Detroit Reanimated

by Michael Halliday

  “What are you doing here?” she asked them when she was ready to talk, the shrill was gone from her voice, but her eyes were still filled with fear.

  “We’re gathering vehicles and weapons for a large number of survivors,” Steve told her.

  “There are more of you out there?” She asked.

  “Yes,” Cameron said. He didn’t know who this woman was or her intentions.

  “How many?” she asked. Cameron and Steve merely looked at each other. “How many people are there?”

  “Ma’am, as a member of the U.S. government, I choose not to answer to protect the lives of those we are responsible for,” Steve said firmly.

  She merely shook her head in dismay at the agent.

  “Why?” Gina asked. “What am I going to do, murder them all?”

  Cameron and Matt looked at her crossly.

  “Let’s get her back to the warehouse and fill her in after we get what we came for,” Cameron proposed.

  They walked out and she staggered back into Cameron when she saw the bodies of the fallen.

  “Gina, we need to trust you, so we’re going to take you to where we’re staying,” Matt told the private.

  “I mean it,” Gina said to Cameron. “I’m not one of those guardsmen you think I am. Those men that you killed were.”

  “What is she talking about?” Steve asked.

  “We need to make sure the base command is dead or none of you will be leaving Kearney,” Gina said.

  “Cameron, what is she talking about?” Steve asked again.

  “Did you forget to tell him?” Matt asked Cameron.

  “Oops,” Cameron told the boy.

  “What’s wrong with your leg?” Gina asked, noticing that Matt was favoring his right leg.

  They waited while Cameron filled Steve in with what he learned at Fort Sill.

  “I had a bit of trouble earlier with some of the biters near here. I was kind of stupid and I fell through a floor. Something ripped into my hip. It’s stitched up, but I have to be careful.”

  “Was it metal?” she asked.

  “I think so, Matt said. “If you’re wondering if I had a tetanus shot, I had a booster last year.”

  “That’s what I was going to ask,” Gina replied.

  Gina showed him a massive scar on her left arm that went from her elbow up to her wrist.

  “Holy crap, how did that happen?” Matt asked.

  “I guess you can say stupidity and youthful recklessness. I lived with a bunch of brothers out on a farm, and they would convince me to do crazy things. One day, they dared me to climb our old silo. I was eleven at the time, and very much a tom boy. So, I climb up and I don’t see this piece of metal sticking out near the next ladder rung. I reach for the rung and…”

  Gina made a motion to show the metal went clean through and cut the entire length of her forearm.

  “Ouch, I bet it hurt!” Matt exclaimed.

  “Very bad, so I know how that feels. So why are you out here and putting yourself in danger?”

  “I want to help. I decided to give up my childhood so other kids can have theirs.”

  “Ah, so you’re the young warrior.”

  “Yep,” Matt said with a blush. He respected Gina.

  “That was a stupid lapse of judgment, Cameron!” Matt and Gina heard Steve yell from the next room. “She could sneak out tonight and wipe all of us out! We have women, kids and elders here!”

  Matt and Gina gave each other awkward glances.

  Before Gina had gone to bed, she accidently stumbled on Steve and Sandra making love. She quickly left without being seen, but she heard him as he had his orgasm.

  She also ran into Cameron, who sat against the wall at one of the entrances.

  “Hi Cameron,” Gina said kindly.

  “Hello, young lady. I was just thinking about you,” Cameron offered her a place across from him.

  “Oh? I hope it was good thoughts.”

  “Nothing to worry about,” Cameron told the private. I’m just trying to figure out some things."

  “So what’s wrong?”

  “Patrick and my father are going to Wyoming with a few others. I’m not sure it’s a good idea, but we need what we have there.”

  “What’s out there?” Gina asked.

  “Medicinal developmental supplies, plants and produced medications as well as my family’s library of notes on how to make what we need. Hospitals may be gone, but we’re going to still get sick, injured.”

  “You’re right,” Gina said with sincerity. “We could use that stuff. Maybe you should see it as accomplishing two vital things at once. The kids will be in good hands with us, while the others can save even more lives out there.”

