The group moved away up the corridor and out of view.
“This is Bodien to all units. We have a situation at the health center. Send help. Over.”
The radio let out a crackle and he pushed his ear piece in to get a better reception. “Yeah Brad, we got them things all over the place... Everybody bar Norris
Zillman...We ain’t sure...We gonna secure ward one, that’s were all the folks are...Yeah well don’t spare the horses...See you then. Over and out.”
He looked at the worried faces of the others.
“They’re on the way now. That’s all we need to do is hold them off until the guys arrive. Don’t look so worried.”
“How’d they get in? Sam you were supposed to be locking up, what happened?”
“Don’t go blaming me. They were already in before I locked up. I come outta the morgue and they were all over poor Adrian Gates.”
Anne looked at Cortez. “Did they..?”
Cortez nodded his head. “He was smeared all around the floor. There was nothing I...”
Elle-May gently caught his arm and spoke softly.
“I’m sorry Sam, thank you for warning us.”
He looked at her and nodded. “Where’d they come from? How many more are there?”
As the group raced up the hallway the sound of gunfire could be heard from the town.
****
“Brad even if this dummy is right, and I ain’t saying he is, I owe him for a lump on my head.”
Eastman looked wearily over at Benteen. He could tell it was going to be a long night. “The only one who owes anybody around here is me. He saved my butt tonight.”
Benteen was having none of it. Gun battles in the street, even Mary killing Firth was one thing. But conspiracy theories and mad generals was smack bang on planet Emmet. However, facts were facts and this guy had given up his freedom, endangering his own life to warn them. Benteen stood cradling his shotgun and nodded towards Eastman.
“If some guy does have a missile, or whatever the hell aimed at us, then let’s just evacuate. Get out.”
Taylor slapped his head letting out a frustrated groan.
“I already told you, the military are monitoring your wave bands they can hear everything you say. You both hearing me right? What do you suppose Stone would do if you lot suddenly made for the freaking hills?”
Eastman glanced over at Benteen and nodded. He was right of course, such an exodus would provoke Lord knows what kind of reaction. But there was something he still didn’t get.
“Say they do fire that thing off; is it big enough to take out that base as well?”
Taylor moved to the table and picked up a map of the area. After studying the map for several long seconds, he pointed to Armstrong and followed with his finger to the base.
“You got a point there. No, no it’s not. It’s an airburst warhead; you’d need something to penetrate all that rock.” He continued talking almost to himself. “Yeah, but they’d already know that. It has to be two weapons.”
Benteen raised his eyebrows and shot Taylor an angry frown.
“What in hell’s he gibbering about now?”
“Look Deputy dog, one missile and fizz goes your little town and everything else in three to four clicks. But they’d need a second one to explode below the ground for that base. Got it?”
Eastman clicked his pen top up and down repeatedly. “Yeah, we get most of that but, what are you driving at? We’re still gonna get melted.”
“Not if we grab one of those warheads.”
“And why the hell would we want to do that?” Benteen snarled.
“They need two missiles, one for us and one for the base. They have to detonate them at the same time. If we grab one it could buy us some time and...”
Benteen held up his hand and glowered at Taylor. “Slow down there bonzo. Why exactly do they need to fire them things at the same time again?”
“To complete the mission. They need to destroy both targets at the same time. As soon as those things go off no more secret. They’re left with miles of scorched earth and no damn town and one mother of an explanation to make.”
“So they high tail it before anybody shows up.” Eastman looked down at his desk in silence.Taylor pointed to the location of the military camp on the survey map.
“It’s not just the warhead we need to take down. We gotta lift this comms blackout and get outside help.”
“Oh Brad, will you listen to this guy. Take out this, take out that. Who the hell do you think you are, General freaking Patton?”
Eastman raised his hand to quiet Benteen; he wanted to hear more. “How’d you reckon to do that?”
“They’re using frequency jammers, blanking out everything except for the bands they need. We take that out and no more black out.”
“So what we talking about here, some kinda transformer units?”
Taylor waved his hand at Eastman. “Nothing so complicated. They look like oversized ghetto blasters mounted on 6x6 trucks. They’re easy to take down.”
He stopped and looked at Eastman and Benteen before he continued.
“It’s the location we’d need to worry about.”
Eastman viewed Taylor with mistrust. This was one of those ‘in addition’ moments he so hated, when folk added something else on. It was rarely if ever, a good thing.
“What’s wrong with the location?”
“When I was captured, they drove past the units, now they’re not armoured so they’d be easy to...”
Eastman repeated his question. “What’s wrong with the location?”
“Well...It’s pretty near to the camp.”
Benteen fixed Taylor with a scowl, jabbing his finger at the map. “How damn near?”
Taylor drummed his finger tips on the desk top. “Right next to the main entrance.”
“I knew it! I freaking well knew it!” There had to be a catch to all this crap. “You want something outta that base and we’re the God damn distraction.”
“Taylor if you think we’re declaring war on the US Army then...”
“Look at it more like a guerrilla war. All we need to do is whack those jammers then get out ASAP.”
Eastman stared at Taylor, mouth slightly open and then sank back in his chair.
