An hour before noon, Nine was feeling anxious. The pavilion casino had been busy this morning, keeping him tied down to the tables while trying to make arrangements for Tony who had surprised him by showing up in the middle of one of his Black Jack games. To make matters worse, his new runner girl hadn’t checked back in and he still needed to work things out with Asshole Mike who seldom met with anyone during his own games.

Fortunately, he caught up with the jerk between matches as he approached the card shark sitting at one of his favorite poker tables.

“I told you not to come over here anymore,” Mike said, not bothering to turn around. “I thought I made that clear.”

Nine smiled. “Just came over to settle matters, like we talked about last night.”

Mike feigned ignorance. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, you know, all those winnings I promised you. But hey, if you can’t be bothered about that right now, we’ll just consider our deal null and void.” Nine shrugged his shoulders and started to turn.

“Wait,” Mike said with annoyance. He finally turned around and glared at him. “I didn’t forget. I guess I should thank you that I didn’t have to track you down… and I would’ve… eventually.”

“You’re very welcome,” Nine said with a mock bow.

“I didn’t thank you yet, did I?” Mike added, with a condescending smile.

Nine shook his head and laughed. “I love our little conversations. They’re what give my worthless existence meaning… and I mean that.”

Mike laughed. “Okay, wise guy. Let’s get this over with. I’ve got a game pending.”

“I’ve talked with your… I don’t know what you want to call him… your broker?” Nine said. “And I’ve already signed over my winnings. You can verify that at your leisure.”

“Of course,” Mike said. “And since I knew that already, you didn’t have to bother me at all.”

“We’ve still have the other matter to settle.”

“What matter is that?”

Nine sighed. He’s going to make everything painfully difficult… on purpose. “The girl?” he reminded him. “You know, the one you agreed to sell me?”

“Oh… that matter,” Mike said, losing interest. He turned back to his table. “We’ll get back to that later.”

“I’d rather we work it out now,” Nine said. “Especially since she’s staying with me now.”

Mike laughed. “That’s an interesting way to talk about my property. I don’t think I like it.”

Nine was losing patience. “Just name your price, asshole. The girl’s worthless to you. All that bad-luck-as-a-runner shit and all. What do you want for her?”

Mike deliberately waited, then finally answered, “I don’t know. Maybe I like the fact that you want something I have… and can’t have it. It’s kind of amusing.”

“But there’s no profit in ‘amusing’,” Nine reminded him. “At least, not in casino terms. Come on, man, I know you’ve already thought about this. Stop proving to me how annoying you are. You win. What do you want for the girl?”

“Wow, she must really be something in the sack. I’m not into the kiddie crap myself, but to each their own.”

Nine’s face darkened. “Say that again, and we’ll go back to having a less civil conversation.”

Mike turned and saw that he’d pushed too far. He smiled and raised his hands. “Okay, tough guy. Don’t want to get you all riled up again over the runner girl. You’re right. She’s not worth it. I’ll let you have her for, say, seventy percent of your cut. And I’m not talking about your winnings to date… that’s shit’s already mine.”

Nine shook his head. “That’s ridiculous. That would essentially mean that I work for you.”

“I like the sound of that,” Mike said. “Maybe you’re not so stupid, after all.”

Nine rolled his eyes. Fuck it. Just make the damn deal. “Alright,” he said. “Seventy percent.”

“Wow, you folded faster than I thought. Maybe I don’t want someone like you working for me. How the hell did you ever win games with that give-up attitude anyway?”

“You’ve already won this stupid game,” Nine said. “So, why don’t you just stop wasting both of our time. I said I’d take the deal.”

“Eighty percent, and the girl’s yours,” Mike countered with a wicked smile.

“Go fuck yourself,” Nine said, starting to turn.

“Alright, alright, I was just messing with you,” Mike said. “Even I wouldn’t rake someone over the coals like that. I just wanted to see how much she was really worth to you.”

“Not that much,” Nine lied, already ahead of the asshole’s game. “Sixty percent.”

“I said seventy. Take it or leave it.”

“Sixty… and I never set foot near your poker tables again,” Nine said. “That’s a deal you can’t refuse.”

