The Killers Amongst Us: Chimera Dawn Chronicles (32 page)

SUMMERS
climbed out of his vehicle over at Claymore.
The forward-command post was buzzing with personnel scurrying around. Troops
were in position at the gun batteries, trajectories already set in two
directions. Shrill sounds from the Black Hawks and troop transporter choppers
powering up, had him covering his ears. He turned away from the swirling
vortexes created by the blades, choking and coughing on clouds of dust drawn up
from the field. The choppers rose, then peeled off in formation with separate
flight paths, a Black Hawk either side as an escort to each of the
transporters. With the air now still, accompanied by the sound of thunder from
the choppers’ rotors in flight, he walked briskly over to the command trailer.
The roof bristled with satellite discs and antennas, testament to the task in
hand. Summers flashed his ID to the guard at the door. The guard saluted, but stopped
him, insisting on inspecting his ID.

He climbed the steps to the command trailer and stepped
inside.

“You’re just in time,” said the forward-base commander.

Summers nodded. At the far end of the trailer were
communications officers, both wearing headsets. They were sitting at a bench
facing separate banks of monitors. Summers glanced over the first bank of
screens. He noticed the screen in the top left hand corner. The drone’s camera
was relaying images of the terrain passing below. It wasn’t like the films of
precision-bombing sorties that they handed over to the news channels. The
images were crystal clear. In the top left hand corner, a digital display gave
the altitude, and below that a countdown of the ETA to target. On the screen
below, the image was jumpy, but he could clearly make out the compound at the
animal sanctuary. 

“Rodger that, out.” The radio operator turned to the
commander. “Sir, the unarmed drone we sent over the animal sanctuary is showing
they’ve gone to ground. No signs of activity.”

“What the hell was that?” Summers called out, his eyes
dancing over the screens. The armed drone was still showing thirty-seven
minutes to ETA, but the screen displaying the views from the observation drone
was now whited out after it had shown the sanctuary compound explode.

The operator exchanged words over the radio. He swiveled to
face the commander. “Sir, they’ve beaten us to it and self-destructed at the
sanctuary.”

“Damn, call the drone operators at central command. Tell
them to divert the drone targeted on the sanctuary, but to have it circle the
quarry at the silver mine until the other one arrives.

“What about Red Ground Team, and the choppers, sir?”

“Tell them to go in now and to set up a perimeter as tight
as a gnat’s ass and to report back. Then have the Red Team’s batteries reset
their coordinates on the quarry.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Someone must have tipped them off,” Summers said.

“Let’s just hope it’s a case of mass suicide and they were
inside when it exploded.”

Summers doubted the commander’s scenario, especially knowing
how many centuries the faction had survived.

“At least we’re doubling the fire power to destroy the base
at the quarry,” Summers said, and turned his attention to the second set of
screens.

“There’s always the contingency, if what we’re about to
bring down on them doesn’t succeed.”

“What contingency? When was that discussed?”

“It wasn’t discussed. Word came down from Central Command
just before you arrived. We’re to advise headquarters and to evacuate if we
fail to destroy their facility with a bombing run.”

“Evacuate! Why?”

“Tactical nuclear warheads.”

“Nuclear! On US soil? Are they mad?”

“I wouldn’t say they’re mad, but let’s say they’re
determined to be rid of them once and for all.”

“Why don’t they stick with the bunker-buster bombs we have
scheduled for after we secure the compound?”

“Ours is not to reason why. Orders… executive orders.”

“How in the hell is the president going to explain that to
the public?”

“It’s not our problem. The bird has already been deployed
and awaits the codes for if the bunker bombs fail. I wouldn’t be surprised if
the press secretary put out a bulletin that terrorists got a hold of a dirty
bomb.”

He guessed that the commander was right about the press
release. The only consolation Summers could take from the revelation of the new
contingency; was that the president must be onboard. At least he now knew he
wasn’t part of the government faction that conspiracy theorists blindly called
‘The New World Order’ without having a clue what, or who was really involved. He
deliberated over the fact that the work of his agency was buried away from the
glare of the public and other government agencies. He hoped that whatever
happened, their work would stay under the radar. He had it in his mind that
involving the president had maybe been a mistake in this instance. The chiefs
of staff and the heads of the agencies would have had to be briefed, for them
to argue a decision of such magnitude for them to deploy the nuclear option. His
thoughts turned back to the sanctuary self-destructing. He smelled a leak.
Someone in Washington must have tipped off the faction at the sanctuary.

He scanned the monitor with their covert camera covering the
quarry at the silver mine. At least he could see movement in the form of people
and dogs wondering around outside the pyramid structure of shipping containers.
It wasn’t looking as though they had received word of an impending attack. He
hoped their demise would be swift, with no need for nuclear warheads to be
deployed.

“How far away would we have to evacuate to avoid the
radiation fallout?” he asked.

“I’ve circled the danger zone on the map behind you.”

Summers turned and studied the map. “Hell, Breakers Pass is
in the fallout zone.”

The commander shrugged his shoulders. “Collateral damage is
inevitable. At least it will put an end to the virus.”

