The Alley Rats

By Ryan Washington

A world changed, a family separated, and a path that must be painfully trekked by three brothers in search of understanding their altered humanity. Join Kyle, Allen, and Marcus on their brutal and heartrending journey to find the truth. As these brothers use their new found abilities to find their family, they find themselves caught in the midst of a war between two, unknown organizations that leads them to their first and fearful threat, a mutant gang known only as the Alley Rats. Will they overcome their new threat, or will they fall to the savagery of Don Avarice and his gang?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 7, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503562219

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

The final phase arrived with the launch sequence following shortly behind. The inner chambers shook violently as the rocket left the base and soared into the atmosphere. It became a star among the real ones as it sailed across the blanket of darkness. New York had too many stars to count that night. Any shooting stars that were called out were helicopters passing by that either the foolish or the young would mistakenly call out. The streets bustled with lights, life, and the unknown intentions of troublesome youth. They roamed around at their leisure. They were diverse in it all; ethnicity, personality, gender, clique’s, and sexual preference. You couldn’t walk anywhere in the street without seeing them. They were so intermingled with the crowd of everyday pedestrians that the naked eye alone couldn’t tell the difference unless you were from New York. Most of them hung around the average level companion of their social class. The nerds hung around comic and electronic stores. Music junkies spat rhymes in front of music stores while arguing their favorite artist and music. The regulars just lingered and moved around gathering friends who varied from each group. One particular group settled in the middle of Time Square. The tallest one, Marcus, stood with his arms crossed. He had an athletic build and tone to him. A black skull designed grey wool skull cap covered his shaved head. His face was stoical as the conversation around him continued.

Dude, c’mon let’s go already, said one of the smaller teens. He had a light voice, but one deep enough to be a boy’s.

He’s got five more minutes man, just wait, replied his twin. The two were younger than their circle of friends, about 15 actually. Their short, scrappy brunette hair was a tangled mess under their caps.

Dude, fuck that, he’s gonna bail again, and we’re gonna miss our chance like last year, said one twin.

C’mon man, just wait like 7 more minutes, said the other twin.

What happened to 5? asked the first twin.

Dude, you know I’m bad at math, stated the other twin.

Yeah and I’m failing pre-cal. Look, he’s got two minutes else we’re going without him, ordered the first twin.

Since when do you make the calls, Lee? said the defensive twin with a push.

Since the day you’ve been playing follow the leader, MAX, replied Leo with a more aggressive shove. Look, watch closely dude, I’ma show you something you’re used to seeing. He turned around and bent over showing him his backside. Brings up memories don’t it? Like the time you held me on your shoulders to reach that ‘empty’ jar of cookies, or when you boosted me over the fence when that dog came, he said with a smug grin. Hey, here’s a better one: How about those four seconds you spent crawling behind me outta mom? Got a good view of it then didn’t you, MAX? he said as his twin came upon him forcing him to the ground. The two struggled with each other for a moment till Marcus pulled the two of them apart. He held the two of them off of the ground by their jackets, their feet hovering slightly off of the ground. They continued to reach for each other as their stoic guardian held them apart for a few more moments. They ceased their bicker and were dropped on the snowy ground on their butts. They huffed with exhaustion while they spat small curses at each other.

You kids still playing? asked Allen as he walked up to the group with Tori and Kyle. He was a slender young man with short brown hair. He wore a slim green jacket and blue jeans with beige Sperry shoes and a white under shirt. Kyle had his earphones in under the hood of his grey hoodie. Some of his brunette hair poked out under it while his hands were tucked away in the hoodie pocket. His running shoes were grey with a black secondary color. His mind was somewhere else. Tori wore a slim jogging hoodie with a yellow undershirt. Her hair was red, short, and silky. She wore slim black yoga pants and black running shoes. She walked with a slight shiver in her step.

God, it’s freezing out here, said Tori.

Should’ve worn something warmer, said Allen. It’s only gonna get colder for the next couple of minutes.

Geez, way to make me feel warmer, Al, said Tori sarcastically. The twins quickly jumped up and ran over to Allen. They came up to his stomach in height.

Hey Al, did you bring it? they asked simultaneously. He smiled and reached into his pockets. He pulled out two chocolate bars and handed them to both of them. Max quickly tore his wrapper open and began to consume his candy while his brother stored his away. Tori walked over to Marcus and huddled next to him for warmth. He was a giant among them all in his grey skull cap and blue hoodie.

Ready for the new year, Marcus? asked Allen with a slight chuckle. Marcus merely looked at him stoically and blew into his party kazoo. So many people had gathered in Time Square now. The crowd was live with anticipation for the celebration of 2021. People in colorful costumes, and those bold enough to wear diapers and nothing else, danced merrily or drunkenly through the streets of Time Square. Music performers played on a small platform as the crowd began to rave and rejoice in waves of hands to their music.

