Dead Hearts (Book 2): Forsaken Hearts

by Susanne L. Lambdin

  * * *

  Blaze was curled on the couch beside Whisper, sharing a fuzzy blanket. Dodger and Smack had gone to bed. Whisper’s eyes were glued to the TV. He’d smoked a joint and seemed more alert, while she felt light-headed from the second hand smoke. He hadn’t said much all evening, but he had held her hand. He was the sweetest boy, ever.

  A knock on the door pulled them apart.

  Tossing off the blanket, Whisper reached for his rifle. At the second knock, he aimed the weapon at the door and gave nodded at Blaze. Crunching on pieces of popcorn under her bare feet, Blaze tiptoed over to the door, opening it wide and darted out of the way.

  “Don’t shoot!”

  Dragon came inside, dressed from head to toe in black leather, his long hair pulled into a ponytail. He wore two swords across his back and a machine gun strapped over his shoulder. Two long daggers poked out of the top of his boots. He dropped a heavy bag on the floor.

  Blaze shut the door, shivering from the chill in the air. “We’ve been worried sick about Freeborn. We tried to check on her, but those stupid Blue Devils won’t let anyone inside. I hope you’re bringing us good news inside of that bag.”

  “It’s Whisper’s gear. We’re going out on a night mission to find Rafe.”

  Dragon opened his knee length leather coat, revealing an array of throwing stars attached to the inner lining. The voices from the television seemed louder than ever. Blaze went over and turned off the program. Whisper stared at the bag as if it contained something alive and wiggly. Blaze knelt to unzip it. Inside was a stack of neatly folded clothes, all black, including a leather coat with padded shoulders and elbows just like the Valkyries wore. She pulled out the coat, placing it on the floor.

  “I have my own gear,” said Whisper, “and I’m not a ninja. Sniper. Remember?”

  “You need to wear black. It’s Kirin’s second outfit. It should fit you just fine. Dr. Rose gave Freeborn an injection of Cadence’s blood. It might work, you know, like a vampire Maker, but while they wait, we’re going after Rafe.”

  “Rafe? You’re going after Rafe? Where is he?” asked Blaze, removing the rest of the gear. She laid it out for Whisper.

  “We thinks he’s at the Citadel. I’m going to the Broadmoor to meet the Dark Angels,” said Dragon. “Cadence cleared it. I’m taking China Six and Whisper. Get his rifle and whatever weapons he needs. Go on, Whisper. Suit up.”

  “Do I get to go? I can be really quiet when I want to be.” When no one responded, Blaze threw her hands up into the air. “Tigers travel in either a pack or they go in pairs.”

  Dragon shook his head. “Sorry, Blaze. I need stealth, not steam.”

  Chuckling under his breath, Whisper stripped off his green sweater and undershirt, revealing a lean, smooth-muscled torso. A dozen small, round, puckered scars marred his chest, filling Blaze with curiosity, but she didn’t dare ask. She took a seat and watched Whisper strip to his boxers. Her wolf whistle caught him by surprise.

  “Knock it off,” said Whisper, embarrassed. He dressed in the leather gear, lifted his arms, and took a whiff. “I smell Kirin’s orchid perfume. I’m going to attract attention.”

  “If I can’t come with you,” Blaze said, speaking softly, “I’ll make sure you have everything you need. The silencers are already in your backpack.”

  Blaze went to fetch the bag. When she returned, Whisper had dressed and was in the process of fastening on his holster. He made sure his handgun was loaded, put on the coat, and held out his arms. Blaze fastened a medium-sized pouch onto his gun belt with the silencers inside.

  “You realize a silencer doesn’t cut out all noise, right?” Whisper asked as he zipped up the leather coat. No one spoke. “It’ll slow down the dissipating gases to subsonic speeds, but the gun will still make a sound. If you really want me to be silent, Dragon, I’ll have to use snub-nosed rounds and a smaller charge, which means I won’t have as great an accuracy or range.”

  “I trust your judgment,” said Dragon.

  Blaze felt a lump form in her throat. “Do your best, honey,” she said, forcing a smile. She turned back to the TV. “You two get going. I’ll be here, eating popcorn, and watching my show. Have fun.”

  “Fun?” Whisper slung his rifle over his shoulder. “Aren’t you going to wish us luck or kiss me goodbye? You’re mad, aren’t you? I’m sorry you can’t go. It’s not going to be fun.”

