War Dogs Trilogy: Wounded Warriors of the Apocalypse

by AJ Newman

  She said, “I still think it’s cruel, but I understand. I’m not mad at you.”

  I said, “I’m sorry, but we need to quickly kill all of the lions before they start hunting us. So far, we have only run into them by accident. Once they eat all the dogs and game in the area, they’ll begin hunting us.”

  Kat gave up. “I guess you’re right. Not to change the subject, but you’re trying to get your sister and Barry to hook up, aren’t you?”

  “Maybe. He seems like a nice guy.”

  She said, “Your plan’s working. Michelle and Barry have been chatting the whole time since we left home.”

  Kat didn’t say anything more and was soon asleep. I held her while I kept watch around us for any activity. We were in the back yard of one of the homes closest to the dogleg on the eighteenth fairway. I looked over my shoulder frequently but knew MMax would keep anyone or anything from sneaking up on us.

  I heard something from behind us at the same time as MMax’s ears perked up. We both turned to see something massive hurling downward from above us. MMax’s reflexes were much faster than my usual lightning quick moves. I saw the other two lions on the roof, and they were ready to pounce on my friends. I drew my pistol just when the lion and MMax collided above me. I fired twice. The first bullet was accurately aimed, and it hit the female as she leaped. The other shot was a wild one that missed.

  I was knocked to the ground by the lion’s hindquarters but rolled and came up shooting before the third lion could leap. I shot it twice, moved my aim to the second lion, and shot it as it limped to attack Michelle. Kat and Michelle joined in shooting at the lions. I turned to see MMax, and the first lion locked in a fierce fight for survival. MMax had the lion by the throat and hung onto its side to keep its sharp claws from eviscerating his underside.

  One of my friends shined a flashlight on the battle to get a clear shot at this beast. MMax and the lion were in constant motion. They were both covered in blood. There was no sure shot available, so I reacted. Perhaps the dumbest thing I had ever done, but I dropped my pistol, drew my knife, and leaped into the fray. I stabbed the big cat in the right flank and ripped downward. This apparently cut the nerves to the cat’s right leg, giving MMax relief from its claws. Then with a mighty heave, the cat threw MMax across the patio and turned to me. I clawed for my pistol to no avail and charged the cat with my knife while screaming at the top of my lungs.

  The cat tried to pounce, but its right leg folded beneath it. MMax hit the cat from the side, distracting the monster while I plunged my blade deep into its chest. The beast held me in a death grip, with its claws ripping my jacket and trying to pierce the back of my tactical vest. She tried to bite me, but MMax was slashing her throat with his strong jaws and sharp teeth, and probably saving my life. I ripped my knife deep into the lion’s soft underside repeatedly while MMax fiercely chomped at its neck. Two shots rang out, and the monster stopped fighting. I fell to the brick patio and then struggled to get to my dog.

  Kat walked up to the lion and shot the still breathing lion between the eyes. She dropped the F-bomb on the dead cat a couple of times and then ran to my side. She dropped to her knees and held me while I held MMax’s head in my lap. MMax lay without moving. Tears welled in my eyes.

  Kat said, “The lions are dead. You and MMax saved us from certain death. Let me check your wounds.”

  I pushed her away and lowered my head to MMax’s snout. “MMax, please don’t be dead.”

  I hugged him tightly, when he jerked up and knocked my head away with his snout. He whimpered and then licked my face as if to say, “Are you okay? I’m okay, and we whipped that kitty cat.”

  Hey, shut up. It was a very emotional situation, and I love that dog. We nearly became lion poop that morning, and I get a bit passionate about that day. Kat always joked about ‘that was the day she was certain about which one of them I loved the most.’ Obviously, she was wrong. I loved them equally but always told her I loved her the most.

  Okay, back to the lions and wounded soldiers. Kat and Michelle had only received a few scratches. Billie had two shallow puncture wounds from a cat bite. Barry had received a claw gouge to his left forearm when he’d blocked one of the cats from getting to my sister. MMax had several severe gouges on his side and one bite through his ear. I received the worst of the fight. My left arm had three puncture wounds. My left leg had been scratched by the cat’s claws, leaving some deep gouges.

