by Jake Bible
“Hey Doc?” Harlow called.
“Yes, Harlow?” Themopolous responded over the com.
“What has the Commander said about those fucking deaders?”
“I haven’t had a chance to ask him, Harlow. He’s been a bit busy.”
“Well, we got to do something. I’m going to go fucking nuts with all that noise!”
“Yes, you’ve made that perfectly clear,” Themopolous laughed.
“Well, apparently I haven’t been clear enough since the deaders are still banging away!”
***
“No vehicles is going to make an assault on the base difficult,” Capreze sighed.
“What if we don’t attack them, but make them come to us?” Jethro said. All eyes turned on the wheelchair bound mechanic. “If we can get most of their forces to bring the fight here, that would leave the base exposed. We win the fight and keep some of their transports intact, then re-take the base.”
“A solid plan except that it exposes where we live,” the young man said angrily.
“You can’t hide forever,” Capreze stated. “At some point you have to face the world.”
***
“Hey guys? Jethro here,” Jethro’s voice squawked over the com.
“What the fuck are you doing, Jethro? I thought we needed to keep com silence,” Bisby barked.
“Change of plans,” Jethro responded. “The threat isn’t pursuing and we’re pretty sure we aren’t their target anymore.”
“What? None of that makes-” Rachel started.
“We’ve gathered some new intel. Just head back to camp. You’ll be briefed then. Understand?”
“No! I don’t fucking understand!” Bisby yelled. “Let me talk to the Commander.”
“He’s occupied. You guys are just gonna have to trust me on this.”
“We’re on our way, Jethro,” Rachel said.
***
“Your Grace?”
“What is it now, Deacon?” Bishop Wyble snapped, removing his eye shade.
“My apologies for interrupting your rest, Your Grace, but Reverend Dell just reported that they intercepted a communication over the mech base’s secure com channel,” Deacon Montoya reported. “They were able to triangulate the location of Capreze’s camp. We know where they are, Your Grace.”
The Bishop rubbed his hands together. “Wonderful, Deacon. Have all transports readied immediately. And have word sent to the Archbishop that I may miss his arrival as I plan on leading the assault on the mech heathens personally.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
***
“Damn, this freakin’ river goes on and on and on,” Masters complained as he and Stomper followed the sensor readings. “There better be headroom down there if they did take this route, otherwise they’re going to be holding their breath for a long time.”
“You talk a lot,” Stomper replied.
“Um, that was random,” Masters chuckled.
“Yeah, tell me about it,” Mathew interrupted. “We’ve never been able to get him to shut up.”
“Hey!” Masters exclaimed. “Are you guys listening? No fair! Get out of our heads.”
“That would not be wise,” Shiner responded. “Communication is key to our survival.”
***
“By the way, as much as you think you are the center of the universe, we weren’t listening,” Mathew said. “We were about to let you know we picked up communications among the UDC deaders about routing transports and troops deep in to the wasteland.”
“Yeah, so? They’re all being routed,” Masters responded.
“Yes, but it sounds like they are going after our folks.”
“I have confirmed that the Ranchers are readying their forces and the UDC troops available to them. They are planning an assault on Commander Capreze and anyone with him,” Shiner said.
“Well, that sucks,” Masters said.
***
“Looks like it’s working,” Jethro informed Capreze. “The Ranchers and UDC at our base are mobilizing.”
“Alright, then we have maybe a day,” Capreze replied. “Time to get to work.” He turned to Mastelo and the council. “Bring me your best fighters, the ones with the best eye. Today they learn to shoot.”
Mastelo stood and the council followed. “And when this is over, we can count on your assistance and protection in giving my people a home outside of the deep?”
“Yes, you have my word,” Capreze answered extending his hand. Mastelo grasped it and the two men shook.
***
“So, if they have been found and we are certainly being tracked then there’s no reason to keep silent, is there?” Mathew asked.
