The Week of the Dead (28 page)

Ethan picked up a light machine gun in each arm and began firing wildly into the encircling mass. “Josh. Truck!” Ethan shouted while firing his guns. Josh kept firing at the tanker truck. It was being riddled with bullets. “It’s not blowing up!” The tanker truck was being pulled and pushed by six gigantic Alphas. “Alphas!” Ethan shouted in the air for anyone to hear him over the gunfire. Molotov cocktails were being thrown from the ground behind the wall.

“They’re getting closer!” someone shouted.

“Fire everything!” Another Alpha had ripped a small car in half and was carrying one half in each hand. It ran forward in front of the tanker truck. It placed the pieces of vehicle in front of itself and used them as shields as it ran straight for the wall. “Does anyone have any kind of fucking explosives?” Reynolds shouted.

“They’re…too…close!” Ethan said as he continued firing at the smaller ones. The creature with the car as a shield slammed itself into the wall. It pounded the pieces of vehicle like a battering ram. Josh leaned over the side and placed an entire cylinder of .44 magnum into its skull until it crashed to the ground, pulling the car parts on top of it. The tanker truck was lifted on its side and forced against the wall. The creatures that were moving it were easily cut down but quickly replaced with more. “They’re trying to climb over it!” someone shouted. The creatures had pushed the metal semitruck container on its side. There was a pair of double wheels next to their heads. Josh and Ethan both felt the surge of kinetic energy as the container was pushed flat against the wall.

“That was close,” Reynolds said over the microphone. He was on the roof of one of the buildings with his sniper rifle. A bullet zipped over Ethan’s head as he was reloading. One of the recently bitten creatures had climbed on the truck and fell over with a bullet wound in between its eyes. Ethan gave a polite nod in Reynolds direction. “Everyone! To the ground!” Ethan shouted. Every human defending the wall jumped off the platform and began firing at creatures climbing over the tanker truck.

“Henry! Get up here!” Ethan spoke over the eruption of fresh magazines.

“What about the drone?” he asked.

“Fuck it! It ain’t got guns, but you do!” Henry pressed a button on the Predator control and got up from the table to join the fight.

The lead Alphas stood against the tree line and watched their smaller pawns attempt to storm the fort. They were being bottlenecked. They only had the truck to climb over the wall. The sun was beginning to rise as the Alpha looked up to see the blinking lights of three helicopters flying above and then down to another set of blinking lights. It watched as the Predator drone slowly landed in the middle of the ground between the concrete wall and the tree line. It walked over to inspect the machine. It was as long as the creature. The creature acknowledged the old landing strip that used to be grass was now covered in ash and bodies. The creature picked up the drone and roared with delight as it handed it to the smaller, faster Alpha.

With simple body language and a series of moans, the smaller Alpha nodded with understanding. The leader motioned for two of the Alphas to attack. These Alphas were different. They were twins. Six feet tall, their skin had turned green, and their once human legs had bent backward at the knee. They growled as they leaped from their positions and again in the dirt and once more over the concrete wall. There, they created havoc as the Alpha carried the Predator drone to the tanker truck. There, it began to bang the Predator drone against the tanker truck. It smashed the drone to pieces. It picked up the biggest piece of drone and hit it against the aluminum container. The metal on metal began to spark. With just the right connection, the drone wing ignited to fuel container on the trailer. There was an explosion of light and shadow as the truck was forced against the concrete wall with explosive force. The quickly constructed concrete tumbled over like a sandcastle. It created a wide gap in the wall. Josh was hit with some shrapnel from the concrete wall. A piece of rebar stuck out of his leg.

A Game of Pickup

Chapter 61

Wednesday 1600 CST

Milan

T
he caravan had passed the ruins of Humboldt and made their way to Milan. The route they were taking took them through the outskirts of town. Jamison led the way in the transport truck. He was making good time until he came to an overpass. Someone clicked over the radio. “Hey, can we stop? I have to pee,” the woman in the Red Pickup called out.

“Roger that. Let’s find somewhere.”

The transport truck turned into Milan exit. “This is Milan, right?” asked Blue Hybrid.

“Yeah,” Walker responded.

“There’s an ammunition plant here,” Blue Hybrid called back. Walker looked at Jamison.

“Do you know where?” Walker called back.

“Yeah, it’s an army plant. It’s on the 104.” Walker got out his maps.

“That’s not too far, man; we could see what’s up?” he said to Jamison.

