Cascade box set 2, p.32
Cascade Box Set 2, page 32
Diaz left.
Zach smiled. “Next you’ll be telling me you want to take the tank too.”
“If I knew how to get the thing started I would. You can never have too much firepower.”
Fiona appeared at the doorway. “How long until we move out?”
“Not long. We’ll just take some of this ordnance with us, and then we will be on our way. You got a route worked out?” said Zach.
“Yeah, you still want to take a look at Pittsburgh?”
“From a distance yeah, there must be some reason why there were lights in the sky in that direction. Maybe there’s a community around here, and they have access to helicopters or drones.”
Fiona nodded and left as Freeman and Harper entered the room.
It wasn’t long before they were back in the Humvees. What spare room they had before was now taken up by the crates.
They quickly left the small town, and were back on the highway, passing signs which indicated that Pittsburgh was fifty-five miles away.
“Shouldn’t take us longer than about an hour to reach the outskirts,” said Fiona. Zach nodded.
In the other Humvee, Diaz looked concerned in the passenger’s seat next to Bower. “There’s lots of E.L.F activity around us, and before you ask, I can’t sense any of it taking an interest in us, yet…”
Bower sensed Diaz wanted to say more. “Spit it out private.”
She looked out of the window at the overcast day. “It’s not my place to say, sir.”
“I’m asking you to tell me what’s on your mind.”
The others in the back adjusted their seating positions slightly.
She sighed. “What are we doing? Sir.”
“This is a recon mission. We don’t know squat about what’s developed up here, so we’re taking a look.”
“And we’re not just out here looking for the head mans lady?”
Now it was Bowers turn to sigh, but his was more out of frustration. “I’m going to ignore that you just referred to your commanding officer as something other than Brigadier General. I’ve given you our mission terms private, all I need you to do is do your job. That’s all you have to do.”
“They’re everywhere! The E.L.F’s, all around us! I can maybe control a small bunch of them at a time, but if we get pegged by multiple creatures, that’s it, game over.”
Bower slammed on the brakes, sending all of them surging forward with their equipment. He then turned and looked at a flustered Diaz. “Do you want to get out and walk back? I will discharge you right now.”
Diaz’s face contorted but she remained silent.
Zach’s voice came through Bowers radio. “Everything alright back there?”
“I’m waiting for an answer private? But if you stay in that seat, then that tells me you’re going to carry out my orders to the best of your abilities.”
“Yes, sir,” she meekly said while looking out the window.
Bower put the Humvee back in gear, and accelerated forward quickly catching up with the other Humvee which had slowed.
The planned one-hour journey turned into two, due to frequent stops caused by creatures crossing the highway up ahead of them. Eventually they turned off and were into the outskirts of the city.
“Pittsburgh sure is hilly,” said Fiona driving them up a steep incline. Smart looking single and double story homes lined both sides of the streets, many of which were overgrown with plants and vines.
Zach’s radio came to life. “Diaz is saying we need to stop again. Over.”
Fiona heard and quickly came to a halt.
They heard the sound of masonry and rubble collapsing before they saw any creatures.
“Look,” said Fiona nodding to the right of them.
A four-legged creature looking like a giant salamander lumbered across the remains of a backyard, and onto the road. Three more followed closely behind, each one twice as big as the vehicles their watchers were sitting in.
One of the creatures paused for a moment glancing in their direction, but then moved on, following the others into another yard and then beyond a house.
“Would be good if we could find a place to hold up, Diaz is getting tired. Over,” said Bower. Diaz could be heard protesting before the message ended.
“We’ll find a good place to see the city from, and then we’ll find a place to take a break. Over.”
Fiona pulled off and they drove along undulating roads, which contained more office buildings and fewer homes. Organic growth of various kinds of plants, some of which looked like they had escaped from a greenhouse covered the spaces in-between.
“Nature really has taken a hold in this part,” said Fiona. Branches of unknown trees slapped the windscreen as they drove forward.
Eventually the road they were on ended at a ridge and Fiona stopped, the other Humvee pulled up beside them.
They all sat mouth agape at what they could see across the river.
Fiona pulled the map out from near her feet and looked down at it then back up at the scene a few miles from them.
Zach’s radio came to life with Bower’s voice. “That’s not Pittsburgh.”
What used to be the skyscrapers of the downtown area were now columns of green, with creatures buzzing around them. From that point, spreading out in all directions was a forest, which stretched to both sides of the river, all of which was a hive of movement of various creatures, all seemingly living harmoniously.
Shrieks came from above and huge winged creatures flew past the front of them, only tens of feet away, snapping them all out of their fixation with the view.
“It’s okay, Diaz says she’s cloaking us from the creatures around us, but there are lots and she can’t keep it up for long. Over,” said Bower.
Zach looked to his left at the massive apartment towers that were masked in vines that twisted across their sides, but not nearly as much as the explosion of nature that existed in the center of the city. “Let’s check out those blocks. Over.”
