By the time the gang crept within visual range of the defenses, they looked as if they had lost a fight with a tiger. Nobody was spared the stinging, bleeding punctures from the tree barrier. Dante ordered everyone to spread out and look for targets. The first shots from the gang took out multiple defenders stationed above on the container wall. Return fire pelted the trees, a few making their way through to find flesh of the attackers. The defenders above used the cover and the gang found their targets were few and far between. The only chance they had was when someone popped up to send gunfire their way.
◆◆◆
High up in his tree-stand, Rico looked through the scope on his rifle. He wanted to target the closest of the combatants and work his way farther away. If they discovered his location, he would be in trouble. It would take time to climb down and the only cover nearby was in the forest alone, or back with Wade’s group at the outer defenses. There was nothing between the forest and Wade except fifty yards of open ground. He would be exposed and under fire the whole way. Finding his closest contact, Rico zeroed in on the target. He held the gang member in his sights and squeezed the trigger. The mark dropped with a head shot. He methodically moved to the next adversary that came into view. He was able to drop the three closest combatants before the trees blocked any further shots. All he could do at that point was wait for someone to come into his line of sight.
◆◆◆
Wade gave the call to the other defenders, warning of contact on the southern perimeter. The gang fired on the people stationed on top of the container wall. They had killed two and badly wounded another, at which point everyone got under cover. Wade and his group kept a withering fire on the tree barrier, but most of the gang were far enough back to be in good cover as well. Rico and Suave had both reported they had taken down multiple assailants, but now they could only wait for targets of opportunity.
Wade looked to his right. A swarm of infected was moving in their direction. Derek had advised the gang had bridged the pit on the southern end, so it wasn't too unexpected. They had Z-Dog over there with the GMV behind some cover. He was able to shoot over the top of the cover with the Ma Deuce but could duck back down when not firing for protection. Now he unleashed the 50 caliber against the infected, leaving a swath of bloody bodies in his wake. After clearing the southern approach, he swung around and sent a stream of fire at the tree barrier before ducking down to reload.
Z-Dog reloaded and again popped up to release another crippling barrage at the dead. He reduced the lumbering forms to bloody sludge again and was turning to send another burst at the tree barrier when a shot rang out and sent him off the side of the GMV.
Jessie made a run for the GMV. Bullets pelted the ground in front and behind him as he dashed the twenty yards to the vehicle. He dove behind cover and crawled over to where Z-Dog lay. It was obvious right away that he was no longer among the living. There was a large hole above his eyes and blood was soaking the ground behind his head. Jessie jumped up on the GMV and turned the Ma Deuce towards the tree barrier and let loose until the gun went silent.
Wade radioed Derek and broke the news. Jessie worked on getting the big gun reloaded. Derek had made a point of teaching as many of the civilians as they could how to operate and, more importantly, reload the Ma Deuce.
◆◆◆
After the gang members who survived the ambush on Route 7 fled the scene of the trap, Bull had instructed his men to continue the grenade barrage to incapacitate as many of the infected as possible. They had killed or maimed a huge number of the undead, but there were just so many that the line of bodies moving their way never seemed to end. Eventually, Bull called for the men to stop firing. He left his two snipers, instructing them to fire only on the living gang members they may have missed in the chaos below.
Gathering the remaining six soldiers, he planned on tracking down the surviving gang members. If he could move in behind them, they would have them caught between two fields of fire. He traveled back roads away from the observation point on Route 7 to come out a quarter mile away from the trap. Bull drove for a couple of miles and saw the gang’s vehicles. He approached slowly to ensure there were no hostiles still in the vicinity. Glassing the area thoroughly, he determined they had left no sentries to guard their transportation.
What a bad move, Bull thought. He had his men knife all the tires and pull battery cables. Nobody would be making a quick getaway in these vehicles. He instructed one of his men to move the GMV to an elevated position across the road to keep the area under surveillance. Bull and the remaining five soldiers set out through the woods towards the tree barrier.
◆◆◆
After disabling the vehicles that had attempted to bridge the pit, Derek watched as an endless wave of infected filled the fields in front of the farm. The propane tanks that had been buried in the fields had done lots of damage to both the living and the dead, but the horde kept coming, showing no concern for their undead brethren who fell along the way. Derek had ordered the pit lit after they drove off the gang members trying to bridge across it. Eventually, the few areas that had been successfully bridged would collapse from the combination of fire below and weight above. The dead that managed to reach the obstruction through the barrage of gunfire found an inferno waiting for them at the bottom of the pit. There were so many undead coming at them that the trench would likely be filled to capacity and create a way for the dead to breach the barrier and reach the container wall.
Losing people was something Derek hated. Any life was precious, especially since the start of the apocalypse. When Wade called an told him Z-Dog had been KIA that was even worse. Derek and his team had been through so much together. They were part of his family now, not just brothers in arms. He hoped that the other members of his team would come through this conflict alive.
