Wasteland Rules: Kill or Be Killed (The World After Book 1) (24 page)

June 16, 2029

Inside Roadhouse Near Pelham, Alabama

  Rora had watched in amazement as Derek had battled
the other man in the dark. She couldn’t see much except when sparks from the
clashing blades had lit the room in brief flashes. But she could hear them
grunting and groaning as they had struggled. And she could hear the dull thuds
and smacks of blows being struck. Despite the intensity of the attack, it
hadn’t lasted long before she heard a body hit the floor and she had dared to
turn on the light.

  The light had revealed a man in a black full
bodysuit complete with goggles slumped against the wall by the window. The suit
looked like it was made of latex or some similar material and gave him an alien
look. On the floor next to him was a short slightly curved blade that looked
Japanese in style. Derek stood over him with his machete to the man’s throat.
Somehow Derek had also immobilized the man with zip ties.

  She looked on with curiosity as Derek had peeled
back the headpiece to reveal a young dark haired man with close cropped hair.
He had a large welt forming on his forehead where Derek must have struck him.
Derek’s interrogation of the man had been very short lived before he had shoved
the machete into the man’s neck killing him almost instantly. A week ago that
would have horrified her, but that was now her new normal.

  “Why didn’t you ask him how he found us?” She
asked Derek.

  “Because I know how he found us, he has been
following us for the past day or so.” He replied.

  “What? Why didn’t you say or do something?”

  “I did do something, I just killed him.” He said
almost sarcastically.

  “You know what I mean.” She said in aggravation.

  He laughed. “I wasn’t sure exactly who was
following us and what their intent was, so I needed to wait for them to make a
move. Plus, I was kind of out of action after our run in with the hillbillies.”

  “What if he had gone for me first?”

  “I knew he would come after the biggest threat
first, me. So I followed Rule #14, never sleep in the open, and I waited in
between the beds.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me about that rule?” Rora
interrupted.

  “Because if he saw you were not in bed he would
have known it was a trap, and if I told you someone might come in you never
would have fallen asleep.” Derek explained patiently.

  “So I was bait?” She said acidly.

  He shrugged. “More or less. He needed to feel like
he was sneaking up on us to make him feel safe enough to attack. It worked and
we eliminated another threat.”

  “Hmm. He did have a good point. How were you able
to see him in the dark and how is it possible you healed up so fast? You were
on death’s door yesterday.”

  Rora moved towards Derek to examine his wounds,
but they were interrupted by a banging at the door. A voice called out
demanding to know what was going on inside. Derek quickly threw a blanket over
the body before opening the door. Three guards stood there with weapons drawn
but made no move to enter. They seemed afraid of Derek. The new t-shirt he was
sporting may have had something to do with that. It was black and had Born to
Fight in bold white letters on the front and Die Fighting on the back. It
happened to match the tattoo across his back.

  “What’s all the noise about in here? It’s after
curfew.” The lead guard demanded.

  “Sorry, the girl had a nightmare. Her father was
killed by slavers and her home burned down, so she has had a rough time of it.
We’ll keep it down from now on. Sorry.” Derek smoothly explained.

  They looked at her and she tried to look upset and
apologetic. “Sorry…”

  “Ok. But keep it down, and remember the Captain
wants you gone in the morning. We already put some cans of gas in your truck so
you don’t need to stop again.”

  The guards left and Derek shut the door. Rora
watched as he uncovered the body and inspected the man’s gear. He examined the
short sword and removed a backpack the man was wearing. He pulled back slightly
in surprise and whistled as the backpack unfolded into a rifle of some sort.
Derek flipped it around looking at it in detail and then carefully put it
aside. Then he stripped the suit off the dead body and held it up to the light.

  “This is seriously advanced gear. He must have
been one of the Outfit’s elite operators. They must really want the device if
they are committing these kinds of resources.” He told her.

