Serendipity

by Dennis Ingram

  Josh pressed his lips together, but nodded. He too had family to protect, but he understood the need. Nigel said nothing but dipped his head in assent.

  David glanced around, but saw no sign of intruders. He turned and ran for the bridge, leaving Josh, Nigel, and their small team to defend their front door.

  Kevin reached the bridge, heart pounding. He signaled Vasily and Christian to cross the bridge and head up the east bank of the river while he and Tobias took the west bank.

  “We have to catch them before they reach the tree line,” he said, not breaking the rhythm of his stride. “Once they’re in the trees, they’ll be harder to stop.”

  Deprived of a source, the river dropped. The water level would continue to recede until the lake had drained to the level of the outlet under the main windows. Without the background thrum of the waterfall, Haven seemed flat, eerie.

  Kevin slowed as the river widened into the catch pool, and that’s when he saw them.

  Franz went first. Fifteen years of rushing water had polished the surface of the rock, and it was an easy matter to slide through and splash into the catch pool, landing feet first. He took a quick look around then shouted, “Clear!” before swimming to the west bank with quick, powerful strokes.

  Carla came through next. By the time she reached the bank, Franz had already unwrapped his rifle and loaded it. She tossed her head, water cascading from her dark hair. Franz helped her up and she bent to unwrap her own weapon. Splashes from behind told them the rest of their group was following.

  “Form up!” Carla said as they hauled themselves out of the water. “Franz, stand guard until they’re all through.”

  He nodded and took a knee, rifle at the ready.

  Kevin held up a hand. “There they are!” he said, pointing. He opened his mouth to issue further instructions but felt a punch to his right shoulder. The impact spun him around and he fell, dropping his rifle.

  “Kevin!” Tobias said, dropping to his knees where Kevin lay, jaw clenched, clutching his shoulder.

  “Fuck!” Kevin said, lifting his hand to reveal an ugly red stain. “The bastard shot me!” He struggled to get up, but Tobias held him back. “No! Keep down!” He looked up to see Steve still standing. “Get down!”

  Tobias’s warning came too late. Another shot knocked Steve off his feet. He lay there, blinking in surprise until the pain registered. Then he screamed.

  “Shut up!” Kevin said. “You’ll only make it worse!”

  Steve choked off as if struck. He glanced at his shoulder, which bled profusely. “I can’t move my arm. Help me!”

  Kevin looked at Tobias. “We have to get out of here. We’ll pull back to the tree line.”

  Tobias’s eyes widened. He snatched a glance at the intruders.

  “Do it!” Kevin said.

  “What about you – and Steve?”

  “We’ll come too. It’s only an arm, our legs still work. Now move!”

  Tobias nodded and went to help Steve.

  Kevin rolled to his feet and ran after them, keeping low, but another shot took him in the right leg. He sprawled on the ground, cursing. “Keep moving!”

  Tobias hesitated.

  “Go on, move! You’re no good to anyone here.”

  Tobias set off again, disappearing into the trees with Steve. Kevin sighed and tried to reach the wound in his leg.

  Vasily and Christian sprinted up the east side of the river while Kevin took the west. Vasily clutched his rifle in one big hand, his eyes scanning ahead for signs of trouble. It didn’t take him long to find it. “Govno!” he said, spotting a figure on the near shore. He stopped and squatted, taking in the scene. A gaping hole in the rock of the cavern wall marked where the waterfall had once been. Ropes hung from the entrance like spaghetti trailing from an open mouth. A man struggled in the water with a large heavy bag. On the far shore he saw Carla, Franz, and three others. Franz had one knee on the ground, rifle held at the ready. Vasily turned to Christian. “We have to warn Kevin –”

  A sharp crack echoed in the cavern as Franz fired. Horror-struck, their heads turned to see Kevin at the edge of the forest, lying on the ground clutching his shoulder. Vasily’s eyes hardened. “Come, we must end this.”

  Regaining his feet, he set off toward the little group closest to them.

  Franz shook his head as he stood over Kevin, cradling his rifle. “So, your friends deserted you, did they?”

