Exist

By Caroline Angel

From Caroline Angel, author of Less and the Origin of Evil series, comes a new apocalyptic tale…

Something sinister is happening, something terrifying. Seemingly normal men begin removing their clothes and gorging on their own flesh. Women throw themselves towards Death. The animals and insects disappear…

Bizarre events begin on one fateful night, throwing a motley band of uninfected people together in search of survival and answers. United they must face new terrors at every turn as they desperately seek a safe haven… a place to Exist.

This story contains gruesome scenes and sexual violence which some readers may find distressing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Red Cape Publishing
• Release date: Nov 25, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215104927

Caroline Angel

Caroline Angel, R.N., Ph.D., is a certified mixologist and cosmopolitan aficionado. She holds a doctorate of philosophy in Nursing and Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania (where she now teaches) and lives in Westfield, New Jersey, with her husband, Steve, and daughter, Catherine.

Book preview

EXIST

Caroline Angel

Copyright 2022 for Caroline Angel

Cover design by Red Cape Graphic Design

First Edition Published 2022 by Red Cape Publishing

www.carolineangel.com

www.redcapepublishing.com

The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

For Peter, Leanne, and the Hatchlings.

You are amazing people and I am beyond grateful to have you in my life.

Chapter 1

Shut up! I never said that, you poo head. Shut up or I’ll punch you! Keely shouted as Colin felt his blood boil. This was going to be the longest trip ever; the kids had fought the whole time they had been with their dad and his nerves were beyond frayed. He knew he shouldn’t lose his temper, especially as they were on their way back to their mother’s house. Last thing he needed was the kids telling on him and his ex-wife giving him that look.

Ow! Dad, Keely slapped me! Caleb cried. Ow, Dad, she won't stop hitting me!

If you two don't stop fighting I'll pull the car over and you’ll have to walk home alone and in the dark. It won't be daylight for much longer.

No, you won't, Gabby smirked at him from the front passenger seat. Mom would have a fit if you did that. She wouldn’t let you put us in danger, she’d be straight back at the courts.

That’s a real bitchy thing to say, Gabby. You’re getting more like your mother every day.

Thanks, I’ll take that as a compliment.

Colin snorted. Don’t, it wasn't meant as one.

Gabby pouted and pulled her headphones over her ears. At fourteen, she was the worst of the lot of them. Hormones and attitude all wrapped up in a pubescent pile of makeup and sass. She was going to be the same, if not worse, than her mother, and Colin couldn’t wait until the teenager decided she didn't want to come and see her dad on his weekends. 

Dad! Caleb is hitting me! Dad, Dad, he just spat at me! Keely screamed, the piercing sound cutting through the start of Colin’s migraine and making him grit his teeth. He turned his head to look at the three kids in the back, surprisingly little Matty was fast asleep in his baby seat. I’m telling your mother everything you did, and I’ll make sure she knows you were disrespectful about her, he growled and turned back to face the road. 

We weren't disrespecting Mom. Caleb sounded scared, and Colin felt a grin start to lift his expression. 

That’s right, Gabby will stick up for us! Keely protested.

Gabby has her headphones on, she can't hear a thing. And I’ll say you are just covering up for each other. She’ll believe that.

The children fell silent, and Colin let a full-blown shit-eating grin take over his face. He didn't know why he hadn’t thought of the threat before tonight, but he knew he could use it a few more times before the kids rebelled on him. Thank goodness the six and eight-year-old were completely without guile.

A bright light flashed off in the distance, so bright that even Gabby looked up. 

What was that, Dad? Caleb called out from the back seat. Did there be a ‘splosion?

I don’t think so, Caleb, Colin answered. I think maybe it was a big lightning ball. 

A loud rumble broke through the darkening sky and there was another flash, this one not so bright. Colin felt the car shake, and the rumble was loud enough to make baby Matty mumble in his sleep and shift in his car seat.

See, told you, a storm is coming.

I am scairt of storms, Caleb complained. I don't like the thunder.

It’s just the sound of God doing his washing. That’s why there’s rain during the storms. It’s his rinse water.

Gabby was pulling at her fingernails as she gazed out into the fast-receding daylight, and Colin was happy she chose to keep her headphones on. He turned on the radio, hoping for the late afternoon news, but found nothing but static. Frowning, he stabbed each pre-set with a stiff finger, each one coming up with the same result. He tried changing manually but got nothing. 

