Chapter 7 - Riot

Silent observance can be key to survival.

I 'd wanted to go to bed. I'd gone inside and grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the shelf, intending on drinking myself into a stupor before passing out, hopefully in my bed. But no sooner had the glass touched my lips for that first drink did I hear the rumbling of bikes coming toward the house. Loud, happy shouting came as the engines stopped. I took a swig of my drink and went back outside to see who'd come to party.

"There he is, Riot Ritalin, in the flesh!" A scratchy female's voice called out to me. Cherry hurried to turn on the hanging lights outside and soon the dusty front yard was lit up, and I was grinning back at a pack of old friends.

"Boone and Bonnie, where the hell have you been?" I went with stretched arms toward the couple in the front, enveloping them in a hug once they climbed off their motorcycles. I nodded to their companions. I'd met them all once or twice, but I couldn't remember names.

"We'd been running down Mercury Mile." Boone, a man with long, naturally blonde hair and eyes so gray they looked silver, patted my shoulder. We'd been friends since we were eight, and Bonnie too, when they started going together a few years later.

"How have you been? I like the hair, you uh, trying to emulate someone? Your hero maybe?" He took his duster off his head and ran a hand through his hair.

I did the same for mine and shrugged. The other day, I'd gone into town and bought a large bottle of hair bleach. It was made by some snake-oil peddler, so I wasn't sure it'd work, but I had some extra coins and took pity on the guy. We were all surprised when the burning shampoo turned my black hair a bright yellow.

"I got a little bored. You like it?"

"It looks good at that length." Bonnie nodded her approval. The last time we'd seen each other, my hair was short and kept close to my head. Now, pieces in the front hung at my jawline, while the back went a hair lower. I liked it long. "I didn't think Riot Ritalin could get sexier, but by god, he's managed it," she said to her partner.

I saw the look they exchanged, and my cock stirred slightly. I'd been no stranger to sharing their bed a time or two. Tonight, we all might just get lucky. I opened the gate.

"Why don't you come in, stay awhile? We can park your bikes in the back. No one will touch 'em here."

For the next few hours, Cherry, Soda, the new gang, and I sat in the yard around my large table, playing cards, listening to the radio, and smoking and drinking.

"It's a shame the bombs dropped when they did. I would have loved to hear what else these guys could have come up with," Boone said as he laid his cards down on the table to fold. Cherry had been manning the radio and stretched her arm back to turn the song up. Panic! At The Disco played.

"Imagine all the music we missed out on by them killing everyone," Soda said. I put my hands behind my head and leaned back in my chair.

"200 years worth."

"I missed this station," Bonnie crooned. "Atlas Adam's voice is calming. We caught them saying goodnight just as wewereentering Heathen Heights."

Her hand drifted to my thigh, and I raised an eyebrow, looking down at her. She grinned. My eyes swunglazilyto the other side of me, where Boone had been on and off cupping my cock and massaging it through my jeans.

And here I thought I'd spendthenight sad.

I ran my tongue over my teeth and straightened to start stretching. I'd need to be limber for this. Boone was a wild boy.

Our game wasinterruptedby gunshots in the distance. Our heads shot up and turned toward the sound. I went to thegate. Lots of shots were being fired.

"That's coming from that park," Bonnie said, joining me. "We saw those lights turn on while we were riding up here. I knew it was trouble."

"Riot, you want to go check it out?" Boone asked.

I did.

"No, not really." I snickered and returned to the table. "Whoever was stupid enough to turn those lights on gets whatever is going on over there."

"You're not wrong," Boone conceded.

"I want to go." Soda stood. "I'll grab my bike." He started toward the back and reluctantly I followed. I couldn't have him showing me up. Before I could process it, I'd grabbed my pistol, put on my bulletproof bomber jacket, and was riding into the darkness toward the abandoned Risky Rush Amusement Park.

This was stupid, but… I had to see who it was.

Running out to fight whatever had caused such a commotion. Gunshots were going off right until we pulled up to the park, and suddenly, it went silent. Had they killed the creepies? How many had there been?

A school bus zoomed past us a few miles back; had it come from here?We parked and climbed off our bikes. I put a finger to my closed helmet, telling my crew to be quiet. Together, we crept toward the entrance. There was no one there. Everyone must have left onthebus. I was just about to take my helmet off when I heard shouting coming from inside the park. I froze, and then moved behind a pillar just as three men dressed in all-black, bulky suits with large gas masks came into view.

"Why did you do that, Callahan? We had a plan." One of the men asked. All three had large guns out, two pointing to one,presumablyCallahan.

"To rape and murder her? You're insane!" Callahan shouted.

Their masks were tinted, making it hard to see their faces from here.

"It's the way things go around here." The other man said. "Once theYoung Ladies have graduated, one is chosen as a reward for us Daddies who've gonethrough the programwith them. She was the highest ranked, and it went to a vote."

"You're disgusting. How could you even think like that? You're monsters."

"You're ruining a time-honored tradition, Cal," The younger voice snapped. "I let you in on the secret and you blew it. Now we can't let you go back."

"So mychoice is to brutally rape her, or be shot?" Callahan asked. There was silence, and the two men raised their guns.

Callahan lifted his arms out, and just then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Boonereach for the gun at his side. They'd all beenlistening and watching too. Boone shot at the men's feet, causing them to drop their guns and scream. The distraction was all Callahan needed. He cocked his gun and shot the older-voiced man square in the chest.He dropped in an instant; Callahan turned the gun on the other one.

"We'refriends!" he screamed. "I never told anyone about the pills, or your little crush, or any of it!"

"We were friends, Milton," Callahan said. "I'm not your friend anymore. I let a lot of stuff go over the years, but I can't just forget what you'd had planned for her. You're sick."

"I'm sick?" Milton laughed maniacally. "You think I'm the one messed up in the head? That's laughable, considering what you did last night. She hates you, Callahan. She'll never love you like she loves me. You can kill me if you want, but that won't change things. I made sure of it. I spent the last ten years filling her pretty little head with every lie I could think of to make sure she never looked at you with anything but hate and resentment. Good fucking luck."

Callahan cocked his gun and then lowered it. Who were these men? They had to be from the bunkers; they wore gas masks. The people above didn't have guns or suits like that. Were they the men who had hurt Myrtle? Were they the ones who took her daughter? My fists bunched at my sides. Based on what we'd heard so far, I was sure these men were one of them. Fucking monsters.

"What? You too chicken-shit to kill me?" Milton mocked.

Callahan didn't say anything for a long moment, and then shook his head.

"I'm giving you a head start."