The Blastlands Saga

by DK Williamson

  “Some guys get the glow paint put on their watches, but you gotta find a jeweler to do that. You could use a flashlight, but I’d advise against it unless it’s an emergency or stealth isn’t important. You can see a light or a fire from miles away.”

  “Do we have a flashlight?” Ralph asked.

  “I brought two of them,” Brian said. “In my rucksack if we need them. I don’t carry one unless I absolutely need it. Learned my lesson last summer. I had the lead-acid battery in my back pocket and came down on it dodging bullets some rads were throwing our way. Battery case cracked. For a short while I forgot all about the bullets,” he said, cracking a smile.

  . . . . .

  The group ate supper about an hour before dark, then got settled in for the night, which would proved to be as uneventful as the day before.

  A little before 2300, Ralph shook Jack awake and whispered, “You’re on watch.”

  Jack mumbled an acknowledgment as he sat up and put on his boots. There was just enough starlight to navigate to Sean without stepping on anyone. “Anything going on?” Jack asked quietly as he set his rifle down.

  “I don’t know, I’ve been sleeping.” Sean whispered.

  “What?”

  “Just kidding, Ralph said that to me when I came on watch, and I said the same thing you did. Helped me wake up. Nothin’ going on. There is a whip-poor-will calling though.”

  “You sure it’s not raiders talking in code?” Jack said in jest.

  “You don’t think... oh it’s a joke. You ever get tired of picking on the dumb guy?”

  “I would if there was a dumb guy here.”

  Sean stifled a laugh. “Say, how much medical training do you have?”

  “Not much. A little bit in school, some with the militia, but mostly just what we learned here in training. You?”

  “Same here. I was wondering if we had anyone with more training on our team here, you know in case something serious happened. The other team has Lewis, she has quite a bit of training doesn’t she?” Sean asked.

  “Yeah, she told me she spent a couple of years working with a medico of some kind down in Fateville. I think Brian has a bit of extra training.”

  “You speak with her pretty often don’t you?”

  “Jennifer? Yeah, I suppose so.”

  “How well do you know her now?”

  “I’m not really sure. You have a conversation here and there, but we’re so busy...” Jack’s whisper trailed off.

  “Yeah, I get you. You’ve known Amanda since you were kids, right?” Sean inquired.

  “Ah yes, you and your sly pursuit of Amanda.”

  “You know?”

  “I’m dense about such things with regards to me, Sean. I’m not blind.”

  “You and her aren’t, you know...”

  “No. We’ve been friends for almost twenty years. That would be like dating my sister.”

  “Okay. Well, about Amanda...”

  You know what she’d do to us if I told you the wrong thing and you let it slip?”

  “Something violent?”

  “Yeah, and painful, and probably loud.”

  “So giving me intel is out?”

  “I wouldn’t go that far, but I think you are doing okay so far. Just be yourself.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Look, she already likes you. She didn’t say anything, but I know her. You tell her I said that and we’ll be lucky to survive. Just keep doing whatever you’re doing.”

  “I don’t really know what I’m doing, Jack. Women confuse the hell outta me,” Sean said.

  “Join the club,” Jack replied.

  . . . . .

  A few minutes after midnight Amanda came on watch, taking over for Sean. “Mornin’ sleepy-head,” Jack whispered.

  “I can do without the cheery crap, Jack. I had the first hour of watch and went to bed three hours ago. Now I’m up again. Anything going on?”

  “Not much.”

  “What did you and Sean talk about?”

  “Whip-poor-wills mostly.”

  “Okay...”

  “They are a most fascinating bird. Did you know—”

  “Jack,” Amanda hissed, “do not tell me you two discussed me.”

  “Okay, I won’t.”

  “You didn’t!”

  “Have it your way,” Jack said with a smile.

  “Did he say something about me?”

  “I’m not at liberty to discuss—”

  “I did mention I am short on sleep, right?” she threatened.

