The Gates: An Apocalyptic Novel (12 page)

“We’re coming up on the base now,” said Frank. “I
radioed in, and they’re ready to receive us.”

Guy blinked. “The Coast Guard is still
functioning?”

“There’s a skeleton crew apparently.”

“Good, take us in.”

“Aye, Captain.”

The Hatchet pulled up alongside the deserted docks,
and a grey-haired old man in a navy blue Coast Guard jumper met them. The weather
was scorching, but he hadn’t seemed to have noticed. He saluted Guy as he appeared
on deck and descended the gangway.

“Retired Captain Lund,” the old man said.
“Caretaker of the station here.”

Guy shook his hand gladly. “Captain Granger. Thank
you for receiving me, Captain Lund. How have you fared here?”

“Not bad, considering. Nearest attack is
Charlotte, but that doesn’t make it any less frightening for us here. Watching
the news is like watching a horror movie. Command won’t return my calls, and I just
got word we lost a third of our domestic Navy in Norfolk.”

Guy sighed. “We were there. It was bad.”

“Well, I’m glad
someone
made it at least. All
the Coast Guard vessels headed there last night to support the military. Some
were friends of mine.”

“I’m sorry. Some ships got out, but more were lost.”

The old man took a long breath and let it out
loudly. “You need fuel, I hear? Well, since I have no ships, you can have all
the fuel you want. Heading anywhere in particular?”

“I have some ideas, but nothing set in stone yet.
We’ll head wherever we can find that’s safe; unless we’re needed somewhere
else. From what I saw at Norfolk though, there’s not a lot my crew can do but keep
care of themselves.”

“There’re a couple young guys back at base,” said
Lund. “I’ll radio ‘em to come fuel you boys up in a jiffy. You wanna come
inside a spell and have a cup of Joe?”

“I wish I could,” said Guy, “but right now, I need
to keep a tight leash on my crew. If I go wandering off inland, they might do
the same.”

“I understand, Captain. Let me know if I can make
myself useful.”

“You can count on it. Thank you, Captain Lund.”

“You can call me Skip. Everyone else does.”

“Thank you, Skip.”

Frank came down the gangway. His expression was
urgent, and in his hand, he held a cell phone—Guy’s cell phone. “You left it in
the pilothouse,” he explained. “You will want to take this call.”

There was a knot in Guy’s stomach, but he reached
out and took the phone and placed it against his ear. “Hello?”

“Dad, is that you?”

“Kyle! Are you and Alice okay?”

“Yeah, dad, we’re fine.”

“Where are you? How did you get in touch with me?”

“We’re with some soldiers in London. I gave them
our address back home and they got a call to mom. She gave me your number and
said I had to call you too.”

Guy tried not to dwell on the fact that his son
had not chosen to call of his own free will. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Kyle.
I’ve been worried. Are they looking after you?”

“Yeah. Things were pretty bad for a while, but
then a couple of reporters found me and Alice hiding in a bus. They took us to
an army camp in the park. The soldiers are going to put us in a helicopter and
take us somewhere safe. I think they said it was some place named Kane Bridge.”

Guy thanked God for the British Army. “I want to speak
to one of the soldiers before you go.”

“Yeah, okay. There’s one here with us now—Corporal
Martin. He’s waiting outside the tent. He’ll give you the details of where
we’re going.”

“Good. You look after your sister, Kyle. No matter
what, okay? Can I speak with her?”

“Sure.”

There was a pause, then Alice’s sweet little voice
came down the line. “Daddy?”

“Hi, princess. I’m so proud of you for staying
safe.”

“It was really scary, daddy. There were monsters,
but Kyle looked after me.”

“I’m proud of him too. The nice soldiers will look
after you now until you get home to mommy. Do exactly as they tell you, okay,
and keep close to your brother.”

“Mommy says there are monsters at home, too.”

“Mommy is safe,” Guy assured her. “You spoke to
her earlier and so did I.”

“Is Clark looking after her?”

Guy cleared his throat. “Yes, honey. Clark is looking
after her.”

“When can me and Kyle go home?”

“Soon, I promise.”

“Will you come get us in your boat?”

“Daddy can’t do that, honey. Daddy has a job to
do.”

“But the soldiers said that’s over now. Corporal
Martin said that we have to fight. If you come and get us, you can teach me and
Kyle how to fight. Please, come get me.”

“What? No, Alice, I don’t want you to fight. What
else did this Corporal Martin say?”

“I heard him say we’re going to lose. That there
are too many monsters.”

“Let me speak to him.”

“What?”

“Honey, let me speak to Corporal Martin.”

