“It has to be done, Jan. We’ll do our best to keep everyone safe, but we all know the risks going out there, and we also understand why it has to be done. This group, these people are family and every single one of us will do what it takes to make us stronger, give us a better chance.”
Jan and Gordy both watched Rick closely as he spoke, his words striking a chord within them. Jan nodded, having no more words. Gordy told Rick and Mike, “Do what you guys have to, but be safe. Wish I could be out there with you guys.”
Rick nodded at them both, and turned for the door. “It’ll be a few days before we go. We still need to go back to the armory and empty the place out, as well as get some idea of a plan for the hospital.”
“Wait, guys,” Jan said standing up. She went to a cupboard and rummaged inside for a moment before reaching out to Mike with a piece of folded paper. “It’s a campus map of the hospital. Anna found it when we were unloading all of the medical supplies I had brought with us. Maybe it’ll help.”
“Hell yes, thanks Jan, this is perfect.” Jan took no pleasure from the big smile on Mike’s face, fearing that none of the men would return from a trip to the hospital.
Mike and Rick left the couple at the infirmary and headed for the sports building, which had become the supplies storage warehouse.
“I want to talk to Alex about that M2 machine gun. If we can somehow mount that on top of the trailer, then the rig becomes both an offensive and defensive weapon.”
Mike nodded, “I was thinking the same thing. If we go back to the armory and that horde is still there then having a heavy mounted weapon could make a huge difference in getting everything out of there.”
“I’m more concerned with the hospital, and getting everyone in and out of there alive.”
****
As much as they hated waiting, Alex took the time to rig up a mount on top of the trailer. Using two-by-fours and some bolted in metal struts he was able to create a functioning mount for the heavy gun, as well as posts to keep the roof from caving in on the gun and the person manning the weapon. Small gun ports were cut in the walls of the trailer as well, allowing the men to travel with only one vehicle, while still being able to fire on external threats.
Alex also opened a hole in the front wall of the trailer and the back window of the cab to make communicating easier between those in back and the driver, or to pass a weapon through.
Others joined in the work, following Alex’s orders, doing what was asked. With the added help, Alex was able to attach a small plow blade to the front of the truck, extending two feet from the bumper.
Alex parked the up-armored vehicle in the empty church parking lot, sending a runner up to the camp to let the others know it was done.
Once everyone had a chance to examine and exclaim over the truck and trailer, Rick spent time with those that would be going on the mission to the armory and the hospital to show them the workings of the M2.
He took some time to re-familiarize himself with the weapon, loading, unloading, clearing jams. Once he was confident that he could teach the others he began to call people up one at a time.
Mike was the first to climb up on the roof of the trailer, the thin metal popping and groaning beneath him, but holding thanks to Alex’s stout beams inside.
Everyone had a general understanding of firearms, which helped them quickly grasp the basics of the formidable weapon. Rick had each man fire a single shot out across the river, then switch to automatic and let off a short burst. After just a few hours of training he felt confident that they could handle the weapon without issue.
They left the following morning, before dawn broke over the horizon.
Chapter 15
Alex drove slowly, stopping at the highest point of the hill nearest the turnoff toward the armory. He leaned back over his shoulder and spoke through the hole, “Ok, Rick, were here. I’ll leave the engine idling while Jimmy climbs up to look.”
Jimmy nodded at Rick, and opened the passenger door, using the frame of the truck to pull himself up to the top of the trailer. He stood near the heavy gun, a large set of binoculars hung around his neck.
He watched the distance for a time before lifting the field glasses, scanning the area around the armory. It was no surprise to him that most of the horde still seemed to be wandering around.
He knew that in the still silence of the early dawn, the sound of the trucks’ running engine would carry far. The thought was confirmed when he could see the herd begin to cluster together, though they were unable to tell just where the sound was coming from, yet. He climbed back down into the cab, careful to place hands and feet so that he wouldn’t slip.
