Terrell looked him over. “Then why are they after you?”
“We…” Maddox sighed. “We bumped heads a couple of times.”
“Over what?” Terrell asked.
The driver shook his head, gaze darkening. “A couple people in our camp back in Bluffton have family and friends who are enslaved on the island.”
Terrell’s mouth opened and closed, that rage he was so familiar with boiling just below the surface. “Did you say enslaved?” he finally asked, voice on edge.
“Yep,” Maddox confirmed, nodding. “Hundreds of them. Clearing and fortifying the island. Even forcing them to do the dangerous jobs like clearing out zombie infested buildings.”
“How big is your army?” Terrell demanded.
The driver shook his head. “Not very,” he admitted. “If I’m being honest, the weapons we’re trading for are for defense. We’re just trying to hold on to what little we got and not be crushed. Some in our camp are understandably gung-ho about getting their people back, but I just don’t see it happening. Not unless something major happens.”
“You might just get the help you need,” Terrell said thoughtfully. “You don’t leave this town until you talk to me again, got it?”
Maddox glanced at him with side eyes and nodded as they approached the exit for Florence. “Thank you,” he said.
“Don’t thank me yet,” Terrell replied. “Still got two others to convince.”
They followed Coleman’s SUV off of the interstate and parked at the gate to Florence. Angie greeted them, and started leading men carrying large bags of marijuana into the town. Terrell watched and motioned for his soldiers to come over.
“What’s up Cap, we ready to eat?” Coleman asked.
Terrell shook his head. “Gotta run something by you guys first,” he said, and when their attention was on him, he took a deep breath. “Those people need our help. They’re outnumbered and outgunned.”
“So, basically Clinton part two?” Coleman asked.
Terrell sighed. “No, it’s a lot worse,” he explained. “Some people in their camp are being held on Hilton Head and used as slaves. They have an army, professional and trained. It very well could be a suicide mission if we go, so if you don’t want to go, you don’t have to.”
“Wherever you go Cap, I’m there,” Coleman said immediately.
Miles grinned. “Same here,” he said. “Let’s go all Abraham Lincoln on their asses.”
The Captain cracked a smile and clapped them on the shoulders. “Next stop, Hilton Head.”
END
Terrell and company will return in Dead America: Lowcountry. Coming soon.
BOOK 12 - HEARTLAND PT. 6
BY DEREK SLATON
©2020
CHAPTER ONE
Day Zero +21
Captain Kersey sat on the front porch of a tiny one bedroom house, looking out towards the interstate. As he nursed a weak cup of coffee, he admired the natural beauty of the tiny town of a few hundred, roughly a hundred miles down the I-90 from Seattle.
As he enjoyed the brief moment of calm, several trucks rolled by, filled to the brim with troops. All of them headed west towards the front lines of what was about to be one of the most important battles in human history.
He tried to put that thought out of his head, knowing he needed to concentrate on the task at hand, rather than worrying about the importance of it. He wondered vaguely if Eisenhower had the same sorts of thoughts before D-Day.
“Morning, Captain,” David Frazier greeted, interrupting Kersey’s musing.
The Captain smiled. “Morning, David,” he replied. “Can I get you a cup of coffee? Not the strongest you’ll ever have, but gets the job done.”
The communications expert shook his head. “No thanks, already downed a couple of energy drinks this morning.”
“Breakfast of champions,” Kersey replied with a smile. “I can respect that.”
“Yeah, my mom would always yell at me for pounding those, saying it was going to put me in an early grave,” David said, tilting his head back towards the early morning sun.
Kersey sighed. “All it took was a zombie apocalypse for you to prove her wrong.”
They shared a small laugh, and then the younger man shook his head. “Kind of fitting since she would think me being right would be a sign of the end times.”
Kersey raised his mug in a toast before downing the last of his brew. He set it down on the railing and stood up, glancing at his watch that read 6:55am.
