Fury Rising (35 page)

              Mason didn’t even have a chance to yell. More gunshots followed as Daniel slumped against him, pulling him down to the ground. Jordan ducked behind some bushes and began firing back.

              “Stay with me.” Mason wrapped his arms protectively around Daniel, to keep his head from smacking the concrete. Daniel looked up at him, his eyes wide and surprised. He tried lifting his arm up to Mason, but he couldn’t seem to control his body. Blood poured from the wound, soaking Mason’s shirt and jeans. Daniel’s eyes closed and he went completely limp just as Mason managed to spread him out on the ground. Finally free from Daniel’s twitching limbs, Mason started to stand up, but a hail of bullets shattered the shop window directly behind him, forcing him back to his knees.

              Mason needed to do something. But what? He didn’t even have a gun.

              “We have to go,” Jordan yelled. “It’s our best chance.” He pointed to the side of the building. “That way.”

              Mason nodded, although Jordan couldn’t see him. He stared down at Daniel’s body, watching the rise and fall of his chest. He was still alive. Looking closer at his face, he saw that the bullet had only grazed the side of his head. Pulling Daniel up into his arms, he bit down hard on his lip to try and ignore the screaming pain in his own body.

              “Let’s do it,” he said.

              Jordan fired off a few more rounds and then turned and disappeared around the corner with Mason right behind him.

              It was hard moving. Daniel felt like a ton of bricks.

              “Let me help,” Jordan said. He swung the rifle around his shoulder and went to grab Daniel’s legs.

              “No,” Mason said through gritted teeth. “I’ve got it. I need your gun more. Keep your arms free.”

              Behind the office building they found themselves in a secluded area with lots of trees. A huge park. It gave them the shelter they needed to gain some distance. Jordan kept glancing back to make sure they weren’t being followed.

              “I don’t know if I got him,” Jordan said. “I couldn’t see. And I’m almost out of bullets. I’ve only got a few rounds left.”

              “Make ‘em count,” Mason said.

              They kept moving until they came across a lake. By then, Mason’s body was ready to give out. He told Jordan to stop and set Daniel down on the grass beside a trail that led off in several directions. There was a lot of shelter there and hopefully they’d be able to rest long enough to recover before Shintz found them.

              “We need a car,” Mason said. “We’re not going to find one here. I’ve been here before. There are houses on the other side of the lake. Lots of them. You need to go ahead and get something. I can get Daniel over to the parking lot. We can regroup there.”

              “You think that’s a good idea?” Jordan peered through the bushes. “He’s still out there. I don’t want to leave you unarmed.”

              “We don’t have much of a choice,” Mason said. “I can’t carry him.”

              “I can do it.” Jordan came over and tried to hand Mason the rifle. “You can shoot, right? Even with your shoulder, you should be able. At least get a round or two off to keep them back or until I can take over. We can make this work.”

              “He outweighs you by at least twenty pounds.”

              “I’m strong.”

              “Not that strong. Go find a car. They’ll be sitting there in the driveway. Break into the house and get the keys. That simple. We’re running out of options. This is our best chance of keeping him alive. Ten minutes. We can do this.”

              Daniel moaned. Mason bent down beside him, watched his eyes flutter, but not open.

              “Go now.”

              Jordan nodded and raced down the path.

              “I’m not giving up on you,” Mason said. “You’ve been a pain in my ass for far too long. But I’ve gotten used to you being around. All those stupid insults. That annoying nickname. I hate to admit it, but I kinda need that. And after all we’ve been through, I think that makes us friends.”

              Mason frowned, because he knew everything he said was true.

              After a few minutes, he hoisted Daniel back into his arms and started moving again. It wasn’t easy. After months of neglect, the park pathway had become overgrown with bushes and weeds. But Mason wasn’t going to give up.

              It took about ten minutes before he finally found the clearing that led to the parking lot. He looked around, but neither Jordan nor the Baggers were in sight. Mason carried Daniel over to a bench and set him down. It was only then that he noticed the sun was far over in the sky. It would be dark soon.

              How much time had they wasted?

              A small groan escaped from Daniel’s mouth.

              “Hey. I’m here,” Mason said, kneeling down beside the bench. “You still with me, bro?”

