“Lieutenant.”
Estes still had his eyes locked on her.
“Lieutenant Estes,” Andy said a little louder.
“Yes . . . sir,” Estes said slowly as he turned around, holding Michelle’s eyes with his own until the last possible moment.
“OK, it looks like we’ve got as many as we can,” Andy started. “I’ll be brief. Colonel Jordan has been relieved of command and rank. He is being detained until such a time when he can answer for his actions. Major Larrabee will take over this unit when he arrives. Lieutenant Estes is being field promoted to the rank of captain, with all of the responsibilities, requirements, duties and benefits that accompany it. It is effective immediately and will be permanent when I get time to file the proper paperwork. Captain Estes will be in charge of base security. Take to heart what I told you earlier. Remember why you are here, and remember that we are watching you. Questions?”
There were none
“Dismissed.”
The brief meeting over, everybody returned to the school except Estes, the six soldiers that accompanied him, and the major from medical.
Andy stared at the name on the man’s uniform briefly before sighing in barely disguised impatience. “I trust this is important, Major Sullivan?”
“Sir, I just thought, I mean that I was hoping you’d . . .” he stuttered before Andy barked again.
“NOW . . . spit it out now major, or so help me I’ll tie a steak around your neck and throw you over the fence.”
The major shot up ramrod straight and said, “Sir, is my duty to inform you that the information received from Homeland concerning transmission of the infection is incorrect. That is to say, in my fullest capacity as chief medical officer at this unit, I have personally been unable to account for physical trauma or direct contact as the source vector for eleven confirmed cases, sir.”
“What are you saying, major?” Andy said.
The major looked a bit startled as he answered, “Sir, the sickness, the infection . . . it’s airborne.”
Michelle was torn between the sinking feeling in her gut at what the major had just said and the look on Estes face as he swiveled back and forth between her and Andy. For a space of perhaps a dozen seconds no one said anything. Finally breaking the silence was another chattering of small arms fire accompanied by a request for reinforcements by the school cafeteria’s loading dock. The occasional bursts of gunshots rapidly increased to a steady pace and were accompanied by another request for backup. Michelle could see that Estes was also battling indecision. Turning to lock onto her eyes again, the newly promoted captain shifted the grip on his rifle and called to his men.
“Alpha Squad, lock and load.”
Michelle stood there, eyes transfixed on Estes, her mouth set in a tight frown as she waited. There was no way she could draw the 22 out of the shoulder holster in time, no way to grab the concealed 380 taped to her thigh. If Estes decided to shoot, she was as good as dead.
From the corner of her eye Michelle noticed Andy glancing again in her direction. She could tell from the brief contact that he knew something was up. Andy’s hand slowly settled near the belt line of his suit coat.
Andy looked back at the major, who was still holding a crisp salute. In a much easier tone than the last time he had addressed him, Andy said, “Major, are you sure on this?”
“Sir, I have nine civilians and two military personnel, all deceased, in the quarantine room. None of them show any signs of trauma that would account for their infection.”
“What about non-traumatic possibilities, like being splashed in the eyes with infected fluid?” Andy asked, causing the major to shift his eyes downward in brief consideration before answering.
“Sir, it is my professional medical opinion that the likelihood of eleven cases in such a localized area being attributed to a splash contact vector is . . . extremely unlikely. Sir.”
With a noncommittal grunt Andy said, “Duly noted, major. I will make sure to pass on your information. In the meantime, take whatever precautions you feel are necessary and within your capabilities. Dismissed.”
With another textbook salute, the major turned and trotted back toward school. Andy watched him go for a few seconds before swiveling back in Michelle’s direction.
“Is there a problem Captain?” Andy asked as he stepped slowly towards Michelle and into Estes’s field of vision.
With his head and neck frozen, Estes’s eyes played a slow tennis match between Michelle and Andy.
Quickly glancing over Estes’s shoulder, Michelle could see several members of his squad exchange glances with each other, apparently sensing the rising tension.
Andy spoke again. “I asked if there was a problem, captain.”
“Yes, I believe we have a problem.” There was no “sir” added.
Bursts of full auto gunfire echoed from a second direction. The radio barked a constant stream of commands, but they were lost in the background of her mind as Michelle focused on Estes, waiting for his response. She didn’t have to wait long.
“Alpha Squad, double time it to the cafeteria and teach those pukes how to shoot. I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Sir, yes sir,” all six echoed before turning and trotting around the side of the brick school building.
Michelle realized she’d been holding her breath. Her exhale came slowly and focused, totally the opposite of her adrenalized racing heart. Andy’s side step brought him next to her shoulder.
“Captain, I don’t have time for this . . .” Andy started to say before Michelle cut him off.
“Andy stop. He knows.”
Andy merely grunted, reading the look on Estes’s face and silently agreeing with a nod. Another moment of stillness passed before Estes spoke.
