Dead America The Northwest Invasion | Book 6 | Dead America-Seattle [Part 4]

by Slaton, Derek

  Davila smirked. “Shit man, make it twenty.”

  “Done,” his friend replied.

  Davila adjusted his aim, the next ball flying just over the head of one of the zombies coming their way, still twenty yards from them. “Shit, double or nothing,” he said.

  “Done,” Rollins repeated with a lopsided grin.

  Davila lowered the trajectory as the next colorful ball jetted out. It flew through the air, landing on the shirt collar of a bloody corpse in business attire. The bright blue flame stuck to the clothing, quickly setting it ablaze.

  Davila and Stein cheered, while Rollins muttered obscenities under his breath.

  Jinx poked his head out the door. “What in the hell are you doing out here?” he asked.

  Davila held up the empty candle. “Just won a bet against Rollins,” he declared, and pointed to the flaming zombie, how fully engulfed in fire.

  “Nice shot,” the Corporal replied. “But can you guys clear them out? We’re going to have stuff to load in.”

  Rollins raised an eyebrow. “Doing some shopping?”

  Jinx grinned. “Just seems criminal not to use this stuff.”

  Davila inclined his head towards the small pack of zombies still ambling towards them. “Come on, let’s go clear them out,” he said, and lit up another roman candle, aiming it towards the road as they headed towards the pack.

  He hung back as Rollins and Stein made quick work of the ghouls, stabbing them in the head and dropping them. As they wrapped up, an engine roared in the distance.

  Davila lit up another candle, keeping the flames going to the road. A few moments later, Jarvis rolled into view, making the turn into the parking lot. She skidded to a stop in front of her smiling friend.

  “Where the hell did you find a roman candle at?” she asked through the open window.

  Davila jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “Fireworks stand,” he said. “Jinx is over there and says we need to load up.”

  “We’re gonna have to hurry,” Jarvis replied. “Getting a good number of them coming from the bridge.”

  Davila nodded as she sped off towards the stand. “Rollins,” he said, “let’s go check it out.”

  The duo headed towards the road as Stein jogged back to help load up the fireworks. As they approached the main road, a few more zombies came into view, a new group appearing from the shops across the street. They were more than twenty yards away, so the soldiers didn’t pay them any mind for the time being.

  “Yikes,” Rollins said as he looked towards the bridge. “That looks like a shitshow.”

  There were a few dozen zombies emerging from it, shambling towards their position.

  “Well, it doesn’t look like we need to worry about attracting attention to ourselves anymore,” Davila replied. He pulled out his handgun, took aim at the trio of zombies headed their way from the store, and opened fire. In three quick shots, they lay motionless on the ground. “Come on, let’s get back,” he said.

  As the duo approached the stand, Stein was just shutting the tailgate. Davila hopped up to get a look at the bed.

  “Holy hell, clearing them out, aren’t you?” he asked with a laugh, and looked closer. “Man, there’s mortars, high end rockets, bricks of firecrackers. We’re going to have a good ole time, aren’t we?”

  Jinx nodded. “We have to do whatever we can to keep them on that side of the bridge, and nothing brings them in like an explosion,” he said.

  Jarvis raised a hand. “I can attest to that,” she said proudly.

  “Yeah, what the hell was that, anyway?” Rollins asked.

  Burch grinned. “Just your local gas station.”

  “Wonder what Captain Odom is going to have to say about that?” Stein raised an eyebrow.

  Jinx shrugged. “As long as we complete the mission, not much,” he said. He tossed in another handful of firecrackers before hopping over into the back of the truck. “So let’s get a move on, and we won’t get chewed out.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Jarvis revved the engine as Jinx, Rollins, and Davila clambered up into the truck bed, laying down on top of the explosives. The Corporal smacked the side of the truck to let her know she was good to go. She peeled out of the parking lot, Stein and Burch jostling to the right as she turned onto the road leading to the bridge.

