Islands of Rage and Hope (eARC)

by John Ringo

  "That's so...paladin of you, Brenda," Athena said. "Fine. You do it. How are you going to keep her from getting free and biting the rest of us? In here. We don't even have a fucking mattress. You going to feed her? Clean up when she craps and pisses? You want the Snoopi puppy, you have to take care of it. Speaking of which: What do I smell?"

  "I don't have to pee anymore," Christy said, wiping her eyes. Her makeup was smeared all over her face.

  "Do we have anything to clean it up?" Julianna said. "Don't worry about it, Christy. I think I peed myself, too."

  "Snoopi's clothes?" Anna said. "And you obviously know what to do, Athena. You're using Socratic Dialectic to lead us to your conclusion."

  "I don't have a good answer," Athena said, frowning prettily. "I have an answer but it's not a good answer. I don't think there is a good answer. The best is probably Sarah's in some ways. If we could safely open the door. I don't think we can. Can we get those shutters off the window?"

  Ten minutes of fruitless searching for a control or release yielded the answer: No. The shutters were immovable. And when they tried the door, even moved the shelf blocking it, there was an immediate response from the other side.

  "So what is the bad answer?" Julianna said.

  "She's already gagged," Athena said. "Hold her nose till she stops struggling."

  "Mercy, Athena," Julianna said. "Even for you that is cold."

  "That's murder," Brenda McCartney said. "You'll go to jail for the rest of your life. At least you'll deserve it!"

  "That is what well-paid lawyers are for," Athena said. "'Oh, it was so terrible in the storeroom!'" she said in a little girl voice, looking pitiful. "'The claustrophobia! Boo hoo! I don't know what came over me! It was just like Patty Hearst. And it was Brenda's idea!' But there are still more physical, nonsocial, problems. The body will...decompose. It will get much nastier than a puppy puddle on the floor in here. It's going to, anyway. But a decomposing body is a whole other order of nasty. And I'm not sure I can do it. I mean, I've thought about holding her head under water until she stops struggling since her show started, not to mention the whole damned shoot. But actually doing it is another thing. So I'm open to suggestions."

  "Table it," Anna said. "She is not going anywhere. We still need to find something besides Christy's reducing remnants of clothing to secure ourselves. And in the meantime, we can build...facilities and possibly find some answer to the dilemma."

  "I don't think there is an answer to the Plague in here, Anna," Athena said, standing up. "But I take your point. Let's go shopping!"

  There was more than food and water in the room: The storehouse had been set up to respond to a variety of disasters. St. Barts was subject to both hurricanes and earthquakes, as were surrounding islands. Besides food and water there was a supply of blue tarps, three boxes of "thermal" blankets, rope, rigger tape and other materials of the disaster response trade. There were even boxes of baby wipes. What there was not came down to medical supplies, a knife to cut the rope--couldn't they have included some box cutters?--toilet paper, so much as one chemical toilet, damnit, or a cure for H7D3. Or some toilet paper for God's sake? And, oh, yeah, some tampons maybe?

  "What are these?" Anna said, holding up what looked like an American MRE package except for being an odd pink.

  "Emergency meals," Athena said. "Hey, Sarah, good news! There's vegetarian! It's even halal."

  "What's halal?" Sarah said warily.

  "Kosher for Islamics," Athena said. "Just one case of toilet paper is too much to ask?"

  "Baby wipes," Anna said.

  "We only have two cases of those," Athena said. "These bitches will go through them in a day. Baby wipes are only for personal body cleaning. You can use one to clean your ass when you're done with the rest of your body. Open up one of the halal meals and see if it's got toilet paper in it."

  "How do I get it open?" Anna said. The package was strong plastic and had no convenient opening tabs.

  "A knife," Athena said. "Your teeth?"

  "I'll get it," Christy said. She tore into the package with her teeth.

  "God, I hope you don't turn," Athena said, wincing as the girl chewed through the heavy plastic. "If this was being recorded, no guy would ever again accept a blowjob from you."

  "She's not going to be able to bite through this rope," Julianna said, holding up a coil of line.

  "Speaking of Brenda..." Athena said. "Sorry, I meant Snoopi..."

