Wasteland Road Knights Trilogy

by Andrew Dobell

  Nero followed their directions, though. Resisting would only cause problems and lead to misunderstandings and maybe worse. He wanted to work with these guys, not piss them off, after all. Nyx stuck close by, and the pair of them were led inside.

  There were maybe ten people in here, men and women in a wide range of clothing, all of it as dirty and unkempt as their own. Most of them had some kind of armour on as well. Nero spotted a range of weapons scattered through the room, some of them were held by the people in here, while others were propped up against walls or laid on tables.

  If things got out of hand, going for one of these might be a good idea.

  The lead guard walked up to one of the men in here and made himself known.

  “Sir?” the guard asked.

  “What’s up,” the man replied.

  “We intercepted two vehicles on their way into camp from the west. They say they were headed for the Trinity, but they want to join up for the attack.”

  The man turned slightly and looked over at Nero and Nyx. The man was tall, physically fit, and built like a tank. He’d be a formidable opponent. He turned and looked at Nero and Nyx.

  “You were headed for the Trinity?” he asked.

  “Returning a resident of yours. Goes by the name of Slick.”

  The man nodded. “I know him. You were bringing him back from Latrix?”

  “Latrix is dead,” Nyx cut in. Nero gulped and glanced at her. He wasn’t sure what she was doing. This was a risky strategy, but he knew Nyx was a good judge of character, so maybe she knew something he didn’t?

  “Dead? Is that right?” the man answered, turning more fully towards them, apparently more interested in them.

  “It is,” Nero answered.

  “By your hand?”

  “By mine,” Nyx said, her tone flat, matter-of-fact, and not boastful. Nero hoped that this wouldn’t put a target on her back. He wouldn’t allow anyone to hurt her.

  The man nodded slowly, looking back and forth between them both, before finally answering. “Then this is a good day,” he said, stepping forward and offering his hand to Nyx. “I’m Lord Kero.”

  Nyx took his hand and introduced herself. “Lucia Nyx, but just call me Nyx.”

  “Pleasure to meet you, Nyx,” he answered before stepping over to Nero.

  Nero followed suit and gave Lord Kero his name in greeting. “Nero Ward.”

  “So, you want to fight?”

  “We’re looking for a lead, actually, but believe we’ll find it at the Daemon Rig,” Nero explained.

  “We’re trying to track down the Whisperer,” Nyx elaborated.

  Kero’s eyebrows rose up his forehead. “Is that right?” he asked, looking them both over once more.

  “We were hoping there’d be someone at the Daemon Rig that could lead us there.” Nero further explained.

  “Possibly. They send convoys out from the rig to transport the fuel throughout the Whisperer’s territory. There’s a good chance one of them would know where to go.”

  Nero nodded. “We believe the one that passes through Latrix’s compound might hold the key.”

  “Indeed, it might…”

  “They’re at the rig now, as far as we know.”

  Kero pulled a face and turned to look at one of the other men in the room, who nodded back to him. Kero looked back to Nero and Nyx. “Your information seems to be accurate. Alright, I’m impressed. You can join the assault.”

  “Do we go today?” Nyx asked.

  Kero shook his head. “No, it’s late. We’ll attack in the morning. Guard, take them back to their vehicles and bring them into the camp, Nero and Nyx will be joining us on our holy crusade to liberate the Daemon Rig.”

  “Very well, Sir,” the guard answered.

  “See to it they’re fed and watered. Welcome to the Trinity, you two.” Kero finished before waving the guard off and returning to his people.

  “Sir,” the guard answered and led them back out of the tent. “We’ll take you back to your vehicles and bring you into the camp. Climb on,” the guard urged them.

  Nero followed this guards’ instructions with a smile at Nyx, who returned the gesture as they boarded the truck and returned to their vehicles.

  “That was a risky move you pulled back there,” Nero said.

  “Felt like the right thing to do,” Nyx shrugged.

  “Can’t argue with that,” Nero answered as the truck continued on, before eventually reaching the Charger.

