by Ricky Cooper
Rook stepped forwards as he held up his hand. 'Me.'
Dictator nodded. 'Thanks.'
Rook's world cartwheeled past his vision as he suddenly found himself flat on his back, shaking his head he looked up as Dictator stood over him shaking the ache from his knuckles.
'No offence bud, but it needed to be done.'
Rook clambered to his feet, Raven helping him as he rubbed his aching jaw. 'None taken.' Dictator smirked as he glanced at the men behind Rook. 'One short, I'm guessing it's Sparrow'
Rook nodded. 'Sorry' The words sounded flat and meaningless as they hung in the air between the two team commanders, Rook nodded again, anything said at that point would have been a waste of breath; turning away he shut down the conversation and stepped away towards his men.
'Nothing to be done, same as yours got bit, end of.'
A soft, derisive snort left the Glaswegian as he turned raising his weapon in the direction he had just come, the sound of harsh shuffling and deep guttural moaning filling the room.
'Incoming' His words held a soft singsong quality as he pulled the gun tight to his shoulder, the noise of shuffling feet intensifying by the second.
The seventeen remaining men of S.A.U. Templar and the four remaining Americans spun to face the emerging threat. The moans and shuffling reached a crescendo that rang in through the tunnel like bells from a church tower, enveloping the men, oppressing their very soul to the point of breaking as they struggled to hold their position.
Dictator and Titan stood, their bodies stalwart and unmoving in the face of the enemy even as they struggled with the fear they were desperately containing. They watched as hands, scabrous and bloodied emerged from the darkness clutching and grasping at the gnarled stone work as they dragged their slashed and ripped forms from the darkness.
The three men closest to Legionnaire vanished, their startled fear swollen screams slipping away as they were dragged backwards into the dark maw of the tunnel. A pair of eyes latched onto Legionnaires as the black shadowed-hole enveloped one man's screaming form.
Legionnaire threw himself backwards firing into the black, his weapon tracking the shadow soaked forms of his team mate's. He watched as the bullets smashed into their flailing forms their screams vanishing into the dark like mist running from the new morning sun.
Infected spilt like water, gushing forth in a relentless all consuming torrent, their wild ravenous forms flowing from the mouth of the tunnel devouring all in their path, soldiers vanishing beneath them like the tide slowly eroding the bedrock of a cliff until it falls, crashing into the sea never to be again what it once was.
Another four members of Templar vanished amidst a tangle of flesh and bone, stripped of their life and flesh as the horde of human locusts descended upon them, they vanished with little more than a whimper their lives stolen before they could scream.
The small, enclosed space of the mine's ventilation shaft was awash with the blood of the dead and dying, their slowly paling forms crushed beneath the invading horde as they forced themselves upon the beleaguered defenders. Man fought man, bullet and blade against tooth and nail as the Infected fell upon the rapidly thinning ranks. The smoke scorched their throats, tearing at their oesophagus, strangling the air as they struggled to breathe in the thickening pall. Light danced across their features as they fired, the sharp stink of cordite stung their eyes as they rained fire down upon the masses. Dictator dropped his weapon, the heavy lump of overheated metal melting the cloth of his trousers as it crashed into his leg, the smell of his own burning skin wafted up as he dragged his pistol from its holster and continued to fire.
The tide of Infected never ebbed as they threw themselves at the men. Dictator watched in horror as the noose around his neck grew ever tighter, the cold pull of the afterlife tugging at him as he watched men vanish beneath a swatch of rippling black flesh.
'We can't keep this up, we have to move.'
Rook looked at Dictator, scorn and incomprehension reigned supreme as he met the eyes of his fellow soldier.
'And where, pray tell, are we supposed to go? That tunnel's caved, that one's full of fucking Infected and the rest is miles of rock!'
Firing his pistol one handed Dictator pointed upwards.
'We're below the intake vent I told you about.'
