Decay of Humanity Series | Book 4 | Dawn of Humanity

by Dawn, M. K.

  An empty throne-like chair surrounded by velvet red rope hung on gold posts occupied the far end of the pool.

  “Really?” Axel muttered.

  Mammoth unhooked the rope and ushered Axel inside. “You’ll stand to his right.”

  For several minutes, he stood there like an asshole on display, people whispering and pointing.

  He had no idea if someone standing there was normal or not. Not that it mattered; he still shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, drinking more whiskey than intended.

  Another bell rang, and the music stopped. The roof fell silent as The Boss emerged from a side door like a fucking king. The crowd parted and people lifted their glasses as The Boss passed. If they started bowing, he was going to lose his shit.

  The Boss took a seat on his throne, and the noise picked back up like nothing happened. “Axel, my boy, how good of you to join me.”

  A weird way to address Axel, who was obviously older than him.

  “Thanks for the invite.” Like Mammoth gave him a choice.

  “I must stay, I’m surprised to see you here tonight.”

  How to respond to that without pissing him off? “Well, people are always going on and on about the nightlife, so I thought I’d check it out myself.”

  “And?”

  What could he say? “It’s nice to have a place to get a drink and listen to live music. Feels like old times.”

  “And the best is yet to come. Let’s get you a chair.” The Boss snapped his fingers, and a guy slipped a chair under Axel, knocking him in the back of the knees.

  “Shit.” Axel plopped into the chair to the amusement of The Boss.

  “That’s better. Easier to talk this way, but first…” The Boss clapped his hands and the bell dinged.

  The crowd roared as a man strolled out wearing some sort of leather armor and carrying a spiked bat.

  The Boss grinned. “My favorite weapon.”

  It reminded Axel a lot of the weapon a villain used on a popular zombie tv show.

  “What’s that for?” Axel asked as the man descended the pool stairs.

  A sinister smile tugged at The Boss’ lips. “You’ll see. Here comes our next contestant.”

  Axel shifted in his seat just as two men led an infested out. Arms tied to its side and missing a leg and teeth, it made no attempt to break free.

  “What the fuck is this?” Axel muttered, not sure if he spoke those words out loud.

  He must have because The Boss busted out laughing. “Fucking awesome, isn’t it?”

  Once both the man and infested were in the deep part of the pool, the infested was released from its restraints and the fight commenced.

  The crowd went wild—all but Axel. He hated the infested with every fiber of his being and wished to eradicate them from this world. But this...it was barbaric.

  The infested had no defense. A missing leg, no teeth, no fingers. Axel doubted it could hurt anyone.

  “Glorious!” The Boss said in awe as the man landed his first blow to the infested’s head.

  “Why?” It was all Axel could manage.

  The Boss must have misunderstood. “This is a rookie fighter. They have to prove themselves in the ring before fighting a more viable zombie. These matches are fun to watch. So many contenders are scared shitless...literally.”

  “Awesome.” Luckily The Boss didn’t seem to catch his sarcasm.

  “While we wait for this round to finish,” The Boss leaned closer, “let’s discuss the incident at the playground.”

  Axel sucked in a sharp breath. “What about it?”

  “I’ve been told you broke a perfectly fair fight.”

  “Fair right? Who told you that?”

  A shadow crossed The Boss’ face. “I have my sources.”

  “That fight was anything but fair.”

  “How do you figure?”

  Cheers put a hold on their conversation. The body of the now unrecognizable infested was carried off while the victor remained in the pool a hero.

  “The next match won’t start for a few more minutes. After the refreshments are passed out. Continue...please.”

  Axel surveyed the area, curious what sort of refreshments he was talking about. A few seconds later, he figured it out. The familiar smell of weed spread along the night air quickly. Drugs were never Axel’s thing, but he had roommates in his youth that enjoyed the high.

  The Boss took a hit off a joint and passed it to Axel.

  He held up his hand. “None for me.”

