"We need to be careful, we have no idea what or who is on here. Everyone carries a weapon. I'll take lead with Daniel, Glen you up for watching our rear?"
He nodded his agreement. Amy and Lucy were young, but knew the basics of handling a knife. Mary was in her twenties and knew her way around a rifle. Eric fumbled a few times, but after a few pointers from Glen, he relaxed. She smiled when Kevin went to the middle to watch out for Sean.
The metal behemoth creaked and groaned as the ocean below it moved. Ally felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise at the thought of slipping into the cold water. The air around her was thick with iron and rust. If people were living on these things, they knew she and the others were here; there was no missing their slow progress. No shots rang out, no lights flashed, nothing.
"They're probably watching us," Daniel said on a low voice.
"I know. I've got the glasses set to infrared, but no heat signatures yet."
"Maybe they don't have them."
Ally slowed down as they reached an intersection. She peered around a corner, Daniel ready to provide cover. Nothing stuck out, so they continued down the path they were on. If Ally was right, it should take them to the main control room. They would be able to get a better idea of power, supplies, and current residents.
A muffled sound, then the ground in front of her sparked to life with bullets. Daniel pulled her back and they motioned for the others to get their backs against the wall.
"Silencers? Who the hell is on this thing?" Daniel said.
Ally shrugged. "Could be anyone. We just need to convince them we're not the enemy." She didn't really think that...something about the way the bullets hit seemed off.
"Should be easy, since their first instinct was to kill us."
Ally stepped forward again, and bullets hit the ground in front of her feet. The aim of the weapon never changed and the rhythm remained the same until they heard the clicking sound of a gun out of ammunition. She used the glasses to zero in on the sound and pointed it out to Daniel, who came forward.
"Up there. It's a security drone," she said.
"Then who set it up?"
"Right behind you. Drop your weapons or we'll toss you overboard. It's quite fun to watch people struggle in that shit before they sink or get sucked under. We like to bet"
Ally turned to see men with strips of fabric tied around their faces. One held a knife to Glen's throat and pointed an older model Jericho at the kids.
"Crap."
* * *
They ended up in a decked-out control room near the center of the floating cities. Over the years, people had tethered them together with chains and brought them dangerously close to each other. The large rubber bumpers keeping them apart had long ago eroded to nothing but dried out flaps.
Three men had captured them. At least that's what Ally was letting them think. She'd known she hadn't stood a chance of pulling off a successful infiltration with an untrained group. However, the odds of them being caught and taken to the person in charge were pretty good. Daniel didn't know this part of her plan, or he would have called her insane, but she knew the type of people they were dealing with.
While criminals, mercenaries, and drug addicts were frowned upon by most, she knew they only did what was necessary to survive. Right now, she needed that kind of mentality in her people. A little fear went a long way.
Daniel landed in a heap in front of her. Their captors assumed he was the one in charge and didn't see her as a threat. Sexists. The room was larger than she'd expected. Monitors hung on the back, feeds from cameras placed along the perimeter. The side walls were filled with panels and grids. A large blip below them caught Ally's attention. She'd seen something that large on a few occasions out in the deep, but never this close to the mainland.
Ally sighed with relief when Sean and the others were herded into a corner, the gun no longer trained on them. A door slammed and they were left with two men guarding them, and another, short man with a shaved head and tattoos covering all available skin. He stood with his hands behind his back as he scanned the monitors.
"I assume you are in charge, Ms. Lane?"
Her face remained impassive. The man turned to face her and smiled. She didn't recognize him.
He turned to the guards. "You can leave. She has no intention of risking the lives of those she cares about. Take them to one of the lower apartments." he said, pointing to Sean and the others.
A moment later Ally and Daniel were alone in the room with the tattooed man. Neither the artwork, nor his outfit gave any indication of who the man was. His clothes were clean and well cut. She put his age somewhere around thirty-five to forty-five.
"Let me guess your plan. Get onboard toward the back, where we would have a camera, or at the very least a security system. Once we caught you, explain that you mean me and mine no harm. You're just passing through."
She folded her arms across her chest. "Something like that." She ignored Daniel, who had turned to look in her direction.
"I heard you were smart and loyal. Now, tell me why you're here. My men can get a bit rowdy."
"How do you know about me?"
"I used to work at one of the launch yards. I've played cards with Nina, drank beer with Marcus, asked Dutch for mechanical advice, and Brian owed me a few hundred bucks. You were the only one I never met, but I feel like I know you best."
A lump formed in her throat. Memories threatened to overwhelm her. This man knew her friends, knew things about her that they'd told him. She focused on one of the monitors.
"I was never big on socializing."
He smiled. "Yes, we all know why, now. Tell me why you're here, I won't ask again."
"I'm looking for something sturdy enough to get me to an island south of here."
He took a seat and spread maps similar to Ally's in front of him. "These are all the islands south of here. We've been to a few, but stopped going when we realized it was a waste of time. Tell me which one and I'll let you know if we've been there."
"Any island will do. Point out one you haven't been to, and I'll go there." The more time she spent with this nameless man the more her distrust of him grew.
