Cascade Box Set [Books 1-8]

by Maxey, Phil

  Fiona looked irritated.

  Zach wiped his hand over his face. “Look, we don’t know what happened down there and we don’t know what’s happening out here, maybe the world ended, maybe not. Either way we should stick together until we do know.”

  “It’s easier for us to be caught as a group,” replied Fiona.

  “Do you see any guards or MP’s here? They obviously have something else on their minds,” replied Zach. “I say we still have a few hours of darkness until it’s going to get mighty hot around here. Let’s scope the area, find what we can then move out.” They slowly turned and walked away. Cal and Michael headed for one of the shacks, Abbey, Ray and Zach walked to another. Fiona hesitated and joined the latter group.

  Zach kicked open the shack door. In the gloom they could see a small space about five by five-foot with shelves. Zach’s baton illuminated bottles of clear liquid on dusty shelves, and various pieces of farm equipment were leaning up against the far wall looking like they had been there since the great depression. Fiona saw a pickaxe and picked it up.

  “Now this is something I can work with.”

  Ray grabbed one of the bottles of liquid, ripping off the top and chugging it down without thought. Zach went to say something then stopped, figuring if it wasn’t water it was already too late anyway. Ray wiped away the moisture from his face and looked at everyone staring at him. Zach and Abbey grabbed the remaining bottles and they all left, pulling the door closed.

  The second shack was larger and the door was already open. Michael and Cal peered in. There was a cobweb-covered battery operated lamp, which surprisingly lit when switched on. Scattered around were barrels with skulls and crossbones on them, and a few empty backpacks which they both took before leaving.

  “There’s no obvious roads out of this place, I think we were all brought in by chopper, but let’s say those glows are Albuquerque and El Paso, that would put us somewhere south of White Sands. If we head west towards those mountains we should run into a town,” said Zach.

  “I’d prefer to stay off the map,” replied Fiona.

  “Staying off the map out here in the noon sun means dehydration and death, but that’s your choice.” Zach pointed to Cal’s lamp. “That needs to be turned off, only use it if we really need to.” Cal turned it off. “Stay close to each other.”

  The sand swirled around them as they started walking across the concrete towards the intense darkness of the desert.

  After an hour of walking the wind had died down. Luckily the moon provided some indication of shape and form for the group to follow each other, and the occasional baton trigger gave a course correction when it seemed someone was veering off course.

  “What was that?” said Abbey to Zach who was walking a few feet in front of her. Zach slowed and strained to absorb the silence around him. There was a noise of something but it was hardly indistinguishable from the sound of the sand being blown over the ground.

  “Probably nothing.”

  “I can hear something. It sounds like…galloping?”

  Zach stopped and put his hand up for the group to stop as well.

  “Why the fuck are we stopping?” said Michael.

  “You can’t hear that?” replied Abbey. By now the group were in a small circle all trying to extend their hearing into the void around them.

  “Sounds like something’s coming this way, I can’t pin down from what direction though,” said Zach. The group looked around trying to see into the gloom. “Spread out, keep low but don’t go too far.” Zach, Abbey and Ray moved behind a small dune, the others crouched behind some cacti.

  Abbey pointed. “Look.” To their north a cloud of pale dust was just visible, something heavy was moving fast towards them. The ground started to shake slightly.

  “Maybe a patrol? I’m not going back without a fight,” said Michael. Fiona looked sarcastically at him.

  “It’s not a Humvee, no lights,” said Cal.

  The dust started to have form the closer it got, eyes could be seen and a snout of sorts, large powerful legs beating down on the desert floor.

  “Is just a horse, maybe we can capture it?” said Ray standing up, then running down the dune into the gloom. Abbey made a lunge to grab him but it was to no avail. The creature that had created such a dust storm changed direction and was now heading straight for Ray. The intensity of the ground shaking increased and was now a constant drumming. Twenty yards to his right the other group were gesturing to Ray to go back but he kept on walking forwards his arms stretched out in a welcoming fashion.

