The Nameless Survivor (Valkyrie) (35 page)

             
The others continued to stuff their faces, all but Pinetti, who sat quietly and played with his food. He showed no interest in eating, nor joining our confronting banter. He was lost somewhere within his own gloom, neither content with his position, nor willing to stir the pot. He could potentially be our savior if the situation turns south, which I presume it will before long. I just hope his loyalty is frayed enough to overcome the fear of his own brothers.

             
“So, if it's not too intrusive, how have you fared so well over the years?” Masters asked, smashing a hammer down onto a lobster tail, shattering the shell and unfortunately mutilating the meat. Which, did not deter him from eating it.

             
“Not intrusive at all.” I responded, as I snatched up the tail from my plate and gently compressed it between the palms of my hands. With a loud crack the shell split open down the center, and gracefully I pried out the large and pristine hunk of meat. “I took refuge away from both the dead and the living.” I said before sinking my teeth into the heavenly sustenance.

             
Masters chuckled, but not because of my answer, but how I purposely trumped his lobster eating skills. It is a skill I was quite proud of back in the day, you just need to know every chink in their armored shell. As petty as it appeared, I feel the need to continuously flex my muscles for them, so that they may understand that I am not someone to be trifled with.

             
“It's difficult to stay away from the dead for so long, they always find you.” Sawyer mumbled.

             
“In the beginning it was easy.” I continued. “However, now the infected are widespread, migrating continuously. The living on the other hand are sparse, and are still infected with their own corruption.”

             
“You have a tendency to be obnoxiously vague.” Masters commented.

             
“The past no longer matters, nor do the details.”

             
“Ah, but the details are what makes history.”

             
“History is written by the victor, and the infected can't write.”

             
“No they can't, but you have to admit, they have left their signature.” Masters concluded.

             
I turned my attention back to the seafood, twisting and cracking at the knuckles and claws, eagerly fumbling to remove more of the sweet and salty goodness. I sheepishly pecked around at the other foods, but they disgustingly tasted their age. The canned vegetables were completely mush and left a tinny aftertaste in the back of my mouth. But I did take immediate interest in the warm biscuits, being sure to cover their dryness by smearing them with tamale before popping the crusty goodness into my mouth.

             
“So tell me about this GFS you mentioned before.” Masters requested, and Heather immediately spoke up.

             
“It's an organization of survivors, working to bring people back out of hiding.”

             
“How do they claim they can protect you?” Masters asked.

             
“They've constructed dead-proof forts, survivor colonies.” she explained.

             
“Nothing is dead-proof, not completely anyway.”

             
“It's worth a shot, though. It can't be any worse than out there.” Heather exclaimed.

             
“Well, Rockland is not far from here, but I doubt you will find anything there.” Master's took a swig of his tea. “Your more than welcome here, we have plenty of room.”

             
I continued to listen to their conversation intently, but my eyes remained locked on Sawyers. He too was listening, but continued to lash out at me with his menacing glare. The man was clearly ill, shell-shocked some may say, personally I saw him as a fucking nut. He obviously was carrying some unspoken animosity, something unresolved from his past, and lashing out at me is his only way of dealing with it.

             
Having my fill I began to pile up the scraps from my plate and onto Mia's. Immediately she lowered the plate onto the floor and let out a sweet and airy whistle. Nova immediately darted in from the other room and made way for her own feast of left-overs. On the other hand, Little Marky never ate a thing, rather just laid his head quietly upon his mother’s lap for the duration of the meal.

             
“Private Pinetti!” Masters roared, and his subordinate stood from his chair. “See to it these kind people have suitable sleeping quarters, and secure their weapons as well.”

             
“Aye, Lieutenant.” Pinetti answered.

             
Immediately I stood from my chair as the soldier scurried out of the room. Masters saw the defiance in my eyes and met my stance, waiting for my objections. Heather grabbed hold of my arm, attempting to ease my temper and pull me back into my seat. But, I was determined, the last straw was lost, and our hosts had just begun their deceitful ploy.

             
“Our weapons are secure with us!” I protested.

             
“Relax.” Master gently said. “You will get them back when or if you decide to leave. Military Regulations, you do understand?” His facade was getting old.

             
“Then we leave now.” I said, pulling Mia up from her chair.

             
“No.” Heather stammered. “It's okay, they are trained professionals, so we won't need our weapons.”

             
“See,” Masters added, “Heather understands, we are trained to protect, its safe here.”

             
“Marines are trained to kill, that is it.”

             
“I assure you it is safe, what can I do to gain your trust?”

             
“Safe?” I paused, “You lost ten men, and you claim it's safe?” My questioning angered him, but I swore to myself I would not back down from this. “We are leaving now.” Master's hand crashed down hard upon his plate, shattering it and sending food flying about the table.

             
“MY MEN DIED DEFENDING ME! SO THAT WE COULD CONTINUE THIS MISSION!” He screamed, but then his emotions cooled. “So that we can give this land back to people such as yourself.”

             
“From the looks of your inventory, it appears you take more than you give back.” I scolded.

             
“Stop this!” Heather cried out.

