Blue Plague Survival

by Watson, Thomas A

“Stop moving Danny or I’ll hurt you. Daddy has taught me more and longer than you,” Debbie told her in a forced calm voice that held tremors of anger. “I could’ve hurt you more than you will ever know but you are my baby. But don’t think I won’t rip off your arm and beat you with the bloody end of it. Now you will listen to me, if you move or interrupt, I will break your wrist, then your forearm, elbow then shoulder. Then when you stand up, I will break both legs because that’s what I promised you,” Debbie told her releasing her left hand off of Danny’s ear and hair. “Look at me,” Debbie told her.

  Danny rolled her head toward Debbie with anger on her face. Debbie moved forward lifting the arm bar. “Wipe that look off of your face or I will do it for you,” Debbie warned her. Danny tried not to scream as pain shot through her arm and shoulder.

  “Are you ready to listen and respect your mother?” Debbie asked.

  “Yes ma-am,” Danny told her fighting the pain.

  “If I tell your father you disobeyed me, then, attacked me, he will spank you but you will no longer be his princess. Yes, he will love you but you will not be on that pedestal any longer as his little girl. This would kill Daddy, that his baby girl attacked her Mama,” Debbie told Danny. Tears formed in Danny’s eyes not from the pain but from the words knowing Mama was right.

  Debbie let go of the arm bar now that she had Danny’s attention. Taking a step back, Debbie tried to release the tightness and tingling in her back. Since she had stood up she could feel the rage build but she did not want it trying to corral Danny.

  Debbie took a few deep breaths before speaking. “Buffy sit down in your chair and Danny you sit beside her,” Debbie told them. Danny and Buffy moved slowly toward the chairs. Buffy from fear and Danny from pain until Debbie screamed, “Now!” They dropped into the chairs looking at Debbie.

  “Now, you little princesses,” Debbie said sarcastically. “You two have really hurt your Daddy today more than I’ve ever seen. Danny you should know better and set a better example for Buffy and the twins. The princesses should be the first to follow an order from Daddy. Everyone here knows what your Daddy is doing to protect us from this fucked up world, but you two,” Debbie told them trying to keep calm.

  “You girls are trying to get Daddy killed, along with everyone in this family. Let me layout a scenario for you. Daddy takes you on patrol, you’re tired, and don’t see an ambush and get wounded, either shot or bitten it doesn’t matter. Daddy will wade in like a horseman of the apocalypse trying to save his princesses. The boys are here because they listened and learned from Dad,” Debbie told them and turned to the rest of the family.

  “Which of you would go to try and help Bruce as he tried to rescue his daughters that treated him like shit and one that attacked her mother,” Debbie asked them, everyone raised their hand.

  “You two just killed this entire family. Daddy knows what you’re capable of but more importantly he knows what you’re not capable of. This isn’t the end of the world, just the beginning of a new one that is more violent and dangerous. We need Daddy at top form at all times so quit your little girl games with him. Danny if you would’ve gone after Daddy, he would’ve given in, you know it and I know it,” Debbie told her.

  “I don’t always get my way,” Danny said crying, trying to defend herself.

  Debbie looked at Jake and Steve, “Third party referee here.”

  “She’s spoiled and Dad would have taken her along,” Steve said.

  “Yeah, Dad would have given in and tried to cover for her on the patrol,” Jake agreed.

  “Danny, Daddy doesn’t love you more than the others but you’re the baby girl,” Debbie told Danny as tears rolled down Danny’s face. Debbie turned to Buffy, “I’m really disappointed in you Buffy. You were immediately moved to princess in Daddy’s eyes and you didn’t listen to him.” Buffy threw her head on the table crying then got up running to Debbie hugging her. Debbie hugged Buffy back as Danny came over crying joining them.

  Debbie pushed them back, “I want both of you to know this, ‘mama’s run the family but daddies are the rock of the family.’ I got mad because you hurt my rock,” Debbie told them.

  “I’m sorry Mama,” Danny told Debbie hugging her again.

  “I’m sorry Mama. I won’t be bad again,” Buffy told Debbie hugging her waist.

