Endgame (Book 1)

by W. A. R.

  “Thank you, George. For everything.” She told him and he pulled back, looking at her in the face. His green eyes were saddened.

  “No, thank you.” He told her before softly kissing the top of her head and stepping up to Buddy, ensuring that his ties were tight enough to be convincing. Cassie stepped up to her and she felt the tears threaten to fall at the strength that they were exuding.

  “I am so very proud of you.” She told her and she glanced down at the floor, blushing at the intensity of her mother’s words and from the fear that accompanied them. “You know where to go and what to do and when to do it?” she asked and Cassie nodded, adjusting her weapons where they were hidden. George was to carry the bigger weapons out with him when he led them out. Amber sighed. “I love you both so much. Please take care of each other and don’t do anything reckless. I wish I could send you with your grandmother, but I know that you wouldn’t listen.”

  Cassie grinned, although it didn’t meet her eyes. “You’re right. We wouldn’t. I’m not going to let you do this alone.”

  Katie looked over at Amber, her eyes darting between mother and daughter. “I’ll untie you as soon as possible.” She stated and Amber nodded. Cassie had grown silent and when Amber glance at her, she noted tears welling up in her eyes. She began crying and Amber wished more than anything that she could hold her daughter close to her and ease the pain of her heart breaking.

  “I can’t lose you too…”

  “Oh honey….I’m not going anywhere.” She spoke softly to Cassie and she threw herself into Amber, forcing her to retain her balance. Amber lowered her head so it rested against the top of Cassie’s head. “And after today…when all of this is over with…I’m going to get your Uncle Brian, Aunt Shelly, and Miles back.”

  “What if they are already…”Kyle trailed off, falling against Amber as well and Amber shushed him calmingly.

  “We’ll cross that bridge if we come to it, alright? Right now I want you to take care of yourself.”

  Cassie stared sadly at her mother. “Things are about to get really bad aren’t they?” she asked and Jacob appeared beside her, his expression glum.

  “Yes they are, and…” she was always honest with her children before, why was it so hard to be honest then?

  “A lot of people are going to die.” Jacob finished her thought, surprising her and she straightened, turning her cold yet understanding eyes to him. Honesty was the option she had chosen when she had her children…she had never sugarcoated things, and yet still…admitting the brutal truth was hard at that moment and she was grateful for Jacob.

  “Yes.” She replied, glancing at the group of children, who appeared crestfallen but resilient. “A lot of people are and we are going to be the cause of it. We are going to have to kill people…but if everything goes the way I want it too, it will be all of them and none of us.”

  “But you can’t promise that, can you?” Cassie asked, and if Amber didn’t know her daughter better, she would have to say that she sounded angry. But she wasn’t…she was only affirming what she already knew.

  “No…I can’t.” she said, admitting the harsh reality. “All I can do…all any of us can do…is the very best we can.” Her heart was breaking at her lack of control to save them.

  “Then I guess we need to stay on top of our game.” Cassie replied smartly, smiling tenderly at Amber. Amber smiled back though she felt like doing everything but.

  “Jacob, Cassie, Kyle, and Brittany…if things get too bad I want you to run…”

  “Will do Mom.” Cassie replied quickly before George stepped up to them. His face was solemn as if it pained him to speak or even move.

  “Time to get started.” He told them all and the children stepped away, readying themselves for what was going to happen next.

  “I love you.” She called to her daughter as George led the trio to the front door. “Now, everyone scream in surprise.” She demanded. Amber’s heart was in her throat as George pulled out his gun and quickly fired it into the air three times. One for George’s missing person, one for Elliot and one for Katie. Amber jumped, startled by the realistic surprised screams that rent the air, and after a moment he grabbed Derek and began dragging him out the front door, yelling obscenities at him, laughing at his misfortune. Amber swallowed thickly as he threw him heatedly off of the porch. George was doing really well; though Amber knew he was uncomfortable and nervous. He came and grabbed Buddy, doing the same; shoving him off of the side of the porch before turning and coming back to Amber. He looked at her sadly but she knew it was going to have to be done.

