The Dead World Ch. 14

The initial gathering the night Alpha had gone to Viper had not at all been a run-of-the-mill meeting.

Viper had never been more serious, sending Alpha to rouse the Council of Three Rings with demanding aggression well past curfew. She meant for them to do nothing more than sit and play witness to her absolute unbridled fury over the entire matter. You couldn't convince her it was not well earned, for an insult or denial dealt to the man she claimed as her pair--her other half, here in the world after the end--was an insult or denial dealt to her personally. No one, not a single soul, wanted to be on the receiving end of her anger.

The last unfortunate fool to cross Viper had died in agony, his throat savagely ripped out by her very own teeth. He expired gurgling and choking on his own blood on the pristine floors of the council room while her chosen officials watched on in uncomfortable states of unreset--some in wordless horror and others morbid fascination. She daintily wiped her bloodied lips and carried on speaking of her hopes for medical advances, humanitarian allowances, and expansions of infrastructure.

That man had been the chosen Keeper of the Peace before Sir was elected into the position, and had made the grave mistake of insulting her racial background. Even in death the deadly Superior Elect would not allow him peace. He lay in a pool of his own blood and excrement until the virus reanimated his corpse, reigniting the electrical activity of his brain, and he was promptly hauled off to the Pit to be put to service entertaining the well thought of denizens of the mid-ring.

After he was beheaded by the inmates there, she placed his still animated severed head carefully upon a pike just through the bottom of his jaw, delighting in the ability to gaze upon him amongst his peers. Every loud-mouthed, holier-than-thou, misogynistic or racist imbecile who had crossed her before him mounted and gurgling at her every time she passed the outer gates of the Stadium leading to the Pit during her morning jog.

The midnight calling was just that. A moment to invoke terror and promises of pain and great suffering to anyone who thought to take matters of trespassers through her territory into their own hands. She used the gathering to vent her displeasure, and only that. She didn't give a damn who thought they knew better.

It was brief, and ballistic, and everyone was enormously relieved when she tired of their presences and stormed off leaving Alpha to relay her demands. He dismissed the council to recess having no such authority amongst them for a briefing, or to give orders, concluding they should return the following day once Viper was no longer simmering in her rage. They avoided her detection for the remainder of that day, and when they rendezvoused at long last to speak on their progressions in the city and hear her directions moving forward they did so with prompt obedience.

Ghost was the first to arrive.

He was the youngest man who sat on the council at merely twenty-five years of age, but his value had been proven ten times over. The meek Asian man's intelligence was second only to the Doctor. A heavily armed diesel locomotive pulled through Brunswick only once every six months or so, coming along the Western Railroad, if they were lucky. Their timing was sporadic to deter raiders and bandits, and one year, they hadn't come through at all. Coal and fuel were precious commodities, but someone out on the West Coast was making off well by it.

They were fortunate if there was anything left on the train when it finally reached the East Coast. It was Ghost who utilized this saving grace to revive the local power plant and pave the way for electricity in the city. It took a massive amount of goods to trade with the Engineer to sparsely power the city for one more year... but these were not things that the most privileged denizens need worry over... thanks to Ghost.

When the half functional power plant left them wanting, Ghost established the solar panel network so that the denizens of the Core need not rely on the faulty grid. The power plant required precious resources, and so rolling blackouts were more than common among the mid and outer rings. Solar energy however had ample availability to the elite, and what Ghost did not know of the technology, he learned with ease. His influence was invaluable, and irreplaceable.

War was not far behind him. A tall, muscular, dark-skinned man of African-American origin, War was a force to be reckoned with in and of himself. He was one of very few survivors of Viper's original group who had traveled with her from Atlanta and as such was fiercely loyal and protective of the Superior Elect. Like many of the men these days, War might have been fifty, perhaps even older. It was difficult to tell for certain. He ate clean, he had no vices, and he kept himself in shape.

