“We can come back later and try to cut it open,” I said, but didn’t have much hope. Sarah started to say something but we were interrupted by a soft yet distinct sound of something scraping along the asphalt driveway. Sarah looked at me questioningly.
“Company,” I whispered. We both raised our weapons and pointed them toward the open garage door. We heard the scraping again, and then a plastic trash bin slowly came into view. I looked at Sarah, who was looking back at me with a look of confusion mixed with disbelief.
One of those things, a middle-aged man, came into view. He was using the curbside recycle bin as sort of a walker. When he saw us, he emitted a raspy guttural groan and started making his way into the garage.
“Where the hell did he come from?” Sarah asked without really expecting an answer.
“I got it,” I said, put my shotgun down and pulled my machete out. Sarah watched as I got the bin between him and me, took careful aim, and swung the machete like I was hitting a homerun. I made contact just above his left ear and almost got the machete almost all the way through his head. Working the blade out, I looked at it with a frown.
“I need to sharpen it,” I muttered. Sarah walked over and looked at the man, who was now motionless on the garage floor with black ooze seeping out of the gash in his head.
“You seemed to have enjoyed doing that,” she opined. “You were grinning.” I shrugged and looked around the garage. When I found a scrap of rag, I used it to go through the man’s pockets, finding his wallet in a back pocket. When I pulled it out, it was covered in God only knows what.
“What’re you doing now?”
“I think this old dude lived here. Let’s see if there’s anything in his wallet, like a safe combination.” I went through it and soon found a folded piece of paper.
“Well?”
“It’s possible,” I said. “There’re several numbers and other writing. I think it’s a list of usernames and passwords.” The paper was heavily soiled and a lot of it was hard to read. Short answer, after several attempts, we struck out.
“Alright,” I said as I doused our hands with sanitizer, “we’ll come back to it later. Let’s finish up and get out of here.”
We pulled down the garage door and she watched as I took a can of spray paint and applied the standard FEMA marking with an abbreviated notation of the safe.
“I saw these markings during the Hurricane Katrina debacle. Is it a FEMA symbol?” I nodded.
“Yeah. It’s probably a wasted effort now, but I do it anyway.”
“What exactly does it denote?” she asked. I pointed at it.
“You start with a big X. The top quadrant of the X is the date the structure was searched.”
“Three-fourteen-zero three?” she asked.
“March fourteenth, third year of the apocalypse. We arbitrarily chose November first as the starting point and we’re on year three now.”
“Uh, well, I guess you have to start somewhere.”
“Exactly.” I pointed at the left quadrant. “Here is the identifier of who searched it.” I’d put a large Z in there, which I assumed needed no explanation. “The right quadrant is for identifying any hazards that’re present, and the bottom quadrant is for notating if there are any bodies inside. I also use the bottom quadrant for any special info, like the safe.”
“And you do that with every structure you search?” she asked. I nodded again. “Yeah, I figured,” she said with a grin. I glanced at my watch and looked around. “We have time to check a few more houses. Let’s just stick with this street.” Sarah
nodded in agreement.
“So, you guys fly back from Los Angeles to Tinker. What happened next?” I asked as we worked.
“The base commander, a general, had committed suicide while we were gone. After that, everyone who was left drifted off until it was just Fred and me. I tried to get him to stay, but he wanted to get back home to you guys. He kept calling all of you his adopted family.” She paused and frowned.
“I was the one responsible for him staying away for so long. I used every feminine trick I could think of, but one day he announced he was going home and I couldn’t stop him.”
“Was it a fond goodbye?” I asked, already knowing the answer. Sarah shook her head.
“He asked me to come with him, but I threw a hissy fit and acted pretty badly toward him. I regretted it, of course. We all do things in the heat of the moment that we later regret.” I agreed, thinking back to some of the things I’d done in the past I wish I could have changed.
We finished with the last house and were now sitting on the tailgate. Sarah appeared lost in her own memories before realizing I was still there, waiting to listen to the rest of the story.
“I believed I had a duty to stay at Tinker and maintain the base and equipment. I honestly thought I was up to the challenge, but it was too much for just one person. A windstorm swept through one day and destroyed a lot of assets. It was the final straw I guess. I’d been alone for almost two years and found myself missing Fred more and more.” She looked over at me.
“I was so stubborn, opinionated, and hot-headed. I never realized what a good man he was. Being totally alone, I had a lot of time to think. Maybe I romanticized him and our relationship a little too much, but no matter.”
“I think if I were totally alone for two years, I would’ve gone crazy.”
“Yeah,” she replied, but didn’t elaborate.
“The storm was most likely a tornado and it did a considerable amount of damage. I hid out in a basement of one of the buildings until the next day. As I walked around surveying everything that’d been damaged, I came across an abandoned car. You see, before Fred left, he took a sharpie and wrote down his home address and a note saying, ‘I hope you change your mind.’ I ignored it for a couple of months, but one day I walked by that car and saw that the writing was fading, so I wrote it down.
“I carried that scrap of paper in my pocket and I can’t tell you how many times I pulled it out and looked at it.” She wiped at her eyes before continuing.
