Danny looked back noticing Chad’s leg shaking at a rapid rate. "You good?"
Chad looked up nodding. He immediately looked out the road as he whispered to himself.
Ready or not.
Eric fired up his truck and eased out of the compound. He made a right onto the highway. Danny scanned his sector, occasionally exchanging glances with Chad who sat in the back. Eric drove and was chatting up a storm, which was fine in the beginning. They heard stories of crazy ex-girlfriends and all the stupid things Eric did while deployed. Danny and Chad even shared a few stories of their own. It was enjoyable, but by midday, Danny had plugged in some music just to keep Eric quiet. The highway started to get congested as they began their downhill descent into the valley. The sea of infrastructure was encircled by a modest mountain range that made the inner cities look like they were in a bowl.
"Dan, I gotta piss, man," Eric said as he slowed the truck onto the shoulder.
The tires whined as they hit the rumble strips. It pulled Danny back into the cab, and he looked back at Eric. "You want me to drive?"
Eric was about to speak when Chad cut him off. "I'll take it. I always wanted to drive this thing anyway." He looked over at Dan. "That okay with you?"
There we go, Chad. Face your fears.
Danny smiled and bowed his head. "By all means, just don't get us killed."
Eric stopped the truck and hopped out quickly. Chad and Danny hopped out and set up on each side of the truck to provide security.
"How much further we got?" Chad asked from the other side of the truck.
"Depends on the traffic, but I imagine a day or two before we clear Glendora." Danny scratched his stubble as he looked out.
His eyes traced right to left until they stopped on two white butt-cheeks. Eric had let his pants fall exposing his buttocks as he stood stoically urinating. Danny shook his head laughing as Eric looked back with a big smile on his face.
"Jesus," Danny said looking back at Chad.
"After Glendora, you said it should be easier because the density of people goes down drastically," Chad said.
"Yeah it will, which means less of those crazies running around."
Eric came running up. "I hate to break up the news, but we got a runner coming up from behind."
Danny's eyes shot to the rear where he saw a lone silhouette far off. "Time to saddle up. Chad, I'll let you know where to go."
All the men piled into the truck. The scream from the crazy grew louder until the truck started. The music drowned out everything as Chad took off down the highway, leaving the crazy running after them.
Chad kept his foot on the gas as he weaved through cars. This didn't last long though as a few miles down the road, the traffic had built up around the exits. They had to maneuver past a few cars, and luckily, they were able to squeeze through an off-ramp where the street was relatively empty. Trash had built up on the curbs, and the vehicles had ash that covered their exterior. Everything had a grey undertone, and all color seemed dull and dilapidated.
Danny rolled down the window and let his seat back all the way to give him room. "Keep your eyes peeled and be ready for anything. Take it slow. There is no need to get caught up in something."
Eric opened a can of dip and slid a wad in his mouth. "Dan, I got the left side. You got right. Chad, if you see anything you don't like call it out."
"Got it." Danny pulled out his 1911 from his holster and checked the chamber once more. "If shit goes south, we gotta ditch this thing, so be ready to grab your packs in the back and run." He slid his 1911 back into the holster with a click. "Alright, let’s roll."
Chad pulled the shifter into drive and the truck started down the street. Several blocks came and went. They drove up to a pair of cars that were abandoned in the middle of the road. Chad rode up to the side of the curb and gave the truck some gas. Danny kept watching the rooftops as Eric scanned the left side.
They turned onto a street called South Euclid Street. It was a straight shot to the mountains, but the only caveat was that it went through two towns, both of which had larger populations. It was one final push of course, but a big one.
Chad weaved in and out of cars and debris trying to keep a decent speed. The first few blocks were slow and methodical, but as nothing happened, the men settled into their zones. They watched the rooftops and the windows trying to spot a threat before the threat had spotted them. They covered five miles before they had to slow.
"Shit," Eric said, spitting into an empty water bottle.
