Dead Reckoning_HZA, Vol. 3

by Marty Brockschmidt

  “Leave it to me.” Again, was the reply. After a while, Pete emerged from the van. His eyes bloodshot, his face worn. The group comforted him, as best they could, with kind words and encouraging embraces. Mitchell hugged Pete and refused to let go, but Pete didn’t mind, he knew Mitchell was suffering too. Hap approached Pete, laying his hand on his friend’s shoulder.

  “It’s okay friend, I understand.” Pete said, half heartedly. He knew Sheila was gone and he didn’t want her turning. Hap entered the van, Sheila looked peaceful and still. Hap knelt beside the body and stuck his knife thru the temple, drawing it out and wiping off the blade. He then wrapped the body in blankets. After paying his respects, Hap left the van.

  “Thank you folks…” Pete bowed his head. “...I appreciate the time and comfort.” Tom put his arm around Pete’s shoulder.

  “We should bury Sheila here, give her a proper send off.” Tom offered, with Pete agreeing by a silent nod. Using the moonlight, Jimmy and Jackson dug the grave, while Sue and Miri, staying within the perimeter of their site, took the younger children to find stones, to ring the grave.

  Tim and Tracey slowly paced the perimeter and Tom addressed everyone else. “I know we are all on edge, but we can’t risk moving any further through these woods in the dark. Our headlights would be seen from miles. If trouble finds us, we need to be ready, but we need to be alert. Tim will work out a watch rotation, otherwise, do your best to get some rest.”

  “We’re ready.” Jimmy announced, leaning on the shovel. Jeff, Hap and Tom brought the body out of the van, holding on to the edges of the blankets. Gently, they settled Sheila into the open grave. Everyone stood around it, comforting Pete, who was just trying not to fall to his knees.

  “I’d like to say something.” Arianna volunteered, with Lizzie by her side. As the two girls held hands, Arianna began to speak. “Miss Sheila called us a family, she told us we all had to work together and appreciate what we had. She taught us a lot and I know she is happy with God now...amen.” Tears were flowing when Arianna finished, Pete giving her a warm hug.

  The shadows were starting to get long and Lilith was getting irritated, that Dawg hadn't worked out which trail the group had left on. It didn't help, that Jess had to drop a dig, everytime Dawg returned down a trail and tore back down another.

  “I can't watch this no more, I'm going to check in with my guys.” Jess announced.

  When he and Willie were in radio range of Wilscot, Jess reached out. “Murph, what's the good word?”

  They had to wait for the response to come. “I'm dyin Jess...they lured us in and their snipers cut us down. I tried just to talk to one of them and the bitch stuck me.”

  Murph broke into a bubbly cough, before taking his finger off the call button. “How long ago, Murph?”

  Another fit of coughing, before Murph answered. “Not sure, I keep drifting out, has to be less than an hour.”

  Jess turned around and rushed back to the Double R. Skidding to a stop, he rushed out and angrily addressed Lilith. “Your hound get the scent yet?”

  Warchild moved protectively towards Lilith, as she confronted Jess. “You have something to say?”

  “Yeah I do. While your hound has been chasin his tail, my guys caught wind of these folks, over in Wilscot. Murph called in some more guys, to help hold them there, but these people set a trap. Murph hung on just long enough to get me word.” Jess responded.

  Lilith glared angrily at Jess. “I thought we were dealing with women and children? How did they get the drop, on how many of my men?”

  Jess met her gaze. “Six.”

  “I be it's that Lucas, he was military and he's one hell of a shot.” Willie offered.

  “It would of been nice, if you had shared that earlier.” Lilith placed two finger to her lips and gave a sharp whistle, to call in Dawg. Taking a map of the area, she drew a quick elliptical shape. “Face, this is the new containment area. Thanks to our friends here, we're down three crews, do your best and reconnect with us at Wilscot.”

  Lilith walked over to Dawg, who was hanging his head, shamefully. “Sorry. Sorry. To many trails. To many. They marked em all. Marked em all.”

