Escaping Madness: Age Of Madness - A Kurtherian Gambit Series (Live Free Or Die Book 3)

by Hayley Lawson

  Everyone was tired, and the adrenaline had left their bodies once the movie had ended. The alcohol and food had made them sleepy.

  Massimo got up from the couch. “Ryder, you can take Leandro’s room. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”

  Leandro had snuck off to his room earlier. Tired little pup, Ryder thought, smiling to herself.

  “Vicky, you can take the guest room.” Massimo walked over to Vicky. “I’ll show you where it is. The rest of you can crash in the living room, I’m sorry I don’t have enough beds for everyone. There are blankets in the cupboard.” Massimo pointed to the cupboard, so everyone knew which one he meant. “We need to get up in a few hours, so I recommend everyone gets some sleep. I’ll wake you when it’s time.”

  Ryder wondered what song he’d be singing in the morning. Maybe instead of Here Comes the Sun, it would be something more like, Here Comes the Merry Motherfuckers Who Are Going to Rip You a New Asshole. It didn’t really rhyme, but Ryder thought the sentiment was spot on.

  Everyone said their goodnights and headed to the different rooms in the house.

  Carter and the other guys got comfortable on the sofa, chairs, and floor using the blankets and pillows for makeshift beds. None of them complained about their sleeping arrangements. They were a good team.

  Ryder was shocked that she’d been able to find so many great people. All her life, she’d been surrounded by people who would cheerfully kill her to get what they wanted. There were good people as well, like Terrier, Mama Lou, Natalie, and all the people on Level Six. Ryder couldn’t wait until her two groups of friends were together, and that would happen soon.

  Massimo walked over to Ryder after showing Vicky her room for the night. “What type of plant is that?” Ryder said as she pointed to a green plant that had sharp spikes on it. She poked a finger at it, and the spike broke her skin it was like a tiny dagger.

  “It’s a cactus. They normally grow in deserts. I’ve had this one,” Massimo paused as he thought, “for years, since before the World’s Worst Day Ever.”

  “I’d like to learn more about the World’s Worst Day Ever when you have a free moment,” Ryder asked.

  Massimo greeted that question joyfully. “Of course. There is so much history I’d love to fill you in on.” Massimo smiled. He was as happy to tell Ryder as she was to learn.

  Ryder smiled back at Massimo. “I would like that very much, and thank you, Massimo, for everything.”

  “It’s the least I can do. We can chat about it on the walk to the bunker tomorrow.” He smiled fondly at Ryder. “I’ve been meaning to speak to you privately,” Massimo told her quietly.

  The two decided to go outside and sit down on the porch since everyone was settling down for the night.

  Ryder’s finger trailed over the knife marks in the chair arm. “I’m sorry about Sergei and Yegor breaking into your house. And about this.” Ryder touched the scar.

  Massimo waved his hand. “Don’t worry about that. It’s just stuff and you weren’t the one who broke in, so you have nothing to be sorry about.” He smiled warmly, and Ryder knew he meant it.

  “Thank you, Massimo. Why did you want to speak to me?” Ryder asked.

  Massimo hesitated for a moment. “I’ve been thinking about what you said, and I think you’re right. Afana was always a monster, and you need a strong vampire by your side to win this fight.”

  Ryder couldn’t believe her ears. She leaned forward. “What are you saying, Massimo?”

  “I think I need to take you up on your offer,” Massimo replied.

  Ryder knew he was dancing around the words. He needed her blood to get stronger, and she needed him to be strong. “You need my blood.”

  Massimo nodded.

  Ryder flipped her wrist over, revealing her veins to Massimo as she rested it on the arm of the chair. “Take it. I need your help. We have to free them at any cost.” Even if it’s my life, she thought.

  Massimo started to fidget. He was feeling uneasy about this, and Ryder didn’t want him to back out. She knew the struggle Leandro had to get him to drink rabbit blood, and this was even worse. She needed to act fast before he changed his mind. “I can pour it in a glass, and you can pretend it’s wine.” Ryder smiled and got to her feet like this decision was already made.

  Ryder left Massimo on the porch and went into the house. The house was quiet, except for the men snoring and the low volume of the TV.