Alice sounded sad, like she knew she’d just caused
trouble. “Okay, daddy. I’ll go and get him.”

There was a clonking sound as Alice placed the
receiver down, and then Guy could hear Kyle speaking, asking his sister what
was wrong.

Then there was the sound of gunfire.

Guy shouted down the phone. “Alice? Kyle?”

There was a man’s voice in the background. Guy
could just about hear it. “
Come on, kids. We have to get somewhere safe,
right now. We’re under attack.
”

“But I was talking to my da—”

The line went dead.

The cell phone fell from Guy’s grasp and shattered
at his feet. Frank caught him just as he was about to fall.

“Guy, what is it?”

“Alice and Kyle. They’re in danger. Something is
attacking them.”

Frank didn’t speak.

Guy wrung his hands together and started pacing
like a caged cat. “I should be with them, Frank. I should be protecting them.
Damn it.”

Frank looked him in the eye and held him steady. “You
told the men we’re all just going to have to pray our families are okay. Kyle
and Alice have survived so far. You have to hope they can make it through. They
will make it, Guy. We all will.”

Captain Lund’s boys arrived around the coast,
piloting a fuel barge up alongside the Hatchet. The putt-putt of the engine
echoed across the water.

Guy wiped the tears from his eyes and straightened
up. “Get the men to refuel, Chief Petty, and then assemble everybody on launch
deck—the civilians too. I have something to say.”

Frank nodded. “Aye, aye, Captain.”

***

The Hatchet’s crew
assembled alongside the civilian refugees on the launch deck, awaiting an address
from the Captain. Captain Lund and his boys were also present as Guy had
requested them.

Guy stood on top of the ship’s main gun
emplacement so he was high enough to see the far edges of the crowd. The
Hatchet wasn’t a huge ship, and the massed gathering made it seem cramped. The
civilians looked nauseous and afraid, unused to the sea and even less used to
the fighting.

“Thank you for gathering,” Guy began. “Some of you
have served with me for a long time, some of you not so long, some of you are
only catching a ride. Regardless of your position on this ship, we have all
survived a terrible tragedy together, and for that, we are brothers and sisters—bonded
through adversity and strengthened by courage. I am proud to captain this crew.
Things are bad, we all know it. The Navy is in disarray—if it even exists at
all—and reports are that the Army are faring little better. Things as we know
them have fallen apart, and there is nothing I can do to fix that. All
civilians are now free to go, and I hope that Captain Lund will assist you in
whatever way he can. New York is no longer safe, but there are still areas yet
to be attacked. Cape Fear is one of those areas, so I suggest that you remain
here for the time being.

“I also offer release to my crew. Many of you still
have time left to serve, but I have come to realise that a man must protect his
family first, his country second. In fact, by doing the first, we often serve
the second; so go, if you must, and find your families. There will be no
repercussions, you have my word. Humanity is at war, and none of us can escape
the days ahead, but I will hold no one on board my ship if they do not wish to
be here. I, myself, will be crossing the Atlantic to find my own family. Some
may call it desertion, but I see no Coast Guard left to desert. Some may call
me a traitor, but I would rather betray my country than my children. What I am
is a father, and that is how I intend to proceed.”

There was a collective gasp from those who
understood the magnitude of what he was suggesting. The Atlantic was a big
ocean to cross in a ship not made for comfort.

Guy gave the crowd no time to settle and continued
earnestly. “The Hatchet is just about fit to do the journey with a full tank of
fuel, and it’s the right time of year, so I’m going to London to find my
children. I’ll pilot the ship alone if I have to, but if anyone wishes to join
me, I will welcome their company, not as enlisted men, but as volunteers. Once
I have my children, I will return to my duty and do what I can to help my
country.”

“I’ve always fancied seeing Wembley Stadium,” said
Frank. “You think it’ll still be there?”

Guy looked at his oldest friend warmly. “Only one
way to find out.”

“I’ll join you, Captain,” said Lieutenant Tosco.
His eyes were red and swollen, showing he’d been crying. “I just found out my
wife is dead. If I can help you save your kids, then I’ll sail to England with
you. Alice and Kyle are Americans. They need our help.”

Tosco had been the last person Guy had expected to
join him, but he was more than thankful to have his second-in-command along for
the ride. “Thank you, Lieutenant Tosco. I’d be glad to have you.”

More hands went up as more and more enlisted men
volunteered. Almost half the civilians remained as well. The final voice in the
crowd was Captain Lund’s. “I’d like to come too, if that’s okay, Captain
Granger?”