Mike laughed. “You know what. You’re absolutely right! I’ll take that deal.”

“Then it’s settled,” Nine said. “Sixty percent of my cut from here on out, and I’ll never have to see your smug face again.”

“We’ll finalize it tomorrow,” Mike said.

“Why tomorrow?”

“Relax. She can stay with you until then. I don’t give a shit. I’m not in the practice of making such quick deals. Sometimes it’s good to sleep on it. Hell, in your case-”

“Watch it.”

Mike laughed. “What I mean is, hasty deals are bad business. If you still feel the same about the girl in the morning, after you’ve had time to consider what you’re giving up, then I’ll gladly seal the deal. I just don’t want to hear you whining later about how I ripped you off. Think it over first. That way, we both can feel good about it. And I’ll be able to say that I allowed you plenty of time to reconsider.”

Nine shook his head. “Fine. But if you fuck me over tomorrow, I’ll make your life a living hell and come over to pester you every… damn… day. I promise you that.”

“Oh, I believe it. The deal’s sound. I won’t be changing my mind. It’s you I’m worried about. Come back tomorrow morning, for the last fucking time, and we’ll settle it.”

Nine nodded. “Okay, then. Tomorrow morning.”

Asshole Mike had already turned his back toward him as a new poker game was about to begin.

What a fucking dick, he thought, walking off. May your chair legs break, and as you fall over and crack your fat skull, I hope that poker table collapses on top of you!

~~~

Tony forced a smile for the benefit of his anxious friends sitting at the picnic table. To his right, Wendy tried to remain calm and collected, folding her hands to keep them from shaking while her legs twitched beneath the table. To the exhausted gladiator, the young woman’s eyes made her seem much older than her years, haunted by everything they all had been through since the attack on the underground compound, which felt like a hundred years ago. Nine and Diane seemed more interested in each other as they sat close across the table, stealing glances at one another like two lovers once locked in a long-distance relationship until finally making contact. Nine kept playing with Diane’s hair with his free hand while holding her left hand in his beneath the table as if it were permanent. Tony was amused by their new openness with each other, remembering the distance Diane insisted they maintain when they were out on the road. But now, they acted as if they might not see the other again in this life. Tony averted his eyes and frowned at the thought. They’ve been through so much shit, more than anyone should, he concluded. As good as it felt to be with friends, Tony couldn’t help feeling the absence of the rest of their former group: Matthew, Olivia, Mark, Hash… and even Alysa. He quickly forced the last from his thoughts.

Tony laughed lightly, making them all stare. “Sorry,” he said. “It’s just been… well… it’s good to be with friends, especially in this place.”

Wendy smiled up at him and placed a hand on the big man’s shoulder. “It’s good to see you, too, Tony.”

“How have you been?” Diane asked.

Tony smiled at her concerned face, which translated her question into ‘You look like you’ve been through hell. How are the accommodations down there?’

“I’ve been better,” he answered honestly. “But… like the rest of you… I’ve been taking it one day at a time. We’re all still here, together, that’s what counts.”

“Well, not all of us,” Wendy said, averting her eyes. She removed her hand and placed it back on the table.

“Yeah,” Tony said with a nod. “I know. I think of them, too.”

“Well, I’m still here,” Nine chimed in, attempting to lighten the mood. “We all know that’s what really matters since I’m the brains of this outfit.”

They all laughed.

Diane shot him a look and shook her head.

Nine nodded. “I know… I know… I just wanted to hear it for old time’s sake.”

“Nine?” she smiled.

“Yes, my love?”

The others all said it together. “Shut up!”

“There it is!” Nine said, smiling like an idiot. “I needed that. More than you know.”

The others laughed.

“I hate to be the kill-joy,” Tony injected, “but we haven’t got a lot of time. So, I’m just going to get to it.”

The others waited.

“We’re getting out of here tomorrow. Before dawn.” He let the gravity of his words sink in.

The others stared in shock at the big man, and then at each other.

Tony smiled. “Of course, we won’t just be walking out the front door… as much as I wish that were the case. But we are leaving.”

They waited.

