End Days Super Boxset

by Hayden, Roger

  “Stay back!” he said to Tobias in a forceful whisper.

  Tobias froze in his steps. “What is it?”

  “Just move back to the living room, quick!” Terrance waved his arms back. Tobias moved away from him, confused.

  Terrance moved against the wall, ready to investigate the porch. He could hear birds chirping from the backyard and little else. He struggled to listen to the sounds of someone moving, or talking, maybe even sleeping. He peaked around the corner and saw the figure of a man sitting in a porch chair, facing the opposite direction.

  “Richie?” Terrance asked, lowering his pistol.

  The figure turned around, surprised. It was Richie all right, but his face had been badly beaten.

  “Dad?” Richie said, squinting. “Is that really you?”

  Terrance tucked his pistol into his jeans and moved swiftly to Richie with his arms out. They gave each other a hug as Tobias came around the corner.

  “Holy crap, you’re here,” Tobias said.

  Richie rushed from Terrance to his brother. Tobias was taken aback at the sight of his injured face. “Damn! What happen to your face?” he asked.

  Terrance took a step back then pulled Richie closer, examining him. “What did you do, son? Are you all right? What happened?”

  Richie looked down on the ground, ashamed. “Nothing, I’m OK. Just don’t tell Mom.”

  “Talk to us,” Terrance said. “We’re so glad that you’re here. We were afraid we’d have to form a damn search party to find you.”

  They moved into the living room and all sat down in their old, favorite places. “What were you doing out there?” Tobias asked.

  “What are you guys doing here?” Richie countered. “I thought you’d be sitting pretty in that little safe house of yours.”

  “We came back to get you,” Tobias said.

  “Ha!” Richie said. “That’s a good one.”

  “So what were you doing out back just now?” Terrance said.

  “I was outside watching the sunrise, you know, just thinking.”

  “Thinking about what?” Tobias asked.

  “Think about how I don’t have no other place to go,” Richie said.

  “What do you mean?” Tobias asked.

  Richie leaned back in the dusty green couch and took a breath. They could tell something was troubling him. “I screwed up, man. I screwed up bad. Gabby and me split. I got in a fight with this dude. Man, all hell broke loose. So I came back here, just sat around and ate whatever we had left.”

  Terrance glanced over and saw that his liquor cabinet had been pilfered. He chose to let it go. Yelling at Richie wasn’t going to help the situation.

  “Whatever happened between you and Gabby, I’m sure it will be fine,” Terrance said. “I need you to come back with us to Milledgeville. Things are getting worse. They may even get a lot worse, but your mother is worried sick about you. We have to stick together and ride this thing out as a family.”

  “Can’t we just stay here?” Tobias pleaded. “It looks safe here. What’s the difference?”

  “It makes all the difference,” Terrance said. “I haven’t asked much from either of you boys. Your mother and I bust our asses to keep a roof over your head. Now I need you to listen to me. This is non-negotiable. You both are coming to Milledgeville, and that’s all I’m going to say.”

  A brief silence came over them as Terrance prepared for resistance.

  “OK, Dad,” Richie said. “I’ll come.”

  Tobias couldn’t believe his ears. “You will?” He was disappointed.

  “What do I care anymore?” Richie said.

  Terrance was relieved. “That’s good to hear. Now I want you both to listen carefully. At nightfall, we’re going to stock the van with whatever remaining supplies we have in the house.”

  “There ain’t much,” Richie said.

  “Then after that, I have a very important task for us. You’re going to help me get fuel.”

  “Fuel?” Tobias said. “From where?”

  “We’re going to siphon it from other vehicles. It’s our only option. After that, we leave for Milledgeville. That’s the plan.”

  The boys nodded in understanding. They had a busy night ahead of them.

