To Be A Champion

Chapter 2: Aftershock

The wind whistles and whips my hair all around. Rain pelts my skin; my fingers have gone numb from the cold. Shock and pain and the increasing need to run, run, run send emotions swirling through my head.

It's like everything's a blur, hidden behind a veil that makes all my thoughts foggy and distant, just out of my reach.

The gunshots pull me back.

"The shooters are on the cliffs," Janine says, her blue eyes hard. "Shelter here at the base of the rocks and they won't have line of sight."

I listen because I can't think of any other plan. I can't think of any other way to go because my thoughts are so jumbled. We've only been here an hour, maybe less. An hour and one of our own is-

"Janine, Ellie's dead," Sam says, still shaking, his eyes wide with shock. Janine glances over at him.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"There was no way to help her, Sam," Paula says. Her voice wobbles with grief.

"I should not have let civilians out of the caves. I should have known Jones would have allies here." Janine's face scrunches up in guilt, but Jody shakes her head.

"You're ill. It wasn't your fault. It was mine." She rakes her hands through her soaked blonde hair. "Oh, God, Ellie. She was so excited to see the Edda."

Ellie was familiar with danger, of course. She worked undercover with Sigrid for a while, helping the Laundry while they were active. But she knew the dangers of that mission, the risk of getting caught.

She didn't know the risk of people shooting at us when we reached the caves! And she hadn't seen action in so long. All of her work these last multiple months have been with Sage in Banktown, doing research, helping with education systems and helping in remembering literature and cultures that were slipping through the hands of history and time, slowly being forgotten. That was her job before! She agreed to this, but we were supposed to protect her!

"Janie," Tom says cautiously. "Sitrep?"

She nods. "Yes. It is incumbent on us to stay alive now."

"It's dark and rainy. Visibility's poor. From the pattern of firing, there are four shooters with handguns and ammo well-shielded on the hilltop."

"Don't forget the rifle," Nicole adds. "They had at least one, because that's what killed Maxted. Had to have been since they were out of eyesight. They're using handguns now as they get closer, but they'll switch if we start gaining ground."

"Do any of you want to leave now?" Janine asks. "You're in harm's way. This matter only concerns me."

I frown. "But it doesn't, Janine. Your illness concerns you, but we need you alive since you're the head of the township! And-and we need that missing bit of the Edda to find out about the zombies on the mainland. We know that he took it with him when he came here. If we want to stop the V-Types back home, we have to stop Jones, no matter the costs."

I gasp when I hear more gunshots. Janine stares at me for a second, blinking, but then she nods.

"Very well. We'll head up to the gully to the west. That will shield us and take us toward Jones' boat. He may not know it's us who have followed him. Tom, contact the Undaunted. We need to leave as soon as we find Jones."

"Will do," Tom replies, grabbing his radio from his pack.

I hear growls nearby. Sam grits his teeth and curses.

"Of course there are still zombies. Of course there are."

"Run for the gully. Go!"

I stand and run, taking point. They'll try to shoot for the first person if they're trying to stop us from reaching Jones. It's better me than anyone else. If I fall, Nicole is my backup. Even with her bad hand, she's still a skilled runner. Plus, I don't want to have to watch anyone else die tonight.