Blue Plague: Rage

by Watson, Thomas A

  “Conner, I have to tell you first, it’s about time. Next, I have to tell you if you try to take Cassandra and Joshua away from Mike, he’s going to shoot you, and I have to help bury your body. I really tried to talk Mike out of that but he wouldn’t give me any wiggle room,” Bruce told Conner.

  “Why in the hell would I want to take Cassandra and Joshua away from Mike and Nancy? Shit last night we tried to make Cassandra stay with us so they could have at least some alone time and she wouldn’t stop crying. I had to wake Mike up at midnight so she could sleep with them,” Conner said.

  “Don’t kid yourself, Mike was already awake,” Nancy informed Conner.

  “You were to!” Mike snapped.

  “Never said I wasn’t,” Nancy replied.

  “Well those are the conditions,” Bruce said.

  “Ah! Susan come over here and tell them our conditions. Mike looks like he’s going to shoot me,” Conner said.

  Susan ran over to Conner and held his hand, “Mike, I wanted to ask you and Nancy if Cassandra and Joshua could take the last name of Collins. I really don’t want them to have the last name of Lawrence,” Susan told him.

  Mike just grinned, “I would be honored and if you want it can be your last name as well,” he told her.

  Joy spread across her face, “Really?” she yelled and Mike nodded his head with Nancy.

  “Father Thomas wants to talk to us tomorrow and we’ll get married Tuesday,” Conner said.

  “Mike, will you give me away?” Susan asked.

  “Of course he will,” Nancy said from behind them.

  After the hugs were over Bruce yelled, “That’s enough of the touchy feely. It’s time for pain and gain.” Pacing back and forth with his two mimes Bruce lectured.

  “Today will be a day to remember. I’m arming everyone here and I mean everyone. It’s time to train- stow it Mike!” Bruce yelled as Mike was fixing to say something. “Everyone take off your vest and weapons. The weapons you will be using are on the table, please be careful with them. Same teams as yesterday and if you didn’t play it’s on the table. Remember, if you use a grenade please yell ‘grenade’, we do have kids with us. I would like to see them grow up,” Bruce said.

  Nancy stepped forward, “Bruce, you’re going way to far here,” she said.

  “No I’m not. If you want to protect them I suggest you stay,” Bruce told her. “On the table you will see cards with your name, stand behind it and do not remove the sheet until told to do so,” Bruce said.

  Reluctantly they moved to each spot after taking off their vest. When they were at their spot Bruce walked up and yanked off the sheets. In front of each person was paintball gear. “You son of a bitch!” Nancy yelled.

  “Thirty Nancy,” Bruce said.

  “Fuck!” Nancy screamed.

  “Thirty more Nancy,” Bruce told her. Nancy and the rest of the Rangers dropped down along with Buffy, Angela and Stephanie. Bruce was finished first and since the twins couldn’t count past ten they jumped with Bruce.

  After everyone was done they moved to the table when Jake said, “Hey! This is my gear.”

  “Of course it is. I went in everyone’s room and got their gear,” Bruce told them.

  Mike put his hand over Nancy’s mouth, “I’m not in the mood for more,” he told her and Nancy just nodded.

  Bruce walked over to Angela and Stephanie, “That is Debbie’s gear which means it’s yours,” Bruce told them. They smiled with tears in their eyes then Bruce looked at Emily and Sherry’s spot on the table and didn’t see them. “Emily and Sherry where are you?” he yelled.

  “Here Daddy,” they said together behind him.

  “Get your gear on, its game time,” Bruce told them. They ran to the table and Bruce helped put the gear on them tightening up the helmets and vest.

  When everyone was ready Bruce yelled, “Mike’s team is red, we’re blue. Arm bands are on the table.”

  “Bruce, what about the kids? Paintballs hurt,” Susan asked.

  “PJ and Joshua are off limits, they are not playing but they will be walking around with Millie and Lynn who are refs. The other kids are playing and if anyone unloads on them they owe a hundred pushups,” Bruce told everyone. Looking at Mike, Bruce asked, “You want to surrender now?”

  “Hell no!” Nancy yelled. “I’m so busting your ass!” Nancy bellowed at Bruce.