Gabby pulled her headphones off her ears. Dad, my iPod stopped working, she complained and held it up to show him. 

The radio isn’t working either, maybe something to do with the storm. Colin glanced at the iPod. Has it still got power?

Look out Dad! Gabby yelled, pointing out of the windscreen. Colin looked up and slammed on the brakes, trying to avoid hitting a herd of deer that were running towards him, dozens of animals in the middle of the road coming straight towards the car. Colin’s car started to fishtail, and he heard his kids in the back screaming. The car clipped a deer, and another smashed into the front of the car before flipping over the hood and onto the roof. Gabby was screaming now, and Matty had woken, with his fearful cries now joining his siblings. Colin fought with the car, but the deer were too many, racing towards him, and he lost control. The car clipped another large buck and flipped, rolling and spinning in the air and launching off the road. Colin’s hand touched the roof as he tried to steady himself, the car spinning as it crashed down the side of the hill, trees and branches whipping the car, the children now silent as the vehicle bounced and spun, over and over, for what seemed like a lifetime.

Finally coming to a stop, the car balanced on its side, the driver’s side crunched into the ground as the car rocked back and forth before stilling. There was silence for a moment, only the tick tick tick of the cooling motor, and Gabby moved her hands, checking she could move her feet. Matty groaned then started to sob, a quiet and shocked sound, and Gabby tried to move her body. She was suspended in her seatbelt, her feet touching her father as the shoulder strap threatened to cut off her air supply. 

She prodded her father’s shoulder with her toe, trying to rouse the man.

Dad, she croaked, then cleared her throat. Dad, wake up.

Her father just lay there, his face turned away from her, and didn’t move.

She prodded him harder. Dad, wake up!

Keely was crying, and Gabby heard Caleb coughing. She knew her siblings were alive, but she couldn't tell if they were hurt from her awkward position. She didn't even know if she was hurt, the shock from the accident robbing her of all physical sensation.

Dad? Gabby kicked him now, but her father’s arms just flopped away from her efforts. She knew she would have to get out of her seatbelt by herself and needed to figure out a way to do that. The pressure from her body weight made the closure impossible to open, and the belt was too tight to wriggle out of. She managed to loop the shoulder strap over her head and release her upper torso, but her waist was stuck.

Matty was crying louder now, and both Keely and Caleb were almost screaming in fear and panic, and, Gabby thought, in pain. She tried to wriggle out of the waist strap, slowly moving her hips back and forth, twisting around and finally falling in a heap on her father. 

Her dad didn't react, but his head bumped around when she landed on him and was now facing her.

Gabby screamed. 

Her father was dead. One of his eyes was not in the socket; she realised her hand had landed on the eye and it was squished up between two of her fingers. She pulled herself off her father then climbed into the back seat. It was getting very dark, and she could barely see her siblings, so she used her hands to unstrap Keely, then helped the girl down from her precarious position. She unstrapped Caleb, then managed to unhook Matty from his harness and the four of them were squashed into the crumpled mess of the back seat. 

She could only see the back window as the place to escape and wanted to get her siblings out as quickly as she could. She didn't want the car to explode in flames with them all inside. 

Hey, guys, hey, you need to stop screaming, please, can you just listen to me for a minute? 

The older two quietened a little but Matty was still screaming, and Gabby lifted him as best she could and handed him to Keely. 

Keely, I know you’re scared. I know you might be hurt, but I need to get us out of here, okay? Keely nodded, her eyes huge, and Gabby realised there was blood dripping from her hairline. She didn't have time to check her right now, she needed to get them out. Balancing herself with her back against the passenger seat, she kicked the back window. It was cracked already from the smash, and her first kick managed to move the window a bit. She kicked again, and again, and she felt the window move more. She was getting fatigued, her adrenaline was running out, but the strong smell of gasoline gave her the energy to keep trying. 

Another few kicks and the rear window collapsed outwards. She helped Caleb out first, and he reached his hand back to steady Keely. Gabby handed Matty out to her siblings before climbing out herself. The trunk was open a little, the flipping of the car had wrecked it and smashed the trunk lock, and Gabby grabbed their backpacks, throwing them clear before leading her family away from the car. She handed Caleb and Keely their backpacks and slung both hers and Matty’s over her shoulders before picking the toddler up. The steep, heavily wooded slope made it difficult to get too far.