  "Very funny, Athena," Brenda snarled.

  "How you feeling, Bren?" Athena said with mock sympathy. "Wishing you had some vaccine?"

  "Just shut the fuck up, Athena," Brenda said.

  "Prisoners figure out how to create knives out of nothing," Athena said. "Now if we only had Linsey in here with us..."

  "You take a piece of metal and grind it on the concrete till it's sharp," Sarah said.

  "Sounds about right," Athena said. "Where'd you pick that up?"

  "Hello?" Sarah said. "Jailhouse Island?"

  "Ah, yes," Athena said. "Academy material at its finest. Right up there with Casablanca in the annals of American cinematography. I was surprised you didn't win the Oscar for that one. Especially given your nickname in the Academy."

  "And what do you call this?" Julianna said, amused. "A group of female celebrities trapped in a storehouse during a plague. What madman would try to submit that script?"

  "A total pervert," Athena said. "That's for sure. And the answer is: 'Celebrity Survivor, Zombie Apocalypse: The shit just got real.' Still not getting the rope cut. We need sections of rope to play bondage-girl-party. We can't just keep tearing up Christy's clothes. I mean, well, we c-- Just try to find something with an edge! I can't believe none of you have so much as a nail file."

  "Like this?" Christy said, pulling one out of her hair.

  "In your hair?" Athena said, clearly trying not to scream. "Your hair, for God's sake? Do I even want to ask what a full body cavity search would turn up? Do you happen to be carrying a helicopter somewhere?" She looked at the girl's face and sighed. "I'm sorry, Christy," she said, hugging her. "I'm scared, too. And it's great you were carrying so much useful stuff. I wish I had your..." She looked down, then back up. "Foresight."

  As she spoke the lights went out.

  "Joy," Athena said, with a sigh. "In seriousness, I don't suppose you have a flashlight...somewhere...?"

  "No," Christy said. "Sorry."

  "I'm not sure if I'm disappointed or relieved," Princess Julianna said, chuckling.

  Fortunately, there were enough gaps around the edges of the hurricane shutters that after their eyes adjusted they could see. Sawing through the ropes with one small nail file took time However, they had nothing but. And, even more fortunately, the gagged Snoopi was so far the only one to turn. And gagged.

  There was, surprising Athena not at all, a massive collective knowledge of various ways to tie someone up.

  "Or we could tie our wrists to our knees, like this..." Sarah said, using Christy as a model.

  "We need to be able to get out of them," Julianna said.

  "Tighter," Christy said huskily.

  "Not the point, Christy," Anna said, hands on her hips.

  "Wanna make out?" Christy asked, her eyes lighting.

  "LATER!" Athena bellowed. "Just concentrate to the extent you can."

  "Getting harder," Sarah said.

  "I always wondered if you had those parts, Sarah," Athena said.

  "Why is everyone in my industry insane?" Anna said, holding up her hands. "Can we get serious for a moment? I am going to kill my agent for talking me into this. 'It's in St. Barts, for God's sake. You'll have fun!'"

  "Honestly," Athena said, "I'd rather be here than L.A. And if there is a God, all agents are going to be eaten. Not getting the problem solved..."

  Best ways to secure themselves were eventually determined and Sarah and Christy got some, more or less, alone time at the back of the compartment. Although it was pointed out that either one cou
ld turn at any moment.

  "I just wish they would keep it down," Anna said, hopping over to sit next to Athena. She leaned up against the shelving and sighed.

  "Oh, I don't know," Athena said, shrugging. "If I didn't have a strong sense of self-preservation, I'd think about joining in."

  "Don't look at me," Anna said. "Go see Rebekah if you want someone's neck to bite."

  "But it's a very nibblable neck, Anna," Athena said, smiling.

  "Not funny in the circumstances, Athena," Anna said. She gestured with her chin to Snoopi. "And that problem still remains. The answer to your earlier dilemma is the tarps and tape in case you hadn't noticed."

  "I did," Athena said. "But...I can't do it. I just can't."

  "Fine," Anna said, standing up and hobbling over to Snoopi. She dropped her light wrist restraints, turned the struggling girl over facedown and sat on her back, pinning her to the ground. Then she reached around and pinched the former reality star's nose closed.

