The Deadlands (Book 2): The Clock Runs Down [The Servant]

by Kelly, Joe

  “I really hope you’re not bitching about that,” Chris asked. Steven grinned as he lifted the M16.

  “No not really, there’s only one reason I grabbed this piece of shit by the way.” Steve said as he tucked the butt of the 16 under his arm, he gripped the magazine and put his finger on the trigger of the M203. “Merry Christmas you bastards” he snarled as he popped upright, sighted on a small cluster of men and sent them 40mm of High explosive Christmas cheer.

  “Ori what’s their position” Jared asked, there was a delay then finally “sorry got a few leakers up this way. Position marker 16, count is 40, no 35. Steve just popped five.”

  Jared nodded and threw a glance down the firing step, where he could see Steve hunched down and reloading the grenade launcher. Give em hell Jared thought silently cheering on Steve. These are good men, the best, he told himself, and I am damn proud to be with them here. Most might consider that insane, but if you had to fight and possible die doing it with these kind of people was the way to go.

  Now if my plan works, we are golden, if not we are all dead and walking, Jared thought a he rose and snapped off shots at the first targets he saw. One went down, the other stumbled but kept coming. Jared ducked as return fire came his way.

  Jim was just about to climb up onto the fire step when someone shouted sniper. Bryan Jameson, whose family had been lost in Asheville, fell backwards off the wall and landed in front of Jim.

  Jim had time to note that Bryan, father of two and a good man was dead of a chest wound, then Bryan’s eyes opened. Jim dropped his rifle knowing he was too close to be able to bring it into play, he fumbled for his pistol. Bryans cloudy eyes locked on Jim, and the mouth yawned open. Bryan’s body sat up one hand grasping Jim’s thigh and digging deep, too deep. Jim shouted in pain as blood flowed.

  Bryan’s teeth were but inches from the meat of his thigh, when Jim leveled his pistol and pulled the trigger. Bryans head snapped back, and a spray of blood and bone erupted from the back of his skull, wildly patterning the snow

  Jim leaned back breathing heavily and saw Jill ten feet away, her hand resting on the hilt of that sword of hers. She nodded to him before turning and rushing back towards the Barn where people were moving all the livestock out and across the bridge. He felt absurdly proud at the moment, his fear wasn’t gone, not by a long shot but it no longer controlled him.

  When the next body tumbled off the step, Jim didn’t hesitate; he stuck his pistol against its skull and pulled the trigger.

  “Position marker 15, 21” Ori reported. “And I’m getting ready to be really busy up here”

  “Roger that, keep your ass down and get out of there. Good luck and out.” Jared said. “Rob now would be a good time to deliver Santa’s gift to all the bad little boys and girls” Rob didn’t respond over the radio, he didn’t have to, as the bombs they had managed to make and then hide in the maze detonated as one.

  The pressure wave and fire washed over men. The gun on the ferret stopped firing, but it continued to roll on for another seventy feet before bumping up against a guardrail and stopping. Men were tossed like rag dolls. Lt. Moran who was leading the advance was thrown to the ground; he dug his fingers into the earth and hung on. His eyes wide as he saw a car hood, still smoking, spinning thru the air and rip thru Sgt. Tucker.

  Private Archer, a new recruit was running towards Moran, when a flying piece of metal took his head off. He ran on for three steps before his body pitched over.

  Around him, six of his men were still alive, fires burned here and there amongst the dead. “Oh shit” Moran said as he realized what was about to happen, fear pushed aside the fog that gripped his mind. “Get up damn it,” he yelled at his surviving men who began scrambling to their feet. Even as the undead, who had till a minute ago been friends and companions began to sit up around them.

  Jared, there’s a butt load of undead still coming down that ridge, and the ferret will be back in action in a minute.” Steve reported as he peeked through a firing slit and saw the dead coming down the ridge above the road, most tumbled down, but many stayed up right.

  “Get on the Ma Deuce and take out the ferret, then hit the undead, try to cripple them, let the Militia survivors go unless they fire on your position.” Jared said transmitted. Two men had already died from the enemies .50 and there were holes in the wall. It wasn’t going to last much longer against that kind of fire. “Logan any sign of the dead yet?” With the undead coming down the ridge onto the road then the undead were already above the trail that led to the farm, they were probably already on their way.

  “I think I see some in the woods heading this way.” Logan replied, looking up the slope, where he could see dark shapes struggling through the snow, heading straight for the line of DFPs, and the unfinished section of wall.

  “Hold for as long as you can.” Jared replied as looked out through a firing slit. “theres more than a hundred militia out there, He thought. Ori was to good to have missed that many extra men so they had to be new arrivals. Doesn’t matter now, He thought his mind racing as he considered options.

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  “who the hell are these people” Reed asked himself as he looked first at the wreckage of two of his trucks then looked towards the flames and the smoke where many of his men had just been killed.

  “Soldiers maybe” Reed’s Aide de camp offered.

  “well whoever they are, they know how to fight.” Reed muttered. We can fight through the dead that much I’m certain of. But if those are Soldiers over there any victory we have is going to cost us. So is it worth it, he wondered then shivered at the thought of the that weird looking zombie. Was it?

