They both edged their way out, hearing someone was inside, inching forward, each armed with a baseball bat.
One dropped his bat at what they saw. Harry was on the cross-trainer, the same one they had mocked him for using, only now he was cranking out the reps, smiling wide at them as he went, careful to show off his new fangs.
The two idiots bolted in opposite directions, but the upgraded Gunny Trautman was on them both in a second, drinking one dry as he pinned the other to the wall. The next meal screamed as he saw his friend perish, only to go the same way. Harry heard a noise as he finished up, realising a third man was trying to break the boards to get out. He pulled him back, drinking just as greedily as the third victim’s blood mixed with the others, all spoiling Gunny Trautman’s hard-earned medal ribbons.
Once finished up and fully satisfied Harry sat down onto a weights bench, letting out a long, low belch, accompanied by a blood bubble escaping from his lips.
Sweetest thing I ever tasted.
Harry spent the next couple of days getting his bearings, acclimatising to his new self. The loss of speech was easily worth it as the veteran constantly astounded himself at his enhanced strength and speed of manoeuvrability. He quickly learnt not to give in to the hunger too easily, only feeding when he had to, and always enjoying his meal.
The residents of Brentwood were fleeing on mass, but still as many thought they could stick it out, offering a steady menu. On the third day Harry watched from high up in the trees as Sheriff Wylett and Deputy Gribbin entered his house with guns drawn. He purposely kept his distance, still retaining his discipline, and not wanting to harm either. Tucker had been right again, what you were in life you carried with you when you turned.
As long as he followed the rules, Gunny Trautman was sure he could remain just that.
He purposely sought out other infected, healthy ones, to see how they reacted to another turned. Even when feeding they didn’t seem bothered by him, just keeping a demon eye on the visitor. On the fourth day, the day before the doomed posse had called at the widow’s house, Harry met his first Clucker.
It came up on him, shaking like a demented junky as it snapped its jaws at the air, clumsily clawing at Harry. He easily side-stepped the lunging arm of the thing that had once been a young man, knocking the Clucker to the ground before he drove his trainer heel down onto its head, killing the pitiful creature instantly.
Harry saw another killed an hour later, watching as three healthy vampires eviscerated the Clucker. It was obvious that they, like he, were turning into apex predators, refining their new species to abandon any impurities. Survival of the fittest.
Maybe the genius kid Tucker had told him of was right. Maybe the virus really was a bizarre next step in human evolution.
As always, Harry had been painstaking in his preparation, but he could do no more. His new teeth and talons were fully formed by the second day of turning, and he had even found how to form a fist, claws out, without ripping his palms open.
Gunny Trautman had quickly adapted to his new form, and knew what his next objective was going to be. It was time to form the wolf pack.
15
Looking out at Susan Chambers, there was still that part of Harry that felt anger at her lack of respect for the town’s Sheriff, and a clear lack of respect for a downed enemy. She wasn’t a Clucker, but something else, something demonic, taking all the hate and bitterness from her sad life with her as she turned.
But Harry saw no point in delaying any longer. It would be a mercy killing. He stepped forward, laying the brand new iPad he had purchased just before his turning into the rear of one of the ambushed pickups. Harry strode forward, noticing the two soldier vampires react to someone of his rank by standing to attention as he passed them.
At ease, people.
As Harry drew closer to Jake Wylett’s mutilated body, and the thing feasting on it, Susan Chambers popped her head out of the Sheriff’s chest cavity, locking her red eye onto the inbound Gunny Trautman.
Up close, even to a combat veteran turned vampire, the widow still made for a chilling sight. Her fire blackened frame, her destroyed face, and the remainder of her lush locks, trailing down by her demon eye, matted with the blood and entrails of Jake Wylett.
She hissed at Harry, crouching to launch herself at him, then exploded forward. But for a man tested in war, it was an amateur effort. Gunny Trautman dodged Susan’s flailing claws, cupping his hand under her chin as he spun the hissing widow around. Bringing his other hand up to the base of her skull, Harry snapped Susan Chambers neck so hard her head ended up facing the wrong way, Linda Blair style, as her red eye faded out.
