A cool breeze was coming from the northwest signaling that autumn was on its way. Save for that light breeze, the air was almost unnaturally clear and calm, no pollution, no pollen, no noticeable smells at all. Robert thought that he probably smelled pretty bad, but he passed well beyond the point where he could smell himself. The only sound was that of a couple pidgons on a neighboring building, chattering at one another. Robert put his binoculars up to his eyes, though admittedly there was little to see, just neighboring office buildings, the treeless suburbs to the north and west and the downtown Chicago skyline to the east. The trees had all been cut down in the first few months after the change for firewood once the propane cylinders had run dry. Most of the grass had lost its green luster and turned a dingy brown due to either lack of irrigation, the change of seasons, or perhaps both. The streets were mostly clear with just a few cars glittering wherever they had stopped six months ago. But beyond that, Chicago looked exactly the way it had back when the power was on, except for the lack of people of course. For that matter, there weren't any dogs, cats, rats or any other animals about either, just a few birds like his friends the pidgons who had proven to be too hard for starving suburbanites to catch. Robert mused to himself, Can a city be a city and have no people? He didn't think so. Chicago can't be considered a ruin yet, it's still too… intact. So, what is it? The city should have burned when the change occurred, over thirty planes bound for, or just leaving O'Hare fell into and around the city that night, but it had been pouring rain so the fires had quickly died out.

Robert took the binoculars from his eyes and checked his watch, a high end gold and platinum Rolex that he had picked up at a jewelry store three months ago. He had left a credit card on the counter as payment, which had created a good bit of laughter among the other scavengers. Rolex's had maintained some of their value in the new world as their mechanisms didn't use batteries, but instead used the owners body movement to self wind. They were one of the few machines that still worked. Of course Robert would have gladly handed it over to anyone for a can of chili, or even better, some fresh vegetables or fruit. It read fifteen minutes after ten, October 17th. Seven months to the day after everything changed. No one knew how or why the power had stopped. At first people, thought it was a terrorist or Chinese EMP that had wiped out the power grid. But the change was something else entirely and had gone far beyond the electrical lines. Cars, guns, trains, flashlights, automatic can openers anything that used a battery, gas or any chemical combustion just stopped. It was as if the laws of physics had suddenly been altered and the fickle gods of technology had turned their backs on mankind. And mankind hadn't done so well without them.

Robert scanned the road before him, the pleasant feeling of adrenalin surged through him. He counted four, and from his vantage point in the third story of an office building they all looked to be men, though he couldn't be sure. They were either a scouting party or perhaps a small band that had located the bait and were observing it. He hoped like hell they were a scouting party. They were dressed in a dark mishmash of ragged filthy clothing and were carrying what looked to be butcher knives or meat cleavers, the standard equipment of Chicagoland suburbanites turned savage. The men whispered among themselves and one moved quietly out of sight, back the way they had come. Robert couldn't help but smile, it was a scouting party and based on its size probably one for a large band, just what he was hoping for. Robert kept low and back several paces from the window, if he was spotted, the game would be over.

He adjusted his position just enough to look at the bait, in this case the bait was a young woman and two children huddling around a campfire turning a sizzling spit. The woman, or rather the seventeen year old girl pretending to be a woman was Crystal, the third oldest member of the Wolf Pack. She had been a track star, a sprinter to be specific, at the local high school and she usually volunteered for any assignment that required speed, and as bait speed was all that mattered. Robert also thought that she was probably the most beautiful athletic girl he had seen outside of a magazine, though her disguise made her look downright frumpy. This was intentional, fat people were a rarity nowadays. Crystal was dressed in an oversized filthy neon blue coat, jeans and a red stalking cap. The children, a boy named Russell and a girl named Lisa, were a brother and sister pair The Pack had found three months ago, when things were only catastrophically as opposed to apocalyptically bad. They were lucky, The Pack stopped "adopting" people a short time later. Robert was fairly sure that they were twins, though he hadn't bothered to ask. Both had turned out to be fast runners in their own right which was probably the reason they had survived the savages and their family had not. He figured that they were between eight and ten years old, but he didn't know that either, pre-pubescent at any rate. Lisa was wearing a red pea coat and Russell an orange and black ski jacket. That pea coat was like a beacon, no one could miss it. But more importantly, no one in Chicagoland could miss the smell of the roasting meat over the fire. His stomach grumbled and Robert burped up acid. Since the change hunger had become an almost constant companion and what was on the spit was the last of the Wolf Packs food. Maybe our luck will change old friend. He thought failing to resist the urge to rub his belly.

