“You’re safe now Rose, you’re with me. Come on, here, hold my belt and follow me. We’re getting out of here—” Mercy nodded at Fay and moved towards the tunnel opening.
They made her way up the sloping passage towards the entrance. Twenty feet from the opening something flitted across the tunnel mouth. High pitched screams followed. Mercy’s torch caught more movement just beyond the entrance.
Goddammit—
Mercy pointed her SIG at the phantom shapes and fired twice. The screams continued.
We have to get out of here, there’s no way out behind us. This is it—
Mercy neared the tunnel entrance, gun and torch extended. The screams echoed in the pool outside, she positioned herself at the opening and turned to Rose.
“Rose, stay with me, hold on, keep close—”
Rose nodded, keeping silent.
Mercy stepped out of the opening and swept her torch across the pool. Two blurs rushed at her, one from the left the other from the right. Mercy feinted to the right, then ducked low to the left. She shot twice at the nearest figure, one of her rounds entered the alpha’s right eye, pulping its brain. The other round missed. Fay shot from the tunnel mouth, her two rounds slammed into the second alpha’s chest, pushing it back a few feet.
Thanks Fay—
Mercy stepped forwards to finish off the stunned alpha, firing a round into its forehead. A scream tore through the air behind her, Mercy swung around. A large female alpha was holding Fay from behind, its arm around her neck. The alpha brought its teeth close to Fay’s throat and glared at Mercy. It raised a hand and pointed at Rose, curling its index finger.
What the fuck?
Mercy stood her ground, her SIG trained on the female alpha. The alpha pressed its teeth against Fay’s neck. It pointed at Rose again and curled its finger.
It… it wants Rose—
Mercy’s eyes widened in recognition.
That’s the one we saw on the trail camera. Barnes said it was the second-in-command. It wants to trade Fay for Rose—
“Take the shot,” Fay screamed, struggling against the alpha’s tight grip.
Mercy’s eyes hardened.
How many rounds have I got left?
“Take the shot,” Fay pleaded.
The muscles on the alpha’s jaw twitched.
Mercy squeezed the trigger.
Chapter 12
Exfil
The alpha’s head jerked back. Fay collapsed to the floor, her hair covered in trope blood.
Mercy looked around, her finger still on the trigger. She slammed a fresh magazine into her SIG. A distant scream pierced the night. Mercy rushed over to Fay and helped her friend up. “Come on Fay, time to rock, you can do this—”
Fay’s eyes came back into focus, she nodded. “Sure… sure thing Mercy, I’m good—”
Mercy frowned.
Rose—?
Mercy swung around. Rose was standing a few feet away, her hands tugging at the bloody bandage around her eyes. Mercy took a step forwards then stopped.
Oh Christ, Rose—
Rose peeled the bandage away, revealing her blood encrusted eyes. An ugly gash ran across her forehead. Rose frowned and screwed her face up.
The blood, it’s from the cut—
Rose opened first one eye, then the other. The bloody crusts separated. She blinked and stared at Mercy. Her gaze fell on the downed alpha.
“Rose, you can see—” Mercy blurted out.
“Let’s get out of here, that bitch queen will be coming. You’ve just killed her lieutenant—” Rose responded.
Mercy shone her torch at the shallow end of the pool. “Follow me,” she ran to the sloping tiles and scrambled up to the shallow end. She climbed the pool ladder and reached down to help Fay then Rose.
“Over here to the window. I’ll give you a boost, there’s a ladder on the other side. Once you’re both up you can lower it to me—” Mercy bent down and gave Fay and Rose a boost to the window ledge above.
Rose disappeared out the window and Fay straddled the window ledge. Seconds later Rose passed the ladder up to Fay. An ear splitting scream tore through the night near the front entrance. The heavy glass doors swung open and seven alphas charged in. Mercy’s eyes fell on the lead alpha.