What about Dad, Gabby? Caleb cried. You need to help Dad get out!

Dad won't be getting out, Caleb, she answered. He’s dead.

Caleb started to cry, and Gabby slapped his face. Stop it, you hear me? We need to get away from here. The car could blow up. Come on, climb back up to the road with me, we need to get help!

Caleb held his cheek with one hand, his eyes huge with fear and shock. Gabby turned, her two-year-old brother on her hip, and slipped and stumbled up the steep incline. Caleb was sobbing quietly as he climbed, and Keely was silent. Matty hadn't stopped screaming and Gabby was worried he was injured, but she couldn't do anything about that right now.

They made it to the edge of the road and Gabby pulled herself up, placing Matty on the blacktop before reaching down and offering her hand to Caleb. She noticed him flinch at first, but then he accepted her hand and she helped him up, then got Keely over the edge before pulling herself onto the road.

The darkness was nearly complete, and this road didn't have streetlights. Matty stood where she had placed him, crying and screaming, one hand in his mouth as blood and snot and tears streamed down his face. Gabby pulled her iPod out of her pocket, glad that she’d shoved it in there before the crash and turned on the flashlight option. 

She looked Matty over and could only see a few small cuts from the glass off the broken windscreen, and Keely was the same. Caleb had a large bruise on his jaw and another on his neck, but he seemed okay otherwise. Her battery was fully charged so she decided to use it to light their way, and hopefully signal to any cars that may come along.

You should have grabbed Dad’s phone, Gabby, Keely grumbled. You could ring for help or something.

He forgot it at home, remember? Gabby answered her, and hitched Matty up on her hip. He wasn't hanging on and kept slipping down, making it very difficult to keep him in her grasp. I’m just going to put you down for a minute, okay bro? You need to walk a little bit, can you do that for me?

Matty just continued to cry, so Gabby just took his hand and dragged him along, the child constantly slipping and stumbling, but for the most part he kept up. She led the kids along the road, not knowing if she was going in the right direction, and not really caring. Her stomach was starting to feel sore, and when she touched it she felt a hard mass, swelling up the more she walked. 

Where are we going, Gabby? Caleb asked. My feet hurt and my head hurts. I want to go home. I want Mom.

Gabby didn't answer, she needed to concentrate on keeping upright and walking forward. Her head felt strange, like it was full of cotton wool or something, and she felt like she was walking through a dream. Her stomach was really hurting now, and she wanted to do nothing more than lie down and go to sleep.

Gabby, my head hurts, and I don't want to walk anymore, Caleb whinged.

His big sister just kept walking, dragging the crying Matty along behind her.

Gabby, Caleb wet his pants, he needs to stop and get changed, Keely said. 

Gabby, I need to stop. I went pee in my pants, Caleb was sobbing hard now. Gabby, I need to stop!

Gabby didn't answer, she just lurched forward, and continued dragging her toddler brother with her. Caleb reached out and took Keely’s hand, and they followed on, Caleb sobbing quietly and Keely frowning in confusion and shock. They walked for a while, and Keely could see Gabby’s gait was changing. She stumbled more and was dragging her feet. Her left leg was strange, sort of jerking, and her right foot was turned in. 

Caleb, I think there’s something wrong with Gabby, Keely whispered.

What, Keely, what do you think is wrong? Caleb sounded as frightened as Keely felt, and she squeezed his hand to reassure him. All their combative behaviour was forgotten as they tried to comfort each other.

I don't know, but I think she’s maybe hit her head or something. See? She’s walking funny?

She’s walking strange, yeah. Keely I’m really scared. I want Mommy,

Me too, bro, me too. And Daddy… she broke off, a sob in her throat. She couldn't believe her daddy was dead. Gabby must be wrong, they all survived, how could her daddy die? 

Matty screamed and tried to pull away from Gabby's grasp as deer came racing down the road, Gabby’s iPod light swinging as she walked, making the deer seem larger and more menacing than they were. The deer dodged the children as they ran, and Keely felt her fear grow larger. They travelled down this road twice a fortnight and they had never once seen a deer, let alone herds of them running down the road. 

They were running like they were scared, like they were running away from something. And here they were, the four of them, walking into the direction that the deer were fleeing from. 

Gabby? Keely called, hoping to convince her sister to turn around and head the other way.

