She accepted the end of her life as a spy without fanfare. Her former mark, Doctor Taylor, had lost his mind, and he held no value to anyone anymore. He might as well be dead. Natasha hadn’t heard from her KGB handler in over a year, so he must be dead, too. Death would come for her here in the United States because she would never see Russia again. The end of the world sure changed the trajectory of her life. Well, to be fair, it changed everybody’s life and not for the better.
They survived this long and Natasha pushed Betty to continue on. On this warm summer day, she pushed them farther than normal on their run through the woods. All along the way, Natasha wove lessons in on survival, evasion, resistance, and escape. The KGB adopted SERE training from the United States Air Force. When a plane went down, help might never come for the pilot or crew, so they needed to survive on their own. The apocalypse provided the same issues as the crashed crew member left behind enemy lines. Help wasn’t coming from the outside, and that became increasingly clear after over a year of chaos.
Part of their training together included six locations for bug out supplies, and seven rendezvous points. To keep things simple, Natasha numbered the gathering spots, and applied the letters A through F to the supply areas. She knew panic would set in when things went bad, and she wanted to keep her young charge safe at all costs.
As they neared the two-hour mark, still running through the familiar surroundings of the forest, the ground shook beneath their feet. The roar of an explosion echoed from the direction of the camp. They froze and turned to face each other. The tactician inside her head jumped into motion and went to work forming a plan.
“Grab your gear from location Charlie and then rendezvous at point number four.”
With no further words, Natasha turned toward the camp and sprinted. She knew Betty would do what she had been told without question after their many drills together. At the time of the explosion, they were only about a mile from camp. Even through the woods, Natasha could make the camp in about five minutes. Not wanting to show up for the unknown empty-handed, she stopped at location E to equip herself with gear.
Location E contained a case with a Barrett M82 Semi-Automatic Rifle. The US Military referred to this gun as an M107 anti-materiel rifle and used it to destroy the enemy's equipment and eliminate combatants. She felt this gun would provide her with an advantage, since she would surely be outnumbered and outgunned. Natasha removed the rifle from the case and stuffed the five extra magazines into the pack they previously left behind with it. Before they escaped, she needed to know what enemy force they faced and needed to evade.
A hill overlooking the camp’s grounds sat between her current location and rendezvous point number four, where she would meet Betty. Natasha could take a peak to gauge the level of threat from the unknown combatants before she met with Betty. During the short run, she encountered and eliminated five zombies. They cleared this area months ago, and they hadn’t encountered the undead during any of their daily runs since. An explosion at the camp and now zombies running free through the woods couldn’t be a coincidence.
Natasha reached the ridge and had an unobstructed view of the camp’s grounds. A group of soldiers rounded up a gaggle of zombies they had used as their invading force. A group stood at the far end of the camp, and she used the scope on the rifle to view the events as they transpired. Dr. Taylor collapsed to the ground after she heard the report from a gunshot. Not an enormous loss to the world since he outlived his usefulness. The same woman who murdered Doc led Bobby and Helen away in zip cuffs and loaded them into a van. Another gunshot rang out, and Tom dropped. His erratic behavior made him a liability. They killed Tom last, so his betrayal probably led to this attack. No one would cry at Tom’s funeral either.
A puff of smoke from the tailpipe of the van told Natasha the prisoners were on the move. In her mind, Helen possessed value because of her medical training, so a rescue mission awaited her. Betty would be secure at their rendezvous point for a few more minutes. Natasha stowed the backpack and took only the rifle, her sidearm, hunting knife, and one extra magazine. She raced down a path, which provided a shortcut to the exit of the camp.
Natasha reached the state highway outside the camp’s grounds with only seconds to spare. There would be no time to relax and perfect her aim. Her choices came down to either a head shot for the driver or a shot through the engine block to disable the van. Not wanting to take a chance of wounding Helen, Natasha chose the engine block. She lined up her shot as best as possible and pulled the trigger. The bullet struck the engine block, but it had passed through the left front tire first. With the disintegration of the tire, the van rolled onto its left side as it slid off the road and into a ditch.