My god, it can’t be. She’s exactly like that bitch in Grand Cayman—
The lead alpha held her arm up, holding the others back. She tilted her head and licked her lips. Medusa-like tendrils flicked from her scalp, probing, tasting the air. Her eyes never left Mercy.
What the fuck are you—?
Mercy shot at the alpha queen twice but missed. She stuffed the SIG in her jacket and jumped up to grab Fay’s outstretched hand. Fay braced herself in the window frame, countering Mercy’s weight. Mercy grabbed the windowsill with her other hand, she grunted, hauling herself up. The alpha queen slammed into her leg and pulled her down. Mercy lashed out with her free leg, connecting with the queen’s jaw.
Mercy fell to the ground landing on her side, she reached for her SIG. The queen was crouching on the side of the pool, poised to leap. The other alphas made to rush Mercy but their leader raised her hand, staying them. The queen threw herself at Mercy, her teeth flashing. Something fell to the floor beside Mercy. Mercy fired wildly, one of her rounds hit the queen’s arm.
The alpha queen screamed and collapsed to the poolside. Gunfire erupted from above. Mercy stepped forwards and gave the queen a vicious kick, toppling her into the pool. Mercy backed away taking the phosphorus grenade from her webbing. She pulled the pin and hurled the grenade at the other alphas fifteen feet away. She turned, picked up the ladder and slammed it against the wall.
The queen’s screams filled the air. Three alphas broke away from the main group and jumped into the shallow end. They emerged over the poolside seconds later and threw themselves at Mercy. The main group at the entrance charged as one.
Fay emptied her magazine into the alphas from the window ledge. The phosphorus grenade exploded sending out deadly tongues of incandescent flame. The alphas’ skin ignited in a heartbeat, blistering and burning brightly. Fay jumped down from the window and stood beside Mercy, shooting at the incandescent alphas.
No, Fay—
Mercy climbed up the ladder and pulled herself onto the window ledge. She grabbed her SIG and looked down. Fay turned around and jumped onto the ladder. One of the flaming alphas grabbed her. Fay’s skin and hair exploded in white phosphorescent flame.
Fay locked eyes with Mercy, her hand reached up, imploring. “Do it, do it, ahhh—”
Mercy aimed and squeezed the trigger. The 9mm hollow-point punched into Fay’s skull ending her agony.
Goodbye dear Fay—
A series of high pitched screams came from the pool. Outside, shrieks rose in all directions answering the queen.
Mercy dropped down beside Rose on the outside. “Follow me, and watch your feet, there’s broken glass ahead—”
Mercy retraced her steps through the darkness.
Back the way we came, so no surprises—
A shriek on the left, close.
Shit—
Mercy veered right, towards a low building adjoining the pool. A glass fronted concourse opened up ahead.
Dammit, I didn’t want to go indoors. Shit, no choice—
Mercy approached the glass doors and pressed up against them. She listened.
Nothing inside—
Shrieks echoed behind and from the far left.
They’re closing in. That bitch is calling them. Hunter-killers—
Mercy pushed at the doors. They opened inwards. She entered the concourse followed by Rose.
Go, go, go—
Mercy moved across the marble floor to the opposite doors. Broken glass crunched underfoot. She cursed, thinking of Rose’s bare feet. She reached the exit and pushed the doors with her shoulder, they opened with a rusty creak. Ivy and long grass clogged the space beyond. Mercy tore through the undergrowth and reached the trees. Th
e screeches were closer now.
Don’t look back, keep going, get to the fence—
Mercy moved through the trees, her arms shielding her face from the branches. She cursed, unable to see through the dense undergrowth.
Am I even heading in the right direction?
She pressed forwards, against the clawing vegetation.
Come on, come on—
A breeze. Blinking.
The fence. Where’s the spot—?
Movement. A plastic bag flapping ten yards to the left.
Yes, goddammit—
“Over there,” Mercy hissed to Rose.
Mercy made it to the hole in the fence and climbed through. Rose followed. Shapes flitted through the trees thirty yards behind them.
They’re close. Fuck, they’ve got our scent—
“Come on,” Mercy turned and moved down an overgrown, tree-lined path.
