Alice in Deadland Trilogy (16 page)

Four rounds left.

Alice knew that she could not hope to kill or incapacitate
all her opponents. It would be a matter of time before their numbers worked in
their favor, so she consciously crawled towards the thin sliver of light
showing from the door through which Appleseed had fled. In the darkness, she
felt something bump into her, and without looking, she fired two rounds and
heard a man scream. Her muzzle flash had attracted attention and she felt a
bullet whistle past her face. She rolled on the ground, firing twice at the
muzzle flash of the Guard who had fired at her. She didn't know if she hit him
or he was just diving for cover, but she heard the sound of a body hitting the
deck.

No bullets left.

The door was now barely ten feet away and Alice got up in a
crouch, ready to make a run for it, when several bullets pinged off the floor
near her. She sat down behind an overturned table as she heard the continuing
sounds of the battle outside. The difference was that she could no longer hear
the helicopters and the gun turrets were silent. The only sounds were the
howling of the Biters, rifles firing on full automatic, and the occasional
thump of an RPG round hitting home. That would mean the wall must have been
breached. She took her pistol and hurled it towards a corner of the room, and
as it landed, several of the Guards opened fire at it. That gave Alice the
window of opportunity she needed, and she sprinted out the door, closing it as
she felt bullets impact into it from the other side. She locked the door, and
while she knew that the Guards would probably break it down soon enough, at
least she would buy herself some time.

She was in a corridor that was illuminated by only a handful
of small lights along the ceiling. She couldn't see any doors or windows along
the corridor other than a single door at its end. As she heard the Red Guards
start to try and break down the door behind her, she ran down the corridor.
When she reached the door, she found it unlocked and found a single Red Guard
standing on the other side. He turned around, surprised to see anyone inside
other than fellow Red Guards. He had an assault rifle in his hand, but before
he could bring it up, Alice grabbed the rifle with both hands and brought it
up, smashing the butt in the man
’
s
face. As he staggered back, Alice reached into the holster on his belt and took
out his pistol. By the time the man had recovered enough to charge at her, she
fired two rounds at point blank range. The Red Guard went down and did not get
up. As eager as she was to go after Appleseed, she realized that blundering on
ahead unarmed was going to be sure suicide. So she took a minute to take the
Red Guard
’
s rifle,
pistol and the belt that held his spare clips. Then she set down the dark
corridor. The first thing she noticed were the growling noises coming from both
sides.

She picked up a lamp from the wall and shone it around, and
saw a row of cells lining the corridor. From several of the cells came moaning
or growling sounds, and the whole place had a foul stench. Alice figured this
was a prison where Appleseed and the Red Guards kept prisoners, and she
approached one of the cells, trying to see who was inside.

‘
Hello,
is someone inside?
’

A yellowed hand grabbed the bars and a decayed, torn face
smashed up against them. Alice was so stunned she fell back as the Biter began
beating his head against the bars. The lamp in her hand shattered against the
ground, and the room was enveloped in darkness. Biters in several other cells
along the corridor began screaming as Alice grabbed her weapons and ran down
the corridor, trying to get away as fast as possible. She couldn
’
t figure out why anyone
would keep Biters in cells like these, but knowing Appleseed and his masters,
she knew that they must not have been up to any good.

She saw a stairwell at the end of the corridor and climbed
up, opening a small door to the outside. When she stepped out, she found
herself on a narrow ledge near the rooftop. She could see Appleseed with two
Red Guards on the roof and she heard him shout to one of his men.

‘
Get
on the radio again and ask how far that chopper is.
’

Alice leaned over and saw that the battle outside was all
but over. Biters were now streaming into the courtyard and mixed with them were
men carrying assault rifles and RPGs. She could not be sure in the darkness,
but she thought she spotted Satish and a few of his men. As Alice saw them she
hoped that more of her friends from Wonderland had survived.

There were still a few pockets of resistance as she saw Red
Guards firing from windows, but it was a losing battle given the sheer numbers
of Biters who were now rampaging inside, and the firepower their human comrades
were bringing to bear.

The jeep carrying the Queen was also now entering the
courtyard and Alice saw her look up straight at her. Next to the Queen was
Bunny Ears.

‘
Alice!
’

The Queen had shouted out to her, obviously relieved at
seeing her alive and well, but in doing so she had attracted Appleseed
’
s attention. Alice ducked
as a bullet slammed into the bricks behind her and dove onto the rooftop,
taking cover behind a water tank. Appleseed was on the other side of the roof
and he and his men were now crouched behind a large satellite dish. Both Red Guards
had rifles and seemed to know how to use them. Every time Alice tried to lean
around the corner of the tank to take a shot, they would lay down a withering
fire that had her ducking for cover. She heard a voice that she recognized
scream above the din of gunfire and howling.

‘
Save
Alice. She must live!
’

It was the Queen.

Alice watched as two black clad men climbed onto the roof,
but the Red Guards were in a great defensive position, covered by the large
satellite dishes and boxes near them. Both Zeus troopers went down under a
steady volley of fire. However, that gave Alice time to take aim and fire a
quick burst at the two Red Guards, sending them scampering for cover. She
leaned out and saw several Biters try and climb up to the roof. Many of them
fell in trying to climb the stairs, and even when one or two actually made it
close to the roof, the Red Guards picked them off one by one with carefully
aimed head shots. When two Biters actually seemed to be about to make it to the
top, one of the Red Guards tossed a grenade that obliterated them.

Alice heard a helicopter approach, and that galvanized her
into action. After all he had done, Appleseed could not be allowed to escape.
She leaned out and saw that both Red Guards were now frantically firing at the
mass of Biters. While the Biters were having trouble climbing the ladders, two
black-clad men were now almost at the roof, and firing at the Red Guards. While
both men went down to another grenade rolled at them, they had distracted the
Red Guards long enough to not notice the new danger they faced.

