Fighting for War

by W. C. Hoffman

  “Don’t shoot,” he begged.

  “Shut up,” Koby snapped.

  “Tiny, you good?” Brady asked.

  Tiny scratched his head. “Um. I think I hit this guy too hard.”

  Brady almost laughed. His friend sounded like Hunter when he had disappointing news to share.

  Koby walked over while Brady was going through the driver’s clothes to see what he had. He relieved the guy of his pistol and ammunition.

  “Hit him too hard? That’s a fucking understatement,” Koby said with a laugh. He stepped over the body. “By the way, Tiny - shotgun.” He climbed into the passenger seat.

  “Why’d you kill him you big black ape?” the driver shouted.

  “Shut your damn mouth.” Brady slammed his rifle stock into the man’s head. It bounced off the concrete, and he fell silent. “Racist fucker.”

  “Dump them in the woods?” Tiny asked, apparently unfazed by the comment. He dragged the other body around the SUV by the back of his shirt with one hand.

  Brady sighed. “You damn near took off the guy’s head.”

  “Like I said, I hit him too hard.” Tiny shrugged. “Pent up frustration?”

  “Damn.” Koby looked up from inspecting the back of the vehicle. “You need a girlfriend.”

  Brady cleared his throat. “Let’s toss them in the hiding spot. We’ll tie this one up.” Brady gestured at the driver who was knocked out but still alive.

  “With what?” Koby asked.

  “Check the truck,” Brady snapped. He looked at his two friends.

  “Okay.” Tiny shrugged at the reasonable assumption. The dead man left a slug trail of blood as Tiny pulled him to where he’d been cuddling Koby not long ago. Tiny stopped. “Do you need help with your guy?”

  “I’ve got him.” Brady grunted as he hefted the man up into something resembling a fireman’s carry.

  The driver woke up when Brady finally dropped him next to his dead companion and began tying his hands together with a roll of paracord they had found on the floorboard of the truck.

  Tiny held his hand out for a piece of the cord.

  Brady looked at his second in command, cut a long piece off, and handed it over. “Your guy’s not going anywhere.”

  Tiny grunted.

  “Don’t leave me here like this, man,” the driver whined, inching away from his friend’s body.

  Tiny grabbed his wrists and yanked him back. He took the paracord and tied the driver to the dead man’s hand, cinching it tight. The dead arm hung limp in the air, anchoring the driver. “Now yours isn’t going anywhere, either.”

  The man let out a groan and looked away from his friend.

  “Since you’re awake,” Brady said. “What were you two doing out here?”

  “Why the hell should I tell you?” the driver snapped back.

  Tiny reached down and palmed the man’s head with his hand. He gave it a squeeze that forced the man to wince in pain. “Wrong answer.”

  “Okay, okay,” he said, leaning away from Tiny’s powerful grip. “We were collecting supplies. We had to earn our ration of BT76.”

  That was a surprise since HAGS had supposedly run low and cut everyone’s supply. Or at least that’s what they had told Goshen. He was concerned about all the activity they’d seen before. How did they have fuel for their vehicles? Brady frowned. “So, who runs this little town?”

  “A man known as Big Daddy.” The driver nodded at the look on Brady’s face. “I know, stupid right? But that’s what people call him. No first name, no last name, just Big Daddy - like he’s a goddamn rapper or something.”

  Brady and Tiny stood waiting for him to continue. Koby hobbled over to see what was taking so long.

  “We have to go out of town to collect supplies as punishment.” His head drooped. “We got caught sleeping on the job.”

  Koby smirked. “With each other?”

  “No, asshole.” The driver glared at him. “With your mom.”

  Brady backhanded him hard, eliciting a squeal of pain. “How are you guys still getting BT76 shipments from HAGS?”

  “Those fuckers flipped Big Daddy a long time ago,” the driver said, spitting blood out of his mouth. It landed with a dull splat in the dirt.

  “So he’s their bitch?”

  Brady glanced at Koby. He held his hands up. “What?”

