Noah who was driving, pulled them onto the forecourt of a gas station. “Need to fill up.” He got out, closing the door behind.

  Not much conversation had passed between them on the short journey from the underground parking garage, but Todd knew there was a reason he, specifically had been asked to join the young man. He suspected Noah was building up to ask him something important. That, or he was going to put a bullet in the back of Todd’s head, when Todd was looking the other way. Todd’s hand hadn’t left his Glock, from the moment he got in the heavy navy blue vehicle. If that was Noah’s plan, he wasn’t going down without a fight.

  He watched him put the hose back, then walk across to the store, disappearing inside. Todd looked along the street. Even with the limited visibility he knew roughly where they were. East of the stadium. He had been there once as a child, and then a few times after the big games were over. A lot of disused drink and food was left behind by the crowds and he always ate well during those nights.

  Dark windows of the apartment blocks that overlooked the gas station, threatened something else. He imagined within their shadows were lurking things. Things that were waiting.

  He blinked, wiping a hand over his face, trying to rid himself of his dream.

  The driver’s door opened, almost making him jump. A packet of chips, some candy and a soda landed in his lap.

  “You like cola? Shit, who doesn’t like Cola. Got you the BBQ chips as well.”

  Todd’s right hand, remained on the gun. Without turning to the younger man, he spoke. “Why did you bring me out here…”

  Noah took his hands off the steering wheel. “Ha, yeah, I should have known you’d know something was up.”

  Todd’s hand tightened on the grip.

  “I know you got a piece. Probably got your hand on it right now. But you can chill. I ain’t gonna kill you, if that’s what you’re thinking. But… we should have a conversation.”

  “About.”

  “About your future.”

  Todd looked at the mist and smoke rolling across the street and the still intact buildings where anything could be lurking. “I’m not sure any of us have got one of those.”

  Noah, turned to him. “August likes you. You’re like he’s pet or something. But you don’t know him. He’s not what he pretends to be.”

  “I haven’t had time to think about. I take people as I find them. He took me and the others in. We’re probably alive because of him.”

  Noah looked away. “He’s got an angle. He’s always got—”

  Todd raised a hand. They both heard it. The sound of an engine. “Someone follow us?” said Todd.

  Noah shook his head. “No, I would have known.”

  The engine was getting louder. A vehicle was approaching from the north maybe a street or two over.

  Noah moved to start the engine.

  “No. They’ll hear it.”

  “Then what?”

  Todd opened the door. “We hide.”

  Both men ran across the forecourt, only just managing to push the store’s glass door open and duck down as a van slowed to a stop at the junction, then bumped up and onto the concrete, stopping just behind the SUV. Todd carefully peered through the door.

  The van doors opened, including the rear ones and six people got out. Covered head to toe in black body armor, carrying SMG’s, which some of them waved in the direction of the store.

  “Shit,” said Noah, ducking back down.

  Todd looked at the aisles and the door at the back of them. Tapping Noah on the shoulder, they crouched walked to it, pushing it open and moved inside, then stood and jogged to the external…

  Todd skidded to a halt. Footsteps were on the other side. Both men froze. Todd opened the door to their left as quickly as possible, pushing it wider and they moved inside, closing it just as the other door opened.

  They waited in the small office, trying to quieten their heartbeats, listening to the footsteps which were only a foot away.

  And then came silence…

  The door smashed inwards, hitting Todd in the face, knocking him back as Noah grabbed the barrel of the machine gun, bullets spraying the computer then wall. Ignoring the pain, pulsing from his eye, Todd jumped forward, throwing his arm around the man’s neck and pulled tight. A few seconds later he let the man drop to the ground unconscious. Noah picked up the gun and they ran into the corridor, then with only a brief check, ran outside into an alleyway.

  Noah pointed at an entrance to a building opposite. “In there!”

  They both bundled through the door, into the darkness. The growls brought both of them to a complete halt. They were in a ground floor, apartment hallway. Some of the doors were open and within the gloom things were moving.

  Noah swore, raising his gun and fired. Neon streaks illuminated the faces that were quickly decimated by the impacts of projectiles but as one body fell another took its place. He grabbed the back of Todd’s shoulder. “There are too many, we gotta go back!”

  Still reeling from the pain, Todd did his best to follow Noah outside, but the young man ran ahead, bursting out of the lobby. Noah saw something to the left of the building, turned then suddenly, grabbed his neck and slumped to the sidewalk. Heavy boots approached as Todd knew he was trapped. He swung back around, towards the things at the end of the hallway.

  He raised his handgun which felt completely useless compared to what were mere yards away. If he fired he would tell who was on the sidewalk where he was, if he didn’t fire the things would attack.

  Outside, people were approaching. He pulled himself flat against the wall, into a slight alcove and waited to be discovered or devoured.

  One of the armored individuals appeared on the sidewalk, in front of the entrance. Todd could tell, from the reflection in a mirror opposite which allowed him to see around the corner. If the soldier, if that who the person was, looked into the building they wouldn’t see anything as it was too dark. Too smothered in shadow.