Robert moved again to watch the scouts who, much to their credit had remained mostly hidden. It was only because of his elevated position that he could see them at all. He hoped that Crystal had seen them already, or if not was at least staying alert. If she got surrounded, there would be nothing he or anyone could do for her. Nearly an hour passed, Crystal and the children had eaten their lunch and the children were lying on their backs looking at the clouds, or possibly sleeping. Robert doubted the latter; they hadn't lived this long being stupid. Then he saw them, a large band of thirty then another twenty came into view. It was the largest war party he had seen in at least two months. They were hunched over and staying well hidden for a group so large. The fourth scout was leading them. But something didn't look right, and then he noticed that they were traveling in two barely discernable groups. The rear group of fifteen or so were all wearing dark brown or black leather jackets and black jeans, as much of a uniform as one found now. In addition they had buttressed their clothes with a random collection of sporting equipment for armor. They looked to be carrying an assortment of hammers, hand axes and crowbars. Robert thought they looked like a Harley riding biker gang, sans the Harleys. The trailing group surrounded a smaller figure, probably a woman who was giving commands by hand signal. One large man was carrying a compound bow which both pleased and concerned Robert. The bow could be put to some very good use, he just hoped that Crystal and the kids didn't end up on the receiving end of it; he had other targets for that weapon. Bringing a bow to a knife fight, how rude. He thought to himself. The lead group was dressed like the scouting party with large kitchen knives and little armor. What Robert assumed was their leader was hanging back near the first group with several larger males as bodyguards. He couldn't figure out why the savage leader was hanging back with the bikers. He put it out of his mind, it didn't matter, they were here and that was all that mattered.

"Things are looking up." Robert said softly. "There are more than I expected, and some of them are well armed too. I think this may be our chance for a little payback." He continued after a brief pause. He scratched at his beard, he still hadn't gotten used to the itching it caused him. Shaving had become hell without razors.

"Sweet, what do you want me to tell the Pack?" A young man replied speaking equally as softly. Tim was Crystal's older brother and the resemblance was obvious, he was also the second oldest member of the Pack. Robert had known Tim before the change and the boy had been quiet and shy. But the boy had changed in the half year since, He was more sure of himself and filled his new role as leader of the Wolf Pack admirably. Before the change Tim had been a swimmer at the local high school and had the unnaturally wide shoulders and lean figure that the training for the sport created. Besides being a swimmer he had also been fascinated with Japan and the samurai. Tim had not only taken Kendo classes and competed in tournaments, he had also spent two years earning enough money to buy a custom Katana. The sword had been expensive and apparently of high quality because it had seen a lot of use and was still in fine shape. The combination had set him up brilliantly for the change. Tim was not only strong and armed, but also skilled.

Tim was wearing the standard Wolf Pack armor and clothing which consisted of olive drab green Old Navy cargo pants and an army surplus jacket, both had been splattered with dull grey paint, which created a fairly descent camouflage effect for the concrete jungle. His armor consisted of Riot gear shin guards, liberated from the police station when the Police fell, a baseball helmet, a catcher's chest protector, and football shoulder pads all of which had been taken from the Devon Area High School. The armor had been painted green and grey as well. But most importantly for a Wolf, was the hockey mask that hung at his belt. The hockey mask was the wolfs symbol and each member embellished theirs however they saw fit. Tim's was painted to look like something out of a Japanese play, glossy white with large stylized, pointed eyebrows and red streaks around the nose and mouth. Robert thought the masks looked moronic, but it seemed that silly fads were so ingrained into the teenaged psyche that they would survive as long as the kids did.

