“You’re barely two hundred yards away,” Danny snapped. “Besides, when we slow down, it takes a much longer time to speed back up now.”
Dropping his hand off the radio, Matt gave a look to Bruce that spoke volumes. “Your daughters are irritating me,” he grumbled.
“Hey, you’re the one that married one of them,” Bruce shrugged. Reaching over, he grabbed Matt’s radio so he wouldn’t have to change channels on his.
“Danny, on this loop head back to the command area,” Bruce called out. “The decontamination crew is waiting, along with the mechanics to look at your rig.”
“Alright,” Danny answered glumly.
Hearing an engine whining from the east, Matt raised his rifle. “I got this, Matt,” Bruce said, lifting his SCAR. Flipping his safety to full auto, Bruce pulled the stock tight to his shoulder.
The gore-covered rig sped past and Bruce saw a small figure holding on to the outside of the cupola through his scope. Moving his crosshairs and leading the rig, Bruce pressed the trigger, holding the SCAR tight.
Everyone saw the small matrix kid drop off, but also several sparks where Bruce’s bullets had hit the rig. “God damn it, Matt, you don’t shoot full auto at me!” Danny screamed over the radio.
Lowering his rifle, Bruce turned to find Matt already holding his radio out to him. Grabbing it, Bruce pressed the switch. “Pumpkin, that was Daddy. Playtime is over,” Bruce grumbled.
“Yes, sir, heading to the command area,” Danny mumbled back.
Handing the radio back, Bruce pulled out his map. “Matt, have these two companies move here,” Bruce said, pointing at the map and Matt leaned over, nodding on seeing the location. “It’s three miles from here and the smell is already enough to gag a maggot,” Bruce said, putting the map up.
“I will have them pull out in ten,” Matt said, slinging his rifle.
“I want you back at the command area, so make sure the one you leave in charge has a brain they can use to lead this group there,” Bruce said as Matt turned shouting orders. “I’m not in the mood to go find people who can’t read a map.”
“Boss, everyone has been doing a bang on job staying on their assigned routes,” Carl said as he looked back at the rig, seeing Louis looking at Bruce with a gaping mouth.
Ejecting his magazine, Bruce chuckled, “Yes, they have performed very well today.”
“I’ll leave for the command area when Alpha and Bravo pull out,” Matt said.
Stepping over to his rig, Bruce nodded. “See you there,” he said as Carl and Ted stepped over and dropped in the back. Bruce saw Louis staring at him in horror.
“Louis, what the hell is your problem now?” Bruce sighed.
“You shot at your own kids,” he gasped.
Taking a deep breath, Bruce let it out slowly. “Louis, that is why we drive big trucks that are made of metal. We can shoot at them with small bullets to clear off the blues when, not if, they get on.”
Like a light bulb went off in his head, Louis jerked and a grin sprang up on his face. “Yes, that is smart,” he said and dropped inside.
Looking up at the sky, “God, grant me the patience to deal with stupid today,” Bruce said, moving to climb in the cupola then stopped, looking back up at the sky. “That includes dealing with my daughters, if you can swing it.”
Climbing in the cupola and plugging in his intercom, “Louis, pull out and Ted, tell the rest of the company to follow,” Bruce said.
“They are waiting for us at the turn off,” Ted called back.
Settling in behind the minigun, Bruce looked around as Louis drove over the carnage left behind by Buffy and Danny. “Those two are going to drive me crazy,” Bruce mumbled.
“Boss, this is command,” Angela called over the radio.
“Take that back, they will join in with two others to drive me crazy,” Bruce mumbled and grabbed his radio. “This is boss.”
“All battalion commanders en route, are we holding in location?”
“Affirmative,” Bruce answered.
“Copy, see you when you get here,” Angela called back and Bruce wondered what that was about.
Racking his brain, he couldn’t think of a reason and pressed the talk switch. “Command, this is boss, why the need to know if we are holding?” he called out.
“So we can send out supplies and hot meals. The troops can’t live off MREs forever,” Angela spouted back in a cocky tone.
