“Are you good with your guns? Can you all shoot good?” Miles continued playing with the knife as he addressed the men but put the weapon down when he saw Castle watching him and nervously clutching his assault rifle.
Baker blinked slowly and cocked the HK416 assault rifle in his hands, “I think we’ll manage. Now c’mon, we gotta hurry. Let’s move!” Baker turned to the men behind him. They steeled themselves as they wrapped their heads around the idea of going outside.
Before the captain could head to the doorway to the inner store, Carver reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling Baker to the side. “Take Anderson with you, he needs to redeem himself from his past fuck ups.”
“Right.” Baker went to leave but the major pulled him close again.
Carver tilted his head just slightly to view the boys and lowered his already whispered words, “And make sure that those boys don’t come back… you understand captain?”
Baker eyed the two boys and nodded his understanding. “Yes sir.”
Carver coughed a hard cough and gave the captain a small grin. “Good man.” He was glad to see someone still understood the threat these two intruders presented to the compound and he knew he could trust in Captain Baker to handle the problem.
***
Inside the store, the usual routine was in full swing this morning. The community living in the store had gathered in the food court where breakfast was served and people would congregate. Children would find tables to sit by themselves and laugh and play. Parents would sit nearby, conversing about the plans for the rest of the day and complaining about the strife of warehouse superstore living. Couples shared their granola bars and Minute Maid instant lemonade while they romanced about shared alone time the night before or the opportunity for activities later. Ben and Burrows were taking laundry to the washing machines in home appliances, but the two stopped off to greet a former waiter who was helping prepare meals with Lesly in the kitchen.
“Mmm, the hash browns smell good,” Ben said with a smile when he saw the tray with more plates of the microwaveable breakfast food.
“Oh, hey Ben. Got a plate for you if you want.” The server returned the smile.
“Thanks but I don’t have the time right now. Maybe if there’s any leftover I’ll come get a plate.”
“Ok.” The server spun around, narrowly avoiding someone standing at their table.
“Can we hurry this up, Ben? This bag fucking stinks.” Burrows sat the black garbage bag of clothes on the floor and started waving his hand in front of his nose.
“Yeah. Let’s get going.” Ben took a moment and looked around the food court at all the smiling faces and the laughter among friends and family. He remembered walking from table to table in the morning to check with people on how their morning was going and if they needed anything. He had worked with Lesly on breakfast plans each day and would start planning the lunch for later in the afternoon. But that was when he was still a committee member. Things were different now. People still treated him with respect, and some wanted him to rejoin the committee, while others blamed him for what happened before and everything bad that’s happened since. When he saw Lance sitting alone at a table staring back at him, Ben swallowed and blinked rapidly before heading off with Burrows.
Across the food court, Lance looked down at the plate in front of him and couldn’t bring himself to eat the hash browns and chicken laid eggs. He saw Ben come to do his morning rounds and the smile on his face only made Lance lose his appetite. He hadn’t been very hungry lately anyway. Not since his wife Nicole went out with the search party that Ben and Carver put together. Lance didn’t like Nicole leaving the Costco but couldn’t bring himself to making an argument good enough to make her stay. He especially didn’t like that Franklin and his brother David went along.
Franklin and David ended up at the super store for refuge at the quarantine zone like everyone else. Carver appointed them to help with patrols and putting guns in those bastards’ hands only made them even more assholes. David made several advances towards Nicole and many of the other women in the community, feeling cocky about his new authority. It didn’t help that some women were actually attracted to his machismo, including Nicole. She denied anything happening, but all the talk around the store was enough to make Lance feel differently. Then she left with the bastard.
Now she was out there, thanks to Ben and Major Carver, who sent them out to look for people Ben tried to let in here. It all made Lance sick to his stomach. He shoved his plate aside and leaned back in his chair. He noticed people staring at something to his left and when he looked, he saw Captain Baker running through the store with several other soldiers and two young boys.
