by Dirk Patton
The pilot nodded and a few minutes later transitioned into a hover a hundred feet over the heads of the infected. The Osprey was positioned about half a mile back over the herd from the leading edge, and as soon as the aircraft was in a stable hover the co-pilot began hosing down the bodies below with the belly mounted minigun. The pilot slipped them sideways as the weapon continued to devastate the bodies below, dropping until he was only fifty feet above the ground. Giving his co-pilot a few seconds to keep wreaking havoc, he then moved them to the east in the direction of Bravo platoon.
But the infected didn’t follow. The females looked up and screamed at them, the males tilting their heads in the direction of the noisy aircraft, but none of them changed course.
“Save your ammo.” Pointere said, the minigun falling silent immediately.
“We need that air support the Air Force promised, sir.” Zemeck said. “And we need it now if we’re going to slow or turn them.”
Pointere grunted and told the pilot to take them back to the refinery.
18
Rachel, Dog and Blanchard stayed quiet in the latrine as the Air Force Security Forces went about the business of restraining John. Before they had him out the door and on his way to a holding cell, sirens could be heard approaching the building, shutting down as they pulled into the parking lot. Blanchard moved to a small window set high in the wall and used an overturned trash can to gain enough height to see out.
“What’s going on?” Rachel asked quietly.
“Two ambulances,” he said without taking his attention away from the view. “I hope the Major isn’t hurt too bad.”
“I’ll bet it’s cops they’re hauling out on stretchers.” Rachel said.
They stayed that way for a while, Rachel sitting with her back against the wall, facing the door. Dog sat in front of her, also keeping an eye on the door as she stroked his head.
“You’re right,” Blanchard, still watching the parking lot finally said. “They just brought the Major out and he’s walking. He’s in cuffs and leg irons. They just loaded three MPs on gurneys into the ambulances, and there’s another three limping along.”
“Does he look OK?” Rachel asked. “John, I mean.”
“Other than pissed off, looks fine.” Blanchard turned and almost lost his balance when the door from the hallway suddenly opened.
Martinez paused halfway through the door when she saw them, automatically reaching a hand out to Dog when he ran over to her. His initial attack charge to protect Rachel had changed to a greeting when he’d recognized Martinez. She glanced over her shoulder, down the hall in the direction of the conference room, then moved quickly into the latrine and pushed the door shut with her back, the pneumatic closer hissing in protest as it was forced to move faster than normal.
“What’s happening?” Rachel asked, climbing to her feet and moving across the room to meet Martinez.
“The President ordered Major Chase’s arrest.” Martinez answered. “Charges are the murder of Brent Cummings and Treason.”
“Is he hurt?” Rachel asked, reaching out and touching Martinez’ arm.
“They finally got him down with a Taser after a bunch of them piled on top of him. He put three in the hospital and put the hurt on a few more before he went down.”
“You know this is bullshit, right?” Rachel asked.
“Don’t worry about me,” Martinez said in a hard voice. “I was there. Remember? And I’ve been through some nasty shit with him. But what can I do? I’m just a Captain.”
“Have they arrested Colonel Crawford?” Blanchard had jumped down off the trashcan and joined them.
“I don’t think they can find him.” Martinez said.
“I can,” he said. “We need to get out of here and join the Colonel.”
“We need to get John back!” Rachel said, turning to glare at Blanchard.
“Agreed, but that will be a whole lot easier with the Colonel and a few hundred Rangers helping.” He stared back at her and after a moment Rachel nodded her head and looked away.
“Are you with us, Captain?” Blanchard turned his gaze to Martinez.
“You realize you’re talking about subversion, treason and half a dozen other things that could get us shot?” She met his gaze and didn’t blink.
“Before the world ended, yes. Now? With a traitor for a President and people dying all around us? I took the same oath you did, Captain, but part of that oath is to defend our country against domestic enemies too. If betraying us to the Russians, who were the ones that orchestrated this whole thing, doesn’t qualify as a domestic enemy, I don’t know what does. Time to pick sides, Captain.” He said. “Join us, or forget you saw us here.”
