by Dhar, Mainak
Jo exhaled loudly, trying hard to stop this from becoming another argument.
'Bob, she's getting out of control, and you just indulge her. When Jane was growing up...'
Gladwell walked up to her and kissed her on the forehead, a gesture that totally disarmed Jo.
'Sweetheart, when Jane was growing up, we had a proper house, we lived in a civilized world, not one where you have undead Biters roaming around looking to rip you apart. What kind of world is Alice growing up in? What has she seen and heard in the first years of her life? I think we need to cut her some slack—the old rules don't apply any more, and certainly they don't apply for how kids are growing up.'
Jo let it drop for now, and Gladwell fetched his backpack for the upcoming patrol.
'I'll be back by evening, and I'll have a word with Alice then. Okay?'
Truce having officially been declared, Gladwell set out to fetch his bicycle. They had a van they had found on a sweep three years ago, and had managed to get some gas for it from abandoned gas stations, but on patrols through the Deadland, they invariably took the bikes. A van would be faster, but also louder, and a Biter magnet as a result.
Gladwell waved to Vivek, who was joining him. The older man got on the bike.
'I'm getting too old for this shit, Bob. My legs hurt every time I pedal.'
Gladwell smiled as he looked at his companion, who had been an enlisted man in the Indian Army before The Rising. He was a genius with anything mechanical and had been almost single-handedly responsible for getting them a working generator which ensured they had some electricity and lights. While most other settlements spent the first winter shivering in the darkness, Gladwell and his companions had heaters and light.
Every day, up to three patrols would go out into the Deadland—Gladwell had nicknamed them hunting (looking for animals, though those were increasingly scarce as the years wore on), gathering (fruits and food to supplement what little they managed to grow on the settlement) and scavenging (picking up spare parts, weapons or anything else that might prove to be of use on the settlement or to barter). In reality, every group that set out ended up doing any or all three of the above duties, and in addition, every time you stepped out into the Deadland, you had one overriding mission—survival. Survival against Biters and bandits who still lurked in the Deadland.
They had pedalled for over an hour and were headed towards some factories near what had once been the manufacturing belt near Gurgaon, a suburb of the Indian capital. Vivek wanted some spare parts that he could use to get a second generator working, and of course, if they came across anything else of use, they would grab it. Gladwell had his rifle in a special holder that Jo had made for him—slung across the handlebars so that if he needed to use it, it would be within easy reach.
Gladwell could now make out the hulks of the factories in the distance. Before The Rising, these factories had churned out passenger cars that were lapped up by India's growing middle class and clogged up the city's streets. Now, you qualified for the middle class if you had a safe place to sleep for the night and enough food to last a few days, and the only status symbol that mattered was not the latest smartphone or tablet, but a loaded gun. And cars still clogged the streets of Delhi—rusted hulks of abandoned cars, many with the skeletons of those who had died in them.
'Bob, I see movement to the right. Two o'clock.'
Gladwell stopped and took a look. For all his complaints about old age, Vivek had razor-sharp eyesight, and if he'd seen something, then Gladwell was going to listen. He picked up his rifle and took a look through the scope.
There.
The unmistakable shuffling of Biters on the move. As Gladwell watched, more than ten Biters emerged from behind the huts of what had once been a slum.
'They're too far to bother us. Let's get to the factories and be on our way.'
Then he spotted something else. Two humans came into sight, scrambling to get away from the Biters. Looked to be a man and a woman, and the man was limping, his speed slowed down further by the heavy canvas bag he was carrying across his back. A healthy man could outrun a Biter any day, but a man who was limping like that would sooner or later become Biter feed if he stayed outside all alone.
Vivek had also seen the people, and he asked Gladwell what he wanted to do, though after all these years in the settlement with him, he already knew the answer.
'You know what we do, Vivek. We go in and help out if we can.'
Gladwell rode towards the Biters, with Vivek a few feet behind.