  There were easily a hundred zombies standing between them and the target, and she stopped, opening up the window behind her. “What do you think?” she asked.

  Jinx sat up and looked out, cocking his head as he studied the densely packed horde. “This thing got some juice to it?” he asked.

  “Oh yeah,” Jarvis replied, nodding. “Could probably clear one of those hybrid cars if I picked up enough speed.”

  Jinx gave her a thumbs up and laid back down. “Lead on, then!” he called, and they held onto the side of the bed tightly.

  Jarvis revved the engine, prompting everyone to be ready. She floored it, picking up speed quickly, and within moments the truck smacked into the front edge of the pack, sending zombies flying every which way.

  The men in the back watched bloody rotted limbs sailing around, corpses and crushed bodies landing on other zombies, creating a total mess. The momentum of the truck slowed as they pushed through, but the lift kit kept the vital components of the truck out of harm’s way. Soon they were through the other side, driving onto the bridge.

  Jinx raised his head to look through the back window, watching the daylight between them and the next batch of zombies at the head of the bridge. There were a few dozen spread out across it, all shambling towards them.

  “Hold up here,” he called.

  Jarvis stopped the vehicle and Davila sat up.

  “Yo, we’re not drawing that big of a crowd back here,” he reported.

  Jinx looked back and saw that the zombies they’d plowed through were mostly turning and walking away, with only a few coming towards them. “Well, why don't you do something about it?” he asked. “Just don't blow us up.”

  Davila grinned, looking around through their stash for something to use. He finally settled on a large mortar device, a two-foot tall metal tube with balls of explosives in the package. He grabbed it and jumped down onto the bridge.

  “Cover me, guys!” he declared, and then knelt to get set up.

  Jinx and Rollins each took a side of the truck, readying their handguns. As they did so, a few corpses staggered by, headed towards their friend. They both aimed down, firing at near point-blank range to drop their respective enemies.

  Davila gleefully opened the package like a kid at Christmas, positioning the mortar tube at a low angle, almost horizontal to the ground. He propped it up with his foot while he lit one of the explosives and shoved it in.

  “Fire in the hole!” he barked, and a few seconds later the mortar went off, rocketing across the bridge just a few feet above the pavement.

  The aim was true, striking a zombie directly in the back, exploding in a grand display of colorful flames. Davila let out a celebratory whoop before loading up another one. The second shot was on target as well, striking a turning zombie in the chest and knocking it back, setting a small fire on its blood-stained shirt. The noise and the fires attracted most of the zombies that had been wandering away from them.

  Davila glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Rollins fire off a few more shots, taking out the last of the would-be attackers.

  Jinx grabbed a large brick of firecrackers. “All right, saddle up,” he said. “I think that’s as good as we’re getting with those.”

  Davila tossed the mortar device back into the truck and climbed up as Jinx lit the firecrackers and tossed them out onto the asphalt. He smacked the roof of the truck, and Jarvis took off again.

  As they picked up speed to ram through the next batch of zombies, the firecrackers went off, loud sustained snapping filling the air.

  “Hey Jarvis, once we’re through,” Jinx called through the window as he exchanged a fist bump with Davila,
“stop at the next safe area so we can keep this up.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Jarvis drove the truck around slowly as the boys were on the ground, setting up fireworks to go off. There were a few hundred zombies on the main road headed towards them, but nearly a football field away.

  Rollins aimed his assault rifle down the side street, firing off a few shots and taking out some nearby zombies that were attracted to the noise.

  Davila and Stein set up a row of mortars on the roadway, lighting them up at the same time to send up a barrage of explosives, hoping that the combined noise would draw more zombies in.

  Burch found a metal dumpster in an alley, running up to it and throwing in a brick of firecrackers. A few moments later, there was a loud metallic echo reverberating through the alley. When he looked back, he saw smoke rising from the dumpster, and Jinx approached, chuckling.

  “Well, if that isn’t a metaphor for the last month,” he said.

  Burch snorted. “No shit.”

