They Will Run You Down

Thirty-One: To Rack & Ruin

"Goddamn, rotten mother- fuckers!" Perez roared as she furiously pounded her fist against the passenger door.

The Jeep and its cargo tore rapidly through a group of Screamers so it could turn around and go back up the street from where it had come. The tires screeched in protest as the vehicle swerved around the corner and back onto the motorway.

Edvin drove like a lunatic to lose the following hoard of infected and travelled quickly up to another turn off to get to the bridge, determined to bid a swift farewell to that particular side of Sydney.

"Hold on, guys," Edvin cautioned as he stomped his foot down on the gas pedal.

Just ahead on the narrow street sat a collection of dusty, abandoned cars, leaving very little space for the Jeep to pass through. Having learned the hard way that stopping was a losing bet, Edvin quickened the Jeep's pace toward the road block. With his plan revealed, everyone promptly grabbed hold of anything fastened permanently to the vehicle and anchored themselves the best they could.

The engine drummed loudly and with a metallic clatter, the Jeep battered its way through the ghostly vehicles, thrusting them out of the way with such force that their wheels lifted off of the ground and their exteriors crunched and crumpled inward from the force. They were no match for the tactical military Jeep and its armored shell.

At last the group turned onto the motorway that led directly to the Sydney Harbor Bridge. In fact, it's high arches could be seen in the distance, standing tall and proud like a beacon of hope.

Edvin sighed in relief, "Fuck yes"

"Don't know why you're so happy, mate. The other side of Sydneys' gotta be just as bad," Harley pointed out as she chewed a hang nail on her thumb.

"Because the closer we get, the less I feel like this trip was a huge mistake," Edvin countered.

Robby spoke up from the back seat, "It's not a mistake"

"Whatever you say, Boss," Perez muttered snidely as she gazed vacantly out the window.

Sighing, Robby turned to Perez, "We all went into this knowing it would be dangerous and all of us understood before we left Wuddina that some of us might not make it back"

"At this rate, none of us will," Perez argued.

Edvin jumped in, "We can do this, Perez. We're a strong team"

"My team died yesterday. My team was eaten alive by a hundred Howlers. I only joined this stupid fucking mission because of Foss and he's gone now," Perez growled hatefully.

Robby pulled his baseball cap from his head, looking defeated, "I'm sorry, Perez. We all lost Foss yesterday and all of us feel it. But the fact of the matter is, we don't have time to mourn right now. We need you to be on our team- All of us need to be able to work together here or we're fucked. So, I'm sorry but for now you're just gonna have to gut up"

Silence fell heavily amongst the group as Perez seemed to have no point left to argue. After all, it wasn't as if she could abandon the mission. They couldn't just drop her off at the next bus stop and wish her a safe trip back home. For better or for worse, she was stuck until things played out, however they may.

"Kangaroos!" Harley's excited voice cut through the silence after several long, tense moments. She leaned over John to watch out his window. She'd never seen a kangaroo in real life.

"They'd best be high- tailing it out of the city if they know what's good for them," Edvin commented.

John looked out across the freeway at the three young Kangaroos, "I'm surprised they made it this far in"