Sighing, he walked over, checking bodies as he went. A man reached trembling fingers to him, blood frothing on his lips. Ronnie considered leaving him, but no one deserved the slow death granted by a sucking lung wound nor the horrid death he’d suffer if a zombie found him. Not even a murderer.
He removed his pistol from its holster, hardening his heart against the terror in the wounded man’s eyes. Ignoring his babbled pleas, Ronnie shot him in the head. He continued, finding two more who were too severely injured to be saved. Each got the mercy shot.
“We’ve got a live one,” Mike shouted.
Ronnie turned to look and saw Mike dragging a youngster out from behind one of the enemy trucks. The boy cowered with his hands over his head and screamed for mercy.
Mike cuffed him. “Shut up.”
His captive ceased crying but his eyes rolled with terror, the whites glaring. Ronnie walked over and surveyed the boy. His eyes took in the ragged clothes, jutting ribs, and distended pupils. Just a boy. Scared, starving, and hopped up on glue or something.
But the boy had made his choice, and now he had to pay. Ronnie sighed, not happy with what he was about to do. He drew his knife, wincing inwardly at the sheer horror in the boy’s chocolate eyes. “Time to get some information.”
Chapter 19 - Max
It was only mid-afternoon, but already Max was exhausted. He’d spent the entire morning with Phillip, Abraham, Abe, and Ben. They’d cleared the burnt remains of the infected corpses from the field, shoveling the ash and bones into burlap sacks to be disposed of.
Now he sat on the wall with Peter and Thembiso, keeping watch. He heard the rumble of the truck before he saw it, the Casspir’s faded bonnet appearing seconds later. Even from a distance, the bright pink spray paint on the side was visible, and he grinned. The sight never failed to amuse him.
“Open up, boys,” he shouted. “Tallulah’s back.”
“Yes, Sir.” The two boys ran to the gate, levering the bar off and pushing it open. Max smiled at their enthusiasm. They were both undergoing a growth spurt, and Elise complained that they were eating her out of supplies.
They must be what? Sixteen? Seventeen by now? No longer kids. Certainly, the guns on their hips weren’t for show, and already they’d seen and experienced more than most teens ever would.
Once the gates were open, Peter and Thembiso ran outside waving at the oncoming truck. Max climbed down from his perch and dropped to the ground, joining them. The three gravitated to the side, standing beneath a wild olive tree for shade.
Though he tried not to show it, he was worried sick about Kirstin. It was bad enough when she went out on raids for supplies but even worse now. No longer did they face only zombies but also a mysterious new enemy if Breytenbach was to be believed. Not that Max doubted him. The Captain wouldn’t have said something if he didn’t think the threat was genuine.
The Casspir pulled to a stop next to him. The wheels raised up a storm which coated their skin and eyelashes with a fine layer of grit. Max blinked, his eyes tearing up. He coughed, waving his hand in front of his face. The driver’s door opened to reveal a grim looking Ronnie.
His heart dropped, and his eyes immediately searched for Kirstin. To his intense relief, she dropped out of the passenger side, walking over with long strides to press her lips to his. He breathed in her scent, one hand circling her waist.
“Are you okay?” he asked when the kiss ended.
“I am fine,” she answered. “But we have problems.”
She turned and nodded her head toward the Casspir. From the back, Mike and Lenka appeared dragging an unconscious figure among them.
“Who’s that?”
“His name is Kabelo,” she replied. “We captured him.”
“Captured him? When?”
“Right after the ambush.”
“Ambush?” His throat tightened. “You were ambushed?”
“Yes, but we are fine. No need to worry.” She pressed another kiss to his lips and shook her head with amusement. Her platinum braid brushed against his arm. “They stood no chance.”
Max studied the unconscious boy. “What happened to him. Was he injured?”
Ronnie stepped up. “Not exactly. I was planning on interrogating him when Lenka happened. He frightened the boy to death, and the kid fainted.”
Lenka grinned, letting go of Kabelo’s arm. Mike kept hold for a few more seconds before he also let go. Their hapless victim fell to the ground with a thud.