“My contact has located Orosco and his people. They’re getting shipped out on a truck convoy at dawn, headed for Mosquito Creek.”

“So, the rumors are true, then?” Wendy said. “Candyman’s been trafficking people to those monsters?” They’d all heard the whispers before. Herbie had first suggested the possibility, and in the two weeks since, they’d all heard similar stories circulating around town, whispered about in secret, but never spoken out loud in the wrong circles… not unless you wanted to suddenly disappear like so many other citizens of New Cleveland.

“Yes,” Tony said. “It’s all true. One devil has made some kind of deal with another… and our friends are right in the middle of it.”

“Well, I guess it’s good news that Orosco’s people are even alive,” Diane said. “I was starting to believe they were long gone.”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Tony nodded. “I was feeling the same way. So, yeah, that’s something.”

“I assume that when you say, ‘We’re leaving’, that it’s not going to be easy,” Nine said.

“No, it’s not. But there’s a plan,” Tony said. “I have the location of those trucks, and some weapons. We’re going to intercept them… and drive the hell out of this fucked-up town.”

“What about Mark and Hash? Did you find them, too?” Diane said.

Tony frowned, letting his shoulders sag. “Sadly, I did not. I haven’t heard anything about either of them.”

“Well, we just can’t leave without them,” Nine said.

“I’ve… I think I’ve found Mark,” Wendy chimed in. She had their complete attention. She looked like she was on the verge of tears. “Without getting into the details… I believe he was auctioned off to one of the murder shops in town.”

“Fuck me,” Nine whispered.

“Go on,” Tony urged.

Wendy nodded. “Herbie made arrangements for the two of us to visit one of those sadistic dens. We we’re going there tonight to confirm… well… I think he’s dead.” She ran her arm across her eyes to wipe the tears away. Saying the words out loud made Mark’s death… real.

Diane put her hand over her mouth, a look of shock on her face.

“Are you certain of this?” Tony pressed.

Wendy nodded. “I’ve been trying to deny it, but it all adds up. In my bones I know he’s there. Whether or not he’s… well… that’s what me and Herbie are going to find out. Call it closure, but I can’t leave this place until I know what happened. But I believe Mark is gone.” She wept openly now.

Tony put a big arm around the girl’s shoulders and drew her in close. “Okay,” he gently said. “Just… let it out. I can tell you’ve needed to.”

Wendy nodded and buried her face in Tony’s shoulder.

Tony closed his eyes and shook his head. He turned to Diane. “I don’t know about Hash,” he said. “But we all know what Candyman wanted to do with him. His debt wasn’t paid, even if ours was covered by the auction.”

“So, we just give up on him, then?” Diane said, her frustration evident.

Tony looked at her sadly. “Diane, I’m sorry. I just don’t know how to find him. And if the good sergeant is alive, Candyman’s got him in some secure place… one we can’t reach. I’ve wrestled with this, night after night, telling myself that when the time came to get the rest of you the hell out of here, whether we found Orosco, Mark, Hash… that I’d take it. And that time has come.”

“So, we sacrifice some to save the rest,” Nine said sadly. “Seems a shitty end to things.”

“It is,” Tony admitted. “But we don’t have time for anything more. Finding Orosco’s people still alive was something I was prepared to give up on. But now we know they’re still here… and they are out of time.”

Diane nodded. “So, we save who we can… now… and we’ll just have to live with the rest?”

“Yes,” Tony said. “That’s all we have left.” He took them all in and continued, “Seeing you all here, now, I’m reminded of our present state. You know what I’ve had to do to stay alive in this hell-hole, and that’s something I’ll live with for the rest of my days. But I can’t do it anymore. The killing for sport… the blood on my hands… it’s too much. I’m spent. And it looks to me like the rest of you are getting close. We need to get out of here before this town destroys us from the inside out.”

Wendy pulled back and tried to compose herself.

“I’m sorry for Mark,” he told her. “I think you should definitely find out what happened, as long as it’s safe to do so.”

“Believe it or not,” Wendy said. “Herbie’s been… helpful. He’s on our side, in his own way. He’s done more than you know to keep me safe.”

Tony nodded. “Okay, then. I may not trust the man, but I trust you, Wendy. You do what you have to… but we’re still leaving before dawn.”

