A buzzer sounded as the front gate opened and July put his fake ID back in his pocket with a sigh of relief. He spoke into the short-wave radio ordering complete radio silence, then followed the road to the back of the main prison complex and reversed the truck towards the mess hall where a man in uniform awaited him.
July checked his watch as he stepped out of the truck. “Sorry we’re late.” He indicated for Tom and Charlie to help the prison crew unload the boxes, this had to be done fast before the officer in charge suspected anything.
“You’re new,” the officer said. “So is that firepower.” He pointed to the Barret M82 slung over Charlie’s back.
“Extra precaution,” July explained.
The officer led them into the mess hall; it was a large square room filled with off-duty guards having lunch, and beyond was the stairwell leading to the main tower, and beyond that the hallway leading to the armoury.
“What happened to your leg?” The officer eyed it curiously.
July chuckled. “I used to hunt mutant bears for a living. Dangerous stuff.”
“Right. There are no bears in The Valley.”
“Yeah, you’re welcome.”
The officer shook his head. “Kitchen’s this way.”
A sudden commotion caught their attention as one of the crew dropped his crate and a loud screech sounded from within it. The crates were set down and July caught Tom’s eye and nodded subtly.
“There’s something moving in there.” The startled guard hopped away.
Tom glanced at the crate. “Impossible. We’ve been on the road for two days.”
But the sound was undoubtedly real.
“What is this?” The officer growled at July.
“I don’t know. I drive the crates from point A to point B. I never see what’s inside.”
With a motion of his hand the officer ordered one of his men to open the crate, and July braced himself as they jammed the crowbar under the lid, but subtly enough to not blow his cover. They struggled to wedge the lid off but it came loose with an explosion of black hairy wings and unholy shrieks.
July and Thomas and Charlie dived to the ground as chaos unravelled in the mess hall; men screamed as the bats gnawed at their throats, others tried to shoot the bats down but ended up hitting their comrades, and after thirty seconds a great deal of blood was splattered across the floor. Meanwhile, Thomas and Charlie were hard at work freeing the rest of the bats. Charlie yelled manically as the furry demons flapped into the air. “Be free, my lovelies!”
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