“Don’t you want to run things here, Skip? The
voyage will be long and uncomfortable.”

“Don’t consider things are going to be too dandy
wherever I go. If I’m to risk my life, I’d rather risk it where I belong: At
sea. I’ll be leaving good boys behind—they’ll take care of your civilians, but
I want to join your crew, sir. One last adventure for a silly old man. I’ll
pull my weight, you can be mighty sure of it.”

“I have no doubt. Welcome aboard, Skip.” Guy
looked for more volunteers, but none remained. About a third of the crew had
opted to leave, but with the additional civilians, the Hatchet would end up
being over-manned. They’d need to resupply before setting off, but that was a
problem to be addressed later. For now, Guy just wanted to bask in the feeling
of solidarity between him and his fellow sailors. He had truly expected to be
making the journey across the Atlantic on his own. Even now, life could
surprise him.

“Get some rest, sailors,” he commanded. “We leave
bright and early. Until then, think about your decision, and enjoy the land
beneath your feet while you can. England awaits us.”

Mina had been sitting on
the moonlit grass listening to her father’s angry voicemails when the first
shot fired. It came from the edge of camp, over by Marble Arch, and when she
looked up, she saw soldiers hastily gathering up their weapons and running to
offer support. David had been sitting under a nearby floodlight, working
through his notes and chatting to Carol on the phone. He came over now in a
hurry. “Did you see what they’re firing at?”

Mina got up and wiped grass off her butt. “It’s
too dark to see. The creatures must be attacking again.”

David hissed, “Let’s hope those soldiers know what
they’re doing.”

The gunfire increased, lighting up the darkness
like a celebration. Radios squawked everywhere as soldiers communicated with one
another urgently. Explosions joined the mix and gave Hyde Park its greatest
ever fireworks show.

“It’s bad,” said Mina. “The whole camp is getting
involved.”

Corporal Martin appeared from one of the nearby
tents with Alice and Kyle hurrying behind him. “You need to take the children,”
he ordered. “I need to get over there.”

Mina gathered the frightened children to her side,
but didn’t want to let the soldier rush off. “They’re attacking again, aren’t
they? How many?”

Corporal Martin looked at her gravely. “Just one.”

“One? I don’t understand.”

As if to address her confusion, a beastly roar
echoed across Hyde Park, and something huge charged towards the camp. The giant
scooped up a black taxi and launched it at the assembled soldiers, scattering them
into cover. They spread out, pumping magazines full of ammunition into the
creature and hitting it several times with grenades.

Nothing slowed the giant down.

A jeep skidded to a halt in front of it. When the soldier
in the back manning a huge machine gun pulled the trigger, it sounded like a
volcano erupting. The onslaught of automatic fire was enough to send the giant
reeling, but it quickly recovered, dragged an elm tree out of the ground, and
launched it at the jeep. The vehicle bucked, rolled, and ended up on its roof.
The soldier who had been manning the machine gun fell awkwardly and snapped his
neck.

David shot Corporal Martin an accusing look. “Your
men are dying.”

“Which is why I need to go help them.”

Mina grabbed the soldier’s arm. “No, you’ll die.
Your weapons aren’t working on that thing.”

“Uh, guys?” Kyle got their attention and pointed
to the other side of the park. “There’s something else coming.”

Screams filled Hyde Park as an army of charred
creatures arrived from a dozen side streets and fell upon the camp. Soldiers
began to fall, clutching torn open stomachs and mangled throats. Meanwhile, the
giant continued its devastating march, crushing all in its path.

“The battle is lost,” said David. “We need to get
out of here.”

Alice cried. Kyle put his arm around her, but
looked close to tears himself. Mina smiled at the boy and tried to let him know
it would be alright—even though it wouldn’t be.

In the centre of the park, two choppers started up
their rotors, each one loaded full of refugees. The army of creatures made for
them, but was held back by the last smatterings of resistance. If those
soldiers didn’t hold their ground, the civilians would be sitting ducks.

Corporal Martin grabbed his rifle and prepared to
head off.

Mina grabbed his arm. “You’re not seriously going
to go fight, are you?”

“No,” he said. “We’re getting the hell out of
here. Come on.”

They raced after him as he took them across the
playing fields towards the centre of camp. It was closer to the danger, but
Mina understood the soldier’s motives. The vehicles were all parked in the centre
of Hyde Park, and reaching one was their only means of escape.

“Is that the thing you saw earlier, Mina?” David
asked her as they sprinted towards the motor pool.

“I only saw it for a moment, but yes, that’s definitely
it.”

“It has wings like an angel,” Alice said.

