Kill Tone
Page 18
“Let’s move,” Kevin instructs as he breaks cover. He moves swiftly whilst ensuring his client is close behind him. She is, and the others make sure they aren’t left behind. The group move almost in unison, all desperate to clear the open area of the side of the stage and reach new cover on the opposite side. Jack goes with them. He hovers at the back, checking over his shoulder nervously, as shivers run up and down his exposed spine.
Kevin reaches the opposite side quickly and keeps moving, down towards the back of the stage and the stairs down. The dark shadows and blind spots of the equipment stacked up beside him give him the jitters. He is almost scared to look into the area for fear he will see something staring back at him, but he does. Years of training and experience force him to look, and he controls his fears.
With the back railings of the stage assembly only feet away, a clattering sound begins to echo in the air. Kevin immediately gets a sinking feeling as the banging of feet on the metal steps gets louder. Someone or something is ascending rapidly and whoever it is, they are not alone.
His pistol pointing forward, Kevin comes to a halt, signalling with his free hand for the others to stop. The noise gets louder, closer and Kevin starts to back them away. His mind racing, he looks around for cover, somewhere for him to hide Lady Kai. The only option is within the piled-up equipment; it is too late to retreat any farther. He goes to push Lady Kai back and into the closest opening, between two big flight cases. She understands immediately and moves under his direction. They are too late, however. Lady Kai’s eyes bulge as inhuman figures appear from around the corner, behind her bodyguard.
“Behind you!” Lady Kai tells Kevin.
Kevin spins to face the threat, his pistol lowering to find a target. Four present themselves, and Kevin sees immediately that they aren’t human, takes aim at the lead creature and fires. His shot is good; his target is hit square in the chest and Kevin goes to move to the next target. An ear-piercing screech accosts Kevin’s ears and confusion clouds his mind for a moment. His first target didn’t fall; it is still coming at him.
Jack sees how ineffective the gunshot is and pulls at Veronica. They have to go back, to run; is there a way to safety at the front of the stage? Jack backs away, Veronica looks at him, fear etched on her face, and she grabs Rose.
“Run!” Veronica shouts.
Kevin shoots again at the creature who has already taken a bullet to the chest. The beast is closer, and he aims for its swaying head and he hits it on the left side of its forehead. The bullet smashes into the creature's skull, exploding the side of its head. Bone and brain matter spray back into the two creatures behind and Kevin’s hope rises as the creature drops to the floor.
Adjusting his aim rapidly, Kevin tries to target the beast on the left which is almost upon him. In a split second, he notices the smart black suit of one of his colleagues. He can hardly recognise Steve’s zombified face, his features grotesque and distorted and Kevin takes his shot with a heavy heart. There is no other option. The bullet hits its mark, entering through Kevin’s right eye. The bullet's trajectory is barely affected through the soft tissue of the brain until it splits the back of Steve’s skull and explodes out the back of his head. Steve tumbles to the ground in a pile, skidding to a stop at Kevin’s feet.
Veronica runs behind Jack with Rose in tow. Jack’s head is turning, looking for an escape route as he nears the open space of the main stage. Jack tries to ignore the carnage of the audience spread out before him and concentrates on finding a way to safety. He looks right, down the side of the stage, under the big screen that is supposed to be beaming the show out to the fans. There is no refuge in that direction that he can see, however, and he turns again to look back to where Kevin is still shooting.
“There is no other way, we have to fight!” Jack tells Veronica and Rose.
“There must be another way,” Rose insists.
“Where there isn’t, it’s worse this way.”
“Watch out Jack!” Veronica screams.
Behind Jack careering down the side of the stage, under the screen where he was just looking, a figure comes at them. Dread courses through Jack's veins when he lays eyes on the tattooed and bloodstained torso of Rouben. Jack feels his legs weaken with fear, his arms going numb, and the hammer is like a dead weight in his hand. Rouben’s evil eyes pierce into Jack’s and his blood-soaked bottom jaw starts to prise open.
“Get back!” Jack shouts, surprising himself, as he feels adrenaline rebuild his strength.
