Wildfire (Book 1): Leap of Faith

by Bailey, Emily

  After my three days of rage, I realized that it was more serious than an argument. I felt the loss and it threatened to take me down. I needed to be strong, I couldn’t abandon Ben, I wanted to help Evan and most of all I wanted Rafe to survive.

  I tried to make the most out my time, I went out to dinner with Katya. Movie nights at home with Ben (when he didn’t have a date) and I worked out as if my life depended on it. I was exhausted but I didn’t stop. Mine and Katya’s friendship had blossomed, we texted everyday and she came to the gym with me often.

  Evan drilled with me every day. He was the only one who could test my abilities, it was even harder after an evening at the bar. We went twice weekly, his wife Cassy often came, they treated me as if I was their adopted daughter. Cassy bought me meals twice a week to make sure that I was eating, she thought that I looked too thin. I had become leaner and fitter, I didn’t work out this much in the last world I was in. I’m in the best shape of my life.

  I saw Daniels a lot, as Rafes best friend he was assigned Peyton watch duty. I relentlessly teased him about it and despite my assurances that I was okay he stayed. So, I made the most of it, I asked him to come to the gym with me too. He could make himself useful and spar with me.

  Had I seen Rafe at all? No. I didn’t even catch a glimpse of him at work. I hadn’t seen him at all since he left me in Katya’s office that day. I was tempted to call him on so many occasions, but I don’t regret my actions. If he wanted to contact me, then he could get my number from Daniels. We are both as stubborn as the other and I sure as hell will not apologize for trying to protect my friends.

  It’s one week until the ‘anytime from now snapper land debut’ and I’ve moved on from drilling the agents, they knew what they were doing. Instead I have been making a quick movie with Evan, to broadcast to the public, we call it ‘help yourself’, it’s a ‘how to’ guide for putting down a snapper. They may or may not play it, but it at least it’s something to contribute to the cause.

  I left to grab some lunch from the vending machines and Charlie walked by. He looked stressed, very stressed, the jovial tone had vacated the building and he was barking orders at agents around him, I overheard one say to him that all of the leads had led to a dead end. ‘Then find some more!’ he yelled at them.

  I sat on the mats back in the gym, the impending sense of doom was enough to put me off my lunch. Daniels sat next to me and said nothing for a while, when he realized that I wasn’t going to eat my sandwich he tucked in.

  ‘You’re no closer, are you?’ I tried to keep the defeat out of my tone, but I heard it clear as day.

  He didn’t reply, just shook his head.

  ‘Then it’s all on the aftermath isn’t it?’ that was my concern. Once the virus got out, controlling it would be impossible. As much as I wanted to believe otherwise.

  ‘There’s still a chance Peyton, but if it all goes to shit. I am sorry that we bought you here, it feels almost cruel to give life then snatch it back away again’ I heard the guilt in his tone, plain as day.

  ‘I’m glad you bought me here, I had forgotten what living felt like. If the world does go to shit, I’ll be fine. Well, there’s a chance I’ll die but no different than in the other world’ I chuckled, he was not impressed ‘I’m sorry, that’s not funny. There is one thing that I will do differently in the next snapper land if it comes to be.’

  ‘What’s that?’

  ‘Thrive’. I look back over the last three years of my life and it was just shit show after shit show. I won’t let that happen again. I’m a better fighter, I have already gone through the shock of dealing with the snappers so that will not be an issue and I know what to expect from people. I’m well trained in the art of end of the world.

  ‘Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but why can’t Ben and his machine somehow save us all’. He was clutching at straws now.

  ‘Well for a start he doesn’t have anymore fuel for it and if he eventually got his hands on some, then I still wouldn’t go. I can’t abandon this world, I’ll just keep fighting, until I die or retire in a snapper free world’ he saw the conviction in my statement, I meant it. He looked almost proud.

  ‘I don’t know if that’s honorable or stupid’ he chuckled and lightly pushed my shoulder. ‘Are you not going to ask me about Rafe?’.

  ‘No, he can come and talk to me when he’s ready’. I said full of petulance.

