Loco’s family.
Ruiz stands back as the two women fall on top of Loco. Tears and kisses bombard his face. He winces in pain, yet, he makes no effort to push them away.
Ruiz looks nervous. His gun is out of the holster and just out of sight behind his right hip.
It’s almost time.
Katia still clutches my arm, harder now, her head on my shoulder. It’s an odd feeling of tranquility considering what’s about to happen.
Ruiz even smiles at us.
I’m family now.
“Okay, its time.” Ruiz gestures to the two men that brought the women down to say their goodbyes.
They approach the scene, timid. They hover over the weeping forms, locked together, arms and necks. The two men aren’t sure what to do next. They look to Ruiz for guidance and shrug.
Ruiz spares them the task and steps in. “Ladies, I’m so sorry, but it’s time. I need you to go back with these men. They’ll take care of you.”
The daughter screams and latches even harder. Thankfully, the mother, through her own grief, understands the gravity of the situation. With gentle prodding and whispered comfort, she manages to pull the little girl to her feet.
I breathe easier. That wasn’t a tug-o’-war I was eager to witness.
The women disappear back through the crowd. Their final goodbyes a chorus of choked sobs.
Ruiz stands over Loco now. His eyes are mournful and determined. He’s been here before.
“I don’t suppose you’d give me the gun and let me spare you the trouble?” Loco asks, a weak smile indicating that he already knows the answer.
“You know I can’t. But if I could, well…”
“I know, brother, I know.” Loco takes in a deep breath and let’s it out slow. His eyes are shifting color. The deep brown has been eclipsed by fog. The machines are assuming rapid control. Without the mercy of a bullet, he’ll soon be one of them. One of the Rabid. There’s no time left. “I’m ready for it when you are,” Loco says, closing his eyes and lifting his chin.
Proud, even in the face of death.
I break away from Katia and start back towards the apartment. I’ve seen ugly, but I don’t need to see this.
***
Bethany is pacing the walkway in front of our apartment door, gun in one hand and a flashlight in the other. When she sees me, she breaks my way in a full sprint, sobbing uncontrollably. Part of me wants to yell at her, to tell her not to run in the dark with a loaded gun. But I don’t have the strength to play guardian right now. Plus, she’s already upset enough as it is. No need to pile on.
“Oh, my God, Tim, what happened?” She slips the gun into her waistband and feels me over with her other hand. I flinch and she recoils. She pulls the flashlight from her pocket. “This looks so bad,” she gasps, taking in each new bump and bruise with the narrow beam of light.
“It’s not, really, it’s not as bad as it looks. Most of the blood isn’t mine.”
She starts pawing at my bare chest.
“Ah!” It takes everything in me not to slap her hands away.
“Sorry, please, I’m sorry, just let me look.” Her face is still wet, but new tears have stopped forming. I’m alive. The cause for her hysteria has been vanquished. “Shit, Tim, you’re black and blue.”
“Yeah, I got my ass kicked a little.”
She steps back and blinds me with the beam. “By who?”
I hold my hands up and jerk my head away. “Can you turn that?”
“Sorry,” she says, aiming at my feet instead, “who kicked your ass?”
“More like what kicked my ass.”
“Rabid?”
“Yeah, a lot of em’. Breached the back gate. Killed that Loco guy and two other guys.”
Bethany slaps a hand across her mouth. “Oh, my God!” The panic in her voice is muffled. “Are you bit?” She reaches for me again, spastically.
This time I deflect her, stepping away; the night’s events combined with her coddling, it’s too much for me. “I’m fine...seriously. I just need to sleep, please?”
Her feelings take a small kick. Her eyes start growing shiny again. She’d been fretting over me. There’d been the gunshots and the screaming and the not knowing whether I’m dead or alive. Now, here I am, brushing her aside rather than allowing her some well-earned time to prod and poke.
I’ll apologize tomorrow. Tonight, I’ve given all I’ve got to give. There’s nothing else left.