“Of course I’m with you. Damn but the Army has sticks up their ass. And I thought Marines were bad.” She grinned. “Now, how do we find your Colonel?”
“Wait. What about Irina and Igor?” Rachel asked. “What’s going to happen to them?”
“They’ll probably be held and turned over to the Russians.” Blanchard said. “Who will most likely put them on a very public trial in Russia before executing them.”
“Then we have to help them, too.” Rachel declared. “As good as it felt to punch that blonde bitch in the eye, we can’t let them be handed back.”
“They’re in a room down the hall. Under guard.” Blanchard said. “We won’t get them without getting our hands dirty.”
“What do you mean?” Rachel asked.
“It’s what I was trying to explain earlier. About the military fracturing? General Triplett has apparently decided to follow President Clark’s orders. That means, with a few notable exceptions,” he nodded at Martinez, “the Air Force personnel under his command will be following his orders. We just became the rebels, and rebellions are never clean and sanitary. People get hurt and killed. Men and women we were fighting alongside yesterday are now the enemy.”
“You’re saying we’re going to have to kill Air Force personnel?” Rachel asked, shocked at the thought.
“I’m saying that we may very well find ourselves in a situation where we don’t have a choice. I don’t like it one bit, and I’ll do everything I can to avoid it, but if we’re going to resist then you have to be prepared for that to happen. Can you deal with that, Captain?” Blanchard turned to look at Martinez.
“I won’t kill unless it’s to defend one of our lives.” She answered. “Is that good enough for you?”
“Don’t misunderstand me, Captain. I’m not blood thirsty, ready to go hunting anyone wearing an Air Force uniform. I’m just pointing out that the situation will most likely arise where we have to make a difficult decision and I need to know, if the time comes, can you make that decision and live with it?”
Martinez stood still for a long moment, staring at the floor, finally looking up and meeting Blanchard’s eyes.
“Yes. To save one of our lives, I’ll do what has to be done. But nothing more than that.”
Blanchard nodded but didn’t feel the need to add anything further to the discussion.
“That’s good, but I’ll ask again. What about the Russians?” Rachel said.
“She’s right,” Blanchard said. “As soon as things calm down they’re probably going to be moved to a more secure location.”
“Leave it to me.” Martinez said, pulling the door open and exiting into the hallway.
Less than two minutes later the door opened again and Irina walked in, Martinez on her heels. Irina stopped when she saw Rachel, but Martinez put a hand on her back and guided her the rest of the way into the latrine so she could close the door.
“Told the guard I was checking on them, then that Irina had to use the latrine.” Martinez smiled.
“What’s going on?” Irina asked, looking at their faces.
Blanchard gave her an abbreviated version of the events that she was unaware of. “We expect Barinov to demand President Clark hand you and Igor over.”
“They’ll execute us!” Irina had go
ne pale.
“That’s what we think as well, which is why we’re going to get you out of here.” Blanchard said. “Martinez, how many guards on Igor?”
“Just one. In the hall. And it looks like they’re wrapping up in the main conference room. I don’t think we’re going to have much time before someone thinks to put our guests into confinement.”
“OK. If I remember right, the room he’s in is around a corner and there are windows in the room that open to the rear of the building.” Blanchard said.
“Correct. We’re going out the window?”
“Yes. You and I will escort Irina back to the room. Rachel, you and Dog right behind us. The guard shouldn’t know everything that’s transpired, and we’ll be able to walk right up to him. I’ll take him out, non-lethal, and we get Igor then haul ass. Everyone ready?”
As they walked around the corner in the hall, Martinez slowed but didn’t stop when she saw the guard was missing. She glanced over her shoulder at Blanchard who quickly pushed past Irina and drew his pistol. Martinez frowned at him, but he ignored her.