  “Don’t make promise’s like that Buffy, you aren’t even a teenager yet,” Debbie told her. Then Debbie looked at both of them. “Girl’s, Daddy is to never know about this am I clear? Neither of you could handle the demotion of princess in Daddy’s eyes. When he is an old man you both can tell him but not before,” Debbie told them and made them promise. After they promised, Debbie told them to find Bruce and tell him they were sorry and make him happy.

  As the girls ran out to find Bruce, Debbie looked around to see everyone staring at her. Debbie took her pistol out of the holster and laid it on the table. “Let me just say this, nobody better talk about what happened here. If I gave birth to you, I will shoot you in one knee. If I didn’t give birth to you, I will shoot you in both. That’s the end of the discussion,” Debbie told everyone.

  Stephanie ran over to Debbie putting an arm across her shoulders. “I will stab the ones she did not give birth to after she shoots you,” Stephanie said then leaned to Debbie. “I can’t hurt your kids, so you’re on your own there but I still have your back,” Stephanie told Debbie making her smile.

  Nancy walked over putting her arm around Debbie also, “If any of mine say anything, I will nail them to a tree in the front yard after they’re shot and stabbed.”

  “Don’t piss the mama’s off, lesson learned,” Conner said from the den causing a round of laughter.

  Debbie started picking up the dishes off the floor when Millie and Lynn came running over to her. “Leave it baby, sit down,” Millie told her as everyone started cleaning up and Debbie sat down. “They all do it baby. I did it with two of my three daughters and my husband taked all but one of the boys outside. My mama puts a beating on me with her own two hands when I thought I was too big for my britches,” Millie told her.

  “Millie, I just body slammed my daughter on the table,” Debbie said almost regretting her actions.

  “Yeah but she earned it. Debbie you could’ve done worse but only did enough to keep her attention like my mama did to me and I did to my girls. You and Bruce teached her how to fight like a man so it hasta goes up a notch. Danny maybe a teenage girl but she can beats most men I know. Debbie you could takes all de men I know. Teaching Danny to fight is more valuable than all the gold in the world now,” Millie told Debbie.

  Debbie looked at Millie, “Thank you, I needed to hear that.”

  “I just hopes your boys don’t go tryin’ to challenge Bruce,” Millie told her.

  Debbie just smiled at Millie then leaned forward looking down the table at Steve. “Too late,” Debbie told her. Steve just looked away ignoring his Mama. Tonya was asking him what happened but Steve acted like he did not speak English.

  Debbie shifted her gaze to Jake. “What? I haven’t been to the back yard. I saw what happened to Steve,” Jake told her then added. “If Dad tells me to squat and shit the only thing I’m asking him is what color he wants.”

  Debbie looked at the clock reading 0740. It felt like they should be getting ready for bed instead of starting the day. PJ crawled across the table from Stephanie to her. Debbie picked him up giving him kisses. Debbie realized that no one was going to work and then it occurred that they were waiting on Bruce. Debbie made small talk with everyone until Bruce walked in with the girls and everyone became quiet.

  Bruce moved to his chair at the head of the table. “I am cancelling the patrol and the scavenging group today, we’ll move tomorrow,” Bruce told everyone.

  Mike stood up, “Bruce, we are pouring the slab for the storage area tomorrow and putting the walls up on the barracks. We’ll have to send the scavenge group to get the rest of the cement tomorrow. We haven’t seen a blue within
twenty miles of the farm. The only movement we’ve seen is over at Marcus’s farm. Your patrol was going to be five miles from the group on horseback. Even if something were to happen to the scavenging group, back up from the farm would reach them before you on horseback,” Mike told him.

  Conner spoke next, “I’m not disagreeing with you Bruce but we need to stay with the schedule. We’ll have two Strykers and two hummers with the protection team.”

  “I think everyone is ready to spread out to eat. If we get the supplies today, two days from now we can eat together in the center,” Alex said wanting the community center open.

