Endgame (Book 2): Alekhine's Gun

by W. A. R.

  Rusty was the first to break the silence. “What are we going to do? We don’t know if she is infected or not. If she is…she can’t come to the safe house we have set up. It would endanger too many people.” And he was right, she knew that, but it still hurt. Michael continued to stare at her, saddened and unsure. That was when Damien tried to speak. Rusty glanced at him for a long moment before sighing and retrieving his notebook and pen from the bag Amber had brought in. Her book. Her book full of secrets to take down a monstrosity. She wasn’t sure what to do, what to say, and so she stood before Damien, sweating in a nervous fit, and anticipating the future silently. When Damien showed her what he had written, however, it was all she could do not to speak at all.

  Test her infection on me. Test it in every single way possible and don’t give me any excuses. The cure runs in her veins…she isn’t expendable…I am. Let me help her get back to her family.

  Michael had swallowed thickly against the wave of emotion that settled against them all. Amber felt sick. She couldn’t. She wasn’t a monster. She wasn’t. She refused to be. She began shaking her head, fighting the tears that were threatening to come.

  “No…you don’t get to decide that. You took away half of my family…” she paused, looking at him, the resolve in his eyes. Yes, he had done these things, but he had also saved her, helped her, and here he was offering his life for her safety, to ensure that she got the proper care that she deserved, whether it was inside the community or not. While these thoughts ran through her head, Damien was writing hurriedly.

  I know what I have done. That is why I offer this to you. It is my repentance, though nothing I do can make up for it. Let me do this one thing for you. I have sat in here for two days, listening to you cry, waiting for you to change. You didn’t. You are too good for it, too stubborn for it. I trust that you are too good and too stubborn to be infected as well.

  “You don’t know that!” Amber exclaimed. She hated the man, she really did, though she understood him. She was going to kill him and he had accepted that, yearned for it. Still, she didn’t want to create monsters. She hated those creatures for inheriting the Earth because had they not…none of this would be happening.

  He leveled his eyes at her. Then prove me wrong.

  Rusty sighed. “It is the best option we have. We test it on him.”

  “But what if he is immune to it too?” Michael asked and Rusty sighed.

  “What are the odds of that?” he asked, sarcasm lacing his words as he ran a hand through his hair. Amber knew they were just as nervous and anxious as she was.

  “What are the odds of Amber being immune?” Michael countered and for a moment Rusty stood there speechless. Amber felt relieved. She hoped that Michael was on her side, making excuses so she wouldn’t have to do it. Just the thought of it made her sick. After a long moment, Rusty spoke, sighing.

  “So, what do you suggest we do?” he asked, and Michael’s eyes were no longer troubled. Instead, they exhibited his resolve as he straightened his stature.

  “She tests it on me as well. There is no way both of us are immune.” He stated and Amber stumbled back a step from him in shock. No…hadn’t he just been helping her get out of doing it at all and now…he wanted her to do it twice…and to him? She couldn’t… “You have to.” He told her and her eyes found his. “There is no other way around this. We have to know. You have to know.” And he was right. She knew he was right. But this was a big risk.

  “I can’t do this…”

  “Amber…this is to help your family.”

  “I will stay somewhere else. I don’t need to be in the community.”

  “You won’t be able to go with us to the compound if we don’t know for sure. We can’t risk ourselves or the innocent people there. You know that.” And who would save Brian, Miles, and Shelly if they couldn’t get out in time? No one would be able to. This was her job. It had always been her job. Tears finally fell and she inhaled sharply, accepting the inevitable. She had no other choice. Still, she couldn’t do it to Michael.

  “Michael…I can’t risk you. I won’t.”

  He narrowed his eyes at her. “I am getting you back to them, so if I have to force you, I will.” And she stood dumbfounded. She had never witnessed him be so serious or even angry about something. She swallowed thickly. She knew he wasn’t lying and that arguing would be futile.

  “So…what? I have to bite you both?” She asked, wrapping an arm around herself and shuddering at the thought. Rusty grimaced.