She nodded.

“So, what’s the plan?” Nine said.

The big man nodded. “We’re going to meet at Splash Landing to the west of the fight pits. It’s an old kid’s water playground now nothing more than a swamp. We’ll go over the details once we meet up there and get armed up. To the north of that creepy place is an old parking garage where the trucks holding our friends will be. That’s where they plan to depart New Cleveland… and we’re going to be there to take those trucks by force. We will have the element of surprise… and believe me… they will be surprised.” Tony’s eyes lit up. “It’s going to be the last time I kill in this fucking town… and whoever’s there to stop us, they’re going to regret it.”

Nine nodded. He’d seen that look in Tony’s eyes before. No one needed a pending storm to convince them of the destruction it promised.

Tony turned to Diane. “I’ll need you there, hunter,” he said. “I can’t do it without you. Will it be difficult to sneak away?”

She shook her head. “No, I’ll be there,” she said. “I’ve been mapping out this town for some time now and I know where Splash Landing is. Just point me to the weapons when I arrive and then get out of my damn way.”

Tony laughed. “That’s the woman I know.”

She flashed her best defiant smile, hoping she hid the doubts warring in her thoughts. She had no idea what would happen once she visited Candyman’s trailer this evening, or if she’d even survive that next encounter. And then she remembered Nadia and felt a little better about her odds. An idea struck her then. Her face lit up.

“Something else?” Tony said, noticing her look.

“It’s about Hash,” she said. “I’ve… well… I’ve made a friend on the inside. Someone who might be able to locate him… if he’s alive.”

“Can you trust this friend?” Tony said.

“Yes,” she said with a smile. It was the first time she’d answered with confidence, resolving her own unspoken doubts about the tall, blond woman. “If anyone can find out where he is, my friend can. She’s already saved my life, just last night. I believe she’ll help us.”

Nine gave her a concerned look that she tried to ignore.

“Okay,” Tony said. “You do what you can for Hash. But with or without him, I need you there. Is that understood?”

Diane frowned feeling the weight of Tony’s words. “I understand,” she said. She started to rise. “I should head back. I’ve got a lot to figure out before tonight.”

Tony nodded. “We’ll go over the details of the ambush when I see you next.”

“‘Ambush’,” Nine said, rising with Diane. “Sounds like an optimistic word tagged to something really dangerous.”

Tony laughed and said with confidence, “They won’t know what hit them when we’re finished. I promise you that. Don’t worry.”

Nine nodded with a smile. He turned to Diane, looking like he wanted to explode with concern, then closed his eyes and nodded. “Be safe,” he told her, pulling her close. “I sense we have a lot to catch up on once we’re on the other side of these wall.”

She smiled and kissed him on the lips. “Look at that, you’re actually right for once,” she teased.

He laughed.

Diane stared into his tired face. He’s trying so hard to let me go… because he respects me… the real me… and not that barely-dressed weak bitch that Candyman’s trying to turn me into. She appreciated the vote of confidence from her man, who still remembered the hunter he’d fallen in love with.

He looked down at the jean jacket and smiled. “Still fits,” he said.

“Thanks for that, by the way,” she said. “And for… seeing me.”

He gave her a curious look.

“Long story,” she said. “We’ll talk about it after.”

“After,” he agreed. “Don’t lose that jacket again, okay? I don’t even want to get into what I had to do to get that back to you.”

“Sounds like another long story,” she teased. “Nice kid, by the way. She yours?”

“Yeah,” he laughed. “In a manner of speaking. We’ll get to that one later, too.”

They embraced once more.

Diane pulled away abruptly as her eyes started to water. She quickly turned and headed out of the pavilion.

Nine watched her go.

“She’ll be alright, Nine,” Tony said. “She’s stronger than all of us.”

“You got that right,” he said, turning back, and sitting down.

Tony waited until Diane was out of the pavilion. He then leaned in and said, “Wendy, you do what you have to do this evening and then have Herbie get your ass to that rendezvous point. I’m sure he knows the place. Just tell him it’s the last thing he’ll need to do for any of us and that should be sufficient motivation for him.”

