“The gymnasium. Seemed as good a place as any to take shelter in.”
“The gym? That would have been suicide man!” With laughter in her voice Raven added, “You’ve got the brain-dead on court, playing against the living dead. Which team were you going to play for dude?”
Raucous laughter erupted.
“Luckily we found you when we did then.”
“Sounds like it.” Despite feeling slightly embarrassed, Josh still managed a smile.
“Hey, it’s all good.” Raven got to her feet. Picked up the lamp. “C’mon, let’s go have a drink.” She stepped through a crude opening that had been smashed through the far wall. The room behind her went dark.
With a huge degree of curiosity the group followed, stepping foot into the adjoining classroom. A series of makeshift passageways led off in all different directions, offering unimpeded, risk-free movement within the building. They meandered through the maze until eventually they entered a large room that was once the staff room. One by one the Armstrong group filtered in. Light flickered. Shadows danced across the walls.
Clink!
Dominique placed a crate of beer bottles on the floor.
“Help yourselves,” said Raven, reaching for a drink. Popped the top and took a swig. “Warm, but better than nothing.”
In no time at all the crate emptied.
Raven walked to a table and sat down. “Our camp is always open to survivors, to the living.” Took another swig. “We don’t see many people anymore though, truth be told. Especially here.”
“Is this all of you then?” asked Siobhan.
“There were more. Some left, others have switched sides.” She sliced her neck with her thumb, boggled her eyes and stuck her tongue out for effect. “If you know what I mean.”
Josh raised an eyebrow.
“We’ve lost a few people too,” said Jon, with sadness in his voice.
“Sorry to hear that. It’s a cruel and fucked up world ain’t it. Sounds like it’s getting more vicious out there by the day too.”
“We’ve had a tough time of it lately,” added Josh. “Had a few run-ins with another group out there too, a bunch of real sick bastards.”
“Well, it ain’t safe on the roads anymore, which is why we decided to stay here until a better option came along. When Squirrel told us she saw you outside, she also said you all looked exhausted.You lot look pretty rooted if you ask me.”
Squirrel smiled. Bit her lip coyly.
“We have literally been running for our lives.” Josh sighed. “Trying like hell to survive.”
“I think that’s what we’re all trying to do though isn’t it. Survive?”
Raven walked to a storeroom off to one side. Opened the door and beckoned Josh and the others over.
“How’s this for surviving?”
Jaws dropped.
Before them lay an arsenal of weapons and ammunition. Rifles, shotguns, 9mm handguns, even machine guns. There were flack jackets, grenades, bullet-proof shields and more.
Tyler’s eyes nearly fell out of his head. “Where the fuck did you get all this shit?”
“Now that would be telling,” Raven said, tapping her nose with her index finger. “Okay, well it’s getting dark people, so how’s about we get you all sorted for the evening. I take it you’re staying at our little hacienda for a bit?”
Later that night Tyler struggled to sleep. Nightmares continued to live there. Haunting him. He woke with a start, eyes wide open staring into the dark.
Moonlight streamed in through the skylight.
Jon too had been having a restless night. He saw the anguish on his son’s face across from where he lay next to Olivia. “What’s up son?”
Tyler exhaled a deep breath. “I killed that girl you know.” He spoke with pain in his voice, as if he was tearing open an old festering wound. “I never pulled the trigger, but I killed her.”
“Heeeey… don’t beat yourself up,” Jon whispered across the room, with compassion in his voice. “She was not human son. She was already dead and you know that. It is a cruel and vicious world we live in now. We have to live with the consequences of our actions, but in this case son you did nothing wrong.”
“We live in the world we deserve…”
Sleep came. Eventually.
42
Docklands
Two uneventful days passed. Both groups had taken the time to get to get better acquainted, swapping tales of survival in the new world. There was not an ounce of tension between them and everyone seemed to click.
“So, what the fuck is happening?”
Frowning, Josh placed a finger to his lips. Kept his eyes glued to the street below. Looked and listened.
A momentary silence passed.
“What are they doing?” Tyler asked, in a whisper.
“Shhh…” Josh thrust up an open palm in his brother’s direction.
Sunlight peeked from behind puffy clouds, bathing the upstairs room in warmth. Josh squinted as the light reflected off the dirty windowpane into his eyes. Siobhan and Raven sighed as the first rays of the morning sun warmed their skin. They sat with their backs to the wall to Josh’s right.
Only moments before Raven had been showing them around on her morning patrol when a rumbling outside had caught them off-guard. From an upstairs classroom the four of them had taken up position with a clear view of the street. A jeep pulled up outside the college and out stepped three armed men all dressed all in black. Distinctive logo prominent.
“Fuck!”
“What?”
“Four Horsemen.”
“Fuck! How many?”
Josh held up three fingers.
“Fuck!”
The room went silent for a moment while the four of them listened.
Muffled voices came from the street.
“How did they find us?” whispered Siobhan.
“I have no idea.” Josh cast his mind back to their last encounter with this faction. Sighed. “It cannot just be coincidence can it?”
“What do you mean?”
“I dunno, but they keep finding us no matter where we go.”
