Just then an arm snaked under my arms and around my back supporting me. I looked over expecting to see Brian, but instead, looked right into Apache’s eyes. I almost fainted with pain, but dug down deeper then I had ever done and was awarded with Hase appearing and lifting me up off the ground like I was no more than a baby. “Apache, help find Brian and the guards inside. That building is about to fall any minute.” My voice came out at a whisper as I fought more pain than I had ever felt before.
Apache gave me a thumbs up and started yelling and before my eyes Delta appeared from nowhere and ran to the building. But before they could get there the ground shook as one more bomb fell from the sky and struck a small hangar nearby. The shock was strong enough that the building shook and dust roiled out of it, and then it lurched to the left and imploded on itself. Hase turned me fast so I only saw the beginning of the fall and faced me away from any debris. He made it to their personally decorated Humvee and slid me into the rear hatch. This Humvee had been given a desert paint job, with the Delta logo painted on the top and a personalized patch with a grinning skull on the doors and an H on its forehead. I lay in the hatch trying to get myself onto a shoulder, so I could see more outside.
I felt the loss of Brian. I never saw him, the prisoner, or the guards get out of the building before it collapsed. Brian and I had been by each other’s side, since the days in the TransAmerica tower in San Francisco. He had become my brother through battle. Tears shrouded my vision and threatened to pour down my face. My physical pain and the possibility of losing Brian was too much for me to handle, and that old familiar hole swallowed me whole
I sat in the darkness, feeling the loss crushing me down into the abyss. Time moved much slower here, felt like an eternity of despair, till that familiar light blinked on in the distance. Angel’s voice came through but like she was far away, and having to shout for me to hear her. “Dan, come to my voice, do not give up!” I tried to get up and respond to her, but it felt like chains had grabbed a-hold of me and would not let go. “Fight back, Dan! They can only win if you give up!” Her voice came a little louder this time. I felt her, like a small warmth when all I had felt was an iciness.
I reached down deep inside myself, punched my hand into the ground and pushed with all my strength, grunting and yelling, my other hand became free and I punched it into the ground using it to help me get to my knee. The crushing force doubled in weight, the unseen chains dug deeper into my flesh and pulled. I would not give up, I would win, I would hold on to Julie and all she meant to me. More warmth spread into me, first through my fingertips, then up through my arms, into my shoulders, and neck. Then it exploded in my chest, hope grabbed hold and gave me the strength I needed to get off my knees and onto my feet. I stood there letting the feeling of hope flood through me. It pushed back the cold and light emitted from me. No, I don’t mean I lit up like an Angel, but more like a glow. Enough to push back the darkness swirling around me, a scream erupted in that darkness and I could feel it pull back away from me in pain, and more importantly I felt its fear. I walked away from its screams and whimpering, I went toward the light and felt stronger the closer I got. I heard a new voice coming from the light, a man’s voice, a deep boulder rattling voice. I knew that voice, as it called out to me.
“Stop blacking out like a little wuss and open your damn eyes girly man,” the voice commanded.
I reached the light and was flooded with pain and exhaustion. There I was in the back of the Humvee looking up into a dirt and blood-caked face of Brian. The sneer he was giving me quickly turned up and lit his eyes up, when he saw me squinting back at him. “You know; I think I have said it before. But it bares repeating, you are not a pretty sight to wake up to.”
Brian threw his head back and laughed heartily at the often repeated joke. “Well, I for one am happy to be here this time when you woke up. Gave us a little scare there, Boss. Your heart-beat was slow and very faint. You need to thank Apache. She gave you a shot of adrenaline and hooked up that nice little IV of saline up to your arm there. I think she likes you or something. Shit, she hasn’t given any attention to me yet.”
“I tried, you damn Sasquatch, but and I quote you here,” Apache’s voice deepened into her best rendition of Brian’s deep voice. “I don’t need any damn help, woman.” She appeared around Brian and looked down at me, smiling. Her voice dropped back too normal. “How are you feeling, Dan?”
