Before the sun went down, the Jeep’s batteries had recovered to only 73%. This would provide plenty of charge to get them back to the camp, but what then? If someone had destroyed the camp, then they would have no choice but to move on to Virginia. The drive back to the camp would deplete the charge on the batteries, and then they would have to wait for the solar charger to recover them again. There could still be enemies waiting for them to return to the camp. Once their attack force didn’t return from the lake, they’d know Donald was still alive. He needed a plan, but the exhaustion zapped all of his creativity and he found it difficult to concentrate.
###
As the sun rose and illuminated the camp, Gwen awoke. “Good morning, sweetie. How d'you sleep?”
“Fitfully. What are we going to do, Donald? Do you think anyone survived at the cabin?”
“I’m not sure what happened or if anyone survived, but you know how resourceful Natasha is. If anyone survived back there, it’s because of her.”
“I’m sure you’re right. What about us, though?”
“The positives are we’re still alive and the Jeep’s batteries are at 90% charge. What the cabin looks like is a huge unknown. Based upon all the smoke yesterday, my hope of finding things there OK is nonexistent.”
Gwen went quiet. She sat and stared off into space toward the place that had been their home for the last year. Donald wished he could make things better for her and Matthew, but being alive and possessing the ability to breathe was the best he could do right now. It would be all up to him to develop a plan to keep them safe. She saved Matthew’s and his life at the start of the apocalypse, but Gwen needed to deal with her own shock regarding their current situation. They weren’t even sure what or who they were grieving. While these thoughts swirled through his head, Donald remembered something Natasha told him before they left. He lept up to snatch the map from inside of the Jeep.
“Natasha explored the woods around the camp and she knew every corner. She mentioned a back way in that one could only access from an old horse trail. Looking at the map, I believe we can pick up this trail on the other side of this lake. The Jeep should be nimble enough to navigate these paths, and we could take a peak inside the camp without going in through the front door. Then we’ll know how dire our current circumstances are.”
They woke Matthew from a deep sleep and they all ate a hardy breakfast. No saying what they would discover today, but a filling meal provided a good start to the day. The three worked together as they packed the rest of their gear into the Jeep. All three checked their weapons before setting out. Donald had an AR-15 and the Desert Eagle. Gwen possessed a matching AR-15 and a Glock 17, while Matthew carried the Mossberg Tactical Shotgun. Their remaining ammo supply suffered because of their battle yesterday, but they each carried a knife with them, too. It would have to be enough, because stopping by the local gun shop to pick up ammo wasn’t an option anymore. Donald put the Jeep into gear and their journey into the unknown started.
###
As Natasha thought, they were able to access the horse trail from the opposite side of the lake from their campsite. The trail was tight and difficult to pass, but the Jeep proved capable. Range suffered because of the electric drivetrain, but the increased torque from it made the track passable. Nature provided the only obstacles for the start of their journey. As they approached the camp, they found a group of zombies blocking their path. They used their knives to dispatch the monsters and keep the trail clear. The appearance of zombies concerned Donald because they had cleared the woods around the camp months ago, but he said nothing to the others. Something bad happened here, because why else had the zombies returned?
Donald stopped the Jeep near the back entrance to the outermost wall. The door here was only a manway for maintenance, so the Jeep wouldn’t fit through it. They would have to take a chance by leaving their vehicle behind and outside the protection of the wall. He debated on whether he should proceed into the camp alone or take his two charges along with him. If they came with him, they would slow him down, but he could watch over them. Plus, they could watch his back. Leaving them behind provided a guard for the Jeep, but no backup if he ran into trouble inside the camp. Damned if you do and damned if you don’t. It’s a cliché, but it proved true today. After a lively debate with himself, he took them along with him.
“Here’s the plan. We’ll hook the Jeep up to the solar charger so it will be ready if we need to escape. Then we’ll head inside the wall for a quick look around. If things are bad, we’ll return to the Jeep and figure out the easiest way to get to Virginia. Stay close and keep your eyes open.”
Both of them stared at him with ashen complexions, but both nodded their agreement. Donald hooked the charger up to the Jeep and passed through the door into the unknown. A path meandered through the trees toward the inner sanctum of the camp. Like the last half of their drive, they ran across the random zombie who wandered the grounds. In each case, they disposed of them silently with their knives. The zombie obstacles slowed them down, but they still reached the innermost doorway within half an hour. Donald whispered one last set of instructions.
“Keep your eyes open. No saying what we’re about to find, but my guess is it won’t be anything good. Remember, we don’t know if there’s still anyone inside the camp.”
Both had faraway looks on their pale faces, but both acknowledged his directions with a nod. He stepped through the door. This entrance came through the back corner of the camp’s grounds, but Donald saw the destruction set before him. The garage and the cabin had burned, and both still smoldered. Someone had smashed many of the outbuildings after they removed any contents of value. He guessed nothing had been left untouched, but he needed to know for sure before they abandoned their home.
