Dust: Before and After (11 page)

“Give me a five minute head start. I want to get the weapons first, before I get Todd,” he ordered.

“Time is ticking away,” Josie said with a grin. “You’d better be ready to leave, because I’m not staying here another night.”

Dust nodded and headed out the door. He didn’t fade until he reached the level above. He hurried up the stairs, taking them two at a time. His steps slowed when he neared the kitchen. He could hear men’s voices. It was Beau and Randolph. That meant that Alex must be in the upper room near the entrance.

He swept past the entrance and into the locked storage room containing all the weapons. Reforming, he grabbed a bow that he thought Sammy would like and an assortment of arrows. He didn’t know much about them and hoped that it was one she could use. He ignored the guns. He could shoot one, but he’d never been very good.

He faded again, hesitating for a moment. If he could knock Alex out, then their way up the stairs would be clear. The problem was he didn’t have enough time before Josie went to free Sammy. A soft curse burst from his lips and he shook his head. He’d have to deal with Alex on the way out.

Turning back the way he came, he ran back down the long corridor. A shiver went through him when he passed the kitchen and heard a loud curse. He had forgotten about Randolph for a second. Disappearing around the curve, he could hear Randolph telling Beau that something was wrong.

“I’m telling you, he’s free… Shit, so is Josie,” Randolph yelled.

“Get the boy,” Beau’s order echoed behind Dust.

Josie’s warning flashed through Dust’s mind. She was right, Beau would use Todd, even kill him, to stop them. Dust burst into the lower section and rushed toward Howard, materializing seconds before he reached him. Howard had started to rise out of his chair when he heard Beau and Randolph shouting.

Dust swung out with the end of the bow, catching Howard in the jaw with the tip of it. Surprise widened Howard’s eyes before they rolled back in his head and he collapsed. Dust didn’t wait. Turning, he ran for Todd’s room, hitting the door with his shoulder and breaking the lock.

“Come on,” he ordered, reaching for Todd with his free hand.

Todd gazed at him with wide eyes and nodded, grabbing Dust’s outstretched palm. Together, they ran for the opened doorway. The sound of running feet echoed behind them. Dust turned in time to see a bright flash of light coming from the lower section. A moment later, Sammy and Josie appeared around the curve.

“We’ve got to get out of here,” Josie snapped. “Follow me!”

Dust started in surprise when Josie hurried back into the area where the men slept. He glanced at Sammy when she reached for the bow in his hand. He quickly released it and handed the bow to her before shrugging the quiver of arrows off his shoulder.

“Where are you going?” Dust demanded when Josie kicked in the door to Beau’s room.

“We can’t go up and out,” Josie said. “They’ll have blocked it and I don’t know about those two, but I can’t go through walls and doors the way you can.”

“Then where are we going?” He asked again in frustration.

Josie glanced over her shoulder as she gripped the tall chest of drawers and pulled it away from the wall. A small door was behind it. She grinned as she opened it.

“Dad owned this place before I was born. I spent my whole life running around exploring it,” she said as she pushed the door open. “He seems to have forgotten that. This leads down to the missile storage.”

“The only way out of that is through the missile doors. According to Beau, those weigh in at over seventy tons,” Dust pointed out, waving for Todd and Sammy to go first.

“Yes, but there is another way that I hope Dad doesn’t know about,” Josie replied in a quiet voice.

Dust didn’t say anything. He heard the men slow and stop. While they thought Dust might not be too much of a threat, they knew that Josie was and were keeping their distance.

The door led to a wider corridor that had been blocked off. It was short and had probably been a maintenance access at one time. At the end, there was a long ladder that led down a short way before another tunnel opened up. Dust glanced behind him, a growing sense of danger causing his hair to stand up on the back of his neck. It was more than just Beau and Randolph, there was something else, something darker. Once again, the feeling that he was being hunted coursed through him. Shaking his head, he turned and stepped onto the ladder.

It had to be because of the men
, he thought.

*.*.*

The Alpha female rose to her feet and stretched. She stepped out of the culvert that she and her pack had sought refuge in. She turned when she felt her Beta step up beside her. The storm was finally over.

The fragrant scent of torn earth surrounded them. There had been no rain with this storm. Just the odd green lightning that she remembered from her awakening and the savage wind that swirled in massive circles, destroying everything in its path.

She had wanted to attack several nights ago, but the sudden storm forced her and her pack to seek shelter away from where the dome structure was located. With a low snarl, she ordered her Beta to get the others ready.