"Nothing yet, we need to see how this goes. If it goes well we go through with the plan." Robert said. He started to tense up, the enemy band had spread out and started trying to encircle Crystal and the twins. If they succeeded there wouldn't be anything Robert could do. This band was too big to fight without surprise. He would just have to sit and watch as the savages tore the three apart. Come on girl, get your head out of your ass and MOVE! Almost as if she heard his mental command Crystal jumped to her feet and yelled something at the twins who reacted instantly. Moments later all three were running toward the courtyard. The enemy bands, having been spotted gave up all pretence of stealth and began whooping and yelling as they took up the chase. Crystal blasted across the asphalt in almost unbelievably long and blurringly fast strides. Russell and Lisa quickly fell behind. It took only a few seconds for Robert to determine that at least one of the twins wouldn't make it to the courtyard, the savages had a fast runner of their own who was gaining on them with startling speed.

"Shit, the twins are fucked." Tim said over Roberts shoulder. Robert bit his lip, if the twins got caught they would end up roasting over a fire tonight for sure. With every second the savage got closer and Roberts's heart sank. Maybe he'll ignore the kids and go after Crystal. Robert hoped. Crystal made it into the courtyard entry. The savage closed and when he was within reaching distance his arm shot out and grazed Russell's collar, apparently the savage was happy picking the low hanging fruit. Robert groaned, We are going to lose our best chance yet! Then Crystal reappeared at the mouth of the courtyard running back the way she had come.

"What the hell is she doing?" Robert groaned. Losing the twins would be sad, losing the Wolves fastest runner, that was another story. The savage was so focused on Russell he failed to notice Crystal until she had already run past him, a puff of what looked to be smoke encircled the savages head and he dropped to the ground in a rolling heap clutching his face screaming and kicking.

"Kicking ass!" Tim said a bit too loudly, and Robert jabbed him in the ribs, the boy grunted but shut up. As the twins ran into the alley, Crystal ground in her heels and turned smoothly, following the twins to safety. The nearest savage not blinded and shrieking was over twenty feet away, but still coming fast. "That was ground up glass, that's a Ninja trick." Tim whispered. "I taught her that!"

"Swell. Now go signal the Axmen that they have company coming." Robert growled. He would give Crystal an earful when this was over. Heroism was for the stupid and the dead. Robert had no use for the former and only one use the latter. Still he couldn't help but admire her a little bit, she was one brave chickadee. Tim was already gone when Robert turned and looked at the two boys crouched in the corner of the room with their backpacks resting in front of them. Both wore the green and grey, and both were conveniently named Jack. Jack #1 was carrying a short spear with a red handkerchief tied to the end. He was nervously brushing his teeth cleaning out his multi colored braces. Even as the world fell apart, the kid still brushed four times a day. Jack #2 was taller and thinner than Jack#1, he idly flipped a Zippo lighter open and closed. Neither was older than thirteen or so. It still felt strange to give critical tasks to people so young. "All right Jacks, get to the roof and don't do anything until I signal. Stay visible I will need to know where you are." Both boys nodded turned and jogged down the hallway toward the stairs that would lead them to the next floor, the contents of their backpacks clanking with every step. Robert went the other direction, down the stairs to the second floor then crossed the hall to a window that overlooked the courtyard. Tim was already waiting for him.

"The Chief knows our Guests are on the way." Tim said. The Wolf Pack had taken to calling anyone who they didn't know a Guest about two months back. Robert nodded and looked down over the courtyard. This had once been a Prison Administration office building. The courtyard was a square with an inlet "alley" that connected it to the outside just large enough to drive a small riding mower through. This was blocked with a wrought iron gate, though for now, the gate was open. Other than that, the courtyard was fully enclosed. In the center there was a grassy area, interrupted with orderly paths of paving stones with matching stone benches and a large fountain.

The Devon Devils had used the building as a secret campsite for patrols ever since they had found it. Most people didn't poke around office buildings as they had nothing worth scavenging in them, unless you were in the market for blank forms, meaningless paperwork and computers that were only useful for holding the blank forms down. However this building was unique as all of the exterior windows, including those within the courtyard were shatterproof Plexiglass, so that while the building looked like any other drab office it was in fact more like a fort. This was the first time they had used it as an ambush site.

