“Like fuck! How would you know how this feels?”
“Okay.” Dan shrugged. “I’ve not been in this exact situation, but I can imagine if that was Sharon out there, I’d struggle to leave her in that pit for any longer than I had to.”
Dan passed Flynn and peered out through the window. When he turned around again, he wore a twist to his features at what he’d just seen. “You’re right, I can’t imagine how it must feel for you right now.”
“It’s night time. I could kill that guard, free Rose and all the women, and no one will find out until after the games. By then it will be too late.” The same rationale Flynn had tried to trick himself with. To look at Dan showed he couldn’t convince him either.
“You think no one will check on the women before the games?”
“Yeah.” Even Flynn heard his own lack of conviction in his tone.
Dan didn’t reply.
While pointing out of the window, Flynn whispered, “I’m finding it hard to know she’s right there and I’m doing nothing to help her.”
“But you are.”
“Huh?”
“You’re planning on taking the Queen and her guards down. So not only are you doing something to help her, but you’re doing something to help everyone affected by that bitch. What would Rose want you to do right now?”
While releasing a deep sigh, Flynn dropped his gaze. “There’s a pregnant woman in there too. She must be at least eight months gone.”
When Flynn looked back up, he saw the whites of Dan’s eyes stand out in the darkness from where they’d widened.
“Rose and I saw her and her partner walking through a meadow. I had a chance to save them, but I chose not to put myself at risk. When they walked over the next hill, they bumped into the Queen and her mob. I didn’t know they were there, but I knew the path they followed would lead to them eventually. The Queen killed her boyfriend and put her in the pit. I need to bust her out too.”
“And you will, but you need to leave her for a few more hours. You need to use your head, Flynn.”
“Like you used your head with Vicky, you mean? Is that what you’re saying? I need to make a decision for the greater good, regardless of the consequences for the individuals.”
After he’d drawn a deep breath, Dan spoke on the exhale. “There isn’t a second that passes where I don’t question that decision. It’s been over ten years and the guilt of it still eats away at me. Second to my children dying, it’s the greatest pain I have to live with. Sharon and I were angry and looking for someone to blame. We believed keeping Vicky in the community would be a risk to the stability of Home. I still believe that, in fact. At the time, we had one way of dealing with the people we needed to evict. It was the decision we made. I’m not sure we would make it again.”
To see the tears in Dan’s eyes took away some of Flynn’s anger. It helped to know he regretted it, even though it wouldn’t bring Vicky back.
“And I’m not asking you to sacrifice the lives of any of those prisoners,” Dan said. “You said yourself they’ll be too busy with the games tomorrow. Too busy to do anything to those women out there.”
When Dan put an arm around Flynn’s shoulders, Flynn tensed up at the touch. He’d wanted to kill the man not so long ago. But maybe he needed to move on. Nothing would bring Vicky back, and Dan had done the best he could in the moment. He’d followed protocol with her eviction. Maybe Vicky would have done the same if someone else had been responsible for letting loose the virus and killing most of the people she’d loved. And if he’d kept his fucking mouth shut, no one would have ever known about what she did in the first place.
The gentle tug from Dan encouraged Flynn to walk away. He resisted for a few seconds before yielding. Together they turned their backs on the window overlooking the plaza and the pit. He’d be back for Rose and the pregnant woman before they ran out of time.
Chapter 46
Flynn’s anxiety rose and fell in waves as the morning wore on. They hadn’t known the location of shit hill before, but they sure as hell heard it now. Screams and jeers came across the town to them. They seemed to last forever as Flynn relived his own horrific experience. Those poor bastards on the hill at that moment were no doubt scared, exhausted, and having to avoid a meteor shower of boulders from the crowd. But at least this would end today and the Queen would pay.
When the sounds finally died down, Flynn rolled some of his tension from his shoulders. He had several people from Home waiting with him, so he used hand gestures to tell them to hide. They’d agreed they wouldn’t speak when the sun rose. They couldn’t risk being overheard.
The people with him all moved out of the office they currently occupied and spread throughout the buildings overlooking their quarter of the square.
Flynn looked across the square through the window he stood by. When he saw Dan, he gave him a thumbs-up. He watched Dan turn away as if to check on the people with him. He then looked back at Flynn and returned the affirmative gesture.
About another fifteen minutes passed before the first of the crowd wandered into the square. Although several alleys and smaller roads led into the space, it had one main entrance and exit via what had once been a four-lane road.
The day had heated up and Flynn yawned as the sun shone through the glassless window next to him. He hadn’t slept all night and his legs felt the effort of the past few days, but he’d find the surge of adrenaline to boost his energy when he needed it.
Careful to stay out of sight, Flynn watched as more and more people filled the large square, the taut rope stretched over it like a washing line. Fresh gusts of wind soared through the office building, eliciting moans and creaks from the huge structure. How long would it take for entropy to claim every building in the town?
Other than Dan on the opposite side of the square, Flynn couldn’t see anyone else. The other people from Home had been given explicit instructions to hide until they got the signal. No doubt Sharon and Brian watched Dan, the leader for each section ready to tell their group to take action when the time came.
