Blue Plague: Hope: Book Seven

by Watson, Thomas A

  The lead vehicles pulled apart in two columns, driving off the main runway and onto the grass, forming the defensive perimeter as gunfire erupted from every vehicle. “Don’t shoot at our own trucks!” Danny screamed over the radio, seeing streams of fire trying to shoot between the other line of trucks.

  As her rig slowed and pulled up behind the one in front, Danny climbed out on the roof and watched the supply vehicles pull in the center. She let out a sigh, seeing the last MRAPs closing the box. Grabbing her radio, Danny grinned. “Okay, let’s do what we came to do. Let’s kill some blues.”

  ***

  Six miles to the south on an overpass, Matt looked around at the mass of blues on the interstate. “Alpha company, do not, I repeat, do not shoot at the blues directly under us or you will build a ramp for them to use. Keep your fire one hundred yards out but remember, we are only thirty feet up, so they may be able to jump up if enough get under us.”

  When he got answers from everyone, Matt looked at his screens, checking the other companies. “This is Bat Two, I need air for Bat Two, Charlie company,” he called over the regiment radio, then grabbed the battalion radio. “Charlie company, you need to move your ass, this isn’t a Sunday drive. Pull into that baseball field and set up. You have blues in waves coming.”

  “No shit,” a female voice screamed.

  “If I have to drive down there, I will kick your ass,” Matt shot back. “Now calm down and set up,” he said as he saw helicopters swoop in, clearing the blues back. The convoy pulled off the road into a group of ball fields and formed up.

  Matt sighed, “I wish it was Danny’s turn to run the battalion today.”

  ***

  Six miles to the southeast, Jake’s company pulled into Atlanta International Airport, setting up on the runway. Standing up, he glanced out seeing his troops were set up and keeping the blues back three hundred yards. “We’ll play later,” he said, dropping back down.

  Looking at his monitors, he clicked on his other companies. He sighed, seeing Bravo already in a perimeter defense with a wall of bodies around them. “Good girl,” he said and looked at the others.

  Grabbing the regiment radio, “This is Bat One, I need air for Bat One, Echo company on I-75,” he called out, then grabbed the battalion radio. “Echo, why aren’t you set up? I passed you and I’m set up!”

  “We were keeping convoy speed, Over,” a nervous voice called back.

  “You can’t get a fucking ticket, now move your ass!”

  “Copy, we are two miles away from rally point.”

  Jake took a breath, trying to keep calm. “I know, I can see you and you’re driving like Miss Daisy. Step on the long vertical pedal before you have to stop on the interstate and form up and I’m telling you, you don’t want to fight numbers like this there.”

  “Copy.”

  Watching the monitor, Jake sighed, seeing a gunship roll in, clearing a path for Echo. Taking his advice, Echo sped up pulling off the highway into a large parking lot. When they were set up, Jake dropped the radio, leaning back. “Now, all they have to do is fight,” he said, standing up and grabbing his rifle.

  ***

  Mary looked around the golf course they were set up on at the endless streams of blues. Grabbing the regimental radio and looking at a large cluster of trees six hundred yards away, Mary took a deep breath. “This is Bat One, Bravo. I have trees to my south six hundred yards away and blues are pouring out. Can you send me something?”

  “On the way,” Bruce said and Mary smiled, dropping the radio and grabbing her rifle. Pulling it to her shoulder, she started firing into the wall of blues.

  All of a sudden, hundreds of explosions sounded really close to the south. She turned to see trees falling as the explosions continued for almost a minute. “What the fuck did he just shoot at me?” she asked then turned back and saw many blues were also looking at the explosions.

  Unlucky for the blues, Mary’s troops never looked and kept firing.

  ***

  Bruce leaned back from the tabletop monitor as the last of the MLRS rockets exploded. “All teams are now in position and set up,” he said, looking at the map.

  “Second regiment, battalion three and four are reporting minimal contact with all companies,” Angela said. “They are requesting to redeploy closer to Atlanta.”

  “Negative, we have three battalions inside and blues are starting to head to us,” Bruce said, tapping the table to change to a drone in the east. “Tell them, they are to hold between Athens and Atlanta. They will have playmates soon enough.”

