Dark Rhodes: Book 1 of the Ashleigh Rhodes Chronicles

by Michael Canon

  Frowning, Dave replied, “That’s easy. Weapons and ammo are a commodity right now. A good gun and the ammo for it are worth their weight in gold. With enough weapons and ammo, you could build your own nation. Do you have any idea of who it might be?”

  Marie spoke up, “Not really, we just had too many bouts of bad luck when it came to losing supplies and people to Chet’s group, for it to be a coincidence. I was captured about two days before you two showed up. Not many people knew where I was going. Richard and I were heading out to raid one of the medical clinics on the other side of the river when we got ambushed. He took a graze to the right leg, and I got caught trying to go for help.”

  “How did Richard avoid them if he was wounded?” I asked them both.

  Ethan smiled and said, “Richard told me he hid in the bottom of a porta-potty until they left the area. It was disgustingly brilliant, if you ask me. He was covered in shit and that blue goo they put in those things when he finally made it back to the peninsula. I think it took three days to get rid of the stink and another five or six before he stopped looking like a giant Smurf!” Dave and I grimaced and smiled at the thought of what that might have been like.

  We all looked up as a giant of a man in Pennsylvania police body armor, with a massive machine gun slung across his back and a nickel-plated Model 1911 semiautomatic pistol on each hip, approached us. He wasn’t as tall as Ethan but carried more muscle mass, if that was possible.

  Ethan spoke, “Dave, Ash, this is Mike, my kid brother.”

  I shook my head as Mike walked up the groaning wood steps. “What the Hell did your parents feed you two, steroids and small children?!” I said only half-jokingly.

  Marie snorted in laughter, and I earned toothy grins from both the Turner boys.

  Mike shook our hands and said, “I can’t thank you enough for bringing Marie back to our family. If you ever need me, I’m there, no questions asked.”

  Ethan said, “Mike volunteered to stay here with you two for the night. He was a member of the Pennsylvania State Police SERT Tactical Unit. He’s a hell of a fighter and knows the compound and the surrounding area like the back of his hand.”

  Dave said, “Thanks, but you really don’t have to; we can take care of ourselves.”

  Mike interjected, “From what you two accomplished at the Depot, I bet you two handle yourselves very well, but we’re in search of a traitor. You have both earned the respect of a lot of people here for what you’ve done, but you’re still outsiders. We want a local with you if something happens. If our traitor is somebody with deep ties to the community, it could lead to your word against theirs. That could start some serious dissension within this community. We’d rather avoid that, if we can.”

  Dave and I looked at each other, and then he said, “OK, that makes sense; glad to have you with us,” as he offered the big man his hand again.

  We all sat down on the porch to socialize and tell our stories since the zombies appeared. I explained how I was at the Davron Group’s cancer center in Boston when the world fell. The others, minus Dave, looked at me with deep concern on their faces.

  “Don’t worry, it was a false alarm. I’m cancer free. My mom is – was the head oncologist for the group, she was just being an overprotective mom.” I said to calm their concerns.

  I’m trying to work my way across the country to get back to my family in Tucson. I met Dave when he helped me out of an ambush by Chet’s men on the 220.”

  Mike spoke up as I finished, “Hey Ash, could I take a look at your head splitter there?” pointing at Thunker.

  I unsheathed the long mace from its holster and handed it to him. He did a double take look at me as he assessed the weapon’s weight.

  “Damn it’s heavy; you can handle it?” as he turned it over in his hands, then stepped off the porch to take a couple practice swings with it.

  I nodded and said, “I’m stronger than I look.”

  Ethan held out his hand to Mike while looking at me for permission. I nodded to both of them.

  “Damn!” said Ethan quietly as he hefted the custom mace. “This thing would do some serious damage to a zombie.”

  I said, “It already has. I like it because it’s effective, as well as silent. Better not to attract attention if I don’t need to, especially when I was traveling alone.”

  Both men nodded in agreement as Ethan handed my weapon back to me.

  Mike turned to Dave and said, “Special Forces? SEAL?”

