by Hatchett
Mamba put a dozen or so spare pitons in his pockets and slipped the hammer inside the waistband of his jeans. He made sure his bag was zipped up to avoid losing anything then carefully took hold of a piton above his head and pulled himself towards it. Partway through the manoeuvre, he moved one leg from the zip onto one of the pitons below him and slowly moved himself until he was upright and hugging the castle wall. “Now for the difficult bit,” he muttered to himself.
Once secured, the pitons stuck out from the wall about a foot and had a circular section at the end for tethering. There was no danger of them being snapped or pulled out due to weight. The pitons were also ridged to allow better grip and Mamba was able to move his feet towards the end of the pitons and lean into the castle wall. Resting his forehead against the wall, Mamba was able to free his hands and get hold of the hammer and spare pitons and proceeded to hammer them into the wall in a zig-zag formation above his head. He could only do a couple at a time before he needed to take a step up, his body scraping against the wall between the zig-zagged pitons. Before he could go any further, he detached his bag from the zip and let it hang down below, careful not to let it unbalance him. He then detached himself from the zip but clipped himself onto one of the higher pitons, so he wouldn’t fall if he made a mistake.
Luckily, there were several arrow slits randomly placed in the wall and these gave Mamba additional hand and foot holds so that he didn’t run out of pitons.
By the time he reached the top of the wall, the rest of the group were huddled on the lorry. Mamba took a quick look over the top of the wall and was happy to see that there were no zombies in the immediate vicinity. There was a small group of what had been tourists a hundred yards away, but he could deal with them with his pistol if the need arose. He silently thanked his lucky starts that there hadn’t been a mob up here, otherwise he would’ve had to retrieve his automatic from the equipment bag. He quickly and quietly climbed over the top of the wall onto the rampart, pulling the bag over with him. He opened the bag and quickly propped his automatic against the wall within easy each before unslinging the harpoon. As he prepared to shoot an arrow into the side of the truck below him, the group saw his intention and quickly moved out of the way. Mamba fired the arrow which embedded itself in the side of the truck. He pulled the line tight then used a hook from his bag to secure it. He then pulled out a secondary line, attached it to the zip using carabiners and let gravity take it down to the truck.
Mamba looked around again; the noise he had made had attracted the small group of zombies who were now moving steadily in his direction. He picked up his automatic, selected single fire and picked off the zombies one by one. Once he had done so, he looked around once again to make sure he hadn’t attracted any more, and once he was satisfied, he turned back to the zip and the group on the lorry.
Grace was already tethered to the new zip and the secondary line. The angle was quite steep, but Grace didn’t weigh much and Mamba was strong. He grabbed the secondary line and started pulling Grace up the line. Once she was at the top, Mamba grabbed hold of her arms and hauled her over the wall onto the rampart. Grace unhooked her pulley and Mamba sent the secondary line back down ready for the next person. He handed her the automatic and told her to keep watch. He hoped the next person up would be Zak as he was also relatively light and could help pull the heavier members of the group. When he looked back down he was pleased to see that Ahmed had obviously been thinking the same thing as Zak was tethered and ready to go.
Over the next twenty minutes the group were brought up to the rampart. They sat in a circle, taking a much-needed drink of water, and snacking on some of the food they had in their bags.
“We’ve got ourselves a castle,” Bird commented, punching the air in celebration.
“We’ve gotta clear it first,” Mamba noted.
“How are the others goin’ to get here?” Grace asked. “Surely, they can’t all come along the zips, especially the older and bigger ones.”
“Not my problem,” Mamba replied. “That’s for the Judge and Jury to decide.
“Why can’t we just get a bus and drive back to pick them up?” Isaac enquired.
“How’re you gonna get a bus, Pinky?” Mamba asked seriously, “and how you gonna drive it back? Have you seen how many fuckin’ zombies are around man?”
Isaac reddened at the rebuke, but still felt there was merit in his idea. However, he wasn’t going to say anything else which would get shot down until he had thought it through more.
Mamba picked up his walkie-talkie and moved away from the group.
“Judge, we’re here,” Mamba advised.
There was a short delay before the Judge came back. “Good work. How’s it lookin’?”
“We’re on the top of the wall and there’s nothin’ here, but it’s a bloody big place with thousands of zombies on the ground. What do you wanna do next?”
“I’m sendin’ some boys along your trail to help you clear the way. Once you’re secure, we’ll work out when and how I get there.”
“I’ve been thinkin’ about that,” Mamba replied. “I think we should look to get some heavy-duty vehicle like a bus to clear the roads then you can come in a car or somethin’, rather than the zips.”
“Good idea Mamba, that’s the sort of thinkin’ that made me put you as the leader for this task.”
Mamba smiled to himself. Pinky could go fuck himself.
“By the way,” the Judge continued, “I’ve been in contact over the radio with a bunch of fuckin’ snobs who say they’re holed up at Heathrow airport. They say they can help us ‘cos they’ve got guns and helicopters and the like. I’ve told them that we’re ok for now and just getting’ ourselves secure, but I’ll speak to them again in a coupla days’ time. So, we need to be sorted by then.”