At least the music still sucks, said Kyle as he turned his music up. When they ceased, nothing but cheers and whistles returned to them with bombs of confetti flourishing over the platform. A man in a tuxedo walked up on stage with a beautiful assistant dressed in a glittering dress of jewels and vibrant colors. He carried a microphone in one hand while the other hand helped his assistant up the stairs onto the stage.

New York City, give it up for Rebels in Revolt, he said as he gave the band their final applause of the night. The crowd roared with cheer. All but Kyle and Marcus found their music entertaining. Alright ladies and gentlemen, we’ve reached the final minutes of 2020 and are about to enter the dawn of a new millennium in 2021! The crowd roared with excitement. With only two minutes left in this year, we figured that we might as well go out with a bang. Ms. New Years, if you would, said the announcer as he pointed to his lovely assistant. She approached him with a small device she held in her hand that had numerous buttons on it. She clicked one, and a panel on the stage opened up as a massive crystal ball rose out of the stage. Now what would be a better way to kick off the new millennium than with a network of fireworks that have been setup throughout Time Square? Nothing! At exactly twelve o’clock, they’ll go off and meet over Time Square simultaneously with a collision that’ll leave you breathless. I promise you all; it’ll be nothing short of a good time. Now that we’ve only got 30 seconds left, Ms. New Years, please go on and get that countdown started! She clicked the second button on her remote, and the crystal ball began to radiate brightly. The number 25 gleamed from the ball. The crowd began to chant the countdown as the numbers decreased. The twins began to count with them. The rocket began to soar over the city. A mechanism activated within the rocket that stopped all smoke from emitting from its thrusters. No traces could be found of where the rocket traveled. The altitude it descended from made it seem like a star itself. Tori came up under Marcus’ arm for greater warmth.

It must be sad being a star, said Tori.

How do you figure? asked Marcus as he continued looking on into the starry sky.

Cause nothing ever changes for them. They just sit there in the same sky shining the same way they always do. Sounds boring to me, said Tori.

Maybe it’s better that way. Problems always come up when someone changes something, replied Marcus. The countdown reached 5.

Maybe, chuckled Tori. The fireworks went off as the countdown reached 1. A flurry of fiery rockets fired off into the sky. In that instant, Leo snuck Max’s chocolate bar out of his back pocket and began to eat it greedily. Allen leaned against a pretty girl standing next to him as Kyle blew his confetti kazoo. The crowd roared with excitement. The fireworks met in the sky and collided with the rocket at the last minute. A deafening explosion roared with a blinding light. The shockwaves violently conceived out of the blast disrupted the foundation of nearby buildings. Some were completely obliterated. The white light was all consuming as it engulfed all of Manhattan.

CHAPTER 2

A pebble of debris fell on his head. It snapped him back into consciousness. Kyle slowly came to. The debris he was under was immense. He tried to speak, but he could not hear his own voice. He could only feel the vibrations of his weak voice in his throat. He felt weak and sore all throughout his body, as if he had been violently shaken. His arm was the only thing free beneath the debris, yet it was numb. He had no sensation relaying back from it. He tried to call out for help, but his lungs were being pressed down on by a piece of stone. A complete exhale would have killed him. He paced his breaths, but each passing breath caused him deepening pain. The sensation of the pressure that came from the debris suddenly lightened as the rubble began to be removed. First was the rush of cold air filling his lungs. Then came a portion of the disheartening sight of a city in ruins. A hand reached for him when a hole big enough to reach into the rubble could be made. It was dirtied with ash, but the skin was brown. Kyle recognized who it belonged to and knew it was Marcus. His hand grabbed him by his hood and pulled him out of the debris. He leaned Kyle up against the remains of a brick wall. Kyle examined Marcus and noticed his shaved head was no longer covered by the wool skull cap he wore. Ash fell to the ground around them like snow. Kyle was still in shock. All he heard was the throbbing of his heartbeat. He looked around and saw nothing but destruction. The stage where the band performed had been destroyed. Buildings in the surrounding area had been completely decimated. Craters crumbled into the sewers below. Bodies lay in the street, either dead or unconscious from the sudden trauma they suffered from. Limbs were severed or hung off their disfigured husks. Marcus motioned for him to stand, but when Kyle attempted to stand, his knees went weak, and he fell back on the sidewalk. Marcus carried him with Kyle’s right arm over his shoulder. Marcus called for him to respond, but the ringing in Kyle’s ears muffled the words, preventing him from understanding him. He began to slip in and out of consciousness. He finally gave up on the feeling of resisting the urge to sleep and blacked out. Marcus called to him, but his mind retreated somewhere else. He began to slip into the memory of all that occurred before he awoke into this living hell. The world turned blinding white. He flashed back hours earlier into the day. He could feel his feet moving against the concrete street. The blinding light faded. He was back in New York before the explosion. He was running, fast and away from someone. His ear buds played his favorite playlist yet again. The music kept him calm as he ran. With his grey hood pulled over his head, he ran and ran down the civilian filled road.