  A trail of blood followed Kevin like a macabre painting on a canvas of green grass. Kevin said nothing, just stared at Franz. He cursed himself for letting Bianca and the kids down. An icy hand clutched his heart as he thought of the danger they now faced. He braced himself for the end, but to his surprise Franz motioned Silvia Ramirez over with his chin. “Over here. Patch him up.”

  Silvia hurried over and squatted next to Kevin. She pulled out two field dressings and a pair of scissors. Cutting away his clothes around the wounds with quick hands, she slapped a dressing on each of them. Kevin flinched as the dressings wormed their way in.

  “Anesthetic will kick in soon,” Silvia said, seeing his reaction. “You’ll be fine.” Her brown eyes met Kevin’s then she looked down and swallowed. She packed up her medical kit and left.

  Kevin lay back, the pain from his wounds fading. Franz left to continue the advance. Carla’s face replaced Franz’s.

  “You should have killed me,” he said.

  Carla smirked at him. “That would be a terrible waste. We don’t want to kill anyone. You misunderstand us. We want what’s best for Serendipity.”

  Kevin turned his head so he didn’t have to look at her.

  She shrugged. “Take him back to the waterfall. Make sure he’s guarded.” She looked at Kevin again and sneered. “You’ll keep. But don’t think there won’t be consequences.” She turned and followed Franz toward the trees.

  David ran into Tobias and Steve not far from the bridge. He took in the situation with a glance, Steve leaning on Tobias, eyes screwed shut with pain. “Where’s Kevin?”

  Tobias glanced up, nostrils flaring. “They got him. Shot him in the shoulder and leg.” He looked away. “He might be dead.”

  David’s lips pressed to a thin line. The sounds of more shots rang out in the background, short, sharp barks like angry dogs. None of their weapons sounded like that so he knew what it meant – the rest of Kevin’s group had met up with Carla’s invasion.

  “Fall back to the defense line,” David said. “Take Steve to Veronika.”

  Tobias nodded and set off, helping Steve. After glancing around, David followed.

  Christian fell to two well-aimed shots that took him in each leg. Vasily grunted as a bullet took him in the shoulder, then growled when he found he couldn’t lift his rifle anymore. Impatient, he snatched it up in his left hand and let loose on full automatic. The men on the eastern bank withered under the stream of bullets. His lips parted in a grim smile as he turned to take in the scene on the west bank, just in time to see Franz fire the shot that ended his defiance.

  Josh had problems of his own. He dragged his hands over the thighs of his shorts to wipe away the sweat. The agony of waiting, not knowing if, when, or how an assault might come, tortured them. “Let’s take cover over here,” he said, pointing to a stand of trees that would afford them protection from several directions.

  That didn’t save them.

  The attack came through the main windows. One by one they fell to unerring sniper fire, the shots punching through the windows and striking them on their arms and legs.

  All they could do was dress their wounds as best they could. For them, the fight had ended.

  “Fall back! Fall back!” David and his small squad had fought in several quick skirmishes as the invaders pushed them back to the barricade, their last line of defense.

  Each time, they suffered losses. None lethal, but they’d lost people to wounds inflicted on arms and legs by the intruders’ infallible sniper fire. David’s team would be lucky to get of
f more than a few bursts before they endured more casualties.

  David knew Carla had the upper hand, the better weapons. He cursed himself for his lack of foresight, for being so slow to appreciate what Carla was capable of. Now they paid the price for his negligence and there was nothing he could do about it.

  His head jerked around at a cry from Sabine. Simon dropped to his knees to cradle her head.

  “Shit!” she said, glancing at the neat wound punched through her arm. “This will really fuck up my sleeve!”

  “Never mind that!” Simon said. He grabbed a field dressing and pressed it to her arm. Sabine grimaced at the pain and gripped his shirt with her good hand. “Shit!”

  Simon looked up as David shouted, “Get her back to the barricade!” He nodded and scooped her up in strong arms, shielding her with his body.

