EMP Crash (Book 5): Hostile Grounds

by Kip Nelson

  Peter was in charge of the community now, and it only spelled trouble. Mack, his mom, and a few others were still out in the city, but nobody knew if they even would return. Tristan's world became dark, just as it had after his father died and he had been alone. The only salvation then had been Peter, but now Tristan knew there was no salvation in this world, no hope, and he didn't want to be a part of it anymore. Everyone else was preoccupied with their own pain and anguish, so nobody tried stopping Tristan as he made his way to the barrier and walked out of the settlement into the city. He walked a few steps, his heels dragging against the street. Everywhere he looked there was death and destruction, and the burden that weighed on his heart just wouldn't go away. He could have gone any way he wanted, but the world was going to be the same anywhere he went. There always would be people like Peter, trying to take what they wanted by force, and in that moment, Tristan knew he had to decide what kind of person he wanted to be.

  Before he died, his father had tried talking to him about these matters, and at the time, Tristan hadn't properly understood what his father had been trying to say. He listened to the words, but didn't quite grasp the meaning until now.

  'Tristan,' his father had said, 'the world has turned into a dark and dangerous place. You're going to have to grow up a little more quickly than you maybe would have liked, and you're going to have to make some tough decisions. You're at that age now where you're starting to turn into the man you're going to be for the rest of your life. Your mother and I have tried to do our best in guiding you, and I know we've made our mistakes, but I hope you know that whatever you choose we'll love you. If your mother is still out there, which I'm sure she is, she'll find some way to get back to you. Things haven't been easy for the three of us, and if I could go back I would have done a lot of things differently, but I'm proud of you, and I know your mom would say the same if she were here.'

  Tristan easily could have disappeared into the city and tried making his own way in the world, leaving all the misery and mistakes behind him, but also the people he loved and cared about, and the new friends he had made. Yes, there always would be people like Peter in the world, but there also would be people like his mom and Mack. Although Tristan was scared right down to the tips of his toes, he knew he wanted to be one of those people. So, with a determined look on his face, he walked in the direction his mom and the others had gone, intending to find them and warn them before they walked into a trap. At least then they and the settlement would stand a fighting chance against Peter, who was out for blood. Tristan heard the malice in the king's voice as he vowed to punish Mack, and the only one who could save them was Tristan himself. He thought about his mom and how she had gone through so much to get back to him. He couldn't disappear on her now, that would have been unforgivable. So, he fought his fear and kept moving, trying to take his cue from the heroes around him; Mack, his mother, Saul, Grace, and Freddie. All of them had shown him how to make it in this world, and now it was his chance to prove to them he belonged with them...and to make up for the mistakes he had made.

  “I HOPE they're back soon. I hate thinking of them out there while I'm stuck here, helpless,” Luis bemoaned as he lay in bed, talking with Freddie.

  “I'm sure you'll be back out there soon enough. You're healing pretty fast, I have to say,” Freddie replied, impressed.

  “Must be the good care I've been receiving,” Luis said.

  Freddie smiled coyly. “I don't know about that, I'm just trying to do what I can. It's a shame we don't have a proper doctor really. I think if we did, we might have been able to save more people.”

  “Hey, don't beat yourself up, you did great. You did more than any of us could have asked. We're lucky to have you and Mindy, and all the rest,” Luis said, giving Freddie a reassuring smile.

  “Personally, I hope this is the last time I ever have to put these skills to use. When we found this place, I thought we finally would be able to relax, but it seems as though there are always people out for blood.”

  “Hopefully, Mack can smack some sense into this guy, and we all can get on with our lives,” Luis said. Then, they heard a commotion outside. Freddie and Luis glanced at each other, puzzled, before Freddie went to the entrance of the infirmary.

  There he saw Hank, who had been on his way to the church, and walking through the camp were a group of children, waving their guns about wildly. Freddie looked over at Saul, who placed a piece of debris he had been carrying on the ground. The kids were led by a teenager on the cusp of adulthood, and beside him was Sharon, the girl who Tristan had been so in love with. There was no sign of Tristan, but instantly Freddie felt bad for him, as he knew the kind of heartbreak that came from betrayal.

  Freddie saw a few people try approaching the children, only to be met with a gun pointed at them, so they slowly backed away. Hank made his way up to Freddie, a solemn look on his face. The children passed and made their way to City Hall, so Hank, Freddie, and Saul followed in their wake. There they watched as Peter orated before them and executed Bob before their eyes, declaring he would do the same to anybody else who defied him, beginning with Mack. Hank and Freddie walked away with heavy hearts and returned to the infirmary. Freddie cast a despairing look at the children, who never should have been in such a world as this. To see them with guns and anger on their faces was incongruous, and he was angry at Peter for turning them into warriors when they needed to be looked after.

