The Eliminators 2

by Jacqueline Druga

  Rigs placed his hands on Rachel’s shoulders, his voice was buried beneath the ringing.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  Rachel nodded.

  Not wanting to admit it, Rachel was in a state of shock. She stared down to the carcasses of the animals. She thought she had seen it all.

  Apparently not.

  TWENTY – SILENCE

  He didn’t move, but he was breathing. Yates sat stiff and upright on the leather chair in the navigation room. His elbows rested on the arms and his forefingers formed a triangle pressed to his nose as he stared at the screens.

  Barry knocked on the open doorway. “Are you alright?”

  “Yes, I am. Just watching.”

  “We made those survivor pizzas, they’re ready.”

  “I’ll be there in a minute.”

  “Are you seeing anything?”

  “I don’t know. It’s strange,” Yates said. “Blips here and there. I don’t know if it’s the rain or more growlers. Just strange activity going on.”

  “Near us?”

  “No. That’s a good thing. But I do think it’s best we don’t go outside tonight or light a fire. Just be safe and stay in the vehicles.”

  “You think there are more out there?”

  “I don’t think we can take a chance. Maybe I’m being over cautious. They run in packs of six or more. Which makes them dangerous.”

  “Like the dead in packs of six or more?”

  “Exactly. I’m just waiting until I go a few more minutes without seeing anything and then I’ll be more confident.”

  “Well, then we’ll save you food. Keep me posted.”

  Yates only nodded.

  “Is he joining us?” Rigs asked when Barry returned to the living area in the EPEV.

  “He’ll be in. He’s just making sure it’s all clear.”

  “This is unreal,” Rachel said. “Even the food they get is better. Survival Pizza food. And it’s not bad. Granted this was his vehicle, but I think Command gave him what he wanted.” She lifted a glass. “They have real glasses.”

  “I think,” Sandy said. “This is all his.”

  “We had real glasses,” Fred said. “Our air conditioning didn’t work like this.”

  “It’s a nice night out there,” Barry said. “But this is good place to hang out.”

  “Tell me again,” Rachel said. “Why we couldn’t secure a house?”

  Rigs shook his head. “Al didn’t feel it was safe.”

  Rachel laughed. “Maybe he’s afraid we’ll leave him like his team.”

  “Oh, stop,” Sandy said. “He’s concerned about the Growlers.”

  “What a name,” Fred commented. “Those things …” he whistled. “I have heard about them but never seen them.”

  “I can’t believe you outran them,” Rachel said.

  “Locked myself right in the bathroom.” Fred ate his pizza.

  “Al was determined when he came back here,” Sandy told them. “Sat right at controls and went through things with me again.”

  “Those things are messed up,” Rachel said. “I felt like I was in the movies, I am Legend with how vicious and fast they were.”

  “Yeah,” Fred said. “They did remind me of those.”

  “Even I saw that movie,” Rigs added. “I agree.”

  “I wonder what other animals turned,” Rachel stated.

  “Good news,” Yates announced as he walked in. “I see no more movement out there.”

  “Then it’s safe?” Rigs asked.

  “I think so. But hold on to the trackers just in case. Keep one in your RV.”

  “I’d rather be in a house,” Rachel said. “There were some not even touched. Even the last house I was in was immaculate. Well, until the killer dogs were splattered.”

  “You think this is funny?” Yates asked her. “Your attitude hasn’t changed.”

  “And should it?”

  “Yes! You should be concerned.”

  “Well, I’m not.”

  “Then you have issues,” Yates said. “You did not take today seriously when you refused to follow orders.”

  “You aren’t the lead of my team,” Rachel argued.

  “But he is.” Yates pointed to Rigs. “And you ignored him. You shut off your radio when you knew damn well we could warn you.”

  “About stiffs. Maybe some of us don’t want to rely on your pampered technology to do the fight because there is going to come a time when you aren’t gonna have it, and you won’t know what to do.”

