The Zulu Virus Chronicles Boxset (Books 1-3)

by Steven Konkoly

  “What if I told you that Major Smith’s company just hightailed it out of their battalion bivouac site in Greenfield—and disappeared?”

  “He listened?” said Larsen.

  “Yes. He’s off the radar,” said Rich.

  “There’s no way you’re going to recruit him,” said Larsen.

  “I don’t know. According to Cooper’s command feed, the Ajax team that showed up to arrest Smith didn’t get a friendly reception—from anyone. The agent in charge filed a complaint against the 10th Mountain Division captain assigned to accompany him, and he recommended that Cooper utilize airstrike assets to obliterate the battalion’s position.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Apparently, that’s the default Ajax response at this point. Drop a one-thousand-pound bomb on the problem. Through a separate source, we’ve confirmed that 2nd Battalion, 151st Regiment has left Greenfield. GPS tracking disabled. I think everyone is starting to see through Ajax’s veil. Recruitment might not be a problem.”

  “I don’t think a full-scale invasion of Grissom Air Reserve Base is the answer,” said Larsen. “Especially if your target is a computer or CTAB that can be smashed at the first sign of trouble.”

  “I’m way ahead of you, Eric,” said Rich. “This is what I do for a living.”

  “Right,” said Larsen, almost too tired to argue. “What’s the deal with David? Why do we need him?”

  “We don’t,” said Rich. “But he’s going to want to be part of this. His wife is in one of the quarantine camps, and if things get too far out of control at Grissom—there’s a protocol in place to wipe out the infected population.”

  “She’s not infected.”

  “The FIRESTORM protocol will wipe out the entire quarantine population.”

  “I’ll get in touch with David,” said Larsen.

  Chapter 27

  David listened to Rich, staring at the blue horizon to the north. For the moment, he wasn’t sitting there—he wasn’t even in his own body. He was just barely conscious, trying to process the sheer madness or brilliance of the plan being presented to him. He couldn’t tell which. One moment it came across as completely reasonable, but then his brain would kick into gear, and the scheme sounded ridiculous.

  He glanced at Joshua, who was asleep in the seat next to him, thinking he didn’t really have a choice. How could he sit back and let Joshua’s mother be incinerated by some “fail-safe” plan triggered by Rich’s attack? He didn’t blame Rich. The plan was put into place by the same lunatics that had infected millions of Americans for some sick reason he’d never understand—to cover up their handiwork.

  “I’m in,” said David.

  “That’s it?” said Rich.

  “What else is there to say?”

  “Not much, I guess,” said Rich.

  “I’m not clear on how I’m going to make a difference out there, but as long as I have a real shot at rescuing her, I have to take it.”

  “In the grand scheme of things, you probably won’t make a difference. Might even get in the way,” said Rich. “But your friend here asked me to give you the option. We’re going to have our hands full enough trying to make the rest of the plan work. We’ll get you into the base and get you out, but that’s pretty much all I have for your side of the plan right now.”

  “Who will I be working with?” said David, doing the math in his head.

  “We haven’t figured that out yet.”

  “Wait. Do you mean you haven’t figured out who among you will be with me, or who will be with me in general?”

  “You’re the team right now. I need everyone else for the primary mission,” said Rich. “Including your friend. Sorry. We’re building this from scratch, but I have a few ideas. Can you get in touch with the NevoTech guy in the forest?”

  “Gary?”

  “Careful with the names,” said Rich.

  “Sorry. Yeah. I can get in touch with him,” said David. “You think he might help? I think he’s done enough.”

  “I’m thinking bigger,” said Rich. “But I’d take him in a second, and any of his security officers. That could be your team.”

  “I’m sure it’ll be an easy sell,” said David, meaning that very sarcastically.

  “You might be surprised,” said Rich. “Do me a favor and reach out to him. I need to get in touch with your Army buddies. My guess is they’re on the road right now, trying to stay off the radar.”

  “You are thinking bigger,” said David.

