by Mike Staton
“Kat?” Cooper coughed, but didn’t get up from his position. “Do you know her?”
“Friend from a time long past. Lifetime ago, Cooper.” She looked at Krista, who’d tucked her helmet under her free arm while keeping her carbine aimed at Cooper. “Probably same reason your people have a gun on mine and you’ve got one on my… friend.”
“Can he be trusted not to be stupid?” Krista asked without actually addressing Cooper. “Hate to put a bullet through your… friend.”
“He’ll be good.” Kat swept her leg over the tree limb and slung her rifle. “Permission to descend?”
“Granted. What’re you doing here?”
“Could ask you the same thing.” Kat climbed down the tree. “You with the folk out of Danielsville?”
“Can I get up now?” Cooper’d caught his breath.
“Only if you’re going to be a good little boy. Cooper, was it?” Krista lowered the carbine, letting it hang from the sling she wore.
Cooper nodded once and took the response as an excuse to sit up. “What’re you…?”
“Guardian to these ‘folk’ as you put it. I am with them, Katherine. I assume you’re among the voices on the opposite end of the radio?”
Kat shook her head as she dropped down to the ground and turned to face Krista. “Not precisely, or personally. Person on the radio’s Zack Pull or his partner Luke.”
Krista’s eyes lit up for a moment at the mention of Zack’s name. She glanced away and back. When her gaze returned to Kat, her professional demeanor had returned.
“So… How do you two know each other?” Cooper climbed to his feet. He nodded at the .22. “May I?”
“Nope. Katherine, that’s yours isn’t it?” Krista nodded to the rifle.
“Same one the Colonel gifted to me after my first tourney.” Kat smiled at the memory. She took a couple steps to the rifle and picked it up. She checked the chamber, the idiot hadn’t even prepped a round, and cradled the gun.
“Okay. Introductions. Now.” Cooper almost stamped his foot.
Kat glanced at him, looked him over. Krista followed her gaze, quirked one auburn eyebrow at her. Kat shook her head for a moment.
“Cooper, this is Lieutenant Krista Adams, United States Airforce.” Kat gestured. “Ma’am, since we’re clearly on the same side of this conflict, can we go down into the town together?”
“Airforce? How the hell did you lay me out?” Cooper folded his arms over his chest.
“Because, what Katherine didn’t mention is that I’m also Air Forces Special Operations. You, little boy, likely couldn’t even hold a candle to Katherine here.” Krista pulled her helmet back on. “Have you really not laid this guy out before?”
“Daily struggle. It’s good to see you, Ma’am.” Kat pulled her mask back on and charged her .22.
“After you all.” Krista gestured for Kat to lead the way. “Assuming you don’t have other people hiding in the trees who might shoot me.”
* * *
Percival bolted out of the chair he sat in as the soft tinkle of a bell echoed up the stairwell. He swept his hammer up with one hand and smoothly over his shoulder. He surprised even himself when he managed to drop it into his makeshift sheath on the first try. In the next heartbeat, he swept his shotgun up and into a ready position.
Judith bounced to her feet as well, arrow and bow in hand. She dropped into a low crouch with the arrow nocked, but not drawn.
Samuel was the last to his feet. He looked confused for a moment at his companions actions, then, as the bell tinkled once more, recognition bloomed over his face. He snatched up his bat, standing at the ready.
Percival edged around the desk and toward the door that led to the stairwell. He waved Judith back and took a deep breath.
“Hello? Who’s there?” he shouted.
A moment of silence rang through the air before the answering: “Dakota and Anton. Who are you?”
“Percival Polz. Member of Phoenix Rising. I’ve got Judith Dald and Samuel Berkin here with me. We’re nonhostile and coming downstairs.” Percival glanced at Judith and in a lower tone said, “Stay back a ways. I’m dead anyways if they shoot me on sight, do something drastic and get back home to tell the others.”
Judith shook her head once as Samuel nodded.
