“Enough! Enough! She will be judged and sentenced in due time. Your vengeance will wait, Devon. Move away. Bring the other up here.”
I couldn’t see the speaker, but he sounded young like the rest of the group. I began to wonder about what was happening here and how all these kids managed to assemble in one place and survive. We slid out slowly, keeping to the back wall and working my way through appliances. If everyone was gathered at the center platform, then we could move undetected until we were in place. I hunkered down and outlined a plan to the other men. It was bold, it was crazy, and would likely get us all killed, but I didn’t have any choice. These kids had degenerated into beasts, and I would treat them as I would any other rabid animal.
We split up and I headed towards the tool section, being careful not to knock over anything or cause any noise to attract attention before I was ready. When I reached the end of the aisle, I had to be careful, because I would be in sight of the teens. I kept hearing an odd clicking sound, and it sounded eerily familiar, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. I was about to make my move to cross the aisle when I heard the leader speak again.
“It’s time for punishment!” This elicited a chorus of cheers. “We found this man stealing from us. His partner we killed, but this one we caught! He has been judged and found guilty!” Another cheer. “Have you anything to say?”
“You can’t do this! I have rights! You can’t do this to me!” came the squealing reply.
I was stunned. I knew that voice. I leaped across the opening to give myself a better view from another aisle. I slowly raised my head until I could see the platform. Standing on what looked like a plank from a pirate ship was none other than Kevin Pierce. His hands were tied behind his back and he looked much worse for wear. His face was cut and he was only wearing his boxers. So his partner Frank was dead, hmm? Even in this situation good news could be found. I made a mental note to call Nate when we finished here. I looked down to what he was standing over and my blood froze in horror. In a ten foot by ten foot by six foot pen of chain link fencing, surrounded by a second, smaller fence to keep people from accidentally bumping into it was a nightmare. Zombie heads filled the pen, and because the brain was still intact, they were still alive. Their grotesque mouths opened and closed, and their dead eyes darted around. Those on top of the pile stared at the meal suspended before them, those on the bottom were twisted into horrible, contorted faces as the crush pressed on them. The teeth of the zombies clacked together, causing the clicking sound I had heard earlier.
Like a pool full of piranhas, I thought, starting to bring up my rifle. I hesitated, though, because I didn’t know if the other men were in position yet and I didn’t want to start the ball without them being ready.
A scream caught my attention and I looked up at Kevin being pushed out further onto the plank. He was being shoved by a long pole, and his tormentors were clearly enjoying what they were doing. Kevin knew what awaited him in that pen, and I could see the tears running down his cheeks as he cried for mercy. “I know who you want! I know where he is! You have his woman! He’ll come to you! You can kill him! Don’t let me die! You need me!” Kevin’s voice started to crack as he pleaded with his captors, who jeered and laughed at him.
“Silence!” The leader’s voice broke out amid the din, and the noise subsided. A tall, skinny kid of about nineteen years old stepped forward and grabbed the pole from his minion. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t place where I might have seen him before. “I know what I need to know. And I don’t need you.” With that he swung the pole, smashing Kevin across the back of his knees, causing him to buckle and fall onto the plank. He tried to grip the board with his legs, but he slipped and fell headfirst into the pit of heads. He screamed for a long time as the zombie heads slowly tore him apart. It was particularly gruesome to see the ones on the bottom lick the blood off their faces and see their eyes dart around for the source. I saw a head chewing on a piece of meat, swallow it, and the next head below it eating what came out of the severed throat. This process continued until the bits of chewed flesh were ground up to fine bits of pulpy mess. Kevin’s bones were attacked until there was nothing left on them.
The crowd on the platform watched the grisly scene in captivation. Then they turned to each other and started gyrating and making out. I shook my head and moved to another aisle, confident I would not be seen.
When I cleared the next aisle, I saw another pen, this one holding a single figure. She was standing with her arms at her sides, and even from behind I knew that pose. Sarah. I thanked God and every other deity I could think of that she was still safe. I wondered briefly where Kristen was when I felt my radio vibrate. I smiled to myself. Tommy, Duncan and Charlie were in position. Time to get moving. I almost stood up when I heard the leader start to shout.
