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

by J. G. Martin

  Reaching room five, he slipped inside. It appeared empty except for a gurney in the middle of the room. A man materialized from the shadows with his hands up. He was so stealthy he started Tom initially and he reached for the baton. He couldn’t tell if it was the same MP as before.

  “Relax.” The man hissed. “I’m here to get you out.”

  “Who are you?” Tom asked. “Why are you helping me?”

  “No names.” The man insisted. “Let’s just say our goals now align, so we are helping you. The enemy of our enemy is our friend.”

  “Which enemy?” Tom pressed.

  “Derek Storm.” The man replied with a snarl.

  That caught Tom off guard. He had expected this to be political in some way, not personal. Giving it a brief moments thought, he realized that Derek was responsible for all of the bad things that had happened to him. His hatred for Storm burned white hot and all he could do was seethe.

  “I see that you agree.” The man said slyly. “Here. Wrap this bandage around your head and then climb onto the stretcher. We will take you out posing as a wounded guard.”

  “What then?” Tom asked.

  “That’s not my job.” The man explained. “Someone else will take you from there. Stop asking questions and get on the gurney.”

  Tom had no choice but to comply, so he grabbed the wrap and climbed onto the gurney. The man squirted, what Tom hoped was fake blood, all over him and then strapped him down. Then he rolled the gurney out into the hall.

  “Close your eyes and feign unconsciousness.” The man instructed. “Don’t move again until I tell you to.”

  With that the gurney began to roll down the concrete hallways of the prison. Tom could hear other people passing by and screams and shouts in the distance. After they had been moving for about five minutes he heard the lights go on and could feel the increased light on his eyelids. There were several muttered conversations between his benefactor and other people. Each time they stopped for a moment, a conversation occurred and then they moved on.

  Finally, Tom felt the fresh air hit him as they exited the building. The gurney stopped suddenly and then he felt the gurney lift up and it got dark again. He briefly thought about opening his eyes, but he didn’t. No point in taking a chance at discovery. If the man or his allies had wanted to hurt Tom they would have done so already. He heard doors slam shut and an engine start. Then motion that indicated they were in a vehicle.

  “Okay, we’re clear. You can get up now.” A new voice told him after a few more minutes.

  Tom opened his eyes to see a man in a medic’s uniform and a mask over his face looking at him. As he had suspected, they were inside of an ambulance. It had the Spartan look of a military ambulance and he could tell that it was an Army issue vehicle. So these people were either incredible fakers or they were normally military personnel. That was pretty amazing considering the lengths that the U.S.T.G. went to investigate people and to continue to keep tabs on them.

  “What now?” he asked simply.

  “Now, you thank us by doing us a favor.” The man said, his voice muffled by the mask. “Storm and his girl are about to try to retrieve something very valuable to us. We want you to stop them.”

  “How do I do that?” Tom asked with a laugh. “I don’t have any resources or way to get to wherever they are.”

  “We will take care of that.” The man insisted. “We just need you to agree.”

  “Oh, I’m in.” Tom said decisively. “Any chance to get some revenge on Storm, I’ll take it.”

  “Good. That’s what we thought you would say.” The man said happily. “We have arranged for a flight for you to Kentucky. You will pose as a GIA agent sent to root out some partisans. We have created all the necessary documentation for you. You will take command of a squad of soldiers already on the ground there. Proceed to Mammoth Cave and set up an ambush. You can kill Storm and anyone else, but we want the girl alive and unharmed. Bring us anything she has on her person.”

  “What about the object they are trying to retrieve?” Tom asked.

  “Don’t worry about that. We are more interested in preventing them from getting the object.” The man explained. “If they retrieve it, bring it to us. But feel free to use explosives to bring down the cave if you have too, we aren’t worried about collateral damage.”

  “And once I succeed?” He asked the man.

  “We will have someone watching and we will contact you to collect the girl. But once you finish this, you are free to do whatever you want.” The man explained.