  “Okay then, good luck,” Blaze said, with a shrug.

  The two boys walked to the door. Dragon opened it and went outside.

  She ran over and grabbed Whisper’s arm, holding him back. Throwing her arms around his shoulders, she kissed him. “Be careful, you dope.”

  Whisper nodded and ducked outside. Blaze shut the door, fighting the urge to run after Whisper and tell him she loved him. The bedroom door opened, and Dodger came out with Smack. Both were dressed in black from head to toe and wore stocking caps with their hair neatly tucked inside. Smack was carrying Blaze’s crossbow.

  “Well, are we staying here or going vampire hunting?” asked Smack.

  “You want to go after them?” Blaze was shocked. “You heard?”

  “We heard everything,” said Dodger, grinning. “Fighting Tigers always travel in packs or pairs, like you said. Put your shoes on, and grab your coat and weapons. We have to hurry if we’re going to catch them.”

  “I don’t know what to say,” Blaze said, wiping away her tears. “Thanks, guys. I really appreciate this gesture.”

  Smack held out her hand. Blaze and Dodger stacked their hands, one on top of another.

  At the same time, they said, “One for all, and all for Freeborn.”

  * * * * *

  Chapter Eight

  The sound of a golf cart engine echoed off the towering granite walls of the box canyon.

  Dragon drove, with Whisper sitting next to him, holding his sniper rifle on his lap. Lotus stood on the side board, hanging onto the roof of the cart. Kirin, Monkey, and Cricket sat in back. Each girl wore black leather and swords strapped to their backs. Dragon had located a stash of katanas months earlier in a surplus store in downtown Manitou Springs. He’d presented them to his teammates after they’d completed their training. Since he’d trained them, he considered the girls the best fighters in camp.

  Lotus, the guard, was a tall, ambidextrous girl shaped like a boy. On each hip she wore a revolver, with two long-handled daggers resting in sheaths at the sides of her boots. Two dual hunting knives were strapped across her lower back, which she liked using on zombies in close quarters. She’d been dating Uther, the leader of the Elite, a serious guy who’d been headed to West Point before the plague broke out.

  Kirin and Monkey were identical twins. The scout, Kirin, was named after a mythical Japanese creature after saving a small boy choking on a piece of candy. Monkey was the team sniper. She carried a Mossberg 308 sniper rifle with a scope, and she practiced frequently with Whisper to keep her skills sharp. Kirin wore her hair shoulder length, dyed cobalt blue. Monkey dyed her hair crimson to match the polish on her fingernails, keeping it long in front and short in back.

  Cricket, the team retriever, sat between the twins. The smallest and youngest member, standing only 5'1", she wore her hair separated into two braids and tied back with a red leather cord. She preferred fighting with two extendable batons which she kept hidden in the sleeves of her coat.

  As Dragon and his team approached the barricade, gunfire echoed through the canyon, mingled with noises made by hundreds of zombies. Dragon parked fifty yards from the blockade, which stretched from one end of the canyon to the other, built out of school buses and a fire truck.

  The windows of the vehicles were covered with metal sheets, with cement blocks stacked underneath. Built on top of two buses was a long, roofed observation deck, supported by sturdy wooden stilts. There was a gated fence between the two buses that led to the ‘safe zone’, filled with ditches, deep pits, and rows of barbed wire. The main line of defense was a twenty-f
oot tall electric fence, centered with a large gate and supported by two guard towers that cleared the fence by five feet, covered with a metal roof. The base of each tower was secured with a ten-foot wall made out of cement blocks, set in place, and sealed with mortar.

  “Told you we had a problem. Highbrow isn’t going to let us drive out, Dragon, and you know it,” said Lotus.

  “What’s your plan, Master Dragon?” Whisper lit a cigarette.

  “Cheyenne Road links up with the 25,” said Dragon. “No doubt it’s packed with zombies, so we’ll have to take Evans Avenue over to Mesa.” He glanced up at the teen patrols in each tower who, at the moment, were busy shooting into the hungry mob. “Nomad and Sturgis outfitted Logan’s Hummer with a snow plow and flame throwers. It has a full tank of gas, too. Here are the keys. It’s in the garage.” He produced a set of keys and tossed them to Lotus. “I stole them from Logan. The jerk never even noticed.”

