by Aline Riva
“Yes, you are,” he stated calmly, then he shot a furious glare in Greg's direction before turning away and walking off, and the guards followed close behind him.
“I'd better go,” Parsons said, glancing to Marc, “Let's do what he wants – for now.”
Marc put an arm around Vicki's shoulder and gave her a quick hug. The fear he saw in her eyes at the thought of being left alone cut deeply into his heart. She had been through enough, thinking of that was the only reason he was leaving her alone today – after the long conversation they had all shared that had gone on into the early hours of the morning, the group felt stronger now. They knew what they were up against and they were resigned to fighting back.
“He will never upset you again,” Marc vowed, then he glanced to Emma, “We just have to be vigilant.”
She nodded in agreement. Just then Christian hurried from his room, he was up and dressed and ready to face the day despite feeling hungover.
“Greg, I want you over at the medical centre before ten am. I'll fit you in for the standard appointment time between other patients, but we can have longer if you need it.”
“Okay, I'll be there,” he replied, looking away as Christian walked past him and did the same. Clearly it would take a while for the quarrel that had happened the night before to be forgotten.
Cleo looked sharply to Greg.
“What's this about? Are you okay?”
“I'll tell you later, I just want to go for a drive.”
“And I'll see you guys later at the fair,” Marc replied, then he left, hurrying up the hallway to catch up with Parsons, who was waiting for him by the stairs.
“Vicki,” Emma said, noticing she looked painfully uneasy now Marc had left other side, “Would you like to come over to visit Alex with me? He came over to me yesterday. We're good friends, we take turns. He lives down the other end of the seafront above the arcade.”
She nodded.
“Okay, anything is better than being here alone.”
“Let's go and find a car, “ Greg announced, “I think stealing one will especially piss him off. I do hope Flint's watching while I do it!”
Cleo shot him an uneasy glance, then he led the way and she and Zodiac followed as they headed for the stairs.
When they left the hotel, Christian had grabbed a ride from an armoured vehicle parked across the street. The car drove off and as they crossed the road Greg looked left and right with an expression of annoyance on his face – then he laid eyes on the prefect prize and started to smile.
“Oh look, that's the car Flint gets driven about in. I think I've just found our ride!”
He went over to the parked vehicle, an old BMW with spikes inserted front and back in case of zombie attack, he opened up the drivers side and laughed as he looked back at Cleo and Zodiac.
“He's left the keys! How thoughtful of him!”
Just then a guard came running over.
“That's Mr Flint's vehicle!”
“Yes, I know,” Greg replied as he got in and closed the door, then as Cleo got in beside him and Zodiac climbed in the back, Greg leaned out of the open window and looked back at the guard.
“Please give him a message for me. Tell him I'm taking my new girlfriend for a ride. Also tell him this.”
He jabbed a middle finger in the air and then drove off at speed as tires screeched on road surface, then the car was moving off into the far distance, heading away from the fairground.
As Flint stepped out through the gates of the fair, he glared towards the stolen car.
“Sir, shall I send a team after him?” asked the guard.
“No,”Flint replied, “I can wait. I gave him till three pm. I strongly suspect I may have to put a bullet in Mr Fitzroy when he returns...”
Chapter 8
“I saw that.”
Flint stood alone as the guard went back to his duties. On hearing a familiar voice, he turned around. Marc was standing there, shaking his head in disapproval.
“I love that man like a brother,” he added, “But he's going too far. Look, I can talk to him for you – keep him in line. Would you give him one more chance?”
Flint looked intently at Marc, seeing honesty in his eyes and wanting to believe him, but his doubt still nagged.
“It will be a long time before I can trust you and the others. Greg has betrayed me. I don't blame Cleo any more – he's a charming guy, she's just under his spell.”
“To be fair, Christian did say none of this would have happened if he had stayed away from Cleo...I'll be honest with you, Flint – it's hell on earth outside this town. We are all better off here. I think if you and Parsons work together, this place could be even better. Just don't harm Greg. He's my best friend.”
“It doesn't bother you that I made an offer to Vicki?”
His eyes grew cold as he glared at Flint.
“Yeah, it bothers me. I wanted to kill you for that. But, you run this town and as long as you stay away from her from now on, I can let the matter go. I'm not happy about it but I know how things work around here.”
Flint smiled.
“Very sensible. It sounds like you're coming around to my way of thinking. By the way, I hope this isn't a game, Marc. Because I'd hate for something to happen to Vicki...”
Those words sent a spike of anger rising sharply through his body as his hand screwed into a fist. But he held back on the urge to hit him, knowing if he did, he wouldn't stop – and that would mean a bullet to his head. He wasn't going to rise to Flint's provocation any more. He forced a smile.
“But it won't, because I won't break the rules. Now, what did you want me to do over here today?”
“I want you to watch the way security works here at the fair, I want you and Parsons...” he paused, looking left and right, “Where is Parsons? He knows to be here at this time, is he defying me?”
Just at that moment, Parsons came out of the hotel. He ran across the street and joined them, looking apologetically to Flint.