  “Everyone back, now!” David shouted. “Back to the barricade! Keep low!”

  They were fast running out of options.

  Veronika wiped the sweat from her forehead with her arm as she labored over the wounded. She could make sure they didn’t bleed out and give them something for the pain, but could do little else outside of the hospital. Her brow furrowed as she looked at the row of eight wounded.

  She shook her head. “This isn’t a coincidence,” she said, looking up at David. “All of these people suffered shots to the arm, shoulder, or leg. Wounds that won’t kill with basic medical attention. No one has died.”

  David nodded. “Their strategy is to burden us with wounded – they know we can’t afford to take risks with the injured and the children. And they can count.” He looked at their little group of wounded warriors. “It won’t be too much longer before there isn’t anyone left to fight.” His brow wrinkled. “We’ve heard nothing from Nigel or Josh.”

  Veronika looked away for a moment, and David regretted his words. He could only hope Nigel and Josh had survived.

  “How are they doing this?” Bethany asked, her gloved hands soaked in blood. She sat back on her heels, exhausted.

  “Smarter weapons,” David said. “Something else they did to get the jump on us. We fabricated basic weapons intended as a last resort. They made guns with homing bullets. They aim, they shoot, and they don’t miss. Simple as that.”

  “So now what do we do?” Veronika asked, her face reflecting her dread. “What can we do?”

  David surveyed his surroundings. The expressions on the faces of the wounded and the able alike told their own story. Beaten, hope fading. Those who could, helped. Those who couldn’t, suffered. Faces smudged with dirt and sweat, hands stained with blood.

  His people. He turned his face away. He’d failed them. The taste of defeat filled his mouth, bitter as the earth he’d tasted hugging the ground, dodging Carla’s bullets.

  They had done a good enough job with their crude barricade. The rocks and mounded earth provided a sanctuary against the bullets of their enemies, but David knew it wouldn’t last. With their wounded, it would be easy for Carla to wait them out. Which is exactly their plan. They didn’t want to kill them. With their numbers so few, they needed people to ensure they ruled over a viable colony. Wounding them slowed them down, consumed resources, made them vulnerable.

  Damn Carla. Why hadn’t he followed his instincts? Damn him and his principles, his need to be fair and compassionate. He’d known what she was. Known compassion would be wasted on her, like pouring water on desert sands. David steeled himself for what he must do.

  “Patch him up,” Carla said, pointing to Christian, who lay on the ground, a spreading red tide soaking his pants above the knees. Someone carrying a first aid kit hastened to comply as she turned to Vasily, lying nearby. He’d taken shots in both arms and legs, the bullets piercing flesh and shattering bone. He remained conscious, but immobile.

  Carla scowled at him. “You killed four of my people.”

  “Bitch!” He fixed her with a glare that could have melted steel, if only hate could manifest as energy.

  She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. The medic ran up to assist, but Carla held up her hand, a sneer spreading across her face. “Not this one.”

  The medic looked at Vasily, then Carla. He swallowed hard when he read her expression, and backed away.

  “I’ve waited for this moment, Abramovich,” Carla said, her voice silky yet cold. She brought her pistol up and pointed it Vasily’s head. Understanding flashed in his eyes. Carla smiled as she lowered her hand toward his torso and pulled the trigger. Vasily flinched as the sound of the shot echoed, but did not look away, his eyes willing her to suffer.

  But it was he who suffered.

  Carla pulled the trigger again, and again and again.

  Still Vasily didn’t look away, his face contorted in a rictus of pain.

  “Goodbye, Vasily,” she said, pointing the pistol once more at his head.

  She pulled the trigger.

  Click.

  Carla’s eyes widened, then she laughed. She shrugged. “Oh well, time’s as good as a bullet now.”

  She turned and walked away, gesturing for the terrified medic to follow.

  David hugged the ground, the taste of the gritty, sandy soil in his mouth once more. He heard no gunfire; it wasn’t like a normal battlefield. No need. Why pour out dumb bullets when every shot finds its target?

