Awakening anw-2

by John O'Brien

  “I still want to talk about housing. I know we have a lot to do and I have a lot to figure out but I just want to make sure we don’t lose this in the process,” Bannerman says.

  “That will be quite the undertaking depending on what we want. There are plumbing, electrical, defense, and a myriad of other things to think about and design,” Frank says.

  “True. But we need to keep that in mind as we’re close to being overcrowded if not already,” Bannerman says.

  “Okay. What do you say we start on what’s on our list and revisit this later? We can discuss that when we have a better idea of what resources we’re going to be using for the tasks at hand,” I say.

  “How do we want to present this to the others? If at all?” Greg asks

  “I think we lay it out straight up. It’s best if they know what we’re dealing with and it will provide a little motivation,” Lynn answers. “We can tell them at our nightly training session.”

  “I think you’re right,” I say. “Everyone else agree?” The group nods their agreement.

  “Okay, brief your teams and we’ll tell everyone else tonight,” I add.

  “Sounds good. I better get started on this. With Frank’s help, it’s still going to take me all day to figure this out,” Bannerman says.

  With that, we break up. I still have the cold feeling in my gut but feel better now that we have a workable plan. Any thought that we can create a totally secure area is gone though. We’ll have to be eternally vigilant as who knows what capabilities the night runners will eventually have. We need to stay one step ahead if not two. I take Red Team and we begin looking at the systems together. Tomorrow we’ll head back up and begin studying in the aircraft itself.

  The next several days are a flurry of activity. Red Team, Craig, myself and five others spend the time studying and going through dry runs. The water tower is brought over in parts and starts going up. The wall crews finish with the maintenance areas and begin on the inner wall. Assigned crews start on the towers and fortifying the barns, stables, and pens. Additional cameras are located and put into place with a mass of cabling run in underground conduits. Teams locate mines and holes are dug around the wall perimeter. We place additional claymores at the entrances and loading dock, angling them outward and drilling small holes in the outer wall for the wires. I expect an attack each night and am surprised each morning when we find things the same. So far, the night runners have left us alone and, with each passing day, the knot in my gut lessens to a degree.

  After considerable time studying the AC-130 weapon systems in detail and going through a lot of dry runs, I feel we have a good grasp of the systems and their workings. We are working well as a team and find the necessary coordination between flying and the deployment of weapons. It’s time for a live fire exercise. We’ll use one the Fort Lewis ranges and test all of the guns. I don’t want to use too much ammo for test firing as we don’t have an unlimited supply. It’s going to take quite a bit to clear the area around us. Fort Lewis does have a ready supply but again, it’s not unlimited.

  Flying over the brown fields, we pick out a target and coordinate our circle. It’s basically setting up and turning a consistent circle around a point, either around a force you are defending or the target itself. The gunners in the battle management center identify targets or an area of suppression and place their weapons on it. The type of weapon deployed depends on the target itself. We’ll be using the 105mm howitzer for the buildings. The 40mm and 25mm will be used for targets identified as night runners. We’ll be running at night to try and catch them in the open so we’ll be using thermal imaging for the most part.

  I circle over the target we picked out. Craig sits in the co-pilot seat with Bri between us at her usual flight engineer station. Robert is in the back in charge of fire control coordinating the guns and targets. I would have done that task and had Robert up in front flying but he developed a knack for coordinating while we were training. I knew he had tremendous capabilities but he has continually surprised me with the actual extent of them.

  I hear Robert on the intercom coordinate for target identification and acquisition and verify the howitzer is up and armed. The heavy projectile is launched downward. A large puff of dust blows skyward as the 105mm impacts the ground and detonates. He’s right on target. I visualize the loaders in back hefting another round from the weapons rack and reloading.

  We fire the howitzer at a couple of other targets with the same result. Robert coordinates and brings the 40mm online and we pick another target. The steady chunk of the autocannon begins and I see smaller puffs of dirt launch skyward around the target completely obscuring the area. We practice with the 25mm and I watch as a stream of fire reaches downward and strikes the ground. These are stationary targets and we’ll have to learn to lead any moving ones we encounter but overall, I’m pleased with the results. At least we won’t have to worry about return fire. Maybe I should change that. With regards to what we’ve learned about the increase in night runner abilities, my thinking changes to I hope we won’t have to worry about return fire.

  We land and debrief our activities. There’s not much said as we succeeded in putting rounds on target and our confidence is high. I notice Robert has deep sweat marks under his arms and looks drained. I give him a pat on the shoulder and a nicely done. He just looks at me with tired eyes and nods. After commending the rest of the crew, we refill the weapon racks and refuel before heading back.

  I tell the group at our meeting that night that we’re ready to begin operations to clear the area the following night. Bannerman fills us in on our status which is basically a recap of the previous days with each day showing further progress on the inner wall, watch towers, water tower, and fortifying the animal buildings. Mines have been laid around a lot of the perimeter and the claymores set around the building. The skylights on the vehicle storage buildings are mostly complete and he has started crews working on erecting an overhang on the perimeter walls. He notes that we will only be able to put the overhang around the inner compound as he doesn’t think we’ll have enough materials to cover the full four miles of wall. Lynn reports that the training for the next group in both phase one and two is coming along nicely and the groups should be finished soon.

