End of the Suburbs

Chpt 20: Message

I speed off down the road.
I'm looking for any sign of them but also trying to put as much distance between myself and Texas.
They can't be that far.
They were ahead of me by less than an hour and on bikes.
Only way I don't spot them is if they didn't make it out.
I'd go back if that means saving Sage and V.
They'd do it for me.
I'd have an easier time finding them if I could get a better view.
There's nothing to climb nearby.
Just empty pastures.
I park the car off road and get on top.
I don't see any sign of them.
I have to go back.
I decide not to take the main road.
I drive off road back towards the outer wall.
The city is big.
Hopefully the city is still reeling from my escape.
They won't be expecting me to come back.
I get close to the part of the outer wall where Liz said they'd be exiting through.
I see bike tracks.
They made it.
They're going south.
I hop back in the car and follow the directions of the tire tracks.
They go past the dirt and onto a road.
That makes it hard to follow.
I look for a sign.
I notice on one of the roadsigns there's a lightning bolt carved and an arrow pointing. I'm headed in the right direction.
I keep driving down the road
I see something in the distance.
It's someone stopped in the street.
I keep going and realize it's a group of motorcycles.
There's a trailer attached to the back with a cage.
It's ***Buzzards***
I stop the car and go to put it in reverse.
They definitely saw me but there's still a chance I can outrun them.
Suddenly Casper starts to howl.
He jumps in the front seat putting his paws on the dashboard.
I stop.
I look closer.
Somebody is in the cage.
It's V.
I can't leave him.
I reach into the back seat and grab my armor and sword.
I put it on and drive.
I speed up and stop about 10 feet away.
I hop out the car with sword in hand.
Now that I'm closer I see it's not just V.
They also captured Sage and Liz.
"Let them go" I say.
There's 4 of them with heavy, high powered motorcycles.
All of their faces and heads are covered and are wearing leather.
They all get off their rides except for the one with the trailer attached.
The three spread out ready to fight.
I raise my sword and breathe.
Before I can attack on of the Buzzards tosses a chain that coils around my sword.
Before I can do anything he snatches it away from me.
I'm disarmed.
"You done messed up, boy." One of the Buzzards says gruffly.
Another throws his chain.
It wraps around my wrist.
He tugs but I'm stronger than him.
Another of them throws a chain.
This one at my ankles.
With one quick pull I'm on the ground.
I have one free hand.
I try to undo the chain.
Casper charges at the Buzzards.
One of them has a knife in his hand ready to stab.
I stop him.
I command Casper to retreat.
I'm being dragged across the asphalt.
They grab me and pick me up.
The three of them force me into the cage.
I'm captured.
Sage rushes to embrace me.
We almost made it out of Texas.
They'd been intercepted by the Buzzards headed there and looking for them caused me to fall into the same trap.
Two of them hop onto their motorcycles.
The third hesitates.
"Let's move." one of them calls to him.
"Just a second. I got a taste for dog." he says.
He pulls out his knife and starts to approach the car and Casper.
"Casper Run!" I yell.
Casper ignores me.
He plants himself and bares his teeth as the Ranger approaches.
"RUN!" I yell.
He still ignores.
The sound of another motorcycle approaches.
This time from the west.
The Ranger stops and looks onward to the person approaching.
The bike roars up in a cloud of dust and smoke.
It reaches the road ahead of us and stops.
The dust clears.
A man gets off.
He's big.
Extremely muscular.
He's wearing a hood and a metal mask.
His long coat is ragged and padded with armor.
He's carrying a scythe.
The blade drags the ground as he walks.
He's the ***Reaper**
He takes slow steps.
His giant boots pound the ground as he walks.
You hear the sound of tiny rocks grinding against the asphalt as he steps.
He stops.
"Let them go."he says
His deep and thunderous voice is muffled by the mask but still loud enough to hear.
The man on the bike with the trailer gets off and walks towards the trailer.
He takes off his mask.
"No can do, Mr.Reaper man."he says.
The reaper stands still.
The Buzzard reaches into his bag and pulls out a thick blade.
He continues on, "From the looks of it you're outnumbered. You don't scare us."
One of the Buzzards starts to twirl his chain.
"Big guy like you, make for some good eats."one of the others say.
The four of them take positions towards the Reaper.
The Reaper doesn't flinch.
The one spinning the chain releases it sending it flying towards the Reaper.
The Reaper leans back dodging it and catches the end in his huge gloved hand.
The other Buzzard tosses his chain.
Using the same hand the Reaper catches that chain too.
Both Buzzards try to pull against him.
The Reaper barely moves.
The Buzzards' leader charges the Reaper with the knife.
The Reaper pulls the chains swinging both of the men into him.
The three of them fall into one of the motorcycles.
The reaper tosses the chains away
The fourth races over to help is friends up.
They get to their feet and pull out their weapons.
The Reaper lets out a low growl.
He grips the scythe like an axe.
The four Buzzards gather and start to surround the Reaper.
He barely moves.
The first Buzzard charges with a knife.
The Reaper rears back and delivers a powerful kick directly to his core sending him sliding across the ground.
The second and third attacks together.
One has a machete.
He swings at the Reaper with force.
The Reaper blocks using the handle of the scythe.
The third has a stick wrapped in barbed wire.
He charges and swings.
The Reaper ducks and uses his free hand to lift him and toss him into the one with the machete. They both fall.
The fourth had managed to creep around behind the Reaper.
He charges the Reaper.
The Reaper drops the top of the scythe to the ground.
Just as the fourth is ready to plunge his blade into the Reaper's back the Reaper spins.
With one powerful swing he slices right through the Buzzard's neck.
His head rolls as his body drops weightless.
The Reaper turns back and faces the other Buzzards.
He doesn't say anything, just points to us in the cage.
The three remaining Buzzards regroup.
The first throws his knife at the Reaper in an act of desperation.
He swats it away.
The Reaper starts to spin his scythe.
The first strike lands piercing the Buzzard's back and bringing him down.
The second Buzzard sees an opening and tries to attack wit his machete but the Reaper blocks it with the short blade on the bottom of his scythe.
He follows up with a spin and pierces his abdomen by swinging upward with the long blade.
The last Buzzard standing has watched all his allies fall.
Scared, he drops his barbed wire wrapped stick and runs toward his motorcycle.
It's too late.
The Reaper has decided that he's meant to die.
He picks up the machete from the ground and tosses it into the back of the Buzzard's head as he tries to flee.
The Buzzard drops to his knees.
He reaches back trying to pull it out but it's too late.
He falls on his face dead.
The Reaper walks over to the cage slowly.
He looks at chain around the door.
"I got your message"he says to Liz.
In one swing he breaks the lock using just his fist.
He snatches the door open and walks back toward his motorcycle.
"Follow me."he says.