Home Base

by C M Hoffmann

  Gavin, “Ut, up, oo, kin, airly, ear.”

  “Fuck you, I heard enough of that. If you wanna stop me, you’ll have to catch me.” Cane takes off at a sprint towards the fighting.

  Wade, “Fucking smart kid really is dumb. Let’s go keep him alive.”

  Cane closes in on the fighting as a hunter moves to grab Trey from behind. Against better prior knowledge, judgment and sense, Cane jumps and flies through the air with both feet forward. He catches the hunter solidly in the back and sends it sprawling. It immediately flips over, sits up, and roars. Cane manages to keep his AR in front of him as he hits the ground and from a supine position he opens his legs and fires as he sits up.

  Trey spins to see Cane lying on his back on the ground and then sit up and fire at a steve. He extends a hand to his little brother. Cane takes it, stands, and forces Trey to turn around. Trey is momentarily confused until he feels Cane bump into him as their backs touch.

  Soon the rest of the responding officers arrive and take notes from Trey and Cane they all stand in pairs of twos, with their backs together. The ultimate way to say, ‘I got your six’. Soon an impromptu line is formed. Cane and Trey; Gavin and Pops; Wade and Wyatt; Fitz and Rapp; Fred and a member of Task Force Recovery; and an additional six officers all back to back begin to fire on the ever thinning crowd.

  Soon the ground is covered with spent brass, empty magazines, and in some cases empty firearms. As the shootout comes to a close, very few steves are left standing; mostly lurkers who had only just joined in the fray.

  Pops, “Two-Six, go dark! Gavin and Wade, try to keep hold on Cane and Wyatt this time will you?”

  Gavin, “Not our fault your youngest doesn’t listen.”

  Cane, “You know I’m starting to get some hearing back, bitch.”

  Wade, “Then do what you’re told and stay here this time.”

  Wyatt rubs his forehead and he feels the blood trickling down his face, “I’m good with that; I think I may pass out.”

  Pops, “Two-Six, you’re on cleanup, quietly if at all possible.”

  Trey, “One second, Pops. Need to catch my breath.”

  Rapp, “I’m ok with a short break.”

  Pops, “Your second’s up, go to work so we can clear this area out before more decide to show up.”

  Fitz pulls a throwing knife from his belt and twirls it, “Work it is.”

  Everyone draws their chosen melee weapons and moves to clearing out the remaining steves, walking or down.

  Pops over the radio, “Legacy one, headquarters.”

  Scarlett, “Legacy one, go ahead.”

  Pops, “We’ve got a code for the moment, get on channel one and get a cleanup crew out here for these bodies.”

  “Standby, all units of Task Force Two-Six, check in.”

  Gavin, “Legacy two, code.”

  Trey, “Basher one, I’m good.”

  Wade, “Basher two, good.”

  Rapp, “Ninja one, code four.”

  Fitz, “Ninja two, same traffic.”

  Fred, “Ninja three, all set.”

  After a few seconds, Scarlett, “Spartan, check in”

  Gavin keys up, “They’re good, headquarters, just a little deaf at the moment from the shooting. I’ll get ‘em.” He smacks Cane’s shoulder and points to the mic.

  Cane, “Spartan one, I’m good dearest.”

  Wyatt, “Spartan two, me too.”

  Scarlett, “Ten four, Two-Six, anyone got injuries?”

  Pops, “Spartan’s got a few scratches, do we still have access to an EMS unit?”

  “Ten four, got one running bus in the whole city, I’ll send ‘em your way.”

  “Copy that, we’ll be here finishing up.”

  “Direct.”

  As Two-Six turns to conduct the cleanup, an officer points behind them, “RAVAGER!”

  Two-Six turns a hundred and eighty degrees and as their weapons come up on target they all stand dumbfounded as the spike end of an M48 Tomahawk enters the right temple of the ravager. They all stare into its face even as the eyeballs fall from their sockets revealing dark pits beneath. The tomahawk is yanked clear and the ravager drops to the ground. The wielder flicks the tomahawk and slings blood to the ground.

  Cane, “Ok that was fucking awesome.”

  Trey, “Glad to have the old squad to watch our backs.”