  “Basically. Things have been tense lately, though. Word is HAGS has been twisting the screws on Big Daddy. He’s been moody as fuck lately.” The driver shifted his position, away from the body. “He ain’t happy with the new deal, if you know what I mean.”

  “Indeed.” Tiny rubbed his hands together. “What is he going to do about it?”

  The driver stared up at Tiny with obvious fear and gave a weak shrug.

  “A corrupt man working for a corrupt company,” Koby grumbled. “It’s the story of our lives. Hey, come see what we have in our new ride.”

  Brady approached the vehicle. Inside was a modest collection of scavenged weapons and tools. Underneath those were boxes of cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and alcohol. This would make a great peace offering.

  “Let’s deliver it.” Brady gaged his friend’s responses.

  “Won’t they be expecting these guys?” Tiny nodded toward the trees.

  “We won’t know unless we try.” Brady leaned on the SUV. He lowered his voice. “If nothing else, it could get us a meeting with this Big Daddy guy.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Collin awoke with a start, something that had become too frequent for his taste. His dry mouth tasted like copper. Water. Coming to his senses, he scrambled to his feet and glared at plain white wall in front of him, not even sure when he’d fallen asleep. He stood too quickly, and his head began to swim.

  Where was Hunter? The last thing he remembered was entering a room with Hunter and the others.

  His chest heaved, and sweat emerged from his flesh as panic set in. Wincing through a rush of nausea, he glanced around and saw both Hunter and Julie lying on the floor in the opposite corner of the room.

  Grabbing the wall for support, he winced at a dull pain emanating from the back of his neck. It sent tendrils of pain around his skull like a monstrous octopus wrapping its arms around his head and squeezing with all its might. He reached back to massage the ache and was horrified at what he felt.

  Something inorganic and smooth protruded from his flesh. Collin’s eyes widened, and he leaned his back against the wall.

  “No,” he growled. “No!”

  He’d been implanted with the same device the white suits had, the same device that killed the man after the movie. Those bastards had knocked him unconscious and violated him when he was helpless. Looking down at himself and then over at Hunter and Julie, disgust burned the back of his throat. Not them, he thought. Rage and frustration roiled inside him.

  Collin was one of them, a dull and lifeless shadow of his former self. They were all human drones and wore white latex outfits just like the others. How could they do this? He cocked his head and frowned. If he was a worker bee like the rest, why could he still think on his own? He didn’t feel different. Furious at what happened, especially to his family, but not as though he lacked self-control.

  Nothing can ever be easy, he thought as resolve coalesced within.

  It was too much. They had crossed too many lines. Whatever it took, no matter the cost, Collin War was going to tear HAGS and the Republic of California apart piece by motherfuckin’ piece.

  “You bastards,” he shouted, slamming his fists against the wall.

  Julie stirred a little in her induced sleep.

  Collin went to Hunter and looked at the back of his neck. Turning the boy over, he inspected the implant, wondering if there was any way Julie might be able to remove it. She was the only one of them with the proper skills.

  “Julie, wake up.” Collin nudged her shoulder. She murmured something indecipherable. “Get up.”

  She rolled to her side then onto her back
. Her eyes flicked open. She sucked in a breath and looked around.

  “It’s okay,” Collin said. “You’re safe.”

  “Collin.” Julie clasped his arm in a firm grip as though he might fade away. She continued looking around the room until she saw Hunter beside her. Her body sagged as she exhaled. “I was so worried I wouldn’t see you two again.”

  “Sit up slowly; you’re in for a bit of a surprise.”

  He could see her feel the nausea he’d felt standing up. Anger boiled within him at the injustice of it. The violation.

  Julie looked up at him. “What’s the surprise?”

  “Anything feel strange to you?” Collin scowled. She nodded. “Yep, we all have those implants we saw and, as you can see, stylish new clothes.” He gestured at them.

  Hunter began to stir.

  “Turn around so I can see,” Julie said. She felt around his implant. “Does it hurt?”

  “Not there, but the inside of my head feels like it’s being crushed.”