  Lilith put an arm around Dawg and drew his head to her chest. “Shh. Calm down, we've got a line on them now. I've got a treat for you, if you get us back on their trail. You help me catch them and you can sleep at the foot of my bed.”

  Dawg, who was busy rubbing his face against her breasts, suddenly stopped. “See? See you change?”

  An evil smile crossed Lilith's face. “If it is a warm night, I'll likely sleep nude.”

  Dawg's pleasure quickly changed to fear, when Lilith pulled his hair, jerking his head back, causing him to yelp. Her knife tip, pressed between his legs. “Fail me and I will cut off your balls and feed them to you.”

  Dawg took off at a run and jumped into the vehicle, Jess and Willie were in. “Let's go. Let's go.”

  Lilith laughed, took Warchild's arm and sauntered to the RV.

  Entering Wilscot, the group stopped, near the midpoint of Main street, where the cold one, that had been Murph, was feeding on his dead partners. “Willie, frost Murph there.” Jess instructed.

  Willie unfolded himself from the front seat and moved towards Murph. As Willie approached, Murph stopped his feeding and emitted a breathless moan. Willie grabbed its hair and jammed his knife through its ear. As Murph dropped, Dawg bounded from the vehicle, eager to pick up the trail.

  He stopped in front of the boutique and swiped his hand through the puddle of blood, tilted his head back and began to bay. He followed the trail of blood, to where it stopped, just a few feet into the road. The others caught up with him and he excitedly showed the blood, to Lilith. “Look. Look. One is hurt bad. Hurt bad. Will make em stop, Make em stop.”

  Dawg took off at a lope down the road, causing Lilith to complain. “I wish he would fucking stop, running off.”

  They caught up, again, with Dawg at the car lot. He was sniffing under the cars and examining the two bodies. Lilith looked over at Jess. “These two are yours as well?”

  Jess responded with a quick nod.

  “I gotta take a piss, be right back Ma’am.” Warchild announced and slipped behind the office, out of sight.

  Dawg ran up to Lilith to report. “They, they took gas. Three, three cans. Two, two full. Two, two shooters. One up yonder, one down here. Also, also had shooter up street and one handy, handy with a knife.”

  Warchild was looking down, enjoying the relief of emptying his bladder. He wasn't aware of the creature coming up behind him, until the cold hand touched his shoulder and its teeth sunk into, his meaty back.

  Lilith, Jess and Willie responded quickly to Warchild's bellow. “Son of a bitch.”

  Lilith reached him first, pulling the one armed cold one off him and running her knife, under its jaw and letting it drop. Jess took a quick look at the wound on Warchild's back. “Friend, just like Tonto told the Lone Ranger, Kemosabe, doctor say you gonna die.” With that, Jess raised his pistol and shot Warchild, in the side of the head.

  “What the fuck?” Lilith screeched and thrust her knife at Jess's chest.

  Jess caught her wrist, holding it in a firm grip. “I'm wise to that missy.”

  Lilith glared at him and spoke through gritted teeth. “Let me go.”

  Willie pulled her pistol from her holster and Jess took the knife from her hand. Keeping his grip on her wrist, he backed her up against the wall and wiped the blade off on her blouse. He tapped the top button of her blouse, with the tip of the knife. “I can see what Sammy boy sees in you.”

  Willie's eyes gleamed at the woman and licked his lips in anticipation. Jess raised Lilith's hand above her head and then pulled up her other hand. Holding Lilith's arms high above her head with one hand, he rested his other on her hip. Leaning in, he ran the tip of his tongue up her cheek and whispered in her ear. “Sure wouldn't mind a taste of what your givin Sammy.”

  Dawg began speaking loudly
, from the other side of the building. “They's, they's right over here. Warchild got hisself bit, bit.”

  Jess let Lilith's hands free. “Damn.”

  Lilith held out her hands for her weapons. She had just finished putting them away, when Face rounded the corner. The tension in the air, was not lost on him. “What's going on?”

  Willie prodded the body of the cold one, that had attacked Warchild. “Jess ain't this Lucas?”

  “Who's Lucas?” Lilith questioned.

