Wasteland Rules: A New Dawn (The World After Book 3)

by J. G. Martin

  But then, alerted by the screams, Smith and Wu rushed into the barn. They were breaking orders to stay outside in containment, but Tom was grateful they had just saved his life. Storm saw them and reacted immediately. He stopped and snatched up the discarded pitchfork and hurled it at Smith. The farming implement caught the young private from Ohio in the throat and he collapsed to the floor. Wu hesitated and Storm was on him in that instant.

  He batted the communications specialist’s weapon aside as he drew that deadly machete. Storm shoved it under the left armpit where the armor didn’t cover and into Wu’s heart. Tom watched more of his men die in helpless horror. He tried to grab his rifle, but was too dizzy and fell. He scrabbled uselessly on the dirt floor as he tried to reach his weapon.

  Storm gave him a brief glance, but apparently decided he didn’t have time to finish them off. Using Wu’s body as a shield he charged out of the barn. Tom crawled towards the entrance, desperate to see what was happening to his troops. He could hear a heavy exchange of gunfire and screaming. He finally managed to collect his weapon and staggered to the barn doors. As he exited, the gunfire and screaming stopped and silence fell.

  He was stunned and horrified by the scene outside. Valderra lay on the ground, his visor starred and scorched. Roberts was bent over him checking on him, but Templeton and Saad were nowhere to be seen. Wu’s crumpled body lay nearby, his armor riddled with bullet holes from the other Red Berets’ fire. A trail of blood led back into the village.

  “What happened?” He demanded groggily from the private.

  “PFCs Wu and Smith charged in against orders when they heard the screaming. We tried to stop them, but they didn’t listen.” Roberts reported. “Then Storm came rushing out and we opened fire. We lit him up, but he had Wu in front of him as a shield. Sir, we didn’t know he had Wu.”

  “He was already dead.” Tom said sadly. “What happened next?”

  “Storm threw Wu’s body onto Templeton and then shot Sergeant Valderra in the face with his sawed off at close range. He’s alive, but the shock of the blast at that range knocked him out.” Roberts continued. “Then Storm was gone. It all happened so fast.”

  Tom ignored the fact that the girl had not followed Storm, because he couldn’t really blame her. The man was downright scary. He had again killed multiple Red Berets in close combat, and not just any Red Berets; members of the elite Zeta Force. He steeled himself and started to follow the blood trail, when a thought hit him.

  “Where is the LT?” Tom asked.

  “He chased after Storm; I’m not sure where he is.”

  Tom cursed and took off at a full run along the blood trail. Templeton was on his own against Storm and he had no idea what he was up against. It was probably suicide to go after Storm, but he had no choice. If he didn’t chase after Storm, Tom would be court martialed. It was probably going to happen anyway, but he could at least get some credit for not giving up the chase.

  “Saad, where are you?” He called into his helmet mike.

  There was no response. Then he realized that Wu had been carrying the team’s communication gear. It housed the transmitter for their local communications. The transmitter had been shot to pieces when Storm used Wu as a shield. He had no way to communicate with the surviving members of his team or call for backup. Tom burst out into the open between the houses and stopped short in surprise at the sight before him.

  Templeton and Storm were engaged in hand to hand combat in middle of what had once been the cul de sac’s street. Templeton had his own machete and was matching Storm blow for blow. The lieutenant’s weapon lay near the corner of the house and it was apparent that Storm had ambushed him as he came by and disarmed him. But Templeton had drawn his own machete and the two were now going at it hardcore. Tom was impressed and surprised that the lieutenant was holding his own, as far as he was aware the man had no special training or abilities like Storm.

  Then he noticed that Templeton’s armor looked slightly different than his. It had the same color scheme and similar design, but it was slightly bulkier and was flexing differently as the lieutenant moved. It didn’t seem to be slowing him down as much as it would have Tom or the others. As he watched, the two battled furiously but neither could gain an advantage. Blades sparked as they clashed and their movements became a blur as they moved faster and faster, reaching an almost impossible speed. The effect was almost hypnotic and Tom stood there for a minute before realizing he could just shoot Storm.

