I watched as Charlotte’s features screwed up then grew into panic and fear. She handed the glasses to Douglas and stared at me for a beat or two. “So how can we help the SFPD gentlemen?”
“A ferry of refugees has made it onto the dock. The National Guard has a small team going through them now weeding out the sick and infected. We just need a place to house them, till an evacuation can be worked out and implemented. This will be a National Guard mission and we are just helping before we move on.” I informed her.
Douglas seems glued to the glasses and had a look of shock and amazement on his face. He slowly handed them to Brian and squeezed his eyes shut. “Whatever we can do to help gentlemen, consider all buildings open and us standing by to help.” Charlotte answered. “Douglas, go unlock all doors and prop them open, I am going to go down to the docks and see if I can help get things moving.”
Douglas mumbled an “okay” and took off into the building. Brian and I turned and started back to the docks with Charlotte in tow. We made our way to the main gate where we saw a crowd of people milling about. Charlotte unlocked the gates and put her hands up, quieting the crowd.
“Everyone, my name is Ranger Alvarez, please be patient. When my partner comes down we will start dividing you up and guiding you into the main cell building. Till then just hold on and wait.” She eyed a national guard soldier hurrying over to her.
“I’m Staff Sergeant Cooper ma’am.” He holds his hand out to shake. Charlotte smiled and shook his hand warmly. “I have 220 refugees’ ma’am that are not infected or sick. I also have 20 or so with bites and showing signs of infection. I have made a call to my command and alerted them to our situation. They are sending reinforcements and supplies. I only have 18 other guardsmen with me right now. There are also two damaged ferries in the water, the captain of this ferry is going to attempt a rescue of the others if he can. My question is what do you want us to do with the infected?”
“Put a bullet in their head Staff Sergeant. They will turn into one of those things and start spreading the infection again.” Kuppers voice comes in strong as he walked up adding his advice.
“I can’t do that sir, at least not in front of their loved ones.” He chewed on his bottom lip.
Charlotte reacted to Kuppers’ suggestion with shock that hardened into anger. “You can’t just murder these people.”
“To protect these people I would, could, and will.” Kuppers cut a steely glare at Charlotte causing her to back up a step. “But if you want infected roaming over this island, attacking and eating everyone, then, that’s your call, but make sure you’re the first one to go down, it’s not pretty to watch.”
“Ok I understand; your point. Why don’t we open the old Guard house here to hold them and then we can do it once the people have moved on.” She shook her head and points at the building next to us.
“Very well, I’ll get my soldiers to take care of that if you can show us a way in.” Charlotte walked away with the soldier in tow.
“These people better get their shit together soon or this is going to turn into a buffet very quickly. Looks like you two have finished your jobs. Come with me back to the barge.” With that he turned and walked away, expecting Brian and I to follow
At the barge Apache and Cupcake stood guard. They had their “don’t fuck with me” looks on. Brian and I climbed on board and sat down, resting against the side of the Beast. The little girl came out of the Beast and stood in front of me. She looked uneasy and a little scared. I put my arms out to her and she came in quickly for a hug and then snuggled onto my lap.
“What is your full name little one?” I asked.
“Angel Penelope Anwen.” She answered with a tired little voice. Her head rested on my chest warming my soul and giving me the chills at the same time.
“Angel, where is your family? How did we have the same dreams?” I asked trying to get answers before she fell asleep.
“I’ve been having those dreams for a couple of days. I don’t know why, but my mother said you were my protector and that I needed to find you. They were attacked two days ago and dad was able to hide me in that car where you saved me. They were both taken.” She held a small sob and gripped me tighter.
“Well I am here Angel, and I will do my best to protect you, I promise. Now go to sleep, have some happy dreams.” I kissed the top of her head and felt her body relax and soon could hear her little breaths slip into a rhythm as she sank deeper into sleep.
“Wow Boss, I guess someone else now believes in you, not just me anymore.” Brian smiled and rested his head against the Beast’s massive tire.
