by Phil Maxey
Streams of bullets tore into the creature which fell back off the side of the military vehicle. It regained its standing and continued clawing at the APC, which was now starting to move away with the others in front of it.
Zach glanced up as dark shadows slid across the ground in front of him. The sky was alive with wings and claw. He got back up and ran across to where Fiona was. “We have to get out of here, join—” Before he could finish an almighty roar echoed around them, which sounded part ape part lion.
The APC’s were already a hundred yards away, with one of the tanks. Zach looked back at the other tank just in time to see the soldiers scrambling out of it and an ape like fist the size of a semi-truck slam down, crumpling the front of it.
Bower was right, this was the same species they had encountered before. It lumbered after one of the solders who was running towards a nearby building, grabbing and crushing him instantly. Other soldiers fired a few shots and then gave up and ran.
Zach turned to Fiona who was standing frozen, a look of terror on her face. He grabbed her arm, and they ran into a small grassy area, surrounded on three sides by the walls and windows of a community center. He charged for the first door he could see and kicked it open. As they both dived inside, the ground behind them shuddered and the creature ran past them in the direction of the convoy that had just left. Zach scrambled, pushing the door closed, then knelt looking out of the window.
“I think it’s going after the convoy!” he said, then clicked on the radio. “Bower, what can you see? Over.”
“We had to get off the roof, we’re making our way onto one of the floors, I’ll be able to tell you soon. Over.” Bowers voice echoed and the sound of boots could be heard around him.
Zach looked at Fiona. She was sitting with her knees up against the far wall of the small entrance lobby, rocking back and forwards sobbing. He ran over to her, and went to put his hand on her shoulder, but she pushed it away.
“What’s the point, we’re all going to die! Just leave me be!”
“Fiona, I know the world doesn’t make any sense to you right now, but you’re alive, I’m alive and so are a whole lot of other people which might have to depend on us to keep them that way.”
She looked up at him with tearful eyes. “He’s dead Zach.”
Zach tried putting his hand on her arm again, this time she let him. “I miss him too. Right now he would be telling us to do what we got to do to stay alive.”
She looked down, nodding. “I know,” she swallowed. “Okay, what do we have to do.”
Zach clicked on his radio. “Bower, what you got for me? Over.”
“They’re gone Zach.”
“What’s gone? The creatures?“
“No Zach, the convoy it’s been destroyed. I think we saw a soldier or two make it out, and hide in some of the nearby buildings, but the APC’s were entirely crushed. All the councilors are dead. What are orders, sir? Over.”
Zach sat back heavily.
“They planned this,” said Fiona.
Zach moved back to the entrance and looked out towards where they came from. The flying creatures above their heads had gone, and the ground wasn’t shaking anymore. He clicked on his radio. “Stay where you are. Stay hidden, we will make our way to—” A clanking sound rang out from the church and its doors slowly opened.
Zach held the radio while watching. “Hold on. Over.”
People started filing out of the church onto the sidewalk outside. Most of them looked exhausted. Finally Troy and the others he introduced appeared. Even from this distance Zach could see he was smiling.
Fiona knelt next to Zach and looked out. “They’re Cascaders, the people around him. They used them to control the E.L.F’s to destroy us.”
Zach sighed. “I should have known this is what they would do. This is on me.”
Fiona looked at him angrily. “Oh no, don’t do that. This was Holland and the other councilors doing. They were too gutless to stand up to these fucks, and now look what its got them.”
They continued watching as Troy patted some of the Cascaders on their backs. Some smiled in response, but others looked like they just wanted to leave.
“I wonder if this was Geneva’s plan all along. He never struck me as a great military thinker,” said Fiona.
“It doesn’t matter how we got to this situation. We gotta figure a way out of it. They might attack the camp again soon.”
“And without any one in charge, they will be able to walk straight in.”
“Even with new people in charge it might not be enough.”
She pulled her rifle from over her shoulder. “We could kill that Troy now, I’m not Cal but I think I could take him from this range.”
Just as Zach considered what Fiona was asking, the sound of truck engines came from the street. The people standing looked to their right, and two army trucks pulled up, together with two pickups. Troy and his people got in the first pickup. It wasn’t long before everyone was onboard a vehicle and they left.
Zach clicked on his radio. “I think the gangs people are leaving, we will give it twenty minutes then make our way to you. Over.”
CHAPTER 26
Zach crept slowly across the damp grass outside the community center. The only sound was Fiona behind him as she closed the door to the office they hid in. He ran further forward and knelt near the wall of the building looking east and west along the street. The crumpled tank lay in the distance to the east.
“Let’s check out the church before we join the others,” he said to Fiona behind him.
Both of them ran, keeping low and trying to scout the terrain around them for any signs of E.L.F’s or the gang. Soon they were running up the steps to the open doors of the church. Inside the lobby area the air felt cool. Zach walked into the main hall and looked around, there was no sign of anyone. He shook his head then started to head back out, when a noise came from behind a small arched door off to the side. He immediately raised his rifle and walked towards it.
