“What do you mean? Are you saying they might just invade the city?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. All I know is a whole lot has changed across the board, and I don’t know if there’s any way this ends peacefully.”
***
Heammawihio sat at his desk as he finished going over the daily progress reports from the frontlines. Things were going very well, all things considered. Most of the forward squads suffered no casualties and minimal to no contact with any zombies. The zombies themselves even seemed to be dying out, if the report from Hiamovi’s squad was to be believed.
A smile creased Heammawihio’s time-worn face. He was proud beyond measure of his grandson, but still so scared for him. His squad of Marine Raiders had gone from danger to danger across the country, losing two good men. He hoped they were safe for now, wherever they were. According to the progress reports, they should now be just outside the city of Chicago.
Once the military cleared Chicago, Heammawihio would breathe easier. It’d be an emotional checkpoint for everyone, and the entire country would be able to release its collective breath. But the military might not get as long of a break as they’d been promised. Troubling reports from his southern forces suggested a foreign power had invaded Florida and the neighboring states, and still controlled the land there.
But he’d think about that more in the morning. It was dinnertime, and he was about ready to turn off President Heammawihio for the rest of the night and simply be an old man with a cozy chair and a good book waiting for him.
A series of rapid, staccato knocks on his office door brought Heammawihio out of his daydreams. With a sigh, he said, “Come in.”
“Mr. President,” the breathless Marine Corporal said as he entered the room, “New report from the front: Chicago is occupied.”
“Occupied? By whom?”
The Corporal slapped a piece of paper down onto the desk and stepped back, allowing Heammawihio to read what was written. The old man ran a hand through his hair, still black as night in defiance of time and blew out an exasperated sigh. Looks like his book would have to wait.
“Get my helicopter ready,” he said to the young man.
***
“Why does everyone look so busy over there?” Abby asked Hiamovi, gesturing behind herself with the brush she was using to clean her rifle.
Hiamovi turned and saw a bunch of soldiers shaving, getting their hair cut, and exchanging filthy, wrinkled uniforms for crisp and clean ones. “The President is gonna be here today,” he responded as he turned his attention back to cleaning his own weapon. “Gotta put on the dog and pony show.”
“But not us?”
“Not us. Another tiny perk to our job. Plus, ya know, he’s my granddad.”
“Are you excited to see him?”
“Of course, I can hardly wait.”
“You figure out yet how you’re going to explain this?” Abby asked, holding up her left hand and tapping the ring she wore.
Hiamovi chuckled and responded, “Yeah, he might be upset that he didn’t get to see the proposal. I figure I’ll tell him that we’ll do another ceremony back home once we’re done with all this.”
“Is that what we’re really going to do?”
“We can. I mean, I think it’d be nice to do the whole white dress and tuxedo thing.”
Abby shrugged and said, “I guess so.”
“What, you don’t want that?” asked Hiamovi.
Fidgeting with her fingers, Abby replied, “I just…there’d be no one there for me.”
“These guys would show,” Hiamovi said, nodding his head towards the rest of the squad. “You’re one of us, now.”
Abby smiled and said, “I know, and I really appreciate the boys. But I was talking more about family. Like, I wouldn’t have a dad to walk down the aisle with me.”
“Oh. Right.”
“But it’s not a big deal, we can still do it and get some nice pictures at least.”
“No, not if it’ll just make you sad.”
“It’s making me sad right now, but I’ll get over it in a minute. I can’t help my first reactions when I think about Dad, but I’ve gotten a lot better at managing my follow-up reactions.”
Hiamovi smiled and said, “You have. It just shows how strong you are.”
“I just do my best. We can do a real wedding later on, honestly. I’d probably be mad at myself if I didn’t take that opportunity. Hell, maybe Jax will give me away if I ask him.”
Abby raised her head and looked around for Jax. Spotting him cleaning his rifle, she called out, “Hey Jax, would you give me away if Hiamovi and I plan a real wedding ceremony after all this?”