  “Rose noticed,” said Lotus, getting out of the cart. “Vampires notice everything. Stop smoking, Whisper, or you’re going to stink.”

  Kirin gazed over at the gate. “We need to be shadows out there. Unseen and unheard.” She patted her twin on the head. “That means no talking, chatterbox.”

  Dragon got out of the cart. He walked over to the stairs and headed up to the observation deck. Opening the screen door, he went inside. Highbrow, Lieutenant Sterling, and Logan were watching the battle raging in the street.

  “Hey, Dragon,” said Highbrow. “It’s about time you showed up. The Bulldogs said you were headed this way.”

  “You know why I’m here then,” Dragon said.

  “I do, but you realize that I can’t let you drive out of camp.” Highbrow turned to watch the battle. “Seven Falls is under siege. The Kaiser has delivered the zombies right to our doorstep. The Freedom Army and Picasso are bringing up heavy artillery. We’ll clear out this road in a few hours. Flame throwers should do the trick.”

  The Panthers led by Leto were stationed in the north tower, supported by the Buccaneers under command of Black Beard in the south tower. Snipers were picking their targets. Gunfire from the AK-47's echoed loudly under the metal tower roofs.

  “No one is going anywhere tonight,” said Sterling. The lieutenant wore a host of ribbons penned to his left breast, earned during his service in the U.S. Army. A light blue beret was perched on his head. “There are a thousand hungry bastards attacking the fence. Sending out another team would be a mistake.”

  “I know that, Lieutenant Sterling,” Highbrow said, annoyed.

  Dragon couldn’t hold back. “Commander Cadence said we could go. This time, I’m taking a battle ready vehicle. Lotus is bringing up the Hummer.”

  “Oh, so we’re back to that again,” said Logan, crossing his arms. “Let’s get to the real problem here. The Kaiser has you pinned down. He’s bringing zombies in from every nearby town and dropping them off at your doorstep. It’s a clever battle tactic. While you’re preoccupied at the front gate with the majority of your troops, the rest of your camp is vulnerable to attack. They’re called the Shadowguard for a reason.”

  “The War Gods, Vikings, and Blue Devils are guarding our back door,” said Highbrow. “Every team is out. We’ll fight back with everything we’ve got. The Kaiser isn’t getting in here. More Dark Angels are coming.”

  Logan coolly glanced at Highbrow. “The thing is, Captain High Hat, your opponent isn’t a novice. The Kaiser wouldn’t be in charge if he didn’t have brains. Your fence might keep zombies out, but not vamps. Not the Shadowguard. You think you’ve got a zombie problem? It’s nothing compared to what the Kaiser has in store for this camp.”

  The sound of the Hummer’s loud engine could be heard coming up the road. Dragon wondered how Logan knew so much, unless he was just guessing. He wondered if the man really wanted to help find Rafe or merely came up to the observation deck to hassle Highbrow and Lieutenant Sterling.

  “Sir, permission to speak?” asked Lieutenant Sterling. “Sending these kids out the gate isn’t an option. Commander Cadence isn’t up here. She doesn’t know what we’re up against. You can’t do this, sir.”

  Highbrow nodded. “That’s precisely why I’ve planned something else.” He put his hand on Dragon’s shoulder. “The teams in both towers will provide a diversion, while you and your team repel down the south tower. There’s a Blazer on the other side that you can use. It’s souped up to hell-and-back and a short run from the tower. Keys are in the ignition. Nomad’s put a lot of effort into making this particular vehicle battle worthy, so try to bring it back in one piece...along with your team.”

  Dragon bowed. “You do me a great honor, Captain Highbrow. I will bring back China Six, Whisper, and Rafe, alive and well. I swear it.”

  “What about me?” asked Logan. “The Dark Angels can’t always do your dirty work. That’s what the Buccaneers are for. If you want to help Freeborn, then let me go with the team.”

  “Permission denied,” said Highbrow. When Logan started to protest, he gave a nod at Lieutenant Sterling. The lieutenant drew his revolver, pointing it right at Logan. “Once you’ve reached the Blazer, take Colorado Avenue to Fillmore and go west. You’ll find Tandor waiting at the gas station at the corner of Chestnut Street. He’ll take you to Rafe. Think you can find the gas station without any trouble?”

