Flynn entered the town hall and searched for Boyd Anderson. For once, he was not around. Flynn walked over to the reception desk.
“Hey,” he said, rubbing the top of his head, trying to keep it cool after what he had just heard. “Is Boyd around?”
“No, he is at home,” the receptionist replied.
“Okay, where is that?” he asked.
“Number 613,” she replied. “It’s about a ten-minute walk from here.”
Flynn walked away from the reception. He ventured back outside. He looked across the street to see Rebecca. She had just come back from a routine patrol around the perimeter. She was sweating from being out in the heat.
“Rebecca!” Flynn called.
Rebecca looked over. She walked over from the other patrollers. She smiled as she walked up to him. “What’s up?” she asked.
“Oh, nothing. Just making sure you are okay. Do you need a drink?”
The onlookers looked at Flynn as he laughed and bantered with her.
“Meet me at Anderson’s house in ten,” Flynn ordered under his breath. “And don’t make it obvious.” Flynn walked away.
***
Boyd Anderson sat on the end of his bed. He tried not to perch over the edge. He looked out of the window and across the open plains. He looked at the huge fence that had been installed around his town. The last of the work was just about to be completed. He looked at the small workforce. They seemed to be very motivated.
“Boyd,” Mary Anderson, Boyd’s wife, called.
Boyd froze for a few seconds, still looking out across the plains. “Yeah?”
There was a short pause.
“Flynn is here. He says he needs to speak to you.”
Boyd got up and walked down the stairs. He tipped his sun hat and looked at Flynn. “Hey, Flynn. Did you take that break? You needed it.”
“Can I come in, please?” Flynn asked.
“Of course you can,” Mary replied.
Flynn walked into the house. “Rebecca is going to be here in a few minutes,” he said.
“Why?” Boyd asked
“Just trust me.”
Flynn sat down on the settee. Rebecca walked in about five minutes later, just like Flynn asked. Boyd sat down as well looking at him.
“Okay,” Boyd said. “What is going on?”
Flynn sat up. He knew that he was going to speak first. “Sir, I have just spoken to Justin.”
“Yes?” Boyd replied.
“Doesn’t something seem odd about him?” Flynn said. “A young kid, just appearing here in the middle of nowhere?”
Boyd got up and turned around to look out the window onto the fence. “It has crossed my mind a few times, but anything can happen in this day and age.”
“He has just told me something interesting,” Flynn stated.
Rebecca turned her head to look at Flynn.
“What did Andrew Parker say about his helicopter when he arrived?”
Boyd looked up, trying to remember back to last week about the conversation at the town hall.
“The range…” Flynn said. “He said it had the ability to fly 600 miles.”
Boyd turned around to look at Flynn. “And your point is…?”
“We travelled 200 miles to that fuel depot,” Flynn said, “and his helicopter can only travel up to 250, according to Justin, whose dad was apparently a helicopter enthusiast. I’ve done the maths. He would have run out of fuel making two journeys there and back”
Boyd looked down at the floor of his house. He gently rubbed the top of his head. “I’ve had my suspicions from day one.”
“Why did you accept his offer then?” Rebecca asked.
“What choice did I have?”
Rebecca began to intervene. “So, if this guy isn’t who he says he is, who are we dealing with?”
Flynn looked at Boyd. “I have an idea,” Flynn said.
***
Zane Bradshaw turned his head and looked up at the light purple sky. The sun continued to descend to the horizon. The last of Andrew’s men had boarded the bus, which was now ready to take them home.
Just then, Boyd Anderson walked up to Zane. “You and your people are doing a great job,” Boyd praised.
“We need to,” Zane replied.
“Yeah,” Boyd said. “Well, give Andrew my thanks again for his support.”
“Will do,” Zane replied. Zane and Boyd shook hands. “We need to go” Zane announced. “It’s getting dark.”
“I agree,” Boyd replied. “God knows who or what is out there.”
Zane gave a brief smile. A sudden rumble was then heard. “Now what?” Zane asked. Zane walked over to one of the supply trucks. He approached one of the drivers. “What is it?” he asked the driver.
