Surviving The Zombie Apocalypse (Book 3): Salvation (8 page)

*
* *

“Keep
digging,” ordered Mary. “Faster. Faster. Move those shovels. First to reach six
feet gets to make the next hop aboard Xavier’s helicopter. Last gets made fun
of.”

This was
our second stop on the journey west, the first being roughly a third of the way
between the Black Hills and Yellowstone. There, we had stashed fuel in several
spots around an agricultural airstrip which was both out of the way and hard to
find. It would serve as one of our emergency stopovers.

The
current location was the same strip in Montana where Xavier and Kimberly frequently
met. Shortly after fleeing to the Black Hills, we instituted a policy where a
select number of pilots would land in a far off location in order to exchange
news or supplies. This had remained the case even after the raiders began to
disperse, and while the satellite connection the military since provided
eliminated the need to carry reports by hand, there was still the occasional
swap of people or materials.

“Mary,”
I cautioned, “don’t play the taskmaster.”

“They
like it when I order them around,” she protested. “That’s because I’m adorable,
and they would do anything just to have me smile.”

“Keep
dreaming,” muttered Brenda.

“You
would if you were gay.”

The
older woman flung a shovelful of dirt at the teenager who, totally out of
character, did not succeed in dodging.

“I’m not
gay.”

“Well,
duh. But you think I’m adorable anyway.”

An
interesting thing about our society was the breakdown of generations. By this I
mean that the various age groups, with the exception of the very young and very
old, were generally treated the same, holding the same positions, having the
same responsibilities, working together constantly. An aspect of this was the
transfer of terminology. Just about everyone spoke the same. There was no
longer a teenage slang, and the kids had long ago stopped giggling at the
phrases their elders used, having adopted quite a few themselves. Basically,
everyone spoke the same way. I think I’m digressing, so back to the story.

“If you
were,” continued Mary, “Lizzy would be all over you.”

Brenda
shot her a menacing look which didn’t deter Mary in the least.

“You are
cute, though not as cute as me which just isn’t possible, and Lizzy does like
cute girls.”

I put my
hand on the center of Mary’s back and gave her a gentle push, sending her
straight into the hole.

“Your
turn to help. Rest of you can get out. We’re switching teams.”

Digging
was tiresome, more so in our case because we were trying to keep to a
timetable. Not wanting to wear anyone out, I had the squads alternate every
fifteen minutes or so.

“Where
is Lizzy?” asked Mary. She’d taken Brenda’s shovel with a good natured smile.

“Off
with the twins dealing with a group that’s ahead of us. Xavier spotted them and
called it in a little while ago. Pretty small, so it shouldn’t take long.”

“It’s so
not fair that they get to do the fun stuff.”

“Life
isn’t,” said Brenda, before I could make a statement to similar effect.

One
quick note, it was near this airstrip that we passed Lizzy’s Grand Cherokee and
collected the last of the gear we’d left behind. With everything inside, it had
been kept safe from the elements, and nothing was missing. Lizzy did have a few
choice words for Mary concerning her breaking the engine however, as if that
was anyone’s fault.

*
* *

“Squad
three gets to babysit the vehicles,” I announced. “The rest follow me and the
local guides – thank you, guys – to where we are building the base. This
outpost is going to serve as a rallying point. It will also be the main supply
depot for those doing the fighting.”

“Are we
going to be fighting?” asked Harvey. “That hasn’t been made very clear.”

“No
idea,” I admitted. “Right now we’re reserves for the Yellowstone militia who
will definitely be engaging the raiders, well, unless they turn around and run
away, which I don’t see them doing. Being reserves, we have to assume we’re
going to get pulled into it at some point, and because we are a rallying point,
we will be constructing some proper defenses, so get ready for more digging.” I
laughed. “Yes, more digging. Those not digging will head back here so they and
squad three can haul the gear up.”

“How far
away is this?” asked Lizzy.

“Five
miles,” replied Mary, “and there are hills, big ones.”

“Damn
it!”

The
teenager laughed. “It’ll do you good. Want to race?”

My stout
friend scowled. “No.”

“Come
along, people,” I called. “There’s only so much time in the day, and we have a
lot to do.”

