“By taking some freedom and getting rid of some trouble makers, we can protect the masses,” Mitch said trying to justify their actions.
“When you started taking weapons and supplies from people, you stopped the one thing that had a chance to save this country and millions of lives,” Debbie told them.
“You are a fine one to talk about how we could do that. Your husband tortured us last night and you did nothing to stop him. We are trying to rebuild America,” Carla told her.
“Oh sweetie, he didn’t torture you last night, he was just trying to teach you. But we are fixing to do things to you that will cause others to remember what their actions can bring on them. The only difference between you and the gangs out there is everyone knows they are evil. They don’t hide the fact. Both of you kill innocents. They just rape it first and you don’t,” Debbie said as Mitch darted his eyes away.
“No,” Debbie gasped, “You didn’t.” She started toward Mitch pulling out her knife as Bruce grabbed the back of her vest. “Let go Bruce,” Debbie said feeling tears coming to her eyes. Bruce yanked her back hard spinning her around. Grabbing the front of her vest Bruce lifted her off the ground up to his face. Debbie was fixing to start kicking him until she saw his eyes.
“Watch and learn. Hold it. Don’t let it out. When you cry, you let it out. Control the anger; let it move to rage at everything and nothing. You cannot hold anger against a person because it hurts later. Those are just cardboard targets laying on the ground, nothing else. No pleasure, no anger, no remorse, no sorrow,” Bruce told her. He could see the rage in Debbie but it was wild, she had to control it. Debbie listened as she looked in his eyes and slowly relaxed. “Feel it? Hold it? That tingling in your back making you breathe harder, bringing chill bumps up,” Bruce asked her with a dead voice. She nodded her head as she felt the rage course through her body. “They’re targets nothing more. You get nothing from it, except dropping a target or the wave ends. Ride it, don’t let it go. Now watch me and learn,” Bruce told her as he put her down.
Bruce walked over to the officer with the broken arm and asked, “How many has he raped?”
“You keep your mouth shut,” Mitch yelled.
Debbie started moving quickly toward Mitch as Bruce told her to stop which she did. Bruce walked over to her grabbing her vest making her look at him. “That was anger making you move. Anger builds the rage and if you attack with anger you get pleasure then sorrow. Hold it, that’s just a paper target talking. You’re trying to see them as people. Now follow me,” Bruce told her letting her go heading back to the officer.
Debbie felt drunk as she did what Bruce told her, yet she wanted to explode. Anger flooded her body and she wanted to kill to let it out but Bruce made her hold it. She was breathing like she was running a marathon. Looking at the four she did not see people anymore she saw targets. She could see clearly even though it was dark. Her body felt like it was vibrating as she stopped beside Bruce.
“Mitch if you talk again out of turn you will get my undivided attention for the day,” Bruce said looking at Mitch. Bruce looked at the officer cowering in front of him.
“How many did he rape?” Bruce asked in a calm voice.
“Two that I know of,” the officer replied then Mitch yelled, “He fucked them after me.”
The officer looked up at Bruce, “He told me I had to,” he said crying.
Bruce spun around putting his mouth by Debbie’s ear and hugging her tight as he whispered, “Hear that, they raped women and enjoyed it. The targets love to hurt others. People don’t do that, only targets, do you see?” Bruce could feel her trembling with rage then, suddenly her body became a rock. Her breathing slowed down and emotion left her face. Bruce smiled as Debbie hit the wave. “That target thinks it has a name and it’s Mitch, but targets don’t have names. Only weapons do. Go to the gimp and take the baton off of his belt and teach the target it has to do what it’s told. Remember don’t let it go. You don’t let your anger out on a target, it’s only a target. There’s no enemy in the world; only targets. Now, ride the wave.” Bruce let her go.
Debbie turned and walked over to the gimp. He was still holding the stuff Bruce had given him. When the gimp saw Debbie’s face, he wanted to run. But, he had not been told run, so he just stayed put. She was so pretty but had no emotion on her face or in her eyes. When she reached him, she just took the baton off of his belt. When she reached out, gimp could barely follow her hand. Before she turned around, she looked right in his eyes. For a brief second, gimp saw a flash of ecstasy in her eyes then she turned away.
