Blue Plague: Rage

by Watson, Thomas A

  “Check on Carroll and Marcus. Then we need to rotate one person out of each position and reinforce the northwest corner. Get the other trailers and just burn out the area. If they can, tell them to get our dead. I don’t want them with blues,” Bruce instructed as the rest of Omega started taking out wigglers.

  “We’re fine Bruce,” Marcus answered over the radio.

  “Marcus, ask your wife if she’ll get some people together and fix some food. We have a lot of hungry people here. I don’t want to pull Millie and them out of the underground till we’re clear,” Bruce informed him.

  A few minutes passed then Marcus replied, “Bruce, Carroll asked whatcha want?”

  “Don’t care as long as I can put it in a blender,” Bruce answered then turned to Omega. “Omega, I’m proud of you. This is the type of pain I want you to deliver for me. Willie, sleep schedule for the team in ten minutes and don’t put me on it. All the kids are to be on the first sleep shift. I’m going to tell everyone now, when it’s your turn to sleep you had better do it. We’re not done yet. There’s more killing to do. That is our business and business is good,” Bruce told them. The team was just breathing heavily and smiling, happy to be alive seeing the mass of bodies in front of them.

  Bruce turned to Angela and Stephanie, “Check on the kids, reload your vest then take the kids to the Center and wait for me please?” Bruce asked them. Angela and Stephanie both nodded and were walking away when Bruce stopped them, “You two did good. I’m proud of you and I know Debbie would be to,” Bruce told them.

  They both looked at Bruce giving him an exhausted smile. Their faces were filthy with bags under their eyes and neither had any ammo. “We’ll be in the Center with the kids waiting for you Bruce. If you need us we’ll leave our radios on,” Stephanie told him.

  “I’ll see y’all in a little while,” Bruce promised.

  Angela and Stephanie turned and headed to the underground. Bruce called the family members over from Omega, all six kids and Buffy. “I want all of y’all to get some sleep. Each of you are way past the thirty hour mark. You have fought two battles and had a grievous loss. If you don’t sleep, I’ll give you something to sleep and pull you from the team for one month. I need you rested up,” Bruce told them.

  They all nodded with tears in their eyes as they started to move away Bruce yelled. “Let’s get something straight! When you wake up, you may cry for Mama for one day! That’s it, then, you let it turn! The others responsible for her death are still out there. Then we have more like them, and don’t forget the blues. They are the ones who killed her. We will teach them fear and we will bring them pain!”

  “We understand Daddy,” Danny told Bruce and led the others away.

  Bruce jumped on the ATV and drove to the shop to check on Warren and his friends. Walking in the shop, Bruce found them just as he left them. Running on pure hate, Bruce walked over to the two eight foot tables and cleared them off. Then one by one he gently, body slammed each of them on a table. Carl and the man Bruce didn’t know yet were on one and Warren got his own table. Getting his straps out, Bruce strapped them to the table they were laying on.

  Next Bruce shoved a six foot long, three-quarter inch piece of angle iron under each ones shoulder across their body. Then one at a time Bruce punched them in the jaw knocking them out. Cutting their hands loose Bruce tied them to the angle iron. Then taking a seven-inch worm-gear hose clamp and placing it on their wrist. Bruce tightened it so there was no way they could move their body on the piece of iron holding their arms out like a cross.

  All three were crying as Bruce went over to his tool box and pulled out a roll of clear quarter inch tubing. Moving from one man to the other Bruce measured from the bottom of the ribs around the ear to the nose. Cutting the piece off, Bruce would lay it on their stomach.

  “What are you doing?” Carl asked crying.

  “Enjoying myself with my fellow man,” Bruce replied with a chuckle as he went back to his tool box. “Each of you thinks you know what’s coming, let me clarify it for you. You have no idea what I’m fixing to do to you. Men will shudder for a thousand years with what I’m fixing to do,” Bruce told them pulling out a drawer.

