Blue Plague Survival

by Watson, Thomas A

  Mike looked at Paul, “Paul do you want to watch your wife and son get raped? You must, because you want Bruce to stop. I never thought that about you. Tell your wife and son we’ll protect them. Take your balls off and wear a tampon.”

  “That’s not what I meant Mike,” Paul yelled.

  “Bruce is out there now doing what needs to be done. I could see it in his face, its eating his soul. Let me tell you something Paul I’m glad he’s doing it and not me. The difference between you and me is I’m willing to take Bruce’s place in hell for protecting my family,” Mike told him. Mike looked around speaking, “Bruce is not hurting us, he’s defending us. There are a few here that know the type of animals that are out there. Bruce rescued them from the same type of animals. I’m not going to point them out and cause them embarrassment but they are here among us. This is a family and when you stop protecting it, you aren’t family anymore.”

  Conner stood up on a chair, “He is telling you the truth. Bruce rescued me. I watched trash torture my platoon. Cutting off their balls, then dragging a knife across their abdomen and just leave them screaming. I watched as an infant was held over its mother and cut with a knife while she was raped just to cause her more pain. I will die before I’m ever taken again and I will take those I love with me,” Conner told everyone.

  Mike spoke again, “People, we are going to have to kill to protect ourselves and some have already died defending us. We’ll have to do things to ensure our safety that you never would’ve dreamed of. This is real and you can’t call time out or 911. You don’t have to stay here, you can leave. We told you that when you got here, if you stay you must fight and some of you may die. At least here you have a chance. Now, there will be no supply run today but the work is to continue, now get to it.”

  Nancy went upstairs with Angela as the crowd dispersed, heading to where they were assigned to work today. Most agreed with Mike, very few didn’t but kept their opinions to their selves. Mike watched the group leave to see Paul standing by him.

  “Mike, I didn’t mean what I said, I’m scared. The thought of anything happening to my family terrifies me,” Paul told him.

  “Paul, the old way is dead. You’re going to have to kill men, sooner or later, to protect your family and you might even die for them. The only assurance I can offer is, they’ll be taken care of if you do die defending them, as mine will be if I’m killed,” Mike told him.

  “I’m sorry Mike,” Paul told him.

  “No need to apologize Paul. I’m sorry for calling you out in front of everyone,” Mike told him.

  “No, I needed that to let me know what we are fighting for. So our kids can have some type of future. I’ll always stand with you and Bruce,” Paul promised Mike, from that moment on Paul would do what was needed.

  “Thank you,” Mike said.

  “Well I’m going to make some coffins for our people,” Paul said leaving.

  Mike watched him leave and noticed Debbie and Stephanie at the end of the table looking at him. “What?” Mike asked.

  “Nothing Mike, thank you for defending Bruce,” Debbie told him.

  “Debbie, I almost told everyone but a select few to leave,” Mike told her.

  “They would’ve died,” Debbie pointed out.

  “I know, and for a second, I didn’t care,” Mike told her.

  “Bruce is right, he needs your heart to guide him,” Debbie said.

  “Debbie, I want to fight beside him,” Mike told her.

  “I know Mike, but don’t force it. You could lose that piece of yourself that Bruce needs to maintain control. If Bruce loses that, I believe he will become one of the monsters we are fighting,” Debbie confided to him.

  “Debbie he doesn’t need me to keep him sane, he has you and the kids,” Mike said.

  “I don’t have it anymore Mike and the kids are too young. I know what Bruce meant with, the price of the wave, now and not thinking rational. Bruce needs a man to show him when it’s time to quit and fallback or unleash hell on earth, sacrificing everything,” Debbie told him.

  The response sent a chill through Mike. The thought that Bruce depended that much on him made Mike proud and scared at the same time. “Thank you Debbie, I thought Bruce believed I couldn’t fight,” Mike told her.

  “Mike you know better than that, just remember that Bruce needs that part of you. Your humanity, so keep it close. When you do fight beside Bruce don’t, follow him in rage because you will lose it, even if you follow the rules. That’s the price you pay for the wave, you lose the ability to see everyone as human,” Debbie told Mike.