He let her drop to the floor as the other infected stopped feeding as they all faced the Gunnery Sergeant. Harry was pleased who he saw feeding on Lisa Gribbin, grateful for the excuse to kill a man whom he had detested in the time before. Sheriff Wylett had pointed him out when they had been chatting outside his office, identifying the man as Danny Bridge, a small time drug dealer and wife beater.
It was the last item that had stuck in Harry’s mind, a man of the old-school, brought up to respect the opposite sex. Now the wife beater was making his move on him. But Gunny Trautman wasn’t the soft target that Danny was used to bullying, and he dispatched him as easily as the widow, tearing his throat out with one deft talon swipe, followed up by grabbing the domestic violence fan and slamming him down onto his knee, snapping Danny’s spine.
Then a third vampire rushed forward. Harry ducked the swing arm, recognising the man as an idiot drinking buddy of the wife beater, before popping back up and slamming his foot into the attacker’s leg, snapping it like a twig. As the hissing idiot dropped, Harry caught him with his talons, pushing his hand in and out through his chest, taking his heart as he did so.
Gunny Trautman quickly braced for more attackers but none came. Instead the group of infected all stood in a semi-circle, staring at him in silence. There were about a dozen left. One of nearest looked Harry up and down, then down at the wife beater. Harry recognised her as the widow of the petty criminal and, despite her flushed appearance from her recent feed, he could still make out the bruises on her face she carried from before she had been turned.
Now or never, Harry thought to himself, knowing if they all charged him he wouldn’t stand a chance.
He leant over the wife beater and began hacking at his neck with his talons. After only three hefty blows Danny Bridge’s head came free. Harry stood, gripping the severed head by its hair, looking out at the silent faces watching him. He stepped forward, carefully laying the head at the feet of the battered wife.
As Harry straightened up he placed his hand over his heart, knowing that in every culture and country he had ever experienced, the hand on heart gesture always helped. A universal sign of peace.
No one moved as they all stood ready. The wife looked down at the head then up at Harry, then back down at the head of the man who had caused her so much pain, smiling as she did so. With pause and grace she pulled her foot back and delivered a perfect kick, launching the head so high amongst the trees that they all had to crane their necks to follow its trajectory.
Looking back to Harry, she smiled again. Now he had to make his pitch. Walking back to the pickup Harry grabbed the iPad as they all gathered on the road, standing in the moonlight as Harry typed.
He had bought the device to hopefully use once he had turned, practising typing with a single claw since his successful conversion. If anything, typing with the pointed talon was actually easier, offering more accuracy when cranking out letters on the screen keys. Harry had selected the brightest white background, with the boldest, darkest text as contrast, all lit up on the biggest screen available. Once finished he held it up, slowly arcing so that they could all read.
WE MUST DRINK ONLY FRESH, OXYGENATED BLOOD
Harry lowered it back down as he looked around. His potential wolf pack were nodding.
IT MUST BE FRESH, FROM SOMEONE YOU HAVE JUS
T KILLED, OR YOU KNOW HAS JUST DIED.
More nodding.
YOU MUST NEVER DRINK ANIMAL BLOOD, NO MATTER HOW HUNGRY YOU ARE. ONLY HUMAN.
Harry wanted to future-proof his troops so he typed it again.
ONLY HUMAN AND ALWAYS FRESH
As they all nodded again, Harry knew he had their full attention, so he seized his chance and pitched for the top job.
TOGETHER WE WILL BE STRONGER. IF WE WORK AS A TEAM, LOOKING OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER, NONE OF US WILL GO HUNGRY
Harry quickly typed more.
IF WE HELP AND PROTECT ONE ANOTHER, IF WE FIGHT AND FEED TOGETHER, WE WILL SURVIVE
Harry had learnt that the infected, including himself, would sometimes make a clicking sound in their throats when in groups. He assumed it was the start of a new way of communicating amongst the vampires. Now he could hear multiple clicks, and he guessed that was only a good thing.