Blood curdling screams drowned out the rest as Dictator became bathed in blood, turning his head he watched as four more of his men were torn to pieces, their tortured screams the only eulogy they would ever receive.
Pieces of flesh slapped against Dictator's face as he watched the grasping hand and pleading eyes of a team mate vanish beneath the writhing bodies, his leather coated fingers slipping beneath the wall of skin as his life was extinguished by the ravenous teeth of the Infected.
Titan and Legionnaire backed towards Dictator and the remaining members of Division Thirty-Six. All of them stared helpless and impotent like children lost in a crowd, they could do naught but watch as the remnants of S.A.U Templar slowly disappeared beneath the maelstrom.
Infected clambered over each other as they tore into the men, rending them limb from limb, feasting on the still warm flesh of the soldiers as they tore their meal from their still beating hearts.
'This is one major cluster fuck,' Dictator screamed as he emptied one his six remaining magazines into the mass of Infected slowly edging up the incline.
'Dictator, we need an exit from this. We have several fast movers inbound with a heavy payload to level this whole area, mine included.'
Dictator cringed he knew where this was going.
'We have been marked as expendable ain’t we?'
'That's affirmative buddy, we have a sample that the boys in yellow really need to see, it's from one of the original contacts in the east tunnel.'
Dictator nodded, he ran scenarios through his mind by the dozen, settling on one. Turning he opened his mouth, his words drowning in his throat as his mind exploded in a deluge of white hot light.
Staring down he saw an Infected, its teeth sunk deep into the lower portion of his shin, biting back another scream he lowered his gun until the silencers muzzle was flush to the creatures skull and pulled the trigger. He felt the round tear into his flesh, he couldn't really decide which was worse.
Was it worse to have something chew deep into your flesh; their teeth slicing through your own tissue as they ground their canines off the white tinted bones of your shin, or was it worse still to feel the hot piercing sensation of heated lead and copper pushing itself through the thin layers of your hide knowing that it was you that had sent that projectile on its path.
He watched the creature's head disintegrate before him, the high velocity nine millimetre hollow point round pummelling the collapsing cranium into submission.
Glancing at Rook he saw the resigned look of a man torn between duty and camaraderie, neither man could call what lay between them friendship, because it simply wasn't. The closest it came was a battle hardened mutual respect.
'Knot up!'
Dictator shifted his weight onto his good leg, as Legionnaire and Titan fought back the advancing wave of Infected.
'What?' Growling under his breath Dictator tightened a webbing strap round his calf wincing as it bit into his skin.
'You fucking heard me soldier, I said knot up, you've got to get out of here and get that shit back to the others, or this is all for nothing. They're glassing this place anyway; here.'
Dictator fished six vials out of his side storage pouch and pressed them into Rook's hands as Crow handed over the one they had collected.
Rook Glanced at Crow who grinned gamely as he shrugged.
'Just in case.'
Stepping over to the lines dangling through the vent Dictator fired a flare up through the chimney and watched it bloom, the glowing phosphorus illuminating the now darkened sky above.
'You have ninety seconds before that chopper winches these out. Now hook up and get going we got this.'
A low rumb
ling rolled through the mine, dust motes dancing in the gloom as the lights in the chamber flickered.
'Well, at least something’s gone right.'
Dictator turned to see Rook and the other three men snapping the Carabineer's onto their harnesses.
'Dictator.' He turned to look at Rook, 'You may be a Limey twat, but thanks, it's been an honour.'
Dictator grinned at him. 'Fuck off.'
Rook laughed as his line went taught and pulled him up through the chimney. Crow locked his line in place as the knot of Infected tightened around them. His eyes widened as a searing sensation of tearing flesh and heat ripped through his neck, gagging he managed to raise his side-arm and fire over his shoulder as blood soaked his jacket, he clamped his hand to his neck feeling his blood pulse over the edges of his fingers as the line tightened and dragged him upwards.
Staring above him he blinked as the light began to swirl and dim, a halo of black slowly shifting at the edges of his vision. He clamped his hand tighter to his neck, blood oozing over his fingers, rolling down his arm as darkness fell swallowing him whole.
