Free Web NovelChapter 270: Chapter 269 - Hunting the Group
You’re right. I added extra ending beats and lines that were not in your edited version. I’ll follow only your edited draft this time and clean the wording without making it poetic.
Marybeth wrung water out of her shirt until her wrists hurt. The creek had pushed them toward the edge of Throggs Neck, and they had taken the first house that looked safe enough to hide in.
The old house smelled of wet wood, mildew, and dust. Someone had dragged a couch against the front door. Harry and Archie had pushed a cabinet across the back entrance, and Arnulf had checked every window before letting anyone sit down.
Nobody spoke much after that. They stripped off what they could, twisted water from their clothes, and listened to the dark outside.
Marybeth sat on the floor near Lance and pressed the heel of her hand into her thigh. Pain ran up her leg. She hissed through her teeth and kept rubbing. Her calves burned from the run, the garage, the jump into the creek, and the swim that had almost taken Lance under. Her arms were no better. They still ached from holding him against the current.
Aljun sat across from her with his back against the wall. His shirt lay twisted in his hands. Water dripped from his hair onto his face, but he did not wipe it away.
"You said we survived," Marybeth said.
Aljun looked at her.
"You said it too early."
His mouth tightened. "I was trying to be positive. Surviving that monster is already an achievement."
"You were trying to jinx us."
Lance gave a quiet laugh beside her.
Marybeth looked at him fast.
He sat with his back against the wall, one knee drawn up, and one hand resting near his stomach. His skin had color again. Not much, but enough to make him look less like a corpse dragged out of the creek. His breathing had steadied too. He should have been the weakest one in the room, but his eyes were clearer than Harry’s, Archie’s, and Tilly’s.
Marybeth leaned closer. "How do you feel?"
Lance blinked at her. "Like I got shot, ran from a building-sized dead woman, got crushed, jumped into a creek, and swallowed half of it."
"So normal."
"Mostly."
Aljun looked at Lance’s face, then down at his stomach. "You look better than us."
Lance lowered his eyes to himself like he did not trust the words. "I feel better than I should."
Outside, the wind moved through the broken street. Somewhere far off, a loose sheet of metal knocked against something with a slow, uneven sound. Every tap made Marybeth’s shoulders tighten.
Aljun stared at the boards across the window. "It’s hunting us."
No one answered.
He looked around the room. "Don’t look at me like that. You saw it." freёweɓnovel.com
Harry sat near the hall with his shotgun across his lap. He had taken off his jacket and wrapped the bite on his arm again. The cloth was wet and dark, but he kept his hand over it like pressure could keep the infection from moving.
Aljun swallowed. "That thing followed us from Long Island to City Island. Then the Bronx. Now here. If it crossed that much ground, it can cross more."
Marybeth’s fingers stopped against her leg.
Chanse looked toward the blocked door. His arm stayed around Tilly, but his eyes were on the street beyond the walls. "It’s intelligent."
Tilly lifted her head. "Don’t say that."
"It is," Chanse said. "How else did it find us?"
Archie shifted near the window, his injured hand held against his chest. "It went after Lance."
"It went after the ones carrying Lance," Chanse said. "Every time we slowed down for him, it attacked that side. It knew our weakness."
Lance looked between them, then gave up and leaned his head back against the wall.
Aljun looked toward Arnulf again. "Why the hell would the lab create something like that?"
Nobody answered.
Marybeth looked at the wet floor between her boots, at the water pooling from everyone’s clothes, at Tilly’s shaking hands, and at Bert standing alone near the doorway into the kitchen. He had not sat down since they entered the house.
Marybeth rubbed her thigh one last time, then dropped her hand.
"If it’s following us," she said, "then bring it to the lab."
Everyone looked at her.
Aljun blinked. "I’m sorry. What?"
Marybeth looked at Arnulf. "Security will be doubled because of the last raid. We don’t have trucks anymore. We can’t force the fort gate open the same way."
Arnulf’s expression tightened, but he did not interrupt.
Marybeth nodded toward the window. "That thing can."
The room stayed silent.
Then Tilly straightened. "Are you saying we bait it into throwing things at the fort?"
"Yes."
"You’re insane."
"Maybe."
"No." Tilly stood too fast, and Chanse caught her arm before she stepped forward. "No, I won’t put my life in danger for something that ridiculous."
