The Killers Amongst Us: Chimera Dawn Chronicles

by Conner, Declan

  “Rodger that, out.” The radio operator turned to the commander. “Sir, the unarmed drone we sent over the animal sanctuary is showing they’ve gone to ground. No signs of activity.”

  “What the hell was that?” Summers called out, his eyes dancing over the screens. The armed drone was still showing thirty-seven minutes to ETA, but the screen displaying the views from the observation drone was now whited out after it had shown the sanctuary compound explode.

  The operator exchanged words over the radio. He swiveled to face the commander. “Sir, they’ve beaten us to it and self-destructed at the sanctuary.”

  “Damn, call the drone operators at central command. Tell them to divert the drone targeted on the sanctuary, but to have it circle the quarry at the silver mine until the other one arrives.

  “What about Red Ground Team, and the choppers, sir?”

  “Tell them to go in now and to set up a perimeter as tight as a gnat’s ass and to report back. Then have the Red Team’s batteries reset their coordinates on the quarry.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Someone must have tipped them off,” Summers said.

  “Let’s just hope it’s a case of mass suicide and they were inside when it exploded.”

  Summers doubted the commander’s scenario, especially knowing how many centuries the faction had survived.

  “At least we’re doubling the fire power to destroy the base at the quarry,” Summers said, and turned his attention to the second set of screens.

  “There’s always the contingency, if what we’re about to bring down on them doesn’t succeed.”

  “What contingency? When was that discussed?”

  “It wasn’t discussed. Word came down from Central Command just before you arrived. We’re to advise headquarters and to evacuate if we fail to destroy their facility with a bombing run.”

  “Evacuate! Why?”

  “Tactical nuclear warheads.”

  “Nuclear! On US soil? Are they mad?”

  “I wouldn’t say they’re mad, but let’s say they’re determined to be rid of them once and for all.”

  “Why don’t they stick with the bunker-buster bombs we have scheduled for after we secure the compound?”

  “Ours is not to reason why. Orders… executive orders.”

  “How in the hell is the president going to explain that to the public?”

  “It’s not our problem. The bird has already been deployed and awaits the codes for if the bunker bombs fail. I wouldn’t be surprised if the press secretary put out a bulletin that terrorists got a hold of a dirty bomb.”

  He guessed that the commander was right about the press release. The only consolation Summers could take from the revelation of the new contingency; was that the president must be onboard. At least he now knew he wasn’t part of the government faction that conspiracy theorists blindly called ‘The New World Order’ without having a clue what, or who was really involved. He deliberated over the fact that the work of his agency was buried away from the glare of the public and other government agencies. He hoped that whatever happened, their work would stay under the radar. He had it in his mind that involving the president had maybe been a mistake in this instance. The chiefs of staff and the heads of the agencies would have had to be briefed, for them to argue a decision of such magnitude for them to deploy the nuclear option. His thoughts turned back to the sanctuary self-destructing. He smelled a leak. Someone in Washington must have tipped off the faction at the sanctuary.

  He scanned the monitor with their covert camera covering the quarry at the silver mine. At least he could see movement in the form of people and dogs wondering around outside the pyramid structure of shipping containers. It wasn’t looking as though they had received word of an impending attack. He hoped their demise would be swift, with no need for nuclear warheads to be deployed.

  “How far away would we have to evacuate to avoid the radiation fallout?” he asked.

  “I’ve circled the danger zone on the map behind you.”

  Summers turned and studied the map. “Hell, Breakers Pass is in the fallout zone.”

  The commander shrugged his shoulders. “Collateral damage is inevitable. At least it will put an end to the virus.”

  “Virus! We might have that problem solved. Fuller phoned earlier. Somehow, he’s found out the virus is in the water supply. I’ve informed our chief scientist, so hopefully his team ’ll come up with a cure.”

  “Yeah, and how long will that take? Like I said, collateral damage. That might be the best cure.”

  Summers knew how to translate the word collateral. He looked at the drone monitor. “One hour and fifteen minutes to ETA,” he said, and crossed his fingers.