  Rapp, “Holy shit, the ‘Ace’ himself.”

  Couturie, “Figured y’all could use a hand. Told ya I always wanted to tomahawk somebody.”

  Fitz, “Well shit, you’re welcome to save our ass anytime.”

  Couturie waves, “I’m out, try not to cause any more trouble Hollanns.”

  Pops, “You know we will.”

  Couturie, “Y’alright. Call me sooner next time.”

  Fred, “Me too.”

  The first marked police unit that had arrived on scene slowly rolls up to Two-Six. The window rolls down revealing another old squad mate. A smug look on the officer’s face greets them as they peer into the unit.

  Cane, “Santos! Here to save the day?”

  Santos, “Never thought I’d be the one to save the Hollann clan. You good, little bro? Your face is more screwed up than usual.”

  “Aaaaand no longer happy to see you.” He laughs as he fist bumps his old squad mate.

  “Yea, yea, well I’ll be around, shout if you need me.”

  “Will do, thanks.”

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Scarlett takes her first real breath in the minutes of silence on the radio after Pops finally keys up and the rest of the group can actually be heard.

  Scarlett, “Mallory, put all of our guys in the fifteen hundred block of Taylor. Marie, get that notebook and call the number for the ambulance, it’s the only ambulance in there. Tell them we need the bus at that location for minor injuries as of this time.”

  She keys the radio on channel one, “Two-Six to the cleanup crew.”

  Clean up crew leader, “Cleanup, go head, Two-Six.”

  “Got some work for you guys, fifteen hundred Taylor. Need fuel for a bonfire and transport to the hospital for fresh steves.”

  “Roger that, we’re en route.”

  “Ten four.” Scarlett sits back in her chair and breathes a heavy sigh. She wipes her eye but fights the tears back.

  Marie stares incredulously, “How can you be so calm?”

  Scarlett, “Practice. Never gets any easier but at least I can keep it in until I know they’re safe. Had to do the same thing a few times when the guys would get in fights on the streets. I’ll admit that was much worse than a one-oh-eight with a criminal, but they need us more than anything. They can’t afford for you to freeze. When they need help, they’re not your friends, boyfriends or husbands, they’re your officers. You are their only support. Especially now that they’re on a different channel than everyone else, WE are their link to the others. No one will know where they are unless WE tell them. This is what it takes to be a dispatcher. You have to be stronger than them, you’re stuck in a room, while they’re out there fighting for their lives and you can’t do a damn thing to actually help. Except send them reinforcements. All you can do is hope to hear that magical ‘code four’ come across. Until then, you bite your lip and get them whatever help you can. Do you both understand that?”

  Mallory sighs, “Yes, I get it. But let’s hope not to have that again.”

  Marie, “I agree with her. If we never have to go through that again it’ll be too soon.”

  Scarlett, “Yea, but I don’t think we’ll be that lucky. But keep this in mind: if either of you freezes again, be prepared to be knocked the fuck out. I need you here; I need you focused. I would love to always be on the radio, but eventually one of you may have to take over for whatever reason. And I would like to be comfortable leaving our guys’ lives in your hands. So don’t do that again.”

  Marie, “I’m sorry, you’re right.”

  Mallory, “Me too.”

  Scarlett, “Goo
d, now who wants coffee?”

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  After ensuring all the downed steves are truly never going to be seen walking around again. Two-Six gathers in a small huddle to discuss the next course of action. They are all breathing heavily and unconsciously swapping and reloading magazines from an ammo can nearby. They wipe the blood and gore and dirt from their various weapons and occasionally remove dead flesh from their fellows.

  Pops, “Well, all things considered, I think that went all right.”

  Cane walks over from the ambulance with fresh bandages over the right half of his face, “It helps when you’ve got your own QRF on standby and that we knew where y’all were. Those radios are a Godsend. Kind of upset I will cease to be the prettiest one here though.”

  Wade, “You never were the prettiest.”

  “And I suppose you were?”

  Rapp, “Nope, Fitz is definitely the prettiest.” Fitz gives a cheesy smile as the group chuckles.

  Wyatt, “Marie’s going to flip when she sees my face all wrapped up.”

