“I know precisely what is expected of me, thank you very much, Oscar. Tell your masters I won't disappoint them. Also remind them of our deal. Humanity will receive a safe zone in which to live, with me in charge.
Boruta snickered, the sound of crunching leaves. “You will have your fiefdom, Prime Minister, do not fret. A deal struck in Hell is for eternity.”
“The deal wasn’t struck in Hell. It was struck in my office at Downing Street.”
“What is your point?”
“Ha! Yes, very good. I agree, Westminster is much improved nowadays.”
Boruta continued to eyeball him. “You must deal with this resistance in Portsmouth. The longer it remains, the harder it will be to dislodge. You want your deal, then you must take care of it.”
John rolled his eyes. He detested being ordered to do anything. “Portsmouth will do as I say.”
“We will see.”
John’s chauffeur turned around to tell him they were reaching the security perimeter around the city of Portsmouth. A checkpoint lay ahead—the first cars in John's convoy had already reached it. The black Jaguars had been intentionally battered and dented before arriving, making their journey seem more frightful than it had been. Truthfully, Jon and his entourage had travelled the country unmolested. The brand on his wrist gave him free passage amongst the demons.
John’s Mercedes stopped at the checkpoint where two grim-faced sentries appeared at the driver's side window. Sitting behind the driver, John opened his window first. “Speak to me, please, soldier.”
One of the two soldiers frowned at John, but moved to the rear window as requested. “Prime Minister Windsor?”
“One and the same. I am here to take charge. Let me in.”
The soldier raised an eyebrow. “General Wickstaff is in command here, but I’ll let her know you’re coming.”
John gripped the seat with both hands, but bit his lip and forced a smile. There was no point chewing out this worthless grunt, so he rolled up his window without further comment. A few seconds later, the convoy continued, entering the city of Portsmouth proper. It wasn’t a pretty place, but it was old and possessing of a noble history. Great Britain had been a naval empire, and here was one of its greatest ports, home to some of the nation’s greatest warships. Even now, John could see multiple vessels sitting in the distant harbour, though he had not expected nearly so many. The skyline blocked much of his view, but the corner of dockland was visible upon entering the city and was bustling with military and civilian crafts of all descriptions. He thought he even saw the nose of a carrier.
Not good, that so much manpower had found its way here. Early days of war had suggested the nation's forces had quickly scattered and become isolated. How had such a force accrued? Who was galvanising resistance?
General Wickstaff, of course. The traitor claiming to be in charge. Who was this man, and how much of a problem would he be?
It took twenty minutes to reach Portsmouth's naval base. Many of the roads were blockaded with the cement debris torn from nearby buildings. A toppled church spire had blocked off a side street. An apt image to behold, thought John. It appeared the city had been blocked off purposely so that a few chokepoints remained, each with a heavily armed guard. Trying to breach the city would be a nightmare for an enemy. Even more reason John had to enact a full surrender of the human forces here. He just had to assume his authority first.
John's Mercedes pulled onto a concrete parade square and came to a stop. His bodyguards parked their vehicles on either side. Their arrival had obviously been radioed ahead because a contingent of soldiers were already there waiting. John adjusted his tie and stepped out into the cold drizzle. He waved a hand to the gathered men and wore his most winning smile. “Hello, thank you for receiving me. The operation you have put into place here is astonishing. You are all extremely capable men and women. Please take me to the man in charge around here so that I can applaud him personally.”
A scruffy woman in a pair of oily coveralls stepped forwards and offered an equally greasy hand. “Prime Minister, it's an honour to have you on base.”
John ignored the woman’s hand, nowhere near willing to shake it. “The man in charge, please? I wish to speak with General Wickstaff.”
“Why would you wish to speak with anyone else?” said the woman. “I am General Wickstaff, current commander of operations here. I understand you would probably have preferred to meet with my male, Etonian predecessor, but I’m afraid he’s currently unavailable.”