  “Like you today? You froze. Your arrogance …”

  Rachel stood up. “My arrogance?”

  “Your arrogance put your life in danger.”

  “Oh, is this about you saving me? I thanked you once.”

  “I don’t believe you did.”

  Rachel spun. “Rigs?”

  Rigs lifted his hands in surrender. “Leave me out of it.”

  “No. You were there. You heard me thank him.”

  “I think you did.”

  “She didn’t and you know it!” Yates blasted. “All bow to the all-knowing and tough chick, Rachel. Well, you proved today when you put everyone’s life in danger that you aren’t all that.”

  “I will not have it out with you here. Outside.” Rachel pointed.

  “Rachel,” Fred spoke up. “I don’t think you should physically fight him.”

  “Oh, I’m not physically fighting him, but we will have it out.”

  Yates folded his arms. “I’m not going out there.”

  “That’s right. You’re scared because you’re ten feet away from your technology.”

  “Fine.” Yates reached down, grabbed a slice of pizza from the table and stormed out the door.

  Rachel followed. He was already eating his pizza when she approached.

  “You want to tell me what this is about?” Yates asked.

  “Who the hell do you think you are to talk to me like that?”

  “Oh.” He backed up with hands out in a fake dramatic fashion. “I’m sorry has no one ever been honest with you?”

  “You call me arrogant?”

  “You’re arrogant, yes.”

  “And you’re a self-righteous, privileged piece of shit. You think you know it all and it’s no wonder your team just up and left you. You had no right to talk to me like that in front of my team, my friends.”

  “Well maybe your team needs to talk to you instead of always letting you get your way.”

  “How can you make that declaration after one day?” Rachel asked. “You don’t know what I have done, what I have been through.”

  “And none of that matters!” Yates yelled. “Not when you put everyone in danger because you don’t follow orders. They should just send you home.”

  “How about they just replace me with you,” Rachel said sarcastically.

  “They would get the better deal on that one.”

  Inside the EPEV, Rigs, Barry, Sandy and Fred sat quietly. They said nothing, not a word, as quiet as children listening to parents fighting in another room. The loud voices of Rachel and Yates carried to them. Some of the exchanges had merit, some was just childish name calling. It went on for a good ten minutes, then it became quiet.

  Rigs looked at his watch, then waited for it to start again. He stood up, he paced for a few minutes. “I think they’re done. It’s been a good five minutes or so.”

  “I think they stopped, too,” said Sandy.

  “Give them a couple minutes,” Barry said. “They may be talking quietly now.”

  “Yeah.” Rigs looked again at his watch.

  “Maybe,” Fred said with a snicker. “Maybe all that fighting stirred something and they realized they have this hidden passion for each other and they’re both like, knock me down and steal my teeth, what is happening here?”

  Rigs slowly turned and looked at him.

  “Never heard that one?” Fred asked. “All I’m saying is maybe they turned that fighting fire into something
else. They say there’s a thin line between love and hate.”

  Still, Rigs just stared.

  Fred shrugged. “She did call him hot.”

  “That’s it.” Rigs flew for the door and went out. “Rach.”

  Neither of them were outside the door. He walked to the end of the EPEV. “Rach.” He called out.

  He turned to head to his own RV when Barry stepped out.

  “Jeremiah, everything okay?”

  Rigs didn’t answer, he opened up the RV door and yelled inside. “Rach!”

  “What’s going on?” Barry asked.

  Rigs walked backward, then in circles. He ran to the edge of the EPEV and looked, then back to the other RV repeating his search.

  “Jeremiah, stop!” Barry reached out to him. “What is going on? Where are they?”

  “I don’t know,” said Rigs. “They’re gone.”

  It wasn’t unnecessary worry or panic on the part of Rigs. Rachel and Yates were truly nowhere to be seen.

  TWENTY-ONE – CONNECTIONS

  Rigs didn’t hesitate, nor listen to anyone that tried to talk to him. He went into Yates rifle storage and grabbed one. Mumbling something about night vision, he rushed back over to his own RV.

