Dead Reckoning_HZA, Vol. 3

by Marty Brockschmidt

  That evening, the twins filled their mess kits from the line at the community meal and caught up with Gideon and Rex. The two men were waiting at a table, setup under a rainfly, which also provided shade from the Georgian summer sun. The four of them, initially struggled to make dinner small talk, but in the face of their shared predicament, it all came out trite.

  Rex was the first to change the tone of the conversation, with his trademark bluntness. “Not sure you two noticed, but as a rule, we don't allow most folks to walk around packin in camp.”

  Gideon, stepped in quickly to explain. “Most folks don't have a lot of firearm experience and could be more dangerous, than whatever comes at us. You two were obviously comfortable with your weapons, I figured we'd take the risk. We have a range setup nearby, we'll make a trip there tomorrow and see how well you handle them.”

  “We do appreciate your appraisal and we most certainly do not want to get special privileges. To be honest, Andy is the family expert, but he's been giving me lessons of late. If I do say so myself, I've become pretty fair with my pistol, though I'm really much better with a rifle.” Ria replied.

  Andy smiled. “Don't be taken in by my sister's modesty, she's a natural and with a bit more practice, she'll be a better marksman than me.”

  “Well, Rex my boy, we might have that sniper we need, to watch over our crews on a run.” Gideon suggested.

  Ria gave Gideon a dismayed look. “Me? How do these supply runs work?”

  “To be honest, we are still working on that. Most of this group, hasn't ever handled a gun before. We got a few hunters, but these are just regular folks. For them, the thought of going into a town with dead ones everywhere, is terrifying at best. You two, being out there like you have, we're hoping, you'll be at the core of a team.” Gideon laid out.

  “When you're on a run, have you ever come across a group, calling themselves Inferno?” Andy asked.

  “Gideon, that one town we passed on the way here, wasn't the sign changed to 'Welcome to Inferno'?” Rex asked.

  Gideon nodded. “Now that you've jogged my memory, I believe that is right. Why do you ask son?”

  Andy shrugged. “It's just a feeling. Ria and I were to meet up with some friends. When we got there, we found them dead, or worse. There was a sign painted in blood, 'Welcome to Inferno'. I don't know how organized that group is, but they are the worse sort.”

  Gideon snorted. “Well shit, pardon me ma'am. As if we didn't have enough problems. Best to keep that under your hat son, at least until we find out a little more. These people are already jumping at shadows, I don't want to give them any more to worry about, until we know for sure there is a problem.”

  Gideon stared at Ria, causing her to exclaim. “Gideon, do I have something stuck in my teeth?”

  Gideon smiled. “No your smile is unblemished, it’s just, you are so familiar. I saw a community theater production of 'Gone with the Wind', there was a redhead playing Scarlett and I swear, she was the spitting image of you.”

  Ria, stuck out her lower lip and pouted. “Gideon, you wound me. Here I thought I was unique in all the world and you tell me I have a doppelganger.”

  Gideon laughed. “Oh, I am sure they broke the mold when they made you. My Scarlett may share your beauty, but her last name was Walsh. This is a pretty blue collar group here and dead or no dead, they would pretty much ride one of the Walsh family, out of here on a rail.”

  The following morning, Gideon and Rex took Andy, Ria and a handful of men from the camp for target practice. Their range was a long ravine, the steep sides on either side, limiting their escape options, but also helping to contain the noise of their gunfire. As Andy drove into the ravine, a lone dead one, stepped onto their path. He was bare chested and his torso was riddled with ragged bites.

  Andy stopped the jeep. “I got it.”

  Ria was seated in the back behind Gideon. “No little brother, this one is mine. Gideon if you would be so kind.”

  Gideon climbed out and offered Ria his hand. Ria skipped towards the dead man, her knife unsheathed and held behind her. The creature began advancing towards her, in a slow shambling walk. When about five yards separated them, Ria stopped and curtsied as if accepting a dance request.

  Andy grumbled. “She's always been a show off.”

  Gideon, standing behind the door with a rifle, steadied on the open window, shook his head. “No, she's showing these others how it’s done.”

  When the creature was close enough, it lunged at Ria. She sidestepped and pushed the thing forward, causing it to crash to the ground. As it turned to rise, Ria pinned it with one knee and drove her knife in through its eye. Ria rose, wiping her knife on the things pant leg. “Now, could I get a couple of big strong men to clear the road?”

  They started at the pistol range and everyone performed well on stationary targets. When they switched to a moving target, only Andy and Ria, could reliably connect with it. Andy helped Rex, teach the other men to shoot at moving targets, while Gideon took Ria to the rifle range.

  The range was a bench with targets setup at fifty, one hundred, two hundred, four hundred and six hundred yards. Ria was using Andy's 22, with the barrel steadied on a couple of sand bags that Gideon provided. She knew she could connect easily with the hundred yard target, but Gideon was insistent on her starting at fifty yards.

