by Phil Maxey
The large screen changed showing a plan view of the twenty or so square miles around the Core including most of the capital and Granite Falls to the south. “Major Telford is going to try to hold the enemy along a perimeter around the Core. Until now, our forces have been up against the E.L.F’s they sent against us. We took loses, a lot of them, but their E.L.F’s have mostly been killed, leaving just the gangs people. They still have a lot of hardware, mostly battle tanks. They also have some jets and helicopters, but then so do we. Either way he’s going to need to use his land forces if he’s going to want to take the entire camp. And that means breaking through the lines, the one to the west and north. We also have the high ground here,” he looked around at those that had stopped doing what they were doing and were looking at him. “This is it, we go all in. We defend those here, until there’s nothing left.”
* * * * *
“Is that the last of them?” said Zach, standing alongside Abbey and tired and ragged looking people sitting and standing.
“Yes, as far as I know there’s no one left up top that doesn’t want to be there. The main elevator shaft has been sealed at both ends. Conditions are going to get mighty difficult down here pretty quick,” said Abbey.
They both stood in one of the hallways at the Core. It was just one of many that was crammed full of people. Those that were once outside, living in the parking lot and local fields were now in the depths of the cave system, praying that one-day they would see sunlight again.
“See if there’s any medical conditions we need to take care of and that everyone has water.”
“I will,” she rushed forward and hugged him tight. “Make sure you come back, we have been through too much just for it to end here.”
He smiled. “You’ll see me again, don’t worry.”
Squeezing him one last time, she nodded then turned and started checking on those nearby.
Zach walked back into the main operations hall, one of the few rooms in the complex which the new visitors weren’t allowed to go.
“Major Telford forces are being set upon by a new wave of E.L.F’s,” said General Trow. “They’re not as big as the first lot, but they are still taking lives.”
Zach shook his head. “I thought they had run out of their supply,” he turned to the nearby comms officer. “Still no word from Bower?”
“No, sir. Nothing since yesterday.”
“Keep trying.”
She nodded.
“You sure you want to do this?” said Trow.
Zach picked up his rifle. “The Core is in good hands with you here. I need to be up there,” he briefly looked at the ceiling, then back at the general, smiling. He held his hand out, but she ignored it and instead pulled him in for a hug.
“See you soon Brigadier General.”
Zach picked up his pack, placing it over his back and walked a short distance along hardly used corridors until reaching his destination. Sam, Isaiah and Bass stood near an entrance to a stairwell, all in combat fatigues and holding rifles.
“We all ready?”
They all nodded.
“Once we walk through that door there’s no going back, as this way is going to be sealed as well.”
“We’re ready,” said Sam.
They quickly ascended the old dust covered stairs. Half way up the twelve flights they could hear the booms above them.
Zach took a deep breath when he got to the final secure metal door and pushed it open. A cool wind and light rain hit their faces.
Fiona was standing on the other side. “They are waiting for you.”
They had come out in an area surrounded by cliffs. Zach and the others walked quickly through a winding path until they came out to a ledge, below them was a plateau full of people, thirty rows deep. They all got to their feet, picking up their guns when he appeared.
Zach walked forward. “Down that valley behind you, is death! Not yours, but theirs!” he shouted.
“Yeah!” cheered the crowd.
“By the end of this day, all will know that this camp is ours!”
The crowd of almost five thousand cheered, as explosions echoed in the distance.
Zach turned to Fiona. “Let’s move out.”
She shouted to some people nearby, who relayed the command to each of their units, and men and women, young and old turned and walked towards the battle that was happening just a few miles away.
CHAPTER 45
The Humvee that Zach, Bass, Fiona, Sam and Isaiah was in slid to a halt on the damp mud track, just as the sound of a torrent of branches being broken came from the valley below. They jumped out and raised their weapons to the west looking into the blanket of brown trees below them.
People started jumping out of a convoy of army trucks that had been used to ferry them to the frontline as quickly as possible, and taking up positions along the road.
Booms rang out from the ridge above as the camps tanks fired off a volley of shells.
“Hold this position!” shouted Zach to those around him, the order being relayed by others along the line.
The trucks left the same way they come in, and an Apache roared overhead moving towards the west. It’s guns started to pump out bullets towards what was coming up the valley.
Squeals and guttural screams echoed around the woods, but the sound of splintering of wood increased, and fur lined arms and legs and large insect like creatures that scurried appeared between the trees below.
“They’re coming! Get ready!” shouted Zach.
Just as he went to fire a white flash followed by the sound of an explosion knocked him backwards onto the ground. He looked around and saw bodies. He then looked back to where he was just looking and more tank shells exploded around him, sending rocks and mud into the air and leaving trees just as splintered trunks.
He scrambled forward and dived down behind the remains of a tree. He looked across at Fiona, who was doing her best to find cover behind a small clump of rocks. Somewhere beyond he could just make out Bass, Sam and Isaiah doing the same.