  “Ray get back here we don’t know what that is!” shouted Zach in Ray’s direction.

  Ray stopped where he was. His eyes fixed on the creature now bearing down on him and all emotion left his face. He turned and started to run back to the Dune. Zach staggered out from his position and ran down the sand half falling half jumping to try to get to Ray before the mass of dust and anger engulfed him. Ray was now running as fast as he could, but his old legs were no match for the uneven desert floor.

  Abbey watched the creature tear through the desert towards Ray. He’s not going to make it. Twenty-feet away, ten-feet away, five-feet away. The creature charged nose down at Ray’s torso but not before Zach tackled Ray and brought him down in the best linebacker tradition. Ray and Zach fell to the ground then both scrambled to their feet. Zach pivoted and pushed his charge baton out in front of him, the electricity crackling lighting himself and the creature.

  “He needs our help.” Cal scrambled to his feet. Baton in one hand, lamp now illuminating his path in the other, closely followed by Fiona.

  In the glory of the neon glows of their batons and shallow light of the lamp the creature could be seen. It was horse-like, like a horse had been used as a template of some kind as this creature was bigger than a horse, its head and neck were longer and were covered in a kind of plating similar to an armadillo, as was its back. Its head whipped around between the members of the group that were now on both sides, showing teeth more at home in a wolf. Stamping its hoofs, the dust flew up making it hard for Zach to know exactly what to strike at. Cal thrust his baton forward, while Fiona swung the pickaxe connecting with the front leg of the creature. A sound half scream half something else bellowed out and its head whipped around knocking Cal off his feet. It then reared up on its hind legs and was about to slam down on Cal when Zach and Abbey thrust their charge batons into the underside of the creature making it fall backwards. It then turned and galloped off into the darkness taking with it a cloud of dust. Ray and Michael both appeared from their positions and joined the group. Zach reached down and helped Cal to hit feet.

  “Any damage?” said Zach. Cal felt his ribs, which were bruised but shook his head. They were all covered in dust, and breathing heavily. Cal’s lamp lay on the ground casting a shallow circle of light against them all.

  “That wasn’t a horse,” said Ray, looking confused. Zach noticed his arm was bleeding.

  “It got you?” said Michael to Zach.

  “No I think I managed to avoid it, maybe when I landed on the ground, must of hit a rock or something. It’s just a scratch.” The thunderous noise was now far away.

  “Look, something is very wrong here, the things in the prison, that thing, what the hell’s going on, is this even Earth?” Ray said looking anxious walking around on the spot. ”Back in the eighties I saw some shit, but nothing like this.”

  “The stars,” said Cal. Ray looked puzzled. “I’ve looked up at those stars for many years as a kid, this is New Mexico, no doubt.” Ray went to say something, Cal replied before he could. “I don’t know what is going on.”

  “We need to keep moving, only an hour of night left and I don’t want to be caught out here when the sun comes up. Everyone keep alert. If something doesn’t feel right fire up your charge baton,” said Zach.

  They all fell back into a fractured line and continued walking. As Abbey walked her mind was deep in thought.

  There are
monsters out here, in the real world, what the hell has happened? What were those loud booms? Is my family still alive? How can I get to Boston?

  Abbey wasn’t the only one lost in thought but no one was willing to share.

  By time the sun was rising over Organ Mountain the group had made it to the outskirts of the small town of Baldo. The sun glinted off various cars and trucks, some military, proudly laid out in neat rows. Their pace had slowed but they had made it. Unassuming single and double story buildings lay out in front of them. As they approached the first building Zach crouched behind a metal fence.

  “Don’t see any sign of life,” said Zach.

  “Maybe this place was abandoned, it’s pretty remote,” replied Cal.

  “We should split into three groups of two, each explore in a different direction then meet back here when the sun’s at thirty degrees. Which I’m guessing is about three hours from now. Find some more water if you can,” said Zach.