He leaned back and touched his finger tips to one another. "Oh, I get it. You want to go and settle down. Have some kids where you'll be safe from all these darn zombies."
"Hey, don't I get a say? She lied to me. If those islands aren't safe, I want to know," Daniel blurted.
She glared at him. "Shut up."
"Go to hell. I know when I see something good. I'm staying here."
The man behind the desk cleared his throat as he raised his eyes from a small monitor. "Oh? What makes you think we want you? I didn't invite you. Ms. Lane would be welcome. She has skills I find useful. You, on the other hand, were a thug for the Firms. I have no use for your kind here."
Ally closed her eyes. "Daniel, you idiot."
"I was wondering when you'd say something. You didn't strike me as the tall dark and follow-blindly type. Facial recognition didn't get any hits, but voice was another story. Now I know everything about you, and I can't say I'm impressed."
Daniel looked to Ally for help. "It was a job, it's not like I had a choice. The world is different now…who I was doesn't matter anymore."
The man ignored him and spoke to Ally. "In the spirit of full disclosure, I'll tell you who I am and what's going to happen. My name is Jason Newton. I was put to work at the age of nine because the Firms didn't think people like me needed an education. My parents died when I was eleven in a factory explosion because a Firm accountant cut corners when it came to safety standards. As a result, I have no respect for those who are or were part of that, so your friend is going to die. You and the others are free to stay here and work with me or…well, you know how that sentence ends."
Chapter Twenty-Six
Ally pulled on the chipped and flaked bars that covered the window of the small apartment they were in. The yellowed glass indicated they were at
water level. The boards on the wall stank of mildew and the nails and screws were covered with rust.
"We tried that," Eric said.
She let her hands fall to her side and tried to think her way out of this. Getting captured was a risk, but one she'd hoped would pay off. The people here were organized and well-armed. Their leader, Jason, didn't seem like the type to be able to control such a temperamental group and she wondered how he did it.
In the control room, Ally hadn't seen their little boat on the screens. She hoped no one bothered to check on it. The ground moved beneath them and a loud thud echoed. Men cursed in the hallway and the sound of water could be heard. Their door flew open and with it a river of murky liquid.
"Come on, we're moving you up a floor."
Ally followed the two men, who were soaked to the knee. The level of water was rising fast. Behind her a light sparked, and the tell-tale sound of welders let her know a work crew was on-site. After three flights of stairs, they were on the second level and shoved into a new room. A little brighter and larger than the first one, but she still didn't like it. Glen tapped her on the shoulder and motioned her away from the others. Eric met them in the corner and interpreted.
"He wants to know where the other man went."
"Right now, I have no idea. He might be dead."
Glen grunted a few times and gestured. Eric repeated a few things, the man grimacing in frustration until the boy got it right.
"What's going to happen to us? Or do you not care?"
She didn't know, but that wasn't a good answer. The look of terror on the faces of the two girls told her that much. "I have no idea. The guy in the office, his name is Jason. He told me I can stay here, and that you are welcome to, as well."
Ally inspected the room as she waited for them to sort out the next question.
"Glen wants to talk to him, see if he can work out our passage off of here."
Ally shrugged. "You can do whatever you want, but be careful what you ask for."
Glen made a gesture she understood without an interpreter then walked toward the door. He banged a few times then kicked. A few moments later it opened and one of the men who'd escorted them up stood there.
"What the hell do you want? We've got shit to do. You are not a priority."
Eric stepped up. "We want to talk to the man in charge."
The guard sneered. "He's busy, but maybe his secretary can pencil you in for next week."
Glen muttered something and the guard tensed. "What the hell did he say to me?"
With hands raised Eric explained. "He can't talk. But he wants you to know we're not with her." He pointed to Ally. "We don't want trouble."
The guard scratched his nose, leaving a dark grease stain, and smiled. He stepped aside to reveal Jason. "So, what your friend here is telling me is that he isn't with the woman back there? He has nothing to do with her."
"That's not what they mean, we're a–"
Glen made a horrible noise, cutting her off.
"Can you step out here, please," Jason said to Glen.
When Glen moved, the girls hustled toward the door.
"You're all with him? You want to go with him?"
Mary and Lucy bobbed their heads eagerly at Jason, but Amy went back to stand by Sean. Ally wanted to intervene, but knew it was pointless. She hadn't had have the time to get to know them, earn their trust, and now they were going to die.
"Young man, what about you? You want to join your friends?"
Eric backed up shaking his head. Ally had heard the change of tone in Jason's voice as well.
"You don't have to do this. They didn't do anything wrong," Ally said.
"I made it clear, I had room for you and your skills. If you choose to stay, I'll tolerate your little friends here as long as they don't cause trouble. These folks out here say they have nothing to do with you, therefore I have no use for them."
Jason slammed the door and Ally heard the bolt slide into place. She ran to the door trying to open it. Amy cried on Sean's shoulder. Eric didn't move. Screams from the main deck drew Ally to the window. No bars on this one, but an eight-foot drop into a heavily guarded area was deterrent enough.
