“You slept for about three hours. We had a nice quiet night, the guards I picked did well. I enacted your orders and picked tonight’s guards and made sure they racked out in their vehicles. I got a catnap as you suggested, and I feel good enough to make it through the day. And I could’ve told you not to eat the roast beef. Stick to the chili and spaghetti, they taste closer to the real thing.”
It was our turn next to start climbing our way into the pass. Brian revved up the engine and brought us to the first incline and rocks. He looked over at me and gave me a wicked little grin.
“Time for some fun, Boss!” He hooted out loud.
He slowed and got the first tire up on the rock, and gave it some power. We rocked and rolled like a pinball being batted around. But after ten minutes of me trying to keep my head from slamming into the roof, we’d made it to the top. I took this moment of semi-level ground to find my helmet and secure it to my noggin. I then looked around and found Brian’s. I slammed it home down on his enormous head and secured it for him.
“Thanks Boss, I forgot about that. I took a quick walk up here and picked out the best path. Heaven and Howser are further up, choosing better routes for us to use.”
The next climb was worse than the first, but we made it up that one too. We stayed a good distance behind the lead APC, just in case something happened. I turned in my seat and looked behind us at the small convoy making its way up single file. Something kept nagging at me, but I couldn’t figure it out, so I kept my mouth shut. Which was hard to do, with all the bouncing around we were doing. I felt like my teeth were going to break with how many times they had slammed together.
We finally made it to the summit after six intense hours of climbing and being tossed around in our seats. I climbed outside, wanting to give my ass a rest. After slinging my MP-5 to my back I climbed on top of the Humvee’s hood and looked down at the valley laid out in front of us. I could see a small city in the distance and pointed it out to Heaven who had come up next to me. He handed a pair of glasses up. I raised them to my eyes and sighted in on it. Small wisps of smoke rose up from a couple of the buildings. I handed them back to Heaven, and took out my notebook and the map I had stashed in my thigh pocket.
“That city has survivors in it. Look at where the smoke is coming from. That is not a building on fire, those are fires being burned inside the building. We need to see if we can help. Heaven, call Delta and Kuppers over.”
He got on his radio and made his call. Brian climbed out after over-hearing what I’d said. I pointed to the city and then looked back down at my map. I found the city name, Owyhee. It was smaller than you would think, but if people were alive, somehow we were going to do our best to help. Kuppers appeared around the APC leading the Delta team over. I climbed down off the hood and stretched out my map on it.
“Gentlemen, if you gaze in that direction you will see a little town called Owyhee. It would seem there may be life there.”
Kuppers followed my finger, took his field glasses out, and surveyed the town and surrounding area. He handed the glasses over to Hase who took them and repeated Kuppers actions.
“So, what do you want us to do?” Kuppers inquired.
“Well, if you look further up the road there, you will see that the horde we had to detour around is heading down the highway, and will be rolling right over that town. I think we should act like soldiers, and protect the good citizens of that city. What do you guys think?” I spoke my mind.
Hase pursed his lips. “I can volunteer Delta to go down there, but without some of the trucks, we may not be able to get those people out. And they may not want to leave with us.”
I nodded my head at his observations. I looked over at Kuppers, who looked back at me, slightly pissed.
“I am not overly excited about this situation,” he growled.
“How about we do this then? Delta pushes out in front and heads to the town to make contact. If there are people there needing help, we bring the convoy in close to offer assistance. We will be spread out, but I cannot in good conscience, leave people behind to die by the hand of the Initiative. This is the first in our plan of fighting back. Any questions, concerns, or alternate plans?” I laid out.
Kuppers looked to Delta team and then over to Vic who had walked up while I was laying out my plan.
“Kuppers, if we were back in San Francisco, you wouldn’t have hesitated to help others. So the question is what has changed?” Vic looked right into Kuppers’ eyes.