Tonight,
she thought as she trotted out from the cover of the culvert where the slightest scent of gas still clung to the ground.

This was where the creature she hunted had stopped. She knew where they were going now and it didn’t take long for her to reach her destination. She could feel the pull of the creature, it was stronger this time. The others in her pack soon caught up with her.

Before long, she stood outside of the metal dome once again. With a growl, she snapped for her Beta to wait for her. Trotting down the slope, she paused outside of the metal building.

Focusing, she felt her front claws lengthen. Rising up on her hindquarters, she raked the metal, piercing it and slowly ripping it back. She did it three times until she was satisfied that her pack could pass through it.

Once inside, she moved between the vehicles. She quickly determined that the area was empty, but the scent of the two-legged beasts was strong, including the one she was seeking. Following the trail, she stopped outside of another door. This one was slightly thicker than the metal siding. She could have ripped through it, but something told her that she needed to proceed with caution.

Focusing again, she faded. She passed through the door and reformed on the other side. Turning, she saw the lock on the door. Rising up again, she leaned forward and gripped the piece of metal between her teeth, pulling it free before pressing her paw down on the handle. The door swung open. Satisfaction coursed through her.

These creatures were not as smart as I thought they might be,
she reflected with satisfaction.

Turning, she started down the long flight of stairs. A soft, yellow glow lit the far end. Her Beta and the others moved like dark shadows behind her.

Come,
she ordered, turning and stepping down onto the first step.
It is time to hunt.

Fight or Die:

Dust tucked his head as he slipped out of the long, narrow tunnel they had just crawled through. He glanced around, surprised that they were in the lower section of the missile bay. There were stacks of boxes all around them. He grinned when he saw Josie look at him with a raised eyebrow.

“I moved most of these here,” he said with a shrug, answering her unspoken question.

“Is there food in any of them?” She asked.

“Yep,” Dust replied.

Josie rested her hands on her hips when he didn’t say anything else. Sammy giggled and Todd grinned. Dust’s lips twitched again when Josie lifted a hand and wiggled her fingers for him to finish his sentence.

“The box behind you has some canned goods in it,” he added.

Josie turned and frowned. “It says PT,” she muttered.

Dust shook his head. “I saw Randolph writing that on it,” he explained. “One of the boxes fell open and it was food. He didn’t know I saw what he was doing.”

“Leave it to my big brother to cover his own ass,” Josie scoffed. “He’s a chip off the old block, alright. Just like my dad, hard core, bigoted and self-centered.”

Dust saw Josie’s eyes flash with rage before she opened the top of the box. A low hiss escaped her before her eyes glittered in triumph. She turned toward him and threw a bag containing something white in it. A surprised laugh escaped him when he saw what it was.

“Marshmallows?” Sammy asked, watching as Josie and Dust both ripped a bag open and began stuffing their mouths with the white, sugary concoction. “Can’t this wait until after we get out of here? In case you forgot, Beau and the others will be searching for us.”

“Let them,” Josie growled, holding up a marshmallow. “Do you know what this is?”

“Sugar?” Sammy replied, looking at the small roundish puff with a doubtful expression.

“Sugar,” Dust and Josie agreed at the same time.

“It’s pure energy,” Josie replied, closing her eyes as she felt her body absorbing the sugar. “It is like jet fuel for a freak like us. Randolph was always my dad’s favorite, but being different like Dust and me might not save his ass. My dad can be a little unpredictable about certain things.”

Josie opened her eyes and stared at them. Dust heard Sammy and Todd’s gasp when they saw her eyes glowing with the strange fire that he had seen earlier. Popping another marshmallow into his mouth, he reluctantly closed the bag and tucked it in his shirt.

“Todd, find a bag so we can fill it with the marshmallows,” Dust instructed. “Josie, didn’t you say you knew of another way out of here that your dad might not know about?”

Josie nodded, holding a marshmallow over her fingers. It wouldn’t have been so strange if she wasn’t toasting it. Dust fought the urge to tell her to knock it off. He was afraid that she would freak Sammy and Todd out until he heard Todd giggle when Josie held it out to the young boy.

“Thank you,” Todd replied with a grin.

“Yes,” Josie finally responded. “There is another tunnel. I looked it up once to figure out what it was used for. They needed to use Liquid Nitrogen for the missiles. Of course, they didn’t want to store it too close so it was pumped in or whatever through this tunnel. I used it to sneak out at first to go look for food until my jerk of a brother caught me one day roasting a rabbit for dinner and told my dad.”