*
* *

We got
everything to the hillock before the sun set. My Jeep and about half the trucks
were hidden back by the road. Others were placed closer to our base, giving us
a little more flexibility and ensuring that if we did have to run away, we
could do so in the direction of waiting transportation. The three big tanker
trucks were somewhere. I have no real idea, they being handed off upon our
arrival. Captain Briggs was busy with some logistical issues, possibly relating
to the fuel supply, so Lieutenant Gikas was currently encamped with us to
ensure there was proper coordination with the Yellowstone militia. Due to the
rather large distance between our two settlements, we really haven’t spent any
time operating together, not much talking to one another either, beyond the
leadership.

“Us not
doing the attacking is all fucked up,” declared Lizzy.

We were
seated around a campfire. The tents were up, and one latrine was in place. We
had cut the timber and plywood walls in advance, so all that remained was
bolting it together. That and the beginning of a trench which would eventually encircle
the hill were all that had been accomplished.

“I think
it’s nice,” replied Mary.

“It is
more relaxing,” I agreed.

“I don’t
like it.” Lizzy rose and stomped over to the coffee pot. The beans were
courtesy of the military, grown in Hawaii and dropped out the back of a huge
transport plane. “How much time do we have before it starts? Anyone know?”

“Lieutenant,”
I prompted.

“Kimberly
saw them massing,” he began, “in several medium size groups, but there still
aren’t any concrete indications they are ready to move.”

“Is she
going to stop by?” asked Xavier. “I haven’t seen her in weeks.”

“Maybe.
Now, as I was saying…” Gikas clearly did not like being interrupted, especially
by someone who for all intents was well below his position and rank. “…she
caught sight using the thermal imagery cameras we installed in her plane. They
are primarily in rocky areas, some with ravines and possibly caves, all with
plenty of trees for cover. We are also still trying to determine where their
families and children are. For those reasons, we haven’t tried bombing them.”

“I’ll
start scouting too,” promised Xavier, “once I get the gear put on my chopper.”

That
earned him the tiniest of nods.

“Based
on where they are at present, which is roughly where they were the last time
you were here, we believe they will seek to enter Yellowstone through this area
or possibly somewhere adjacent. I’m going to be hanging around indefinitely to confirm
you are ready for an attack, should they get around us and target you at some
point.”

“We’ll
be ready,” I said, “be assured of that.”

“Good.
The Yellowstone militia and regular soldiers stationed here will be coming by
over the next few days. Most will be carting in supplies for you to store:
food, ammunition, medical equipment. Others will be leading donkeys or mules.
Make sure you build a pen for the animals. They shouldn’t be here for another
three days, so it’s not a rush.”

“That’s
not an issue either.” We had lots of experience caring for farm animals.
“Anything else we need?”

“Not at
this time and not beyond what we’ve discussed already.”

That
worked for me. Since I had ample manpower to exploit and should be able to work
in safety, it was my intention to have this facility both functional and
comfortable. My plan included the trench surrounding the entire hill with strengthened
gun emplacements. On the high ground we would mount all seven of the heavy
machine guns so they could fire over the trenches at any oncoming enemy. Four
would face west where any attack was likely to originate, the others set to
protect our flanks. Of course, all could quickly be moved should the need
arise. We also had mortars. You gotta love explosive shells that come right
down on the heads of the enemy. Additional trenches would be scattered about in
case we were hit by enemy artillery and had to run for cover. I didn’t expect
this since, to the best of our knowledge, they lacked such weapons. Still, it
was only prudent to prepare for the worst.

As to
supplies, we would dig down and use metal panels to create small, well
protected rooms. The less important gear would be stacked up outside, beneath
tarps in case it should rain. There was also to be a medic’s station. No doctor
was going to be joining us, but we would have a place to treat any wounded
before sending them on to one of the little towns within the park.

*
* *

Most of
the work was completed inside of three days. I was not at all surprised, though
still impressed and extremely proud of those serving under me. They did good.
Captain Briggs had swung by and seemed pleased with the results as well. This
was a very solid position. We should be able to withstand an attack by the
raiders, barring a case of being significantly outnumbered, should it come to
that.

With our
efforts winding down, I had begun ordering squads to go out and scout the area,
generally splitting each into two groups. This would continue until hostilities
commenced. You know, it was strange waiting for the raiders to act, and I found
myself hoping they did something soon. I didn’t care for the quiet before the
storm and wanted the entire matter done with. Granted, the time they were
giving us to prepare was beneficial, but what were they doing while likewise
permitted to work unmolested?

“When
will it be our turn?” asked Mary.

