The Fall
Author: Thomas A. Watson
Date: 2012-08-21 04:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Horror; Science Fiction
Description: The Preppers were right. And the time is now. The Blue Plague came roaring out of the Congo and into the United States–and it can’t be stopped. The Infected become violently insane and impossibly strong. They’re not zombies – that would be too easy. They’re something much worse. The Infected are violent and unstoppable, but they can think. They can heal from most wounds. And worst of all–they can reproduce. Bruce, Debbie, Mike and Nancy have been preparing for the worst for years. There’s nothing to do but bug out–and they know exactly where to go. In the struggle to reach the sanctuary of the
Publisher: Winlock Press

Blue Plague: The Fall

By Thomas A Watson

Art by Rhiannon Gallacher

This book is a work of fiction

Any references appearing in this book to persons: alive or dead, places or objects is purely coincidental.

Acknowledgement

I have always wanted to write books but never found the time. I recently moved and changed jobs and one day told my wife that I wanted to do it. With her encouragement and that of my kids I sat down and started writing. What you read here I could never have accomplished without the support of my family and friends. I must say that I really enjoy it.

Talking with family and friends while doing this series made me realize no author can write a book without outside help. I would constantly ask, “Would you do this?” or “Is this a little much?” My wife Tina is my first editor. Many times she would tell me, “You are getting graphic?” or, “That chapter was really boring.”

Never could I have imagined how difficult it is to publish a book. Talking with editors, getting the cover art competed, talking with the publishers, and rereading the book so many times I could almost recite it. The cover art is by Rihanna, who I met at my new job, is her rendition after reading the first draft. Rihanna is more than the artist; she also put forth ideas for this series.

To my wife and family I say thank you for your love and support while I sat and typed away. To my friends I must say thank you also. My residents, coworkers, colleagues, bat babies, and friends at the zoo. Thank you and I miss you.

I hope you enjoy book one of the Blue Plague series: The Fall.

Chapter 1

Sitting in the back of the Land Rover, getting bounced all over, Manny could not help but think that he knew it was a mistake to come to the Congo. Two months in the middle of nowhere, in the jungle, the closest village was Kinkala. It was nothing more than a hovel compared to an American village. Hell, he could not kid himself; he knew why he volunteered to come on this mission trip for college. She was in the backseat; Ellen was looking out the window as the truck sped down the road. Manny could not believe how beautiful she was. Even after seeing her at college two years ago, he still lost his breath when he stared at her. Her blonde hair and ice-blue eyes made him think of some Norse goddess. Sitting next to her was Casey. She was attractive in a plain way but not like Ellen. The only reason he even started the Helping Society club was because of Ellen. He would kill kittens if that meant being next to her.

Now his plan had fallen apart. This mission into the Congo was to be his chance to make Ellen his, but these damn savages here had screwed that up. Manny was an engineer assigned to help set up the water filtration system for a village out in the middle of the jungle. Just getting there took fourteen hours to hike from the road after seven hours in a Range Rover from the airport, getting beat up on the roads. Ellen was a horticulturalist and was going to show them how to use as little of the land as possible for their farming, and Casey was the botanist. She would show them what kind of foods to grow. They had been in country for one month then the problems started.

A group of hunters had come back, saying there were crazy people in the jungle attacking anything. One hunter said he had shot one crazy person four times, and it did nothing to him. The liaisons, Prince, Aristide, and Djang, said it was just warriors from a local tribe out wanting the village’s hunting area. When Ellen asked about one of the hunters shooting one of the crazy people, Prince said, “Someone is always shooting something or someone in the Congo.”  That only confirmed Manny’s suspicion that everyone here in this country was a savage. They were warned by the State Department that the Congo was a very violent place and not to travel there. Like any man, he let the wrong head do his thinking, and now his ass might pay for it.

Two days after the hunters returned, they were in their tent after a long day of work when they heard a scream outside. It was well past 10 p.m., so the village was asleep. This was not like anything they had heard before. It was filled with pain and fright. Goose bumps immediately came up on their arms. Ellen was sitting in the corner on her cot talking to Casey; both had just washed and had their hair up in towels. Manny was on the other side of the tent, half asleep, dreaming about Ellen. At the sound of the scream, all three jumped to their feet.

Ellen was the first one to speak, “What the hell was that?”

Casey added, “Was that an animal or a person?”

“I have no idea and don’t want to know,” said Manny.

“We should go see what it is or if anyone needs help. Then check the farm animals,” replied Ellen.

“Are you insane, Ellen? Did you hear that? Whatever that was, it means trouble,” said Manny.

Ellen turned to look at Manny. She knew how he felt about her. He had followed her for the last two years in college. Never out in the open about it, just in the background. He talked to her all the time, and truth be told, she did like him. He was not bad looking, studying in a great field, and was fun to be around. Yet he had never asked her out on a date. Be damned if she was going to ask him, she was still old-fashioned about that. A girl that asked a boy out was just telling the boy she wanted something else.

Manny never even said anything when she dated other guys. But the main problem she had with Manny was he was a coward at heart. He would not stand up for anything. Physically, he was not weak: he ran and did pushups and sit-ups every day. Very little fat was on his lean body. Manny just wanted someone else to stand up and do something.

“Manny, how could you not want to help?” Ellen asked.

“Easy. Wait here and hope whatever is out there does not come in here,” Manny replied.

“We are in a tent, Manny, not a house, so we are not that well protected,” stated Ellen.

Casey started to look around the tent then walked to the gas lantern, turning it down.

“We may be in a tent, but something is out there, and if it comes in here, we are going out there,” Manny added. Just then another scream split the night.

“Holy shit,” Casey whispered as she turned the lamp off.

“What are you doing, Casey?” Ellen whispered at her.

“I don’t want anyone or anything to know we are in here,” she said in a quivering voice.

More screaming started then gunfire erupted in the night. All three hit the floor at the sound of gunfire.

“What the hell is going on out there?” Manny said. “I thought all the fighting had stopped.”

“Could be bandits,” said Casey, curled up on the floor. Their eyes were adjusting to the dark interior of the tent. To the west, toward the river, they could make out flashes on the tent wall from the gunfire.

“It sounds like it’s all coming from the other end of the village by the river,” Ellen stated.

“Well, what do you want me to do about it?” Manny said.

“Nothing, Manny, I was just making a point, that’s all,” yelled Ellen.

“Will you two shut the hell up please. Someone could hear you two,” whispered Casey as she scrambled over to her nightstand, grabbing a nail file.

“What are you going to do with that, give someone a manicure?” asked Manny.

“They take it away from you on an airplane, so it must be a weapon,” replied Casey.

Manny just looked up in the air. The screams and the gunfire kept on for an hour, slowly moving closer. All three just stayed on the floor of the tent curled up to each other. They heard footfalls running up to the tent. They just held each other tighter.

“Are you guys still in there?” They heard a deep voice with a thick accent that could only be Prince.

“Yes, we are in here, Prince,” replied Ellen.

The tent flap unzipped, and a big silhouette blocked the moonlight out. Prince was a large man but as gentle as a baby, with skin as dark as night. All three exhaled with relief at the sight of him. Prince was the one thing that could be relied on in this country. Then their eyes fell down to his hands and the AK-47 that they held.

“Why the hell are you holding a gun, Prince?” explained Ellen.

“Shut up, Ellen. It beats my nail file,” stated Casey.

Manny smiled; thank God she said that instead of him. Ellen may have been beautiful, but she was very naive to the world.

“We have to go now,” said Prince.

“We are not packed, though,” whispered Casey.

“You will have to leave it. There is no time. We must go now, and running through the jungle at night is hard enough without you carrying backpacks,” Prince said.

“What the hell is going on out there, Prince?” Ellen asked.

“Crazy ones are attacking us. They came out of the jungle and are just ripping people apart. They are not stopping to take anything, just attacking people. The hunters have taken some down, but they are being run over by the crazy ones. Aristide has already been taken by them,” Prince informed them.

Everyone just looked at him with blank stares. Aristide, the guide who was always laughing and had a smile that could make anyone feel better. How could anyone hurt him? The screams started getting closer.

“We must go now. Djang is at the trail waiting for us. We must hurry. We can’t keep her waiting long by herself,” Prince said as he looked at each of them in their eyes. They could see he was scared. If this could scare him, someone who had fought in the Congo before, what chance did they stand? Each rushed to put on hiking boots and pull on clothes. In sixty seconds, they were ready to go.

Manny almost said something about how fast the girls got ready but decided not to. He was leaving behind his three hundred-dollar backpack and laptop with the solar recharger. After the screams and gunfire, he did not care. He could buy more; let the savages have them if they left them alone.

As they exited the tent, a soft breeze blew in from the west off the river beside the village. The smell was the worst thing any of them had smelled. Casey doubled over throwing up. Prince grabbed her by the arm, pulling her along while she was vomiting. She did not complain as he pulled her along. This surprised Manny because she complained about everything. Maybe it was the look of fear in Prince’s eyes that made her hold her complaints. The smell was indescribable. The only mental image that Manny could refer it to was rotten sewage exposed to heat.

The smell was so strong it could be tasted. Everyone else was trying not to join Casey in vomiting. They just concentrated on keeping up with Prince because he could only pull one of them along at a time with one hand. The other hand held onto the AK like an extension of his body.

“Where is Djang?” asked Ellen.

“She is at the edge of the village at the trailhead, waiting on us,” replied Prince.

“What if she is not there?” asked Casey, wiping a hand across her mouth.

“Then we leave without her,” Prince stated, matter of fact.

Ellen looked at Prince as he finally let Casey go to run on her own two feet. How could he just leave Djang? She had seen the way they looked at each other and even saw them hold hands. She knew something was between them.

As if reading her thoughts, Prince stated, “My duty is to you three. Each of you came here to better our homeland with your knowledge, working for nothing else but to help others. That is the reason it is my duty to get you back to Brazzaville to the airport. Djang used the radio to tell them to get you three a flight ready. She told them fighting had broken out here.”

Manny liked Prince even though Manny knew he would have hauled ass if he knew the jungle and which way to go. Not that Manny felt like he was a coward, but fighting hurt, and he did not like pain.

Moving through the village, they stopped at every other hut to look around; the screams were still behind them but moving further into the village. They could see people, mainly young kids and old people, looking out of the huts as they passed. Fear was etched in the faces that looked out. For people who had lived through ethnic cleansings, tribal wars, and holy clashes, this should be nothing new, thought Manny. Yet he knew this was different. Just the looks on the faces told him they did not know what was happening. The fear that was in his stomach was not like anything Manny had ever experienced. Just the feeling in his stomach was enough to make him puke; coupled with this damn smell, he felt lucky that he was not throwing up his hiking boots.

As they neared the edge of the village, Prince stopped them. A hundred-yard clearing separated them from the jungle and the trailhead. Prince turned to them, giving instructions, “We must go across this clearing very fast. Stay behind me. Do not get beside or in front of me. If we are attacked, I must be able to fire at them.” He added, “If you see them, do not yell; just stay behind me. I will not shoot them until they attack us. The crazy ones seem to be drawn to sound, so please stay quiet.” Everyone nodded their heads that they understood. Prince stood up in a crouch, and he whispered, “Let’s go.”

When Manny stepped into the clearing, he swore he felt a thousand eyes on him. There were only a hundred and thirty to a hundred and sixty people in the whole village. He wished he could be like the action heroes on TV. They might have been scared, but they still kicked ass. He could almost swear he felt his testicles in his throat.

They followed Prince like they were told, running for everything they were worth. When they got to the middle of the clearing, they heard a scream directly behind them. Ellen paused her stride, taking quick look behind them.

In the hut they had just left, a group of people painted blue were standing at the door pulling out two kids and an old couple, biting and ripping chunks of flesh off the bodies. The screams had pain in them, but Ellen could detect a lot of fear in it. The movies had nothing on the screams. She was sorry she ever left America and swore to herself that if she made it back, she would never leave again.

“Keep up,” Prince said to her. She had fallen a few steps behind the group. Ellen pushed her body harder than she had ever before. Casey heard Ellen’s pace quicken and thought whatever was back there making people scream was gaining on them. Casey leaned forward, pushing herself to the limit. Manny saw both girls start to pass him by; yes, he was running in front of them, but the way he saw it, he was protecting them from danger in the front. An old saying suddenly popped in his head: As two people were running from a bear, one turned to the other and said, “I don’t think we can outrun this bear.” The other person said, “I’m not trying to outrun the bear–just you.” With that thought, Manny shifted into high gear in a full sprint that only fear can bring out.

Manny blew past Prince like he was standing still as Manny headed for the trailhead. Prince called for him, but Manny was not hearing anything except the demons in his head. Just as he reached the trailhead, something hit him hard. All the air was knocked out of his lungs as he hit the ground. He rolled over to see what had hit him, and Djang was leaning over him with a finger on her lips, shaking her head side to side. Djang was short and stocky, which was very unusual in the Congo for a woman. Her hair was braided and pulled back with a black scarf on top of her head. There was nothing weak about her.

Prince and the girls trotted up beside them. Prince knelt down beside them, motioning for the girls to kneel with them. He looked at Djang then to Manny.

“That was very stupid, Manny. If something had come out of the jungle, I could not have done anything except watch you die,” Prince scolded him.

“I’m sorry, Prince, but I thought something was after us,” said Manny.

“Something is after us, and if we do not think first, we will die in this jungle like the others back there. They heard the screams and gunfire, but they do not try to escape. They just tried to hide, and they died,” Prince said as he turned to Djang. “Did you get in touch with Brazzaville before you came here?”

“Yes, they said they will have a plane ready when we get there, and the trucks will be on the road in the morning, ready to take us,” replied Djang.

“How much ammo did you bring?” Prince asked.

“About three hundred rounds,” she replied. For the first time, the three looked at her, realizing that Djang was carrying an AK-47 like Prince.

“I have about the same,” he replied. He reached down to Djang’s feet, picking up a backpack, and put it on as Djang did the same with her backpack.

Casey asked, “Why couldn’t we get our packs like you got yours?”

“We have learned to never unpack fully and always keep it ready to go. Plus, we are used to carrying packs. You are not. And we will have to move fast but quiet over the next few hours,” Prince informed her as he looked back at the village. Most of the screams had stopped, and no gunfire could be heard.

“Djang, have you heard anything in front of us?” Prince asked.

“No,” she replied.

“What happened to Aristide?” Djang asked.

“He was taken by seven of the crazy people at one time. He was lashing at them with his machete, and they did not stop. They just took him to the ground and started biting and eating him while he was screaming,” Prince replied. No one spoke; they just looked at Prince.

“Why are they painted blue?” asked Ellen.

“Surely you are mistaken,” Manny replied. “There aren’t any cannibals in the Congo anymore.”

“There are cannibals in the Congo. I have seen them. But the crazy ones are not cannibals; they were dressed like loggers. I don’t know why they are blue,” Prince solemnly stated.

“We have to move now. I will lead. You three stay in the middle. Djang will stay in the back. No talking, and do what we do,” he said as he turned to the trail and started walking.

Everyone fell in line following Prince into the jungle. The jungle sounds became more pronounced the further they went. What moonlight they had at the village was being choked out by the jungle canopy. Small animals scurried in the undergrowth, and insects chirped and buzzed around them as they moved on.

Chapter 2

After moving as quietly as possible for five hours, Prince held up his hand for everyone to stop. He motioned everyone over to him and passed around a canteen. “Don’t worry,” he told the three as they eyed the canteen, “this water has been treated.”

Casey grabbed the canteen and took a long drink. She thought she had never tasted something so good in her life. Djang put her hand on Casey’s shoulder.

“Don’t drink a lot, or you will make yourself sick, and we have a long way to go,” Djang said.

Casey nodded her head and passed on the canteen. She looked at Djang, asking, “Where did you guys get the guns from?”

“One thing you learn in this country ‘always carry a gun.’ We just put them in our pack, but Prince has a pistol in a holster in the small of his back all the time. This is not America; there are no police in the jungle and few in the cities,” she replied with frustration.

“I’m sorry. I did not mean to be rude,” said Casey.

“You were not being rude. You were just implying that you are used to someone else protecting you,” Djang replied. “You must be ready to protect yourself in this world and count on very few others to do it for you.”

“What are we going to do?” Manny asked, looking around at the jungle in the moonlight.

“Djang and I are going to get you three to the airport. Then on a plane in Brazzaville,” Prince stated as a matter of fact.

After everyone drank some water, they started off once again through the jungle. Prince’s hands were holding the AK like an extension of his body, always looking ahead into the jungle. Manny just watched him in awe. How could someone so big move with such grace?

In dawn’s first light, they were topping a ridge overlooking a valley. A couple miles to the south, they could see a village. Something was wrong with the sight. No smoke was rising from it. Prince just stood staring at it. Concern etched on his face.

“What is wrong?” Ellen asked.

“Something has happened to that village,” he replied.

“But we have to go through that village to get out of here, don’t we? I mean, we came through it on the way here, right?” she asked.

“No, we will go around it through the jungle,” he replied.

“There are no trails through the jungle. We could get lost,” cried Manny.

“That is a chance we will have to take: if we go through the village, we could die,” Prince said. “I would rather take a chance of getting lost than dying.”

“Stay close to each other because it will be easy to get separated in the jungle,” Djang stated to everyone.

Prince turned and walked toward the jungle, pulling out his machete, with the others close to his heels. Birds in the trees were making all kinds of racket. It seemed impossible to move here. Bushes and vines grabbed at them, pulling at their legs, arms, and clothes. Each step took determination just to move forward.

At 10 a.m. they had reached the other side of the valley. All were covered in scratches and gasping for breath as they stepped back onto the trail. Ellen, Casey, and Manny collapsed on the trail. Prince and Djang both squatted in the middle of the trail, pulling off their packs and pulling out MREs.

“Come close. We must eat a little and be off again. We still have about four hours left before we get to the vehicles,” Prince informed the little trio.

They split four MRE’s between them and drank some water. Manny did not think he could move anymore, much less four more hours at this pace. Then he remembered the screams, and he knew he would walk until he died. He looked over at Ellen as she finished eating. Manny wanted to go over and put his arm around Ellen as she sat there with her knees pulled up to her chest, rocking back and forth. What had she seen when she turned around and looked back at the village? Then he decided he did not want to know and just stayed where he was.

Ellen saw Manny watching her again. Why didn’t he come over to her and try to comfort her? Was he that shallow, or was he just scared of her? Right now she did not really care. Ellen just wanted out of this damn jungle and off the stupid continent. All she wanted to do was to help others have a better life, and what did she get for it? People being killed around her, and the one guy with her took off running like a bolt of lightning when it got bad.

Prince stood up. “We must keep going. I don’t want to get caught out here in the dark again,” he said as he was putting his backpack on and checking his weapons. Djang was doing the same.

The trio stood and stretched out muscles while Prince and Djang prepped to move. When Prince started down the trail, they set off in single file after him.

Chapter 3

As they came out of the jungle to a clearing that they had been dropped off in four weeks earlier, they stopped in the tree line. They could see three Range Rovers in the clearing on the opposite side of the road in a line, but not the forest rangers who drove them. Casey started out into the clearing, but Prince put his arm on her chest, motioning her down.

“What’s wrong?” asked Casey. “The trucks are right there. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

“Something is not right here. There is no sound from the jungle, and I don’t see the rangers around. You just don’t leave trucks around here,” Prince told her.

Ellen cocked her head to the side to listen. There were no birds or insects making any noise. Ellen had never heard the jungle so quiet, and fear started building in her stomach. She looked at the trucks in the afternoon light. Something was definitely wrong here. She could feel it. The trucks were only fifty yards away. They were so close to freedom, but the trucks seemed on the other side of the world. Prince motioned for everyone to gather around him.

“We will move to the trucks together. Go for the closest one; you three stay in between me and Djang. If anything happens, just get in the back of the truck. Djang, you drive. If there are no keys, then hotwire it,” Prince said looking around. “Do not run or get in front of us now. Something is very wrong here, okay?”

Each person looked at Prince, nodding in agreement. As they moved to get in line, a soft breeze blew into the jungle, and they smelled it. Death, the same smell from the village. Everyone froze looking at Prince.

“I know,” he whispered, “they are here, but we need to get out of here. Let’s go.”

Prince led the group out of the jungle to the Range Rover at the rear of the line. He felt like eyes were everywhere looking at him. As they crossed the road, they could see blood on the ground around each vehicle. The passenger window of the first truck was broken out. The smell was getting stronger, and it was actually getting harder to breathe with the smell.

As Prince reached the truck, he opened the back passenger door and motioned for the three to get in. Ellen passed him by, crawling in, followed by Casey and Manny. Djang went to the passenger door and looked in. No keys were in the ignition. She crawled under the dash to get to work. Prince remained crouched outside the truck with his gun sweeping the area.

A scream erupted from the backseat. Prince stood up, turning toward the sound. A blue person was grabbing for Casey from the back cargo area. Damn it, he thought, why didn’t they look in there before they jumped in? Well, they did just what he told them to. Only he was to blame here.

It looked like at one time the person that Casey was fighting had been a ranger, but he was covered in dried blood, and he was bluish gray. The ranger was trying to bite Casey as she was fighting him off. Ellen was trying to help her by hitting the man in the face as fast as she could. Manny was trying to pull Casey back.

Prince raised his AK to his shoulder and fired a shot into the man’s chest. All it did was knock him back into the cargo area. The trio were shocked by the gunshot and just looked at Prince. The back passenger window on the driver’s side exploded in on Ellen as a man in coveralls grabbed at her, trying to pull her out the window. Ellen started to swing with everything she had, hitting him in the face as he was trying to grab her. He was biting in the air every time her hand came close to his head.

Djang climbed out of the floorboard, opened the driver’s door, and kicked the man in the coveralls away. She reached back inside for her AK when she felt a hand grab her shoulder from behind her. She kicked back with her foot and felt something give. As she turned, she looked at Aristide. His face was bluish gray, and he was missing an arm, but here he was standing in front of her.

“Aristide,” she said. Aristide opened his mouth and lunged for her. She brought the stock of the AK up and hit him in the head, knocking him to the ground. Then she heard a scream to her left that made her heart stop. The man in the coveralls had gotten back up and pulled Ellen’s body half-way out of the window by her right arm and took a bite out of her forearm. Blood sprayed the man’s face as he stood up with his mouth full of flesh. Djang raised her rifle, lining up on the man’s head, and pulled the trigger. The bullet slammed into the man’s forehead, blowing out the back of his skull. He dropped like a switch had been turned off.

As Djang leaned over to check on Ellen, she felt fire in her left calf. She turned, looking down, and screamed. Aristide was biting her leg. She kicked with her other leg, trying to get him off while trying to get her rifle down. As her right boot hit Aristide’s shoulder, she knocked him off, tearing a large piece of her calf off in his mouth.

Prince ran around the front of the truck leveling his rifle. He shot Aristide twice in the back, knocking him down flat as he was getting up on his hand and knees. Prince ripped off his shirt and placed it on Djang’s leg. Just as he tied it off, he felt something grab his leg. He looked down, not believing what he’d seen. Aristide had grabbed his foot and was trying to bite it. He reached to the small of his back for his pistol as he kicked Aristide away from his foot and lined up the sights with the back of Aristide’s head, pulling the trigger. Aristide’s head exploded, and the body lay motionless in the dirt. Prince heard screaming and yelling from inside the truck. He looked and saw the ranger he’d just shot through the heart clawing at Casey and Manny.

Prince raised the pistol and shot the ranger through the right eye, blowing out the back of his head and the rear window. He looked around and did not see anyone. Prince helped Djang into the driver seat and closed the door. Walking around to the rear, he opened the rear door with his pistol raised. The ranger rolled out and hit the dirt and did not move. Prince saw keys clipped to his belt, and he bent down, pulling them off. Yep, one was a Range Rover key. He walked back to the driver’s side door, giving the keys to Djang.

“See if these are the right keys,” he told her. Then he walked to Ellen, who was holding her arm where the man had bit her.

“Manny, give me your shirt, fast,” he said. Manny took off his shirt, giving it to him. Prince tied the shirt around Ellen’s forearm, and the bleeding stopped. He then looked at Manny and Casey; they were both covered in claw marks from the ranger, with several still bleeding.

“Prince, get your ass in here now,” Djang yelled. She was looking back across the road. Prince followed her gaze, and his blood froze. Where they had come out of the jungle, thirty to forty blue-colored people were staggering toward them. Then several broke into a run that was much faster than a person should be capable of. Prince ran around the front of the truck as Djang started it up. Just as he slammed his door, she popped the clutch and sped off down the road.

Chapter 4

They sped off down the road leaving a trail of dust. Manny, sitting against the door looking at the world pass them by, was thinking about what had happened so far. This only confirmed for him that this was the biggest mistake he had made in his life. If he ever made it back to America, he would never leave again. The scratches along his neck and face were burning like fire. Ellen was whimpering off to the side, and Casey was holding her, trying to comfort her without success. They were still a couple of hours outside of Brazzaville. They had stopped a short while ago and filled the gas tank with the gas cans that were stored on top of the truck. Prince took over driving, helping Djang into the passenger seat. Prince looked up into the rearview mirror at the trio.

“When we get to the airport, do not tell them we were attacked by people, tell them the scratches came from the jungle and Ellen and Djang were bitten by monkeys. Ellen was bitten first, and Djang was bitten when she kicked it off,” he said. Manny could not believe what he had just heard.

“You want us to lie and not tell them those stupid-ass people attacked us!” Manny cried.

“Yes, think about it. Those people were infected with something, and the authorities could hold us here until they feel like letting us go. We have went through several villages and have not seen anyone,” Prince stated.

“Okay,” replied Manny, “but this country is screwed up.” It did not feel right not telling them, but if those people were infected with something, he wanted to be in a hospital stateside. Not in this Mickey Mouse land. Djang was blowing through the pain, sitting in the front seat. Prince looked over at her.

“You will have to put on a brave face when we get to Brazzaville, Djang,” he told her.

She looked at him and smiled. “Don’t worry, I will. What was that back there? You and I have fought all over Africa and have never seen anything like that. Why are they painted blue?”

“All I know is that ranger and Aristide should have been dead before I shot them, but they still kept attacking us. Each had wounds on them that they should have died from, but they still kept trying to attack us. And they were not painted blue; that was the color of their skin.”

“What the hell do you mean, trying to attack us? They were attacking us, Prince,” Casey yelled.

“Yes, Casey, I know, but it just does not make any sense why they would keep coming after I shot one of them,” Prince said.

Manny looked at Prince in the rearview mirror and said, “You act like you are coming with us, Prince.”

Prince replied, “We met up with you three in Paris, and that’s where I’m taking you to. Your college paid us to keep you safe while you are in Africa, and I will see you out of Africa.”

They rode in silence until they reached the outskirts of Brazzaville. In the slums on the outskirts of the city, they saw the first people. Just sitting in doorways and walking around. Up ahead, they saw army trucks blocking the road.

Prince said to all of them, “Let me do the talking.”

As he pulled up, a soldier walked to his window and shined a flashlight in on the occupants.

“How are you doing tonight, sir?” Prince asked in French.

“Where are you coming from?” the soldier asked.

“Outside of the village of Kinkala, setting up a water well for a village there. We heard some gunshots and the rangers there said to get in the trucks and get the Americans out before they got hurt. He said the last thing we needed was for America to be mad at us if something happened to some college kids that come to help us,” Prince told him.

“Yes, he is right,” the soldier replied. “The last thing we need is for some Americans to get hurt here.”

“Well, one got bit by a monkey when we stopped to fill up the tank,” Prince said.

“Damn, is she all right?” said the soldier. “We can get a medic here.”

“That’s all right. She is okay for now. We are on the way to the airport. The rangers called ahead to have a plane ready to get them out of the country.”

A look of relief filled the soldier’s face as he replied, “Well, hurry and get them on the plane before something happens to them.”

“I am,” replied Prince. “What the hell is happening out there?”

“Some rebels are attacking people in the countryside. The army is mobilizing to move out in the morning to fight them,” the soldier replied as he motioned for someone to move one of the trucks blocking the road. “Hurry and get them on the plane now before something happens. Do you want us to escort you?”

“No,” replied Prince. “I don’t want you to get in trouble for leaving your post. I will get them there.”

Prince pulled forward and drove off down the road. Driving through town, they noticed lots of military vehicles everywhere. As Prince pulled up to the airport entrance, a guard stopped them and approached the truck.

“Are you the one bringing the Americans?” the guard asked.

“How did you know that?” Prince asked.

“One of the checkpoints called in with a report. Well, are you?” the guard asked.

“Yes, these are the American college students,” Prince told him.

“Drive straight to runway number two. The plane is there waiting for you. The passengers have already boarded. Do not drive anywhere else, okay. Make sure you have your passports ready,” the guard told them as he waved them through.

Manny gasped, “Our passports! You made us leave our packs.”

Prince looked at him, replying, “If you remember, I made each of you give me your passports when we left the airport when we got here, and I have your passports. I have had too many clients lose their passports before, so I keep up with them.” Manny let out a long puff of air.

“Thank you, Prince, for everything,” Manny said.

“Don’t think anything of it. You were here to help my country. It was my pleasure, but now everyone put on a strong face. We are at the plane,” he said as he pulled up to the plane.

Manny got out, walked around the truck, and helped Ellen get out. He put his arm around her, pulling her close to him. The customs agent approached them. “Passports, please, so we can get you out of here,” he said.

“I have them,” Prince said. “Let them go ahead and board.” Prince turned and reached in his pack, pulling out a plastic bag as he slid his pistol under the seat. He took the passports out, handing them over. Djang got out of the truck and walked up beside him with a smile on her face. The customs agent opened each passport as the trio got on the plane. He handed them back to Prince.

“You need to hurry and get on the plane. The president is preparing to close the airport,” the customs agent told him.

“Thank you,” Prince said. Djang and he walked with a steady pace up the stairs. When they reached the cabin, a stewardess ran up to them.

“Hurry and buckle up. The pilot is ready to taxi off. We have been waiting for your group a long time. There are reports of fighting all over the country. We will do the safety briefing once we are airborne,” she said, out of breath.

Prince and Djang sat down behind the trio and buckled up. Manny still had his arm around Ellen, holding her close. Ellen looked up at him, smiling, as she reached down and moved the armrest up, curling next him. Manny smiled. At long last he had his arm around Ellen. He thought maybe this was not so bad after all. He laid his head atop hers as the plane roared down the runway.

The customs agent watched the plane take off as his radio went off. “All flights are canceled as ordered by the president,” someone reported on the radio. Well, at least they got the American kids out of here, he thought.

No one could have imagined the plague that they had unleashed on mankind by doing everything possible to get those kids out of the country. The Congo was isolated enough that the plague might have run its course and died out. With air travel and four infected people out in the world, mankind did not have much hope. But there was a glimmer of hope.

Chapter 5

Bruce threw the chart on the desk, looking up at the neurosurgery resident. He knew it would be very unprofessional to haul off and hit him for just being a resident. Plus, he was just a kid. Out of all the services, Bruce hated neurosurgery the most. Not once in ten years as an emergency room registered nurse had he met a neurosurgeon resident who did not think he or she was the sole reason the world turned. Everyone thought you had to be smart to work with the brain, but what most people did not know is that medicine knew very little about the brain. All neurosurgeons could do was use a sledgehammer on a fine Swiss watch.

Bruce took a deep breath, “Canni, if you yell one more time at me, I will strangle you with your lab coat. I told you the labs were drawn and sent over an hour ago.”

“It’s Dr. Canni to you, nurse. If they were drawn, why are they not in the computer then?” he yelled.

“Resident Canni,” Bruce said. “If you yell at me again, you will slip and fall on the way to your car tonight. Why don’t you call the lab yourself and find out why the results are not up?” Bruce could feel a headache coming on, and he was losing his temper. This shift was lasting too long. Four gunshots, three car wrecks with six victims and one death, a kid some mother did not put in a car seat, and two massive heart attacks. Bruce had just sat down for the first time in ten hours, and he had not eaten anything. Now this resident wanted to yell at someone.

“Nurse, you will call the lab and then page me with the results. Now do what I told you,” Canni yelled.

Bruce pushed himself back from the desk, standing up and stretching to his full six-foot four-inch, 280-pound frame. He had a shaved head with a goatee and two gold earrings. He truly looked like a Mr. Clean on steroids. He made his way around his desk, which served as his nursing station, moving to stand in front of the resident. Dr. Canni’s smile fell off his face, and a look of fear replaced it.

Another doctor, hearing the commotion, started walking toward the nurse and resident, hoping to get there before the kid got popped. The doctor was only two inches shorter than Bruce and almost as heavy, with buzz-cut black hair and a clean-shaven face. He was not in the mood to pull the nurse off the resident. He already pulled him off a drunk who was hitting a cop. He had waited a little while before he pulled the nurse off the drunk, though.

“What is the problem here?” he asked. “Why are you yelling in my ER, Canni?”

Bruce turned, looking at the attending. “Mike, this little twerp wants me to do his job and mine because he is stupid,” Bruce replied in a flat tone.

Dr. Canni yelled, “This nurse refuses to do what I told him, and he has disrespected me in front of the medical staff.”

“First, you will not yell again in my ER at me or my staff. Is that clear, Dr. Canni?” Mike, the attending, stated firmly.

“You cannot talk to me that way to me even if you are the attending here in the ER,” Dr. Canni yelled.

“First, let’s get something straight here. I am the boss here, and you are nothing in this machine. You will address me as Dr. Collins. Everyone here answers to me. I am responsible here for every patient that comes into this ER, not you. My staff here functions here at top performance. For the last time, if you yell one more time, I will let this nurse beat the shit out of you. And in case you are wondering, all the medical staff here are his friends and coworkers. Who do you think they will say started it?” he said, standing nose to nose with the resident.

Dr. Canni took a step back. Beads of sweat started to form on his forehead and ran down his face. This had not played out like he thought it would. He had two giants looking at him, and one was ready to unleash the bigger one on him.

Then Dr. Collins looked at the resident and said in a harsh tone, “I could not help but hear you yelling that your labs are not up. That would be due to the volume of patients we have had tonight. The lab is very backed up, and I have already talked to the supervisor. They are doing the best they can. Now you need to leave my ER and call in your attending because you are not allowed down here for the rest of tonight.”

Dr. Canni had a look of true panic on his face. Attending doctors did not like being called in to replace a resident. Residents have been kicked out of programs for much less. Dr. Canni looked up and said in a pleading voice, “I’m sorry for my actions. Please don’t make me call my attending.”

“Just get out of my ER, and don’t ever yell at my staff down here again,” Dr. Collins told him.

As Dr. Canni scurried out of the ER, Dr. Collins turned, looking at Bruce, “You have been in one fight tonight. Isn’t that enough?”

“What fight?” asked Bruce.

“The drunk in room twelve that was hitting the police officer,” Dr. Collins reminded him.

“That was not a fight. I was only guiding him to the floor so he could not hurt himself,” stated Bruce innocently.

Mike laughed, “Please don’t ever guide me to the floor then.”

Bruce smiled, “He started it.”

They both laughed, along with the rest of the staff. Bruce walked around his desk and sat back down. Mike pulled up a chair beside his buddy.

“I have not ate in ten hours, I just got to sit down, my blood sugar is falling, and my hands are starting to shake,” Bruce stated as he picked up a candy bar, eating it in one bite. Mike just smiled; when Bruce started to get hungry, everyone took cover. In the thirteen years he had known Bruce, he learned that was the one time he could count on him to lose his temper real easy.

“You know you are going to have to run that candy bar off later on the treadmill,” Mike told him.

“I know, but if I don’t get something in me someone is going to come by and throw holy water on me trying to perform an exorcism,” Bruce predicted.

Mike and several other nurses laughed. “I thought you were not going to buy candy anymore,” Mike said.

“He did not buy it,” a small doctor said, walking up to them. “I bought it for him three hours ago when I saw his hands starting to shake on that car wreck that came in earlier.” She was Angela Bennit, a third-year ER resident. “I knew if he did not get something in him, heads were going to start to roll.”

Mike slapped his leg, laughing, “Once someone gets to know you, Bruce, you are too predictable.”

Angela looked at Mike. “Yes, he is, but everyone here knows Bruce is in your corner if something happens. You can always count on him being there for you. He takes care of his residents,” she said with a smile.

“Dr. Collins, when you get a minute, can I see you about room three?” she said, walking away.

“The residents and staff really like you a lot, Bruce. Please don’t beat up anyone while I’m gone to see what’s going on in room three,” Mike asked him.

Bruce looked him in the eye and said, “I’m not making any promises to that. I have three more hours on this shift and four hours of paperwork, and the guy in room ten won’t quit pissing on the floor.”

Mike stood up and stretched. He hoped the guy in room ten was some old man and not some drunk because if it was the latter, he was in for a bad night. People just did not realize you do not make your nurse mad. They were there to take care of you, but they could make your stay very uncomfortable.

As Mike walked toward room three, he remembered the day he met Bruce. He instantly liked him. They got both families together the first weekend Mike was off after coming to the university hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana. They were so much alike that it was a bit scary. They each joined the service at seventeen. Bruce served six years in the Army as an Airborne Ranger. Mike had served three years in a Marine expeditionary unit. They each had three kids and had outstanding wives. Mike’s wife was a pediatrician at the hospital, and Bruce’s wife was a labor and delivery nurse at the university. After that first weekend, every time the group was off, they were together doing something.

Bruce married his childhood sweetheart once he graduated, while she was still in school. Once Debbie finished high school she went to join Bruce at Ft Benning.  While he was in the Army, Debbie went to nursing school and was a nurse his last four years in the Army. They were able to put up a lot of money during Bruce’s time in the service. Not many can say that they made money while in the military, but they could. Debbie was Bruce’s rock in life. They were a perfect match, and she was the only one who could put him in his place when his head got too big, which was quite often. Bruce left the service because he wanted a real family, and he realized that the politicians in Washington were sending troops out to make a point, not for the defense of his beloved country. After leaving the service, he used his GI bill to go to nursing school. True to his nature for action, he started working in the Level 1 trauma ER at the university, somewhere that there is always action and he could make a difference in people’s lives.

Mike joined the Marines just for the GI bill. He came from a farming family in Kansas and could never afford medical school. Afford, hell, when he graduated, he was in debt $140,000. At least the GI bill had gotten him through pre-med. It was during the first year of med school he met the light of his life, Nancy. She was the yin to his yang. She was his study partner the entire four years, and both graduated with honors. She, too, came from a poor farming family, in the Mississippi delta. When she graduated, she owed $185,000. They got married in their third year, to everyone’s dismay. All of their classmates said it wouldn’t last, but they had been together for almost eighteen years. They might be the older couple, Mike at forty-two and Nancy at forty, but Bruce at forty and Debbie at thirty-eight had been married for twenty-three years. Bruce married her before he shipped out to basic training while she was still a junior in high school.

Everyone they told this to laughed. Two kids got married while she was still in high school in Louisiana, and she graduated Debbie Williams. After graduation she took off to Bruce immediately started nursing school while Bruce served out his military term. They had been a couple since middle school. Now talk about true love.

During all of the gatherings they had, all of them had fun. Bruce and Debbie had two boys, Steve the oldest now at eighteen, then Jake, now seventeen, and the baby, Danielle, the little princess now sixteen. Mike and Nancy had Matt, the oldest now at seventeen, and the twins, David and Mary, now sixteen. With the kids all being about the same age when they met, talk about a group of people having fun.

After being a close-knit group for over a year, Bruce and Debbie asked them if they wanted to buy some property together. It was a decision that was not taken lightly. Mike and Nancy were already in debt up to their ears. Mike was the only one making some money because pediatricians do not make much. After talking it over with Nancy, the group formed an LLC together and bought a farm eighty miles outside of town. It might only be 210 acres, but it was the world to them. Then they all bought a trailer in Haughton fifteen miles from the hospital so everyone was not always in transit back and forth from work. Mike had to say if it were not for Bruce and Debbie’s down payment of $150,000, there was no way his family would have been out of that apartment. A three-bedroom apartment was hell with three kids. Almost everything was paid off in three years except student loans and the swimming pool. When you have four professional paychecks knocking down bills, they really don’t stand much of a chance.

“Dr. Collins,” Angela said.

“What,” Mike said with a startle.

“I think you were daydreaming, Dr. Collins,” she told Mike.

“I was. Now what do you have for me behind door number three?” he asked with a smile.

Chapter 6

Bruce watched his buddy walk off with the little resident. Mike was a natural teacher, and the residents here really liked having him teach them. Watching Mike over the years, Bruce knew Mike loved his job because he got to teach the next generation of doctors.

Bruce did not know what he had done to have so much going for him in life. He thought life could get no better after his family was complete. After Danielle, he knew his family was complete. She was his princess even though she drove him insane. At sixteen, she acted like she was going on twenty-five. Debbie told him constantly she would get better as she got older. Not that they did not get along and do a lot of stuff together––it was just boys calling the house all the time. Danny had her own cell phone, but they called the house phone and her mom’s phone to talk to her. More than once when Bruce walked into her room, she would be talking on her cell phone, the house phone, the X-box, and Skype. All the while, she was still carrying on a conversation with Mary, Mike’s daughter and her partner in crime. If one girl got in trouble, the parents had learned, go ahead and punish the other one because she was guilty, too.

Then Mike and his family came into Bruce’s life. Bruce never considered himself a survivalist, just someone who is prepared for emergencies. He and Debbie always kept an average of six months’ worth of food in the house. They both grew up on farms where stocking up was second nature. Debbie loved to hunt and fish as much as he did, so naturally they instructed the kids in how to hunt, passing on the love of the outdoors. Mike and Nancy both hunted in their youth but had slacked off until they started hanging out with the Williams’ family. Now each year the family went on a hunt somewhere. The last one, everyone went to Canada to hunt black bear. Now there was a bearskin rug in every bedroom in the house.