  Digging around, Bruce pulled out a curved leather sewing needle, needle nose pliers, four hemostats, and nylon string. Threading the needle with the nylon string, Bruce moved to Carl since he loved to talk. Grabbing the tube off Carl’s abdomen, Bruce grabbed a handful of hair with his right hand. With his left hand Bruce shoved one end of the tube down Carl’s left nostril. Carl screamed and tried to twist away as Bruce shoved the tube down his nose. Bruce had to repeat it twice until he got the end in Carl’s stomach. When gastric fluid started to come out the end hanging from Carl’s nose, Bruce clamped the end with hemostats. Blood was running down Carl’s cheek from his nose as he cried from the improvised gastric tube.

  Bruce grabbed the leather sewing needle with the needle nose pliers, “This might sting a little but you can take it Carl, you’re a man after all,” Bruce told Carl as he drove the needle through Carl’s nostril sewing the tube in place as Carl screamed.

  When he was finished, Bruce moved to Carl’s friend. Bruce started getting his stuff ready as Scott asked, “What’s that for?” tears running down his face.

  “What’s your name and I might tell you,” Bruce offered, standing over him.

  “Scott,” he answered.

  “So I can feed you Scott. I have to take care of my fellow man,” Bruce told him.

  “I’ll eat, please don’t. I’ll tell you what you want to know,” Scott pleaded.

  “You’ll eat when I want you to eat and what I want you to eat. I don’t think you’ll be able to do that in a few days. I know you’ll tell me what I want to know fellow ranger boy.” Bruce replied pointing at the Ranger tattoo on Scott’s arm. “But I want you to answer only to make the pain stop,” Bruce said bending over.

  “Hey you can’t do this to a fellow ranger!” Scott screamed as Bruce stopped before putting the tube in his nose. The fake smile fell off of Bruce’s face and was replaced with a genuine grin, making Scott’s blood turn cold. He saw pure hatred directed at him.

  Bruce turned around and grabbed a pair of vise grips. Looking at Scott with his evil grin, Bruce locked them on Scott’s testicle with the fish hook in it, which was now red and swollen. The scream actually hurt Bruce’s ear as he put the tube down Scott’s nose and when he saw gastric juices Bruce clamped the end hanging out. Picking up his sewing kit, Bruce sewed it in place. When he was finished Bruce took off the vise grip but it didn’t matter; Scott had passed out.

  Walking over to Warren, Bruce’s smile broadened. “Warren, long time no see. I just want to let you know before I start, I’ll erase your entire line of DNA off this planet. Don’t worry, Tonya isn’t yours. Remember Ned, Pam’s high school sweetheart? Tonya’s his. I want to tell you this now because you might not comprehend later,” Bruce told him still smiling.

  Warren cried and wailed as Bruce grabbed the tube off his stomach. “Please Bruce, don’t do this, I’m sorry. Let me go and you’ll never see me again,” Warren begged.

  “No you’re not sorry Warren, but you will be. In the weeks to come you will curse God for putting you on this earth and beg Satan to take you, just to stop the pain and agony. I can honestly say as you burn in hell for eternity, that will be a reprieve from what I’m going to do,” Bruce told him.

  Anger flashed across Warren’s face, “Go ahead, let’s start,” he challenged wanting to be brave.

  “That’s the spirit,” Bruce said smiling as he clamped the vise grips. Warren screamed louder than Scott as Bruce went to work. There was nowhere on the farm that the scream couldn’t be heard.

  Chapter 2

  It was midafternoon when Bruce walked out of the shop. Stopping outside the door, Bruce looked around. Several people were outside just sitting down or laying on the ground, but all were looking at him. Turning to the house Bruce wanted to see Debbie. Reaching
the patio, Bruce saw the double door he kicked off the hinges laying outside. Walking towards it, Bruce saw someone in a white hazmat suit backing out the door. Then Bruce noticed he was carrying the couch, with Debbie still on it covered with the curtain and another person at the other end was wearing a plastic suit.

  Rage flooded his system as he reached for his pistol but only grabbed his shirt. His tactical vest was in the shop. Lifting up his shirt, Bruce pulled his 1911 compact from the small of his back. Racking the slide and chambering a round, Bruce walked over placing the pistol on the man’s head that was backing out.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Bruce yelled. The man froze and started to stutter as his friend at the other end was backing up fixing to drop the couch. Swinging his pistol out, Bruce aimed at the one wanting to leave. “If you drop her, know you’ll die but only after I tear your skin off with a wire brush,” Bruce promised and like his friend, the man froze.