  “Not exactly. Viruses can be transferred in different ways. Blood and bodily fluids. Some are airborne but if that were the case we would all be infected.” He glanced at Amber with a hardened yet apologetic look. “I don’t think you will have to bite anyone. I think the best way to do this will be to cut each of you just enough and Amber will mix her saliva and blood with your wound so it gets into the blood stream and we go from there. We wait. If nothing happens, then you aren’t carrying the virus. If something does…then…” he didn’t have to finish. Looking at Rusty’s saddened face she knew that he didn’t want to do this anymore than she did. It was just too hard, but unlike her, he knew the risks and that it was worth it. Before she could protest anymore, Michael lifted a knife to his arm and created a wide gash across the length of it. Blood began running in rivers down his arm before dripping from his fingertips. It was deep and Amber suddenly felt weak. He leaned over and after looking at Damien, Damien nodded and he drug the blade across Damien’s skin. Amber was next.

  The world was never like this. This would never have been thought of as a ways of determining something before. Before the outbreak, they had science and medicine, they had opportunities to look under a microscope and see. They did not have this luxury, and Amber knew this. So, whenever Michael handed her the knife, she refused to take it. Instead, she twisted and lifted her shirt and bandage, looking at the bite. It was mending thanks to Rusty’s and Michael’s care, but that was about to be undone. If they were going to do this, she was going to take her own blood from the source. Ground Zero. If the virus was anywhere in her body, it would be there. She pulled her skin apart, hissing at the pain, watching as the blood stretched and pulled and finally released. She then swiped a finger over it blood running down the length of it before she turned to Damien. He stared at her, not making a sound, and his eyes were asking a simple question: to kill him should he change. She spared a look at Rusty before turning back to him.

  “I’m sorry.” She told him softly and she meant it. She hated the Biters, despised them, and she wouldn’t wish losing your soul like that on anyone, even him…not then. Though she hated him, she understood. His father, however…she would have gladly let him turn…still, Adrian wasn’t there. Only his son, the one she had tortured and maimed was there. She quickly deposited her blood on his wound, swiping her finger on her wound again and giving him more. She was going to make sure it worked the way it was supposed to. Only then did she grimace in disgust and extract some of her saliva with her other hand, forcing it into the widened wound as well. He hissed at the stinging that came with it and quickly she turned from him and to Michael. “I can’t do this to you.”

  He sighed. “Please stop arguing and do it.”

  “But why would you volunteer yourself?”

  He glanced at Rusty and smiled. “Because he has a family and so do you…my dad would kill me if I kept you from him; if I let anything happen to you.”

  “I care about you, Michael, like my own. I can’t do it. I won’t risk it.” She told him firmly and he stared at her with such emotion she couldn’t even begin to pinpoint what it was. Suddenly, her hands were behind her back and her shirt was being lifted. She struggled against Rusty as Michael dug his finger into her wound, making her bleed. She yelled at him, the pain of it all, the wound and watching him ready himself to become a monster, unbearable. He stared at her as she struggled and his look held her hostage. That look; Miles’s look of sheer admiration and determination. Her
mind screamed at him but her mouth couldn’t formulate the words.

  “And I care about you like the mother I never had…that’s why I am willing to risk it.” And with that he forced her blood into his wound, into his bloodstream. As Rusty held her still, whispering his apologies in her ear, Michael dug his finger into her wound again, retrieving more blood. Only then did Rusty release her and Michael stared at her, blood coating his hands, his arm. “Now either offer the saliva or I can take that as well.” And Amber, though begrudgingly, jerked his arm forward and rubbed her saliva into the wound.

  “…we waited for two days and nothing happened. Damien never changed and neither did I. She isn’t infected.” Michael finished and Amber looked at them all. It was disgusting and detestable and she hated it. Buddy appeared even paler than before and Miles swallowed thickly, visibly shaking as he looked between Michael and Amber. Michael didn’t share the details, but it didn’t matter. With or without them, it was horrible.