  “Jeremiah, listen to me,” Barry said. “You’re panicking.”

  “I’m not panicking. I’m very concerned.”

  “They could have gone for a walk.”

  “No. They didn’t. Yates was way too worried about the growlers.” Rigs closed the closet.

  Sandy came into the RV. “Rigs, stop. Okay. You aren’t thinking.”

  “I am thinking. I have to find them.”

  “No, Rigs you are not thinking clearly.”

  “Because I’m a little emotional?” Rigs asked. “Is that why?”

  “No.” Sandy shook her head and spoke calmly. “Because you’re forgetting how easy it is to find them. Because we get worried and concerned. Let’s locate them.”

  Inside the EPEV navigation room. Sandy worked like a pro. She turned on the monitor that Yates had used to check on his own men.

  With Rigs, Barry and Fred behind her, they didn’t have to wait long. As soon as the screen came on, it beeped seven times indicating the tracking bracelets. Five from the Golden Cavalry and the other two belonging to Rachel and Yates.

  “Both sending heat signatures,” Sandy said. “They’re alive.”

  “Where in town are they, walking that fast?” Fred asked. “They’re just zipping by.”

  “They aren’t walking,” Sandy replied. “They’re far out of town, moving west on Interstate forty at a steady eighty miles an hour.” She turned her chair and looked to Rigs. “Someone has them.”

  Rigs slammed his hand. “Okay, buckle down. We pick a vehicle. I say this one, it has a lot more bells and whistles.”

  “And what?” Barry asked. “Go after them?”

  “Yes.”

  “No, neither of these vehicles are designed to go that fast. They are miles ahead of us and even if we left right now, we won’t catch them and we don’t know what we’re up against.”

  “We do, however,” Sandy said. “Have an idea where they might be going.”

  “Where?” Rigs asked.

  “To the other bracelets.” Sandy pointed. “Looks like they’re headed directly to Amarillo. It can’t be a coincidence.”

  “We know where they’re going,” Barry said. “We take this and use it to survey and see what we’re up against. They already have five eliminators.”

  “Unless,” Fred said. “The five eliminators are behind this and his team is looking for him.”

  “Kind of a big elaborate scheme, don’t you think?” Barry asked.

  Fred shrugged. “Who knows.”

  “They would have taken him and this vehicle,” Barry said.

  “So we go anyhow,” Rigs said. “Head that way.”

  “Yes.” Barry nodded.

  “But first,” Sandy said reaching to her left. She opened a small shoebox size cupboard, exposing a white phone. “Call command.”

  “Does that work?” Rigs asked.

  “Al said it did. It’s a satellite phone. Number is in there.” Sandy said. “Call Liz.”

  Rigs grabbed the phone.

  <><><><>

  Center City, WV

  It had been a long day for Liz. Meeting with coordinators to come up with a strategy to clean and clear towns again. Even if they were never used for population, the goal was to eliminate all the walking dead.

  She grew frustrated because she hadn’t heard anything about a cure. About as successful as the remaining scientists could come was an antiviral that stopped the virus in the blood stream after a bite or scratch, but only if the site of the injury was removed. There was a good portion of the population not immune and those who were carriers, and she wanted to focus on them. As fun as Dr. Stevens ‘make a zombie useful’ research was, it wasn’t as needed as a cure.

  Finally, back in her room, Liz kicked off her shoes, poured a nightcap and sat on the sofa. She pulled her feet up and propped a pillow behind her head. She hadn’t slept in a real bed since she lost her family.

  Exhaling using a relaxation technique, the knock on her door at midnight told her something was wrong.

  “Madam President,” the woman called out from the other side.

  “Clair, come in,” Liz said.

  The door opened. “I’m sorry to bother you. We got a call from Commander Rigs of the Flaming Saffrons.”

  Liz sat all the way up. “Rigs never calls.”

  “We know. And he was calling from the EPEV satellite system.”