  “I have to try,” said Rich. “It’s going to take more than the five of us, six including you, to pull this off without triggering a mini-genocide.”

  “I’ll give him a call,” said David. “Where do you want me? Right now we’re parked behind a stand of trees not too far from where we started this morning.”

  “Perfect. Stay put and give me an hour to work on things,” said Rich.

  “I need to get my son and our friends into safe hands,” said David.

  “Give me the hour.”

  “One way or the other, I’m delivering them to safety,” said David.

  “How far would you have to travel to do this right now?”

  “Hold on,” he said, asking Joshua to open the map.

  He traced a route halfway to Columbus, Indiana, and did a quick distance/speed calculation using a piece of paper with tick marks representing miles.

  “I’d say forty-five minutes, steering well clear of any possible trouble spots,” said David.

  “Where are we going?” said his son, talking over Rich.

  “Meet up with Grandpa,” said David.

  “No. Where are you going after?” said Joshua.

  He held up a finger, signaling for his son to hang on for a few moments.

  “Rich, I didn’t catch your last,” said David.

  “Get your people to safety,” said Rich. “Then head back toward Rushville, keeping your distance until I explore some ideas. Good?”

  “Good.”

  “Make sure to fuel up somehow,” said Rich. “I foresee a long day of driving.”

  “More cornfields,” said David.

  “And soybean, I’ve been told. Lots of soybeans,” said Rich. “Good luck. I’ll be in touch.”

  “Same to you,” he said, disconnecting the call and turning to his son.

  He could tell that his son knew the gist of what he was about to say. Joshua had a defiant “don’t lie to me” look on his face. David had seen the look before. Divorces tended to breed secrets, and his son had made a habit of calling him and his ex-wife out on them. Before his son could speak, he put it all on the table.

  “I’m dropping you and the Harpers off with Grandpa,” said David. “Then I’m headed back north to see if I can find your mother.”

  “She’s alive,” said Joshua.

  “According to the system Rich hacked,” said David, “she’s being held in a quarantine camp at Grissom Air Reserve Base. She’s safe for now. Her camp is for people without symptoms.”

  “Can’t you just show up and get her?” said Joshua. “Show proof of who you are?”

  “It doesn’t work that way,” said David. “There’s no apparent protocol in place for showing up and getting someone out.”

  “Even if she’s not infected?” said Joshua. “They can’t keep her detained if she’s not infected.”

  “I agree, but I’m not sure how I can convince the people running the camp to release her,” said David. “I don’t even know if I can get to a point where I can talk to anyone with that kind of authority.”

  “So what were you talking about on the phone?” said Joshua. “About rescuing her.”

  “I thought you were asleep,” said David, cracking a thin smile.

  “I was until you took that call,” said Joshua. “You said rescue. That sounds more involved than showing up and trying to get her released.”

  “Rich is putting together a plan to break into the base and retrieve some sensitive information,” said
David. “He thinks I may be able to get your mom out at the same time.”

  “Then we’re going! What are we even waiting for?” said his son.

  “They don’t even have a real plan yet,” said David. “Frankly, I don’t think this is going anywhere.”

  “Count me in,” said Joshua.

  “You’re the first one I counted out,” said David. “Sorry. But you’re not taking part in this.”

  “The hell I’m not!” said Joshua.

  He glared at his son with the most intense face he’d learned to muster over the past twenty-something years on the force. It was a look that could defuse a tense “soon to get physical” situation without a word. Joshua didn’t appear intimidated.

  “I’m going to get Mom,” Joshua said, his tone a little more even-keeled.

  “I can’t let you do that,” said David. “Without a plan and an experienced team, it would be a suicide mission. At best it would get us all thrown in one of the camps.”

  “At least we’d be with Mom,” said Joshua.

  “The camps are gender segregated,” said David. “And the facility at Grissom is massive. We’d never run into her. I need you to go back with Grandpa and let me handle this, if there’s anything to be handled.”

  “You won’t go get her,” said Joshua. “I know it.”

