Fear The Outback (Book 1): Fear The Outback

by Cheshire, Stephen W.

“Hey, Michael,” he said, his voice blaring from the megaphone “Please, let Deserine go.”

  Michael looked into the mirror as he continued to speed along the dense outback road.

  “Michael,” Flynn called. “Come on, man.”

  Michael looked into the mirror. He looked at the three chasing police cars as he continued to pick up speed. trying to get away from them. He looked down at the fuel tank. It was full. The ambulance hadn’t been used for a while. He knew he wouldn’t be able to outrun them.

  “Michael, please!” Deserine begged.

  “Shut up!” he ordered.

  “Michael,” Deserine said again.

  “Shut up!” Michael screamed again.

  Michael fired the gun out of the window, back at the police car Flynn was in.

  Flynn ducked. “Shit,” he gasped.

  Michael continued to take shots out of the window. Flynn looked into the rear-view mirror. He saw a smudge in the window. He saw that it was getting bigger. He squinted his eyes and saw that it was Andrew Parker’s helicopter. He looked closer. Rebecca was sitting on the side, holding onto her rifle. He watched as the helicopter sped past them and ahead of the ambulance.

  “Michael. pull over,” he said into the radio again. “Come on, man, you’ve lost. I don’t want to see anything happen to you.”

  Michael kept his foot down on the accelerator. He looked at the speedometer. The helicopter flew parallel to the ambulance. Deserine pulled her seatbelt tight.

  “Hey, Michael!” Flynn called again.

  Michael ignored Flynn. Rebecca looked at the helicopter pilot as Andrew sat behind her. He signalled him forward. Rebecca grasped her rifle.

  “Hey, Michael!” Flynn called once more. “Last chance!”

  Michael looked ahead at the helicopter. He started to swerve the ambulance from left to right. Rebecca squeezed the trigger, blasting the front left tire out. The tire burst. Flynn closed his eyes as the ambulance swerved to the left and flew off the road. Michael tried to keep the ambulance under control, but it flipped onto its roof. All of the medical supplies fell from the containers onto the roof.

  Flynn felt the police car skid to a stop. He got out and watched the ambulance roll down a small hill onto the sand and dust of the outback. The helicopter touched down. Rebecca got out and approached Flynn and the rest of the group.

  Flynn looked at the smoking vehicle. “Deserine!” he yelled. Flynn looked and saw that the door of the ambulance was open. He grasped his handgun as he stood behind the open door to the patrol car. He looked down the sight towards the ambulance. He saw Deserine slowly crawl out from the overturned vehicle. She held her wrist. A shard of glass had cut into her arm.

  “Hey!” Flynn screamed. He walked towards Deserine when Michael shot out of the ambulance. Michael grabbed a hold of Deserine, putting the gun to her neck.

  “Shit! Hey, man,” Flynn yelled. “It’s over.”

  “Get back!” Michael ordered.

  “Okay, okay,” Flynn panicked.

  Flynn lowered his handgun and put it on the ground. “See, Michael?” he said. “I don’t want to hurt you. Please just let Deserine go.”

  “Go on, take a shot!” Michael challenged.

  “Michael, listen,” Flynn pleaded. “We need all of the manpower we can get in the town.”

  “Come on! Take the shot!” Michael called again.

  “Hey, Michael,” Flynn called. “I don’t want to do that.”

  “Yes, you do,” Michael called. “Come on! Be the hero!”

  Rebecca looked through the sight of her rifle. Michael then focused his attention on her.

  “Come on, pretty girl,” he said. “Be a hero. Take the shot.”

  Rebecca just looked through the sight of the rifle.

  “Do it, pretty girl!” he said again.

  Flynn looked behind Michael. He looked to see a set of glowing eyes slowly edging towards him, its teeth snarling as it looked at Michael. Two kangaroos stood up on their back legs, looking at Michael. Flynn knew they could kill him. He tried to keep his eyes on them.

  Deserine noticed as Flynn quickly looked to the left. She knew Flynn. She knew he was looking at something. She turned her head and looked at the two Kangaroos. They were preparing to attack Michael. She gasped.