  The attack rolled on, half the raiders turned to deal with the dead who just kept coming down the ridge like a flood. Doubt was creeping in, but they were caught between the defenders at the wall and the dead and the only escape was back the way they had come. Escape to a camp where the food was running low or take this chance and turn everything around. Most were starting to believe that being hungry was as a far better deal than this fight. Unseen, individuals began to slip away, soon the trickle would become a flood.

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  Steve climbed into the Ma Deuces firing position, he double checked the ammunition belt than gripped the spade handles.

  The men who had died from the booby trapped maze were climbing to their feet as seven desperate militia men started running for the bridge across the Raven. The desperate men stumbled to a halt as they saw the undead on the other side. The horde from Cherokee had followed the sound of combat and seeing some of the living within reach they stumbled forward eager to get to fresh meat. The Militia men, seeing their only chance to escape began leaping into the river.

  “I almost feel sorry for those men” Steve muttered as he lined up on the ferret that had started backing away from the fire’s that raged ahead of and around it. “sucks to be you” Steve said as he tripped the butterfly trigger. Thankfully the Ferrets turret was still unmoving. A ferret, while heavily armored for a scout vehicle, was not armored to stand up against a .50.

  The Ferret rocked as the first round struck it to the right of the drivers position. The driver was already spinning the wheel as the second round struck narrowly missing the driver. As the Ferret continued to back up and turn, Steve walked his fire across the side and into the Engine compartment. The ferret finished its turn and started back the way it came fire shot smoke streaming from its motor. It wasn’t alone the raiders were pulling back, routed by the heavy resistance and the dead.

  “switching targets to the undead” Steve called out as he swiveled the weapon and opened fire into a knot of undead down the road, heading towards the wall.

  .

  “Jim if any of those men out there make it across the river to our side, make sure to check them for weapons then lock them in a room at the Center.” Jared told the older man as he watched survivors of the maze swimming hard trying to escape. “as soon as we have the cabins cleared
, you get these people to the Center” He added knowing that their time was running out to evac before the dead got past the DFP’s and onto the farm.

  “Yes sir.” Jim replied as he sent two of his men to gather others and get the survivors out of the river.

  “Let’s get to the line and see if we can help Logan hold.” Jared said, leaping from the firing step, Steve raked fire across the advancing undead, grinning humorlessly, as bodies tumbled to the ground, some lost arms and legs, and those still able to stand got back to their feet and kept coming.

  “Aren’t you worried?” Jim asked suddenly not sure what to make of Jared. Undead were coming down into the farm from the ridge, covered the roads essentially trapping both their groups in the farm and Jared and his friends seemed unfazed, “I mean we are pretty much surrounded” Jim added.

  “In the words of Ferdinand Foch at the battle of Marne, ‘Hard pressed on my right. My center is yielding. Impossible to maneuver. Situation excellent. I am attacking.’” Jared said with a mirthless grin. “No point in worrying, I can do that when this is over.” If I’m still alive when this is over, Jared thought.

  Jim gaped at Jared like he had just grown a penis out of his forehead, Steve laughed and clapped the older man on the back then let one of Jim’s people take over the Fifty before leaping to the ground beside Jared.

  “We're surrounded. That simplifies the problem. Chesty Puller said that and he was right” Steve said looking up at Jim, then he and Jared smiled at each other before they and their team took off running for the far side of the farm in the early morning light. Jim stared after the two men who raced to meet the undead laughing like lunatics.

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  John Graham and his men lay in the dead grass and snow, watching as the first of the zombies appeared at the edge of the woods. Logan and his team, Team, John thought with humor as he began to fire. Not the word he would have used. But in this day and age who was he to quibble?

  A steady stream of fire was pouring from the DFP’s. Ripping deep into the growing horde of zombies. There was no way they could keep that kind of fire up for long. Everyone was too low on ammo.

  Where in the hell did all those zombies come from? he wondered. They had to come from the towns around the park, he thought as he saw a zombie wearing a Wal-Mart smock, another one wore a box store business shirt. What drew them into the park he didn’t know? And didn’t care, he rose up to one knee and sighted. “Shoot slowly, take your time and make every bullet count,” he told his men.

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  Beth glanced at Sharon who sat in the driver’s seat of the bus. The kids were huddled on the floor hugging their Christmas presents to their chests and crying as they listened to the shouts and gunfire. What a Christmas she thought angrily. These kids didn’t deserve this shit. Ori was out there too, up on the mountain where zombies might be able to get to him. She only wished she was better with a weapon, if she was she would be right beside Ori, watching his back.

  Billy, who idolized Jared was loudly telling the other kids that Mr. Jared and Mr. Ori would kill all the bad men and monsters, she wiped at her eyes and said nothing, she only hoped Billy was right.

  Ben crouched near the Bus door, the pistol he had carried since the zombies first rose clutched in his hands. The girl he had been seeing on the sly sat next to him her hand on his thigh as she tried to act brave. 14 years old and armed, with a 15 year old girlfriend waiting for zombies to get on a school bus and eat every one. What a world, the thought only made Beth angrier.

