by RR Haywood
The woman climbs out, shaking and trembling all over. She screams at the sight of the bodies, breaking free from Lani to run over. She drops down, screaming and sobbing, pawing at the bodies. She moves to one of the children, lifting the torn body up to cradle it.
‘She needs to get in the Saxon before they come,’ Dave says.
‘Lani, you and Cookey get her inside,’ I add. Blowers and Nick move between the guards, collecting the weapons and checking pockets for magazines.
A groaning noise comes from a guard as Nick rolls the body over to check the pockets, ‘this one’s alive,’ Nick shouts.
I’m there instantly, looking down as the guard comes to, opening his eyes and groaning in agony from the bullet wounds in his stomach.
‘He was the one that shot the people,’ Clarence growls.
‘Can you hear me?’ I ask the guard, he stares back groggily at first, coming more to his senses as he looks up at us. He nods, his face pale and drawn.
‘Why did you kill them?’ I ask him, my voice hoarse and flat.
‘Had to, we’re told to,’ he replies barely above a whisper.
‘Who by?’
‘The bosses, they said no one can come near the place, there’s signs up…’
‘How many people you got in there?’
‘I don’t know,’ he whispers clutching at his stomach, he groans but I notice his eyes look around sharp enough. I step forward, bringing my foot down onto his stomach, applying a small amount of pressure which causes him to scream in agony.
‘How many?’
‘Hundred…about hundred,’ he gasps.
‘One hundred…you got one hundred people in a site that big?’
‘Yeah…’ he nods, desperate to please me and stop the agony.
‘Are they all armed?’ He nods back.
‘What about women?’ Clarence asks. The guard pauses then shakes his head, staring wide eyed.
‘I just did as I was told, they’d kill us otherwise.’
‘He’s lying,’ Clarence growls. ‘One hundred is too easy, and no women? For a hundred armed men…’
‘Your choice,’ I step back and look at Nick glaring down at him. Pure fury etched on his face. Blowers looks the same. Dave stares out, scanning the perimeter. I draw my pistol and aim it at the man’s head. He whimpers, tears coming from his eyes as he begs me not to shoot.
‘Tell me the truth, how many have you got in there?’
‘But…’ he stammers so I shoot him in the leg, sending a round through his thigh. He screams and grabs at the wound, curling into a ball as he sobs.
‘Just under two hundred men, loads of guns we got from the police and a barracks, we got women for cooking and…other things,’ he spits the words out quick enough now. Gasping between words as he writhes in agony.
‘Where did the men come from?’ I ask him.
‘Most worked here, night duty when….when it happened…some ex-army…went out and got the guns…’
‘Why are you sealing it off? This place is huge, you could have thousands in here.’
‘They said we’d get attacked for the fuel…said we had to defend it until help comes…we took a few in…families and shit but…’
‘We need fuel, where do we get it from?’ Clarence asks.
‘You won’t get it…all the trucks are well inside…’
I shoot him in the other leg, just to sharpen his senses a little, ‘okay,’ he screams, please…stop shooting me.’
‘We need fuel, where do we get it from?’ I speak slowly, enunciating each word.
‘You can’t…you fucking can’t get it…’ he groans with the pain, clutching at both his legs, his stomach still bleeding heavily. ‘Everything is inside, you can’t get to it.’
‘Liar,’ Clarence roars, he reaches down with one hand and pulls the man to his feet, ragging him about while screaming in his face, ‘tell me or I swear to god I’ll rip you limb from limb.’
‘You can’t…’ he sobs…’can’t.’ Clarence throws him down to the floor. The man promptly passes out, bleeding heavily from the several bullet holes in his body.
‘He was still fucking lying,’ Clarence spits, ‘two hundred would get lost in there, got to be loads more than that.’
‘We should go,’ I say quietly.
‘Go? I ain’t going nowhere,’ Clarence replies, ‘these fuckers are killing innocent people…’
‘We came for fuel.’
‘Boss, we can’t just leave them here, they’ll kill anyone that comes near it…that isn’t right.’
‘Clarence we can’t go round the fucking country saving everyone, we got our own problems to deal with and don’t forget why we’re here…for Meredith.’
‘I can get in,’ Dave cuts in, ‘I can get in and take them out, then open the gates for you.’