  As he raised his weapon a cloud of dust suddenly swirled all around the two warriors. The transport chopper descended out of the sky like a mama bird coming for her young. Tom switched his target to the chopper but came under heavy fire from the soldiers in the open door. His armor could absorb the damage, but the repeated impacts knocked him down. He could only watch helplessly as the traitor grabbed hold of a rope and was carried away to safety.

  He watched the chopper fly away as he ground his teeth in frustration. That bastard had gotten away again! And this time he had killed a lot more of Tom’s men. This would probably not go well for him when they returned to command. Although it might be awhile before they got back since the communications gear was destroyed.

  When the dust cleared he took Templeton his weapon and asked him. “What just happened?”

  “He got away sir. He ambushed me from behind the house and forced me to fight him hand to hand. Then that chopper swooped in and got him.” Templeton replied matter of factly.

  “Not that. I saw that happen.” Tom snapped. “How were you able to go toe to toe with him?”

  “Oh, that.” The lieutenant said cautiously. “This is experimental armor that is supposed to enhance your strength and speed. I guess it works huh?”

  “And no one thought to tell me about it? Shouldn’t I know all the capabilities of my team?” Tom asked caustically.

  “It was need to know. They wanted me to test it out and report back. You’ll have to take it up with General Ross if you have a problem with not being told.” Templeton said with a shrug. “At least we know it works, right?”

  Tom didn’t answer. The implication from him not being told about the armor was that command didn’t fully trust him. The conversation when they got back was going to be interesting. But first he needed to gather the remnants of his team and recover their dead. The others weren’t going to be happy when they realized the cost of the battle and that Storm had still escaped.

  Chapter 15

  September 4, 2029

  Near Lamar, Colorado

  Derek climbed on board the helicopter as it soared away from the village. He collapsed onto the floor of the chopper as one of the soldiers slid the door shut. He was actually exhausted for the first time in a very long time. The fight with the black soldier in the barn hadn’t been too bad; but the fight with the guy who had what appeared to be powered armor had been draining. If the chopper hadn’t appeared to haul him out, it’s possible the Red Beret could have stopped him.

  “Thanks for coming back to pick me up.” Derek wheezed.

  “It took some convincing…” Rora informed him with a look at the soldiers.

  They refused to make eye contact and pretended to be busy with their gear. Derek wasn’t surprised. They had been under attack from an overwhelmingly superior force and they were happy to get out alive. The last thing they wanted to do was go back in to rescue a man who wasn’t one of them. He understood; they were just following Rule #23, don’t look for trouble.

  “How do you think they found us?” Rora continued.

  “Believe it or not, I don’t think they were there for us.” Derek told her. “They asked me ‘where the hacker was’, and I don’t think they meant you.”

  “Who or what is the hacker?” Rora replied with confusion.

  “I have no idea, but it sounds like someone else is looking for the ARK also. Otherwise, why would they be in the village? But who else could have known about the secret lab?” Derek asked.

  “Well,
if one of my father’s partners was Faceless, then anyone could know.” Rora said slowly. “We still don’t know who they work for.”

  “Maybe we can find some answers in Vegas, but I’m not looking forward to being chased halfway across the country again.” Derek stated.

  “I hear that.” Rora agreed emphatically.

  They spent the rest of the flight to Vegas in contemplative silence; with Derek sleeping and Rora working on a tablet computer she had borrowed from the Society. She spent the remainder of the flight reviewing everything she had downloaded from her father’s servers. It was very high level and cutting edge research. Freed from budget constraints, oversight, and morals or ethics; her father and his team had made impressive leaps in the field of genetics. Some of the research bordered on crazy, including creating new animals. But, if new herd animals could be introduced that were better suited to the new environments, it would mean a huge leap forward for the planet.

