IV - Heat of the Moment
The calm morning arrived with a promise of light drizzle at noon. Lori and Hana were outside the fences with their weapons, a pair of handcuffs, duct tape, and a mission to complete.
A lone roamer with summer clothing and ragged hair- a fading blonde color and curly ends- grabbed onto the fence near the prisons and turned around after hearing a couple voices. It released its fingers from the fence and raised it towards the two women.
Hana raised her sword and swung it down, slicing the roamer's arms off. As blood squirted out of the ends of the roamer's cut limbs, Hana drove her katana into the roamer's stomach, causing the tip of the blade to stick out from the other side.
Lori moved behind the roamer and ripped a piece of tape out while wearing a pair of thick gloves. The wriggling of the roamer's cut limb projected an uneasy feeling into her stomach. She tried covering the roamer's mouth with the tape but it moved its head around. She then used one of her hands to shut the roamer's jaw shut and stifle its head movement. The tape was placed onto its mouth, and now the roamer was unable to bite anyone.
Lisa looked into the microscope and found organisms and particles floating around the roamer saliva.
"Should we name it?" asked Lisa. "I want to name it Dahmer."
"No," said Hana. "I found it. I name it. Reiji Okazaki."
"The molecular biologist? That's a remarkable name!"
"That name impedes our progress," said Dr. White as he placed a cotton swab on the roamer's slobbering teeth.. "Just pronouncing it… ugh!"
"Just say Reiji then," commented Lori, taping the roamer's mouth again. "It's not that hard."
Lisa zoomed in with the microscope and found a particular bacteria molecule squirming around. Many small particles that behaved like parasitic viruses swarmed around the bacteria. The particles then became bloated while the bacteria was gone.
"I wonder why I couldn't have observed this sooner!" gasped Lisa. "It's starting to make sense! If this enters into the bloodstream and travels its way to the cerebrum, it could consume the brain tissues just enough to activate the infection that we all already have, which in turn pumps more of these viruses! Hmm, a plausible theory, if I say so myself."
"You know what to do when we have a theory," said Dr. White.
"Test it!" said both Dr. White and Lisa.
"Well, I'll leave you two alone with your experiments. C'mon, Hana. Let's go."
Hana stared at the roamer in its golden eyes. She sighed and reached out for its limbs before snapping back to reality.
"Hana? What are you doing?" asked Lori.
"Observing," she muttered. "Let go."
"Hold on," said Dr. White. "I need to talk to you, Lori."
Lori and Dr. White walked out of the laboratory leaving Lisa alone with the saliva sample and Hana with Reiji the roamer.
"We only have until noon to be able to use the roads and highway," said Dr. White. "Are you sure you don't want Jason, Lisa, and I to go to D.C.?"
"You two won't be able to make it on your own out there even with Jason there to protect you," said Lori. "And I can't send some of our best fighters with you. I'm gonna need all the manpower I can get to defend this town. Look, I trust my brother. He can make excellent plans. We all need to trust him, got it?"
Dr. White nodded.
Hana stroked her hands against the roamer's hair and down its face. She felt her eyes dilate as she found a bite wound on the side of its neck, which had a dragon tattoo. She gasped and placed her arms against her eyes.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "So sorry for cutting arms. You forgive me, Reiji?"
Hana moved her hands down the roamer's torso to its groin. She bit her lips and moved her hands away as soon as she heard the door open.
"We going now?" asked Hana.
"Yeah, we'll let 'em work on the cure," said Lori.
Lori and Hana walked outside the lab and into the runway. Hana found Luan walking by herself in the runway.
"I talk to Luan," said Hana. "You go on."
Lori nodded. Hana walked towards Luan, who walked with her eyes set down on the ground.
"Luan," said Hana, startling the girl. "Something bother you?"
"No- well- yeah, but… geez, you scared me like Lucy."
"Your younger sister?"
"Yeah. I've been thinking about her lately. I'm scared, Hana. I don't want General Black to kill me. That's why I came all the way here. I want to tell Lori about the subway people we were with. We need their numbers or… we need their home."
"We can take them on," said Hana. "We will kill every rogue."
"Well, if I'm being honest, I don't want to fight against them. I'm terrified of them. And I- I can't do it."
"Then we go after them now. We find rogue. We torture him. Look at katana. You press blade against here, here, and here… you cause maximum pain."
Hana then moved her finger away from her torso to her neck.
"Best place to kill them. Their screams not loud when throat is cut. Or if you want to unarm someone-"
"No," groaned Luan. "I don't wanna hear more. That's the problem, Hana. I can't kill anyone! I know Lori could do it. Luna, Lynn, Lucy. But I can't. Not even in the heat of the moment. I'm not… strong enough."
