Retribution: Operation Z Book 2

by G. D. Szepanski

  The bug out package at position C sat a quarter mile away from her current location. Betty had made good time, considering the half dozen zombies she dispatched along the way. Since the initial explosion, there had been no gunfire or another explosion. It might have only been an accident and Natasha overreacting, but that wouldn’t explain the appearance of all the zombies in the woods. Did the undead learn how to use explosives to plan their own invasion? Unlikely, since they proved to be uncoordinated and unintelligent, even if they managed to travel in groups.

  It comforted Betty to find location C undisturbed. No one had discovered their stash. She removed the waterproof covering and found the backpack and the gun case, just as they had left it weeks ago. Betty removed the small pack she wore and stuffed the contents into the larger pack she recovered from location Charlie. She would carry the gun case in her right hand. Now to meet Natasha at the rendezvous point and hope the explosion hadn’t come from their home like they thought.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  DONALD BISHOP

  Donald never imagined how cold or long the winter in Maine would have turned out to be. The only good news was the winter seemed to be tough on the zombies too, since they hadn’t seen many during the coldest months. Freezing weather and snow had given way to a wet but warm spring. Warmer weather brought a return of the dead, but the numbers were much less than the previous fall. Either the winter did them in, they rotted away, or they migrated south for the winter. Snowbird zombies. This stray thought made Donald chuckle to himself.

  “What’s so funny?” Gwen asked.

  “Just thinking about rotting bodies playing shuffleboard in the Florida sun.”

  “You’re weird!”

  “That may be true, Gwen, but you love me anyway!”

  “Don’t push your luck, buddy. What are we going to do for Matt’s birthday?”

  “That’s right. This mess started last year, just before his birthday. Why don’t the three of us head up to the lake?”

  “Do you think it’s safe to do that?”

  “With the return of the warmer weather, we still haven’t seen many zombies. The lake is in the middle of nowhere, and population density is proportional to potential zombie density. So there shouldn’t be any issues. What could go wrong?”

  ###

  Even with the low level of threat he expected to encounter, Donald took Natasha’s advice and packed three Claymore Mines along with their gear in the back of the Jeep before they left. The solar charger required nothing but sunshine to work, but it took 24 hours to completely recharge the Jeep’s batteries. They would be on their own for the duration of their stay at the lake. Their normal complement of weapons, two AR-15s and a Mossberg tactical shotgun should be enough firepower to secure their campsite for a few nights. The drive proved uneventful, so all this preparation for their security might have been overkill. Upon their arrival, Donald placed the Claymores per Natasha’s suggestions. She proved to be a master with weaponry, so he had full faith in Natasha’s advice.

  ###

  With the campsite secured and the solar charger set up, all that remained was enjoying the day by the icy spring water of the lake. It proved to be refreshing after all their work, setting up the camp in the sweltering summer sun. The stress melted away from Donald while he spent the afternoon relaxing with the two people he loved the most in the world. His thoughts drifted to these better times of enjoying a summer vacation with his new family rather than fighting for their lives with flesh-eating monsters.

  Donald’s wandering mind snapped back to the present because of an ear-splitting explosion and tremors that shook the ground. The noise drew his eyes toward its source, and he watched as tendrils of smoke reached to the sky from the direction of the cabin. He remained frozen to the spot, unable to speak. What the hell had happened?

  As he stood and stared in horror at the ascending clouds of smoke, the first Claymore Mine went off inside of their protective bubble. Donald knew razor sharp shrapnel had shredded anything or anyone who approached their campsite, but it also signified the serious threat they now faced. Only Natasha, Betty, and the three of them knew their current location. So who could be here? Did Tom know too? He had been acting strange lately. The second Claymore Mine shattered the silence of the forest while Donald contemplated the incoming threat. He drew his trusty Desert Eagle and reached for the case with his AR-15 in the back of the Jeep. There was only one more Claymore Mine separating them from the oncoming threat, so they needed to prepare for the imminent attack. They wouldn’t be able to run away because the Jeep’s batteries had only recovered to a 25% charge. The Jeep entered a limp home mode with a charge level below 30% to increase range.

  He reached their camp’s defensive fall back position and found both Gwen and Matthew already in position. Sorry for this birthday present, Matthew. Donald hoped it wouldn’t be Matthew’s last birthday. They were both already armed and waiting for the intruders to appear. Gwen had an AR-15 like him, and Matthew sported a Mossberg Tactical Shotgun. Matthew had improved with his shooting skills, but careful aim proved tough when under stress, so the shotgun became his weapon of choice. Aim wasn’t an important consideration with the shotgun.

  The third and final Claymore Mine detonated with an enormous boom. They had placed it close enough to them that Donald heard the shrapnel tear through the foliage. Whatever made it through the three booby traps would appear in the clearing any second now. A half dozen zombies ambled out of the tree line. Donald’s proteges used fire discipline by waiting to shoot at the oncoming horde. None of the monsters were in good shape anymore since they weren’t fresh kills and they had walked through three Claymore Mines before arriving at the campsite’s entrance. As they entered the kill zone, Donald noticed a wounded but obvious human man driving the zombies toward them. He took a calming breath and sent a round down range through the man’s skull. Gwen and Matthew did their jobs as they dropped the remaining dead with their controlled fire.

