The Uncivil War Series Box Set

by B. T. Wright

  “What the hell was that?” Bald asked Colonel Jenkins.

  “No idea. I didn’t call it in. I only had time to relay the mayday as we went down. Our boys must’ve received the message and came looking. I bet the fire gave our location away.” Colonel Jenkins chuckled to himself. “Bastards didn’t realize the fire would be their demise.”

  “Maybe not,” Colt said. “Regardless, we need to get out of here. This hangar will be nothing but ash in minutes.”

  “Mr. Maddox is right,” the vice president said.

  “Yeah, I don’t think those infected will stay away for long. Guarantee they’re regrouping in the trees as we speak,” Bald said. “Counting their numbers before they attack again. Hell, that’s what I’d do.”

  “Grab your boys and let’s go!” Colonel Jenkins said.

  Colt sprinted for the office door. He yanked the door open and saw Wesley huddled in the corner, pushing himself against the wall. His eyes were closed, and he was rocking in place. He didn’t want to see who entered, not until he heard Colt’s voice. He did precisely what his father had told him.

  “It’s okay, little man, you did great! It’s me.” He wrapped him close. “We need to move, bud. Now! Can you get up and walk?”

  Wesley finally opened his eyes and nodded to his father.

  “Okay, good. Go out the door and follow your brother.”

  Bald was already leading the charge out the back door. Colt saw him reach down and feel the handle. Bald tapped it twice, checking to see if it was hot. “All good,” he said.

  “Go slow,” Colonel Jenkins said.

  Bald opened the door, sticking the barrel of his rifle through the doorway before he exited. The vice president was next, followed by Dylan, then Wesley and Colt. Colonel Jenkins again, acted as rearguard.

  Colonel Jenkins tapped Colt on the shoulder and leaned in, then said, “Keep those boys close. We don’t know where the infected will be. And I can’t imagine our boys will be our guardian angels forever.”

  7

  Hunt felt the power from the explosion of the missile strike as the control room shook. The distraction stunned the infected men. They turned their heads toward the sound and stopped from advancing toward Hunt as she stood up behind the desk. All three looked at the door through which the sound had come. That was her opportunity to make a run for it. She didn’t hesitate. She took two bounding steps and jumped onto the desk, leading with her knee. The infected man who walked up the middle of the room was in perfect striking distance.

  Before he could even spin his head back around, Hunt’s knee contacted the side of his face and dislocated his jaw. He dropped to the ground, and Hunt fell near. At the sound of her knee contacting his face, and shattering the bones, the other infected shifted their attention from the reverberating blast and back onto Hunt.

  She leapt from the floor and sprinted for the open door. Now that the infected men were close enough to the desk, she felt she could run free from the room. Her path was the clearest of all, especially since the infected men had to avoid the scattered debris. But they would move fast and would be on her tail in no time.

  She pumped her arms wildly, and her legs churned. There was a long hallway outside the open doorway. She sprinted through the empty hall, running over scattered papers on the floor and blinking lights overhead. Ahead was a split, and as she ran, she reviewed the map in her head. If she went right, the new hall would lead her to another room, much like the one she’d just left. That was the last place she wanted to be.

  Left would bring her outside and toward the athletic fields. She hadn’t been outside for more than a few minutes since the invasion. Outside was risky. But she knew it was a risk she had to take. Only slowing briefly, she turned the left. The glass double doors were a hundred yards away. As she approached the double doors, she wondered if slowing her pace to open them would allow the infected men to catch up, but she cast that thought aside, and when she reached the door, she jammed on the lever.

  The doors opened, and she continued sprinting in the direction of the football stadium. By the time she reached the grandstand, her legs cramped and her chest heaved from exhaustion, but still she persisted. To her surprise, the gate to the football stadium that was ordinarily closed was open. She sprinted inside the concourse.

  With every step she took, a shot of pain ran from the top of her foot all the way up her shin to her knee. When she stepped again with her left leg, the wind picked up an old football program and blew the paper under her shoe. The paper was like ice beneath her foot. Her leg gave out, and she tumbled to the ground.

