Adrian Smith - The Fourth Phase

Jack held up the detonator and flicked the metal switch on the side, arming it. “Screw you, Trophy King,” he yelled, and pressed the red button down.

There was a split-second pause before a huge rumbling explosion echoed out over the lake.

Jack could hear it clearly over the sound of the chopper. He watched mesmerised as the dam exploded out in a cloud of dust with a debris-filled whump! Hunks of concrete, steel, and wood flung out, cascading down into the river below.

The water behind the dam frothed and bubbled, geysers of water shooting into the sky. Jack turned, looking for the tsunami. It reached the tower they had sheltered on, slamming into it, tearing it off its foundations with ease. The tsunami then slammed into the dam, buckling the wall on top as it sloshed over in a massive wave. With the added force of the tsunami, the dam broke apart. Torrents of water gushed out. Jack smiled as the dam exploded, crumbling from the pressure. Billions of liters of water poured out over the destroyed dam and made its way down river. Jack said a silent apology to all those towns that would be destroyed. To all those millions of hours it took to build civilization. They were destroying it in seconds.

He felt the chopper bank and head for the coast. Jack took a final look at the wall of water smashing its way down the Waikato River. The river washed away everything in its path. Jack shook his head at what had become of his country. At what had become of the world. We came. We saw. We conquered, and ultimately, we destroyed. He sat down next to Dee and gazed out the window at the Pacific Ocean in the distance. It was time to rebuild. Maybe this time we’ll learn from our mistakes . He grasped Dee’s hand in his and pulled her close. Despite what the world had become, he wanted to create a life with her, bring new life into it. She glanced up at him, as if reading his thoughts, and snuggled in closer to him. Jack grinned, enjoying her company, here in the apocalypse.

The sun hugged the horizon, kissing the land as it sank away, ushering in the night. Dee breathed a sigh of relief as Mayor Island grew larger before the chopper finally began its descent. Every part of her body ached from the exertions of the past few days.

She looked out at the village. Dozens of lights had been strung up along the boardwalk, linking all the buildings, trees, and tents together. It looked like the Milky Way had been pulled out of the sky and laid across the village.

George pushed up off her lap and looked out the window. He turned to smile at her. Maggie had cleaned his damaged eye and bandaged it. Dee kissed his cheek, happy that he had something to smile at after his torture at the hands of the Trophy King. The chopper bumped to the ground and the pilot switched off the engines. Dee heard the whine drop and shuffled along her seat, eager to exit. She wanted a shower, food, sleep, and Jack.

She dropped down out of the chopper and looked up. Alice and the kids stood there, watching.

“Dee! Maggie!” Alice yelled.

Dee helped George and Boss out of the chopper, then waved at them. Jack helped Boss stand, and the Renegades moved away from the still-spinning rotor blades and into the waiting group.

Dee lost herself in the hugs and cries of joy. It was worth all the effort to see the utter joy on everyone’s faces, knowing they were all safe for now. A few days ago, she never would have imagined all that they had been through since then. She was experiencing new emotions, emotions she didn’t have the words to express. She looked around at all the kids and adults, lost in the moment, caught up in love. After so many years of running from the responsibilities of motherhood, Dee felt that she was ready. She exchanged a glance with Jack and saw the warmth of his smile as he held George close and hugged Alice. She knew that he was feeling it too. Dee stepped over and pulled Alice into an embrace, and let the tears flow. They were tears of joy. Of happiness and relief. She pulled away and hugged Ben.

“Thank you, Ben.”

“You’re welcome, Dee. We look after each other.”

She smiled. “Still, you didn’t have to. I’m worried about what the Colonel is going to do.”

Ben pointed at all the lights. Dee could see that several tables had been set up along the boardwalk outside the FOB. Fires had been lit in braziers.

“You let me worry about Mahana, Dee. Let’s enjoy Matariki and savour this small victory.”

“All right, Ben.”

Ben patted her arm and moved away, joining the soldiers standing away from the group. She reached down and grasped George’s hand. Jack took his other hand and the trio moved away from the group. Two nurses had brought Boss his crutches and were helping him walk. With their aid, he turned away from Beth and followed Dee and Jack. Soon the group broke apart and walked with them. Dee looked around and smiled. She never would have imagined this scene. Before the Variant apocalypse, she and Jack had been hermits, enjoying their own company. Now, as the group trudged up the hill to the Walsh Villa, she was happy to have all the company she could get. With what lay out there in the world, it felt good to have human contact.

Dee sat down at the kitchen table. She felt clean and fresh after her shower. Jack joined her and handed her a cup of tea. She clasped it in her hands and inhaled, savouring its earthy scent. Things almost felt normal again. But, gazing out the window, she knew they weren’t. She caught Alice’s eye and beckoned her over.

Maggie and Alice broke away from the kids playing in the lounge and sat down opposite them. No one spoke for a few minutes. Dee assumed everyone was lost in their own thoughts, just as stunned as she was. She glanced over at Boss and Beth, holding on to each other, lying on the couch. Dee looked up at Jack. “Is it over?”

Jack sighed and ran his hands across the table. “I hope so. For now, I guess.”

She watched as he took another sip of his tea. He grimaced slightly. She knew it was from the taste of the goats’ milk. Cows were a rarity nowadays.

He glanced back at her. “I mean, you killed the Trophy King like you were The Bride. ”

Dee smiled at him. Reaching out, she stroked his hand.

Maggie plonked her cup down on the wooden table with a dull thud. “You killed that Alpha, yes, but another will take its place. It kind of reminds me of this movie…”

Dee arched her eyebrow at her. “Not you too?”

Maggie grinned, glancing between her and Jack. “Yeah, me too. So, in this movie, there’s this kid in high school who’s being tormented by the popular kids. They’re merciless in their bullying. He snaps and starts to kill them off, one by one. Each kill is gruesome. By the end of the film, he’s feared and the other kids do anything he says. He enjoys the power. He realises that he has become the bully, the one everyone fears and hates.”

Jack laughed. “I remember that one!” He sobered, and nodded. “There is always someone to take the mantle. To become king. If you really want to stop it, you have to break the cycle.”

Alice glanced between Jack and Dee. She gripped her mug tighter, her hands turning white.

“Maggie is right. After we left you, Dee, we were captured by the Variants. They killed Austin and ate him.” Alice paused and looked down at the table. Maggie put her arm around her friend. “They were led by this big ugly bastard. Before I was taken to the prison, we were dragged along to this meeting. Four of the Alphas together.”

Alice glanced at Dee, tears welled up in her eyes. “They ate Matt, Dee, right in front of me. Then children… kids…”

Dee reached out and grasped her friend’s hand. She didn’t know what to say. They had all seen terrible things. Comfort was what Alice needed.