Brent Acuff - Undead Nation 03 (2 page)

"If these deaders don't kill that little punk," Liam fumed, "I'm going to put a bullet in him myself."

A zombie shuffled out from the side of a building directly in Liam's path. Liam stopped suddenly, losing his balance and falling to the ground. As he struggled to raise his carbine, the zombie's head exploded, showering Liam with infected blood and brain matter.
 

"Shit!" Liam yelled and looked around to see where the shot had come from. On the roof top across from him, an Alpha team sniper waived down to him. "Thanks for nothing!" Liam yelled up at the sniper and grabbed Donovan's proffered hand to stand. "I'm fucked," Liam said to Donovan.
 

"You're wearing a neoprene suit and goggles," Donovan said sternly. "This is exactly why. You'll be fine. Let's get back to the safe zone, then we'll worry about it."

Liam sighed. "Let's go."

Once more the two men scrambled to catch up to the entrenching platoon and their cache of survivors. A flurry of gunfire erupted behind them, and over their shoulders they could see the Alpha team snipers unleashing a hailstorm of bullets into the pursuing crowd of zombies. Bodies fell everywhere.

With the suppressing gunfire of the Alpha team, Liam and Donovan were able to quickly regroup with the platoon. Taking a moment to rest in a sheltered area, Alex and the others had taken defensive positions to cover the men's retreat. The circle opened up to let the two men into the center so they could rest. Donovan entered into the circle, but Liam stopped short.

"Inside, sergeant," Alex ordered. His friend shook his head. "No time for heroics," Alex said. "Inside." Liam shook his head again and remained where he was.

"No," Liam said. "I've been contaminated and I won't risk the safety of the survivors.
 

"Have it your way," Alex said and motioned for the platoon to close once more. "Two minutes and we move. Command sergeant, you're on point." Liam nodded understanding and moved into position.

The time passed far too quickly before they were under way again, but the veterans knew that staying still would mean death. "Let's move. Command sergeant, lead the way. You two," Alex pointed to Hayden and Luke, "you've got our back. No stops, and no mistakes people."

The platoon moved quickly through the streets, scanning all around for any incoming threats. Above them Liam saw another Alpha team, the thumbs up from their watchmen indicating safe passage for the next few blocks. With the Alpha team's reconnaissance, Liam was able to push the group faster.

After a few more corners, the platoon exited the main congestion of buildings and cleared most of the obstacles between them and the safety of the train. Flashes of rifle fire from the rail cars told Liam and the others that they were mopping up some free roaming zombies, probably drawn out by the Stryker teams working their way through the city. In the early days of the rescue operations, this was the most dangerous time, when the Heavy Attack Force would mistake returning Stryker forces for deaders. Some Stryker teams had been completely wiped out along with their cache of survivors. For this reason, Stryker teams now wore light blue coveralls that were easily seen and distinguished from everything else.

"Contact," Liam shouted and squeezed off two shots, dropping the deader who stepped in front of the group. Everyone's senses immediately heightened as they instinctively prepared for more threats. The platoon continued forward, following a path towards one of the waving red and white flags near the trains. These were the receiving areas where the platoon would deposit their cache of survivors for inspection and quarantine.
 

Shots from behind alerted Liam to threats there and he quickly turned down a different path between two still smoldering pyres, hoping to move away from the danger. Carefully keeping to the cleared paths, Liam again pushed the group faster.

The rail cars loomed large as they drew near and the sound of the flapping red and white flags seemed to welcome the team as they approached. The large metal gate that allowed access to the receiving area creaked as it was swung open by two armed guards. Liam led the platoon through the opening, stopping just inside the entrance and moving aside to allow the others access.
 

"Come on," Liam urged. "Move to the back. Everyone to the back." The new recruits pushed their cache of survivors towards the back of the receiving area, farthest away from the entrance they had come through. Just as the last man past through the gates, the heavy steel clanged shut, locking them inside and the danger out.