              Daniel’s eyes fluttered but didn’t open. He raised his hand up to his head, feeling around the side of his skull where the blood still seeped. “What the hell?”

              “You got shot.”

              “Is that all? That’s not so bad. I don’t know what you were complaining about.” Daniel fought to pull himself up into a sitting position. “Not so bad at all. Kinda invigorating if you ask me. Makes me feel alive. Damn, why haven’t I done this before? It all makes sense now.”

              There was something off in his tone of voice. Something that sent chills down the back of Mason’s spine. Maybe the bullet did more harm than he thought. It may have grazed the skull, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t do some sort of damage to Daniel’s brain.

              “This all makes sense,” Daniel repeated. “I’ve forgotten how good this feels. Stupid me. Fighting for nothing.”

              “What does?” Mason asked.

              Daniel slowly raised his head until he was looking Mason right in the eyes.

              There was no mistaking the black veins staring back at him.

“You know, I don’t want to sound weird or something, but you need to keep your priorities straight. You aren’t a hero, Tourist Boy. You’re more like some sort of dog that’s been beaten over and over. Licking at the hands and feet of anyone who will take you in. It’s very unhealthy.”

Daniel slowly sat up, rubbing at the wound on the side of his head. Mason took a step back, away from his friend. Unable to look away from the blackness settled in Daniel’s eyes, his mind raced, trying to come up with a solution that wasn’t going to get either of them killed.

“Don’t look at me that way,” Daniel said. “We always knew it would come down to this. Well, I always knew. You against me. There’s really no other choice, is there? Too much alike. Too different. We’re both in love with the same woman. Although I doubt you want to love her the way I do.”

“You mean kill her?”

Daniel nodded. “It would be the ultimate sacrifice, would it not? A way to completely destroy my other half? The weak side?” Daniel put his hand up across his forehead and rolled his eyes. “Poor little Daniel. So lost. So heartbroken. He kinda makes me want to gag. All the things he does to try and keep me quiet.”

“So you’re saying you’re not him?” Mason glanced over towards the houses where he hoped Jordan was still trying to locate a vehicle. The last thing he needed was the younger boy to show up. This showdown was going to be between Daniel and him. Mason knew it would eventually happen, he’d been waiting for it the moment he found out that Daniel was a Bagger.

“Oh, no. I am him. This isn’t a possession. I’m Daniel’s real side. His inner truth. His real soul.”

“Oh, come on,” Mason said. “That’s a load of crap and you know it. The only reason you exist, is because something decided to create you. The Baggers. It’s not humanity. It’s not what we are.”

“Are you saying people aren’t evil? Look at your history books. Time and time again. Humans always destroy everything they create.”

“Not all the time,” Mason said. “And not all of them. Maybe there’s some truth to it. I’m not going to say humans are perfect. We make mistakes. But to kill us all off? That makes you worse than us.”

“There is nothing worse than mankind. Earth cried tears of sorrow the day the first human walked.”

Daniel climbed to his feet and took a few steps towards Mason. He paused, looking up at the sky, spreading his arms out as if preparing to take flight. Mason braced himself for a fight. With his injured arm, he was going to have trouble. He doubted that Bagger Daniel would let something like a bullet graze to the head slow him down.

“Come on, Daniel. Fight this. You’ve done this before. You can do it again.”

“I don’t want to fight this.” Daniel grinned. With the blood trickling down his face, he looked rather insane.

“Yes, you do. Because this isn’t the side you want to be on. You’ve said it to me dozens of times. Being human is better, even with the memories. It’s worth the pain.”

“The memories?” Daniel said. “You mean of all the things I’ve done? The people I’ve killed? I’ve done everything I’m supposed to do. I feel no pity.”

“The real Daniel does. And that’s why he fights. Because he knows that there’s still goodness in the world. He knows what side is worth living for.”

Daniel laughed. “That’s hilarious coming from you. You hate everything. I’ve sensed it. There’s darkness inside of you too, Mason Dowell. Just think of all the things you could do if you were willing to give into it.”

“I’m not a Bagger.”