“I’m game,” Jamison picked up the mic and spoke into it.

“Hey, Blue, you wouldn’t know how many people live here, do you?” The radio came back with an “Uh. No.”

“Why’d you ask that?” Walker asked.

“Because we need to know what we’re up against if we’re going into town. Couldn’t hurt to have a general idea of how many
things
are going to be out there,” Devin said.

They pulled off to a gas station. The shelves had been picked through. Each vehicle took a pump as Devin went inside. He hoped this gas station was like the same one Erica blew up. While he was inside, Razor tapped Ferret on the shoulder. “At least we don’t have to pay for gas anymore.” Ferret wasn’t paying attention. His eyes were focused on two men on the rooftop of a building. One stood tall looking through binoculars, while the other one was lying prone with rifle. “We’ve got company,” Ferret said aloud. Everyone standing at the gas pumps came to where he was standing. They were armed to the teeth, expecting the undead. Ferret motioned to the two men. Jamison got on his walkie-talkie. “Jamison, United States Marine Corps. Please respond.” The two men were motionless. Jamison waved his hands overhead. The standing man simply lifted up his hand and waved politely. He nudged the prone man with his foot. The prone man took the rifle off the gas station and picked off a shambling corpse farther down the road. “At least they’re polite,” Tara said.

“Fill the jugs too,” Devin said as he came out of the gas station.

The caravan drove past a sign that said “Caution! You are entering restricted area!” followed by “Milan Army Ammunition Plant.” Jamison paid no attention to it. What he did pay attention to was the mass of reanimated creatures pounding against the door. Jamison slowed the truck to a stop. His actions didn’t alert the mass at the bay doors. “All right everybody. We’ve got some action up here. They don’t know we’re here, so I’m thinking there are humans inside.” The radio filled with static as there was a new voice on the radio.

“Are you the ones in the truck?” a shrieking voice called out. Jamison looked at Walker, who shrugged.

“Yes, we are. Are you inside the plant?”

“Yes!” the voice shrieked again. “There are only a few of us with weapons! They’re right outside the door!”

“Hold tight!” Jamison said. “Vikings, can you assist?”

“ROOYAH!” was all Jamison and Walker heard as they exited the truck.

The Vikings killed their cycles and dismounted like cavalry. Each was armed with a hand weapon and shield. They met Jamison and Devin at the back of the truck. Some of the others came up as well. “What are you thinking?” asked Tara.

“I say we just stay back here and pick them off,” Walker stated.

“Aye, but we might hit the people inside,” Redbeard answered. “I say we go along the side of the building and flank them from the left. No humans injured, we rescue the people inside, and hopefully, we’ll get something out of the deal.” Everyone nodded. Devin picked up the radio. “Hey, lady.”

“Yeah!” she shouted into the radio.

Devin took offense to that. “We’re coming to save you! Don’t shoot us. We’ll knock three times.” Devin holstered the radio and grabbed a rifle. “Fuck yeah! Let’s go kick some ass!”

Breach

Chapter 62

Thursday 0245 CST

Fort Knox

“B
reach!” was all that Ethan heard from his crackling earpiece. He found himself on the ground. There was smoke, and bodies began moving around him. He grabbed Josh by the collar and began to pull him in the direction that felt right. “Fall back! Plug the hole!” Ethan shouted to whoever was alive and listening. Creatures pushed the remnants of the eighteen-wheeler aside and began flowing into the newly acquired territory.

Josh came to consciousness when he saw red eyes through the smoke and dust. Those that were pouring through the hole began feasting on anything that moved. The ground turned a fresh tint of red as blood was beginning to cover the earth. He grabbed a weapon from Ethan’s belt and tried to pick his target. He began firing wildly in the crowd. Human or infected, he didn’t care. He started to wiggle his toes. He stood up, noticing the piece of metal sticking out of his leg. He leaned over as the pain shot up his spine and registered in his mind. He saw a man being ripped apart at the abdomen.

He raised his rifle and shot both the attacker and the meal dead. “Flamethrowers!” Reynolds said as he stepped in front of Ethan and Josh. Reynolds had the same two men who previously fired the Javelin missiles with him; one of them was wearing a beret. The three of them fed a constant wave of fire. They sprayed the hole in the concrete with fire. There was a rumble of tank tracks through the smoke. Runt was heard over the radio. “Yee-haw!” Reynolds motioned for his flamethrowers to stop. Runt moved the armored personnel carrier blocking the hole in the wall. “Let’s see them move that,” Runt said as he jumped out of the hatch and into Reynolds’ group.