  “I seem to recall that. Let me just say this, it is my opinion that Sean possesses some interest in a certain female trainee...” he paused until he could see Amanda glaring in the dim light, “perky, brainy, blonde, and easily irritable.”

  “Why doesn’t he say something? And what do you mean easily irritable?”

  “I imagine he is a little unsure. You’re not an easy person to understand, you know. You scare people,” he said with a smile. “I say easily irritable because I’ve only had three hours sleep and have been up for over an hour, and am apparently quite cheery, according to you. Maybe you should talk with Sean.”

  “If we ever get the time, I will. You might have a chat with a certain tall, brunette, female trainee yourself, Jack.”

  “I know, but I’m not as bold as you. I’m not sure where we stand.”

  “Jack, she’s truly interested. Just keep doing what you’re doing.”

  Now where have I heard that before? Jack thought. “Thanks for the advice, Amanda.”

  “What are friends for?”

  . . . . .

  Not long after morning broke, the group began packing things up in anticipation of the move back to Geneva.

  Jack was on watch, scanning the distance with binoculars. About 250 yards out, he picked up movement behind some trees. A biped, headed to the northwest.

  Jack reported it to Ranger West.

  All of the group came over to see.

  “You think you could hit it from here?” Sean asked.

  “Sure he could,” Amanda answered as Jack opened his mouth to speak.

  “But should I, that’s the question,” Jack said.

  “I don’t think so,” Ralph said.

  Ranger West smiled. “Why is that?”

  “We’re observing. A rifle shot would tell anyone around where we are,” Ralph said.

  “Right,” West replied. “Any other reasons?”

  “The biped is headed toward rad territory, not the Freelands,” Jack said. “Besides, trying to hit the sweet spot on a moving biped with an AKM at that range would be tough.”

  “Good,” West said. “What would happen if Jack missed?”

  “We’d have a biped coming to visit, right?” Sean said.

  Brian nodded.

  “What if there were merchants or salvagers out here? Wouldn’t it be better to get the alien to come at Rangers rather than wait and see if it goes after someone else?” Amanda asked.

  “Probably,” Brian said with a nod. “It would be a judgment call, but if someone has to be at risk, it’s best if it’s Rangers.”

  The biped moved out of sight and the Rangers returned to their preparations to leave.

  Before their move the team covered any sign they had been there.

  At 1000 they got the call to return to HQ over the TROG. Brian tasked Amanda with carrying and operating the device on the return trip.

  “I am going to lead us out in a single file,” Ranger West said, “Jack follows me, then Amanda, Ralph, and Sean as tail-end Charlie. Keep space between each other and keep tabs on one another. Hand signals and whispers for communication, you know the drill. Stay quiet and keep your eyes and ears open. Everybody set?”

  All four trainees nodded and Brian led out. They moved south through brush and trees, paralleling a road that was on their left with a creek to their right. About two hundred yards into their trip, they heard something crashing through the brush to the east,
then voices. Men yelling at one another followed by a rifle shot, then more shots.

  Ranger West signaled the trainees to follow him, then he was up and moving west across the small creek and toward the rail bed slightly to the northwest, with the trainees close behind. As they neared the railroad tracks he went prone as did the trainees.

  The shooting had ceased, but the sound of people moving quickly through the trees was audible, coming toward the group. Within the trees, there was a glimpse of movement.

  “Raiders,” Brian whispered as he observed through a pair of binoculars, “being chased by rads. Hays, get on the radio and tell them what we have,” he said as he continued watching through the optics.

  “Damn! They’re headed right at us. We’re going over the rail bed and use it for cover, follow me,” he said as he got to his feet.

  As Brian turned toward the railroad, shots rang out, some rounds buzzing overhead, while others burrowed into the rail embankment nearby. Brian fell and cried out in pain grasping his left leg at the knee.

  “What do we do?” exclaimed Amanda.

  “We do just what he said,” Jack replied, “we go over the tracks and fight from there. Ralph, Sean get up there and cover me. You too, Amanda. See if you can get us some help. I got West.”

