Red Rises (Book 2): Dead To Rights (HZA, Vol. 4)

by Brockschmidt, Marty

  Turk and Prescott pushed the desk aside and found a trap door, underneath. “Well I'll be dipped. Kyle O'l buddy, you had a bit of prepper in you, didn't ya.”

  “Let’s load up most of the ammo and powder, but leave the food and guns here. This will be a good fall back spot, it could come in handy, having a cache waiting for us.” Turk suggested.

  Red couldn't help looking at the woman and infant, in the rocker. “Before we leave, we are giving the Hansen's a proper burial.”

  Moving on to the garage, they found a dump truck, dozer and backhoe. Next to the garage, was a pump and an investigation into the underground tank, showed it to be nearly full.

  “I was hopin, this would be the case. Construction companies, keep their own supply of fuel. Let's see if we can get the equipment runnin.”

  Getting the backhoe running first, Turk had Prescott use it to dig a mass grave for the Hansen's. As Prescott got that done, Turk started up the dozer and then the truck. While they were doing this, Red wrapped the bodies of the woman and infant in a blanket and then did the same for Kyle. They used the backhoe to lower the bodies into the grave and then Prescott, filled the grave in.

  “On our way back, we'll swing by and bring the dozer home with us.” Turk informed them. “Alright then, let’s go see if we can find some off-road tires for my buggy, here.”

  Back on the road again, Red radioed to base that they were moving on from their first stop and had some exciting news to share, when they got back. As they approached I-75, Turk stopped at ‘Bud's Auto Service and Salvage’.

  This was a typical service station. It was a single building, with an office in the front and three service bays in the back. A large fenced enclosure was behind the building, strewn with salvage vehicles. They ignored that, not likely to be anything of value to them and there were way to many places for zed’s to pop out of. Even though this station was away from the main highway, its tanks had already been drained, as were the tanks of the handful of vehicles, waiting for service.

  “You know it won't be a whole lot longer, before we are going to need some way to get around, that doesn't involve gas.” Red remarked.

  Directing their attention to the station, they were greeted by two men, identified as ‘Bud’ and ‘Al’ by the stitching on their shirts. In life, Bud and Al enjoyed nothing more than good BBQ, washed down with large amounts of beer. This passion had made the pair, rather portly. In death, trapped behind the locked door of the service station, the pair had trimmed down considerably. Their belts no longer able to support their trousers, were now stumbling around with their pants, around their ankles.

  When Prescott saw this, he tried so hard to stifle a laugh, but lost control when Red came up and burst into a peal of laughter, that left her breathless and had Prescott, down on his knees. Turk was a little more focused on the task at hand and even with their limited mobility, Bud and Al were a danger. It pleased him that Red and Prescott, could get a moment of joy. The sound of Red’s laughter, was like music to him, her blue-green eyes sparkled and her smile, made her whole face radiant. It was almost painful for Turk to draw an end to their amusement and return to the job.

  Grasping a tire iron to pop the lock, Turk called out. “Okay you two, Prescott help me with the door, Red, we'll try and let em out one at a time and you take em down.”

  “Kill joy.” Red replied. “Okay, I'm ready.”

  "Let's see if Ol' Bud gots the tires we need." Turk stated.

  With the office cleared, they moved inside. At the far end of the office, were racks of tires and rims. Turk selected a set of off road tires and located some rims that would fit the willys, then set them to the side as they checked the service bays. Turk cautiously opened the door, leading to the service area, while Red and Prescott took up positions on either side.

  No zeds presented themselves, so the three slowly moved in. A quick scan showed the area to be clear, but three cars were parked in there, apparently awaiting repair.

  “Prescott, help Red check the cars, see if they have any gas in the tanks. Be sure to take a look under the cars, make sure nothin is hidin there. I'm going to pull around to the service door, open em up for me, when I get there.”

  All three vehicles were nearly full of gas and Red busied herself, pumping out the tanks. Turk brought in the portable generator, to run the equipment to mount the tires. With the generator running, they needed to leave the service door open. Prescott was posted at the opening, to keep watch for zeds. Bud had decorated the garage to his own taste, hanging pinups from car, motorcycle, and men's magazines.

  Prescott tried hard to keep his attention on keeping watch, but the pinups distracted him. Turk looked up from his work to see Prescott gazing at Miss January, a pretty brunette dressed in nothing, but mittens and boots.

  “Boy, keep your mind on the job.” Turk cautioned.

  Red looked up from the gas can she was filling and Turk gave a nod, towards the pinups. Red gave him a signal, that she would keep an eye on Prescott. Prescott put his mind back on the job and swung his gaze, back to the open door. As he scanned past an open store room, chucked full of stacks of tires and salvaged car parts, he thought he saw a stack of tires move. Focusing his gaze on them, he caught no further movement and decided it was a trick of the light.

  After assuring himself there was no zeds coming to the open bay door, Prescott looked to the other side of the garage. There, a blonde in a barely there white bikini and cowboy boots, was draped across a motorcycle, beckoning his attention.