  Gavin, “Probably an improvement on your end.”

  “Word. So what’s the plan? Off for the rest of the day?”

  Trey, “Not a chance.” Wyatt groans. “There’s still a lot of work to do.”

  Fred, “Yep, Recovery has to be underway in the morning so I better get back. Try not to have too much more fun without me.” Everyone wishes Fred well and they return to the huddle as he and the few members of Task Force Recovery speed away.

  Cane, “So... debrief on how the hell y’all were in trouble and I’m the one with injuries and my truck beat to shit?”

  Pops, “Not that either, we need to get a handle on this situation, if they start the burn out there’s probably going to be a decent size crowd moving in. And with these neighborhoods, we definitely don’t want them large numbers where they have unlimited opportunities to approach from anywhere.”

  Trey, “Let’s just get the regular patrol guys to stand guard while we thin out the ones still left inside.”

  Gavin, “Actually not a bad plan.”

  Chief over the radio, “Two-Six, status?”

  Pops, “Up and ready for more.”

  Cane mumbles, “Speak for yourself there, old man.” Trey shoves Cane.

  Chief, “Good to hear, got another situation for you, should be quieter than your little war over there but no less dangerous.”

  Fitz, “I’m down.”

  Pops, “Copy, what you got for us?”

  Chief, “Vets and Williams again, no rush. Got some fellas here you probably want to get a look at.”

  Cane, “For the love of God, please don’t be another stage in the progression.”

  Pops, “You heard the chief, mount up boys. Spartan, you good to go?”

  Cane checks the chamber on his AR, taps the forward assist, and spits on the ground, while Wyatt slaps a fresh magazine into his Glock and power strokes the slide chambering a round.

  Wade, “I’m gonna assume that’s a yes.”

  Pops, “Two-six, move out.” Into the radio, “Copy our destination, headquarters?”

  Marie over the radio, “Uh, ten-four, on your way to Veterans and Williams. We got it.”

  Wyatt, “Holy shit was that Marie?”

  Cane, “Haha, sounded like it. Scarlett probably needed a break after that last one.”

  “She sounds pretty good on the radio.”

  “Get used to it, Big. Before you know it, she’ll be telling you what to do at home AND at work. Been dealing with that for years.”

  “I could get used to it.”

  “Yea, always makes it another day in paradise.”

  Gavin, “If you ever die, you’ll probably say that as your last breath.”

  “Gotta make sure y’all remember to remember, every day is another day in paradise, ‘long as we’re above ground.”

  Fitz, “And hopefully after we’re underneath it too.”

  Wade, “Well that got deep quick.”

  Rapp, “We’ll write it on Cane’s tombstone one day when we’re all old and gray.”

  Pops, “You’ll live, can we proceed to saving the city now, girls?”

  FREE DEFECTORS

  As Two-Six arrives at the intersection of Veterans Boulevard and Williams Boulevard, everyone shares glances at each other in their vehicles. The vehicles slowly come to a stop, they exit in their subgroups and take in the view of a group on the opposite side of the partially constructed vehicle wall.

  Pops, “Basher, y’all are on over watch, obviously we’re a little outnumbered here. Shoot straight.”

  Trey, “Roger that, how many you think there are?”

  Fitz, “Forty or fifty at least. Don’t look like the type we’d have a barbecue with.”

  Wyatt, “Yea definitely not family material. Are those orange jumpsuits?”

  Gavin, “Sure looks like it. After you, Pops.”

  Trey and Wade move back to take up a better position to view the crowd.

  Wade lets out a frustrated grunt, “Dude, what is up with this intersection? Why does everything happen here?”

  Trey, “Well it is the biggest intersection in the city. It was the busiest place even before all this shit started. Only keeping to the status quo that the landslide should happen here. After all, the joke always was all the dirtbags in the country ended up in nowhere Kenner at some point.”

  Pops leads the rest of Two-Six forward in a spearhead formation, they size up the individuals of the new group of sixty-seven rough looking men and women. They appear to be lazing about without a care in the world, some are even drinking hard liquor and pointing firearms at each other.

  Cane, “Wyatt, they’re not as loving as when we point guns at each other.”

