Juan grabbed his pillowcase and walked across the street, then kicked in the front door, a key ring sat on the table by the door. He grabbed it and left without waiting to find any more creatures lurking behind doors. He cranked the engine, but it didn’t start. Juan tried to crank it two more times.
“What is wrong with you, you piece of shit!” He shouted at the truck in frustration. Juan told himself the next try was going to be the last try to start the truck. It started and ran roughly for a minute. There’s my paycheck, working nicely. He pulled out onto the street and headed for the gate. The Glendale gate was deserted with barriers to stop him from driving through.
“This is just wrong, man!” he shouted as he approached the north gate to find the barriers in place there also. Nervously, he headed for the bridge that connected the living part of the base with the working part of the base. The truck stuttered going up the bridge, then died on the way down. He easily coasted to a stop. “Start, you bitch!” he screamed before deciding he’d have to leave the truck and pillowcase. He reached in and took out the watch, admiring how nice it looked on his wrist. He stuffed the money in his front pocket and then stuffed the big automatic in the back of his pants. He started to hear sporadic gunshots. “Oh, shit! The monsters are coming out. The broken doors to the NCO club slammed open, disintegrating from the force. Dozens of the monsters ran out of the building, and then began running towards him faster than he thought at all humanly possible. He fled, running faster than he’d ever run, even as a teen.
They’re not humans! The sound of shrieking from behind only drove him faster; he thought they were gaining on him, but feared turning around and seeing them even closer. Where the hell are all those soldiers that were over here? He looked around desperately for where everyone had disappeared. Risking a quick glance, he saw there might be enough time to get into the truck ahead of him by a building. If there were no keys, he might be able to hide there, he rationalized.
The truck doors were unlocked and the key was in the ignition. “God, if you get me out of this, I’ll turn my life around and devote the time I have left to you. No more stealing, no hurting people, I’ll go to church every Sunday, and I’ll even make up with my mom.” The engine fully roared to life as he moved the column mounted lever and stomped down on the gas. He put the brake on three feet later after the truck had reversed through the boarded-up door behind him. Juan shifted to drive and floored it out of the building, he didn’t see the commotion or hear the gunfire as those chasing him were instead attracted to the gunfire of the team covering those trying to put the door back up.
Voices of shrieking zombies were in a contest with the guns of the defenders firing on them for who was the loudest. Lt Col Gerbis cringed as he watched as the zombies burst through the doorway. Dead bodies piled up rapidly as they had no fear of the guns and, instead, were attracted to the sound of gunfire. Piles of the dead rose over two feet high, zombie and human alike intertwined. The sound was deafening from all the gunfire as the remaining men and women of the 56th Fighter Wing made one last stand blocking the hallway. Grudgingly falling back as slowly as possible, trying to buy time with their very lives for those in the back of the building to tear down the barricade and get the children and families out of the death trap they had made for themselves.
Gloria woke at the sound of gunfire. The sounds of firing had almost immediately hit a crescendo and not come down. Screams of mothers and their children mixed with people running could be heard mixed with the shrieks of the zombies and weapons fire. She looked at the door and wondered if the lock would hold. “NOOOO!” Oliver screamed as loud as he could in pure terror, realizing what was happening on the other side of the door. Gloria grabbed his mouth and covered it.
“Sweetie you can’t be…” Bam! The first fist pounded against the door as new shrieking could be heard. More hands pounded against the door as more bodies hurled themselves at it as well. Gloria looked up at the edges of the door and saw more light leak in every time the door was pounded. She looked around the narrow dark room and realized I can see like its daylight in here, what’s going on? We have to run now.
“Oliver, you can’t make any noise at all or they’re going to get you. Do you understand?” The boy nodded, afraid to make any sound at all. Gloria stood and pulled out the pistol.
“Hold my hand, Oliver. I’m going to open the other door to the outside. There may be more of them out there. We’re going to run and I need you to keep up with me, okay?” The boy’s face was all tears and snot, he nodded, afraid if he spoke now he’d cry. Gloria wanted to comfort him, but even more, she wanted to get him and her out of there. Where the hell are we running to? I don’t have squat for a plan.
Oliver whimpered when Gloria let go of his hand to grab the doorknob. The other door burst open, flooding the dark room with bright light as zombies fought with each other to get through. Gloria turned the knob and pushed the door open before reaching behind her for Oliver. He lay on the floor, curled up crying. She grabbed him so hard she was afraid, she’d hurt him. She felt a zombie grab the collar of her blouse as she ran out the door, buttons were popping as her uniform tore open. Outside, a lone zombie shrieked, running towards her. She pulled up the 9mm and aimed at his head with less than ten feet separating them, firing twice. Both shots hit him in the neck as he fell backwards. Gloria turned and fired into the zombie behind her, she recognized the zombie wearing the flightsuit as a man she had come to respect. She hoped the bullet going through his brain brought him peace.