  “He was our gunsmith, told ya he was running with this group.” Jess responded.

  Lilith was outraged. “Well he obviously wasn't the one doing the shooting and sure as shit, didn't mastermind this attack on my men.”

  “He got here somehow, he at least tipped these people off. That’s what I think.” Jess retorted.

  Lilith wasn't appeased. “They know we're coming and they have no qualms with shooting first. From here on in, leave the thinking to me.”

  Dawg started banging on the roof of the SUV. “Let’s go, let’s go. Losing daylight, daylight.”

  Jess and Willie hopped into the SUV, Dawg pointing the direction to go. Leaving the RV behind, Lilith climbed into the Jeep with Face. “Once this is over, those two need to come to a horrible end.”

  It was dark, when Dawg had them stop and bounded out of the vehicle. “Joined, joined others here. Here.”

  “How long ago?” Lilith asked.

  Dawg sniffed a bloody bandage, he had found. “Two. Two mebbe three hours.”

  Lilith had been hoping they were closer behind. “You can follow them in the dark?”

  Dawg nodded. “Moon. Moonlight, sunlight, sign still there. There.”

  Despite Tom's urging that everyone take a chance to rest, it was still close to midnight, before they settled down. Red had only been with these people a couple of days, but she was continually impressed by this group, brought together by this horror that had come to the world. The bonds that knit them together remained unshakeable, even in the face of this latest tragedy.

  Feeling like outsiders looking in, but wanting to be a part of this small community, Red and Sam put together a cold supper. As they ate, they took turns sharing a memory of Sheila. When Hap's turn came up, he shared the story of the first time he fed Sheila nutria. He had shared this numerous times in the past, embellishing it more with each retelling and he didn't disappoint this time.

  As the evening wore on, the skies began to get cloudy, blotting out the moon. The younger children began to fall asleep. Caleb was stretched out on the ground, his head in Sam's lap. Mitchell had crawled up into Pete's lap, snuggling into his shoulder. Sue and Miri slipped away and got the van ready, then got Pete and the kids settled in. Tom and Jeff, took over patrolling the perimeter, allowing Tim and Tracey to climb into the front seats of the van, ready to leave at a moments notice.

  Sam picked up Caleb and laid him on the back seat of the Focus. Pushing back the driver seat all the way, to accommodate his large frame, he got behind the wheel and tilted back the seat. Jimmy and Jackson took the rear seat of the Suburban, Sue and Miri hopped into the middle seat, finding consolation in being close together. Hap got in behind the wheel, Red taking the passenger seat.

  In a ritual like manner, Red performed a weapons check. Hatchet, knife, ammunition and pistol, in that order. Hap leaned towards Red. “Looks like you and me again partner. If'n we ain't careful, folks is gonna start talkin.”

  Red gave him a wan smile in return. Hap continued. “I like the early morning watch. My rheumatism always kicks in, makin it hard to sleep, movin around heps.”

  Sue tapped Red on the shoulder. “Jimmy told me what you did today.” Red froze, she had been beating herself up, ever since her shot caused Sheila's death. “I want to thank you for bringing my husband and son back to me.”

  Red shrugged and patted Sue's hand. “Everyone did their part.”

  It was just a few hours before the sun came up. The clouds remained thick, keeping the moon hidden. Red and Hap got out to relieve Jeff and Tom. Jeff climbed into the middle seat, Miri resting her head on his lap, slowly drifting off to sleep, while Jeff gently stroked her hair. Tom stretched out on the front seat. Sue lay on top of him, her head pressed to his broad chest, soothed to sleep, by the steady beating of his heart.

  Red and Hap fell into a rhythm. They each paced, one half, of the rough circle of their perimeter. Take a few steps, stop and listen, peer into the gloom, repeat. Occasionally, their pace would sync and they would meet up, briefly, at the ends of their respective arc's. A couple more hours to go and the sun would break and they would be once again, working into Tennessee and putting the Inferno territory behind them.