“Fucking thing won’t start,” the driver moaned.
“Shit,” Zane said. He turned around and stormed back over to Boyd. “Sorry,” Zane said. “That shit piece has broken down.”
Boyd looked at the truck, seeing smoke hissing out of the hood. A huge golden padlock was on the back of it. “We’ll send someone to fix it,” he said.
Zane turned around and climbed onto the bus. The only sound heard was the hissing hydraulics of the doors as they closed. A puff of fumes came from the engine as the bus pulled away. Boyd looked away as the bus pulled away. He turned around and stormed to the town hall. He walked up the steps and headed, towards his office, not making eye contact with anyone. He shut the door to his office behind him after Rebecca had entered. He looked out the window onto the truck.
Rebecca looked at Boyd. “Planted?” she asked.
Boyd turned on his heels and looked into her eyes. “Planted.”
Flynn grasped to the underneath of the bus. He looked to his left as they passed through the town gates. He noticed the black boots of one of the town officers. He shook his head as the bus pulled away from Tamagoroa.
***
Flynn felt the palms of his hands starting to go numb. He had been holding onto the underneath of the bus for almost an hour when the bus came to a stop. He looked out from underneath of the bus; it was now dark. One of Andrew’s men slowly walked up to the side of the bus. He had a wooden stick with a mirror attached to it. Flynn watched as he placed it under the bus. Flynn trembled as he pulled his body to the left. The mirror passed underneath him. The man must have been tired and hungry as he just pulled it away without checking thoroughly.
“Clear,” Flynn heard him declare.
The bus then pulled into some warehouse. It ground to a halt after it did a U-turn. Flynn could see some rubbish bins. He let go of the dirt underneath pipes, and he touched down onto the ground, trying not to make any noise. he shuffled along the ground, and from underneath of the back of the bus, he managed to get behind the boxes before the exhausted staff got off the bus. They all strolled off, tired and frustrated. The perimeter was done now. Nothing infected would be able to enter the town. Flynn crouched down and looked around the warehouse, trying to stay out of sight. The workers seemed to be surrounding someone; it was Andrew Parker. He was standing on a box so that he could oversee the workforce. They just stood there, awaiting his commands
Andrew took a deep breath. “Listen up,” he said.
The workers all froze as they gave their full attention to Andrew.
“The fence around Tamagoroa,” Andrew began, “is finished. We can go ahead with phase two of our plan. Our mole has been planted, and our batch of the infected is within the town’s perimeter. Soon, Tamagoroa is going to be our new home.”
“So, now what?” a voice called.
“We wait,” was Andrew’s answer.
“For what?” the same voice called.
“For every single person in Tamagoroa to be dead, including the fireman boy.”
Flynn continued to stare at Andrew Parker when he suddenly felt something push into the back of his head.
“One false move and you are history,” Flynn heard a voice behind him say.
Flynn slowly rai
sed his hands. Andrew looked up and saw Flynn slowly emerge from the dark corner of the building.
“Well, well, well,” Andrew said. “So, you must have heard everything I said.”
“I did, yeah,” Flynn yelled. “You won’t get away with it.”
“That’s what you think.”
Flynn stepped forward, keeping his hands on the back of his head. “So, come on, then,” Flynn said. “What are you going to do to the town after you claim it as yours?”
“Run it myself,” Andrew replied. “Better than that old cradock.”
“Hey, he trusted you!”
“Ha!”
“You do know this isn’t going to work.”
“Don’t worry. Soon, the infection will wipe out the town.
“How can you attack with the infection?” The town is secure.”
“You’ll see when I show you.”
Flynn was kicked to the ground.
“Tie him up,” Andrew ordered. “Now.”
“Yes, sir.”
Flynn was dragged over to one of the metal poles. Flynn felt his hands being cable-tied to the pole.
“You won’t get away with this!” he shouted.
“It’s too late,” Andrew said.
Flynn struggled to break the cable tie.