Jax looked up and replied, “Nah, I think you could do better than him.”
Abby laughed and replied, “I’m taking that as a ‘yes’, just so you know.”
Jax smiled back at her and gave her a thumb’s up sign.
“Alright, it’s settled,” Abby said to Hiamovi.
He smiled and said, “I’m already looking forward to it.”
“Me too,” Abby said, and she smiled back.
There was a sudden commotion among the regular soldiers in front of them as haircuts were hastily finished and young men rushed to form up ranks. Officers fussed with uniforms and senior enlisted men barked orders.
“Looks like Granddad is here,” Hiamovi said.
“Sure seems that way,” Abby replied as they both began to reassemble their rifles.
***
Heammawihio enjoyed meeting his soldiers, but in large groups like this it became a cumbersome event. Returning so many salutes tired his arm, and by the time he reached Hiamovi’s squad, he had given up on saluting and instead gave simple nods of his head. Not exactly in keeping with military tradition, but he figured they could forgive an old man for getting tired.
The Raiders, SEAL’s, and Rangers were formed up in ranks like the regular troops, but their uniforms weren’t quite so perfect, and that made Heammawihio smile. He appreciated the ‘down-to-Earth’ attitude of these elite groups. Theirs was a dirty and dangerous job, and while they paid respect to military tradition, it took a backseat to practicality on most occasions.
Hiamovi’s squad leader, a Marine named Jax, gave him a crisp salute, which Heammawihio this time returned.
“At ease, Marines. It’s good to see you again, Gunny,” Heammawihio said.
“Likewise, sir,” Jax replied as he and the others broke from the position of attention to a more relaxed stance.
The President went from Marine to Marine, shaking each hand and thanking them for their bravery. Last of all, Heammawihio made his way to Hiamovi and extended his hand. “And it is so very good to see you.”
Hiamovi took his granddad’s hand in his and was immediately pulled into a hug by the older man. With a chuckle, he hugged him back and said, “You too, Grandad.”
“Don’t you have something to tell your grandfather, ‘Movi?” Chad said, eliciting laughter from the group.
“Oh, what would that be?” Heammawihio asked.
Hiamovi ran a hand through his hair and itched the back of his head. “I went and got married, Grandad.”
“Married?” Heammawhio asked, his eyebrows vaulting up to nearly the top of his forehead. He looked over at Abby, who smiled sheepishly and held her left hand up by her face, revealing a shiny diamond ring.
“Don’t worry, sir. These jerks didn’t invite anyone to the wedding,” Jax said.
Heammawihio laughed and said, “The nerve of you youngsters, to do a thing like this without letting a single soul know about it. Well, you can be sure that we’ll be recreating the wedding at least, once all this is done. And speaking of which, I believe we need to get down to business.”
The President motioned for the Marines to follow him to a large tent that served as a mobile headquarters. The group started walking in that direction, but Heammawihio stopped Hiamovi and Abby.
“Congratulations, you two,” he said, the pearly
whiteness of his smile eating up his face. Taking one in each arm, he hugged them tight. “And welcome to the family, Abby. I can’t tell you how happy I am now that you’ve finally married each other.”
“I’m pretty happy too, sir,” Abby replied. She looked to Hiamovi and took his hand in hers with a smile.
“And I’m serious about the wedding,” Heammawihio insisted as he gestured towards the tent and began to walk that way. “I’ll begin planning immediately.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Abby walked hand-in-hand with Hiamovi as they followed Heammawihio into the tent. The other Raiders all stood in one of the near corners as several Colonels, Sergeants Major, and flag officers crowded around a table encumbered by maps.
But everyone, regardless of rank, snapped to attention as Heammawihio entered. He waved his hand and said, “At ease. Let’s not waste any more time.”
Most of the officers and Sergeants Major retreated from the table as Heammawihio, Jax, and Abby approached together. One of the officers who remained was General John Sloan, the man in charge of the entire operation. He greeted the president with a firm handshake, then turned to Abby and said, “A pleasure to meet you again, Abby. Though this time I think I’m the one who’s a bit star-struck.”
