Alice in Deadland Trilogy (8 page)

Bunny Ears just looked at her for a few seconds and then he
disappeared back into the bushes. Alice wondered if he had understood a single
word she had said.

***

Alice was sleeping with her shotgun near her head, and her
parents had insisted that she and her sister sleep in the same room as them. It
was hard to believe that things had got so bad so fast. It had begun with a
fight between two young boys at lunch-time, one of them supporting her father
and another insisting that they should just go the way of so many other
settlements and do what Zeus wanted. When things had got more personal and some
harsh words had been said about Alice, a couple of her friends had waded in.
Soon words had given way to blows and before anyone could control it, the
settlement had been neatly divided down the middle. What was apparent was that
it had to do with more than whether they believed Alice’s story, or even what
they thought about joining Zeus. It had become a battle for power. A battle
between Alice’s father and some of the original founders of the settlement, and
others who had joined them more recently and resented the authority the
old-timers wielded.

Alice’s father would have normally waved it all off as yet
another of the countless arguments that had been inevitable over the years when
you put strangers together in such a high-stress situation. But now things were
different. He knew the imminent danger of Zeus moving against them, and he had
also now seen first-hand that what Alice had said had some truth to it. He had
been tempted to pull the trigger the moment he saw the Biter emerge in front of
his daughter, and he had to fight years of conditioning to not blow his head
away. But then he had seen it stand there, apparently listening, apparently
understanding, and then walking away. With all the devastation the world had
endured, if there was even a small chance that things could be set right, then
it was worth fighting for.

He had called a meeting just after breakfast and as the entire
settlement gathered, he noticed that the lines were drawn. People were sitting
in groups, and those he knew supported his views were sitting around him and
his family. However, an even larger group was now sitting around Rajiv, who had
somehow taken on leadership of the splinter group. Better him than one of the
rabble-rousers, he thought, as he began his account of what he had seen.

He was less than a minute into it when he saw the dissenters
stirring. Rajiv stood up.

‘Gladwell, we go way back, but you cannot seriously expect
us to believe this. I understand you’re trying to help your daughter, but this
is too incredible to be true. After all the Biters have done to us, why are you
doing this?’

He heard a few catcalls and a man’s voice boomed out from
the crowd. ‘He’s just scared of no longer being the head honcho if we join
Zeus, that’s all. And if he hates Zeus so much, why did he strike a deal to
save his daughter?’

Alice could see her father wither in the face of the
criticism and he put his head down, defeated, knowing that nothing he could say
was going to make a difference.

Just then one of the lookouts shouted, ‘There’s an intruder
headed our way.’

Immediately, all differences were forgotten as guns were
picked up, safeties switched off and men and women began taking their defensive
positions. Those too young, old or sick to fight were herded to the middle of
the village to shelter in the building that served as their communal dining
hall. Everyone else was expected to fight. Alice was one of the first to reach
the wall where the shout had come from, and she was on top of the boxes that
served as the perch for snipers before many of the older and slower men had
even reached the wall. She put her rifle to her shoulders and peered through
the sniper scope. She could hear others take position around her and the
nervous shuffling and swearing of those who had not seen combat before. As
Alice waited, she found a clarity that had eluded her in the confusion of the
last few days. This was what she had been trained to do since she could walk.
This was when there was no ambiguity to deal with – where it was simple: kill
or be killed. A familiar adrenaline rush washed over her, and she welcomed it,
waiting for a target to present itself.

‘Alice, got something on your scope?’

Alice grinned and asked the man to wait. It was one of the
men who had been heckling her father just minutes ago. It was reassuring to
know that they still realized and respected the fact that Alice was one of the
best shots in the settlement.

‘Ram, did you actually see anything or were you drinking
more of your hooch again last night?’

That question from Alice’s father brought laughter all
around and helped to lessen some of the tension. Alice was still too young to
fully grasp it, but she had an intuitive understanding of just why so many men
and women had followed her father over the years. It was not because he was the
strongest or even the bravest, but because he could keep people calm in a
crisis; he could think when others were losing their heads. She peered through
her scope once again and this time she saw someone emerging from the early
morning mist. As the figure resolved itself, she saw someone covered in a
full-length coat, one that seemed several sizes too big, and walking towards
their settlement at a steady, almost leisurely pace. She moved the scope up and
caught her breath as she realized who was approaching. It was Dr. Protima, or
as she preferred to be called nowadays, the Queen of the Biters.

Alice heard one or two rifles being cocked so she called
out, ‘Hold your fire. It’s just an old woman.’

Two men from the settlement unlocked the gate and went out,
cautiously approaching the figure who was now just a hundred meters away. Alice
watched them trade some words and then heaved a sigh of relief when they led
her in.

