Nicole's Odyssey (Human Extinction Level Loss Book 1)

by Philip McClimon

  Paul fought his emotions and let Nicole’s words seep in. He nodded in agreement.

  Nicole smiled. “Good man. Alright, let's go,” she said.

  They all exited the car, cutting through yards, and quietly made their way to Mullney’s house.

  Upon reaching the yard behind Mullney’s, they crouched in the bushes and scanned the yard.

  “You say he drove a white van, Billy?” Nicole asked.

  Billy nodded.

  “I don’t see it anywhere. Could be he ditched it, or we caught a break and he locked up Jordan and went for supplies or something. Driving through the neighborhood, we all saw Walkers so let's not forget them,” Nicole said and slung her rifle across her back.

  “I go first, the rest cover. Those that are over, cover those coming,” she instructed, then scaled the chain link fence and dropped into a crouch on the other side.

  She took up a ready position behind some boxes of junk and signaled the others. Walt and Sam helped Paul up and over the fence, then got themselves over. When they were all in the yard, they moved towards the house.

  All was quiet, and they could see no movement at any of the windows. Resorting to hand gestures, Nicole signaled Walt and Sam to go down one side of the house while she, Paul, and Billy would take the other side. Walking in a crouch they stopped at each window and peered inside. There was no sign of anyone. They all met up around the front and came up on the porch.

  “Anyone know how to pick a lock?” Nicole asked.

  Everyone shook their heads. Growing frustrated, Paul went over to the door and, with the butt of his rifle smashed out a pane of glass by the door. He reached around and unlocked the door, which slid open on squeaky hinges.

  Nicole shrugged. “He’s gonna know we’re here in a minute anyway,” she said.

  Paul went in and the rest followed him. The front room was sparsely filled with old furniture. Yellowing shades hung in the windows, rolled half way up. Boxes of junk were strewn around the room. Dirty clothes and dishes lay piled about.

  Billy crossed the wood floor and it creaked under his feet. He approached a door just off the kitchen and stared at it. Nicole approached and put her hand on his shoulder. He looked up into her face. She nodded and squeezed his shoulder. Without speaking, she pulled a pistol from her shoulder holster, clicked off the safety, and handed it to Billy. Billy looked at her for a second then took the gun.

  With a hand gesture, Nicole signaled to Walt to stay upstairs and keep a lookout. She motioned to the others to follow her as she slowly opened the door leading down to the basement.

  The wooden stairs creaked under foot as Nicole led the way down. It was dark but the light from the open door illuminated the stairs and spilled out onto the floor at the base. Nicole took point and descended. Paul, Sam, and Billy sidestepped down behind her, keeping their guns at the ready. When she reached the bottom, Nicole trained the red laser into the black silence. They advanced into the basement, when suddenly, the room was basked in light. Nicole, Sam, and Paul all spun and pointed their rifles at Billy, who stood motionless by a light-switch against the wall. Nicole breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Billy and everyone turned back to survey the room. Billy came up and stood by Nicole as they stared at an empty chain link cage, in which was a pillow and some blankets, but no Jordan.

  “He would have kept her in there,” Billy said, pointing at the cage.

  Paul came up to the cage and clung to it. He began to cry as he shook the cage in anger. Billy came up beside him.

  “She’s not dead, Mr. Baxter. He… won’t for a long time,” Billy said.

  Paul did not seem to hear him as he clung to the cage and wept, before turning and shuffling back up the stairs. Sam and Nicole turned and followed Paul up as Billy stood silently staring at the cage.

  Upstairs he could hear the others talking in hushed tones about what they should do next. Billy turned and started for the stairs when something moved on the floor. Between Billy and the stairs, a section of the floor covered by a throw rug raised up and Billy froze. Peering up at him from a crawlspace was Dermot Mullney. Billy was about to cry out when Mullney signaled him to silence with his right hand. In his left arm he clutched Jordan around the neck. Billy watched in horror as Mullney pulled a large knife and placed it on Jordan’s throat. Mullney began to whisper to Billy.