  Michael then looked at Deserine and noticed that she was looking behind them at something. He looked back at the two Kangaroos. They had edged a bit closer to Michael. Out of fear, Michael let Deserine go. “Deserine!” he called as she ran off to safety.

  Michael looked into the two sets of gleaming eyes of the infected kangaroos. One of the kangaroos started to snarl. It lifted the skin around its mouth, snowing its teeth. Michael watched as the first kangaroo leapt towards him. He closed his eyes and then heard a gunshot. A few seconds passed, and then another. He opened his eyes and looked forward onto the ground. Both of the kangaroos were dead, bullet wounds straight through the middles of their heads. He slowly turned his head around. A slight breeze passed over his head. He looked at Deserine, Flynn was standing next to her. He held onto his handgun, looking down the sight of the weapon. Michael looked down. He got onto his knees and put his hands on the top of his head. He turned around and looked into the outback, too embarrassed to even look at the group. The officer ran towards Michael and put the cuffs on him.

  “Get up,” he ordered

  Flynn looked at Deserine. “Are you okay?” he asked.

  Deserine didn’t hesitate. She spun around and put her lips onto his. Flynn pulled her tightly towards him. Michael looked at the two kissing as he is walked to the police car.

  Boyd Anderson then stepped forward. “Get what you can out of that,” he ordered, “and let’s get home.”

  Flynn helped Deserine to the police car.

  Rebecca walked over after Flynn pulled away from Deserine. “You did good,” he said to Rebecca.

  “That’s what I’m trained for,” she said.

  Flynn looked over at Andrew Parker as he stood by the helicopter.

  “I need to get back to my people,” he said. “I think we have a few more things to do before we finish the fence.”

  Andrew turned around and headed back to the helicopter.

  “Hey,” Flynn said, stopping him. Andrew turned around looking at Flynn. “Thank you.”

  Andrew smiled and turned back towards the helicopter. The huge rotor on the top started to spin. The only sound that could be heard was the firing up of the helicopter engine. Flynn looked away as the sand and dust blew around. The helicopter lifted off the ground, and the dust settled after a few minutes.

  Flynn looked at Michael as he sat in the back of the patrol car. He turned his head away as he got the front one, with Deserine in the back. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s go check on Toby.”

  Deserine cried as they turned around from the crashed ambulance. Flynn looked into the distance and saw the vehicle get smaller and smaller.

  Flynn looked ahead as they pulled into the town. He looked at the hotel and saw the small group of congregating people. They looked at the line of police cars as they pulled up outside of the hotel.

  Boyd got out. “Take him to the police station,” he ordered. “Try not to throw away the key.”

  Flynn watched as the car pulled away from the hotel. Flynn looked at Deserine. She was holding onto her wrist. He looked at the shard of glass that was sticking out of it.

  “You need to get that sorted before it gets infected,” he said.

  Deserine nodded.

  “Mummy?” she heard

  Deserine looked up to see Phoebe walking closer towards them, holding onto Toby.

  “Toby!” Deserine wept.

  Deserine took Toby from Phoebe.

  “What you done to your hand, Mummy?” Toby asked.

  “Oh, nothing. Just a cut.”

  Flynn looked at Phoebe. “Any news on Justin?” he asked.

  “Oh,” she replied. “I think he is okay.”

  “Where is
he?” Flynn asked.

  “I think he is in surgery in the hospital.”

  Flynn turned his attention back to Deserine. “Come on,” he ordered. “Let’s get that fixed.”

  Deserine walked with Flynn towards the hospital.

  When they got to the hospital, Flynn saw Chelsea sitting down in the lobby.

  “Hey, Chelsea,” Flynn said.

  Chelsea looked up. Flynn could tell she had been crying. “Hello,” she said.

  “Hey, come here,” Flynn said. Flynn hugged Chelsea. “How’s Justin?” Flynn asked.

  “He’s okay,” Chelsea said. “The bullet hit his shoulder. He is in surgery now.”

  Flynn looked to see one of the doctors. “Hey,” he said. “Can someone look at this, please?”

  The doctor walked over to Deserine. “That will need stitches,” he said.

  Deserine looked at Toby. “I need you to stay with Daddy,” she told him.