After they bought the land past Castor, 210 acres of paradise, the first priority was getting a house for them to live in. There was a small two-bedroom house and two barns on the land when they bought it. After having a large family meeting, it was agreed to build one large house that everyone could live in. It took a whole year and lot of sweat, but the Family––what they now called themselves and actually named the LLC after––shared. What was one family’s was also the other’s: they were one large family. Bruce actually told most people that he had two wives and a husband with six kids. That usually got weird looks from people, especially the ones at church.

The house was laid out in an L shape, with a basement for food storage and guns. The first floor was the living area. This was the only area over which both wives just about wanted a divorce. Mike and Bruce wanted a large game room with a projection theater. The wives adamantly refused. So the boys waited until both had to work then installed one while they were in Shreveport for two days. They eventually grew to love it, but their first night back, Mike and Bruce had to sleep downstairs. The kitchen had huge two dishwashers because Bruce said he would not wash dishes because that’s what he had to do when he got in trouble at home and in the army. Three washers and dryers were in the laundry room off of the kitchen. They never bought anything new, always refurbished, and learned how to fix it themselves or bought another used one. A large dining room and den were the length of the L, then two guest bedrooms at the base of the L. The upstairs was all bedrooms. Two master bedrooms were side by side at the bottom of the L. Along the length of the L was the kids’ rooms, with a hallway running down the middle. On the left were the two girls’ rooms with a bathroom in the middle for them to share. On the right were two rooms with a shared bathroom for Jake and David. At the end of the hall was a bathroom for Steve and Matt with a room on each side of the hall for them. A balcony went around the outside of the L with door to each room. Outside, in the L, was an Olympic-size swimming pool surrounded by a patio. The entire house was over 6500 square feet.

They over-insulated everything, not being green but with regard to money. It took another year of setting up solar panels to get off the grid. Because there were two families, they got over forty thousand dollars in free solar panels. They had five arrays over the property with two battery houses. The old army motto of “two is one and one is none” was apparent everywhere on the property. They bought old shipping containers and turned them into storage areas.

Then the wives started collecting the animals: chickens, milking cows, rabbits, ducks, quails, and, of course, horses. The only thing the family voted down was the pigs. That made both moms very unhappy, but the pig vote only had two in favor of getting the nasty critters. Everyone had his or her own horse to take care of. The kids really took to the chores of taking care of the animals and the farm that was growing. It might have had something to do with the allowance that was given out every Thursday.

The house ran like a well-oiled machine. A calendar was in the kitchen that had everyone’s schedule and chores listed. This was because of the moms, not the dads. Neither Bruce nor Mike made plans more than twelve hours in advance. Once, they both forgot a ball game, and the calendar almost immediately got put in their phones with alarms. Both dads knew the computer whiz, Jake, was responsible for that because neither mom was very computer literate.

People could not believe that two large families could live in one house and function, much less get along. Not that it was for everyone, but on the frontier, families would live together under one roof to work the land, help each other, and raise the kids. It did take work, but the rewards were well worth the effort. Everyone in the house had his or her own place to go to be left alone. When someone was in his or her special place, everyone left the person alone.

“Bruce,” Kelly, a nurse in the ER, called.

“Earth to Bruce, your guy is pissing on the floor again,” she said.

Bruce turned, and the drunk was standing and, sure enough, was pissing on the floor again, laughing. “Now you have to clean it up, asshole,” the drunk said.

“That may be,” said Bruce as he jumped up, grabbing the man by his arm and forcefully placing him in the bed. Bruce reached back behind him into the bedside table, grabbing the restraints. “But right now I am putting you out of my misery,” Bruce replied as he tied the drunk to the bed.

The drunk yelled, “You can’t do this me. I have to pee again.”

Bruce smiled at the drunk and said, “You can pee in the bed as much as you want, but you will lay in it until I get off in the morning.”

Bruce turned around, and the wife of the heart attack victim that came in earlier was standing there. The little old lady said, “You should not have to put up with trash like that.”

“Well, ma’am, the government says that I have to take care of anyone that comes in. Believe it or not, someone out there might like that moron,” Bruce replied. “So I will take care of him, too. Not with a lot of kindness, but he will be taken care of.”

She just shook her head and said, “I just wanted to thank you for taking such good care of my husband and me before he went to surgery. That meant the world to me. The surgeon said because they were able to get him in the operating room so fast he had little damage to his heart.” She smiled and hugged Bruce.

As she let him go, she looked up at him and said, “If you want me to, I will go in there and give him a spanking his momma should have given him when he was little.”

Bruce grinned at her and replied, “I might take you up on that later, sweetie.”

The little old lady turned and walked away. It was times like that that made Bruce happy he was a nurse. He had touched a life and made a difference to someone.

Chapter 7

Bruce was sitting in the break room waiting on Debbie to get off work upstairs in the labor unit. The door opened, and Bruce looked up as Mike walked over to him giggling.

“There is some drunk complaining that some bald guy tied him up and would not let him go pee. Would you know anything about that?” Mike said.

“I don’t know anything about that, but I have six witnesses that will say that the drunk wanted to hurt himself. So I had to restrain him to prevent him from harming others or himself,” Bruce replied with a straight face.

“Man, am I glad this rotation is over, brother man,” Mike said.

“You and me both. I don’t know if I could do another one,” replied Bruce.

They both worked seven nights on and seven nights off. Bruce had the better deal because Mike sometimes had to come in and lecture on his days off. Debbie just worked per diem, and she only signed up when another member of the family was working. Everyone in the family made fun of her because she worked when she wanted to. Nancy had the best shift of all. A month on and a month off, days only, as a pediatric attending with every other weekend during the month she was on. She did have to put up with med students and a lot of lectures, but she liked it. Attending very rarely got called in during the night. If it was for a patient, then she would take off, but if it was for a resident being stupid, then her kids could tell you about the tongue lashing she could give.

“What are you still doing here?” Mike asked.

“I’m waiting on Debbie to get off,” Bruce said.

Mike grabbed his phone, pulling up the calendar. “Ooops, I forgot she was working. She going to ride home with you, right? I have lecture until 10 a.m.,” Mike said.

“I looked at my calendar before we left the trailer. That is why I said we each had to take separate vehicles,” Bruce said, looking out the window at the rising sun.

“Don’t tell them I forgot to look at my calendar, brother,” Mike pleaded.

Bruce turned to Mike, “Don’t worry, my husband, I won’t tell them anything.”

Debbie walked in the break room in the middle of the conversation. “You won’t tell who what, baby?” she asked, looking at Bruce, with her dirty-blonde hair on her shoulders.

“Mike had to pull me off a drunk last night that was hitting a cop,” Bruce answered.

Debbie walked up, kissing Bruce on the check. “Why would we be mad about that?” she asked.

“I helped him to the floor several times, baby,” Bruce replied.

Debbie stood up to her full five-foot-even, 118-pound height, trying to look intimidating. It never worked on anyone except the kids. Looking at Mike, Debbie walked over, grabbed his lab coat, pulled him down, and kissed him on the check also. Cutting her eyes back to Bruce as she was standing beside Mike, she smiled.

“How many times did you ‘help’ him to the floor, wild man?” she asked.

“I’m not really sure, but it was several. Until the cop tazed him,” answered Bruce.

“Well, as long as nobody important got hurt, and you did not get in trouble, it’s okay,” she replied.

“I just talked to Nancy. She is on the road from the farm. She said all the kids got up and off to school, but they all stayed up late last night playing Call of Duty. None of them wanted to get up. You two are going to have to say something to them. They are all on the honor roll, and we need to keep it that way. They kept telling Nancy that they were fighting some wolf clan,” Debbie told them.

“They were fighting the wolf clan without us,” both Mike and Bruce explained.

Debbie just looked at them, saying, “Sometimes I think you two are worse than the kids.”

“Well, did they beat them and destroy red devil?” asked Mike.

“I don’t know; they just said they were playing them,” Debbie said.

“Deb, baby, this is important stuff. We are trying to teach the kids proper combat and survival techniques. This way, when we go do family training, the kids are already above the power curve,” Bruce said, getting out of his chair, taking her up in his arms.

“Sometimes I think Nancy and I should ground you two from the X-box,” she said, smiling.

“Hey, you and Nancy have to admit that you have fun in combat training. After Bruce and I sent you two and the kids to close-quarters combat training last summer at that camp outside of Spokane,” Mike stated.

Debbie looked at him and said, “That was more fun than either Nancy or I would have admitted to. Don’t get me wrong: we did miss you, but you two have had formal training and can get a little to bitchy when we go out together. The kids really enjoyed it because they don’t like it when either of you correct them all the time during the training seasons.”

“We don’t always correct them when we are playing paintball,” Bruce stated.

“Was it not just two weeks ago that you yelled at Danielle when she could not hit Jake when he was closing in on your flag?” Debbie said.

“That was capture the flag, and she did hit him after I gave her words of encouragement,” replied Bruce.

“Yelling at the top of your lungs ‘Will you cut him down like a rabid dog, Danny?’ I don’t consider words of encouragement. He is your son, after all. What did she do after that? She turned her gun on full auto, hitting him at least fifty times. I really thought the school would report us for child abuse with all the whelps he had,” she said sternly.

“The only reason she hit him so many times was because he fell down laughing at me. It was nice grouping of her shots, though, and I did tell her that,” Bruce replied with a smile.

“Believe me, I know she posted it on Facebook that her dad was proud of her for unloading on her rabid dog brother,” Debbie said, laughing.

“Well, I was proud of her, too,” Mike said.

Debbie just looked at them and shook her head. “I love you both, but I am going to have to kill both of you now.”

Mike and Bruce just laughed. There is something to say when your kids can take care of themselves. Bruce was a black belt in kenpo, kung fu, and jujitsu. He held classes once a week at the gym at the house. The second barn was converted to a full gym that everyone had to use four times a week as part of the chores. Almost without pause, everyone used it more than that. The family learned it was best to stay in shape for the family outings. It could be paintball, rock wall climbing, hiking through some mountains, whitewater rafting, or some other extreme sport. All of the kids’ friends were jealous of what they got to do all the time. Granted, there were those who said, “I can’t believe you train your kids on guns.” That’s when Bruce would say, “Well, I do train them on explosives, too, since I am a licensed demolition expert.” That usually got a look of utter disgust from the person. The family had been reported to Child Protective Services twice, but the kids were not placed in danger and the instruction always was about safety first. One of the CPS workers actually brought her kid out when Bruce was teaching the kids how to blow up a beaver dam with dynamite. Each time they were reported, it was by some family that had moved there from California.

“Debbie, even you have to admit when my little Mary broke that boy’s arm when he threw her into a closet and tried to feel her up, you were proud of her,” Mike stated.

“I was proud of her for making a stand. What I was not proud of was Bruce going to the school threatening to kill everyone and skin the boy alive then haul him up the flagpole. If Bruce was not a reserve deputy with Caddo, he would have went to jail,” Debbie shot back.

“Debbie, if I had not been in Miami for a conference, I would have went with him and I guarantee someone would have been run up that flagpole. Bruce just did not have his husband at his back,” Mike told her.

“Whatever,” Debbie replied. “I don’t remember seeing either of you at the PTA meeting to get the teacher that was on hall duty that day removed. It was Nancy and I, thank you,” Debbie said proudly.

“Yeah, we heard you called him a cocksucker to his face and Nancy was trying to spray him with pepper spray and castrate him in front of the entire PTA. I really think they removed him for his own protection and placed him in the witness protection program,” Bruce replied, smirking.

They all laughed at that. “Well, I am ready to go home, and Mike has lecture, so let’s go, Bruce,” Debbie said. Mike and Bruce knuckle bumped each other, and Debbie gave Mike a kiss on the cheek good-bye. “Have fun teaching the kiddies today, Mike,” Debbie said, walking out.

“I will,” he replied. “You two be careful on the way home. I will see you tonight with Nancy.”

As Debbie and Bruce walked out holding hands, Bruce looked over at Debbie, “I love you, little one.”

“I love you, too, big one,” she said as she put her arm around his waist, walking out of the hospital.

Walking to the parking lot, Bruce said, “I need to stop by the trailer and pick up some stuff.”

“What are we picking up, baby? The trailer is not on the way home,” she asked.

“The fourteen-inch barrels came in for the SCAR-L’s this week, and since I have already paid the government for my tax stamp for permission to own fourteen-inch barrels, I wanted to put them on,” Bruce told her.

“I wondered what was in the box in the back closet. Yes, we can stop and pick up your toys, but you cannot play with them until all your chores are done,” she jokingly replied. He opened the door to his pride and joy, a fully restored 1995 Chevy quad-cab 2500 diesel truck.

He turned to Debbie and said, “Life is good, baby.”

“Yes, it is,” she replied.

Chapter 8

The stewardess came around telling everyone that they were getting ready to start the descent into Paris. Prince turned to look at Djang. She was sweating, and her breathing was rapid and shallow. Her normally dark skin was turning pale, and her cheeks had a bluish hue.

“Djang, does your leg still hurt?” Prince asked.

“No, it does not hurt at all, but I’m so cold and I feel like I can’t get enough air into my lungs,” she replied.

Prince sat quietly holding her hand. He knew she was very sick. He leaned forward to Manny, who had his arms wrapped around Ellen. Prince shifted his gaze to Ellen. She looked okay sleeping on Manny’s shoulder and earlier said her arm hurt a little but nothing like it did before. They had changed the bandage a few hours ago, and the bite was scabbed over well and the edges were still pink. When he had changed Djang’s bandage earlier, the bite on her calf almost made him sick to his stomach. The wound was gray, had a very foul odor, and was draining yellow pus but still cold to the touch. He washed it the best he could with a bottle of water.

Both Manny’s and Casey’s scratches were scabbed over, and they each said that they no longer hurt at all. He would not have believed Manny because the boy had not let go of Ellen the entire flight. Now he would act brave for Ellen. He hoped that they would be all right and had not gotten whatever had infected the people of the Congo.

Prince knew that Djang was infected as he sat back in his seat. He had hoped to get her to America for treatment. That was his only reason for leaving with the three kids. Prince knew there was no medical care in the Congo that could hope to save her. He really cared for Djang and wanted to do whatever he could to help her. They had been guarding mission trips all over Africa for ten years together, and even though there was never any intimate contact, she was a good friend. They had been in too many tight spots for him to just abandon her.

“Manny, when we land I am going to seek care for Djang and get her to a hospital. I am going to say she was bitten by a monkey. Your tickets will be at the ticket counter, and you will have to show the teller your passports,” Prince told him.

“Okay, Prince, but why not just get her stateside? I mean, the French health care system may be good but nothing like America’s,” Manny replied.

“That was my original plan, but she is getting worse, and I don’t want to delay care for her any longer,” Prince replied, taking a deep breath. “When you get home, do not go directly to the hospital. Try to wait at least a day and do not tell them the wound was received in the Congo. Make up a story that will fit. You must take care of them now, okay?”

Manny turned to look at Prince with shock on his face. “Why are we still trying to deceive everyone?”

“Think about it. If you three have not shown symptoms by now, then you may be all right. But if you go to the hospital after an outbreak from a remote country, then they can detain you for a long time,” Prince informed him in a whisper, not wanting other passengers to hear.

“I will do that because you have not been wrong yet. Just to let you know, I’ll get them to America safe, Prince,” Manny promised him.

“You know she likes you, don’t you, Manny?” Prince asked him.

Manny looked down at his sleeping princess and brushed her face with the back of his hand. “I was a fool for not going after her sooner instead of waiting for her to come to me,” Manny said.

“Well, now you have to make up for lost time, my friend,” Prince informed him. “When we land, do not wait on me. Get the girls out of here. Keep walking straight ahead and act like you do not know me. Here are your passports.” As he passed them over the seat, Manny grasped them in his hand like they were holy relics.

“I will miss you, my friend, and if you are ever in America, stop by. You will always have a place to stay at my house,” Manny reached his hand back to grasp Prince’s hand. Prince reached forward and held his hand.

“You are a good man, Manny, and I hope life treats you well. Now wake up the girls and tell them the plan,” Prince told him.

Manny awakened both girls and told them of Prince’s plan. There was some hesitation by both until they looked back at Prince and Djang. Ellen and Casey had tears in their eyes. “We will miss you, Prince and Djang. Thank you is not enough for everything you two have done. We will pray for you, Djang,” Ellen promised.

“We will miss you, too,” Djang whispered to the girls. “Now turn around and stick to Prince’s plan, okay?”

“Will you have problems here, Prince?” whispered Casey.

“No, Casey, I am a French citizen, but Djang is not, so I will have to make a commotion to get her to the hospital. Now turn around. The other passengers are waking up and, remember, you do not know me, so keep walking,” Prince told her.

The landing went easy, and as soon as the plane docked at the terminal, the three stood up and walked to the door. They had cleaned themselves up in the bathroom, but their clothes were dirty and torn. Only a few people glanced their way as they walked down the aisle. They had no luggage, so they all held hands as soon as they passed through the door. They heard Prince yell, “My wife is sick! Please help me. I thought she was asleep, but she will not wake up!”

True to their word, the three kept on walking into the terminal. Since Casey could speak fluent French, she asked the first person they met where the United ticket counter was. The greeter pointed down the terminal and gave them directions. They followed the man’s instructions to the counter and placed their passports on the counter. Just then they watched a medical cart rush by them back down the terminal, followed by a lot of French policeman.

The ticket clerk took their passports, looking at them, with a questionable look at the appearance of the trio of Americans at her counter. They were standing arm in arm holding each other.

Manny saw the look the clerk was giving them and said, “We were robbed in Cairo and beaten for our luggage for wanting to help the poor there. We have not eaten in fourteen hours, and we have nothing. If we would not have put our passports in our boots, we would have lost them also.”

The clerk gasped, “I’m so sorry to hear that. The university secured you first-class tickets so you can eat as much as you want on the plane. Your flight leaves in twenty minutes Let me get you a ride; the flight is on the other end of the terminal. If you were here longer, I could do something to help you.” She handed them their tickets as she grabbed the phone to call for transport.

Manny smiled at the clerk, “Ma’am, we just want to get home to our families, but thank you for your concern. Your ride is much appreciated.”

“I’m sorry for your misfortune, Monsieur. I hope everything gets better for you and your friends,” the ticket clerk said with a look of concern.

The airport cart pulled up behind them, and they all got on the same seat. The driver took off down the terminal at a very brisk pace. It was hard for Manny to believe that less than thirty hours ago they were being attacked on a road in the Congo jungle. Now they were rushing down a terminal in Paris, France, after a five-hour layover in Cairo, and in twelve more hours, they would be home. He was sitting in the middle of the girls with his arm around each, with Casey’s head on his shoulder. Ellen had her arms around him. Manny could not believe that she was actually holding him. Smiling, he had his eyes closed as they rolled down the terminal to their gate.

The cart came to a stop at their gate, and they slowly got off the cart, walking up to the ticket taker. She scanned the tickets, allowing them to board. Walking down the boarding bridge, they looked out at the 747 that would take them home. A stewardess walked up to them saying, “The area manager called and told us what happened. We can’t get you food until we take off, but here are some bottles of water until then.”

Ellen looked at the stewardess, taking a bottle from her. “Thank you very much,” she told the stewardess.

The stewardess handed them three rolled-up T-shirts. “They are only company shirts but it is all we have on the plane,” she said.

“You have no idea how much I appreciate this,” replied Ellen. “I think this shirt needs to be burned. Can I trouble you for a clean bandage? When we were robbed, one of the attackers scratched my arm.”

“Yes, ma’am, after we are airborne, I will bring you some,” replied the stewardess.

The three were seated in first class, middle row, and immediately opened the bottles of water, emptying them. They made themselves comfortable while the crew prepared for takeoff. There were only four others in first class with them, and they were sitting in the back of the section. Manny sat in the middle of the girls. He turned to look at Casey on his left side; as he smiled at her, she gave his hand a squeeze. Turning to the right, Ellen was already looking at him. She was holding onto his arm, pulling him closer to her. Ellen gave him a kiss and backed away a little. The look of shock on his face was evident. As Ellen looked at him, she smiled a wicked little smile. Manny leaned closer to her, and they kissed passionately until the pilot came over the intercom starting to give flight information. They looked at each other until  she kissed him on the check and, still holding onto his arm, laid her head on his arm.

Manny was in heaven. She had kissed him and was literally hanging on him right now. He hoped that this was not a fluke and she really liked him. He really doubted that she liked him as much as he liked her, but hey, you had to start somewhere. As the plane roared down the runway, he could not help but think about walking around campus holding hands with Ellen. To see the look on his friends’ faces would be worth it. One thing he knew for sure was he was never leaving the United States again. He just kept staring ahead, smiling, oblivious to anything. If he would have looked down on his left arm, he would have seen Casey looking at him, smiling a proud smile.

She had watched Manny for two years chase after Ellen and was glad to see him finally get her. Why he never asked her out and just always put himself in the background was beyond her, but he had done it. Casey knew, along with everyone at school, that the only reason he volunteered to come to Africa was Ellen. Ellen had told her more than once she thought he was cute and wondered why he never asked her out. The stewardess startled her out of her daydream, “What would you like to eat, ma’am?”

Casey replied, “Everything I can get.”

The stewardess smiled and handed her a tray, “Well, let’s start with one then move on from there, okay?” Casey was eating before the plate hit the table.

Manny told the stewardess that Ellen and he would take the same. As the stewardess passed the first plate, he gave it to Ellen and then took his own and started shoveling food into his mouth. Before his second bite, Casey called the stewardess back, “I’m finished. Can I have another, please?”

“Ma’am, if you eat another plate that fast, you could get sick,” replied the astonished stewardess.

“You are probably right. Can I get another one, please?” she begged.

“Here is steak this time, cooked medium-well, if that is okay?” the stewardess said, laying another plate in front of her.

“Oh yeah, now that’s what I’m talking about,” replied Casey.

The stewardess laughed, handing her the plate and taking the other. “Please eat this one slower. I am not in the mood to perform the Heimlich on you.” She looked over to Manny and Ellen. “Would you two like your next plate now or wait a little bit?” she asked.

They both held their hands up for the next plate. The stewardess assured them that there was more food, but asked them to please slow down so they would not get sick. Everyone nodded with full mouths, grunting the best they could. After the girls each ate two plates and Manny ate four, the stewardess came up to Ellen.

“Here are some new bandages and some stuff to clean your cuts up. I would have brought them earlier, but I was scared to stop you while you were eating,” the stewardess told her.

“I’m sorry we ate like that, but we were starving, and it was very good,” Ellen replied.

“That’s okay. I must admit I have never seen anyone eat airline food like that,” she said, handing the supplies to Ellen.

Ellen stood up, kissing Manny on the cheek and grabbed the t-shirt and walked off to the bathroom. As she closed and locked the door, she pulled off her dirty shirt, looking at herself in the mirror. Her hair was a mess, and she had bruises over her chest. She grabbed some towels, wetting them, and washed herself the best she could. As she removed the bandage on her arm, she noted yellow pus on the bandage that Prince had put on. The wound edges were slightly gray, but it did not hurt when she pushed on it. The center was scabbed over, and no pus came out when she pushed on it. If it was infected, it should hurt when she pushed on it, she concluded, or at least be warm to touch, but it was actually cooler than the rest of her arm. This made Ellen feel a lot better. She washed it off, taping the new bandage in place.

Looking in the mirror one more time, Ellen could not believe that Manny could look at her the way he did with the way she looked. Looking closer, she thought a troll would run from her. Leaning over the sink, she wet her hair drying it the best she could, and put on the free t-shirt. Well, she thought she looked a little better and with one last glance in the mirror, she opened the door, throwing her old shirt away, and walked back to her seat. As she sat down, she kissed Manny again. He looked at her with wide eyes, and she caught her breath.

“What is it? Do I look that bad?” she asked.

“No,” he replied, “You look absolutely beautiful, Ellen.”

She smiled and laughed, “I think you are lying, but thank you, Manny.”

“Ellen, you are the most beautiful person I have ever seen,” Manny told her.

She put her hand on his face and kissed him. Yes, she thought, he is a keeper. If he thinks I look good now then he could care less how she looked. He liked her for being her and not her looks. She moved the armrest between them up and put his arm over her shoulders and snuggled up to him. This trip may have been hell, but it may have been worth it. One thing she did know is that she would not leave the States again. People in the world may need help, but as far as she was concerned, she had done her part. If people in those countries attacked someone trying to help them, and there were not even any police to turn to for help, well, she would just raise and donate money so someone else could go. As she closed her eyes, Manny started to stroke her damp hair until she drifted to sleep with a smile on her face. She was happy that Manny had kept after her.

Manny had tears running down his cheek; he could not have felt any better if he had won the lottery. Ellen was curled up next to him, sleeping, with a smile on her face. Yes, he thought, this trip was worth it, as he drifted to sleep. He finally got his dream girl.

Chapter 9

Bruce took another sip of coffee while he was sitting at the kitchen table with his laptop and reading the headlines––his normal morning routine. Looking up and out the back window over the pool, he saw it was not yet dawn. He hated August in Louisiana. It marked the hottest part of summer and would start next week. The liquid heat made the day terrible to be out in, but too much had to be done. It was Friday, and they had a lot to do this weekend. After the kids were off to school, the parents would all go out to the small barn they had converted to a gym for the morning workout. It may not be a large gym, but they had a lot of equipment for a real good workout. The kids were out there now, and at least two were in the pool doing laps after their workout. More than likely it was the girls in the pool. The boys did do laps, but they were more interested in pushing iron like their fathers. The boys probably swam once a week. Bruce and Mike swam about twice a week just to work the soreness out of their muscles. Getting old sucked, Bruce thought.

Debbie was cooking up breakfast for the kids before they left for school. Nancy was out collecting eggs, and Mike was probably playing Call of Duty upstairs. They had gotten their asses kicked last night until their kids logged on to help them out. Some little kid from Canada kept running up and knifing them in the back last night. Try as he might, Bruce could not kill the little bastard. So he would just drop grenades at his feet when the little turd would bounce up to him, killing them both. Then it was Jake to the rescue; he killed that kid so many times that the kid finally left the game. Bruce could remember when the kids asked him for help playing video games; now it was the other way around. Getting old sucked, Bruce thought again.

It was going to be a busy day today. Steve only had classes Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, so he would be here to help. Steve was only taking basic courses now in Bossier and online. He still did not know what area he wanted to pursue yet. Bruce did not care: as long as the kids pulled their weight, were in school, and not in trouble, he told them they could live at home as long as they wanted to. It was a lot harder in the world out there now than when Debbie and he started out. He did not pamper his kids or Mike’s, but he knew they were happy. All the friends that they had over never wanted to leave, and more than one had asked if they could move in.

Bruce looked up as Mike walked into the kitchen rubbing his eyes, yawning, and walking to the coffeepot. That dirty SOB, thought Bruce, he slept in. Bruce would not say anything until Mike had his second cup of coffee, because one thing he had learned about Mike was that he was whiny in the morning until he had his second cup of coffee. He watched as Mike took his coffee cup and walked over and stood in front of the family calendar, staring at it.

They had to stock the last underground cellar they had made for the wheat that came in last week. It was not a true cellar; they had just dug a hole and placed a shipping container in it and covered it up, then bricked some stairs down to it, put a sump at the bottom, and connected a pump to it for when it rained. The container was waterproof, but a light shower in Louisiana could dump two inches of rain in an hour. So if you wanted to get into anything below ground that was not covered, you had to get rid of the water or wait until it dried up. That could take a long time here. They had learned that with the first cellar they made with a shipping container. They had to wait two weeks to get in the container. They now had four underground storage areas for food and supplies. They placed them below ground because shelf life went by rapidly in the heat of summer down here in the South. It could get over a hundred degrees here for months at a time with 70 to 100 percent humidity. This was the only place Bruce had ever seen 100 percent humidity when it was not raining. The highest temp they had recorded in the storage areas was seventy-eight degrees Fahrenheit. Debbie and Nancy made them put dehumidifiers in two of the storage areas, so at least two were cool and dry.

The last storage bunker was for the eight hundred pounds of wheat that came in last week, with five hundred pounds of flour. Moving thirty five-gallon buckets that weighed about forty pounds apiece was going to be a lot of work. Then about one hundred bags of horse feed at fifty pounds apiece and twenty bags of chicken feed and about that much rabbit feed. Bruce was starting to think about skipping the gym; they were going to get a good workout today just moving stuff. Everyone had agreed that storing all the animal food in the barn was dangerous, because if they lost the barn, that was over a year of feed in there for the animals. They had two stacks on each side of the property of square bales of hay. They grew those themselves on the fifty acres to the east.

The main 110 acres was surrounded by a ten-foot chain-link fence that Nancy had found on some government website. It had taken a whole year to put it up, and Bruce still had nightmares about it. They still had thirty rolls of it beside the main barn along with the razor wire to put on it. This is where Bruce said, hell no, he was not putting that up, using the excuse that if anyone saw that they would think something valuable was in here, but Bruce just did not want to put his hands on something that had ‘razor’ as part of its make up on top of a ten-foot fence. Explaining the fence to people that came over was easy. If your horse got out in Louisiana, you were responsible for any damages it caused, so they told everyone it was to keep the horses in. If they could get over a ten-foot fence, then they would have earned their freedom.

The fence was not visible from the road because they had moved the front fence line back about twenty yards from the road and planted cedar trees in front of it. Then they planted some along the road so it could not be seen from the side. The trees were over twelve feet now. The driveway into the property made a sharp turn to the left coming in and then went thirty yards to the gate. Then when the gate was closed, someone had to call on the call box at the gate. After they were through the gate, they then turned another sharp turn to the right and came down the driveway to the house. From the road, all a person could see was a shitload of cedar trees. This did cause some problems at first because people would try to cut some down every Christmas. Sixty yards from the gate, the family had made a large mound of dirt and built a hunter blind on fifteen-foot stilts, surrounding it with cedar trees. The fort (that’s what the kids called it) stood twenty-five feet above the driveway, and most of the front of the property could be seen from it. Unless someone knew about it, they could not see it. Every once in a while, the sun would shine off the glass but that had to be accepted because windows were mandatory or the mosquitoes would rape the people up in the fort. They had set up mosquito traps around the property that helped a little, with a lot of citronella bushes everywhere, and that helped a lot.

Mike had found a company going out of business in Ohio two years ago and bought the security system at a great deal. Now they had over thirty cameras around the property with two on the road. They led the cables to the house into the downstairs office, which the kids started to call “mission control.” Selling the tube monitors, they bought ten LED screens for the cameras. The ten LEDs drew less power than two of the old tube monitors. Also, in mission control were temperature gauges for the underground storage areas. Bruce and Mike worked for three days trying to hook up the security system into a computer. They finally threw their hands up in disgust and started looking on the computer to hire someone to come out and wire the damn thing up. While they were doing that, Jake and Matt went into mission control, putting it together in about an hour. Bruce and Mike did not talk to them for a few days.

Bruce smiled remembering that. It is said you should be happy when your kids outdo you, but did they have to do it so often? he thought. As it stood right now, they could stay on the farm for eighteen months and eat nothing but stockpiled food, not even having to worry about the twenty-acre garden and the orchard. With the five-acre catfish pond in the back between the two fenced-off pastures, each twenty acres for the horses and the two milk cows and one bull, they were all set. There was a gate on each side to pull the tractor through to the rest of the land. One thing Bruce could say about that fence was it kept the damn turtles out of the pond. The farm was not flat but rolling hills. What in Louisiana were considered hills to everyone else in the country was flat. There was a creek that ran along the back of the farm. It was year round, but you do not drink water from a creek in the South. Unless you filtered it, boiled it, and chemically purified it, then just throw it away and drink some bottled water, it was not worth the risk. They had a well that pumped into a water tower that they made out of telephone poles that sat thirty feet in the air and held almost one thousand gallons, giving them water pressure as well.

At first they wanted just six months’ worth of food then when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit, they moved up to eighteen months. They had done a dry run last summer for three weeks. They took time off work and closed the front gate, collected all cell phones, and turned the Internet and satellite off. The kids acted like they were going to die the first week, and the parents thought the girls were going to go into convulsions at any minute because they could not text anyone.

But after the first week, they fell into a routine, and every night a board game was broken out. They even taught the kids how to play poker. Bruce was glad they did not play for money because the parents would have to work several lifetimes to pay off their debt. After the three weeks were over, the kids admitted that they loved it and had a blast. That’s when the parents gave them their surprise. They took them to Disneyland for a week. They had to reward the discipline that the kids showed.

Bruce always heard people complain that it was too hard to prepare for any disaster. He would laugh; he knew you did not do it all at once. You do it little by little over time. This farm was the result of almost a decade of work. Last February, Mike and Nancy surprised everyone when they announced that they had bought three hundred acres in North Dakota as a backup site for the family. To say that it left everyone speechless would be an understatement.

The family had talked about having a backup site; Bruce was thinking maybe Missouri, but Mike and Nancy said they wanted a place that was really out in the middle of nowhere. Well, they bought it. The closest neighbor was fifteen miles away and the closest town was over an hour. You had to drive twenty minutes just to get some gas. It was a farm that had a river on the western side and two hundred acres for farming and a hundred acres of timber. They had bought it in foreclosure, and when Bruce and Debbie tried to give them money for it, they told them no. They were contributing it to the LLC. Nancy told them since Bruce and Debbie had paid for the majority of this farm and accepted them as family, this was their present in return.

The family had been up to the property now several times to start work on it, but it was far from being ready as a backup site. There were no provisions in place yet. It had three large barns, and they had put two storage areas underground, once again using shipping containers. In May, they hired contractors to build onto the house that was there, pulling from the LLC funds. This was the first time the family did not do its own work, but doing it themselves was not feasible due to the distance of the backup farm from their home. They rented out the two-hundred-acre field to a farmer seventeen miles down the road. The work on the house included solar panels since no electricity was run to the house. The previous owner had several generators, but they did not want to rely on just them and the largest propane tank anyone had seen at a house. On the property were two, thousand-gallon fuel tanks for diesel and three grain silos. The kids had mixed feeling about the new farm. They set up satellite for the Internet and TV, and that was okay, but there was no cell coverage. Every time they went there to do some work, Bruce and Mike kept an eye on the girls, waiting on a seizure related to no texting. They filled the propane tank and put a thousand gallons of diesel in one of the tanks, treating it so it would last.

This was running through Bruce’s mind as he sat at the table waiting on Mike to get his second cup of coffee down. They had not been up to North Dakota since the first week of July. They were planning on going back in September for a week. The farmer they had rented the fields to was watching the place. Bruce would never admit it, but he was not in the mood to do this all over again. This was wearing him down. Damn, getting old sucks, Bruce thought again. Yes, Bruce could whine with the best of them but only to himself. Be damned if he would admit it to anyone, even Debbie. Someone had to be gung ho all the time, if for no other reason than to rub it in when someone complained; that’s why everyone thought he was a machine. The human Energizer Bunny. Just then the girls came in the back door with towels wrapped around them.

“Hey, Daddy,” Danny said as she walked up and gave him a hug and kissed his shaved head. Danny was five feet, six inches tall, and 140 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes, and a toned body that was solid muscle. She was not masculine in her appearance but built like a gymnast. Everyone could tell she was a beautiful young lady, much to Bruce’s annoyance.

“Hey, pumpkin, did you have a good workout and swim?” Bruce asked.

“Yes, sir,” Danny said. “Mom, have you seen my black jeans?” she asked.

“They are hanging in the laundry room. Hurry and get ready. Who is driving today?” Debbie asked. The five kids that were still in high school took turns driving the Suburban, each driving one day a week.

“I get to drive today,” Danny replied, smiling, walking over to Mike and kissing him on top of his head and giving him a hug.

“Hey, Daddy Mike,” she said to Mike.

“Hey, little one, you have a good day at school,” he replied.

Mary came up behind Mike, kissing him on top of the head, “Morning, Daddy. Did you sleep late?” Mary was the same height but with a slightly lighter frame than Danny, with black hair and brown eyes. She worked out like Danny but not with the same intensity.

“Yes, I did, baby,” he said to her, yawning. “Don’t ever get old, baby, it sucks,” Mike stated to her.

“I will try, Daddy,” she said, laughing, walking over to Bruce and kissing him on top of the head. “Morning, Daddy Bruce,” she told him.

“Morning, little lamb. Don’t listen to your dad; getting old is okay. Just don’t join the Marines. They teach you how to whine too much,” Bruce told her, laughing at Mike.

“Piss off, ranger boy. I’m tired and not in the mood,” Mike stated in a harsh tone.

“Go get ready, girls. I will have food ready before you leave,” Debbie told her.

“Okay, Mama Debbie,” Mary said, walking up to her, giving her a hug, then walking out with Danny to get ready upstairs.

As the girls walked out, all four boys came in the back door in tank tops and shorts with sweat dripping off of them. All were very muscular for their age, and all of them had the full eight-pack washboard abs. This is one area that irritated both dads. You could see Mike’s and Bruce’s abs, but only the top four muscles unless they worked out hard and got very strict on their diets. Not the boys––their entire bodies were ripped. In this house, there was no sedentary lifestyle: everyone worked on the farm and worked out in the gym, and couch potatoes were not allowed. If someone got in a couch potato mood, somebody found them something to do.

“Hey, Dad, ready to start the day?” Steve said, sitting down at the table with Mike and Bruce after getting a cup of coffee and his creatine mix.

“Hell yeah, after Mike and I go get us a good workout,” he replied to Steve.

“I don’t know if I like you very much today,” Mike told Bruce.

“Aww, it’s okay, we can get you something for that vaginal itching after we work out, Mike,” Bruce joked with him. The boys all started laughing.

“I can remember a few times you needed a tampon, baby,” Debbie told Bruce. Everyone laughed at that as Bruce tried to remember the last time he acted like a pussy.

“Thank you, Debbie, for setting him in his place,” Mike said.

Just then Nancy came in the back door carrying a basket of eggs. Seeing everyone laughing, she asked what was so funny.

“My wife is verbally abusing me because I’m picking on Mike because he slept late and feels old today,” Bruce informed her of the situation.

“Debbie, let him pick on him. I told Mike several times last night to quite playing Call of Duty and get some sleep, but did he? Oh no, he kept playing,” Nancy told everyone. Nancy was five feet, two inches, 130 pounds, with black shoulder-length hair, which was pulled back.

“Thank you for taking up for me, Nancy,” Bruce said, sticking his tongue out at Debbie.

“Well, I have to remind Bruce every once in a while that he is not superhuman,” Debbie told her.

“Oh, well, that is different, that is part of your job description, so go ahead. I have to do that to Mike as well.” Nancy said.

“Well, Nancy, I thought you loved me, but I see you are siding with your wife instead of your second husband,” Bruce replied.

“Jake, Matt, and David, you need to go get ready for school, and pay no attention to the wives belittling me,” Bruce told the boys.

“Yes, sir,” they replied in unison, taking off upstairs.

“Remember, it’s range day; we have to go shoot. So straight home, don’t forget,” Bruce yelled upstairs.

Yells of joy could be heard from the boys. Once a month, at least, everyone went to the back of the property, set up targets at the one-hundred-yard range the family had made, and practiced shooting.

“Can we blow something up today?” Mary yelled down the stairs.

Debbie, Nancy, Steve, and Mike turned to look at Bruce as he yelled back, “Yes, we will blow something up today, little one.”

The adults heard a yell from Mary filled with excitement, “Yes! That is so cool.”

Mike looked around at everyone in the kitchen. “She makes a daddy so proud,” he said, wiping a fake tear from his eye.

“That’s okay, Mike, we know our daughter is tougher than you. It’s okay,” Bruce told him.

“Sometimes I think I could slap you, Bruce,” Mike said, laughing.

“Ewe, spank me, big daddy, make me cry hard,” Bruce said to Mike as he stood up, putting his butt in his face.

Everyone started laughing at that until tears were rolling down each face. This was the way to start a day with friends and family. Everyone enjoyed being with each other, and no feelings were ever hurt. This was the love of family and friends, and there was not much better in the world than that.

Chapter 10

Bruce stacked the last bag of flour in the container. Mike was sitting on the floor by the door sweating profusely. The underground container was full with the supplies that were designated to be placed in it by the two generals who were disguised as their wives. The container was forty feet long and eight feet wide, the same as the other three. It was now full, with a walkway along the right wall. It had taken six hours to move all the stuff the wives wanted placed in it. Almost double what the guys had planned on putting in it. While the guys had been stocking the new storage area, the wives had been feeding the animals, watering the garden, and working in the greenhouses.

Mike looked up at Bruce and said, “I don’t remember us agreeing to move that much in here, do you? I thought this one was only going to be half full so we had extra room for storage in the future.”

Bruce collapsed beside Mike. “Hell, I thought they were fixing to make us move everything we owned in here. Steve is still lying on the barn floor. That last pallet of feed wiped him out,” Bruce replied.

“You do realize that if we were union we could go on strike when Nancy and Debbie change the work schedule like that, don’t you?” Mike informed Bruce.

“And who the hell would tell them we are going on strike? It damn sure is not going to be me. When one of them is mad, it’s bad enough, but both of them? I would rather drag my balls across broken glass,” Bruce replied.

“I did not think about that,” Mike said. “We could get one of the kids to inform them,” he volunteered.

“No, then we would have to go and get another kid to replace the one that would disappear,” Bruce said.

“Yeah, you are probably right,” Mike said, suddenly snapping his head up. “What do you mean, Steve is lying down in the barn?” he asked.

“Well, we did volunteer him to move all four pallets of feed from the loft of the barn down to the floor.” Bruce said.

“Hell, he is a young stud; he should be able to do twice that,” Mike said.

“That’s what I told him when he collapsed gasping for air when he brought down the last bag of feed,” Bruce said. “Steve just looked at me and said he was ‘going to put his dress on’ because he was not a stud anymore.”

“If we ruin Steve, Debbie and Nancy will shoot both of us,” Mike said.