  “Sounds like a deal.” Tom said with a wicked smile. “Just get me to Kentucky and I’ll take care of the rest.

  Chapter 34

  September 10, 2029

  Hills North of Asheville, North Carolina

  Major Gray met Derek and Rora at the given coordinates. He was accompanied by two young men in worn tan, brown, and white camouflage hunting jackets and faded blue jeans. They wore camouflage ball caps and carried high powered hunting rifles. Well-worn hiking boots were on their feet and they had fingerless gloves. To a casual observer they looked like the locals who had hunted these hills for centuries.

  Major Gray was similarly attired but he carried a Benelli M4 semi-automatic shotgun with a pistol grip and additional shells on an attached bandolier. His two escorts had their rifles in their hands and were continually scanning the surrounding countryside, but the major had his shotgun slung over his shoulder. Derek noticed he also carried a Beretta M9 pistol in a tactical holster on his leg.

  The meeting place was north of Asheville, North Carolina in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. A little town called Weaverville had once been nearby. But it was abandoned now, victim of the Collapse and the Aftermath and then the Reapers. The helicopter had dropped Derek and Rora off and then fled back towards NASA. The C.C.A. contingent had appeared from hiding once the chopper had left.

  “Major, Rora, welcome to Weaverville.” Major Gray said quietly. “This is Dyson and Green.”

  “Why are we all the way out here?” Derek asked, nodding at the two escorts.

  “The local tribe made the Biltmore Estate their home, which is in the southern part of the city. But Carlson and his guys come out here to communicate with their handlers and to take breaks.” Major Gray explained. “They should be here tomorrow for one of their visits.”

  “How sure are you about that?” Rora replied.

  “One of their guys brought a couple of local girls in this morning.” Major Gray informed them. “Dyson and Green have been sitting on this place for a couple of weeks gathering intel. They always show up the day after the girls arrive.”

  “So what’s the plan?” Derek asked the major.

  “We have a small cabin north of here that we have been using as a base. A bluff nearby overlooks their base.” Major Gray told them. “Derek will use a sniper rifle we brought to assassinate Carlson when he arrives. Then we will ambush the others when they flee. Dyson and Green will dress up like Reapers during the attack. We will leave one survivor to report back that the Reapers betrayed them.”

  “Won’t they just send replacements?” Rora asked.

  “That’s why phase two of the plan is to dress up as the Red Berets and attack the Biltmore.” Major Gray replied with a smile. “We don’t have to do much damage, just do enough to convince the Reapers that the U.S.T.G. is turning on them.”

  “That sounds like a fairly solid plan.” Derek agreed. “Let’s go get this done.”

  Major Gray had a beat up, tan colored SUV parked nearby. It was an old Tahoe that had seen better days. The paint was faded and it was covered in rust spots. The hub caps had been long lost and the seats had their stuffing bursting free in multiple places. But once they all climbed in and Dyson fired up the engine, Rora could tell that there was more to the vehicle than it appeared.

  Major Gray nodded and they drove slowly into the mountains. Dyson took them up along a winding fire road that was barely passable. Afte
r a long slow drive, they arrived at a well concealed hunting cabin. The location would have been beautiful before the plant virus had wiped out almost all the world’s trees and flowers. Once it would have been pristine forest and woodlands. Now it was rocky, dusty, and covered in the ubiquitous brown weeds.

  They parked the vehicle and while Major Gray led Derek and Rora away, Dyson and Green concealed it with a camouflage cloth. The Major led them past the cabin down a small, barely discernable trail to a bluff overlooking a small valley. Below them was a run-down house and separate garage. Looking through the binoculars, Derek could see old cars and farm equipment rusting in the yard around the house.

  The house itself looked stable despite the run-down exterior. All of the windows had been covered from the inside so it was impossible to tell how the interior was. But it was likely as run-down as the interior. No smoke escaped the chimney, but the new lock on the door indicated someone was using the house.