“Ok, they’re still there, and they’ve heard the truck. Way I see it, we can fire up the gun and mow down as many as possible with the ammo that we have, or we can lead them on a chase.”
“What do you mean, chase?” Alex asked before anyone else could.
“We can let them get close, then lead ‘em down Clinic Road.” Jimmy pointed to the turn off for Clinic Road, which bowed out from the highway into a small business area, curving back to the highway nearly a mile away. “Don’t know if that will give us the time we need to get back to the armory and shut the truck down, but it might. If not, we open fire.”
“We start shooting and we’re going to draw in every gut-sucker for miles,” Calvin said.
“Maybe not, I think any that were going to show up here already have,” Rick offered.
“I’m for the chase, let’s pull them away. We can shoot later if we have too,” Dean said.
“Jimmy, you want to climb back up there? Fire a few shots into them, get their attention.”
Jimmy turned to look at Rick through the small portal and grinned. “Hell yes.”
Back on top of the trailer Jimmy got behind the M2, readied the weapon and aimed far into the distance, where the horde had begun to pull back together into a cohesive eating machine.
Jimmy depressed the trigger, letting the recoil vibrate through his arms and shoulders, the sharp crack of the .50 caliber rounds making his ears ring painfully. Down range he could see the ground tossing up divots of earth as bullets chewed their way towards the horde that had now begun to move in the direction of the truck.
Letting up off the trigger, Jimmy controlled the bursts, knowing he was only to get the attention of the zombies, but he couldn’t resist firing into the ranks of undead shuffling his way.
The jerk of the gun and the dancing of distant bodies satisfied him in a way that would have made others uncomfortable. A large grin split his face as the heavy rounds tore easily through the rotting shufflers, often going through several bodies. Many fell, legs ripped away, torsos shredded, torn in half, he could see the face of one creature as it seemed to implode, pulling in on itself before releasing pressure, the resulting red haze appearing to hang in the air as other zombies walked through it.
Jimmy suddenly felt a vibration beneath him, one that was different from that made by the gun. He let off the trigger, and felt it again, this time he could barely hear someone yelling at him from inside the trailer, like a distant voice heard through thick cotton batting.
“Ok, Ok,” he called, “I was just thinning the ranks a little!”
Alex put the truck in gear, slowly rolling forward as the horde neared the highway. Waiting, he kept one foot on the brake, one on the clutch, left hand on the steering wheel, right on the gear shift. When the first rank of zombies was within ten feet of the cab he slipped the shifter into low and slowly released the clutch, turning onto Clinic Road. “Tell me when the last of them cross the highway!” he shouted out the window. Jimmy, laying low on the roof reached forward and slapped the roof of the cab in acknowledgment.
“Another burst, Jimmy, keep them interested!”
Getting up on his knees Jimmy grabbed the rifle, his response to Rick a short burst into the center of the shambling crowd. Several fell, though he knew none were down. Hitting the head from this distance,
from a moving vehicle, would be pure luck for anyone but the most seasoned gunner.
Sitting back on his ankles, Jimmy kept an eye on the teeming mass of dead following close behind. Alex turned through the hard right just after entering Clinic Road, continuing to roll slowly, letting the horde keep pace.
“Ok, man, the last of them have crossed the highway, they’re all on Clinic now!”
“Five-hundred feet and I’ll start picking up speed!”
Jimmy leaned forward again, grasping the handles of the heavy machine gun. When he felt the truck surge forward he threw one last burst toward the gut-suckers, watching as they fell away behind the truck. Though his hands were still on the gun, he withheld firing, even as he felt a need to burn up the entire belt of ammo. Within minutes the zombies disappeared as Alex followed the right-turning curve. Several minutes later Alex was backing the truck up to the large bay door of the armory.
“We don’t have a loading bay, so we’re going to have to do this the hard way,” Rick told the crew as they all piled out of the truck, “and we have to do it in a hurry. Dean you take watch, let us know when those things come back around the bend down there. Everyone else, let’s make this happen.”
