Conspiracy at World's End Read online

“But I’m on an assignment.”

  “Well…someone has conveniently forgotten that.”

  Santanna scrutinized this exchange, making her way over to Marlin, dropping the I-Pad in his hands, “He makes me nervous.”

  “Who! Sam…but he is mate.”

  “I still don’t trust him.”

  They both heard the roar of a motor and the sudden screech of brakes as the Ute pulled up in the middle of the road.

  The kids had come to their rescue yet again.

  Santanna snarled, “Fuck! I don’t think we’re ever going to get to Dubbo?”

  Titch finished checking over the two Enforcers. Wanda and Manny were both amazed at her skills. Is this the secrets that command didn’t want exposed? Shit! If they knew, were they going to be another case of desertion? They didn’t like the idea of going back to base.

  “Well, Titch, has fixed you up…now you should go,” spoke Sam.

  These pair could let slip his mission which would ultimately hurt Marlin the most, he didn’t want to cause him any pain.

  “Are you crazy! Roth won’t like us knowing about these freaky kids.”

  “You’re compromising my mission.”

  “I’ll compromise it even more if you don’t let us stay,” spoke Manny. “That guy so wants you but for how long when he knows the truth.”

  Sam snarled, grabbing the man by his throat, hushing his voice, “Shut the fuck up!”

  Wanda pulled Sam away from her man, getting in his face, “I think someone has compromised their own mission. You’ve gotten too close. You’ve become a fag lover.”

  Sam looked over at his friend, feeling regretful. He hadn’t imagined falling for him. Now, he was going to hurt him, if Marlin ever found out.

  “Fine! Stay if ya like but don’t get in my way.”

  Sam left them going over to his friends.

  Santanna confronted him, “So…what’s up with those fuck-faces?”

  “They’re shitting themselves. They won’t be any trouble.”

  “So, I won’t have to kill them.”

  “No, save ya strength for someone else.”

  Manny and Wanda climbed into the back of the Ute under a flag of truce. They were comrades for the moment.

  As the Ute pulled away, a gasp of breath disturbed the silence.

  Aunt Pat rose up from the ground, grimacing in agony. She gripped the poker that stuck into her guts, and then pulled it out, her cries of excruciation disturbing the silence.

  Commander Roth stood amongst the bullet riddled empty husks that were once Enforcers.

  After the debriefing, the young troopers were condemned to die; even a morsel of information about the experiment in Narra was thought to be too much.

  She looked on impassive. She felt no guilt. The woman was following her orders. Now she had to assemble a new troop to finish off what had been started.

  Commander Roth would take charge of the mission herself, and re-set the trap.

  Cross appeared at the edge of the execution block, “Ma’am, you may want to hear this.”

  Commander Roth turned to the leader of the execution squad, “Clear them all out…they were enemies of the state. That’s all. Understood?”

  Roth stepped over bodies in order to reach her subordinate, “Yes, Cross, what is it?”

  “The professor has left the compound. He managed to get out before the siren was sounded.”

  “Fuck! He could bring us all down! I want his carcass by dawn.”

  Commander Roth barged passed the woman storming off.

  Cross watched the fallen soldiers being tossed into the back of a truck. She felt sick. These people didn’t deserve this end for doing their duty. It was wrong.

  She just had to keep her cover for a little bit longer to do as much damage as possible. That would be justice to these men and women.

  They wouldn’t just be another disposable commodity of this harsh age. Their deaths would provide the motivation to bring the Enforcers to their knees.

  Chapter 5

  They wanted him dead. Once Sam had time to absorb the implications, he began to realize that his mission was no longer a priority. It was staying alive.

  The last few days had changed his outlook on every aspect of his life. He needed to discover his new self.

  He sat in Titch’s bedroom gathering his stamina to venture back out into a frightening new world. It was changed forever.

  Sam needed a shower to clear his head.

  He removed his shirt, grabbed a towel left for him by the little girl, and wandered off toward the bathroom. He needed to scrub away the scum that he felt toward his old regime.

  His mind was in too much turmoil to notice that the water was running in the bathroom. He entered, instantly halting. Marlin stood in the shower, lathering his body with soap and a loofah. He had his back to the door.

  Sam couldn’t move. He was stunned by his taut body, soap sliding down his back, caressing over his ass cheeks before flowing down his masculine legs. He just wanted to touch him, feel that firm body.

  Sam’s heart began to race, his desire bursting its banks. He couldn’t contain it any longer. He was rock hard.

  Marlin was oblivious of his admiring stare, eyes closed, feeling the ache in his limbs ease away. He turned around, leaning his head under the water, drenching his shaggy hair, his eyes parting. He suddenly let out a shriek, stumbling backwards into the bath tub.

  Sam began to smirked, trying to resist laughing as he helped Marlin to his feet.

  Sam grabbed hold of his naked, wet torso, preventing him from falling again.

  They laughed, “I’m sorry…I haven’t laugh this hard in ages. It feels good.”

  “Yeah…it makes a change from the doom and gloom,” spoke Marlin, feeling his arms held in a secure grip.

