Last Man Standing

Chapter 2: Goin Home

Goin Home

         It's been a few days since I've ridden Veronica... I've missed the feeling. It's the fastest ride I've ever had. Smooth, just feeling the wind through my hair as we glide through the turns... It's like magic, the only time I have no worries... no zombies can keep up... Nothing can. The only thing I need to worry about is the Raiders... a gang of survivors... They survive by running down people on the road, and raiding cities. They have working cars too... there's a few people with the ability for short distance travel, but they don't feel that it's worth chancing the creatures to travel, or getting raided. None-the-less, I can outrun 'em all.

         It's time I headed home... I haven't been there in a few months... Had a lot on my mind. Nathaniel is probably worries... I know I haven't heard from him in a while either. I'm sure he's fine though... he's a survivor, that's why I chose him to join my "connections". I know I can trust him.

         I love riding the Interstate back down south. It's nothing but open raod. Two and a half hours of quality time with Veronica. I grew up in Cadillac... had quite a few friends there who Nathanial and I had to put down... After Christening Trinket on my Grandfather, used her to put the others to rest. It was an emotional day... I still have nightmares of shooting my girlfriend in the chest with Trinket... I cried for the last time that day. The only emotion I've felt since was fear. Fear is my greatest ally, keeps you alive, I'm not even angry anymore.

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         "How are they doing it?!" Nathaniel shouted over the ruckus of the gunfire, as he sees his leutenant run to where he's crouched behind the barricade, riot armor covering his muscular frame. It was hard enough for him to hide his six foot body behind it without it, but with it he looked like an armored lump behind the barricade. It'd be quite a humorous sight, if there weren't bullets zipping around the field.

         "Sir! We've been holding off these raiders for days now... we weren't prepared... and we're running low on ammunition..." his leutenant yelled to him, after scrambling across the yard, where the defenders were holding up, trying to save themselves and their homes from the raiders.

         "No kiddin..." Nathanial grumbled, now that his leutenant was close enough they could "talk" normally. He stood fearlessly, and scanned the field looking at their dire situation, and the many casualties strewn about the area... The people that've become such close friends with him over the past few months.

         "Sir... We won't live out the day... At this rate we..." the leutenant began, but was interrupted by a loud explosion at the wall just south of them.

         "Shit! Get over there and repair that wall! Don't let anything through!" He screamed out his orders, as he shoved his leutenant towards the wall "I need to think... just a little time..." he finished, with a resigned sigh. He couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of helplessness. "We're lost... I wish Xander were here... He'd know what to do..."

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         "Nathaniel... you idiot... what the hell have you done..." Xander whispered dissapointedly to himself, as though he could be heard over the gunfire. He had detoured to the south of old Cadillac, after coming up and hearing the conflict. He wanted to get a full view of the scene laid out before him, and he definately didn't want to stumble into a war and get shot. "I don't know how I know, but I know you're involved... this just seems to shout your name." he muttered again, scanning the area, and counting out twelve raider vehicles. There were, of course, the two lead vehicles, large military supply vehicles, most likely carrying people with big guns and lots of ammo. Two more vehicles flanking those that were military style Hummers with mounted assault rifles... "Not good..." Behind those four vehicles were the civilian style vehicles, just trucks and cars, eight total, that carried one or two members of this party, and their individual weapons, which... oddly enough... reminded him vaguely of his small arsenal.

         He decided on a way in, turned his bike around and headed southwest of them, and rode until he was a little ways out of sight, double checked his gear, making sure everything was loaded, cocked, and safeties off, just in case there was going to be a bit of trouble on his way in, and could stop and fight the second he needed to. Got off, checked the NOS tanks, made a few minor adjustments, no problems... it wouldn't do to fight your way through, just to go boom due to an intake problem, or a leak.

         "Alright baby, are we ready?" He asked Veronica... and wondered if he actually expected her to answer sometimes, and that maybe he really was losing his mind... thinking of what he was about to do, he decided that, at least now, it was true. "If you get even the tiniest scratch from me saving his sorry ass... he'll wish he let the raiders skin him long before I showed up." He said, petting the handlebars before speeding off towards the skirmish, gunning it as fast as Veronica could take him.