When the Queen walked in through the gate, every man, woman
and child in the settlement had gathered to see who this stranger was. In the
early days they had often encountered solitary stragglers, but by now, people
were either in groups, or dead. A single person, least of all an old woman, had
virtually no chance of surviving on their own in the Deadland. Alice saw that
the Queen had prepared well. The oversized coat covered her body and arms, and
she wore long gloves to conceal her hands. She was wearing tinted glasses that
obscured her eyes and as she came in, she glanced towards Alice once, but
betrayed no hint of recognition.

As someone offered her a chair, she sat down and said that
she had to talk to someone in charge. When Alice’s father and some of the other
men sat around her, she looked around at the dozens of people gathered, perhaps
waiting for them to leave. But there was no chance of that happening: the
entire settlement wanted to know what this strange old woman had to say. And
then she began her tale.

‘My name is Dr. Protima, and I was a Biologist of Indian
origin who lived and worked in the United States for several years.’

Alice saw her father’s eyes widen as he realized who she
was, and saw several of the men stir, but they all sat and listened. And the
Queen had indeed come prepared to meet a skeptical audience. Under the coat,
she had a small bag from which she produced old faded passports, identity
cards, official documents bearing the seal of the US Government. Some of the
younger folks would not know what many of those were, but were suitably
impressed, but all the older ones, the ones who had known a life before The
Rising, saw and understood. Alice saw some of the men who had been opposed to her
father pass the documents among each other, and saw several of them glance at
her.

Rajiv finally worked up the courage to speak when the Queen
concluded her tale, ending with how Alice had landed in their midst.

‘Dr. Protima, we have heard some of this before from Alice,
and it still seems incredible. How can we believe any of this?’

She did not say a single word in reply, but stood up and
loosened the coat so it fell at her feet. Then she took off her gloves and
glasses and looked straight at Rajiv. There were gasps all around her, and one
or two women screamed. Rajiv stumbled back, holding onto another man for
support as he looked into the decayed, lifeless eyes and the yellowing,
bloodied arms of the Queen. No one said anything for a few seconds, and then
Alice’s father spoke.

‘Dr. Protima, if this vaccine got into the right hands,
could it save any more humans from being…’

As he fumbled with what to say, she answered, ‘Yes. It would
ensure that no more humans have to worry about the virus being transmitted
through a bite. Imagine what that would do to the chances of people finally
coming to grips with the fact that we are not just dangerous animals and an
existential threat to be wiped out. What would that do to Zeus’s
fear-mongering, which they are using to wipe us out and bring all of you under
their control?’

Alice heard many murmurs of approval in the crowd, as the
Queen now looked straight at her.

‘But there’s more than that. Before it all went out of
control, we were working on antidotes, not just vaccines. If I can get the
vaccine to a good lab, we should be able to create a cure. It may take time,
but I know it can be done. I don’t know how much brain damage has already
happened to those infected, or whether it can be reversed, but there is at least
hope. Alice, I told you my prophecy was what would lead us to a way out.’

Nobody else present understood what she meant by the last
comment, but they were all looking at Alice with a mixture of shame and awe.
They had doubted and rejected her, but now they had proof before their eyes
that she had been right. Moreover, they suddenly found themselves the bearers
of a terrible secret. Many people began speaking at once, everyone with their
own idea on what to do, but everyone in agreement that they needed to help get
the vaccine into the right hands.

Alice’s father spoke next, and what he said stunned everyone
into silence.

‘The men who caused all this will not let us succeed so
easily. We know they have been hunting Dr. Protima and now they will come for us.’

Nobody said anything for a few seconds. Alice was about to
say something when the silence was shattered by the sound of an incoming
helicopter.

***

SEVEN

Everyone at the settlement was watching, most down the
sights of their guns as the black helicopter landed at the foot of the hill
leading to their village. Alice had her sniper rifle at her shoulder and while
many of the younger kids were babbling about this being an attack, she knew
better. If Zeus had wanted to launch an attack, they would have come from the
skies, raining rockets and bombs from high above, while Alice and the others at
her settlement would have been impotent to do anything about it. By landing the
helicopter in such a vulnerable position, whoever was coming was indicating
that they came in peace, at least for now.

Alice put down her rifle to motion to some of the men behind
her to not get trigger happy and wait for her signal before doing anything.
When she looked back towards the helicopter, she did not need her sights to
know who was coming. The imposing bulk and bald head of the uniformed man now
making his way up the hill told her who it was.

Why would Appleseed be coming alone? Alice had spent the
last few days in the fear that he would lash out with an unexpected attack, so
why was he coming here like this?

When he reached the gates of the settlement, Alice
’
s father asked for the
gates to be opened and Appleseed walked into the midst of two hundred armed,
scared and jittery people.

