by Jake Bible
Just as he thinks he’s going to be slammed into the ground and turn into a SEAL pancake, the Chinook stops and he hears the bolts holding the cables being blasted free, the pilot above using the emergency release instead of the time consuming method of manually unhooking the cables.
Go!” Taylor yells at Toloski who is in the driver’s seat.
The man slams the accelerator and sends the Humvee flying out from under the Chinook just as the helicopter lifts back up into the air.
“Blumenburg!” Taylor yells. “What’s the status of Rover Two?”
Blumenburg tears his eyes away from the monsters the Humvee is racing towards and stands up, popping open the top hatch of the Humvee. He pulls himself up and looks back down the road, glad to see Rover Two is right in line with Rover One.
“Good to go, sir,” Blumenburg says, dropping back into the vehicle.
“Thoughts, sir?” Toloski asks.
“Drive through them,” Taylor orders. “And don’t you dare slow down.”
“Monster chicken, sir?” Toloski asks.
“Nope,” Taylor says. “Monster slalom. Go right between the thing’s legs.”
“Let’s hope they don’t take offense to us looking up their skirts,” Toloski says as he stares straight ahead, his knuckles pure white as he grips the steering wheel.
“Let’s hope,” Taylor says. “Blumenburg, let Rover Two know the plan.”
“Already on it, sir,” Blumenburg says, his hand to his throat, activating his com. “Should I tell them to get some pics, sir? We’ll have a great view.” He looks up at the open hatch above him. “Anyone bring the 35mm?”
***
The monster stomps past Lowell, Lu, and Bolton, its feet crushing over an acre of forest with each step. They watch it lumber past, safely a quarter mile away from its path. All three of them look like they are going to vomit from running so hard, but their stomachs don’t have anything in them to throw up.
“It looks sick,” Lu says. “Look how it’s walking. It’s stumbling more than anything.”
“Great,” Lowell says. “Hope it washes its hands before touching anything. I don’t think any of us will survive a monster cold.”
“Come on,” Bolton says. “We have to backtrack to get to the rendezvous point. They have orders to wait for five minutes. If we are ten seconds late, they will be gone.”
“Fuck,” Lowell says as he pushes his fist against his side. “I’m already gone.”
“Don’t puss out,” Lu says. “You get through this and maybe you don’t go back to prison.”
“You’d be surprised how good three hots and a cot sounds right now,” Lowell says. “Not to mention the idea of having tons of steel and concrete around me.”
“Changing your mind about freedom, Lowell?” Bolton laughs.
“Nope. Just made up my mind about not getting stepped on by that fucking thing,” he replies, pointing at the monster as it leaves their view, lost behind a turn in the mountains. “How big you think that thing is?”
“A few hundred feet at least,” Bolton says.
They hike for a while, then stop and look up, stunned yet again.
Sunlight.
The ash cloud has receded enough that there is actually sky again. Real sky and not just winter clouds mixed with a never ending ash fall.
“There’s something I didn’t think I’d see again,” Lowell says. “I take everything back. We get out of this alive and I don’t want to go to prison, as long as the sky stays like that. We go back to ashpocalypse? I go back to a cell.”
“Good to have a plan,” Bolton says.
“No shit,” Lowell says. “So how long to the bunker once we meet up with the circus act?”
“Circus act?” Lu asks.
“You know, trained seals,” Lowell smirks.
“God, why do I talk to you?” Lu snorts.
“A good hour of driving,” Bolton says. “Then I have a feeling there’s a hike in it after that.”
“Great,” Lowell says. “I love hiking. I love it so much I’m doing it right now.”
Thirteen
“Mr. President, I have no idea how this is possible,” Dr. Bartolli says, his pale face filling one of the side monitors as the entire situation room watches the massive ash cloud swirl down into the chasm. “I have never heard of this happening ever in all of recorded history.”
“No offense, Dr. Bartolli,” President Nance says. “But I’ve never heard of monsters coming out of the earth in all of recorded history.”