“Like Brian decided to beat the shit out of me.”
They both started laughing at my expense of pain. “Boss, if I was to beat the shit out of you, you would be much worse off. This is like if a ten-year-old beat you up. Now get better, we need to get you out of here,” Brian answered.
“Wait! What about the guards and Joseph? Did they make it out?” I raised my hand stopping them from walking away.
Brian smiled all over again. “The guards made it out just in time. I made sure Joseph got out alive, but I was not very nice about it. He has some new bruises and I think I broke his wrist when I pulled the pin holding his cuffs free from the table.” He looked down at me and winced. “You have the keys, so I had to improvise. He’s over near one of the other trucks, being watched by the guards.”
“Good, now I don’t have time to sit on my ass in here. Grab me a chair and get me out of here, and get this IV out of me. I need to think about what is coming next and help manage the evacuation of the base,” I protested.
“Dan, you need to stay here. You have been pushing your body a lot and I don’t think it can handle you doing so anymore,” Apache tried to protest back.
I stared holes into both of them. “Fine, let me act like a spoiled officer then. I order you both to get me out of this damn thing and get me into a situation where I can do my God Damn Job!” Neither had ever seen this side of me before.
They both snapped to attention and saluted. “Yes, Sir!”
Apache reached in and pulled out my IV and placed a Band-Aid over the hole left by the needle. She helped me move closer to the edge and we waited as Brian disappeared. He came back with a wheel chair he’d taken from one of the medical trucks that had arrived to help. He reached in and gathered me into his arms and sat me in the chair. I almost seized up with the pain, but bit down on it letting it fully wake me and pull me into the here and now. I looked around and saw smoke further into the base.
“I need a radio, and I need you to take me to Kuppers.” I took out my notebook from its home in my chest pocket. I looked for my pencil and couldn’t find it, but a female hand dropped in front of me handing me a pen. “Thank you.”
“Ok, Boss, I’ll get you a radio and we will take one of the Humvees.” Brian rolled me toward one of the Humvees and helped me climb inside. He stowed the wheel chair and climbed in behind the wheel, handing me a radio while he started the engine and got us rolling.
I gave up on the radio protocol and called out for Kuppers. “Kuppers come in.”
His voice came over almost immediately, “Go ahead Dan.”
“Brian is driving me toward the base headquarters. Is my team ok?”
“I don’t know; I don’t have a list right now. I’m out front. Hurry up and get over here,” he ordered.
Brian swerved around debris and a couple of smoking craters, but got us there safely. I saw Kuppers and the SWAT team minus Apache standing out front directing the bug out. We pulled up next to them and they came up to my window, instead of having me get out. Doc spoke first, “Good to see you guys are ok. I just heard from Julie, she says everyone is fine and they have all the backups and are preparing to board a transport to Travis. She said she would hold the plane for you.”
“Negative. Get a hold of her and tell her to go. I’ll see her in Travis later. I need her and Amanda to get things up and running when she gets there.”
Doc smoothed down his bushy mustache and relayed my message over the radio. I heard a female voice fighting back over the radio. Instead of answering her he handed me his radio. “Julie, get out o
f here. I don’t know how long the base will be safe. I need you to take control and get things up and running in Travis. I will get out with Delta, Kuppers, and the team. Now please don’t argue. Go!”
“Fine!” she yelled back. I knew she was gonna kick my ass when she saw me next. “I love you, you big pain in the ass!”
“That’s Major pain in the ass. I love you too babes. Now go!” I radioed back. Doc took his radio and then patted my head.
With that I heard engines and looked out of the Humvee’s window as a C-130 lifted off the airfield and into the air. It was joined by two fighters and turned to the south and soon, was gone from sight. I watched the sky a little longer as more C-130s took to it, met up with their escorts, and left the area. Kuppers leaned into my window. “So, the bug out is going well, but we are going to be a couple of planes short. Up to you. If you want to go on a plane, get moving now.”
“I’ll leave with you guys. Give my seat to someone who needs it.” Kuppers nodded his head and spoke into his radio.
