by TW Gallier
"We got them on their heels," Aaron said with a vicious grin.
We led the other four trucks straight up to the fire station, stopping in the grassy area before it. Soldiers opened fire on us, so we bailed out and flattened ourselves to the ground, before returning fire. Coop plowed into them from the other side, so I jumped up and attacked them as well.
"Charge!"
To their credit, my men didn't hesitate. They were on their feet and charging into fire. The soldiers were overwhelmed by circumstances and our two-prong attack. They started dropping their weapons and surrendering. Only we weren't taking prisoners.
"On your knees, hands behind your back," I commanded.
I did not appreciate the added complication of prisoners. We didn't want them. We couldn't guard them long term. But just killing them was wrong.
Their weapons and ammo was quickly taken and stored in the back of our trucks. We gathered them in a small group, forcing them to sit. Sullen eyes glared back at us.
"Who is senior here?" Coop demanded.
It took a few moments to determine the highest ranking man was a corporal. I grabbed him and dragged the bastard to the fire station door.
"Tell those dipshits inside that if they surrender now, we promise not to kill them," I said. "Otherwise, they are dead meat."
"What about those of us that already surrendered?"
"We're not going to kill you," I said. I glared at him. "We're not the godforsaken murderers that you bastards have become."
He had the good grace to flush and look ashamed. Still, he struggled to cooperate. Finally, with a resigned sigh, he called out to the men inside the fire station.
"Sergeant Coker! Sergeant Coker! It's Mixon! They captured us all," he shouted. "They promise not to kill any prisoners, but you have to surrender." He looked around as Coops men surrounded us, all looking big, mean, and grim. "They have grenades, so can really fuck you guys up."
"Fuck surrendering," Sergeant Coker said. "There ain't no mercy left in this fucking world."
Coop signaled another, and that biker stepped up and shot a 40mm grenade into the open door. Ka-boom! It happened so fast I struggled to comprehend for a second. And then Coop led his men through the door, guns blazing as the saying goes. I was left standing there with Corporal Mixon.
I listened for several long minutes to all of the screams, curses, and intense gunfire inside. They used two more grenades before it all went silent and Coop came striding out like he was king of the world.
"Clear," he said. "What were you planning to do with the captives?"
"Did you capture anyone inside?"
"No. They all chose to die like real men."
I wasn't so sure they so much chose as he forced them to die like real men. Mixon got a resigned look in his eyes. Yeah, he thought we were going to go back on our word and kill them. Maybe we should, but that wasn't how I was raised. I wasn't a murderer.
"I have one more task for you and the other prisoners," I said. "After that, we'll let you all go free."
Coop gave me a dirty look, but didn't say anything. Some of the others scowled or cast hostile looks at me. Looked like I was the only one thinking of showing mercy.
"You and your boys are going to empty that arms room and put everything in the back of our trucks. If anyone refuses to cooperate, I'll personally shoot him in the leg and toss him to the zombies," I said. "Of course, if anyone tries to be a hero, he'll be shot immediately. Any questions? No? Good. Get to work."
They didn't require a lot of convincing. Any chance to live was all they needed. So while Coop's men kept the zombies at bay, my men guarded and supervised the prisoners transferring weapons and ammo to the truck. We also took cleaning kits and solvent. It didn't take long, because there was only so much we could use. We, of course, took far more weapons than we needed, but took all of the ammo.
"Okay, Mixon, take command of your men and run like hell." I pointed north-east. "I suggest you head for that golf course and try to sneak out after the zombies clear the fence."
As far as I could tell, all of the zombies on our side of the Ohio and Little Miami rivers were heading for the open gates. The unarmed soldiers might even have a chance to escape, but it wouldn't last. But being unarmed in a zombie-infested world was still better than being executed.
"He said RUN," Coop shouted.
"Let them go," I called to our men guarding the prisoners.
We watched them running away only long enough to ensure they weren't going to turn back and attack us. Then we turned our attention to the south. Roger and his team had to be in the middle of all of that gunfire.