  “I need the two of you to stay here, while I check out the approach. That seemed too easy.”

  Donald broke cover, stayed low, and scurried toward the Jeep. Pausing behind the vehicle, he observed no immediate threats on the roadway. He dashed from the safety of the Jeep to a large boulder at the edge of the woods. A quick peak showed no new incoming enemies. Using the trees as camouflage, he continued down the dirt road. Approaching the first (or last from the incoming road) Claymore location, he found pulped body parts and a second living human man. The man’s left leg was missing below the knee, but he still drew breath. Ouch, that had to hurt.

  “Are there anymore of you?”

  “Fuck you!” The wounded man spat at him after he spoke.

  “Look, you will die out here. Do the right thing and answer my questions, and I might make your death quick. Who sent you?”

  “Fuck you!”

  This guy was a one hit wonder. No time for this distraction. Donald drew the hunting knife from his belt and drove it through the guy’s eye socket, ending his suffering and assuring he didn’t come back. Time to move on.

  He approached the middle Claymore mine location. Here he found more shredded and pulped body parts. A snapping zombie head lay on the ground. Donald snickered while he dispatched of the loose head. No sign of any living humans here.

  The last (or first from the intruder's perspective) Claymore Mine location proved more of the same. Here he found signs that one of the mutilated bodies had belonged to a living human rather than a zombie, but this one laid dead. That made a grand total of three humans and an unknown number of the undead.

  A few hundred yards down the road, Donald found a small box truck parked on the road. The rental company’s insignias still decorated the sides of the vehicle. No one, living or dead, remained behind by the rig. Whoever planned the attack brought a truck full of zombies and three people to drive them forward to attack the three of them. It reminded him of Vincent’s family’s strategy last year. Had Vincent finally retu
rned for his revenge? He checked the cab but found nothing of use or any clues inside. Whoever had been driving took the keys with them, so the truck would be useless to them.

  ###

  When he returned to the campsite, Gwen asked him. “What did you find?”

  “A box truck full of zombies and three humans to herd them toward us. The keys from the truck are missing and there wasn’t anything useful left behind.”

  “What should we do?”

  “Good question. The Jeep’s batteries are only charged to 27% and we can’t make them charge any faster. Natasha’s advice with the Claymore’s worked perfectly, but they triggered all three, so now we are defenseless.”

  Matthew stood still with his lips trembling, and his elbows pressed close to his side. Donald knew the look and felt scared himself, but he couldn’t do or say anything to ease the boy’s fear.

  “Here’s the plan. We dig in and watch each other's back. The batteries will finish charging early tomorrow morning. Then we’ll head back to the cabin to help. There’s nothing we can do until then.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  LT. THOMAS JOHNSON

  This would be the day Tom would get revenge for his father’s untimely death at the hands of Joey Bishop. The Republic of the White Mountains planned to invade the camp and capture the remaining survivors while they confiscated all the supplies. Tom’s reward included a new life with the love of his life, Amy, and a leadership position on the ground floor of their newly formed Republic. He had a small taste one day while hiking in the woods and couldn’t wait to experience more of Amy. She possessed everything Helen lacked. A proper woman fit for a real man like Tom.

  True, Donald and his lanky bitch were away from the camp, but Amy assured him she had a special treat for their doom. Tom would make sure Natasha ended up dead today, too. She proved to be too dangerous and unwilling to take even the most basic of orders from him. Tom didn’t care what happened to any of the others in the group, including his former love, Helen. They could submit to Amy and conform to the wishes of the Republic or die. Either choice would be fine with him, because today would be the day he finally won.

  Tom’s job for the invasion would include opening the gates to allow the Republic Army entry to the camp. He stole the codes and already placed charges to disable the three entry gates to prevent them from closing. The plan included burning the cabin and garage after the Republic soldiers stripped them of all their resources. Amy was a beautiful woman and a creative mastermind.

  ###

  He took an electric ATV from the garage, and Tom departed to the outside gate to wait for the invading army to arrive. He rode this same machine on their first full day in the camp when he discovered Vincent’s secret of kidnapping and murder. Tom had been the hero that day, but like always, Donald took all the credit. How had they lasted this long with Donald’s combination of big ego and poor leadership skills? No worries, because the era of Donald had now passed away. Time to move on with the love of his life, Amy. It would be a wonderful day for him to celebrate victory.

  The caravan arrived, right on time, at the front gate. It contained three box trucks, a school bus, a command Jeep, and a panel van. The bus contained their human army, while the box trucks contained their army of dead soldiers. Amy drove the command Jeep herself and stopped next to Tom.

  “Hey, big man. It’s time for your glory. Are you ready?” Amy asked.

  “Yes, I am love. The time has come for the Republic to flourish.” Tom responded to her question as he punched the code into the first gate. His ATV led the convoy onto the grounds of the camp. Before meeting the army at the gate, Tom had cut the feeds to all the cameras along their infiltration route. No one could see them coming, even if the lazy crew on the third floor actually paid any attention.