John clenched his jaw. He did not like this woman at all. The way she looked at him... Her smirk was barely hidden. “Why is he unavailable?”
“Oh, you know, dead and all that. A real bother, to tell you the truth, as I don’t much like having to run things around here. But, alas, I do run things around here, so if you have anything to discuss, I’m your man—in a manner of speaking.”
John grunted. “Fine. You are to step down as commander here immediately. I am taking authority of Portsmouth as is my right as Prime Minister.” Unhappy grumbles from the soldiers amassed behind the general. The woman obviously had them under her thumb. He would re-educate them in due course. “You will, of course, remain informed on a majority of matters, General, particularly military affairs, and your deeds here won't be forgotten.”
The general nodded, the smirk gone from her face. She seemed almost relieved to relinquish command. “I suppose it is your right to take over. I mean, the population of this country voted you in, right?”
“Yes, they did. I am their legally elected leader.”
“Indeed. But, the problem, as I see it, is that when you were voted into office, the country had… what? About seventy million people? There’s only thirty thousand here at Portsmouth, and about six thousand of those aren’t even from the UK. We have a lot of French. Even some Korean.”
“What is your point, woman?”
“That’s General while you’re on my base, Prime Minister. My point is you represented a vastly different people than the one we have here, and I feel your authority is no longer legitimate. Not to mention, your cabinet is dead and the country we knew is gone. There is no more United Kingdom, there's just Portsmouth—and you were not voted into power here.”
“Now look here,” John growled, pointing a finger in this woman's face. “You will not usurp my power.”
“What power? This is a military outpost with military rule. What these people need is a steadfast leader, not a sleazy career politician. Maybe I’m acting unconstitutionally, but I don’t give a shit. I don't like you, and I won’t help you, however many bulldogs in suits you turn up with. I am in charge here, Prime Minister, and if you don’t like it, you're welcome to hold an inquest. Let me know how that goes.”
“I am your leader.”
Wickstaff—the insolent bitch—just smirked. She fucking smirked!
“Look,” she said calmly. “If you want to help around here, I'd be pleased to have you. I will happily include you in my war room meetings and even defer some of the more civilian matters to your experience. What I won’t do is hand over the kingdom—especially regarding military matters. Your government is gone, so accept it and move on. Help your fellow man here, or fuck right off.”
John felt a drumbeat in his temples. The gun hidden at his back cried out to him, and he imagined pulling it out and shooting the woman right in her smug mouth. But when he saw the defiant glares of the armed men all around her, he reconsidered. He would not beat this woman with force. No, he must do what he did best and gather power from within the populace. Embed himself and sway the majority to his side, then he could stage a coup. It wouldn’t take long. He could eat this vile woman for breakfast.
John allowed a sigh and offered his hand. “Sorry, General. I feel it is my duty to take control here and see that our nation prevails, but if the people support you as leader, then who am I to demand otherwise?”
The general stuck her greasy palm against John’s forcing him to
hide his disgust. She smiled at him warmly, having bought his line of bullshit. “New politics for a new world, ay, Prime Minister. I think they call that cooperation. Well done.”
John kept the smile plastered on his face and shook the woman’s disgusting hand harder. “Now we have reached an agreement, is it reasonable to ask to you to bring me up to date on matters here?”
She looked at the battered side panels of John’s Mercedes. “Looks like you might have a few stories to tell yourself.”
“Indeed. It’s hairy out there, I’m sure I need not tell you. I’m not sure fighting is the right option.”
“It’s the only option. Especially now.”
“What do you mean?”
“Come with me, Prime Minister.”
John frowned, motioned to his bodyguards to follow, and then carried on after the general. Her soldiers outnumbered his bodyguards six to one, which was something he was comfortable with, or at least not in any position to change. They headed across the large quadrant of concrete towards a cordon set up on the far side. Now that Wickstaff’s soldiers broke up into a looser formation, it was easier to see ahead.
“Is that a gate?” John's jaw dropped open.
“No,” said Wickstaff. “But it will be.”