“No problem, boss, speak later.”
Mamba returned to the group. “The boss is sendin’ some back-up to help clear this place. We betta take a look around and work out how we’re goin’ to do it.”
13
Day 3 – 11:00
Tower of London, Outer Ward
The site of the Tower of London covered twelve acres and enjoyed over two and a half million visitors a year.
The centrepiece was the White Tower built by William the Conqueror in 1078. The White Tower was to serve two purposes; to protect the Normans from the people living in the city and from outside invaders. It was the highest point of the site; a square fortress twenty-seven metres high with four turrets rising above the battlements. In the building opposite on the Northern side were the Crown Jewels, which included over twenty-three thousand gems.
Since 1078 there were many changes and additions to the site; Richard the Lionheart added an inner wall and moat, Henry III changed the Tower into a royal residence with a new inner bailey, Edward I filled in the existing moat, built an outer wall and a new dry moat.
There were many other smaller towers dotted around the site and many buildings set within the two rings of defensive walls; the main entrance was via Middle Tower then Byward Tower on the South-West corner, but it also had a water entrance facing the River Thames on the Southern side known as Traitors Gate, formerly known as the Water Gate and Trader’s Gate. This gate was part of St Thomas’s Tower and well known historical prisoners accused of Treason, such as Sir Thomas Moore and Anne Boleyn, entered the castle through this entrance before being beheaded.
The site also included a medieval armoury collection, a dungeon, two restaurants, a jewellery shop and sweet shop.
*****
Mamba was with his group of ten remaining gang members on the ramparts where they had first arrived. Another thirty gang members had since joined them, all in their twenties or early thirties and loaded with weapons and equipment.
Over the past couple of hours before the back-up arrived, Mamba and the other lieutenants, Skelly and Ahmed, had walked around the outer ramparts as far as they could to get a better idea of the layout of the Tower an
d figure out the best way to achieve their next task; that of clearing the area and making it secure. In the meantime, the rest of the group had gone around ensuring that there were no more zombies on the ramparts and making sure that no more could get up there. Mamba had then gathered everyone together.
“The plan of action is simple,” Mamba started. “We’ll close the main gate to stop more zombies gettin’ in, then we’ll start a fire to attract those already in and start pickin’ them off with the automatics. Any questions?”
“What about inside the buildin’s?” Isaac asked.
“We’ll deal with that later,” Mamba replied.
“What if there’s still people hidin’ in the buildin’s?” Isaac persisted.
“Then we’ll kill them or fuck them or both,” Mamba replied with a laugh. “Hold that, we may need some slaves, so we won’t kill them all!” That brought some smiles from the longer serving gang members. The idea of rape, pillage and plunder brought out their baser instincts. “I’m lookin’ to get me some sword and start chopping up some people,” Mamba added with excitement written across his face.
“Aren’t you going to get enough of that from killin’ zombies?” Grace asked innocently.
“Dunno if you’ve noticed girl, but I ain’t heard no zombie scream,” Mamba replied matter of factly. Grace turned away from him in disgust, unable to comprehend how she was related to this barbarian. Her obvious discomfort brought more laughter from the older gang members.
Mamba then allocated the group into three different sub-groups, all of which were allocated different tasks. Ahmed was given the job of securing everything inside the inner wall, known as the Inner Ward. He’d start a fire on the lawn outside the large keep in the centre of the site, known as the White Tower, and then start taking out the zombies. Skelly was given the task of removing zombies from the corridor between the inner and outer walls known as the Outer Ward, and Mamba himself would be responsible for closing the main gates.
“Don’t forget, no enterin’ buildin’s until I’m there,” he reminded everyone as he started to lead his sub-group along the rampart. He and his group would first arrive at Develin Tower at the South-East corner of the site before following the Southern wall Westwards passing Well Tower, Cradle Tower and St Thomas’s Tower before reaching the entrance at Byward Tower in the South-Western corner of the site.
He had decided to take his original group, less Ahmed and Skelly, but replaced them with two of the newcomers to make up the numbers. The journey was not as straightforward as he expected; the ramparts of the outer wall were not the same size and not always on the same level. Further, parts were blocked by buildings or towers which the sub-group would need to pass through. At Develin Tower, the sub-group had to descend a set of steps to a lower level before the rampart narrowed and they came upon Well Tower just a few paces further along on the Southern wall. As they moved along they started to hear the first shots fired by the other sub-groups; the sounds would continue to accompany them as they headed for their target. The upper rampart had been cleared of zombies, so Mamba knew he didn’t need to be too careful as they went along. However, although the upper levels of the buildings they had to pass through had been cleared earlier, he still had to make sure that nothing had come up the stairs from a lower level since. Once on the Southern rampart, the sub-group hurried to the next building which was known as Cradle Tower. In this building they had to descend another set of stairs before they could exit the building onto a lower and much narrower section of the rampart. At this point in their journey they were much lower and the zombies in the corridor between in the inner and outer walls could see and hear them more easily. The zombies gathered below them on the ground and followed their progress as they moved along. They continued until they reached a bridge-like structure with steps up and over a large metal gate, known as Henry III’s Watergate, which was another access point leading to the embankment next to the Thames. Mamba noted that at the same point the inner wall had a similar gate which was also closed. A little further along they came to St Thomas’s Tower which housed Traitor’s Gate. Access to Traitors Gate direct from the Thames had been blocked up, but on the other side of this blockage was a pool of rancid water and the original gate, half-submerged, which could still provide water entry into the Tower from the riverside. Mamba couldn’t see anyone wanting to take a dip in the water, which appeared to have been made even worse by several zombies falling into it. Mamba could just about see the bodies still walking around under water. ‘Incredible’ he thought to himself with a shrug, better protection than having the pool filled with sharks. He’d rather swim across the River Niger and take his chances with the crocodiles.