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  Mikhail climbed up the ridge and into a hollow between two rocks, he settled down to wait. It shouldn’t take to long for this to end, he thought. He smiled as he watched the activity below. How small and insignificant they look from up here. He had stopped sniping the minute the zombies showed up. He didn’t trust that his friend could keep him safe at the moment, and he had no intention of drawing zombies to his position by firing his weapon.

  Down below Reed was getting his raiders turned around and running back for their camp. Which would only draw the zombies after them. He had no doubt that Reed would break down the camp and run for another spot as fast as he could. Didn’t really matter his force was shattered now. Mikhail wasn’t sure how many were dead at the farm. But from the gunfire there were a lot more people alive than he had originally assumed they possessed.

  He had seen the strange zombie with the bowler hat earlier on the ridge, it had vanished during the confusion. For some reason he doubted that it had been killed. It was also the same one that he had seen when he had stopped at the rockslide. That bothered him, but not as much as the fact that the dead had arrived earlier than he had wanted. I guess it wasn’t my call, but it blew my plan out of the water.

  “Do not worry, your services are still needed, you did well today,” A voice said suddenly out of nowhere. Mikhail shuddered at the sound. It was a cold voice and grated like broken glass. Only stubborn will kept him from showing how much it affected him. “So many culled, so much death.” The voice neither male nor female said. “You will have a chance soon to strike at the leader.” And it then it was gone leaving only the smell of rotted blood hanging in the air for another second before it was blown away by the wind.

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  Jared ran thru the farm, checking till he was satisfied that no one remained. “Logan, the cabins are clear, fall back. We are moving up to support. Rob, I need you to do something for me--” He said as he led, Steve, Chris, Ronny, Lloyd and one of Lloyds people, a veteran, named Taylor towards the backside of the farm.

  On receiving the word to get out, Logan left his DFP shouting “Bug out, farms clear.,” urging the men to climb out of the bunkers and run for the bridge. The message spread like wild fire, and men poured out of the DFPs firing into the dead as they fell back. Only one DFP remained in action and Logan knew who was still in there.

  Logan ran to the center DFP and ducked into the doorway. “You ready?” He asked Kevin who had stopped shooting and was dragging himself to the door to wait for Logan.

  “hell yes, I thought maybe you forgot I was in here.” Kevin replied, looking back through the firing slits, the zombies were closer now.

  “Not a chance buddy. I don’t leave friends behind. Besides Mattie would cut my balls off if I left you.” Logan replied as he knelt in the DFP’s doorway.

  “I hate this thing,” Kevin said as he plucked at the harness he wore. Mary and Jill had designed the thing for just this kind of moment and now he was damn glad they had.

  “I do believe Mary and Ronny are into S and M now though.” Logan commented trying to sound amused as he picked up the three straps by the door. “Hold still for a moment.” He said as he hooked the straps to the harness Kevin wore forming two shoulder straps and a belt. A quick look out the firing slit showed him he had a couple of minutes max. He grabbed Kevin under the arms and dragged him out the door.

  “Ready?” he asked. “Sure, why not babies used to ride like this all the time. Always dreamed of becoming a backpack” Kevin remarked trying to sound confident and fear free, as Logan slipped his arms thru the shoulder straps and rose. Kevin dangled from his back facing away from Logan,

  “Just a second.” Logan shouted as he fumbled at the waist strap it seemed to take forever than suddenly the heavy-duty plastic buckle clicked, a yank cinched the belt tight.

  “Now would be a really good time,” Kevin said as he shot at a zombie and missed his aim ruined when Logan suddenly leaped forward running for their lives. Kevin bounced around with each stride, he gave up trying to aim, and only shot at the closest zombies. From Kevin’s position it really didn’t seem that Logan was moving as fast as he could have in these conditions.

  Logan stumbled a few times, and once even slid several feet when he hit a patch of ice under the snow, somehow, he managed to catch his balance and stay upright. The dead were drawing closer, and he just couldn’t run as fast as normal because of Kevin’s extra weight.
>
  “Remind me to thank Mary for her sex harness saving my life.” Kevin grunted.

  “right” Logan gasped, his lungs heaving, legs burning.

  The dead were closer now, gaining ground. A zombie that had once been a woman, still dressed in a skirt and part of her blouse, suddenly sprinted forward, hands reaching out. Time seemed to slow for Kevin, each step an eternity, he had plenty of time to note the broken nails, blood covered fingers. The spoiled meat stuck between her broken jagged teeth. “NO!” he shouted, and time returned to normal, his pistol came up and he punched three rounds into her face. The body fell slithering across the snow. The Horde came on.

  Off their left, there was a scream, Kevin looked and wished he hadn’t. one of the men from the Farm who had been running for the Center, Stan, had fallen and six of the undead, sprinters all had reached him before he could get back to his feet. Blood sprayed across the snow. The only good that came of it was that part of the horde was distracted for a moment turning and heading towards Stan. A rifle shot from the Bridge finished Stan off and the undead turned and headed towards the one meal that had not escaped them so far. “GO Faster” Kevin shouted.