“Well, w-w-we need to evacuate at once. You can’t have people here.”
The general frowned at him. “And where should we go?”
“Anywhere!” This was perfect, just the avenue he needed to dismantle Portsmouth. “Once that stone opens, there’ll be a massacre. We’ll be finished.”
Wickstaff sighed. “I’ve considered all that, Prime Minister, believe me. At least we have a kill zone in place. Anything that comes through will get ripped apart. But if we leave, we go right back to running and dying.”
John noticed then what must have been fifty snipers positioned around the various rooftops of the camp. There was also a trench in the process of being dug around the glowing black stone. It was true that any demon wanting to make it through was going to have a hard time, but Hell’s legions couldn’t be contained forever. This would still be mankind’s last, losing stand if they didn't leave now.
His role became even clearer. Thousands of lives here depended on him taking charge.
“Okay,” John told his bodyguards. “Pass on the word. We are implementing a mass evacuation right now. It is not safe here.”
“You’ll do no such thing,” said Wickstaff, glaring at the bodyguards, who shamed themselves by wavering. “If I see any man passing on orders that are not my own, I will have them shot dead. You are all welcome here, but that can change in an instant.”
“You don’t have the right to gamble with people’s lives, General!”
“Spoken with no hint of irony, Prime Minister. Bravo! Our plans here are under constant discussion, and you're welcome to voice your opinion, but you will do so via acceptable methods. You will not sow dissent here, Prime Minister. This is your final warning.”
“Fine. Then I demand to be informed of all events going forward. You might think you are in charge here, but when the time comes, you will be out of your depth.”
She threw her arms out. “Then help me, you stubborn fool! Stop holding onto silly notions of power and entitlement and get the Hell on board. Don’t plot my downfall. Plot the enemy’s downfall.”
John looked at his own men and saw them nodding. The woman spoke sense to them. The lowly always saw sense in demagogues. An evacuation must happen, or that gate would open and there'd be no survivors left to form a human settlement. He had to take control of this mess. And soon.
“Inform me of everything, General, and you shall receive my advice. I won’t force you to take it, but you would be wise to consider it.”
Wickstaff nodded curtly. “I’ll have offices set aside for you and your people. Welcome to Portsmouth, Prime Minister.”
Welcome to Hell, thought John as he turned on his heel and went back to his Mercedes, because that’s what this place will become if I don’t wrestle it from that mad bitch’s grasp.
11
GUY GRANGER
“I still have to go,” said Guy, standing at Rick’s bedside. The blowback from the stone had left the man woozy, and he had been weak for the last few hours. He didn’t appear physically injured, but it had taken till now to come back fully to reality. Maddy stroked his brow and gave him sips of water, but other than Guy, everyone else was waiting outside.
Rick blinked, one eyelid slower than the other. “You’ll still have my help, Guy. I'm coming.”
“What?” said Maddy, pulling her hand away from his forehead and staring at him. “You can’t leave now. You’re hurt, and we don’t know when that gate will open.”
“I’m fine, Maddy. It took the wind out of me, but I'm okay now. As for the gate, it’s too powerful for me to close. If it opens, there's nothing I can do.”
“Why can’t you close the gate here?” asked Guy. He still wasn’t sure that Rick could close any gate, but he decided to take it as truth for now.
Rick sat up to answer the question, much to Maddy’s disapproval. “It’s different somehow. More powerful.”
“Then perhaps you should stay here,” suggested Guy.
“No. The plan hasn’t changed. If we don’t weaken Lord Amon, then everyone here is doomed. The only good I can do is out there.”
Guy had gotten so used to trusting his own people that the thought of relying on a stranger was tough to reconcile. It was Rick's condition, though, that truly unnerved him. He looked more ghoul than human. How much longer did he have?
“You know, I can’t help feeling like we’ve met before,” said Guy, now that he'd taken a long look at Rick's face. “You look familiar.”
