Wanderer (Book 2): Hunters

by Lincoln, James

  One of the soldiers opened the back door and our two guards hopped out and motioned for us to do the same. We lined up just to the left of the APC. Four guards, one for each of us, were patting us down while the other four stood with their rifles trained on us. The crowd did in fact form and was watching with interest.

  “I am Captain…” I tried again, but was immediately cut off by the same guard who spoke before.

  “I told you to shut it,” he said.

  I kept trying. “We are an HK unit. We are from another camp. We are not your enemy.”

  The guard walked up to me and shoved his gun barrel into my cheek.

  “One more word out of you and you’ll be sucking food through a straw. If you’re lucky.”

  “What is going on here?” I heard a voice behind us say.

  “Sir, we picked up these four scavengers attempting to sabotage the satellites,” the soldier said.

  I turned to see who he was talking to. He was a tall, heavier set man with a short beard. His uniform indicated that he was someone important. While I recognized him, I couldn’t place him, but he was definitely not who I wanted to see.

  “Sir,” I began, but was cut off.

  “Lock them up,” he said.

  “What?” I shouted as I tried to free myself from the guard’s grasp.

  “How do I know you didn’t kill the men who belonged in those uniforms?”

  I was taken aback, but I also understood his reasoning. It didn’t make it any less frustrating because I know we were telling the truth.

  “Colonel,” a voice shouted from behind the crowd.

  People started parting as a familiar face approached us. It was David Johnson, an old partner from my previous life.

  “Colonel,” David said again. “I know these men. I think you can let them go.”

  The Colonel looked at David dubiously.

  “You can vouch for these men, lieutenant?” the colonel said.

  “Yes, sir. The Captain here and I go way back.”

  The Colonel thought for a moment. “Let them go,” he said finally.

  The guard was surprised. “Sir?”

  “Excuse me?” the Colonel said.

  The soldier, who must have been their team leader, realized what he had just done then nodded to the others. They proceeded to release us from our bonds. I looked at the soldier and smirked, he only returned a scowl.

  Once my hands were free the leader extended his hand. “Welcome,” he said. “My name is Larson. Colonel Wade Larson. I am in charge here.”

  I shook his hand, finally recalling who he was.

  “I am the Captain of this team here,” I said. “We have made contact with your camp before.”

  “I remember. And what brings you here?”

  “Our camp was destroyed. We were tracking a group of scavengers responsible when we were hit with heavy losses.”

  Larson walked over to California and Charlie and shook their hands too. “And who is this,” he said, referring to Emily.

  “She is one of us,” California said.

  “We picked her up outside of San Francisco. The scavengers we were tracking were holding her.” I added.

  “Really?” Larson said. He turned his head toward the APC. “And where did you get this lovely piece of machinery?”

  “That we got just outside of Frisco as well. It was what the scavengers were driving.”

  “Should I ask where the rest of your team is?” Larson said grimly.

  I looked to Charlie.

  “Like I said, we have suffered heavy losses.”

  “Arrest the girl,” Larson said abruptly.

  “What?” I said.

  In an instant two of the guards stepped forward and began to bind her again. California, Charlie, and I stepped in to intervene, but we were met by the remaining six guards. We struggled with them.

  “Colonel,” David protested.

  “Lieutenant,” Larson shouted, overruling David.

  Our attempts were futile, so we stopped.

  Two guards had me restrained when Larson walked up to me.

  “Listen to me very carefully, Captain,” he said. “You say you picked her up with the scavengers, how do I know she’s not a scavenger herself? My main concern is the safety of this camp. I recognize you and your team, and you are welcome to stay, but you follow my orders now. And as far as I’m concerned, you’re lucky you’re not locked up with her.”

  “If your main concern is safety then I suggest you send a team to deal with the approaching horde of zombies heading this way.”

  “Zombies?” Larson said incredulously. “Captain,” Larson said loudly so everyone could hear him. “I can assure you that we perform daily patrols of the area and there are no zombies, as you call them, anywhere within a one-hundred-mile radius of this camp.” He leaned in closer. “Now, are you done instilling fear within my residents?”

  We stared at each other for a long while.

  “You’re dismissed, Captain,” he finished.

  I ripped my arms free from the two guards. The other guards released Charlie and California.

  “Lieutenant Johnson,” Larson called. “Show these men to a suitable cabin.”

  “Yes, sir,” David said. He motioned for us to follow him.

  “Let’s go,” I said.

  “Captain,” California protested.

  “I said, let’s go.”

  We started to follow David when Charlie fell to the ground, unconscious. California and I rushed to him and rolled him over. He still appeared to be breathing. David rushed up and placed his fingers under his jaw, feeling his pulse.

  “We need to get him out of here,” David said.

  “Your man needs medical attention,” Larson yelled behind us. “The infirmary is that way.” He pointed to the far side of the camp.

  The guards shuffled Emily away. “Find my brother,” she shouted. “Find my brother and save him. Please.”

  We could only watch as the guards brought her into the prison building.

