PRIME

by Samantha Boyette

  “Good,” Grace said. “Cale, you’ll need to follow me to the airplanes. I’ll give you a crash course.” She stood and strode towards the door. Cale followed slowly, looking less than excited.

  “I should go find Ian.” Alice stood. “Has anyone seen him today?”

  “Some of the older children were down in the gymnasium earlier,” Gabe offered.

  “Thanks.” After a quick smile at Zero, Alice headed for the door.

  “Well, what do you say old man?” Zero stood, speaking to Gabe. “Feel like showing me and Quigley where this weapon building is?”

  “Of course.” Gabe put a hand on the table. He pushed himself up and fell in step with Quigley. The two older men led the way out of the cafeteria with Zero only a step behind them.

  *

  Alice found Ian tossing a baseball back and forth with a younger boy in the gym. Most of the children were there. They glanced her way when she entered, but quickly went back to their activities. At first she was surprised that they hadn’t wanted to play outside, but outside they would be in view of the zombies. Even with a fence separating them they would still feel like they were in danger. Inside the gym, the children were shouting and laughing as if they didn’t have a care in the world. Alice wished she could be that carefree.

  “Ian,” Alice called to the boy. He wasn’t even ten years younger than she was, and stood half a foot taller, but with everything that had happened she felt decades older. He dropped the ball and hurried over to her, his long legs making quick easy strides. Watching him, it dawned on her that perhaps the experience had also aged him.

  “Yeah?” Ian stopped a couple feet from her, looking expectant. He shook dark hair from his eyes. “What’s up?”

  “I need to talk to you a minute.” She motioned for him to follow her away from the other children and he did. Once she had put a dozen feet between them and the closest other child, Alice turned to him and spoke quietly. “We’re leaving on a mission.”

  “Yeah?” Ian asked with a familiar excitement in his eyes. It was the same look Simon got when something fun was going on. He crossed his arms over his thin chest. “You leaving me in charge or something?”

  “Not quite.” Alice took a deep breath. “We want you to come along.”

  “Really?” His arms fell to his sides and his eyes lit up brighter. “Awesome.”

  “You have to understand how dangerous this is,” Alice warned, knowing it wouldn’t change his answer any. “You could be injured or worse.”

  “I know,” Ian answered somberly. All the excitement drained from his face. “It’s the same here though, isn’t it? Those things could get past that wall eventually.” Alice was floored for a moment. She didn’t know how to react to such a blunt statement from Ian. She tried so hard to hide reality from the children.

  Ian smiled lopsidedly. “Alice, they all realize it. Even the littlest ones know that this is life or death. We’re not the same kids we were before. You can try to shelter us and give us games to play, but inside we’re a lot more adult than you give us credit for.”

  After a moment, Alice found her voice again. “I see that,” she said. “You’ll come with Zero, Cale, and me then.”

  “Cool, I liked those guys,” Ian said. He shook the hair from his eyes again. “Where are we going?”

  “Haven Base.” Alice watched as Ian’s eyes widened. “We received a plea for help from there this morning.”

  “Shit,” Ian muttered.

  Alice slapped his arm playfully. “Watch your language!”

  “Sorry.” Ian grinned. “But damn. That’s where all this started. How the heck did anyone live through it?”

  “They’re all children,” Alice answered softly.

  “Huh.” Ian didn’t really seem surprised by the idea. “Alright, when do we leave?”

  “Tonight I think. We’ll talk to you at dinner. Okay?”

  “Yeah,” Ian said, backing away. “See you then.”

  As Alice left the gym, she wondered if she should have told Ian not to tell the others, but she decided he would make the right decision. If what he said was true, then they would be able to handle the truth. There would be fewer adults around, so they would need to be ready for that.

  Alice headed toward the back of the base, hoping to catch up with Zero and maybe have a moment alone to talk things over. Her talk with Cale had convinced her that she shouldn’t let Zero’s past stand in the way of what she was sure they both felt, and she hoped she hadn’t put Zero off. If she talked to him, she thought he would understand. If she kissed him, she was sure he would kiss her back.