  Putting the pistol under the first man’s chin, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Bruce asked again.

  “Sir the couch is contaminated. We were going to put Ms. Debbie with the others and burn it,” the man finally managed to get out.

  Bruce reached down grabbing the man’s crotch and squeezed as he said, “If you drop her, I’ll kill you. Now you don’t like me touching your shit without asking, do you?” Bruce asked and all the man could do was shake his head ‘no’. “What you two are going to do is back up and put it where you found it. If you jar her, I’ll rip it off and make your friend eat it,” Bruce told him.

  The two eased back into the house very carefully, knowing by the look in Bruce’s eyes, he meant every word. With shaking arms the two men gently lowered the couch down to the floor. As they moved to leave neither saw the punches from Bruce knocking them down. Climbing on top of them Bruce started to wail away. After marking their faces good, Bruce stood up.

  “If either of you come in this house again without being invited by me, I’ll kill you very slowly,” Bruce told them in a cold voice. The two stumbled out the door.

  Kneeling down beside Debbie, Bruce held her hand under the curtain then noticed her ACU top on the floor. Bruce grabbed it removing the Ranger pin, the clan gun pin and the yellow bandanna. Going through the pockets Bruce found a camera, a video recorder, a bag of memory cards and several folded papers. Setting them on the coffee table Bruce went through her vest along with her equipment he found another bag of memory cards.

  Grabbing the sheets of folded paper Bruce unfolded one and his heart stopped. It was a note to him.

  Dear Bruce

  You just went to take Max out and I want to tell you again I love you. In time you will understand, I hope. First remember I died for the family and this clan protecting them. Please don’t let your anger and hate spill over on them unnecessarily. I know you’re hurting and I can say I will be also until I see you in heaven. Remember Angela and Stephanie are not my replacement; they were “our” companions and wives. Please watch them, love them and let them continue to love you.

  I want you to take my wedding ring but I want to keep the necklace you made for us three. I want you to make a tag for me like yours that you gave me and wear it on a necklace with my ring. Don’t look at the memory cards in my pockets for a few months. It will only hurt you more now. In a few months you will enjoy them I promise. (Danny brought them down for me.)

  Thank you again for a great life, a wonderful family and carrying out my last request.

  I will always love and be with you

  Love Debbie

  P.S. Don’t shoot Max, he was protecting the kids. He’s a good dog. Just don’t let him pee on the carpet.

  P.S.S Give my AUGs to Stephanie and Angela and tell them to raid my closet or I’ll be pissed.

  Reading the letter Bruce wanted to cry but couldn’t and this made him furious. Closing his eyes Bruce breathed slowly. Debbie died for this clan, he had to protect it. Reaching under the curtain Bruce removed her wedding ring. Standing up Bruce walked over to Debbie’s boots and pulled the bootlace out of one putting the ring on it he tied it around his neck. “I’ll kill all those responsible,” Bruce vowed moving to the Debbie. The hate coursed through him as he played out what he was going to do to Warren, Carl and Scott.

  As Bruce knelt by Debbie the two men who were moving the couch, ran in the Center to the command table. The one whose balls Bruce had tried to crush shouted at Mike, “Bruce has gone insane!”

  Startled, Mike looked up. “What?” Mike asked lifting his head out of his hands.

  “Bruce tried to kill me and squeezed my balls crushing them,” Crushed-ball man told him, still holding his maimed manhood.

  “Who the fuck, are you?” Mike asked getting pissed off.

  “Kevin, I’m assigned to decontamination,” he told him.

  “What were you doing to piss him off?” Mike asked.

  “Our job. We were taking the couch out of the house for disposal and putting the body with the others,” Kevin said.

  “You what!” Mike yelled standing up.

  “Our job and he tried to kill us. I know he has saved a lot of us but he needs to be relieved of command, he violated clan law that he set,” Kevin snapped.