Zombies were running at her from all directions, she did not even think, she ran down the street where the fewest zombies were coming. She didn’t realize she had fired her last shot, even as the slide locked back. Two zombies ahead of her blocked any escape. She dropped the gun and pulled Oliver to her, holding his head to her chest so he would not see the end coming. Both zombies went down hard as a pickup turned the corner, crunching them underneath.
“Get in, get in now!” The driver shouted as he desperately tried to look in all directions as the zombies were all converging on them. Gloria threw Oliver in the truck before getting in. She did not even have the door closed, half falling out as the driver turned the truck hard, trying to steer away from those approaching. Gloria’s eyes opened wide when she saw the numbers and appearance of the zombies for the first time.
“Turn the truck west! Our only hope is to get on the flightline or they’re going to box us in.” The driver looked at her not comprehending. “Drive out there!” She pointed to the flightline and the flat open concrete not far from them. He turned the truck, sideswiping a zombie as he headed where the woman had ordered him to.
“See, in every direction there’s room to drive. Just get away from the planes and buildings and we should be fine.” She looked down at her feet where Oliver lay huddled. Don’t worry little man, you’re safe with me. I won’t let anything happen to you.
“Slow down and turn off the headlights so they don’t see us, the lights are like a fire attracting bugs.” She didn’t see the ugly face he made as he complied with her orders. From the moment I rescued this woman, she just keeps ordering me around. She just must be a test from God to see if I’ll keep my promises to him. I must be strong.
“Let’s stop here, we’re in the center of the runway. No one is close to us.” Juan stopped the truck and put it in park. He opened the windows to get some fresh air. For the first time he noticed the woman’s top was in shreds, he could see she had a magnificent rack and smiled, we’re out here away from everybody. This is a test, God is testing me. Oh Lord, I’ll keep my word to you.
Gloria had felt his eyes on her after he shut off the truck and wondered what would happen next as she tried to pull together her uniform blouse. She looked over at him; his head was down, his hands clasped tightly together on his lap as he prayed fervently. Embarrassed, Gloria looked out across the runway at the base; she could easily see movement between the buildings. In the opposite direction she could see zo
mbies pressed up against the chain link fence, wanting to get onto the base, shrieking out their frustrations.
A hand grasped Gloria’s knee, she turned to confront the driver. His hands were still grasped together in prayer. She looked down between her legs, Oliver looked up at her; he appeared so innocent and vulnerable, she picked him up into her arms and held him against her, stroking his head as he just sat and made soft mewing noises.
The woman looked saintly as the boy nuzzled against her chest. His white skin contrasted against her dark skin. The clouds opened up, bathing them in especially bright moonlight, making them appear to glow. Juan felt a peace he had never known before and a purpose. His mission from here on out would be to protect the woman and boy until his last breath.
“What’s your name, sir?” Juan was shocked out of his thoughts.
“I’m Juan Hernandez. Today I was reborn. I want you to know that you and the boy will always be safe with me. What is your name and the boy’s?”
“I’m Lt Gloria Alban; my friends call me ‘Grits’. Thank you for saving me and Oliver from those things. I didn’t have any plans for what to do when the zombies chased us out of the building. I didn’t even save the last bullets for Oliver and me, to keep from becoming one of those things. Everything just happened so very fast. How did you find yourself on base?”
She looks so sincere and vulnerable; no harm will come to them. Juan’s face began to burn, he felt embarrassed for the first time in his life. This must be another test. “I climbed over the fence and was looting. The way I found you was that the truck I was driving died and I had to borrow another one. Right after that, I saved you and the boy. It is like the Lord directed me where to go to find you when I did.”
“Juan, do you have any plans to keep safe from the zombies?” Gloria asked, not sure if she could trust her rescuer.
“I figure until the government come in and fixes things, it’d be best to find a farm to stay at. I don’t want to repeat tonight if I can help it. We can be hermits for a while.”
“Hermits live by themselves, but you have the right idea, I guess, except I don’t think we’re going to see the government come in and save the day, especially after what we saw tonight.” Two zombies were fifty feet away and rambling in their direction from behind the truck. “I think it’s time to move. We have company behind us.”
