Thrust & Parry: Z Day

by Luke Ashton

  “Thank you. Paddy, let’s move.” Jim called and they jogged out of the other door. Jim had brought another trident but this door was a push door so he had to try dig the trident into the wall. They were only plasterboard from this side so it went in fairly easily. They took the first right and were confronted with two doors, one was the whores and the other had their kit in. Jim took the kit room first and as he stepped in he realised this must be the emperors office. The walls were full of maps of the area and ideas for expansion as well as lists of people for different programs he had going, it seemed every survivor had a job, even if that job was a whore. There was a table against the right hand wall and on it were Jim, Whethers, Rim and Paddy’s daysack and webbing, still packed up, as well as the items that were in their pockets and several other sets of keys and wallets that must have been taken from different people.

  “You take Whethers’ kit, I’ll take Rim’s.” Jim stepped forward and slid his own Kit on before shouldering Rim’s. It wasn’t ideal but he wasn’t leaving it. He also took the map of the area and handed it to Paddy. They moved to the opposite door and tried the door, it was locked but it opened inwards. Jim gave it a hearty kick and the splintering wood told him the frame had given. The room inside was another office that had six bed spaces comprised only of sheets on the floor. 4 were unoccupied but 2 had people in them. They both looked up, startled, as Jim stepped in. One of them, a twenty-something red haired girl that was impossibly skinny, looked petrified at the sight of the weapons whereas the other girl looked relieved. It was Rebecca, she was still here.

  “We’re here to get you out.” Jim explained. “Sorry girls but I’m going to have to ask you to leave the sheets, they will only slow you down. I also need you each to carry a set of kit.” The girls looked confused and simply sat there staring at him. “Please, we need to leave. Now!” The last word had the desired effect as they both jumped up looking awkward and very embarrassed at their nakedness. Jim dropped Rim’s kit at Rebecca’s feet and she picked it up. She struggled with the webbing so Jim stepped in to give her a hand just as Paddy dropped Whether’s kit at the red haired girls feet. The ladies slid the kit on quickly and looked towards Jim for instruction. They looked rather strange wearing only a set of webbing and a daysack. “I’m also going to need you to carry a weapon.” Jim said as he slipped off one of the rifles and handed it to Rebecca. She took it and held it as if it was going to bite her. Jim gave her a 10 second lesson on how to fire it.

  “Point this end at the target.” Jim explained pointing to the barrel. “Push this button in with your thumb.” He pointed to the safety catch on the side “And pull the trigger hard. If for any reason it doesn’t fire just shout me.” They both looked a little more confident now. Jim nodded at Paddy and he grabbed the Gimpy once more before they charged down the corridor to the metal door. It had a metal handle on it but didn’t look to be locked. Jim turned to Paddy who was whispering at the girls to stay here while they checked the room. He dropped the Gimpy at their feet before turning back to Jim and nodding at him. Jim turned the handle and pushed the door hard with one swift motion. The door swung open and two oil covered mechanics looked up at them, startled.

  “Get this door up now!” He ordered at him, pointing at the large metal door. Paddy now had the other one covered and ushered him into a corner.

  “Ladies, bring the weapon on the floor and get on the bus.” Paddy shouted through the doorway and they appeared seconds later, lugging the Gimpy between them awkwardly. They slowly got to the bus and put it down while they worked out how to open it. Jim watched as the mechanic hit a button to the right of the door and it began to move. Jim dropped his rifle to his side, grabbed the keys off the table and jogged over to the bus. There was a small control panel to the right of the doors which required a small key. Jim tried the smallest one and it slid open. He jabbed the door release button and they slid open with a hiss. The girls rushed onto the bus while Jim took the driver’s seat and started it up. Jim could give this society one thing; they kept their vehicle in good order.