“Why do you think I left him on the floor of the barn to recoup and to keep them from seeing him?” Bruce replied.

Mike stood up and walked up the steps out of the storage area and looked around. The heat in Louisiana was brutal in July, but August was insane, so the rest of the barn would have to wait. The kids would be home from school shortly, and they were going to practice shooting today. Practice was a loose term to apply. It was just good family time together. All the kids could give any soldier a run for their money when it came to using any weapon. They all treated weapons with the respect that a weapon deserved.

Mike turned and yelled at Bruce, “Come on, old lady, let’s go get Steve before the girls see him lying on the floor.”

“Leave him there,” Bruce replied. “I’m laying in my own misery right here.”

“If you remember, old man, we are shooting today, and that means that Debbie and Nancy will shortly be placing their hands on high-powered weapons. I don’t think they would kill us for wearing Steve out like that, but they damn sure would wound us. I, for one, would like to keep my appendages intact,” Mike informed Bruce.

Bruce jumped up and started walking up the steps, “That is a very good point, brother.”

They started walking to the barn when Zeus and Hera, the family’s and the farm’s protectors, two Great Pyrenees dogs, started to run out of the barn at them. The family had two Chihuahuas, Buddy and Sassy, and a Bassett Hound, Clyde, but they stayed in the house. Clyde would come outside in the day, but he had to curl up on his bed at night. It was agreed in the family he was scared of the dark.

The main barn was huge by any standard. On the main floor were twelve stalls, a tack room, two feed rooms, and an office, which was used to store equipment. The main hall between the stables was over twenty feet wide. The bottom floor covered 3,200 square feet, and the loft was just over a thousand square feet. When they bought the farm, it was in bad shape, so after the house, the barn was repaired and looked great now.

As they neared the barn, the dogs bounced up to them as if saying, “Steve won’t play with us.” Mike and Bruce patted each on the head.

“Where is Steve?” Mike asked the two dogs.

The dogs took off inside the barn, and lying on the floor in a pile of hay was Steve, with his arms over his eyes as both dogs ran up to him and started licking him.

“Will you two please stop? It’s hot enough without being covered in dog slobber,” Steve said as he pushed them away.

“Why are you still lying down?” Bruce asked, walking over to his son, looking down at Steve, and shaking his head. “You are embarrassing your daddy, son,” Bruce informed him.

“You are kidding, right? I don’t think there is a bag of feed for chicken, horse, cow, or dog in this state that I did not move out of this barn today,” replied Steve. “I want a raise in my allowance.”

“A raise––since when did we start getting paid?” Mike asked Bruce.

Steve sat up suddenly, “Dad, don’t you dare tell Mama and Mama Nancy that I’m asking for more money. They will find something else for me to do,” he pleaded.

“Just think, this is what you have to look forward to when you get married. Love, companionship, happiness, and getting your ass worked off when she thinks of a new project,” Mike informed him. Debbie and Nancy did a lot of work on the farm that was just as hard. It usually consisted of jobs that Bruce and Mike would rush through.

“Tonya would never work me like this,” Steve proudly stated.

Tonya was his girlfriend, who everyone in the family loved. Steve and Tonya had been sweethearts since ninth grade. He was surely following in his father’s footsteps by staying with his high school sweetheart. She lived on her own family farm about ten miles down the road. Tonya was over at least every other day of the week. Steve very rarely went over to her house because Tonya’s father used to be very abusive to her and her mother, but that had changed. Two years ago, Tonya had ridden her ATV to the house with a black eye, saying her father had punched her in the face when she tried to stop him from hitting her mother. Steve, acting like his father, immediately ran for a vehicle to go and stand up for his girlfriend. Bruce and Mike stopped him and informed him that he would stay here. At sixteen, he did not have the experience to handle this. The dynamic duo, as Nancy and Debbie called the husbands, drove over to Tonya’s house after notifying the sheriff’s department of what was going on.

Three hours later, the duo returned. Mike’s shirt was torn, and Bruce had a busted lip, his eyes and face were red and swollen with no shirt. Everyone came running out of the house except Steve and Tonya. Tonya was asleep on the living room couch with her head in Steve’s lap, and he would not leave her.

“What the hell happened?” Nancy asked. “You two look like hell.”

Bruce looked at her and replied, in a flat hostile tone, walking into the house, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

As he walked into the house, Debbie turned to Mike. “Well?” was all she said to him.

“All right, when we drove up, Warren, Tonya’s dad, had called both of his brothers over. It seems he knew after Tonya left where she was going. When we pulled up, they told us to leave, and Bruce very kindly informed all of them he just wanted to talk and the cops were on the way over. He just wanted to talk to Pam, Tonya’s mom. Warren told him it was none of our business, that unless we wanted to get hurt we should just leave. That’s when Bruce told him that he was a deputy and wanted to see Pam. Well, Warren looked at him and said that he was not a deputy in this parish so he could kiss his ass. That did not go over well with Bruce, as you could imagine, so he started walking to the house calling out for Pam. That was when Warren came over, taking a swing at Bruce. Bruce blocked it easily and commenced beating the shit out of Warren. Both of Warren’s brothers took off to jump Bruce from behind. Just before they reached Bruce, I yelled, tackling both of them. Now I am fighting the oldest brother, and Bruce is fighting the younger brother and Warren. This is when the six deputies show up in three squad cars. They order everyone to stop fighting, stand up, and put our hands up. Well, I did that, and the oldest brother tackled me from the side. So I got him in an arm bar, breaking his shoulder, and then stood back up with my hands up. These were some young-looking deputies, and I did not want to get shot, because two already had their guns out.

“Well,” Mike continued, “Bruce did not feel the need to stop. He had Warren in a wrist lock and was kicking him in the ribs and stomach and stomping on the younger brother that was lying on the ground. Several of the deputies started running for Bruce and the two he was fighting. I yelled for Bruce to stop, and he did. He lets Warren go and turns to the deputies, raising his hands. That is when Warren pops him in the mouth good with a right hook. It knocked Bruce back a few steps, and Bruce flew at him like a man possessed. Bruce grabbed Warren’s arm as he was throwing another right punch, breaking it at the elbow. When Warren went to grab his broken arm, Bruce grabbed his left arm, breaking it at the wrist. That was when the younger brother tried to tackle Bruce. Bruce did a judo roll with him, and Bruce was on top with his knees on his chest. Then Bruce punched him in the face, breaking his jaw.

Mike started to smile, “That was when a deputy sprayed Bruce with pepper spray. I have to say that is the only time I have heard Bruce yell in pain. I went to go help him, but all of a sudden I’m looking down the barrels of three guns. Bruce staggered off to the side with his hands over his eyes, yelling at the deputy to stop or he was going to be sorry. I was trying to tell Bruce to lie down, but I don’t know if he heard me or if he was ignoring me. Knowing Bruce the way I do, I think it was the latter. It was like I could read his mind; he was going to beat the shit out of that deputy that sprayed him. Well, it seems that I was not the only mind reader out there. The deputy that sprayed him had a look of terror on his face like he knew he had just pissed off a 280-pound giant that knew how to fight. So he pulled out his Taser and gave a warning. Before the words had left his lips, he pulled the trigger, and Bruce fell like a ton of bricks. One deputy held me at gunpoint, and the other five dove on top of Bruce, handcuffing him.

“This is when Pam came running out of the house in shorts and what was left of a shirt,” Mike continued his tale. “Let me tell you, she had been beaten like a rag doll. Her face was a mess, and bruises covered her arms and legs. She told the deputies that Bruce and I had only came over to save her. Pam told the deputies that she was okay as one took her off to the side. I asked her if she was all right, but she did not answer me. I told the deputy that had his gun still pointed at me that I was a doctor. He informed me that he knew that and his name was Andrew. It turns out he knows Bruce as a nurse and as a deputy for Caddo parish. That was why he held me at gunpoint and did not take on Bruce. He had seen him fight several times and did not want any part of it. I asked him if I could take a look at Pam and see how bad she was hurt. He told me I could but if I tried anything I would get tazed also. I informed him I had no desire to ride the lightning. As I was examining Pam, they cuffed Warren and the brothers. Pam’s jaw was broken, along with a few ribs, and her left shoulder was dislocated. I set her shoulder and made her a sling with my belt. Now as I was examining Pam, Bruce was informing everyone that hell was coming their way. Let me tell you, he was being very descriptive. I asked if I could go over to check on him, and they let me. I grabbed the water hose and started rinsing the pepper spray off of his face. That is when I told him to shut his fucking mouth before he got us in more trouble than we were already in. He actually looked at me like he was going to hit me. That’s when I said I was going to call Debbie over here. He looked up at me and said, ‘You wouldn’t dare.’ I told him I was as I took out my cell phone. That’s when he said he would be good. That’s when the sheriff, Terry Mitchell, drove up with more deputies.

“Terry walked up to me while I was talking to Bruce, asking if it was safe to let Bruce out of handcuffs yet. I told him to hold on while I continued talking to Bruce. He said okay, walking over to the other deputies to get the story while EMS was en route. I finally convinced Bruce that if he did not behave that not only was I calling Debbie but Nancy also. He promised to be good, and I called to Terry to let him out. The five young deputies were terrified of letting Bruce go, and one actually pulled his pistol out of his holster. Terry yelled at the young deputy to holster his weapon before he came over there and did it for him. Terry looked at Bruce as he stood up and asked him, hadn’t he been sprayed before? Bruce told him of course he had but not sprayed then tazed and had five deputies jump on his back, hitting him, putting him in handcuffs. Terry looked at Bruce, telling him that Bruce did not leave them with much of an alternative. Bruce looked at Terry and apologized for his actions. He then walked over and apologized to all of the deputies, shaking their hands. Bruce then told them his side of the story. Every deputy and the sheriff said if they had known the story, they would have helped Bruce out, letting him continue the beating. Bruce laughed with them, tears still coming out of his red eyes. Bruce asked Terry if he could go home. He was very sore, not from the brothers but from the deputies. Terry laughed and said I could drive him home. Terry drove Pam to Minden for her to get seen at the hospital. Terry said he doubted any charges would get filed against us but from now on let him handle stuff like this or Bruce could be a reserve deputy for him. Bruce told him he could not be a deputy here because it did not feel right policing his neighbors. Terry told him that’s why he needed to be a deputy in Bienville parish. Bruce told him he would think about it, and we got in the truck and drove home.

Mike started giggling, “That’s when Bruce asked me if I was going to tattle on him. I told him I would have no choice with the way we looked. He sulled and said, ‘Well, that’s it. I’m in trouble. Debbie will be disappointed in me for not acting civilized.’ He then turned and said he was sorry for getting me in trouble as well with Nancy. I told him that it was okay. There was no way I was going to let him get in a fight without me.”

Mike turned to look at the family. The boys were all smiling, and both girls were laughing. Nancy and Debbie were just looking at him. Nancy asked, “Why would you be in trouble? You were attacked going to check on Pam.”

“Well,” Mike responded. “We did have a lot of cops with guns pointing at us, and everyone in the parish will know about this by tomorrow, and we thought it might be embarrassing for you two.”

“Embarrassed,” Debbie said. “Both of you kicked ass and took names. You kept your head and talked Terry out of arresting the dynamic duo. I couldn’t be more proud of both of my husbands,” she said, hugging Mike. Then she took off running into the house to find Bruce, with the rest of the family following, to tell him that everyone was proud of them.

Warren and Pam had stayed together after he was released from jail. He was still an asshole to everyone, but he never again touched his wife or daughter. Mike was wrong about one thing, though: Everyone in the parish knew about it before daybreak the next day. That Sunday the priest even addressed it during church.

Everyone expected Steve and Tonya to announce their engagement at any time now. They were taking the same classes at college. Pam came over all the time now to spend time with Debbie and Nancy. She said that was the best thing to ever happen to her because she never could have friends before. Pam did not want to leave Warren; it was her farm they lived on, but it did not seem right to leave him now that he would not hit her again. He was Tonya’s father, after all, so she stayed with him. But when he acted like he was getting mad, all she would say was, “Bruce and Mike want to come over.” That would shut him up, and he would go outside until he cooled off. Warren did work the farm well and brought home a paycheck from the glass factory. He would be on parole for another two years, but that was okay. Pam said her life was good, and she loved coming down seeing the family and could not wait to be a part of it.

Steve looked at his dads and laughed.

“What?” Bruce asked.

“Just remembering when my dad’s went and had a talk with my girlfriend’s dad,” he laughed. “It’s usually the girl’s dad that has the talk, but when you have two dads taking up for you, not many people have a chance.”

“You got that right,” said Mike. “Nobody messes with our kids. We know where the alligators live.”

“You know, I do feel sorry for Mary and Danny,” Steve said. “I just don’t know how a guy can come over here with two dads that look like bodybuilders and have a very large arsenal of guns and explosives and ask permission for their hand in marriage.”

“You think they should just fear us, son?” Bruce asked his son. “If I remember correctly, when Mary got attacked at school, several brothers got in a large fight the next day with a lot of the boy’s friends when they said she brought it on herself.”

“Well, you do have a point; I don’t know why Mama and Mama Nancy grounded all of us for getting suspended. They would have done the same thing we did,” Steve said.

“They were just being mamas, son,” Bruce said, walking up and putting his arm around him. “That was not the way to handle it in their eyes, but what is done is done. All of you protected family, and that is what we are supposed to do. We,” Bruce said, motioning to Mike, “we’re proud of you.”

Steve smiled, and the three started to walk up to the house. Steve stopped, looking at both dads, and asked, “Why couldn’t we wait until everyone got home from school to do all of this work?”

“Too much on the schedule,” replied Mike. “Don’t think I did not think about it. We have shooting today, paintball tomorrow, and church Sunday, and we have to cut the grass from the property fence after church. You had to help us out today because you are the oldest and have more responsibilities. Like we have always said, the older you get, the more that is expected of you.”

Steve looked down, dejected. “Getting old sucks,” he informed them.

Mike and Bruce both laughed. “Yes, it does, son,” replied Bruce. “But it does have its rewards. It never gets easier, but seeing your family working and playing together makes it worthwhile.”

“Come on, let’s get cleaned up and start getting everyone’s guns and ammo down to the range,” Mike told them. “The rest of the clan will be home soon.”

Just then they looked up, hearing the dogs start barking and taking off running in front of the house. They only did that when they heard a car pull up the driveway.

“Who is that?” Bruce asked. “It’s too early for the kids to be home.”

Steve grinned, “It’s probably Tonya. She had to help her mom today do some canning, and I asked her to come over so she could go shoot with us. All of you have said she could come over when she wanted.”

“Well, she can,” Bruce told him. “It’s about time she got her own weapon to shoot every time we go down to the range. She has been shooting with us for over five years.”

“She told me she likes Mom’s old M-4. It fits her hands well and does not have all the accessories on it like mine does. She only likes the red dot scope and the forward hand grip,” Steve told his dad with pride in his voice.

“Well son,” Bruce put his hand on Steve’s shoulder, “when we get down to the range, let’s welcome her into our family. Let’s give her Mom’s old M-4.”

Debbie had given up her M-4, a shorter version of the M-16 with a collapsible stock. Debbie, at only five feet tall, found the M-4 was big even to her. Bruce had found her a Steyr AUG. The AUG was a bull pup design and shorter than an M-4, with a sixteen-inch barrel. The magazine was moved behind the shooter’s hand and fit Debbie perfectly. After seeing the AUG, Nancy wanted one also; being only five foot two and not much bigger than Debbie, she also fell in love with the short weapon. The overall length was a little over twenty-seven inches. Compared to the M-4, even with the stock collapsed, it was over twenty-nine inches long. The AUG was a little heavier, but they did not care. Bruce did not like the AUG because the ejection port was on the opposite side of the butt stock where the shooter rested his or her head. So once configured for a right-handed shooter, which both Nancy and Debbie were, it could not be shot left-handed without having hot brass hit the shooter. To Bruce, it was important to be able to shoot a weapon off of each shoulder, especially from behind cover. He told both of the wives this, but they told him that is what they married big strong guys for. It would be Mike’s and Bruce’s job to shoot off the left shoulder. Mike, in his infinite wisdom, kept his mouth shut––something he could not teach Bruce–– and complimented the wives on their new weapons. Mike told Bruce later that he should not worry about it because both women would have pistols as backup in a situation like that. Bruce just snarled at him and let it be.

Mike started laughing. “What?” both Steve and Bruce asked him in unison.

“You have to admit this is a unique family. We don’t give jewelry or anything like that to welcome someone in. We give them an assault weapon. The liberals just love people like us,” Mike told both of them.

“The liberals can kiss my ass,” Bruce said. “They are the first ones to start crying when the shit hits the fan for someone to protect them.”

Steve looked at his dads, because he loved them both as a dad. “I’m willing to bet she will be excited and jump for joy when we give it to her,” he predicted.

“Well, come on, lover boy,” Mike told him putting his arm around Steve, Mike was proud to be referred to as dad by this fine young man.

Just then Steve looked up at the house, and around the house came Tonya, with dogs around her begging for attention. Tonya was a country girl with brown hair and green eyes. She was five foot six and built like the sports star she was––a little over 140 pounds and solid. To say she was pretty was an understatement. Steve ran up and gave her a hug; she could have cared less that he was covered in sweat. Steve was six foot one and an easy 220 pounds, with dirty-blond hair that he kept cut short. Mike could not help but think those two would make some pretty kids. This thought he kept to himself because he had to admit it sounded pretty girly.

Bruce turned to Mike. “We have a good family,” he said to him.

Mike just replied, “Yes, we do. Let’s get cleaned up and get ready for the rest of the family.” They walked past the two lovebirds and into the house to get cleaned up and ready for family range day.

Chapter 11

Mike set up the last table and shooting chair while the kids were pulling out ammo boxes and setting them on the three tables he had set up. The shooting range was on the back side of the property outside of the fence. The front of the property faced south; the hay field was on the east side, with woods along the back of the hay field where the creek ran. They made a huge mound of dirt for a bullet stop, and the hole had since filled in with water, making a little pond. It had lots of snakes and at least two gators that they had seen. The kids had found several eggshells, so they knew it was a breeding pair. The scrap pond, as it was called, was at the very corner of the east edge of the property behind the shooting berm.

The creek had wound to the edge of the pond from the back edge of the property. The entire property was on a small rise, with the creek at the north base and the parish road on the crest. Creek was a misleading term since in places the banks down to the water were five feet down and some over ten. The water was only a foot deep, with several deep pools along the creek, but when it rained, the small creek turned into a small river, staying that way for weeks at a time. With the gators in the scrap pond, Mike knew gators were in the deep pools of the creek. He was glad his wife wanted the ten-foot chain-link fence around the property. They had harvested a gator out of the creek this year when they drew a tag. He and Bruce had gotten alligator boots made, and the wives had handbags made. They had told the kids that next year they would harvest some more, and they could get something made. The kids loved this since they all hunted.

The range was a little over a hundred yards long with some targets set up on cables that ran down the range. There were over two dozen metal popper targets set up starting at fifty yards. The berm at the end of the range was over thirty feet tall, a hundred feet long, and at least eighty feet thick at the base. Even standing on the top of the berm, you could not see the house because it was at the bottom of the slope. Bruce had been adamant about this because he did not want an area from which someone could shoot at the house with good cover.

Everyone was waiting on Bruce and Steve to come down from the house. Mike and the rest of the family had taken three of the four electric utility vehicles loaded with kids, guns, and ammo down to the range. Like everything else, they did not buy the 4x4 electric buggies new; they got them used and then learned how to work on them. They had four that were in use and one that they had just bought and were repairing. The batteries had to be replaced, and the front end needed work. They also had seven four-wheeler ATVs, two side-by-side ATVs, and six dirt bikes of various sizes. None were ever bought new, always used then repaired. All it took was time looking for a good deal then some elbow grease. The kids and wives always helped with the restoring of the ATVs. The property, at times when all the vehicles were out, looked like a redneck parking lot. But at least four were usually in a covered garage that was not attached to the house.

Both Nancy and Debbie had SUVs. The one area where the family differed was Mike was a Ford man and Bruce was a Chevy man. Mike’s family had Fords, and Bruce’s had Chevys. Mike had a F-250 to Bruce’s 2500. Both quad cabs were diesels and 4x4s, and they had restored them. The only three compromises were the kidmobile, the Mini, and the beast. The kidmobile was a GMC Suburban 4x4 diesel with mudding tires and a front bumper that could take out a tank, with a huge winch. They wanted to make sure if the kids were in a wreck, they would be fine; the other car probably would not be, but that was their problem. The beast was a 1992 turbo-charged Range Rover.

The beast was a project of Mike’s and Bruce’s. They wanted to make a private tank after seeing a program on the Discovery Channel about armored cars. They put quarter-inch steel around the engine compartment and around the body inside the doors. They put an extra fuel tank like the ones they put on all the family vehicles, but then they surrounded it with steel. On the underside of the body, they put a V hull for blast purposes––not that they expected one, but it did look cool. A problem was seen by Danny after they welded the V hull on. She asked them how could they change the oil now? After they ran Danny off, they cut the hull off and welded brackets so they could bolt it on. They could not afford the bullet-resistant glass, and this really pissed them off. As they were talking about working some overtime to pay for some glass, Mary came up to them and said, “Why don’t you just put metal over the window and put a camera on the roof to drive by?” After they ran her off, they put bolt studs along the windows and cut steel that would fit over the window that could be bolted on. Then they put three cameras forward: one an infrared, one color, and one black and white. Then they put one camera on the back and two more looking left and right. Then they put an extra alternator and spare battery with fifteen-inch LED monitor that would fold down for the driver and two monitors that folded down from the roof for the passenger. Next were the tires, forty-inch mudding tires with a run flat core, and the 650-pound front bumper with a winch and 300-pound rear bumper with a winch.

Then they lowered the beast to the ground off the rack, breaking all four of the suspension springs. They did not take into account the extra ton of weight they had put on the body. After crying in private with each other, they lifted the beast back up, putting heavy duty springs and brakes on it. The entire project took the two over six months with the family helping. The family was not around when they cried about the springs.

The wives could now reupholster any vehicle in hours, something the duo could not master to save their lives. Everyone in the family could tear down an engine, be it diesel or gas, fix it, then put it back together. The duo was very careful to destroy any record of the money that was put into the beast. They had built it for fun and nothing more. They could joke that they had an armored car that seated six and could go anywhere with the foot-wide tires. It had been very rarely driven in the two years that it had been completed. It stayed on jacks beside the shop under a shed the kids had built for it.

The last compromise was the Mini Cooper. That had been all Bruce. After seeing Bourne and the Italian Job, he had to have one. Everyone tried to talk him out of it, and Debbie stayed mad at him for several weeks, but he was persistent. Finding one on eBay, Bruce bought it and he, Mike, and the boys souped it up. The car was black with two white racing stripes and could almost outrun a jet fighter.

Mike and Nancy had bought Steve a Chevy quad cab 4x4 when he graduated high school. There was no way Mike was going to buy him a Ford. He had to sleep at night. Although he did not think Bruce would actually hurt him, he was not going to take the chance. With all the vehicles the family had, it only made sense that they had several fuel tanks around the property. There were over two thousand gallons of diesel and one thousand gallons of gas on the property in underground tanks. When fuel prices dropped, they would fill them up. It always worked out just right. When fuel hit five dollars a gallon several years ago, they never had to fill up until it came back down to three dollars a gallon. Buying in bulk, they got the fuel cheaper than at a gas station.

Mike turned around to look at the kids after his daydreaming. Mary, Danny, and Tonya were at one table loading magazines, and Matt, David, and Jake were at the other loading magazines. Nancy and Debbie were at the buggies loading pistol magazines and talking. Tonya had on one of Nancy’s old tactical vests.

He knew it was Nancy’s because it had “Girls Rule” on the back. When she came out with that vest on, Mary and Danny both wanted one. When they asked Debbie if she wanted one too, she said, “No, that’s okay.” They asked her why, and she said that was common knowledge and she did not need to flaunt it. The next time at range time Nancy had bought her another vest to use.

Mike looked at everyone talking. Everyone had on a tactical vest with a drop holster with an assault weapon across the back except Tonya. She had a pistol but no assault rifle yet. Mike knew this was why Steve and Bruce were late. They were fixing up her surprise. When Bruce asked Debbie if they could give Tonya her old M-4, she said of course. Then Nancy said she could have one of her old vests. When they gave the vest to Tonya, she grabbed it and pulled it to her and said thank you. She had no idea what was to come, Mike thought smiling. Only simple working people could understand the gift, and that’s what Tonya was. There were no magazines in any of the weapons except for parents’ pistols; this was a range rule. No loaded weapon until the “cleared to load” was given when the range went hot.

All of the adults had concealed weapons permits, and they always carried a pistol on their person. In this day and age, Mike could not believe some people still did not own a gun. Still others wanted to take guns away from everyone.

Mike was getting impatient, looking back toward the farm watching for Bruce and Steve. Today was only personal weapons and not special weapons. Bruce was a class 3 dealer and licensed gunsmith. They had several full automatic weapons that were all legal with each having its own tax stamp. Each member of the family had a suppressor for his or her primary assault weapon, which was legal also, with each having its own tax stamp. Mike laughed when people would come over and shoot with them, and they pulled out the suppressors. They would always say the same two things: 1) We are going to jail because you have those things, 2) I can still hear it when I shoot. Bruce would tell them anyone could own a suppressor if they were not a felon. It only cost two hundred dollars for a tax stamp, and a suppressor only quieted a shot down not made it silent.

All the boys had M-4s, and each had them set up as they liked with flashlights, lasers, fore grips, and sights. Each was different in its set-up, but all were the standard civilian M-4s. Both Nancy and Debbie had their AUGs. Mary had an M-4 like her dad; the only one who was different was Danny: She had a Galil assault rifle. It was an Israel-designed assault rifle with a folding stock. It fired the same .223 that the M-4 and the AUG fired, but the magazines were not interchangeable with the M-4 or the AUG. Mike liked it all right, but the thing was heavy. It weighed a lot compared to all the other weapons that the family used. But Danny threw a fit to get that weapon, and the only thing he and Bruce had told everyone was the assault weapon that they chose had to shoot a .223 or 5.56 the same round. They did not want to have eight different calibers to supply for the family.

It was when Danny had got the weapon that it all became clear. When she was in the den practicing field stripping it with the family sitting around her watching, David said, “You are the only one here that is basing their gun off a video game.” Everyone started to laugh except the moms. They did not play Call of Duty. Danny turned to David and said, “You are just jealous because you suck with the Galil.” Mike had to admit that she was a terror on Call of Duty. Danny had tricked her Galil out like everyone else and was an awesome shot with it. Not once did she ever complain about the weight as she humped it around. Mike was proud of her following her own trail. He also knew if his daughter had asked him for one, he would have done the same as Bruce and got her one. Mary was happy with her M-4, but her unique weapon was a twelve-gauge street sweeper. Now that had cost Mike a pretty penny.

Mike and Bruce had SCAR-L. The SCAR-L was a new weapon that the Special Forces were using. Mike had to admit he liked it. It was more forgiving than the M-4 and did not care what type of ammo you put in it. The M-4 only liked quality ammo and nothing cheap. The SCAR used the same magazine as the M-4, and Bruce had bought over four hundred polymer magazines. They had a few aluminum magazines, but polymers were much better. Aluminum magazines could get dented and jam, but a polymer magazine was either perfect or broke.

Now as far as handguns went, everyone had their run of the mill. The only thing was it had to be either nine millimeter or .45 caliber. Now the family had literally hundreds of guns in different calibers, but their primary sidearm had to follow this rule. Mike and Bruce stayed with the Springfield XDM .45. Fourteen shots of .45 caliber was comforting. Everyone else kept changing from Berettas and Glocks. The boys stayed in the .45 like the dads, and the girls stayed in the nine-millimeter range.

The assault weapons were for family protection only and not for hunting unless the damn wild pigs got on the property. Thinking of the pigs, Mike looked around for them. They had killed a lot on the property. The damn things had torn up the hayfield, so Bruce broke out the thermal scopes, and the family had killed twenty-six hogs in the hayfield. There had been a couple of times the damn hogs had tried to dig under the ten-foot fence. The dogs had alerted everyone, and the hole was filled in, and that started another hog war.

Mike turned and saw Bruce and Steve driving up to them pushing the little electric buggy at its limit of thirty miles per hour. Both of them had large grins on their faces. When Mike called to Debbie and Nancy, they turned to see Bruce and Steve pull up. The damn little electric buggies are quiet, Mike thought. Bruce jumped out from the driver’s seat and reached back and grabbed his SCAR from the back. Steve had his M-4 across his chest and was carrying a rifle case in his left hand.

“Everyone, could you please come over here?” Steve called out.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and walked over to Steve. Tonya ran up to him and kissed him on the cheek. Steve looked down at her and smiled and put his right arm around her waist.

“I want you to know, Tonya, that everyone in this family loves you, but I love you the most,” Steve told her looking down in her eyes. “You have been out here with us every year shooting, and the family decided that is was time you were a part of us. This is from the family,” he said, handing her the case.

Tonya grabbed the case and laid it on a table and opened it. There inside was an M-4 with a note that said, “We love you.” She looked up at everyone with tears in her eyes and started hugging everyone. When she got to Steve, she told him, “This means a lot to me. I feel like part of your family now.” Tonya grabbed Steve and pulled him tight. He hugged her back as the family was cheering and high-fiving each other.

Steve looked down at her and said, “I love you, bugger bear.”

Tonya replied, “I love you, too.”

Steve pushed her away and reached in his pocket and pulled out a ring and got down on one knee and looked up at her. “Will you marry me because I will never love anyone but you.”

Everyone just stopped all actions and just looked with open mouths. Tonya, standing right in front of Steve started to wobble from side to side, staring at the ring being held in front of her. Debbie fell toward Bruce and had to grab his arm before she fell because Bruce did not move to catch her. He was standing with a look of shock on his face.

Tonya screamed with joy, “YES!” as she dove on top of Steve, wrapping her arms around his neck, knocking the ring out of his hand and him to the ground on his back.

Everyone started to jump up and down yelling and hugging each other. A passerby would think someone had won the lottery, but this was something much better. The family had gotten a little bigger. Everybody was crying; even Mike and Bruce had tears on their faces as they hugged everyone. Then Mike and Bruce walked over to the newly engaged couple and pulled them up, with them still kissing each other. The whole family converged on the couple and had a long group hug. When they broke up, everyone started to look for the ring. Mary found it and gave it to Steve.

Steve turned and put it on Tonya’s finger. “Now you are really part of the family,” he said, kissing her. Tonya just stood with tears in her eyes, lost for all words. All the girls converged on her as the boys grabbed Steve.

“You could not tell your own dad?” Bruce asked, hugging Steve.

“Dad, you suck at keeping secrets,” Steve let him know.

“Well son, I am very proud of you, and I want you to know this house is yours and hers forever,” Bruce told him.

“That is seconded by the other dad,” Mike said, wrapping Steve in a bear hug, crying.

After an hour of hugging and Steve pulling his M-4 off and cleaning it from getting knocked down, the family walked up to the firing line. Debbie held up her hand as Bruce was getting ready to yell “weapons hot.”

“I think today Steve gets the honor of calling the range, baby,” Debbie said.

“As always, baby doll, you are right,” Bruce replied. “Son, for the family will you do the honors today?”

Steve was blushing, as was Tonya holding his hand, as he yelled, “Weapons hot and all weapons pointed downrange unless cleared.”

As one, the family turned and started firing at targets. They did this for an hour, until Steve yelled, “Lock your weapons, and put them on safe.”

“Steve, here are the keys to the explosive bunker. Go and get about dozen sticks of dynamite, wire, and the clacker,” Bruce told him. “The rest of us will start picking up the brass.”

Steve and Tonya jumped into a buggy and sped off to the farm. Louisiana law said if you stored explosives on your property that they had to be stored in an underground bunker and have a steel door. True to form, Bruce went even better: The bunker had walls over six inches in concrete, and the roof had the same with two feet of earth. There was over a half a ton of explosives in it.

As Bruce watched them drive off, a tear was running down his cheek. Getting old is not so bad, he thought. Debbie walked up beside him and put her arm around him. “A penny for your thoughts,” she said to him.

“I just feel that I don’t deserve you, the kids, or this family. It’s better than any dream I could have imagined for myself. What did I do to earn this life?” he said to her as he turned to look at her.

“Baby, you deserve more than you have. You put your family first and love us unconditionally. Our worries and dreams mean more to you than your own. You comfort all of us in our time of need. When Nancy’s dad died, I thought you were going to die from exhaustion. You stayed with both Nancy and Mike, giving them comfort in their time of need. This you do for all of us all the time. You may act all big and bad, but to this family there is no bigger teddy bear than you,” she told him, grabbing his face in her hands and kissing him.

“I love you, baby doll,” he told her, kissing her back. “Without you, all I would be is a very big asshole. Let’s get this stuff picked up and blow something up,” he told her.

The family cleaned the range up and blew a large hole in the ground by the creek. Everyone agreed Tonya got to be the one to set off the charge.

Tonya looked at Steve after the explosion and said, smiling, “Most people just get fireworks when they get engaged. We get to shoot guns and use explosives on our engagement day.”

The family all climbed into the buggies and headed back to the farm. No one could even imagine the horror that would soon spread over the world. Mankind had faced trouble before but nothing on the scale that was on the horizon. A plane on the eastern seaboard was carrying the downfall of man to another continent. A virus that was already spreading across Africa and Europe would soon tear a lot of families apart and spread darkness over the land, leaving no one young or old untouched. Only the strong and prepared had a chance of survival, but it was no guarantee: They just had better odds. The sun set for the last time on a land, untouched by hell on Earth, called America.

Chapter 12

Manny woke up as the captain announced that they were starting the descent into Boston International Airport. He informed everyone that the local time was 7 p.m., and they should be at the terminal before 7:30. Manny sat and smiled; that meant that he would be at his apartment before nine. He looked over on his right, and Ellen was snuggled into his side, still holding his arm, sleeping soundly. She had awakened several times just to kiss him and rub on his body. Manny’s ego could barely be contained on the plane; there were no words that he could use to describe the feeling he had. Ellen Burgess, the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, was holding him.

Manny turned to his left, and Casey had her head lying on his shoulder, asleep. He could not get it out of his head. Just over two days ago they were running and fighting for their lives. It just did not seem real now, sitting in a 747 first class with Ellen at his side. The only reminder was that Prince and Djang were not there with them. Then there were the scratches on his neck, chest, and left arm. Casey had the same souvenirs that he had, claw marks on her cheek running down her neck under her t-shirt. Manny looked closer, and thought it must be his imagination, but Casey’s marks looked gray. He reached over and touched her face, and the marks were cold. Well, it’s not infected, he thought, looking at his own arm. The marks on his forearm were still red and scabbed but looked pale on the edges. He pressed them up against the arm of the chair; he was not pulling his arm out of Ellen’s grasp for anything. There was no pain.

He looked down to Ellen’s arm with the dressing, and he could not see under the bandage, but the skin around it was still beautiful and pink. Just then the stewardess came over and woke up Ellen and told her she had to put the armrest down and buckle back up. Manny wanted to jump up and yell at her, but that would be uncool, he thought. Ellen sat up and smiled at him and gave him a long hot kiss. She then sat her chair up and put on her seatbelt and, then taking his hand, placed it in her lap.

“Wow, we are really almost home,” she turned and looked at him. “Why don’t you come over to my apartment, Manny, it’s closer than yours and you can spend the night with me?”

Manny just looked at her with his mouth open and started to stutter, “Ah-ah-ah.”

“I’m not asking you to spend the rest of your life with me, just tonight,” she said, giggling.

Manny almost told her he would spend the rest of his life with her but then said, “Thank you. I can’t wait to take a shower and wash Africa off of me.”

“Well, I might have to join you in the shower because I’m not waiting on you to take one or me using all the hot water,” she said with a sly grin.

Manny knew he was blushing, and Ellen loved it, so he could care less. “If you insist, I would be more than happy to wash your back,” he said, blushing beet red.

Ellen just laughed and kissed him again. She had to admit Manny was a good guy, and the way he looked at her made her feel good. After what she had been through, she wanted to feel good. She could still feel the terror in the back of her soul when they were running through the jungle. She shook her head, and Manny sensed something was wrong. “You all right, Ellen?” he asked her.

“I’m okay, big guy, just trying to forget parts of our time in Africa but not all of it,” she said to him.

Manny could feel his chest swell up with pride. He secretly wished he had not taken off running and passed the girls back at the village. Just then, Casey sat up as the stewardess woke her up. She sat up yawning and stretching her arms out. “Wow, now that was some sleep,” she informed them.

“Casey, where are you going when we land?” Ellen asked her.

“I’m going to take a train up to Staten Island to go see my family. After all this, I really want to see my family,” she told Ellen.

“You know you could stay at my apartment tonight and leave in the morning,” Ellen offered to Casey.

“No, I do appreciate the offer, but I want to give you two sometime alone. Romeo here has chased you for two years. I will be damned if I’m going to sit watching his head explode with pride now that he has you,” Casey said, grinning at both of them.

“I was that transparent?” Manny asked, shocked.

“Yes,” they said in unison.

“Could I ask you for one favor, though, Ellen,” Casey stated. “Can I borrow some money to get a train ticket?”

“Hell yeah, girlfriend, we will take a taxi to my apartment. You two will stay in the cab. I will run upstairs and get some money to pay the cab fare. Then, Casey, you can at least take a quick shower and put on some of my clothes. There is an ATM in the complex I live in, and I will get you some money for a ticket,” Ellen told them of the itinerary that she had planned.

“Sounds like a plan to me, Ellen. What do you think, Manny?” Casey asked him.

“It sounds good to me, but was I really that transparent?” Manny said.

“Yes, you were,” Casey told him while patting his hand.

“That’s okay, Manny, it makes me feel worth more than anything in the world. You were my friend first and waited on me to come to my senses,” Ellen said to him, turning his face to hers.

Manny could not take that Ellen was in the wrong in any way here and said, “I should have tried harder because you are perfect, Ellen.”

“I’m far from perfect, but that is why I think I love you, Manny, because you can put me on a pedestal,” Ellen told him.

Casey laughed, “It’s getting thick around here, but it is cute.”

They looked across the aisle and could see the lights of Boston. Home was so close. The three just sat and waited until the plane landed and taxied up to the terminal. When the seatbelt sign turned off, they stood up and started toward the door. Ellen stopped and hugged the stewardess, startling her. “Thank you for everything ma’am. We will never forget it,” Ellen told her.

“It was my pleasure; just remember that the airline did it, not me,” the stewardess replied to Ellen.

“Well, I will call them tomorrow to thank them properly. My dad works in Washington, and I will let him know how good you treated his little girl,” Ellen told her, hugging the stewardess again, asking her name.

“It’s Elise,” she told her, hugging Ellen back.

“Thank you, Elise,” Ellen said, walking out the door.

When Ellen had hugged Elise, some pus from under her bandage got under the collar of Elise’s shirt. Not much––just a drop the size of a period. The virus could not live in direct sunlight or long in a dry environment, but it was night and it had a small pocket of pus to hide in. It did survive long enough into the night that when Elise took off her shirt, she held it in front of her and wiped the perspiration off of her face, getting some of the pus in her eye. She did not know she was infected because her eye did not start to burn or turn red. This would happen three days later, when she was taken to a hospital in Japan.

Chapter 13

Ellen and Casey, with Manny in the middle, rode in the back of the taxi in silence. They just could not believe that they had made it home. The nightmare had ended. People were walking along the sidewalk, and cars packed the road.

Casey broke the silence first, “I hope Prince and Djang are all right.”

“Me, too,” Manny said. “I don’t even want to think what would have happened to us if he had not been there.”

“Whoever hired him at the school knew what they were doing,” Ellen said.

What they did not know was while they were landing Djang had died in the hospital. Prince went to her side, held her hand, and told her good-bye. He then left the hospital, taking a taxi to a motel before he drove south to his house. He would then call the hospital to have Djang properly buried here in France. The staff at the hospital said her body was being held for autopsy by the chief medical examiner. As he left the room, the staff were disconnecting her from all the machines that they had put her on in the last ten hours. When he walked out the door, a nurse covered her up with a sheet.

Djang was taken down to the morgue and placed on an exam table, and an autopsy was performed. The doctors were curious as to how she died so fast from an infection, and they really wanted to know what type of microbe had infected her. It was blood-borne, they thought, but all of her organs were untouched. Blood-borne pathogens made the inner organs explode. They took samples from all her organs. All were perplexed, as the blood did not clot and rigor mortis was not setting in. It was decided to wait to cut the skull off to examine the brain. The team would wait until tomorrow to look at the brain after some test came back. This one decision would seal the fate of Europe. The virus was loose, and it was not going to stop.

If anyone would have been present, they would have seen the body on the exam table start to twitch then slowly sit up. The body may have been Djang but the mind wasn’t. Djang walked out of the morgue using the emergency exit into the hospital. On the way, she infected nine hospital workers and killed a security guard. By the time the police arrived, they could not find the attacker. Djang had wandered into a coma ward. Some people she tore into; others she just bit once and moved on. Before she was found, she had attacked all the patients, sixty-two in all. The cops who found her jumped on her, trying to arrest her. Four of them were bitten before they put her in cuffs and had a bag over her head. She was thrown in a solitary cell at the police station, biting two more officers, and it was two days before the medical team at the jail got to examine her. It was the first officers on scene who reported a blue female was attacking people. This got a laugh from the dispatchers.

All the coma patients may have been in comas while they were alive, but the virus only needed the basic parts of the brain to operate. It like all life wanted to spread, and viruses are alive. They feed, reproduce, and spread. In seventy-two hours, there were over two million people infected, and it was moving at an ever-increasing pace.

The trio did not know anything about Djang. They just sat and rode in silence. When the taxi pulled into the apartment complex that Ellen lived in, Manny held his breath. This was a very expensive complex, and he thought what chance did he have with Ellen?