  Red had completed her arc a couple of times, without seeing Hap. She started to get nervous, but shrugged it off as her imagination. Coming to the end of the far side of the arc, she stopped to listen, trying to pierce the blackness. A faint shuffling sound came to her ears. Hap was generally pretty quiet, even with his arthritis, he was adept at walking without a sound.

  Soon, she saw him coming, the faint moonlight, reflecting off his whitebeard was unmistakable. A little bit more and Red was close enough, to see him moving towards her. His gait off and shambling, reminder her of, …, of Les. “Oh shit.” Red exclaimed under her breath, pulling her knife and catching hold of Hap's long beard, with the other.

  His hands dug at her, but she ignored them, feeling around his back with her knife hand, needing to be sure. It wasn't long, before she found what she was looking for. Warm and sticky, the blood confirming Hap had been murdered. Red thrust her knife under his jaw, letting him drop. She needed to warn the others, a herd was coming.

  Racing across the circle, Red was suddenly stopped by strong hands, grabbing hold of her. Before she could yell out, a knife was pressed to her throat. “Shh. Don't ruin the surprise.” The two men were dressed in black, each wearing a black face mask, one was tall and thin, the other one holding the knife, was of average build. Keeping the knife at her throat, he reached down with the other hand and removed her gun belt.

  The tall man pulled her wrists together and bound them with a zip tie. As he did so, he leaned in. “I remember you. I'm glad you made it off that farm. Losing you was the one regret I had, in dropping that herd on them.”

  Jess pulled his black face mask off. “You don't need to feel bad there darlin, my compadre, moves scary quiet.” Pushing Red towards the van, stopping just short, he called out. “Light em boys.”

  The men, ringing the vehicles, turned on their flashlights, flooding the area with light. Tim and Tracey jumped from the van, guns raised, but stopped short, when they saw that the men, had already captured Red. Willie took their guns and knives, placing them into the back of the trailer, before binding their hands, behind their backs. The men directed everyone else out of their vehicles, bound them the same as the others and added their weapons to the trailer.

  The adults, including Jimmy and Jackson, were lined up down the side of the Suburban and the attached trailer. Jess pushed Red forward and added her to the end of the line, then added her gun belt to the trailer. The four younger children, were taken to the end of the vehicles and forced to sit on the ground. Willie had them cross their ankles, before binding them with a zip tie. “Stay put.”

  Jess pulled the radio from his belt. “Now you all just hang loose for a minute.” Jess raised the radio. “We're all set here, these folks are all wrapped up and waiting for you.” Jess walked up to the head of the line and flicked on his flashlight, illuminating Tim's anger filled face. “Willie, let's see who's been causin us so much trouble.”

  Stepping over, he directed the beam of light at Tracey, she glared back at the beam, in total defiance. Jess panned the light down her body, from head to foot and back again. “This one looks to be your type Willie.”

  Pete's face was grief stricken, yet he stood tall. Tom's face nondescript, whatever he felt or was thinking, did not show on the outside. In contradiction to he
r husband, Sue did not hide her emotion as she spat in Jess's face. “Fuck you.”

  Jeff smirked, as the light hit his face. “What she said.”

  Jess got to Miri next. “Whoa would you look at this, or I should say those. Are those fun bags real?” Jess slipped the flashlight into his arm pit and brought his hands up, flexing the fingers, before placing a hand on each of Miri's breasts. “Oh they are, not to cast shade on implants, mind you. Big tits is big tits. There is just somethin about real ones, like these.”

  “Get your filthy hands off my wife.” Jeff growled.

  Jess retrieved his flashlight and smacked Jeff upside the head, hard enough to cause his knees to buckle, before catching himself, against the side of the trailer. “Man now that was just rude, you could see we were enjoying a moment and now it's gone.”

  Jess moved the flashlight quickly past Jimmy and Jackson stopping at Sam. Sam was looking anxiously over in his son’s direction. Caleb was seated with the other children and Sam tried, desperately, to somehow send comfort to his boy. Jess looked down at Sam's massive arms, straining against the plastic strip, wrapped around his wrists. “Willie, give this boy a couple more ties, he might just bust this one loose.”