Dead Frontier/Issue 87

This is a preview for Issue #87 of Dead Frontier by Walkerbait22, titled ''Warehouse. This is the third issue of 'Volume 15. '''The official release date for this issue is currently unknown.

Issue 87 - Warehouse
Alexander leans his elbows on the counter of his kitchen's suite, Griffin standing opposite him with his arms crossed. Alexander coughs again, covering his mouth with a napkin.

"And how often does it happen?" Griffin asks.

"It's really all over the place," Alexander says. "Like right now, nothing." He lifts the clean napkin for Griffin to see.

"And when it does happen: the blood, what's it look like?"

"Dark. It's dark. And there isn't a lot of it, usually. Any ideas?"

"Hemoptysis...could mean tons of things. What else is there? You've got, like, pains anywhere? Your chest, your abdomen? Anything?"

"Occasionally, some stomach pains. Nothing too serious, though. More of a bother, really." Griffin thinks, and Alexander gauges his expression. "What are you thinking?"

"...I'll need to take you downstairs, run some tests."

"Tests? Jesus..." Alexander groans.

"Just to see what's going on. Don't leave this alone, 'cause it could get worse. You never know." Alexander coughs again, this time into his sleeve. "Have you told her about this?"

"Lucy? No. I don't even think she's noticed anything's off about me."

"Does that girl even talk to you anymore?" Griffin asks, but immediately questions if he should have brought it up at all when Alexander's expression suddenly changes.

"It seems like she's been preoccupied with some other things lately," Alexander says slowly.

Griffin nods and uncrosses his arm, instead taking a seat on the stool in front of him. “I get it. Daughters are complicated.”

“You never even had a daughter.”

“But I had a sister. If my dad was here, he could tell you: she was a piece of work--”

Before he can finish his sentence, the door bursts open, and Lucy enters, blood still staining her coat and clothes. Alexander stands up abruptly, his face full of confusion as Lucy runs to him and gives him a hug, tears threatening to spill over her eyes. Griffin sits back and watches, eager for an explanation, but deciding this isn't the best time to speak.

“What the hell--what’s wrong?” Alexander asks. “Lucy, what’s the matter? What happened?”

“We went--and there was some kind of ambush,” Lucy says. “These guys--I don’t know, they just started shooting, and throwing grenades and--they were from Roxie's group, that's what people are saying--”

“Are you hurt?”

“Wha--no. No.”

“--But, all of the blood--.”

“It’s not mine.”

“C’mon, get this--get this coat off,” Alexander says; he releases her from his hug, and Lucy begins to unzip her coat. “Let’s get you cleaned up before anything else, okay?”

Alexander looks at her and she nods. Looking at her, Alexander feels his own eyes start to sting, overjoyed that she’s okay, angry at himself that he allowed her to leave, wondering who to blame. He embraces her tightly once more, then looks to Griffin. “Go with Griffin, he’ll help you out, alright? I’ll be back.”

“Where are you going?” Lucy asks as he walks to the door.

“I’ll be back.” Then, he turns around and gives her a quick kiss on the top of the head. “It’ll be alright. Love you, baby girl.”

Once he’s a few steps from Hector’s door, Alexander retrieves a ring of keys from his pocket, and searches for the one labeled “414.” He doesn’t waste time knocking, and slides the key in, turns it, and pushes the door open, where he finds Hector lying on his couch, a pillow covering his face. He shoots up straight from his sitting position, and his face falls.

“Alex--” he stutters.

“Was this you?” Alexander says with surprising calmness.

“I--it was...I’m sorry, please, just listen to me.” He stands from the couch and puts his hands out in front of him as a form of defense. He curses himself for letting his nerves get in the way, and he wonders how Alexander could have known he gave Roxie the information regarding the hotel’s next run. But he has no time to come up with an answer because Alexander barrels toward him, and grabs him by the throat.

“W-wai--ple--please--” Hector chokes out, the grip on his throat tightening as Alexander’s rage increases. And he has no plans to let go. But he’s forced to when Hector smashes his knee into his midsection. Alexander bends over and clutches his stomach. Hector raises his knee again, and this time connects with Alexander’s temple, causing him to hit the ground. Then, Hector doubles over and coughs, holding his aching throat. Alexander slides backwards while Hector is preoccupied, and grabs onto the edge of the counter, using it to help himself get to his feet. Hector sees this, but before he can rush over, Alexander grabs a knife from the block on the counter.

Hector stops in his tracks when Alexander raises the knife. “I’ll go,” Hector says. “I will take Adrienne with me, and we’ll go.”

Alexander’s vision is blurry from the blow to the head, and his anger allows him to complete disregard Hector’s words. So, he lunges with the knife, but his injured states makes him much too slow, and Hector easily dodges it. Hector reaches for Alexander’s wrists and tries to pry the knife away. He can’t, so he gives Alexander a hard kick to the stomach, and his grip on the knife loosens. Hector decides he has no other choice, and digs the blade into Alexander’s chest.