Gabby didn’t answer, but she was stumbling now more than walking, sort of lurching, a jerky, strange way to walk. 

Caleb, let go my hand for a minute, please, Keely said, and Caleb gave her hand a squeeze before letting go. Keely walked faster, coming up beside Gabby, then jogged a little to get in front of her. Gabby didn't seem to see her, she was just walking. Not looking anywhere, not at the road, not even in front of her, really, but she walked.

Keely reached out and caught the iPod and pulled it from Gabby’s hand as her sister continued to stumble along. She shone the flash at her sister’s face and gasped. One of Gabby’s eyes had completely turned inward, and the other seemed unfocused, sort of vague and soft. There was a huge swelling on the side of Gabby’s face, and when Keely let the light drop a little, she saw Gabby's stomach had swollen so much she looked like she was going to have a baby. It looked like there was a basketball under her sweater. 

Gabby? Keely waved her hand in front of her sister’s face. Gabby, can you see me?

Matty fell then, his feet catching on each other, and he lunged forward. His hand jerked Gabby’s and she fell as well, but where Matty put his hands out in front of him to protect his face, Gabby fell hard, her face slamming into the road, and she lay still. Caleb rushed up to see what was happening, and Keely bent down to check on her sister. Gabby lay still, her eyes open, and her mouth gaping wide. As Keely shone the flashlight over her sister, she saw blood leaking out from her mouth, and there was no breath. 

Keely was eight years old, she knew about pulse and heartbeat, and she leaned down and touched Gabby's neck. Not finding anything, she slipped her hand under her sister’s chest, reaching under her left breast. 

What are you doing, Keely? What are you doing? Caleb’s voice was high pitched and panicked. Why is she asleep? Why won't she get up?

Matty was screaming, he held his hands up to Caleb, showing the scrapes from falling over. Caleb grabbed his little brother and brushed his hands and kissed them, then hugged the toddler tight to his chest.

Keely could feel no pulse, her sister was not breathing, and her heart wasn't beating. She shook Gabby, shook her head, but it didn’t work. She didn't really know CPR, but she did understand that her sister was gone, and there was nothing she could do about it. She started to tug the backpacks off Gabby’s shoulder as a car rounded the bend, it was going too fast, the wheels were skidding and screeching as it took the curve in the road and the headlights picked up the four children, just as it was about to mow them down. 

Caleb screamed and fell sideways, the car right upon them.

Chapter 2

Haydn yawned and stood up. He had one more pass of the building before he finished for the night, the evening shift would be starting within the hour. He stretched and leaned over, slapping Chris on the back of the head. Wake up, douchebag, he said as he buttoned up his shirt. Time for the last rounds.

Okie dokie, Chris yawned and leaned back in his chair. I’ll do the front, you do the back, we can meet at the side door and fill in the last reports, yeah?

Yeah, sounds like a plan. Come on, and don't forget your keys this time.

Chris stood up and straightened his security guard uniform over his ample belly and picked up his hat from the desk. I’m glad we get six days off now, this shift has been as boring as bat shit and about as long as my wife’s excuses.

I hear yah, Haydn put his hat on and clipped his mic to his shoulder. I’m not sure I like this eight-days on bullshit, these new shifts will be the death of me yet.

I sure hope not, you’ve been my best partner so far.

Haydn gave the older man a smile and opened the door to the security office. Let's get this done, then.

The two men headed out into the dusk, the light just about gone from the sky as they split up, flashlights in hand, and made a sweep of the office complex. As much as he complained, Haydn didn't really mind the eight-day shifts, not if it meant he’d get six days off in a row before coming back for eight-night shifts. They got eight days off after nights, before starting the days again. Twelve-hour shifts, but it paid well, and he didn't have to think too hard. 

He’d planned on going up to his friend Jason’s cabin for the six days, the guys were going to do a bit of fishing, maybe some hunting, but certainly a lot of drinking and bullshitting. He’d known Jason since they were in kindergarten, and the other guys, well, probably just as long. There should be at least seven of them going, eight if Rodney’s wife loosened her apron strings and let the boy out for a change. She was the sole reason Haydn was single. He feared ending up with a horror like Rod’s wife and vowed to never marry.

