Dead Cold (16 page)

“I’m with you Roland.” Destiny chimed from beside him.

“I’ll stick with you.” Cory’s voice was somber.

“I got no where else to go, guess I’ll go with you.” Desire’s accent faded in and out as she spoke.

“We’re coming Roland.” Angela spoke for herself and Jack.

“What about you Valerie?” Roland tossed his cigarette out the window.

“I have to go west and find my family.” Was all she said.

“If that’s what you have to do I won’t stop you, guess it’s decided. Here’s the armoury, Cory, Jack would you mind giving me a hand?” Roland parked the truck just outside the front doors.

Both men nodded, exited the vehicle along with Roland and all three headed up the stairs. Once inside Jack’s eyes lit up at the selection of weapons in front of him running down one of the rows towards a section of black SMGs. While Jack was distracted Roland motioned for Cory to grab the other end of the .50 caliber machine gun sitting by the door. Once the MG was loaded into the box Roland and Cory each grabbed two M60 light machine guns and loaded them in the box.

Several boxes of .50 and 7.62 ammunition were loaded into the truck before Roland and Cory started grabbing small arms, filling a duffle bag with Browning Hi-Powers and 9mm ammo. Roland and Cory had just finished filling two duffel bags with shotguns, rifles, and ammo for the second P90 he’d found when Jack came around the corner looking rather like a skinny Rambo. He had a Browning on either hip, two shotguns crisscrossing his back and an M16 in either hand.

“Tell me how are you planning to sit down?” Cory asked stifling a laugh.

“Guess I hadn’t thought of that.” Came the rather sheepish reply.

“Apparently now stop playing around and start loading grenades into a bag.” Roland voice was firm but not harsh.

“You got it.” Jack put one of his shotguns and one of his rifles in the nearby duffle bag keeping one of each along with both pistols before loading a backpack up.

Once everything was packed and loaded and each girl had been given either an MP5 or a Browning, Destiny taking one of each, Roland placed his two P90s on the dashboard and climbed in next to Destiny. Cory and Jack all got in the truck and pulled the doors shut behind them the warm air from the vents washing over them after the extended periods outside loading everything into the box.

“Anyone else notice we don’t have any food.” Angela chimed.

“You know she’s right.” Cory said in a matter of fact voice.

“Yeah I guess you’re right, all right I guess well stop at a food store on our way.” Roland felt a little sheepish at forgetting food.

“He’s supposed to be our fearless leader? We’re all gonna die.” Jack sung out from the back seat.

Roland didn’t have the heart to tell him to shut up as he put the truck in drive and started for the highway; snow was beginning to fall again. Thinking back Roland realized he had barely eaten in the last week and none of them had eaten since before the mall. As if in answer to his unspoken question Roland’s stomach gave a loud growl and he pressed the gas a little harder, hoping they would be able to find food at one of the nearby stores.

Chapter 25: Hunger

The only sound in the truck came from the windshield wipers moving back and forth the keep the heavy snow from obstructing Roland’s view too much. Roland found he missed the radio and music as he listened to the rhythmic beating of the wipers, his reverie ended by the weight of Destiny’s head on his shoulder. He had missed her, a lot, his move north had been one of the hardest things he had ever done.

The falling snow made it almost impossible to make out any of the surrounding buildings and Roland was having a difficult time trying to guess where the road was. Slowing the truck down Roland began looking for a turn off that he hoped led to a Wal-Mart parking lot. Spotting what looked like a turn off Roland pulled the truck into the parking lot and slowed to a crawl, he could barely see past the hood of the truck.

Bumping into more than a few curbs that had been buried under the deep snow was forced to continually back up and attempt different routes. Bright spotlights suddenly blanketed the truck blinding the occupants and forcing Roland to come to a sudden stop. Roland heard the dull bang of a distant gunshot an instant before a hole materialized in the windshield bringing forth a chorus of screams from his companions. “That was a warning shot, leave the parking lot now or we will kill you all.”

“Shit.” Roland cursed under his breath as he slammed the truck into reverse and floored it out of the parking lot.

“They shot her, the sons of bitches shot her!” Cory was shouting his hand pressed over a growing red patch on Valerie’s shirt.

“Desire get up here and help her.” Roland did his best to keep his voice calm.

“I need a first aid kit, I don’t have anything but I’ll do my best.” The tall blonde girl was already climbing into the front as Roland opened his door.

“Where are you going?” Destiny followed Roland as he left the truck and headed around to the tailgate.

“I’m going to get a first aid kit.” Roland’s voice was hard and cold as the ice under his boots.

“I’m going with you.” Destiny pulled back the slide on her MP5 as Roland pulled out his backpack and the Timberwolf sniper rifle.

“No you’re not, you need to stay and help them. I won’t be long I promise.” Roland checked the rifle’s magazine making sure it was full and closed the tail gate.

“You’re going to kill them aren’t you.” The worry in Destiny’s voice was almost tangible forcing Roland to turn away before she changed his mind.

“I’ll do what has to be done.” Roland walked off into the snow before she could say anything, he thought he heard her voice but it was lost to the wind.

Alone again Roland trudged through the snow towards the store one hand shielding his eyes from the heavy snow. He knew what he had to do and it wasn’t going to be pretty. He was surprised how quickly society had dissolved in madness, the Reverend and his people now the lunatics guarding a Wal-Mart like it was the last bastion of humanity. Avoiding the spot where the truck had stopped Roland skirted to the left until he found a spot just outside the area the spotlights covered.

Unhooking the long sniper rifle from his backpack Roland got down onto his stomach ignoring the cold, wet feeling as his body heat melted the snow. Snow had already started layering itself on top of his prone form as Roland brought the scope up to his right eye. He could make out three men on the roof, two working the spotlights and one crouched with a rifle while two more stood guarding the front doors. There was a lot of wind but it wasn’t enough to muffle the rifle’s boom and Roland wouldn’t stay hidden for long so he would have to be extra careful.