  Chapter 55

  AMY watched a line of guards march into the chamber. The smell of boiling asphalt hit the back of her throat and had her retching. The guards were bare chested, wearing only loin cloths, and headdresses in the style of ancient Egyptians. They each took a position at a pole around the circular mosaic. Abi whimpered, averting her gaze, then grabbed hold of Amy’s leg.

  “Oh, no. It’s time,” said Abi,” her lips quivering.

  “What time?”

  “Time for his punishment.”

  “Who is he?”

  Abi whispered, “He was the one who brought me here. Ammon escaped with his twin, but we’re told his brother had been caught and butchered by our enemies. They were an experiment with a different breed, but they had traits of rebellion and madness.

  “Experiment, breed?”

  “Shush, they may hear us. I just pray he hasn’t betrayed me. I must watch for the sake of my children, or they’ll suspect me.”

  Abi let go of Amy’s leg and turned to face the circle. Amy wondered if she had helped them to escape, and that’s what she meant by betrayal. Each of the guards took hold of a pole around the mosaic circle. Amy noticed movement behind the drapes hung between the two columns on a raised area. Candle flames flared behind the curtain, standing on what could have been poles, revealing two figures stood either side of them. She could make out the shadowy figure of someone tall in stature, with a spindly form, standing to one side. He walked between the candles, then took a seat. He held an arm aloft, then brought it down in an arc.

  The chamber filled with the sound of the guards withdrawing their scimitar polls from their mounts. One of them stepped forward, poking the point of his blade in the hapless body of their captive. A piercing howl escaped Ammon’s lips, and he rose to his feet, charging at the guard, until he jarred to a halt at the full extent of his chains. Blood ran from a wound in his chest. The guard stepped back, poking his blade at Ammon repeatedly, as if to tease, then crouching, the guard thrust his blade. Ammon sidestepped, turning to one side, the blade slicing him at the rib cage. Amy screamed. In one fluid move, Ammon grabbed the pole, pulling the guard into the circle, ripping the weapon from his grasp, and with a swipe, he decapitated the guards head from his shoulders. Amy retched and averted her gaze. She looked back when she heard shuffling. The other guards closed the circle on him, prodding him. Ammon danced on his toes, turning in different directions stabbing at them. Then one of them thrust his blade into his back. Ammon fell to his knees and dropped his weapon. Abi grabbed hold of Amy’s ankle and squeezed.

  “Stop it,” Amy screamed.

  As if they had obeyed her command, the guards stepped back in formation around the circle. Ammon crumpled to the floor, lifeless. Tears streamed down Amy’s cheeks. Whoever had her captive, they were beyond evil. She noticed Abi’s body quivering, but not a sound escaped her lips. Then she heard growling from the direction of the circle. Ammon’s body shook, slowly at first, then violently as if he was having a seizure. His skin blistered as if he was being burned from inside out. Amy’s eyes widened as black hairs formed in a coat over his body. She looked away as his head began to distort. She pulled at her amulets, but there was no escaping her shackles.

  When she glanced back, she froze. Ammon had
taken on the form of an enormous dog, with turquoise eyes bulging from their sockets, straining at the chain and snarling. The guards marched in tandem towards the dog, the points of their blade penetrating its body. All but one stepped back. He raised his weapon, and bringing it down, he severed its head from its body. The guard skewered the head with his blade, holding it aloft, then stepped over to the stone casket and dropped the head inside. The rest followed him, having cut up the rest of the dog into pieces. Another guard turned the handle on what looked like a cement mixer, pouring a boiling thick black liquid into the casket. Amy vomited at the smell of burning flesh and asphalt. Four guards lifted the stone lid from the floor and covered the casket.

  Abi turned to her. Clearly distraught, Abi had lost all composure, and kneeling in front of her, she clasped her arms around Amy’s legs, burying her head between her knees, then she sobbed.

