Nigel, Aiko, Sally, and Blanka left through the southern entrance of the encampment and started down 20th Street. The remnants of the triangle-shaped building creeped Nigel out. He couldn’t believe that he had stayed there so many nights. He remembered Aiko mentioning that her encampment was one of the largest in the city, spanning from just south of the remnants of the Flatiron building to the Museum of Mathematics; some nine blocks. Nigel didn’t feel comfortable using a gun after his recent trauma, so he decided to wield a spiked baseball bat. Its girth felt good in his hands. When he took a few practice swings, he felt confident in his ability to smash any mutants or cyborgs that might challenge him.

“How far is it to Jack’s?” Nigel asked.

“About two miles. We want to avoid the hoodlums in Gramercy Park, so we will travel through the tunnels under Park Avenue. Jonny D’s men control that portion of the underground.”

“Who is Jonny D?” Nigel asked.

“A friend who helped take down that damned meat monster,” Aiko replied.

Aiko led the group through a number of alleyways. Nigel didn’t recognize the city. He remembered driving here with Jet. That was well over a year ago. He couldn’t believe the destruction of Lower Manhattan. Most buildings were burned out or blown up.

“Did Doc Chop’s creature destroy all of Manhattan?” Nigel asked as he gazed upon the ruined city.

“That creature destroyed most of the area around Rockefeller Plaza. The destruction down here was caused by Doc Chop’s infected,” Aiko explained.

Nigel’s heart sank as they entered the underground. Aiko took the lead, Nigel and Sally were in the middle, and Blanka took the rear. Not long ago, millions made their way into this city every day. Now it was a husked ruin; a shadow of its former glory. As they entered the tracks, Nigel removed a small flashlight. He was careful not to step on anything. He froze when he saw a derailed subway car. Blood stains and bullet holes covered the car and most of the walls. His throat constricted, and his heart pounded as he tried to imagine what had happened here. Nigel jumped as Aiko put a hand on his shoulder.

“Relax, Nigel. Jonny D cleared out the bodies. It’s safe now.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to you,” Blanka said.

Nigel followed Aiko through the tunnels for what seemed like hours. In truth, he couldn’t tell how much time had passed. The tunnels seemed to go on forever. The tunnels were dark and damp, with an occasional flicker of light from above. Aiko stopped at a ladder.

“Are we there yet?” Nigel asked.

“We’re about halfway, but the difficult part is past.. All we have to do now is head east on 10th street until just before the FDR, then we’re at Jack’s,” Aiko said.

She led the group up the ladder and removed a manhole cover. Soon they were back on ground level. Nigel took in a deep breath. His heart rate had been increasing by the second while underground. He tried to contain himself and push back his anxiety. Nigel noticed the sun had lowered considerably in the sky. He estimated the time to be around 4 p.m. After a quick break to eat, they continued toward the East River. A roaring sound followed by booming drums echoed through the city blocks.

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

“We need to get off the street,” Aiko said.

Moments later, a rumbling sensation and the galloping sounds of animals seemingly came from everywhere. Then a battle cry reverberated off the thousands of glass windows.

“What is that?” Sally asked.

Aiko’s eyes grew wide with recognition. “The Stampede Gang. We need to find cover now!”

The buildings on either side were boarded up or barricaded. They stopped in the middle of an intersection looking for cover. Just north of their position, several enormous animals with riders rounded the corner. Nigel recognized rhinos, horses, bulls, and elephants. Several hyenas and wolves took up the rear.

“There,” Nigel said, pointing to a building with an open door.

The group ran inside and slammed the door closed. The stampede stopped at the intersection. Several hyenas and wolves sniffed around, trying to pick up a scent. One of the wolves charged and slammed against the door. A pane of glass was knocked out of the door and smashed against the floor. The wolf snarled and bared its teeth. Nigel looked around the room. It was a small space, perhaps ten by fifteen feet. Large pieces of furniture were stuffed in a staircase that led downward. A ladder was visible at the other end of the room. Nigel climbed up toward a hatch, but it was barricaded. They were trapped.

“We can’t let them take us. Be ready for a fight,” Aiko said.

Nigel’s heart pounded as the wolf viciously pummeled the door, splintering the wood. The creature poked its head through the opening; it snapped and snarled. Blanka shot at the wolf. The wolf whimpered and fled. No one said anything for a long moment. Nigel was about to check the door when someone pounded on it.

“Open up, we know you’re in there,” a man’s voice said.

“Backs against the wall,” Aiko said as she moved to a wall.

A deafening blast turned the door into splinters. Blanka readied another gun. Nigel grasped his bat so tight that his knuckles were white. Sally crouched with a knife, while Aiko assumed a dragon stance.

“I’m coming in, don’t shoot. I’m unarmed,” a man said.

A lanky man crept in. His hands were in the air, and he didn’t appear to have a weapon.

“Who are you?” Aiko asked.

“My name’s William, I mean you no harm.”

“Then why did you blast the door?” Nigel said.

The man reached for something behind his back. Blanka unloaded both pistols into the man. He fell in a heap. Aiko checked the body for weapons, and tossed them toward the middle of the floor. Blanka went to the entrance and sneaked a glance. She ducked and rolled out of the way just as the doorframe was hit by rapid gunfire. Splinters of wood flew everywhere.

“There are a half dozen men with weapons outside,” Blanka said.

“We need to get out another way,” Nigel said.

“It’s blocked,” Sally said.

Nigel moved to a metal filing cabinet that was blocking the stairs and pushed it toward the door.

“Help me—before they try to rush the door.”

The four of them moved the heavy duty cabinet toward the door. Gunshots rang out as soon as the cabinet met the doorframe. They worked together as a team, stacking the remainder of the furnishings at the door. Soon, the staircase was accessible. They descended into the darkness.

Moments later, Nigel and his companions found themselves in a musty basement. A hole big enough for one person to fit through appeared in the floor. The walls were red, it was an eerie sight with just a dim flashlight. A pounding came from above as the men attempted to move the furniture that blocked the building entrance.

“There’s only one way out,” Nigel said as he slipped through the hole.

He slipped and fell into a slimy pit that led into the sewers. Nigel scanned the area. He was in a tunnel that was about six feet tall and seemed infinitely long. Aiko was next, then Sally, then finally Blanka.

“Which way?” Nigel asked.

A faint sound of water could be heard in the distance.

“Toward the river,” Aiko said as she ran through the tunnel.

By the time they saw daylight again, Nigel’s heart was pounding so hard he thought he was going to have an attack.

“Where are we?” Sally asked.

Aiko looked up at the massive concrete walls. Nigel could make out the tree above them.

”We’re just below the park. Jack is just above us,” Aiko said.