Evolution Z (Book 3): Stage Three

by Bourne, David

Ray grinned. “Your euphoria is positively contagious.” The ironic comment made the olive-complexioned woman smile.

  Ray had pondered for a long time, how far he should let her in on his adventures since the outbreak of the plague and in particular, the events of the past few days. He had finally reached the conclusion that if he wanted to successfully persuade her to accompany him and the others to Sanctuary, then he would have to be as open and honest with her as possible. So he told her his story, beginning with the airplane crash and the time in Chris’ house, their group’s journey to Fort Weeks, up to the most recent developments on the USS George Washington, particularly concerning Vita Invicta, Dr. Abbadon and his family in Sanctuary. He deliberately omitted his repeated binge drinking episodes in his account.

  “You are supposed to get his family out in order for him to help you fight the plague–and two rescue teams are missing and might be dead, right?” Nika asked after Ray had finished his story.

  Ray nodded. “The military has named this mission ‘Operation Pegasus’–after an evacuation mission in Libya several years ago that bore the same name.”

  “Sounds more like ‘Operation Suicide’ to me,” Nika cynically remarked.

  Ray nodded again.

  “And your family‘s also at this refugee camp?”

  “I‘m not sure. I hope so,” he answered.

  Nika stared at Ray’s face for a second or two and then looked at the evening sky. “Only those who hope are truly alive,” she said after a while.

  “That‘s true–today more than ever,” Ray replied. “I see the light at the end, but I still need a tunnel. Maybe that‘s what Sanctuary has to offer to me.”

  For a while, both of them stared into the fire without saying a word. Sparks flew upward, when logs fell into the embers. Then Ray looked at Nika.

  “It’s your turn. What do you hope for? Are there people you‘re trying to find?”

  “No, there aren’t any. I‘m alone. And every morning when I get up, I hope that I‘ll be allowed to see the sunset.”

  Somehow this pragmatic statement suited the taciturn woman sitting across from him, Ray thought.

  “Tell me about your life before the catastrophe,” he asked her.

  “There‘s not much to tell,” Nika answered.

  “Come on, we had a deal.”

  “Trust me, Captain, you don’t want to know what I used to do. And if I told you, I‘d have to kill you anyways,” Nika said with a smile.

  Despite her smile Ray did not know how seriously she meant this last remark.

  “Before you run off in disappointment, shouldn’t you finally ask me the question you came here for? Stop pussyfooting around.”

  Ray felt he had been caught. Damn it, this woman was good. He cleared his throat.

  “I would be glad if you could come with us to Sanctuary. I‘m firmly convinced that a woman would make our group appear more believable. Plus if necessary, you would know how to defend yourself.”

  Nika nodded, as if she had expected this question. To Ray’s surprise, she answered without hesitation: “I‘m in. Let me know when we’re supposed to start.”

  “Don’t you want to think about it?” Ray asked.

  “I just did,” Nika replied.

  “We’ll start tomorrow afternoon. Get ready.”

  “I‘m always ready, Captain.”

  25Guided Tour

  With a loud creak, the large gate swung inward and finally revealed the town behind it. Duke was truly impressed. As far as he could see from here, the area consisted of three sections: Behind the gate and the canyon began a level area covered with grass and some trees; then he saw the entrance to the small town, and in it were some brick buildings. At the end, a winding path led up the mountain, and even from his vantage point he could see about twenty cave entrances and several more houses on the rocky slope. The location as a whole was perfect.

  The town seemed as busy as an anthill when they go there. Numerous workers and survivors were fortifying the settlement–or you could say there were fortifying it even more than it already was. At first sight it looked like a pseudo-Roman legion camp made of corrugated metal and wood. Anything that could increase stability was added to the exterior walls, or to fortified positions on the plains outside the gates of the town. Behind the plains and directly in front of the town gates there was a ditch about twenty-five feet wide and seven feet deep, which was being enlarged. Twenty workers, glistening with sweat, threw shovel after shovel of soil out of it to form a wall running in front of the ditch from one side of the mountain to the other. Other workers were pulling rolls of barbed wire across walls and attached them to sharpened wooden and metal poles. Whoever was in command here was obviously no fool. Duke’s eyes widened. He saw shadows on the ground that seemed to form a net. He looked skyward and discovered the reason. He was really starting to like it here.