“It’s not an angel,” said Kyle. “It’s a monster.”

“A demon,” Mina stated, as sure of it as ever.

“But it looks like a pretty man,” Alice argued.

“It’s going to bloody well kill us if we don’t hurry
up,” Corporal Martin shouted at them all.

The burned creatures were no match for bullets and
went down in clouds of gore whenever shot, but their sheer numbers gave them
the advantage. They didn’t seem to fear death and were happy to sacrifice
themselves if it meant that their comrades would reach their target.

It was a Kamikaze attack. Unstoppable.

Mina and the others were almost at the jeeps. All
around them, soldiers screamed and begged for their lives, but they received no
mercy. The demons tore out their intestines and left them to die in agony—they
seemed intent on maiming over killing. The gunfire became less and less.
Floodlights tipped over and shattered, allowing the shadows to claim Hyde Park.
Alice screamed and covered her eyes. She stopped running and refused to move.”

Mina tried to grab the girl, but was clawed away.
“I want to go home. I want to go home. I want to go home.”

“Sweetheart, you have to keep moving.”

Kyle came and knelt in front of his little sister.
“Hey, Ally. It’s going to be okay. Remember the bus? We were okay, weren’t we?
You promised to do whatever I said, and I kept you safe then. I need you to run
towards the jeep, okay? Do you understand, Ally? I need you to run. I love you,
and it will all be okay.” Alice wiped away her tears and went to look back at
the dying soldiers, but Kyle stopped her. “Don’t, Ally. You just focus on running
and think about what you’re going to do when we get home. Mom and Clark will
take us to Funtown, but first you have to get to that jeep over there, okay?”

Alice nodded and finally got moving again, but
they’d lost time they could ill afford. Hardly any soldiers remained between
them and the murderous horde of creatures.

The giant was now close enough that the ground
trembled beneath their feet as they ran. A hundred metres away, the two
helicopters hopped up into the air. They lurched away in separate directions,
one heading south, the other heading north, but the chopper heading south
passed right over the battlefield.

Right into danger.

The giant leapt up and swatted the helicopter to
the ground. The fuselage crumpled and the main rotor broke free and cartwheeled
across the park, taking out several soldiers and demons. There was a small
explosion from the chopper’s engines, but most of the damage came purely from
the force of impact with the ground. Dismembered arms and legs spilled out from
the wreckage. Mina’s mouth filled with vomit, but she forced it back down. There
was no time for nausea.

Corporal Martin made it to the jeep first, but he
didn’t hop in behind the wheel. Instead, he hopped in behind the machine gun
mounted on the back. “David,” he shouted. “The keys are in the ignition. Get us
out of here.”

David stumbled. “What? I… I can’t take the wheel.
What if I crash? M-My nerves are shot.”

Mina shoved him out of the way. “I’ll drive, just get
the kids inside.”

David nodded, relieved. “Okay, Kyle, get in the
jeep, quickly.”

Kyle shook his head. “Alice first.”

Alice was shaking and trembling, but she hurried
towards the jeep as her brother urged her to move. David grabbed the little
girl under the arms and launched her across the back seat, where she seemed to
take comfort in clicking in her seatbelt. Once secure, she looked over at her brother
and waved her hand. “Kyle, come on!”

“I’m coming, Ally.” He took a step forward, but as
he did something yanked him backwards.

David went to help, but then changed his mind and
backed up against the jeep. “Kyle, run!”

Mina and Martin shouted warnings too.

Alice screamed.

But it was too late.

The demon had the boy firmly in its clutches.

Kyle was brave. He punched and kicked at his
attacker, tearing away strips of burnt, tattered flesh, but the simple fact was
that the boy just wasn’t strong enough. The demon shook off the blows as if
they were flies and thrust its skeletal hand right inside Kyle’s belly, ripping
out a pink, glistening bag that could only have been his stomach. Blood
exploded from his mouth, and he made the most pitiful whine, but then he fell
to the floor, dead.

Martin opened up the machine gun on the back of
the jeep, and the demon danced as a hundred metal wasps stung him. Scraps of
singed flesh flew into the air like ash, and tendrils of smoke appeared from
every bullet hole. When the vile creature hit the dirt, it looked like a soiled
rag.

Alice tried to leap out of the jeep and go to her
brother, but David grabbed a hold of her collar and kept her inside the jeep.
“He’s gone, sweetheart. We have to go.”

“Kyle, no!”

Martin shouted across to Mina. “Get us the fuck
out of this city.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice.” Mina stamped on the
accelerator and took off at full speed. Behind them, Hyde Park descended into
darkness and terror.