  “Is anybody home?” Derek asked the major.

  “Not sure, only the girls were there when we came to pick you up.” The major replied. “But the Red Berets usually show up at night and only stay for a couple of days. We think the girls are drugged and chained up while the Red Berets are gone.”

  “Nice guys.” Rora murmured sarcastically.

  “You don’t know the half of it.” Major Gray replied softly.

  “Taking them out is practically a public service.” Derek agreed.

  “We’ll take turns keeping watch until they show up.” The major informed them. “Carlson and McKay always show up last after they make sure everything is secure. So once the others are here we can set up the ambush.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Derek said with a nod. “Your guys can take first watch; I’m going to go get some sleep.”

  And then he walked back towards the cabin. Major Gray gave him a dirty look and clenched his jaw. Rora merely laughed and followed Derek. They wanted Derek to do the dirty work, so it was only fair that they did the grunt work. Besides, he wanted to be fully rested when they did this. The shot wasn’t very difficult, but it would be challenging in the dark. That wasn’t why they brought him. The attack on the Reapers was why they brought him. This shot was just a way to tie him into the mission and make him an accessory.

  Not that it mattered to him. Killing Carlson would be a pleasure. He had personally seen that monster rape and kill innocent civilians, and command hadn’t stopped him. When Derek had reported him, they merely moved Carlson to another unit. That had been the beginning of his doubts about the U.S.T.G. and its leadership. Without any supervision, Carlson had probably gone on to do more heinous things. And from the sound of it, his crew wasn’t any better.

  Derek went to the cabin and racked out on one of the small bunks. He was shaken awake hours later by Dyson, who gestured for him to follow. Night had fallen, but the sky was clear and the moon provided a good deal of illumination. Derek followed him back to the bluff where they joined the major and Rora. He joined them on the ground as they watched the house.

  “Hartnett just arrived with two others.” The major informed him in a hushed voice. “Carlton and McKay are likely on their way. Get ready.”

  Dyson handed Derek a Dragunov SVU sniper rifle with a night vision scope and laser sight attached. The rifle was old having been manufactured in the late nineties, but it was a common weapon in former Soviet countries. Since the Reapers had all been equipped with Soviet surplus weapons it was the most likely weapon to be used by a Reaper sniper. He checked the weapon over, and was pleased that it was in excellent condition. Whoever the previous owner had been he had taken pride in his weapon.

  “The rest of us will go back to the cabin and get ready for the ambush.” The major said quietly. “Kill Carlton as soon as you get the chance. If you have a shot at the others take it, but stop firing after the initial burst so the others will flee and run into the ambush.”

  “Got it.” Derek whispered as he began to get comfortable.

  He kept an eye on the house and the road in as the others went back to the cabin. The ground was rough but that didn’t bother Derek. He was used to worse. They key was to focus on your target and block everything else out. So he watched the house with laser focus. He saw Hartnett go outside and do a quick patrol several times, taking turns with the other two. All of them had on body armor over their shirts and were carrying the new rifles the U.S.T.G. had started issuing to the Red Berets.

  Oddly, they were not patrolling far from the house. It was as if they were unconcerned about anyone shooting at them from the high ground. It was unlikely they knew about the cabin and the fire road had been hard to find, but still. These were highly trained Special Forces operators; you would think they would have thoroughly scouted the area.

  As more time passed and Carlton and McKay didn’t show, Derek started to get worried. He realized that Major Gray had not left him a radio, so he had no idea what they were doing or any way to warn them. This was looking more and more like a trap to him, and they needed to know that. It was doubtful the major would call off the operation, but at least they would be prepared for the possibility of a trap.

  A scuff of a boot on rock alerted Derek that someone else was nearby and he rolled away from his position and aimed the rifle at the approaching person. Major Gray froze as he saw Derek aiming at him and held the shotgun he was carrying up in the air. The moonlight illuminated the shocked look on his face.

  “Don’t shoot! I just came to give you a radio.” The major said, clearly rattled.