The garage sat closest to the door, so he headed their first. Nothing useful remained inside the destroyed structure. The APC, the pickup trucks and ATVs were all gone. Even his Silverado and the Airstream trailer had disappeared. How would they make it all the way to Virginia with the electric Jeep? His truck and Airstream would have been invaluable to them and made the trip much easier. No time to worry about it now.
As they approached the cabin, heat radiated from the interior of the building while they stood fifty feet away. The deck which had surrounded the second story of the cabin evaporated. A few charred pieces from it laid on the ground, but the rest had burned to ash in the fire. No doubt about it, this building would be a total loss. His shoulders drooped, and despair set in as he surveyed the damage. But then he remembered a cache of supplies that still might be safe.
“I know things look bad, but our luck might not be all bad. There’s a small structure outside the first set of walls where Natasha and I stored some gear. Let’s check it out. There’s nothing useable inside these walls. It’s all gone or burned.”
He was glad Natasha had the foresight to store some bug out supplies in the woods surrounding the camp. Donald led them to the shed in the woods, and they found it untouched. Natasha sealed the door with a combination lock and it opened, revealing its bounty inside. There were five bug out bags. Each held a limited supply of food, water, ammo, and three changes of clothing. They had packed them for Natasha, Betty, Matthew, Gwen, and himself. The three of them strapped on their packs while Donald and Gwen carried the two remaining packs back to the Jeep. Neither Natasha nor Betty had taken their packs, but Donald wasn’t ready to write either of them off yet. Both were tough and smart, so they might still be alive.
He wished they had discussed their travel plans in more detail before they had needed to execute them. The compound in Virginia would be about an 800 mile drive from their current location in Maine. In the best of times, it would be a long day's drive. With the electric Jeep, it would be a monumental effort. Fully charged batteries provided approximately seventy five miles of driving range. If they could get a fast charge off of the power grid, it would be ready to go in an hour and a half. With the solar charger, it to
ok almost twenty four hours to recharge. Doing the math in his head, it would take them almost a month to reach the compound with the electric Jeep. There were sure to be problems along the way, which would extend their total travel time. Donald missed the Airstream, but he couldn’t dwell on this loss. Focus on the task at hand and get everyone to safety at any cost.
They loaded the packs into the back of the Jeep and discovered the batteries held 62% charge. Not an impressive start, but Donald had been glad he remembered to plug in the charger when they left the Jeep behind or it would have been worse. He pulled out the maps and studied them before climbing into the driver’s seat.
“Anyone know our best route to Virginia? We can’t stay here.”
Matthew looked over his shoulder and studied the maps. After staring for a few minutes, he spoke.
“If this path through the woods continues, we should be able to pick up the state highway here. Then we can bypass our original route across the bridge here. Then we can cut across New Hampshire into Vermont and travel south toward Virginia.”
Man, this kid was smart. He had wisdom beyond his years and showed it repeatedly. It wouldn’t be a perfect route, but it circumvented a bunch of problem areas. It might work.
“Lady and gentleman. The road awaits us.”
CHAPTER TEN
MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER
Michael Christopher counted again and came up with twenty-seven for the third time. That’s the number of zombies who stood between him and freedom. He survived a single bite before, but even he wouldn’t survive being torn to pieces. It was time to move because he finished the last of the water stored in the control room with him. Summer heat would dehydrate him if he waited much longer and it would kill him just as dead as a gang of twenty-seven zombies. If only he knew of a way to blend into the crowd and sneak past them. Then he could seal the monsters inside the building and escape with his body and life intact.
As he daydreamed about a scenario where he lived through this nightmare, the roar of a diesel engine and the screech of brakes came from outside of the front entrance to the bowling alley. Did the members of the scavenge team return to save him? Instead of a former comrade from the group, she strolled in. She was as tall as an Amazon warrior, with deep bronze skin and bright blue hair cut close to her scalp. In her hands she held two Uzis. A side arm sat in a holster on her hips and grenades hung from a strap wrapped around her upper body. Guns blazed and 9mm rounds cut through the zombies like a hot knife through butter. Michael sat on the stairs as he stared in surprise and disbelief.
“Hey dumbass! Get moving unless you want to fucking die here!”
Her vulgar shouted words shocked him into action. He jumped to his feet and raced down the stairs toward the freedom she granted to him. As he passed by her, she backed slowly toward the door, never taking her eyes off the enemy. She reloaded both Uzis twice and the 150 rounds she fired took out most of the twenty-seven zombies who invaded the building. When he reached the door, he found a military camouflage Humvee parked on the sidewalk outside of the front doors.
“Will you climb in the fucking truck already? Don’t make me regret saving your ass.”
Michael couldn’t decide if he was in love or if he should fear this crazy woman. Her crude language and her hair were both colorful, and she saved his life from the snapping jaws of the undead. As he climbed into the Humvee, he recognized this as an actual military version of the vehicle. Not the cushy luxury vehicle GM sold many years ago to both wannabe and Hollywood actors. Before he could shut the door, she had the truck in gear and tore across the parking lot to the exit.
“Can you fucking fly?”
“Excuse me?”
“Hello! A fucking airplane or helicopter? Can you fly one, dumbass?”
“Uh, my name is Michael, not dumbass. Sorry, I’m not a pilot.”
