"Fuck!" TK said, slamming his fist against the chain, then kicking it a few times to no avail. "Fuck fuck fuck!"
"Calm down, TK," Vera said. "I need you to calm down and think. Think, TK."
"I am thinking. I can't break this chain."
"What if we pulled the post out of the ground?"
"What do you mean?"
"They just drove it into the ground, right? If we all move together, we can feel it shake a bit, it can't be that deep into the ground."
"I... Let me see," TK got down onto one knee, tucking the post under his shoulder while he reached down towards the base, gripping tightly with both hands. With a mighty heave he started to pull, the post budging just a bit, but enough that she could see it wobbling from behind the fence. With one more mighty heave, it looked like he had it until he collapsed to a knee and clutched at his side.
"TK? TK what happened?" Vera called back to him.
"I got it to budge, but I'm too hurt, he stabbed me right where I got shot, I can't do it. I just can't... I..."
"Tyler, Shar, look at me, look at me," Vera said. "I'm going to grip onto the post, I need to both of you to do the same, okay? Grip and kneel down with me, okay?"
"Okay," Tyler said.
"I guess," Shar added.
"Just trust me with this. TK. TK, are you back there?"
"Yeah, I'm here," he said.
"We're gonna help, but you still need to do the bulk of this and fast, she's almost up."
"Fuck, fuck," he said under his breath, taking another grip on the post while the three of them did the same. "On three, okay?"
"Got it."
"One... Two... Three, HEAVE," he said, the four of them pulling, the post starting to tear up only for him to once again stumble back and lose his grip. Dr. Faraday gasped at the scene, wanting to shield her eyes but knowing that it was no good. This was happening whether she watched or turned away. "One more time, okay?"
"TK, we gotta do this now, she's up again! Hurry!"
"One last go, now, pull, pull!" The four of them pulled again, this time the post shooting out from the ground, the inertia sending the three of them crashing back onto him while Branch cackled over the arena's sound system.
"Oh, how very clever!" Branch shouted towards them, quickly rustling his fingers through his usually perfect hair, leaving it a disheveled mess.
"I have to get out there, I have to help them," Dr. Faraday mumbled to herself, surveying the area for any sort of weapon. There was a wrench in her locker with the medical supplies, a holdover from whoever was attempting to handle the wellbeing of combatants before her, but it would have to do. She headed for the mighty door, only for Bill to step in front of her.
"Now where'd'ya think yer goin'?"
"They need help, damnit!"
"You do an' I make a call, you don't want me doin' that, do ya?"
"Grr, you monster," she grit her teeth. "That's a child out there! A child!"
"Do you need me to lock you up, doc?"
He snatched the wrench from her hand and slapped it across his palm a few times, testing the weight before holding it up to her cheek, the cool metal smooth against her face. She stood, defiant, while he threatened her. The mighty lummox let out a roar of a laugh while he walked off, leaving her alone once again.
"TK! TK she's coming!"
He slipped out from underneath the pile while Tyler's mother, Shar, was retreating from Jess's corpse, her claws scratching Shar's leg, shredding her pants while thick red lines formed in her wake. Shar let out a scream while TK picked himself up, the post in hand. Smack, he swung the post in an arc; it connecting with his wife's shoulder, sending her back away from the three in chains.
TK gathered himself before launching another attack at the monster that was his wife, this one sending her back again. Finally he pulled the long post back like a spear, driving it through her stomach and towards the wall of the arena. She clawed at him, snarling in rage, her bones snapping and cracking while she came closer, gripping onto the post and pulling herself towards him. With a jerk, he pulled it free, planting his boot into what was left of her midsection and against the wall again.
"I'm sorry, my love," he said before driving the giant stake straight into her skull, the sickening cracking of her skull and the screech that filled the arena sent chills down her spine. TK fell back, watching as her body twitched, stuck to the wall of the arena and fell silent. Her heart ached, her eyes stung from the tears, sweat and sand. He was down on his knees in front of her, gripping onto her hand. "No!" He cried out.
