He stumbled to the garage door and made his way through his pilfered belongings. He reached into the cardboard box and hefted a large bottle of clear liquor. Unscrewing the cap he lifted it to his lips then paused.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this…” He screwed the cap back on and dropped the plastic bottle back into the box. “I gotta keep a clear head.”
He used his hands alongside the recently acquired SUV and pulled the door open. He slid into the seat and slammed the door shut behind him. He exhaled hard and pushed the starter button, listening as the engine revved to life. He quickly rolled down the window to let the pent up heat escape and to get some fresh air.
He slid the gear selector to drive then pulled out of the garage. He turned for the exit and goosed the accelerator. “I’m gonna find you, you little shit and when I do…”
Simon drove out of the housing addition and turned toward down town. He slowed at each intersection, looking for signs of life. He drove to the next dead traffic signal and searched both sides of the crossroad for activity.
Street by street he continued his search, fearing that his men had abandoned him for the Cagers. Part of him kept screaming to drive straight to their new compound where he was certain he’d find his turncoat crew. The other part of him clung to the hope that they were simply raiding for supplies.
“Maybe they went hunting for food?” He goosed the accelerator again and pushed the little SUV to the next intersection. “Maybe they’re looking for more pain killers?”
He snorted with derision and shook his head. “They wouldn’t have doped me if that were the case.” He pursed his lips and pushed the little SUV harder to the next intersection. “Bastards thought they’d knock me out and bail. Fucking traitors.”
He slammed on his brakes and stared straight ahead. He tilted his head and tried to make sense of what he was looking at. He pressed the horn button and watched as the two Ragers looked up at him, lifting their bloody faces from what appeared to be a large chunk of roadkill.
The pair sat in the shadows of a storefront, squatting in the alcove, eating. The male came to his feet and threw his head back, bellowing a scream that echoed between the buildings. The female stayed low and continued to tear chunks of bloody flesh from whatever carcass she held in her hands.
Simon shook his head and pulled the 10MM pistol from the back of his jeans. He held it in his left hand as he slowly rolled through the intersection, the front sight of the pistol aimed in the general direction of the two pasty cannibals. “Go for it you red-eyed sons of bitches.”
The male Rager screamed again and Simon caught glimpses of movement deeper in the shadows. He slowed the SUV and stopped nearly in the middle of the intersection. “Come on you flesh eating virus. Make a move.”
He narrowed his gaze at the couple and it was only then that he caught a glimpse of what the female was chewing on: a human foot attached to a long bone, meat hanging from it.
“You sick bastards…” he shook his head as he brought the pistol down to aim at the squatting female.
For a brief moment, he considered the number of humans still alive and kicking in this shithole town. He felt himself chill when he considered the odds that the leg she was chewing on might be one of his men.
He threw the SUV into park and opened the door, stepping into the middle of the street. “Come on you bitch. A little closer.” He leveled the pistol on her as the male continued to scream.
He put her squarely in the sites of the pistol and gently squeezed the trigger, not wanting to pull the barrel off his target. Just before the trigger broke and fired the HP round, he caught rapid movement farther along the street.
Simon’s head jerked around and he saw a small wave of Ragers rushing along the shadows of the sidewalk. “Son of a bitch.” He quickly aimed at the first pair and loosed two rounds. He didn’t wait to see if any of his shots connected before sliding back into the SUV and throwing the lever into drive. He slammed his foot to the floor and rocketed through the intersection, leaving the wave of Ragers behind him. He glanced to the rear view mirror and watched as they continued chasing him. “Bastards must be desperate.” He smirked at their slowly retreating forms in the mirror.
He turned his attention back to the road and pushed the SUV harder through the city streets. “That had better not be one of my boys.” Simon shook his head as he shot through the intersections. “I’ll burn this whole motherfucker to the ground.”
Chapter 15
Hatcher sat at his desk, sifting through duty rosters for the sentries when a knock at his door snapped him out of the drudgery. “Somebody outside, Hatch.” Wally gave him a knowing look.
He quickly came to his feet and walked through the door. “Who is it?”
“Says he was one of the dudes we dumped outside of town.”
Hatcher turned and stared at him. “Another one of Simon’s people?”
Wally shrugged. “I would guess. How else would he know where we are?”
Hatcher’s jaw tensed as he pushed through the front doors and out to the gates. He paused when he saw the small man, who was visibly shaken. He actually looked like he had seen a ghost.
Hatcher pushed the gate open and looked down at him. “You one of the assholes that came at us with bulldozers?”
Shooter lowered his eyes and nodded. “Yes, sir.” He quickly looked back up. “But it wasn’t our idea. Simon made us. Said he’d kill us if we didn’t.”
Hatcher crossed his