Liam doubled over, breathing heavily from the exertion. He looked towards the survivors that they had brought in and watched as many of them broke down in tears; tears of joy, exhaustion, and relief. Tears that everyone present had experienced and dealt with before, but that these people only now had the chance to feel. Liam smiled.

"Private Jackson," Alex barked. Liam looked over at his friend and saw the anger on his face. "Private Jackson, here now!" he ordered. Liam stood up and paid close attention to the scene unfolding in front of him. Jackson had been the recruit to disobey orders and wound up releasing that horde of deaders that had caused them to run for their lives. Alex would be furious, and Liam wanted to make sure Alex didn't go too far.

Jackson looked to the other recruits before lowering his head and moving towards Alex. He stopped in front of the lieutenant, his eyes fixed firmly on the ground at his feet. "Private Jackson," Alex barked, "you disobeyed a direct order and put this platoon and the people in their charge in danger." Alex paused for a moment letting the charges sink in. "Why?" he asked quietly.
 

The softness of the request seemed to take everyone by surprise. Private Jackson's eyes shot up to meet Alex's.
 

"I, I don't..." he stammered. "I don't know, sir. I..."

"You don't realize that this is serious," Alex finished. "You just think that this is a game. That you are invincible because you have a gun." Alex's voice became more scolding as he continued. "You are young, overly confident, and a dumb ass. Three of the most dangerous things that someone can have out here. You are going to get someone killed." Alex looked at Liam, then to the survivors they had a brought in. "You may have already killed someone."

The young recruit's face turned white and he followed Alex's gaze from Liam to the knot of survivors. "I...I didn't..."

"You did," Alex interrupted, "and you will see your actions through to the consequences." Everyone's eyes were focused on the scene before them. The recruits were unaware of what Alex meant. The veterans knew. They had seen this scene played out a few times before.
 

"Private Jackson, you will accompany these people," and Alex indicated the cache of survivors, "through inspection and quarantine. You will stay with them until they are cleared...a three day process. If at any point, any of these people are diagnosed with the infection, you will be the one that puts them down."

Private Jackson took a step back. "I...I can't do that," he stammered. "I won't."

"You will," Alex ordered. "And under armed guard. This is not up for discussion. You will see the consequences of your actions, first hand. Sergeant!"

At the request, Liam instinctively moved to stand next to his friend. "Not you, Command Sergeant," Alex barked. Liam stopped, confused before he realized why. He was still covered with infected blood.

"I'm sorry Command Sergeant, but you'll be joining these fine people in quarantine." Liam looked to the cache of survivors and nodded his agreement. He stepped back. "Sergeant Thompson," Alex specified. Donovan stepped up to Private Jackson's side. "Please disarm and escort this man to the quarantine area. Should he refuse to follow another order, thereby proving he will remain a threat to this platoon and any survivors they are escorting, you are ordered to eliminate that threat."
 

Donovan's brow creased in confusion. "I'm sorry?" he asked.
 

Alex moved close to the sergeant. When he spoke, his voice was low and even.
 

"Sergeant Thompson, you will accompany Private Jackson as he escorts these people through quarantine. Should any of them be diagnosed with the virus, the private will be the one to dispatch the infected. Should he refuse this order, or any other order given to him, you are to shoot him."

Now it was Donovan who stepped back from Alex in shock. Private Jackson lost any remaining color that he may have had and stammered uncontrollably.
 

"Understood?" Alex asked of both men.

"Yes sir," Donovan mumbled. Jackson still could not speak coherently.
 

"Good. Now get him out of here." Alex turned away from Donovan and the private who started to herd the survivors towards the examination area. "Stryker Team, meet at the quartermaster in one hour for resupply. We are going back in. Until then, you are dismissed." Grunts of acknowledgement greeted Alex's orders and the remainder of the team set off for a few moments rest.
 

"So how many is that?" Liam asked quietly of Alex. "At least the fifth that you've sent through quarantine like that. I know they have all come back better soldiers, but..."
 