  30

  Coda Base

  “Will you look at that,” Zero drawled as the big door on the weapon building rolled back. The wide door had taken only a gentle shove from Gabe to open. The building was the size of a barn, but the space had been designed for optimal use. The walls were covered floor to ceiling with hand weapons. Guns, knives, even swords hung carefully in rows, ready to be chosen. In the center of the room bigger weapons were laid out in neat rows, though none were familiar to Zero. He let out a low whistle.

  “They certainly were ready for anything,” Quigley mused. He put his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “Yes indeed.”

  “Except a zombie virus attack,” Zero joked. “I thought you and Grace were from this base anyway?”

  “Nope.” Quigley shook his head as he began to circle the bigger weapons, looking for anything useful. “We spent a bit of time here, mostly back and forth between here and the hospital. Both of us had been out of this life for years. We were paper pushers before all this started, got pulled in as emergency help and sent to the hospital. The third wave of the war was just getting into full swing when I got out of that side of it,” he explained.

  “So you were never in active battle?” Zero asked. He hefted a large rifle down from the wall and examined it as they spoke. He felt powerful with it in his hands.

  “I was, back in the second wave. I enlisted in 2028, fresh out of high school. I saw out the second wave. I wasn’t back here for more than a couple weeks until 2034, and after about a year they called me back over. I was there until we pulled out in 2038. By the time we went back into war I was old enough to be able to step back.” Quigley knelt, running his hands over one of the massive weapons. “This may work.”

  “What is it?” Zero glanced up after strapping a knife to his leg for good measure.

  “A J52-Popper.” Quigley’s eyes gleamed. He stood, nodding to himself. “If the plane will support it, it will get the job done.”

  “It would tear apart anything in a two hundred foot radius. Wouldn’t it?” Gabe asked from the door.

  “Read a bit about it, have you?” Quigley nodded again, a slow smile spreading. “Yeah, this girl’s got a bite, but was designed to do minimal damage outside the strike zone. I figure if we drop a couple, we’ll clear ourselves a landing strip and buy enough time to get inside that hospital.”

  “Sounds perfect to me.” Zero nodded.

  “If any of those kids are in the way, they’ll die as well,” Gabe pointed out.

  “We’ll make damn sure they know to stay underground then,” Quigley assured him. “Not that I think they would be up there running around anyway.”

  “Should we tell the boss lady?” Zero rested the barrel of the rifle on his shoulder.

  “Yep.” Quigley stood. “Let’s head over to the air strip.” He noticed the rifle and shook his head. “Leave that for now. There’s no need.”

  “Alright,” Zero mumbled. He set the gun back in its place. It gleamed down at him, practically begging to be taken down again. “I’ll be back for you,” he assured the rifle with a pat.

  He turned and hurried to catch up with Quigley and Gabe, who were already waiting outside. Gabe slid the door shut behind them and locked it. “Airstrip’s over that way past the housing. Think you can find it alright?”

  “We’ll figure it out.” Quigley shook his
hand. “Thanks for your help.”

  Gabe nodded and turned toward the rec center.

  *

  Gabe detoured to the holding cell building, pulling an energy bar from his jacket pocket as he walked down the hallway toward Jake. It wasn’t much, but he didn’t really feel like the man deserved more. He had a feeling everyone else on the base would have been happy to let the man starve.

  “About time,” Jake said as Gabe came into sight. “If you’re going to leave me in here you have to give me some damn food.”

  “I left plenty of water,” Gabe said evenly. He had left a gallon of clean water with Jake the night before. “A person can go far longer without food.” Gabe held out the energy bar and Jake snatched it from him,

  “Is this it?” Jake asked as he tore open the wrapper. “A candy bar?”

  “An energy bar. It’s loaded with protein and will get you through the day.”

