The Dying of the Light (Book 1): End

by Jason Kristopher

  “I’ll give you more details when I get them, but for now you’ll all remain here, assigned to outbreaks on rotation as they occur. That’s it. Any questions?”

  Dagger raised his hand, looking thoughtful.

  “Yes?”

  “Just one question, sir,” he said, and smiled. “How do I get out of this chickenshit outfit, sir?”

  A burst of laughter answered his question, and Maxwell smiled. “I think you’ve seen that movie one too many times, son, but you ain’t the only one. There’s more than a few similarities between those alien bastards and our walkers. Anyone else?” No more hands showed, and the colonel nodded. “Very well. Dismissed!”

  As Kim and I turned to leave, Maxwell motioned us over. Curious, we followed him to one side as the rest of the soldiers headed back to their respective barracks.

  If it was any other man, I’d have said the colonel was flustered and nervous. He didn’t seem to know where to put his hands, and he was sweating up a storm. I was concerned at first, but Kim touched my hand and shook her head, and I decided to let it play out.

  “Sir?” she said, her voice betraying that hint of mischievousness I’d come to recognize.

  “Major… uh, Kim… I… That is…”

  I was beside myself with shock at seeing this man so uncomfortable, and only realized my mouth was hanging open in surprise when Kim jabbed her elbow into my ribs.

  “What is it, George?” she said. “What’s wrong?”

  “Oh, nothing, nothing’s wrong. It’s just that I…” he fumbled, then visibly got hold of himself and straightened. “I asked Mary to, er, marry me. She said yes.”

  I’d never seen a smile from Kim that big before. Well, once, but that was different, I thought. Damn him for getting a bigger smile than me.

  Kim threw her arms around the old soldier’s neck and hugged him tight. Surprisingly, he hugged her back just as fiercely. “I’m so happy for you!” she said, and I could see a tear or two starting to well up in their eyes. “When is the big day?”

  “Well, that’s the thing; I was hoping that you and Mr. Blake might help me out with that.”

  I was dumbfounded and couldn’t speak, but it turned out I didn’t need to.

  “Of course we will,” Kim said. “What do you need from us?”

  “Well, Mary doesn’t have any family, and someone’s got to stay here in command, which leaves out Frank, so I was hoping that you would be my best man, David. Kim, Mary told me to ask you if you would be her maid of honor.” Before I could begin to formulate a response, Kim was already nodding in agreement. Maxwell went on, “We’re getting married in Hawai’i in three days.”

  “Hawai’i sir?” I asked. “I can’t really afford that…”

  Kim slapped me on the shoulder. “Silly, we’ll just take one of the cargo jets. Surely there’s a pressing need for AEGIS personnel over there for something. And if not, after all that you’ve done and lost for this country, George, the least they can do is buy you a damned plane ticket.”

  Maxwell and I looked at each other surprised, and laughed. “Trust her to see the easy way out, sir.” I said. “If you just sit back and enjoy the ride, I’m sure she and Mary will have everything planned before we even land, and all we’ll need to know is where to stand.”

  Kim stuck her tongue out at me, and laughed. “Yep, we’ll take care of everything.”

  I raised one eyebrow as I looked at the colonel. “So, just when you happen to need us, 1st Team gets a week of leave, eh, sir?”

  He grinned. “Rank hath its privileges.”

  Maui, Hawaii

  Three days later, I was looking at the red-orange sunset over the water, Kimberly lying in my arms on the oversize lounge chair. I must’ve been quieter than usual, because she turned and looked up at me.

  “Penny for your thoughts?”

  I gazed down at this gorgeous woman, and wondered how I could possibly have been this lucky.

  Well, you were spectacularly unlucky, so it fits, said that little voice I hadn’t heard in so long.

  Bite me, I thought back.

  “I was just thinking about everything that has brought me to this point. Two years ago, I was happily working in Fall Creek, sure and certain that I knew where my life was headed and that everything would, eventually, be okay. Now, I know that the world is going to end no matter what I do, and that days like this are numbered,” I said, waving my hand in the general direction of the ocean. “Days like this, when I can hold a beautiful woman in my arms, watching a beautiful sunset, after being in a good friend’s beautiful wedding ceremony…”

  She laughed and I smiled. “I need to stop saying beautiful, don’t I?” Kim shook her head and smiled at me, her green eyes drawing me in and comforting me.

  “No, you don’t. You just need to realize that however many days we have left, they’re going to be great because we’ve got each other.” She kissed me and then snuggled closer, the night air cooling us after the heat of the day. “And I don’t just mean you and I, either. All the others in AEGIS, the other people going in the bunkers, we’ll fix this. We’ve got a chance to start over, even if it is a one-in-a-billion shot.”

  I held her tighter, and tried to stop thinking of anything as I closed my eyes and felt the warmth of her nearness, the last few moments of sunlight on my face, and listened to the sound of the waves on the beach.