  Zach and Abbey walked to the south, Michael and Cal walked west down the main street, leaving Fiona and Ray who stood looking at each other until Fiona turned and walked north, Ray trying to keep up.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Ray and Fiona stared at the thirty-one-foot missile sticking out of the ground at a forty-five-degree angle. It was one of many forming a steel tubular forest that was the Rocket display at the Baldo museum. In front of it was a small plaque “AirStar 10, First fired 1947.” The “Airstar” wasn’t the only missile leaning at the wrong angle.

  “Looks like a storm blew through here,” said Ray half running after Fiona.

  “Try and keep up,” said Fiona without turning around.

  The glass doors at the entrance to the museum were broken with shards lying on the floor. Fiona looked inside. An empty foyer with a reception area resided in a large light colored room with large images adorning the walls of bygone successes. Fiona kicked open one of the doors and moved slowly into the foyer. The smell of death hit her instantly, it was a smell she knew too well. Walking forward she peered behind the counter and saw two bodies lying on the floor, both with large gashes on their faces and arms. Animal attack? She had once seen a friend attacked by a bear and he had similar injuries but had survived.

  “Hey, anyone in there?” asked Ray peering through the broken glass.

  “Quiet!” said Fiona angrily.

  “You see any food anywhere? Maybe in that vending machine?” Ray pointed.

  Fiona breathed heavily. “Wait.” A wide hallway was to the right of the counter, which led down to a larger room. Glass cabinets housing various metallic cylinders lined the walls. She looked down the hallway for any signs of life but there were none. Walking over to the vending machine, which was almost empty she used the pickaxe to hit the glass front until it broke, then grabbed the remaining chocolate bars and cans of soda and handed them to Ray.

  “Hold these. Don’t move.”

  “Look young lady I’m military too you know. I’m not useless just because I’m a little over the hill.”

  Fiona’s cold expression wavered somewhat. “I never said you were old, but I need you to keep watch, make sure nothing comes in behind us.”

  “Okay, that I can do.”

  Fiona’s attention returned to the hallway housing the cabinets. She strained her hearing best she could in the direction of the room at the end of the hallway but no sound could be heard there. She slowly walked down the hallway into a large room mostly empty save for a few large glass cabinets containing rocket engines. Off this room were three open doors leading to offices. Fiona entered the nearest one. Typed papers littered the floor and lay on a single desk. Filing cabinets were open. A large window offered a view onto some other non-descript buildings nearby. In the middle of the desk in front of a computer keyboard was a piece of paper with a message written in scrawling handwriting.

  “James, we have tried to get to the camp near Austin. Can’t stay here Military have told us threat too severe. Love Sylvia.”

  What threat? The creatures we have run into?

  Standing near the window the sun poured through the glass warming her arms. It had been many years since she had felt that kind of warmth and as she stood there eyes closed in the silence of the office, her mind drifted to thoughts of her daughter playing in her front yard.

  The sunbeam that was warming her momentarily became blocked and she was plunged into darkness. Opening her eyes she looked out the window but could see nothing, not even a cloud in the sky.

  The sound of glass hitting the ground came from the foyer behind her, she spun around and ran back to the foyer where a clearly distressed Ray was standing.

  “Did you see it?” said Ray.

  “See what?”

  “The giant bird thing?” said Ray.

  “There was a shadow but no I didn’t see it.”

  “Big as a truck. Flew right over.”

  “So you’re freaking out because you saw a big bird?”

  “How many birds have you seen with human legs and arms? At least that’s what it looked like, I don’t think it spotted me but it landed behind some buildings over there.” Ray pointed to the southwest.

  “There’s nothing here of any use anyway, we should keep moving,” said Fiona stepping over the glass and through the exit door of the museum. Ray looked uneasy about going outside, but followed anyway looking at the sky.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Zach looked at the rotting corpse in the seat of the semi-truck. The door was open.

  “He put up a fight, look at his hands, defensive wounds,” said Zach. Abbey tried not to look. “For someone doing hard time in a military prison you seem kind of squeamish.”