  “Hit me.” She said as he dragged her to the edge of the porch.

  “Dammit.” he grumbled under his breath. She glanced at him and he sighed. “Sorry.” He winced before his expression became angry and he gripped her arm tighter. “You stupid fucking bitch! You’ll get what you deserve!” he exclaimed before swinging his fist into her jaw, sending her flying off of the porch. She was surprised to say the least, and she went down like a sack of potatoes, feeling the air forced form her lungs as she hit the hard ground.

  The taste of dirt in her mouth made her gag and she attempted to spit it out, only stirring up more dirt and dust in the process. Her head ached from where it landed against the hard ground and her jaw from the blow that was given to her before she flew off of the porch and landed with a hard thud. The zip-ties dug into her wrists and her ankles. She couldn’t get up, and she cast Buddy and Derek a look to ensure they were staying strong. They had been able to ease themselves up in some form or fashion: Buddy up on his knees and Derek leaning against the brick column of the porch, his legs at an uncomfortable angle behind him. Buddy’s feet were also in the darkness of the porch, his back pressed against the old wood. He glanced at her in concern.

  “Are you alright?” he asked her calmly and she grit her teeth in frustration, attempting to scoot herself back closer to the porch. She wiggled against the ground with a little success, dirt embedding itself in her eyes. Her hair was wild about her face, tickling her nose as she tried to breathe, sticking to her face from sweat and blood.

  “I’m fine.” She told him, grinding her teeth together as she maneuvered her way closer to the point where the porch and the stairs intersected. She glanced up, hoping to find some leverage there to right herself.

  “You don’t look alright.” Derek told her and she growled under her breath, turning and looking through blurry, pain filled eyes at the brick siding of the stairs. With a great amount of effort she lifted her head and shoulders as high as she could to balance herself against the siding. It was only a little success but it was at least something. Her breathing was becoming heavy with the effort and she tamped down her feelings of weakness and vulnerability.

  “Well, neither do you.” She bit out, shifting her knees further under her. Her core body strength wasn’t strong enough for what she was trying to do, but she was damn well going to try. She refused to be lying in the dirt when they came for them. She wasn’t going to go down like that.

  “Amber, let me help you.” Buddy offered from beside her, scooting towards her as she shifted her shoulder up the siding, her skin scraping roughly against the brick. She winced, knowing she was bleeding without even looking at the wound. She jerked her head to him; again shifting her knees further under her. Her eyes were full of fire and her face twisted in disgust.

  “One move and it will ruin everything. Stay where you are and leave…me…alone.” She demanded of him and he swallowed, his eyebrows still furrowed in concern. She forced herself to shove her shoulder higher, biting through the pain that radiated through her shoulder and up her neck. She whimpered a little in response and Buddy instantly jerked a little but he remained rooted to his spot, watching her as she stubbornly balanced herself. Tears clouded her eyes and she wished them away as she made the final move to scoot her knees under her. She leaned silently against the wall, balanced on her knees, upright for the most part by then. Her breathing was heavy and
sweat coated her brow from the struggle. Her back ached and her shoulder was open with wounds from the shoving up on the brick wall. Her jaw ached from the blow that was given to her and was tight from the muscle swelling around bone.

  “Amber…”

  The pain of everything…of losing her family, of having no choice but to go through everything that they were going through, of possibly her children losing their lives….it was all so much…she wanted to die…to give in. She closed her eyes tightly against it all, forcing it away. “What is it now, Boudreaux?” she asked, her voice tired.

  “You can do this.” He told her and she sighed, feeling scared, nervous, and defeated.

  “I know I can and I will….it’s just…Buddy, if something happens to me…” she began but he cut her off, scooting closer to her on his knees, balancing haphazardly on them as he did so. Derek was also urging himself up to his knees, and making his way slowly to them.

