by A. P. Madden
Ronnie nodded jerkily.
“How many of them are there?” Caelan asked.
Ronnie shook his head. “Don’t know. Happened so fast.”
Caelan sighed, and Luke put his hand on Ronnie’s shoulder. “Can you tell us anything else about them?”
Ronnie frowned. “They’re not from the city. John and Maria were arguing, and I heard her talking to David afterwards. It’s a raider group from outside the city. Big, scary guy is in charge of it. They talked about him, but I can’t remember what they said.”
Luke nodded. He had no idea who most of those people were, but it was better than nothing. And it was the second time he mentioned Maria. Whoever that woman was, she was the one who told Ronnie to let them out of the cell.
“Let’s go,” Caelan said. “He’s not telling us anything else.”
Luke had to agree, and he followed Caelan through the doorway. They moved down the hallway quickly and carefully. They needed to find weapons and figure out what the hell was going on.
“You were trying to protect him,” Caelan whispered. “He could have been useful if he came with us.”
“He would have died out here, Caelan. You saw what condition he was in.”
“One of these days, you’re going to get both of us killed.”
Luke didn’t reply. They passed three bodies and collected the weapons scattered around them. Two handguns and an assault rifle. Luke let Caelan take the assault rifle - he had more experience with bigger weapons.
One of the handguns looked like it was military-grade. Luke didn’t know much about guns, but it looked a lot better than the handgun he had been carrying around before they were captured, so he took that one. It had a small flashlight on the side, too, which could come in handy if they were forced to travel at night. He handed the other to Caelan, and he shoved it into his belt as a back-up.
Luke and Caelan hurried through the halls with their guns ready. They passed more bodies and several people hiding in smaller rooms, but they didn’t stop. It seemed like the gunfire was coming from every direction.
Caelan stopped beside a man who looked dead, but when Luke checked his pulse, he felt a faint heartbeat.
“He’s alive,” Luke said. He looked up at Caelan and frowned. “What are you doing?”
Caelan was sliding a sheathed blade off the man’s belt. “This is mine,” he said, lifting the machete.
Luke recognised it. “Is that why you stopped? I thought you wanted to see if he was okay.”
“To be honest, I thought he was already dead.”
“He must have taken the machete after they confiscated our weapons,” Luke said, glancing down at him.
Caelan shrugged. “Doesn’t matter now. Come on.”
“Wait, we need to move him. He’s a sitting duck out here.”
“He looks dead,” Caelan reminded him. “No one is going to bother checking if he’s alive so they can finish him off. He’s safe enough where he is.”
Luke grabbed the man’s arms and started dragging him towards a storage closet nearby. “Give me a hand.”
Caelan glanced up and down the empty hall before reaching down to help. “We’re wasting time.”
“It’s the right thing to do.”
“Don’t start with that again.”
They made it to the end of the next hallway before they saw anyone else. It was an intersection with another corridor, and a man walked past the corner ahead of them. Luke moved to the left, hugging the wall and waiting for him to pass. Caelan did the same, but his eyes narrowed on something behind Luke, and he raised his weapon.
“Luke,” he warned.
“Well, well, well, what do we have here?”
Luke heard the deep voice and turned. A tall, broad-shouldered man with sharp green eyes and an amused smile was standing in front of them.
He was also flanked by four armed men with rifles.
“Morgan,” Caelan said.
Luke knew the name, had heard the stories, and he hoped desperately that this was a different Morgan, that it was just another guy with the same name. Luke glanced at Caelan, and the dark expression on Caelan’s face quashed his hopes.
“Caelan,” Morgan said, smiling widely.
Despite the smile, his men kept their weapons aimed at Luke and Caelan.
“I see you’ve picked up a charity case,” Morgan added, glancing at Luke. His eyes narrowed slightly, and Luke suddenly felt like Morgan could see straight into his head.
“He’s not a charity case,” Caelan said. After a moment, he lowered his weapon. It wasn’t because he thought they were safe, Luke decided. It was because he knew they didn’t stand a chance against four men armed with rifles. “Why are you here, Morgan?”
Morgan laughed. “Well, what a stupid question. Why do you think we’re here? Supplies, weapons, people. And we heard a rumour they have a doctor. Some hot-shot surgeon. If we can find him, that will be a nice bonus.”
Luke wondered why Morgan was being so generous with his information. Then, he remembered that Caelan and Morgan used to know each other quite well. They had run in the same group for a few months, long before Luke met Caelan.
“Why are you here?” Morgan asked when neither of them spoke.
Caelan just shrugged. “We were in the area and we heard the noises. Thought we’d get lucky.”
Morgan watched him for a moment, and then he looked at Luke. “That true? You wouldn’t be trying to rip me off, would you?”
Luke knew that Morgan saw him as the weak link. He was young and Morgan didn’t know him, so he assumed he would crumble under the pressure of being asked to back up Caelan’s story.
He forced himself to meet Morgan’s gaze evenly. “We didn’t even know you were here until now.”
Morgan smiled. “I believe you.” He lifted his hand and his men lowered their weapons.
