by Allen Gamboa
“There’s a contractor camp about thirty miles north.” Jefferson told her as he raised a hand for them to stop. Washington brought his rifle up to a combat position as the Marine slowly approached a white U-Haul van that straddled both lanes of the quake damaged highway. Kate drew her handgun and along with Washington, provided cover for Jefferson. Peering inside, the Marine saw the cab was empty, not even a set of car keys. Seeing it was clear and safe, he gave them thumbs up. Walking to the rear of the van, Jefferson cautiously stopped then pulled the back doors open. The cargo space was also empty.
“Think you could hot wire this thing?” Jefferson asked Kate as he quietly closed the doors.
“If the batteries not dead, sure.”
“Don’t waste your time Kate.” Washington returned from the other side of the van. He tossed the vehicles gas cap to Jefferson. “That was on the ground, looks like it was the victim of siphoning.”
“Damn.”
“We can’t have anything nice Jeff.” Washington chuckled.
“No shit.” The Marine tossed the gas cap away and smiled at Kate. “Something will turn up.”
“Hell, even a bicycle would be nice at this point.” Kate shook her head.
“Well, that would be a problem.” Washington said.
“Why is that?” Kate asked as they moved away from the van.
“I never learned how to ride one.”
“Really?” Jefferson frowned.
“Yeah, I had one of them bikes with the extra wheels, you know?”
“Training wheels?” Kate asked.
“Yeah, training wheels.” Washington continued. “Tried to ride it but all the kids in the hood made fun of me.”
“All the kids?”
“Well, mostly the girls.” He said lowly. “They called me all kinds of names and laughed at me. It hurt, you know? Never tried again after that.”
“Don’t worry Wash, if we find us a bicycle I’ll let you ride on the handlebars.” The Marine chuckled.
“Yeah, but then I gotta worry about you grabbing my ass.”
Before Jefferson could answer, Kate grabbed him by the shoulder and pointed to the two vehicles that were rolling down the highway in their direction. The only real place for them to hide was behind the van. The grass on either side of the road was about three feet high so Jefferson directed them to that. The three ran over to the shoulder and dove into the tall grass.
“Should we flag them down?” Kate whispered as they lay on their stomachs in the long grassy dirt.
“No.” Jefferson said watching the approaching vehicles. “Could be more bad guys.”
“Damn, they got an SUV and a Hummer.” Washington whispered, happy they had stopped for the momentary rest but wary and envious at the small convoy that was headed their way. The soldier felt a tight grip on his right ankle. Quickly glancing down , he was unpleasantly surprised by the Deader that was quietly chewing on his boot.
“Fuck!” Washington screamed as he tried to kick away the flesh eater that was biting at his ankle. Jefferson and Kate turned to help him but it was too late. The soldier had jumped up in an attempt to get away from the dead man. Jefferson quickly stood and swung the Halligan at the flesh eaters back trying to draw him off Washington. The fire tool cut a slice out of the deaders lower back, but it continued to grab onto the soldiers’ leg. Washington tripped and fell onto the highway causing the cannibal to flop onto his chest. Terrified, Washington tried to shove the drooling flesh eater off him, but the hungry dead man had his arms pinned to his chest. Before Jefferson and Kate could reach their fallen partner, a single gunshot rang out. Black blood, bone and flesh splattered Washington’s face as the Deader collapsed headless on top of him. Shouting in anger and a little fear, Washington shoved the body off him and scrabbled away from it. Quickly getting to his feet, and trying to regain his composure, the soldier calmly nodded at the Marine and Firefighter, who stood several feet away from him.
“Thanks.” Washington said a little shaky.
“Don’t thank us.” Jefferson was staring behind the soldier. “Thank them.”
“What?” As he wiped black blood and bits of flesh from his face, Washington glanced over his shoulder. A big SUV and a Humvee sat idling on the highway several yards away. Three heavily armed men and one woman stood outside the vehicles. The soldier noticed the attractive red head holstering her side arm.