“Guess we should get a move on,” he said, “supposed to talk to the General in five.”
David nodded and waved for him to follow. “We’re set up and ready to go over at the school a couple of blocks up.”
“Good, good,” Kersey replied as they began to walk. “Has your team been able to compile the overnight reports?”
David reached into his back pocket and pulled out some rolled up papers, handing them over. “Sorry for the informal presentation, there,” he said, scratching the back of his head.
Kersey flipped through the handwritten notes. “Information is all here, and it’s delivered on time,” he declared. “No apologies necessary.”
The two of them walked a couple of blocks through the sleepy town towards the school as the Captain leafed through the information.
“Hey, Cap!” Private Kowalski called out the front door of a tiny house nearby as they approached. “What sort of chaos you have on tap for us today?”
Kersey looked up and grinned. “Grab your shit and come on, I can see what I can dig up for you.”
Kowalski returned the smile and leaned back into the house, throwing his sniper rifle over his shoulder and picking up a small bag from the floor. “Hey, Johnson, let’s get a move on!” he bellowed into the building. “We got shenanigans to get into!” He hopped off of the porch like an excited child and jogged over to his superior and communications expert.
A moment later, Corporal Johnson slogged out the front door, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “For the love of god, Kowalski, why are you waking me up this early in the morning?” he groaned through a yawn.
“Because you drew the short straw and had to bunk with me,” the sniper replied brightly. “Plus, aren’t you ready to blow some shit up?”
Johnson rubbed his eyes some more and disappeared back into the house, grumbling all the while.
“Are we sure he’s coming?” David raised an eyebrow.
Kowalski cocked his head. “Cap, if you want me to, I can go jump on his bed until he gets up.”
“I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” Kersey replied with a chuckle.
“Oh I don’t mind, really,” the sniper insisted eagerly.
The Captain turned to David. “Have any of the doctors made it to town yet?”
“Pretty sure they’re still attached to the cleanup crew down in Ellensburg,” David replied.
Kersey glanced at Kowalski, who crossed his arms.
“Yeah, maybe we’ll just give him a minute,” the sniper conceded.
A few moments later, the large redneck came out of the house, squinting with his hair all over the place. He adjusted his assault rifle on his shoulder and a small bag hung from one of his arms.
“There’s our little sleepy head!” Kowalski cooed sweetly.
Johnson groaned. “Captain, requesting permission to kneecap Kowalski?”
“Denied,” Kersey replied, and then raised a hand. “But I will allow a charley horse.”
The Corporal finally grinned through his sleepiness and lashed a knuckle-punch to the back of the sniper’s calf. Kowalski hissed and hobbled in a circle for a few moments, muttering curses under his breath.
“Appreciate that, Captain,” Johnson said, suddenly much more awake.
Kersey inclined his head. “Just trying to be the best leader I can,” he replied, and then led the quartet moving again towards the school.
“Captain, I got you set up with a private communications suite in the first
classroom,” David said as they entered the front lobby. “If you two want to follow me, I’ll show you to the cafeteria.”
“Hell yeah!” Kowalski clenched a victorious fist. “I could go for some breakfast!”
David smiled. “I like the enthusiasm,” he said. “We found a bunch of canned and powdered ingredients, and they have a gas range. Shouldn’t take you any time at all to whip something up.”
Kowalski’s excitement faded from his face as it dawned on him that he’d be doing the cooking.
“See if you can’t whip up some more coffee, too,” Kersey added, and the sniper glared at him. “That’s an order.”
Johnson chuckled as he put his arm around his fellow soldier, and dragged him away towards the kitchen.
“Do you need anything, Captain?” David asked.
Kersey shook his head. “No, I should be good,” he replied. “I’ll meet you in the cafeteria once I get done with the General.”
David nodded and rushed off to join the other two. Kersey entered the classroom, and pulled up a seat at the teacher’s desk where they’d set up a communication station. He slid on the headset and flipped the machine on.