  Cameron nodded as he thought about her words.

  “Is Matt and Daniel asleep?”

  “Yeah, they were when I check up on them.

  “Why don’t you trust me? You know not every soldier is out to kill civilians. I’m one of the good guys.”

  “So you say,” Cameron said while looking out the window.

  “Ok,” Gina said, “I’ll figure out a way to earn your trust, and then you’ll tell me. I think that’s fair.”

  Gina stood up to leave, but Cameron stopped her with a shocking question.

  “Do you know what this is?” Cameron asked.

  Cameron showed her the code that Eric gave him. Her eyes grew wide.

  “Fuck yeah, I do. That’s to tell troops to report to assignment in a critical situation. In order for you to get that, you must have someone’s good graces.”

  She passed Steve on her way to bed. He was dressed and unaware that she had stumbled on him and Sandra. He was floored when he realized she had heard him.

  “Dude,” she said with a nudge. “It sounded like you needed that.”

  “Huh?” he asked. “Oh hell, you heard me?”

  “Yep, I sure did. You have each other. That’s great,” Gina said

  He took his turn sitting across from Cameron, and they both sat in silence for at least five minutes.

  “What were you two talking about?” Steve asked.

  “Not much,” Cameron replied. “Just testing the waters and see where her head’s at.”

  “I’m sorry I jumped on you earlier,” Steve said.

  “Don’t sweat it,” Cameron said to ease Steve’s worry.

  “Oh, damn. I hope the kids didn’t hear us. Cameron, we have been seeing each other for months, and I really love her. We want a child.”

  “And I will fully welcome you and your child, brother.” Cameron said.

  “That means everything coming from you,” Steve said with a grateful look at Cameron.

  “We need to tell her, about the order.”

  “We don’t know everything yet, Cam,” Steve said with a hint of warning. “Obviously, she’s not a participant, or we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I’m going to leave this in your court.”

  “Very well, I’m going to talk to her about it, and see where she stands.”

  “As always, I’ll back you. I’m going to bed, brother,” Steve patted Cameron’s knee, got up and went to his room.

  “Goodnight. Say goodnight to Sandra for me.”

  “I will, get some sleep too, big guy,” Steve said with a long wave.

  Cameron looked outside for a bit longer. He went and checked on Matt and Daniel. He discovered Andrew had joined them and slept next to Matt.

  Cameron was disappointed one of the Teschner buses was damaged beyond repair, and the group needed a large vehicle. In order to get one, they had to go into the town of Kearney itself. They were going to do this fast and simple, and use the guns they had. They weren’t going to stay long in case more were drawn to the sound.

  Before Cameron left, he saw off his father, Patrick and a small group to help gather the supplies. Cameron had his father take the extra Teschner, and two Humvees. Howard was asked to stay with Cameron so he could help administer treatment to those who needed it in
Detroit. Bruce promised to meet Cameron in a week.

  The three took one of the Humvees down Lincoln Highway until they found what they were looking for. It was Gina that alerted them by tapping on Cameron’s shoulder. A modern school bus parked in front of the Central Elementary School. The problem was the dozen or so undead wandering around it. They looked around them before getting out of the Humvee.

  “Too bad we took out the guns,” Gina said of the Humvee’s weapon emplacements.

  Cameron took out a Glock for himself and Steve, and Gina asked for an M-16.

  “Are you sure?” Cameron asked.

  “Please,” Gina said with a scoff. “I’m in the top ten at firing one of these in the National Guard. Just because I’m a nineteen year old girl, don’t underestimate me.”

  Gina showed them a quick, impressive demonstration before they went to work. She was the first to release a round. The bullet blew the entire face off of a biter.

  Cameron covered her back to make sure no other undead flanked them. Steve was support for the roamers in front. Once Cameron saw none were coming, he took a few shots at the biters near the bus. They fell quickly.