  “Eww, I feel a chill in the air,” Bruce said. “When you’re hit, you must return to your flag before becoming active again. To win, the enemy flag must be brought back to your flag. Anyone caught cheating by the umpires Millie and Lynn, will be out for that game and the next. After each game we meet here,” Bruce said.

  “Fine Bruce, which end do you want?” Mike asked.

  “We’ll walk. I don’t want your vaginal itching to flare up,” Bruce said leading his team down the field.

  The first game lasted twenty minutes and was fast. True to her word, Nancy unloaded on Bruce hitting him forty times after he yelled hit. Mike got mad when someone shot Cassandra. She never cried, only said, “Oww.” Mike charged off and was cut down by Buffy. Matt made it to Bruce’s team flag grabbing it but Danny tackled him since her gun was empty. When they hit the ground she took Matt’s gun and shot him with it.

  David came up behind her and shot her running to grab the flag as Stephanie unloaded on him. Paul came around grabbing the flag and ran like a man possessed back to Mike’s flag. When he reached Mike’s flag, Millie blew the whistle.

  When the teams gathered the trash talk started. Matt was just looking at Danny like he was ready to fight. It wasn’t helping matters that Danny kept yelling at him, “Bring it bitch!”

  Millie yelled out, “Mike’s team one, Bruce’s team zero.”

  “Nancy, quit shooting Bruce when he calls hit,” Stephanie warned her.

  “I’m going to smoke his ass like a pack of Kools,” Nancy told Stephanie.

  “Nancy, I really like you, but if you do that again I’m coming after you,” Stephanie warned.

  “Pretty little girl, you don’t stand a chance,” Nancy told her, waving Stephanie off.

  Angela stepped in front of Nancy, “Your ass is mine,” Angela told her.

  “Let’s get the next game going then,” Nancy offered.

  Everyone grabbed more paintballs and refilled their air tanks. Mike’s team walked to the other end of the field. The second game was much more vengeful.

  Angela and Stephanie stayed close to each other while following Bruce. Nancy came from behind a tree shooting at Bruce as he dove to the ground. Angela and Stephanie unloaded a hundred shots apiece hitting Nancy with most of them after she yelled ‘hit’. “That was some good ass!” Angela yelled.

  Matt and David saw the flag and took off running for it. When they were ten yards away from it Emily and Sherry jumped up from behind some bushes cutting them down. No one told them to stop firing when someone called hit.

  Paul and Cheryl were the next to fall to the twins. Danny came back to the flag as Paul and Cheryl were leaving holding their guns up. Grabbing the twins Danny moved them to a different area and left. At the other end of the field Buffy came up behind Mike, who was watching his flag, shooting him in the back of the head. Mike dropped his gun crying out in pain, grabbing his head seeing stars in his eyes. Buffy ran past him grabbing the flag and took off running. As she ran off, Mary jumped up shooting at her only to be hit by Bruce. When Buffy made it to the flag Millie blew the whistle.

  When Nancy walked up she looked like a graffiti board, “Something happen Nancy?” Bruce asked with a smirk.

  “Shove it Bruce!” Nancy snapped at him with narrowed eyes.

  “Hey Emily and Sherry, when someone calls ‘hit’ stop shooting them,” David complained.

  Still holding his head, Mike dropped his gun. “Damn it Buffy that hurt. You don’t shoot people in the back of the head!” Mike growled.

  “Daddy says to bust a cap in the head then you don’t have to worry about them an
ymore,” Buffy replied in a sassy tone.

  “Bruce, control your daughter,” Mike said.

  “Buffy play nice, Mike’s pussy hurts,” Bruce said as Mike gave him a mean look.

  Carroll and Marcus joined the umpires as tempers and egos were getting blown up. “Game tied!” Millie yelled.

  Bruce’s team walked the field and he laid out a plan for them. Leaving only the twins at the flag they all took off for Mike’s flag. With such a large group they quickly took out anyone in their way. The game was over in six minutes.

  The next game Bruce did the opposite leaving everyone but him and Ted at the flag. Mike had everyone at his flag. Bruce and Ted threw several paint grenades at the group and Ted opened up as Bruce ran for the flag when everyone was hit. Since Bruce had the flag they couldn’t become active again and shoot at him. That game lasted ten minutes.

  Mike gathered his team, “All right, Bruce is starting to get wild. Half the team stays at the flag,” Mike told them. Bruce won that one in fifteen minutes.

