Thrust & Parry: Z Day (14 page)

“Nothing’s changed mate. Undead fucks trying to get in. Noticed the right hand one probably used to be quite fit though.” A smile caught the corner of Rims mouth.

“I actually wouldn’t put it past you to fuck a zed mate.” Said Jim with a chuckle. Rim said nothing the smile just spread. The rest of the guys appeared at the doorway and found a spot to perch. Jim passed out the hotdogs and pulled the ring on his own.

“Where are we emptying this hot dog spunk out mate?” Rim asked.

“Hot dog spunk?” Sam asked, the sour look returning to her face.

“You know the liquid that it comes with.” Rim explained, looking a little disheartened that his little joke didn’t catch a laugh. Jim pointed to the toilets.

“Pour it down the sinks. Rim, I’ll take yours.” Everyone wandered into the bathrooms to drain their tins before returning to their chosen spot and getting comfy. As Jim fed a hot dog into his mouth Rim chirped up once more.

“Spell me for a minute boss? My back teeth are floating.” Rim asked.

“Can do mate, take someone with you though.” Jim answered as he moved over and took control of the Gimpy. As a point of habit he checked the chamber, checked the link was seated correctly and pulled the cocking handle back.

“Care to join me my dear? You can hold it for me if you want?” Rim asked Sam with a filthy grin. Jim didn’t even turn round he just threw his hand backwards and caught Rim on the back of the head.
“Ouch, sorry boss. You don’t have to hold it Sam but I wouldn’t mind you coming with me.” Sam looked at Jim for help.

“He needs someone to go with him to be fair.” Sam sighed and nodded before going into the gents and holding the door open for Rim.

“Such a lady.” Rim said with a smile and Sam returned it with a sarcastic grin. Rim disappeared into the toilet. A minute or so later they reappeared, Rim had a massive grin on his face.

“She couldn’t take her eyes of little Rimmy.” He told Paddy with a wink.

“Eurgh, maybe if I could see it.” She replied. The room burst out laughing. Jim stepped back to let Rim take control of the Gimpy.

“Right, we need to decide what we are doing from here. If we choose to stay we will dig in and fortify the whole compound. If we choose to leave we will empty everything of use out and go.” Jim wanted to hear everyone’s opinion before deciding his next actions.

“I think we should head over and see if my boyfriends still alive” Sam chirped up.

“With all due respect to your boyfriend we have to assume any family and friends are now dead.” Jim replied with a grave expression. The sour look disappeared from Sam’s face and was replaced by a stunned look.
“Any other suggestions?”

“What about food? How many days can we survive on what we have?” Paddy asked.

“If we chose to stay we will empty the truck. I would suggest putting all the food in one of the smaller offices. They have air con in there so we can turn it up full and make any perishables last longer. If we start to run low we can take a trip to the petrol station over the road and see what we can raid.” Paddy nodded thoughtfully.

“What do you think we should do Jim?” Laura had finished her daydream now.

“I think we should hole up here for a few days. We don’t really have anywhere to go and we need to find a way of collecting any remaining survivors.” Jim explained to the group. They all seemed to accept that as the best plan. “We should clear the rest of the TAC out and create a proper defensive position.” There was nods all round. “Are we all agreed on that as the plan then?” Again, everyone nodded with a few grunts from the lads. “Good, any questions?”

“How do we get to the truck then?” Monica asked pointing to the zeds.

“Leave that with me. We don’t need anything in the truck until tomorrow at least. We can sort out a plan of action then.” Jim stood in silence waiting for any more questions. None came. “Everyone else, as you were. Sam, if you would come with me to the storeroom.” Sam nodded. Everyone dispersed back to their own bed spaces except Rim and Laura.

“Wait Boss.
You’re supposed to be on stag now.” Rim called as Jim started towards the storeroom.

“Sorry mate, give me 5 minutes and ill relieve you.” Jim called back without breaking his stride. Jim wandered into the storeroom and round to the right. He’d seen a door earlier with what looked like a maintenance hatch symbol on it and he wanted to check it out. He tried the handle but it had a keypad lock on it. It opened outwards so kicking it in wasn’t an option.

