The Hunger (Book 3): Ravaged (18 page)

“That’s right. It ain’t optimal though—some of the islands ain’t got any natural water, so we gotta get a boat that can convert seawater to drinking water. But it sure is pretty, and we don’t have to worry about any vampires taking bites outta our asses n’at.”

Lance could barely understand the man when he really got going. His Pittsburghese grew so intense, his drawl so thick, that he came across like a caricature of Appalachia.

Liz said, “But we aren’t leaving you behind, as hurt as you are. I’m just having a hard time driving it through his thick skull.”

“He can’t make the jump with a goddamn hole in his chest.” Paul smacked himself in the forehead. “How many times I gotta tell you? And I’m the one with the thick skull?”

“What jump?” Lance asked.

“We’re taking a Cessna out of the Latrobe airport tomorrow morning,” Paul said.

“A Cessna? An airplane? You’re a pilot?” Lance’s felt a pang of hope. “That’s great! We could shuttle people around and—”

“Lance,” Liz interrupted. “He can’t exactly fly it.”

“The hell I can’t.” Paul grabbed a book from the workbench and held it up. “I already know enough to do what needs doin’.”

“You can’t land the damn thing!”

“Landing and flying ain’t the same thing.”

Lance listened to them volley insults back and forth before he held up a hand. “Hold on a second. You can’t land?”

“Not exactly, no. But I don’t need to land, just get it over my destination.”

“But how—?”

“Parachutes.” Paul grinned. Yellow tobacco stains covered his teeth. “Gonna jump out and parachute to safety.”

“Holy shit. You really are a lunatic.” Lance coughed and winced at the misery that followed.

“That’s what I keep telling him,” Liz said. “And he doesn’t think you could make the jump.”

“He can’t. It would kill him.”

Lance waved them off. “It doesn’t matter; I’m not going with you. I have to get back to my camp and warn everyone about Colt.”

“You hear that, woman? That settles it then.” Paul tossed the flight manual back on the desk.

Liz grabbed Lance’s forearm. “You can’t go back there, Lance. He’ll kill you.”

“Maybe, maybe not. If everyone in the camp sees me alive, then they’ll know what he did. I’m sure he fed them some kind of bullshit story about how I died.”

“He must have,” Paul muttered. “He showed ‘em where he shot you.”

They’d watched from a camera-mounted drone as Colt took Cass, Eifort, and Brown to the tunnel. Seeing Cass standing beside the man who’d tried to kill him made Lance’s blood boil.

Lance looked to the Wildman. “Can you put me in a truck? I think I can drive to the camp on my own.”

“Don’t do this.” Liz raised her hand from his arm to his chest. Even the light pressure of her touch made him wince. “Stay with us.”

“Goddamn it, Liz.
He can’t make the jump
. Don’t know how many times I gotta say it.” Paul turned his attention to Lance. “I got a four by four that’ll get you there. I won’t be needing it anymore, anyway. You sure you can make that trip? Hell, you can barely sit up.”

“I can make it. Not like I have a choice. You’re leaving in the morning, and I can’t exactly take care of myself.”

Liz stood and stormed over to Paul, standing over him. “I told you to reinforce the wall! Do whatever it takes to keep them out of here for a few more days. We can’t just—”

“You know I already welded a plate over it twice. They just tear it back down.” Paul averted his eyes and inspected the floor. “There’s nothing I can do.”

“Liz, I can’t stay here anyway.” Lance eased back down. He’d already grown tired from sitting up. “I have to warn Cass.”

“But—”

“You two have helped me enough. You need to get out of here and go enjoy some sandy beaches. Both of you deserve it.”

Liz’s shoulders slumped. Her head hung down, hands on her hips. “I feel like I’m abandoning you again, like I did at the hospital.”

“You saved my life. This is a bit different.” Lance managed a smile. “Besides, you’re about to take a flight with a guy who apparently learned how to fly from a manual.”

“Hey now, I’m about tired of taking shit about my flyin’ skills from yinz. I’ve flown before, just not a Cessna. I got it, for Christ’s sake.”

Lance nodded. “I take it back. You’re about to take a flight with a
yinzer
who can’t land.”