“Virus! We might have that problem solved. Fuller phoned
earlier. Somehow, he’s found out the virus is in the water supply. I’ve
informed our chief scientist, so hopefully his team ’ll come up with a cure.”

“Yeah, and how long will that take? Like I said, collateral
damage. That might be the best cure.”

Summers knew how to translate the word collateral. He looked
at the drone monitor. “One hour and fifteen minutes to ETA,” he said, and
crossed his fingers.

AMY
watched a line of guards march into the chamber.
The smell of boiling asphalt hit the back of her throat and had her retching.
The guards were bare chested, wearing only loin cloths, and headdresses in the
style of ancient Egyptians. They each took a position at a pole around the
circular mosaic. Abi whimpered, averting her gaze, then grabbed hold of Amy’s
leg.

“Oh, no. It’s time,” said Abi,” her lips quivering.

“What time?”

“Time for his punishment.”

“Who is he?”

Abi whispered, “He was the one who brought me here. Ammon escaped
with his twin, but we’re told his brother had been caught and butchered by our
enemies. They were an experiment with a different breed, but they had traits of
rebellion and madness.

“Experiment, breed?”

“Shush, they may hear us. I just pray he hasn’t betrayed me.
I must watch for the sake of my children, or they’ll suspect me.”

Abi let go of Amy’s leg and turned to face the circle. Amy
wondered if she had helped them to escape, and that’s what she meant by
betrayal. Each of the guards took hold of a pole around the mosaic circle. Amy
noticed movement behind the drapes hung between the two columns on a raised
area. Candle flames flared behind the curtain, standing on what could have been
poles, revealing two figures stood either side of them. She could make out the
shadowy figure of someone tall in stature, with a spindly form, standing to one
side. He walked between the candles, then took a seat. He held an arm aloft,
then brought it down in an arc.

The chamber filled with the sound of the guards withdrawing
their scimitar polls from their mounts. One of them stepped forward, poking the
point of his blade in the hapless body of their captive. A piercing howl
escaped Ammon’s lips, and he rose to his feet, charging at the guard, until he
jarred to a halt at the full extent of his chains. Blood ran from a wound in
his chest. The guard stepped back, poking his blade at Ammon repeatedly, as if
to tease, then crouching, the guard thrust his blade. Ammon sidestepped,
turning to one side, the blade slicing him at the rib cage. Amy screamed. In
one fluid move, Ammon grabbed the pole, pulling the guard into the circle,
ripping the weapon from his grasp, and with a swipe, he decapitated the guards
head from his shoulders. Amy retched and averted her gaze. She looked back when
she heard shuffling. The other guards closed the circle on him, prodding him.
Ammon danced on his toes, turning in different directions stabbing at them.
Then one of them thrust his blade into his back. Ammon fell to his knees and
dropped his weapon. Abi grabbed hold of Amy’s ankle and squeezed.

“Stop it,” Amy screamed.

As if they had obeyed her command, the guards stepped back
in formation around the circle. Ammon crumpled to the floor, lifeless. Tears
streamed down Amy’s cheeks. Whoever had her captive, they were beyond evil. She
noticed Abi’s body quivering, but not a sound escaped her lips. Then she heard
growling from the direction of the circle. Ammon’s body shook, slowly at first,
then violently as if he was having a seizure. His skin blistered as if he was
being burned from inside out. Amy’s eyes widened as black hairs formed in a
coat over his body. She looked away as his head began to distort. She pulled at
her amulets, but there was no escaping her shackles.

When she glanced back, she froze. Ammon had taken on the
form of an enormous dog, with turquoise eyes bulging from their sockets,
straining at the chain and snarling. The guards marched in tandem towards the
dog, the points of their blade penetrating its body. All but one stepped back.
He raised his weapon, and bringing it down, he severed its head from its body. The
guard skewered the head with his blade, holding it aloft, then stepped over to
the stone casket and dropped the head inside. The rest followed him, having cut
up the rest of the dog into pieces. Another guard turned the handle on what
looked like a cement mixer, pouring a boiling thick black liquid into the
casket. Amy vomited at the smell of burning flesh and asphalt. Four guards lifted
the stone lid from the floor and covered the casket.

Abi turned to her. Clearly distraught, Abi had lost all
composure, and kneeling in front of her, she clasped her arms around Amy’s
legs, burying her head between her knees, then she sobbed.

In her peripheral vision, Amy was aware of the chamber door
opening. Guards dragged out the body of one of their own, and someone wearing a
suit ran to the curtain, sweeping it aside, then disappeared behind the drape.
She could make out the suited guy gesticulating. The curtain lifted and a guard
walked toward her. He took hold of Abi.

“Stop sniveling. You’re to take her back to the lower
ground. We have word of an attack. Make sure she is inoculated.”

The amulets snapped open. Amy rubbed at her wrist, then rose
to her feet. Abi took her by the arm, head bowed, and guided Amy through the
door and to the elevator.

Neither spoke on the way down to the lower floor, escorted
by a guard. They stepped out, but the guard remained, pressing the button, the
door closing.

“I’m so sorry,” said Amy. “You helped them escape, didn’t
you?”