He was a conventionally handsome man by all standards, his deep brown skin did not have many wrinkles or an overly worn appearance to betray his age. His dark hair was always styled in a neatly buzzed fade complimented by immaculately maintained edges of his beard and goatee with only minor speckles of snowy hairs here and there. He stood impatient and alert at the door of the chambers as the council members slowly trickled in, his toned arms crossed over his broad chest.

Sir was the next to be prompt in his attendance, as was Justice. Both men were aging into their fifties, and both were Caucasian men of unassuming appearances with neatly groomed graying hair and stern expressions. Both were native to the area. Their families had come from money, born and bred here on the Georgia coast. They were ironclad and set in their ways, but all the same, they were not so rigid and unyielding as to not recognize real power.

The option of swearing loyalty to Viper was easy when faced with the utter horrors the original clan of Hunters were deposed with. Since both elder gentlemen very much preferred their heads attached to their bodies, they swore their allegiance to the deadly Viper with only the condition that they maintained their stations and influence.

They were never Hunters, to begin with. Sir was the city's greatest proprietor owning several prime locations for business, including most of the drinking establishments and a posh Inn on the waterfront of the He later took duty as the resident Keeper of the Peace, once granted amnesty. Justice also boasted land and property, but unlike Sir, he had played a role in the shifting tides of power standing as first a juror when the defeated Hunter clan were tried and sentenced.

Inevitably; the position of Judge had been given to him by overwhelming support during their recent election. He secured loyalty to the cause from the remaining Hunters beyond Craven's inner circle, following the fall of the violent dictatorship that plagued his city beforehand. Neither man had any qualms adhering to her new world order. Viper had led a bloody revolt that only brought prosperity after the carnage.

Coyote was soon to tail them into the room. A Native American woman in her late thirties, Coyote was both gruff and standoffish, but overall very much responsible for much of the massive growth of the city... especially during the late migration nearly four years back as the tides shifted in the favor of the survivors following Viper's coup. With the fall of the original cannibalistic Hunter party, they saw many newcomers flooding across the bridge in hopes of salvation and sanctuary.

This was all in spite of the Three Rings of Hell sending out vicious broadcasts and notices of their occupied territory to any communities still existing in the southeastern United States. They wanted no visitors. They were prepared to defend their territory with blood and bullets. And all the same... the poor, the desperate, and the desolate flowed to the city by the sea like moths to the flame.

Coyote's efforts had been what put up the walls, and recovered and enhanced crumbling infrastructure. She guided rebuilding of apartments, and re-paved streets, slowly repairing the city from the tattered remains the original Hunter clan had left it in following the violent coup that might as well have been a full on war.

Lastly, she guided irrigation and plumbing to the best of her abilities, paired with Ghost restoring power and small comforts to their world. The engineers set the stage for hope and promise. They made the city what it was.

Not long after they would be joined by Brooklyn, a quiet and almost demure woman of Latin American heritage who oversaw not only the crops and landwork--general agriculture of the Three Rings--but also the wellbeing and happiness of the denizens... or... those who were deemed worthy of such focus. She was a newcomer to the city, but her knowledge and talent rocketed her through the ranks of the farmers and growers in one short year. She had rescued failing crops last harvest season that prevented starvation for many of the outer-ring denizens, and as such, was beloved by the impoverished low-caste.

It was no secret that even after Viper seized power, there was still a harrowing and dramatic gap between human resources. The system had marginally improved, yes... slavery was abolished and cannibalism outlawed. But the city was still very much entirely consumed by a system of castes, which pitted the weak and powerless against one another in squalor, while the precious elite towered well above them.

The core lived in relative comfort almost reminiscent of a time before the virus. They didn't care about the outer-ring denizens. If you were lucky enough to find yourself in the mid-ring between them, to associate with outer-ring denizens would dramatically affect your quality of life. If you were of the outer-ring, or worse--an undesirable outsider... you weren't even permitted to speak the wrong way to those who inhabited the mid ring or the core.