“It would appear not,” Shiner responded.
“Well, then open the com.”
Instantly Shiner accessed and opened the mech com system. “We are connected.”
“Commander Capreze? Jethro? Anyone out there? This is Pilot Jespers. Come in.”
“Matty?” Jethro replied. “Is that you? Holy shit!”
“Hey Jethro! Good to hear your voice.”
“No shit, man. Where the fuck are you?”
“We’re a ways from you folks.”
“We? Who else is with you?”
“Um, you’re gonna want to get Capreze.”
***
“Capreze here. It’s good to know I can count you among the living, Pilot.”
“Hey me too!” Masters interrupted.
“Mitch?!? Baby is that you?” Harlow interrupted.
“You bet your sweet tits it is! And guess what? I’ve got a brand new mech! And it’s fucking huge!”
“We are huge,” Stomper corrected.
“Right, sorry. We are huge!”
“Pilots? Who is with you?” Capreze asked, caution in his voice. “What new mech?”
“Yeah, that’s going to have to wait, sir, if Masters can keep his trap shut,” Mathew responded.
“Sorry. I’ll let you two speak.”
“Two? What is going on?” Capreze barked.
***
“Listen, I can’t go into too much detail, but you have Rancher and UDC transports coming your way.”
Capreze glanced at Jethro and put a finger to his lips for the mechanic to stay quiet. “We do?”
“Yes, sir. But it gets worse.”
“Worse? How?”
“Sir, every single person that was inoculated is now dead and walking.”
“I’m sorry, Pilot, did you say every person?” Capreze asked.
“Yes, sir. All city/states have been overtaken and if they didn’t comply, they were destroyed. Windy City is gone, sir.”
“And Foggy Bottom is now a deader army on the march,” Masters added.
***
“Yes, sir, we have confirmed that there are hundreds of thousands of deaders moving across the wasteland,” Mathew said. “If you push scanners to full, you should be able to pick up some of them.”
Jethro immediately began tapping at his tablet. “Jeezus fuck! He’s right, sir. I’ve got at least 20,000 coming at us.”
Capreze looked at Mastelo and the council. “You’ll need to move quickly.”
“You can count on us,” Mastelo affirmed as they left the transport.
“Mathew, Masters, I want you on me now,” Capreze ordered.
“No can do, sir,” Mathew responded.
“You better explain yourself, Pilot.”
***
“Well, sir, I have gotten myself in a bit of a tech mess,” Mathew said. “Masters and I are on our way to find Jay and the Rookie.”
“Jay? You lost Jay?” Jethro asked.
“We were separated when the Hill Stomper attacked and the cavern mouth caved in, then the storm came and I went all black-outy and-“
“Thank you, Pilot Masters, we get it: Jay is missing,” Capreze interrupted.
“And the Rookie, too,” Masters added. “That boy saved our asses! You’ll never guess what he can do! Holy shit!”
“I’ll
await the report. Now about this tech mess, Mathew…”
***
“Harlow? Do you hear anything?” Themopolous asked.
“Hold on,” Harlow said, muting her com. “Hear what?”
“Exactly. The zombies in storage have gone quiet.”
“I’ll be right down.”
Harlow grabbed a sawed off pump action shotgun she kept in her cockpit and descended her mech. Themoplolous walked cautiously to the transport’s storage compartment and waited for Harlow.
“So, why do you think they stopped kicking?” Harlow asked, leveling the shotgun at the compartment door.
“I don’t know,” Themopolous replied.
“We address Commander Capreze only,” four monotone voices said in unison from the compartment.
Harlow pumped her shotgun. “Holy fucking shit!”
***
“Unless I find Jay I’m stuck in a mech cockpit for the rest of my life,” Mathew said.
“I understand your situation, Mathew, but I want you and Masters joining us immediately,” Capreze ordered.
