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Downtime and Death (Apocalypse Gates Author's Cut Book 5)

Page 26

by Daniel Schinhofen


  His Type 56 and UMP both appeared in his hands, “Handle these weapons.” Once she had them in hand, he swatted her ass, “Now scoot.”

  Laughing as she swayed away, Becky winked at him. “Treating me like a bad kitty when I’m such a good girl.”

  “Good at being bad,” Alvin snickered, turning his attention back to the kiosk. “You’ll get yours in a bit.”

  “Promises, promises, Hero.”

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Climbing into the Humvee, Alvin still had a smirk on his lips. Last night had carried over into that morning, and they were getting yet another late start. Jarvis’ breakfast had been Denver omelets with sourdough toast and crispy bacon, and the three of them were comfortably sated.

  “We ready to head through another national forest?” Alvin asked.

  “Ready and willing,” Becky said.

  “Same with me,” Kuro added.

  “Aren’t you both always?” Alvin snickered as he got the Humvee started.

  “Where you’re involved, yes,” Becky purred. “I thought last night proved that.”

  “Oh, it did,” Alvin chuckled. “Don’t forget this morning, either.”

  “Neither of us would, Hero,” Kuro remarked, lightly squeezing his shoulder.

  Alvin patted her hand as the Humvee left the base. “Okay, mind on the world, not on me.”

  “For a bit, at least,” Becky nodded and stood up in the gunner’s position. “I’m so glad that the gun was mounted this morning. You notice that every twentieth round has a different tip?”

  “Tracer rounds,” Alvin nodded. “I noticed that when the guy was shooting at us.”

  “I’m glad this drum has an opening in it so I can see the ammo,” Becky said. “I’ll know when it’s running low.”

  “Count the tracers,” Alvin suggested. “Five per hundred, twenty-five for the entire drum.”

  “Hmm… that’s a good point, but it might be tough in the middle of a fight.”

  “Fair enough.”

  Alvin had the radio play a collection of music at a soft volume, just louder than the rumble of the engine. They rattled down the trails at twenty miles an hour, less if they had to circumvent or go over any fallen trees or rocks. Becky sang softly along with the music, her eyes scanning their surroundings and her hand resting lightly on the M2.

  Hours went by as they made their way down dirt trails. Becky caught sight of mutated animals in the distance, but nothing came close enough to be a threat or worth the attempt to kill it. A loud honk drew Becky’s attention, and she turned the gun mount around to spot a flock of mutated birds flying after them.

  “Hero, we’re being chased by twenty very large… geese.”

  “Geese?”

  “Yeah, the fuckers are almost as big as the Humvee,” Becky said, tilting the M2 up. “I’m going to dissuade them.”

  The sound of the M2 firing made the geese break formation, all of them diving at different angles to avoid the rounds. Several rounds smashed into one of the geese Becky had aimed at, sending a burst of feathers everywhere. The goose honked in anger and pain, right before it dropped from the sky like a brick.

  “One dead,” Becky laughed. The others had broken off pursuit.

  “How far back?”

  “A bit, and it was well off the trail,” Becky told him. “Good news is that the M2 is much easier to control than the M240B.”

  “The recoil runes, no doubt,” Alvin told her.

  “Maybe I should try one of those for the Tommy,” Becky muttered.

  “Means dropping something else,” Kuro replied.

  “Point.”

  ~*~*~

  Becky frowned, spotting more birds ahead of them when they came around a bend in the trail. “Hero, a large collection of birds ahead. A couple of miles... no idea if it’s near the trail or not.”

  “I see them. If they get frisky, shoot them. We’ll find out if we’re on the same path when we get there. I think that’s near the Miramonte Reservoir.”

  “Hero, if they are close to where we’re going, maybe we should try to kill them,” Kuro suggested. “We can always use more loot to sell.”

  “You have—” Alvin began, but cut off when a pop-up appeared in front of him.

  Weekly Quest: Kill and loot 300 mobs.

  This is a mandatory quest and cannot be declined. Failure to complete the quest will result in the loss of a life.

  Shaking his head, Alvin sighed, “Well, that settles that. Becky, when we get close enough, start killing them. My weekly quest is to kill and loot three hundred mobs.”

  “Does that include people?” Becky asked.

  “No idea, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. Remember, we need to loot them for it to count, so don’t drop them into the water if you can help it.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “I will help, Gothy,” Kuro said, summoning her rifle.

  “Thanks, Mousie. Hero, the birds are circling, so there might be other stuff there.”

  “I’ll make sure to drive carefully. If nothing looks dangerous, I’ll park and join in.”

  “Sounds like fun,” Becky laughed as the Humvee kept rolling down the lightly snow-dusted trail.

  Alvin slowed the Humvee when they came across a cabin just off the trail. Smoke stains marred the exterior of the building from the broken door and windows. “Looks like this place didn’t fare well.”

  “I don’t see any movement,” Becky added.