“How did you see them? I was looking straight at them and didn’t see a thing.” Juan sounded suspicious.
“My training. When on guard duty at night, we learned that it’s easy to mistake a bush or tree for a man. Your eyes can play tricks on you. You have to look for movement, and that’s actually easier than it sounds.”
“Oh, okay, I get it. I’ll try that.” Juan started the truck the same time the two zombies realized they were there. He put the truck in reverse and headed backwards towards the two rushing zombies. Instead of jumping clear, both tried to be the first to reach the truck. The truck stopped like it had hit a wall rather than a speed bump. Juan shifted to drive and was relieved when there appeared to be no damage.
Thank goodness, he ate up that story. What’s he trying to do now, impress me? “Please don’t do something like that again. If the truck were damaged we’d be out here defenseless.”
She says that in a soft voice, but she should not tell a man what to do. She will learn. I will have to teach her the correct place of a mere woman.
Chapter 16
Converse County Airport, Wyoming. April 2, 2029
The satellite realignment was working exactly as MG Peterson had hoped. The Converse County Airport, along with the surrounding area for a radius of ten miles, was under observation. He sat with his staff and watched as thermal images showed the infected that were moving about. The city of Douglas had the highest number of body heat signatures at over 8000. A one mile radius from the airport showed less than fifty suspected infected.
“Sir, while we have a clean back yard, I’d like to send two armored cars to the outskirts of Douglas and try a ‘pied piper’ to see how many of the zombies we can get out of the city. There are quite a few isolated locations we can lead them to, and then eliminate them as a future risk. If it works well, we can expand on the idea with all the other towns and cities nearby. With all the heavy equipment in this state, the locals could do the same thing with very little risk. Hell, there’s a good chance it could be done without using a single bullet. I just need to give it a try tonight to see if there are any flaws in the plan,” Conrad requested.
“You have a ‘go.’ Limit it to a pair of armored cars, six personnel. No firing into the city and/or buildings. I want minimal collateral damage; these people are going to be our neighbors for a long time. I don’t want unhappy neighbors. You will also stay behind, I consider you too valuable to risk.”
“Thank you, Sir. I’ll have to go now to coordinate the mission.” Peters didn’t see the smile on Conrad’s face as he left the meeting. He’d already planned the mission for two armored cars, each with a full three-man crew. A couple of men had scrounged a PA speaker and already installed it.
Last minute activity was already going on around the two armored cars. Both vehicles had already been armed and topped off, now they were loading enough cases of MREs and bottled water for three days for three men into each vehicle. “Looks like you’re ready to go. You should have the routes plotted on the navigators. I just have one last change. I don’t know if we have any possible hostiles that want to use the current situation as an opportunity to attack us since we represent the government. Therefore, your mission call signs will be Troop 21 and Troop 22. Vehicle commanders will be Alpha, drivers Bravo, and gunners Charlie. Conserve ammunition as much as you can without putting yourself at risk. Avoid firing into the town or into any buildings. If you take fire, first be sure you are the recipient of hostile fire, you are cleared to defend yourself with any force you deem necessary. Any questions for me?” Wetzel and his detail, though exhausted, reminded Conrad of racehorses chomping at the bit. No one spoke, instead wanting to get out and kick some ass. Campbell began to raise his hand, and then dropped it immediately when he saw the dirty look he was getting from Wetzel.
“SrA Wetzel, you have a go. I want you to do one last review of the vehicles, then you’re clear to depart.”
“Yes, MSgt Conrad, one last review of the vehicles, then cleared to depart.” Wetzel waited for Conrad to leave, then confronted Campbell. “What’s your question Sean?”
“If we find survivors, do we assist or do we continue strictly on the mission and ignore them?” Wetzel smiled and made sure everyone was listening.
“If we find any survivors at risk, we will assist. If we hear gunfire, we will assume someone is in a world of hurt since they’re ringing the dinner bell for the zombies. My first flight chief used to say, ‘It’s easier to plead for forgiveness than ask for permission’. Now let’s look over those vehicles and get on the road.”
“Control, this is Troop 21 departing field, proceeding South on Hwy 59.” Wetzel felt the adrenaline starting to rise. The drive would be less than three miles to Douglas.
“Troop 21, Control, smile for the eye in the sky. Control out.” Wetzel laughed along with the rest of the crew after the transmission. He looked at the mission monitor before him and could see the view of his patrol on the highway from above then, switching views, he could see the heat signatures for the immediate area around him. The original plan looked like it would work.
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