  “Now, now, Billy. Make a peep, you’ll surely weep. It’s you I want, Billy, so I’ll make you a deal. You’re life for hers. You come back to me, I send the precious girl on her way.”

  Mullney’s words came out as a slithering rasp. Billy stepped forward.

  “Yes, take me. Just let her go,” Billy pleaded.

  As Billy approached the trap-door, Mullney hissed at him.

  “Not now, you stupid cuss! Get them away, then come back to me. When I got you, they get her. Tonight. Do it tonight,” Mullney whispered.

  Billy stared at Mullney then looked over at Jordan. Tears filled her eyes and she shook in abject fear. Billy tried to calm her with his eyes before looking back into Mullney’s.

  “Please don’t hurt her. I’ll come back, I promise,” Billy said.

  Mullney stifled a maniacal laugh. “See you Billy, tonight. A deal’s a deal, I get my Billy back,” Mullney said as he lowered the door closed.

  Billy looked to the stairs as he heard someone racing down. Nicole poked her head down and looked at Billy.

  “We’ve got to go, Billy. We got walkers coming!”

  Billy started for the stairs as Nicole raced back up. He gave a final look at the carpet on the floor before retreating up the stairs.

  Thirty-Two

  “They’re surrounding us! We’ve got to go now!”

  Nicole screamed at Paul as Billy came to the top of the stairs.

  “But Jordan… what about my Jordan?!” Paul cried.

  Billy came up to Paul.

  “If Mullney ain’t here, it’s cause he stopped somewhere to get something or saw us and is gonna come back after we’re gone, Mr. Baxter. This is where he does his business. He told me there was no other place for it,” Billy said.

  Paul looked down at Billy then back up to Nicole.

  “We come back then, right? When he thinks we’ve gone, we come back!” Paul said.

  Nicole nodded at Paul. “We come back, Paul, just as soon as we can. But if we don’t get out now, we aren’t ever going to, okay?” she said.

  As if to emphasize her point, a walker slammed his head through a window and hissed and clicked its teeth. Walt and Sam each fired two rounds into its head. It went limp and hung in the glass, a shard slicing deep into its neck as the weight of its wasted body pressed down.

  “There’s more where that came from, we’ve got to go!” Walt shouted.

  His words woke Paul from his torment and he nodded his head. Nicole breathed a sigh and took his shoulder, directing him to the back of the house.

  Peering out the windows, they saw three walkers and two shufflers in the back yard advancing on the house. Nicole grabbed the door knob on the back door and looked at the others.

  “We go on my mark. When we hit the yard, we form a line, shoulder to shoulder. Shoot what’s in front of you, don’t worry about your left and right. Something gets in your way, double tap to the brain housing unit, got it,” Nicole said as she tapped the side of her head.

  Everyone nodded and Nicole got ready. Nicole turned the knob and threw open the door, just as more of the Dead shattered windows from the front of the house. She charged out, rifle pressed firmly against her shoulder and put two rounds in a shuffler at the base of the steps, off the porch. She raised her foot and kicked it away, as the others came out after her.

  They formed their line and moved into the yard. As the Dead advanced, they fell to the disciplined shots of the group. When the yard was clear, they ran to the fence. Nicole took up a rear-guard position.

  “Up and over, double time, now. Same as before, those that’s over guard those that’s coming,” she sa
id.

  Walt climbed the fence and landed on the other side and took up position. As the others went over, Three walkers came into the yard. Nicole dropped two while Sam and Walt each double tapped the third. When everyone was over, Sam stuck his fingers through the fence and tapped Nicole on the shoulder. She slung her rifle and climbed the fence, just as six more walkers entered the yard. She landed soft and took off at a run after the others.

  Nicole hit the gas and swerved the big car around two shufflers in the center of the road.

  “We’ll stop just outside of town and let things clear out. Billy! You sure he won’t kill her anytime soon, right?!” Nicole asked.

  Billy looked out the side window. “He won’t kill her,” he said.

  Nicole breathed a sigh as she tore around a corner and ran over the head of a crawler.

  As they got out of the neighborhood and back on the highway, things cleared out. Paul wrung his hands and stared out the passenger window.

