Empty Bodies (Book 5): Damnation

by Zach Bohannon

  They nodded.

  Gabriel sighed. “All right.” He looked to Will. “Do we have any extra clips we can give them?”

  Charlie reached into a satchel he carried and pulled out two extra clips for each of the four men. Gabriel looked to Joe again.

  “And you’re sure you wanna do this?”

  He nodded. One of the other men said, “We’re gonna be getting our hands dirty either way. Not sure it’s really that different if we lead you in.”

  “You just be ready to raise hell,” Joe said.

  Gabriel was.

  They shook hands, and Joe led the others out the door. Gabriel, Will, Holly, and Charlie followed, stopping in the hallway just outside the door.

  Joe and the others crept to the archway, and he looked back and said something to them. Then he smiled, and he went around the corner.

  He fired the first shot.

  The other three prisoners stepped out into the hallway and opened fire. It only took moments for Ambrose’s men to fight back, and one of the four survivors hit the tile floor almost immediately.

  Gabriel, Charlie, and Will positioned themselves just outside the archway, and shot at the guards.

  When one of the other prisoners hit the ground, Joe yelled out. Then he ran across the lobby toward the door to the cafeteria. He screamed like a warrior, firing his gun as he ran.

  A bullet caught the left side of his body and he fell down.

  “Shit,” Will said.

  “That came from the office,” Gabriel said. “There’s definitely people over there.”

  The final standing prisoner fell, but not without getting off another shot that took down the last guard that Gabriel and the others could see.

  The lobby went silent, and the group stood still.

  “I’m gonna look and see how many are left,” Gabriel whispered.

  “What about Joe and the others?” Holly asked.

  “It’s too risky,” Gabriel said. “We’re gonna have to wait to help them.”

  “Be careful,” Charlie said.

  Gabriel crouched down and went to the archway. He put his back against the wall, his rifle ready in his hands. He looked to the four prisoners. Only Joe appeared to still be moving, as Gabriel watched him slide his leg across the tile floor.

  Drawing in a deep breath, Gabriel looked around the corner.

  To his surprise, the ambush had worked. The three guards who’d been sitting behind the desk now lay motionless on the ground. Against the wall, one guard lay sprawled on the floor and another was slumped against the wall. Shots rang outside, but no sound came from inside the lobby as smoke rose into the air, following the short battle.

  Gabriel looked to the others and signaled them to follow. Before they could protest, he moved around the corner. He remained crouched and close to the wall. When he arrived near the corner to where the wall caved into itself, he stood up straight and stopped.

  “Gabriel, wait for us,” Holly hissed.

  He looked back and put his finger to his lips.

  Will yelled, “Gabriel!”

  Gabriel turned back to see Derek raising a handgun, at point blank range from him. Just as the barrel reached the height of Gabriel’s head, he grabbed onto Derek’s wrist and pushed the gun away from his face. Derek pulled the trigger. The shot went off in Gabriel’s ear, and he immediately heard the ring. But the bullet missed, soaring past him.

  Still holding onto Derek’s wrist, Gabriel drew the pistol from his side. He shoved it under Derek’s chin and turned his eyes as he pulled the trigger.

  He let go of Derek’s wrist as his body fell limp.

  “No!”

  The scream came from Will. Gabriel turned back and saw Will kneeled next to Holly, his hand pressed against her shoulder. She was slumped against the wall, and Will’s hand was red with blood. The bullet from Derek’s gun had missed Gabriel, but it had hit Holly in her right shoulder. Gabriel ran to her.

  “Oh, shit.”

  Tears rolled down Holly’s face. “It hurts.”

  “It’s gonna be all right,” Gabriel said.

  Glass fell to the ground at the entrance of the school as the front doors opened. Gabriel turned and pointed his gun, but Will put his hand on his friend’s shoulder.

  “It’s okay,” Will said. “They’re with us.” Will stood up. “Timothy, come quick!”

  An older man ran over and kneeled down next to Holly.

  “When did this happen?” Timothy asked Will.

  “Just now.”

