Damien frowned. “Why not?”
The other Damien shrugged. “Something about tying the tapestry in knots. I got the impression it would be bad.”
Damien looked out at the seemingly indestructible beast marching towards them. “How bad could it be?”
“Good point.”
17
Mass slumped against the wall, almost dropping his Benelli over the edge. The sight of Crimolok rising from the moonlit ashes shouldn’t have been a surprise, yet some small part of him had hoped. Now the last of that hope was gone. It really was all over.
Crimolok was covered in the charred remains of his demons. Hundreds of them had been taken out by the blasts, but thousands more emerged from the ruins of the city. There seemed no end to their number.
Mass put down his shotgun and rubbed at his grime-covered cheeks. “I need to get to the gate. I caused it to open. Now I need to close it.”
Smithy looked at him, stricken. “There’s no way we’re getting out of here, man.”
Addy turned her back on the approaching demon army and slumped against the wooden ramparts. It would be the last breather any of them would get. “This is it, isn’t it? The big goodbye.”
Smithy put a hand on her shoulder, but he kept his eyes on Mass. “Got any tricks up your sleeve, big man?”
Mass could only stare blankly.
Gunfire broke out from the docks as people realised Crimolok wasn’t dead. Their cheers turned to dismay. The howitzers resumed their ineffective bombardment, slowing Crimolok down but not stopping him. Even at the giant’s leisurely pace, it would reach the walls soon. There was only enough time for people to make peace with themselves before they were sent kicking and screaming into the next life – an afterlife that would no longer exist after Crimolok unmade the universe.
Mass closed his eyes and enjoyed the caress of a breeze against his face. All he wanted was to find a moment’s peace before the end. One last experience of being alive. Too bad the gentle breeze became a forceful gust that forced Mass to shield his face. When he opened his eyes, he glimpsed something in the sky. At first, he thought Crimolok had thrown another car, but whatever was overhead, it was far larger than any car. A blinding searchlight lit up the docks.
A helicopter.
Addy aimed her shotgun, but she didn’t fire. Instead, she gasped. “Where did that come from?”
Smithy hopped excitedly, waving at the helicopter as if he were a kid. “It’s the army. We’re saved.”
Addy rolled her eyes. “It’s one helicopter, Smithy. Show me a hundred more and I might cream my knickers.”
Smithy grimaced. “That’s gross.”
“Yeah, well, I’m about to die.”
The helicopter came in to land. The defenders on the walls ducked, holding on as a huge downdraught assaulted them. Mass climbed down from the ramparts, desperately curious and also grateful to have something to occupy his mind before the endless hordes of demons reached the walls.
Wanstead appeared with a pair of guards at his side. He stared at Mass as if he expected answers; he clearly had none of his own.
The helicopter hovered a few feet above the ground then dropped down on its skids. It had grey and blue camouflage, reminiscent of the sea. The windows were tinted, but two people were visible in the cockpit, illuminated by the dashboard lights. A mechanical whir sounded and the beating of the propellers slowed to a rhythmic whomp whomp. The searchlight dimmed, allowing night to close in a little more.
The sliding door at the side of the helicopter slid open and a small group of people hopped out. They looked like sailors, all wearing the same blue overalls, but amongst them was a young girl, a teenager.
“ALICE!”
Mass turned to see a woman sprinting through the floodlights. She was vaguely familiar, and he thought she might have come in with the group who had appeared from the gate. The young girl saw the woman and screamed, “Mom? Mom! Oh my God, Mom!”
The woman almost took flight and flattened the young girl when they collided ten feet from the helicopter and hugged each other.
Wanstead approached Mass and leaned in to speak. “Do you have any idea who these people are?”
“Nah, but they’re idiots. Portsmouth’s finished.”
Wanstead sighed. “Yes, I fear it is. I’m going to order a mass retreat. If we move quickly, we can get everyone on the boats. We’ll head for the States. If anybody has made a go of this, it’ll be the Yanks.”