  I rest for most of the next day along with the crew of the Spooky. We plan to head out tonight. We pour over maps of the area with Frank and make plans for our route and identify buildings to level. There are a lot of strip malls in the area which will require a lot of work for the 105mm howitzer. We draw large circles around the identified gas stations as we will still draw on these for fuel. We’ll especially leave the ones close to us out of the picture as we don’t want to cause a large smoking hole in the ground so close. Also noted is the library but that is outside of the range we are looking to clear, at least for now. The earlier burns have taken care of a majority of the houses and buildings in the area but there are plenty of stores and office buildings that need to be eliminated.

  Evening draws close and we ready ourselves for the drive north. We have enough fuel to stay aloft for the night and we do have the aircraft to stay in if we decide to land. I brief the crew that we’ll search for night runners on the prowl before starting on the buildings and walk toward the entrance with the others in tow. The orange glow of the late afternoon streams through the doors. That should indicate I should be walking in rather than out but it feels good to be striking back instead of reacting. Our whole time until now has been a reactionary one and scraping for our very survival. Tonight, we get to hit back. Tonight we get to be on the offensive instead of hunkering down on the defensive. It may be only for tonight but at least we get that. I see Lynn waiting by the door. I nod at the others as they pass by and stop.

  “You take care of yourself tonight, fly boy,” she says.

  “I will, hon,” I say giving her a long hug.

  “You know, there are a lot of folks who want to go onto the roof tonight and watch,” she says after
we part.

  “What?! Outside at night? I don’t that’s an overly brilliant idea,” I reply.

  “I actually don’t think it’s such a bad idea. We’ll be on the roof with easy access back in if something happens. Besides, I think it will help morale to see us taking action. I mean to actually see it rather than hearing about it. There are a few who have lost a lot and I think it will do them good,” she responds.

  “I know. I’m sorry,” I say hugging her again.

  “Wait, you said ‘we’. Does that mean you?” I ask.

  “Of course. You don’t think I’d miss the show,” she says. Her blue eyes shine with her smile. When her eyes shine like that, ‘no’ is not in my vocabulary.

  “Do what you think is best,” I say.

  She gives me her award winning smile again. “Now get out of here and go get ‘em,” she says giving me a kiss.

  We pile into several Humvees and drive the familiar route north. We pile into the aircraft with the sun poised just above the horizon. The shadows of the buildings and aircraft around stretch long across the ramp. The cockpit is cast in the orange glow of the end of the day. We plug in and begin our checks. The throaty roar of the engines echo across the forlorn ramp. I feel both tension and elation.

  “Are you ready for this?” I ask over the intercom just prior to taxiing.

  “Hell yes, sir,” I hear from many in various intonations.

  “Alright, let’s go do this,” I say pushing the throttles up and the gunship begins to move forward. Even the aircraft seems eager.

  We lift off with the sun dipping below the mountains to the west. The land becomes a darker blue as night begins to settle in. I can imagine the shrieks beginning to pervade the areas below. The intercom fills with chatter of the crews bringing systems online and our game faces come on.

  Robert coordinates with the IR operator. We’ll be using thermal imaging for the night operation to a large degree. Our area of operation is close by so we’ll be ready to begin shortly. I head north to let night deepen more before turning back south. We have the capability to engage two targets simultaneously but we are still a relatively inexperienced crew so we will concentrate on one at a time. Robert has the same maps as I do and knows not to engage targets close to any gas stations. This will be our first experience with moving targets so we’ll need to account for that.

  The city appears ahead. I have the display up front set on the target imagery provided from the IR console. There is the Cabela’s building off to the right with multiple white images of people on the roof. Other buildings, strip malls, and gas stations appear on the left. I hear Robert coordinating for the 25mm Gatling gun which we’ll use for the night runners. We’ll switch to the buildings after we scour the area for any night runners on the streets. Robert is coordinating with the low light TV operator and the IR operator to find and identify targets. His voice has tension in it but overall he appears calm. A little anxious but then again who isn’t? Plus, he has a lot to coordinate and I just have to fly.

  “Target to the southwest. 135 degrees. Five running along the north-south road east of the strip mall. Guns armed. Ready,” he calls out to the gunner.

  “Ready,” I hear the reply.

  Looking down on the display, I see five white images running where Robert identified. I bank the aircraft setting up a left hand orbit around the target.

  “Cleared,” I hear Robert say.

  I look out the left window and watch as a solid stream of red flies out from the aircraft. The seeming river of fire impacts the ground and the red streaks upward from ricochets. I look down at the display and see the running figures fall to the ground and lie motionless.

  “Target eliminated,” I hear Robert say.

  That’s for Nic motherfuckers, I think watching the five white figures lying motionless on the ground below. This night is for Nic.

  There is a certain amount of cheering with a “whoop” and “fuck yeah” thrown in. The night hunt has begun.