I HAVE COMMANDED TROOPS IN BATTLE. I KNOW HOW TO BE A STRONG, FAIR AND EFFECTIVE LEADER
He looked around at his captive audience, clicking his talon against the screen as he rapped out more words.
WE ARE A WOLF PACK. WE ARE ALL EQUAL, BUT WE MUST HAVE A COMMAND STRUCTURE AND A LEADER
More clicking. It was time for the money shot.
STEP FORWARD IF YOU WANT ME TO BE YOUR LEADER
Harry planted his feet firmly in the ground, bracing himself in case it went bad. But even before he had lowered the iPad the two National Guard Troopers stepped forward, standing ram-rod straight as they presented themselves to their new Commanding Officer. They were quickly joined by the liberated and empowered Mrs Bridge, licking her bloodied fangs as she still smiled at Harry.
Soon, nearly the whole group had moved towards Gunny Trautman to show they were happy to enlist, apart from two at the back. Harry recognised them immediately, knowing he was going to have a problem if they challenged his authority.
They were the Jix twins, towering lumps of farming muscle, almost as wide as they were tall. Harry had volunteered to judge the strongman contest at the local fair, soon after Linda had died, just to get himself out of the house. The Jix twins were only twenty years old, but they had beaten everyone hands down in every event.
Afterwards they had got talking to Harry, hanging on his every word once they discovered he was an ex-marine. They told him they had both applied to join the military but had failed the written tests. Gunny Trautman had instructed the two giants to keep trying, telling them that the two would excel once in uniform. But it never happened.
And the reason for being unsuccessful in their quest, was the same reason Harry realised why the Jix twins were holding back. Neither could read nor write. Jake Wylett had told Harry the twins’ father was a brute of a man who didn’t believe in school, putting his boys to work as soon as they could walk. They had inherited the farm, but at the price of no education.
But Harry didn’t see two idiots. To a man who had trained troops for battle, Gunny Trautman only saw untapped potential.
As the rest of the group watched, Harry walked over to the twins, craning his neck up as he stopped in front of the two. He knew they recognised him, hoping they remembered his words of encouragement, because Harry was going to grant their wish and make them soldiers. Even if the Jix twins couldn’t read, write or even count, none of them could talk anymore, anyway. But there was more than one way to communicate.
Harry raised up his uniformed arm, slicing off one of his brass cuff buttons with a talon, catching the gleaming metal. He stepped up to the first twin, who stood motionless as he looked down. Harry slipped the gleaming button, carrying the Eagle, Globe and Anchor of his beloved marines, into the shirt pocket of the first twin.
Next he sliced off another button from his opposite cuff, slipping it into the dungaree chest pocket of the second twin.
Stepping back, Harry dipped his head and lowered his eyes, bowing in respect to the twins as he did the hand over the heart thing again. As he looked back up the two farm boys were nodding as they both smiled.
Gunny Trautman had his wolf pack.
16
Walking through the woods, Harry watched as his troops moved amongst the trees, confident in what he saw. They were already working as a team, spreading out as they all looked around, each one constantly scanning for threat or food, but he still needed to make some refinements.
Harry did the clicking sound with his throat and the wolf pack halted. He motioned for the two National Guard Troopers to come to him, which they obliged. Harry read their name tags. The short female soldier, with her hair still tied back in the regulation tight back-knot, displayed herself as GARCIA.
Her colleague, tall and lanky, read as URWIN. Both in their early twenties, both obviously keen and eager to shine.
Harry began typing, holding the iPad for Garcia to read.
GARCIA, I WANT YOU TO TAKE POINT AND BE OUR SCOUT
Garcia beamed a smile at her promotion as she ran off to take the lead. Harry was expert in assessing those who wanted to serve, knowing how to bring out the best in them. Garcia was itching to prove herself, easily up to the task, whereas Harry could see Urwin needed a boost to his self-confidence.
URWIN, I NEED SOMEONE I CAN RELY ON TO BRING UP THE REAR AND WATCH OUR SIX
Urwin literally grew an inch at the endorsement, nodding eagerly as he bounded off to take up his position.
The Jix twins already had their roles, self-appointed and without argument. They were Gunny Trautman’s bodyguards, flanking the veteran on either side as they carried his token of loyalty and friendship with them.
