The Roaming

by W J Hegarty

  11:40 pm - Shearburn Residence

  Mother Leeds closed early. Everyone needed time to prepare for the coming turmoil, including the owner of the town’s bar. Vanessa toiled away at her computer for a sizable portion of her time off, Since the power returned, she had been unable to reach the Internet. Miraculously, after a few hours of frustration, she was finally able to bring up the web. Relief really took hold when she found her game was still up and running. “Where the hell was this server anyway? On the moon? How the hell was it still operating?” Only two of her friends were logged in. The ghost town for a chat didn’t bode well for the other users she had hoped were simply busy during their absence when she was last online.

  69kilr69: don u get it girl he’s not coming back he is fucking dead

  spArkLe: bullshit 69 he just lost power he’ll be back soon watch

  69kilr69: yeah whatever

  PprBsh84: hey guys im back power was only down for a few hours last night into this morning

  69kilr69: we were worried

  spArkLe: glad to see you r still with us

  PprBsh84: they say if, when the power goes again might be for good

  spArkLe: keep ur chin up

  PprBsh84: Look guys I might not be on for awhile, something happened

  69kilr69: wats up

  spArkLe: is everything ok?

  PprBsh84: a group of soldiers showed up last night, looks like they’ve been through hell, said there was an army of those things chasing them from Philly heading right for us

  69kilr69: ..........

  spArkLe: OMG Ppr! I’ll be praying for you tonight

  PprBsh84: It’s Vanessa, my name is Vanessa and I live in a little town called Pepperbush north east of Philadelphia on the outskirts of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, if anyone in the area is reading this be prepared, we r not

  spArkLe: Good luck Vanessa be safe tonight God bless u

  69kilr69: don’t b a hero if you have to run run

  PprBsh84: thanks u 2 really enough about me what else is going on today?

  69kilr69: MandyLove was logged in earlier said shit was bad over there

  spArkLe: I was just telling her she should

  69kilr69: quit playin spArkLe

  PprBsh84: you still there sweetie?

  spArkLe: has logged off

  69kilr69: fuck

  PprBsh84: Jesus I never imagined it would come down to just the two of us

  69kilr69: i hear that

  PprBsh84: hey while were still here

  69kilr69: yeah

  PprBsh84: no hard feelings for all the fights we use to have ok?

  69kilr69: i feel ya, me too

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Mobilize

  Sam offered Takashi and his unit room to spread out in the security headquarters. Although it was cramped for space, the effort was appreciated. Sam was also in attendance. His men were spread out around Pepperbush, helping with various aspects of preparing for the coming conflict. Garrett and Soraya displayed what little remained of their weapons and ammunition in preparation for the long night that lay ahead. Strategies were drawn up, and plans of attack and defense were suggested, shot down, or agreed upon. They had been at it since before dawn.

  Garrett tossed one of their few remaining boxes of ammunition onto the table. “We’re not looking good, Colonel.”

  “That’s not what I asked, Garrett. Inventory, what are we working with?” Takashi furrowed his brow. His tense posture wasn’t lost on those in attendance.

  “Soraya and I policed up everything we dragged along here with us. Roughly four thousand rounds of rifle ammo. That’s about five hundred rounds each, give or take. About one hundred rounds each for our sidearms and no explosives to speak of, sir.”

  “You’re right. That’s not good.”

  “Honestly, sir, if the infected number even a fraction of what we faced in Philadelphia, from a purely mathematical standpoint, we can’t possibly put them all down.”

  “Not by ourselves, anyway,” Miller added. “These people are well-armed and are willing to help.”

  “Oh, that’s just great.” Radzinski was frustrated. “We’re not shooting at birds and squirrels here. These backwoods motherfuckers don’t have one clue as to what’s going on.”

  “They volunteered to help, Radzinski,” Miller said. “That’s good enough for me.”

  “Yeah well, then they better know what they’re doing because it’s our asses on the line.” Radzinski disregarded Miller and the others in attendance as he moved in closer to Takashi than either man was comfortable with. “I mean, what are we still doing here anyway, sir? We warned them. Conscience clear, let’s bug out.”

  Miller stepped between Takashi and Radzinski before his commanding officer could answer. “Where do you think these people are supposed to go, huh? Or us for that matter? You got an answer for that? Holding out here is just as good as anywhere else. Hell, this town is probably safer than most, being out here in the middle of nowhere.”

  “Tell that to those rotten fuckers following us.” Radzinski pushed away from Miller’s proximity. He needed Takashi to see reason. “Colonel, this shithole is going to be overrun and we’re going to burn through our ammo, and for what? Just to hit the road again? Only difference is we’ll be even more beat up than when we got here in the first place. I vote we pack our shit and go, right fucking now.”

  “Well, I guess it’s a good thing this decision isn’t up for a vote, then.” Again, Miller intervened. “We’re not going to leave these people to die. Besides, there’s too many of them to transport, anyway. There is no other option. We make our stand here.”

  “We’re no good to anyone if we’re all dead.”

  “Miller’s right, Radzinski.” Takashi at least heard the man out. “We’re not leaving these people to face a conflict of our own making. But I won’t force any of you to stay. There’s the door. Use it if you have to.”