From his vantage point Robert could see the Axmen crouched below, surrounded by cardboard boxes that they had set up strategically throughout the courtyard. They were completely concealed from anyone on the ground level, there were fifteen in all, not including the Chief. The Axmen where, as a general rule large, well fed, healthy males, a rarity so long after the change, and these were the best of them. They dressed in their firefighting gear, long dirty yellow coats, pants and red fire helmets. And each was holding either a red bladed ax that they called a Pulaski or a black brush hook. Their leader, the Fire Chief, was lying on his stomach in the fountain, he was dressed like the others, save for his helmet which was black. The Change had been kind to the Axmen, who had once been the Devon Fire Department, as they had already been organized, used to working together and equipped with weapons and armor. They had allied with the Police early on and because of this alliance had managed to acquire a substantial supply of food, which was now the most valuable commodity in Chicago. After the Devon Devils defeated the Police, the Axmen saw fit to ally with them.

"How many did you say were coming?" Robert asked.

"I didn't." The blond boy replied.

"Good." Robert looked across the courtyard to a man on the opposite side of the yard. He was dressed in black riot gear from head to toe save for bright white football shoulder pads, most of his face was hidden by a huge bushy brown beard. He was propped against a spear made of a retractable painting pole with a mean looking spearhead that Robert was fairly sure had been made from a trowel. This was Sparky, the leader of the Ravens. The Ravens consisted of what was left of three extended families who had worked together as painters before the Change. Sparky said that at one time there had been over thirty of them, but now there were only ten, three women, six men, all in their twenties or thirties and a baby named Hubert. Hubert's mother was back at the Devils base tending to her newborn, so that left eight Ravens, but that was more than enough to do the job Robert needed done. Robert held out his hand spread his fingers for five, then crossed his hands for zero. Sparky's eyes widened in disbelief. Robert nodded, and the bearded man smiled a broad toothy smile, gave a thumbs up then pushed down his transparent plastic visor before retreating into the shadows of the building. He had a job to do.

Crystal and the kids ran through the courtyard zig zaging around the boxes the Axmen were hiding behind. When they got to the opposite end they stopped and Crystal pealed a key which had been taped to a shatterproof glass door which led inside, she pushed it open and mated the key to the lock. Crystal and the children waited in plain sight, the children were panting, Crystal on the otherhand was taking long slow breaths. Robert could hear the savages approach. Some were laughing, others howling like coyotes. He heard one yell, "Look who's coming to dinner!" Another chimed, "Don't kill the woman, I want to get my rocks off first." This was followed by roaring laughter and "I got dibbs!" The savages poured through the alley into the courtyard, most of them were winded but some of the younger ones looked like they could still run quite a distance, not that it mattered. Robert knew that each one that stepped foot into the courtyard was dead, they just didn't know it yet. Three of the young ones, two were in their late teens or early twenties, the other couldn't have been older than fifteen trotted toward Crystal and the kids. "I'm goanna fuck you hard." The oldest one, a tall lanky redhead said. Crystal did her best to look scared and pushed Russell and Lisa behind her. The boy charged Crystal, and at the last moment she slammed the door and locked it. "Today isn't your day fucktard." She yelled, giving the savage the finger. The redheaded boy slammed a hammer into the glass and it bounced out of his hand, clattering to the floor. He looked at it stunned. "What the…?"

Crystal turned and walked calmly into the building with the children in tow. Meanwhile the last of the first group of savages straggled through into the courtyard and began to spread out. Some began rattling the other courtyard doors which were locked. The second group entered in a tight formation and stopped just inside of the courtyard. They were smarter and were taking more care, Robert finally got a good look at their leader, an older lady with grey streaked black hair, she was obviously expecting something. It didn't matter, she was already in the trap. The Grey Haired Lady jumped a little when the gate slammed behind her. When she looked back she no doubt saw the Ravens locking the gate and reading their spears behind it. No one was getting out.

