I slid back into the car and found a gun pointed at my head. Katherine had her pistol drawn and, ignoring the wound in her shoulder, kept that barrel just as steady as I had ever seen her hold it.
“How’s the road?” she asked as she lowered the piece.
“Fucked.”
“What’s plan B?”
“You’re assuming I have a plan. I think we’ll head for my house. I have some supplies stashed.”
“Oh good. I always wanted a nice man to take me home. I hope you have a giant bottle of Vicodin.”
I reversed the car, turned around, and took a side road.
We pulled into a scene I had not expected. Granted, it wasn’t the idyllic neighborhood where kids play, families stroll, streets are clean and swept, lawns mowed, trash cans left on the curb. Still, it was far from the chaos I had anticipated.
When the world went to shit, I thought for sure there would be roving gangs of people banding together, going house to house as they looked for supplies. My old haunt was barely touched. Sure there was crap in the streets, but for the most part, it was clean. There was no graffiti, no bodies in the streets, and no houses torn apart.
It was a while since I had been in this part of town. I took a turn, hoping it would look familiar. Instead of finding a block I knew, I found another endless row or cookie cutter houses. The sky ahead had an odd, orange glow. I rolled down the window and stuck my head out as I slowed to just a few miles an hour. It didn’t help my view but it brought the smell of smoke to my nose.
Something was on fire, something big. I stopped the SUV, and the door groaned from the added weight of the metal armor as it opened. After stepping out, I walked a good ten feet to see if I could make out what was on fire, but it was no use. It was around the corner.
I rolled forward very slowly. With the headlights off, the orange glow was my beacon. As I made the turn, I came into view of a house burning out of control. Cars were parked all over the front. One was a huge military transport that I thought was a Stryker.
Shit! This was not what I needed right now. Katherine was hurt. I needed to get to the old house and find my bag of supplies.
I was about to back up when a familiar figure came into view. He was standing on the sidewalk like a conquering general. The burning house lit his frame from behind. Tall, gaunt, and bald. The dead give away was those damn snakeskin boots that gleamed in the light of the fire.
It was Lee.
A pair of bodies laid on the ground. One of his men was going at one of them. I let out a gasp as I recognized what was happening. They were raping someone. The person on the ground fought, but didn’t seem to have much strength. She screamed and reached for the other person, but they didn’t move.
So this was what had become of Lee. He was letting his men rape and pillage like it was the middle ages.
“What’s happening?” Katherine had her eyes open, and she looked to be in a lot of pain.
“Remember Lee? The guy I have had a few run in’s with. He’s here, and his men are raping a woman.”
She sat up then groaned.
“Stay still.” I leaned over to check her dressing.
I placed my hand over hers and pressed. She winced and sat back in the seat.
“What are you going to do?”
I wasn’t even sure what I was planning. I had half a mind to shoot Lee. The gun was in my hand, and I would stand a pretty good chance if I stood up and opened the turret.
There was laughter from the men. At least a dozen, maybe as many as fifteen, were standing around watching the show. It made me sick, but what had I expected to find? People living together in harmony while the zombies were kept at bay?
I swore quietly then sat back in frustration. Slipping the car into gear, I rolled forward until I was a good twenty-five yards from the house. Reaching into the backseat, I came up with the assault rifle.
“Don’t.” Katherine snapped.
I stared at her for a few seconds in the pale light, then looked at the men and back at her. What could I do? I was one man and they were so many. It wasn’t fair, but I was helpless to stop what was going on.
“Hey!” One of the guys had caught sight of me. I should have backed up when I the chance.
Guns were pulled and leveled in my direction. With the armor plating, I was somewhat protected, but a stray shot or ricochet would kill me or Katherine just as easily as a direct shot. If I used the turret, I probably wouldn’t even get the gun out in time to fire back.
I tossed the M-16 in the backseat and drew my .45 as they came towards me. I backed up, but a couple of them broke into a trot. Then, to my horror, the military transport slid out and blocked my path.
“Shit!” I cried. Katherine had her gun out. Her eyes were wide open.
I would have to go through them.
Indecision made me hesitate. By then, they had stopped in front of the car and several automatics were pointed in my direction. Lee didn’t seem to think I was any sort of threat. He strolled toward my SUV like he was out for a Sunday walk.
“Fancy car you got there. What say you get out and my men and I will let you live.”
“Fuck you, Lee!” I yelled out the open window.
“Oh. My reputation precedes me. Well ain’t that something. Come on out of there, son, and we can chat. Whatever I did to you, I can let bygones be bygones.” He was smiling from ear to ear, like a politician at a rally.
“I should have killed you when I had the chance.” I said.
He stopped and stared, squinting as he tried to make out my shape in the dark car. I had a small advantage there.
That gave me an idea. If I hit my bright lights and gunned it, we might have a chance.
“You,” he said.
“That’s right, me. Name’s Tragger. We met a few months ago. Back then, you seemed like a man that had all the answers. Now look at you. A thug. A looter. A rapist. How does it feel?”
“Feel? I don’t feel any more. So just take your high and mighty ideals and shove ‘em up your ass.”
“You have fallen a long way.”
“You don’t know the first damn thing about me, son. But you are going to learn. Gonna learn the hard way.”
I leveled the .45 in his direction. I might have been able to kill him, but it would mean I was a dead man.
Just then, a shot shattered the night. I ducked down in the car. Katherine let out a little yell and waved the gun around, trying to find a target. Another shot, and then Lee’s team started shooting into the darkness.
I looked for Lee, but he was on the run. Tugging the .45 up, I took aim, but he disappeared behind a beat up Suburban.
There were shapes all around. They came out of the night like wraiths. I felt a chill as one passed the car. He was dressed in dark overalls and had an AK-47 to his shoulder. I made out strong Latino features.
The dark Suburban roared to life and took off. I pointed my gun and fired off a few rounds. The back window shattered, but the car disappeared around a corner. The men ran into the night, and the vehicle behind me roared off.
Free to move, I hit the lights and backed up as fast as I could, angling the car into a driveway. Slamming the gear into drive, I shot out, down the street, and fled.
I had half a mind to circle around, hunt down the big Suburban, and take care of Lee. A man like that couldn’t be allowed to continue his reign. But who was I to police the new world? It wasn’t my business. What he had done was horrible; what his men had done was worse. They all deserved to meet a grisly end.
Right now, I had to take care of Katherine.
I punched the gas and accelerated away from the battlefield. Coming around a corner a bit too fast, I had to slam on my brakes to avoid running into someone standing in the street. The tires screeched and Katherine cried out in fear, as I came to a stop a few feet from the figure.