The Dead Years (Volumes 4-6)

by Jeff Olah

  As the voice came through his headset, he initially thought it was Savannah. Turning to face her, Randy knew she heard it too. “If you can hear me, I need help. Please help!” the woman on the other end said.

  This frequency could only be coming from one place and it sounded as though Blackmore may have civilians as its only survivors. He knew better than to respond in code as she wouldn’t understand and he needed to get as much from her as possible. “Hello, we are a group of survivors en route to your location and will be arriving within five minutes, who am I speaking with?”

  “Hello… hello, I am all alone; they took my husband and some of the doctors. I don’t know who they were or what they wanted. I’m scared and need help… Please help.”

  “Ma’am, we can help. Can you tell me which building you are in and where you are located?” Randy said.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “It’s the first building beyond the gates. Please help. I don’t know if they’re coming back. PLEASE HURRY!”

  “We’ll be there in just a minute,” Randy said as they approached the gates. “Please stay calm, Can you tell me your name?”

  “My name is Eleanor Daniels. My husband is…”

  Randy didn’t need to hear anything else. He knew exactly who he was speaking with and what had happened here. With thirty seconds left before touchdown, he turned to the rear and motioned for April. As she came forward, he handed her the headset.

  “It’s your mother.”

  Volume 6

  29

  Six rectangular concrete structures sat just beyond the crest, hidden from the morning sun by the ever so methodically aligned spruce trees. Standing more than thirty feet tall and spanning the entire distance of the compound, the designers insured no wayward aircraft could ever accidently happen upon this area. Last night’s light dusting of fresh powder whispered away from the upper branches and fell lightly to the ground, aided by the vortex created from the spinning blades. Through the open window, the air felt light and crisp, even for this altitude. The area just past the once well-fortified entrance to Blackmore was slightly too small to accommodate a safe landing, although without any other options and time escaping, they’d have to make it work.

  Scanning the area, an ominous contrast stood between the rugged mountain terrain and the neatly manicured grounds of the Blackmore Research Facility. The two lane road leading through the unforgiving foothills was littered with the decaying corpses from two weeks’ worth of Feeders. Near the end, the road widened and led into the gated vehicle inspection zone, normally monitored by multiple armed soldiers. This morning, it was quiet and the only thing that moved were the branches of the trees nearest Building One as the chopper hovered just seconds before touching down. There was no sign of struggle inside the gates and thankfully no Feeders. It seemed that whatever happened here was done by individuals with secured access or people already inside the walls of the compound.

  “April, let her know we’ll come get her. Tell her not to move… OK?” Randy sensed Eleanor may try to come out to them before the area was safe and he already had enough on his plate at the moment.

  Covering her mouth and trying to remain composed as the tears rolled down her cheek, April took a deep breath and attempted to sounds calm. “Mother, stay put. We’ll come get you. Give us a few minutes…”

  “She understand?” Randy asked.

  “Yeah, she said please hurry. She’s really scared.”

  “April, don’t worry. We’re gonna find her and take care of her. I promise.”

  “OK,” she said, although not fully confident that even he believed it.

  Returning to the rear and bracing for the landing, April put one hand against the back wall and held Justin’s hand with the other. Her son, still comatose, appeared to simply be sleeping, even though the noise and turbulence generated by the helicopter would make that impossible. She knew there was another reason for the state he was in and with each rise of his chest she was grateful it wasn’t yet death.

  Clearing the well-fortified security gate and positioning the chopper dead center in the yard, the blades ripped through the tree branches that were unlucky enough to be within reach, immediately shredding the upper portion as they descended. The vessel rocked from side to side as the violence outside continued to obliterate the once beautiful grounds. Whole branches and baseball-sized chunks of spruce pelted the exterior as the group flinched, covering their heads with their hands. Mason pulled April into his chest, shielding Justin in the process as well.

  “HOLD ON!” Randy shouted from the front as he fought to control the pitching chopper.

  With only five feet to the ground, the weight of the helicopter won the battle and they dropped the short distance to the pavement, rocking everyone from their spot. Randy held tight to the controls as the others bounced in place and tried to recover. Coming to stop and with the blades still pulsing, Randy shut it down and as the engine slowed, he barked instructions to the rest. “We don’t know what’s going on and who’s still around. Let me check it out first...give me a minute and I’ll come back for you guys.”

  The paver lined concrete drive, immaculate only moments ago, was now covered in tree branches, wood chunks and debris. Unstrapping himself from the harness, Randy grabbed the nine millimeter, stepped out and looked around the area for signs of what had transpired. Nothing looked out of place that wasn’t caused by his entry into Blackmore and kicking the debris aside he was reminded of the wound on his left arm that continued to ooze blood. The pain was tolerable, although with the amount of blood he had lost, the fact that he was still upright was surprising. Being able to guide the helicopter here without killing everyone on board was nothing short of a miracle.