  He held up the rifle. “This gun is a rail gun
which uses magnetics to accelerate a round instead of gunpowder. I thought this
was purely theoretical, but I’m holding one in my hands so apparently they
exist. The scope looks like it connects to the headpiece of the suit.”

  “What is the suit made of?” Rora asked, curious.

  “It looks like Nomex, which is fire resistant, but
it doesn’t have the same texture. It also seems to absorb the light and I bet
it’s bulletproof. The weird part are the pads on the fingertips and toes, they
feel, whoa!” Derek nearly dropped the suit when little metallic hairs popped
out on the pads.

  “That’s how he got in the window.” Derek murmured
to himself.

  “What?” She asked getting closer to look at the
suit.

  “These function like a spider leg does, he used
this to climb up the wall to get in. Very cool. I’m going to keep this stuff.”
He said as he folded it up and stashed it in his pack.

  She watched him fold the rifle back up and put it
with their gear. Then he rolled the body up in a blanket and shoved it into a
closet. Derek was an enigma to her in many ways. He was a cold blooded killer,
but he was also honorable in his own way and had gone out of his way to protect
her. He was also keeping his word even after he got the device. Maybe she could
trust him with the truth.

  He interrupted her musing. “Get some sleep. We are
going to leave in a couple of hours while it is still dark. I want to get rid
of this infernal device as soon as possible. More people have tried to kill me
in the past week than in the last ten years. We can have it to the drop off
point in less than five hours.”

  “What if there was another option?” Rora asked
quietly.

  “Another option for what?”

  “Another option for what to do with the device?”

  Derek moved closer to her. “What are you talking
about?”

  She took a deep breath. “The device does more than
just make you invisible to the Collective. Much more. Whoever controls it could
do terrible things or save millions of lives.”

  “So you do know what it does?” He asked with a
slight hint of anger.

  “Yes, my father told me years ago about his
contingency plan. The secret of the device was supposed to keep the Collective
from bothering us.”

  “How?” Derek asked, curious.

  “They knew he had created it but they didn’t know
where he hid it. If he died or disappeared then it would be sent to one of
their enemies. He agreed to be tagged somehow and our communications were
monitored so they would know if he tried to retrieve the device or tell someone
else about it.”

  “What changed? Why did they suddenly make a move
to get a hold of it after all these years?”

  “My father had terminal cancer, leukemia. He
wasn’t going to live much longer and they were worried his death would trigger
the contingency so they acted.”

  “So what else does it do that they are so anxious
to get a hold of it?”

  “The device has the capability to essentially
hijack the LINC itself, giving the user control over the entire Collective.”

  That proclamation was met with stunned silence by
Derek. She could see him working through the possibilities in his mind. Whoever
could control the Collective would have the resources and troops to cause
serious havoc. They would probably become the preeminent power in North America
overnight seriously tipping the balance of power and probably triggering war.
Gaining access to the Collective’s network might also allow them to use the
drone technology on their followers or in the U.S.T.G.’s case, their prisoners.

  Finally he spoke. “Ok, I admit. I’m curious, what
is the other option?”

  “My father belonged to a group called the Society.
They were dedicated to preserving democracy and free will for the people. They
opposed the use of science and technology for any purpose other than the
betterment of humanity.”

  Derek smiled. “That sounds great but how does that
help us?”

  “The Society was targeted during the Collapse by
factions that they had opposed previously and almost wiped out. But, the
survivors went to the one place they knew they could be safe, the Kennedy Space
Center.”

  “NASA. So that’s why your dad is sure you will be
safe there. But how could they be sure it was safe?”

  “He didn’t tell me the details but he said they
had friends there who had made preparations for the Collapse and the
Aftermath.”

  “Meaning they knew about it before it happened?”

  “Possibly. I don’t know. He never said anything
more about it.”

  Derek was silent for a little while again before
he spoke. “I made a deal to deliver the device. I have to keep my word. I’m
sorry.”

