William
The night air was cool on their skin, but the cover of the night air provided Will with some comfort, and more then a few uneasy nerves. It was close to midnight, and gunfire had eased up, but they still heard shots every so often, as well as an explosion here and there.
The first couple blocks had been slow. Both he and Sam had jumped at each shadow. Bodies were everywhere. The alley ways weren’t as bad, and they tried their best to remain in them, but the streets they had to cross, some of them were littered with the dead. When they crossed the street of the protest route, bodies laid on top of each other. Will had realized that the attacks started behind them, and many hadn’t been as lucky to get away at the start.
The streets had been empty for the first five blocks, then they saw people in the darkness. Others who hurried about and kept to the shadows, and cover. They never got close enough to see if they were other attackers or other people fleeing. It made Will wonder how many might have spotted them, and refused to help because of fear.
It had been nine blocks since they saw the last person, a small group of three. They had watched from afar until they were out of sight, and then continued on their way. They had only tried to enter one craft because it’s alarm went off, and forced them to flee back into the darkness.
They hid themselves between piles of rubble and trash, as they checked out the area before they made the push against across the street. He pulled his datapad out of his pocket, and opened up the map once again.
“Five blocks,” he whispered to Sam.
Sam removed her glaze from in front of her, and looked back to Will and nodded. “I haven’t seen anything,” she told him.
Will nodded, and slide his Wallet back into his pocket. He raised his rifle, and looked at Sam. It was her turn to cross first. One at time, the other person covering and looking for signs of anyone.
“Okay,” Sam said more to herself then to Will. “One, two,” she began, and let out a deep breath. “Three,” she said, and ran out between the buildings. She crouched down next a couple parked craft, took a quick peak, and then ran for the gap between the next set of buildings which would led to the next alley.
Will saw movement down the street as Sam rushed between the alley. He raised his rifle and pointed it that way, not knowing who it was. In the darkness he could clearly make out a figure bathed in the lamp light off the street, but it was too far to make out details.
It only took a moment before the figure turned and ran the other way. He looked to Sam, and could make out her body, as she waved him across. He looked back down the street, but saw no sign of the person.
Will took a few breaths, and then pushed himself forward. He followed the same path as Sam, stopping at the crafts parked on his side, checking again for movement. His attention was fixated down the street, but he forced himself to move to the craft on the other side of the street, and stopped in cover again, and peaked out. He let cover a last time, and made it to Sam, as she watched with her rifle ready.
“Anything?” he asked between heavy breathing.
“Nothing,” she said, and fell back, and leaned against the brick building.
“I saw someone,” he told her.
“What? When?” she asked, her eyes wide, staring at him.
Will looked at her, and then down where they had to go, and then back at her before answering. “When you made it across. Too far for me to see, they ran off. I’m sure they saw you, not sure if they saw me.”
“Damnit,” she whispered to herself, and then pushed pass him. “We have to go.”
Will followed her, and they reached the edge of the buildings where the alley opened up. Large enough for crafts to get through, and garbage to be set aside for by the various business. They each peaked around a corner, and scanned the alley for signs of moment, signs of life or death.
Will looked down to their right, as Sam looked down to the left. He couldn’t see anything out of the normal, but waited as they had each time before. A small fire burn from a damaged craft. It was on it’s side, and he could make out a few bodies on the ground near it. He looked up, and could see small fires on the side of one building, large and small holes in both where the craft must have crashed into them, and fallen to the ground.
“This way,” Sam said, breaking Will gaze at the craft. How helpless he felt. He always thought he was a good person, but this night had proved otherwise. All he cared about was himself and those he loved. Strangers, they meant nothing to him now. He couldn’t trust anyone, or risk exposing themselves.
The night pushed on, as they continued to make their way from one part of cover to the next. No one else was seen, a couple more bodies littered the ground, but they were less common. Finally they came into view of the Park N Pay. Will stopped, and scanned the area from the safety of some of the more dense bushes and trees that lined the street.
Sam crouched next to him, as they continued to scan their surroundings. There was nothing moving out there. Other then the slight gust of wind, it was silent of sound. To Will it seemed like nothing was alive.
“Almost there,” Will said, and forced a small reassuring smile on his face as he turned to Sam. He was scared, but tried his best to hide it. He couldn’t stop his mind from fearing the worse though. What if the Park N Pay was in lock down mode, and his craft was trapped. How many more hours and blocks would it take them to get out of town. They hadn’t even left the downtown core.
‘We have to keep going’ he tried to encourage himself. He scanned the area again, and then looked back to Sam. “I’ll go first, see if it’s clear in there.”
Sam nodded to him, before he took a deep breath. ‘So close’ he thought. ‘Please, just a little more.’
