Hunter Wars Omnibus Edition (Books 1 - 3)

by SD Tanner

  Satisfied the shooters were back in control of the situation, Gears called, ‘I need a squad. Four top class shooters with me. Now!’ Looking to Ip who was ahead of them still controlling the hunters, he called to her, ‘Honey, I need ya to lead us to the super hunters.’

  Ip continued to watch her hunters and she was clearly controlling their movement to push and have them fight any hunters she didn’t have control of. As usual, it was confusing to know which hunters she controlled versus not. Assuming she heard him, he led the small team of combat shooters ahead of the perimeter in their corridor and immediately a small group of hunters joined them as they moved forward and deeper into the base. The hunters with them were dressed in ACUs and had he not known they were infected with the hunter virus, he might have thought they were still his shooters. It hurt him to know that when they were done, they would have to kill them.

  ‘We need to follow her,’ Gears told his shooters. ‘She’ll control the hunters to keep us safe.’

  As they moved into the crowd of hunters, one of the shooters started to panic and said, ‘Oh shit! I’ve never been this close to them.’

  ‘Take it easy,’ Gears said calmly. ‘Ip’s a super hunter. She’s tellin’ ‘em we’re friendlies and they won’t attack us.’

  He had to admit, the first time he was surrounded by hunters it unnerved him too and even now, he didn’t find it a pleasant experience. They were heading towards the warehouse and he guessed the super hunter was probably on the second level. Looking up, he couldn’t see anyone at the windows, but the windows were filthy and inside the warehouse was gloomy, so it didn’t surprise him he couldn’t see anything.

  With their hunter guards, they made it into the warehouse and he and the shooters climbed the stairs to the second level. On the second level, hunters were guarding the door to one of the offices, but were moving away from the door as Ip approached. Just as he was figuring he could get into the room and shoot the super hunter controlling the hunters in the corridors of the containers, he heard a gunshot and, in his peripheral vision, saw Ip drop to the ground.

  The effect was instantaneous and the hunters that were guarding them suddenly attacked them. The shooters immediately formed a tight circle and he opened the door to the room and without really looking, opened fire. The super hunter was standing back from the window, but was now dead with bullets having ripped large chunks out of its head.

  Turning, he shouted to the shooters, ‘Get in here!’

  The shooters retreated into the room and slamming the door closed, they were safe for the moment from the hunters outside the door. He didn’t know whether Ip was dead or alive, but he knew somewhere out there was a living enemy with a gun who shot her and he wouldn’t leave her to die again. With the super hunter dead, the hunters in the corridors of the containers and around the warehouse lost purpose and were now blinded in the daylight,

  Turning to the shooters, he said steadily, ‘Call to the shooters down there to get their asses in the warehouse. I gotta go out there and get our girl.’

  Immediately four of the shooters turned to go with him and he said, ‘The warehouse is gloomy out there. Those hunters can see us.’

  ‘Shit happens,’ one of the shooters remarked dryly.

  He nodded and opening the door, they shot at the hunters that were clamoring to get inside the room. As they did so, gunfire erupted from the floor of the warehouse. Instinctively ducking, he quickly realized the gunfire was not targeted at them, but was their own shooters firing at both hunters and living enemy. A full scale battle between human and hunter erupted and he left them to it while he quickly found Ip. She was leaning up against the wall, looking slightly dazed and her leg was bleeding badly. The shooters immediately formed a barrier between him and the gun battle going on around them.

  ‘No,’ Ip cried. ‘I cannot see.’

  ‘Ya don’t need to, honey,’ Gears said soothingly. ‘Our shooters have got this.’

  Slipping his arm around her, he carefully pulled her back into the room where he’d just killed the super hunter. Disregarding his attention, Ip moved to the window, limping and dragging her injured leg behind her. Looking across the base, she pointed to the dock and said, ‘It is over there. Kill it.’

  He leaned from the window and called to the shooters below, ‘Ya got the other super hunter over by the docks. Get some heavy armament on that asshole and blow the crap outta the area, but don’t hit that ship.’

  Obviously the other super hunter was controlling the dock to keep the shooters on the disabled ship locked down. He figured they were waiting for the convoy that he was sure, thanks to Hatch and Pax, would never come. The fight was almost won, but he wanted to make sure the second super hunter died before they lost any more of their own people. Outside the room, the gunfire was diminishing and he assumed the living enemy shooters and probably many of the hunters were now dead.

  Refusing to lie down and act injured, Ip said, ‘We need to go there.’

  Shaking his head, he said sternly, ‘Ya need to lie down. You’re hurt.’

  ‘Not much pain. Cannot walk well,’ Ip replied plainly. She reached out her arm and said, ‘I will control the dogs. You kill the dark star. We are one.’

  Despite the situation, he was happy she finally understood there was a mutual need for what one another could do and they needed to work together. She wanted her home to be safe and so did he, and together they could make that happen. She put her arm around his shoulder and he put his hand under her other arm and he was about to help her walk to the dock, when he heard the sound of a bird returning to the base.

  Not knowing which pilot had the bird, he said through his mike, ‘Strafe the dock, but don’t hit the ship.’

