The Ruins Part 2 (Sequel to The Ruins)

Chapter 70

Outside the hotel...

The kids found a shed filled with old sporting equipment. Deflated balls, old fishing rods, Frusbees. Max called Alec, Lugh, Vix, and Sam, pointing at the junk... and everyone smiled.

Yes, he thought, this is perfect.

-:-:-:-:-

Inside the hotel...

"Tom!" Benny called from the hallway. He and Lalon had come back from escorting all the captive children into another room.

"You have to stay with the kids," barked Tom.

"Um... the kids are fine. Really." Benny wore a quirky and bemused smile. "But... there's something else. You'd better come."

Tom turned from the guard. The man had collapsed into a weeping, cringing pipe, and looking at him disgusted Tom. He jabbed the guard with a toe. "Stay!"

The man nodded and held his hands up, palms out.

Tom crossed to the door and stepped out into the hall. His hands flashed toward his pistol, and a war cry almost tore itself from his throat. Then he froze in total shock.

The hall was full of people. All of them were heavily armed. Tom's mouth hung open. Two of the people reached out, one reached a hand out and gently pushed on Tom's chin to close his mouth.

"You're going to catch flies with that," said Sally Two-Knives with a wicked grin.

Tom looked around, seeing faces that could not be here. "I-"

"Let's just say we brought some company," said Bud, gesturing the Saviors and Bounty Hunters.

Farther down the hall, Dreaded Skillz and DJ Derby were removing the dog collars from the kids. They looked up and grinned.

"Hunter!" Said DJ Derby.

"Yo, brah!" Said Dreaded Skillz.

"How are you here? It's only the Saviors, Sally, and Queen Arnica?" Exclaimed Tom.

Sally and Bud filled him in on the discussion they'd had in the woods. "Queen Arnica started gathering everyone up," said Bud. "Not everyone is going to let the Saviors write the last chapter of White Bear, we want to make a memoir. We have the cavalry."

"Only downside," said Sally, "is that there are fifty of us and about four hundred of them. And Im not going to be much good in a fight once I run out of bullets and the Saviors need it more."

Tom turned a smile. "Are you kidding? Didn't you guys see what was in the front room?"

Bashed Clay shook his head. "No, we climbed in through a ground-floor guest bedroom all ninja-like with some of the Saviors held back with their vehicles. Snuck up the back stairs."

"Then you may be the cavalry," said Tom, "but I'm Santa Claus. Let's go downstairs a and open some presents."

"Who's Santa Claus?" Lalon questioned with a confused look.