  Kat and Michelle performed the first aid on the rest of us, and I tended to MMax. His wounds weren’t serious, but he was beaten and bruised. Michelle hovered over Barry and thought he was a hero for saving her from the lion. I guess he was that day. We all were heroes on that day. How many people can say they survived close combat with three hungry female lions?

  I sat there watching for other dangers while Kat applied blood-clotting powder to my cuts when something dawned on me. “Hey, most of the lions we killed have been female. How many could the zoo have had?”

  Barry said, “Yes, the females do most of the hunting. I don’t think they had more than a half dozen. I remember something on the internet about them trying to trade some female lions for a rhinoceros.”

  I said, “Holy shit. There could be rhinos and elephants roaming around Nashville.”

  We skinned the lions and cut as much meat off them as we could carry back to the truck. I made sure MMax feasted on lion steaks while we finished butchering the beasts. Kat saw MMax licking his chops, “That’s gross. I know cats and dogs aren’t supposed to get along, but eating a cat seems over the top.”

  I replied, “We need to stop feeding our dogs any food that we’ll need to survive. MMax can usually hunt rabbits and other animals for food, but our community will probably end up with way over a dozen dogs in the next few years. Lion meat, opossum meat, and other meats that we won’t eat can go to the dogs. Well, that is unless we run out of meat and have to eat it ourselves.”

  The Walker farm - Walter Hill, Tennessee

  We arrived home about midday, and Mom and Father James greeted us. Father James said, “You all look like the lions won the fight. What happened?’

  I said, “You were right. The lions hunted us and were better at hunting. We won the battle, but it was in doubt for a while. From now on, we’ll be much more careful and learn how to set traps. Actively hunting the beasts is far too dangerous.”

  I limped toward the deck around back, when I saw a parked Humvee. “What the hell is that doing here?” I said as I drew my pistol.

  Mom said, “Calm down, an old friend of yours is here to see you. He and two other soldiers arrived an hour ago. Karen’s showing them around the farm.”

  “Mom! They’re probably with the General.”

  “Son, hold your horses. Staff Sergeant Miller told me he was with the General’s group when he introduced himself. He said he was here representing your old buddy Long and has been designated to be our liaison with the General.”

  “Mom, this is proceeding much too fast. I wanted to drag this out for several months.”

  “Apparently, the General’s in a hurry to get us into the fold. Miller is very interested in our crops.”

  I said, “Let’s go see what Miller and the General really want.”

  Mom replied, “Don’t you think we should look at your wounds first?”

  “They can wait. Have someone look at the others’ injuries. Mom, please have Father James examine MMax for me. Let’s go talk with Miller.”

  We walked around the barn and saw Karen giving Miller a tour of the farm. I’d forgotten my arm was in a sling, and I had lion and my own blood covering my clothes when I approached Karen and Miller.

  Karen turned to see me first. “Oh, my God! Jason, what happened?”

  I smiled and said, “We had a little issue with some oversized cats this morning. Apparently, the bastards are much better at hunting humans than we are at hunting them. Sergeant Miller, I see you’ve been promoted.”

  Miller replied, �
��I hope most of that blood is from the lion.”

  I said, “It is. Three lions attacked us while we were watching our bait. Instead of shooting them when they went for the bait, they came directly for us. They knew to avoid my dog from catching their scent and came down on us from a rooftop. Enough about our scratches, what can we do for you, Sergeant?”

  Miller said, “You and your farm can be a big help to us, but I think right now, we can be much more helpful to you. I brought some gifts from the General, and one is a good supply of medical supplies. Sorry, but looking at you, perhaps you would let us send our doctor and some of her staff over to help with the wounds and set up a clinic here?”

  Mom jumped into the conversation. “I like what I’m hearing, but let’s get down to the nut cutting. What do you want from us?”