“Fucking great! I waste all that ammo saving you, and you can’t fly us out of here. What the fuck, Michael dumbass!”
“First, where would you get an airplane or helicopter from? Second, where would we fly to? Isn’t this happening everywhere?”
“You’re as dumb as a fucking stump! Aren’t you Michael dumbass? You’re across the street from the fucking airport! Plus, there’s an Army and an Air Guard base here.”
“You can call me Mike or Michael. I’d appreciate it if you dropped the dumbass part. You didn’t answer my question of where would we go.”
“I see you’re fucking grateful. Rumors are out there about the fucking CDC working on a cure. They’re some fucking where between Atlanta and Nashville. Mikey fucking dumbass.”
He wasn’t sure if Mikey fucking dumbass was actually an improvement or not, but he’d take it for now. She saved his life and if history repeated itself, she would be dead soon and he would be left alone again. Only a matter of time before everyone but him died. It was his curse he had to live with. While they talked, she drove them across the town and onto the grounds of the airport. She continued to drive around the terminal building and parked alongside the planes remaining at the gates.
“I’ve been staying in the fucking gate. You can calm the hell down, it’s fucking secure, Mikey.”
“Ah, what’s your name? I’d like to know what to call you.”
“You can fucking call me Diana Princess. I’ll call you fucking Mikey, dumbass. Oh, fucking sorry. I’ll drop the fucking dumbass, dumbass!”
Diana chuckled at her own little joke as she climbed out of the Humvee. Michael still did not know what to make of her, but he followed her inside. Where else would he go?
“Hey, isn’t that Wonder Woman’s actual name?”
“No, she was fucking Diana Prince, not Princess. It’s a wonder this fucking woman saved you, Mikey. Try to fucking keep up.”
They entered the terminal through an external movable stairway. She put a lot of work and thought into her secure airport fortress. The gate Diana picked had a restaurant across the hall from it and bathrooms next to it. Somehow, the lights remained on inside the gate and the water still flowed. Diana built a barricade from luggage carts, courtesy trams, gift shop displays, and other airport flotsam, isolating the gate from the rest of the building.
“Amazing. Do you live here all by yourself?”
“Mikey, are you thinking about fucking taking advantage of me?”
She stared him down without blinking. Her deep brown eyes bore through him, and he had to turn away from the intensity he found inside of them. He reached up and wiped the sweat away from his forehead. Then he heard the deep laughter erupt from her.
“Just fucking with you! Yes, I’m fucking alone. Too many fucking stupid people in this world to survive. You and me, Mickey. We’ll fucking stick together and get through this fucking mess.”
“Why don’t we take the Humvee down south? It appears capable of running those undead monsters down.”
“Is it fucking capable? Yes. But it gets like two fucking miles per gallon. We need to drag a fucking fuel truck behind us and then bring a fucking fuel truck for the fuel truck.”
Michael thought about it and decided she was probably right. You couldn’t call road side service to assist you or pull into the local gas station for a fill up anymore. He wondered if there really was a safe place in the world anymore. Every time he thought he found a safe place, people ended up dead. It’s way too early to hope for a different outcome this time with Diana. Even if he longed for it.
“Let’s get something to fucking eat and figure out our next fucking move, Mikey. What d'you say?”
“Ok, sounds good to me, Diana.”
He noticed she had dropped the dumbass this time, so it could be a good sign she had warmed up to him. Or Diana simply forgot. As he followed her, his t-shirt shifted and the scar from the bite on his arm became visible for the first time. He heard a loud click and turned to find the barrel of the Uzi pointed at him.
“What the fuck? You got yourself fucking bit in the alley? You’re a dumbass, Mikey.”
&n
bsp; For the first time since he met her, Michael heard a waver in her voice, and the barrel of the Uzi shook. He slowly raised his hand palms toward her while he faced her. There was nowhere for him to run to.
“Calm down, Diana. I got bit almost a year ago now. When it first happened, I thought the bite doomed me. I took some antibiotics and fought off the infection. I went to sleep, and I figured I’d never wake up as a human again. After a few days, I woke up and was fine. I must be immune.”
Her mouth fell open, and the barrel of the Uzi dropped toward the floor. She took a step back from him and remained quiet for a few minutes. Michael didn’t want to push it with her, so he waited for her to say something.
“Fucking immune? Now we have to get to the fucking CDC. If you 're fucking immune, they can find out what makes you fucking tick and save the world. You hear that Mickey, you will be a fucking hero!”
A hero? After all the deaths surrounding Michael since the start of the apocalypse, a chance of a different life stood before him. Michael didn’t know if he could do it or not. The CDC would turn him into a lab rat, and what kind of life would that be?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
MAXIMILIAN WOLFE
“Shit!” Max swore as he slammed the microphone from the Ham Radio Set onto the table. The crash it made as it bounce caused him to jump.
“Max, what’s the matter?” James Richards said.
“I tried to get a hold of Donald to tell him what’s going on here with the so-called President of the NUS, and I got someone else on the radio instead.”
Retribution: Operation Z Book 2 Page 5