The Tide: Deadrise (18 page)

“Trust
me
,” Shepherd said. “The people at Kent aren’t crazy. They aren’t going to shoot you.”

“No,” the man said again. “Not going to fall for that. No way. Not today, not tomorrow.” He shook his head wildly. “Go on, leave me be. Just don’t take my food, okay?”

Although he felt a pang of pity, Shepherd didn’t want to waste any more time talking to the man. “Kent Island will be there if you decide otherwise. Just head north from here.”

The man ignored them and ducked back into his cabin. Shepherd gave the signal to sail on. As the hull cut through the glinting whitecaps, he wondered what these marauders were like and how they had thrived in a world filled with Skulls. The thought of what they might be doing to survivors sent shivers through his flesh.

He understood the military’s paranoia. When he’d been in command of Fort Detrick, they’d been forced to defend the base indiscriminately in the early days of the outbreak. It was a harsh, unfortunate reality. But he wasn’t used to being on the wrong side of the military’s might.

Wind filled the sails. Gulls cried overhead, and the distant howls of Skulls carried over open water. The sailboat continued north toward an uncertain future.

***

T
he morning light hung over the entrance to Mt. Vernon, bathing the idyllic estate in a warm orange glow. Dom trudged across the parking lot to the ticket booth, not giving a damn about the scenery.

He looked warily between the buildings and parked vehicles for signs of the men who had his daughters. He counted a few camped out among the trees and underbrush. Each had a weapon trained on him. Miguel and Renee, walking on either side of him, were highly trained operatives who had certainly spotted the amateur warriors, but they gave no indication that they’d noticed the planned ambush.

Good,
Dom thought.
Let them underestimate us.

His boots crunched over a gravel pathway. The packs they wore were filled with what remained of the guns and ammunition they’d scrounged on their way here. Each Hunter carried an extra bag containing boxes of rounds. In one of Miguel’s bags, they’d packed the FN40 grenade launcher attachments for their SCAR-Hs along with the grenade cases that went with them. It was a final bargaining chip Dom hoped might impress the savage militia.

“Close enough!” a voice called from the ticket booth. It wasn’t the smooth, smug voice from the radio. A moment later, a man stepped out. He had a bushy beard and rotund belly. “What do you got for us?”

“For you, nothing,” Dom said. “I want to see the man I spoke to before.”

Birds chirped. Wind rustled through the trees. The bearded man stood silently for a second. “Don’t think that’s going to happen,” he said.

“Oh, I think it will,” Dom said. “Need to be sure these weapons get in the right hands, eh?” He gave an exaggerated wink.

A loud, boisterous laugh exploded from the main entrance. From under the shadow of an awning, another man emerged flanked by his apparent cronies. He held his hands out wide as if feigning a welcome. A large necklace was draped over his neck and chest, and with a jolt, Dom realized it was made of claws. The man’s lieutenants had taken things a step farther, fashioning makeshift armor from Skull bones and plates. A menagerie of other men followed in surplus store-style fatigues and camo. Dom counted about a dozen of them, all armed and moving toward him.

“Didn’t think you were gonna show,” the man said. He jabbed a thumb at his chest. “Name’s Rick.”

Dom ignored the pleasantries. “Where are my daughters and Navid?”

“They’re fine.”

“Show them to me,” he said. “Before I give you anything, I want to see them alive and unharmed. Do it or the deal is off.”

“Now, come on,” Rick said. “I don’t have to do shit.”

“Trust me,” Dom said. “It’s in your best interest.”

“Idle threats. My men watched you come down here. We counted your numbers. You can’t surprise us.” Rick tapped the Skull-claw necklace. “I didn’t earn this by being stupid. Boys, tie ‘em up.”

“That wasn’t part of the agreement,” Dom said, bristling. His nerves lit up in anticipation of a fight, and he clenched his hands into fists.

Rick shrugged as the men in Skull armor marched forward. “Too bad for you, huh?”

“Tell them to stay where they are.”

“Or what, you going to tell your mommy?”

Dom gave a subtle shrug, but it was the signal Andris and Jenna would be watching for. Two rifle shots cracked in the distance. The head of the man in the Skull mask exploded in a spray of blood and bone fragments. The one with shoulder plates fell forward, clutching a freshly formed hole in his throat. Blood pooled around him as he writhed on the asphalt.