  “Any luck?” Cryptus asked as they returned.

  “We can join them in their attack tomorrow,” Nero said.

  “Not today?”

  “Apparently not, besides, you saw the amount of undead around the base of that rig, I’d rather go in with some backup,” Nero answered him.

  Cryptus seemed to accept that, and moments later, Nero was following the guard’s truck into the edges of the camp where they were allocated space to park and pitch their tents.

  The evening went smoothly with food and drink delivered to them from the main camp. Some of the makeshift army of people close to them introduced themselves and were friendly enough, but Nero and the others kept to themselves for the most part as anticipation of tomorrow’s attack built up within them.

  Later, Nero sat with Nyx on the hood of his Charger, leaning back on the armoured windshield with their legs to one side of the engine block.

  “So, what was it like?” Nero asked. It was a question that had been burning a little hole in his mind for a while since Nyx had confided in him that Kat had come onto her, and he finally just had to ask her.

  “What was what like?”

  “Kissing Kat.”

  “Oh, that,” she said and looked at him curiously. “Why do you ask?”

  “Well, you know…”

  “No, I don’t. Please, elaborate,” she answered him.

  Nero tilted his head sideways and raised his eyebrows. He had the distinct feeling that she was doing this on purpose to make it as uncomfortable as possible for him. He wasn’t going to protest too much, though. “Well, it’s kinda hot.”

  “Is it really?”

  Nero shrugged under her withering glare. “Sorry. Can’t help it. It’s just the way I think. The idea of two girls… you know, doing things?”

  “Fucking?” Nyx clarified.

  “Well, yes. It’s sexy as all hell, that’s all.”

  “Ugh, men!” Nyx sighed, rolling her eyes.

  Nero felt about two inches tall at that moment. Had he crossed a line admitting that the idea of Nyx and Kat getting friendly aroused him? Maybe. He guessed it depended on Nyx’s feelings regarding the issue. He figured it best that he try to smooth things over as best he could. “Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

  Nyx laughed. “You great lug! You’ve not offended me.”

  “No?”

  “Nah. It’s fine, and I get it. I’m not some troglodyte, you know. Damn right it’s sexy. Kat is cute, I like her, and I’ve had relations with girls before, you know.”

  “Latrix made you do those things, though.”

  “Yes, she did, but I wasn’t talking about her.”

  “Then who?”

  “At the Watchtower. I grew quite close to some of the girls in Madam Privay’s group and, well, one thing led to another, so, it wouldn’t be my first rodeo.”

  “Oh,” Nero answered, feeling a little surprised, shocked, and slightly horny.

  “Those girls kept me sane, you know, at the Watchtower. They were one of the few bits of normality that I had access to. If it wasn’t for them, well… I don’t know what I would have done.”

  “Well, I’m glad they were there for you,” Nero answered honestly.

  “Me, too.”

  Nero pulled her in closer, hugging her tight, wanting to keep her safe from the horrors out there in the darkness.

  “So, let me guess, you want a threesome, right?”

  “Surely, there can’t be many men who don’t,”
Nero suggested.

  Nyx shrugged. “You’re probably right.”

  “Look, don’t take it too seriously, okay. I’m not desperate for anything like that. I only mentioned it because you said she kissed you. I probably shouldn’t have brought it up.”

  “It’s okay, I’m a big girl now, I can handle it.”

  Nero smiled at her. “Ultimately, you’re the most important thing to me, and I don’t want anything to ruin what we have.”

  “The feeling’s mutual,” Nyx answered him.

  “Good.”

  ***

  Nero woke with a start, convinced he’d heard something. Noises were coming from outside, but for a second or two, he wasn’t sure what they were. The fog cleared quickly, though, when he heard the familiar screech of something inhuman from close by.

  Nyx woke up to. “Huh? What’s going…”

  “It’s the camp, I think we’re under att—” The tent collapsed as something fell onto it and on top of them both. It hissed and gurgled from the other side of the canvas.