“I’ll stay and keep looking for them,” Masters said. “My scanners are the only ones strong enough to track the river anyway. Plus, I’m not hooked into the net as extensively as Matty and Shiner.”
“No,” Capreze ordered flatly. “You’ll return also.”
“With all due respect, sir, I just went through some crazy shit with those two and I’m not leaving them out here,” Masters responded.
***
Capreze pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. “Masters, I have given you a direct order.”
“And I am ignoring that order, sir,” Masters replied. “You’ll have to shoot me when this is all over.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Masters! You know I’m not going to have you shot! Just get your ass here now!”
“Sir! You have to come out here!” Themopolous interrupted over the com.
“I am a little busy, Doctor,” Capreze responded.
“The zombies in storage are speaking, sir!”
Capreze sighed. “Of course they are.”
“They want to speak to you directly.”
“Of course they do.”
***
Capreze stepped from the transport and approached Themopolous and Harlow. “Fine. Masters you continue searching, but Mathew, I want you on me right fucking now!”
“Yes, sir,” both pilots responded.
“Oh, and Masters?” Capreze continued.
“Yes, sir?”
“Fuck you.”
“Understood, sir.”
The Commander stood looking at the storage compartment. “Well?”
Harlow kicked the door.
“We address Commander Capreze directly,” the voices said.
Capreze put the heel of his hand to his forehead and pulled his sidearm. “That’s more than a little unsettling.”
“No shit,” Harlow responded.
“Well, Doctor, will you do the honors? Harlow and I will have you covered.”
***
Themopolous yanked the storage compartment open and leapt back. Capreze and Harlow, pistols ready, watched the four body bags shake themselves free of the compartment and fall to the ground.
“We address Commander Capreze directly,” they repeated.
“Speaking. Who the hell are you?”
“We are the hundreds of thousands, we are the one, we are the Outsider.”
“How about I just call you Fuckhead?” Capreze said.
The bags convulsed. “For that insult, you will not become part of the one. You will not get the glory of joining the Outsider. You… you… you…”
“I think I broke them,” Capreze said.
***
“You cannot break what is all knowing, all seeing!” the deaders chorused.
“So what do you want?” Capreze asked.
“For all to be one and to undo the great wrong!”
“You want us to submit to your control?”
“You will submit or you will die!”
“Yeah, well, fuck you,” Capreze said as he stepped forward and silenced each body with a head shot. “Harlow? Burn those.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Hey, Jethro!” Capreze called stepping to the transport door. “Open all channels.”
“Sir?”
“You heard me. I’m done with this chaotic bullshit! Time to bring some order back to this fucking hellhole!”
***
Capreze cleared his throat.
“Attention inhabitants of the wasteland! This is Base Commander James Capreze. I just want to let everyone, living and undead, know that I will no longer put up with your fucking games. I will no longer put up with the Cults, cannibals, the mindless killers and thieves. I will no longer allow myself or my people to be the wasteland’s bitches, always having to clean up everyone else’s mess. So come and get us, if you dare. We’ll be right here.
“Oh, and Outsider? After I kick every last mother fucker’s ass. I’m coming for you.”
Part Two- Railers & Lights
The Rookie woke with a start, pain enveloping his head and chest. He tried to move, but rivers of agony ripped at his core. The world felt like it was rolling and rocking and nausea joined the pain.
“Jay?” he moaned.
“Hush. Just relax, you’re safe for now. We barely managed to get you out in one piece,” an angry voice answered. An angry woman’s voice. “We lost a couple of our own in the effort.”
The Rookie carefully rolled his head towards the voice and opened his eyes to see the most beautiful and well armed woman glaring back.
***
“What’s your name, pilot?” the woman asked gruffly.
The Rookie glanced from her steely gaze to the carbine resting on her lap and then at the room around him. He could swear the walls were vibrating.
“Leave him be Jenny,” a man said, sliding the door back and entering the room. He took his wide-brimmed hat off, shook out the dust and tossed it on a chair. “He’s not our prisoner and he doesn’t need to be interrogated.”
