The woman almost took flight and flattened the young girl when they collided ten feet from the helicopter and hugged each other.
Wanstead approached Mass and leaned in to speak. “Do you have any idea who these people are?”
“Nah, but they’re idiots. Portsmouth’s finished.”
Wanstead sighed. “Yes, I fear it is. I’m going to order a mass retreat. If we move quickly, we can get everyone on the boats. We’ll head for the States. If anybody has made a go of this, it’ll be the Yanks.”
“It won’t matter,” said Mass. “I don’t think Crimolok needs to kill us all. He just needs to kill enough.”
“And then what?”
“Then he wins and the entire universe loses.”
Wanstead frowned, his large gut expanding with an inward sigh. “All the same, I’m going to order a full retreat. What else can I do?”
Mass nodded. He agreed with Wanstead, even if he saw no outcome other than their eventual extermination. Better to let people do what was natural and flee. It would be cruel to make them stand and face their end.
The woman embracing the young girl finally stepped back. She shook her head in disbelief. “What are you doing here, Alice? How did you get here?”
“We went to the forest to search for our people, but all we found were thousands of dead demons. There was a man and woman still there, though, and they told us everyone had gone to Portsmouth. I came to find you, Mom.”
The woman looked at the helicopter, and then at the armed men gathered in front of it. “You did this? You came here for me?”
The girl shrugged like it was nothing. “You’re alive, Mom. I can’t believe it.”
Mother and daughter embraced again.
Wanstead and Mass exchanged glances. Somehow a soap opera had unfolded in the middle of mankind’s annihilation. There wasn’t time for it, and yet no one stepped forward to interrupt the reunion.
Another stranger emerged from the helicopter, a middle-aged woman. She approached Mass and Wanstead. “You two look like you’re in charge. General Thomas?”
Wanstead cleared his throat. “Alas, no. I’m afraid you won’t be able to meet the late general. I’m sorry if he was a friend of—”
“The bugger’s dead then? Good. Not a nice fella from what I’ve heard.”
Mass frowned, noticing the woman was wearing a dog collar. She didn’t act very Christian. “Heard from who?”
“I met a man who said he had come from Portsmouth. I tried to keep him alive, but I’m afraid he died shortly after we got him onto the helicopter. He told us about this place before he departed. We brought his body with us. It felt right to bring him home.”
Mass didn’t know who the woman could be referring to, so when she beckoned for him to follow, he did so curiously. She led him to the helicopter’s sliding door and pointed to a flat area in the back behind the two rows of seats. Mass hopped up into the vibrating aircraft and slid to the rear. There was a body on the floor secured by nylon straps.
Mass groaned. “Shit, Tony. I’m sorry, mate.”
He’d barely known Tony Cross, but he had liked the guy a lot. In fact, he was only alive because Tony had gone out of his way to help him. It felt wrong to outlive the man who had saved his life.
“He died in peace,” said the woman, peering in through the sliding door. “It might sound impossible in these strange days, but he did. He was okay at the end.”
Mass turned to the woman. “Thank you for bringing him home. He did a lot for the people here. This is where his body should be.”
“That’s what I assumed. I’ll help you carry him out. I’m Angela, by the way.”
“Mass. You came at a pretty bad time, Angela.”
“Yeah, it’s all over, I can see that. Crimolok can’t be harmed and the demons are bloody endless. Tell you the truth, I always suspected it was a lost cause, but what can I say, I’m a fighter. Also, it beats being in Hell.”
“You came from Hell? I have friends who’ve been there. It’s good that you came here, Angela. I’m glad.”
“Why is that?”
“Because a helicopter is just what I need.”
“It isn’t mine, but I’ll ask if you can borrow it.”
Mass nodded. “Ask nicely, because if I can’t borrow it, then I’m stealing it.”
It hurt Damien’s heart. All of it. Nancy was finally back with her daughter, meaning the woman he loved was finally happy, but in twenty minutes she would be dead. There was no denying what was coming their way. They had levelled a chunk of the city, and their enemy had risen from the ashes no weaker than before. There was no end to the demons coming for the walls.
