Forsaken World (Book 3): Rite of Passage

by Watson, Thomas A.

  Shrugging, Lance held his AR low and moved slower through the woods. A blood-curdling scream sounded ahead, followed by a tiger’s growl. Both boys froze as another weaker scream bellowed ahead a split second later, but was cut off mid-scream.

  As another scream sounded, Lance crouched and moved up the slope in a low walk, holding his AR to his shoulder. Stepping out from behind a tree, Lance saw a body hanging off one of their booby traps. A long branch with two-foot-long stakes tied to it had swung out, hitting the man in the pelvis.

  Since the head was barely hanging on, Lance didn’t know if the body was male or female and didn’t care. Hearing another cry, Lance moved up past the body to see both tigers circling a man lying on the ground and holding a knife.

  Raising his rifle, Lance flipped the safety off and squeezed the trigger, hitting the hand holding the knife. The man yelled, pulling his mangled stump to his chest and the tigers bounced back as Lance ran up and stomped on the man’s head until he stopped moaning.

  “Ian, make the tigers back off,” Lance said, dropping down and rolling the man over. Grabbing paracord from his thigh cargo pocket, Lance pulled the man’s elbows back and lashed them together. Cutting the cord, Lance tied a tourniquet on the man’s forearm until the bleeding stopped and tied the tourniquet in place.

  Glancing back, Lance saw the two tigers sitting down and looking at Ian and Dino between them and Lance. “Ian, call and tell the girls to get here. Forgot all about people finding us,” Lance growled, searching the man. Leaving the tactical vest the man was wearing on, Lance emptied it to the side. Finding several knives, Lance tossed them away and saw the empty pistol holster. He looked around and saw it on the ground.

  Standing up, Lance looked around and saw two rifles beside the man caught in the booby trap. “Fucking kitties are smart,” Lance mumbled in awe.

  “How do you mean?” Ian asked, not taking his eyes off the tigers.

  “They waited till this one put down his gun to help the other one, then took them,” Lance said.

  “Lance, I’m standing twenty feet away from two tigers and the male is sitting down and can almost look directly into my eyes. And you’re telling me how smart they are?” Ian said, not even blinking and trying to keep his voice from trembling.

  “Sorry, but I don’t want to run them off till the girls are here,” Lance said, moving beside Dino who was looking at the tigers. Dino’s body was tensed and ready to fight, but stayed beside Ian.

  The man on the ground moaned and the tigers turned from them to the man on the ground. “I don’t know what the fuck these guys did to them, but the tigers really don’t like them,” Ian noticed.

  Seeing movement out of the corner of his eye, Lance barely turned his head to see the buggy slow and then stop at the man stuck on the booby trap. The girls jumped out and brought their rifles up, walking over to them. “anymore?” Jennifer asked as they joined them.

  “Doubt it, because the kittens are here,” Lance answered, then lowered his rifle and stepped toward the tigers. “Go home,” Lance snapped, pointing down the slope and the tigers turned to look at him. Feeling his sphincter tighten up, “Go home now,” Lance commanded sternly.

  The tigers stood up and turned, heading down the slope at a slow walk almost like they were sulking. “Holy shit, I think those tigers have gotten bigger,” Ian panted as the man moaned again.

  “Ian, let’s move up and see where they came in,” Lance said, walking away. “Jennifer, Lilly, watch him and if he tries to leave, shoot his knees.”

  Moving along the diversion fence to the chute several hundred yards away Lance stopped, seeing a UTV parked outside the chute. “They were scouting,” Lance said, then walked through the chute.

  “They could’ve radioed,” Ian offered, looking around.

  “Ian, any radio transmission a mile from the cabin sets off an alarm, if not on our frequency. If it would’ve been on our frequency, we would’ve heard it on the desk unit in the kitchen,” Lance told him, walking around the UTV. Climbing in, “Ian, drive us back,” Lance said, raising his rifle and aiming at a stinker walking up the slope.

  Squeezing the trigger Lance grinned, watching the head explode. “That is more fun than an arrow,” Lance chuckled as Ian started the UTV. They both cringed at the noise. The UTV had dampeners, but nothing like theirs.