  For a moment, it was utter chaos as limbs flailed around both inside and outside the tent without much of an idea what they were doing. Nero shoved at the weight on him and pushed it off, heaving its bulk and freeing Nyx and himself finally. In the dim light of the inside of the tent, Nero grabbed his shotgun and scrambled for the entrance to the tent, crawling out only for the weight to suddenly land on his back while he was still just halfway out.

  Nero spun immediately, bringing his elbow up and throwing the thing off him into the dirt. He whipped around and brought his gun to bear on the rotting flesh of the zombie and aimed for its head.

  The gun fired, and the whole front of the zombie’s face was torn off. It fell to the dirt. Close by, Nyx scrambled out of the tent as well, pulling her sword with her as well as Nero’s jacket, which she threw at him.

  He caught it and looked around as he slipped into it.

  The camp was under attack. It wasn’t a huge assault, but this side of the camp, at least, had a large group of zombies wandering in.

  “Party time,” Nero muttered as he racked the foregrip on his shotgun.

  Chapter 6

  Nero

  Walking up to the next walking corpse as if it were just another day on the job, Nero levelled his gun at the thing’s head.

  It hissed at him.

  The gun exploded, and suddenly there wasn’t much of a head left to speak of. The zombie dropped to the floor at Nero’s feet as another zombie lurched out from behind a nearby tent and lunged for him.

  Nero turned, attempting to bring his gun to bear, but the zombie’s grasping arms got in the way. Nero fired anyway, taking a huge chunk out of the zombie’s side. It didn’t seem to notice or care, though.

  The zombie stepped in with a groan, going for him again. Nero lunged back and brought his elbow up, hitting the thing in the face and knocking it back. It didn’t stumble for long, and it still held onto the barrel of Nero’s shotgun.

  With his off hand, Nero grabbed his knife, pulling it from its scabbard on his hip as the zombie came in again, its mouth gaping wide, filled with yellow teeth as it went to bite him. Lifting his dagger up high, Nero sunk it into the zombie’s eye, right up to the hilt.

  The zombie immediately went limp, allowing Nero to scan his immediate surroundings.

  Off to his left, Nyx stood side to side with Kat, both of them holding their swords, slashing at a small knot of zombies that was lumbering towards them. Behind him, Cryptus stood atop his monster truck, holding his revolver with two hands, picking off zombies at a distance with Runt up there, too.

  A deep rumbling groan drew Nero’s attention back before him. Half a dozen meters away, an obese zombie threw aside a tent and fixed its eyes on him. The thing was huge and seemed to be bulging as if filled with puss or liquid that seeped from boils, pustules, and wounds on the thing’s body. The slimy discharge dripped to the floor, where it hissed like acid.

  Nero quickly levelled his shotgun at the thing, aimed for its head, and fired. The top of the blob’s head burst open, its eyes going wide in shock as it tipped backwards to hit the floor, where its body promptly burst.

  Disgusting, slimy greenish-yellow puss flooded the ground around the blob, burning the camping utensils that it touched. It was some kind of acid, and it was potent stuff.

  Nero had seen these zombies before, and you did not want them to get too close to you. Looking around him, the area was basically clear now, and he noticed Nyx and Kat finish off another zombie between them.

  Slowly, the gunfire faded, and the shouts ended as the camp got control of the situation.

  Nero wandered over to Nyx and Kat. “You two alright?” he asked.

  “Yeah, we’re fine, right?” Nyx answered, looking to Kat.

  “Right. Not the sort of alarm clock I prefer, but, at least, we’re up now,” Kat said.

  Nero turned back to look up at Cryptus. “Everything look clear from up there?”

  “As far as I can see,” Cryptus answered, scanning the area.

  Nero nodded and noticed Chain and Slick wander back around from the far side of the monster truck, carrying guns of their own.

  “Where’d you get those?” Nero asked.

  “I asked around last night,” Slick answered. “These are my people, so it wasn’t hard to find some weapons.”

  “Very well,” Nero replied with a shrug.