Chapter Fourteen
Justin looked at Chelsea. He walked up to her quickly. She turned around to him.
“Chelsea,” Justin said.
“What’s up?”
“We got to go.”
“What? Why?” she yelped.
Without a word, Justin grabbed hold of Chelsea and pulled her along.
Spencer came around the corner. “Going somewhere pretty boy?” Spencer asked.
Rebecca, holding her rifle, then appeared and stood behind Spencer. She looked straight at Justin. She could see a slightly guilty look on his face.
“Move it, shitbag,” Spence said as he grabbed Justin by the hair and dragged him towards the town hall.
“Hey!” Chelsea snapped.
“One noise out of you, and I’ll break your nose!” Spence said to Justin, ignoring Chelsea’s cry.
Justin looked ahead as they entered through the rear entrance to the building.
“Get him in!” Boyd ordered.
“What is going on?” Chelsea demanded as she followed after Justin.
“That’s what we’re here to find out, darling” Spence stated as he dragged Justin up the stairs. He then pushed the office door open and threw Justin onto a chair.
Boyd walked over to Justin, his arms wide apart and the top button on his shirt undone.
“What is going on?” Chelsea demanded again.
“I think we’ll let the pretty boy speak,” Spence said aloud.
Boyd walked over to the window. He peered through the blinds onto the town. He then turned around and looked back down at Justin. He walked over to his desk and pulled out a small glass bottle which had a huge glass lid. He poured a tiny drop of whisky into a glass and slowly sipped it. “Let me tell you something,” Boyd said. “You talk, and I can help you. Now…tell us what really happened out there.”
Justin lowered his head again and recalled all that had happened before his arrival in Tamagoroa.
***
Justin looked up to heavy gunfire in the back of the military truck. Lucy was looking around, grasping to Justin’s arm. Justin stood up and looking out the front of the truck. The tree was still in the middle of the street. The infected were storming in from all directions.
“Shit!” The sergeant gasped. “You!” The sergeant pointed at Austin McCauley.
McCauley stood up and looked at the sergeant. “Your orders are…?” he yelled.
“Try and keep these people alive.”
Austin looked at the Sergeant. “Sir!” he yelled. Austin turned and looked at Adam, Justin, and Lucy. “Come on,” He ordered
Justin unzipped his bag and pulled the rifle out. He went to Austin.
Austin looked at Justin as he held onto the rifle. He shrugged his shoulders. “I hope you know how to use that.”
Justin swung the rifle up and squeezed the trigger. The bullet went through one of the infected just as it was about to attack Austin.
Austin shrugged his shoulders. “All right, then.”
“Lucy, come on!” Justin ordered. Justin grabbed hold of Lucy, pulling her along. The infected slaughtered the people on the convoy and took it over. Screams from the survivors were now gone. No one was left alive.
“Fuck,” Austin gasped.
Justin kneeled to Lucy, keeping his eye out for the infected.
“We got to go,” Austin ordered.
“Lucy,” Justin said, tapping her arm.
Lucy shook herself out of her daydream and looked at Justin.
“Come on, we got to go,” Justin said again. Justin picked up Lucy and pulled her through the shrubbery, trying not to crack any of the sticks on the ground.
“What’s the plan?” asked Adam.
“Try to stay alive,” Justin replied.
Justin, Adam, Austin, and Lucy walked through the bushes, keeping their eyes peeled for the infected. Something eventually grabbed Justin’s attention. He stopped and looked out onto the ocean as he saw a marina. There were a few boats left in the jetty. Some were yachts; one was a speedboat. This was not what had caught his attention though; what had caught his attention was further in the distance: a cruise ship. Adam and Lucy noticed it as well.
“Look at that,” Adam gasped.
Justin and Lucy stared at the huge ship as it floated in the bay. Justin walked forward down the hill that led to the road. The road was dead both ways. Justin looked at the wooden steps that led down to the quay. “Come on,” he ordered.
