That was the secret. That was the way to overcome CO-D4.
It was too bad, it was all learned a little too late.
SIXTEEN – THE OTHERS
There was about fifteen feet from the fence to the building. The smallest open area in Sanctum. Grant stood there, watching the Codies bounce off the fence. There were at least three dozen back there, a lot less than anywhere else. Grant figured it was because the area was hidden.
It was the spot Ella would sneak out.
“It’s gonna be here,” Grant told Mandy.
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“Has to be. This is the shortest distance between here and the main dock. This is it.”
“And we are going to make our way through the Chuck E Cheese tubes from here to the dock?” she asked.
“That’s what she said on the radio.”
“That’s a hundred people going a hundred feet. We’re going to have to be fast.”
“Yeah, I know. Once we start heading out, the infected are going to swarm to this area.”
“Not to mention the dock. This is going to be impossible,” Mandy said.
“Yeah, but it’s the only way out. Children first with escorts. Those are the most important people to get out.”
“I talked to the kids,” Mandy said. “I told them about crawling through. It’s going to be dark. We have six kids under the age of five. They’re going to be scared, they won’t go, I’m telling you.
“My plan is to have an adult, every couple kids. You know, with a flashlight, crawling through with them. It might work. If it doesn’t … we carry them.”
Mandy laughed airily. “Carry them through the tubes?”
Grant shook his head. “No. It’s a hundred feet. We carry them and run for the docks.”
“How do you propose we do that? You just said this place will be swarming once we start moving out. How do we get out with our most precious cargo with all of those things … out there?”
“Simple. A diversion. When it’s time to go. When it’s time to carry them out,” Grant said. “We take all those infected out there and let them in.”
“Let them in?” Mandy said as if he were nuts. “You realize they will storm this place and it will be extremely dangerous. There are thousands out there. Thousands.”
“Yep.” Grant nodded. “Truth be told, Mandy, we aren’t all making it out. We’re not. You know how the saying goes. The best laid plans of mice and men? This is one of those plans. Something is going to go wrong. We’re all going to die here if we stay. Some of us will live if we leave,” Grant said. “Really, at this point, what choice do we have?”
◆◆◆
Did she have nothing else to do, Clay wondered. Other than talk away on the radio? Didn’t she sleep? Then again, neither did Clay. The woman whose voice filled the air talked about her experience with that she called NICS. N … I … C. New Improved Codies.
Was everything a nickname or acronym? He supposed they needed a name or else they would be saying, “Hey, watch out, that person who took the immunization, went comatose, woke up enraged is coming for you.”
He listened to her ramble, then cycle back to her plan of rescue in case Grant was listening.
Clay had to admit, he was impressed. Even if the rescue didn’t work, he had to give them props for trying.
He was in his new typical position, feet propped up listening to the radio, when Jerry knocked on the door and stepped in. Clay turned down the volume.
“Busy, I see,” Jerry said.
“Yep.” Clay cleared his throat and exhaled. “What’s up?”
“Cathy passed away. You know the woman you rescued yesterday?”
“I do.”
“I rectified her. I see you’re listening again.”
“I am. They have this elaborate rescue planned. As you know. A hundred people. And, they got a case of the immunization they are bringing with them. Two hundred doses.”
Jerry crinkled his brow. “It doesn’t work.”
“Nope. Alone it doesn’t. It turned them into NICS.”
“NICS?”
“New Improved Codies. Intelligent ones,” Clay said. “She went off about how they think and stuff. One kicked her ass.”
“Wow. Okay. So why grab the inoculation?”
“She said they have a way to make it work. She’s calling out for a scientist.” Clay shrugged.
“Bill’s a science teacher, will that work?”
Clay shrugged.
“Yesterday when you brought Cathy in, she was another person you rescued. You ... Clay said everyone gets in. You have this fortress, this safe haven here. A place that can grow and nothing can get it. We can conceivably wait it all out. Heck, I remember a couple weeks ago, you standing up telling people how we need to find survivors, yet … you won’t invite these people.”
“I know.”
“Is it because there are so many?” Jerry asked.
“In part, yeah. One or two at a time, I can control. We have thirty-six people here., We bring in another hundred, hell we have …”
“Life.”
“I was going to say confusion.”
“You’re a good guy, Clay. You have a good thing here.” Jerry reached out and gave a squeeze to Clay’s shoulder. “Lift that radio and tell them where to go.” He patted him once before pulling back his hand. “Good night.”
“Night.” Clay lifted his hand in a wave, then turned up the radio again.
“And you know,” Ella’s voice carried over the radio. “I’m wondering if it’s a psychic thing with him.”
“What the hell is she talking about?” Clay asked. “What did I miss?”
“See what you think. And when we meet up you tell me,” Ella said. “Major Tom you really made the grade. And the papers want to know whose shirt you wear. It’s time to leave the capsule if you dare.”
Lyrics? She was reading lyrics?