  “Yes, I will. I’ve been exploring the possibility since last night,” said David. “I talked it over with Major Smith. He didn’t see any way to get her out without ending up in the same place.”

  “You kept this a secret from me?” said Joshua.

  “Jack and I are going to get some fresh air,” said Emma, the two of them leaving David and Joshua alone.

  “I kept it a secret because she’s safe for now, and there wasn’t any possibility of getting her out. Now there might be a way,” said David. “I will do everything in my power to get her back to you if it’s possible, Joshua. I promise.”

  “I still think I could be a valuable member of the team,” said Joshua, his voice conceding that he understood David’s position and believed him.

  “I have no doubt you would be a valuable member of the team. You’ve more than proved yourself, but you’re too valuable to me to lose,” said David. “And I’m skeptical of Rich’s overall plan, let alone what may be required to get your mother out of there. It’s all way too risky.”

  “I don’t want to lose both of you,” said Joshua, tears welling in his eyes.

  “Your mom’s not gone, and I’m not going anywhere,” said David. “I’m going to exercise my best judgment when Rich gets back to me—with whatever he’s putting together. If the plan sounds like more of a risk to your mother’s safety, and mine, I’ll head to Grandpa’s with a free Jeep. I was told I could keep this.”

  “And the stuff in back?” said Joshua, partly smiling.

  “No. I’m getting rid of that as soon as possible,” he said. “Are we good?”

  “We’re good, Dad,” said Joshua, nodding.

  “Call Grandpa and tell him to meet us in Greensburg.”

  David felt bad lying again, but his son had been hell-bent on being part of the rescue team. If he’d leveled with Joshua about the “fail-safe” plan Rich loosely described, his son would have dug his heels in and insisted on going along—and David couldn’t allow that. If Rich’s plan turned out to be a suicide mission, there would be no talking his son out of it. The lie was justifiable. Painful, but completely necessary to keep Joshua safe.

  Chapter 28

  Gary Hoenig walked from bed to bed in the air-conditioned tent, checking on the wounded survivors of the attempted forest massacre. Upon learning the nature of the incident in the forest and the extent of the injuries, the commander of the mass casualty treatment team (MCTT) from Mississippi had decided to immediately deploy its twenty-four-bed field facility on the site of Rush Memorial Hospital’s helicopter landing pad. Located directly behind the hospital, the location was close enough to coordinate any specialty care required by Hoenig’s people.

  The more serious casualties had been admitted directly to the hospital’s operating rooms and emergency triage center, the remaining wounded ushered into the tent as soon as it had been pulled tight and anchored to the ground. The MCTT commander’s quick decision to utilize the field hospital had prevented a potentially deadly overcrowding situation at Rush Memorial Hospital. He couldn’t be more thankful.

  He stopped at Jason Crosby’s bed, finding him still semi-lucid after being sedated and stitched up by the team. A bullet had passed through his left bicep during one of the helicopter attacks while he lay on top of his wife and son, protecting them from the onslaught.

  “I haven’t seen my family,” said Crosby, barely getting the words out.

  “Jason, they’re fine. I just saw them ten minutes ago in the parking lot, drinking orange juice and eating donuts. Once they get everyone stabilized in here, they’ll allow visits. How are you doing?”

  “All drugged up,” he slurred. “But I’ll survive. Right?”

  “Damn right you will,” said Gary, gently patting the man’s leg. “I’ll let Deb and your little guy know you’re fine. A little messed up, but fine.”

  “Thank you, Gary,” he said, tears forming. “I can’t believe they tried to murder us like that. You saved us.”

  “I didn’t save anyone. Close your eyes and get some rest, my friend. I’ll save you a donut,” said Gary.

  “Better save me two,” he said, the sedative effect of the anesthesia taking him down.

  Gary stood there watching Jason for a few moments, briefly tuning out the commotion.

  “I heard you saved all of those people,” said a woman’s voice.

