Fallocaust (The Fallocaust Series) (29 page)

We sat together in blissful silence afterwards. Making small talk, but mostly just enjoying each others company. I was relieved that he didn’t talk a lot, and when he did talk it wasn’t about stupid shit. He seemed to remember how much I liked silence, and I think he liked it to. There was something about just quietly watching the greywastes in front of us that was just, I don’t know... it felt nice. It was my first time sitting with my boyfriend at work.

“Your code name is Shadow Cat?” Killian asked, he was examining my handheld radio. All the sentries and guards had them on their person at all times. Same with the important parts of the town like the Slaught House and Docs. Though everyone had separate channels so we didn’t have to listen to the other faction’s BS. Greyson and Leo had their master radio where everyone could bother them. It saved time.
“That’s right. Reno is Rock Hawk, Greyson and Leo are Orthus,” I continued.
“Orthus? That’s clever of them,” Killian said with a small laugh.

My scowled a bit confused.“What is?”
“Orthus is a two headed dog, it was a religion from a long long long time ago, thousands and thousands of years. I’d love to find the books they learned that in. I love mythology.”
“Huh,” I said a bit surprised. Well, I guess he would be the type of person to know book stuff. I never saw Greyson or Leo to be the sort. I should change my name to something fancy ass like that.

“What stops the Legion from listening in? I mean, I know Reno can hear everything, can’t everyone else?” Killian asked. I kind of liked all of his questions, I liked how he was interested in my work. I couldn’t say I was too interested in his doctor stuff, I already knew the basics. Maybe he would be a sentry after all. As long as Greyson let him work with me. No way I was putting in on the wall alone.
“They wouldn’t be able to find our frequency, we have blockers up, plus we can see how many radios are turned on and tuned in... see.” I showed Killian the small six on the screen. “That means we have six people on this frequency. One on each side, plus Greyson and Leo, plus Reno.”
“Wow,” Killian said, handing me the radio back. “It’s crazy, so much technology in the factory, and bits of it here... yet we’re living like... this.”
“That’s how he wanted it,” I shrugged. I was talking about King Silas. That’s how he ran things, he kept tabs on all the tech we used, made sure no one recovered anything too advanced. He distributed the technology that he had acquired before he started the Fallocaust to improve his companies. He had us living exactly how he wanted us to, ignorant, quiet, and making him money. He controlled and owned everything, him and those chimera things. I didn’t give a fuck either way, it was the Legion that kidnapped Killian, not King Silas. That fucking idiot of a King was a shit for a ruler, but he had never personally bothered me. He could keep all his tech, I was happy with what little electricity I had. I was okay with leaving well enough alone.

“I hate him,” Killian whispered, I was surprised to hear a little anger in his words. “Just as much as I hate the Imperial General and the Legion.”

“Why? Sure he’s a dick, but you’re in Aras now. Just give em some blood every few years and they’re happy,” I said with a shrug, I took out a quil and lit it.
Killian took the quil from between my fingers, I watched the little ember light up as he took an inhale; he waited a few seconds before blowing out the smoke. “My dad got fired from the factory. I’m not sure why, but King Silas’s second in command, his chimera Elish had visited us and the next thing I knew he was fired. We had to move to Aras soon after.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “And your dad decided to go to Aras? It’s so far away from Skyfall.”
Killian nodded. “It took us months to get here, we spent almost all our money on mercenaries. Lost a few of them too, it was... horrible.”
“You were pretty sheltered where you used to live, eh?”
He scowled a bit, I could have probably worded that a bit better.

“I didn’t think I was when we set off,  the trip to Aras told me I had been... being kidnapped confirmed it.” Killian took another inhale, he brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. I took the cig from him.

“It’s not a bad thing, you’re different from everyone else here, I wouldn’t have noticed you if you were like everyone else,” I said with a shrug. I could feel his eyes on me.
“What did you notice about me?” Killian asked.
I shrugged again. How could I even put it into words? He just stood out from everyone in my head, like he glowed or something. He was just... different, I don’t know how.
“Everything,” I said simply. I didn’t know what else to say, I didn’t know fancy words like he probably did. I would just make myself sound like an ass.