Confused, Max looked from the one to the other. “Somebody tell me what’s going on, please.”
“It’s a long story,” Ronnie replied. “And you’re not going to like it. We’re being targeted.”
“What do you mean?” Max asked.
“The people Breytenbach spoke of…well they’re out for blood.”
Suddenly, Max was glad the rest of the camp wasn’t around to hear the news. After the zombie attack, tensions were running high. Rosa had been put to rest only that morning, and a lot of people were on edge.
“Tell me,” he commanded.
“The zombies who attacked the camp didn’t stumble on us by accident. They were led here.” Ronnie gave Max an abbreviated version of the day’s events in clipped tones.
Max listened, nodding. When Ronnie was done, he sighed and said, “We’d better get inside and call a meeting.” He turned then paused. “Why don’t you all take a break first? I’m sure you could use the rest.”
Ronnie nodded. “That’d be great, thanks.”
“What about him?” Max pointed at the unconscious Kabelo.
“We’ll tie him up and lock him in the back of the Casspir for now until we figure out what to do with him.”
“All right. I’ll call an emergency meeting.” Max glanced at his watch. “Say two hours from now?”
“We’ll be there.”
Max stared at the unfortunate Kabelo, his expression pensive. “Bring our new friend to the meeting as well. I’d like to hear what he has to say.”
“Sure thing.” Ronnie climbed back into Tallulah and waved at Max before driving inside. The rest trooped in after him except Lenka who rode in the back of the truck with the captive.
Max turned to Peter and Thembiso. “Keep this to yourselves, for now. No need to panic folks with wild stories. It’ll be our secret.”
“Yes, Sir!” Their eyes shone with excitement at being part of the conspiracy, and Max had to repress a sigh. If only I could be so young and dumb. They’ve got no clue what this means for us.
***
Two hours later, Ronnie, Kirstin, and Mike walked into the meeting room looking refreshed. They’d washed, eaten, and dressed in comfortable clothes. Max took a moment to admire Kirstin who’d slipped into tight jeans and a sky blue top. As ever, she looked calm and beautiful. I’m a lucky man.
He strode to his chair at the end of the table and waited until everybody was seated. He’d managed to get hold of Joseph, Lucas, Elise, and Julianne who all trooped in looking worried. An emergency meeting never meant anything good.
When everybody had settled down, Max opened the session. “Ronnie, why don’t you tell everyone here what you told me?”
Ronnie cleared his throat and in simple terms explained what had transpired that day. Gasps of shock and surprise did the rounds, followed by anger.
When he finished, Ronnie stood up and called out into the hallway. Seconds later, Lenka appeared dragging Kabelo by the arm. The boy’s eyes were wild, his skin slick with sweat. Max could almost smell the fear emanating from him.
Lenka pushed him down into a chair then took up a position behind him and slightly to the side. It was a strategic move, and one Max admired. The boy would have a constant view of Lenka from the corner of his eye, the hulking brute’s presence enough to unnerve and frighten him even further.
“How much has he told you?” Max asked, directing the question at Ronnie.
“Pretty much everything. He spilled his guts within seconds of Lenka getti
ng hold of him.”
Max studied the captive who sported a split, swollen lip, and bruised temple. His wrists and ankles were rubbed raw by the ropes used to bind him adding to his misery. He was a sorry sight.
“It’s a pity you had to rough him up but…” Max shrugged. “What did he tell you?”
“We were right in thinking they’re after us. They lured the zombies here, hoping we’d fall. It seems their leader is of the enterprising sort. He used the same tactic to get rid of several other rival gangs and take over their turf.”
“It’s a good tactic,” Max admitted grudgingly. “This leader of theirs is ambitious.”
“That he is,” Ronnie agreed. “He calls himself Ke Tau.”
“Ke Tau,” Max mused. “The lion in Sesotho, am I right?”
“Yup. The great King of the Jungle himself,” Ronnie agreed. “Anyway, he’s set himself up in the remnants of the old Welkom Inn, turning it into a fortress. He’s got guns, ammo, supplies, and women. Most of it taken from other survivors he wiped out. Now he’s set his sights on us. We’re all that’s left.”