Derek watched as body after body fell in the fields or disappeared into the pit, yet still they came. The horde the gang had collected must have numbered well over 5,000. Derek had several of his men spaced out around the container wall. The soldiers had instructions only to snipe the living attackers. They had worked to good effect in the opening minutes of the conflict, but now the gang had gotten wise and stayed well out of range. The dead were so thick, it would have been suicidal to get in the middle of that many infected.
As a stream of infected continued to cross the pit, Derek realized he couldn't wait for the makeshift bridge to fail on its own. He needed to remedy the problem before Wade's position was compromised. He called to the soldier who had the grenade launcher and instructed him to target the southern end of the pit that had been bridged. The first shot fell short, taking a small cluster of the infected out. The second shot went long and did more damage as the dead were clustered tightly in front of the improvised bridge. The third shot hit its mark, blasting the hastily built bridge apart. The dead immediately fell into the conflagration waiting below.
The bodies were now visible in some areas along the trench. Derek estimated they had, at best, fifteen minutes before the bodies of the infected would have the barrier filled to a point it would allow the dead to breach the trap. He instructed the shooters along the wall to begin walking their shots out to maximum distance while maintaining an effective kill rate. Most of the people on the walls were at least adequate shots. With the mass of dead, it was difficult to miss, but head shots were what they required to stop their advance for good.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
There Will Be Blood
Losing people in your life is always hard. Even before this menace that is the reanimated dead. Unexpected deaths, old age, or car accidents, whatever the case, there are times when life tests your limits. Grief is a powerful emotion, and many can break under the pressure. Losing people because others want to take what you have is a whole different story. This gang has committed atrocities against their fellow man for no other reason than pure maliciousness. They could have existed without attacking other survivors. They could have been a help to thos
e precious few who weather this catastrophe. Instead, they choose to relish in the fact there is no longer any form of law to protect the weak or helpless masses. They choose to try to subjugate their fellow man. It is a story recounted time and time again throughout history. Just like in times past, there are always those who will defend those unable to defend themselves. They will always fight against those who would oppress their fellow man. It seems this world is destined to keep repeating their mistakes over and over. How has man not learned from all the blood spilled throughout history?
Wade Marshall
◆◆◆
Ben, Harvey Smallwood, Ray Jenkins, along with ten other folks of advancing years had been set to guard the entrance to the bunker. Jessie had taken to calling them the geriatric brigade. None of them were offended as they knew Jessie was just kidding around. Truth be told, even though the men were in the twilight of their lives, they were all veterans and had fought in wars for their country. They had firsthand experience in battle, like Korea and Vietnam that most on the farm could not fathom.
Ben and his group had all taken positions inside the barn. They concealed themselves as best they could. Ray went up to the loft, from there he had good sight lines on three directions from the barn. The only blind spot was from the river approach. The fight had been going for about twenty minutes when Ray called down to Ben that there was a group approaching the barn. Ben passed the word along. Most of the old timers had shotguns loaded with slugs. They each also had side arms and plenty of ammo. Ray had his Winchester lever action 30-30 and took aim on the approaching gang members. He targeted the closest and fired. One moment the man had been sprinting towards the barn, the next his legs folded under him and he fell backwards as the bullet hit him center mass.
Ray quickly sent another shot out, dropping a second attacker. The remaining men took cover and returned fire. Ray had to duck down from the massive barrage of fire coming from the attacking gang members. Three of the gang stayed in cover and continued to provide suppressing fire while the other five sprinted to the barn. Ray sent a couple of wild shots down range at the group charging the barn, but the suppressing fire kept him from getting a clean shot.
“We are about to have company!” Ray shouted to his friends down below.
◆◆◆
Slowly, the first man entered, keeping his weapon up and ready to fire. He took three steps inside and stopped. Ben could not bring his shotgun to bear but had his 1911 in hand waiting for more of the gang to enter. The man motioned the rest of the gang to enter the barn. As four more thugs entered, another shot sounded from the loft. The first man who had entered the barn directed two of his cohorts to the left towards the stairs while he and the other two men began moving to the right in the direction of the stalls.
Ben was hidden behind some sheets of plywood leaning against the wall about ten feet from the stairs to the loft. He had just enough room to squat down behind the boards. Waiting for the men moving in towards the stalls to pass his hide, he took aim on the first man ascending the stairs. He waited for the man to go up five or six stairs before firing. Ben aimed for the area just above the man’s knee. The man fell backwards into his partner. Both fell in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. Ben immediately fired on the second man, sending a round through his head.
Ben took aim to finish the gang member he had shot in the leg when he felt a white-hot pain in his chest as the remaining three men turned and fired multiple shots at the plywood. Another deafening roar sounded as the rest of the defenders popped up from their positions throughout the barn. Six shots fired almost simultaneously and ripped through the three men firing at Ben. At such close range, the men were literally blown off their feet as the slugs slammed into them from just a few yards away. Harvey and the others ran over to where Ben had been hiding. They pulled him from behind the plywood. A large blossom of blood spread across his chest. Ben's breath came in short, sharp gasps. Harvey put pressure on the wound, but Ben had already lost a great deal of blood. One of the others in the geriatric brigade called for medical help.