Veronica sees Rose move back and away out of the corner of her eye, but she stands her ground just behind Jack. Veronica’s hand tightens on the wrench; she keeps her arm low, but moves it back and away from her side, ready to swing.
From a few feet away, Rouben jumps straight at Jack, his arms stretching out, threatening to grab hold of Jack. The leap takes Jack by surprise, but he reacts in an instant. Jack sways sideways out of Rouben’s direct path, his arm already motoring through the air, the hammer fixed in his grip. The hammer smashes with a sickening crunch into the side of Rouben’s face, hitting his cheek and cracking into and through his molar teeth.
Rouben crashes to the ground just past Jack and for a moment, Jack thinks Rouben is down and out, but he is wrong. For only a split second, Rouben is still, and then, as if he is being electrocuted, he is jerking and is scrambling to get to his feet again. Jack repositions himself ready for the next attack which comes rapidly. Before he is even upright, using his hands to push himself along, Rouben is coming again.
Jack is ready and as soon as Rouben is within range, Jack swings. The hammer is on target to hit Rouben again directly in his head, and Jack puts all his force into the swing. In the second before impact, Rouben ducks his head down only slightly, but it is enough for the hammer to miss its target. Jack is defenceless and Rouben hits into him, falling backwards, Jack tries to save himself by throwing his leg back, but it is too little and too late; he is going down.
Jack’s arms break his fall marginally, but he hits the ground hard and the wind is knocked out of him. Rouben scrambles on top of Jack, pinning him down, his face directly above Jack’s. Jack sees the hatred in Rouben’s terrifying eyes as his mouth opens to feed on him, his cheek holed where the hammer hit. Teeth fall out of Rouben’s mouth as it opens, and they fall onto Jack’s face along with dripping black blood.
Rose screams hysterically behind Veronica when the creature hits Jack, sending him falling backwards. Veronica is prepared, however, her hand feeling the weight of the steel wrench gripped in it. In one swift action, she swivels on the balls of her feet, bringing her stance around, and she pulls the trigger on her arm. The wrench comes down and then flies upwards as she heaves it with all her might. Veronica’s eyes are fixed on the beast’s head that is attacking Jack and her aim is sweet. With ferocious speed, Veronica swings the wrench, smashing it into the creature’s face just as its head goes to strike at Jack. The blow hits the creature square in its face and the loud crunch of bone is horrendous.
Jack sees Rouben lurch, coming in for the kill, and Jack panics, his desperation total. More blood splatters into Jack’s eyes and the sound of crunching bone rings in his ears; he is disorientated, unsure what has happened. He only knows that he doesn’t feel the pain of the expected bite and the weight on his chest has been lifted.
Veronica almost loses her grip on the wrench as the creature’s head shoots backwards and away from Jack. Blood streams into the air, gushing from the creature’s face as its head whips back. The force of the blow throws it off Jack and tumbling onto the floor beside him. The creature's body convulses, and Veronica panics that it is going to rise again. She instantly steps over Jack’s legs, bringing the wrench up and above her head as she moves. Her arms then bring it down and she buries the wrench into the back of the beast’s head, splitting its skull open. The creature’s convulsions immediately cease and its body goes limp; it’s finally dead.
“Jack, are you okay?” Veronica shouts as she pulls
and twists her weapon, trying to dislodge it from the back of the creature’s head.
“I think so,” Jack replies, still on his back, his hands trying to wipe the blood out of his eyes.
Veronica’s wrench finally breaks free, accompanied by a cracking and squelching noise and she turns to check on Jack.
“We’ve got to go,” Rose insists desperately. “They’re coming over the barriers.”
Veronica looks over to the barrier in front of the main stage as she pulls Jack up into a seated position. Rose is right; creatures are starting to climb over the barriers, attracted by the brutal altercation.
“Get on your feet, Jack,” Veronica orders.
Jack blinks, his eyes stinging, but he does as he is told and pushes himself up to his feet. The moment he is upright, Veronica pulls at him, dragging him backwards.
“Move, Jack,” Veronica shouts as she breaks into a run, following Rose who is already ahead of her.