“I mean,” Ella said. “How does that even fit into what is going on? What does an astronaut have to do with Codies? Or is it symbolic and really means nothing at all?”
After a groan and grunt, Clay lifted the microphone. “You do know that song isn’t about space, right? Over.”
Pause.
“Oh my gosh,” Ella gushed. “I thought I lost you. What did you say?”
“You’re talking about the song lyrics, right? It’s not about space. It’s about a junkie who overdosed. Stepping through the door. Floating in a most peculiar way. Stars look very different today. Heroin overdose.”
“Oh, wow. I never thought of that. Now you ruined the song,” she said. “Did you just tune in or have you been listening?”
“I’ve been listening and learning you. That’s why I didn’t say anything,” Clay told her.
“Why now?” Ella asked.
“Because you’re rescuing or attempting to rescue a lot of people tomorrow. You’re doing it by the river, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, since you need a place to go. You’re taking an awfully convenient route. I have your place. I have a safe haven. Even though I don’t think you and I are gonna get along at all … you’re gonna take the boat and float on down the Ohio River in a most peculiar way, directly to us.”
“Wait. We have a lot of people,” Ella said.
“I have a lot of room.”
“Thank you,” she said softly.
“You’re welcome. Besides, I want to meet this Major Tom and Doctor James. Along with uh … Pauline?”
“Paula.”
“Yeah.”
“Thank you again.”
Clay nodded, even though she couldn’t see. He felt better about it. He wasn’t sure why he didn’t trust her and her people, a part of him still didn’t. But as Jerry had said, they were in a war against extinction and every person was a soldier.
Life needed soldiers.
Clay proceeded to give her the information to get to Moundsville.
SEVENTEEN – THE RESCUE
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Paula and Don were oddly bubbly. They were the first ones up, then again, they were the first ones in bed. Don fired up the engines, which in turn gave power to the vessel.
Somehow, Paula whipped up a breakfast of egg puffs and fruit along with freshly brewed coffee. She set the table, made a bottle for Rodney and made everyone sit down together for a meal.
“This is the last day before mayhem,” she said. “Hopefully, a hundred people will board this ship and it will seem a little overwhelming. I know. I was a volunteer at a hurricane relief center. It gets hectic. So, enjoy this moment.”
Ella would. The egg puffs were delicious. She dabbed a little hot sauce on them and devoured them. She needed that energy source in her body. Something. Because every move she made hurt.
“We have about two days’ worth of power,” Don said. “We need to cook off anything that can go bad. After that, we’re going to be just floating. For God knows how long.”
“About five hours,” Ella said.
Everyone looked at her.
“Last night when I was playing with the radio again, hoping Grant could hear me, that guy responded,” Ella told them. “The one from two days ago. We’re gonna back track to the Ohio River and head down to West Virginia. Moundsville. He’s there. He has a place. He called it a Safe Haven. He and about thirty others are set up in an old prison and they are safe. They are planting and that’s where we’re headed.”
Everyone vocally responded at the same time and their voices meshed together.
“It sounds legit,” Ella said.
“What if it’s not,” Tom asked. “What if it’s an ambush?”
Ella giggled. “We’ll have over a hundred people, it is going to have to be a big ambush.”
James lifted his hand. “So, we’re not going to be floating on the river for a month.”
Ella shook her head. “Let’s hope not.”
After finishing up the meal, Don excused himself. It was time to go.
Ella walked to the deck to wait.
The morning sun felt warm and soothing. They were so close to Sanctum, so close. Under normal circumstances, she could walk there in less than ten minutes.
She sipped her coffee, elbows against the railing as the book lifted from dock and moved slowly down the river.
In minutes they would be there.
James joined her on the deck, asking her if she was nervous.
“Of course,” Ella replied. ‘Aren’t you?”
“A little, yeah. I have everything ready in case of injuries. Just hope I can keep up if it all goes south.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t.”
It was a wild card rescue and they all knew it. Their unspoken fears were confirmed when they approached the dock and saw the Codies.
There weren’t thousands or even hundreds, but enough scattered about the shore and docks that the dream of a safe, quick rescue went out the window.
The original plan was the lower the ramp and leave it down.
That would be impossible.
The second they docked, the Codies made their way over.
Ammunition was rationed, so there was no way to take them all out. The sound of gunfire would only bring more.
It would be a quick drop and go.
Lower the ramp, Tom and Ella would roll the dolly down with the chutes and the ramp would be raised.
There wasn’t time to overthink, they had to just move. It was also a true test of Ella and Tom’s ability to slip through the Codies.
James wished them luck and they secured the first two chutes to the dolly and waited by the ramp.
The second it lowered and touched the dock, the Codies moved toward them.
They had to race down and clear the ramp before Don raised it within seconds of them making their way down.
The Codies encompassed them, ignoring Ella and Tom and reaching for the raised ramp.
Ella looked over her shoulder to James, then she and Tom together moved the dolly.
