by Lucien Black
Sean, one of Sara’s agents stepped over to her and said, “I think we better get moving Sara.” She looked up at the man and even in the darkness, she could see the concern on his face.
“You’re right,” she said. “Ok everyone, time to move.”
Jack carefully handed the girl to one of the agents who had approached to help him to his feet. Jack stood, stretched his back and turned to Sara. “You sure you know where you are going now,” he said.
Sara ignored his question and stepped to the entrance to the tunnel. She motioned for her team to follow her close by and told Jack to stay behind with the children as they made their way to back to the sewer junction.
The team moved slowly down the tunnel, each one had their weapon ready. They knew that it would not take long for the Protectorate to find them in the sewers.
Chapter 24
A few minutes after Card called for the Tracker, Dense stepped into the room through the front door and pushed the man called Sight inside. The blindfolded man stumbled as he entered the room and nearly fell to the floor. Card had called for Dense to bring up the Tracker rather than use his power to transport the two men. Normally, his powers were limitless, but as of late, his body grew tired after each use. With the mission far from over, he wanted his powers available to him at a moment’s notice.
Card walked over, and grabbed Sight by his tattered shirt. He dragged Sight into the middle of the room, reached up and ripped off the ragged blindfold.
What he revealed made one of the agents turn and choke back a subtle gag. Interact, the Protectorate tech guru created Sight and several other operatives called Trackers. His experiments earned him the name of Dr. Frankenstein as many of them came with costly side effects.
The Trackers had enhanced senses and special mental abilities that allowed them to act as a form of radar. They could view past and even future events through both emotional and psychic senses. In addition, they possessed amazingly heightened senses, except for one un-natural flaw; they had no eyes. Their sockets were installation points for various pieces of technology. What remained after these horrendous procedures were empty black holes. Their enhanced sensitivity took an emotional and physical toll on each of the Trackers and Sight was no exception.
He was gaunt and emaciated. His bones were visible beneath the skin as though he was a victim of long-term starvation. The orange prison uniform hung limp over his body. His hair, long thin and stringy, lay matted against his forehead.
Card wanted to bring the Tracker with him for this mission from the beginning, but they were all on assignment. He grew tired of the second-rate resources available to him. Card was after all one of Purge’s most trusted minions and expected to receive treatment as such. Card was at least thankful that he had the option to use Sight now, even though the mission was in the tank. He certainly did not want to face Purge if he failed today.
Card stepped back away from Sight. The tracker stood silent in the middle of the room, his head turned at every little sound or noise made through the house. He turned his head left and in his mind, he saw the image of a cockroach as it scurried between the outer wall and the interior drywall. Sight turned right and his mind showed him a fly buzz through the outer hallway. Then in a sudden shock of emotional and physical pain, Sight’s head shot up and his face clenched.
Sight’s mind opened up and visions of the building and the apartment appeared in his mind like a double speed, black and white film. He could barely keep up with the images as they flashed through his mind. He first saw the children as they hid in the room and scrounged for food and water. He then saw Jack enter the apartment and motion the children out. He saw the side of the building erupt as Cleave entered and subsequently fought Jack. He saw everything that transpired.
Then, it stopped. He collapsed to the ground, slumped over and breathed heavily. He licked his dry lips and uttered a single word, “sewers.”
Chapter 25
The team trudged through the knee-deep water of the tunnel in the direction of the sewer junction where Sara led them astray. Sara, still on point, used her flashlight to light their path. In the darkness ahead, she could see no sign of anyone, which she hoped improved their chances of making out of their situation. She stopped the team, kneeled and turned.
Jack spoke first, “Why are we stopping?”
Sara looked at him and responded, “I want to move ahead with the rest of my team and check the junction before we bring the children forward.”
Jack thought that sounded like a smart plan so he shook his head in agreement and said, “Sounds smar…” The sound of a deep hiss came from the direction they were headed cut off his words.
Sara quickly turned around, faced the direction of the noise, and readied her weapon, her team followed suit. The noise hissed again, only this time it was deeper and closer. Sara and her men shined their flashlights ahead in the tunnel but saw nothing.
She turned and motioned to Jack to retreat in the tunnel but his eyes were fixated on the tunnel. She turned back and saw what Jack did. Directly in front of her, illuminated by the beams of various flashlights, was a giant alligator. Its mouth opened wide and revealed rows of massive teeth. The beast released a deep hissing growl that shook them to their core.
Chapter 26
Directly in front of them, illuminated by the beams of various flashlights, was a giant alligator. Its large mouth opened and revealed massive rows of teeth. The foul beast released a deep hissing growl that shook them to their core.
In unison, the children screamed and ran down the tunnel back in the direction of the dead end they just left. Jack shifted backwards and started to retreat as well.
“Open fire,” Sara shouted at her team.
Muzzle flashes illuminated the tunnel as Sara and her team opened fire on the giant alligator. The beast growled loudly as bullets bounced off its thick hide. It took several steps forward, which caused a wave of water toward the team and forced them to fall back down the tunnel. The team fired their weapons, but the alligator continued to push forward.