  “I don’t like death in real life. I was in that place for other reasons,” replied Abbey.

  “Like what?”

  “I’m good with computers, they trained me to infiltrate enemy systems, stir the shit.”

  “You’re a hacker?” Zach tugged on the body being careful not to touch the skin and blood and pulled it down to the asphalt, then climbed up into the cab.

  “I don’t like that term, but yeah,” replied Abbey.

  “Half a tank of gas and keys still in the ignition, he must have been trying to leave when what happened, happened, we’re only half a klick from the meeting point, let’s leave it here for now and we will bring everyone back here, don’t want to start it up in case it draws unwanted attention. How the hell did you end up in a hole in New Mexico?” Zach climbed down from the cab, while putting the keys in his chest pocket.

  “Does it matter?” said Abbey with a sarcastic expression.

  “Nope, just curious.”

  They were standing in a diner car park. Along with the truck, a few other cars sat, some with doors closed, others open, but no other bodies.

  “What do you think happened here?” said Abbey.

  “This place is probably deserted at the best of times but there doesn’t seem to be anyone around, maybe our bosses were experimenting on animals and some got loose?” replied Zach.

  Abbey looked around uneasily. “What about the glows we saw in the directions of the big cities?”

  Zach looked at her, in some ways she reminded him of his wife Jaclyn.

  “Let’s look in the diner maybe we can find some food and see if a TV or radio are working, hell maybe you can do your computer thing as well,” said Zach.

  The outside of the diner had seen better days, with sand caked up against the windows. As they approached the door, a beeping could be heard followed by a male voice.

  “I think it’s coming from behind the counter,” said Zach. The inside of the diner was deserted. Half eaten bagels and stagnant coffee resided along the counter at various points. Zach picked up a stained and torn newspaper, which lay on the floor behind a stool. On the cover was a picture of a front of a school with kids running and hundreds of large birds filling the sky above them like they were being chased by an angry cloud.

  “BIRDS ATTACK SCHOOL CHILDREN!
GOVERNMENT ADVISES NATION TO KEEP CHILDREN INDOORS WHILE IT INVESTIGATES.” The date of the paper was June seventh.

  “That paper doesn’t look recent,” said Abbey.

  “No it doesn’t. We need to find out when now is,” replied Zach. They both walked around to the back of the counter where a small radio played a constant drone noise, it then changed to a male voice.

  “THIS IS AN EMERGENCY ANNOUCEMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. AN EPIDEMIC HAS HIT ANIMAL LIFE AND IS CAUSING MANY ANIMALS TO CHANGE. THIS CHANGE IS CAUSING THEM TO ATTACK HUMANS. PLEASE REMAIN IN YOUR HOMES AND WAIT FOR FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS. THE DATE OF THIS ANNOUCEMENT IS JULY, TWENTY-THIRD.”

  “Animals change? Why was that such a big deal? It’s July twenty-third?” Abbey reeled off the questions in quick succession.

  “Not necessarily, we don’t know how long that message has been playing. By the slight chill in the air I would say it’s fall, maybe mid September, maybe later.”

  Abbey’s expression changed. “Look this is crazy. I’m sorry I have to leave. I have to get back to Boston.” She started backing away towards the diner entrance.

  “And how you going to get to Boston from here?”

  “I don’t know I’ll think of something.”

  “I’ll take you, in the truck, or as far as we can go in it,” said Zach, his hand lifting slightly towards her, Abbey stopped. “Going towards Boston is as good as any other direction, and like you said before, it’s good we stick together.”

  “No offence but all I know about you is you were stuck in a hole for the militaries worst problems, the kind that rape and kill.”

  Zach’s head hung, and he sighed. “I know this won’t mean squat to you right now, but I will help you get to Boston. You have my word on that. But if you want to find your own way well that’s your choice.”

  Abbey looked unsure, placing a hand on the diner counter. “Okay fine, for now I’ll see how things play out, let’s see if there’s any food around here, there’s not much time before we need to be back at the meeting point.”