Heinz relaxed, a weight falling off his shoulders. They’d found them. They’d picked the right zone and found people. The city wasn’t abandoned.
It shouldn’t have come as a surprise that there were people here - the System had said as much in the previous zone, but it was all the same. It was the shock he’d felt to walk through Courtmacsherry, to see the group of Innishannon reclaimers after finding Bandon in ruins. He knew that there were others out there, but there was a difference between knowing and believing. Especially after walking through the wasteland that the world had become.
Beside him Shane took a step forward, shaking in relief. For all that seeing these people was to Heinz, for Shane they were hope that his lost family was still alive.
Unfortunately, the twenty or so strangers didn’t take it in the same way.
“Fuck!” The closest person to them fell back to the ground, knocking over the wheelbarrow they were using. Packets of crisps, bars of chocolate and bags of sweets scattered across the floor.
The call was echoed a few times in a ripple effect as the slip spurred others into motion.
Another wheelbarrow toppled, abandoned as its handler, not seeing how their companion had fallen, just that they had, decided to run. Bottles of wine and spirits shattered against the tarmac, adding to the commotion. The loud crack was enough to push the next woman over the line. She dropped what she was carrying and followed after them. Bottles of shampoo fell to the floor and mixed with the spreading spirits.
Further back on the left and leaning against a lorry, four people dressed for combat scrambled to pick up weapons and armour. They must have been the reclaimers who had retrieved the supplies from I38-42.
The ten or so people sorting through other groceries and loading them into the lorry flickered hesitantly between these reclaimers and Heinz’s group. They began to put down what they were holding. Most prepared to run. Some inched across the road to a SUV.
“Woah, woah,” Phil said, stepping forward with both hands in the air. “It’s okay, we’re friendly.”
This slowed the movement. It didn’t stop the two already running back to the main group, or the reclaimers from putting on armour, but it did stop the largest group from outright fleeing.
Phil realised at this point that one of the hands he had in the air was also holding his spear. He let that drop, resting the spear between his shoulder and head instead. “See? Friendly.”
There was a pause, then one of the men loading the lorry stepped forward. “Bob, you okay?”
Another pause. “Ow.” A hand reached up and gripped onto the first fallen wheelbarrow.
Shane stepped forward again, hand outstretched to help the man up.
The people by the lorry didn’t like this.
“Stay back!”
Shane stopped and decided to mimic Phil by raising his hands. It was a less effective gesture when wearing thick metal plate armour and holding a mildly terrifying hammer and shield.
“Christ!” Bob, who had just been starting to stand up, fell back again as he turned and saw the figure looming over him.
Shane, as any person would, went to help him again. More shouting from those beside the lorry.
“STOP!”
Two figures stepped out from the SUV and what one carried stopped everyone dead. The group by the lorry relaxed. The arming reclaimers slowed down. Even the two that had been running stopped and turned back to watch.
Heinz’s group on the other hand tensed. Shane stepped back towards the group and brought his shield in front of them. Phil shied back and did the same.
The gun was pointed at the ground, but it was a gun all the same. A big gun. The kind Heinz saw only in movies and foreign airports. She held it with both hands, one near the trigger and the other on some kind of forward grip. With the barrel pointed at the ground, the thick triangular stock rested on her shoulder.
What Heinz noticed next that both figures wore camo uniforms. The man’s was torn and bandages wrapped around his arm, but it didn't look like the wound would prevent him from following orders.
“Can we get an Identify,” The injured soldier called out into the silence, glancing at the bunched up group. His fellow soldier remained locked on Heinz’s group.
The people by the lorry shifted, pushing two figures to the front of their group. A teenager with his sleeves rolled up and an older woman who had what looked like a new tea stain down her front.
“They’re clean,” The teenager called quickly. “No kills.”
The woman with the tea stained blouse paled. “5th threshold,” she squeaked.
The gun rose ten centimetres.
Louise shifted behind Heinz. Tara whispered “No.”.
“Tara,” Louise hissed, sounding very displeased.
“Who?” The injured soldier asked.
“All of them.”
All but one of the strangers looked at the woman with the tea stained blouse in surprise. The gun didn’t rise any more, but the soldier lined it up with their group.
The injured soldier looked at them warily. “Identify yourselves.” He ordered. “There is no reconnaissance or advance planned for I38-42 today. Irregulars are required to follow the daily objectives.”
A few seconds passed. Heinz shot a glance to the side at Phil. He was watching the soldiers intently but looked like he had no plan to speak again or step forward.
