Fight 4 Us (Book 10): Ghosts

by Grenda, Brian

  Matt’s drone flies over us, and I hear Matt over the radio, “You have a couple zombies around the back of the facility, but I didn’t see anything else on the property.”

  “Thank you, Matt, keep an eye on the streets around here and let us know if you see anyone coming here. Brad is supposed to meet us here,” I reply to Matt over the radio.

  “What exactly are we doing here?” asks Janet to TJ.

  “I don’t know really, but Ryan wanted to come here, and I want to help him,” answers TJ as he lets Odin out of his jeep.

  Odin barks towards the side of the main water treatment building.

  We all look towards the side of the building where Odin barked at.

  Three zombies slowly creep around the side of the main building of the water treatment plant.

  I remove my katana from my red scabbard, Phil grabs his aluminum baseball bat, and Jon aims his handgun at the approaching zombies.

  BANG!

  BANG!

  BANG!

  TJ and Janet easily kill the approaching zombies with shots from their handguns.

  “Okay, very nice,” I say to TJ and Janet.

  I look closer at the three dead zombies and I see that they are all wearing uniforms for the water treatment plant.

  “I hope there aren’t tons more dead workers around here,” I say.

  “Could be, let’s keep our eyes peeled,” replies Phil.

  Shaun walks over to the front entrance doors of the water treatment plant main building and sees that the doors are closed but unlocked.

  Jon looks around the water treatment plant parking lot and he sees three cars parked in the empty parking lot.

  “I wonder if these three are they only ones here as I only see three cars in the parking lot,” says Jon.

  “How far away is the electric company?” asks Phil.

  I look at Phil and answer, “Not that far, but I think we just check out here today. Brad should be here soon.”

  “Should we go inside?” asks Shaun.

  “Let’s break up into groups. A couple people go inside, a couple stay here, and a couple people check out the back of the facility,” I answer Shaun.

  “Okay, I’ll go inside with Shaun,” says Phil.

  TJ asks me, “What do you want us to do?”

  “Check out the back of the facility while Jon and I stay here and wait for Brad," I answer TJ.

  “You got it,” replies TJ.

  “Be careful though, there could be a couple more groups of zombies around here,” I say to TJ.

  TJ, Janet, and Odin walk around the side of the water treatment plant main building, while Shaun and Phil go inside the water treatment plant main building.

  “How we looking Matt?” I ask into my radio earpiece.

  “Pretty good, nothing going on around here… Wait… I see two vehicles coming your direction,” answers Matt over the radio.

  I look at Jon and say, “Two cars are coming this way.”

  Jon gets behind our electric truck, and I get behind TJ’s jeep.

  I see the two vehicles enter the water treatment plant parking lot and slowly drive towards two parking spaces near the main entrance gate of the water treatment plant.

  Jon and I don’t recognize the vehicles that just parked in the parking lot.

  I look at Jon and whisper, “Stay hidden until we see someone we know.”

  Jon nods his head in agreement.

  The two vehicles, that just parked in the parking lot, are clearly visible from our location in the empty parking lot.

  “Guys, we have company here,” I say quietly into my earpiece.

  Two people get out of each vehicle and look around the parking lot and towards the main building of the water treatment plant.

  I see Brad, Eric, and two men that I have never seen before.

  “Why did you have to come here Brad?” asks one of the unknown men that are with Brad and Eric.

  “This building is responsible for our tap water and I’m sure you want clean drinking water,” answers Brad to the unknown man.

  Brad sees me and Jon and he puts his right index finger on his lips.

  I take that gesture from Brad as a sign to keep quiet.

  The front entrance doors of the water treatment plant main building open and Shaun and Phil exit the building.

  Brad, Eric, and the two men who are with Brad and Eric see Shaun and Phil.

  “Freeze right there!” shouts one of the two men that are with Brad and Eric.

  Shaun and Phil point their guns at the two unknown men that are with Brad and Eric.

  “What the fuck Brad!” shouts Phil.

  Brad quietly steps behind one of the unknown men that has his rifle pointed at Shaun and Phil.