  Dave smiled and said, “Recon, two tours in Afghanistan. I took a medical discharge in ’11 due to a compound fracture of my right femur. I was in Albany on business when this all started. I have extended family in Sedona, figured it was remote enough it might have fared pretty well.”

  Ethan whistled quietly, “When we first met, I wasn’t sure you were old enough to have completed one 4 year hitch, never mind two.”

  Dave pulled a wallet out of a cargo pocket and took out a card and handed it to Mike. It was a Massachusetts driver’s license, and said, “I’m older than I look.”

  Mike handed it to Ethan who said, “Shit, never would have pegged you for 30 in June. You age very well sir.”

  As Ethan handed the license back to Dave, he smiled at the wallet. Dave caught the irony in his smile, and said, “I don’t know why I still carry it, I guess I’m not ready to give in to the fact that the world has gone ass-up.”

  Ethan shook his head in a non-judgmental way as he pulled a wallet out of his back pocket.

  Marie spoke up next, admonishing her husband and brother-in-law, “Guys, enough of the interrogation! I think they earned our trust after what they’ve done. Can’t we all just get along?”

  Mike leaned against the porch railing and started to speak, “I lived just outside of Philly, and was here in Haven visiting Ethan, Marie, and the kids as well as our sister Tracy when the undead started to rise. Tracy is.… was a nurse, too.”

  It was the first time I heard any of them mention children, but that was their prerogative. Mike’s eyes were glassed over with tears, and couldn’t continue. Ethan just hung his head silently.

  Marie reached for Ethan’s hand, and continued for Mike, “Tracy and I were on opposite shifts. She worked nights, I worked days. It took over a day for the virus to make it this far. Before that it was all rumor, and internet conspiracy. I was off that day and about to go in to see if I could help when I got a call from Tracy. She sounded frantic and scared. She told me it was all real and to ignore any calls from the hospital to come in. She said I should stay as far away from the hospital as I could. I tried to calm her down, but she just got more upset. She said the dead were coming back to life and eating the living. I thought she had been exposed to something and I told her I’d come get her. She told me that I had to swear on the kids’ lives that I wouldn’t come near the hospital.”

  Huge rivers of tears streamed down Marie’s face, as she continued, “She told me to tell the kids and the boys that she loved them, and she was going to see Mom and Dad soon. Then she hung up. I tried to call her back, but she never answered. We tried to get to the hospital later that day, but the dead owned the area around the hospital. We firebombed the whole place after the next snowstorm.”

  Ethan, still upset from the conversation, quickly stood up and said, “Okay, I’m hitting the hay, I want to get an early start to the find these weapons. We’ll all meet here around 6:00 am.”

  We all agreed and headed off to bed.

  66

  Early the next morning, Mike, Dave and I met Ethan, Tony, and three other guys we had seen around the compound. Everyone had a rifle and a side arm.

  Ethan said, “This is Trevor, Mark, and Hector. Mark and Hector have worked for me for years, and I’ve known Trevor since high school. Hector is ex-Air Force, but we won’t hold it against him, and Trevor is former Army. I’ve fought with all of them since this shit started, they can handle themselves. I’d like to bring a dozen more, but I won’t leave the compound short staffed. L
et’s get some breakfast and head out. The sooner we have these weapons, the better.”

  We all sat around a picnic table, eating a quick breakfast. As we ate, Ethan spread out a map of the area on the table. He laid out his plan of attack on the MacGregor’s ranch.

  When Ethan finished, Dave asked, “Is this area heavily wooded with large, old-growth trees?” Ethan and the other guys looked confused but nodded yes.

  Ethan replied, “Yes, and no. It’s a lot of open ranch land with heavily wooded areas mixed in.”

  Dave and I looked nervously at each other as he said, “On our way from the 220, Ash and I encountered a new type of zombie we think you should know about.”

  We explained what a Tree Hugging Hooker was. Dave added a victim, a survivor from Chet’s crew, to help explain why we knew so much about them. After a few laughs at my name for them, everyone got serious.

  Trevor said, “Really! Its leg became a long hook! They sound freaking creepy!”

