“No bed,” I insisted. “I’m fine.”
“Why did that guy attack you like that?”
“It’s personal,” I said, standing.
“You know him?”
“Yeah, and he’s a little pissed at me.”
“A little? It looked like he wanted to kill you.”
“All right. Maybe a lot.”
“What happened?”
“He blames me for his brother’s death.”
She threw her arms up. “Great.”
“I didn’t kill anyone. My friend Claire killed him in self-defense. He hates Claire for it. Since Asia is her best friend and Jackie is her cousin, I’m sure they’re in danger too. He’s as crazy as Z.”
“Z? That psycho you mentioned before?”
“Yes. He’s his brother. How in the world did he end up here?”
“He was kidnapped the same day you were, but they put him in a different van. I’m guessing he was fighting against you guys at the shootout.”
“His buddies killed Max, the leader of Fairport.”
“Bad blood. Nice. Kirk needs to know so he can take precautions to keep the guy from killing you.”
“Him killing me? He’s the one who needs protection, because if I get my hands on him, I’m gonna rip his throat out. He’ll pay for what he’s done to all of us, for what he did to Max. If he wants to fight me, it’ll be the last time he fights anybody.”
Her gaze narrowed. “Forget about revenge. You’ve gotta focus on escape. You might know a lot of moves, but you’re not invincible. If you get yourself killed, how are we going to get out of here?”
“I have to take him out,” I said. “You’ve got some pull with the guards. Talk one of them into letting me go find the jerk.”
She shook her head. “Not a chance. We’ve got to get our escape plan in order. Besides, Kirk is bringing back some kind of prized fighter today, and you might want to keep your mind on that. He’s beyond impressive. And he’ll keep Kirk focused on him and not you.”
“And he came here voluntarily?” I asked.
“From what I understand, yes.”
“Why?”
“Same reason a lot of us did. He lost everyone, and he’s searching for a home. Kirk found him with a gun in his mouth.”
“A killer on suicide watch. Great.”
“When Kirk offered him solace here, he signed right up.”
“Will they put him through any of those crazy tests?”
“Yep. And the guy passed with flying colors. He and Kirk really clicked, hit it off.”
“Psychos of a feather, I guess. At least they didn’t kidnap him and he’s here on his own free will.”
“I agree. That was how it always used to be, but Kirk has just gone crazy in the last few months. He just lost it and stopped letting people leave. The fights have become bloodier, more gruesome, and then the kidnappings started. Not only that, but they’ve been murdering anyone they think are simply not cut out for this little world they’ve created. Anybody who complains or defies Kirk ends up dead. Everyone fears him, including me.”
“What happened to make him snap? You make it sound like he was normal one day and Hannibal Lecter the next.”
“His wife and teenage sons were killed by zombies about four months ago, on a supply run. His wife’s last words to him were probably what did it. She told him, ‘If somebody can’t hack it out here, just take them out and let them go to Heaven.’ He took it literally, I guess.”
“I’m no shrink or anything, but it sounds like he initially poured his grief into something positive, giving people a safe place because he couldn’t save his wife, but now he’s all warped?”
“That’s pretty much it.”
“He thinks he’s still protecting people, even if it’s against their will, and only the toughest can make it. That’s why the fights are getting more brutal. He wants people to prove themselves, to prove they were worthy of being saved. He kills the weak. I’m scared, because around here, being on the injured reserve list is the same as death row. The guy needs medication or something.”
“What about the regular people, the citizens here?” I asked.
“They’re immune from all this crap. They just live their lives and bet on the fights.”
I sighed. “Thanks for telling me all this. At least now I know what I’m up against.”
“Those old commercials used to say ‘knowing is half the battle,’ but in this case, I’m not sure how true that is.”
Suddenly, I heard Kirk yelling at the guards. The door unlocked and slowly opened.
Kirk looked at Eva, then slapped her. “Get out!”
Covering her cheek with her hand, she scurried out the door.
“You didn’t have to hit her,” I said.
He ignored me, and his eyes continue to get colder.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, wondering what Eva and I had done to warrant such wrath.
Kirk’s gaze narrowed. “You don’t fight without my authorization!”
“Fight? Is this about Jim?”
“Yes!”
“He came at me first!” I said, jumping out of bed.
Kirk shoved me hard. “No fighting outside the ring. Do you understand me?”
“Sorry,” I finally said, figuring it was best to try to appease him.
“I saved you,” he said. “I gave you a chance at a better life because you’re strong and worthy. Only the worthy can survive. I saved you, and this how you repay me?”
I had to resist the urge not to puke on his boots, as I was repulsed by the bitter nonsense he was spewing. “I know you’ve given me a shot at a wonderful future. I want to make you proud.”
“You’re certainly not acting like it!” he roared, throwing me against the wall.
While I was sure I could take him out, I knew fighting back would only make things worse. All I could do was try to play along, even though I was getting sick of it and wanted to bust his teeth in. “He came at me, and I didn’t even throw a punch. He threw me over his shoulder, and then your men came and separated us.”
“What’s your beef with him?” Kirk demanded.