  She was safe for now. Our main concern now was Charlie. California and I lifted him off the ground.

  “This way,” David said, leading us away from the crowd.

  This camp was not much different than ours. It was settled within the tree line, so it offered a little bit more camouflage. In the mountains behind the camp there was an array of white antennas used for radio broadcasts which they would use to try and reach other survivors. We used something similar at our camp.

  It was a bit drier here as there was no river running through the middle. If I had to guess, based on the cabins, this used to be an old YMCA camp. And if Wade Larson is any indication, they are ruled by a dictator as opposed to a democratic society.

  Cabins were strewn about. A large building sat in the middle of the camp. The infirmary we were approaching had a crudely painted red cross above its door.

  Charlie was as white as a sheet and sweating profusely. His wound was infected and spreading.

  “Your friend here won’t be around much longer if we don’t get him in here.” David said, waving us inside.

  David had Charlie laid out on one of the cots. He had now properly bandaged the wound and stitched it shut as best he could.

  “So, where do you two know each other?” California asked.

  “This old guy right here?” David said gesturing to me. “He was my Captain back in our old firefighting days.”

  “It’s true,” I confirmed.

  “Until he disappeared up north.”

  “How is he?” I asked, changing the subject.

  “Should be fine. I did the best I could with what I have. He’ll be out for a while and it will take him some time to fully heal.”

  David started cleaning up his tools.

  “You running the infirmary?” I asked.

  “Volunteer,” he said. “They aren’t exactly word class surgeons around here. Mostly I command a team, much like yours.”

  He paused for a momen
t.

  “What happened out there?” he asked.

  “What’s happening here I think is more important,” I said. “This place is like a concentration camp.”

  David seemed to be at a loss of words.

  “What do you want me to say? Larson rules this place with fear. It’s clear he’s making some kind of play, but I don’t know what,” David finally said.

  “Why?” I asked.

  “This is the world we live in.”

  “You haven’t done anything?”

  “What can I do? The man has half the camp under his thumb one way or another.” He leaned forward. “I’ll tell you this; as long as no one is dying, I’m not going to do anything.”

  “Something else is going on here, David.”

  “Like what? Things are changing quickly around here. You’ve got to pick your battles, man. All of you. This isn’t some pissing contest.”

  “There is a horde of zombies heading straight for this place. Not to mention there is something else going on here.”

  “Do you have proof?”

  “I’ve seen it. We’ve seen it.”

  “And Larson is this close to locking you up with your friend. If you fart and he smells it, he’ll lock you up.”

  “So, you’re just going to sit there and let this camp be overrun?”

  “What do you want to do? Us three go down there with sticks and rocks and shoo these things away? Larson is not going to listen to me, let alone you. I believe you, and I will fight right alongside you, if you want your friend out, if you want to save these people, you’re gonna need proof, unquestionable proof.”

  I knew he was right.

  “I’ve known you for a long time and I’m on your side, but think long and hard about what you’re going to do. Understand?”

  I nodded. “Yeah.”

  “That goes for both of you.”

  California nodded as well.

  I heard the sound of an engine and tires cutting through the mountainous dirt. I turned and looked through the screen door to see what it was and recognized the person driving the vehicle from the photos plastered about Johnny’s workshop, his brother Eric.

  Eric hopped out of the ATV and ran up to the infirmary. He burst through the door and David caught him.

  “What happened?” Eric said in a mild panic state.

  “He’s fine,” David said. “His friends brought him here.”

  David gestured toward us. He pushed his long hair back out of his face.

  “You must be California,” Eric said and extended his hand. California shook it. “Captain.” I nodded. “Where’s Johnny?”

  We all looked at each other unsure of what to say.

  “Let’s take a walk,” I said.

  Eric’s base of operations, which was just a makeshift garage, was constructed out of aluminum siding and resembled an aircraft hangar. There was a trench running down the middle of it that he could get into and easily work on the undersides of the camp’s vehicles. Along the walls were various vehicle components ranging from timing belts to carburetor parts. He had several tool chests that held every type of tool a mechanic might need. Much more sophisticated than ours. In the back corner, a large vehicle sat with a cover over it.

  When we walked through the large sliding doors Eric started unloading a smaller, portable tool chest. I watched as he limped his way to his work bench. His knee was adorned with a brace that had been recovered from some drug store and repaired.

  “What’s that?” I asked, referring to the covered vehicle.

  He turned. “Something I’ve been working on.”

  “Does Larson know about it?”

  “No,” he laughed.

  “Eric,” I started. “I’m sorry about Johnny.” Eric held up his hand. He didn’t want to talk about it.

  I changed the subject.

  “I hear you can fix pretty much anything,” I said.

  “You name it,” he said.

  “What are you working on now?”

  “Most days I spend my time downtown.”

  “You make expeditions into town?”

  “Not alone, no, but I’ve slowly been working on getting a train in working order?”

  “A train? Really?”