  “That won’t happen. I won’t let it happen.” He told her and she scoffed at him. It stung him, she knew, but it wasn’t his place to swear by that. Why in the hell did he even care about anyone but himself, anyways?

  “Thanks, but I’ll be fine.” She told him harshly and instead of recoiling against her vehemence, he leaned over nudging her with his shoulder gently. Her memory flashed back to her doing the same with Miles in the truck, to Shelly against the tailgate of the truck, to Brian all through their lives…it was a tender sign of comfort and understanding. Had he picked up on that? she thought briefly as she turned slowly to face him.

  “Someone once told me we were a team, a family. Don’t go back on that.” he told her and Derek sighed breathlessly, finally working his way beside Buddy.

  “Please don’t…because honestly, that is all that is holding me together right now.” He informed her softly, his voice trembling, and she felt her heart ache for her father at what was spoken, but even more so, their words served to provoke her anger at the people that had purposefully taken him away. Damien had told them as much. She straightened, letting their words sink in. They were right. If they were going to through everything that was about to happen, they would all have to work together, regardless of her anger, her emotions.

  “You’re right. We got this.” She told them when the sound of trucks caught her ears, shattering whatever peaceful illusion they had. Buddy and Derek had caught the sound of it too and all three of them turned their attention to the now open front gate. Amber had not seen him open the gate, her face and body shifting in the dirt as they did so. Now, however, there were vehicles heading their way and Biters inside the fence, limping slowly toward the trio. What a way to die…at the hands of Biters while waiting on certain death from human beings. Amber wasn’t sure which way she preferred to go. Amber swallowed and she could feel Buddy’s tension and Derek’s fear. The trio each straightened their shoulders and held their chins high in defiance and determination, refusing to show any weakness or distress. Several trucks came into view on the road, and her breath caught in her chest. As her heart began pounding, she remembered every single thing those people had done to her and her family…all of the agony they had caused her family and countless other people. She closed her eyes briefly and prayed that they would get what they deserved and she hoped that she was the one to deliver their brand of justice to them. What these people didn’t know was what was waiting for them and the thought made Amber smile. She had already begun her retaliation and she was nowhere near done.

  Amber sucked in a heavy, bitter breath and held it. She began to run through every move of the plan that they had made and every single detail that she had yet to establish. It was rocky at best, but maybe it would work and give her people a fighting chance…that is, if they could get out of their confines before it was too late. They all stayed balanced on their knees as the trucks approached them.

  The trucks pulled a few yards away from them, running over the Biters that had ambled in, and stopped. They sat still for a moment before any of the doors opened, as if analyzing the situation before them. The trio all balanced on their knees, painfully so, watching as the doors began opening. They were close enough to the porch for Katie to cut them free when the time came. Amber was sweating and she could sense the uneasiness from her two friends. Boots kicked up dust and dirt on the ground as every man and woman that was in the trucks climbed out and advanced toward them. Their steps were heavy and they were filthy. They were all covered in blood and dirt, smelling something awful; all except for one man, the man in front. Bald, long beard…it was the perpetrator. Amber watched as they all left the trucks behind and advanced towards them, leaving the trucks open and vulnerable. She glanced sideways at Buddy, who mirrored her understanding. It was exactly what they wanted, what they needed. The man surged forward and Amber couldn’t hide the malicious grin that spread across her face.

  “Well, well, well…what have we here? I believe today is our lucky day.” The man began, laughing heartily at their expense. “My boy Damien really delivered today. He was supposed to wait for us to come help…subdue…you all but he seems to have already done it by himself. Sounded like there were some casualties in the process, but you know what they say, if you want to make an omelet, you have to break a few eggs. Smart boy, using you as leverage against one another.” He said haughtily and Amber scowled inwardly at him, lowering her head. He stared at each of them, before turning his head and spitting out whatever stale tobacco was in his mouth. “I believe we have a lot to talk about.”

  Amber turned her icy glare up to him and he widened his eyes at her malevolent grin. She felt a surge of pride at having caught the man off guard. “You must be Lance.”