  “Miles, I didn’t…” Amber began but as soon as he cast his eyes to her everything inside of her went cold.

  “I know.” Was all he said, his words full of anger and Amber suddenly felt so very small. Then he sighed and closed his eyes. “You are both here and alive and safe…not infected…I am grateful for that.” he told her and she bit her bottom lip to keep from saying anything else. He cleared his throat. “Does Adrian know?”

  Amber lowered her eyes, twisting his shirt in her hands so tightly that it was painful. “Yes.”

  If things weren’t already tense in the truck, they were then. Amber glanced up to see the gates of the community approaching. Miles tensed and straightened. “How did you do that? Have you seen him?” he asked and it was a logical question.

  She sighed. “On the bridge, when I saw Justin and the others…”

  The relief had having realized they weren’t infected either had brought about a new sense of strength and confidence. The more she thought about it the more it called to her. Adrian had torn apart her family, many families. He had taken away the very things that meant the most to her and she wanted to take away what meant the most to him. It made perfect sense.

  And so, when she saw Justin and every single other man make their way to her on the bridge she couldn’t help but smile. She was going to exact her revenge. She held Damien tightly against her, gun to his head.

  “Well, well, well…what have we here?” Justin had asked before his eyes settled on Damien. They had widened for just a fraction of a second before returning to their cold, mocking stare. “Amber. Damien.” He said clearly, nodding as if polite. She wanted to spit at him. She heard the men begin talking amongst themselves and she heard their voices carry all the way down the bridge. Amber was there with Damien…what would Adrian say? She smirked at Justin.

  “I don’t believe we have officially met. You are?” she asked. She knew damn good and well who he was but he wasn’t to know that.

  “Justin. Have you come to surrender yourself?” he asked her and she bit back the urge to laugh

  “Oh no, Justin. I have come for my people.”

  He frowned at her. “I can’t allow that to happen.”

  “I think you should.”

  He scoffed. “And why is that?” he paused. “You will just be another casualty.”

  “You should think twice about that. I don’t think your leader will take too kindly to you killing me.”

  “Why is that?” He laughed and then she began laughing with him. “I have trained marksmen with their sights on you. They can take you out without harming Damien.” It was maniacal, crazed laughter then, and she shifted, lowering her gun hand to raise her shirt, baring to this man, this hateful deviant her bite mark.

  “I am the cure he’s looking for.” She told him. The murmuring among the men began again and she quickly lowered her shirt and replaced the barrel of the gun against Damien’s temple. “Amazing really. I was bitten six days ago and what do you know…no change. I was actually on my way to bargain with him for my people.” More murmuring. Word was spreading and she smiled, knowing then that there was no doubt that Adrian would be hearing about this.

  Justin glared at her before turning to his men and lowering his arm, telling them to lower their weapons. She wondered what was going on in his mind right then; if he was frightened. “Damien?” Damien shifted against her. “Is this true?” A nod was all he was allowed to do before Amber gripped his neck, choking him. His eyes widened again.

  “So how about you bring my people up here?” she asked and before Justin could give the order, men began moving. She saw a flash of dark hair. “Brian?!”

  “So…you basically rubbed it in the man’s face?” Lacy asked before shaking her head and looking at Michael. “And you shot her? Aren’t you worried about Adrian’s reaction whenever you go back?” She paused, glancing at Miles sympathetically. Miles looked at her before turning to Michael, all of these questions reflected in his own mind. Amber felt a flare of…jealousy? At the look Miles and Lacy shared. They had talked about personal things, things that Amber thought only she knew. It hurt, and she felt angry because she knew he was disgusted with her, knew that he thought differently of her. She felt her face burn and she moved back. “What were you two thinking?” she accused them and suddenly it felt as if they were at war, had chosen their sides. Michael and Rusty were beside her, tempers heated at her accusation. Amber opened her mouth to speak, to lash out at her but Rusty cut her off.

