by Tony Baker
“We had our butts saved is what happened,” Derrick replied. He looked toward the Phoenix as the Swift Boat passed. He could clearly see a man standing behind the water cannon at the bow of the boat and someone in the pilot house. As the Swift Boat passed, Derrick raised his arm and waved. The Phoenix gave two short blasts from its air horn and the water cannon shut down. Derrick glanced back toward the launch area. What he saw made his blood run cold. Hundreds of bodies crowded the edge of the launch, arms outstretched toward the Bay and the escaping men on the boat.
“Help me up, Derry,” Harry said, extending his hand. Derrick grasped the outstretched hand and helped him to his feet.
Harry was still a bit unsteady. “Wow, head rush,” he said as he gingerly touched the knot on the side of his head.
“That looks a bit painful,” Derrick said, indicating the goose egg.
“Yeah, but luckily my head is harder than that pavement,” Harry replied while reaching to where the radio mic should have been on his jump suit. Not finding it, he looked down toward the radio on his tactical belt. He saw what was left of the mic cord simply dangling from the obviously damaged radio. “That’s unfortunate,” Harry muttered.
“What?” Derrick asked.
“I must have landed hard on the radio back there. Ripped the mic from the cord. Smashed the hell out of the top, too,” Harry said as he removed the radio from its belt case and examined it.
“Here ya go, Harry,” Frank said as he made his way to the two men still standing at the bow of the boat and handed Harry his radio.
“Thanks, kid,” Harry said as he tossed the useless radio into a box at his feet while taking the operating radio being offered.
“Phil, this is Harry,” he said into the radio. “Man, we really owe you guys!”
“Glad to be of service. You know the San Francisco Fire Department has one of the quickest on-time responses in the Bay Area,” Phil replied with a laugh.
“You have sure proven that point clearly today, my friend. Seriously, thank you,” Harry said with deep sincerity.
“No problem, Harry. What’s our next move?” Phil asked.
“We head to Alcatraz. Break, Cecil, are you monitoring?” Harry said.
“Right here, Harry,” Cecil’s voice replaced Phil’s on the radio. “We’re already at the dock on the east side of the island and we have a problem here.”
Harry glanced to Derrick and Frank who were now both standing in front of him and said into the radio. “What do you mean, we have a problem?”
“There appears to already be some unwelcome inhabitants here. Please head over and we’ll decide what to do,” Cecil replied, frustration obvious in his voice.
Shaking his head, Harry could only imagine one thing that could create that tone in Cecil’s voice. “Copy that, Cecil. We’re on the way. Break. Phil, follow us over and be prepared to go to work again,” Harry said.
“10-4, Harry. Right behind you,” Phil responded
Harry looked back toward Bill at the controls and pointed toward Alcatraz. Then, using a chopping motion with his hand, he indicated that Bill should head toward the island. Bill nodded in acknowledgment. The diesel engine of the Phoenix come to life then, and the fireboat quickly caught up to the Swift Boat. All eyes were now on the island made famous in history as a prison and in numerous movies.
It took twenty minutes for the two boats to reach the eastern side of Alcatraz and the only dock to get onto the island. Harry saw the various boats from the marina bobbing in the wake of the Bay waters several hundred yards from the island. One boat was only about fifty yards from the dock, and he assumed that was Cecil’s.
“Phil, cut your engine and maintain a position here while we meet Cecil,” Harry said through the radio. The fireboat stopped and maintained a position just to the south of the dock and approximately a hundred yards out.
“Okay, Harry. We’ll stand by here,” Phil responded.
“Harry, this is Cecil. We’re the small speed boat up here. Pull up alongside us but don’t approach the dock. You’ll understand why as soon as you get closer,” Cecil’s voice came though the radio speaker.
33
Harry was now standing next to Bill as he began to maneuver the Swift Boat next to Cecil’s smaller boat. Harry had already seen activity around the dock and the shapes he had been watching became clearer as they neared the island. To his dismay, he watched as dozens of infected milled around the dock and upper landing.
Derrick turned toward Harry with a questioning look. Harry simply shrugged his shoulders. He had no idea what they were going to do now.
Bill quickly brought the Swift Boat alongside Cecil’s. They were close but still could not talk directly, so they continued to use the radios.
“This is not good. We counted about fifty of those things up there,” Cecil said calmly through the radio Harry held. “Even with the weapons we have, I think we would have a difficult time clearing them out enough to land.”
Harry had not taken his eyes off the small horde that now nearly covered the small dock. The activity from the Swift Boat had garnered their full attention. He could not hear them from this distance, but he was certain the moaning they emitted must be attracting other infected from the area.
Harry’s thoughts were a jumble. He had not thought past this point in his plan. Alcatraz had seemed to be the most logical location to find safety. It was apparent that others had thought the same. Maybe these were people who had made it to the island seeking a safe haven. They could have run into a group of infected when they arrived, and as in Cecil’s group on the marina, the infection spread before it could be contained.
Derrick and Frank were now standing next to Harry staring at the dock. Frank was looking through binoculars, scanning the area.