Raven and Hawk looked at one another, there was one chance and one chance only of this working and they both knew what it was, Raven looked at his friend and locked the Carabineer to Hawk's harness.
'Tell Sarah I love her.'
Clasping Hawk's hand in his Raven stuffed his dog tags into Hawk's palm.
Before Hawk could utter a word the line snapped tight, yanking him off his feet and up through the chimney. Rook leant out the door of the helicopter, the high tension line feeding through his hand as the form of a man slowly materialised emerging from the murky black below, he stared at the coalescing form below him; he watched the limp form rise through the air fear gripping his heart.
'No, No, No, come on buddy be okay.'
Grabbing onto Crow's harness he yanked the unmoving form of his friend into the helicopter. Tearing his glove off, he pressed his fingers to Crow's neck, searching for a pulse. The soft thump reached back from the depths of Crow's body as Rook watched the man he cradled in his lap.
Hawk appeared at the door's edge moments later, only to come face to face with the body of his team mate.
'He's there, it's weak but he's there.'
He shifted as Hawk moved into the cabin of the helicopter, the soldier watching intently as the medic edged past him.
A soft jangle reached his ears, looking down he saw Sparrow's tags bouncing in the wind echoing past them, reaching out he gently slipped them from Crow's vest.
Crow's eyes fluttered rolling in his head as they fought to focus.
Rook's heart went cold as he watched the eyes flicker open, tendrils of ice lanced through him as he watched the dilated red orbs alight on his own. Shoving Hawk away, he heaved Crow from the helicopter, the guttural moan already leaving the man's throat as his hands swiped the air in front of Hawk's face. The savage, feral sneer tearing Crow's features burned itself into Hawk's mind as he watched him sail free from the doorway.
The helicopter jerked with the sudden weight shift, the tether line snapping tight as the Infected form of their friend flailed futilely at the end of it. Lifting his side arm from its holster Hawk leant out the door aiming the pistol. The small red dot bloomed to life, the laser dancing over the centre of Crow's forehead.
'Bye brother.'
The muted, muttered sentiment lost in the rotor wash as he pulled the trigger.
Reaching forwards, he slipped his utility knife from its sheath on his vest and set it gently against the rope.
The edge bit deeply into the rope, severing it with a twang as the line broke both men watched as Crow's body fell away, tumbling through the air disappearing into the ink black-night. Raven stared up the chimney and smiled, his sister will thank him when they meet again.
He had known for a very long time of the relationship between his sister and his best friend, he would be damned if some Infected lunatic was going to stop her from being happy. Shouldering his rifle, he turned to face the mass of Infected. Titan and Legionnaire were holding their own five feet to his left as Dictator who while pale, sickly, and sweating continued to tear holes in anything that got close enough to him.
'Better have something to talk about when I get there.'
With a grin on his face and full magazine Raven stepped towards the mass of Infected before him as his gun roared.
Rook and Hawk sat in the helicopter, neither moving, nor saying a word. The stench of death hanging over them like a cloak. The medic looked from one to the other before turning away, watching the trees and dust yellowed grass roll by as they sped away.
They watched with detached care as the three B-1 Lancer bombers flew in over head towards the mine, turning, both men stared after the receding aircraft watching as the night bloomed into daylight.
The dull crump that echoed back as the planes jettisoned their payload made both men flinch, the ground below seemed to ripple as the bombs detonated. A sudden rush of air sent the helicopter reeling as a flash of incandescent, white light illuminated the sky, with a distant roar and cloud of boiling dust the mine and everything around it was gone. Rook dropped his head, the weight of losing so many people so quickly weighed heavily on his soul, he stared at the vials in his hands. 'All those deaths for these.'
His fist tightened as he listened to the grinding creak of the glass as the vials ground against one another. The temptation to send the vials of plague ridden blood spinning into the fiery depths of the abyss below almost became to much to bear.