“Command, do you copy?” he asked.
After a few moments of silence, the line came to life. “Command here.”
“This is Captain Kersey,” he said.
“Please hold for General Stephens,” the operator replied.
Kersey leaned back in his chair, looking out the classroom window as another set of trucks rolled away down to the interstate, filled with dozens more soldiers headed off to the front lines.
CHAPTER TWO
“Captain Kersey, good morning,” General Stephens’ voice came through, and the Captain turned away from watching truckloads of troops roll by the window.
“Good morning, General,” he said.
“What’s your status?” Stephens asked.
Kersey took a deep breath. “Presently our command center is in Thorp, about a hundred miles from downtown Seattle,” he reported. “Our front lines have pushed up ahead about twenty miles to the ski resorts.”
“I was hoping that you had been able to push a little further, to be frank,” the General admitted.
Kersey sighed. “I was hoping the same as well sir, but weather conditions on the roads are making it tricky.”
“Understood,” Stephens replied. “I will have one of my men here send you an updated weather report so you can make your preparations.”
The Captain nodded. “Appreciate that, sir,” he said.
“How much of the force have you moved up to the front?” the General asked.
Kersey leaned back in his chair. “Currently have about thirty thousand troops within twenty miles of our command center,” he replied. “Got slowed up a bit in Ellensburg with higher than expected resistance, and had to leave several thousand back in Spokane as a cleanup crew. The last thing we want is an outbreak in our rear.”
“Without a doubt,” Stephens agreed.
Kersey rubbed a hand over his head. “The bulk of the force is waiting to roll out from the airport and military base to the west of Spokane,” he said. “We’re doing everything we can to find transportation, but it’s slim pickings in these rural mountain towns.”
“I have full confidence that you’ll get it done,” the General said firmly.
The Captain smiled thinly. “Thank you, sir.”
“Update from my end,” Stephens began, “the last of the troops you’ll be receiving are on the trains and headed your way. I don’t have exact numbers, but you should have a final count of a hundred and sixty-five thousand in your neck of the woods within forty-eight hours.”
Kersey’s brow furrowed. “One sixty-five?” He shook his head. “I was expecting to receive more.”
“And I was expecting to send more,” the General admitted, “but the fallout from the Kansas City debacle is far higher than initially estimated. Not only that, but we had to divert some troops to other vital priorities like the caravans.”
The Captain nodded. “Understood,” he replied as confidently as he could. “I can work with whatever you send me.”
“Of that I have no doubt,” Stephens replied. “What else can you tell me, Captain?”
Kersey leaned forward and grabbed the papers that David had given him, flipping through and stopping on a crudely drawn map of Cle Elum. He ran his finger over the big circle on the outskirts of town reading Municipal Airport.
“We have a lead on a municipal airport just up the road from our current position,” he explained. “Doesn’t appear to be big enough to land military planes, but we have commandeered enough consumer grade aircraft to mount a paratrooper campaign.”
“Excellent,” Stephens replied. “I will be sure to let the invasion planners be aware of this. We don’t have a big margin of error on this assault, so having more options will help out a great deal.”
Kersey nodded. “Glad I can help, sir.”
“Speaking of which,” the General continued, “I’m scheduled to be on an invasion planning meeting with the president and his team this afternoon. I would like you to join me.”
The Captain blinked at the receiver for a moment before asking, “You… you want me on the call with the President?”
“Yes I do,” Stephens replied. “To be blunt, you’re the only person to successfully lead a large scale assault against these things, so your insights could help out a great deal. After the colossal fuck up in Kansas City, the higher ups are a bit on edge, so I’d like you to help put their minds at ease on this invasion.”
Kersey nodded sharply. “Yes sir, I will share what I know.”
“Thank you, Captain,” the General said. “When I have the official time, I will make sure your people know.”
Kersey took a deep breath, still stunned. “Thank you, sir.”
