“I lost both of you that day,” Aurora yelled. “I lost more than you!”
“I know. Not a day, no, not a second went by without me regretting what I did. I have no excuse,” I replied while trying to stand.
“Aurora, he may have had enough,” Shaun replied.
“Oh no. Not even close,” Aurora replied. “You want to know the shittiest part of everything that happened while you were gone?”
“Like I don’t feel worse already. Please tell me,” I yelled. Aurora’s eyes grew angry. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…” were the only words to escape my mouth before Aurora tackled me to the ground.
Her knees clamped my shoulders against the concrete as she hit me again. “We found out you were alive through a radio summons that you could have done. But no! A random man named Pete thought you may have needed our help, so he contacted us! Then the only way we found you was a half dead man named Lyle that was shot wondering down the damn road! You could have communicated with us at any time! You could have come back to get us! Chase ruled us under his thumb and treated us like cattle! The entire time I thought you two were dead!”
“Ok, that’s enough,” Seth said as he, Sloan and Emmitt walked towards us.
“No! Let her have this. I deserve it,” I said as Aurora had me pinned against the concrete. “I can never tell you how sorry I am. I will never be able to show you the pain I was in. I thought by leaving I was doing you a favor. But I know I was being selfish. Keep hitting me. Beat me unrecognizable. Curse me to Hell because I deserve far worse than that. Tell me you don’t love me anymore.” Aurora stared into my eyes. I could see the tears coming from her as I felt the ones streaming down my face. “I am sorry.”
Aurora took a deep breath and wiped the tears from my eyes. “Atlas Conrad, you are the most selfish, egotistical, dumbest man I have ever met. But you are mine. You are the love of my life and I will never stop loving you. I just wanted you to feel what I felt so I wouldn’t feel it alone anymore.” Aurora removed her knees from my shoulders as she leaned to kiss my lips. “Don’t you ever forget where your place is, no matter what happens. Your hand will always belong in mine.”
“I missed you so much,” I said as I placed my hands on her face.
Aurora kissed me once again before standing and reaching down for me. As she pulled me up Kiere walked over to us and I wrapped my arms around the both of them.
“So, does that mean we all get a turn to whoop his ass now,” Mara asked.
“I’ll allow one hit from each of you,” I replied. “Aurora done beat the crap out of me enough.”
“We’re just glad you two are alive you jackass,” Shaun said before wrapping his arms around all of us.
“I am sorry to all of you,” I said while looking around at the team.
“What is the plan then,” Amelia said as her and Mark walked towards us.
“What has happened since I’ve been gone,” I asked.
“Well son, it hasn’t been easy. Chase rounded up more survivors as time has went on. We have run scarcely on supplies. He also has many loyal followers. He has stripped all of us from our respected titles,” my dad explained. “Anyone who has questioned anything he does; he sends them out of our home. They become banished and his people make sure they never can come back.”
“Not only has he pushed reign on us, but there were other communities he forced himself on as well,” Shaun added.
“What communities,” I asked.
“There were multiple survivor camps we had come across while we searched for supplies. Unfortunately, no matter where we went Chase always sent someone to watch us. We tried to keep these camps secret, but we never could,” Brock answered. “We warned most of them to leave and find somewhere else to set up. A lot of them weren’t that lucky.”
“He massacred more than what we could save. He recruited others. We tried to stop him, but he grew more in numbers than we could fight off,” Selest followed.
“The only way we were able to leave to come for you without being discovered was in small numbers. One by one we left during shift change,” Brock said.
“Where is Julian and Damien,” I asked.
“They stayed behind to keep an eye on things until we got back. Justin stays close to Chase, keeping an eye on Ophelia,” Piper replied.
“What about Darwin,” I asked.
“He is safe. He has kept me company,” Aurora answered. “He wanted to run off a couple of times, but I kept him hidden and safe.”
“Now that you are back, we need to form a plan,” Shaun said. “That guy that was going to kill Kiere, who was that?”
