Dark Days (Book 1): The Collapse

by Davis, James

  “Where the hell did you get enough shipping containers to build this place and how long did it take to build?” Jim asked, marveling as he looked around. Dub chuckled then a sadness washed over his face, as he explained that the bunker was his entirely his wife’s idea.

  “Where is this lucky lady? I’d love to meet her.” Jim said with a smile. He looked over at Dub, who had a somber expression on his face.

  “She died a few years ago. Me and the boys finished this place to honor her memory.” Dub replied in a shaky voice.

  “Shit Dub, I’m sorry. I didn’t…” Dub stopped him.

  “It’s ok. You haven’t done anything wrong so just stop that right now. Now let’s get in here and start planning the asswhooping we’re going execute on those bastards at Camp Davridge!” Dub said pointing toward the kitchen. Jim shook his head and headed to the kitchen. As he passed Dub he patted him on the back and said.

  “You’re a crazy old coot!”

  “You’re damn right I am!” Dub replied with a chuckle. Clay saw this and got mad.

  “Now wait just a damn minute! Why is it that he just called you old and you didn’t smack the hell out of him, but if that would have been me, you would have smacked the living shit out of me?” Clay asked in an angry tone.

  “First of all, you best watch your tone with me boy, and to answer your question, I like Jim.” Dub replied. A smile plastered on his and Jim’s faces. Clay stood there with his jaw hanging open. He started to say something, but Dub shut him down.

  “Just sit down and shut up. We don’t have time for your shenanigans today!” Clay tried to come up with a witty comeback, but he had nothing. After they were all seated around the table Dub spoke first.

  “Alright y'all listen up, we were able to get some intel on the inside of the base. Jeff and Randy spent some time out there scoping the place out from a distance and they actually came up with a pretty decent map of the grounds. It’s a pretty standard set up inside so we should be able to get in with little to no problems.

  Now once we’re inside that’s a whole different story. We will be outnumbered and outgunned. Our best estimates put the fighting population of Davridge around five to six hundred, but a lot of those guys will be either out on scouting missions or in their bunks till their shifts start. We figure we’ll have around two hundred up and moving around the camp most of the time. Some of them are guarding gates and towers and others are a roaming patrol.

  We’re sending in Clay and Hank first so they can try to get Karen and Ash out before the bullets start flying. If they don’t get out before that happens, our job is to make sure they have plenty of cover fire to get to safety. Once the women are out Clay and Hank will return to join us on the front line. Anyone have any questions so far?” Dub asked, looking around the room at each person. No one spoke up so he continued.

  “Here’s a rough map of how the inside is set up.” Dub said, standing up and spreading a large sheet of paper across the table. The map was a crude drawing of a square with smaller squares drawn inside which represented buildings and houses. Each square had a name written inside to label what type of building it was. Smaller rectangles were placed in various spots representing the vehicles parked around the base. Each of those were labeled with the type of vehicle it was. Small stick men were drawn around the map to show where guards were stationed. Some of the stick men had an arrow drawn next to them to indicate a roaming guard and the way the guard normally travelled.

  The front and back of the map had gaps in the wall area showing where each entrance was and all around the edge and inside of the map were small circles indicating either blindspots, easy entrance spots, possible ambush sections, and where all the fatal choke points would be.

  “Now I know y’all weren’t expecting a map drawn by Emma and Toby in crayon and Sharpies, but this is the best we could come up with on short notice.” Dub said, getting a chuckle out of everyone in the room.

  “So now that we have an idea of the layout inside the fence we need to get to work on this infiltration plan.” Jim stood up and walked around the table staring at the crude map. After a few laps around he stopped and placed his left arm across his stomach and held his chin in his right hand.

  “Ok, I want three teams to enter through the front gate with two sniper teams on overwatch behind them. The sniper teams will put down the enemy guards at the gate before the teams approach. I want those towers clear before we hit the gates. Once the guards are neutralized, Team One take will take down that gate. Once it's open, Teams Two and Three will advance forward and take up defensive positions inside." Jim paused, looking around the table.