“Good luck today,” Stephens said, “and keep me updated on that airport.”
“Yes, sir,” the Captain replied, and then the line went dead.
He slumped back in his chair, mind reeling that he would be briefing the President on the invasion. He looked out the window at more men moving up the interstate towards the front lines, and his gut tightened. The advice he would be giving that day could be the difference between them living and dying.
CHAPTER THREE
Kersey walked out of the classroom, his head still spinning a little. He ran through everything he’d have to present to the president, flipping through it over and over in his head. As he headed down the hallway, the front door opened behind him and he turned to see Sergeant Copeland enter the building.
“Morning, Captain,” Copeland greeted.
Kersey smiled. “Morning, Sergeant, how’s it going?”
“Anxious to get back out to the fight,” Copeland replied, cracking his knuckles.
The Captain’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Who’s stopping you?” he asked.
“The field doc in Ellensburg,” the Sergeant replied with a scoff. “I took a hard fall off of a second story banister when three of those things came out of an upstairs bedroom. Banged my shoulder up pretty good, and the doc put me on a twenty-four hour lockdown pending a reevaluation. Rest of my team stayed behind, which is even more infuriating.”
Kersey shook his head. “I’m guessing you disagree with the doc’s assessment?”
“Permission to speak freely, sir?” Copeland asked.
The Captain nodded. “Always.”
“If I listened to pansy-ass motherfuckers like that doctor, I’d still be a private,” the Sergeant said. “We’re in a war and the enemy doesn’t care if I banged up my shoulder or not.”
Kersey cracked a smile. “Come on, let’s get you some breakfast, and a mission,” he suggested.
Copeland grinned and followed his superior to the cafeteria. As they entered, they stopped short at the sight of Kowalski standing behind the serving counter wearing an apron and a hairnet, holding a giant ladle.
“All r
ight, all right,” the sniper said, mimicking an old lady voice. “No shoving, plenty of this slop for everyone!” He dished up some powdered eggs and potatoes onto serving trays and shoved them towards Johnson and David with a smile.
“I think you missed your calling, bud,” Johnson said, shaking his head.
Kowalski reached under the counter. “Holy up, I think I got some dessert for you,” he said, and then fumbled around before popping his hand up, middle finger extended. “You like bird, don’t you?”
Johnson barked a laugh and grabbed his tray of food.
“He’s a bit of a character, ain’t he?” Copeland asked with a chuckle.
Kersey shook his head and smiled. “Yeah, he’s a live one,” he admitted. “But he’s the best shot I’ve ever seen. And loyal as they come, too.”
“Men like that are hard to find,” the Sergeant said.
Kersey nodded. “Which is why I’ve kept him and the rest of my crew as close as I can.”
“How is your Corporal doing?” Copeland asked. “I heard what went down on the bridge in Spokane. Can’t imagine that that was like.”
The Captain took a deep breath. “Bretz is doing well,” he replied. “I’ve given him a bit of downtime since all we’re really doing is cleanup and waiting. He’s a strong man, he’ll bounce back when the time comes.”
“He’s lucky to have you as a C.O.,” Copeland said. “Known some over the years that would have just told him to man up and throw him back to the wolves.”
Kersey shook his head, gaze darkening. “Well, you don’t have to worry about that under me.”
“So, who do I talk to about being permanently assigned to your group?” Copeland asked with a playful smirk.
The Captain chuckled. “I’ll put in the request with the General.”
“Appreciate that, Captain,” the Sergeant said with a warm smile.
Kowalski raised his ladle and waved at the Captain and the large dark-skinned Sergeant. “Hey Cap, come on over, get the best food you’re gonna find in this town!”
Johnson picked up his spoon and dropped some of the powdered egg back into his bowl with a grimace. “Be warned Cap, that’s a low bar to hurdle.”
Dead America The Third Week Box Set | Books 7-12 Page 35