by Maxey, Phil
She shivered not due to the chill wind which flowed across her from standing on the edge of the opening to the world outside, but because of the same feeling of being in the underground parking garage in her apartment block in Denver. The things could had taken her then as well, but they didn’t. Instead they tormented her. She now knew that it was Rackham that was seeing through the eyes of what nested in the basement of the apartments. He had always been controlling the pieces from the moment the space probe supposedly crashed outside her home city. Always two steps ahead.
Think Jess… why does he want us to go to Houston then Galveston on the coast? What did he gain from letting us—
“Hey,” said Landon behind her. She turned. He had a mug in his hand which contained a dark brown swirling liquid. He offered it to her. “I think this is coffee, but don’t hold me to that.”
She smiled with a nod, taking it from him and took a quick sip. He stood beside her, holding onto the frame with his one good hand and looked to the landscape flashing by, which contained large, flat block-like buildings. Factories and warehouses. “We’ll be at our destination soon.” He glanced at her. “It’s a good plan. We get supplies. Weapons and other things, then we head south to the coast. If the military aren’t there, then we find a secure place to defend. Rackham will come to us… he will bring Josh, I’m sure of it.” She nodded looking at the same highways and suburbs as he was but remained silent. He continued. “I know… you’re not like how you were before.” She looked at him, shocked. “It’s okay…”
She looked away. “If the virus was still inside me I… I would be able to fight what’s coming. Be of more use.”
He held his infected hand up slightly. “We will all fight this battle with what we have. I’ve still got one good hand and you still got that brain of yours. I’ll take that over you being super strong or something.”
She glanced behind them at Sam then leaned in closer to him. “I’m worried she’s going to do something stupid. Put herself in harms way. And if she does, we won’t be able to stop her.”
Landon sighed, keeping his view on the buildup of roads, sidewalks and parking lots amongst the occasional faded green space and trees passing by. “She knows better than that.”
Static then Scott’s voice came from a radio attached to Jess’s belt. “Five minutes out. We find vehicles first. Over.”
“Copy that. I guess you’re not hearing anything from anyone in the city? Over,” said Jess.
“Nothing yet. Over.”
*****
12: 52 a.m. Northern outskirts of Houston.
Jess looked at the glass and concrete blocks of central Houston as the van’s engine echoed around the empty streets. It reminded her of Denver, but with more of an imprint of history in some of its neoclassical styled buildings. Mounds of dusty brown refuse sat at regular intervals as if giant moles had dug upwards from miles below and broken open the sidewalks, depositing their earth, but the truth was a little less cute. What the virus has created from the citizens was being erased by the strong wind blowing across the concrete, leaving dark stains. In the driving seat next to her was Vance, and in the back was Andy. Their mission to find food and water and they had found copious amounts of both, filling their white van to the brim. The journey from the mall had been in silence so she was surprised when Vance started to talk.
“You think it’s real?”
“What’s real?”
“The military being offshore in ships and shit? Coming back to the land now the virus has gone?” He looked across to her for answers as they moved across an intersection swerving around an abandoned delivery truck.
“I don’t know.”
He looked back to the four-lane road. “So that’s a no then.”
“I didn’t say that. It could be true.”
“Well, there’s been no reply to any radio messages. So I’m guessing it’s all bullshit.”
“If it’s not, we’ll find a place in Galveston, anyway.”
“Hmm…” There was a moment of silence. “I’m sorry about your boy. Can’t be easy.” They drove over a river which cut through the heart of the city.
“It’s not, but we’ll get him back.”
He glanced at her again this time not responding. It wasn’t long before where the train was left came into view. Their road would have allowed them to cross the lines, except the five boxcars and engine blocked any route east.
Jess counted at least seven vehicles, mostly pickups, but there was one semi and she wasn’t surprised to see Sanchez standing near it as a constant flow of people moved from the back of it to one of the boxcars.
They pulled up. Owen was with Scott and Landon. She started to approach when shouts from a train car further back caught her attention.
“Hi, Mrs. Keller!” shouted Agatha, frantically waving. Toby was holding Donnie outside the boxcar with Helen holding Syd. Brad briefly appeared next to Agatha and waved as well. Jess replied in kind then continued to the small gathering near her husband.
Owen had a wide smile as she approached. “We won’t go hungry that’s for sure!”
“Luci’s on her way back with a truck full of weapons and other fun stuff from the armory,” said Scott.
Beyond them, standing near the engine Jess caught Sam looking up at the sky. But Owen continued.
“It’s maybe an hour to the coast, so I want everything loaded into the boxcars by time…” Jess walked past him, he following her attention to her daughter.
Sam stood near a metal fence with a sign for ‘Buses only.’
“What is it?” said Jess to her across the road.
“I think I can see…” Sam leaned forward. “I dunno. Something in the sky.”
Scott walked as quickly as he could to her side, immediately producing a set of binoculars from his jacket pocket and holding them to his eyes, adjusting the central dial. “Shit… We got a problem,” he said. A tiny dark shape bobbed and weaved just above the horizon. “One of them flying things. Maybe… ten miles out. It could be here within minutes.”
