Dead Advent: New World Order (Book 1)

Chapter 17 - Welcome to The Safehouse (Part 1)

No way. That can't be Killer. Killer had stayed back in Denver to handle some stuff; why would he be here now? I stared long and hard at the looming figure before me again. The swirly, flashy tattoos all over his arms and neck stirred something within the depths of my memories, then my sights landed upon his mouth and my heart skipped a beat. It wasn't like he had sinful lips or anything remotely seductive on his face at all. It was that smirk. That smartass smirk.

"What? Oh come on! Don't tell me you don't know who I am?" Sergeant Harold a.k.a Killer scoffed and ran his hands through his hair, "Fire escape? School dorm?"

When I continued to gape at him, he rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated groan. Sighing, he placed his hands on his hips and grinned.

"Well I guess I can't call you out on that, since I can't remember your name too... What was it... Was it Mackenzie? Mackenzie, right? No no... Mackenzie was... summer of '88..."

"Em."

"Em! See? I know you."

"Killer, Chester's down. Please help him." My voice was cracking from trying not to cry. Chester's face was becoming more and more pale, and I see now that he was hit in the shoulder. Misty bunched up beside him, cooing and whimpering. The guilt was almost too much to take.

"Right... there's that too."Killer frowned, as if it only just occurred to him that there was a person on the verge of death. Spinning around on his heels, he barked out yet another command, "Get these kids on the chopper! We're returning to base!"

"Sergeant Harold, with all due respect, don't you think this girl is a threat?" One of the soldiers stepped forward and said, earning small nods from the other two.

"Dudley, Dudley, Dudley..."Killer replied in a sing-song tone as he sauntered calmly towards the soldier, "Do I look like a fool to you?"

Dudley shivered and averted his gaze.

"No, Sir..."

"Good...Because I'll have you know that this girl is coming with us and she will be my responsibility. I'll hold a gun to her head and any second she turns, I'll kill her. This way, she ain't a threat anymore, is she?"

"Ye-yes Sir..."

"Then, get a move on."

****

It really is the end of the world.

These were the words that kept circling around in my thoughts as the helicopter ascended the skies. Lincoln was falling apart. Streets were crowding with corpses roaming about, smoke billowed out of crashed windows, and trees and pavements were ablaze. Now and then, a faraway scream would echo through the high-rise buildings, shattering the silence below us. It dies off soon enough every time, though.

I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans and tried to keep my breathing even. Misty cradled Chester in her arms, whispering words of comfort and fervently wiping sweat off his forehead. Chester had regained consciousness, both a good and bad sign. He was alive, but being alive meant he was living the pain, and by the way his body shuddered and his lips quivered, I'd much rather he remained comatose.

"Chester?" I inched forwards closer to Chester. True to his word, Killer moved with me as well, the barrel of his gun slightly brushing the back of my hair.

"Get away from him, you bitch!" Misty hissed and glared, "It's because of you that he's suffering!"

"So-sorry..." I flinched and retreated hastily, bumping my head into Killer's gun. Ruby, noticing my distress, squeezed my hand and offered me an encouraging smile, but all I could give back was a tormented twitch.