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         It was quiet... for now. The raiders didn't need to waste ammo... they were safe enough, and Nathaniel couldn't afford to waste any, he was running out real fast, and he was hoping he would think of something to save them, and so was everyone else. He couldn't think... he really wasn't a leader... he was "trying too hard", that's what Xander would say... maybe that's why his ears were rining, that stupid high pitched whine... But... it was getting louder, and he almost swore he recognized...
         "Veronica..." he whispered questioningly to himself, and focusing so hard on the sound of the engine that he fell over from his crouch, and onto his backside, scared witless, when people started shooting.

         "No..." he whispered, frantically jumping to his feet, and running out into the midst of his men "Hold your fire!!!" he repeatedly screamed at them, as they barraged the man riding speedily towards them with bullets. He seriously hoped his assumptions that it were Xander, and not his imagination, were correct, because he knew the consequences of letting even a single raider through would be dire.

         "Open the barricade!" he screamed as he started to push the car out of the way, that they used as part of the barricade "He's a friend!" he grunted, and a couple of men rushed up, shortly afterwards and helped get the car out of the way just in time for the bike to speed by. The bike sailed by so fast, they couldn't get a good enough look to see any characteristics of the rider.

         "Close it up..." Nathaniel told one of the men as he took off after the bike on foot. "I'll be back shortly."

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         "Wow girl..." Xander said. "I didn't think they'd get the car out of the way in time..." We were really haulin ass!" he continued with a chuckle, patting the handle bars as he turned the bike around, and he couldn't but smile when he saw Nathaniel running up to him.

         Nathaniel smiled as he looked the rider up and down as he recognized the garb only Xander wore. Dark tight smoke grey shirt, showing his strong torso, barrel chest, baggy smoke grey jeans and black shoes... and that damn mask. It was tight agains his face, something like what a ninja would wear in a "modern" ninja movie. With his sword strapped to his back, and his knives strapped all over him, he looked exactly like what he would expect a ninja to look like... Nathaniel hated it, Xander didn't care. He didn't wear it to look cool, he says he wears it to hide a scar... Nathaniel thinks it's just to hide.

         "Take off that stupid mask Xander, it's just me..." Nathaniel called as he ran up.

         Xander subconciously reached up and touched his fingers against the right side of his face, touching his scar and quickly withdrew his hand when he realized it. "Morning brother." Xander said in greeting as they clasped hands "Starting the fun without me?" He jabbed playfully, happy to see his friend alive and well, despite the dire situation.

         "Yeah, you know me..." he said, pausing to catch his breath. "I'm always looking for trouble... that's why I hang out with you. Got a plan yet?"

         "Oh, yeah, of course I do, I always carry a spare in my back pocket just in case of raiders, just like I <b>always</b> fight in groups." Xander replied sarcastically... "Veronica's engine hasn't even cooled yet, gimme a moment." he said as he started walking back towards the battle field.

         They were discussing a battle plan, and the possibility of retreat, and Xander almost missed a step when he saw the leautenant running at them full sprint, and actually caught what he was screaming. "They're charging the barricade!!!" and Xander knewthen that a lot of people were about to die. For the first time in a very long time, he felt an emotion other than fear... he was furious.

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         When they finally arrived back at the barricade he saw precisely the situtation they were in. He realized he had to do something to get these people out, there wasn't a way he could win this war. After that, he didn't care, he didn't like people anyways, but there was no way he wanted to see these people die if he could prevent it, especially if Nathaniel was leading them. Despite everything, he didn't want to make Nathaniel look like an ass by getting all his friends killed.