“Damn, I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t think of that,” Bruce grumbled and press the radio switch. “Copy, see you in a few.”
Grabbing his tablet, Bruce tapped the screen. “Ted, I want to be the third vehicle in line heading back, so I can check everyone’s location,” he called over the intercom.
“Got it, boss,” Ted called back as Bruce kept tapping the screen, changing views and checking all the low jack ID tags. Satisfied everyone was where they were supposed to be, Bruce turned the tablet off and settled back, enjoying the ride.
It was dark when they reached the command area, set up in a large field outside of Byron, just off I-75. Huge work lights lit up the massive area the command group was set up in. Pulling into the field, Bruce looked around and noticed there were a lot of people moving around the outside of the perimeters of the different boxes formed by the vehicles.
They were moving around unafraid is what struck him the most. Everyone was armed, but just the fact they were moving around between the different areas on foot casually struck Bruce as odd.
“Boss, we getting out?” Carl asked and Bruce looked around and noticed they were stopped.
Not answering, Bruce just dropped down in the RG and walked out the back door. Slinging his SCAR, Bruce saw a gore-covered RG ahead. A crane was hooked to the front and the front of the rig was lifted six feet off the ground. A man in a hazmat suit was shooting a small gun under it, then pulling out a body part and sometimes a body.
Grumbling, Bruce headed to the rig and noticed a very large pile of bodies and body parts next to it. The smell of chlorine was so strong it made him nauseous. “You find any live blues stuck in the rig?” he asked, walking up to one of the troops in a hazmat suit.
“One for sure, but we just shoot first,” a female voice said under the hood.
“How’s the rig?” he asked and she waved another troop over, wearing a hazmat suit.
“Boss wants to know how the rig is,” she said then turned to Bruce. “I only clean them off, sir.”
“Doing a good job, troop,” Bruce said looking over at the one who’d run over and saw it was a young man. “So, what’s the damage?”
“Sir, I’m surprised it made it here,” he said, looking over his shoulder at the rig. “Transmission needs to be rebuilt for sure and the transfer case is blown. Don’t know about the motor, but they’ve pulled, like, enough body parts to make six bodies from the engine compartment. I want to crack it open, just to make sure.”
“Negative,” Bruce said and the man turned around in shock. “We have two spares, move their shit to one. When we get back, they will rebuild it.”
“We only have one, sir. Second battalion, Echo Company had a rig break down,” the young man said.
“Use it and tell Hope to send us two more for spares,” Bruce said as the troop under the truck shot again and tossed out a matrix kid.
“Yes, sir,” the young man said and ran off.
Bruce walked around the site, heading to the center group of trucks that were pulled in a large perimeter. “You really going to make Danny and Buffy fix it?” Ted asked, walking beside Bruce.
“Yep,” Bruce said and stopped. The corner truck of the command area had pulled out, leaving an opening. Granted, it could be backed up to close the opening like a gate, but just the fact there was an opening unnerved him.
Feeling a hand grab his arm, he looked over and saw it was Carl. “Don’t, Stephanie gave the okay to do that. People had to climb up and over the trucks and they are killing what few blues that do show up, long be
fore they get close.”
“Well, excuse me for the hardship of having to climb over a wall,” Bruce snapped.
“Bruce, I’m not in the mood to see you get your ass handed to you,” Carl snapped. “Maybe tomorrow,” he amended then continued. “I want to see your ass carry parts to these rigs and supplies over that wall by hand. They made the call.”
Cocking his head, Bruce nodded, “You give wise counsel, young Jedi,” Bruce said and walked in the perimeter.
“Thank you,” Ted whispered and Carl just grinned at him.
Heading to Prometheus that sat in the center of the box, Bruce saw several people sitting around a folding table eating. Unsnapping his helmet and pulling it off, Bruce rolled his head, popping his neck.
“Bruce, you better not unload on Stephanie or Angela because we will let them tear you apart,” Ted whispered.
“Oh, this is for the other two,” he growled. Everyone at the table saw the look on Bruce’s face and jumped up. Bruce threw down his helmet and slid his rifle off his shoulder, dropping it to the ground as the group waited to see who was in trouble.
