by Jack Hunt
“I got it.”
Murphy trudged off into the forest cursing the day that this all began. He thought about what the guy had said about the government. He wasn’t exactly wrong in his opinion of how they operated. Washington rarely knew what SEAL teams faced in the field. Of course they acted as though they knew what should be done in situations by coming up with all manner of rules of engagement, but when it came down to the crunch, he and his teammates had to be the ones who made the final decision. More often than not, trips into Iraq were like visiting Vegas. What happened there stayed there. If it meant coming home alive, they would break the rules of engagement. The only rule they lived by was the forty percent rule. When a SEAL believed he was done, and had reached his limit, he was only forty percent done. It was what he had tried to drill into the kids. Now as he made his way to the horse that was milling around chewing on leaves, he thought about them again.
He only hoped that they remembered what he’d taught them.
10
The argument started the moment Sam suggested they head out before dark to Tom’s home. Luke immediately opposed the idea.
“Didn’t you learn anything from being out there today?”
“Luke, enough with the drama, man, we came here for a reason and that was to find Tom.”
“You sure that’s the only reason?”
They squared off to one another. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Come on, we all know that you came here to chase after Bryan Catz. You have some vendetta against him?”
“And?”
“And I’m not losing my life because you can’t let go of the past.”
“Really? I can’t let go?” Sam snorted and began pacing around the room. “Perhaps the reason you didn’t want to come here was because it would mean facing your past. The very thing you haven’t let go of.”
“Careful, Frost.”
“Let’s discuss that, shall we?”
“I said,” Luke brought his finger up.
“Guys,” Ally piped in. “This is not helping.”
Sam shook his head. “If you want to stay here, fine, but I’m going out there.”
“I wouldn’t advise that,” Corporal Stigers came in. “There’s more of them out there today than yesterday.”
“Then we go in the armored truck. I just need to see if he’s there.”
Luke chuckled. “He means, he just wants to see if Bryan is there.”
“Oh screw you, Luke.”
“Look, we have a limited amount of ammo and we’re going to need that ammo for this evening.”
“I thought you said there was enough ammo.”
“I didn’t say that. I said, we’ll be long gone by the time we run out.”
“And by long gone you mean?”
“We are heading out in forty-eight hours.”
“Then let’s get going.”
Corporal Stigers placed a hand on Sam’s chest as he went to walk by him. “Didn’t you hear a single word I said?”
“He rarely does,” Luke muttered.
“Look, I appreciate what you did for us today but I didn’t come all this way to back out now. We’re not far from King Street. If you don’t want to take me, I’ll go on foot.”
With that said Sam exited the building and went to fill his pockets with ammo. Ally came out after him and fell in step.
“I’m coming with you and—”
“Why would I even stop you? It would be pointless.”
“Now you are starting to know me.”
He smiled and both of them gathered what they needed. It was late afternoon and in a matter of hours, the town would be drenched in darkness. They hadn’t been at the truck a few minutes when the others came out and began preparing themselves. Sam didn’t say anything to them. He wasn’t going to give anyone a pat on the back or discourage them. The more that helped, the greater the chance of survival. When Stigers came out he stood there watching them gear up.
“You sure you all haven’t had military experience?”
“My father is a SEAL.”
“Oh?”
“Her father was also our correctional officer,” Billy remarked.
“Well, that explains a lot.” He walked a short distance away and indicated for one of his men to go with them. “Michaels will take you there. Get in. Get out. If you get caught out there after dark, we won’t be coming for you until morning. You hear me?”
They nodded.
“And that goes for you too, Michaels. Take them to the drop site. If they don’t get out in time, you leave them there and head back. You hear me?”
“Yes sir.”
He looked at his watch. “Get going.”
“Well, that’s comforting to know,” Billy said stepping into the vehicle. For a moment Sam thought Luke was going to hang back but before the driver pulled away he stopped it and got in. He glanced over at Sam.
“I’m not doing this for you,” Luke muttered.
“I didn’t think you would.”
With that said, he slammed the door shut and the truck crawled out of the lumberyard. Michaels gunned the engine and then asked for directions. Sam sat up front and Billy leaned over the seat to get a view of the road ahead.
“So Michaels, what made you sign up for this shit?”
Michaels twisted his head slightly. “Stop breathing down my neck.”
“Oh, sorry,” Billy adjusted himself. “You know I’ve always wondered, how much they pay you guys to do a job like this? I bet you earn a shitload in danger pay?”
“I am getting shit for this.”
“What?”
“Who’s going to pay me?
The vehicle rumbled along. A few of the insane rushed out but disappeared in the rearview mirror as dust kicked up.
“Then why the hell are you doing this?”
“The same reason you are.”
Billy nodded. “I’m doing this for ladies. When the power gets back up, and believe me it will, I have some sweet shots of me cracking a few skulls on my phone.” He pulled it out and pressed a button. Nothing happened. It was dead. “That is when I have power to charge the thing. Bastard died on me.”
Michaels looked over to Sam who was focusing on the road.