  “You want something stronger?” The Boss snapped his fingers and a wooden box was placed in his hands. “We’ve got it all...coke, meth, pills...you name it.”

  “Where did you get all that?”

  The Boss shrugged. “All home grown, baby, all home grown.”

  He bit back his anger. Fuck. Drugs and psychopaths didn’t mix. Yet another reason why they needed to get the hell out.

  “I’m going to pass and stick with the whiskey.”

  The Boss handed the box off with a roll of his eyes. “So back to this playground incident. You said it wasn’t a fair fight, but let me make myself clear, all fights are fair here. You feel me?”

  “Even when it’s ten against one?”

  “That boy that got his ass kicked,” he took another hit, “from what I hear, he deserved it. Deserved every one of the beatings he got.”

  “And why’s that?”

  “Because,” The Boss tipped his head back with a sigh, “he’s a pussy-ass kid that if it weren’t for this place, would be dead by now. The outside world is brutal. It’s kill or be killed. If anything, you should be thanking those kids for teaching that boy how to defend himself. Maybe he’ll survive a few more years.”

  The next fight started. This time, the infested was not nearly as mangled and the fighter more advanced. It took him less than fifteen minutes to be crowned victor.

  “Damn, Gladiator’s getting too good at this.”

  Axel’s mind still reeled over The Boss’ viewpoint of the beating. All he could think about was Blake and Molly and what they would have to endure if they stayed.

  “Now, Axel.” The Boss gripped his arm. “I want you to pay close attention to the next fight.”

  “Why’s that?” He asked even though he knew he wouldn’t like the answer.

  The crowd grew quiet as the next fighter emerged. This time, the older man was handcuffed and surrounded by four armed guards.

  “What’s going on?” Axel shifted in his chair.

  The man was brought before The Boss, who stood and addressed the crowd. “Kneel.”

  The man complied.

  “Doctor, you have been accused of theft. How do you plead?”

  Axel’s heart raced. Doctor? As in an actual doctor? What the ever-loving fuck? The Boss said they had none.

  The doctor lifted his head. “Not guilty.”

  Laughter filled the air.

  The Boss smiled. “But you were caught with the stolen item in your hand.”

  “An apple!” he shouted, “for a patient that had come to me for help. The woman was starving but was not allowed to get food.”

  “That’s because she was no longer performing her duties within our community.”

  The doctor clenched his jaw. “She was recovering from an illness that left her too weak to even get out of bed.”

  “That’s hardly an excuse.” The Boss paced in front of the man, hands behind his back. “Weakness is a state of mind.”

  “I tried to speak with you on the matter. And the apple…which was part of my rations.”

  “Yours to eat, not to give away.” The Boss waved an arm. “I find this man guilty and sentence him to a fight to the death.”

  Axel’s stomach turned. All of this over an apple for a sick woman? What the hell is wrong with these people?

  “Take him to the ring!”

  The four guards dragged the sobbing man down the steps and into the deep end of the pool. The Boss beamed as he watch
ed a new infested—leg missing but with a full set of teeth and claws—led into the pool.

  “This should be interesting.” The Boss slapped Axel on the shoulder. “You will now see what we do with traitors. Doc! You better choose a weapon.”

  The doctor eyed the row of dull, rusty knives on the table and lowered his head. There was nothing there that would save his life. He chose the longest blade and faced the still leashed infested.

  The doctor’s four guards posted up around the pool, guns ready in case of an escape.

  “Release the zombie!” The Boss ordered.

  They dropped the leashes and scurried out of the pool.

  The infested sniffed and growled while the crowd watched in awe.

  “Attack!” The Boss demanded, but the doctor did not budge.

  He glared up at The Boss, placed the blade to his chest, and plunged it into his heart.

  The infested charged it's fallen prey and the crowd booed.

  “Coward!” The Boss shouted over the enraged crowd. “Fucking bastard,” he turned to Axel, “it’s usually more exciting than that.”