“You see that pit, bitch? You want to join your friend? I want to know where your people are and you’re going to tell me!” I heard the sound of a slap and a quick intake of air. “You’re going to die, bitch, and your little tough-guy bitch friend as well. But we’re going to make you two suffer first. Put her on the rack!” I heard a scream and another slap, followed by some more cheering. I heard a girl’s voice snarl and a thump like someone had been hit on the head.
I needed to let Sarah know we were there and to get down when the shooting started, because it was going to start soon. But how would she know we were there? Think, think, think. I was running out of time. I was hearing cheers again and the leader yelling “I will choose who is first!” I quickly got out a picture of Jake I kept with me and folded it in half, then half again. It was small to begin with, but I needed to make sure it would go unnoticed when I threw it.
Saying a small prayer I tossed the picture at the defiant figure in the other pen, clearing the side of the cage and dropping it in front of her. I saw her body twitch at the intrusion and saw her slowly bend down and pick up the picture.
I nearly shouted with the success but I had to save Kristen first. I moved to the front of the aisle and looked up again at the platform. The fire that had been inside suddenly burned brightly as I saw Kristen, the little girl who I had trusted to watch my son with, was tied to a large “X” made out of timbers. Her head was hanging down and the leader was slowly striping her clothing off with a large knife. I could see a trickle of blood running down her cheek from a cut on her head. She seemed to be unconscious, which seemed to add to the enjoyment by the group.
I checked the availability of my magazines and made sure the safety was off on my M1A. My original thought of just getting the women back was replaced with another. I was going to kill every one of these sons-of-bitches.
The leader was yelling at Kristen as he cut her clothes. “Where’s your precious leader? Who’s going to save your sweet ass? Where, bitch?” he screamed into her unresponsive face.
“Right here.” I said loudly, stepping out into the open and aiming my rifle at the leader, who jumped and nearly dropped the knife. He regained his poise quickly enough, and turned to face me.
“So you’re the famous John Talon everyone seems to think so highly of.” He paused to cut away another piece of Kristen’s clothing. “I was hoping you’d come to call. I was looking forward to coming to you, but this works, too. Where’s your brat?”
Apparently, Kevin had been talking quite a bit. Likely Frank had, too. “None of your business.” I said. “You have three seconds to cut down that girl and release my other friend or I will open fire.”
“Johnny!” The kid said disapprovingly. “We don’t need to have such hostility. We haven’t even been introduced. My name,” he paused for effect. “Is Cole Tieman. These are my people.” He gestured behind him and I was greeted with a chorus of jeers and one fingered salutes. “My woman, Tina Reyes,” Cole held out a hand and a pretty dark haired girl stepped forward. “My lieutenant, Devon Hunter and his woman Rayanne Davis.” Cole gestured with his other hand and a tall black teen stepped forward, glaring hatred at me. Hi
s girlfriend was just as hard.
“Forgive my lieutenant’s demeanor. He is upset at your woman killing his brother. She is your woman, correct?” His voice was oily and I was irritated at the sound of it.
I flicked my eyes to Sarah, who was looking at me with a mixture of relief and fear from the pen. “Yes.” was all I said.
“Devon will kill her, when I let him. You understand that, don’t you Johnny?” Cole handed the knife to his woman who resumed the removal of Kristen’s clothing. “My own brother was killed last year, shot down like a dog when all he wanted to do was to have a little fun at the end of the world.” Cole held a slender hand to his head and I began to realize why these people followed him. He was clearly unstable.
Cole continued. “You understand, don’t you Johnny? You understand my loss?”
I nodded. “Yes, I do.”
Cole sighed from his perch. “I knew it.” came his breathy reply.
I finished my sentence. “Because I’m the one who killed him. Large bullet wound to the chest? Was that how he died? I know that because it was my gun that killed him. He was scum who deserved to die for what he did to that family. Just like you’re scum for what you’ve done to the people of this area.”
Cole shuddered at the revelation. “You! You! I’ll kill you! Kill Him! Someone kill him!” Cole screamed at his people. Several of them started pulling weapons out from belts and pants pockets. He grabbed the knife from the girl and before I could shoot him, plunged it deep into Kristen’s chest. She raised her head briefly, then dropped it again as the life left her body.