Suddenly my head perked up. I had heard a noise from the other side of the wall, sure enough I heard a couple deacons start to do their warning growls. Killian raised his head in alarm.
“I hear something, get down onto the floor,” I ordered. Killian looked a bit shocked, but he obediently laid down on the floor of the apartment roof. I lizard crawled over to the side of the building and drew my M16. I leaned it up against the rim of the roof and looked through the scope.

It didn’t take me long to find it, it was a stupid scaver, though a big one. Scavers were radiated possum like creatures. About the size of a small dog with sharp, vicious little teeth. They had patches of grey fur, but mostly scabby flaky skin from all the radiation. They were nasty animals, I had a distaste for them since I got bit by one as a child and was sick for a week. I particularly liked to make them suffer.
I waved Killian over. “It’s just a scaver, come watch me kill it.”
I heard shifting and scraping noises as Killian skidded over to me, trying to crawl like I did but he was dragging his knees too much. Another thing I guess I had to teach him.
“Here, look out the scope, get a feel for it.” I unhooked my small tripod from my belt and unfolded it quickly. I didn’t need it often anymore, but it was good for beginners. I lay the M16 on it and pointed the scope towards Killian.

I unhooked my radio. “Hey Matt?” I said into the radio.
“Yeah, what’s up?”
Matt answered back. He was at the north gate again tonight, and such he was also in charge of the wall lights.
“Switch on E-4, and prepare for gunfire. There is a scaver out there and I want Killian to shoot it.” I smiled as Killian looked at me wide eyed.

“Okay, preparing for a hell of a lot of gun fire, go ahead,”
Matt answered back. I clipped the radio back onto my belt a few moments later the flood light turned on.

The scaver didn’t give a shit, it was eating a piece of bone I’m assuming it had pulled from beside the deacon’s fence. I watched as Killian put his eye up against the scope. I gently directed his hands to the right place and flicked the M16’s switch off of automatic.
“I see him,” Killian whispered excitedly.

“Get him in the scope, and pull the trigger, it’ll kick back so brace yourself,” I directed.

Killian nodded. I watched the ugly creature chew on the bone. It’s needle like teeth gnashing away any bits of flesh it could tare away. I was planning on taking its head, I liked collecting heads of important kills.
I was waiting for the bang when suddenly a streak of grey fur jumped into the light. The boy jumped back with a yell and fell backwards. With a panicked shriek from the scaver, I watched in surprise as the grey creature thrashed the radanimal around; pieces of grey fur and red bits of tissue flew everywhere.
“It’s a wild dog!” Killian exclaimed, he quickly got up and put his eye up against the scope. “I think I can get it.”
It took me a few seconds for it to click, just in time to push Killian away.
The stupid deacdog pulled the ruins of the carcass around growling, before taking it into its teeth and shaking it some more. I looked over to see Killian struggling to get up.
“Don’t shoot that dog, you’ll cry if you do,” I said, dusting Killian off. I looked over, the deacdog was eating his meal, wagging his stupid tail all fucking proud of himself. I hoped he appreciated me not letting Killian kill him.

“Why?” Killian asked, he kneeled down against the ledge and watched the dog.
I got up and started walking towards the stairs, Killian watched a bit bewildered before getting up and following me. I don’t know how the asshole got out of the gate again, but I thought I should let the idiot in.

“That’s one of Murry’s pups. That deacon dog, he was hog tied in a caravan, I untied him and tied a note around his neck for them to come get Greyson. He’s a smart little fucker,” I said as we exited the building.
Killian looked around the dark road ahead of us, I realized I had forgotten to bring the bluelamps down for him. The moon wasn’t as full as it had been the last few days but it still shone down on us. I think it was enough for him to see. I was going to have to start carrying around a flash light for him.
“Is he going back to Murry? I guess he’s technically a stray right now,” Killian whispered. He stuck close to me as we carried on to the north gate.

“Probably, he’s too nice to be a guard dog though. I think the merchants were buying him as a pet.”
The boy sighed. “Jepson was a nice guy, so was Menkin. I think they ate Menkin, they were eating someone when I was getting thrown into the truck.”
I felt a lump form in my throat. I remembered seeing that truck, wondering if his body was on it. It was right after Greyson had told me I loved Killian. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that moment.

I glanced around at the boarded up deteriorating buildings on either side of us. All of them boarded up, and most spray painted to reflect their condition. I remember I had helped Jeff Massey board up the windows of the houses around theirs. I remember he seemed like an okay guy, wife was a bitch though, even in the beginning.