  She put the tablet away when she heard the pilot negotiating with the airport in Vegas for landing privileges. The sun had begun to fade as they approached and she was astonished by the spectacle that suddenly appeared in the desert in front of them. The darkening wastes gave way to brilliantly gleaming stretch of bright neon lights and towering edifices replicating various international landmarks. Despite the gaudiness it had its own beauty, and shone like a beacon over the wastes.

  “Impressive isn’t it?” Derek asked over her shoulder.

  “Was it always like this?” She asked in wonder.

  “The Strip was always like this, going back to the seventies. But there was once a much larger city surrounding it. Suburbs sprawled out into the reclaimed desert. Lawns were kept green by wasteful amounts of water. People traveled from all over the world to gamble, party, and participate in wild debauchery. Las Vegas truly earned the nickname Sin City. They even had a slogan, ‘What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’.” Derek told her. “Although that part hasn’t changed, there is always a market for sin.”

  “What happened?”

  “The changes in climate caused by the Aftermath dried up much of the suburbs. Already mostly abandoned during the Collapse, the suburbs no longer had the water they needed to keep the greens lawn. The desert, whipped up by strong winds and sand storms, quickly reclaimed those areas. As the population shrank, everyone moved in closer to the remaining employers and services. That was all centered around the Strip and the casinos.” Derek explained. “When the government collapsed the casino owners banded together and took control. They formed the Las Vegas Commission and assumed control of the Strip. They created their own security force, which came to be known as Strip Security, and hired all the former police and military in the region. They built a series of fences around the Strip and the airport, sealing the Strip off from the rest of Vegas.”

  “What about the other residents?” Rora asked.

  “Those employed by the casinos were moved into housing in the Strip, mostly slum apartments owned by the casinos. Everyone else, of which there weren’t too many, was left to fend for themselves outside the fences. The Commission employs people to keep the sands off the Strip, but they overtook the remainder of the city. Any survivors were forced to seek refuge somewhere else. It was rumored that a few hardy souls tried to stay, but they were driven off by Strip Security.” Derek replied.

  “So the Commission runs the casinos?”

  “The Commission is made up of the casino owners and operates democratically, with a rotating chairmanship; but it only controls the community property, Strip Security, and the airport. Each of the casino’s property is considered sovereign and they can pretty do whatever they want there; including maintaining their own armed security force. In theory, the Commission can sanction a casino if every other owner votes to do so. But that would be very unlikely since each owner would be afraid that would set a precedent.” Derek told her.

  “We are in the middle of the desert, who comes all this way to gamble?”

  “Everyone. That’s why they have a working airport. Vegas is considered neutral ground by every faction. U.S.T.G. Party bigwigs rub elbows with C.C.A. Patricians, Cartel Dons, and G-21 gang Lords.” Derek said with a laugh. “Sin is universal. The elites will always find a way to have their playgrounds while everyone else struggles to get by.”

  “I thought there were no commercial flights?” Rora asked in confusion.

  “It is dangerous to fly without satellites and because of the unpredictable weather, but that doesn’t stop jets from flying. The reason commercial flights stopped is that no one could afford them and no one really had a reason to travel. It’s not like people were taking vacations or traveling for business. Most of the major cities still have a usable airport; they just don’t have any airlines operating out of them. Almost all jet travel is private planes or government owned flights.” Derek explained.

  The conversation ended as the chopper landed. One of the soldiers slid the side door open to reveal a squad of men armed with the ubiquitous M4 carbines and two Humvees armed with machine guns waiting for them. The men wore gray BDUs with a patch on their left shoulder and gray tactical helmets. They had black body armor over their BDUs and facemasks pulled up over their faces. The patch was a red and white poker chip with a black V on it and matched the logo on signs around the airport.