The man with the smudge on his nose lined up Glen and the two women. They got to their knees and grabbed at his legs. Ally didn't need to hear them to know they were begging for their lives. Glen's hands shook, but he stood tall. Ally prepared herself to hear the sound of gunshots, but they never came. Instead, a motor churned and a section about twenty feet square opened beneath them. They tumbled screaming into the dark frigid ocean below.
More movement, and Ally heard yelling from the work crew down below as they ran up the stairs soaked in water, things hanging off them. One man had a gash across his forehead, sheets of blood blinding him, and he tumbled into the opening. Someone reached out in time to grab his arm. One man flat on the deck, the other dangling over the edge. Before anyone had time to offer additional help something with white eyes, grey skin, and a mouthful of razor sharp teeth leapt out and bit the screaming man in half. The creature fell back into the water with its meal. The man on deck tossed away the arm and head dangling from his hand. A second later the grates closed.
Ally choked back her fear. They needed to get the hell off this death trap. If Jason was feeding people to the things below, they were in trouble. The thud from earlier came to mind as well as the large spot on the radar screen. More than sharks lurked beneath.
"Why did you let him go? You could have saved them," cried Amy.
Sean held her close, but the accusation still stung. Eric wouldn't make eye contact with her. She could see the guilt in his eyes over his part. Kevin wrapped his arms around her and she leaned back, resting her head on his chest.
He whispered in her ear. "I support whatever decision you make, but if it involves getting the hell out of here, I'll really love it."
She smiled, but it faded when she saw Daniel being hauled across the main deck and shoved into a small building. Jason struck her as a smart man who wouldn't get rid of anyone who might have beneficial information. Daniel knew how to keep things close to the chest and that would keep him alive.
In the distance, she saw several of the floating contraptions moving up and down in the choppy waters. The men returned below decks, but she knew the repairs wouldn't hold for long. She sighed and closed her eyes. The others needed her to be strong. They needed her to come up with a plan. They needed her to protect them. She wanted to scream.
"Kevin, I'm going to have to do and say some things you might not like, but I need you to understand it's crucial to us making it out of here."
He gave her a squeeze. "Do what you need, I'm here and I'll make sure Sean is okay."
A fraction of worry melted away, not nearly enough. She pulled away and slid the window open. With a wink back at Kevin, she jumped out, landing in a roll and getting to her feet in front of two of Jason's goons. Their eyes went from her to the window and back, grudging respect on their faces.
"He told us to expect you," the fatter of the two said.
"Looks like he was right. I know my way." She turned her head to examine the building that held Daniel.
Easy enough to break him out of if there were no guards. She crossed the deck toward Jason's office, paying close attention to what she could see below deck and off to the sides. He waited for her, a smile on his face.
"Points for the landing." He held the door open.
No guards inside, the monitors lit up, and maps spread across his desk. He sat and indicated she should do the same.
"Now that you understand I'm not screwing around, maybe we can actually get somewhere with this discussion."
Ally crossed her legs, arms resting on the chair. "That depends where you want it to go."
He leaned forward. "I want to work with you. Most of these men know who you are. The people who worked the docks heard about you from your friends. The criminal element knew you to be fair when dealing with items rec
overed from unregistered salvages. The mercenaries respect you because of the fact you averted a possible nuclear attack."
Ally picked a piece of lint off her jacket. "I have a fan club? That's interesting. But I still don't know what you want."
Jason picked up a map and folded it while he spoke. "I'm not tough or scary, but I'm smart. I organized the move here from the mainland, the cameras, the security system. Other things. That's why the men do what I say; they respect me because I saved us." He tossed the map on the table and it slid off, landing at Ally's feet. "But it's been a long time, and the lack of real threats has made me less important."
Ally bent over to pick up the map. She spread it out on her lap and took in the island chain it referenced. Midway was circled in red.
Daniel.
"Your arrival, and a few other issues, has prompted us to reassess our life here. I doubt there are many more survivors out there who are planning to come here. If they were, they would be disappointed to find this place won't last much longer. Seems some of the ocean life below doesn't like our presence."
"That's why you've been looking for another island."
Jason smiled. "See? We're getting somewhere."
Ally threw the map on the desk. "I have no idea if Midway's safe, but it's the best chance we have. I'm familiar with it, know my way around."
"Daniel told us. Funny how quick someone cooperates when you threaten them with a little swim."
Time for her to get what she needed. "Why didn't you try Midway sooner. Why wait?"
"Didn't want to risk running into Firm thugs. Most of my guys have a nasty mark on their record somewhere, so they wanted to go with more remote locations. But with Daniel's knowledge of Firm tactics and your skills at strategizing, we have a chance to take the place and make it ours."
Ally drummed her fingers on the table. "Fine. But we leave as soon as possible, and all my people go on the same boat, including Daniel. I know damn well the creatures circling this place will tear it apart to get at fresh meat, and I don't want your people getting any ideas."
Z-Boat (Book 3): Z-End Page 16
