by Eric Vall
I needed to check on the howitzer, but I also needed to see how things were going with the roads. That was probably the most important part of our plan. Getting the NK troops into the position we wanted them was the catalyst that would allow us to take them out.
“Hammer, come in,” I said into the walkie.
“Here,” the man answered after a moment, and he sounded out of breath.
“What’s your status?” I asked, and my eyes narrowed on the bridge in front of me as I waited for his reply.
“We’ve managed to block off Highway 60,” he told me. “We’re working on the side roads now, but it’s taking longer than anticipated. I even split up my group, but we’re still pressed for time. At this rate, we aren’t going to get to the interstate.”
“I understand.” I nodded. “Just focus on the side roads, the girls and I will handle I64. Once you’ve finished with the back roads, I want you to leave a couple of guys there to camp out and shoot at anybody who tries to come into the area. They may not see anybody, but in case the NK troops send out scouts, I want them to get the message that there’s only one way for them to go. You and the rest of your men head back here ASAP. Got it?”
“Roger that,” Hammer said.
“Get back to it,” I told him. “Radio if you need anything else.”
“Aye, aye, Ranger Captain,” the man said, but even the playful phrase sounded serious since he was clearly still focused on whatever task he was completing at the moment.
I hung the walkie on my hip once more, then I turned to the girls.
“We’re blowing more shit up?” Tara asked.
“Looks like it,” I agreed.
“What about checking on Ben and the howitzer?” Paige asked.
I thought for a moment. We didn’t have a lot of time, so we needed to prioritize everything properly. The interstate was our main priority since it would be the route the NK troops would most likely be coming down. However, if we left right now to take out the interstate, then there was a possibility we wouldn’t make it back with enough time to make sure the howitzer was lined up properly.
“If we head to the interstate now, we don’t know how long we’ll be there,” I explained. “We could run into any number of issues that makes it take longer than expected.”
“Right.” Anna nodded. “We should check on the howitzer on the way there, just in case it’s not lined up correctly.”
“My thoughts exactly.” I smiled at the redhead. There was a reason she was my second in command, and she never failed to prove that she deserved the title.
“It is on the way to the interstate,” Paige added.
“We should get going,” I said. “We don’t want to be there long.”
The girls nodded and piled into the jeep once more. It felt like we’d spent most of the day in the metal contraption, but it was worth it to have gotten the M51. If we didn’t have that anti aircraft gun, no matter how ancient it was, we didn’t stand a chance against the NK troops.
“What about the Skysweeper?” Paige asked just as I was about to start the jeep. “We need to show the civilians how to use it.”
“It’s only a couple of buttons, right?” Anna asked.
“Yeah.” The brunette nodded.
“We need to go,” I said. “But we know how to operate it, so if we don’t get back with enough time to show anyone else, we’ll at least be able to do it ourselves. We aren’t going to be over by the howitzer, though, so it’s imperative that we make sure it’s lined up to take out that bridge.”
“You’re right,” Paige agreed. “Let’s go.”
I turned the key to start the vehicle, then we were back on the road headed toward the Navy Supply Center. It wasn’t too far from our current location, and since I didn’t have the M51 hooked to the jeep anymore, I could go as fast as I wanted.
What should have been a ten minute drive took us three or four, and when we pulled up to the large building I looked behind us and saw there was a small cloud of dust from how fast I’d been going.
“Tav!” Ben yelled, and he waved his hand in front of his face. “Trying to fuck up our vision over here?”
“Sorry,” I chuckled and hopped out of the jeep. “We just wanted to make sure you’re lined up right.”
“We need to be lined up to take out the bridge, right?” Ben asked.
“Right.” I nodded and walked over to the howitzer.
“How’s it lookin’?” Jeff asked as I inspected the vehicle.
My eyes narrowed as I focused on the target in the distance, then the barrel of the howitzer and how they lined up. Then I carefully reached down and adjusted the lever to raise the barrel ever so slightly.
“Bailey,” I said, and the blonde hippie girl looked up at me with surprise.
“Yeah?” she asked.
“Come over here,” I said, and she walked over and stood next to me. “What do you think?”
“Hm,” she said, and she pursed her lips as she carefully reviewed the weapon and its trajectory. “I think just a little bit to the left.”
“I was thinking it might need that, too,” I said, and I reached down and adjusted the barrel. “How’s that?”
“Perfect.” Bailey nodded.
“Alright.” I clapped and looked at Ben and Jeff. “You guys are good to go.”
“All that for just a couple tiny adjustments,” Jeff chuckled.
“They wouldn’t seem so tiny once you fired,” Bailey explained. “A fraction of an inch off over here is feet when it comes to hitting your target.”
“She’s right,” I agreed. “And we only have one shot at this.”
“Of course.” Jeff nodded seriously. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have joked around.”
My somber tone had clearly come across as upset, but I knew the ex-construction worker didn’t mean any harm. He, of all people, knew what a few inches could do when it came to explosives.
“Don’t apologize,” I told him, and I squeezed his shoulder and flashed him a smile. “Just kick some ass.”
“Now, that I can do.” Jeff grinned.
“We won’t let you down,” Ben told me.