  “It’s getting dark. I say we go back, get our stuff and settle in for the night. At dawn, we make our play and get Jordan back,” Nicole said.

  Everyone was silent as the GTO roared back down the highway.

  They made camp just outside of Lake City. No one spoke as they ate a quick meal.

  “I’ll take the watch. Try and get some sleep. We need to be sharp tomorrow,” Nicole said.

  Paul did not argue, he flopped down on his sleeping bag and lay unmoving. His mind was in torment. Somewhere his Jordan was with a killer, scared and alone. He did not even try to close his eyes or to sleep, his mind not letting him rest, only serving up fresh versions of the singular nightmare of losing his daughter.

  Several hours later, the night hung like a shroud. A half moon provided the only light as Billy slipped from his sleeping bag and crept away. Across from where he was sleeping, Paul watched him go. He did not rise to see where he was going, he was only glad he was gone. Paul turned and bit down hard, trying not to wish the worst for Billy.

  An hour later, Billy hid behind a line of bushes two houses down from Mullney’s. He stared into the night and saw that there were still a few walkers meandering around, but that most had wandered off. Seeing a clear shot, Billy ran over to the house and up the steps. A shuffler on the porch caught wind of him, but not before Billy threw open the door and ran inside, slamming the door behind him. The shuffler bumped against the door and began to groan and paw at it.

  Billy turned and went to the basement door. He pulled it open and descended, closing the door behind him.

  In the basement, Mullney waited. As Billy came down the stairs, Mullney began to get excited. He grabbed Billy and wrapped him in a hug. Billy looked past him, to Jordan , who pressed herself against the chain-link. Billy pulled free and went to her.

  “You have to let me take her back, Mr. Mullney. It’s not safe out there,” Billy said without turning to face him.

  Mullney turned and went to his workbench.

  “Yeah, I don’t know, Billy. That don’t seem like a good deal for ol’ Derm. I let you take her, what’s to stop you from not coming back to me?” Mullney said.

  “I came this time, I’ll come the next, like I promised. There are walkers-”

  Mullney cut him off. “NO! You ain’t getting away from Derm the worm ever again, no sir. ‘Sides, I kinda like her. She’s soft and pretty. She’ll squish real nice when the time comes,” Mullney said.

  Billy turned, tears welling up in his eyes.

  “But you promised! You said-”

  Mullney spun around. “None of that matters! All that matters is… in the cage with ya, I’m tired of explaining things to you,” Mullney said as he rushed upon Billy and grabbed his arm.

  He pressed him against the cage as he fumbled for the key. Opening the cage door, he flung Billy in and slammed the door shut behind him. Billy jumped at the door as Mullney locked it.

  “It will do you no good. They know where the house is, and they’re coming!”

  Mullney laughed as he stuffed the keys in his pocket.

  “Not to worry about that my precious love, Soon as those monsters outside clear out, we’re leaving. Before morning, before your precious friends get here,” Mullney said, grasping the cage. “What you want to go with them for, anyway, Billy Nilly. They can’t love you like I can,” he said.

  Billy hugged Jordan as Mullney stared at the floor, letting his hands drop to his sides as he turned away.

  “We’re going far from here, where it’ll just be us, just be us, till the time comes,” Mullney said as he turned and started up the stairs.

  He flipped the switch and light fled the room. In the dark, Billy held Jordan and rocked her gently.

  Thirty-Three

  Billy listened as Mullney tromped around upstairs. He heard Mullney muttering to himself, clearly agitated and upset, but could not make out what he was saying. It was a pattern that repeated. Mullney traipsed across the floor, his heavy footsteps causing dust to fall to the basement floor. Billy realized that Mullney must have seen what was outside and didn’t like it. Billy had seen them on his way up to the house. The neighborhood was not exactly overrun, but there was enough to be concerned about and Dermot Mullney was concerned. Billy began thinking that what concerned Mullney might just be the key to their escape. He held a near comatose Jordan in his arms and waited. Either Dermot was not going to like his chances taking them along, or he was going to realize he had to do something soon. The longer he waited, the closer it got to dawn, and Nicole and the others coming back.