I held her close feeling more at peace then ever in the last week. I rested my head on hers and let the world go black and slipped into darkness. I awoke with a start and looked around. Brian’s deep rumbling snores shook the deck under us. “How long was I asleep.” I asked Vic who stood nearby staring off into the bay.
“Fifteen minutes or so.” He looked down at his watch.
“Feels like it’s been hours.” I felt slightly more refreshed, I looked down at Angel and saw no wrinkle or worry on her face.
Apache came over and took Angel from me, as I stood up to join the group. We could barely hear each other over Brian’s snores. “Apache and Cupcake, I want you two glued to the barge at all times. We lose that, we lose everything. Doc I want you to be our liaison with the NG unit. When they get some supplies they owe us 5.56 from helping them out at the barricade, try and be smooth and get some MREs while you’re at it, and anything else you can cajole, beg, or steal. Senshi, you go up to the high ground and keep watch on incoming ships and let us know when we have a safe enough lane in the bay to boogie. Vic and Dan you two go work with the Rangers and the NG; make sure they know what has to be done with the infected. If you have to, enforce it yourselves. I’ll play radio operator, and I’m going to go play tourist. Our radios are strong enough for what we need them for and we have our own emergency channel to use. Is there anything I am missing?” Vic dictates.
I raise my hand like an idiot and Kuppers just shook his head rolled his eyes and said. “This isn’t school Dan, just speak your mind.”
I lowered my hand and blush, then pointed at Brian. “What is an MRE, and what about him?”
“It means Meals Ready to Eat, it’s horrible tasting military food. But has all the calories one needs to survive. Let the Sasquatch sleep. If I need him, I’ll have Apache wake and direct him. Maybe we can use him like a mule and get him to carry the supplies the NG brings in.” He looked each one of us in the eye then nodded, as if he came to a decision and walked away.
Vic grabbed my arm and we walked away back to the docking ferries and to meet up with the Rangers. Doc caught up and wrapped his arm around the NG guy’s shoulders, steering him away from everyone.
Vic and I saw Douglas and headed in his direction. “Hey Douglas, this here is SFPD’s head detective Vic. Know where we can find Charlotte?”
“Charlotte is over there helping the injured into the old guard house.” He pointed up the walkway to another building.
“How many does she have with her? Oh and do me a favor, stay near one of these Guard guys. They are armed and just in case something happens they will back you up.”
“Last count was 20. I know she has three soldiers with her. Yeah I think I will go hang out with one of them.” Douglas waved good bye and made his way over to three Guards directing civilians where to go.
Vic and I marched our way over to the guard house. I push my foot between the door and frame before it could close all the way. We file in together and Vic smiled at Charlotte as he closes the door. “Hi Charlotte I never had the chance to meet you. My name is SFPD Detective Vic Reynolds. Douglas informed us you were taking the injured up here. Where are the Guard that are supposed to be with you?”
She looked back at us and moved her body, trying to block our view behind her. Before she could, I caught a glimpse of something moving behind her, but she moved quickly cutting me off. I looked up and she locked eyes with me for a second before casting her eyes to the floor. “Oh shit” I thought, she is going to let the people go. “You have no jurisdiction on my Island detective Reynolds.” She tried to stand her ground and take control of the situation.
“Ma’am no one does at this moment except for the ones with the guns. If you let these people go you are putting everybody at risk. This infection can turn someone quickly and in turn they will attack someone else and then we are fucked. So where are these people?” Vic removed his side arm from his leg holster holding it at his side. I saw his finger disengaging the safety, then slides down to the trigger guard.