His decision made Roland shut his left eye, exhaled slowly and squeezed the rifles trigger. The gun roared and bucked against his shoulder as one of the lights suddenly pointed skyward. Roland clutched the rifle to his chest and began rolling as bullets began ricocheting off the ground he had just vacated. Coming to a stop a good distance away Roland brought the rifle up again and working the bolt action to eject the spent round, drew a bead on the nearest guard.

As the guard’s lifeless body fell Roland was moving again, this time taking cover behind a waist high concrete barrier. The spent casing ejected Roland sighted the chest of the man on the roof and squeezed the trigger. The recoil from the rifle was starting to hurt his shoulder as he loaded in a fresh round and centered the crosshairs and the remaining spotlight operator. The light was moving frantically as its handler searched madly for the ghost that killed his cohorts.

Grimacing as he saw the young man’s face Roland teased the trigger his right eye closing as the large caliber round tore through the chest of a man he was certain had to be younger than himself. Steeling himself Roland ejected the spent round and loaded in a fresh cartridge. Both spotlights were pointing skyward and as Roland scanned around for the last guard he found the man cowering behind a pop machine his rifle on the ground in front of him.

Holstering the rifle Roland drew his Desert Eagle and walked up to the cowering man. Kicking away the .22 caliber rifle Roland knelt down in front of the man the Eagle leveled with his stomach. A glint caught Roland’s eye and he pulled his face back; the hunting knife putting a shallow slice into his cheek. Pulling the Eagle’s trigger as the knife reached his cheek Roland stumbled back his hand instinctively going to his cheek.

“Well that was a stupid thing to do.” He growled.

“This is our place, we got here first.” The pain in his voice was incredibly apparent as the man did his best to hold a hand over his wound.

The wind died down a little and Roland looked out into the parking lot finally able to see most of it. Several different vehicles sat scattered around the parking most with the windshield shot out, several with the doors open and lumps in the snow next to them. Roland suddenly found himself even more angry and disgusted at the wounded man in front of him.

“You miserable, piece of shit, you killed all those people didn’t you?”

“They wanted this place, wanted to take it from us.” Tears were streaming down his face now.

“They probably just wanted somewhere to hide from the ghouls running around everywhere; did you ever think of that?” Roland’s voice got continually harder as he advanced on the man.

“No, it’s ours and we’re not sharing.” Fear filled the man’s eyes as Roland advanced.

“You’re pathetic and I guess when I shot you in the belly I aimed a little too high.” Roland brought the hand cannon to bear on the man’s groin and fired.

“Ahhhhh!” The man screamed as his genitalia disintegrated.

“Now let’s talk. How many others are there here?” Roland aimed the Eagle between the man’s eyes, now filled with tears.

“Three more inside.” Was all he could say before he passed out from the pain.

Deciding it wouldn’t be worth it to waste another bullet on the bastard Roland stood up and looked inside the big store. Emergency generators kept the lights on and made it easy to see inside where the store was mostly clean. The survivalists had gotten here before the looters keeping the store in relatively good shape. A makeshift barricade stood between the two sets of doors, enough to keep the creatures out but not enough to stop Roland.

Prying the automatic doors open Roland squeezed through and quickly climbed over the barricade. The interior set of doors opened as he landed in front of them, making a loud squeal as they went. Knowing the sound must have alerted someone Roland dashed through the door and into the nearby McDonalds, taking cover behind the counter.

A few seconds later a man in hunting camouflage came out from the back of the store and began looking around. He checked behind the tills and down the nearby aisles, a pump action shotgun always leading the way. When he looked out the doors his face pressed against the glass Roland heard his shocked exclamation.

“Holy shit, they’re dead!”

The man turned to run towards the back of the store and came face to barrel with Roland’s golden Eagle. Camo man froze instantly and his shotgun fell to the floor with a clatter. Gesturing with the gun’s barrel Roland directed the man towards the McDonalds, keeping the .44 hand cannon leveled with the back of his head as they went. Once they were inside the restaurant Roland put a hand on the man’s shoulder and forced him to his knees.

“Now how about me and you have a chat?”

“What do you want to chat about?” The man’s voice stayed flat and calm.

“Why you sons of bitches…” Roland never got a chance to finish as he felt something metal and gun shaped press against the back of his head.

Chapter 26: Captured

Roland raised his hands letting the Eagle hang from his finger but not dropping it. Camo man stood up and turned around a wicked grin on his face as he took Roland’s weapon.

“Keep them hands up and turn around boy.” Came a deep angry voice from behind him.

Turning around Roland looked up at the man wielding a sawed-off double barrel shotgun. He stood at least six inches taller than Roland and outweighed him by a hundred pounds with a big bald head and arms as thick as Roland’s leg. Any thoughts of taking the man in a fight dissolved as Roland felt the man’s fist slam into his stomach; his vest taking some of the impact but not enough to stop him from doubling over.

“Stand up boy; we’re going to the back.”

Roland was stripped of his backpack and his knives, the survivalists taking extra care to make sure he didn’t have any concealed weapons. His hands held high Roland was led to the back of the store a wary gun constantly leveled with his back. Passing through the swinging doors into the warehouse area Roland was led past the merchandise lockups; which he saw were presently filled with scared looking men, women and children. The big man shoved Roland unceremoniously into the empty lock up at the end.

“You’ll stay here ‘till we find some monsters to feed you to boy.” He laughed as he walked away.

Roland was pissed and he immediately started kicking the doors to the cramped lockout with no success. The doors were made of steel mesh with a heavy duty padlock through a thick steel latch; Roland wasn’t going to get out that way.