by Mark Mathews
The young man had his arm around the waist of the woman and as he finished his statement, he drew her in for a kiss. She smiled at him and cuddled against him. Wade smiled. Young love was something you didn’t see much outside of the movies. Well, you did, but it didn’t usually work out. He hoped they would make it. No matter what happened, he hoped they could. They seemed to think they could take on the world so long as they had each other, and that was a beautiful thing to believe in. He thanked them for their story and honesty, wishing them luck for a long, happy life together. The couple didn’t even hear him say goodbye because they were so lost in each other’s eyes. Wade started for an older man with what looked like a son in his late teens, early twenties.
“Good morning, neighbor.” The man greeted him kindly enough, and that gave Wade hope.
“Well, hello there. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?” He knew he sounded like his old police officer self, but he couldn’t help it.
Technically, he was investigating what was going on, and that meant he was conducting interviews with the people around him. The man’s smile slipped a little, and he swallowed. Did he have something to feel guilty about? Wade shook his head to clear it. It didn’t matter what the man had done. He just wanted to know why they were here.
“Okay, I guess that’s fine.” The way the man was eyeing him made Wade feel as though he was the criminal here. The man’s eyes flicked to his son, and he took a few steps to get between Wade and the young man.
“I was just wondering when you guys got here? And what exactly made you come?” It was nothing too demanding, and he hoped the man would answer him.
The consensus Wade was getting from everyone who actually talked to him was that they had a feeling they couldn’t explain that just told them to come here. Just like Sarah and Emily. Maybe there was something bigger going on. He wasn’t really into believing that sort of thing, maybe he should be. This was a demonstration that something was going on. Maybe it was nature, maybe it was a higher power, either way, it was something to think about. He stopped to talk to a few more groups, getting chased away from one by a teenaged girl with a machete. He had enough to report back, so he guessed he didn’t need to talk to everyone. When he knocked on the window of the paddy wagon, Emily popped her head up with wide eyes. His heart started racing. He’d been gone a while, and it looked as though Sarah hadn’t come back yet. If something had happened to her, then he was about to start World War Three to find her and pay back whatever bastards had hurt her. He looked over Emily’s shoulder as a shadow loomed on the other side of the paddy wagon. Emily saw his eyes go over her shoulder, and she spun around so fast she had to catch herself on the seat to keep from falling. It was Sarah, and both of them heaved a sigh of relief.
Noise drew their attention before either one of them could say anything, and everyone looked toward the source. Sarah’s jaw dropped. It was the biker gang that had caused them so many problems. Wade saw that they had a new truck, but that wasn’t what scared him. What worried him in a way he didn’t particularly like, was that there were a lot more of them than there had been last time. He and Sarah exchanged glances. They shrunk away, trying to hide behind the paddy wagon. Luckily, the gang didn’t see them.
“When it gets darker, maybe we can move the wagon a little farther away from wherever they set up camp. If we do it now, it might draw attention to us. I don’t want to risk that.” Wade was doing his best to think of ways to avoid another confrontation. He didn’t think the gang would try starting trouble intentionally with this many people around who might fight back. Then again, if they started to feel out these groups as he and Sarah had, then they would find sympathizers toward what they wanted to do. Namely, the groups bristling with weapons who had turned them away when all they had wanted was friendly conversation.
As the day wore on, Emily finally gained the courage to get out of the paddy wagon and she and Sarah decided to go for a little walk to the water’s edge. They weren’t the only ones who had thought the water had calming powers because there were about a dozen people walking along the beach. A couple of people were fishing and it almost seemed like a normal vacation they would have taken to a lake before the darkness seeped into the world. Emily grew uneasy as the people followed her with their eyes, so she took Sarah’s hand and made her way back to the paddy wagon. As the sun began to set, Wade finished up their dinner, hoping they would come back soon.