Ray came running down the stairs. “I got one more of them. The rest skedaddled,” Ray said as his eyes fell on Ben.
“Safe?” Ben managed to gasp.
“It’s all clear now, Ben. You just hold on. Help is on the way,” Ray said with tears running down his face.
◆◆◆
Jessie let loose with yet another deadly burst to clear the last of the dead that had managed to cross the pit. Someone on the wall had reduced the hastily erected bridge to splinters. They could now concentrate on the living gang members attacking from the tree line. Jessie began reloading the big gun yet again. He had just loaded a new belt and slammed the feed cover when he felt the round hit him. He fell back from the gun, losing feeling in his right arm. He tried moving his arm but got no response. Jessie screamed in pain then the world went black and he passed out. One of the soldiers along with Wade ran to the GMV. Wade tried to rouse Jessie, but he would not wake up. Wade gave a call on the radio for help at his position.
With the men distracted by Jessie getting hit, Dante and his remaining followers charged from the trees. Dante, Gloria, and five other men cleared the tree barrier before Rico sent a shot that ignited the propane tank they had buried beyond the trap. There were half a dozen men caught in the blast and the force knocked Dante and his group to the ground. Quickly, they got back to their feet and continued to sprint in the direction of the GMV. Suave managed to pick off one of the gang members before he lost a clear field of fire. The two soldiers who were still firing took two more down before falling to shots from Dante and Gloria. The guardsman who had run to check on Jessie managed to swing the big gun around and killed two more of the gang before Gloria cut him down.
Wade felt unbridled fury rising in him. Risking a glance from the rear end of the GMV, he saw Gloria and who he assumed must be Dante running his direction. Gloria was angling towards the front of the vehicle while Dante came straight at him. Wade waited as Dante came around the rear of the GMV, weapon leading the way. Wade sprung forwards, grabbing the barrel of the rifle and pulled as hard as he could. He used the pull on the rifle to launch himself forwards, putting his bicep into Dante's throat and driving him to the ground.
Wade had a good fifty pounds on Dante and he used every pound to drive the man backwards. Dante hit the ground with a thud as his head bounced off the hard-packed soil. Wade straddled his waist and began raining punches into Dante's face as fast as he could swing. The bones in the man’s face gave way to the onslaught from his fist and Wade relished in the release of his fury. Then he felt the cold circle of metal pressed against the back of his head.
"Take your pistol out with two fingers and get off him," Gloria hissed.
Wade froze. He removed his side arm slowly and tossed it aside. He looked down at the bloody, misshapen face of Dante. The man was out cold. Still alive, but he would not be getting up anytime soon.
"We tried to help you and you betrayed us, then killed my friend," Wade said.
"You didn't help me, you fool. Finding me was orchestrated so we could find your safe house. You’re so worried about being the hero you brought the fox into the hen house willingly," Gloria said with mocking laughter.
"What will you have if you kill the few remaining who live? We should be fighting the dead not each other."
"Enough! Get on your feet. I think I will leave your brain intact so you will turn like your friend Justin," Gloria said, taking a step back.
Wade lifted his left knee from the ground while moving his right to the belt on Dante's waist. He wrapped his fingers around the hilt of the knife Dante had on his side. Wade began to rise when he suddenly sprang backwards, he drove the knife through the top of Gloria's left boot. A loud report came from Gloria's gun. Wade felt searing pain in his left shoulder. Using his momentum, he kicked both feet over his head, swinging his feet back into Gloria's face as she leaned forwards from the pain of the knife going through the top
of her foot. Wade kept his grip tight on the knife as he continued with the roll and landed knee first into Gloria's stomach. He quickly moved to the left, trapping her gun arm as he drove the knife into her left armpit. Gloria shrieked in agony as the knife plunged in deep.
"I am not going to turn you into one of the dead. I’m just going to make you go away forever. Then I am going to do the same to your boss," Wade said, yanking the knife from her body.
With a primal scream, Wade brought the knife down with all his strength, plunging it through Gloria's right eye socket. Wade recovered the knife and turned to the unconscious man behind him. Cold-blooded murder was something Wade had never envisioned himself capable of doing. This man, however, could not be allowed to live. He had committed so many atrocities against other human beings, there was no way Wade could let him walk away. People like Dante don't change. He would heal and regroup and begin again. Wade knew this in his heart. He would not let that happen. Kneeling down, Wade made sure he would never have that chance.
Like coming out of a dense fog, Wade realized there was a group of people running his way, being led by Bones, the medic. The sounds of heavy weapons from the Strykers and other small arms fire still permeated the air. He stood as Jessie was put on a stretcher and hastily taken away. Choking down the agony he felt at seeing his brother in such bad shape, he looked for further threats.
“Easy there, Rambo. Let me have a look at that shoulder,” Bones said, restraining Wade.
Dead in the Valley Page 22