  Return to Camp Liberty

  James and Russell’s men arrived late at night, around two in the morning. Their three captives were as confused and scared as ever. They knew nothing about where they were or who they were with. All they knew was that their lives were in danger. They had seen their uncle get blown away by home invaders, saw their parents being threatened and humiliated, and then they were dragged out of their house at gunpoint. What were these people going to do with them? They sensed some humanity in James, though they didn’t know his name or anything about him, though for a moment, after the shooting, he had looked shocked, not like the other goons who pulled them from their house.

  They parked the truck back in its original spot. They were home. Kyle and Eli jumped down from the cab, grabbing their backpacks and weapons. Eli secured the truck while Kyle let down the tailgate. There was a sense of anxiousness and dread about how Russell was going to react when he heard what had happened. But he’d have to accept the situation for what it was.

  “All right, let’s get them out of there,” Kyle said. Quinn and Billy helped the boys down as Kyle stood at the bottom to guide them out. Their hands were still bound. Once everyone was out of the truck, Kyle looked at James.

  “You good, man?” he asked.

  “Yeah, I’m good,” James said, nodding.

  Kyle then looked to their captives. “We’re not going to hurt any of you as long as you do what we say, got it?”

  The long-haired boy raised his head as the others looked shamefully at the ground. “Yes sir,” he said.

  “What are your names?” Kyle asked.

  “I’m Dustin,” long-hair said.

  “And you?” Kyle asked the boy with the trim cut.

  “Daren,” the boy answered.

  “Dillon,” the last once said.

  Kyle examined them carefully, taken aback by their similar names and appearance. “What are you guys, like twins or something?”

  “Triplets,” Dustin answered.

  “I see,” Kyle said. “Now look. We’re taking you to our camp. How you are treated depends entirely on you. You wanna act like prisoners, we’ll treat you like that. But it doesn’t have to be that way.”

  The boys were confused and had no idea what to say.

  “Let’s go,” Kyle said, walking away.

  The boys followed, as Quinn and Billy walked behind them. James tried to maintain a level head and play along. He knew he had only so much time to alert his group and try to get them out of there. He hated himself for bringing them to Camp Liberty in the first place.

  They approached the gate and were promptly let in. Rick and Pete, the night watchmen, were stunned to find three strangers in their midst.

  “Whoa,” Rick said. “What’s this all about?”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Kyle said. “We need to get Russell and bring him up to speed. Our new visitors will go into Cabin C. I’ll need two armed guards and some food and water for them.”

  “Where is Russell?” Billy said. “I’ve got to have some words with him.”

  Suddenly Eli stepped between Kyle and Billy. “Not now. Just do what Kyle says.”

  “But Frank—”

  “I said not now, Billy, we’ve got enough shit going on.”

  He stared Billy down until he turned around in anger and walked away.

  “Go with him,” Eli said to Quinn. “And keep an eye on him.”

  Kyle signaled, and the captives followed. James stood motionless as Rick and Pete closed the gate behind him. With so much going on, the opportunity was ripe for escape. The important thing was to stay low key and not make his intentions known. He thought about the college students and the teenagers they had pulled from their home. Could he save them all
? He was certain to face resistance.

  “Go to bed, James,” Eli said before taking off. “We’ll get this all worked out in the morning.”

  James nodded in agreement and took a quick moment to study the front gate. The locking system was a simple design. There was a crank assembly system that would open the doors if turned clockwise. The challenge would be getting past the guards. Eli went off into the darkness, no doubt to revel in their plunder with Kyle and Russell. How could he have been so wrong about them? They weren’t preppers at all. They were psychopaths. James recalled the missing college kid, Chris, and Danny’s suspicions of foul play. It now made all the more sense to James.

  He went back to their cabin and found everyone sleeping. A single battery-operated nightlight provided some visibility. James went to Mark first and shook him. He didn’t wake easily.

  “Mark, Mark,” James said.

  Suddenly Mark jumped up gasping. James backed.

  “It’s me, Mark, calm down.”

  “What?” Mark said in a disoriented tone. “What do you want?”