“His name is Warren Cross,” Karmen replied as she walked in between Shaun and Amelia.
“Everyone, this is Karmen. Karmen, this is the Z.E.D.S.” I introduced.
Shaun’s jaw dropped as he looked Karmen up and down without moving his head. “You better pick up that chin of yours before I knock it up,” Karmen said before Shaun closed his mouth and looked at me. “Warren Cross is a psychopath from a different world. His agenda sounds a lot like your Chase. Which makes me concerned about where all of you came from.”
“This is my family Karmen. No need to worry about them,” I replied.
“Well in any matter, it sounds like we need to worry about one villain as much as the other,” Karmen replied.
“Chase isn’t a villain. He was infected. Same thing happened to Aurora,” I answered. “That cure Debra made back at your community is the cure I needed for Chase. He is infected with the same thing that almost infected all of you. If I can get him to take it, maybe we can get him back.”
“Remember what happened last time? He straight up destroyed it,” Shaun replied.
“I know. But we also have someone with us that he has never met before,” I nodded to Karmen. “If she can get him outside the bunker then we can ambush him and force him to take it. With all of us holding him down and no one trying to stop us, we should be able to get it done.”
“That won’t work,” Aurora said.
“Why’s that,” I asked.
“He will not leave the bunker. He believes that more people outside the bunker are plotting to kill him,” Aurora answered.
“All right then,” I followed. “Let me walk up to the bunker alone.”
“Oh Hell no. Are you stupid,” Mara asked.
“Seriously Atlas. You would be shot before you got near the bunker,” Vincent replied.
“Hear me out. You all left without his knowledge. There is no telling what he will do if they see you strolling up to the bunker. I have been gone for a long time. He may want to see me to make sure I am actually alive. I walk up to him after his people escort me inside and push the cure down his throat,” I replied. “I just want all of you to keep a distance and watch my back.”
“How are you going to force him to take it,” Aurora asked.
“The same way you had just forced me to listen to you,” I replied while smiling.
Chapter 32
The tall golden grass swayed with the wind. My fingers graced the tips as I held my arms out to show I was unarmed. Our home was faded. The symbol for our family had almost been erased. This home that wasn’t a home anymore was lost but never forgotten.
“Halt! State your business,” one man said as he aimed his gun towards me.
“I’m here to speak with Chase! Tell him Atlas is back,” I yelled from a distance.
The guard grabbed a radio from his side and spoke into it. Keeping his gun aimed towards me he asked, “Do you have any weapons on you?”
“I have a pistol holstered to my side,” I answered.
“Take it out with just your index finger and your thumb, then toss it to the side,” the guard ordered. “Then step forward slowly towards us.”
I did as he asked with my arms spread out. As I approached, he signaled me to turn around. One guard kept his gun pointed at me while the other proceeded to pat me down. His hand moved to the pocket where I kept the vial
.
“What is this,” he asked as he reached into my pocket.
“I really wish you hadn’t found that,” I answered.
I connected my elbow to the side of his head while turning to grab the gun from the other guard. My knee planted into the guard’s face while he was bent over while keeping the other guard at gun point.
“You need to take a couple steps in that direction where Aurora and the others will decide what to do with you,” I said while pointing towards the field that I walked through. “Don’t worry about your friend. He is just going to lay here for a while.”
I whistled for the group to appear as the guard walked in their direction. The barn doors swung open as multiple men and women ran through them.
“Great,” I said as I aimed my weapon towards the closest one. “Which of you is the one that is supposed to put me in handcuffs?”
“Throw your weapon down and get on your knees,” one woman ordered.
“Nah, I’m good,” I said right before Julian, Damian and Riley snuck up from behind and began disarming them.
An echoed growl appeared as Darwin jumped onto the woman holding me at gun point and wrestled her to the ground.
“That is enough,” Aurora yelled as she and the others ran up to the barn with their guns drawn. “Stand down right now!”