  Mike looked at Bruce, “Bruce, you spent two days in Saline clearing the town almost house to house. If we get hit, there’s no avoiding it. You’ve told us we’re going to lose people and be attacked. I’m not saying let’s just do it but you are right. We just can’t stay here trying to stack all the odds in our favor. Bruce, you can’t keep pushing yourself like this trying to pacify an entire area before we move in to gather supplies. Too many people are depending on you. Not to fight all the battles but to lead and guide us,” Mike told Bruce laying it out for him to see the others were willing to take the risk.

  Bruce took a deep breath knowing Mike was right. “Alright the op is a go. Mike you will run it from mission control. Conner, you will command the patrol, set up commanders for your protection detail and scavenger team. Jake, Matt, Danny, Mary, Buffy and Debbie all of you in the den, we’re the backup team. I want each of you laying down resting, no games, you may read and no leaving without my permission. Gear check in twenty for my team then it’s inside all day. Conner, you’re to leave at 1000. It should take you only four or five hours but done or not you’re back at base by 1700. Let’s get it done people,” Bruce told them.

  The protection team had fourteen assigned to it and the scavenge team had twenty eight. It would be one of the largest patrols they had sent out but they were going after a lot. They would be emptying a restaurant of its kitchen appliances and supplies. Then heading to the school to get the large folding tables and dishwasher and anything they found useful at each site.

  Even with the preparation, the specter of battle had turned its eye upon the clan.

  Chapter 20

  The supply group had left thirty minutes ago. Bruce was laying back in his recliner reading the notebooks the three idiots had filled out with stockpiles of supplies. Matt and Jake were going over the laptops that they had went back and gotten from the overrun camp. Bruce was marking places in a road atlas of locations while the boys printed copies of inventory list from the sites. The lists were very impressive and they had located hundreds of millions of rounds and stockpiles of weapons that the government had stored around the country.

  Laying his notebook across his chest Bruce looked around. Danny, Mary and Buffy were asleep on one couch. Debbie, Stephanie, PJ and the twins were on the other couch sleeping. Bruce looked at the boys working the laptops over smiling. Bruce had asked Jake and Matt if they wanted him to ask for the passwords. They just looked at him and told him no that would ruin the fun.

  “Matt, Jake,” Bruce called them, “why don’t y’all take a break and get some sleep.”

  “I’m good Dad,” Jake told him.

  “Me too,” Matt replied.

  “Sunday we’re going to have a report that will knock your socks off Dad,” Jake told Bruce as Bruce drifted off to sleep.

  Bruce felt a hand shake his shoulder and he opened his eyes to find Mike standing over him. “They just left the restaurant heading to the school. The UAV’s haven’t seen anything. The school should not take as long so we should stay on schedule,” Mike told him as he headed back to Mission control.

  Bruce lifted his arm looking at his watch reading 1420. Damn the restaurant must have been a bitch, Bruce thought. Bruce looked around seeing the girls still asleep on the couch but Debbie and Stephanie were talking on the couch watching PJ crawl around on the floor.

  Bruce stretched his arms over his head. The recliner was very comfortable but with a full tactical vest on it wasn’t. Bruce finished his stretch as Millie held out a plate of food for him. Smiling at her, Bruce took it and started to eat, finishing it in minutes. Bruce got up and took his plate to the kitchen getting another glass of tea and headed to mission control.

  Walking into mission control he saw Pam at the radios and monitors. A teenage boy was at the UAV station taking orders from Mike. Mike was watching the large monitor and looking at a map in his hand. Bruce went over to stand by him.

  “I have the UAV on the perimeter now making circles. They have all the tables that we need. They are dismantling the dishwasher, grabbing books and food. Conner said another hour and they will leave,” Mike told him. Bruce nodded his head. When the patrol came back, he was going to bed.

  “We’re under attack,” came over the radio. Mike ran over and grabbed the microphone.

  “Repeat your last,” Mike called.

  “We’re under attack, taking fire from the north across the road. Have several wounded,” Conner replied. Bruce could hear gun fire in the background.

  Bruce walked over to the monitor as the teen flew the UAV to the school. The school was in the middle of a field with the north side facing the road and houses on the other side. Bruce could see gun fire coming from several of the houses. The Strykers were blasting away at the houses with the big 50’s blowing large holes in them.

  “Debbie, get the team up and ready. Jake, come here now,” Bruce yelled. In a few seconds Jake was in the room.

