by Maxey, Phil
They both ran out of the gate and down the stairs, as bullets flew past their heads.
Abbey glanced up at Jai still perched a hundred feet up and concentrated for a moment. The people with guns. Then follow us.
Jai bounded across the top of the cage, then leaped into the air towards the men and women who were pointing their weapons upwards. A few got a shot off which missed the vision of fury bearing down on them, but most ran for their lives.
Jai landed on a huddle of people that were scrambling to get away, and sliced at their arms, knocking their guns to the floor. Hundreds ran for the exit, knocking each other over. Claws flashed through the air as one after another of the guards with guns fell to the ground covered in each other’s blood. In the chaos Abbey’s E.L.F stood for a moment trying to catch glimpses of any more of the human beings with machinery, and when saw none, scurried forward into the shadows and screams.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
A loud repeating whirring noise flooded out from the public address system, in the vehicle maintenance bay.
“What the hell have they gone and done now,” said Corman, not to anyone in particular.
A portly woman wearing overalls that were covered in oil sniggered. “One of their pets probably got loose again, same shit as always.”
Zach quietly stepped back, and then quickly ducked down behind the antiquated pickup truck.
Corman shook his head in frustration. “How they expect us to get any of these vehicles operational if we keep having to stop!” he said wiping his hands with a cloth. He then turned to everyone else who had stopped what they were doing and looking around them. “Okay everyone, you all know the drill, put your tools down and exit the bay through the usual door.”
Everyone did as asked and started filing out via the door that Zach was taken through earlier.
As the last few people were leaving Corman looked around. “Robby? Where’s the new guy?”
A curly haired red headed young man shook his head. “No idea boss.”
Corman sighed again. “Great that’s all I need.” He then left, closing the door behind him. Shortly after there was a clunk and click sound.
Zach peered up from the tailgate of the old truck. He had never seen the bay so devoid of life. He quickly ran across the floor weaving between other vehicles that were there and then into a small room, which acted as an office for Corman. He had only seen the inside of the nine by nine space once, but it was enough for him to get a good idea of where things were. Pulling open a desk draw, he rummaged through the keys until he saw one which was unmistakably older than the rest. It also had a small V8 keyring. Grabbing it, he ran outside, but instead of running to the truck he ran to the tool rack and pulled a large bolt cutter from it. He then ran to the other door. The one that lead to the place he didn’t want to return too. The creature storage area.
Pulling open the door he ran down the narrow corridor, this time seeing where he was going by the group of small lights above him. He quickly listened at the door. He knew once he entered that space he was on borrowed time. The ‘Spinster’ or whatever it was, would be on him as soon as it could be and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
Not hearing anything on the other side of the door, he pulled the door open and ran forward to the space in front of the wall of bars and E.L.F’s. He didn’t want to start with the ones closest to his exit point, but he knew the further he moved away the greater the chance Hemming’s guard dog would get to him.
He looked to his right then ran as fast as he could, after about four cages, he ducked down the side of one and into the next row along. The cage in front of him contained what looked like a large wingless bird, accept it had a reptilian head. Running to the lock, he put the metal rod within the claws of the cutter and rammed the handles together. The lock snapped and fell away.
He then turned and ran to his left. The cage there contained a small humanoid figure, accept its back had a row of spikes along it, and its head was more akin to a fish with huge eyes and a large mouth. As Zach started to bring the cutter down on the lock, the creature’s mouth opened so far back that it almost covered its head. Rows of needle sharp teeth glinted in the lights above.
Zach hesitated breaking the lock then continued anyway.
He ran to another cage, and then another. He counted he had done four, and looking back he thought he could hear some of the doors of them creaking open.
He looked around. No sign of the Spinster. He then ran back to the row near the door. One of the creatures he had freed screeched behind him, and another roared.
Okay that’s enough locks broken, time to go.
The door was just a few yards ahead, when he heard a noise behind him. He didn’t bother turning around, he recognized the same clicking noise from the time he was there last. Instead he sprung forward, grabbing the doors handle.
A jolt of pain shot through him and the floor felt like it was made of jelly and that he was falling through it.
Summoning every bit of concentration inside him, he pulled the handle down, pushing the door open and collapsed forward onto the ground of the corridor. Turning on his back, he could see it, or thought he could, an ethereal figure moving towards him. He scrambled to get his feet inside, so he could push the door closed but he could hardly move. The floor around him felt like it was made of wet mud, which he couldn’t grip. Hemming’s creature shuffled towards him, across the dusty floor. It was almost at him. An overwhelming feeling of failure begun to descend in his mind.
I’ve failed you again Abbey. I’m sorry.
Just as the ghost like thing was about to pass through the doorway of the narrow space that Zach was laid on, there was a squawk and the bird-reptilian creature flashed past Zach’s view taking the Spinster with it. Instantly he felt better and the world had returned to being solid. He pulled his legs further into the corridor and slammed the door closed.
