The Fourth Phase

THIRTEEN

Maggie forced her breathing to calm as she jogged through the pine trees. She glanced over her shoulder, making sure Ian was following her deeper into the woods. As she ran, she kept check on her location and peered up into the trees, looking for the knotted branch. On her frequent walks around the camp, she had looked for access roads. Maggie had seen the white van sitting out here numerous times. By chance, she had spotted the weird-shaped branch and decided to use it as a landmark to aid her escape.

Spying it, she slowed and turned, waiting for Ian to catch up. She strained her ears above the noise of the fire and the shouting coming from the camp. Her plan depended on the noise she waited for. Without it, she would have to fight Ian. She trusted her Army training and thought she had a chance, but Ian deserved more than just a beating. Screeches rang out between the trees. Maggie smiled and put her hands on her hips.

Ian ran the last few feet, slowing as he got near. He stopped a good body-length away, his ratty eyes glaring at her. He started swinging the police baton, its leather strap wrapped around his wrist. He twirled it around and up, catching it as it fell back down. It slapped into his hand with thwack. He grinned at Maggie, showing his crooked teeth.

“Nowhere to run, is there, Maggie?”

She gave him her best flirting smile and half closed her eyes. “No.”

Maggie reached up and started unbuttoning her shirt, one button followed by another, all the time keeping an eye on Ian. His thin lips broke to a grin as he watched her hand movements. Maggie stopped about three quarters of the way down. She took a step towards him and reached out, stroking his arm.

“How about we get busy and you let me come back into the camp?” She tugged on her pants as she said the last bit. Ian reached out and grabbed her. He groped her, running his hands over her derriere roughly. He pushed his mouth against her neck and licked her like a dog. A cold feeling enveloped her and she shuddered in disgust. His tongue reminded her of a slimy eel. Maggie could feel her muscles tensing as she did her best to remain calm and compliant.

Several howls echoed around the forest, louder. They sounded really close. Maggie couldn’t help the smile that spread on her lips. She had been waiting for the beasts to arrive. Maggie hugged Ian back and whispered in his ear.

“You forgot something, you disgusting piece of shit!”

She pulled back and brought her knee up into his groin with everything she had, slamming her kneecap against one of his testicles, crushing it into his thigh.

Ian dropped on the ground, groaning in agony. Clutching his balls, he seethed through gritted teeth, “Fucking bitch! I’m going to let the monsters rip you apart!”

Maggie smiled at him as she pulled off her pants, wriggling them over her boots. She quickly pulled off her shirt, revealing the red coveralls underneath. Ian stared up at Maggie, pure hatred boring into her. He squinted at her through thin slits before looking down at his half-naked state. Maggie grinned at him. Ian had taunted her several times about how the Variants he worked for had instructed him and his guards to wear the coveralls. Do so and the Variants would leave them alone.

Maggie lashed out with her boot, kicking him in the face. She reached down and grabbed his baton, giving him a few whacks on the legs. Ian screamed obscenities at her.

A Variant shriek rang out behind her. Maggie pivoted. Half a dozen of the dark beasts bounded through the trees. Letting out a breath, she stepped to one side and pointed with the baton at Ian.

“Not me! Her!” he screamed as the creatures tore into him, ripping away muscle and tissue, blood and bone.

Maggie turned, forcing herself to calmly walk away. She had bet everything on these red coveralls.

So far, so good.

Maggie had formed her plan within a few days of arriving in the camp. She had noticed how the guards walked through the trees, their strides confident. Even when she heard the tell-tale screeches and caught whiffs of the rotting fruit smell carried on the wind, the Variants had stayed out of sight of the camp. But she had seen their shadows. Maggie had deduced that the red coveralls told the Variants that the wearer worked for them, and so was protected. Ian’s tormenting of her and boasting had confirmed it. She had convinced Alice to get friendly with one of the guards, even selecting the quietest one, the thinker, the one who still had a conscience. Alice had asked him to snip the wire on the chain-link fence.