I could tell Kuppers didn’t like being questioned or cornered, I had done this myself to him. He put his fists on his hips and looked right at me, focusing his rage and anger. He wasn’t mad at Vic he was mad at me for questioning his integrity. After what seemed an eternity, but was closer to a minute, Kuppers relaxed and dropped his shoulders in defeat.
“This whole situation has me single-minded lately. Dan, you are right. We need to do everything possible to save everyone we can. Hase, take Delta down to the town. Be careful and offer support, and let them know we would be happy to take them with us. If they balk, inform them of the coming horde. We will bring the convoy down toward the town, if we are needed, we will detour into the town. If not, mount up and meet us on the agreed route.”
Hase snapped into attention and saluted Kuppers. “Yes, Sir. I like your plan, Sir,”
Kuppers snorted and saluted him back. “You boys need to point those kinds of things to our tactician, Dan.” He pointed at me.
I stepped back and put my hands up. “Don’t you dare salute me. Just get going already, every second is one we will not get back against that horde.”
Hase patted my shoulder then turned and ran off. Delta formed up and climbed into their Humvee and disappeared down the mountain. Kuppers climbed onto the Humvees hood. He had a grim look set onto his face.
“Ok, let’s start getting this convoy moving.” Kuppers trotted to his APC.
Chapter 3
Brian worked our way down the slope slowly, making sure to find a good line. The Humvee still rocked from side to side but amazingly I didn’t feel like a bouncy ball in a dryer. We made it down in one piece and I directed Brian to alter our course toward the town and away from the convoy.
“Dan, what are you and Brian doing? You do realize you are going in the wrong way, right? Over.” Kuppers called over the Humvees radio.
I picked up the handset and called back. “Kuppers, we will catch up to you, we are going to back up Delta, just in case. Over.”
I heard the radio click open and then Kuppers sighed heavily and stopped transmitting. I instructed Brian to go in slow, so we could dash back if trouble appeared. I turned in my seat and watched as the rest of the convoy made its way down the improvised pass through the mountains. Kuppers’ APC sat with its hood pointed in our direction. I knew through all his tough talk that he would be there as fast as he could, if Delta and I needed him.
We pulled up next to the Humvee Delta had taken as their own. Hunter manned the .50 cal in the cupola on top. He looked down at us and gave a sketchy salute, then pointed toward a modern-looking concrete building. I opened my door and Brian grabbed my bicep, stopping me from disembarking. I shot a look in his direction and let him know with that look that he should let go.
“Boss, Hase and the guys have this. We don’t know what is going on in there, and you may walk into a mess.” He had a pleading look on his face.
I reached over with my free hand and removed his hand from my bicep. Yes, I am not stupid, I know that I never would have been able to remove his fingers without a crowbar unless he let me. Like he did now.
“Brian, cover Hunter and our way out of here. I’ll be right back, trust me.” I slid out of my seat and left the door open, just in case I came out running with something on my heels.
I checked my MP-5 and slipped off the safety, then checked to make sure I had a full magazine and a round in the chamber. I took a deep breath and could discern the rotting meat smell on the air coming from the h
orde just up the road. I squared my shoulders, ignored my pain, and strode up to the building. The door opened as I walked up and Howser saluted. As I walked in I saluted him back and stopped just inside, to allow my vision to adapt to the low lights. Howser escorted me down a small hallway into a medium sized auditorium, in which sat twenty adults and thirty-three children of various ages. At the front, two elder gentlemen stood speaking to the rest of Delta. I made my way down to them and stood, waiting for a break in the conversation.
After another minute, Hase and Heaven snapped to attention and saluted me, and the two older men also snapped attention and saluted. I stood for a second surprised at the reception. I saluted back, and offered my hand to the two older men.
“I am Major Welko, and you two gentlemen are?” I introduced myself and shook their hands warmly, noting the firm grips and clear eyes of the two men.
The man with a waterfall of silver hair which reached his waist smiled, and introduced himself and the other man.
“I am Chief Winnemucca of the Shoshone Paiute tribe. I am named after the greatest leader our tribe has ever known.” He then gestured toward the other man. “This is my son, Henry.”