“And you? What are you doing this for?”
“Redemption, isn’t that right, Frost?” Luke muttered from the back seat. “Our man’s on a mission to right his wrongs and clean his slate. He’ll tell you it’s not but don’t believe him. He’s a real humanitarian.”
Sam didn’t bother to reply. He knew he was just tossing bait out waiting for him to take a bite. The streets were littered with paper being blown in the breeze like tumbleweed. Trash cans had been overturned and windows smashed. Some of it was the aftermath from the skinheads. Sam’s eyes scanned the windows for survivors. Where were they? They couldn’t have all been turned. He glanced up in the mirror and looked at Luke fiddling with his gun.
Luke wasn’t wrong. He was here for Bryan.
Getting Tom out was part of it, but not the only reason. He still felt the rage he did the day it all came to an end. He’d given a lot of thought to where he’d gone. Had he survived in the woods? Found shelter until they were gone and then returned? Did he go with some of the skinheads who escaped to a nearby town? No amount of time in the wilderness with Murphy and Dan could rid Sam of the hate he felt for Catz. He was the one behind it all, pulling the strings, arranging for the rally and no doubt making sure that certain people had their turn with Kiera in the nursing home.
He deserved nothing less than death for his involvement in it all.
“Alright, ready yourselves, we are coming up on the house.”
Michaels pulled the vehicle right up onto the curb and over the grass, parking it outside the front door.
“We good?” Luke asked before releasing the side door and hopping out. Michaels gave him the thumbs-up and everyone exited and dashed into the house. The front windows were broken and the door was han
ging off its hinges. Inside it was dark. The only light came from what remained of the day. The sun itself was beginning to wane behind the trees.
“Tom?” Sam called out but there was no answer. Just an eerie silence. The memory of entering the place came back to him as he stepped into the kitchen. He saw a photo of Tom’s family on the counter. He was the only child in their family.
“Check upstairs.”
Corey and Billy went up to clear the rooms while Luke remained on the door and Kiera and Ally took the back of the house. The place had been destroyed. It bore a pale resemblance to what Sam remembered. Someone had been through it and made a point to turn the place upside down.
When Billy came down he shook his head.
“Alright let’s go,” Luke said. “We are done.”
He rushed out and hopped into the truck followed by the others. Sam was the last one out the door.
“Come on, Sam, it’s going to get dark soon.”
Sam lingered for a few seconds in the doorway. In some strange way he almost felt glad that others had experienced upheaval so they could at least know what he had felt most of his life. But the danger, the death and loss he wouldn’t wish upon his worst enemy. Sam raced back and hopped in, Luke banged the steel door closed and Michaels turned in his seat.
“We good?”
Luke gave him the thumbs-up. He began to roll out.
“Ally, where did your father say he left the ham radio?”
“The church.”
Sam’s eyes met Michaels’.
“Oh no. No,” Luke said leaning forward. “We are not going there. Michaels, take us back.”
“Look, it’s not far from here. We swing over, take a look. If he’s not there we go back.”
“You just don’t know when to quit, do you?” Luke slumped back in his seat.
“Again, no one forced you.”
“If I hadn’t come you would have just tossed it up in my face any chance you got. No way.”
“Then shut the hell up and let’s do this.”
Michaels glanced at his watch. The remaining daylight was fading fast. Michaels didn’t say he would take them but it was clear that’s where they were going. They swerved left up First Street and then hung a right on Cedar. The whole time the vehicle was powering forward it felt as though they were racing against time itself.
The armored truck screeched into the parking lot and they piled out and rushed towards the back door. Sam eased it open and was immediately greeted by the sight of a dead body, a bullet straight through its skull. He recognized him as a local to the town, a man in his golden years. Michaels gave them a flashlight to use. Sam rested it on top of the AR-15 as he moved in and hugged the wall on the right side while Corey stayed close to the wall on the left. Billy went to say something but thankfully Kiera put a hand over his mouth. His muffled words couldn’t be heard. They pressed on checking each room as they went. Bodies were everywhere. They were all over the floor, piled on top of each other as though they were clambering to get at someone. Sam recalled Tom’s words and the scream of that thing. It sent a cold shiver all over him. Fear trickled through his body as he scanned the next room. When they eventually found the ham radio it was on the floor and destroyed. All that remained were pieces of metal, snapped wire and blood covering it. Was it Tom’s?
They motioned to each other with hand signals. The last place to check was the sanctuary. It was silent inside as they approached the far end of the hall that led up to the large double doors. Sam noticed a belt had been tied around the handles and a bar squeezed between.
Ally shook her head.
“Sam,” Kiera said. “We’ll go check the other door.”
He nodded. Ally, Corey and Kiera disappeared down a dark hallway. Billy was moving forward when he stepped on a piece of broken stained-glass window. It crunched beneath his feet. The second it did, they heard something. It sounded like someone who was muffled with a rag.
Sam placed his ear up to the door. He listened intently for a second. He was just about to pull away when he felt a force hit the other side. The impact knocked him back. His pulse started to race. All three of them raised their guns.