Chad had to slam on the brakes before he realized there was nowhere to go. The curb was just wide enough to get by, but Eric got out just in case. Danny kept his eyes peeled ahead. Eric walked out ahead making sure there was enough room for the vehicle to fit. He waved Chad forward.
"Dan, I don't like this." Chad swallowed hard as he started to wipe his face.
"You and me both. Just listen to Eric. He will get you past all this," Danny said, trying to reassure the man who had begun to perspire heavily.
Eric was directing Chad on to the curb. The truck scraped a fire hydrant slightly, making all the men wince.
That’s not good.
Eric was ushering the vehicle through an opening on the sidewalk. Danny kept his eyes peeled down the long street. He watched a pair of plastic grocery bags skip over the top of the abandoned cars that lined the street. They almost danced together as the gust of wind pushed them from right to left. One of the bags was pulled from that dance as its loop was snagged on a car antenna. Danny’s eyes focused on that bag and his vision suddenly noticed something in the background. Maybe two blocks or so there was something that stuck out awkwardly against the buildings on the main street.
Danny's eyes went wide.
Oh shit!
"Eric, twelve o’clock!" Danny yelled.
Eric turned, and his body stiffened as he quickly turned and looked down the street.
"What’s wrong?" Chad yelled.
"Punch it! Get the fuck out of here," Danny screamed.
The truck jolted as it accelerated. The left side scraped the cars as the tires screeched. Eric dove out of the way behind a parked convertible. Danny looked over at Chad just as a concussive blast shattered the windshield. A round hit Chad in the face making his jaw hang like raw meat. His body convulsed as more bullets cut through him, making the truck accelerate out of control. The rounds kept tearing Chad apart while the glass shards hit Danny's face. The truck roared forward as Chad’s foot hit the gas in a spasm. They cleared the traffic, but the truck lost control and went head-on into a corner of a building.
The airbag hit Danny head-on, throwing him back into the seat violently. Danny was concussed as his ears rang, and his vision was blurred. He looked over to see Chad gasping for breath as his face was unrecognizable. Danny tried to grab him, but something pulled him from the driver's seat.
"Move!" Eric screamed as he dragged Danny out of the passenger seat.
Danny reached for Chad in desperation.
No. NO!
"Leave him! He is fucking dead!" Eric screamed, dragging Danny onto the ground.
Eric hopped up and ran to the bed of the truck. He pulled out both packs throwing them on the ground. Danny was trying to regain his breath from the crash. Eric was about to help him up when a machine gun went off again. The rounds started to rip through the corner of the building. Both men sank as low to the ground as possible. Neither of them could hear one another as they yelled. The world felt like it was on fire. They couldn't move. Their lives were in a vice that was clamping down. Getting smaller and smaller until the rounds died off. The chaos was replaced with ringing ears and dust as Eric helped Danny up off the ground.
They grabbed their packs and ran.
Danny looked back one last time. A body was still seated in the driver's seat, and Chad's hand was reaching out towards Danny. It was cut short as a flurry of rounds cut into the truck, making dust and debris block out the last view of Chad.
&n
bsp; What just happened?
Eric was pushing Danny forward just as a tan armored Humvee came around the corner. Danny looked for any sort of cover. His eyes cut left where the opening of an alleyway welcomed him. Danny pushed Eric into it, and both men tripped over each other just as rounds impacted the concrete building. They crawled to get out of the line of fire, and they both jumped up as they sprinted down the alley.
"Fucking move!" Eric yelled.
Danny heard the Humvee approaching them. "Eric, cut right! I'll cover you!"
He turned a corner and pivoted backward. Danny saw the Humvee's driver side and started firing, before the machine gun could see him. The holographic sight jumped up and down as he shot. The driver's window cracked, and holes tore through into the cab. The vehicle stopped, still in idle as Danny kept firing furiously.
A strange crack flew past Danny's face. Then another buzzed past splintering concrete blocks behind him. He immediately took cover as he ejected the magazine and swapped in a fresh one.
Eric grabbed Danny pulling him from the line of fire. "We gotta move, Etter! Stay on my ass."
