“I want to ask them something, just don’t shoot into the barn,” Bruce called back.
Back in mission control Angela and Stephanie were having fits to yell at Bruce on the radio until Willie came over to them. “Don’t, he knows what he’s doing. If you stop him he’ll hold it against you like he did me. He would stop for you two and that would cause tension. Let him go and chew him out later,” Willie told them.
They listened to Willie and turned back to the monitor as Bruce circled the field and went in the back of the barn. “How does he know there aren’t some in the barn?” one of the UAV operators asked.
“He doesn’t, but I can tell you he wants there to be,” Willie said looking at the monitor with sadness. Not for Bruce but because he wasn’t with them. He hadn’t stood by his team and paid the price.
“Jake, turn your radio to voice I want to hear what’s going on,” Mike told him over the radio and Jake flipped the voice switch.
There was only one female holding a baby in front of the door so Jake and Matt sighted in on the others. The entire team was holding their sights waiting on a female to drop. All of a sudden the female in front of the door just fell forward with the infant in her arms.
“Fire,” Jake said as nine rifles coughed dropping nine blues at the same time. All of them were holding a leg and growling. The blues not shot stood up looking for their attackers only to be dropped, most wounded and a few shot through the head. In ten seconds it was over.
“Bring my bag and double time it,” Bruce called over the radio. Stepping out of the barn, Bruce was holding his sword in one hand and pistol in the other, Bruce smiled at the wounded blues.
When the team ran up to him they noticed blue blood on the blade. “How many were inside?” Jake asked.
Bruce didn’t answer, “Watch the wounded and shoot their joints to stop them from crawling away. Danny, get out the torch, lighter fluid and branding iron,” Bruce said walking back inside holstering his pistol as he laughed.
Seconds later two blue infants flew out the loft window of the barn, landing on the ground crying as they hit. Howls of rage filled the air from the wounded members of the pack as Bruce came out. Several were shot in arms or legs crawling toward the infants.
“They care about their young like no animal I’ve seen!” Bruce yelled over the howls.
Walking over to one of the infants Bruce started stomping on its legs sending the pack into frenzy. When they all stopped to take a breath, Bruce stopped stomping. Then several started howling again and Bruce started stomping. One of the blue males yelped out and the blues stopped howling and Bruce stopped stomping.
Smiling, Bruce looked down at the infant he was stomping. Its legs were shattered and it was screaming real loud. “Holy shit it has fangs,” Bruce observed looking down at the baby. Buffy came over to look and saw top and bottom sets of baby fangs in the infant’s mouth.
“Not cool,” she commented looking at the screaming infant. “Look at the fingers,” Buffy said. They all looked at the fingers and could see the fingernails were curled over the tip of the fingers into tiny claws.
“Get me the lighter fluid,” Bruce told her then looked at Danny. “Start heating the iron,” Bruce told her, making Danny grin.
Buffy handed the lighter fluid to Bruce who looked down at the screaming blue infant and yelled shut up. With his boot Bruce gently closed the infant’s mouth quieting the screaming then took his boot away and the infant continued to scream. Shaking his head Bruce wet the infant with lighter fluid. Closing the mouth again Bruce took away his foot and the infant continued to scream.
Taking out a box of matches Bruce stepped back, “Make a wish little bitch,” Bruce said throwing the lit match at the screaming infant. When the fluid ignited the screams got real loud but as the baby took a breath it inhaled the flames searing its lungs. It didn’t die right away but did shut up as Bruce looked at the pack with an evil grin.
The other blues started howling as Bruce walked over to the other infant he had thrown out and lifted his foot over it. This time all the blues shut up except the infant. Then one of the female blues started giving soft yelps toward the infant which shut it up.
Putting his foot down Bruce looked at the wounded blues grinning. “You bitch’s learn fast. Let me show you what I think of you,” Bruce said as he pissed on the infant. Looking at their faces, Bruce saw true hate just as they saw on his.
Bruce walked over to the female he had knocked down. “Taser’s are useful aren’t they,” Matt noted.