They just had sat down to dinner when a scream rang out. Sarah and Wade stiffened, and Emily’s eyes grew wide. Wade drew his pistol and Emily bolted for the paddy wagon with her plate still in her hands. Emily slammed the door behind her, and Sarah heard the bolt click in the lock. She opened her mouth to say something to Wade, but a gunshot cut her off. Then all hell broke loose. People started running, trampling whoever and whatever was in their path. Shots and screams rang out like someone was using them as notes to write a song, and Sarah and Wade drew their weapons. They would do whatever necessary to protect Emily. Wade started looking for the source of the shots while Sarah turned to the paddy wagon. She knocked on the door and Emily cracked the window.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m pretty sure the motorcycle gang is behind it. Lock all the doors and stay here. I don’t want them to get to you.”
Emily’s face was white, she looked like she had just seen a ghost. Sarah wished she could do something to keep the fearful memories of what they had done to her out of Emily’s head. She knew Emily couldn’t keep the thoughts out of her head, even though she tried. The little girl nodded once, then ducked down to where she couldn’t be seen. Sarah’s heart was in her throat when she turned to face Wade.
“I think it’s coming from over there. It’s too dark to see really far, but it looks as though little bursts of light are coming from between the tents over there.” Sarah followed his finger to an area off to their right.
“Do we stay and fight, or do we take Emily and run before they get here?” Sarah asked, hoping Wade would let them sneak out of here unnoticed.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
WADE GAVE SARAH A CURT NOD, letting her think what she wanted. Sarah took it as an invitation to get to Emily and get her out of there. As she headed back to the paddy wagon, she turned around to Wade to ask something, but realized he wasn’t there anymore. She spent a few minutes scanning the panicking crowd, but didn’t see him. Then fear for Emily set in, and she headed back to the paddy wagon. Something didn’t sit right with her, so she decided to give him a few minutes before she went after him. Her first priority was Emily because, in her opinion, Emily still couldn’t take care of herself. Wade was a big boy and armed, so he should be alright while she checked on the little girl.
Wade watched as Sarah headed back toward the wagon, then silently slid into the crowd. With all the confusion, and the dozens of people running in all directions, he considered himself to have pretty good cover. The gang had to pay, and he was going to make sure they did. He’d vowed to himself that he wasn’t going to let them get away with what they did to April. He didn’t care if it was just the leader’s decision or the whole group’s, he was going to make them pay. He was going to make them all pay. If they followed him, then it was their fault, too, and the responsibility was shared. He looked around, trying to find the gang. There was now smoke as well as the semidarkness of twilight pressing in on him. It took him a few minutes before he could sort out the cacophony and get a fix on the direction he needed to be headed. He could see the leader shooting haphazardly at the fleeing people in front of him, laughing and smiling as he went. He even took the time to chase after a few women or children who were already in tears because they were terrified.
Something inside Wade uncurled from his heart in a vicious, primal way, and he growled low in his throat. He didn’t even notice the young man behind him who heard his growl and started backing away in fear. Wade now was exuding danger from every pore, and most people were giving him a wide berth. The few
who didn’t already were out of their minds with fear, and weren’t paying attention. One woman was staring behind herself, screaming as she ran blindly. She ran into Wade with the force of a small bull. It was enough to make him stumble, even though he saw her coming and even put his arms out to catch her. She didn’t even apologize. She just ran away from him, still screaming, as soon as he released her. He was a powerful beast, stalking his way toward the leader, not seeing anything else in his tunnel vision. A younger man with a scar bisecting his face and wearing a leather jacket advanced on him.
“Good evening, old man. Where exactly do you think you’re going?”
It took a few seconds for Wade to pull his gaze away from the leader of the motorcycle gang to focus on the young idiot in front of him. Wade never had seen the man before, and he couldn’t say one way or the other if the man belonged to the gang, but he was getting in the way. The old phrase, “If you’re not with me, you’re against me” flitted through Wade’s mind, and he gave the man a feral grin.
“I’m going to rid the world of a tyrant.” It was true, and he wanted to make sure this battle ended with the least amount of bloodshed possible, but this man was going to make killing him an enjoyment.