When they had started out, a few people had questioned why Gladwell played cowboy and fought other people's fights. It wasn't just altruism, though Gladwell did believe that the world had been screwed up the way it was at The Rising because everyone just thought of themselves. In addition, Gladwell was right on one key front—they had started their settlement with only soldiers and diplomats. The soldiers certainly helped in securing the settlement, but if they wanted to survive out in the Deadland, they needed other skills. So, over the years, by rescuing stragglers out in the Deadland, they had added to their ranks a couple of farmers and a doctor.
When they had their first home-grown fruits, people had shut up about Gladwell going on his rescue missions. Of course, that put a lot of the responsibility on Gladwell's shoulders. He had the unpleasant task of turning away people he sensed would not fit in—as he had done with a couple of young men who seemed to be on drugs of some sort.
Gladwell stopped his bike when they were about fifty meters away.
'Hey, come towards us as fast as you can!'
The couple heard them and began to increase their speed, the woman half-dragging the man along. The first Biter was now just a few feet behind them and Gladwell knew they would never make it in time. He took his rife, an old Indian Army INSAS assault rifle, and selected single-shot mode. While they had inherited a veritable arsenal, and added to it by raiding old army bases and police stations, ammunition was still a precious commodity to be used sparingly and only when necessary. Gladwell knelt and aimed as Vivek brought up his own rifle.
'Single shots. Aim for the legs.'
Aiming for the heads at this range would waste ammunition, and Gladwell just wanted to give the humans enough time to get to them, not destroy every single Biter following them. Gladwell's first shot caught the lead Biter just above the knee. The Biter, wearing a torn and gaudy yellow kurta, tumbled and fell. Two more behind him, a bald Biter with his scalp covered in blood, and another, a woman who still wore a diamond necklace around her blood-splattered and torn neck, stumbled over him and fell in a heap.
Vivek fired twice, bringing down another Biter. The couple were now almost there, and Gladwell stowed his rifle and got on the bike.
'Come on! Hurry up!'
The man climbed on behind Gladwell and the woman rode with Vivek as they pedaled towards the factory that had been their original destination. As Vivek rummaged through the factory for spare parts, Gladwell kept watch and got acquainted with the couple they had picked up. The man was thin, and wore glasses that seemed to have been patched together with wire. He was wearing a suit and had shaved recently, both of which were luxuries, and rather unnecessary ones at that in the Deadland. The woman also looked freshly scrubbed and was wearing clean clothes. Whoever they were, they were not vagabonds or bandits. Bob stuck out his hand.
'You can call me Bob. We have a settlement out there and we came by to get supplies. What's your story?'
The man adjusted his glasses.
'I'm Rajiv. I was a banker before The Rising, and we've been hiding in the city, moving from one place to another with a group. Kind of got used to moving from one apartment to another, and finding canned food and hunting animals. Yesterday, a swarm of Biters overran us, and we got separated from our group. I'm not sure if they're even alive.'
The woman spoke up, a trace of hesitation in her voice.
'We've got no place to go. Can you take us in?'
Vivek had come
by and evidently overheard some of the conversation and he pulled Gladwell aside.
'It's your call, Bob, but we don't really need a banker.'
Gladwell smiled and pointed to the canvas bag. Rajiv laid it on the ground and opened the zipper. Gladwell looked in, his eyes widening.
'Tear gas grenades, batons, pistols. Where the hell did you get all this?'
Rajiv shrugged sheepishly.
'We came across an old police station yesterday. Thought the stuff might come in handy so we picked up as much as we could carry.'
Gladwell heard the distant growl of a Biter and motioned for them to hurry up.
'Just one last thing.'
He motioned towards Rajiv's foot.
'What happened to your leg? Raise your trousers and let me see.'
Rajiv was confused for a moment and then comprehension dawned.
'No, thank God, I didn't get bitten. Just a sprain.'
Gladwell nodded in satisfaction as Rajiv raised his trouser leg to prove his point.