“Very nice to meet you, gentlemen. I am sorry if we are intruding. We saw your town as our convoy was coming over an improvised pass into your valley. Did you know about the infected horde to your north?”
“As I was telling your man Hase. We know of the horde. We have already battled a smaller horde. We lost many good men and women fighting them.” The Chief looked into my eyes as we spoke.
“I have a convoy which could be here very soon, we could help you and your people out of here if you need us to.” I offered.
He and his son spoke in another language for a moment before answering me.
“Your man Hase has informed us of the situation. But as I told him, we are a proud people and can handle our own problems,” the son answered me this time.
I thought for a while, going over my words carefully in my head before answering.
“I respect your stance. Now, let me ask you for something then. You two saluted me when you recognized my rank. Did you serve in the military?” I had to be careful with how I made my case.
The Chief spoke this time, shushing his son before he could butt in. “I served in the Big Army, spent a long time in Vietnam. I held the rank of Lieutenant. Of course this was all before I became Chief. My son served in the first Gulf war with the Army, he was a Sergeant. Why do you ask, Major?”
I smiled deep inside, I did not want to trick anyone, but I wanted to save these people. To let them become victims of the horde was a shameful loss of life. And we could use these people’s knowledge of the area on our trip.
“Chief Winnemucca, I have a man in my convoy that could be humankinds last hope against this scourge.” I took a map out of my thigh cargo pocket and pointed at the point on the map I had circled earlier. “I need to get him here; I have no idea how to do that without using the roads. I need you and your people to take us there going overland. Chief, I could be a prick and pull you and your son along with anyone else who served back into the military and order you. But I don’t think that is necessary. I believe you want this scourge wiped out as much as the rest of us. What do you say, sir?”
The Chief, at first bristled, at my threat to recall him into the military, but then he squared his shoulders and spoke to the people in the auditorium with a loud and commanding voice. His son tried to interrupt him, but was chastised and instead, took his father’s hand and stood by his side. His people got to their feet and started gathering their belongings.
“Major, my people are behind you and will help. How soon can we leave?”
Hase stepped into the conversation at that point. “Kuppers has the convoy inbound now, they are ten minutes out.”
Just then Hunter’s .50 cal started firing. Heaven and I met eyes and ran from the room. I yelled back to Hase. “Make sure you get these people ready to move the instant the convoy is here. We will handle this new problem.
Howser stood just inside the doors with his rifle at his shoulder ready. “What’s going on?” I asked him as Heaven and I got to the doors.
“The fastest of that horde has made it to the city limits.” He reported.
“Stay here and keep guard on these doors. Back up, Hase.” Heaven and I went out through the doors and made our way out to the Humvees. “Where is Harry and Helmut?” I had to yell my question to Heaven because the .50 cal was firing again and the sound was like continuous thunder.
“They are on a side mission to find diesel. Hase sent them out, the minute we pulled into town. They should be back any minute. Probably faster, once they hear Hunter rocking and rolling on the fifty.”
Just as he finished speaking, Harry and Helmut came around the corner in a black Ford F-150, carrying what looked like four-fifty gallon drums in the bed. I waved them over and once they recognized me they slowed down and angled in toward us.
“Guys, take this thing out toward the convoy. We shouldn’t need your guns, but tell Kuppers to hurry it up.”
They didn’t wait for anything else. With Harry at the wheel, he spun around and gassed the engine, sliding the big truck sideways and then rocketing out of town via the backroad we’d come in on. The rocks and dirt barely had time to settle back onto the road when Hunter stopped firing. I looked in his direction and saw he had ducked back into his cupola and down into the Humvee.
“Is he out of ammo?” I asked.
