“Extermination,” corrected Renee. “They’re coming to us. This will be routine.”
“Best way to do it,” I agreed.
“Well, I’m going to shoot a bunch, and I plan on having fun,” she pouted, “no matter how boring you try to make it.”
“In that case, you get the center with the twins. We’ll have Ronnie and Xavier hover overhead. They can let us know if any are approaching from other directions.”
“I’ll have a few guys keep an eye on the rear and sides as well,” remarked Renee. “We won’t need all that many for the actual killing.”
This would be the fourth time we had to stop and clear a herd of the shamblers. Four times, and we were only about halfway to Lake Sakakawea. I know I’ve mentioned this previously, but the countryside had really grown much more dangerous over the past year.
“How long will this delay us?”
“Not sure, Jacob. We have plenty of light, so if we can get past them in a timely manner, we should make the campsite before nightfall.”
Based on satellite imagery, we had selected a wooded area three miles from the lake shore and about a mile off the highway. The gravel road appeared passable, and being so far off the beaten path, it was unlikely we would be spotted. The dangers posed by zombies should be somewhat less as well.
“Are we going to spend tomorrow resting?” continued Renee, hoping I wasn’t going to alter – she would probably say mess up – the rather solid plan she’d proposed.
“No changes. Might delay further if the weather gets bad. I don’t particularly want to be out on the water if it starts lightning.
“I miss weather reports,” said Mary, wistfully.
“And how often did you watch them?”
“Never, but the people who made them were also the guys who put the stuff on the Internet. I miss being able to look at my phone and see what’s going on. Make the people in Hawaii fix it all faster.”
“Not sure I can do that.”
“No one can,” said Renee. “We don’t have any ground to argue. It’s amazing they have as much up and running as they do.”
* * *
It took one hour and eighteen minutes to deal with the zombies, excluding a few stragglers which were too far off to bother with. The killing was straightforward and efficient, just the way I liked it. We stood in a long line, and whenever a zombie came close, it was put down. A few of the better marksmen, most notably Tara and Dale Zablocki, tended to fire at long range. This helped somewhat in that we ended up with several piles, instead of a single mass of corpses. Bear in mind that zombies are lousy climbers, and if the stack grew too large they would simply move around. This sometimes affected our ability to see what was happening and could result in a wave of the dead unexpectedly crashing against our line.
The shambling dead remain creepy. However, my fear of the things is all but gone. Yes, they remain every bit as dangerous as before. They still refuse to decompose, aside from the first couple of days. Almost all are nude, their clothes having rotted away due to sun, wind, rain, snow, and every other nasty thing the environment could throw at them, and this can be quite distracting. They do not groan, moan, or make any noise beyond their footfalls. Having one come up behind you without warning is always a danger. Nonetheless, zombies are slow and stupid. If a person has a decent weapon, plenty of bullets, and a few buddies to help out, he can deal with just about anything he comes across. The only really danger was getting caught unprepared or being forced into a fight against overwhelming numbers. Either could result in an untimely, not to mention horrible, death.
There was one thing out of the ordinary that happened while clearing this herd. It could have been bad, should have been really, but luck was with us. You see, we were walking past a pile of corpses when a zombie grabbed William’s leg and sank its teeth into his ankle. The monster had been pinned by the bodies of its comrades, and the positioning made it difficult to see. Fortunately, William was wearing leather hunting boots. The cowhide was somewhat chewed, but those boots saved his life.
* * *
“What do you mean Rudy’s turning nice?”
Mary and Renee were sitting beneath a tree talking while I examined the latest satellite images. There wasn’t anything in particular I was looking for, and nothing had changed. But, you can only sit on your ass resting for so long, and that’s all we’d been doing the past eighteen or so hours.
“He’s still flirting with any woman he sees, but it isn’t as dirty or suggestive as it used to be, more like what normal people do.”
“I don’t know,” said Mary, doubtfully. “That doesn’t sound at all like Rudy.”
“Like I said, he still flirts with everyone. That hasn’t changed, but the level has dropped.”
“You going to start dating him? Tell me you’re not going to sleep with him. He’s pretty sleazy.”
Mary had that spot on. Rudy was great at rock climbing. He was a fair medic as well. Yet, he was difficult to be around, and that grew worse the more time you spent with him.
“I have no intention of getting in bed with Rudy.”
It was good to know Renee’s taste hadn’t gone into the toilet.
“But, I have had dinner with him a few times, and I figure on doing so again.”
Shame, Renee. Shame. Shame.
“I think he might even be growing up.”
Mary snorted. “He’s already grown up, but I think his brain is frozen at age twelve.”
“He’s not that immature,” protested Renee. “Thirteen, maybe, but not twelve.”
They shared a giggle.
“What about Michael? I’ve seen the two of you dancing more than once.”
Mary laughed. “About a hundred times.” She looked over at me. “Maybe I should tell you later.”
That hurt. My daughter was likely teasing, thinking of the trick I’d played on Michael right before my birthday party. I was not going to rise to the bait.
“Mary, get Captain Briggs on the satellite uplink. The plane from Hawaii should have landed by now.”
