Ryder winked back. “Good point. I couldn’t think of a better group to hang out in a coffin with.”.
Carter grinned. “I’ll be able to teach you to braid your hair when it grows back.”
Ryder ran a hand over her hair and laughed. “Hey, it’ll be at my ears soon! Dustin, shut the door. I have to take Carter up on his offer.”
Dustin frowned but headed back up the stairs.
“No,” Ryder yelled.
Dustin froze.
“I was only joking,” Ryder told him.
Carter shook his head. “Your comedic timing really sucks.”
He’s right. Ryder rolled her eyes. “I’m working on it.”
Carter pushed open the door to Level Three, which was where the generals lived along with their wives and kids. There was no screaming on this level. Like Level Two there were bodies on the floor, only these were dressed in generals’ uniforms. There were blockades at the entrances to their sleeping areas. Behind them were women and kids, who were looking at Ryder. She placed her finger on her lips.
One of the women yelped, “Derek!”
Gunshots came from behind them. The guards hiding in the staircase ambushed them. Bryant fired back at the guards, taking one down.
“No!” the woman yelled.
Should have kept her mouth shut, and the two of them could have been free. Ryder was pissed off.
There was no place for them to hide; they were out in the open. Shots were exchanged and when Kelvin was shot in the arm, he screamed in pain. The guards had too many guns, but her group had more weapons.
“Cover me!” Ryder yelled.
Ryder slammed her spear on the ground, and the sharp metal blades flew out. She ran at one of the guards and dropped, sliding across the bloody floor on her knees. She stabbed the general before he had a chance to fire at her, and pulled the spear out of him as he dropped down to his knees.
Then Ryder rolled her spear to the side, took her ankle knives, and threw them at two other guards. They landed in their necks.
More generals fell to the floor as the group killed them. There were only a few generals left, who ran back and hid behind the staircase.
“Don’t shoot,” one of them begged.
The woman from earlier shouted, “He said don’t shoot!”
“Helena, hush,” Another woman said to the loud-mouthed woman.
Ryder was getting really pissed off with the women on this level. They’d better shut up, or they’d end up like their husbands. “Will you be quiet?” Ryder yelled at Helena, then to the generals, “Drop your guns and slide them across to us.”
Ryder could hear the generals speaking. It sounded like they were actually going to do it.
“Hand my gun to a woman? As if.” One of the generals pointed his gun at Ryder.
Ryder threw her spear at him as she ducked the bullet. The spear went through the general’s head, and the bullet bounced off the glass wall. Ryder retrieved her spear after his body crashed to the floor.
The Merry Men took care of the other generals. A few of the women climbed over the barricades and ran to their husbands’ bodies.
Helena had a wild look in her eyes. “You killed them. You killed all of them!” she yelled at them.
This one really doesn’t listen, thought Ryder.
“You’re free now, and you can leave the bunker,” Ryder told all the women. They didn’t move. “I said, you’re free.”
Still nothing.
Helena looked at Ryder with disgust. “We don’t want to leave. This is our home.”
Helena had clearly been brainwashed by their captors. The generals’ wives had a very different life to the women on Level Six; an almost normal life. Ryder knew she wouldn’t get the same response on Level Six, where the women were no more than commodities to be handed out as favors to those who pleased Afana.
Ryder shrugged and turned to the others. “Whatever. Come on, let’s get those out who want to be free.”
Helena got in Ryder’s face, waving a finger. “How dare you come in here and kill our men and ruin our home! How dare you! Afana!” she screamed.
Vicky pursed her lips at the outburst. “Will someone shut that nagging bitch up before the fucking vampire hears her?”
Everyone looked down through the glass floor at Level Four where they’d last seen Afana, but they could no longer see his giant figure. He could be down any one of the tunnels or on one of the other levels.
Ryder quickly turned to the other women and kids behind the barricade. They weren’t moving or saying a thing. Helena was the only mouthy one, and they needed to shut her up.
