The Forgotten Kings (The Scourge Book 4) Page 2

  “This is not the tablet?” said Rynon. “Where are the tablets? They were to be placed inside the tomb where we slept!”

  Adrian looked at Copeland then stepped back, leaving the answer to the man who was in charge of the excavation of the Kings tomb and was no longer in possession of some of what was found there.

  “They were taken…”

  Anger once again returned to Rynon’s face, and in one swift movement, he reached up and enclosed his fist around Copeland’s leathery throat. Copeland flailed but was unable to remove the smaller being’s grip.

  Adrian kept walking backward until he bumped into one of the sofas in the room.

  Rynon swung his head around and let go of Copeland who collapsed to the ground, holding his throat and trying to force breath back into his lungs. “I know where they are… one of them was used just today…” The words scraped from his throat.

  The blonde king looked at Copeland. “We need all three tablets. You will retrieve them.”

  “Yes, yes… of course, Tyror, you will have all of them soon.”

  Rynon turned and walked back to where the glass window once stood and then over the threshold and onto the large balcony. The two other kings joined him.

  “If the tablets woke us, then this must be the time for us to rise again,” said the third king.

  Rynon nodded.

  *****

  A machine beeped. One of many producing the same noises in the medical ward, which still bore the damage from the intrusion of rabid vamps.

  Joel stood away from Marina’s bed near the main entrance. Jess, Jasper, and Mary sat closer. He wanted to comfort the kids, but felt to do so would be inappropriate, so instead he leaned on the doorframe and watched Anna run from bed to bed, patching and sewing the broken and sliced bodies. The ward now contained twice its usual complement of patients, and these were just the ones Anna thought she had a chance of saving.

  One of the double doors swung open and Holland appeared. Two of his men stood guard outside.

  “How is she?”

  Holland’s concern sounded genuine. Joel couldn’t stop that idea making him angry, but his own guilt was heavier. “Still alive.”

  Holland noticed the distance between Joel and Marina’s bed. “Yeah, she’s a strong one. Let's go outside and talk.”

  Joel nodded and they moved into the corridor. Echoes of voices and footsteps came from the ends of the narrow space, but apart from the two guards, it was empty.

  “So, how you do it?” said Holland.

  Lies went to spill from Joel’s mouth but he was too tired to produce them. “The tablet… it did something. Created a wave of energy that took out all the vamps.”

  Holland looked confused. “But not you?”

  Joel hadn’t had time to realize that the burst of death which swept the prison complex and the fields beyond only affected the basic vamps, and nothing else. “Err… no, I’m… the hybrids are fine.”

  “So this tablet… we can use it again?”

  Joel shook his head. “It was a one-time deal. It’s dead. No power left.”

  “We can’t recharge it?”

  “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask Max and the others… where were you when all of this went down?”

  Holland tried to hide his awkwardness at the question. He turned and looked through the small windows in the doors. “Doing my bit.” He turned back to Joel. “So what’s the damage? How many of you and us are left?”

  Joel knew that ‘us’ meant humans. “Maybe a hundred humans are alive. Some of them won’t make it through the night due to their injuries.”

  Holland’s face froze in thought. Joel knew what the thought was.

  “They’re all infected!” he said louder than Joel would have wished.

  “Yeah…”

  One of the guards shifted his weight from one foot to another.

  Holland leaned in closer to Joel. “We got to take them out!” he said, lowering his voice.

  Joel wanted to grab the larger man and lift him off the floor, probably after he did his own ‘taking out’ of his two guards. He wanted to explain to the former crime boss that the people who were in pain scattered around the corridors and cell blocks had fought to keep humanity alive, to keep him alive, that their lives mattered and they all should be given more time.

  But instead, he just stood, not wanting to agree, but nodding regardless. They may have defeated Copeland’s army, but that devil still won. He sighed. “People are not stupid, they will know what they will become. But if we force the situation, things might get out of hand.”

  One of the double doors opened, and Anna appeared in the gap. She ignored Holland and just looked at Joel. “I need you.”

  Joel walked inside with Anna and continued after her into the narrow corridor to the surgery room, and then the final room itself. Stars sparkled in the sky above their heads where a skylight used to be. The room itself was a mass of tangled metal implements and glass.

  Anna looked around shaking her head. “We need to get this room up and running.”

  Joel went to walk away. “I’ll see if I can find some brooms and bags to clear—”

  “No, that’s not what I… I mean, yes thanks, do that, but that’s not why I needed to talk to you.”

  “Okay…”

  Anna stepped closer to him. “You can save these people!”

  Joel blinked in horror, then turned away. “No…”

  “Why not! Your blood can save nearly a hundred people, Joel!”

  He shook his head, then looked back at her. “You really think creating that many hybrids is a good idea? You know how you felt when you first changed. The only reason you didn’t kill anyone was because Marina was there… and… should we really be bringing more of…”

  “Things like us into the world? Yeah, why not? Everyone’s going to get infected sooner or later. At least this way, they have some chance of surviving in this new world.”

  Joel’s head shaking stopped. “Holland wants to kill them all. Before they change.”