  “Yeah. My hope is that we can use it to make contact with other camps. Like yours. There’s another team working on repairing the track. I also helped wire the solar dishes you saw on your way in.”

  “Listen, Eric, I think I have a plan, but I may need your help with something.”

  He turned and looked at me, intrigued.

  I left Eric at the garage and headed toward Larson’s office. I would try to reason with him first before taking any drastic measures. When I got there, I spotted two armed guards stationed on either side of the door leading into the building that contained his office, a little unnecessary in my opinion. The building itself was the main building of the original camp. This building contained the mess hall and a few dorms and offices, the latter of which were turned into more offices and a situation room. The mess hall was used less frequently now that the camp was growing. Most people ate with their families.

  Larson’s office consisted of two dorms on the second floor of the building that had been joined by knocking down the walls. He was filling out some useless piece of paper when I knocked on the door. He looked up.

  “Come in, Captain,” he said. “Have a seat.”

  I stepped in a pulled a chair away from the desk and sat down.

  “What can I do for you? I trust your team is getting some much-needed R and R?”

  I noticed him look me over. I was still dirty from our journey south.

  “I want you to release the girl,” I said.

  “Why is that?”

  “Because she’s not a threat. Look at her, does she look like a scavenger to you?”

  “No, but neither do you and yet you came rolling into camp in a modified scavenger vehicle. How do I know you’re not a scavenger?”

  “Why her and not us?”

  “Look, Captain, I don’t need to explain myself to you. I’m in charge of this camp and I will run it in any way I see fit to ensure the safety of its occupants.”

  I really couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Even after David vouched for us. I could tell he was lying and that I wasn’t going to get very far with him, but I needed to at least try before I made any rash decisions.

  “I lost two men out there. One of them to a rather large horde of zombies that are headed this way.”

  “Again with the zombies?”

  “Yes. Like I said earlier, it’s the biggest group I’ve seen since this started. They were only a few miles from here just this morning. No doubt they’ve picked up our scent. They could be here anytime.”

  He looked at me for a long while. “This camp is perfectly safe. I’m not sending any teams, Captain. If that’s what you’re wanting.”

  He said it so matter-of-factly that I knew he was planning something; I just didn’t know what yet.

  “Then send one team, my team, to stop them.”

  “Send your team?” he laughed. “The two of you? I’m not sending your team out so you can further endanger this camp. And I’m not releasing the girl. Captain, as far as I’m concerned you should be in jail with the girl, and if you’re not careful you will be. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do.”

  Without missing a beat, he went back to his paperwork. I sat dumbfounded for a moment at what had just happened. I finally got up and headed for the door.

  “And Captain,” Larson added before I left, “take a shower.”

  I didn’t turn or acknowledge him.

  I found Eric underneath some skeleton of a vehicle. I put my foot on his creeper and pulled him out from under it. He protested at first until he saw me.

  “Hey, man,” he said. He held out his hand. “Help me up.”

  I pulled him off of the creeper. He pulled a greasy rag from his pocket and wiped his hands off.
>
  “Sure, wipe your hands off after you touch me.”

  “I’m cleaning whatever crap you gave me off. So, what’s up?”

  I noticed the vehicle he was working on had very large shocks. Lined up behind the vehicle were four oversized off-road tires and off to the side was an engine that could sport some serious horsepower. It was meant to go fast and over whatever terrain you could throw at it. I saw the cover lying on the ground and I realized it was the vehicle I saw earlier.

  “Did you get the APC?” I asked.

  “It’s out back, haven’t brought it in yet.”

  “Have you had a chance to look at it yet?”

  “A little. It’s got some pretty high-tech stuff on it for a scavenger rig.”

  “Find anything strange on it?”

  “The whole thing is strange. Anything specific you had in mind?”

  “Maybe a tracking device.”

  “A tracking device? Who would want to track them?”

  I shrugged. “How did they get the vehicle in the first place? None of it adds up and I’m just trying to make some sense out of it.”

  “Let’s go look it over.”

  Eric limped over to his workstation and grabbed a device that looked like a metal detector wand. I followed him out back.

  The APC was parked up against the garage with a large brown tarp over it. I helped Eric unfasten it and pull it off the APC.

  “If there is some sort of tracker on it, I’m guessing it’ll be in the cab,” Eric said.

  He opened the driver side door while I opened the passenger side. He began with the door jamb, slowly sweeping the wand over the frame of the APC and then the seat.

  “Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary around here lately?” I asked him.

  “We live in a world occupied by the undead, define ordinary.”

  “With Larson.”

  “You think he’s got something to do with this?” Eric said making a gesture toward the APC and meaning the situation.

  “I don’t know, but he keeps calling this a scavenger vehicle without knowing where we got it.”

  Eric stopped scanning and looked up at me. “Can I tell you something?”

  “Go for it.”

  “They brought this thing to me immediately after you left and told me they wanted it dismantled. I asked them where they wanted the scrap to go, they said to burn it down. Now why would they want to destroy something that has obvious benefit?” Eric started scanning the steering wheel.