“Aren’t the two of yinz... goddamn it...
you
... just hilarious?” Paul pulled his can of snuff from his back pocket and rapped it with his finger a few times. “This is the thanks I get for all my good deeds,” he muttered.

“And you’ve somehow talked Liz into jumping out of an airplane before it crashes.” Lance forced himself not to laugh. He didn’t want to deal with the pain.

Liz moved back to the cot and sat down again. She lifted the blankets covering Lance’s legs and checked his bandages. “She’s worth this? Worth facing that man again?”

“She is.”

Her eyes flicked up and met his. “Did you ever feel that way about me?”

“A long time ago, yes.”

That seemed to satisfy her. She pulled the blankets back down and turned to Paul. “What time are we leaving?”

“First thing in the morning.”

Lance stared at the ceiling as they worked out their escape plan. He was worried that he wouldn’t have the strength to drive to the compound, but he didn’t dare tell Liz. She needed to get out of there while she still had the chance.

What would he do about Colt? Was there anything he
could
do? Would warning everyone that the man was crazy be enough?

He didn’t know, but he was about to find out.

––––––––

T
he plan felt sloppy at best.

It would be difficult to pull off.

Cass didn’t see any other way out.

She stood from the table and adjusted the axe on her back. Brown and Eifort stood across from her, each nodding their agreement to go forward. There wasn’t a bit of confidence among them.

They were to spread the word as soon as they left the room—everyone was to pack the bare necessities and prepare to abandon the camp. But they had to do so without being seen by Colt or his men.

This required no one, Greg in particular, to spill anything to the military men. That was the part of the plan that bothered Cass the most. People liked to talk.

Cass needed to convince Colt to go into the city tomorrow to take out the nest. She figured that wouldn’t be too difficult since she was going to tell him that she knew the location of the Wildman of Monroeville. She didn’t, of course, but she was a damn good liar.

When the men were gone, the tankers and RVs would file out and make their way to the turnpike. The tankers would take the lead, so they could push aside any minor obstacles along the way. Major roadblocks would require a detour using the exits.

Brown calculated that it would take a minimum of twelve hours, probably more, to make the trip. The timing would be tight.

More people had fled the camp that morning. If any positive could be taken from that, it was that their caravan to the coast would be significantly smaller. Cass tried not to think about the fates of those who were striking out on their own.

Any of Colt’s men who remained behind would have to be dealt with. Since they’d arrived, the major hadn’t left the camp unattended. The odds of him doing so tomorrow were slim.

How Cass would escape from the group tomorrow after they took out the nest, she didn’t know. She would feel the situation out and make her play when an opportunity presented itself.

Several people walked by the window, casting shadows into the room.

Brown peered through the glass. “Everyone is gathering around the front of the cabin.” He looked back to Eifort. “Did we have a meeting planned?”

“No.” Eifort joined him. “I don’t know what this is.”

“Colt.” Cass left the room at a brisk walk and made her way through the cabin. She left through the front door with Eifort and Brown at her heels.

The major stood in front of the tank, leaning beside the massive barrel. Cigar smoke puffed from slightly parted lips. His men flanked him on either side.

Cass hadn’t spoken to any of them other than Colt since Lance had died. They kept to themselves for the most part and seemed to hold most of the civilians in the camp in disdain.

Those who hadn’t fled the compound stood in a rough line in front of the major, listening to him.

“I need two men to volunteer to go on a hunt with us tomorrow,” Colt said around his cigar. “We’re going to take out the nest in Greensburg. It’s going to be dangerous work, but you’ll be protecting this camp.”

No one moved. Most looked everywhere but directly at him.

“What’s going on here?” Cass pushed her way to the front and burst through the line.

Colt ignored her. “No one is willing to volunteer? None of you are brave enough?” He pushed away from the tank and took two long strides forward. “Fine. Time for the draft.”

“Answer me, you son of a bitch.” Cass angled toward him, balling her hands into fists.

“Pick their two strongest men and bring them to me,” Colt said to the man to his left.

Cass’ anger, frustration, and despair all roiled into one uncontrollable emotion. Before she knew what she was doing, she threw a punch at Colt’s chin.

His arm snaked up, his hand latching onto her wrist, stopping her punch in mid-swing.

Her fist stopped inches from his face.

