The Restoration Project

4.17 - Merrick

Merrick sat in the back of the limo, squeezed between Sanchez and the divider to the cab, as Frankie kept a watchful eye on him. A constant barrage of bangs and bumps from the N3s swarming the vehicle echoed inside.

"We're not gonna last much longer," Merrick warned.

"We'll be fine," Frankie said, although he shot a glance toward the driver that suggested he didn't quite believe his words. Something then caught Frankie's eye outside the window. "Stop." 

The limo skidded to a halt. Merrick followed Frankie's gaze out the window to the remnants of the guard station. Pierre stood inside it, peering out the window, his eyes wide with fright.

"Go get him," Frankie ordered Sanchez, although in the few seconds they had stopped, N3s surrounded the car almost three deep.

"You open that door and they come in!" Merrick pointed out.

Frankie studied Merrick, looking like he would do the opposite of Merrick's suggestion on principle alone, but then sighed. "Keep moving."

The limo lurched forward. Pierre's eyes, somehow, opened wider yet and he burst out the door, squeezing between the N3s on his way to the limo. None of the N3s cared that he was exposed, but kept their attention focused on the limo. Merrick didn't like that.

Using the N3s clambering to get inside as stepping stones, Pierre scurried over them and landed on the roof. The driver pressed a button and the sunroof retracted, allowing him to plop inside.

"You were gonna leave me!" he cried.

"I knew you'd find a way in," Frankie replied. "Now sit, we have to get out of here."

"No shit," Pierre replied, making himself comfortable in his usual seat beside the driver.

"Let's go," Frankie ordered.

The driver nodded and metal scraped the sides of the car as he burst through the half-open gate leading out of Frankie's compound. Pierre winced. The N3s were thicker on this side and the limo barreled over them before it found purchase on the asphalt on the other side. The N3s at the wall turned to the car as it passed, suddenly uninterested with Frankie's town.

"Make a left up there," Merrick ordered when he realized they were running out of road. The driver gave an almost imperceptible nod.

The limo lurched to the left as the driver completed the turn. Merrick hoped Marybelle had enough time to prepare the trap—he hadn't expected Charley to turn him in so quickly.

"That one," Merrick said, pointing towards the convenience store as it approached on their left.

"Get us inside," Frankie ordered.

Sanchez leaned forward and opened the door, NS then proceeded to help Frankie out after him. Merrick shimmied to the doorway but stayed in the limo. The world felt like it was vibrating. It was the stomp of approaching N3s drifting through the air, like a mix between a stampede and a train. He guessed they had about ten minutes to go in and get out. Maybe less.

"You comin', sunshine?" Pierre asked, appearing outside the door. He snatched Merrick's arm and dragged him towards the store. When they reached the door, he shoved Merrick inside. The message was clear, Merrick was to lead the way in case there were any traps—which was a good idea considering this was, indeed, a trap.

"I need a light," Merrick said as he approached the back of the store where the daylight barely reached.

"Pierre," Frankie said. 

Without another word, Pierre reached in his pocket and pulled out a lighter, handing it over with a disgruntled sigh. Once Merrick lit it, Frankie, Sanchez, and Pierre followed Merrick to the back of the store, while the driver crossed his arms and remained at the front, guarding it. He wouldn't do much against the incoming stampede.