  From the expression on his face, she knew it would
be pointless to argue. He was either clinging to the last shred of honor he had
or maybe the payoff was that great. Possibly both. Maybe he would change his
mind before the drop off. If not, well then she had a tough decision to make
herself.

June 16, 2029

Heading South from Pelham, Alabama

  They left the roadhouse early in the morning while
it was still dark. He had allowed Rora to get a few more hours of sleep, but he
didn’t want to wait any longer. He couldn’t fall asleep himself, the adrenaline
from the fight and the knowledge she had just dropped on him kept his mind
racing. It was possible he was making the wrong decision. The device must be
extremely valuable based on the lengths everyone was going to, to get their
hands on it. But was the fate of humanity at stake? On that, he wasn’t so sure.

  The payoff for him, if it indeed panned out, was
huge. A pardon and big payoff that allowed him to retire. A rare luxury in the
world after the Collapse. On the other hand, if the device could basically
seize control of the Collective that did make it extremely dangerous. If the U.S.T.G.
got their hands on it they would make drones out of the entire country and the
CCA and Texas wouldn’t be able to stop them. And then there was the Collective.
So far they had seemed content to rule their little slice of the Pacific
Northwest, but what if they decided they wanted more? He still didn’t know who
his employer really was; could he be turning the device over to someone even
worse?

  Derek practically ground his teeth as worked
through all the possible scenarios. It seemed like every choice he made had
horrible consequences and the decision was rapidly approaching. While they had
been battling their way across the country he hadn’t thought about much more
than surviving, but in about seven hours he would have to decide. Complete the
contract or take the device to NASA, who he really didn’t know anything about
either.

  The fact that Rora had held back surprisingly
didn’t bother him. He would have done the same thing in her place. She had been
orphaned and thrust into the hands of a mystery man, who was admittedly a cold
blooded killer. She had grown a lot during their journey and he would trust her
with his life, but he still wasn’t sure she had told him everything. What if
NASA turned out to be another trap? If the device was so dangerous maybe he
should just destroy it?

  As they got into the SUV and drove out of the gates,
he made a decision. He would take the device to the drop off and see what
happened. Maybe the contact would be able to shed some light on the employer
and how they planned to use the device before he turned it over. If he didn’t
like the answers, he could always take the device to NASA instead. Even then he
could still destroy it if it became necessary.

  The CCA agent had been true to his word. There had
been three plastic gas cans full of gas waiting for them in the morning, and no
one had bothered them as they left. He and Rora had pulled back onto the
interstate and headed south. With no speed limit to follow they had made good
time and were able to make it past Montgomery, the old state capital, in an
hour and turn onto U.S. 231 to cut down to old interstate 10. Approximately two
hours after they left Birmingham they were turning onto I-10.

  Only minutes after they had made the turn onto
I-10, the phone buzzed and the Voice spoke in Derek’s ear. “I’m detecting some
activity on the road ahead of you and possibly behind you. Radio chatter
indicates U.S.T.G. forces.”

  “Any indication of force size or composition?”
Derek responded unsurprised. He had expected them to make one last ditch effort
before the device was beyond their reach.

  “A small group is in front of you, maybe a couple
squads in two vehicles; and possibly another squad behind you. The good news is
I’m not hearing any radio traffic from helicopters or planes.”

  “What is it?” Rora asked.

  “Looks like we have some U.S.T.G. troops waiting
for us up ahead and maybe some behind us.”

  “Where did they come from and how did they find
us?”

  “I’m guessing the CCA or someone at the roadhouse
tipped them off. There is an enclave at Pensacola based at the old air base
there. It is mainly used for vacations for high ranking officials, but they
maintain a small military presence there. They could have also flown some
commandoes down under the assumption we would eventually pass through here.”

  “What do we do?” She asked nervously.

  He grinned. “For once we have the right vehicle to
get through a roadblock, so grab your rifle and hang on.”