I rustle past her and into the apartment. I’m hurting like hell. But, thankfully, the fatigue far outweighs the pain.
11
At first, I think it’s Bethany tickling my face and rustling my hair. I roll onto my side, groan, and bat her hand away.
My body hurts. I’m tired. I’m committed to sleeping through lunch.
She’s incessant.
I roll onto my back and reluctantly open my eyes to find Katia standing over me with a breakfast tray in hand, smiling from ear to ear.
I’m shocked and a little embarrassed. I sit up and pull the blankets a little higher before setting my fingers to the task of alleviating the radical case of bed head dancing a boogie across my scalp. “I thought you were Bethany trying to mess with me.”
“Bethany is out by the pool swinging swords again.”
“Of course.”
“You slept through breakfast.”
“Well, I kinda had a long night. My ribs are killing me.”
“Would you mind taking the tray, my arms are getting tired?”
“Oh, yeah, sorry.” It’s a basic set up: eggs, grits, two pancakes.
Katia leans back against the kitchen counter, watching me eat.
When I’m finished, I set the tray aside and throw my legs across the side of the cot. A surge of pain runs up one side of my body. I do my best not to let it show, faking a yawn instead, and rubbing my eyes.
I’m shirtless, wearing only my jeans. I need to brush my teeth. A long shower would be nice too, but I’ll settle for the wash bucket. “How’s...” I run my hand in a circle trying to remember his name.
Why can’t I remember the guy’s name? He’s been dead less than twenty-four hours.
“Loco?”
“Yeah, how’s Loco’s family?”
Katia shrugs. “I haven’t seen them since last night. I imagine they’re pretty messed up right now. Like any other family that loses someone.”
“Yeah, been there.” Am there. “Well, if there’s anything I can do, or whatever.”
She nods. “That’s sweet of you. But short of bringing their man back, I don’t think there’s shit that can be done. We just have to keep kicking ass and taking names, right?”
“Pretty much.”
“We’ve never been overrun like that before. We’ve had a breach or two, a couple Deadheads here and there. We’ve even had guys bitten that had to be put down. But nothing like that.”
“I guess I’m just a lucky charm.”
She giggles and drops her head. Her hair is brushed over to one side of her head. The other side has been freshly buzzed. “You really are though; you know, like a lucky charm. If you hadn’t been there...my brother...me...well, we’d be dead.”
“I did what came natural, I guess. Didn’t really think on it much. Hell, you saved me too. I tripped over my own damn feet. I’m not exactly ninja material. And ya’ll saved us at the storage facility, so I guess I still owe you one.”
“Yeah, well,” she pushes herself off the counter, “I wanted to say thanks, again. You saved my life.” Katia’s jeans ride low on her hips, like every other pair of pants she owns. They’re frayed at the pockets, and across the thighs and knees, intentional, or not? Hell, I don’t know. It’s a good look. The white undershirt she wears has seen a pair of scissors. It’s cut off just above the belly button. A navel piercing glimmers in the sunlight, her tattoo dances across her V-cut abs. “Do you like me, Tim?”
Oh, here we go again. “Katia, I’m not in the mood for the games today. You’re beautifu
l, every guy here likes you. I’m not sure what the point of this is? Yes, I’m a virgin. Yes, you scare the shit out of me. I’ve never been good with girls. But, I’m not the puppet type. I don’t really appreciate you trying to pull my strings for kicks.”
“You done ranting?”
I sit forward, elbows on my knees. There’s no point responding.
“Good.” She pushes herself off the counter and heads for the front door, hips swaying. Instead of opening it to leave, she locks both deadbolts.
“What are you doing?”
She turns.
Biting her tongue between her front teeth.
She starts towards me.
“Katia, what’re you doing?”
She unhooks the belt holding her swords in place and props them against the wall. “Tim, I wasn’t playing a game or trying to pull your strings.” She’s all hips as she moves in closer. “Like I said, I like you. And there’s really not room for subtlety.” She pulls her shirt over her head and drops it at her feet. She’s not wearing a bra. She stands there, arms by her side, allowing me to drink her in.
