by Logan Keys
Kent strode on by. “Untie him. Bring him to the porch and find him something nice to eat. We ready?”
“Yes, sir,” one of his men answered.
They untied Luckman and then moved him outside. Someone tried handing him a sandwich but his stomach lurched the very idea of eating. The officers were being held and they’d tied two ropes to one of the large trees in the front yard. The end of them was looped around each man’s neck and they had bags over their heads.
Neither begged for their lives. Neither spoke at all, but while they were brave, Luckman knew they must have been terrified in their final moments.
He watched in horror as two of Kent’s men mounted horses, the other end of the ropes in their hands. They tied them off to their saddles, preparing to hoist the officers up and to their death.
Kent walked outside, his bootheels scuffing on the wooden porch.
“Please,” Luckman said. “Don’t do this.”
But Kent waved him off.
Cal also came outside. He was pale and he kept his eyes on the ground, probably too afraid to look.
Luckman tried again. “These are innocent men---”
“Innocent?” Kent snapped and he rushed to Luckman’s side. He took his pistol and cracked Luckman in the face.
Luckman crumpled, hitting the ground, seeing stars.
“No one who worked for the government that brought this hell upon us is innocent,” Kent snarled.
He turned to face the riders. “On my mark,” he said.
“Nooo,” Luckman moaned, watching from the ground as the horses began to shuffle in place, not understanding, but excited to get a move on.
The ropes tightened.
“Please, God, no,” Luckman begged as Kent nodded at the two men.
The men kicked their mounts and the horses trotted until the rope caught. Then they walked step by step.
The officers gasped and then gurgled as they were lifted off their feet. Their legs kicked, and Luckman longed to shut his eyes, but felt it was a disservice not to watch. Not to document this time in history when evil ruled and men did what was right in their own eyes.
He watched until their legs stopped kicking.
He watched until his eyes were scratchy and dry.
Then he finally closed his eyes and hoped that his turn would be fast.
Chapter 10
New York City, New York
The night seemed to swarm them like a hive of bees, closing in with a choking grip of coldness. Michelle felt as if her heart would stop from the freezing in her veins. She'd said time and again, "If we can just make it through the night."
Bob had agreed but it was obvious that he was dubious. Reese was quiet, but since the bleeding had stopped, she had managed to survive.
"I'm sorry, Bob," Michelle said.
He frowned at her. "For what?"
"I'm sorry that you thought you had to do this. I think part of it was they were after me and you felt like it was one person too many they'd tried to hurt. You should be with your family and I feel responsible for getting you mixed up in this after Seagerman took interest in what I knew about the shields."
Bob sniffed. "If anyone should be sorry its...well..." he motioned at Reese who was asleep.
“I think…I hoped that Cameron would be able to fix it and it would all be worth the risk if we stayed behind but we have gotten nowhere and now here we are.”
“Again.” Bob motioned at Reese as if to say, she’s the one who is to blame.
“Well. That’s an easy button,” Michelle said. "But I’m to blame, too. If hadn't gotten myself all mixed up in this with them then you'd be free to go with your family."
Bob shook his head. “Nah. I still would have stayed. This world will be a better place without those two men in it. My family has each other. This needed to end.”
Michelle chuckled. “Well, the cold is about to do what we could not. Al is gone, and Seagerman might freeze to death anyway.”
Michelle yawned. It was near morning. “Last time, we just had to make it until the next day and we were able to leave. Should we try it again?”
Bob agreed, and they got Reese awake. “Warm yourself quick before we go,” Michelle said. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I’ve died and gone to hell.”
Michelle smiled. “Could be worse.”
Reese gave her a droll look. “How?”
“You could actually be dead and in hell.”
“Ha. Ha,” Reese croaked.
They stood around the last of the fire. Michelle had Bob took a look at her shoulder. “It’s not bleeding, but we need a doctor for sure.”
She sighed. “And when we go back that way. What about Seagerman?”
Bob shrugged. “I think we should keep going that way and exit on the next one. I will stay to the rear and keep a look out.”
They started to walk, following Bob’s plan. The tunnel was dark, and even Reese’s lighter didn’t help much.
Reese slowed them down, she was weak and barely moving above a shuffle.
Michelle tried to help her but she finally sat down and started to cry.
“Go. Go on without me. I can’t go another step.”
Bob and Michelle shared a glance.
Michelle sighed and pulled the woman up by her arm. “No. Come on. I’ll help you.”
Reese sniffled, and Michelle felt bad for the woman in a way. She’d sure taken her licks in life in repayment for her choices.
They were making it down the tunnel once more when footsteps could be heard echoing from behind. Bob motioned for Michelle to get to the side. To hide.
She did so with Reese. Bob had his gun trained on the darkness, and he waited as the footsteps got closer.
“Who is it!” Bob shouted.
The footsteps stopped. It was too dark to see anything.
Bob turned around after a few seconds. “Let’s go,” he whispered and just as Michelle stood a gun went off.
The bullet whistled down the tunnel near where she and Reese were walking.
Bob didn’t hesitate, he fired back. “Go!” he roared. “Run!”
Michelle was torn but she got Reese to her feet, and they started to rush as fast as they could down the tunnel as Bob and Seagerman fired at one another a few more times.
Bob had scooted to the side, hiding along the edge when Michelle last saw him.
She kept Reese moving and they saw light at the end of the tunnel. A platform was not far ahead. Michelle pulled Reese’s arm forcing her to move. “Come on,” she gritted out, not wanting to leave the woman behind.
