by J. G. Martin
He flashed back to the farmhouse in Montana where all his friends had been killed by a Drinker ambush. He had left there alive but covered in blood. He froze for a minute but was yanked from his reverie when the double doors in the back burst open and a horde of Drinkers spilled out practically knocking each other over in their eagerness to find fresh meat. Spotting their next meal, the monsters came towards them in a frenzied rush of limbs and teeth. Tex and Derek frantically reloaded as the mob rushed at them.
The next few minutes were a blur of gunfire, claws, teeth, and screaming. Tex and Derek killed the first wave, but the monsters just jumped over their fallen pack mates and kept coming. Both men ran out of ammo as the second wave reached the teller line and clambered over. Derek drew his machete and combat knife and engaged the slavering beasts trying to make him their dinner. He cut at the group in front of him trying to keep them off of him, but he felt their claws tearing at him and teeth biting him.
He desperately fought the attacking monsters his blades striking flesh with almost every stroke. Finally the tide broke and he realized there were no more Drinkers left alive. He checked on Rora and saw that she was huddled under the teller line. She seemed terrified, rocking back and forth, but otherwise ok. Tex was miraculously ok as well but was bleeding from numerous cuts and was favoring his left arm which appeared badly mangled. The bodies of the monsters surrounded them and there was blood everywhere.
Tex started to speak but was interrupted loud thudding that echoed throughout the building. It got closer and closer and Derek recognized the pattern as being footsteps. He groaned aloud. What else could this god forsaken hole have to throw at them? A true monstrosity shouldered its way through the double doors and into the main room. A massive Drinker standing over nine feet tall and heavily muscled with claws that had to be at least a foot long turned and faced them. It looked at them and snarled in anger when it saw the bloody bodies of its fellows.
“We need to get into the light, now is our only chance. Run for the door!” He screamed and Tex and Rora.
He literally picked Rora up with one hand and flung her over the teller line towards the entrance. He and Tex scrambled over after her. The beast roared with anger shaking the entire building. It grabbed a desk and flung it at them as they ran. The desk struck Rora a glancing blow and knocked her down. She hit the ground hard and slid to a stop against the front wall and lay there unmoving. The desk sailed on and crashed into the wall next to her. As they reached her, Derek felt the ground shake and the monster lurched towards them.
He and Tex looked at each other and they knew they couldn’t leave Rora. So they both turned and opened fire with their pistols simultaneously. The oncoming creature shrugged off the rounds and leapt towards them. Out of ammo, Derek dropped his pistol and pulled his shotgun. Reaching them in one gigantic leap, the beast backhanded Derek’s shotgun away from him and then struck Tex so hard he flew across the room. A quick glance told Derek he was unconscious as well.
The monster wasted little time and swiped at Derek with his razor sharp claws nearly decapitating him. Derek swayed backwards and circled away, trying to draw the thing away from Rora. He swore the monster smiled at him as he drew his blades. It came at him tooth and claw, and he was barely able to defend himself. Sparks flew as claws struck steel and the monster forced Derek back. He continued to circle away from it but eventually it cornered him along the front wall. This time there was no mistaking the laugh that boomed from the creature. It was playing with him.
Derek quickly pondered his options. He couldn’t kill this thing with his blades. Rora and Tex were down, and reloading wasn’t an option. A choke hold or superman punch were out of the question. As the thing moved forward slashing at him wildly it came to him. There was one weakness he could exploit. He ducked under the slashing claws and ran towards the windows. He grabbed hold of the curtain and pulled it as he ran alongside. The nails holding the heavy curtain gave way and it tore free flooding the room with sunlight.
The monster screamed in pain as the sunlight blinded it. Derek took advantage of the momentary pause and grabbed his shotgun. Moving back to the blinded behemoth he avoided the wild flailing claws and blasted it point blank in the face. The thing toppled over backwards its face a bloody ruin. Unbelievably it was still alive and started crawling away trying to get out of the light. Derek reloaded his pistol and standing over the ruined creature, he fire several shot into the back of its skull killing it.