“You guys ok?” A scarred faced man, who looked like he’d just bench pressed a bus, stepped forward. Keeping his M4 in a combat carry position the man asked them again if they were ok. Jefferson’s first thoughts were that the man’s too tight shirt would rip at any moment.
“Yeah,” Washington nodded still eyeing the red head. “Thanks.”
“It’s clear!” Duley shouted as he made his way through the tall grass to the right of the group.
“Clear here!” Vannelli said as he cut through the grass to the left. “No one hiding in wait or any more meat sacks.”
“You guys military?” Jefferson asked, his grip tightening on the Halligan .
“No.” The red head smiled.
“It’s okay folks.” The big man added. “Were from Strategic Securities.”
“Contractors?” Washington chuckled.
“Hey buddy.” Doc slung his rifle and stepped over to where Washington stood. “We just saved your ass. You might want to say it with a little more respect.”
“Sorry.” Washington frowned.
“Just fucking with you buddy.” Doc laughed and slapped him on the back. “Hey, you got any smokes?”
“No.” The soldier frowned again. “Sorry?”
“I’m Lance Corporal Jefferson, that’s Specialist Washington and firefighter Kate Denning.” The Marine said extending a gloved hand.
“I’m Sergeant Rollie Hale.” He shook Jefferson’s hand. “That’s Sergeant Cross, Duley, Vannelli and Doc.” The Marine nodded at the others. Something about the big man seemed familiar to him. “Do I know you?”
“I don’t think so.” Hale shrugged.
“I swear we met before.”
“Maybe, world can be a small place. We need to get a move on Marine. You need a ride?”
“Hells yes.” Washington said a little too eagerly.
“You can ride in the Humvee with us.” Vannelli told Kate. “We have plenty of room.”
“Well,” The firefighter looked at little anxious.
“It’s all good chief,” Duley told her. “You can even ride shotgun next to me.”
“We’re headed to Camp FedEx. I’m sure we can get you transports to some military outpost from there.” Hale said still hoping the camp hadn’t been overrun by the dead. “What the hell are you doing out here anyway?”
“It’s a long story.” Jefferson said following Hale to the Humvee.
“We have time.” The sergeant told him. Before he climbed inside the vehicle, Hale stopped and glanced over at the soldiers. “Washington and Jefferson? The Presidents. Fuck, I remember that. You two were loading a chopper on the deck of the Boxer. You were talking about doing a pregnant hooker in a men’s room.”
“You have a great memory there Sergeant.”
Jefferson suddenly looked embarrassed and gave Kate a weak smile. “We were just screwing around, making jokes.”
“Sure.” Kate grinned slyly.
“Well, I’ll be damned.” Hale chuckled. “The Presidents. It is a small fucking world.”
“I remember you.” Washington smiled as they walked towards the vehicles. “You were that big ass black ops guy. How did your mission go?”
“Long story.” Hale said dryly as he climbed inside the Yukon. “We may have a fight when we get to FedEx. There is reason to believe a herd of undead are headed for the camp. If that’s so we could really use your weapons .”
“You had me at ‘herd’ Sarge.” Jefferson said pulling open the side door of the SUV.
CHAPTER 79: SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW
Blacks Compound
&n
bsp; Black stared at the empty carving table with a hunger almost has bad as the ravenous dead. It had been a couple of days since he’d been able to put the table to use. Black had underestimated the drain an undead outbreak would have on his vast resources. As the Muzak version of Sweet’s ‘Fox on The Run’ drifted through the workrooms speakers, Black anxiously walked over to one of his rollway’s and started to inventory his various cutting tools. Holding each instrument of pain and death in his hands, helped calm him down. Soon he’d have his men grab another person for his carving table. Black closed one drawer and opened another one. Inside the foam padded drawer was a silver-grey Chef’s torch. Black hefted the torch in his hand eager to get the chance to use it. Clicking it on, he watched the small, thin, blue flame shoot out the front. Perfect, Black thought to himself. This could be fun.
“Sir.” Baasch had entered the workroom unnoticed. Black replaced the torch and quickly shut the drawer.
“What is it Baasch.” Black asked turning to face his security chief.
