The Endgame Chronicles (by Hugh White) novel Chapter 33

Chapter 33

The group split into two teams: one to clear the nearby zombies, the other to lift the truck and change the tire.

“Say, Tanner. Why do these zombies look like they’ve been messed up by someone?” one of the men called out.

“Yeah, what’s with all the half-bodies?” another added.

“And weren’t these cars dragged here by someone?”

The man crouched by the tire shouted, “Tanner, wait! Our tire wasn’t ruined by the road. Somebody shot it!”

No sooner had he finished than a bolt whistled through the air.

Boom! Another tire exploded.

Now, anyone with sense could tell something was off. They had driven straight into someone else’s territory.

“There’s a big shot nearby.”

“This place is someone else’s turf.”

“What do we do now?!”

Tanner Manning grabbed the broker and hauled him forward. “What the hell, man? Didn’t you say nobody’s here?”

“I-I’m sure I remember only one woman rented it!” the broker stammered, eyes wide.

“Cut the crap! One woman couldn’t have done all this!”

“I-I don’t know. Maybe someone else took over.” The broker looked terrified.

“Get lost!” Tanner shoved him toward the front.

Another arrow zipped out. The broker, already panicked, stumbled and tried to scramble away.

However, he barely moved an inch when the bolt thudded into the ground where he had stood. He rolled and crawled toward Tanner to hide.

Tanner and his crew watched in chilled silence. The shots were fast, dead-accurate, and soundless. They had no idea where the arrows were coming from. If the shooter wanted them dead, they wouldn’t stand a chance.

Then, one of them realized something. “I get it-his range is limited.”

“Right. He can only reach up to the front tires.”

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Chapter 33

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They figured it out: the shooter had only popped the two front tires and fired when the broker was pushed forward because that was the edge of his range. That told them where the shooter was positioned.

“What now, Tanner?” someone asked.

“Should we leave?”

Tanner’s eyes gleamed with something cruel.

Leave? Not a chance! Their truck was busted, and they had nowhere safe to go anyway. If they didn’t take this spot and get rid of whoever lived here, they’d lose any foothold.

He opened the back door and dragged out two disheveled women in tattered clothes.

“Get up front! Move!” Tanner barked.

Through Hayley’s scope, she saw the two young women, beaten and frightened, being shoved ahead like sheep. They looked lost and terrified.

Hayley had seen this a lot in the apocalypse: women quickly becoming the property of men because of the physical and psychological disparity.

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