Ellen leaned over and kissed him, “Driver, wait right here for me, please.”

Ellen jumped out and ran over to the building and went inside. Shortly she returned and paid the driver. Manny and Casey followed Ellen to her building, each looking around at the expensive complex with the luxury cars parked everywhere.

“Ellen, how can you afford this place?” Casey asked. Manny was glad she did because he did not want to.

“My dad pays for it. He did not want me staying at the apartments by campus,” she said nonchalantly.

They followed her into a building foyer, where her door was open. “How did you get in?” asked Manny.

“I had a key taped to the bottom of my door frame,” she said. Then Ellen informed them, “Too many drunken nights out with the girls.”

“Casey, go take a shower, and I will get you some clothes to wear.” Turning to Manny, she handed him an ATM card. “By the gate we came in is a pool complex with an ATM in front of it. Withdraw four hundred dollars. That is the limit, but it should be enough to get Casey a ticket home and be able to eat on the way.” She picked up an ink pen and wrote her PIN on the back of his hand.

Casey and Manny just sat staring at her. She just gave Manny her PIN and was going to give Casey four hundred dollars, and it did not seem to faze Ellen at all.

“Hurry Casey, and you can make the 10:30 train to New York,” she said, pushing her toward the bathroom.

“Manny, go, I’m going to call my dad and let him know I made it all right,” she said, picking up the phone and pointing at the door.

Manny walked to the door and out of the building toward the front of the complex where he was told the ATM was located. Casey jumped into the shower and thought the water felt like heaven until it hit her face. She jumped back; when the water had hit her face, it felt like glass running down her body. She grabbed a washcloth washing her face gently and the scratches down her neck that stopped on her chest. Washing the dirt off felt so good, but the scratches felt like glass cutting her when she touched them. It wasn’t bad, but it was enough to make her wash it gently. Well, when I get to my mom’s I will get the scratches looked at, she thought to herself.

When she got out of the shower, she dried off. The scratches were cooler than the rest of her skin, but she still got that weird feeling when she touched them. Whatever, she thought, if it’s infected I will get placed on antibiotics, and that will be the end of that. She walked out into Ellen’s bedroom, and on the bed was a pair of jeans, a sweater, underwear, bra, socks, and tennis shoes. Casey walked over and started to put on the clothes. The thought of wearing someone else’s underwear and bra usually would make her sick. But there was no way in hell she was pulling her underwear out of the garbage can in the bathroom to wear again.

While she was getting dressed, she could hear Ellen talking to her father. Casey did not know what was being said, but she understood the tones. Ellen was getting mad at her father, and he was getting mad at her. Ellen finally stopped the conversation when Manny walked back in. “Dad, I will call you tomorrow. I am tired and want to sleep. I have been through a lot in the last fifty-plus hours and want to sleep. No, I do not want you coming down here. I tell you what––tomorrow I will drive down to see you. How about that?” she said. “I love you, too, Daddy. See you tomorrow. Bye.”

“Sometimes he still thinks I’m a little girl. Well guess what? Dad told me that the Congo is locked down because of fighting and a viral outbreak. People are going crazy there, and the neighboring countries are using force to keep people from entering their countries. The US is sending a fleet over to the coast of Africa to persuade the countries to let refugees leave the war zone. The UN is sending several health teams to see what they can do. The first teams touched down several hours ago and have not been heard from. He only found out I made it home when Homeland Security called, telling him my passport had cleared customs. He then called the airline, and they confirmed that we got on the plane in Paris,” Ellen informed Casey and Manny.

“Prince was right, with both a virus and an armed revolution, they would have kept us detained there until the government could get us out,” Manny stated.

“Well, we are home just like he promised.” Ellen looked at both of them when she made her statement. Ellen dialed the phone and asked for a taxi to the train station. The dispatcher told her the cab would be there in ten minutes.

Ellen walked over and hugged Casey tight. “Call me as soon as you get home. It should only take four hours. We will both be up,” Ellen said, smiling.

Casey grinned, “Okay, I will call, but if you hear anything else, call me tomorrow.” Casey wrote her mom’s phone number on a piece of paper, and Ellen wrote her number on one also giving it to Casey, which she put in her pocket.

“Be careful,” Ellen told her.

“After what we have been through, a mugging will seem pretty tame,” Casey said.

Manny walked up and hugged her. “Casey, please promise me you will be careful.”

“Okay, I promise, and I will call as soon as I get home,” Casey said as they heard a horn honk outside. “Well, I guess that one is for me.” She walked over and kissed both on the cheek. “I will talk to you guys in a few hours,” she said, walking out the door.

Manny and Ellen walked over to the window, watching little Casey get in the cab, and the cab took off. They stood staring out the window holding each other. Then they turned facing each other and started to kiss passionately, each pulling off clothes as they made their way to the shower. By the time they made it to the shower, the only thing covering something was Ellen’s bandage. They turned the shower on and jumped in, holding, rubbing, and kissing each other with animal passion. At one time, Ellen thought she felt pain when she bumped her arm, but the thought left her mind as soon as it entered it. Leaving the shower water running, they both climbed out and headed to the bedroom and made passionate love. After an hour Manny climbed out of the bed to turn off the shower. Seeing himself in the mirror, he grinned. He then turned and looked at Ellen lying naked on the bed. He walked back to the bed and laid down beside her, pulling her to him.

“Manny there is a Japanese garden out back, and I want to take you there. There is a stand of bamboo beside the water with a little clearing that can’t be seen from the walkway. I found it one day walking off the trail. I want to go there with you and make love to you,” Ellen told him her fantasy. If she would have asked Manny to make love to her on the interstate, he would have.

Manny jumped up and looked for something to put on. Ellen stood up, putting on a sleep shirt, and watched Manny look around for something to wear. “Hold on,” she said, leaving the room. She returned with a pair of gray gym shorts and a tank top.

“Where did you get these?” he asked.

“Duh, my dad stays in the other room sometimes when he is in town. He has an apartment in Washington, but when he is in town he stays here,” she told him.

“Oh, okay,” he replied. After he put on the shorts and shirt, he bent over and collected the comforter off the bed and held it under his arm. “Well, I’m ready, let’s go,” he said.

They walked out the door, taking the key. They were walking hand in hand. There were some people walking around the apartment complex but none close by. Manny could see a brick fence surrounding the entire complex. He was in complete wonder; here he was on the edges of Boston walking to a garden to make love to the girl of his dreams. As they neared the garden Manny could see it by the moonlight, and he was in awe. It was beautiful to look at with a small waterfall going into a pool with goldfish. Ellen grabbed his hand and walked him over the bridge along the path, a wall of bamboo on each side of the path. At a bend, Ellen forced her way into the bamboo for fifty feet, and they came to a clearing surrounded by bamboo and the sound of a waterfall in the background. Manny spread out the comforter as Ellen stripped down and he joined her. They met on the blanket and made love, forgetting that Casey was supposed to call soon. Around 2 a.m., they fell asleep from exhaustion.

Ellen was pulled up close to him, and they lay naked in the summer weather, resting quietly. Manny never noticed Ellen’s body getting colder then give a shudder. In his sleep, he pulled her closer. An hour later, Manny felt pain in his shoulder and woke up with Ellen biting him.

“Ellen, what did I do to make you mad?” he pleaded with her. All she did was growl at him. He held her by the shoulders above him as what was left of Ellen grabbed at him.

“What did I do? Please tell me?” he said, crying. Then the smell hit him, the smell of rotten death.

He cried freely, holding Ellen above him. She had been infected by the bite with whatever had been in the Congo. Manny had lost his angel, he thought, crying. As the remains of what used to be Ellen clawed at him, Manny did not know that she was not there; all he saw was the girl of his dreams with his blood on her blue face. Well, if she wanted him like that she could have him, he thought as his vision started to fade. He pulled her down to him, giving what was left of Ellen a last hug as she bit into his neck. Manny never cried out in pain even though it hurt like hell. He would be brave for her in the end, but what was left of Ellen did not care as she bit again.

“I love you, Ellen,” he said with his last breath. Just as his heart quit beating, she stopped biting and stood up, staring toward the bamboo. About an hour later something was standing beside her, but she did not care. Like her, it had a very slow heartbeat. She heard something off in the distance and pushed through the bamboo then took off in a fast sprint. The thing standing beside her that had once been Manny just followed her out, breaking into a sprint, once again following her around as she led the way to the warmth of others.

The two left the garden and by morning, there were over a dozen infected in the apartment complex, and strange roars could be heard from inside the walls. By 10 a.m., over a hundred people were bitten. The police responded and attempted to arrest the attackers, but they were bitten. Two of the attackers could run at speeds that seemed unnatural. The two fast attackers, what used to be Manny and Ellen, and several of the slow attackers had made their way into a large park to the east and hit a campground that night. On Sunday morning in the Northeast, over five million people were infected, and over one hundred thousand full-blown cases were attacking others.

On the train, Casey had laid her head down to take a nap after feeling sick. After two hours she stood up, but it was not Casey. She turned and bit the person beside her. His name was Han Chen, and he was on the way to JFK to catch a flight to China when this crazy round eye bit him. He pushed her down and took off running to the front of the train. She stood up and moved down the train, attacking anyone she came across. Some she attacked until they died; others she just bit and moved on. There was no rhyme or reason to her attacks. She just attacked. The crew locked her in a car, and the train slowed down at the next stop so the police could arrest the crazy woman attacking people. The shell of Casey turned and crawled out a window. Not to escape but to feed. The fall would have killed a normal person, but the shell was not normal nor a person. The right leg was broken, but the shell still walked on it as it healed at a phenomenal rate. The several people that Casey had killed on the train walked out of the morgue in the early morning. By Sunday night, there was infection on every continent except two, Australia and Antarctica. Australia would have its first infected by Tuesday morning and would be the only inhabited continent that would have a chance, as the fall of mankind had started.

Chapter 14

Bruce pulled the Tahoe into the driveway of the farm and up to the gate and pushed the remote to open the gate. Debbie, in the passenger seat, was talking to Mary and Danny in the backseat about the paintball game that they had played today at the paintball field. Bruce looked in the rearview mirror, saw Mike pulling up in the Excursion and Steve in his truck. Mary and Danny had jumped in with Bruce and Debbie as they left the paintball field. Jake had ridden with Mike and Nancy to be with Matt and David. The engaged couple was together in Steve’s truck bringing up the rear. The family had gotten up early, gotten chores done, and got ready to play paintball at a large professional field outside of Bossier. It was complete with urban areas, woodlands, and open fields spread over eighty acres. Since it was the first weekend of August, there were a lot of people at the field so the family got to remain on the same team all day. They had gotten to the field at 9 a.m. when it opened and had played for six hours straight. Everyone was sweaty and striped down to t-shirts and tiger-stripe BDU pants. The whole family wore tiger-stripe BDUs so they knew who was who during the game.

Bruce knew he was going to be sore tomorrow with all the running and diving like a super action hero. Pulling forward after the gate opened, he drove up to the house and parked. As everyone got out, they met at the back to get their equipment bags. Mary and Danny were still talking away, never losing the conversation. It wasn’t that they did not like being around the girls after a game, but there had been several young boys playing today and that was the topic of discussion. A father should never have to listen to his little girls talking about how good some boy looked. These were words that Bruce could live the rest of his life and he would have no regrets if he never heard them again. If he heard Danny say “that boy was so fine” one more time, he was going to scream. To make it worse, Mary was agreeing with her.

He opened the back and started to pass out equipment bags to his passengers except Debbie. He had learned long ago that was his job when they got home. Several times he looked over the marriage license, and nowhere in it did it say he was her bellhop. She would clean her own paintball gun and equipment, but she would not carry it inside. Once he purposely left her bag in the Tahoe, and as he was walking to the house she turned to him and said, “Forget something?” What did he say, being the big badass he was? “Ooops, baby, I’m sorry,” turning around to grab her equipment bag. Some battles were not worth fighting. He did not feel so bad when the second time the family had went to play paintball four years ago he saw Nancy tell Mike to grab her bag from the truck. It must be part of the stuff the priest said when they got married. There were a lot of words said, but all Bruce could remember was “til death do you part.” He should have paid better attention to the words that man had said to him.

He looked over at Mike as he handed out bags from the back and, yes, he grabbed two, putting them over his shoulder. Everyone was heading into the house when Steve and Tonya got out of Steve’s truck. Bruce watched Steve reach into the bed of the truck, hauling out two bags and putting them over his shoulder. Tonya walked around the front of the truck, grabbing his hand, walking to the house with him. Bruce sat and thought it must be a rule that comes with engagement.

Mike walked up to Bruce and said, “That was some fun today was it not, brother?”

“Hell yeah, but the girls talked about those three teenage boys that were on the opposite team the whole way home,” Bruce stated. “It should be illegal for girls to talk about how good some boy looks when their daddy is around.”

“Yes, I have to agree with you there,” Mike concurred. “I saw the way those three were watching them like wolves the entire time we were there. That is why I hunted them down every chance I got.”

“Well, I did, too,” Bruce stated proudly. “I shot the one with the long blond hair five times in the face mask when we stormed the castle. Do you think he got the message?”

“No, it was not until you yelled that next time you were going to put a bayonet on your paintball gun and cut out his liver,” Mike let him know.

“You heard that?” asked Bruce.

“I think everyone on the field heard it, Bruce. Debbie tried to hide like she did not know you. I was fixing to go and get you a bayonet, but Nancy told me she would use it on me if I did,” Mike informed him.

“The girls must not have heard it then, because they did not say anything about it,” Bruce said.

“Oh yes, they did. They went asking Nancy and Debbie to get control of the ‘crazy daddy’ because he was embarrassing them,” Mike informed Bruce.

“When was this, and where was I?” Bruce demanded.

“At the pro shop when we were refilling our air tanks before we went to the trench field. You were sitting at a table cleaning your gun, staring at the boys,” Mike let him know.

“Well, at least I was protecting our girls,” Bruce said. “So now I’m crazy daddy,” Bruce replied proudly.

“You have always been crazy daddy. But if you want to kill the boys, you can do it later. The girls asked if they could invite them over this evening to go swimming; Debbie and Nancy said they could,” Mike told him.

“What?” said Bruce, with anger washing over his face.

“Nancy and Debbie said it was for the way we treated the boys, embarrassing the girls. This was to make up for it,” Mike said, not too pleased.

“I’m cleaning my gear and finding something to do in the shop,” Bruce stated flatly, opening the door to the house.

“You can’t. Debbie volunteered you to cook hamburgers,” Mike said, grinning, following him in.

“Why the hell are those smiling predators coming over here to drool over our daughters?” Bruce stated.

“Since you are cooking the food, I’m going to poison them, and the blame will be on you,” Mike said, laughing.

“I can live with that,” Bruce said, laughing with Mike.

Nancy came out of the kitchen into the den. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. “What are you two laughing about?”

“Nothing,” they replied together.

“Yeah right. Those boys will be coming over here at six o’clock. That gives everyone two hours to get ready. Both of you will be on your best behavior. Do I make myself clear?” Nancy said to them, crossing her arms across her chest.

“I never did or said anything to those boys today, baby,” Mike stated proudly.

“Michael Collins, I saw you shoot Chandler, the blond, over twenty times while he was on the ground after he called ‘Hit.’ Then I saw you unload over forty shots into Scott, the one with black hair, after he called ‘Hit.’ To top it off, Gabe the brown-headed boy, after he grabbed our flag, you unloaded your entire hopper of paintballs on him, yelling ‘I’m giving Bruce his bayonet,’” Nancy almost shouted.

Mike just stood there trying to look ashamed but not doing a very good job of it. “Well, can I explain my actions, please?”

“No, you will not blow smoke up my ass.” Turning to look at Bruce, she said, “It’s because of both of your actions that Debbie and I invited the boys over here this afternoon. You two have to realize that they are not little girls anymore and let them make some judgment calls,” she finished, walking off into the kitchen.

“Damn, I did not think anyone saw me,” Mike said quietly.

“I see everything you do, Michael Collins,” Nancy yelled from the kitchen.

“You married superwoman,” Bruce said in awe. “She sees and hears everything.”

“There is another one in the kitchen also, Bruce Williams, and we will have our talk later,” Debbie yelled from the kitchen.

Bruce looked at Mike, cringing at her voice, “Let’s go to the shop and clean the equipment before we get in more trouble,” he said.

“Let’s lock the door too, just in case they get some ideas,” Mike said.

Bruce led the way through the den and out the west patio door. There was no way they were walking through the kitchen. The shop was on the west side of the property. It had a machine shop on one side and a garage on the other where all the vehicles were worked on. Bruce opened the door and walked in. Mike closed the door and, true to his word, locked the door. They put the equipment bags on a large metal table that was in the middle of the machine shop side. The table was twenty feet long and ten feet wide. Along the wall were a CNC mill, a lathe, band saw, vertical milling machine and a shaper. The entire building was eleven hundred square feet and was the duo’s hiding place when they were in trouble or just wanted to be alone.

“Well, I guess we have no one to blame but ourselves,” Bruce stated. “Did you really do what Nancy said?”

“Yeah, I really did not think that anyone saw me,” Mike admitted, looking at Bruce.

“Why did you make me think that I was the only one dealing out punishment to the little devils?” Bruce asked.

“One of us has to act civilized,” Mike answered.

“Well, okay, but next time let me know, and I will make sure everyone is looking at me while you do some dirty work,” Bruce said in a diabolical tone.

“Next time my ass, Nancy never uses my full name unless she is really pissed, in case you forgot,” Mike said, glancing at the door.

“Yeah, but she never stays mad long,” Bruce pointed out.

“Your sense of time is never appropriate. To me, when she is mad, it’s an eternity,” Mike informed him.

Bruce opened the first bag and started to pull out his equipment and laid it out then opened the second and placed Debbie’s gear next to his and started to clean it. Mike, on the other side of the table, did the same. Breaking apart the first paintball gun, Bruce asked Mike, “Did you read the Internet this morning about the Congo?”

“Yeah, some type of viral outbreak during a coup. They are always fighting about something over there. Of course, the great USA is sending young men into harm’s way. I did not see what type of viral outbreak they thought it was. The viruses that come from central Africa can be nasty. Ebola has a very high mortality rate. I just don’t like it when our troops have to face something like that,” Mike said.

“No shit,” Bruce concurred. “Bullets are bad enough, but the viruses from there scare me. Remember the swine flu epidemic?” Bruce asked.

“Yeah, everyone thought they were going to die. Stephanie told me swine flu was going to be nothing,” Mike answered.

Stephanie was a research doctor they had met at the university. Her specialty was virology and genetic research, and she was good at it. It was four or five years ago Debbie had invited her out to the farm because she was always by herself. Stephanie jumped at the opportunity and quickly became a close friend of the family. They had taught her how to hunt, fish, and shoot guns. You only had to show her something once, and she was good at it. Looking at her, someone would think she was a supermodel and not a lab nerd. At five foot five, with auburn hair and water-blue eyes, she was a head turner. Stephanie really intimidated Bruce because of how smart she was in an area he knew nothing about. Bruce could care less what she looked like; he had his Debbie, and that was all he needed. Stephanie would start trying to explain some type of virus, and Bruce could only understand the conjunctions and minor verbs she used. The rest was above his head. Mike, Nancy, and Debbie just sat there listening and asking questions about her research.

Protein transference, RNA scripture, and words like that made Bruce feel stupid because he had no idea how it worked. As a nurse, he knew about DNA and RNA, he even knew how the AIDS virus worked from college. Just the nuts and bolts, not the actual inner working; that was Greek to him. He had tried to read books about it when Stephanie was here at the house just so he would not be the only person left out of the conversations when it turned to her work. Everyone else at the house loved it when she talked about it; even the kids would sit down and listen.

Almost two years ago, she had taken a job at the CDC in Atlanta. It was a good move on her part, but the family hated seeing her leave. Stephanie still came back five or six times a year, spending a few weeks each time with the family. This year, she was here during crawfish season and went crawfishing with the family. Last month, she even went to the new property in North Dakota to help out. Nancy and Debbie loved her; they said the only reason she was single was that men were intimidated by her intelligence. Mike had said that was bullshit, but Bruce did not say anything. She used words he could not even find in a dictionary. So he agreed with the wives, only to himself of course.

Bruce was not dumb by any standards, but the micro worlds of viruses were way over his head. He was at least glad he knew people who could understand them. When Stephanie had explained the swine flu and then the West Nile virus to Mike, Nancy, and Debbie, they all said there was nothing to worry about. So Bruce did not worry about it.

“Well, what is your take on this virus?” Bruce asked Mike.

“Don’t have enough info yet. Nancy and Debbie talk to Stephanie every day on Facebook, and if something is bad, she will let us know,” Mike said.

“Yeah, if you can understand what the fuck she is saying,” Bruce mumbled under his breath.

“What did you say?” Mike asked, taking apart his second paintball gun.

“At least it’s in the middle of a jungle on the opposite side of the globe,” Bruce quickly said to cover his mumbling.

“It only takes one person to carry it to an international airport, and if the virus is highly communicable, then the rest of the world is at risk. That was proven with the last flu outbreak in 2007; it was around the world in ten days. That strain of H1 only had a 40 percent communicable level,” Mike informed Bruce, looking over at him, wiping down the paintball gun with a rag.

“That means if someone was infected and was around ten people, and they were exposed, only four would actually get it right?” Bruce asked.

“Yeah, more or less,” Mike said. Well, at least he’d learned something from those books he tried to read before they put him to sleep, Bruce thought.

“What are we going to do about the boys coming over here?” Bruce asked, looking up at Mike.

“Just play along. Let’s not piss the wives off anymore today,” Mike stated.

“Okay, we can always pay the boys to beat them up later,” Bruce pointed out, putting equipment back into the bags. The knee and elbow pads he brushed off with an old toothbrush along with the tactical paintball vest. The mask was wiped down, and he sprayed defogger on both lenses inside and out. Then he laid everything neatly in each bag.

A knock sounded at the door, and Bruce looked over at the monitor at the head of the table. A video camera was mounted above the door, and he saw Steve at the door. He walked over and opened the door and let Steve in. “Your mom send you?” Bruce asked.

“Yeah, she said you two have sulked enough. It is time to come in and get cleaned up. You have to start the grill soon, she said,” Steve said, relaying instructions to Bruce.

“Okay,” Bruce said. “Have you two set a date yet?”

“Yes,” Steve replied, “March 10 next year.”

“Mike and I get to throw you a bachelor party, son,” Bruce said proudly.

Steve became stiff. “Both moms said you both got out of hand at each of your parties, and you two did not even know each other yet. They told me you two can’t do the party.”

“Have no idea what you are talking about,” Mike said. “We will arrange it, and if somebody has to get into trouble, then it will be us.”

“Okay,” Steve said, laughing.

“How much did you spend on the ring?” Bruce asked.

“Twelve hundred dollars,” Steve replied.

“You could have asked me for some more you know? I didn’t need to know what it was for son,” Bruce told him.

“I know that, Dad,” he said. “But Tonya is like Mom and Mama Nancy––she is not much for jewelry. She is already talking about going into town and getting her some BDUs and a pistol of her own like the rest of the family,” Steve said proudly.

“I was just saying you did not need to spend your money. I would have given it to you,” Bruce said. “So if I can’t give you some money, take Tonya down to the basement and let her pick out a pistol that she likes. Then take her to the storage container with all the extra BDUs and get her a set of each,” Bruce told him.

“Thanks, Dad. I will go get her now and let her get some BDUs,” Steve said, hugging his dad.

One storage unit was filled with extra boots, BDUs, cold-weather gear, old clothes, and other gear. No food was stored in it, just combat gear and camping supplies. They bought lots of used military gear and kept a variety of sizes. The rest the family sold on eBay. They had actually made some pretty good money doing this.

Mike walked up to Steve. “Tonya is a good girl. I am very proud of you,” he said, wrapping him in a bear hug. “If you need anything, you will let me know? I won’t tell your dad,” he promised.

“You keep secrets worse than him,” Steve said, laughing.

Mike turned and picked up his two equipment bags and put them over his shoulder, heading for the door. “You are probably right, but I’m prettier,” he said, walking out.

Bruce laughed, grabbing his bags, “Only a Marine would say he was pretty son, remember that,” Bruce said, following Mike out with Steve in tow.

“That’s because Army pukes don’t know what it means,” Mike said over his shoulder.

The three walked to the house. Nancy and Debbie had already washed up and were making tea and Kool-aid when the three walked into the kitchen. They stopped what they were doing, looking up at them. Bruce walked over to them. “I’m sorry for my actions toward the boys today, and if I embarrassed either of you, I do apologize. I told Mike he had to assist me in my actions to demonstrate to the young men that we would not accept any foolishness toward our daughters. I’m the only one to blame,” he finished.

Nancy and Debbie just stood there with blank expressions on their faces. Mike, standing behind him, was staring at Bruce with his mouth open.

“Well, we may have overreacted,” Nancy said. “And we know neither of you would actually hurt the boys. Everyone still had a blast at the field, so I apologize also,” she said, walking up to him, hugging him and kissing him on the cheek. Then she walked over to Mike, hugged him tight, and gave him a big kiss. He was still looking at Bruce with an open mouth.

Bruce turned to Debbie, “I did not mean to embarrass you, baby.”

“You could never embarrass me, big man,” she said, hugging him, then reaching up, pulling his face down to hers standing on her tiptoes, and kissing him.

“Now you three go shower, and come down and help us get some food ready,” Debbie told the three.

The three walked out, passing Tonya coming down the stairs as they were going up. Steve gave her a kiss as she went by. When they reached the top Mike grabbed Bruce’s arm, spinning him around. “You took some chance back there. Why were you willing to take all the blame?” he asked Bruce.

“No reason for both of us being in trouble and not get loving for awhile,” Bruce told him.

“Hey, I don’t need to hear this,” Steve said, walking to his bedroom. “They are my moms, guys,” he said over his shoulder, going into his room.

“You have told him about the birds and bees right, Bruce?” Mike asked.

“Of course I have, and any points I missed I am sure that Tonya will point them out later,” Bruce told him.

Bruce and Mike walked into their master bedrooms and started cleaning up to get ready for the company coming over. They would at least act civilized to the young men.

Later that night after the boys had left and the kitchen was cleaned, everyone went to bed to start playing X-box. Bruce and Debbie were lying in bed. Debbie was on her iPad, and Bruce was playing X-box. All the kids and Mike were playing the new Call of Duty, and they were online beating up the wolf clan.

“Baby, could you mute your headset so we can talk?” Debbie asked Bruce.

“I can still keep playing?” he asked hopefully.

“If you can talk and play at the same time,” she said.

Bruce told everyone that he was muting his headset but was still playing; Mama wanted to talk. Mike told him before he muted that if he was in trouble to blame him. Bruce said okay and muted, turning to Debbie, but looking at the TV out of the corner of his eye.

“Steve asked me if Tonya could move in after church tomorrow,” Debbie said.

“Yeah, he asked me, too, while I was grilling burgers,” Bruce told her while he gunned someone down on the TV.

“Well, what did you tell him?” Debbie asked.

“I said I did not care. She spends at least one night a week here, but he had to ask you,” Bruce told her as he shot someone coming out of a building.

“This is different, Bruce. This means that they will be sleeping in the same room. Tonya will not be sleeping in Danny’s room like she will later tonight,” Debbie told him as he cussed at the TV as someone shot him.

“She has slept in Steve’s room before,” he informed her, knifing a person on the game.

“Yeah, and he slept on the floor. This is different, big guy,” she told him as she started to watch the game.

“We lived together before we got married,” Bruce reminded her as he pulled a pistol, shooting someone in a building.

“For three weeks during summer break for me,” Debbie said, starting to get interested in the game.

“It really makes no difference, baby. They love each other, and you said she was taking protection so they will not have kids out of wedlock. Damn it,” Bruce said as some “red devil” kid blew him up with a rocket launcher.

“So you see no harm in Tonya moving in?” Debbie said. “There is someone shooting at you from the top of the building on the right.”

“There that little shit is,” Bruce said, and he shot a grenade on top of the building and was rewarded with a kill. “Thank you, baby,” he said. “No, I see nothing wrong with it. Now her mom might, but I don’t. I love having her in the family, and her being here all the time will be excellent.”

“Her mom already said she could. They asked her last night when Steve went down to ask for her hand in marriage,” Debbie told him as she watched for threats on the game. “Second floor window left side,” she said.

“Steve did not tell me that,” Bruce said as he launched his predator drone.

“He did not tell me either. Pam called and told me this morning. Baby, someone is running up on your left side,” Debbie told him.

“Thank you,” Bruce said, turning his character on the screen and shooting the guy trying to sneak up on him.

“Well, what did Pam say?” Bruce asked.

“She said that they gave Steve permission to marry her. Warren–,” Debbie started to say.

“I don’t give a rat ass what he said.” Bruce said sternly. “If he ever touches Pam again, I will throw him in the scrap pond and let the gators have him.”

“That’s not nice baby. There is someone running up behind Mike and you. To the left behind the car,” Debbie told him.

He turned and lobed a grenade in the direction Debbie told him, getting another kill. “Why can’t you always watch me play?” he asked as the red devil died again.

“Baby, I’m not stupid. If I want your attention talking to you while you are playing, I have to help you out, or you do that man thing and only hear half of what I say. Some just ran into that building to your right,” Debbie informed him. “Anyway, they only asked Pam about moving in, not Warren, and Pam said it was all right with her. She was happy that they asked her first when I told her I did not know anything about them moving in together.”

“Well, what did you say to her about it?” Bruce asked as he killed the red devil for the tenth time in a row without dying.

“I told her if you did not care that we would let them move into one of the guest bedrooms downstairs. It’s the same size as our master bedroom and has its own bathroom,” Debbie told him.

“Have you told the two lovebirds yet?” Bruce asked.

“Of course not baby, that is why we are having this talk,” Debbie pointed out.

“Well, let’s tell them then,” Bruce said as he got his gunship.

“I will go and get them.” As she started to get out of the bed, Bruce stopped her.

“Wait, first, they are both playing with us, and second, don’t you think we need to ask Mike and Nancy?” he said.

“Nancy is the one who said they needed the guest bedroom, and she was answering for Mike. And what does the fact that they’re blowing up people on the TV have to do with it?” Debbie looked at him with a questioning look.

“We can tell them over X-box,” he said proudly.

“Absolutely not,” she said firmly.

The game had ended, and everyone was in the lobby. Bruce picked up his headset, putting it on. Debbie looked at him and said, “You had better not.”

Bruce smiled and unmuted his headset and asked Steve and Tonya to come down to their room. Shortly afterward, the two were standing at the foot of the bed looking like kids who were caught with a hand in the cookie jar.

“Steve, your mother and I have had a long discussion about your request to have Tonya move in and have made our decision,” Bruce said in a flat tone. Steve’s shoulders slumped down, fearing the worst. Dad always dished out the bad news, but he would live with whatever was decided here; this was his family, and he had asked. “Are you ready for our answer?”

“Yes sir, we are,” Steve replied in a dejected voice.

“We feel honored to have your bride-to-be move in with us and for you two to take the guest bedroom downstairs,” Bruce said. It took a few seconds for the answer to sink in, but when it did, Steve snapped his head up, looking at his dad.

“Thank you Dad,” he said, walking over to hug his dad and mom. Tonya just jumped in between them, hugging them both at the same time.

“Now you two get out of here. We will see you in the morning,” Bruce told them as Tonya kissed his cheek.

Steve and Tonya said goodnight as they walked out. Bruce turned the X-box off and looked at Debbie.

“Love you baby,” he said, pulling her over to him. He turned off the lights, and sleep overtook them shortly.

Chapter 15

The next morning, as usual, Bruce was the first up. It was Sunday, so no workout today. He was sitting at the head of the kitchen table drinking his coffee and waiting on his laptop to warm up so he could check on the headlines. This is where most meals were eaten in the house. The table was long and could seat ten. His chair was on the west end, and Mike’s was on the east end. The wives sat on their respective husband’s right side. The kids just sat somewhere in the middle; the only constant was Mary and Danny were sitting next to each other. The only time the dining room was used was on special occasions and Sunday afternoon after church. They all went to a small Baptist church outside of Ringgold even though everyone was Catholic. It was not a strict church filled with fire and brimstone. Bruce could not take a preacher yelling and saying bad things to him. He figured you believed in God and Jesus and lived your life the best you could. Bruce took another sip of coffee, clicking on the news Web site.

It had been reported that several cases of the Congo virus was in Europe, with a lot of cases in Paris and surrounding cites. They were reporting some riots in Paris with some fatalities. Well, another reason not to go to Europe, Bruce thought as he clicked on news in America. The headlines made him sit up. Rioting had been reported in Boston and New York. The reports were very vague, some saying that the riots were people wanting to send help to Europe and others saying it was people wanting to send more to Africa. Most of the west coast of Africa was a war zone. The State Department had suspended all flights to the continent. There was unrest reported in all the northern countries of Africa down the west coast. Only the southern tip of the country was unaffected by the unrest and had no reports of the Congo virus.

Bruce was getting mad. He did not care about the rest of the world; there was unrest here in America, and all the stories kept referencing Africa or Europe. Closing that news site, he opened up several chat rooms he was a part of and another news site. He minimized his chat rooms while they loaded. The news site said the same thing the last one did. Riots in the northeast from Boston to New York, no reports of the Congo virus in the States, but the governor of New York was calling a press conference later today. It was expected that he was going to call for the National Guard to assist with the riots because the police were being overwhelmed. Bruce sat back, staring at his computer, and clicked on the first chat room; the board was on fire. It was a survivalist board, so he usually took everything on it with a grain of salt.

Everyone was talking about the Northeast, and several of the people who were there said some parts of Boston were a war zone and it was not safe to be outside. The mayor had made an announcement for the public to stay indoors until the police could bring the situation under control. Bruce stopped reading and sat up. It was six o’clock, and everyone else usually got up about seven to get ready for church. Should he go wake everyone up? Was he just being paranoid? Standing up and pacing around the table, he started to think. There were over twenty million people in the New England states; that could lead to a lot of trouble. Fuck it, he said to himself and walked up the stairs and went into his bedroom and woke Debbie up.

“Baby, come downstairs, okay? I want to show you something, okay?” he asked her.

“If the damn pigs are out there, just shoot them, okay,” she said, half asleep.

“It’s not the pigs,” he said in a flat tone.

The tone of his voice made her sit up with a startle. “What is it?”

“Just come downstairs. I am going to get Mike and Nancy,” he said, walking out of the room and turning right down the hall and stopping in front of the door. He knocked and said, “Mike, it’s Bruce. Are you up?”

“I am now. Just come in,” Mike said, yawning.

Bruce opened the door and walked in. “Mike, I need you and Nancy downstairs, okay?”

Nancy replied, “We know that Tonya is moving in. Can I go back to sleep?”

“This has nothing to do with that. I need you two downstairs right away,” he said, turning and walking out of the room.

Both Mike and Nancy sat up and jumped out of bed. Bruce was acting strange, and this was not like him––especially waking Nancy––unless something was wrong. They both started looking for house shoes and robes. After they found everything and put it on, they both took off downstairs.

When Bruce walked into the kitchen, Debbie was at the coffeepot getting a cup of coffee. She was yawning while she put in her cream and sugar and slowly stirred the dark liquid.

“Well, I’m here baby,” she said.

“Let’s wait for the other wife and husband,” he said, walking and sitting down at his laptop.

Just then Mike and Nancy walked in, and Mike saw Bruce sitting down at the computer. “If you woke me up because you found something on eBay, I think I will throw something at you,” Mike said with a smile.

“No, just come here,” he said without a smile.

Everyone looked at him with shock and bolted to stand behind him. They read the headlines and the Web sites as he scrolled over them, each one stopping his hand at times, as someone else wanted to speed it up.

“The hell with this, I’m getting my own laptop,” Mike said, running to get his laptop out of his room.

Debbie and Nancy stood up looking at each other and took off to get their laptops. While they were gone, Bruce made everyone a cup of coffee and set it at each spot at the table. As he was sitting back down, everyone had returned and was glued to his or her computer. They sat for thirty minutes looking on the Web and gathering information.

Bruce stood up. “Well, what do you guys think?” he asked.

“Well, it centered to the Northeast, and they are pretty liberal up there. Hell, if someone is not politically correct, they have a march,” Nancy said.

“This is different, pumpkin. Several sites said the governor was going to ask the National Guard to come in this afternoon at a press conference,” Mike said.

Debbie looked at Bruce, “What do you think, baby?”

“I think we are going to see riots here. Maybe not today but by the end of the week. Let’s face it. We remember Katrina, and how many of those idiots moved up here? They cannot take care of themselves and looked for any reason to take from others. I don’t know if it will get bad, but let’s pull up the farm’s status and see where we stand,” Bruce told them.

It was never said, but everyone knew it would be Bruce to lead in a time of crisis. During the tornados and the bad storms, it was Bruce who led everyone. What he said is what was done. He never asked for it; everyone just expected it of him. Everyone started opening spreadsheets for the areas that they were responsible for.

“Debbie, what do you have?” Bruce asked.

“Forty chickens producing about thirty eggs a day. Both milk cows are putting out at least two gallons a day, the goats about half a gallon. All the greenhouses are planted; the garden will be ready to harvest in a few weeks––we should get a total of forty tons out of it. We were going to give a lot of it away since we have so much stocked up here. We need more canning supplies and vacuum bags if we want to put it all up. The hay has been cut and needs to be baled; we have enough baling wire for three years. With this collection of hay, we are good for two years. We currently have enough seed to plant the garden and the greenhouses for three years even if we do not recover seed from the harvest. Mine and your bank account is at $18,000 and our savings is $74,800,” she reported.

“Nancy, talk to us,” Bruce said.

“We have enough canned and jarred food to last a total of eighteen months with no change in our diets. The walk-in freezer is not full, but we have enough meat stored for six months; we have room to double that. We have enough feed for the horses and the two cows and the bull for sixteen months. The dogs have enough dry food for eleven months and about three months of wet dog food. The chickens have enough feed now for eight months; the quail and pheasant are the same. We only have four months’ food for the catfish. We were going to pick some up next week. The LLC has $26,455 in the account, Mike and I have $31,200 in our account, $14,000 in savings. We used our savings to buy the land in North Dakota; that’s why it is so low now. In the house, we have $5,000 in cash, two pounds of gold, and sixteen pounds of silver,” she finished.

“Mike, talk to us,” Bruce said.

“We have all five solar arrays up with the output at twelve kwh; the house currently only uses four kwh even with the air set at seventy. Primary battery house is at full charge, and the backup house is set and ready to go. All batteries are dry but can be filled in an hour. We can be off the grid at any time. We have three back-up solar arrays that are put up in storage. It will take us four days to put them up and wire them into the system. Both backup generators have been serviced and can supply power if need. Currently we have 1,980 gallons of diesel and 1,120 gallons of gasoline. Both the diesel and gas can be treated to last. We currently have enough chemicals on hand to make another 4,000 gallons of biodiesel if we plant the garden in soybeans for conversion. We have enough salt for the swimming pool for the next three years. All the vehicles, including farm equipment, have been serviced and are up to date. The backhoe needs the oil changed, brought out, and driven around. The electric boom lift needs to be charged. We have over a hundred pounds of rechargeable batteries that need to be charged. There are no changes to the North Dakota compound except that four storage containers have been delivered and just placed on the property,” he finished his report.

“Well,” Bruce started, “as of now we have thirty-six thousand rounds of 5.56 with four thousand of that belted and enough to reload all of them once. In pistol, four thousand rounds of nine millimeter and five thousand rounds of .45, the rest of the odd rounds less than a thousand each. We can only reload about half of the pistol rounds. We are short on primers. We have over quarter of a million rounds of twenty-two caliber. In rifle, we have six hundred rounds of .338 Lapua; in 7.62 or 308, we have forty-five hundred rounds; and fifty cal, less than three hundred rounds. We have very little in the way to reload any of them except the 308, which we could reload half once. We have over two thousand rounds for the AK-47s and nothing to reload them with. The armory stands now over two hundred and four weapons with nineteen class threes and not counting the boxes buried out back. We have night vision goggles for every member of the family including Tonya with two spares. We have three FLIR scopes and one camera.”

All of this was the culmination of seven years of preparing, a ton of hard work, a lot of sweat and tears put into the land and supplies. Some could say that it was impossible to get this prepared, but it only takes hard work and slowly buying what you needed. Not trying to stock up as the storm was coming, but over time, just getting a little each week. After the big bills were paid off, then you could spend a little more each week. The average family only had three days’ worth of food and no water stored in their house. Prepping took work and time; anyone could do it. But the criteria had to be followed: work and time. The boxes buried in the back were full of illegal weapons and accessories to weapons that the ATF said people could not have. Only the adults knew about the boxes, and they each had promised to never speak of it to anyone.

“There is a gun show in Bossier today. I was not going, but I want to stock up on more ammo. Debbie and Nancy, go to Sam’s and buy what we need. The co-op won’t open until one o’clock since its Sunday, so then go there and load up. Remember, if the shit does not hit the fan, we just have extra supplies. Don’t tell anyone why you are buying, and everyone needs to be armed. We will have a lot of stuff in our vehicles and on the trailers. Debbie, wake Steve up, and I want him to go and get a set of tires for every vehicle we have except the tractors. They are brand new, and we still have the old pair. If that four-wheeler and electric buggy are still parked at the store in Ringgold, I want to buy them. Get Steve to pick them up and remind him to drive a hard bargain. Then tell him to come back here and unload them, go to Tonya’s house, and get what she needs,” Bruce told them, sitting at the head of the table.

“Well, what do you think?” he asked.

“How much are we talking about spending today?” Nancy asked.

“Not counting on the ATV and buggy, I’m guessing about eight to ten thousand dollars, but this is only a guess,” Bruce told Nancy.