“His gang killed a friend of mine. He’ll probably say something about my friend killing someone named Z, but that guy was a lunatic. He killed all the people living right below our hill so they’d turn to zombies and come attack us.”
“And how long were you with that group?” he asked.
“Not long,” I lied. “I’m a bit of a drifter. I just planned to stay till the weather broke.”
“So you have no ties anywhere?”
“None. Asia and Jackie are all I have in this entire world.”
His eyes grew wild. “Tell me, Dean, did I make the wrong decision in saving your life?”
“No, not at all.”
“Then start acting like a man of honor, integrity, and morals! You only fight when I tell you to. You got that?”
“Yes. I’m sorry. I’ll make this up to you. I know where I’m supposed to be now. After that last fight, it all became clear. I love the crowd cheering for me. It’s such an adrenaline rush.”
He clapped my shoulder. “I forgive you, son. Just keep your nose clean from here on out.”
“I will.”
Kirk nodded at me, then turned and left.
“I’ll keep my nose clean, you psycho, but I’d like to bloody yours,” I muttered under my breath, seething mad.
Chapter 19
I tried to linger around the training area for a while so I might bump into Asia. One of the guards had told me she was scheduled to train that day. It was easy enough to befriend the guards. All I had to do was pretend I loved the place and continuously thank them for letting me in on such a sweet gig. As much as I loathed fighting, I had to let them think it was no biggie for all they were giving me in return.
After my workout, I wiped my face with a towel. When I saw the female fighters come in, I shot Asia a look.
She rushed over and gave
me a quick hug. “I’d love to just talk to you, but if I don’t pump iron, they’ll make me leave,” she whispered.
I nodded.
She started to work out next to me on the bench press. “Dean,” she said, “I wish I could see you more often. They keep us under lock and key all the time, like animals in a freaking zoo.”
I adjusted the weights on my machine. “I know. They don’t want us talking, want to isolate us. They don’t let me see Jackie either, and they know she’s my girlfriend.”
“They’re afraid we’ll plot an escape,” Asia whispered.
“I can’t even see the perimeter from my dorm. I have no idea how often they patrol and when.”
“Luckily, I do. They come at the top of every hour. Also, I know their weakness.”
“What?” I asked.
“Lex.”
“Lex?”
She kept benching, exhaling deeply with each lift. “He’s an idiot, makes sloppy rounds and doesn’t pay attention. He’s on duty every Wednesday, while the others play poker, and he also works the front gate. We’ll easily overpower him.”
“Awesome. Nice recon. Where they’ve got me locked up, I haven’t been able to figure much of anything out. I’m sure they put me there on purpose.”
“I heard Jim’s here,” she puffed out between sets. “He roughed me up back at that camp, but like Eva said, we don’t have time for payback. Our main focus has to be to get outta here. Besides, Jim being stuck with these lunatics is enough revenge for me.”
“We have to make him pay.”
She blew out a long breath. “Let it go. He’ll get his payback here.”
“I can’t just forgive and forget—not something like that. Max was a good man, and they had no right to—”
“Let it go, Dean! Revenge isn’t gonna get us anywhere.”
I huffed and looked away.
“We leave next Wednesday,” she said. “Eva can unlock our doors, and then we just have to sneak over the first fence without being spotted and get to the main gate. Easy-peasy, huh?”
I laughed. “Right.”
“Well, she’s worked out a great cover story if we get caught, and a couple guards are helping her. They’re even getting us a Jeep. It’ll be waiting for us right outside the fence.”
“So we go right after midnight checks?”
“Can you get your workout time changed to this time?” she asked.
“I’ll try.” I peered at her. “Do you trust Eva?”
“She’s going through too much work for a lie. Besides, I can see it in her eyes. She wants out of here as bad as we do.”
“I agree...and I hope we’re right.”
Chapter 20
My trainer left the room and Kirk came in before the big fight. This was my fourth fight. I’d already beat Marcus, Elliot, and Theo. Now I was fighting somebody I’d never met personally.
Kirk patted my back. “You can’t win without a great offense.”
“His punches won’t get through,” I said.
“Just remember what I told you. No matter how strong your defense is, you can’t win if you don't hit him.”
“I plan to hit him.”
“Okay, keep him guessing. Don’t deliver the same punches over and over again like in the last fight. Go in there with a poker face. No giving away your moves with expressions and body movement. And don’t leave yourself open for a counterstrike. Because you tend to do that a lot.”
“I won’t.”
I walked into the ring and introductions were made. The guy I was fighting was bigger and taller than me, and definitely had the advantage. I might be the underdog, but I still glared at him the entire time to show him I had no fear.
“The Zombie Slayer will fight against Head Hunter,” the announcer said.
The crowd screamed as the fight started. We danced around and I tried to find his weakness. I started out with a barrage of jabs, delivering them with precision and power. I unleashed powerful punches and swiftly evaded blows for three rounds. I kept on my toes, and kept moving. We kept trading punches, but my opponent was skilled and experienced. We brawled but neither one of us landed anything. When I chased, he ran. When I ran, he chased. When I jabbed, the guy jabbed longer.