She needed a bandage. Ryder unwrapped the one she’d used after donating blood to Massimo, then the other one from the fight with Sergei.
“Turn her around,” Ryder told Carter. He did as she requested, and Ryder tied the bandage around Helena’s wrists. Then she turned her around. “This will shut you up,” Ryder said as she gagged the woman, whose eyes were wild. “When we’re gone, go over to the others and get them to untie you. I don’t want you to be defenseless with the Mad around.”
Helena rolled her eyes.
Bitch.
Ryder and the others retrieved their weapons. “I’m over this ungrateful level. Let’s bounce.”
Carter whooped. “Fucking yeah.”
When they all got to the stairs, the lights flickered. Everyone looked at one another.
Ryder stopped in her tracks. “What the fuck is going on? The lights never go on and off.” She waited to see if it happened again, but it didn’t. She shrugged. “I guess today isn’t a normal day since the bunker is under attack from all sides.” Ryder looked up at Level One. The advisors were out of the lab, and their wives were there with them. Ryder had thought they would have just run outside, but they’d gone straight to their husbands and freed them. Ryder had underestimated the women’s bonds with their husbands.
Advisor Robert was looking down at Ryder with a devilish grin on his face, but the cameras and audio were off so he couldn’t warn Afana.
But he could do one thing to help him.
He wiggled his fingers at Ryder and flicked a switch which plunged them into darkness.
Level Six was inky-black.
The children screamed in fear of the dark.
The kids weren’t the only ones who were afraid. “What’s going on?” Terrier demanded. “What happened to the lights?”
Mama Lou’s voice trembled in the dark. “I don’t know. This has never happened. The question is, how we are going to separate the bitten if we can’t see anyone?”
“We have to try,” Terrier answered.
“Those who have been bitten, we need to get you into the rooms so you can rest,” Mama Lou said, as if she were thinking the same thing as Terrier. “Can you make your way over carefully so we can get you into a bed and looked after?”
Terrier and the others headed in the direction of the bitten, and collectively they froze, but a pair of glowing red eyes beamed like headlights in the darkness behind them.
“One of them has turned,” Terrier shouted, and his cries out were followed by others. Luckily the kids and Natalie were safely in the kids’ room. Terrier could use force to stop the infected without scaring them.
“General Murray, shoot it,” Mama Lou ordered.
Before Murray could shoot, the eyes disappeared. Were they getting smarter? Terrier feared for their chances if that was true. Screams came from the direction of where they’d seen the glowing eyes. The infected had just bitten its first victim.
Chaos erupted in the darkness as people tried to flee the danger.
The red eyes flashed again.
“Now!” Mama Lou shouted.
Murray pointed the gun in the direction of the eyes and fired. The glowing red eyes disappeared again, this time because the infected was dead. They knew this because of the thud of the dead body on the floor.
“All bitten, into the rooms now! If you don’t move, you will be
shot!” Mama Lou spoke sternly. The injured hugged the wall to guide them to the rooms. They weren’t going to risk that Mama Lou was bluffing.
18
It took a few moments for everyone’s eyes to adjust to the darkness. “Well, that was unexpected,” Ryder said.
“Graham, have you got any night-vision glasses?” Massimo asked
The silence between the men made it clear that no one else had a clue what Massimo was talking about. “Night what?”
“It was a shot in the dark,” Massimo admitted, laughing. Then he began to sing quietly. “Night fever, night feverrrrr…”
Ryder grinned. He had a song for everything, and he was one talented singer.
“And I’m glowing in the dark, Willy Wonka… That’s not right.” Massimo huffed. “I really need to get the vinyl.” He kept singing under his breath, then stopping himself. Massimo couldn’t get the words right.
There must be a way to get him the vinyl. It’s the least I can do. Ryder made a note to herself. “Once we take care of Afana and free everyone, we’ll find you the Bee Gees record,” she told Massimo.
“You really are a sweetheart,” Massimo told her.
