by Colin Sims
I watched as Alec locked in a fresh mag as well. “That’s comforting,” I replied.
“The only thing that worries me,” he continued, “is that I’m down to the last of my ammo. So if we run into another Slicer, let’s hope he’s the last.”
Alec started leading the way forward again as I crept behind him. My eyes were glued to the readout on his holoscope. I couldn’t see a single thing on my own. One thing I did notice, though, was that Alec seemed to have developed a slight limp. I asked him again if he was all right, but he just told me to keep quiet.
So we kept walking. Minutes rolled by in silence, and every fifty paces or so, Alec would twist around and scan behind us.
We’d gone at least a few hundred yards before I asked him how much longer.
“The tunnel goes on for a few miles,” he said. “But we won’t have to walk the whole way.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“My friends and I actually found this tunnel when we were kids,” he said with a slight chuckle that quickly turned into a wince. “One piece at a time,” he continued, “we assembled our bikes down here and we’d ride like crazy. That was how I got the idea to leave a permanent stash down here for Special Missions. It beat the hell out of walking for four miles just to get outside the city. It leads straight into the mountains.”
“Did you ever figure out why it’s here?” I asked, looking over at him. Even in the dim light from the holoscope I could tell he didn’t look good. His breaths were shallow and his face looked pale.
“No one knows for sure,” he told me. “My guess is it’s some sort of nuclear bunker network built before the War. If we went the other way, it’s all caved in about a mile back.”
“Alec, you don’t look good.”
His breathing was getting worse and his voice was thin and raspy. “You gotta take a rest,” I added.
Alec attempted to chuckle again but immediately broke into a fit of coughing.
I could tell he was doing everything he could to stop himself and stay quiet. I propped up his arm and he gave me a little weight.
“Sometimes,” he said, coughing, “it’s the smallest goddamn wounds that hurt the worst.”
“Let me see it,” I said to him, but he shook his head.
“There’s no time for that. Besides … you have much medical training?”
“I could check it out, at least,” I said.
Alec winced again. “Doctor Tripp,” he rasped, putting a little more weight on my arm. “It doesn’t sound right. I’d expect someone in … clown shoes or something.”
“Alec, I’m serious. We have to stop. You’re really freaking me out, okay?”
“Ha,” he said, losing his step for a second. “I’m fine. Besides … the first hatch is right up there.” He pointed ahead.
My eyes had adjusted enough to see a few shapes from the soft glow of the holoscope. There appeared to be a circular, vault-like door just in front of us.
“What is it?” I asked.
“There’s a hatch every mile down here,” Alec said softly. “The bikes are on the other side.”
He let go of my arm and went to twist the wheel of the door to unlock it. He tried for a second before hissing in pain and dropping to one knee. I rushed to catch him.
“I think you better do it,” he said, wincing.
“Let me see your shoulder,” I said.
Again, he shook his head. “We have to get to the bikes,” he said. “I’m fine. Just open the door. And Michael,” he handed me his rifle, “if there’s anything on the other side, you shoot it.”
Reluctantly, I took the weapon and stood up. I twisted the wheel and the hatch groaned open as I pulled back. I had the M4 ready to shoot as I peered into the blackness ahead. There was nothing.
“It’s clear,” I told him. “And I see the bikes.”
“Good.” Alec coughed. “Now get over here.”
I stepped back and knelt beside him. “Let me help you up,” I said, but he brushed my hand away.
“I’m sorry, Michael,” he said, wiping his chin with the back of his hand. I noticed a smear of blood on it. “I’ve been on borrowed time since the bunker.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Their claws,” Alec panted. “They’re poisonous. I’m fucked in about … five minutes.”
“That’s bullshit, Alec.” I tugged at his arm. “Come on, you have to get up.”
He wouldn’t budge. Instead, he managed a pained grin and said, “You know … I was just thinking about those school pranks you always pulled …” and his voice trailed off.
I stopped tugging at his arm for a second. “How do you—? What about them?”