He looked down into the valley and instantly fell backwards firing as a huge clawed hand swung at his head. Multiple bullets slammed into the chest of the wolf creature making it stagger backwards and collapse onto the ground.
All around gunfire filled the air as E.L.F’s stormed up the slopes towards the camps defenders.
The sound of an engine approaching made Zach look along the track. Another truck of people was driving towards them.
“No…” Was all he could say, as the insect creatures leapt onto the hood smashing through the windscreen. Those inside tussled with their attackers, but by doing so the truck lurched off the track and tipped over the side, tumbling down the steep slope while those in the back tried jumping off.
He quickly looked back to where Fiona was and saw her firing at the creatures around her. He ran forward shooting two dead, and slid down to the ground next to her.
“How you on ammo?”
“Half in the rifle, and another mag in my pocket,” she looked at him with tired eyes. “We can’t hold this position for—”
The clatter of automatic fire came from the trees and slopes above them. An insect that looked like a foot long cockroach was thrown back and one of the wolf creatures fell to the ground as bullets streamed towards the E.L.F’s around them.
Zach and Fiona looked at where the bullets were coming from and hundreds of people started emerging from the tree line running down onto the track.
He sighed in relief, then turned back to look down the valley, more creatures were appearing at the bottom but now they were falling as soon as they were appearing.
More explosions rang out around them, sending bodies flying into the air, but he knew this was their chance. He stood and raised his rifle. “Attack!”
Fiona rose as well, and all around charged down the slope firing at the oncoming creatures.
Zach ran through the trees, skipping over bodies of creatures, while firing ahead. He br
iefly looked around and hundreds were doing the same. Up ahead glimpses of open land could be seen. Running as fast as he could while trying not to slip or be caught by branches, he surged forward and through the last row of trees out onto the large expanse, which sat just before the river.
He skidded to a stop. “Wha…” Hundreds to his left and right did the same, running onto the plain and then stopping as soon as they could.
He looked up as a missile from a jet scorched through the sky hitting an Apache sending it spiraling to the ground.
He then looked back to what was on the other side of the river. Tanks, thousands of armed people and worse, hundreds of E.L.F’s. Some standing hundreds of feet high. All waiting for Zach and his forces to appear so they could attack.
He looked at the faces of those around him, including Fiona’s. She smiled. It was the expression of someone who knew there was no way out.
“Take up positions!” shouted Zach to those around him. Hundreds stepped back and hunched down between the trees.
Zach’s radio sprung into life, making him grab at it.
“Brigadier General Felton. There’s a large number of E.L.F’s converging on your position! Over.”
He went to respond that he already knew, but instead just dropped the radio by his side and raised his gun.
The five story high E.L.F. which looked like one of the creatures he used to look at in dinosaur books when he was a kid roared and lurched forward making the ground shudder all around.
“Here they come!” He shouted.
Some of those around him dropped their guns and fled back into the trees. He reached out for Fiona next to him, holding her shoulder. She put her hand on his, and then they both looked down the scopes of their rifles, as the masses in front of them started moving forward.
Events of the past few months flashed through his mind, until just one image was left, that of Abbey.
“Look!” someone shouted to his right. “In the air!”
He looked in the direction the man said. In the sky to the north, a mile or so off, the sky was filled with dark shadows, their huge wings majestically flapping.
Zach shook his head. I guess we never had a chance.
He then caught sight of something which made no sense. Some of the thousands that were waiting on the other side of the river, started running, but not towards Zach and his people, they were running away. He looked at Fiona who was looking at him as well.
More of the people on the opposite bank started running. Then he saw them, way off in the distance to the north and south, dark forms moving amongst the trees, bounding and walking across roads and fields. All moving towards the gang’s people who were now fleeing on mass.
Zach stood and started walking forward. Tank turrets that were once pointing towards his side of the river were slowly rotating towards those beings that were rushing towards them.
“Yeah!” someone shouted.
Zach watched as a huge flock of winged creatures swooped down, picking up and clawing at people trying to find cover. Those that couldn’t tried shooting into the heavens above them.
The gangs tanks started firing off shells, while their E.L.F’s wavered looking about themselves growling and squawking.
Soon thousands of creatures ran onto the plain across the river, tearing apart man, beast and machine.
Zach’s radio crackled once again and he slowly raised it to his ear, not quite believing what he was seeing. “Sir, we have a message from Captain Bower. It’s just two words. Over.”
“Yes?”
“He just said ‘Found them.’ Over.”
CHAPTER 46
“What the hell?” Zach jumped back as the seven-foot high furry beast emerged from the side of his and Abbeys house.
“Oh, you made it!” said Abbey almost jumping for joy.
“Uh?” said Zach not being sure of what to make of the werewolf looking creature standing looking hungry just a few yards from him.
“I told him to find his way back to the house, I never thought he would actually make it back here!”
A squawking came from above.
“Mo!”
The monkey bird like E.L.F landed near them, flapping its wings and ducking its head.