“We’re from-”
“We aren’t-”
Heinz and Louise spoke at the same time, coming to the same conclusion about Phil. They paused, looking at each other.
Louise had stepped away from behind him and had moved in front of Tara. She had a hand on Tara’s armour and was insistently pushing her back towards the wall. Usually Heinz would let Louise speak, she tended to be better at this, but today not only was she behind all of them, she was also busy trying to get Tara out. He shook his head at her and nodded at Tara.
Louise’s mouth tightened and she-
“Kinmore,” Shane barked as the two of them dithered trying to decide who would speak. “We’re from Kinmore. Now put that bloody gun down!”
Heinz turned back to Shane. He winced as he saw the red that was growing on Shane's cheeks. Shane’s temper was unpredictable at the best of times. With his family’s safety in the mix..
The statement did have an effect though. The soldier lowered the gun a fraction and for the first time looked away from them and back at her fellow soldier. He was similarly surprised. The large group by the lorry, who were now hidden behind four reclaimers with their armour ready, were also shocked but more excited. The idea in itself seemed to be enough to relax them.
“Do you have proof?” The soldier with the gun called.
“Proof?” Shane snapped, spitting on the ground. “Do you have proof you didn’t steal that uniform and gun?”
As the soldier bristled, Louise decided that was enough of Shane’s diplomacy. She shoved Tara towards Heinz and stepped out from the group. The now annoyed soldier turned slightly to face her.
“We have letters from those in charge of Kinmore, Courtmacsherry and Innishannon.”
Now that statement sent the group over the edge.
“Are you for real?”
“Do you know if Mary Doherty is alright? She lives in the 6th house up the hill in Innishannon.”
“What about Bandon?”
“How are you passed the fifth threshold?”
“QUIET!”
Heinz didn’t like how quickly the crowd became hushed with one shout from the injured soldier. They weren’t looking at the two soldiers and their SUV with respect as much as fear. It didn’t escape his notice either how few of them had moved towards the soldiers, opting to trying run away instead.
The injured soldier looked back at Louise. “You and only you. Step forward and give the letter to Bob.”
It was a tense moment as Louise first helped Bob to his feet and then rummaged around her bag for the letters. It eased slightly as Bob delivered the letter and then hurried over to the rest of the group by the lorry. The injured soldier read the letter first, then held it up where the soldier with a gun could see.
She lowered the gun.
“Pack up. We’re heading back early.”
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
As the last of the Reclaimer’s loot was loaded into the lorry, Heinz’s group had a rushed conversation.
“Not a chance.”
“Tara, you are not getting in a car with a stranger with an assault rifle.” Louise spoke calmly, but with a fraying patience.
“I guess I should walk then. I’m sure the next batch of soldiers will be friendlier,” Tara said, looking at the sky while tapping her axe against the ground. “Or I could head back to Kinmore. It’s a short trip through all those Swarm.”
“Tara,” Louise yelled, pitch rising as she got more upset. She looked at Heinz and Phil, seeking support.
“With us is probably safer than anywhere else,” Heinz said to Louise’s horror. “And guns are likely less dangerous than the swarm.”
Phil just looked down.
Louise hiccuped.
Tara placed a hand on her arm. “I’m fine Louise. I’m sure it was just an overreaction with the soldiers. The city is probably safe, just like Dublin.”
That was too much for Louise. She sniffed and stepped away.
Tara winced and made to go after her, but Phil caught her hand. He was still looking at the ground.
“Give her a minute.”
Tara took a breath and rubbed her head. “Fuck. I didn’t think it would get this complicated. I thought it would be like Innishannon, we find them, say hi and figure how we connect everything up.”
Heinz shrugged. “The gun is a surprise.”
A cough behind them made him turn.
The injured soldier looked at them awkwardly, having to lean around Shane, who had planted himself in place to shield the group. He was shorter and more normal than Heinz expected. Brown sandy hair with a big nose, smudged with some dirt.
“We need to discuss travel and how you’ll fit into the convoy.”
Heinz winced as he realised that Louise wasn’t likely to be up for any kind of discussion right now. He looked at the others. Phil was still focused on the ground. Shane was very much not in a diplomatic mood given how he was staring the soldier down. Shit.
“What were you thinking?”
“We will split you up between the two vehicles, three to the-”
“No,” Heinz said, interrupting him. “We stay together.”
The soldier grimaced. “We don’t have room to place you altogether.”
Heinz looked over him at the lorry which was being filled with both the supplies and the people loading it. The soldier with a gun watched over the process and Heinz’s group, the SUV sitting alone behind her.