Chapter 19
Roger
We all spun around to face the new zombie threat. There had to be a hundred of them in that mob of insanity. They fell as we shot them, getting others to stop and feast upon their dead comrades, but there were just too many. And they were already within our ranks.
"Jenny, Kate, Taryn, I need you to – " I started to say, and saw a zombie ripping a child out of a woman's arms. "No!"
I barely took time to aim. Nothing but instinct. My rifle leveled off, the sights aligned with his forehead, and I pulled the trigger. The zombie's head snapped back. But his mouth was bloody and the child was dead in his arms. His mother, a woman in lingerie and heels, wailed and clutched her dead child. Two more zombies plowed into her, and I knew she was lost.
"Roger, we need help," TareBear called. He was using his rifle as a club. "Hurry!"
"TareBear!" Taryn cried, racing toward him.
"No. Dammit," I said. I fired into the zombies surrounding him, but for every one I shot, two more took their place. His wife didn't seem to care. She emptied her magazine as she ran, and then threw the rifle away when it was empty. "Mike! Charlie!"
I needed them, but neither was around. So I called Vince and Terrel, and saw more bikers rushing to help. But that left others unprotected.
I pointed at the huddled, terrified women and children. "Jenny, Kate, get everyone running towards those trucks!"
Jed plowed into the zombies a heartbeat after Taryn. I think they reached TareBear's side, but then he went down. I was running towards them, firing as I went. All three were down and out before we reached them. So we opened up on the zombies full auto through two magazines, before I ordered everyone back.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Paul growled. He glanced back at his dead friends. "At least they aren't zombies."
Small consolation. I was sick, even though I barely knew them. We were all in the same boat. Fighting every day just to live, and brothers in arms against the godless bastards that stole our families.
"Roger!" Jenny screamed. "Help us!"
They were pressed up against the wall of the next hangar over. The few armed women were losing the battle to keep the ravenous horde at bay.
"Shannon! Shannon!" a woman cried. "They got Shannon!"
The unarmed women pushed the children behind them, standing shoulder to shoulder against the monsters. A zombie ducked and wrapped his arms around Jenny's knees, bearing her to the ground as two more leapt atop her.
My heart choked my throat, as panic filled me. I stopped, took careful aim, and shot all three zombies in the head. I didn't know if she was alive, or about to become a zombie. All I could do was keep running and shooting.
"Kill them!" Michael shouted.
"Motherfuckers!" Paul said, as he mowed down countless zombies.
One of the biker chicks, I think her name was Karina, emptied her magazine. She ejected, and reached back for another. Her hand came back empty. I saw it in her face. Resignation. She changed her grip on the M-4, and started swinging it like a bat. A moment later zombies dragged her down.
We plowed into the southern flank of the zombies. I kicked, butt-stroked, and shot zombie after zombies. I even grabbed one's head and snapped his neck. Then I spotted Jenny slowly, unsteadily, rising to her feet. She picked up her rifle, and started shooting again.
I felt such a sen
se of relief, and renewed vigor!
"Kill them all!" I cried. "Every every god damned one of them!"
"Follow me!" Jenny called. "Ladies! Follow me!"
That's when I noticed an opening to the north. Most of the zombies had turned on us men as we charged into their midst. That gave the women and children the chance to run. Two of the biker women remained behind, helping us kill the zombies.
"Amy, give me a magazine," one of them said. "I'm out of – Agh! Help!"
A zombie tackled her. She went down and more zombies piled on. Her friend turned and rushed towards her.
"Kelly! I'm coming!"
Zombies plowed into her side while she was distracted. I fought my way towards them, but I could tell it was too late. They were still fighting at the bottom of their piles, but both had numerous bites. If they survived, they'd join the horde. So I opened up on the zombies, while wondering if they'd rather be dead or zombies.
Who wanted to be a zombie?
There was no way to know if I killed them, or if the zombies did the deed. But with help from Michael and Paul we killed all of the crazy fuckers atop the two women. The women were dead at the bottom of the piles. So we took off after the rest of the women and children.