  Ria popped off three quick rounds and Gideon observed her results, through a spotting scope. “Good job, just slow down a little bit on the next one.”

  Ria exaggerated a delay, between each shot. “How was that?”

  Gideon nodded. “You handle that little pup there well enough, you ready to graduate to the big dog?”

  Ria wasn't exactly sure what he was talking about, but flashed Gideon a big smile. “Yes sir, it would be my pleasure.”

  Gideon laid the gun case, he had with him, on the table and opened it. It was Gideon's turn to smile, when he saw Ria's eyes widen at the gun inside. The stock was synthetic in a camo pattern. On the forestock, was an attached bipod. What really caught Ria's attention was the large scope, mounted above the barrel.

  Gideon picked up the rifle and slapped in a magazine. “This is a hunting rig, I had made up some years ago, to hunt Red Stag. It is chambered in 30-06, a common hunting round. We should be able to come across more, when we start doing runs.”

  Gideon pulled down the legs of the bipod and handed the rifle to Ria. “It will kick way more than that 22. Pull it tight to your shoulder.”

  Gideon talked Ria through chambering a round and firing at the two hundred yard target. After the shot, Ria rubbed her shoulder. “How did I do?”

  Gideon chuckled. “Bullseye, Andy's right, you are a natural. What you need now, is a little education, let's talk ballistics.”

  Ria listened intensely as Gideon showed her the ballistics for this rifle and how to use the scope at various ranges. “You up to trying your luck at the four hundred yard target?”

  Ria settled the butt of the rifle into her shoulder. “I'll do my best.”

  After the shot, Gideon examined the four hundred yard target, through the spotting scope. “You'll get it, chamber another one.”

  Ria winked at Gideon and pointed down range. Gideon focused on the six hundred yard target and finally saw a small hole at the bottom edge of the target. “Andy was right about one more thing, you are a show off.”

  Over the course of the following week, plans for the supply run began to firm up. Andy and Rex, were rapidly developing a mutual respect for each other. With Rex more and more seeking Andy's council on the plan, Ria spent much of her time with Gideon as he worked with her, to improve her long range shooting skills.

  Gideon was old enough to be her father, but was nothing like her own father. Where Ria's father was harsh and intolerant, Gideon was supportive and patient. Ria, always felt insecure in her father's presence, constantly second guessing herself, yet always seeking his approval. With Gideon, she was rapidly developing a true self-confidence a
nd not a facade she put on.

  Two days prior to the planned run, Andy and Rex travelled to Jefferson and setup some noise makers, hoping to draw enough of the dead away to reduce the danger. Back at the camp, Gideon lead the members of the team in dispatching the dead, caught in their pits and breastworks of pointed sticks. The closer they got to the planned supply run, the attitudes and emotions in camp ran the gamut. Those individuals, negative by nature, were a little too vocal on the dire straits, their community would be in if the run fails to produce.

  Gideon would either good-naturedly cajole them into silence, or strong arm them over to the side. Things were tenuous enough in the fledgling community, without naysayers, stirring things up. “It is a good plan Gideon, they're just scared is all. Try not to take it personal.” Ria stated, after the latest rabble rouser.

  Gideon hung his head, the strength momentarily drained out of him. “Lot of people, depending on the choices I make, I'm doing my best. Between you and me, I have moments, when I don't know if my best is good enough.”

  Ria squeezed his hand. “You're not in this alone, you have Rex, Andy, ...me.”

  Gideon, placed his hand on her shoulder, before heading off to oversee the communities activities.

  The day for the supply run arrived and Ria wa seated in a raised platform, bolted to the bed of a [Christine1]pickup. Her rifle pointed down main street. At the far end, one team was at the gas station, pumping the tanks into fifty five gallon drums in the back of their pickup. The second team, jointly lead by Rex and Andy, were tasked with scavenging the pharmacy and the restaurants on the street.

  The noisemakers had done their job, with Ria only having to take down two of the dead, at the far end of the street. Rex, had just taken a small group out of the pharmacy to pile scavenged supplies on the curb, for retrieval later. Ria's spotter, Darnell, pointed out a dead one, coming from a sidestreet. Rex, caught the dead one drop from the corner of his eye and gave Ria a thumbs up in response. Ria, only allowed herself a brief smile as Darnell pointed out two more dead ones, rounding the corner. Ria dispatched the two, pulled the magazine, handed it to Darnell to reload, slapped a fresh magazine in and worked the bolt to chamber a round.

  With Ria keeping the pressure off the crews, they quickly completed their salvage and moved on to what they hoped would be their big prize. Gideon chose this target, because tucked within the businesses on industrial drive, that by and large focused on heavy equipment and farming, was the plant that produced the dehydrated emergency food supplies that Gideon had helped to promote.

  The industrial section was on the outskirts of town away from residential areas. When Rex and Andy, came through two days ago they confirmed that there was limited massing of the dead in this area. They had planned on taking the dead out by hand, to reduce the noise of gunfire that would draw in more dead. Ria would have preferred to share the risks of the men on the team, but was voted down. Rex argued that it was paramount that she was keeping on eye on long range threats and Andy was quick to backup Rex's decision.