11
The pounding was relentless. Sam was about to call out to Ally but she had already rushed up to see what the commotion was.
“That’s it, we are out of here,” Luke said heading back towards the exit. The others were in agreement. They moved quickly but Sam stood there staring at the door.
“Sam!”
He watched the door rattle each time it was hit from the other side. He looked at the bar and began to shake his head and stepped closer.
“Sam, what are you doing?” Kiera asked. He wasn’t paying any attention. He was completely fixated on the bar. He slung his AR behind his back and reached for the belt and began to unlock it. He hadn’t even managed to unhook it from the notch when Luke came over and yanked him back.
“Okay, I went along with your asinine idea to enter this town, and I even went to Tom’s but you are not putting our lives in further danger.”
“Step off.”
“Or what?” He pushed Sam back. “Huh?”
“Guys, this is not the time.”
It didn’t matter what was being said to them, they weren’t paying any attention. Sam pushed by him and returned to unlocking the door when Luke hit him in the back of the head so hard that he fell face forward to the floor. The skin on his palms grazed against the hard unfinished concrete. His AR came off his back and slid across the floor. Sam turned and felt a shot of rage go through him. As he began to haul himself up, Luke kicked him against the door and his face struck the metal pipe that was lodged between the handles.
“Luke,” Corey yelled grabbing hold of him.
“Get off,” Luke said trying to pull away from Corey.
Sam wiped his bloody lip. He got up and turned to find Luke tussling with Corey who was trying to place him a headlock. Luke slipped out and right hooked him in the face. With Luke’s back still turned, Sam rushed at him and tackled him. Luke heaved and groaned when he hit the ground. Sam started smacking him in the ears with both fists and then lifted his head and pounded it once on the ground. All the while Ally was screaming for them to stop. Billy and Corey grabbed Sam’s arms and pulled him off Luke.
“Stop it!”
Sam pried his arms away from their grip and tried to act like he wasn’t going to do anything else. The second they backed away, he charged at Luke while he was still on the ground and kicked him hard in the stomach.
“You ever lay a hand on me again, I will kill you.”
Sam went back over to the door and unhooked the belt. Once it was loose, he pulled the metal pipe, and yanked hard on the door handles. As it opened and they peered in the darkness, a figure came rushing forward and launched in the air taking Sam to the ground. It took a second to see who it was but then he could tell.
It was Tom Barrington.
“Tom!”
Pushing him off, Billy shone a light against his face. He was gagged and his hands were bound with a thick layer of masking tape and zip ties. A few pieces were still stuck to his ankles, where he had managed to cut through them. At first, because of all the blood they thought he had turned into one of them but that wasn’t the case. His face was swollen as though he had endured one hell of a beating. He was fortunate to be alive.
Corey went about cutting him loose. When they got the gag off he could barely speak. It looked as though a few of his teeth had been pried out of his mouth and he had shallow lacerations all over his skin. Some of them had scabbed, others looked like they were on their way to being infected by exposure to grime.
“Let’s get him out of here.”
Billy and Corey took an arm each and began to drag him towards the exit. Luke was back up on his feet, though nursing a bruised face and stomach. Sam glared and ambled out the door behind the others. When they made it outside, they turned towards where the vehicle should have been but it
was gone.
“Where the hell is he?”
Sam rushed towards the alley, but the truck wasn’t there. Kiera went to the far end of the building then returned shrugging.
“That bastard has left us.”
Darkness had fallen and instead of warning them, he had just pulled away. Sam lost his temper and kicked a metal shopping cart that was laying on its side. “Fuck!” He yelled.
A sound of screams could be heard in the distance. They were getting closer.
“We need to get in now.”
All of them raced inside and pulled the doors closed. Sam grabbed the belt and steel bar that had been used to keep the doors closed on the sanctuary and secured the back exit.
“Find anything that can be used to secure the sanctuary doors from the inside and get in there.”
Outside the sound of feet could be heard running. It was getting closer and the high-pitched wails and screeching became even louder. They backed into the sanctuary and locked themselves in. From inside they could hear feet scrambling over the top of the roof and pounding on the outside. The squeal of fingernails being grated against wood cut right through them.
The only light source came from the one flashlight and the moon, which shone through rose-colored glass high up in the cathedral style ceiling. While Ally sat with Tom, the rest checked the front doors and made sure they were secured. The beauty of the church was that it was constructed out of solid concrete and high windows, making it virtually impossible for someone to attempt to break in or out.
Outside the wails of the insane slowly dissipated. Sam figured they had seen something or perhaps someone and were off to wreak havoc.
“Okay, all secure. So we wait here until the morning. We can do this,” Billy said while looking around nervously. Sam went over to Tom. They had laid him out on the carpeted floor. He was still breathing heavily but Ally was stroking his head trying to calm him.
“How did you know it wasn’t one of them behind the door?” Ally asked.
“By what had been used for restraints on the door. Had that been one of them, I’m pretty sure whoever secured it would have used more than that.”