“Brian, can you get someone to get my gear and weapon? I have a feeling we are going to be in a running fight at some point. And I know I can at least pull a trigger.”
“No problem, Boss.” He jumped on the radio and then turned to me when he got a quick answer. “Boss, get this, your old man delivered all your gear here already, and jumped on the plane with Julie to protect her for you.”
“That sounds like Dad. Glad he got out okay.” I turned my head to hide the tear I quickly wiped off my cheek. In all the chaos, I had forgot about my Dad. What kind of person did that make me? I was making mistakes, ones that I couldn’t afford to make.
Brian caught my shame and patted my knee. “It’s okay Boss, we have all been busy with this fucking day. Your old man knew you were busy and took care of himself and made sure to take care of what was important to you. You are a lucky man. Your gear is being brought over along with our Zomgo bags. I kept them packed and ready at all times.”
I sat back in my seat in exhaustion and pain, closed my eyes and shook my head, in an attempt to clear it. Something slid into my right shoulder and hurt like a son of a bitch. I opened my eyes and looked over to the offender. Cupcake stood there, smiling at me. “Hey, Dan, I hope you like my cocktail. Should take the pain away and maybe if you are lucky, give you a little bit of extra energy.” He wriggled his eyebrows at me and capped the needle on the syringe he’d pulled out of my arm.
“Anybody ever tell you to ask first, before injecting people with your special cocktails?” I asked almost immediately feeling a little better.
“Why ask? Nobody trusts me, yet I know better. Apache is not the only one who’s had medical training. Of course, mine was in the Polish army, but we know more then you crazy westerners. We strong like bulls for a reason!” He roared with laughter.
“You like to slip in and out of your Polish accent don’t you? Fucking crazy Pol! But thank you Cupcake.” I punched him in his arm weakly.
“Keeps people on their toes.” he said in even more of his Polish accent, throwing in a little Russian just to be an ass. “Oh look, someone is bringing you your toys. Can you get out on your own, or do you need help?” he said in his near perfect American accent.
I shrugged my shoulders and opened the door easily. Next, I grabbed onto the frame and commanded my legs to move on their own. They obeyed, mostly. One at a time, I was able to move them outside and onto the firm tarmac. Cupcake reached down and grabbed my right bicep and helped me the rest of the way out of the Humvee. Once he was sure I had my balance, he let go of me but stayed close, in case I needed him. “See my medicine has helped you already. I will make a Pol out of you yet.” He smiled and lit up a cigarette.
I took it from him and took a big drag on it and gave it back. The sweet smoke helped me organize my thoughts. A pretty female soldier ran up and placed the two massive Zomgo packs on the ground, and then snapped to attention and saluted me. I gave her a halfhearted salute back and took my MP5 and Benelli then took the time to thank her warmly. She smiled and actually giggled, showing that she was probably a young lady of nineteen if I had to guess. She saluted again, turned, and ran over to an older man who was yelling at soldiers and at an amassing convoy of Humvees, massive canvas sided trucks and even a pair of armored APCs or armored personal carriers for you that don’t speak military lingo. Of course I learned this from Brian later, so don’t feel bad. Kuppers kept looking up toward the sky and shaking his head. Cupcake helped me snap on my armor and attach my MP5 to my gear then slid the Benelli shotgun over my head. Brian grabbed our Zomgo packs and threw them in the back of our Humvee, then ran to have a word with Doc.
“Cupcake, think you can arrange for us to top off on fuel? Maybe a couple of extra tanks just in case?” I’d gotten his attention by taking his newly lit cigarette.
“Of course. Let me also see if I can get you some other little toys. You gonna be ok right here?” I gave him a ‘what the fuck do you think’ look and he laughed and walked away.
I caught Kuppers’ eye and waved him over. Vic followed behind him, looking grim. “What’s the freshest news, gentlemen? Vic, did Sharla get out of here?”