  “Well Debbie that’s what I have you here for, to remind me,” Mike told her.

  “I’m telling you now Mike because I might not be there, I could die,” Debbie told him.

  The certainty in her voice frightened Mike as he responded, “Debbie, if you die then Bruce will die beside you, defending you.”

  “What if I’m defending him or the kids while he is defending us? I can think of a thousand different ways,” Debbie told him.

  “Debbie if something happened to you. Bruce would die, he may not physically, but his heart would die,” Mike told her.

  “That is why you and I are talking now Mike, you can’t let that happen. I know Bruce has to survive for this family to live. We need his knowledge of war and his ability to fight. We need his ability to think outside the box and do what needs to be done,” Debbie told Mike.

  Mike swallowed before speaking, “Debbie do you think you are going to die?”

  “I know I’m going to die Mike, just like you, but I don’t think I will see old age. That really doesn’t bother me to be honest. The safety of this family and Bruce does. I really believe if Bruce dies or becomes a soulless killer, this family and humanity dies with him,” Debbie told Mike as Stephanie put her arm across Debbie’s shoulders.

  “Have you talked about this with Bruce?” Mike asked her.

  “You know I haven’t because it would consume him. We all know how much he loves me. The only thing I know for sure he won’t sacrifice, the kids, ours or yours for me, but I think everyone else is fair game. We can’t let that happen,” Debbie told him.

  Mike stood up. “Debbie you have to tell him. You’re basically telling me, you know you are going to die. I can’t live with this secret,” Mike pleaded with her then he sat down in his chair.

  “I’m sorry Mike but you will have to for the survival of this family. Are you willing to sacrifice it for me? I’m not,” Debbie told Mike as he put his head in his hands.

  Debbie continued, “Mike, just remember to hang on to your humanity. It’s very important. I love you Mike and so does Bruce.”

  Debbie led Stephanie out of the kitchen as Mike sat at the table crying for an hour. He would keep this secret from Bruce for the sake of the family. Mike stood up wiping his face and headed outside.

  Chapter 22

  The clan gathered outside the northwest livestock pasture for the funerals at sunset. Only those on duty were not present. Several huge oak trees shaded the area. Bruce came running up in clean clothes before Father Thomas started the service. Bruce moved to the front to stand by Debbie, Stephanie and the kids.

  Five graves were dug and the coffins were sitting beside the graves. Only one coffin had people standing by it and that was Angela holding Cade looking down at Alex. Bruce saw little Angela holding Cade. Cade was almost half her size but she held him close.

  Bruce whispered to Debbie and Stephanie then he walked over to Angela taking Cade from her. Angela kneeled beside the coffin kissing Alex one last time and stood up wrapping her arms around Bruce’s waist.

  Grabbing Emily and Sherry’s hands, Debbie walked to the next coffin with the twins and stood beside it. The rest of Bruce’s family filed past Debbie and the twins, with someone stopping at a coffin. Stephanie holding PJ stopped beside the next one with Buffy beside her. Danny and Jake went to the next coffin and Steve with his new family stopped at the last one. Now each
person who had made the ultimate sacrifice for the clan had someone with them, on their last journey.

  Father Thomas gave a nice service and went to each group and said a prayer. He came back to Bruce and Angela. “Bruce will you say some words for our fallen brethren,” Father Thomas asked him.

  “Not today Father, I’ll say something tomorrow,” Bruce told him. Bruce could feel the rage in his blood. He was still riding the wave, knowing he had broken the rules.

  “Please Bruce, talk to the clan. They need to hear from you,” Father Thomas pleaded.

  “Ok Father,” Bruce told him. Bruce took a step forward with Cade on his hip and pulled Angela with him. “We’ve lost good people here. They gave their life so we could live. They knew the dangers yet went forward to help others here survive. Some went thinking no one would remember them or be at their side on this last journey. They now see they were wrong, they have someone with them on this last journey and they will be remembered,” Bruce stopped to control his breathing and keep the rage in check.

  Then Bruce spoke in a loud voice, “Know this everyone, if you fight for this clan, you will be honored. If you provided for this clan, you will be respected. If you die for this clan, you will be avenged.” The crowd erupted in cheers. People started hugging each other.