"Bloodiest fucking day of my life," Terrel grumbled as we caught up.
I'd have liked to say I'd seen worse, but it wasn't true. It was a bloodbath. Hundreds were dead, though most were soldiers and zombies.
"The .50 Cals have gone silent," Michael said. "I guess they finally ran out of ammo."
The plan was they would continue firing until out of ammo. Now they would be loading up their weapons in vehicles and heading off to the rally point the bikers had east of Cincinnati. Now it was our job to ensure as many of their women and children made it as possible.
I reached Jenny at the front of our people by running as hard as I could. I was winded, exhausted, but could see Sean and others loading trucks with weapons, boxes, and crates. Some of them were soldiers. Prisoners forced to help?
We were almost to the grassy area around the burning control tower. Maybe seventy-five feet away. Then I realized the noise I heard in the background was a Bradley. I stopped and looked back, spotting one of them between the hangars and runway. It was heading towards us at high speed. Before my mind could wrap around that disaster, another horde of zombies came pouring around the hangar in front of us, cutting us off from Sean and the trucks.
"What do we do, Roger?" Kate asked. She sounded as desperate as she looked. She pointed at the zombies. "Oh no!"
The zombies had spotted us, and they were turning as a group. I didn't know if the zombies would get us first, or the Bradley. I was kind of hoping it would be the Bradley. That would be a faster, cleaner death. And then the Bradley opened fire with its coaxial machine gun.
"Wahoo!" Mike cried from the turret. "Cavalry to the rescue!"
I just gawked. The driver's hatch was open and I could see Charlie driving. They'd stolen a Bradley? I didn't even know they knew how to operate them. That armored vehicle ripped those zombies to shreds. I didn't know what caliber the coaxial was, but it was loud, fast, and devastating. Zombies went down in waves, and then Charlie crushed the remaining monsters under their treads. We then rushed up to finish off the remaining zombies.
"Go!" Mike waved us toward the trucks. "We'll hold them off."
I wasn't sure they could. There were a lot of zombies still coming around the corner. Worse, I saw a mass of them north of us and heading our way with all due haste. We were about to be hit by a two-prong attack.
Chapter 20
Roger
The armed men and women protected the women and children as they raced across the grass and toward the waiting trucks. There were five military 5-tons backed up to the fire station. Unarmed soldiers running away while Sean and his team watched.
Sean's face lit up, and he ran towards us. "Kate!"
She raced straight to him and they embraced. Jenny and I shared a look.
Once the noncombatants were safely across the gap, I told the others to start dividing the women and children up evenly into the back of the trucks.
"Terrel, make sure all of our women and children are in the same truck."
I spotted Sean turn toward Coop, who was still behind the trucks. Most of Coop's team was spread out on the other side of the trucks to fight off the zombies. They were doing a pretty good job of it, too.
"Sean, forget the rest of that shit," I said as I ran up. "Too many zombies. We have to go now."
"Yeah, we'd just figured that out," he said. "We got all we need."
"I don't see all of our women and children," Coop said, scowling at me. "What the fuck?"
"We lost some to zombies and soldiers," I said. "TareBear and Taryn, among others, fought all the way down. But we were overwhelmed a few times."
Coop took it better than I expected. He wasn't happy, but I could see acceptance in his eyes. Then he turned to his men to the north.
"Ivor, we just need a few more minutes to load everyone up!"
The big Viking looking biker nodded as he loaded another belt of ammo into his M60 machine gun. "Make it quick."
Most of the women and children stood behind the trucks, slowly being helped up into them. The armed women remained on the ground, where Jenny led them back over to the south side of the building to fend off any zombies that got past the Bradley. There were a few.
"Let's bug out," Sean said.
"Jenny, everyone into the trucks," I called. "We're leaving."
She waved the other women away, but paused to wave at the Bradley. "Mike! Let's go!"
She raced to our group's 5-ton. I was about to tell Terrel to drive, and I'd ride shotgun. Jenny changed my plans by running up to take shotgun. I guess she wanted to contribute more or something. So I decided to drive.