  Axel stood on wobbly legs. “Bathroom. Got to take a leak.”

  The Boss returned to belittling the doctor as Axel stumbled from the roof.

  He found a bathroom just as the contents of his stomach rose in his throat. He vomited over and over again, until there was nothing left. His shirt was stained and his breath stank but he left the bathroom anyway, ready to get the hell out of there.

  Liyah came down the hall as he headed out, a sour look on her face. “I see you’re fitting in nicely.”

  Spots danced before his eyes, the events of the night overwhelming his senses. He leaned against the wall for support but ended up on the ground.

  She stared down at him, more annoyed than concerned. “Drugs will fuck you up, in case you didn’t get the memo.”

  “No drugs,” he managed, head between his legs.

  “Are you for real, or is this some bullshit act because let me tell you—”

  He lifted his head. “They killed him.”

  “What?”

  “The doctor,” he swallowed hard, “sentenced him to die because of an apple.”

  Liyah crouched beside him. “This isn’t an act, is it?”

  He ran a sweaty hand through this hair. “Why would they do that?”

  “It wasn’t about an apple.”

  His eyes met hers. “Why then?”

  “Hell no. I’m not saying anything else, not after you spent the entire night being all buddy-buddy with The Boss.”

  Is that what people thought? “Mammoth forced me over. I didn’t have a choice.”

  “You had a choice,” she snapped, “you could have kept your sorry ass at home.”

  “I had to know what was really going on here. Because of Isaak.”

  That got her attention. “Excuse me?”

  “I’m the one that stopped the fight.”

  Her chest heaved. “And I’m just supposed to believe that?”

  “His injuries were mostly superficial, but he had a concussion from being knocked out and maybe a broken rib or two.”

  She sat on the ground across from him. “He wouldn’t tell me who helped him. Why?”

  “Because we asked him not to.” And now to put their trust in the hands of a total stranger, which could be the smartest or stupidest thing he’d even done—only time would tell. “My friend—sister-in-law, actually, she’s a doctor. We were afraid someone would find out.”

  Her eyes softened. “You risked everything to save my brother?”

  “Yes. I couldn’t let them use him as a human punching bag.”

  She lowered her head and picked at her nails. “The doctor wasn’t just sentenced to death because he stole an apple. Sure, you can get in a lot of trouble for stealing, but that’s not the whole story. It has to do with the drugs they’re making. A lot of people have overdosed on them, several have died. The doctor spoke up and, well, you saw what happened.”

  Another wave of nausea washed over him. “We have to get out of here.”

  Liyah’s eyes widened. “How?”

  Axel hoped she had some ideas. “I’m not sure, but there has to be a way. A weapon would help.”

  “I can get a gun.”

  That piqued his interest. “Really? How?”

  “I know a guy, but you have to promise to take me and Isaak with you.”

  He offered her a weak smile. “You and Isaak were included in the we.”

  “Thank you, but even with a gun, I don’t know how we’ll escape.”

  “To be honest, neither do I, but there has to be a way. It’s a big place. Not every inch of the perimeter can be guarded at once.”

  “No, but they rotate the infested nightly, so you never know where they are.”

  “Mutilated infested,” he added. “We’ve faced worse. Let me talk to my people and get back to you. Is there a place we can meet and talk?”

  “I’m here every night and can usually get away.”

  He was hoping he wouldn’t have to come back. “Is everyone always here?”

  “The ones we have to worry about are.” She stood and dusted off her pants. “I have to get back, break’s over.”

  “Thanks. I’ll get back to you in a day or two.”

  “Better make it sooner than later. With the doctor dead, they’re going to be itching for fresh blood. Watch your back.”

  “You, too.”

  She left first, and he waited a solid ten minutes before heading out himself. He half expected to be grabbed by Mammoth on the way out, but thankfully, no one stopped him.

  On the walk home, a plan started to form in his head, one he wouldn’t have considered without a weapon. They would have to go over every detail to ensure it was solid. Because if they got caught trying to escape, they would be the next contenders in the pool of death.

