Go Loud (The Molting Book 4)

by C A Gleason

  “Understood.”

  Jonah gave Sven a slight sock to the shoulder. “What’s up?”

  “Because of changes, it seems obvious the Behemoth came first before the Molter. Maybe it is natural for the Molters to feed on the Behemoths when it becomes useless and cannot produce Infectors.”

  “I hate that Molters are independent now. At least before, there was some predictability.”

  “Some of them are still dependent. But both are predators in their own right.”

  “Molters are more and more self-sustaining, each with their own individual hunting drive and instincts. With the current lifecycle of the Behemoths, it’s likely Molters are birthing themselves now, right?”

  “Sounds correct.”

  “If they continue to grow as they feed instead of cocooning to become food, how big can Molters get?”

  “I haven’t seen any taller than average men. Philip, you look like you have something to add?”

  “I’ve seen lots of things I don’t understand,” Philip said. “Like why don’t they feed on each other? I mean they feed on Behemoths now, right?”

  “It must go against their instincts.”

  “Maybe. But for how long? Let’s say they hunted humans to extinction. Then what?”

  “Perhaps do exactly what you’re inferring.”

  “Hopefully we’ll never know. Anyway, what you were saying before, once I saw one, it must have been at least two or three feet taller than the others. But I couldn’t be sure.”

  “Because they’re typically hunched?”

  “Exactly.”

  “I do believe it’s possible. And I do believe you did see something abnormal, Philip.”

  “Why? I mean, I know you believe me, but how was it possible?”

  “Because I believe I’ve also seen things not always known. Not always for sure. It’s unbelievable how fast they’ve evolved. Although they showed a difference in behavior at Henrytown, surely it wasn’t the catalyst. Even though, at times I was afraid it was.”

  “Of course Molter behavior was affected by Henrytown. How could it not be?” Jonah said. “We hunted down and destroyed Behemoths already born. Any Molters linked to them were on their own from then on. To survive is the simplest of choices, even for animals. But they grouped together to hunt as a pack. Packs.”

  Jonah saw the worry on Sven’s face. But Jonah wasn’t done with his hypothesis.

  “I don’t mean what we did changed the species, but the local behavior definitely was altered because of Henrytown. As a species, Molters already were changing. Or at least it’s been possible to evolve. What went on in one town, couldn’t have changed the behavior of an entire species worldwide. But with so many changes here, who knows what’s going on in the rest of the world?”

  “The Infector bombs are proof of their evolution,” Sven stated with conviction. “At Henrytown, we believed our strategy to deter them using their dead was a defense. In all reality, it may have made everything much, much worse.”

  “How could we have known?”

  The conversation drove the convoy closer to their first destination. As each kilometer ticked away, Jonah felt more uncertain.

  “We do what we humans do,” Sven said.

  “Which is?” Philip asked.

  “Our best during the time we’re living.”

  “It’s all anyone can ever do,” Jonah agreed. “Henrytown was safe. Even I felt it and I was there for a few weeks. There could be other towns like it. Communities surviving, and discovering new ways to defend themselves.”

  Sven grimaced. “Where human sacrifice isn’t required.”

  “Fucking sickos,” Philip said. “Sick bastards.”

  “I don’t know what it could be or where, but we might encounter trustworthy people and learn from them during the drive north,” Jonah said.

  “I respect your optimism, American,” Sven said.

  “Sometimes it’s all I’ve got.”

  The drive was surprisingly smooth. The idea of the world ending made it seem as though everything else would degrade along with it, especially roads, but human ingenuity kept up with end of the world conditions.

  Unless there had been an earthquake or extreme weather or rough years passed, roads remained intact. It seemed they would remain that way for at least a few more years. Long enough for them to reach the north.

  By how fast they were driving, they’d arrive in no time at all.

  Sven stared out the box-shaped window of the UV while holding a loaded revolver on his lap. “In terms of their evolution, I would say Molters are pliable. I wonder what the species will look like, how they will be, at the end of their evolution.”