Getting up, he then ran the length of the corridor and reemerged back into the maintenance bay. Everything was still as it was a few minutes earlier, accept the other door was broken open and Abbey was standing there, with a man he had only spoken to through a hole in the wall.
Zach ran forward and Abbey and he briefly hugged.
“In the truck,” said Zach to Abbey, while indicating to Miles that he should climb in the back.
He then ran across the forecourt to the external doors. Two large locks kept them closed. Zach made quick work of both with the cutters then ran back to the truck, and jumped into the driver’s seat. “Where’s Jai?”
Abbey briefly closed her eyes. “He’s close, he’ll find his way to us…” She didn’t seem too convinced of her own words, but Zach slid the key in the ignition and turned it. The V8 engine growled then purred and Zach drove the truck forward twenty yards up to the metal shutters.
He looked at Abbey. “I don’t know what’s on the other side of these shutters. It could be their people.”
She nodded.
He then jumped out and ran to the metal gates which stood between them and the outside world, gripped the handle at the bottom and pulled it up with one huge heave. They slid upwards faster than he thought they would, and the cold night air hit him making him take a breath.
Ahead of them was an empty parking lot.
He ran back to the truck, hitting the gas pedal and making the wheels spin, before they gripped and the truck shot forward bouncing onto the concrete and across the lot.
“Stop! Stop!” shouted Abbey, looking over her shoulder. “He’s close I can feel him.”
Zach looked anxiously around them. He couldn’t see anyone, but he could hear voices on the wind. “Abbey, we can’t wait here, we have to go.”
“I know! Just give it a few more—”
She took a deep intake of air and her eyes grew wide. She then shuddered as if she had been shot, and doubled over.
Zach thought she had been shot, although there had been no clatter of bullets in the night around them. “Abbey! Are
you okay?” he leaned down to try and see if she was injured and then pulled her gently upwards.
Streams of tears were running down her cheeks, and her eyes looked heavy. “Drive. Just drive.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Zach looked out of the window of the large house which was the Kentucky outpost at the hive of activity. They had arrived back at Brads during the early hours, with barely a word spoken between himself and his two passengers. Zach didn’t need to ask Abbey what had happened back in the parking lot, her reaction told him everything, but it was still a shock for him to see how she reacted to one of the E.L.F’s she was connected to, dying.
On returning they had briefly relayed the story of the last few days to Brad and the others that had traveled up from Camp Bravo, and then Zach and Abbey collapsed into the comfy bed in one of the bedrooms, with Miles doing the same in another.
Zach let the curtain fall back and turned to look at Abbey behind him, ensconced within a thick blue colored blanket. Her breathing was slow and steady.
Picking up his boots on the way past, he also grabbed his pants and top and left the room quietly.
As he stood on the landing getting dressed he could hear multiple voices downstairs, and the smell of breakfast and coffee wafted up.
A door opened to his right. It was Miles.
“Morning,” said Zach.
Miles walked forward. “Thanks for the ride out of that place.”
“Don’t mention it. You get some rest?”
Miles smiled. “More than I usually do.” He looked down the hallway to the stairs. “Sounds like a lot’s happening downstairs.”
Zach walked in the direction of the noises. “Yeah.”
They both walked down the grand staircase. The front door was open with people walking in and out, most carrying boxes.
“I’m going to locate the source of the smell,” said Miles walking down the side of the stairs towards the kitchen.
Zach walked forward and out into the morning air. When they arrived in the dead of night they couldn’t see their hands in front of their faces, so had no idea what was parked around them.
Small cranes, diggers, at least one tank and a number of trucks and Humvees sat parked at various angles across the muddy grass, stretching all the way to the exterior fence a few hundred feet away.
He had stumbled upon a building site.
“You just can’t stay out of trouble can you?”
Zach instantly recognized the voice. He turned around, Captain Bower briefly saluted then walked forward.
“Cole! Why are you up here?”
“The General said this place needed some more protection so here I am!”
“Your squads with you?”
“Sure are,” he looked around. “Somewhere around here. There’s someone else here who also wanted to pay a visit.”
“Hey Zach.”
He pivoted again.
Fiona was standing inside in the hallway, with a cup of coffee in her hand. “Want one?”
“Fiona?” he was more surprised to see her than Bower.
“I’m going to try and find my squad, you can tell me about how you got yourself captured and then escaped later!”
Zach nodded and smiled as Bower walked away. He looked back at Fiona who was now standing nearby.
“I thought you wanted out of all this?” said Zach.
She sighed, and gave a flat smile in reply. “Me too. I tried. Spent some time with Steph. That was great, but she’s all grown now, has her own life.”
He nodded, then put his hand on her shoulder. “It’s great you’re—” There was a squawk from above them. They looked up to see Mo landing on the arched roof just above where Zach and Abbey spent the night. “I have a feeling Abbey’s awake. I’ll definitely have some of that coffee.”