  Angela looked up at Bruce with her arm still around his waist. His body was like touching a rock, Angela could feel the energy radiating from him and it was intoxicating. Looking at Bruce’s face a shiver ran down her spine then she smiled. Hell was coming and Bruce was going to deliver it.

  Bruce let Angela go and kneeled by Alex patting his chest. Then Bruce wrapped his arm around Angela as he moved to the next coffin and patted the man’s chest. Then Angela leaned down and kissed his forehead. They repeated it at each coffin and when they had finished at the last coffin they looked back and the entire clan was stopping at each coffin kissing or patting the fallen hero.

  Tears rolled down Bruce’s cheeks, he did feel loss but these were tears of rage. He had fed off the anger unleashing the hate knowing he shouldn’t but he didn’t care as the wave surged through him. With each scream of the gang members pushing the wave higher, he wanted them to feel pain just for his own joy, for hurting his family. He had been awake for over thirty hours but he felt strong and ready. Bruce wanted to kill and bring pain on those that had attacked this family.

  When the last person finished Bruce led Angela to the community center. Alex had wanted the center open so the clan had gotten it ready to serve its first meal for Alex’s and the others wake. Bruce pulled Angela to the table that Bruce had moved from the house to the community center. Bruce sat Angela and Cade down and went to go get them a plate but Millie was already bringing them to the table.

  Bruce sat and ate and then just watched as everyone ate and talked. Seeing his chance, Bruce got up and left heading to his room. Lying on his bed was a notebook that Stephanie had transcribed from the recorder. Bruce started going over the notes then pulled out the map studying it. Debbie and Stephanie were the next in the room. They came over to the bed with Bruce. Danny, Mary and Buffy came in next followed by Mike and Nancy. Matt, Jake and David joined the family to prepare for war. Steve and Conner were the last two in, leaving Tonya and Susan watching the kids.

  Bruce stood up, “Ok let’s go over this again. The small island is a hundred yards off the bank. Matt and Jake will provide sniper cover with Mary watching their asses, they are team three. Team one, my team, will be me, Buffy and Steve. Team two will be Debbie’s team Debbie, Danny, and Conner. The park is on the west side of the lake on a peninsula with a fourteen foot fence cutting the area off. That part of Lake Bistineau still has water so the only way for blues to attack is at the fence. There are ten sleeping cabins each can hold forty people for sleeping and one large hall where they eat and party. Cabin nine and ten hold the hostages, cabin four houses the leader and his captains, cabin five houses weapons and supplies.”

  “Now, thanks to the information the sniper was kind enough to give us, we know from my attack and Conner’s blowing out of the ambush we killed 136 gang members. If that wasn’t good enough news, those groups had most of the military members. The leader and his captains are just gang members, ruthless and dangerous but undisciplined.” Bruce stopped as the door opened and Angela walked in and stopped in her tracks.

  “I’m sorry, I’ll go to my room,” Angela said turning to leave.

  “Angela stop and close the door,” Bruce told her and she closed the door. “You’re part of this family. I was letting you have time to grieve, but you are here now. Watch us plan revenge.”

  Bruce continued the briefing as Angela sat with them, “They may be undisciplined but they are vicious. Now the bad news, there are a hundred and twenty five left. We will be out numbered 14 to 1 but we can handle those odds easily. We will set charges on buildings one through four, six, seven, eight and the hall. Then we will pull back to the water’s edge and blow it to hell. If something happens, pull back to the water, team one our rally point is the north team two yours is south. If charges have been set keep them in the buildings until we blow them. Each cabin will get five, four pound charges and the hall will get ten charges. Place your charges on windows or doors not on the logs or you just make an escape hatch. Remember we are going there to kill, not rescue hostages. If we can, we’ll rescue them ok, but if it goes to shit you will mow the hostages down to kill the enemy. There is anywhere from fifty to eighty hostages, all of the people I talked to agreed that the gang kills them and replaces them so fast it’s hard to keep track.

