Deadlocked 7 by A.R. Wise Read Free Book Online Page A

said Arthur. “Put your hands down.”
    “Thanks, man. Oh thanks, I was pissing myself. I thought you were going to…”
    Arthur put his hand over Paul’s mouth and then stabbed The Bleeder up through the base of the young man’s skull. Paul tensed, but then fell limp, a victim of a kill technique Arthur had learned from the men in The Department.
    Arthur guided Paul’s body to the ground, holding the hilt of his blade as if it were a handle, and then set his boot against the back of the kid’s head. He jerked the blade free, causing a disturbing crackle of bone and squish of blood. Then he made his way to Benny’s body and stuck the blade into the unconscious boy’s neck. He thought Benny was probably already dead, but there was no sense taking the risk.
    This was what he’d been trained for, and Arthur refused to allow the murders to weigh on his conscience. There would be time for regret later, after he saved the girls.
    The bodies bled too much to try and hide the evidence of what happened, so Arthur left them beh ind to be covered by the blizzard. He scooped up a handful of snow and used it to clean The Bleeder, which was dripping with syrupy blood.
    Each member of The Rollers was trained in specific war skills. Annie was a gifted sniper, while Kim was a tactician and leader. Arthur, however, had proven to be adept at stealth. Any children of the Rollers that showed promise as competent soldiers were sent to spend a few months training with The Department, but Arthur was one of the only children that had been asked to stay. They were impressed with his skills, and tried to convince him to stay with them. After a year, he decided to return to the Rollers, having built up the confidence to pursue a relationship with Kim, who he’d been in love with since they were kids. 
    The raiders were in their tents, oblivious to what was about to befall them. Arthur planned to kill them all, but he needed to make sure Kim and Annie were safe first. He headed straight for Kim’s tent and could see a man standing at the entrance, his head peering in.
    Arthur wasn’t far when a nearby tent opened. A raider stepped out and stretched his arms high into the air as he yawned, a victim of terrible timing. He saw Arthur approaching and said, “Hey there, pal. What are you doing with that…”
    Arthur grabbed the man’s greasy hair and thrust The Bleeder into his temple, silencing him. The raider’s right eye bulged, pushed forward by the blade as it speared into his head, and his mouth opened wide as his tongue stiffened. It looked like the victim was in a perpetual state of screaming, but nothing other than a gurgle escaped. Arthur knew that the knife would be lodged in the man’s skull, and didn’t dare waste time trying to pull it free. He let the raider’s body fall to the snow with The Bleeder still deep in his head. He didn’t want to draw attention by starting to shoot, but Arthur didn’t need guns or knives to kill a man.
    Whoever was going into Kim’s tent hadn’t heard the commotion behind him, and didn’t expect to feel Arthur’s hands on his back.
    “What the heck?” asked Mac as Arthur slipped in beside him.
    Arthur pushed his way into the tent and wrapped his arm around Mac’s throat as he went. He let himself fall to the ground and slipped his legs up over the black raider’s body to keep him from flailing his arms. Annie was smart enough to stay quiet as Arthur choked Mac to death.
    The raider glared at Annie as Arthur squeezed the life out of him. “Get his legs,” said Arthur.
    Annie pulled Mac’s legs into the tent, but the raider tried desperately to kick at her. She held on tight as the undulating man tried to breathe, but Arthur was too strong.
    The raider finally stopped moving, but Arthur wasn’t willing release him yet. He looked at Annie for approval, and she seemed to understand what he was asking without him having to speak. She nodded, so Arthur held tight until the man was