Ian had been right about one thing, Women talked. And Maggie had used this to her advantage, spreading false rumours about herself, knowing Ian and some of the guards would become curious. With their minds fixated on her, they didn’t keep an eye on Alice, Jill, and even little Becs. Becs had hidden the lighter and rag in the shed. After that, it had been a waiting game. When she’d first arrived, the LPG tanks had been half full. She’d had to wait another ten days for the scavengers to bring more. Ian’s taunting and abduction of Becs had moved her plans up. Maggie just prayed that they could carry out the next step. Not for the first time, Maggie wished she had her rifle with her.

Maggie walked briskly over the ground, which was covered in pine needles. Thoughts and plans swirled around in her mind. She caught a glimpse of the white van she was looking for, and grinned. Alice stood by the passenger door waving an arm, motioning for her to hurry. She didn’t need to be reminded of the excited howls of the Variants leaping through the forest, attracted by the noise, smoke, and raging fire. She reached Alice and gave her a quick hug before hopping into the van. She reached out for the steering wheel, but grasped only air. She let out a laugh. Of course. They drive on the right here in New Zealand. Maggie crawled over and sat in the driver’s seat. She glanced in the rearview mirror and smiled at the sight of the children in the back. She started up the van and pulled out onto the gravel forest road.

Alice reached over and gave her leg a squeeze. “Thanks, Maggie. We couldn’t leave those kids in there.”

Maggie glanced over. “Definitely. Have you still got that package I gave you?”

“Yeah.”

“There should be some caps in there. We need them for the next phase.”

Alice reached down into the foot well and picked up the package. She pulled out the caps and handed one to Maggie.

“What’s next?”

“If I remember correctly, there should be some sort of guardhouse coming up. Even though I was hooded when I was brought here, I remember the drivers talking to the guards. Just let me do the talking.” She took her eyes off the road, quickly looking at Alice. “Tuck your hair under the cap. We need to trick the guards for a few moments.” Without turning, she addressed the kids in the back. “Okay, sweeties. I need you all to stay extra quiet for me, okay?”

She heard a few murmurs in response.

A white wooden shed appeared, tucked to one side of the road. The guards had fashioned a makeshift barrier out of 44-gallon drums and wooden poles. Maggie slowed down and wound her window down a few inches. She brought the van to a stop and surveyed the area. One guard sat in the small shed smoking, and another was standing a few yards in front of her, a rifle tucked over his shoulder. He was busy trying to light his cigarette, and wasn’t even looking at the van. The guard in the shed looked up and slowly got up from his seat. Maggie could see an AR-15 sitting behind him, leaning against the shed wall. Sloppy, very sloppy. She smiled and let out a breath. Taking her hand off the steering wheel, she gripped the door release and waited for the guard to get closer.

“What’s going on back there?” the guard said, leaning in, bringing his head level with the door. Maggie shoved the door open, slamming the metal against his skull. The guard fell back with a grunt. Maggie pushed the accelerator down and the van lunged forward, smacking into the other guard and throwing him back several feet. His body thudded into the ground and rolled a couple of times, coming to a stop against a tree, He didn’t move. She turned her attention back to the first guard. He was sitting up, clutching his head. Maggie jumped out of the van, jogged a few steps and kicked him in the head like it was a soccer ball. His head snapped back and he crumpled to the ground. Maggie reached into the guard shed and grabbed the rifle. Checking it was loaded, she flicked off the safety and put a bullet into the unconscious guard’s head. She had a flutter of regret, but brushed it aside. These bastard traitors deserved no less. She glanced over to the guard lying prone against the tree and jogged over. He was grunting something.

Maggie looked down at him. He reminded her of the young men she had seen on reality programmes, all swagger but no brains. He clutched his side, nursing his ribs. His eyes squinted at her.

“You bitch,” he groaned.

Maggie shook her head. Her finger hesitated on the trigger. “Where do they take the kids?”

The guard looked up at her, confusion etched on his face. “I don’t know, and if I did, I wouldn’t tell you,” he grunted, his pain evident.