The sub-group entered the building and Mamba immediately noted a door on his right which led to another rampart which ran internally towards Wakefield Tower which was part of the inner wall. Instead, the sub-group climbed a flight of stairs directly in front of them and walked across a balcony above the pool of water below. They descended the stairs on the other side of the balcony and left the building onto the final narrow stretch of rampart before they reached their target, Byward Tower.
The Tower had massive oak and steel doors at ground level, weighing around three tons, but there was no way the sub-group could currently go down and close them, at least not until Skelly and his sub-group had cleared the area of zombies. Therefore, Mamba was looking for the next best thing; to drop the portcullis. Mambo led the sub-group into the building and climbed two flights of steps until they found themselves in the main guardhouse, with the portcullis standing in the middle of the room, held in place by thick ropes which were attached to various levers and pulleys.
Mamba moved across to a long circular wooden beam which must have been a good few feet thick and which lay horizontally on supports and had the thick ropes wrapped around it. He located a locking mechanism, moved the lock out of place and began to turn the spokes attached to the beam.
“Someone get the other end!” he ordered, and Smiley stepped forward and grasped the spokes on the other end of the beam. With two of them turning the beam it didn’t take long for the portcullis to start lowering and a few seconds later it disappeared from view and they heard it hit the ground with a thud.
Mamba then led the sub-group up a further flight of steps and out onto the Tower’s rampart. From there, they had a wonderful view all around. Mamba was less interested in the view and far more interested in the small drawbridge-like path which stretched between Byward Tower, which he was currently in, to an outer gate known as the Middle Tower. The Middle Tower also had large doors and a portcullis but there was little chance of the group reaching the Middle Tower in the short term due to the considerable number of zombies in and around the area. They had now blocked the entrance to the Tower, so it was not critical, just an additional protection to put in place at some point.
“Time to go and help the others,” Mamba advised his sub-group and they descended the stairs and headed towards the sound of gunfire.
*****
Skelly had fourteen gang members with him. He felt that clearing the corridor between the inner and outer walls should be a relatively simple exercise; the distance between the two walls was about ten to fifteen metres on average and there were only two options of travel, clockwise or anti-clockwise. His sub-group would be able to pick off targets easily at less than fifteen metres and they wouldn’t have to put themselves in any danger doing so.
Skelly picked half of his sub-group to stay on the outer wall ramparts while he took the rest of the sub-group onto the inner wall rampart; that way the sub-groups would form a pincer movement and he could also keep an eye on what Ahmed and his sub-group were up to. The two sub-groups mirrored each other’s movement as they moved along the ramparts clockwise; taking out zombies, moving along, taking out more zombies, before moving along again. It was repetitive, but therapeutic in a funny way; once you’d taken out the first couple of zombies with headshots, you became immune to the splat
ter of gore, not that any of the sub-groups were squeamish in the first place, they wouldn’t have been gang members if that was the case. It became a competition to see who could hit eyes or ears, to see if they could stop the zombie from walking without killing it - a couple of shots through the kneecaps usually did the trick. The sub-group were laughing and joking and thoroughly enjoying their shooting expedition. By the time they reached Byward Tower, they saw that the portcullis had been lowered and they were soon joined by Mamba and his crew.
“Stop fuckin’ pissin’ about and wastin’ bullets!” Mamba screamed when he saw what Skelly’s sub-group were up to. “We need to save as much ammunition as possible ‘cos we don’t know when we might need it!”
Skelly’s sub-group quickly stopped larking about and got on with the job at hand. Mamba split his sub-group in two; he left the two newbies, Dodge, Bird and Smiley with Skelly and took Isaac, Zak, Grace, and Nelson with him to find Ahmed to check on his progress. Once he was out of sight, Skelly’s sub-group started messing around and again began toying with their prey; you had to enjoy your work and now was as good a time as any to have a little fun.
As they progressed, the sub-group could see people in the windows of many of the buildings, watching what they were doing. These people had obviously barricaded themselves in once the trouble started and would’ve been there ever since. The sub-group came across what must have been staff cars parked or crashed at various intervals; on the odd occasion it was clear that the owner had tried to escape and had not been successful. There were several zombies sitting in the driver’s seat unable to move because of the safety belt. Skelly ordered his sub-group to leave these trapped zombies alive as they could come in useful later.