"Okay." Zoe nodded.
Ria followed after Dex and Rec went to secure the door behind them. Len stepped quietly out of his bunk looking exhausted. Zoe walked over to join him next to Viktor.
"I feel like I'm being sucked into the darkest tide I've ever seen, and I'll never paddle out of it." Neptune said in a defeated tone.
"I know that you probably feel exactly like you're being held under a massive wave. And that no matter how hard you paddle, you're going to run out of breath. I swear on everything I believe in, if you keep paddling, you will break the surface and breathe again." I said so only he could hear. "You're all stronger than you know. You lost a leg only weeks ago and it's barely held you back. Most would have died from the shock alone."
He looked at me with anguished brown eyes. His vibrant blue hair seeming faded with his sorrow. His playful demeanor all but extinguished.
"Is all this pain even worth living through?" He asked with pinched brows and wet eyes.
"Absolutely."
Chapter 8
Flames
NEVADA JUNE 7TH 2029
The end of the hour was quickly approaching and Ria and Dexter still weren't back. Len, Nef, Abe, Dom, and Viktor were all resting in their bunks. Cer, Rec, Brandon, and Zoe were filling jugs and pots with water in case they cut off our supply from up top. Neptune, and Tracy were sitting in the mess hall and Glitch, and myself were in the med bay waiting for Ria and Dexter to get back.
Glitch's knee was bouncing restlessly as he sat tensely on the treatment cot and I was leaned against the east door listening for sounds of life. The aggs’ in the sun hall were all still alive and the cannibals had gotten all the strays back into the station. There hadn't been anymore efforts to get in from the greenhouse or the west door.
"She shouldn't have taken that idiot." Glitch said, breaking the silence.
"Why's that?"
"He literally screws up everything." At my raised brows he elaborated. "He was on chicken duty one day. The chickens were out to feed, all he had to do was collect eggs. We ended up with no eggs and all the chickens escaped."
"That's discouraging."
"Had him on catalog duty for canned goods, he logged them all as 'can'. He's an absolute moron." Glitch stood and began to pace. "He's from Dubai or some such, but that doesn't have anything to do with it."
"I'd say not."
"And then there's the time he caught the-"
He was interrupted by banging on the other side of the door. I yanked my head back and listened for voices.
"It's me, open up!" Ria called from the other side of the door.
Glitch and I moved the braces and pulled the door open. Ria fell in and quickly turned to close the door and brace it. She slid down the door, breaths heaving.
"Where is he?" Glitch asked with an inscrutable expression.
"Gone." She huffed.
"What happened up there?" I asked.
She held up a finger and breathed deep. She was drenched in sweat and her shoulder had started bleeding through her shirt. Tracy and Neptune came in after hearing the commotion.
"Someone grab Dom, she's pulled her stitches." I called behind me as I crouched down.
"Got it." Neptune said and rolled away.
After another deep breath, Ria spoke. "We didn't hear anything outside the hatch, we waited for several minutes. Didn't feel any vibrations, so we opened the hatch. Damn thing was almost completely rusted shut. Once we got out we saw the truck."
"Truck?" Tracy asked.
"Yeah, couple guys sitting in it behind the hatch where we couldn't see 'em til we got out. They tried to say if we surrendered they'd let us live."
"And?" Glitch prompted.
"I said NO." She paused. "Dex didn't."
"He went with them?" I asked in shock.
"Practically ran into their arms. I dodged back into the hatch and barely got it latched on my own. The east is definitely out."
"Those munchers are still shut in upstairs. Can't go that way." Glitch said.
"Honestly I'd rather face the eaters in the hall. We could let a few in at a time and clear the way." Tracy suggested.
"That could easily go very wrong, we've already lost too many people." I said.
"What happened?" Dom said on a yawn as he came in, crouching down to inspect her wound, he pulled her shirt aside.
"Pulled my stitches while I was trying to get the hatch shut." Ria answered weakly.
"You? By yourself? Bud would have a fit. Where's the other guy?" Dom said after looking around.
"He left. Good riddance." She replied.