  Dave agreed, “Yes, they barely look human anymore. Ash told me they reminded her of a ship’s figurehead from Hell. Chet’s guy, Greg, got nailed through the right shoulder and out the chest. He died before we could get him down. Forgot about them until Ethan pulled out his map. Wanted to make sure everyone knew about them.”

  Mike chimed in, “Well, that explains a lot. We had a team of scavengers raiding the houses near the 220 before Chet’s crew took it over. One of the guys radioed in a distress call, but we couldn’t understand why he kept mentioning trees. We sent out a rescue party, but they returned with nothing. It was like they just disappeared, never knew what happened to them. Ethan, you’ll want to let the scavenger patrols know about them ASAP.”

  We took Ethan’s large pickup truck and the Deuce back over to the Depot. All of us were on edge, eyes constantly searching for trouble – alive or dead. Once there, Mark and Hector added the other two Deuces to our convoy. Ethan took the scenic route out into the countryside northeast of Lock Haven.

  He explained, “Everyone in the area knows where the MacGregor’s’ place is. If we’re going to run into trouble, it will be at the ranch, not here.”

  He turned left at a large ornamental gate attached to a huge pasture. The estate was so big we couldn’t see the house or barn from here. The gate was already open, it was obvious it had been done by force.

  Ethan asked “Okay, looks like we aren’t the first visitors, Dave, could you and Ash scout ahead for us?” We nodded, and jumped out of the truck.

  We set off to the east, following the horse fence for at least a quarter mile before turning north at the tree line.

  I looked up nervously, “I know we need the cover of the trees, but this is freaking me the fuck out.”

  Dave replied, “I know, but we don’t have much of a choice. You look up, I’ll look forward.”

  We made our way through the woods to the MacGregor’s place without incident. The trees we were using for cover ended abruptly, leaving us over 100 yards from the barn and even further from the large farmhouse set behind it. We watched and waited at the tree line for 20 minutes before moving forward. Dave pulled out a small two-way radio as we both crouched down behind some equipment against the barn.

  “We’re here, looking around, be back shortly,” was all he said into the radio.

  A moment later the radio clicked twice, but nothing more.

  We could smell old death coming out of the barn. Dave boosted me up to one of the high windows for a look. The barn was absolutely immaculate except for a dead and ravaged horse near the open barn doors.

  Jumping down, I said, “Dead horse near the main door. Looks like a zombie kill and feed. Nothing else.”

  We cleared the barn, then the house in short order. Using the radio again, Dave said, “Come on up. The house and barn are clear.”

  We waited on the packed gravel drive as the trucks made their way up the long road to the barn. Ethan jumped out of the truck and said, “Okay, Tony, Mark, Trevor, Hector, and Mike will watch our asses while we go see what goodies Nate and Diane left for us.”

  Skirting the horse carcass, we made our way into the barn. I went over to the correct stall and started searching for a rusty nail. I searched the whole stall but found nothing. I gave Dave and Ethan a puzzled look and reread Diane’s letter to see if I missed something. I walked to the stall across from this one. Again, I came up short finding a rusty nail of any kind.

  I jumped at the sound of gunfire near the entrance to the barn as well as in the yard beyond. Hiding behind a stall wall, I watched as Ethan collapsed to the floor.

  I was shocked to hear Tony say, “Drop your weapons and come on out and we’ll let you walk out of here. All we want is the guns.”

  I yelled, “If all you want is the guns, why’d you shoot Ethan, asshole!”

  Laughing, Tony replied, “You got me, I didn’t have to shoot him. But the boss wanted Ethan dead, so now he is. I’ve got two grenades with your names on them here. Step out now, or I’ll just take that letter off your bloody corpse.”

  Dave motioned for us to do as he said, setting his rifle and pistol on the barn floor, and said, “Alright, we’re coming out.”

  I followed his lead, hoping he had a plan. We stepped out just as Tony was joined by two men we didn’t recognize. Still smiling, he backed up to lean on the door frame.

  Tony said, “You two just make yourselves comfortable; the Boss is almost here. He wants to have a few words with you.”