"Cut gun slots in the canvas, Terrel. Y'all can shoot zombies out the back and sides."
"Oh shit," he said in response.
I turned to see a surge of zombies crash into Ivor and friends. The bikers were pushed back, back, back. Until Ivor stepped forward with his M60 blazing. Then another, and another biker began advancing. Pushing the zombies back.
"Move out," Coop shouted. "Move out."
All my people were in the truck. I jumped in behind the wheel. All of the trucks were idling, so I was thankful I didn't have to go through the starting procedure. Some military trucks took way too long to start. The 5-ton had an automatic transmission, so I put it into gear and slowly pulled away from the fire station.
Ivor ran out of ammo at that time. A lot of them did. The sound of gunfire dropped dramatically. I kept moving toward the runway, the ground kind of rough across the grass. At the same time, I watched Ivor in my side mirror. He dropped his weapon, pulled the double-headed ax off his back and waded into them. Others pulled axes and machetes and followed him in.
"Holy crap," I muttered. I didn't want to watch, but couldn't stop as one after the other fell beneath the zombies. Paul, Michael, Jay, and Aaron all fought to the death so the others could escape. Ivor was the last to fall, and he went down within a circle of dead zombies three high. "Damn."
Charlie and Mike roared past in the Bradley. The other trucks followed us, but not as quickly as I'd like. Coop was in the last one, and I breathed a sigh of relief when his truck finally pulled away from the fire station. Sean was driving the middle truck, so I wondered how many others from our group got in the wrong vehicles. If we became separated we might not ever see them again.
"Watch out, Roger," Jenny said, and thrust her rifle out the window to fire. "Soldiers attacking to our right side."
Bullets whizzed all around us. I heard screaming in back, as they started returning fire as well. Army 5-tons were not armored, and the people in back only had a canvas cover to hide behind. Then I noticed Mike spin the Bradley's turret round.
"What the hell?" Jenny cried when Mike began firing the 20mm main gun.
"He must be out
of coaxial ammo," I said. "But that'll do the job."
It fired pretty fast, but still slower than M-4s and M-249. I could hear our SAWs tearing up the soldiers, or at least I hoped they were hitting their targets. The enemy was not within my line of sight.
"That did it," Jenny said, finally relaxing a little. "The soldiers are running away."
We hit the main horde then. The Bradley slowed down just a little. I suspected it was to allow the other trucks to catch up. I moved in closer as Charlie opened up a nice path through the zombies. That armored fighting vehicle crushed the little fuckers into bloody pulps.
Zombies still surged around the Bradley to attack our flanks. Jenny and the others fired relentlessly to keep them at bay. The trucks behind us were doing the same.
Ka-boom!
The forth truck in line blew up. I couldn't tell if a soldier shot them with something, or they fucked up and set off a grenade in back by accident. But the ammo stored in the truck was exploding and firing. Coop’s truck veered around it, cutting down more zombies, and continued on. There was no saving anyone in that truck. They were probably all already dead.
"I will have nightmares about this day for the rest of my life," Jenny said.
Mike opened up with the main gun again. He must've seen something behind us. It was too dark and too chaotic for me to see anything. I just focused on following Mike and Charlie as they started picking up speed.
It was almost full dark by the time we punched our way through the gate and found ourselves northbound on Wilmer Avenue. In less than a minute we were all past the zombies and racing toward the setting sun down yet another street.
"Wow. We actually did it," I said. I looked at Jenny. "Honestly, I wasn't sure we could pull it off."
"Hell, I thought you were dead," she said. "I'm so happy we were both wrong."
Chapter 21
Roger
We had a rally point to go planned out, but I got lost with all the turns I took to shake any pursuit. There was never any sign of pursuit, but paranoia is even harder to shake. It was full dark when I eventually found myself westbound on Wasson Road and came upon a shopping center off Interstate 71. There were lots of abandoned cars and trucks, including diesel-fueled tractor-trailer rigs. That was good enough for me.