Free Rising: Parables From The Apocalypse - Dystopian Fiction by Norman Christof Page B

nodding his head in agreement.
     
    The guards had finished sweeping the lower floor, and were moving up the stairs.  There were two guards on the upper level and two below watching above and the far exit.  The two above leapfrogged from cell to cell, and looking inside.  Leekasha could hear them at the cell next to theirs.
     
    The muzzle of the first guards weapon inched into view, followed by the guard holding the gun.  He raised the weapon to his shoulder, aimed at Jed and applied light pressure to the trigger.  Jed raised his hands, while Leekasha suggested the guard move his finger off the trigger.  The guard did.  The second guard came into view, took aim, and Leekasha convinced him to put his safety back on. 
     
    Leekasha could hear the footsteps of the other two guards racing up the stairs.  She looked to Jed.  “There’s two more coming.  I need your help.  Ready?”  Jed didn’t look happy, but nodded in agreement.
     
    Leekasha directed the first two guards to enter the cell and secure the prisoners.  They did and placed tie straps around Jed and Leekasha’s wrists. 
    The third guard appeared and said, “What are you doing?  We had orders to shoot on sight.  These two are dangerous.  They killed Kenny.”
    The first guard replied, “New orders.  The warden wants these two locked up and interrogated.”
    When Leekasha tried to focus on the third, the second guard reached for the safety on his weapon.  She brought her focus back to him, and lowered his hand.  She started alternating between the three guards in rapid succession.  The strain was apparent on her face, as the fourth guard appeared.  Leekasha looked to Jed pleadingly.  Jed stared the fourth guard down, but the guard raised his weapon, flipped the safety off and placed the muzzle square in the middle of Leekasha’s forehead.
     
    Jed pushed harder in his head, and the guard lowered his weapon.  Jed pushed harder still, and the guard backed out of the cell.  He backed up right up to the railing overlooking the lower floor.  Jed’s face turned red as he strained to keep him there.  The guard tried to take a step towards the cell. Jed raised his restrained hands clenching them in fists.  The guard turned to face the railing and threw himself over landing with a thud and a crack on the concrete floor below. 
     
    “I’m sorry.”  Jed whispered, his fists still shaking. “I couldn’t hold him.  I didn’t know what else to do.”
    “No time for regrets,”  Leekasha hissed at him.  “I need help here.  Just a little.  Distract one of them for a second.” 
     
    Jed tried, but barely kept the guard from raising his weapon.  It was all the break Leekasha needed.  She focused on the guard with the sergeant stripes. 
    The sergeant ordered Jed’s guard.  “Call the medics, and get down there to check on Frank.  Make sure he didn’t break his neck.  Move!” 
    The guard called for medics on his radio as he double timed it down the stairs.  He called from below.  “Franks OK, but I think he broke his leg.  He can’t stand.”
    “Stay with him till the medics get here.  We’re taking these two back to Z block for lockup.”
     
    ***
     
    Leekasha had convinced the guards to lock both her and Jed in Jed’s old cell.  The sergeant informed the guards on watch, that the warden would be down later to deal with them.  For the time being all prisoners were to be kept in their cells.
     
    “It’s time.”  Leekasha said to Jed.  “I’ve had enough of this.”
    “What about your friend?  Christa?” 
    “All in good time.  Right now, we need to make some changes around here.  You feel OK?  Can you hear the others?”
    “No, what do you mean?”
    “I can hear the pain from every other zombie in this place.  Trust me, it’s good you can’t hear them.  I need your help again.  I want you to send some suggestions this time to the guards in the control room over there.”
     
    The first