  Eric sees Brad step behind the unknown man, and Eric follows Brad’s lead by stepping behind the other unknown man.

  “Drop your weapons!” shouts the unknown man, that Eric is standing behind, as he has his shotgun pointed at Shaun and Phil.

  Jon, Shaun, Phil, and I don’t know what to do.

  Brad shouts, “I got this!”

  BANG!

  Brad fires a shot from his handgun and kills the unknown man that he was standing behind.

  BANG!

  Eric kills the other unknown man that he was standing behind.

  I come out from behind TJ’s jeep and shout, “What the fuck?”

  BANG!

  BANG!

  Brad shoots both of the unknown men, as they lie on the street, in the head to make sure they are dead.

  “We had to get rid of them. They were sent with us per our new leader,” says Brad.

  TJ, Janet, and Odin come running over towards us.

  TJ and Janet have their guns drawn and are aiming them at Brad and Eric.

  “It’s okay, they are with us!” I shout as I see TJ, Janet, and Odin approaching our position.

  “Everything okay?” asks TJ.

  “Yeah, everything is good now,” I answer TJ.

  “Are we good guys?” asks Jon to Brad and Eric.

  “Yeah, we had to get rid of our chaperons,” answers Eric.

  “What is your leader going to say about them not coming back?” asks Phil to Brad and Eric.

  “They died on the trip here. We won’t lie, but we won’t get into specifics either,” answers Brad.

  I look at Shaun and Phil and ask, “Is there anything going on inside? Any problems?”

  “We only got to see a couple rooms, but it’s super dark in there. This place definitely doesn’t have full power,” answers Shaun.

  “Fuck, I think we have to check out the power company then,” I reply to Shaun.

  “Ummmm… Guys, you have company coming your way. And they are moving pretty fast,” says Matt over the radio.

  Several black SUV’s and a yellow sports car come speeding into the parking lot of the water treatment plant.

  We all see the vehicles, and I recognize one of the black SUV’s.

  The three black SUV’s and the yellow sports car park near where we are standing in the parking lot of the water treatment plant.

  TJ aims his handgun at the vehicles.

  Phil, Jon, Shaun, and I recognize the vehicles.

  Brad and Eric are afraid of the vehicles.

  Odin barks at the vehicles.

  “It’s okay. I think we know these people,” I say to TJ, Janet, and Odin.

  Several vehicle doors open of the three black SUV’s and the yellow sports car and several people get out of the vehicles.

  Shaun sees that they are wearing masks and face covers and he recognizes Bakari’s mask.

  I step towards Bakari and I hear Odin growl.

  Odin starts running towards Bakari, and TJ doesn’t try to stop him.

  A man behind Bakari points a small device at Odin and Odin stops in his tracks and cowers in fear.

  I am amazed that Odin was stopped by whatever the man has in his hand.

  “Lower your gun TJ and call Odin back!”
I shout to TJ.

  “Come here O!” shouts TJ.

  Odin slowly walks over to TJ.

  TJ holsters his handgun and checks Odin.

  “You okay boy?” asks TJ to Odin.

  Bakari removes his mask and looks at TJ and Odin.

  The man behind Bakari releases the button on the small handheld device he used to stop Odin.

  “My dog better be okay!” shouts TJ at Bakari.

  “He will be fine if you control him!” shouts the man behind Bakari.

  “Your dog will be fine. Saba just used a device to calm him down. It only lasts when the device is on,” says Bakari to TJ.

  I see that TJ is pissed and I say, “You can trust them TJ. We know them.”

  “I know them also! They are terrorists!” shouts TJ.

  “What did you call us?” shouts Cyrus.

  Bakari puts his hand on Cyrus’ massive chest and says, “Calm down big man. I’m sure this gentleman with the dog is misinformed.”

  “What’s the problem?” I ask TJ.

  “They are the problem. I know all about them. You fired on several helicopters and almost got us killed!” shouts TJ.

  I look at Bakari with a concerned look on my face.