Damien climbed down off the barricades to join up with Nancy. He wanted to meet Alice before it was too late.
I can’t believe she’s alive. Nancy knew. All this time, she knew.
Tosco met him on the ground before he reached Nancy. “It’s a team from my boat,” he said, nodding towards the helicopter. “I can barely believe they made it here. I wish they hadn’t.”
“You think that chopper can start getting people away from here?”
“No more than twenty at a time. It would be almost pointless. We do need to start getting people on the boats somehow though. There’s no time left.”
Damien agreed. “Running is the only option. Kielder fell, and now Portsmouth will. There’s nowhere left. Not here, anyway. Maybe we can head somewhere else on the boats.”
“Most don’t have much fuel,” said Tosco. “Staying together will be impossible. Still, it’s a chance.”
Colonel Wanstead was arguing with Mass over by the helicopter. Damien knew little about either man, but he could tell they were the ones who were calling the shots in Portsmouth. He hurried over but didn’t interrupt. Instead, he listened.
Colonel Wanstead shook his head. “You can’t abandon us in the middle of a fight. We need every soldier we have to hold the line while we evacuate the civilians. We have children to think of.”
“I understand,” said Mass, “but I’m going. Closing the gate will save lives, even if it ain’t ours.”
“You don’t even know if this so-called giant gate is still there. You could be leaving us for nothing. I can’t allow it.”
Mass reared up and glared at Wanstead. “I don’t recognise your authority, so shove it up your arse. Amanda Wickstaff built this place. You’re nothing more than a goddamn guest. Try to stop me and I’ll shoot you.”
Damien shivered. Whoever this Mass was, he was a badass. Nothing about his tone or expression suggested he wouldn’t do exactly what he said.
And is he talking about closing a gate? The same one Damien – the other Damien – was talking about?
Wanstead backed off a little. “Mr Mass, please?”
Damien couldn’t hold his silence any more. “Is somebody heading to the gate near here?”
Mass turned to him. “You know about that?”
“Yeah, I… I kind of told myself about it.”
Mass chuckled. “I warned you. Where is Damien Two, anyway?”
“Here,” said the other Damien, standing nearby, somehow unnoticed until he announced himself. “Believe me, I would rather be anywhere else. Turns out that the me from here is kind of a dick.”
Damien rolled his eyes. “If anybody is heading to the gate, I’m coming. We need to close it.”
Mass nodded. “That’s exactly what I’m doing. You want to come, you’re welcome. I need a team to get me close enough.”
“You know where it leads, right?”
“Yeah, I know the drill. Straight to Hell for me. I’m fine with that.”
I was right. The guy’s a badass.
Tosco intervened, having been listening from a few feet away. “Those pilots are my men, and I won’t force them to take you anywhere unless they want to. I’ll go speak with them.”
“Please,” said Wanstead, imploring Mass with his hands, “stay and fight. Help me get these people onto the boats.
”
Mass bunched his hands into fists. “I don’t know what to make of you, Wanstead, but no matter what happens, you still killed my friend. Me leaving is the best thing for you, trust me.”
Wanstead was breathing heavily. Damien didn’t know what events Mass was referring to, but Wanstead grew anxious. “Then I fear, if we meet again, it will be a rather bloody affair.”
“It won’t be,” said Mass. “It’ll be quick.”
Wanstead nodded. “Who are you taking with you?”
“Just a few of my guys. Cullen will stay and lead the rest of my guys to help with the evacuation. Damien, if you want company, better get it fast. I won’t wait for you.”
Damien glanced over at Nancy and thought about asking her, but she had just found Alice. They needed to stay together. “I’m only bringing two people,” he said. “I just need to say goodbye to someone first.”
“Then go do it.”