As Debbie walked back, she felt like she was floating. She could smell a hundred different smells. When she got close to Mitch, she smelled something she had never smelled before. Stopping in front of him she closed her eyes and breathed deeply through her nose, inhaling the smell. Suddenly it clicked, she knew it was fear, the target reeked of it. Flipping her wrist, Debbie snapped open the baton and the target curled into a ball crying words at her but she did not understand them, a target could not talk, unless given permission. Looking down she understood what Bruce had been saying, they were targets nothing more.
An hour later, Bruce was standing in front of the remaining three prisoners watching Debbie drag her knife over Carla’s head, shaving her hair off. The other officer was almost dead but he did finally quit screaming to stop the pain. When Debbie finished, she walked over and stood by Bruce.
“That ends the lesson for now. Gimp you will take bitch and dumb on shit detail. If they do good bring them to the back patio. I will let them have food and water. If they don’t, bring them here and gimp, don’t try to fool me or you will switch places with them. Bitch boy gets nothing today. He gets his first chance after a full day’s work tomorrow. When dumber dies, drag him to the pond and let the gators have him,” Bruce told Him. Gimp nodded his head.
Bruce grabbed the stuff and headed to the barn with Debbie at his side. After putting the stuff up, he turned to Debbie. She was wavering side to side, blinking her eyes trying to focus on him, because his image was fuzzy. “Bruce, what’s wrong?” Debbie asked feeling like her energy was draining out of her.
“The wave is over, you don’t have any more targets. You let it go to fast,” Bruce told her. Debbie turned around heading back to the prisoners. Bruce grabbed her arm before she got to the back door.
“Let me go! There are three targets out there,” Debbie said pulling against him.
“Those targets have been knocked down. You’re chasing the wave. Don’t. Let it come to you when you need it. If you chase it, you want the pleasure and it’s not the same. Let it go for now. I’ll show you later how to hold it and release it slowly. The first time you hit the wave it’s to wild, so just let it go,” Bruce told her and Debbie just sank to her knees.
“I feel like we had sex for days. I have no energy,” Debbie replied gasping for air feeling her body drain of energy.
“It’ll pass. Now come on, it’s almost 0800. We have a lot of work to do,” Bruce told her.
“Work my ass. I’m going to bed,” Debbie informed him.
“You can’t do that, if you’re in a battle and during a lull the wave leaves, you will want to sleep then and you’ll die. Now come on,” Bruce said pulling Debbie to her feet.
“You can’t make it last?” Debbie asked leaning heavily on Bruce as they came out of the barn.
“Yes, you can. There are several different ways. I used the worst one, and when I did, you made me choose,” Bruce told her, helping her to the house.
“Bruce, why was I moving so slow? They should’ve dodged everything I threw,” Debbie asked, trying to make her feet work.
“Baby, I couldn’t have dodged you with how fast you were moving. It only seemed that way to you,” Bruce said as they walked across the yard to the patio.
Bruce opened the door and led Debbie inside. Everyone turned to them as Bruce closed the door. Bruce guided Debbie to her chair. She just plopped down, sprawling ou
t in the chair. “I want work to start now. My team, be ready to leave in thirty,” Bruce said as people started filing out to start the day.
Debbie was looking around at everyone and the world was swaying in her vision. She looked at the table real hard. Sitting up, she swung her right arm in a wide arc, throwing place mats and the center piece off on the floor. Debbie climbed onto the table and rolled over on her back looking at the ceiling. “That was fucking great,” she yelled out. Those still in the house just stared at the five foot tall woman, wearing full combat gear, sprawled out on the table. Mike turned to Bruce.
“What the hell happened back there? We heard a lot of screaming,” Mike asked, not really wanting an answer.
“We were teaching assholes and having surfing lessons,” Bruce told him.
“What happened to Debbie? She acts like she’s on drugs,” Mike asked feeling Debbie’s face and checking her pulse.