“Get this damn dog off of my arm,” the woman yelled as she struggled on the ground.
Aurora walked over to place the barrel of her gun to the woman’s head. Darwin clamped down one last time before releasing. His frantic tail wagging and tongue waving as he waited for me to kneel told me he did remember me.
“There’s my boy. Oh, I’ve missed you so much,” I said as my hands scratched his hide. “Stay here while I take back our home.”
“We heard on the radio you were back,” Riley said as he shook my hand.
“You have been gone for way too long brother,” Julian said as he gave me a bear hug.
“I told you that you should have just came back with me,” Damian said as his fist connected with mine.
“I know. I’m sorry guys that I was gone. I’m here now and it’s time to take back what is ours,” I said as I walked past them.
I walked to the staircase as the team kept the others subdued. If Chase wasn’t coming out, I knew where he would be. The meeting room where all things are decided. There were more of Chase’s followers standing in the living area with their guns aimed towards me as I walked in.
“Stop right there,” one of them yelled.
“My name is Atlas! This is my home! You will stand down,” I yelled as I stood in the middle of the staircase.
The guards turned to the others and looked back at me.
“Is it really him Josh,” one asked.
A terrified boy I once knew had grown up. The last time I had seen him was the day our home went up in flames. He stood tall. He stood strong.
“It’s about damn time. Mara always said you would come back. He’s in there,” Josh said as he pointed towards the meeting room.
I nodded towards Josh and walked towards the door. My foot planted firmly against it before it shattered as it opened. Chase turned quickly towards me with a devilish smile on his face before I pulled the trigger sending a bullet into his shoulder. Chase staggered for a moment as he gripped his shoulder while I holstered my gun and reached into my pocket to grab the vial.
“You are a very brave…,” Chase yelled before my fist connected with his nose.
I gripped the back of his head and shoved the liquid down his throat as I pulled him to the ground. The vial shattered on the floor as it left my hand. My knees restrained his shoulders to the floor as Chase struggled to spit out the cure.
“Just swallow the damn thing you moron,” I said as I held his nose and kept his mouth closed.
Chase fought against me until he couldn’t breathe. I heard the harsh gulp from his throat and the swish of the liquid. He screamed into my palm and behind his closed mouth.
“Nod if it’s all gone,” I demanded.
Chase frantically nodded his head and I released my grip on his face.
“Well you got your wish Atlas. After all this time, you have finally killed me. Why didn’t you just shoot me in the head,” Chase asked while coughing through his bloody nose.
“It wasn’t poison you dumbass. It is a cure for what’s going on in your brain. You have been infected by another virus for a long time. I’m surprised it hadn’t killed you,” I explained. “Now, I’m really sorry for this next part.”
“What’s that,” Chase asked.
I gripped the gun from my holster and forced the handle to the top of his head causing an instant sleep. Blood oozed from the top of his shoulder.
“Josh,” I yelled.
“Everything good,” Josh asked.
“Yes. Go get the rest of the team upstairs. Tell Amelia, Chase needs to be looked at,” I replied.
Aurora and Kiere soon walked in after Josh ran to the hatch.
“Did we get our home back,” Aurora asked.
“Yes. Yes, we did.”
Chapter 33
“We don’t have to do this. We can stay here and forget the outside world. Barricade our walls to the point where nothing can get in unless we allow it. Our family is back together, and I don’t want to lose that again,” Aurora said as she held me tight. “I’m sorry I kicked your ass.”
“I deserved it. You won’t lose us again. I promise you. Even after I die, long before you and Kiere, I will not be away from you. Warren is a mad man with twisted views about all of us. Our entire family is judged by him for reasons beyond my understanding. He won’t stop unless I stop him,” I replied as I held Aurora tighter. “You, Kiere, nor anyone else is safe as long as he is alive.”