  For every game Mike’s team won, Bruce’s team won three. Millie called a break at noon when sandwiches were brought out. The all sat under the oak tree eating, still talking smack. The twins were now feared by Mike’s team. They were so little it was hard to hit them and that was only if you could find them. They were hiding in bushes and Bruce had tied grass to their bodies. They had only been shot once and that was by Matt. Which he paid for during the next game, Jake hunted him down three times.

  “Matt, shoot my little sisters again and it’s on baby,” Jake warned shoving a sandwich in his mouth.

  “I’m getting them with a pant grenade this time!” Matt yelled back.

  As they were eating Marcus came up wearing paintball gear. “I’m joining Mike’s team,” Marcus announced.

  “Oh shit!” Bruce said dropping his sandwich.

  “Thirty pushups Bruce!” Nancy yelled smiling.

  Bruce jumped up, “Love the pain,” he said as he went into a handstand and started doing pushups.

  Nancy groaned when she saw Mike get down doing pushups. When they were finished they noticed Carroll arguing with Marcus.

  “Marcus, you almost eighty,” Carroll said.

  “Woman, be still, Mike needs to think more fluid and I know how old I am. Keep on and I’ll make you think I’m a young buck tonight,” Marcus snapped.

  “You can’t be runnin’ around like this group,” Carroll told him.

  “If you have nothin good to say, then shut it,” Marcus told her. Marcus walked over to Mike, “You’re in charge but I’m laying out our battle plan. I’ll be guarding the flag,” Marcus told him.

  After lunch Millie yelled out, “Bruce’s team fifteen, Mike’s team six.”

  The next three games went to Mike. Then Bruce saw how Marcus worked and for the next two hours the teams went one for one. Then Bruce knew how to take Marcus and for the last two hours for every two games Bruce won Mike won one. At 1600 Millie blew the whistle for the last time. “Bruce twenty eight, Mike sixteen!” Millie yelled.

  No one cheered because they were wore slap out. Bruce went over to Mike, “Did you learn something?” he asked.

  Mike looked at Bruce and saw he was being serious. “Yeah, I don’t think out my attack and I react to my opponent,” Mike replied.

  “Yes, you do and the next time we play, you better kick my ass,” Bruce told him.

  “If I let you sleep with Nancy will give me a ten point lead?” Mike asked.

  “Only if she wears the red shoes,” Bruce answered laughing.

  “Mike, if you say yes, I’m kicking your ass. His wives shot me so many times today, I feel like someone hit me with a bat!” Nancy yelled.

  Putting his arm around Bruce’s shoulder, “Let’s talk about it later,” Mike told Bruce.

  Bruce smiled then looked up, “Okay everyone mount up, the day is not over!” Bruce yelled. No one complained just because they didn’t want to do pushups. It was hot, their clothes were soaked in sweat, paint, some blood and Bruce still wanted to play. After they gathered up their real weapons and vest, Bruce led the group in a column to the patio. Bruce held up his hand for everyone to stop as he turned around.

  “Strip to underwear, for you girls, bras and panties. Let’s swim, here endith the lesson,” Bruce said. When everyone stripped they were covered in red welts from the paintball hits. Cade and Cassandra had the fewest at two apiece, PJ had three and nobody knew how.

  Few ran into the pool just because they were too tired. Bruce went up to Nancy picking her up in his arms, “You’re one tough broad,” Bruce told her.

  “You better remember that,” Nancy told him putting her arms around his neck kissing him on the cheek.

  “Nancy, I really think they shot you more than Debbie did on the Fourth of July last year,” Bruce told her putting her down.

  “Think! I know they did Bruce, there are two of them. Holy shit! Wherever you went, they were there. At least Stephanie would yell, ‘I’m sorry, just a little bit!’ Angela would just yell, ‘That was some good ass!’” Nancy told him laughing as she got in the pool.

  Angela and Stephanie walked over hearing the conversation. “Well I thought they did real good today,” Bruce said as they came under his arms.

  “Oh they did great,” Nancy told him.

  “Did Debbie yell anything when she shot you?” Stephanie asked.

  Nancy just laughed not able to speak. Mike walked over, “She would yell out, ‘My dick is bigger!’” Mike said getting in the pool.