He quickly pulled down the remainder of the curtains lighting up the entire room. The sun was still high in the sky and the light would keep other Drinker’s from getting bold enough to attack them again. The bright light revealed the extent of the carnage. Drinker corpses were scattered throughout the large room and blood and gore covered almost every surface. He examined some of the remains. They were almost all male, but most interestingly a few looked like juveniles.
Derek went over to Rora and checked her out. She seemed unhurt except for a large bruise on the side of her face where she had struck the wall. He sat her up and poured a little water from one of his canteens on her face. She came around with a groan. He steadied her as she shook awake.
“What happened? What were those things?” she mumbled.
“Drinkers. Mutants that feast on human blood. They generally stick to much more populated areas where there is more food and they especially like the old cities. Their eyes cannot stand the sun and there are lots of places to hide from the sunlight in the ruined cities.” Derek replied softly.
“Why did they attack us?”
“They are very aggressive and always hungry. We are just food to them.” He explained.
Groaning from Tex indicated he was coming around as well. Seeing that Rora was ok, Derek moved over to him. He had moved to a seated position against the wall. He was cradling his left arm and he was still groggy from being hit by the giant Drinker. Derek bandaged the arm and made a sling out of a piece of curtain. He handed Tex’s revolver back to him.
“Thanks buddy. I guess we’re earning the money on this one?” Tex chuckled.
“Seriously. Those things do make good security guards though. Nobody is robbing this bank.” Derek joked.
Tex laughed and then groaned as the motion hurt. “What was that thing? I’ve never even heard of a Drinker that big. I guess eating all the townies bulked him up.”
“I don’t think they ate the townies. I think they are the townies.” Derek stated.
Both Tex and Rora gasped at the same time. “WHAT?” They both said simultaneously.
“This place has too much security, is too remotes, and wouldn’t have enough food to attract Drinkers.” He explained. “The dates on the stations here were changed for several weeks after the Collapse. So the inhabitants were here after the government left. Someone nailed up the curtains to keep the light out in every building in town. Drinkers couldn’t have done that, so it must have been the townies. Why would they do that? Because the light was bothering their eyes, just like the Drinkers.”
“Wouldn’t they have starved to death?” Rora asked.
“I would say yes, but I think they found another food source. Each other.” Derek saw Rora and Tex nodding so he continued. “I think Project Eris made them crazy and violent and they turned on each other when the food ran out. The strong ate the weak and culled the herd so to speak. I also think that eating the already tainted flesh of the others made the survivors mutate further.”
“But it’s been eight years; they would have run out of other subjects to eat after a while.” Tex pointed out.
“My guess is that they tunneled out through the basements, probably breaking into mining tunnels below us. The tunnels go throughout the mountain. I bet there is a huge nest of Drinkers in the mine. They go out collect food and bring it back to the nest. We know the things breed and there are juveniles among the ones we killed. So it cannot be just the original townies in there. Some probably moved on and spread out once the food supply got s
carce.” Derek theorized. “The first major swarm appeared in Memphis about two years after the Collapse started. That would make sense if they were working their way east away from the mountains. The big one there is probably one of the originals. It got big eating other Drinkers and feasting on blood for years.”
“Are you saying my father created these things?” Rora asked with a horrified look on face.
“Indirectly the Collective created them, yes. But I’m sure it wasn’t the intent of the project. People’s actions can have totally unintended consequences.” Derek tried to sooth her, feeling her pain acutely.
“Who cares who created them, let’s get this device and get the hell out of here before it gets dark and more come.” Tex growled.
Derek agreed. “Rora, go get in the truck and lock the doors. It should keep any Drinkers out. We shouldn’t be long, but if we don’t come back in thirty minutes get out of here.”