  "We're gonna send two teams through the back." he said pointing to a gap at the back of Dub's map that represented the rear entrance.

  "Take out the guards and move in. The first team will secure the gate, the second team will go in quick and get the prisoners. Which are here." he finished, tapping a square just inside the back entrance labeled 'prison'.

  Hank stood up and leaned over the table examining the map "How many guards can we expect to run into in there?" he asked.

  Dub shook his head.

  "Not sure son, they didn't get a lot of intel on that one, but there were soldiers coming and going almost constantly."

  "Don't worry about that, I'll send five of my best men. We'll take care of the soldiers outside and they'll get your girls out unharmed. Now there are going to be a lot of civilians in here. We're gonna try to avoid their casualties as much as possible. Only shoot those who intend to shoot you. Anyone got any questions now?” Jim asked, looking around the room to meet each person's eyes. No one asked any questions or objected to the plan.

  "Good." Jim said, straightening up.

  "Get your rest girls, I'll brief my men. We'll have your people back in time for breakfast."

  "Thanks Captain." Dub said, standing from his chair and shaking Jim's hand.

  "Don't mention it Stanton, I told you we take care of our own. We still have some things to talk about when we're done here."

  Dub nodded his head.

  "You bet we do. Come on, I'll drive ya back to your camp."

  Chapter 24

  Jim woke early as he always did and got dressed in his battle fatigues. He left his personal quarters and headed for the makeshift kitchen area for breakfast. His men were already up making breakfast for the troops when he walked in. He grabbed a plate of powdered eggs, pancakes, and two links of sausage, then stepped over to the next table that had coffee. He quickly grabbed a cup and headed to his seat next to the rest of his troops. They had all made it in not long after Jim had gotten back from Dub’s. They had already set up the entire camp by the time he went to bed.

  As Jim sat enjoying his meal he could hear a low voice speaking to him over his radio. He realized it was his radio and grabbed it from his belt. He turned the volume up and Dub's voice could be heard.

  “This is Captain Jim, go ahead.” Jim said.

  “You get your lazy ass up out of that bed yet? It’s 0430 and those pricks at Davridge ain’t gonna kill themselves!” Dub replied.

  “Yeah, we’re all up having breakfast. You and your boys up and ready to go?” Jim asked.

  “Yep we’re all up and walking out the door now. Once we get done kicking some Davridge ass I want you and your boys to hightail it back to the airport and wait on us. Me and the boys got a surprise for you fellers. Just a small token of our appreciation for all your help.” Dub said.

  “Dub you don’t have to…” Jim started, but was cut off by Dub.

  “I won’t hear that nonsense Captain. Now you just make sure you boys are hungry and ready to eat after this is all done.” Jim smiled and shook his head,

  “Alright then. Should I let my guys know?” Jim asked.

  “No, let them be surprised. I’m sure they could all use a good surprise especially after the fight we’re going into today.” Dub replied.

  “You’re not wrong. Anyway, I'm going to get bac
k to my breakfast now. I’ll see you guys in a little bit.” Jim stated, and then clipped his radio back on his belt. He finished his breakfast and headed to the bathroom for his morning ritual.

  Twenty minutes later he stepped out of the bathroom and into the cool morning air. He headed back over to the mess hall for a refill of coffee when he spotted Dub and Clay standing off to the side of the tent having a cigarette.

  “Morning fellers. Y’all get some breakfast?” Jim asked, pulling out a fat cigar and biting the end off of it.

  “Yeah we did, cause this one and his brother were both crying about not getting to eat breakfast before we left the house.” Dub replied pointing a finger at Clay.

  “I seem to remember that it was you pissing and moaning about breakfast, ya damn biscuit head!” Clay said, with a chuckle. Dub raised his hand like he was going to backhand Clay but was interrupted by Hank exiting the tent.

  "You boys ready for this fight?” Hank asked.

  Clay held out a mangled pack of cigarettes that he had bought the day the lights went out. Hank hastily accepted, retrieving a lighter from his pocket, and taking a deep hit.

