by Jeff Olah
“STOP ADAM, JUST STOP ALREADY. YOU GOT WHAT YOU WANTED, NOW JUST STOP!” Savannah screamed.
Lurch slowed, releasing his victim and tossed him to the ground. He bent over, raised his burly hand and brought it down once again making contact with Adam’s disfigured face. “You may want to listen to her; there isn’t anyone that can stop me. If you hadn’t noticed, the police are all on vacation… permanently.”
Adam quickly rolled to his side and pushed up to a standing position, noticing that Lurch had walked back over to Savannah. Wiping the mixture of blood and sweat from his eyes, his left ear continued to buzz. He took two steps forward just as the big man turned and took Lurch’s boot to the stomach as the two collided.
Rolling to a stop just shy of the fifty yard line, Adam clutched the back of his opponents head and pulled back a handful of damp hair he’d torn out by the roots. His entire body convulsed as the beast he was now doing battle with pushed him to the ground and knelt on top of him, pinning both arms to the grass with his knees. Adam struggled in vain to free himself. Lurch was twice his size and couldn’t be moved, not even an inch.
Sitting in the dry grass only yards away, Savannah held her head in her hands. She couldn’t understand what had gotten into this kid she spent the last two weeks locked up with. He was never this aggressive; hell he hardly ever even initiated a conversation. Now he was the aggressor in a fight there was no chance of winning. Was he doing this for her, to prove something they both knew he wasn’t capable of? Every time she gave him the slightest bit of attention, his confidence shot through the ceiling. This appeared to be responsible for his current predicament.
The sun began to hide behind the towering walls on the opposite side of the stadium and cast its evening shadows across most of the field as Lurch withdrew the walkie from his cargo pocket and turned it on. “We’re in position,” he said before he laid it on the grass next to Adam’s right ear.
Not more than thirty yards away, Justin only half understood what was happening at midfield. The words were muted, although their body language told the story. He slid back down to the stairwell and retrieved the axe he had been saving for his special project back in the corridor behind the locked gate. That had to wait for now. Somehow he had to help his friends first. Climbing the steps of the dugout, Justin reached the top and hid behind one of the banners draped across the wall, meant for opening day.
Adam stopped struggling. He was completely spent. The five minutes of battle had left him with little strength and even less willpower. “Please sir, let him go. I will make sure he does exactly what you ask. I promise.”
“Savannah, don’t waste your breath on this piece of garbage. He’s only acting on orders from someone else. He can’t do anything without asking for permission. Whoever is on the other end of that walkie is who runs the show around here. We don’t have anything to worry about from this second rate GI Joe. Trust me.” Adam snorted together the mucus and blood he had stored up in the back of his throat, lifted his head and shot it out all over Lurch’s face and shirt. “Let your boss know I’m not afraid of you… any of you.”
Rustling his hair back and forth the way you would a little boy or family pet, Lurch smiled and looked him straight in the eyes. “Son, you’re about to find out who I am… for real. Is there anything you’d like to say to your pretty little girlfriend here before I turn my attention to her?”
60
The three women were caught off guard as Randy and Stumpy came through the door together. Mason crinkled his forehead and looked around the room in confusion as the calmness of the group seemed a tad out of place. Had they worked out some sort of an agreement, were they all now friends? It certainly wasn’t what he was expecting.
He approached April. “Where’s Justin?”
“We don’t know, he ran off when they were bringing us here. She won’t let me go find him.”
Mason brushed back his hair in frustration. “April, he’ll be fine. This place is like Fort Knox. He can’t get out and NOTHING is getting in. Let’s see what this woman has to say, then I’ll go get him and bring him back, I promise.”
As the men made their way into the room and exchanged greetings with the others, Marie slid in behind the bar area once more, retrieved the walkie, depressed the button and spoke. “We’re fine here, give us a few minutes.” As the group engaged in small talk, she slid the small caliber pistol from one of the shelves and placed it in the band at her lower back, covering it with the folds of her blouse.
Stepping to the middle of the group, her quick and powerful stride demanded attention and the group went silent, as Stumpy took a seat at the bar trying to look unimpressed. Marie spoke evenly and with authority. “Hello, as some of you are already aware, my name is Marie. The story of how I ended up here is unimportant and we have many more important things to discuss.” She paused for a moment before going into more detail. “I’m sure you are all wondering why I never showed my face and why we kept you in such suspense all this time with no answers.”
Randy stepped forward ready to interrupt and let this woman know what was going through his mind, although Mason sensing this spoke first. “Marie, we would all like to thank you and your people for the hospitality that has been shown us over the past few weeks. We realize that we came to you for help and are eternally grateful for all you have done.”
Once again wanting to speak, Randy cut in this time using a more direct approach, “Although…”
Again Mason, knowing where the conversation would go if Randy led the way, finished his sentence. “Although we haven’t completely been the most appreciative guests, we would ALL like to assure you that those things are in the past and we are looking forward to pitching in around here and becoming part of YOUR team.”
Chuckling slightly under her breath, Marie smiled. “Mason… you’re Mason correct?”