“Whoever the fuck is in there, you better put down any guns and come out real—”
“Major? Is that you?”
Zach recognized the voice. “Councilor Sawyer? Is that you?”
The door opened with a creak and the slim nervous looking man appeared from the small office beyond.
“Oh, thank God, have they gone? When I heard all the commotion outside, I just ran in here and hid. I thought Troy and his people would find me!”
“I see,” said Zach peering into the small room Sawyer had just emerged from.
Sawyer briefly brushed off some dust from his suit. “Where are the other councilors? Did they escape?”
“No, I’m afraid they were all killed along with a lot of their protection.”
Sawyer hung his head. “This is a tragedy.”
“I guess that makes you in charge, sir,” the words grated on Zach as he said them.
Sawyer nodded. “Yes it does. Do you have transport? We need to get back to the camp as soon as possible.”
“There’s a squad nearby, they do. Follow me.”
Sawyer and Zach walked back to the lobby.
The sound of the gunshot echoed around the inside of the large open space, bouncing off the walls. Zach immediately fell to the side and raised his gun in the direction of the deafening noise.
Fiona’s rifle was raised to the side of him. It was then he realized he was covered in splatters of blood, and that they weren’t his own.
His view shifted to his side. Sawyer was lying dead against the wall.
“What the fuck have you done?” shouted Zach.
Fiona’s face had more in common with a statue than the woman he knew. “He was one of them.”
“Who?” Zach was still leaning up against the wall, with his gun lowered.
“He was working for the gang, probably their top agent in the camp. He’s the reason the vote went against the Cascaders. He’s the reason I’m sure the dam and the food stores were sabot
aged.”
“And you got evidence of this?”
Fiona hesitated. “I got over a decade of dealing with pieces of crap like this on the job. I trust my gut.”
Zach looked back down at the last councilor the camp had. “We need to go,” he said while wiping the crimson drops from his clothes.
They stepped outside and pulled the doors closed behind them. As they turned they heard a noise and raised their guns to the left, then lowered them. Two soldiers, one helping the other who was limping, were walking slowly across the road towards them.
Zach and Fiona ran to them.
“How badly you hurt son?” said Zach to the soldier in worse shape.
The young man smiled. “Just damaged my ankle is all, I’m fine, sir. We heard a gunshot was that you?”
“Err, yeah, we thought we saw an E.L.F, but we were wrong,” said Zach. “There’s one of our squads a few hundred yards from here that we’re meeting up with, you good to go that far?”
“Definitely, sir!”
Zach walked to the other side of the soldier, placing his arm under the young mans shoulder, and all four started walking back slowly towards the tall building.
“Did they get away, sir?” said the other soldier helping.
“Who?” said Zach.
“The councilors? We have not heard anything on our radios.”
Zach shook his head. “No, they did not.”
The soldier did the same. “The E.L.F’s, they just all came down on us, we couldn’t target the things quickly enough.”
“It’s okay, you stood tall, this wasn’t your fault.”
Minutes later as they walked over some rail tracks a cool wind blew and flickers of blue started to appear amongst the clouds above.
In the distance Bower was standing close to one of the Humvee’s him and his squad arrived in. He jumped in the drivers seat and soon was pulling up alongside Zach and the others.
Everyone got inside, with Zach getting in the front passengers seat.
“I got my squad out looking for other survivors. They found another three soldiers but confirmed the councilors are dead,” said Bower. “We couldn’t find Sawyer though, maybe he got away. Did you see anything back where you were?”
“No, there was no one there. I saw Sawyer killed by one of the E.L.F’s when this all started.”
“So that’s all the councilors dead then,” said Bower.
Zach nodded.
“This situation is a clusterfuck of immense proportions,“ Bower looked behind him awkwardly. “Pardon my language ma’am.”
Fiona briefly smiled.
“The drones should have picked up the E.L.F’s approaching the town, and where the hell are the Apaches?” said Bower.
“Nothing on comms?” said Zach.
“We’re just outside the range from the camp, and nobody is picking up where the choppers were stationed. We have to assume they were destroyed as well.” Bower shook his head, while his hand tightened on the wheel. “The Hell Fire gang has to know the hole we’re in. They will attack the camp I’m sure of it.”
“We’re not done yet,” said Zach.
As a vehicle belonging to Bowers squad pulled up, Zach looked up at the sun breaking through the clouds. “Let’s get back.”
CHAPTER 27
Garland, Zach, Abbey, Fiona and Elijah sat around a modest table in General Trow’s former office. On the table was a printed map of the camp, it’s walls and the surrounding areas. Only one light swung gently above their heads, keeping most of the hewn rock walls in shadow.
Garland swallowed before talking. “Our drones were destroyed by flying E.L.F’s. So were most of our Apaches, accept two that managed to make it back to the safety of the camp.”
“It was all a trap,” said Elijah.
“Yes, it would seem so.“
“In all likelihood they will blockade each of the gates, stopping us from leaving. Cutting us of from the outside world, while they secure their hold on the rest of the country.”