Natasha left the rifle behind and bolted for the van with her Glock in her right hand. Without checking the driver first, she put two bullets into center mass and then a third into her head. The back doors were unlocked and there she found Helen and Bobby. Both suffered from bumps and bruises from the crash, but otherwise were unharmed. Natasha cut the zip ties binding their arms and helped them to their feet. Not wasting any time to explain anything to the two, she backtracked to find Betty at the exfiltration position. They would follow her if they wanted to live.
###
“Natasha, thank God, I thought something happened to you. Helen, Bobby, what are you two doing here?”
“There’s no time for questions, Betty. We’ve got to move.”
She saw the direction the van had been attempting to go, so Natasha assumed their camp laid in that direction. Plus, once the group found the crashed van, they would know someone else remained alive in the area. They didn’t stand a chance of winning a battle, being both outnumbered and outgunned. The army could release their zombie gang, and it would doom the four of them. Their best chance would be to head in the same direction where Donald and Gwen went. Either they would connect with them, or they could find transport of their own along the way. Movement meant life and survival.
###
“Natasha… We need to stop… and rest. We’ve been… running for hours...” Helen said while huffing and puffing.
Helen was right, even if she had exaggerated. Neither she nor Bobby had the physical training Betty and Natasha had. Natasha estimated they had covered about five miles since they ran from the camp. Their location provided them a view of the state highway (at least she thought it was the same state highway) while they remained hidden from anyone who traveled on the road.
They only took the two packs, but they split the food and water among the four of them. It would have to last them until they found more.
“Helen, what happened back at the camp?” Betty asked her question and then pursed lips.
“My guess is, Tom sold us out. He let the attackers in, and their leader knew who he was. They killed Doc and then turned on him while they took Bobby and I away.”
“Shit. That explains his erratic behavior. Serves him right.” Natasha said.
“I thought he loved me.” Helen broke down crying.
Natasha wasn’t a touchy feely person because her upbringing had stunted her emotions. Still, she recognized they needed some time to rest and recover before she could continue to push them forward. They had to move sooner rather than later to stay ahead of the danger.
###
After ten minutes of crying, Helen calmed down and got her emotions in check. At least she appeared calmer on the outside. Natasha took this calm after the storm to drive them on. She wouldn’t let on to her charges the lack of a clear destination, but figured clarity and survival came from action.
They had been moving for another hour when the familiar rattle and pop of an antique air-cooled VW engine echoed from behind. Natasha recognized an opportunity when it knocked, and here it came straight for them. A plan hatched in an instant.
“Betty, throw your rifle into the woods. Stuff your pistol into your bag.”
Betty froze and stared at her without speaking.
&nbs
p; “It’s an order. Now.”
The look on her face told Natasha she didn’t understand the command, but she complied. Natasha tossed her rifle into the tree line too, while she stashed her pistol. It proved to be perfect timing, as a VW bus rolled to a stop next to them. The window rolled down, and she could see two men inside the van.
“Hi folks. My name is Mac, and this is my buddy, Jacob. We’re heading to a safe camp. We have food and water and we can take you with us. You look like you need a ride.” The driver said this with a smile he meant to be disarming, but he looked demented instead.
Natasha sized the two men up and liked the odds, so she spoke before anyone else could.
“Sure, we’d like to go with you.”
“Well, climb in strangers.”
The four of them climbed into the back of the van and closed the door. As Mac sped away, he pointed to a cooler sitting in the back seat with them.
“There’s cold water in that cooler. Drink up. I’m sure you’re all parched.” She noticed the smirk they both had on their faces, but the others were already drinking the water before she could respond.