“I know you won’t.” I nodded. “We’ve got to go, but we’ll try to radio and check in before the action starts. If we don’t get the chance, though, you know your cue.”
“As soon as all the troops are over the bridge.” Ben nodded.
“But not until after the MiGs are taken care of,” I added. “We can’t give ourselves away when those things are in the air.”
“Roger that,” Ben agreed, then he flashed me a pearly-white smile. “Get out of here. We got this handled, go do whatever other crazy shit you have to do to make this plan work.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” I laughed and hopped back in the jeep.
The girls were right behind me, and as soon as everybody was in, I waved to Ben and Jeff and tore out of the Navy Supply Center parking lot and pulled back onto the main road.
We were on Colonial Parkway, and as we drove, I looked around at the area. As long as everything went according to plan, the NK troops would come down this same route in just a matter of hours.
We had maybe two, two and a half hours left at that point, which was nothing when I thought about the fact that we still had to blow both north and south I64.
“Tav, come in” Minji’s voice came through the walkie again.
“Minji,” I answered as I sped down the highway with only one hand on the wheel. “What’s your status?”
“We’ve made it to King’s Creek,” she told me. “We can see the civilians. Where are you?”
“We have to go help with roadblocks,” I explained.
“Okay,” the Korean woman said. “Where do you want us?”
“Make sure you’re far enough back from shore that the howitzer blast won’t affect you,” I told her. “Otherwise, it’ll look like the ship chased the American resistance north, so that shouldn’t be a problem. If the Boston troops
radio when they’re close and ask about it, that’s what you say.”
“Can do,” Minji said. “Anything else?”
“Make sure that anti aircraft missile is close by,” I told her. “That needs to be priority number one.”
“Already done,” she informed me.
“Now you just sit and wait,” I told her. “And if the NK troops radio in and you’re not sure what to say, try me on the walkie.”
“Okay,” Minji said, and she was quiet for a few seconds. “We’ll see you soon. Be careful.”
“Always,” I said, and I hung the walkie back up on my hip.
“Always?” Anna asked with a raised red eyebrow.
“Always,” I repeated with a smile. “We’re always safe.”
“Yeah, but you could’ve given her more than that,” the redhead laughed. “She totally digs you.”
“I can see why, too,” Paige chuckled. “Aside from your hunkiness and all, you’re so mysterious. Keep her wanting more.”
“I’m not mysterious,” I protested.
“Not on purpose at least.” Anna shrugged. “But you’re definitely mysterious.”
“Hardly,” I guffawed. “I just didn’t think it was appropriate to continue the conversation.”
“That makes sense.” Paige nodded. “But it doesn’t change the mysteriousness of it.”
“I think it’s his voice, too,” Bailey added. “It’s deep and calming so it makes whatever he says seem that much more mysterious.”
“Bailey, not you too,” I chuckled.
“Sorry.” The blonde shrugged. “They’re right. You’re mysterious. It’s part of the reason I liked you to begin with.”
“Are we sure it didn’t have something to do with the fact that none of us had seen a man in months?” Anna teased.
“I’m sure that’s it.” I smiled back at her playfully.
“Stop the car!” Tara yelled, and my foot hit the break without thinking.
The tires screeched to a halt, and I threw the jeep in park before I spun myself around so quickly that I almost got dizzy.
Tara looked pale as hell, and I wasn’t sure what to think.
Chapter 11
“Tara,” I said as I looked her over quickly. “What’s wrong? Is it the baby? Are you alright?”
The platinum-blonde didn’t answer at all, instead, she just threw the back passenger door open, leaned out, and threw up whatever she’d eaten that day.
“Ewwww,” Paige said, and she wrinkled her nose and turned away.
“Ugh, gross,” Anna grumbled, and her face was twisted into a grimace as well.
“Well, excuse me,” Tara said through puking sessions.
I shook my head at her outburst. I’d have to talk to her about yelling to stop the car when she had to vomit. I’d rather she throw up on the seat than scare the shit out of me like that.
I had been close to having Paige perform a full examination on the way to the interstate, but Tara’s illness was just a bout of morning sickness, and that I could understand.
“Sorry,” the platinum-blonde said after a moment, and she leaned up and wiped her mouth on the back of the arm of her sweater. “You can go now.”
“Alright.” I nodded and pulled onto the road again, but I glanced back and saw Tara in my rearview mirror. She looked like she felt terrible. The color was gone from her face, and her plump pink lips were parted slightly as she pulled in shallow, but even, breaths.
“Are you okay?” Bailey asked before I could, and she reached over and grabbed Tara’s hand.
“Yeah, thanks, Bails,” Tara said, and she took a deep breath and patted Bailey’s hand with her own.
“Do you have any of those ginger candies with you?” Paige asked.
“Not with me.” Tara shook her head.
“Hm,” the brunette said. “What about snacks?”
“I have snacks,” the platinum-blonde said. “Tav made me grab some.”
“And he was right to,” Paige said. “You need to eat something.”
“You know I just vomited, right?” Tara asked, and she looked at Paige like she was crazy.