“Yes . . . ‘he’ knows. But he’s not exactly sure what he knows,” he shifted his gaze back and forth between them as he continued. “I’ll give you this, you’re good. Damn good. And what you did up here, with the colonel and those three jerks, that was good also. I’ve got about a million questions running through my brain right now, not the least of which is why I didn’t have my men cut you down. Maybe someday I’ll find out the answers.” The sound of a larger caliber automatic weapon thundered in their ears, causing each of them to shift their gaze back towards the school.
“Maybe,” Estes said with a deep sigh, still looking in the direction of the gunfire.
“How did you figure it out?” Andy asked.
“It was me. I messed up and forgot what an F22 was,” Michelle said, still looking at Estes . . . still waiting for him to change his mind and fire.
Estes nodded and spoke. “That was one of my clues, but it wasn’t the one that sunk you.”
“What was it?” Michelle asked.
Estes edged the barrel of his rifle slowly towards her midsection. And icy chill settled in her gut as she waited for the explosion. It never came.
Giving a slight nod in the direction his barrel was pointed, Estes said, “I imagine it would be hard to contact the pilots with that hanging out.”
Michelle dropped her eyes downward at the same time that Andy looked over. Dangling down at her midriff split was the jack at the end of her ear bud cable.
Michelle cussed a blue streak only partly under her breath as Andy chuckled.
Estes tilted his head toward the SUV and asked, “Who was he, for real?”
“Someone who’s going to be both ecstatic that he’s still among the living and pissed that we’ve left him zipped in a body bag for too long,” Andy said.
“So he’s . . . alive?” Estes asked, a frown of confusion painted on his face.
Andy just smiled and nodded.
Michelle watched as Estes shook his head again before breaking out into a huge smirk. “Damn good,” he said again.
Andy reached into his pocket and withdrew the small pad and pencil. Scribbling quickly, he tore off the sheet and handed it to Estes.
Estes took it and looked down, rea
ding the neat, concise script. It was an address.
Andy said, “If things get too hairy here, you and your boys will be welcome with us.” More machine gun fire joined the already intense skirmish.
Andy cocked his ear towards the sound and said, “That is, if we’re still alive.”
Estes nodded, meeting both of their eyes for a moment before extending his hand. Michelle and Andy each gave it a firm shake.
“Stay safe sir,” Estes said.
“You too . . . Captain.”
Estes smiled, saluted then turned and jogged towards the gunfire.
Chapter 32
Michelle slid into the nicely warmed interior of the idling SUV, shutting the door quickly behind her. A cumulative hard shiver coupled with twenty odd seconds of hyperventilation immediately followed.
“Are you good to go, or do you want to hang around for a while more?” Andy asked.
Michelle hadn’t even heard him come in to the vehicle, and the twin lasers that shot out of her return glare threatened to vaporize him on the spot.
With a slight upturn of his lips that settled somewhere between a smirk and smile, Andy continued, “Well, I guess it’s a ‘go’ then.” He turned and faced forward, still fighting back an obvious display of amusement.
“Go gets maa vote,” the muffled voice from the rear chimed in.
Spitting out some muffled words of her own in reply, Michelle jammed her feet on the floorboard, pushing her body rigid against the back of the seat. Reaching down with her left hand she pulled her skirt straight up and left, fully exposing her toned thighs and pale blue hip hugger cotton underwear. The motion immediately unlocked Andy’s neck muscles and he swiveled her way, eyes wide.
Reaching down with her right hand, Michelle ripped the improvised duct tape holster off of her thigh and handed it to Andy who was still staring at her midsection.
“What’s the matter old man, haven’t you ever seen a girl’s legs before?”
Andy shook his head and grunted. “Um, yeah, I have. Just not ones as good looking as yours for quite a long time.”
“Well take a good look Andy, because the next time you see these legs they’ll be kicking your ass from here to Cleveland for talking me into this,” Michelle tried to stay angry as she spit it out, briefly holding the teasing position before she settled back into the seat.
They paused in their exchange, locked in a stalemate of glances that were struggling to find a happy medium between seriousness and mirth. From the back the muffled voice sounded again.
“I’d ike a wook.”
“Shut up,” Michelle and Andy echoed at the same time, ending the tie and causing both of them to smile.
With another deep sigh, Michelle reached in to the center console and withdrew her Glock, positioning it for easy access on the front seat. Shifting into drive, she headed out of the school grounds, stopping only briefly as the soldiers manning the entry gate opened it and waved her through.
They followed the highway straight south through town, weaving in and out of the jumbled tangle of cars, trucks and buses, many of them still smoldering. They saw several slow moving walkers, but nothing was close enough to make even a halfhearted reach at their vehicle as they slid by. Once Michelle was sure they were beyond the visual range of anybody observing from school, she took the next left, drove several hundred feet off the highway, and pulled to the side of the narrow tar and chip road. The nearest house, a maroon and tan double wide trailer, occupied a space about seventy yards further up. They saw no movement. Andy took another look around from inside the truck before nodding to Michelle.
“Let’s do this quick and careful,” he said.
Michelle put the vehicle in park and grabbed her Glock, scanning a full 360 before answering. “Quick and careful,” she echoed as she mashed the rear hatch release.
