Down: The Fall

Chapter Twenty Five: The Couriers

Five Monthes After Event:
  The truck rumbled along the old back road jostling everyone as it went. Duke comfortably slept sprawled out in the bed of the truck while everyone else sat alertly watching the sides of the road and the hills further on.

  Most knew from experience that an attack could come from anywhere anytime. So they watched vigilantly as the traveled further from the farm.

  " 11:00, I see movement!" One of the security troops called out. Everyone came alive turning or standing to see as the truck rumbled down the road. All the security troops took up defensive positions on the left side of the truck bed. They shouldered their rifels and began lining up their sights. Dutchess unslung the gun that used to be Grants and stood at ready.

  A surprised look crossed Grants face at the sight of the gun. He'd thought it was lost in the battle with the Catseyes, and hadn't noticed Dutchess carrying it when she boarded.

  Just as Grant was about to say something, as if reading his mind, Frank called out"hey Grant I forgot, Jenson said to give you this." He tossed Grant a long cloth covered bundle. Grant caught it and began  unwrapping its contents. He uncovered an unusual looking compression gun. "What's this?" He asked. "A little gift from Jenson Town for all your help the last five monthes. Now look alive we've got trouble heading our way" he said as he began fumbling with something covered by a tarp.

  Grant turnned to see what had been moving towards them. A large pack of feral dogs were running at the truck. Duke let a throtaling growl escape his throat from behind Grant. He studied the rifel finding its trigger. The co2 canister was mounted underneath the barrel and a clipp ran down from the handle with a folding stock collapsed and folded down the top of the barrel. He pulled the action and aimmed the gun at the pack of dogs.

  "Got that gun ready Frank?" called Johnny. "Just about" he called back as Grant looked over to see one of the the biggest revolvers he'd ever seen mounted on a pedestal with its cylinder hanging out. Frank was loading skinny red shotgun shells into it. It was a four ten gauge revolver perfect for the threat at hand.

  After finishing loading it Frank swiveled it around and clasped to handle bars with levers attacched. "Everyone covet your ears we're gonna give'em one warning shot. Be ready incase they don't give up chase."

  They all covered their ears as the gun went off shaking the whole truck. They heard yelps as a few of the dogs turned to run.

  As the dogs ran away a strange thing happened a dog in the lead ran after them and started chasing them back bitting and barking as if to chastise them. The dogs all began rejoining the attack on the truck. The soldiers began firing on them but the compression guns only seemed to barely keep them at bay. The lead dog kept fearlessly pushing them forward. It seemed like he was almost using them as a shield from the bullets as he urged them forward. When he ducked behind two dogs to avoid bullets still hitting at the other dogs heals that settled it for Grant. "There's something wrong with these dogs especially that one in the back pushing them forward" he told Frank as he began to recognize the intelligence the dog was exercising.

  He began probing with his mind. It had been a while since he'd used his gift, unable to deal with the sadness of loosing Bob that it brought. At first he touched Duke's mind evident in the dogs low growl towards him. "Sorry boy" he said as he probed further to the dogs of the pack. A few began to shrink back whimpering until yet again the lead dig pushed them forward. Finally he contacted the lead dog, immediately feeling a backlash of aggression, intelligence, and of course hunger. The wave of emotions coming from the dog almost overwhelmed Grant. He regained control of himself and sent a mental comand ' stop!', he cried. It only seemed to make the dog mad and more determined.