Yes, this is the way we came, an old park, the chapel’s in the distance—
A branch snapped on the right. Mercy stopped. An inhuman scream tore through the trees on the left. She swung to face the scream, her gun raised. A blur of movement exploded from the trees and raced towards her. Mercy fired three times. Two rounds went wild, the third hit the alpha in the shoulder spinning it around. It tripped and fell to the ground.
Finish it off—
Mercy advanced on the fallen alpha. It pushed itself off the ground. Mercy tried to stamp on its back but overbalanced, missing her footing. She staggered right, firing wildly at the recovering alpha. Her bullets missed. The alpha stood up and charged. Mercy raised an arm to block its attack.
A pistol rang out. The alpha’s forehead burst outwards in a bloody pulp, it dropped to the ground at Mercy’s feet. Mercy looked up, Rose was standing a few feet away with Fay’s back-up pistol in her hand. Mercy nodded.
“Thanks Rose—”
That’s gonna pinpoint our position for the rest of them—
Mercy’s eyes flicked to the figure emerging from the trees on the right.
Barnes—
Movement at the fence. Many figures.
Ten. Twenty. More. Alphas—
Barnes beckoned, “On me, the two of you, on me—”
Chapter 13
Abrams
Mercy pushed Rose towards Barnes, “Go, go, go—”
Barnes disappeared into the treeline. Mercy and Rose followed.
Jesus, he’s got his ghillie suit on, where is he?
Mercy followed the sound of Barnes crashing through the undergrowth. Screams pierced the night behind them.
Christ, the whole city’s alive with the fuckers—
Barnes took a direct route through the woods. He moved like a ghost, flying between the trees ahead.
Push it, don’t look back—
Mercy’s heart pounded, she fought for breath. They burst through a tangle of brambles and emerged onto a residential street. A row of houses lay beyond a T-junction. An Abrams M1 tank stood at the junction. The sound of pursuit filtered through the trees. Barnes was waiting for them, his AR-15 raised.
Mercy ran towards the Abrams tank. “We can get inside—”
Barnes opened fire at the trees. Mercy clambered up the front of the Abrams and reached the turret hatch. A dead soldier lay half-in, half-out of the turret. Mercy grabbed the desiccated corpse by its uniform and pulled.
Come on, come on you bastard, get the fuck out—
She tried again.
It’s caught on something—
She looked down the hatch.
A strap—
She pulled her knife out and cut the strap.
“Whatever you’re doing, do it now—” Barnes’s voice, frantic.
More shots.
Mercy pulled. The body jerked free from the turret. Screams. Close. Mercy jumped into the open hatch. Barnes and Rose ran across the street towards one of the houses. Noise, scrambling on the tank behind.
Fuck—
Mercy dropped down, pulling the hatch shut. It made a satisfying click as it closed. She felt for the handle and engaged the lock. Screams and scraping sounds came from outside. Mercy pulled away and closed her eyes.
Breathe, breathe, you’re safe—
Mercy opened her eyes. Darkness. Muffled banging and shrieks. She stiffened.
Christ, the driver’s hatch could be open—
She slid down further, feeling her way.
Where are you? Where is—?
She slid, head first, into the driver’s seat. Her fingers searched the darkness.
Up, up, it must be here—
Her fingers closed around a handle.
Is this it?
She pushed up, cool air brushed her face.
Yes—
A screech. Scrabbling on the other side. Movement. Fingers grappling with the hatch on the other side. Mercy pulled the hatch down and slammed the lock home.
Close—
She lay sprawled on the driver’s seat for a few minutes, listening to her heart pounding. Listening to the alphas’ rage outside.
I’m safe. In here. For the moment. The others… what’s happened to the others?
Mercy changed position, feeling her way. She lay back in the driver’s seat, her mind processing events. She remembered her torch, pulled it out and checked the cramped surroundings.
What the fuck just happened?
She closed her eyes.
