ALIVE: The Aftermath Chronicles (Book 1)

Chapter 28 - REVENGE

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how this trial would turn out. The colony, had turned against Russell, had turned against her.

The Sheriff of Richmond Hill, abandoned the mandatory trial in opting of making her own fate. An assault rifle in hand, an uzi, and all the ammo she could manage to carry in her straps and holsters decorated favorably over her outfit in all black. In mourning, for her loss of control on the situation.

Nick, that asshole, had betrayed her with that little runt that didn't know when to keep his mouth shut. She had a plan and they ruined it. All because, they couldn't be patient and didn't trust her. They all blindly followed Isaac, like everyone followed Russell here. It had to be a man thing. Because, heaven forbid, a woman knew what to do over all of them and had the badass-ery to pull it off...

Her aviator glasses covering her reddened eyes, Ana Maria is ready for a battle of her own. While they practiced their petty politics down below, the street cop from the streets of LA would show these rednecks just who the hell they were messing with.

She'd kill them. She'd kill them all. First, she'd show them just what Russell and the lonely scientist hid up on the third floor.

Making her way into the empty medical center, up to the floor where she tortured the colony princess, then up another flight of stairs, Ana came to the point of no return. Not second-guessing herself and firm on her decision of ultimate destruction, she readied to show everyone just what she was made of...

Turning the metal combination bars once, back nine times, then over again three, she heard the gears grind and the locks give way. Pushing back on the metal door, she released Russell's and Dr. Martin's dirtiest secret.

Down the stairs she flew, the infected under the experiments of Russell, Hannah's dead dorky brother, and timid Dr. Martin, reaching out behind her.

"Come on, assholes! Come on!" She yells up at them, though they already followed, she needed their speed and got exactly what she asked for...

As one gains speed above the rest, the toothpick balanced perfectly on Ana's clenched teeth falls to the ground as she let's out, "Oh fuck!"

Running, knowing the kevlar vest dosed in the stench of the dead wouldn't do much should they catch wind of her sweat, Ana didn't think any of their experiments had grown to fruition. Not knowing what they were up to, the Sheriff had a main job in this colony....and that was to keep that lock, that door, secure. Protect the third floor, at all costs...

Now she knew. Now, she got exactly what she'd been asking for as she made her way onto the scene of the ending trial where whatever colonists lingered, were surely about to die.

Passing through the playground of the school, Ana pulls herself up on the monkey bars flawlessly and rests her black combat boots on the bars. Balancing herself, to crouch down as the infected pass on by her in pursuit of easier flesh.

***

Doyle draws. Nick draws. Dalton, aims the handgun given to him by Nick this very morning.

As the men wield the guns once forbidden by the likes of civilians in this colony, the women have no choice but to cower behind the barrels of guns. Other civilians that have started to disperse, notice the horde in the distance. They cry out and flee, calling out the danger that will spread the understood panic among the survivors.

"What the fuck is she doing?!" Dalton bites out, trying to fathom why and how she'd do this.

Nick replies, "Guess she saw that she no longer had a side to stand on here."

"Dumb bitch." Hannah grumbles out and gathers up the chains used to restrain Doyle in the only sort of weapon she can find.

"Elisa, Sophie, go. Get Abby. Get somewhere safe. This'll be over soon. Go." Doyle urges and as Elisa exits the stage, it's Sophie that lingers behind.

"I can help..." Sophie urges, but with Doyle, she should have known she wasn't going to win.

"I said go, damn it!" He yells at her, their brief sweet moment gone under the insatiable eyes of the dead and of the scorned Sheriff.

Little did they know, that Nick might have been the driving force for the Sheriff's madness and that Hannah blamed herself for the release of the small horde, believing that Ana Maria was going to take her final justice on the girl. As she balances on the monkey bars, Nick grunts out in his annoyance.

"Ana Maria!" Nick shouts and it's in the familiarity of her name on his lips that causes everyone, including the retreating Sophie, to stop and stare. He speaks on anyway, though he might be giving his former allegiance to her away, "Whatever it is you think yer doin', think again! It's over, Ana! Give it up!"

"You know her?" Hannah accuses with the question on all their minds and as Ana Maria points her rifle, it's Doyle who voices out, "Guess that's a yes..."

The bullets fly and the men with Hannah dodge, retreating from the stage to hide on all the protected sides. Sophie, continues in her retreat, but it's not the nurse, nor the doctor running with her that the Sheriff wants dead. Not yet, anyway...

The bullets stop, not finding a home within reach as Ana continues on with the horde a short throw away from her. Her confidence was unmated when it came to opposing the dead. In truth, she looked as if she lead the horde in her own divine purpose to kill the last of the living.

While Hannah thought Ana had come for her, Nick felt that all this was meant for him. His rejection of her, his overturning of her power here. He'd made a mockery of her and with nowhere else for her to turn in all the burning of her bridges, she's alone and scared. Not having time to play psychologist for the troubled cop, Nick honed in on the sound of her boots as she approaches.

When they slowed and readied to turn the side to shoot him down, Nick lunges, tackling the former Sheriff to the ground in the fight for both their lives.

"She's down!" Nick yells to the others, while the other two men fire at the remaining infected.

It's to Nick's defense that Hannah comes seeking her own retribution against the Sheriff.

Hooking the chain under Ana Maria's neck, the girl none of them saw coming drags the Sheriff toward the remains of the horde. Lynching her, keeping her bound like a choking collar around a dog should she stray, she drags Ana Maria on. Her guns having fallen behind, Ana is potentially victim to Hannah's direction, to the purpose in feeding her to the dead she unleashed.

Shots, more than two or three in a succession at a time ring out. Yet, Ana Maria can't make out where it's coming from. All she has is her blinding rage, the vision of that smiling set of perfect white teeth. Honing in on the enemy right in front of her, the Sheriff pulls at the sewn flesh of Hannah's arm to rip it back apart. Letting out a feral scream of pain, Hannah's dragging of the Sheriff ceases as the blood spills out over her arm.

Their eyes viciously planted, taking harbor in all their hatred for one another, Hannah quickly latches the chain to lock on the swings she had her eyes on earlier. Swings that swayed to the beat of her own freedom, her own fate. Now, they'd swing for the Sheriff's.

And when the dead neared her, Hannah took steps back to wait for the hungry dead to rip Ana Maria apart. Within reach of the Sheriff, she kicked one off, shoved against another, then another's bullet downed the last that had perfect aim for her throat.

Appalled that someone would dare get in the way of her poetic justice, Hannah turns just to see who came to Ana Maria's defense. She expects to see one of her own, but instead, meets a group that's a far cry from any recognition.

A large cross, hangs from the neck of the man in the middle. All around him, are men of equal intimidation. Like with Doyle, she recognized something within this man who stared so boldly back at her. Unlike with Doyle, she sensed nothing good.

Behind her, Ana Maria is freed from the fence, but only after she's knocked out cold from the blunt-force of her own rifle by the hand of Nick. All of this goes blind to her, as a dark cloud descends over the changing face of the colony and underneath it, the beaten face of Ethan emerges from behind the darkest of towering men before her.