Then, like the hand of an angel descending from the heavens, Hawk made the choice for him. Hawk's hand enveloped Rook's as he scooped the vials from his grip slipping them into the padded case beside him.
'Do that chief, and the others will have died for nothing.'
Rook sighed and turned his attention back to the scene below, the sky was ablaze with dancing colour as the fires raged through the tunnels of the mines and burst out into the waiting arms of the night sky. 'Hawk, my man it already feels like they have, twenty-one men for four vials of blood; that don't tally with me, not one fucking bit.'
Bursts of orange and yellow caught their attention below.
'Gun fire.' was Hawks only comment, pressing his finger to his ear he listened to the chatter of his radio. 'Seems the AU have set aside their quarrels for now and are sweeping the entire area. Their combined forces are covering over seven hundred square miles via plane, satellite and land reconnaissance. Systematically wiping out any one within one hundred miles of the Infected zone and checking the rest for symptoms.'
Rook snorted in disgust.
'So what the fuck were we doing here then?'
Hawk shrugged.
'Don't know brother, I just don't know.'
24
Baker shut the folder with a snap, running his hand over his bald head.
'Ouch, those boys got a pasting didn't they?' Colinson nodded. Standing Baker stretched his back popping as he moved.
'You going to tell me who Rook is now?'
Baker smiled as he looked at Colinson, walking to the door he opened it slowly.
'May I present to you Sergeant Alexander “Rook” Richards and Corporal Jonathan “Hawk” Stabbler, they're on loan from Division Thirty-Six. Well I say on loan I basically poached them.'
Colinson shook his head in wonderment, the two men who stood before had been the advanced combat instructors on base for the past eight months.
'Baker how did you slip this past me?' Baker grinned.
'Simple, I slipped the paper work for them in with the annual reports, you just sign on the line until finished with those. Then once you were finished I had Susan filter out the forms and send them off. So like I said, simple.'
His secretary blushed shame faced as she looked round at the use of her name. Colinson shook his head a smile tugging at his features.
'As you were gentlemen, this is beyond my ability to alter now, so carry on.'
Both men salu
ted subconsciously reverting to the American system, then turned on their heels and left the room, Richards slowed as he neared Susan’s desk. Leaning close to her he winked.
'So sweetheart we still on for this weekend?'
Susan blushed deeply as she stared into his crystal blue eyes.
'Uh, I, well, yes we are.'
'Good, see you at seven on Friday'
Susan blushing deeper nodded before hiding behind the flat screen monitor in front of her. Stabbler chuckled to himself as they walked out of the offices and back to the barracks.
Williams and Sheperd stood on top of the small, four story building watching the throng of milling Infected below, the chopper was banking slowly in the distance, as the two men looked up.
'Well looks like our little sojourn into the village of the damned is at an end bud.'
Sheperd laughed through his nose as Williams finished speaking.
'Seems that way don't it, but it looks like we have a fast ride out of this place, Choppers banking back our way.'
Williams glanced at Sheperd.
'Pub'
Sheperd grinned.
'Aye sounds like a plan'
25
Goodmayes.
Outer London.
England.
10:30 A.M local time.
February second. 2012.
The truck squealed to a halt as the men threw the rear doors open in their haste to exit the vehicle. Their booted feet thumped against the tarmac and paving slabs as they sprinted to the front door of the tower block. The crowds gathered behind the steel security fencing, vied for a view of the men, clad in pale grey as they stacked up in formation on the door.
Their breath hung in the air as it seeped through the Nomex balaclavas they wore, glistening moisture clinging to the material as their breath condensed in the fabric. Holding up a gloved hand, one of them motioned to his ear and every man moved in sync switching on their radios.
'Right lads, we are in the public eye, so keep your head on straight and locked tight, Joe six pack doesn't know we exist and for the time being it's staying that way. As far as they are concerned we are a new branch of the Police, so keep it zipped, 'orite.'