  She grabbed a glass and made sure it was clean, then found a rag to stop the bleeding. She didn’t want to bleed out. Then she picked up the new knife Graham had given her. She’d hoped the first cut wouldn’t be on her. She made a cut on her forearm, and made sure every precious drop went into the glass. Ryder wasn’t sure how much was blood he needed, so she filled the glass. As soon as Ryder started to feel dizzy, she bandaged the cut. Depending on the results, Ryder knew that she may have to repeat the whole thing again in the morning, and she was willing to do it.

  Massimo instantly turned to Ryder when she stepped through the door and onto the porch. His eyes went to the glass.

  He shook his head, “I don’t know if I can do this. I’m not one of those vegetarians who pretends to not eat meat, and when no one is around, they sneak a chicken drumstick or a steak. Meat nauseates me, and the smell of blood is twisting my stomach. I really think I’m going to be sick.”

  Ryder laid a gentle hand on the vampire’s shoulder. “Massimo, I need your help. Just think of it as one of your new cocktails.” Ryder placed the glass on the table by his chair. “I’ll leave you to decide. Good night, Massimo, and thank you again. For everything.” Ryder left Massimo on the porch to make his decision.

  7

  Afana showered until the water ran clear instead of red. Then he’d changed, and now he was ready. He’d thought about his plan of attack, which wasn’t usual for him. Normally, he would attack first and think later. Actually, that wasn’t true. He wouldn’t think later, either. He was more of a “live in the moment” person, and the present moment was a very tense one. He could feel that he needed some blood since he wasn’t at full strength, but he wasn’t going to drink from just anyone for a quick fix.

  Afana was ready to bring his bunker back to order. He planned to get Terrier out of Level Six and make him into a memorable example to show others who were thinking about being traitors what awaited them. This time he was going to make sure that the infected didn’t get too close to him, and make sure he killed them. He wasn’t going to let any of those jerks bite him while his back was turned.

  Afana walked into the lab and spoke to Advisor Robert. “Any updates on the test results?”

  “None of the other Advisors’ bloodwork has shown signs of infection yet, which is good news. However, I need more time before you feed on them just to be sure.”

  “And my blood?” he demanded. Advisor Robert cringed a little, and Afana knew that it wasn’t a good sign. “Tell me,” he ordered through gritted teeth.

  Advisor Robert spoke quickly. “Your blood has shown signs that you can be infected by the disease. With a large amount of the infected blood, you will become infected also.” Advisor Robert backed away from Afana slightly.

  Afana wasn’t a person who could control his temper. He was fighting his every instinct simply because he needed to keep Advisor Robert alive long enough to create a cure. “Keep running tests and see if there are any changes. Is there a cure?” Afana asked.

  This time Advisor Roberts didn’t pause, since he knew how much that annoyed Afana. “I will continue to run the tests. We aren’t anywhere close to a cure. It will take time.” Advisor Robert admitted, hoping that Afana, as a scientist himself, would understand that cures could happen in a few days or years, and sometimes never.

  Afana sighed. “We need to work on containing the infected and getting the cameras back up.”

  Advisor Robert was glad of the opportunity to redirect Afana’s thoughts. He gave him an update on the bunker. “The generals are on Level Five doi
ng a sweep. There were a lot of them killed in the last big fight. Once their sweep is completed, we’ll move them up onto Level Four.”

  Only Levels Four and Five, Afana thought with relief. “Have there been any breakouts on Levels Three and Two?” he asked. That was where the generals and the advisors lived, and they didn’t only house men. The families of the generals and advisors also lived there. Afana had done that so he could keep an eye on them, and let them build relationships he could use against them at any point. Their bonds with their loved ones were their weakness.

  Advisor Robert shook his head. “None yet.”

  “Interesting. Why not on those levels yet?” Afana questioned, then he thought about Level Six. He hadn’t seen any evidence of a breakout down there, either. “Could those who have not been outside have less of a chance of catching the disease? Is it airborne?”

  “But the advisors on Level One had the disease, Afana, and those men have never been outside. It is random. It has to be.”

  Afana thought about the two most important pieces of information Robert had given him. If he got bitten, he could be infected, and they didn’t have a cure. Afana’s bunker was a ticking time bomb that could go off at any moment. He didn’t like that idea. He needed to stop the outbreak before it got any worse.