‘Two hundred armed men? Maybe more if Clarence was right.’ I ask him. He shrugs nonchalantly, ‘yes.’
‘No…no we’re going back, we’ve got to get fuel for Meredith, that’s our top priority.’
‘Mr Howie, they just shot children in front of us…we can’t just go,’ Nick cuts in.
‘And we killed them, they’re all dead….this is isn’t our fight, we can’t risk our lives like that when we’ve got to get fuel so they can test…’
‘Dave can go in here, we wait then hit the front hard. We’ve got the Saxon which is armour plated,’ Clarence continues with a determined look on his face.
I look at them, Clarence, Nick and Blowers. All three staring at me with hard looks and desperate to do something. I’ve got the same feeling in me, that this isn’t right and we should take action but if we get killed…
‘Mr Howie,’ Lani calls out as she walks from the Saxon, ‘she’s already been raped, the other women too. They did that then lined them up to shoot them.’
‘Cunts,’ Nick growls again.
‘Give me a smoke mate,’ I say to Nick. He takes one out and hands it over, passing one to Blowers. ‘Dave?’
‘Yes Mr Howie?’ He replies, still scanning the perimeter.
‘We’ll go for the front and draw their fire, I don’t want you going in but you can take the sniper rifle and pick them off if that’s any good.’
‘Okay, we need to see the ground by the entrance, we should go now if we’re going.’
‘We’re going,’ I say, the lads nod at me with grim faces.
We load back into the Saxon, the girl sitting in the corner of the bench seat with her knees drawn up to her chest sobbing quietly.
Dave takes the canvas bag holding the sniper rifle and takes it out, Nick moves to the GPMG but gets told to sit down by Clarence who squeezes himself up.
‘Go in hard boss,’ he shouts down.
‘Ready?’
‘Yes Mr Howie,’ Dave replies. I push my foot down, easing the vehicle forward and round the pick-up truck. Gathering speed we steam down the road, the high fence on one side and the tree line on the other.
The entrance is surprisingly close with a long straight road heading towards a high wire fence topped with the same razor wire. A concrete flat roofed building separates the two lanes, one for going in and one for going out. Vehicles have been put in nose to tail across the front of the fence, making a solid defensive wall.
Figures move about by the concrete building, and I can see more running about behind the fence. Clarence opens up immediately, strafing the concrete building with short bursts and aiming along the fence line. Shots get fired back at us, striking the metal outside with loud pings.
The image of those people kneeling and begging for their lives, just to be shot like animals is strong in my mind. Children with heads blown apart. The worst threat humanity has ever known with a real and present danger of our species being wiped out and we still do shit like that.
They could have secured this place with the armed men and allowed entrance to thousands. Rationed the supply of fuel and used it as a starting place for humanity to fight back.
; Greed and power. Murdering people to keep what they’ve got. Not even people that pose a threat but innocent families just trying to find a safe place. Clarence is right, we can’t walk away from this. It’s got fuck all to do with us, but at the same time, it has everything to do with us. No police are going to come to the rescue, no armies or diplomats anymore. If we turn away it makes us as guilty as them. We’ve got firepower, equipment and experience now. This is our fight. We’ve made it our fight.
‘HERE,’ Dave shouts, I slow the vehicle down, keeping face on to give Clarence the best position to fire. ‘COVER ME,’ Dave adds as he gets to the rear doors.
‘THE DOORS ARE AMOURED, USE THEM,’ Clarence shouts between a brief pause of firing. I grab my assault rifle, making it ready before opening my door. Angling myself on the step I aim over the door, firing at the figures running about. Blowers climbs to the front, opening the passenger door and doing the same.
Noise everywhere, a huge deafening roar of small arms fire and the solid bass drumming of the machine gun thudding out over our heads. Dave slips off to the side, running low he disappears into the tree line.
Small bits of earth exploding show where the shots were aimed at his route. A round hits my door, slamming it into my body and causing me to slip from the vehicle and land on the floor.
‘COOKEY COVER MR HOWIE,’ Blowers screams as he opens up. Cookey throws himself over the seats, leaning out of the door as I scrabble backwards. Tarmac and concrete exploding round me as the rounds strike closer. I run back to the rear of the vehicle, taking cover as the lads return fire.