“They’re definitely infected,” he said “I also see several in the windows of the building directly above the dock.”
“I don’t think we can handle this, Harry. There are just too damn many of the things,” Derrick said.
“I agree.” Harry took the binocs from Frank and brought the dock and surrounding area to closer view. “They seem to be coming out of the woodwork.”
Harry handed the binocs back to Frank and turned to look toward Cecil to find out what he suggested. But like an elephant in the room not previously noticed, something caught his eye – a large land mass to the north of their location. Another island he knew well, but for whatever reason had not considered. A large island which, like Alcatraz, sat in the Bay, isolated and only accessible by boat. Angel Island.
Harry had been to the island many times over the years. He enjoyed the feeling of wilderness so close to the city. This island was a tourist destination as well, but he could still find solitude on the many trails that spanned the large island. With sadness once again surrounding him like the fog they now sat in, he remembered the many times he had taken his nephew to the island to spend a day exploring. He’d delighted in his young nephew’s reaction to the history of the island. Harry once again felt the urgency to get these people somewhere safe so that he could go find his own family.
Shaking himself out of the funk he was swimming in, he radioed Cecil. “I think we need to bypass Alcatraz. We don’t need to risk the lives of these people trying to clear the island. We might be able to do it, but at a cost I am not willing to gamble.”
Cecil replied immediately and said, “I agree completely, Harry. But we can’t just float around the Bay.”
“Agreed. But I think we may have another option. Look to the north at that large land mass. That’s actually an island, Angel Island, and frankly I think it would offer a better location for us than Alcatraz. There is only one way that I know of to get onto the island and that is Ayala Cove. It has several boat docks we can tie up to, and offers a much larger area should we run into the infected. Along with many buildings that could be used for housing, there’s also a Coast Guard Station on the point to your right. Point Bunt. Not sure if anyone is still mann
ing it, but there might be additional supplies that could be secured.”
Harry saw Cecil turn and look, then heard his voice reply through the radio. “I think we have no other option right now. Speaking of the Coast Guard, have you heard anything from them or if they are still in the area?”
“No idea. I made contact with the chief of police before we headed to the marina. He said the Coast Guard was still here but we don’t have the radio equipment to make contact.” Harry glanced to Frank who was shaking his head, confirming what he had just said, and then continued relaying the information to Cecil. “The chief said they were trying to secure the Oakland Port the last time they had been in contact. I got the impression that they were not to be messed with.”
“We haven’t seen anything of them as well,” Cecil replied after a few moments. “Not even helicopters. I wish there was a way to contact them. They have to be able to provide help in some manner.”
“Here again, I don’t know, Cecil,” Harry said. “Maybe we can find radio equipment at that Coast Guard station once we get these people on the island.”
The moment Harry released the transmit button, a female voice came over the small radio speaker he held in his hand. “Mr. Lancaster, this is the Coast Guard Cutter Tern. Please stand by one for the Captain.”
Harry could not believe it. He looked to Derrick and Frank who both stood with mouths open, looking first at him, then at the radio in his hand.
“Officer Lancaster, this is William Overton. I’m the captain of the Tern and in overall operational command of the military assets in the area. That is, what is left of the military assets here, which is not much.” Overton sounded tired, his voice tinny through the small radio speaker.
“Captain Overton, I can’t tell you how happy we are to make contact!” Harry said with relief. Here was someone to take the responsibility of people’s lives off his own shoulders. He quickly reported what had happened up to that point, including what they had seen in San Francisco and the infected they had found on Alcatraz. “If you could give us instructions as to where you would like us to go, we can get started right away,” Harry concluded.
“I understand your situation, Officer Lancaster. We’ve been monitoring your radio communication since you left your station,” Captain Overton began. “To answer your last statement first, we are not going to meet. At least not at the moment. You should continue with whatever plans you have, and I would agree that Angel Island is a good place to secure if you can. We are well aware that Alcatraz is overrun. We did a few flybys of the island at the onset of this mess and were able to determine that fact. I don’t have the time to explain everything to you in detail, so I need you to listen very carefully.
“I have been ordered to secure the Port of Oakland by the military command in Southern California. They think the Port contains supplies that will be vital in the weeks to come. Personally I think it’s a clusterfuck, but I am not in a position to question orders at this time. What I do know is that I have lost nearly half of my crew since the shit hit the fan and can barely hold what we have here, let alone help others. I realize that sounds harsh. This goes completely against everything I believe as an officer and a human being, but I have little choice at the moment. I refuse to lose any more of my people engaging in fruitless actions and putting those I have left at further risk.”
Overton went silent for a moment, although Harry could tell the transmission button was still open on the captain’s side, not allowing him to ask the questions that were quickly forming. Harry was reeling from what had been said thus far, but could only wait for Overton to continue.
“Treasure Island is also completely overrun,” Overton finally said. “I had ordered the entrances off the Bay Bridge blown once it was determined we could not screen the people coming in. But it was too late by then. Too many of the infected had gotten into the refugee camp that had been established, and it fell to them quickly. We think there may be a small group of National Guard that has survived. We lost contact with them, so cannot confirm their status at the moment. The last communication we received said they were barricaded in an apartment building on the west edge of the island. That was two days ago and we have heard nothing since.