To his credit, Rick only winced slightly before regaining his composure.

“Looks like you didn’t count correctly,” Dom said, his voice menacing. “Now stand the fuck down. You’re next.”

“Ain’t going to happen,” Rick said, smiling unexpectedly. “I want to have a little talk before you try anything stupid.”

“Don’t you get it?” Dom asked. “We don’t negotiate with terrorists. But I also don’t really want to waste more ammunition than I have to on the likes of your sorry company. I’m giving you one chance to tell your men to leave. Bring my daughters and the young man out here, and I might let you go.
Might
.”

Rick let out an exasperated sigh. “Snipers in the woods.” He stepped over the body of the now-headless man. “Two can play at that game.” He held a hand in the air and snapped once. A loud bang echoed from the trees.

––––––––

M
eredith spotted the man in the ghillie suit just as he sucked in a breath and started squeezing the trigger. She sprinted at him, leaves crunching under her boots, and kicked up the barrel. The gun fired, and the bullet tore through the canopy of leaves and branches overhead.

“Asshole,” she yelled, planting a boot into his spine, then pressed a suppressed pistol against his forehead. One shot, and his body went limp. Meredith kicked the sniper’s body over and relieved him of his weapons. She stowed them in her pack with the two rifles she’d taken from the cronies that had been trying to guard him. They’d both been staring listlessly into the woods as if they were already two sheets to the wind. It had been far too easy for Spencer and her to bring them down before she ambushed the sniper. She bet they didn’t have a lick of actual military experience in them, judging by their completely ineffectual attempt to watch the back of the sniper she’d taken out.

“Nicely done,” Spencer said, lowering his rifle.

“Thanks,” Meredith said. Never had she imagined her CIA training would come in handy against marauding bands of post-apocalyptic raiders on US soil, but she found herself appreciating the practiced skills in stealth and combat she’d picked up.

Meredith grabbed the sniper’s rifle and lay prone where he had. The man must’ve been an experienced sharpshooter; it was a prime location with sweeping views of the estate and a perfect vantage point over the parking lot. But she wasted little time in appreciating the former sniper’s skills and quickly aimed at a goon wearing body armor made of a Skull’s ribs.

“Thanks for the cover, Mere,” Dom said over the comm link. Then she watched him duck as Rick opened fire. The ringleader took advantage of Dom’s momentary dive for cover and ran past his men toward the gift shop.

Coward,
she thought.

Gunfire rang out from somewhere else, and the men below started to scatter. Meredith rocked the trigger back. The rifle kicked against her shoulder, and the man in the ridiculous body armor fell. Two, three, four more of them fell to her well-aimed shots. More rifles barked in the distance where the other Hunters were posted, raining hell down on the retreating raiders.

Their Skull-inspired fashion statements looked far less intimidating as gunfire riddled their ranks and they ran, screaming, for cover. Meredith scanned the parking lot looking for new targets. Dom was unloading his magazine into a couple of stubborn raiders. Renee was engaged in hand-to-hand combat with another. Miguel had used the blade in his prosthetic to catch one by surprise and was now holding the man like a human shield to protect them against the raiders that had tried to take potshots from the nearby woods. Meredith caught one in her scope and fired.

“Nice shot.” Andris’s voice sounded over the comm link. “I got the north side, you take south.”

Their concerted efforts brought down the other marauders with ease. More rifle fire cracked along the estate. Glenn was manning a machine gun near where Andris and Jenna were stationed, and now the throaty machine-gun fire tore up the front of the gift shop and entrance. Soon, the parking lot and surrounding woods were empty of raiders.

“Clear,” Meredith reported.

“Clear,” came Andris and Jenna next.

“We’re going in,” Dom said, charging through the main entrance with Renee and Miguel.

Meredith sprinted through the woods with Spencer. They met up with Andris, Glenn, and Jenna before rushing in after Dom. Dom’s ploy of splitting the group had worked wonders. Half had veered off into the forest long before Mt. Vernon was in sight, while the others stuck to the main road. And with their assortment of night vision and infrared tech, it hadn’t been difficult to spot the raiders lurking in the surrounding forest. But Meredith knew they’d been lucky, too. These men had undoubtedly grown arrogant, and it had cost them their lives.

“Any sign of Kara, Sadie, or Navid?” Meredith asked over the comm link as she ran.