  “If it ever ends,” Jonah said.

  “Humans have been evolving since their introduction on this planet. Taller, bigger, stronger, faster, smarter. Maybe even Molters will become self-aware in the future.”

  “Nothing seems impossible these days. But they’ll definitely reach their potential, whatever it is, because most, maybe even all of them, aren’t becoming food for Behemoths anymore.”

  “I’ve often wondered what happens when a Behemoth has fed on all of the Molters serving it.”

  “I’ve wondered myself. The fact there’s so few Behemoths seems flawed.”

  “Or predetermined,” Philip chimed in again from the driver’s seat.

  “I agree,” Sven said, “but often strengths are confused with flaws, especially in nature. In this case, this flaw or strength has propelled their evolution. Molters, not Behemoths. The new strain of Molter is like a child who no longer needs their parents to watch over them. They’re all grown up.”

  The comparison was unnerving, Jonah thought. But true.

  “At first, we saw Molters and Behemoths at night. Likely the Molters hunted nocturnally because of their relationship to the Behemoths. Because the new strain doesn’t cocoon to become food anymore and are independent, I suspect the nocturnal hunting patterns tied to the Behemoths were severed. It is why they hunt day or night.”

  “Why were they nocturnal to begin with?” Philip asked.

  “It was the first stage of the Molting,” Jonah said. “Sven and I discussed it at Henrytown. Humans sleep during the night and it’s natural for prey to hunt when their prey is vulnerable. It made sense when everything began, but not so much anymore. Now the Molters don’t have to be so stealthy.”

  “Is it because people travel day and night?” Philip questioned.

  “Possibly,” Jonah said. “But I think it has to do with how many of them there are now.”

  “A lot of uncertainties,” Philip said.

  “Always,” Sven said.

  “Except for one thing,” Jonah said. “We are headed north.”

  “Yes, we are,” Sven said.

  Philip’s gloved grip tightened on the steering wheel. Strict attention turned back to the road. Jonah sensed how much of a team they all already were. It was astonishing how quickly it could occur, especially with some of them being prior service.

  But not all of them were former soldiers. The bond was because they were all human, which already made them a solid team against the enemy.

  Jonah suspected there were other teams out there. He hoped to learn about them one day, even if they were already gone.

  Or even better, one day meet them and hear their stories firsthand.

  “I agree about what you mentioned, Jonah. With so many, they can attack in force because of their sheer numbers,” Sven said. “As fast as they’ve evolved, so has their behavior. There are some who think Molters are a necessary plague to cleanse the earth of human overpopulation.”

  “Yeah, I think I heard that somewhere before,” Philip said.

  Jonah had. From Frox, the man who assumed control over the Draw, and who Jonah had shot to death at the firing line.

  Even though Jonah enjoyed hypothesizing, especially with someone as curious as he was about everything, as Sven was, and also Philip who contributed his own exp
eriences to the discussion, Jonah was anxious for a time of normalcy.

  He wanted to be around people he chose to be with, not forced to out of desperation. Also be in a healthy family environment, where the most stressful decision of the day was what to have for dinner. And where to dine.

  Except he knew that way of living was still a long way off. There was a lot of road in between here and there.

  Jonah wouldn’t be rude. He would continue to hear everyone out. But suddenly, he was as sick of talking about the Molting as Salgado was at the dig site. He didn’t want to talk about it anymore either.

  He’d had his fill as if he’d eaten too much and was about to be sick. Once Jonah moved his family to the next place they lived, he hoped never to talk about the Molting again. He wanted it to be over.

  Sensing it was nowhere near being over made him want to get it over with even faster. One way was to destroy all the bloodsucking creatures if they blocked their path. Except they’d encountered none so far. It was a positive, but also unexpected.

  No matter his understanding and appreciation of his own clearing missions.