Owen whirled around to those carrying things between the vehicles and the boxcars. “Grab what you can! We’re leaving!”
Scott held his radio to his mouth while still observing the small fluttering shape. “Luci. How far out are you? Over.”
“Not far. Maybe six, seven minutes. Why? Over.”
“We’re about to have company. Over.”
“Leave. We’ll head south on the highway, meet up with you in Galveston. Over.”
“I’ll get the beers ready. Over.”
Jess, Landon and Sam ran back to their boxcar, but Landon saw Sanchez and Esther talking near their truck. “Get on,” he said to Jess and Sam. “I’ll be back.”
“Hurry, we’re about to leave!” said Jess.
He ran ten yards to the truck’s cab as others with arms full of items sprinted from their vehicles and climbed aboard the train. “What’s going on? We need to go.”
“He wants to drive south,” said Esther. “But he knows it’s best to stick together.”
“You sure that’s for the best?”
Sanchez looked up at the gleaming silver of the truck. “She’s not Bertha, but I feel more comfortable in this than I do on that train.”
Esther threw her arms up. “Fine, lets get going then.”
Landon nodded to them both. “You’ll probably beat us there. Let us know what you find.”
Sanchez pulled open the driver’s door, Esther going around the other side. “Will do.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
1: 32 p.m. Northern outskirts of Galveston.
Jess let her legs dangle off the side of the open door of the boxcar as woods full of mostly leafless trees sitting amongst damp grass and patches of muddy water, slid by. She was sure she could smell salt in the air, even though they were still too far from the ocean. They had reached the sixth day and had survived, but the seventh… Either way, regardless of what they found in the coastal resort the ni
ghtmare which began a week before would end on this day, and Josh, Sam and Landon would be safe…
She pictured Landon leaning back in a chair on a deck of a beach house, while Sam listened to music on headphones and Josh ran around the sand, frequently jumping in the surf. Even though the scene forced a smile to her face, she pushed it from her mind. She needed to focus. Soon Rackham and his creations would be bearing down on the small coastal town, and everyone would be fighting to live another day, including her family. There was also the reason why they were allowed to make this journey. She had no doubt Rackham could have ended their hope at any moment, certainly in Dallas, and the flying creature Sam and Scott saw just confirmed what she already guessed. That they were being constantly watched. The old scientist had eyes everywhere, even in the sky. Obviously arriving in Galveston was part of a greater plan. She just wished she knew what it was. But that was okay. Rackham wasn’t the only one with plans.
The concrete of a highway became visible through gaps in the tops of the trees as the railway line rose slightly and with it, industrial buildings and parking lots.
A crackle came from her radio, followed by Scott’s voice. “This is a message to everyone on this train. We’ve made contact with military forces in—” A cheer came from the other boxcars. “— Galveston and they are sending some people to the station to meet us.”
Jess held the radio to her lips as the cheers became claps and the din of conversation was loud enough to be heard above the locomotive’s engine. “Scott? Have you told them what’s coming? Have you told them about me? Over.”
“Yes and yes. They said they are looking forward to meeting you. Over.”
She felt an arm on her shoulder and she looked up to Landon who awkwardly sat beside her, pulling her into an embrace. “We’re going to get him back. We’ve got help now.”
She nodded but her response belied her fear. They pulled apart and watched the forests be replaced with lawns and warehouses, then eventually as the tracks almost converged with the highway, to marshland.
The train and its boxcars hurried across a narrow bridge which ran alongside a pipeline and across a stretch of sea, an eight-lane road. All the doors were now open, the occupants of each car absorbing the fresh sea air and looking at a large expanse of blue-green water they were crossing.
The train started to slow, jolting everyone towards the front of the boxcar.
Confusion started to grow across Landon’s face, but before he could voice his concern, Jess’s radio came to life once again.
“There are vehicles on the track. Look military. Over.”
“Thought we would travel further into the city,” said Sam.
“Me too,” said Jess, leaning out to be able to see along the track. “There’s a humvee on the track and a few near it. Soldiers are waiting.”
The train slowed to a halt, being clear of the bridge and Jess, Landon and Sam jumped down, joining Scott, Owen and some others as they approached the three soldiers near the track.
“We were kinda hoping to stop further in the city,” said Owen to the first soldier, a stout thirty something guy with short dark hair.
“Are you Owen Brayford?”
“I am. And those you see with me are the survivors from Newgrove as well as some—”
“And who is Jessica Keller?”
Hearing her name mentioned struck Jess as odd, but she walked forward regardless. “I’m Jess Keller. You—”
The two soldiers behind raised their semi-auto rifles at her, causing five similar weapons to be raised at them, including Scotts. “What’s this about, sergeant?!” shouted Scott.
The sergeant’s expression remained calm. “We are here to take Mrs. Keller into custody. She has a lot of things to answer for Chief.”
Landon walked in front of his wife, despite her attempt to stop him. “You’re not taking her anywhere!”
The soldiers’ rifles waved between those pointing similar back at them.