  Wyatt, “Word, no love at all.”

  Chief meets Two-Six a decent distance away from the shady interlopers, “I don’t like the looks of these guys. Prison tattoos, drinking and fighting amongst each other in broad daylight. They were actually pushing a steve around the center of a small group a few minutes ago. I need you to talk to them, they don’t seem to want to talk to me.”

  Pops, “What makes you think they’ll talk to me?”

  Chief, “Fatherly, figure. Hell, I don’t know. Just do your thing.”

  “Will do. Two-Six low ready, eyes up, watch the crowd.”

  Cane, “Got it.”

  Pops walks closer to the new group, specifically the one man standing still, eyeing Two-Six up and down, “Safe to assume you’re the leader of this bunch?”

  Leader, “‘Pose, you could say that. My people listen when I tell ‘em what to do.”

  “You got a name?”

  “‘Ey call me Big Head.”

  Cane whispers, “More like Big Ego.”

  Big Head, “Heard you, Runt, my ego big for a reason. Seems like someone already tol’ you shut up once with them rags round yo face.”

  “Just battle scars, cutie pie.”

  Pops, “Cool it, Cane. There a reason you’re on our doorstep, Big Head?”

  Big Head, “Yea too many nasty fucks running around out there try’na eat each other. Figured me and my people would be better off here.”

  “Hate to say it but we’re a little full up as it is.”

  “Got plenty houses around, plus you got all these cars between us like you building somethin’.”

  “There’s no room here; Best you turn around and find somewhere else.”

  “Know what me and my boys call ourselves? ‘Free Defectors,’ Little Willie back there got a big brain on him to come up with a fancy name like that. Means we free to do what we want. So why there no room?”

  “Too many mouths to feed as it is, too many wanna eat us, can’t help you.” A few of the Free Defector’s take notice in the change of tone and face Two-Six.

  Big Head smiles broadly, “We got guns and shit, plus we got a... uh... knack for... uh... getting out of confining situations. Ain’t that right, Little Willie?”

&nbs
p; Little Willie, who obviously lived up to his name, “Yea, Big Head, real confining situations.”

  Cane whispers, “Pops...”

  Pops, “Not yet. Like I said you may have guns and you may have escaped prison, but there’s no room for you here. Move on.” Pops flips the safety off his AR-15 with a loud click.

  Big Head, “Aight, there, Bossman. No worries,” Big Head winks, “We’ll see you around, yea?”

  Pops stares back silently, Cane flips the safety off his AR-15.

  “Yea sooner than you think there, Boss. We’ll see you.” Big Heads holds his fingers like a gun and points it at Pops, holds his stare, and laughs. “Defectors, we out! ‘Til next time.” He walks off with a wave over his shoulder.

  Fitz, “That’s gonna get worse before it gets better.”

  Pops, “Nothing to do about it now.”

  Wyatt, “Plenty we can do, there’s no rear guard, we can just lay them out right here.”

  Rapp, “I say we let ‘em live a bit longer, see if steve enjoys them more than us.”

  Gavin, “I say we drop ‘em.”

  Pops, “Not yet, boys, city first. We’ll cross their bridge when the time comes.”

  Cane, “That’s what I’m worried about. THEIR bridge. Their time and their place. I don’t like it.”

  “Decision stands. Let’s go fill in Basher and then everyone head home and top off your mags.”

  Chief, “I hoped that went as well as you planned.”

  “Not at all, you need to get everyone moving on the wall as fast as possible. Those ‘defectors’ are going to come back and they won’t be near as friendly next time. Call everyone you got, get Recovery underway, and start the Burn Out.”

  “Thought I was the chief.”

  “You are until I have better ideas than you. Hate to say it but I’m right.”

  “Guess you are this time. Sometimes, I think I’d be at a loss without you.”

  Cane, “Damn right.”

  Chief, channel one, “Chief to all units in the city, get moving double time on the wall. Fire, you out there?”

  Fire Commander, “Go ahead.”

  “Get the Burn Out started, today. Contain as best as possible, any problems with residents give us a shout.”

  “Roger, getting started. Make sure your people cover their mouths.”