  Gabe turned to leave, not eager to spend one more minute in Jake’s company. He jerked in surprise when the half open energy bar smacked him in the back. Slowly, Gabe bent and picked it up. He walked back and handed it to Jake again. When the man didn’t take it, Gabe let it fall to the floor inside of the cell.

  “I won’t be back until dinner time, so I advise you keep this,” Gabe said.

  “You can’t keep me locked in here forever,” Jake said. He gave Gabe a grudging glare and bent to pick up the bar.

  “I doubt we will,” Gabe said. As he walked out of the building, Gabe muttered to himself, “I doubt I can convince them to keep you alive that long.”

  Inside the cell, Jake finally admitted to himself that he was in way over his head.

  *

  Cale stood looking over at the plane. He wasn’t looking forward to flying again. The plane had been kept in good shape despite its age and would suit their purposes well enough. It was simple to fly, but he hated it all the same. He hoisted himself up on the small stone wall that separated the landing strip from the rest of the base and did something he hadn’t done in years. He lit a cigarette.

  He watched Grace climb around the planes with the nimbleness of a woman half her age. She checked the exterior and interior for any damage that could be detrimental to their flight. She didn’t seem to be finding any, which was also a check in the plus column. Cale heard the sound of gravel crunching behind him and turned to see Quigley and Zero strolling towards the strip. Zero waved, and Cale waved in return. Despite everything, Zero was fast becoming his best friend, and though Quigley could be a stick in the mud, he knew which end was up. That was more than a lot of people could claim.

  “Damn. Is this another bit of the Cale puzzle?” Zero hopped on the wall beside Cale. Quigley continued on to meet Grace. “Don’t let Alice see you smoking or she might have your head. Where did you get the cigarette anyway?”

  “There was half a pack in the plane,” Cale answered with a smile. “They are absolutely revolting. Want one?” Cale offered him the pack.

  “I think I’ll pass.” Zero waved them away. He was silent for a moment as they watched Quigley and Grace chatting by the plane. “Quigley said he was in the second wave of the war. When were you over there?”

  “Third wave,” Cale said. “I enlisted in 2040, the day after my twenty-first birthday. Didn’t honestly expect to see battle.”

  “So you said this rescue is the first brave thing you’ve ever done,” Zero said tentatively.

  Cale nodded, taking a long drag from the stale cigarette. “Yep.” He knew what was coming next, a version of the same speech he had received from everyone his whole life.

  “But you were in the service. Got an honorable discharge and all that?”

  “Yeah, I did.” Cale tossed the butt on the ground and stomped on it. “But when I took that bit of shrapnel to the gut I was running away from the front. It was my first taste of real combat and I panicked. If it wasn’t for being injured on my way back, I would have been scorned.”

  “Shit man, running away from war ain’t nothing to be ashamed of. I think anyone with half a brain runs when bullets and bombs are raining on them.” Zero shook his head, gazing off into the distance. “I mean at least you weren’t a total loser like me.”

  “My whole family is military,” Cale continued with a shake of his head. “I never even told my dad the truth about what happened and he was still disappointed in me. He thought I should have gone straight back after I healed up instead of taking the job over at Culex. Taking that job pretty much ended my contact with my family.”

  “Damn.” Zero shook his head. He scratched the back of his head. “You did alright at the job though, and you saved that kid yesterday too.”

  “Yep.” Cale nodded, speaking bitterly. “And I lost another kid to the zombies. Not to mention I was drunk most of the time at Culex.”

  “The kid wasn’t your fault,” Zero assured him. “And as far as drinking at Culex, well I guess we all have problems.”

  When Cale looked at Zero, he was surprised to see him smiling. “What?” Cale asked.

  “Just glad to know you aren’t perfect after all,” Zero answered with a shrug. “Alice likes you, and I’ll stand a lot better chance with her if you have a few flaws I can point out now and then.”

  Cale shook his head, chuckling softly to himself. Zero watched him, unsure how to interpret the laugh. “You have no idea,” Cale muttered.

  “What?” Zero asked narrowing his eyes suspiciously. “I have no idea about what?”