  Sam ran a hand across his jaw line, feeling his freshly shaved face, “Soft…smooth. I thought it would be hard.”

  They were inches apart, their eyes locking together. He lent in toward Sam, their lips touching, as they kissed, their passion rising until they couldn’t contain their lust.

  Sam had one thought on his mind right now, to devour this handsome guy, to give over to his suppressed emotions.

  Back out on the highway, Santanna returned to her abandoned bus with Flip and Rusty to fix the flat tyre.

  They brought along another boy called Brock who was quite fit for his age. He looked older. He was muscled with lots of energy.

  He jumped down from the back.

  Santanna’s jaw almost hit the ground when she saw him grabbed a bus tyre from the tray of the Ute. He picked it up as if it were a feather.

  The two boys followed Brock toward the bus giving him some assistance in replacing the tyre.

  While they worked, Santanna ventured around the camp site suddenly coming to a halt where the body of the old woman should still be.

  The ground was empty apart from the blood stains upon the dirt. She spotted the poker lying abandoned by the burning embers of the fire place.

  Santanna looked around her, heart thumping, to make sure the old bitch wasn’t lying in wait to pounce on her.

  Everywhere she looked, the landscape was empty.

  A sudden chill made the woman hug herself for comfort, goose bumps popping up on her skin.

  The old bitch had survived. She was out there somewhere planning her next move.

  She wasn’t the slightest bit interested in the feats of young Brock who held up one corner of the bus while the other two replaced the tyre. He was looking in Santanna’s direction hoping for some praise that never came.

  Wanda and Manny lay in bed, a sheet wrapped about their naked bodies, haphazardly. They had just fucked, now they lay in the afterglow of their hormonal acrobatics.

  That little girl had found them a home next door to her house, a place of their own, no dorms full of sweaty troops and bunk beds. They finally felt like a married couple.

  They suited each other, both opportunists on the lo
okout for what worked for them.

  The Enforcers were one way to stay at the top of the pack, but now, they had new ambitions, primarily to stay alive. This town could be their new venture. It could use some muscle. They would provide it.

  On the ground, their black uniforms were in a crumpled heap, a light blinked upon the small communications radio secured to the belt of one of the jumpsuits.

  Wanda noticed it, throwing back the covers, her naked, dark skin rushing to the communications device.

  Manny wanted her to ignore it. Wanda never listened to him.

  She switched the device back on; suddenly a voice boomed out from it, “If anyone in Narra can hear this…get out! Now! While you still can! You will die if you stay.”

  The radio went dead. Wanda stood up, stunned. Someone had risked their life to give that warning. It was serious. They had to go.

  At the rear of the control room, Cross switched off a communications device just as Commander Roth entered the room.

  She marched toward the technician, primed ready for combat having used the boxing ring before-hand to prepare her, “Is the assault vehicles ready?”

  “Yes ma’am.”

  “Good. I want no further delays. Stay on coms, I’ll provide updates when available.”

  Commander Roth exited the room. Cross breathed a sigh of relief.

  Sam stood before the bathroom mirror, sliding a razor across the last patch of fair stubble upon his cheek, then rinsed his face in the murky water in the basin.

  “Thanks for a loan of your razor, I was getting a little scratchy,” spoke Sam.

  “I know, the pash rash will be with me for days,” spoke Marlin, joking. “But…I like it a little rough.”

  The government supplied care packages to survivors through relief centers situated about the country.

  These packs contained soap, combs, wash cloths and towel, a tooth brush, a small razor and first aid supplies.

  This was deemed necessary for good hygiene. This would prevent survivors from getting ill. The race had to stay strong and healthy for survival.

  Sam looked in the mirror, watching Marlin get dressed.

  He hadn’t experience anything so right before. He felt at home in the arms of a man. He was happy for the first time in many years. The world now had color.

  Marlin slipped on his pants, and then dried his long mane with a towel. He looked shaggy and clean.

  He came up behind Sam, kissing the nape of his neck. He was giddy with delight feeling like his old gay self once more.

  Sam turned around, tousling Marlin’s hair, playfully, “Thanks…that was amazing. I don’t know why I waited so long. I was fucked by a guy, and surprise, I haven’t been fried by a bolt of lightning.”

  “It’s never wrong when it is that good.”

  Marlin frowned suddenly, “Ahh…there is something I have been meaning to ask you.”

  “What is it?”

  “When you were sick you were apologizing for something you’d done. What was this trap?”

  Sam stopped, freezing on the spot. He didn’t want to lose him now they had found each other, “Oh…I don’t remember. I guess I was just babbling.”

  “Sure…of course…sorry I brought it up,” smiled Marlin, feeling relieved. “I’ve been listening to Santanna too much. I’m sure she thinks that any minute you’ll peel off your head to reveal some alien face underneath.”

  “I’m afraid, I am just plain and ordinary,” spoke Sam, moving away from him, hoping his betrayal wasn’t scented in the air.

  Max found himself on a deserted road with miles of unbroken ground stretching away from him in every direction. Not a blade of grass grew here; it was barren, lifeless; a forgotten highway going nowhere special.

  Yet he needed to traverse it to reach the road that would lead him to his allies.