"So we can't go that way then. What the hell are we going to do?" Dom ran a hand over his face and stood to get his stich kit.
"I'm telling you, we have a better chance squaring up with the eaters. We have to take that hall back." Tracy repeated.
"I don't care how we get out. As long as no one else dies." Dom said with a serious expression.
It was now ten o' clock at night and everyone was gathered in the mess hall getting water and something to eat. The group was divided on what action to take and tension was high.
"All I'm saying is that I intend to get them back for Coach." Len was pushing the point to rush headlong into the west, consequences be damned.
"And he'd smack you upside the head for the suggestion." Rec retorted.
"We have to be smart. We can't let our emotions run the show." Zoe said. "We already lost too much and we haven't even made it outside of the bunker."
"I don't understand what they're up to." Ria murmured.
"Right?" Glitch said looking up from the peg leg contraption he was working on. "They were so close to getting in here earlier and they just gave up."
"As far as they know this bunker goes on for miles and there are hundreds of us down here. We kept them out by the skin of our teeth, but they may think we did so with ease." I explained. "None of the men they sent in here made it back out. I'm sure they're weighing the risks."
"They're waiting us out." Tracy spoke up to say. "They're also scouting for other exits. It won't take them long to figure out you only have those two in the distance, then they'll converge here."
"I didn't want to leave before." Cer said. "Now I can't wait to forget about this place."
"Forget." Abe scoffed. "I'll remember this place with every single one of their heads I take." He stood and pointed at Cer. "You will too. This is where you mold courage from fear. You're the strongest one here. Don't let your doubt control you." He stalked out of the room.
"Everyone is breaking." Viktor said softly with sad eyes.
"We're just tired." Zoe said moving to sit by him. "And yes, a little broken. Broken can be fixed."
"Together." He said with a nod.
"That's right." She smiled at him.
"What about the rabbits?" Neffery asked in a dazed tone.
"The rabbits?" Len asked confused.
"Oh my god." Zoe said closing her eyes and tilting her head back.
"Don't think about it Zo'." Rec said shaking his head. "There's nothing you can do and I'm sure they're fine anyway."
"The exhaust fans have their own solar panel, and the feeding units Nep and I rigged up will feed and water them in another twelve hours if no one resets them." Dom explained. "They're going to be just fine." He ruffled Neffery's hair. "I promise."
"But what if those men find them?" Neffery said with worry and a little more alertness.
"They won't hurt them." Brandon said with conviction. "Antrim is an animal guy. He wouldn't allow it."
"Okay." Nef said, not sounding convinced.
"I shot a squirrel once. One of those bright red ones?" Tracy said looking over at Nef. When he didn't say anything, Tracy removed a black glove from his left hand. "Antrim bit my finger off." Sure enough, his ring finger was missing.
"Okay." Nef said a little brighter. "I believe you."
"There's a first for everything." Tracy muttered, putting his glove back on.
"I have at least twelve gallons of rubbing alcohol." Dom said with a raised brow.
"Perfect. Yes, perfect." Nep steepled his fingers and smiled wickedly.
"Nep?" Zoe asked, sitting up.
"Teapot, you still want to storm the hall?" Nep asked, stopping his chair when it faced Tracy.
Glitch's hands paused on his work and he looked between the two with wide eyes. Ria shook her head and whistled. Brandon just smiled and straightened his hat.
"Oh, hell yeah." Tracy said matching his maniacal smile.
"No, you can't." Zoe said shaking her head.
"I'm in." Rec said, standing.
"You can't be serious." Zoe stood to beam her incredulous expression at all of them.
"And if you lose control of the situation and those aggs’ get past you?" I asked them.
"Then you better be ready." Rec said firmly.
"Rec!" Zoe snapped. "Nef's barely able to walk and you know Viktor doesn't need this. Don't do this." She pleaded.
"Zoe." He moved to stand in front of her. "I'm not Tom." She gasped and staggered back as he moved past her to the med bay.
"Dick move." Len sneered at his back.