"My god," Branch said, feeling his grasp on the crowd slipping. There was more confusion than excitement. Their chants for Branch to slaughter TK had long-since died off instead for small clusters of cheers for whenever TK started to succeed. "What a tender, heartbreaking moment that was. Save the weak, slaughter the monster, overcoming your fears and injuries. Truly a moment out of a movie, Mr. Gabriel."
"Fuck you," TK growled like a man possessed. "Fuck you, I'm going to fucking rip you apart."
"Fuck yeah, Gabriel!" A man shouted from the stands.
"So valiant, so dashing," Branch said. TK stumbled back up to his feet, only for Branch to laugh again, staring up at the stands towards where there was a group of people cheering for TK uneasily. "Look at you, you are a mess. What a sad sack you are."
"I'm strong enough to end you."
"Maybe you are," Branch said, "but you haven't quite saved your friends yet."
"You piece of shit," TK spoke through the rage.
"Bring them out," Branch said, the door where his wife had emerged from creaking open, a small group of the undead streaming out into the arena, hissing and snarling away. "Oh, it'll be quite the day for you, Mr. Gabriel."
The few guards that were herding the undead huddled around Branch, assault rifles at the ready, keeping the new horde off of their god while he cackled and hurled insults towards TK. TK stumbled back towards Vera and Demoreo's family, looking at them while they retreated to one of the corners of the arena.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm truly sorry. I did all that I could. I'll keep fighting, but I can't take them all, I just..."
"It's okay, TK," Vera said. "We know."
A mighty roar made the doctor freeze in place. The sound of banging on the door across from the arena gave her pause. She recognized the roar, the power and the raw rage anywhere. The iron door dented, the roar filling the air again before it burst open; the door flying out like a rocket before slamming onto the ground.
"Dad?" Tyler said. "Dad!"
The Crusher let out a mighty roar as he stomped out into the setting sun over the arena. Hell had broken loose.
Twenty-One
The Brawler
Herding the Crusher through the hallways of the arena was perhaps the most difficult thing that Will had ever done, especially with one arm. A trail of wreckage led from his cell to the door of the arena, but standing in the light of the setting sun, watching the Crusher slam that door down and stomp into the arena just in the nick of time, it all felt like a brilliant plan had come together. The gauntlet had a full charge. He only needed the one good arm, but he was sure glad that Crusher's attention had turned towards everything that was unfolding inside of the arena.
Letting him out was the only thing that Will could think of doing, the only way that he could save Vera. Jumping into the arena—bum arm or not—wouldn't have been much help. He knew the horde that Branch kept at his disposal, never mind the security staff that were armed-to-the-teeth. There wasn't anything else in the world that he feared quite like the Crusher. No matter what Branch had done to him, no matter what kind of control he had over the monster, Vera believed that there was some good left inside of him and if there was Will was about to find out.
The Crusher was on a rampage, destroying everything in his path, Branch and his goons focused on him, trying to wrest control of the great beast before he destroyed everything. That was as good of a chance as ever for Will
to dash across the arena towards Vera, who was still chained up while Gabriel was fending off as many of the undead as he could on his own. A few stragglers turned their focus to Will, him flicking the switch on his gauntlet and feeling the power surge through it. Favoring his left shoulder he charged in towards the first, his right fist connecting with the first shot, the mangled face of what once was a man didn't have time to react before the familiar crack of an impact and splat as his remains rained down on the ground steeled Will's resolve to keep moving.
Killing the undead was never a difficult task. He had learned how to do it artfully throughout his run in the arena, especially with an explosive glove strapped onto his fist. Another three fell to his right hand, one-after-the-other, while he skirted along the far edge of the arena. His heart was pounding, and he wanted to run, to sprint to Vera and help to free her, but he knew better than to make such a mistake. Taking his attention away from the horde of undead, the rich, power-hungry man-god and his muscle, or even the great beast that he had created and was currently dissecting anyone who dared oppose him in a fit or rage could mean the end of his life.