Betty, Bobby, and Helen gulped from the water bottle. She understood because they had covered a lot of ground, but she didn’t trust the two men. Natasha took a bottle and pulled a small sip off the top. Her KGB training came back in an instant. Most people wouldn’t have picked up on the slightly bitter taste to the water, but she did. The men had drugged it. Betty lulled to sleep, followed by Helen and then Bobby. To maintain her advantage, she let the water bottle spill to the floor while she feigned unconsciousness. The right time to act would come, and she would be ready for action when it came.
###
“Wow, Jacob, four at one time. We’ll be heroes back at home. They’ll keep us feed for months.”
“Think we could stop before we get back. I’d like to have a go at that one.”
“The redhead?”
“No, the young one. She isn’t as young as I’d like, but she’ll do. It has been a while.”
“Hey, I’m not sure how long that roofy works, so let’s get them back to our place first. We’ll get them stripped and tied down and then you can have some fun.”
He laughed. Natasha couldn’t wait for the opportunity to kill them both.
CHAPTER EIGHT
AMY
Amy laughed at the naivety of poor, simple Tommy. He really thought Amy would let him into her trusted circle of advisors and become his lover. Another clueless man who fell to her charm because he thought with the head between his legs rather than the one on his shoulders. He proved himself useful by delivering this stockpile of supplies to her, but he would have eventually betrayed her, just like he did his former friends. Weapons, clothing, food, plants, vehicles, spare parts, and even a tank. Plus, they now had an actual doctor for the Republic and a female doctor at that. This cache of stuff would get them through the summer and help to prepare them for another long northern winter. She still gave thought to a move somewhere down south, since this stuff wouldn’t last forever. A more temperate climate with richer soil to grow their own food, would be key to their long-term survival. The White Mountains provided isolation from the fallen world, but not much else.
One of the Republic’s original members, Daniel, had been an engineer before the world collapsed. He oversaw a work crew who disassembled two of the wind turbines to bring back for powering their camp. They would supplement their current array of solar panels and provide them with around the clock electricity. She needed more faithful and reliable men like Daniel in the Republic to serve her. He might even get lucky later if he desired. If his ideas succeeded, she would see to his rewards herself.
###
The day ended, and Amy stood on the top floor of the captured building overlooking her handiwork. This proved to be a remarkable coup for her and the Republic. The supplies were almost limitless, and they would have a more reliable supply of electricity to top it all off. It would have been better if she had pulled the trigger herself, which killed Donald and his lanky bitch, but she had confidence in her men to perform their duty. A squad of zombie soldiers and three trained killers would prove too much for Donald, his bitch, and his little brat. Once the three soldiers returned to camp, she would assign them some company for the night as their reward for a job of vengeance well done. Like the late Zachary Taylor would say, “Ass and fear keep the team together.” Even though Amy killed him, she took his advice to heart, and it worked well so far to keep control over the masses.
A voice from the radio interrupted Amy’s private victory celebration. “Maine, this is Tennessee. Come in, Donald.”
Who could this be? The voice sounded like an older male. Amy hadn’t even noticed the Ham Radio Set before she heard the incoming broadcast. Another camp of survivors? Tennessee was located south of Maine, but so was most of the country.
“Donald, it’s Max. Please pick up. We can use some help here in Tennessee.”
As the old saying goes, God helps them who help themselves. Amy proved to be an expert at helping herself, and she figured this new situation would be no different. A plan formed, and she picked up the microphone to speak. Before she spoke, she feigned fear and panic.
“Hello, Max, this is Amy in Maine. Come in.”
“Who are you? Where’s Donald?”
“I’m new to the camp. We were just attacked by a group of bandits. They’ve taken everything, and I’m hiding from them all alone. Donald escaped with the others when the fighting started. I don’t know if anyone is still alive. You need to help me.” After this last comment, she let the sobs and tears flow before she let go of the transmit button. Amy needed to sell the con job to get what she needed from this Max.