“So, even though it’d been almost two years, after that storm I decided to pack up and find him.” She paused again and this time a single tear rolled down her cheek.
“Anyway, I fixed up a Humvee and headed out. You know the rest.” I nodded in understanding and looked around while she wiped her face. After a couple of minutes, I checked my watch again and noticed she checked hers at the same time.
“Let’s head back,” I suggested.
“Affirmative, but I’d like to meet those Marines first and have a little talk with them,” she said stiffly. I shrugged and began driving us toward the school.
“You two are part of the unit who murdered a group of innocent people, is that correct, Sergeant?”
I had driven Major Fowkes, Sarah, to the radio tower first. Justin and Ruth were outside when we drove up, working a garden plot. They were a little unsettled when I introduced her. Sarah skipped all pretense at niceties.
“I asked you a direct question, Sergeant.”
“Yes ma’am, but as we explained to Zach, we didn't murder anyone.”
“Yes, Zach said as much. But you two and this Major Parsons have pertinent information about the incident, correct?”
“Well…”
Sarah turned toward me. “Zach, I’ll need to make use of that notepad I saw in the truck. Do you mind?”
“Ah, no, not at all. I’ll go get it.” She turned back to the two Marines.
“The two of you are going to write a detailed statement concerning that mission,” Sarah ordered. “Including the names of everyone involved and, more specifically, you will identify every active shooter. Do I make myself clear, Sergeant?”
“Ma’am, I’m not so sure that’s a good idea,” Justin said.
“I didn’t ask for your opinion, Sergeant. I’m giving the two of you a direct order. If you refuse, I’ll conclude the two of you were in fact involved in the murder of innocent civi
lians and summarily execute both of you.” She then unsnapped the holster containing her sidearm and grabbed the handgrip. Justin and Ruth looked over at me like this was my fault or something. I gestured at Sarah.
“She had a relationship with Fred. They were friends. If you think she’s simply going to let this matter go, you’re mistaken. Personally, I think this is a good idea,” I opined. “I’d especially like to read your statement, Ruth,” I said pointedly as I continued staring at the two of them.
“The two of you have repeatedly said you had nothing to do with the murders. It would be an honorable gesture to memorialize the massacre of my family. Besides,” I said to Justin, “you repeatedly emphasized the importance of duty and obedience in the military, and if I understand correctly, she out ranks both of you.” Justin worked his mouth, attempting to form a reply, but saw no rebuttal to my logic. He sighed and reached for the notepad.
“Do not leave out any details. If you do, you’ll start over,” Sarah warned.
When the two of them were finished, Sarah made them swear an oath the statement they wrote was truthful before having them sign it. She signed her name to each statement and then had me sign as a witness.
“Zach,” Ruth said. “Please keep an open mind when you read my statement.”
“I will, but you could have told me the whole story from the get-go.”
“I know. I have no excuse,” she said and hung her head. Sarah looked around.
“Why did you decide to live here?” she asked.
“Zach had a plan of using the radio tower to bring survivors together,” Justin said.
“He got sidetracked, but we think it would be a worthwhile endeavor to start it up again,” Ruth added. Sarah nodded as she looked around.
“You need a storm shelter,” she commented and then turned her attention to me. “Let’s head over to the school. I’m anxious to meet this Major Parsons.”
They had apparently already spotted us when we turned off of Concord Road to the radio tower. There was a group of them waiting outside when we drove up, including Major Parsons. I stopped the truck and started to introduce Sarah to everyone, but she cut me off.
“I’ll get to know everyone else at a later time. Right now I’m going to have a private conversation with this person,” she declared as she sharply pointed at Major Parsons and then pointed to the far end of the parking lot. She turned and started walking.
“Don’t keep me waiting,” she threatened without looking behind her. We all watched in rapt silence as Major Parsons hurried to catch up with her.
“So, how’s everyone doing?” I asked as we listened to a heated, albeit very one-sided conversation in the background.”
“We’re doing pretty well, Zach,” Ward replied with a nervous smile. “May we ask what the heck is going on over there?” he asked as he gestured toward the two military officers. The two of them were squared off, facing each other, both in the body posture soldiers called the parade rest position.
“Major Fowkes and Fred were very good friends. She’s taken it upon herself to get to the bottom of the massacre.”
“She’s giving him a good ole fashioned ass chewing,” Floyd muttered. “Kind of reminds me of my sister-in-law when she got pissed off at my brother.”
“A real man wouldn’t put up with that shit,” one of them said. I looked over and wasn’t surprised to see it was Shooter who made the remark. What a dumbass.
“How’s everything else going, Zach?” Tonya asked. I turned my attention to her.
“Not too bad. In addition to Major Fowkes, we’ve got a couple of other arrivals.” She frowned and shook her head.
“Our food supplies are stretched a little thin at the moment,” she said. I held up a hand.
“Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to take them in,” I replied. “Kelly and I will take care of them.” Then, I decided to have a little fun with them. “Besides, how much can a couple of young slender women eat anyway, right?” I think I saw Shooter’s jaw drop.