  Anna stepped in even closer. “You have to stop him. Convince him that hybrids could be useful. Copeland’s not done with us, done with any of this. He must have seen what happened to his little army. He’s going to want that tablet… and he’s going to keep on bringing death to whoever is left alive.”

  Joel sighed. “How about your blood? Or the other hybrids, will that work to save people?”

  “I’ve already tried it, the patient still died… maybe if their wounds were less… I don’t know. It would seem whatever is different about your blood, is more potent than what’s in our bodies.”

  Another problem struck Joel. “What do we feed them once they turn? We fed on animal blood after. That helped our craving for the human kind…”

  She briefly hung her head in thought. “I don’t know. Maybe they can donate their own before they change. Maybe that will help… I don’t know!” She threw her hand to her face to stop tears from flowing.

  Joel sat on what was left of the operating table. “Okay, quickly take some blood now, then I need to catch up with Holland before his people start killing.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Amos stood in the lookout room of Tower A, the tower which was closest to the town. Streaks of orange, mauve, and pink jutted into the light blues of the sky. Columns of smoke rose from various points between the streets a few miles to the west.

  “Hey, why you up here?” said Kizzy, walking up the final metal steps. Heavier clangs on the steel staircase heralded Dalton's presence further back.

  Amos knew her question before she asked, and had his answer prepared. “Needed to be… away.”

  Kizzy looked around at the spent rifle cartridges, then moved closer to the window. “Sheesh…”

  “Yeah, the fields are going to be well fertilized for a good few months… that’s if vamp guts are good for growing stuff in…”

  Kizzy giggled.

  They both looked at the black stain
which covered the once beige and green grass and reeds.

  In one swift move, he turned and kissed her. After her initial shock, she relaxed in his grip. He then pulled back.

  He looked away. “Shit, sorry I—”

  Her hand stretched to double its length and pulled him back to her. They kissed again.

  A sound resembling a dismissive grumble came from the top of the stairs.

  They both looked up at Dalton. Kizzy laughed, walked to the big guy and gently punched him on the shoulder. He looked down at her frowning. She then threw her arms around him, taking him by surprise, then pulled back with a serious look on her face. “I’m glad you’re okay. You kicked those vamps ass!”

  A smile slowly broke across his face. “So did you, little lady.”

  “You know she can grow taller than you, right?” said Amos. A ripple of laughter passed between them before memories and fatigue crept back into their minds.

  Dalton walked a few steps into the small space, joining the other two looking out over the town and fields. “That must have been a lot of vamps.”

  “I wonder why the tablet bomb didn’t affect us? You know, the good vamps,” said Kizzy.

  Amos already knew that the question had been rattling around the brain of the scientists. They didn’t have an answer too.

  The sound of an engine made all of them tip forward and look almost directly down to the remains of fencing and gates that sat out front of the prison walls. Two pickup trucks were weaving between the tangled metal wreckage.

  Amos turned and quickly started down the stairs.

  “Where you going?” shouted Kizzy.

  “They’re going into town!”

  Kizzy looked at Dalton. He nodded, then she took off after Amos.

  Amos pushed his arms and legs as much as he could in an effort to catch up with the vehicles. Luckily, they were finding it hard work escaping the parts of fencing that lay scattered around the walls.

  Kizzy quickly caught up with him, and they both arrived at the back of the rearmost pickup, being illuminated by its lights, at the same time. Two soldiers looked back at them, squinting in the gloom.

  “Stay back! We’re going to check out the town!” shouted one of them.

  They ignored the order and grabbed hold of the rear gate of the pickup in a moment when it had almost slowed to a complete stop.

  They both climbed over and sat with a thump on the bed.

  “The LT’s not going to be pleased about bringing two kids along,” said one of the soldiers. The other just frowned.

  In the vehicle ahead, Carla sat in the passenger's seat while Bishop drove. She would have preferred to do the driving herself but she was beyond exhausted. Sleep was a dangerous thought and kept tempting her to close her eyes, but instead, she forced herself to remember that it was a miracle any of them were still alive, and she needed to know if any of the things remained within the town. If she found it was clear of vamps she thought she might well use one of the empty homes to sleep in. At least for a few hours once the sun was properly above the horizon.

  The pickup plowed through the black muck which covered every inch of the road, grass banks, and even the small trees and bushes that bordered everything. As they neared the town it was no different. Black pieces of farming equipment laid strewn across the road, and vehicles sat upside down or on their sides, equally painted with charcoal.

  Farm buildings and warehouses that were formerly white were now covered in ebony patches making them look like they had been hastily camouflaged.

  “There must have been thousands… tens of thousands,” said Bishop, making sure to keep a constant speed. The last thing she wanted is to have to dig the wheels out of what was left of the vampires.

  Carla remained silent, preferring to mull over the obvious. That they never had a chance against Copeland’s hordes. But something else had other plans for them. She wondered if fate would help them again.