  "Just about." Jim replied as his soldiers began exiting their tents and gathering on the runway ready to be briefed on the mission.

  Jim walked toward the large group of soldiers, motioning for the men to follow. The chatter died down and the soldiers fell silent, snapping to attention as the Captain made his way to stand in front of them. He paced back and forth a few times looking over his men before turning to address them.

  "I'm not going to bore you all with too much sentiment, we'll save that for your mamas. You all know why we're here, and you know what we have to do. This is what we signed up for. This is what we've prepared for. Playtime is long over; it's time to make a real difference. Certain people thought they could abuse their power and we wouldn't notice, or maybe they just thought no one would stand up. They forgot one thing though, didn't they? They forgot that that we took an oath, all of us. An oath to defend this great country against all enemies foreign and domestic. That sounds like it includes the president himself doesn't it? We have a duty to protect the people of this country from anyone who might do them harm. I take that duty very seriously. How about you?” Jim paused, looking out at his soldiers.

  "Hell yeah, I do!" A voice shouted from the crowd. The army erupted in cheers and shouts, confirming that every soldier there held the same sentiment.

  “That's what I like to hear. They didn't count on us to bring the fight right to their front door. They didn't expect us to fight for our country, that's gonna be their biggest mistake, because this will not be our last battle. We will march proudly across this country shoving our boots up the ass of anyone who stands in our way! We will take back this country. Then you know what we're gonna do? We're gonna head to Washington D.C., we're gonna march right up to the front door of the White House and we're gonna ring the doorbell and we'll say,

  ‘Good morning Mr. President, bend on over, it's time to reap what you sow.’ That sound like a plan?"

  Once again the men gathered in formation cheered and shouted as Jim gave his speech. He waited for them to calm down before continuing.

  "Our snipers are already in place and they're the best we've got, so we're in good hands. The rest of us will be kicking ass and taking names on the front lines. As you are all aware, I will be right up front with you. As your commanding officer I refuse to sit in the back while the rest of you have all the fun. It is an absolute honor to lead each and every one of you into battle. Now if you're all good let’s move out! It’s time for us to save this goddamn country!"

  The group of soldiers erupted with cheers and whistles as they headed toward the waiting trucks.

  Dub hopped into the driver's seat of the bus and was joined by Jim in the passenger seat. Randy and Clay hopped in and took positions at the 50 cals. The remaining seats were filled with soldiers. Dub started the engine and hit the gas, leading the convoy of trucks toward their destination. Forty-five minutes later the convoy came to a stop in the road. Jim grabbed his radio and pressed the button and spoke.

  "In position."

  Several moments passed before a series of gunshots rang out in the distance. "North towers clear," a man's voice came from Jim's radio

  "South towers clear," a second voice said over the radio.

  "Showtime." Jim said to Dub, clipping his radio back onto his belt. Dub hit the gas and the bus lurched forward. Jim sank back into his seat as they covered the last mile and a half in record time.

  "Hold on to your asses!" Dub shouted as they approached the front gate pushing the pedal to the floor. They hit the gate at full speed, crumpling it like an empty beer can. The monster bus skidded to a stop, allowing Clay and Randy to light up the morning with a non-stop barrage of fifty caliber bullets.

  Sirens began to blare and soldiers scrambled to take cover, enemy soldiers poured from the barracks and began firing on the intruders. The back door of the bus swung open and soldiers piled out like a massive metal Trojan horse. Hank ran full speed toward a concrete barrier and dove through the air landing on the other side right as a barrage of bullets blasted into the back of it.

  He brought up his rifle and joined in on the assault taking down two approaching enemies that were trying to flank the bus. Clay and Randy waved the 50’s back and forth, mowing down enemy soldiers one after another, until Clay dropped down out of the turret and motioned for one of the other soldiers to take his place as he dove out of the back of the bus and crawled over to Hank. Bullets peppered the ground around the edges of the barrier until Hank quickly leaned out and fired a three round burst, catching the enemy in the chest and throat. Blood spurted out of the man's throat with each beat of his dying heart.