‘
Gladwell,
tell your people I pose no threat. You can all see that I am unarmed.
’

Appleseed held up his hands to reinforce the point, but even
that did little to defuse the tension. Everyone at the settlement had heard
about Alice
’
s
adventures and the threats this general had made, and none of them was willing
to take his words at face value. Appleseed looked around, and seeing Alice, he
smiled and said through gritted teeth,
‘
So,
young Alice, we meet again.
’

Alice spat in his direction, and several people jeered.
Appleseed didn
’
t seem
to be ruffled and addressed Alice
’
s
father.

‘
Gladwell,
your daughter has grown up in the Deadland, so I don
’
t blame her, but you were a diplomat. Surely
you can sit down and talk in a civilized manner with an unarmed guest?
’

Alice
’
s
father lifted the shotgun he was carrying, casually aiming it at Appleseed
’
s ample gut.

‘
Any
bastard who threatens my daughter is no guest at my home.
’

All trace of civility dissipated from Appleseed
’
s face as he pulled a
chair and sat down, staring at Alice
’
s
father with undisguised hatred.

‘
Fine,
let
’
s play it your
way. Give me Dr. Protima and all of you can go on with your miserable lives.
’

There was a stunned silence, and as Alice
’
s father started to say
something, Appleseed cut him off.
‘
Don
’
t waste my time. I
’
ve had unmanned drones
watching your settlement ever since your darling daughter spilled the beans on
her freak friend. So I know she
’
s
here. I just want her handed over. Oh yes, as per the rules laid out by the
Central Committee, all of you are guilty of treason for collaborating with the
Biter enemy, and I could have all of you executed for it. Instead, I
’
ll settle for confiscating
all your weapons and relocating you to one of our safe zones.
’

There was a commotion among the group as Alice
’
s father roared in anger.

‘
This
Central Committee of yours, these rich men who hide in their bases together
with the Chinese tyrants, do not rule us. They rule only their hired dogs like you,
and what they say or want has no jurisdiction here. As for Dr. Protima, you
have no authority here to take anyone away.
’

Appleseed stayed calm, knowing that he held all the cards.
‘
One air strike is all it
would take to turn all of you into smoking carcasses. Tempting as that is, I
need that witch alive. That is the only reason I am sitting here and not
sifting through your corpses after an air strike. The Central Committee has to
make sure that she is not capable of spreading her lies and that we know where
her hidden bases are. This is your last chance before you officially commit an
act of treason.
’

Alice saw Rajiv look at her father, and she wondered if
there would be those who would be willing to give into Appleseed
’
s demands. After all, how
many of them would risk their lives and their families for an old lady with an
incredible tale? Alice
’
s
father was perhaps thinking the same thing and he spoke aloud, addressing all
those in the settlement.

‘
For
years, we have lived a life that is little more than surviving from day to day.
We have taught out children nothing more than how to kill and avoid being
killed. All of us who lived before The Rising know that there is more to life
than that. I had forgotten that life and I had resigned myself to a life where
my only and biggest achievement was to see my family live one more day. But
today, I realized there is hope. There is hope that the evil that has overtaken
all our lives can be reversed. There is hope that once again we can live like
humans, not wild animals. That hope is worth fighting for, and I for one will
not give into someone who represents the same forces that destroyed all our
lives in the first place. I will not choose for you. If you choose not to side
with me, I will take my family and those with me and leave with Dr. Protima.
’

Appleseed snorted derisively.

‘
His
daughter filled your ears with fairy tales, and you have this delusional old
woman who means nothing to any of you. Why throw away your lives for them?
’

Rajiv walked up to Appleseed and looked him in the eye.

‘
When
I was a banker, I thought the bloody stock market crashing was the end of the
world. If there
’
s one
positive of all this crap we
’
ve
gone through, it
’
s
that it has given me a sense of perspective, a sense of what really matters and
what is worth standing up for. I will stand by the men and women who sheltered
me when I had nothing and whom I have fought with shoulder to shoulder every
day. You can stuff your Central Committee up your fat ass.
’

If Alice
’
s
father
’
s appeal had
not done the trick, Rajiv
’
s
certainly did, and everyone gathered started cheering.

Alice walked up to Appleseed and tapped him on the shoulder.

‘
I
don
’
t think you
’
re welcome here anymore.
’

He glared at her and began to walk away, when the Queen
emerged from the building where she had been hiding and stood next to Alice.

‘
General,
wait. I believe you were looking for me.
’

He stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her, and then
recoiled in horror as she took off her glasses and gloves.

‘
I
dare say, General, for a delusional old woman I still have a bit of a bite.
’

As she opened and snapped shut her bloody teeth, Appleseed
stumbled back, almost falling down as he realized what the true nature of the
elusive Dr. Protima he had been pursuing for so many years was. He ran more
than walked out of the gate, as cheers rang out all around Alice.

