The Week of the Dead (23 page)

“Sir! We are in the tank!” Ethan said as he released the button.

“Holy shit! I can’t believe you actually did it! Do what you can! Some the bigger ones are coming now!”

“That’s just dandy!” Ethan said out loud.

“What?” Runt asked from the driver seat.

“There are some Alphas coming our way!”

“Josh, how many are there?”

“Twelve, at least!”

“Eagle One, I am authorizing you to use extreme prejudice!” Michaels said over the radio. “Eagle One, understood.” The helicopter positioned itself above the tank and opened fire with its 30-mm cannons. The massive creatures began to charge the tank. The brass casings danced on the top of the tank.

“Josh, what’s happening?”

“We’re firing on. Hold tight! They’re charging you!” The first one pushed all the smaller ones into the side of the tank, tipping the tank toward one side.

“Shit!” Runt exclaimed. “It’s ramming us!” Josh watched as the Alphas picked up the smaller ones and used them at tools to slam into the tank.

“What’s that sound?” Ethan asked.

“They’re using the little ones like rocks!” Josh exclaimed over the helicopter blades. “Move it, Runt!”

Runt pressed on the pedal and mowed down some more as they made their way back and forth. “Eagle One, what’s the situation up there?” Ethan asked.

“We’re out of ammo! The kid is out the door with a rifle!”

“Wall Unit, open fire on the ones closest to the wall!” Those who were positioned on the wall switched to single fire and began picking at the beasts attacking the wall. “Four down! Four down! Some are breaking off to attack the wall!” Josh said excitingly. “Keep firing!” “Wall Unit, Kill the Big Fucks!” Reynolds and the captain were listening on the radio. “Sir, I have an idea.”

“Then get on it!” Michaels commanded.

Reynolds took three men with him and went to the weapons depot. The front door was pulled open, and they made their way past the modern weapons. They broke open another door that led to a rusted door. Reynolds and the three men kicked the door in tandem, knocking the rusted hinges off. He removed a tarp that had wooden crates underneath. He broke open the crates with the butt of his rifle. “These haven’t seen any action since Vietnam.”

“Are you sure they won’t explode, sir?”

“Guess we’ll find out,” Reynolds said as he situated himself.

The men at the wall were having difficulties killing the Alpha creatures. “They don’t go down!” one said to another.

“Stand clear!” Reynolds’ voice boomed. He clicked a valve and opened the line of his flamethrower. He threw liquid fire onto the beasts clawing at the concrete wall. “Burn you, fucks!” he called as he held down the trigger. After a few seconds, the motionless bodies fell to burning chars. Reynolds whistled at the smaller creatures on the outside of the wall trying to get the tank. Reynolds saw a child’s body that had become a creature. “Fuck you all!” He fell into an explosive rage. He screamed as the intense heat from the flamethrower made him sweat. The heads began to crackle and pop like blood-drenched pimples. The bodies fell limp on the ground.

“Swing the turret!” Ethan exclaimed. Runt turned the turret toward the Alphas closest to them. “Throw it in reverse!” Ethan commanded. Runt did as he was told and pressed the pedal. The turret slammed into the first one’s head. “Bulls eye!” The second one climbed onto the tank and began punching the roof hatch.

“Fuck!” Runt said as he felt a bolt from the hatch bounce into his lap.

“What the hell man! You didn’t tell me they were that strong!”

“I didn’t know they
were
that strong.”

Again it slammed into the hatch denting it further. “Go fast!” Ethan commanded. The tank jerked forward.

“It’s coming in!” Runt exclaimed.

“Brake!” Ethan shouted. The tank slammed to a stop. Another punch came to the hatch. “What do we do now, sir?”

“Josh, do you have eyes on me?”

“Reloading,” Josh said from the helicopter.

“No, get away from here!” Ethan screamed.

“Know what you’re doing?”

“I think so!” Ethan said. The creature grabbed the hatch removing the final bolt and blindly threw it over its back narrowly missing Josh and the helicopter. The creature stuck its face in the tank. Ethan and Runt were standing there with combat knives. The creature’s shoulders were too wide to enter the hatchway. It forced an arm in. Runt took advantage of the moment. He grabbed the blind arm and began pulling it in the opposite direction from Ethan. Ethan took his knife and hacked at the eyes like he was wielding an ice pick. More and more, Ethan stabbed it. The more Ethan stabbed it, the more it screamed. Ethan pushed one final blow to the creature forcing his knife deeper and deeper in its skull. It let out a moan of pain that echoed off the interior of the tank. The creature fell limp against the side of the hull. “Whew!” he exclaimed. “We killed it!” he shouted over the radio. Ethan took the time to saw the head off the monster for good measure.