“I'm assuming it was you that was put that stinking dead fucker in Greg's room last night, I don't care if you deny it – I believe it was you. I just threw up again, that thing must have been infested with germs! And I was here on time this morning - but I had to go back inside and throw up.”
Marc smiled as he looked away.
“It's a decayed corpse, what did you expect?”
“Whose side are you on?” Parsons said as suspicion crept into his voice.
“I'm on the side that wants no one getting killed,” he replied, looking him sharply in the eye.
Parson's gaze was filled with anger as he looked from Marc to Flint.
“So, what are we supposed to be doing today? This had better be good – I'm not impressed that my position to help run this town could be undermined. I'm Antonio Parsons, I ran a whole community on Wolfsheer. I don't appreciate being reduced to the role of fairground worker!”
“No, it's not like that,” Flint replied, “Today I want to show you both how security is run around here, I want your opinions on how it could be improved.”
Then he turned towards the entrance.
“Follow me,” he added, and they went back inside the fairground.
As they followed behind Flint, Parsons shot a cold glance at Marc.
“What's with the look?” Marc demanded.
“I'm starting to wonder whose side you are on,” Parsons replied.
Marc said nothing to that accusation, he looked away, then remarked what a great place this town was and then as he spoke again with Flint, Parsons remained silent as he watched the two men talking, almost like old friends...
Cleo said nothing on the drive, even when she realised they were heading for the bridge. When Greg stopped the car he looked at her, wondering why she was so silent.
“What's wrong?” he asked.
Her eyes were filled with concern.
“Why do you need an appointment with Christian? Are you ill?”
He
glanced to Zodiac in the back seat.
“Can I explore the broken bridge?” the boy asked excitedly.
“No!” Greg told him firmly, “Stay in the car. I have to talk to Cleo alone. I've got some things to discuss with her.”
As he had spoken, he had given him that look that Zodiac knew too well – this order wasn't negotiable. He gave a sigh and sat back against the seat.
“Okay Daddy, go and do more boring relationship stuff with Cleo...grown up stuff I can't relate to...”
“And don't get cheeky!” Greg added, then he got out of the car and closed the door.
“What's this about?” Cleo asked.
“I'll tell you in a minute. I'm trying to keep this away from my son.”
She walked beside him as he said nothing, it was only when he stepped up on the first ledge that she realised how far they had come – almost to the edge of the bridge. Panic washed over her.
“I can't get up there...”
He held out his hand.
“You have to. I need to talk to you far away from Zodiac...Please... take my hand.”
She had never seen him look so worried. Her gaze was locked with his as she pushed aside her fear and took his hand and stepped up to the ledge.
“Talk to me!”
“Only if you stand on the top level.”
Her eyes widened in alarm.
“Just do it!” he said sharply.
She kept a tight hold on his hand as he turned his back to the edge and so did she.
“Why did you yell at me?”
“I'm under a lot of pressure. Now, step up...”
She closed her eyes, taking a shaky step, then she looked at him, and didn't dare glance backwards – she was several steps away from the edge.
“Two more.”
“No!”
“Do it for me.”
“Why?”
“I may not have long to live.”
His words crushed all of her fear as a new dread took its place. He stood beside her on the ledge, their hands joined, as the wind blew back his coat and ruffled his hair as her long raven tresses trailed black. There was a look of alarm on her face now.
“What? Since when? Are you talking about Flint? He won't kill you, if it comes down to it, I'll give in and go back to him and make him promise to leave you alone! I'd do that for you!”
“No,” Greg replied, “You need to listen to what I have to say. Take three more steps, my boy is watching and the window is open and I can't let him hear this...”
She closed her eyes again, keeping a tight hold on his hand.
“One...two... three...” they counted together.
Then as she opened her eyes, Greg turned and grabbed both her hands as he held her in his gaze and gave her the truth:
“Don't forget this moment,” he told her, “Whatever happens, I want you to know I'll always be with you. I love you... I'm always there inside your heart. But I don't have long left, I'm going to die and I'm trying to protect my son from this...”
Tears filled her eyes as the terrifying drop no longer took up any room in her thoughts. Greg talked and she listened as tears streaked her face...
In the car, Zodiac was watching from the window. It looked like Daddy had finally helped Cleo get over her fear of heights. Now he was standing facing her on the edge, holding on to both of her hands. He spoke intently to her, then she gave a sob and tears streaked her face as she shook her head and clearly mouthed the word No. Then his Daddy said Yes, and spoke some more to her. Eventually he pulled her closer, they kissed and then Greg stood there for a while longer, just embracing her. They stepped down from the bridge and walked hand in hand back to the car. When they got in, they were both strangely silent.
“What's wrong? Did you two have a fight?” Zodiac asked.
“No, we're okay,” Greg replied as he reversed the car, turned it around and headed back towards the road, “I just had to tell Cleo some private stuff. It's nothing for you to worry about.”
Zodiac frowned.
“Why are you keeping a secret?”