Percival shot a look at Judith, tucked his helmet under one arm and cradled his shotgun over the other. He hoped the look he’d given her would keep her from immediately following him. She was sneaky and loyal. Two qualities he liked in his team, but for the moment, he needed one over the other.
“Comin’ down.” Percival descended the staircase, letting his flashlight hang from his jacket and illuminate the way. He hit the base of the stairs and moved to the doorway leading to the rest of the shop.
“Hold up there.” Dakota lifted a small rifle of some sort to point at him. She was a bigger woman who filled out her leather jacket and cargo pants. Her dark skin appeared bronze in the poor light. “Who’s your radio operator? Wha’s his name and what’s our operator’s name?”
Percival lifted his helmet into the air and kept it clear he wasn’t going to do anything with his shotgun. “Our radio operator, primary one at least, is Zackary Pull. Private Zackary Pull if you want to be that specific. His second is Luke. Not sure who your operator, Gavin, spoke with.”
Dakota glanced at Anton and back to Percival.
Anton, a giant of a man with short, blonde hair, cold blue eyes, and the build of Dolph Lundgren lowered a sawn-off, double barreled shotgun first. His voice came out surprisingly high-pitched. “He’s friendly, I’m thinkin’.”
Dakota lowered her rifle as well. “If he ain’t, we can fix that right fast. Sorry for the rough reception, Mister Polz. Found we can’t quite trust everyone around, y’know?”
“I can understand.” Percival lowered his helmet holding hand and glanced over his shoulder. “Samuel, Judith, come on down.”
A moment later, Samuel clomped down the stairs. Judith appeared silently after him.
“Anton, Dakota, this is Samuel Berkin and Judith Dald.” Percival gestured to each in turn. “Got to say, it’s a pleasure to meet y’all.”
“It was such a delight to hear you guys on the radio when Gavin first made contact. We were beginning to think we might be the last civilized portion of this country left.” Dakota moved away from the door and toward the front of the store.
“What happened here?” Samuel asked.
“Town was evacuated before it got really bad. We’ve emptied most of it though.” Dakota stopped by the front window, rifle propped on her shoulder and pointing at the ceiling.
“Did you shoot the lock in the back?” Judith followed them up to the front, but held back by the shelves instead of moving fully into the light at provided by the broad windows.
“Not us personally.” Anton leaned against the window, which flexed precariously. “We weren’t on the first scavenging teams.”
“Dangerous job that.” Percival set his helmet on the countertop near the cash register used to reside. He looked at the two from the region. “Why did you stay if there was an organized evacuation before it got bad?”
“This’s our home.” Anton’s tone had a finality like there wasn’t any other option beyond that.
“Do you mind if I ask where you’re holed up now? I get if you don’t want to tell us.” Percival laid his shotgun on the counter next to his helmet and turned to lean against it. The gun was well within reach should something go nasty.
“We’d, if you truly were friendly, planned to take you there. Offer a hot meal even.” Dakota smiled at him. “Y’all seem friendly, Mister Polz. Are you?”
“Unquestioningly friendly. I, however, feel the need to warn—“
“Is that wise?” Judith cut Percival off.
“Warn us ‘bout what?” Dakota’s rifle dropped back into her hand as her stance tense.
Anton pushed off the window as well, both hands on his shotgun. The tension of the room
shot through the roof as Samuel lifted his bat from the floor and into a semi-ready position. Judith melted into the shadows as she drew an arrow from her quiver.
“Calm down and relax everyone.” Percival couldn’t blame them for the reaction. Judith’d cut him short at just the wrong point. “Yes, I think they should know given that they’re going to share their home with us.”
“Not if you don’t come clean and soon.” Dakota didn’t precisely point her rifle at Percival, but it was close.
“Put the gun down, please. As I was about to say before my companion interrupted is that I’ve been infected. Was bit a couple weeks ago. I’m not showing many signs, but feel it’s important that you know, given the risk I represent, to you and yours. Samuel there is my keeper.”
Dakota kept her rifle trained on him for a moment longer before relaxing. She lowered the rifle to point at the floor. “I appreciate your candor. You won’t be allowed inside our camp. Sure you understand.”