Luke felt the knot in his stomach begin to relax. “So we can go?”
Morgan laughed. “Of course not.”
“Let the kid go,” Caelan said. “He’s not part of this.”
Morgan’s eyes flashed. “You don’t tell me what to do, Caelan. Not anymore. I’ll do exactly what-”
Nearby gunfire erupted and Morgan’s men turned towards it, raising their weapons. Caelan grabbed Luke and shoved him towards the corner.
“Go!”
Morgan yelled something and Luke heard gunshots, but he didn’t look back. He didn’t know who was shooting in what direction. They got around the corner and Caelan kept running, pulling Luke beside him.
Caelan kept shooting behind them to stop Morgan and his men from following them around the corner. Luke kept his gun ready and his eyes ahead as they ran, in case they were running straight into more danger. Caelan couldn’t cover them on both sides.
By some miracle, they escaped without injury, and Caelan didn’t let him slow down until they were halfway across the building.
“That was too close,” Caelan muttered.
Luke glanced at the signs as they passed them. They weren’t going towards the exit.
“We’re leaving, right?” Luke said. “I’d rather not meet that guy again.”
“No,” Caelan said, leading the way down the corridor. “I want that doctor.” He took a left, scanning the area before continuing. “I think we’re going the right way. I’ve been listening to the guards’ conversations for days, and I have a rough idea of the layout of the building.”
“I can’t talk you out of this, can I?”
“No.”
“Okay. I’m with you.”
Caelan stopped and looked at him. “You should leave. Find somewhere safe and hide out until I follow you. If I don’t make it, you keep going without me.”
“That’s not happening. I go where you go.”
“Luke-”
“We’re wasting time discussing this. You know I won’t leave, so you’re wasting your breath trying to convince me.”
Caelan just shook his head and they kept going
in silence.
“Infirmary,” Luke said, pointing at the handwritten sign halfway down the hallway to their right.
Caelan nodded and they moved towards the door, keeping an eye on the intersection with another corridor a few doors down. The noise had died down slightly, but Luke knew it was probably because there wasn’t anyone left to fight back.
Luke tried the handle, but it was locked. He straightened up so he could look through the glass panel in the door.
“Stay out!” someone shouted.
“We’re not going to hurt anyone,” Luke said loudly.
Caelan glanced up and down the corridor, and pointed his rifle towards the intersection. He shot Luke an urgent look and jerked his head at the door. “Convince her to let us in, or we have to break the door down. Right now. We can’t stay out here.”
“We were locked up in the cell,” Luke called through the door. “Luke and Caelan.”
Silence.
“Ronnie let us out. He said someone named Maria told him to do it.”
There was more silence, and then, “Okay. One second.”
Caelan muttered impatiently under his breath as the girl approached the door and unlocked it. As soon as they heard that click, Caelan pushed Luke inside and locked the door behind them.
“Where is everyone?” Luke asked. Three hospital beds and several large, ominous-looking medical machines filled the room.
“There was a group meeting taking place downstairs when the explosion hit,” she said.
Luke finally stopped scanning the room and looked at her properly. She was younger than he expected, probably around the same age as him, and she was beautiful.
He smiled. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
“Not the time,” Caelan said as he walked past them and searched the shelves filled with drugs and equipment.
“I’m Luke.”
She hesitated for just a moment, glancing at Caelan as he passed her. “Naomi.”
Gunfire filled the hallway outside and they all ducked behind the makeshift hospital beds. The beds didn’t provide much cover but they would be out of sight if anyone passed the door.
“Where’s the doctor?” Luke asked. “We need to find him.”
“Her,” Naomi said. “Her name is Maria. And I don’t know where she is. She wasn’t here when the attack started.”
“Why are you here?” Caelan asked.
“I was minding the clinic while she was gone. I’m her daughter.”
“Your mother’s the surgeon?” Luke said.
Her eyes narrowed. “How did you know she’s a surgeon? I didn’t say that.”
Luke hesitated, and Caelan answered for him. “We overheard some of the raiders talking about it.”
“How did they know she was here?”
“No idea.”
Naomi seemed to accept his response, and she took a few steps away from them, putting some distance between herself and Luke and Caelan.
“She’s not here,” Caelan said. “She could be anywhere. As much as I want to throw a wrench into Morgan’s plans, we can’t risk wandering around this building in the middle of a gunfight.”
“A doctor would be useful,” Luke said.
“It’s not worth it.”
Luke glanced at Naomi. “Do you have any idea where she might be?”
The girl frowned at them. “We’re not going anywhere. We have a life here, and she wouldn’t just abandon it.”
Luke didn’t say anything for a moment, and he knew Caelan was thinking the same thing. These people used to have a life here. If their group survived an attack like this, it would be a miracle. But neither of them said it out loud.
The sounds in the hallway stopped, and Caelan motioned at them to be quiet. He moved slowly towards the door to check if the danger had passed. Naomi stayed crouched behind the hospital bed at the back, and Luke moved closer to her. If it came to a fight, they had a better chance of surviving if they were together.