His jab landed, but his right cross missed me because I back stepped. All I needed was that one big blow to take him down. I got hit by lots of jabs, but at least I got out of the way when the big shots came fast and hard. I ducked another roundhouse punch, and even got a punch in hard enough to make his lip bleed. I delivered a good left hook that he took without even blinking. This guy was tough. I came at him with a series of right crosses, making the crowd go wild. He retaliated with lunging blows, but I instinctively moved back with fancy footwork my trainer showed me. He came at me again but I ducked the return fire.
The referee called another round. My trainer gave me some quick advice. We were then called back to the center, and the next round began.
I went at him with a strong hook, an uppercut, and a roundhouse combo. He crashed to the mat but beat the ten second count. Madder than ever, he came at me hard. I jabbed and absorbed a crushing blow to my head. He hit me again with the force of a crowbar. I regained my bearings quickly. It stunned me but I kept going. I was tired and we were both winded. Drops of sweat rolled down my face. And the guy wouldn’t stop coming. He was like a machine. He punched at me again, but I would quickly counter.
Leaning to my left, I attempted a left hook to his body. He nailed me with a right hook to my face. The crowd went wild. My knees felt wobbly and unbalanced. I felt dizzy and clumsy. I zoned out. The punch didn’t hurt but I definitely saw ‘lights’ on the point of impact. The referee blew his whistle.
My vision whited out for a second, then faded back to normal. I was stunned and dazed. It took a minute for everything to register, but I was on the ground. I was definitely seeing stars. What happened? It’s like my mind skipped a few seconds. I kinda lost perception of time and felt numb all over.
The referee stood over me and I swear there was at least two of him. I tried to blink away my double vision.
“Seven...Eight...Nine...Ten,” he said.
The bell rang and the crowd cheered wildly for my opponent. I jumped right back up but it was too late.
“And the winner is Head Hunter,” the referee said. “He drove home a monster left hook.”
I knew I’d lost.
My trainer glared at me, then helped me get out of the ring so the next fight could start. Back in the training room, Kirk shot me an angry look.
“Need some Tylenol?” he asked, handing me an open bottle.
My muscles ached and my rib cage hurt but I wasn’t going to tell him that. “No! I don’t need pain medicine.”
He pushed me against the wall and pills spilled all over the place as the bottle crashed to the ground. I wanted to fight back but I knew I couldn’t anger him. Besides that, his goons stood along the wall. It was as if they dared me to retaliate so they could tackle me, then throw me in jail.
“Get with the game!” Kirk roared.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “But I’m not a professional.”
Glaring, he crossed his arms. “You won’t be seeing Jackie for a long time.”
“You don’t let me see her now.”
Pain exploded across my jaw as he punched me.
“You’ll never see her again!” he roared. “Make me mad enough and I’ll feed her to the zombies.”
I wiped my bleeding lip with my arm. “I’ll train twice as hard, but you can’t hurt her.”
“I won’t hurt her for now.” He shook his head. “But she’s gone until you win some more fights.”
“I’ve won three in a row.”
“Not good enough.”
“Yes, I lost but I went out fighting like a champ,” I said. “The winner took quite a beating!”
His gaze narrowed. “You need to tighten up your defense.”
And with that, he walked out.
&nb
sp; Anger washed over me. I overturned the table and threw a chair against the wall. There was no way I could win every single fight Kirk threw at me.
***
Kirk’s men rounded me up the next day and marched me over to his Jeep. He sat in the driver’s seat, and when he saw me, he hopped out and threw me a rifle.
I caught the weapon swiftly. “What’s going on?” I asked.
“Hop in. We’ve got problems.”
Without asking any more questions, I hoped in the back seat. I wondered if the gun was loaded. The one thing I was pretty sure of was that it was yet another test of loyalty.
“I’m sorry I was so hard on you,” Kirk said.
“It’s okay. I messed up.”
“But you tried. And that’s what I like to see. I also know you’ve been training extra hard. Heard you haven’t left the gym except to sleep and eat.”
That’s only because I needed a way to diffuse my anger without pounding more holes in my wall.
“So you keep it up,” he continued, “and I’ll arrange for you to see Jackie in the next couple of days.”
Asking for permission to see my girlfriend? Pathetic. But I played the game efficiently.
“Thank you so much,” I said.
“You’re welcome.”
I glanced behind us at a line of cars, and I knew it was best to stay in line. If I would have used the gun on Kirk, Jackie and Asia would have been as good as dead.
He pumped the gas, and we sped up. “I trust you, Dean,” he said over the roar of the engine. “I want you to be part of our family, for you to accept us.”
“I’ll do anything to help,” I said. “What’s happening?”
“We’ve got a breach we’ve gotta contain. We never let zombies get closer to Oxford than five miles.”
I gripped the gun tightly. “I’m in. They don’t call me the Zombie Slayer for nothing.”
He shot me a side look and smiled. “You’re like the son I never had.”
“But you had a son,” I said softly, “more than one, right?”
He grimaced. “Right, but they weren’t brave like you. I bet your father is proud.”
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