"But there is no other choice," Alex interrupted. "We've talked about this, Liam. There is no police force, there are no jails. And for every able man you put behind bars is one more available soldier gone." Alex looked to his friend and gave a sad grin. "There is no more rehabilitation, only instant and fair consequences for your actions."

"Fair?" Liam asked. Alex nodded his head.

"Fair. If he caused any of those people to become infected because he disregarded a direct order, then he should be the one to fix the situation. We can't save the infected,"
 

"I know, I know," Liam said and looked to the gore covering his uniform. "Believe me, Alex, I know."

Alex smiled again, this time trying to reassure his friend. "Everything will be okay, Liam." He pointed to the blood stained coveralls. "That's why we take the precautions we do." Two armed soldiers moved to flank Liam. "You'd better go get cleaned up. I'll be by in a minute to check on you."
 

Liam nodded and started towards the examination area with the soldiers. A few paces away he stopped and turned back to Alex. "Do you think it wise to go back in there? With four men out, two of them vets?"

Alex nodded. "We'll be fine. Nine vets still, to seven rookies that take orders. We've seen worse, haven't we?"

Liam barked out a laugh. "Hell yes, we have," and Liam smiled. "See you when you get back."

CHAPTER TWO

Quarantine

"This is, this is ridiculous," Private Jackson stammered as he made his way through examination. Marcus Jackson had been rescued from Amarillo Texas two months before and been recruited into the Civilian Defense Force soon after. Everyone who was able was placed in the Civilian Authority, and from there were assigned a specific duty where they would benefit the greater good. Close to two-thirds of all able bodied men and women were assigned to active fighting in the Civilian Defense Force. Many of these would never see the end of the war.
 

"This is barbaric, archaic, cruel..."

"Fair," Donovan interrupted. "You screwed up, boy, and now it's time to face the consequences of those actions."

"Yeah, but shouldn't I be put in jail or something?"

"And just where is this mythical jail you speak of? This is war, boy. We aren't putting a fighter behind bars when they could be in the field. You'll face your consequence, immediately and fairly, and then we'll be friends again."

"How the hell is this fair?!" Jackson yelled. "I lost my mom and dad back in Amarillo..."

Donovan shoved Jackson with the butt of his carbine. "Everyone," Donovan growled, "has lost someone. Most of us have lost more than one." Donovan's eyes focused on some place distant. "Some don't have much to live for anymore." He shook his head, clearing the thoughts. "Don't you dare expect sympathy from anyone. You lost someone. Welcome to the club."

Jackson huffed at Donovan's and continued on to the examination area.

"Stop there, please," a harsh voice commanded. The entrance to the examination area was extremely narrow, allowing only one person to squeeze through at a time. The entrance led in to a narrow corridor flanked on either side by numerous dog kennels. The setup was simple -- dogs could detect the virus, even at very early stages. By sending people down this narrow corridor, you could detect infection with an almost 100% accuracy.

"Please hand over your weapons, sir." Jackson looked back to Donovan for confirmation, but the veteran was already unslinging his carbine and handing his weapons to the guards.

"Do what they say, private," Donovan said without looking. "You won't be allowed to go through armed as you are. And if you don't go through, then you have disobeyed another order." Donovan looked towards the rookie. "And you understand what that means, right?"

Jackson sighed and started to unpack his weapons. "Yeah, I know," he grumbled.

Once both the men were unarmed, they were each sent through the narrow corridor. Each man was met at the other end by a mass of armed and angry looking soldiers.

"Clear," one of the men called to the others as each man exited the corridor. Jackson once again looked back to Donovan for understanding.

"Passed the first test, private," Donovan said. Right behind Donovan came the soldier that had taken their gear. He offered Donovan his gear back.

"The private doesn't get his," Donovan said reaching for his weapons. "Someone will be by to get them soon." The soldier nodded and returned back down the corridor to his post.

"Wait," Jackson called to the soldier, but he didn't respond.

"Don't bother, private. Your job is observation only. I'll hand you a weapon when you need it." Donovan finished strapping on his gear and reached out to turn Jackson around. Pointing ahead of him he said, "There's your charge. You keep an eye on them."