“Ah…” She dropped the complaint before it formed and set the device on speaker phone, or whatever the military called it. They had special terms for everything. “Hey, Captain, you there? Mary’s calling.”
Our camp was laid out as a rectangle. One end held most of the vehicles, the other had the two Cobras along with the fuel trucks. The people were in the center, excluding those on watch who were placed around the perimeter. With each squad settled around their own campfire, we were far enough off that no one should overhear, provided Mary didn’t crank the volume up.
His voice crackled back a minute or two later. “What’s your status?”
“We are sitting here doing nothing, in the dirt, without even any dried up leaves to cushion our backsides. My pants are getting ruined. I blame that on you.”
“Is Jacob there?”
“What, you don’t want to talk to me?”
“I’m here. My second, Renee, is with us too. Have the planes landed?”
“The transport arrived on schedule and is being unloaded and refueled now. It should be sufficient to move the prisoners. The manifest lists several crates of feminine products.”
Briana would be happy. I’d have Mary relay the news to the Black Hills later.
“There are several hundred gallons of rubbing alcohol as well.”
That was always useful, and our hospital went through an insane amount of the stuff. We could distill it ourselves, but what we received from Hawaii was of better quality and came in these nifty plastic bottles they seemed to have no shortage of.
“There is also some dried squid from the Japanese. It’s sort of like beef jerky, but the seasoning tends to be hotter.”
“How about chocolate?”
“Mary, I am sorry. No chocolate on the list.”
“You’ll have to do with sea monster parts,” I quipped. “Briggs, we are still on schedule. Anything on your side that may change that?”<
br />
“None. All intelligence shows them as status quo.”
As we drew closer, the military satellites were focusing on the area as much as possible. I couldn’t get round the clock coverage, which sucked, but what I had was pretty close. Unfortunately, many of the little metal boxes floating in space were non-responsive due to their ground based facilities having been overrun by the dead or otherwise lost. Efforts were ongoing to transfer control and access to Hawaii, but there were so few technicians with the necessary skills that it was slow going at best. Many would likely remain inert, at least until they fell back to Earth.
“Let me know if anything changes. Otherwise, I’ll see you soon.
* * *
A couple hours before midnight, I gathered everyone close for some last minute instructions. The twins, who already knew what I was going to say, were on opposite sides of the camp keeping watch.
“We are sticking with Renee’s plan, but I do want to ensure that everyone knows exactly what they are to do with the people at the lake.”
There were a few murmurs, but no one spoke up.
“First of all, as to those wearing the white robes, The Brotherhood itself, every single one is guilty of murder. They are the people who decided to feed three of our guys to zombies. No prisoners are to be taken. Any who surrender or are wounded are to be killed on the spot.”
I allowed my gaze to drift across the gathered faces. There did not appear to be any discontent. Renee and I had asked Marcus to tell everyone all that he saw and experienced, and he performed admirably.
“Those regular townsfolk, the ones not members of this cult but who helped them kill our people, will likewise be executed outright. Since they are not going to be wearing robes, we’ll have to sort the lot later with Marcus making identifications.”
Marcus would remain in the camp keeping an eye on the gear and vehicles. Xavier and Ronnie, along with their gunners, would remain as well, until it was time to launch the Cobras. We were also leaving one member from each squad behind as security. Everyone else would be going on the raid.
“Try not to harm any children, but if they are used as human shields do not hesitate. I don’t know if this group will play that game, but don’t you dare let yourself or one of your fellows get hurt or killed because The Brotherhood chooses to be ruthless. Any kids who die like that have their blood on The Brotherhood’s hands, not ours.”
This aspect of my speech was less well received. No one wanted to hurt the children, but, at the same time, we could not let our own humanity be used against us. I prayed the matter would not arise.
“This is going to be a lightning strike. We get in position, and we hit hard just like we’ve practiced. I don’t want them to have a chance to get organized or respond, which is why we’re going in the middle of the night.”
Renee had proven the value of night attacks, especially when each of my people was equipped with night vision goggles and our snipers had comparable scopes on their rifles. The enemy would not be expecting it and, with most asleep, should find it difficult to react in a timely or effective manner.
“Any questions?”
There were none.
* * *
We hiked the three miles cross country to the shores of Lake Sakakawea. Tara and Dale scouted the route, using silenced pistols to drop any zombies that happened to be in our way. Turned out there were only three of the things. It was a quiet night.
“Mary, any activity that the satellites can see?”
She checked with Captain Briggs who was at the airstrip sitting in front of a computer monitor.
“Nothing. The people, most of them, seem to be sleeping.”
“Good.” I motioned for Renee, and she drew close. “We are ready to go.”
There were a scattering of rowboats and canoes beached on the shore, likely for the benefit of local residents, or as bait for those they so loved to kill. We ignored the lot. The inflatable boats we brought with us were jet black and equipped with an unusually quiet motor. They had next to no draft, so there was no worrying about getting hung up in the shallows, even if fully loaded. Also, the boats were surprisingly stable, which was nice since we were all wearing body armor and helmets, not to mention carrying several pounds of weapons and ammunition each. Falling overboard would likely result in a rapid descent to the bottom.