  “Whoa…before you go accusing anyone of not thinking, consider two things: what Amber’s taunting did and how your ass got here.” Rusty told her, placing an assuring hand on Amber’s shoulder. “If it wasn’t for all of this, for those two doing what they did and risking what they did, none of you would be here. Amber’s ‘rubbing it in’ is going to mess with Adrian’s head. The man is obsessive and it will drive him crazy. They know what they are doing.” Miles shifted then, anger permeating the edges of his eyes.

  “They both risked their lives and for what? For ours?” he then looked at the two of them sadly. Amber wanted to reach for him, but didn’t. “Don’t you realize you are both far more important than the rest of us? Look at what you both can do to help people.”

  Amber leveled her gaze to his and shrugged. “That’s a matter of opinion.” She glanced at Michael before turning back to him. She would have to change the subject before Miles’s emotions led him to exclamations of things Amber didn’t want to hear. They drove over the gate and she found comfort in the fact that they were in the community. “There were three gunshots. They will never know it was Michael…”

  “…and actually, Justin believes it was him. Everyone does. I was with them for a while after it happened…remember?” Michael stated and everyone nodded vaguely. He glanced at Amber. “It is eating the man up that he lost her and will have to face Adrian.” He hesitated, his eyes skimming over them all before he spoke again, his gaze lingering on Miles. “So, for now, ease your worry. Amber and I are safe.” And vaguely Lacy, Miles, and Buddy all nodded. They were obviously still in shock and unsure of how to handle all of the information that they had received.

  Slowly, Riley killed the truck engine and they all began their climb out. “I think we all need some time to think. A lot happened today…just…” he began but Amber tuned him out before he could finish. The roar of her heartbeat in her ears made her unsteady. She didn’t want to hear their excuses to make the day any better.

  Buddy had climbed out and hurried over to Lacy, assisting her as she climbed out. Amber was behind her, wanting nothing more than to leave their presence but her morality told her to offer to help Lacy and Buddy, both of who were injured. That was the longest ride of her life. Once out, however, she looked at Buddy and Lacy, both of whom were standing still and looking at her in distaste, their eyes flitting to the bite on her leg, the blood covered jeans. They didn’t want her help, of course they wouldn’t. She was a dangerous monster. Miles came around the front of the truck, his stri
de long and determined. Amber took a few steps back and shook her head, the tears coming in rivers from the disgusted looks they were all giving her. In Miles’s eyes was worry, concern, and she felt everything inside of her cave. She became angry…all of the progress she had made that day, all of the easiness she had felt was gone and back was the regret, the disgust, the irreparable part of her that would forever remain lost. And before he could advance her, and touch her deformed body with his too clean hands, she turned and ran as fast as her legs would carry her.

  Brian looked at Ryder, fear overwhelming his body. That explained so much. That was why Justin was so obsessed with Amber, why he was so angry with Brian…it was why Brian would be a prize, and why Adrian would send many men to search for a body they would never find.

  “They think that I’m immune too…” he let the words flow from his mouth, rumble from his lips. He felt frightened then, so much more than before.

  “Yes…they do.” Jamie told him, her voice tinged with regret.

  Brian looked at her and gulped. “Are they going to torture me?”

  “We aren’t sure…we think not.” Jamie told him. Ryder looked out of the windshield, obviously torn and upset. “We hope not. We will get you out of there if anything gets too bad. We promise.”

  He nodded. That he could handle…but… “So…just…. let me get this straight…” Brian began, trying to wrap his mind around everything that he had just learned. This is what he couldn’t accept. “Amber is immune…alive…killed his men…killed his only son…and is now infiltrating his compound?”

  Ryder glanced back and sighed, pained. “Yes.” Ryder knew what Brian was thinking, knew what he was feeling.

  “If he finds out who she is…”

  “He won’t.” Ryder growled with a determination that assured Brian just a little.

  “But if he does…what will he do to her?”

  Ryder grimaced and refused to look at anyone else. Jamie turned to look out of the window. Sickening feeling settled in the pit of Brian’s stomach. “I’m not sure you want to hear the answer to that