  “I wouldn’t be surprised if there is some kind of internal attachment, possibly around the spine.” Julie sighed and leaned back against the wall. “Don’t mess with it and don’t try to take it out. We’ll figure out something.”

  “Do you feel different?” Collin asked, resting a hand on Hunter’s shoulder.

  “No, do you?”

  Collin shook his head. “Those people out there seemed quite detached from reality.” He mostly worried about Hunter. Collin didn’t want his grandson growing up without his father and didn’t want his son growing old without Hunter.

  Hunter gasped and sat up.

  “It’s okay; we’re here,” Collin said.

  “Where are we?” Hunter gasped, clutching his forehead with one hand and steadying himself with the other.

  Collin shrugged.

  “Wherever we are, we’re together.” Julie stood to stretch her legs. “Where’s the door?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine.” Collin joined Julie. “Hunter, don’t mess with the thing in the back of your neck. We’ve all been chipped like dogs.”

  Hunter looked at him confused.

  “Never mind.” Collin shook his head. Sometimes he forgot just how much Hunter had never experienced. “Just don’t pick at it.”

  A faint click overhead changed the entire ceiling panel from glowing white to a dull burnt orange. It gave the room a surreal feeling. Then they heard another click on the far wall and a panel slid open with a whoosh, revealing the exit. In the doorway stood a man dressed like them.

  Collin moved so he was between the door and Hunter. Julie stood beside him. He could hear her nervous breaths; she was ready for action.

  “Hi, I’m Charlie.” He smiled at them with disturbing cheer in his voice. “Welcome to the facility or as we call it, the Farm.”

  “Great,” Collin said, unveiled skepticism in his voice. “What do you want?”

  “It’s not so much what I want, really.” Charlie’s smile faded, and he stepped aside.

  Dr. Denard and General Hopper entered the room followed by a woman.

  Julie gasped. Hunter stood up and moved next to Collin who was glaring at the two men and unknown woman.

  “That is a fierce look on your face, Mr. President.” Denard’s voice was also far too cheerful for Collin’s liking and way too sarcastic when using his title.

  Collin’s fingers curled into balls of fury, and he envisioned himself pummeling the lot of them to death. He took a deep breath and willed himself to ease up. He would have to play his cards right because they could end him with the click of a button.

  “Collin, you really should relax,” Hopper said casually. “After all, your body is still recovering from the procedure.” He tapped the back of his neck.

  “I’m fine.”

  They eyed each other. Tension filled the air thicker than fog on the Golden Gate Bridge.

  The woman cleared her throat and stepped forward. She pushed eyeglasses up her nose and looked at Collin with disinterest.

  “My name is Susan –”

  “Hi, Susan. Do we need these assholes here?” Collin nodded at Denard and Hopper.

  “It’s not my place to say.” Her lips tightened, but there was a twinkle in her eyes. “In any case, I am here to inform you of your work assignments.”

  “What makes you people think we’re working for you?”

  “Mr. President,” General Hopper sneered. “You will work just like everyone else. Your title wields no authority here.” He scratched his chin in mock thought. “Or anywhere for that matter.”

  “Like I was saying,” Susan said in a hard tone. “Julie Horner will be sent to medical to take advantage of her skills. You will be on janitorial duty, and young Hunter here will go with the children and learn skills that will shape them into valuable citizens of the Republic of California.”

  “Like hell.” Collin put his hands on his hips and glared at the three people before him.

  General Hopper snapped his fingers, and a split-second later Collin stiffened and shook.

  Fire seemed to course through his body, flexing his muscles to their limits. His teeth ground together, and he collapsed to the floor twitching in pain as thousands of volts of electricity ravaged him.

  “Stop!” Julie shouted.

  Hunter watched in slack-jawed surprise.

  Hopper snapped his fingers again, and the torture ended.

  Collin gasped for breath. The veins on his neck felt like they were going to explode and everything hurt. Sweat streamed down his face and back.