  ‘Roger that,’ the pilot replied.

  Standing at the window and still supporting Ip, he watched as the bird strafed the dock and killed hunters until eventually it must have hit the super hunter. All the hunters on the base became lost and blinded in the daylight and he knew they’d won this battle.

  ***

  Logan was marching through the corridors of the containers like a demented man and killing without hesitation. Captain Ted led a team of shooters with him, killing any hunters that came too close and between them, they were cutting a line straight to the end containers. There were no buildings taller than the containers and the super hunters had to be on top of one of the containers. It was a question of finding which container. Logan climbed onto the roof of one container and scanned the area looking for the super hunter. Shots rang out across the containers, but it seemed Logan was too angry to bother ducking.

  Jumping back down from the roof, Logan said, ‘I can’t see him.’

  ‘There’s only so many places he can be and still direct the hunters,’ Captain Ted reasoned.

  ‘True, but I still don’t know where he is,’ Logan replied bluntly.

  ‘Then we’ll have to focus on killing the hunters,’ Captain Ted replied pragmatically.

  Most people had left on the transport ship and only about hundred hunters still roamed the area. Some were clearly not under the control of a super hunter and were blinded in the daylight and wandering aimlessly. Killing the hunters and through a process of elimination, they gradually narrowed down the location of the super hunters to a single container in the middle of the group of containers. It appeared the super hunters were hiding in there all along.

  ‘They’re mine,’ Logan said firmly.

  Clearly not wanting to argue with him, Captain Ted shrugged and said, ‘Be my guest.’

  Logan shot the lock on the door and several gunshots could be heard from within the container. As the last of the controlled hunters became blinded by the daylight, it was clear the super hunters were dead.

  ***

  The base was now secure and Isaac was at the Naval base killing their people turned hunters and several of the Infected were doing the same at the Marine base. Logan had come across to the Marine base wanting to talk to him. He wa
s sitting on a wooden crate with Ip. Her injured leg stuck out awkwardly and he suspected it now hurt more than she was prepared to say. She looked tired and it was a hard battle, but she’d worked diligently with him to save the base. Now she was refusing to let anyone look at her leg other than Lydia, but Lydia was still locked up at the CDC. Not prepared to argue with Ip, he called for a bird to take them to the CDC, when Logan walked up to them holding his M4 and looking grim.

  Glancing up at Logan, he asked, ‘What?’

  Logan looked at Ip and asked, ‘You okay?’

  Ip yawned, but did not reply with words and Logan said, ‘Use words, Ip. I’m not good with this telepathy business and I’m too tired to focus on it.’

  Huffing, Ip said, ‘You need practice. I am not good with words. Takes too long to speak.’

  Snorting, Logan turned to him and said, ‘She’s fine, but you’re not.’

  He was more concerned about getting Ip the medical attention she needed and sounding irritated, he asked, ‘Whatdaya mean?’

  ‘You’re armies are not integrated,’ Logan said bluntly. ‘You don’t fight as a team and you need to. The strength is in blending the capabilities. You both need to learn to use the same tactics.’

  Sighing, he agreed and said, ‘I agree, but initially the Infected didn’t want to work with us and since then we haven’t had the time or knowledge of them to work on that.’

  ‘I understand, Gears,’ Logan replied. ‘You will never control the Infected. The only person they will let lead them is Ip.’

  He nodded and said bluntly, ‘True, but I don’t think she wants to lead them.’

  Logan shook his head and said, ‘Not into battle. She’s not that kind of leader…but I am.’ Crouching so he was eye level with Ip, Logan said, ‘You need to tell the Infected I’ll teach them to work with the humans better. If they don’t learn, they could die doing this. You almost did.’

  ‘Go away,’ Ip complained.

  For such a generally content woman, Ip could be quite bloody-minded when she wanted to be and he said, ‘She’s tired and she’s hurt. Let’s talk about this later.’

  Logan didn’t look happy to be delayed and said, ‘It’s important.’

  With a deep sigh, Ip said, ‘You must learn to teach. Bossy will not work.’ Looking sulky, she added, ‘I am tired. Go away. Fix this another day.’

  Nodding, Logan said, ‘Take care of her.’

  Logan left and he put his arm around her shoulder and said, ‘Lean on me, honey, and rest. Hatch is on his way. Pax is moppin’ up the convoy and TL’s here with the shooters from the other bases. He and Ted can sort it out. Isaac and a couple of your people are puttin’ down our people who turned into hunters.’

  Ip leaned her head on his shoulder and feeling her body relax, he thought she might be dozing. He continued to talk to her anyway and said, ‘Logan’s right. We need to learn to do this better. I don’t want ya getting’ hurt again and I don’t think this was Ruler’s main attack. It was too badly done. I think he was jus’ aimin’ to disrupt us and he’s done that. Looks like we’ve lost at least 1,200 people today, but we’ve lost more and he knows that ain’t enough to stop us. If we’re gonna win this battle, we need better teamwork. My brothers and me are pulling in different directions. You and Logan don’t know one another and if we don’t get ourselves sorted, we’ll never get our armies integrated and if we don’t do that, then we don’t stand a chance.’