  “Zero.” Cale gave him a serious look. “I told you in the truck. Alice has a thing for you if she has one for anyone. That’s why I said you have to be good to her. She was just talking with me about you this morning, for God’s sake. Not to mention, I’m a good ten years older than her.”

  “This morning?” Zero grinned. “Really? I thought there might be something, but then she got all weird.”

  “The poor girl was almost raped last night,” Cale said. “I think I read somewhere it’s possible for that to make a girl moody.”

  “Yeah.” Zero looked sheepish. “I did think of that. Sorry man. I shouldn’t have assumed there was something between the two of you.”

  “No need to apologize,” Cale assured him. “Just treat her good or I won’t hesitate to lock you up with Jake.”

  “Not a problem.” Zero clapped Cale on the back. “Thanks man. I’m glad you’re alright with this. Not sure I would be so nice about giving her up.”

  “You get a bit older and you start to know when you are fighting a losing battle.” Cale thought about the fit he had thrown earlier about going to Haven. “I guess sometimes you need to push past it, but not when it comes to a pretty girl. I’m just glad to know you thought I had a chance with her.”

  “Chance with who?” Alice asked. Both men turned in surprise at the sound of her voice. She looked at them expectantly. Cale recovered first.

  “Flying the plane.” He pointed over to where Grace and Quigley were finishing up by the planes. “The old girl is pretty enough, but I’m more than a bit leery of flying her.”

  “You’ll be fine.” Alice sat down comfortably close to Zero. “I spoke to Ian. He was more than glad to volunteer. Seems like those kids understand more about the situation than we give them credit for.”

  “Not surprised,” Zero said with a slight shake of his head. “I think kids tend to see things we miss.”

  “Either way, he’ll be flying out with us. When do we leave?” Alice asked.

  “Grace,” Cale called to the woman. She and Quigley both looked up and started towards them. Cale turned to Zero. “Depends what you two found in the way of weapons.”

  Zero gave a short snort. “I think she’ll be plenty happy with what we found,” he assured Cale.

  “How did it go with Ian?” Grace asked.

  “He’s in.” Alice nodded.

  “I still don’t like it, but it will be good to have another set of hands,” Grace said. “Quigley tells me we have J52-Poppers out there.”
/>
  “God damn,” Cale said. The others looked at him. Cale grinned. “Sorry, but damn.”

  “Indeed,” Grace said with a half smile. “I think we’ll have no problem loading it into one of the planes. We’ll leave tonight around three in the morning. You three and Ian will be in one plane. Quigley and I will be in the other with the J52s. We’ll reach Haven right around dawn; no sense fighting those things in the dark.”

  Quigley picked up where Grace left off, continuing the plan seamlessly.

  “We’ll get a feel for how things look below. We do a one-two drop of the bombs and go down quick. Hopefully it will take out most of the immediate threat and give us the time we need to get to the children.”

  “And then what?” Zero asked. “Will that buy us the time we need to get back to the planes and get the kids out of there?”

  “You realize there is no way these planes could hold that many children,” Grace pointed out.

  “But then, what are we doing?” Zero frowned.

  “We’re betting we can get some of the kids out, but not all of them,” Quigley answered. “We’ll find someplace safe to drop them, and then try to go back for the rest.”

  “What about the cure?” Cale asked. “I am not going to risk my life and not try to find it.”

  “You do whatever you need to after those children are safe,” Grace ordered.

  “No way,” Cale said. “This is my mission.”

  “And you made it ours when you found out there were survivors and asked for our help,” Grace said coolly. “Therefore, you will do as I say.”

  “No, I don’t think I will.” Cale stood. “Find someone else to fly the second plane.” With that he walked away.

  Alice and Zero caught up with him halfway back to the rec center. He didn’t look at either of them and continued walking, rage evident in every step. Neither of them wanted that rage to be loosed on them, so they kept their mouths shut. They followed him silently into the rec center and through into the computer room. Once inside, he grabbed Alice by the arm and tugged her down into the chair.