“Dinosaurs,” Dr. Hall says quietly then shuts up as he receives a stern look from Joan.
“All I need to know is what effect the nuclear blast will have on the volcano,” President Nance says. “Answer me that. Will it make the hole bigger or will it cause it to collapse in on itself.”
“It cannot say, sir,” Dr. Bartolli replies. “The variables are too great.”
“So you are useless then,” President Nance snaps. He waves his hand and the monitor goes dead. “Where are we with the SEAL Team?”
“They have almost reached the bunker, sir,” Admiral Quigley responds. “They’ll try to get up the mountain as far as possible in the Humvees, but they may have to hike part of the way, which could slow them down.”
“General Tulane? Status on the nuclear missiles?” President Nance asks. “Once I give the order, how soon until they reach the target?”
“Sir, I can’t protest enough!” Borland shouts, getting to his feet. “This could have no effect on the enemy, but will have an effect on our relations with the rest of the world! You need to at least consult with the other Heads of State on this!”
“This is happening on US soil, Secretary Borland,” President Nance states. “I will make the call on this and that is the end of the discussion. One more outburst and you will be removed from this room and sent outside with the rest of the refugees.”
Borland sits down and promptly takes off his tie. He tosses it on the table and shakes his head.
“It’s your call, Mr. President,” Borland replies. “And your responsibility when it’s all over.”
“Yes, it is,” President Nance says. “And if choosing the nuclear option means that we can get to a place where itis all over, then I will gladly make this choice.” He turns back to General Tulane. “How soon will the missiles reach the target once I give the order?”
“Fifteen minutes tops, sir,” General Tulane says, his eyes involuntarily going to Borland.
“I’m sitting here, General,” President Nance snaps.
“Yes, sir. Sorry, Mr. President,” General Tulane replies.
“Admiral Quigley, please inform your men that they will have forty-five minutes to get to the bunker,” President Nance says, standing and looking at everyone at the table. “I will give the order to launch in thirty minutes unless the situation changes drastically. We need this within the hour.”
***
“They want you to be the spotter?” Taylor asks as he looks over his shoulder at Bolton, having picked him and Lu up, letting Lowell ride in Rover Two. “Why can’t they see it with the satellites?”
“They’re retasking the satellites,” Bolton says. “After the last EMP, they can’t risk losing more. Once I confirm whatever I confirm, they’ll go from there.”
“Sir?” Blumenburg says. “I just received word from command. We have forty-five minutes to reach the bunker.”
“We what?” Taylor snaps, looking over at Toloski. “What’s our ETA?”
“Five minutes until we hit the road,” Toloski says. “I have no idea how far we can take the Rovers up the mountain. We’ll be cutting it close even if we get to drive up to the door.”
“Fucking great,” Taylor growls. “Fucking civilian presidents. They’re just waiting to pull that trigger and can’t even give us a decent window to do our jobs.”
“Amen to that,” Bolton says.
“I let Rover Two know, sir,” Blumenburg says. “They aren’t happy either.
”
“No shit they aren’t,” Taylor laughs. “I bet Ybarra is cursing up a storm right now.”
The Humvees push on, their drivers taking the road as fast as possible.
“Here!” Blumenburg shouts. “Turn left!”
Toloski cranks the wheel hard and the Humvee bounces jarringly, its front wheels slamming up over a small log meant to keep vehicles from driving up the abandoned road. A bullet hole riddled “No Trespassing” sign hangs by one corner on a thick pine. It flaps in the wind as the Humvees race by.
They get a good quarter mile when Blumenburg shouts, “Shit! Incoming!” He jumps up and opens the top hatch. “Hand me that, will ya?”
Bolton grabs the .50 caliber machine gun locked to the rack behind the two front seats, unlatches it, and hands it up to Blumenburg.
“What you got, Sergeant?” Taylor asks.
“Hostiles coming fast, sir! Ybarra spotted them! Looks like six heading up the road after us!”