  “What about the others?” Derek asked.

  “I sent them down already. I realized you didn’t have a radio and decided to bring one back to you.” Major Gray explained. “I didn’t want you to be out of contact.”

  “Okay.” Derek agreed cautiously. “It’s a good thing you came back though. Carlton and McKay haven’t shown up, and the others are behaving strangely. I think it’s a trap.”

  “How could they know we were coming?” Major Gray asked in confusion. “My team and I were the only ones in the C.C.A. to know the coordinates.”

  “I don’t know, but we have encountered a lot of traitors and spies over the last few months. So anything is possible.” Derek informed him.

  “So it’s possible your side has a mole and told them what we were up to?” Major Gray hissed.

  “It’s possible, but unlikely.” Derek argued. “The only people who knew were Rora, myself, and the two leaders at NASA. I feel a pretty high level of trust towards them.”

  “I don’t like this.” Major Gray said, shaking his head. “Let’s go collect the others and regroup.”

  “I agree.” Derek said with a nod.

  Together they headed back to the cabin. Derek let Major Gray lead the way. As they approached the cabin, he could see the SUV was parked next to it facing the trail. Next to the SUV was another vehicle, which looked like an open topped Jeep. Derek turned and dove for cover as the headlights of both vehicles burst on, blinding them. Major Gray stood frozen in place, silhouetted by the lights. After a moment he recovered and rushed to join Derek behind some rocks.

  “Come out Storm!” A familiar voice called out.

  “Not likely Jasper.” Derek called back.

  “Don’t make me hurt this pretty little thing.” The Red Beret leader yelled.

  Derek held his position. He couldn’t see well with the lights from the vehicles blinding him. So he would wait and see what was really going on before making his move. As he waited, a large man dragged a struggling form in front of the headlights. Derek could just make out Rora in the light. She had been gagged and her hands bound in front of her. He assumed the man holding her to be McKay.

  “You’ll kill us both if I come out.” Derek yelled back.

  “I promise I’ll let her go if you come out.” Carlton said loudly.

  “Where are your guys?” Derek whispered to the major.

  “I don’t know. I left Rora with them, so I assume Carlton
killed them.” Major Gray whispered back. “What are we going to do?”

  “They have us outnumbered, but if you can circle around and take out the other two guys I think they have with them, I can handle Carlton and McKay.” Derek told him. “We’ll go out and then start spreading apart. You keep going while I hold their attention and you should be able to get a better angle.”

  “Okay.” The major agreed reluctantly.

  “Alright. I’m coming out.” Derek yelled to Carlton.

  Derek discarded the rifle and drew his pistol and the shotgun as he and Major Gray left their cover and began spreading out. He held the pistol in his right and the sawed off in his left. His eyes were beginning to adjust to the bright light and Derek could make out the forms of three other men next to the vehicles. He couldn’t distinguish who was who yet though. It was obviously McKay holding Rora, his size gave him away. He had on the same outfit in the picture but he was also wearing light body armor that covered his chest. He held a large knife to Rora’s throat.

  “Let her go!” Derek demanded.

  “Drop your weapons first.” Carlton demanded in reply.

  Derek marked his position based on that reply. The man standing in the center just behind McKay was Carlton. The other two men flanking the vehicles were his henchmen. They were probably equipped like the others down at the house. But they weren’t the primary concern, Carlton and McKay were. Hopefully, the major could kill at least one of the henchmen to help with the odds.

  “Come out and face me you coward!” Derek goaded Carlton.

  That drew a laugh. “Why would I give up my advantage Storm, you know better than that.” Carlton yelled to him.

  Derek was just stalling to give the major more time to create some distance. He was about to needle Carlton some more when he noticed that Rora was blinking furiously. He watched closely and realized she was blinking in Morse code. She was repeating the word boots over and over again and looking at Major Gray. Derek looked over at the major’s boots and then promptly shot him in the side of the head.