For one moment Zach thought she was going to hug the Simivem, but instead she ducked her head in response, and grabbed Zach’s hand.
They both walked slowly to the back of the house and pulled the kitchen door open. Inside the scene was what they hoped it wouldn’t be. Most of the furniture was broken or smashed.
“Well, the gangs forces did come through here, we’re lucky none of their E.L.F’s did any worse,” said Zach.
Abbey nodded, then knelt picking up a broken picture frame of her, Zach, Michael, Fiona and Cal. She swallowed as a tear began to roll down her cheek.
Zach put his arm around her. “We’ll have this place back to how it was soon enough don’t you worry.”
“Some things can’t be mended,” she said putting the frame back down.
His radio on his hip made the sound it does when he was about to get a message, and he unclipped it and waited for the voice.
“Brigadier General, we have General Trow here for you. Over.”
Zach placed his arm around Abbeys shoulders, then walked back out into the yard. The sky was ablaze with pinks and oranges as the sun began to say farewell to the day.
“Put her through. Over.”
“We did out best to close off the walls gates, but some of the gangs people still managed to get away. We think by helicopter. What I can confirm is that Troy Carlson and those around him are dead. We came across one of their people in the capital, an old man who calls himself ‘Ray’, he said—”
“You found Ray? Over.” Zach noticed that Abbey was standing behind him.
“Oh, yes, is he the same Ray that you escaped from New Mexico with? Over.”
“It sounds like him,” said Zach smiling at Abbey who was doing the same back to him.
“He’s not in the best of health, but we have him here at the Core. He knew the top people in the gang, we showed him the bodies we found and he confirmed one of them was Troy Carlson. Over.”
“So the Hell Fire gang is no more? Over.”
“I would say so yes. It was a slaughter at the river. Maybe a few dozen survived that. Over.”
“I hope you give Bower a medal or something. Over.”
“Ha, I will, and the Cascaders they found. He said they didn’t need much convincing to turn against the gang. Over.”
“I’ll be back in tomorrow. I got to get this place cleared up, and then tomorrow we start rebuilding the camp. Over.”
“Get some rest Zach, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Zach lowered his arm and looked out over the lake at the smoldering buildings in the distance. He then turned back towards the house. Abbey was teasing Mo with some biscuits while the large wolf creature was chewing on some wooden boards.
Zach smiled.
The next few hours were spent piecing together bits of furniture, with tape and nails, and cleaning up. Eventually way into the small hours, they both collapsed into their bed.
Zach fell straight to sleep, but Abbey lay looking at the room around her. After a few hours of not sleeping, she gently shook Zach, waking him.
“What is it? Everything okay?” he said trying to wake up.
“There’s nothing wrong. But we have to talk…”
* * * * *
Zach and Abbey stood next to a black pickup in the parking lot of the Core. The sun warmed their backs and the puddles from the day before were just about all gone. All around rubbish and pieces of peoples lives lay scattered and forgotten.
In front of them stood a row of people, all proud and tearful.
They both walked up to the first, General Trow.
Zach smiled as her lip quivered and she pulled him in for a hug. “You be safe now. And once you have done what you need to do, get back here, the camp is going to need you!” she
then hugged Abbey.
Zach nodded. “You have my word General,” they then moved onto the next person, Bass who didn’t have his walking stick but had gained an eye patch. They both hugged him.
“Keep protecting those walls!” said Zach.
Bass smiled. “I will, sir.”
A frail but happy old man looked at Abbey. She hugged him tight, it was the last of many she had given him over the past few hours.
“Easy girl,” said Ray. “I still got some mending to do!”
She let go. “And see that you do!”
“And you see you get yourself back here when you’re done exploring Boston.”
She smiled and nodded. “Oh, I got something for you.”
Ray looked bemused.
She handed him a small notebook. “This is yours.”
He took it and swallowed, not being sure what to say.
Zach shook his hand and smiled. “Good to have you back, Ray.”
“Take care of my girl!”
Zach smiled. “Always.”
They then moved on to Sam and Isaiah, who hugged them both.
“Don’t let any fools mess with you!” said Isaiah.
Abbey and Zach laughed.
“What he said,” said Sam.
“Make sure you get that bar of yours back up and running, the camp needs places like that.”
“We have already started the clean up,” said Sam.
They then moved onto Michael who was looking down. He moved forward quickly and hugged them both. “Make sure you return, okay?”
“We will,” said Abbey.
Lastly they came to Fiona. Abbey briefly hugged her, with tears running down her cheeks.
Zach moved forward and held Fiona tight, then let go. “It has been a long journey,” he said.
Fiona smiled, while wiping away a tear from her cheek. “You can say that,” she then looked at both of them directly. “Stay safe. Don’t take any risks. We won, remember?”
They nodded then turned and got into the pickup. After a brief farewell wave they were moving along the still clogged roads, and back to their house by the lake. They picked up their two E.L.F’s, and then drove out of the camp.