“That is doable with ease,” she replied. “Let’s spend out of our own account, and the LLC can reimburse us,” she added.

“I will give Steve a check to buy the ATVs and the extra bank card for everything else,” Debbie said to Bruce.

“You give everyone else something to do. What about me?” asked Mike.

“I want you go over to the Campbell farm and see if they still want to sell the five hundred-gallon diesel trailer and buy it. Then run into Bossier and fill it up and bring it back here,” Bruce said then turned to look at everyone. “I want to go to level two here.”

The family had made threat levels many years ago. Level one was what they lived in all the time: the front gate had to be shut. Level two was everyone had a pistol and rifle on them when they left the house, and someone was in mission control around the clock watching the monitors, plus level one. Level three was everyone stayed armed all the time, BDUs worn at all times with tactical vest when outside, and the fort was manned around the clock, plus levels one and two. Level four was half the house was awake at all times, full combat dress at all times, plus all the other levels. They had only practiced the levels like it was a game; now Bruce was asking the family to do it for real.

“If you think it is necessary, then we will do it, Bruce. You don’t have to ask us, so please stop that. I just want to ask you one question,” Nancy said.

“You can ask me anything, Nancy. What do you want to know?” Bruce said.

“What does your gut feeling tell you about this?” she asked with hope on her face.

Bruce thought about blowing the question off and making a joke, but he couldn’t. This was family, and you never lied to family. He stood up at the end of the table and looked at Nancy. “I feel it is going to get real bad real fast. We don’t have much time, but we do have some. I was really hoping that we would do all this prepping and nothing more than a storm or two would come our way. I feel something bad is coming. What it is I don’t know,” Bruce said, sitting back down.

“That’s why we listen to you, Bruce. You will tell us the truth no matter what. Even if nothing happens this time, we are still going to listen to you because you put the family first,” Mike said to him. “Now what else before we wake the kids?” Mike added.

“Mike, I want Jake to go with you. When you get back, send him to mission control to get it up and running. Then I want you to pull out the beast, and if someone calls, you go to them in the beast. I don’t think we will need it, but better safe than sorry. Debbie will take my truck with a trailer, and David will ride with her. Nancy will take her SUV with trailer, and Matt will go with her. Now you two will follow each other, and everyone have your CBs on channel thirty. I will take both girls with me in Debbie’s SUV and a trailer. I will tell everyone at the gun show I am getting ready to open an online business along with doing police demos,” Bruce told them.

Debbie gave him a questioning look, “Why are you taking the girls?” she asked.

“Because they can bat their eyes at any boy there and get him to carry stuff to the truck,” Bruce replied.

“You are going to exploit our daughters to get other people to help you lift heavy objects?” Debbie asked, not believing her ears.

“Yes,” he replied in a nonchalant tone.

“Okay,” Debbie said. “Can we say a prayer before we go and wake up the kids? I do not want to admit it, but I’m nervous.”

“Nervous, I’m scared,” Mike said. “If I could put a lump of coal up my butt right now, I could make a diamond.” He got up and walked to the end of the table with Bruce and the wives.

They bowed their heads, and Nancy said the prayer. She asked the Lord to watch over them and help guide them along the way and give them courage for the kids. They said amen, and they went to wake all the kids and move them down to the kitchen.

Bruce sat and told them what was going on in the world and what preparations needed to be made today. Then he told everyone what was expected of them today. The only one who looked scared was Tonya. The kids had grown up with this for over seven years. This was just a live drill to them. Preparing the kids over the years had paid off. If it did go badly, they would miss stuff, but they had been practicing this forever. Each adult stood up to give his or her report in front of everyone after Bruce finished. After all the adults were finished, Bruce asked if anyone had anything to add.

“Dad, there are some things I want to add to mission control that we don’t have here. Can Mike run me over to Radio Shack and Best Buy?” Jake asked.

“Yes, it’s not far from where he will go to fill up with diesel if the Campbells will sell us the trailer,” Bruce replied.

“I will need Matt to get some stuff at Sam’s, too,” Jake added hopefully.

“Okay, but it has to be what we need,” Bruce said.

“Oh, it is,” Jake said seriously.

Bruce looked at Nancy. “Buy what they need.”

Since neither of them jumped up and yelled, he knew it was legit. He was not going to ask what was needed. It dealt with computers, he knew, because they did not explain what they wanted. These two were the computer nerds of the family. Of the two, Jake was better but not by much.

“Anybody else?” Bruce asked.

He looked at Tonya, and she had tears in her eyes. “Tonya, do you want to ask a question? We have time,” Bruce said to her.

“You are being serious, aren’t you, Mr. Collins?” she asked.

“It’s Bruce, little one,” Bruce corrected her.

She looked at him. “How about Dad?”

“That’s okay, I will be honored, and yes, the family is being very serious. I know you have not practiced a lot with us, but you have been around here a lot. All of this is called prepping, not for the end of the world but just in case something bad happens. We hoped and prayed we would never have to use what we have learned and prepared for, but we must protect the family,” Bruce told her as tears rolled down her face.

“What about my mom if something happens?” she asked, crying. Steve immediately pulled her over to him and hugged her. Bruce made a mental note that she did not mention daddy.

Debbie got up and went over to Tonya and hugged her with Steve, “Don’t worry. If something bad happens, we will bring both your mom and daddy down here.”

“Piss on my dad. I only want my mom to be safe,” she said. Bruce made another mental note, and he noted that Debbie did not say anything else about Warren.

“Okay, I want everyone to hold hands and bow our heads. Nancy, will you lead us in prayer?” Bruce asked her.

After the prayer, everyone stood up and moved with a quickened pace to go get ready and pick up supplies. The family was making the final preparations. No one would be panicking in Louisiana yet. The problems were up north. There were others who, like the family, saw the signs. Unrest in a region of America, large riots in Europe, and almost the whole continent of Africa in turmoil. The rest would see the signs in the next few days, but it would be too late then.

Chapter 16

It was 8 p.m., and the whole family was home. All of the vehicles were out front and loaded down with supplies. There was not much room left in any vehicle, and the trailers were loaded to the max. They had gotten everything they had gone after plus a lot more. In total, the family had spent over $46,000. Bruce was the last one to pull in, with the girls, thinking that if this did not go badly, they were going to have to work some serious overtime to replace the money. They had made a few unscheduled stops, but Bruce felt they really needed the stuff. Everybody had already put up anything that would spoil and left the rest in the vehicles and on the trailer. The family gathered in the kitchen at the table.

Bruce had called Mike and almost made his heart stop thinking something was wrong. After Bruce assured him everything was all right, Bruce asked Mike to call everyone and tell them he was picking up pizza for the family. Bruce knew nobody would feel like cooking tonight. As they spread out the food, everyone took a seat for the debriefing of the day’s activities.

“Have to say I feel like I have run a marathon carrying an elephant,” Bruce said out loud.

“I could eat that elephant you carried in that marathon,” David said as he shoved a piece of pizza in his mouth.

“Bruce, you should have called to let me know a Lowe’s truck was coming here. I get a call on the radio from Jake that there is a big-ass truck at the gate honking the horn. I know I scared the shit out of the driver when I walked up to the gate with my SCAR across my chest. He holds his hands up and said he had a delivery but he could deliver it someplace else. I asked him to see the invoice, and it had our address and your signature so I let him in and we unloaded it by the shop. I told the driver I was trying to kill some pigs and he said if I had to use a machine gun to kill the pigs out here, he was glad he lived in the city,” Mike informed Bruce.

Bruce closed his eyes, beating himself up for that. “Mike, I am very sorry for that. I totally forgot to let you know I stopped at Lowe’s and had them bring the order out here.”

“No harm, no foul, brother, so let it go, and let’s not do that again,” Mike said, pushing a piece of pizza down his throat.

Anyone watching the family eat would think they had been starving. Bruce had stopped and picked up fourteen pizzas. The family very rarely ate fast food when they went out, much less at home. So the appeal of fast food was part of the ravaging hunger. Most of what they ate, they grew or had bought in bulk. Most people did not realize that a modern family could spend several hundred dollars a week eating out. A meal cooked in this house cost about ten dollars and could feed eight with some left over. This one meal cost $210, and Bruce was wondering if he should have bought more. Six pizzas were already gone, and no one was slowing down. Bruce decided to wait until everyone was finished until he would start the meeting. It only took another twenty minutes before the pride of lions backed off the pizzas. Everyone started to pull out paper, clearing spots off on the table, so they could make their reports on the day’s activities.

Bruce stood up and called the meeting to order. “I know I called us to level two, but I want everyone here so we can put off mission control until we are finished,” he announced.

“That’s okay, Dad, I have it fixed for now,” Jake said.

Bruce looked at his son with a blank stare. “You can see the monitors from here?”

“No, I ran the cameras that are on the perimeter through the computer that I had Matt pick up at Sam’s. I made a program after the computer had a baseline of the ten cameras’ field-of-view on the perimeter. After that, I programmed it to sound an alarm if it sensed a change of 30 percent in the pixel disturbance. That is about what a person walking in a camera field generates at about forty yards. I could not do it for the cameras inside the farm because the dogs, goats, horses, or cows would set it off. I will try to program it to recognize them tomorrow; that way someone does not just have to sit and stare at monitors. That is kind of barbaric if you think about it. I mean, you could sit and stare, but why,” Jake said, giving his verbal dissertation of his revamping of mission control.

“How long did that take you?” Bruce asked; he had to know.

“I already had designed the program. There was one on the Internet, but it was designed by a moron. I just took his source code and revamped it. That took some time. At least two days, but I did that a few months ago. But the computer in mission control did not have the RAM or computing power I needed for the program. After Matt and I set up the computer, I dumped the crap that was on it and uploaded my operating system. Then I put the video program on it and trained it to do what I wanted. It all took about two hours, I guess,” Jake said nonchalantly.

Bruce turned to Debbie and asked, “Did you have an affair with Bill Gates?” Everyone laughed at his comment.

“If I did, it could not have been that good because I don’t remember it,” Debbie said.

“Okay, since Mr. Wizard and his partner in crime have turned the house into a cyber fortress, let’s get down to business,” Bruce said, calling the meeting to order.

“Nancy, will you start?” Bruce asked.

Nancy reported that she had picked up enough meat for another six months, but it had to be separated and vacuum-sealed. They had enough food for the catfish now to last a year. The birds now had an extra six months’ worth of food. They had picked up extra food for the rest of the animals, so she would have to prepare a more detailed report later because she really could not think now.

Bruce asked Debbie to go next. Debbie reported that she had picked up enough seed for another year. They had bought all the canning supplies that they could find, along with vacuum bags. They had picked up another vacuum sealer to back up the two they had, but this one was made for industry, and it was big. She thought they had enough canning supplies to put up the whole garden, but she could not say now. They had also bought a dozen five-gallon water containers. She knew that they had a well, but you never know. Like Nancy, she said her brain was not working well, and she could not say what else she had bought.

Bruce asked Steve for his report. Steve said he picked up four complete sets of tires for the trucks and SUVs; that was all they had. He picked up several tires for the trailers also. He got the four-wheeler and the electric buggy for three thousand dollars together because the guy was getting a divorce and needed the money. Both were almost brand new, and he could not find anything wrong with them. They had gone to Tonya’s, grabbed her stuff, and already put it in the bedroom.

Mike reported that he got the fuel trailer from the Campbell’s for six hundred dollars, it held five hundred gallons, and he went and filled it up, costing fifteen hundred dollars. It was pulled into the back behind the catfish pond. He did not want to put it in the barn or on the west side of the property beside the other tanks.

Bruce turned to Jake and said, “No one but you kids will understand what the hell you and Matt bought today, so you can surprise us later, okay?”

Jake said that was fine with him; he was not ready to say what he and Matt had planned to build.

Bruce reported that he would not be surprised if Homeland Security showed up after the amount of ammo he had bought today. They spent $7500 at the gun show on ammo, and the little trailer out there was crying with all that weight. He also bought three more night-vision devices. All of them were current military issue, and he did not ask the guy where he got them. Two of them were the monocular kind, and the other was a PVS-7. They also picked up one more thermal scope. Those five things alone were ten thousand dollars, but they were not on the civilian market. So they were getting put in the safe, and if the cops came someone had to get them and run out into the woods. He and the girls had stopped at several stores and bought a lot of the weird batteries that the scopes, red dots, and goggles took. Then they stopped and picked up reloading supplies. Then stopping at Lowe’s, and they bought a lot of lumber and two large storage sheds. With everything that was bought today, they did not have enough storage area for it. The family never left anything out exposed to the sun and the elements. That is why the stuff they had lasted.

Everyone agreed that there were no masses anywhere; it was all just weekend shoppers. There was talk about the Northeast, but everyone thought it would be brought under control when the National Guard hit the streets. Nobody even mentioned Europe or Africa. The only hostility reported were just normal people being rude, which was common now in the cities. No violence was seen or had any reports been heard down South.

Bruce told everyone that he was proud of them, and for better or worse, they were as ready as they could get. He reminded the kids not to say anything to their friends about anything the family had or the preparations that they were making. Nothing by phone, email, or X-box live to anyone outside the family. He knew the kids knew the rules, but he wanted to remind them, and he wanted Tonya to hear it from him. Bruce was sure Steve had been going over the family rules, but he could not take that chance now. He announced that the kids would not be going to school tomorrow until they got a better feel on how the world was going to progress. He then canceled all activities outside of the farm. This did draw some criticism from the kids because of football, cheerleading, and other school activities that they liked doing. He reminded them “family first,” and they quieted down.

Bruce said wake up tomorrow was 6 a.m. Everything had to be put up. He wanted the last two cameras put up, and that was going to take some work. Tomorrow was going to be very busy, and everyone had a lot of work to do. He told everyone goodnight and to go to bed. He would clean the kitchen and go sit in mission control tonight. Bruce just asked Jake if he could explain the system so he could at least have some power over the computer. Jake said sure and went to mission control to wait on him. Bruce hugged everyone goodnight and cleaned the kitchen. When he got to mission control, Jake was asleep in the chair. He woke him and got a crash course on the video system and hugged his son goodnight.

Bruce set up his laptop on the desk and started surfing the Internet. He was not going to touch that computer Jake had set up unless the damn thing started blowing up. Around 2 a.m., he got an alarm and almost jumped out of his skin. It was only some deer out in the hayfield. They were going to have to get that baled up before the deer ate all the alfalfa.

At 3 a.m., CNN reported the first confirmed case of the Congo virus was in the States. Civil unrest had now been reported in Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and Pittsburg. At 4 a.m., riots were being reported in Los Angeles, and several more cases of Congo virus had been confirmed in the US. The CDC was reporting that the virus was a contact virus and spread through body fluids. It could make the infected person act violently to others, and that was the end of the report. Bruce thought about Stephanie when he saw the CDC logo on the Fox Web site. He would get Debbie to call her tomorrow and see what she had to say.

Mike walked in at 5 a.m., sitting down on the couch by the door. The desk was in the center of the room facing into the house with a window behind it. On the west wall was the large bank of monitors. Mike was staring off into space, still wearing the clothes he had on yesterday. When he spoke, it was in a flat tone, “Anything new, Bruce?”

“Yes, a lot. Riots are now being reported in five major cities on the Eastern seaboard, and riots started last night in L.A. and Oakland. There are several cases of the Congo virus now reported in the US. The CDC put out a memo that the virus was spread through body fluids, and it could make people go crazy,” Bruce said.

“Are you shitting me?” Mike jumped up and walked over and stood beside Bruce.

“I wish I was, my brother, but it’s going to hell in a handbasket out there,” he replied.

“Why don’t you go and grab some sleep? I will wake you up later today,” Mike offered.

“No, we have a lot of work to do today, and we cannot be a person down,” Bruce told him.

“Well, if I have the bridge Captain, go and take a shower and fix a cup of coffee,” Mike said.

“Now that I can do,” Bruce said. He gave Mike the crash course that he received last night on the video system.

“Why did you put on the clothes you had on yesterday?” Bruce asked.

“Put on, hell, I never took them off. I just laid down on the bed, and I was out. Nancy did the same thing. I don’t know how she could sleep in a bra, but she is still snoring up there,” Mike said.

“I never knew Nancy snored, and I have been around her when she was asleep,” Bruce said, stopping at the door.

“You have never been around her when she went to sleep very tired. Because she can shake the walls, son,” Mike let him know.

“I have to remember that,” Bruce said, grinning; he was too tired to laugh. He walked to the kitchen.

“You did not hear that from me,” Mike yelled after him.

Bruce walked into the kitchen, poured a cup of coffee, and walked upstairs. He paused before going into his room, listening for a second, and sure enough he heard Nancy snoring away. He smiled to himself, opening the door, and went in, trying not to wake Debbie. Even though he would have to wake her up in a few minutes, he would let her get every second she could. He walked into the bathroom, set his coffee on the sink, and stripped down. Turning the water on, he showered, got out, and dried off feeling a little better. When he opened the door, Debbie was sitting up in the bed as he walked to the closet to grab some clothes.

“It’s getting worse out there,” Debbie said, looking at her iPad.

“Yeah, it’s getting real bad, baby. I need you to get in touch with Stephanie today,” Bruce asked her.

“I just messaged her on Facebook and asked her to call.” Debbie let him know she was a step ahead of him. “You need to take a nap, baby,” she told him.

“No, I’m going to rake and bale the hayfield today. I watched deer out there last night eating it. Let’s get this day going, baby. I made a list for everyone to do today,” Bruce said, walking to the door.

“I will be down in a minute. I’m taking a shower first,” she said, getting up and heading into the bathroom.

Bruce walked back downstairs and headed to mission control to get the list he printed up last night for everyone. Sitting in the chair was Jake, typing on the video computer.

“Where is Mike?” he asked, walking over to the printer and grabbing the list.

“He is in the kitchen cooking something,” Jake replied.

Bruce looked at Jake just working away on the computer, and he felt a lot of pride in his son. “We don’t need anyone in mission control today. We will all be outside today,” Bruce told him.

“Yeah, I figured as much, so I’m going to have the computer call me on my cell phone if someone drives up to the gate,” he replied, still typing away.

“That’s good son, but kitchen in a few minutes, okay, so we can get started,” Bruce told him.

“Yeah, it will only take me a few more seconds, Dad,” Jake assured him.

Bruce turned and headed to the kitchen. Mike was scrambling eggs and putting biscuits on the counter. Bruce grabbed some eggs and shoved them in a biscuit and started to eat. He set down the individualized lists with each person’s name at the top. “I’m going out to start, Mike. Get them going.”

“Don’t worry, I woke up all the kids before I came in to see you in mission control. You be careful out on the tractor, Farmer Brown. You have not had sleep, and you are going to play with power equipment today,” Mike told him as he turned and walked down to the basement and came back up with his SCAR and a combat shoulder bag, or a man purse as he called it. He already had his pistol on as he turned to Mike and said, “I want everyone here for lunch at noon for updates, okay?”

“Will do,” Mike assured him.

Bruce turned and started to walk to the barn and start the day. He had only been awake for twenty-four hours, but it felt like two weeks. He climbed up on the tractor and started it up; it was going to be a long day.

Chapter 17

A little after noon, Nancy and Danny were getting some food ready for everyone and setting the table. The first in were Tonya and Mary; they had been in the basement separating food for freezing or vacuuming.

“How is the storing going down there?” Nancy asked.

“We still have a couple of hours left, but we will be done easily by this afternoon,” replied Tonya. “Need any help?”

“Yes, could you get the glasses out?” Nancy asked.

“Sure,” Tonya said, walking to the cupboard as Steve and Matt came in the back door, setting their M-4s by the door in a gun rack.

“Hey, sexy,” Steve said to Tonya. “Whatcha doing?” He walked over and kissed her on the cheek.

“Getting glasses out,” Tonya said, smiling at him.

“Let me help. I want a glass the size of a bucket. The heat is ridiculous out there. If it wasn’t so humid, you could burst into flames,” Steve said.

“How are the new storage sheds coming?” Nancy inquired.

“Both are up, even though we lost two pounds just sweating out there. We can start putting stuff in them after lunch,” Steve let Nancy know.

“You two are drinking enough water out there, aren’t you?” Nancy asked with concern.

“We each drank a gallon, and it did not seem like enough. As fast as you drink it, you sweat it out. This afternoon is going to be brutal. It’s not even one o’clock, and it’s already 104 degrees out there,” Steve informed everyone.

“It’s just August in Louisiana, baby,” Tonya reminded him.

“I know, and for the last twelve years I have not been able to adjust, so I don’t have much hope for this year,” he told her, draining a glass of tea.

Debbie walked in the back door, setting her AUG by the boys’ M-4s. She had been in the greenhouses and garden all morning while Nancy and Danny were tending to animals. She was covered in dirt and had taped the end of her barrel on the AUG, as everyone did on their weapons, so no dirt got in the barrel. “I know that gun is short and light, but damn does it get in the way,” she told everyone.

“Yeah, it is a pain, but it does give a sense of security, doesn’t it?” Steve said. “Try putting up a storage shed with one strapped to your back. It makes you realize that two hands aren’t enough.”

Mike, David, and Jake walked into the kitchen from the front door. They had been placing two more cameras overlooking the road leading to the house. The parish road that led to the house was a dead end, so only one way had to be monitored. They had placed two almost half a mile down the road, wiring them in and burying the cables. One of the cameras wasn’t on the property but on the neighbor’s property. No one lived on the property next to them; it was owned by a lumber company and was a little over four hundred acres. They did not think they would mind. As always, the family figured it was easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. No one lived past them on the parish road, so traffic was light. The only thing past the house was a National Forest with a parking area that was only used during hunting season.

“Holy shit, I think we have been working on the surface of the sun,” Mike told everyone as he handed his SCAR to Jake to place their weapons in the rack by the back door.

“Yes, and we are supposed to have eighteen more days of over one hundred-degree temperatures,” Debbie said. “The garden is taking a hit. We are going to have to increase watering it, or we are going to lose a lot.”

“After all the work we put into it, no way,” Danny replied. “We can use the water from the swimming pool if we have to.”

Debbie laughed, “I don’t think that will be necessary. Besides, I think everyone would collapse without a refreshing swim at the end of the day with heat like this.”

“You can’t touch the pool,” Mike said. “It’s vital for survival in this heat. Have we heard from Bruce’s girlfriend yet?”

“No. I checked Facebook a little while ago and still nothing,” replied Debbie. “You know that makes Bruce mad when you say that,” she said, smiling.

“I know it chaps his ass, but it’s fun. I have to take him down a notch every now and then,” Mike admitted.

“Well, that’s okay, then,” Debbie said.

“Well, it’s true Mom. Every time Stephanie is here, she watches Dad like a hawk. If I did not like her so much, I would say something,” Danny told her mom.

“Stephanie is just infatuated with Bruce; he is the first man she met that was not taken away by how beautiful she is. All the times she came out here to the farm, Bruce would put her to work and expected her to pull her weight. Remember when she caught fish for the first time? He showed her how to clean the first one and walked away for her to clean the rest,” Debbie said.

“Yeah, that was cool, and what did she do? She picked up the knife and started cleaning fish,” Danny said. “That’s why I like her. She was raised a princess, but she likes getting her hands dirty. Plus when I’m teaching her something that Mike and Daddy taught me, she listens like I’m an adult,” Danny told Debbie.

“Plus Stephanie would never try anything because that is not the type of person she is. She knows Daddy belongs to me. I have to say I would sleep with her, as beautiful as she is, but Bruce never even looks at her,” Debbie stated.

“MOM,” Danny exclaimed, “that’s gross.”

“Hell, I would, too,” Nancy stated.

“Eww,” cried Mary.

Mike just looked at Nancy with a wicked grin. “Get those thoughts out of your head, Mister, before I cut you,” Nancy informed him.

“What? I wasn’t doing anything,” Mike said innocently.

“You are not old enough for those thoughts, Michael,” Nancy stated with a flat voice.

“You are the only woman for me; no one else would have me,” Mike told her.

Just then, Bruce walked in the back door barefoot, placing his weapon in the crowded rack. He looked exhausted, with bits of hay over his body, and his clothes were soaked. Walking over to his chair, Bruce just dropped into it. “I should be finished this evening. I will start baling after lunch. How is everything else coming?” he asked.

“We love you too, dear,” Debbie said. “Why are you so wet?”

“Stood under the water hose before I melted. My clothes are only damp; they dried out on the walk up from the barn. I love you guys, and everyone here knows that, but how is everything coming?” he asked again.

“We will have most everything complete that was on your list done by tonight. Then we will have to move provisions around to different storage areas,” Mike informed him of the progress.

“Heard from Stephanie yet, baby?” Bruce asked Debbie.

“Your girlfriend has not called. I wish you would keep up with your own female contacts,” Debbie told Bruce while winking at Mike.

“Girlfriend, hell, I have two wives and a husband that drive me crazy. I would file for a divorce, but I don’t know how to go about filing it,” Bruce said with a smile.

“You can’t divorce this family, honey,” Nancy told him. “We would just have to kill you off,” she said, walking over and kissing him on top of his shaved head.

“Yeah, I figured as much, besides there is no way I could afford the child support you guys would hit me with. Come on, let’s all sit down and eat before we have to go work in the heat,” Bruce said.

They all sat at the table talking to one another as the world moved on and the Congo virus spread at an ever-increasing rate. One person could infect at least ten people, then those could infect one hundred, and it just increased exponentially. Not everyone became sick right away; they moved around the globe, continent, state, or hometown before falling to the virus to infect others. The family did not know this, and even if they did, there was nothing they could do about it. They sat enjoying each other before going out in the oppressive heat of Louisiana in the beginning of August to prepare as best they could before the tide crashed over them.

Chapter 18

Bruce sat in the pool trying to cool down after the day. Everyone was in the pool just lying around, exhausted. The only thing that did not get accomplished was getting the hay bales out of the field. That could wait until tomorrow. It was seven o’clock, and the president was scheduled to make an announcement at eight that Bruce wanted to see. Just then, Debbie’s cell phone rang. She stood up and walked over to the edge of the pool to answer it. Looking at the display, she smiled and hurriedly answered, “Hey Stephanie, how are you doing?” A look of concern crossed her face. Then she just started to talk to Stephanie like it was another day.

As Bruce watched his wife talking, he knew something was wrong by her body language. She was in a bikini sitting on the edge of the pool, and her whole body was tightening like a coil. Like she was angry and ready to run, to or from something, he could not say. He heard Debbie say, “I will get Jake to send you your program he was working on.” He did not know what that meant, but it could not be good. She hung up and asked everyone to come over to her. Questions were being fired off by everyone at the same time.

“If everyone would be quiet, I will give a dissertation of what was said,” Debbie said somewhat loudly from her small frame. “The first thing she told me was this call was being monitored and not to ask about anything going on. Then she kept talking about all the fights Bruce had been in at the ER. The way she said it, I believe that she was telling me a fight is coming. Also, she kept referring to the hunting trip that was scheduled for next month––that we need to cancel it and just stay home,” Debbie said, turning to Jake. “What the hell kind of program was she talking about that you were working on when she was here in March? She wants a copy sent overnight to her now. So she can watch her videos. What is she talking about?” Debbie asked Jake, crossing her arms in front of her.

“It a program I designed that lets people video chat with each other over the Internet, Mom,” Jake replied.

“They already have that. I’m not stupid son,” she said.

“I never said you were, Mom, but all the ones on the Internet can be hacked; mine can’t. Well, not the first time. Maybe the second but not the first. So you can talk to someone, and no one else even knows that there is a video conference going on,” Jake said.

“And why would you make a program like that?” she asked.

“So Mr. Jacobs in computer class could not hack me while I was online,” he replied.

Debbie just looked at him, not knowing if he should be in trouble or not. “Why is it such a big deal then?” she asked.

“Because Homeland Security does not like anything that is encrypted on the Web, Mom,” he informed her.

“Let me get this straight: If someone tries to hack this, they can’t see that a video chat is taking place?” Bruce asked.

“No, actually they think the person is downloading porn from someone on the Internet. That’s what they see when they hack it,” Jake replied.

“How did Stephanie know about it?” Debbie asked.

“She saw me writing the code for it the last time she was here and thought it was great but asked me not to use because it might get me in trouble. I told her I wouldn’t,” Jake said.

“Well, have you used it?” Debbie asked.

“Only once, Mom. I had to see if it worked.” Jake said, sensing he was in trouble. “I used it the last week of school in computer class.”

“Is that the porn that Mr. Jacobs was caught on his computer with by the school board?” Debbie asked.

“Yes ma’am. He tried hacking me while I was online, and it downloaded on his computer. He thinks he is better than me on computers,” Jake said, looking down.

Debbie started laughing. “Well, I guess he learned a lesson then, didn’t he?”

“Okay, let’s get serious here,” Bruce said. “If Stephanie thinks she is being censored, then this is bad. We need to get her that program ASAP. Jake, go get a copy ready to send. I will take it into town and overnight it to her. Everyone else, get inside and go over the news sites until the president makes his announcement. How is that for everyone?” Bruce asked.

“I think it sucks brother, and I will be the one to go into town, not you,” Mike said with determination. “You have been awake for over thirty-six hours, and you are bitchy. I will take Steve with me in case there are any problems, but the local news services have not reported anything in Shreveport or Bossier. Now that is how things are going to break down,” Mike stated.

“Okay, but can I at least watch TV?” Bruce kidded with him.

“Hell no. You are grounded, young man. Go to bed,” Mike said, laughing getting out of the water, and grabbing his weapon off the table beside the pool. Going inside, he turned and saw everyone grabbing weapons off the table and walking inside. He smiled to himself watching Debbie and Nancy picking up their weapons, slinging them over their shoulders in bikinis. Damn, that is sexy, Mike thought, scantily clad women with assault rifles. Turning to Bruce, seeing him stare also, Mike knew he was right. Well, boys will be boys.

Mike went upstairs to get ready for the ride into town. The round trip would take two and a half hours, and he would have to hurry to get to the office supply store before it closed at ten to get the package off. He put on clean pants and a shirt, clipping his holster onto his belt and putting his XDM .45 on with two extra magazines just in case. Everyone laughed at him for carrying forty-two rounds, always saying shootouts rarely go over five shots. He always said better too much than not enough.

Walking downstairs, he saw everyone in the game room around the big TV with laptops out, surfing the net. Mike walked around to everyone, saying good-bye as Steve walked in, dressed to go. He looked up at Mike, asking if Tonya could come. Mike said he did not care, but they had to leave soon, just as Tonya walked in with Jake.

“Here is the program. I’m sending two flash drives. Each has the same programs because, as Dad says, ‘Two is one and one is none’,” everyone chimed in unison with Jake.

“Well, at least I taught this family something,” Bruce replied from his recliner.

As Mike left with Steve and Tonya, Jake said he and Matt were going into mission control. When Nancy asked them weren’t they going to watch the president, they replied they were, but on the Internet because it was better. The grownups just looked at each other, knowing they were way out of their league; one just found it hard to compete with the Web with the kids. Danny and Mary were spread out on the floor with their computers. David was at the coffee table with his. The adults were in recliners surfing the Web, not finding much good news on the Internet.

The entire East coast was in turmoil. There were reports of National Guard troops firing on civilians in Boston. Miami was in full-scale riots now. Parts of Los Angeles were burning, and the LAPD was asking for federal help. Riots were reported in Seattle this afternoon. Mexico City was a war zone now. It was reported yesterday that small riots were in separate parts of the city, but now it was pure chaos and all flights were suspended today at 3 p.m. The only continent not reporting riots was Australia. It was being reported that the prime minister there was preparing to suspend all flights into the country. Japan was reporting unrest in Tokyo and several other cities but said the situation there would be under control soon. China was not reporting anything and had shut down Internet service inside the country. But they could not shut down the satellites. People there were reporting massive riots in Beijing and surrounding cities, and they were spreading. They were reporting the military was firing on the rioters with everything but nuclear weapons.

As much as they looked, the only countries that were not reporting riots were North Korea and a few smaller countries in the Middle East. Israel had shut its borders this morning and was in combat with the PLO, and Syria was threatening armed response if it did not open it borders for the Palestinians. Bruce could not believe what he was reading. The first case of the Congo virus reported out of the Congo was Friday in Paris. It was now Monday night, and it was everywhere. He hoped that this was people just overreacting like the swine flu, just much worse. For some reason, he just could not believe that people just lost their minds for no reason. Just then, the special message banner was on the TV. Bruce set his laptop to the side to see what the new idiot in Washington was going to say.

As the president walked out to the podium, Bruce noticed that the man actually looked scared. Not good when you are the one leading America, thought Bruce.

“My fellow Americans, I know many of you have heard the reports of riots over the country over the last seventy-two hours. Let me assure you that the government is doing everything in its power to bring order to the situation. On the advice of the joint chiefs and my advisors, I have declared martial law in the New England states and the state of California. Homeland Security is currently moving assets to the areas to assist the military in restoring order. I have just signed an executive order for all US troops stationed abroad to return to US soil as soon as possible. They will be leaving all heavy equipment in place. The Army will have all personnel back in seventy-two hours. I am suspending all flights into and out of the United States unless it’s for military purposes. All airlines are now under the Department of Homeland Security to assist in bringing all troops home. The Navy reports that all assets will be accountable in US waters by the end of the week.

“Now about the Congo virus, the CDC has assured me that a vaccine will be available in ten to fourteen days. Those who are infected act with hostility to other people not infected. These are Americans who are sick and will be treated as such. Anyone seen shooting or harming a person who is infected will be arrested and charged as such. Not one of the infected have been reported to use a weapon, so I am saying that unless you can prove in a court of law that you were in danger of being killed, you will be held accountable. The virus is spread by contact of the infected bodily fluids. Infection rates vary from three hours to three days. I’m urging Americans to please help one another in this time of crisis. I have deployed the military to the border of Mexico. The border is now closed; anyone attempting to enter will be viewed as hostile to America. We will not detain anyone trying to get into the country illegally. They will be met with fire from the military.” There was a lot of yelling at that from the press corps, but the president held up his hand for silence.

“I, along with Congress, did not come to this decision lightly, but we must take care of Americans first. We can no longer allow another case of the Congo virus into America. Any person infected with the virus must be taken to local centers to be cared for by medical personnel. A list will be put out for each city by the Homeland Security. The CDC will be posting information on their Web site about the virus. I am asking all Americans if at all possible to continue on with their lives until directed by their local government to do otherwise. There will be no travel into any area that has confirmed Congo virus contamination by civilians. All interstate travel is suspended unless it’s for transport of goods. All public schools are to be closed until further notice by the Department of Education. All military personnel on leave are to report to the closest military base immediately. All prison systems are on full lockdown as directed by the Department of Justice. No prisoner will be let out of his or her cell until ordered by the Justice Department; any department found guilty of this will lose federal funding. Then the ranking official will be charged. The judicial process is suspended for the next two weeks. Any person detained will have to wait until this crisis is over before getting his or her day in court.

“Let’s make one thing clear: This is a crisis like we have never seen before. A panic will help nothing. We will get this under control, but not with civilians taking the law into their own hands. Now, before I finish, I will take a few questions, but if there is not some semblance of order here, this conference is over,” the president stated, pointing to a reporter on the front row.

“Mr. President, what of the reports that the National Guard fired on civilians outside of Boston?’” he asked.

“The report I got from the governor said they were firing on a large group of people, shooting a group of infected that were walking on the highway and were not threatening the population in any form. They were protecting Americans that were sick and looking for help. This is not the Middle Ages, people. We will not ostracize those who are sick. We will not board them up in their homes or burn them at the stake. We will treat them with the best medical care available to mankind,” he replied. The president called to a young female reporter in the back of the room for her to ask a question.

“Mr. President, what of America’s obligations to the rest of the world by pulling our troops out? Don’t you fear that our enemies will take advantage of it? And what about people trying to cross back into Mexico to check on loved ones there?” she asked, smiling at the camera that she got more than one question off.

“I have been assured by the joint chiefs that we will need all overseas troops along with all reserve units to bring the crisis here in America under control. In the New England states alone, we need over two hundred thousand troops on the ground and at least that in the state of California. Not counting the hundred and twenty thousand along the border with Mexico. Then we will need troops in other cities as we bring this under control. As far as anyone wanting to return to Mexico, they can, but they will not be allowed back into this country until this crisis is over.” The president pointed to a famous reporter sitting in the front row.

“Mr. President, what about our embassies and the staff? There have been reports that our embassy in France was overrun, and no one has heard from our embassies in Africa. And what of the reports that our embassy was bombed in China?” he asked very fast.

“The State Department has ordered all embassies closed and for all American personnel to return home except our embassy in Australia. We lost contact with the embassy in France Saturday night and have not heard anything about their well-being. Nor do we know what happened to six embassies we lost contact with in Africa. We did dispatch military personnel to try to get our people back but have not heard from them. The team in France was overrun by infected people, and I ordered all further attempts to find them suspended for now. Our embassy in China was hit by a bomb dropped from a plane trying to bomb a riot in progress. The Chinese government apologized and sent in troops to pull out all American personnel. Only two Americans were killed and seven injured in the attack. The Chinese government assured us it was an accident, and we accepted that, considering reports from the ambassador of how many Chinese troops were killed evacuating the embassy. We did inform the Chinese government that these people were sick and needed help, not military action, but our request went unheard. Now let’s all pull together to help our fellow Americans so we can then help the world,” he said, walking off the stage amid a torrent of questions.

Bruce just stared at the TV along with everyone else. Bad did not even compare to what was happening. What the hell was this virus? How could it spread so fast and make the world go insane? For the first time, Bruce was scared. If countries were falling, how could he and the family hope to survive? Well, he would worry about that later; the family was still staring at the TV. The “experts” were now on, giving their opinion about what was going on.

“Well,” he asked, “what do you think, Debbie?”

“I think the son of a bitch knows a lot more than he was saying. He looked as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs,” she said.

“Yeah, as always, they withhold information that we might need,” Bruce answered.

“Pulling all of our troops home is a huge move. If they think it will take the entire might of the military to put this down then they are scared or are trying to turn us into a communist state. You can’t tell people they cannot protect themselves and then suspend the right to a trial until they are ready for it. Then what is this shit about blocking the border of Mexico? Hell, the virus is here. What good will it do?” Nancy asked.

“Valid points on all. I think the Mexico thing is to draw attention away from the rest of the country. With him just saying if you cross our border, we will kill you, there will be lots of fighting along the border, drawing attention from the rest of the country,” Bruce said.

“Daddy, Mary and I have decided that if any infected try to get us here, the hell with him, we are going to bust a cap in their ass,” Danny stated.

“As will we all, princess. We have the scrap pond out back to get rid of the evidence. It may very well come to that, so be ready you two,” Bruce told her.

Just then Jake came running into the game room. “The president has left the White House. They just reported that he was being transported to an undisclosed location with the outbreaks of riots in DC.”

Well, that seals it, Bruce thought. They think this is bad if they are moving the leaders out of DC. He wished Mike was here so they could talk about this. The family all moved to mission control to talk about what they thought. At 11:30, they started to get worried about Mike and called him. He told them that he was almost home and that Shreveport was going crazy. Traffic was backed up from people running out to get stocked up. On the radio, the announcer called for all police to report for duty. Bruce hung up after telling him to hurry home and relaying what he said. Thirty minutes later, they saw Mike’s truck pull on the parish road heading home. They followed his progress from one camera to the other. The boys had hooked a fifty-inch LED TV up as the main screen, and every time a camera activated, it moved to the big screen.

After Mike got home, everyone but Matt came into the kitchen to discuss the situation. Matt listened in on a conference line, putting in his thoughts. Mike said that he got the package off and was assured that it would be in Atlanta tomorrow afternoon. He had it sent directly to the CDC to Stephanie’s office. Everyone said a prayer for family and friends. They knew if it went bad, they could not help everybody, and hard choices would have to be made.

Bruce called for everyone’s attention. He was calling for level three and for Nancy and Debbie to work out a week-to-week schedule for watch. Matt and Jake said they would take tonight. Matt in the fort and Jake in mission control, they said they wanted to put monitors up there. Bruce gave the go ahead for the two to get ready. Those on watch must be armed at all times. He asked David to somehow rig up an alarm system to wake those asleep upstairs without setting the alarm on the house off. Bruce was worried he was overloading Jake and Matt with geek task. David said he could do that tomorrow in about two hours. Bruce informed everyone that the fort was the project tomorrow. He wanted to make it more defensible and harder to see. He told everyone to get some sleep; for better or worse, they could only prepare so much. The family was ready.

Chapter 19

Bruce woke up about 4:30 and got dressed in tiger-striped BDUs for today. Each member of the family had four different types of BDUs to rotate out of. Bruce did not like to limit the family to only one type of uniform. Everyone would wear the type of camo on the roster for the day, changing it from day to day. If someone put the house under surveillance, then they would see different types of uniforms everyday walking around the property. It would be hard to get an accurate count of the number of people here. And looking at people in BDUs, it was real hard to figure out if they were male or female. Every member of the family had at least a dozen sets of each pattern of BDU.

Bruce put on his tactical vest and headed downstairs. He made his way to mission control and saw Matt there. Looking at him with a questionable look, he asked where Jake was. Matt reported that at 3:30, they had changed positions because he had to take a dump, and Jake wanted to work on the monitors out in the fort. Matt assured Bruce that he came into the house, and after he finished, he watched Jake head out to the fort on the cameras. Well, this did point out a problem with the fort that would have to be addressed. They needed some way for the guard to take a crap while on duty in the fort.