“That’s not about to happen. We’re not in the army. I’m not putting my people in that kinda danger.”
Taylor peered intently at Eastman before continuing.
“It’s gone too far now. You don’t have that choice anymore.”
Eastman let out a deep sigh and rubbed his hands over the sides of his face. He looked at Taylor then spoke slowly. “How’d you reckon we do this?”
“Now that’s about nine miles past enough,” Benteen spluttered. “What in hell are you asking him for?”
“Gerard I want to hear what...”
“How exactly did he get in charge?”
“Simmer down will you. He’s not in charge. He’s advising us.”
Benteen strode over to Eastman and pointed his finger at him like a loaded pistol. “Let’s get this right here. You’re taking advice from this fruit? You’re as screwy as he is!”
Eastman rose from his seat and glared at Benteen and countered in a low icy tone. “You ever heard of the expression ‘know your enemy’? Well he does and we need
him on this. That’s that.”
Bodien’s voice broke the tense atmosphere. “This is Bodien to all units. We have a situation at the health center. Send help. Over.”
Eastman reached over his desk and spoke urgently into the handset.
“This is Eastman, report. Over.”
“Yeah Brad, we got them things all over the place. Over.”
“Jedrey, is everyone accounted for? Over.”
“Everybody bar Norris Zillman. Over.”
Eastman shot the other two an anguished look before continuing. “How many of those things you got. Over?”
“We ain’t sure. Over.”
; “I want you to barricade and use whatever the hell you got, but keep those freaks out. You got that? Over.”
“We gonna secure ward one, that’s were all the patients are. Over.”
“Keep them folks safe, Jedrey. We’re on our way. Over.”
“Yeah, well don’t spare the horses. Over.”
“Sit tight. We’ll be there in five. Over.”
“See you then. Over and out.”
Taylor looked from one man to the other and slowly shook his head.
“You both realise they’ve just picked that up, yeah.”
Eastman took a key from his drawer and tossed it over to Benteen.
“Grab yourself some M16’s and meet me there.”
“Sure thing boss.”
Benteen reached up, snatching the key from mid air and nodding to Eastman before racing off for the armoury, leaving the other two men behind. Eastman headed for the door then stopped and looked back at Taylor, puzzled.
“What’d you mean?”
“I reckon I just heard that ‘big red button’ go click.”
Chapter – Twenty-Two
Pistol in hand, Kate Black cautiously pushed open the glass door leading to the nurses’ station. She controlled her breathing, hoping nobody had seen the bead of sweat run down the side of her cheek. She’d had shots fired at her before and sent some back too. She was no stranger to this kind of pressure, but these creatures scared the hell out of her. Your average scumbag with a gun was hardly going to make citizen of the year, but at least they were human.
Sarge tapped her elbow, screwing up his face and pointing to his nose. Yeah, she could smell it too, that rank, sweet stink of rotting meat. They had to be someplace near. She moved into the open space using her weapon to cover all the possible areas as she did so. Although she was an experienced police officer, she was happy to have Sarge and Miguel Bonzzoni covering her back. Sarge fanned out towards the passageway leading to Anne Lenski’s office, while Miguel stayed behind her, clutching his baseball bat.
Kate gave a slight whistle and pointed to the open fire doors to the left of her, wafting her hand in front of her face. All three moved warily towards the source of the foul odour. As soon as they stepped through the double doors they could see the creatures at the far end of the corridor, pounding on the locked fire doors. Undetected, Kate ushered the other two back into the relative safety of the main hallway.
“You got enough bullets for all them devils?” Bonzzoni pointed to the ammunition clips on her utility belt.
“She’s got more than enough. But shooting rounds down that corridor gonna give us more problems.”
“Sarge is right. There’s a whole bunch of oxygen tanks right behind them. It’ll only take one stray round to blow this place sky high.”
“Ay ay ay. But we can’t let them bash the doors in. What about all the people in there?”
He was right; they had to draw the things away without any shooting. Once they’d been seen, Kate and the others would need to move fast. The idea made her uneasy, it would be like ringing the dinner bell and she didn’t like what was on the menu. She’d seen what was left of Adrian Gates. The question was how to pull it off?
“Ten hut! I’ve never seen such a God damn collection of maggots in all my life. You, with the eyeball, how in hell did you pass the medical?”
Bonzzoni looked on in horror as Sarge bellowed out drill instructions. Gradually the ghoulish recruits turned about to face the source of the commotion. One by one they started to shuffle forward down the passageway. Miguel tugged at Sarge in an effort to shut him up.
“Sarge! Sarge you gotta to be quiet. Please. This no time for you crazy things here!”
Kate eyed Sarge up and down. “Not exactly what I was thinking... but it works for me.”
“Okay well you wanted them out. You on the end, keep up you ugly freak.”
Miguel threw his arms up in a gesture of hopeless despair as the things continued their advance. “You are both mad. I am with mad people.”
“Miguel Bonzzoni get with the programme here! I’m gonna march these damn things outside to the ambulance bay. All you gotta do is watch for anymore of them. You got that?”
“Yeah, yeah is no problem. I can do.”
