Killing The Dead | Book 23 | Come The End

by Murray, Richard

  He didn’t say anything, he couldn’t say anything. I doubted that he even understood that he was asking, but he was. I gave a slight nod of my head, the barest of movements that would hardly have been noticed by anyone else, but that concern vanished and he returned his attention to the task at hand, content that I was okay and that if it was something he needed to be concerned about, I would tell him.

  How could I not love that?

  “Your Furies didn’t do well,” I said, feeling a lurch in my stomach. “One of them was captured.”

  I didn’t have to tell him what that meant and from the way his eyes hardened and lost all life, it was clear that his wrath was about to be unleashed.

  “Where?”

  “They headed north along the coast road. Two can tell you more. She survived along with the one that doesn’t talk.”

  “Just them?”

  “Yes.”

  If anything, that seemed to increase his anger and though I suspected it was more to do with them failing him by dying than by being upset at their deaths, I knew he would use it as fuel for the rage that he would unleash upon the raiders.

  “I’ll leave now.”

  “Will you say goodbye to the children?”

  “No, I don’t expect to be too long.”

  “Are you going alone?” Cass asked.

  “Yes.”

  “What will you do to them?”

  He paused then and glanced at her, then back at me, cocking one brow in query. “That depends.”

  I knew what he wanted, of course. I knew what he wanted permission to do. No, not permission. My blessing. He wanted to know that no matter what he did, I would welcome him home. Which, in itself, was promising as he fully expected to return home.

  He just wasn’t sure if I would be happy with him when he did.

  No matter what I imagined, I was sure that it would be worse. The question was, could I live with myself knowing that he had done it at my request? More to the point, could I live with a man who could do such terrible things to another?

  “Do whatever you feel is right.”

  Of course I could, because he was doing them for me, for our family. He was fully prepared to do the darkest of deeds, and I would accept it because it kept us safe. Whatever he actually did, there was one thing that separated him from the raiders.

  He wouldn’t do it to the innocent.

  No, he would avenge the poor and innocent people who couldn’t defend themselves. He would murder and maim, knowing that the worse he was, the safer we were.

  Yes, I could live with that.

  “Just come home safe.”

  “Okay.”

  Again, as unconcerned about what he was about to do as if it were merely some task he needed to get out of the way so that he could go back to resting with his family. His lack of concern for his own safety, let alone my nerves, was galling.

  His hug was awkward as I pulled him close, as uncomfortable as he was with people witnessing any show of emotion from him. Still, he knew that I needed to feel the warmth of his body, to reassure myself, so he acquiesced with something close to good grace.

  “Promise me that you’ll come home,” I whispered for him alone.

  “Always.”

  With that, he was gone. Turning and walking back to our bedroom where he would outfit himself with the tools of his macabre trade. I shuddered at the thought of what he would do out there should he find those raiders.

  “He’ll be back,” Cass said, her voice low and soothing as she tried to calm me.

  “I know. Thank you for saying it though. I know you’ve been at odds lately.”

  “He’s as hard to kill as a cockroach,” she muttered. “Whatever else, I know that he will do his damndest to come back. The question is, should he?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The things he did on his way here are the reason we are in this mess. Do you think it will improve any when he does something equally as terrible?”

  “Diplomacy won’t work if the other side won’t listen or aren’t interested in talking.”

  “It’s better than an endless war that we can’t win!” Her laugh was bitter and I knew that she was thinking of her daughter and the life she would have. “There will always be those who want to take from others. To hurt them. We can’t just keep killing everyone.”

  “What else do you suggest? Clearly trying to make friends doesn’t bloody well work. Look at Genpact!”

  That was a sore point and she flinched as though I had thrown a fist at her and not just my words. She had been the driving force behind our relationship with them. She had been the one eager to build bridges, sharing what we had freely and without question.

  Their betrayal had hit hard and still, she wanted to reach out, to find a peaceful solution. That had been my role for so long and I couldn’t remember when it had changed. When I had hardened and been less willing to talk.

  “I don’t think I can keep doing this.”

  “What, arguing?”

  “Just this.” I threw my arms out. “All of it! I’m not the leader we need now.”

  “You’re wrong. We might disagree, but I would follow you no matter what. Any decisions you make are done with the best of intentions.”

  “Maybe.”

  “No, stop that. You don’t need to doubt yourself right now. We have too much at stake.”

  “I know.” A sigh then, the softest of exhalation and then I squared my shoulders and lifted my chin. “Any luck with the radio?”

  “No.” Her slight smile was enough to tell me she knew that we would be okay. “I’ll keep trying.”

  “Please do.”

  As she turned to head back to her seat, she laughed and shook her head.

  “What?”

  “I’m just glad that he’s not taking Gregg with him this time. I don’t need that worry right now.”

  Chapter 19

  “Why am I here?” Gregg asked, more than a little grumpily as he pushed aside a branch.

  A good question. While I could trust him in a fight, he wasn’t the greatest warrior and he moved through the woods that bordered the road with less noise than most, but still too much for my liking.

