Fear the Roaming Dead

Negotiations (chapter 13)

Wally eyed down the boxes scattered around the outside of the gate. He kept one hand on his binoculars and one hand on the hostage. Mike had a bag over his head with his legs and hands tied with rope. He had fresh and day old bruises. His clothes were ripped and he had a large bandage around his thigh. Wally sweated through his button up, and the trench coat didn't help at all. Wally nervously scanned behind him to make sure no one was watching him.

"Wh-what are you gonna do to me!?" Mike whimpered. Wally pressed his knuckle into his neck. "Shut up, Stanley and the others are gonna pick you up and trade you for some supplies." Wally said quietly. Wally turned around to see Dex walking by. Wally quickly shoved Mike into the floor and stood in front of him. He turned around to see Dex looking up at him. "You okay?" Dex asked. "Yeah. I'm just fine." Wally nodded. Mike shook a little and leaned out to the side. Wally kicked his head back into line. "Don't move!" he whispered. Dex looked really suspicious. "Wally. You sure you're okay?" Dex asked walking towards the ladder. "You've been up there since this morning." "Don't come up here! It's okay! I'm taking the extra shift!" A sweat beat trickled down his cheek. Dex made his way around the ladder and climbed up. A big lump filled Wally's throat and he backed up. Dex didn't even look at Wally, his face turned white and he was speechless.

Wally looked where he was a white pickup truck with two men in the front and six men in the trunk bed were driving up towards the gate. They all had machine guns and rifles in their lap. One of them in the back pointed at Dex and Wally. The pickup truck stirred dust and gravel pebbles up and into the air. Dex unholstered his desert eagle and looked to check how many rounds were in it. A full clip. 7.

Dex looked back up. The truck had stopped about eighty feet from the gate. The engine rattled and it stopped as soon as they heard it. The driver's side door opened and a man wearing a police riot gear helmet and chest armor stepped out with his Steyr AUG in his hands. Dex aimed the pistol at him. "Don't move!" Dex yelled. Wally looked at Dex then at the man. "Where's Mike?" the man yelled. "We don't have a-" "Right here!" Wally interrupted Dex and yanked Mike upward by the rope. Mike coughed and shook even more. Dex's face went even more pale and he backed up. "The hell is this!?" Dex yelled. "Calm down, I will handle this." Wally said with a Colt Cobra aimed at the back of his head.

"Are you Stanley?" Wally yelled. The man chuckled and laughed. "Correct. I'm assuming Mike is under that bag?" Stanley asked. Wally looked at Mike then at Stanley with a strange expression. "No," he said sarcastically. "I'm Mike." Stanley fake laughed. "Bring him down." Stanley demanded. Wally covered his face with his hands. "Are you serious at the moment? I have one of your friends and you're the one trying to argue with me. You're hilarious." Wally clicked the cobra and put his finger on the trigger.

Stanley looked around. "Kid, you are kind of outnumbered." Stanley yelled. Wally looked around him then at Dex. "I sure am." Wally laughed. Stanley looked over at Dex and pointed at him. "This your boyfriend?" Stanley yelled cackling. Wally and Dex both make a gross looking face. "Ew! Hell no!" Dex gagged. "You guys must be natural allies then." Stanley nodded. "Known each other since before the outbreak." Wally yelled.

Someone from the back of the pickup truck spoke up. "Can we cut the chit chat? Give us Mike or you don't get the supplies!" Wally, Dex, and Stanley both turned their heads to look at him. Stanley laughed. Wally shook his head. "Sorry, until you give me the supplies I can't give you Mike." Stanley looked over at the guy and shook his head. "Load the supplies at the front gate," he looked back up at Wally. "Then you give us the kid." Stanley demanded. "Of course." Wally smiled.

Stanley's men began taking boxes from the back of the truck and setting them down in front of the gate. They lifted each and every one of the boxes. "Show me what's in them." Wally yelled. Stanley gestured and some of the men opened boxes to show cans of food, boxes of carrots, apples, bread, ammunition, and guns. Wally nodded. "Thank you."

"How did little Mikey even survive the explosion?" Stanley asked. Wally shrugged. Dex leaned in towards Wally. "Explosion?" We whispered. Wally looked at him. "I'll explain later." Wally massaged the remote hidden in his pocket. "I dunno," Wally smiled. "A lucky one isn't he?" "He sure is." Stanley said slowly. One of Stanley's men patted him on the back. "That's all, sir." he said quietly. "Alright. Give us Mike." Stanley pointed. "Can you catch him?" Wally asked pushing his head towards the railing.

"Don't you dare!" Stanley yelled. Wally pushed Mike even further over the rail. Mike was shaking uncontrollably now. "Pl-Please don't!" Mike sobbed. Dex crossed his arms and looked at Wally, who's face was red as a beat. Wally clenched his hand around his head and drew back. Wally launched the fist at Mike, slamming into the back of his head. Mike turned over the railing and fell twenty feet down. He landed on his side with a loud snap. Everyone cringed and looked up at Wally who was smiling.

Stanley rushed over and dragged Mike by the collar. He yanked off the bag on his head and checked for a pulse. Stanley took a deep breath of relief. He felt around his arms and legs. Mike shook when he touched his ribs and pelvis. Stanley growled and aimed his Steyr AUG at Wally. "You broke his ribs and something else!" Everyone but Dex and Mike aimed their assault rifles at Wally. "You almost killed him!" Stanley yelled.

Dex aimed his desert eagle at Stanley. "Back off!" Stanley looked up at Dex. "It's two against six. We're gonna go in there and raid this place. Free electricity and water? We'll take that any day!" Stanley yanked the trigger and bullets sprinted out of the barrel. Dex and Wally both ducked down and breathed quickly. "Good job, moron! You got us into this mess! We're gonna die now!" Dex yelled. The other people starts shooting at the walls too. Wally was silent and a grin slowly grew on his face. "Wait for it." Wally said slowly.

The engine of the truck started. "Perfect." Wally clicked the button in his coat.

An orange light flickered from over the wall. The light came before the sound, but the sound came soon after. A loud almost deafening rumble and shaking rattled the walls and both their ears. It carried on and Dex felt a sharp blazing heat streak over the walls and singe the top of his hat lightly. The sound carried on but the light and the heat stopped as soon as it started.

Wally and Dex looked over the walls at the destruction.

The truck was just an exoskeleton and metal parts sitting by the gate.

The guns are broken and cracked inward.

There was nothing left but pieces of limbs and heads.

Dried blood was splattered over the walls.

Dex looked over and covered his mouth.

Wally just smiled.