  Pulling through the chute, Ian drove back and stopped, seeing Dino standing over the man who had rolled onto his back. The man’s face was contorted in pain, but seeing Dino’s massive head nose-to-nose kept the man from crying out.

  “Dude, your buddy got killed by pussy, and pussy whooped your ass,” Ian laughed, climbing out.

  Walking up, Lance patted his thigh and Dino left the man and moved over to sit down beside Lance. “I take it, you’re a salesman,” Lance smiled.

  “My hand is blown off and your tigers bit me! Give me something for the pain,” the man growled, but then Dino gave a grumbling growl and the man’s face relaxed in fear as he glanced at Dino.

  “Mean pussy,” Ian chuckled and the man turned to Ian with a scowl. “Hey, I can get the pussy to come back. You’re tied up and man, do they eat slow when their food doesn’t run away.”

  The man’s face paled and his mouth fell open. “Just let me go,” the man pleaded.

  Walking over, “Not until we talk,” Lance grinned, adjusting his AR. “We don’t get many visitors. Those are some real mean pussies.”

  “I won’t talk to kids,” the man snarled and Lance pulled his .22 pistol and aimed it at the man’s leg that the tigers hadn’t chewed on. “Okay, what?” the man said quickly.

  “For starters, why are you here?” Lance asked, lowering the pistol.

  “Looking for some of our patrols that got cut off by that flood of infected,” the man answered, panting from the pain.

  “Yeah, we found two of your patrols, but they are several miles from here,” Lance said, lifting the pistol up. “Why did your Nazi friends send you here?”

  The man gave a startle. “You can join us,” the man said and Lance squeezed the trigger, shooting the ground beside the man’s knee. “We are looking for one of our radios. One of the men had it on him and turned.”

  “Like the radio in your UTV?” Lance asked and the man nodded. “Well, thank you for bringing it. The Devil Lords are around here and your flunkies have avoided them after you took out their outpost, so why risk coming here with only two?”

  “Fuck those punks,” the man grimaced. “That’s why we were after the radio.”

  “If you are the master race, you and your friends are very stupid. The Devil Lords are getting ready to move against you and you’re running around looking for radios,” Lance chided.

  “They can’t take us now. Let me go and you can join with us,” the man begged, closing his eyes and breathing through pursed lips.

  “Dummy, they have more men and guns,” Lance said.

  “We have training,” the man snapped, grimacing. “Give me something, I have pills in my bag in the side by side.”

  Lifting his pistol, Lance squeezed the trigger and the man yelped as a small hole appeared on his pants over his thigh. “You yell again, the next one goes in your balls. Now I’m the big dick and you do what I say,” Lance warned in a cheerful voice, moving his aim.

  “What else?” the man pleaded, crying.

  “Last time we scouted your little compound, we counted three hundred and eighteen. How many do you have now?” Lance asked.

  The man gave a startle, “You’re just going to kill me,” he gasped.

  “True, but you get to decide how much pain before you go. Ian is dying to watch real pussy eating,” Lance grinned and the others snorted.

  “You little shit,” the man snarled and Lance squeezed the trigger and the man yelped, doubling over. Ian chuckled as Jennifer’s and Lilly’s mouths fell open.

  “Ian, call the tigers,” Lance said. “His balls are bleeding and we can watch the kitties eat frank and beans.” />
  “Over four hundred,” the man grunted, curled up in a ball.

  “Why haven’t you used your radio, dummy? And don’t say you did, because we pick up any transmission and I shoot some more pool,” Lance smirked.

  “Nine ball, corner pocket,” Ian chuckled as Jennifer and Lilly looked at the two in shock.

  “We know the Devil Lords have an outpost north of here,” the man whimpered.

  “It’s not an outpost or safe house. They are collaborators,” Lance corrected.

  “We know they can track transmissions,” the man panted.

  “Why were your patrols this far over in the Devil Lords’ territory?”

  Panting hard and breathing through pursed lips, “Found some cameras set up with wireless transmissions, but it was short range so we set up ambushes,” the man whimpered.

  Looking at Ian, “Yeah, I could see them thinking that with that wireless relay,” Lance admitted, then looked back at the man. “How many heavy weapons do you have?”