  "What do you think you're doing?" Brenda said angrily.

  "What does it look like I am doing?" Anna said. She had her head turned away and her eyes closed. But she was still holding the girl down with almost no expression on her face.

  "You can't do that," Brenda protested weakly.

  "Just bloody well shut up, Brenda," Anna said. "If I face the High Court I'll simply plead guilty."

  Finally, Snoopi stopped struggling. Anna checked for a carotid pulse, then stood up with the back of her hand over her mouth.

  "Brenda, go get a tarp and a roll of gaffer tape," she said, her voice muffled. "Julianna, Athena, strip her. We need the rags and ties. Now, I'm going to go throw up. And don't anyone make a joke about the world 'becoming a better place.'"

  "How are you doing?" Athena said, sitting down next to Anna.

  Brandon Jeeter, a "male" teen heart throb of such questionable sexuality French police categorized him as a woman, had just been added to the growing pile at the back of the storehouse. One by one over the last week members of the group had turned. First Snoopi, then Brenda McCartney, who before her death confessed she would have "cracked her own mother's skull" for access to a vaccine despite her long-running opposition to the entire concept of vaccination. Rebekah Villon, famous mostly for her role as insipid character Berra from the Midnight movies and amazingly useless douchebag. Ines Moretti, has been a Beverly Hills Teen Force star, PETA activist, aggressive sponsor of all things vegan, peace activist and flaming bitch, frankly. Heather Marks, overendowed blonde-bombshell super-model, virtually an Untouchable in Hollywood since coming out of the closet in opposition to abortion and as a concealed carry proponent. Also one of the small group Athena had come to depend upon to get things done. Last, prior to Brandon, was Michelle Bazuin, just about the most cold-hearted bitch in a land of cold-hearted bitches, whose transformation was particularly ironic, in Athena's opinion, given her one big movie was Zombiehood.

  And Anna, quiet, composed, caring Anna, had strangled every single one to death with that same quiet, composed, cold expression.

  "Strange," Anna said, rubbing her hands. "Feeling very much like Macbeth. The king, not the lady. Out, out, damned rope burns. And conflicted. I feel immense loss when someone as wonderful as Heather turns. We needed her."

  "Agreed," Athena said. "I miss her."

  "And I feel even more guilt with those who..." Anna said, her face working. "I hate that... It was Brandon. The only guy, sort of, in the compartment and he could barely be forced to lift a box of rations much less be any real help. The world truly is a better place. God help me for thinking it much less saying it no matter how true. Conflicted."

  "New rule," Athena said, slipping out of her restraints and putting her arm around the girl. "Only you get to. And I think you switched a u for an a in that sentence. But you're right. This is certainly a better place with him gone. Now if I could suggest Sarah?"

  "Don't, please, Athena," Anna said.

  "I'm scared," Athena said. "I'm also...I've had a fever the whole time we've been in here. It won't go away. I know what that means and it scares me. I get...bitchy, sarcastic and have a bad sense of humor when I'm scared. We all are. Christy just wants to fool around as much as possible before she goes. I don't know why that girl never did porn."

  "She told me nobody would take her seriously as an actress," Anna said, holding up her hand as if swearing. "Honestly. That's what she said when I asked."

  "Well, she had good advice in that," Athena said, boggling slightly.

  "If I turn..." Anna said, frowning. "If you're going to keep any credence as our leader, you will have to do it. And simply do it, Athena. Do not hesitate."

  "I know," Athena said, her face working. "And I don't know...I don't..." She twitched and grabbed her left arm with her right hand, trying to quell a sudden muscle spasm. "I don't... NO! No...Please..."

  "Sweet merciful..." Anna said, backing away fast. "ATHENA'S TURNING!"

  When they had the group's leader pinned down, Anna slipped a rope around her friend's neck and gave herself more rope burns.

  "Julianna, you're in charge, now," Anna said when Athena's body had been added to the pile. Even through double tarps the pile stunk and was covered in flies.

  "I think you're in charge, kid," Sarah said sarcastically.

  "I have one job in this room, Sarah," Anna said, turning to the starlet and staring at her with blank, dead, eyes. "Do not require my services."