Three things happened nearly simultaneously. Robert began slamming a metal pipe on a garbage can lid the clanging signaling the Axmen that the trap was sprung, the sound resonated throughout the courtyard. The Grey Haired Lady began shouting orders that Robert could not hear to her leather jacketed cohorts. And the Axmen pushed the boxes aside, seeming to the people on the ground to appear from nowhere, swinging their axes in well practiced arcs. The first of the savages died, the youngest of the three who perused Crystal took a Polanski to the back of his head, blood spattered across the glass door that Crystal had locked. He didn't have time to feel the pain of the blow, most of his friends weren't quite so lucky. Death in the post change era was seldom quick, and nearly always agonizing. Robert watched as one savage took a blow to the shoulder which nearly severed his arm, the man staggered away and collapsed. Another mans jaw was completely knocked off of its hinge and bounced off of his shoulder, being held to his face only by a flap of skin. He fell to his knees and tried to put his jaw back in place. The Axman who stuck him walked past, ignoring the now jawless savage weeping on the ground. The mercy killing would come later. Yet another savage, this one a young brunette, tried to run from a brush hook wielding attacker only to trip over her intestines as they spilled from her stomach.

A quarter of a minute in and Robert was cursing. The battle was going to well. Nearly twenty of the savages were dead or dying and not one of the Axmen was even so much as hurt. The Axmen's heavy Kevlar impregnated and steel reinforced jackets easily turned the panicked blows of the savages. The Axmen were still outnumbered but that was changing quickly. Two savages retreated into the alley only to meet the Ravens spears. Just when Roberts hopes were fading an arrow sprouted from an Axman's chest and he collapsed into a heap spewing a fountain of blood from his mouth. Robert looked over to where the shot had come from and saw that the Grey Haired Lady had pulled back into a corner of the courtyard and had her Bikers kneeling in a tight line anchored on each side by the impenetrable glass wall, the archer was shooting over their heads and he was taking careful aim at his next victim. As yet the Axmen were busy attacking the savages nearest them. When the Axmen decided to move in on the Bikers, things would get ugly. "It's going to work." He said, as another arrow struck its mark and flew completely through an Axman on the far side of the courtyard clattering against the glass. Robert shuttered, the archer may as well have a gun.

"Then let's do it." Tim said and they both ran down the remaining stairs to where the Pack was waiting in a downstairs hallway. In all there were sixteen of them, eleven boys and five girls, all in their mid to late teens. They were outfitted similarly to Tim, with a mishmash of riot gear and sporting equipment. Unlike Tim, each carried a transparent plastic shield with POLICE embossed in bold white letters across the top, and a crude sword made from the leaf springs of their parents cars. Robert quickly described what was going on and briefly covered their well rehearsed plan, "This is our only chance, nobody gets out alive. If we fuck this up we will have a full fledged war on our hands that we probably can't win. We need to be fast and hit them hard, you understand?" They all nodded and mumbled affirmative answers, they were scared but hiding it well. "Don't attack our guests until I say. Now, put on your game faces and let's kick ass." He pulled on his red Lacrosse helmet and strapped it tight. The Wolves all put on their hockey masks, as had become their custom since their victory over the police. Most had decorated the masks so that even if their faces were hidden they could be identified by other members of the Pack. Fangs were popular, though one of the girls had put a sticker of the iconic pink Hello Kitty on hers, but had added a blood covered Ax to the cute cartoon characters right hand and human head in the left. The meanest most aggressive Pack member was another girl, a fourteen year old named Sandy, who's mask was painted a deep blue with black tears, Robert hadn't seen her face in months. You will have your revenge soon enough my dear. Robert thought.

Robert unlocked the door and stepped through it. The scene had changed a lot in the minute or so he had been talking with the Wolves. The savages were scattered about dead or dying. A not more than three including the leader had taken refuge behind the biker line which hadn't moved. The Axmen had formed a loose line parallel to the Bikers, and had taken cover behind whatever they could find. They were brave, but not suicidal and rushing a protected bowman across open ground was insane, doing so when outnumbered was even more so. By quick count there were only eight Axmen left, including the Fire Chief. Robert lifted his shield keeping it between himself and the archer, but he had no idea if the tough plastic would protect him from the string powered murder machine. He ran full tilt toward the Chief. The Wolves fanned out across the courtyard two or three to each Axman.

"The Wolves are coming, push!" The Chief yelled and the Firemen renewed their assault and cheered. No doubt they expected the Wolves to act as shield bearers for an assault on the Bikers protecting the archer. "I was wondering when you were going to show up. These guys are tougher than I thought." The Chief said as Robert approached.

"Yea, no kidding?" Robert said. As he took up position behind the man and hugged him with his shield arm. With his other hand he drew a crude dagger made of a sharpened industrial file and put it to the Chiefs throat. "Drop it asshole, and don't move."