  Turning in her seat, Savannah swung her legs around and slid into the back with the others. She looked happy, as if she hadn’t yet realized they were still in danger. April got to her knees and hugged Savannah, holding on and not letting go as Mason continued to monitor their son.

  Placing his hand on Justin’s chest, he watched out the window as Randy made his way to the entrance to Blackmore. He thought about getting out and helping his friend, although having two of them out in the open meant more targets for whoever overran this place and Randy was more than capable of getting in and out unharmed. April also watched over Savannah’s shoulder, praying that the area was safe. She needed a break. They all did.

  Rushing to each side of the structure and then back to the front entrance, Randy entered and disappeared into the shade provided by the alcove of Building One. Blood drops dotted the area outside the front door and pooled in the shape of a fried egg just below the security keypad. Knowing entry to the facility was impossible without the code; he slid the pistol into his waistband and moved to the door. “Please just be open.” He slowly gripped the massive stainless steel door handle and pulled ever so gently, only to be denied as the lock clicked and the two beeps sounded from the keypad.

  Randy took a deep breath slowly pacing back out into the morning sun. As the others looked on, he shook his head and began to feel light-headed.

  Savannah was the first to notice and her gasp alerted Mason and April of her distress. Even before Randy’s knees buckled and he crumbled to the ground, they could easily see through the soiled windows of the battered chopper that he was injured. His left side, from the shoulder down was covered in a bright shade of red trailing off onto his jeans and dripping to the ground below.

  “Stay here,” Mason said as he exited the chopper and ran for his friend. Coming from behind, he slid his hands under Randy’s arms and began dragging him back toward the chopper, unaware of the woman less than fifty feet away, clutching a fully loaded weapon.

  30

  The sun in his face and the debris threating to knock him to the ground with every step back, Mason didn’t even hear the first bullet fired from her gun. Sitting with his back to the chopper and Randy like a rag doll at his feet, he tore the sleeve off his friend’s shirt expos
ing the injury and without hesitation ran it over the wound removing the top layer of blood along with the coagulated mess below. The arm had a quarter inch deep gash, four inches long, where a bullet must have passed through while they were exiting the airfield only hours ago.

  Her presence still unnoticed, the woman shielded by the far side of the guard tower pulled back on the trigger once again. Tears ran down her face as she stared off into the forest and started toward the trees. The silencer muffled each shot; although once the second round exploded into one of the tall spruces and ripped apart the landscape behind it, the sound alerted the group of her presence. Continuing into the wooded backdrop, she raised the pistol once again and emptied the clip randomly before dropping to her knees facing the helicopter and screaming in desperation. “It’s empty, I’m not armed. Please don’t kill me.”

  Returning to a seated position, April and Savannah turned and peered out the right side window, barely able to ascertain that the individual on her knees was a woman. She held both hands to the sky and dropped her head. She wasn’t a soldier, her charcoal grey pants suit covered with dust and debris made that clear. The plastic sleeve that carried an identification badge indicated that she belonged here, although her purpose was a mystery. Her shoulder length jet black hair fell to either side of her face after finding its way out of the elastic band that dropped to the pavement. It lay alongside the now empty weapon she let slide from her left hand.

  “Help me,” Mason said, opening the door to the chopper. “Hold him up.”

  Closest to the door, Savannah hopped out onto the pavement, stepped around Randy’s legs and craned her neck, trying to see the woman on the other side of the yard. “What are we doing?” she asked.

  “I need to find out who she is and what on earth is going on. Hold him up. I’ll be right back.” Mason moved around from behind Randy as Savannah slid into his spot, looked up at April and shrugged her shoulders.

  Getting low as he moved, Mason strode toward the woman with his hands open and out at his side. “Hello,” he said trying to get her attention. “We’re not here to do you any harm, we just…”

  Looking up, the woman brushed her hair back and stood. She looked Mason in the eyes and walked toward him, never breaking eye contact. As she got closer, her facial features softened and she began to sob. “They’re all dead, all of them! They killed everyone and took Major Daniels. Now they’re gone.” Reaching out for Mason as the two met, he returned the gesture and she fell into his arms, a crumpled mess. He hurried her back to the chopper and sat her in the open doorway with her back to April and Justin. She never moved her focus from Mason and continued her frantic tirade about the previous battle she had witnessed, until there was no more to tell.

  Getting her to calm down, Mason knew that time was not on their side. “I realize you’ve seen some pretty bad things, but we’re here to help. My name is Mason; can you tell me your name?”

  Blinking through the trance that strangled her emotions, she slowly shook her head and said, “Parker… my name is Parker. Who are you, where’d you come from?”

  “We need to get inside,” Mason said. “My friends are hurt and we need to get in. Can you help?”

