by I. J. Smith
“Oops I did it again!” A male voice sung loudly.
Groves looked through the flames, to see a large man appear.
Jack strolled through the flames singing away, and even doing a little dance. He jumped from the burning bus. Groves tried to pull his sidearm, but Jack kicked it from his hand. He grabbed Groves and pulled him close.
“Aww baby, did you miss me?”
Grove’s soldiers began to get up, one rushed towards Jack with his rifle aimed. Before he could shoot, he felt a cold slender blade move across his back; he dropped to the ground dead, revealing Kat behind him.
Jack kissed Groves on the cheek. “Oh! Now tell me that was not exciting?”
Gunshots began to be heard, Jack did not move. He stayed perfectly silent as Adam, Raven, Sarah, Ryan and Kat took care of the survivors. Groves looked on, with fear as Jack smiled at him. Groves noticed the figure of a black man standing on the bus holding a rifle.
Adam had a running gunfight, but easily took care of the remaining soldiers.
“Gather the weapons and ammo!” Jack shouted to the others.
Kelly still had her sidearm and began to move near, slowly. Jack noticed her movement from the corner of his eye. “I really wouldn’t do that! She is really pissed at you!” Jack said to Kelly.
“She?” Kelly muttered.
Suddenly an arm came around her neck and a gun was pressed against her temple. Kelly raised her hands, leaving her gun alone. She felt her sidearm pulled from her belt. Kelly was spun round, to face Raven. “Oh shit!” Kelly muttered.
Raven just smiled, saying not a word. Then in a split-second Raven head-butted her, Kelly’s nose exploded and she dropped to the ground.
Adam rushed back with the others; all of them were carrying weapons and supplies. “OK! We should go.” Adam said.
“Nah, not yet! I wanna talk catch up with my old friend here!” Jack replied.
“JACK! We don’t have time.” Before Adam could finish Jacob shouted. “We make time!” Jacob stared at Adam, who knew what he meant; he also knew Jack needed this. Jack needed to lay his demon to rest.
Jack let go of Groves and circled him. “I have to admit, Oasis choosing you to come after me. They really didn’t do their homework, did they?”
Groves tried to speak, but was met with a power punch to his jaw. Blood sprayed out, a tooth flew through the air. Groves stumbled to the ground. Jack did a shadow boxing motion. “Get up! We can’t have a first round knockout, these people paid for a show!”
Groves struggled to get up. “I read your file!” He muttered.
These words grabbed Jack’s attention. “Oooh! They let you read my file! Tell me, did it give you nightmares?”
Raven frowned as she listened closely.
Jack raised his hands. “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HE READ MY FILE!” He shouted for everyone to hear.
Jack placed his hand on Groves’ shoulder. “And yet, you still came for me!”
Groves looked at him. “You’re a sick bastard!”
Jack smiled. “Yeah I am. Tell me, did you read the bit about the ISIS General?”
Groves looked up at him and gave a small nod of his head. “That was a good day! That was the day I knew I was different and that there is nothing I will not do to protect the people I care about!” Jack replied.
Groves closed his eyes. “Just kill me!” He demanded.
“Baby, I’m not gonna kill you. If I kill you, then how will you learn?”
Jack walked around and then kicked Groves onto the bonnet of a car. Jack leaped up on top of him. He lowered his head to speak in whisper. “Tell Oasis, it’s over! Right now, I don’t care about them. They leave me alone, I leave them alone. They fuck with me, I will burn it down!”
Groves looked into Jack’s eyes; he could almost see The Reaper glaring back at him. He nodded in agreement, and Jack jumped down. As he was about to walk away, Jack spoke again.
“Oh yeah, almost forgot,” he said with a smile. Jack pulled his machete and sliced it through the air and into Groves’ arm. The machete cut clean though the bone, just below the shoulder. Groves screamed in pain. As Groves’ severed arm slipped off the car; it left a sticky blood trail. Jack held his bloody machete out, pointing it at Kelly. She looked back at Jack with admiration. There was a sort of smile on her face.