When Mike looked up at Bruce he saw Bruce grinning as he answered. “She rode the wave.”
Chapter 15
It was 1430 when the supply team left the fourth location on this run. They had already dropped off five loads at the farm. Bruce was in the lead driving the Hummer with the Mk-19, a fully automatic grenade launcher. Danny was in the passenger seat with Buffy sitting in the middle. Behind them were five pickups with trailers and a diesel forklift with a boom arm. This was the gathering group. Matt, Conner and Jake were at the rear in a Stryker. They had left the beast because Mike was mounting a machine gun on the roof.
The fire team was responsible for protection, but since no blues had been seen near the farm, they took turns helping load the trucks. They had finished gathering all the lumber at construction sites within a twenty mile radius. Then, they hit every store they came across even though half had already been ransacked. They had emptied four pharmacies. Three others they found were empty. When the group hit a store, they literally took a trash bag and racked a shelf into it until it was full. Then the full garbage bag was taken to the trucks and trailers. The trucks looked like garbage carriers going down the road.
Bruce had emptied out two machine shop of all the stock metal they had. He now had enough metal to make more suppressors than they had military guns. Next, they emptied out two gyms of workout equipment. The gym at the farm was big, but they only had one of each work out station that was all the family needed. Before this last group got to the farm, you would have to stand in line for equipment. The new group had not even hit the gym yet. With the extra equipment, workouts should move faster.
When the supply team had returned for the first off load, Bruce went to check on Debbie. He found her running one of the back hoes. She assured Bruce she was alright but wanted to go out with him on his run tomorrow. Bruce finally gave in and told her she could.
Bruce pulled his mind back to the here and now. They were getting ready to hit farms now but there was one more store to the south. Bruce saw it on his right and he started slowing down. This store sat on the main highway and was also a truck stop. Bruce could see at least thirty big rigs. ‘We so have to check those out,’ Bruce thought to himself. Bruce keyed his radio.
“Same as last time, fire team foreword. We clear the area, Matt you stay on thermal in the Stryker. Any contact, supply team you head home, we will follow,” Bruce finished.
He pulled into the parking area. The Stryker pulled in beside him, Matt started scanning with the gun turret. The fire team got out looking around. Seeing nothing they headed to the door. The team flanked the door, putting their backs to the wall. Bruce keyed his radio, to call out assignments.
“Buffy you will be point, Danny shot gun, next Conner, Jake at the back of the stack. I’ll keep a watch on the outside and door,” Bruce finished assignments.
They all smiled at each other. This was the first building Bruce was going to let them clear without him. Buffy pushed her M-4 to her side pulling her P90 off her back. Then she moved to the door and pushed against it with her hand.
“Locked,” Buffy said over the radio.
Bruce grumbled as he let his rifle drop to his chest reaching for his lock picks. “Cover,” Bruce called over the radio as he kneeled in front of the door and inserted his picks. Mike could open a door with his picks faster than most people could use a key. It took Bruce two minutes to get the lock turned.
“Open,” Bruce called as he stood up putting his picks back in his vest. Raising his rifle off his chest, Bruce scanned the area.
Buffy eased the door open, aiming her P90 in the gap as she eased inside. It was killing Bruce not to turn around and watch them but he kept his area covered. Over the radio he could hear them clearing the building calling out rooms. Twenty minutes later, Buffy called all clear. Danny told the supply crew to bring the battery lights because it was really dark inside. The supply team moved the vehicle’s closer.
Bruce headed into the store. It was big and he smelled rotten food from the diner. Danny walked over to him. “Dad, this one store is going to almost fill up all the trucks. The store room for the restaurant is slap full,” she told him.
“We’re taking the liquor also. We can use it to barter with, if we need to,” Bruce told her looking around. They usually left the alcohol, taking just a few bottles. In this store, there were cases stacked everywhere.
“Well, the trucks will be all full then,” Danny told Bruce.
“Danny you and Conner keep cover here. Jake, Buffy and I are goin’ to check on the rigs.” Bruce told her, and then radioed Jake and Buffy to meet him outside.