Wait it out. There’s nothing more you can do for the moment. Rest—
She looked at the luminous hands on her watch; 2:47am.
Rest—
Mercy woke with a terrible headache and a crushing weight on her chest. She was struggling to breathe.
What’s… happening—?
She reached up to her neck.
Dark. Choking. Why can’t I… breathe—?
Her hands probed the darkness. Confusion surged through her mind.
Where am I?
Fragments of memory returned, flashes of light in the darkness.
Tank. Locked in. No oxygen. Suffocating. Open the—
Her fingers found the driver’s hatch above her head. She twisted and pushed the handle.
Open it just a few inches… be quiet—
Mercy breathed in the cool night air.
They could still be outside—
Mercy listened, holding the handle with both hands. Ready for an attack. Her head cleared with each breath of air.
Where are they? Surely they heard the hatch open?
She waited. Listening.
Nothing.
She opened the hatch a few more inches and listened.
Nothing.
She waited.
It’s a trap. Hold on—
She checked her watch; 3:15 am.
They’ve gone—
Mercy opened the hatch slowly and peered out. The street stretched out before her, the row of houses ahead. A red LED light was flashing outside one of the houses.
What’s that? That house has power? A silent alarm?
Nothing moved. Wind rustled through the trees behind. Starlight bathed the street in silver monochrome. She took in the sandbags, the defensive positions, the spent bullet casings.
Old military position, looks overrun, maybe NSA? Maybe even from the Fall? Some bad shit. But lucky for me this tank was here—
She spun around and looked at the treeline.
No sign of alphas. No sign of Barnes or Rose either—
Mercy turned back to the row of houses.
They were headed in there, through that open door. Maybe tried to escape out the back? But what’s with that flashing light?
She hesitated.
Do it—
Mercy climbed out of the driver’s hatch. She clambered down the front of the Abrams onto the damp street. The house windows were dark.
Here goes—
She ran across the street to the open door and looked up at the flashing LED light.
It’s an alarm… and a camera. Is someone watching me?
Mercy checked behind, unease building in her.
Dammit, it could be a trap. But there’s no way to know—
She switched on her torch and entered the foyer. A reception area lay off to the right. Mercy scanned the space.
Lifts ahead, stairs in the corner. Open door to the left—
She stepped towards the open door.
Stairs, going down. Dark. Not going down there unless I have to. That’s got clusterfuck written all over it—
Mercy turned to the stairs beside the lift. She entered the stairwell. A schematic on the wall displayed the fire exits in the five story apartment block. Mercy’s eyes took in the bottom of the schematic.
Basement car park, that’s where those steps led to. Forget that shit. Barnes wouldn’t have gone down there, he’d be cornered. No, try the floors above, they could’ve holed up in one of the apartments—
Mercy climbed the stairs and reached the first floor landing. She stopped and peered through the glass panel in the landing door. Her torch light penetrated the dark corridor beyond. Something scrabbled against the other side of the door and a trope face appeared at the glass, staring out into the stairwell. The trope licked its yellowed teeth and pawed at the glass.
Mercy stepped back, frowning.
No doesn’t feel right, if Barnes came this way he wouldn’t have left random tropes roaming about.
She stared back down the stairs.
Oh, go on, dammit, grow a pair, you know he’s gone into the basement. The door was open. Maybe there’s a back way out. You won’t know till you check it out—
Mercy swore under her breath and went down the stairs to the foyer. She approached the basement door and stopped to listen.
Nothing.
She turned off the torch, entered the doorway and listened. Reaching out, she held onto the hand rail with her left hand, her right hand carrying the SIG. She descended the stairs to the bottom. Her searching fingers found the exit door, she paused, tilted her head and waited.
Nothing.
Go on—
The door opened quietly.
Mmmm, I’d say those hinges have been oiled recently, that was smooth—
She stared into the dark space. Two pale areas stood out in the distance, she focused on them for a few seconds, processing the images.
The Survival Chronicles (Book 6): Dark Mercy Page 8