Rick groaned as if that was the worst thing he could have heard. An odd reaction. “I just have one of those faces. Now, are you ready to go? Longer we wait, the bigger chance Maddy has of convincing me to stay.”
“Yes, I’m ready. Just let me get my men together.”
Guy headed out of the barracks and back towards the docks. He had left his scouting party on the Hatchet to load up on supplies while Tosco readied the larger part of the remaining crew to depart for home. A final segment of men and women would stay at Portsmouth. The large family that had sailed the Atlantic were breaking up.
But when Guy made it back to his ship—or Tosco’s ship now—he was dismayed to find his contingent had reduced by two thirds.
Tosco stood on the gangplank waiting for him. “The crew are anxious, Captain. They heard about the new gate.”
“It’s not a gate yet.” Guy moved past the Lieutenant and boarded the Hatchet.
“Well, regardless, the number of men intending to return home has increased, but I’m afraid that means less people for your hunt for Alice.”
Guy stopped and looked Tosco in the eye. “Did you help convince them that joining you was in their best interests, Lieutenant?”
Tosco’s eyes narrowed, and he bared he teeth. “I knew you would think that. No, Captain, I did nothing to dissuade anyone from going with you.”
“He’s telling the truth,” said Skip, heading across the deck. He had a Remington Riot shotgun slung over his shoulder that looked more than his withered frame could handle. “Everyone on board wants to get as far away from that black stone as possible.”
“You too, Skip?”
“Heaven’s no. I’ll be right there beside you when you find your Alice. Other men too.”
Guy turned to Tosco and sighed. “I'm sorry. I should have known better than to question you.”
“No one is thinking clearly right now, Captain.”
“How many men do we have left, Skip?”
“Six sailors and two civilians.”
Guy moaned. “Including you and me, that makes ten. Rick is still coming, and if Wickstaff comes through and lends more manpower, maybe we still have enough.”
Tosco folded his arms.
Guy folded his own arms in reply. �
�What is it, Lieutenant?”
“You’re going to get them all killed. You might have twenty bodies if you are lucky. I’ve been speaking to the soldiers here on base, they say there’s fifty thousand demons scattered around Portsmouth, with more coming every minute. You’ll never make it where you’re going.”
Guy wished he could argue his case, but Tosco was right. The chances of finding Alice—and finding her alive—were beyond slim. But what father would not try anyway? “Way I see it, Lieutenant, we’re all due to die in some fashion. The only thing we have power over now is how and why. That I have such a small amount of help is the very reason I will succeed. Smaller the group, less chance of the enemy spotting us.”
Tosco let his arms drop to his sides and stood there motionless for a moment. Then he did something unexpected and snapped off a crisp salute. “I wish for your safe return, Captain. Alice's too. It has been an honour serving under you, and I hope to command the Hatchet in the way she deserves.”
Guy returned the salute, then broke protocol and yanked Tosco into a hug. “You’ve always been built to lead, Commander Tosco. Do well.”
Tosco was stiff at first, but then he put his arms around Guy and patted his back with real affection. When the men finally broke away, they maintained eye contact for a few moments, conveying their unspoken respect. Tosco and Guy had never been friends, but the younger man was courageous, and willing to die for his crew. The Hatchet deserved a leader like him.
Skip gave Tosco a quick hug too. “I hope we all meet again someday.”
Skip nodded. “When the world is ours again, lad.”
“It’s time for me to leave, Commander,” said Guy. “Permission to gather my team and disembark?”
Tosco saluted. “Permission granted, Captain. God speed.”
12
VAMPS
Vamps and his crew had remained at Pizza Hut following their strange encounter with the Irishman. It had left them unsettled and unnerved so much that they had needed to collect themselves. So they stuck around for a while, digging out uncooked pizza bread that had turned blue with mould and wishing there was something fresh. Eventually, there would be nothing in the world left to eat. They had survived weeks on canned food and foil-sealed snacks, but everything else was spoiled. With no new food being produced, there was a finite supply.
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