The Queen looked around her and spoke to no one in
particular.
‘
There is
still goodness left in man. There is indeed still hope.
’

Alice
’
s
father shouted above the cheering.
‘
Quiet,
everyone! We
’
ve done
enough celebrating; now we need to get ready.
’

‘
For
what?
’
shouted
someone in the crowd.

‘
For
the attack that is surely on its way even as we speak.
’

***

Alice watched till the combination of the smoke drifting
into her eyes and her own tears made it impossible for her to see much more.
Jane was tugging at her arm and shouting something, but Alice did not hear a
word of what she was saying. All she heard was the crackling sound of what had
been her home for more than a year burn down to the ground. And yes, the sound
of men screaming. Men she had trained with, men she had known all her life.
Above all else, the one man she had loved with all her heart: her father.

Soon after Appleseed had left, Alice
’
s father had asked for twenty volunteers to
stay on in the settlement, both to slow down the Zeus forces that were surely
on their way, and also to ensure that any drones watching them didn
’
t spot that they were in
fact abandoning their settlement. Alice had bawled and pleaded when it was
obvious that her father would stay. He had just held her tight and spoke to her
as she cried.

‘
Alice,
you must survive. Dr. Protima and her secret must survive. Just remember that
and while you are young, you must now lead the ones who remain.
’

The remaining people half-crouched, half-crawled through the
narrow irrigation tunnels behind the settlement. Alice
’
s father had them covered long ago, thinking
they would provide a good place to hide or to make a quiet getaway, and now they
were being put to use as Alice, her mother, sister, Dr. Protima and the others
made for the neighboring forests. It was from there that Alice saw the attack
unfold. Three black helicopters swept in low and took positions, hovering just
meters above the settlement. Appleseed was in one of them, and Alice could hear
his voice booming over a loudspeaker, offering one last chance for surrender.
When there was no response, Zeus troopers began rappelling out of the
helicopters. For a split second, Alice
’
s
heart had harbored hopes that her father and the other men may make it when
their first volley brought down several of the Zeus troopers. But then she
realized both just how cruel and how merciless Appleseed was. He had sacrificed
his first men as pawns to make the defenders reveal their positions. Three more
helicopters, sleek, fast gunships, swept in, raking the settlement with rockets
and machine guns. A brutal, hammering assault that ended when more than half
the buildings in the settlement were ablaze and all defending guns silent.

Another wave of Zeus troopers landed, but Alice saw that her
father had more tricks up his sleeve. She watched through tear-filled eyes as
several jury-rigged bombs, mostly cans filled with fuel, were set off, making
the Zeus troopers dive for cover, and a single sniper rifle barked several
times from the second floor of the building where Alice
’
s parents had lived. Two Zeus troopers fell
and didn
’
t get up.
Four troopers tried to rush the building, but two more were brought down by
sniper fire. Finally a helicopter fired two rockets that destroyed the building
as Alice screamed in agony.

More Zeus troopers entered the settlement, and started going
door to door. When it was obvious that most of the residents had abandoned the
settlement, Alice saw them signal frantically to the hovering helicopters. She
knew that she could wait no longer. Her throat burned and she longed to strike
out at the men who had just killed her father, but she remembered what her
father had told her. Most of the combat-tested veterans had chosen to stay
behind at the settlement, choosing to go down fighting so that their families
may have a chance. Of the ones left, leave aside a couple of men who were good
shots, Alice was perhaps the most experienced in both battle and in navigating
the woods. She now had to lead them to safety. In the confusion of the hasty
flight into the woods, she had lost sight of the Queen, and only hoped that she
had not abandoned the humans who had sacrificed so much to keep her and her
cause alive.

It was now nearly dark, and they could no longer hear the
helicopters at the settlement. That could mean only one thing: that Appleseed
had realized that pursuing them from the air was of no use in the dark when
they were walking through a thick forest. They would have to come for them on
foot. That suited Alice just fine. She, like most of the other survivors from
the settlement, had learnt to live off the land and to fight on foot, in the
dark, and with nothing but the weapons they could carry. She had seen the
awesome firepower Zeus could bring to bear, but also had seen that its troopers
relied too much on air power and heavy weapons. Now they were on Alice's turf
and she would make them pay for what they had done.

She asked the group to halt and scanned them. More than half
were children too young to fight, or those who were too old or sick to fight
against trained troopers. Everyone at the settlement knew how to handle
weapons; after The Rising that was almost an elementary education every human
child had to go through if they wanted to live beyond a few years. But it was
one thing to snipe at mindless Biters, and quite another thing to take on
heavily armed and trained Zeus troopers. Alice picked a dozen young men and
women, all of whom she had trained with and knew were good in close combat. She
was the youngest of them, but nobody questioned her authority. Alice had always
been acknowledged as someone with fighting skills well beyond her age, but with
the role she had played in unearthing the deadly secret behind the Biters,
there was even more of an aura surrounding her.