“I always … thought that was cool,” he said, trying to refocus his bleary eyes. “It’s like something I would have done.”
Before I could answer there was a screech in the distance coming from where we started. I recognized the sound and it sent a bolt of adrenaline through me.
“Here,” Alec rasped, yanking the chain that Shaw had given him off his neck. “Keep it safe.”
“Dad’s thing?” I asked. “What is it?”
“No time for that now. You’ve got to go.”
“What do you mean, ‘I’ve got to go?’” I shouted as quietly as I could. “You’re coming with me, damn it.”
Alec paused for a second before nodding. “Fine,” he said. “Help me up.”
I grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet. There was another screech from the Slicer. It was getting closer. Alec drew his sidearm and lit up the holoscope.
“Six hundred yards out,” he told me. “It’ll be here soon. Come on. Get on the bike. You see the bio-motor?”
I grabbed the handlebars and nodded. “Yeah.”
“It’s a hybrid, so no sound. The exit’s three miles up. Once you’re there, ditch the bike and hide in the mountains.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I asked nervously.
“Just in case,” he breathed, leaning unsteadily against the doorframe. “Now come here, I have to get something from the pack.”
“You want me to help you through the hatch?” I asked as I stepped over and turned around.
“No, it’s fine,” he said, fiddling with the pack like he was trying to unhook something.
“This morning,” he added shakily, “it feels like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah.” I nodded.
Alec coughed again. “I bet you think I’m a dick—the way I’ve been treating you the past five years. I could never tell you why.”
I started to turn around to remind him that this might not be the best time for a heart-to-heart, but before I could open my mouth, I was shoved forward and landed on my stomach next to the bikes.
“Now is why.”
I flipped around to look at him. He had taken a grenade from the pack.
“Alec, whatever you’re thinking, don’t!” I shouted.
“I’ll stall them,” he said, reaching for the edge of the heavy door. “You get the hell out of here and survive, you hear me?”
“Alec!” I shouted, scrambling back to my feet.
He flashed me a smile as he started to close the hatch. “I’m sorry, little brother. I’ve always thought you were a good kid.”
“Wait!” I jumped forward, but my voice left me as the door clanged shut.
Chapter 7
I banged on the hatch until my knuckles bled. There was no way to open it from this side. And the metal was so thick, I doubted Alec could even hear me. Either way, there was no response. Tears were falling freely from my cheeks and I continued pounding on the door. In my heart of hearts, I knew Alec wouldn’t open it. Not now. That Slicer would be on him any second and he wouldn’t risk it.
I sank to my knees and slumped against the door. My eyes felt like heavy stones, pulling my face to the ground. I didn’t want to move. I didn’t want to think. All I wanted was to curl into a ball and lie in the trickling water at my feet.
I knew that if I just stayed there I could become part of the black that surrounded me, invisible and still and gone.
But through the door, I heard a sound, like someone pounding on the other side. I heard a voice shouting something. It was Alec. It had to be. He wasn’t dead yet … and even though I couldn’t hear him, I knew exactly what he was saying.
I got to my feet and grabbed one of the bikes. The mysterious chain from Shaw was still in my hand. I put it around my neck and tucked it in my shirt. God only knew what it was, but it had to be important. I switched on the bio-motor and revved the silent engine.
“Goodbye,” I said softly, and my voice echoed through the dark.
The bike glided forward, getting up to speed. I flipped on the headlight and before long I was at the next hatch. I jumped off the bike, swung the M4 off my shoulder and opened the door, keeping the holoscope lit. There was nothing but blue. I grabbed the bike and got back underway. A couple minutes later, I did the same thing, only this time when I opened the hatch I could see light at the end of the tunnel.
The exit was only a mile away. On the other side: the Deadlands. Like anyone else, I’d imagined going out there, but in my mind, it was an adventure, not a tragedy.
I powered forward, the light at the other end getting bigger with each second. By the time it was twenty or thirty yards away, I stopped the bike and got off. Alec had told me to ditch it before I left the tunnel. I wasn’t sure why, but he must have had a good reason.