  Jarvis honked the horn to get everyone’s attention, coming to a stop. “All right, really starting to draw a crowd up here,” she announced. “Let’s get moving to the next site.”

  Jinx walked up to the window, and she handed over the satellite image of the area, where she’d put several red X marks on the map, showing locations to the west of the bridge.

  “So where we at?” he asked as he surveyed it.

  Jarvis pointed to the locations as she spoke. “About six blocks due west of the bridge,” she explained. “I think we need to put some significant distance between us and the bridge this time.”

  “Agreed,” the Corporal said. “If there are any on the other side of the bridge, they aren’t going to care about the noise we’re making this far out. We need to focus on keeping the ones here occupied.”

  Several gunshots erupted from the other soldiers as they cleared out nearby ghouls coming from alleys and stores. Neither Jinx nor Jarvis even flinched at the noise.

  “If we can find someplace we can rig to blow like that gas station, that would be ideal,” the Corporal mused.

  Jarvis shrugged. “I haven’t seen any yet,” she admitted, “and from the looks of it, we’re about to get into some residential areas for a bit.”

  “Couple of house fires, maybe?” he asked. “Might get lucky with them having gas instead of electric.”

  She shook her head, smiling. “You were totally a little arsonist as a kid, weren’t you?” she asked.

  “Yeah, pleading the fifth on that one,” he replied.

  A few more gunshots went off, and then the rest of the team clambered hop into the truck. Jinx used the back tire as a foothold and hopped into the bed with Davila and Rollins.

  “So, what we doing next?” Davila asked.

  Jinx jerked a thumb over his shoulder as he sat down. “Start a few house fires,” he replied, “see if we can’t get a gas explosion.”

  “Hell yeah,” his friend replied with a grin, “I’m in.”

  Jarvis drove the group a few blocks up, smacking into several clusters of undead on the road while the fireworks in the background attracted more ghouls from every nook and cranny on the roadside.

  The neighborhood was middle-class, with nice brick homes stretching along the tree-lined streets. Jarvis drove up to an intersection, with houses stretching in every direction, and slowed to a stop. As the boys hopped out, she hung out of the window.

  “Hey Jinx, I got an idea,” she said.

  He approached her. “Let’s hear it,” he said.

  “We got plenty of those fireworks, right?” she asked, motioning to the back of the truck. “We should set some of them up by the windows and doors of the houses you’re setting on fire. It’ll be like an extended fuse on ‘em, so we can get a little more bang for our buck.”

  Jinx nodded and whirled his hand in the air. “You heard the lady,” he declared, “let’s set us up some extra party favors!”

  Davila and Rollins grabbed large handfuls of fireworks out of the back and followed the other three up to the nearest house. As they set them up along the windows, the Corporal led the way inside.

  He smashed open the front door, assault rifle raised. There were two zombies in the kitchen, staggering towards them, and he quickly put them down.

  “Burch, check the stove, see if it’s gas,” Jinx said. “Stein, keep watch.”

  The men leapt into action as the Corporal pulled a blanket off of a shelf and stretched it over the couch. He pulled out his lighter, but then Jarvis’ horn sounded.

  “Everything okay?” Rollins called.

  Jinx furrowed his brow. “Not sure,” he replied, and then looked out the window.

  Jarvis stood in the driver’s side door, frantically waving her arms to get him to come over.

  “You boys finish this up and get the fire going,” he instructed. “I’m going to go see what the problem is.”

  He headed out the front door and walked casually towards the truck. Jarvis hopped out and ran over to him, unable to wait for him to reach her at his slow pace.

  “Christ, what’s up?” he demanded.

  She held out the walkie-talkie, thrusting it at him. “It’s Dickerson,” she said.

  Jinx immediately raised the device to his lips. “Sergeant, it’s Jinx, what’s going on?”

  “Thank Christ,” Dickerson gushed. “We’re pinned down and in need of immediate backup.”

  The Corporal’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean, you’re pinned down?”