"What the fuck?" He stammered and Robert pushed the dagger just hard enough to draw blood and the Chief dropped his ax. The Wolf Pack advanced quickly and the surprise was total. The teens fell upon shocked Axmen with a fury Robert hadn't seen since the final battle with the Police. It took only seconds and all of the Axmen were dead or dying on the ground. Robert pushed the Fire Chief over to Tim, who in turn pushed the chief to the ground and with the help of two other wolves held him down. "Fuck you Robbie." The chief grunted.

"Eat shit and die your rapist asshole." Tim said before punching the Chief in the kidney. The man groaned and cursed but didn't get up.

"Stop and pull back!" Robert yelled and the Wolves dropped behind their shields and retreated behind cover. The Guests maintained their line and the bowman aimed at Robert but didn't shoot. Briefly Robert wondered if a plastic riot shield would stop a compound bow at ten yards and hoped that he wouldn't have to find out. Besides the moans of the dying, the area had gone silent. "Who is your leader?" Robert barked.

"I am." the grey haired woman said. She was standing next to the bowman who was big and in his early twenties. They had a similar look to them, Robert though that they were family, mother and son perhaps. She held up her left hand signaling the man to halt his killing spree. "What do you want?"

"Let's talk in private." Robert said.

"Screw you." The woman replied. Some of the Wolves snickered. Grey Hair had just scored serious points with them, not many people talked to Robert that way. The Pack had an annoying disrespect of authority figures, though Robert was probably the adult they respected the most. Robert figured that teenage angst was much like teenage fads and couldn't be extinguished by something as trivial as the end of civilization.

"Look, your outnumbered and I don't want or need to kill you. What we have done so far is plenty. I will come to your side of the line unarmed if you like." Robert said letting his shield drop to his side. He inwardly cringed as he exposed himself fully to the bowman but tried to not let it show. Besides he figured that a bowshot at this range would be a quick way to die, which was a strangely comforting thought.

"All right." She said after a brief pause and signaled the bowman to relax. Robert felt a wave of relief as the bow bowman dropped aim and relieved the tension on the bow. Robert took off his sword belt, shield and helmet and placed them in a pile on the ground.

"Sandy, the Chief is yours, do what you want with him." Robert called. "Tim, you're in charge until I get back." Robert strode up to the Guest's line as he approached he saw that most of them were young, though there were a few notable exceptions. Still, on average most looked like they were in there twenties or thirties, far older than what he commanded. Most of the men looked like they had been bar bruisers back before the change and the women looked every bit as tough. I wonder if they would negotiate if they knew the Wolves were a bunch of highschoolers? He thought to himself. As he walked through the line he smiled at one of the Guests. "Are you scared?" He asked. Robert stopped and waited a few seconds looking into the man's eyes, and liked what he saw. "Good, because you should be." He then casually walked on. Fear would be an important part of this negotiation, the Wolves were actually outnumbered by their Guests. With the bow and good strategy the Bikers had a very good chance of winning a fight now that the Axmen were out of the way. Of course, the Grey Haired Lady didn't know that.

" So, what do you have to say?" The woman asked. She was lean, but looked to be in good health, given her age and the condition of the world. He guessed she was in her late fifties. Robert walked passed her to pull her out of earshot of the others. The leader of the savages, who had retreated behind the bikers line during the battle tried to follow but Robert waved him off. Nearly all of his guys were dead or wounded, he didn't have a say anymore.

When they were out of earshot Robert began. "Well, I want to let you go. From my point of view we are finished here and further bloodshed is unnecessary." The woman looked at him incredulous. "Look, we got what we came for, the Axmen are dead and by this time tomorrow, their kin will join them." She continued to stare at him, trying to digest what Robert had said.

"These Axmen thought you were on their side and you double-crossed them. I don't have a lot of faith in your word buddy. " She said. "Do you really think that I'm going to fall for this? You just want us out of position so you can finish us off easier."

