As the first rays of daylight broke through the darkness, the two weary travelers turned off the main road. They had run non-stop all night and were completely spent. As they wearily made their way up the long driveway they passed underneath a huge sign with the word MUNICIPAL ZOO emblazoned across it.
27
The Siege
Martin’s brow furrowed deeply. He sat in total silence as his two exhausted scouts expended the last of their energy sharing the details of their discovery. They detailed what they had observed, revealing the location of the compound, its defenses, access points, weaknesses and the number of occupants.
This was welcome news to Martin who had vowed to hunt down those responsible for ruining his recent ceremony. He had been filled with rage ever since that night when fire destroyed the arena, dispatching scouts to every corner of the city in order to hunt down the perpetrators.
Then came the news he had been waiting for – Siobhan was there. Rubbing his chin pensively Martin’s thoughts immediately turned to his nemesis, he grimaced as her face appeared vividly in his mind. Curling up a corner of his mouth he exposed gritted teeth, giving a look of pure hatred. Siobhan was the bane of his existence and he was committed to putting an end to it - to her by bringing her to justice. God’s justice, his justice.
“Lucas,” he said, summoning his advisor to his side.
The squidgy little man with a face full of wrinkles and a head covered in matted grey hair stepped forward. He peered through dark piercing bird-like eyes in anticipation of a question.
“How long would it take for you to muster forty of our best men – fully armed?”
Lucas rubbed the grey mop of hair on his head. “Probably half an hour, maybe an hour. What do you intend to do?”
Clenching his fist Martin pounded the table. In a vindictive tone he replied, “I intend to avenge our losses. Siobhan will pay for what she has done. It ends here and now!”
The very mention of her name made Lucas squirm uncomfortably in his seat. Placing his hand on the table he stared momentarily at his finger and remembered how close he came to losing it to her teeth. He slowly clenched his own fist in anger.
“Make it happen!” demanded Martin. “I want everyone ready to roll out on my command within the hour.” With a wave of his hand he dismissed those in the room and within seconds he and his wife were left alone.
Holly knew that trying to change Martin’s mind was an impossible task, but she decided to try anyway. She was worried. “Is all this necessary darling?”
He glared at her.
“I mean, do you have to go there all guns blazing?” She spoke softly, calmly. “Surely there is another way.”
“There is no other way!” snapped Martin. “They must all pay for what they have done.” He paused for a moment. “Especially that little bitch Siobhan!”
Holly decided it was pointless carrying on. His mind was made up and she knew she couldn’t persuade him to change, not now. Martin was the most stubborn man she had ever known. Kissing him on top of his head she turned and left the room, feeling somewhat deflated.
“Vengeance is mine!” Martin whispered sternly under his breath as he fumed now standing all on his own. Prematurely gloated in victory.
Jon appeared in the kitchen and was greeted with smiles by everyone, it was the first time he had been up and about fully since the accident. If he had his way he would have been up earlier but he abided by his wife’s stern wishes. His arm was no longer in a sling and he was actually feeling very well. There was much relief all round that he was making such a speedy recovery.
In light of the recent losses the mood remained quite somber, each member of the group expressing their grief in their own way. Despite everyone’s best efforts it was clear that this was going to be a difficult day. A thick layer of sadness still hung over the compound that morning.
Tyler had been hit hard by the death of his friend and had chosen to stay in his room alone, accompanied only by his thoughts and memories. His day had been an emotional rollercoaster, grief turning to despair only to be followed by rage when he pictured the image of Eric standing over his friend’s body with a smoking gun.
Everything that had been brought back from the supermarket the day before had been tidily packed away. Olivia and Rebecca had decided to prepare a nice lunch in an attempt to lift spirits. A rich vegetable soup now simmered on the stove, filling the house with an array of mouthwatering aromas.
Jon reached for the ladle to taste the soup, dropped it cold when he felt a slap on his wrist. Olivia scowled at him, then gave him a warm loving smile. For the first time in days laughter returned to the compound, resonating throughout the confines of the house. It came as welcome relief breaking the tension that had started to become unbearable. The group enjoyed their hearty lunch and friendly conversation for the next few hours.
Suddenly the front door burst open violently, clattering against the outside wall, startling all those inside. With an anxious look on his face Gerard, who had been outside on watch stood shaking in the doorway. The three words he was about to utter would change everything in the lives of those in the Armstrong clan forever.
“We’ve got company.”
Jon swallowed hard. “He had long dreaded this moment.”
One by one the occupants filed slowly, cautiously onto the verandah outside. Tyler and Nikita eventually joined them once they heard the commotion. There was genuine fear and trepidation in their footsteps, each of them genuinely crapping themselves as for what might be awaiting them.
A wave of black uniforms had washed up on the compound and flowed out all over the street below. Dozens of foot-soldiers were moving into formation menacingly at their doorstep, all of whom were brandishing firearms and an array of other weapons. Once they ceased their shuffling the street went deathly quiet.