“It won’t matter,” said Mass. “I don’t think Crimolok needs to kill us all. He just needs to kill enough.”
“And then what?”
“Then he wins and the entire universe loses.”
Wanstead frowned, his large gut expanding with an inward sigh. “All the same, I’m going to order a full retreat. What else can I do?”
Mass nodded. He agreed with Wanstead, even if he saw no outcome other than their eventual extermination. Better to let people do what was natural and flee. It would be cruel to make them stand and face their end.
The woman embracing the young girl finally stepped back. She shook her head in disbelief. “What are you doing here, Alice? How did you get here?”
“We went to the forest to search for our people, but all we found were thousands of dead demons. There was a man and woman still there, though, and they told us everyone had gone to Portsmouth. I came to find you, Mom.”
The woman looked at the helicopter, and then at the armed men gathered in front of it. “You did this? You came here for me?”
The girl shrugged like it was nothing. “You’re alive, Mom. I can’t believe it.”
Mother and daughter embraced again.
Wanstead and Mass exchanged glances. Somehow a soap opera had unfolded in the middle of mankind’s annihilation. There wasn’t time for it, and yet no one stepped forward to interrupt the reunion.
Another stranger emerged from the helicopter, a middle-aged woman. She approached Mass and Wanstead. “You two look like you’re in charge. General Thomas?”
Wanstead cleared his throat. “Alas, no. I’m afraid you won’t be able to meet the late general. I’m sorry if he was a friend of—”
“The bugger’s dead then? Good. Not a nice fella from what I’ve heard.”
Mass frowned, noticing the woman was wearing a dog collar. She didn’t act very Christian. “Heard from who?”
“I met a man who said he had come from Portsmouth. I tried to keep him alive, but I’m afraid he died shortly after we got him onto the helicopter. He told us about this place before he departed. We brought his body with us. It felt right to bring him home.”
Mass didn’t know who the woman could be referring to, so when she beckoned for him to follow, he did so curiously. She led him to the helicopter’s sliding door and pointed to a flat area in the back behind the two rows of seats. Mass hopped up into the vibrating aircraft and slid to the rear. There was a body on the floor secured by nylon straps.
Mass groaned. “Shit, Tony. I’m sorry, mate.”
He’d barely known Tony Cross, but he had liked the guy a lot. In fact, he was only alive because Tony had gone out of his way to help him. It felt wrong to outlive the man who had saved his life.
“He died in peace,” said the woman, peering in through the sliding door. “It might sound impossible in these strange days, but he did. He was okay at the end.”
Mass turned to the woman. “Thank you for bringing him home. He did a lot for the people here. This is where his body should be.”
“That’s what I assumed. I’ll help you carry him out. I’m Angela, by the way.”
“Mass. You came at a pretty bad time, Angela.”
“Yeah, it’s all over, I can see that. Crimolok can’t be harmed and the demons are bloody endless. Tell you the truth, I always suspected it was a lost cause, but what can I say, I’m a fighter. Also, it beats being in Hell.”
“You came from Hell? I have friends who’ve been there. It’s good that you came here, An
gela. I’m glad.”
“Why is that?”
“Because a helicopter is just what I need.”
“It isn’t mine, but I’ll ask if you can borrow it.”
Mass nodded. “Ask nicely, because if I can’t borrow it, then I’m stealing it.”
It hurt Damien’s heart. All of it. Nancy was finally back with her daughter, meaning the woman he loved was finally happy, but in twenty minutes she would be dead. There was no denying what was coming their way. They had levelled a chunk of the city, and their enemy had risen from the ashes no weaker than before. There was no end to the demons coming for the walls.
Damien climbed down off the barricades to join up with Nancy. He wanted to meet Alice before it was too late.
I can’t believe she’s alive. Nancy knew. All this time, she knew.
Tosco met him on the ground before he reached Nancy. “It’s a team from my boat,” he said, nodding towards the helicopter. “I can barely believe they made it here. I wish they hadn’t.”