“Danny, Buffy, here!” he shouted, pointing at the ground in front of him. They both ran over and stopped where he’d pointed. “Did you take a look at your rig?” he asked with a tense voice.
“Come on, Dad. We have spares,” Danny whined.
“Hey!” Bruce bellowed, making everyone jump back. “Do you realize that troops, our troops are having to pull parts, and sometimes living blues from under your rig?” he growled. They both slowly nodded.
“You!” he shouted, jabbing his finger at them, “are endangering these troops with that stupid action! If one gets bit or infected because of- YOUR- stupid action, that death is on you!”
Danny gasped and grabbed Buffy’s arm to pull her and Bruce held up his hand, stopping her. “They are done already, girls,” Bruce snapped. “You went out of your way, endangering the troops,” Bruce said calmly, but his eyes were narrowed. “I’ve taught you better than that. Endangering yourself acting crazy is one thing, but to bring that to others is reckless and unforgivable.”
“Daddy, it was my idea and I drove,” Buffy said, standing straight with tears running down her face.
“I was in charge,” Danny said in a tense voice, standing rigid.
Bruce gave a sigh and relaxed. “Girls, what is the most unforgivable thing a team member can do?” he asked.
“Cause a teammate to get hurt,” they said together.
“When you are in a team, your teammate’s life means more to you than your own. Before you leave, both of you will go shower those troops with praise and admiration. Am I clear?” Bruce said, looking from one to the other.
“Yes, sir,” they said.
“They are moving your stuff to another rig and when we get back, both of you will repair that rig. I will let a repair team assist you. If I see your husband or Marty there, I’m going to make you push that rig around Hope and then, you’ll repair it alone.”
“Dad, we can do it,” Danny said with a hurt expression.
“No, you have other shit you have to do, along with repairing that rig,” Bruce said, walking past them. “I’m not saying you can’t act crazy, but don’t ever endanger others like that again. Hell, I thought that was cool running the blues over, and if you two would’ve cleared the bodies off, we wouldn’t be talking. We’ve lost seven already.”
“Um no, Bruce, we lost one more half an hour ago,” Angela said and Bruce looked at her in shock.
“And you’re only telling me now?” he gasped.
“I saw you pull in, so don’t start,” she snapped. “It was a member of fourth battalion Charlie Company. He was in the cupola and a blue jumped off a water tower landing on him.”
Stumbling back, Bruce gasped, “It turned into a suicide bomber?”
Raising her eyebrows and unsure how to reply, Angela looked at Stephanie. Stephanie nodded, “Well, I guess you could say the blue turned itself into a projectile bomb, but the blue didn’t die so it wasn’t suicide. The blue broke a lot of bones, but was clawing its way to the other troops in the rear when they shot it,” she said.
“Screw a duck,” Bruce mumbled, looking away.
“Bruce, we found some survivors,” Angela said.
“So?” Bruce shrugged turning back. “Do they pose a threat?”
“No, but it’s the way they were moving that arose suspicion,” she said.
“Hold on a second, Angela,” Stephanie said. “We’ll show him later.”
“Okay,” Angela said and Bruce turned to Stephanie.
“Sit,” Stephanie said, pointing at a chair. When Bruce sat down, she sat across from him. “Bruce, since we’ve been in the field, over sixty thousand people have showed up at Hope. Our population is at a quarter of a million now. We are getting two to three thousand people a day showing up, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to end soon,” she said.
Bruce’s mouth fell open as he stared at her in shock. Walking around the table, Angela snapped her fingers in front of his face, making him blink. Shaking his head, Bruce looked from Stephanie to Angela. “Where the hell are they coming from?” he gasped.
“Everywhere, baby,” Angela said, sitting down beside him. “As soon as we put out the message, everyone took off. I know we only said for people in the southeast to head our way, but everyone that’s survived this far is coming.”
Looking over at Stephanie, “Do we have an estimate at least?” he almost begged.
