Hellspawn (Book 4): Hellspawn Requiem

by Ricky Fleet

  “Yeah, three of them. We could see the smoke for a while over towards Hilsea and Drayton.”

  “That was the admiral firing missiles at the three routes on to the island. Our objective will be to fortify what remains of the western bridge and then clear Portsmouth to allow our naval assets to dock. They may never set sail again, but their firepower will be a welcome addition to our fight against the undead.”

  “Did you say missiles?” Harkiss wondered. “Why not use a few shells from the main gun? Talk about using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.”

  “I did wonder the same myself, but the captain says the admiral explained he wanted to retain all ordnance which can be used for close cover.”

  “Makes sense,” Harkiss replied.

  “And what do we do until then?” Derby asked, “We’ve been doing nothing for so long I’m not sure I can take much more.”

  Eldridge nodded in agreement, “I know how you feel, but that ends today. I am looking for a few brave souls that are willing to come with me and rescue survivors from the mainland. We will be taking the Warthogs east across the water to Witterings, then heading north. If DB and Jonesy are safe, we hope to pick them up along the way around the Ford area.”

  “Do you think they are ok?” Harkiss asked quietly, betraying the feelings beneath the bravado.

  “You know how tough those bastards are,” Derby chimed in, “If IED’s and the Taliban can’t kill them, a bunch of wandering corpses don’t stand a chance.”

  “Exactly!” Eldridge replied with a grin. “I know they’re out there somewhere and we will find them.”

  “When do you think we’ll be mobile?”

  “Within a day at most. Engineers are doing inspections of the vehicles right now and it looks like they are practically ready to roll. Morrow is working around the clock on recon and Graff is trying to hail Jonesy and DB every fifteen minutes. If their radios are damaged or they can’t find batteries, we will be relying on the Watchkeeper drone to spot them.”

  “Morrow’s like a bloodhound, he’ll find them,” Derby proclaimed.

  From the tannoy system the sound of Captain Hayward’s voice came through.

  Troops, as you will by now have heard I am in command. I intend to meet each and every one of you over the coming days to thank you personally for your bravery and resilience. You have survived the most horrific months imaginable and I am proud to have you at my disposal. The base alarm will be sounding in ten minute intervals over the next few days during daylight hours. I intend, with your help of course, to thin the numbers in the area significantly. To this end, I want every soldier mustered on the parade ground in thirty minutes so I can address you in person. Captain Hayward, out.

  “You heard the man, move out!” yelled Sergeant Holbeck.

  Around the hall, people cleared their plates away and bundled out of the room. A sense of hope and excitement had settled on the fatigued soldiers at the chance to fight back. Eldridge smiled as she followed; the first battle had been a rout by the dead, but the war was just beginning.

  ****

  Captain Hayward climbed onto a hastily erected podium, staring out over the gathered soldiers.

  “Attention!” barked a sergeant and they all brought boots together and saluted their new commander.

  “At ease,” Hayward ordered after returning the salute.

  The zombies in the distance could see the waiting meal and their gurgled moans carried on the chilled wind. Hayward glanced their way with a look of revulsion and then returned his gaze to his troops.

  “Firstly, thank you for your support during this unfortunate transition. You are a testament to what makes our military world class and I only wish we could have served together under better circumstances. I will get right down to business so we can return to the warmth of the barracks. There will be many among you that will be furious with my first order, but this comes right from the top and I do agree with the principle. Those men who were loyal to Lieutenant Baxter will not be executed for their crimes, and as I understand it, the worst offenders died in the battle anyway.”

  Scowls and murmurs of protest were few, which only reinforced the captain’s respect for the men and women. Their complaints would be aired in the privacy of the bunks or mess halls later.

  “They have been stripped of rank and privilege, and will serve as manual labour only. Any ill treatment of them, however justified, will be punished without exception. This is a global struggle for our very survival and any living person is too valuable to dispose of in such a senseless fashion. I completely understand any misgivings you may have, but I ask you to try and see the bigger picture.”