“Oh yeah,” Bruce said rolling the female off the infant as every five seconds she was hit with a jolt. Bruce reached down grabbing the infant by the ankle lifting it up. The infant started to cry so Bruce punched it in the side of the head careful not to hit the fangs and tear his gloves.
Another blue female started yelping and making humming sounds and the infant shut up. “Obedience, that’s what I’m talking about,” Bruce said then called Danny over. Holding out his hand Bruce took the iron and branded the infant on the forehead making it scream. Dropping the infant he soaked it down with lighter fluid. Then walking over, Bruce picked up the Taser still connected to the mother. Taking the lock off but leaving the electrodes in, Bruce stepped back in front of the female.
Looking at her he saw her breasts were covered in scabs from the infant. “You need to bottle feed your kids,” Bruce said as she slowly sat up growling.
Bruce lit his zippo holding it over the infant. One of the females gave the mother a series of barks and the mother looked at the smoking infant, then at hers. The mother laid back down with tears rolling down her cheeks. “Very good, let’s play,” Bruce said with a menacing grin.
Smiling, Danny went around and branded all the adults none ever made a sound. Buffy stood next to the mother’s baby and the other infant, holding the torch heating up the branding iron as Danny needed it. Bruce walked over to one of the wounded mothers, pointing at her infant in her arms. The mother bared her teeth at Bruce and hissed. Bruce’s sword flashed through the air taking one of the infant’s legs off.
The mother screamed as Bruce kicked her in the side of the head making her drop the blue baby. Kicking the baby away, Bruce kicked her again knocking her on her face. Taking out his pistol, Bruce shot her in the spine between the shoulder blades. Watching her legs become slack, Bruce chuckled as she pulled herself around looking at her screaming infant. Bruce grabbed the torch from Buffy and held it to the stump which was barely bleeding.
Bruce had seen enough wounded blues to know they bled very little after the initial wound. He just wanted to let the mother see her infant scream for her disobedience. “Danny, brand it,” Bruce said standing up.
Danny skipped over, “Hey bitch, watch this,” Danny said putting her foot on the infant’s chest branding its forehead. The infant screamed and Bruce went through the motions to make it shut up. The mother tried as hard as she could but the blue baby kept crying.
Soaking the infant down Bruce looked at the crippled mother yelping at the infant as the others joined in. Matt walked over throwing a match on the infant. “You had your chance to shut it up,” Matt said setting the infant on fire. The rest of the team cheered as the infant blue screamed.
Bruce walked over to the last mother who was holding her baby. Holding out his sword and lighter fluid Bruce motioned toward Danny with the iron with his head. The mother cooed at the baby then laid it on the ground in front of Danny.
“Don’t worry it only hurts for weeks,” Mary giggled telling the mother as Danny branded the infant.
The infant screamed for five minutes then as Bruce headed for it the mother was able to make it shut up. Bruce looked around at the blues who now had the look of pure fear on their faces. When he would look at them they would look down at the ground away from him like they wanted to avoid his attention. “Now that you’re marked, let’s have some fun,” Bruce said and the other started clapping.
Two hours later the only blues alive wer
e the two branded mothers, their branded infants, one wounded female and two males that were shot in the leg. None of the pack ever tried anything. As he looked around at the group, Bruce could see something on all their faces that he loved: fear. Bruce kicked the babies over to the mothers who picked them up holding them tight. As Bruce approached they all cowered down whimpering. Bruce pointed at the woods, then at his feet, shaking his head no holding up the bottle of lighter fluid.
The group looked at the woods then at Bruce’s feet, then at him. Bruce peed on the ground in front of them then pointed at the trees then at them. The wounded blues struggled to get up and the ones not wounded very bad helped the others hobble to the tree line.
“That was so cool,” David said, watching them leave. “Want us to burn the area?” David asked, as he high fived Matt.
“No, leave it as is and remember we’re contaminated, don’t touch your skin,” Bruce said.
“But you peed,” Buffy pointed out.
“I didn’t touch myself,” Bruce told her.
“Ah, that’s not fair Daddy I can’t do that,” Buffy whined, stomping her feet.