  “Target identified. Southwest. 120 degrees. Nine running on the east west road north of the large structure…”

  Michael has the large pack he brought from behind the walls with him. Running out into the night earlier with the many behind him, he knew he had to expand his area to find food for this many. But with this many, he also knew he could trap prey easier. There just wasn’t much left in the area he hunted on night’s prior so he headed further out to look for and track down food in greater amounts. He knew he could always go into the surrounding buildings looking for the packaging that held food but he wanted to find a good hunting ground for a pack this size.

  Running down a street with the loud sound of feet echoing in the night, Michael hears a roar in the sky above. It’s the same sound he heard many nights ago. He stops and looks in the direction of the rumbling. He feels uneasy not knowing what it is in the air above. He has his senses open to the other packs and has had several smaller packs join his this night. He hasn’t sent a call out for others to join yet wanting to find a suitable hunting ground before doing so. He stares into the starry sky feeling other packs in the area. The rumble is still a distance away but its appearance makes him anxious.

  A buzzing sound from the sky mixes with a throaty growl. He looks up to see a bright stream of light pour downward toward the ground; some of it rebounding back into the air. He immediately loses his sense of one of the packs hunting in the area. They weren’t close but they weren’t far either. The roar grows closer. The buzzing sound accompanies another stream of light. His sense of another pack disappears. Michael knows that whatever is up there is somehow eliminating the packs.

  He sends a message far and wide. Into the buildings, he sends. Abandon your hunt and seek a lair.

  He directs his pack into an enormous building ahead. They race ahead into the night with a howl. He enters the building and presses into the interior going through several doors. The inside is sizeable with several levels. A large wooden floor sits in the middle with stairs going up in several places. He recognizes the objects by the stairs as places to sit. Looking upward, he sees many more. This location has no windows in the interior and is large enough to fit a pack ten times the size he has with him. Fortune has smiled on him with this find. This will be the perfect lair.

  Outside, he senses other packs vanishing from his mind. He sends an image of the fire from above and the danger. Hide, he sends. And then come.

  The night’s hunt has been good even though it just started. Her pack has eaten well during the previous nights, filling up the reserves they burned getting to the area. The aches and pains from the long travel have faded with the success of the hunts. She has had a few quick glimpses of the strong one she came to this area for but she is still cautious about approaching. Her young one weighs heavily on her mind. She knows that having her own pack will allow her to provide. She doesn’t want to become just another pack member. She knows she would be treated well and have food because she is carrying a young one, but caution keeps her where she is.

  The image sent comes abruptly. She has had a sense of the other strong one for most of the night but the hunt has taken precedence. Into the buildings, the image says. Abandon your hunt and seek a lair. The message startles and confuses her as she doesn’t perceive any danger. She hears a slight rumble from far away but doesn’t associate the foreign sound with the danger the message indicates.

  She ‘hears’ another message. It’s one of danger from fire above. The message conveys the danger of the sound she faintly hears. Hide. And then come. The ending message says. She turns in the direction of the one she senses. She can only feel him from this distance because of his strength. She begins to run through the night in his direction. She will come.

  “Three targets. East. 080 degrees. Two targets on the east-west road. One south of the warehouse building and one a half mile further east. One additional target on the north-south road a half mile south between the two groups. Target one is a group of six, target tw
o a group of eight, target three a group of four,” Robert announces. “Engage target one.”

  I see the groups he is talking about and set up an orbit on the group of six. The screen is filled with the white bodies of night runners in the area. They have been all over. I had no idea there were so many and this is definitely what they call a target rich environment. I look out to see the now familiar stream of fire exit our aircraft. Looking back to the screen, I see the tracer rounds dance among the shapes. They fall unmoving. I start toward the larger group of eight. I watch as they turn and vanish into a nearby building.

  “Target two in the rectangular building. Target three also vanished into the small square building to the south,” I hear Robert say.

  I look to see the scope pan out to capture a larger area. The once target rich environment has disappeared. There is only an image of one night runner vanishing into a building. What the fuck? I think. That happened all at once. I open up to see if I can sense anything but only detect a few below. We’re almost a mile up so I can’t “see” very far out. I can, however, clearly distinguish a couple farther out. There is strength in those ones. I don’t really know how to explain the feeling but that’s the impression I get. There are some still below us. Images of fear and confusion enter my mind. I shut back down to concentrate on flying.

  “Switch to the 105. Take the buildings out where they went in,” I tell Robert.

  “Okay, Dad,” he replies and begins another round of coordination.

  We identify the buildings which erupt in white flashes on our screens. We switch to taking out the other buildings in our area but stay vigilant for signs of other night runners on the streets. We only find two more packs the entire night. Weariness sets in as the night progresses but we systematically destroy all of the targeted buildings in the area. With dawn not far away, we turn north toward McChord. There is a lot less people on the roof of Cabelas but there are a few. I transmitted the info on the night runner packs as we engaged them but stopped when we concentrated on the buildings. We land and shutdown. Weariness has taken its toll but we are all smiling. Dawn arrives and we stumble to our vehicles to head back home.