  Derek grabbed his M-16 and held it across his body
and noted that Rora grabbed hers and prepared to fire it out the window. It was
amazing how she had gone from a liability he needed to protect to a valuable
ally capable of defending herself and even saving his life at the prison. He
stepped on the accelerator and they raced down the highway.

  The roadblock appeared first as a speck on the
relatively flat roadway up ahead, and quickly resolved into two Humvees
blocking the road. Both had .50 caliber machine guns mounted on the roof and
soldiers in body armor in cover behind them. As soon as the SUV was in range
the 0.50 cals opened fire with a loud roar. Rounds bounced off the steel plow
mounted in the front of the truck and the armor prevented anything from penetrating
the body. But while the steel grating over the windshield might prevent small
arms fire, the heavier machine gun rounds began to come through.

  Both Derek and Rora instinctively ducked down as
the bullets zipped through the inside of their vehicle. But he didn’t let off
of the gas. The soldiers added their rifle fire to the onslaught, but none of
their rounds could penetrate the truck body and damage the engine or disable
the tires. Derek risked a glance right before they hit the roadblock and saw the
soldiers scattering and one of the Humvees wheeling backwards trying to get out
of the way.

  “HANG ON!” He yelled right before impact.

  The Humvee didn’t move fast enough and the SUV
struck both Humvees with a deafening crash and screaming of metal. It lurched
up in the air and came down hard, jolting both Derek and Rora around in their
seats. Their momentum was slowed dramatically by the crash, but they still had
some forward momentum. They watched as the Humvee that hadn’t moved was caught
under the front by the plow and tossed into the air. It flipped over sideways
and rolled a few times before landing upside down. The other Humvee spun around
twice throwing the gunner from the vehicle. Metal and glass flew everywhere.
The soldiers who had taken cover behind the two vehicles had been knocked
flying from the collision and were scattered about.

  Derek immediately opened fire, trying to take
advantage of the chaos. Rora quickly followed his lead and they were able to
shoot down several of the recovering soldiers. The others fled into the ditches
on either side of the road before returning fire ineffectively. He could see
that the driver of the Humvee that was still upright was sitting at a funny
angle and was either unconscious or had a broken neck. Realizing neither
vehicle was going to pursue them, he stepped on the accelerator and drove away.
A prolonged gun battle wouldn’t benefit them and ran the risk of one of the
soldiers getting in a lucky shot.

  As they drove away, he looked in the rear view
mirror. There was another vehicle closing on them. It was another Humvee, but
it was black rather than the desert camouflage paint scheme of the previous
two. It also had a fifty caliber machine gun one it, and once in range the
soldier manning it wasted no time shooting at them. That soldier was dressed in
a distinctive black and gray urban camouflage uniform and had a face mask on
indicating they were indeed Federal Police commandoes.

  They were the elite of the feared Federal Police
forces, a paramilitary group renowned for its brutality and effectiveness. They
were fanatical in their support for the U.S.T.G. regime and they were known to
be very dogged in their pursuit of the regime’s enemies. Highly trained and
well equipped they were tough adversaries. The commando was a much better shot
than the soldiers at the roadblock, and despite the high speed and Derek’s
evasive driving; he was hitting the SUV consistently.

  The SUV had sustained some damage in the crash and
no matter what he did; Derek couldn’t pull away from the black Humvee. They
weren’t getting any closer, but he couldn’t get out of range of the machine
gun. Eventually it would hit something critical and they would be caught. Then
they would be outgunned by the Humvee and the commandoes. Both he and Rora
fired backwards at the pursuing vehicle, but it was armored as well and the
rounds just bounced off of it. He had to do something desperate or it was all
over. He really only had one weapon in this phase of the battle, so he would
have to use it.

  With no other options he spun the wheel and
slammed on the brake and accelerator simultaneously. Rora screamed as they
swirled one hundred and eighty degrees and ended up driving backwards. The plow
now protected the wheels and the front, but again they were vulnerable in the
cab. Derek allowed them to get a little closer before he executed his next
trick.