“It’s okay Buffy, that’s why I cried when I realized I couldn’t grow one, but we’re better than boys so it equals out,” Danny came over and told her. Buffy just kicked the dirt and headed back to the buggies with her head down as the team followed her.
Back in mission control, not a sound other than breathing could be heard watching the team walk away, in the center it was the same. It was Paul who broke the silence. “That was the coldest and coolest shit I’ve ever seen,” Paul said. Everyone turned to look at him, “What? Its blues, fuck ’em,” Paul informed them.
“Paul, they were enjoying it, not beating an enemy, but inflicting pain,” Nancy said.
Paul just shrugged his shoulders not wanting to get in a debate. Mike looked around the room at Stephanie, “Get them decontaminated, I’m talking to Bruce,” he told her and left the room.
When Bruce led the team back, the rest of Omega with the clan was waiting on them. As they drove to the decontamination area the clan was cheering at them. When the team was done, Mike called Bruce away and started to talk to him. Bruce just shook his head looking at Mike. Then Mike started to yell at Bruce for twenty minutes as Bruce just stared at him listening to the torrent.
As Mike finished he bellowed, “That’s exactly what Debbie didn’t want the kids to become: Assholes! Hate filled killers, but you showed them how and taught them to enjoy it!” Mike looked at Bruce breathing hard with his fist balled up.
Realization hit Bruce when he heard those words and he looked down as he felt a new feeling replace the hate: shame. “You’re right,” Bruce said as he turned around and walked away.
Mike yelled after Bruce that he wasn’t finished, but Bruce headed for the Center with Mike chasing him. Walking inside Bruce saw the kids at the command table eating and smiling with the rest of the command group sitting with them. Bruce walked to his place and tapped the table and the table became silent.
“Kids, I have taught you to become excellent warriors but I’ve also taught you how to hate in battle, which I never should’ve done. Your enemies are targets not objects or people. Know from now on, your sins stay with you. I know some of you have had hints of guilt but knew I commanded it so it could be justified. No more, your guilt is your own, everything you’ve done until now is my burden not yours. When you stand in heaven there my sins, not yours so be at ease. Now you must make you own choice and your mother didn’t want any of you filled with hate. She wanted you to be strong warriors and good people. With hate, you can only fulfill the warrior side and have no life. Omega has a week off, enjoy,” Bruce told them as he headed for the door and walked outside.
“What did you do Daddy?” Mary asked, looking at him.
“Saved each of you from a fate worse than death,” Mike told her as the kids looked at each other as Mike sat down.
After that day, no packs came anywhere close to the farm. The only time blues would come close were in mobs of thousands or hordes. Small packs avoided the area out of fear only in numbers did they overcome it. A small piece of America was held without a physical barrier: it was held with a boundary of fear.
Chapter 26
With his watch vibrating at 0115, Bruce opened his eyes, sitting up. Looking at the bed he smiled brushing the hair off the kids’ faces, kissing each one. Then he did the same for Angela and Stephanie. Smiling towards the bed, Bruce dressed, and then grabbed his rifle and gear. Telling them bye softly, Bruce left the room and headed to mission control.
Bruce walked in the monitor area and announced. “I’m going out on a recon. When you see my vehicle approach the gate you’ll open it and close it. If you wake anyone up after I leave, I promise I’ll break one of your arms,” Bruce told them as he turned around and left.
Leaving the house, Bruce headed to the garage and the black pickup truck he had acquired in what seemed a lifetime ago. It was covered in bullet holes and dents. Opening the door to throw his gear in Bruce jumped back, dropping his gear, raising his rifle seeing something in the front passenger seat. Realizing it was Buffy, Bruce lowered his rifle. “You scared the shit out of me! What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Bruce demanded.
“Going with you,” Buffy answered never looking at him.
“No, get out,” Bruce told her.
“Nope,” Buffy popped back, crossing her arms.
“I’m not playing Buffy get out, I’m going alone,” Bruce growled.
“Nope, if you take me out I’ll follow you in another truck asking mission control to help me. If you put me out on the side of the road later I’ll just sit down until you come back and get me or I die,” Buffy informed him.