“What happened?” Todd asked curiously, reaching for another marshmallow when Josie held the bag out.

Josie shrugged. “Dad had already eliminated the other people that the strange dust cloud had changed. Personally, I thought he was expecting us to turn into some kind of zombie and start eating on their flesh. I shouldn’t have spared either one of them because they were family. They sure as hell didn’t treat me like I was family, that’s for sure,” she explained in a bitter voice. “I came back in and dad tricked me into going down to the lower level. He locked me in there. Three days without food and I was about to go crazy. Ever since that day, he gave me just enough food to stay alive – barely. The last six months have been hell and I don’t ever plan on being trapped like that again.”

Dust motioned for Sammy and Todd to get behind him. Josie’s red hair had begun to whip around her and it looked like her skin and hair were on fire. She was beautiful, but also a little scary, especially when two balls of flames suddenly rose up from the palms of her hands.

“Uh, Josie, you’re on fire,” Dust pointed out quietly.

Dust waited as she regained control of her emotions. Josie drew in a deep breath and the flames receded. A bitter laugh escaped her and she shook her head as the flames died away.

“Marshmallows,” Todd muttered with a shake of his head, staring at the one he still held in his hand. “Wow!”

Sammy gave an uneasy laugh. “We’ll bag you some more, but I think you two need to be careful how many you eat,” she remarked with an uncomfortable shrug.

“Let’s hurry,” Dust replied, turning to look up at the ceiling with a frown. “Something’s wrong.”

Josie turned at the same time. Her lips tightened and the flush that had been on her face, paled. Her lips parted and she glanced back at Dust.

“I feel it, too,” Josie said. “It’s different. I’ve felt it when I’m around others like us, but nothing like this before. This is….”

A loud scream cut off her sentence. The sounds of gunshots echoed through the silo. Dust glanced at Sammy and Todd. Sammy had pushed Todd behind her and threaded an arrow into the bow she was holding.

“That was Stella,” Josie whispered.

“We can’t leave Maria and the children unprotected,” Dust muttered, turning to look at Josie. “Take Sammy and Todd and get out of here. Sammy has the keys to the car.”

“What about you?” Josie asked with a scowl. “Leave them!”

“The kids don’t deserve whatever is there,” Dust replied with a shake of his head. “Protect them, Josie. I’m holding you responsible for their safety.”

“I can protect Todd and me,” Sammy snapped. “We’ll wait back at the culvert for you, Dust. You’d better come or we’re coming back for you.”

Dust nodded. “They are getting closer. Go, Josie!” He ordered, fading as he rushed for the long staircase.

*.*.*

Dust entered the second floor just as a dark shadow slammed into the door to Maria’s room. He immediately recognized the devil dogs from the town where he had met Sammy and Todd. Blood coated the floor. Another of the devil dogs was ripping at Stella’s still form. A discarded shotgun lay on the ground next to her.

The sound of another scream and shattering wood pulled him back to Maria and the three children pinned in the bedroom. The devil dog was ripping at the door with its claws. Small holes appeared in the door as Maria fired through it again and again. Several struck the devil dog, but that didn’t stop its determination to get inside the room. Reforming, Dust lifted his hands and focused.

“Hey!” He yelled, waiting.

Both beasts paused and raised their head to stare at him. Blood dripped from the mouth of the one that had been over Stella. It turned with a low snarl. Backing up to keep his back to the thick concrete wall, he warily watched as the one attacking the door turned at the same time.

Licking his lips, he knew he would only have one shot at killing them. He needed to strike their heart. If he did that, they wouldn’t be able to heal. For a moment, he wished Josie was here. The best way to kill them was to toast them.

“That’s it. Come on,” Dust said.

The sound of his voice seemed to enrage them. In tandem, both beasts leapt at him. Dust knelt down and focused. Twin pulses of electrical charges shot out from his hands, striking the beasts in midair. He faded as their bodies continued in a forward momentum. Rolling, he reformed when they hit the wall, sending another burst through them.

The line of energy cut through the flesh around their necks, decapitating them. He stood and wrinkled his nose in distaste as the heads of the two beasts fell to the side.

Cutting their heads off worked as well,
he thought in satisfaction before turning to where Maria and the children were hiding.

“Maria,” Dust called out in a quiet voice. “It’s me, Dust. Don’t shoot, okay? The beasts are dead.”