Wendy laughed. “Don’t worry. He’ll do it… or I’ll keep making his life a living hell.”

Tony smiled at the girl, then turned to Nine. “After we meet tonight, you won’t be joining us for the ambush.”

“Fuck I won’t!” Nine said. “I may not be the fighter you and Diane are, but I can hold my own.”

“I’m not talking about that,” Tony said. “I need you to do something else. Something I didn’t want to bring up until after Diane left.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.”

“The other part of this ambush plan involves a distraction to reduce the numbers of Lunatics we’ll encounter at the trucks.”

Nine’s eyes went wide. “It’s going to have to be one hell of a distraction.”

“Exactly.”

“So, what dangerously stupid thing am I about to do?” Nine said with a smile. “Obviously, it’s a good one if you believe Diane would object.”

Tony nodded. “I’ll need her head in the game and not worried about you.”

“Should she be worried?” Wendy said.

Tony sighed heavily. “I think we’re all well past the point where breathing anywhere in this town isn’t dangerous for us.”

“All joking aside, Tony,” Nine said. “Just tell me what you need me to do, and I’ll do it.”

Tony smiled at the young man. “I know. But you’re not going to like it much.”

“I’ve learned to tolerate a lot of things here, my man,” Nine added with a laugh. “In case you haven’t noticed, New Cleveland’s recruited some of the world’s finest assholes to inhabit this wonderful town.”

Tony laughed. “No argument there.” His face grew grave. “How do you feel about explosives?”

Nine’s eyebrows shot up. “Now I understand why you waited. Diane’s gonna love this.”

Tony nodded. “I don’t want to get into details right now, but I’ll need you to set up that distraction and then haul your ass back to Splash Landing, grab Wendy and whoever else makes it, then get the hell to the trucks. Taven’s going to take you to some old theater converted into a store house. That’s the place we’re going to blow up.”

“About this contact of yours,” Wendy chimed in. “How much do you know about Taven?”

Tony gave her a hard look, then said, “I know that he’s got his own agenda, but that’s it’s aligned with our own. If you’re asking if I trust him… well… I trust that he wants us to succeed. It’s in his best interest.”

Wendy nodded. “I guess we’ve all had to take chances with people in this town. I know I wouldn’t still be here without Herbie’s help. Diane’s obviously got someone watching her back, too.”

“I’ve got help, as well,” Nine said. “And someone who’s going to be leaving with us on those trucks.”

They both gave him a curious look.

Nine sighed. “Let’s just say that due to certain circumstances… I’ve recently become the owner of a ten-year-old girl who has a particular skill set suited for sneaking around town. I can’t leave her here. So, she’ll be joining us… if I can find the little runt.”

Tony laughed. “I’m not even going to ask. Bring your new friend but be careful. Once things are set in motion, we’ll have to move… and there won’t be a second chance at getting this right.”

“They’re might be a ‘Plan B’ if we should need it,” Nine said. “Just on the other side of this pavilion is Harper’s Hell Run… you guys know it?”

“Yeah,” Wendy said. “I’ve heard enough bar talk about it. It’s some kind of horrible race involving people fighting their way through an old water ride full of zombies.”

“That’s the one.”

“I’m also familiar with this,” Tony said. “What about it?”

“At the top, there’s a door leading beneath the ride. There’s a staircase there. I believe that’s where they’ve been getting the dead from. It makes sense that there’s gotta be an exit to the outside down there, since no one’s ever seen the dead anywhere else around town.”

“Noted,” Tony said. “Hopefully we won’t need it, but it’s good to have other options.”

“Speaking of options,” Wendy said, “Herbie’s been working on a way to smuggle us out with the vendors that come in and out of town. He’s still ironing out the details, but if we wanted to wait-”

“No,” Tony interrupted. “Orosco and the others will be dead long before then. I know this plan seems crazy and dangerous, but it’s all we have.”

Wendy gave Nine a concerned look.

“And this Taven character… you know for sure that he’s telling you the truth? About Orosco and the others?” Nine pushed. “As far as shady contacts are concerned, from what you’ve told us about him in prior meetings, he seems to know a lot about us and why we’re here. Doesn’t that seem strange to you?”

