Simmons centered his scope on the younger of the two guards by the bus. Before he could pull the trigger, he saw two men emerge from the office. He quickly calculated their threat potential. Neither carried weapons, and one of them got scared and ran off. This would be simple.
Switching back to the younger guard, Simmons realigned his scope on the side of his head. Tightening his finger against the trigger until he felt tension, he took a deep breath, steadied the rifle, and squeezed. The bullet struck the left temple and exploded out the right side of the guard’s head. The kid dropped to the ground. A shot echoed from his right, and the other guard died a quick death.
Simmons swung his rifle toward the lone figure standing by the office door and centered the crosshairs on his face.
* * *
Price heard the twin thuds of bullets striking flesh and saw his guards go down. He immediately knew what was happening. Ducking and dodging to the right, he dove through the office door as two rounds ricocheted off the wall where he had been standing. Once inside, he slammed the door, half expecting another barrage of bullets to follow him. Nothing happened. Crawling to the back room, he grabbed his M&P15-22LR semi-automatic. If these assholes wanted to make this a blood feud, he would spill as much of theirs as possible.
First, he had something to take care of.
* * *
Simmons saw his target move out of the way at the last second and his bullet fragment against the wall. He kept the scope trained on the door until it closed. Not that it surprised him. No one would be stupid enough to come back out with snipers present.
Simmons panned his scope across the compound, searching for his next target.
* * *
“What the fuck is all that racket?” Earl asked, stepping away from Tracey. He went over to the door and stepped outside. He nearly shit when he saw the bus imbedded through the front gate spewing out deaders.
“What’s wrong?” asked Jake.
“We’re under fucking attack. There’s deaders in the compound.” Earl came back inside. “Grab your weapons and get out there. Now!”
Earl yanked away two of the gang members standing around Tracey and forced them through the door. They never made it outside. The moment they stepped through the opening, a pair of bullets caught each one in the head, spraying the others in a cloud of blood.
“What the fuck are we gonna do?” demanded a Hispanic gang member.
“We’re going to have to make a break for it.”
“Fuck that, man. They’ll gun us down before we get twenty feet.”
“No they won’t.” Earl grabbed Tracey by the hair and yanked her to her feet. “We’ll have cover.”
* * *
“What’s goin’ on out there?” Meat stopped beating Windows and stared at the door of his unit.
Windows tried focusing on the floor through her blurred vision. When Meat began his assault, she had lowered her head so the blows struck the back of her neck and would cause less damage. He had only hit her three times, yet it had taken a toll, leaving her dazed. Gradually, she became more aware of her surroundings, and knew she only had one chance. If she screwed this up, Meat would kill her.
When Meat turned from the door, Windows lunged forward on her hands and knees. She bent her head to the side, sucked one of his testicles into her mouth, and bit. It crunched between her teeth. Meat howled. Windows opened her lips enough to let the ball sac slide into her mouth, bit down again, and whipped her head to one side, tearing it off. Meat emitted a muffled croak. He collapsed to his knees, his hands clutched to his groin, blood pouring through his fingers.
Windows spit out the bloody segment and staggered to her feet. Meat’s shotgun stood in the corner. She raced over and grabbed it, and then circled around the unit to get Cindy, keeping the weapon trained on Meat.
“Ya fuckin’ cunt!” he sobbed, looking down at his tattered groin and the growing pool of blood on the cement between his knees. “I’m fuckin’ gonna beat ya to fuckin’ death.”
“You’re not going to do anything to me ever again, asshole.”
Meat saw Windows holding the carbine. “I took good care of ya. I kept ya safe from the others.”
“You raped me, fucker.”
“Go ahead and kill me, cunt.”
“I’m not like you. I’m not going to kill you.” Windows lowered the barrel and fired two rounds that tore through Meat’s upper legs and thighs. He screamed and fell over on his side, crying so hard from the pain he could not breathe. “I’m just going to leave you here and let your friends dispose of you.”
Windows dropped the shotgun. Taking Cindy by the hand, she led her out of the unit and toward the kitchen.
* * *
Gunfire in the distance broke the silence, starting with only a few shots and increasing in intensity within seconds. Jennifer knew what that meant. Robson had made it into the compound and had engaged the gang. DeWitt pulled his Humvee off the shoulder and headed for the security compound, with Jennifer behind him. Soon they’d be joining the fight.
She hoped Robson would be safe until they got there.
* * *
Dravko tapped Tibor on the shoulder. “Let’s go.”
The two vampires climbed out of the ditch, dashed across the road, and entered the outer perimeter through the ripped-apart gate. Dravko headed for the first human staked to the ground, an emaciated middle-aged woman whose long brunette hair hung in straggly clumps. Dravko noticed her life signs were weak. As he approached, she cowered against the ground and wrapped the blanket around her for protection.
“Don’t hurt me.”
“I’m not.” Dravko slipped up beside her while Tibor moved along to the next person. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “We’re getting you out of here.”
“Really?” Her voice was mixed with joy and disbelief.