“How far is it?”
The soldier looked surprised.
“Rough distance. We can run behind you.”
“The zones are fully cleared, it’s not safe..” The soldier trailed off, considering them. “Can you keep up?”
Shane grunted.
Heinz nodded. “As long as you don’t try to break any records, yeah we should be able to.”
The convoy left ten minutes later. The SUV led the way down the highway, five figures following behind and the lorry bringing up the rear.
They ran past the outskirts of an empty city. Buildings lay abandoned, doors hanging open if they were still standing. The side roads were empty and still, all cars pushed to the side or collected in lots. Occasionally Heinz thought he saw movement, but when he looked to the side there was nothing. He wasn’t the only one to notice, but when he looked at Louise she just shook her head at him and sealed her lips. She didn’t look concerned, just confused. After a while Heinz put it out of mind. If it was something serious she would warn them.
A convoy of military jeeps and Garda cars met them at the intersection leading into the city centre. Once again they went through an Identify check, and their letter was inspected before they were politely asked to get into one of the jeeps. This time they were happy to clear out one of the vehicles so that the group could stay together. Not happy enough to give them a vehicle to themselves, maintaining that they needed a driver, but it was better than nothing. The new convoy set off with their jeep firmly in the middle.
What Heinz saw on the way into the city centre, he didn’t like. Few people stayed on the road as the convoy passed, and those that did shied back or hurried on. There was order here, but at what cost had it come?
The convoy stopped at the city hall. It was a huge building made of white limestone on the side of one of the two forks of the river Lee that ran through the city. A clock tower topped by a green copper roof rose above the building, flanked on either side by two flags. One flag was the Irish one, green, white and orange. The other was the flag of Cork city, the Cork crest with a ship sailing between two headland towers on a green background. Heinz didn’t think he’d ever seen the building in use. It felt weird as they pulled in in front of the main entrance.
A line of soldiers in camo uniform escorted them up the steps and through the open doors. Once inside they were quickly ushered through a series of rooms until they arrived in what a sign declared the council chambers.
The council chambers was an oddly designed hall. Both sides of the hall were sectioned off for the public, with viewing balconies above for more seating. The balconies gave the room a funnelled look. The public seating was empty now, but that only drew more attention to the centre of the room and the people there. A line of soldiers stood at the ready before a series of desks. They blocked the path through the room.
Against the far wall, two people sat on throne-like chairs behind a heavy desk. Both elderly men, it was clear they were adjusting to the new state of the world differently. The man in the centre seat sagged in place, seemingly struggling to stay awake. He had dark bags under his eyes and his white hair was greasy. To his left, was a military man. He sat straight backed, without a crease on his navy uniform. Grey hair poked out from under a navy cap. The military man’s eyes fixated on Heinz’s group as they appeared. Leaning forward he picked a book off the table and handed it to a uniformed aide, dismissing them.
Heinz only made it a few steps into the room before one of the soldiers stepped forward and held a hand out.
“Remain standing here please.”
"Right." Heinz nodded at the soldier, a short, stiff man with black hair and very little expression on his face. The soldier did not nod back.
Heinz shared a quick glance with Louise. Her lips pursed and she shrugged back. The amount of military in here was putting him on edge, but they hadn’t been asked to hand over their weapons yet. That was a good sign right?
He pulled the letters they’d been given out and waited.
Time passed. The military man on the left throne continued to watch them, but he seemed content to not do anything else. The man on the middle throne seemed to have fallen asleep. The soldiers remained standing at the ready.
The waiting got to Shane. With a grunt he moved over towards the public seating and sat down against the railing that separated it from the centre of the chamber.
After a second to think, Louise pushed Tara to join him. Phil followed not long after.
Then it was just the two of them.
When something finally happened, it happened all at once.
The doors behind them swung open. Two soldiers moved on each of the balconies above, walking towards the far wall near the thrones. They had weapons-
“Sorry I’m late.”
A man in a poorly fitted suit rushed around Heinz and Louise. “I was at the Tunnel when we got the radio.”
Heinz relaxed his grip on his halberd, lowering it back to the ground. The soldiers nearest to him relaxed a few heartbeats later.
The military man nodded at the new arrival as they hurried to take a seat on the right throne. The man wiped a bit of sweat off his brow and fussed with the seat. He pulled a cushion off the ground and placed it down before sitting himself. He was the youngest of the three, with light streaks of grey only just starting to appear in his dark hair. The skin around his cheeks and jaw was loose and as he sat the skin around his throat bunched up. Along with the suit, he looked like he’d lost a lot of weight in a very short period of time.