  “Bruce, Willie says the National Guard base looks like all the storage areas are empty,” Stephanie said, rubbing her belly.

  Looking at the small sub screens around the main map, Bruce touched one and dragged it to the center. Letting it go, it blew up and he saw a formation of MRAPs in the middle of the runway. “Please don’t tell me Willie drove over to the storage building first.”

  “Okay, I won’t tell you,” Stephanie said, then pressed her headset. “Warthog flight 147, need you to northeast at Peachtree airport. Need strafing run east to west at north end of runway.”

  Tapping the screen again, Bruce pulled down a shot from a drone at thirty thousand feet. It wasn’t hard to figure out where the teams were. The explosions around them marked them very well.

  “What the hell?” he said, seeing explosions on side roads away from any of the teams. “Who’s doing that?” Bruce asked.

  “Doing what?” Stephanie asked, covering her mouthpiece.

  “Dropping ordnance on side streets?”

  “I’m not and Angela is directing the choppers now,” Stephanie said, then went back to guiding in the aircraft.

  Bruce watched as the explosions kept coming. He sighed and pulled out his cellphone, seeing the relay was up and he had signal. Tapping the screen, he pulled the phone to his ear.

  “Don’t start,” Nancy shouted, answering the phone.

  “I would like to save those Hellfires, in case we need them.”

  “I have seven Reapers overhead and I’m only using three of them,” she snapped. “I know where everyone is, so shut up.”

  “Nancy, put the red shoes on tonight, you need some bad,” Bruce said then hung up.

  “Pee break,” Angela said, holding up her hand and one of the technicians watching ran over. When she got up, the young man sat down and Angela handed him her headset. “I have God’s Mower coming in for Matt. It needs to do a run north to south along the interstate.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said, pressing the headset.

  Bruce chuckled as she put a hand between her legs and waddled to the back of Prometheus. There were two bathrooms but the crew learned; keep one open or the two pregnant women would yank you out.

  “Bruce, the Land of Oz finished their assessment and are reporting one point three to one point six million in Atlanta, and about that many moving in from the surrounding area,” Stephanie said, then went back to air traffic control.

  Tapping the screen, Bruce groaned, flipping through different views till he looked over at the group of technicians from second regiment that were observing. “Get my satellite map up with the teams’ locations,” Bruce said, waving his hand at the table.

  A young girl came over and tapped the screen three times and a satellite image sprang up with fifty pins, marking each company’s location. “Thank you,” Bruce said, looking at the map as Ted and Carl moved over.

  “Boss, this is bullshit. We wiped out that mega horde and it moved through here,” Ted said, shaking his head.

  “Ted, we did and we know, blues move back into an area because game moves back and they follow,” Bruce said. “I was actually expecting more.”

  “You still think they will be able to move to alternate positions by this afternoon?” Carl asked.

  Tapping the screen, Bruce pulled up drones flying at sixteen thousand feet then tapped the screen, filling it with a live feed. “This is Danny. Look, the mass of blues
is already thinning. The blues have fifty targets to go after and are getting chopped to bits,” he said. “They will be able to move in a few hours. We are putting up too many for them to mass up on.”

  Carl nodded then looked up at Bruce. “When would you consider this war won?”

  Bruce waved a hand at the screen. “When I can send one platoon to a city this size, and they can move without fear of being overrun.”

  “Oh boy,” Ted sighed. “That may take a while.”

  ***

  Glancing at her watch, Danny saw it was almost 1400. “Can we go now?” Buffy whined. “There aren’t that many blues here.”

  “Buffy, we have to wait until we get permission,” Danny laughed. “They are moving the companies a few at a time, to make sure they have air available to cover. We are moving into the city and that means the blues will be right on us.”

  “Well, tell everyone to stop shooting so many so I can use the minigun, or you get on the minigun and let me shoot some,” Buffy huffed.

  “Just use your SCAR and if you see a big group, cut loose on the minigun,” Danny said, still hearing a steady tempo of suppressed shots but no big guns.