“We
aren’t going anywhere until all the squads have gone out at least once, maybe
twice. I haven’t decided.”

“Why
ever not?” Lizzy was glaring.

“Mary
and I, the twins too, have already hiked around some, and you’ve been up with
Xavier so you have a basic idea of the area too. Carlson doesn’t count.” I
looked around. “Where is he?”

“Sleeping
in his tent,” answered Mary.

“Why the
fuck is he sleeping! It’s the middle of the day.”

“Calm
down, Lizzy,” I ordered. “I mean it.”

She
closed her mouth and gave me a curt nod. That wasn’t like her at all.

“He’s
too old to be doing lots of work,” said Mary. “You know that. Really, he’s even
older than you.”

“He’s
here for his knowledge of explosives,” I added, quickly. “He already put in the
claymores and other things. There’s not much else for him to do. Let the man
get some rest.”

“Fine.”
Lizzy set her mouth in a tight line. “But we are going out after the others get
back, the first time. Hear me? The first time.”

“I…
Okay, we’ll do it that way. Not to sound like a parrot, but where is Lieutenant
Gikas?”

“He’s
off meeting with the captain. They were putting in more lookouts between us and
the raiders.” Mary pulled out a map and unfolded it. “He said here and here for
those.”

“Between
the eyes on the ground and the planes constantly in the air, I’m hoping we know
the minute they start moving. I don’t want a surprise.”

“No one
wants that,” snapped Lizzy.

Mary
retrieved some candy from her backpack, putting the map back in its place. “I
want some happy surprises. We never have enough of those.”

“You are
entirely too cheerful.” Lizzy began to turn red. “Fuck happiness.”

“What’s
up with her?” I asked, after she stomped off.

Mary
shrugged. “Haven’t a clue.”

Interlude – Steph’s Story

“That’s
a lot of berry bushes,” observed Steph.

Alan
Myers, the man who oversaw ranching and farming operations within the Black
Hills, nodded. “It is. The ground’s too rough and uneven for much else. We have
potatoes in that flat area and carrots, cabbage, and lettuce over that way. We
didn’t want to let this spot go to waste, not with it being so large, and this
was the best we could come up with.”

“Are
these from seeds? They look pretty big.”

“Mostly
transplants. Some were dug up and moved, but the majority were grown in little
pots under fluorescent lights. They’re looking healthy for the most part, and I
think we’ll get a fair amount off them come late summer. We left those narrow paths
through the middle to make picking easier. Got raspberries, elderberries, and
blackberries.”

“I’m
going to go ahead and say that we will have no shortage of pies this fall. I
assume picking is going to take a whole lot of people.”

“Not as
many as you might think, but it will be labor intensive.”

Steph
nodded. “I’ll arrange with Jenny to have the school kids do most of it, the
younger ones. Maybe she can work it into the curriculum, classes on growing
food or something.”

“It’s
easy enough,” agreed Alan, “and most of the adults are going to be busy
harvesting the real crops. With the sheer volume we planted this year, I’m
expecting to need just about everyone to help get it out of the ground. I wish
we had a combine or some proper tractors.”

“I know,
it’s a pain in the ass.” She smiled, the morning light glinting off her pearly white
teeth. “But you do have those nifty walls so you don’t have to worry about
animals eating everything, or zombies munching on the farmers.”

“That’s
something.”

“A big
thing I would say. What else you working on? Anything in particular I need to
tell Briana?”

“Not
really,” replied Alan. “Had plenty of calves and foals this year, not so much
with the sheep. Seems quite a few of the ewes are simply too old, but the young
ones will replace these quick enough. I went ahead and separated them. They’ll
be making their way to your kitchens over the next few weeks, as you need or
want them.”

“I do
enjoy mutton stew. You know, a surprising number of people just don’t like it.”
She made a face. “The complaints I get.”

“As
wrecked as the world is, It’s a treat to have fresh meat near every night.” He let
out a short laugh. “Still, they are right about that. Beef is better.”

*
* *

Steph
had completed her review and was preparing to return when the transmission came
in. It is standard practice to carry handheld radios while tromping about the
Black Hills. These are of limited range and as such are used freely, the odds
of an outsider listening in being close to nil. Unfortunately, this also means
many messages have to be relayed.

“Raiders
spotted in the south near point C-3, count is four.”

Alan
lifted his own radio and repeated the information.