  Jack grabbed Ranger West by the back of his load-bearing gear saying, “Sorry, Brian. This is gonna hurt,” and dragged him up the embankment to the other side while Sean and Ralph fired at the raiders. Beyond the raiders the rads could be seen moving back into the trees.

  “How bad are you hit? Let me patch you up,” Jack said as he bent to look at Brian’s leg. Amanda could be heard talking on the radio in the background as the gunfire continued.

  “I’ll take care of it,” Brian said grimacing, “you get up there and shoot.”

  Jack nodded and headed to the top of the embankment.

  Sean pointed slightly to the left and yelled, “Over there!”

  Jack looked to the left and could see figures in the trees about 150 yards away moving toward them. Farther left there were more raiders moving for the embankment.

  “They’re trying to flank us.” Jack yelled. “Keep the guys in front under fire. I’ll try and deal with the left.”

  “No,” shouted Ranger West as he crawled up the embankment with his rifle, “Trahearn, you go with him.”

  “Got it,” answered Sean. “Jack, let’s go.”

  Sean and Jack moved down the embankment as Brian moved up. When Sean and Jack reached the bottom they began running in a crouch to stay below the top of the embankment and out of sight of the raiders.

  As they started running, Amanda yelled, “Help is on the way!” as she crawled her way to the top of the embankment to join Brian and Ralph. Jack signaled with a thumbs-up and went to cut off the flankers.

  Seventy-five yards down the tracks, Jack slowed and started up the embankment with Sean to his right, both with rifles up and ready. No sooner had they moved, a head appeared, then an entire raider came sprinting over the tracks at the top. Sean and Jack fired almost simultaneously, both hitting the raider, who dropped like deadweight between the dilapidated tracks.

  A shotgun blast threw pellets overhead, fired from the other side of the tracks out of their sight. Jack signaled Sean that he was moving further to their left. Sean acknowledged with a nod.

  Jack ran ten yards and turned up the embankment, looking to his right and saw Sean heading up the embankment already. Jack hurried to try and go over at the same time as Sean, but he was too late. Another shotgun blast rang out. Jack glanced right and saw Sean falling back down the embankment.

  Jack came over the top and saw the raider wielding the shotgun turning to face him. Jack fired one round, punching a hole through the man’s head. Another raider fifty yards behind the shotgun-armed raider turned and ran. Jack shot him through the back. The man fell and curled up in pain, then went limp.

  Jack moved to cover behind the embankment once more and made his way to check on Sean, who was up and kneeling where he fell.

  “I thought you were dead.” Jack said excitedly.

  “I damn near was.” Sean grimaced and looking at a skinned elbow. “I came over the top and found myself staring down a shotgun barrel. Don’t ask me how I got out of that one. Did you get him?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m in your debt, Jack.”

  “How can a friend ever be in debt to another friend?” Jack asked.

  “I don’t get it.”

  “It means you don’t owe me a thing.”

  “Well, thanks anyway.”

  “You’d do the same for me. Let’s get back over to our team, this thing isn’t over.”

  “Right behind you, buddy.”

  Rifle fire from the other side of the embankment rang out, then more to the north. Jack craned his neck and peeked over the railroad bed.

  “More raiders, and movement in the trees to the north. I think it’s rads.”

  “Do we engage them?” Sean asked.

  Jack nodded, thinking.

  “You engage the raiders from here,” Jack said. “I’ll move a ways north and see if I can get a bead on the rads. Yell if things go bad, I’ll do the same.”

  “Got it.”

  Jack moved in a crouch to a shallow depression about thirty feet away. As he went prone Sean began firing at the raiders.

  Three hundred yards away Jack could see several men firing rifles as they moved through the trees.

  They’re trying to flank the raiders, Jack thought. I wonder if they know we’re here?

  Jack adjusted the rear sight on his rifle to the 3 mark and opened fire on the rads. He fired several rounds before the rads located him and began to return fire.