  “Paddy, let’s move!” Jim called and a second later Paddy appeared at the door and scrambled on. As Jim hit the switch and the bus door hissed shut the garage door reached head height. Jim could see now that the noise had interested several zeds who were now slowly shuffling towards the garage. Jim willed the door to open faster as the mechanics bolted through the open metal door. He rammed the bus into gear and edged forward up to the door. There was now less than an inch of clearance between the bus and the door. Jim floored it and the bus scraped under the door with a sickening screech. He pulled past the zeds as they began to charge at him, obviously greatly interested by the sudden noise and movement. Jim circled the car park searching for an exit and finally found one to the right. He took it and pulled onto the street. Once there he pulled out a pack of cigarettes from the daysack next to his chair and lit one. Paddy began talking to the girls while dropping Jim directions sporadically.

  “Now the mad rush is over we can have some proper introductions, I’m Paddy. Next left. And the handsome fellow… Left again then right… The handsome fellow driving is Jim.”

  “I’m Rebecca, I’ve met Jim a few days ago. I was taken to his cell as a gladiators whore.” Paddy raised his eyebrows at Jim before turning back to the map.

  “Shit it was that last right. Sorry boss.” Paddy apologised realising he fucked up.

  “Hold on.” Jim Shouted as he threw the bus around the following right bend without slowing down. The bus tilted worryingly before settling back down.

  “I’m Jessica, I don’t know how long I’ve been here but it’s not as long as Rebecca and I haven’t been taken out of my cell.” She didn’t really have an emotion on her face, more a crescendo of emotions dancing over it. “I was trying to get back to the house with my boyfriend when they grabbed us.” A sudden realisation spread across her face. “You haven’t seen him have you?”

  “Well, what does he look like?” Paddy asked although deep down he knew, as he watched the girls attempt to cover themselves and fail, that he hadn’t seen any survivors except the emperor and his guards since he was snatched.

  “Kind of long dark hair. Wore a lot of black, had like military style boots on, your height.” She pointed a Paddy and he shook his head.

  “Sorry, doesn’t ring a bell. Straight on at the lights” Paddy explained.

  “I saw him, he was a zed, and I had to kill him.” Shouted Jim from the front without any hint of emotion. Jessica’s face dropped. She sat their stunned while Jim puffed away from the driving seat.

  “Take a left and it’s on the left.” Paddy called to Jim.

  “Get ready with the door code. Same drill as before. Il take front and left, you take back and right. Ladies, stay on the bus until told otherwise.” Paddy checked behind the bus as they approached the turn. There was one lonely zed trying to keep up with them and failing from a while back.

  “What’s the code boss?” Paddy called back.

  “15724”Jim called back and Paddy made a note of it on the back of his hand. The bus shuddered to a halt in front of the gate as Paddy hit the door release. He leapt out and mashed the keypad before hauling the gate open. Before it was even fully open Jim had floored it and pulled the bus into the car park. He leapt out and secured his sides, nothing.

  “Paddy, SITREP!” he called through the blown out windows of the bus. There was no reply. He pounded around the bus but Paddy wasn’t there. Jim looked around frantically before finally finding his 2ic by the gates. Jim noticed at this point that the truck was still where it had been parked, nothing seemed to have moved. Paddy was wrestling through the gate with a zed. It must have been the one chasing the bus as they pulled up. Jim tried to take aim but couldn’t get a clear shot and couldn’t risk hitting Paddy. He dropped the rifle to his side and sprinted over. He ran to the right of where Paddy stood to get a clear shot on the zed. The zed noticed him and stopped. His head was tilted to one side like
a puppy trying to work out what was happening. Jim didn’t give him a chance to figure it out. He snapped up his rifle and blew him away. Paddy barely had time to breath a ‘thanks’ before there was a guttural screech from the direction of the doors leading to the drill hall. Jim sighed, as much as he had looked forward to the apocalypse happening, in a sort of sick way, he was starting to get bored of the constant adrenaline buzz. They both turned to find around three zeds charging at them.

  “Here we go again.” Jim called as he took a knee and started to line up the closest zed. Paddy joined him and snatched his first shot, this caught the closest zed in the shoulder spinning it round and making it lose balance. It tumbled and took out the zed behind it. At the same time Jim squeezed his first shot but the zed he was aiming for span out of his sight and the round caught the zed behind it in the chin. Jim wasn’t sure if this was a kill shot but it went down all the same. The zed with a hole in its shoulder was just getting to its feet when Paddy caught it on the forehead while Jim lined up the zed that was now back on its feet and charging at them once more. It had some serious gravel burns down its face. Jim cured it of it as its head snapped back and a fountain of blood spurted out of its head.