Jack’s eyes clear enough for him to look ahead, to see where he is being led. Rose is aiming in the direction they came from, back to the stairs leading down off the main stage assembly. Two figures are moving in front of Rose, Jack assumes, hoping that it is Lady Kai and her bodyguard. He follows the two women, too disorientated to argue and he hasn’t got a better idea anyway.
Rose reaches the top of the steps before Jack has even passed the twisted motionless bodies of the dead creatures Kevin has despatched. Jack slips wildly on the pooling blood excreted by the bodies, his feet nearly going from under him. Managing to catch himself, he turns the corner and finally he sees the top of the steps, just as Veronica starts her descent.
A chilling screech sounds from behind Jack, but he doesn’t dare look back. He hits the top of the handrail and takes his first step down the long steep stairway. Veronica is only just in front of him and starts to hold him up.
Rose, who is three quarters of the way down, fear driving her, loses her footing in her rush. Veronica squeals in shock as she watches Rose trip forward and Veronica’s prayer that Rose catches herself goes unanswered. Rose tumbles down, crashing heavily against the remaining steel steps, the metallic sound ringing out. Rose’s fall doesn’t stop until she hits the baked grass on the bottom of the steps with a thud.
“Rose!” Veronica shouts when the fall finally ends. She is sure Rose must be badly hurt, but to her amazement, almost immediately Rose moves and starts to pick herself up. Veronica speeds up her descent to get to her friend, making sure she has a firm hold of the handrail, relief washing over her as Rose tries to stand.
A flash of a shadow from the left fills Veronica with horror, stopping her dead in her tracks. A single creature flies into Rose as she is straightening her back to stand. The beast hits Rose in her midriff, knocking her sideways and back off her feet. The two figures hit the ground as one, Rose’s battered body taking all of the impact. Rose doesn’t move as the creature’s head whips into the side of her neck. Veronica knows full well its teeth are slicing into her dear friend.
“Nooooo!” Veronica shouts in desperation, helplessly. The shout is a mistake, Veronica knows it straight away. The wretch eating Rose has heard the shout and its repulsive head curls round to look at Veronica. The rabid woman bears its blood-stained teeth directly at her, blood gurgling in the back of its throat.
Fear rips through Veronica when the creature springs off Rose and stands to stare at her, with its head low, ready to attack.
Jack nearly pushes Veronica forward into the baying creature waiting at the bottom. The fresh screech from above is close, his panic escalating as he visualises zombies piling down the steps at his back. He is just about to barge past Veronica to deal with the creature below when a figure dressed in pink appears out of the shadows below.
Lady Kai’s run seamlessly develops into a jump and she brings her staff rocketing down through the air. The staff collides with an unnatural force into the top of the head of the creature threatening Veronica. The metal pole pings, the sound vibrating through the air as it smashes into its head, cracking it open. Amazingly, on her descent, Lady Kai kicks out her leg into the back of the falling creature, sending it flying forward out of the megastar’s way. The creature hits the ground dead and Lady Kai lands in the same position it was standing in, a second ago.
“Come with me,” Lady Kai purrs as her feet hit the ground. Her staff is held out in front of her, pointing into the air.
Behind Lady Kai, a flustered Kevin appears, his pistol out, aimed and looking for other threats. “Please don’t do that again, Ms Kai,” he tells his employer.
“I’ve found Fiona,” she replies, looking down at the dead body on the ground.
“Move,” Jack tells Veronica. “More are coming.”
Veronica snaps out of her trance and rushes down the remaining steps. She slows when she hits the ground and goes to see if she can do anything for Rose who is still moving next to Lady Kai.
“No Veronica, you can’t help her,” Jack insists. “She has been bitten.”
Almost to confirm Jack’s point, Rose’s body starts to fit and bile foams from her gaping mouth, her eyes rolling.
“She is still alive,” Veronica counters.
“She’s lost, Veronica, they’re coming down the stairs,” Jack pushes Veronica past the body and she knows he is right.
“Come on, move” Kevin shouts in a panic. His pistol is aimed at the top of the stairs, where a stream of zombies are falling over themselves to get down. He turns to run, grabbing hold of Lady Kai as he does. It’s his job to ensure her safety, no one else’s, and if they want to follow that’s up to them.