  At first he’d wondered why Carla hadn’t taken advantage while they were trying to save Grace. He’d assumed she’d attacked Grace as a distraction, to provide an opportunity. But he realized now that hadn’t been her plan at all. Instead, she’d taken Broken Hill, the colony’s main mining and manufacturing site. Once there, her team could make whatever they wanted, turning out assault rifles with smart ammunition that never missed.

  So why had she killed Grace? Was it just to cover their exit from Haven? Or was it for some other reason. With a sick feeling, he remembered Rex, their dumb but lovable family dog. They’d found Rex in the woods, strangled. They didn’t know for sure Carla had done it, but the children had seen her nearby before it happened. It took little imagination to see her as someone who killed for pleasure.

  His thoughts trailed back to the last conversation he’d had with Carla, the exact same day as she’d sabotaged Grace’s stasis chamber. The encounter when she’d proposed marriage to seal a political alliance.

  I have a wife. That’s what he’d told her. I have a wife. Could she be so callous as to remove what she saw as an inconvenient obstacle?

  His hands clenched, gripping the sandy soil. Their position looked hopeless, but he couldn’t let her prevail. He just couldn’t. He’d rather die than be forced into an unholy alliance with that psychopathic bitch.

  The lack of gunfire meant the groans and screams of the wounded were that much more obvious. He shook his head. Afterwards, they would sell their unwillingness to kill as compassion.

  “David! David Miller!” The sound of Carla shouting his name echoed across their little battlefield. “We want to talk!”

  David snatched a glance to see Carla emerging from the trees. She stood there, holding a white flag improvised from a tree branch and cloth torn from a shirt.

  So, that’s how it will be.

  He moved to stand up, only to find a hand pulling on his arm.

  “Don’t!” Veronika said. “You can’t trust her!”

  David looked at her, his eyes reflecting his agreement. Veronika let go. “There’s no real choice,” David said. “Not anymore.”

  Veronika sat back and dropped her head, saying nothing.

  David sighed. Time to face the music.

  Carla watched him come with a smile on her face. Just as she had planned. She and Franz had worked it out together, seeing their weaknesses, seeing how easy this would be. David hadn’t believed and now paid the price for his denial. All it took, she thought, was confidence and a willingness to act. Now she was on top, and that’s where she intended to stay.

  Carla walked forward to meet him, chin high, a smile still playing around
the corners of her mouth. “So, here we are.”

  David said nothing, his blue eyes piercing her with ice.

  She felt a shiver of anticipation run down her spine and closed her eyes for a split second to bask in the glow it left in its wake.

  She opened her eyes. “There’s no need for this, you know.”

  “I agree.”

  “If you’d listened to me, I wouldn’t have had to act.”

  “You have no right attack us. No reason.”

  She took a step and touched David on his chest. She may as well have touched granite. “Might is right.” She looked up at him. “I now control Haven. None of your people have died.” She glanced at the people standing behind her, all holding their smart rifles. “We made sure of that.”

  David looked behind him. “I have people back there bleeding.”

  Carla’s eyes flashed. “And I have four dead.”

  She saw the flicker in David’s eyes. “Yes, you and your little band of self-righteous do-gooders killed four good people spraying your primitive bullets everywhere. I should be the one that’s outraged.”

  David shook his head. “Their deaths are on your hands. You started this. You are responsible.”

  Carla shook her head. “Your opinion is of no consequence. History will show right is on my side. After all, I’ll be writing it.” She felt a rush of pleasure from his humiliation, and her thoughts strayed to how she would add to that humiliation later. He could have had it easy. Now I’ll make him suffer for it.

  “State your terms.”

  Carla stepped back and crossed her arms. “Very well. Unconditional surrender.”

  David crossed his arms to mirror her posture. “Unacceptable.”

  “Take it, or die.”

  “I want assurances for the safety and care of my people.”

  Carla paused, then smiled. “Of course, you have my word.”

  David said nothing.

  “Judge me by the facts, David. Have we killed any of your people? Even though you’ve killed four of ours, none of yours have died. Nor will they if you surrender now.”