  Toby shook his head. Flynn watched as the stream of tears started to run down his face. He knew Toby had been traumatised by what happened to Michael. He clenched his fist tightly.

  “No, mummy, I want to stay with you!” Toby cried

  “He can come in if he wants,” the doctor said.

  Flynn looked at Deserine. “I’ve got to do something,” he said.

  Deserine watched as Flynn stormed away. She knew he was going after Michael. He didn’t say goodbye to Toby, and his arms and shoulders were tense. “Hey, wait, Flynn!” she called.

  Flynn ignored Deserine as the medic led her to the cubical. She looked over her shoulder with fear as Toby stuck by her side.

  ***

  Michael sat down on the concrete slab of the cell at the station. He looked down at the floor, hearing a jingle from the key coming from the outside. He looked up as the navy-blue door started to open. Michael looked up to see the officer standing there. Flynn then entered the cell.

  “Try not to kill him,” the officer said.

  Flynn looked at the officer. “I’ll try”

  Michael twitched as the door is shut and was sealed. The jingle from the keys dispersed. Flynn leaned back against the door. He folded his arms and looked down at Michael. Michael began to laugh. Flynn locked his eyes onto Michael, keeping his cool.

  “Why didn’t you just kill me,” Michael said, “when you had the chance?”

  “I just want to make your life miserable,” Flynn replied.

  Michael laughed again as Flynn continued to look down at him.

  “Well, you keep trying, don’t ya?”

  Flynn walked forward towards Michael. keeping his eyes locked onto him.

  “How’s Deserine?”

  “What do you care?” Flynn replied straight away.

  “Only asking.”

  Flynn put his hands on the table and leaned over Michael. “You endangered her. You endangered my son.”

  Michael gave a brief smirk. “He’s a cute kid.”

  Flynn flew forward, picking Michael up off the plastic chair. He put his hands around his neck.

  “Why don’t I kill you right here?” he gasped. “Right here, right now? Who would give a shit? Most people in this town have lost family members, and then there’s you still fucking breathing.”

  Michael could only smile. “So, why haven’t you killed me?”

  Flynn looked at Michael. “Because of that man in the town hall,” he stated. “and because of my son.”

  Michael looked into Flynn’s eyes. “Your son?”

  “I don’t want my son growing up—if he grows up, that is—to remember his dad as a murderer.”

  “Would Deserine say the same thing?”

  Flynn looked at Michael, realizing that Michael was trying to manipulate him.

  “Did Deserine tell you why she finished with you?” Michael asked

  Flynn could only frown. “What do you mean?”

  Michael didn’t reply. Flynn picked Michael up, launching him across the table. He picked Michael up and his hands around Michael’s neck, trying his best to threaten him but not kill him. “What do you mean!?”

  Michael coughed again with a smirk. “Did she tell you she was fucking me before she left you?” Michael asked.

  Flynn wanted to tighten his grip up around Michael’s neck but started to release his hands from Michael’s neck instead.

  “She was fucking me senseless,” Michael said again.

  Flynn threw Michael against the wall. The officer stormed into the room.

  “Hey!” Michael Called

  Flynn looked down the street and saw the hospital. He stormed towards it. He stormed up through the doors. It was very quiet in the hospital. Not many people were in there. Flynn walked through towards the medical room. He looked through the door and saw the doctor working on Deserine, stitching up the wound from where the piece of glass had pierced her palm. Flynn stormed into the medical room. Toby was sitting on the chair, just looking at his mum as she was worked on.

  Flynn locked his eyes onto Deserine. “Can I talk to Deserine for a minute?” he asked the doctor.

  “I’m, sorry, sir,” the doctor replied. “I need to get this done.”

  Flynn looked at Toby. He didn’t want to kick up an argument in front of him. “Toby,” he said. “Are you okay to wait outside for one minute, please?”

  Toby looked at his dad.

  “You can sit on the chair and see mummy right here.”

  Toby nodded. He walked out of the room and sat down on the chair. The doctor continued to stitch up the wound in Deserine’s hand.

  “Is it true?” Flynn asked.

  “Is what true?” Deserine asked, trying not to fritter.