  Krueger started to chat. “In the 16th century, this area belonged to Native Americans that settled in large areas of what later became the US and Canada. Some of the wandering tribes must have discovered this fertile valley. As the tribes usually followed game for hunting and engaged in little agriculture, the area was mostly used as a winter settlement. As soon as the Indians used up their supplies in the spring, they left here and only returned in late fall.”

  “Gosh,” was all Duke could think of saying. His head had been spinning ever since they had left the cave where they had been examined.

  Krueger just gave a brief smile and continued his history lesson, while they kept walking toward the center of the town. “Nature must have taken centuries to hollow the rocks here into the shapes we now find. As you can see, this valley is open on top. In order to protect against air raids or falling undead, we have covered the entire area of the town with wire and netting. We can hardly be seen from the air, and we can simply shoot attackers up there and then pluck them from the netting.”

  They now stood in front of the inner gate, which could only be reached by a drawbridge. All of this reminded Duke of a toy castle with moveable parts that he used to have as a child. Krueger also nodded to the second group of guards, and they were let in.

  They passed an entrance that was guarded by an even stronger troop than the first one in the canyon. The palisade was taller than it seemed from the outside, and near the top there was a parapet walk about a yard wide, where several guards patrolled. Now they arrived in the area where Duke had seen the buildings. Krueger stopped outside a small house where many people dressed in white were working. Duke knew what this was all about, but he did not resist and went inside. The examination did not take long. Once he had been declared non-infected, they could continue on their way through the town.

  Duke especially noticed a round open structure. It appeared to be a small arena in the center of town. He was immediately fascinated by it.

  “What is that up there?” he asked inquisitively.

  “When the era of the native tribes came to an end and the rightful owners were forced from their land, the Indians were forced from their traditional territories and gradually squeezed into reservations. These winter quarters were turned into a reservation. When more members moved into towns and gave up their traditional ways of life, the place continued to change and many stone buildings were put here. All of this was eventually made into a tourist attraction, and you are staring with fascination at its high point. This amphitheater offered paying guests a show about Indian life, which offered something to both parties. The visitors were entertained and most of the surviving Indians earned enough money to drown their sorrows in booze forever.”

  “That‘s a sad story, Mr. Krueger…” Duke Powell said. If you are a stupid sentimental fool. “Is this theater still in use?” he continued.

  “It is indeed. Richard Fuller is currently offering a training class to our residents there. He shows them how to use bladed weapons and how to defend oneself with bare hands, if that should ever become necessary. To be quite honest, the whole thing is a
bit too warlike for me. Most dangers can otherwise be avoided. ”

  Duke almost exploded with rage, but the tried not to let the man notice. IF IT SHOULD BECOME FUCKING NECESSARY? Who the hell does this Indian-lover think he is? Duke now revised his previous assessment. Krueger seemed to be a fool after all, though he nodded sympathetically and kept following him.

  They went on and passed several wooden and stone buildings, all of which by now had been converted to new uses. One was full of various electronic devices, canned food, toys and weapons. A young, pretty thing with a bandana headscarf bustled about in front of the building and sorted items on a table according to value and importance.

  “How‘s business, Lisa?” Krueger asked full of interest.

  “Steady and continuous,” the girl said laughing. She wasn’t even twenty, and the straps of her overalls often slipped from her shoulders.

  “Can you remember my cigars, by the way?”

  “If you can think of something appropriate in exchange.”