“I think
I’ll go take a look,” remarked Steph, once she got over the shock this
unexpected news presented.

“You
sure about that? Not to be cruel, but you are about as far from militia as a
person can get.”

She
hesitated. “They didn’t say there was an attack, and if it is only four of
them, then they’ll be scouting. I should be safe enough, and not get in the way
either. Besides, I’m meeting up with Briana later. I can deliver the reports
about this too. Save somebody from having to make the trip.”

“Fair
enough, and don’t get in the way of those who do know what they’re doing. Briana
may be the nicest thing on Earth when she’s happy…”

“Yeah, I
know,” she finished.

“Want my
truck?”

Steph
shook her head. “I’m taking Snowball. It’s only a couple of miles, and I can
use the back trails.”

“Newman!”

The
scrawny teenager dropped his hoe and sprinted over.

“Get on
your horse and go with her,” ordered Alan.

Steph
sniffed, in a very unladylike manner. “I hardly need an escort.”

“As if I
care.” He paused. “Actually, I think we will all be following.”

“They
didn’t request any assistance.”

Alan
hesitated a second time. “Even so. Get going. I’ll join you in a few.”

The boy was
quick to saddle his gelding. Like so many in the Black Hills, he had taken to
horses. They were fast becoming the default mode of transportation. The animals
were also well suited to the rugged terrain and could make regular use of
pathways no car could ever hope to navigate.

“Ready?”

He gave
her an apprehensive smile. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Let’s
get going then.” Steph gently tapped Snowball with her heels, pushing the mare
into a canter.

*
* *

“Newman,
why don’t you stash yourself a ways back on the trail and keep an eye out for
Alan and the others.”

“Sure
thing.” He turned to go.

“One
sec. While I got you here, is Newman your first name?”

The
sixteen year old grimaced. “Last. I don’t like my first too much.”

That
piqued Steph’s curiosity. “Why ever now? What is it?”

“It’s,
um…” He began to fidget. “My parents named me Alfred.”

“Nothing
wrong with that, although Newman seems to suit you better.”

“There’s
a lot wrong with it.” The youth muttered something about Batman jokes as he
started back up the trail.

Crouching
down, Steph scurried forward, toward a thick copse of trees. As she drew close,
she dropped to her belly and crawled the last few feet.

“How bad
is it?”

Renee didn’t
bother glancing in her direction. “Just the four originally reported.”

The
senior militia member in the area, she had been patrolling and was first on the
scene, taking up a position seventy feet to the side of the lookout who initially
spotted the intruders. The thick foliage offered excellent concealment while the
hilltop provided a good view of the surrounding area.

“They
aren’t doing much, mostly sitting in the shade under that tree.”

“I think
they may be staring at the wall we made,” commented Steph.

“Perhaps,
but it’s not much more than a pile of stone. I bet they think it’s something
put there to control run off or erosion. It looks old enough to have been built
before the zombies showed up too.”

“Could
be. Nope. One of them is moving.”

Renee
stashed her binoculars in their case and chambered a round.

“You
going to shoot him?”

“I
rather not.” She checked the scope on her rifle. “May not get them all, and
there might be more further back. Still, better to let them know someone is
here than to have any get inside and learn something really important.”

The
raider stopped by the wall. Composed of flat stones almost haphazardly stacked,
it was anything but sturdy, and a handful of people could dismantle it inside
of thirty or forty minutes. A full grown bison, should he be so inclined, would
push through with hardly any effort at all. Even so, it was sufficient to keep
the shamblers away.

“He’s
motioning for the others to come take a look.”

“What’s
Melody doing?”

Steph
scooted back a ways so she could see. “Same as you. She has her gun ready and
is looking through the scope.”

“Any
chance you brought a rifle,” asked Renee, “or that kid?”

“Sorry. Pistols
only.”

“Pity.
Melody isn’t that great a shot – don’t be telling anyone I said that – which is
why she’s always on watch duty. That and she was pretty pissed when her husband
left her. She’s still in the hating everyone stage and prefers to be alone.”

“That was
a while ago, wasn’t it? Like when we first moved here? I don’t know her
personally, just seen her in the dining hall and around the town a few times.”

Renee
shifted slightly. “Two years and counting. I’m not sure if she’s ever going to
get over it.”