“I'm not!” Greg insisted.
“Where are we going now?” his son added.
“I'm going to the medical centre to see Christian and I'm leaving the car there – I want you to walk back to town with Cleo. She's going to take you to the hotel and she's going to wait with you until Emma gets back.”
“But you said you would never leave me!”
“I'm giving Cleo my gun, she can give it to Emma, who will be looking after you. No one will hurt you.”
They drove into the parking area outside the medical centre. Greg got out first as the others followed and he strolled over to the guard outside.
“You might want to take that car back to Flint – he's missing it,” he said, dropping the keys into his hand, then as the guard went over to the car, Greg turned back to Cleo. Her eyes had filled with tears again.
“Don't,” he said softly, and he pulled her close and kissed her. She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly as she sobbed against his shoulder.
“Shh,” he told her softly as he placed his hand on her back and rubbed gently, “Don't so this, not in front of my son... You have to be strong.”
He let go of her and she stepped back, wiped her eyes and forced a smile.
“I'll do it for you. I love you so much.”
“I love you too...” he glanced down at Zodiac, who looked up at him in confusion.
“And I love you very much,” he added, “I fully intend to be around for a very long time to come, too – I'm going to try for that. Now can I have a big hug from my family?”
He looked to Cleo. She could barely hold back from more weeping as he held out his arms and she hugged him and so did Zodiac as the boy wondered why the day had suddenly turned so strangely emotional. Then Greg let go of them both.
“See you soon,” he promised Cleo, then he unbuckled his holstered gun and handed it to her and turned away and went into the medical centre.
“Why did Daddy give his gun away?” Zodiac asked.
“He's got more important things to think about,” Cleo replied as she took Zodiac's hand, “And the best thing we can do right now, is to do what Daddy asked. I'm talking you back to the hotel.”
Then she led him down the path and towards the main road that led back to the hotel. On the way back Zodiac had many questions but she remembered her promise to Greg, and answered none of them.
When Greg walked into Christian's consulting room, he took a seat and waited for Christian to down some iced water.
“You look rough as shit!” Greg remarked.
“I feel like shit.”
Christian paused, silently regretting sparking the quarrel the night before.
“How are you today?”
“Is that a standard question?”
“Are you ready to do this, are you sure?” Christian asked.
Greg nodded.
“It's okay to have second thoughts,” Christian added, then as he looked at Greg and recalled all they had been through together, he temporarily brushed aside the current subject.
“I was drunk last night. I'm sorry.”
Greg shrugged.
“Apology accepted, but I'm not sorry because I have nothing to apologise for.”
“What about calling me zombie curious?”
Greg laughed, but quickly got it under control as Christian glared at him.
“I didn't mean it. But seriously, I do think one of us should take a look at that brothel... we need to know how the zombies are safely contained. The others are busy all day, I don't want to send one of the women in there and after what I'm about to do I don't want to run extra risks, but I do need to know how that place works, how they are contained. Maybe you should get over there tonight, explore the layout?”
Christian gave a heavy sigh.
“Only you could give me a job like that!”
He laughed, caught the look of playful amusement o
n Greg's face and then laughed again as he rose from his seat. But as he looked over to the examination table, his smile faded.
“Are you sure you're ready for this?”
Greg got up from the chair.
“I don't really have a choice,” he replied.
Suddenly all trace of amusement was gone from his gaze and as he looked at him, Christian felt suddenly emotional.
“I shouldn't have got drunk... This is not helping a bad situation,” he gave a heavy sigh, “Take your shirt off and get comfortable on the table. I'll go and fetch the necessary equipment... if you're really sure you want to do this?”
Greg was over by the table unbuttoning his shirt.
“I have to,” he replied.
“Then I'll get everything ready,” Christian said, “It won't take long to set up,” and then he left the room.
After Emma and Vicki had visited Alex, they had returned to the hotel to find Cleo and Zodiac waiting for them. The gun was on the table and Cleo looked pale as she sat there in jeans and a black top that hugged her figure. Without the heavy make up and the sequins she looked nothing like the showgirl who had climbed the rope. She had tied her hair back in a ponytail and wore flat shoes. She looked like she had been crying, and they knew why.
As Zodiac went off to the bedroom, Emma sat on the sofa and joined her as Vicki went off to check on Zodiac. The last thing anyone wanted was for him to wander off when Greg was absent...
“He gave me his gun,” Cleo said, he told me to give it to you – so you could guard Zodiac for him.”
“And that was the right thing to do,” she assured her.
Cleo glanced at the clock, watching as the hour hand edged closer to three.
“It's almost time. I have to get over to the fair, he said three. I have to be there on time -”
“And you will do everything you need to do,” Emma reminded her as her heart went out to the terrified woman, “Just remember what matters here – Greg loves you and he won't let anything bad happen to you. There's no way you'll be stuck with Flint. We're all affected by him – Flint will run our lives forever if we don't stand together. I know you're worried about Greg - we all are. But all we can do is try and get through this situation. “