  Todd flicked his head to his right… there was nothing there. Just empty space. The things were gone.

  “Yeah, yeah, I’m checking now. Wait,” said the man outside.

  Todd looked back to the mirror. The man held a small black device towards Noah, bending over to get it close. There was a small beep and the man stood back up. “We got lucky. Tell them to bring the van over. He’s a big guy. I’m not dragging him all the way back.” He then turned to the entrance, making Todd pull back into the dark. “Nah. Other one got away… Yup.”

  He then stepped out of sight.

  Todd looked to his right again, and stepped out from his inclined spot, seeing Noah on the cold concrete. Todd wanted to go out there. Try to pull the young guy into the shadows, but then what? He was almost out of ammo. With a shake of his head, he creeped across the hardwood floor, then moved quicker when he heard the van approaching. Quickly, he made his way down the hallway, resisting looking into the apartments then arrived at the exit and pushed it quietly open.

  His joints complained almost as much as his eye socket did, but he kept on running. Down the street, moving ever away from the van and ever more south. He had a good idea of where the bunker was, and pushed his limbs, stifling coughs when he passed through a particularly thick layer of smoke.

  As his run became a jog, and then a staggering walk, he wondered why he was returning to the bunker. Why not find a vehicle and get the hell out of the city. But as he skirted along the sidewalks, crossing intersections, moving towards the block with the parking garage, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was part of something bigger. It wasn’t just about keeping the mother and her family safe, it was about keeping what was left of the city safe. Maybe August had only told him lies. But the river gang were surviving and that counted for something.

  He rounded a corner and stopped, his feet not fully wanting to, but had too nonetheless. Two SUVs were parked in the street outside the entrance to the parking garage, and the bald man standing with at least thirteen others, he recognized.

  They hadn’t seen him as they were all looking at the parking garage entrance, but rather than leaving, he stepped off the sidewalk and walked across the street towards them. It wasn’t long before five guns were all pointing at him, as he approached the small group and the man at their center.

  “You got five seconds to tell me what you did with my son!” shouted Tyrus Goodman.

  Todd stopped, exhaustion almost taking him to the ground. He shook his head. “I don’t know your son and I had nothing to do with him…” An idea spawned inside his mind. He staggered forward as those with the guns, wavered, not knowing what to do. Todd stopped again, only a few feet away from Tyrus, just one of the armed men between them. “Your son was taken?”

  “He was taken! My men killed! That’s got to have been...”

  The sound of screeching tires came from the parking garage, making those with guns point them in that direction. One of August’s SUV’s stopped at the top of the exit ramp. Ramses then the man himself, the leader of the river gang, getting out and slowly approached the New Yorkers. He looked at Todd.

  “They got Noah…” said Todd.

  August calmly looked at the bald guy. “Then it would see we have a common enemy.” He turned slightly towards the garage opening. “Follow me. We have a lot to discuss.”

  Tyrus balked. “You want us to go in there, with you?”

  “If you want us to help find your son. Then yes I do. You may of course, keep your weapons.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Todd sat on the back of one of the sofas, facing the elevator which was rattling its way towards the bunker level, containing six individuals, including the head of a particular New York faction of organized crime.

  The ten waiting, shifted uncomfortably, but August was motionless.

  The door opened and Tyrus being at the front of the small group, walked out into the large parking area. The others moved out, around him, each holding their weapons where everyone could see them.

  Tyrus nodded while giving the place the once over. “Nice. Good place—” he looked back to August with a sneer. “— to keep my son hostage.”

  “It wasn’t us!” said Angel, standing by August’s right side.

  Tyrus walked forward a step. “We know you were there. Got it all recorded on the cameras on my boat.” He looked at Ramses, standing to August’s left. “Mr. glasses, here. He was there as well.”

  August nodded. “You are correct, my two associates were at the dock. I sent them there to keep an eye on what your people were doing in my city.”

  Tyrus snorted as some of his men, smiled.

  “Your recording should have also shown you, we did not engage. We merely observed.”

  “Ha, you expect me to believe it was just coincidence, that we meet earlier in the day. The day my son is taken by those secret police types?”

  “Complete coincidence. But—” He looked briefly to Todd. “— it would appear one of my people has also been taken by the same group, that took your son.”

  Tyrus looked at Todd, who uneasily got to his feet. “About five miles north of here. We parked up in a gas station, near the stadium. Silver van arrives. We run, they chase. Got the guy I was with. Used some kind of tranquilizer dart to sedate him, then used some machine to do a check. Evidently he passed, and he was taken.”

  ”But yet, you got away?”

  “What can I say? I’m sprightly.”

  Tyrus frowned, looking back to August. “So let’s say I believe, that some crazy other gang is going around what’s left of the Windy City, grabbing some people up from the streets, while killing others. Why are they doing that?”

  August looked at Morgan, but it was the young man, Brad that stood up from leaning on the side wall and walked forward a few steps. “Your son? Was he immune from the Nutri virus?”

  “And you are?”