  Chapter twenty

  Sloan

  “Are we certain this is going to work?” They’d gone over the plan dozens of times in the past few days, still Sloan craved the reassurance. “It seems too simple.”

  “In a way, it is simple.” Axel flipped through his notes. “There are several miles of makeshift walls surrounding the community. Not even ten percent is under surveillance. The spot we found to break out of is already loose. It’s in the perfect location. Not too close to the hotel where everyone will be but also not too far so Liyah can meet us on her break without drawing suspicion. Isaak is already with us, so we don’t have to worry about him. Honestly, I’m kind of irritated that we didn’t come up with this before. Sounds like a cakewalk.”

  “Let’s not get too cocky,” Archer said.

  “Are you certain we can’t bring supplies?” Sloan asked. “We still have several hundred miles to travel before arriving at Los Angeles.

  “Too risky.” Archer rubbed a hand across his unshaved jaw. “They keep detailed records on all items and do inventory regularly. If they find a whole bunch of stuff missing, they’ll go on high alert and we’ll be screwed.”

  Sloan wasn’t convinced. “And you think tonight is the best time to attempt this?” It had only been a couple of days since his first venture to the rooftop party. “That we’re not rushing into things?”

  “Tonight’s our best shot.” Axel stood and paced the room. “Liyah said there was some big fight tonight and the special drugs will be served.”

  Sloan crossed her legs then uncrossed them, too nervous to sit still. “So, they’ll be indisposed?”

  “Fucked up.” Archer laughed but there was no humor in his tone.

  One more question. “Are you certain we can trust Liyah?”

  “Yes,” Axel said with the utmost confidence as he pulled the gun from his waistband. “She got us this, just as she said she would. We can trust her. They want out of here just as bad as we do, maybe even more after the attacks on Isaak.”

  Maybe she wasn’t done asking questions quite yet. “Did you ever say where she
got the gun?”

  “No.” Axel stuffed it back into his waistband. “Said it was better we didn’t know.”

  “How do we know it even works?” Sloan asked

  Archer took a seat beside her on the bed and stroked her leg. “I did a thorough examination. Try not to worry. We’re nervous, too, Slash. But this might be the only shot we have.”

  “I know,” she hung her head, “there are just too many variables for my liking. And the children...they can’t stand to lose anyone else.”

  “Speaking of,” Axel glanced at the adjoining door, “they’re awfully quiet in there.”

  “I’ll check in on them.” Sloan needed to get up anyway.

  She cracked open the door and all three of the children startled from the floor. “What’s going on in here?”

  Isaak stood with a smile. “Hi, Miss Sloan. We’re just hanging out.”

  Sloan moved closer. “Why are you sitting on the dirty floor?”

  Molly’s eyes grew wide. Clearly, she was hiding something. “No reason.”

  “Doesn’t appear that way.”

  “Really, Aunt Sloan.” Blake tried his best to keep a straight face, but she could see how nervous he was.

  “Something is going on. Tell me. Now.”

  The twins looked to each other, but it was Isaak who spoke up. “They’re protecting me.”

  “From?”

  He pulled a hand from his jean pockets and revealed a pocket knife. “Because of this. I know weapons aren’t allowed but I found it.”

  “And kept it on you. Why have you brought it out now?”

  “For protection.” His chin trembled. “I’m scared about what might happen tonight.”

  Sloan understood his fear. “We all are.”

  “Here.” He offered her the knife. “You can have it.”

  “No.” Sloan closed his hand around it. “Hold on to this. It might prove useful one day.”

  Isaak shoved it back into his front pocket. “Thank you.”

  “No more secrets, okay?” She smiled at the three of them. “We must have trust in one another.”

  “Yes, Auntie Sloan.” Molly feigned a bright smile, still there was something else she kept hidden; that, Sloan knew for sure.

  She went to press her on the issue when Archer peeked his head in. “Slash, it’s time to go.”