  “We could attempt to evacuate,” Aiko offered.

  “Evacuation is a viable option, sir,” Jeremiah said. “But we would have to act now.”

  “See!” Radzinski was thrilled with the apparent acknowledgment. “This town’s a fucking death trap. The medics get it. We shouldn’t stay here.”

  “That is not what I said, John.” Jeremiah was quick to dispel any misinterpretation of his statement. “I suggested an evacuation, not abandonment.”

  Radzinski relented, though he continued to pace the room.

  “I don’t see that we have any other choice but to stay.” Takashi declared the matter final. “We have no set destination, no unit to meet up with or base of operations to fall back to. The logistics of evacuating all of these people in the next twelve hours makes it impossible to do anything other than to try to ride this out. However this plays out, people, we’re in it for the duration.”

  Sam laid out a map of Pepperbush for Takashi and his unit to better familiarize themselves with the town’s layout and terrain. Each soldier’s designated location was marked in red, as well as the expected direction of the attack.

  “Garrett, you’ve done this before, I assume?” Takashi asked.

  “I have, sir. Only we were up against hundreds, not thousands.” Garrett pointed out his location on the map. “My nest is ready for the long haul, and I’ll have support from the bar below. A few of the locals or refugees offered to help. Hell, I don’t know who’s who, sir. I can’t tell them apart.”

  “Does it matter?”

  “They’re breathing. That’s all that matters. From my vantage point, I should see those things coming over the berm before anyone else does. More importantly, I’ve got the gate covered. Anything moves half a klick from our exit gets put down.”

  “Good.” Takashi turned to the youngest of his unit. “Broderick?”

  “The church looks good, sir. Once the last of the refugees is inside, I’ll secure it for the night. Nothing is getting in there. I can promise you that.” Broderick was brimming with confidence. His e
motional state stirred a tinge of hope in the colonel as well as the townsfolk who were under his care.

  “And I’ll be here, coordinating the defense with Sam.” Takashi pivoted from his busted leg. He would be useless in the coming fight. He knew it, but more importantly, his unit knew. If he was out in the field with the rest of them, their concern for him would be a distraction. “Miller, Radzinski, Rachel, and Soraya will be spread out along the southern edge of the berm with their designated groups of volunteers. And for God’s sake, let the locals know to conserve their ammo. You cannot stress that enough tonight. Remember, people, keep these civilians in line. No cowboys out there, understood?” Takashi put much-needed emphasis on the term “cowboys.” He’d seen it many times before with local populations offering assistance. They always meant well, but oftentimes, they merely got in the way. Most recently, only a few weeks ago, back in Philadelphia before things got really bad, groups of armed citizens would periodically show up, insisting on giving support. Although their intentions were good, their undisciplined style became more of a hindrance than anything else. In more than one instance, they cost more lives than they saved. “Jeremiah and Aiko will dig in with the displaced residents in the north. In the event that we become overrun, it will be up to you to mobilize their evacuation. Keep them ready but try to prevent panic.” He shot a glance in Radzinski’s direction. “If anyone has any questions or constructive input, now is the time.”

  “Nothing to add, sir,” Jeremiah responded, monotone and as devoid of emotion as ever.

  No one else said a word.

  “Okay, people, fall out,” Takashi said. “Broderick, you’re with me. I want to make sure the relocation is continuing smoothly before we take our positions.”

  No more words were spoken as the unit filed out of the small security shack. The next few uncertain hours weighed heavily on their minds.

  11:55 am - Mother Leeds

  Mother Leeds was nearly empty, save for those who lived there, and Garrett, who was preparing for the inevitable.

  Damon sent a barstool spinning across the hardwood. The stool tumbled into a table, sending a stack of neatly arranged chairs to the floor. “Wonderful, now there’s an army of those fuckers on the way? I told you the day we found this dump we should steal a car and get the fuck out of here. Now we can’t leave!”

  “Where the hell would we have gone? Back to Baltimore? That place is fucked. You saw it yourself on the news.” Markus stacked the chairs for a second time. “Don’t put this shit on me, man.”

  “Let’s just go, dude. Fuck these people. We can be a hundred miles out before those fucking things even get here. These hicks don’t know shit. Fuck them. The soldiers will deal with this mess, man. Let’s just go.” Damon stood at the front door, gripping its handle tight. “Come on, man,” he pleaded.

  Markus walked across the room and pushed the door closed. “No,” was all he offered Damon before returning to securing the bar.

  “Fuck these hillbillies!”

  “I wish you wouldn’t say shit like that, Damon.” Markus finished nailing a board to a window frame, then turned back to his friend. “These people have been good to us, and Vanessa’s giving us work and letting us crash at the bar? Come on, man, you’re too fucking stubborn.”

  “You know, you’re turning into a real bitch out here in the country, bro. What the fuck’s up with you lately?”

  “You name one motherfucker back home who would let strangers live in their place and I’ll shut up.”

  “Fine, but if we have to bolt and these friends of yours slow you down, you’re on your own. Besides, we need to be boarding these windows up, anyway.” Damon deflected, he continued the work as if that was his intent all along. Though he kept a watchful eye on the street through cracks in the boards.