  We waited about 10 minutes until we heard a vehicle approach. We were both shocked to see Chet walk into the barn.

  “Well, well, isn’t this an amazing turn of events! Bet I’m the last motherfucker you ever thought you’d see again!” he announced with an evil grin.

  Dave said, “How…. What the fuck are you?”

  Chet cackled and replied, “I have no fucking idea! I got bit but didn’t turn into one of them. All I know is I can’t die; isn’t that the shit!”

  Looking at me with an expression of pure demonic evil he said, “I do get hungry, though.”

  He spat Ethan’s way and continued, “That’s for trying to make me into an undead parrot,” before he pulled a pistol and shot Dave twice. I screamed and tried to get to Dave, but Chet intercepted me.

  Grabbing me by my hair, he shoved his gun up under my jaw and growled, “You caused me a shitload of problems and pain, girl. I’m going to have a lot of fun with you. I’m going to hurt you for a long, long time in ways you never dreamed you could be hurt. You’ll be kept alive to watch me use and kill every motherfucker in that damn compound. Your ears will ring from their screams. I’m gonna feed you pieces of them and bathe you in their fucking blood. You know, I might have to see if I can make you like me, then I can kill you over and over.”

  I felt a seething rage building up inside me. For the first time, my passengers all screamed out for vengeance, or survival, in unison. My rage became visceral as I yanked the gun out from under my chin with one hand. Chet’s shocked reaction was slower than mine, but still quick enough for a 9mm round to punch a hole through my left cheek and carve a groove along the left side of my face. I sneered through the pain, as I slammed my other hand into his chest as hard as I could. I felt his ribs collapse just before my blow launched him across the barn and through one of the heavy stall doors. I felt bullets peppering me as I moved faster than I ever had to pick up Chet to hurl him across the barn and through another stall door.

  Spurred into action by the sound of gunfire, Tony launched himself sideways off the door frame and fired a half a dozen rounds into the two latecomers to his right. He landed roughly on his left shoulder but recovered quickly to join us.

  Chet flopped around in the stall, his body far too broken for coordinated movement. I grabbed him by a booted foot, drug him to the stall entrance. Screaming with rage, I overhand slammed him to the concrete floor as hard as I could. Dave stood up quickly and grabbed Chet’s head in both hands. Chet’s last noise was a mewling scream as his head wa
s wrenched back and forth and ripped from his body.

  Ethan groaned as he got to his knees, then his feet.

  He wheezed, “Grab a couple bales of hay and follow me,” as he grabbed Chet’s arm and dragged his headless corpse out of the barn.

  I grabbed the cords on a couple bales as we followed Ethan out into the large parking area between the house and barn.

  He said, “Set them there and break the bales.”

  After I finished, Ethan dumped Chet’s body, and Dave set Chet’s head on his torso. Ethan limped away to retrieve a gas can from the bed of his pickup. Still alive, Chet’s eyes looked at us as his mouth moved silently. We all stepped back as Ethan finished with the gas and lit a match.

  I said, “I’ve fought Chet twice now, he didn’t seem any stronger than a normal human.”

  Dave replied, “We’ve encountered different kinds of zombies, no reason to think there aren’t differences in our kind too. Maybe accelerated healing was all he got out of the deal.”

  We watched as Chet was consumed by fire. The smell was noxious, but I continued to watch, half out of satisfaction and half as proof of his permanent demise.

  Looking up from the fire, we saw Mike step out from behind one of the trucks to join us. A wide trail of reddish-black blood stained the left shoulder of his denim shirt, and across his body armor.

  Mike looked at our injuries and nodded as he announced, “Mark is dead, Hector is wounded, but I stopped the bleeding. He should survive if we get him back to Charlie soon. Trevor was our mole, he shot all of us. He won’t be ratting on anyone else, again.”

  I asked Ethan, “You, too?”

  He replied, “No, I still bleed red.”

  Dave looked confused, “Then how did you survive Tony shooting you? Matter of fact, why did he shoot you in the first place!”

  Ethan unbuttoned his shirt to reveal a thick, dark gray undershirt that looked like heavy duty long johns.