  “We ran into a shitload of these motherfuckers and got driven into a house,” the Sergeant explained. “We’re completely surrounded and there’s hundreds of these things. Don’t know how much longer we can hold out.” There was deafening gunfire before he let go of the button.

  “We’re on the way,” Jinx replied immediately. “Where are you?”

  “North side of town, three, maybe four blocks due east of the hospital,” Dickerson replied. “Don’t have an address, but when you see the shitstorm, we’ll be in the middle of it.”

  Jinx nodded firmly. “Hang tight Dickerson, we’re on the way.” He lowered the radio, jaw clenched.

  “I know we need to help them,” Jarvis said slowly, “but what about our mission?”

  The Corporal shoved two fingers in his mouth and let out a piercing whistle, his team immediately rushing out of the house.

  “What’s up?” Davila asked as they approached.

  Jinx took a deep breath. “Sergeant Dickerson and his team are in a heap of trouble,” he replied. “We’re going to go bail them out. Davila, Rollins, can you two handle the house fires?”

  “Absolutely,” Davila replied immediately.

  Jinx held out his hand. “Map.”

  Jarvis reached into her pocket and grabbed the paper, slapping it into his hand. He unfolded it and quickly studied it, seeing a large white-roofed building in the middle of the green residential area.

  “Okay, I want fires every half-block, alternate sides of the street,” he began. “Pull out the fireworks that you can and use them.” He pointed to the white-roofed building. “Rendezvous at whatever this building is ten blocks to the west. Given the location, it’s probably a school or community center. If it’s too dangerous, meet one block to the west in the corner house. Now let’s move.”

  Davila nodded and pointed at his teammates. “Burch, Stein, help us unload the fireworks,” he said. “Just dump them in the street and we’ll find a wheelbarrow or something to get them moved.”

  The four soldiers rushed off to do so as Jinx and Jarvis studied the map.

  “We’re six blocks south and a few blocks to the west of the hospital,” the Corporal mused as he pointed to the map. “So they’re somewhere in this area. I think if we come up to this road, we should be able to find them.”

  Jarvis nodded, but cocked her head. “And what do we do once we find them?” she asked.

  “Haven't thought that far ahead,” Jinx admitted, and shoved the map int
o his pocket. “Now let’s move.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  The drive to the north side of town was tense, the soldiers on edge, worrying about what they were going to find. Jarvis slowed down as they reached the neighborhood and slowed to a stop after Jinx smacked the side of the truck.

  “We should walk from here,” he suggested, “we have to be close and don’t want attention on us until we’re ready for it.”

  The quartet readied their weapons, and the Corporal made sure to grab the walkie talkie and stuff it into his pocket before leading the group away.

  The neighborhood had a handful of zombies milling about, all of them headed northward. There was sporadic gunfire in the distance, but it was muffled, sounding like it was from inside a building.

  “That’s gotta be them,” Jinx said.

  The soldiers moved quietly, creeping quickly but as lightly as they could. They got off of the main road, walking between the houses, letting the grass soften their footsteps. Jinx made sure to be cautious, stopping at every corner of each house, not wanting to end up surprised with a bad situation.

  After a couple of blocks, the Corporal finally spotted the target house across the street. He motioned for the team to be silent, leading them to the back porch. He pulled out his knife and slid it into the lock, slamming down on the handle with his hand to use brute force to open it.

  He moved inside, motioning for Jarvis to cover the other hallway. As soon as she set foot on the carpet, a zombie lumbered out from a bedroom, and she kicked it in the chest, knocking it to the floor. She shoved her boot into its throat and stabbed it in the forehead, then finished her sweep before rejoining the others in the main room.

  “We’re clear,” she said.

  Jinx waved to the team from the front. “Window,” he said.

  They moved to the front window, standing on either side of it so they could see out without being visible. The situation across the street was dire. The entire front of Dickerson’s house was covered with zombies, stretching twenty-five, thirty ghouls deep.

  “I’ve played concerts with fewer people,” Stein murmured.