  The bell attached to the front door rang, alerting the men to visitors at the entrance of Mother Leeds. An unfamiliar trio entered, led by a tall, beautiful redhead. “Hello, is anyone in here?” She peeked in slowly at first, then made her presence known.

  “I’m sorry, but we’re closed.” Markus hurried to greet them before they wandered too deeply into the bar. “We’re really not set up to take in any more bodies tonight, just the staff.” He blocked their way from going any farther. “Grace is looking over anyone without a place to stay. She’s in the church at the other end of town. If you hurry, you can make it before they lock down for the night.” Markus reached around the group and held the door open.

  “In case you haven’t heard, there’s a shitstorm headed our way.” Damon approached the group, arms outstretched and waving inches from their faces, attempting to shoo them away.

  The redhead ignored Damon, determined to focus her attention on Markus. “Where are my manners? Let’s try this again. Hello, I’m Samantha. This is Ayn and Ryan.” She gestured to her companions, a fresh from the dorm–looking young man with a pronounced limp and a slender blonde who looked like she hadn’t eaten in weeks. “We came in with a group of refugees a few weeks ago. Until today, we’d been staying at the bed-and-breakfast, but it looks like they’re closing the place until this blows over.” Samantha pulled a barstool close but didn’t sit.

  “Nice to meet you, Samantha. I’m Markus.” While he reached out to shake her hand, his eyes met hers. He stammered for a moment before composing himself. “Vanessa’s not here right now. She owns the place. I guess that leaves me in charge, so what can I do for you guys?”

  “Well, we were sort of wondering…” Ryan spoke up but was hesitant, so Samantha continued for him.

  “I know that they want the refugees to ride this out over in the church. I just don’t like that place. It’s too far away from the gate, and well, you guys are right here, so…” Samantha finally took a seat, maybe a little closer than Markus was prepared for.

  Markus pulled up a stool beside her. “From what I hear, the church might be the safest place in town, Samantha. They’re going to be well-armed in there, not to mention one of the soldiers is camping out with them for the duration.”

  “If it’s all the same, I’d like the option of leaving this town entirely if I need to. Seeing as the bar is right at the edge of town, I thought we could stay here… if that’s okay, I mean.” Samantha placed a hand on Markus’s. She looked into his eyes for a brief moment before he stood up.

  “All you had to do was ask.” Markus smiled.

  Damon sighed.

  Everyone went quiet as Garrett entered the room. He saw the newcomers’ arrival from his vantage point on the roof. As far as he was concerned, the extra support was a relief.

  Garrett spent more than half his life in the Army. Having been stationed in dozens of hotspots in his nearly thirty-year career, he had seen more than his share of combat. Most importantly, in that time, he’d interacted with people from many cultures and all walks of life. That experience trained him to read people very well. He could look at a crowd of complete strangers and pick out who needed direct oversight and who could be trusted to follow orders without supervision.

  With so many years in service, he was a lifer in every sense of the word. The last seven of those years were spent as an instructor at sniper school, his days of touring the world long behind him. Among his students he had a reputation of being a hard-ass. Tough but fair. More than fifty percent of his students washed out due to the rigors of his advanced form of training, but the ones that graduated were loyal for life. They shared a sense of mutual respect most of the washouts could never understand. When he was ordered to leave his newest class for immediate deployment to Philadelphia, he knew the situation was something to be concerned about. Whatever lay ahead was certainly not the training exercise rumor some green officers were spreading around. “I need hands and eyes. You and you are with me on the roof.” He singled out Damon and the newly arrived Ryan.

  “But I just got here.” Ryan held his arms up as if to ask, Why me?

  “And I appreciate that, son, but right now, we need all the help we
can get. I’ll thank you when this is over.” Garrett gave the kid a firm pat on the shoulder on his way over to converse with Markus.

  “What can I do?”

  “I need you down here, Markus. You and the ladies keep your eyes on the street. If anything shows itself, do not engage, but let me know immediately. Are we clear?” Garrett made sure he held eye contact with Markus. He felt the young man’s trepidation but needed one last sign of reassurance. He knew he could count on the young man to see the others through if it came to it. It was vital Markus knew that as well.

  “Yeah, we’re good.” Markus left the barstool and Samantha behind, following Garrett on his trek through the bar.

  “Excellent, while you’re at it, I’m going to need the three of you to start boxing up some of this alcohol and any nonperishables you can find. Canned goods, dry goods, nothing that can go bad if we have to bug out.” Garrett casually flipped through a half-full box of cleaning supplies left on the bar top.

  “What’s that all about? Are you planning on taking off if shit gets too heavy?” Markus asked.

  “With any luck, no, but if we have to leave in a hurry, it’s best to have what we need ready to go. You follow me?”

  “Yeah, I got it. Be prepared,” Markus answered with the confidence Garrett expected from the young man. “We’ll just stack the supplies by the front door for now.”

  “Good. Look, I’ll be honest with you here, Markus. There is without a doubt a shitstorm of epic proportions headed our way. Possibly thousands of infected have been following us since Philadelphia.”