  Timothy looked over his shoulder to one of the men with him. “Go get Doug and tell him to bring his medical kit, now!”

  “Is she going to be okay?” Will asked.

  “She should be fine,” Timothy said. “She’s obviously just in a lot of pain.”

  “You’ve gotta go help Joe and the other prisoners,” Holly said. “I can wait.”

  “Holly, no.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “Someone just needs to keep pressure on her wound,” Timothy said. “I can go check on the others.”

  “We’ve gotta go in there and get Jessica and Claire,” Gabriel said.

  “I’ll go with him,” Charlie said. “You stay here with Holly.”

  “No,” Will said. “I’m going with him. You stay with her and do what the doctor asks. Here, come down here and take my spot. Keep pressure on it until Timothy can stop the bleeding.”

  Charlie took over and Will stood up.

  “You sure?” Gabriel asked.

  “Yeah,” Will said. “Let’s go get them.”

  “Just the two of you?” Timothy asked.

  “It’s better this way,” Gabriel said. “If we go storming in there like an army and he is indeed in there with our friends, then there’s no doubt; he’ll kill them immediately.”

  “Be careful,” Holly said.

  Gabriel and Will looked at each other and nodded, and then they headed toward the office.

  Gabriel opened the door.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  For the second time, Gabriel walked through the school’s office. It looked untouched and exactly the same as it had the last time he’d been there. Though no one was in the main office, he knew that Ambrose stood behind the door in front of him.

  “Ambrose,” Gabriel called out. “We know you’re in there. Your men are all dead; it’s over.”

  No response.

  Will said, “Just come out.”

  “Nothing is over,” Ambrose said.

  “You think he’s in there alone?” Will whispered. Gabriel shrugged.

  “I’ve got two things in here you want. Or should I say, two lovely ladies I know you want.”

  Gabriel’s heart skipped a beat.

  “Don’t hurt them,” Gabriel said. “Let’s talk.”

  “Talk? Your friends come in here, guns blazin’, and now you wanna talk?” He laughed. “Yeah, we’ll talk.”

  Gabriel looked over to Will. “He’ll kill them.”

  “Then we gotta get in there, now.”

  Will started to brace to charge the door, but Gabriel grabbed onto him. “Wait.”

  “Put down your guns, and open the door slowly,” Ambrose said.

  Will looked at Gabriel and shook his head.

  “The blonde one is hurt,” Ambrose said. “She needs medical attention, so I suggest that you hurry up and do as I say.”

  Keeping his eyes locked on Will’s, Gabriel pulled the rifle over his head and set it down onto the ground. Will still looked hesitant to do as Ambrose demanded.

  “Tell your boy there that he better put that shit down now, or I’ll blow Jessica’s brains out.”

  Gabriel looked above the door and noticed the camera. He tapped on Will’s arm and pointed to it.

  “That’s right, I can see you. Now, put down the fucking gun.”

  Will sighed and cursed. He took off the rifle and lay it down.

  “Good,” Ambrose said. “Is that all you have? Show me the holsters
.”

  “That’s all we’ve got, Nathan,” Gabriel said. “You’ve got our friends in there. Think we’re gonna risk them?”

  “Show me.”

  Shaking his head in frustration, Gabriel flashed his empty holster to the camera. He told Will to do the same, and he did.

  “You tell the truth,” Ambrose said. “Good. Now, step toward the door.”

  Gabriel went to the door and Will followed.

  “Slowly come in.”

  Pushing down on the handle, Gabriel opened the door.

  Ambrose stood on the other side of the desk, using Jessica as a shield as he held a revolver against her rib cage. Gabriel scanned the room, looking for Claire. He was about to ask Ambrose if he’d lied about her being there when he noticed the feet on the ground. He went to peak around the desk, but Ambrose stopped him.

  “Don’t move unless I tell you to,” Ambrose said. “I can assure you: that’s your friend.”

  “What is it that you want?” Will asked.

  “Well, I don’t believe that I’ve gotten your name.”

  “His name is Will,” Gabriel said.