Bruce just glared at her, “Fine,” he said opening the door to the crew cab and had Max scare the shit out of him. Stepping back to look at Buffy, Bruce asked, “Bringing anything else?”
“I didn’t bring him, he beat me here. I tried to make him leave but he wouldn’t shut up barking,” Buffy informed him.
Bruce sighed and threw his gear in the backseat and closed the door. Looking at Buffy, Bruce walked into the garage and came back with two fuel cans and put them in the back. Climbing in Bruce turned the key, letting the glow plugs heat up.
“You can stay here,” Bruce told her.
“No, don’t want to,” Buffy answered smugly, still not looking at him.
Before Bruce reached the gate it was open and closed behind them as he headed off down the road. Sitting in the passenger seat Buffy just looked straight ahead with a determined look on her face.
“How did you know I was leaving?” Bruce asked.
“Just did, and I knew you would take this truck because it doesn’t make a lot of noise,” she let him know. ‘Damn she’s getting good’ Bruce thought as he drove on.
It was dawn as Bruce pulled into Fort Polk and no one at the farm had even missed them yet. Buffy looked straight ahead never saying a word the entire trip which unnerved Bruce a lot as he glanced at her. “We’re getting Mama’s truck aren’t we?” Buffy asked, not looking at him.
If she would’ve slapped Bruce, she would’ve seen the same expression. “Yes, how did you figure that out?” Bruce asked.
“Simple Daddy, it’s the only thing left here that you could want. We have all the toys. You do remember we never pacified this area,” Buffy told him.
“Yeah, I remember,” Bruce said grinning looking straight ahead. For the first time since they left Buffy looked over at Bruce with sadness on her face.
Bruce drove through the post to the motor pool they had left Debbie’s SUV at almost a year ago. Pulling up beside it Bruce shut off the engine and climbed out walking over to Debbie’s suburban. Walking to the back, Bruce grabbed the keys off the bumper and opened the doors.
Buffy lifted up her M-4 and chambered a round, “Be ready Max,” she said getting out and Max followed.
Bruce tried the key but the b
attery was dead. Walking back to the truck Bruce started it up and grabbed some jumper cables and hooked them to Debbie’s battery. Slamming his door he walked around and grabbed Buffy’s backpack from the front seat and shut the door carrying it to Debbie’s truck and threw it in.
“Can you make any more noise?” Buffy asked looking at him.
“Screw them,” Bruce said, getting behind the wheel of Debbie’s truck. Turning the key the glow plugs started up.
Buffy looked down at Max and could see the hair on his back stand up. With her heart fluttering Buffy looked around as Bruce started the engine. Leaving the door open he dropped the cables on the ground and shut both hoods. Grabbing the fuel cans Bruce put them in Debbie’s truck.
“Get in, I'll follow you back in a minute,” Bruce told her.
“I leave when you do,” Buffy said as Max started growling. Bruce walked over and grabbed her by the back of her vest, picking her up and putting her in the SUV, telling Max to get in then Bruce slammed the door.
Buffy sat up and was reaching for the handle when Max started growling looking around. Turning to Daddy, she saw him reach in the truck grabbing his sword and helmet with the face shield and put it on. Leaving his rifle and vest inside the truck Bruce slammed the door and keyed his radio.
“Leave Buffy, Daddy will be done shortly and will follow you,” Bruce told her, pulling the sword out of the scabbard.
Looking around, Buffy could see blues darting between the buildings. Reaching up, Buffy opened the sun roof and opened her pack, dumping the ammo and magazines in the seat. Standing up through the sun roof Buffy could hear the roars as blues closed in.
Bruce turned to her keying his radio, “Leave Buffy, Daddy wants to do this alone. I love you, remember that,” he said looking back at the gate.
With tears running down her face Buffy looked behind the SUV and could see blues climbing the fence. Pulling her boonie hat down, not even worrying if the camera was on, Buffy turned back to Daddy. A hundred blues were running through the gate heading for him. “DADDY!” Buffy screamed raising her rifle up and started firing.
Blue Plague: Rage Page 35