G Hopf: Driver 8: A Post-Apocalyptic Novel

“You were his cook or chef?” Portia asked.

“Yeah, it’s strange but warlords like having their own chefs, it’s like a status thing, very odd. I thought I was doomed having that as a skill set, but so far, it’s worked,” Chef said.

“How did you end up with everyone else?” Portia asked.

“Me and Gunny were running together after leaving King David, we met Crusher in a bar about a year later then about a year later we found ourselves prisoners to another warlord who operates or I should say, did operate out of southeastern Nevada. We were sent to a slave market but never made it to auction. Next thing I know, I see Jacob here shooting the lock off my cage.”

“You saved them from slavers?” Portia asked.

“Yep,” Jacob nodded.

“And what about Leigh?” Portia asked.

“He saved me a couple years later. I was being chased by some guys and before I know it, Jacob here is saving the day,” Leigh said.

“And Leigh, what is the deal with the pink grenade?” Portia asked.

“I found Sally years ago, she’s been with me a long time.”

“Sally?”

“I like the name,” Leigh replied.

“Why don’t you use it…sorry her?”

“I just don’t want to toss her for nothing, if I ever use her, it will have special meaning,” Leigh said prideful.

“I was a slave once too. A man by the name of Michael, one of the original Leviathan saved me. He was an old Marine, like Gunny here. He’d lost his family to marauders after the war. With nowhere to go, he dedicated himself to bringing justice to an unjust world. Some say he was the first Leviathan, but I don’t believe it,” Jacob explained.

“Who was?”

“There’s a lot of rumors, but I don’t think Michael was even though he was the oldest Leviathan I’d ever met before.”

“Who started the other teams?” Portia asked, genuinely curious.

“I helped get others started. While others have just sprouted up on their own,” Jacob answered.

“Fascinating,” Portia said, her tone clearly excited by the conversation. “What does one do to become like you?”

Chef blurted out, “No need to worry about that, soon enough it will all be over.”

Jacob gave Chef an odd look.

“Over?” Leigh asked.

“Yeah, like soon we’ll be sailing for Paradise,” Chef replied.

The crackling of a radio came from the kitchen.

Everyone got quiet and looked at each other.

Jacob jumped to his feet, followed by Chef, who had the look of fear in his eyes.

“We have the house in view, just trying to make contact with the mole,” the gruff voice radioed.

Chef sprinted for the kitchen but only made it a few feet before Jacob tackled him to the ground. “Who is that?”

Leigh raced past them and into the kitchen, she returned holding the radio.

“We’ve got the place surrounded, just still waiting on our contact to let us know what it looks like inside.”

Jacob punched Chef in the face and yelled, “What have you done?”

Blood streamed down Chef’s face from a busted lip, he opened his blood stained teeth and replied, “I did what you should have done. Made a deal. I’m sick and tired of this cat and mouse game. I’m tired of fighting, I’m tired of our stupid fucking code. I just want to live in peace. I want to do nothing but eat, fuck and drink and they promised me that.”

“In exchange for us? You gave us up to be killed so you can eat, fuck and drink? That’s all our years of friendship have come to equal?” Jacob asked, his face showing the huge emotional toll this was having on him.

“Teams one and two, just go, fuck this guy,” the radio boomed.

Another voice came over the radio and said, “I’ve got sights on the big fucker, taking it.”

“No!” Leigh yelled running for the front door. She threw the door open and screamed, “Crusher, get down!”

Crusher looked over at her and cocked his head, surprised that she was screaming at him.

A single shot cracked in the distance.

Leigh ran towards Crusher but it was too late. The single shot struck him in head. He slid down the side of the house and was dead before he hit the ground. Leigh ran to his side and cried out, “Ah, no, no!”

Hearing the gun shot, Jacob sprang to action, he ran for his weapons near the dining table.

Gunny did the same, while Chef got to his feet and ran out the front door. “Don’t shoot, it’s me, Chef, don’t shoot!” he yelled waving his arms.

The radio had been left on the floor where Leigh dropped it. The gruff voice said, “Light it up. Kill them all.”

Chef heard the radio and turned to run back inside but didn’t make it to the front door. A massive volley of gunfire erupted from three directions, the front, west side and south. By the time his body hit the deck, he had over sixteen shots in him.

Leigh grabbed Crusher’s rifle and crawled under the deck for cover.

Jacob flipped the table over and called out to Portia, “Get over here!”

Portia did as he said and leapt behind the table.

Hundreds of rounds peppered the sides of the house, shattering windows and splintering the wood siding. Inside the house, rounds smashed into the walls, furniture, mirrors, and light fixtures. Glass, sheetrock and paneling flew everywhere.

All Jacob and Portia could do was lay low, hoping the thick wood table provided adequate cover while Gunny took shelter in a closet under the stairs.

The hail of gunfire slowed then came to an abrupt end. Distant voices could be heard calling for ceasefire.

“Gunny?” Jacob called out.

“I’m good,” Gunny replied.

“How are you?” Jacob asked Portia.

“I think I’m fine,” she answered.

“Gunny, have you seen Leigh?”

“Nope.”

Jacob looked up but couldn’t see anything, the house was immersed in darkness and through the shattered windows he could make out the faint light coming from the red dot scopes. “They’re coming!”

Gunny exited the closet and went to the back of the house, he looked out and saw the same thing Jacob had seen. “They’re coming from the back.”

“It’s pitch black, the best thing to do is make a run for it. We’ll have the cover of night,” Jacob called out.

Gunny came back and flatly said, “I’m done running. I’m making my stand tonight. Plus you’ll need me, it may be pitch black but those assholes probably have night vision, you’re not going to get ten feet without someone seeing you.”

“I’m not staying here to die, we’ll make a run for the vehicles in the garage, it’s fifty yards away,” Jacob said.

“I’m an old man, tonight I fight. But I’ll tell you what, I’ll lay down some fire for you and the girl here.”

“Are you sure?” Jacob asked.

“Yeah, you go, get her to safety, I’ve lived a long life.”

“You’re a good man, Gunny,” Jacob said.

“Oh, shut up, I don’t want to hear a bunch of gushy sentiment,” Gunny said heading towards the stairs. “I’ll have a better vantage point upstairs. When you hear firing, run.”

Jacob and Portia got to their feet and slowly made their way to the front door and waited.

“Jacob is that you?” Leigh called out from under the deck.

“Holy shit, Leigh, you’re alive,” Jacob said just above a whisper.

“Takes more than a few hundred rounds to take me out,” she said, her voice carrying through the slats in the wood.

“We’re making a run for the vehicles in the garage, come with us,” Jacob offered.

“Where’s Gunny?” she asked.

“He’s staying, going to provide cover fire,” Jacob answered.

Leigh didn’t reply.

“No time, are you in or not?” Jacob asked.