She started to argue but Derek gave her a look and Tex tossed her the keys. She struggled to her feet and slowly made her way outside. When they heard the thud of the truck door shutting Tex and Derek made their way to the top of the staircase. Derek struck another flare and tossed it down. It bounced several times and then came to a rest on the basement floor. There were no sounds of movement in response. Guns drawn they carefully went down, cautiously checking for any surviving Drinkers that might be hiding down there.
The stairway ended in a small marble foyer with a solid oak table in the middle. There were doors on either side leading into small rooms that customers would have used to inspect their boxes in private. Ahead of them was a gated entry to the vault. The barred gate stood open as did the vault door. Derek was both relieved and worried. They wouldn’t have to blow the doors to get in, which could have been impossible, but someone else could have already been here.
Inside the vault, the safety deposit boxes were on all three sides. All the doors to the boxes were closed and the layer of dust on everything was undisturbed, so it was unlikely anyone else had gotten here first. But until they opened the box they wouldn’t know for sure. Derek went to box 327 which was on the far wall. He quickly wired it with a stick of dynamite that Tex handed him. Lighting the fuse, they both rushed out into the lobby and took cover in opposite cubbies.
The blast wasn’t huge but it did blow past them. The shockwave stirred up all the dust in the vault and left Derek and Tex choking in the thick swirling cloud. Once the dust cleared they could see the door to the safety deposit box hanging open. Derek moved into the room and dropped to one knee in front of the box. He pulled it out and hesitated for a second before opening it. Would the device, and his ticket to a good retirement, be in there? He flipped the lid on the box open and there it was. Wrapped in felt cloth was a small device that looked like an iPod.
Derek heard the cocking noise before he felt the barrel of Tex’s gun touch the back of his head. He sighed; he had been hoping it wasn’t going to come to this. He and Tex and had been partners and friends for some good years. He had hoped he could trust the man, but greed was a powerful emotion. That’s why Rule #10 was always watch your back.
“Sorry, old buddy. But I have another buyer. One willing to pay five times what you are getting.” Tex informed him. “If you give me the device and go along with it, I’ll still cut you in for your original fee. But decide quickly, my buyers will be here soon.”
“Are you talking about the Outfit guys in the two Humvees?” Derek replied calmly.
“How did you know that?” Tex asked surprised.
“I marked their vehicles in the town parking lot when we got there. They stood out from the other riff raff’s vehicles. They weren’t in the saloon and I didn’t see them around town or at the Station House, so they were just waiting around for something. Waiting for you to betray me apparently.”
“You are so damned clever, you know that. But you didn’t see this coming, did you?”
“Please, I had you pegged from the beginning. I just hoped it wasn’t going to happen based on our friendship. The fight with the Order thugs was a total set-up to get you back in with me. They were the only ones not drunk in there. And you’re last minute save was so clichéd. The arrest and fight in the lockup surprised me though. What if that monster had killed me?”
“That wasn’t me, I swear. I set up the fight and I had your vehicle impounded so I could go with you, but that’s it. I’m still your friend. This isn’t personal, it’s just business. If we weren’t friends I would have just shot you in the back of the head and been done with it. I’m still willing to split it with you, but it’s going to my buyers one way or the other. If I have to cuff you and leave you down here I will.”
“To be eaten by the Drinkers? What about Rora?”
“Look man, I have to give these guys the device. Work with me.” Tex cajoled.
“I don’t think so. I’m taking the device and walking out of here. You get one chance to lower your gun and leave here alive.” Derek informed with deadly seriousness.
“What are you going to do? I have a gun to your head.”
Chapter 23
June 12, 2029
Zinc, Arkansas
Rora was in the SUV fiddling with the computer when the two black Humvees roared into town and blocked her in. Armed men in black fatigues and body armor surrounded the vehicle and ordered her to get out. Since the vehicle was trapped, she wasn’t able to fight them off, and she wasn’t sure how much gunfire the SUV could take; she complied. The armed men slashed the SUV’s tires, and then dragged her into the bank and back to the carnage. All of their actions were executed with amazing precision. When they got inside, one of them whistled in amazement.