Eric took off with his rifle raised. They both stayed in the cover of the alleyway that was perpendicular to the main street. Residential homes lined the opposite side of the road, which looked like they could easily disappear in.
Eric looked back. "I'll cover you as you move to that car. Then, set up and cover me. We will bound across this street and lose these assholes in the homes."
Danny caught his breath as sweat trickled down his nose. "You got it. On you, brother."
Without hesitation, Eric took a knee and popped his rifle around the corner. "It's clear. Move!"
Danny took off in a dead sprint for a red sedan that was awkwardly resting in the middle of the street. He slid behind the engine block and popped his head around the car. His rifle scanned.
"Set," Danny yelled.
Eric jumped up and sprinted right for Danny. He moved quickly for a man who was wearing seventy pounds worth of gear. He posted up behind Danny tapping him. "I've got you! Move!"
Danny picked up and started to run for it. He heard Eric scream, "Contact."
Oh shit!
Eric's rifle started barking out rounds. Danny made a beeline for cover as shots cracked overhead. He slid behind an SUV that was parked next to the curb. He gained cover laying on his side so he could see under the car. Eric's impacts were on the corner of a storefront.
Danny started firing on the corner. "Set!" he screamed, his voice drowned out by the thunder of his rifle.
He saw Eric start to maneuver in his peripherals. Danny could tell his shots were getting wild, so he focused on counting his rounds and getting his breathing in rhythm with his shots.
One, two...five.
Bullets started to impact on his cover, and he saw a rifle sticking out of the alley that both he and Eric had just come from.
"Eric, shift right! Alleyway!" Danny screamed as loud as he could. His voice was harsh and raw.
Rounds started to suppress that alleyway.
Move, Dan!
Danny ran, aware that Eric was somewhere to his right. He saw a front door to a home that was half hanging on its hinges. He lifted his leg and put all his weight behind his foot. The frame cracked, and the door swung open with Danny falling into the house. He rolled to his left as rounds cut through the wall. He popped up in the window and started firing wildly making the glass in the window crack. All he could see was a few bodies fall as whoever was shooting at him tried to move.
Danny's rifle ceased firing, and he looked at the bolt. The gun was empty, making him reach for a magazine.
Come on!
Rounds began to fly into the house making him retreat. Danny moved further into the home. He rounded the corner trying to reload. As he stumbled into the kitchen, someone ran into him. He hit the ground hard. His eyes refocused, and he saw an older man who was laying on the floor, staring at him. The man's eyes moved rapidly, and he screamed, trying to pick himself up.
Not this right now!
Danny rolled on his back, his backpack making him flop awkwardly. He reached for his pistol drawing it. He flicked off the safety just as the crazy jumped on him. Rounds tore through the house. Several shots hit the man causing him to spasm. The crazy screamed out as it reached for Danny. The quick fireball from the 1911 sent a bullet through the older man's head. Fragments of bone and tissue painted the white kitchen cabinets as the man’s head snapped back and went limp.
"I’m too old for this shit!" Danny yelled to himself. He crawled to the back door. "Eric!" he yelled over the radio.
Rounds punched through the thin drywall as Danny crawled into the backyard. He shot up and in a dead sprint, ran for the back fence. Danny looked to his left and saw Eric right in toe with him. Both men were caked in sweat as they ran for the wall.
"Just go! They are coming!" Eric yelled his breath heavy and labored.
Danny beat him and jumped the fence. His rifle caught the pointed wooden post sending him slamming back into the wall and then he fell to the floor with a heavy thud. He had no time to rest as he holstered his pistol and pulled his rifle free from the post. His momentum sent him slamming into the ground. Eric, on the other hand, had jumped over gracefully and was pulling Danny up just as rounds snapped through the wood. They took off running, putting as much distance between themselves and their assailants. Eric kicked open a back gate and ran through with his rifle raised. On the run, Danny had reloaded his rifle, ready for another fight. Both men took a knee near a shed. Danny covered the rear, Eric covered the front.