Slowly, I made my way outside and squinted at the sudden brightness of the afternoon sun. From what I could tell, I was at the foot of the mountains that were just north of the Security Wall. I heard explosions behind me and turned to look.
I’d never seen Boise from this view—from the outside looking in. There were fires burning and smoke plumes everywhere, as if the entire city had been set ablaze. I could tell there were still pockets of fighting scattered throughout. Intermittent gunfire echoed through the air. In less than ten seconds, two separate buildings, both on fire, collapsed under their own weight. Even the dome of the Capitol House was gone, caved in and smoldering.
I knew I should start running and find some cover in the mountains, but I couldn’t move. Part of me wanted to sprint back to the city, and not just to fight for it, but because it was home. The thought of leaving it for good was unthinkable.
I kept watching until I caught a flash to my left. I couldn’t see anything directly but I took a knee and raised the M4, flipping on the holoscope.
My breath stuck in my throat when I saw a sliver of red about fifty yards out. I tapped on the corner of the screen and zoomed in. For a second, the line of red was tiny. I almost thought it might be a small animal, like a squirrel, before a thick bundle of tentacles rose into the air. There were bolts of purple energy zapping all around them, building up a charge. From what I could tell, the Slicer was partially buried in the dirt, while its tentacles formed together in a straight line pointed toward Boise. It almost looked like some kind of alien artillery piece about to fire.
My fingers moved to the trigger of the grenade launcher. I knew it fired smart rounds, and I tapped on the holoscope to see what was currently loaded. The display read “Heavy Seeker.” It had the accuracy of the smaller Seekers in addition to the explosive impact of a bomb. I double-tapped on the wiggling bundle of limbs and set the Slicer to Green.
I didn’t give myself time to think. I just pulled the trigger. There was a thump and a light kick from the launcher. The next thing I knew, a bright fireball streaked outward like a firework display.
I kept looking through the scope, but I didn’t see any red. The thing must have been dead. If it was still alive, it would’ve been on me by now. And as I slowly lowered the rifle, I couldn’t believe what I had just done. I had just killed a Mantidae …
Then, a familiar screech. I whipped around and saw another Slicer barreling toward me. It looked as if it had formed its tentacles into a crude wheel as it tumbled down the hillside. I didn’t have more than a few seconds. I fired the Seekers blindly. They either missed or bounced right off the metallic scales. In less than two seconds I was out of ammo.
The Slicer kept coming, screeching as it rolled. I stood to run and suddenly the thing exploded, knocking me onto my butt. My ears were ringing and I scrambled back to my feet. Something streaked into the sky from somewhere inside the city. It came whistling down and exploded a few hundred yards away. Someone was still firing smart mortars. I couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride, as if Boise itself had just tipped its hat and saved my life one last time.
I slung the empty M4 across my chest and turned to face the barren upslope of the low mountains ahead. There weren’t any trees or vegetation to speak of, just an ocean of brown. With a deep breath, I started jogging—Alec’s heavy pack biting into my shoulders.
***
Four hours later, the sun was making its way to the horizon. It still had a good way to go, but the thickness of the afternoon light warned of the impending nightfall. I’d slowed to a walk as I hiked over the dry and dusty terrain. So far, I’d made it past the first set of peaks. There was a cluster of dead trees in the distance where I decided I’d make camp.
Every minute or so, I span around to make sure nothing was following me. I was heading into a shallow valley when I saw something move. I whipped around with the holoscope raised, but I didn’t see any red. I tried to stay as still as possible, but there was nothing.
I lowered the M4 and continued to move forward, keeping my eyes peeled as my heart pounded. That was the worst part about the Slicers: It seemed like they wanted to scare you as much as kill you.
Two more hours passed. The sun was truly beginning to set, terrifying the hell out of me. And not just because I wouldn’t be able to see. As darkness fell, I was gripped by a paralyzing sense of “aloneness.” Out here there was no one but me, with nothing but dust and wind for company. I wondered if that would ever change, or if I’d die in the next few days. The solitude was just as scary as a Slicer, and perhaps just as deadly.