Grant was at the fence when Ella arrived with Tom. The arrival of the boat was a diversion that drew the Codies from the back area where they would attempt the rescue.
“I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t see it with my own eyes,” Grant said astonished, reaching his fingers through the chain loops of the fence to touch Ella. “They aren’t attacking you.”
“No, they aren’t. We need to move quickly,” she said. “This is Major Tom.”
“Major Tom, thank you.” Grant nodded.
Ella explained the plan. They’d be back once the chutes were all in place and connected. They’d start with the children first.
It was tedious and physically exerting work, but Ella and Tom worked together. They placed the chutes, connected them and ran back to the boat to get another.
It took three hours, but they did it.
In doing so, they created a dilemma. Even though the last chute was a mere two feet from where the ramp would come down, more Codies had gathered at the dock and there was no clear and safe way to lower the ramp.
The best laid plans of mice of men …
They had to toss out the plan to have adults escort the children through the dark chutes.
The children had to venture alone. At the end, they would be lifted to the ramp that would still be in a raised positioned.
Don and James waited to grab them while Paula took position as a sharp shooter.
Led by an older child with a flashlight, they slipped though the slightly opened fence and began their journey on hands and knees.
Out of eighteen, only ten ventured through.
They thought it out, but not well enough.
The best laid plans …
They didn’t take into account that the children would pause, cry out and struggle as they crawled through.
They didn’t take into account the amount of people that would rush to the back portion of the fence to await their turn to crawl through the chutes.
They didn’t take into account … people would panic.
Ella and Tom stayed close to the chutes, following as the children made their way.
Their cries and the shaking of the tube caught the attention of the Codies and soon, the Codies were attacking the tubes.
They swarmed to the tubes, covering them which increased the panic in the kids.
“Keep going, keep crawling.” Ella encouraged. “Go. Go.”
It was a constant fight, pulling a Codie from the tubes only to have two more take its place.
What should have taken a few minutes, took nearly thirty, with all the stopping and going. Finally, the first child reached the end.
Tom yanked him out, like a doctor delivering a baby and lifted the ten-year-old child up into the clutches of Don. Codies reached and fought to get each child.
While Tom did the pulling them out, lifting them up, Ella battled the Codies. Pushing them back, striking them, doing everything in her power to keep them at bay.
Occasionally, Paula would have no choice but to fire a shot.
Then just as James lifted the tenth and final child upwards, something happened.
The Codies suddenly seemed disinterested in trying to get the children, they changed directions, and after all of them turned, they moved back in the direction of Sanctum.
Deep within his soul, James wanted the plan to work, but knew somehow things would go wrong.
In theory, it was awesome. Something like that would work like a charm in the movies, but in real life, it went from tricky to dangerous.
He watched in horror as the Codies pounced on the chutes, two or three at a time at the same spot. Grabbing for it, bending it.
Tom and Ella were on it, though. Shoving them off, repairing the chutes when they started to disconnect.
He worried about the children and how easily they could get hurt.
James recognized that they couldn’t lower the ramp and that he and Don had to be ready for when Tom lifted each child up. It wasn’t easy for him. The childr
en would kick and scream in fear as the Codies reached and grabbed, extending their arms around Tom.
Then something happened, the Codies faced the other way and moved in a horde toward Sanctum. It happened just as Tom lifted the last child and the first adult made his way out.
“Lower the ramp,” Tom ordered.
He saw it as an opportunity to freely get those in the chutes up to the boat. James had to wonder if Tom was curious as to why they turned or even if he cared.
James did.
What is happening? Why is this happening? Ella thought in a panicked state. She watched the Codies move in droves back to Sanctum. She heard Tom yell out about lowering the ramp, and when she looked over her shoulder, she saw an adult male, impatiently grabbing for the ramp as it lowered.
Then another adult emerged from the tube, followed by another., They were coming out fast, not even giving the ramp a chance to make a connection to the dock.
Tom yelled at them, “Stop. Wait.”
Ella turned back around. The chute had to be full, it moved like a snake across the ground, shaking buckling. The Codies walked into it, bumping it … and then at the mid way point, it cracked and broke just as the wave of people passed.
The Codies stopped.
The reached inside the chutes, grabbing the first set of legs they could.
“No, no, no,” Ella hollered. “Tom! What do we do?”
She glanced over her shoulder to him.
When he saw what was happening, he paused in helping people. “Ella, come back to the boat.”
“The Codies, they’re getting …”
“Come back now.”
She didn’t understand why? She wasn’t in any danger. But it wasn’t the Codies, it was the oncoming rampage of running people that posed a threat.
Those from Sanctum barreled toward the boat, blasting past the Codies, tripping over the chutes, some making it through, some not so fortunate.
There were those holding children running and Ella watched helplessly. Why did they run? Why take the chance?
“Ella!” Tom called out.
There was nothing she could do, Ella wasn’t even armed. After two steps backwards, she spun on her heels and raced to the boat.
The Rectify Series (Book 3): Rectify 3 Page 8
