"I was just on my way to check on Lauren, care to tag along?" Wade asked.
"Yeah! I mean, sure, I'll come along," Jarred replied, toning down his eagerness.
The two of them headed to the bunker where they found Lauren sitting in the corner of the cafeteria. Diana was brushing Lauren’s long blonde locks. Wade and Jarred walked over just in time to hear Diana say she wished she had her makeup case.
"Well, you are looking like you’re feeling better, Lauren," Wade said, pulling up a chair.
"It's amazing what a hot shower and a make-over can do for a girl," Lauren said, smiling at Diana.
"Not like you needed a make-over. You’re perfect," Jarred said, turning red.
“I think I probably look like a scarecrow, but thanks for the compliment, Jarred. Mr. Marshall, your daughter has fed me enough food for two people today. I think she will have me back in top shape in no time.”
“Don’t worry, Dad. I will make sure she keeps her strength up and gets plenty of rest,” Diana informed Wade.
"I’m going to meet with some of the others now to discuss how to free the remaining captives. I’ll fill you in when we’ve finalized our plan."
"I don't know how to thank you, Mr. Marshall. I don't think I would have made it out of Winchester if you hadn't found me," Lauren said, tears gathering in her eyes.
"Please, just Wade will suffice. I am glad we came across you as well, Lauren, otherwise we may have never known about the Lords and Masters. We could have walked right into an ambush. I need to know everything you can tell me about this group and the building where they are holding your family. Diana, will you grab me a piece of paper and a pencil, please?" Wade asked.
“Lauren, just draw the layout to the building as best you can. Anything you can remember will be helpful in formulating a plan. Going in blind will make things considerably more difficult,” Wade said.
Lauren took longer than expected to sketch out what she remembered. When she handed the paper back to Wade, he was surprised with the detail of the drawing.
"I'm an architect, so the building was easy. I used to have friends who lived there. That’s why I know the layout. I wish I could have added more about where they are being held, but they separated us as soon as we were taken. They had me in this room at the northeast corner. It was pure luck that I got out of there. I don’t think they considered anyone taking a chance climbing down from the third floor."
"Lauren, this is great. We have professional soldiers who have the place under surveillance at this very moment. I am sure with this much detail about the interior they will be able to come up with a solid strategy to free the other hostages," Wade said. "Do you have any other family in Winchester, or friends you would like to try to reach?"
"I do have some more family and friends I would like to check on, if I could," she replied.
"Well, Jarred here is the computer whiz, and cell service is still up and running. He can take you up to the house. Reach out to anyone you like. Everyone is welcome here if they have a way to make it out of town. If they can't, we will do our best to help them get here," Wade said as he caught Jarred's wide grin.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Full Metal Jacket
Plan for the worst and hope for the best. What else can you do? We had devised a good strategy to strike at those bastards enslaving women. Like any good plan, there were no guarantees. I felt good that a top-notch Army SF ODA would be in charge of the operation. Derek and his boys were no strangers to these types of missions. I had always been a history buff and military history was one of my many interests. I had been thrust into a role of leadership. Was I ready and able to lead? I can't say I was the perfect man for the job, but someone had to be the leader. Regardless of my insecurities, I had to make decisions to ensure our survival. The mantle of leadership had been placed squarely on my shoulders. I had many doubts about my course of action. Should I be making the decision to rid the world of those who harmed others with so many people depending on me to keep them safe? Did I really need the extra burden? What did it say about me that I wanted to see these animals dead? I reached back to the old memory banks and remembered a couple of quotes from one of the world’s greatest military leaders, General George S. Patton. "A leader is a man who can adapt principles to circumstances." I had a highly trained group of Army Special Forces at my disposal. They would get the job done. Patton also said, "Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."
Wade Marshall
◆◆◆
Wade was on pins and needles. Bull and Taco went to Winchester to re-con the apartment building where Lauren's family was being held. They had been reporting back regularly with the use of their SAT phone, but it was still driving Wade crazy waiting. He had thrown himself into work around the farm to keep his mind off things. If he didn't stay busy, he would likely drive Derek insane by pestering him for updates and details. Wade just wanted to get those people out and put an end to this whole business.
Loads of work had to be done around the farm to be prepared for winter. It was still fairly warm and likely would be until at least mid-October. The farm had to be stocked and ready for the change of weather, though. That meant the propane use would be exponentially higher, especially once Tommy completed more of the barracks buildings. It was going to be a monster to heat, due to the size. Tommy had already given Wade a list of materials they would need to make the building as heat efficient as possible. Until this business with the Lords and Masters was over, though, Wade could not concentrate on anything else.
Wade was walking the pit and dispatching the few stray infected that had been trapped the previous night when he heard the rumble of the GMV devouring the dirt track to the farm. He dropped the pitchfork and hustled to the house so they could get the report on what was happening at the apartment complex. It wasn't excitement exactly, although he was eager to help the women being held captive. It was more a feeling of relief, knowing they could finally put a plan in place and bring this whole messy business to a close.