Branch was barking orders at his men, sending them to their doom against the Crusher who seemed to have his eyes fixated on Branch the entire time, clawing his way through hordes of the stray undead that weren't attacking Gabriel and Vera's party, as well as guards that were trying to pop off shots at the Crusher while Branch shouted for them not to kill him. One of the armored guards let out a bloodcurdling cry as the Crusher squeezed him in his massive hand, the sound of his ribs cracking one-by-one filling the air with the general horror of the scene before the screaming stopped and Crusher spat his helmet to the ground. A tremor ran through Will's body, knowing what kind of power the Crusher had at his disposal.
"Will!" Vera called out, the distance between them shrinking by the second. "Will thank god."
"Vera," he said, feeling a claw tug at his shoulder, spinning around to find himself face-to-face with a ghoul. He sunk his elbow into the former-man's midsection and smashed him across the jaw with the back of his right fist, not getting a full impact but it still enough to crush its skull and send it crashing to the ground. "Fuckin' wanker."
"TK needs your help, Will," she said.
"I see that," he said, rushing to her side and embracing her, only for her to gently tap her knee against his groin.
"Then get me free already and help him."
"Fuckin' hell," he muttered, glancing back at the chains. "So uh, I need everyone to sit down so I can get a hold of 'em."
"Christ, Will," Vera said. "Can you even try to be friendly?"
"Do ya see what's goin' on?"
"Fine, fine, Tyler, I need you to sit down with me. Shar, just stay still, okay?"
"Okay," she said, a makeshift tourniquet torn from Tyler's once-gray, now-deep red shirt wrapped around her leg. Tyler sat down next to Vera, Will pulling the chains tight and crashing his fist down onto the lock, which exploded on impact.
"You're free," he said. "Now what?"
"Help TK, damnit."
"Oh, right," Will turned to TK, who was doubled over. "Mate, I dunno what to say but..."
"Do you have a charge pack?" He asked.
"What? Err, one'uh these?" He held out his glove.
"Yeah, I don't have one."
"Just the one, but uhh—"
"Pass it over, get them back to safety, you shouldn't need it. I'll fend them off, I just need a charge pack." Gabriel got back to his feet just in time to plant a kick to the midsection of the monstrosity, sending it toppling back into three others, them all falling to the ground. "Please."
"Oh c'mon," Vera tugged the charge pack out from his gauntlet, tossing it to Gabriel. "Let's just go while we have a chance."
"Fine, fine," he said, scanning around looking for a way out. The only way that he saw was where he came from with the Crusher, but now he was ferrying a kid, Vera and a woman with some sort of injury, all of this without a charge pack for his gauntlet.
"You're gonna need to help carry Shar, though," she said while helping the woman to her feet. "She got hit pretty badly."
"She ain't gonna turn, right?" He looked at Vera supporting the woman. "Right?"
"No, she's not going to turn," she said. "She got scratched, not bitten. Come and help me already."
"You didn't think that it'd be this easy?" Branch was shouting over the intercom. "Did you?"
Will did his best to ignore it while he pulled Shar's arm up over his bad shoulder, leaving his right arm free in case he needed to swat at someone on the way to the door. The door was a long walk, especially carrying someone wounded. Vera could take care of herself, but she was looking out for the kid. "This whole thing is fucked," he muttered.
"Keep it to yourself, Will," Vera whispered into his ear. "They need us to be strong."
"That they'll just be able to walk free from this? Oh no, TK, they won't walk free."
TK was defiant, mowing through the undead with the fresh charge pack attached to his explosive shin guard. Will's urge to join the fight was strong, but he knew that he needed to sit this one out, to just get them across to safety and then who know's where. This wasn't the most thought-out plan, he admitted, but he had to do something. He couldn't just let Vera die out there, not after all that she had done for him. This would most likely be the last thing that he did as long as Branch were alive inside of that arena, or as a resident of the Tower. They'd have to find somewhere else to stay. But what about Stuart? Oh, Stuart.