“I have confirmation of one other fact that I regret to pass along. Chief Ekers and those with him are presumed dead, and the Hall of Justice is teeming with the infected. There was a short radio transmission from his group reporting a breach, and we were unable to make contact afterward. We still maintain very limited satellite imagery access and have been monitoring San Francisco along with the surrounding areas. I was given a set of photos not an hour ago from the last flyover of San Francisco by the satellite. Those photos clearly show the infected in and around the Hall. You may find some consolation in the fact the streets surrounding the building are littered with bodies. Chief Ekers and his men had obviously taken out hundreds of those things. My sincere condolences, Officer Lancaster.” Overton paused once again, leaving the mic open.
Harry could not get his head around the news he’d been given. He had just spoken with the chief a few hours ago, and now his friend was gone, along with many others Harry had known. The coldness of these facts chilled him more than the damp fog that surrounded him.
“I want to make one other thing perfectly clear, Officer Lancaster, and you should pass it along to those with you,” Overton said in a commanding manner. “Do not attempt to sail past the Bay Bridge nor approach my ship. You and those with you are to remain on the west side of the Bridge. We do not have the time nor the resources to screen for the infection, and as I said earlier I am not going to put my people at further risk. If anyone attempts to approach this ship I will blow them out of the water.
“History will judge my actions accordingly, Lieutenant, but right now I intend to make certain my people survive this mess to the best of my ability and experience. There will come a time, God willing and hopefully in the near future, that we can all reclaim our humanity. But for the time being we have been thrown back into the dark ages, replete with the ugliness that I have come to realize was necessary during that period. I consider myself a fair and good man, sir, proudly serving this country for the better part of thirty years. I do not take lightly the decisions I have made nor the orders I have issued, but my resolve is absolute.
“I realize you must have many questions but frankly I have very little in the way of answers for you at the moment. I can confirm some pertinent information that may prove useful however. This infection was the creation of a terrorist group and was released worldwide in a coordinated attack, and yes, from all indications every part of this globe has now been affected. It was some sort of mutated viral rabies strain. The name of that group and their reasons for the attack is really a moot point now.
“There were many people who were immune to the virus when initially delivered, but apparently it has mutated again. Those initially immune can now contract the infection. Scratches and bites from those already infected is the method of transmission. I believe that is what happened on Treasure Island.
“As for the United States, it is in total anarchy and it has been confirmed that the infected are in every part of the country. Large cities like San Francisco are teeming with the things, but smaller towns have not fared any better. The military and local law enforcement agencies are splintered at best, or simply nonexistent at worst. There has been little to no contact with Washington D.C. and I am not certain if there is a structured government remaining. The military command element in Southern California seems to be the only governmental authority right now. At least on the West Coast.”
Overton broke off, the sounds of small weapons and machinegun fire in the background. With the radio still open on Overton’s side, Harry could hear this very clearly along with the captain giving orders.
“Concentrate fire to the west of that dock!” Overton said. “Don’t let those damn things get any closer!”
The heavy gunfire continued for almost a full
minute. It sounded as if dozens of weapons were being fired at once. Finally Harry heard someone shouting, “CEASE FIRE! CEASE FIRE!” Then silence.
Harry was looking at the deck of the Swift Boat while listening to the radio, a deep frown creasing his face. He could not transmit to the Tern, so all he could do was continue to listen and wait.
“Sorry for the interruption, Lieutenant,” Overton finally said. “We had a breach in one of the barriers we constructed and those things were pouring through. I need to attend to that momentarily.
“I apologize for this one-sided conversation but frankly I do not have the time to get into a drawn-out discussion right now. But I thought you deserved to get what little information I have. Find somewhere to secure and keep your heads down. Don’t allow people you do not know to join your group.” Overton could be heard taking a deep breath and slowly releasing it. “You should understand that you are on your own for now. There isn’t anyone coming to help you. Do what you have to do to stay alive, Officer Lancaster! That’s all any of us can hope to accomplish for now. Survive and hope that humanity will rise from the ashes. God speed and good luck to you, sir. Luck to us all.”
With that, the radio transmission with the Tern went silent. “Captain Overton?” Harry said into the radio. “Overton, do you copy?” The radio remained quiet.
34
“What the hell is this, Harry?” Derrick said angrily. “They can’t just leave us out here! What the hell are we supposed to do now?”
Harry’s own frustration had grown with each passing moment as Overton had spoken. How indeed could anyone comprehend being left to defend against the chaos that had befallen humanity? Harry turned to face Derrick, Frank, and Bill. They were looking to him as if he had the answers.
“Harry, we heard what Overton had to say,” Cecil’s voice came through the radio. “I do not agree with the captain completely, but I understand his position. Would probably do the same thing if I were forced to do so. Be that as it may, we have people here we need to help. I’m an old man well past my prime, but give the word and I’ll do my best to heed at least part of what Overton said. Stay alive and help as many folks as possible to do the same thing. You up for that, Lieutenant?”