Mason and Jerry helped load Ginger onto the third gurney, and Ethan sighed. “Take him to the mortuary. As for the rest of you, get some rest.”
Dismissing them, Ethan disappeared into the bowels of the infirmary, and Saul was left with the others. “You heard the man. Get some sleep. I’ll be in contact.”
The Humvee drove off with the last of the team, and Saul watched them leave with a heavy heart. He hung around the entrance until Nick showed up, his expression filled with worry. He ran up the steps and grabbed Saul’s arm.
“Where’s Dylan? Is she alright? Did she get hurt?” he asked.
“She got shot, but it doesn’t look serious. More like a flesh wound,” Saul replied.
Nick’s shoulders slumped. “Thank God.”
“You were right,” Saul said, staring at his feet. “I should’ve listened to you.”
“What happened?” Nick asked.
“It was a trap. King mined the field around the campus. Plus, their towers were flimsy, but they had machine guns up there. We didn’t stand a chance,” Saul said.
“How many did you lose?” Nick said.
“We lost four people: Ginger’s entire team, and Dan. Rita’s badly hurt. I don’t know if she’ll make it,” Saul admitted.
“It’s not your fault,” Nick said. “You couldn’t have known.”
“It is my fault, and we both know it,” Saul said. “I rushed in without enough information, and my teammates paid the price.”
Nick shook his head. “We’re all human, Saul, and we make mistakes. The question is, what will King do now?”
“I have an idea he will attack, but I can’t be sure,” Saul said. “I need to speak to Grissom. Where are you holding him?”
“In cell A in the holding facility,” Nick said. “I need to check on Dylan, but I’ll see you in my office. If you’re right and King attacks, we need to make preparations.”
“I’ll see you there within thirty minutes,” Saul confirmed, jogging down the steps.
“Oh, and Saul,” Nick called.
“Yeah?” Saul said, looking back.
“Don’t kill him, please. We might still need him in the future,” Nick said.
Saul grinned. “Oh, I’m not going to kill him. Like you say. We still need him.”
Nick hesitated. “I feel like I should ask what you’re about to do, but I’d rather not know.”
“Check on Dylan, Nick. She needs you,” Saul said. “And…tell her, I’m sorry.”
Chapter 20 - Nick
Nick found Dylan in the emergency ward, awaiting her turn for treatment. She sat in a corner on a bed, her legs swinging in the air. A bloodied bandage on her upper arm had him heaving a massive sigh of relief when he reached her. “Oh, thank God. I thought you were dead, but I see you’re just looking for attention, as usual.”
She smacked him on the chest with her uninjured hand. “Watch it, my love. Or you’re sleeping on the couch for a week.”
“What couch?” Nick asked. “We don’t have a couch.”
“Good point. I guess you’ll have to take the floor,” Dylan said, and Nick remembered his conversation with Saul not that long ago.
“About that, I’ve been thinking we should look for more permanent accommodation,” Nick said. “My place in the barracks isn’t exactly…”
“Civilized? Suitable for a woman? Private?” Dylan asked.
“Yeah, okay. You don’t have to rub it in,” Nick said, scratching his head. “The point is, I think we should move into a house. A proper house.”
Dylan gasped. “Nick Dean. Are you asking me to move in with you?”
“I guess I am,” he replied.
“Well, it took you long enough,” she replied with a grin.
“So, that’s a yes?” he asked, only to be interrupted by a loud wail from a nearby room.
Dylan winced. “It’s a yes, love, but it will have to wait. We have more important things to worry about now.”
“Yes, I know. How’s Rita doing?” Nick asked.
“I don’t know. Her arm looks bad, and I’m scared she might die,” Dylan admitted.
“Let’s hope not. Ethan is one of the best surgeons we know,” Nick said.
“He’s the only surgeon we know,” Dylan replied with dry amusement. “But, I get what you mean.”
“What about you?” Nick asked.
“I’ll get my turn. Amanda went to fetch the other doctor to have a look at me. Right now, Ethan is preparing Rita for surgery. He mumbled something about metal pins and stuff.”