“What’s going on? Is that Captain Baker?” One of the onlookers spoke up.
“Hey is there a problem?” another spectator called out.
Lance stood and watched them and knew the rush meant something was wrong. Had the freaks outside broken in? Had the search party returned and ran into the monsters outside? And who were those two boys with Baker? The questions in Lance’s head were now being shouted out by people in the food court, trying to call to the captain and his men.
Continuing to run through the aisles, Captain Baker was deaf to the voices behind him, asking him to stop and explain what was going on. He didn’t have time to explain and he doubted anything he said would make anyone feel at ease. He didn’t have much of a gift of gab like the major, or Julia, or even Lesly who often reminded him of a politician’s wife. Baker was only good at issuing orders and following them through. No matter how difficult they might be. There was a shitload of infected outside and the thought of confronting them was frightening. Nevertheless, Baker had a job to do and he’d see it through.
“Wow, oh wow! Y’all got everything in here! Y’all got everything!” Miles shouted, and his head zipped back and forth, taking in everything on the shelves.
“Oh shit! They got Power Ranger armors and swords! Miles, look!” Antonio pointed off in the distance at a toy aisle where he could see the costumes, hanging from corners.
“Keep moving!” Baker yelled from the front and hit a corner so fast half his men kept running straight.
Miles and Antonio both managed to make the sharp left and continued after Baker. The other military men turned around to follow suit and they raced up the aisle with the two boys, who were moving fast. When Baker reached the air horns, Miles and Antonio pulled up right behind him; the boys taking stock of everything else in the aisle when they got the chance to look around again. The other soldiers arrived soon after, breathing hard and fighting to catch their breath.
Baker looked at the two boys, neither of them drained from the light jog like the rest of his men, and the captain scoffed at them and said, “Grab as many as you can carry and then we’ll go to the front door!”
Antonio grabbed two horns and stuffed them in the pouch of his sweatshirt. He took another and pressed the button, making the device scream in Miles’ face.
“Stoooppp!” Miles shouted and took a horn to blast in Antonio’s face.
The brothers went back and forth for a minute before Baker roared at them to stop. The boys exchanged a scolded look and pocketed the horns. When Baker and his men had grabbed all the small air horns from the shelf, he took off running for the front of the store. But the boys took off in the opposite direction, towards the back of the store.
“Where the hell are you two going?” Baker almost dropped down to aim his rifle at the boys.
“We need our armor!” Antonio called back.
“What the fuck. Lincoln, Bryant, go after them.”
Two of the soldiers went chasing the boys and the captain wet his lips before he turned on his heel and took off towards the front of the store.
Anderson stood up from his chair at the front door when he saw the captain. “Captain Baker?”
“Status?” Baker posed the question and ordered for the glass sliding doors to be opened so he could take a look for hi
mself.
There was a barricade of wooden panels on either side of the doors to reinforce the glass entrance and beyond that was the steal shutter—what was left of it—pulled down as a wonky barrier. The entrance to the Costco was smashed in and in shambles from the events of nearly two years ago. There was still glass and scorch marks on the floor where Major Carver had set off a grenade.
They managed to fix the steal shutters as best they could, but it was a hollow barrier just meant to deter the infected and any passing survivors. Still, it was a good first defense and Baker was thankful it was still standing, and the blockade had held since they first installed the wood frames. The air whistled through cracks and small openings in the wood and small slits in the shutter door that Baker used to view the outside.
“Uh, everything’s quiet here sir.” Anderson responded finally. “Nothing but a few of the slower freaks. I think they hear the hive in the back and are going around the store.”
“Alright. Get ready to open the shutter. Anderson, you’re with me. We’re going out to take care of that infected crowd at the back doors.”
Anderson’s eyes went wide with fear, “What? Si--sir?”
“Those kids said there’s some kind of madhouse going on back there and we have to lure them to the woods before they break in.” The captain looked past Anderson and saw Bates approaching with a woman; trying to impress her and show off his gun.