  After what Billy estimated was another hour of Mullney pacing and fretting, he heard footsteps cross the floor and the basement door creak open. Mullney tromped down the steps and approached the cage.

  “Oh, you and your friends brought a heap of trouble down on ol’ Derm, sure enough. All their meddling about in things that don’t concern them has brought a whole peck of them dead sons’a’bitches around here,” Mullney said as he paced nervously around in front of the cage.

  Billy carefully removed his arms from around Jordan. She whimpered and tried to cling to him. Billy kissed her on the head.

  “Shh, Jordan. We’re going to be okay,” he whispered in her ear.

  Jordan wrapped her arms around herself and began to rock. Billy moved to the door.

  “Killing us now won’t increase your chances of getting out of here. But if you let us out, we’ll help you with the Dead outside, to get away,” Billy said.

  Mullney froze and looked at Billy, his face revealing the indecision running through his mind. He smiled and began to laugh.

  “Oh, now you’re just trying to trick Derm the worm. You don’t want to help me,” Mullney said.

  Billy pressed his face to the cage door.

  “Sure we do, Mr. Mullney. We don’t want to die anymore than you do. There’s strength in numbers. I almost got eaten on the way over here, but together, we can make a break for it. Then it will just be us… free and clear,” Billy said.

  Derm’s face took on a look of longing at Billy’s words.

  “You, you wouldn’t lie to ol’ Derm, now would you?” Mullney said.

  Billy looked at Mullney. “No, Mr. Mullney. I wouldn’t lie to you,” Billy said.

  Mullney rubbed his hands and looked at the ceiling.

  “Think about it, Mr. Mullney. Even if we wanted to, it wouldn’t be smart to do anything to hurt you, we’re trapped here, same as you. We need each other,” Billy said.

  Mullney gave him a sharp look and thought for a second. He went over to his workbench and picked up a hammer. He turned and approached the cage.

  “Please, Mr. Mullney. Let us help you get out of here,” Billy said.

  Mullney twirled the hammer in his hands a second, then reached into his pocket and retrieved his keys. He went over and unlocked the cage door and swung it open. Billy turned and took Jordan by the hand.

  “Come on Jordan, we’re getting out of here,” he said.

  Jordan looked up at Bil
ly as he pulled her to her feet and led her out. Mullney stepped back and held the hammer.

  “You try double crossing Derm the worm, I’ll give both of ya a good crack with my hammer,” Mullney said.

  Billy led Jordan up the stairs and Mullney followed them.

  When they got upstairs, Mullney went to a window and stared out frantically.

  “You keep a look out over there, let me know if those Deadites clear out,” Mullney said.

  Billy took Jordan’s hand and led her over by the door and whispered in her ear. Jordan did not reply but just stood motionless staring at the floor. Billy watched Mullney move from window to window, staring out. Billy went to the back of the house and looked out the kitchen window into the back yard. He saw three shufflers milling about, two in the yard and one on the back porch. Billy turned and looked into the front room. Jordan stood by the door where he had left her and Mullney paced from window to window.

  “Is it clear back there, Billy Nilly!” he called without looking back.

  Billy turned the knob on the back door as quietly as he could and eased the door open ever so slightly. He turned and went back into the front room. Mullney did not look at him, but continued to stare out the front windows. Billy stood in the entranceway to the kitchen and stared at Mullney’s back.

  “It’s clear out back, Mr. Mullney. I think we can make it,” Billy said.

  Mullney turned and looked at Billy with hopeful eyes, before shoving Billy out of the way and going to the back door. Billy looked at Jordan a second before turning and following Mullney. Mullney open the door and stuck his head out. He caught sight of the Shuffler on the porch a split second before Billy came upon him from behind.

  “You little-”

  Mullney’s words were cut off as Billy hollered and ran the last few steps. Billy threw his weight against Mullney, shoving him partially out the door. He tried to close the door behind Mullney, but Mullney’s body blocked the door. Mullney hauled himself back in and backhanded Billy across the mouth, sending him to the floor.