  “One of these days you’ll be an excellent warehouse manager.” Krueger laughed and signaled Duke to follow him. They passed something that looked like a tavern and a small blacksmith's shop. Then they approached the winding path.

  “And what is up there? Are those outhouses?” he asked in an ironic, chatty tone meant to make Krueger laugh. However, Krueger kept a straight face.

  “Not exactly, Mr. Powell.” Krueger turned up his nose a bit. “Some of the caves are natural, others were dug into the rock. They must have been the first thing the Indians discovered. During winter they could even heat them by lighting fires inside. Cracks in the stone allowed the carbon monoxide to escape, so no one suffocated. Today we are using them, like the buildings down her, as residences and storage spaces.”

  “How come you know all this shit about Indians?” Duke wanted to know. He noticed that he was getting impatient. It seemed Krueger had no sense of humor and a stick the size of a tree trunk stuck firmly up his ass. His good intentions concerning more restraint were now beginning to seem redundant to Duke. The whole dog and pony show at the beginning, with the night in the cells and all the examinations were obviously not of any real importance. Also, his mustachioed companion might be able to tell him something about extinct Indian tribes, but he apparently was clueless about life out there.

  “To be honest, I didn‘t know anything about all of that until Richard told me.”

  “Is that the busybody with the pocket watch?” Duke felt how his old smugness took hold of him again. He wanted to test how far he could go with Krueger.

  “Maybe you should participate in one of his training sessions in the arena. Then you can call him that to his face.” Krueger now seemed to be getting annoyed.

  Duke really felt an urge to cut Fuller down to size, but overall, though, he was rather impressed by how well the town was organized. Still, he needed some more information.

  “Do you accept all refugees here, Mr. Krueger?” he asked.

  “Principally, yes. We have a code that requires us to offer any survivors protection and refuge, if the initial examination determines they are not infected.”

  In his mind, Duke was shaking his head. How could this idiot be so deluded?

  As if Krueger had read Duke’s mind, he said: “It‘s this very code that allowed you and your people to be accepted here, Mr. Powell.”

  Duke felt he had been found out, so he changed the topic.

  “How do you find supplies for everyone here?”

  “Well, as I mentioned, we have job and duties for everyone. Below the caves there is a huge natural spring which can supply drinking water for years. We are expanding the buildings and are trying to gather animals from nearby towns and villages to keep them in stables here. We already have some female livestock. Some courageous people drive into these towns again and again and face those poor lost souls there, in order to obtain batteries, medication and weapons. God alone knows what has happened to these poor creatures. We can defend ourselves, but I think it would be more sensible to go into isolation until all that is finally over.”

  Duke snorted. “Are you a politician, Mr. Krueger?”

  “I‘m a rancher and farmer. I was one of the first out here, after I lost my poor wife. I established this here, and more and more people joined. Then I took over organizing the community and as you can see, everything is running smoothly. Including your group, there are about two thousand people here. We have electricity, water, food and medications–and most of all: Safety. So, Mr. Powell, do you and your group want to follow the rules of Sanctuary and stay here?”

  “Fuck, yes, we do,” said Duke and nodded.

  “Well, we still have to do some work to improve your manners, as Richard would say, but I‘d like to welcome you to the community. This leads me to the question of how you expect to help us in return.”

  Duke thought briefly. “I can drive almost any machine on this Earth. I think I would be best in a team that goes out into the towns. I cannot even count how many of these assholes I‘ve sent to the happy hunting grounds, to use the language of your redskins....”

  It was apparent that Krueger did not like Duke’s way of talking, but he did not comment on it. “I‘m sure I can fit you into one of those teams,” he said instead. “Now, if you excuse me, I have to check on the fortifications and make my rounds. You can keep looking around.”

  “I will do that, Mr. Krueger. Thank you for giving us such a warm welcome.”

  “I‘ll see you later, Mr. Powell.” With these word, Walter Krueger left him and went his own way. Duke glanced at him as he walked away. Poor dimwit.