  “They retrieved it?”

  “Apparently so.”

  “We had no idea. What about the crew?”

  Clair shook her head. “We don’t know. All we know was Rigs said he needed to speak with you STAT and on the way here, we lost him. We’re trying to get him back now.”

  “Good. Good. Something has to be wrong. He didn’t mention anything at all?”

  “No, just that he needed to talk to you. As soon as we make connection I’ll come and get you.”

  “I’m not taking a chance on losing that call again.” Liz downed her nightcap. “They are the first team I sent back out. If they’re calling, there is trouble.” She walked to the door. “Wait. If we made connection to the EPEV. It means it’s back online. Did we fire that up, see where they are?”

  “Working on it now.”

  Liz walked out her door with Clair behind her. “Until we hear back, let’s piece together as much information as we can.”

  <><><><>

  “Can we go faster?” Rigs asked.

  “No,” Barry said. “I feel like I am driving in a black hole. It’s dark out here. Absolutely not.”

  Sandy came from the back. “They’re still holding steady.”

  “Where are they now,” Rigs asked Sandy.

  “They are fifty-six miles ahead of us, they gain two miles every minute,” Sandy replied.

  “Are their signals still strong?”

  “Strange,” Sandy said. “I don’t have a heartbeat for Rachel because she has hers in her pocket, however, Al’s is remarkably steady and slow.”

  “Like he’s relaxed?”

  “Yes.”

  “Damn it.”

  “Language!” Barry yelled from the front.

  “Why hasn’t Center City called us back?” Rigs asked.

  “Maybe if we stop,” Fred suggested.

  “We can’t stop. We can’t have them gain any more ground.”

  “And when we catch them?” Fred asked. “We don’t know how many people there are. They’re moving so we can’t scan for thermals. Maybe … If we stop, Command can connect with us, we may be darting in and out of range. I don’t know how Satellite systems work.”

  Rigs bit his bottom lip and turned his head. “Bar, let’s … let’s stop for a moment.”

  Barry slowed down, pulling over a little until the EPEV stopped. “Why
are we stopping?”

  “I want to see if …”

  The phone rang.

  Rigs looked at Fred, who smiled, then he bolted for the phone on the table. “This is Rigs” he answered.

  “Rigs, this is Liz,” she said.

  “Thank God. Rachel and Aldrich Yates are gone. They were outside arguing, the next thing we know they’re silent and gone.”

  “Traveling west at eighty-miles an hour. We connected to the EPEV system. It seems as if they are headed to the other five members of the Golden Cavalry.”

  “It looks that way to us, as well. My plan is to get there, utilize the toys on the EPEV, locate them and pull a rescue.”

  “Listen Rigs, while we were trying to call you back, we used our time wisely. I reached out to Division Commanders. I wanted to know if they knew or heard anything. More so I wanted to confirm rumors.”

  “Of?” Rigs asked.

  “Survivor cities gone rogue.”

  “You mean the ones not overrun with infection?” Rigs asked with a hint of sarcasm. “But is Amarillo a survivor city?”

  “No, it’s a secession territory.”

  “How can a town secede from a country that really isn’t a country anymore?”

  “Rigs, we are, like it or not. We may not be the same, but we are trying to rebuild. We have troops out there, teams, leadership hubs like St. Louis, Oklahoma City, Seattle. They didn’t secede they … gathered people from other survivor cities and took over there. Entering Amarillo would be like, how did General Lacey put it, walking into your worst mad max nightmare. Personally, I think it’s overstated, but we don’t know and we can’t take a chance.”

  “So we just let them take people? Besides the Golden Cavalry, has any other Eliminator been reported missing?”

  “Several, they were assumed MIA,” Liz replied.

  Rigs paced. “I can’t … I can’t just turn the other cheek.”

  “I’m not asking you to. I am asking you not to go in there. Find an area outside of Amarillo. Wait. I have teams that will meet you. Reinforcements. They will leave at first light. Wait for them.”