Ashton wasted little time. Once the hooligans fled the store, she rushed toward the front. Keys in hand, she locked the doors in a bid to slow down the re-entry of any new monsters. While the glass doors were not bullet proof, they were shatter resistant. Given the strength shown by the monsters so far, they should hold them back for a few minutes provided no special techniques were used such as the Hooligan’s Molotov throw.

She looked through the locked doors, her eyes narrow. Her queendom had come under fire. Worse. The invaders remained in the parking lot. It was obvious that they would not leave without their bikes. Once they recovered their life force and courage, they would return.

It would not be easy for them. She would make certain of it. As they regained strength, so would she.

The problem, though, was the sheer number of them. Her best estimate put the hooligans at over thirty strong. She had hurt a few of them but finished none of them.

Her thoughts turned to how ridiculous the situation was for the occupants of the store. A few weeks prior would have seen much greater panic. After spending time in the dream monster attacks were commonplace concerns. Only the fact that the attack happened in the waking world made it so that people were initially shocked. That shock turned to panic as the dream became reality.

She drew back from the doors then tried to call Scott once more. He did not answer.

An angry hiss passed her lips, and she shoved her cell back into her pocket. Who knew what he was doing? Of all the times to avoid calls from work!

Ashton called over to Willie and he came out to meet her. He agreed to monitor the store from the security room and did so without reservation. It was the safest place in the store. It sat behind two steel doors and had thick locks.

“Any word from the police?” she asked him as they walked to the security room.

“HR keeps calling, but the lines are busy. This is probably happening all over the county,” said Willie. “If not the world.”

Once they entered the security room, they went to the monitors and checks the store and parking area. Other than a small number of zombies that stood at the far edge of the area around a white van, only the hooligans could be seen moving.

“Think there is someone in that van?” asked Ashton.

“Maybe…” said Willie, “those things seemed pretty interested in getting to us earlier.”

She looked at him then back at the screen. “Say, Willie…”

“Yes, boss lady?” he asked while he also did his best not to stare at her see-through ensemble. In truth, it was quite difficult. The lord had clearly blessed the day that she had been made, though he refused to mention such a thing directly.

“Did you bring it, today?” she asked him in a casual tone.

“What might that be?” asked Willie.

“Look. I’ll level with you.” She continued to stare at the monitor. “I know you keep a gun in your car. Did you bring it, today?”

Willie closed his eyes and nodded. “For all the good it does us.”

Ashton tilted her head then sighed when he pointed out where he parked. “So far away,” she said softly.

He nodded to her then resumed his lookout. He did continue the conversation after a short time passed, however. “Archers doesn’t like us common folk taking up parking spots near the store. My piece might as well be on the moon.”

She glanced at him then back to where he had parked. It was close to the road, even at a flat-out sprint it would take a little time to get there. Her illusion magic would cover her, but it would take a lot of life force to mask her presence when she moved at that speed. If she took it slow, she would still run dry over time.

“When we get out of this…” said Ashton.

“When?” asked Willie. “You got a plan Boss Lady?”

“working on one.” She looked over at him. “Bring that gun in with you from now on, unless this is your last workday.”

“They’ll fire me, won’t they?” asked Willie.

“If Archers won’t let us have more security, then they can find a new manager. I refuse to open this store again if it’s going to be like this,” she said.

“You sound serious,” he said.

“People died, willie.” Ashton snorted loudly then growled in annoyance. “Corporate knows that there have been monster sightings and attacks, but they haven’t allowed us to do anything to protect the guests or ourselves.”

Willie inclined his head then released a breath that he did not know that he had held. “I’m not sure I’m coming back tomorrow.”

Ashton closed her eyes and let his words hang in the air for a moment. When she did speak, it was simple agreement. “I don’t blame you. I found a line on a much better job.”

Willie blinked at her then laughed. “Shoot. Better than being part of all this?”

“Much,” said Ashton with a smile.

He laughed again then asked, “They hiring?”

“I’d probably oversee that sort of thing, and the boss likes you. If you want a job, I am sure you can get it,” said Ashton.

Willie started to ask her who the boss would be, but movement in the parking lot caught his eyes. “What are they doing?”

Three of the bikers joined up and walked toward the store. They reached into their vests and pulled out lit Molotovs. Though Ashton and willie could not hear them through the cameras, they could see that they were screaming. The hooligans threw their Molotovs at the store then pointed and laughed.

“Damn,” snapped Ashton.

“They’re gonna burn us out…” said Willie, his eyes wide.

“Check the backlot cameras,” said Ashton.

Willie looked over the cameras in the backroom and the back. The bodies on the floor were a point of interest that he chose not to discuss before, but the lack of movement out back was a beautiful thing. Though, there were a few more bodies outside that had obviously seen better days. “Man, they look like roadkill…”

Ashton rolled her neck, eliciting a slight popping noise as she limbered up. “You run the guests and team members out the back.”

“Where do I take them?” Willie gestured to the monitor. “We can only see what’s in the parking lot. The other stores nearby seem clear, but who knows.”

“Better than burning alive,” she said.

“That’s true.” He hopped up and started chattering over his walkie-talkie. It was time to make a move. It would be dark soon. Things would get harder.

She had to go and try put out those flames before the whooping idiots outside managed to set fire to something other than a brick wall.

Ashton had the same thought as Willie, but with a different outcome. She needed to keep the hooligans busy long enough for the people inside to get away, but thankfully it would be dark soon. Things would get easier.