With the
huge discrepancy between men and women in the valley – adult females
outnumbered males nearly three to one – there had been no shortage of problems.
One of the most painful was when a man left his significant other for another
who, as with Melody, was almost always younger and prettier. More common were
affairs. As small as the community was, hiding such things was difficult, and
Briana and Jacob had adopted a policy of granting quick and easy divorces
should the aggrieved be unforgiving. Likewise, there was the occasional issue
of one woman accusing another of trying to steal her man, sometimes true, sometimes
fantasy. Either way, a lot of friendships had ruptured as a result.

“It can
be hard to put that behind you,” commented Steph.

“Can be.
I think I’m going to have to shoot them. Their curiosity is a little too much. I’ll
start with the one in the rear. Keep an eye on the others and let me know if
they do anything.”

Three of
the four had climbed over the wall and were cautiously advancing up the gully.
The fourth had turned around and was heading for his dirt bike. The bullet took
him in the side, just below the rib cage.

“Not
what I intended.” Renee shifted her aim, self-recrimination in her voice.

“You hit
him. He’s crawling, but not too well. Lots of blood. It’ll take him several
minutes to reach his motorcycle, if at all.”

Renee
pulled the trigger again and struck a second raider in the forehead. The man,
along with his comrades, had been peering about apprehensively, attempting to
locate the source of the sound. They hadn’t realized their companion was down.

“Better
that time,” observed Steph.

Melody
also fired but missed, the other two having taken cover.

“They’re
pinned.” Muted satisfaction colored Renee’s words. “The minute they lift their
heads it’s over. Same if they try to retreat. Is Alan here yet?”

“I don’t
see him.” Steph craned her neck. “Got Newman way up the path standing there.”

“What’s
the first one I shot doing?” Renee was keeping her attention on the uninjured.

“Stopped
crawling. He’s just lying in the grass on his back. No, wait. He’s got a
radio!”

Renee
swung the barrel and fired again. The round took the man high in the chest. Given
his prone position, the bullet blasted out the top of his shoulder, cracking
the collar bone and sending a spurt of arterial blood into the air.

“I think
he’s dead now. His arms are at his sides, and he is lying there motionless.”

Melody
fired off another round to no effect. From Steph’s vantage it didn’t appear she
had a clear line of fire.

Her
radio suddenly crackled. “We’re coming.”

“That
Alan?” asked Renee. She fired again, catching one of the enemy in the arm as he
popped into view. It was just a graze.

“Yes. I
was meeting with him about some of the gardens and fields when we caught Melody’s
transmission about the raiders being here.”

“Nice
guy. Sometimes grills steaks for the militia, usually right after Jacob or
Lizzy have us marching in circles for hours on end. Shame he’s happily
married.”

“Most of
the good ones are,” laughed Steph. “For real, when you think about it. We are
more than a little lopsided.”

Alan
Myers joined them shortly thereafter, accompanied by several men. A handful moved
to support Melody. Newman, being the youngest, was left in the rear to tend the
horses and keep an eye out.

“Got two
pinned,” explained Renee.

“They
have assault rifles,” added Steph.

“Pretty
far out to use them. That them by the boulders?” Alan pointed. “How long have
they been sitting there in the rocks?”

“Maybe
five minutes,” Renee’s eye remained glued to the scope. “They aren’t doing much
of anything, which worries me. The bastards usually either charge or run.
Staying still isn’t like them.”

“Think
the one with the radio called for help?”

“Yeah,
Steph, I think he just might have.”

“Hell,”
growled Alan. “That’s no good at all.” He looked around. “Where’s the rest of
the militia.”

“Please,
you know how thin on the ground we are right now, especially away from the main
valley and the little settlements. I told the others to hold their positions in
case more show up elsewhere.”

“Want me
to flush him out for you?”

Renee
gave an almost imperceptible nod. “Works for me.”

Back
when we first encountered the raiders, a group of three had tried to rape Steph,
and as a result she absolutely despised the bastards. Renee took the hatred
further. Her baby sister had been inside the compound in Martin, South Dakota
when they assaulted it. The poor girl had been captured, violated dozens of
times, tortured for several hours, and finally murdered via a broken bottle
shoved between her legs. Renee minded her duty – that came first – but the
moment a fight began, there was no way she would let a raider get away. It had
been a tough call whether to take her or leave her behind. I eventually decided
to place her in charge of the valley defenses while the rest of us were off in
Yellowstone. Renee would never give up and never run should anything happen,
and she possessed a degree of ruthlessness that was quite impressive.