Patrick D'Orazio - Into the Dark

Jeff kept the smile plastered to his face as he heard moans off in the distance. The infected sounded like they were inching ever closer to the hidden camp. Arguing with Michael was getting him nowhere, and time was running out. Jeff knew the smug bastard would force the issue, with the M16 if necessary, and command him and Ben to come inside while Ray died alone outside. There was no way Jeff was going to let that happen, not after everything he had gone through to get the boy back home. It was time to end this little game once and for all.

He broke eye contact with Michael and searched the clearing until he spotted his minivan. It was parked in the same spot as before. He walked toward it, ignoring Michael and Ray’s curious looks as he did.

He glanced back up at Michael, who had picked up his M16 and was walking across the rooftop, following his movement. Satisfied that he was still the center of attention, Jeff knelt in front of the bumper of his minivan and plunged his hand underneath it.

“What the hell are you doing?”

Jeff ignored the gristle stuck to the grille and Michael’s inquiry, shifting his hand back and forth, feeling his way along the undercarriage of the vehicle.

His grin widened. “Got it.” He pulled his hand out and held up a small magnetic box. Michael glared at him. Jeff moved to the driver’s side door and pulled up on the handle.

“Jeff.” The word was filled with as much menace as Michael could muster. Jeff opened the door, and when Michael caught sight of the spare Odyssey key in the other man’s hands, he raised the M16 to his shoulder.

Jeff shrugged. “I figure me and Ray could take off and get out of your hair. I mean, since you don’t want him here anyway.” He glanced over at Ben. “You have any problems with that, partner?”

Ben looked over at Jeff, a glint in the big man’s eyes as he realized what Jeff was trying to do. Looking up at Michael, a nasty grin formed on the bearded man’s lips. “Nope. No problem at all. Maybe I’ll join you.”

Michael’s shoulders slumped. He couldn’t care less about Jeff, but Ben was indispensable.

“Okay, Jeff, fine. So what do you really want?” Michael’s voice dipped in register, and he sounded exasperated.

“You know what I want. It’s the same thing Ben wants.” Jeff nodded toward the prone form of the teen, who fought to remain conscious, his face white as paste. “Let Ray come in with us. We’ll take care of him, give him some comfort. You won’t even have to concern yourself with him.”

Michael appeared to think about it before he sighed dramatically and then nodded.

Ben immediately moved to Ray and knelt before the injured boy. Before Jeff had even stepped back from the minivan, Ben was already hoisting the teenager up so he could wrap his arms around the man’s massive shoulders. Ray listened to his solemn guardian’s whispered commands and nodded, his eyes glistening. Jeff had no idea if the kid was happy or simply exhausted.

Michael lowered the bottom half of the ladder, and Ben motioned for Jeff to attach it to the back of the RV.

“You go first,” Jeff commanded. Ben nodded and smiled at him. Jeff was tired, and his head wasn’t all that clear, but he got the sense that he had just been thanked.

Ben tested the ladder to make sure it was secure, then climbed as Jeff wondered how much weight the metal bars could support. Enough, it seemed, as Ben carefully scaled the ladder with the teen latched to his chest. He made sure not to jolt Ray in the process. Jeff watched until they reached the top. Once they were out of his field of vision, he took a deep breath and started climbing.

As Jeff hit the last rung of the ladder, he saw Michael’s hand extended in front of him. He reached for it and was pulled to his feet on the roof of the RV. When he turned to follow Ben down the other ladder, Michael tightened his grip on Jeff’s hand and held him back. Ben glanced up from the extension ladder with Ray perched on his back. He gave a meaningful look to Jeff before his head disappeared beneath the edge of the roof.

Michael tugged on Jeff’s hand. Not enough to move him forward, but just enough to grab his attention, before he relinquished his grip. “I’ll be taking that key now.”

Jeff nodded and rooted around in his pants pocket until he found the Honda key and pulled it out. Michael snatched it away, and it disappeared into his jacket. The two men glared at one another for a moment until Jeff turned and walked toward the extension ladder.

“One more thing.”

Jeff paused, but did not look back at the other man.

“I’d be interested in getting your take on what happened out there. George and Teddy had some… interesting things to say. I would love to hear your side of the story.”

Jeff nodded casually as he began his downward climb. Things were about to get interesting, but at least he knew two things for certain: George and Teddy had made it back okay, and they more than likely stuck with the doctored version of what had happened to Marcus.

Jeff stepped off the last rung of the ladder and turned toward Ben, who was laying Ray down on one of the tables. No one else seemed to be around, and he guessed everyone had gone to their trailers when they heard gunshots coming from the town. He took some comfort from the idea that he might be able to clean up a little before Megan or any of the children, including Jason, had a chance to see him slathered in Ray’s blood.

Jeff moved toward Ben, but before he had gone three steps, he felt a pair of hands pushing him to the ground. A sharp pain followed as a swift kick crashed into his side and a thick, meaty paw grabbed him by the hair. Before Jeff could react, a knee slammed into his back and his head was yanked upward.

Exhausted, he could do little more than yelp in pain as he was flipped over violently and saw the porcine figure of Frank looming directly above him. The man’s meaty fist was cocked back, ready to plow into Jeff’s chin.

“You don’t know how much I’m going to enjoy this, you cocksucker.” The words, spoken through Frank’s clenched teeth, were punctuated by tiny globs of spittle that flew onto the dazed man’s face. Frank still had his thick fingers snarled in Jeff's hair, and he slammed his opponent’s head into the ground to put an end to any meager resistance.

“Careful there, Frank. That blood on him is tainted.”

Jeff felt Frank’s body move slightly. He was too tired to put up much of a fight and already had the wind knocked out of him. Frank kept his fingers intertwined in Jeff’s hair even as he looked up at Michael, who was still on the roof of the RV.

“If you punch him, you might get some of it on you,” Michael said as he climbed down the ladder.

He skipped the last three rungs and landed lightly on his feet. Turning, Michael stood above his subordinate; Ben watched from where he was tending to Ray.

“If you cut one of your knuckles on his teeth, the infected blood could get into your system. You follow me?” Michael spoke to Frank as if he were a child, the words coming out of his mouth very slowly.

Michael’s comments seemed to have the appropriate effect, as Frank released his grip on Jeff’s hair. Once his hand was free, he stood up and moved away.

“You mean this fucker is infected?”

Jeff continued to lie on his back, his hand finding the spot in his side where Frank had kicked him. It was another war wound to add to the collection. At least it was just a glancing blow. None of his ribs felt cracked as he gently probed them.

Michael barked out a contemptuous laugh. “No, Jeff isn’t infected. At least I don’t think he is.” He bent down over the prone man. “Are you, Jeff? You been bitten? Do we need to sit you on a table next to Ray?”