“Reload! Positions! Kill something that isn’t you!” Ethan shouted as he checked his weapons. They took this time to eliminate any undead that was inside the wall.

The APC began to rock back and forth. There were grunt noises from behind it as it sounded like a disoriented “Heave.” The men watched as the APC started to pick up speed and rammed against the already crumbing wall. “It’s not going to hold,” said Reynolds.

“Thanks Captain Obvious. Got any ideas?”

“Get the fuck out of here!” Josh said. There came talks of nowhere to go. Josh and Ethan both agreed that they should head for Phoenix’s. Josh informed the others that they knew a safe place to go. “We can’t leave with all of them at our door like this,” Ethan said. “Henry, you still with me?” Henry clicked on his mic from inside the building. “Yeah, what’s up?”

“I need you to start loading people into the choppers. Tell them this place is compromised. I’m going to give you the coordinates.”

“You know, that’s all fine and dandy, but we have a problem,” Henry said.

“What’s the problem?” Ethan asked, giving Reynolds a look.

“It’s Michaels; he’s loaded the helicopters with some stuff and left.”

Ethan looked to the airfield and realized there weren’t any working helicopters left. “What the fuck, man?” He looked at Reynolds and grabbed him by the collar. “What the fuck is going on?” Ethan said as he pushed Reynolds against a building. Josh pointed his rifle at the other flamethrowers, and Runt just stood there watching his APC being rocked back and forth.

“I don’t know” was the only phrase that came from Reynolds.

“Looks like he took a bunch of paper and all the gold,” Henry said over the radio.

“You mean, he cleared out the bank and skipped town?” Josh asked.

“Yeah, took a couple of military guys with him. Bet he’s taking it somewhere else.” Ethan looked at Reynolds who stood strong.

“Sorry, man,” Ethan said nodding to Reynolds. “Thank you, Henry,” he said calmingly. “Turns out Michaels was a bureaucrat after all.” Ethan’s voice lowered.

“Listen up,” Ethan spoke to those around him and over the microphone. Everyone heard him as his spoke. “These monsters want to come in here and eat us for breakfast. I don’t plan to die today. Do you?” He was met with cheers and jeers. “I want everyone mounted on the vehicles that are left. Take what you can. We know where to go! Josh, write it down.”

Josh began scribbling coordinates on whatever he could find and handing them out to people. “I want everyone loaded up and ready to leave. I want to give the vehicles enough time to leave. I need one vehicle to be left for us so we can escape. Until the end!” Ethan shouted.

Reynolds took him aside and quietly whispered “They can’t
all
make it. There has to be two thousand people here. ”

Ethan nodded. “I know, but we have to try. Sacrifices have to be made.”

The Depot

Chapter 63

Wednesday 1615 CST

Milan

“H
ey, fuckface!” Redbeard shouted from behind his shield. The line of creatures pressed against the door fanned out and turned ninety degrees looking at Redbeard who stood with his shield and mace. Razor, Tank, Malik, and Jericho were alongside him. The shuffling bodies came closer. The shields clanged as the Vikings placed them alongside each other. Tara stood behind them with her bow. Tara released an arrow at the oncoming group. The arrow stuck in the collarbone of the nearest creature. “Fuck ’em up!” Razor said over the radio. Jamison, Walker, and Devin were a few feet right of the Vikings. They opened semiautomatic fire and the group of about thirty creatures.

Suddenly, there was a woman walking from the front of the truck toward the group of motionless bodies. She carried a shotgun. “Hey, get back here!” Devin shouted at her. There was a smaller human behind her quickening his pace. “Momma!” the boy said. She made it to the pile of bodies to look at them. She began firing her shotgun into the heads of the fallen. Everyone watched as the white and crimson mess flew against the building with every blast of the shotgun. “She’s just blowing off steam,” Walker said as he reached for a new magazine. There was a high-pitched scream. Walker looked up to find the small boy on the ground with most of a creature on top of him. The woman turned to find the creature feeding on her small son. She pumped the shotgun again and fired it into the back of creature’s head. She kicked the body off her son. She knelt down and picked up the boy. He was motionless in her arms. She let out a sobbing cry. “Luke! I’m sorry, Luke.”