As more and more bodies filled the square, Flynn looked for the Queen. Or even her throne. Because everything hinged on taking her down, he’d picked the spot close to where she’d previously been. He’d try his crossbow first. If he could take her out from a distance, it would make everything a hell of a lot easier. Although deep down, he knew nothing would be easy over the next few hours.
Hunters came into the square, but Flynn hadn’t seen a single royal guard yet. The occasional flash of blue fooled him momentarily, but it didn’t belong to the Queen’s personal protection. Just the coincidental clothes of a royal complex resident.
The creak of cartwheels cackled down the wide road and bounced off the buildings surrounding the square. Many of the people gathered there stopped to look in the direction of the noise. When Flynn saw the first of the caravan of barbaric trailers, he pulled in a sharp breath. The thick wooden stakes had claimed too many lives, the sharp poles stained with old blood.
Several hunters on each, they moved the carts into place in a line beneath the taut rope. There was still no sign of the Queen’s throne.
Another look at Dan, Flynn saw him shrug. His gesture asked the same question Flynn had been thinking. Where the fuck is she?
Other than a shrug in return, Flynn had nothing. Fucked if he knew.
Like she’d been privy to their interaction, Flynn suddenly heard the Queen’s sharp voice. The shrill and authoritative caw of a crow, it flew over the top of the spectators, but it came from an entirely different place than he’d expected. “Ladies and gentlemen …”
Flynn lost track of the rest of her words as he turned to look at the police station’s roof. From the distance between them, she should have looked small. But somehow, as she stood strong and straight, she looked like a giant. Like a god.
Just three prisoners stood in a line behind the Queen as she addressed the crowd. Why hadn’t Flynn thought of it before. He’d
forgotten about Mistress’ pivotal role in the games until that moment. Of course someone would have to replace her. And it made sense for it to be the Queen.
A look back across at Dan in the abandoned shop opposite and Flynn pointed up at the police station. Not that he needed to point out the Queen to him.
Wide-eyed, Dan shrugged. What do we do?
Flynn pointed at himself and then pointed back at the Queen. He’d take her down.
A tilt of his head to one side, Dan looked to question Flynn’s plan.
But Flynn nodded. He’d do it.
Although he stared at him, Dan didn’t respond.
Flynn looked up at the Queen again, squinting because of the strong sun at her back, adding to her god-like appearance. She had a twist to her angular face that spoke of her clear enjoyment at the power she currently had. Three prisoners at her disposal and the crowd of people in the palm of her hand.
Flynn nodded to himself this time. He could do it. He had to do it. After freeing his crossbow from the harness on his back, he left the office he currently occupied and walked down the corridor of the old building in the direction of the police station. He could do it.
Chapter 47
Of all the people he’d seen in the square, Flynn hadn’t yet seen a single royal guard. As he stood in the doorway of the old office and looked over the small road at the police station, he had to assume they were all in there.
Unlike the main road leading to the square, the one between Flynn and the police station stretched just one lane wide. He could dash across it in seconds.
Another look up at the roof showed him the Queen as she threw her arms in wild gestures with the theatrics of her speech. Not that he listened to a word of the bile that spewed from her toxic mouth.
Just three prisoners stood up there with her. If Flynn didn’t hurry up, they’d all be on the rings before he reached them.
Reluctance pulled on Flynn’s already heavy limbs and panic wound tight in his chest. His stomach turned over against itself and his breaths quickened. Another look up and down the skinny road and it seemed clear both ways. He’d only have to expose himself for the briefest moment.
Flynn pulled in a deep breath and made a run for it.
Rather than bursting through the doorway into the police station, he pulled up next to it and hid in the shadows. The door had once had a window in the centre of it. When he peered through the space, he saw the blue uniform of two guards right there in the foyer. They stood by what would have once been the help desk. Other than the two women, the rest of the area seemed clear. No doubt the others were deeper in the building.
Flynn had to get through the police station and the Queen’s guards without alerting anyone outside. If the hunters twigged, they’d rush the place and he’d be fucked. The hunters and the guards were trained fighters. The people of Home needed surprise on their side to take them down.
The sound of the Queen’s voice rang out like a fascist dictator. Flynn drew one final deep breath as he raised the stock of his crossbow to his shoulder. He closed one eye, looked down its barrel, and pushed the door open with his right foot.
The door creaked. The two guards looked over. Flynn pulled the trigger. The crossbow bucked. A bolt exploded from it. Blood burst from one of the guard’s necks. She fell clutching her throat.
The slap of Flynn’s feet echoed through the foyer. In three steps he reached the next guard. Machete ready, he brought it down on her head in a wide arc. The guard’s skull gave way, and warm blood sprayed up Flynn’s face.
As the guard fell, Flynn wrenched his machete free and turned to finish the other woman off, but she’d already died. Blood ran from both corpses, pooling on the floor. The guards had dropped their batons, but despite his urge to pick them up, he left them. They were of no use to him.
Out of breath already, Flynn ran on his tiptoes to the door separating him and the rest of the police station. No time to recover, he pressed his back against a nearby wall and wiped the blood from his face.