Calvin stood up inside the trailer, taking the manual pallet jack from Mike and Alex as they handed it up. Rick and Jimmy went to start the small gas forklift.
Jimmy jumped up into the forklift seat to find the key in the ignition, a yellow ball with a smiley face hanging from it. “Shit, anyone think that this thing might not start?”
Rick hung his head for a moment, “Just try it. It’s a pretty basic ignition system, so let’s hope…”
Jimmy twisted the little key forward, breathing the word “shit” when nothing happened. He tried twice more before hopping off the machine, cursing the whole time.
“Alex, Mike, give us a hand!”
“What’s up Rick?”
Jimmy spoke before Rick could reply. “Well, Mike, this piece of shit won’t do a damn thing when we turn the key, and we can’t load the truck without it.” Jimmy’s face turned red as he spoke, his anger quick to rise to the surface.
Alex went to the forktruck, reached up and tried the key as Mike reached for the flip latches on the side of the housing. Raising the cowling, Mike peered into the inner workings of the machine. “Nothing looks off in here. It’s most likely fried. I say throw what we can into the truck and get the hell out of here.”
Alex spotted an old screwdriver in the little cubby under the dash. Grabbing the red and black handled tool he went around the open side and leaned over the machinery.
“What’s going on?” Calvin called from inside the trailer.
“Trying to get this damn thing running,” Mike called back. Right then he heard the motor try to crank over, then again. “What’d you do?”
Alex ignored his question, attempting to start the motor once more. “Damn it! I don’t get it, this should work.” He looked over the engine compartment, up at the steering column where he could see the key-chain dangling, mocking him with its cheery smile.
Jimmy stood behind the lift; hand on the silver-gray gas tank mounted on the back. “Try it again.”
“I don’t know what’s wrong with it, Jimmy. I keep doing that we’ll never get it started.”
Jimmy scowled, voice dropping low. “I said try the fucking thing again, damn it.”
Alex glanced at him, wary of the dark timber in Jimmy’s tone. He tinkered and clanked for a second, the motor tried to turn over, coughing for a moment, then stopping.
Alex tried again, this time the stout little engine stayed running. “What the hell Jimbo, what’d you do?”
Nodding at the tank, Jimmy said, “Gas valve was shut off.”
The men looked back and forth, from Jimmy to the tank, and started laughing. “I’ll never doubt you again, Jimmy,” Alex told him.
Jimmy’s eyes narrowed briefly, before he turned away, saying nothing.
Alex glanced at Mike, who simply shrugged.
“Alright guys, we got work to do!”
Dean came around the corner a while later, watching back over his shoulder. “Hey guys, they’re back out to the highway, but they don’t seem to be really moving much, like they’ve just stopped.”
“That’s good, gives us a bit more time,” Cal said from the trailer, leaning on the handle of the pallet jack.
“How much more is there?”
Mike walked up with an armful of weapons he had collected from outside, where they had fallen when the men were overtaken by the zombies. He passed them up to Calvin, who took them to the front of the trailer where a short section, starting from the support beams, was left open for people. A narrow walkway was left between the pallets, so they could still get to the area once the truck was loaded.
The trailer was filling up quickly, though the forklift would sputter out occasionally. The cowl would have to be opened, Alex working his magic to start it once again.
Dean walked away, letting the others work while he continued to watch the milling horde.
Ten minutes later Dean came back around the corner of the building, this time at a run. “They’re moving, coming back this way!”
Rick waved his hand at Jimmy, who was slipping the forks under a pallet of emergency water near the center of the room. Mike ran up to Jimmy, who had not seen Rick waving yet, shouting, “Time to go!” while making a cutting motion across his neck.
Jimmy flipped the toggle to neutral, and slid down from the seat, stretching his back. “What’s up?”