Jack jumped back and shouted out. “Kat! Now that is why I say for you to keep your blades sharp!”
He looked back over the burning wreckage, he reached out his arms. “Thank you! You have been a wonderful audience!”
Then, Jack along with the others disappeared into the darkness.
Kelly just stood there, looking at her armless boss. “Should off cut your damn head off,” she whispered.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
THE BARN
For hours, the two cars drove, avoiding both the dead and abandoned vehicles that blocked the road. Jack was fast asleep with Paige laying with her head on his lap.
“How does he do that?” Sarah muttered.
Raven who was sitting in the front of the car, turned to look. “I guess he is used to it.”
Jacob who was driving, suddenly spoke out. “Nah, the man is crazy. Crazy men like to sleep!”
“I heard that!” Jack mumbled as he opened his eyes.
“Don’t care, not taking it back!” Jacob laughed.
Jack noticed Raven staring at him with a little smile. “What? Do I have something on my face?”
Raven was about to speak when Jacob interrupted. “Yeah, blood. As usual.”
Sarah looked at the relief in her friend’s eyes. She knew there was something Raven was not telling her. As they drove a little longer the sudden sputtering of the car signaled, they were out of fuel.
“Great, can’t those damn boys find cars with fuel?” Jacob spoke angrily.
Sarah noticed the car ahead of them had stop too. “It looks like we are here anyway!”
Climbing out the car Jack looked around the road. “Where’s the barn?”
Adam walked through a bush. “This way!”
As they all followed Adam, the groaning of the dead echoed around them. Jack gripped one of his machetes. As Kat passed him, she joked. “Don’t need that, you need a shovel!” Jack frowned and then stopped in his tracks as he looked over the field towards the barn.
“WHAT THE FUCK?” He shouted in frustration.
He could see arms appearing from the ground, like the dead were trying to escape hell. He looked down to see a face looking up at him, a zombie covered in mud. A long worm worked its way through the zombie’s nose and eyes. Jack pulled his machete and slammed it into the zombie’s skull.
“That is no way to go!” Jack murmured.
Everyone went quiet, Jack looked up at everyone. “What?”
Sarah moved closer to Jack and whispered in his ear. “This is where Brad’s brother died.”
Jack shook his head. He walked over to Brad and surprisingly placed his arm around him and turned them away from the others. “I’m sorry kid, I didn’t know this is where it happened!” Brad nodded his head, but said nothing. “I may not have met Brian, but I can tell by you; that he was one hell of a man!” Brad looked up at Jack; he had a tear in his eye. Jack gripped him tighter. “I promise you, he will never be forgotten!” A tear ran down Brad’s face, Jack wiped it away. Brad smiled as Jack backed away. In the distance, Taylor was shocked at seeing the kindness from Jack.
As Jack walked towards the barn he passed Craig, who was staring at him. “What the fuck you looking at?” Jack asked. Craig put his head down and walked towards Adam.
Adam was crouching down looking towards the barn. Jack walked up behind him. “Well, let’s go have a look!”
“Jack, I’m not sure how safe this is!” Adam replied.
“It’s not getting any safer.” Jack said, walking away.
Jack pulled both machetes and began walking through the soggy mud, everyone watched as he showed no fear and sliced his blades through t
he air. Blood sprayed and body parts began to fly through the air. As Adam watched, Kat walked past him with her Samurai swords at the ready.
“Come on!” She told everyone.
It took almost an hour to reach the barn, as they worked their way through the half-buried zombies, they left a trail of body parts and a river of blood. Jack was the first to reach the barn door along with Paige right beside him.
“That wasn’t too bad, was it Paige?” Jack said as he rubbed her ear, causing her back leg to thump like a rabbit.
As Jack stood looking at the door, Kat came and stood beside him. “Well let’s look then!” Kat said as she grabbed the door handle. Jack quickly grabbed her hand stopping her from opening it.