  Ambrose smirked. “Well, well, you’re Will. I have to tell you that I’ve been so anxious to meet you. Jessica here had some fun things to say about you in her diary. She really likes you, you know that? Is it true that you were bit and survived? Because I’d sure like to know how that’s possible.”

  Will didn’t respond. He left his firm glare on Ambrose.

  “Just tell us what you want,” Gabriel said.

  “I already told you what I wanted before. But you had to go and fuck that up, didn’t you?”

  “I’m just trying to survive,” Gabriel said.

  “Aren’t we all?” Ambrose laughed. “I gotta give you some credit, though. That shit you pulled, getting the crowd on your side; it was smart. You knew I couldn’t kill you without having a riot on my hands.”

  “As I said: I just want to live. So, how do we all get out of here alive?”

  Ambrose smiled. “You’ve got to be out of your fucking mind if you think you’re making it out of here alive. The only question I’m asking myself is which one of you assholes I’m gonna kill first.”

  Jessica closed her eyes and bit her lip. When she opened them again, Gabriel told her that everything was going to be okay.

  Ambrose scoffed. “You just keep telling her that. Maybe I’ll just kill them first and make you watch. How about that?” He jammed the gun into Jessica’s ribs, and she squirmed and squealed.

  Will stepped forward, stopping only when he reached the edge of the desk. “If you’re gonna shoot somebody, asshole, shoot me. Leave them out of this.”

  “Will, stop,” Gabriel said.

  A bigger smile grew across Ambrose’s face. “As you wish.”

  He pulled the gun’s barrel away from Jessica, lifting it and pointing it at Will’s chest.

  “Don’t do this,” Gabriel said.

  Ambrose shook his head. “It’s too late.”

  Aiming the gun higher, Ambrose now pointed it at Will’s head.

  “You got any last words?” Ambrose asked Will.

  “Fuck you.”

  Gabriel kept waiting for the gun to go off and kill his friend, but then he heard the first snarl.

  There was a low rumbling growl, and Ambrose turned his attention away from the prisoners and looked onto the floor.

  “What the—”

  A snarl was followed by a crunch which sounded like someone biting into an apple. Ambrose grimaced and his legs buckled. The aim of the gun shifted above Will’s head and went off, sending a bullet into the wall.

  “Jessica, move!” Gabriel shouted. She did, running to the door and exiting the room.

  Even through all the pain, Gabriel leaped over the desk and tackled Ambrose, sending the gun flying out of his hand. They fell to the ground, and Ambrose continued to scream. Gabriel heard ripping and tearing, and the smell hit his nose immediately. He rocked back when Ambrose punched him in the face.

  “Get off me!” Ambrose shouted.

  Gabriel looked down to his feet and saw Claire tearing into Ambrose’s leg. Blood spit out from the wound. Gabriel fought to get up, but Ambrose had thirty, perhaps even fifty pounds on him.

  Claire pulled away from Ambrose’s leg and looked up. Her eyes had gone pale and vacant. Blood covered her mouth and cheeks. It dyed her blonde hair. She snarled as Gabriel looked into her cold, dead, Empty eyes.

  She dipped her head again, and Gabriel felt his heart jump. He waited for the pain of her teeth diving into his leg, but instead Ambrose screamed again. He grabbed hold of Gabriel’s shoulder. The hand moved down to Gabriel’s throat.

  Gabriel’s eyes bulged as Ambrose choked the life out of him.

  “You’re coming with me,” Ambrose said. He gripped Gabriel’s throat harder. “You’re coming—”

  There was the bang of a gunshot, and Ambrose’s grip loosened. His head went limp, slamming into Gabriel’s nose.

  Another gunshot married with a scream, and the snarling at Gabriel’s legs ceased.

  Ambrose’s weight came off of him, and he saw Will.

  “I couldn’t get a good shot,” Will said. “He was all over you.”

  With Ambrose off of Gabriel, Will reached down and offered his hand. He took it, gripping Will’s wrist as he was lifted off the ground.

  The door opened and Jessica rushed back into the room.

  “Oh, God,” Jessica said.