Bolton and Lu hang their heads out the back windows and can see Rover Two being pursued by six of the smaller creatures. The things trample pines and upend firs in their race after the vehicles.
“French kissers,” Bolton says. “Great.
“What did you call them?” Taylor asks.
“Yeah, what the hell was that?” Lu adds.
“When you see their tongues, you’ll know what I’m talking about,” Bolton says.
The air is split by the sound of the .50 cal being opened up on the monsters. Loud roars and howls join the bark of the heavy gun and Bolton and Lu both instantly withdraw back into the Humvee, their hands grabbing anything to keep them from being thrown around as Toloski starts weaving between the trees, trying to shake the monsters loose.
“This could slow us down,” Taylor says. “Hopefully, we make it in time.”
“Missoula’s a long way away, Lieutenant,” Bolton says. “You don’t think the blast will reach everything here, do you?”
“I don’t know what to expect,” Taylor replies. “You’ve been cutoff out in the field, Sergeant. The brass has been itching to give these things everything we’ve got.”
There’s a huge explosion from behind them.
“RPG,” Toloski says, glancing in the side mirror. “Ybarra is giving those things everythingwe’ve got.”
***
“I’m telling you that rockets aren’t going to stop them!” Lowell shouts. “It just pisses them off!”
“Keep it quiet, convict!” Kreigel yells from the passenger seat. “Let the professionals do their jobs!”
“Have you fought these things? Because I fucking have! I’ve killed one!” Lowell shouts. “You’re only going to make them mad!”
“Bam, motherfucker!” Ybarra yells from above. “That’s how you do-”
The man screams as he is yanked from the vehicle. Lowell dives to the side as the man’s legs whip past his head and are gone up through the hatch.
“Holy fuck,” Kreigel says, looking out the side window. He ducks back in quickly as a bright blue tongue shoots out right where his head had been.
“Told ya,” Lowell says. “Just fucking drive.”
Kreigel looks over at Holt in the driver’s seat. “Do what the convict says and fucking drive!”
***
“There!” Toloski says. “The bunker entrance should be just over that ridge and down the other side!”
“Get us there now!” Taylor yells.
Blumenburg suddenly drops back into the Humvee, falling right on top of Lu and Bolton. He looks up at the hatch, his eyes wide with fear.
“Tried to French kiss you, didn’t it?” Bolton asks.
“Yeah,” Blumenburg replies. “Not cool.”
The Humvee hits the ridge and goes flying, hitting a good three feet of air before it slams back down to the earth. Toloski whips the wheel to the left and hits the brakes, sending the Humvee into a sideways skid.
“That wasn’t on the map,” Toloski says as they all look out the windows at the missing road. “Gonna be tricky getting to that.”
Most of the roadway is gone, having slid down the mountain at some point, leaving only a two foot ledge going from where the Humvee is stopped and a huge, rusted steel hangar door.
The roar of the Rover Two’s engines is matched by the roars of the monsters following them.
“Out!” Taylor orders and no one hesitates as they scramble from the Humvee and over to the short ledge.
Rover Two flies up over the ridge and they all sprint as fast as they can to get out of the way as the vehicle hits the ground and rams right into Rover One, sending the Humvee over the edge and plummeting down the mountainside.
Holt, Kreigel, and Lowell are out of the vehicle and sprinting towards the others before the Humvee even stops rocking.
“They are right on us!” Kreigel yells.
They all sprint to the huge hangar door and Blumenburg skids to a stop on his knees, his hands yanking a box and wires from his pack. He grabs at a small hatch by the side of the door and rips it open, immediately connecting the wires to two leads behind the hatch. There’s a loud clang and then the door shudders.
But doesn’t move.
“Sergeant,” Taylor hisses. “Not much time.”
Lowell elbows Taylor in the ribs and grabs the man’s pistol from his hip. He takes aim and fires at Rover Two just as a second monster crests the ridge. There’s the sound of a ricochet and everyone, except Blumenburg, look at the Humvee then at Lowell.
“You can’t blow up a Humvee by shooting the gas tank!” Kreigel yells. “That’s only in the movies!”
