“Keep looking, dumbass.”
Simon watched the lights from their flashlights bounce off the walls while his men checked the rooms when the distinct sound of a V-Twin engine caught his attention. He turned and walked back to the entrance. “What son of a bitch rode out here with his lights on? I told you to disconnect all of the lights, Shitstain!”
“I did, boss!” Scud emerged from an exam room with a cotton swab in his ear.
“Then who’s this ignorant son of a…” Simon froze and his eyes widened. He spun and saw the bike accelerate, pointed toward the main entrance.
He dove to the side just as the huge Harley burst through the double glass doors. Simon rolled away and came up with his gun pointed at the machine, searching for its rider.
“Don’t move asshole.”
Simon froze, his gun extended and pointing away from the voice. He relaxed his grip and a smile slowly formed.
“Let me guess. You’re the son of a bitch that was on that chopper, ain’tcha?”
“You’re smarter than you look.”
Simon could hear the glass under the man’s boots crackle as he carefully entered the lobby. He debated whether he could drop and spin fast enough to get the drop on him, but the thought quickly evaporated when the sounds of numerous booted feet approached the building.
“You’ll never get all of my boys.” Simon offered. “They’re smart enough to either ambush you or wait you out.”
Hatcher smiled as he reached around Simon’s shoulder and removed the pistol from his hand. “We don’t have to deal with them.” He pointed toward the main hospital building. “Inside there? That’s zombie central. They’ll take care of your boys for me.”
Simon felt a hand grab the back of his vest and roughly pull him toward the broken double doors. He watched as twenty or so men moved past him and take up position in the lobby.
He glanced toward the hallways and wondered where the hell his people were. He didn’t get to think it for very long before the first shots rang out in the darkness.
Hank listened as the doors were opened and slammed, people yelled at each other and he nearly jumped when it sounded like somebody drove a car through the front of the building. He glanced to the corner where Wally was. “What the hell is that?”
“Sounds like they’re bombing the place.”
Both men stiffened when the doorknob rattled. They heard a muffled thump as somebody threw themselves against the door. Hank pulled the hammer back on his pistol and leveled his aim.
“Let me show you how it’s done,” a voice stated from the hallway. The door exploded inward and a large man in biker leather stepped inside. Hank squeezed the trigger and Wally followed suit.
Neither man heard the yelling from the hallway as the noise from the shots in the enclosed office nearly destroyed their hearing.
Hank stepped out from behind the desk and shots ricocheted off the doorjamb. He returned fire and felt Wally pull him to the corner with him. “Stay out of their fire!”
Hank fumbled with the spare magazine he carried and tried to reload his pistol. Another form stepped into the doorway and Hank dropped the magazine as he thrust his pistol toward the intruder. Nothing happened when he pulled the trigger, but Wally’s gun belched fire in the darkness and the second man fell, grasping his chest.
Hank searched in the darkness for the dropped magazine and nearly pissed himself when a voice ordered them to show their hands. He froze and glanced to Wally who was also caught off guard. Both men slowly stood, holding their weapons out at arm’s length.
“Where’s Savage?” the man yelled.
Hank shook his head and was about to say that he had no idea who that was when the man collapsed at their feet. He looked up and saw Roger standing over the body. “Let’s go, boys. The cavalry has arrived.”
The three men walked towards the front of the building and stepped out into the cool night air.
“Squirrel?” Simon asked.
Roger looked and saw him on his knees beside the box truck, both hands bound behind his back. Hatcher stood over him, his pistol pressed to the base of Simon’s neck, a radio in his hand. “Fall back. We have the target. Leave the rest to the Zulus.”
“What are you going to do with him?” Roger asked.
Hatcher looked down at the man at his feet. “That depends on whether your friend Mike survives.”
Roger’s eyes widened. “You mean you might let him live?”
Hatcher shot him a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I never said that. But there are ways to die that are very painful and take a very long time.”
Roger nodded. “I like that idea.”
Simon began chuckling and eventually broke into full-on laughter. Roger stepped closer and lifted him by his leather vest. “What’s so funny, psycho?”
Simon continued to laugh, then suddenly sobered. “You can’t kill me you idiot.”
Hatcher stepped next to him. “Wanna bet?”
Simon laughed again and hooked his chin behind Hatcher. “You need me to deal with them.”
Hatcher and Roger both turned and saw a line of motorcycles coming up the road and approaching the hospital. The sound of their V-Twin engines reverberating off the buildings in the area.
Simon pulled himself to his feet and squared his shoulders. “I called for the rest of the guys when the pickup took off in this direction. I figured they had to be heading to the hospital.” He broke into a toothy grin. “Looks like I guessed right.”
Hatcher groaned. “Son of a…”
Caldera The Series
For years, the biggest threat that Yellowstone was thought to offer was in the form of its semi-dormant super volcano. Little did anyone realize