When Bates saw the captain, he was startled and jogged over to meet his commanding officer. “Sir?”
Baker glanced at the woman and she spun around to go the other way. “Get this door open and watch the entrance.” The captain ordered.
“Sir, you goin’ out there?” Bates looked eager and held his Adaptive Combat rifle tighter.
Back in the monitor room, Carver, Julia and Nadine were startled when Ben came rushing into the room, short of breath. “What the hell’s going on?” He was breathing hard and after all the running, he decided to walk to the monitor table.
“Things outside have turned worse,” Julia responded. “We’re sending the boys out to take care of it.”
“What?”
Then Miles and Antonio came charging in from the doorway and ran to the office to gather their equipment and gear to put on over the new clothes they put on this morning.
“What the hell are you two doing?” Carver shouted. “I thought you said you were going to handle those freaks outside!” He stomped his way to the office door. As he did, the two soldiers who had been following the boys showed up. “What the hell is going on Lincoln?” the major shouted again, but the big black man just shrugged and stammered in response.
“We goin’! We gotta put on our gear first!” Antonio was strapping his combat vest tight over his sweatshirt and put on the hood.
Miles kicked off the sneakers he was wearing and put on his steel-toed boots. The shorts and shirt weren’t as many layers as the boy was used to when he would go out and handle the infected, but at the moment he didn’t have time to accommodate for it. The bullet-proof vest, shin guards and pads on his elbows and knees would have to be enough and he’d just have to be careful. Antonio was better suited in his sweats but even he would have liked to put on another layer.
“You ready?” Antonio asked his brother.
“Yeah.” Miles finished tying his boots and they both pushed their way out the door and past Carver.
“Hurry the hell up! My men are already about to head out to go through with the plan you came up with!” Carver spit the words at them and went into a fit of coughing.
“Well tell ‘em we on the way and don’t do nothin’ stupid until we get there.” Antonio rolled his eyes as they headed towards the doorway to the store.
Miles stopped and turned around to the major. “Can I get my phone back?”
Carver wiped spittle from his chin and felt Julia’s eyes on his back. He reached in his pocket and pulled out the dead device. When he tossed it to Miles, the small boy caught it with glee and hurriedly put his earbuds back in his ears and connected them to the phone. They were gone and out the door as soon as it was done, with Lincoln and the other soldier following.
Ben tried to protest but his calls fell on deaf ears. “We can’t let them do this! We can’t let them go out there!” He pointed at the screen. “Look what’s going on out there!”
A loud bang from the back door reverberated in the monitor room. Nadine clutched her chest, feeling her heart pounding.
“If we don’t do something, what’s out there will be in here.” Julia crossed her arms. “The boys have a plan, and something has to be done.”
Now at the front of the store, Baker was waiting while Anderson and Castle used the chains on the side to pull up the steel shutter.
“Baker, sir, let me come with you,” Bates pleaded standing behind the captain. “I’ve been itching for the chance to get out there. Do somethin’ other than be a glorified security guard.” Bates of course was referring to the simple assignment of occasionally dealing with the infected, if they gathered outside the shutters. It was a cake walk compared to taking care of the hive at the back docks.
Baker scoffed at the comment. “You watch the door and protect the community as a whole. Your assignment is a bit more complex than that Bates.”
“I know, but please. I gotta go out there wit y’all. I can help!”
Baker looked Bates in the eye and measured him for a second. Bates was of the few actual soldiers the captain still had from his first platoon. There had been fifty when he was first stationed to protect the quarantine site at the store years ago. Now he only had seven real army men and five community members who wanted to carry a gun and help.
“He can take my place and I can stay here and watch the door for you guys.” Anderson said. He grunted as he pulled the chain with Castle and the door rose higher letting light shine in.