Fiona turned the vehicle and they drove the short distance, until they pulled into the small parking area out the front of the red brick apartments.
“Looks like the top floors a restaurant,” said Fiona getting out.
Zach joined her and then walked to Bower who was marshaling Freeman and Harper to carry some of the crates.
Diaz also got out of the Humvee, closing the door slowly, visibly tired.
Bower looked at her. “Sensing anything in there?”
She looked sheepishly at the smashed large glass doors to the lobby, then shook her head.
Zach and Fiona approached the entrance with their rifles leading the way. Shadows hid in corners, but there was still enough ambient light to illuminate some of the vines and roots that had already made the walls and floor their home.
They stepped over the broken glass and into a lobby with chairs that rested on their sides. A counter sat against the far wall, alongside the entrance to the elevator and then to the side of that the door to the stairs.
Bower followed with Harper and Freeman carrying one of the crates, which they lowered to the floor.
Harper watched Zach walk to the stairwell. “Sir?” she said as Bower went to follow.
“Yes?”
Harper's eyes flashed to Zach and then back to Bower.
"What?"
“Why are we here? Why don’t we get the hell away from this place?”
“You saw Diaz, she needs to recharge and we still got plenty of hours before sundown.”
Harper reluctantly nodded.
“Bring the crate this way.” Bower then walked to the stairwell entrance. Zach and Fiona were already ascending.
“Let's keep going to the top. We'll check some of the other floors later.” said Zach.
Grunts came from Freeman and Harper a few floors below as they walked up the stairs with the heavy crate which had been changed by Bower to a mixture of guns, ammo and grenades.
Zach arrived at the topmost floor and opened the door to a plush looking lobby area. Large glass doors sat open revealing a large restaurant beyond, with a clear view of the city on three sides.
Perfect.
Fiona walked out of the stairwell passing him, as he ducked back inside. “Up here,” he shouted down to the others.
Soon everyone was upstairs marveling at the modern city which had returned to nature, but not the nature from the old world. This was a vision of plant life that looked like it was still finding its place. Everyone was thinking the same thoughts, that the scene looked like something from another planet, or at least what they thought another planet would look like.
Diaz slumped down on one of the more comfy looking seats.
Bower stood close by. “Get some sleep, I'll wake you in a few hours.” He then turned to Freeman, Hayes and Harper. “Each of you take turns to keep an eye on the stairwell and if anything comes close to the windows.” They all nodded.
Bower walked to Zach who was still standing near the large glass window, looking out with binoculars. “Looks like the E.L.F’s have really taken hold down there.”
“Yeah. Take a look,” said Zach handing the binoculars to him. Zach could hear Bowers gasping as he surveyed the city.
“Tell me we don’t need to go down there.”
“We don’t. But I want to know what those lights were, they were definitely in the Pittsburgh direction.”
“Yeah, but what if we don’t see anything in the sky within the next few hours?”
“Then we stay the night, and leave at first light.”
Bower lowered the binoculars, and looked at Zach. “With all greatest respect sir, we’re in the middle of an E.L.F safari park, and it’s only a matter of time before those things out there discover their dinner is in here.”
“Cole, we both saw those lights. As far as I know the only thing that can do that is manmade, which means there were man made aircraft flying in this area, which I’m pretty sure are not from the camp, so somebody else is flying in this area, and we need to know who. There might be another camp around here which we can help. Or they could help us.”
Bower sighed, then lifted the binoculars back to his eyes and looked back out to the maelstrom of activity just a few miles away in the valley.
A few floors down, Fiona walked out from the stairwell into a bland looking corridor. She was working her way down, seeing if any of the apartments had food or bottled water. Most of the doors were closed and she didn’t have the energy to kick anymore of them in.
She walked along the clean looking floor, trying each door. She got to the end and sighed. All locked.
She started back towards the stairwell when she thought she heard a nose. It was so low in volume that she almost ignored it, but there was definitely something. She waited for it to repeat but it didn’t. She then had an idea. Turning to the closest locked door she slammed her fists on it, then waited. First there was nothing, then it happened again, a tiny sound, almost like a hissing snake.
“Is there anyone in there?” She said towards the door. As she was looking down she noticed something about the floor tile in front of the door, it was a slightly different color to the ones around it.
“If there’s anyone in there, I can help you, I’ve got food and water.”
There was a shuffling from the other side of the door, making her step back. Her rifle remained on her shoulder, but her other hand swung around to the handgun pushed down the back of her pants.
“I’m not going to hurt you, who are you? Are you alone?”
“I’ve got a gun!” said a male voice.
Fiona stepped to the side slightly of the door. “Okay. You don’t need it though.”
“I saw you with those men, in military uniforms, you all got guns, well so have I!”
“We’re just passing through the area, and we thought we would stay here for a bit before moving on, do you need water?” She dropped her pack to the floor, pulled out her bottle and held it up in front of the spy-hole in the door.