Damien hurried over to Nancy. When she saw him, the smile on her face stretched right up to her eyes. It was the happiest he’d ever seen her, but there was a sadness there too. “Damien, I’d like you to meet someone.”
Damien offered a hand to the beautiful young girl who looked so much like her mother. “I’ve been dying to meet you, Alice. I’ve heard so much about you.”
The girl shook his hand, not shyly as he would have expected, but firmly and confidently. “Thank you for keeping my mom safe.”
“My pleasure. Do you mind if I just speak with her alone for a second?”
“Go for it.”
Damien had to drag Nancy away. Even then, she kept glancing sideways to make sure her daughter was still there. “You need to get Alice on a boat,” he told her. “Portsmouth is finished.”
“I really wish this place had stood a chance. We should leave right this second. I have to get Alice to safety.”
“You’re both getting on a boat. I’ll make sure there’s a place for you both.”
Nancy frowned, clearly noticing his carefully selected words. “What about you?”
“I have some place else to be. Don’t worry, okay? You have Alice and that’s all that matters. I love you, Nancy. You made the end of the world bearable. Thank you for that.”
She reached out and held his hand in hers. “That sounded like a goodbye.”
“Reminds me of not so long ago when you were setting off to go find Alice. That turned out all right in the end, didn’t it? Take care, Nancy.” He glanced at Alice. “She looks just like you.”
He turned away and Nancy didn’t stop him. They were both too grown up for that. Loss was the only thing left in this world, and there was no point fighting it.
Damien grabbed Harry and Steph. They were reloading their rifles at the wall.
“We getting out of here?” Harry asked.
“Flying out of here,” said Damien. He pointed at the helicopter. “Fancy a ride?”
Steph chuckled. “It couldn’t make me any more nauseous than travelling by gate. Where are we going?”
“To try and make a difference.”
Harry nodded. “Let’s get a move on then.”
They joined Mass at the helicopter. The muscle-bound badass already had his team, and it included the other Damien. “Oh great, you’re coming too?”
“What else am I gonna do?”
Mass banged a fist against one of the helicopter’s rear panels. “Get in and prepare yourself for a bumpy ride.”
Damien climbed on board and took a seat beside his doppelgänger. Two minutes later, they were airborne
Tosco watched his helicopter take off. It zipped south before heading north, avoiding the giant beast that was now only a couple of hundred metres from the walls.
Ten thousand people filled the docks. Many stayed to fight, but hundreds began to panic and flee. It was utter chaos – gunfire and screams. People fell in the stampede, but it was heartening to see that none were trampled and all were helped back to their feet.
Tosco found himself with no ships under his command and no men to direct. The Hatchet was somewhere on the north coast and no other ships recognised his authority. He wasn’t a commander any more, he was just a man standing in the middle of a losing battle.
He saw Maddy and rushed over. “Everyone’s evacuating,” he said. “We need to help.”
She grabbed the radio from his shoulder and put out a call. “Klein, are you there?”
“Ja, Maddy. I am here.”
“Any room on your submarine for refugees?”
There was a pause, and for moment it seemed like the German wouldn’t reply. “A submarine is a cramped place, full of dangerous buttons and serious levers. I can take no more zan fifty.”
“Fifty is better than nothing. Can you be ready to take people in the next five minutes? The other ships will be loading up too.”
“I vill see if I can find room to come up. Portsmouth’s waters are a crowded place.”
Tosco leant into the radio. “I’m sending a young girl and her mother to you. Nancy and Alice. Please, make sure you take them.”
“Confirmed. Good luck, Commander.”
“It’s just James for now. Good luck to you too, Commander.”
Maddy gave him a cautious smile. “Alice will be okay. She will.”
He wanted to grab her and hold on for dear life – he was so afraid – but there was no time for comfort. Instead of saying anything in reply, he turned and ran, locating Nancy and Alice amongst the furor. He grabbed the young girl by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. “It’s time for you and your mother to get out of here, Alice. There’s a submarine coming up for air and you have a ticket, okay? If you don’t see it, then get yourself on whatever boat you can. Do you understand?”