“Right, where were you?” The newcomer asked.
The military man coughed politely.
The newcomer turned to him inquisitively, only to pause as he saw the worn out man on the middle throne.
“Brian,” He said gently, reaching a hand to shake the man awake.
“Yes?” Brian answered blearily, wiping a hand across his face.
“The reclaimers from Kinmore, Innishannon and Courtmacsherry are here.”
This woke Brian up and he pushed himself up, losing the slump he’d fallen into. He scanned the room, frowning as he saw the soldiers until he came to Heinz and Louise.
“I’m told you have a letter,” Brian called out. His voice was steady and all business. All sleepiness was gone.
Heinz held them up. A soldier stepped forward and took them from him to carry to the thrones. There was a pause as Brian found a pair of reading glasses. Another as the three men read the letters. Finally Brian set his down.
“These letters are informative, but I would hear first hand what happened to you. Tell us how Kinmore survived and how reached here.”
Heinz and Louise shared a glance before Louise stepped forward. She started on the first day. How Kinmore organised. The red bibs. The confusion and worry. What happened with the teleportees. She expanded on the council, the town meetings. Louise didn’t exaggerate or paint a perfect picture. The looting, the issues with fuel supplies, the tension between the council and the outdoor education centre. It was all covered. Not in great detail, a lot was left out as Louise pushed ahead to the meeting with Courtmacsherry reclaimers, the fire and the settlement change.
The three men took the news about Bandon in different ways, but all poorly. Brian sagged, the military man grimaced and the man in a suit wiped at his face. The fact that they had reclaimed Bandon went down better. Details of their cooperation with Innishannon perked them up a little, though they seemed perplexed, especially when they heard about the stampede.
Finally Louise told them of the letters and how all three towns worked together to send them.
“Well,” Brian began, tapping at the table. “I think what’s next is clear. General Collin?”
The military man nodded. “Yes, Mayor.”
“Connecting with these towns is to be our expansion priority. Do not take away from the defence forces, but focus on the path these two took.”
General Collin hesitated. “We are to stop the coastal approach then?”
Brian nodded. “It will do us good to connect with these three towns. Good for the people.” He slowly stood.
The man in a suit beside him quickly followed him up.
“I will go rest now, I think it is clear I have been awake too long. Teddy, please answer these brave people’s questions and make sure they’re settled.”
Teddy, the man in a suit, nodded and stepped aside so Brian could leave. It took a while for Brian to shuffle out of the room but he was surrounded by soldiers the entire way.
Teddy sat back down, leaving the centre throne empty. He looked over at General Collin. “Should I or..”
General Collin gestured for him to proceed. “My concerns will take longer.”
“Right,” Teddy looked back at Heinz and Louise. “I’ll give you a quick overview of what happened here and then we can discuss the future.”
He leaned back heavily against the throne.
“The start of this went badly for the city. It sounds like we had more people than Kinmore, about three times as many, all to the zone north-east of here, the Docks. Most were from the city, but some were from further afield. People panicked. They were shopping one second, then.. Most didn’t live in the area and while there are a lot of buildings, there aren’t many homes. After a time, a large portion of the reclaimer roles were randomly allocated. It was chaos.”
Teddy paused and rubbed at his face again. He gestured at General Collin. “A day later, the 1st Brigade was forced to step in and restore order. Afterwards the brigade was able to locate Brian, who was the deputy mayor. His successor perished in the mess. I won’t go into details, but the blind panic from those first twenty four hours still hangs over us. We are still attempting to clear out some of the system related issues that they caused. The 1st Brigade has organised our reclaimers since. They have the final say on all matters of security for Cork.”
Louise twitched beside Heinz.
“We began reclaiming the city, starting with this zone we sit in, and pushing out east after contact with more people a zone over in Rochestown. We went on to link up with Little Island, after which our rapid expansion proved our enemy. We suffered our own stampede, a flood from Lough Mahon as the swarm grew unattended. We proceeded slower after that, but we are in contact with Monkstown, Carrigaline and Crosshaven. Since then we’ve been expanding along the coast to link up with more towns - Which is why we’re surprised you said Innishannon. That should be too far inland for..”
A cough from General Collins was enough for Teddy to stop. He looked chagrin but leaned back. “We can talk more about that later. For now..”
General Collin stood. The soldiers on the balconies shifted, preparing.
“Now we need to talk about what will happen next.”