  In her peripheral vision, Amy was aware of the chamber door opening. Guards dragged out the body of one of their own, and someone wearing a suit ran to the curtain, sweeping it aside, then disappeared behind the drape. She could make out the suited guy gesticulating. The curtain lifted and a guard walked toward her. He took hold of Abi.

  “Stop sniveling. You’re to take her back to the lower ground. We have word of an attack. Make sure she is inoculated.”

  The amulets snapped open. Amy rubbed at her wrist, then rose to her feet. Abi took her by the arm, head bowed, and guided Amy through the door and to the elevator.

  Neither spoke on the way down to the lower floor, escorted by a guard. They stepped out, but the guard remained, pressing the button, the door closing.

  “I’m so sorry,” said Amy. “You helped them escape, didn’t you?”

  Abi didn’t reply, picking up the hem of her dress and wiped her eyes, then she took a deep breath.

  “I can’t talk here. Follow me.”

  They made their way out of the chamber and along to where she had first been held. She shuddered as they passed the door to the cell and on to another door. The room was stacked with boxes.

  “What are all these?”

  “These are ready for distribution to our other facilities. They’re all vials for inoculations.”

  “Inoculations for what?”

  “Don’t know, but we’ve all had them and we’ve not come to any harm.”

  “So you just expect me to blindly accept a jab.”

  “You saw what happened up there. They’ll only fasten you down and do it if you don’t. Like I said we all had them last week and we’re fine.”

  Amy shivered at visions of the slaughter.

  “Oh, okay.”

  Amy’s head turned to the sound of banging. She followed Abi out into the corridor.

  “Looks like we have another guest,” said Abi, and opened the inspection hatch.

  “Get me the fuck outta here.”

  Amy recognized the voice right away.

  Chapter 56

  SHAW dismounted at the edge of the woods, tethering his horse’s reins to a branch. He joined the rest of the militia, then pulled Frank to one side.

  “They understand this is not an exercise?” he said, and glanced over at the posse.

  “They understand. It won’t be the first time they’ve gone into battle not knowing if they’ll come out of it alive.

  “All the same, risking their lives to save Amy will hang heavy on me if some of them don’t make it.”

  “It’s not just for Amy. It’s payback for the preppers spreading the virus. They’ve all lost someone close to them, that’s their motivation.”

  Cox and Carla looked to be in their element, checking their weapons and ammunition clips, armed to the teeth. The woodland was thick with trees and with plenty of foliage, which had given them good cover on their journey. But now they had a narrow road to cross to get to the hillside where they’d enter through the ventilation shaft. All Shaw hoped was that all the eyes of the CONOP contingent were firmly target on the inside of the compound. It was looking as though Fuller was hoping the same. Across the road, Fuller was talking to the drivers of three yellow school buses, parked up in plain sight, but with the cover of overhanging branches. Shaw signaled his posse to cross en masse. Gyp broke ranks and ran across first, disappearing between two buses and into the undergrowth.

  “How did you get here so quickly,’ Shaw asked Fuller.

  He pointed to his SUV, parked at the front of the buses.

  “How do you know they haven’t spotted you, especially the buses?”

  “They’re not going to be paying any attention to school buses outside the boundary.”

  “Where is Cleo’s crew?”

  “Waiting in the undergrowth by the ventilation shaft. As soon as you get the women and children out, I’ll get them all to a hospital facility to have them checked out. You and your posse head back to Breakers Pass.”

  “What about Amy?”

  “She’ll have to come with me. We’ll have to get her checked out and debriefed. I’ll contact you when we’re done, then you can visit her and take her home.”

  Shaw frowned. He didn’t like the idea of being separated once he’d found her. Gyp appeared and tugged at his jeans.

  “Okay, we’re going.”

  Shaw turned to Frank. “I’ll go ahead and meet up with the girls at the ventilation shaft. Once we find a way in, I’ll signal and we’ll all go in.”

  “Good luck.”

  Gyp must have had the girls scent as he guided him through the undergrowth. Cox and Carla followed Shaw.

