The Zombie Wars: Call To Arms (White Flag Of The Dead Book 7)

by Joseph Talluto

  Tommy held up a hand. “Before you get murderous, keep in mind I agree with what they had to say.”

  I folded my hands together and leaned forward. “What exactly did they have to say?”

  Tommy took a breath. “They said you’re wasting your time trying to lead this army.”

  I waited a minute before answering, my voice being the only one that broke the shocked silence. “And you agreed with them?”

  Tommy nodded. “We’ve been successful so far, but let me finish what they had to say before you kill anyone.”

  “What else should I do with traitors?” asked Charlie softly.

  Tommy slammed his hand on the table. “Dammit! Listen! If you paint those men as traitors, then you’d better be slinging that paintbrush wide because you’ll cover a lot of people who agree! Are you going to shut the hell up and let me finish, or are you going to do something stupid?” Tommy glared at Charlie. “Let me remind you that I’ve gone through everything you have, and if you think I’ll just go quietly because Charlie James is coming for me, you’ll get the shock of your life.”

  “Both of you, knock it off,” I said.

  “But these men…” Charlie started to say

  “And I agreed!” Tommy said loudly.

  “Enough!” I yelled, whipping out my Glock. I slammed it on the table. “I’ll shoot the next man who talks! Damned if I won’t! Both of you, knock it off!” I pointed at Charlie. “These men have been with us for a long time. They have proven their loyalty not only to their country, both past and present, but they have tried their best to make sure our fighters have a chance at survival.” I shifted and pointed at Tommy. “Your presentation skills suck. Instead of stringing your story out a chunk at a time, try just telling the whole damn thing!”

  I holstered my weapon and sat back down. I glared at my two friends and watched their eyes slowly return to normal. Once they had calmed down and processed that I was serious, they looked back at each other.

  “Sorry for interrupting,” Charlie said.

  “My fault,” Said Tommy.

  “Continue, please,” I said, as if nothing had happened.

  “These men know about you and what you’ve done. You’ve taken small groups through the worst of zombie territory and lived to tell about it. I can’t count the number of times we’ve survived when we shouldn’t. Trouble is, you’ve never led a group this size before. We’re getting bogged down in logistics when we need to be just killing zombies.”

  I couldn’t argue with that. My experience in leading large groups of people had been limited to administrative duties as a principal. It was different when I was ordering people to go fight zombies and possibly be sending them to their deaths.

  “Keep going,” I said.

  “These guys know how to lead the army we have, and they know how to use the skills they have at their disposal. What they are proposing is to set you loose and go do what you do best,” Tommy said.

  “And what is that?” I asked.

  “You’re a zombie killer. Plain and simple. You work best when it’s just you and us, and we’re out there risking only our asses. What they suggest is you head out with us, scout ahead, and let them know what they are getting into. They can deploy in a way that best kills the most zombies as possible,” Tommy said.

  I found the argument difficult to disagree with. I did do my best work when I was with a small group. A group I completely trusted. I did have a question, as the history teacher who occupied a small portion of my brain raised his hand.

  “Say I agree with this. Say I go out, scout ahead, and do all the necessary things. What is to stop this trio of men from taking this army back to the capital, establishing themselves as dictators with a hardened band of experienced zombie fighters to beat the rest of the population into line?” I asked.

  Tommy blinked. I could see he hadn’t thought about that one. I let the idea marinate in the heads of everyone in the room before I spoke again.

  “I guess I will need to talk to these men and see what they have to say,” I said. “If I believe them then we can get this war moving in a different direction. If not, then—”

  “Then we’ll take away their commands and send them back to the capital under arrest,” Charlie said.

  Tommy’s jaw tightened, but I knew what I had asked was still in his head. I’d need some convincing before I agreed to this plan, and the sooner the better.

  “Go back to the men, and tell them I want to talk to them. We’ll see how convincing they can be,” I said.

  “All right. You want them to come here?” Tommy asked as he stood up.