The outer ring was populated by lowly workers, and most of them were outsiders inducted into their ranks with heavy debts still due to the city before they could be treated fairly and room beyond the ghettos. The upper rings felt they deserved to be ignored. They deserved to toil in labor. This world revolved around survival of the fittest and only when they were proven could they hope to rise among the ranks.

Brooklyn was constantly fighting for humanitarian justices, and almost constantly ignored for that.

The last to join them was the Doctor. A cool and collected man in his early thirties, he hailed from the western coast of the states, and had only been vacationing when the world took a sharp turn for the end of days. He was an individual who had become single handedly one of the most important people in the entire city. He greatly utilized his position to his advantage. When it came to it, there was not likely anyone left in the world capable of offering what he could.

A chance for salvation. A means of redemption. A hope for a cure. He had the intelligence and the equipment here to pursue a vaccine, and while not quite having the experience he had ample time to learn. He bided his time for the opportunity, one he knew would be upon them sooner or later.

The idea that he would be the one to save the human race had greatly inflated his ego, it was almost painfully obvious. At the appearance of the tall, trim, well dressed Doctor all council members were in attendance. War closed the doors quietly, and turned to the great oval table, watching as each individual settled in.

Viper stood before them with her back to the great bay windows of the council room, and to her right stood Alpha. He was the only man in the room permitted to carry his weapon. He held the heavy steel and chestnut AK-47 rifle with its barrel angled to the floor. It wasn't an overly zealous display, but there had been attempts on her life before, and so he trusted no one... even amongst the Core council.

"Every last incident report for the last six months?" She would begin, looking to War, who presented her with the stack of files as requested. "Thank you. You may sit, darling. You all know why you're here. We have visitors..."

"It was only a small, isolated incident, Superior."

"It seemed a waste to trouble you over it. Alpha was granted the extraction team promptly--his report was inconclusive of anything but the loss of life. Bravo Team was dispatched. There isn't any evidence to suggest the hostiles involved are... still in the area..."

A cool smile pulled over her full lips, and she casually gathered her long, thick braided hair to sweep over her shoulder, examining her neatly manicured nails as she waited for them to finish. Both Sir, and Justice, who had thought to interject matter-of-factly abruptly trailed off, and there was silence for a very long time before she placed her hands flat upon the tabletop.

"Four casualties--one of them just a boy. An explosion at our front door. Barely a description of the uninvited guests... who slipped into our territory without any warning, or notice... and it is decidedly, what? Just something we dismiss? Fair fucking coincidence, innit? Just another day at the fucking office, boys?!"

"We meant no disrespect, Lady Superior." Justice spoke quickly as he saw her bristling.

"Well the disrespect has been fucking well received. I'll not tell any one of you fucking wankers again--if there is even so much as one casualty, if there is even so much as one bullet casing found not marked from our fucking factory, it goes to War. And I AM TO BE FUCKING INFORMED!"

She slammed her palms onto the table, causing the solid oak structure to tremble. Silence followed. Coyote crossed her toned, tattooed arms over her chest as a sly smile curled over her lips. Oh, she always loved when Viper was frenzied to rage... especially when it came to scolding the men of the council, who in all of their usual pompous superiority, shrank before her like scolded children.

"Ghost. I need you to scout for me, sweet. I know, I haven't asked it of you in a very long time, but I'll trust it to no one else... I want to know where the blokes are hiding, or if they've gone, and your best guess as to what direction they have, if so."

The young Asian man set his eyes upon the dark beauty, and gave a gentle bow of his head, accepting the task as extended without question.

He certainly didn't look the sort who may be a capable scout. Ghost did not look like much at all, he was slight and slim for a twenty-something year old man. His features bordered androgynous with deep set almond eyes the color of obsidian, and stark black hair that fell thick and straight to his shoulders. Today, he had pulled half of it up by a black band, leaving only a few tendrils sweeping down from his olive cheeks.