  He muttered ‘you are both so fucking stubborn it is unreal’, then, he tried again ‘he’s just mad at himself, he brought you here and it quite possibly will end badly. He feels to blame, he was so sure that he could stop it and finding you planning your escape made it hit home for him. You’ve lived through this mess once, remember, it’s a first for us’. He had a point. A good really good point. My world came crashing down a long time ago and I’ve only been here for two months it wouldn’t exactly have the same detrimental effect as it did before. For these guys however, it was all new and it was about to get really rough for them.

  ‘Point taken, well said. I don’t know what I can say, I’m sorry for what you’re going through. Having the countdown to destruction can’t be helping. There’s a lot of pressure on your shoulders and if it is any consolation, if you can cope with this, then you’ll be just fine if the world ends. Bit angry, but fine’. I squeezed his hand got up to find Rafe.

  He wasn’t in his office, nor had the receptionist seen him. I checked the car lot and saw why; his car wasn’t there. I took my new car over to Rafes to see if he was there, but no luck. Seeing as I was a short walk to his apartment I ran up and slid a note under his door. I kept it short and simple ‘I love you, I miss you, let me help you’. Then I went home.

  Ben was no where to be seen, he bedroom door shut. He probably has a girl in there, so I made myself scarce and went to my room. I called Katya ‘how are you? It must be stressful in the office for you these days’.

  ‘I’m alight’ she sighed ‘I just got off the phone with my parents, I told them I loved them, you know, just in case’ she was crying.

  ‘That must have been hard for you’ I thought about my parents and how I should call them as well, I hadn’t been strong enough to call them up until this point.

  She sniffled ‘it wasn’t the best, but I’m glad I did it. How are you doing?’.

  ‘I’m bearing up okay, I swallowed my pride and left an olive branch note under Rafes door. My plan B is complete, so I am just waiting and hoping that I can throw it away’ my throat grew tight, the wait was killing me.

  We talked for some time after that, then I excused myself to call my parents.

  ‘Hi mom, it’s lovely to hear your voice’ the second she spoke my eyes instantly filled with tears.

  ‘Hello darling, I’m so glad to hear from you, I have been wondering how you are getting on with your new job. Your father is so proud, he always knew you were special. He’s been telling all the guys at work how his daughter is a special agent you know, what’s it like, being undercover? I hope you won’t get in trouble for calling, we won’t tell a soul sweetie!’

  I held it together as best as I could ‘it’s going well mom, hard work, but I’ve got into the swing of things. I love you both so much, I miss you’ the tears were now cascading down my face.

  I heard the change in moms voice, she was crying too ‘oh darling, we miss you too. Don’t go giving up, will you? You’re the strongest of the Harris’s, we always knew that you would go to high places darling. They told us that you would be gone for some months, keep your head down sweetie, this is a good experience for you. I would put your father on but he’s a bit under the weather. Some bug is going around at work, he’s being a total child about it’ she sighed in frustration.

  It can’t be starting yet, surely?

  ‘What are his symptoms mom?’ the hairs are standing up on the back of my neck.

  ‘He has a cold dear, been coughing and spluttering all day. Don’t go feeling sorry for him, he is always a wuss even at t
he slightest sniffle’ my fears were eased, the symptoms of the virus included fever and hallucinations, not a cold.

  We talked for an hour, in the end she forced me off the phone as she wanted to make dinner. I cried for ages after that, I had missed them so much. I regretted not calling sooner, I thought it would have broken me but it had the opposite effect. I was happy, so happy to hear her voice. For a small moment it was as if the last four years didn’t happen.

  I fell asleep crying tears of joy.

  I woke in the night; I was instantly wide awake. I wish I hadn’t fallen asleep so bloody early. My phone was flashing on the bedside table. It was a text… from Rafe.

  ‘I miss you too, I love you. Can I call you?’, it was sent at two thirty, it was now six thirty, I messaged back not expecting a reply just yet. It’s early, even for him.

  I took my phone with me into the kitchen while I fixed myself a snack. In the quiet of the morning, the ringer made me jump. I picked it up straight away.