Will tried to stay as low as he could, and rushed forward across the street towards the steps of the entrance of the Park N Pay. His eyes continued to dart about as he looked at the shifting shadows. He braced his back against the building next to the stairs, and looked back to where he came from, where Sam waited. He raised a hand to tell her to stay still, before pushing off the wall, and raised his rifle in front of him.
He slowly climbed the steps, his eyes focused on the door, and glass windows of the park N Pay. One of the doors was smashed, and glass shards filled the inside. It looked quiet to him. The sight of blood made him stop. “Shit,’ he thought. ‘What do we do?”
After a moment, he continued to the top of the stairs. To his surprise all the lights were still on unlike most of the town. No doubt it’s own power supply. He couldn’t see anyone, no bodies, no signs of anyone alive. Was the blood someone wounded who had the same idea, or something else.
Will crouched in the corner of the door way, still outside and on top of the stairs before he looked back to Sam. He motioned for her to cross, and waited. His rifle and eyes scanning down the street as Sam made her way to him. Everything seemed clear, but something in his gut didn’t feel right, or maybe it was the fact that they were close.
“I don’t see anything, but there is blood,” he told Sam as she reached him.
Will watched as Sam peaked inside, before looking to him. “Could be more hours ago. We can’t stay out here. We can’t,” she told him.
Will nodded. “Stay close,” he said and stood. He walked through the broken door, trying his best to avoid the shards of glass which covered the red carpet. The sounds of cracking glass still came from under his feet, and he winched with each step. Some of the chairs were overturned, as if people had rushed to leave.
Finally the sounds of glass breaking under their foots faded. More blood dotted the main lobby, spread out in small patches. ‘Someone running.’ He thought. Near the back of the lobby stood a lone Bot surrounded by the remains of the glass barrier that once blocked the landing pad from the landing.
Will slowly walked towards the Bot, his eyes darting about at each dark spot. As they neared the Bot, the door to a bathroom lay open. Will stopped, and gulped. On the ground he could make out a leg keeping the door open. The body lay on the ground, smears of blood visible.
He stepped forward again, his eyes and rifle locked on the bathroom. It was still quiet. He took another step.
“Greetings, and welcome to the Greendown Downtown Park N Pay,” The Bot said, coming to life, and making Wil jump. “How is it that we can help you?” it continued.
He was silent for a moment, and listened for more noise, or movement. He tried to gather himself, and calm his heart down. Finally he looked to the Bot. “William Stout, I need my craft now!” he said.
“Very well, William Stout, please scan your id, and your craft will be brought to the pad,” the Bot told him, held it’s hand outright to him.
Will lowered his rifle to grab his Wallet. He pulled the device from his pocket before trying to unlock it with his clumsy and sweating hand. Once it was unlocked he held it up to the reader on the Bot.
“Thank you sir,” the Bot chimed and moved his hand to gesture towards the pad. “Your craft shall arrive shortly, enjoy your wait.”
Sam stepped beside him, and addressed the Bot. “What is going on?” she asked.
“We are a private parking service, currently helping a customer,” the Bot replied to her, before raising it’s metal palm to her. “Please scan your identification, and we would be happy to help.”
“Gods,” Sam said frustrated. “No, out there,” she continued, and pointed her hand outside. “News, what information to you have that has taken place in the last 12 hours?” she clarified.
“Primary functions are in intact, but Net services are down. Contact with the outside world is not possible at this time. Please rephrase the question, and we would be happy to help.” The Bot looked at her, the metal head unmoving, lights flicking on and off.
“No fucking use,” she barked. “Damnit, what the hell is going on?” Sam muttered to herself.
Will could see the tears roll down her face, as her voice cracked. He walked to her, and embraced her. He could feel her soften in his arms. They stood there in silents for a moment, before the roar of the insides of the Park N Pad came to life. The screech of the once deaf pad cracked as gears and machines came to life to bring the Craft.
“Shit,” Will whispered, and grabbed Sam by the hand, and pulled her off to the side to hide behind a sofa. “That noise is going to bring someone,” he said, his head peaking down the lobby to the broken door.
The noise continued for what seemed like forever, before it finally died down. One minute, two minutes, ten. Will wasn’t sure how long this waited after the noise died down. No one came. It was just as quiet as it had been. He looked behind him as Sam tried to stay small against the wall, her eyes moving as much as his. On the pad sat his skycraft.
“Come on, we made it this far, against all the odds. We just have to stay strong. One last push, I’ll get the craft opened, you cover, and then follow,” He told her.
Sam nodded to him, and wiped tears from her eyes. Will was the first to move. He rushed forward to the craft, stepping over more shattered glass. He nearly slipped on the loose shards, but quickly caught his balance as he stepped onto the pad, the crunch of glass disappearing for a moment, but only a moment.