  Mama Lou walked over to General Murray, Peter, and Terrier, who stood next to one of the private doors. She looked around and noticed that Advisor George was missing, then looked at the exit. It was still closed, so that was a good sign.

  “Where’s Advisor George?” Mama Lou asked.

  General Murray gestured at the locked door.

  “Why is he in there?” Mama Lou questioned.

  “Because he’s infected,” Murray told her.

  Mama Lou looked at the men in horror. “Why is he still alive?”

  “He’s not actually succumbed yet. His mind started to go, and he knew that he was going to turn soon,” General Murray informed Mama Lou.

  Mama Lou smiled sadly. “So the rat was smart, after all?”

  Murray nodded. “Appears that way. But not at the end. He couldn’t remember how we get out of the bunker. I tried everything, but he just couldn’t remember. It was like it had been erased from his memory.”

  “There has to be a way to get it out of him.” Mama Lou moved toward the door and put her hand on the pole that was wedged under the handle to stop George from getting out. Peter placed his hand on top of Mama Lou’s to stop her.

  “It’s not safe for you in there,” Peter told her gently.

  Mama Lou knew he was right. If Advisor George wasn’t infected, Mama Lou could have snapped him like a twig. But he was, and Mama Lou wasn’t able to fight that.

  “I’ll go in.” Peter moved to grab the pole, then banging came from the other side of the door, and he pulled his hand back. The banging didn’t stop. It was in sync with Vera’s banging, which everyone had gotten used to. Weird groans came through the door.

  They all looked at one another. It was too late. Advisor George was completely gone, taking with him the way for them to get out of the bunker. The three of them fell silent for a moment as they watched the door bounce with each pound of George’s fists. He was definitely stronger now the disease had taken over.

  They would have to find another way to get the Level Six door open.

  “Quick, get out … Get out!” Natalie yelled as she flung open the kids’ room door.

  General Murray, Terrier, and Peter ran over to Natalie as the kids came running out of the door. Their faces were ghost-white and terrified.

  Not a kid, not a kid. The thought ran through Terrier’s mind like a poisoned arrow.

  A woman leaped through the air right at Terrier—Evelyn Young. She had been helping Natalie with the kids, and now she was stronger than Terrier had expected. She knocked Terrier to the ground, then lunged to bite down on his neck.

  General Murray grabbed Evelyn and threw her off Terrier, but he wasn’t as strong as Afana and Evelyn sprang back to her feet.

  Evelyn’s hair was disheveled, she had a crazy look in her red glowing eyes, and her teeth snapped at the air as if she were practicing biting.

  The center area of Level Six was filled with potential meals. She darted toward the nearest person before that person could react. It was one of the men who had been trapped down here when Afana had put the bunker on lockdown. Evelyn's teeth chomped down before she was stopped. The man screamed in pain as Evelyn tore a chunk of flesh from his neck.

  People ran away in horror and kids cried out in fear. Samantha fell onto the ground when she stumbled over her own feet.

  Evelyn sprang for the next victim, and General Murray launched into action. He reached for his weapon to shoot Evelyn but it wasn’t there. Mama Lou had it.

  And Mama Lou didn’t have a clue how to use it.

  Murray couldn’t let Evelyn get Samantha. He would have to take her on with his bare hands. He dived between Samantha and the thing that had been Evelyn.

  Peter scooped Samantha up and passed her to Mama Lou. Mama Lou shoved the gun into Terrier’s hand, but Terrier didn’t know what to do with it.

  Evelyn let out a blood-curdling growl and went for General Murray. He punched Evelyn in the jaw and her head swung sideways, then she bolted off in search of easier prey.

  Terrier, Peter, and General Murray went after Evelyn, and the pipe-wielding women looked on in horror. Evelyn was their friend, but they wouldn’t let her hurt the kids. The women formed a protective shield around the children.

  Evelyn had bitten one more man before the three of them got to her. She was fast, tearing a strip from one and quickly moving onto the next victim. Bright red blood ran down her face as she lunged for her next victim.

  The men had failed to keep Level Six safe, but now the killing had to stop.