“Who the fuck are the Four Horsemen again?” asked Raven.
Tyler leaned forward to give his unbridled opinion. “They’re this bunch of religious fucktards who believe that this is the end of the world and shit.”
Raven rolled her eyes.
“They are led by this guy Martin,” added Siobhan, “who thinks he is a prophet of God.”
“What the fuck?”
“I know right.”
“How dangerous are they, really?”
“Well, as fucked up as they sound they really do mean business. As far as they are concerned you either join them or you die.”
“You’re right about one thing, they do sound pretty fucked up.” Raven got to her feet. Helped Siobhan up. They stood with their backs to wall in cover. “So, what do they want with us then?”
Josh ran his fingers through his hair. “I honestly don’t know, but it can’t be good. They are like a cancer. Everywhere they go, death follows.”
“And,” said Tyler, releasing the safety on his rifle, “where there are three, there are thirty-three more waiting around the corner.”
“We should warn the others,” Raven said, striding to the door.
“That’s probably a good id…”
Crack!
Glass spilled everywhere as the window shattered. Raven dived for cover.
“Down!” yelled Josh. “They’ve seen us!”
“Mother-fuckers,” said Tyler, calmly. Time slowed as he peered down his scope. Target locked. Exhaled.
Click!
Silencer coughed.
The man in the crosshairs felt the bullet hit him. It lifted him and tossed him backwards. He fell, screaming. The second shot silenced him. His dead eyes gazed up at the sky.
Immediately the other two men dropped to the ground rolling behind the jeep for cover. They returned fire, pepp
ering the upstairs wall with bullets. Fragments of wood peeled away from the wall showering the floor and those in the room with splinters.
Tyler kept his rifle up and level. Once more his aim was true, sending a bullet through the forehead of a second of the 4Horsemen scouts. He was dead before he hit the ground.
In a desperate attempt to flee the remaining man clambered into the jeep. He fired up the engine and sped off. Nearing the corner he experienced what felt like a bee sting to his shoulder. He knew otherwise. The slug passed clean through muscle tissue.
“Argh!” Tyler cursed himself for the missed shot.
The jeep vanished.
Everyone gathered together in the staff room.
“We have to leave,” insisted Josh.
“I’m not sure we agree.” Raven stood defiantly with her hands on her hips. “What makes you so sure they will be back?”
Siobhan stood abruptly, knocking a chair over. “Oh, they’ll be back, probably sooner than you think. Trust me on that and when they do return they will tear this place apart.”
“We won’t let them!” piped up Dominique. “Look at what we have got to defend ourselves,” she said, gesturing towards the armory. “They won’t stand a chance against us.”
There was momentary murmuring as the other members of the Goth Squad agreed with the German girl. They had successfully defended their turf on a number of occasions, vanquishing many intruders who dared to try to storm their compound and take what was theirs.
“Listen to me!” Siobhan was not about to mince words. “We are not going to argue with you. Honestly, you girls can do what you like.” She stepped forward to address everyone in the room. There was a degree of urgency in her voice. “I know these people and believe me when I say that they are pure evil. Ruthless and unrelenting. You won’t stand a chance against them.”
Josh turned to Raven. “We are really sorry to have brought this upon you, but we all should leave. Come with us please,” he pleaded.
Raven thought for a moment. “Where will you go?”
“The docks,” Josh said, without hesitating. “Like we told you the other night night.”
“Oh, c’mon Josh,” Raven said with a smirk, “there’s no guarantee that all that even exists.”
“That is true, very true. But we don’t have time to sit here and argue whether it is real or not.”
“What if it’s not? What then?”
“We will deal with that if and when it happens. One thing is certain though, if we stay here none of us will have a future.”
“I need a moment with my girls.”
Josh nodded. He started to pack his things as Raven led the other five girls into the next room. They were only gone a matter of minutes before returning with a verdict.
“We’ve voted, because that’s how we do shit. We’re coming with you.”
“Great. We don’t have a lot of time to screw around. Take only what you can carry.”
Seconds later, an explosion rocked the front of the building.
“Shit! They’re here already!” Josh grabbed his pack and rifle. “Which way?”
“Important rule man,” said Raven, with a smile, “always have an escape route. This way.”
Josh was impressed.
They made a mad dash through the man-made doorways, skirting through corridors towards the rear of the building. Hurdling obstacles and dodging debris, running as fast as they could. Bursting through a door they stumbled out onto a quadrangle. Moss and lichen covered almost every square inch of the concrete courtyard which rarely saw the sun.
“What the fuck?” exclaimed Tyler. His jaw dropped to the ground.
Parked in the middle of the paved area was a large armored van. The acronym S.W.A.T. was emblazoned across the side. None of the Armstrong group could believe their eyes.
“Meet Black Betty,” Raven said, proudly.
Tyler repeated his expletive.
“Cougar, start her up!”
Yanking the keys from her pocket the buxom blonde leaped into the driver’s seat. As the truck spluttered to life a dark cloud of diesel smoke poured out from the chromed exhaust pipes.
“Good girl,” Victoria said, patting the dashboard.