  “AT4s, don’t know how many crates. A few fifty caliber machine guns,” the man answered.

  “You didn’t have those when we were there,” Lance snorted and the man looked up at Lance. “Sorry, but we are Peeping Toms.”

  Staring at Lance in shock, the man slowly spoke, “We hit a military group last month in Cumberland.”

  “Are you shitting me? There’s a town named after the river, too?” Lance cried out, throwing up his arms.

  Not sure if he should answer, the man just kept quiet and then saw Lilly and Jennifer looking at Lance and Ian in shock. “Please, ladies, help me,” the man begged and Lance spun around, leaping over and rearing his leg back. When his left foot touched the ground, his right foot snapped through the air, planting between the man’s legs on his bloody crotch.

  Puke spewed out of the man’s mouth and Lance jumped out of the way. “Dude, you would’ve puked on me, I would’ve called Allie and Carrie out here to go Pulp Fiction on your ass,” Lance growled and Ian chuckled. “You talk to me, and only when I say.”

  Curled up in a ball, the man nodded. “Very good. Bet you didn’t think when you woke up, today was going to be a bad day,” Lance said with a smile as the man cried. “Now, how many patrols are searching for this radio?”

  “Two,” the man moaned.

  “Where are your playmates because none of our other patrols have found them,” Lance said casually like he was bored.

  “They headed south to Dewitt. Found a bunch of infected that had been shot with a bow,” the man said. “We stopped here because we saw burnt spots around the fence that was tacked up to trees.”

  Hearing a groan, Lance looked over at Ian. “Okay, I didn’t think about that, so sue me. But that’s why we stopped burning them on patrol,” Lance huffed. Turning back to the man, “Where are you supposed to meet them?” Lance asked.

  “Marked on the map,” the man whimpered. “Five miles from here, where the patrol set up the ambush on the camera. We meet at sunset and head back.”

  “Where we found that guy under that tree?” Ian asked, furrowing his brow and looking at Lance.

  “Yeah, and if the idiots had looked, they would’ve found the radio under the tree,” Lance said, then moved over to stand over the man. “Just to let you know, the first time I killed someone, I cried and felt bad. It didn’t matter that they were coming to take what was ours, I felt bad,” Lance said with true sincerity. “But you don’t have to worry, Mr. Dumbass Nazi. I don’t feel bad anymore.”

  Jennifer and Lilly jumped as Lance pulled the trigger, blowing the back of the Nazi’s head off. Walking over, Lance pulled his knife out and flipped his wrist, popping the blade out and cutting the man’s arms loose. Pulling the tactical vest off, Lance tossed it in the pile.

  “Load that in their ride,” Lance said, heading to the other body.

  “What are we going to do with them?” Ian asked, following. “We could’ve made him drag his dead buddy off and then shot him.”

  “I’m leaving them for the tigers,” Lance said, cutting the strings that held the stakes on the pole and the body hit the ground.

  As Lance bent down to drive his knife into the man’s skull, Ian stood over him. “Lance, I really don’t want to feed the tigers humans,” Ian said dryly. “I don’t want them developing a taste for us.”

  Looking up at Ian, “Didn’t think about that,” Lance admitted. “Well, we load their asses up and haul them off.”

  “We have somewhere to be in a few hours,” Ian said, glancing at his watch.

  “Well, we just load them and take them with us,” Lance said, stripping the body. “The suppressors they made look like shit.”

  Glancing around, “So, they are not only stupid Nazis, but also inferior machinists,” Ian chuckled.

  Grabbing the stuff, they carried it over to the UTV and tossed it in. “Nice ride,” Ian said, looking it over and climbed in.

  Glancing at the girls, “We’ll follow you,” Lance said, climbing in.

  They ran back to the buggy and Jennifer jumped behind the steering wheel. When Lilly jumped in, Jennifer called over the radio. “Away team returning.”

  As Jennifer turned around, Lilly shook her head. “Man, that was some cold shit.”

  “Should we say something?” Jennifer asked.

  Lilly looked over at Jennifer. “Like what? You should treat people that are going to rape and kill us with more compassion?” Lilly huffed.

  Weaving around a booby trap, “I know, but they were a little too comfortable doing that,” Jennifer said.