“Yes?”
Looking back toward Stumpy, she said, “I was under the impression that you were a personal trainer in your former life?”
Stumpy confirmed by a nod of the head as Mason answer, “Yes, that’s correct.”
“Oh… that’s funny, for a minute you sounded just like a politician. I don’t care too much for politics or the people who promote them, so you can save the prepared speech for someone else.”
His face felt as warm as an August afternoon under the midday sun. Embarrassed, Mason apologized, “I’m sorry for trying…”
“Enough… you don’t need to apologize. None of this is going to matter an hour from now anyway.”
“One last thing before I let you know where we stand.” Marie removed the pistol from the small of her back and held it at her side as a not-so-subtle precursor to her next statement, which not one person in the room missed. Walking over and standing face to face with Randy, she said, “I don’t much care for you or your antics.” Raising her left arm and placing the barrel squarely against his still painful head, she continued as the others gasped. “The ONLY reason you’re still here with us today is because I wasn’t in the room when you pulled that stunt. You need to consider the fact that I may not be as tolerant as you think I am, although you’re about to find out.” Marie smiled, lowering the gun to her side as she moved back to continue.
The air-conditioning fan turned back on as a whisper of coolness fell over the group. No one spoke for a few moments, letting the callousness of her last comment settle in. William dropped Karen’s hand and stood next to Marie. “Marie has been watching our group very closely and other than a few slip ups, it appears we have passed the test. It’s not going to be easy, although our groups are going to have to find a way to get along. Marie and I have had a few discussions, and as of this afternoon she has agreed to let us stay.”
The muscles in her face twitched as she let William finish addressing his friends. Not being in control of the conversation and letting someone else make decisions was something she promised herself would be a thing of the past once the world went to hell. William
’s comments irritated her like castor oil running slowly down her throat. “Excuse me, William,” motioning for him to rejoin his wife and the others. “I so wish you’d have let me make the announcements to your friends. I will say that you are correct in that we have been keeping very close tabs on you and your friends and have gained lots of valuable information.”
Randy chuckled; this time Marie didn’t even look over at him as she continued. “William is correct; I have agreed to let him stay here. He and Karen WILL be joining our family; although that’s the only thing he got right... I am only going to say this once. The rest of you are all going to be leaving us tonight.”
“WHAT?” William asked. “You said…”
“I said you could stay; I never said your friends were welcome.”
“If they’re leaving so are we. We’re not staying here without our friends,” Karen said.
Marie now had to shout as the room began to quickly fill with shouts of defiance and calls of injustice. “EVERYONE… LISTEN… NOW! While I appreciate your loyalty to one another, this is not up for debate. William and Karen have a special skill set that makes them valuable to my family here. I realize he is just as valuable to you all as well, although we are making the rules around here, not you. You’ll need to gather up your things and be out of here by nightfall. AND don’t come back. We have no need for any of you. Our resources are limited here and we need to keep only those who can contribute something useful. I’m sure your group will find a way to make do without them.”
Mason paced back and forth until he could take no more. Every fiber running through his body began throbbing with anger. “We’re not going anywhere! You’ve got what, two guys, maybe three guns? There’s no way you or any of your men are shooting us here in cold blood. You’re not animals.”
“Mason, you’re a decent enough guy. The politician comment earlier was merely a joke, although my stand on this is not. I am very serious and will do anything to insure the safety of those close to me. I already have.”
Turning her attention to the front of the sky box and the luxury chairs that lined the windows overlooking the field, Marie pointed out onto the field. “Please everyone, join me. There is one other thing that we’re going to need from you before your departure.”
61
The more he tried to break free, the more Lurch pushed his massive body down onto him, the final slivers of daylight tapping at his back as he awaited instructions from the skybox. Amid the pleading from Savannah, he was unable to make out any of the sounds coming from the walkie. Pressing it closer to his ear, Lurch shot her a look before trying to set her mind at ease, knowing full well the most likely eventual outcome. His breath ran short as his heart began to race with anticipation. “Little lady, I’m going to need you to keep quiet. Your friends are trying to talk to us and we’re not going to be able to hear them if you keep crying. Work with me.”
Just as Savannah’s pleading began to taper off, the first call came through, following the very recognizable squawk. “Christian, you know how this goes, thumbs up if you can hear us,” came the voice on the other end. “Leave your line open. These people are being very cooperative, although I do want them to realize how serious we are. Put one into the seats just below the box.”
The scene playing out down on the field appeared more like a movie than something actually happening to one of their own. Marie and the others watched as Christian, the man they had been referring to as Lurch for the past two weeks, raised his left arm to meet his right. He gripped the pistol, took aim and fired off a single round.
In an instant, the bright muzzle flash lit up the end of the black nine millimeter handgun as the crackling sound moved toward them. The wall just below the windows exploded, sending shards of concrete and dust into the air. Everyone in the room, with the exception of Marie, hit the ground and covered their heads. She remained at the window and waited for them to regain their composure and take their seats. No one said a word as Marie depressed the talk button, addressing Christian once again. “Too close my friend, I said the seats.”