  “I do not deny that my people and I have protected our people around downtown and the zoo, but we have not attacked anyone unless they threatened our people,” replies Bakari to TJ.

  TJ looks at me and says, “I’m sorry Ryan. I won’t have any part of working with these people.”

  I look at TJ and say, “I understand.”

  TJ starts walking with Odin to his jeep.

  “I’m sorry guys, but I’m with him,” says Janet to us and then Janet catches up with TJ and Odin.

  We all watch as TJ speeds away from the water treatment plant.

  Bakari and his group look at Eric and Brad.

  “We aren’t with that guy and his dog,” says Brad to Bakari.

  Eric recognizes Bakari and Bakari recognizes Eric.

  “Hey Bakari, how are ya?” asks Eric.

  “I’m good Eric. How are you?” asks Bakari.

  I’m confused at what just happened here.

  “Where are you living now?” asks Bakari to Eric.

  “Julia and I are living in Channelside,” answers Eric.

  “That’s what we are meeting with Brad and Eric about,” I say to Bakari.

  “I’m sorry to impose on your meeting Ryan, but we have some plans for you and your group if you are ready to make good on our previous deal,” says Bakari.

  “Did you find any of our weapons?” asks Jon to Bakari.

  “We found some things in the truck, but no guns or your sword,” answers Cyrus.

  “Damn,” says Jon.

  “We have the supplies that were in the back of the truck back home. We can bring them to you, or you can get them when you come by our community,” says Bakari.

  “You asking us to come to your community or telling us?” asks Phil.

  “Both,” replies Bakari.

  “We need those weapons back Bakari. My guys need their weapons back, before we can help you,” I say to Bakari.

  “I understand, but like I said we don’t have them, but I think I know where they might be,” replies Bakari.

  “Where?” I ask Bakari.

  “You might want to check out your friends Dutch and Cage at World of Trade,” answers Cyrus.

  “They have them?” asks Shaun.

  Bakari looks at me and answers, “We have good reason to believe that they have them.”

  “Shit I’m definitely going there then,” says Jon.

  “How do you know they have them?” I ask Bakari.

  “A hunch,” answers Bakari.

  “Okay, if we get our weapons back then we will help you for sure,” I say to Bakari.

  “Sounds good Ryan,” replies Bakari.

  “How did you know we were here?” asks Phil.

  “We have our ways, and we’ll explain everything when you commit to working with us,” answers Bakari.

  “How do we get in contact with you?” asks Shaun.

  “You don’t,” answers Cyrus.

  Bakari looks at Saba and motions for Saba to give him something.

  Saba goes into the black SUV, grabs a device from inside the black SUV, and hands it to Bakari.

  I see the device that Saba just handed Bakari and it looks like a futuristic handheld radio.

  “I’m trusting you with this Ryan,” says Bakari as he holds the device in his right hand.

  “I’m trusting you all with this,” says Bakari to Phil, Jon, and Shaun.

  “You can trust us,” I say to Bakari.

  Bakari hands me the device and says, “This is a satellite radio phone. It will work anywhere on the planet. It’s fully charged now, but preserve the battery as it goes quick.”

  I look at the satellite radio phone.

  Phil looks at the satellite radio phone and says, “That doesn’t look like any satellite radio phone I have ever seen.”

  “I modified it myself, and it’s much better than any radio or phone you have seen before,” replies Saba.

  “Saba is our tech genius and he has some pretty awesome stuff,” says Bakari.

  “Thank you, sir,” says Saba to Bakari.

  “When we get our weapons back, we will contact you and work on paying our end of the deal,” I say to Bakari.

  “Use the only number programmed into the phone to reach us. Ask for Saba, Cyrus, or myself,” replies Bakari to me.

  “You got it,” I say to Bakari and I shake his hand.

  Bakari looks at Brad and Eric and says, “I apologize for the interruption, but we heard the gunfire and wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

  “It’s all good Bakari. We have to get together sometime. DJ and the guys would love to see you,” says Eric to Bakari.