Nervously, they all run into the relative darkness beyond the stacks of equipment and parked trailers, and along a barrier that confines the backstage area proper, on their right. Jack’s eyes strain to open as wide as possible, trying to let him see in the darkness. His vision doesn’t adjust quickly enough to give him any confidence though, as they leave the well-lit area and move into the dimly lit field of parked cars. Shadows surround them, any one of which would be the perfect hiding place to launch an attack.
Screeches sound out from behind and Jack knows instinctively that the stream of zombies has reached the bottom of the steps and are continuing their pursuit. He picks up his pace, the hammer swinging heavily in his hand, but he daren’t drop his weapon, no matter how heavy it gets.
How much farther? he thinks desperately as he glances over his shoulder. He wishes he hadn’t looked, as a pack of dark figures is closing in on them
Kevin leads and he bears to the left, taking them away from the cars and the lights shining down on them. Where the fuck’s he taking us? Jack’s mind screams as they run into even darker surroundings, his fear rising. He can see nothing but the darkness of night in front of them and hear the stomp of the pack on his tail.
A glint of light appears ahead, a reflection. This must be it, Jack prays. And then, materialising out of the darkness is Lady Kai’s shiny white helicopter. The aircraft sits alone on the grass in front of them, the cab in complete darkness. There is no sign of anyone who is about to fire up its engines.
“Who’s flying it?” Jack shouts ahead.
“Me!” Kevin shouts back, without turning.
The baying pack is too close for them to get onboard, wait for Kevin to start the engines and get the helicopter into the air, Jack reasons. He can hear them right behind him; will the cab be strong enough to keep them out long enough for Kevin to lift off?
Jack looks over to Veronica, her dark curled hair streaming behind her. She glances at him in the same instant and can see the fear etched onto her gorgeous face. Suddenly, he is overwhelmed by how lucky he is to have known her and to have shared a night with such a woman, even if it was only the one.
“Go around to the other side!” Jack shouts at her. “Use the door on the other side,” he repeats himself as they close in on the helicopter. He thinks he sees Veronica nod her understanding, but it is hard to tell with her head bobbing ab
out while she runs.
Kevin does angle his direction to go around the front of the helicopter to the other side, where the pilot's seat is positioned. Jack is relieved to see Veronica move to follow him, as does Lady Kai; it will take them out of the direct line of sight of their pursuers.
Jack goes for the nearest door, hoping to God it is unlocked. He doesn’t know exactly how much time he has, but it can’t be much, and he can feel the fucking creatures behind.
Virtually crashing into the side of the helicopter, Jack searches for the door handle, finds it and pulls on it. The door won’t budge; it’s fucking locked and Jack panics, fear churning his stomach. A moment later, a light flicks on inside the cab and Jack pulls at the handle again.
Nothing. Shit, he thinks and looks over his shoulder.
Wanting to scream Jack sees the black silhouettes of the pack only meters away. He pulls uncontrollably at the door handle, looking back into the cab, desperately seeking help. Veronica’s petrified face appears behind the glass and then it looks down as she urgently tries to unlock the door. The door’s lock clicks just as a whining noise starts above Jack, as Kevin starts the helicopter's engines.
The door handle releases and Jack pulls at it, Veronica pushing from inside to get the door open. Before the door is a quarter open, it is slammed shut as the pack of creatures finally catches up to Jack.
Crashing into the door, Jack is winded but pushes back, trying to somehow escape. Veronica’s face is screaming at him from inside, in the light of the cab, tears streaming down her face.
Jack buckles his legs in a desperate attempt to slip beneath the horde that is upon him and it works; he falls to the ground, out of their grasp. Somehow, he manages to roll, to scramble, to the relative safety underneath the helicopter. He finds himself on his back, looking up at the belly of the helicopter. He is free of the horde and he goes to roll again to get to the other side, to use the other door. But the belly of the helicopter lifts away from him, rising into the sky. “No!” Jack screams as the helicopter takes off and starts to disappear into the night sky, leaving him with only the pack of bloodthirsty creatures for company.