But especially not wanting to leave Bob behind. Still, for once, she listened to him. They climbed up onto the platform and then they both took the stairs one at a time.
Michelle had to help Reese over the turnstile.
As each gunshot rang through the tunnel, Michelle flinched, just knowing Bob might be getting hit or hurt and she pushed Reese to the top of the steps.
They both gaped at the now encased New York. Everything was crusted with white, inches deep. There was only a tiny path on either side of the lump of ice that was set middle of the street. Many of the cars had been encased, as well, but a few were outside of it.
While the main road was impassable, the side roads were reasonably clear. The wave of ice had been forced into one tube with the buildings on either side.
“Check those cars!” Michelle said. “See if they have keys! Get the car started.”
“What about you?” Reese asked.
“I’m going back. Get a car running for us to get out of this city.”
Reese nodded, and Michelle turned back and rushed down the stairs, gripping her shoulder as it ached with every jolt.
She hit the bottom and slid, falling hard onto her side, bruising her hip.
Clumsily, she climbed over the turnstile again. She could hear someone rushing in her direction and she moved to the side and hid along the wall, to see who it was.
Her t
hroat closed when she saw Seagerman running past.
“Oh no,” she whispered.
The tall man rushed up the stairs, and Michelle ran towards the tunnel. She leapt down off the platform feeling like she’d nearly broken an ankle when landing. Limping now, she rushed towards where she knew she’d find Bob, injured, or dead.
And when a shadow leapt out from the side and grabbed her, her scream shattered the darkness.
**
“What are you doing!” Bob shook Michelle and she crumpled with relief.
He grabbed her into a hug. “I ran out of ammo. Was going to try to jump the guy when he went past.”
Michelle shook her head. “He’s already past you! He’s outside.”
Bob glanced around. “Slimy sucker. I didn’t even hear him go by.”
“Reese,” Michelle said, and they both turned and ran for the platform.
Michelle’s ankle held her up, and she had to push through the pain to make it back up the stairs once more.
They were careful to step outside, but it was empty.
“Where is she?” Michelle said. “I told her to find a car.”
“More importantly, where is he?”
Bob and Michelle looked around and Bob was seeing the outside for the first time and he seemed to be overcome with awe like she had been.
“So that’s it,” Bob said. “Everyone must have froze in this if they didn’t get out.”
Michelle nodded.
She wouldn’t dare go look to see if people were dead in their homes. She remembered how cold it was when she’d been in Bob’s house, and she doubted anyone was alive who didn’t do what they had. Getting underground had worked, but how many would have thought of it?
“Bob,” a deep voice called, and Seagerman stepped out onto the sidewalk.
Bob pushed Michelle behind him. “Seagerman.”
The tall man lifted his gun and checked his ammo. “I’m almost out. You?”
“Out.”
Seagerman tisked. “I have one bullet. So the question is, how good of a shot am I?”
Michelle gasped. “Bob,” she said quietly. “Run.”
Bob lifted his hands instead. “You better not miss me then, I guess.”
Michelle wasn’t looking at Seagerman anymore. She was looking behind him.
The lights on the car turned on. The engine started and it revved.
Confused, the tall man whirled around just as the tires squealed.
Reese had found a car.
The woman hit the gas and the car lunged forward. Seagerman lifted his gun, waited as the car barreled down on him, and then fired.
A perfect hole appeared in the windshield, but the vehicle stayed its course. The Buick smashed into Seagerman and he disappeared underneath the tires and then it slid out of control and banked into the ice.
Bob and Michelle raced for the Buick and Bob threw open the door.
Reese was there, blood trickling from her mouth, a wound in the very middle of her chest.
She was opening and closing her mouth like she was trying to speak but then her eyes went glassy.
Michelle turned and looked to where Seagerman’s body was.
He was dead, his neck was at a wrong angle.
Bob and Michelle stood for a moment trying to process all that had happened before she took Bob by the hand and lead him away from the grim scene.
They each started to try to find a ride. Some were locked, some were unlocked, but had no keys. The worst was when they found a person inside, frozen, dead, and even if they had their keys, Michelle would just move on, afraid to disturb them. It took them a few hours of searching and the freeze was getting worse once more. The Buick was the only easy option but neither of them even brought it up. It would be full of blood by now and it was obvious they just wanted a fresh start.
Michelle stopped at a pickup truck that had keys and no driver. She got inside and said a quick prayer.
It started. And the gas tank was full.
“Bob!” she shouted. “Bob!”
He rushed over and jumped inside. Michelle adjusted the mirror and she cranked up the heater.
They shared a hope-filled glance and she slowly started to drive them out of the city.
“So, south,” Michelle said, fighting a grin.
“South,” Bob repeated.
The Long Fall Book 9:
Age of Winter
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Authors’ Notes
September 8, 2018
Dear Readers,
You’ve made it nearly to the finish! Amazing! The best is yet to come. This episode shows that some of our characters on the very last leg of their journey south. The bigger picture should be clearer. So glad you’ve held on for such a long, but hopefully enjoyable, ride. Thanks to all of you awesome readers for following along with The Long Fall series and your feedback in reviews makes it easy to push onward towards the next gripping scene, so make sure you drop a line (even a short one) and let us know what you thought. It’s how we know that we need to make sure the next one gets out very fast.
I am always open to discuss my books with you on facebook or email me at [email protected]
Cheers,
Logan
This has been:
FROZEN
COLLAPSE
The Long Fall Series
Book 8
By
Logan Keys & Mike Kraus
© 2018 Muonic Press, Inc.
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