Garland sat back in her chair.
“Won’t the walls hold them back though?” said Abbey.
“They were designed to keep back animals, even mutated ones, not tank and artillery shells,” said Zach.
“We need a plan,” said Fiona.
Most around the table looked at Garland. “I…I’m not trained in this type of warfare,” she responded. “I mean, who the hell is trained in a siege anymore!”
Fiona got up. “Great,” she then walked to the nearby water jug and poured herself some into a plastic cup.
Garland looked at Zach. “Major, I believe you should be in charge of this.”
Zach looked surprised. “In charge of what, sir?”
Garland hesitated, her words not wanting to form. “All of it, everything.”
Zach’s eyes widened even more. “Sir, you are the ranking officer, you need to take lead on this. Of course I will—”
Garland, got to her feet. “Umm, I…no…I’m resigning my post, I have people I need to be with. I’m sorry,” she then turned to Zach. “As the senior ranking officer in the camp, I hereby promote you to position of Brigadier General.”
“I…”
She gave a brief smile then swiftly walked to the door and left the room.
Everyone looked at the open door for a few seconds.
“Can she do that?” Said Abbey.
Fiona walked over and pulled the door shut. “Does it matter?”
Everyone’s gaze shifted to Zach.
“Look’s like the fate of over ten million people rests in your hands, son,” said Elijah.
The weight of what just occurred stopped Zach’s thought process for a few seconds, while it sunk in. He took a deep breath, then let it out when he felt Abbey’s hand on his.
Elijah stood and looked down at the map. “If I were them, I would wait for the camp to starve and die from dehydration. That way I win without firing a shot.”
Fiona stepped forward with her cup in hand. “They probably still have some of their people this side of the walls. We should double up the patrols on the food and water stores, as well as our military supplies and the dam.”
Abbey stood as well. “There are over ten million people in this camp, there must be more Cascaders than the hundred or so we already know of. The gang will try that trick with the E.L.F’s again I’m sure of it. We need to be able to combat that.”
Zach looked at the three of them talking. Perhaps we have a chance.
He stood. “We need a war council. The four of us, as well as some others,” he looked at the oldest of them. “I need you to head up a counter-intelligence group. Pick officers who can help you in this, and tell me what the enemy is going to do before they do it.”
Elijah nodded. “Hell I’ll tell you what they’re thinking before they even know themselves.”
Zach then looked at Fiona. “You ready for this?”
Emotion threatened to overwhelm her, and her lip quivered slightly, but then she straightened her back. “I’m ready.”
Zach nodded. “I’m going to need you to make sure the people in this camp stay alive long enough to get through this. Like Elijah said, they are going to double down on attacking what we all need. It’s your job to stop them from doing that. I’m putting you in charge of the Justice force.”
She nodded.
He then turned to Abbey, squeezing her right hand. “If you don’t want to do what I’m about to ask of you, you just say no, okay?”
“I’ll do it!”
Zach smiled. “Abbey—”
“We need to put an end to this madness, what do you want me to do?”
“You’re in charge of the Cascaders. We will need units that are just Cascaders that can combat whatever they throw at us, as well our basic combat units having a Cascader like they do currently. I also want you to work with Dr. Joshi…Can you do that?”
She looked away. “Yes.”
“He and his people know more than anyone abo
ut the Cascade.”
“I know…“
“Good. We will have daily meetings back here, or…” he looked around the cramped surroundings. “Something else to keep this ship afloat. We’ll meet back here at zero eight hundred tomorrow morning.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“Right then. First order of business,” he stepped around Abbey and opened the door. Most of the people outside went silent when he appeared. He looked at the elderly lady sitting at a desk outside. “Ava is it?”
Ava smiled and nodded.
“I need General Trow’s phone number.”
CHAPTER 28
General Trow sat on the uncomfortable metal padded chair in the bright hallway. To her right was Captain Bower, and to her left were Isaiah, Sam and Bass. The latter three were engaged in conversation.
A tapping noise came from the end of the hallway.
Sam looked in that direction. “Did you get a good parking space?” he shouted to Mary Tanner.
“Not too bad,” said Mary. Holding her left arm was Irene Wilson, who was using her walking stick to locate any obstructions in her path.
“Okay I’m good,” said Irene to Mary as she let go of Mary’s arm.
Mary walked to where the group were sitting. “Hey! Daniel Bass I do believe!” she said sitting next to him.
Bass smiled. “Yeah, I’m a little bit banged up, but still hanging in there,” he shifted awkwardly in the chair, while holding his own walking stick. “How you been?”
She rolled her eyes. “Well I’ve been stuck with this guy for a few months,” she said nodding towards Sam.
“And I pay you handsomely for that!”
All three laughed. Bass then looked at Irene walking towards them. “Still kicking ass Irene?”
She smiled, while feeling for nearby empty chair. “Always,” she said sitting down. “Anyone know why the hell we are all here? I’m hoping not to stay long. Not really a fan of this place.”