His pseudonym was graciously bestowed however. He could come and go without a sound, he could read the forests and the prints left by men and animals, he could slip into your camp and relieve you of every item of value you owned... and you would never know he was there. Ghost was single handedly the most swift and efficient scout Viper had ever seen, and above all else... she trusted him.

She could not say the same for half the ambitious Hunters among the militia ranks who might easily be swayed by a rogue band of warriors who could offer them cheap thrills and recognition to turncoat and abandon the city.

"You will be accompanied by one of the Hunters on this mission, and I need you to dispatch today at your earliest convenience. We've lost over a week's time to track them. If these intruders are moving out of our territory, we'll have precious time to catch them up."

"If I may, Superior... I'll offer one of my boys for the cause." Sir's heavy, gravelly voice rose, drawing the eyes of the council. The elder man leaned back in his chair, and crossed his arms over his chest with a firm nod of his head. It wasn't surprising... Sir was always pushing his issue for positions of power and recognition. "Killshot has exceeded expectations through basic training--and he knows the area well. He's hunted, foraged and fished these woods since he was six years old."

"Very well. You'll be accompanied by Killshot, Ghost. Send him to Sir to have him briefed and I want you both out of the perimeter before sundown. Make good use of the remaining daylight... and report back to War in regular intervals. Don't give away your position, don't engage the hostiles. The storms are moving back in, so that should slow them down, if they're on the move through our territory. Sterling, Jesup and Kingsland will be placed on high alert. War, reach out and have them set blockades to stop the outsiders from making much progress over the roadways... if they are indeed mobile."

Ghost nodded once more, and with silent resolution, he pushed back from the solid oak chair. He slid his hands into the pockets of his slacks as he set his attention on the council doors, and exited the room, wasting no time lingering for the remainder of the meeting.

"War. Once these fucking gormless gits are located, I want you to lead a strike team after sundown. Alpha will accompany you. Flush them out. Round them up. Bring them back to me... alive. My darling other half wishes to oversee their execution for the death of his ward... ah... in speaking," She set her eyes upon the stoic man standing behind her, just to the right of her, and tilted her head to him with a fond smile. "You may kill one of them, my love. Whichever you please. Preferably whoever they consider their Leader... it will be a show of our strength, and crush the hopes of the remaining party."

The wicked curve over her full mouth was met with a cool smile of his own, and Alpha bowed his head gently in thanks, and looked on her with all the fondness of a man enamored. She was utterly terrifying, truly, and yet so very beautiful when thoughts of revenge and carnage were animating her face. The ebony woman set her sights finally upon those responsible for overseeing the functionality of her city, and finally moved to settle down into the chair behind her, tilting her head to let her eyes shift between the remaining members of her council.

"Now that our most pressing matter is settled, let's get underway. Tell me, how are we expanding this coming spring, and what plans do you have for the inevitable success and rise of our beautiful city as Capital of the New World..."

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The tide was high.

The sky was an angry shade of forboding gray, promising rain through the week to come, and from the sea swept cold salted air that brushed across her face like the sorrowful fingertips of a fond lover. Charlotte rested her chin atop her arms as she lay there. She dragged a blanket out from the hotel to lay upon the soft, light sand to watch the waves of the stormy sea sweep in. She thought it might help, to be out of the resort to try and collect her thoughts, but thus far all she had done was lay there and bite back tears and lament over the new world she had been all but into.

It was harsh, and unforgiving... and above all, cruel. She had been alone here for years and somehow, had never felt as utterly alone as she did in this moment. It was hard not to think about it all, how much her world had drastically changed. The nightmare she found herself living in, a lamb amongst wolves not quite intent on killing her, just yet. It was hard not to feel utterly helpless, and trapped... hard not to want to give up.

Her reasonable mind tried to insist that things could still be very worse for her. She was still alive, and somehow her injuries seemed to be fleeting for her, sealing themselves by the day and fading to memories upon her skin. She no longer felt discomfort when she lay down. The soreness from the abuse she endured seemed to fade in only a half a day, rather than leaving her raw and uncomfortable well into the next day.