  “Murray.” Terrier passed General Murray the gun.

  General Murray couldn’t get a clear shot. Evelyn darted back and forth. “I need her to hold still.”

  That wasn’t that easy, but Terrier was going to stop her. Evelyn was biting her next victim when Terrier came up behind her and picked her up in a bearhug. She thrashed her head around trying to bite Terrier’s arms, but he moved them out of the way as he tried to keep his hold on her.

  Terrier spun Evelyn to face General Murray. “Shoot her,” he pleaded.

  “I might shoot you,” General Murray fretted.

  Terrier really didn’t want to get shot, and he didn’t want the killing to carry on. “Shoot her now.” Terrier let go of Evelyn and ran to the side.

  General Murray shot Evelyn right in her glowing red eye. Blood poured from it like a red tear, pooling on the floor beneath her head.

  8

  Ryder headed to Leandro’s room. She was totally exhausted. Fluffy was curled up on the bed, and he looked so cute. She took off her boots, relishing the fact that she felt safe enough to do so.

  She slipped under the blanket, trying not to wake Flurry. Her eyes were heavy, and she let herself fall asleep.

  What the fuck! Sergei and Yegor were in Leandro’s room and their eyes were glowing like they’d gone Mad. Did I not two-tap them? Ryder sprang out of her bed and went to grab her knife from her pants, but they weren’t there. Ryder had put them to the side before she’d gone to sleep, but they were no longer there. Had someone snuck into Leandro’s room and taken them? Who would do that?

  Sergei and Yegor were coming for her. Their arms were out in front of them, and they were groaning. Ryder punched Sergei, and her hand went right through his head and came out the other side. What the fuck? She pulled her hand back, and blood oozed out with it.

  She did the same to Yegor, punching until their skulls had turned to putty. Her fist made gaping holes in the men’s heads, but they were still coming for her. She jumped onto Leandro’s bed and screamed for help.

  Ryder felt wetness on her face, breaking her from the darkness of the nightmare. Fluffy was leaning over Ryder licking her face. Gross!
Ryder rolled away, and Fluffy stopped licking and looked at her. He’d had to wake her from her nightmare, and how else could he have done it?

  “Thanks, Fluffy.” Ryder felt weird calling him Leandro after being licked awake. Fluffy wagged his tail. She was still able to communicate with Leandro even if he couldn’t talk. “I knew you’d still be in there, Leandro. Next time, could you make it less wet?” She wiped the saliva from her face.

  It was still dark outside. Ryder looked at the clock. She’d been asleep for a few hours, but she needed more sleep for tomorrow.

  Ryder laid back and stroked Fluffy for comfort. The dream had felt too real. The fight had only happened a few hours ago, and because of that Ryder was replaying every image in her head, right down to the looks on Sergei’s and Yegor’s faces before she killed them. Ryder didn’t feel guilty for doing it since it had been them or her. Besides, she’d known those men for years, and she’d never call them friends. Ryder wondered if tomorrow she’d have to fight off some of her friends in the bunker.

  What if someone she cared about couldn’t see that Ryder and her friends were doing the right thing? Some people had spent their whole life living in the bunker. Would they even want to be free? The worries consumed Ryder for a second, but she quickly squashed them with thoughts of setting the kids free. Most of them had never been outside the bunker. Their lives had been stolen from them before they’d even begun, just as Ryder’s had. If some didn’t want her help, that would be fine with Ryder. She was there to free those who wanted to leave.

  Ryder closed her heavy eyes once again. Sergei and Yegor weren’t going to haunt her dreams anymore. None of the scum from the bunker would.

  Only the thoughts of setting everyone free would play in Ryder’s dreamscape.

  Carter heard a shuffle behind him. “Dude, you have to see this. It’s fucking crazy.” Carter was deep into The Empire Strikes Back. He loved the TV, and couldn’t stop watching it. Massimo had the best selection of movies he’d ever seen, which was easy to say since he’d never seen a movie before he’d met Massimo. The Fast and the Furious was his favorite. Massimo had told him that there were eight movies but that he only had the first one, and that the abandoned mall would have the rest. The abandoned mall sounded like the best place Carter had ever heard of.