  Pulling her rifle to her shoulder, Buffy laughed, pulling the trigger dropping a blue. “It’s on like a chicken bone,” she laughed.

  “Bat Two Bravo, this is Boss, you copy?” Bruce called over the radio.

  “About time,” Danny huffed, dropping in the back and grabbing the radio. “This is Bravo.”

  “Danny, you can’t take the interstate to Turner Field’s parking lot. There is a huge pileup on the overpass and the side streets are blocked. You are going to have to come in through South Downtown, you ready for the route?”

  “Ready, Dad,” she said and started writing as he read out the directions, then she repeated them back.

  “That’s right. Now, you’ll be going through downtown and you will need to button up because you’re driving between high-rises till you reach Capitol Ave. You will have to stay single file and I suggest you lead. Tell your driver to get on the radio and Angela will direct him.”

  “Got it,” Danny said then pushed her head into the cab. “Get on the radio and follow the directions Angela gives you when she gives them to you or I’ll let Buffy drive,” she told the driver, a young man named Louis.

  “I will,” Louis said, pulling on his CVC and Danny moved back, grabbing the company radio. “Bravo, we are moving out and I’m leading and we will stay single file to get past obstacles. We will be going through downtown and when I say button up, you better button up. The most important thing is, don’t get separated and stay close. My speed will be forty-five MPH. Moving out in ten, report if you copy.”

  When the platoons called in, Danny told the driver to pull out. “Buffy, get on the mini, it’s about to get interesting.”

  “I got the big can full,” she said cheerfully. “That’s ten thousand rounds in my can of whoop ass.”

  Clipping the regiment radio on her, Danny stood up as her driver waited for the others in front of her to move. “Momma, I swear, I believe Dad was unfaithful to you at least once. There’s no way Buffy is not blood,” she said softly.

  When he had the room, Louis pulled out and away from the group and slowed, waiting on the others to get behind him. “I like being in the front,” Buffy said, spinning the cupola till she was aiming ahead.

  “I do too, Buffy, but if I say button up, you drop down fast,” Danny said.

  Shrugging and adjusting her CVC, “Okay,” Buffy said then gripped the minigun.

  Making sure the fifty-six MRAPs and ten support vehicles were in line, Danny gripped her rifle, “Driver, let’s go,” she said.

  Hearing Angela call out directions, Danny relaxed as Louis slowly picked up speed. Bringing her rifle up, Danny started shooting the blues that were close to their route. “Brace yourself,” the driver yelled out and Danny dropped down inside. She looked up toward the cab and saw Buffy was already inside.

  The MRAP gave a shake and Danny looked through the driver’s window as he crashed through the gate. Seeing they were clear, she jumped back up with the second radio operator, a twenty-year-old girl named Beth and started shooting.

  Weaving around abandoned cars and wrecks, the driver headed into Atlanta. Ejecting her magazine, Danny slammed in a new one, then picked up the SAW. “Get on a belt fed weapon, we are two people short,” she told Beth. Resting the SAW on the roof, Danny started squeezing short bursts.

  ‘Rrrrrrrr,’ she heard the minigun fire and glanced up to see Buffy was firing to their front. “Buffy, show me you really are my sister,” Danny mumbled, squeezing the trigger and chopping down three blues.

  As the driver turned on another road, Danny saw the sign, ‘Donald Lee Hollowell Pkway’. Not seeing any blues close, she looked at her feed box and saw it was almost empty. Popping the top, she threw the small belt away and fed a new one in.

  “Should have kept those support troops in here for firepower,” she mumbled, slamming the tray closed. Checking her side and not seeing any threats, Danny glanced up and saw Buffy aiming her rifle ahead of them.

  Climbing up behind Buffy and looking ahead, there were only a few blues in the road charging them. Moving to the side, Danny raised the SAW and helped Buffy keep the road clear. When Buffy changed magazines, she glanced over at Danny. “I’m not using my can of whoop ass on them.”

  Danny grinned as she squeezed the trigger and caught movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to see a Blackhawk flying beside them. It seemed the gunner didn’t care about using his can of whoop ass as a stream of red, rained down on the road.

  “Cheater!” Buffy yelled. “When you reload, you don’t have blues running at you!”