Something moved off to one side of the covered walkway between two of the darkened buildings, and Haydn shone his flashlight around to see if he could see what it was. Being so close to the edge of town they did get their fair share of wildlife that scuttled through the complex, and Haydn didn’t expect to see anything different than a jackrabbit, or maybe a coyote. He wanted it to be a coyote, mainly because he thought they were cool, and he’d never seen one here before. It was the right time of night for most nocturnal creatures to start to feel active, so he figured he had a good chance. 

The flashlight revealed nothing, so he walked on, thinking it was either a trick of the low light, or a very quick jackrabbit. A flash of light caught his eye, a brilliant blue and white explosion of brightness that made him close his eyes for a moment. Within a few seconds there was another flash, then the air rumbled. Thinking that a storm wasn’t forecast, Haydn felt annoyed, hoping his time away with his friends wouldn't be marred by a downpour. He checked the time, it wouldn’t be long now till he rounded the last corner and met up with Chris. 

Hopefully he could meet up with his partner before the storm pelted down the rain, there weren’t many places under cover on this side of the building. He checked his watch again. They would have enough time to fill in their final reports and even grab a coffee before their shift finished. It was good that it was quiet, it was an unlucky day if they found kids tagging a building or some half-drugged moron trying to break in. The office complex looked hi-tech, and for the most part it was, but there wasn't much anyone could steal, and almost no way to get inside any of the buildings without a couple of pounds of C4. There were multiple cameras and security systems, and the human guards were really just icing on the cake.

Haydn rounded the last corner and paused. There was something there, something large. He couldn’t quite see what it was, but it wasn’t a jackrabbit. Hoping it was a coyote, Haydn pulled his cell phone from his back pocket, ready to take a picture. The guys would love this, it would give him some cool bragging rights on the week away. He walked forwards slowly, quietly, staying on the path and careful not to crunch the gravel beside. 

As he got closer, he started to film the thing, but soon realized it wasn’t a coyote. It was bigger, maybe a fat Labrador. He walked quietly, slowly, filming the whole time. The thing was quite big, and it was close to the ground. Haydn no longer thought it was a dog, he thought maybe a pig, the thing seemed larger than a Labrador. He cursed his short-sightedness, something he hid from work as he wouldn't have gotten the job if they knew he needed glasses.

Drawing closer, Hayden stopped, a worried expression crossing his face. It wasn’t a pig. It was a person. A fat, naked person. He clicked the mic on his shoulder. Chris, you around? We got a problem on the corner of D and E building. Over.

His radio stayed silent, so he kept walking, much slower now. He didn’t want to find a dead body, and he didn't want to see a fat drunk asshole, either. He hoped Chris was close by but didn't understand why his fellow guard hadn’t answered his call. 

Hey, Chris! Do you read me? We got a problem out here, over, he called, but still got no reply. That was against protocol but also very out of character for Chris, the guy was strictly by the book when they were on patrol. Chris, dude, where the fuck are you?

He wanted to move quicker now, needed to find his partner, but he also didn’t want to startle, or, even worse, aggravate the fat naked dude lying on the concrete path. 

Chris, do you read me? Over, he tried again, and this time he thought he heard an echo of his radio coming back to him. He hoped the naked guy hadn’t overpowered Chris and perhaps hurt him. He tried calling one more time, and when his voice bounced back at him, he stopped. Something was definitely wrong. 

He pulled his weapon and put away the cell phone. He tapped his body cam to start recording, figuring this should all be official. It meant that his mic became voice activated, freeing up his hands, and alerted HQ that he was recording and sent the feed straight to them, so he was both protected and had a backup if he needed it.

"HQ to Haydn, is that a body we see?" his mic crackled. 

Haydn to HQ, I have one naked man on the ground and Chris is missing. I can hear his radio, and will approach with caution, over.

"HQ to Haydn, agreed to approach with extreme caution, as Chris may need help. We are sending backup, the night shift men are already in the building and will meet you shortly, over."

Haydn was moving more cautiously, his knees bent, his weapon held high and with two hands. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest, his senses on high alert. As he drew closer, he could see the naked guy was lying on his side, his big pink ass facing Haydn. He was moving, sort of jerking a bit, and Haydn worried that the fat naked guy was lying there jerking off. He didn’t want to see that, and he was pissed that his last half hour on his shift was presenting him with this sight. Not only that, but no matter the outcome, he’d have reports to file and statements to make. No way was he getting out of here on time tonight.