  A shrill, piercing cacophony burst from the base alarm and interrupted his speech for a few seconds. It also provided a moment for the troops to digest the unpalatable request.

  Once it had fallen silent, he continued, “Our next order of business is what do we do now? Remnants of the armed forces are fortifying positions in the mountains and you will be seeing Chinooks come and go over the next few weeks taking any spare supplies to aid that effort. I would rather airlift them back to base, but there are too many for that to be a possibility. What I can promise you all is that your days of sitting here waiting for the end are over, tomorrow you will be arming up and destroying those bloody creatures!” He pointed towards the gatehouse and the massed horde.

  A chorus of cheers erupted from the soldiers and the captain held up his hands to quell the excitement.

  “Once that is complete, we will face our most dangerous challenge. We need to secure Portsmouth to allow the Royal Navy to dock safely.”

  He let that sink in for a few seconds and was awed by the stern faces staring back. Not a glint of fear was evident in the crowd and he nodded with respect.

  “In the meantime, myself and Private Eldridge need volunteers for a mission. To facilitate the assault on the city, we need more people and to this end we are going to be pushing out into the surrounding areas. It will be dangerous, of that you can be sure, but you will be protected by the armour of the Warthogs we have left over after the war in Afghanistan.”

  Like a jack in the box, every arm in the crowd shot into the air and he couldn’t hide the chuckle.

  “You continue to astound me. Once you are dismissed, you may put your name down on the list for consideration. We need to balance the requirements of the mission against the needs of the base itself, so certain personnel will not be permitted to join, I hope you understand. For now, rest, eat, and prepare your weapons for tomorrow. Dismissed!”

  As one, the group stood to attention and saluted again, before filing back into the buildings.

  ****

  Hayward and Eldridge were talking in muted tones about the logistics of the coming foray when they were interrupted by the sprinting form of Morrow.

  Taking a few deep breaths to compose himself, he was bubbling with elation, “Sir, I’ve found something amazing.”

  “Well don’t leave us on tenterhooks, private. What is it?”

  “I figured that any survivors would need water, so I followed the mouth of the River Arun northward. I found two structures with survivors, and not just a handful. There are hundreds.”

  “How is that possible?” Eldridge gasped.

  For the first time, Morrow’s animation waned, “That is where the not quite so good news comes in.”

  After a few silent seconds, Hayward spoke up impatiently, “Are you going to share, or do I need to guess, private?”

  “Sorry, sir. The largest concentration of living people is at Ford prison…”

  “Oh,” replied the captain, finally understanding his reluctance.

  “From what I’ve seen, the guards aren’t in control anymore. There are prisoners patrolling the walls.”

  “That’s troubling news,” mused the captain, “I’ll need to give their situation some thought.”

  “I recorded a smaller heat signature inside Arundel Castle,” Morrow continued, “You should c
ome and take a look, it’s quite amazing what has gone on there.”

  Frowning at the statement, Eldridge and Hayward followed behind the UAV specialist. They entered the control suite and closed the door behind them, before looking at the screens.

  “I’ve set the bird on autopilot circling the castle at ten thousand feet. Let me zoom in a little,” Morrow explained and twisted a dial which focussed the camera.

  Evidence of conflict covered the inner grounds, with hundreds of gory green patches visible and a smouldering fire outside the walls.

  “That was one hell of a battle,” whispered Morrow and the captain could only agree.

  “It must be our guys,” Eldridge insisted, pointing, “Look at the blood everywhere and the way the bodies have been cleared. And look at those scorch marks, those are grenade blasts!”

  “Do you really think two soldiers could have done all this?” Hayward was stunned.

  “Judging by the size of the funeral pyre, I’d say they must’ve had help. Those aren’t just bullet wounds either, it looks like some have been hacked to death.”