  “Call it a lost cause,” Alvin shrugged. “Onward to the water and birds,” Alvin muttered as he drove them past the ruined cabin.

  “Do you think the people there survived?” Kuro asked.

  “Window was broken out, but the door was broken in,” Alvin replied. “Likely, the owner tried to hole up inside but something came for him. A fire broke out and he probably jumped out the window.”

  “Okay, Sherlock,” Becky snickered.

  “That’s just what I think. I’m not pompous enough to say it’s the facts,” Alvin told her.

  “Fair enough,” Becky said.

  A few minutes down the trail, they passed a rock outcropping and came into view of the reservoir. Alvin stopped the Humvee at the same time Becky called out to him.

  “I see it,” Alvin said, watching the birds dive at the still body on the water’s edge. “Wyvern, I think.”

  “The birds must be vultures,” Becky added as they watched another bird dive for the corpse.

  As the bird swooped down to try getting a bite, the water near the body churned violently and the bird banked away.

  “That doesn’t look good,” Alvin sighed. “I’d also guess that wyvern has been there awhile. Gothy, break out your scope and give that body a look over.”

  Becky did as asked, and grimaced. “It’s been there for a while. The birds have worked on it, but there are long gouges on it, too.”

  “Probably whatever’s in the water,” Alvin sighed.

  “Do we kill the birds?” Kuro asked.

  “Let me get us within a thousand feet first,” Alvin replied. “Gothy?”

  “Waiting for the go ahead,” Becky replied. “Do you want to do anything about the thing in the water?”

  “Unless it comes out like the fish-demon, I’ll pass,” Alvin said. “That corpse isn’t worth the trouble. Just load up on some kills and loot from the birds, then we’ll move on.”

  “Got it,” Becky replied.

  “Hero, what if that thing is another fish-demon?”

  Alvin brought the Humvee to a stop. “Fuck... Gothy, you need to come drive.”

  “Dammit, I wanted to shoot the birds,” Becky sighed, climbing back into the Humvee.

  “After this, you can go back on the gun,” Alvin reassured her as he got out. “I’ll take the gun.”

  “If it’s not a fish-demon, I’m going to stop the vehicle and start shooting,” Becky added when she slid into the front seat.

  “Fair enough, Gothy,” Alvin agreed. �
�Give me a moment to get positioned.”

  “Understood.”

  A minute later, Becky rolled them to within a thousand feet of the water. “Okay.”

  Alvin took aim at the vultures that were not over the water, the M2 firing smoothly as he depressed the trigger. Kuro was quick to join him, her rifle extended out the passenger side window. The birds went into a panic when the guns began firing. Before the flock scattered, at least two had been killed.

  “Weaksauce,” Alvin sighed. “Can you get us to the bodies, Gothy?”

  “Sure thing,” Becky snickered. “Once we get past the water, you’re taking over again.”

  “Fair enough,” Alvin agreed, releasing the gun and counting off the seconds. Five seconds after he had let go, the drum was fully reloaded. “Damn. I’m glad they stopped with the real part of guns, otherwise the barrel of this thing would melt.”

  “It would have melted on the guy we took it from,” Becky said as she guided them to the bodies.

  “Point,” Alvin conceded, dropping back into the Humvee. “I’ll loot them.”

  “Okay, Hero,” Kuro said. She had been reaching for her seatbelt, but stopped.

  “Didn’t see hide, hair, nor scale from whatever is in the water.”

  “Good. Whatever it is probably killed that wyvern,” Alvin pointed out. “If it can kill one of them, I’d rather not tangle with it. I’ll update the settlements about what we found here so they know this isn’t a joke.”

  “Good idea. No reason for Green River to lose people to stupidity. Well, more than they already have,” Becky snickered.

  Alvin looted the two bodies before getting back into the driver’s seat, Becky already back up in the gunner position. “Vulture gizzard,” Alvin said with distaste as he got in. “Anyone else get anything better?”

  “Bird bile,” Becky frowned.

  “Feathers,” Kuro added.

  “Crafting mats it is, then,” Alvin said as he dropped the parking brake and got them rolling. “Around the reservoir and deeper into the Rockies.”

  “I’ll be shooting at anything I think I can kill,” Becky told him. “You might need to stop a bit more often.”

  “If you can drop them not too far from the trail,” Alvin said. “We need to loot them, after all.”

  “You got credit for the two?”

  “Yup.”

  “Well, at least we know it’s counting,” Becky said.

  “Good, we need to make sure Hero doesn’t lose a life,” Kuro added.

  “If anyone kills him, it’s gonna be us,” Becky agreed.

  “But what a way to go,” Alvin chuckled.

  Chapter Thirty

  Hours went by with only a few skirmishes with local wildlife. Kuro and Becky easily ended the foolish bear, suicidal cougar, and seemingly crazed minks that challenged them as they drove south of Lone Cone Mountain.

  “That puts you at eight kills, right?”

  “Eight of three hundred,” Alvin replied. “Not great for a day of driving.”