“You think that chopper can start getting people away from here?”
“No more than twenty at a time. It would be almost pointless. We do need to start getting people on the boats somehow though. There’s no time left.”
Damien agreed. “Running is the only option. Kielder fell, and now Portsmouth will. There’s nowhere left. Not here, anyway. Maybe we can head somewhere else on the boats.”
“Most don’t have much fuel,” said Tosco. “Staying together will be impossible. Still, it’s a chance.”
Colonel Wanstead was arguing with Mass over by the helicopter. Damien knew little about either man, but he could tell they were the ones who were calling the shots in Portsmouth. He hurried over but didn’t interrupt. Instead, he listened.
Colonel Wanstead shook his head. “You can’t abandon us in the middle of a fight. We need every soldier we have to hold the line while we evacuate the civilians. We have children to think of.”
“I understand,” said Mass, “but I’m going. Closing the gate will save lives, even if it ain’t ours.”
“You don’t even know if this so-called giant gate is still there. You could be leaving us for nothing. I can’t allow it.”
Mass reared up and glared at Wanstead. “I don’t recognise your authority, so shove it up your arse. Amanda Wickstaff built this place. You’re nothing more than a goddamn guest. Try to stop me and I’ll shoot you.”
Damien shivered. Whoever this Mass was, he was a badass. Nothing about his tone or expression suggested he wouldn’t do exactly what he said.
And is he talking about closing a gate? The same one Damien – the other Damien – was talking about?
Wanstead backed off a little. “Mr Mass, please?”
Damien couldn’t hold his silence any more. “Is somebody heading to the gate near here?”
Mass turned to him. “You know about that?”
“Yeah, I… I kind of told myself about it.”
Mass chuckled. “I warned you. Where is Damien Two, anyway?”
“Here,” said the other Damien, standing nearby, somehow unnoticed until he announced himself. “Believe me, I would rather be anywhere else. Turns out that the me from here is kind of a dick.”
Damien rolled his eyes. “If anybody is heading to the gate, I’m coming. We need to close it.”
Mass nodded. “That’s exactly what I’m doing. You want to come, you’re welcome. I need a team to get me close enough.”
“You know where it leads, right?”
“Yeah, I know the drill. Straight to Hell for me. I’m fine with that.”
I was right. The guy’s a badass.
Tosco intervened, having been listening from a few feet away. “Those pilots are my men, and I won’t force them to take you anywhere unless they want to. I’ll go speak with them.”
“Please,” said Wanstead, imploring Mass with his hands, “stay and fight. Help me get these people onto the boats.”
Mass bunched his hands into fists. “I don’t know what to make of you, Wanstead, but no matter what happens, you still killed my friend. Me leaving is the best thing for you, trust me.”
Wanstead was breathing heavily. Damien didn’t know what events Mass was referring to, but Wanstead grew anxious. “Then I fear, if we meet again, it will be a rather bloody affair.”
“It won’t be,” said Mass. “It’ll be quick.”
Wanstead nodded. “Who are you taking with you?”
“Just a few of my guys. Cullen will stay and lead the rest of my guys to help with the evacuation. Damien, if you want company, better get it fast. I won’t wait for you.”
Damien glanced over at Nancy and thought about asking her, but she had just found Alice. They needed to stay together. “I’m only bringing two people,” he said. “I just need to say goodbye to someone first.”
“Then go do it.”
Damien hurried over to Nancy. When she saw him, the smile on her face stretched right up to her eyes. It was the happiest he’d ever seen her, but there was a sadness there too. “Damien, I’d like you to meet someone.”
Damien offered a hand to the beautiful young girl who looked so much like her mother. “I’ve been dying to meet you, Alice. I’ve heard so much about you.”
The girl shook his hand, not shyly as he would have expected, but firmly and confidently. “Thank you for keeping my mom safe.”
“My pleasure. Do you mind if I just speak with her alone for a second?”
