The Independents, page 26
part #2 of Holding Their Own Series
Bishop practiced moving his rifle from one shot to the other a few times, making sure he cleared the structure of the tower as he moved. It was now or never, and he steadied the big rifle against the support, flicked off the safety, and exhaled slowly. Send it. The rifle pushed against his shoulder, and he quickly placed a second and then a third round into the open window. Since he couldn’t see the actual target, the extra rounds would increase his odds of disabling the man. Before the third spent brass even struck the floor, he spun the rifle around to the man lying on the roof. The sound of the shots had alerted him, and he was now searching the bell tower with his glass. As Bishop centered on the triangle composed of the man’s shoulders and tailbone, the guy rolled away and scrambled toward a large air conditioner some ten feet away. Send it. The man flopped onto the roof and tried to stand. Send it. The man jerked, shuttered, and then lay still with his arms spread wide. Bishop swung the rifle back to the open window and was ready to fire again in case the first three shots had missed. The rifle barrel was now further extended out the window and at an odd angle. He could see the top of a man’s head resting against the sill.
Bishop felt exposed in the tower and hurried to get down into the ladder well. After he had descended a few steps, he relaxed and made his way carefully to the bottom and into the deacon’s reception area. He moved quickly out of the church to find David sitting in Bones, ready to go. He switched rifles and started to hop in when Deacon Brown appeared. She extended her hand and simply said, “Good luck.”
“I’m sure our paths will cross again, ma’am. You guys have a fighting chance now. Reach out to the good people of Meraton if you can.”
Bishop hopped into Bones and looked at David. “Ready?”
“Let’s roll.”
When they exited the compound, Bishop instructed David to head south.
“South? Isn’t the campus north?”
“It is, but I want to wait until it’s completely dark before we try and get up there. I just knocked out the skinnies’ eyes and ears and if they have half a brain, they will send reinforcements thinking something is up. We will let them chill a little bit and believe we have left town. Then we can try to sneak in. Head back to where we stayed before.”
David pulled Bones to the same location they had parked the previous evening. They took time to eat, clean weapons, and reload the five rounds Bishop used in the big rifle. Bishop told David he wanted to move through town the way they had before and both of them hoped for better results this time.
After it was completely dark, they moved out. Just as before, Bishop would scout ahead on foot and when he found a good hiding spot, radio David to follow. Whereas Bishop had tried to head directly north on the first attempt, he angled off to the east this time. The system worked well, and they made four moves without seeing anyone. Bishop could see the outline of the stadium on the horizon through the night vision, meaning the outskirts of campus were straight ahead. He radioed David to stay put, knowing Bones was practically invisible, hiding in an abandoned garage a few blocks away.
Bishop moved from shadow to cover into the campus. The street was littered with debris consisting of dead twigs and leaves, papers, shattered glass and the bones of a dog. The college bookstore was next to a strip mall, consisting of a pizza joint, a bar, and the student union. As Bishop passed in front of the bookstore, he scanned the utter destruction of the place through the broken window. Every shelf was overturned and hundreds of books were strewn all over the floor. The sales counter was smashed in several places. It looked like a tornado had hit the place. The Pizza Palace was in worse shape. Bishop could see a door from one of the walk-in freezers leaning against a table in the back. All of the chairs and tables had been randomly thrown around the dining area. Napkin holders, empty spice jars, and broken salt and peppershakers were everywhere. The cash register was in the street, evidently used as a projectile against the large front window. Probably not a good time to call for delivery.
Bishop found the first human remains as he turned the corner. A delivery truck with signage declaring it belonged to United Parcel Delivery was lying on its side. The driver had been pinned underneath, and his skeleton somehow managed to show the man’s agony in death. The back doors were open, and the pavement was covered with dozens of opened boxes and shipping envelopes. Someone had cleaned out the van, opening every single package. Probably looking for cookies that grandma promised she was sending.
As he moved around the delivery van, he froze. At the end of the street ahead of him, movement caught his eye. He peered through the night vision and saw a fountain in the middle of the student union. While there was no water shooting through the statue in the middle, evidently the surrounding pool still held some liquid because there were three people dipping a bucket. They, evidently, were as concerned about being seen as he was because they kept looking around and were very quiet. After their bucket had been filled, the three silently slipped into the night.
Bishop backtracked, approaching the stadium from a different angle. The combination of the overturned delivery truck and the fountain made this route too dangerous for Bones and David. He moved back and down a few blocks in a zigzag fashion, entering an affluent residential area made up of ornate Victorian and plantation-worthy houses that was fraternity row. Across from the frat houses was a city park running parallel for several blocks. Bishop crossed the street and ventured into the overgrown park. He was amazed at how quickly nature had taken over what he remembered as being manicured, golf course-like grounds. There were patches of weeds almost waist-high, and the once well-trimmed shrubs rivaled Bishop’s height. As he strolled the length of the park, he noted the overgrown landscaping would be perfect cover to bring up Bones. He kept moving in the general direction of the stadium, listening and watching for any sign of movement at all. He was so intent on the surrounding area that he stepped on the first body and almost fell.