“Yes.” Dravko grabbed the chain as close to her wrist as possible and snapped the links.
“How did you do that?” she asked warily.
Dravko ignored the question. He pointed to the ditch across from the main gate. “Wait over there where you’ll be safe. Understand?”
“Yes.” The woman threw her arms around Dravko and hugged him. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He patted her shoulders and broke the embrace. “I have to save the others.”
* * *
Crawling out from underneath the opposite side of the bus, Robson got to his feet and rushed down to the front fender where he paused to survey the area. Across from him and to the left was the parking area. He counted a dozen vehicles, from cars to pick-up trucks and Humvees, all packed with boxes and supplies. To the right sat two parallel rows of buildings, two buildings to a row. These contained the storage units. The buildings ran the length of the compound. Robson peered around the bus. The guards who confronted him were being feasted on by rotters. The rest of the living dead sauntered around between the first building on the right and the perimeter wall.
Robson dashed across the open space to the first row of buildings and stopped with his back to the wall. He moved down to the corner closest to the center path, raised his AA-12 into firing position, and peeked around the edge. He didn’t see anyone. After turning on the barrel-mounted flashlight, he moved into the path between the two rows of buildings, staying close to the wall.
When Robson reached the first unit, he crouched down and wrapped his hand around the handle of the sliding door. Taking a deep breath, he lifted it. As the door slid up along its rollers, Robson did a quick pan with his AA-12, ready to fire on anything that didn’t appear friendly. He found only a sleeping bag and a wooden crate with an unlit lantern on it. Removing a piece of chalk from his pocket, he etched an X onto the bricks to the left of the door and moved to the next unit.
* * *
The twin Humvees emerged from the woods along Parade Road. Jennifer followed DeWitt as he pulled off to the side, passed through the broken outer gate, and circled behind the school bus to
race along the perimeter wall, careful not to run over any of the people tied to the ground. When DeWitt reached the far right corner along the front facade, he stopped his Humvee against the wall and let Jennifer go on ahead. While his team disembarked, a few of the victims trapped on the defense perimeter called out to them, begging for help. DeWitt ignored them and ordered his people to climb onto the Humvee. When everyone was in position, he and Roberta hoisted Allard up to the top of the wall. Allard straddled the wall and reached down to help up Frakes.
Jennifer drove her Humvee around the corner and stopped near the far rear corner. She crawled through the access hole in the roof, followed by Caslow. Cupping his hands together and holding them in front of him, Caslow assisted her in climbing up to the top of the wall. Once there, she helped up Caslow, and then the two dropped down on the other side into the compound.
* * *
Carter ran into his unit and grabbed his Macmillan TAC-50 .50 caliber long range sniper rifle, a pouch of ammunition, and a pair of night vision goggles. It took him only a few seconds to gear up and race back to the compound.
He assumed by now that the deaders had swarmed the cherry picker located by the main gate, so he wouldn’t be able to use it to gain a vantage point. His next best option was the roof of the office building. Several months ago, he had placed three empty crates by the end wall to use as stairs. They came in handy now, and Carter climbed onto the roof, taking up a firing position. The swarm of deaders passed beneath him in front of Price’s office. Carter loaded a round into the chamber and studied the horde beneath him. It would be like shooting fish in a barrel.
* * *
Earl exited the rape room clutching Tracey by the hair. Holding her in front of him as a human shield, he moved toward the main gate. Several other gang members followed on either side, firing their weapons indiscriminately into the hill above the compound. Two other guards followed, using Karen and Lisa as shields.
* * *
Shit, muttered Simmons as he watched the three groups make their way through the compound. This is going to make it difficult.
He lined up a shot on the asshole holding the brunette. He had his crosshairs centered on the bridge of his nose, waiting for a clear shot, when the head of the gang member on the right erupted with blood and gore. The group froze, all eyes focused on their dead comrade. A moment later, a second gang member spun around and fell to the ground as a sniper round pierced his chest.
Damn, Wayans is kicking ass.
* * *
Allard and Frakes were still straddling the wall when they heard the gang members leave the building and make their way down the compound. They didn’t notice the women being used as human shields; they saw only enemy combatants. Raising their weapons, they fired into the gang.
The next twenty seconds took place in a blur.
Each man carried an M-16A2 automatic rifle. They fired into the group closest to them, not caring where they aimed. None of the gang members knew what hit them. The barrage ripped through their ranks, killing six within the first few seconds, including Lisa, and wounding three others. Two of the wounded lay on the ground, writhing in agony from shots to the abdomen and chest. The third had taken a round to the shoulder.
The middle group returned fire, raking the top of the wall. Allard took the full brunt of the assault, the gunfire nearly cutting him in half. Frakes tried to escape as eleven rounds slammed into his chest, propelling him backwards. What remained of his body crashed onto the Humvee’s hood in a bloody heap.
The group around Earl panicked. Most fired blindly into the night sky in a desperate attempt to hit the sniper. Some looked around at the multiple targets, not having any idea what to shoot at. A few off to his right began firing at the approaching deaders, the nearest one now only a hundred feet away. Every few seconds, someone around him went down with a well-placed shot to the head.
