Michael gripped his AR-15 tightly. The gun was old, but reliable, and its vast proliferation around the country, Pre-Ragnarok, made finding bullets and replacement parts easy even now. It was a gun I had used a lot for practice in Bunker 108, so I knew it well. It was the gun Samuel wanted me to use.
But it also reminded me too much of Bunker 108. Too much of my old life.
About fifteen minutes later, we turned off the highway onto Russell Road. The Strip was one block over, and the tall buildings rose into the sky, their tops obscured by darkness and dust. When we turned onto the Strip, dust swirled in eddies. On the median, hanging askew, was the sign: Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada. A few of the letters were missing; the faded sign was marred by graffiti, time, and dust. The median itself was empty — the trees that once grew there had long been cut to the ground, leaving vestiges of stumps like wooden graves. On our left was a wide, empty lot, in the middle of which lay the remains of a massive bonfire. On the right rose some newer buildings, towering above like some long-lost, glamorous vision of the future — from back when people dreamed of a future.
We walked on. Michael pointed to a complex of buildings on our left.
“Mandalay Bay,” he said. “Once a hotel and casino, now the Sworn HQ.”
“Where do the Dragons stay?” I asked.
“The MGM Grand,” Michael said. “It’s just a few blocks up.”
Without daylight, it was hard to see anything. But the buildings rose one after another, in their abstract, eye-catching shapes. It was hard to imagine just how many people there used to be. The wide walk that once bore tens of thousands of tourists was now emptied. As we passed Mandalay Bay, I noticed men with guns hanging out in front of the drive that led to the casino. They watched us pass in the night, ready for anything should we approach.
“The gangs mostly keep to themselves,” Michael said. “Especially at night.”
“It’s dangerous to be out here,” Anna said.
Michael nodded. “It is. But it’s always dangerous in Vegas. You can’t really help that.”
We passed an intersection, an enormous parking lot, and mangled signs and traffic lights. On our left was a gigantic pyramid, unseen at first because it was black.
“The Luxor,” Michael said. “The home of the Suns.”
In the next five minutes, we passed several more casinos. Michael said nothing about them. I had thought Vegas would be more like…well, a city. Nova Roma had been a city. Vegas was more like a series of fortresses. We passed castle after castle, each the home of a different lord, his soldiers guarding the gates against constant attack.
And maybe that’s what it was. As I walked down the abandoned strip, as the wind carried with it the dust of decay, I realized I was in a wilderness more than a city.
This impression of lords and castles solidified when we did pass a castle of sorts — the Excalibur Hotel Casino.
“The Kings’ lair,” Michael said. “We don’t much like them. It’s too bad that we’re neighbors.”
“Why don’t you like them?”
“Their Boss, Rey, is trying to make a play for controlling the rest of the gangs. The Kings tie up all the trade, and they get more batts than any of the other gangs — Reds included. Rey is a businessman more than a gangster, but he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty if he needs to.”
Finally, on our right at the northeast corner of the intersection, was the MGM Grand — the Dragons’ HQ. I felt the Dragons would have done well to name themselves the Lions. A wide, empty fountain stood in front of the massive building. In the fountain, a golden lion stood. Torches lined the circular walk around the fountain, leading to the front entrance. There, a couple of guards stood, talking softly. They looked at us as we walked alongside the fountain, to the building’s front.
We paused before the doorway.
“Boss is inside,” one of the guards said, a tall, muscled black man. He looked at Anna and me. “Which of you is Makara?”
“She isn’t here,” Michael said. “She’s meeting with the Raiders. These are her representatives, Alex and Anna.”
The Dragon raised an eyebrow. “The Boss won’t like this, Michael.”
“The Boss can wait until tomorrow, James.”
The other Dragon stepped up, small of frame and white. “You better watch where your loyalties lie, Sanchez.”
“Relax, Daniel,” Michael said. “The Angels just got here an hour ago, and it’s already night. What did the Boss expect?”
James eyed Michael hard. “To have his orders followed to the letter.”
“I heard nothing about bringing Makara,” Michael said. “It was originally supposed to be just me.”
“Well, even if the one called Makara is not here,” James said, “we will lead you in. Good luck explaining it to the Boss.”
“Wait,” Daniel said.
He stared off into the darkness, onto the boulevard from which we had come. Someone was walking around the fountain, obviously having followed us.
“Who goes there?” James shouted. “Reveal yourself!”
The man did not stop, or even slow. In fact, he broke into a dead run. A horrible wail pierced the night air, making my skin crawl.
“Howler!” Daniel said.
I reached for where my Beretta was usually holstered. Finding the holster empty, I cursed, and backed away through the doors of the MGM. James and Daniel stood in front, blocking the way into the building.
The Howler appeared from the darkness, his clothing ragged and mouth agape. Purple slime coated his entire body. He had a hole where his left cheek should have been, revealing a gray, lifeless tongue and gums. The completely white eyes burned, almost glowed, in the night. The Howler careened forward, arms outstretched.
James fired his rifle, nailing the Howler twice in the shoulder. The monster screamed in pain, but didn’t slow. Michael raised his AR-15, firing a few shots. One of the bullets connected with the Howler’s head, sending the thing crashing to the ground.
The body, now grounded, quivered and convulsed. The skin bloated and stretched, threatening to pop.
“Inside, now!” I yelled.
Everyone rushed inside the building, through sliding glass doors that already stood halfway open. Anna, Michael, and I were closer, and made it inside easily. James dove, his hulking mass shooting past me as he rolled into the hotel lobby. Daniel ran, but not fast enough. The Howler exploded, sending globs of purple goo sailing through the air. Daniel was caught in the torrential downpour of virus-infected sludge.
Daniel stared at us all. His eyes were wide, horrified.
Then he turned to run.
Recovering, James scrambled up, aiming his rifle into the darkness. He fired.
Daniel fell to the ground.
James panted, looking out into the night where his compatriot now lay dead. He turned back to us, his hardened face like stone.
“Go inside. Boss Dragon is waiting.”
“Howlers are in the city!” I said. “Aren’t you going to do something?”
James shook his head. “Howlers have always been in the city. Their numbers have grown, and they roam the city at night. I have never seen one on the Strip, though.” He sighed. “It isn’t a good sign.”
Michael placed a hand on my shoulder, causing me to jump.
“Come on,” he said.
We turned from the grisly scene, and walked into the darkness of the MGM Grand.
Chapter 7
Anna grabbed my hand, holding it tightly, as we followed James and Michael past the doors.