“ No!” I roared, firing my rifle. My bullet went high as Cole ducked to the ground. Charlie and Duncan chose that moment to open fire as well, dropping several of the teens who started firing wildly. Sarah dove to the ground and ducked under the platform, trying to present as small of a target as possible. I backed into the aisles and ran towards the pen where Sarah was being held.
As I rounded the corner I saw someone else had gotten there before me. Devon, the lieutenant of Cole, was striding purposefully towards the pen, his gun swinging in his hand. His back was towards me and he didn’t see me moving up behind him. Sarah saw me, but to her credit, did not give away that she had seen me.
Devon only had eyes for Sarah. “I wish I had more time to make you suffer, bitch. But I have others to kill today. For my brother.” Devon raised the gun and took aim at Sarah.
“Join him.” I said as I stuck my SIG in his ear and pulled the trigger, splattering Devon’s brains all over a display of decorative wallpaper. Devon dropped lifeless to the floor, and I heard a shrill scream from somewhere, then a bullet whipped past my arm. I could hear gunshots and screams, and figured my men were doing just fine. At the moment, I was focused on someone else
Sarah’s eyes were wet as I worked on opening the pen. It was crudely lashed together with zip ties, but effective. I cut through them and opened the door. Sarah fairly jumped into my arms and I hugged her fiercely, holding her as tightly as I could.
“Your woman?” she breathed into my ear, turning her head to look into my eyes.
“Yes.” was all I said, before kissing her deeply. It was ludicrous, taking this private moment in the middle of a firefight, but I didn’t care. If I died here, I was going to make it worth my while.
Sarah returned the kiss with as much emotion, grabbing my head and holding me close. After a second we broke apart and ducked as bullets whined past our heads to slam into the shelves behind us. We grinned like teenagers at each other then got down to business. Sarah had a bruise on her cheek and what looked like the remnants of a bloody nose, but she seemed fine, otherwise.
“Charlie, Duncan, and Tommy are with me, hook up with one of them. Take the rifle until you can find your weapons. Watch the kick, it’s worse than the AR’s. I’m going to find that bastard Cole.” I gave Sarah my extra magazines for the M1A and a quick kiss for luck. She gave me another in return and headed off to the sound of firing. I figured Cole had headed for cover the same way Devon had gotten down from the platform, and was hiding out somewhere. He wasn’t going to be able to leave the building, we had cut off his exits too well for that, but leaving that lunatic alive was inviting trouble. I intended to cut this cancer out once and for all.
Circling to the back of the aisles, I headed for a clearer part of the store. Tall shelving units effectively blocked my view, so the little rat could have been anywhere. Firing on the other side of the store began to taper off, and I could hear the heavy sound of the M1A as Sarah took her anguish out on her attackers. I could see Kristen still on the elevated platform, but several bodies lay around her feet. Her killers had paid a heavy price for her death, and I meant to add to the tally.
The light was getting darker, the deeper I went into the store, but I needed to make sure Cole didn’t get around me. Moving quickly towards the lighting department, a figure suddenly popped up from behind the Returns desk. I ducked and fired quickly, striking the figure in the chest and knocking them back against the counter. Moving quietly, I looked over the edge and saw I had managed to kill Tina, Cole’s woman.
Well, that ought to piss him off. Deciding to add fuel to the fire, I picked up the body and dumped it into a shopping cart, arranging it like a drunk sorority girl. I moved it to the main aisle and shoved it down, moving to a side aisle to see if it had any effect.
I heard a small voice whisper “Tina?” and then a shadowy form moved toward the slowly rolling cart. A thin squeal of anguish came from the figure, and I could see him turn his head my way to try and discern where I was. I caught a flash of something in his right hand, and figured it was the knife he had used to kill Kristen.
I stood up and moved to the center of the aisle, keeping my SIG centered on Cole. I didn’t say a word, I just moved steadily towards Tieman.
For his part, Cole just stood there, staring hate at me. I could imagine his frustration. I had killed his brother and now I had just killed his girlfriend. For someone with an unbalanced mind to begin with, I’m sure it was thoroughly scrambled in there right now.