Exiting the vehicle simultaneously with Andy, Michelle stood on the road, looking and listening for danger as Andy fast stepped to the rear and opened the hatch. She heard the sound of a long zipper descending and then several grunts as Sam was helped out of the body bag.
A flash of movement caught her eye from the direction of the highway before disappearing.
“Contact,” she voiced to Andy and Sam.
They both turned to look in the direction she was facing. “What was it, and where?” Andy asked.
“It was down near the highway, by the scrub hedges where we turned off. I don’t think it was an animal, but I only got a brief glimpse,” she answered.
“Well, let’s not go that direction, shall we. Besides, isn’t this road heading kind of towards your house anyway?” Andy asked.
Michelle nodded her head in the affirmative as she answered. “Yeah, this will curve around to the right and end in a tee. Turn left and follow that road for a little bit and you’ll come to a three-way intersection. Veer to the right and you’ll be on the road that goes to my house.
“Why are you telling me, you’re driving,” Andy said.
Michelle faked a brief angry face before turning to Sam. “You look like shit.”
The dried blood, cracked lips, and bruised skin gave a decidedly macabre overtone to his answer. “Ooo shoul see da ofer guys,” Sam’s hand lightly supported his jaw bone as he winced with each slurred word.
“Yeah, we did. They didn’t look too bad. What do they teach you in state police school, pillow fighting?” Andy chuckled in reply.
Breaking out in a painful grin, Sam returned the laughter for a few moments before looking hard at Michelle and Andy. “Isten . . . I don know haw you anaged ta . . . wha I’m tyin ta say is . . .”
“Save it for when you don’t sound like you have a mouthful of golf balls,” Andy said.
“No . . . now. Ank ooo . . . ow-ow-ow, iss reakin urtz.” They watched as Sam gingerly rubbed the side of his face as he spoke. “I’d ike ta ick that big ude in da face a eww times.”
“You want me to take you back?” Andy asked.
Through swollen eyes Sam looked up, managing a cracked lip, bruised face grin as he said, “No.”
A slight crunching sound caught Michelle’s ears and she spun in the direction of the maroon double wide. Two figures clad in tattered camouflage were stepping onto the gravel shoulder of the tar and chip road.
“Get in the truck now,” Michelle hissed.
The three of them quickly entered the vehicle—Michelle driving, Andy at shotgun, and Sam in the back seat. The camouflage pair began to move towards them, slowly at first but picking up speed as they closed.
“Forward through them or backwards to escape or reassess?” Michelle spit out quickly and urgently.
“Wait until they get close enough for us to tell if they’re infected. It could be a couple of Thompson’s guys. And in any event we need to go in that direction,” Andy said.
“I o I wook wike itt, ut I’d ather avv a unn ined of y-inn ta ill oming it my armin eron-ow-ity,” Sam managed to spit out.
“What?” Andy said.
Sam took a deep breath and started to speak again but Michelle jumped in and cut him off. “He said he knows he looks like shit, but he’d rather have a gun instead of trying to kill something with his charming personality.”
“Oh,” Andy said as he handed him the 380.
The two figures closed the distance quickly. At thirty yards Michelle could see blood on their faces. At twenty-five yards Andy said, “Just wait. Let them get right up to the truck if you have to Michelle.”
“Why?” she asked hesitantly.
“Because they might just be wounded, and I don’t want to leave any of Thompson’s guys behind. They’ve already had the short end of that stick.”
“OK, just remember what the feral did to your pickup.” Michelle shifted the big vehicle into drive, but kept her foot on the break as the pair approached. At ten yards distance the camouflage figures slowed, then stopped. The one on the left cocked his head and stared through the windshield. Dull red eyes burned in their sockets as he slowly ba
red his blood stained teeth in a silent snarl. His companion mimicked the same actions moments later.
Michelle’s heart sped up as the infected soldiers began moving towards them again. “I don’t think we need to wait any longer, do you?” she said to Andy and Sam.
Andy shook his head, more in sadness at the loss of two more soldiers then in response to her question, Michelle thought.
Michelle gave an instinctual look into the rear view mirror, doing a double take and shouting “BEHIND US!” just as the muted CRASH of safety glass shattering penetrated the truck. At least a half dozen infected had somehow appeared on the road behind them as they were focused on the two approaching from the trailer. One of the rear group was close enough to pound on the SUV’s back glass, splintering it into a giant spiderweb pattern.
A second loud BOOM resounded through the interior of the big black truck, this one caused by the impact of a bloody, ham sized clenched fist descending on the hood.
“Any time you’re ready . . .” Andy said dryly.
Michelle dropped off the brake and mashed the accelerator. The on demand four wheel drive system sensed the loss of traction as the big V8 torqued the rear tires into a spin, and immediately locked the front differential. Lurching forward, the black SUV mowed down ham fist before slamming into his companion milliseconds later. A quick, double set of thump-thumps rocked the vehicle as she drove over the two soldiers. As they were accelerating down the road, Michelle glimpsed into the rear view mirror. Both of the men were getting back on their feet.
Fade to Grey (Book 1): Fade to Grey Page 44