Caelan was reaching for the door handle when there was a noise behind them. Luke didn’t even have time to turn before there was an explosion of noise and light, and he was thrown through the air.
***
Chapter 5 - In The Dark
“Is anyone here?” Naomi’s voice washed through the hazy numbness in his mind.
Luke groaned and fumbled blindly for the gun on his belt. It was pitch black. Rubble and dust covered him. He could feel it in his hair and on his skin, and he could taste it in his mouth. He was sore all over, but nothing felt broken.
Not the best way to wake up, but still better than being dead.
"Hello?" Naomi said.
Luke found the gun holster and pulled out the handgun. “I’m here,” he said, spitting out dirt and dust. “I have a light. Give me a minute.”
He wasn’t familiar with the gun, so it took a few seconds to find the flashlight and turn it on. Finally, light spilled through the darkness and he spotted Naomi climbing over rocks and rubble towards him.
"Thank goodness," Naomi said, moving closer to him. "I thought I was alone down here."
“What happened?” he groaned.
“What do you think happened? The floor collapsed. We fell.”
“I guessed that much,” he said. “I meant what caused it?”
“Am I psychic? How should I know?”
Luke’s head was pounding and his patience slipped. “Hey, you’re the one who lived there and it was your group who was being attacked. I wasn’t even supposed to be here.”
“It’s not my fault you were in that cell. You have no one to blame but yourself.”
Luke clamped down on his rising temper. “I’m not a bandit.”
“They always say that.”
“Do I look like a bandit?”
Naomi frowned. “Not really, but that doesn’t mean you’re not one. Why else would John have thrown you into the cells?”
“We were helping someone escape from a gang, but your friends showed up and scared off the girl we helped, then they assumed we were part of the group.”
She was quiet for a moment. “That does sound like something they would do. If that’s true, then I’m sorry, but it doesn’t change anything. I don’t know you, and I don’t trust you.”
“The feeling’s mutual.”
She just shrugged and hugged herself, peering into the darkness around them.
Luke moved the light around the room. “I don’t see any mutants.”
“Me neither,” Naomi said quietly.
The walls were made of grey cement and covered with dirty, faded signs and old notices. "What is this place? A basement?"
"A tunnel,” Naomi said. “This was probably a service area. There’s a network of tunnels that runs under the building.”
He pointed the flashlight up. There was a hole in the ceiling that had been blocked by large pieces of stone and cement, and a mountain of rock, rubble and debris formed a slope beneath it. They must have rolled down it when they fell.
"Half the building must have come down,” he said. “They must have fired something at the side of the building. An explosive, probably. We’re lucky it wasn’t worse, but we won’t get back up that way.”
“You think?” she snapped.
Luke pointed the light at her, and she squinted and covered her eyes.
“What are you doing?” she demanded.
“Checking you for head injuries,” Luke said. “I know we don’t know each other, but we need to work together if we want to get out of here alive. You’re acting like I’m the enemy. What the hell is wrong with you?”
Naomi hesitated, and then she sighed. “You’re right. I’m just... My parents are up there.”
Luke lowered the light. “Oh. I’m sure they’re fine.”
“They’re all I have left.”
Luke didn’t know what to say. He hoped she wasn’t about to start crying. He could handle an angry woman, but he never knew what to do when they started crying.
She to
ok a deep breath, but her eyes stayed dry. “I’m not angry at you,” she said. “I’m just worried about them.”
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. But it’s done now. We should find another light. I don’t like our chances if yours goes out.”
Luke didn’t say anything while she turned and started searching.
There was a click, and a lightbulb flickered and struggled to come to life above them. Pale, weak light illuminated the immediate area. Luke switched off his torch to conserve the battery and looked around. There had to be a door somewhere that wasn't buried in rubble.
“Over there,” he said, pointing to a closed door across the room.
"You're bleeding," Naomi said, pulling his attention away.
“What?” Luke frowned and looked down at himself. “Where?”
“Your arm.”
Luke realised his left arm was wet. In the dim light, he could barely see the blood. “It doesn’t hurt.”
“Adrenaline is pumping through your system,” Naomi said. “And you might be in shock.”
“I’m not in shock.”
Naomi ignored him and stepped closer to take his arm. “This doesn’t look too deep, but we should clean it and stop the bleeding.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“No, you won’t. Like you said, we need to work together. I’ll find something to treat it. Put pressure on it until I’m back.”
Luke used his other hand to press down on the wound. “We’re in a tunnel that looks like it’s been empty since the bombs fell. What do you think you’re going to find?”
"We fell from a room filled with medical supplies," she said. "I'd be surprised if nothing else fell, too.”
“Good point.” Luke carefully made his way over the rocks and debris. He kept an eye out for anything useful, but most of it was covered in dust or buried, and nothing looked familiar.
Naomi had better luck, and she shook the dust off a few plastic packages. “Bandages,” she explained when she saw him looking.
He nodded and kept looking. He saw a shadow move in the corner of the room as he neared it, and he immediately tensed. Moving closer, trying to keep his footsteps silent, and bracing himself for the mutant, he stepped around a pile of rocks...