  “We have to get out of here. We need to get everyone up and get the hell out of here tonight.”

  Mark rubbed his eyes and sat up to gather his thoughts. “What time is it?”

  “It’s late, and we have to go,” James said.

  “Go? Go where?”

  “Anywhere but here.”

  John Doe

  At the McDonough Memorial Hospital, the man known as “John Doe” by the hospital staff was making a good recovery. He had fractured his pelvis, ribs, and collarbone. His legs were injured but not broken. When asked for his name, he still claimed to be unable to recall. The doctors chalked it up to concussions suffered in the accident. Probably a hit and run and they assumed that the man and boy who had dropped him off were in some way responsible. But that was for law enforcement to investigate. Amazing that they had done the right thing.

  “You’re lucky to be alive, Mr. Doe,” the doctor said.

  The man knew it to be true. He couldn’t remember exactly what had happened, but the memory was gradually coming back to him. He saw a van coming down the road and he waved at them to stop. When he noticed that the van wasn’t going to slow down, he decided to take the driver out with one shot from his revolver. But he had underestimated van’s speed, and how close it was. Before he knew it, he was lying in a hospital bed in terrible pain and unable to fully move.

  As the days passed and his recovery showed promise, the hospital staff told him he had to leave, because there were so many other patients to attend to. Doe was given new clothes and escorted out of the hospital gate in a wheelchair, leaving with nothing but a pat on the back. He wheeled himself down the road and then made a painful attempt to stand up and move on foot. Each step sent jolts of pain rippling throughout his body. He was still bandaged and had been given ice packs to relieve the swelling. Ultimately, he was happy to be walking again.

  As he limped down trash-strewn streets and saw so many others who were confused, lost, and hungry, his mission became apparent. Things were starting to come back to him. Washington D.C. was one of the few areas that was spared from destruction. The government had been afforded the opportunity to still operate, and he knew why. The EMP attacks were a ploy to pull the United States into a war that would change the balance of power forever. Some memories were coming back now with total clarity. Doe worked for the NSA and had information about a scheme to destabilize the U.S. and pull it into an unwinnable war against every country in the world that posed a threat to its interests. The plan was lunacy, but so far, it was working.

  ***

  The fate of Chris: After knocking Chris out cold with the butt of his pistol, Kyle immediately called for help. Billy, Quinn, and Frank were tasked to assist, and they quickly rushed out of the camp with Chris wrapped in a green poncho. They placed him on the ground a good two miles from the camp and waited until he awoke. Billy and the others were moving fast up the ranks, and their abilities were about to be put to the test once again.

  Chris eventually awoke with a pounding headache, similar to one hundred hangovers. He recognized Kyle immediately, but the others faces were new. Lying on his back, Chris held his head and groaned.

  “What happened?” he asked. “Where am I?”

  Kyle outstretched his arm and offered Chris help getting up. Chris extended his hand and was pulled up in one quick heave. Once on his feet, he stumbled back, feeling dizzy.

  “There, there,” Kyle said. “Don’t go falling down on us again.”

  Some things started to come back to Chris. The last thing he remembered was being confronted by Russell and Kyle. He then realized that he wasn’t at Camp Liberty anymore. He was somewhere even deeper in the woods.

  “What’s going on?” Chris said, holding his head in pain.

  “What’s going on is that you are free to leave,” Kyle said.

  The situation made little sense to Chris, and he felt nervous seeing Russell’s men moving quickly to the side, holding their weapons. The man in the middle, Quinn, was a beast. They didn’t look happy nor upset. They looked patient and reserved. But why were they there?

  “I’m not leaving without my friends,” Chris said.

  His defiance had little effect on Kyle’s calm demeanor.

  “That’s not up to you to decide, unfortunately. You’ve proven meddlesome, Chris, and we can’t take the risk.”

  “What risk?”

  Kyle stepped closer. “You see, Chris, this is your opportunity to just walk away and start anew. If you start causing trouble again, Quinn here is going to have to deal with you. I saw the way you looked at him, and I’m sure that’s the last thing you want.”