“Holy crap. Look at all the Drinkers in here. Two guys killed all these. Pretty impressive.” He muttered.
“Stay sharp, there could be more.” The leader ordered. “Two of you cover those doors to the back and the rest of you cover the top of the stairs. The Regulator will either bring us the device or we kill the mercenary if he comes up and take it.”
He grabbed Rora and held her in front of him as his men took up their positions. Two men stood fanned out on either side of him their M-4 carbines trained on the stairwell. They all looked very professional and serious to Rora. All of them sported tight crew cut hair and looked to be in good shape. The way they walked, talked, and handled their weapons she figured they must be military of some kind. But they wore no insignia on their uniforms and had nothing on their vehicles. Mercenaries probably. Men like Derek, trained killers.
They didn’t wait long before they heard two shots from the vault, a moment of silence, and then a final shot. All of the men steadied themselves and prepared to greet whoever came up the stairs. The leader put a gun to her head and Rora froze. The fading sunlight coming through the windows was behind the staircase making it hard to see. Shadows were starting to enter the bank and the sun was almost directly in their eyes. Silence fell in the bank as they all waited to see which man would emerge victorious.
It wasn’t long before they heard footsteps coming up the stairs. The gunmen moved forward imperceptibly, trying to see who it was. When Tex’s black cowboy hat slowly rose from the stairwell, Rora let out a breath she didn’t even know she was holding. Surprisingly, she felt the man holding her relax and saw the other visibly relax as well. Were they that afraid of Derek? Who was he really?
Tex staggered slowly up the stairs, visibly wounded. He carried the duffel bag in his left hand and his right hand was under his duster clutching his ribs. He was bent over slightly, his hat covering his face, and he seemed to be struggling to breath, much less walk. He stopped at the top of the stairs and leaned on the column there for support.
“Did you get it?” The lead gunmen asked anxiously.
“It’s in the bag.” Tex whispered.
“And Storm?”
“Dead. But he shot me first. I think I have some broken ribs.” Tex moaned softly.
“Suck it up; you can go to a doc
tor later. Toss me the bag.” The leader demanded.
“What about my money?”
“I’ll give you the money and the girl once I confirm you have the device.” The leader informed Tex.
Tex tossed the bag forward with his left hand, but it flew in front of the two men to the leader’s right instead of him. Tex sagged against the banister as if it had been too much effort just to make the toss. The leader snarled in annoyance, but ordered the man to check the bag. All of the gunmen moved slightly closer wanting to see the mysterious device they had been paid so much and come so far to get. Even the leader loosened his grip slightly on Rora.
The look of horror on the gunmen’s face when he opened the bag was almost comical. A faint hissing noise came from the open bag now that it was open. The leader loosened his grip even more as his man’s reaction confused him. Rora took advantage and pulled free. She dove towards the stairwell seeking some cover. The lead gunmen turned to grab her, but before he could reach her the bank was torn apart by a massive blast from the bag.
The lit dynamite inside the bag erupted in a ball of fire. The man holding it was practically vaporized and his comrade next to him was flung sideways into the teller line breaking his neck on the marble countertop. The leader was knocked down and his gun sent flying. The two men to his right and the two covering the back door were sent flying by the blast. Ears ringing they were sent tumbling amongst the desks along the wall.
The blast knocked free Tex’s hat, revealing it to be Derek wearing the duster. He straightened up, obviously not hurt, and shot the leader in the face with his pistol. The blast had swept through the bank and stirred up the dust piled up on everything. The inside was now a swirling, choking cloud of dust and debris. Visibility was minimal so the gunmen had just opened fire blindly on full auto in Derek and Rora’s general direction. Bullets ricocheted off the marble floors and sparked off the brass banisters. Flashes of gunfire strobed in the billowing dust, the gunshots echoing throughout the bank.