  “I know the place,” said Dragon. “Sonderman Park is nearby, my old haunt.” He used to hang out there with Hank after school. He didn’t realize Highbrow knew the area. Highbrow was a rich kid and hadn’t lived in the same neighborhood.

  “Then get going,” said Highbrow, smiling.

  Opening the door, Dragon headed down the stairs. An argument immediately broke out between the captain and Logan.

  “Is this because of Rose?” shouted Logan. “You’re jealous, aren’t you? Jealous she cares more about me than you?”

  “This is because I...need...you...in the lab! Don’t even think about sneaking over the fence when my back is turned. Lieutenant Sterling, if this man disobeys my order, shoot him. He’s either in the lab or in the ground. Right now, I really don’t care which.”

  Dragon raced down the stairs and found his team waiting nearby. Lotus was standing with the team. Kirin and Monkey were carrying ropes. Apparently, they’d already been briefed on the plan. Private Destry was standing nearby. He had been demoted by Cadence, along with his buddy, Sarge, after Pike’s Peak fell. Destry nodded at Dragon as he headed to the observation deck. The team walked to the gate, guarded by two soldiers in their mid-twenties. The gate was opened by a smirking guard.

  “Pussy,” said Kirin, glaring at the guard. “I see you didn’t volunteer for this mission. As if....” Her sister pushed Kirin through the gate.

  Cricket slid by the guards, followed by Whisper. Under the spotlights, Kirin led the way through the safe zone, taking the team through the maze of deadly trenches and barbed wire. Lotus entered the safe zone and walked around a deep hole in the ground, lifting a long leg to step over a rolled section of barbed wire.

  “Hold up a second,” Dragon said, catching up with her. “I want you to promise me something, Lotus. If I should fall in battle, swear to me that you’ll bring back Rafe.”

  “I will,” Lotus said, clearly unhappy. “Anything else?”

  “Tell Freeborn that I...I...,” Dragon paused, changing his mind before he embarrassed himself, “....tell her that I did my best. Tell her that I’ll see her later. She’ll know what I mean.”

  Lotus flinched when a zombie slammed into the electric fence with a loud shriek and started to fry. She started to sing their team motto. “We are China Six. Six up, six down. A dozen more miles to go.” Dragon hadn’t heard anyone say it in a long time. He followed Lotus through the maze. Some of the pits were covered with limbs and camouflaged by canvas held down by rocks on all sides, requiring a sharp eye to avoid falling into the traps. The team waited at the door to the south tower. The bright lights overhead revealed hundreds of zombies lurking o
n the other side.

  “You first,” said Whisper.

  The sniper opened the door. Dragon hurried up the stairs. Small lights were placed in the cement walls and kids had drawn their names, along with team emblems in chalk on the walls. At some point, Monkey had drawn ‘China Six’ on the wall, along with a monkey face, listing every team member. A trap door opened, and Dragon went up first.

  Black Beard, the team leader, shook his hand. He wore an Army coat and a black beret with a skull and cross bones patch stitched to the side. His nose had been broken more than once.

  “The gut chewers keep coming,” said Black Beard, giving a nod to the rest of Dragon’s team. “You must have somewhere important to go. Why isn’t Star leading the team?”

  “Just keep them off of us, Black Beard,” said Dragon. The Buccaneers had the easy job, in his opinion. “Which one is our ride?” The kid pointed at a black Blazer with tinted windows, parked ten yards away from the fence. “Think you can create a big enough diversion for us to reach it without being devoured?”

  “Buccaneers love to play with fire and things that go boom,” said Black Beard, grinning. His girlfriend, Saber, looked over her shoulder and blew him a kiss. “We’ve got you guys covered. Each tower has a flame thrower and grenades. That should be enough fire power to keep them off of you.” He patted the railing. “We’re ready when you are, Dragon.”

  Two Buccaneers set up their flame throwers. Saber, Calico Jack, and Drake continued to fire into the crowd of zombies. The Panthers never let up the fast pace, cheering each time they shot a zombie.

  “Give us about ten seconds before you climb down, Dragon, and then run like hell,” said Black Beard. “Things are going to get really interesting really fast.”

  Whisper and Lotus tied off repelling ropes to the front wooden posts on either side of the tower. Kirin and Monkey waited behind Whisper. He climbed onto the railing and held onto a post to keep his balance. Cricket stood back as Dragon got into position, and Lotus handed him the rope. Dragon glanced down at the street below.