Abby waved her hand dismissively. “The stories get blown out of proportion.”
“Hey, I was in one of those stories. Apparently I shared a drink with a woman who had just finished stealing into the President’s office and hacking his computer without raising a shred of suspicion. Admittedly I was a little drunk, but I was damn sure lucid enough to remember our conversation.”
“Well, I’m honored to meet you again, sir. Without your intervention, we would not have won the battle.”
“Thanks to you, I found the courage to act, and to do what I should have done years earlier. You’re a hero in my book.”
Abby pushed her hair behind her ear, feeling the need to do something with her hands as all eyes in the tent rested on her. “So what are we going to do about Edmund?” she asked, walking up to the table and leaning against it.
“I have no desire for bloodshed,” said Heammawihio. “I understand that our advance parties have defended themselves at different points along their journey, but this would be a full-scale assault on a city.”
“Despite the scale of the city, sir,” General Sloan interjected, “I don’t think you need to fear heavy losses for us.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, sir. I’m confident that we could take the city with minimal casualties.”
“The losses on either side are what concern me, General,” replied Heammawihio. “It was never my intention to forge a nation in the blood of its own people.”
“I’m afraid they may have brought it upon themselves, sir,” a man with one star on his collar said. “If you let them keep what they stole, where does it end? There’s still a lot of land to retake before we hit the Atlantic.”
“And what of Cuba?” asked General Sloan. “Reconnaissance from down south tells us they’re scrambling to mobilize more troops, but they’re not suicidal. A simple show of force on their stolen borders may be enough to force a retreat. But if we let some thug with a gang of nobodies keep Chicago, do you think that Commie dictator won’t take notice? Think he won’t put up a real fight to keep our land? We need to send a message.”
Heammawihio nodded his head thoughtfully, straightened his back, and folded his arms across his chest. “All the same,” he said, “I must go and talk to this Edmund, if it is true that he has offered an opportunity to talk.”
“He has,” Abby said.
“Do you think he’ll make any concessions?” General Sloan asked, turning his piercing gaze on Abby.
“I don’t know,” she responded. “I really don’t know him that well, just enough to know that he’s absolutely insane. He’s cruel and vengeful. I saw a man who’d attempted to assassinate him left for dead in a gibbet for God knows how long, and the others conspirators were fed to zombies.”
“If there’s no hope of reasoning with him—” General Sloan started to say, but Abby interrupted him.
“One moment, sir. I wasn’t quite finished. Despite all that, I think I can break through to him. He likes me for some reason, and when I asked him to release the man in the gibbet, he shot him. So, you know, not exactly what I wanted. But I asked him to show mercy and he mercy-killed the man. That’s something, don’t you think? If I’m part of the peace delegation, I think it stands a small chance.”
“How small of a chance?” asked General Sloan.
“Larger than zero, which is what it’d be if I didn’t go.”
“I agree. Peace must be given a chance,” Heammawihio said. “I will go and meet with Edmund.”
“I can’t allow that, sir,” said General Sloan, putting his hands on his hips. “This man can’t be trusted, and I can’t allow you to fall into his hands. Let me go and talk to him.”
“My troops have been risking their lives every day for weeks now. As their leader, it is my turn to place my head in the lion’s mouth, especially when a battle is at stake.”
General Sloan shook his head and ran a hand across his short, greying hair. “Alright, your call. But I’m going to have artillery pieces zeroed in all around old Comiskey. If we hear a single gunshot, we’ve leveling that entire fucking block.”
“I’m sure my Marines are more than up to the job of defending me,” Heammawihio said, turning to Jax. “Are you and your men willing to go with me into the city? Before you answer, I understand that you men have been through hell already, and it’s your right to say ‘no’. I am your President, not your god.”
“Where Abby goes, we go,” Jax replied. “I’ll be damned if I let one of us go into a situation like this alone.”