Heaven took off running and I tried to keep up, but fell behind. I was still hurting and not back to hundred percent but something told me that I would never be able to keep up with that man. Brian started firing his M-4 as he stood in the cupola of our Humvee. I turned in mid-stride and ran toward him. I climbed up on top of the Humvee, and was careful to stay out of his field of fire and brought my MP-5 to my shoulder. My fingers switched the red aiming reticle on. I sighted in on my first target and squeezed the trigger. It surprised me when it bucked in my hands and hit my shoulder. The round zipped out and covered the distance in no time. I was slightly amazed that it hit the zombie exactly where I had aimed. A small hole appeared in the area just above the nose and between its eyes. The zombie stopped and collapsed to the ground. All of this happened within a second, I moved the red dot to another zombie and this time, had time to see that it had been a woman. She was young when she’d died, wearing a black Kanye shirt. Her hair was a mess and missing in spots. I sneered at her choice of music, but mostly at that artist. I squeezed the trigger and was rewarded a second later with her and that offending shirt falling to the ground and out of my sight.
I moved through a small crowd of zombies putting each one out of their misery. Not every shot was a perfect headshot, but more hit then not, and the second shot hit home every time after I’d missed the first. Brian’s gun had gone quiet, but we kept our weapons shouldered, surveying the area for more threats. The fifty had stayed quiet, and I turned my head, sparing a minute to see what was going on. Heaven and Hunter sat on their Humvee with their rifles at their shoulders ready. I guess they were out of ammo for the big gun.
I heard a roar off to my left and swung my MP-5 in that direction. Kuppers’ APC appeared followed by one Humvee and two transports. They turned to point their hoods back out toward the open fields and came to a stop next to the front door of the auditorium. I jumped off the Humvee and ran toward the trucks, the doors to the auditorium were open and the Chief was leading his people out and into the trucks. Kuppers exited his APC and came up to me.
“Looks like you have this all tied up.”
I got the eye of the Chief and son and waved them over. They came over quickly and stood next to me. Once they identified Kuppers’ rank, they snapped to attention and threw crisp salutes. Kuppers gave me a sideways look and returned their salutes.
“Kuppers, please meet our new guides. This is Chief Winnemucca of the Shoshone Paiute tribe and his son Henry. Gentlemen, this is Colone
l Kuppers, the leader of our little convoy. These gentlemen are going to help us navigate through the desert and to our final destination.”
Kuppers shook their hands and thanked them for their help.
“I am honored to meet you, gentlemen. I take it you served?”
The Chief answered for the two. “I was a Lieutenant, leading a small squad of men through a hot sweltering jungle in a little country called Vietnam. My son served in the first Gulf war as a Sergeant in the infantry. Our people know this land like no one else. We will help you get to your destination.”
Kuppers regarded both men for a moment and then offered the Chief to ride in the APC with him.
“I must stay with my people. I am responsible for them, but I would like my son to ride with the Major if you will allow it. From there, he will guide us to the mountains and your facility.” The Chief answered.
Kuppers gave me a sideways glance and I nodded my agreement to this plan. Kuppers opened his arms wide, “Sounds like a good plan to me.”
At that moment the M-240 machine gun mounted on the top of the APC opened up, and a couple of M-4s joined in. I stepped in front of the Chief and his son and raised my MP-5 to my shoulder, protecting them before I knew the situation.
The horde was coming around the building, making its presence known. Kuppers took the Chief’s arm and escorted him to the two trucks holding his people and helped him inside. I kept Henry behind me and we made it to Brian and the Humvee. Brian was in the cupola, firing his M-4 slowly, picking his shots. Henry took the wheel and I climbed into my normal seat as he fired up the Humvee and took us out of the parking lot and across an adjacent field. Kuppers’ APC with Delta’s Humvee and the two trucks in tow stayed behind us as we left the horde behind. I pointed out the windshield to the convoy, sitting about a mile away. Henry nodded his understanding and made his way to them.
Brian dropped out of the cupola and dogged the hatch behind him. He looked at me for a moment then at Henry. I picked up the un-asked question that Brian was throwing at me.
Zombie Theorem: The End Game Page 13
