away from the approaching dead man. This time the man didn’t fall but kept coming.
The girl pointed at her own wrist furiously.
The dead man grabbed Julien. Gabriella raised her gun and blew the dead man’s head off. Blood and brains sprayed all over Julien.
The man fell to the ground but continued to twitch. The little girl dropped to her knees beside him. She clawed at his wrists, tearing open the skin of the headless body. Veins, blood, and tissue were everywhere. She pulled out the I.D. capsule, a small oval, like a pill you’d take for a headache. The implant. The body stopped moving. Only the blood from his wounds flowed. The girl pointed to the other two bodies. The bodies were moving, getting to their feet. They were somehow still alive, eyes a glassy silver. Gabriella and Julien understood. They ran to the bodies. Julien took out his hunting knife and sliced the wrists on both men. The little girl found the implants and ripped them out. Both men stopped moving. Staring at the sky, their dead eyes turned black.
The little girl calmed down.
Julien looked at Gabriella accusingly. “What just happened Gabriella?”
“I have no idea what I just saw.”
“These guys were as good as dead.” Julien said.
Gabriella looked at Julien then at the girl and back at Julien. “Hide the girl.” She put a hand on Julien’s arm. “Keep her secret, keep her safe.”
Thank you for taking the time to read this short story. I hope you enjoyed it. Either way feel free to leave a review or comment on Amazon or shoot me an email and let me know what you thought.
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Be sure to look for more in the ongoing saga of the war for liberty in a near future earth.