  “Damn fine shot!” Clay shouted over the cacophony of gunfire. Hank looked at Clay and pointed two fingers to the building directly across from them followed by a three count. They both got up and sprinted across.

  "RPG!" Clay shouted as the unmistakable shockwave filled his ears. He and Hank ducked back behind cover just before the explosion shook the ground sending debris and any soldiers unfortunate enough to be in the blast radius flying through the air. Clay peeked from his position and spotted two men perched atop a building currently reloading an RPG. He aimed his rifle and fired a burst toward the men. Every round ricocheted off of the metal roof. The men dove for cover as Clay ducked back behind his own.

  "Up there on top of the PX. " Clay said.

  Hank nodded.

  "Cover me." he replied readying his rifle. Clay leaned out and fired another long burst toward the top of the store. Hank waited a second before stepping out and sprinting toward the building. The deafening sound of the RPG being fired again drowned out all sound of the gunfire for a moment.

  "HANK!" He heard Clay shout as an explosion nearby overtook the sound of his brother's voice. Hank suddenly found himself flying through the air. He landed some feet away in a crumpled heap, his head was pounding, and his body hurt, the only sound he could clearly make out was the ringing inside his own head. He struggled to focus his vision as he attempted to clamber to his feet. He collapsed, consciousness slowly fading away, right as everything seemed to dim he was almost certain he could make out multiple sets of footsteps drawing closer.

  "I got him." He heard a voice say. The ringing in his ears was constant, but he could faintly hear the sounds of all out warfare blasting off all around him. He blinked his eyes a few times, still failing to make any sense from the blur of movement around him. A hand grasped his shirt and he was suddenly moving. Someone was dragging him. The blurry vision slowly separated into individuals and he could almost make out the scene before him as he was dragged away. Panic set in and he began to struggle to get away from his captor. He reached for his knife, grasping at his hip, but finding only an empty sheath.

  "Calm down boy. Yer alright." A familiar voice said. Hank jerked around to stare at the blurs crouched above him. He blinke
d, trying to focus more, a long white beard and green trucker hat slid into place next to a much younger version of the man.

  "Dub? Randy?" he asked quizzically.

  “Well, it damn sure ain't yer daddy boy." Dub replied, helping Hank up to his knees. Randy chuckled at this.

  "Where's Clay?"

  "Out there kicking ass and taking names, let's give him some cover." Dub handed Hank his rifle before raising his own and popping up over the concrete slab and firing a few rounds. Hank leaned on the barrier and peered through his scope, spotting the two men on top of the PX preparing to fire another rocket.

  He noticed Clay and watched as he pulled himself up onto the roof behind the two men. Clay ran full force as the men turned to aim the RPG. He quickly reached the two men, slamming his elbow into the back of the first man's head. The man dropped his weapon and toppled forward, falling from his spot on the roof and landing on the ground below. The second soldier turned to face his attacker as Clay plowed into him, landing on top of him and moving up to a full mount.

  Hank watched anxiously as his brother jammed each of his thumbs into the enemy soldier’s eye sockets. Blood squirted from around his thumbs and a gut-wrenching scream could be heard even over the cacophony of battle sounds. Hank looked on, mesmerized as Clay stood up, drew his pistol, and fired three shots into the man's skull. The crack of gunfire next to him startled him as Dub expertly placed three rounds into the back of the first soldier who had somehow managed to get to his feet. Clay fell in next to them as bullets smashed into the buildings around them.

  “Reloading!” Clay shouted as he dropped down to a knee and ripped the spent mag out, dropping it in the empty bag. Tearing a fresh mag from his vest, he shoved it in and slammed the bolt home. He smacked the forward assist once and scrambled to his feet just as Dub shouted that he was now reloading. The three men took steady measured shots, clearing the way of enemy soldiers.

  “Hank, Randy, stay on my six. We’re going to that building over there. That’s where they took Ash and Karen when we busted the kids out. Dub, watch our asses till we get inside then circle back to Jim, see if he needs any support.” Clay said, as he shoved in another fresh mag.