  Chris studied the men, trying to stand his ground. He was gradually beginning to see that it was a losing battle.

  “OK, so I leave. Then what? What are you going to do with my friends?” he asked.

  “Your friends are in good hands. If you want to keep it that way, you’ll leave and never come back to this place. You’ll never tell a soul about us either. If you do, well, that’s just going to suck for everyone.”

  “Your veiled threats don’t scare me,” Chris said. “You’re all a bunch of freaks. One big stupid freak show.”

  “Enough flattery,” Kyle said, pointing ahead. “Just go and never come back.”

  Chris looked at the path ahead. He had no idea where he was or in what direction he would go.

  “Just keep walking that way for ten miles or so, and you’ll hit town soon enough.”

  “This is insane,” Chris said.

  “I’d start walking if I were you,” Billy interjected. “Quinn doesn’t like your attitude. I think he’s getting pissed.”

  Chris shook his head in disbelief and moved ahead, kicking the ground as he walked. Suddenly, Billy pointed his rifle in the air and fired a loud, booming shot. Chris jumped and almost fell to the ground in a panic.

  “Better get running,” Billy said.

  It didn’t take much more to get Chris moving. He ran as fast as he could away from them without looking back. They watched as he got further and further away.

  Kyle looked at the men, ready to deliver new instructions. “OK, time you guys got some real training. Give him a few minutes, let him get a good head start, then hunt him down. Remember, it doesn’t count if he sees you coming. Anyone can chase after a man and kill him. We need to maintain the element of surprise out here. It’s the only way we’ll be ready for the next phase.”

  The men nodded in agreement. “Move out,” Kyle said.

  Billy, Quinn, and Frank darted off in different directions, all of them steadily tracking Chris, their rifles aimed and ready. It took them ten minutes to find him. Frank fired the kill shot and won the competition. But there would be more opportunities down the line. Participation as prey in the manhunt was what awaited dissenters. It was their policy.

  The Pulse: Episode Three – An EMP Prepper Survival Tale

  N
o Hope

  North Highlands Hydroelectric Plant, Columbus, GA

  Tuesday September 22, 2020 5:00 p.m.

  Smoke from the helicopter crash could be seen from miles away. The smoldering metal left behind a toxic aroma and little trace of survivors. A small team of technicians from the hydroelectric camp ran to the crash site in a panic. Among them was Todd Broderick, plant supervisor, and his boss, Mr. Patterson. There was no explaining how or why the helicopter crashed. The pilot may have been distracted and lost control. The helicopter may have malfunctioned and failed. Or worse yet, it may have been shot down.

  Todd wasn't ready to rule anything out after what they had been through. Only moments before, a generator had exploded, killing one of their technicians, Woodruff, and badly injuring the mayor, following her surprise visit of the plant. Things had gone from bad to worse in an explosive flash. After the EMP strike the day before, it appeared as if aircraft, including helicopters, still worked. But no one was sure anymore. All they knew for certain was that there was little left in the ruins of the downed helicopter.

  Mr. Patterson was beside himself. “Everyone stay back!” he demanded from the encroaching group. He was clearly flustered. His hair was a mess, and sweat ran down his red face. “Don't touch anything!” he shouted, looking at the wreckage in complete dismay. A small crowd gathered and surveyed the scene in pure shock.

  “We need to put this fire out,” Todd said. He looked around. “Johnson, go get some extinguishers together.”

  The smoke was getting bad. It didn't, however, discourage them from standing around.

  “What about Woodruff?” Johnson asked.

  “I don't know,” Todd answered. “I just know that we need to put this out.” The flames were rising near a tree line on the side of the road, and with the dryness in the air, Todd feared a wildfire. Johnson reluctantly walked off, taking some coworkers with him. Todd then approached his traumatized boss, searching for guidance. “What now, Mr. Patterson?”