When Jack made it to the end of the tunnel he herded the children against the far back wall and used the little cover there was to protect them.
Sara was the first to arrive at the end of the tunnel as the rest of her team still fought the alligator. Sara turned to Jack and said, “Any ideas?”
Jack shook his head no and said, “Maybe you should give me a piece.”
Sara pulled a handgun from her belt and stuffed it in Jack’s hand, “I don’t know how much good that will do. Our bullets are just bouncing off the thing.”
One by one, the rest of the team arrived at the end of the tunnel and they all looked out at the giant alligator that moved towards them. The only light shone from the flashlights carried by Sara and her team. The beams shook and rocked almost violently as the team struggled to hold position.
Suddenly, the alligator stopped. The water in the tunnel eventually settled and all was calm. Sara stepped away from the wall and into the center of the tunnel; her team cautiously followed her. She said, “Jack, we are going to try and draw its attention, when we do, you take the kids and make a break for it.”
“You’re crazy,” Jack whispered. “That thing takes up the whole tunnel. It’s suicide…”
With that, the alligator let out a deep, rumbling hiss and called the attention of the team. The flashlights all pointed towards the alligator, centered on the beast’s face. In a few seconds, the face began to change. The long snout began to retract; the teeth shrank away to nothing. The head shrank back into the body as the shoulders reduced and the limbs reverted into human form. When it was over, before the team stood a man, with his head hung low for a few minutes and then looked up to address the team. His eyes, white with yellow pupils, darted back and forth. He finally spoke, “Is that anyway to welcome your salvation.”
Jack, Sara and her team all stared back at the man in shock.
Chapter 27
“The sewer
s,” Sight said through a raspy voice as the other members of the Protectorate watched the display. The Trackers always made new recruits stare in wonderment at their skill. Card detested the display, as it always reminded him of the pecking order. Interact, the Protectorate technology guru, was third in command in Purge’s army of super powered criminals, leaving Card a petty errand boy.
“They have a pretty good head start on us boss,” Pummel said. “We should get moving.”
Sight slumped to the ground and heaved through weak lungs. The act of using their powers always left the Trackers weak.
“Agreed,” Card said. “Pummel, I want you to take Cleave’s useless body down to street level and get him and Raptor to the nearest Protectorate outpost. Dense, you bring the Tracker; he may be of further use to us.”
Pummel acknowledged, walked over to Cleave and hoisted the large man over her shoulder. She stepped out the front door and into the hallway. Dense grabbed Sight by his right underarm and yanked him to his feet. It took several seconds for Sight to get his legs under him; his already frail body ravaged by exhaustion.
Card turned and raised his right hand in the air, creating a purple and black orb in thin air. The orb grew larger, until it reached the size he was looking for. Card turned to the remaining members of his crew and said, “All right, let’s hunt us some resistance scum.”
Chapter 28
“It’s Carnal, open fire!!!” Sara screamed as she unloaded with her weapon at the man that just appeared where the giant alligator once stood. Jack following her lead, aimed the pistol toward the man, but to his surprise, he was already gone. The team ceased-fire, but the sound of bullets carried through the tunnels for several seconds after their attack. The team stood in silence while Sara crept forward to check for the body; the sound of dripping water echoed through the tunnels.
Suddenly, a giant serpent rocketed out of the water and wrapped itself first around Sara’s leg, then her entire body. The team started forward, but the serpent spoke, “Hold.”
Everyone froze.
The serpent turned its snakehead toward Sara and hissed “Now lissssten to me little girl, I have risssssked much to save your assesssss thissssss night. I expect you to be cordial.” Sara struggled but the strength of the serpent was too much for her. Jack could see her face redden as Carnal squeezed the air from her body. He wanted to move forward but he knew there was little he could do.
“Now, I’m going to let you go, but I need your assurance that you will ceassssse your attack on me,” Carnal said.
“Why…should I…believe you…” Sara uttered.
“Your brother, Calin sssssent me to help you and your team essssscape,” Carnal replied.
“Liar, my brother…would never…” Sara started to speak, but was cut off by a tight squeeze from Carnal.
“He told me to tell you the passssssword is Lusssscinda,” Carnal said.
“How did you…” Sara started, but caught herself as the serpent slowly released its grip and let Sara drop to her feet. She slumped to her knees and struggled to catch her breath.
Carnal transformed himself back into his human form and said, “I have been helping your brother and many like him, fight the Protectorate for months now.”
Sara coughed and said, “Why…cough, cough.”
“Because I could no longer watch as innocent people were used and discarded by the Protectorate. Now, we have to get you out of here, it won’t be long before the Tracker locates our position.”
Sara looked at her team and back at Carnal then said, “How can we trust you?”
“Right now,” Carnal started, “you don’t have a choice.” He reached his hand out as a gesture to help Sara to her feet. She stared back at him, then her team and then finally the children craned their necks to see what was going to happen next. Finally, Sara turned back to Carnal and took his outstretched hand.
“Let’s move,” she said.