  The clarity of the picture wasn’t perfect, but the deep slash marks were clear each time it passed the pile of charred corpses.

  “I think you’re right,” Hayward noted, leaning in closer, “Private, where are the survivors?”

  “One moment, sir,” Morrow replied, changing the camera angle and switching to thermal imaging, “There.”

  On the screen was the outline of the living quarters and, sure enough, a blob of heat was displayed.

  “Isn’t that too hot to be a living being?” asked the captain, “Could it just be a fire.”

  “It’s both, sir, look,” Morrow grinned, switching the display and revealing the smoke drifting from the chimney stacks, before switching back to thermal, “They are all gathered around the fire in one of the rooms.”

  “Any idea how many may be inside?” Eldridge asked, barely able to contain herself at the possibility her friends were not only alive, but safe and secure too.

  “I’m afraid not, the heat from the fires throws everything off. I can keep you updated as and when I get clarification?”

  “Please do,” replied Hayward, patting him on the back, “That’s great work, private.”

  “Thank you, sir. I need to refuel and then I can have her back in the air later this afternoon.”

  “See to it.”

  Eldridge followed her superior from the room, but not before hugging Morrow.

  Hurrying to catch up, she said, “Sorry, sir.”

  “Nothing to be sorry for. After the hell you’ve all been through, a win is just what everyone needs.”

  “So, you don’t want me to keep this as a need-to-know?”

  “No. I think the soldiers could do with the morale boost,” he answered, stopping in the corridor and turning to her, “What do you think?”

  “I agree. It will mean the world to them to know they may be alive. What about the prison, though?”

  “All that manpower would be incredible if we could utilise it, but that depends on what is actually occurring within those walls. My opinion is that you and your team should make contact with the prison first, radio in with your findings and then head north to the castle.”

  “And if we receive a hostile reception, do we have permission to engage?”

  “Of course, but I doubt they would be foolish enough to antagonise a heavily armed squad of soldiers.”

  “With all due respect, sir, I wouldn’t attribute too much logic to people who have been imprisoned for their crimes,” Eldridge cautioned.

  “Fair point, private. Go and tell the others of the good news and prepare for tomorrow. I will let comms know we have a possible sighting and to redouble efforts to reach them.”

  “Yes, sir,” Eldridge saluted and marched away, tingling with joy. She just knew it was her brothers in arms inside the castle walls.

  CHAPTER 17

  “Comfortable?” Kurt asked.

  “As comfortable as I can be tied to a chair,” Winston replied, wiggling his toes, “Thanks for the trainers, I’d be able to feel my feet again if my ankles weren’t bound so tightly.”

  “It’s just a precaution until we know what we’re dealing with,” Jonesy explained, “Someone your size could do a lot of damage if they wanted to.”

  “A fat joke,” Winston rocked his head back and fake laughed, “I’ll never tire of them.”

  “I was actually talking about your strength. Even with a damaged arm you still managed to pull yourself up over the wall without much help.”

  “Oh,” Winston said quietly, “Thanks.”

  “That’s not taking into account you claim to have fought your way here on your own,” Kurt added, wielding the hatchet which they had found at the farm weeks ago.

  “I did have the help of a forty-ton crane.”

  “Did you drive cranes before the apocalypse?” Kurt wondered.

  “About the only thing I drove before everyone died was my parents crazy. They were always disappointed with me and made sure to let me know.”

  Ignoring the boy’s pained expression, Kurt continued, “Being able to get it running and trundle all the way here shows ingenuity. Just the sort of thing two psychopaths could use to infiltrate this place.”

  “If I was leading an attack, wouldn’t it have made more sense to use the crane to infiltrate straight through one of the gates?”

  “Maybe, maybe not. They know we’re armed and may have decided to try the old Trojan horse trick?”

  “I didn’t know they made horse sized condoms,” Winston remarked and Jonesy burst out laughing.

  “I can assure you they do,” he chuckled.