From the center of the pack three figures emerged. Unlike the others they wore long white cloaks, with hoods that covered their heads. Whilst in many ways they resembled monks, those on the verandah were under no illusion that these three were on a far more meaningful and menacing mission. Based on their attire and demeanor it was obvious that they were the ones in charge.
“So much for our camouflage,” Eric said, with a large dose of sarcasm.
Jon glared at him. Tyler snarled.
Gazing out onto the street, Siobhan recognized immediately who these invaders were, no amount of disguise could hide them from her. She shivered at the thought of seeing their faces again, tapped her fingers on the hilt of her sword as a grimace pulled the skin on her face tight.
“Well… well... well…,” said the man in the middle, in a slow and deliberate tone. He reached above his head and slowly removed his hood. The other two who flanked him did the same.
“Martin!” Siobhan whispered through gritted teeth. There was pure hatred in the way in which she recited his name, dripping with menace and venom. Her fingers stopped their tapping, wrapped themselves tightly around the handle of the massive sword.
Raj squinted to peer across the street, thought he recognized someone. The grey-haired old man who was a part of the main entourage looked somewhat familiar and Raj racked his brain trying to place him. He had an unusual look, eyes that were placed too close together, a beak nose – very bird-like in his appearance.
Raj finally remembered.
Newton Hill.
Long before joining the Armstrongs he had spent much of his time driving through the city, taking refuge is various places in order to survive. In the seedy side of town, he remembered witnessing the depravity of this old man as he raped undead street walkers. He shook his head in disgust.
“What do we have here then?” asked Martin, squinting, eyeing those on the verandah.
Silence.
Tensions grew as those on the porch awaited the next move from their unwelcome visitors. Everyone was on edge. Weapons were at the ready, hearts pounded inside chests.
Martin took several steps forward and s
eparated himself from the rest of his group. Holly and Lucas began to follow but their leader’s raised hand signaled for them to remain where they were. All the while he never once took his eyes off Siobhan, staring at her with utter disdain.
“You!” he said, singling Siobhan out with an outstretched, pointed finger. “You are the reason we are here. You and your friends have caused us a lot of grief and loss. We have come to talk about how you intend to make this right.”
Siobhan was not about to be talked down to, nor was she about to give him the upper hand here. “What a load of shit. Seriously, what the fuck do you want Martin!” she demanded, sternly.
“Now here’s the conundrum,” Martin said, as an evil grin cut his face in two. “After all you have done, after all the property you have destroyed and the people you have killed, you needed to be hunted down and brought to justice before God. I firmly believed that you and all those associated with you should be punished for what you have done. But now,” he paused, “I’m not so sure.”
Olivia clasped Jon’s hand tightly. He comforted her by rubbing her thumb over her knuckles, but it did little to allay her concerns.
“Ours is a just and merciful God. He is prepared to pardon each and every one of you here, so all your lives will be spared.” He turned to look directly at Siobhan, intensifying his glare. “All you have to do is hand her over and each of you will avoid punishment.”
Incensed, Josh stepped forward gripping his rifle in both hands. “In what universe do you honestly think you are the judge, jury and executioner you fuck-tard! There is not a snowball’s chance in hell that you are getting anything from us. Siobhan is staying put, so unless you want a repeat of what happened at the zoo, then I would suggest that you just get the fuck out of here!”
Siobhan and others shifted defiantly behind him on the porch. Josh raised his rifle in a menacing gesture, pointing the barrel directly in Martin’s direction.
Undeterred and unmoved Martin just stood there, applauding and laughing loudly. “Your bravery and courage are commendable, but very foolish. Look around you boy, you are outgunned outmanned and you no chance of surviving this. You are out of options, so just give me the girl and we will spare your lives.”
“This is not going to end well,” Siobhan whispered, loud enough for those on the verandah to hear. “They will never leave until they have killed us all. I know how he thinks and all he wants is revenge. Do not believe a word he says.”
Josh turned to his father. “We have no choice but to execute the escape plans. Get everybody ready.”
Jon nodded. Olivia squeezed his hand even tighter.
“Take the station wagon, ok,” Josh said to his father. “We will meet up at the Oasis. Have you got the map and directions?”
Again Jon nodded.
“Gerard, Raj and Tyler. You guys stay with me. We need to give the others the best possible head start when this shit goes down.”
“I’m staying as well,” said Siobhan.
Josh stared at her, blinking slowly.
“No arguments!” she added.
Sighing, Josh agreed. “Tyler, you switch and go with the others. I need you to look after mum and dad.”
Reluctantly Tyler agreed. “Here,” he said, passing his rifle to Siobhan, “you’ll need this.”
Zoe leaned forward and whispered quietly into Siobhan’s ear. “Stay safe sweetie.” No-one else heard her. Siobhan felt goosebumps on her neck.
“I’m losing my patience!” Martin yelled from the street. “I’m going to give you until five, but I warn you, after that we will take what we have come here for if you haven't given her to us.”
“Get ready,” instructed Josh.
“One!” came the count from the street.
On the verandah those who were about to make their escape edged their way closer to the front door. Everything they had planned for was fast about to come to fruition and they were poised to put all their careful planning into action. Each one of the eight escapees were wound like a spring ready to uncoil.