  “Jake, get another UAV up and fly it down the road to Saline then take the road north,” Bruce told him as he watched the monitor.

  “Mike, tell Conner to fire the Mk-19 and level those houses,” Bruce said and Mike relayed the message.

  “Mk-19 gunner is dead, have tried to replace him but a sniper is covering the Hummer and two more have been wounded,” Conner called back.

  “Conner, tell everyone to fire whatever they have in every direction and someone get on that weapon or you’re dead,” Mike told him.

  They watched on the large screen as everyone started firing and a lone figure ran to the Hummer with the automatic grenade launcher only to be cut down. Bruce told the kid at the UAV console to turn the camera to thermal.

  “Sir, thermal runs the batteries down real fast,” the kid replied.

  “I don’t care if the damn thing crashes, find that sniper,” Bruce told him.

  The 50 inch TV went to black and white. Everyone saw the person on a roof laying prone way down the road that ran in front of the school. Mike called out the sniper’s position and one of the Stryker’s swung their weapons around and unloaded on the house.

  “Dad here we are,” Jake told Bruce looking down at his small control station flying the second UAV.

  “We’re ready Bruce,” Debbie told Bruce walking into the room.

  “Wait this isn’t right,” Bruce told her as he watched the little monitor in front of Jake. After a few minutes, Bruce pointed at the screen. “There, circle there,” Bruce told him.

  “What do you see?” Jake asked as he circled.

  Bruce pointed at a small hot spot beside the road, “That’s an explosive device. You can see a small stripe going back to the house,” Bruce told Jake.

  “Mike, ask Conner if anyone has advanced on them to overrun their position,” Bruce told Mike and he relayed to Conner.

  “Negative, we have taken out the houses and we’re only receiving sporadic fire. I’m fixin’ to call a withdrawal,” Conner called back.

  “No, tell him to stay put, there are ambush teams out there blocking off the escape routes,” Bruce yelled.

  “Found them,” Jake hollered. Bruce walked over to the little monitor.

  “They are in these houses and back in the tree line here,” Jake pointed out three houses on each side of the road.

  “Good work son, now head north and see where that one is at,” Bruce told him.

  “Deb
bie, go tell everyone to stop working and get their weapons and start putting people around the property. Get the kids into the basement. Danny, Buffy and Mary help her,” Bruce barked out orders they all just stared at him. “Either our farm or Marcus’s farm is fixin’ to get hit, now move,” Bruce told them and they took off running.

  “Oh shit Dad look,” Jake said. “I’m eight miles north and I count at least forty,” Jake finished.

  Bruce looked at the screen. The group was on the outside of a curve in the road and spread out along the side of the road back in the tree line. “Shit,” Bruce said as he walked to the desk and picked up the chart of code words they used with Marcus over the CB. Scanning the list, Bruce found, attack imminent=snowball.

  Bruce grabbed the CB. “Jake watch that group to the north,” Bruce said as he keyed the CB. “Weather station this is sunny sky,” Bruce called the Marcus farm.

  A female voice called back, “Hi sunny sky this is weather station.”

  “Weather station snowball, I repeat snowball,” Bruce said into the CB. In his mind’s eye, he could picture the woman going through the list and freezing at snowball.

  The female voice came back on, her voice trembling, “Copy, snowball.”

  “Tell the big man two snowballs that shoot and they are big ass snowballs. Sunny sky out,” Bruce threw down the CB mic.

  “Dad, these guys are going ape shit here and more are pulling up to the road out of the woods. It’s over a hundred now easy, I’m guessing closer to two hundred,” Jake told Bruce.

  Bruce looked at Mike, “They are listening to the CB. They know about Marcus, I’m not sure about us. They attacked the patrol and are waiting on the back up to come and they’re going to ambush it. With a lot of the fighters gone, they can just waltz in and take over the compounds.”

  Mike looked at him, “How can you know that Bruce?”

  “It’s what I would do. Hit the supply team, when the strike force with your best fighters in it comes to the rescue, knock it out,” Bruce told him.

  “What about our people, we can’t leave them,” Mike said.