  A loud thud, immediately grabbed Prescott’s attention back. Looking to the direction of the noise to see the stack of tires, he had thought were moving a moment ago, had toppled and several of the tires, were rolling across the garage. Three zeds, were still struggling to disentangle themselves from the pile of car parts. Prescott clanged his baton against a metal trash can, to alert Red and Turk, then went to confront the zeds.

  Grasping the handle of his baton, he thrust the point at the other end, up through the lower jaw of the first zed. As it fell, the second zed tripped on it and it fell as well. The second zed, pulled itself forward with its hands and arms, struggling to get at Prescott. He used the crook of the baton to push the third zed back and then swung the baton, like an axe, impaling the back of its skull as it tried to crawl, across the floor. Then Prescott turned his attention to the third zed, but Red was there and she grabbed the front of its shirt and thrust her knife, through its eye.

  Turk came up to the pair, scowling. He shined his flashlight into the store room and assured himself there were no more zeds, lurking in there. Turk turned to Prescott. “Hand me the baton, son.”

  “I'm … I'm … I'm sorry.” Prescott stammered.

  “Sorry, you ain't got nothin to be sorry for. I'm disappointed in myself for not thinkin to check that hidey hole, but I couldn't be prouder of you.”

  Turk took out his knife and cut two notches, near the handle of the baton and handed it back. “A couple of notches, for your first kills.”

  They each went back to their tasks. This time Prescott was on full alert, standing at the doorway, proudly running his thumb, over the notches on the baton. Now out of radio range of the main group, they had no idea what was happening, back at home. A sense that they needed to finish, drove them to wrap up their task and move on to their final destination.

  “Stop.” Red called out.

  Turk brought them abruptly to a stop. “Whats up? … Wadda ya see?”

  “Pull up over there.” Red pointed to the Twice As Nice, a second hand store. “The kids, could stand to have more clothes.”

  The door was covered by a roll down cage and the windows were barred, giving hope, others hadn't cleaned it out. “You can get us in, can't you?” Red asked.

  “I spect so.” Turk stated, as he pulled up to the curb.

  There were four zeds, wandering around by the building and they advanced on the car, as they pulled to the curb. Turk asked Red and Prescott to stay in the c
ar as he got out, to dispatch the zeds. He was afraid that Prescott might be overconfident, after his last success and he didn't want the boy, trying to hard to prove his manhood.

  Turk retrieved his cordless drill and fitted it with a bit and drilled out the cylinder of the lock. He rolled up the gate and tapped on the door to see if any zeds, were trapped in side. After confirming that the store was clear, Red and Prescott busied themselves, filling shopping carts with shoes, clothes, blankets, and undergarments. There wasn't much in the line of cold weather apparel, but Red did find a couple of mens winter coats, sweaters and sweatshirts for the children.

  Brother Andrew was seated in the back of the small RV. The RV had been covered with camouflage netting, to conceal it from the sight of the non-believers, who had taken up residence in the Playland amusement park. Brother Andrew had been tasked with seeking out the groups strengths and weaknesses, by constantly directing herds of the fallen, towards their walls. His frustration that they continually put down the fallen without firing a single bullet, had him seeking other means to test them.

  Sister Agnes a stout, bulldog faced woman, came excitedly into the RV. She had been positioned atop with a spotting scope, aimed at the non-believers compound. “Brother, a small group has left the compound.”

  Brother Andrew picked up the radio microphone. “Brother Burl, keep tabs on that vehicle. May the Mother bless you and keep you blinded from their sight. Brother Adam, load up as many fallen as will fit in the truck and wait for Brother Burl, to give you an ambush location.”

  The UPS truck pulled over to the side of the rode, followed by the Buick. Five of the fallen, were making their way, aimlessly, down the rode. The vehicles pulled over, after getting a good distance ahead of the fallen. The three people in the Buick got out, walking back to meet the fallen. The three in the truck, opened up the back and waited, each holding long poles. After making sure the fallen saw them, all the first group had to do, was lead them back. One of the men, had two silver bells, ringing them every few steps to keep the fallen on track. This wasn’t the first time, they’d gathered the fallen for Mother’s use and it probably wouldn’t be the last.

  “Seems like there’s more fallen around, every day.” Brother Adam stated.

  “Satan is hard at work Brother, creating these evil beings and Mother is doing the Lord’s work, through us.” Sister Ruth replied. “These pathetic creatures will do penance for their sins, by joining us in Mother’s fight against Satan and his followers.”

  “It is our duty.” Brother Adam agreed. Brother Charles continued ringing the bells, leading the fallen to the truck. “We will succeed, it has been written.” Brother Adam finished, firm in his conviction of their cause

  “Get ready.” The three at the truck made a triangle as the fallen, were led closer. Once the fallen were in the triangle, the long poles were used to direct them, toward the back of the truck. Getting them close enough, Brother Peter lit a torch, drawing the fallen up the ramp.

  “Close it down.” Brother Peter backed out, snuffing out the torch as the door shut. The group performed the act two more times, until there were nearly thirty fallen, in the back of the truck. With the fallen captured they moved on, following Brother Burl’s directions.