Hana stood in the runway, speechless. She always found killing her enemies easy. She never thought about it. She never thought that there were others who couldn't find the strength to take a life. Or too many lives.
The brisk wind blew against the numerous dog tags hanging from her belt. It surrounded her like a skirt. She then looked at Luan's innocent yellow skirt.
The sky drizzled over the town. Luan gathered her family around the dinner table. She brought out a couple snacks for her siblings to enjoy, when the guests arrived. She opened the door and found Lori, Jason, Bobby, Ronnie Anne, Clyde, and Darcy waiting by the doorstep. They came inside and looked at the candlelit table. The four guests took their seats.
"I gathered you all here because I have something to tell you," said Luan.
Every eyes on the table were set on Luan. She sighed and cleared her throat.
"There are other survivors in Augusta. When Becky, Hana, and I were holed up in that subway station, there was a whole community of survivors. Just like us. The leader, Waylon, had everything under control. Every single one contributed… and they were content with where they lived, even if there were rats crawling around oftentimes. They were well hidden, well protected, well armed. It was home to them. It could be… home to us."
"Luan,' said Lori. "I understand what you're saying, but we can't give up yet. Mom and Dad wanted us to live a normal life. If worst comes to worst… we could move there, but until then, we can't leave our home. This is home to many and once we stop Black and his army… this will literally feel like Royal Woods."
Luan rubbed her arms and nodded.
"Although, now that you mention it. It sounds like there's extra manpower in the subway station. Maybe… we should go to Augusta, talk to Waylon, and have them help us finish this war against Black."
Luan smiled.
"Yeah, that's what we'll do. All we have to do is push through the siege one more time."
-Four Days Later-
"Everyone gets the plan?" asked Lori.
The small group of militia fighters answered affirmatively. Carol found herself wrapped in armor, while carrying a bulletproof car seat for Zoey. She carried a bag that held her precious items and photos. Next to her was Leni, Lily, Lola, and Lana, feeling the tiny raindrops falling from the sky.
They were all ready to head to Augusta when they heard the sound of Humvees from the distance.
"Shit…" muttered Lori. "Girls! Get away from here! Go, go, go!"
Thunder from the sky in the distance grew as the Humvees were spotted from the top of the hill. Carol dropped the baby car seat and held her daughter in her arms. She ran towards the infirmary while Leni picked up Lily and ran back home with Lola and Lana. A bullet struck Carol in the side of her chest, causing her to groan. The vest protected her, but the punch of the bullet felt strong.
Lori aimed her AK-47 at the incoming vehicle and fired it. She was then met with more gunshots, causing seek cover behind her own Humvee. A machine gun turret tore through the fences in the entrance before the Humvee itself headed straight for the entrance gate.
"Move out of the way!" yelled Lori.
The group ran away from the entrance before the Humvee ran through it. The vehicles crashed against the town's Humvee near the entrance, causing Lori to jump to the ground. Some of the soldiers ran behind the vehicle and shot their guns at the fighters. They fell to the ground, though not dead yet as the vests caught their bullets.
Lori rose up and found herself surrounded once again.
"Goddamn, that was easy!" smiled Black. "Doesn't feel good seeing me again, right?"
The soldiers had the entire town surrounded once again. Lori aimed her gun at Black before being smacked in the head by Lt. Lead. She dropped to the ground with her gun. Black walked over to her, stepped on her rifle, and picked it up.
"We got enough equipment to destroy this entire fucking town, so you're gonna listen to me," he hissed.
Lori looked around at the rogues. She saw Moss with a grenade launcher in his hands. She saw Sgt. Brick with a torn shirt that exposed his sleeves– one wrapped with a black armband. She saw Donovan, with an apologetic expression in his face. She knew that he didn't know. Black tricked all of them.
"Men, disarm everyone!" ordered Black.
George, who stood next to Lori, had his pistols removed from him forcefully like the rest of the militia fighters. The rogues in the other areas of Houlton disarmed all the fighters they could find.
"I'm upset," said Black. "You killed my men back in Royal Woods. Then your friend Jason Wilson killed my men back at the high school all by himself somehow. Then, you killed my men here less than a hundred days later. Then, you killed more of my men during the winter when you wanted to come after me. Then, you killed my men in Woodstock, by the woods, by a farm, by a diner, by Green Road. And you know who stood by your side? Dr. Steven White."
"You can punish me however you want. But you let my family go," hissed Lori. "They haven't done anything."
"No, I'm punishing everyone in this goddamn town! Even baby Zoey! In fact, I need you, Sturgess, to look for her!"