There he is! called out a voice from behind him. A group of three thugs were burrowing their way through the crowd of people behind him. Kyle nimbly sprinted through the crowd. He made a turn down a dark alley with a fence blocking his path. The thugs came round the corner, one of them slipping on a puddle. He thrashed about till he was back on his feet while his crew continued their pursuit. Kyle ran faster to build momentum. His feet ran him up the brick wall and over the fence deftly. The thugs clumsily scaled the fence. He had a great lead on them, but they were not so easily deterred by his speed. Out the alley, he ran down another sidewalk. The thugs called all kinds of profanities at him, but he heard none of it. They chased him all the way down to Central Park. The night lights gave illumination to four shadowy figures, three giving chase to the one in front. The park had very few people around this time of night. Many had begun gathering in Time Square by that time. Kyle came to a stop in his feet. The group of thugs stopped a few feet away from him. They were huffing with exhaustion, but their anger was brimming despite their exhaustion.

Great way to get in shape for the New Year, huh guys? said Kyle with a slight huff in his breath.

Cut the crap kid! snapped the leader of the group. He held out his hand. Hand it over, he said angrily. Kyle stared at him with slight confusion. Give me the got-damn wallet, kid! he snapped. Kyle pulled one of his earphones out, his music still playing out of it.

You sayin something? Kyle asked him. All reason left the man that very instant. He bellowed and charged him with a swing of the fist. Kyle dodged it and smirked smugly. The man gathered himself and threw another punch. Kyle jumped to the side and kicked the clumsy oaf to the ground. He thrashed about till he was back on his feet even angrier than before.

Don’t just fucking stand there ya idiots! Kill this kid! yelled the thug. His lackeys made a circle round Kyle. One made the first move and attempted to tackle him. Kyle side-stepped and pushed him to the ground. The other one swung a pitiful punch that Kyle parried. With the momentum still carrying him, the thug fell over to the ground. Kyle began to chuckle till their leader came up behind him and dealt him a heavy blow to the head with his fist. Kyle stumbled to the ground, slightly dazed. The thugs were back up on their feet and got behind their leader as they cornered Kyle. Before the leader could strike again, the man paused at the sound of grunts and punches being delivered from behind him. He turned to see his crew lying on the ground. One of them was unconscious while the other rolled around, dazed and in pain. He saw standing before him a tall figure in a blue hoodie with a skull design on his skull cap.

Took you long enough, muttered Kyle. The thug threw a punch, but Marcus caught his fist. He winced in pain as Marcus began to crush his hand. A bone popped, and he brought the thug to one knee wailing. With a blunt fist balled, he cracked the man in the nose and rendered him unconscious. Once finished with the ruffian, Marcus offered a hand to Kyle, but he waved it away as he straightened up and stood back up on his feet. He put his fallen earphone back in after turning down the music.

Geez, he swoops in at the last minute and thinks he’s fucking superman, snickered Kyle. Go on and say it, you know you want to. Marcus merely held his hand out to him. Kyle looked away at first, then sucked his teeth and reached into his hoodie pocket. He pulled out the wallet and handed it over to Marcus. Marcus walked over to the unconscious thug. You know he stole it. Marcus reached into his back pocket and pulled out his own wallet as he crouched down to the unconscious thug. From his own wallet, he drew a few bills. Kyle looked away with slight anger. What are you doing, Marc? he asked. Marcus pulled out the stolen twenty then replaced the vacancy in the thug’s wallet with five ones. Marcus dropped the thug’s wallet on the ground next to him, then stored the stolen twenty back into his own wallet. Why all the sentimental crap all of sudden? For a tall guy that doesn’t say much to anyone, your pretty soft dude.

Next time I say let it go, let it go, said Marcus. He turned and saw Kyle looking away in the distance. His music was audible despite the earphones he had in. Marcus turned and looked at him. Kyle sensed his emotionless eyes beaming into his skull and turned to face him.

You sayin something? he asked. Marcus merely gave him a blank look.

Allen’s down at Lucy’s house. Tori’s gonna be around here in the next minute or so, said Marcus.

So? What do I have to do with that? asked Kyle.

It’s Allen and Lucy, replied Marcus.

Then why don’t you go get him? asked Kyle. He actually listens to you.

Can’t. Gotta go return the twenty, said Marcus as he rose to his feet. He now towered over Kyle once again. Plus, Tor stuck me with picking up the twins, he said as he looked at the three goons lying on the ground. You don’t seem to be up to much. Marcus began to walk away with his hands in his hoodie’s pocket.

Whatever, said Kyle as he did the same and walked away in the other direction.