“Negative,” Dom said. “Circle around back. Keep an eye out for Rick. He ran inside as soon as we opened fire. He’s got to be up to something.”

Having lived close to Mt. Vernon prior to the outbreak, Meredith had visited the place on several occasions when family or friends came to visit. Now she felt grateful for that insider knowledge, and she racked her brain to draw on that information now. If Kara, Sadie, and Navid were still being held hostage, it would likely be in some defensible location. Somewhere with plenty of cover. Somewhere with limited entrances.

“The restaurant,” she said, waving the others to follow her. “We’ll clear it and meet Dom halfway through the building.”

Their boots clattered along the sidewalk, and their packs jostled, rattling their equipment. Gunfire from the main entrance continued in spurts. The far-off screech of a Skull grabbed her attention, but there was no time for that now. They reached the rear of the restaurant. Coming in with guns blazing might freak the raiders out, and she didn’t want to cause them to overreact by killing their hostages.

“Glenn, Jenna, Spencer, take the gift shop. Try to lure them in there, or at least distract them.”

“Got it,” Jenna said. The trio rushed down the sidewalk and busted through the gift shop door. The sound of crashing glass was quickly followed by rapid gunfire. Meredith watched muzzle flashes light up the restaurant. Through the dark glass door, she saw shapes move toward where the restaurant connected with the gift shop.

“Any sign of the girls or Navid?” Meredith asked over the comm link.

“That’s a negative!” Jenna yelled back.

“What about Rick?” Meredith asked.

“Another negative!” Glenn replied.

“Ready?” she asked Andris.

“Always.”

She tried the handle, but the door was locked. She backed up and sprayed bullets into it. Cracks etched their way through the glass, and she broke through it with a well-placed kick. She scanned the room, but saw no sign of Navid, Kara, or Sadie. Andris came through next. Their rifles chattered, catching the raiders off guard. Bullets chewed through tables set on their side as barricades. Glass cups and bottles shattered overhead from a bar two men were using for shelter. Screams and yells of rage filled the room.

One tried to crawl out from under the bar. He aimed at Andris. Meredith played her muzzle over him, and shots punched into his legs, then ribs, then neck.

She swiveled on another man taking potshots from near the kitchen. The next time he popped up, she fired a bullet through his forehead. Once he had flopped to the hardwood floor, she dashed to the kitchen.

Another three raiders were bunkered beyond an overturned metal shelving unit. Rounds whizzed past Meredith. She dove for cover behind a sink full of dishes. Ceramic cups and plates exploded in shards as the men fired. She hid, watching their reflections on the massive stainless steel oven. Andris peeked around the entrance to the kitchen and traded a volley with them. With their attention on him, Meredith pivoted out and sent a burst of gunfire in their direction. Two of the men went down. The third trained his gun on her, but he was quickly dropped by Andris.

“Where are they?” Andris said, prowling through the room with his rifle ready. “Kara? Sadie? Navid?”

There were no replies. Dread filled Meredith. Had Rick been playing them the entire time? She rushed to the walk-in cooler. She’d guessed this was where they’d secure their hostages. A perfect spot. Easily secured, only one exit. Gulping, she wrapped her fingers around the handle and yanked it open.

***

D
om fired at a man hiding behind the bulky table where a scale model of Washington’s mansion was displayed. The glass case fell away in an avalanche of broken shards, and bullets tore through the miniature building. The man behind it groaned. Dom sent another salvo through the shredded model, and the groans abruptly ceased. The raider’s body thudded against the marble floor, lifeless, as Dom twisted to aim at the next asshole shooting from a support column.

Dom was forced to duck behind the security counter he’d been using as cover as a shot whizzed past his head. He heard the rattle of the man’s homemade Skull armor as he charged. Miguel caught the man mid-run with a volley that chewed into his side. Apparently the Skulls’ bony armor was less effective when idiots decided to play dress-up in it.

Dom waved Renee and Miguel deeper into the building, where the sounds of gunfire still raged. Spent cases pinged and rolled across the floor. The Hunters churned onward, trading shots and blowing holes through the walls, paintings, and displays full of historical artifacts. Dom felt a seed of regret for the treasures destroyed in the firefight, but that was nothing compared to his feverish desire to ensure Kara, Sadie, and Navid walked out of this estate alive. Rage burned through him as he searched for Rick, wondering what the hell that man had run away so fast for, what he might have planned now.