Bruce walked to the kitchen to start coffee and breakfast. Taking off his gear, he hung it on the back of his chair, putting his SCAR in the rack by the door. After getting breakfast started and pouring a cup of coffee, Bruce brought out his laptop and started surfing the Web. It was getting worse out there. There were now cases of Congo virus in Memphis, Little Rock, St. Louis, Detroit, Columbus, Phoenix, and San Antonio. The military was using artillery on the border of Mexico. All the small towns on both sides of the border had been evacuated, and anyone trying to enter was being shot. The city of San Francisco was a war zone. The Navy was shelling the border, and everyone was yelling for a ceasefire. This is what the news sites covered: “Battle of the Mexican Border.” Sure, there was mention of new cases of Congo virus in more cities but no mention of riots or means to control them on any of the major news sites. They were showing pictures of the border and some of the drug cartels that had attempted to fire back, but when they had planes dropping bombs and artillery being fired being fired on them, they really did not stand much of a chance. The Mexican army was being pulled to southern Mexico to assist with the riots that were spreading throughout the southern half of the country.

Bruce quit reading as he placed the food on the table. Scrambled eggs, pancakes, biscuits, and bacon would get the family started. He started the second pot of coffee because he figured the kids would be getting some today. They usually drank coffee but only one or two cups. The adults usually only stopped on the fourth, and he did not want to run out of coffee this morning. Sitting down in his chair, he started eating and reading more information, this time from the message boards. On all the boards, there were reports of chaos in the North. The southern part of Florida was in full-scale battle from Orlando down; anyone trying to leave the state was being detained in camps set up by Homeland Security. At all airports, there were planes landing with troops and pushing into urban areas.

In Louisiana, the governor had called a state of emergency. All state employees had to report in to see if they were needed. This worried Bruce because all the adults worked at the state university hospital. What should they do about that? He knew the call would come sooner or later. There were no reports of Congo virus in the state, but the governor was abiding by the government to close all interstate traffic unless it was carrying consumer goods for commerce. The post office would continue to operate as normal, along with all other consumer supply transport. Goods could travel, but people could not. This worried Bruce, but it made sense to attempt to limit the spread. But people did drive the trucks, so the risk was there, but you could just not stop supplies coming into a city. The governor was instituting a fuel rationing system for the state. If you wanted fuel, you had to go to a state trooper office or city hall for a ration card. All businesses that sold fuel could only sell to those with a card. Any violation would result in revoking of their business licenses and heavy fines. This went into effect at 5 a.m. that morning. Police were notifying all fuel stores, and all stores had to sell at posted prices and could not raise the price unless approved by the sheriff of each parish.

Well, in the most corrupt state in the union, Bruce could see this being abused. Bruce looked up as Mike, Nancy, and Debbie all walked in, each depositing equipment and heading for the coffee then the food. In that order. Bruce smiled at how priorities changed as one aged. He informed them of the information that he had found out and his speculations. They all agreed that it seemed fishy that the major sites were not putting up much information other than about the battle along the border.

All the kids came downstairs, and Tonya and Steve walked in. Not even bothering putting down equipment, they headed for the food then grabbed coffee before sitting down at the table with gear on. It wasn’t until Nancy told them to put the weapons in the rack did they take a breath from eating. As one, they grabbed weapons, ran to the back door, put them in the rack, and ran back to the table in case someone tried to eat what was left on their plates.

It was during this that Debbie stated, “Facebook is offline. It says it’s down for maintenance.” She went to the other major boards, and it was the same. “That is too much of a coincidence, isn’t it?”

“Well, it could be possible,” Matt said over the intercom. “With all the people on the Web, it does not take much for a server to be overloaded.”

“If one of our geeks says it’s possible, then that is good enough for me,” Bruce replied.

“I did not say that was the cause, but it is feasible because the Web has been on fire all night. Servers are crashing everywhere with all the traffic. The government could have shut them down because that is all a lot of people know. They don’t go to the little message boards. The major news networks have large servers that can handle volume, but most people do not go to them anymore,” he said.

“Well, it does not make much of a difference. We have a lot of work to do today, and we need to get started,” Bruce said.

He got up, grabbing his equipment and putting it on, then went to the shop to pull out stuff needed for the fort. He started throwing stuff on a trailer that could be pulled by one of the ATVs. As Mike walked in, he asked what they needed. Bruce told him to grab the cutting torch and welder. After they loaded up the trailer, Nancy called over the radio that she was sending Matt and Jake to bed. Danny was going to man mission control, and the list for the week was up by the calendar along with BDU type. Bruce replied that was great and for everyone to go to the fort. Mike got the electric lift, grabbing several camouflaged nets.

They moved the little convoy out to the fort, coming from the backyard. The fort was a hunting blind that they just built on top of the telephone poles. It had windows on each side with blinds in place over the windows so you did not have to silhouette yourself. Bruce told everyone his plan. He wanted to bolt quarter-inch steel to each side then weld angle iron onto it. Any bullet hitting the fort would be hitting the angle iron at forty-five degrees to ricochet off. Then, if a bullet could make it through that, it would have to go through the quarter-inch back plate. Then he wanted to put a pole beside the door that they could slide down in case of emergency. Mike interjected, “Why not pull the ladder out and put up a rope ladder? That way it would be hard to get at someone up there.”

Bruce pointed out that if someone got hurt up there, in the middle of a gunfight would not be the best time to get the electric lift out. When he said that, both moms’ faces paled; the realization that the kids could be facing gunfire was upsetting to them, to say the least. Both moms wanted several inches of steel up there, but Bruce pointed out that they did not have enough steel, first, and the building would not support it, second. After pulling a piece of angle iron out to demonstrate to both moms what it could stop, Bruce informed them that quarter-inch angle iron was a V-shaped piece of steel that could be cut to length with the point of the V facing out and its top welded to the plate steel in rows side by side. He explained that with the tilt of the V, a bullet had to travel through a half inch of steel before it even got to the base plate.

Taking his SCAR out with its fourteen-inch barrel and suppressor attached, Bruce stood a piece of angle iron against a tree and shot it. The bullet left a scratch on the metal but nothing else. Then, taking a piece of flat quarter-inch steel, he did the same thing. The bullet punched through but fell on the other side of the metal.

“How big of a bullet will it stop?” Debbie asked.

“Probably up to a three hundred-magnum rifle; it won’t stop a fifty cal. Remember, we have to see them before they see us; that is what our defense is based on. We are not a military unit. We cannot call for air support or artillery to help us out. We cannot get in a prolonged gun battle here. We will lose. That is why we have so much surveillance on the property,” Bruce said to both Nancy and Debbie.

They started cutting metal and bolting it to the fort. With the electric lift, this went by very fast. By 10 a.m., they had the panels on with the pieces welded on. Next, they cut wood to make overhangs to keep the sun from shining off the windows. You could not see up out of the windows, but Bruce figured that if they were under air attack, they were screwed anyway. Next, they put up the camouflaged netting over the outside.

Then they took the electric lift, trimming the tops of all the cedar trees along the fence to open the view to the road from the fort. Not enough off the tops so the fence could be seen but opened up fields of fire from the fort. So those in the fort could shoot over the fence, and not through tree tops. Bruce told Steve to strengthen the floor of the fort with the lumber that he bought and place one stack of sandbags around the floor up to the window ledge. This way, any bullet that made it through would have to go through a foot of packed earth. Bruce was scared to place any more for fear of breaching the floor. The floor was made with treated 2x12s and railroad ties, but he did not want to push his luck. Bruce started to chuckle.

Debbie stopped hanging netting, asking, “What is so funny?”

“When Mike and I spent all that money on this thing, then wired it for electricity, both you and Nancy asked why we were spending so much money on making the kids an expensive tree house. You both said we were only going to be watching from there if anything happens, not shooting. Now you two want me to make it a battleship,” he replied.

“In my wildest dream, I did not think my kids would be at risk for a firefight in this damn thing. If I would have dreamt that, then I would have demanded you make that thing out of concrete,” Debbie stated, a little pissed.

“Hell yeah, with a cannon on top,” added Nancy.

“Like I said, we have to see them first,” he told them.

“You always trained everyone in this family to take out the observation post first before you attack. This is an observation post, Bruce, that our babies will be in,” Debbie said to him. He could see anger building in her face.

“I know, baby. We can only play the hand we are dealt. But we can stack it in our favor. We can add a lot of alarms around the property. No one could believe that this thing is armored, so that is in our favor. Even if they take a shot, whoever is inside will have a chance with this preparation. Prepping is what we have been doing for the last seven years, just trying to increase our chance at survival, be it in a gun battle or feeding ourselves for an extended period of time,” Bruce said, looking up at both wives.

“I know, Bruce,” said Nancy, “that is what we have been preparing for, but it’s just the thought. Then I think what they would have if we lived in a house in town with no protection or supplies. How would our kids be protected? Like all those people up north now and those during Katrina. They did not prepare for anything, and look at what has happened to them.”

“All I have to say is, anyone that threatens my family, I will pull their skin off their body with pliers before killing them,” Debbie said solemnly.

“That’s my girl. I’m going to the road to take a look,” Bruce informed them.

After walking out on the road, Bruce turned and looked at the fort. It looked like the top of an oak tree with a lot of trash in it. If you did not know what you were looking at, you would never think it was a lookout. A thought crossed his mind, and he called over the radio, telling Mike to bring the lift to the other side of the road to pull some Spanish moss that hung in the trees and put it on the fort. Spanish moss grew everywhere in Louisiana, and that would put the finishing touches on the outside.

At one o’clock, they were finished with the outside. Bruce told everyone to head to the house for lunch. It was on the way to the house that Danny called over the radio. The hospital was calling, and they were leaving a message on the answering machine. The outside world was intruding on the family; it was time for decisions to be made, for better or worse. They all took off running to the house with weapons in hand, leaving the equipment that was used on the fort to be worried about later.

Chapter 20

Everyone was in the den listening to the answering machine as Mike replayed it to listen to it for the third time. The message stated, “This is the university. A disaster drill has been issued. All employees are to report immediately to the hospital at once. Anyone not here by twenty-hundred hours, or 8 p.m., will have police sent to their residence to bring them to work. Anyone refusing to report will have their license suspended by the state. If transportation is needed, then contact the university for a scheduled pickup time.” It had been recorded to be played in a mass calling. Everyone just stood looking at each other. Bruce broke the silence, “Everyone in the kitchen. You, too, Danny. We will leave mission control unmanned for a little bit.”

Everyone took his or her seat at the table, placing weapons on the table. Matt and Jake had woken up and were in seats along the table. Bruce stood up to start the debate on what the family should do. “First, this is something we have to think about. If this blows over and we don’t show up, then we have lost our licenses to practice medicine for Mike and Nancy. Debbie and I will lose our nursing licenses. Then we have to worry about them trying to bring charges against us for failure to show. Second, if we don’t show up, the police will come out here. We don’t know if they will try to arrest us and seize the property. We have to think about all contingences here,” Bruce said, looking at each person at the table.

“What are you thinking, Bruce?” Mike asked.

“I think you and I need to call in and report to staffing that we are coming in but our wives are staying home to watch the kids. I know they will say that they have childcare set up at the hospital, but we also have a farm to see after. I believe that if you call in, being an attending in the ER, they will listen to you and take Nancy and Debbie off the callback. Nancy, being a pediatrician, and Debbie as a labor and delivery nurse, they should agree to that. You and I have no choice, both working in the ER. We will be seen as valuable assets, and they will want us there. I think we will put the family in danger by not showing up,” Bruce stated.

“What about if one of you stay here and Debbie or I go, Bruce?” Nancy asked.

“No, they will want us and, remember, if this goes to shit, which I believe it will, you two are beautiful women and will be seen as property. We saw that all through Katrina. They would not let women in the area for fear that they would be raped. It has not gone to shit here yet, and we do not want to be the focus of the authorities’ attention. With the nine of you here, all of you will be safe here. I know each of you knows how to handle yourself. But I don’t want to throw either one of you in the middle of the shit,” Bruce said.

“Oh, but you and Mike will be in the shit storm,” Nancy snapped.

“We both work in the same department and will be side by side. If either one of you went, you would be on another floor where we could not be by your side in case it goes bad,” Bruce pointed out.

“So outline your plan then,” Debbie said finally.

“Mike and I will take the Mini Cooper with our supplies and weapons, putting them at the trailer in Haughton. Then we will go on to the hospital. If or when it goes bad, we will go to the trailer, get our stuff, and head back here,” Bruce stated.

“Why not take the beast? I thought that’s what you made it for, Dad,” Steve said.

“I would love to, but if Shreveport and Bossier get locked down, we will have to walk back here and leave the vehicle behind. Think about it, they will put up roadblocks to stop all traffic,” Bruce told him.

“You mean the both of you spent that much time and money to build a tank and can’t use it?” Debbie yelled.

“Yes, baby,” Bruce said, realizing that he and Mike had fooled no one with the money they spent on the beast. “I would rather it stay here in case you need it or have to come and get us. But under no circumstance is anyone to leave this property. Someone might follow you back to the property. It could be a cop or someone else. The point being, I want this place to disappear. Before we leave we are cutting the outside power so the panels aren’t sending power to the grid,” Bruce informed them.

“I still want you two to take the beast,” Nancy said. “I don’t care how much the damn thing cost; it could protect you getting back home.”

Mike reached over and placed his hand on top of Nancy’s. “Baby, listen to Bruce with your mind not your heart. What he is saying is true, and you know it,” he told her.

“Fuck it. Call them and tell them we quit,” Nancy said with tears in her eyes.

“What happens if they send the cops out here? They are detaining people everywhere for just trying to go somewhere safe, baby. There are no riots here yet, so they could send a lot of people here to get us. We would have a fight on our hands that we could not win, and then we would be detained or killed,” Mike said looking at her.

“I’m with Nancy. Tell the cocksuckers we quit,” Debbie said, reaching over to hold Bruce’s hand.

“Baby, if I thought we could get away with it, I would do it, but I really believe that we would endanger the entire family. Who knows what they would do with the kids and all the supplies we have here. Because once they come out here and see what we have, they will not let us keep it. They will confiscate it to give to others, and all this hard work is gone,” Bruce said, rubbing her hand.

All the kids jumped up, running to their dads, hugging them for dear life. Bruce stood with tears in his eyes, looking at Mike, who was crying. They all converged into a group hug. Bruce knew this was the only way the family stood a chance. They could not give anyone a reason to come out to the farm. If it required this sacrifice, then he was prepared to make it. Seeing Mike, Bruce knew he agreed. Mike said, “Okay, everyone, sit back down. We have some things to discuss.”

“We will do everything in our power to get back here before the shit hits the fan. We will keep in touch by phone. Most of the cell service around here is on solar, so it will be the last to go. Remember that just because you can’t call doesn’t mean the lines are down. You can text because it carries less information. But please don’t call us every few minutes. We will set up a schedule when we get there about when to set up contact,” Mike said as everyone was sitting back down.

“I promise everyone here both of us will be back. I have no intention of staying in Shreveport for any great length of time,” Bruce assured the family.

“I want the fort finished today. Debbie, get somebody on the backhoe and dig up lots of dirt today. I want sandbags to surround the house along the first floor. Cinder blocks will not stop a bullet. I want every window on the ground floor boarded up. If someone does get past the outer defense, I want everyone in here to have plenty of warning. After today, I want noise outside to be kept to a minimum. Only use the electric buggies. If you have to use the tractor to move hay, do it in the morning; the sound will not travel as far. Kids, you must listen to your mothers. Tonya, this goes for you too. If your mother says something, do it, no questions asked. If one of them tells you to shit, I want you to squat.” This got smiles from all of the kids. Bruce looked at each one with a serious face. “If either one tells you to kill, you do it. No repercussions will fall on you. You were doing what you were told for fear of your parents. Everyone here needs to harden your hearts because sympathy can get you killed along with the rest of the family,” Bruce said, looking at everyone.

“Any questions so far?” Bruce asked.

“Don’t worry Daddy, we will do what we are told. You and Daddy Mike just get back here as quick as you can,” Danny said to him, trying to smile, with tears in her eyes.

Bruce asked Mike to go call the hospital. Mike went out to the den and called. Bruce told everyone to start on what needed to be done and reminded them not to forget the tools that were left at the fort. He and Mike would leave around four, so that gave them a few hours to get everything ready. The wives stood and started issuing orders as Mike walked back in and said the wives were off the call schedule. The director of the ER told him that it was good they were coming in because any medical staff not reporting was to be detained until this crisis was over. Then the state was going to press charges of endangerment against them. All medical staff was now under the department of Homeland Security.

Bruce thought about this and thought it was very unfair. Just because they went to college to learn how to help someone, the government could draft them against their will. The cook or housekeeper had no license to lose, so they did not have to listen and could stay home protecting their family. Without the money that they made as professionals, Bruce knew this farm would not exist. Oh well, we always get screwed, he thought as he walked up to the bedroom to get his stuff.

Going to the closet, he pulled out his go bag, a large military backpack. He laid it on the bed and started to go through it. He pulled out the woodland camo and put two sets of tiger-stripe BDUs in the backpack. There were a dozen FSR meals in the pack along with five hundred rounds for the SCAR and a hundred rounds of .45 for his pistols, first aid box, a satellite topographic map of the area they were in, including Shreveport, a compass, matches, a candle, lighter, water filter pump, water purification tabs, and a pair of night vision goggles, which he took out. He would take one of the new monocular NVGs with him and tell Mike to do the same. Several packages of batteries and a lot of other odds and ends were in the pack. Then he closed the top of the pack, tying it off. Going back into the closet, Bruce pulled out another tactical vest he used for patrol. It had a predator machete on the left hip under the drop pouch that held six magazines on his left leg for his SCAR, plus a tomahawk on the back in holster; it came handy to have something that could chop. The drop pouch held six thirty-round magazines plus four on the right side of his chest plus one in the weapon. That gave him three hundred and thirty rounds to fire from the SCAR before he had to reload magazines. The left side of the vest held his cross draw holster for the XMP. On the left hip of the vest was a draw holster that he would put a 1911 .45 in with a silencer on it. This he planned on putting on his person going into the hospital.

Like all hospitals, the university did not allow weapons on its employees; it did not matter if you had a permit or not. Bruce hoped that if he was caught with it that because he was a deputy he would not get into much trouble. He then pulled out his Benchmade switchblade, laying it on the bed. This would be in his front right pocket at all times. He usually carried an assist open, but he wanted speed. Bruce then went to the closet, pulling out his Matterhorn combat boots and setting them on the floor. They were a lot better than the ones he had on. He then went and pulled out his scrubs, laying them on the bed. Looking at the bed, you would think he was going to a hospital in hell. Stopping, Bruce realized that he just might be.

Bruce went in to take a shower. When he got out, Debbie was standing at the end of the bed looking at everything.

“Baby, are you sure this is the thing to do? You and Mike could get trapped by riots in Shreveport. There are a thousand things that could go wrong, and you two might not make it back,” she said, looking at him with tears in her eyes.

Looking in her eyes Bruce, walked up to Debbie, picked her up, and hugged her. He almost blew it off and made a joke but decided to answer her with the truth. “Baby, that might be, but even if that happens, you and the family will have a chance. If we don’t go, you heard what they told Mike––they will come out here. I would sacrifice myself for this family, and so would Mike. You and Nancy have to hold on until we get back, and if we don’t, you have to keep going. If I know all of you are safe, then I can take anything, baby,” Bruce said, holding her.

“I don’t want to survive without you. It just would not seem right to be going on without you,” she said.

“You have to be strong for the kids, baby. They are counting on you and Nancy to pull them through this until we get back. If they see you scared, they will lose faith and start to question everything we have done here. You can do it baby, because if you are strong, then Nancy will be too,” Bruce told her, putting her down.

“Okay, baby, I will be tough, but you promise me you will make it back here with Mike, and I will do my best,” she said with determination.

“I promise on everything I hold dear, I will do my best to come back to you,” he said.

They shared a long passionate kiss then Bruce turned and started to get ready for work. Debbie told him she was going to check on the kids. Bruce finished getting dressed and picked up everything he had laid out and carried it downstairs and placed it on the kitchen table. He then walked down into the basement to the armory. The armory was just a section of the basement that was closed off that held a lot of guns. There were three gun safes along one wall, and the other three walls had guns mounted on them. Bruce opened a safe, pulling out a Colt 1911 with an extended barrel. He then reached in and pulled out a suppressor that could be put on the pistol. Unlike most guns, the .45 was a slow bullet, not breaking the sound barrier; it was just a slow-moving truck. A suppressor worked very well on a .45, making it sound like a muffled firecracker. He grabbed six extra magazines, closing the safe back. He then grabbed the monocular NVG that would replace the goggles that he had taken out of his pack and an extra set for Mike.

When he got back to the kitchen, he grabbed his stuff and walked out front to the Mini, putting his stuff in the back. While he was putting his stuff in, Mike walked out carrying his gear and started to put his stuff in the other side of the car. Bruce gave him the other monocular NVG, and Mike took his out of his pack, setting it on the roof while putting the new one in his pack. Both of their SCARs were set up alike. Both had the fourteen-inch barrel with suppressor, an ACOG scope, and an EoTech holographic scope mounted on top of the scope. The holographic scope was good out to fifty yards, and the ACOG Bruce was good with it out to one hundred fifty yards; anything past that Bruce would leave alone.

“How many magazines do you have for your XDM .45?” Mike asked.

“One in the gun and four in the vest. I’m also bringing a 1911 with us into work just in case,” he told Mike.

“Well, I have a sub nose .357 on my ankle, so if we get caught, at least we go together my brother,” Mike said, grabbing the old pair of NVGs to take back in the house. “I also grabbed the thermal scope in case we needed it,” he reported.

“Well, let’s get this over with and tell everyone bye before we change our minds and decide to fight what they would send after us,” Bruce said, walking with Mike back into the house.

Everyone was in the den to tell them good-bye. After a lot of hugging and crying from all parties, Mike and Bruce turned to the door and walked out. Everyone followed them to the loaded-down Mini. Bruce turned and reminded them to get finished and stay at level three until they got back. They hugged everyone again and climbed into the Mini. Pulling out, Mike hit the remote to open the gate while looking back and waving bye. When they hit the road, Mike closed the gate with the remote, and the two took off to the trailer in Haughton.

They rode in silence the entire way to the trailer. Once in town, there were cars everywhere. They could see long lines at every gas station they passed. There were military vehicles everywhere they looked. With Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier, they knew it would be a heavy military presence, but this was ridiculous. They drove to the trailer, and Bruce backed up under the awning. They got out of the Mini looking around; there was a sense of haste everywhere they looked. Some people were packing cars; others were unpacking cars. There was no rhyme or reason, just everyone doing something in a panic. Mike unlocked the front door and opened it up. When they did not see anyone looking, they threw everything from the car onto the floor of the trailer. Making sure no one saw them, they went inside.

They put all of their packs in a closet and lifted the bed up in the back room. The base was a storage area; Mike had gotten the idea from the camper at the house. They put both SCARs in the storage area and lowered the mattress back down. Losing the gear would hurt, but losing the weapons could be deadly. Neither was worried much about someone breaking into the trailer unless they had a cutting torch. Plus, there were easier pickings around. All the windows were shuttered from the inside, and with the quarter-inch steel around the bottom half of the trailer, a gun store would be easier to break into. Besides, from the outside it looked like a total piece of crap. No need to advertise in a trailer park; both had lived in them and knew that there was always a trash element in a trailer park.

As they stepped back outside, Mike locked the door as old man Cooper came over from next door. He and his wife had lived next door to the trailer since they had bought it six years ago. “How you boys doing?” he asked. He and his wife were both in their eighties and liked living in the trailer park to be around others.

“Doing well, Mr. Cooper. How are you and the wife?” Bruce asked.

“As good as can be. You believe this crap?” he asked.

“It is wild, but I expect it to get lot wilder, Mr. Cooper,” Bruce answered.

“Yeah, me and the missus moved the food we had in the storage shed into the trailer. We went to Wal-Mart, and it was cleaned out. I figure we have a little over a month’s supply, and I don’t want to think about this lasting that long. There has been gunfire all day around here,” he informed them. “I figured all of you would be at the hospital with all this going on.”

“We are on the way there,” Mike said. “I forgot my prescription pad and stethoscope––had to pick them up before we headed in.” Mike reached back, lifting his stethoscope out of his back pocket to prove his point.

“Yeah, you won’t be much good without that,” Mr. Cooper told him. “You boys be careful. I think this is going to be bad. I wish you would tell your wives at least to go back to that farm of yours. They don’t need to be around this.”

“Well, we are doctors and nurses,” Mike replied. He wanted to tell him the girls were okay, but not knowing who else was listening, Mike decided not to.

“Piss on that. You take care of family first. The missus and I will watch the house for ya as always,” he assured them.

“Thank you, Mr. Cooper, but don’t try to stop anyone. There is nothing in there, anyway. I don’t want you or Ms. Cooper in any danger, sir,” Bruce told him.

“It don’t matter son, it ain’t theirs to be taken. The missus is at the front window with the old double barrel, and I have my Luger from the war to protect us. Now, you two be careful out there and at the hospital,” he said, walking back to his trailer.

Bruce climbed back behind the steering wheel as Mike sat down and started to buckle up. Mike turned to Bruce as he started the Mini and pulled out. “If we can, I would like to take them to the farm. They have watched that trailer for six years for us, and I think they would have a wealth of information to share,” Mike said.

“If we can, we will take them with us. Now get your game face on,” Bruce said, taking the side streets to the hospital. On the way to the trailer, they saw the interstate was gridlocked. Going through downtown Shreveport, they could see several smoke trails in the air from fires. They could see a lot of police at the casinos as they went over the Texas Street Bridge into downtown. Nothing downtown was open, yet there were people everywhere. As they turned off Texas heading to the hospital, they saw four thugs beating someone up. Before Mike even said anything, Bruce said, “Call the police. We are not armed for a confrontation here. We have to pick and choose our battles. We have a promise to keep with the family, remember.”

“Don’t you want to help?” Mike asked.

“Yes, I do, but our family deserves us watching each other and not taking stupid risks,” Bruce said.

Mike took out his cell phone, tried to call 911, and was put on hold. By the time they made it to the hospital, they parked in the doctor’s spot; yes, it did pay to have Mike in the family. Mike finally got someone at 911. He gave them the information of where they saw the assault going on as they walked into the hospital. There were people everywhere they looked, along with National Guard troops all over the outside of the hospital.

When they walked into the ER, it was pure chaos everywhere. Shreveport police, along with the university police, were all over the ER. They had saw several National Guard soldiers walking around the ER with M-4s across their chests. The two walked back to the main doctor and nurses’ station. Dr. Caldwell was the medical director and was over the ER. He was standing at the board, attempting to direct the throngs of staff around him. When Mike and Bruce walked up, he turned and looked at them.

“Welcome to hell, gentlemen. We have over four hundred people signed into the ER, and every one of them thinks they are infected. The dumbasses don’t realize that if they aren’t infected now, when someone comes in with it, they will be,” he told the two.

He looked back at the board and started talking to them again. “We just got confirmation that we have a confirmed infection in Minden,” Dr. Caldwell told them. Minden was only thirty miles from Shreveport, so this got their attention. “It has been reported that New Orleans has got several cases.”

“What exactly are we dealing with?” Mike asked.

“The CDC is not giving us shit; all they have said is anyone that has been exposed to bodily fluids of someone infected are to be isolated from other people. The communicability is over 90 percent. So if you are exposed, then you will get it,” Dr. Caldwell said.

“What’s the mortality?” Mike asked.

“They won’t tell us, and since we have not seen it yet, who knows. This is a bunch of shit, if you ask me. This virus sounds something like rabies, but its incubation is anywhere from a few hours to three days. It takes ten days for rabies to infect at a level like that. The only reason we have that is from other hospitals that we have called, but they are not reporting any mortality to us. I need you two to take a pod and dig in.”

“You got it, boss,” replied Bruce, walking over to a desk and setting his messenger bag down.

The two had started to see patients when a report came over the radio that three gunshots were coming in, and one was a police officer. Mike and Bruce ran to the trauma bay to prepare for the ambulances; when they got there it was 6 p.m., and they would not sit down for ten hours. That would be the first time they would see someone with the Congo virus.

Chapter 21

The family had done as instructed and continued with the task. They had a huge mound of dirt beside the house and had started to fill sandbags. Steve had finished the fort, putting everything they had used back in the shop, and then went to help fill sandbags. Tonya was in mission control, and David was in the fort. Debbie and Danny went to feed all the animals. It got dark around 8:30, and Nancy called it a day and said for everyone to go in so supper could be started. At 8:40, Debbie got a text from Stephanie that only said: “10pm your time.”

She called over the radio, telling everyone. Jake said he would get the computer in mission control ready for the video conference; it would only take a few minutes. As everyone got cleaned up and ate something, Debbie called Tonya in from the fort and sent Steve out for the first shift. Since Bruce and Mike were not here, they had to adjust the watch schedule in six-hour shifts, with the change time adjusting in case someone was watching. Everyone except Steve was in mission control by 9:45, waiting on Stephanie. Nancy told everyone to let her and Debbie do the talking; they did not know how long Stephanie would be on, and they needed information. At 10 p.m. on the dot, the screen flicked and there was Stephanie looking at them.

“Hey, guys,” she said with a weary smile.

Everyone said hi back then Debbie asked, “Stephanie, what is going on?”

“First, I want to tell you they have put people in jail for what I’m about to tell you,” she said, taking a deep breath. “This virus has infected over thirty million so far by our calculation in the US alone, and that is a conservative estimate. It is a single-strand DNA virus like nothing we have ever seen. Once someone is infected, they succumb to the virus, in some cases, in as little as an hour or as long as three days. Now this is what’s hard to believe. They have minimal heartbeats and respirations. Average heartbeat is ten beats a minute, and respirations one breath every three minutes. For all intents and purposes, they should be dead, but they are walking around attacking anything that is warm-blooded. We don’t know how they know if something is warm-blooded, they just do and they attack it. The intelligence level is poor, to say the least, and the majority do not move very fast. But the longer it takes the virus to turn someone, the faster they are. We have reports of some of the infected running at thirty miles per hour. Remember, the fastest human recorded was a little over twenty-seven miles per hour. Plus, they are not affected by lack of oxygen or fatigue and can run incredible distances. Unlike any virus we have ever seen, this virus attacks the entire body from skin to blood and everything in between. It invades every cell of the body and rewrites the DNA of each cell. For reasons we cannot explain, the cells still continue to function and produce ATP to power the body. Fortunately, few make it seventy-two hours, with the average being twelve hours, before succumbing to the virus. As far as intelligence, hardly any problem solving, and they don’t appear to work together, but they do congregate in groups. The theory is like ants they just go after something as individuals but accomplish a task in groups. Let me describe an example, like beating on a door of a house until enough infected join in until they collapse the door to get someone behind it. We have not been able to detect any form of communication, but if one moans or makes any type of vocalization while hunting something, others come and see. We don’t know if they are calling to others, because they do make vocalizations at times not associated with hunting something, and other infected do not come.”

She continued, “When they attack, they bite and attack people, but not to eat; even though we have had reports of some cannibalism, this is the exception rather than the rule. They only attack animals to eat, and let me tell you, they tear them apart. What has been observed is if a lot of infected attack someone en masse, then they do tear the person or persons apart. We believe that this is unintentional because they seem to be trying to infect other people. A lot of reports of individual infected just biting someone then leaving them alone. Yet, at other times, they will eat the entire person. Yes, I said eat.

“I have been on the team to try to map out the virus, and I can say for certain, this virus did not come from nature. It looks like someone spliced a lot of viruses and genes from different animals together to come up with this nightmare. Whoever made this had a lot of backing; no terrorist could do this, only a government or large cooperation with lots of resources available to pour money into a project like this. It had to take years to put this virus together. The only thing I can say that is good about it is that it only spreads by contact, and it must be put directly into the body. We have several reports of troops getting splashed in the eyes with bodily fluids and succumbing to the virus. Direct UV light will kill it, and it does not last long outside of the body.” She sat back in her chair looking at the group on her computer. “Any questions so far?”

Debbie spoke first, “So there is no vaccine being developed?”

“Debbie, it would take years just to map it, and none of the anti-viral drugs we have tried do anything,” Stephanie told her.

“Can you kill them?” asked Nancy, with her body shaking.

“Yes, the brain has to be destroyed. That is the only thing so far we have found that stops them permanently. But if just the brain is dead, the heart still beats. Down the hall not a hundred feet from me there is a fucking head sitting on an exam table that is still animated or whatever you want to call it. The head will follow a person with its eyes, and if you put your hand near its mouth, it tries to bite. One of the lab technicians even fed it a rat. It ate the rat even though it’s just a head. It chewed it up, swallowing it, and the pieces just came out on the table. I have only been on the genetic mapping team so far, but I am getting some more information later tonight,” Stephanie told them of the nightmare that had been unleashed on the world.

“Have you heard from your family, Steph?” asked Debbie. All of Stephanie’s family lived in Boston and the surrounding area.

“I have not heard anything from anyone in my family. I have tried to call everyone and got no answers,” she said with tears running down her face.

“Stephanie, do you think you can make it here to us?” Debbie asked.

She nodded her head, crying. “Thank you Debbie. Atlanta is falling fast. There were reports that we were dropping bombs on New York and Brooklyn. I’m scared because I thought I had nowhere to go. I would have to stay in this hell hole until the infected got to us or Homeland Security detained everyone here for something. They are making up the laws as they go.”

“Stephanie, you are part of this family and have been for years. You are always welcome here no matter what. If we could, we would come and get you, but Mike and Bruce were called into the hospital so it’s just us here. You will have to make it to us. Is that possible, Steph?” Debbie asked.

“They went into the hospital?” she gasped. “Tell them to come home; hospitals are where the virus hits first.”

“Sweetie, they will come home as soon as they can. You know yourself that those two are big badasses. Now about you,” Debbie said.

“I still have the Tahoe, and I put the extra gas tank in like they told me so I can drive a little over nine hundred miles before I need more fuel. I picked up my bug out bag Saturday, the last time I went home, and it has my pistol in it,” she replied. Her bug out bag was just a backpack loaded with food, water, ammo, extra clothes and other essential items that could be grabbed quickly in an emergency.

“Do you think the authorities will let you pass through the roadblocks?” Nancy asked.

“If they do not put out an APB for me when I leave, then my CDC badge should get me through without much trouble. Right now, the CDC can pretty much go where we please,” Stephanie said, drying her tears on her face, knowing she had somewhere and a family to escape to.

“We need to start wrapping this up before someone starts getting suspicious if they are monitoring you,” Jake said.

“Steph, when can you leave?” Debbie asked.

“I can be out of here by midnight, Debbie,” she told her.

“It’s only six hundred miles and should only take you ten to twelve hours. Don’t stop for anyone unless it’s a checkpoint. If you have to, run them over or shoot them be they infected or not. Only stop where it’s safe. Don’t eat or sleep, just come home to us, Steph,” Debbie told her.

“I will leave at midnight and see you guys tomorrow. I love you guys,” she told them.

“We love you too, Steph. Hold on, Jake wants to say something,” Debbie told her.

“Stephanie, there is another program called ‘crap’ on the flash drive. As soon as you are off, open it and click ‘run.’ It will erase the program and all your contacts on this computer. Be careful, Stephanie. We will be waiting for you,” Jake said.

“Okay, I will see you tomorrow. Until then,” Stephanie said, shutting down the connection.

“Why did you want her to erase her computer?” Nancy asked Jake.

“If they are truly monitoring everyone there then after she leaves they might look at her computer to see who it connected with. The ‘crap’ program will erase our computer address from its files. Without that, all they know from server records is she downloaded a porn video,” Jake informed her.

“You are your father’s child, always trying to cover all possibilities,” Nancy said, kissing him on the head.

“Okay, everybody, let’s get to bed. Matt, you have to relieve Steve at 1 a.m., and Mary, you have to relieve Danny in mission control,” Debbie gave out assignments to everyone.

Everyone walked out of mission control to their respective rooms. Before they went into their rooms, Nancy stopped Debbie. “How are we going to tell the boys?” Nancy asked.

“I’m going to text message the highlights of the conversation to both of them and hope they can leave,” Debbie said.

“Okay, if you get anything back, let me know,” Nancy pleaded.

“You know I will. Let’s get some rest,” Debbie said, hugging Nancy and walking into her room.

Debbie had to send a brief overture of the conversation, and it took three messages to send the whole thing to both Bruce and Mike. As she lay in bed, she said a prayer for Mike, Bruce, and Stephanie, asking for their safe return home. Then she curled up and cried herself to sleep, wishing Bruce were beside her.

Chapter 22

It was 11 a.m. on Wednesday morning as Bruce was in the ambulance bay waiting on another gunshot. This was number twenty-seven since they reported for work. When it arrived, they grabbed the stretcher heading into the trauma bay. The Shreveport police officer that was in the ER with the last one said there were at least three times that many, but most died before the ambulance crews could get there moving from one firefight to the next. The officer also reported that there were over two dozen fires burning throughout Shreveport and Bossier, but not much could be done about them. The hardcore looting started right after midnight, and that’s when the flood started to come in.

At five that morning, the police brought a truck driver in who had a bite on his forearm. Bruce and Mike had gotten Debbie’s text a little before midnight, and both ran to the lounge saying they needed a piss break. They discussed just leaving, but in the last few hours, a lot of military troops had shown up and sealed off the hospital. Everyone entering had to be searched for weapons and any kind of bite or scratch had to be explained. No one was allowed to leave unless the captain in charge granted permission. So they decided to wait it out for a better time to make their escape. After discussing the text message, Bruce texted back that they were okay and that Congo was here. At the end of his message he put, “I will keep my promise to my little love see you soon.”

They soon found out why the military was there. The truck driver who had been brought in earlier succumbed to the Congo virus a little after he was placed in a room. He had been on a monitor; they saw he had no heartbeat on the monitor while watching the bluish tint on his skin darken. Then a blip showed on the monitor at about six beats per minutes. The man just sat up and went crazy trying to attack anyone, but the soldiers had placed him in plastic handcuffs then they took him to the med school. The smell that came off the man made several sick. Mike and Bruce learned later that they had just put him in the auditorium, sealing the doors. The rest of the infected that had shown up later that morning, they took up to a balcony above the auditorium and just dropped them in. The captain in charge of the soldiers was a short man with a Napoleon complex, and he was always in the ER bossing people around. Bruce did not like him because he did not take well to being bossed around, especially by an idiot. He had seen his type in the military and in life. When they got power, they had to let everyone know it, and the more power they had, the more dangerous they got.

Bruce and Mike found themselves at the ambulance bay again, neither knowing what day it was. They only knew that it was dark outside when the captain walked up and ordered both of them back. His men would make sure it was clear of infection then he would allow them to bring the patient in. Bruce was about to say something to the captain when Mike stepped on his foot, shaking his head. He whispered to Bruce it was not worth it and let’s just keep on going. When the ambulance arrived, the soldiers with the captain went and looked at the person on the stretcher, examining him for bites. One of the paramedics asked the captain to hurry; the man had been shot in the chest and leg. The captain looked up at the paramedic and informed him that if he interfered with him again, the paramedic would be detained. After the captain let the patient be rolled in, the trauma team started their work. After stabilizing the man as best they could, they rolled him upstairs to the operating room.

The university had sixteen operating rooms on two separate floors. Usually only two were used for trauma, but for the last three days all rooms were going around the clock. All the floors were full, and there was no place to put patients anymore. Anyone who could be moved was placed in the hallway. The ER had thirty-eight patients on life support, but they were only cleared for ten at a time, and still patients came in. A nurse was only supposed to have two critical patients at a time and no other patients. Every nurse in the ER had at least three and still had to see more patients. The fighting in the waiting room came to a stop when the military showed up. If you caused a disturbance, you were detained. Nobody knew where you went when you were detained, only that no one could contact you or know your location. Rumors abounded, from them just shooting you to them just throwing you in a cell and forgetting about you.

By ten o’clock that night, no one in the ER had gotten any sleep for at least twenty-four hours, and some were awake over forty hours straight. Staff started to just collapse from exhaustion; one minute they were doing something, the next they were on the floor. The other doctors and nurses would pick them up and place them in a chair until they woke up and went right back to work. Bruce and Mike were at twenty-eight hours, and they knew they had at least that much left in them. The staff ate MREs that the soldiers brought in for them. They would open one whenever they got a chance to grab a bite. It always seemed like they were getting ambulances in with gunshots, stab wounds, and car wrecks. The last few did have gunshots but were also bitten and were taken away by the captain and his men. Later that night, a university officer was helping Bruce put another intern in a chair after he had collapsed. That’s when the officer told Bruce that the captain had caught several nurses trying to leave the hospital and go home. When his men tried to detain them, one took off running. That’s when the captain pulled out his pistol and shot her in the back. He sat there while she bled out and died then he let his men throw her body into a truck. The officer had been on the roof and seen the whole thing. When he told his superior what he had seen, he was told to forget it before he was shot or, worse, thrown in the auditorium.

This made Bruce’s blood run cold. He knew the captain was an asshole, but a cold-blooded murderer was just too much. He and Mike kept on working for what seemed like an eternity, and while he was walking back to his desk, he saw Mike sprawled on top of it and a resident lying on the floor. It was Angela Bennit, the third-year ER resident that he had high hopes for. Angela and her husband were stuck here in the hospital, and their sixteen-month-old son was in the boardroom, where child care had been set up. Both Bruce and Mike had forced her off the floor to go and check on her son Cade about every five to six hours. It was the last time she had been that she said several soldiers were outside the room where the kids were staying and would only allow a few parents in at a time. That information made Bruce start to worry that they would use the kids to force compliance from the parents. Angela said that there were over fifty kids being watched by the hospital so their parents could report for this mass casualty event. Then Bruce heard from one of the maintenance staff that the captain had his men throw one of the administrators into the auditorium with the infected when he complained about the treatment of his staff. After hearing this, Bruce knew it was time to go. If they stayed here much longer, they were going to die.