“I’ve about had it with you,” Colt said without looking at her.

He yanked her sideways, into the waiting arms of the man to his left.

“Enough!” Brown broke the line. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Taking charge.” Colt’s voice remained calm, though Cass saw something in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before. It was an intensity, an insanity, that she’d recognized somewhere else.

She’d seen it in the eyes of Ralph’s henchman, Tony.

“Let her go.” Eifort stepped beside Brown, already sighting her rifle on Colt’s chest. “Or I’ll drop you where you stand.”

“And what good would that do?” Colt asked.

The men on either side of him raised their weapons, aiming at Brown and Eifort.

A dozen of the civilians in the crowd raised their guns then. Silence swallowed the standoff for several seconds, an eternity when rifles are pointed at you, before Colt laughed again.

“Someone needs to keep these people safe. How many have fled in the past two days? Fifty percent? Sixty? They would rather take their chances out there in the wild than stay here with you.” Colt took a step forward. “You people aren’t capable of making sacrifices. You refuse to make the hard decisions, so I’m going to make them for you.” He took his cigar from his mouth and blew a circle of smoke toward Eifort. “Lower your rifle or you and your friends die.”

“Not before I kill you first.”

Colt leaned back and laughed at the evening sky. “I’m prepared to die. Are you?”

“You better be prepared, you sack of shit,” Cass snarled. “Because I’m going to—”

The man with his arms wrapped around her chest squeezed in with a sharp tug, as if he wanted to perform the Heimlich Maneuver on her. The movement forced the air from her lungs, cutting off her sentence.

She leaned forward, preparing to snap her head back as hard as she could in a reverse head butt.

“Everyone calm down.” Joe stepped forward from the line, his hands held up in surrender. “I’ll volunteer to go with you. Whatever you need. Just relax and let them go.”

“Me too.” Adam moved from his place by the end of the group. He mimicked Joe and lifted his hands. “Let Cass go, and I’ll do whatever you want.”

Brown jerked toward Adam. “No. The two of you step back.”

“Finally.” Colt strode over to Joe. “It’s good to meet some real men around here.” He stepped aside and gestured for Joe to walk over to the tank. “After you.”

“You’ll let her go?” Joe cautiously walked toward Cass.

“Of course.” Colt snapped his fingers, and the man released her.

She spun around, hand going for her axe.

“Ah, ah.” Colt wagged his finger. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

Cass glared at the man in front of her. He had a deep tan and the beginnings of crow’s feet around his eyes. His hair had a touch of gray at the temples. He wasn’t much taller than Cass was, though he had at least fifty pounds on her.

“You’re going to regret touching me.”

The man scoffed. “The day I’m afraid of a little girl with a fucking mohawk is the day I die.”

“At ease, Captain Jones.” Colt guffawed again, long and deep. “Cass, you really are something else. Now back off and let us get down to business.”

Adam came forward, stopping beside Colt. His eyes held Cass’ for a moment before looking up to the major’s. “What do you want me to do?”

“Nothing yet. I admire your courage. You’ll need it tomorrow when we go into the tunnels.”

“We’re going
in
the tunnels?” Adam’s throat bobbed. “That’s insane.”

“Probably is, but we need to get down there to take out the infestation. You can’t exterminate cockroaches without seeing where they’re hiding.” Colt gestured toward the tank. “Your service is welcomed.”

As Adam walked to the group of men, Brown called out to Colt again. “Stop this. You saved us at our darkest hour, and we owe you for that, but this isn’t going to happen.”

“It’s already done.” Colt pointed at Cass. “Tie her up. We’re taking her with us tomorrow as insurance. We don’t want anyone here doing something stupid.”

“No!” Brown took another step forward. Rifles shifted in his direction.

“Relax, Mr. Back to the Future. We won’t hurt the woman. Assuming you don’t do anything stupid, that is.”

Cass fought to suppress her grin. While this wasn’t the way she envisioned her involvement in the nest raid, things were still tracking with their plan. Brown locked his eyes on hers as two men grabbed her arms.

They exchanged microscopic nods as they dragged her to the side of the tank. Eifort lowered her rifle and whispered into the ear of the woman beside her.

The seeds of their escape were planted.