"Yes, sir!" he saluted.
"No, don't!" yelled Lori.
"Brick, look for Dr. Steven White! Lieutenant, look for her siblings! Remember, there are ten of them!"
"Don't you dare touch them!" screamed Lori.
"He could do whatever the hell he wants!" Black yelled back. "This is our place! This never belonged to you! Houlton was simply in a state of rebellion."
Lt. Lead and a few rogues knocked down the door to the Loud's. After a few seconds, Leni and Lily, Lana, Lola, Luna, Luan, Lucy, and Lynn came out from the house with a gun pointed at them, and they all walked down the steps.
"We can't find the ninth and tenth," said Lead. "How'd they look like?"
Black looked at all the faces of the Louds from the oldest to youngest. Terrified, frustrated, nervous, furious, shocked, and puzzled.
"We're missing Lincoln Loud, the boy with the white hair, and Lisa Loud, the girl genius with glasses," he said.
Lead turned towards the kids.
"You know, my initials are also L.L."
"Want to tell us where they are?" Black asked Lori.
"I– I don't know where they are," said Lori.
"Bullshit. You know what's going to happen to you all?"
Lori stood up, wiping the blood on her left temple.
"You are all going to the prison. Lori, Leni, Luan, Lucy, and Lola will know which prison I'm talking about. You'll rot in there until we figure out where to send you. And believe me, we'll send you to some unknown part of the world where you'll do fine. You'll probably never find us again. And you'll never spill the blood of my soldiers."
Lori looked at her family as the drizzle poured onto the town.
"You know," said Black, "if you brought David here, we would've saved you the trip to the prison. You only met us halfway… and that's because we found Vonda."
Moss dragged Vonda across the street as she struggled to escape his tough grip. She kicked and screamed until she saw Black.
"What do you want from– shit. It's you. You're–"
"General Quentin Black. Pleased to finally meet you in person."
"You– you killed my father!"
"Yeah. I also had your aunt killed. If it makes you feel any better, some other guy was ordered to kill your mother instead of me."
"No… the police killed my aunt," said Vonda. "They killed my aunt…"
"And who told the police to kill them? It was necessary, Vonda. I couldn't run the risk of information being spilled by your father or anyone he knew."
"So, you're gonna kill me now," she muttered.
"Nah, you're important. Probably more important than Lori here. Knowledge made you that powerful. But we're gonna have to beat that knowledge out of you. You're gonna wish you died on Ann Arbor that day."
George clenched his fists and thought of ways to kill Black. But there weren't any.
"Sgt. Brick arrived by the prisons and found Dr. White talking with Jace. He pointed his gun at Dr. White before looking closely at Jace. Then, Jace looked closely at Brick.
"Hey, Jace Taylor. Didn't I tell you to go to Portland?"
"No National Guard. You told me there was nothing here."
"I like you, Jace. I want you to keep living. So, don't fight back."
"General, you'll never guess who we found!" shouted Sgt. Hoover.
Black turned around and smiled. Hoover kept his sidearm pointed at the back of Buck's head. He stood close to Black before Hoover kicked the back of his legs, forcing him to his knees.
"Buck," said Black. "I always forgot your last name. Care to tell me?"
"Telling me to restock the ammunition in the armory was the last order I ever took from you. I won't start taking 'em again."
"So you're not going to prove your loyalty to me?" asked Black, acting offended.
"My allegiance is with Lori," stated Buck. "Ain't there anyone else in the world who could lead this world better than she could. And she's not even old enough to drink. You, a 51-year-old, can't even break a 19-year-old's spirit. How pathetic. I rather die than serve you and the K.H.A.N. again. So yeah, I ain't gone prove my loyalty to YOU!"
Black smirked and nodded.
"Well… if you say so."
He took out his Desert Eagle and shot Buck in the head. His body stifled and dropped to the ground, falling near Lori.
Sgt. Brick arrived with Dr. White and Jace. The doctor watched the body fall and was masked with anxiety and fear. He face was drenched in sweat that the drizzle couldn't flush out.
"Enjoyed the show?" chuckled Black. "You'll enjoy the next one."
Carol pulled the trigger to her revolver and shot at a rogue inside the infirmary. As the rogue dropped to the floor, she covered one of Zoey's ears and shot the rogue in the face. Then, she ran outside where she found herself surrounded.
"That wasn't smart," said Sturgess. "Looks like you sealed your fate."
Sturgess led Carol to the front of Lori's house where she found the Louds surrounded by the rogues. Carol sniffled and held her baby close to her chest. She fell to her knees next to Lori as she heard Black checking the ammunition in his sidearm.