Fuck Price and fuck this shit, thought Earl.
He made his way to the path that cut between the two buildings, dragging Tracey in front of him. He called out to the gang member in the leather Harley Davidson vest. “Jake, follow me.”
Jake fell in beside Earl, staying as close as possible to Tracey to benefit from her protection. He kept his weapon raised, scanning it from left to right, aiming at nothing in particular. “Where are we going?”
“We’re getting the fuck out of here.”
* * *
Carter saw a flash on the hill above them, and heard the death moan of one of his men who absorbed the bullet. Ignoring the deaders, he concentrated on a new target. A human target.
Carter dropped prone on the roof, kicked out the supports for his sniper rifle, placed them on the tar, and aimed in the general direction of where the gunfire had come from. It took only a few seconds before the target fired another round. In Carter’s night vision goggles, the shot glared like a beacon, giving away the shooter’s position. He was hidden behind a boulder off to the left, and Carter could see movement between a curve in the rock and the ground. The target had done a good job of concealment, but not good enough because he had to expose himself to shoot. Carter bided his time.
He did not have long to wait. The target moved around the boulder and set up his next shot.
Before the target could get off a round, Carter squeezed the trigger.
* * *
Simmons saw the flash of gunfire and involuntarily ducked. The sound of the bullet striking to his right put him at ease, until he heard Wayans moan. Simmons scanned the roof with his scope until he saw the sniper lying prone. Holy fuck! The guy was using a .50 caliber sniper rifle. He watched the sniper load another round into the chamber and line up his next shot.
Simmons wouldn’t give him that chance.
* * *
Carter cursed when he saw the sparks generated by the bullet ricocheting off the boulder. However, rather than disappear under cover, the target rolled back and forth. He must have wounded him. Carter reloaded and sighted in on the target again, taking extra time to aim and steady himself. His finger closed around the trigger until it caught. He took a deep breath and held it, adjusted the aim, and—
The pain lasted a split second, not even long enough for Carter to register that he had been shot. The bullet entered just above his right eye and flattened out. The misshapen hunk of metal continued on its trajectory, tearing a path of destruction through his brain. Carter felt none of it. He died before the projectile punched its way through the back of his skull, leaving a cloud of blood and brain matter to follow behind it.
* * *
Simmons smiled when he saw the sniper’s head explode in the green light of the night vision goggles. He kept his scope trained on the compound, searching for more targets of opportunity, calling out to his friend in a low voice.
“Wayans, are you all right?”
No answer.
“Wayans?” he called again, louder.
Still no answer.
“Are you okay?” Simmons yelled.
“Friggin’ shut up, man,” Wayans whispered fiercely, more in frustration than anger. “You want that friggin’ sniper to get us?”
Simmons breathed a sigh of relief. “I took care of him. How are you doing?”
“A chunk of that last bullet ricocheted and caught me in the chest. Hurts like friggin’ hell.”
“Do you need my help?”
“I’m fine. Cover Robson.”
* * *
Neither DeWitt nor Roberta was prepared for the gunfight with the gang members. They both stood on the roof of the Humvee, waiting to be pulled onto the wall, when Allard and Frakes got caught in the crossfire. DeWitt grabbed Roberta by the shoulders and forced her into a crouch. A few seconds later, Allard’s partially-severed torso and Frakes’ bullet-riddled corpse dropped onto the Humvee, splattering the two in blood. DeWitt rolled off the roof onto the ground, pulling the stunned Roberta with him. She sat with her back against the vehicle’s door while DeWitt kept an eye along the top of the wall, ready
to fire if any gang members tried to climb over it.
When he glanced over at Roberta, she stared numbly at the blood covering her clothes. He spoke her name, but she did not hear him. He reached around with his left hand and shook her shoulder.
“What?” Roberta yelped as he jerked her back into reality.
“Snap out of it.”
“For Christ’s sake, I just saw two of my friends gunned down.”
“Yeah, and we’re going to lose Robson and the others if we don’t find a way to get back into this game.”
Roberta mumbled the word “bastard” under her breath. She grabbed her M-16A2 and knelt beside DeWitt. “Obviously we can’t get into the compound this way, so how do you propose we break in?”
DeWitt sighed and shook his head. “I haven’t figured that out yet.”
* * *
The eruption of weapons fire on the other side of the compound caught Jennifer and Caslow off guard. She crouched and raised her weapon in case the gun fight moved in their direction. Caslow took several steps back until he bumped into the wall. When the battle didn’t spill toward them, she relaxed a little. The contemptuous glare she shot at Caslow caused him turn his head.
Jennifer pointed to the storage units opposite the perimeter wall. “I’ll search this row. You take the ones in the center. Be careful. We have no idea what we’ll find in there. And for God’s sake, don’t panic and shoot any of our own people.”
Before he could respond, Jennifer ran off, headed for the first storage unit in her row.
Rotter World (Book 2): Rotter Nation Page 26