  “Now, if we rescue the hostages, Mike will send a convoy for us. If it goes to tee-total hell, we kill everything there and leave the way we came in. Use your claymores around your rally point. Matt and Jake you will have to provide your own cover and Mary you must cover their asses’. The gang does send patrols out on boats so stay alert. Attack will start at 0300 I want charges set by 0330 and fireworks by 0350. Mike has operation control. David will run the UAV’s. Back up will be the convoy with the Strykers and Hummers which will be under Nancy. She will brief her team at midnight. Questions comments,” Bruce asked finishing the briefing.

  “Why not take more of us?” Nancy asked.

  “Nancy for this kind of attack you either go in heavy or light. We don’t have the man power for heavy and light is one squad,” Bruce told her.

  “Don’t you think twenty pounds of C-4 per building is a bit much?” Mike asked.

  “No, I want them dead. I can’t do what I want to them, so this will have to do,” Bruce told him.

  “Ok, that’s good enough for me,” Mike said and no one else asked anymore.

  “Get some rest we leave at midnight.” Bruce told them.

  Everyone left to get ready for the attack Bruce laid down in the bed. Debbie laid on one side of Bruce and Stephanie the other. Angela climbed onto the bed looking at Bruce.

  “What little foot,” Bruce asked her.

  “Bruce you’re different. This is nothing like I’ve seen from you before,” Angela told him and Debbie shook her head at Angela telling her to drop it.

  “I’m ready to kill some assholes,” Bruce told her as he drifted off to sleep.

  At 2300 Debbie woke Bruce up and he got dressed, checked his vest then his weapons. Then he headed down stairs and tried not to step on anyone laying on the floor as he went into the kitchen. The dining room table had been moved to the kitchen freeing up a lot of room for people to sleep. Blocks of explosive were laid out on the table.

  Bruce checked the the blocks to see if they were wired up correctly by the kids and all were ready. Everyone loaded packs with explosives and headed outside. They headed to Nancy’s SUV piling in and headed toward the lake. Everyone had NVG’s on so they drove without lights. Taking the road that followed the east side of the lake they stopped directly across from the park on the west side of the lake. The lake was barely three quarters of a mile wide here since it was mostly drained. With th
e equipment and teams, Bruce was figuring twenty minutes to paddle across the lake in three rubber rafts.

  When the SUV stopped, everyone piled out keeping alert. They were now way out of the patrol zone and blues were about. They moved down to the lake and inflated the rafts or the CO2 cartridges did. Putting the rafts in the water, the teams climbed in and started moving toward the other bank.

  Bruce thought it would be hard to find the camp, but he could see fires and lights on the west bank where the park was located. They were either very brave or very stupid, Bruce thought. He favored the latter. The gang was surrounded by infected and had been hit hard a day ago, yet they still left the lights on.

  Buffy was in the middle of the raft with a thermal scope on her M-4 scanning the far bank to see if anyone was watching the lake. Buffy just shook her head no. Bruce flipped the voice switch.

  “Big daddy two, talk dirty to me,” Bruce told Mike.

  “I charge $4.99 a minute, do you have a major credit card?” Mike answered Bruce.

  “Damn, you better be good,” Bruce replied grinning.

  “I’ll make you melt,” Mike said breathing hard in the microphone.

  “Ok, now I’m horny big daddy two, shave your legs. What are the party poopers doing?” Bruce asked.

  “We have the three roving patrols with two guards each and six on the fence just like the sniper said,” Mike reported.

  “Mama one, what does your gut tell you?” Bruce asked Debbie.

  “These guys are idiots,” Debbie replied.

  “Big daddy two, send the UAV a little further inland,” Bruce told Mike.

  Five minutes later Mike called back, “Oh wise Kung Fu master, you were right. A mile down the road, there are fifteen bad boys in ambush.”

  “Ok, so they did change something, bring the UAV back and watch the camp and lake,” Bruce told Mike.

  “I have two on station now and will rotate them out with the third,” Mike told him.

  Matt and Jake pulled into the lead to get set up on the small island and cover the land teams. Bruce steered toward his rally point. There was a boat dock in the middle of the rally points with several party barges and ski boats. When Bruce’s raft stopped, he got out followed by Buffy and Steve. Steve pulled the raft up on land. Bruce could hear music coming from the large hall. Bruce looked at his watch 0231.