Dead Ahead – Chapter Eight
I am not going to die here, Nick thought, slamming a full clip into his submachine gun. Not like this.
The Tank was still a bit far away, but it would be here in seconds. They needed to get away now.
Behind him he could hear Ellis cursing under his breath as the truck started, and then stopped. Francis had cocked his shotgun and was now shooting.
"Screw this," Nick said, taking aim and firing. The sound of the shotgun blasts coupled with the fire of his submachine gun was deafening, but Nick didn't dare stop.
10 seconds….
"What the fuck is taking so long?" Francis growled, turning his head towards Ellis and Jenny.
"He's working on it!" Jenny shouted back. Nick noticed that she sounded panicky; he hoped he wouldn't lose her head and start screaming.
8 seconds….
The Tank lifted a convertible off the ground and threw it at them. Nick and Francis were forced to stop shooting and duck for cover. The Tank used it to its advantage and lumbered forward. The sudden shot of the sniper rifle startled Nick, and he turned to see Jenny aiming straight for the Tank's head and delivering shot after shot.
Some missed; Nick could see the bullet holes that now marked the cars. Others went straight into the Tank's flesh, and small plumes of blood erupted into its skin as the bullets hit it.
6 seconds….
The truck roared to life and Ellis gave a loud whoop. "Into the truck, y'all! I need every one of you here now!"
Francis and Nick quickly pivoted on their heels and dove for the back of the truck. Ellis had already slammed the driver's door closed and was now gunning the engine. Jenny was the last to board – she threw the rifle in first before scrambling onto the back of the truck.
A second later Ellis floored it, and the truck sped away from the approaching Tank. The Tank continued lumbering after them, and the three of them raised their guns and continued firing. The sudden hail of bullets slowed the Tank down considerably, before it finally keeled over and slumped down with a final roar.
"That was too close," Nick murmured, watching as the corpse of the Tank grew smaller and smaller.
"You can say that again," Jenny muttered beside him, releasing her grip on the rifle. She was breathing hard. "I thought this was going to be exciting, but fuck, I didn't expect it to be like that."
"What, you thought this was going to be like a walk in the park?" Nick said. "Well you're dead wrong, sweetheart."
"Ugh, call me sweetheart one more time…"
"Shall I leave you two lovebirds alone?" Francis grunted. "Looks like I'm being a third wheel here."
Nick opened his mouth to reply, but Jenny snorted. "Lovebirds? I don't think so. He's too old for me."
"Old? I'll have you know I'm only 35," Nick retorted.
"And I'm 22. You're 13 years older than me."
"So what's your point?"
"That you. Are. Old."
"Sweetheart, 'old' means in the age range of 50 or 60. Am I 50? No." Nick adjusted his suit and flicked a piece of lint off of it.
Jenny rolled her eyes. "Whatever."
"Hey you two going to stop bickering out there or what?" Ellis called from inside the truck. "Cause one of you can stay in here!"
"Oh Ellis, I didn't know you were lonely," Nick said. "I bet Jenny would love to fluff you up."
"Oh, uh, I don't think she would," Ellis said, and Nick imagined the teenager going bright red.
"Depends on what you mean by 'fluff.'" Jenny was reloading her rifle, her eyes squinting slightly.
Nick snickered. "Someone's interested."
Jenny raised her eyebrow at him and continued reloading.
The stage had been set. The final strain of the Green Flu had been released, but not in the way he had imagined it would have.
They were supposed to prioritize her, and yet they let her escape. Now she was out there, in a country filled with Infected that would kill her and destroy what remaining hope mankind had left. She may have the virus in her system, but that didn't make her immune.
She was just a vessel.
A vessel that could die like any other human.