The sound of heavy things being shifted was followed by an unlocking sound. The door then opened slowly a few inches and a bearded man’s face, together with the barrel of a handgun poked into the gap.
Fiona slammed her boot into the door sending it flying open and the man falling backwards dropping his gun. She then whipped her own handgun out and aimed it at the man as he was scrambling to grab hold of his own.
“Leave it!” said Fiona.
He froze, with one hand holding the right side of his face. “I don’t want any trouble, take what you want, but please leave me with some water and food.”
Fiona frowned, lowering her gun. “I told you, I’m not here to take anything. I’m from a camp down south, we’re just doing a recon mission up here for survivors. Are you alone?”
“Umm—”
Before he could finish a door could be heard opening, and then footsteps approaching. Fiona lifted her gun back up.
“No, please it’s my family. They’re no threat to you.”
“Slide the gun to me.”
The man did as asked, as a woman with two children, a boy of around ten and a girl a little older appeared from a corridor.
Fiona picked the gun up, switched the safety on and pushed it into her jacket pocket. “You’ll get this back if I trust you not to shoot me.”
The man nodded.
“What are your names?”
Before he could answer there was noise in the corridor outside, and then someone running towards them.
The man got to his feet and stepped back standing in front of his wife and children.
Hayes appeared in the doorway. “Err, hello.”
Fiona looked back at the man and his family. “Names?”
“I’m Rory, this is Ada my wife and Emilia and Reed.”
Hayes walked forward, slinging his rifle over his shoulder. Then leaned down in front of the little girl who he noticed had a laceration on her cheek. He looked up at Rory. “Do you mind if I take a look? I’m a medic.”
“Sure.”
Hayes smiled at the girl. “I’m just going to have a quick look at your wound, okay?”
She nodded, and he gently examined the dark brown and yellow slice on her cheek.
“One of the things outside almost got her, it’s been like that ever since.”
Hayes put his pack on the floor and pulled out a bottle of water, which he dowsed a small cloth with and carefully wiped the girl’s face.
“How long ago did she get injured?” said Hayes.
The man looked briefly at his wife. “Few weeks back.”
Hayes pulled out a small bottle from his bag, and then emptied from it a few pills. “These are four antibiotics, give her one a day. I’ve also got some antiseptic cream which you can use.”
Rory took the pills, “Thank you.”
Hayes stood back up. “I can examine the rest of you, if you have any problems?”
“No, we’re good.”
Fiona was unnerved by the fact that the wife had not said anything. “Ada, how long have you been in this apartment?”
She went to talk, but Rory spoke first. “We’ve been here since the beginning, this is our home. How far is your camp?”
“It’s in Texas, so quite a way. We are on our way to Boston, you know anything about what happened up there?”
“We just know about the nuke they dropped on the Chicago camp, we saw the flash, and heard the explosion even from here. Got no idea about Boston.”
“What you make of what’s happened in the middle of your city?” said Hayes.
“What about it? I thought that was normal, just part of the Cascade? The plants changed, like the animals did.”
Hayes and Fiona looked at each other.
“That’s not how it is elsewhere, at least not down south,” said Hayes.
“Maybe that’s where we should be, Rory?” said Ada quietly.
Rory looked down angrily, then back up with a smile on his face. “We could do with some water if you have some.”
“Sure, I’ll see what we can spare upstairs, but for now, you can have mine,” said Fiona, handing her bottle to the little boy who grinned when taking it.
“Ha, don’t drink that all at once Reed!” said Rory, he then looked back at Fiona. “Can I have my gun back now?”
A silence descended between them all.
“I think it’s best for your safety that I hang onto it, but you’ll get it back when we leave.”
“Oh, sure, I understand.”
“Okay then, we’ll leave you to it, we’re on the top floor if you want to talk more,” said Hayes.
He and Fiona then left. When they arrived back at the former restaurant, before they passed through the large open doors to join the others, Hayes touched Fiona’s arm.
“What is it?” she said.
“The cut on the girl’s face, wasn’t more than a few days old.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Abbey’s nose twitched. She could smell burning meat.
“What? Where—”
Her eyes flicked opened and she tried moving, but her hands were bound, as were her feet.
She was inside a large warehouse. The roof was at least two hundred feet above her, and all around was a mass of branches, and rubbish all intertwined with the huge shelving units which lined up in rows.
The smell of cooked meat once again drafted past her, it came with the sounds of excited grunts.
She suddenly remembered how she got into this mess, and the moment she jumped in front Mo. She closed her eyes to sense him. A few seconds passed and she did, and he was scared.
She looked at her wrists. Old pieces of clothing were wrapped haphazardly around them. She gently raised her hands to her cheek. It stung as she touched it.
Looking back at the rags around her wrists she realized they weren’t very secure and set about pulling her hands around to loosen them. Her wrist was mostly healed but pain still shot up her arm as she tugged on it. It wasn’t long though before one of her hands slid out of the binding. She quickly pulled off the rest and then pulled her ankles free.