“It sounds serious,” Nick said.
“It is. The blast shattered the bone into a gazillion pieces, and she lost a ton of blood,” Dylan said. “Other than that, what about King? Saul seemed worried.”
“Yes, he thinks King might take this opportunity to attack, and he’s gone to speak to Grissom,” Nick said.
“That’s a mistake. He’ll kill Grissom,” Dylan said.
“There’s a chance, I know. Once I’m done here, I’m calling a meeting in my office. If there’s even the slightest possibility King will attack, we need to be ready,” Nick said.
“Agreed,” Dylan replied. “Off you go. I’ll be fine on my own.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. I’m not a baby who needs you to hold my hand. Get lost,” Dylan said, shooing him away.
“That’s why I love you so much.” With a quick kiss and a grin, Nick took his leave.
He made his way across the grounds toward his headquarters, barging in without pause. After radioing through to a few of his most trusted soldiers and civilian advisors, he pulled out a map of Fort Detrick and its surroundings. It wasn’t long before Saul showed up, dragging a reluctant Grissom in his wake.
Nick eyed Grissom with raised eyebrows, noting the fresh bruises and cut lip. “I’m glad to see he’s still alive.”
“Yes, well. We came to an agreement,” Saul said.
“Which is?” Nick asked.
“That he fights with us when King attacks,” Saul said.
“And you agreed?” Nick mused.
“Yes, I did. It’s the only way to prove my loyalty,” Grissom mumbled. “I didn’t know about the landmines. King never told me.”
“Yes, well. He wouldn’t. It’s not the kind of information you let slip,” Nick said. “Anyway, welcome to the team, but if you cross us…”
“I’ll kill him myself,” Saul growled.
“Deal,” Nick said, satisfied. “He can serve under you for now.”
“So, what’s the plan?” Grissom asked.
“That’s what we’re here to figure out,” Nick said, waving a hand over the map.
A knock on the door announced several more people, and the meeting ensued.
“Saul, you already know most of these people: Mac, who’s in charge of munitions, Davis, who’s our civilian engineering contractor, and Mandy who’s handling our supply stores.”
Saul nodded at each of them. “Good day, everyone.”
“Andrew, you might not know. He’s the principal of our thriving little school, and he’s also a pillar of the community. The civilians look to him for guidance, which is why he’s here. As for Keith Parker, he’s been promoted to Corporal recently and serves directly under me.”
“Nice to meet you all,” Saul said, and a chorus of greetings did the rounds.
“Right, let me bring you all up to speed,” Nick said, leaning back in his chair.
After he’d told them everything he knew about King, his men, the failed rescue attempt, and the possibility of retaliation by King, he turned to Mandy Baker. “Mandy, has everyone collected their rations for the day?”
“Not yet, Sir. My hours for dispensing rations are from eight to ten in the morning. After that, I open up the thrift shop for the other things people might need.”
“I see,” glancing at his watch. “It’s past eight already. You’re late.”
“Yes, Sir, but I figured the meeting must be important.�
�
“It is, but I’ll tell you what you need to know, so you can go,” Nick said. “You can distribute the rations, as usual, today, but I want you to close the thrift shop early. Put a sign on the door, so people are aware.”
“Close early, Sir? Why?” Mandy asked with a frown.
“Yes, you must close no later than noon,” Nick replied. “Once you’re done at the shop, I want you and your team to make sure all our critical supplies are sealed inside the warehouses. Anything that came in today, anything that still needs sorting, excess food from the cafeteria. All of it.”
“Alright,” Mandy said. “Consider it done.”
“I also need several dozen crates packed with bottled water, energy drinks, and protein bars. Enough to keep our fighters going throughout a prolonged fight,” Nick commanded.
“How many people are we talking about, Sir?” Mandy asked. “And how long a fight?”
“Cater for fifty people for the span of a full day,” Nick answered.
“Very good, Sir,” Mandy replied. “What then?”