             
“Your friend is right, there is no need for this hostility.” Masters gracefully wipe his hands off with a rag. “All I ask is that you stay the night. It's cold and dark. You can leave first thing in the morning, we will even provide an escort if you like.”

             
Masters continued to urge us to stay, promising that confiscating our weapons was only a temporary military sanction, and not a state of pillage. Heather bought into it immediately, and with some convincing, persuaded me to stay. More for her sake than mine, I could never leave her behind. Both she and Marky have become one of us, our own tiny colony.

             
So, I shall keep my eyes on Masters at all times, Sawyer as well. There is still something about his stature, something that says he is constantly working behind the scenes. I can only watch, and quietly plot a way out of any scenario, unfortunately it appears my options are lim....

supplemental;

              The noxious taste of chemicals permeated my mouth, and an irritating burn blazed within my nostrils. I opened my eyes to find myself dangling by my hands from the rafters of what I presumed was the basement. A large open space, barren concrete floors, aside from the brown stains of old blood. To the far side was another room, closed off by a heavily chain door. Yet, a faint shuffling was all too obvious to what was hidden beyond those chains

             
Masters, Lachance, Esgrow, and Sawyer all stood before me, talking mischievously amongst themselves. My head still in a fog, I could not make out their words. Pinetti was nowhere to be seen, for all I knew he was standing just behind me as I hung nude before the others. My legs were securely chained to the floor, and to my side a table adorn with an assortment of tools. Everything from a Hammer and a pair of pliers, to a propane-torch and wire-cutters. As the fog began to lift, I was able to make out the Lieutenants words.

             
“Wakey Wakey, cheese dick!” His voice echoed in my head. “How do you like our center pieces?” He said as they all chuckled.

             
Behind them, which I failed to see before, were two stacks of pallets.  Tightly bound to them with thick rope was Mia and Heather, clad in nothing more than their own undergarments. Both gagged and positioned towards me, and audience for my impending torture and conditional death. Little Marky was the only one who was not constrained, but could only huddle in corner and whimper in fear.

             
“String him up, castrate him, and then kill him.” Masters voice echoed within the barren basement. “That was your suggestion, wasn't it?” I didn't respond. “Well, you’re already strung up, and I can guarantee your castration. However, your death may not come as quick as you requested.”

             
“Sir, I respectfully request the pregger-bitch be solely mine, sir.” Sawyer called out and Masters chuckled.

             
“And what will you do with her, soldier?” He asked.

             
“She will be my consort, sir. Spoils of war.” Sawyer answered.

             
“And the child she bares?”

             
“A future breeder for me, or a future soldier for you.”

             
“Esgrow, Lachance, are you in favor of sharing the other whore?”

             
“YES SIR!” They both exclaimed as Masters approached me.

             
“You see, we already have the means to build a great army. Starting with that sniveling little boy over there.” He paused a moment as he leaned his face into mine. “Unfortunately, your defiance is not required. I assure you, we will be gentle to your little bitches. As gentle as pussy-deficient grunts can be.”

             
Masters roared with laughter as he moved off to the table and picked up the wire cutters and torch before resuming his position in front of me. I screamed, and cursed, fighting my binds. Crazed within my own constraints. However my fighting was all but useless. Masters handed the torch to Sawyer, then grabbed hard and firm onto my penis, as he yanked it straight out while resting his wire-cutters at the base.

             
“Please, Please don't do this!” I cried in humility. “We will leave this place, you will never see us again!”

             
“We?” He asked. “Why would I let our precious provisions go free? You’re the only expendable item here.” Drawing back my pleas, I looked deep and convincingly into his eyes.

             
“What would your commanding officer say?” I asked as a last ditch effort of persuasion.

             
“OOHRA!” He responded with a cold and detestable arrogance.             

             
“NO ONE MOVE!” Called out the generally quiet Pinetti as he stumbled down the stairwell with rifle in hand.

             
“LOWER THAT WEAPON, SOLDIER!” Masters called out, letting go of his grip on me.

             
“NO SIR! I CAN NOT ALLOW THIS, SIR!”

             
“Pinetti that was an order. You will obey or you will face court-marshal.”

             
The soldier chuckled lightly, then steadied his rifle against his shoulder, taking a perfect aim at his commander’s head.

             
“Court Martial? By you?” Pinetti responded.

             
“By a military tribunal, you could be shot for this, soldier?”

             
“And what about you, sir. What punishment will you receive?”

             
“I am not the one threatening a commanding officer, now put that fire-arm down.”

             
“No sir, I cannot stand by any longer.” He paused. “Illegal despoliation, rape... MURDER!  No, this end's today.”

             
“When this is all over, when our forces regain control of this country, you will regret your insubordination.”

             
“Our forces? This country? This country is dead, everyone is dead. We have no forces!” He paused for a moment, stepping closer to his fellow grunts. Rage and hate burned behind his eyes. “These people are desperately trying to survive, and you prey on them. Like many before, there only crime is believing there is hope in this GFS, which you deny exists.” A smirk crossed his face. “No, these people will be given the chance, even if I have to kill you.”