  “No, I’ll meet them outside. There’s a park over there. I’ll meet them under the gazebo in twenty minutes.”

  Before he left, Tommy stopped. “Would you really have shot Charlie and me?” he asked with his hand on the door.

  I smiled. “Not really. But I sure was ready to pistol whip the living shit out of the two of you.”

  Charlie and Tommy did not smile back.

  I left the table and met Sarah in the back of the RV. Jake was taking a small nap, tired out after being scared for most of the day. I took off my gear and my shirt, washing off my arms and running some water through my hair.

  “Tell me what you’re thinking,” Sarah said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

  I shrugged, pulling out a tee shirt and pulling it over my head. “If I’m honest with myself, they’re right. I’m in way over my head with this whole army thing. I’m good at small unit tactics, but coordinating divisions and regiments and platoons is beyond my experience. They do have a point. I do better when I don’t have to worry about hundreds of people.”

  Sarah looked at me. “What about that other thing? About them taking over?”

  “I’m not in it for the power, you know that. Hell, I’ve argued against a leadership role from the start. And come to think of it, when I said we were going to war, the Senate nearly flipped when they found out I was planning on going with the volunteers. But I can’t run this war from the rear. I can’t sit back and tell everyone else, ‘Go kill those zombies’. That’s never been me,” I said, sitting down on the bed next to her. I put a hand on my sleeping son’s head, wondering if it would be a better thing to send Sarah back to Starved Rock with Jake. I didn’t want to think about the argument that would cause.

  “So what are you going to do?” she asked, hitting me with the full power of her green-eyed stare.

  “I’ll keep it simple,” I said.

  Sarah groaned and fell back, landing next to Jake who snuggled up against her. I envied him a little at that point. I stood up and took out the .45 my father had given me. I put it in its holster at my belt after I had tucked my shirt in. I didn’t bother with my knives or pickaxe.

  “This is simple?” Sarah asked, eying my gun.

  “Just there to make a point,” I said.

  I went back up to the front of the RV, and after looking at me, Charlie elected to dress himself similarly. His t-shirt was one of those sport compression tees, which Charlie’s bulk strained at the seams. Charlie was a big man, and the years after the Upheaval hadn’t softened him much. We still regularly worked out, and while he was stronger than I was, I wasn’t a slouch in comparison. If I was honest, Charlie was the one man I would never want to face in anger. Given our skill levels, we’d likely kill each other.

  “Ready?” I asked.

  “Ready as I’ll ever be,” Charlie said.

  “Rebecca talk to you, too?”

  “Did she ever. I think we need to send her, Sarah, and the kids back to Starved Rock. I know we need to send Sarah back,” Charlie said.

  “What? Why?” I asked, stepping out into the evening.

  “I’ll tell you later. There they are.” Charlie pointed to the gazebo and we could see three men standing there.

  We walked over to the park, and as we approached, the men stood at attention and saluted. I never could get used to that, but I respected it. I returned the sal
ute and waved the men to the picnic benches. I was reminded vividly of the picnic benches that saved my life not too long ago. Charlie stood at the edge of the gazebo, his huge arms crossed in front of his chest.

  I opened the conversation. “Tommy told me what you gentleman have proposed. At first I was suspecting some form of mutiny,” I said.

  I held up my hands for silence. “No one doubts your loyalty. But look at it from my side. What would you think? What would be the first thing you would think of?”

  That stopped them. Then the leader of the group, a man called Ted Hanley, spoke up.

  “Sir, you have to understand, we know you’re trying your best. But we’ve seen you second-guess yourself, wait too long to send people in, and throw yourself into situations you shouldn’t have to handle, “Ted said. “We heard about what you did by the river, and that’s one of the reasons we want to take away this command from you. You’re a born scout. Your instincts are for assessing a threat and keeping yourself and your unit alive. In all honesty, sir, you’re wasted back here.”

  “So what is your proposal?” I asked, looking at each man in turn. If one of them failed to hold my eyes, the entire thing was off, and these men were finished.