“I need to find some form of crowbar.” Jim explained to Sam as she stood there looking useless. Sam started routing through the storeroom and reappeared seconds later with a sturdy looking one. Jim took it and thanked her before ramming it in the gap just above the lock and jolted it hard. The lock gave easily and Jim handed the crowbar to Sam. “There you go, your first weapon. Carry it everywhere with you. It is now an extension of your right arm.” Sam nodded. Jim stepped into the room. He quickly swept it with his weapon before turning to Sam once more. The room was just big enough to fit two people in and had a ladder at the end.

“I’ll let you go first.” Sam stepped inside and started to climb the ladder. Jim stood at the bottom and couldn’t resist the urge to take a quick glance at her arse. She stopped a few rungs up. “What’s up?” Jim asked.

“There’s a hatch at the top, it looks like it has a lever on it.” Sam explained.

“Turn the lever.” Jim ordered. There was a squeak followed by a clunk and the hatch was pushed upwards. Sam started to climb again and Jim followed. He reached the top and climbed up to find Sam stood looking at him expectantly. He put his finger to his lips and slowly walked to the edge of the roof and peered down. There, just below them, were the 2 zeds, blissfully unaware of Jim and Sam’s presence. Jim motioned for Sam to follow him and he moved back to the hatch and climbed down. Sam followed and pulled the hatch shut with a clang. As they walked back to the stag point they chatted a little.

“I wouldn’t let Rim get to you. He’s a sex pest through and through. Just ignore him and he will get bored.” Jim explained to her.

“I know I’ve met his type before.”

“I’m sorry about your boyfriend.” Jim didn’t want to seem heartless with his earlier comment.

“Don’t be, I understand why we can’t go check. I guess I was just living in hope.”

“Well look if you ever need to talk to anyone, I’m always here. Whatever you told me would not go any further.” As they reached the stag point Sam stopped and looked straight at him. A soft, caring look was now in her eyes.

“Thank you.” Was all she said before she disappeared into the bar to get some sleep, the crowbar still clutched in her
hand. She had listened. Jim took over the stag point from Rim and get settled before Rim briefed him up.

“Right, your arcs are between the door frames. Nothing has changed on the enemy front except I’m fairly sure the right hand one keeps giving me the eye.” Jim gave him a look that told him to shut up and he continued.
“Other than that nothing to report boss.” And with that he picked up his daysack and wandered into the bar. Jim looked through the windows in the bar door. The lights were off and everyone was asleep except Rim who was still getting into bed. Jim checked the Gimpy over once more and settled into a comfortable standing position behind it.

“So then, we are finally alone.” Jim had completely forgotten Laura was on stag with him.

“What do you mean?” He asked without taking his eyes off the zeds. Without replying she moved round in front of him and sat down on the bar couch under the Gimpy, there was just enough room for her under the table. She unzipped his fly and took him out into her hand. She began stroking his rapidly hardening cock softly. “Laura, this isn’t the...”

“Shhh.”
She said as she gripped his penis hard making him gasp. She took him in her mouth and began working him back and forth moving down the entire length before licking the end playfully. Jim looked down to find her legs open. She was rubbing herself as the same time. He tried to concentrate on the job at hand but she started moaning into his dick quietly. Already her moans sounded far too excited and seconds later she climaxed her teeth digging in slightly. She continued to suck him, now moving faster with more purpose. He could feel his tip hitting the back of her throat and his breathing became heavy. He could feel himself getting closer and closer as she grabbed his arse and pulled him further into her mouth he reached the tipping point and shot deep in her mouth, she sucked up every last bit before swallowing. She tucked him back away and zipped his pants back up before wiping her mouth and moving off the couch.

“There now, that was fun wasn’t it?” She said, her deviant smile reappearing on her face. She checked his watch. “Anyway that’s my time up. We should do this again sometime. ” And with that
she wandered into the bar to wake Monica. Jim tried to regain himself a little bit before she arrived. Laura reappeared a few seconds later with her daysack and headed towards the toilets to change.

“I can’t let you do that I’m afraid.” Jim said as he saw her. “You can’t wander round on your own.” Laura simply shrugged and unzipped her dress, letting it fall to the floor. She dressed quickly but not before she made sure that Jim saw she was still dripping wet. She was now barefoot with the t-shirt and shorts on. She quickly packed her dress and heels away and wandered back into the bar without another word. As she did Monica appeared looking sleepy and dishevelled.

“How you holding up?” he asked as she grunted a hello at him, obviously not a morning person.