The Relic

Chapter 52

Wednesday 0600 CST

Fort Knox

“W
hat the
hell
are these things?” Josh said as he pushed the body onto the ground from the top of the tank. Runt and Ethan had stayed inside the tank for the rest of the night. They mowed down as many of them as they could until they ran out of fuel just as the wall units had finished off the rest of them.

“I have a theory,” Ethan said as he exited the roof hatch.

“What’s that?” Josh asked. “I think they are the little ones.”

“What?”

“The guy said that they mutated, right? He said he had to use animal proteins to attach to the thing to make these guys, right? What if whatever they were injected with caused them to mutate because it was in the hosts body?” Ethan explained.

“I kind of follow you. What about that stuff they fed on?”

“Blood?”

“No, the stuff in the blood, angio- whatever? Could that make them grow if they consumed a lot of it?”

“I don’t know, dude. I’m not a biologist. We’ll just shoot them all in the head until we run out of bullets. How’s that?”

“Works for me. Open the gate!” They commanded to the wall guard. “Take off your clothes.”

“Oh, for fuck sakes!” Josh exclaimed.

“You saw us leave, you watched us come back. Open the door!” Ethan exclaimed.

“Clothes. Now!” They were met with the cocking of shotguns.

“Fine. I won’t look if you don’t, bro.”

“Don’t worry; I’ve already seen your dong, man. It’s cool. Runt, front and center.” Runt came up as the men began to strip. “Take off your clothes, dude. Skin check.” Runt did as he was told. Ethan and Josh both spun around with their arms in the air revealing no bite marks. Runt dropped his pants. Ethan and Josh couldn’t help but notice Runt’s package. “Huh, guess we should call you ‘Tripod’ from now on.” The men chuckled as Runt displayed himself.

“Is there food?” Ethan asked. The steam was rising off an outside grill. Jenna came and kissed Ethan as they walked up. “Good to see you too, sweetie,” Ethan said as he pinched her butt. She playfully swatted his hand away. Ethan sat at the same place he did yesterday morning. Phil brought him a tray of food and a cup of coffee.

“You’re one crazy bastard, you know that!”

“Yeah, but it was the only way we were gonna get any respect from these military people. What’s the situation inside the walls?” Ethan asked intently. “Three thousand or so civilians are here with more arriving every day by helicopter. When this hit the fan, most of the armed forces abandoned their posts to be with their families, so the call to duty fell on deaf ears.” Ethan listened as he forced the food into his empty belly.

“What’s happening outside the walls?” Phil asked.

“There are probably more of them than there are us. There doesn’t seem to be any communication from anyone outside the United States. The president is missing along with Air Force One. The ones we’re used seem to be turning into giant beasts that seem impossible to kill except with fire or being smashed with a tank. We think it’s something they’re infected with, and I think it’s whatever they’re getting when they drain one of us.” He forked more food into his mouth and took a sip from his drink. “Coffee tastes better today. Maybe I’m just thirsty,” he said.

“Do you think they will send scouts out for supplies or something?” Josh asked.

“Maybe, I don’t think they anticipated keeping this many people here. But we’re still on for Phoenix’s, right?” Josh nodded.

“What’s ‘Phoenix?’ Like the city?” Phil asked. “If this place goes to shit, I know a place we can go.” Phil leaned in.

“Where is it?”

“All in good time dude, all in good time.”

‘Tripod’ McAdams arrived. “Simmons,” he said from behind him. Ethan turned to see the little man in a serious tone.

“Yes, Tripod?” He cracked a smile as did Runt.

“The captain wants to see us.”

Ethan put his fork down and downed the rest of the coffee. “I shall return, my good people.” He said as he exited the picnic-table bench. Runt led Josh and Ethan into the building through the familiar wooden door toward the captain’s makeshift office. Reynolds opened the door. Ethan stopped at Reynolds.

“Nice job with the flamethrowers, sir.” Ethan extended his hand and shook it happily. “You’ve got some balls, kid. I’ll give you that.”