"Oh, I understand where you're coming from. I don't want to burden you with unnecessary details. But I will give you a quick rundown. These Axmen were allied with our enemies, the Police, just after the change and that led to a lot of death in our neighborhood, so we have a grudge. Later, after we had taken down the Police, we allied ourselves with the Axmen so that we could learn about them but also gain their trust. They have never trusted us enough to allow us to accompany them on patrols in great enough numbers to defeat them, even with surprise. You are the first group that has hurt, and kept them distracted enough for us to get the drop on them. So, thanks."

"Bullshit, you just want us to move so you don't have to take us from the front. There is no way we are moving." She said. "You leave, then we leave."

"No, this is our hideout. Look, if I wanted you dead having you in this corner is just where I want you. You forgot Murphy's law of combat number 16." Robert said. He looked up to see the red handkerchief on a stick hanging from the fourth floor, directly above the bikers.

"And what's that?"

"If you make it hard for the enemy to get in, you make it impossible for you to get out." Robert said and held up one finger. A second later a bottle shattered beside the woman clear liquid splashed over her, and Robert. "The next one will be a lit Molotov. Gas may not power cars anymore, but it burns hot as ever." Robert kept smiling but inwardly cursed whichever Jack had tossed the bottle so close to him. If worse came to worse he would die a fiery death, in the best case he would be smelling the foul vapors for the better part of a week.

"Fuck." She murmured and looked around. The archer and the several of the bikers looked up and began scanning for bottle thrower. Robert knew that the Jacks would remain out of sight, firebombs at the ready. The woman gnawed on her bottom lip for what seemed to be a very long time. "Fine we will go then, but we want to bury our dead."

"No, you lost, the dead are ours." Richard replied with an incredulous grin. Bury the dead? What a laugh. In the background the Chief started screaming. Robert wondered what Sandy was doing to the man and felt sorry for him, but only for a split second. He wanted to turn and look, but held steady staring at the woman, he figured it would be more intimidating if he didn't pay attention.

"We want to bury them. You can't deny us that. They're our friends." She said sounding adamant. The old woman tensed up as the man howled. Judging by what Robert could see of her expression, the woman was getting a good view. He wished that Sandy had waited, but didn't want to say anything; he had to look in control.

"Look, your dead belong to us and we keep what we kill. It's not negotiable." Robert said. The woman turned her attention back to him and glared, he got the feeling that she wouldn't drop this. "How about this, your dead are ours, but you can have your pick of two Axmen and you can keep your wounded, but not his." He said motioning to the savage leader. The woman thought about it for a moment, she was going to say no. "It's always easier if you don't know them." Robert continued this time with a more sympathetic tone.

"Five, I want my pick of five Axmen. And a two day head start." She said and Robert laughed. Nobody's clean. He thought.

"Fine, you can have five and your two days. Keep heading south and you will be out of our territory by sunset. If you come back this way, steer clear of Devon and you probably won't run into us again."

"Devon, sure we can….. wait you're the Devon Devils?" She asked.

"Yea we are, this is the Wolf pack one of our better gangs." Robert said.

"You're the ones who took down the Police?" The Grey Haired Lady said. Robert nodded. She visibly shuttered before regaining control of herself. "Is it true you wiped them all out, even the women and children?" Robert nodded a second time. "Jesus."

"They had it coming." Robert replied.

"What did he do to deserve that?" She said as the Chief shrieked again in an almost comically high pitch.

"He raped and tortured the girl that's fucking him up for almost two weeks. The police took hostages from the neighborhood so we would behave in the first month of the change. They used the hostages however they saw fit and she was one of them. The Chief was one of their allies and was entitled to certain… benefits. The Chief is a sick twisted fuck."

"Well thanks." The woman said.

"For what?" Robert replied thoroughly perplexed.

"The Police raided our neighborhood as well, and took all of our food and hostages as well. We would have wiped them out if we could. Did you see any hostages from my neighborhood? My granddaughter was one of them." She said, her eyes lit up with hope.

Robert, after asking the girls name, turned and yelled. "Sandy, do you remember a girl about your age named Candice? She may have been with you in the compound." Sandy was kneeling over the chief who had been stripped and tied spread eagle to the ground between four stone benches. She had cut off the chiefs forefinger and was poking the whimpering man in the eye with it. She looked at Robert, her blue mask expressionless.