Gunshots could be heard all around the hospital at all hours of the day and night. Sometimes the soldiers were shooting infected because they were just getting tired of rounding them up. Then other times it was gangs shooting at them. It had been several hours since Bruce had seen any police in the ER other than the university officers. When he stopped one to ask why, he told Bruce it was a full-scale war out there. The military was forcing people into camps at both of the arenas and the football stadium, and the gangs were running everything that a cop was not standing on. When Bruce asked him if all the military was acting like the captain here, he said no but they had received reports of police in outlying areas doing the same thing. They were running the area around them like they were kings. Bruce thanked him and went to find Mike. He was still lying on the desk when Bruce woke him up.

“Mike, I need your head in the game, brother,” Bruce said.

Mike sat up and looked around. “What day is it?” he asked; the hours had lost meaning.

“It’s Friday, 10:30 in the morning,” Bruce said, looking at his watch.

“Holy shit, how long was I out?” Mike asked.

“About three hours, but we have to talk now,” Bruce said.

As Mike sat up, Bruce relayed all the information he had come across. That was when Mike told him that the military had effectively closed off Shreveport and Bossier. There were roadblocks on all roads coming into town. He told Bruce that he had talked to one of the sergeants while he was sewing his arm up after he’d cut it on some glass. The sergeant had been very talkative and gave him a lot of information until he asked about the captain. The only thing he did say was don’t piss him off. The president had declared the whole country under martial law, and the ranking officer on scene had total authority. Bruce had actually thought about shooting the son of a bitch, but too many of the other troops were getting off on this power trip. They were getting to boss around doctors and the police, and nothing could be done to them.

When Mike asked the sergeant about the violence outside, he said it was happening just like everywhere else. The gangs and predators were out in force, raping and killing anything that they wanted to. Our society had bred those who thought they were entitled to whatever they wanted. It was not even the infected that was the problem right now, but in a few more days they would be. Sure, there were several thousand scattered throughout the city and maybe double that of people who had been exposed, but there were tens of thousands pieces of shit out there. At least the infected were stupid and did not ambush you and break into a house to rape and kill. The infected, you knew what you were against, but the gangs and scavengers were evil to an art form.

“When did you find out this?” Bruce asked.

“I’m not real sure, but I know I have not seen you since I found out. Sorry dude, I just collapsed and woke up here on the desk. Did you put me here?” Mike asked.

“No, I went to sit down, and you were on my desk. That’s when I found Angela laying on the floor behind the desk and put her in the chair,” Bruce told him.

“Have you got any sleep?” Mike asked.

“Yeah, I fell asleep on the toilet taking a shit. I woke up when I hit the floor. I then had to lie on the damn floor until I got feeling back in my legs,” Bruce said in a pissed-off voice. “Everyone falls asleep where someone picks them up and puts them in a chair or on a desk. I fall asleep on the toilet and fall off. Then I have to wait until I can move before I can get off that nasty floor.”

Mike chuckled. “Well, it could have been worse. So what is the plan?” Mike asked in a hushed voice.

“We are leaving in the morning. Wake Angela. I want you to offer to take her and her family out to the farm. They are both from Ohio and grew up on farms, so they know how to work. She can’t say anything to anyone. I will tell you both of my plans tonight. Now, let’s go see some patients,” Bruce said.

“Bruce, does it bother you leaving everyone and the patients here?” Mike asked.

“Leaving the patients, no, I took an oath to help them, not to die with them. Where the hell are their families? I have been going for over seventy hours with only a nap on a damn toilet that crippled me. I have a family to get to, as do you. As far as our coworkers, yes, I might feel a little guilty. But I may have a plan to help them escape, but we come first. Meet me in the break room at ten o’clock tonight,” Bruce said without any hint of guilt in his voice.

“Okay, brother, I’m with you as always. Saturday will be our last day here, or we will die trying,” Mike said as Bruce knuckle-bumped him, walking off. Mike woke up Angela to ask her what she wanted to do.

Chapter 23

Debbie was sitting in the fort on her watch. She had just received a text from Bruce that they were leaving tomorrow. With the spelling and tone, Debbie knew that Bruce was exhausted. Since they had left Tuesday, she had talked to him once, Wednesday night. She had called him just to hear his voice. She told him Stephanie had made it in and was already fitting in her role as part of the family. Bruce said he was happy that she had made it okay. Debbie told him everyone here at the farm was doing well and she could not wait until he got back. They said good-bye, and she cried herself to sleep again that night. She had gotten several texts from him, and Nancy had received several texts from Mike. Debbie was grateful for Stephanie getting here, because she was everywhere, helping everyone, taking her turn on watch, and feeding animals.

Everyone in the family had taken turns over the years that Stephanie stayed at the house teaching her what they had learned. Stephanie could shoot an M-4 pretty good and could field strip it faster than several of the kids. Debbie had given her one of her tactical vests she did not wear anymore. Bruce always picked some up at gun shows plus his demo trailer was full of them; Debbie knew she had six still hanging in her closet not counting the ones in storage. Then they took Stephanie out to the clothes’ storage, picking out two sets of the four kinds of BDUs that the family wore. Stephanie was her relief when her shift was over this afternoon. She glanced down to the video monitors that Matt and Jake had placed in the fort. There were only two screens, but they could switch between all thirty cameras. She had the screens on the cameras that looked down the road. They had not seen a car since the day Stephanie had pulled into the driveway. She really hoped it stayed that way.

Debbie was dreaming about Bruce coming home when she heard the tractor crank up in the back part of the property. She got on the radio, trying to tell them to shut it off. David was in mission control and said Danny and Mary had gone out to feed the horses. Debbie called on the radio for Steve. When he answered, he told Debbie he was filling sandbags. She told him to run up to the fort; she was going to the back of the property to shut the tractor off. She opened the door, slinging her AUG across her back, and slid down the pole. Taking off at a full run to the house so she could jump on an electric buggy, she passed Steve running up to the fort with his M-4 in one hand and his tactical vest in the other. Reaching the house, Debbie jumped on the buggy, flooring it to the back of the property. People could not believe how big 110 acres was until they had to walk it. She was so glad they did not fence in the whole property; those walks would drop you on a hot day like today. Passing the barn, she saw Danny and Mary unloading hay to put in the horse stalls. Debbie jumped off the buggy, jogging up to the girls waving her hand across her throat for Danny to kill the engine. Mary saw Debbie first and pointed at her so Danny could see her. When Danny saw Debbie, she cut off the engine.

“What the hell are you two doing?” Debbie asked.

“We had to bring some hay back here. The horse stall was empty,” Danny replied, getting off the tractor and slinging her rifle across her back.

“Baby, what did we say about noise discipline?” Debbie asked, keeping her temper under control.

“Daddy said we could use it in the morning, Mama,” Danny said.

“Danny and Mary, it is eleven o’clock. He meant while it was still dark outside. I heard that tractor in the fort with a fan blowing on me. That means anyone within several miles could hear it also. In the morning before the sun comes up, the air is denser next to the earth and sound does not carry that far,” Debbie explained to both girls. As she looked at both of them she could see they had tears in their eyes. Not because they thought they were in trouble but because they had let everyone down and put the family in danger.

“It’s okay girls, no harm, no foul,” Debbie said. Just then her radio went off; it was David.

“We have a cop car that just pulled onto our road and is stopped at the curve where the first camera is at,” David reported.

Debbie’s heart froze, and panic crossed her face. Then just as suddenly it was gone. “Girls, get in the buggy,” Debbie said as she ran for the buggy. All three got in the buggy and raced for the house. When they pulled up to the house, they ran to mission control. David was sitting looking at the monitors. Everyone was there standing behind him, looking with him at the cop car. It had now pulled past the curve and was at the corner of the hayfield. It was just sitting there.

“Steve said he could see him real good with the spotting scope. He reported that it was a constable car from Red River parish, Mama Debbie,” David said. Constables in Louisiana were referred to as fake cops. They served papers for the court but nothing more, and Red River parish was below them; they lived in Bienville parish. What was he doing here? The car started to slowly pull forward at a crawl down the road.

“Okay, Danny and Mary, you two get on the west side of the house and find some cover. Matt, you and Jake get on the east side and get behind cover. I am saying cover, not concealment. I want you behind something that will stop bullets not just hide you. None of you will shoot unless I or Nancy starts shooting. Now move and do like you are told, and be careful,” she said to them. Each of the kids checked weapons as they hurried out of the room.

“You don’t expect to have a shootout do you, Debbie?” asked Stephanie.

“I don’t know what to expect, but after what Bruce, Mike, and you have told me, we are taking no chances,” Debbie said. Debbie picked up and keyed her radio, “Steve, how many are in the car?” she asked.

“Only one,” Steve replied.

“I want you to listen to me, okay? We are going to act like we are not here, but if it becomes an issue, we are going to let him in. Nancy and I will meet him in the driveway and see if we can make him leave. If we can’t or things start to look bad, I’m going to brush my hand through my hair; that will be the signal for you to kill him. Do you understand, Steve? If it looks like I can’t give you the signal, then you take your shot. Just make sure we are not hit by crossfire,” Debbie said, giving Steve his rules of engagement.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied with no hesitation.

Nancy was just looking at her then looked down and checked her weapons to make sure everything was ready. A potential threat had come to the farm, and now it had to be dealt with.

“Tonya, you and Stephanie will stay here. You will back up whoever calls for assistance first,” Nancy told them.

For the next ten minutes, the patrol car just rolled down the road until it came to the driveway. The patrol car sat there for several minutes until he pulled up to the gate. He rolled down his window, and Debbie got her first look at him. He was a big man in his upper fifties, balding and very overweight. He leaned over and pressed the call box.

“This is Officer Jenkens. If someone is there, open the gate,” he said over the call box.

They all waited, staring at the officer on the monitor, waiting to see what he would do. He again leaned out and held the talk button. “This is Officer Jenkens. If this gate is not opened in the next few seconds, I’m going to ram it and arrest everyone on this property. Do I make myself clear?” he yelled into the call box.

Debbie walked over to the desk and pressed the talk button, “Officer Jenkens, this is Debbie Williams, the owner of this property. My husband is not here right now. He is a reserve officer for Caddo and was called in to assist them. How can I help you, sir?” Debbie said, letting the button go.

“I did not fucking ask you where your husband was bitch, I said to open this fucking gate now!” he yelled into the box.

“David, open the gate. Nancy, you come with me. Sling your rifle over your back. I don’t think this is going to end well,” Debbie said, walking out of mission control with Nancy behind her. Debbie and Nancy walked out of the door and stood in front of the house, waiting on the patrol car to make it to the end of the drive. Once the car was in front of them, Officer Jenkens turned the car off and got out, smiling at Nancy and Debbie standing in front of the house.

“Now, don’t either one of you make a move for any of your weapons. Do I make myself clear?” Jenkens said.

“Yes, sir,” Debbie said. “What do we owe this pleasure of your visit?”

“In case you have not heard, there is a mandatory evacuation for all civilians to security camps. Martial law has been declared, and I can visit whoever I damn well please anytime I want to. Do I make myself clear?” he said, resting his right hand on his pistol on his belt.

“Yes, sir,” replied Debbie. “We were just waiting on our husbands to get home, then we are going to the camps, sir,” Debbie replied, trying to make it sound believable.

“Your husbands won’t be home anytime soon, sweet cheeks. Shreveport is a war zone, and no one is allowed to leave. Your husbands are fools for leaving two pretty things like you all by yourselves. I might just have to show you how a real man treats his women,” he said with a grin on his face.

“That is quite rude, sir,” Nancy said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Officer Jenkens pointed at Nancy with his left hand as his right grabbed his pistol. “Bitch, if you move like that again, I will shoot you. If you think I’m scared of two little ladies who got into their husbands’ gear, then I need to show you what scared really means,” he said, walking toward the women.

“That won’t be necessary, Officer,” Debbie said, reaching up with her left hand and running it through her hair. Officer Jenkens was forty feet from both of them when his head exploded from the impact of the 5.56 hollow point just as he was about to say something. Neither of them heard the shot with the suppressor on Steve’s M-4. The shot was a little under a hundred yards for Steve as he sat watching through his scope. The headless corpse stood for a fraction of a second before collapsing to the ground.

Nancy fell to her knees, throwing up, as Debbie walked over to the police car with her pistol drawn. Seeing Debbie walk toward the car, Nancy jumped up, unslinging her AUG and backing Debbie as she cleared the car.

“Everyone not on station, come to the front yard,” Debbie said on her radio. Everyone except Steve and David were standing in front of the patrol car.

“I want this piece of shit stripped and thrown in his trunk. I want the radios out and in the house. Everything that can be used, I want out of this car and off this body. We have thirty minutes,” Debbie informed everyone.

No one asked questions, and they started on the task at hand. The car was stripped in less than thirty minutes. Nothing was left; even the spare tire was removed. They found a military M-16 in the backseat with a full auto setting, along with a shotgun in the trunk. Everything went into the house. Then they put the body in the trunk. They broke the rule of not leaving the property as Debbie drove the patrol car several miles from the house with Danny following behind in her SUV. They dumped it and torched it beside the road. Then they returned home with Danny crying.

“Mom, I’m really sorry. I did not mean for that to happen. I would never put the family at risk on purpose,” she said, apologizing.

“Baby, we don’t know if he heard you. I think he was just looking for people to do very bad things to and just found us. At least he won’t be able to hurt anyone now,” Debbie said to her.

“What happens if someone comes looking for him?” asked Danny.

“If someone comes and they pose a problem, then we will deal with it. But I doubt he reported where he was because he had planned to hurt someone; make no mistake. I could see it in his eyes,” Debbie told her.

“I don’t care that we shot him. I don’t want you thinking I was being a bitch and doing what I wanted. I would have pulled the trigger on him Mom, without a second thought. Please don’t be mad at me and Mary,” Danny pleaded.

“Baby, I am not mad at you or Mary. If it is anyone’s fault, it is mine. I should have made a time limit on when the tractor could be used. Both of you were doing your chores, and each of you had your guns on you like you were supposed to,” Debbie said, reaching over and patting her hand. “You did good today, baby. We all did. Evil came to our house and threatened our family, and it was dealt with,” Debbie finished.

When they got to the house, everyone was still in shock from the event. Sure, it had been prepared for, but they had drawn blood to protect the family. Debbie went to talk to Steve after Matt relieved him from guard duty. She asked him if he was okay. He told his mother he had no problem killing to protect the family and was ready to do it again.

She wished Bruce were here to talk to him. She just wanted to make sure he was all right. There was no way she could say anything over the phone or text him about what had happened. It would just have to wait until he got home. Nancy stopped her in the kitchen and apologized for throwing up and not following her immediately to clear the car. Debbie told her it was okay, but Nancy had to be strong until the duo returned. Until then, they were responsible for the family. They could only pray that the officer had never reported his position. Debbie did not think he would have reported his position with what she clearly saw he intended to do on his face. If more came then they would deal with it. There was no turning back now. She sat down in the kitchen and fell asleep in her chair with her hand reaching toward where Bruce would sit if he were there.

Chapter 24

Bruce was in the trauma bay in the back of the ER checking on his six patients, who were on vents, what most people referred to as life support. All the machine did was breathe for someone who could not breathe on his or her own. After making sure everything was going good and checking all the IV infusions on each patient, he left to see the rest of his patients. It was 9 p.m. on Friday now; it had been almost ten hours since he had talked to Mike and Angela. The hospital had run out of vents a little after twelve noon today. Already they had lost seven patients because there was no equipment for them after they left the operating room. A person could only bag––breath for someone else––for so long before they got tired. Doctors were making rounds to see which patients were viable and had a chance of survival and which ones had little chance and taking them off the life support. The hospital had run out of blood Wednesday night, and the rest of the medical supplies were running low. Pain medications were almost nonexistent now. Even a level one trauma center could only do so much. Bruce was amazed that they had lasted as long as they did. One of the residents had counted the number of gunshots the hospital had received since Wednesday, and so far they were at 298. This did not count the stabbings and car wrecks that had come in.

The other hospitals in town were already past the breaking point. Several had closed, and one had been overrun by looters looking for drugs last night. They had received three police officers from that shootout. Even though the ER had done everything that they could, they lost all three. They had just been down too long, and the ER was out of supplies. The ambulances that were still running could only pick up people and bring them in. But the hospital had not gotten an ambulance in over two hours. A lot of EMS units had just left. They were tired of arriving on the scene and getting shot at. Shreveport had already lost fifteen paramedics from gunfire. The entire city of Shreveport was a no-man’s-land.

Bruce was walking back to the front of the ER when he heard automatic gunfire coming from the waiting area. He dove to the floor, crawling to the wall. He had his .45 in the small of his back in a body holster. It looked like a corset made of elastic that was held in place with Velcro. The suppressor was in a holster not attached to the gun; four extra magazines were on his ankles in similar holsters. He did not want to pull it out until he had a viable threat, so he reached into his pocket, pulling out his switchblade. He did not open it but did keep it in his hand.

There was a lot of fire in the front of the ER. From the sound, more than a couple of dozen people were exchanging fire with each other. Then an explosion shook the floor. Then a long blast from a machine gun––only belt-fed weapon could fire for that length of time. The firefight lasted for about eight minutes, but it seemed like years to Bruce on the floor. As suddenly as it started, it stopped. Then there was single shot from M-4s and sidearms, and they were getting close. From the sound of it, the military was mopping up. Bruce had been in enough firefights in the Army to know the tempo of battle. For the life of him, he did not understand why the shots were moving closer. He pulled himself into a crouch, risking a quick look by standing up and getting back down. He had not seen anything in the doctors’ and nurses’ area. He crawled up to look out into the hallway when he heard a scream off to his left then another to his right. Whatever was to his right was closer, so he crept up to the doorway looking into the hallway. Bruce could smell something rotten that made him want to throw up. He risked a quick glance and pulled his head back. Two people were wrestling with a woman on the floor in the hallway; one appeared to be a man, the other one a woman. He risked another look and saw the blue-skinned woman attacker grab the person’s arm and bite. The scream froze his soul. It was filled with pain, hopelessness, and a terror that was impossible to describe.

He knew the infected were in the ER. Looking around him for a more standoff weapon, he turned and saw an IV pole. Sliding along the floor to the IV pole, Bruce pulled the top half out of the stand. Now he had a four-foot metal pipe that at least gave him some distance. The soldiers were still firing single shots in the waiting area with an occasional burst of automatic gunfire. Some of the shots were getting closer, but they were still a ways off. The ER was a big place––from end to end, it was over a hundred yards long and a hundred and twenty yards across. He debated on using his pistol but decided against it. The military had been in a firefight with someone, and Bruce did not want to be confused with the attackers. Then a thought crossed his mind. If the infected could use weapons then it was game over.

Bruce crept back over to the door leading into the hallway from the doctors’ and nurses’ area. He laid on the floor and slid to the bottom of the door looking out in the hallway. Whoever the infected were fighting, they were fighting back with everything they had. Just as Bruce was getting ready to go out and help, he saw the male attacker take a burst of gunfire right to the back, exiting the chest. All the man did was stand, turning toward the source of the firing. The female attacker did not even take notice. The blue male infected saw someone after he turned then started walking to him as another three-round burst ripped through his chest, blowing out his back. Bruce had shot many people in combat and had never seen anyone take damage like this. Six rounds had just went through this man’s chest; not only did he not react, he was advancing. Just then a bust hit the man in the face. The head just vanished, and the body fell to the floor like a switch had been turned off. Then the female attacker’s head snapped sideways as a single pistol shot rang out. The lady on the floor was crying, holding her arm.

Bruce then noticed the patient’s gown on the lady lying on the floor. He heard footsteps coming down the hall and saw two soldiers approach the lady lying on the floor. One was holding his rifle, scanning the area, and the other was holding a pistol at his side. The one with the pistol pointed it at the lady on the floor, firing one shot and hitting her in the forehead. As the soldier looked up, Bruce saw it was Captain Asshole.

The captain turned to the soldier, telling him to get a barricade over the door then send a few men outside to see if anymore infected were in the area. If any were spotted, he wanted them shot. As the soldier ran off, the captain walked into the doctors’ and nurses’ area and saw the staff lying on the floor.

He said, “Everyone can get up now. A large gang tried to get into the hospital, and we killed all of them. Then we had several infected come into hospital during the engagement. We have secured the area, but I want everyone checked for bites by my first sergeant. “

Turning around, he saw Bruce against the wall with the IV pole in his hand. “That won’t do you much good, nurse. But it’s okay. We protected you, boy. Now I want you to get those bodies out of the hall and put them on a stretcher now,” the captain replied with a smirk.

Bruce stood up, dropping the IV pole with a clang on the floor. He did not want the asshole to see it as a threat. The captain still had his pistol out, and Bruce did not want to give him an excuse to use it. But be damned if Bruce was going to be his bitch.

“You can kiss my ass, Captain. I have six patients on vents and another four to check on. In the last seventy-two hours I have slept one hour, and I can’t remember the last time I ate. Your job is to protect the institution so the medical staff can perform their job. I know your orders would not include having medical staff deviating from patient care. Especially since there are several soldiers who are wounded and under our care. If I’m not mistaken, your men are on a rotating sleep cycle, so if you want them moved, get them to do it. I don’t care if those bodies decompose where they lay,” Bruce said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“You seem to know a lot, nurse,” he said, enunciating “nurse” and walking over to stand in front of Bruce, stopping about five feet from him. “Did you serve, boy?” the captain asked, trying to get a rise out of Bruce.

“No, Captain, I have always worked as a nurse,” Bruce said, hoping this would at least get the idiot off his ass.

“You will address me with respect, boy, and you will do what you are told. Do I make myself clear!” he yelled at the top of his voice. “Your skinhead appearance does not intimidate me in the least with your faggot earrings.”

Staff was standing around the ER as they watched the verbal exchange of a little white man no taller than five-foot-six and weighing 125 pounds, who was pointing his left index finger up in the face of a white man who was six-foot-four and 280 pounds with muscles bulging over his entire body. Everyone knew that if the little captain did not have his pistol out, he would be getting his ass kicked.

“Captain, I have said all I’m going to say. I have patients to see. Just remember there are over five thousand employees in this hospital. You only have about ninety soldiers here. You do the math,” Bruce said, turning and walking away. He did not like turning his back to the asshole but did not have much of a choice. Plus, he wanted the asshole to think that Bruce did not see him as a threat.

“Is that a threat, boy?” the captain yelled.

“No, just a fact,” Bruce said, walking off.

Just then, a soldier ran up to the captain and whispered something into his ear. The captain looked at the soldier and the Captain headed out of the ER at a fast pace with the soldier following. A steady tempo of gunfire could be heard from the front of the hospital. Bruce turned and seeing the son of a bitch had gone Bruce sat down in the first chair he found. He knew if he had attacked, he could have killed the captain, but his men would have killed Bruce. Never reinforce a losing position unless no other option remains.

Looking up, Bruce saw Mike walking toward him. “What the fuck do you think you are doing? That asshole will kill you. Can’t you keep your mouth shut?” Mike exclaimed.

“He irritated me, and he will not kill me in cold blood in front of witnesses. Now if I had attacked then he would have had his reason. If it would have been just me and him with only his troops around then he would have shot me, but that was not the case,” Bruce said with certainty.

“You were taking a big chance there, brother. I was getting behind the SOB to get a shot, but it would have been the Alamo,” Mike said.

“Yes, I saw you moving into position. That was the main reason I walked off. I did not want you busting caps and get the soldiers in here. Too many people would have been hurt,” replied Bruce.

“Come on, Angela is in the break room. Let’s go,” Mike said, heading to the break room.

Bruce got up and followed him out into the hallway where Bruce had seen the infected attack the woman. The university police and several soldiers had placed the bodies on a stretcher and were moving them into the waiting area. The smell in the hallway could have gagged a maggot. Being a nurse, Bruce had smelled some of the most god-awful smells known to man. They did not even come close to what he smelled now. It actually left a taste in the mouth it was so strong. The taste was worse than the smell. Avoiding stepping into any blood puddles, he followed Mike into the break room. Closing the door behind them, Angela was crouched down in the corner.

“Is it over?” she asked.

“For now,” Mike replied.

“Then what is all that shooting outside?” she asked.

“Probably the military shooting infected that came because of the noise,” Mike said.

“Well, what is the plan?” she asked, walking over to them. Angela was a very young-looking doctor whose patients often asked her how old she was. With her small stature and long brunette hair with curls, she looked like a teenager instead of twenty-seven. She was not quite five feet, with a very small frame, and was a knockout. Bruce and Mike just looked at her like she was one of their kids, just like they looked at most of the residents in the ER.

“Angela, we all need to go into the bathroom so we can talk without someone walking in on us. We can’t risk someone finding out because the more people that know, then it’s a greater risk. But if one of the staff comes in here and sees you walking out of the bathroom with two men, the rumors will fly. With that thought, if a soldier walks in, we can blow it off as some kinky action, but you do have to think about your reputation. I also don’t want your husband to go crazy,” Bruce said, looking into Angela’s eyes.

“Bruce, screw a reputation. This is end-of-the-world shit. If you think we have even a small chance to get out of here, I’m in, but I have to get my baby. If you can do that, I will walk out of the bathroom butt naked telling everyone you two were good. As far as my husband, he would not believe it. He knows I love him,” she replied.

“I don’t think you will have to go that far because if it did, I would have some explaining to do with my wife,” Mike said, walking toward the bathroom.

The bathroom in the break room was unisex and had a shower in it for decontamination. It was large and fit the three very easily. Bruce looked at the shower with a longing. That would feel so good right now, he thought. He had sweat rings around his neck and large sweat stains on his scrubs. Both Mike and Angela looked the same. The only place that was clean was their hands, with the constant hand washing they had to do. Bruce closed and locked the door, motioning the others to lean closer.

Bruce outlined his plan in a whisper, “At 5 a.m., Angela, go get your son and tell them you are taking him to the ER so a pediatrician can examine him because the last time you were there, he had a fever, and with the close proximity of the kids, you want to make sure he is okay so nothing can spread. Then you tell your husband to meet us in front of the cafeteria. After everyone is there, we walk down the hall to the medical school. Before getting to the med school, there is a door that leads outside to the loading docks. Then we walk around the back of the hospital to the parking lot. As we leave, I’m going to spin the tires and drive out very fast. This will get the attention of the soldiers and make them run to the front of the hospital. As the soldiers are distracted, Kelly, a nurse in the ER, will yell for everyone to run out to the ambulance bay to their cars.” Bruce finished his outline, looking at each of them.

“Why are we going to make noise leaving? Why not just sneak away?” Angela asked.

“I want to give the ER staff a chance to leave,” Bruce said.

“Won’t the soldiers shoot at us?” she asked.

“Probably, but the university police said a few cars were still moving on the roads. I’m hoping that we can get some distance before they open up. Make no mistake, it is dangerous, but if we stay here we will die,” Bruce told her.

“Okay, I’m in,” Angela said.

“Shouldn’t you talk to your husband?” asked Mike.

“He will be in, and if not his ass can stay here, but me and my baby are out of this place,” she said with determination. Just then someone knocked on the door. They all froze. “I’m in here,” Angela said loudly. “Hurry up. There is a line out here,” came a reply. They did not recognize the voice. Bruce motioned for them to lean back in the little huddle.

“Is there any questions?” he asked.

Both Mike and Angela had several and some input. After a few more minutes, they were satisfied with the plan. They had been in the bathroom for a little over twenty minutes. As Mike reached for the door, Angela grabbed his hand.

“Wait,” she said, taking her scrub top off then undoing her scrub pants. “You two take off your tops and act like you are pulling up your pants when we walk out,” she said.

“I can’t. I have a gun on me,” said Bruce. Mike was taking off his top, exposing his large chest.

“Well, we have to sell to whoever is out there we were doing something,” she said.

“Okay,” Bruce replied, kicking his shoes off and pulling his scrub pants and underwear off. His scrub top covered his body holster, and he moved his magazines under his shirt.

“Not shy, are you?” Angela said, gasping, looking down.

“You were the one who just pulled off her top in front of us, girl, showing off hooters,” Bruce said, naked from the waist down.

“It’s not like you have not seen hooters before, Bruce, but you’re probably right,” she said, reaching around and taking her bra off. She looked at Mike’s muscle-packed chest then to Bruce’s large muscular legs.

“You guys work out a lot, don’t you?” she said.

“Every day. Now, let’s go before something comes up; I would prefer not walking out with a boner,” Bruce said, looking at Angela’s very sexy body.

Mike and Angela giggled as Mike grabbed the door with his shirt in his hand, holding up his pants. Angela had her shirt and bra in one hand, holding up her pants with the other. Bruce followed them out naked from the waist down except for his socks. When they walked out into the break room, there were two female nurses, one male nurse, and a soldier standing in a line outside the door. All four stood, shocked, with mouths open.

“Dr. Collins, Bruce, what were you doing?” Claire, one of the female RNs, asked, holding her hand over her mouth but still looking at each of them.

“Teaching anatomy,” Bruce said.

They walked to the other side of the break room, laid their clothes on the table, and started redressing. Bruce kept his back to the wall getting dressed in case his top came up. He did not want to advertise that he was armed.

“Is the class over?” Samantha, the other female nurse, asked. “If it’s not, I would like a lesson,” she said, giggling.

“We can have our own class,” Gavin, the male RN, said hopefully.

“You don’t look like them,” Claire said to Gavin, who was overweight.

“I’m in shape,” said the young soldier.

“No, that’s okay,” said Samantha, walking into the bathroom.

The three finished getting dressed and walked out of the break room to find the hall had been mopped and cleaned. Angela said she was going upstairs to talk to her husband. Bruce and Mike went back to work until it was time to start the escape.

It was almost 11 p.m. and, despite having almost no sleep, Bruce was buzzing from the adrenaline. It only took half an hour until the whole ER had heard about the break room incident. There were giggles and smirks from everyone in the ER. Hospital flings were not uncommon, but never that flamboyant. Bruce felt sorry for Angela because she was going to bear the brunt of the gossip. Granted, it would not be for long, he hoped, and if this virus came to an end, they would all be looking for jobs.

Bruce was making rounds at 2 a.m. when Mike came up and told him Dr. Caldwell had tried to rip him a new one. Mike said he told him if he did not like his actions then fire him so he could go home. They both laughed as Mike walked off to check on his patients. Then Bruce saw Angela in the front of the ER looking at him. She gave a nod and a sexy wink. A nurse beside her started laughing. The shooting had almost come to a stop an hour ago; now just an occasional shot could be heard.

At 4:30, Kelly came back and told Bruce she would watch his area. As Bruce grabbed his messenger bag, he leaned forward and asked her, “You do have your keys, don’t you?”

“They have not left my body since I got here. I did walk around telling everyone to make sure that they had their car keys. I did not say why but told them if the chance came, we needed to be ready. Now, what happened in the bathroom?” she asked with a grin.

“Nothing,” Bruce replied with a grin.

“Well, come get me next time for nothing,” Kelly said, popping him on the butt.

Bruce laughed, thankful she did not hit his gun on his back. Grabbing his bag, he headed to the stairs and went down to the basement where the cafeteria was. Walking past it down the hall, he wanted to make sure that no one was outside the door. When he reached the door, he looked out the little window, seeing nothing. He then cracked it open and could not see anyone, so he stepped outside, careful not to let the door go because it would be locked from the outside. The alley that led out into the parking was about twenty feet long and narrow. He would have someone hold the door when everyone got here so he could look around before they left for the car. The sky was getting pink, but the outside lights were still on. He walked back to the cafeteria doors. The cafeteria had not opened since he and Mike had been there. Bruce did not want to know how they were feeding the patients in the hospital.

Mike was the second to arrive, then Alex, Angela’s husband. His face was red, and he was looking at the floor.

“Nothing happened, son,” Mike told him.

“I know Dr. Collins, Angela told me why all of you put on the show, sir,” Alex said.

“My name is Mike, and do not add sir, either,” he said to Alex.

“Well, you did get to see my wife half naked. So I guess I can use your first name,” Alex said, laughing.

“Don’t you even think of calling me sir, either, Alex,” Bruce said.

“Well, it seems that I have a lot of living up to do from the stories I heard with you walking out with something dragging the floor, and I don’t mean your clothes,” Alex said, smiling.

“No shit. People are saying it was dragging the floor?” Bruce asked, poking his chest out.

“Yes, Bruce, they were wondering how little Angela could handle a human tripod,” Alex said, laughing at Bruce’s reaction.

The three were talking and laughing when Angela walked up with Cade, her sixteen-month-old son, in her arms. He was half as big as she was. The baby had his head on her shoulder, asleep. Seeing her with the child, Bruce said a prayer that they could pull this off.

“Let’s go. I want everyone to stay behind me. I’m going out the door to have a look around then I will knock on the door to signal for y’all to come out,” Bruce said, looking at everyone, and each gave a nod.

Walking down the hall toward the door with everyone in single file behind Bruce, he held up his hand when he reached the door. Everyone stopped along the wall. Bruce grabbed the handle and went through the door. Stepping outside, he ran into Captain Asshole with two soldiers in the alley outside.

“Well, hello, nurse. Going somewhere?” the captain said as the door latched behind Bruce.

Chapter 25

Bruce froze, looking at the captain who had been following the two soldiers. The two soldiers stepped apart, one on each side of the alley. Each was only inches from Bruce, and they had their weapons slung across their backs and were looking at him. The captain stepped forward between the two soldiers, stopping less than foot from Bruce.

“I asked you a question, boy. What are you doing out here? I could shoot you now, smartass, or just detain you someplace special,” the captain said with a wicked smile.

Bruce knew where this was headed. The captain just wanted him to beg or attempt something. Well, he got his wish as Bruce slumped his shoulders, looking down in mock defeat. The captain laughed at Bruce’s reaction.

Bruce’s right hand shot out from his side, hitting the captain in the throat with a half fist. Bruce felt cartilage crush under the hit. Twisting his body to his left then whipping it back to his right, Bruce chopped the soldier on his right in the throat. Rotating his upper body back to the left, he hit the last soldier in the throat with a half fist, feeling the cartilage crush from the blow. Knowing the soldier who was on his right was now the main threat because he only delivered a chop to his throat, Bruce dropped his hand down to his pocket, pulling out his knife and opening it on the way up. Both solders were wearing ballistic vests, so he stabbed the soldier on the right in the side of the throat then quickly pulled out the knife, and blood hit the alley wall. Turning to the soldier on his left, Bruce saw he was sliding down the wall with his hands on his throat trying to breathe through a crushed windpipe. Bruce snapped a kick into the soldier’s stomach, doubling the soldier over. Bruce swung his arm in an arc, bringing the knife down and driving it through the base of his skull. The soldier dropped to the ground, dead before he hit the concrete. Turning to look at the captain, Bruce saw him lying curled up with his hands on his throat, trying to breath.

Bruce took the captain’s pistol, a standard M-9 Berretta, out of his holster. Bruce then kicked the captain in the kidney hard, making him roll on his back. The captain’s face was already turning blue as Bruce knelt beside him smiling, “I was a Ranger, asshole.”

Then Bruce drove the knife into the captain’s stomach, twisting it. “On your way to hell, remember it was a nurse that sent you there,” he said, pulling the knife out. He rolled the captain to the side, driving the knife into the base of his skull, and the captain stopped moving. Turning back to the soldier who had been on his right, Bruce saw he had passed out and was twitching from blood loss. Bruce’s stab to his throat had gotten all the arteries on the left side of his neck. Bruce looked back at the door and saw three faces pressed against it. He motioned for them to open the door. The whole fight had lasted less than thirty seconds. Saying a silent prayer of thanks, Bruce was glad he still practiced his martial arts every week. He looked back to the three dead bodies.

“Go ahead and call your troops to save you captain,” Bruce told the dead body as he grinned thankful to be alive.

Mike was the first out. “Holy shit, Bruce. I heard someone say something, and I went to look out the window. You were moving so fast I could not even follow your hands.”

“Don’t let the door close,” he said. Angela stood in front of it, holding it open with a look of awe and horror, with Cade still asleep on her shoulder.

“Strip all of them, and I mean down to underwear,” Bruce said, reaching down to the soldier who had been on his left, pulling the rifle off of the body. It was an M-4 with a forty-millimeter grenade launcher. Bruce pulled the magazine out and tapped it on the weapon to seat the rounds, and from the feel, it was full. Then he opened the breach, and there was a grenade in the chamber. He pulled it out to inspect it. The round was HE high explosive. In real life, it could not blow up a car like in Hollywood. The round only had a five-meter kill zone, but it did have uses, and Bruce was trained how to use it thanks to Uncle Sam. Replacing the shell, Bruce closed the breech. Mike and Alex were stripping the bodies one at time, working together and setting everything off to the side. They already had the soldier who had been on Bruce’s right down to his underwear. Then, they moved over to the other soldier; with Alex untying his boots and Mike pulling off the ballistic vest, they stripped the soldier to underwear. All three had sidearms; the captain and the other soldier had regular M-4s that went into the pile.

“Change of plans,” Bruce said. “After you strip all three, I want you to move to the car and put all the equipment, including their uniforms, in the car. Then all of you get in the car and lay low. I will be there soon,” Bruce told them with a look of death on his face.

“What the hell are you going to do?” Mike asked.

“Giving the staff in the ER a chance and the rest of the staff that have their kids being held hostage a choice. They have a right to make their own decision about what they want to do. If you hear a lot of gunfire, get out of here. I will steal a car and meet you at the trailer. Only wait for me until Sunday morning then start to the farm,” Bruce said, handing Mike the keys to the car.

Bruce reached down, pulled out two magazines and two more forty-millimeter grenades from one pile, and put them in his messenger bag. Slinging the M-4 across his back, he pulled out his .45 and attached the suppressor. Then he pulled the magazines off his ankles, shoving them under the front of the body holster. Walking past Angela, who was holding the door open, Bruce turned and said, “Get moving soon. There should be no infected around but keep alert.”

Walking down the hall back to the ER, Bruce was pissed off and in the mood to kill something. With the .45 in his right hand, he opened the stairway door that led up to the ER. Walking up the stairs, Bruce paused at the door. There had never been more than four soldiers in the ER, and change of shift was at 8 a.m. Looking at his watch, he saw it was almost 6 a.m.––plenty of time. Opening the door, Bruce walked back into the ER. Everyone stopped and looked at him. He was covered in blood with a gun in his hand and one across his back. Walking forward, Bruce said, “Those of you wanting to leave, you are fixing to have your chance. Now I want everyone on the floor.”

People everywhere started lying down, praying Bruce was going to give them a chance to get out of here. That was all they wanted; everyone knew they were dead here. They might die outside, but at least they would have a chance.

Bruce walked over to a phone and picked it up, punching the ER intercom button. Blowing into the handset and hearing it overhead, he said over the intercom, “Attention please. I just got finished raping the captain, and he is a lousy fuck. In begging me to stop, he agreed that all medical staff could leave. If any of his men attempted to stop the staff, I would be allowed to rape them as well,” Bruce finished, replacing the handset on the phone.

He heard running boots coming down the hall. All four soldiers came through the door together, running. They had their weapons out, but all were pointed at the floor. Bruce snapped the .45 up, shooting each one in the face, snapping their heads back and blowing the backs of the skulls out. All four fell as one to the floor; the shots were quick and someone clapping his hands made more noise than the shots. Bruce walked over, put a new magazine in, and pulled off two ballistic vests. One had an M249 a belt-fed 5.56. Bruce looked down at one of the vests he had pulled off and saw it had two full ammo pouches. Each vest weighed thirty pounds, and the M249 weighed twenty-seven pounds, a lot more than he wanted to carry. Glancing around, Bruce saw a small supply cart. Taking everything over, he laid it on top of the cart and started pushing it out of the ER toward the conference room.

“If you know how to use a weapon, grab one. The two soldiers that walk around the university are dead. I would leave soon,” Bruce said in a loud flat tone as he felt a sensation he remembered from long ago coursing through him.

“What about my kids?” a resident asked.

“I’m going to fix that,” Bruce said.

A university police officer came up to him and asked, “You need any help?”

“Just help anyone that wants to leave,” Bruce said, walking past him to the boardroom. The boardroom was down the hall from the ER. The problem was going to be getting close enough to take the two guards. Bruce stopped as a plan came to him, and he went back to the ER and grabbed a bed sheet to cover the looted equipment on top of the cart. He pushed the cart in front of him like a waiter. He had his .45 in his right hand under the sheet. As he rounded the corner, he saw the soldiers sitting in chairs in front of the door going into the boardroom. As he rolled his cart down the hall, they both looked at him with suspicion.

“Hey, troops, the captain had some girls go down into the kitchen to cook some food. He said we had to feed all of the soldiers before the staff could eat,” Bruce said, rolling the cart to them.

He could see the suspicion erase off of their faces as they stood up, shouldering their weapons. “You have got to like the captain,” one said.

“Well, you need to hurry and eat so we can eat,” Bruce said, coming down the hall closing the distance.

“Who says we won’t eat all of the food, nurse?” the other soldier said as they both started walking toward him.

When they were less than five feet away, Bruce brought the pistol up fast and pulled the trigger. The first soldier never knew what hit him; he was dead on his feet. Swinging the weapon over, the other soldier’s eyebrows were just starting to move, showing surprise as a .45 slug slammed into his nose, killing him. He walked over, opening the door and looking inside. Bruce saw kids sleeping everywhere and a lady waving him out. He stepped back out and walked back to the soldiers. Bruce bent down and took eight hand grenades off of them. One of the soldiers had another M-4 with a grenade launcher, so Bruce took it. The vest the soldier had on had pouches all over the front loaded with forty-millimeter shells. Bruce took it off of him and placed everything on the cart and started back to the ER. The car was parked at the bottom to the ambulance bay. Turning the corner, Bruce snapped his pistol up, realizing that the hall was full of people. They were all staff, and he lowered the pistol.

“Are the kids okay?” someone asked.

“Yes, if you are leaving, you need to do it quick,” he said. Stopping someone, Bruce asked him how they knew. He replied, “Someone from the ER called and said we could come and get our kids and leave; the captain said so. I don’t know what changed that evil son of a bitch’s mind, but I’m glad.” Then he took off running to get his kid and leave the university.