  One rad stood and moved forward, but he didn’t get far before a round from Jack’s AKM stopped him. Jack thought he could see a pair of rads moving through the brush to the downed man.

  Jack heard a noise from behind. A glance to his left showed Sean going prone ten feet away.

  “The raiders ran to the east,” Sean said.

  Jack nodded and went back to scanning the woods.

  The two Rangers fired into the trees until the rads’ fire dwindled and then ceased altogether.

  Jack and Sean watched the trees for a few minutes, looking for signs the rads might be trying something else.

  “That didn’t take long,” Sean said. “I guess you didn’t need me.”

  “They didn’t decide to run until you showed up.”

  Sean grinned. “You’re so full of shit.”

  “You’re just now figuring that out? Let’s rejoin the others.”

  The pair of them ran in a crouch back to where Brian, Ralph, and Amanda were still firing.

  Ranger Pitts from the OP in Leroy was moving toward them.

  “Everything okay?” Pitts asked.

  Jack gave him a quick rundown on the situation as the three of them moved back to the rest of the Rangers, where the other members of Team two continued firing, joined by Pitts’ partner from Leroy, Ranger Stark.

  As the three rejoined the fight, Ranger West yelled, “Watch the right. Rangers moving in on the raiders flank.”

  It was the other trainee team. When they took the raiders under fire, the raiders began pulling back, and very shortly the firing had ceased.

  The other Ranger team called over the radio and let them know they were coming to join them. Within minutes they made their way to the tracks.

  “How bad are you hit, Brian?” asked Corporal Braden as he approached and knelt beside him.

  “Not as bad as I feared when it first happened. I don’t recall anything hurting that bad. It’s better now.”

  “Move aside, let me look at that. I’m the medic here,” Jennifer said opening her aid bag. “Let’s get that pant leg up.”

  Braden stepped aside and said, “Right you are, Lewis.

  “I guess I really screwed up, didn’t I Lew?” Brian said as Jennifer knelt beside him.

&nbs
p; “How do you figure, Brian?” Lew said.

  “I really stepped in it. I put the trainees in danger, damn near got us all killed,” said Brian, grimacing in pain as Jennifer cleaned his leg wound.

  “I don’t get it, how did you screw up?” Braden asked. “Run it down for me.”

  Brian explained what happened from the time they left the OP until the other Rangers joined them.

  Jack, Amanda, Ralph, and Sean were standing nearby with Jim Barstow and Tom Young. Corporal Braden glanced over and saw some perplexed looks on the trainees’ faces.

  “What is it?” the corporal asked with a concerned tone, looking at Jack.

  “I don’t know if it’s our place to say,” Jack said.

  “On that count you’re wrong. I’d like to hear it,” Braden replied.

  “I think Ranger West did well,” Jack said. “We followed his lead and executed his plan when he went down. It was a good plan. He got hit by a stray round, and despite the fact that he was in a lot of pain he got back in the fight and took command again. It seemed to me he looked out for us just fine,” Jack said as the others nodded their heads in agreement.

  “How do you know it was a stray round, Jack?” Corporal Braden asked.

  “I don’t know that it was, but we weren’t taking aimed fire just then. The rads and raiders were exchanging shots and I think it was a rad bullet that hit Ranger West. I don’t think the raiders knew we were here until Ralph and Sean fired on them, and I told them to do it. In the heat of the moment, I thought we were under fire from the raiders. I think I might have got us involved before it would have happened otherwise.”

  “I’m not sure I agree with you, Jack. We’ll sort this out when we get back to HQ,” Braden said. “Lewis, what’s the prognosis? Is he gonna live?”

  “He should be fine,” Jennifer answered. “The bullet hit him sideways. A ricochet maybe? Anyway, he’s got a nice gash on his shin just below the knee and it is swollen. I cleaned it out and bandaged it up. I don’t think the leg is broken, but we should get a better trained medic to look at it in Geneva.”