“Rules are rules. You don’t know me, I’d not expect any special treatments from you. My second, Corporal Katherine Holter, will go in my stead.” Percival remained relaxed and easy going. He kept the irritation he felt from sliding into his voice. He truly couldn’t blame them for denying him entrance. He couldn’t say that the farmhouse would be any different for people they didn’t know.
“Katherine?” Anton’s gaze drifted over Samuel and the space Judith had occupied. “You said your companions were Sam and Judy.”
“She’s outside on a hillside watching over us with her partner. If things hadn’t gone as well as they have, she was to return home with a report of less than pleasant results.” Percival remained relaxed.
Dakota and Samuel exchanged a look.
“I’m sure she wouldn’t shoot first.” Anton looked back to Percival. “Guessin’ caution’s the name of the game t’day.”
Percival’s guts turned pretzel shaped and he straightened. Had he put Kat and Cooper to death by having them cover his ass? His tone turned dangerously sharp, “Who wouldn’t shoot first?”
“We’ve a sharpshooter on the roof across the street.” Dakota glanced through the plate glass window.
“Our people are in the woods outside of town. Not hiding on a roof. What danger are they in?” Samuel stepped forward.
Anton’s shotgun came up almost casually. “As I said, she wouldn’t shoot first, I dun think.”
“Who is ‘she’?” Percival laid a hand on his shotgun.
“Lieutenant Adams. She dropped back into town a couple weeks after the evacuation. Been working with us as an advisor and defender since.” Dakota looked at Anton. “I’m thinkin’ we all need to relax, take a step outside, and get some fresh air.”
Percival slid his hand from his shotgun in the same moment that Anton lowered his double-barrel. “I think that’s a good idea. Especially if you’ll signal off your sharpshooter.”
“I’m agreeable to that, but only if you signal to Miss Holter.” Dakota’s easy smile was disarming given the tension in the room.
Percival gestured toward the door. “After y’all.”
Dakota nodded, cradled her rifle, and moved past Anton. She quietly said something that Percival didn’t quite catch as she walked past him and continued out the door.
Anton waved for them to exit.
“Tell you to come out last?” Samuel slung his bat to his shoulder and left it there as he walked past Anton. It earned him a grunt from the big man.
Percival glanced into the shadows that deepened further into the store as he picked up his shotgun and helmet. “Come on Judith.”
The woman materialized near him and together they walked past the Russian giant and into the afternoon light.
Dakota looked up at the building across the street and waved twice. Percival followed her gaze and caught a glimpse of the silhouette of a person as they dropped beneath the rim of the building. He shook his head slightly. Kat would never have been so sloppy as to let herself be silhouetted like that. He glanced over his shoulder at Anton, then turned in the direction that Kat sat. He hoped she still sat there, safe and undiscovered in her tree.
He waved twice: their ‘standby’ signal. He wanted her ready, if she were still there, to dispense justice if things went sideways. He looked back to Dakota. “Who’s your shooter?”
“Lindsey Furling,” she answered without missing a beat. “She and her spotter’s relocating to better watch out for zombies or other unfriendlies.”
Percival nodded, sucked in the cool autumn air, and let it out in a huff of vapor. “Do you have a way of contacting Lieutenant Adams?”
Dakota shook her head.
“Not much luck finding her either. Tiny girl’s better at vanishing than your woman.” Anton nodded to Judith.
“Thanks for the compliment.”
Anton grunted a reply.
“What do we do then?” Samuel adjusted his grip on his bat, a sign of his nervousness that was nearly as blatant as his shifting feet.
“We wait. If it passes 1500 hours, we start back to the Ranger Station and she catches up with us along the way.” Dakota answered.
“If it comes to that, we’re stopping by my second on the way.” Percival slid his hands into his jacket pockets to wait.
* * *
“You airdropped back in?” Cooper openly stared at Krista. “Why?”