  “Were you seeing Michael before you finished with me?” he demanded.

  The doctor quickly finished putting the last of the stitches into the wound. “I’ll let you talk,” he said, and he quickly left the room.

  Deserine looked at the ground. “I thought it was over between us.”

  “Don’t give me that,” Flynn said, trying not to snap. He looked down at her. “Were you cheating on me before you finished with me?”

  “Flynn…” Deserine said.

  Flynn slammed his hand down onto the bed. “Were you sleeping with Michael before you finished with me?” he demanded.

  Deserine looked down at the floor again. Flynn got up and stormed out of the room. He looked through the glass door of the cubical. He saw Chelsea and Justin in there. He gently tapped on the door. Justin saw Flynn, and Flynn opened the door and went in.

  “Hey, man,” Justin said.

  Flynn didn’t reply he walked in. “How you doing?” Flynn asked.

  “Had better days,” he replied.

  “Chelsea,” Flynn said. “Can I speak to Justin a minute, please?”

  Chelsea looked at Justin. “It’s okay,” Justin said.

  Chelsea got up and left the room. She sat down on the chair outside the ward.

  Flynn looked down at Justin. “I just came to thank you,” he said.

  Justin looked up. “For what?”

  “Chelsea told me,” Flynn said. “If it wasn’t for you entering that hotel room, Michael would have gotten away with Deserine and Toby.”

  Flynn put his hand out. Justin shook it. “Pleasure,” Justin replied.

  Flynn turned his head, looking at Chelsea. “You got a great girlfriend,” he said.

  “Yeah,” he replied. “Love her to bits, man. glad I came across this town.” Justin looked through the window at Chelsea. “Have you seen Michael,” Justin asked, “since?”

  “I have,” Flynn answered. “Don’t worry. He is going to be dealt with in due course.” Flynn started to focus his attention on Justin more closely. “That was quite a story you told us back in the town hall.”

  “Oh, yes,” Justin replied. “I’m surprised I’m still alive. I thought I was never going to see Chelsea again.” Justin looked at Chelsea.

  “Okay!” Flynn called to Chelsea

  Chelsea shot
back into the ward. She jumped back onto the bed.

  “I was just saying,” Flynn said to Chelsea, “he did a good job in that hotel saving my son and..and…Deserine.”

  “Oh,” Chelsea said. “Yes, he is brave. Took a. bullet for me”

  Flynn gave a smile.

  “He is very clever,” Chelsea continued. “Doing very well in college.”

  “What you studying in college?” Flynn asked, trying to dig.

  “Well,” Justin said, “I was studying engineering until all this shit happened.”

  “We all had a life before this happened,” Flynn stated, “but we have to carry on.”

  “He impressed me earlier,” Chelsea said.

  Flynn smiled, trying to clear his mind. “Go on,” he said. “Impress me, too.”

  “You know that guy?” Justin said. “That Andrew guy?”

  “Yes”, Flynn replied. “I do know him.”

  “His helicopter…” Chelsea said, looking at Justin. “What did you say again?”

  “About what, babe?” Justin asked.

  “The range of it.”

  Justin looked up, flashing back to earlier when he was looking at the helicopter outside of the town hall. “Oh, yes. That Ranger helicopter. My dad liked them; he talked about them a lot… What was the range, again…?”

  “I think you said…” Chelsea tried to remember. “About 250 miles you said, right?”

  Flynn felt his heart suddenly thunder in his chest. He flashed back to when Andrew Parker first arrived only the other day. He remembered him talking about the helicopter and its range. With the distance of the fuel depot and the distance range of the helicopter. There was no way the helicopter could do two round trips. Chelsea and Justin looked at Flynn, he was just standing there, looking down at them.

  “Flynn, are you okay?” Chelsea asked.

  Flynn continued staring into his imagination.

  “Flynn?” Chelsea called again.

  Flynn continued to run the mathematical calculations in his head, trying to work out the distance of the helicopter and the fuel plant to his town’s location. “Got to go,” he said.

  He left the hospital and made a bee-line for the town hall. He kept a fast pace while trying not raise suspicion from any of the workers from Andrew’s team. The fence was almost up. What was going to happen once it was complete?