Remnant Saga S1: by Nick Venom (fiction book recommendations .TXT) 📖

me what happened.” He told Emerald, the older of the two siblings at 16 years. She was a year younger than Lutz. 

Emerald nodded, wiping tears using her sleeve. “They barged into… into our house and… and… and… took our parents. They beat them to the ground and took them.”

Lutz nodded, cringing at the thought of people being clubbed by crowbars and baseball bats. “You don’t have any other relatives nearby?” She shook her head.

“What’s going on?” Sila asked, midway down the stairs. “Those are the neighbors?”

Lutz nodded. “Well… for the meanwhile, I guess they’ll be staying with us.”

“Oh… Okay… I’m Sila.” She said.

“E-Emerald. He’s Teo.” Emerald said, introducing her younger sibling, Teo, who was 7 years old. 

While Sila and Emerald engaged in a conversation, Lutz checked the front. His grass hadn’t been tampered with and not a single truck was parked close. The bandits were staying as far away as they could from him.

“I could use my name for now, but… there are always a few that don’t get it. When will they rear their ugly heads? Hopefully, not until I get more medicine for Mom.” He whispered to himself. He turned around to face the others in the room, watching as Sila effortlessly calmed down Emerald. 

My worries aren’t leaving me yet. Something’s still wrong. I feel like the bandits are just a diversion, but for what. A bigger fish?

 

TBC…

Episode Four "Washingtons"

“You want to take over Taken? What about the police? The government? The news said they’re sending reinforcements to deal with the town.” Jordan Washington, a well-built bulky man, asked.

His sister, a skinny but muscular female named Elizabeth, nodded. “The police are gone, most of them dead. The government’s ‘reinforcements’ will most likely be scientists and their guards. I doubt they’ll be able to go into town, especially if we’re all quarantined off.”

“How? You’re telling me that they all died?.” Another man asked; this one wore a loose white tank top and black cargo shorts. “It’s impossible.”

“I got no clue how they died, but they’re dead now.” She turned to Jordan. “We got the best opportunity we’ve had since we started to take over. Let’s do it.”

Jordan nodded, going ahead with his sister’s words. “Fine, we’ll do what you say, but we’re pulling out once this gets too dangerous.”

Elizabeth nodded, grinning. She turned towards the man, known as Ben, one of their Enforcers. He and another person were their Main Enforcers and their job relied on intimidation and killing; they enforced what rules Elizabeth and Jordan had over the smaller gangs in Taken. 

“You good for more death?” She bluntly asked.

Ben nodded, staring at her as if she had two heads. “Give me a target and I’ll go.” He brandished his assault rifle, careful not to point it at either of his bosses. “I’ll make sure they “retire” for a while.” He said with a smirk.

Elizabeth nodded. “Let’s kill them all, we’ll have full control over this town and-”

“How about we organize a meeting between all of the gangs and take control like that?” Jordan chimed in.

Elizabeth stared at him, furrowing her brows. “You want to be diplomatic? Why the cold feet?”

Jordan shook his head. “We could force the other gangs to submit to us, sure. But if we kill them all, we don’t have slaves doing our bidding, right?” He suggested.

Elizabeth raised a finger to her chin. “That… That doesn’t sound too bad.” She turned to Ben. “Go and get Maisey. Tell every gang’s leader, small or large, to be present for the meeting or its war.”

“Where is the meeting going to be?” Ben asked. “I can’t deliver an incomplete message.”

Elizabeth nodded. “Then it’ll be…” She looked to Jordan for help. 

He nodded his head, turning to face Ben. “Tell them to go to the solo warehouse on the docks. Remember to “insist” that they leave their guns behind and only bring themselves. Oh, and those that reject our invitation or don’t show up, you can take Macey and the others to deal with them.” He instructed Ben, who grinned devilish.

“Got it.” He said before walking off, armed with his loaded assault rifle. He moved from the main room of the warehouse, which was used for private meetings and located on the second floor, and out through the front door. He headed outside where fellow Main Enforcer, Macey Rivers, waited for him. She wore a biker outfit, one leg swung over the motorcycle while the other rested by the side of it. 

“What we got?” She asked.

“Invitation order, no killing unless they refuse,” Ben answered.

Macey furrowed her brows, tilting her head. “Jordan’s order?”

“Shut up, turn the engine on and follow me,” Ben ordered, ignoring her last comment, which irritated Macey but she didn’t mention it. She followed Ben Sawyers’ order and turned the engine on. She moved it towards Ben’s black jeep, riding up next to the driver’s seat window. 

“Ready?” She asked.