“No,” Stephanie said, accentuating her lips. “Just to let you know, Paul has started on the other two housing areas inside Hope. When they are done, Hope will house three hundred thousand. The third base in Texas, those walls are up and they are building houses in the other two but Bruce, you only designed each of the forward bases to house fifty thousand people. We told Paul to process those coming in at Hope, then we can move them out when we can.”
Jumping up out of his chair, Bruce started pacing and Stephanie looked at Angela. “That’s why we needed to tell him now and not later,” she said and Angela sighed with a nod.
“Bruce!” Stephanie snapped and he jumped turning to her. “We are handling it. This changes nothing for you.”
“How are we-,” he stopped as Stephanie slapped the table.
“What part did you not understand? I said we are handling this. You keep your mind right here, running this war,” she snapped, standing up. “Do I need to repeat myself?”
Shaking his head, Bruce sat down and stared at Stephanie. Angela leaned over whispering, “She’s gotten really moody.”
Stephanie cut her eyes toward Angela and Angela grinned. “She pulled her pistol today in Prometheus because someone peed on the toilet seat,” Angela snorted.
“I thought they set aside a bathroom just for you two,” Bruce said, not looking away from Stephanie.
Giving a big sigh, Angela nodded, “Yeah, and I was in it.”
“May I continue?” Stephanie said, narrowing her eyes at Angela. “Bruce, the reason I brought this up was so you wouldn’t blow up when you found out later. Everyone at Hope is busting ass to take care of the refugees, so your concern is this war.”
“Ahh, okay,” Bruce nodded.
“Now, you will call the kids tonight-,” Stephanie started as Bruce jumped up.
“I call them every night,” he snapped and Stephanie glared at him and he dropped back in his chair.
“I know,” Stephanie said, wincing and grabbed her belly. She looked down at her protruding belly. “Stop it,” she said and looked back at Bruce.
Clearing her throat, “You will talk to the twins about their BB guns. They shot Bill in the leg this morning,” Stephanie said.
“They are with Marcus and Carroll,” Bruce cried out. “I’m sure they got spanked.”
“No, they didn’t,” Stephanie said, crossing her arms and resting them on her belly. “Bill was arguing with Marcus and it seems the twins didn’t like it and shot him in t
he leg.”
Raising his hands, “Okay, but that is a talk I need to have face-to-face with them,” Bruce said.
“Told you,” Angela smirked.
“I’ll take that,” Stephanie said then groaned, grabbing her belly. “I asked you to quit,” she snapped at her belly and everyone gasped, seeing a lump move under her t-shirt that was taut across her belly.
Looking up at Bruce, “Will you talk to them?” she said, waving at her belly.
Everyone turned to Bruce who was just gawking wide-eyed at Stephanie. Slowly, he stood up and walked over and leaned over, rubbing Stephanie’s belly and talking quietly. Stephanie relaxed as Bruce rubbed her belly. “They better listen to me like that when they get out,” Stephanie mumbled.
After a few minutes, Bruce stood up and Stephanie kissed him, “Thank you,” she beamed. “Now, let Angela show you the three ninja wannabees.”
Pushing her body up out of the chair with her arms, Angela walked over and grabbed Bruce’s right hand as Stephanie held his left, leading him in Prometheus. When they walked in, Carl looked around at everyone. “Should we go inside or wait?” he asked.
Jake stood up, “I’m going inside and if they don’t want me there, they can tell me to leave,” he said grabbing Mary’s hand. Thinking that was sound reasoning, everyone else followed.
Walking in, they saw them around the projection table with Angela tapping the screen. “They are in this building south of Rebecca,” she said, pointing at a lone building beside a dirt road. She tapped the screen a few more times. “We caught them on a drone this afternoon.”
The image changed and they saw the thermal image of three warm bodies moving through the trees. Watching the three moving, it was easy to tell they had been surviving in the wild for a long time. Each of the three were armed with more than one weapon and the biggest one you could tell was in charge, just by the way the other two moved.
Anytime a blue was close, the three would kneel down back to back until the blue left. “It’s a man and two women,” Bruce shrugged. “If they don’t want to join we won’t force them, especially with how many you told me are showing up.”
Blue Plague (Book 7): Hope Page 41