"Sturgess. Kill the mother."
"I'm so sorry for all the pain I caused you, Lori," sniffled Carol. "I love you, Zoey!"
Lori took out her knife and sliced one of Sturgess's wrists, causing him to lose balance of his gun. He then held the knife against his throat.
"Drop the gun, drop the gun," whispered Lori.
Sturgess dropped the gun as Lori shoved him out of the way. She went behind Black with her knife held back against his throat.
The group and the rogue soldiers were shocked at Lori's sudden surprise attack. The thunder was closer to the town.
"Don't shoot!" yelled Black. "What do you want, Lori?"
"I need your army to leave and never come back. Hell, you didn't even bring your entire army, right?"
"This is my entire army. You're gonna kill me, right?"
"Not if you surrender this place back to me," hissed Lori.
"Okay, that's what you want? I could do that. Moss? Don't touch Lily like that!"
Lori turned around and prepared to stab Moss but couldn't find a rogue near Lily. She was then stabbed in her leg by Black's bowie knife, screaming as blood poured out.
"And now, the baby is going to die!" yelled Black as he pointed his gun at Carol and Zoey. "You shouldn't have trusted your best friend."
He pulled the trigger to his gun and was met with his gun slide pushing back, revealing an empty chamber.
Then, a tremendous explosion filled the air from the distance. Then, another one. And another one. And one after the other.
The vehicles that were positioned in the intersection of the streets were blown up. Lincoln and Sergei watched the town from the barracks, each holding a detonator to the C4s that blew up the vehicles. Next to them was Sam with her scoped AR-15, Chunk with his MB08, and Kotaro with his Remington 700. They fired at the rogues near the vehicles who made it out unharmed.
Black looked around and raised his pistol before realizing again that it was empty. Lori glared at him and lunged towards him, but Sturgess quickly tackled her to the ground. Black and Lead sprinted away, heading for the Humvee.
Suddenly, the vehicles by the fences were blown up by more C4 hidden in the grass. The fire reflected in the pupil of Black's only eye. He ran into the Loud house and locked himself in there with Lead.
Sturgess crossed Lori's arms before she headbutted him in the face. He groaned and pressed his bloody nose as Lori grabbed her knife. She went on top of Sturgess and pushed the knife against his stomach. She then tore it open and left him in the ground to bleed out.
Hana and Benny ran to the prisons with swords in their hands. Behind them was Becky, who held her Glock to cover both of them.
Benny headed near the guard towers and found the rogues by the entrance. He quickly slid under them and sliced their knees before Hana stabbed them in their chests. A rogue revealed himself from the corner of the prison, ready to shoot at them before being shot by Becky.
Jason and Dana ran to the infirmary Jason with his MCX in hand and Dana used Jason's M4A1. They saw rogues running away from the infirmary, Jason aimed and shot them in their legs, stomachs, chest, and arms and Dana shot the one's on the ground that were still breathing in the head. They ran to the prisons as a rogue revealed herself ready to shoot at them before being shot in the head by Dana.
They continued making their way to the prison when a barrage of bullets caused them to take cover behind the corner of a house.
The rogues advanced on them keeping them behind the house. Jason whistled twice as the rogues had them pinned down when suddenly Danie and Buddy ran and bit the arms of two rogues as the rogues screamed dropping their guns felling to the ground, then had their throats thorn out by the dog's. The other rogues armed their weapons at the dogs ready to shoot Danie and Buddy but were shot down by Jason and Dana.
Preston hugged his uncle as the gunshots roared outside his church and lightning streaked across the sky. His flashbacks returned and they were more intense than ever.
Lori picked up her AK-47 and helped Carol to her feet. The Louds ran to the infirmary with their heads low. Lynn stopped before a dead rogue in the ground and picked up his weapon.
Donovan stopped and found Sturgess bleeding out. He was ready to grab his first aid kit when he paused and looked at Sturgess in the face. He didn't deserve his mercy. The medic left him to bleed out.
Dr. White ran to the infirmary with many of the civilians behind him. They were being shot at by Brick, who slowly paced himself back to the fences.
Lisa drove the tank around the runway, causing some of the rogues to enter their vehicles. They drove it away, but not before Ted shot a missile at one of their vehicles.
"Got one!" yelled Ted.
"Load another missile. I'm heading near the entrance."
Captain Moss shot his assault rifle at one of the civilians, killing him, and his wife, killing her. Then, he took out his grenade launcher, along with the rest of his squad members. They aimed it at the town, but did not fire it yet.
"General!" exclaimed Donovan, knocking on the door. "Let's leave! Captain Moss is about to rain hell into this town! General!"