  He slammed on the brakes and then threw the SUV
back into drive. Rora’s face went completely white and she couldn’t even scream
as she realized what he was doing. She buckled herself in with the seatbelt and
braced herself. He knew he was grinning, but he couldn’t help it. His
adrenaline was rushing and he was in his element. No difficult decisions here.
It was simply Rule #1, kill or be killed. And he was good at killing.

  He could see the gunner panic and disappear into
Humvee as the commandoes realized he was going to ram them head on. With the
large steel plow on the front he was pretty sure that he would win the
collision. At worst they should both be disabled and he could take them out in
a close quarters fight. To his surprise, the gunner popped back up with a metal
tube in his hands. Derek nodded in admiration. The man hadn’t panicked he was
just ducking in to get a better weapon. He could see the determined look of the
driver as they got closer and realized the man wasn’t going to slow or avoid
the collision. These guys were serious professionals dedicated to their cause.

  The commando brought the Light Anti-tank Weapon or
LAW to bear quickly and fired as soon as it was up. He didn’t really need to
aim they were so close and he had so little time. Derek furiously spun the
wheel at the last second, dodging the missile. It flamed past them only a foot
from the SUV and flew on down the road to explode harmlessly. It may have
missed but it caused Derek to miss hitting the Humvee and spin out across the
road and down into the ditch. They popped up the other side and swerved around
wildly while Derek attempted to regain control of the vehicle.

  When he had regained control, he looked for the
Humvee. It was circling around and the commando was preparing another LAW to
fire at them. There was no way they could survive a direct hit from a missile.
The SUV was battered and still running, but smoke was starting to come up from
under the hood and it was definitely slower than before. It was going to be
almost impossible to get away now, they needed another option. Derek started
driving away from the pursuing vehicle heading back the way they had come and
parallel to the road when Rora yelled at him.

  “Head away from the road!” She screamed as she
gestured into the waste.

  “What?” He asked incredulously. The rough terrain
would slow them down and allow the Humvee to catch them.

  “Their clearance is lower than ours; they won’t be
able to cross the ditch without getting stuck.” She explained.

  Hunh, that was simple and yet brilliant. He turned
the wheel and headed away from the road. In the rear view mirror he saw the
Humvee skid to a halt at the edge of the ditch. The driver had realized the
danger and not even attempted it. They may not have been able to pursue any
further but the commando up top still had one shot at stopping the SUV. Derek
watched him steady the LAW and take careful aim. The missile raced towards
them, closing the distance in seconds. Rora screamed as he swerved the truck at
the last second. The missile struck the ground a few feet in front of them and
the SUV lifted up as they passed through the blast.

  It came crashing down and they were free. The
commando fired a few belated rounds from the machine gun, but they were quickly
out of range. Derek drove for about ten more minutes, making sure they were
well out of sight of the commandos before slowly stopping. He jumped out and
started checking the SUV, searching under the vehicle as well.

  Rora climbed out to watch him. “What are you
doing? They’re going to find a way across the ditch eventually and catch up
with us.”

  “There must be a tracking device planted
somewhere. We aren’t going to get away from them or hide if they can zero in on
our location. But I don’t see one anywhere.” He explained.

  The phone buzzed and the familiar voice spoke.
“You can use your phone Major. Select the EF Detector app and slide the phone
over the vehicle.”

  It wasn’t as startling as before, but he was still
having trouble getting used to the fact that someone was listening in on his
conversations. He scrolled through the apps and there it was. He activated it
and a gauge appeared on the screen similar to a Geiger counter. As he held it
out and scanned the SUV it started beeping and the needle moved over further
and further as he got to the back of the SUV. It was all the way over when he
was directly behind the vehicle. He looked underneath and then opened the back
hatch, but there was nothing there except…