The crunch of glass this time was distant, and made his body sink. He turned to looked at Sam, but he knew. The sound had come too far away. Standing in the busted entry way stood three figures. His eyes widened as one more to raise their rifles. He tried to lift his, but gunshot filled his ears.
One of the figures dropped to the ground as muzzle fire flashed from Sam’s position. Will pulled the trigger on his rifle, and watched the rounds hit the floor in front of their attackers. More rounds found themselves at their feet as Will continued to raise his rifle.
In an instant Will fell to the hard metal floor of the pad. His head hit something hard as he fell off the pad. He grabbed his shoulder, and felt his hand wet and warm. He tried to move, but his body was restricted. He looked at his shoulder, his hand covering the blood soaked shirt. He tried not to cry out in pain as the sounds of gunfire stopped.
“I got them,” Will heard a voice call out, and his eyes went wide. ‘No’ was all he could think. ‘My gun,’ he thought, and moved his head about to find it, but could see it. He tried to free himself, and managed to get to one knee. There was still no sight of his gun, and he started to Panic. ‘Sam’ he thought. All he wanted to do was call out, but he refused to.
“They got Jimmy,” a softer voice came out, along with the crunch of glass.
‘Where is my gun’ he thought. He was trapped like fish in a barrel he knew. The pain in his hip drew his hand, and let out a small grunt. He was able to get to both feet, and against the wall of the pit he had fallen in. He stayed low, keeping his head lower then the floor.
“Hey,” the first voice called out. “I saw something move. She’s alive.”
Will’s eyes widened. ‘Pistol’ he thought, remembering the old soldiers pistol. He let go of his wounded shoulder, and fumbled to pull the pistol free. His bloodied hand making it harder.
“Kill her then,” Will heard the soft voice call out, followed by gunshots.
Will hurried, and freed his pistol. He stood, and the pistol already raising so he could aim. As his head cleared the floor, Will could see the figure firing. A second one was further back where the glass in the entry way was. He the corner of his eye he could see Sam in the fidel position, moving as the rounds shoot the floor and wall around her. She tried to make her body as small as possible.
The gun came in view over the attacker, unaware. He pulled the trigger, again and again. He pulled the trigger as blood came from the attacker, and the body began to fall. He turned the pistol to the second attacker, further away, and already aiming at him, and fired as he heard rounds hit around him.
He continued to pull the trigger on his pistol as he move it towards the further target. His vision was blurry, but he tried to breath to control himself, and pulled the trigger. The foe yelled out, and fell to the group, as Will continued to fire until it no longer move.
“Will!” he heard, and turned his head to Sam, who sat in her hiding spot staring at him. He was breathing heavily, and felt a sudden rush of pain course through his body. He winched, before pulling himself out of the pit, and back onto his feet. He prepared himself to rush forward, but Sam wrapped her arms around him.
“I’m sorry. The gun, it wouldn’t fire anymore” she said, as he winched in pain again.
“It’s okay,” he said, relieved.
“Come on,” Sam said as she slipped her body next to his and tried help support his weight. “We got to get in the craft before more come,” as said as she helped Will walk. His left arm hung limp, as they made their way to the craft, and Sam hit the console to unlock and lower the craft door.
Will grunted as they made their way into his craft. Sam helped him down into one of the seats before grabbing an old shirt off another. She pushed the shirt into his shoulder, and he yelled out in pain.
“I’m sorry,” she said again. “Here, keep pressure on it,” Sam continued, taking the gun from his right hand, and moving his hand to the gunshot wound.
Sam closed the hatch behind them, before moving to the front of the craft. “I’ll get it going and then be right there,” she told him, and watched as she fired the Craft up, nd bring the computer online.
“Computer. Set route to Lakehall,” she commanded.
“Failure, Net systems down, no flight path can be made,” the voice rang out from the speakers.
“Fuck,” he heard her say. “I’m going to have to fly it.”
“Fuck,” Will replied. The chances of collision with a flight plan, he had seen too many vids, but what choice did they have? “Okay, Okay,” Will muttered. “Stay close to the ground. Don’t risk the speeds.”
“Computer, manual control,” Sam called out, followed by a quick aknowledgement from the computer. The Craft began to rise aas Sam took control. Will looked out a viewport as the Craft slowly began to drift closer to a wall.
“Sam,” Will started but was cut off by the buzz of alarms and flicker of warning lights.
“I know,” Sam responded before the Computer began to howler warnings about contact with objects less then one meter away. 90 centimeters, 80, centimeters, 60 centimeters, 45 centimeters. Will closed his eyes. The counting started to climb, 50 centimeters, 75 centimeters.
Sam let out a howler. “How the fuck do you like that. How the fuck,” she shouted as she guided the craft. At any other time it would have been illegal to do such a thing.
Will watched as Sam guided the Craft, and into the night sky of Greendowns. They still had to get out of town, but they made it.
