Metal and Ash (Apex Trilogy) (56 page)

The flames from the explosion, and the blast wave that followed, wiped out a quarter mile worth of deaders. Marin nodded towards the destruction. “They gave us the space and time we needed. The train is up to speed and we’ll be at a safe distance soon. They didn’t die for nothing.”

“Yeah,” Jay said. “But they still died.”

***

“Ah, where the fuck are they going?” Bisby asked as he peered through binocs at the Railer train. “And what the fuck was that boom all about?”

“Beats me,” Mathew said. “But I’m glad I’m fifty feet up above all of those fucking deaders.”

“Eventually they’ll start figuring out that meat is up here,” Bisby said. “Then we’ll have a problem.”

“I don’t think so,” One Arm said. “I hate the dead. None will be allowed to climb me.”

“Works for me,” Mathew said. “Is there anything to eat in here?”

“Shut the fuck up, Matty,” Bisby snapped. “We’ll eat when we get to the Stronghold.”

“Ifwe get to the Stronghold,” Mathew replied.

Bisby didn’t argue with him.

Fifty-Nine

“Wounded to the infirmary!” June shouted as the BTTs landed. “Fucking move, people!”

Stretchers were hurried from the bellies of some of the BTTs and set on ATVs. The small vehicles raced inside the Stronghold, heading for the infirmary. Other BTTs unloaded cyces and riders, Immy and Dog among them.

“Jenny inside?” Dog asked as he walked up to Capreze.

“She is,” Capreze said. “She’s in the mess I’m pretty sure.” Capreze looked Dog up and down. “So, how does it feel?”

“How does what feel, sir?” Dog asked.

“To be a leader,” Capreze said. “Is it a rush? Do you have that surge of power running through you like you can do anything you want?”

“If by surge of power you mean does my ass hurt, my shoulder hurt, am I exhausted, hungry, stressed and pretty much scared out of my motherfucking mind?” Dog replied. “Then yes, that’s exactly how I feel.”

“Good for you,” Capreze nodded. “Welcome to the club.”

“Does it get easier?” Dog asked as they walked into the hangar.

“Nope.”

“Fucking great.”

“Hey!” Immy shouted. “You just gonna leave me here?”

“Oh, shit, sorry,” Dog said. “Come on. Let’s get some food before we have to get back to it.” He looked at Capreze. “Any word on when the deaders hit?”

“Scans are still sketchy because of the radiation,” Capreze replied. “But it’s going to be sometime in the night.”

“Fuck,” Immy said. “A night attack by the undead is never good.”

“No, it’s not,” Capreze agreed. “But we have some help with that.” He stopped and looked Dog square in the eye. “I’m gonna need you at your best. Think you’re up for it?”

“You know I am,” Dog said. “We can put riders on the line. They won’t be as effective at night, but they can still shoot and bullets don’t need a halogen to find their targets.”

“Thank God for that,” Capreze nodded.

***

“Still no sign of the Great Maker,” Brother Reynaldo said. “All Brothers and Sisters have reported in. He must have slipped away to save himself.”

“Colonel Maker isn’t that type of coward,” the Pope said. “He must have his own agenda.”

“The Stronghold?”

“Possibly,” the Pope shrugged. “But that is Capreze’s problem. Are the blood cannons ready?”

“Yes, JP,” Brother Reynaldo nodded. “Everyone donated. When the infidel dead arrive we will paint them red and our Disciples will tear them apart, sending each and every one to Hell.”

“Good,” the Pope nodded. “Tell the Brothers and Sisters to get some rest. This will be a big night.”

“Yes, JP,” Brother Reynaldo nodded. “It will be glorious.”

***

The voices in his head grew stronger and louder as the Great Maker made his way from familiar corridor to familiar corridor. The base smell of the Stronghold hadn’t changed in all the years he’d been gone and the olfactory triggers sent memories flying through his mind. He wanted to argue with the memories, to fight with the voices, but the Great Maker knew that none of it was real.

But it felt so real. So very real.

He’d feasted once more before hiding again and his body felt energized as he went from shadow to shadow, making his way so slowly, so carefully to the mainframe room. Oh, when he reached that room then the days of the blasphemous flesh would be over. It would be the true rising of the metal!

He rounded a corner and stopped in his tracks. A young boy stood before him, his eyes as wide and big as his abnormal ears. The two just stared at each other for a brief moment.