  ‘Hi’

  ‘Hey, I’m sorry for how I left things. I told you I was an arrogant ass’ he chuckled without mirth.

  ‘No, I’m sorry. I didn’t think. This is a first for you. I’ve been through all of this before, so it doesn’t affect me as much. I thought about how I felt when it first happened and realized that’s how you would be feeling, only tenfold. You have prior knowledge that is coming and are trying to stop it, the pressure must be immense’

  ‘I love you’ I heard the smile.

  ‘I love you too’, an almighty crash sounded in Bens room.

  ‘What was that?’ Rafe sounded as worried as I felt.

  The crash was followed by silence, no talking, no swearing, no movement.

  ‘It came from Bens room’ I whispered.

  I crept closer to his door to listen.

  ‘I’m coming over’ I heard him rushing around his apartment.

  ‘It’s probably nothing’ I said even quieter, not believing my own words.

  ‘You don’t think it’s nothing’ I heard his front door slam and him running down the stairs.

  I now had my ear pressed up against the door and I heard it. Faint but it was there. The unmistakable snap of a snappers jaw. I gasped and staggered back from the door. My legs were weak and my voice shaky ‘he’s turned Rafe, he’s turned’. I fell to my knees and cried, trying so hard not to make any noise. I wanted to scream.

  ‘Shit! Shit! I’ll be ten minutes, leave the apartment quietly and wait for me. Take a goddamn knife with you’.

  I know what needs to be done, ‘we take care of the ones we love’ and I hung up the phone.

  I turned it to silent and left it on the kitchen side. Quietly and ever so slowly I grabbed a knife from the drawer. The strongest one I have. I moved to Bens door and tried to breath through my internal agony. I had my hand on the door handle but couldn’t find the strength to open it. Its’ not Ben, it’s not Ben anymore. He wouldn’t want to be left like this, be strong for him Peyton. I opened the door and stepped back.

  Chapter Sixteen

  It was Ben, but it wasn’t anymore. There was no life in his eyes at all, they were dead, as was he. He launched through the open doorway, snapping wildly. I threw him down to the ground and pinned him on his stomach.

  ‘I’m so sorry Ben, I’m so sorry’ the creature snapped in response.

  I thrust the knife into his head, then fell to the floor. I wish that I was numb, but I was the exact opposite, I felt everything. The sadness was crippling my ability to breath. My hand tingled painfully with the force of the thrust. I felt each and every tear fall down my cheek. Ben was dead.

  I pulled him into my lap and cried for him, telling him how sorry I was. Rafe burst through the door, wild with panic and then took in the scene in front of him. There was nothing he could say, my friend was dead.

  I stood slowly, leaving my friend on the floor and walked slowly to Rafe and fell into his arms. I could hear his heart beating frantically, mine was deafening.

  ‘We need to leave; reports are coming in all over the city and all over the world. It’s worse than predicted. They are already setting up the dead zones’ he led me into my room and was throwing clothes into a bag. Then when I made no move, he started undressed me and threw a pair of jeans and a top at me.

  ‘Peyton look at me’ he held my head in his hands, but it felt as if I was a million miles away. ‘We need to leave, now!’ he shouted, enough to make me jump and get me moving.

  I was still pulling on my shoes as he was pulling me out the door.

  ‘I can’t leave him like that!’ I yanked my arm out of his and ran over to Ben.

  I grabbed his legs and started to drag him into his room. Seeing what I was trying to do Rafe helped me get him into his bed. I pulled the sheet over him and spent a minute tucking it in to make it neat. I kissed him on the forehead and said my goodbyes. Reluctantly I left the room and closed the door.

  ‘I’m sorry, I’m so sorry that he’s gone, but we need to go’ Rafe grabbed me by the hand and led me out of the apartment, this time I didn’t argue. I went to my car and grabbed the knife that I bought, it was the same that I used to have in the other world. I already knew it’s weight, how it moved and I trusted it, I needed that with what was to come. Rafe was taking us to the Bureau, everyone had been called in. I decided to leave my car here and risk it being looted. I grabbed my rucksack with the Plan B just in case.