'Come along, you just gained admission into our settlement.'
***
Alice watched the black Jeep draw up close to their gate and stop. She ran back to Jones, who was cleaning weapons back at the armory as men scurried to the walls, weapons at the ready.
'Uncle Jones, those Zeus men are back.'
Jones put a pistol in his belt and picked up an assault rifle. 'Go to your Mom and wait there. Your Dad's not back yet, so I'll talk to them.'
A buzz of excitement had swept the settlement as news spread that Zeus troopers had come back, for the second time in as many months. Alice, of course, didn't listen to Jones—she wanted to know what was happening and get a closer look at the Zeus troopers. She ran back to the front wall, where more than a dozen fully armed men were looking out at the Jeep. Alice hopped onto a platform near the wall and took a look outside.
There were four troopers outside, all wearing black uniforms and dark wraparound sunglasses. They were all carrying assault rifles that were so sleek and fancy that they made the weapons they had at the settlement look like antiques. One of the troopers stepped forward.
'Hey, guys, stop pointing those damn guns at us. Our new officer is on the way and he wants to meet your leaders.'
Jones nodded to the men at the walls and they pointed their guns down, but Alice noticed every single one of them kept their fingers on the triggers. The troopers walked closer and pulled back their sunglasses as they took a closer look at the settlement. All four of them were heavily bearded and one of them who looked younger than the others smiled at the men on the walls. The other three, however, looked sullen and had their rifles cradled in their hands as they walked.
Jones put up a hand, motioning for them to stop. 'We've had that chat before, so there's little point. Save your officer the time and go to another settlement.'
The young trooper grinned.
'He's the boss and I'm just a grunt. He says he wants to come here and chat and I pass on the message.'
Jones smiled back.
'You from around here, kid?'
'Pretty close. I used to live in a settlement on the other side of the old city and then our folks moved into the safe zone and I got drafted into Zeus.'
One of the older men nudged him with his elbow and whispered something. Alice couldn't hear the words but the effect they had was instantaneous. The young trooper stopped smiling, waved and walked back to the jeep. One of the remaining troopers growled.
'Is this how you treat guests? At least let us in.'
'Who said you're guests? I don't remember inviting you to our home.'
Alice turned to the voice with a huge grin. It was her Dad. The gate was opened and Vivek led the two newcomers in while Gladwell stayed to talk to the troopers. In the hustle and bustle, Alice slipped out and hugged her dad's leg. He stroked her hair, but his eyes never left the troopers.
'Guys, I know you're doing your job, but can't your bosses get the message that we are not interested in their proposal?'
Jane had come up to the gate to meet her dad as well, and one of the troopers looked at her sister. The look on his face was not something that Alice could describe well, but she found it really creepy.
'Hello there, miss. Bet you don't get to meet too many new men in there.'
Gladwell was about to say something, but Alice beat him to it.
'That's my sister and you stay away from her.'
The trooper looked straight at Alice, a hard glint in his eyes, and then he smiled.
'Now you're really scaring me, little girl. Well, we'll hang around at the Jeep till the boss shows up.'
Just as he started walking away, Alice heard the sound of an approaching helicopter. A sleek black copter came and landed a hundred meters away and a black-clad officer jumped out and ran towards them. Alice noted that he was white, like her dad and herself, while the other troopers had been brown. Colors, races and nationalities mattered little to her, since she had grown up in a world where the only race that mattered was whether you were human or undead. Still, it was the first time she had seen a white Zeus officer. He walked up to her father and saluted.
'Afternoon, Mr. Gladwell. I'm Captain Morgan, just got moved here from Stateside. Was hoping we could get you to reconsider.'
Her father smiled back, but from the look in his eyes he was anything but happy to see the Zeus men.
'Captain, I've said this to your predecessors but since you're new, I'll repeat myself so that there's no misunderstanding. No, we do not recognize Zeus as representing any legitimate authority. No, we will not give up our weapons in return for guarantees of safety. No, we will not move to your so-called safe zones and work your farms and have our boys and girls drafted into your force.'