The only sound coming from the room for several long seconds was the muffled sobs of children. In the background, Dust could hear the sound of gunfire. It sounded like it was getting closer.

“Dust,” Maria finally whispered in a trembling voice. “Stella….”

Dust walked over to the door. He glanced over his shoulder, thankful that the center pillar hid most of Stella’s body from view. Turning back around when he heard the sound of furniture scraping across the floor, he waited for Maria to open the door.

“The kids?” He asked when she peeked out from behind the door before pulling it open wider when she saw him.

“Stella had me barricade myself and the children in the room,” Maria explained in a shaky voice. “I heard gunfire.”

“Stella’s dead,” Dust replied, trying to shield the little part that could be seen from the three kids. “I need to get you out of here.”

“How… How did you escape?” Maria asked, her gaze darting to the remains of the two devil dogs. Her eyes grew wide with shock. “How did they get in here? Beau swore that nothing could get inside.”

“I don’t know,” Dust replied, ignoring her first question. “Come on. I can feel them getting closer.”

“Them? Who? Oh, God!” Maria cried out, stumbling backwards when she caught sight of Stella. “Kathy, Carter, Brian, don’t look.”

“There are more devil dogs,” Dust said in an urgent voice. “There is another way out. Do you know where the culvert under the road is?”

“Ye… Yes,” Maria answered, wiping at her eyes. “But, we can’t go outside. It’s too dangerous.”

“It’s too dangerous to stay in here,” Dust replied, gripping Carter’s hand. “Carry the girl. I need to be able to fight if they come at us.”

“But, how will we get by them?” Maria asked in a slightly hysterical tone.

“There is a tunnel that leads up to the surface. It comes out several hundred yards from the silo. I need to get you up to the next level. If you go through Beau’s room, there is an access tunnel that will take you to the missile bay. On the far side, there is a ladder that leads up to another tunnel. That is the one that will take you to the surface. I’ll help you.”

“But… What about the others?” Maria asked when they heard another burst of gunfire.

Dust grimly shook his head. “They will have to be on their own,” he said. “You and the kids are my priority.”

“Why, Dust?” Maria asked, again.

He could see the doubt and suspicion in her eyes. “Because I’m like them, only different,” he said in a quiet voice as he nodded toward the two dead devil dogs. “I won’t let the kids suffer. I can’t make you go, Maria, but I won’t leave the kids here. It is up to you if you want to come with us or stay.”

Maria glanced at the two dead beasts before looking back at Dust’s steady gaze. With a slight nod, she bent and picked up the little girl that was sucking on her thumb and staring straight ahead with a blank gaze.

Dust released Carter’s hand and turned toward the door. Pausing to glance around the corner, he motioned with his head for the small group to follow him. They were halfway up the staircase when he saw a shadow. Holding up his hand, he motioned for Maria and the kids to get back against the wall.

Dust slowly moved up the stairs, keeping his eyes on the beast. He was almost in range when the loud sound of a shotgun echoed through the narrow corridor. The beast staggered backwards, before another blast lifted it up and it collapsed and slid down several steps toward him. Rushing up the steps, he quickly placed his hand over the creature’s chest and sent a blast of energy through its heart to make sure it stayed dead.

He glanced up when he heard the sound of a shotgun being pumped. His gaze locked with Alex’s dazed one. Blood dripped down the side of the other man’s face, the left shoulder of his shirt was torn and the skin underneath was ripped as well.

“Maria,” Alex whispered in a hoarse voice.

“She and the kids are safe for the moment,” Dust replied, slowly rising to his feet and lifting his hands. “I need to get her out of here.”

Alex nodded, half turning when more gunfire rang out. “There are so many of them. One of them, it just disappeared and reappeared,” he choked out.

Dust’s eyes widened and his mouth tightened. “Can you take Maria and the kids to safety? I’ll help the others,” he reluctantly said.

“How?” Alex replied, turning back to Dust. “Josie?”

“She’s gone, along with Sammy and Todd,” Dust replied, taking a step up the stairs. “We don’t have much time. The longer we delay, the more likely those things will find us and I can’t protect you all.”

“How can you fight them? I shoot them, but they just get back up,” Alex muttered, stumbling down a step.

“Alex, I can stop them,” Dust said in a firm voice, masking his own fear. “But, I can’t do that and get Maria and the kids to safety. Josie, Sammy, and Todd are at the culvert where you found us. They are waiting for me. I need you to get Maria and the kids there.”