“Are you trying to take out our boss?”
So he did belong to the gang. Either he was in the gang itself, or he owed them some kind of allegiance. It would be a start. The man inciting the panic all around them wasn’t going to go hide by the time Wade finished with this roadblock; he was having way too much fun. The young man lunged at Wade without warning, and Wade threw an arm up to block the blow. The physical contact seemed to energize him into something he hadn’t felt in years. He felt as though he was twenty years younger again, and fighting in the bar somewhere with his buddies while they were in the police academy. He threw a well-aimed punch to the man’s temple, and he went down without a word. Wade simply stepped over the man, not caring if he was going to get up again. For now, he was out of the way, and that was all that mattered.
Emily had gone to get some water to wash the dinner dishes when the shots started, and she’d slipped out of the paddy wagon without telling anyone. She had thought she’d finally be able to leave the guaranteed safety of the paddy wagon, where Sarah or Wade always had been around. Now she was completely on her own, and it made her feel like the progress she’d made had disappeared. She’d tried to become an integral part of the group who could pull her own weight, but right now she was cowering behind a tent, thinking that this was the worst situation she’d been in so far in her short life. She’d taken a gun with her that she’d found in the back of the paddy wagon with the supplies. She knew if she’d tried to take either Sarah’s or Wade’s, they would have known she was sneaking out, and she’d wanted to show them that she could go by herself to do something to help without needing their protection. She’d done enough training that she thought she’d be ready to use it if the need arose, but she couldn’t conquer the fear that rendered her useless. The gun was clutched in her hand, but her hand was shaking and she’d all but forgotten it. People were running around all over the place, and she thought it would be safer just to stay where she was, trying to hide away from all the madness. She bit her lip to keep it from trembling. She started a mantra in her head, wishing that Sarah would find her.
Meanwhile, Sarah made it to the paddy wagon and it didn’t take her long to realize Emily wasn’t there. Her heart started pounding in a frantic rhythm, and she starting screaming the little girl’s name. There was no answer, but she didn’t really expect one with all the chaos going on. She couldn’t even hear herself shouting. She started combing through the tents and trying to think about where she would have gone. She almost tore apart the tents she searched, in frustration rather than anger, because she just wanted Emily to be safe. The only time Emily had left was to get water, so Sarah started blindly pushing and shoving her way toward the water pump. Someone stepped in her path, and she instantly moved to walk around them, eyes still on the tents, but now looking for more threats.
“We meet again.” That voice stopped her cold. It was the motorcycle gang leader.
“Last time, I seem to recall that you and your friends didn’t enjoy our hospitality. This time, I don’t think I’ll extend the offer again.”
He drew out a knife, with a look on his face telling her very clearly he was going to enjoy cutting her to ribbons. Sarah had her own knife, and she decided this was a time to show him who he was dealing with. She took it out of its sheath and held it in front of her, no mercy in her eyes. She was going to pay him back for every ounce of fear he’d ever raised in Emily.
“I wouldn’t take that offer if my life depended on it.” Sarah snarled at him like a cat, and lunged, not waiting for him to make the first move.
It caught him off-guard, and he stumbled backward. Sarah took that as her chance to go on the offensive. She pressed him, doing her best to keep an eye on her surroundings in case one of his lackeys decided to try stepping in and defending him. They were too busy terrorizing other people, though. She made a mental note to ensure that they paid for it later. He lunged at her, anger flaring in his eyes. Sarah barely made it out of the way in time. The blade whispered by her ear, so close she felt the sting on the outer tip of the lobe. She swore under her breath and told herself to pull it together. The man across from her smiled, thinking he had the upper hand. She let him. He lunged again, but this time she anticipated him and sidestepped.
His momentum was taking him directly past her, and she brought the blade in her hand up, sliding it neatly under his rib cage. She put her other hand on it to make sure she had the power to shove it in as far as it would go. When the hilt scraped his sternum, she let go, watching as he fell to the ground, looking up at her with surprise on his face. Victory surged through her and she left him to choke on his own blood while she started searching for Emily again.