She’s breathing heavy. Her abs flex with each movement. Each of her nipples is pierced through with little silver barbs. Her breasts sway up and down with the swell of her chest; small, perfect, inviting.
She’s nervous, maybe?
I’m dizzy.
My mouth is dry.
What do I say? What do I do?
She saves me from thinking on it much longer.
She’s quick. She plants me against the cot. Straddling me. Pressing her breasts hard against my chest. Her skin is warm. Soft. Like velvet. She wraps her lips across my mouth and coils her tongue around mine.
I just go with it.
The pain in my ribs is gone. Hell, every sense I possess is out the damn window. I feel nothing, other than a very distinct throbbing.
“Put your hands on me, dipshit.” She grabs my wrists and slides my hands down across her lower back and beneath her jeans, cupping my fingers across her ass. “There you go.” She darts her tongue out, playfully, nibbling at my upper lip. “You’ve never done this before, have you?”
At first, I doubt my ability to form words. “That...obvious?” I manage.
She rubs my nose with her own. “It’s okay. Do you want to?”
“What the fuck do you think?”
I’m definitely going to miss lunch.
12
We’re standing in Bytes lair, again.
The heart of the village.
I’m not sure why I’m sticking around.
They’ve still got the data stick.
They’re still planning to use it to scorch the earth.
Ruiz hasn’t had a change of heart. He doesn’t really strike me as the type of guy that’s ever had a change of heart about anything.
I’m definitely not sticking around because of Katia. Sex is great. It’s consistently great, but, I’m not going to leave Momma out there just because I’m getting laid now.
No. We’re sticking because it’s the smart move, at this moment. It’s shelter and supplies. Plus, these people, they need a little bit of extra help.
So, we’ll stick for a bit. Gather our strength. Help where we can. Then it’s goodbye and farewell.
With or without them.
Bytes is spinning in his chair, twirling a piece of bubblegum on one finger while Ruiz paces the floor behind him, drumming his fingers against his lips while he tries to work out our next move. Katia leans beside me on the wall near the front door, her fingers brushing mine, while Bethany sits in the corner to our right enamored by a katana Katia found for her in the armory.
“We’re just going to have to hit another checkpoint,” Ruiz concludes, gripping the back of Bytes chair to stop his movement. “I don’t like it, but what the hell else can we do?”
“Alright, but we lost a guy last time. They’re getting wise to it.” Katia sounds doubtful.
“I understand that, but that little light show last night killed our supplies. If we get hit again, we’re screwed. We’ll be throwing rocks and calling them names. We’re just about out of bullets.”
I raise a finger. “Can I just ask; what do these checkpoints consist of exactly?”
“Soldiers. Usually a half dozen or so sitting around on their asses...”
“Except for last time,” Katia corrects him.
“Yeah, yeah, except for last time.”
“What happened last time?”
Ruiz continues. “Well, they were still sitting around on their asses, but they had a guy pulling high ground. Sniper. Real crack-shot. Blew a hole right through one of our guys. Disappeared like smoke.”
“This little venture really worth that kind of risk?”
“Yeah, it is. They’re usually stocked out the ass. They’ve gotta be. They’re out there in the middle of the Biters. They’ve always got .50 ammo too, and we could use it.”
“So who’s the squad going to be this time out? You and me, obviously. Timmy?” Katia looks up at me, her hand curling around mine.
“Well, yeah, of course. Not gonna let you...er...or well...either of you, go out there alone.”
I’m not sure whether Ruiz approves of the sudden fondness that has developed between Katia and me. I can’t read the guy. He’s a granite slab. You don’t know what he’s thinking until he’s yelling profanities and waving a gun in your face.
“Okay, so, me, you, Tim, and we’ll get Tyrell to go too. I’ll send Tyrell around to gather up enough ammo and supplies for the trip.”
“We should really bring some more people this time,” Katia says.
“I’ll see.”