  Brother Burl had his binoculars trained on the Twice As Nice, when the others arrived. “They’ve been in there nearly ten minutes now. Pull around the corner, just up the block and release the fallen.”

  After parking, Brother Peter went to the back of the truck, set the ramp and Sister Ruth climbed on top ready to release the roll up door. Brother Peter could hear the fallen inside, bumping into the metal walls and each other, the groaning, growing louder and louder.

  “Ready?” Sister Ruth nodded, unhooking the door from above. The fallen poured out, some falling down the ramp, but getting back up again and walking straight ahead, each following the other in front of them. Brother Adam, undercover across the street, selected a rock from the pile at his feet and tossed it down the road, causing the fallen to follow the sound and advance on the Twice As Nice.

  “They will do their job.” Sister Ruth stated.

  Standing away enough not to be seen, Sister Ruth took the camera out, ready to take pictures for Mother. The young man in this small group, was someone Mother would want to know about. He was blonde, strong and handsome, just what Mother was looking for. “Get plenty of the boy.” Brother Peter directed.

  “We got company.” Turk called out, as two zeds banged against the closed roll cage.

  “We're done.” Red answered, as she and Prescott, each, pushed two overflowing carts, towards the door.

  Turk knifed the two zeds through the cage and motioned for Red to wait, as he cautiously checked outside. Turk tossed the two bodies aside and held the door open for Red and Prescott, to exit with their salvage.

  “You’re going to have to shake it sweetheart, those two have lots of friends.” Turk stated, pointing to the mass of zeds, about fifty yards up the street.

  Turk opened the back of the wagon, Prescott climbing in, as he began stowing goods as quick as Red passed them in, putting complete faith in Turk to keep them safe, as they packed.

  “Thirty yards.” Turk advised, grabbing two of the empty carts and pushed them up the street, in an attempt to bowl over as many zeds as possible. Turk fired off a couple of rounds, dropping two of the lead zeds, further tripping up the mass behind.

  “Twenty yards.” Again flinging another empty cart and tapping off another two rounds.

  “Ten yards, times up Darlin.”

  “Done.” Red confirmed, closing Prescott in and heading around to the passenger seat.

  Turk fired two more times and backed up to the drivers door, that Red had flung open for him. Turk fired up the willys and took off, just as the herd closed on them.

  “Piece of cake.” Red joked.

  “Okay, let's find us some elk. I don't think my heart could stand, another shoppin trip.” Turk replied, dryly.

  “Brother Andrew, the fallen have failed to stop them. These people have no fear of the fallen.” Brother Peter reported.

  Brother Andrew squeezed the microphone hard and answered through gritted teeth. “Oh, they will learn fear. They cannot escape God’s retribution. Gather more fallen. Many more. When they return I want them greeted by a mass of fallen so large they must show us their resources.”

  They reached the reserve, by late afternoon, with a few hours of sunlight left. Turk took them up, an almost imperceptible two track. He explained, almost nobody would know this route and it would lead them to a rise, overlooking a beaver pond. He expected the elk, to come to the pond for water and to bed overnight.

  “I'm not gonna lie to you, this is not a sure thing. A flash of light, a slam of the car door and any elk bedded down, will take off. We'll need to creep down 300 yards, before first light, to be in shootin position. You can't snap a twig, or kick a stone.” Then in a lighter tone, Turk joked. “And if you can muster it, try not to breath.”

  While Turk set up his spotting scope, Red asked Prescott to be her pee buddy. As discreetly as he could, Prescott made sure Red was safe.

  “Miss Red, can I ask you something?”

  “I'd appreciate it, if you waited until I was done.”

  Red led Prescott to a rocky outcrop, where they could keep an eye on Turk. “Now then, what do you want to know?”

  “Well Ma'am, I've been thinkin for a while now, well I mean to say … how old do you have to be to start seeing somebody?” Prescott stammered out, his cheeks coloring, with an embarrassed blush.

  “Oh, I see. There really isn't any set age, everybody is a little different. You just kind of know and if the two of you click, you start spending more time together.”

  “Is that how it was, with you and Turk, you two clicked?”

  “Yeah, I guess it was.”

  “Well, what if she is older, does that matter?”

  Red tried to look serious and understanding. “I see. Ye
s Tracey is older than you. Age is a funny thing, when your younger, a year or two makes a big difference as you get older, it starts to matter less. Only thing I can tell you is, start being friends first and see what time does for you.”

  “How much time?”

  “Honey I don't know, you are going to have to be patient.”

  “I know. You don’t think Tracey, thinks of me as just a kid?”

  “I'm sure she sees you as a fine young man, but she's gone through some things, that nobody should ever have to. You really are going to have to give it time.”

  “Alright. Thank you, for not treating me like a silly kid. I'm going to see if Turk, has spotted any elk.

  Red held back, watching Prescott make his way over to Turk, mulling over the conversation they just had. When Prescott reached Turk, Turk invited him to sit down next to him and look through the scope.