  Cameron looked around again. He found two were coming from behind some houses. After the undead fell, they waited a few moments to make sure there were no stragglers. They got back into the Humvee and moved closer to the bus.

  Steve and Cameron got out of the Humvee. They checked the other side of the bus. Steve shot the back of a female biter’s head that still moved. They went on board the bus, searched, but didn’t find any keys until Steve checked the sun visor. A set fell into his hand. He opened the driver’s window to give them a thumbs-up. He started up the bus without any problems.

  “We need gas. It’s only at a quarter,” Steve said.

  “There’s plenty of diesel fuel at the base,” Gina said from the Humvee.

  “Meet you there,” Steve said.

  Cameron got out of the bus and took the driver’s seat from Gina. During the trip back, Cameron told Gina what Eric said about the order given to shelter commanders to put down refugees.

  “I know about the order,” Gina confessed. “I was the one that relayed it though out the Midwest. I also know about the massive uprising within the ranks. It happened at the armory, and at Fort Sill. Your friend Eric would be a dead man if the entire command structure hadn’t collapsed in Washington.

  “We lost most of our military overseas by the same means that all those refugees died. They were poisoned while eating in mess halls. The Marines were the hardest hit. The entire attack wing for the Air Force was annihilated. I sat at the communications desk and heard the worst shit. Things made from nightmares. Major Wright is a hero to me, and I need to get to him.”

  Cameron wanted one detail from the private.

  “How did those troops from the armory reanimate?”

  “Private Devon Fields went on a rampage when he heard about the order. He shot everyone he could see, including Captain Dorn. He was freaked out that the others would kill his family. He didn’t know about the whole head thing. I did, and he’s now rotting out in the armory with my bullet in his brain.”

  ‘She’s on our side then,’ Cameron thought. ‘She’s going to be a vital member of the group.’

  Sandra inspected the bus with delight, and kissed Steve hard for the new gift. Cameron brought Daniel to one of the Humvees.

  “Get into that seat, Daniel,” Cameron told the teen.

  “Are you shitting me?” Daniel asked ecstatically.

  “Another test for you, since you are tall for your age and you want to be a man so badly,” Cameron said when Daniel got behind the wheel. Cameron gave him a set of keys. “Have you ever driven before?”

  “Yes, my dad taught me since we owned land outside of town and did a lot of work on our land. I started driving a year ago.”

  “How does it feel? Can you see out of the windshield?” Cameron asked.

  “It’s a little dirty, but yeah, I can see,” Daniel stated. “I can handle this!”

  “Give it a test run. Go up and down this street here, and clock seventy. That will be the speed we’ll drive until we get to Detroit.”

  “Thanks for trusting me, Cameron,” Daniel said with an excited grin.

  Cameron closed the door. He watched Daniel drive back and forth as instructed. Daniel managed to control the large vehicle well, including the turns. He gradually hit the seventy mile per hour mark and correctly slowed the vehicle down, turned around and brought the Humvee back. Steve, Cameron and Matt clapped when Daniel parked it.

  “Congratulations, I think you did very well,” Steve said.

  “Thanks!” Daniel said.

  “I like how you slowed it down after taking it up to seventy, instead of hitting the break too hard. I was hoping you would,” Cameron told Daniel. “Now we can load more water and food into yours.”

  “We’re ready to go when you are, Cameron,” Sandra said. Steve took Sandra’s hand while he met with Cameron, Gina, Daniel and two other tribal members. Cameron gave the instructions.

  “We’ll take three in front of the bus, and three behind. I will lead with Gina behind me and Stacy, you follow her. Daniel will be after you, Sandra, followed by Robbie, and Steve will stay behind him to keep an eye out. We all have radios so let us know if anyone needs help. We’ll drive until sundown or if we’re too tired to continue before then. Let us know if you need a break.”

  Two more Sioux in their late teens were both willing to help drive. Sandra did a head count and it came to the thirty-four they were supposed to have. They got into their vehicles and began the drive to Detroit. The trip began at about 9:30 according to Steve’s watch.