The sergeant raised his radio slowly to his mouth. “General. We got a problem.”
*****
1: 51 p.m. Galveston.
The train moved slowly along the track, following the vehicles that were equally moving the same way. The standoff was ended when whoever was on the other end of the sergeant’s radio gave assurances that they just needed information from Jess and that everyone would be welcome at the forward headquarters, which evidently was the island’s main hospital. The train slowed once again as they came to a halt in a docks area, filled with military vehicles. Tanks and trucks lined up in rows sitting amongst an occasional palm tree.
Landon leaned in closer to his wife. “If this turns bad—” she looked at him. “We get the hell out of here.” Before she could reply the people started jumping down onto the gravel and concrete, so she nodded and with her pack over one shoulder, did the same. Landon and Sam in tow. This time there were many more soldiers waiting and as Scott and the others approached they fanned out, forming two lines on each side of the forty something people that had traveled south. It was obvious to Jess that there would be no ‘getting the hell out’ no matter how bad things got, and even if they could, she wasn’t sure she wanted to. They had reached the ocean, there was nowhere else to run.
The same sergeant as before was standing as people filed past, waiting for her to move near. “Mrs. Keller. Mr. Keller.” He looked more directly at Jess. “Would you come with me? General Rogers would like to talk to you.”
Landon started to protest, but Jess held her hand up. “My husband needs urgent medical help on his hand. Can you see to it he gets it?”
“Of course, ma’am. The large building you see behind us, is the island’s main hospital. There is a team of doctors waiting to help everyone who needs treatment.”
She turned to Landon and her daughter. “Go with the others. I’ll be fine.”
Sam tightened her brow at the sergeant, then looked at her mother. “I want to go with you.”
“Stay with your father. I’m sure I’ll be back with you soon.”
The girl frowned, but nodded.
The sergeant took a step back, opening his hand to lead the way towards the waiting humvee. “Ma’am.”
The drive to the hospital’s main entrance was in silence. She got out to a crystal clear blue sky and the palm trees swaying in the light wind, and was marched through the glass doors to where men and women in uniform hurried in all directions, some talking on radios, others tapping away on computers on desks which were stacked against each other in the main lobby.
Civilization, thought Jess. She hadn’t realized how much she missed it.
After ascending three flights of stairs, she was soon standing outside double doors to an office and with a knock, a gruff voice invited her and the sergeant inside. A large room with a view of three sides of the island, and the harbor beyond was modestly filled with a plain desk, chairs, some plants and a few bookshelves.
“Leave us,” said the portly, balding middle-aged man wearing fatigues to the sergeant, who promptly did. He looked at the desk picking up a gold metal plaque. “This office belonged to a doctor L. Mayer, VP of patient care.” He looked more directly at Jess who was still standing. “And now it’s mine. General Franklin Rogers of the United States Marine core.”
“I’m—”
“I know all about you Mrs. Keller. Please sit.” He went to do the same in the comfy looking leather seat when he noticed she wasn’t moving, instead she placed her pack on the floor and leaned forward, placing both hands on the front edge of the desk.
“The creatures are coming. They are controlled by—”
“Arthur Rackham. I know.”
She looked surprised, standing up. “How do you know?”
He nodded towards the chair. This time she sat. “Because he works for us… well… did. This whole shit show is our fault. And the day will come when there will have to be a reckoning. We obviously did not plan for how things turned out. That was Rackham’s own twist on
things. But the program initiated decades ago and then brought back to life by some of my compatriots and Lucas Winters, that was all us.” He sighed. “Luckily for us his little plan had only six days of life in it, but it would appear he has found a way to extend that. And my question to you Mrs. Keller. Is how?”
Flashes of her child floating inside a huge glass vial flashed into her mind, causing her eye to twitch. She slid a hand over her face. “I’m tired, General. And soon you and your soldiers will be fighting for your lives. I don’t know how Rackham has done what he has done. I don’t know how any of this—”
“But his work was based on your father’s and yours.”
Anger was bubbling within her. “And I had no idea my work was going to be used like this. He’s coming here because you are the last resistance to his plans. You know that, right?”
Rogers rocked back slightly in his chair. “We’re well aware of that. We want him to come. Thousands of those things are on the way here.”
“Thousands? No, there are just a few hundred, but they are stronger than what came before. We fought with them in Dallas.”
He nodded. “I had reports of something going down in Dallas, but didn’t know it was your people.” He opened a drawer, pulling out a computer tablet, tapped the screen a few times then turned it around laying it flat on the desk. “That’s a heat map of southern Texas. It’s real time.”
Jess picked up the metal device and with an intake of breath observed the red blur which covered hundreds of miles, just north of where they were. She looked up at the man opposite her. “What are you doing about this? Why are you not preparing?”
“We wanted Rackham to come to us and bring his friends. That way we don’t have to spend the next six months finding these bastards ourselves. They come here, we take them out. Nice, clean and simple. Then we get on with rebuilding this nation.”
The red appeared to be increasing across the map on the screen. “But…”
“And I want you to be part of the process, Mrs. Keller.”