Morgan nodded and began to walk away, then he stopped and turned towards Gladwell.
'Sir, I get where you're coming from, but I do hope you think of the future as well as the present. The future does not lie in isolated settlements like this. Civilization will not be restarted like this. It lies in a more ordered society, where people don't have to worry about defending themselves but trust some central authority to do it for them.'
Her father's grip on her hand tightened.
'Morgan, we screwed our world up enough by trusting it with politicians and so-called statesmen. The best bet for securing our safety and freedom lies not in the speeches and promises of politicians but in a well-maintained rifle by my side. Let me guess, Morgan, you were a soldier before The Rising, right?'
The man straightened a bit as he answered.
'Yes, Sir. US Marines.'
'Morgan, I served in the Army and in the Diplomatic Service. At least then we served a flag, a nation. Who do you serve now? The guys with you are mercenaries, most of who look like they belong in prison. Who are your masters? Why don't we see them?'
Gladwell saw the look in the man's eyes and he guessed the truth.
'You don't know either, do you? Find out who you really serve and what they really want, and then come back and ask us to sign over our freedom.'
As they walked back to the settlement, Alice said, 'Those men aren't nice, Daddy.'
'Sweetheart, all men are capable of being good or evil. It really comes down to what you choose. They're choosing to serve the wrong masters. Now come on, I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.'
They laughed and entered the gate, where Jane was waiting for them, a bemused look on her face. 'Alice, are you my bodyguard now?'
Alice looked up at her older sister.
'Yes, I am. If only Dad would let me learn from Uncle Jones, I'd blow all of them up.'
Jo had joined them, and her look of relief at seeing Gladwell back safe quickly give way to exasperation at Alice's outburst. 'It's not nice to always want to fight, okay? What you did with Junior...'
Before she could complete, Alice cut in.
'Junior is an ugly toad, and if he picks on me again, I'll hit him again so hard he becomes even uglier.'
<
br /> With that, she ran off with her mother shouting after her.
'You come back here, young lady!'
***
'Daddy, why can't I learn how to fight?'
Gladwell put his cup of water down and asked Alice to sit next to him, on the edge of the garden.
'It's not as if you don't get into enough fights as is.'
'I don't get into fights, they pick on me.'
'All of them?'
Alice looked away as he turned towards her.
'Alice, sometimes it's necessary to fight, so I won't tell you to never fight. But you can't fight all the time. Sometimes it's better to walk away, and to solve issues without fighting. That's all your mom's been trying to tell you.'
'I've seen you fight, Dad.'
'Yes, and how many of those times was I fighting because of myself or what I wanted?'
Alice looked at him, a slightly blank expression on her face, so Gladwell explained.
'The best reason to fight, and the only reason I ever fight, is to help others and to keep others safe. The worst reason to fight is because of your own anger against someone. Now go to bed, it's late.'
Alice went back to her room, lying down inside the old sleeping bag next to Jane. She would lie awake for quite some time, thinking of what her father had told her.
***
'We got a Biter!'
The call shook Alice awake, and when she rushed out, she saw that her parents were already up and running towards the walls. The sun was barely up and visibility was still pretty poor so many people were asking where the Biter was and who had called the alarm. Someone joked that one of the men on guard duty had probably had a bad dream.
Alice was at the wall now and she looked around, scanning the Deadland, and then her gaze locked in on a figure moving towards the settlement. Someone else noticed the Biter and called out before she could.
'There it is!'
The Biter had lost an arm along the way, and was shuffling towards them, growling now that he had seen humans. Alice had wondered what made them so crazed, so eager to attack. Some of her friends said that they were the undead, and so were evil. Alice had no doubt they were evil, but they had been people once, so what had happened to make them the monsters they now were? This Biter wore nothing but a pair of old shoes and was now waving his only remaining hand at the settlement as he closed in.