  Feeling her bolt lock back, Danny dropped back down and grabbed another one. After loading her SAW, Danny threw a couple of belts on the roof, then climbed back up beside Buffy. Looking up, she saw the Blackhawk fly over the road continuing to fly along with them and the door gunner on this side used his can of whoop ass.

  Keeping her weapon up, Danny just watched for threats, letting the chopper clear the road. Glancing over at Buffy, Danny saw her put her SCAR back inside and get on the minigun. “Good girl,” Danny mumbled as the chopper crossed the road again, so the right gunner could fire as the left reloaded.

  Looking ahead, she saw a T intersection. “This better stay Donald’s Parkway or we are turning around,” she said then glanced to her right through breaks in the trees, seeing the high-rises getting closer.

  “Slow down, dumb ass. I don’t want to turn over!” Buffy shouted down at Louis and Danny was rather glad she did. The turn wasn’t that sharp, but for a vehicle this size it was.

  It seemed the driver only took his foot off the accelerator never hitting the brake and Danny grabbed on, swearing the right wheels were off the ground.

  As Louis turned on Hollywood, the MRAP jerked hard to the left, throwing everyone around. Danny banged around in the hatchway, crashing against the lip and feeling pain in her back. She looked up just in time to see Buffy drop down in the cupola, dropping inside.

  “Do that again and I will let Herman cut your dick off, bitch!” Buffy screeched at the driver. Seeing nothing close, Danny couldn’t resist and dropped down and saw Buffy holding her knife in front of Louis’ face. “Do it again, I fucking dare ya, bitch!”

  “If you wreck, we have to walk, you stupid fucker!” Buffy screamed then folded Herman up and clipped him to her vest. “You busted my lip, so I get to bust yours when we stop,” Buffy said calmly and climbed back up into the cupola.

  Danny laughed standing back up and then stopped, seeing the Blackhawk fly away. She was about to call for another one when low and behold, another Blackhawk flew alongside them, clearing the road ahead.

  Looking around, she saw an AutoZone. “Man, Dad spent some money in those,” she said, continuing to scan around.

  Around them, she could start to see larger buildings and the gunner in the B
lackhawk was firing almost constantly. Danny started to wonder if she should ask for another on standby when a second Blackhawk flew past the first and the door gunner opened up. “I love Momma Angela and Momma Stephanie,” Danny sighed.

  Looking up and around, Danny caught her breath, seeing a dozen helicopters around them. Then she saw a dark shape coming, and the choppers in front of them peeled away as God’s Mower lowered its nose and unleashed hell.

  “Bring the pain!” Danny yelled and Buffy threw up her hands cheering as the plane flew in front and crossed over the road they were on, sending continuous streams of 7.62 to the earth. Then, Danny realized it was clearing the road they were turning on ahead.

  God’s Mower was barely past them when the Blackhawks flew back up. One was on the left, barely fifty yards in front of them and the other on the right, a hundred yards ahead of the other chopper.

  Danny sighed, seeing neither was shooting but the driver was slowing, then looked ahead. “This isn’t a sharp turn, fuck face!” Buffy shouted. “Fucking go before Herman comes out to play!”

  Making a mental note to ask her Dad if Buffy could always stay with her, Danny looked up as the choppers were firing to the left of the road that they were turning right on. Passing a salvage yard, Danny kept looking north as the driver turned onto Hwy 41. Blues were filling the road, only to be cut down.

  Feeling the rig jarring, Danny turned ahead to see the road packed with dead blues. The RG she was in didn’t have a true plow, only a small one to keep bodies from getting stuck underneath. It may have looked like ground effects, but the plow was tossing most bodies out of the way.

  Seeing a hospital on the right, Danny started scanning hard, swinging her gun back and forth but the blues were still being held back by the Blackhawks. “This is a sharp turn, dumb ass!” Buffy shouted and Danny looked ahead.

  Lucky for Louis, he slowed enough to keep the vehicle from rocking then stomped the accelerator, powering out of the turn. “Very good, dumb ass!” Buffy yelled. Looking south, Danny saw God’s Mower flying along another road, heading toward downtown.