Waving the small group to a halt, he slowly continued down the hall, suddenly accelerating when the door to the room where Igor was being held began to swing open. Prepared to launch a blow at the guard he expected to see, Blanchard skidded and nearly fell when Colonel Crawford leaned out of the opening.
The Colonel nodded at them and motioned them into the room. Once inside they glanced around, spotting the unconscious and restrained guard lying to the side. Igor stood next to an open window, watching the area behind the building.
“Good to see everyone,” Crawford said in a low voice. “Let’s get out of here before the Security Forces come looking for our Russian friends.”
He turned and led the way to where Igor was keeping watch, sending Blanchard through the opening first. The rest of the group quickly followed, clambering through the awkward sized opening. Crawford lifted Dog up and handed him through to Igor’s waiting arms, then levered himself up and through.
The back of the building faced a large, grassy area that covered at least two acres. Despite the events that had transpired over the past couple of months, it was still neatly mown and edged. Rachel found it a little surreal, but knew the maintenance of the grass was a routine the military would maintain until prevented by circumstance.
Far to their left was another cluster of low buildings and a hundred yards to the right a wide, tree lined road that led to the area where the homes of senior officers were located. Crawford signed for them to follow and he set off at a fast walk directly towards the middle of the lawn. On the far side were more buildings, each with large parking lots and multiple military and civilian vehicles were visible.
When they were half way across the grass, Crawford reached up to touch an earpiece in his left ear and mumbled a few words. A minute later the first of a dozen Humvees pulled into the closest parking lot, the convoy swinging around and stopping, pointing back the way it had come. Half a dozen Rangers in full battle rattle stepped out of each vehicle and quickly formed a defensive perimeter.
The sound of racing engines came from behind them and Crawford glanced over his shoulder to see two Security Forces Hummers jump the curb and start across the neat lawn in pursuit. Without breaking stride he spoke into his radio again. Moments later a Ranger stepped forward, dropped to the ground and sighted in on the Air Force vehicles. He was using a sound suppressed .50 caliber rifle and disabled each vehicle with a single shot to its engine, then maintained his aim without firing any additional rounds.
“Colonel!” General Triplett had stepped out of one of the stalled Hummers and shouted.
Crawford stopped and told the rest of the group to continue on to the waiting vehicles. Blanchard stopped by his side, turning with him to face the General. Triplett was walking across the field with ten armed Security Forces in tow. Blanchard turned and hand signed to the Rangers, a moment later twenty of them running forward and forming up behind their Colonel. Their rifles were up and ready, but not pointed directly at the approaching Air Force personnel.
The field was large and it took a few minutes for General Triplett to reach the area where Crawford waited for him. He came to a stop ten feet away, the Security Forces spreading out behind him. They looked nervous, as well they should have. They were cops, not combat troops, and they were only armed with pistols. They were seriously outnumbered and outgunned if things went bad.
“Colonel Crawford, by order of the President of the United States, you are under arrest for sedition and treason. You need to surrender yourself peacefully.” The General said in a loud, commanding voice.
“General, what seditious or treasonous acts have I committed?” Crawford asked. “You’ve been involved in every discussion and decision that has been made. You can’t seriously be following this order. The only sedition and treason here is what our President has done.”
“Colonel, it’s not our place to question the orders of our superior. We took an oath to obey those appointed above us, and this is a lawful order from the Commander In Chief.”
Crawford let out a long sigh and took a couple of steps closer to the General. One of the Security Forces drew his weapon when the Colonel stepped forward, immediately getting half a dozen rifles aimed directly at him. He froze, muzzle of the weapon still pointed at the ground. Triplett looked around at his man, then at the Rangers and the determined looks on their faces. He waved for the man to holster the weapon, and when it was, the aim of the rifles was moved a few degrees off target.