When Bishop used the night vision to see what was beneath his boot, he physically jumped backwards. Lying before him was the grisly scene of a mass grave. There were hundreds of bodies in the park. Some were half-buried, while others appeared to have been simply dumped in the area. Animals had partially exhumed others. For almost a full city block, there were partial skeletons throughout the once picturesque gardens. As Bishop backed away, he had to admit it made sense. Most of the real estate around the campus was paved over. The park was the only grassy area available to accommodate such a large “cemetery,” a pragmatic choice when there was still enough living to bury the dead.
He reached the edge of the park and took a knee in some thick grass before keying his microphone. “David, how ya doing back there, buddy?”
David responded with two clicks as usual.
Bishop stepped out onto the sidewalk of frat house row again and checked for any light coming from the houses. It was absolutely dead still and completely dark. Should I risk driving Bones up this street? Off in the distance, a motorcycle started, but the sound quickly faded away. The rattling motor caused several dogs to begin barking all over town. I wouldn’t bark too much, little doggies. You might end up someone’s meal.
Bishop decided to try one more route to the stadium, quickly moving past the frat houses and the bone yard. He crossed another intersection to a small side street that was actually more of a narrow lane than a roadway. He scanned the area carefully before spotting the large, green sign at the end of the alley, “Underground Stadium Parking.” Bishop didn’t like the route. There was no escape if he got pinned in there, yet he hadn’t found a better path. In lieu of another option, he headed down the backstreet. About halfway through the alley, movement at the other end caused him to take cover in a doorway. He could see a shadow scurrying toward him. At first, he thought it was a large dog, and then it looked like a child. He couldn’t use the night vision because raising the rifle would give away his position. The small creature scrambled from one side of the lane to the other, pausing to look back the way it had come. It, too, was about halfway through the narrow passage, when it froze again, a few feet from where Bishop stood.
Laughter, and then voices, coming from the end of the street had caused the scampering one to freeze. The small figure in front of him whimpered, and Bishop realized it was a girl. She started to run past him, but froze again when two torches came into view from the opposite direction. A distant voice jeered, “Come out. Come out, wherever you are,” followed by laughter. Two shadowy figures carrying torches rounded the corner.
Panting and struggling to catch her breath, the girl slid back the hood that covered her head, exposing an emaciated, young woman, perhaps eighteen years old. Her haggard look, complete with stringy hair and ripped clothing, looked more like a Halloween costume than casual dress for a campus co-ed. Her eyes darted nervously back and forth, trying to figure a way out, but it was no use. She was trapped, and so was Bishop. He could now see four shadowy figures advancing in the flickering light. The girl mumbled a frantic, “Noooooo,” as the men approached. Their light finally illuminated her frail frame, as she backed against the alley wall, her head shaking. “Oh, please, no. Please don’t.”
The men now moved quickly to surround her. One of them stretched out his hand to graze her cheek. “I told you she was a pretty one. Looks healthy, too. The boss should give us a lot for her.”
“Let’s have our fun with her first, and then take her over to him,” another man chimed in.
“We can’t hurt her or nothing. Remember? The last one was all bruised up. We hardly got anything for those damaged goods at all.”
A wicked grin spread across one of the men’s faces as he handed his torch to his friend and started unzipping his pants. The girl’s eyes darted from one of the men to another, and her breath was sporadic. When she saw the man’s pants drop, she started to scream, but one of the guys covered her mouth and roughly pulled her down onto the ground.
Bishop didn’t know what to do. Just because I have a Bat Cave, doesn’t mean I’m a superhero. It was four to one, and the entire thing was none of his affair. He had David to worry about, and while a gang rape was something he didn’t wish on anyone, he couldn’t be the police all the time. On the other hand, wouldn’t he hope for a Good Samaritan if the victim were Terri? He was barely concealed in a doorway less than 20 feet away. There was no chance of his backing out without being seen, and eventually one of these fine young gentlemen was going to turn around and spot him.
Deciding she wasn’t going down without a fight, the girl kicked the “trouserless” attacker with all the strength she could muster. From her position on the ground, her foot landed squarely on his knee, and hit hard. The man let out a howl and fell, partially landing on the girl. This caused the others to guffaw at his lack of technique, and that really made him angry. Ignoring the warning of his friends, he rose and kicked the girl hard in the ribs, causing her to utter a sound like a baby screaming. That piercing cry was the death warrant for the rape gang. I might have a daughter like that one day. That could be my baby girl. He disconnected the sling holding his rifle, unleashed the violence that flowed through his limbs and moved toward the men in a blur.
They were so focused on the girl they didn’t see him coming until he was right in the middle of them. The first man was easy, a rifle butt to the back of his head. The second fell quickly as well, Bishop’s rifle barrel caving in his left temple. A savage kick to the knee of the third while ducking a swinging torch temporarily disabled another. Bishop blocked a swinging torch with his rifle and then rammed the barrel into the man’s solar plexus hard. He could feel the man’s ribs give way. Someone tackled Bishop from the side, and the two men hit the ground. Bishop’s head roared from the pain of the impact, and the rifle was knocked out of his hand. He managed to reach his fighting knife strapped across his chest and cleared the blade. The remaining foe lasted only a few seconds after that.