The other Marines all muttered their agreement, and Abby again fidgeted with her hair out of embarrassment, though a small grin managed to creep onto her face.
“Then it’s decided,” Heammawihio said. “Tomorrow I will go and meet Edmund and try to talk us out of this situation. In the meantime, General, you go ahead and draw up some battle plans and I’ll approve them.”
“Yes sir,” General Sloan said. “Shouldn’t require much planning to slaughter these bastards, anyway. Bunch of thugs with old rifles.”
Heammawihio turned to leave then and gestured for Abby and the Marines to follow him, which they did. Once outside, he led the group to a spot several yards away and asked them to gather around.
“I thought I’d give you all another chance to refuse my request, away from the eyes and ears of your superior officers. If any of you, Abby included, would rather not accompany me tomorrow, say the word and you will remain here. God knows you men by now have earned that right.”
“I’ll go, sir. On one condition,” Chad replied.
Jax pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger and Abby stifled a laugh, both preparing for what was sure to be a funny and perhaps inappropriate joke from the squad prankster.
Chad pulled a folded up envelope, stamped and addressed, from his cargo pocket and handed it to the President. “Can you have one of your staff hold onto this? And if we don’t make it back, to mail it to my parents. Just in case, you know?”
A pang of guilt hit Abby as her expression of mirth changed to one of sadness when she looked at Chad. She’d never seen such a serious look on his face, and it touched her heart.
Chad noticed all the eyes on him and shrugged. “Just got that feeling, like my luck’s running out.”
“I understand,” said Heammawihio as he held the envelope reverentially. “I’ll make sure this is taken care of. If anyone else has letters to mail out should the worst happen, bring them to me.”
No one moved at first, but after a few seconds Miguel turned to walk back to his pack, followed by Yuri, Jax, and then the others. All returned with envelopes addressed to some kind of family and handed these to the President. All except Hiamovi and A
bby, that is.
“Mine was addressed to you,” he offered by way of explanation when Heammawihio looked to him with one eyebrow raised.
“And, uh, I guess I don’t really have any family left,” Abby responded.
Heammawihio nodded, then turned to the rest of the group. “I thank you all for your service. I suppose I’ll mention that I’m having new medals authorized for everyone who was part of an advance group these past weeks. I know it’s a gesture with very little substance and that medals don’t mean much to men of action such as yourselves, but I believe your tremendous bravery and valor should become a permanent part of our military history.”
With that said, Heammawihio turned to leave, carrying the death letters in his hands with all the mien of a pallbearer.
Jax took the opportunity to look at Abby and his men and said, “Well boys, let’s keep preparing for tomorrow. Make sure your weapons are clean and lubed up good. I’m gonna head to the armory later and see if I can’t requisition us some more ammo and hand grenades, so before then I need ammo counts from everyone.”
A smattering of grunts and an ‘aye gunny’ or two followed Jax as he too turned to leave. Most of the others left as well, heading back to their bivouac site and leaving Abby and Hiamovi alone.
“Sounds like everyone’s expecting this to go south pretty quickly, huh?” Hiamovi said.
“Seems that way,” Abby replied. “It certainly could. Edmund is impossible to predict, and he’s got a real mean streak.”
“Well whether we come to an agreement with him or kill him, I’ll be glad to never have to deal with him again.”
“Me too.”
“And by the way, you do have family now.”
Abby smiled. “I know, and it means the world to me. But you’re all here with me so that kinda defeats the purpose of a death letter, huh?”
“I guess it does. But I hate to think that you’ve got no one to just mail a damn letter to.”
“That’s just the way my life’s played out so far. I guess I’ve gotten used to being a one-woman show.”
Hiamovi actually smiled, and the tone of his voice changed. “I knew you when the slightest indirect mention of family broke you to pieces, and now you talk about it openly. I’m so proud of you, Abby.”
His Name Was Zach | Book 3 | Their Names Were Many Page 22