Renee darted off, speaking with each of the squad leaders in turn. All were equipped with headsets, but, like me, Renee favored the personal approach. She would be working with squad two. Their task was to circle around and approach the primary island from the rear. Squad one would target the side closest to shore. Three would first assail a second, smaller island on the eastern flank. There were only a handful of structures and a few head of livestock. As such, we believed no more than a dozen people lived there. Those would be seized and restrained. Squad three would then take up position so their snipers could engage the town. Only a hundred fifty yards of water separated them.
Tara, Dale, myself, and Mary would attack the third island. This was especially tiny and sat to the southwest of the town. It contained but a single building, a small stone structure erected sometime after the change. Our intelligence indicated someone was always there, and our best guess was that this outcropping of rock served as a watch post. We should have no difficulty taking care of the lone sentry. Afterwards, we would add to the sniper fire.
“Water’s cold,” whispered Mary. One arm was hanging over the side of the boat with her fingers brushing the surface.
I slowly guided us toward our target. Tara was in the front peering through the scope of her rifle, a huge suppressor on the end of the barrel. It wouldn’t do to alert our targets to the attack. Dale sat beside her, scanning the area with his binoculars.
“Take care to not catch cold,” I warned. “It would be embarrassing, and Briana might make fun of you.”
“It’s not like I’m going swimming. Besides, I’m a super warrior. I don’t get sick.”
“Super communications expert, maybe.”
“That too.”
“He’s moving to the water’s edge,” announced Tara.
“No one else,” said Dale.
“What’s he doing?” I asked. “Did he see us?”
“Peeing in the lake,” replied Dale.
Mary immediately plucked her hand from the water.
“Nice and distracted then. Take him.”
We were a hundred feet from the island, coming in from the side, when Tara pulled the trigger. The man’s head exploded in a pink mist, and he collapsed on the rocks. Beaching the inflatable boat, Mary and I stayed where we were while the twins leapt out and headed for the building. Dale took the lead with a silenced pistol in one hand. His sister held back, sniper rifle still cradled in her arms. I heard the soft pop of his weapon a few seconds later.
“One other,” he remarked, “sleeping.”
“We clear?” I asked.
Both siblings nodded.
“Mary, let the others know.”
“Command team in position,” she said, into the radio.
“Squad one in position,” quickly followed.
Renee’s voice was next. “Squad two in position.”
We waited nearly ten minutes before the third squad gave their status. I couldn’t see them from where we waited – the town being in the way – but Renee had line of sight, and she would have alerted me if anything appeared wrong.
“Squad three in position.”
Finally.
“Mary, tell Ronnie and Xavier they are a go.”
The helicopters were parked back at our camp. That ensured they would remain hidden until we were ready, and it’s not like it would take them long to cover a few miles.
“They’re coming,” she confirmed.
I readied my rifle and took up a position near the twins. Like them, I was using a suppressed weapon. Not only did this reduce the noise, but it also blocked most of the muzzle flash. There was a good chance our targets
would not realize where the shots were coming from, at least not right away. You know, I love being able to kill people and not have them shoot back. That sounds pretty bad. Still, it is the gospel truth. Nothing is better than a one sided battle, provided you are on the winning team.
“They’re almost here,” said Mary. “They can see us.”
The thrum of their rotors was the first indication they were coming. Then the sky lit up as the Cobras opened fire. Ours lacked the nifty missiles that Yellowstone’s possessed. They did have plenty of rockets however, and these targeted the dormitories where The Brotherhood was known to reside. The structures could not take the abuse, quickly catching fire. I repressed a cheer as they began to buckle and collapse. Mary did not. Sometimes I worry that all this fighting might be warping her moral compass.
The choppers next swung about and hit the small building believed to house their primary armory. Apparently the intelligence reports were correct because that one outright exploded, sending debris hundreds of feet into the air. I should speak with Briana about moving our munitions somewhere more isolated or possibly fortifying the bunker. It would not do for this sort of thing to happen in Baltis.
Someone managed to get a boat started and pulled away from the island. One of the Cobras fired a single rocket, turning the thing into splinters. Squad one, which was closest, added to the assault, riddling the bodies in the chilly water with a few dozen bullets each. If any had survived the blast they were dead now. The high priority targets dealt with, our pilots shifted to miniguns.
“Our turn,” I said. “Fire at will.”
Mary relayed the command, and the twins began eliminating targets with their usual deadly effeciency. I peered through my own scope, searching for anyone in a robe or anybody carrying a weapon. There were few of the former but plenty of the latter. I took one woman in the back.
“Everyone acknowledged,” said Mary, “and everyone is engaged.”
Due to the destructiveness of our rockets and the relative inexperience of Xavier and Ronnie, Renee had wanted to delay landing anyone until those two had done their job. The miniguns were more than capable of providing heavy fire support and could sweep the landing zones. They were also easier to control and less likely to result in a friendly fire accident. The SMAWs would be used to blow through obstructions or take care of any hardened defenses the Cobras might have missed. Grenade launchers were also available.
Surviving The Zombie Apocalypse (Book 3): Salvation Page 25