Meeting them outside, Bruce walked over to where the trucks were parked in a line. When he got closer he saw there was another row behind the first row. Bruce saw a truck with an excavator and another with a big front end loader. Several trucks were hauling lumber, one was loaded with cinder blocks, and several tanker trucks. The rest were box trailers so they would have to open them to see what was in them. Bruce headed toward the closest trailer. As he approached the first one, Bruce saw the lock and it was a combination lock.
“Supply team, can any of you drive a semi-truck?” Bruce asked over the radio. He received two yeses in reply.
Danny, Jake, Matt and he could drive a semi and with the other two they could drive back six. They would take the two trucks with the excavator and front end loader, a dump truck, then three of the trucks carrying lumber. Bruce called over the radio telling everyone his plan. Then Bruce called Danny.
“Danny, pick someone to drive the Hummer back. How long will it take to empty the store?” Bruce asked.
“Dad, this is a big ass store, with that supply room for the diner. I’m just guessing but I say two hours at least,” Danny replied, doubting her answer.
“You have ninety minutes. I want all these trucks back at the farm today,” Bruce told her.
“Ok dad, we’ll do our best,” Danny told him.
Bruce waved Jake over to him asking, “You remember how to hot wire a vehicle?”
“I’m going to act like you didn’t ask me that Dad,” Jake replied, looking at Bruce like he was stupid.
Bruce shook his head, saying, “You’re turning into a smartass in your old age.”
“I had the best teacher in the world. You,” Jake replied back.
“Ok you win,” Bruce laughed. “I want those six trucks,” Bruce told Jake pointing them out. “I want you to help get them open then see if they have keys. If they don’t, get them ready to hot wire but don’t start them. It will be too much noise and we’re past the edge of our safe area. We really don’t want company,” Bruce told him.
Jake said he understood and ran off to start opening trucks. Out of the six trucks, only one was unlocked with the keys in it. Bruce showed Buffy how to pick a truck lock then hotwire it. After he showed her how on two, he made her do the last one. It took her fifteen minutes but she did it by herself. Then Bruce told Jake to go help in the store as he and Buffy went to pitch in.
At the ninety minute mark, Bruce called a stop and told
everyone to load up. The store was not empty but close. Then Conner called contact. “Blues south side, heading toward us, approximately fifteen,” Conner reported as he started firing.
“Jake and Danny head to Conner. Buffy and I are taking the north,” Bruce instructed the team cursing himself. Matt was parked on the north side of the building in the Stryker and had no one to drive him, since he was manning the weapon station. Matt would have to climb out of the gunner’s area, drive around then climb back in the turret.
Reaching the front, Bruce could not see any blues and told the supply team to hold inside. Then Danny called clear then reported.
“Dad they came out of a clearing to the southeast not along the road and that’s not the bad news. They were using cover, trying to sneak up on us,” Danny told him.
The report sent a shiver down Bruce’s spine. That was thinking on a whole new level. “Let’s get the hell out of here. Conner you drive Matt and you two better cover our ass. Order of march, Stryker in the lead, three semi’s, supply trucks, three semi’s then Hummer,” Bruce told everyone and they ran to the vehicles.
After the six trucks were started, Bruce called for them move out. They were twenty miles from the farm as the crow flies but it was almost forty by road. When the convoy was on the road Bruce told Buffy to keep a look out as he turned on the CB then turned it to the base channel.
“Base this is big daddy one,” Bruce called.
“This is base,” a reply came back from a voice he did not know.
“I need big daddy two on the horn now,” Bruce told base.
“Copy,” base replied. Bruce waited for a several minutes until Mike came over the radio.
“This is big daddy two,” Mike called over the radio out of breath.
“Big daddy two, I need ten people that can drive semi’s. They need to be ready in fifteen. Will lay out plan on arrival to base and farmer boy can’t be one of the driver’s. Have area on east side clear,” Bruce told Mike, referring to Paul as farmer boy.
Blue Plague Survival Page 22