  “Bait, maybe.”

  “Bait!”

  “Maybe.”

  “Screw that, mate. Why the hell would you need-“

  “Keep your voice down,” I snapped, looking back. “Else you will be alert them to our presence.”

  “I’m not bait!” he replied, voice decidedly lower, and I flashed him a quick grin.

  His muttering amused me for a moment as I paused to peer around a tree. The dark night was lit only by the moon and stars in the clear sky above. It allowed me to see enough to move through the woods without breaking my leg, but I still had to go slow else I could end up blundering into the raiders in the dark.

  To my right, down on the road, the four minions I had hastily gathered moved slowly. They were making a show of looking like they were trying to not be noticed, while being noticeable. If there was bait to be had, it was them.

  At least their slow creep along the road's edge allowed me to keep pace with them over the decidedly rougher terrain of the woods.

  I had little doubt that the raiders would keep a watch on the road, even if they didn’t expect anyone else to attempt the journey that night. Most of them would have headed back to wherever they made camp and that left me with some wiggle room.

  The minions had nowhere to go but forward or back, along the road. The woods were difficult to access along many parts and the sea to their other side left little in the way of places to manoeuvre. With luck, the raider on watch wouldn’t feel any need to rush away to get help.

  I kept my axe in my right hand, with my knife sheathed on my belt. Several other small knives had been hidden about my person and I was very much looking forward to using them. Whatever reason had propelled Lily to relax her stance on my leaving the village didn’t matter. I was just pleased to get a
little excitement.

  While the woods covered a fair stretch of the land between Mostyn and whatever the next town or village was called. It covered land that rose and fell, though mainly rose. Mud, fallen branches and a general lack of any passing in the years since the fall meant the going was tough, but doable.

  It also meant that there were a few places along the way where someone could watch the road and have enough time to make it back to their camp before whoever was on the road passed them by.

  I headed to the first of those points and quickened my pace so that I started to edge ahead of my minions who had been instructed to take their time.

  After a short distance, I slowed my pace, and Gregg following behind did the same. He tried to place his feet where I did so as to minimise his noise, but even so, I was glad for the breeze coming off of the Irish Sea that rustled the branches of the trees and covered what small sounds we might make.

  At the edge of a slight break in the trees, I raised my hand to indicate that Gregg should stop and I crouched low, peering through the bushes at the rock formation ahead. Large, grey boulders jutting out of the side of the hill. They provided a fine place to stand watch over the road.

  Two men sat there, confident in their not being seen from the road below, and talking quietly, just passing the time. Soon enough they would see my minions approach and one of them would run off towards the camp.

  Since I was hidden just below their rocky perch, there was no way for me to approach them without being noticed. The open grass that covered the hill around the rocks was too low to hide me and the ground was slippery with condensation and littered with smaller rocks.

  That didn’t leave me many options and I glanced thoughtfully back at my friend, revisiting the idea of just who was bait. His eyes widened at my sudden grin and he began to curse softly, voice so low even I could barely hear it just feet away from him.

  He didn’t need me to tell him what to do. We’d fought and travelled together for too long to need such mundane means of communication. He could read the ground ahead as well as any other and knew what was needed.

  More to the point, he knew me well enough to know what I would need him to do, and with a final curse, he pushed himself up and pushed noisily through the bushes and into the cleared space.

  The two raiders fell silent immediately and, Gregg, shoulders hunched and head low as though he were watching where he placed his feet, moved slowly across the ground to the base of the rocks. Even I was convinced he hadn’t noticed the two shadowed shapes of men atop the rocks, and my grin widened as I began to quietly hum.

  My entire body was buzzing with energy as the adrenaline coursed through my system. An eagerness that I couldn’t resist even if I had cared to try was urging me to step out and take my chances. To not wait for the trap I had just set in motion, but to risk it all for the thrill of the danger.

  I had to force myself to hold back, clinging to the image of Lily and our children in my mind as an anchor to the world. A reminder that I couldn’t risk one of the raiders escaping and alerting the others else they might be in danger.

  The two men didn’t seem to need words either, as they split apart, one heading forward to cut Gregg off while the other moved almost silently down the incline behind him. Gregg, in turn, paused and looked down towards the road as though gauging distance. A simple ploy to distract them and give me time to do what I needed to.

  As soon as the first man stepped around the rock outcrop into view, I leapt forward. My axe smashed straight into the startled face of the second man who had turned at the sound and I was cutting across the space between myself and the first man.

  He reacted better than his friend had, raising his sword and deflecting my swing as I skidded to a stop before him, almost losing my balance. I caught his return blow on the handle of my axe, twisting the head around to catch the metal as I pushed it away, all while drawing my knife with my left hand.

  My forehead connected with the man’s face before he could pull back his sword and blood burst from his broken nose, covering my face as I had my knife up against his neck, the point digging deep.

  Our breathing was heavy though he seemed to be trying his hardest not to breathe as every time he did, the knife dug a little deeper into his skin. I didn’t hide my delighted grin as I stared directly into the eyes of the raider.