“Women?” Julianne asked. “There are women there?”
“Captives. Slaves.” Ronnie’s mouth twisted in disgust. Julianne and Elise blanched, their faces turning pale. “It’s what they do. When Ke Tau and his men stumble upon survivors, they torture and kill the men and rape the women. Those that survive the ordeal are taken captive. Young boys are drafted into their ranks.”
“How many of them are there?” Max asked.
“Upwards of thirty,” Ronnie replied. “We’ll need more intel before I can give an exact figure. Kabelo here couldn’t tell us.”
“Couldn’t or wouldn’t?” Max growled, staring at the captive with narrowed eyes.
The boy in question had sat in silence the entire time, his eyes jumping from one to the other. He dared not move while Lenka loomed over him. Now he shook his head vehemently. “I don’t know, please. Will tell everything but don’t know.”
Ronnie sighed. “Apparently, they come and go a lot, and his maths isn’t too great. Didn’t have much schooling, I guess. Before all this shit went down, he was an illegal immigrant from Mozambique. His English is pretty bad.”
“Zama Zama?” Max asked.
“You guessed it. Illegal miner.”
Max stared at the boy. “I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s where most of these gang members come from. Living down in the mine tunnels would’ve spared them from the worst of the zombie outbreak.”
“Then in the aftermath, they crawled up from beneath the ground like rats from the sewers, forming gangs and running amok,” Ronnie agreed. “It seems that Ke Tau took care of them, though, either wiping his rivals out or assimilating them.”
“And now he’s after us. Why?” Max said.
“Why does any tyrant do what they do?” Ronnie shrugged. “Power. He wants power.”
Max sucked in a deep breath, considering all he’d heard. “Seems to me we’re faced with a choice. Run or fight.”
A murmur broke out among the gathering. He let it continue for a few seconds, allowing each to voice their thoughts. Finally, he held up his hand. “This is our home. I wouldn’t give it up to murdering thieves, but it’s a big decision that could cost us everything.”
“Thirty is a lot of people, Max,” Lucas said. “What if we lose?”
“I know. That’s why we all need to agree on this.” Max looked around the table, letting the weight of his words sink in. “Let’s vote on it. Elise?”
“If we run now, we’ll never stop. There will be Ke Tau’s wherever we go.”
Max nodded. “Joseph? What do you say?”
Joseph hesitated, his brows furrowed. “I have a wife and unborn child. Where will they run? We need to fight.”
Max turned his attention to Ronnie and his group. All three nodded.
“We’re in,” Ronnie said.
“What be life without a good fight,” Mike said, cheeks dimpling.
Kirstin nodded.
Max turned to Julianne. “Mom?”
“This is our home,” Julianne said.
“Lucas?”
“I don’t know. I don’t like it but…I guess I’m in.”
“Then it’s agreed.”
Murmurs of assent rose around the room.
Ronnie jerked his thumb toward Kabelo. “What about him?”
Max considered the boy, noting the thin, shivering shoulders, threadbare clothes, and hunted expression. Life hasn’t been kind to him, and he’s just a kid. But I can’t afford to be soft either. I was soft once, and it cost a life. Jacques’ life.
“Set him loose,” Joseph said. “The infected will take care of him.”
“What if he makes it back to his group and tells them our plans? This is going to be hard enough without them knowing we’re coming. No, I say we kill him,” Ronnie said.
Kabelo’s eyes widened, and he shook his head, mouth working soundlessly.
“We can’t kill him,” Elise protested. “He’s just a boy!”
“He’s a boy who’s raped, murdered, and tortured. I say we get rid of him,” Julianne interjected, her tone cold.
Lenka growled and took a step closer to Kabelo, his hand on the hilt of his knife. The boy quailed, his shoulders hunching down.
“How do you know that? Maybe he was forced. He could be a good person for all you know. Why not give him a chance to prove it?” Elise asked. She stood up, her chair falling backward with a bang.
Kabelo nodded vigorously, latching onto the shred of hope Elise offered. “Yes, Madam. Please, Madam. I good. I not kill people.”