  Suddenly, Kim broke free from my grasp and stood up, unwrapping the sarong she was wearing and tying it carefully around one arm of the chair, leaving it to blow in the breeze. I marveled again at her body, as I always did, the sunset light playing over the soft-yet-defined muscles of her stomach and hips, the curve of her legs, and the way her hair flew softly around her face as she reached for my hand.

  “Come on, I want another swim before bed,” she said, smiling.

  “It’s not bedtime yet…” I said, and laughed as she grinned even wider. “Gotcha,” I said. I pulled the light linen shirt over my head and we walked together into the surf, letting the cool salt water splash over us, and diving through the rolling swells.

  “David,” Kim said, and as I turned her way, she came into my arms once more, wrapping her arms around my neck as she turned that oh-so-powerful gaze on me once more. I leaned down for a kiss, but she stopped with a finger on my lips, just as she had years before. We floated there for a moment, bodies pressed together as the waves moved us back and forth, but she didn’t say anything. I looked back at her, losing myself in her eyes and smile.

  “I love you, David,” she said it quietly, almost as if to herself, a worried look briefly crossing her face. I smiled, and reached up to gently move an unruly curl of auburn hair out of the way.

  “I love you too, Kim.” I bent to kiss her once more, and this time, she didn’t stop me.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Fort Carson, Colorado

  The shouting cut off and the door flew open as Maxwell marched past me and out of Gardner’s office. Private Sam Lansford endeavored to make himself as invisible as possible as the graying colonel stormed out, the neon-oranges, reds, and yellows of his oh-so-bright Hawaiian shirt searing the eye and his sandals flopping.

  It ruined not a bit of his dramatic exit.

  I caught Lansford’s eye as the outer door slammed shut, and winked. He covered a smile as Gardner walked out and motioned to me to follow him. I sighed and shrugged, following the grey suit into the office and taking a seat as he shut the door once more.

  As he sat behind the large desk, Gardner looked at me, his grey eyes seeming cold and calculating. Hardly a surprise, but I’d never dealt with him this close before, at least not alone. He was unnerving in a way I’d never experienced. As his basilisk stare continued, I realized he was playing a waiting game, hoping that the uncomfortable silence would make me break first. As it was, I took the opportunity to look around the room.

  It didn’t take very long, and was exactly what I expected. Gardner’s office was empty of all decoration or any p
ersonal touches of any kind, except for a small ‘ego wall’ including a diploma from Columbia University — Political Science, naturally — and a framed photo of Richard Nixon.

  Well that certainly explains a lot about our dear Mr. Gardner, I thought. He’s just one huge cliché, isn’t he? He was still staring at me when I looked back his way. Good luck. I’m nothing if not patient, Mr. Gardner.

  After several minutes, Gardner sighed and sat back in his chair, steepling his fingers. I couldn’t decide if he thought it made him appear menacing or thoughtful. In reality, it just made him look like a cheesy sixties spy-movie villain.

  “Mr. Blake. You’re unique in this group, as I’m sure you realize. What you may not realize is the usefulness that uniqueness could bring to the organization as a whole. Your talent for killing zombies is great, but the experience you’ve garnered while doing so has surely made you aware of the seriousness of the situation.”

  Oh, boy. What kind of crap is this? What the hell is Gardner about to pull?

  “I’d like you to consider coming over to our side of the organization, Mr. Blake. We could certainly use your knowledge and expertise with the walkers. Naturally, we’d increase your compensation for such a change; after all, you deserve more than just a simple grunt. Of course, certain other considerations would need to be made on your part.”

  Ah, so that’s the game. Let’s see how far he’s willing to take this.

  “Well, Mr. Gardner…”

  “Call me Henry, please.”

  “Let me get this straight, Gardner. You want me to come work for you, and leave my teammates — my girlfriend — behind, in danger every minute? And I’m just spit-balling here, but I’d bet this expertise you want me to use has nothing to do with killing walkers.”

  “Not as such, no.”

  “Ah, ok. Just checking,” I said, shaking my head. “Well, the answer is no. In fact, not just no, but hell no.”

  That creepy reptilian smile was back. “I was most certain that you might say that, so I’d like to offer you an alternative opportunity, instead.” He leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk. “Professionally, you’re a valuable asset; personally, I’d rather you not come to work for us on this side, anyway. You’re far too volatile for my tastes. Still, you retain a certain special position in your unit, and have apparently endeared yourself to the colonel.

  “So here’s what you’ll do, instead of joining us: I want you to expand upon your relationship with the colonel and with Commander Anderson. You’re going to be pals, friends, and compatriots, with them.”

  The smile vanished, and I felt more like a specimen to be evaluated, studied and dissected more than ever before. “And then you’re going to tell me everything they do, Mr. Blake. Everything.”

  I laughed, and if it was a bit hysterically, well, no one else was sitting in that seat and staring into those dead eyes. “You’re crazy, Gardner. Even if I didn’t believe you already had your sources inside ‘our side,’ as you call it, I’d never inform on them to you. If anything, I’ll tell the colonel exactly what you’ve asked me to do here, and we’ll see how fast he can’t have you replaced, shall we?”