  Luis knew something was wrong when they returned.

  “What happened? I heard a commotion outside, and there was a gunshot. Are we being attacked again?”

  “In a way,” Hank groaned.

  “It's the Lost Children. They're here. Sharon was walking with their king. She must have let them in. I didn't see any sign of Tristan. I hope he's okay...but they shot Bob. Right in front of everybody, just killed him to make a point. It's all so damned stupid,” Freddie said. The usually composed man let go of his emotions for a second and kicked at a table, sending it crashing to the floor. Hank came up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

  “What are we going to do?” Luis asked.

  “There's not much we can do right now. They have the weapons, and if we make a move they'll just shoot us. They're not like regular kids. You can see it on their faces. They're treating it like a game. I don't think they really understand what it means to kill someone,” Freddie said.

  “Peter does,” Hank said. “The devil is working through that boy. He's turned the others into demons, and it will take a lot to bring him back. We're going to have to be patient and try to find a weakness.”

  “But how can we fight children? I don't know about anyone else in this settlement, but I don't think I have it in me to even strike a child, let alone shoot one,” Freddie said.

  “But they have no problems doing that to us,” Luis interjected. Some of the other patients were listening in on their conversation and were beginning to get anxious. Hank and Freddie looked around at them and lowered their voices, trying not to cause them any undue worry or stress.

  “We'll be okay. We must keep our heads down and, for the moment, just try doing what Peter says. Eventually, we'll find a way to deal with him. And, hopefully, Mack and the others are on their way back now,” Freddie said.

  “Yeah, on their way walking right into a trap,” Luis replied.

  A grim look appeared on each of their faces. It was a worrisome time, and none of them knew how they were going to combat the threat of the Lost Children. Bob was another soul that had to be mourned, and each of them wondered when the misery would end.

  Hank turned away from the other two and exhaled deeply. He tried to composing himself, but it weighed on his soul to see these children, these innocent beings, corrupted and turned into an instrument of evil. He had seen many horrible things in his time, many things that tested his faith and caused him to look up at God and plead with Him for answers and guidance, but this was perhaps the most troubling. He knew he was being tested. H
e closed his eyes in silent communion with the Lord, praying for guidance and patience, hoping there was going to be some way to deliver those children back into the light.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  SAUL WATCHED the events unfolding before him with a grim resolve. There wasn't much that could surprise him anymore, but this was pushing it. He had to restrain himself from acting because he knew it only would get him killed, and the rest of the community needed him, especially in Mack's absence. This Peter seemed like an upstart and needed to be taken down a peg or two but, as was common in this world, might made right and, at the moment, Peter had all the weapons. Saul felt annoyed that this had completely blindsided them, and that they had been so focused on other things they hadn't defended themselves properly. However, he wasn't sure it would have made a difference since he couldn't imagine many people would have been able to defend against an attack by children. Saul himself never really had considered himself a kid person, but even he didn't want to bring himself to fighting with them.

  HE SAW the look of worry on Hank and Freddie's faces, and when Bob died, Saul hung his head in sorrow. Nobody deserved to go out like that. Peter reminded Saul too much of his brother; cruel and vindictive. From the look of it he was just about old enough to be able to fight, and Saul looked forward to the day when he got what was coming to him. Unlike the others, Saul didn't tremble with fear or let out frightened murmurs. Instead, he remained resolute and stood in silence. It was important for him to stay alive, at least until Mack got back, and he was sure Mack was coming back. Saul picked up his shirt and pulled it over his body, which was slick with sweat. He looked over at the pyre, which was dying out, and pressed his lips together. It felt as though there was change in the air, and he doubted Bob's death would be the last.

  PETER LEFT the Lost Children on guard, positioning them in areas of importance around the settlement, such as the armory, and also told them to find Tristan. His actions had ensured the community's obedience since they were in no shape to mount a counter-offensive, and all had been shaken by his killing Bob. Peter could see it in their faces, and enjoyed the fact he had been able to subdue them so easily. With Sharon, he marched into City Hall and walked up the stairs, a smug grin permanently etched on his face. He passed the portraits of the old mayors and spat at them. It was time for the young people to take control and finally he was in a position where he could forge the world into the way he wanted it to be. Once he had taken care of Mack he would be in complete control, and there would be nobody to stop him. He waltzed into the office and took a seat in the chair, placing his feet upon the desk and his hands behind his head. He looked at Sharon and beckoned her over with his hand. She rested on his lap and they kissed passionately.

  “How does it feel being king of this place?” she asked.

  “Pretty damned good,” he replied, “although I'm not so blind as to see I couldn't have done it without you. Sharon, you are as worthy a queen as any, and I am glad to have you by my side. Together we shall rule this community, and gradually take over the city.” With this he stood up and went to the window, looking out over the entire city.