"We need to get a couple of blocks before we look for a place to lay low," Danny said nearly heaving in between words.
Eric was gagging like he was going to throw up. "All I know is we have to move right now."
"Yeah, you've been saying that." Danny nodded his head as he sucked water from his camelback. "I'll take point."
"It's about time," Eric joked as he almost threw up again.
Both men stayed close. Danny moved quickly with his rifle up. They got into a rhythm as they moved methodically from street to street. Eric covered the left and rear as Danny covered the right and front. They skipped over a couple of blocks and could still hear the humming engine from the Humvee.
We gotta get lost somehow.
Danny came up to another storefront that looked like it had been untouched. Eric pushed up close behind him and still had his rifle raised.
"What's the plan here, chief?" Eric asked. His voice sounded hoarse and tired.
Danny tried to wipe the sweat from his eyes but had trouble with his sunglasses in the way. "We can't keep moving like this. We need to lie low and get out of sight."
"How far do you think we have gone?"
Danny was wheezing slightly, trying to calm himself still. "I have no idea, man. I don't even know where the hell we are."
"We have got to get out of sight, so it's your call."
Danny looked to his right where a parking lot led to a dirt patch. On the other side of that dirt patch was a fence. A two-story apartment building sat which looked dirty and chaotic. It could easily cover their tracks and hide them well. Danny checked his rifle and made sure his pistol was still holstered. Eric leaned into Danny, indicating he was ready. They moved.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
DANNY SAUNTERED, HEEL-to-toe, with his rifle ready. He tried being as quiet as he could, but that was nearly impossible as dried leaves and discarded trash crunched under his feet. Each step made him tense and jittery as he scanned the never-ending concrete jungle. The entrance of the apartment complex was a great idea if one wanted to get lost. But then again, two men in an area where there were hundreds of windows, entrances, exits, and shadows just seemed all too overwhelming.
Pick your poison, Dan.
Eric and Danny entered the center courtyard and stayed close to the right wall. Random furniture had been thrown in the center with more trash and debris building up
around it. Each shadow made Danny stiffen as his rifle kept scanning. He felt naked and exposed as his eyes went from the bottom level to the second.
"This spot looks decent," Eric whispered from behind.
They were in the center of the complex where a rectangular pool sat in the middle. There were duplexes that Danny and Eric were walking along that appeared to have a good view of the main road. Eric was right, but Danny just feared having to make entry into a room. He barely got out of that house unscathed, and he knew his luck would eventually run out.
Danny kept his eyes and rifle forward as he whispered back to Eric. "You start pushing on the windows. See if anything is unlocked."
Both men moved slowly, passing each apartment methodically. Eric would carefully attempt to slide a front window open. It took a few tries, but the fourth window finally slid open briskly. Eric's rifle pushed through, clearing his front as he covered Danny who jumped in.
What is that smell?
The room smelled like rotting meat and death, causing Danny to cover his mouth with his hand. He nearly puked as he flicked his light on scanning the room. His whole body tensed when the light caught a dark mass sitting in a chair.
"You alright?" Eric said as his light immediately focused on the chair.
"I’m good," Danny said, still covering his mouth.
A severely overweight decaying corpse sat in the recliner. Blood had splattered on the wall behind it, and the head looked like it had blown out as the carcass stunk up the recliner. A silver revolver laid limp in the man’s mangled bloated hand.
Eric walked up slowly with his rifle aimed at the body. "Poor bastard. Well, on a lighter note, no one will want to come in here anyway."
Danny turned away nodding. "Let's just get upstairs."
Both men cleared the kitchen and slowly worked their way up the second story. It was only a single room with a bathroom that sat next to it. Danny cleared the bathroom and met up with Eric. They slid the door open and air flowed briskly inside. A queen size bed stood in the middle. The white walls blended with a glass closet that stood on the left side of the room. A window was on the right with a view of the patch of dirt that both Danny and Eric had passed. They both left the room and Danny shut the door behind them to keep the smell downstairs away.
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