She smiled, and he walked back inside. Soon he was gently opening the bedroom door. Abbey was sitting up in bed, looking straight ahead at something that wasn’t there. Her gaze remained fixed as he walked into the room.
“How you sleep?” he said.
A few seconds passed by with no reply, she then looked at him as he sat on the edge of the bed. “There’s a lot of noise outside?”
“Err, yeah the group from the camp have arrived. Bower and his squad, as well as Fiona are here.”
“Fiona?”
“Yeah.”
She smiled.
He went to mention the events of twelve hours earlier, but thought better of it. “I’m sure I smelled a cooked breakfast and coffee downstairs, you want some?”
“That would be good.”
He got up. “I’ll be right back.”
*****
“That’s some story,” said Brad. He and five others were sitting on various chairs and stools in the kitchen.
Zach took a sip of his coffee. “Different communities are reacting in different ways.”
“And you’re sure they didn’t know you were from the Austin camp?” said Bower.
“Pretty sure.”
Miles moved uncomfortably in his seat.
“Just another madman, doing bad things for his own reasons,” said Fiona. She placed her mug down on the table in front of her. “Who’d have thought the worse thing to come out of the Cascade were us humans.”
“How many you think he’s got protecting that place?” said Bower to Zach.
“Enough to make it difficult to take,” said Zach.
“The place is like a fortress,” said Miles.
“What did you used to do again? Before you killed people with your creatures?” said Bower.
“None of us had a choice.”
“Sure.” Bower turned back to Zach. “We can have a platoon up here within a few days and take care of this problem.”
“If we go in guns blazing, lots of innocents will die—”
“They didn’t sound so innocent to me,” said Brad.
“—Point is, people will die, and then there are the E.L.F’s they have in their messed up zoo. They will be harder to deal with then Hemming’s forces.”
“Hemming’s crazy—” Abbey appeared, standing in the kitchen doorway. “— But as long as if he feels he’s going to stay in control of his little kingdom, he will be willing to deal.” She walked forward and put her tray with cups and plates on the kitchen counter. “Compliments to the chef,” she said in the direction of a young girl who was doing her best to try to not be seen while the others were talking.
Zach tried hiding a small sigh of relief. He wasn’t sure if she was ever going to leave the room upstairs. He turned to Fiona. “We should be within range of Lexington, try to get a message to them. Tell them who we are and that we want to talk. Don’t give them our current location.”
Fiona got to her feet. “They might be able to triangulate where we are anyway.”
“That’s a risk we’ll take.”
Brad put his mug on the counter and got off a stool. “You both up for a little tour?” he said to Zach and Abbey. They both smiled.
They were soon outside walking amongst machines, digging and lifting. “We’re building three new structures, one of which will contain living quarters, for a permanent compliment of troops.”
Abbey looked back at the pillars and white wood of the large country home. “I wonder what those that called this place their home a year or so ago would make of all of this.”
“I’m sure they would rather be here, than wherever they are now,” said Brad.
She nodded.
Brad pointed to the other foundations being created. “These two other structures, will be a new comms center, and there will be a tunnel linking it to the basement under the main building.”
Zach looked at all the work going on and nodded. “We need all the outposts to be like this, better protected. They will serve as places of refuge for those still left.”
Brad smiled and placed his hand on Zach’s shoulder. “That’s the plan.” He then pointed towards the far off fence, and went to talk but
stopped when he saw Fiona walking up to them.
“We broadcast on all the main frequencies. There was no reply from them. What do you want us to do?” she said to Zach.
Zach thought for a moment before talking. “Tell Bower to get his squad ready, we’re going back to Lexington.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“I think you should stay,” said Zach, as he and Abbey stood in the hallway of the main house.
Corina Diaz and Will Freeman walked past with heavy packs on their backs, and rifles slung over their shoulders.
“Tell Bower I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
They nodded and left by the open front door.
“I can do this Zach. I need to do this.”
He sighed. “Mo stays here though, okay?”
She nodded.
“Make sure you have your Glock with you and an extra magazine.”
She held up her bag that was over her shoulder. “Got everything I need.”
“Okay then let’s do this.”
As they went to walk away, Brad appeared from behind them. “Try not to get captured this time!”
They both smiled.
“Back before you know it,” said Abbey.
They both walked out into the early afternoon sun. The trees and bushes of the Kentucky landscape were beginning to return to a semblance of how they looked a year earlier, with green shoots starting to appear.
Zach got into the front passenger’s seat of a turreted Humvee, with Fiona driving. Abbey got in the back, alongside Hayes and Miles.
Behind them was another turreted Humvee that Bower was driving along with the rest of the squad.
Above them Mo squawked and flapped his wings on top of the large building. Abbey smiled.
It wasn’t long before the small convoy was taking the same route northwards on highway sixty-eight. Small undulating hills and former agricultural land passed them by.
“Anyone ever been to Kentucky before?” Hayes’s said, wanting to break the silence.
“Few times,” said Fiona, the only one responding.