“I’ve known Menkin for a long time,” I said. “He never gave me any trouble.”
Killian was silent for awhile. “You were born here right?”
“No, my parents apparently brought me in when I was only two. They died shortly after, and I just kind of grew up in Aras with Greyson and Leo watching over me. I lived with them until I could take care of myself.”
“Wow,” Killian said in awe. “You don’t know where you’re originally from?”
I shook my head. “Nope, Greyson and Leo told me they never said. I guess Greyson was more lax back then with his record keeping, though it’s not like I asked.”
“What’s your last name? We have a lot of families with last names where  I am from. Maybe it’s common there.”
I gave an annoyed grunt. “Stop being so god damn nosey, I’m an orphan, that’s all that’s important.”
“But if you were registered you would have to have a last name.”
I let out a breath. I really didn’t want to have to explain to him that I wasn’t registered at all with the Arian Compliancy League. I had been hidden from the Legion’s fingers my whole life. Couldn’t blame Leo and Greyson for doing it, I did have all the abilities they were looking for, plus all the enhanced senses I had. Still though, I really wasn’t ready to tell the kid all of this. He didn’t need to know my whole god damn life story just yet. That was a tender spot for me, and if I started answering questions he would only ask more.

“I never asked,” I said back. Luckily Killian got the hint and shut up. I re-lit the quil and took a couple drags from it. We continued to walk quietly towards the east gate.

“Nuh huh, Greyson will kill me, you’re not taking the gate, go, shoo!” Matt said, he looked uneasy. He should, I was still pissed at him for letting Killian out.

“I’m not taking your area, shit head. Let us out, deacdog got out and is eating our scaver,” I said. I held up my M16 for him to see.

He let out a nervous sigh and started twisting the gate. “Only because it’s you Reaver.”
I smirked, and we walked along the gate towards the east watch building.

I started to walk along the fence,  it was pretty dark out but I could hear the deacons only a few feet from me, so I knew everything was safe. I could hear Killian a few steps behind me as well. It wouldn’t take us as long to reach the dog, I owed the stupid thing a bit of safety for the help it gave me back at that exit ramp. Even if it was a moron.
We were almost to the flood light when I heard a noise behind me. I turned around and was surprised to see Killian with his hands folded up behind his head. He was looking around a bit wide eyed, biting down on his lip. He didn’t look too great.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, he looked at me a bit embarrassed. I noticed his breath was a bit quick. He had that wide eyed scared look in his eye he had when I got him from the factory.
“I’m sorry, I...” Killian stopped, he suddenly let out a yelp and jumped a mile high as the dog came bounding towards us. I swore. “Go lay down!” I snapped at it. It cowered and slinked off into the shadows.
I turned to Killian to see him start to hyperventilate. I had seen this before, he was on the verge of a panic attack. Wow, was I ever an idiot. I should have left him with Matt. I didn’t think the other side of the fence was that big of a deal.
I put my arms around him and kind of locked him into me. He was breathing pretty hard and his heart was racing. Maybe it was the night time that was freaking him out, I think all of this bad shit pretty much happened to him when it was dark out.
“Are they here?” I heard Killian ask through tears, I tried to hold him down in my embrace. I could feel his arms jolt as he tried to jerk away, his body trembling.
“No, they’re not here,” I said to him. “No one’s here, just me and you. Don’t be stupid, you know that.”

He whimpered and nodded. I held his cold body as he shook. I shushed him, and waited until the worst was over, before I tried to make him stand. I didn’t want to be out here for long, though I trusted the deacdog and the deacons would tell us if anything was lurking. I held Killian up and we walked back to the fence. The dog a grey shadow ahead of us, running through the entrance.
“Is he okay?” Matt asked. Stupid Matt, he really needed to mind his own business.

“He’s fine,” I said. “Call Jess, tell her I’ll give her five dollars to cover me. I’m going home with him.”
“She’ll be more than happy to for that money,” Matt said, and I heard him a few moments later on his radio.
“I’m sorry,” Killian choked, he grasped my vest as he tried to stand on his own. “I’ll be fine, please lets go back.”
I shook my head, my hand hovering over him as he attempted to walk unaided. “No, we’re going home. Don’t argue.”
The boy sniffed but didn’t say anything further, we carried on walking towards the house.