  But he was looking forward to the next step and who might be at Fort Perry. Maybe things would go well there? He was ready for them not to. He would ensure everyone else was as prepared. Treat them like they weren’t prepared already.

  So he grabbed the radio mic, redundancy be damned. “Attention, everyone. Stagger the vehicles when you park. Ten meters at least.”

  Although the purpose of leaving space between parked vehicles was a tactic to avoid getting blown up at once during a typical war when explosives were a threat, they were dealing with another type of bomb.

  An Infector bomb, a Molter capable of discharging smaller creatures.

  “And when we exit vehicles, leave doors unlocked. Windows down. Keys in ignitions.”

  CHAPTER 16

  If as many Molters that had been at the firing line had headed this way already, Fort Perry would have been flattened. Fortunately, it hadn’t happened. Giving them time.

  The structure still impressed. Jonah felt bad for having to kill its architect. But Perry shouldn’t have tangled with him at all.

  Perry’s creation was entrenched in fog. It looked to be abandoned as the five-vehicle convoy—three pickup trucks in the middle of two UVs—drove the road through the stump forest leading to it.

  Once parked, everyone got out of the vehicles. Except for Heike and Patty, who Doreen told to remain in the truck. Sven decided to remain in his seat but with the door open.

  The UV Myers had driven was parked and still packed to the gills. Myers was nowhere in sight.

  They milled about in front of the closed gate. Surely it was secured from the inside. Anxiously, they looked for any signs of life, peering upward.

  “No sign of him,” Henry said.

  No one needed a command to keep their distance. The fort was completely silent. It seemed nothing within stirred.

  Mist swirled against the base of the fifty-foot trees with sharpened tips holding the fort together, and high-pitched wind explored the forest surrounding them.

  There was plenty of dirt in sight but there were no grave mounds. It could mean everyone left on their own accord. Or the inhabitants of the fort had all molted.

  Jonah remembered thinking that Molters discarded their burial behavior, instinct signaling to them they were unstoppable. Jonah kept it to himself.

  “I’m not too crazy about this lack of visibility,” Salgado said.

  “None of us are,” Jonah said.

  Salgado cupped a hand to the side of his mouth but held back a yell. “Myers?” He waited. “Maybe he’s pissing.”

  “He should be waiting on us.” Jonah peered upward. “People might be in there.”

  “Or something else,” Donnelly said.

  Nico, Philip, and Jacobs mirrored Donnelly’s posture with weapons held at the ready. Even Bernard was nervous. Jonah noticed his weapon hand trembled.

  “I get it, guys,” Jonah said to them. “But there were kids.”

  “Yeah, but since then everyone must have run off or got killed,” Salgado said. “This ain’t good, man.”

  “There should be guards up there at least threatening us, right?” Henry said. “I don’t see anybody.”

  “And what are we going to do to find out? Breach the walls?” Salgado said. “If Behemoths can’t, how the heck can we?”

  “Salgado, walk the fort,” Jonah said.

  Salgado brought his automatic rifle up at the ready. “No problem.”

  “Donnelly, will you back him up?”

  Donnelly glanced at Jonah. For a split second he might question or even object to the command.

  But someone needed to be in charge, and Jonah was in no mood to vote. And if anyone did challenge him, they would have to deal with Henry.

  “Yeah, man,” Salgado said to Donnelly. “Help me out.”

  Jonah appreciated the assist. And Jonah didn’t have to remind the rest of them to keep weapons ready. But he did address one aspect.

  “Keep fingers off triggers. We don’t need anyone accidentally getting shot. Or shooting themselves in the foot.”

  “If the people didn’t decide to leave, Molters must have gotten inside the fort,” Doreen said. “Why else would there be no one in sight?”

  “How though?” Henry said. “I don’t see any damage from entry.”

  Jonah looked above at the platform, where guards had walked when he was taken there against his will. There was no one up there now. It didn’t make any sense.

  Unless . . .

  “They’re returning,” Bernard said.