“Yeah, but part of it is probably because there’s nothing in your stomach,” the brunette said. “Trust me, I read about it a long time ago. Pregnant women have less sickness if they eat regularly.”
“Did you literally just read anything you came across?” Anna laughed.
“I mean, pretty much,” Paige chuckled. “Especially anything medically related.”
“I think it’s really interesting how much you know,” Bailey said with a smile.
“Thanks, Bails,” the brunette said, and she smiled wide at her friend.
“All I know is that we better finish this war before I’m ready to pop,” Tara said. “I trust you, Paige, but I need Marla. No offense.”
Tara was referring to our resident nurse. Paige was great out in the field, but Marla was a registered nurse, and she’d worked in a hospital for years. She’d even been the one to fix up Joe when he’d gotten shot this past winter. As much as I loved Paige, I’d rather have Marla there, too.
“Oh, yeah,” Paige laughed. “No offense taken at all. I need Marla, too. I’m not ready to deliver a baby on my own. That’d be crazy.”
“Glad we’re on the same page there,” Tara chuckled.
I glanced back in the rearview mirror and noticed that Tara seemed to look a little better than she had a few moments ago. Her face was a little more flushed, and she was sitting upright instead of slouched over.
I smiled at the platinum-blonde, and she smiled back at me. Of all the girls, I wouldn’t have expected Tara to be the first to get pregnant, but I was pleasantly surprised she was. Tara was the most confident of everyone, and if anybody could handle something like pregnancy in the apocalypse, it was her. Her sexy, give no fucks attitude was going to be the thing that got her through the next nine months.
“So, where exactly on the interstate are we going?” Anna asked as I64 came into view.
“There’s a cloverleaf interchange just south of here,” Paige said. “If we blow it before that, then they’ll have nowhere to go.”
“Are there any roads that connect between here and there?” I inquired.
“Nope.” The brunette shook her head.
“The cloverleaf it is,” I said.
I turned onto the interstate and headed south for about half a mile until I could see signs for the exits ahead.
“We should probably stop here,” I said as I pulled the jeep to the side of the road. “Let’s walk ahead and see how best to do this.”
“Alright,” Anna said, and she hopped out of the jeep.
We walked with urgency down the road toward the cloverfield. The interstate was raised up, so if we blew it anywhere around this area, the NK troops would have no choice but to turn back. There would be no way for them to get down from a drop as high as this one, not alive anyway.
“It’s going to take more firepower to blow this one,” Paige said when we came to the area just before the cloverleaf.
“It’s like, quadruple the amount of lanes,” Anna said.
“Three on this side, three on the other.” Paige nodded and turned to me. “Should we do one side first, then the other?”
“I don’t think so,” I said. “This is essentially a bridge, and if we blow one side of it, that’ll make it far too dangerous to try and get to the other side to blow it as well.”
“But if we blow it at once that’s going to be a massive explosion,” Anna pointed out.
“Right,” I agreed. “We already had Minji tell the Boston troops that the Americans were blocking roads, though.”
“Oh, good point,” Bailey said. “So, even if it’s big enough for them to see, they’ll assume that it was… well, us.”
“Right,” I chuckled. “I’ll let Minji know what to say if they radio about it.”
“You think they’ll be able to see it?” Anna asked. “They should still be a couple hou
rs out right now.”
“They should,” I agreed. “But there’s always a chance they have scouting troops up ahead, or one of the MiGs could be surveying the area.”
“Let’s hope not,” the redhead muttered.
“Right,” I agreed. “But this is going to be a huge explosion, three times bigger than the one we just caused near the attack point.”
“How are we going to ignite it without being in the blast zone?” Paige asked. “I mean, I know these plasma weapons shoot pretty far, but with the size of this explosion, even if we’re as far back as we can get, it still seems like we’ll be too close.”
“You’re right,” I agreed. “We’ll need to shoot and run.”
“You mean that literally, don’t you?” Anna asked, and her red eyebrows furrowed together.
“I do.” I nodded. “We’ll need to be in the jeep ready to go, already as far away as possible. We’ll have Bailey shoot, then I’ll punch the gas.”
“I mean, it’s not the craziest thing we’ve done.” Tara shrugged.
“It still seems dangerous,” Paige said. “But I can’t think of a better option.”
“Neither can I.” I shook my head.
“It’s no more dangerous than half the other shit we do,” Anna said, and she turned to me and clapped her hands. “So, are we ready to lay down some liquid?”
“Looks like it,” I agreed.
The girls all pulled the pods out of their plasma weapons and handed them to me so I could puncture the small rubber piece.
“Tara, you’re with me over here on I64 northbound,” I said. “Anna, Paige, Bailey, you all take southbound.”
“No fair,” Anna teased as I handed her the newly doctored plasma pod. “She only gets to be on your team because she’s pregnant.”
“And once you get pregnant you’ll get to be on my team, too,” I teased back.
“Whatever,” Anna laughed and lightly punched my arm.
After the plasma pods were all done, Anna’s group climbed the concrete barrier that led over to the other side of the interstate while Tara and I got to work on our side.
“Be careful,” I called to Anna’s team. “Don’t get any of the liquid on you.”
“We got it,” the redhead called back.