  Every one of them held my gaze. I had to admit I was both relieved and surprised.

  Ted replied. “We want you to scout ahead. Let us know where we have to use all of our resources or just a few. I’d rather not drag this entire army all over creation. We are mobile, and we’re getting bogged down. Wilmington could have taken three trucks, and the other could have been sent here.”

  I looked hard at him, but he continued.

  “You couldn’t have known that, sir. But we don’t have anyone telling us what we need to know. The locals are useless for information, as we discovered up in Manteno.”

  I had to admit that was true. There were fifty surviving families, and not one of them could remember when they saw a zombie last.

  “So you want to move me along, get me out of the way so you can do your job better,” I said.

  Tom Haggerty spoke up. “Sir, I understand what you want to do. I really do. But as Ted said, you’re wasted back here. You and your friends are the best scouts we have, the most suited to survive, and you’re not scouting.”

  I nodded. “You’re right. We should be scouting. All right, then. We’ll do it your way.” The three men looked at each other in obvious relief.

  “One question, though,” I said. “How do I know you won’t try to get rid of me and take the army back to the capital to work a coup? How do I know you won’t just use this as an opportunity to take over for yourselves?”

  Charlie shifted, and the men I spoke to were silent for a minute. Then Ted spoke again.

  “One simple reason, sir. If we were to try and betray you, we know we’d never sleep soundly again, knowing you were out there, knowing you were coming for us,” he said. “Personally, it’d be quicker just to shoot ourselves.”

  “Good answer,” I said. “I’ll address the army in the morning. Let the unit commanders know what is happening, and come up with a way of communicating that makes sense and will keep us all alive.”

  “Sir!” The men stood again to salute and both Charlie and I returned it.

  As we were walking back to the RV, Charlie spoke in a low tone.

  “Did you believe them?” he asked.

  “I want to, my friend. I really want to,” I said. “We’ll burn down that bridge when we cross it, I suppose.”

  We walked back to the trailer, and once inside we brought everyone up to the table. I let them know what my decision was, and Charlie supported it. We were going to address the troops in the morning. I said I felt like I was abandoning the fighters, but Rebecca shot that down quick enough.

  “John, I’ve talked to a dozen men and women, and every single one wonders why you and Charlie and Tommy and Duncan are here. You four are a unit that takes years to form, and you’re hell on wheels when you get going. This army stuff isn’t for you. If you tell them tomorrow that you’re going to be the advance of the army, chances are good they will stand up and cheer,” she said in a firm voice.

  I nodded. It made the most sense, and in reality, it was what I wanted to do. I fought best with my best friends by my side, not from a command center.

  “All right. Well, I’m glad that’s over,” I said.

  “One other thing,” Rebecca said, looking meaningfully at Sarah. I caught the look and waited for my wife to speak.

  Sarah looked shy. “I’m going back to the capital with Rebecca and Janna.”

  “What?” I was completely taken by surprise. I was also relieved as hell I wasn’t going to have to try and convince her to go.

  Sarah looked at me. “I’m pregnant.”

  “Oh my god!” I said, holding her tight. “That’s wonderful! Wait, what the hell were you doing fighting zombies the other day? Are you nuts?” You’re going back to the capital tomorrow, that’s for sure.”

  “John! Easy, big guy.” Rebecca smiled. “Sarah wasn’t sure, but she is now. She and Janna are both expecting and will be heading back to live in the capital until you return.” Rebecca turned serious. “You have seven months before your child is born. I expect you to be there.”

  I hugged Sarah again. “Not even another Major Thorton could keep me away.”

  Afterward we went over to Duncan’s trailer to congratulate Janna, and stun Duncan, who had no idea he was going to be a father. Then we went to find Tommy to tell him the news of my decision and the decision of the wives. Both were well received.

  “It’s the best choice, and I for one will be grateful,” Tommy said.

  “Why’s that?” Duncan asked.

  Tommy smiled and punched his old friend on the arm. “You’re getting soft. You need new challenges.”