“I know, I’m just scared of losing you again. These years you and Kiere were gone, I couldn’t live. I couldn’t breathe. Shaun kept me close, but I felt so alone. Vincent, Mara, Brock, Selest and your dad all helped me hold on,” Aurora added. “The closest thing I had of yours was Darwin. He slept at my side every night.”
“Listen to me. I am never leaving you again. Between oceans and mountains is an abyss of dead and darkness. You were the light that kept it away while I was out there. Finding Kiere and bringing her back to you was the most important thing to me. We are a family together. Not apart. When I lost her, I lost you,” I said while I placed my hands on her face.
Aurora’s hand wiped the tears from my eyes.
“You lost your faith that day. But you will never lose me,” Aurora said before planting her lips against mine. “You are my forever.”
“And you my love are my always,” I said before my lips pressed harder to hers.
The door creaked open and Kiere poked her head through as we stood in the middle of the bedroom.
“There’s my beautiful girl,” Aurora said as she opened her arms.
“Everyone is waiting for you dad. They want to know what we’re going to do,” Kiere informed.
“Come here. We will address them in a bit. I just want to hold both of you,” I said as I stretched my arm out. “I want to enjoy this moment for a while.”
Kiere walked in and wrapped her arms around the both of us. Nothing outside the walls existed in that moment. As far as time itself, it meant nothing. That moment I wanted to live in forever. No followers, no zombies, no Warren Cross; it was just us.
“You have gotten so big,” Aurora replied. “You aren’t my little girl anymore. You’re a grown woman.”
“I will always be your little girl mom,” Kiere replied.
“You two are my world. Always remember there is nothing in the entire universe, Heaven or Hell that will ever take you two away from me ever again,” Aurora said before kissing Kiere on the forehead.
“Wait right here for a second,” I said as I walked over to our closet and dug through a pile of clothes.
“What are you looking for,” Aurora asked.
Underneath crumbled jea
ns and protective gear, a wooden box rested in the back corner, hidden in the darkness. I opened the lid and grabbed our rings that I placed in there when we arrived at the bunker. I threw the box on the bed and walked back to Aurora and Kiere while holding tight onto the rings.
“We never got the chance to finish what we started years ago,” I said as I held my hand towards Aurora. I kneeled in front of her and asked, “Aurora, will you marry me? I can’t imagine my life without you. I’ve wanted to marry you since I first saw you.”
“Yes,” Aurora abruptly replied.
I placed my ring on her finger before she grabbed the ring she wanted to give me. Aurora’s lips pressed against mine as her arms wrapped around my neck. She continued to place the ring she was gifted from Logan on my finger.
“Atlas Wade Conrad, will you marry me,” Aurora asked.
“Of course I will,” I replied as the ring was placed on my finger.
“Aren’t you supposed to put those on your fingers after you say I do,” Kiere asked while laughing.
“Is there anything about this world traditional anymore,” I asked while pulling Kiere in.
Subtle knocks appeared on the other side of the door and Shaun peeked through. “Atlas, I’m sorry to interrupt, but everyone is waiting.”
“I’m coming,” I replied.
“We’re with you baby. No matter what we must do,” Aurora said as she grabbed my hand while grabbing Kiere’s.
As we stepped out, the entire team was circled around the living area. Shaun stood ahead of everyone else nodding his head. Mara, Jackson, Laura, my dad, and brothers stood next to each other. Mark and Amelia joined Shaun towards the front of the team. Brock, Selest and Piper walked towards the front. Chase stayed in the corner with his arm in a sling and his head bowed towards the floor. Vincent and Julian approached him in order to guide him closer to everyone. Darwin sat next to me and placed his head on the tip of my boot. As I stood amongst everyone, I noticed their stature. Anger and joy surrounded everyone. Chase’s followers were all disarmed and placed in a room where Josh, Damian and Justin were watching them.
Z.E.D.S. Series (Book 2): Z.E.D.S. Wayward Son Page 27