  “Right, we need to move, now.” Jim shouted as he began to jog back to the bus. The girls had been watching everything unfold and were ready and waiting at the bus doors, Gimpy in hand. Paddy took the Gimpy and ushered them to the TAC doors. Jim followed behind as he ensured there weren’t any more zeds in the car park. “Right, wait here, I want to have the edge on this fucker.” Jim explained as they all flattened themselves against the wall, out of sight. Jim took a run up before scaling the 8 foot wall to the roof of the TAC and hauling himself up onto it. He lay there for a moment as he re-accustomed himself to the layout. The metal hatch was still open and Jim slowly edged over to it. Ensuring every movement would make as little noise as possible. He reached it and slipped down onto the ladder. He only took around 4 of the steps before leaping off and landing on the balls of his feet. The ladder was metal and made far too much noise for his liking. Jim could hear the snobby voice of the officer from where he was crouched.

  “For god sakes girls, what the hell is wrong now?” He sounded irate. Jim guessed they had woken him up because of the noise and the disappearance of zeds. Jim could hear a small murmur that must have been one of the girls explaining before he cut in again.

  “Look, I’ve told you this one. Any disturbance or change in situation you get everyone stood to, and then you wake me up. I could still be asleep now.” Jim was sneaking down the corridor to the stag point while trying to make out what the girl was saying. “Well it doesn’t look like you’re all stood to. I mean Monica, you should be over here not there. You’re a good 6 inch out.” Jim rolled his eyes as he reached the door. This Rupert was fucking nuts. He waited for his moment as the shuffling at the stag point continued. Jim readied himself and raised his rifle. He stepped out in one swift motion and pointed the barrel of his rifle at the Rupert.

  “Army, stop or I will fire!” Jim decided he would play this one by the book. The Rupert span round looking shocked and went to draw his pistol. ”I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” He stopped before slowly holding his hands out to his side. “Now, slowly, take off your webbing.”

  “This is an outrage. I am your commanding officer and this is mutiny.” The Rupert was obviously trying to reinstate his command over him but Jim could see the Rupert’s eyes firmly fixed on the barrel of Jim’s rifle.

  “Final warning, take it off.” Jim shouted. The Rupert hesitated before finally unclipping the belt and sliding it off. He let it drop to the floor. “Where is your weapon?” Jim asked as beads of sweat began to appear on the Rupert’s forehead.

  “In my office. Where else?” The Rupert replied with an edge of arrogance that was starting to piss Jim off.

  “Right, open the doors and let the rest of them in. you are then to move against that wall and stand there with your hands above your head.” The Rupert obeyed and clicked open the locks. Moments later Paddy stepped in with the girls who were now shivering wildly. They dropped the Gimpy on the floor by the toilets and once again tried to cover themselves up. Paddy had caught the gist of what was happening and now had is barrel aimed at the Rupert’s chest.

  “Sam, Monica will you...” Jim had turned to find all three ladies wearing only boots, pants and a belt. They were all topless and their breasts glistened with sweat. “… Why are you topless?” Jim asked more out of curiosity as Jim liked what he saw.

  “Bosses orders. He told us that we had to do whatever he told us to. His first order was females had to be topless.” Monica explained looking ashamed. As she looked back at him Jim could see a nasty looking bruise forming round her left eye.

  “Fucking hell who gave you that?” Jim asked, her head went down again and she looked close to tears as she pointed at the Rupert. Jim turned to him and raised his weapon once more. “Care to explain?”

  “They wouldn’t listen to me. I had to instil some discipline in them.” The Rupert’s voice began to break a little as he watched Jim getting more and more pissed off.

  “So you punched them?” Jim was almost shouting now.

  “No, no I just hit them with my pistol. What else was I meant to do?” The officer stuttered out. Realising he was deep in the shit now.

  “You are a vile human being. I have half a mind to end you right here.” Jim flicked the safety off.

  “Jim, don’t. Don’t you think there has been enough killing.” Jessica chirped up from the doorway. Jim lowered his weapon and turned to her.