I removed my collapsible batons and flicked them out to their full length, they snapped audibly, locked in place. I turned away ignoring the ongoing situation with Vic and Charlotte. I decided to investigate what I saw, when she tried to block my view earlier. I slowly started making my way in that direction trying not to not make too much sound. As I came around the corner I saw three infected zombies kneeling over a couple of people. At first it seems like they are being intimate. Until I see the blood and hear that awful slurping sound from the tower. I lost it, raised my batons and charged in. I crushed the head of the zombie nearest me and turn quickly in place snapping out one of the batons onto another’s head cracking it open. By this point the third is standing up and coming in my direction, a loud boom comes from my left, almost blowing my ear drums out, and I feel something go speeding by my head. The zombie’s head explodes like a watermelon after being on stage with Gallagher. All the fluids spray onto the wall behind it, coating it like red paint. I stood there out of breath, shaking my head trying to regain my senses.
Vic came up to my side and fired three shots into the victim’s heads on the floor turning them into red mist. He turned to Charlotte, grabs her arm and pulls her over to witness the scene. “Where are the other 16?”
“I put them upstairs, there is no way out from up there.” Charlotte whined.
Just then I recognized one of the victims on the floor as a NG soldier. I pointed at it making sure Vic sees it. He shook his head and groans, kicked Charlotte in the back of one of her knees sending her to the floor. He handcuffed her wrists then pulled out two big black zip ties and tied her ankles up. “That man’s death is on you Charlotte. Now stay, I will deal with you when we are done cleaning up your mess.” Vic looked over at me. “Got a little more in you?” I nodded yes and he clicked on his radio. “That female Ranger has fucked up bad. We have one dead guard, three reanimated, and three dead. There are 15 more infected upstairs in the guard house. Dan and I are going to clean up this mess. Be prepared, I have put Charlotte under arrest, she is bound and down on the first floor of the guard house. Send someone to corral up Douglas her partner, also send someone over here to back us up.”
We headed over to the stairs, listening to the voice over our radio ear pieces. “Roger that Vic, Apache, wake up Sasquatch and have him put Douglas under arrest. I’ll back up Vic and Dan. Everyone else hold positions.” Kuppers voice came over the radio.
I took lead since I need room to swing my batons and we headed up the creaky stairs. I brought my head above the top level and stopped in place, looking into the eyes of another guard. This one is alive and stood there with his weapon shouldered. I waved him over. “prepare your weapon, we had an incident down stairs and lost one of your guys to the infected. Are any of your infected unconscious?”
The young man pulled his gun off his shoulder, removed the safety. “Yes ten are, the other six are sitting against the wall across the room.”
“Where is the third Guard?” Vic asked as we finished coming up the stairs and faced the room.
“He is still outside only two of us came in to help the female Park Ranger. What should we do?” He asked with fear in his eyes.
Vic dropped the magazine from his gun and inserted a fresh one. “Remember what happened on the dock before we got you?” The young man nodded yes and the fear notched higher in his eyes. “Exactly. We need to end this now. Any more come in from the other ferries and we need to do the same thing or the rest of the people coming here will not be safe. Now follow me. Dan go down stairs and watch over that Bitch.” As I headed down, I saw Vic moving into the other room followed by the young Guardsman.
Even though I expected the shots, they surprised me when they broke the silence, jolting me almost to my knees. I am so upset I make my way over to Charlotte watching as she tried to make it over to the dead guard and his M4. I step on her hand, eliciting a hiss of pain from her, and pick up the gun before she can. I looked it over looking for the safety then engaged it and slid it onto my shoulder using its strap.
Charlotte rolled over onto her back and sneered up at me. “What you are doing is murder! You cannot just kill people who are sick and injured. You can also not detain me; I am a federal officer.” She screamed at me causing spittle to fly out from her mouth.
I focused on the dead Guard and pointed at him. “Your actions killed that young man. This is what happens when you show weakness, you kill the people who are looking to you for safety. I have been fighting these things for days now, trapped in the fucking Transamerica Tower. I’ve had to kill friends and coworkers. Now look around, you did this! Stop being stupid, open your eyes.” As I spoke my anger took over and I ended up shouting at her.