By the time Bull made it to the house, Wade had gathered Derek, Ben, Jerry, Jessie, Kelly, Kim, and Doc Haynes together to discuss how to proceed. Bull came in and pulled up a seat at the table.
"So, here is what we know. Seems they send out scavenging parties daily. We counted twenty different individuals leaving in groups of four each day. We didn't see much. There were still more men inside … I am estimating probably a dozen. During the three days we watched them, they brought in another fifteen women. Some were barely teenagers.
“We set up shop at an auto-park nearby and got an accurate lay of the land surrounding the apartment complex. The good news is the building has a roof access. The bad news is they have lookouts up there. Usually only two men, but we saw as many as four one day. The auto-park offers a good position to snipe those on the roof. The apartment next door is slightly taller, and it is only about eight feet between the two. Once the sentries are down, it won't be a problem getting to the roof of the adjacent apartment building. We weren't able to determine where they are holding their prisoners or much about the inside of the building," Bull finished.
Wade reached into his jacket and produced the drawing Lauren had sketched for him.
"Our newest survivor was able to draw this up. She had prior knowledge of the buildings’ layout. She also marked placement of sentries she saw and where they were holding one group of the prisoners. She wasn't able to fill in all the holes because they kept her confined to a couple of rooms most of the time," Wade said, sliding the sketch over to Derek.
"How many did she say they were holding when she was there?" Derek asked.
"She said about twenty, but it's possible there were others she was unable to see or didn't know about," Wade replied.
"Damn. We could have as many as fifty prisoners there in multiple locations," Derek said, studying the sketch in front of him.
"Most of the men we had our eyes on w
ere carrying side arms and lever or bolt action rifles and shotguns. There were only a few who had AR's. We don't know what kind of firepower they have inside," Bull stated.
"Well, we should be able to overwhelm them with our numbers and firepower," Wade said.
"Hold on there, partner. My team will be the only ones breeching. This isn't busting into a building to scavenge supplies and kill a few rotters. These guys are armed and will be firing back. This is a job for professionals. No offense to any of you. I know you can handle yourselves, but without having a clear picture of what we will face inside, or where the hostages are being held, we have to have experienced operators inside," Derek said, looking at Wade.
"Of course, you’re right, Derek. We would likely just be in the way inside," Wade said with resignation.
"Whoever else goes will be needed outside to get the hostages loaded and keep the perimeter secure while we do our thing," Derek said.
"I would like to go along in case any of the hostages require medical attention," Doc Haynes said.
"Doc, I appreciate the offer, but we have two medics who can handle triage of the prisoners. We only have one civilian doctor and there are lots of folks here we have to keep healthy. I wouldn't want to risk your welfare on a field operation," Derek said with finality.
Derek looked to Wade and said, “Bull and I will get to work on a plan for the breech. I know I can’t keep you here as much as I would like to, so find five more solid people to take along for perimeter security. While we are handling the gang inside, you guys will get the hostages loaded into the vehicles and make sure the dead don’t creep in the back door. Once we have all the details worked out I will get with you and those you choose and brief you on the plan.
"Wade, I want to be clear. My guys are the best at what they do, and I have no doubt we will save lives tomorrow. I just need you to understand that no matter how good we are, anything can happen. We may not get everyone out. Without knowing exactly where they are, we just can't guarantee everything will go smooth as silk. There are too many unknowns," Derek said, shaking his head.
"I understand. We can only do our best. I am sure with what they are going through they would want us to try … regardless of the outcome," Wade said.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Vengeance
Sleep remained elusive the night before we were to carry out our rescue attempt. Derek's final words kept replaying in my head all night. There are too many unknowns. I knew we had to do what we could to save those women. I also realized that all of them might not make it out alive. I tried to tell myself they would want us to make the attempt regardless. After all, would it not be better to die in the rescue attempt than to remain in the hands of those animals, suffering the brutality and degradation daily for who knows how long? I would want someone to intervene. Lying in the dark, listening to the steady breathing of Kelly beside me, I could only pray for success.
Wade Marshall
◆◆◆
Wade walked outside and found Jerry, Jessie, Jarred, Justin Landry, and Tommy Jackson waiting for him by the vehicles. From the looks of things, they had not been able to sleep much, either. Wade had been very hesitant – and Kelly even more so – when Jarred had expressed his desire to help with the rescue attempt. Some major damage control was going to be required with Kelly. She was not a happy camper when Wade gave Jarred the okay to take part in the rescue. Jarred was a good shot and Wade had made it clear he was to follow instructions to the letter. Wade didn't like putting his children in danger, but Jarred was a man now. It was evident how important it was to him to help Lauren's family.