  “Alright, heads up people,” shouted a guard from nearby, who was walking through this part of the camp. “The enemy has attacked us, but we will not be driven from this place. Gather your things and mount up, we attack in thirty minutes.”

  “Alright, here we go, guys; let’s get ready,” Nero said to his companions and set to work.

  Thirty minutes later, Nero sat in his Charger with Nyx and Kat, revving his engine as cars all around them did the same.

  “Do you think you’ll find what you’re looking for?” Kat asked from the back seat. Nero looked over at Nyx.

  “Honestly, I don’t know,” she answered.

  “It’s our best lead at the moment,” Nero reassured her. “So, keep an eye out. If you spot anything that you think might lead us to the Whisperer, including a driver, let us know, okay?”

  “Sure thing,” Kat answered.

  Nero looked back out the front of the car, thinking about what it was exactly they were looking for. He guessed the best lead would be the leader or driver of a convoy. But how do we find that out? Well, he thought, anyone who isn’t an undead monster, mutant or daemon would be someone to speak to, and then it would just be a process of elimination.

  Nero didn’t see any kind of signal go out, but all of a sudden, the vehicles and people all around them were moving out, making their way towards the Daemon Rig.

  Nero edged forward and out to his right to get away from the squeeze of the main group. Ahead, other cars, trucks, and buggies were already accelerating away, making for the Daemon Rig at high speed, leaving dust trails behind them. After a bit of aggressive driving, he finally reached the edge of the main group and pulled away, racing down the column’s right flank towards the mass of zombies and worse ahead.

  Nero floored it and barrelled down towards the rig.

  The Charger bumped around as it raced over the uneven ground. Nero held onto the wheel with both hands with a vice-like death grip, keeping the car moving in the direction he wanted. He turned the wheel slightly, weaving around, partly to dodge some of the larger rocks, but also to find a gap between the dust trails of cars ahead of them. Swinging the Charger out wide to the right, Nero found a corridor of clear air and accelerated again as the Daemon Rig began to tower above them, seemingly rising ever higher into the cyan sky.

  Ahead, the leading edge of the undead hoard swiftly approached. Nero watched as the cars out in front smashed into them, cutting deep paths of rotting blood into the crowd of zombies before they stopped and people started to climb out, blasting and hacking at the countless undead. />
  Nero refocused on his own car and braced himself.

  “Here we go!” Nero yelled. He noticed Nyx tense beside him as he spoke.

  Thwak!

  The Charger hit the first zombie, and then the next, and then another.

  It sounded like a burst of rapid fire from a gun for a moment as the Charger ploughed through the zombies, their heads and bodies bouncing off the fender and hood, covering the rusted car in gore.

  Several bodies suddenly got caught on some of the spikes at the front and brought the Charger to a forced halt.

  They’d made it a good way into the zombie hoard, though, with the rig itself just a short distance away. Nero wasted no time and jumped from the car, brandishing his shotgun in one hand and his dagger in the other while the girls followed suit, their blades flashing.

  Nero stepped out right into a collection of undead, who lunged for him with no sense of self-preservation. They moaned and shrieked at him as they closed in, their hands reaching.

  There’s no reason to hold back, Nero thought, and immediately started to unload on the zombies closest to him.

  BOOM!

  A zombie’s head came clean off its shoulders, its neck obliterated by the gun.

  BOOM!

  Half of the next zombie’s face exploded in a mist of dark blood.

  BOOM!

  A clean hole was cut right through the middle of the third one’s face.

  Nero pumped for foregrip again and moved onto the next corpse, moving as quickly as he could, but there were so many of them and they kept on coming, with another two zombies taking the place of one that he’d destroyed.

  Nero backed up, moving closer to the car as his shots grew ever more desperate. For a moment, thoughts of his imminent death clawed their way into his mind moments before a loud engine noise to his left drew his attention.

  Turning to face the source of the roar, Nero saw Cryptus’s monster truck powering towards them, crushing countless undead beneath its huge tyres. Nero pressed himself back against his car as the truck rolled past him, crushing the oncoming hoard like they were grapefruit.