Jenny stood, glared at the man briefly and stormed out.
“She’s a lot nicer once she has a meal and a bath.”
***
“Howdy, I’m Crawford Timson,” the man said, offering the Rookie his hand. The Rookie reached out painfully and shook it. The man’s knuckles were gnarled and scarred. The Rookie could tell it was a fighter’s hand. “And I’ve already been told that I should call you the Rookie.” Timson smiled. “So, Rookie, welcome back from the dead. How are you feeling?”
The Rookie ignored the question and fixed his eyes on Timson’s. “How do you know who I am?”
The door slid open and Jay walked in. “‘Cause I told them, kid.” Jay smiled. “They saved our asses back there.”
***
Jay flipped a chair around and took a seat next to the Rookie’s cot, but turned to Timson first. “Marin needs you in the engine ASAP. She’s got something on the scope and freaking out a bit.”
“Well, I guess we’ll have to get to know each other later. Duty calls,” Timson said, nodding to the Rookie. “If you feel up to it, you’re welcome to join us for dinner in my car.” Timson grabbed his hat and placed it back on his head, tapping the rim. “Gentlemen.”
The Rookie watched him leave. “So, what the fuck is going on?”
***
“Well, kid, we got rescued,” Jay began. “They were filling their water tanker when both of us flew out of the mountainside in a rush of water and zombies. Guess that river does come above ground. About forty feet above ground. Luckily the pool below was deep.”
“Water tanker? We’re on a train aren’t we?” the Rookie asked.
“Yep, and a fucking nice one, too. This ain’t no Rookie Hell-ride.”
The Rookie slumped back and lifted his covers slightly to peak underneath. “Naked. Great.”
“Yeah, you’re uniform is being washed,”
Jay looked at the ground and sighed. “We gotta talk.”
***
“They saw the brand, didn’t they?” the Rookie asked.
“Yeah, we’ll get to that in a second, but this first.”
Jay handed the Rookie a tablet and pressed play on the audio cued up. The tablet replayed Commander Capreze’s open channel speech. The Rookie listened twice before handing the tablet back. “Well, that’s fucked up.”
“Looks like the wasteland’s going to war,” Jay said.
“Have you tried contacting them?”
“I asked, but they aren’t letting me.”
“What? Why?”
“Because of that brand on your foot. Now, mind telling me what that’s about and why these folks are so pissed off?”
***
The Rookie averted his eyes from Jay’s gaze. “Can I have some water?” he asked.
“No,” Jay answered flatly.
“What? No? Are you fucking kidding me?”
“You’ve been putting off telling me who you are for too long. Fess up, kid or I let them toss you off this train.”
The Rookie glared. Jay glared back.
“Fine. I’m a fucking Boiler! My grandmother died helping me escape and I never looked back.”
“So, that’s how you ended up fighting for Legit?”
“Yeah. Trust me the fight cage was an improvement.”
“Damn,” Jay exclaimed, handing the Rookie a cup of water.
***
The door slid open and a young woman peeked in. “Mr. Jay?”
“Yes, Lucy?” Jay answered.
“Crawford needs you. There is something on the scope that’s troubling.”
“Tell him I’ll be right there.”
“Okay. Thank you,” Lucy said, smiling shyly at Jay. She turned her eyes on the Rookie as she left and the smile faded.
Despite the pain, the Rookie shook his head and pushed himself upright.
“Whoa, slow down, hoss,” Jay scolded. “You’ll rip those stitches out of your chest.”
“I’m coming with.”
“Like hell you are! You need to rest.”
“No, I don’t. Now help me up.”
***
Jay slid the engine door open and offered a hand to the Rookie, who refused it and stepped into the engine control room on shaky feet, but under his own power.
“Why the fuck did you bring that Boiler trash in here?!?” Jenny yelled. “He is not welcome here.”