  As she rolled onto her side, her face went blank. She knew the infected who chased her would be right behind her to attack. But no such attack came. She whipped her head all around. As she got her bearings, she realized there was no one chasing her. In fact, there was no one around at all, not a single soul.

  Rising from the concrete with her butt bruised, she walked deeper into the stadium. She couldn’t linger by the entrance. Maybe the infected who chased her had just lost sight, and maybe they’d be back.

  Walking underneath the seats and into the main concourse of the stadium, she glanced to her right. There was a concession stand there. The windows were covered by a drop-down metal door, but there was another door too. She glanced behind her. Still no sign of anyone. She reached for the handle and turned it.

  Locked.

  Damn it! She pushed away, and instinctively her eyes went up. If I can just get inside, there’s gotta be something left behind. Some scraps of food. Stale popcorn. Pretzels. Anything. A tear gathered in her eye. She stepped to the door and pounded it with her fist.

  When she took a step backward, quickly she glanced left and right. Ten feet away was the first section that entered the field. Moving toward the section, she paused at the opening and crouched down, looking for any sign of infected, but there was none.

  Entering the corridor, she held her breath. She didn’t know what to expect as she walked up the subtle rise of concrete. The powder blue of the sky was highlighted with dashing sunlight, and she could feel the heat on her face and skin as she closed her eyes and looked upward.

  Beneath her eyelids, she was transported back to a time of normalcy. She swore she heard the uproar of fans screaming after a brilliant touchdown play. The smell of boiled hot dogs swam into her nostrils as she heard a vendor call out to the crowd for a payday, then felt the whole stadium shake as six fighter jets flew low over the field for a flyover just before kickoff.

  But when she opened them again, those thoughts, those amazing reminders of what life used to be, were ripped from her psyche, and she stared at an empty field. Raising her eyeline, she saw the seating area, hoping to find a sea of blue shirts and wake from this nightmare. Nothing but brownish gray concrete stared back.

  As she continued to scan the field, her examination stopped as another infected person moved into view. They were on the level above her, directly across the field. Hunt stared the infected person down, wondering if it saw her too. She quickly discerned; the infected person was in fact a woman as she began to jog down the staircase.

  Hunt needed to find shelter from the approaching threat. If she had learned anything from the previous three days, it was that if there was one lurking infected, there were probably at least two more waiting in the weeds.

  Just as she turned around to walk back down the corridor, she jumped in fright. One of the infected members who had stalked her in the control room was standing behind, waiting for her to turn around. Frozen, she didn’t know what to do. But one thing was for certain, the infected hunted like animals in packs and were likely trying to surround her at that very moment.

  Without delay, she sprinted again—this time into the heart of the stadium with nowhere to hide.

  8

  The heat from the fire wasn’t as intense as Colt expected when he jogged out the exit. The orange of the flame caught his eye. For some reason, the fire line stopped about twenty pa
ces from the door. When Colt saw where the fire was burning, he wondered why the infected hadn’t continued to burn the outside. The door wasn’t hidden. It was easily discernable; especially given the level of intelligence they had seen from the infected.

  He thought to ask Colonel Jenkins, who followed close behind him, but his thoughts shifted at Bald’s sudden stop.

  Why are we stopping? What did he see? Bald didn’t offer any explanation. From behind, Colt followed the back of Bald’s head, and it seemed he raised his eyeline. Colt followed suit, peering through the leaves of the aspen trees that rustled in the wind. The sun pierced the thin needles of spruce, illuminating a path directly in front of them.

  “What is it?” Colonel Jenkins forced out. “We need to move, now!”

  Bald spun around at the insistence of his commanding officer. “I know, sir, it’s just . . .” he stalled.

  “Just what?” Colonel Jenkins said.

  “The path there.” Bald nodded to the sunlight.

  All their eyes were drawn to it.