  Gabriel looked to her and saw that she had noticed Claire’s body on the ground.

  “They poisoned her,” Jessica said. “She might have been dead long before you guys got here.”

  “How’s Holly?” Will asked.

  “She’s gonna be all right,” Jessica said. “Timothy and Charlie are with her.”

  “And the others?” Gabriel asked.

  Jessica shook her head.

  “Shit.”

  As they exited the office, Gabriel listened. The gunfire outside had ceased.

  “Is it over?” Gabriel asked.

  Timothy nodded. “Whoever was left surrendered. My people have a small group of prisoners outside.”

  Gabriel looked to Will. He patted Will on the shoulder and said, “Thank you for coming to get me.”

  He pulled Will in for an embrace, and then Will went to be with Holly.

  “What are we going to do with the prisoners?” Timothy asked.

  Gabriel pondered this for a moment. He thought about his time at the school, and everything these people had done to him. Then he thought of Timothy. Some of his people had been killed, coming to rescue him and Jessica.

  “How many people did you lose in the fight?” Gabriel asked.

  Timothy bowed his head and shrugged. “We’re not quite sure yet. But I think it was at least a dozen. One of my guys is out there trying to find all the bodies right now and gather names.”

  “Well, you’re as much a part of this decision as I am,” Gabriel said. “Your people came here and sacrificed for us. So we have to make this decision together.”

  For several minutes, they thought about it before collectively arriving at a decision. Together, they left the office, heading outside the school.

  When they walked outside, Gabriel felt like he should pinch himself just to see if he was dreaming. Bodies lay sprawled everywhere. They spread out from the parking lot, up the stairs, and all the way up to the front door. Blood surrounded his feet. Sitting around the flagpole were the prisoners, each with their hands behind their head. Timothy’s men stood with assault rifles and shotguns fixed on them. A few of Ambrose’s men were awaiting medical attention, but Timothy had somebody tending to his own injured people first.

  Gabriel turned his attention back to the prisoners sitting around the flagpole. Their eyes shifted toward him as he approached.

  “Are you gonna kill us?” Gabriel hadn’t seen this man during his time at the school.

  “What do you think we should do wi
th you?” Gabriel asked.

  “With all the shit that Ambrose put you through? Well, I suppose that if I was in your shoes, I’d probably kill me.”

  “Then I suppose you’re lucky that I’m not you.” He looked over to Timothy’s men. “Let them go.”

  One of Timothy’s men scratched his face. “Let them go? They killed a dozen of our people. And you expect us just to let them go?” He looked over to Timothy. “Timothy, we can’t do this.”

  “Brian, let them go,” Timothy said.

  One by one, Ambrose’s men stood up. Gabriel approached the man he’d been talking to.

  “Don’t think about coming back here and trying to build this place back into a prison. My people here will be watching this place closely, and there’s a lot more of them than what showed up here today. Got it?”

  Ambrose’s man smiled, and not a friendly smile. “Yeah, we got it.”

  Timothy said to a small group of his men, “Lead them a few miles down the road. Then come back here and guard this place until we can get back. If they try to return, shoot ‘em.”

  Timothy’s men nodded.

  Ambrose’s men who’d been injured were loaded into the back of the pickup truck. It followed the rest of the guards out of the school. When they were far enough away, Timothy’s group would let the men take the truck, but not give them any weapons.

  Gabriel turned to Timothy and extended his hand. The doctor accepted the handshake.

  “I can’t thank you enough.”

  “Well, your friends here are good people. They helped us out, and we like to help look after good people.” He glanced at the bodies on the ground. “It doesn’t look like there’s many of those around anymore. We need to stick together.”

  They spent some time scouring the school for things they could use. They found food, medical supplies, generators, and more weapons than they could even take with them. Later, they could come back for what they couldn’t take on the first trip. They also went back to the room where the male prisoners were. The ones who hadn’t been able to help in the fight. One of the men was beyond saving. Timothy gave him enough morphine to make him comfortable. He died before they left. The other man was carried up front with the other injured people. He would be taken back to Timothy’s community.