  None of the guns were aimed at Rora, Derek, or the chopper; but the men all looked ready to respond if provoked. Derek exited the chopper slowly, keeping his hands open and out to the side. Rora and the soldiers followed his lead and did the same as they climbed out. Once they were all out and standing in a line in front of the chopper; the armed men, who Rora knew could only be Strip Security, moved aside to reveal another man dressed the same but with a gray cap and no facemask.

  The man was a shade less than six feet tall with a slight build, but he exuded confidence and authority. His hand rested casually on the worn butt of a Sig Sauer P229 automatic pistol that rested in a tactical holster on his right leg. The strap was off and he looked ready and capable of using it if necessary. He wasn’t a young man, but he wasn’t old. Derek pegged him in his late thirties and based on his appearance and demeanor the man had led a hard life. This was not someone to mess around with.

  “Welcome to Vegas.” The man said in mock seriousness. “Are you here for business or pleasure?”

  “Pleasure.” Derek responded quickly. “We were passing nearby and I just wanted to show my young friend here the glory that is Vegas.”

  “Really?” The man asked sarcastically, eying the group. “A little heavily armed for a joyride aren’t you?”

  “You can never be too careful nowadays. There are slavers and Drinkers everywhere.” Derek retorted.

  “Point taken.” The man chuckled. “I’m Lieutenant Korskov. I will be your escort into the Strip. Since you arrived unannounced we weren’t exactly ready to roll out the red carpet. You cannot take any weapons into the Strip, so you either need to leave them here or put them in our secure storage in the airport terminal. And we will be searching you before you leave the airport.”

  “You three stay here.” Derek ordered the soldiers. “Rora and I will go into the Strip.”

  “What about our gear?” Rora asked.

  “Leave all your weapons here, but bring the tablet.” Derek replied.

  “That’s not considered a weapon is it?” Derek asked the lieutenant jokingly.

  “It’s not, but the casinos might not allow you to bring it inside.” He replied seriously.

  “Why not?” Rora asked him.

  “We had a serious breach at one of the casinos last week.” Lieutenant Korskov informed her. “Someone hacked into one of the casino mainframes. It was discovered quickly and no damage was done or data stolen, but it has the casino security on edge.”

  Rora and Derek shared a quick glance, but otherwise didn’t react. They stowed their weapons inside the chopper and grabbed their backpacks. Rora noticed that Derek did indeed leave every weapo
n, including the ceramic knife on his forearm. Of course, he was a weapon himself, so he probably wasn’t as worried about leaving their protection behind as she was. But she decided to trust his instincts, he had been right so far. She picked up her backpack and joined him on the tarmac.

  The officer gestured to his men and they performed a very thorough search of their visitors. The men started with metal detector wands and then frisked them. Rora yelped as one stuck his hand between her legs, but it was very quick and very professional. When they finished the guards nodded to Lieutenant Korskov.

  “You seem to be clean, but be aware that you have to go through full body scanners at the Visitor Center to get into the Strip.” He said and then paused. When neither Derek nor Rora reacted, he continued. “Okay, let’s get in and go.”

  “Does everyone get this kind of escort?” Derek asked the lieutenant.

  He smiled. “No, just heavily armed visitors that show up without notice.”

  The ride to the Visitor Center from the airport was short. The road led directly there and there was minimal traffic. They passed a few shuttle buses but that was it. The road itself was lined on both sides by high razor wire topped fences. The fences were only ten feet from the road on either side and on the other side was just sand. The road was clear, but Rora figured they must clear it ten times a day the way the sand was blowing around.

  The road ended in a small parking lot in front of a large newer looking building that literally blocked the road. The building was surprisingly glitzy and looked very modern, with gleaming windows and sharp angles. She wondered how often they had to clean those windows. That would be very costly and time consuming. But it fit with what Derek had told her about Vegas.

  “All right. This is your stop. Have fun in the Strip, but be warned that Security is always watching.” The lieutenant reminded them. “Good luck.”