Abi didn’t reply, picking up the hem of her dress and wiped
her eyes, then she took a deep breath.

“I can’t talk here. Follow me.”

They made their way out of the chamber and along to where
she had first been held. She shuddered as they passed the door to the cell and
on to another door. The room was stacked with boxes.

“What are all these?”

“These are ready for distribution to our other facilities.
They’re all vials for inoculations.”

“Inoculations for what?”

“Don’t know, but we’ve all had them and we’ve not come to
any harm.”

“So you just expect me to blindly accept a jab.”

“You saw what happened up there. They’ll only fasten you
down and do it if you don’t. Like I said we all had them last week and we’re
fine.”

Amy shivered at visions of the slaughter.

“Oh, okay.”

Amy’s head turned to the sound of banging. She followed Abi
out into the corridor.

“Looks like we have another guest,” said Abi, and opened the
inspection hatch.

“Get me the fuck outta here.”

Amy recognized the voice right away.

SHAW
dismounted at the edge of the woods, tethering his
horse’s reins to a branch. He joined the rest of the militia, then pulled Frank
to one side.

“They understand this is not an exercise?” he said, and
glanced over at the posse.

“They understand. It won’t be the first time they’ve gone
into battle not knowing if they’ll come out of it alive.

“All the same, risking their lives to save Amy will hang
heavy on me if some of them don’t make it.”

“It’s not just for Amy. It’s payback for the preppers
spreading the virus. They’ve all lost someone close to them, that’s their
motivation.”

Cox and Carla looked to be in their element, checking their
weapons and ammunition clips, armed to the teeth. The woodland was thick with
trees and with plenty of foliage, which had given them good cover on their
journey. But now they had a narrow road to cross to get to the hillside where
they’d enter through the ventilation shaft. All Shaw hoped was that all the
eyes of the CONOP contingent were firmly target on the inside of the compound.
It was looking as though Fuller was hoping the same. Across the road, Fuller
was talking to the drivers of three yellow school buses, parked up in plain
sight, but with the cover of overhanging branches. Shaw signaled his posse to
cross
en masse.
Gyp broke ranks and ran across first, disappearing
between two buses and into the undergrowth.

“How did you get here so quickly,’ Shaw asked Fuller.

He pointed to his SUV, parked at the front of the buses.

“How do you know they haven’t spotted you, especially the
buses?”

“They’re not going to be paying any attention to school
buses outside the boundary.”

“Where is Cleo’s crew?”

“Waiting in the undergrowth by the ventilation shaft. As
soon as you get the women and children out, I’ll get them all to a hospital
facility to have them checked out. You and your posse head back to Breakers
Pass.”

“What about Amy?”

“She’ll have to come with me. We’ll have to get her checked
out and debriefed. I’ll contact you when we’re done, then you can visit her and
take her home.”

Shaw frowned. He didn’t like the idea of being separated
once he’d found her. Gyp appeared and tugged at his jeans.

“Okay, we’re going.”

Shaw turned to Frank. “I’ll go ahead and meet up with the
girls at the ventilation shaft. Once we find a way in, I’ll signal and we’ll
all go in.”

“Good luck.”

Gyp must have had the girls scent as he guided him through
the undergrowth. Cox and Carla followed Shaw.

“We’ll watch your back,” said Cox.

Gyp turned to glance at Shaw at some thick bushes, then he
turned back and scrambled on through. Shaw dropped to his knees and followed,
coming to a halt at a pair of legs.

“What kept you,” said Kitten. She was standing next to Cat,
both armed with short barrel assault rifles and pistols tucked into their
waistbands, their belts carrying sheaths for what looked like curved machetes.

Kitten lowered her head, removing a chain over her head,
which held what Shaw thought was a flashlight.

“Is it dark in there?”

“Oh, it’s not to see with. Stand back.”

She walked over to the opening. Rusting iron bars blocked
the entrance. Kitten pointed the flashlight at the bars. There was no light
coming from a bulb, but the metal rods melted where she pointed.

“That should do,” she said, and removed the last of the
bars.

“What the hell is that?”

“Ah, you like my toy. Can’t give up all our secrets can we?”

Shaw’s body jerked, as first one and then another black
panther passed by and into the tunnel.

“I can’t get used to this changing form crap,” said Shaw, as
first Gyp and then Kitten entered, disappearing into the darkness. He crawled
through the bushes and signaled to Cox, Carla, and Frank, then taking his
flashlight from his belt he scrambled back through. The foul air in the tunnel
and the heat was stifling, making it difficult to breathe. They arrived at a
brick wall. None of the girls were there, or Gyp, but he could see Kitten’s handy
work. In the top corner of the wall, it looked as though she’d cut away the
ducting that poked through.

“I can’t get through there,” said Frank.

“I don’t think any of us can. The opening’s too small.

“What the hell are we gonna do. We’re running out of time
and we don’t have a jackhammer.”

His flashlight caught Frank’s face, giving him a devilish
look. He’d seen that look before, and his fingers scratching at his chin
stubble.

“We need some improvisation,” Frank said.