Tony hesitated; his frustration evident. “I’ll admit, he is… strange. I don’t know how he knows what he knows about us, but he does. He was the one who approached me, and yes, he hasn’t been very forthcoming about much, but I’ve no reason to believe that he’s lying now.”

“I’m not doubting you, Tony,” Nine said. “It’s just that we’ve all been desperately reaching out for anything to give us a little hope. I just want to be sure that we’re not betting all we have on a losing hand. Believe me, I’ve seen some sharks in this place that know how to exploit the ‘hope’ card.”

Tony nodded and let out a heavy sigh. He gave them both a long look. “Aside from Diane and you two, I don’t trust anyone, or anything is this fucked-up town. You’re right, of course. Taven’s shady as hell. I’m sure he’s playing another game like everyone else in this place. Am I betting on him playing it straight with me? No. Like I said, he’s got an agenda. I don’t know who’s playing at this particular table, or the name of the bigger game—it’s all beyond me. But I am betting on what I believe is the winning hand. The fact that Taven knows so much about us, and about Orosco and his people, makes be believe they are still alive. How would he know about them, otherwise? Am I desperate enough to buy into his crazy plan? Hell, yes. But it’s not right for me to place that bet for the rest of you. The stakes are too high. You know I’ve always played it straight with you, and I’m telling you now, I don’t have a sure-fire guarantee that this game won’t go south in a hurry. I’m prepared to take responsibility for that risk, because, shit… we’re slowly dying here anyway. But if you tell me now that you want out, and that you’d rather wait for another option, I won’t hold against you. Either way, we risk everything by going forward with Taven’s plan or staying here until another chance presents itself.”

Nine nodded. “So, we’re not betting on the integrity of the player, or the game, but on the timing of the hand working out in our favor?”

“Precisely,” Tony said.

“My parents always told me that gambling was bad news,” Wendy said with a laugh. “I’ve always hated it—trying to figure out who was bluffing and establishing your own poker face—I was never good at it.” She looked up at Tony. “But I know you, Tony. You hate the game as much as I do. I wouldn’t be alive today if I didn’t take a risk on you. I’m in.”

Tony nodded with a smile. He looked to Nine.

He laughed. “I love that thing you do when we’ve reached another crossroads where you make it seem like the choice is ours after pumping us up with some motivational speech.”

The big man laughed. “Sorry. No speeches this time. I’m way too tired.”

Nine nodded. “Well, I know what Diane would do. She’s always been the risk taker despite the odds. I’ve always had to wait on the numbers behind those odds, and those numbers work in their own time with their own damn agenda.”

Tony shook his head. “I’ll pretend I understand that. You’ve always had a peculiar relationship with digits.”

Nine laughed. “What I do know is that those numbers, when they show up, they’re consistent… like you. I’ve put my trust in them like I’ve put my trust in you, despite any odds… and there’s always risk involved. I know what the ‘odds’ would tell me to do here. They always look for the safest and surest route, the one with the least amount of risk. The trouble with relying upon the odds in an apocalypse is that there’s always risk. And we’ve learned the hard way that ‘safe’ or ‘sure’ doesn’t exist anymore.”

Tony nodded with a big smile. “Who’s giving the motivational speech now?”

“No,” Nine laughed. “No speeches. I’ll just end that by saying that I’m with you. Diane is, too. If she were here, she just would’ve told me to shut up and commit already.”

This made Wendy giggle.

“Thank you both for trusting in me again,” Tony said. “I’ll try not to let you down.”

Wendy put her hand on the big man’s shoulder.

Nine shook his head and started to pout.

Tony rolled his eyes at him. “Something to add?”

“No,” he lied. “Well… I just feel a little ripped off about this whole ‘risking our lives’ thing again.”

“How so?”

“I really wanted my damn motivational speech first,” he said with a wink.

“You really are insufferable sometimes,” Wendy added with a laugh.

Tony shook his head and laughed. He gave them both a tired glance. “We’ve all been through so much shit in this town. So much more pain, and fear, and tears. Every person we’ve met—just another stranger, wearing a clever mask to hide even stranger intentions…”

~~~