Unbound

Chapter 18

"I need to go to Wal-Mart," Pastor Tim said, pointing at a brightly lit building in the distance.

They stood on the side of the road leading into El Dorado. There were cars moving along the streets, but not many. The buses they'd flown over earlier were stopped at the end of the street, three red lights hanging above them. The lights turned green and the buses turned east, heading into the town.

"We go after them," Jesus said, pointing at the receding taillights.

"I need a gun," Tim said. Without waiting for them to answer, or even looking back to see if they were following, the man took off across the street toward the store.

Simon and Jesus exchanged glances. Simon shrugged. "Looks like he finally found his balls," the bald man said.

"Good," Jesus growled as he followed the man. "Now I'll get to rip them off." He reached behind and gripped the hilt of his sword, eyes searching the darkness for any signs of Shira's minions. He wouldn't put it past the woman to have set sentries at the entrance to the town to warn her when they arrived.

As they grew closer to the store, this 'Wal-Mart,' the sounds of yelling began to echo. It seemed to be coming from the entrance to the store. People gathered there pushing and shoving. Someone shoved a man through a pane of glass. Red blossomed over his white t-shirt and the crowd went into a frenzy.

Taken.

"Back," Jesus shouted at Tim, shoving past the man and drawing his blade. There were so many of them. They boiled out of the doors holding boxes and bags, kicking and punching. "I'll end this quickly." Would there be another Berseker here? He would need to destroy them all, just in case.

He lifted a tired arm and reached within his soul, searching the blackness for the power to end the lives of the men and women standing before him. He found it, waiting and anxious, like a starving beast barely caged. He grasped the threads of darkness and was on the verge of casting them out into the crowd when he felt something tugging at his arm.

Confused, he looked back to find Pastor Tim gripping his wrist, the one holding his blade. The man stared past him at the Taken. "Stand back," Jesus commanded, shaking the man's hand off and turning back to his work.

"Stop," Pastor Tim said.

"Why?"

"Those are not your 'Taken.'"

Jesus glanced to Simon, but the man was glaring at the crowd. He hadn't summoned his ax.

"They are just looters," Pastor Tim said. For some reason he sounded hurt.

Jesus watched the crowd again, looking deeper this time. The people carried objects, not weapons. They weren't fighting each other; they were fighting over their...loot. It made him sick. It took a force of will to release the power he'd gathered to destroy them.

"Come on," Pastor Tim said. The man didn't stop, but walked right up to the crowd, and then began walking through them. Some shoved him, but he ignored them and kept on moving forward.

Jesus and Simon caught up to the man, pushing people out of their path none-too-gently. He'd put his sword away, lest he accidently cut someone's head off. The sword was not meant for blood, and he damn sure wouldn't stain it with theirs.

As they entered the store things calmed down. People ran up and down the aisles, mostly younger people, but it wasn't the melee like at the entrance.