“Are you afraid of me?” the Great Maker asked. “You do not need to fear me boy.” The Great Maker looked about the corridor. “I used to play in this place when I was a child. I used to explore and run and pretend. Can you pretend something for me, boy?”

Stan just stood there, frozen with fear.

“Do you not speak, child?” the Great Maker asked. “Or has fear taken your tongue?”

Stan opened his mouth to show the Great Maker his lack of tongue to take.

“Oh, I see,” the Great Maker nodded. “Another victim of humanity’s kindness.” The Great Maker shook his head, his red eyes glowing brightly. “I would wager that there is no love lost between you and the blasphemers, am I correct?”

Stan cocked his head, questioning.

“Oh, you are too young to explain it all to,” the Great Maker. “But too old for me to allow you to go free.”

Stan took a step back and the Great Maker was on him. He grabbed the boy about the head, his hand clamped over the boy’s mouth. Stan’s feet dangled above the concrete as the Great Maker lifted him up.

“I should kill you and feed,” the Great Maker said, more to himself than to Stan. “But I am not a monster. I am not what they make me out to be. I’ll bring you with me.”

Stan struggled and the Great Maker smacked him hard at the base of his skull; he went limp instantly.

“Very good,” the Great Maker said. “I may be able to save you, boy. May be able to make you into the next generation that this wasteland needs so very much.”

***

The vid screens went completely dark for a moment and then flashed back to life.

“That was intense,” Jethro said. “I never could figure out how to defrag the entire mainframe without losing essential systems.”

“Just a matter of compartmentalizing each system then creating a redundancy so that nothing goes down,” Beth replied. “Then toss the redundancies once the defrag ends. This mainframe has more than enough storage to do this on a daily basis. Can’t you feel the increased speed?”

“Yeah,” Jethro said, breathless if he had breath. “It’s better than sex.”

“Oh,” Beth replied quietly. “About that.”

“What?” Jethro asked, shocked. “Hey, that wasn’t a proposition. I mean we don’t even have bodies. Well, technically I do have a body, but it would be like doing it with a deader since I’m kinda shriveled up and-... I should stop talking.”

“You can, but it doesn’t really matter,” Beth said. “I know what you’re thinking anyway.”

“Whoa...really?” Jethro exclaimed. “But I thought I’d firewalled our personalities. Did I miss something?”

“The firewall just blocked you from me,” Beth said. “Which I appreciate. But you left a few holes in the code that I can see right through.”

“Well, turn away!” Jethro said. “Oh, man, turn away! Don’t look through the holes!”

“I’m gonna have to ask,” Beth giggled. “What’s the Shocker? It sounds kind of kinky.”

“Oh, sweet Jeezus,” Jethro moaned. “This isn’t happening.”

“Well, sounds like you two are getting to know each other,” Melissa said as she walked into the mainframe room. “He behaving himself, freak? Or do we need to figure out how to get me in there too so I can kick his ass?”

“Nah, he’s being a perfect gentleman,” Beth said. “Except for that last visual of the two of us trapped in here with him. I don’t think that’s physically possible, Jethro.”

“Oh, some one pull my plug now, please,” Jethro begged. “I’m going to go find an offline system and hang myself. Nice knowing you.”

“He’s cute,” Melissa said. “Well, not the shriveled up meat bag over there. That’s gross. But he sounds cute. You doing okay?”

“I’m actually better than, well, ever, actually,” Beth said. “For the first time in my short life I feel free. I don’t feel confined and jammed into a too small box. I’m me and life is wide open.”

“Except for the fact that you aren’t alive,” Melissa frowned. “Not sure I’m too happy about that. How the fuck are we going to go drink wine together and laugh about all the stupid shit that stupid people do? My freak is in a box and the box can’t fit through the door.”

“Bullshit,” Beth said over the com. “I’m always in your ear.”

“Okay, now you’ve hit creepy level,” Melissa said. “You better not spy on me when I’m having some alone time.”

“Oh, for the love of God!” Jethro shouted. “Do you hate me?”

***

“You can’t avoid me forever, Papa Bear,” Rachel said as she ran down the corridor to catch up with Capreze. “You’re going to have to talk to me sooner or later.”

“You were ordered to stay in the infirmary,” Capreze said, not slowing down or turning to look at her. “You will comply with that order or you will be placed in the brig. Do you understand me, uh...?”

“Rachel,” Rachel grinned. “It’s okay to call me that because that’s who I am.”