“I’d done my duty and gotten people out. I knew there were people still here who needed further assistance so, the decision wasn’t precisely difficult.” Krista rested her hands on the hanging carbine. She kept a quick pace that Kat liked, but left Cooper struggling ever so slightly.
It amused her to no end. She also wasn’t trying to actively talk, so she was able to save her breath for walking. Marching.
“But, there’s no way back out for you, is there?” Cooper marveled at Krista.
Kat rolled her eyes.
“Nope. The planes and ‘copters left on base were left too low in the way of fuel for me to return. Not that I’d trust myself to actually fly back out. But my place is here, helping the people of this area.” Krista finally diverted their direction into Danielsville. They’d finished circumnavigating the town before descending into it. “I came back with three others. We split apart upon landing. My partner and I swept back into Danielsville. The other two operatives went south toward Knoxville.”
“Have you heard from them?” Kat asked. Percival hadn’t had very good things to say about Knoxville. He also hadn’t exactly had good things to say about the military guys he’s run into there.
But those had been Army, not Airforce. And from the way he’d described them, they sounded more like deranged ground soldiers instead of hyper competent special forces.
“Not since we landed and divided.” Krista turned her head toward Kat. “Is Ian…”
“He’s alive. I’d say fine.” Kat shook her head. “He’s holding himself to too high a standard. Sleep deprived and stressed to the limit.”
Cooper’s head turned between the pair.
“Sounds like my boy.”
“You two were quite the pair.” Kat smiled, even though she knew the older woman wouldn’t be able to see it. “Will you lead the way?”
Krista’s head shook. She took a couple quick steps and took the lead of their group and adjusted her carbine to match the new position. “As much as I’d like to, I’m needed here.”
“He’ll understand. Radio some evening.” Kat glanced at Cooper. She wanted to ask Krista about her and Ian’s falling out and breakup. They’d seemed the perfect pair. But in front of Cooper wasn’t the place to do it. And Krista was clearly moving into a combat status. Kat followed her lead and readied her .22.
It took Cooper a moment before he readied the pistol he carried. Krista slid near silent to the edge of the street. She raised a hand in signal for them to stop, silently padded around the corner in a low crouch and cleared the street.
“Come along.” Krista relaxed, lowering her carbine
once more.
Kat followed suit and moved around the corner. It looked, to her, just like almost any medium sized town USA. The street was suspiciously empty of cars, but clean and welcoming otherwise. She took in the decorations, some sort of Danielsville Pride day, and the cluster of people down the street. She also noted the silhouette atop the building to her left; the conspicuous lump with a slightly shiny center atop the Western Union National Bank.
“Sharpshooter needs work at hiding,” she muttered.
Krista glanced up and nodded. The silhouette bobbed slightly. “Been working on that. Girl’s a fine shot, not as good as you, but still rough around the edges. Still smoother than your boytoy there.”
“He’s not my… I…” Kat felt flustered as they approached the group of people in the street. She recognized Percival, Judith, and Samuel. She assumed the other two, a small, blonde tank in human form, and a squat black woman were Anton and Dakota.
“He’s pretty, Katherine. I’ll give you that.”
“Hey, I resemble that remark.” Cooper called from behind them.
“But, really?” Krista’s head turned toward her. “Are you ready to do introductions?”
The sudden change in subject caught Kat off-guard and she floundered for words. “Huh?”
“The rest of your party. Still need to know who they are. I think he’s fogged your brain too.”
“Hasn’t been a one way street, lady.” Cooper took a couple quick steps to walk in line with them. “From left to right. Percival Polz, Dolph Lungren, Judith Dald, Samuel Berkin and some lady I don’t know.”
“Who’s your second, Katherine?”
“I’m, uh… I’m second to Percival. Still don’t like leading folk. Makes me all sorts of uncomfortable. I don’t like having people’s hands resting in my li… Lives resting in my hands.”
Krista’s tone came through as amused. “I think I like the way you phrased it before. You don’t like people’s hands on your life.”
Percival waved to them as they approached. “I see you found a friend, Kat.”