“Thanks for asking, Dan, I pushed her on with Julie. Julie said she’d put her to work, and keep her safe. I saw your Dad all kitted up and acting as their personal security. So, I think they will be ok.” Vic shook my hand lightly.
Kuppers looked me over. “Looks like a light breeze could knock you over. Thinking you should’ve left on that last plane?”
“I stand by my team I’ll be ok. What is our plan?”
Kuppers turned to the west when he heard screaming jet engines. “Get down, Dan!” He then turned to the rest of the convoy and yelled, “Incoming!”
Every-one dropped to the ground. I grabbed the Humvee door and lowered myself to the ground, just as four jets screamed overhead. Then, I felt the ground shake and heard the explosions. I looked toward the runway and saw it destroyed. Three of our cover jets screamed by chasing the attacking jets. Streaks of light and smoke left their wing tips and then explosions could be seen on the horizon as they took out three of the attack planes. I could feel the explosions from the ground and knocking me in my chest, chasing the air from my lungs. Took me a couple of precious scary seconds before, I could pull in a lungful of welcoming oxygen.
Kuppers stood along with Vic and helped me to my feet. “That will wake you up quick,” Vic commented.
“We better get this show on the road. They are softening us for a ground attack, I am positive.” Kuppers commented. He twirled his finger in the air and men and women rushed to climb into their vehicles. Cupcake ran up then and added four large cans into the hatch of our Humvee, then climbed inside the rear seat, along with Doc who appeared as if by magic. Brian, climbed in behind the wheel and I eased myself in with Vic’s help. “We will be in the lead APC, follow behind, standard spacing. We head south and at some point, we will turn west.” Kuppers ran with Vic again in tow.
Brian pulled in behind the lead APC as it led the way. “Wait where is Joey?” I shouted out, just remembering the prisoner.
“He is in the truck behind us. What’s, up Boss?” Brian answered back.
“I had just asked him the most important question when we were attacked, and had not gotten an answer,” I explained.
Brian looked at me sideways and nodded his understanding. “Once we get clear, Boss, we’ll set up time for you to finish the questioning. How’s that sound?”
I gave him a thumbs up, laid my head against the back of my seat and closed my eyes. In seconds I was asleep. I woke up back on the boat, looking over the water. This time, I was not wearing shorts or a Hawaiian shirt. Instead, I was still dressed in my BDUs and armor, but without my weapon. I didn’t think I would need that here. “I have to say, it sure is nice to see you Dan.”
I looked over to the beautiful blonde sitting next to me and gave her my best smile. “Hello, Angel. Good to see you again. I know I am not
dead, I am asleep. So what’s going on?”
She’d smiled at me when I’d called her Angel. “No, you are not dead Dan. You are asleep in the Humvee. I brought you here to give you the best rest you could get. Things are about to get worse for you, and you are going to need the rest.”
I sat up a little straighter. “How much worse?”
“I can’t say. The future is very hard to understand, and doesn’t always turn out the way we see it. Right now, you and your friends are ok.” She looked toward the beaches on the nearby islands.” Her smile slightly fell from her face, but then came right back immediately.
“So, what am I going to be doing when I wake up?” I asked.
“What you do best, Dan. Sit down and talk to your prisoner is the best advice I can give you,” she said, then reached out and touched my face.
“I really do miss you, Angel. I am so sorry that I couldn’t have saved you.” I said, looking into her eyes.
Just like that, she was back to being my little Angel. She climbed into my lap and kissed my cheeks. I kissed her forehead and she sat in my lap. As we sat there, bobbing on the ocean swells and enjoying the warmth from the sun with the cool breeze blowing across our faces. I then woke up in the Humvee, amazed that it was dark outside now. I could see the lead APC in front of us and watched as Kuppers and Vic climbed down out of their seats. I stretched in my chair and prepared myself for the pain, I was amazed when instead of pure pain it was a slight stiffness with an edge of pain. She’d done it to me again, took away my pain, just like in the C-130 and numerous other times I’d needed her.
Zombie Theorem (Book 3): The End Game Page 10