Glancing at her. “Sarah may have taught you how to use a sword, but I still have a lot to teach you!” Jack said as he looked down to the bottom of the door. A small thread of wire sat between the door and the hinge.
Jack let Kat go and crouched down. He checked the wire before shouting, “RYAN!”
Ryan and Zoe rushed forward to join him. He quickly crouched down to join Jack. “What do you think?” Jack asked Ryan.
Ryan examined the wire and looked in between the crack in the door. “Crude, but affective. This was just thrown on in a hurry. Zoe pass me your bag!” He asked.
Handing him her backpack, he searched for a small pair of pliers. Ryan smiled, “This is what I’m good at!” He muttered.
“Nonsense, you’re one of the best I know!” Jack complimented him.
Ryan cut the wire, he checked through the door crack once more before saying. “OK, all clear!”
Jack patted him on the back. “Let’s see what Santa left for us!” as he pushed the door open.
Everyone crowded around the entrance and look at the stacks of green military crates.
Jack walked in; he looked at the stacks of crates that were piled high. He wiped away the dust from the cold metal.
“M.R.E’S!” He said with a smile.
Jack opened the crate and pulled out a silver packet. Tearing it open, he pulled out a black stick. He took a bite.
Raven approached him. “What is it?”
Jack smiled at her while handing her the black bar. “Chocolate.” Raven snatched it from his hand and took a large bite. She closed her eyes as she chewed away. Jack then pulled a pack of crackers from the packet. He crouched down and tore the packet open, and fed the biscuits the Paige.
“There must be thousands of them here!” Adam said excitedly.
“Well, we’re not gonna go hungry! Let’s keep looking.” Jack told everyone.
Next to the crates stood large white containers. Adam saw a tap on one and gave it a turn. Water dripped on his hand. “Water, there are gallons of it!”
Ryan stood in the middle of the barn. “OH, THAT IS A THING OF BEAUTY!” Jack walked over to him, saying, “Now that is what we need!” They both looked at a large military truck. “Gonna leave that to you!” Jack said to Ryan.
Zoe walked up behind him. “Should I be jealous?” She asked, as Ryan drooled over the truck.
“OH YES!” Craig yelled out.
Jack looked round to see Craig opening a crate, he pulled out a 9mm sidearm. Walking over Jack noticed a pile of weapons and ammo. “We have hit the honey pot!” Craig continued.
“Put it down!” Jack demanded.
“Why? There is plenty to go around.” Craig whined.
“Put it down, now!” Jack demanded again.
Craig was starting to get angry. “We led you here, and by rights, at least half of this is ours!”
Jack stepped closer. “This is military! Army equipment! So, this falls under the command of the highest-ranking officer.”
Craig gave a sarcastic laugh, “and I guess that is you!”
“Nope, that would-be Adam!” Jack replied.
Everyone could feel the tension in the barn, as they glanced at Adam.
“Actually, YOU out rank ME, Jack!” Adam says.
Jack smiled as he looked at Adam. “Remember, I was stripped of rank. So, you are the boss!”
Adam was amused, he knew no matter what rank he had. He was never a match for Jack.
Craig still held onto the gun. Jack glanced at him. “I thought I told you to put that down?”
Taylor walked over to Craig. “Put it back!”
“NO!” Craig shouted.
The barn went quiet, just the odd groan of the dead still stuck outside could be heard. Jack smiled as he stood in front of Craig. Jack simply locked eyes with him.
“What’s your problem with me?” Craig asked.
“Everything!” Jack replied.
Craig looked at him. “You’d be dead without me!” Craig remarked.
Jacks expression changed. “You? I would be dead without you?” Jack broke out laughing. “What a joke!” Craig suddenly raised the gun at Jack.
Jack smiled. “Oh, the boy has grown a pair. You show Kat those big balls of yours!” Jack moved closer to the gun. “You think I don’t know? That when myself and Raven were being tortured, you played games. You led Adam and the others in circles looking for this place, because you were scared of being left alone. You did nothing but save yourself!”
Kat suddenly spoke out. “JACK!” She looked ashamed of him.