  That worry led him to his next worry and he said, ‘Course, if we don’t sort out findin’ land, all this won’t mean anythin’ ‘cos everyone is gonna starve to death.’

  Squeezing her gently, he added, ‘Guess it ain’t all bad though. I dunno how ya came back, but I’m glad ya did, more than glad. You’re right, we are one, honey, and we always will be.’

  Half asleep, Ip stirred and murmured, ‘You are like rain.’

  EPILOGUE: Opening the gates of hell

  He was a handsome young man, with a strong face, defined jawline, thick, dark hair and his body now leaned by hunger, had deeply defined muscle that he was using to struggle against the three men pulling him out to the open area in front of the warehouse.

  In a voice laced with fear, he shouted, ‘Get the fuck off me!’

  Ruler observed the struggling man and said casually, ‘Argumentative little pup.’

  The super hunter standing next to him didn’t reply, but stepped forward and inspected the young man closely. It ran its hands over the young man’s body, squeezing the muscles in his arms, prodding his abdomen and finally wrenched his mouth open and inspected his teeth. Seeming satisfied, the super hunter nodded and the men holding the young man tightened their grip on him and tensed, as if preparing for a final surge of resistance.

  Without saying a word, the super hunter formed his hand into a claw and slowly and deliberately dug his fingers into the side of his own throat, tearing into his flesh. Blood flowed immediately, running down his hands and with no sign of pain, he continued to dig and tear until he finally found his carotid artery. Ripping into his own artery, blood exploded outward in a powerful spray drenching the young man and his guards. Stunned by the apparent suicide and warmed by the fresh blood that now dripped from his face, the young man ceased to struggle.

  Admiringly, Ruler murmured in appreciation, ‘Creative. I like it.’

  As the artery quickly bled out, the super hunter continued to stand and he reached out with his bloodied fingers. Grabbing hold of the young man, it leaned into him and licked the man’s skin then bit the spot where the neck joins the shoulder. It was barely a bite, just enough to pierce the skin and a mere scratch that would hardly leave a mark once healed.

  As he died, the young man gasped and uttered, ‘Why?’

  The now discarded body of the super hunter dropped unceremoniously to the ground and the young man straightened. With his face still dripping blood, he smiled and his eyes filled with blue, which slowly brightened as the super hunter and hunter virus took full control of his new body. Shrugging the men off, the super hunter touched his body, running his hands over its form and his fingers playfully tested the sinews of his new form.

  ‘Fancy yourself, do you?’ Ruler asked with a smirk. ‘I’m loving the drama, but get on with it. The gates are open. Let the flood begin.’

  Now seeming bored, Ruler turned to Hull and asked amiably, ‘Fucked up, did you?

  Frowning, Hull said, ‘Barely got out alive myself. Good thing I was in the heli.’

  ‘Left your men to die?’ Ruler asked cheekily. ‘Nice.’

  Sneering, Hull replied bluntly, ‘Not my fault and losing a bunch of drag queens with guns is no loss to anybody.’

  Ruler smiled and said, ‘You’re really starting to grow on me.’

  Glaring at Ruler, Hull said aggressively, ‘I don’t like to fail, but I like being set up to fail even less.’

  Sounding slightly miffed, Ruler asked, ‘Are you blaming me?’

  ‘Yeah, I am,’ Hull replied defiantly. ‘If you want me to get these guys then you need to get outta my way. Just creating a shitload more super hunters won’t solve the problem. I need to take the people who might make decent soldiers and train ‘em. I don’t give a shit what you do with the rest of ‘em, but these super hunters need to work for me.’

  Narrowing his cold eyes, Ruler said sternly, ‘They work for me.’

  ‘I work for you,’ Hull said decisively. ‘And they need to work for me. If you want these guys, then I need my soldiers and your super hunters to work together like a real army. Gears and his guys are not running some chickenshit outfit. They’re a fuckin’ army and I can only beat an army with an army.’ Jutting his chin out and putting his face close to Ruler’s, he asked, ‘Just how fucking serious are you?’

  Holding his own stare steady, Ruler replied with a slight smile, ‘Dead serious.’

  Relaxing slightly, Hull said, ‘Then quit fuckin’ around and get your head in the game. If what they say about you is true, then you’ve tried
to take these guys more than once. If you want their asses then you gotta get smarter and right now you’re being stupid and they’re wiping the floor with your ass.’

  Still regarding Hull with a slight smile, Ruler nodded and said amiably, ‘Let’s play, soldier boy, but if you fuck up, I’ll hurt you forever.’

  Books in Hunter Wars Series

  Book One:

  EVE OF THE HUNTER WARS

  Book Two:

  HEAVEN MEETS HELL

  Book Three:

  ARMY OF ANGELS

  Book Four:

  GIFT FROM GOD

  Book Five:

  RIGHT TO RULE

  Book Six:

  CALL TO WAR

  Books in Eden Lost Series

  (Series Two of the Hunter Wars)

  Book One:

  HIDDEN EVIL (release date pending)

  Visit the website at www.sdtanner.com for news, updates and announcements

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  Hunter Wars – Volumes 1-3

  Copyright © SD Tanner 2015

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  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by law.

  Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.