         "I've got an idea..." Xander said, looking around. "Get me as many pieces of sheet metal as you can, I've got some explosive on my bike..." he started... thinking up some plan. "Cut the metal into as small of pieces as you can, in as short of time as you can. We don't have long, they have to prepare, so maybe an hour... tops. We'll be ready or dead, your choice, so <b><i>MOVE!</b></i>"

         As Nathaniel started giving out orders, Xander reached into his emergency satchel and pulled out the last of the C-4 that he and Nathaniel found when they raided the armory downtown. About forty-five minutes went by, and while Xander waited, he fixed up one of the cars in there that didn't need too much work, filtered as much gas from other cars, and some from his bike, and anywhere he could get it, and set up a ramp near the edge of the barricade, so the car could make it over, then he loaded all the spare and remaining ammo that wasn't in a gun into it. When the giant, rolling shrapnel bomb was complete, he added the finishing touches, by wiring a small bit of C-4 around the gas tank so as to be the igniter. "Boom..." was all Xander whispered when he finished... making everyone standing around him nervous. He set the timer and went on to the rest of the plan by rolling the rest of the C-4 into tiny ping-pong sized balls and put the mini-cd sized discs of sheet metal into it, evenly placed to fit as much as he could into it, then threw the rest into the car-bomb.

         He grabbed a heavy chunk of the recently destroyed wall and stood by the car, waiting for the right time. His anxiety got the better of him, as he launched a volley of shots out into the raiders party with Alexandria, trying to speed them up a little. Everyone scattered at the return volley, of several, several more bullets. Xander didn't flinch, he needed them to have confidence, so he fired again, until his clip was empty. After watching the raiders close in, he reached into the car and started the engine, and dropped the block onto the gas pedal, listening to the engine flare to life... how he loved the sound of engines... he set the detination time and reached in and put the car in drive, diving backwards as fast as he could, landing ungracefully on his backside. The car sped up at an incredible rate and launched itself out over the barricade, slamming onto the ground and rolling just outside the city, about halfway across the 100 yards to the raiders, who were crawling towards the city, prepared to kill, where it stalled.

         "Aww Christ!!} Xander shouted, jumping up and making a mad, suicidal dash out across the open field towards the ever explosive car, and with Nathaniel and two other extremely gutsy, or stupid, men jumping up and following, in awe.

         "Xander you bastard!!! You're going to get us all killed!!!" Nathaniel screamed over the noise of the consuming gunfire raining down on them.

         Xander didn't hesitate in his dead sprint outside of the protection of the barricade towards the car. He didn't think of why he was doing this, because he knew it was stupid, and he should just let them all die. His plan was near failing and he was risking his life. This was too far... He should think more often.

         The raiders continued to rain bullets down on them, their aim apparently not the greatest as Xander ducked and weaved back and forth towards the car at breakneck speed, and Nathanial and one of the guards dove to the ground... the other falling with a gaping hole in his head. Xander didn't stop, didn't even slow as bullets riddled the ground in front of him. He knew the odds of hitting a moving target on a strait shot were slim, and he was going everywhere but strait.

         Xander reached the car before Nathaniel and the guard could even extract themselves from their haven, face down in the dirt. Nathaniel grabbed the gun and burst forward, finally arriving at the car with his guard shortly tailing him. Xander popped the hood as Nathaniel returned a small volley of bullets back in the direction of the raiders, doing absolutely nothing.

         "This has to be further out there!!!" Xander shouted, ducking reflexively as a bullet shot through the hood of the car... the raiders aim improving greatly, of course, as they got closer.

         "No shit? I thought it was supposed to stall seventy-five yards from their vehicles. So start it before we get shot!" Nathaniel said, wasting more ammunition on pointless shooting.

         "Ok ok..." Xander said, looking around under the hood... "Go start it!" he shouted pointing at the gaurd. He hopped into the car and turned the key... nothing. "Fuck!!!"

         Xander tinkered around under the hood for a second before cussing again and hitting it, and as he stood to give the 'thumbs up', took one square in the right shoulder, dropping him back under the hood. Pushing himself out he screamed for the car to be started as he dashed behind it, dodging the still steady stream of gunfire.

         The guard started it up and put it in gear, opened the door to dive out and took three to the chest, leaving him half hanging out with a blank stare on his face as the car raced towards the raiders. "Be sure to buckle up, and send them my regards..." Xander said, as he grabbed Nathaniel with his good arm and ran back towards the barricade. They had just managed to dive behind the car-gate when their car-bomb exploded, shaking the ground with the force of it. Xander looked over at Nathaniel and silently mouthed the word "Boom..." and sighed.