  “Jess you don’t understand. This man is responsible for the death of two of my blokes and has abused these ladies since we left.” He explained and she simply nodded.

  “Right now fucking stop. You will drop your weapons and raise your hands. All of you.” The Rupert had grabbed Paddy’s pistol in the confusion and now had it against Rebecca’s head. Her eyes were wide open with fear and her breathing became erratic. Jim turned slowly. Ensuring he kept his rifle level to give him the shot if he had the opportunity. He found it a second later and snatched a shot that caught the Rupert in his exposed shoulder. He screamed and pulled the trigger. Rebecca’s naked body slapped in a heap to the carpet. Jim fired again, he still hadn’t brought his weapon up to aim. It hit the Rupert in the stomach this time and he began firing wildly. The first shot buried itself into the tile roof, the second grazed Sam’s arm and the third caught Jessica in the neck. Jim squeezed the trigger several more times over the squeals of pain from the Sam and the gurgle from Jessica. There was now blood spraying from several holes over the Rupert’s body. Jim pressed his barrel against his twitching head before pulling the trigger once more to make sure.

  “Paddy, sort Jessica out. Sam, you ok?” Jim shouted as he crouched next to Rebecca and rolled her over.

  “Yeah, I need something to stop the bleeding though.” Sam replied and Paddy handed her a first field dressing. He checked her for a pulse but found nothing. The whole left side of her face was destroyed. Jim rolled her back over and stood up. “How’s it looking mate?” Jim asked. Paddy simply stood up and shook his head.

  “She need surgery now. We can’t save her.” Paddy replied in a grave voice.

  “We can’t just stand here and watch her die.” Jim seemed at a loss. He hadn’t felt so helpless in a long while. Jessica croaked something and as she lay gurgling she made a gun with her hand and held it to her head. Jim understood. He lifted his rifle and placed it delicately against her head. He sighed deeply before squeezing the trigger. She twitched violently before laying still. Everyone watched for a minute as her blood pooled round her on the laminate doorway.

  “This is insanity.” Thought Jim. “Every time we find someone they get killed one way or another.” He had gone from one man and his dog to one man to two men and a woman back to one man then boosted his numbers up to a 4 man brick and then boosted further with another 3 women and now he was
down to 2 men and 3 women. Jim turned to Sam and checked her wounds. The round had only grazed her but he could see blood running down her arm and smudged across her body.

  “Right, we need to move these bodies before they smell. The drill hall ones too, we can then bring the truck in via the garage doors and unload in relative safety.” Jim explained as he wrapped Sam’s arm up in the dressing.

  “Where can we put them boss?” Monica sparked up. Jim was slightly taken aback by the use of the word boss but he figured after god knows how long alone with the sack of shit now dead in the corner he was surprised she wasn’t calling him overlord.

  “It’s highly undignified but they will attract zeds otherwise and there’s nowhere to bury them. We need to take them up to the roof and throw them on the road.” There was a shared thought among the group, Jim included, and Paddy was the first one to voice it.

  “A bit undignified? There will be nothing left of them by the morning.” Paddy exclaimed.

  “I know mate, I know but what else can we do. Here, they will spread disease. In the car park, they will attract zeds and I don’t fancy carrying them over to the roundabout to bury them in the grass do you?” Jim explained looking slightly ashamed.

  “Jim’s right. It’s for the best.” Sam chirped up, still clutching her arm as if it was going to fall off. Paddy looked at her for a minute, occasionally glancing at her naked breasts, before nodding.

  “So it’s settled then. Ladies if you would bring the bodies over to the ladder, me and Paddy will take them from there. When was the last time anyone went into the drill hall?” Jim didn’t know what had gone on since he had left.

  “We have never been in.” Laura explained.

  “Right, first things first then we need to clear it. Who has been shown how to use a weapon so far?” Laura’s hand shot up and she stood there beaming, the innocent smile still on her face. It suited her even less now as she stood there topless. “Good would you be comfortable using one?” Jim asked and she nodded. “Good, take the kit off of Rebecca for now. I will come and sort it out with you later.” She nodded again but didn’t move.