  They passed through where the electric fence used to stand proud and the road widened to four lanes. Street lights and other vertical structures were now bent, twisted, and otherwise laid flat out on the ground. Carla had seen what a few thousand vamps had done to the small town east of Salt Lake, how they ate through the smaller, flimsier buildings, carving the structures out from the inside. But even that had not prepared her for the apocalyptic scene that they were now driving through.

  Homes which used to be two or more floors were now piles of darkened rubble. Even the lawns and other vegetation that was once outside the residences was gone, having been stripped away or trampled so completely as to become part of the dirt.

  There were no trees either. These had been pulverized into the wind like everything else and only the strongest of trunks remained, whittled down to just a few feet of splinters pointing into the smoke-filled morning sky.

  Taller shapes a mile off gave her some hope of something having survived the onslaught.

  “Over there, towards the center of town. Looks like some buildings are still standing,” she said to her younger driver.

  They arrived at a junction. A flock of birds covered what Carla was convinced used to be a gas station. They all took flight as one mass. To the small convoy’s right, a two-story office building sat innocently, completely devoid of any windows or doors. Inside the shadows of its internals, empty shells of rooms looked back at Carla, the soldiers, and the two younger occupants.

  She looked back to the road ahead, giving up hope of finding a place to sleep. “We need to check out the internment camp at the far east. I doubt there’s anything left standing, but I want to see what’s out there.”

  Amos and Kizzy looked out at the wasteland, a chill running through both of them. Amos moved across to the other side of the pickup’s bed and put his arm around her. His mind read her reaction, which was to push him away. A kaleidoscope of images played through her mind, each one relating to things that had happened to her before the previous night's events. He tried to push her memories out of his brain, but they kept on coming regardless. It was the first time he had felt ashamed for his own gifts. He went to move his arm away, but she grabbed it.

  “It’s okay. I’m cold.”

  *****

  Holland paced up and down in the corridor which branched off to cell blocks A and B.

  “And what if they tear the doors off those cells? And come at us? We haven’t got much in the way of ammo left!” he said to Joel and Anna.

  Seventy-nine people were now residing on uncomfortable beds inside the cells of both blocks. These were the humans that stood a chance of surviving the night. A further thirty-two were left in the medical ward, some saying good bye to their loved ones, while others were already unconscious. Next to their beds of those that agreed, were plastic containers, slowly siphoning off their blood. In case they changed before they passed, they had been secured to their beds as best as possible and four armed individuals stood guard.

  “And if they don’t, if they survive the change, then we have an army of almost eighty hybrids,” said Anna.

  Holland scrunched his face. “How’s that even going to be any good against a million vamps?” He looked between the doctor and Joel for an answer.

  “I’ve been thinking about what we should do next…” The words limped from Joel’s mouth. He needed to sleep like the other hybrids, and despite being deep inside the prison he could feel the sun in the sky outside. “If this works. Then we should split up. Into maybe three groups. Each head in a different direction looking for survivors. If we find them, we protect them from the corporation's forces.”

  Holland’s expression became even more manic. “Are you—”

  A scream rang out from one of the cells in block A.

  “Someone’s changing,” said Anna. “I’ll go check.” She disappeared through the door to the block.

  “This place is the only protection we got! I say we rebuild the walls, fence ourselves in. Turn this place into a fortress. We can raid nearby towns for s
upplies if we need it.”

  Joel’s tired eyes looked directly at the older man. He had given his blood in short bursts, allowing him to recover, but he still felt literally drained. “They know where we are. Do you think they won’t send another legion at us here? Copeland wants the tablet. He will stop at nothing to get it…” Jasper jumped into his mind, but he continued. “So far he’s just attacked with his easiest option, the vamps. Next time it might be tanks, missiles even. I’m sure he’s got access to that kind of firepower by now. The only way we survive is to break into small units. With the hybrids, we might survive this.”

  “And then what?”

  “Short term, find other humans and create more units. Long term, we find a way to cut the head off the snake… If you want to stay here, no one's going to stop you.”

  Holland went to balk at the idea of anyone being able to stop him from doing anything when more yells and screams broke out from both blocks, and cell doors started to rattle on their hinges.

  Anna appeared in the doorway. “We need to start feeding them blood. Come quick!”

  Joel ran into the large cavernous space that was cell block A. Despite his fatigue, the cries and screams from beyond the solid metal doors penetrated beyond his audible senses and, for a moment, he stood frozen as he tried to reclaim his own mind.

  “Joel!” Anna shook his arm.

  He shook his head. “Yeah, I’m here. Sorry I can hear them.”

  “The whole prison can hear them! Help me feed the blood to—”

  One of the doors with a numbered ‘A5’ printed on its paint chipped exterior rattled as something slammed into it on the opposite side.

  Anna ran to the first of multiple columns of plastic containers, each containing the blood of the occupant in the cell behind it.

  Another door shook within its frame. Then another, and another. A series of booms, like a group of bass drummers had taken up residence in the large hall.

  Anna slid back the first of the small openings in the door next to her, immediately something growled and clawed fingers pushed through the gap trying to get to her. She shoved the small bottle of blood into the hole and slid the door back, the cell went quiet, but it was hard to tell within the chaos of noise which was now increasing all around them.