“I’ve been worse but I get the feeling the worst of it has yet to come.” Monica said. “Listen, about earlier, I’m sorry, it shouldn’t have happened I just get a little crazy when I’m horny or stressed and since I was both, well you can understand how bad I was.” She was babbling. Jim held up a hand to stop her, his eyes still focused on the zeds.

“Don’t worry about it. It was fun.” He replied with a little smile. She gave a nervous giggle and fell quiet. The rest of the stag was spent in relative silence except for the odd conversation about what they did before the apocalypse. She worked in a bank as a mortgage advisor and was very surprised to hear he worked in IT as ‘he didn’t look the type.’ That then lead to a conversation about how much she hated her banks IT guys.

“Look on the bright side, there probably all dead now anyway.”
Joked Jim with a chuckle. She didn’t laugh. She obviously wasn’t a fan of the same squaddie humour as he was used to.

He finished his stag and went over to dig Paddy out of bed for his stag before getting his head down for a bit. As he lay there trying to get to sleep he reflected on the last 24 hours once more. What a fucked up situation this had turned out to be.

Chapter 11

He had flesh hanging from his jowls and was pacing forward, eyes fixed on Jim, snarling.

“Rube, No! Not you buddy. Please.” Jim began to well up. Not his boy. He couldn’t do this, he couldn’t kill his dog. He loved him more than anything in this world. Rube lowered his head and prepared to pounce. Tears were streaming freely down Jim’s face now. “Please Rube it’s me. It’s Jim, you’re my boy, don’t do this!” Jim was shaken from his nightmare.

“Jim, Jim. Wake up buddy, Whethers says he needs to see you.” Jim sat up and rubbed his eyes. Sam was stood shaking his shoulder lightly. He jumped out of bed, grabbed his weapon and jogged out of the bar.

“What’s the situation mate?” Jim asked Whethers.

“The zombies suddenly fucked off. I think there might be another survivor nearby.” Jim nodded and turned to Sam.

“Wake everyone up. Tell the lads to ‘stand to’ and await further orders
Il get Paddy up.” Jim followed Sam into the bar and shook Paddy awake again. He sat up looking confused.

“What’s happened boss?” He asked.

“Possible survivor, on me.” He said and Paddy leapt out of bed and grabbed his rifle. They both jogged into the store room and stormed up the ladder. As they burst onto the roof they saw immediately what the issue was. There was another soldier stood on the roof of the building to the right of the gate. There were at least 10 zeds in the car park. It answered Jim’s question about the security of the complex. Somewhere there must be a hole. Jim instantly turned to Paddy.

“Get Rim up here. Tell Whethers to stand by the door and be ready to open it.” Paddy disappeared and returned a minute later with Rim. “We are going to cover his approach to the building. Don’t let any zeds get near him.” The lads grunted and everyone took a knee. Jim popped his bipod out and
laid down behind his weapon.  He took the first shot and popped the closest zeds head. Paddy was next and dropped another. The zeds started turning, now more interested in the new noise they heard from the TAC roof. Jim popped another one and the zed next to it dropped as well as Rim opened up. The zeds started moving towards them at speed, several falling over the bodies they had created. The soldier saw his chance and leapt off the roof into the car park. He landed badly and tumbled. The zeds heard the crack of his rifle hitting the floor and turned once more. He tried to recover but was now limping badly. He made a run for the door but there was a zed blocking his path, now charging straight at him. He stopped dead in his tracks and threw his hands over his head.

“Fucking useless idiot.”
Remarked Jim as he tried to line up the charging zed. The others were now closing on him fast.

“Rim!
Get on the Gimpy, just in case!” Roared Jim over the noise. Rim nodded and threw himself down the hole. Jim squeezed the trigger and the zed dropped by the soldiers feet.

“FUCKING MOVE!”
Jim called at him and he started limping again. Jim and Paddy worked away at the zeds getting close until he disappeared from view. “Hold your fire.” Jim said to Paddy and stood up. He raced back down the hole and through to the stag point. The door was now locked and there was at least 5 new faces pressed up against it. The soldier was sat up against a by one of the offices panting heavily and holding his leg.

“What the fuck was that about soldier?” He demanded as he saw him.

“Excuse me? Who in god’s name do you think you’re talking to.” The soldier hobbled back to his feet and straightened up. Jim spotted the pip on his rank slide.