The small glassless window in the door sat no larger than a cigarette packet. It showed Flynn the corridor on the other side. The door must have been used for security back in the day. A card reader hung broken from the wall next to it.
When Flynn looked through the small window again, he saw just one guard on the other side. He pulled back, loaded his crossbow with another bolt, and then knocked on the door.
“Hello?” the guard said.
But Flynn didn’t reply, he simply knocked again.
“Hello?”
The steps of the guard marched towards the door. Flynn watched the small window and listened to her getting close.
When a blue eye pressed up to the small hole, Flynn jabbed his machete into it. A quick jab, it went deep into her eye socket with a wet squelch. The gritty resistance of bone vibrated through the handle.
The woman fell back and Flynn quickly withdrew his knife before she could drag it down with her.
Because he had to push the door to get through, he had to use enough force to move the guard’s body too. It took a bit of effort, but he managed to shove a wide enough gap to shimmy sideways through the small space.
Flynn grabbed her still-warm hands and dragged her clear. He might need to get out of there in a hurry.
Despite being blindfolded the last time he’d walked through the station, Flynn knew exactly where the door in front of him went. It accessed the roof. Just a flight of stairs now separated him and the Queen.
At the door, Flynn peered through the window hole. However, before he could open it, he felt the press of a sharp tip into the soft spot at the base of his skull.
The voice of a woman issued a low growl. “Move, and I’ll drive this knife straight into your brain, you fuck.”
Flynn froze.
“Give me your weapons.”
Unable to look at the woman for fear of cold steel turning his lights off, Flynn lowered his crossbow for her to take. As she pulled it away, she also ripped his machete free from his belt.
“Go and get help,” the woman said and Flynn listened to a second guard run off towards the foyer.
“We’re going to wait here until backup arrives,” the royal guard said. “Then I’m going to take you up to the roof and see what the Queen wants to do with you.”
A deep sigh and some of Flynn’s strength left him. He’d fucked it up. No way would the people of Home be able to hijack the square now. By revealing himself, he’d just negated their advantage. No other options left, he could only hope they’d see that and save themselves by getting out of there.
Flynn pressed his forehead against the door in front of him and let go of a deep sigh. He’d just fucked up Rose’s chances of escape too.
Chapter 48
Flynn kept his forehead pressed against the metal door between him and the stairs leading to the roof of the building. The cold touch of it paled compared to the sharp tip of the royal guard’s knife at the base of his skull. Just enough pressure so she didn’t puncture the skin, but if she pushed much harder, the frigid steel would sink into him.
“Did you really think it would be that easy?” the guard said.
There didn’t seem any point in replying, so Flynn kept his mouth shut, pressing his lips together to make sure he kept the words in. They’d kill him sooner or later, better he kept some pride by holding his tongue.
A loud click then snapped to the left of Flynn. Too scared to move, he listened to the whoosh of a bolt flying at him. When the pressure of the knife against the back of his head pulled away, followed by the thud of a body hitting the ground, Flynn turned around to look first at the dead guard and then at the doorway leading to the foyer. “Dan?”
“I figured you’d need the help. Good job I followed you, eh?”
“How far did the other guard get?” Flynn said. “Did she make it out into the square? Do the hunters know what’s happening?”
Dan shook his head. “No, we’re still in the clear. She di
dn’t make it any farther than the foyer.” A look at the door in front of Flynn, he said, “Are we going up, then?”
Flynn rubbed the back of his head. It itched and nothing more. Adrenaline from the close call sent a shake through him, but it would pass. After he’d retrieved his crossbow and machete from the now dead guard, he nodded. “Yeah, let’s do this.”
The window in the door didn’t reveal much of the other side to them, so Flynn slowly pulled it open, his crossbow loaded and ready to fire.
He walked through to find the space empty. The metal stairs in front of them invited them up, the smell of iron hanging in the air like blood.
When Flynn had moved closer to the stairs and peered up through the gap between them, he saw just one guard. She stood at the top and had her face pressed to a crack in the door leading to the roof. She obviously watched the Queen.
Still shaking from the adrenaline of his last encounter, Flynn took several breaths as he raised his crossbow and pointed it up the stairs. Just one chance to make the shot. If he fucked up, she’d let everyone know they were there. And they couldn’t get any closer to her to make the shot easier. One foot on the stairs and the sound of the metal steps would give them away.
When Dan leaned close to Flynn and whispered, “You’ve made this kind of shot a thousand times before,” it helped calm him down.
“Just pretend her head’s a rabbit,” Dan added.
Next to Larry, Flynn had been one of the best shots in Home. And because they didn’t have Larry with them at that moment, it made sense for him to shoot her.
His usual preparation, Flynn filled his lungs with a deep breath, slowly let it out again, and held it. A squeeze of the trigger and the bow kicked against his shoulder, the bolt shooting away from him. It flew up the centre of the stairs and entered the back of the woman’s head, blood exploding onto the door in front of her.
The Alpha Plague - Books 1 - 8: A Post-Apocalyptic Action Thriller Page 134