Maggie was about to respond when a Variant’s screech rang out. The guard kicked out at her, catching her on the shin. She let out a gasp and hopped back a step. “Wrong move, asshole.”

Maggie brought up the AR-15 and put a round through his head. She reached down and grabbed his rifle. Turning, she jogged back to the shed and glanced around. Spotting the ammo she was looking for, she grabbed it and started to fill her pockets. A small rucksack sat beside the door. Even better, she thought. She emptied her pockets and filled the bag with as much ammo as she could find. With one last look around, Maggie zipped up the rucksack and jumped back in the van.

Alice stared at her, eyes wide, her mouth turned slightly upwards. Maggie handed her the rifles.

“What?”

Alice was now smiling. “You are badass. Bloody badass.”

Maggie smiled back at her. “They deserved it.”

Shrieks sounded out. Maggie glanced in the rearview mirror. Several Variants were scampering up the road. She gently pushed on the gas, moving the van forward. Gathering speed, she watched as the Variants sniffed at the two guards she had shot. Maggie pushed down harder on the accelerator, keen to put distance between themselves and the prison camp. Keen to leave that place behind and start on her journey home.

She gripped the steering wheel tighter, thinking of the two guards. She had trained to both save lives and end lives, but it was the desire to help those in need that motivated her. It surprised her how easily she had executed the guards. Shaking the misgivings from her thoughts, she glanced out the window. The pine trees whipped by. Hundreds of them, stretching for miles.

“I hope you know the way, Alice, because I can’t see the leaves through the trees.”

Hearing no response, she looked over at Alice. She was holding one of the rifles, rubbing her hands over the barrel, testing the weight.

“Alice?”

Alice glanced up at her. “Sorry, what did you say?”

“Do you know the way to Towlewronga?”

Alice let out a giggle. “Yes, and it’s Tauranga.”

“Yeah, that place. Is it far. Will we make it in one day?”

Alice placed the rifle back down in the foot well, wedging it to one side. She nodded. “We should do. As long as the roads are clear, it should only take a couple of hours.”

Maggie smiled at her. “I think they will be. If these traitors brought us in here for the Variants, they would have cleared the roads.”

“I hope so. When we reach the highway, turn north. Once we reach the town of Tirau, I’ll direct you.”

Maggie glanced over at Alice. “Thanks, Alice. You did good back there, kept a level head.”

Alice smiled back at her. “I just followed your lead. Please tell me you sorted out that creep.”

Maggie took her hand off the steering wheel and rubbed her neck. She could still feel Ian’s slimy tongue, his hands groping her. She shuddered. “I don’t think Ian’s going to bother us anymore. I’m more worried about who comes after us.”

“He got what was coming to him, then?”

“You could say that. Yeah.” Maggie tilted her head back towards the children. “I’ll tell you about it later.”

“All right. Should I load these guns?”

“That would be great. Thanks. Always good to be ready.”

Alice reached down and extracted the magazine, checking. Maggie glanced back at the children. Happy, she concentrated on driving them to safety.

Maggie marvelled at Alice’s resolve. She had been pulled from her bed in the early hours by Ian, and forced away to do God-knows-what. After the explosion, she had run for the fence to help Maggie with the kids. Now she sat here, driving through Variant-infested forests with traitors gearing up to chase them. She took her hand off the wheel and squeezed Alice’s hand, enjoying the comfort of her friend. As much as she portrayed the badass Army woman, Maggie was terrified that she was leading herself, Alice, and the kids to the slaughter.

The trees were beginning to thin out, and Maggie could see a sunlit clearing up ahead. She slowed the van down, bringing it to a stop before a dual carriageway. She looked left and right. It was devoid of life, not even an abandoned car. She wound down the window, enjoying the fresh pine scents.

Becs wriggled her way between the front seats and threw her arms around Maggie. Maggie reached up and wiped the tears from Becs’s cheeks.

“Hey kiddo.”

Becs nuzzled in closer. “Have the bad things gone?”