Cole stretched out the knife and I could see a feral gleam in his eyes. I stopped about fifteen feet away and kept the gun on him.
Cole surprised me with his next move. He dropped the knife on the floor and spread his arms wide. “I am unarmed, hero. You can’t kill an unarmed man, can you?” His voice was a purr and he looked at me sideways, grinning slightly.
“Your brother was unarmed.” I said coldly. “So was Kristen.” I fired rapidly, sending five rounds at Kristen’s killer. The bullets slammed into an incredulous Cole and threw him backwards, cartwheeling him over a low shelf and sprawling him spread-eagled on the ground. In the darkening light I could see a darker stain spreading out from underneath him.
A shrieking form burst out of the appliances section and hurtled towards me, screaming epithets and waving what looked like a branch trimmer. I ducked back in between aisles and holstered my SIG, pulling out my hand axe and waited for the next attack. I stood there for a second and didn’t hear anything.
Risking a peek around the corner I saw a sprawled figure lying on the ground with a tomahawk sticking out of the back of its neck. A closer look revealed that it was Rayanne, Devon’s girlfriend, who had been killed. Her weapon had been tossed when she fell to the ground. Charlie was walking down the aisle to retrieve his weapon.
“Thanks, man.” I said, clapping him on the shoulder. “I didn’t know you could throw those things, too.”
Charlie shrugged. “I didn’t either. I figured if it didn’t work, at least she’d be distracted and you could take her out.”
“Are we finished here?” I asked, looking into the gloom.
“Yeah, we’re done. Tommy took a bullet to the arm, but it’s nothing serious. Rebecca should get him moving in no time. Sarah found her guns, and is right now scared silly you’re hurt or something. What did you do to that woman, anyway.?”
“I kissed her.”
; Charlie raised an eyebrow at me. “About time.” he said wryly.
I smiled. “ I thought so.”
Charlie turned serious. “Sorry about Kristen. Duncan brought her down and wrapped her in a blanket. Nothing you could do, man.” he said.
I looked at him. “I know. But it doesn’t make me feel any better. Even wasting the bastard that killed her won’t bring her back. She didn’t deserve any of this, Charlie. She was just a kid.”
Charlie didn’t say anything; he just walked alongside me as we worked our way to the others.
Duncan and Sarah were kneeling beside a wrapped form, and Tommy was standing out of the way. Sarah saw me, stood up and wrapped her arms around me. I held her for a moment then gently moved away. I reached down and picked up Kristen’s body, and walked over to the doors. I had a long walk back to the truck, but I didn’t care. I’d carry her if my legs fell off. Sarah moved in behind me and the rest of the men followed suit, forming a small funeral procession out of the store.
I walked to the truck, and gently placed Kristen in the bed. We climbed into the truck and headed back to the complex, none of us saying much of anything. Sarah put her head on my shoulder and I could feel the occasional tear hit my sleeve. I was angry at what had happened, angry at myself that I hadn’t seen what Cole was about to do and stop him. Part of me wanted to burn the building to the ground, but a larger part reasoned that it was not my fault, and I had actually managed to save Sarah and Kristen from worse fates. I didn’t regret killing Cole, unarmed though he was. He was a blight that needed to be eradicated, and I was assigned the job.
When we got back to the complex, there were more tears shed for Kristen. Charlie and I assigned ourselves the duty of digging her grave. We buried her next to her friend Chelsea, and said a small prayer for her eternal soul.
When the sadness of the day passed, I sent Charlie back to the McCord’s with Mark Wells, our resident electrician, and John Reef, our plumber, to look for supplies and things they might need to make our lives a little easier. They also had the job of burning that grisly pile of zombie heads. Charlie reported they popped like acorns. I was pleasantly surprised when they returned with a huge generator. Apparently the teens had no idea a large power source was right outside their lair, and instead had relied on sunlight and flashlights. Charlie pulled up with it, and Mark went to work immediately attaching the lines and seeing how much power could be had. In short order, we actually had working lights in the condos. We took the smaller generators and brought them over to the town homes, where they provided welcome relief from the darkness.
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