She had to hand it to Miguel, he was scared stiff but he wasn’t going to run out on them. Sarge was just plain crazy, but it was a good crazy. She watched as the unholy procession filed past the nurses’ station. They were slow but it wouldn’t be good to get caught with them in a tight space. Although they’d seen the things enter the building, she wasn’t sure how many had come in the first place. With all the din Sarge was creating, she’d be surprised if they couldn’t hear him across the border.
“Left, your left, left right left!”
Sarge’s voice rang out across the otherwise deathly still health center, as he led them to the main doors.
“Kate I’m gonna take these maggots out to the bay. You and Miguel double back and shut the doors. Affirmative?”
“Great plan. What about you?”
“Hell, I’ll take my chances out there. They move like a stone in Death Valley. I can’t see any problems.”
As they left the building, Kate caught Sarge by his arm.
“I’m not leaving you out here with them. You’re gonna lead them away and then I want you back with us.”
Sarge watched as the last of the creatures left through the door then he looked at Kate. “Now listen here, I don’t think there’s gonna be enough...”
She rounded on him. “Now you listen here. I want you with us and that’s an order!”
Before he could argue the whole area was bathed in red and blue light as a police siren cut through the air. The three shielded their eyes from the glare of the car’s main beam, pointing directly at them. Then they heard Eastman’s voice over the PA system.
“You folks all right?”
“Jeez Brad are we glad to see you.”
Eastman walked around the side of the car and shone the search light directly at the creatures, which were fast approaching the vehicle.
“Kate, is everybody okay in there?”
“Don’t know. Didn’t get that far. But they’re holed up in there sure enough.”
“We can’t let them escape into town and we can’t capture them. It’s too dark and too damn dangerous.”
She knew the answer before she asked the question but she still needed to ask it. “What d’you mean Brad?”
“I know it’s tough but we’re gonna have to put them down. We can’t risk them getting away. I’m sorry, that’s the way it’s gotta be.”
He was right of course, it just felt wrong. She’d seen what they’d done to people, but this was just like murder. Cold blooded murder. She watched as the things headed towards Eastman’s car. It would only take seconds for them to get close enough to become dangerous, but she couldn’t shoot them, not like this. Full of uncertainty she slowly brought her pistol to bear at the lumbering horde.
A second police car arrived and out jumped Benteen. He calmly walked over to Eastman and threw him an M16.
“What we gonna do, Boss?”
“Shoot them. Shoot them all,” came the grim reply.
Kate shut her eyes as the sound of assault weapons ripped through the cool night air.
****
Eddy Joe crouched down alongside Austen Colt behind the cinder block wall.
“What you got Austen?”
“Harry’s popping rounds into Charley’s back yard and we heard some shots over at Clancy’s place too.”
“Yeah we got us a town full of spooked people here. I just pulled an arrow outta Fred Clark’s leg.”
“An arrow! Now that’s extreme.” Ethan Mason peered around the corner. Ray Johnson inched forward. “I heard Mary Firth killed her husband, deader than hell.”
“More like murdered. He was a good guy.” Tom Price stretched out his cramped legs.
“Hell, where you been for the last thirty year
s? She ought to get a God damn medal. Nobody gonna miss that sap,” Austen Colt snapped back.
“Eddy Joe what you going to do about Harry?”
“Ethan’s right, he’s most likely gonna get some folks killed like this.”
Eddy Joe nodded his head at Johnson, and then cupped his hands over his mouth. “Harry. It’s Eddy Joe with some of the guys. There ain’t nobody here except us. Stop shooting.”
He motioned to the others to stay behind cover and then stood up and started walking towards the end of the yard. As he did so two bullets thudded into the block peppering fragments of concrete over them. As he scrambled back behind cover, the group looked at Eddy Joe for the next move, but it was Colt who responded.
“That is a – freaking – nough! Harry, you send one more God damn round my way, and so help me, I’m gonna start shooting back.” He pulled the cocking leaver on his AK 47 back. Eddy Joe shot Colt an anxious look then Harry’s voice drifted across the night air.
“Sorry boys, I guess I got carried away for a while.”
“Yeah, try that again and you will be,” Colt muttered under his breath to the others.
“What was you shooting at anyways?” called Price from the safety of the wall.
“Some of them darn vampires in Charley’s yard. I didn’t know it was you guys.”
Mason stifled a chuckle and winked at Johnson. “Vampires? Yeah, sure.”
Eddy Joe tentatively moved out from the wall and stood in the sidewalk.
“Yeah well, there ain’t anybody except us now. Shut your window and go back inside. This is police business.”
They heard Harry’s window slam shut and the group got up and walked over to the squad car. Colt eased the AK 47’s spring forward and slipped on the safety.
“What you gonna do now Eddy Joe?”
“Gonna head up to Clancy’s and try my best not to get shot at again.”
He climbed into his car and as he started the engine a second police car drove into the street and pulled up alongside. Mitch Chattman rolled down his window. “Heard some shots, thought I’d best come and check. Everyone okay?”
Eddy Joe nodded at Chattman. “Appreciate that Mitch, but we got it covered.”
Containment_A Zombie Novel Page 31