The woman was wailing while they dragged her, sidling against the wall as best that they could, TK behind them and against the other wall, doing his best to lure all the undead towards him while they escaped. The boy was sullen, in shock, but still moving and remaining quiet. The Crusher was slowing down, Branch's guards zapping him with shock sticks while he writhed against the wall.
"Dad!" the boy shouted.
"Shut 'em up, Vera," Will said.
"Dad no!"
"Baby, that isn't your daddy anymore," the woman said through the tears. "Your daddy is gone."
"No, he's not, mom, he's right there and they are killing him!"
"Ver, we gotta keep goin'," Will said.
"C'mon, Tyler," Vera grabbed his hand. "We've gotta keep going, we're almost there."
"Dad! No!" The boy broke free, dashing towards the scene while the rest stood in disbelief.
"Tyler, no!" Vera called out.
"He's gonna get us all killed!"
"Will, go after him, I'll watch after her," Vera said, Will carefully letting go of the boy's mother while the weight shifted onto Vera.
"With what?"
"I don't know, just figure something out! Hurry!"
The boy was rushing towards the group, Will dashing after him, shouting for him to stop to no avail. Whatever the Crusher was now, that was at one point his father and the boy seemed to be magnetically attracted to him after believing him to be dead for so long. He didn't envy the kid, but he also didn't want to die inside of the arena, in fact, he had thought he'd rule over it for years to come, or at least become a legend who got fat and drunk in the stands watching kids kill each other to live up to his name. Instead, he was chasing down a kid who threatened to end all of them because he couldn't control his shit.
"Isn't this touching?" Branch cackled like a madman. "Is that your daddy, boy? Watch him writhe! He's weak, he's a tool for me! He never even put up a fight!"
"No, dad!" The kid shouted. "Let him go."
"The balls on this one." Branch stood before the boy, holding his goons back. "You dare oppose me? I'm Jordan Branch, boy. All of this is mine, including your life and the life of that mother of yours. See this hand?" He held out his hand towards him, clenching it tightly into a fist. "I can crush it whenever I damned well please, and right now seems as good of a time as any."
"Fuck off, already," Will said, out of breath.
"Oh Mr. Farrington," Branch said, his demeanor taking a turn tow
ards the morose. "I hadn't forgotten about you and how you've disappointed me."
The popping sounds from the small, controlled explosions being set off by Gabriel's shin guard were growing closer, Will glancing over his shoulder to see him, covered in gore, but making his way towards them, doing his best to distract Branch's guards and Branch, to no avail. Branch was standing in front of the boy, who was staring up at him defiantly. The boy lunged at Branch, only for him to pull his cape in front of him, Tyler smashing against it and crashing to the ground.
"You see?" Branch stood over him. "Weak, just like your father."
"No!" Tyler shouted, springing to his feet and rushing at Branch again. Will tried to reach out for him, but it was too late. Branch's cape flashed again, only this time the blades along the bottom ripped into the boy's midsection, his cry filling the air before his body tumbled to the dirt. A bright red gash opened up across his stomach. Blood starting to ooze out, Will slid to his knees, diving onto the boy, shielding him with his body.
"Move, Farrington!"
"Fuck off, ye cunt," Will spat up at him.
"The boy must die," Branch said.
"I'll not let you touch 'em again."
"So be it," Branch said, gripping onto his cape only for Stuart to grab a hold of his wrist, stopping him from attacking. "What the...?"
"That's my brother, boss."
"I don't care," Branch shoved Stuart to the ground. "Do your job or you'll die with him."
"Dad..." Tyler whispered, coughing and holding his stomach. "Dad," louder. "Dad!"
The Crusher paused, a flurry of bullets slamming him against the wall with a mighty thud. He turned towards Will and Tyler, a sense of dread filling Will up. The boy thought that he was helping, but Will knew better. That wasn't his dad anymore. That was Branch's killing machine. He had brought him out here as a distraction, but if that mind-control device kicked in again, Branch would have him under his command again and this plan would have officially turned to shit.
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