“I have word from Alpha one.” The German said stone faced.
“They have the package?” Black asked as he walked over to the sink and started washing his hands.
“No sir.” The German’s voice was devoid of any emotion as was his face. Black turned off the water faucet and pulled a paper towel from a dispenser. Drying his hands, he walked over to where Baasch stood.
“And why not?” Black asked as he angrily crumpled up the towel and tossed it the German’s face. Baasch didn’t flinch or react being used to his boss’s abuse. “Why…the…fuck…not?” Black said lowly, his voice full of venom.
“Zero leader relayed that the package was a decoy. The package was empty.”
“A decoy.” Black nodded as he spoke. “A decoy.” He chuckled. “Where is Zero leader and his team?”
“Dead. Alpha one left them surrounded by the flesh eaters.”
“Very good.” Black slammed a fist on the carving table. ‘Kubicek, that idiot. This is all his fault. Get him on the phone for me!”
“Sir.”
“And I guess we need more men Baasch. Take care of that, will you?” Black glanced over at his rollaway. “When you get ahold of Kubicek tell him I’m sending a helicopter for him. I have some face to face business to discuss with him.”
“Yes sir.” Baasch said visibly relieved that all of Black’s anger was on Kubicek.
“Find out if you can get a line on who may have the actual vaccine. We may yet be able to turn this to our advantage.” Black sighed as the Muzak changed to ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’, he gently rubbed his temples and glanced back up at the tall German. “Baasch, before you do all that would you be a sport and bring me something for the table? I’m getting a little anxious and you know how I get when I have an empty table.” Baasch nodded as he subconsciously felt the old scars on his back.
“Anything else, sir?”
“Bring me some refreshments too,” Black said with an evil smile. “It’s going to be a busy afternoon.”
CHAPTER 80: DIGGERS BAD DAY
Digger couldn’t quite believe his pure dumb luck. After having escaped the slaughter of his team and getting hopelessly lost in the ruins of the city, he’d finally found a way out. Hiding behind the remains of a burnt-out McDonald’s restaurant, the mercenary had spotted his ticket out. Across the debris strewn street, in the parking lot of an earthquake damaged 7-11, sat a OD green colored Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro. Digger could see the off-road vehicle was loaded down with goodies. Gear and gas cans were strapped down to the roof while through the tinted back windows he could make out the outlines of boxes and cans. Seeing that the SUV sat a little lower than usual, Digger knew it had to be filled with lots of good stuff. Almost salivating, the mercenary drew his .375 Magnum and slowly made his way to the edge of the building. Outside of the Toyota, he saw a middle-aged man and woman standing near the rear of the truck. The man was dressed in civilian clothes, a black zip up sweat shirt and green cargo pants. The woman, a middle-aged, fit looking brunette, had her back to Digger. She was dressed in a blue hoodie and jeans, not paying attention to her surroundings as the man filled the Toyota with fuel from a gas can. ‘Perfect’, Digger thought to himself as he gripped his pistol tighter. All this would be his and he’d even get laid. The Australian chuckled to himself, if only Martone was still alive to see this, stupid bastard. Raising his handgun up into his chest, he glanced around once more then stepped out from behind the wrecked building. Two rounds from suppressed sniper rifles crashed into his upper chest and back. Digger was dead before his body collapsed to the ground like the wet bag of shit it was.
“Damnit!” At the sound of the two suppressed rifle shots, Greg Cord quickly set the gas can down, drew the 1911 from inside the shoulder holster in his jacket and crouched next to the rear wheel of the vehicle. The brunette had dropped to a knee and had a small Beretta up and pointing in the direction of the rifle shots.
“It’s all good Cord.” A gravelly voiced said into his headset ear piece. “Just some dead zone reject trying to stick you up. Dip shit is at your six by the Mac Donald.”
“Roger that Cooley.” Cord touched his ear and looked over to where the body lay sprawled out in front of the fast food place. The retired FBI agent stood up and walked over to Madeline Gonzales, who was still watching the area in front of them.