“Not possible,” Capreze said. “Look at you.”

Rachel grabbed her father by the shoulder and spun him around. His eyes went wide at the strength she had. His instinct was to go for his sidearm, but Rachel slapped his hand away from the holster.

“Yes, look at me!” Rachel said, holding her father firmly in her grasp so he couldn’t look away. “Who do I look like?”

“You look like my daughter when she was younger,” Capreze said. “Which is the problem. You aren’t my daughter.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” Rachel yelled. “I’m telling you that I am! How can I get you to believe that? Huh? Ask me anything. Anything you think only Rachel would know.”

“Makes no difference,” Capreze replied. “You shared a mind with my daughter. I’m sure you have all the data you need to fool me.”

He wrenched himself away and was able to unclasp his holster, but he didn’t pull his sidearm.

“Now, listen to me, clone,” Capreze said. “You are alive, I will give you that, and it’s my basic belief that all life deserves a chance to live that has kept me from tossing you into the incinerator.”

Rachel took a couple steps back, surprised that the thought had even occurred to him.

“But if you do not keep yourself in the infirmary as ordered,” Capreze snarled. “And way the fuck away from me then I will have no choice than to turn you to ash. Understood?”

Rachel held back the tears that welled and she took a deep breath. “Understood. Sir.”

“Good,” Capreze nodded. “Now get the fuck out of my sight.”

***

“You hanging in there, sir?” Campbell asked as she sat next to LaFrance in the infirmary.

“Yeah,” LaFrance answered. “Just tired. I took quite a beating, didn’t I?”

“You did, sir,” Campbell replied. “Just rest, sir. I’m going to check on the dogs. They need a walk. Capreze said I can use one of the sub-basements to run them in. That should burn off some energy.”

“Good, good,” LaFrance replied. “Take care of them. Those are the first dogs the wasteland has seen in hundreds of years.”

“You know I put my team first,” Campbell replied and frowned.

“Trouble?” LaFrance asked.

“Just wish I could do more,” Campbell replied. “I’m a damn engineer! I can help with this fight!”

“But we’re Canadian,” LaFrance replied. “And they don’t think we can be trusted.”

“Then why aren’t we locked up?”

“Because they want to believe we can be trusted,” LaFrance responded. “And that shows a lot about the person Capreze is. Just push it from your mind, Campbell. Take care of your team and pray we get through this nightmare and the right side wins.”

“And that isn’t the Canadian side,” Campbell stated.

“Unfortunately, no,” LaFrance sighed. “Now get.”

“Yes, sir.”

Campbell left the infirmary, nodding to some of the Railer medics. They were friendly and nodded back, but instantly went back to their work of taking care of the wounded that had just come in. Campbell tried to stay out of everyone’s way as she stepped into the hall. A quick jog and she was away from all the chaos and glad she would see her team again. She didn’t like being away from them for long.

The dogs were kenneled in a large room a few floors down and Campbell smiled as they all rushed her when she opened the door. She knelt quickly and took the happy licks of greeting then gently pushed them away.

“Ok, ok,” she laughed. “Let’s get you guys out for a run.”

She gave a quick whistle and stepped aside, letting the dogs barrel from the room. She followed close behind, but didn’t hold them back, letting them run down the massive corridor as fast as they wanted. The dogs instinctively didn’t stray further than where they could see her. They shot quick glances over their shoulders to make sure she was keeping up.

Campbell was winded quickly as the fatigue and stress of the past few days caught up with her. She let out two sharp whistles and then clapped as the dogs went around a bend in the corridor.

But instead of instantly seeing her team rushing back to her, she heard a series of short, hard barks. Campbell pushed herself and sprinted towards the sound, wishing she had a sidearm. The barks were ones of alarm and warning.

She made it around just as one of the barks ended in a high scream.

“What the hell?!” Campbell shouted as she saw Brand down on his side, blood pouring onto the concrete. Coal and Lesh stood in front of the fallen dog, their hackles up and teeth bared; low, threatening growls rumbled from deep in their throats. Kook slowly started to circle what they’d found.

“Interesting,” the Great Maker said, Stan draped over his shoulder. The Great Maker’s right hand dripped blood and Campbell’s eyes went wide when she saw a bloody heart gripped in his fingers. Brand’s heart. “I never in a million years would have thought I would see acanis lupus familiaris in person.” He lifted the heart to his lips and took a tentative nibble. “Oh, now that is quite something.”