  “Drop your sword.”

  He did, the blade clattering against the rocks.

  “Fuck me,” Gregg said, eyes wide. “Who needs defence when you have an all-out assault.”

  I didn’t respond, just focused all of my will on not driving the knife deep into the raiders throat. My voice rough with strain, I simply said, “kneel down.”

  A soft gurgle was all that could be heard over the sound of the rustling branches. The raiders friend dying, mouth filling with blood that was slowly drowning him. I risked a quick glance back at Gregg and jerked my head towards the dying raider.

  With a sigh, he pulled his knife and crossed to where the man lay. He knelt beside him and, almost gently, turned the man’s head to the side. Then, with one quick practised motion, he raised his knife and brought it down sharply.

  The raider died, and I turned my full attention back to the remaining man.

  “Should have known they’d send you.”

  “Oh?”

  “Aye, you’re the fucker that killed so many of our people.”

  “Guilty.”

  He lifted his shoulders in a shrug, little fear showing on his face, just the grim acceptance of a man who had made his peace with death.

  “Where are the others?”

  “Go fuck yourself.”

  He smelt quite unpleasant and his beard had gone for some time without being trimmed or even combed. The clothes he wore beneath his armour were soiled with sweat and who knew what else, while his teeth hadn’t seen a brush in quite some time judging by the odour coming from his mouth.

  The man looked to be a brute, all broad shoulders and sinewy muscle. A tough guy who wouldn’t break easily, though he would break. It was simply a matter of time, which was something that was not on my side.

  I needed to get the information I needed and quickly.

  Gregg came forward with the coil of rope he had brought along and quickly bound the man’s hands together. He then patted him down and removed a couple of knives and a coil of what looked to be a length of wire with what appeared to be handles attached at either end.

  That told me something and I nodded slowly. He was the type of man who enjoyed his work. There was no need for a garrotte when a knife could do the job, not unless you found a particular kind of pleasure in killing with it.

  “I don’t have a great deal of time and you already know that I am going to kill you, so it is just a matter of how quickly that will be done.”

  He didn’t flinch, just stared at me implacably and I almost laughed. It was going to be a great deal of fun.

  Gregg pulled duct tape out of his pack and quickly taped it over the man’s mouth. His own face twisted in distaste at what was about to happen but he didn’t look away. He knew what was at stake as well as anyone.

  “Now, while I do need you to talk eventually, so I can’t cut out your tongue. I don’t need your screams to alert your friends.”

  His eyes narrowed at that and he braced himself as Gregg began to unbuckle his armour. I waited in silence until he was done and then I pulled my knife away from the man’s throat and with swift, sure motions, I cut away his clothing.

  He shivered in the cool breeze and I looked him over. Well defined muscle with a fair few scars across his torso and arms. Some of them were likely training scars from learning how to use a sword. Others, from fights he had obviously won, else he wouldn’t be knelt in front of me.

  Clearly, a man who had faced pain before. He had survived the fall of the world, the zombies, Ferals and Reapers. He had grown battle-hardened somewhere far to the east and I was confident that he would endure a great deal
just out of spite alone.

  No, the threat of pain alone wouldn’t be enough, he would take that stoically. I had to scare him badly enough that he was willing to surrender the information I wanted, and quickly.

  “Actually, I’m not going to kill you,” I said, grinning as evilly as possible, and almost laughing at the sudden confusion in his eyes. “No, it will be a great deal more fun than that. Though not for you.”

  “We got time for this, mate?” Gregg asked and I shushed him without looking away from the raider.

  “He’s not going to give us any information, at least not any time soon. Rushing will just kill him quickly, which is something he would no doubt prefer.”

  “Then what are you-“

  “How many people have you raped?” I asked the man, not expecting an answer. “A lot, no doubt. Your group seems to take particular pleasure in that activity, don’t they?”

  Again, no response from him and I kept my grin in place.

  “First, I am going to cut the tendons in your arms. You won’t be able to lift them, let alone use your hands.” Still no reaction, just a further hardening around the eyes. “After that, I will cut out your tongue because I very much doubt you will be talking anyway.”

  “Once I am done with that, I will take you back to our camp and there, I will strap your defenceless self to a table and really set to work. Rest assured, I will do everything I can to make sure you survive long enough for me to return you to your friends.”

  Someone giggled and I gave a slight start as I realised it had come from me. A small laugh of almost pure and devilish delight. The hardness was fading from his eyes at that and I thought perhaps I could detect the first stirrings of fear.

  “Now,” I continued, leaning forward and lowering my voice so that he would have to strain to hear. “I’m no skilled surgeon, I will admit. We do, however, have access to an archive of medical files that explain how to perform a variety of procedures.”

  Yes, there was definitely the first stirrings of fear there.

  “Tell me.” I paused and laughed again. “Silly me, of course, you can’t tell me. No, just nod if you have heard of gender reassignment surgery.”