“Maddie?” Cord asked as he held out a hand to help her up. She smiled as she took the tall man’s gloved hand.
“I think we are getting too old for this crap.” The forty-five-year-old ex-Corrections officer slowly got to her feet and holstered her pistol.
“That is why you have us dear.” A female voice said in her earpiece.
“Thanks Abby.” Maddie said as she walked over to the body followed by Cord. “How’s it looking?”
“Clear.” Abby replied. “Cooley and I are coming down.”
“We good to go?” The gruff voiced man said in Cord’s ear.
“Yeah.” Cord nodded as he and Maddie stared down at Diggers motionless corpse. “The rig is gassed up and good to go.”
“Looks paramilitary.” Maddie said kneeling down next to the dead Australian.
“Think he was on to us?” The older man asked.
“No,” Maddie shook her head as she did it quick search of Digger’s body with her gloved hands. “He just had the .357 and no extra ammo . He did have some tactical gear though. Probably just another dick head out here trying to survive by jacking other folks stuff.”
“Idiot didn’t know what he stumbled onto.” Cord gave Maddie another hand up.
“Thanks.” She said giving a little groan as she stretched her right knee. She’d had it replaced a little over a year before the outbreak and it was just starting to work semi-normally. That was the reason she’d had to retire from Corrections .
“No, he certainly did not.” She smiled as the Toyota’s engine roared to life. Hidden inside the rear of the SUV was a biologic case that contained the prototype for an antivirus vaccine. Maddie and her four-person team were in charge of getting the vaccine to a lab in Nevada. She knew there were other vaccines out there but she’d seen this one work first hand.
“Hurry up!” Jimmy Cooley, a black former corrections SWAT team leader shouted from the driver’s seat of the Toyota.
“Anyone you know?” Abby Hubbard, a former L.A. Sheriff’s deputy asked as she glanced down at the Dead mercenary.
“I think he muttered something about being your ex.” Cord said grinning at the blonde as she moved past them carrying a sniper rifle in her arms.
“Wouldn’t doubt it. I’ve had a few creeps in my time.” She patted Maddie on the back. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” Maddie nodded. “Just a bad knee day.”
“Got some Vics in my kit.” Abby told her. “Help yourself.”
“Come on people.” Cooley growled. “Shit ain’t gonna get there by itself.”
SIXTH CYCLE
Nuclear war has destroyed
human civilization.
Captain Jake Phillips wakes into a dangerous new world, where he finds the remaining fragments of the population living in a series of strongholds, connected across the country. Uneasy alliances have maintained their safety, but things are about to change. — Discovery leads to danger. — Skye Reed, a tracker from the Omega stronghold, uncovers a threat that could spell the end for their fragile society. With friends and enemies revealing truths about the past, she will need to decide who to trust. — Sixth Cycle is a gritty post-apocalyptic story of survival and adventure.
Darren Wearmouth ~ Carl Sinclair
DEAD ISLAND: Operation Zulu
Ten years after the world was nearly brought to its knees by a zombie Armageddon, there is a race for the antidote! On a remote Caribbean island, surrounded by a horde of hungry living dead, a team of American and Australian commandos must rescue the Antidotes' scientist. Filled with zombies, guns, Russian bad guys, shady government types, serial killers and elevator Muzak. Dead Island is an action-packed blood soaked horror adventure.
Allen Gamboa
INVASION OF THE DEAD SERIES
This is the first book in a series of nine, about an ordinary bunch of friends, and their plight to survive an apocalypse in Australia. — Deep beneath defense headquarters in the Australian Capital Territory, the last ranking Army chief and a brilliant scientist struggle with answers to the collapse of the world, and the aftermath of an unprecedented virus. Is it a natural mutation, or does the infection contain — more sinister roots? — One hundred and fifty miles away, five friends returning from a month-long camping trip slowly discover that death has swept through the country. What greets them in a gradual revelation is an enemy beyond compare. — Armed with dwindling ammunition, the friends must overcome their disagreements, utilize their individual skills, and face unimaginable horrors as they battle to reach their hometown…