  They reached the second gate, and Tom repeated the procedure, allowing the convoy to proceed farther in. Only one more gate separated them from all the riches inside the camp’s walls. Tom shared a lust filled smile with his new love and drove on with perfect posture.

  When they reached the third gate, Tom stopped and approached the Jeep. “This is the last gate before we enter the camp’s grounds.”

  Amy smiled and picked up her radio. “This is it! Invasion protocol number one.”

  She drove the Jeep off to one side of the road and the van followed her. The three box trucks reversed, presenting their rear roller doors to the gate. On the opposite side of the approach road, the school bus stopped and disgorged the soldiers. They took their positions in an attack formation with a fine-tuned precision.

  “Ok sweetie, open the gate for our victory.”

  Tom punched in the code to open the barrier. In one well-organized movement, the three box trucks backed inside the open gate. Their doors rolled opened automatically and zombies poured out of each truck. Soldiers marched forward, pushing the undead horde ahead of them, destroying anything in their path. The charges on all three gates detonated within seconds of each other, shaking the ground, splitting the eardrums of anyone unlucky to be close enough, and combining to send a large, dark cloud of smoke skyward.

  As Tom expected, no resistance came from anyone inside the camp. Shock and awe. The group had become too unorganized and lazy to mount any defense under Donald’s watch. His biggest disappointment came with the disappearance of Natasha and her little twin bitch teenager, Betty. He should have known they would run like cockroaches when the lights came on. To his delight, they captured Doc, Bobby, and Helen without incident. Tom directed the invaders to all the choice stores of supplies around the camp. Amy seemed pleased with the tank. Well, she didn’t know it was actually an APV and not a tank. Someday he would educate her on all kinds of things. Tom had plenty of time to enjoy this victory.

  ###

  “Tommy, tell me about the three prisoners.”

  Tom didn’t like anyone calling him Tommy, but he would let it go for now. Amy was too sexy to correct. Plus, she held the power right now. When the time came, he would take it from her.

  “Before the fall, Doc had been a doctor. Since then he has been a useless drunk.”

  Amy turned to the attractive woman standing next to her. “Jess, shot him.”

  “Wait! I’m an important…” His self-righteous speech ended with a gunshot through his heart.

  “How about this one?” Amy asked, while pointing at Bobby.

  “His name is Bobby and he can fix anything. It doesn’t matter if it’s mechanical or electrical.”

  “Ok, he lives. What about the bitch?”

  “Helen is a doctor and has taken care of the medical needs of the group.”

  “We could use a doctor. She lives too. Jess, load them both into the van and take them back to the Republic. Get them set up, but don’t harm either unless I say so.”

  “Yes, boss.” She led the two away at gunpoint after binding their hands behind their backs. Tom wanted his revenge, but not like this. He didn’t know what he expected, but he found his stomach churned as it readied to expel his breakfast. Two men dragged Doc’s body over to one of the box trucks and loaded him inside, along with the zombies.

  “He’ll be a part of our army. Lucky for him. What else do I need to know about the camp, Tommy?”

  “Uh.. I think you’ve seen it all. I guess we can load it all up and get moving.”

  Amy smirked as she drew her gun and pointed it at Tom. “Then I guess my need for you is over.”

  “But you said we’d be together, and you’d make me a general.”

  “Silly boy. You’ve proved to me you think way too much with the wrong head. I winked and showed my tits, and then you betrayed your friends. What would it take for you to betray me?”

  “I would never betray you. I love you.”

  She laughed while pulling the trigger. A red hot poker drilled through his gut.

  “The bad news is, it will take a while for you to bleed out from a gut shot. Very painful. Here’s the good news. You’ll get to lead my zombi
e army, general.”

  Tom’s stomach throbbed as he watch his life gush out of him. How had things gone so wrong? Why did he betray his friends? Would they ever forgive him? The world grew dim. But he heard Amy speak one last time.

  “Throw him in the back with his army. Let’s get this place cleaned out.”

  Two men lifted him from the ground and carried him to the same truck they deposited Doc in earlier. A trap door opened on the top of the truck and they dropped his body in. Funny, the fall didn’t even hurt him. The zombies stirred, but then settled when they found it was only a new recruit to their ever-growing army. His bleeding slowed, and he discovered a hunger developing inside of him. This hunger sought violence, blood, and human flesh. What was happening to him?

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  NATASHA

  Natasha felt a kinship with Betty. The KGB robbed Natasha of her childhood and turned her into the monster she was now. Now she rejoiced because those skills were the ones that kept her and Betty alive. Extreme physical training, military drills, and spy craft took the place of proms, homecoming, and graduation. Her life hadn’t been pleasant, but she wouldn’t trade it for anything else now. Natasha had the knowledge and prowess to survive the end of the world.

  Betty’s life had changed because of the rise of the undead rather than human intervention. Zombies ripped her mother to pieces before her eyes, and she had to seek shelter with strangers. Therefore, Natasha never took it easy on Betty. She loved Betty like a daughter and wanted her to survive this mess, even if she didn’t.