  “Amen!” yelled Janna. “And his daughter will be plenty of challenge, I guarantee it!”

  “How do you know it’s not a boy?” Duncan asked.

  Janna smiled. “I just know. Get ready, daddy-o.”

  I had a hard time wrapping my head around what kind of child those two were going to bring into the world. Apparently, Charlie did too.

  “Why do I get the feeling we’re going to be dealing with a child who loves to blow up knives?” he asked.

  “No reason,” I said. “No reason at all.”

  In the morning, we had a general assembly after breakfast, and I announced to the troops what I was going to do and who was going to be left in charge. There were a lot of nods of agreement, so I knew then it was the right thing to do. Afterwards, we met with the leaders and hammered out a communication plan. It was simple and easily followed. We would deal with what we could and avoid what we couldn’t. Big cities we would try and scout, but generally stay away from them. We would also serve as recruiters, trying to find locals who could help fight the good fight.

  After that, we met to say goodbye to the women who were going back to civilization. I held onto Sarah for a long time, and I held onto Jake for a long time as well. This wasn’t a place for him, and I was mistaken for having him along. The girls were going to take the RV’s back to the capital, they would just slow us down for what we needed to do.

  “Promise me you’ll be there for the birth?” Sarah asked.

  “I promise. I will be there. I will send word when I can,” I said. I kissed her like it was going to be the last time and then saw them onto the RV. Sarah was driving, at my insistence, after Janna’s performance with the semi. Jake was happy he was going to where there were other children to play with, and Julia was happy she was riding with her friend Janna.

  I stood watching them until they were out of sight. Charlie and Duncan stood next to me as we watched our wives drive away. Tommy was smarter than the rest of us, leaving his wife and child back in the capital. I was wearing my gear, backpack and all. My two rifles were at my feet resting on the bag of ammo I shared with Charlie.

  I turned around and faced the three
men who were going to lead the army in my absence.

  “I’ll take two trucks. We’ll provision ourselves on the road. We will head south, scout the bigger cities and communities. Let you know how the land lays. If we tell you to avoid someplace, you do it. We’ll likely turn east into Indiana, and then go from there. We’ll leave you a trail,” I said.

  Tom Haggerty smiled. “Yes, sir. Good to have you back, sir.”

  I grinned. “Man has to know his limitations.”

  Charlie picked up his bag and slung his rifle over his shoulder. We walked over to the two pickup trucks that were parked nearby. Tommy was already waiting in one.

  “Ready?” he called out.

  Charlie nodded as he secured his gear in the back.

  “Let’s get to work.”

  Gilman, IL

  “What do you see?” I whispered.

  “There’s ten right below us. Another fifteen up the street. I can see a side street with about five more just standing there,” Tommy said.

  “All right.” I clicked into the radio. “Charlie?” No answer. “Charlie?”

  “Hang on.” Tommy’s voice came through. “Charlie’s surrounded right now. Give him a minute to let them wander away.”

  “Need a hand?” I asked.

  “Might be a need if they don’t clear pretty soon.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.” I eased myself out of my spot and carefully made my way towards the garage door. I was in a machine shop, one of several in a small industrial park. Across the way was a motorcycle repair shop, a small engine repair shop, and a ceramic tile store. The previous owner of the machine shop had objected to my presence and subsequently was lying dead near the back door. His overalls were full of his own guts, torn out when he had been attacked by the zombies. The organs had gathered around his knees making it look like he was wearing giant kneepads. If nothing else, I put out him out of the misery of looking so foolish.

  We were in the town of Gilman, having been on the road for two weeks. We had left the army behind, letting them clean up the bigger messes while we scouted ahead. Twice we had managed to lure the inhabitants of a dead town into a large building, locking them in, but that was pure luck. Chebanse was oddly clear, being so close to the highway, and Ashkum was full of dead people. Charlie actually got cornered by half a dozen zombies and only managed to escape when he scrambled through a very small window. Tommy described the scene as a very attractive building giving birth to the ugliest baby he had ever seen.