Bishop sat on the ground panting. His head and body ached, and he couldn’t get enough air. His heart was pounding in his ears, and he thought he might black out. He wiped his knife on the body next to him and sheathed the blade. He crawled a few steps to his rifle and then sat back down trying to steady his breathing and gain some composure. Two of the men were still alive, moaning on the ground. The girl, recovering from the shock of Bishop’s attack, stood up. She walked a few steps and picked up a brick recently dislodged from one of the buildings. Without even hesitating, Bishop watched her walk over to one of the injured men and smash the brick down into his head. She struck again and again and then moved onto the other man. Bishop started to protest, but decided to let her go. He just didn’t have the strength, and quite frankly, didn’t give a shit right at that moment.
He made it to one knee and was trying to stand, when she appeared in front of him. A whispered voice asked, “Are you okay?”
Bishop quietly replied back, “Yes, I just need to catch my breath.”
The girl looked at both ends of the alley and said, “We can’t stay here. I don’t know where you’re going, but these guys have lots of friends. We both need to get out of here.”
Bishop nodded and stood weakly. He leaned back against the wall and steadied himself, trying to get his legs to move. The girl nervously reminded him again. “You don’t want to be caught here with those bodies. Come on, let’s go.”
She helped Bishop get moving toward the end of the alley. The blow to his head was causing his vision to blur, and the petite woman had to brace him several times. She led Bishop around two corners and into the lobby of an office building. After checking that no one was around, she entered an ice cream parlor and motioned Bishop to join her in the back. She lit a small candle and then pulled a makeshift curtain across the narrow walkway to obscure the flame.
There was a giant walk-in freezer, complete with heavy metal door. The unit, once used to store the ice cream, was now the girl’s home. Blankets lined one corner, and several burned down candles and spent matches littered the floor. There were protein bar wrappers, empty boxes of frozen food and other assorted trash along one wall. There were also small containers of water and an assortment of other scavenged items. The place didn’t smell very good.
“I’m sorry it’s such a pit, but I wasn’t expecting company.”
“You live in here?”
“I have since everything went to hell. My name is Sarah Beth.”
Bishop held out his hand, introducing himself.
The girl ignored his hand and went about gathering up the trash. She pushed it outside the freezer door and into the walkway. Bishop was beginning to get his strength back and was curious about the girl.
“How did you come to live in an ice cream store?”
The girl shrugged her shoulders. “I worked here part time, you know, working my way through school. I’m a freshman at Alpha State. When the power went out the last time, everything in here started melting and I came in to help the owner clean it up. There was an explosion, and I saw everyone start clutching their throats and falling over on the street. I dove into the freezer and closed the door. It’s airtight and that saved my ass.”
Bishop scratched his head. “How did you get out?”
Sarah Beth laughed, “There’s an emergency release on the inside. The door used to accidently close on us all the time.”
Bishop smiled at the girl and looked at the freezer door latch. The girl stood with her hands on her hips and watched him move around. “You’re not from around here, are ya? You have no idea what you did tonight, do you?”
Bishop shrugged his shoulders, and turned to face her. “No, what did I do tonight?”
She snorted and pointed her finger, “You killed four of the Ghoulish is what you did. That’s what we call them anyway. Nobody messes with the Ghouls. When they find those bodies, there will be dozens of them looking for whoever hurt their buddies.”
Bishop didn’t react to the girl’s comment as she expected. She put her hands back on her hips and observed, “I don’t think you’re scared of the Ghouls. You don’t strike me as being afraid of much.”
Bishop smiled at the girl, “You would be surprised at what frightens me, young lady. Now, I have a friend with a car not far away. He’s hiding right now, but I need to get into the stadium.”
Sarah Beth gave Bishop a questioning look, “Why the stadium? There’s nothing in there – believe me. I’ve been all through it.”
“I’m not looking for food. What were you doing out and about if the Ghoulish are so dangerous?”
The girl looked down at the floor and hesitated, finally deciding it didn’t make any difference anymore, “I go to the park and climb the trees. I eat the bird eggs.”
Bishop smiled at her embarrassment. “Young lady, you have nothing to be ashamed of. As a matter of fact, I’m impressed.”
“There’re not bad once you get used to them. Beats giving yourself up to the Ghoulish and being a sex slave to their masters. I’m not going to be able to go out for days now after you killed them.”
Bishop reached in a pouch and pulled out a small bag of jerky. He pulled out two big pieces and gave them to the girl. She looked suspiciously at him. “What do you want for these?”
Bishop laughed. “You are a little young for me. Sarah. Besides, my wife is an excellent shot. Those are on the house. By the way, I think you killed as many of the Ghoulish as I did.”
The girl eagerly started eating the jerky and rolled her eyes. “You have no idea how long it’s been since I had any meat. Oh my god, this is good. I had to kill those guys, they saw my face.”