The voices coming from the walkie were as clear to him as if he were holding it himself. Completely mesmerized by the events unfolding only yards away, Justin sat on the top step of the dugout searching for a way to get out there without being detected by the behemoth of a man holding his friends. From his vantage, he could see Savannah rocking back and forth. Now quiet, he figured the gunshot must have pushed her over the edge. He needed to get out there to help her, he wanted to. The terror he felt was slowly being pushed to the side by adrenaline; he grabbed the axe and stood.
“Your friends down there are with Christian, as you already know and this here,” pointing back at Stumpy, “is Samuel. We came together once the infection killed everyone around us, including the people we loved. Samuel was a police officer and Christian down there just happens to be an ex-felon. They each contribute to this group in their own special way even though they came from opposite ends of the crime spectrum.”
April stood up and began moving though the theater style seats toward Marie. “Why don’t you just let us go? What’s with all this drama? Why are you holding our friends down there, what have they done?”
“You’re right. You are all free to go. Samuel, please show them to their RV. We’ll get you on the road before sundown,” Marie said.
Huddled in the corner Karen whispered furiously to William who looked back at the group every few seconds. “Thank you Marie for the offer, although if it’s all the same, I think Karen and I will take our chances out on the road with our friends.”
“I am sorry William, you don’t seem to understand. We need you here and I’m sorry, that’s not up for debate. I am prepared to show you how serious I can be.”
Mason now stood to the right of Randy and said, “We’re leaving, let’s go!” He then turned to William. “Let’s do the right thing here so no one gets hurt. We’re coming back for you my friend, I promise you that.”
“I know you will, be safe,” William said.
The group started to head for the door when Marie stopped them. “One thing before you depart…We’re going to need your weapons.”
“What weapons? Your men took them when we got here,” Randy said.
“My men only found three handguns on the RV and I know there was a hell of a lot more than that.”
Randy furrowed his brow and glanced back at Mason as they approached the door. “Does she know something we don’t?”
“Well, let’s just say we’ve listened to EVERY conversation you all had here. We know about the duffle bags. Show us where you’ve hidden them and we’ll part ways.”
“If they weren’t on the RV then they’re gone, we haven’t been out there since we arrived and you know that. No deal,” Mason said.
Removing the walkie once again from her pocket Marie walked back over to the window once again as the group watched. “Christian, if you do not hear my voice in the next thirty seconds… kill the boy. If another thirty seconds passes… kill the girl!”
“Where are the guns?”
“She’s bluffing,” Randy said.
Stumpy sidled up between Mason and Randy laying a hand on each of their shoulders. “I wouldn’t test her. This is not her first rodeo, if you know what I mean.”
“Fifteen seconds…”
“Mason, just tell her where they are,” April said.
“They were in the RV on the floor. I’m telling you the truth. CALL HIM OFF!”
“I’ve been through it personally. You’re lying, you’re ALL lying! They aren’t in there and your time is up. Christian kill him!”
Silence fell over the room as the last syllable left her lips and all eyes turned to the field.
Sitting back and grabbing a handful of sweat soaked t-shirt; Christian pulled a resistant Adam to his feet. The combination of foul language and a halfhearted attempted to swing at him made the oversized ex-con laugh. “Boy, I told you this was a bad idea. I’m ac
tually going to enjoy this one.” As Adam stumbled to the side, Christian quickly raised the pistol to eye level and without blinking squeezed the trigger.
Adam’s lifeless body was catapulted backward before the sound even reached the skybox. An air of disbelief washed over all who witnessed the irrational murder. Karen and April folded into their husband’s arms as Randy shoved his right elbow into Samuel’s ribcage, knocking his gun to the floor. With another blow to the face and a swift push to the ground Randy had his foot on Samuel’s throat and the pistol trained on Marie.
As calm as she was only minutes before, it was as if she felt a sense of entitlement with the execution of one of her adversaries. Without looking back at the others, Marie spoke into the walkie once again. “Christian, if you don’t hear my voice in the next fifteen seconds… kill the girl!” Turning back to Randy, finally acknowledging his presence and the upper hand he gained on Samuel, she said, “I do not want your cousin to die. Tell me where the weapons are and she walks away.”
Adam’s death was his fault. He wasn’t going to let any more of his friends be victimized by this woman. Randy had underestimated the lengths she would go to and wasn’t going to let Savannah fall to the same fate. He could kill Marie with one shot right now, although that would surely end any chance he had to save the others. This woman was insane and couldn’t be reasoned with.
With only seconds left, movement on the field turned April’s attention away from the standoff taking place in the skybox.
Looking back at Mason, who had also turned to look out the windows, she met his eyes.
“It’s him…”
62
Less than ten seconds divided the two. One lifeless body lie on the grass and another would be added to the total before the sun left this day. It was up to him to determine which it would be. Justin, now in a full sprint toward the man that was double his size, moved quickly and quietly as Savannah was being dragged by the hair toward the corpse of the man she’d begun to fall for less than a few hours before. She didn’t see him coming… neither did Christian.