"She died when the Wolves wiped out the Police." Sandy called back casually. She returned to her gruesome work. When the Wolves attacked the Police's stronghold, their bloodlust had gone nearly unchecked. In the confusion, hostages from other neighborhoods suffered the same fate as the police. But she doesn't need to know this.

"Sorry. What are you going to do now?" Robert said. His pity was genuine. Everyone had lost family since the change, Robert was no exception. He thought briefly of his wife and daughter and grief flooded him, but just for a moment. He pushed the memory aside, this was not the time to reminisce. The Grey Haired Lady just shook her head sadly but she too would grieve later, if there was a later.

"We are heading south and we don't intend to come back. One of our guys rode through Amish country down in Indiana, they know how to live without power and have farms. Things in the city will only get worse. You can keep Chicago." She said. Robert nodded again. He had to admit, it was a good plan, as far as plans went in the new world. But Robert figured that the bikers weren't the only people trying to take refuge with the Amish. How many could the Amish take in, a few hundred, a thousand perhaps? How many thousands would stream into those farmsteads? Robert thought that Amish country would be a killing field just like Chicago.

"So we have a deal?" Richard asked.

"Yes, we do." The woman replied.

"What do you want to do about that guy?" Richard said motioning to the savage leader with a quick sideways nod.

"We will take care of him. I'm fairly sure the bastard was leading us toward the rest of his band. He wouldn't take no for an answer, so we were stuck with him. Now he is stuck with us." She replied.

"I would be happy to finish them off for you." Robert said.

"No, that's fine. It's easier to have him and his friends walk rather than carry them out. We'll need more food before we reach Amish country." She said matter-of-factly.

An hour later, the Guests marched out of the Alley that had trapped them with enough food to fill their bellies for two or three days. As they headed south Robert silently wished them luck. He felt that he should go with them, but pushed the feeling aside. They would never make it anyway, it was hundreds of miles to Amish country. Robert decided that he wanted to die near his home not in some alien land. But the Bikers had hope, and maybe that was enough. Robert laughed at himself, romantic bitch, he thought.

Under Tim's and Sparky's guidance, the Wolf Pack and the Ravens collected any worthwhile gear from the dead then began the process of replenishing their provisions. The kids ate in shifts as they collected, butchered and cooked the Axmen and the savages. They would stuff themselves and preserve what was left. The Pack would rest here for the night, but would rise early, there was more bloody business waiting for them tomorrow. The last of the Axmen and their families would fill the Devon Devils pantry. If the Axmen still had canned food, perhaps there would be enough to survive the winter, but Robert doubted it.

Crystal was dispatched with a message for the rest of the Devon Devils to meet up for the assault on the Axmen's camp. The battle would be bloody, even though some of the Axmen's best warriors had been slaughtered. The more of us they kill, the fewer we have to feed. Robert thought to himself. He closed his eyes and gently shook his head. Now I am hoping they kill a bunch of my friends off. How much worse can this get.

Hours later the Chief escaped his misery by dying. Sandy had worked him every minute even going so far as to use smelling salts to keep the man conscious. Robert guessed that the Chief had bled out, but couldn't be sure, maybe it was a heart attack. Robert found Sandy on the roof watching the sun set. Her mask sat beside her on an industrial air conditioner that would never cool a building again. As the wolves began to filet what was left of the chief, Robert put his hand on Sandy's shoulder and she cringed.

"Do you feel any better?" Robert asked gently. She relaxed somewhat, but her shoulders remained tense. Sandy slowly turned to face him. Her nose was crooked from where the Chief had broken it. Her left cheek had been cut from the corner of her mouth to her ear creating a hideous scar that created a perpetual smirk. Other cuts crisscrossed her scalp leaving white bald patches in her brown hair. But these were the least of her scars. Robert looked into her eyes, they reminded him of her mother.

"No daddy." The girl said and began to weep, tears streaking down bloodstained cheeks. Sandy stepped forward and clutched Robert, burying her face in his chest and sobbed. "This is all that's left, pain, revenge, blood and death."

Robert brushed his hand through her hair and stroked her back. A lump began to grow in this throat and he tried to choke back tears but failed. He wanted to say something wise, something to make his baby feel better, but he couldn't. Robert hugged Sandy closer and rocked her gently. She was right. The two held each other as the sun passed from the world and night fell.