Chapter 29
A purple light illuminated a dark recess of the underground network of sewers. The light grew more intense as Card stepped through the portal and into the dank water. “Disgusting,” he said as he stepped carefully. Behind him, Dense stepped through the orb with Sight in tow.
“It smells like Detroit,” Dense said, a reference to the now desolate city that never recovered from financial woes.
“Agreed,” Card responded. “Let’s get to it. The faster we find them, the faster we get out of here.”
“Always sloppy when you do things haphazardly,” a voice said from behind the three men.
Just then, a light flicked on and revealed three more members of the Protectorate. Lacerate, the man who just spoke, stepped forward and said, “And you know how I hate to clean up after you, Card.”
With an angry wince, Card spoke, “What are you doing here Lacerate, this is my mission.”
Lacerate was a filthy mess, dressed in dirty blue jeans, a black t-shirt and a cheap windbreaker style jacket. His clothes were covered with dirt and stains. His brown hair, greasy, long and un-kept, littered his face and hid some of the scars along his cheeks and forehead. Card never understood why Purge put up with the filthy louse that was until he witnessed Lacerate take on five resistance fighters with nothing more than a butterfly knife and put them all in an early grave. The very same knife Lacerate just pulled from his belt then flipped and twirled the blade. “We picked up your radio broadcast for backup. Sounded like you guys ran into some trouble.”
“Nothing we can’t handle,” Card said.
“It sure seems as though you have things under control. Raptor’s dead and Cleave is out of commission. If you ask me, we came along just in time. You know Card, if you can’t handle yourself, maybe you should think about retiring.”
Card’s hands glowed with an eerie black and purple light. “Don’t test me Lacerate.”
With the challenge issued, Lacerate’s sarcastic smile faded from his face. The man stood upright and locked eyes with Card. “Don’t start something you can’t finish old man.”
Just then, Dense stepped between the two men and said, “Maybe we should save the energy for the resistance. It’s going to take some time to find them down here.”
Card relaxed and the glow around his hands subsided. Lacerate also relaxed, his face back to the sarcastic grin.
“How did you know we were in the sewers,” Card asked.
Lacerate waved a thumb behind him at one of the two agents with him. “Mongrel picked up their trail when we entered the building. I also sent a few squads of PMC’s to potential exits. Don’t worry, they won’t be getting away today.”
“Very well,” Card said. “This is still my mission, so I’m in charge. Is your team going to have any problem with that?”
Lacerate turned to face his two team members. Mongrel, an average sized lean man shook his head, with feral like abilities, wore tattered clothes and sported a shaved head. Beside Mongrel, stood the female known as Gale, the team’s manipulator of weather. She shook her head in acknowledgment. Gale wore a pair of high cut denim shorts and a men’s button down shirt, mostly unbuttoned. Her hair was short and brown, spiked with gel and hairspray. Most of the time, she was barefoot as well. Card often thought she looked like trailer trash, but he also knew she was quite powerful. Card didn’t know much about Mongrel, other than he was a hunter of exceptional ability. Not quite as good as the Trackers like Sight, but could definitely give them a run for the money. Mongrel was also known to be of a violent disposition and quite an adept fighter. He would have to watch these three closely this day.
“Fine. Mongrel, you lead the way,” Card ordered.
Mongrel glanced at Lacerate, and said, “You wanna tell him about the other problem?”
“What other problem,” Card said.
“Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I think we have a traitor in our midst.”
Chapter 30
Carl Hunter drove the black van to the predetermined rendezvous location, deep into an unpopulated area o
f the United States known as the Wilds, which covered most of the Midwest. The Protectorate used them as a wasteland and dumping ground for hazardous materials and equipment. Any populated areas were swiftly overrun and the inhabitants were shuffled away to the bigger, more controlled cities.
As he approached, a glint of metal caught his eye and he immediately slowed the van to a crawl. A few yards away from a steep turn, Hunter stopped the van and jumped out, PIKE rifle in hand and inched his way along the curve until he had visibility. What he saw turned his stomach.
Already waiting at the rendezvous site was a squad of Protectorate agents. These agents, however, were different from the group the team faced in the City. The squad at the rendezvous site was security force of lower level operatives, formerly disenchanted military and various private security contractors. After the Protectorate seized control of the government, the security firms united and backed the Protectorate…their very own private army.
From what Hunter could see, there were at least 25 well-armed operatives, a personnel truck and a prison truck. Bright lights illuminated the area around the exit of the sewer system. There was no way Sara’s team could get out of there unharmed. Hunter’s friends were headed right for a trap.
Hunter slipped out of sight and returned to the van. He backed the car away from the area, turned the vehicle right, and entered the wooded area that surrounded his present location. Once the van was far enough away from the street, Hunter parked the car and radioed for Calin.
“Calin this is Hunter, do you read me,” Hunter said.
A few seconds later, the microphone buzzed with a response, “I read you Hunter, report.”
“I’m at the rendezvous point, but we have major problems. A squad of PMC’s is in position and waiting for our team to arrive.”