  Bruce led the two in the water as the twins and Cade ran and jumped in. The twins had a dozen whelps over their bodies but had a blast. They swam for an hour then went into the Center to eat. The twins, Cade, Cassandra, Joshua and PJ just sprawled out on the floor and went to sleep. They ate while laughing about the last two days. Bruce took the memory card out of his hat putting in a new one. Like every day since he started wearing the camera, Bruce had captured another day to be remembered.

  The next day after breakfast, Bruce met with Omega and the command group in the Center. Bruce walked to the front and started. “Let me have your attention. Omega, I am bringing our strength up to one hundred. Any of you on the support group that want to try your hand on attack raise your hand now, you have first choice,” Bruce told them. All but fourteen raised their hand and Bruce looked at Mike, “I need some from Gamma and thirty-four on support,” he said and Mike nodded.

  “Okay boys and girls, change in our game. Teams will now operate out of RG-33Ls and the Cougar 6x6. They have more room for our shit and we can fire out of them a lot easier. The attack vehicles we have are staying in the support role and I’m adding a mortar Stryker. The only difference in squads will be my squad which will be a six man team me, Buffy, Danny, Mindy, Jake and David. Jake and David will be riding in a LAV. Willie you are now second in command over squads six through ten which is second platoon. Ted you’re my sergeant over first platoon and Carl you’re the sergeant over second. Now for those in authority if you lose my people recklessly, I’ll kill you,” Bruce told them and they believed him.

  “Steve, I want you to have an air asset available to me and a list of what you can offer me,” Bruce told him.

  Letting out a chuckle, “Oh, I can bring some shit now,” Steve said.

  “That’s cool son,” Bruce said. “Bill, have you put together a long range scavenging group?” Bruce asked.

  “Still working on it, I should be set in a week,” Bill said.

  “Good, now I want one of the trucks here that Paul has made quiet to come with us towed behind the RV. I really don’t want to keep running to take out pieces of shit,” Bruce said.

  “Are you getting old Bruce?” Mike asked.

  “No, but running eats up time that we could be using to kill shit,” Bruce said in an offhand manner sending a chill up several spines of those in the command group. Danny raised her hand, “Yes Danny,” Bruce said.

  “Can the rest of the team train the ne
w people before we roll out?” she asked.

  “Yes, Willie, come up with a training roster by squad for the next five days. I want the new ones spread out on the team leaving squad one and six alone with experience,” Bruce said.

  “So you’re leaving in six days?” Nancy asked.

  “Yes we’re pulling out Saturday morning. Omega will wipe out Ruston and Monroe. Then we’ll hit the gang past Oak Grove on the state line. Move over into Mississippi wiping out Vicksburg and the gang to the south. Then pull back across the river hitting the small towns on the east side of the state,” Bruce laid out the plan of attack.

  “This is not a marathon Bruce, you can take your time,” Nancy said.

  “Why? Blues are breeding, we’ve seen the babies and they’re getting faster. I don’t know how much faster, but they are,” Bruce said.

  Stephanie stood up, “I videoed one running forty-six MPH. Based on the human anatomy I really think that will be close to the limit on their speed,” she told Bruce.

  “Holy shit that’s faster than some horses!” Mike exclaimed.

  “That’s faster than my first car,” Willie said quietly.

  “How far did it run?” Bruce asked.

  “Ten point two miles, until Jake blew up the store it was running by,” Stephanie said.

  “Stephanie, it’s barely ten months since the infection and we’ve seen a lot of babies and pregnant females. Do they have the same birth cycle as humans?” Bruce asked.

  “I have no idea, but I really would have to say no. They aren’t human so my guess they would have a shorter pregnancy and a shorter childhood,” Stephanie told him.

  “I’m really beginning to hate those fuckers,” Bruce said.

  “Really? I would’ve never guessed that Bruce,” Ted said making some people snicker.

  “Funny Ted,” Bruce said. “Okay now I want every member of the strike team to have a total of five assault rifles. Two will be M-4s and one M-16A2. One of course is the SCAR that Joe has made for us. The last is up to them, it only has to shoot 5.56 or 7.62. I want the SCARs used to fight up close and personal. The others are for taking out hordes. The only exceptions are the snipers and Jake and Matt will come up with their balance. Jake and Matt, I want one sniper per squad and I want your load out by this afternoon,” Bruce told them.