“No, you’re not.” Daniel looked him up and down. “But you’re dark. You think about things when you’re alone at night. Things that most people wouldn’t. You kill without hesitation. You could do a lot of good on our side. Just think of the balance you can restore. When humanity is gone, everything will flourish. No more pollution. Buildings. Wars. Animals at peace. Without fear. A new world order.”

“There would still be Baggers,” Mason said. “And you can’t get rid of everyone. Eventually the world will regrow. It always does.”

“True,” Daniel said. “And that is why there will always be a need for another cleanse. To right the wrongs.”

The sun was almost gone in the sky. The houses in the distance outside the park were starting to disappear into shadows. Where was Jordan? How much time did Mason have?

“Fight it.”

“No.”

“Then I guess you’ll have to fight me.”

“I guess so.”

Mason took a step back and Daniel smiled.

Daniel lunged.

He dropped to the ground before even coming close, falling like a ton of bricks. Behind Daniel, Jordan stood with the rifle up in his hands.

Mason looked down at Daniel’s motionless body. Jordan hadn’t shot him; he’d simply knocked him unconscious.

“Thanks,” Mason said.

“For saving you or not killing him?”

“Both.”

Mason knelt down and rolled Daniel over. He was still breathing, but he would have one hell of a headache when he woke up. But what would he wake up as?

“I didn’t mean to hurt him,” Jordan said. “I saw what was happening and I wanted to help. I think he turned when he got shot. Like maybe the pain messed up his control system. I figured another blow to the head might turn him back.”

“I guess we’ll find out,” Mason said. “But let’s get him back to Aries. If anyone can help, it’ll be her. Did you get a car?”

“I found something even better,” Jordan said with a big grin.

Clementine

              Damn Aries.

              Double damn her and all that other jazz.

              She’d disappeared off into the casino, leaving Clementine standing in the middle of everything. And she did it because Aries knew Clementine couldn’t exactly go running after her, not with her wounded leg.

              They were supposed to be a team.

              She heard the footsteps racing up behind her, allowing her the split second to turn and raise the gun. She shot the feral in the chest without hesitation and it stumbled, arms flailing in the air, before dropping at her feet. The feral rolled over in the dirt, grabbing at her legs in desperation. She couldn’t tell if it was still trying to kill her or reach out for comfort as it died.

              For some reason, its actions moved her and she kneeled down, ignoring all the screams and commotion. A young girl covered in dirt and blood stared up at the sky, her brown curly hair matted and greasy. She didn’t look much older than Clementine. She breathed in twice, loud wet gasping noises, before her eyes dulled and her body went limp.

             
She’s so young, Heath. A teenager. No, that’s wrong. None of us are young anymore. Why did it choose her? What traits did she possess to turn feral? I can’t imagine she was a bad person in her former life. I doubt any of them were. That’s not really the point of this, is it? Baggers were random. It was some bad luck of the draw. It could have been me instead. Or you. Or any of us. Could there have been a killer inside of me? Imagine how I might look after living like a crazed beast for the past several months. I suppose I wouldn’t care about that, only whether or not I was reaching my murder quota. Oh god, look at me. I’m feeling sorry for her. Don’t worry, brother. I’m not that stupid. I’m not about to become a monster lover. I’m not going to try and save their souls. If you ask me, killing them is the only nice thing left to do. Aries has it wrong. There’s no bringing them back. They’ve gone too far. I’ve seen the ones Aries plays with. The horror on their faces when they realize what they’ve done. When the memories hit them and they understand they’ve destroyed everyone they loved and more, it’s like something cracks inside their brain. And that’s what Daniel lives with every day.

Killing them is the only way we can make their past lives mean anything. Stopping them before they murder again. It’s the only thing that’s going to give us peace too. This isn’t ever going to end on its own.

             
She got back up wiped at her eyes. Somehow, in all of this, she’d started crying. Not because she was sad, more because her emotions had overwhelmed her to the point where the alternative to her brain exploding, was to shed a few tears. Around her, the chaos grew as the ferals continued to pour into the Plaza. Many of them were killed instantly, gunned down by a row of Baggers with automatic weapons. But several had made it through and they were gaining ground. She watched some ferals fall upon a small group of terrified unarmed humans.