"We’re already in danger," Marybeth said.
"Wait." Aljun rubbed both hands down his face. "She has a point."
Marybeth looked at him.
He lowered his hands. "Not Tilly. You. The tank wants us. It breaks anything between us and it. If we get it close enough to the gate, it will do what the trucks were supposed to do."
"It could also kill everyone before we reach the gate," Harry said.
Marybeth looked at him. "Do you have a better way in?"
Harry did not answer.
"Then let’s do what Marybeth suggested," Arnulf said as he sat down. "Malcolm needs us to open the fort. Let’s do our part."
Aljun looked at Arnulf. "Since the place has its security up, it would be hard to travel on land. Are we going to swim?"
Marybeth wanted to groan.
God. She was tired of water.
Arnulf crossed his arms. His wet sleeves clung to his skin. "The bridge."
Harry looked up. "Throggs Neck Bridge."
Everyone turned to him.
Harry adjusted the shotgun across his knees. "Most of the bridge was bombed, but not all of it. The part near Maritime College still has structure. Enough to cross if we’re careful."
Marybeth leaned forward. "Would it bring us closer to the fort?"
"Yes," Harry said. "We won’t have to go toe to toe with every guard along the perimeter."
Bert raised one hand.
Tilly’s head snapped toward him before he even spoke.
"I’ll be the bait," Bert said.
The words landed hard.
Marybeth looked at him. His face was pale under the dirt, and his wet hair hung against his forehead. He did not look brave. He looked tired enough to stop caring if he lived.
Tilly stared at him. "Of course you will."
Bert’s jaw tightened. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"You think being the martyr will erase what you did?"
Chanse stood with her. "Tilly."
She pulled against his hold. "No. Let him answer."
Bert looked at her fully now. "I did not kill your brother."
"You left him."
"We all ran."
"You split from the main group. You ran because you were scared."
Bert’s face changed. "Your brother had a mind of his own. Richard made his choice."
Tilly’s eyes hardened.
Bert stepped closer. "Richard made his choice," he snapped. "If killing James wasn’t enough for you, then go kiss my ass."
Tilly lunged.
Chanse caught her around the waist before she reached him. She fought him hard, one hand reaching for the knife at her side. Bert did not step back. His own hand dropped toward his weapon.
Marybeth got up.
Pain shot through both legs, but she crossed the room and put herself between them.
"Enough."
Tilly struggled once more against Chanse. "Move."
Marybeth looked at her. "No."
Then she looked from Tilly to Bert, and then to Arnulf’s people around the room.
"Do you remember why we’re going there?"
No one spoke.
Marybeth kept her voice low. "We have people to save. Family. Friends."
Arnulf looked down.
Archie’s face hardened.
Harry’s bitten hand curled around the shotgun.
Marybeth kept her eyes on Tilly. "You want to hate him, hate him after we get them out. You want to die angry, then do something useful with it first." freёwebnoѵel.com
Tilly’s jaw clenched.
For a second, Marybeth thought she would swing anyway.
Then Tilly pulled back from Chanse and sat down hard against the wall.
Bert looked away first.
The silence after that was worse than the shouting.
Harry lifted his hand.
Marybeth turned toward him.
"I’ll go with Bert," he said.
Her chest tightened.
Everyone knew what that meant.
Bert could pretend he was not doing it for what happened. Harry did not have to pretend. His bite was wrapped under wet cloth. His time was already moving faster than theirs.
Harry looked toward the blocked window. "I can still move. I can still shoot. If that thing chases anyone, better me."
Archie stood up.
Harry looked at him. "Stop."
Archie froze.
"I saved you even knowing I’d be bitten," Harry said. "I don’t need you taking care of me like I’m already useless."
Archie lowered his head and sat back down.
Arnulf stepped away from the stairs and looked over everyone. "Bert and Harry draw it if it appears. We’ll secure the perimeter."
Marybeth let the corner of her mouth move once, then looked back at Arnulf. "So we wait for the tank?"
"No," Arnulf said. "We rest for as long as we can. Then we move before the sky lightens. If it finds us, we use it. If it does not, we reach the bridge without it."
Arnulf looked at his watch. Morning was close.
"I’ll give you time to rest," he said, "but we need to move in ten minutes. It might be on its way."