  “We are going slow,” Kuro reminded him. “It’s necessary because of the paths we’re on, but that also doesn’t make it likely for us to find things to kill.”

  “That’s a decent point,” Alvin agreed. “Take what we can get. We’ll only be in the forest for a few days, but then it should be plains and a whole lot of zombies, I’m sure.”

  “Hero, we’ll…” Becky began, trailing off and focusing on Groundhog Mountain ahead of them. “I see movement.”

  Alvin looked toward the mountain, one of his eyebrows going up in surprise at the mass of green that appeared to be rolling down the hill. “What the fuck is that?”

  “Green skinned things,” Becky replied, having pulled out her rifle to use the scope. “Orcs or something similar? I think they’re chasing someone. Go faster and you can get between the orcs and the person. I’m going hot.”

  “Here, Mousie, use the Type 56,” Alvin said, dropping his rifle into her lap. “Is it worth getting in their path?” Alvin asked Becky just before the M2 began to fire.

  “Depends. If they count toward your quest, then yes,” Becky replied. “Keep an eye on it.”

  “You might want to prep an explosive,” Alvin added. “That’s a lot of bodies.”

  “Let’s see what it takes to kill one,” Becky replied as she kept up the fire. “Mousie, slide behind the driver’s seat. The road curves that way.”

  “Understood, Gothy.”

  Alvin did his best to keep them on the trail, but going faster on the rough trail meant they were bouncing a lot more. His eyes kept going from the road to the oncoming horde. “We won’t know if this is worth it unless we can loot them.”

  “Sadly, it looks like they really soak up the damage. It’ll take a good bit to deal with this many of them. I’ll use explosives when we get close enough.”

  “Fuck,” Alvin hissed as he focused on driving. “Going to come to a hard stop as soon as the person passes us.”

  “Got it.”

  Kuro watched the figure fleeing the orcs, something tickling the back of her brain at the sight, but not enough for her to remember. The orcs were throwing small balls of green after the fleeing figure, who was dodging as they ran.

  Kuro began firing at the orcs. She did not have the best angle, but she was still able to land rounds on her target. When she reloaded the first magazine, she was frowning. “I don’t think the smaller caliber is doing enough.”

  “The .50 cal is hurting them, but it takes a lot of rounds to stop them. They look to have slowed a little.”

  “Coming to a stop in five, four...” Alvin started counting when the short broad figure crossed the trail ahead of them. “A kid with a gas mask? Out here?”

  Alvin stood on the brakes and set the parking brake, bringing the Humvee to a sliding stop. Becky threw her explosives into the horde before going back to firing. “Explosives out, set for thirty seconds.”

  The orcs focused on the vehicle, but stopped throwing whatever they had been throwing. Instead, the mobs raised their arms in the air and rushed forward as if they intended to smash at the Humvee.

  “Contact in ten,” Alvin shouted, summoning his UMP. “Mousie, be ready with a barrier glyph. I’ll trigger second, and Gothy, you’ll be third.”

  “Understood, Hero,” both women replied in unison.

  The three of them put hundreds of rounds into the oncoming horde, but only a handful of the large green figures fell. The orcs ignored the UMP entirely and shrugged off the Type 56. The only rounds that did any damage to them was the .50.

  Just before the orcs reached them, Kuro triggered her barrier glyph. The blue shimmer sprang up to cover the side of the vehicle, making the tide of green slam into it and into each other.

  “Triggering for our rear,” Alvin shouted as he watched the mob funnel behind them. “Gothy, trigger for the far side. Buy the kid some time to leg it. We’re going to have to leave.”

  “Got it,” Becky replied, her barrier going up just before the orcs surrounded them. The bomb she had tossed went off, killing and maiming a number of their attackers. “We have their attention now,” she said. The orcs were no longer interested in chasing the small person, instead focusing on attacking the barriers.

  “Hero, the front barrier is starting to crack,” Kuro said.

  “Already? Fucking hell, they don’t even have weapons!”

  “I don’t see who they were chasing anymore,” Becky said, firing down at the orcs on the far side as best she could. “I think—what the fuck!?”

  Alvin looked the other way, but could only see the barriers and the orcs. “What is it?”

  “Power armor, I think,” Becky shouted, “and it’s coming this way.”

  “Oh, come on,” Alvin hissed as he released the parking brake. “I’m going to try breaking out.”

  “Reloading,” Becky said.

  “Hero, I’m going to start stabbing them if they break the barrier,” Kuro told him as she put Alvin’s rifle
aside and summoned her blades.

  “Fire!” Becky yelled, watching the power armor raise both hands. Twin jets of bright blue washed out from the wrists of the armor, and the first few orcs it hit went up like they had been doused in oil. The rest of the horde panicked and broke, orcs running in all directions. “I think they’re on our side?” Becky added dubiously when she dropped inside the vehicle. The air around them was filling with smoke and getting hotter by the second.

 

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