Darren Wearmouth - Second Activation

“We’re not here to do anything stupid,” I said. “I want to talk to someone who isn’t either trying to kill us or planning world domination.”

It seemed impossible to form any trust in a few minutes. We should have been embracing each other as fellow survivors in a decaying world, happy that we’d found each other.

I stopped a few yards short of them and placed my rifle on the ground. The man placed his shotgun down. I heard Jack and Brett close in from behind. They placed their rifles alongside mine.

“There, we’re all friends,” Jack said.

“Where did you come from?” Shotgun said.

I didn’t immediately reply. My mind replayed events since leaving Manchester, and I shook my head, trying to think where to start. Brett’s silence was a little more obvious.

“We landed in New York, and that’s where we’re heading,” Jack said.

“You landed in New York and you’re going back there?” Sack Man asked, astonished. “Where else have you been?”

“Long story,” I said as I came to the realization that these people probably knew nothing of Genesis Alliance, and it couldn’t be explained by a quick chat on the street. “Is it just the two of you?”

“Just the two of us,” Shotgun said.

This awkward meeting needed some direction. But we stood making stilted conversation, eyes breaking away for fear of making too much contact and appearing aggressive. The fact that we were facing two people standing together and not trying to throttle each other gave me hope.

“I’m Harry, that’s Jack and Brett. We landed last Friday, a few hours after the shit hit the fan. We’ve been through a nightmare and only want to sit down and talk.”

“Sure, why not?” Shotgun said. “Let’s grab a pop and talk.”

The word “pop” took me back for a moment. I hadn’t heard it called that in years. He walked past us to the café. Sack Man, who stood around six feet five inches, towering over all us, followed. He attempted to smile, but I could see the anguish pasted across his face.

Jack looked at me and shrugged. He picked up his rifle and headed to the café. I passed Brett his rifle and followed suit. The larger man dragged his sack inside, opened a dead fridge, retrieved four cans, and passed them around.

Shotgun dragged the corpse to one side and straightened a table, and we dragged chairs around it. My can hissed when I popped it open, and I took three gulps of fizzy lukewarm coke. “We use the word ‘pop’ back home. I didn’t know you used it here.”

“You’re a long way from home, guys,” Sack Man said. “Is it the same in the UK?”

“We’re not sure. We’ve had conflicting information,” Jack said. “As far as we know, it’s worldwide.”

Brett remained quiet and fidgeted with a paper packet of sugar. I could imagine a hundred reasons why these two strangers would beat him to death.

Shotgun sighed. “I thought as much. It’s been a nightmare around here. A few of us have managed to hole up in a hangar. You’re the first people we’ve come across outside our group that hasn’t been insane.”

“There’re more of you?” Jack said.

“Eight of us,” Sack Man said. “An old guy runs the place. He’s a bit weird, but it’s better to be in a group, right?”

“I suppose so,” I said. “What do you remember from last Friday?”

“I remember a car crashing into the back of mine at high speed and my face smashing into the wheel. I woke, alone on I-80, with a massive headache and death all around me. I found him a day later.” He gestured to Shotgun. “I was hiding out in an abandoned house, and he just walked right up the street. I thought he was another psycho. They were everywhere.”

Shotgun smiled. “When I saw him come out of a house, I nearly ran. I’d been fighting and running for days. I was working in a lab when the killing started, and didn’t know what was happening until later that night.” He paused and stared at his can. “When I left the secure environment, I found our security guards dead. Somebody tried to smash down the door and threatened to kill me. I called 911 but got no answer. I eventually left and spent days on the run. I’m one of the lucky ones, and thank God someone found me wandering.”

The two stories appeared to make sense. Meeting fellow survivors gave me encouragement that if we could destroy the control unit and stop the second activation, society would eventually come back together.

“You’re both lucky to be alive,” I said. “We had similar experiences after landing. We’ve been traveling around and have information that might keep you safe in future.”

Sack Man leaned over the table. “Information? You know what’s happening?”

“Not exactly, but we know part of the picture,” Jack said. “Another activation is coming, but we can stop it.”

“Activation? What do you know?” Shotgun asked, eyeing Jack suspiciously.

“We’ll tell you when we get somewhere safe,” I said. “How about we go back to your hangar?”

I wanted to meet more of the survivors and possibly convince them to join our mission. More numbers wouldn’t be a bad thing, especially with Jerry and Anthony on our tail.

“I’m not sure Bob would like it.”

Brett split the sugar packet, and brown grains spilled over the table.

“He’s quiet,” Sack Man said, gesturing toward him.

“He’s traumatized,” I said. “Only says a few words.”

Sack Man nodded in understanding. “There’s a woman back at the hangar who’s still nuts. Bob keeps her chained up.”

“Chained up?” Brett said.

“She would kill you given half a chance. Better to be safe than sorry.”

“We need to head back in a few minutes,” Shotgun said. “He starts to panic if we’re not back on time.”

“So that’s it?” Jack said. “You don’t want to know more about Genesis Alliance and the activations?”

Shotgun finished his can and tossed it over the counter. It landed with a rattle. “I’m sure it’s a great story, but we’re pushed for time.”

Jack stood and his chair legs screeched along the tiles. “It’s not a story. It’s information that could save your life.”

“I think we should hear them out,” Sack Man said. He seemed the friendlier of the two. “If they know about what really happened and what’s likely to come…”

Shotgun grinned, quite smugly in my opinion. “No offense, guys, but you look like trouble. We’ve heard all kinds of crazy talk and don’t need any more.”

“If you want to end up as slaves, be my guest,” Jack said and stormed out of the café.

“Sorry about that,” I said. “He can sometimes fly off the handle. Is the quickest way back to New York along Interstate—”

Jack burst back in with a look of panic on his face. “They’re here. Get behind the counter.”

“Who’s here?” Sack Man asked.

“Genesis Alliance. The people who caused all of this.”

I ran to the doorway and peered outside. At the top of the street, three hundred yards away, a black Rover slowly headed in our direction. Men dressed in black, possibly twenty, fanned across the street, walking behind the Rover and pointing their weapons at buildings. The two men, Brett, and Jack scrambled over the counter. I took one last look at the approaching force and joined them.

“What are they looking for? Did you lead them here?” Sack Man asked.

“No,” I said. “They’re probably searching for survivors on their way to Hart Island. If you cross them, they’ll kill you.”

Shotgun looked pale. His hands trembled on his weapon. “What do we do?”

“Just keep your head down,” Jack said. “If they find us, we won’t have a choice.”

The engine noise grew louder. Raised voices echoed along the street. We had to hope they didn’t enter the shop and poke around. At least we’d have the element of surprise, but the odds were stacked against us.