“Not yet, baby. But you go and sit back down and we’ll keep going until they have, all right?”

“I wanna sit up here with you.”

Maggie stroked Becs head and pushed her hair behind her ear. “It’s too dangerous, sweetie. Can you do me a favour, though?”

Becs nodded.

“Can you be a brave girl and look after the other kids?”

Becs looked at her, her lip quivering. She wiped her nose with her sleeve. “Okay.”

Maggie turned around to get a better look at the other children. Most of them were staring out the windows at the trees. A couple stared straight ahead with vacant, shocked looks on their faces. She shook her head at the cruelty of the traitors, sending these kids off to such a horrible fate. Instinct told her they were being sent away to be eaten. Ian had called them tributes. Give the beasts what they desire and they’ll let you live. A new world order. Ian had weaseled his way into survival to save his own skinny ass. Images of him being torn apart flashed through her mind.

You got what you deserved, traitor.

Maggie looked up from her thoughts towards Alice.

“Which way?”

Alice pointed to the right, and Maggie took her foot off the brake, turning the wheel.

The van made its way through the town of Tirau. Everywhere Maggie looked were signs of violence and carnage. Cars overturned, broken glass. Fires had ravaged out of control through shop fronts, gutting several buildings. The scent of burnt wood and plastics still hung heavy in the air. Even amongst all this ruin, the weeds and plants were growing. With no one to maintain the gardens, the plants were reclaiming the earth. She shook her head at the destruction. It had only been a few weeks, and already the extinction of the world of men was evident. How are we going to recover from this? Can we?

Alice nudged her shoulder and pointed to a road leading east, towards the bush-clad mountains. Maggie had looked at them in the prison, dreaming of escape. Several vehicles had been pushed aside in that direction, confirming they were on the right track.

Maggie gunned the engine and gathered speed. On they drove, following the road as it dipped and curved with the contours of the rolling countryside.

After a few miles, it started to look familiar to Maggie. She turned to Alice. “Isn’t the Hobbiton movie set around here?”

Alice frowned. “Yeah it is, why?”

“It’s a pity those hobbit houses aren’t real. Would be a good place to hole up for the night if we had to.”

Alice smiled at her and turned, watching the countryside flash by. “You really like those movies, don’t you?”

“Just a bit. Don’t you? I thought all Kiwis did.”

Alice chortled and shook her head. “No, not everyone. I knew this guy once, he thought that anyone who didn’t like them should have their passports revoked. Said they weren’t Kiwi enough.”

“He was joking though, right?”

“I think so, yeah. He was a bit of a joker.”

Maggie glanced back at Alice. It was nice seeing her smile.

Alice tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and tilted her head to the sun. She looked over to Maggie. “This road should take us directly up over the Kaimais. Tauranga is just down the other side.”

Maggie nodded. “Okay, thanks. We might need to feed these kids soon. Check that rucksack that I took off the guards.”

“Rucksack?”

Maggie pointed to the foot well. “That, the bag.”

Alice grabbed the rucksack and started to rummage through it. She glanced up from her search. “I’ve been meaning to ask you, how did you get captured? Watching how easily you handled those guards made me curious.”

Maggie let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. The events of the Variant purge and her capture flickered through her mind. Not for the first time, she berated her choices and her lack of caution. She glanced over at Alice. Perhaps it would be good to talk it out. She looked back out the windshield. The road stretched out, heading for the ridge of mountains; about ten miles away, she estimated. A few vehicles lay to the sides, some in ditches, but most had been pushed aside, leaving the road clear. Maggie let out a breath.

“I was in Wellington when news of the virus hit. I was a bit slow to learn of it, as I’d been enjoying the anonymity of staying off-line. I was on a tour when everyone’s phones started beeping with the news. They cut the tour short and I went back to the hotel. I phoned home to Texas and talked to my family. They were being instructed to stay inside. I decided to head to the embassy and try and get a flight home. It was chaos, as hundreds of tourists were trying the same thing. A call went out asking for any military, active, veterans, or retired, to report for duty, so I did…”

Maggie paused and looked in the rearview mirror. She thought she’d seen a flash of light, but could see nothing more.