Tracy and Nep followed behind Rec. Nep patted Zoe's leg on his way by. I ran a hand over my face and walked in behind them.
"There's more risk than reward here." I said, watching as they gathered gauze and the alcohol.
"We don't do this, we die. We do this, we might die." Nep said shrugging. "The maybe wins this time."
"Well, I guess I'm in too. If we get the hall cleared, what's next?" I crossed my arms and leaned back against the med cot.
"Simple." Tracy said with his easy smile. "Tag 'em and bag 'em. These guys are not expecting us to come up that way. Between Rec and I, we can take the guys outside the doors before they can run for cover. Red would be a big help at that point too."
"She's not ready." Rec said shaking his head.
"She's always ready." Tracy scolded him. When Rec wouldn't meet his eyes, he stepped in front of him.
"Look at me! That girl had munchers surrounding her, an arrow in her stomach, and a team under siege. She didn't break a sweat when she single handedly pushed back my six men, me, and those munchers. And when the dust cleared, where were you?" He paused long enough to make a point. "Don't talk about her not being ready just because you don't want her to get hurt. Cover her ass and keep her safe." Tracy grabbed an armload of gear and walked into the mess hall.
"He's right you know?" Nep said directly. "We can't treat any of them like they’re weak. They need to believe they're as strong as they really are. No matter what. We can't afford hesitations or doubts right now." He grabbed a bag of gauze and a bottle of alcohol. "Just try to think about what's best for the team." He wheeled backwards to the door and spun. "Nut up, mate." He left.
Rec and I were quiet and I could see his inner battle. Rec was tough, but he also cared. I saw it better than the others did. He was a protector.
"I just don't think she can keep her mind off Tom." He said putting stuff in a box. "I know she's not weak. None of them are. It's not that I abandon the team I just, I-"
"Try to carry it." I offered.
"Yeah." He sighed. "At least if they're blaming me, they're working together."
"You're important too. We all need to be in this together. Duncan always said everyone played their parts. It's no different now."
He just nodded his head and walked out with the box in his arms. I stepped over to listen at the east door and when I didn't hear anything, I grabbed a rope I spotted on top of the med cabinet. I sighed and stepped into the mess hall.
"Rope?" Len asked. "Gonna lasso 'em?"
I canted my head at him and looped the rope over his head.
"Take this to the boys in the kitchen. Tell them I'll be there in a minute." He saluted and turned with Neffery following suit.
I turned to Cer and Zoe talking quietly and took a seat at their table. They both looked at me waiting to listen. Ria, Glitch, and Brandon were absent. Dom and Viktor were thumb wrestling quietly a few tables over.
"I'm going to help them clear the hall. They need someone thinking clearly. If we lose the lead on those aggs’, I need you to get the west door open and leave through the east. Hopefully the aggs’ go through the door that's open and eliminate the people stationed there. Ria said there were only two men out east. No matter how we handle this, there's risk. We can't just stay here."
"Ok, Joe." Zoe said with a resigned nod.
"We'll hold it down, Joe." Cer agreed.
I joined the boys in the kitchen. They were filling various bottles and containers with the alcohol and stuffing the tops with the gauze. They looked up when I came in and slowed.
I walked over to a cabinet and grabbed a large bowl. I grabbed the rope from the island and put it in the bowl. The others resumed their work, but watched me curiously. I grabbed a bottle of alcohol and poured it into the bowl with the rope.
"You can stop making those." I told them without looking up. "Put the alcohol in something bigger. That bucket." I pointed to a mop bucket in the corner, the kind with a spout.
They looked at each other and then Rec stepped over to the bucket. They began dismantling their Molotov cocktails and pouring the alcohol into the bucket. Once the rope had soaked up most of the alcohol I poured the excess in the bucket and grabbed a torch lighter from a hook by the stove.
I paused with it in my grasp, running my thumb over Boe's initials. Rage and grief battling for first place. I palmed the lighter and walked out with the bowl.
"Uh, what're you doin', Joe?" Neptune zipped next to me in his chair.