Alice nodded. Any notion of bratty teenagerdom was gone. She was frightened and wanted an adult to tell her what to do. “What about you? Aren’t you coming?”
“I’ll join you later. Some people have to stay and fight a while longer.”
“No! Let others fight. You’re always putting yourself in danger for other people. James, come with us.”
He ruffled her hair, something she would have usually hated. “I’ll be along, Alice, I promise. Wait for me, okay?”
She threw her arms around him and squeezed. “If you die, I’ll never forgive you. I already lost my dad; I won’t lose you too.”
Tosco glanced up at Nancy and smiled. “You have your mom now. Things are looking up.”
To his surprise, Nancy hugged him too. “Thank you for bringing her back to me.”
“My pleasure. She’s a brave young woman. You should be proud.”
“I am.”
Tosco stepped back slowly, not wanting to get pulled into another hug and convinced to stay. Then he turned and hurried back towards the walls. It pained him that he would never see Alice again. The odds of him joining her on Klein’s submarine were slim.
But she’ll be okay. That’s all that matters.
I kept her safe for you, Guy.
Maddy met Tosco at the wall. People were aiming their rifles downwards over the top of it, the demons on the other side. The ground shook, the distant strides of Crimolok getting closer.
Maddy clutched his arm and pulled him closer. “Hey, James, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure? Best make it quick though.”
She gave him an odd frown. “Why’d you give me a handgun instead of a rifle when we left The Hatchet?”
It was an odd question, and not one he had an immediate answer for. He had to think about it first. “Um, because I didn’t want to put you in danger. I wanted you to leave the fighting to me. Can’t stop trying to be your knight in shining armour, I guess.”
Maddy nodded to herself. “So, I was right. It was sexist.”
“What? No… no way. I was just… yeah, maybe it was.” He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “Sorry. I just didn’t want you getting hurt. Not because you’re a woman, but because you’re you.”
“I
can handle myself, James.” The way she glared at him turned his stomach. He felt ashamed. When she kissed him, though, he felt confused.
She pulled away and left him spluttering. “W-What was that for?”
“Like I said, James, I can handle myself, but the thought of letting a man take care of me is surprisingly nice. Thank you for caring about me.”
“I do! Which is why I would really like you to get on Klein’s submarine. There’s no way you would agree to that, though, is there?”
She lifted the handgun he had given to her on The Hatchet and cocked it. “No way in Hell. Someone needs to stick around to keep you safe.”
He grinned. “Thank you for caring about me.”
She grabbed him and gave him a forceful yet intimate kiss on the mouth. “I do. Now come on.”
Maddy joined the fight atop the walls. The wooden platforms were rickety, but the cement wall was reassuringly firm. Tosco followed behind, still blushing from their kiss.
I can’t believe I did that.
Her head was still a mess. Her feelings for Amanda hadn’t gone away, but it was likely she and Tosco were both going to die. She didn’t want that to happen without having kissed him at least once.
Or twice.
There were many she recognised on the platforms, including her recent friends from Kielder. Frank ran back and forth, barking orders like he was still back at the castle. Dr Kamiyo was comforting Scarlett, who had lost her pet demon in Klein’s initial bombardment.
Maddy leant over the wall with her handgun and searched for a target. She didn’t have to look for long.
The demons had made it to the wall. The only thing keeping them back now was the sheer number of corpses piled up in front of them. They stumbled and clambered over a field of flesh, unable to find their footing. Maddy took several shots at them, each round finding a target. There were too many to miss.
Crimolok made it to the crater Klein had created with his initial bombardment. The giant flattened everything in its path. Soon it would reach the wall.
Frank rushed by on the platform. He was too short to fire over the walls, but he excelled in his role as drill sergeant. She grabbed him before he could disappear. “Frank! Everyone is getting onto the boats. You need to get out of here.”
Hell On Earth Box Set | Books 1-6 Page 165