A different sound comes from the tree line, a sharp crack different to the GMPG and the assault rifles. Another one, then another. I climb into the vehicle, making my way past the girl to the front. Looking through the windscreen I see men dropping down as each distinct crack sounds out.
‘I FUCKING LOVE DAVE,’ Cookey bellows. Another crack followed a split second by a body falling down. Dave picks them off, one by one as Clarence strafes back and forth. The heavy calibre rounds taking big chunks from the concrete guard building.
‘THEY’RE TAKING COVER,’ Clarence shouts. The tree line comes alive as the guards inside the compound concentrate their fire on the sniper. Leaves, branches and tree bark splintering.
‘Nick get the loudspeaker going,’ I call down to him.
‘MAGAZINE,’ Clarence bellows, ‘NEED COVER.’
‘IT’S READY,’ Nick shouts handing me the handset.
‘COVER CLARENCE,’ I shout out, Nick, Lani and I get out the rear, leaning round the back of the Saxon and firing into the fence and guard building. The men inside don’t show themselves now, taking cover to take pot shots back at us.
We fire steadily, aiming across the width until Clarence shouts he’s finished. Back inside the vehicle I get to the front and grab the handset for the loudspeaker.
‘Ceasefire,’ I call out, Clarence drops down as Blowers and Cookey pull themselves back into the vehicle.
‘GIVE IT UP,’ my amplified voice booms into the air, ‘WE’LL TEAR YOU APART, GIVE IT UP NOW…WE’VE GOT HEAVY WEAPONS AND TRAINED MEN…GIVE UP NOW AND YOU WON’T BE HARMED.’
They cease firing from their end, a silence falls as we wait for a reaction. The lads making use of the time to check their weapons, change magazines and get water.
‘WHO ARE YOU?’ An amplified voice comes back to us, someone using a handheld megaphone.
‘WE CAME FOR FUEL…WE SAW YOUR MEN KILLING INNOCENT PEOPLE ON THE ROAD…’
‘I SAID WHO ARE YOU?’ The voice comes back with an angry tone that cuts off with a gargled yell as a sharp crack sounds out from Dave shooting the speaker.
‘I SUGGEST YOU GIVE UP…WE’VE GOT ALL FUCKING DAY. Lads, get ready to fire again if they fuck about.’ Cookey and Blowers position themselves to lean out, Clarence holds ready to go up on the GPMG. Lani and Nick wait at the rear doors.
‘DON’T SHOOT,’ another voice comes over, ‘PLEASE DON’T SHOOT,’ this voice sounds less aggressive, with a pleading tone.
‘OKAY, CEASE FIRE…’ I add for Dave’s benefit, ‘GIVE UP NOW, WEAPONS DOWN AND ARMS UP…OPEN THE GATES.’
‘YOU’LL KILL US,’ the voice shouts back.
‘WE SHOULD FUCKING KILL YOU BUT WE WON’T IF YOU DO AS YOU'RE TOLD, WEAPONS DOWN, ARMS UP AND COME OUT SLOWLY.’
‘WE CAN GIVE YOU FUEL.’
‘WE’LL TAKE THE FUEL AND KILL EVERYONE IF YOU DON’T GIVE UP NOW.’
‘LISTEN, WE’LL GIVE YOU FUEL…YOU WANT FUEL WE CAN SEND A TANKER OUT FOR YOU.’
‘I SAID GIVE UP…’
‘WE’RE NEGOTIATING…’ The voice almost pleads, ‘YOU CAME FOR FUEL SO WE CAN GIVE YOU FUEL, AS MUCH AS YOU WANT.’
‘DAVE,’ I say the single word, a sharp crack then silence. I imagine the speakers head being taken off and the megaphone falling to the floor.
‘WE’RE NOT HERE TO NEGOTIATE, ANYONE ELSE TRIES IT AND WE OPEN UP AGAIN, I’LL SAY IT ONE LAST TIME…WEAPONS DOWN, ARMS UP AND COME OUT SLOWLY…YOU HAVE THIRTY SECONDS.’
Shit. I just ordered the execution of a person. The ease of it shocks me. Just saying one word and a man dies, shot by a sniper rifle. He could have been a decent person, a normal man caught up in this mess and trying to survive like everyone else. Then I think of the real survivors that were kneeling down on the hot road, thirsty and frightened after watching their women being raped.