Don’t tune everything out all the time Kyle, Marcus said to him. You might miss something important.Kyle continued to walk away. His footsteps echoed with each passing step. Time began to slow, and the blinding light returned. He awoke with his ears still ringing. Marcus was still carrying him. His white t-shirt was in tatters while some blood dripped from his left knee in his jeans. A building behind them collapsed into debris and smoke. The panic in the streets was beyond any uproar he had ever seen. The ringing began to increase. His right ear began to bleed. Marcus kept calling to him, but still he did not respond.

Damn it Kyle, wake up! roared Marcus. He carried him all the way down the street till he reached Wojick’s bookstore. He kicked the door open and dropped to the carpet floor. Wojick closed the door behind them. He locked the door and put his closed sign up in the window. Marcus crouched over Kyle weakly.

What kind of almighty hell has broken loose out there? asked Wojick. He saw Marcus and Kyle lying on the ground, Kyle now unconscious and Marcus struggling to stand. What happened to you two? Where’s everyone else? he asked.

I don’t know. I think Kyle’s deaf or something. Kyle! called Marcus. Kyle began to drift back into his memories. The voice he could not hear spoke the same words his mind spoke to him in his flashback. The light returned then faded once more. A female voice was calling out to him. It echoed at a distance then grew louder till it woke him. He was in the passenger of Tori’s compact car.

Kyle! she snapped at him. His music continued to play in his ear buds. He slowly turned his head and faced her with slight confusion. I know you can read lips! Wake up! she yelled at him.

Only works when I see the mouth, not when I’m sleep, Tor, replied Kyle with a slight yawn.

Whatever, we’re coming up on Lucy’s apartment, said Tori.

You mean we ain’t there yet? asked Kyle.

No, replied Tori.

Then why am I awake? asked Kyle with slight anger.

Like I said, we’re almost there, she said with an obvious tone. He looked away out the window. She started to talk, but he paid her no mind. The car came to a hard stop. His head slammed against the dashboard.

What the hell, Tor? he said holding his forehead.

If you didn’t zone everyone out, maybe you’d hear them tell you important stuff. For example: wear a damn seatbelt, she scolded. He merely shot her a mean look then exited the car. The streetlights were bright and made his head ache more. He walked up the stone steps and buzzed for the 5th floor of the apartment building. He turned his music down. The little speaker box buzzed back.

Who is it? asked a female voice from the box.

Kyle, he responded.

Ugh. What do you want, kid? asked the voice.

Is Allen up there? asked Kyle.

So what if he is? asked the voice.

We got somewhere to be, can you send him down? he asked.

Yeah, one minute, she said swiftly. He waited a few minutes on the steps. Tori gave him a look, but he merely shrugged his shoulders. A low moan came from the upper floor. Tori gave Kyle another stern look. Kyle sighed and proceeded into the building. The metal steps he climbed seemed infinite in the rundown apartment. Each floor had its own story to it. The red stains on the first floor told the story of a kid who attempted suicide and cut the wrong vein in his arm only to bleed for a few minutes. The odor on the next floor told the story of a hobo who always came in and passed out after drinking too much. It always came back up around 12. He usually came in around 11:00. The next two floors were enemies of one another. The Vandal family argued with the Savage family from the 4th floor of the apartment. One family always stole from or fought the other at some point in time. He heard none of it though. Kyle just walked through each floor in his own zone of music. They were morbid, sickening, and bickering mutes in his eyes. He came up to the 5th floor. An aura of Eros seemed palpable on this floor. He turned down the music in his ears and began to listen closely. He came upon a door marked with the number 55, Lucy’s apartment. The low moans he heard were now somewhat louder. With a disgusted look on his face, he angrily faced the door. Before he could make a fist and bang on the door, he heard Allen murmur ‘I love you.’ He began to snicker until he heard a boisterous yell come from the lower floors.

He’s up there with her again, I know that the bastard is! roared a man. Kyle ran over to the guard rail of the steps and looked down. He saw the source of the voice. His eyes widened with slight fear. He ran back to the door and knocked in a certain pattern to alert Allen of the looming danger.

Crap! said Allen from behind the door. The door opened and revealed Allen with nothing but his jeans and Sperry’s on. Kyle entered with Lucy closing and locking the door behind him. It’s been fun Luc, but your dad’s insane, he said with a wink. She tossed him his long sleeve undershirt with only a bed sheet wrapped about her.

Open up! roared Lucy’s father from behind the door. The door convulsed as he banged against it furiously.

Crap! How are we getting out of here? asked Allen. Kyle leaned out the window to look at the alleyway below them. There was a dumpster full of trash below that was perfectly aligned, ready for his somewhat clever and convenient escape. Allen looked out the window. No, he said looking at Kyle.

Lucy! Open the damn door! demanded her father.

Just go already! said Lucy to Allen.

These are my best shoes! said Allen.

"And it ain’t