Alice patted her leg. “Everything okay?”

“I thought I saw something in the mirror.”

Alice turned around, looking back behind them. “I can’t see anything.”

Maggie pointed down at the rifles. “Have a look through that scope.”

Her eyes flicked between the wing mirrors and the rearview, watching for the flash of light. She didn’t want to admit anything to Alice, but she was surprised the traitors hadn’t caught up to them yet, especially after what she’d done. Hopefully the explosion had caused enough chaos to give them the time they needed.

They came up to a town and bumped over the railway tracks that dissected the main road. Movement to her right caught her attention. A couple of Variants jumped up onto the roof of a shop, watching them. One of the beasts raised its head and shrieked. Several shrieks from farther away answered. A couple of the kids cried out.

She glanced behind her. “It’s all right, guys. They don’t want us.”

Must be the scouts. Without looking at Alice, she asked. “Can you see anything through that scope.”

“Not a thing. Just some of those Variant bastards.”

“Good. Must have been sunlight reflecting off a car.”

Maggie slowed the van down and made a right.

The road immediately started to incline steeply up the mountain. She gunned the engine, urging the van on. The road wound up the pass, revealing the countryside behind them. Maggie stopped the vehicle and stared out at the view. It stretched for miles, a patchwork of farms, all in green, with roads periodically cutting through. Smoke billowed out from the towns lying scattered across the plains. In another time, she would have spent hours here admiring the view, taking photos.

She shook her head in frustration at the destruction of this once-beautiful world full of life and people. Wonderful, creative, and brilliant people. All gone. Turned back into some primal beasts with thoughts only of food. All that brilliance lost, and lost for what? Lost, are the days. Lost, are the nights.

Maggie wound down the window, inhaling the cold mountain air. Breathing deep, she blew out her frustrations and anger. She needed to stay focused and get these kids to safety.

The sounds of an engine revving and tires squealing reached her, carrying up the mountain. Maggie grabbed the other rifle. She unbuckled her seatbelt and jumped from the van. Bringing it up to her shoulder, she searched for the source of the noise. She spotted two 4x4s tearing up the mountain road, catching a glimpse of red on the driver’s side.

Pivoting, she yelled to Alice, “You drive! Let’s go!”

She ran around to the passenger side and waited for Alice to shimmy over behind the wheel. Then she hopped in and heard the van rev before lurching forward, its wheels spinning in the loose gravel before getting a grip on the tarmac.

Becs cried out, “Maggie!”

She turned around. “Stay in your seat, sweetie.”

Maggie checked that the rifle was fully loaded. She reached down and pulled some ammo out of the bag, shoving them into her pockets. Thoughts of her training focused her to the task ahead. She now understood the endless drills on loading and unloading her rifle. It was during tense times like these when muscle memory was critical. You had to be able to do what was necessary when you needed it most.

She clicked on the safety and grabbed the other rifle, repeating the task. Ready, she spun her head around, searching for the 4x4s. The groaning of their engines sounded closer, but she couldn’t see them. Maggie felt the van crest the top of the pass and drop down with the road. She glanced back around. Rolling hills cascaded down, petering out into flatter land. A city hugged the small natural harbour. Turquoise water glittered off the Pacific Ocean, lapping up against the hundreds of boats moored in the bay. Maggie’s heart leapt at the sight. Maybe, just maybe, I can go home.

The van swerved around a tight bend, its wheels screeching. Maggie maneuvered herself around in her seat, watching for their pursuers. A black 4x4 squealed around the corner and bullets pinged off the van. The kids screamed.

She turned to Alice. “Keep going. Try to ignore what’s going on. We have to reach that harbour.”

Without waiting for an answer, Maggie wound down her window and steadied herself. Breathing out, she sighted the 4x4 and let loose with a barrage of lead, aiming for the tires.