Justin looked through the sight of the rifle as he advanced down the stairs to the empty car park. He then looked forward at the jetty restaurant. It was a new, gleaming white building. Justin peered through the sight of the rifle, looking for any of the infected. The coast seemed clear. Justin advanced forward towards the restaurant. He looked inside and reaching out.
“Please…” he pleaded as he lowered the handle. The door clicked it’s open. Justin walked in. The air conditioning was still running. The blades on the ceiling were spinning. Justin walked through the restaurant and looked at the bar. He then entered the kitchen and looked around it. Some unprepared food had been left on the counter.
Lucy and Adam slowly strolled in as Justin walked through to the other side of the restaurant. He looked out across at the huge cruise ship. It was just floating, not anchored.
Adam walked up behind Justin, followed by Austin. Austin reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small set of binoculars. He looked across at the ship. He zoomed in on the deck.
“Can you see anything?” Justin asked.
Austin continued scanning the ship. No signs of life could be seen at all. “Here, take a look,” he offered.
Justin grabbed hold of the binoculars and looked across at the ship. He couldn’t see any signs of life, either. As he continued scanning the ship, he came across the name, ‘The Pearl Prize Liner.’ Justin lowered the binoculars.
“The Pear Prize Liner…” he mumbled. Justin span around. “That’s the ship my mum and dad went on!”
“Are you sure?” asked Adam.
“I am. Trust me.”
A crash was suddenly heard. Justin looked back at Lucy. She had collapsed onto the floor.
“Lucy!” Justin called as he and Adam ran over to her. “Lucy! Come on, girl.”
“What’s that?” Adam asked, noticing a band around Lucy’s wrist.
Justin looked at the band. “She’s diabetic. She needs insulin.”
Adam looked around. “Is there a hospital near?”
“No.”
“So, how do we help her?”
Justin let his breath out. He lifted his head, and so did Austin. They stared through the clear huge glass window. They locked their eyes onto the ship.
>
“Justin, no!” Adam said.
“I’ve got to.”
“No. We’ve got to,” Austin said. “I’m coming with you.”
Justin looked at Austin as he stood up clocking the rifle. “How we getting across?” Justin asked.
Austin looked at the marina. There were a few boats there, some of which were owned by a scuba-diving company. “Wait here,” he said.
Austin stormed out of the restaurant, grasping his rifle, and headed for the scuba-diving company’s building. He pushed the glass door open looking around the centre. The floors were clean; there were no muddy footprints or anything. Austin continued further into the building. He looked to see one of the back offices. He entered the office and looked at a silver box that was on the wall. He swung it open. There, lined up next to each other, were keys with numbers on them. He grabbed key number 65, uttering “lucky number” under his breath.
As Justin got into the speedboat and looked out at the cruise ship, Austin strolled up behind him, holding onto a rope and metal hook.
“What’s that?” Justin asked.
“Our ticket onto the cruise ship,” Austin replied.
Justin looked at Austin as he put the keys into the speed boat’s ignition and brought the engine to life. Justin smiled as he looked back at the building.
“Is Adam staying behind?” Austin asked.
Justin nodded.
“Let’s do this’ Austin said
Austin pushed the throttle levers forward.
“Full power?” Austin asked.
“Full power!” Justin replied.
As Austin pushed the two throttles to maximum power, Justin felt the cool air blow through his hair as they homed in on the ship. The huge lettering on the side of the ship slowly started to get bigger by the second. Justin looked up at the ship. the moon’s gleam had now been blocked out by the huge vessel. He looked up and squinted as Austin tied the rope to the hook.
“Step back a bit,” Austin requested.
Justin stepped back, still holding onto the rifle. Austin swung the hook around and launched it up towards the deck of the ship. The hook stalled.
“Fuck it,” Austin complained. He attempted again to attach the hook to the side of the ship but failed once again. “Fuck!” Austin said again.
Justin squinted his eyes. “Give me your torch,” he asked. Austin gave Justin his torch, and Justin switched it on. he shone it up on the side of the ship, on the anchor. “Try that,” he suggested.
Fear The Outback (Book 1): Fear The Outback Page 16