“Look down there,” Koda interrupted.
Everyone looked down at Level Four, although it was darker than night. Level Four was where the hunters lived. There were two glowing red eyes, then two more, and even more. The level was riddled with the Mad.
They were just slowly moving around, not going after anyone. “Those wrinkled ass-lickers. We can’t see Afana anymore.” Ryder was more than a bit annoyed.
Massimo laid a hand on her shoulder. “But he can’t see us, either. We’ll lead. Stick to the plan.”
Massimo was right; they could use the darkness in their favor. “Okay,” she conceded.
Massimo pushed open the door, and Leandro followed him down the stairs. The others followed them, and Ryder’s heart pounded as their boots thudded on the steps. They were going deeper into the heart of Hell, and soon they would be facing the devil himself. She gripped her knives. She would be ready for anything that came at her.
The only good thing with the darkness was that she could aim for the glowing red eyes of the Mad as if they were a bulls-eye.
Massimo and Leandro peeled off and disappeared into the darkness as they passed Level Four. They looked back just once, then left the stairs as the others made their way down to Level Five.
The glowing red eyes were moving slowly. They weren’t in any hurry to get anywhere. They hadn’t noticed the intrusion. It was like they were just hanging around waiting for their next kill, which sure wasn’t going to be any of them. They were a badass killing group. A few Mad were no challenge for them.
It was the real monster they needed to fear and find. They needed to fear him so they could defeat him.
The smart and strong would win, and the overgrown jerkoffs were going to die!
Massimo’s heart was racing quickly as he and Leandro entered the main section of Level Four where they’d spotted Afana. Ryder had said Afana looked like a giant cockroach, but Massimo thought he looked more like the Incredible Hulk, just not green. There was a red filter over the other vampire because of the glass-spattered layers they had to look through to see him. Massimo hoped that the in-person version of Afana would be small like an insect. With that thought and the Bee Gees singing in his mind to give him courage, he moved gingerly forward.
Leandro was by his side. He was glad his son was with him and that they would fight the beast together, father and son. He was also a little scared, since it was his job to keep his son safe. Massimo knew that if he’d refused to let Leandro help he would have come anyway, so he didn’t argue. Massimo brushed his hand over Leandro’s back, and the wolf looked up at his Pops.
They were both ready for the fight.
They came upon their first Mad. He looked into the darkness, swaying a little as he awkwardly lurched forward, then he turned randomly and shuffled off in a different direction. The Mad didn’t know where he was going, or why.
Massimo noticed that the other Mad were the same. The pair moved silently through the level to find Afana. How on earth could such a monster be hiding in the shadows? Maybe he really was the size of an ant? Massimo spotted the lights ahead.
The red lights.
Oh no, he wasn’t.
Bright red beams appeared out of one of the tunnels, and they were much higher than the Mad’s. This was Afana, and he was massive.
Massimo realized his eyes would be glowing red as well since he was in his vampire form. This was a good thing, because he could pass himself off as a Mad. Leandro’s eyes were orange, and he was much shorter than the other Mad. Massimo stood in front of Leandro to hide his eyes.
Afana turned and looked straight at Massimo.
Here goes nothing, Massimo thought. “Hey, Afana! I was told you lived here now, and I thought I’d pop in for a cup of sugar. Oh, and do you have a Bee Gees album I could borrow? It has been years since I could listen to them, and I keep forgetting the words.”
Massimo felt Leandro’s tail brush the back of his legs as he moved around him, he was using the Mad for cover, which didn’t last long. Massimo’s voice woke them up, and they were going for Massimo and Afana.
Afana and Massimo made short work of killing the Mad. Bodies were thrown all around the level until there were none left standing.
Massimo caught a glimmer of Leandro’s eyes. He was at the end of one of the tunnels behind Afana, in place to attack.
An awkward silence fell between the vampires in the aftermath of the killing.
“What? Who’s that?” Afana asked in a dark, gravelly voice.