Bethany stands and runs to the center of the room. “What about me?” The sword is out of its sheath and resting across the back her shoulders.
“No, sis, I need you to stay back on this one.”
“Oh, come on, I’ve been in this as long as you have, Tim. It’s bullshit. You can’t protect me forever.”
“Maybe not forever, but, for right now, I certainly can.”
Before she can continue her tangent, Ruiz swoops in. “Bethany, how about, while we’re gone, you work with the head of our security detail. You’ll be up on one of the balconies; we’ll put you behind a scope. That way, anymore Biters break through, you can pop em’.”
Her face lights up. “Awesome!”
“You just make sure they’re Rabid before you get all trigger happy,” I say as she swings the sword around her body on the way back to the corner.
“Yeah, yeah, Tim.”
“So, we got a target?” Katia asks.
“We’ve got scouts out there right now looking for a checkpoint.”
“What are these checkpoints for?” I ask.
Bytes blows a bubble, pops it across his lips and then smiles quaintly. “Well...us, of course. They clear an area, they set up checkpoints, they rinse and repeat. They’re running a grid pattern. The grid is getting smaller. Eventually, they’ll find us and we’ll be forced to fight them.”
“And how will that work out?”
Ruiz shakes his head. “Honestly? Probably not too good. But not much we can do. We can’t move all of these people. I’m not going to leave them here either. That information you brought us, that’s our only real weapon against them, that’s our trump card. We sure as hell can’t beat them in a straight up brawl.”
“Well, it’s not a weapon just yet. Right now, it’s just a stick of data. Until I can get us online, there’s not a whole lot of threat there. I’m working on some things though.” Bytes smiles and bobs his head, quite proud of whatever he’s got brewing.
I ignore the insinuation. It’s not the time to raise objections. The last thing the group needs is Ruiz and I in another Mexican standoff. If it’s gotta be, then it’ll be later. Not now. Not when we’re only hanging on by a thread.
Priorities, Tim. Priorities.
“We’re doing what we can,” Ruiz says. “Anyway, let’s get everyone on
alert and get the supplies ready. We want to be prepped come go-time.”
“Roger.” Katia gives a lazy salute.
Ruiz stops me as we’re going to leave. “Hey, Tim, can I have a word?”
Oh, boy, here it comes.
“We’ll be waiting downstairs,” Katia says, her arm around Bethany.
“I’m just going to go lay down for a bit.” Bytes disappears into the bedroom.
I cross my arms over my chest and stand back against the wall, trying to gather my confidence while Ruiz circles back around to the other side of the computer.
“I picked this up off the ground last night, figured you might want it back.” Ruiz pulls the empty Ruger out from behind his back. Black blood still stains the grip where Loco used it to hammer away at Rabid skulls. “Didn’t have time to really clean it off or anything.”
“I don’t need that. Bad voodoo attached to it.”
Ruiz chuckles lightly. “Yeah, guess maybe you’re right. I’ll leave it here for Bytes, a souvenir.”
“Better than letting it go to waste.”
Ruiz drops the gun on the table. “So, listen. I wanted to let you know, everything that went down between us, it’s cool. What you did last night, well, we owe you our lives. I know that you may not agree with everything we’re doing here, but, I’m hoping that in time you’ll come around. You’ll see the good in it. There’s more to it. Stuff you haven’t seen. That we haven’t talked about. I think, if given the chance, it’d really make you look at it from a different perspective, you know?”
“So, why don’t you tell me now? Let me decide?”
He shakes his head. “Can’t do it just yet. We’ve got a few things to work out first.”
“What? Like getting it online? Then what? I don’t really have a choice then do I? Whether I like it or not, what’s done is done.”
“I know you want to get your ma back, I feel you on that. We’re going to get her back for you...”
“Then don’t put that shit online, give me the drive, let me get her back...”
“I can’t. It’s out of the question. Give me some time. I’ll explain everything after we do this run, I promise you. I think once we explain everything to you, then you’ll understand.”
The Rabid: Rise Page 8