“Go for it.”
Damien had to drag Nancy away. Even then, she kept glancing sideways to make sure her daughter was still there. “You need to get Alice on a boat,” he told her. “Portsmouth is finished.”
“I really wish this place had stood a chance. We should leave right this second. I have to get Alice to safety.”
“You’re both getting on a boat. I’ll make sure there’s a place for you both.”
Nancy frowned, clearly noticing his carefully selected words. “What about you?”
“I have some place else to be. Don’t worry, okay? You have Alice and that’s all that matters. I love you, Nancy. You made the end of the world bearable. Thank you for that.”
She reached out and held his hand in hers. “That sounded like a goodbye.”
“Reminds me of not so long ago when you were setting off to go find Alice. That turned out all right in the end, didn’t it? Take care, Nancy.” He glanced at Alice. “She looks just like you.”
He turned away and Nancy didn’t stop him. They were both too grown up for that. Loss was the only thing left in this world, and there was no point fighting it.
Damien grabbed Harry and Steph. They were reloading their rifles at the wall.
“We getting out of here?” Harry asked.
“Flying out of here,” said Damien. He pointed at the helicopter. “Fancy a ride?”
Steph chuckled. “It couldn’t make me any more nauseous than travelling by gate. Where are we going?”
“To try and make a difference.”
Harry nodded. “Let’s get a move on then.”
They joined Mass at the helicopter. The muscle-bound badass already had his team, and it included the other Damien. “Oh great, you’re coming too?”
“What else am I gonna do?”
Mass banged a fist against one of the helicopter’s rear panels. “Get in and prepare yourself for a bumpy ride.”
Damien climbed on board and took a seat beside his doppelgänger. Two minutes later, they were airborne
Tosco watched his helicopter take off. It zipped south before heading north, avoiding the giant beast that was now only a couple of hundred metres from the walls.
Ten thousand people filled the docks. Many stayed to fight, but hundreds began to panic and flee. It was utter chaos – gunfire and screams. People fell in the stampede, but it was heartening to see that none were trampled and all were helped back to their feet.
Tosco found himself with no ships under his command and no men to dir
ect. The Hatchet was somewhere on the north coast and no other ships recognised his authority. He wasn’t a commander any more, he was just a man standing in the middle of a losing battle.
He saw Maddy and rushed over. “Everyone’s evacuating,” he said. “We need to help.”
She grabbed the radio from his shoulder and put out a call. “Klein, are you there?”
“Ja, Maddy. I am here.”
“Any room on your submarine for refugees?”
There was a pause, and for moment it seemed like the German wouldn’t reply. “A submarine is a cramped place, full of dangerous buttons and serious levers. I can take no more zan fifty.”
“Fifty is better than nothing. Can you be ready to take people in the next five minutes? The other ships will be loading up too.”
“I vill see if I can find room to come up. Portsmouth’s waters are a crowded place.”
Tosco leant into the radio. “I’m sending a young girl and her mother to you. Nancy and Alice. Please, make sure you take them.”
“Confirmed. Good luck, Commander.”
“It’s just James for now. Good luck to you too, Commander.”
Maddy gave him a cautious smile. “Alice will be okay. She will.”
He wanted to grab her and hold on for dear life – he was so afraid – but there was no time for comfort. Instead of saying anything in reply, he turned and ran, locating Nancy and Alice amongst the furor. He grabbed the young girl by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. “It’s time for you and your mother to get out of here, Alice. There’s a submarine coming up for air and you have a ticket, okay? If you don’t see it, then get yourself on whatever boat you can. Do you understand?”
Alice nodded. Any notion of bratty teenagerdom was gone. She was frightened and wanted an adult to tell her what to do. “What about you? Aren’t you coming?”
“I’ll join you later. Some people have to stay and fight a while longer.”
“No! Let others fight. You’re always putting yourself in danger for other people. James, come with us.”
Hell On Earth (Book 6): Rebirth Page 28