Necrocide

Chapter 84

Aaron emerged from the stairwell and took a stroll around the sixth floor, walking along the rail to watch the chaos unfold down in the Commons. Debris and fire from Bloodletter's murder-suicide was striking down on the bottom floor like a meteor shower. The DZI were taking their last stand against the Deadmen, firing away their last rounds of ammo into the crowds.

Once the debris reached the Commons, however, the incoming destruction took no sides. Both DZI and Deadmen were crushed by the falling fragments of building materials. The fire raining down resulted in one of the scariest sights any of the DZI had ever seen, as Deadmen stumbled around shrieking like banshees as they slowly burned to death. Gunfire continued to sound through the air, but the shrapnel from above made it hard to pick a target.

Harry, Jade, and Kyle were watching from a small corner as destruction came crashing down on the Commons. "Do you think that was Aaron?" Kyle asked.

"What if it was Bloodletter?" Jade asked.

"I'd wager it was both," Harry said. But the three of them ran back into their corner once the DZI started firing again.

Most of the citizens of Matheson had left in the buses and only one bus remained stationary. The remaining DZI did everything they could to escort the citizens to their last chance of survival, and most of them were successful. Most.

A woman and her daughter were corned by two Deadmen on their way to the garage. The woman held her young daughter close to her as one Deadman, one ugly bastard with his entire jawbone exposed, slowly approached her. Fortunately, Kat returned to the Commons at the perfect time and quickly took out the two Deadmen with her handgun.

"Thank you, dear," the mother said.

"You and your daughter's safety is all that matters now," Kat replied. She took the mother by her arm and escorted her and her daughter toward the garage. "Head to the buses. You'll be safe in Lovecraft."

Kat held the door open as the two jogged into the garage, where they were led by several other DZI onto the remaining bus. She looked back to see Shaw bolting toward her. He quickly turned around to gun down a few Deadmen before returning his view to Kat.

"Here, Mathis," he said, raising up his hand to reveal the suitcase of evidence. Kat didn't forget it. She just placed in a location where no one could steal it.

"Sir, what are you doing?" Kat asked. "I was gonna get that after we finish off the Deadmen."

"Mathis, that's never gonna happen."

"Sir?"

"I hate to say it, but we're outnumbered. I order you to take the last bus to Lovecraft with the rest of the citizens."

Kat gasped. "Sir, please! I'm a DZI! I need to stay and fight!"

"I love your determination, Mathis, but you belong in Lovecraft. If this evidence O'Connor found is genuine, you'll be the cherry on top when it comes to convincing these people of the truth."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"I'm saying you were an associate of the lad who uncovered Schaefer's crimes against humanity. You were a close friend of O'Connor, which means you're more qualified to reveal the evidence than anyone else. So we need you alive, Mathis. The survivors of Matheson need you alive."

Kat stayed silent. Shaw had to keep looking back to take out more Deadmen, but he was patient enough to let Kat comprehend what she learned. The first thing she did was take the case out of Shaw's hand and held it beside her while her other hand spent the last few bullets in her gun on a couple of Deadmen, each one taken down with a perfect headshot.