“Oh for fuck sake!”
Thought Jim. The soldier was an officer and guessing by the rosy read cheeks and un-faded kit he would guess a fairly new one. The accent suggested he was some posh twat form York who treats the TA like a summer camp before he finishes his officer training.

“Apologies
sir, didn’t see the rank slide but why didn’t you use your rifle?” Jim inquired.

“Good god I’ve not fired a rifle off the range. Besides its not zeroed to me I took it off some private.” He replied looking offended.

“There have been other soldiers that have survived sir?” Jim’s ears pricked up instantly.

“I wouldn’t say so, surrounded by these fuckers last time I saw him.” The officer asked. Jim was in two minds to just shoot this officer right here but something about his loyalty to the regiment stopped him.

“Right, Rim sort the Rupert a bed space out will you. Paddy, take a look at his leg, let me know if you need a hand. Whethers, your staging on until this is sorted mate, sorry. Sir, I need you to strip down to your underwear so I can check you for bites.” Rupert was a slang name for an officer. Something about them all being posh and called Rupert Jim guessed. The lads started to move.

“Hold on a fucking second.” There was something wrong about someone that posh saying ‘fucking.’ “From the moment I stepped in this building you have been relieved of your duties. I am now in effective command of your section.” Jim sighed. There was nothing he could
do, the Rupert was well within his rights to take over.

“OK then sir, what would you like us to do?” Jim asked getting more frustrated by the second.

“Well, I think the most important thing is to show dominance over this enemy. We have to show the public that we are still a strong fighting force. I would like you to go out as section commander and do an advance to contact. Show the enemy that we are still in this fight. Damage their morale.

“This is like something out of a manual in Sand Hurst.” Thought Jim, he looked at his men. Rim opened his mouth to speak but Jim held up a hand.

“What about your leg sir?” Jim asked.

“I’m sure one of these fair maidens knows a bit of first aid. I shall stay here with the ladies and write the next 24 hours reports.” He replied. Jim looked over at the 3 ladies now stood in the bar doorway looking worried. The sour look had returned to Sam’s face with a vengeance.

“When do we leave?”

“As soon as your ready lance corporal.”
The Rupert replied with a smile. Jim turned to his men.

“Right lads, prepare to move.” There was all manner of grumbling and profanities as they packed their kit up.  5 minutes later all the lads were huddled in the lobby round Jim as he told them the plan. “Right, we are moving out of here and to the right, by this point I expect we will have already hit zeds so it doesn’t fucking matter where we plan to go after that.”

“What about that scrawny lot?” Asked Rim pointing at the zeds clawing at the door.

“While the Gimpy’s still set up, Whethers will open the door and give it a kick and you will hose the fuckers down.
Any questions?”  No one said a word. “Good let’s get this over with.” Jim and Paddy stepped to one side while Whethers and Rim got into place. Whethers slid the locks off and gave the door an almighty kick. Several of the zeds flew backward but recovered quickly.  Rim opened up with the Gimpy and within seconds all five of them were motionless. “Good work lads, right order of march. Whethers, take point, I’ll go next, Rim, bring that Gimpy in behind me and Paddy watch the rear.” Whethers stepped off out the door and Jim followed.

The car park was eerily quiet. Jim searched the morning light for signs of movement but found nothing. There was a rhythmic thud in the distance that suggested someone had left their music on but nothing else. Whethers headed to the gate and slipped onto the street, taking a knee to one side of the gate. Jim ran at a crouch up to him.

“What you seen mate?” Jim whispered over the PRR.

“Nothing boss it’s just. Well this street should be teeming with zeds. Where the
fuck have they all gone?” As he asked it the rhythmic thudding grew louder. Jim could just about hear what sounded like a diesel engine growling now.

“What the fuck is that?” Asked Rim, seemingly forgetting his radio, as the rest of the guys heard the noise too. His question was answered seconds later as a battered bus pulled round the corner and came to a stop next to them. It had no windows in it and several heavy looking speakers hung out the back playing some form of trance music. The bus door opened and a figure appeared in the doorway dressed in what looked like a bad impression of a roman soldier.

“Hey lads, get the fuck in quick.” He shouted over the music. No-one moved. Suddenly a horde of zeds burst round the corner and began sprinting at the bus. Several had their heads thrown back in a primal scream but it was drowned out by the music. Jim instantly stood up and ushered his lads onto the bus. He just had time to jump on before the driver floored it, sending him skidding down the bus, he hit his head on the floor hard and everything went black.