  August interrupted. “He’s—”

  “I’m Brad Jenkins. Randall Jenkin’s son. And I think I know who is taking the people of this city. Including your son.” There was more than one intake of breath amongst all facing each other.

  August looked at the six-foot tall twenty something. “You are the son of Meditech’s founder?”

  He nodded. “I am.”

  Tyrus waved a hand, walking a few more steps towards Brad. “I don’t give a rat’s ass, who you are, or who your father is. Start talking about where my son is.”

  Brad’s eyes shifted between the two syndicate leaders, finally settling upon the New York faction. “There’s a lot I need to tell you both.”

  *****

  Karl had listened to most of the story from the guy who looked like he stepped out of a college football magazine, but ducked out before the end. He couldn’t believe the others were buying it. Especially August and the other scary looking guy, the one that said his son was taken. It was the stuff from TV, or obscure Internet forums. A secret cabal that created a virus to wipe out the population while looking for people that were immune from it because they were special in some way? What did that mean? That he was special? Or the homeless guy? What was special about them?

  The guy was a fraud and he wanted no part of it.

  He looked at his mother and sister, their breathing smooth and constant and for a brief moment his throat tightened and a tear gathered in his eye. Even if it were true. So what? They still needed to get out of the city. The place was dead. Literally full of the dead, and full of those that were crazy. He had watched the battle that transpired above his head in the parking garage. Seen how the things had charged at Angel and Ramses, not caring they were getting shot. He almost forgot to shield Zoe’s eyes from the carnage but had to stick around, because he wanted to know if his mother was somewhere still out there.

  When he saw her appear from the back of the van, he lifted his hand from his sister’s face and they both jumped with joy on seeing their mother unharmed. But in that moment he saw something which scared him even more than the creatures.

  He had a strange notion that his mother had been replaced. That Evelyn Simmons was no longer. The virus or whatever it was that happened the day before, had cloned her. And now the person calling itself his mother was something else entirely. An alien maybe? It made more sense than a vampire. It made more sense than what the Brad guy was talking about.

  But if that were true of her, then it must also be true of his sister and he couldn’t stomach that. That would mean he was truly alone. And he wasn’t sure he could get through the coming days if he were the only Simmons still alive.

  His mind swirled. He was going to have to save them both. He needed a way out. He needed allies. He didn’t trust the homeless guy. He seemed to be enjoying his time with August a little too much, but the firefighter…

  Karl stood, pulled open the door to the corridor and looked into the large room, which contained less people but those that were there were still nodding and discussing what the fraudster was babbling about. Luckily Cole wasn’t there. Nor was Morgan. He looked to the left, at the lab and made his way to the door…

  A draft crept across his face from the door to the sewers. He hated it down there. Cold and with that smell you get from abandoned buildings. Mossy with a hint of stale urine.

  And yet, the door was open. He wondered what he could find down there. Maybe some useful supplies. Maybe a gun? And he was sure that was a way out.

  He needed to confirm it, if his plan to escape with Evelyn and Zoe would work, so instead of going to the lab, he pulled the door open and slipped inside, closing it quietly behind.

  A single light flickered above him as he made his way along the hallway, then stopped at the top of the steps. The huge alcoves were shrouded in darkness, the single light which sat above them all, doing a bad job of lighting what August had stored within them. He descended anyway, glancing behind, then on arriving at the bottom, looked along the corridor, which disappeared where the light ran out. What he could just see though, were bodies, about a hundred feet away. Stacks of limbs, bent and broken, bathed in… blood…

  He suddenly fell against a brick wall, trying to shake the dizziness from his brain, but the metallic odor was too strong, too enticing… He was close to the bodies. He must have walked a good twenty-feet, but hadn’t remembered doing any of that… The dizziness washed over him again. His brain wanted to panic, he wanted to scream, to turn and run back to the steps, but instead he found himself walking forward, into the dark embrace of what was already beginning to rot below the arches.

  “Hey!”

  Karl, blinked. Looking glossy eyed at Daryl, sitting on a wooden crate, just inside an alcove.

  “What the hell are you doing down there? You got a message for me or something, kid?”

  The contents of Karl’s stomach wanted to leave through his mouth. He shook his head and turned back to the steps, quickening his pace, trying to ignore the invitation his mind was telling him, was waiting for him back there. Back where the dead were piled high.

  He scurried up the steps, almost tumbling out of the door into the corridor and collided with Cole, who was leaving the lab.

  “You okay?”

  Karl moved quickly to the small room. “Sorry, I’m fine. Just felt a bit sick.”

  “Maybe eat something…”

  “Yeah. I’ll do that. Thanks.” Any thought of talking to Cole has been eclipsed by the nausea rising within him. He quickly slipped back inside the room, falling back against the door, his heart racing. He breathed slowly, his fingers reaching for his pocket and the small box of pills which he always kept close. Pulling them out, he emptied the contents into his hand and wavered, then sat heavily on a crate.

  His hand was empty, as was the box. There would be no more little yellow pills for Karl Simmons.