  “We’ll watch your back,” said Cox.

  Gyp turned to glance at Shaw at some thick bushes, then he turned back and scrambled on through. Shaw dropped to his knees and followed, coming to a halt at a pair of legs.

  “What kept you,” said Kitten. She was standing next to Cat, both armed with short barrel assault rifles and pistols tucked into their waistbands, their belts carrying sheaths for what looked like curved machetes.

  Kitten lowered her head, removing a chain over her head, which held what Shaw thought was a flashlight.

  “Is it dark in there?”

  “Oh, it’s not to see with. Stand back.”

  She walked over to the opening. Rusting iron bars blocked the entrance. Kitten pointed the flashlight at the bars. There was no light coming from a bulb, but the metal rods melted where she pointed.

  “That should do,” she said, and removed the last of the bars.

  “What the hell is that?”

  “Ah, you like my toy. Can’t give up all our secrets can we?”

  Shaw’s body jerked, as first one and then another black panther passed by and into the tunnel.

  “I can’t get used to this changing form crap,” said Shaw, as first Gyp and then Kitten entered, disappearing into the darkness. He crawled through the bushes and signaled to Cox, Carla, and Frank, then taking his flashlight from his belt he scrambled back through. The foul air in the tunnel and the heat was stifling, making it difficult to breathe. They arrived at a brick wall. None of the girls were there, or Gyp, but he could see Kitten’s handy work. In the top corner of the wall, it looked as though she’d cut away the ducting that poked through.

  “I can’t get through there,” said Frank.

  “I don’t think any of us can. The opening’s too small.

  “What the hell are we gonna do. We’re running out of time and we don’t have a jackhammer.”

  His flashlight caught Frank’s face, giving him a devilish look. He’d seen that look before, and his fingers scratching at his chin stubble.

  “We need some improvisation,” Frank said.

  Chapter 57

  SUMMERS watched the forward base commander pick up his microphone. He flicked the transmit switch to the red marker.

  “Red Team Leader. Any survivors at the sanctuary, FBC, over.

  “All clear, sir. No access to the elevator shaft. “RT leader, over.”

  “Pull out. The Nutcracker ’ll be there in fifteen mi
nutes, over.

  “Affirmative, RT, leader,” out.

  Summers hoped that the bunker buster bombs would destroy the underground facility over at the sanctuary. He turned his attention to the monitor showing the inside of the troop transporter from blue team leader’s helmet cam. His vision was trained on a sniper. He was using the roof of the driver’s cab to mount his rifle, a spotter beside him. His rifle recoiled, then he saw a puff of smoke signaling that the shot was taken. The spotter turned and gave a thumbs-up. The speaker crackled.

  “FB. Camera at the gate disabled, Blue Team Leader, awaiting orders, over.”

  “All units go. FBC, out.”

  Blue team leader’s helmet cam danced over his crew in the back of the truck. They were all seasoned at ops, but you could see the apprehension on their faces. From talking to them earlier, he knew that some would be thinking about their loved ones. Some would be praying and considering their own mortality. Others would be running over their individual tasks. A thumbs-up appeared on the monitor. Whatever they had been thinking, all of them grasped their Mk 18 CBQR rifles in readiness.

  “One and two batteries, one round each all assets.”

  “Affirmative, firing.”

  Summers turned his attention to the prepper’s compound. He heard the roar from the batteries as they unleashed their projectiles, then waited. Plumes of smokes from the explosions rose into the sky. The dust clouds cleared. The pyramid of containers had been breached, with a gaping hole on the second tier of the structure.

  “Choppers, go, go, FBC, over.”

  “Copy that, Black Team Two, out.”

  He glanced at blue team’s monitor showing the lead vehicle and down the line of trucks. The leader turned his head, scanning the top of the ravine ahead.

  “Oh shit.” he heard over the speakers. All Summers could see was a cloud of dust from an explosion at the racks holding the boulders, then the camera shot rolled around. A boulder crashed into the back of the truck, taking out some of the troops.