“Two!”
With an authoritative wave of his hand Martin began to mobilize his troops. Immediately and with seemingly military precision his foot-soldiers reassembled themselves into an assault formation. Some took cover behind abandoned vehicles, whilst the remainder simply dropped to a knee and took aim at the compound. For those on the verandah it was plainly obvious that all hell was about to break loose.
Turning to those standing at the door Josh gave his final instructions. “On my signal, run for your lives. Head for the station-wagon, keep down and do not stop. We won’t be far behind you and will see you at the Oasis.” Raising his rifle, he took aim.
“Three!”
“God forgive me,” Josh said, missing the irony.
A single shot rang out. On the street a body slumped to the ground.
“Run!”
A ferocious barrage of firepower was unleashed on the compound, signaling an immediate and brutal response. A hail of bullets rained down tearing at the facade of the house, the wooden exterior was violently ripped apart as splinters peeled away and flew off in all directions. Every window shattered sending broken glass crashing to the ground, inside the front rooms furniture was destroyed as bullets penetrated clean through the walls.
On the verandah Josh lifted his head cautiously to assess the situation. He had dived on top of Siobhan to shield her from falling debris, she was fine and heaved to push him off. His greatest concern was for the welfare of the main group who had just fled, having triggered the firefight to ensure their escape all he good do now was hope and pray that it had worked. He was comforted by the fact that they were nowhere to be seen.
Martin stood in the center of the road, defiant and unflinching even when Josh’s bullet had whizzed by him, finding its mark. Beside him lay the lifeless body of his advisor, blood still oozing from a bullet wound in the center of Lucas’ forehead. Rage burned inside the leader of the 4Horsemen from head to toe.
Siobhan’s heart sank. She struggled with the dilemma of having to mentally tick Lucas’ name off her list, without actually avenging him herself. It was a bitter irony and she took little satisfaction in the fact that he was now dead.
Shots rang out from the compound as the small group on the verandah returned fire. Several black clad soldiers collapsed to the ground as they were hit, sending others scurrying for cover. Bullets ricocheted everywhere. The gunfight continued for some time with both sides peppering one another with round after round of bullets and buckshot. It felt like an eternity.
“Time for us to go,” said Josh, eventually. “We have to make a run for the other car guys!”
The others nodded. Ducking for cover as a fresh barrage riddled the boards of the house, they were showered with fresh splinters of wood.
“We’ll move inside and keep them pinned down. We have to make them think we are digging in, that will give us a head-start when we do run.”
Bullets continued to rain down.
Staying as low as he could Josh made his way inside, crouched at an open window and returning fire. The other two followed suit.
“Go! Go! Go!” yelled Josh.
Siobhan led the retreat sprinting through the house as fast as she could, bolting for the rear door. She could hear the footsteps of the others behind her, but she dare not stop to see who was hot on her tail. The rear fly screen door was ripped clean off its hinges as one after another they plowed straight through it and sprinted across the back decking by the pool. Each of them disappeared through a small hole in the fence.
By the time they reached the vehicle their lungs were burning and they were gasping for breath. Josh managed a smile in recognition of all the toil that had been put in preparing the escape routes, they had worked well. He was relieved to have made it to safety, for now.
Raj turned the key and the car roared to life. He pumped the accelerator several times, just to get a feel of the power and to warm the engine. “I love BMWs,” he
said, with a glint in his eye.
The others simply smiled at him.
“Okay, the meter is running,” Raj continued, lightening the mood somewhat. “Where would you like to go?”
Gerard got the joke immediately and replied. “Downton thank you driver, and step on it.”
With that Raj negotiated the sedan out of the carport and then sped off in the direction of the center of the city.
28
The Chase
As it sat at the wide intersection the Mercedes hummed quietly, taking Eric back to the days when his livelihood depended on selling vehicles such as this, luxury, high-end models. He knew each and every feature of this particular model and how to convey these as benefits to his wealthy business clients. A big part of him missed his former life, when he felt so successful and important.
Sometime later another vehicle stopped at the same intersection, but things had now changed. The area was no longer calm and serene, mayhem had descended in the form of the undead.
Raj had slipped the BMW into neutral and rested his foot on the brake pedal. Josh was seated in the front passenger seat clutching at an open map, was desperately searching for an alternative route to the Oasis than the one they were on. The way ahead was blocked by a swarm of creatures so they had no choice but to go around. Gerard and Siobhan sat calmly and quietly in the back seat.
“Well Mr. Josh,” said Raj, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. “Which way now?”
Josh stared intently at the map in front of him tracing a finger along an adjacent road. He paused, then looked up ahead of him again. As he peered through the throng of the infected that were literally spilling out as far as the eye could see ahead of them, he eventually found what he was looking for.
“Up there Raj.” Josh raised his arm as he spoke, pointing to an exit off to the right. The first few lines of creatures had already passed by the alleyway, but there was a small window of opportunity for them to make it before the bulk of the swarm arrived.
Dark of Dawn 4Horsemen: Book one in the Dark of Dawn Series Page 28