“General, the world we knew has ended. It ended courtesy of the Russians. The very same people to whom our President has betrayed us. There are people out in Oklahoma City that are turning every day, and there’s millions more infected on the way here. Exactly where the Russians are drawing them. You were at the briefing. You know what’s going on. Do you really think it’s prudent to follow these orders and divide our forces? We need to be working together, not fighting each other.”
“You’re right about needing to work together, but we also need to follow orders.” Triplett responded. “Surrender yourself and place your men under my command.”
Crawford stared at the man, read the conviction in his eyes. “General, I respectfully decline to obey the order.”
“Colonel, don’t make me come and get you.”
“Sir, to attempt to do so would be a grave mistake. We have bigger concerns. Don’t put us in the position of having to start shooting at each other.” Crawford took another step forward, wanting Triplett to see his face clearly and understand that he was serious.
After a few moments of silence Crawford turned and walked through the line of Rangers, heading for the waiting Humvees. Blanchard fell in behind him, the Rangers slowly following, making sure the Security Forces didn’t try to advance.
19
The holding cell the Air Force put me in wasn’t large, or particularly comfortable, but at least it was clean. When they put me on the floor in the small room my hands were still cuffed behind my back and my ankles were shackled together. The lead Sergeant was pissed that I had resisted and hurt some of his men, but he should have been glad all I’d done was hurt them. I was starting to regret my restraint.
Use of my Kukri and pistol would most likely have gotten me out of there and on my way to find Katie. Right now all I cared about was finding her. I was through holding back. The next person that got in my way wasn’t going to survive the encounter.
Four of them were crowded into the tiny space, and before they removed my restraints I received several solid kicks to my head and ribs. Fortunately I didn’t feel anything break, but I almost passed out from a well placed blow to my temple. Finally they stopped kicking and one of them leaned in and Tasered me on the neck again.
My body went rigid and I lost control of my voluntary muscles. And it hurt like a son of a bitch. While my nervous system was still scrambled, they removed the leg shackles then flipped me over and took the cuffs
off. The last one out the door paused and looked down at me.
“Not so fucking tough now, are you asshole?” He punctuated his words with a kick to my balls that caused bile to rise in my throat, then stepped out and slammed the heavy steel door.
I just lay there for a while, slowly curling into a fetal position as the effects of the Taser wore off. The floor was smooth concrete and there was a small, metal drain cover set in the middle. I let the coolness of the floor seep into my battered body as the pain in my lower abdomen began to subside. Not go away, just ratchet down from a ten to a six or seven.
Eventually I was able to sit up and look around. The cell was stark. The walls and ceiling were also concrete that had been finished smooth, the only way in or out a solid steel door with an access slot at the top and another at floor level. A light was recessed in the ceiling, protected by thick glass covered with heavy wire mesh. A combination stainless steel toilet and sink were bolted to the wall in the back corner.
On the opposite wall was an iron bunk that was bolted to the wall and floor, a thin mattress rolled neatly and resting at one end. Otherwise, the room was completely void of any furnishing or decoration. Slowly climbing to my feet I unrolled the mattress and eased myself onto the bunk, suppressing a groan of pain as my weight came down on my pelvis. Opening my pants I inspected myself, relieved to find that while there was some swelling it didn’t appear that the kick had ruptured anything important.
Taking a deep breath I took another, closer look around the inside of the cell. Nothing I hadn’t seen the first time. The only way out was if someone opened the door. In what seemed like a lifetime ago I had undergone Army SERE – Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape – training. I had failed to evade and resist arrest. Now it was time to think about escape.
But unlike a Hollywood movie, I wasn’t going to be tunneling through solid concrete, or disappearing down a sewer drain. My shot would come when they opened the door, which they would. Someone would want to talk to me. Lawyers would be involved. I could probably make a good case for needing medical attention. Every time that door opened I had an opportunity. Some would be better than others, and I had to be ready to take the right one when it presented itself.