  On the way, Matt spent the time working on the lines that Cameron wrote up for him as he rode in Cameron’s Humvee. By the time they hit Illinois, Matt nearly understood the entire Sioux syntax. They had to stop only twice for bathroom breaks. During the second stop, Daniel was begging Cameron to keep the Humvee.

  “You got well passed Geneseo without any issues, and you passed the test with flying colors. We still have four hours of light left around, so we’ll see by the time we camp tonight.”

  “We’ll hit Michigan tonight at this rate,” Steve told the two.

  “We’re making great time,” Matt observed.

  “Well, barring there’s no obstacles and bypassing the major cities to get here,” Cameron said. “We should be in Detroit by ten in the morning if we start early.”

  Chapter 12: Colonel Hummsfeld’s Command

  Arthur Hummsfeld stood before his remaining soldiers. His single company had suffered constant desertions daily and deaths from undead attacks. He and his troops had fallen back to a small island in the lake region north west of Detroit. He now had enough soldiers to make a platoon. One of the squads acted as a scout team. The reports they brought back was deflating. Arthur held barely anything back from his troops.

  Despite being bald with the remaining hair completely shaved off, Arthur was a handsome man for being forty-five. He had a square jaw, boney cheeks, and a hawk-like nose. He had vivid teal eyes.

  “Downtown Detroit is gone,” Arthur told them. “We’re surrounded by the undead. Farmington is gone. It was overrun, so we’re figuring Lieutenant Daley is dead, or worse.”

  Arthur was hounded by Captain Joseph Spelasky on a regular basis.

  He hated that man. If the captain would leave his advisors behind, Arthur would simply end Joseph’s existence. Arthur had spent three days trying to create a cushion between him and Joseph’s pack of jolly murderers. The fourth morning, Joseph was at his doorstep, like a cat. He even had a gift for the Colonel. Joseph brought the dead body of one of the colonel’s deserters.

  “Scouts have reached Dearborn,” Arthur continued. “It is also plagued with the turned.”

  As Arthur spoke to his men, in an attempt to raise their morale, he watched as the captain walked through the gathering of soldiers. He saw the uneasiness from hi
s soldiers as the captain passed by.

  ‘Keep taunting me, prick,’ Arthur thought.

  “We haven’t come across any living survivor as of yet,” Arthur said. It was a complete lie, but his troops were able to twist the lie around to truth to keep it away from the captain.

  Joseph was bound by duty. He was forced to obey Arthur’s every order, other than the one that would get him killed. He also would find ways around leaving Arthur’s presence. It was amusing that the captain would cite regulations in order to defy him. The blond-haired captain with a wiry body reminded Arthur of what he imagined a Nazi would be like.

  “We’ll stay here for another day,” Arthur told the troops. “Tomorrow, we’ll send the scouts out to find a better place.”

  ‘And see who those people in Dearborn were,’ Arthur thought.

  Lieutenant Byron Greene stood to Arthur’s right. Byron was a reliable and loyal advisor who was able to keep a secret. If it weren’t for Byron, Arthur would likely be dead by Joseph’s hand.

  “You’re all dismissed,” Arthur said.

  Two men from Joseph’s own remaining company ran to the captain with news. Two of Arthur’s soldiers overheard the brief conversation. The topic started a verbal argument.

  “You killed them?” a private yelled.

  “Stand down soldier,” Joseph snarled.

  “You murdered people who managed to survive, and you tell me to stand down?” the private countered.

  “Stand down, or else,” the captain said fiercely.

  The private threw a devastating punch at one of Joseph’s men. The other soldier from Arthur’s platoon began shoving Joseph’s other soldier. Other soldiers came to break up the fight. Joseph pointed a gun into the air. One shot was all it took to settle things down.

  Arthur and Byron went to the house they were residing in. A few minutes later, the captain knocked on the door. He got an earful as soon as he and his two men entered.

  “You stupid fucker,” Arthur said. “I told you not to start shit among my troops. You did so, and you started a damn brawl. What did you do?”