Wade finally got close enough to the leader to watch as he advanced on Sarah. He tried getting there in time to help, but it didn’t work. Someone else already had set their sights on him, and blocked his path.
“Hey, handsome. Wanna dance?” It was a woman in her late twenties, wearing an eyepatch over a huge scar that ran from her forehead to her chin. She was wearing all leather, and the fading light glinted off the weapons she was wearing. She looked like a medieval assassin. Wade knew he couldn’t match her youth or her speed, so he decided to cheat. He pulled his pistol out of his holster.
“I don’t want to shoot you if I don’t have to. That’s going to be up to you.” The words barely were out of his mouth when the woman reached behind her with lightning speed and pulled out a gun herself.
She cocked it before even aiming it at Wade, and by the time the barrel was facing him, his own was only halfway up. She shot at him, but he managed to duck the bullet that was meant for his heart, just enough that it slammed into his shoulder. He didn’t hesitate as he took aim and shot her right between the eyes. That was one thing he could thank the academy for…marksmanship. When he looked up, the gang leader was on the ground, blood bubbling out of his mouth, and Sarah was gone. He’d find Sarah later, but right now, he had to make sure this man died for what he’d done. Wade knelt down next to the motorcycle gang leader, smiling at him with a cold and lethal grin. The man tried forming words, but the blood choked them off. Wade rolled him onto his back, deciding that this was the best way to end it. Wade just stared at him as he did his best to roll over and spit out the blood. Wade wouldn’t let him. He kept the man on his back so he would choke slowly. It was nothing more than what he deserved.
Sarah had no idea that Wade had been that close. She dodged people and bullets while she resumed her mission of finding Emily. There! A tiny, white, frightened face peeked out between a tent that was almost demolished and a large boulder. Even from this distance, she would know that face anywhere. Sarah broke into a run, panting by the time she reached the rock. She threw herself behind it to dodge the shots that were flyi
ng around, and had the breath knocked out of her when a weight landed on her back.
“Emily!” She wanted to tell the little girl that she was going to be okay, that she was safe, but she couldn’t draw breath. Then she found her voice. It penetrated the fog that surrounded Emily’s mind, and she recognized it.
“Sarah?” Some of the fear drained away.
Knowing that Sarah was nearby meant she was going to be okay. Emily backed off, letting the woman in front of her get to her feet. Emily’s hands shook, but she pointed her gun at the person who had come sailing into her hiding spot. She’d been shocked at first, so she barely had had the sense to do anything but jump on her. When the woman turned around, tears flooded Emily’s eyes. It was Sarah.
Crying, Emily flung herself into the woman’s arms. Sarah immediately folded her into the safety of a hug and held on to her, her own tears mixing with Emily’s hair. She’d been so afraid when the shooting started and she’d realized that Emily wasn’t in the paddy wagon. She had no idea Emily had felt useless, like she wasn’t pulling her own weight. The child had tried to do something to help them survive when she’d gone for water, and she’d been frightened all over again by the shots. Sarah had started thinking about what life would be like without the bright little light that was Emily. She just couldn’t imagine it. The two of them stayed hidden in Emily’s spot, Sarah shooting anyone who looked as though they might even be considering the rock as a hiding place.
Wade went over to where Sarah’s tracks led away from the fight. His shoulder screamed at the slightest movement, but he couldn’t take the time to assess his injury right now. Blood flowed freely and he felt the warm stickiness as it dripped down his chest. His vision was starting to get a little fuzzy on the edges but he kept going. There. A perfect footprint from her boot. He knew by now what they looked like, but the ground was so hard and dry, he’d been afraid he wouldn’t be able to find anything. Luckily, there was a puddle of blood that Sarah had stepped through, and it gave him a perfect boot print, showing him in which direction she had gone. He started looking around, and found a large boulder not that far in front of him.