  “Shut up.” DB pushed his friend, “I’ve seen you cut the fingertips from latex gloves to use. Small latex gloves I might add.”

  “Hey, you need to stop looking or people will get the wrong idea.”

  Winston could see the stern look on Kurt’s face, “My apologies, I know what you meant. It was used by the Greeks to sack the city of Troy by allowing enemies to get inside the walls.”

  “Then you can understand my legitimate fears,” Kurt replied.

  “I do,” Winston acknowledged, “But I have no way of proving my innocence one way or the other.”

  “Convince us then,” Gloria added from the back of the room, “I pride myself on my ability to sense a person’s character, and you, young man, seem to have goodness in spades. I sense no malice or subterfuge in you, but I could be wrong.”

  “Ok, this is the absolute truth,” Winston sighed, “My parents didn’t want me and I’ve never had any friends. I tried to help people at the college when we were attacked but they all died and there was nothing I could do to save them. For some reason, I managed to make it across the motorway with all hell breaking loose around me. Most of the nuns didn’t want us there and they blamed our decadence for ‘God’s just punishment’ as they called it. We heard a gunshot a few days ago and then Mike and Debbie barged through into the chapel followed by the zombies. I only just made it over the wall in time and I thought they would shoot me too. Debbie was a bitch, attractive, but still a bitch. I couldn’t fathom Mike at first, but in the end I think he liked me, as if I was a little brother. He stuck up for me when she called me names and I’d never had anyone do that for me before. I thought I’d be safer inside the prison but when I saw the type of people in charge, I bolted. They scared the shit out of me, pardon my French.”

  “You expect us to believe you willingly joined two mass murderers?” DB was sceptical.

  “Willingly? No. I just didn’t want to be alone.”

  “And they just let you go, knowing you were coming here?” Kurt shook his head in disbelief.

  “They don’t know I’m here. After what they told me about how ruthless you all are, I doubt they would even suspect I’d try.”

  “They know we’ll kill them as soon as we get the chance for what they did,” Braiden snarled

&
nbsp; “I don’t know anything about that.”

  Seeing no point in lying to the trussed boy, Kurt explained, “They tried to kill myself and Braiden at the hospital, but failed. One of our dear friends sacrificed herself to save our lives. She was one of the loveliest people I’d ever had the privilege to meet.”

  “I’m sorry,” Winston whispered, with genuine remorse.

  “Not as sorry as they’ll be when I get hold of them,” Braiden declared, voice cracking with hatred.

  “I think he gets it, mate,” Sam whispered in Braiden’s ear.

  “I do,” nodded Winston, “I can’t begin to imagine how close you must’ve become through all of this. I’d want revenge too.”

  “Even though it would be against people you care about? That’s not very loyal,” Jonesy tutted.

  “It’s complicated,” Winston said miserably.

  Gloria spoke up to defend him, “Until you have experienced loneliness like this poor child, none of you can understand. Any emotional contact is like offering a drink of water to someone dying of thirst in the desert. They will latch onto it, regardless of whether it is positive or negative.”

  “I didn’t know you were a shrink, Miss?” said Sam.

  “Adolescent behaviour was the basis of my PhD thesis. I was determined to help as many of my students as possible avoid a life of crime. Gangs will often target the vulnerable to exploit their need to belong. It’s what can turn otherwise normal children into thieves, drug dealers, and in the worst cases, murderers.”

  “If it helps, I’ve never stolen anything or dealt drugs,” Winston added.

  “Really?” Gloria frowned.

  “Well… ok, maybe I stole candy and potato chips from empty houses during the night, but I figured the owners wouldn’t need them anymore since they only seem to crave warm meat now.”

  “No mention about not murdering people?” DB raised an eyebrow.

  “I’ve killed a few hundred zombies if that counts?” Winston replied.

  “You know it doesn’t,” Kurt remarked.

  “I’m not Mike and Debbie, I don’t think I’d be able to hurt someone like that.”