A large truck had been driven up along the roof, and Biters
were launching themselves off its top at the roof. Several fell short, but many
made it, and all the while the Queen kept screaming.

'The prophecy must be fulfilled! Alice must live!'

The two Red Guards were now beginning to falter as they
realized that there was no way they could hold back the flood of Biters, and
they were steadily backing up behind the satellite dishes. Alice caught a
glimpse of Appleseed, firing his pistol at the approaching Biters.

Even as Biters fell, more climbed over them, trying to get
to the Red Guards. Alice saw that she had a clear shot and fired a burst that
caught one of the Red Guards in the shoulder. He fell, screaming in agony, and
his comrade now panicked, knowing there was no way he could hold his position
alone. That split second of indecision cost them dearly as the Biters were on
them, clawing and biting as they screamed for mercy, till they spoke no more.

Appleseed raced across the roof with a speed that belied his
bulk, throwing two grenades that scattered the Biters in his path and firing
with his pistol as he ran back towards the building. Alice fired but missed as
her aim was thrown off by an exploding grenade, and saw Appleseed climb back
through the door she had used to get to the rooftop. Thinking that Appleseed
probably had another escape route planned, she followed him inside. As soon as
she had stepped into the darkness, she felt a burning pain in her right thigh
as Appleseed plunged a knife into her. He pulled the knife out and then pushed
her backwards, sending her falling ten feet to the floor below. Alice landed
hard, the wind totally knocked out of her as Appleseed climbed down the stairs.
He kicked her pistol away when she tried to reach for it and stood over her.

‘
You
bitch, I should have just gutted you when I had the chance. But it
’
s never too late to set
things right.
’

He brought his hand up to stab her. Alice saw his shadow
move and brought her left leg up in a kick that hit him in the groin, sending
him back, doubling over with pain. She could hear him groaning and swearing as
she got up and tried to get her bearings. There was moonlight coming in the
through the open door above, and as her eyes adjusted, she saw him circling
back for another strike. As he lunged towards her, she was ready for him. She
grabbed his wrist and turned, using his weight and momentum against him.
Appleseed went crashing to the ground as Alice followed through with a kick
aimed at his head. Appleseed blocked the kick and twisted her ankle, sending
her down again. He got up, rubbing his sore hand and swearing.

‘
You
think you
’
re so
tough. I can crush you with my bare hands.
’

All of Alice
’
s
training came back to her and she made a conscious effort to relax and still
her mind. Fight angry and you will make mistakes, and a single mistake can be
fatal. That was one of the lessons her instructors had drilled into her,
especially given her usually impulsive nature. But now those lessons learnt in
classes, and more importantly in several life and death battles in the
Deadland, saved her life. Appleseed feinted with his right hand and brought his
left up in a punch aimed at her throat. Alice saw him telegraph the blow with
the slight roll of his left shoulder and she stepped inside his blow, blocking
his arm with her right forearm and then using her head to butt him in the nose.
As he groaned and stumbled back, she followed with a punch to the solar plexus
and then another to Appleseed
’
s
already damaged nose. She heard a crunching noise and was sure she broke his
nose when he screamed in agony. Appleseed fell back, but in doing so, pushed
Alice hard, sending her bouncing off a wall and to the ground.

To her surprise, instead of attacking again, Appleseed ran
towards the far door. Alice was on her feet, but with her twisted ankle was not
able to move fast enough to catch him before he reached the door. He turned on
a small table lamp and she saw his bloodied face as he glared at her.

‘
Now
rot in Hell with the Biters you love so much.
’

He reached over to the wall and pulled a switch. Alice heard
a creaking noise as all the cell doors swung open and Appleseed disappeared
behind the door. Alice would have followed him except for the fact that now she
saw Biters emerge from four of the cells. They all wore collars and were filthy
and bloodied. One of them, a large man with one ear missing, snarled at her and
lunged. Alice rolled out of the way and grabbed the pistol on the ground,
coming up in a crouch and drilling him with three rounds, two to the chest and
one to the head that dropped him. The other three Biters now charged at her,
screaming and howling. She shot one more in the head before she realized that
that they were too close for her to get another shot. She ducked under one
’
s outstretched hands and
kicked out at the other, sending him down. She rolled across the corridor,
hoping to put some distance between them and get another shot, when another
figure jumped into the fray.

It was the Queen. She was carrying a large axe and brought
it down on one of the Biter
’
s
necks, and as he stumbled forward, she brought the axe down again on his skull.
The last remaining Biter spat at her and lunged forward, swatting her against
the wall as Alice fired, hitting the Biter in the leg. The Biter fell down, and
Alice rushed to help the Queen.

‘
Are
you okay?
’

The Queen smiled, a strange expression given her lifeless
eyes.
‘
Alice, am I
glad to see you alive. The prophecy
…’

Before she could complete her sentence, the Biter on the
ground jumped at Alice and sank his teeth into her leg. She screamed in agony
and on reflex shot him in the head. She grabbed her bleeding leg and stared at
the Queen in horror.

‘
Help
me!
’

The Queen seemed to flounder and then saw the vial around
Alice
’
s neck.

‘
We
must use the vaccine now!
’

The Queen wrenched the vial from Alice
’
s neck and took out the
syringe, pressing the needle deep into Alice
’
s
calf, but was able to inject only half the contents before Alice spasmed and
the needle came out, spraying some of the precious liquid on the floor. Alice
felt a burning sensation spread from her legs to her entire body. Her hands
were shaking and her vision was blurring. She tried to say something but it
felt like there was a giant lump in her throat. The Queen lay Alice on her lap
and took the vial and opened it, pouring the remaining contents down Alice
’
s throat.