Max ignored the boy’s pleas. “Elise, he’s dangerous. We can’t let him go, and we can’t keep him here. What if he hurts someone? He can’t be trusted.”
Kabelo fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. “Please, don’t kill. I not bad.” He shuffled forward, clutching at the hem of Elise’s pants. “Please.”
Lenka stepped forward and grabbed him by the shoulder, picking him up like a rag doll. He slammed him back into the chair, his other hand hovering over his blade. “Sit.”
Kabelo sniffled but stayed put, not moving a muscle.
Elise looked at him, her face twisted into a mask of sympathy. She raised her eyes to Max. “Please, Max. We can’t kill him.” She looked around at the stony faces surrounding her. “When did we become cold-blooded murderers?”
Silence met her accusation, people shifting in their seats. Max felt a twinge of guilt at her words and lowered his eyes. If we kill him we’re no better than they are but what else can I do?
“Let me watch him. He can work in the kitchens during the day, and at night we can lock him up,” Elise continued, pressing her advantage. “Just until all of this is over. Then we can let him go.”
Max sighed, rubbing his fingertips over his temples. A throbbing headache had formed, adding to his discomfort. It was a difficult decision, one that carried repercussions no matter what.
“Make him work,” Kirstin said, adding her voice to the debate for the first time. “Elise can watch him. I trust her.”
Max looked at her, surprised. “You think that’s a good idea?”
She nodded. “I do.”
“Fine,” Julianne said. “But I don’t want him anywhere near either Sam or Meghan. Someone else has to watch over him besides Elise as well. What if he overwhelms her when they’re alone and escapes?”
“I’m never alone, Julianne. You know that,” Elise protested.
“Even so,” Julianne replied, folding her arms. Her jaw had set into a stubborn line that Max recognized from his childhood. Privately, he agreed with her, though. He raised a placating hand toward Elise. “It might be better to assign a permanent guard to him just to be on the safe side.”
Elise shot Julianne an angry glare but nodded after a while. “Fine.”
“Who do we assign to him?” Ronnie asked. “I cannot spare any of my team.”
“Peter and T
hembiso?” Elise asked.
“I’d rather not. They’re the same age as this boy and might get too chummy,” Max replied.
“What about Lisa?” Julianne said. “She’s tough.”
Max thought about it. “Do you think that’s such a good idea? Considering her…er…background?”
“Exactly. She won’t let him out of her sight for one second.” Julianne smiled grimly. “Can you imagine a better guard?”
“No, I guess not. Will you speak to her?” Max asked.
“Consider it done,” Julianne replied. “In the meantime, can one of you watch him?”
Lenka grunted his assent, much to Kabelo’s dismay. His skin paled to a sickly gray and sweat broke out on his forehead.
“Right. I’ll call a general meeting tonight after dinner so we can inform the rest of the camp and vote. In the meantime, keep it quiet.” Max turned to Joseph. “How are the repairs going? We need our defenses back up in full before Ke Tau strikes again.”
“We’re halfway there and working on improvements too.”
“Good. If you need more hands just ask.”
“Will do,” Joseph said.
“We should reconvene tomorrow to discuss tactics. I also think we should double the guard. Everyone agreed?”
“Good idea,” Ronnie replied. “I’ll tweak the duty roster.”
“Any questions?” When no one answered, Max said, “Then I’ll see you all tomorrow.”
Chairs scraped, and the air hummed as everybody began talking at once until they were interrupted by a hoarse voice. “What did I miss?”
All eyes turned toward the newcomer. Leaning against the doorjamb looking tired but determined, stood Breytenbach.
A worried looking Jonathan trailed behind him wringing his hands. “I tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen.”
“Christo!” gasped Julianne, rushing towards him. “You shouldn’t be up; you’re sick. When did you wake? Why didn’t Jonathan tell me?” She rounded on the unfortunate doctor. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
He backed away, raising his hands in the air. “Not my fault, I promise. He came out of the coma a few hours ago and wouldn’t let me call you.”
Children of the Apocalypse: Mega Boxed Set Page 49