“Then, I want you to go home and be with your family.”
“Are you sure, Sir? I could help with more than just readying the supplies?” Mandy suggested. “We could distribute it during the fight.”
“No, I’m not risking it. You’re too valuable, and I’d rather know you’re safe and sound,” Nick said. “As for you, Andrew, I need you to speak to the community.”
“Of course. What do you want me to tell them?” Andrew asked, stepping forward.
“I want you to warn them of the possibility of an attack. Every civilian who is willing and able to fight must report to Saul in the parking lot at noon. The rest must stay in their homes where it’s safest. They can collect rations as usual, but other than that, I want them off the streets.”
“Very well,” Andrew said. “I’ll spread the word.”
“Also, every household should go on lockdown and have at least one person capable of defending it. They can apply to Mac if they need extra guns or ammunition, but again, time is of the essence. We don’t know when, if, or where King will hit.”
“Sounds reasonable,” Andrew said. “How will we know if an attack has commenced?”
“We will sound the alarm, two blasts when the attack begins, and three blasts when it’s over.”
“Very clever,” Andrew replied with an approving nod. “I wish you luck in the trying times ahead.”
“Thank you,” Nick said. “As for you, Mr. Davis. As our engineering expert, I need you to make a sweep of our defenses. Look for weak points and shore them up. We will also need the spotlights to run at full capacity.”
Davis frowned. “That would mean rerouting power from other areas. Spotlights use a lot of electricity.”
“Do what you can, Mr. Davis. I’m counting on you,” Nick said.
“Also, we run the risk of drawing zombies to the base,” Davis added.
“Our scouting parties have reported no great movement of zombies yet. It seems they’re still lingering in the south where it’s warmer,” Nick said. “Besides, the sheer noise of battle will draw any in the vicinity to our doorstep. Yet another trial for us to contend with.”
“Fair enough. I’ll see to it, Sergeant,” Davis said.
Nick waited until he, Andrew, and Mandy left to perform their duties before turning to the rest. “Right, now we can get down to the thorny roots of the problem. How do we defend the base against King and his men?”
“Do we even have fifty soldiers like you asked Mandy to cater for?” Grissom asked.
“No, we do not,” Corporal Parker replied. “At last count, we can muster twenty-seven soldiers, not including us. And some of those will be needed to guard the infirmary, munition stores, and warehouses.”
“Don’t forget the civilians,” Saul said. “There are a number of them both willing and able to fight.”
“They’re still civilians,” Corporal Parker protested.
“Civilians who’ve survived a zombie apocalypse,” Saul replied. “Do not underestimate them.”
“Sergeant Dhlamini is correct. I’ve seen a few of these civilians in action, and they’re a tough bunch,” Nick added.
Corporal Parker shrugged. “If you say so, Sergeant.”
“Saul, what do you suggest? How can we best put the civilian fighters to use?” Nick asked.
“I suggest placing a few of them on lookout posts outside the base. They can warn us of King’s approach and provide cover fire from above,” Saul said. “Several of them are excellent long-distance shots. We can also use them to guard the vulnerable areas of the base, such as the infirmary, ammunition stores, and warehouses. That will free up the soldiers for the main defenses.”
“That’s an excellent idea, Saul. I’ll leave those arrangements up to you,” Nick said. “Take what you need from our stores and make sure your people are well-equipped.”
“Yes, Sergeant,” Saul replied.
“I’ll distribute our military forces throughout the defense line,” Corporal Parker said. “If there are any civilians willing to assist, they can report to me.”
“See to it, Corporal Parker,” Nick said. “Mac, make sure everyone has what they need for the fight ahead.”
“Yes, Sergeant,” Parker and Mac replied.
“You are dismissed. I will be along shortly to oversee the operations,” Nick said with a wave of his hand.
After Parker and Mac departed, Nick looked at Saul. “Spit it out, Sergeant. I can see you’ve got something to share.”
Saul grinned. “Indeed, we do. Grissom came up with a couple of ideas earlier that might come in handy.”