“It’s Massimo. Remember me? Your vampire buddy before the WWDE?” Massimo kept his voice light.
“Massimo?” Afana sounded confused.
Massimo laughed. “Yep. The one and only. I didn’t know you were alive. I thought Bethany Anne killed you when she was going around killing the Forsaken. I guess you were the Forgotten, like me.”
Afana strode forward. “Forgotten?” He huffed. “I’m not forgotten. Her kind is the reason I’m trapped in here!” Afana spat. His breath smelled like a washed-up rotting whale. Massimo did everything he could to keep from gagging.
“Well, I see you made the most of it with your cool bunker. Do you have any Bee Gees records?” Massimo asked. If he tells me, it will save me loads of time looking for them when he’s dead.
Afana was pissed off. “Why the hell of all records would I have the Bee Gees? I have class, unlike you. You always did have terrible taste in music.”
“Oh, Afana. In all our years I’ve heard you say some incorrect things, but that one has to go on top of the list,” Massimo replied.
Afana began to breathe in and out heavily. He was getting annoyed. Afana’s breath was still repulsive, but it was clear that Massimo's plan to unbalance the other vampire was working. “List? Bee Gees? What the hell are you doing here?”
Stalling time is over. I hope Ryder and the others have gotten to Level Six. Massimo dropped the act. “I’m here to clean out the Madness.” Massimo rushed at Afana. “And I’m here to take care of you!” He slammed into the other vampire. At the same time, Leandro leaped into the back of Afana’s legs, and the mutant vampire toppled.
Massimo took full advantage. He dived on top of Afana and began punching. Massimo was stronger than Afana, which took both vampires by surprise. Leandro dug his jaws into Afana’s legs, clamping down on them to stop him from struggling. He wasn’t going to let go, not while his Pops was winning the fight against the overgrown monster.
Afana flopped like a fish beneath Massimo and finally managed to free his arm. He began hitting back, but Massimo didn’t budge. It didn’t matter how many punches he threw, Massimo would be the victor here today.
Afana lashed out with his foot, kicking Fluffy across the room. Fluffy landed awkwardly and let out a whine to tell Massimo he was okay.
Massimo was enrag
ed. “You will not hit my son!”
Massimo stood and dragged Afana to his feet, then hit him with a punch that came all the way from his toes. Afana dropped like a sack of potatoes.
Massimo leaned down to his son. “Leandro, are you okay?” Massimo’s voice was full of concern.
Leandro let out a howl. Luckily Weres healed fast.
Massimo waved his fists in the air and did a Mohammad Ali-style dance around Afana’s prone body. “And the crowd went wiiild!” As he cheered for himself, he felt a hundred years younger. No, that wasn’t true. It was more like two hundred.
“I said, the crowd went wild,” he repeated to the oncoming Mad, whom neither he nor Afana had two-tapped. Time to bust out the badass vampire again! Massimo got busy and two-tapped all of the Mad until there were no more red glowing eyes and he was sure that they weren’t coming back after the ass-kicking he had just given them.
Massimo let out a sigh; all this ass-kicking had drained his energy. No wonder Afana was weak, after all of the people he’d fought with.
Leandro growled. “What is it?” Massimo the scanned the room.
Massimo could just make out movement above them. That overgrown elephant turd was climbing to the next level through a hole in the ceiling. Before Massimo and Leandro could get to him, he shut the glass door and resumed climbing up the shaft. They would have to use the stairs to get to Afana.
“Ryder was right, he’s a cockroach! One I’m going to step on!” Massimo stormed over to the staircase and up to Level Three, which was still pitch-black, making it damn near impossible to spot him. Massimo had a feeling he knew where Afana was going. He needed to feed, and if he reached Level One and fed on one of the people there, he would be stronger than Massimo.
Massimo had to stop him.
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Escaping Madness: Age Of Madness - A Kurtherian Gambit Series (Live Free Or Die Book 3) Page 12