Jack moved closer again, the gun pressed against his chest. “You are taking advantage of people I care about!”
“Kat is an adult, she makes her own choices. Or maybe it’s that you are jealous. Maybe you like them young Jack?” Craig replied.
Jacob bolted forward. “You shut your damn mouth boy!”
Jack raised his hand to stop Jacob. “Have your friends figured it out yet?” Jack asked Craig.
“Figured what out?”
“Because of your games in leading Adam in circles, it resulted in Brian’s death.” Jack replied.
Brads expression changed as he looked at Craig, you could see he was trying to work it out in his head. Taylor moved over and Brad tight. “It’s true!” Brad muttered.
“You disrespected Tommy!” Jack said.
Craig snarled. “That fat ass, who should have died a long time ago! But always had you as a savior!”
Jack backed away and looked at Tommy. “This guy, who yeah carries a few extra pounds. He doesn’t need me to save him. Shit he has saved me many times!” Jack turned back to Craig and walked towards him.
“So, go on, be a man and fucking shoot me!” Jack yells at Craig.
“Jack!” Raven and Sarah scream.
“GO ON! SHOOT ME! YOU FUCKING COWARD!” Jack dares Craig.
Craig presses the trigger. He locked eyes with Jack, and started to shake. In a single blink, Jack grabbed Craig’s hand and forced the gun under Craig’s chin.
“JACK, STOP IT!” Adam shouted.
Jack smiled at Craig, “There is a difference. You think you have the ball. But, I know I do.”
There was a sudden click from the gun as Jack pressed the trigger.
Jack smiled. “Never works with the safety on!”
Pulling the gun away, Jack threw it on the pile of weapons. Brad pulled away from Taylor and punched Craig in the face. Taylor pulled Brad back.
“You fucking faggot!” Craig shouted.
Craig was met by another punch in the face by Jack. “Never call them that again!”
Jack looked around to see Kat in tears, as she stormed out of the barn. Jack quickly followed. “Make sure you get everything loaded up!”
The barn remained silent as Jack chased Kat outside. Craig was on the ground holding his face, while Taylor held Brad. Tommy walked over to them with a limp. He placed his hand on Brad’s shoulder.
“I’m so sorry!” Tommy says.
Taylor looked at him with gratitude. “It’s not you that needs to apologize!”
Outside Kat was angry. Holding her sword; she swung it at the remaining zombies, that were half buried. A shadow appeared behind her. She swung around pointing it at Jack.
“You have no right!” She said in a soft voice.
“Three months!” Jack replied.
Kat frowned with confusion. “What?”
“In three months, you have not mentioned Ray! Not even once to me!” Jack replied.
Kat lowered her sword as she just stared at him.
“Nothing to tell, he’s dead!” She replied.
Jack nodded. “Yeah, he is, but there’s more!”
“You know?” She said holding back her tears.
“Jacob didn’t want to tell me, he did not want to break his promise to you. I made him, I knew there something more!”
Kat dropped her sword in the long grass, as she dropped to her knees.
“You had no right to treat Craig like that!” She muttered.
Jack crouched down next to her. “He’s taking advantage of you. I can see that, we all can.”
“Maybe I am using him!” Kat replied.
“Maybe you are, but it’s not just that!” Jack replied.
She looked at him. “One minute you push Tommy away and the next you’re close to him again!” As the tears rolled down her cheeks, he wiped them away. “That boy loves you, everything about you he loves. He would lay down and die for you. We both know he could have used Ray’s death to get closer to you. But you pushed him for a reason!” Jack told her.
“What reason?”
“Because you know deep down, you love him too. And you never wanna use him like that!”
Kat closed her eyes. “It’s my fault.” Jack muttered.
Kat took his hand and held it tight. “No, it’s not!”
As the wind picked up, Jack moved the hair covering her face. “I should have been there. When you needed me most, I was gone.”
“You were a prisoner, I think you can slide on that one.”
“Tell me what happened?” Jack asked her.