“Not trying to blow it up,” Lowell says. “Just need it to start leaking.”
Bolton realizes what he’s doing and points at the Humvee.
“Nail the tank!” Bolton yells. “Just make it leak!”
Kreigel looks at Bolton and then at Lowell. He quickly remembers the last time he ignored the federal prisoner and raises his M-4 to his shoulder. The two monsters are stepping over the Humvee as Kreigel takes his shots. The beasts stop instantly and their massive heads look down at the vehicle below as the gas tank starts to leak.
“I hope that’s diesel,” Lowell says.
Two bright blue tongues dart at the liquid that begins to stain the ground. They both howl and try to get at the diesel, shoving at one another for space. More monsters hit the ridge, their bodies jammed up against the mountainside, and soon it’s a massive tangle of giant limbs and tongues as the beasts all jockey for position.
Then one loses the wrestling match and stumbles backwards, its rear legs ending up over open space. It wobbles for a second, and then slips from the road, its front legs trying to find purchase in the loose mountain soil. The beast scrambles, scrambles, and is lost, tumbling end over end as it falls a thousand feet to the rocky canyon floor below. Everyone stares as the thing bursts open, sending entrails and blue/black blood everywhere.
“Blumenburg?” Taylor asks.
“Almost got it, sir,” Blumenburg replies. “There!”
With the sound of protesting metal almost deafening, the door slides up a couple of feet then grinds to a stop. No one hesitates and they all hit the ground and roll under the door as fast as possible, leaving the nightmares outside to drink their fuel flavored beverage.
“It won’t close,” Blumenburg says. Then he’s gone as a blue tongue shoots from under the door, grabs his leg, and yanks him outside the bunker.
“Move it!” Taylor yells. “Get clear of that door!”
The team cracks glow sticks and throws them as far as possible into the massive bay they find themselves in.
“Oh, shit,” Lowell says as he sees two rows of dusty looking Humvees lining each wall, as well as steel drum after steel drum with the word “DIESEL” stenciled on their sides. “I think we just walked into the pantry. Great.”
***
Gil sits there, tied to a folding chair, his head whipping back and forth as he shouts obscenities at the me
n and women huddled together across the room.
“You fucking traitors!” he yells. “You piece of shit cowards! You’re nothing but gutless fucks! How the fucking hell can you believe in this shit? The boy is selling you a load of crap!”
“Shut up, Gil,” Luke says, suddenly the leader of the group. “If it is Hell, and this is God’s wrath, then we need to take it seriously. You know that.”
Gil’s mouth hangs open and he turns to look over at Kyle and Dr. Probst, both tied to folding chairs as well. “You have no idea what you’ve done, kid. I wasn’t going to kill you. I was messing with you, scaring you enough so you’d just give up trying to get away and stay here. I was thinking we needed a doctor, is all.”
“I’m not a medical doctor,” Dr. Probst says. “You fucking moron.”
“I know that,” Gil says. “But you’re more of a doctor than anyone here.”
“That makes no sense,” Dr. Probst says.
“If I am telling the truth,” Kyle says. “Do you think God will be happy that you have tied me up? I bring His word to you and this is how you act? You should feel shame!”
“You’re laying it on thick,” Dr. Probst whispers out of the corner of her mouth.
“Only way to do it,” Kyle says. “Trust me.”
Luke looks over at the captives, his eyes going from Dr. Probst to Kyle and last to Gil.
“You,” he says. “You tried to act like you knew what was going on. You tried to make us believe it was the government doing this to us, when all along it was the work of the devil. Most of us came here because we knew you were a true patriot and son of God. Why’d you hide the truth? Why the lies, Gil?”
“The Prince of Lies,” a woman says from behind Luke. “That’s why. Maybe he’s one of Satan’s agents.”
“You have got to be fucking kidding me!” Gil yells. “There is no Satan here! There is no devil outside! That hole is not the gates of Hell! Stop acting like fools and let me go!”