“Bastards are on their way back, time for us to go.”
“Shit, we only had a few more pallets left.”
“We can try for it some other time, when things are a little less exciting. Let’s go.”
Jimmy followed Mike for a few steps before turning back to the still running forklift. He reached up, shut off the gas feed valve on the tank and let the motor die. Then he uncoupled the tank, quickly flipped the latches securing it to the back of the machine and took the tank with him to the front seat of the truck.
“What’s that for?”
Jimmy shot Alex a little grin, saying, “You’ll see,” as he placed the tank on the roof of the cab, climbing up behind it. Alex smiled, having a pretty good idea of what Jimmy had in mind.
“All in, Alex, let’s roll!” Mike shouted from the back.
“Jimmy, you good up there?”
“Yeah, I’m good!”
Alex set the truck into gear, moving away from the door, slowing to make the sharp right turn out of the parking lot. He was surprised to see the horde nearly at the turnout to the highway. They were moving faster than he expected.
“Shit, time to haul ass!”
“No too fast, Alex, let me slow them down a bit.”
“Gonna take me a minute to build up speed with this load anyway,” he called from inside the cab.
Jimmy lay on the roof, near the big gun, holding the propane tank tightly by the built-in handle. He scooted out to the side of the roof, watching, judging the distance to the horde. Alex began to climb a low slope in the highway, engine working hard to haul the heavy load they were now carrying.
Casting a glance over his shoulder, Jimmy could see that they were nearly at the top of the rise. Eyes forward, he could see that the horde was still coming quickly, actually seeming to gain ground on the straining diesel. He cracked the valve on the tank, barely a quarter of a turn, just until he could smell the sharp tang of the compressed propane.
Leaning over the side, he lowered the tank as close to the ground as possible and let it drop. The tank hit with a loud clang, toppling on its side, rolling in an awkward wobble toward the horde that was now closing in. For a moment the tank looked as if it were going to roll into the ditch.
Before the tank could leave the roadway the horde was on it, several zombies tripping over it as the horde continued to surge forward. Jimmy moved quickly to the M2, grabbed the gun with both hands and began firing. H
e lost sight of the tank beneath the shambling mob so he directed the rounds, in short bursts, to where he thought the tank might be.
He could hear people in the trailer yelling at him, but just barely, unable to make out their words through the ringing in his hears. He depressed the trigger again, waited, letting loose another stream of bullets, chopping the legs out from under the zombies. “Shit” he swore, frustrated at his inability to hit the tank.
Jimmy knew he only had a moment left as the truck crested the rise. He thumbed the trigger once more, not letting up, spraying the area with a .50 caliber stream.
The effect was unexpected, causing Jimmy to sit back on his heels when the tank exploded. Bodies and pieces were flung high into the air, as the pressure and flame flattened an area nearly fifty feet in diameter. Bodies fell like the high grass beside the highway, and ignited just as easily.
The remaining horde stumbled through the burning carnage, continuing to catch and spread the fire. Though Jimmy couldn’t see it, as the truck had crested the hill and picked up speed on the down-slope, over half the horde burned, only those that went around the flaming mass of flesh were unharmed, and they too were quickly left behind as the men hurried home to revel in their spoils.
Chapter 16
“This is awesome,” Gordy said, sitting in a wheelchair that someone had appropriated from one of the empty houses in Saverton. He sat looking into the dark trailer full of ammunition, MRE’s, guns, clothing, and bottled water.
“We had to leave a few pallets behind,” Dean told his father.
“I think we’ll be ok with this, especially all the ammo. Damn, there’s a lot of five-five-six in there!”
“Yeah,” Mike said, nodding, “enough to last a long while. Might want to think about an ammo slash armory building. Someplace we can store all of this stuff.”
“We can work on that,” Gordy told him, “for now we’ll just pack most of it into the sports building with everything else.”
American Revenant (Book 3): The Monster In Man Page 8