"Clearing the hall. This was your idea remember?" I said, keeping pace to the hall door.
"Well, yeah but-"
"Just stay here. Your chair will be in the way and this will only take three people."
"I don't-what?" He sputtered.
"Work smarter. Not harder." I pointed to my temple and waited at the door for Tracy and Rec.
They waddled over, careful not to tip the bucket. I opened the door and headed up the stairs. I heard them follow behind and the door close behind us. In the dark, the automatic lights came on and cast an angry red glow.
"Man, what're we doing?" Tracy grumbled as he and Rec struggled with the bucket on the stairs.
"The hall slants down. Duncan said to keep the rain from running below." I said.
"Yeah. We had to dig under to drop it after the mess hall ended up with an inch of water on the floor." Rec explained.
"So this will run down too." I said indicating the bucket. "Luckily this is the quietest door in the whole facility." I opened the door a crack and stepped away so they could pour the alcohol down the hall.
We could hear the aggs’ shuffling and the UV lights made it hard to see. It sounded like they were mostly at the other end of the hall. When the bucket was empty I motioned for one of Tracy's arrows. He handed it to me with drawn brows, shaking his head.
I carefully tied one end of the rope to the end of the arrow and the other end to the handle on the other side of the door. Tracy watched and started a slow nod when he saw what I was doing, readying his bow.
"Ready?" I mouthed to Rec.
He nodded and took aim with his rifle. Tracy knocked the arrow and aimed down the hall. There was a faint hiss as the arrow flew down the hall and then a thunk when it made contact.
Snarls and screeches rang out and I quickly moved to light the rope. I struggled to light it without catching my alcohol dipped fingers on fire as well. Rec's riffle fired as aggs’ got closer. One, two, three, four shots and the rope caught. I slammed the door shut and dropped back, the lock whirring.
The screeches turned to screams and the aggs’ began pounding on the doors. We could feel the heat emanating from the door and a terrible smell wafted through the small cracks.
"Jesus." Rec gasp
ed. "They sound so...”
"Human." I said and he just nodded sadly with wide eyes.
"It wasn't the best way, it was the only way." Tracy said patting his shoulder and heading down the stairs.
"Those guys will see the smoke." Rec said with his eyes glued to the door.
"And hear the screams." I mentioned.
"I didn't think about that."
"There wasn't a whole lot of thinking at all was there? It's done. We'll adapt accordingly."
We both turned for the stairs and headed down. Tracy walked through first and continued on to the rec room, followed by Brandon. We headed over to the table where everyone had gathered again.
"What's wrong?" Rec sounded concerned when he stepped over to Zoe, who was pale and looked sickened.
"We can hear them." Cer said from her side.
In the silence we could hear the aggs’ shrieking in fear. Their footsteps echoed through the room. Viktor trembled and tears rolled down his cheeks. Just like with those we had lost, we mourned them.
Chapter 9
Briar Patch
NEVADA JUNE 7TH 2029
When the screams were only a few and the pounding had stopped, Rec, Zoe, Tracy, Brandon, Abe, Dom and myself, stood geared up at the door to the sun hall. Except for Len and Neffery everyone else waited at the bottom of the stairs, nervously waiting to see what would happen. Len's faint voice filtered through the door, but we couldn't tell what he said.
"He said those guys are still sitting there." Cer repeated. "The guys in the greenhouse too."
"Alright, let's do this." Dom rolled his head on his shoulders and checked his handgun, Mer's gun.
"Spirits be with us. Guide us and aid our victory." Abe spoke to the sky with closed eyes then brandished Boe's blade.
Rec and I took point with Zoe behind him. I opened the door and Rec moved a foot into the doorway making a quick sweep with his rifle. He flicked two fingers left and Zoe stepped forward to tag an agg leaning against the wall.
The smell was rancid and nearly felled us as we started forward. Rec's rifle light barely cut through the smoke. There was more shuffling down the tunnel and Zoe shot again into the dark. There was a thud and Rec quickly gestured to the right.
Apocalypse Chronicles (Book 1): SunDown, Part 1 Page 10