I finally reached the trees. My heart leapt at the thought of taking a rest, even though I knew the pitifully leafless trunks wouldn’t do much to hide me. Still, they were something. Not just endless mounds of empty dirt and open sky.
I scanned them with the holoscope for the dozenth time and made my way toward a large, dead tree that had fallen on its side. I took a seat behind it and swung my backpack in front of me. I needed to take stock of my supplies. I had the stacks of flatbread and bananas, but what I really needed was water. My throat was as dry as the dirt at my feet.
I rummaged through the pack, taking care to keep the bread off the ground. There was a thermal blanket, a pocketknife, a compass, a pair of night vision glasses, two cans of beans, a length of rope, a camouflage plastic tarp, a flint and steel, another packet of powdered disinfectant and some bandages.
The first thing I did was eat two of the bananas. It wasn’t the same as taking a drink, but at least there was a little moisture. Then I put on the night vision glasses, which still had a full charge. I almost jumped for joy. With them, I’d at least be able to see in the dark.
After taking them off, I sat for a moment, thinking about what to do next. I’d been forced to endure countless hours of survival training in Boot, but somehow being faced with a real situation turned my brain to porridge.
Shelter, I thought. That’s next.
I carefully tucked the food back in the pack and set to work with the rope and tarp. I strung the rope between a branch from the fallen trunk at my back and another a few feet way. I then draped the tarp over the top to form a low, concealed tent. I found some rocks to keep the edges down. For a split second, I thought about making a fire, but thought better of it. The air was going to get cold at night, but I preferred to be cold over dead. If I made a fire, anything or anyone would be able to see it for miles. I had to remember, it wasn’t just Slicers I was hiding from; there would be Deadlanders out here,
too.
Holding onto the empty M4, I wolfed down a piece of flatbread. I again felt the desperate urge for water, which made me think about eating another banana. I decided to save them. I couldn’t even imagine how I was going to find food in these barren mountains. Everything was ashen and dead. I would need my supplies to last as long as possible.
The sun had nearly set, and I could barely see anymore. I scanned my surroundings with the holoscope before switching it off and crawling under the tarp. I wrapped myself in the thermal blanket and lay there, shivering. My only weapon—if you could call it that—was a pocketknife, which I cradled close to my chest.
My eyes were wide and searching, but it was my ears that were now working overtime. Every gust of wind, every twig that moved, every grain of dirt that shifted was as loud as a gunshot. I knew it was going to be a long night, and as tired as I was, I didn’t expect to sleep for an instant. There was no way I could drift off with so much adrenaline. Yet somehow, at some point, my eyes closed of their own volition and I was out.
***
When I awoke, the sun was breaking over the horizon. I quickly packed up my supplies before eating another piece of flatbread and a banana. I was more parched than ever. I decided my first mission was to find water. It couldn’t be too hard. I thought about where I was versus what I knew about the path of the Boise River.
Walking away from the city, I was headed northeast. If I wanted to cross with the river, which ran east to west, I needed to head south. First, however, I wanted to put a little more distance between Boise and me. For all I knew, the whole area was still crawling with Slicers.
So, with everything packed up, I headed toward the rising sun. The early light cast the world in grey, but for me, I was simply glad there was light at all. My brain was still reeling from the night spent shivering in darkness under the tarp. At least now I’d be able to see the thing that killed me before it did.
Hours passed as I hiked through the Deadlands. I did my best to stay alert, but thoughts that I didn’t want kept creeping into my head. Images of my family, my friends, the dead soldiers I’d seen, and Alec before he closed that hatch … they all drifted through my brain on an endless loop. Sometimes it would get to be too much, and I’d quietly sob as I walked. The last time I’d felt anything like this was when my sister Elizabeth died. When she did, she took a small piece of me with her. The two of us had been inseparable. Now, my whole family was gone, each of them taking a piece of their own as well.