  Furrowing her brow she said, “Yeah although I don’t think you want to go in there. They let all the partials out and killed everyone who was left.”

  “Partials?” Mason said. “What are…”

  Stepping over Justin and in behind the still distraught woman, April interrupted. “Mason, we have to get in there… NOW! My mother is in there and she needs us.”

  Parker stood, finally acknowledged Randy who was only inches away and turned to address April. “Are you Eleanor’s daughter?” Before letting her answer she turned to the others and backed away. “You must be Mason,” and pointing at the man at her feet she said, “Is this Randy?”

  April looked at Mason and Savannah in confusion as a smile started across Parker’s face. “Parker, you know us?”

  “He told us you might come… if you made it out. He was right. I can’t believe you are here. I’m sorry, although your mother is inside and…”

  Stepping out of the helicopter April started toward Parker. “I know my mother is alive and she’s inside. We need to get in, can you help? We need to do this now.”

  “She’s alive? How is that possible? How could you know that?” Now distracted and looking back and forth from Randy to Justin and back again, Parker’s smile faded into despair. “What’s wrong with them?”

  Mason stepped in and grabbed Parker by the arm, his face so close to hers that she could smell the harsh bitterness in his breath. “Parker, we need to get inside NOW. No more questions. Let’s go.” He pulled her in the direction of the alcove and she didn’t resist. Looking back at April, he held up a finger indicating he needed a moment alone.

  “I can get you in, although I can’t guarantee what we’ll find.”

  “What we’ll find,” Mason said.

  “I’m coming with you.”

  Mason didn’t argue as he approached the security pad and stepped around the pool of blood, allowing her to scan her badge and punch in the code. The doors opened with a cool burst of air welcoming them to the interior. Vacant of all furnishings and just as sterile as a Hospital Intensive Care Unit, Parker stepped inside and immediately ran to the monitors behind the oversized marble countertops that stood between the entrance and the rest of the building. She stared at the fourth monitor as it switched between locations.

  “What are you looking for?” Mason asked.

  She didn’t answer and instead focused even more intently on the nineteen inch screen just below the countertop. As the monitor brought up the scene at the third location, Parker gasped, put her hand over her open mouth and turned to Mason.

  “What is it Parker, what do you see?”

  “It’s her… it’s Eleanor.”

  31

  Savannah was attempting to hoist Randy up and failing miserably as Mason came running out of the shade cast by Building One. The jagged slivers of sunlight forced their way through the thick spruce, blinding him as he moved across the concrete. Sidestepping a large branch, he moved around Savannah and leaped into the back of the helicopter. Before sliding Justin to the edge, he quickly filled the women in on the plan. “I’ll carry Justin inside and come back for Randy. Can you bring the weapons and what little supplies we have left in with you?”

  He didn’t wait for an answer. Mason grabbed one of the duffle bags, tossed it over his left shoulder and squatted down near the doorway to pull Justin onto his other shoulder. Surprised that the two uneven weights balanced out one another, Mason slowly turned and walked carefully back to the building. His son was breathing; he could at least sense that, although he didn’t come close to understanding what else was taking place. Reaching the alcove, he turned to check on his wife and couldn’t believe what he was witnessing.

  Moving even faster than he was, April and Savannah had somehow each managed to grab one of the two remaining duffel bags and had pulled Randy up. They were each shouldering half of the man’s one hundred eighty pounds, even though his feet drug along the ground snagging tiny tree branches as they hurried in behind. Mason shook his head and turned back to the building. As he crested the doorway, the others had caught up.

  With his son and only friend both lying motionless on the lobby floor, Mason met Parker at the main desk. The doors to the remainder of the facility were just twenty feet ahead and still secured; Parker stared at the keyboard.

  “What is it, why aren’t you opening the doors?” Mason asked.

  “See here,” she said pointing to the last row of monitors.

  “Yeah?”

  “Look closely, monitor four is showing us Eleanor. She is fine as you can see and locked in the Command Center,” Parker said.

  “OK…”

  “If you look at monitors seven, eight and nine, you may see the problem.”

  Moving his eyes from one to the next he sa
w a woman in a lab coat standing at a desk on monitor seven, a room that held what looked like eight to ten Feeders on monitor eight and a bloody mess of a soldier standing over the corpses of numerous Feeders on monitor nine. He looked up at Parker who was lost in thought and typing a sequence of commands into the keyboard. “So what does this mean to us?” he asked.

  “I can open all the doors in the building at the same time, although the good doctor there and that soldier probably won’t make it out. All three of those rooms are next to one another. If the doors open, those things will pour into both adjoining rooms. That means no doctor and no one to save these two.”

  “OK, so…” Mason said.

  “I’m going to override the system and only open the doors in this zone. Once I do this, we only have ninety seconds to get to Eleanor and the Command Center to lock it back down before the entire facility opens up. Every single building”