  Oddly, Gardner laughed too, or what passed for a laugh for him. He sat back in his chair and toyed with a pen on his desk before returning it to its exact spot. “Oh, I don’t think you will, Mr. Blake. You see, I’ve got something you want. Perhaps even need. At the very least, I know you won’t turn down my offer after you’ve seen it.”

  “Good grief, Gardner,” I said. “You couldn’t be a more stereotypical bad guy if you had a monocle and a white Persian cat. Now comes the blackmail, I’m guessing. What, you’ve got a ‘soon-to-be-dead’ ex-girlfriend of mine as a hostage somewhere? Destruction of my hometown or harm to my family? How about something more conventional, like threatening me with exposure of something embarrassing. Crap like that always works in the movies. There’s just one problem with that methodology for you.”

  “Oh? What would that be, Mr. Blake?”

  “I don’t have any more ex-girlfriends. My hometown is gone, and my family is long dead. I have no skeletons in my closet. Or rather, I do, quite literally. But everyone already knows about them,” I said, and paused before laughing again. “Or maybe you think threatening Kim would work? If so, I’d pay money to see that. She’ll kick your ass — or kill you — faster than any two men I know. So bring it on, grey man.”

  Gardner smiled once more. “Well, that was a fine speech, Mr. Blake. Really very useless, though.”

  “I hardly think so.”

  “Well, of course not. This wouldn’t be any fun, otherwise.” He leaned forward and turned his computer monitor around to face me, then punched a sequence of commands on his keyboard. The screen lit with a view of what appeared to be a small cell. “You see, poor Mr. Tremaine wasn’t the only active specimen we’ve retrieved in the last few years. I think you’ll find I’m rather more than a spy-movie villain, Mr. Blake.”

  Oh, shit.

  Commander Frank Anderson sighed and looked down at the orders on the desk for what felt like the hundred and fiftieth time. They hadn’t changed since his first glance, but he kept hoping they might. Just as he started to pick up the phone, the colonel slammed open the office door and stomped into the room.

  “Have you heard about this crap?” he yelled, throwing his hands in the air in frustration.

  “Calm down, George, and have a seat.” He raised his voice. “Penny, get the colonel and me some coffee, please.” A short, matronly brunette peeked around the door to the inner office and nodded. “And Penny? Make them strong. Thanks.” The commander’s assistant raised a hand in acknowledgement before she disappeared down the hallway. Anderson stood, coming around the desk to take a seat on the small couch off to one side, while Maxwell was still pacing and fuming.

  “George, you’re going to have another heart attack. For god’s sake man, you just got married. You should be taking it easy. Why are you even here? You had another day; you should be at home with your wife.”

  Maxwell finally calmed down enough to take a seat, but still fidgeted and was obviously still very angry.

  “Fucking Gardner. It’s all his fault. He went to the Secretary, Frank! Who promptly talked to his good ol’ pal the president!”

  Frank knew not to push too hard, or Maxwell would most likely do something they would both regret later. “And?”

  “And? And? You mean you haven’t heard?”

  “No, George, obviously I haven’t heard. It’s not as if I’m in Gardner’s back pocket. He knows I detest him.”

  “That snake went over both our heads as far up the chain as it goes, Frank. We’ve got a new priority for all missions now.”

  “Oh, that.”

  “‘Oh, that’? That’s all you have to say? We’re now required to bring back ‘live’ walkers from every outbreak and all you can say is ‘Oh, that’! And to top it off, they’ve got some new ‘shock’ sort of weapon they want us to use; apparently it paralyzes the walker long enough to restrain it.”

  “They’re not just expecting us to use harsh language and zip-cuffs, George.”

  Maxwell smiled grimly. “No, they’ve got some new steel cuffs for us to use, along with a helmet-looking thing to keep them from biting.”

  Anderson shook his head. “I wonder if they realize how many people we’ll lose trying to capture these things?”

  “Oh, they know. I told them. Their own people told them.”

  “And they’re still doing it?”

  “They call it acceptable losses.” Maxwell snorted. “I told them to go fuck themselves; I’m not putting my men through that.”

  “Yet you’re still here.”

  “He said that based on the situation, my leaving could be construed as treason.” He looked up at his long-time friend. “He threatened Mary, Frank. Told me that neither of us would be safe if I left. He as much as came out and said they’d kill one or both of us.”

  Before Frank
could respond, Penny arrived, placing a tray between the two men on the small coffee table, then leaving and closing the door behind her. They waited until they also heard the outer office door shut once more before both men reached for the coffee. Frank took a sip of his first, and winced.

  “She follows orders, I’ll give her that. This sludge could just about beat me over the head with my own spoon,” he said, stirring a ridiculous amount of sugar into his cup. “George, I know you’re pissed about this; you have every right. The fact that he threatened Mary…” Anderson shook his head.