  Anger clouded Mike’s vision as he grabbed his pistol but Stephanie and Angela beat him. They already had pistols drawn and aimed. “Hey bitches,” Stephanie said. When Kevin and his partner turned they were looking at two pistols. “First let’s get something straight. The next fucker I ever hear saying ‘relieve Bruce of command’. I’ll kill you; if you have kids I’ll kill them to,” Stephanie told him loud enough that the whole center heard.

  “I’m cutting stuff off before she kills anyone,” Angela informed everyone.

  “Threatening a clan member-,” Kevin started as Stephanie walked forward putting her gun to his head.

  “Shut up-,” Stephanie commanded.

  “Ah-ah-,” Kevin stuttered.

  Stephanie looked at the table, “Maggie and Nancy can I borrow Willie and Mike? Bruce isn’t here?” Stephanie asked.

  “Sure,” they both replied.

  “Either of you make a sound and I’m going to ask them to monkey stomp your asses,” Stephanie informed them.

  Bill stood up, “Hey you two, lighten up okay. Everyone has been through some shit the last few days. Let’s all calm down,” he said looking around.

  Angela turned her head looking at him. “Bill, Bruce thinks a lot of you as we do and Debbie did. But if you think we’re going to let someone bad mouth Bruce after what he has done, been through and lost; I’m going to shoot you,” Angela told him making the color drain from Bill’s face.

  Stephanie cleared her throat, “I’m going to show you how smart I am. I have video of Debbie naming myself and Angela to her estate as her wives. Now you were removing our property without consent which is stealing. Debbie’s grandmother bought that couch for her as a wedding present. You broke rule number one. Anyone on the command group can pass judgment on you. Oh look, Angela and I both are on the command group. Next, who’s over decontamination? Oh, it’s me. I never gave clearance to do that. So you falsified orders of a command group representative. Taking it upon yourself to decontaminate an area without my instructions. I can shoot you now. Last, you fucked with the body of my first best friend, my wife and upset my husband. I’ll discuss your punishment with Angela, my other wife, but you’re off DECON,” Stephanie told him as Bruce walked in.

  Looking at the two in hazmat suits being held at gunpoint by Angela and Stephanie, Bruce didn’t feel bad at all for hitting them now. “They piss you off to?” Bruce asked.

  “Yes they did baby. Upsetting you and moving Debbie. I’m going to talk it over with Angela what their punishment will be,” Stephanie said.

  “Fine with me,” Bruce said then turned to the hall. “My first wife died fighting and defending the clan and her family. In the coming weeks, if I’m hostile to any of you I want to apologize in advance.
This is the only time in my life I’ve ever been without her, since I was a little boy and this will take some getting used to,” Bruce told them then turned to the table. “Willie, I want everyone in Omega asleep now. We have work to do. There’s more of the group that hit us. They’re on Toledo Bend,” Bruce said.

  “When do you want to hit?” Willie asked.

  “Not sure yet but most of the team is running on empty,” Bruce told him then looked at Paul. “Paul, you know the old gravel pit twenty miles from here?” Bruce asked.

  “Yeah,” he replied.

  “Start moving the bodies around us and dump them in there. After every few loads drop some of those logs and hose them down in diesel. When they are all there, torch it. I need the farm back up and running in two days. I think we can say for sure, there are no big packs close now,” Bruce said. Paul nodded his head and started calling out names.

  Mike walked over to Bruce, “When you hit them, I’m coming,” Mike informed him.

  “Mike, please, stay here?” Bruce asked.

  “No, I loved her to and I demand some retribution!” Mike yelled at him.

  “How many did we lose?” Bruce asked.

  “Between Warren’s attack and the horde, a hundred and seventy-eight so far. We’re still trying to locate everyone. The wounded that were bitten are spending a few hours with friends then a member of Gamma is doing what needs to be done. As of right now, we’re looking at around three hundred. Those positions on the northwest wall we don’t have bodies because of the fire. The other positions the bodies were torn apart. We have to see who’s alive to know who’s missing ,” Mike answered.

  “If I let you go on this one with me, will you stay out of my way until I feel I have accomplished what I need to? Debbie wanted me to protect, so I’m going to kill gangs and blues,” Bruce asked.

  Mike thought about it and nodded, “Yes brother, and remember I’m here for you,” Mike told him.

  “Thank you brother,” Bruce said as he hugged Mike.