  “DJ is still alive? I can’t believe that. That guy is crazy,” responds Bakari to Eric.

  Saba gets a message and says, “We gotta go boss.”

  “Our job is never done. We’ll be in touch gentlemen,” says Bakari to us.

  Bakari, Saba, Cyrus and the rest of Bakari’s group get into their vehicles and they speed away from the water treatment plant.

  “What the hell is going on around here?” jokes Shaun.

  “Just your regular day around here now,” I joke.

  “What’s up Brad? What’s the problem at Channelside?” asks Phil.

  “I don’t know if I should tell you now. You might have that crazy group come after us,” jokes Brad.

  “We might,” I say to Brad.

  I smile at Brad and Brad laughs.

  “But seriously what’s up with Channelside?” I ask Brad.

  Brad looks at Eric and jokes, “Where to begin?”

  Brad and Eric tell us about Sal, the election, what Sal has done at Channelside, and what Sal plans to do.

  “He plans to control the Gulf and also downtown?” I ask Brad and Eric.

  “Yeah, he wants to make Channelside like a toll. People have to pay the toll to get into downtown and to get around the water around here like the Gulf of Mexico and the bay,” answers Brad.

  “I see the problem to the rest of us, but what’s the problem to the people of Channelside?” asks Phil.

  “Sal and his group are turning Channelside into a dictatorship. People are scared and not sure what to do… But I know I could trust you and hopefully get some help,” answers Brad.

  “Well now that we know Bakari and is group exist, we could get them on board to help us possibly,” says Eric to Brad.

  “That’s for sure, but one step at a time,” I say to Brad and Eric.

  “Why did you want to meet here anyway?” asks Brad.

  “I’m worried about our water supply. Without safe drinking water and a clean water supply we are pretty much fucked,” I answer Brad.

  “Has anyone tried to get the power back on?” asks Eric.

  “We have not, we
have been running on solar power since we lost power months ago,” I answer Eric.

  “I’m surprised the power companies don’t have solar backups or a better way to generate power from the solar panels around here,” says Jon.

  “That’s definitely something to look into, and I’ll bring it up to Sal,” replies Brad.

  “That could be your excuse to meet us again,” says Phil to Brad.

  “I hope he buys the fact that his two men were killed coming here,” I say to Brad.

  “I hope so too, but I’ll make him see the sense in getting the power back on in Tampa Bay and how he may be able to control it,” replies Brad.

  “Good idea, we will be in touch after we check out World of Trade,” I respond to Brad.

  CHAPTER 14

  I’M SORRY

  “You sure you want to see Dutch and Cage this morning?” asks Shaun to me as I place two boxes of trade goods into the back of the electric truck that is parked in Shaun’s driveway.

  “Yeah, I know Jon wants to get his sword back and I’m eager to see if they have your weapons... Don’t you want to see if Bakari is right?” I answer Shaun.

  I hear our main gate open and see three people enter Citrus Oaks on foot.

  As the people walk down the street, I can’t really make out who the three people are.

  The three people continue walking down the middle of the street and come towards Shaun’s house.

  “Who is that?” asks Shaun as he puts the last box of trade goods into the back of the electric truck.

  The three people are about 100 feet away from Shaun and I, and I see that it’s Sam, Jerri-Lynn, and another young woman that I haven’t seen before.

  “Hey Ryan!” shouts Jerri-Lynn.

  “Hey, you are up early this morning,” I reply to Jerri-Lynn.

  Jerri-Lynn, Sam, and the other young woman walk over to Shaun and me.

  “What’s up?” I ask Jerri-Lynn and Sam.

  “Nothing much, but I was just hoping to catch you this morning,” answers Jerri-Lynn.

  “What’s going on? Everything okay?” I ask Jerri-Lynn.

  “Yeah, I just wanted to introduce you to Chelsea. She lives across the street with her brother and father,” answers Jerri-Lynn.

  Shaun looks at Chelsea and sees her rifle.

  “Nice rifle ya got there,” says Shaun to Chelsea.

  “Thanks, it gets the job done,” replies Chelsea.