“You got women?” Cutter asked. I answered with a vague shrug.
“We’re going to come visit,” he said with a grin. I could almost see his mouth drooling.
“No you’re not,” I responded. His grin dropped.
“Why not?”
“They’ve had a rough couple of months. Once they get some rest and sorted out, I’ll bring them all over here to visit.”
“That’d be wonderful, Zach,” Ward said. “We can have a pot luck supper.”
“That’s a great idea,” Marc added excitedly. “We haven’t had one of those in a long time.” I thought about it. I didn’t much care for the prospect of breaking bread with these people, but I knew Kelly would enjoy it, and unlike Shooter, I knew it was always best to have a happy significant other. I looked at the date on my watch.
“Okay, I’m game. Ward, how about three days from now? What do you think, Tonya?”
“Sounds agreeable,” she replied. “I certainly hope you’ll be bringing steaks.”
We agreed and then acted like were weren’t listening to the conversation taking place at the other end of the parking lot while we chatted about unimportant things. The only bit of information that caught my attention was when Floyd reported seeing a couple of zombies ambling down Franklin Pike the day before.
About fifteen minutes later, the two majors walked back and rejoined us. Sarah reached inside the truck, removed the other two written statements, and handed Major Parsons the clean notepad. She directed him to sit on the ground. He didn’t like it, cast a forlorn glance at me as if to say this was all my fault, and sat. It took him a full forty-five minutes to write out his statement. Sarah had everyone sign as witnesses.
Chapter 19 – Sworn
This is the sworn statement of Lance Corporal Ruth Anne Bullington. On 12September of last year, my commanding officer, Colonel Almose Coltrane, called the unit together and issued an OPORD. The mission was, as we were told, to take a person into custody, per the order of the Commander-in-Chief. The unit was split into three separate teams. The location was a small community of survivors located near the town of Nolensville, Tennessee.
Team Charlie’s mission was to go to a school located on Concord Road and contain the civilians, preventing them from interfering in the primary mission.
Team Bravo’s mission was to coordinate with a group of four cooperating confidential informants who were going to provide access to an adult male hereafter referred to as Target One (Zachariah Gunderson).
Team Alpha’s original mission was to provide security, but Colonel Coltrane issued a FRAGO once Target One was acquired. The amended mission was to raid a residence located in the same general vicinity of Nolensville and take custody of two children hereafter referred to as Target Two and Target Three. I was assigned to Team Alpha.
After Team Bravo secured the primary target, they proceeded to a staging area and awaited the other two teams. At 0900 hours, Team Alpha drove onto the property and parked tactically near the house in which Targets Two and Three were believed to be residing in. I was the driver of the third vehicle. The other occupants of this vehicle were Colonel Coltrane and Major Parsons. Colonel Coltrane made an announcement of our intentions with the use of a portable loudspeaker. The occupants of the house refused to come out. One of the occupants shouted an obscenity and fired. The bullet struck Corporal Harold Lamance. He died as a result of this gunshot.
Much to my shock and surprise, Colonel Coltrane ordered an assault on the position. We opened fire and the occupants inside fired back. For several minutes, there was an intense firefight.
Once suppressive fire had been achieved, two Marines were able to set breaching charges on the front door and made entry. I did not enter the house, instead acting as security. I heard sporadic gunfire from inside the house and then there was silence for several minutes. Eventually, Colonel Coltrane and the rest of the assaulting force exited the house with the two children and an adult female who identified herself
as the grandmother of the children. Colonel Coltrane ordered all three of them taken into custody. We linked up with Teams Bravo and Charlie and then drove back to Fort Campbell without further incident.
It was only later that I learned the full facts of the mission. The father of the two children, identified as Zachariah Gunderson, was kept secluded in a holding cell for the duration of his confinement. We were advised this action was on direct orders from POTUS, and we were specifically ordered not to tell him about the incident at the house or the fate of his children.
For the record, I want to avow I had absolutely no foreknowledge that lethal force was going to be used on civilians, nor did I participate in shooting said civilians. Instead of stopping it, I sat in the protection of my vehicle like the coward that I am. I swear this statement is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge - Lance Corporal Ruth Bullington.
She’d attached an extra sheet of paper with the ranks and names of everyone on her team, along with a brief, physical description of each one. I read the other two statements and there were no surprises. The other two also denied any foreknowledge there was going to be lethal force used. I sealed the statements in a large manila envelope, quietly walked into the den where everyone was laid out, and placed it in the bookshelf. I was skeptical, but it was better than nothing. Kelly was still awake, the kids snuggled up together on one side of the bed, sound asleep.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” she whispered.
“Yeah, I’m sorry, I wanted to read the statements again.” I stripped down to my underwear and carefully crawled in and snuggled up beside her.
“Good thing we have a king-sized bed,” I quipped.
“How many times did you read them?”
“The statements? Four or five, I guess.” She turned and kissed me.
“Okay, we’ll talk about it tomorrow. In the meantime, if we’re really quiet, we won’t wake the kids,” she said very softly. Somehow it made everything feel alright.
Zombie Rules (Book 4): Destiny Page 16