  Then he looked at the surrounding mountains. He could see some makeshift wind turbines. That was an ideal location, since there was hardly any breeze down in the valley. This must be where the electricity came from. There were emplacements that could be easily defended. He inspected the town and entered a few of the caves. These places had been nicely set up, and he was welcomed almost everywhere. There was even freshly brewed coffee. Once he had found the pools of water, he was content and returned to the cells. The people here over all seemed happy, but he felt he was the only one around who could recognize the full potential of this town. That happens when sheep try to rule sheep.

  26Foothold

  Sam was still in a bad mood when he walked through the town after the end of his shift. This might sound surprising, since it was only a few days ago that he had finally reached safety. However earlier in the morning, he had had a huge fight with his mother before his work started. He had accused her of many things, even though he didn’t mean most of it. He told her she had already forgotten his father and was throwing herself at Duke Powell. He claimed she was not even trying to find his father, her husband.

  His mother did not respond, but he could see that his words hurt her deeply. His fists would have probably injured her less than his words had done. He had screamed loudly and simply unloaded everything that had been recently building up inside of him. She had patiently suffered his tirade and even admitted she could understand him, but she had also asked him to try to understand her, too. She said that at the moment Duke Powell was important for the both of them, and only he could ensure their safety. She had called him “a protector for Sam.”

  A protector. I hate that goddamned asshole. He shook himself. Sam knew he was probably being unfair to his mom, but it had also felt good to let off some steam. Maybe he would later apologize to his mom. He then thought about the rest of his morning.

  While in the cell tract, he had been asked about his talents and qualifications, and he had simply answered “lumber.” Since early childhood he had accompanied his father into the forest, and he knew everything there was to know about lumber. Which wood you could turn into things, and which could be used for firewood. How to cut trees, saw and store them. He owed all this knowledge to Scott. His father had let him help with a lot of physical work, and this now showed in his physique. Even with his fifteen years, Sam
Gerber could have frightened quite a few grown-up men. The way he looked showed just whose son he was, and he was already about 5 foot 10 inches tall and weighed almost 190 pounds. Valeria Martinez had called him a handsome young man, which flattered him a lot. So he had received an ax and a saw and was sent to the lumberjack work crew. He knew these guys were often rough, but he could handle it. The men and women on this detail recognized Sam as a hard worker, so much so that they readily shared their breakfast and friendly conversation with him during the first break. As a newcomer to Sanctuary, Sam was relieved about being accepted as a member of the lumberjack work crew. During their shift, some guards always came along to protect the lumberjacks but so far, not one single zombie had been seen by the group. The area had been secured for several weeks, and the guards seemed to be on the ball with regard to protecting them. After the lumber had been cut, the logs were then transported to Sanctuary for processing. After they unloaded them in town, Sam’s shift was finished, and he used his free time to explore his new hometown. He saw busy residents occupied with their assigned jobs when he walked through the streets and from what he could see, everyone apparently had a task. Some of the residents put their heads together and whispered as he passed, but he did not mind. He gave them friendly greetings and looked at everything with interest.

  Suddenly, he heard a gasp nearby and turned around. In front of a building there was a pile of electronic devices. Some of them used to be very common, but now had become hard-to-find luxuries. A young woman blew a lock of chestnut brown hair out of her face and pushed with all her might against a freezer chest she was trying to get up a ramp and inside. As she could not possibly weigh more than the chest itself, the freezer ended halfway in, before it then rolled back into the street.

  “Damn–it, I will get this thing inside!” With these words, Lisa tried her luck and pushed the freezer chest again. This time around, the chest effortlessly rolled up the ramp, almost by itself–it almost felt as if she could let go of it. She was extremely startled when she turned to the right and saw the reason why her chore quickly became so easy. A strong boy with brown hair stood next to her and pushed the freezer chest vigorously up the ramp. Lisa’s eyes widened, and she uttered a shrill scream. Sam raised his hands to calm her down.