  Miller laughed, “I know it will take some time before you trust us, but I think you’ll find the General reasonable. Jason, he’s not the man you knew in the Army, or even at the FEMA camp. He’s struggling, but he’s growing into the leadership position thrust upon him.”

  I said, “I’ll keep a skeptical but open mind.”

  “Good enough. Now, what we give you is security from the roving gangs and raiders. We’ll share resources such as food, gas, running vehicles, electrical generation, to name a few.”

  I said, “What does the General demand from us?”

  Miller replied, “Nothing demanded, but he’ll withhold assistance. He would like you to… Jason, you heard this before from me. He only wants ten percent the first year and five percent extra each year afterward to a maximum of twenty-five percent. The tax in food is to feed the troops and any unfortunate people until they begin farming. The tax is in crops, seeds, and live animals.”

  “What about the raiders?” I asked.

  “Our troops are actively rooting out bad people, drug gangs, and a boatload of prisoners who’ve escaped from several jails and prisons. We hope to have electricity in Smyrna before the end of the year. We’ve begun pumping water to five locations in the city. Of course, people still have to purify the water before drinking it. I think we have a lot to offer your group.”

  I said, “And you’ll need our crops and people to help fight off the bad guys.”

  “Yes, warriors can’t tend crops and fight battles.”

  Kat interrupted. “Yes, they can. Everyone twelve or above in our compound is trained to fight and takes their turn at guard duty. All are ready to drop their hoes or shovels to fight as needed.”

  Miller forced a smile. “We agree with you, but not everyone who joins our group agrees that women and older children must be ready to fight. The General’s accepting volunteers from those folks, but isn’t forcing them to train, yet. Your group could be a big help with being a role model for the others.”

  I said, “You make it sound like Utopia. Well, as much as possible in this disaster.”

  “No, we fight day-to-day to exist. That realization is what, I think, made the General soften his approach on how to rule the community.”

  Mom said, “Can you give us a week to think things through, and then I’ll give you my decision?”

  Miller scratched his jaw and looked at me then Mom. “You can take as long as you want, but remember we’re running the bad people away from Nashville. They’ll be coming through your area to escape. You need our protection as much as we need supplies.”

  Mom said, “Is that a threat?”

  “No, just a fact. By the way, who is the leader of this group? We thought it was Jason.”

  Mom said, “I’m in charge of the community. Jason is in charge of our security and small army.”

  Miller’s eyebrows rose. “Ma’am, have you noticed there are two to three women for every man these days?”

  Maria laughed and beat Mom’s reply. “Hell, yes! You men are too busy killing each other and fighting to feed your families. That’s why you see so many armed ladies in our group. Jason and I returned from Europe and immediately knew we had to start training the ladies to fight.”

  “You were a soldier?”

  “I’m Sergeant Maria McGill and have served in Afghanistan, Iraq, Belgium, and England fighting the terrorist groups.”

  Miller shook her hand. “We definitely need women like you to help train our ladies.”

  Maria started to speak, but I interrupted her. “Maria trains all our men and women. I help her, but she’s in charge.”

  Miller asked, “Did you serve with Jason and Long in England?”

  Maria snickered, “I was Long’s sergeant. I busted him down to corporal for killing an unarmed terrorist. He might not have fond memories of me.”

  ☆

  Chapter 14

  The Walker farm, - Walter Hill, Tennessee

  “Jason, come to the road, now!” yelled Michelle.

  I laid the sleepy puppy next to MMax and said, “MMax, stay. You still need to rest.”

  Kat, Mom, and I rushed to the road in front of the farm with pistols strapped, and rifles and shotguns in hand. Michelle was in a panic, and I heard gunfire in the distance.

  Michelle said, “We heard gunfire coming from the east end of Holly Grove Road. Someone must be attacking our neighbors over there.”