“Gentlemen.” The captain’s voice killed the handshake, and everyone faced the captain. “You have surpassed us all, young man. Where would you get an idiotic idea like that?”

“Video games, sir,” Ethan said with a serious face.

The captain looked at Reynolds’s serious face and broke out in a red-faced laughter. After he had caught his breath, he sat down. “At ease, McAdams.”

“Aye, sir!” Tripod continued to stand but in a relaxed military stance. Ethan took a seat at the captain’s desk.

“What can we do for you, sir?”

“You can tell me how the hell you survived that offensive without turning into whatever the hell those things are!”

“Good ole American muscle and Tripod over here,” Ethan said casually pointing at McAdams.

“If only we had you in Afghanistan, we would have made a hell of a team!” the captain said.

“We would have made one hell of a
mess
, sir,” Ethan said as he let out a devilish smirk.

“How did you get here?” The captain asked changing the tone of the conversation.

“What do you mean, sir? We came on the helicopter.”

“That’s not what I meant. I mean, you look like a kid. You’re not military, but you’ve got the biggest balls on anyone I’ve seen except for a select few.” The captain raised his coffee mug to Reynolds, who sat in the corner with his hand on the canister backpack of the flamethrower. Ethan turned to Reynolds.

“You’re full of surprises,” Ethan said to him. Reynolds nodded quietly, trying to collect his thoughts from his episodic rage with the flamethrower. “Tell me, how are you and Nurse Amy?” Ethan said lifting his eyebrows twice in a playful manner.

“Gentlemen do not kiss and tell,” Reynolds retorted with a smile.

“Would you excuse us, gentlemen?” The captain said looking at Reynolds and Runt. They saluted, turned face, and backed out the door. The focus came back to the captain. “What I mean is why are you doing this? You’re not a soldier; you have no reason to do anything heroic like that.” Ethan sat forward. He wore a weak face and reached into his pocket and pulled the medal that General Bartlett had pinned on his shirt and held it up for the captain to see.

“One act of bravery got me to where I am. The only reason I was brave was because I was scared. I’m still scared. I’m scared I’m going to turn into one of those things and I’m going to let everyone down. All my life I was a slacker. Not really giving a shit about anything or anyone except myself. Now, the entire country, and probably the world, wants to eat me, and I won’t have that. The general saw something in me. I’m almost positive he was bullshitting me, but something told me that he was right. I don’t know if he’s alive or not. All I know is that the world is coming to an end, and I’ve got my back against the wall with my friends and fellow companions. I am not a slacker anymore. I am going to see this to the end, whether it be my end or theirs.”

The captain sat back and eyed the ribbon with the emblem that hung from it. “That’s the Purple Heart. Soldiers get that for being wounded or killed. Why would he give you that one?”

“It was the only one he had on him. Guess medals and titles are bullshit at the end of the world,” Ethan retorted.

“Yet, you seem so fixated on it?” The captain looked in Ethan’s eyes.

“He did something great to get this, and he passed it on to me for me to do something great, I guess.” Captain Michaels leaned into a desk drawer and took out a wooden box.

“I don’t have any medals to give you, but I do have this.” The captain opened the oblong wooden cigar box. “I want you to have this. I want you to keep it safe and put it in a museum when you’re done with it.”

Ethan stood to see the object in the box. It was a rustic-looking revolver in a cowboy holster. “This is my most prized possession. This is the weapon of a leader. This is a Colt .45 single-action revolver.” Ethan took the weapon in both hands and removed it from its holster.

“TR?” Ethan asked as he looked at the letters carved in the grip of the gun.

“Theodore Roosevelt, commander of the Rough Riders.” Ethan looked at the captain straight in the eyes as he looked for a gesture of humor that never was shown.

“No, It’s real, son,” the Captain reassured him. “It been taken care of, and I hope it will be taken care of in the future.”

“Yes, sir, but I can’t take this. It’s yours.”

“I don’t want it anymore. I want you to keep it safe. Besides, you’re a leader now. I’m just a desk clerk. I’ve never seen real combat until the last seventy-two hours.”

“This is still your camp, sir,” Ethan said as he took the focus off the revolver.

“Yes, it is, and it will remain mine. I don’t know how long the walls will hold. The higher-ups are more worried about the gold in the vault, so I know we will get reinforcements, if there are any.” His voice faded.