“Get moving!” He barked. He glanced at the rearview mirror and saw his men piled up behind him in a string of idling trucks. He stuck his thumb out and pointed up. “We riding!” He shouted. His words quickly became a chant that followed him as he left the warehouse where Jordan and Elizabeth were staying and moved deeper into Taken. Most of the gangs were concentrated in downtown Taken.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth interrogated Jordan. “How did you think of this? A meeting between every gang’s leader. It’s pretty risky; wouldn’t be surprised if there was an assassination attempt.”

Jordan shook his head. “Your idea of getting the spite of every other gang in Taken isn’t a good one. It would be like strapping dynamite to us and lighting the fuse - a slow death.” He explained. “Instead, what we need is to absorb them before the government reinforcements come in. They’ll be here tomorrow, so we need to work fast.”

“Absorb them so we could use them as our first line of defense?” Elizabeth asked, picking up on her younger brother’s plan. “That’s smart.”

Jordan smiled, happy to be praised. “Thanks,”

“Okay, now how did you think of this plan?” She resumed her interrogation. 

Jordan shrugged his shoulders. “I was trying to think of a plan that doesn’t end with your death.” He said. 

She nodded. “I see… thanks, brother.”

Jordan smiled. “Anytime.

***

 

 

The Next Day… 

 

Fortunately for all parties, every gang accepted the invite, even if some were forced to. They were all roped into a large open space within the warehouse on the docks. The gang leaders were seated at several six-chair tables, all of the attention being directed towards Jordan and Elizabeth. They stood at the front of the warehouse, standing in front of the gang leaders.

“Today, you’re all part of our gang.” Elizabeth bluntly remarked, swiftly turning many of the gang leaders against her in an instant.

“Anybody objects?” Jordan asked, glaring at the men in front of his sister. Most of the small and medium-sized gangs didn’t, but the larger ones rebelled. “Okay, then Ben! Macey! Kill the ones that object!” He ordered. 

Ben and Macey were on the second floor, pointing down at the people who objected, executing this with ease. The gang leaders who joined willingly shot out of their chairs and backed away from the massacre happening in front of them. 

After several moments of firing downward, Ben and Macey relented, raising their guns into the air. Below them were the bodies of the gang leaders who didn’t want to join them, the leaders of the largest gangs in Taken.

“See? Anyone who isn’t killed is part of our gang. The people who died aren’t part of our gang. Anyone see the difference?” She rhetorically asked. Nobody dared to speak or even raise their hands, most of them staring at the bloody mess in front of them. It was a gruesome mess of blood and flesh. 

Jordan signaled for everybody to sit down, which they reluctantly did. None of them hesitated, but nobody felt safe while sitting down, believing that something else was going to happen.

“Okay, now that everybody understands what happens to people who go against us, we’ll be moving territories. Every territory will be under us, but most of you can remain in whatever blocks you set yourselves up in. However, none of the gangs can attack each other. Instead, we’ll be attacking the government reinforcements that will be entering Taken sometime today. Is that clear?” He asked. Every single gang leader nodded, now throwing away their titles and handing them to Jordan and Elizabeth, who smirked in glee. She was excited that her goal of taking over Taken would soon happen.

“Good, now that everybody agrees, here’s the new name of our gang. The New Citizens of Taken? Does anybody dislike it?” He asked, getting no responses. Nobody was dumb enough to respond to his rhetorical question. 

“Okay, then today, the 25th, marks the birth of Taken’s future. One that sees us in power. Rise to the NCT! ” Everybody in the warehouse repeated his words as a chant. 

Jordan glanced at Elizabeth, ecstatic with her new power. He grinned, thinking to himself. After so long, your dream is finally being realized. Thank the Heavens for it. You deserve the best, sis.

***

 

 

The body of a police officer laid on the floor of a supermarket - left alone. There was nobody else in the supermarket but the single body. It had been rotting for fifty-nine minutes and fifty-six seconds. Then fifty-seven, eight, nine, and, finally, ten.

The body rose, shambling to operation. Its body jerked and twisted in an unhuman-like way. It was no longer a living person, but one purged of its morals and dreams. It was then, instead, replaced with anger, spite, and hunger. Hunger for flesh.

The first undead rose.

 

TBC…

Episode Five "Outside"

Lutz stared out of the window, staring at the outside. Blood from fights between the inhabitants of houses and the bandits stained lawns and porches. He cringed at the sights, turning away from the window. He headed to the television, grabbing the remote. The date at the bottom left corner read, “June 25th, 2019”. It’s the third day of quarantine and everything’s been going down the drain. He thought as he pressed a button on the remote, unmuting the television. 

The female news anchor was on the television, her lips moving but not making a sound. However, now unmuted, her voice could be heard. 

“-the government has announced that its plan of building a barrier on the perimeter of the town has started. The barrier is suspected to be twenty feet in height with barb wire on top. There will be guards posted at every