  “You’re going to ...” Collin wheezed as he made it to his hands and knees. He leaned back and rose into a kneeling position. “Pay for that. Each and every fucking one of you.”

  “Oh, I think not!” General Hopper shouted. His face was volcanic with spittle and hot air erupting from his mouth. “We are hunting down each and every one of your Vipers and Eagles. Anyone who didn’t drown when the dam came down will meet their end soon. Mark my words.” He delivered the last three words with jabs of his stubby finger.

  Collin wanted to reach out and snap it off, but he was shocked at the man’s irrational hatred toward his people. They simply wanted to live their lives free of outside control. They wanted to determine their own future in this new, broken world. Yet HAGS, and now the Republic of California, couldn’t seem to keep their noses out of their business.

  “You fucking murderer.” Collin’s eyes burned.

  “You’re no better. We both have blood on our hands.”

  “I don’t murder innocent people.” Collin sprung forward, landing the crown of his head on Hopper’s nose with a wicked head butt. Knocking the HAGS General back, the blow dazed Collin as well who was not fully recovered from his surgery. Collin blinked his eyes clear just in time to see the blur of Hopper’s fist coming at him. Collin’s nose crunched and blood rushed out. It left him with a red bib on his white suit. The floor didn’t fare well, either.

  General Hopper wiped blood from his own nose with the back of his hand and knelt beside Collin. He grabbed Collin by the hair and leaned in close. “If it was up to me you wouldn’t take another breath,” he said through clenched teeth.

  Even through the pain, Collin was caught off guard by the admission. If it was up to him? Hopper wasn’t the man in charge. Who was running HAGS? Who led the Republic of California? He would have to find out.

  Hopper flung Collin down on the floor. He wiped his hands off and strode out of the room.

  Susan lowered the hand from her mouth still staring wide-eyed at Collin. Her mouth moved a few times before she could form words. “Um, Hunter, Julie, please follow me.”

  Collin lay on the floor with barely enough energy to remain conscious. He looked up at his family – he considered Julie part of his family now – and gave them a wave. He knew he couldn’t keep them close by. Not at the moment.

  “I’ll find you,” he croaked.

  Hunter dropped and gave him a hug as tears dripped
out of his eyes and splashed on Collin’s bloodied suit.

  “Stay alive,” Hunter whispered.

  “For you and your dad.” Collin felt tears slip down the sides of his face, but he didn’t care. He squeezed the boy with his last bit of strength.

  The boy rose to his feet and left with Julie who gave him a meaningful glance as they left.

  Dr. Denard watched them go before turning to Collin. He clapped his hands together, nodded at him, and then motioned at the blood on the floor of the pristine room. “Welcome to the custodial crew, Mr. President. Now get a mop and clean this shit up.”

  Denard’s laughter seemed to echo in Collin’s ears as the wretched man disappeared behind the door.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  The SUV’s headlights gleamed off the chain-link fence of Delta’s main gate. Three guards stared at them from the other side while two others pushed the gate open. None of them looked concerned or that interested. Just another vehicle.

  “I sure hope this works.” Koby gripped the steering wheel tightly.

  “Just stay cool,” Brady muttered.

  Tiny sat quietly in the back underneath a tarp, their secret weapon ready to jump out like a giant sized jack-in-the-box. He had just enough room after most of the scavenged supplies were left behind with the two men. They didn’t expect trouble, but it’s better to stay prepared.

  “Well excuse me. This is my first time entering an enemy stronghold under cover.”

  “You should have let me drive.” Brady rolled his window down in response to one of the guards.

  “You don’t know how to drive.”

  “Sure I do.” Brady suppressed a grin. “It’s just all my vehicles are one horse power.”

  Koby rolled his eyes.

  “Fellas,” a guard said, approaching the driver’s side. “State your business.”

  “Supplies. For ...” Koby said, pausing. “For Big Daddy.”

  The guard nodded slowly. “Where are you coming from?”

  Koby glanced at Brady who gave a small shrug. “That way.” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

  “Show us the goods, funny guy,” the guard on the other side said. All the guards held their weapons at the ready.