  He slumped on the ground, unfolding a map from his back pocket; the town of Narra was circled in red ink. That was his destination; he’d find others there that would help him bring down the Enforcers.

  He stopped momentarily to think about Frazer.

  She had seen beyond his size and saw a man, not a novelty. She loved him. That was all he needed. When he closed his eyes, the scientist could still hear her laughter. She always lightened his mood.

  Yet that bitch, Commander Roth, had ruined everything. She took his love away. That woman would pay. Roth would know his pain.

  Marlin needed to tell someone of his joy and his only confidant was Santanna. He went to find her at the café arriving just as she pulled up in the bus.

  Santanna descended the steps, a little shaken from her discovery.

  Marlin wrapped his arms around her, affectionately, acting like some crazy person.

  His lunatic smile and warped laughter bringing the woman back to the present, “What the fuck have you been drinking?”

  “Nothing. I’m just happy.”

  “Well stop it. You look fuckin ridiculous.”

  “I can’t help it. I’ve not felt like this in ages.”

  Santanna slapped his face hoping it would wake him up, “Snap out of it! You are now beginning to freak me out. What happened?”

  Marlin scowled, rubbing his cheek, “I had sex with Sam.”

  Santanna clamped her hands over her ears to block him out, trying to stop any disturbing mental images, oh shit, too late, “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Well you did ask.”

  “Not that!”

  “Why are you being like this? I’m happy. I don’t feel like an empty shell.”

  “Have you stopped to think beyond ya cock! You don’t know this guy. He could be setting you up to be stabbed in the back. He is an Enforcer.”

  “He was an Enforcer.”

  “They are one for life. It’s not like a membership to a gym, you can’t cancel out.”

  “He did!”

  “You’re a fuckin fool to believe that.”

  “I don’t care...I trust him. He wouldn’t hurt me.”

  Marlin stormed off. Santanna suddenly remember more pressing news she had to tell him. The woman went after him.

  Wanda and Manny had a kinship with Sam. That was the only reason they bothered to share their warning with him.

  They hurriedly told him what the disembodied voice had said. They were still in danger from the Enforcers.

  Their old comrades had resources that could wipe this town off the map with just one word, Fire.

  “We have to tell everyone,” spoke Sam.

  “No…mate, don’t risk ya life for civilians.”

  “They’re my friends. I am not going to shaft them like the Enforcers did to me,” spoke Sam, angrily. “And you’re gonna help.”

  “Fuck you…we’re outta here.”

  “You owe them your life.”

  This did impact on Wanda’s more reasonable mind, “He is right, besides these people are better use to us alive than dead. We need an army to survive out here without the protection of the Enforcers.”

  Sam couldn’t believe their quest for self-preservation. He was disgusted with an organization that would breed such selfishness.

  “Well come on! Don’t just stand there plotting. There are kids over there. Someone has to look out for them. The Enforcers surely didn’t.”

  Sam fled the house followed hot on his heals by the two Enforcers.

  Santanna caught up with, Marlin, twisting him around to face her, “Wait! Fuck-face! I’ve got something to tell you.”

  “I know. I’m a fuck head. You’ve already made that clear.”

  “That’s not it! It’s Aunt Pat! She’s gone.”

  “No…she was dead.”

  “Not any more. The old bitch is walking around out there ready to carve us up for a Sunday roast.”

  Before Marlin could ponder it any further, Sam came around the side of the building. The young man’s urgency to evacuate drowned out all other conversation.

  After an hour of further walking, the diminutive profes
sor had almost given up hope of ever reaching his destination

  He slumped down on the side of the road; exhausted, sun burnt and starving. He was doomed. He imagined his petrifying corpse being found by archaeologists in the distance future.

  It was grim to think you could get lost out in this vast continent and never be found.

  He heard the noise first, the back firing of the vehicle as it approached. He looked up to see a Kombi-van travelling toward him like a hiccupping old man. The van came to a halt.

  A woman stepped from the Kombi, fiery red hair cascading around her once fair freckled skin now sun drenched from the harsh environment.

  She wore a pair of denim shorts, a khaki t-shirt and a plaid waist coat. Her feet were wedged into worn boots.

  He thought, she was a wild banshee come to claim his mortal soul.

  When she opened her mouth, the woman spoke with an old fashioned British accent, “I say old chap are you in need of a motor?”

  From the other side of the car, another woman got out of the driver’s side. Max thought he had gone to heaven until he took a closer look at the second female.

  She was tall, almost Amazon-like with very heavy features that she was trying to conceal under a thick coat of make-up and a long brown wig.

  “Bettina! I think this spot will do splendidly for afternoon tea.”

  This command seemed to initiate a wave of activity as Bettina began to unpack the van.

  The red haired woman advanced on Max, “I’m Francis, and this is my dear friend, Bettina. We’ve been driving for simply days without seeing another soul. I would be honored if you would take tea with us.”

  Max nodded his head in agreement still not sure whether he was dreaming or not.

  On the outskirts of Narra, two black machines of war rumbled to a stop. The tanks looked formidable against the stark back drop. The Enforcers weren’t stupid; they needed machinery to make their job easier.