  The streets were quiet, deathly quiet. We drove past an abandoned car that was sat in the middle of the road, both front doors were wide open. It has definitely begun. I suppressed my sadness for Ben, I’ll mourn him later, for now I need to focus and stay alive.

  ‘How many reports have there been so far?’ my voice was strong and sure.

  ‘It was a quiet night, no activity then as soon as I got off the phone from you, I got the call. The reports are coming in thick and fast’. I leant over and squeezed his thigh, his worst nightmare has begun.

  ‘Why is it different from last time?’ I asked the question but not expecting an answer.

  ‘Whoever has done this, they knew we were looking. They hit earlier than thought and a lot harder’.

  He drove as fast as the car could handle all the way to the bureau, tyres screeching as he slammed to a halt outside the building. Inside, it was a flurry of activity, people were everywhere. Each and every one looked terrified. Rafe led me to the main office area, it was huge, open plan and noisy as hell. Every phone was ringing, the agents here were logging every case on a map on the wall. A red pin meant a case, there were hundreds of them, all over the country. Two people were stood there putting more pins on, they had handfuls of them.

  ‘Rafe, Peyton, in here now!’ Charlie yelled out from an office just off the main room.

  ‘Every agency, army, police department and person I get can my hands on are working towards the same goal. There are hundreds of cases every fucking minute. Nothing else matters, we need to get this shit under control now! I want dead zones up and running’ he pointed at me ‘Peyton, you have been promoted. There is an apartment ten minutes away, it is overrun, get in there, clear it out and dead zone it. Your team will be outside waiting for you, go now’.

  I nodded and left. If apartments are overrun, that means that there are more cases than they can log. I hoped my team could fight, I also hoped that I didn’t know them. It was going to be a long and deadly night. Outside, just as Charlie promised there was a car outside.

  ‘Agent Harris’ he called; it took me a moment to realize that he meant me.

  ‘I take it you’re part of my team?’

  ‘I’m agent Peters, the rest of your team are waiting for you at Dead zone five’, well okay then.

  I was just climbing into his black Escalade when Rafe called to me. He ran over and pulled me to the side of the car ‘stay safe, I want to hear from you every two hours, text me, ring me, just please let me know you’re okay. I love you’ he kissed me hard, as if it was the last time. Then h
e turned and left without looking at me. I swallowed my fear and climbed in the car, if I’m scared that’ll help no one. Agent Peters took off at speed.

  ‘I’m honored to be on your team Agent Harris’ I’m a legend in these parts apparently.

  ‘Call me Harris’ I looked at him, I recognized the face but couldn’t place it.

  Noticing my stare he aided me ‘I attended a few of your classes’

  ‘Good, you know what you’re doing then’ I tried to ooze confidence, we will be fine, all will be fine. If only I could believe it.

  As we pulled up, four agents climbed out of another Escalade. I recognized some of the faces.

  ‘I’m Agent Harris, you can call me Harris. We go in and in pairs clear each apartment, floor by floor’ I took the earpiece that Peters gave me ‘I want updates every time you clear an apartment. When you’re done, turn all the lights on and leave the door open. If you see any snappers, shoot them in the head, take a knife it will save your life. Have you all seen what they look like and how they act?’

  They nodded.

  ‘Let’s go. Peters you’re with me, everyone else pair off’ I commanded and took off into the building.

  Me and Peters took the first apartment, there were a family of snappers inside. I took them out, Peters took out the one off the main room. We left the door open and walked past the next two doors that were open. A family ran out, still in their bedclothes. They looked terrified and confused. I shouted to them to get in their car and drive to a safe place.

  I heard gunshots from the other teams and voices in my ear ‘apartment six, clear!’ and so on.

  So far, so good.

  We had cleared the first half of the building, but the noise was driving the snappers locked in the other rooms wild. They were smashing themselves against the doors, determined to get out.

  We had to change tactic, Peters shot the lock and I kicked the door in. We stood back and shot them as they came out. Screaming erupted in my ear, one agent was down.