"Heard you loud and clear, Donovan!" said Black as he ran out the house with Lead. "Come here!"
Lori raised her gun and aimed it at Black, but was unable to press the trigger when she found Donovan running with them. She hasn't killed anyone who didn't deserve to be killed and she won't start now.
She aimed the rifle near the entrance and fired it, causing Black, Lead, and Donovan to stop in their steps. They ran to the backyard of the house, away from the firefight.
Lori and Lynn headed for the backyard before being shot at by the rogues near the entrance. They remained hidden behind the backyard of Lori's house.
"Bombs away!" yelled Moss. "The houses in these neighborhoods first!"
Moss and the rogues fired their grenade launchers at the neighborhood that the Loud house and Lori's house were a part of. The homes blew into a ball of fire and sent pieces of bricks and wood everywhere as shrapnel.
George helped Vonda up and ran to the infirmary with her. He grabbed a pistol and shot at the rogues that attempted to flee the town. Vonda picked up a pistol and tried her best to shoot the rogues. However, her aim was very off and the only places she could hit were the body parts protected by the armored vests.
More homes were set on fire as Moss and his rogues swaggered across the streets. George aimed his pistol at Moss before being shot by Brick and Hoover.
"No!" screamed Vonda. "Get up!"
Kathy, Mr. Coleman, and the other militia fighters shot at both rogues, causing them to run to a vehicle. Hoover quickly entered it and turned it around. Brick hopped into the back of the vehicle and shot his SMG at the militia as the Humvee made it out the town.
"Oh no!" yelled Rusty. "Dad, c'mon, hurry! You too, Clyde!"
Bobby and Ronnie Anne ran with Tabby, Liam, Zach, Rusty, his father, and Clyde to the infirmary. Ahead of them, a grenade landed on a house and blew the roof off. The fire spread to the neighboring homes, burning clothes and prized possessions.
"The infirmary is just up ahead!" exclaimed Bobby. "Look, there's people there!"
Moss and his rogues headed towards the street where the infirmary was. Moss was prepared to shoot his grenade launcher at the infirmary before finding a tank protecting it.
"Wait, stop!" yelled Moss. "We have to go now! The tank is coming for us! We need to leave now!"
He and his rogues marched away from the infirmary and out of the town, finding a vehicle that hasn't been damaged by the C4s.
Lincoln, Sergei, Sam, Chunk, and Kotaro looked at the damage done to the town and found the entire town burning. Thunder boomed across the dark skies. The drizzle turned into rain. Almost all the rogues were outside of Houlton except General Black and Lieutenant Lead.
Both rogues tried to sneak away from the burned house before a bullet smacked the ground ahead of them. They looked at the barracks before finding themselves held at gunpoint by Lori and Lynn.
Lori and Lynn looked at each other, unable to stop a grin from forming in their faces. Black seethed as Lori ordered him to follow her.
"Not in this house," said Lori. "In my house."
Black and Lead walked inside the burned house. The smoke lingered in the room. All of them looked at the picture on the wall. It was burnt, nothing but a pile of ash.
"Sit down," said Lori.
Both Lori and Black sat down on the table. Lynn held Lead and Black at gunpoint. Lori tapped on the dark table.
"I'll give you one more chance," said Black. "If you still want to leave with your group alive, then all you gotta do is give up David and–"
"No," said Lori. "I'm giving you one last chance. Either you leave and never come back with your army…"
"Or…" gulped Black.
"My group and I will finish off the rest of your army. Then, I'll kill you."
"You might have the numbers now, but we have the firepower and the training," said Black. "I want you all alive and I took it in great consideration to make sure my soldiers don't kill your people. Let's see how far you take that for granted."
Black stood up.
"You know about the K.H.A.N." he said. "That's why you still haven't killed me. Same reason I haven't killed you yet."
Black and Lead both walked out of the house. Lori and Lynn watched both rogues leave the town as the rain returned to a light drizzle. Lori grabbed her Python and lifted her head up to let the drizzle fall to her face.
She arrived at the infirmary. Everyone waited for her to make a statement. And she did.
"We're making a last stand," she said.
She walked over to Becky, Luan, and Hana.
"In Augusta, do you remember where the subways are?"
Becky nodded.
"Take me there. I need to have a talk."
The smoke lingered around. A roamer walked over the white lilacs. And near the lilacs was a pink flower that sprouted from the grave. The roamer avoided the flower unwillingly and decided to stay near a grave instead. Instead, a white bunny ran towards the flower and nibbled on it before hopping away upon hearing the croaking of a toad. Silence followed. But it was a peaceful silence after a tragic moment. The tragic moment that everyone yet no one saw coming.