Harry had recognised another member of his wolf pack as they made their way. He signalled for the young man to come to him. He was the teenage shop assistant who had set up his new iPad, only a week earlier. But, again, Harry saw untapped potential.
The virus cured all ills bar acne, which still dotted the youngster’s chin and cheeks. As he looked between the giant twins, Harry handed him the Tablet. ?
The boy looked frightened, even with his new fangs and claws, but then he realised the question, tapping his reply before handing the device back.
WILLIAM
Harry nodded, typing again. WILLIAM, I NEED A RUNNER. SOMEONE TO BE MY EYES AND EARS
William looked relieved as he nodded, smiling as he pointed to the small rucksack on his back. Harry patted him on the shoulder, knowing he had made the right choice as he slipped the iPad inside.
And on they went. Harry thought the idea of the virus being the next step in human evolution was more and more likely as he watched his wolf pack. The pandemic had tapped into their predator instincts, dictating how they moved and acted. Each one was scanning their surroundings as they moved, aware of any potential threat, and sniffing for any food.
Harry knew that it wouldn’t be too long before he could ditch the iPad as they would become like a hive mind, knowing instinctively what role each played in the pack. A throat click here, a hand gesture there, or just a look. Soon, Gunny Trautman’s wolves would be equal to any force they encountered.
But a good leader had to provide for his troops, knowing, more than ever now, that an army marches on its stomach. Brentwood was done, with only slim pickings left on the menu, and the pack knew it.
They were heading to the next town, to feed on the good people of Silchester.
Before Harry knew it, the night was giving way to his new enemy, the sun. But, as always, the veteran was prepared, and the route Harry had plotted through the forest not only had taken his wolf pack to the outskirts of their new feeding ground, it had also taken them to shelter. The abandoned coalmine was perfect. Deep, dark and nowhere an uninfected would dare to venture.
But as Garcia went in first, she was bowled over by a fleeing man, an uninfected. He dodged through the group, running for his life as a multitude of slashing talons missed him, only to be brought to the ground by Urwin.
Harry smiled at his rear-gunner, pleased with the junior soldier’s skill. Urwin pulled the s
creaming wretch over to the group, just as they rushed in to feed again, only to stop in their tracks as Gunny Trautman hissed.
The veteran noticed they had been joined several miles back by a youngster, the girl no more than nine or ten. She was wearing a ballerina costume, complete with tutu skirt, and she was fully turned. Harry parted the pack as he beckoned her through, taking the little girl’s hand. He could see she was ravenous with hunger, and so her need was greater than the others.
Harry gently pushed her towards Urwin and the whimpering catch, watching as she fell on the man’s throat and fed with a frenzy.
William knew to hand the iPad to Harry, and the veteran nodded his gratitude as he typed, holding up the device once finished.
IF ONE OF US HAS GONE WITHOUT FOOD, THEN THEY EAT FIRST. IF WE HAVE ONLY A LITTLE FOOD BETWEEN US, THEN WE ONLY TAKE ENOUGH SO THAT ALL CAN FEED. WE MUST LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER. WE ARE FAMILY NOW. WE ARE A WOLF PACK.
Everyone nodded as Mrs Bridge knelt by the feeding ballerina, stroking the girl’s ponytail as the little one drank.
NOW WE MUST SLEEP. TOMORROW NIGHT WE ATTACK SILCHESTER, AND WE WILL FEAST
As they slept, deep in the bowels of the mine, Harry organised sentries to keep guard, rotating them throughout the day to make sure the whole wolf pack rested in peace. Harry took the last watch, making his way up to a vantage point with a view of the mine’s entrance, and the now lethal sun beyond.
He was joined by the Jix twins, knowing it was pointless trying to stop them. They had become totally committed to their alpha wolf leader, following Harry everywhere, neither of them even sleeping at the same time, ensuring one would always be on watch.
From now on, wherever Gunny Trautman went, his twin bodyguards would be at his side. Even though he considered it overkill, the veteran couldn’t criticise the boys for being keen.
The Turned Page 7