  “What about it?” Colonel Jenkins said.

  “It’s just strange is all.”

  “Why is it strange?” Colonel Jenkins said.

  “That’s where we need to go. Literally, right there. Right where that sunlight is hitting,” Bald said.

  “What? You think it’s a trap? You think these things are controlling the sun now?” Colonel Jenkins chuckled to himself.

  “You’re sure that’s the way?” the vice president said.

  “Positive! One-hundred percent!” Bald said.

  Without another word, the vice president stepped in front of Bald and walked into the group of trees without waiting for Colt or Bald to protect him.

  “Sir!” Bald leaped from his stance and cut off the vice president’s advance before he could get too far ahead.

  Colt asked his sons to proceed. Dylan caught the vice president, and Wesley was on the heels of his brother quick as a flash. The group’s pace quickened, nearing a jog, but not too fast. Dylan and Wesley had to keep stride. Ducking beneath the thick branches of spruce, Colt kept his eye trained ahead while extending his rifle in front of his body.

  How far will we need to go? Will there be shelter? Will the boys be okay once we get inside the Air Force Academy? So many more questions plagued Colt’s mind as they ran, but none could be asked in that moment.

  When they came to a clearing in the trees, the air seemed to cool. Or it could have been they hit a cold pocket as they ran. Either way, it was a welcome sensation on Colt’s warming skin. Sweat pooled in his armpits and at his brow. He assumed the boys were starting to tire as well. With the intensity of the workout they were doing, it would have been strange if they weren’t.

  Bald halted at the clearing, pointed, and said, “There!”

  Colt followed the gesture. Excitement grew in his belly at the expectation of witnessing the Air Force Academy. Instead, however, the air was sucked from his lungs as stared not at the Academy but a roadway.

  “What’s that?” the vice president said before Colt could.

  “Academy Drive,” Bald said.

  “By Academy, I assume you mean the Academy?” the vice president said.

  “That’s right. We get to that road and we can follow it all the way there.”

  “Then what?” Dylan spoke up.

  Colt lowered his brow at his son’s exclamation, but soon his face softened. He too would like the answer.

  Bald caught Dylan’s eye. “Since we lost the Beritrix, I figure we should search. Maybe we’ll get lucky and find a stash. Maybe find some more ammo and reload. I’m know I’m running low. And find another way out of here.”

  “That sounds good in theory,” the vice president said. “But Dylan’s got a point. What if there isn’t a way out and everyone’s dead? Now that the bag’s gone, we’re in desperate need of Beritrix, and there isn’t likely to be any at the academy. Not unless the academy keeps some on ice in times of crisis. If we don’t find some by the end of the night, I’m afraid, it won’t matter if we find a way out. Eventually all of us will turn.”

  Colt swallowed hard at the vice president’s words. They were true, but at this point it didn’t matter. They couldn’t sulk and dwell. The infected were still hunting them. Even if they hadn’t shown themselves since the fire, they were still there, hiding.

  “We should think about the airfield too. If we can get there, there may be a way to get us airborne again,” Colonel Jenkins said.

  “I agree, sir, but if we head to the airfield and get bogged down, we may not have another chance to find Beritrix. I would say Beritrix is more important right now. If we find some, then we can make it to the airfield after,” Bald said.

  “Where’s the airfield?” the vice president asked.

  Bald pointed in the opposite direction.

  “So the academy is that way, and the airfield is that way?” the vice president said.

  “Affirmative, sir,” Colonel Jenkins said.

  “And how far is the academy from that road?” Colt needed to know.

  “About a mile and a half,” Bald said. “It’s really not a bad hike. Fairly flat. The boys would be able to handle it. Closer than the airstrip.”

  “I guess that makes our decision easier, then,” the vice president started. “Let’s make for the academy. Maybe we’ll get lucky. Load up on food, ammo, and medicine, maybe even find a car. Then we make our way to the airstrip. Sound good?”

  All nodded.

  “Good, then let’s follow that road.” The vice president stepped forward.