Contrary to his behavior, Anderson was also a fellow military man. However, after all they had been through and the horrors they had encountered, Anderson had gone soft and was a mess when it came to the infected. He never was much of a war dog or gung-ho type, but most recently, Anderson was becoming more of a coward than anything else. It made someone like Henry Castle look like Rambo in comparison. Castle wasn’t a soldier or wasn’t officially trained as one, but he took to taking orders like a true marine. Baker felt more at ease going out there with someone like Castle while he was uncertain about the major’s choice to bring Anderson on this task.
“Door’s almost open captain,” Castle yanked the chain to pull the door higher.
“That’s good. Anderson, Castle, Torrez… Bates, on me.” The captain could see Bates light up at the opportunity. “Rico, you stay here and watch the door. Bring down the shutter and close the sliding doors after you head back in.” Baker crouched down to slide under the shutter when he heard banging at the sliding doors behind him.
It was Antonio and Miles with Lincoln and Bryant. They were banging and calling for the doors to be opened. Baker sighed and motioned for someone to let the boys out then told Bryant to stay with Rico. Behind the brothers, a small crowd of the community members was starting to form, still trying to get answers to the questions they had. Baker had the glass doors slid back shut before hearing any more inquiries as to what he was doing.
“What the hell took you two so long?” Baker asked the boys.
“We had to go get ready. We had to… we had to go get ready.” Miles pounded his chest, slapping the heavy-duty vest he was wearing.
Baker regarded the extra layers of protection on the boys and was impressed. The captain took the gun from his waistband and gave it to Antonio. “Alright, you ready?”
“I want the Beretta!” Miles whined to his brother.
“Hell naw! I got the Beretta.” Antonio replied.
“C’mon, I want the gun. I want the gun. I’m a better shot than you anyway.”
“No you not. It’s only eight bullets in here anyway.”
“I want
it!”
“Miles! No!”
“Boys!” Baker shouted over the two and they both turned to him. He shook his head in frustration and the other men started sliding under the shutter door. Antonio and Miles went next and the captain followed.
For the first time in two days, the boys were outside and back in natural sunlight. They shielded their eyes but were ecstatic. They thrived on being outside. If Miles knew how to do a backflip, he would have. He made the attempt all the same and Antonio laughed when Miles put his hands on the pavement and just spun in a reverse circle. The army men watched them confused, then almost laughed with Antonio.
Baker went back to the door and bent down, “Rico, close the door and don’t open it again until you hear from me.”
Rico responded in the affirmative and lowered the shutter to the floor with Bryant’s help. When the captain turned around, he saw the boys kneeling and Miles was muttering a prayer.
“Thank you for the sky. And the air. And the sun. And thank you for us still being alive today lord God.” Miles spoke with his eyes closed. “Please watch over us… and the army guys. Watch over us and the army guys and protect us and don’t let the hive get us. Give us one more day,” the small boy whispered.
“Give us one more day,” Antonio breathed and stood to his feet.
The men watching were overcome with a religious vibe and Torrez crossed himself as he pulled a rosary from under his shirt and kissed it. Bates eyed the boys strangely but looked up to the sky hoping someone was up there watching them.
Captain Baker had long since given up on God. If God was still up there, he sure as hell wasn’t listening to any prayers. You could tell by looking around the parking lot at the lumbering infected freaks, still circling aimlessly; mutilated shells of their former selves.
There were still bodies littered everywhere, either decomposing or no more than lumps of rotten flesh that the infected hadn’t fully finished eating. Vacant cars around the parking lot were broken into or left abandoned while other vehicles like ambulances were ransacked for medical supplies. Tables, stretchers and gurneys were overturned where the quarantine check was once set up. The tents that still stood were torn and scorched and blackened from a long since burned out fire. Baker remembered the events that led to everyone fleeing into the store for refuge. It wasn’t God who kept them safe from the infected, it was the captain with his assault rifle, and Major Carver with his quick thinking.
Two Alive Page 15