  I ordered, “Ross and Billie, bring the large trucks up here now. Everyone, get your weapons and prepare for a fight. Maria, stay here and lead the team against whoever’s attacking. Pete, Missy, Michelle, Barry, Karen, and Kat, come with me. Maria, send me four of your best lady warriors. We’re going east to stop the bastards before they can attack us. Pete, we’ll divide into two teams, you take Barry, Missy, Karen, and Michelle. The others and two of Maria’s trainees are mine.”

  Several of the new people just stood there with their jaws agape. “Chop, chop! Get your asses in gear, now!” I shouted.

  The foot-draggers got their butts in gear and manned our fortifications as they’d been trained. I looked at Maria, “This was much better, but they have to be drilled until they move a lot faster.”

  “Got it, boss,” Maria said.

  Mom said, “Jason, your arm. The lion wounds. Please don’t go.”

  We jumped on the backs of the trucks and roared down the road to the east. I beat on the roof of the cab to get Billie to stop before we ran into the gunfight. “Pete, take your group through the woods and approach the fight from the north side. I’ll take mine up the south side. You’re free to engage the enemy as soon as you see a threat.”

  The three vehicles were stopped in the middle of the road and staged to yield cover for the gun battle. A dead man hung out the window of the one in the middle. There were two bloody bodies on the ground on the driver’s side. Shit, they were only pre-teen girls. I recognized one of the women. June was the wife of the Lascassas leader. She had a rifle and returned fire, aiming at the large 4 x 4 about fifty yards down the road from her. I motioned for my team to follow me through the brush and woods parallel to the road until we were behind the raiders.

  What I saw startled me. There were only four men in the raiding group, and they had body armor, M4s, and the latest issue LAWs. The Light Anti-Tank Weapons were rockets that were overkill to use against old cars and trucks. It dawned on me that the raiders could have used the three LAWs and ended the battle quickly, so they must have wanted to take captives.

  Just as I aimed, two shots rang out, and the two furthest thugs dropped to the ground. Kat and I shot the remaining two at the same time, and the fight was over. All of the shots were headshots. “Make sure they’re dead. Those helmets are tough.”

  Only one man was still alive, but he was unconscious. The bullet had only grazed his helmet. I said, “Zip tie the bastard and drag him to one of our trucks. I’m going to talk to the people from Lascassas.”

  I tied a white handkerchief to the barrel of my rifle and poked it out from behind a tree. June waved, and I advance toward them. I yelled, “It’s me, Jason Walker! The raiders are dead or captured.”

  June ran toward me and gave me a h
ug while tears ran down her cheeks. “Jason, a large group of raiders, attacked before dawn this morning. They killed or captured half of the town before we knew we were under attack. They were dressed in army uniforms.”

  “What about Jed?”

  “My husband was captured. A squad of the General’s men drove into an ambush at the far end of town, and a huge battle began between them and the raiders. That’s when we escaped. There are only fifteen of us left alive. Four other truckloads of survivors were killed or captured. Our gunfire took out two of the trucks chasing us.”

  “How many raiders are still alive and fighting?” I asked.

  June thought for a few seconds. “There were only about twenty-five. We killed about seven, plus these four.”

  “June, take the kids and wounded to our farm. Go in slowly. I need everyone else to go back with us to kill the rest of the raiders. We will ambush them.”

  Lascassas, Tennessee

  Lascassas had proliferated during the boom of the early thirties’ thanks to the shift of electronics back to the states from our enemy China and their allies. The war with China over Hong Kong and Taiwan ended up with China losing its pacific fleet and half of its military. The area south of Nashville became the new Silicon Valley. The little town went from a few hundred people to over thirty thousand in a few years.

  Only four of their eight survivors volunteered to go back and fight. This only gave us fourteen warriors. We drove toward Lascassas as fast as the old trucks would go. We passed wrecked and shot up vehicles and quite a few dead bodies along the road. Many of the dead were children. These raiders were depraved cowards.

  Mom’s farm was only about three miles as the crow flies from Lascassas, but five miles by road. We arrived at the west side of the town and could hear gunfire and an explosion east of our position. We saw several citizens taking advantage of the distant fight to escape. Only five of the twenty adults offered to stay and fight with us.