  “Jennifer, it was Lance,” Lilly snapped as she looked around for the tigers.

  Slowing to avoid another booby trap, “You haven’t been around them as long as I have, Lilly. Ian was egging it on and playing a part. I’ve seen it and I’m grateful Ian didn’t have to play his part,” Jennifer said. “Lance was good cop, Ian was going to be bad cop.”

  “Screw a goose,” Lilly gasped in shock. “Fuck if I want to meet bad cop then.”

  “Yeah,” Jennifer said as Lilly called for the gate to open.

  “She’s trying,” Carrie called back as Jennifer slowed, pulling over the rise and saw little Allie pushing the inner gate with everything she had to make it roll back.

  Jennifer and Lilly jumped as Lance walked past backwards, scanning around. “Fuck!” Lilly snapped, jumping out and scanning around to cover Allie as she moved to the outer gate.

  When Allie opened the outer gate, Lance grabbed it and smiled at her. “You are one tough ladybug,” he told her and Allie waved the vehicles in. “You cover while I close,” Lance said and Allie pulled her short AR from her back, looking around.

  Closing the inner gate, they jumped on the buggy and everyone pulled around back. Lance jumped off, running for the backdoor. “Lilly, Jennifer, take their gear and toss it with the gear we take off stinker soldiers and police officers,” Lance called over his shoulder, pulling out his key.

  “One of us needs to go with them,” Jennifer said.

  Throwing her hands up, “I’m not asking,” Lilly cried out. “I forgot to get out and cover!”

  Jennifer turned around as Ian walked over, holding a map and climbing in the buggy. “No,” he said, checking the gauges and dials. “You are staying here, in case we miss them and they start looking for the others.”

  Not able to argue that, Jennifer leaned in and kissed Ian’s cheek. “You be careful, boo,” she whispered.

  “I will,” Ian smiled, then lowered his voice. “Please don’t call me that around Lance.”

  “I won’t,” Jennifer said, grinning as Lance came running out the backdoor with two M14s and a tote bag.

  Jennifer and Lilly jumped in the buggy as Ian backed up, handing the map from the UTV to Lance. “Uncle Doug would beat the shit out of these guys. Look at all the shit they have marked on that map,” Ian said, speeding for the gate.

  After finding the meeting point, Lance looked at all the marks and notes. “Talk about
stupid. I could’ve just looked at his map and got all the information I needed,” Lance said.

  “Bitch, I get to question next time and you get to be the enforcer. I had so many pussy wisecracks to use, I was almost rolling around,” Ian grinned as he stopped at the gate and saw Dino waiting on them. “That dog is too smart.”

  Jennifer and Lilly climbed out. Walking to the gate, Lilly looked back at them. “I want the hoods of those 3D suits on when you get out of the buggy,” Lilly said, staring hard at them. “If I don’t get a promise from each of you, I’ll shoot the buggy.”

  “Lilly, we will wear the hoods, chill,” Lance said. “Believe it or not, we want to come back alive and unharmed.”

  Leaning over the steering wheel, “Lance wants more smooches,” Ian whispered loudly and Lance punched his arm.

  The tension left her body and Lilly grinned. “Get back safe and you can have some smooches,” Lilly promised, smiling as Jennifer started opening the gate. Lilly spun around, covering the area as Jennifer moved to the outer gate.

  They watched the boys drive off with Dino trotting in front of them and closed the gates.

  Stopping at the site, they tossed the near naked bodies in the bed. “Dino,” Lance said, patting the front passenger seat and Dino climbed in. Lance climbed in the backseat behind Dino as Ian took off. Driving through the chute, “Just pass any stinkers and we will pull them to the meeting spot,” Lance said and Ian nodded.

  Driving along the ridge, Lance turned on his thermal and scanned ahead. As Ian started down the ridge to the valley, he saw a few stinkers in the valley below. Ian had no trouble seeing them and weaved wide, crossing the valley and starting up the other slope until he reached the ridge and headed north.

  Looking back, Lance saw two stinkers moving across the valley and one stumbling up the slope. “They should get there sometime next week,” Lance mumbled, turning around and looking ahead with the thermal. Running down the ridge for a mile, Ian crossed down into the valley and then back up to the next ridge.