  But Colt felt he needed to add more. “It’s not the boys I’m worried about.” His words stopped the vice president. “If we walk on the road, we’re out in the open. Easy prey.”

  “That’s true, but . . .” Bald started.

  “But what?” Colt said.

  “There is another way,” Bald said.

  “Which other way?” Colt said.

  “Across the Eisenhower Golf Course,” Bald said.

  “No!” Absolutely not!” Colonel Jenkins spoke up.

  Colt’s face fell. “What? Why?” he said.

  Colonel Jenkins stalled, looking only to Bald.

  They locked eyes, and neither spoke.

  “Uh, someone want to tell us what you two are having a staring contest for?” Dylan was first to break the silence.

  “We saw something right after the outbreak,” Bald said. “Well, actually Colonel Jenkins saw it.”

  “What did you see?” the vice president said. Then all looked to the colonel.

  “A man. At least, I thought it was a man, I couldn’t tell from the helicopter. He was being hunted like an animal by a herd of infected. The bastards uprooted a tree on him and attacked him like sharks on chum. It’s actually the reason I made Masterson turn the chopper around to attack the group of infected outside that restaurant in Woodland Park. I assume that was you guys?” He nodded to Colt.

  “Indeed, it was,” Colt said.

  “I don’t think we have a choice here, Colonel. I agree with Colt,” Bald said. “I don’t think it’s wise to travel on the road. If we can hide, stay deep undercover of the trees on the golf course, I say we do it.”

  Colonel Jenkins huffed and gritted his teeth. It was easy to see he didn’t like the plan, but he too knew it was the best. He couldn’t be brash, not in this situation.

  “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Golf courses are bad luck. Always have been,” Colonel Jenkins said.

  As Bald took a step on the right path, Colt couldn’t help but wonder what the colonel’s fascination with golf courses was. He had to pry. “What? Not a fan of the game?”

  “Not anymore.”

  “What do you mean?” Colt said.

  “Let’s just say I had too many bad experiences.”

  Colt knew there was more to the story, but there was no time for him to elaborate. Not then, because just as they descended the hill, three infected men and one woman came
sprinting for their position.

  “Contact! Three o’clock!” Bald dropped to his knee and fired.

  Colt reached for Wesley and swung him around his back. Out of instinct, he grabbed for Dylan too, but quickly realized he was already firing the Glock.

  Shifting his attention off Dylan, Colt stared down the barrel of his Browning. The running infected were approaching, but they were about sixty yards off. From that distance, Colt could hit a quarter through the center of Washington’s head every time.

  Only two infected remained after Bald dropped one and Colonel Jenkins the other. Colt breathed easy, then squeezed the trigger. Immediately, another man dropped. The woman was the only one left. With bullets flying from the barrels of the other men, Colt still felt bad shooting a woman, but no remnant of that woman remained. She was only after one thing: the death of Colt and the others.

  Colt stared through his sight. She was running hard, now only thirty yards away. He breathed easy, then squeezed. Once the threat was neutralized, he lifted the side of his face from the stock of his weapon and looked down into the open field in front of them.

  As the noise of the battle faded into silence, a spitting rain that wasn’t enough to drench, only annoy, fell. When smoke rose from the end of Colt’s rifle, he kept his barrel pointed away from him and toward the road. For some reason, Colt didn’t think the fight was over.

  There’s gonna be more.

  They all collectively held their breath. But a snap from behind, like a twig breaking beneath someone’s foot, shifted Colt’s attention. He gulped. Someone was flanking them. Reluctant at first, Colt rotated his core, and the barrel of his gun followed.

  His eyes danced around the area, but there was nothing. No sign of anyone. Which made the sound even more peculiar. Was it more infected? Hiding? Waiting to strike? Maybe it was an animal?

  But as they stared deep into the woods, Colonel Jenkins didn’t allow them to wait and find out. He had other plans to get to safety. Even if he didn’t fully believe in them. “Run! For the golf course! Now!”