  Working in groups of three, the men took out the dead in the vicinity of the Better Day Products warehouse. When they opened the loading dock door they found the warehouse free of dead ones and more importantly stores of emergency food ready for shipment. Rex called in the semi they had waiting nearby and loaded up.

  With their provisions secure, Gideon's thoughts turned to moving the community to a location where they could overwinter. “Rex I know the winters ain't that cold in these parts, but there will be frost, probably a little snow. We got people in tents with little more than a blanket.”

  “Hell Gideon, make up a shopping list. Me and Andy will get you sweaters and sleeping bags, but we're dug in here.” Rex argued back.

  Andy shook his head. “Rex I gotta side with Gideon on this one. We still need supplies, folks will handle things much better with four walls and a roof.”

  “Where in the hell do we find a structure that won't have the dead nipping at our heels, the whole time we're trying to button it up?” Rex shot back a tad angrily.

  “I thought about that. Go for a ride with me tomorrow, I think I know a place.” Andy responded.

  The next day after driving less than an hour Andy pulled down the short drive. “So what do you think?”

  Rex clapped Andy on the back. “I think Gideon will love it. It'll still be a lot of work and we're going to be tighter here. I gotta say though Andrew, I'm warmin up to the idea of moving.”

  Back at the community Rex and Andy were seated with Gideon and were rapidly laying out their plans to prep the new site for the move. Ria listened in and when they slowed down she got up and refilled their water glasses.

  As they paused to drink she spoke to Gideon. “I would like to see this site for myself. Would you be so kind as to be my escort?”

  Gideon patted her hand. “I think a woman's take would be good. We crusty old hunter's don't always think about the amenities.”

  Ria smiled. “Oh you have been more than thoughtful, but it is time to share the load. I was thinking we could ask Harve and Mildred along as well.”

  Rex did a quick look to make sure no one was in earshot and then spoke in a hushed tone. “Those two have been nothing but a thorn in our side from day one. Why would you want more of that?”

  “I know they've lost everything, but the ability to complain. Harve is a builder and Mildred grew up on a farm.” Ria answered.

  Gideon chuckled. “I guess if they are part of the solution, they got no one to blame except themselves. Good call my dear. Les has been wanting to be more involved with camp security, we'll take him along as well.”

  The following morning Andy delivered the small group to the new site. It was located on a river and back in the day had operated canoe rentals and rafting tours. It had a large building to store the canoes, rafts and tubes. A covered area where tour groups waited their departure and a small office and gift shop. A fence ran about the general area to minimize vandalism, especially in the off season. It was remote enough to minimize the number of dead, but still in striking distance of several towns that could be scavenged.

  Harve was looking around the barn, piled with canoes and floats. “We'll have to clear all this crap out of here. I don't know what the hell you'll do with it, but the building is sound and tall enough that if we put up a ceiling we could get a second story of living space.”

  Harve was a bit of a curmudgeon, but Gideon could see he was becoming committed to the project. “Take your time Harve. When we get back to camp, we'll pull together a crew for you to clean things out and help you build. If we do this right, we could get something sustainable here.”

  Ria was with Mildred looking over the covered area. “What do you think, can we make this into a kitchen and dining hall?”

  “My Harve can build anything, I can give him a few ideas. What you really brought me here for is to know if we can farm here.” Mildred stated.

  “You’re here to share your opinion and expertise and yes if we can farm here, it will cut down on the runs we have to do.” Ria replied.

  “Well honey, I hate to break this to you, but it will be a bitch of a job preparin this land to farm. The soil is good enough, but we are going to have to clear trees, rocks and brush. These fences are going to have to be pushed back to make it safe enough to work the fields. A pretty little thing like you, probably have no experience with work like that.” Mildred grumbled.

  Ria remained unphased at the gibes at her. “I'm not afraid of a little hard work. I must say I am impressed at your quick assessment of the job. You will be doing our little community a world of good getting this organized.”

  Mildred struggled to hide a smile at the praise. “Well, we are a might past planting season, but I figure we could start a small plot over yonder and get some fall crops in. If we work hard over the winter we could have the rest ready to plant come spring.”

  Ria gave the older woman a quick hug. “Thank you. It means so much tha
t we start doing things to get a life for ourselves.”

  Mildred went to Harve to discuss the build of the dining hall as Ria joined Gideon and Les. The situation here was significantly different than the campsite by the lake. Having the fence and a solid building was a distinct advantage. However, the trees and heavy brush blocked their sight lines.

  “I know that road taint't far off, but I can't see a lick of it from here.” Les stated.

  “I hear you. When we start building the dead are going to mass.” Gideon acknowledged.

  “Lucky we got Miss Ria and her long gun, dropping them before they get near.” Les answered with a nod towards Ria.