Jarred and Jerry would be in one SUV, while Tommy and Justin would take another. Wade and Jessie would be driving the flatbed. They had put on thick wooden sides to provide some protection for the passengers in the back of the truck. They had stocked the truck with blankets and first aid supplies. Derek and his team would be in the Strykers, with the exception of the two team members driving the GMVs.
The group set out a little ahead of schedule since few could sleep knowing the impending battle was coming. The vehicles moved through the outskirts of town. The number of roaming infected had increased even more since they were here days ago.
The convoy made their way to the auto park where they stopped briefly. Z-Dog jumped from the lead Stryker carrying a tan case and ran into the parking structure. The vehicles then moved again until they came to a T in the road at the intersection of North Kent Street only a block away from the apartment complex. The lead GMV broke right with one of the Strykers following suit. They would come in from the east side above the apartment complex.
Wade in the flatbed stopped to await the signal to move in. Jerry and Jarred were behind him in an SUV with Tommy and Justin following in another. The other GMV and Stryker brought up the rear and would take position on the west side of the apartment building. Now the hard part – waiting. Wade had a walkie-talkie and Derek would let him know when they were about to breach the building. Wade and the others would then move into position.
Bones and Cowboy, the two medics on the team, would each be in one of the GMVs. They would swoop in once Derek and the rest of the team began their attack. The heavy guns on the GMVs would have to repel the dead, which were sure to come once the gunfire started.
Derek lowered his NVGs and put eyes on the apartment complex from cover across the street. He was easily able to spot the sentry on the roof, who was overlooking the south side of the complex. The night vision goggles turned the darkness to a green-hued daylight. Derek reached down and touched a button to activate his helmet mike.
"Z-Dog, we good to go?"
"Roger that, Cap. Two on the roof. They look sleepy." Z-Dog’s reply came back at once.
"Stand by. Moving to infil point."
Derek silently signaled the rest of his team and they made their way down the street to the east, then crossed over to the other side and worked back to the building adjacent to the apartment complex. Bull hadn’t seen activity to indicate the building was occupied, but Derek wasn’t taking any chances. Rico picked the lock on the side door and the team swept into the dark house, M4s at the ready.
They quickly spread out and explored the house, clearing every room on the ground floor. Then they repeated the process on the second floor. Derek and his team relocated to the southeast corner room of the house and opened the window that would give them access to the roof.
"Okay, Z-Dog, we are in position. Punch their tickets," Derek instructed.
Z-Dog sighted in on the first target with his suppressed Barrett M107 50 caliber rifle. Using subsonic rounds, it would not likely alert those inside the apartment complex as he was about 800 yards away. With one last check on both targets, he drew a bead on the sentry on the south side of the building.
Slowly putting pressure on the trigger, Z-Dog took a breath, released it then squeezed the trigger. The shot took the target right between the eyes and destroyed the back of his skull. As the body fell to the roof Z-Dog already had the second shot going down range. The sentry on the north side of the building met a similar fate as his companion.
"Targets down, Cap," Z-Dog's voice said in Derek's ear.
"Move!" Derek gave the command.
With precision, the team filed out the window and within seconds had Rico up on the roof of the structure. He reached down and gave each man a hand up until the entire team was on the roof. With a running start, each of the team easily landed on the adjacent building. Rico and Flash secured rappelling lines around the air-conditioning unit in the center of the roof and moved into position at the edge of the northern side of the building, clipping their D-rings on and throwing the rope over the side.
Derek and the other members of his team took position at the door. He motioned to Taco who took the point and silently entered the stairwell leading down to the third floor.
"Go!" Derek said over his mike and into the portable walkie that would give Wade the signal.
With the
command given, Rico and Flash began descending to the northeast window of the apartment complex. Moving to either side of the window, Rico peeked into the room.
“I have eyes on a group of hostages, no tangos visible,” Rico relayed.
“Copy that. Proceed. We are moving into position on floor three,” Derek replied. Quickly, Rico slid his knife into the gap between the two sashes of the window and jiggled the bottom sash back and forth, working his knife closer to the lock. With another tug and a push from his blade, he flipped the latch open on the window and quietly slid it up. As he poked his head into the room, a set of frightened eyes met his. He put his finger to his lips and motioned for the woman to move back.
He nimbly slid through the window and disengaged the rope.
“Wake everyone up and get them ready to move as silently as possible. We’re here to set you free,” Rico said in a barely audible whisper. Rico nodded in appreciation as the woman began going around the room, covering the mouth of each woman as she woke them and signaled to remain quiet. Soon there were twenty sets of frightened eyes staring at the two soldiers.
Rico motioned for the women to move against the wall, away from the line of sight of the door. Flash and Rico moved through checking the remainder of the apartment and found the other bedroom converted to a supply room. The rest of the apartment was clear. Gathering the women, they led them to the living room and took position at the door leading to the hallway.
"Twenty friendlies recovered, waiting on your go," Rico communicated.
“Stand by. Checking the hallway now,” Derek replied to Rico, while signaling Taco to proceed.
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