  Chapter Thirty Six

  George left the front door of the house open when he came back in from the front gate, hoping that he appeared as uncaring as Damien would. His pulse was jumping and he flexed his hand reflexively. He had to get everyone else out of there and to safety. He couldn’t fail. They couldn’t fail. His hand still hurt from where he had punched Amber, and he refused to look at the trio that he had so willingly left for the wolves as he ambled up the stairs, fearing guilt would make him stop and release them, ultimately blowing his cover. He turned to the living room where Katie was lowering herself into the hole that Buddy had created by chopping away at the floor. George quickly rushed over to help the woman; grabbing her elbow and giving her balance as she lowered her feet to the dark and cold ground beneath the house. Katie looked up at George as the man released her arm. George reached towards the side of the hole, pulling a throw rug toward the hole.

  “Is everyone going to be alright?” she asked George and he sighed. He wasn’t entirely sure how to answer that question. In fact, he wasn’t sure how to answer that question at all. Everything was happening so fast that he couldn’t even begin to comprehend it.

  “We will all do our best.” he decided was the best answer for woman who was living in a twisted world. The woman held a severe look of uncertainty as she pulled her knife out from its holster on her hip and held it firmly in her grasp.

  “Take care of them.” She told the man and George, though taken aback from the ferocity in the boy’s words, nodded.

  “You take care of yourself.”

  Katie stood still for a moment, as if considering her words before speaking. She turned her gaze back to George, back to one of the men she had respected…a man who was slowly growing to admire the woman Katie was becoming. “People are going to die today…I don’t want to be one of them.” She stated, her voice chilling to the bone before she placed the knife between her teeth and disappeared down into the darkness under the house. George quickly threw the rug over the hole, refusing to dwell anymore on the excitement that everyone was seeming to possess at that moment. Instead, he turned and made his way to the kitchen, grabbing every big weapon they had with straps and slinging them across his shoulders before grabbing one gun and holding it firmly in his hands. He scanned his eyes across every face in the kitchen as they
stood, stiff and ready, hands held behind their backs as if tied together.

  George sighed. “Stay together and wait for my orders before acting.” He told them all and instead of speaking, they all simply stared at him expectantly. He rolled his neck, the back of his head brushing against the weapons on the shoulders. “Alright. Let’s do this.” He opened the back door and stepped out, keys in hand. Very quickly, he turned, pointing his gun at them as they stood still. He knew what they were expecting. He needed to be more vicious because truthfully, they wouldn’t be so willing to leave. “If you don’t start moving right fucking now I will blow every single one of your heads smooth off without a second thought and be happy about it.” He growled and Bobby-Jean, who was leading the group narrowed her eyes at him from the threshold of the door, challenging him to give them more. He lifted his gun to his shoulder and aimed it at her head. “Move it!” he exclaimed before she nodded at him and began stepping down the stairs. Cassie was behind her, then Elva Jo, Jacob, Kyle, and finally Brittany. George began walking backwards, gun pointed at them as they continued towards the back gate. The gate keys jingled as he moved and their footsteps sounded in the silence. George was breathing heavy, nervous excitement running through his veins. He was glad to have fired the gun in the house, he thought, knowing that the group he was escorting would be minus him. They reached the gate and he knew he had to play up the Damien card once again.

  Damien...that sorry son of a bitch. He had done this to them; had hurt them. He had killed Jackson, tried to kill Rick, and now he had taken their people, taking them away to do God knows what to them. George grit his teeth. That twisted freak…they had trusted him and now they were all in a war that wasn’t theirs to fight. Thinking back to everything that Amber had done to him, he realized that it was still too kind. Those broken bones were nothing compared to the broken hearts and the fear that accompanied this family…his family. Damien deserved whatever hell he would endure and had endured and George let the anger that he felt towards the man become his friend in getting him and his people out of there and to try to save Amber, Buddy, and Derek.