  “Look at it, all of it is there for the taking, just waiting for me...for us.” He took Sharon's hand. “This was so easy. It just proves to me that we are superior to them. I think we have been able to adapt to this world much more quickly than anyone else, and they don't stand a chance against us. We'll add to our ranks and nobody will be able to stand in our way!”

  “Everything is working out as you promised,” Sharon said, gazing at him with absolute worship and adoration.

  “I have a vision, and I intend to fulfill that vision. I want people to give us respect. I want them to admit we know best. Right now, we have to work by force, but it's not enough to make them obey us out of fear. I want them to admit to me that I was right all along, that's a true victory. And I won't rest until that happens.” Sharon linked her arm in with his and kissed him on the cheek softly.

  With the city as a backdrop, he turned to her and cupped her face in his hands, kissing her again, deeply. The raging teenage hormones crashed through their bodies, although the fire was diminished as there was a knock on the door. Peter scowled as he broke away from the kiss and turned to see his guard standing there.

  “Well, come in! If you have something to say don't just stand there,” he said as he took his seat. Sharon stood behind him with her hands on his shoulders. The guard had an anxious look on his face.

  “We've been doing as you asked. All the main areas have been secured, and there has been no trouble so far.”

  “And?” Peter asked, sensing that there was something else on the guard's mind. The guard shifted his weight between his feet and chewed his bottom lip. “Spit it out!” Peter urged.

  “It's Tristan, your grace, nobody has been able to find him.” Peter threw up his hand and rolled his eyes.

  “I don't care about him anymore. We have what we wanted. He probably ran off somewhere crying. He was never exactly the bravest sort of person. He can rot and starve in the city for all I care. There's nothing he can do to stop me,” Peter said arrogantly.

  “What if he's gone to find his mom? If they get warned, they'll know that we're waiting for them. I've met her. She's not the type of person you want to mess around with,” Sharon said.

  “You worry too much. What are they going to do, come in all guns blazing? I highly doubt it. There's nothing that's going to stop us now. We've won, Sharon, let's just enjoy our victory,” he said, the arrogance overwhelming him. Sharon looked at him worriedly, but didn't say anything, knowing he didn't deal well with criticism.

  For the rest of the day Peter continued in the same vein, waxing lyrical about how he had proved himself right, and in the face of this desperate new world, when so many had died, he had figured out how to prosper. He walked like a king as he strode out into the settlement, and enjoyed the look of hatred on the faces of the people he had subjugated. They could hate him. It wasn't going to change anything. He was in control, and that was his rightful place, he had known that the moment the new world had begun. There were fewer people around than he had expected, however, so he asked one of his minions where everyone was. He was directed to the church service. As soon as Peter heard this was going on he smiled malevolently and walked toward the service. As he grew closer he could hear the rumbling baritone of the preacher talking about hope and peace, spewing out platitudes to try easing the people’s suffering.

  When he stepped into the room tension filled the air as all eyes turned upon him. Peter placed his hands on his hips and looked around at all of them, not at all daunted by the way they stared. He was untouchable, because if he died, then the Lost Children would riot and fight back, and Peter knew these adults never would be able to fight children. That was their weakness. The people parted before him as he made his way to the front of the hall, where Hank was standing.

  “Don't let me interrupt you,” Peter said.

  “Are you here to share your worship of the Lord?” Hank asked, looking down on him. Peter blew out his cheeks and made a derisive noise.

  “This is just another thing you adults cling to from the old world. You're so fixated on trying to put things back together that you can't see how many things have changed. Your world is dead. There's no place for any of this anymore. There's no place for you.”

  “There's always a place for religion, and for love.”

  “Where has that gotten you? Is God coming down here to save you from me? Did he save all those people from being thrown on that pyre? Love won't get you anywhere. I remember how it used to be. People always talked about love. People always told me I should learn how to love other people, but it didn't make sense. Love is just...it's a weakness, and if you're going to stand up there and tell me that God loves me, then you're just lying to everyone. If he did love me, then he's got a funny way of showing it, but that doesn't matter now, because I see the truth. There's no place for love in this world, only
power. I've come in here without faith, without God, and I've managed to take over this community. Where's your God now?”

  “He's in us,” Hank said, “and you may think you're stronger and smarter than us, but it's easy to be seduced by the devil.”

  “Oh, no, mister preacher man, you've got it all wrong. There's no devil in me. I haven't been corrupted or anything. This is just one hundred per cent genuine Peter. But you know what? I am a product of your world. Whatever I am, you made me this. Your failures brought this world upon us, and it just so happens I have been able to see a way forward while all of you have been trying to put it back together. It can't be put back together, so you should stop praying to God because he's not going to listen. The only thing that will help you now is to listen to me.”