“Uh, Amy, I’d love to help you, but we have our hands full here, too. Plus, we’re about 1,500 miles away and even in the best of times it’s a 24 hour drive. I don’t think we can help right now.”
“Tell me where you are and I’ll try to come to you.”
“Donald would have that information. Talk to him.”
Shit! This wasn’t working as she had hoped. Max isn’t as stupid as she thought. With only an audio connection, Amy didn’t have use of her full set of woman’s tools. She needed to think of something, fast.
“I told you they attacked us. I’m all alone now. Don’t you know what happens to women when they’re left on their own? Please, please help me!” She added the waterworks for a second time.
“Darling, I’m truly sorry, but I can’t help you. Good luck. If you see Donald, let him know Max called.”
“Listen closely. I killed Donald and I’m taking everything here at the camp in Maine. I’m coming for you next, Max. Better keep looking over your shoulder.”
No response.
“Did you hear me, Max? I’m coming for you next! I’ll kill you and everyone you love and take all you have too. See you soon.”
Still only dead air. She slammed the microphone down onto the table, smashing it into pieces. Better look around before we burn this place to find out where this other camp might be. Max needed to die and there're more supplies for them to take. For the next hour, Amy upended drawers and examined their contents. So much stuff to rifle through, and all she needed was one answer. She reached the point where she had planned on quitting when she found it. A binder labeled with the words, “Survival Cabin Locations.” Bingo!
Amy now stood outside the building, relishing her victory. They had stripped the camp of anything valuable. Daniel had rigged the two main buildings of the camp with incendiary charges. Once she pressed the button on the detonator, the buildings would burn to the ground. A little dramatic, but it did no good leaving a place like this for another group to occupy. She depressed the button and watched the blaze start. The scent of the smoke was her long awaited victory.
As she turned to her new pickup truck, one of her army officers, Linda, ran toward her. Linda had proved herself loyal during Amy’s bloody wedding and many other m
inor skirmishes since then.
“Queen Amy, we found General Jessica’s van crashed into a ditch. Someone killed her and took the prisoners. There’s no sign of their escape route.”
Today felt like trying to surf a tsunami in a hurricane. One moment you’re higher than the sky, the next you’re kicked in the gut. Her trusted ally and friend, Jessica, dead. Flames leapt from the structure in front of her, so the only move left was a return to the Republic.
“Show me.”
Linda climbed into the driver’s side of the truck to take Amy to the murder scene. The van lay on its side in a gulley. Thick brush had swallowed the wreck up, making it difficult to see from the road. Amy saw the path the bullet took through the front tire and into the engine block of the truck. Good shooting by someone who knew what they were doing. Jessica hadn’t died from the crash, but from lead poisoning afterward. Whoever shot her put a round through her head so she hadn’t turned into a zombie. What a waste of her trusted ally. She wouldn’t even be able to partake in Amy’s zombie army. Amy kicked the roof of the van hard enough to cave a dent into it. She would find whoever killed Jessica and kill them herself. Then she would travel to Tennessee and kill Max, too. No one takes from Amy what was hers and lived to tell about it. Everyone would pay.
CHAPTER NINE
DONALD BISHOP
This night proved to be the longest Donald lived through since the apocalypse started. Donald dispatched the last human attacker, and then they cleaned up all the remaining zombies together. Every twig snap and unexplained noise had him on edge, so he hadn’t slept a wink. What made matters worse were the thick clouds of black smoke which filled the sky from the direction of their camp. He guessed they would find nothing but wreckage once they returned home. His fallback plan had been a trip to his father’s home in Virginia. Before he departed the compound, Donald discovered the entrance to a vault built underground. A DNA lock, keyed to his DNA, assured no one else could access it. The vault contained food and supplies, and it would keep the three of them safe for years. Natasha and Betty were the only others not with them, aware of this plan, so if they survived they would head to the compound in Virginia, too.
Retribution: Operation Z Book 2 Page 4