  Salgado and Donnelly hustled back. Jonah was about to ask why they’d returned so quickly but he noticed Salgado’s expression. He shook his head at him.

  Jonah walked up to him and leaned in.

  “At least two,” Salgado whispered. “Probably more.”

  Donnelly held his automatic rifle at an angle against his chest. “There’s no one here to save, Jonah. Not anymore. So no longer a reason to stay.”

  Jonah nodded. “No choice but to drive on. Jacobs?” Jonah pointed. “I want you driving the . . .” Referring to the UV as Myers’s UV no longer applied. “the UV.”

  “All right,” Jacobs said.

  Jonah’s command to Jacobs allowed the others to know Myers was dead. Jonah took a step away from the gate, but his boot squished.

  Looking down, he’d stepped into a large flesh pile. The feeling—even through a boot—reminded him of stepping on a sea creature while calf deep in the ocean.

  Squinting, he felt revulsion sting the bottom of his stomach, and it made him want to heave. The person who molted must have been obese?

  Suddenly, the Earth felt even more foreign, alien, as if a different planet entirely. One where the human race didn’t have a place, yet humans remained. Now it belonged to another life form. Things aggressively replacing humans.

  If mankind doesn’t belong on Earth, then where do we go?

  He couldn’t make out the flesh pile clearly. It was overly bloody, as if a very tall and heavy man simply unzipped his skin and took it off.

  Henry eyed it. “Is that a . . .”

  “Yes,” Jonah said without taking his eyes off it. “No flies.”

  Or flies already fed on other flesh piles, laid their eggs, and moved on to somewhere else. It meant remnants of a molting was recent.

  Too soon to liquefy and vanish from sight, as was his hypothesis about what happened to the remains of the latest strain of creatures.

  A piercing scream.

  A fight. Near the wood line.

  So high in pitch, there was no mistaking it. It was a girl. She was struggling to survive.

  Jonah’s view snapped to Henry’s truck. There was no one inside the cab.

  Not another very bad thing. Please.

  “Why wasn’t anyone—Heike!” Jonah yelled.

  “Jonah!” Doreen was panicked. “Where is she?”<
br />
  “No!” Jonah yelled.

  Jonah’s pistol was already in hand as he ran for the source, ready to swing the automatic rifle strapped around him into firing position if necessary.

  Adrenaline coursed through him, but he couldn’t run fast enough. It felt like he were trudging through a swamp.

  “I told her!” Doreen shouted after him. “I told her to stay in the truck!”

  Panicky faced men stared at Jonah in disbelief as he blurred past them. Sven stepped out of the UV.

  “Men, get the lead out!” Jonah shouted. “Move your asses!”

  They did as commanded and ran after Jonah.

  Not one of them could keep pace with him, especially Henry and Bernard and Sven, who did their best to keep up with the younger men.

  Molters were in a frenzy.

  CHAPTER 17

  The tearing and biting and clawing amplified. It was how Jonah imagined hibernating Molters would feed on prey, after waking up and clawing their way out of a cave being so hungry. It was his worst fear to happen to a loved one.

  Jonah was already devastated. And Doreen. How will she go on? How could any of them possibly continue the drive north?

  Miraculously, Heike appeared, standing up after having fallen down. She was alive.

  Alive!

  Jonah’s heart skipped a beat. Heike had been running toward the attack too but from a different direction.

  Where had she been?

  “Heike!” Doreen shouted in disbelief. “Oh, Heike!”

  Heike ignored her mom and raised her pistol. She began methodically shooting as fast as she could. Jonah used his pistol and helped her finish the job. The others arrived and aimed, ready to fire.

  But it was over already. No one else needed to shoot. The Molters had been focused on their kill. The pack of them was dead. Heike sank to her knees and wept.

  Jonah caught his breath. The others did too. Sven’s eyes were watery.

  Jonah placed a hand on Sven’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”

  Sven took off his glasses and wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand and sniffed. Then he placed his glasses back on and exhaled.