A shot rings out, instantly followed by a pinging noise and Clarence cursing as the shot just misses him. He opens up, thudding the GPMG across the front of the entrance. Firing into the rows of vehicles and then at the concrete building.
‘GET CLOSER,’ Clarence bellows.
Cookey climbs back into the rear, giving me space to get into the driver’s seat and move the Saxon closer to the entrance. The line of fire from Clarence becomes concentrated as he aims at certain parts, getting a better view as I drive slowly forward. The sharp crack of the sniper rifle and men inside falling down or going off spinning as they’re taken down.
The GPMG ceases for a second as Clarence yells for me to stop. He pauses then fires again at movement beyond the fence.
‘Ram the gate boss,’ he calls down.
‘Everyone in and close the doors,’ I yell out. Blowers ducks inside and slams the passenger door closed. Twisting round I see the rear doors being pulled shut by Nick and Lani.
‘Ready?’ I yell out.
‘Go,’ Clarence shouts. I push my foot down, aiming at the left side guessing that would be the lane in.
The powerful engine roars to life as the vehicle surges forward, gaining speed we brace as the solid metal front of the vehicle impacts with the high fence panel. The vehicle just takes the impact and keeps going, ripping the gate off its fittings as we power through. The GPMG starts up again, firing across the inside of the compound.
Bodies already litter the ground, loads of them with guns and rifles lying next to their outstretched hands. The sheer fire power of the general purpose machine gun has obliterated the inside, peppering walls and ripping men apart.
More men are running about, frantically trying to find cover. Clarence fires for a few more seconds while we watch from the inside of the vehicle as the guards get shot to bits.
‘Ceasefire,’ I yell out as the men in the compound start throwing their guns down and holding their hands in the air. The machine gun ends abruptly and we hear the sniper rifle fire at men still holding weapons. Heads explode as skulls are blown apart by the high velocity rounds sent by Dave.
‘CEASEFIRE, PUT YOUR WEAPONS DOWN,’ I shout through the loudspeaker. More of the men throw guns down and stand with their arms stretched up. Dave, thankfully, stops shooting them and lets them surrender and for one awful minute I did think he might just carry on.
From the inside I see a wide road leading off into the refinery, a large open area on one side, marked on the road as Tanker Parking. No tankers here, just empty space with a few vehicles parked up.
; The men stand clustered together, glancing between us and the downed bodies scattered about.
‘Clarence give me cover,’ I call up.
‘Got it, just don’t get in the line of fire,’ he shouts back. I open the door and jump down, pushing the door closed behind me. Moving towards the men I keep my assault rifle up and aimed. They all look clean and well-fed, apart from most of them having stubbles or beards than normal.
‘Where are the tankers?’ I call out, still thinking of the main objective to get the fuel.
Shots sound out from further down the road, followed by the sound of a vehicle accelerating towards us. Clarence swivels the gun and opens up, firing at whatever’s coming our way.
The men take the opportunity to burst apart, running for the guns lying scattered about. I open up, firing into the men. The doors of the Saxon open up as the others jump down, firing into the men as they run to grab weapons. Dave takes several out, getting head shots as skulls explode with a spray of pink mist.
We cut the men down, leaving just two who drop to their knees begging not to be shot. Dave takes one of them out, his head exploding in a puff.
The GPMG still firing down the road, I turn round to see another pick-up truck being shot to bits, the rounds of the machine gun shredding the thing apart. Bodies lay scattered about it as the men must have jumped off to start shooting and were cut down. Clarence stops shooting , holding his aim down the service road.
Aiming my rifle at the single man left alive I walk towards him, ‘Where are the tankers?’
‘Down there,’ he wails, nodding his head towards the road.
‘How far?’
‘About half a mile.’
‘How many people you got here?’
‘I don’t know,’ he stammers, tears running down his face.
‘Yes you do, you do fucking know, lie again and I’ll fucking kill you…’
‘Hundreds…we got hundreds…’
‘Where did they come from?’
‘Most work here, some came in from the estate when it happened…please…I got a wife and kids.’
‘Shut up, what estate?’
‘The housing estate south of the refinery…it’s where most of the workers lived…I live there with my wife and children…I got two daughters, please…’