  Gary turned to find Evelyn Morris, the MCTT’s commander, standing a few feet behind him in bloodied scrubs. She didn’t betray the slightest hint of exhaustion despite the fact that they had been on the road all night, arriving here sometime around three in the morning—woken a few hours later with close to three dozen casualties to process.

  “I had help,” he said.

  “Just repeating what I’ve heard over and over again from my patients,” she said.

  Commotion at the other end of the brightly lit field hospital drew his attention away from Morris. Two members of her team transferred one of the NevoTech employees to a mobile stretcher and hurried her out of the tent.

  “She has some kind of intracerebral hemorrhaging. All the classic signs of traumatic brain injury,” said Morris. “My neurosurgeon is prepping as we speak. He’s one of the best in the business.”

  Gary shook his head, fighting back the anger rising within him. He had no tears, just a fury that could only be quenched by revenge. He choked that down before his new hero held it against him. She was the epitome of grace and calm under pressure.

  “It’s okay to be angry, Mr. Hoenig,” she said.

  “I know,” he said. “It’s just hard to process all of this.”

  “I’ve been all over the world working situations like this,” she said. “Trust me. You’re better off letting it out. Hold it in too long, and you’ll explode.”

  “That could be useful,” he said, immediately regretting his response.

  “The vengeance route never really pans out,” she said.

  “You’re probably—”

  Another commotion broke out, drawing his attention to a heavily armed and equipped soldier pushing past a group of protesting MCTT staff. Shit. So this is how it goes down? Not on my watch, he thought…his hand reaching for the pistol he’d hidden from Morris’s people.

  “Gary Hoenig!” said the soldier. “I’m looking for Gary Hoenig!”

  Incredibly, Evelyn Morris stepped in front of him.

  “He’s gone,” she said. “Left more than a half hour ago.”

  “Fuck,” hissed the soldier. “Major Smith needs to talk to him.”

  Gary stepped into the open. “I’m Gary. Where’s the major?”

  “On a motherfucking rampage,” said the
soldier. “We’re going after the fuckers responsible for this.”

  Morris glanced at Gary. “I can’t argue with that logic.”

  “What about the whole ‘vengeance never pans out’ speech?” he said.

  She shrugged her shoulders. “I think that speech might have been premature.”

  “Are you married?” he said.

  “Divorced. Twice,” she said.

  “Once was enough for me,” said Hoenig. “Evelyn Morris. Mississippi. I’m going to look you up when this is over.”

  She broke out in a hearty laugh. “You’re a glutton for punishment, Mr. Hoenig.”

  “Gary. Call me Gary,” he said, jogging toward the soldier. “Take care of these people, Evelyn! I’m putting them in your charge!”

  “I’ll be waiting, Gary,” she said. “They’ll all be here when you get back.”

  The soldier pulled him out of the tent before he could respond, which was probably for the better. A few more words from Evelyn, and he might not have been able to leave. Smiling like a love-struck teenager, he stared at the tent flap for a moment, like he expected her to come running after him.

  “Jesus. Gary,” said a familiar voice, “you look love struck.”

  He turned to find David Olson, in full tactical gear, shaking his head.

  “What can I say?” said Gary. “I’m smitten.”

  “I don’t even want to know,” said David, extending a hand. “Good to see you, man.”

  “Same here,” said Gary. “What’s going on? I thought you’d be long gone by now.”

  “I got Joshua and the Harpers on the road with my dad, but something else has come up,” said David. “Something big—sort of. The group that shot down the Black Hawks is behind all of this. Larsen included. They’re going after the next level of this conspiracy, at Grissom.”

  “Count me in,” he said. “We have to make the people responsible for this pay—dearly.”

  “Gary, I need your help with something a little different,” said David.

  “What do you mean?” said Gary.

  “My ex-wife is in one of the quarantine camps at Grissom. She’s not infected, but she was rounded up anyway. My primary mission will be to get Joshua’s mother out of there. He’s counting on me to get her back. I totally understand if you’d rather be part of the bigger mission.”