One by one they piled into the rear. Sat themselves down on the metal benches. Mouths hung open in astonishment as the newcomers took it all in. None of them could have ever anticipated that the girls had something like this waiting in the wings. Suitably impressed.
“So,” said Raven, with a wide smile, “what do you think?”
“How the…” Tyler was lost for words. Shook his head slowly.
“I thought so. LOL”
Squirrel flattened out her dress as she sat down. She smiled at Tyler. Made him feel like he was a deer in headlights.
“We’ve had her for a little while now, but we hardly take her out anymore. You know, the price of gas and all.”
Laughter erupted inside the vehicle.
“But a S.W.A.T. van?” Josh was still somewhat stunned. “You honestly could not have done better.”
“True that.”
“Okay girls,” said Johanna, “time to party.” The tall, skinny girl had been relatively quiet up until now. Her voice was deep and husky almost tomboyish, appearing rather unsuited to her thin frame. Dark tattoos covered her pale skin and her blonde hair had been cut short and shaven thin above her ears.
Raven pointed a finger at Johanna and winked at her. “Damn straight Vixen.” She turned to face the passengers in the back. “So, do any of you know what S.WA.T. stands for?”
Tyler found his voice. “Umm… Special Weapons and…”
“No. No. No.”Raven interrupted, waving a finger in the air. “Ladies!”
Collectively the Goth Squad cried out, “Sexy Women About Town!”
Laughter lifted the van as it pulled out onto the back street behind the college.
“Cougar. Unleash the hounds.” Raven gave a wide smile.
Victoria nodded as she changed gear, sending a plume of black smoke into the atmosphere. Reaching for a detonator in her bag she pressed the small red button.
Inside the college a small explosion lifted two locked doors in the center corridor clean off their hinges. They fell to the floor with a loud clatter that echoed through the empty hallways. The charges had been laid in such a way that everything that happened was subtle, yet well orchestrated with a specific purpose in mind. It all went unnoticed by those outside.
The 4Horsemen squad proceeded to breach the premises. As they neared the dismantled doors a vicious growling rumbled from the darkened interior. Before they had time to react the dogs were upon them.
Raven reached forward into the cab and pressed play on the Alpine car stereo. Immediately a deep drum and base track thumped through the speakers. She returned to her seat swaying to the sounds.
The black S.W.A.T. van crawled its way in the direction of the docks.
Billy stopped dead in his tracks. Something had caught his attention. A sound, a noise of some sort that caused him concern. The enormous Scotsman turned. Listened.
“Get off the road!” he yelled.
His companions all knew the drill for this was not the first time they had been forced from the road. They complied without hesitation, dispersing rapidly. Within seconds the road was deserted, save for a few random scraps of paper rustling in the gentle morning breeze.
From his vantage point in the shadows, Billy watched. Waited.
“What did you hear?” came a quiet, curious voice.
Billy rubbed the red stubble that covered his massive chin. “I’m not sure Vincent. A vehicle. A truck maybe. I can’t be sure until it gets closer, but there’s definitely something coming door way.”
Moments later Vincent felt the ground beneath his feet start to tremble. He turned to his wife, leaned forward and gave her a comforting kiss on her cheek. Lily smiled lovingly back at him.
As the black van drew near the the travelers on the roadside took aim
, following it closely in their crosshairs. They watched every movement the vehicle took as it slowly coursed its way towards them, weaving through the rubble.
Billy’s mouth dropped as the van passed by him. He was certain that he recognized a face in the front passenger seat. “I know that laddie,” he exclaimed, pointing.
“I do too,” Vincent said, confirming what Billy had just seen. “It’s Josh Armstrong.”
“Aye, that’s the laddie. Josh.”
“What?” Lily was completely taken aback by this revelation. “Josh? In there?”
“Yes.”
“What is he doing in that?”
“I haven’t got the foggiest.”
“Damnit! He’s one of us,” Lily said, stepping out from the shadows.
She was on the road before Vincent had the chance to stop her. Waving her arms furiously she did everything she could to gain the attention of the driver.
“What the hell is she up to mate?” asked Billy, cradling his shotgun.
“I don’t know, but I am sure as heck we’re about to find out.” Vincent stepped onto the road next to his wife, pistol in hand. He was prepared for anything.
Screeeeeetch!
Up ahead the van shuddered, skidding sideways coming to a sudden and abrupt stop. Smoke streamed from under the rear tires. The pungent smell of burning rubber immediately filled the air.
“Is everyone ok?” Victoria yelled, peering into the rear of the van. Amidst the pile of bodies in the back came upturned thumbs and a few groans.
“Sorry about that guys,” she said, staring into the wing mirror.
Raven poked her head into the cab. “What’s up Cougar?”
Victoria blinked. “There’s… there’s someone on the road waving at us.”
“What the fuck?”
“Yeah, behind us.”
Clambering to the rear window the passengers caught sight of a tall woman standing, waving in the center of the road behind them. She was joined by a man, of equal height and dressed all in black. They were instantly recognizable to many of those in the van.
“Oh my God!” Rebecca exclaimed, turning to her mother. “It’s Lily and Vincent.”
Dark of Dawn 4Horsemen: Book one in the Dark of Dawn Series Page 44