“And that is?” Nick asked with growing interest.
“King caught us by surprise with his field of landmines this morning,” Saul said. “Why don’t we do the same?”
“Landmines? We have neither the time nor the number of explosives needed to mine our defenses,” Nick protested.
“No, but we did stumble upon a cache of claymores the other day during a raid,” Saul said. “If we can funnel King into a narrow corridor booby-trapped with explosives and a tripwire, we could take out the whole lot in one go.”
“How do we funnel them?” Nick asked.
“By placing barricades at strategic points throughout the city,” Saul explained.
“Can we do that?” Nick asked.
“We’ve already begun. The roadblocks we set up to lead zombies away from the base can just as easily be used to funnel King’s men.”
“It’s a thought. The question is, do we have the time?” Nick mused.
“I’ll see to it personally,” Saul said.
“In that case, you have my full support, Sergeant,” Nick replied. “What was your other idea?”
“To place civilians in Humvees with mounted guns along the fence line,” Saul said. “They can provide rapid mobile support wherever they’re needed.”
Nick thought about it for a few seconds. “That makes sense, and I like the idea.”
“Excellent,” Saul replied. “Then we have a plan.”
Nick stood up and extended his hand to Saul. “Here’s to our success.”
“To success,” Saul echoed as they shook on it.
“This time, King won’t get away,” Nick said as Saul and Grissom departed, his gaze running over the map. “This time, he’s luck will run out.”
Chapter 21 - Richard
Richard shifted from side to side in an attempt to get comfortable. Next to him lay Misty, her eyes glued to a set of binoculars. They were stationed on top of an empty office block not far from the main gates of the Fort and were waiting for the enemy to show up. On the horizon, the sun began its steady descent toward the edge of the earth.
Flashes of orange, pink, and mauve lit up the sky, and Misty stared at the display for several moments. “It’s gorgeous, isn’t it? Dan would’ve loved it.”
“Yes, he would have,” Richard agreed.
“It’s not t
he same without him,” Misty added. “I can’t believe I’m still here, and he’s not.”
“It’s what he wanted, girl,” Richard said. “Don’t mourn him. Celebrate him.”
Misty sniffed back a tear. “I like that thought. Tonight, I’ll celebrate him by killing as many of King’s men as I can.”
Richard grunted his assent. “Me too.”
“It’s not his fault, you know,” Misty said.
“Whose fault?” Richard asked.
“Saul’s. He didn’t know what would happen.”
“I know that, and I told him as much after the meeting, but he needs to get his head back in the game,” Richard said. “He needs to learn from this, not wallow in self-pity.”
“You told him that?”
“He needed to hear it.”
“I’m glad. You’re probably the only one who could get away with something like that,” Misty said with a grin.
The conversation had been a brief one. When the civilians gathered in the parking lot for their orders, Richard had accepted Saul’s continued authority without any feelings of bitterness. While Saul had made a mistake, it wasn’t on purpose. Jackson and the others felt much the same. But he had called the Sergeant aside after the civilians dispersed for a quick word.
“Sergeant, I need to get something off my chest,” Richard had said.
“Go ahead, ” Saul said, his dark eyes unreadable.
“I don’t blame you for what happened to Dan and the others. None of us do. We all knew what we signed up for when we joined your team. Now you need to accept that and get back on the horse. Learn from your mistakes and move on.”
“I am doing that,” Saul replied.
“No, you’re not. You’re angry, and you’re feeling sorry for yourself. Stop.”
“I don’t need advice from you,” Saul said, his cheeks darkening.
“I think you do. What happened, happened. Now you need to focus on what lies ahead without letting your beef with King interfere with your better judgment.”
Several seconds had passed before Saul replied. “Thank you, Staff Sergeant. I’ll keep it in mind.”
“That’s all I ask,” Richard said before walking away.
Misty sighed. “I hope he listened to you.”
Rise of the Undead (Book 5): Apocalypse Z Page 12