He crept closer and moved sideways, coming at an angle that would allow him to see around the corner but still keep the naked guy in sight. He moved forward and sideways until he was almost touching distance from the man, but then he stopped. 

He could see around the corner, he could see over the bulk of the naked guy. There was Chris’ uniform, neatly folded and sitting beside the path as if he’d taken it off and carefully placed it there. The gun and mic were on the top, and Chris’ hat was beside the pile. 

HQ, are you seeing this? Over.

"HQ to Hayden, we can’t see over the fat guy, can you move around a bit, over."

Hayden moved at an angle, keeping the naked guy in his sights but also trying to get around enough to let his body cam pick up the footage of the uniform, to see what HQ made of that. He got further and further around until he could see the front of the guy.

Jesus fucking Christ… Haydn bent over and vomited on his shoes. 

"HQ to Haydn, man, Jesus, man, are we seeing this?"

Haydn couldn't answer. He just moved a bit further around and vomited again.

He could hear the running feet of the night shift guys, but he didn’t turn around to see them. He couldn’t take his eyes off what he was seeing, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

For fuck’s sake, a voice choked behind him.

Man, what ... oh man. Haydn heard one of the men vomiting and he started to feel lightheaded. He shook his head to try to clear it, try to stop passing out.

In front of him the fat naked man just continued to jerk, moving back and forth as he chewed his own intestines, the loops of wet, purple-blue entrails still attached, they were pulled from a ragged hole in the fat man’s stomach. From the look of the wound Haydn realized that the man probably clawed that hole himself; there were deep bloodied scratch marks surrounding the tear in the puckered white flesh. The man was still alive, his face a mask of blood-stained horror, but he ignored the three men watching him. His sole focus was on consuming his own innards.

Man, dude, oh Jesus, Jesus please help us, one of the night shift guys wailed.

"Haydn, I gotta ask you, and please tell me I’m wrong, but is that Chris there on the ground pulling out his own fucking guts?"

Haydn couldn’t answer. He couldn’t speak, he couldn’t think, he couldn’t even breathe.

"HQ to Marcos and Darryl, please respond, over."

Marcos here, HQ, over.

"HQ to ground staff, please confirm that is Christian Walker doing something that I don’t want to say out loud, over."

Marcos to HQ, confirmed that is Christian Walker. Please advise how to proceed, over.

"HQ to Marcos, PD on route. Hold position for now, over."

Marcos to HQ. Um, you mean we just let him keep eating his own insides? Over.

"HQ to Marcus. Do not engage, repeat, do not engage. Wait for PD to advise, over."

As if on cue, the security guards heard the sirens and before more than a moment passed the flashing blue and red lights lit up the night sky and two police cars pulled up at the nearby curb. Marcos moved back to meet them and explain, Darryl just stood beside Haydn, both men too stunned to speak, too stunned to do anything other than stare at the horror before them.

The police came forward with guns drawn, flashlights shining on the naked man even though he was right under a spotlight. None of them spoke, the shock of what they were seeing silenced them. For a moment the only one that moved was Chris, he didn’t stop in his ripping and tearing of his own intestines, his face covered in blood, his stomach spilling out onto the concrete around him.

Who is in charge? one of the policemen spoke, his gun still aimed at Chris. Who is in charge here? And please do not tell me it is that man on the ground.

Um, oh, sorry, um, I guess that’s me, Haydn stuttered. I’m the senior guard here. Haydn Miller, sir.

Does this man have a history of mental illness, Haydn Miller?

No sir, he does not. He’s, shit, he’s just a regular guy. Married with two kids, worked here for, I dunno, six, seven years? Haydn lowered his gun and stepped back a little. Apart from being overweight I would’ve said there’s nothing wrong with him.

Was there any incident that triggered this behavior?

No sir, nothing. We were doing final inspection of the grounds before the night shift, these two guys here, started work. We do it every night. There was nothing to say tonight was anything different, not a damn thing. Honestly, all we wanted to do was get tonight done as it’s the last shift on our rotation. We’d have six days off after this, and Chris loved that. Take the kids to school, be a Mr. Mom, you know?

His name is Chris? the police officer asked.

That’s right, sir. Christian Walker. He’s a good guy.

Not so much right now, Haydn Miller. You stand back and let us handle this. Perhaps call an ambulance, this man will need serious medical help.

"HQ to Marcos, ambulance is on route, over." Haydn was