         They peered up through the passenger side window, out at the devastation the exploding car trick caused only to see that it took the two lead cars out, and did only minor damage to the surrounding cars. "Damn, it exploded too early..." Xander muttered... "But I'll be they're pissed... didn't know I had C-4 did ya fuckers..." he said cockily, once again ducking a volley of bullets. Xander quickly scoped out the area for ideas... He figured with that small delay, they had about 10 minutes. "How many men do you have Nathaniel?" Xander asked, knowing that their last, desperate act was going to be a massacre.

         Nathaniel thought for a minute "Thirty-five... ish... I think. But no ammo!" he said, remembering Xander throwing all the spare ammo into the car.

         "Get them hidden, fast. We'll force them to walk in, they can't drive through the barricade if we reinforce it... They won't have vehicles to shoot from, but they'll still have guns. We have to ambush them, we can't get away from them on foot." Xander said as he reloaded Alexandria. "Go get Vincent, give him to your best sharpshooter, hide him damn good. The explosion stalled them, I'm guessing we've got five minutes left, tops, if they move slow." Xander said as he started pushing parts of the wall, and another car against the gate to the barricade. "Take Nail-Driver for yourself... hide damn good... and Nathaniel?"

         "Yeah?"

         "Don't die..." he said, looking intently into Nathaniels eyes "this is going to be a bloodbath... A lot of people are about to lose their lives in this fight, and there will be a lot of clean-up to do."

         "I understand..." Nathaniel said sadly, thinking of all the people who are about to die.

         "Good, then I suggest you <b><i>GO</b></i>!" Xander shouted before sliding down in between two cars to wait, holding his hand over his bleeding shoulder, wishing he could at least bandage it. The bullet hit bone, which isn't good... it's wedged in there tight, and he can feel it grind every time he moves it. "This is going to hurt..." he groaned. Then he waited.

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         "BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!" He heard... Jutting him from his thoughts. They threw the explosives... Hopefully they helped. Well... hopefully they threw them anyways. He hadn't been there to give the order, but nobody is stupid enough to hold onto them until they explode. He recognized the place they were fighting at, now that he looked around. They were just outside the old theatre, near the edge of the old town. A lot of the buildings were destroyed completely over the past few years. he hadn't been here since he was a boy... it looks so different now. How he misses those days... Now wasn't the time to remenisce though! It was game time, and he had to kill again. He showed no emotion, felt no emotion, wasn't even himself. It was as if he were watching the scene unfold from somewhere else. He knows why... it's how he keeps his sanity. He was killing people... not monsters. Living people... he hated it... he hated this man who looked like him for doing it, for being so good at it. He hated this man for using his girls "Alexandria" and "Tracey" to kill them. Men were dying, and that man was killing them, and he hated that man for it. That man that looked like him. He could see through that mans eyes, feel that mans thoughts, that man didn't like killing either, but that man was... With his guns! That man never touched Trinket though... never killed with Trinket, and he was grateful that Trinket was never used by that man.

         Xander found himself rooting for the raiders when that man got shot in the leg, but he winced in pain himself... Maybe in empathy? Feeling the pain of the gunshot wound. He didn't like seeing anyone get shot, that was why. That man though, didn't even flinch. To turn away would be to die... Xander didn't want anyone to die, not even that man. Xander looked around, watched all of Nathaniels friends dying... Nathaniel had Nail Driver though, which was good. Nail Driver was a good gun, it fits well in his hands. He's shouting something to that man, but Xander can't hear... He's too far away. The man heard him though, and nodded, running, even with the wounded leg, towards Nathaniel. Nathaniel went down... hard... Xander wanted to run to him, to help his childhood friend, but he couldn't seem to. That man was going... he was helping Nathaniel, when Xander could. How he hated that man...

         The area went silent, just like when it had all began... the fighting had ended, and the intense silence was overwhelming. Reality crashed back in on Xander, almost physically staggering him back a step as he crash landed back into his body, as he stood over Nathaniel, who was laying wounded, but alive at his feet. He surveyed the damage. Every raider, dead... Most of the soldiers too. It was an overwhelmingly sad day... Exhausted by the loss of blood, Xander finally collapsed, his wounded leg unable to hold his weight any longer. He sat, staring at all the dead... more lives lost. He stared in shock at the massacre laid out before him, and for the first time in years... he cried.

Seraphus
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