  CHAPTER 23

  "Has anybody heard anything from the U.S. government? I mean, what happened to the Army...?"

  From: Collected Radio Transmissions of The Fall

  University of the South Press 2053

  "Saint Barthelemy," Faith said, pointing to the satellite image. It was hazy due to cloud cover and thus there was a secondary map up. "It is generally called St. Barts. Main town and capital is Gustavia. French island, sort of. Usual history, got passed around in wars, in this case for a while to Sweden..."

  The gunny had already taken training in hand and things were starting to shake down. She still wasn't happy with so many of the Gitmo Marines in squad leader positions but she was going to let the gunny and the colonel argue over that.

  "That's why the capital has a Swedish name, oorah? Pre-Plague population estimate was seventy-three hundred but it had a lot of tourists. Those were mostly in the winter so we don't know how many, exactly, were on the island when the Plague hit. Harbor is a really nice U shape in Gustavia. Town sort of hooks around it. If it was bigger it would be an awesome harbor for big boats but only the yachts are going to be able to fit into it. Cargo pier is over here..." she said, pointing to the north of the main harbor.

  "If we hook off the Grace that will be the landing point. This peninsula..." she continued, pointing to the west side of the main harbor, "has a military base for the local police. But it's occasionally used by visiting French forces. Satellite imagery has detected possible survivors here, here, here and at the military base. Recommend gunboats here, at this unnamed beach north, at this beach by the cargo pier, Shell Beach, south of Gustavia, Anse du Governeur, which is 'Governor's Cove.' Last division here, in the harbor, firing up this boat launch.

  "After clearance fire, have the division by the boat launch, whichever is chosen, move over to support landing here on the tip of the peninsula. We can sweep the town and the military base on foot, then link up with the Grace to offload the five-tons, if we choose to do so. This town doesn't have a medical school, there's no really big hospital and the only reason we're really clearing it is it's on the way to the other objectives. Up to command if you want to do a thorough clear. Those are my recommendations, sir."

  "Why the peninsula?" Hamilton asked. "Rather than the cargo pier?"

  "If we don't get a really good clearance, the infected are going to have a hard time figuring out how to get over to the peninsula, sir," Faith said. "Sort of narrows their approach, sir. We can pull out any time pretty easy. And it's close to the military base, whic
h seems to have some survivors, sir. From the looks of the pier we may be able to offload from the Grace there. It may be tight, though, but it's possibly doable. Worse comes to worst, we pull the survivors at the police station and shift by boat to the cargo pier."

  "Concur," Hamilton said. "Lieutenant Commander Chen, Navy side."

  "Ensign?" Chen replied.

  "The main issue with the approach is reefs and shoals, sir," Sophia said. "Also wrecks. We've dealt with those before but this place is a whole nother order of crazy. The approach to the harbor has several small islands in the way and their reefs and shoals are very extensive. Then on the satellite it appears there's a large vessel, possibly an island support ship or a megayacht, overturned in the harbor entrance. It's hard to tell on the satellite but it looks as if the harbor is littered with sunk boats. We'll need to be very careful with navigation on the approach and we should make that very clear, and why, to all captains. The other firing points are actually clearer than the harbor approach. Stay away from the capes and you're good."

  "Gunnery Sergeant Sands," Hamilton said. "Status of the Marine landing party?"

  "They're still not up to the standards I'd prefer, sir," Sands said. "But they should be able to handle a simple vehicle level sweep, especially from open five-tons. I'm mostly uncomfortable with the lieutenant's choice to go ground mount and sweep for the initial landing. They're getting less skittish about infected, but it's still a toss-up if they will maintain fire discipline. I will be accompanying the landing, sir."

  "Are you recommending against the peninsula landing?" Hamilton asked.

  "No, sir," Gunny Sands said. "I'm going to be all over them the whole time we're on the ground, sir. We won't have a repeat of the incident at the medical school, sir."

  "Lieutenant," Hamilton said. "I want you and the gunny to coordinate closely on how far you're going to do the ground sweep. Recover the survivors from the police base, then determine if you're going to sweep to the pier or shift. But I want you to discuss it. Issues?"