Maggie walked briskly over the ground, which was covered in pine needles. Thoughts and plans swirled around in her mind. She caught a glimpse of the white van she was looking for, and grinned. Alice stood by the passenger door waving an arm, motioning for her to hurry. She didn’t need to be reminded of the excited howls of the Variants leaping through the forest, attracted by the noise, smoke, and raging fire. She reached Alice and gave her a quick hug before hopping into the van. She reached out for the steering wheel, but grasped only air. She let out a laugh. Of course. They drive on the right here in New Zealand. Maggie crawled over and sat in the driver’s seat. She glanced in the rearview mirror and smiled at the sight of the children in the back. She started up the van and pulled out onto the gravel forest road.
Alice reached over and gave her leg a squeeze. “Thanks, Maggie. We couldn’t leave those kids in there.”
Maggie glanced over. “Definitely. Have you still got that package I gave you?”
“Yeah.”
“There should be some caps in there. We need them for the next phase.”
Alice reached down into the foot well and picked up the package. She pulled out the caps and handed one to Maggie.
“What’s next?”
“If I remember correctly, there should be some sort of guardhouse coming up. Even though I was hooded when I was brought here, I remember the drivers talking to the guards. Just let me do the talking.” She took her eyes off the road, quickly looking at Alice. “Tuck your hair under the cap. We need to trick the guards for a few moments.” Without turning, she addressed the kids in the back. “Okay, sweeties. I need you all to stay extra quiet for me, okay?”
She heard a few murmurs in response.
A white wooden shed appeared, tucked to one side of the road. The guards had fashioned a makeshift barrier out of 44-gallon drums and wooden poles. Maggie slowed down and wound her window down a few inches. She brought the van to a stop and surveyed the area. One guard sat in the small shed smoking, and another was standing a few yards in front of her, a rifle tucked over his shoulder. He was busy trying to light his cigarette, and wasn’t even looking at the van. The guard in the shed looked up and slowly got up from his seat. Maggie could see an AR-15 sitting behind him, leaning against the shed wall. Sloppy, very sloppy. She smiled and let out a breath. Taking her hand off the steering wheel, she gripped the door release and waited for the guard to get closer.
“What’s going on back there?” the guard said, leaning in, bringing his head level with the door. Maggie shoved the door open, slamming the metal against his skull. The guard fell back with a grunt. Maggie pushed the accelerator down and the van lunged forward, smacking into the other guard and throwing him back several feet. His body thudded into the ground and rolled a couple of times, coming to a stop against a tree, He didn’t move. She turned her attention back to the first guard. He was sitting up, clutching his head. Maggie jumped out of the van, jogged a few steps and kicked him in the head like it was a soccer ball. His head snapped back and he crumpled to the ground. Maggie reached into the guard shed and grabbed the rifle. Checking it was loaded, she flicked off the safety and put a bullet into the unconscious guard’s head. She had a flutter of regret, but brushed it aside. These bastard traitors deserved no less. She glanced over to the guard lying prone against the tree and jogged over. He was grunting something.
Maggie looked down at him. He reminded her of the young men she had seen on reality programmes, all swagger but no brains. He clutched his side, nursing his ribs. His eyes squinted at her.
“You bitch,” he groaned.
Maggie shook her head. Her finger hesitated on the trigger. “Where do they take the kids?”
The guard looked up at her, confusion etched on his face. “I don’t know, and if I did, I wouldn’t tell you,” he grunted, his pain evident.
Maggie was about to respond when a Variant’s screech rang out. The guard kicked out at her, catching her on the shin. She let out a gasp and hopped back a step. “Wrong move, asshole.”
Maggie brought up the AR-15 and put a round through his head. She reached down and grabbed his rifle. Turning, she jogged back to the shed and glanced around. Spotting the ammo she was looking for, she grabbed it and started to fill her pockets. A small rucksack sat beside the door. Even better, she thought. She emptied her pockets and filled the bag with as much ammo as she could find. With one last look around, Maggie zipped up the rucksack and jumped back in the van.
Alice stared at her, eyes wide, her mouth turned slightly upwards. Maggie handed her the rifles.
“What?”
Alice was now smiling. “You are badass. Bloody badass.”
Maggie smiled back at her. “They deserved it.”
Shrieks sounded out. Maggie glanced in the rearview mirror. Several Variants were scampering up the road. She gently pushed on the gas, moving the van forward. Gathering speed, she watched as the Variants sniffed at the two guards she had shot. Maggie pushed down harder on the accelerator, keen to put distance between themselves and the prison camp. Keen to leave that place behind and start on her journey home.
She gripped the steering wheel tighter, thinking of the two guards. She had trained to both save lives and end lives, but it was the desire to help those in need that motivated her. It surprised her how easily she had executed the guards. Shaking the misgivings from her thoughts, she glanced out the window. The pine trees whipped by. Hundreds of them, stretching for miles.
“I hope you know the way, Alice, because I can’t see the leaves through the trees.”
Hearing no response, she looked over at Alice. She was holding one of the rifles, rubbing her hands over the barrel, testing the weight.
“Alice?”
Alice glanced up at her. “Sorry, what did you say?”
“Do you know the way to Towlewronga?”
Alice let out a giggle. “Yes, and it’s Tauranga.”
“Yeah, that place. Is it far. Will we make it in one day?”
Alice placed the rifle back down in the foot well, wedging it to one side. She nodded. “We should do. As long as the roads are clear, it should only take a couple of hours.”
Maggie smiled at her. “I think they will be. If these traitors brought us in here for the Variants, they would have cleared the roads.”
“I hope so. When we reach the highway, turn north. Once we reach the town of Tirau, I’ll direct you.”
Maggie glanced over at Alice. “Thanks, Alice. You did good back there, kept a level head.”
Alice smiled back at her. “I just followed your lead. Please tell me you sorted out that creep.”
Maggie took her hand off the steering wheel and rubbed her neck. She could still feel Ian’s slimy tongue, his hands groping her. She shuddered. “I don’t think Ian’s going to bother us anymore. I’m more worried about who comes after us.”
“He got what was coming to him, then?”
“You could say that. Yeah.” Maggie tilted her head back towards the children. “I’ll tell you about it later.”
“All right. Should I load these guns?”
“That would be great. Thanks. Always good to be ready.”
Alice reached down and extracted the magazine, checking. Maggie glanced back at the children. Happy, she concentrated on driving them to safety.