Walking back with his cart to the ambulance entrance, Bruce saw Kelly in the ambulance bay holding an M-4. He walked past patients on monitors and felt a twinge of guilt. How would history view the staff for leaving patients unattended? Well, right now he did not give a shit.

“Shopping?” Kelly asked.

“You could say that. How did everyone upstairs know about the kids?” he asked.

“Everyone grabbed a phone in the ER and called all over the hospital to tell the staff upstairs that if they had a kid to run down the stairs to the first floor but don’t go into the main hallway until someone came and told them the kids were okay,” Kelly let him know.

Standing in the bay door, Bruce could see cars pulling out of the parking lot across the street head away in every direction. Then he started seeing people coming out carrying kids, heading to the parking lot. “Where are you headed?” Bruce asked, walking past Kelly pushing his cart down the drive to the Mini.

“To my mom and dad’s in Texas. They have a small farm,” Kelly replied.

“You be careful,” he told her as the hatch popped open. Mike got out of the driver’s seat and walked to the back and started helping Bruce throw stuff in.

“Both of you be careful, and thank you for coming back for us. Remember, if you two teach anatomy again, I want in the class,” Kelly replied, walking off.

Both of them had to lean on the hatch to get it closed. With Alex behind the passenger seat and Angela behind the driver with Cade in the middle, there was not much room in a Mini to start with. It was cramped to say the least, but they only had to go fifteen miles to Haughton. If the reports they had gotten earlier were correct, then they could park at the racetrack. The walk to the trailer was only two miles from the racetrack, but they did have a lot of shit. They both climbed into the Mini, with Bruce driving. He put on his Oakley’s and put the key in the ignition and started the car. Just then a Caddo sheriff car pulled in behind them. Bruce grabbed his .45, and Mike was getting out with an M-4.

“Hold it Mike. It’s Jerry,” Bruce said, getting out of the Mini.

Jerry got out of the patrol car and started walking up to Bruce. “I was coming to make sure you two got out before I left town with my family,” he said, extending his hand. Bruce shook it.

“Yeah, we are getting the hell out of Dodge, Jerry,” Bruce informed him.

“The only rescue center in operation now is the Air Force base. Last night, we lost all the schools, and we just lost the coliseum. The hospital is the last center in Shreveport, and Homeland just announced that they were not going to evacuate it. There would be too much of a risk to bring the infection into a safe zone,” Jerry said, looking at Bruce.

“What else is happening?” Mike asked.

“We just received orders to execute anyone not reporting to a shelter. Homeland said it’s better to kill them than let them get infected and become the enemy,” Jerry informed him.

“Well, we are out of here. Thank you, Jerry, for coming to check on us. We are headed to Haughton,” Bruce said.

“Don’t go past the racetrack, and do not go downtown. It is a war down there now. Take 220, and don’t stop for anything. Shoot anything that tries to stop you––that means cops, too. Then get the hell away from the area. Infected are drawn to noise like bees to honey. The military is in charge now, and most of the police force has left or is dead. I’m going to my family at the hunting camp. Just came by to get you two out; now I’m leaving. The wife already took the kids to the camp,” Jerry said, climbing back into the patrol car. “Be careful Bruce, it’s hell out there.” Jerry backed out and sped off down the road.

Bruce and Mike climbed back into the Mini. Bruce backed out and pulled onto the road. Then, spinning tires, he sped off down the road driving like a bat out of hell.

“You are not Jason Bourne,” Mike said as Bruce weaved around stalled cars.

“Of course not, I’m in the Italian job,” Bruce replied, letting out a loud rebel yell, and everyone laughed as Bruce sped off down the road.

Chapter 26

As Bruce and Mike were speeding to the trailer, the family was gathered around the kitchen table eating breakfast. Mary was in mission control, and Danny was in the fort. It had been two days since the shooting, and no one else had come to the farm. They had seen their first infected yesterday. It was a man outside the fence trying to get in with the horses. Mary had seen from mission control the blue man walking in the field from the road to the outside fence. She had called on the radio, and Steve, Debbie, and Stephanie went to investigate. The smell just about gagged all of them. The horses had run to the other side of the pasture. His skin was blue, and he just kept beating at the ten-foot fence knowing food was over there. When he saw the trio, he let out a moan just as Stephanie shot him in the head with her suppressed M-4. She told everyone not to let them make the hunger call, because if any others were around, they would come. The entire family waited for more infected to come, but none did. Debbie was thinking about the encounter when she stood up and called for everyone’s attention.

“I have a job for all of you boys this morning,” she said, with everyone looking at her. “We have buried on this property a lot of metal cases that I want dug up today.”

“Debbie, everything in those boxes is illegal. Don’t you want to wait for Mike and Bruce to get back?” Nancy asked.

“We have killed a constable. I believe that the law is the least of our concerns now,” Debbie replied.

“What the hell is in these boxes, and why didn’t we know about them?” Steve asked.

“About a hundred suppressors and the equipment to make everyone’s rifle selective fire and a lot of the backup armory full auto also. Plus some other stuff we thought we might need but the government thinks otherwise. We, as the parents, did not want any of you to know about the boxes so you could not get in trouble if the feds ever showed up,” Debbie told Steve.

“We have suppressors, Mom. Why run the risk for more?” Jake asked her.

“Each suppressor we have, we had to pay a two-hundred-dollar tax. That is ten for the rifles and the seven we have for pistols. That is three thousand four hundred just in tax. Your father and Mike took three of the pistol suppressors. As it stands now, we have to share suppressors for the pistols: three for nine millimeter and one for .45. None of the sniper rifles have suppressors. We could not afford the cost for all the weapons we have here,” Debbie informed Jake.

She continued, “I know Bruce has several full auto weapons, and they are expensive. All the parents got together two years ago one night and agreed that we needed other options to the government restrictions. Bruce and Mike used the machine shop to make a shitload of suppressors and a lot of full auto and burst receivers for the weapons we have.”

All the boys were staring at her in disbelief. Their parents had done something illegal and not told them anything.

“Mom,” Danny said over the intercom they had set up in the kitchen to the fort and mission control. “You mean to tell me that you, Dad, Mama Nancy, and Daddy Mike broke federal law, and you grounded me for passing notes in class?” Danny exclaimed.

“That’s different, baby. I will be the first to admit Nancy and I were against it, but now I have to tell your dad I was wrong,” Debbie said.

“Well, where are they so we can get started?” Steve said.

“I will show you. It will take a while to dig them up. Each is five feet down, and as hard as the dirt is, it will take all of you to get them up. We can’t use the backhoe so it will have to be with shovels and picks,” Debbie said.

“There is a car coming down the road,” Mary said over the intercom from mission control.

Everyone jumped up and grabbed weapons off the gun rack in the kitchen then headed to mission control. With everyone looking at the monitors, Debbie said, “Steve, Matt, take the west side of the house. David, you and Jake take the east side. Make sure you have your radios on. Don’t do anything unless directed or you have no choice.” Going to the intercom, Debbie pushed the talk button. “Danny, get ready to engage, but do not fire until I say so or you see a hostile action,” Debbie finished giving instructions.

The boys took off out of the house, putting the earbuds to their radios in their ears and testing before heading out.

“Stephanie and Tonya, I want both of you ready to guard the back of the house,” Nancy said.

They both replied they would. Everyone was watching the small car coming down the road at a steady pace. Whoever it was knew where they were going. When the car reached the turn into the farm, Tonya drew a sharp breath.

“That’s my mom’s car,” she cried, heading to the door.

“Wait, Tonya,” Debbie said. “We have to make sure it’s your mom before we do anything, okay?”

Tonya nodded her head, stopping at the door and walking back to the monitors. The small car pulled into the driveway and turned down the driveway up to the call box. It just sat there for a minute then they heard a horn sound.

“Danny, how many are in the car?” Nancy asked into her radio.

“I only see one person behind the wheel. It looks like a woman,” she replied.

Nancy pushed the button on the intercom system to talk to the front gate. “Can we help you?”

As the driver’s window rolled down, they could see the driver on the monitor as she leaned her head out. It was Tonya’s mother, Pam. Her face was swollen with only one eye open enough to see. “It’s Pam, Tonya and Steve said I should come here if things went bad,” Pam said toward the intercom.

Nancy told Mary to open the gate. “Pam, pull up to the house,” Nancy instructed her.

“Danny keep an eye out. Boys, make sure everything is clear on each side of the house,” Nancy said into her radio. “Mary, stay here and report anything, okay?” Nancy told Mary.

The four women walked outside as the small car was pulling down the driveway. “Spread out,” Debbie said. The four women spread out in a line, facing the car still pulling toward them. Debbie looked over at Tonya, who had tears on her face but did as she was told. Yes, she thought, Tonya belonged in this family.

As the car came to a stop and the engine cut off, Pam stepped out. She was holding her right side with her left hand. Her clothes were torn, and everywhere they could see skin, it was covered in bruises. Her face looked worse up close. The left side of her face was swollen, with blood covering her face. Tonya took off running toward her mother.

“Tonya, stop,” Nancy told her. “Pam, are you bitten?”

“Bitten, no. Warren beat the shit out of me last night. He thinks he beat me to death. I know this because as he walked out the door, he told me to die on the floor like a good bitch,” Pam said. “I have been unconscious for ten hours. It took me an hour just to get some strength up and get to the car,” she said, collapsing to the ground. All the women ran to Pam’s side.

“Steve and Matt, get up here and help us get Pam into the house. Jake, go and get the first aid kit and bring it to the den,” Debbie said into her radio.

As they took Pam into the house, she told them Warren had started beating her two days ago. He kept telling her that it was time for the strong to rise up and set the world straight. His brother’s came over with some friends and each took turns hitting her. She could not remember how many or who they were, just that there were a lot of people at their house. Then they loaded up Warren’s guns and stuff and left, but not before Warren had come back into the house and beat her some more before leaving her for dead.

Nancy and Debbie tended her wounds with Tonya by her side. Debbie told the boys to go and get stuff to start digging and meet her at the barn. Debbie told Nancy to treat Pam and for Tonya to help. Then she told Mary and Danny that they would be on guard duty all day, but Stephanie would give them a break every few hours. Debbie then left the house and headed to the barn. When she got there, the boys were waiting and Steve asked how Pam was. She told him she had been beaten badly, but Nancy was taking care of her. They had a lot of work to get done today and had to keep going on.

She led the boys to the areas scattered around the farm. Each spot she marked after stopping and looking around. The spots were in separate areas on the farm. Debbie told them each was five feet down and was the size of a footlocker. Each case was metal, but she told them to try not to damage them because they were airtight. They each looked at her in disbelief, asking her if the areas she marked were the right places to dig. Debbie assured them that she had marked them correctly and to get started. Two were to dig at a time then get relieved by the other two. She put Steve in charge of the work as she headed back to the house.

When Debbie got back to the house, she went in the back door and found Nancy in the kitchen washing her hands. “How is Pam?” Debbie asked.

“Well, her left shoulder was dislocated. I put it back in. I think she has at least six broken ribs. Her left ear had almost been ripped off; I sewed it back. Her jaw and nose are broke. Her right arm was broken. We set it and just finished placing a splint on it. Three fingers on her left hand and two on her right were broken. I think she has a small liver laceration from the bruising over it. I put her on the monitor, and her breathing is steady, but she was not holding her oxygen level up so I had Stephanie bring up the portable oxygen machine and put her on it. I hear good lung sounds in the upper lobes but nothing in the lower––she probably has blood in her lungs. I have not put in a chest tube since residency, but if she needs one, I had Stephanie bring up the supplies,” Nancy finished her dissertation of Pam’s wounds.

“I’m a pediatrician, Debbie. She needs Mike and Bruce. I did the best I could,” Nancy said, looking at Debbie.

“I know you did, Nancy. That’s all we can do,” Debbie said.

The family had a lot of medical equipment that had once again been bought on eBay. What could not be bought online, Mike and Nancy ordered with their medical licenses. A corner of the basement was set up as a small ER. It could not compare to a hospital in the US, but it could match a hospital in a third-world country.

“What are her chances?” Debbie asked.

“That she even made it here is a miracle. If she makes it through the night, she stands a good chance. We may have to give her some blood. She thinks she is A positive, so we can get blood from Matt who is O negative, or Steve, Jake, or Mary, who are O positive. I would prefer to use them first,” Nancy said, looking back to the den.

“I wish Bruce had put that son of a bitch in a wheelchair,” Nancy said.

“If the cops would not have stopped him, he would have,” Debbie replied.

“I’m going to check on Pam,” Nancy said, walking to the den.

“I’m going to make lunch and take it to everyone while they work. You and I will have to take watch tonight. Can you move Pam into mission control? That way you can watch her and the monitors tonight,” Debbie asked.

“Yeah,” Nancy replied. “Tonya and I will set up a bed in front of the desk and move her in after lunch.”

Debbie fixed lunch and brought one of the buggies to the back door. It was after noon when she started her rounds, dropping food off. She pulled up to the fort first, taking Danny some food. Danny was sitting in a chair looking out the windows and glancing down at the monitors. Debbie asked her how she was doing, and Danny said she was okay and asked about Pam. Debbie told her what she knew, and after making sure Danny’s radio was charged, Debbie left to take food to the boys.

As she got on the buggy, Mary called over the radio that someone was walking down the road. Mary reported that whoever it was looked infected––his or her skin was blue. Debbie called over the radio that everyone was to continue with what they were doing, that it was only one, and everyone had a job to do.

Debbie then told Danny over the radio as she was driving to the back of the farm for her to report when she saw the person walking down the road. Danny said she understood. Debbie drove around the house to the barn. When she pulled up to the back of the barn, she saw the metal trunk sitting beside the hole the boys had dug. She called on the radio and asked the boys where they were. They said they were in the east field digging to China.

Debbie took off to the east field. The back of the farm had a small twenty-acre fenced area in each rear corner that they rotated the horses and cows in. With over a dozen horses and three cows, they rotated the animals about every three months from field to field. Now all the animals were in the west field. Between the fields was a strip of land with the fish pond. You could reach the fence on the north side of the farm, or the back of the farm, as the family referred to it. Once you opened the fence on the back, it went into a thirty-yard clearing then it went into the National Forest. Bruce had thrown a fit to keep a cleared area around the chain-link fence except the front where the road was.

Debbie pulled through the gate the boys had left open. She saw several of the goats running toward her thinking she had food for them. The goats did not stay in the fields; they roamed the entire 110 acres that was surrounded by the ten-foot chain-link fence. The goats rarely went in front of the house. After Bruce had caught one standing on the hood of his truck, he started shooting them with paintballs. With that lesson, the goats did not get on top of vehicles anymore. Debbie saw the boys pulling up a metal trunk out of a hole as she pulled up.

The boys were covered in sweat. They had taken off their tactical vests and BDU tops in the liquid heat. Matt was off to the side holding his M-4, watching the other three bring out the case. Each case weighed several hundred pounds, so it was not an easy task. Debbie had been there when Bruce and Mike put them in the ground. She knew what the boys were accomplishing, and she was so proud of them.

She stopped the buggy, telling the boys to put the case on the back. As they put the case on the back, she told them to move over to an oak tree about twenty yards away. When she stopped the buggy, they gathered around. The boys each grabbed a bottle of water, draining them. When she asked them if they had been drinking water, they all said yes but they ran out about an hour ago. Debbie told them they could not work in this heat without drinking a lot of water. Steve told her each of them had drank at least a gallon, and they were going to get some more after this case. Debbie called on the radio and told Stephanie to get on a buggy and bring the boys some water.

While the boys were talking to each other about digging a hole during August in Louisiana, Danny called over the radio. She was watching the person walking down the road, and she confirmed that he or she was infected. Debbie asked her if she had a shot yet, and Danny replied that she would in a few seconds. Debbie told Danny when she had a shot to take it, and only a head shot. Danny said she understood.

As Debbie was getting back in the buggy, heading back to the house, and the boys were heading to the next case, her radio went off. Danny reported that the infected was down and had fallen into the ditch on the opposite side of the road. Debbie told her good work and continued to the house. Parking the buggy by the back patio beside the pool, Debbie called Nancy and Tonya to help her get the case off the back of the buggy. While they came to the back, Debbie plugged the buggy back up.

After the three had set the case by the back door, they all went inside. Debbie gave a shiver as the air conditioner dried the sweat on her body. She set her weapon in the rack and started supper. Nancy went back to Pam in mission control with Tonya in tow.

At sunset, the boys had gotten all the cases up and moved them to the back porch. Nancy informed everyone that Pam needed blood. Nancy asked Mary if she would go first because the boys had been out in the heat, and she did not want to stress their bodies. Mary said she would. They all gathered around the table, except Mary, who was still in mission control, and Stephanie, who had relieved Danny in the fort. They bowed their heads in prayer when Debbie’s phone rang.

She grabbed it, looking at the display, and started crying. It had been sent at 3 p.m.––four hours ago. The message was simple: “Made it to trailer. It’s bad here hope not there. Will have to walk home so will take several days to a week, have guest. We will make it home baby I love you.”

They all jumped up, hugging each other, crying with joy. The duo was okay and coming home to the family. Everyone sat down happy with the good news. After they had finished, Nancy took Mary to mission control and used a blood transfer device to give Pam some blood.

A blood transfer device was only a tube with a syringe in the middle and a one way valve. One pulled the syringe back, and it pulled blood from the donor, and when pushed, it moved the blood to the recipient. Hospitals used them on infants but the donor end was connected to a unit of blood.

Debbie called on the intercom that she was coming to relieve Stephanie in the fort. When she got to the fort and climbed up the ladder, Stephanie opened the door for her.

“Glad to hear from the duo, huh?” Stephanie asked, smiling.

“Stephanie, I was getting so worried. I need Bruce here. I feel like I’m not making the right decisions here. The crazy thing is I need Mike here almost as bad. It’s like a part of my body is missing,” Debbie confided to her.

“Yes, the mold was definitely broken after those two were made. Bruce needs Mike to control his temper. Mike needs Bruce to let him know when it’s time to kick ass. Separate they can be beaten, but together nobody stands a chance,” Stephanie said, grabbing Debbie’s hand and holding it to her chest. “You have no idea what it means to me for this family to call me a part of it. I have talked to this family more than my own since I went to Atlanta. I would call them, but they were busy, and we just did not talk. When we got reports that Boston was lost, I did feel loss. My family was never close like this, and I feel so honored to be able to say this is my family.”

She continued, “I have to admit that I never saw myself learning to shoot guns, hunt, fish, learning combat tactics and learning how to survive. The day that Bruce and Mike invited me to this farm was the best day of my life. Everyone took me in, and I have more happy memories here than my own home. With mom and dad at the law firm, I grew up with housekeepers. The two years I was in Atlanta, I came here, home, more than I went to Boston. I do mourn my parents and my brother, but if anything were to happen to any of you, I think I would die.”

“Stephanie, we all love you. That is why the kids call you aunt. They don’t even call their real aunts that. When I saw you get out of that car the first day, I knew you would be part of this family. Even though the boys followed around the beautiful woman like puppies for the first few months you were out here,” Debbie said.

“Boys?” Stephanie said, taken back.

“Steve, Jake, Matt, and David,” Debbie said.

“I was fixing to say Bruce and Mike look at no women like they look at you and Nancy. I have seen plenty of others at the university try, but you two are their world,” Stephanie said.

“I know. I had to have a few words with a few women up there,” Debbie informed her.

“I did too; I did not want the duo to get in trouble,” Stephanie said, laughing.

“You go on in and get some rest. I need you come back at 1 a.m. to relieve me. Tell Tonya to take over for Nancy in mission control,” Debbie told her.

“Will do,” Stephanie said, walking out of the fort.

Debbie sat down in the chair and leaned her AUG against the wall, taking out her cell phone. She reread the message again with a smile on her face. Her Bruce was on the way home. In regular times, it would only take twenty-four hours of straight walking to get here, but the duo was packing a lot of gear. Thinking about it, Debbie concluded that they had others with them so it would take them longer. That could only be what he meant by taking a week with guest. She knew how fast Bruce and Mike could hike even with the gear they were carrying. That could only mean others. She said a silent prayer for them, then one for the family. She sat looking out the window with a smile on her face. Not much longer.

Chapter 27

Bruce sped down the road heading to Market Street, and from there they would hit I-220 to cross the Red River and head to Haughton. Driving through deserted neighborhoods at sixty miles per hour, dodging stalled cars, Bruce made the little Mini’s engine scream. They looked out the windows at the world speeding by. Infected were everywhere they looked.

They were two miles from Market Street when Bruce saw a group of infected running toward them on the road. Shifting down, Bruce stomped on the gas, heading toward the small mob.

“This is not the beast,” Mike reminded Bruce as he steered the car toward them.

When the small mob was only ten yards away, Bruce yanked the emergency brake up, cranking the steering wheel to the left. The little Mini whipped around, and Bruce dropped to reverse, stomping on the gas.

Thumps of bodies sounded as Bruce plowed the Mini backward through the group. When the thumps started getting fewer, Bruce spun the steering wheel, whipping the front around and sending several infected airborne. Never losing forward momentum, Bruce shoved the shifter in third, dumping the clutch. The tires smoked until, gripping the asphalt shooting the Mini forward.

Bruce had to dodge several more that wandered onto the road, only clipping a few leaving more dents on the Mini. Coming up to Market, the road was blocked with a large pile-up. Bruce did not even hit the brakes as he turned the wheel, jumping the curb to the sidewalk. Driving down the sidewalk, Bruce clipped an infected woman, sending her airborne. She landed on the hood as Bruce sped down the sidewalk. The infected woman looked through the window at them, hissing. Lifting his hand off the gearshift, Bruce shot her the finger. When the Mini reached the end of the sidewalk, it went airborne. Landing with a shower of sparks, the infected woman bounced on the hood. Bruce spun the wheel, turning left down Market, and the woman slid off, hitting the pavement hard.

Continuing the wild ride, Cade was laughing with all the bouncing and weaving down the road. Angela and Alex each had an arm around him to comfort Cade, but to him this was just a fun ride. Bruce sped up to eighty miles per hour as they crossed Herne, the last large intersection they would go through. Just as they cleared the intersection, Mike’s window exploded from a gunshot, showering him in glass.

Cade stopped laughing at the sound of the gunshot. Bruce floored the gas, running the speedometer up to a hundred miles per hour, weaving back and forth across the two lanes. Looking in his mirror, Bruce thought he saw movement coming out of a pharmacy. Off in the distance, they could hear large explosions through Mike’s blown-out window.

“Keep down in case they come out on the road,” Bruce said, wishing for a rocket engine under the hood.

“Would you please quite weaving so much?” Mike pleaded, almost pulling the “oh shit” handle off the roof.

“Can’t. It is a lot harder to hit a moving target,” Bruce replied, passing a stalled semi in the outside lane then whipping back in front of it. He would use it as a shield from whoever shot at them. Coming up on the ramp, Bruce slowed to sixty miles per hour, making the turn like the Mini was on rails then flooring the Mini again, pulling onto the interstate. The Red River Bridge was right in front of them. As Bruce started to reach the peak, he lifted his foot off the gas. When they topped the bridge, he slammed on the brakes, pulled the emergency brake, and turned the wheel hard to the right. There was a large pile-up in front of them, and they had stopped less than a foot from a car that was upside down. They sat there for a few seconds with the engine idling.

“The westbound side is clear,” Bruce said, motioning to the other side of the bridge over the concrete divider.

He released the brake, put it in first, popped the clutch, and headed back down the bridge. At the bottom of the bridge, he eased the Mini on the grass, crossing the median. Once he was back on pavement, he floored the Mini, squealing the tires with each change of the gears. “Kind of feels weird going the wrong direction on the interstate,” Bruce said to all of them. His passengers were all wide-eyed, wanting the amusement ride to end. Once they cleared the bridge, Bruce just stayed on the westbound side. When Bruce could see for a distance, he ran the Mini up to 120 miles per hour, flooring the gas.

“Bruce, if we go much faster, we are going to go back in time,” Mike yelled with the wind beating in the open window.

“Hard to hit a fast target, brother,” Bruce yelled back. “This is as fast as it will go with all of the weight in it. Jake and I had it up to 140 after we souped up the engine. Unless we hit the nitro,” Bruce said, yelling at Mike to be heard over the air coming through the broken window. Mike snapped his head, looking at Bruce with the mention of nitro.

As they ran through Bossier off to the right, they could see planes taking off from the Air Force base. They could see other planes making passes in the distance, dropping bombs and making gun runs in Bossier and Shreveport. A helicopter flew over them heading to the base. Before they lost sight of the chopper, they saw it release several missiles off of its side.

Seeing that, Bruce reached up, flipping the nitro switch and giving Mike a heart attack. When the nitro hit the engine, it let out a loud whine, pinning everyone to the seats and Bruce let out another rebel yell. The speedometer slammed down on 140, the max, as the Mini shot down the interstate.

As they approached the Haughton exit, Bruce yelled, “When we stop, Angela, you stay in the car with Cade. I want everyone to get out and put on a vest we took from the soldiers and grab a weapon. Alex, after you get yours on, get Cade, then Angela, you put on the last vest and weapon. I am going to lead, you two stay in the middle. Mike, you protect our six.”

Everyone nodded as Bruce pulled off the interstate, turning off the nitro. The Mini shot through intersection into the race track parking lot, going airborne several times. It was full of vehicles parked in every direction. Bruce weaved through the lot until he came to the far side of the parking lot that bordered I-20. He pulled up to the horse area and stopped the car in a cloud of smoke.

“Is everyone all right?” Bruce asked, grabbing his door handle.

“I don’t know. Are we finished?” Alex asked, waiting for the car to fly again.

A grinning Bruce nodded, jumping out and heading to the back of the Mini. He grabbed a vest and put it on, ignoring the blood he felt. He then grabbed the SAW, making sure the belt had not kinked and a round was chambered then flicking the safety off. He shoved his .45 with the suppressor still attached inside the vest.

Mike got out and put on a vest, grabbing an M-4 with a 203, with Alex doing the same. Mike ran over the weapon, making sure it was loaded and a grenade was in the tube. Alex only knew how to check the M-4 and left the 203 alone. Then Alex went to the door, grabbing Cade as Angela went to the back and put on a vest and grabbed a plain M-4. With her little frame, the vest swallowed her, with the bottom stopping at her thighs. She checked the M-4 like Mike had instructed her and Alex when they had gone to the car and waited on Bruce. Alex kept Cade as they walked to the front of the Mini where Bruce was standing.

Bruce looked at the Mini with a little sadness. It was covered in dents, and steam was pouring out from under the body. Several different fluids were pooling under the engine. With regret, Bruce turned and looked around. He could not see anyone, but he felt like someone was watching them. Turning back to look the way they had come, he could see figures walking toward them and a few running.

He turned to the group. “Don’t fire unless you have to. Remember, infected are attracted to sound,” he said as another explosion shook the ground. Bruce reached inside the Mini, taking the information packet out of the glove box with the insurance and information. Tucking it in his shirt, Bruce just had the feeling they were being watched, and he did not want to leave an address behind.

Nodding at Mike, Bruce turned and started to walk along the side of the building that housed the stands for the racetrack. He adjusted the SAW until it hung loosely off his shoulder pointing forward. As the group walked in the shadow of the building, a door opened in front of them on the side of the building. Four thugs walked out with pants down to the knees. One held a pump shotgun, and two others held what looked like .22s, rifles, with the last one holding a bat. The one with the shotgun acted like the leader. They stood shoulder to shoulder as the leader held up his hand.

“Now, you bitches, we want some of the guns you have. Since we are hardcore gangsters, we could kill you and take them, but if we kill you the blues will show up with the gunshots. So just put the guns down and run off like punks,” he said, with the others laughing.

“Blues?” Bruce asked in a flat tone.

“Infected, you stupid motherfucker. Now hurry up, we know you white motherfuckers can’t shoot someone,” head thug said, flashing his gold front teeth.

“You need to leave,” Bruce warned.

“I’m fixing to take the bitch and-,” he started to say as Bruce raised the SAW, pulling the trigger. Moving the gun from side to side, he hit all four in the chests and abdomens. Releasing the trigger, Bruce stared at the thugs squirming on the ground yelling, with hot brass rolling around his feet. His ears were ringing, so it took a few seconds to hear Cade crying.

He turned and looked at everyone. Cade had his face buried in Alex’s chest, with his hands over his ears, crying. The only weird look he got was from Mike like, ‘Why did you even have to talk?’

“We have got to move,” Bruce told them, turning as he took off at a slow jog. The lack of sleep was taking its toll on him and the others. He did not want to tell them that he had already had some visual hallucinations. On the interstate, he swore he passed a monkey riding a hippo. They had to get some sleep before they made a mistake that would kill them.

They got to the back of the racetrack and walked into the woods. Walking through the woods, they could see houses through breaks in the trees. They would occasionally hear a scream or gunfire coming from around them, but they continued forward. Then they would hear an explosion from Shreveport. They came out of the trees to the road that went to the trailer park. Bruce turned and looked at everyone, whispering to stay close. The entrance to the trailer park was only a hundred yards down the road, which they ran.

When they entered the trailer park, they ran to the closest trailer and crouched down beside it, listening. The park had three rows like teeth of a fork; each had trailers on each side. There were over a hundred and fifty trailers in this park, and their trailer was on the last fork at the end of the lane.

Bruce stood and told everyone to stay close as he slung the SAW across his back and pulled out the .45. The easiest way would have been to cut through the rows, but many of the trailers had fences around the yards, so Bruce took off down the front to the last lane with everyone in single file. They turned into the last lane at a fast jog and continued to the end until they made it to the trailer. Everyone came in under the carport awning. Bruce motioned Mike to open the door.

Mike reached into his messenger bag and pulled out the keys and started to turn the three locks. He noticed several new dents in the door but did not think anything of it. As he turned the last lock, they heard a scream from a trailer behind them. They all dropped down to their knees. Mike opened the door, motioning Alex and Angela to get inside with Cade. They ran past him up the stairs into the trailer. Mike then called for Bruce to come over.

“Where do you think it came from?” Mike asked.

“Behind us to the left. One of the trailers there,” Bruce replied looking in that direction.

“Well, let’s get inside, brother,” Mike said, waiting for Bruce.

“No, I’m going to see what that was,” Bruce told him, taking the SAW off and handing it to Mike.

“Bruce, we are physically exhausted. We have to rest,” Mike said firmly.

“Mike, get your ass inside and wait for me. If I’m not back in a few hours then I won’t be back. If I come running, get ready to leave fast,” Bruce told him.

“You have an hour then I’m coming for you,” Mike popped off, really wanting to shake some reason into Bruce.

“You will not come after me. Someone has to make it back,” Bruce said in a harsh tone.

“Then I guess you better make it back. Bruce, just remember, you can boss a lot of people but not me,” Mike replied flatly. “I follow you because I love you and believe in you. Not because I’m a subordinate to you.”

“I’m sorry, brother,” Bruce apologized, looking at Mike. “I will be back shortly.”

Bruce headed to the backyard. There was a six-foot wood fence around the yard, and he approached the fence, pausing and listening. He did not hear anything close, so with his pistol in his right hand, he jumped over the fence and landed in a crouch behind a trailer. Staying low, he sat and listened. He heard the scream again and knew it came from the next trailer over on his left. Still staying low, he moved behind the trailer to his front. The scream was coming from the next one. He stopped at the corner of the trailer and looked around the corner. He saw a Cadillac Escalade parked on the street in front of the trailer with the screams. Bruce crept up to what he believed should be the living room window, glancing inside quickly then pulling his head back. There were three men standing around the room with two people on the floor.

He could make a guess as to what was happening but pushed it out of his mind. With his mind already having trouble holding a thought, Bruce had to stay focused. Circling the trailer, Bruce eased up the steps to the back door. Reaching the top, he put his hand on the doorknob and said a little prayer as he turned it. The knob turned as he eased the door open, moving inside quickly then closing the door gently before someone noticed the light it let in. He held his .45 in a two-handed grip, easing down the hall.

What he saw would give him nightmares for the rest of his life. A young woman was laid out on the floor of the living room with a white man no older than twenty-five raping her. Standing all around her were three of the punk’s buddies, cheering him on. One of the buddies was holding a naked little girl around ten by the wrist. Just then the one holding the little girl told the crying woman, “Bitch, you better make us like it, or we are going to start on your daughter soon,” he threatened as they all laughed when the mother started pleading for her child.

Bruce had seen and heard enough for a lifetime of nightmares. Lining up the sights with the closest buddy’s head, Bruce pulled the trigger. The .45 coughed once, causing the one holding the little girl to look up from the show as his buddy hit the floor. All he got to see was a flash as a .45 slug hit him between the eyes. As the first man hit the floor, the last buddy standing turned to the hall and was shot before he even got to see Bruce. The man raping the lady on the floor never paid any attention. A .45 with a suppressor is not silent; it’s about as loud as a single clap of the hands. But this man never even heard it.

The small girl was staring at Bruce when he walked up and kicked the man in the side of the face, knocking him off the woman. He rolled off, thinking one of his buddies had done it until he saw Bruce move toward him. He raised his hands to protect himself from Bruce, but it was too late. Bruce raised his foot, stomping on the man’s face, knocking him out. The little girl ran to her mother, hugging her as they cried softly together.

Rage was flowing through Bruce like he had felt long ago, and it felt good. He rolled the rapist onto his stomach, pulling out his knife and stuffing his pistol in his vest. He ran his left hand down the rapist’s spine until he got to an area between the top of his shoulder blades. Bruce the rammed the tip of the knife into the rapist’s spine, severing it as the man screamed but did not move. Bruce turned to the mother and child, both naked holding each other. Bruce put his knife up, holding up his hands, showing them he meant no harm to them. The mother let out a long breath and started crying again. Bruce started toward her when he looked down at her right arm and saw a bite mark. It looked at least one day old and was very small, like a child’s bite.

“Did the assholes do that, ma’am?” Bruce asked the mother.

“No, one of the kids in the neighborhood did yesterday when I went to help someone. We hid while the Army came making everyone leave. Then one of the ladies at the front of the park was attacked by some infected kids. I tried to help her but couldn’t save her and still got bitten. My name is Karen Summers. Are you one of the doctors and nurses who stay on the next row?” she asked Bruce with hope on her face.

“Yes, I am. My name is Bruce Williams. Is the little one bit also?” he asked, dreading the answer.

“No, she was inside. Her name is Bridgett,” Karen said. She looked up at Bruce with tears running down her face and said, “I prayed for you, I want you to know. I asked God to send someone to rescue Bridgett, and He answered my prayers. In the middle of this hell, He answered my prayers. Bruce, I have to ask you please. I need you to take Bridgett and protect her for me. I know I have no right to ask except as a mother,” Karen pleaded to Bruce.

“No, Mama, I don’t want to leave you,” Bridgett cried.

Karen pulled her back, looking the little girl in the face. “Mama is sick and is going to turn into one of those monster blue people soon. I will hurt you. You have seen it. Now I want you to be quiet while I talk to Mr. Bruce, okay,” Karen said to the little girl.

“Bruce, I don’t have long. I can feel my body changing. Please give me an answer,” Karen begged.

Bruce looked at Karen. She had made no effort in covering herself. Her only concern was her little girl. Bruce nodded his head yes and said, “You have to tell her to do what I say no matter what. If I say run she runs till she drops, she must obey what I say so she doesn’t get us killed.” Bruce stated his condition.

“Bridgett, I want you to listen to me. From now on, you are to do exactly as Bruce says. He is your parent and guardian now. No matter what he says, you are to do it, okay?” Karen said to her in a pleading voice. “Promise me.”

“I promise, Mama,” the little girl cried.

“Will you help me to the bedroom, Bruce? I don’t feel good.” Karen said. “They say you can’t feel the turn, but I swear I do. It’s like being drained of life but with no pain.”

Bruce knelt down next to her, picking her up, taking her to the back bedroom, placing her in the bed, and covering her up. The little girl followed him into the room. Bruce looked down at her. “Bridgett, do you have a backpack and some good walking boots?” he asked.

“Yes sir, the one I use for school and the boots I wear to Girl Scout camp,” she said.

“I want you to go to your room and get jeans, socks, panties, and shirts. Put them on the bed with your backpack, okay?,” Bruce instructed. Bridgett took a long look at her mother and left to do as she was told.

When Bruce turned back to Karen, her breathing had changed. It was starting to sound raspy, shallow, and slow. Her skin had a light blue tint to it, and her body was really cold to the touch.

“Where is her birth certificate, stuff like that, in case this madness ever ends, and where is her father?” Bruce asked.

“Her father is in prison, and she has never seen him. In the kitchen on the counter there is a big Bible––it has all of our records in it,” Karen said softly. “I can’t say I’m grateful enough to you. I felt like they were going to kill me then rape my baby then kill her. If I get to heaven or hell, I will watch over you and your family for this. It is the only payment I can offer.”

“I will protect Bridgett, and I will show her how to protect herself. Rest at ease about her. I will do my best,” Bruce promised.

“I’m done, Mr. Bruce,” Bridgett said, running back into the room.

“Come here and tell your mama bye. She won’t be here much longer,” Bruce told her.

Bridgett came up to the side of the bed and kissed her mama on the cheek. “I love you, Mama, and I will always miss you,” she said, with tears running down her face.

“I will always be with you. Now you have to be my hero, okay, and remember your promise,” Karen said in a weak whisper.

“I will always keep my promise, Mama,” Bridgett said.

Karen looked up at Bruce and said, “She will be twelve in October, but she acts much more mature. She has already skipped a grade because she is so smart. Thank you, Bruce, for answering my prayer.” Karen closed her eyes as her breathing became shallower.

Bruce knew what was coming and had to get the girl out. He pulled her from the room, closing the door.

“We have to go now before your mama tries to hurt us,” Bruce said.

He walked her down the hall to Bridgett’s room, and on her bed were the clothes he told her to lay out with a blue backpack next to them. Grabbing several blue jeans, a lot of socks and panties, then shirts, Bruce threw them in the backpack. It was stuffed full, but they could fold them later. Walking out, Bruce looked on her dresser and saw a baseball glove. Beside it was a pair of batting gloves. He picked them up, putting them in the stuffed pack. He told Bridgett to wait there as he went into the kitchen to get the Bible. As he stepped over bodies, the rapist started to cry. Bruce stopped and looked down at him and grabbed him by one arm, pulling him down the hallway into Karen’s room.

“I can’t move my arm’s and legs,” the rapist said, crying.

“I know. I cut your spinal cord. When Karen turns, she will have a fresh meal,” Bruce said with an evil grin. As he reached for the door, Bruce stopped, grabbing one of the rapist’s fingers and breaking it. The man let out a cry as Bruce’s grin broadened into a smile. He could still feel pain, Bruce thought, opening the door and dragging the rapist in the room.

Leaving him at the foot of the bed, Bruce looked in the bed and could not see any breathing from Karen. Her skin was a much darker blue. Backing out of the room, closing the door, and walking to Bridgett’s room, Bruce stopped, picking up Bridgett in his arms. He saw a picture on the wall that was taken very recently of Bridgett and her mother, so he grabbed it. Then Bruce grabbed one just of Bridgett. Walking to the front door, he picked up the Bible. Just then, a thought crossed his mind.

“Bridgett, was there any more mean men?” Bruce asked.

“Yes sir, there were two more but they left a long time ago. They said they wanted to score weed,” she said, crying.

“Bridgett, you can’t cry now, there is evil outside this door. You crying can get us both killed. We both will cry for your mama later, I promise,” Bruce told her, looking into her tear-streaked face.

Bruce put her down before going out the door, looking at her, realizing she had never put on any clothes. “Bridgett, why didn’t you put on some clothes?” he asked her.

“You did not tell me to,” she said, wiping tears off her face.

Bruce pulled his scrub top off from under his vest, which was no easy feat, but he still did it quickly. He put the dirty scrub top on Bridgett along with the stuffed backpack. Giving her the small hiking boots to hold, Bruce kept the pictures and Bible in his left hand.

“When we go outside, I don’t care what you see, you do not scream. Do you understand?” he asked.

“Yes sir,” she replied with determination.

Bruce changed magazines in the .45 then he slowly opened the front door. He had only been in the house for forty minutes, but to his body and mind it seemed like years. Stepping onto the deck with his new shadow, Bruce closed the door gently. As they walked off the stairs, he heard voices coming toward him. Grabbing Bridgett, Bruce jumped over the railing behind the deck. They waited for a few minutes, kneeling down as two men appeared from the front of the trailer. Both had on baggy pants, and tattoos covered both of their arms. Each was laughing as they stepped up onto the deck, heading inside, as one said, “I hope there is some of that bitch left.” The other replied, “There was still the little girl,” which made both laugh. As one reached for the door, Bruce stood up. Taking aim at their knees, he fired four shots, hitting each one in the knees.

They both started yelling as Bruce jumped back over the railing. Running up to the pieces of shit, Bruce pulled guns from their waistbands. Giving each a quick pat down and not finding any more weapons, he jumped off the deck. Picking up the Bible and picture off the ground where he left them in his left hand, Bruce scooped up Bridgett with his right arm and ran. When he got to the fence behind their trailer, he sat Bridgett on top of it then swung himself over. When Bruce landed, he was looking down the barrel of Mike’s SCAR.

“I was coming to look for you,” Mike said, breathing heavily.

“Well, you found me,” Bruce replied, handing him the Bible and picture. Then, turning back, Bruce picked up Bridgett off the top of the fence.

“What happened?” Mike asked, seeing the dark look on Bruce’s face.

“Later,” Bruce replied.

Just then two screams filled the air. Mike spun around with his SCAR, pointing it at the back fence. “What the fuck is that?” Mike said in a quiet voice.

“Justice,” Bruce replied, pulling Mike into the trailer as the screams filled the air. Right before Bruce closed the door, he was certain he heard another muffled scream coming from inside the trailer he had just left.

Chapter 28

After Bruce shut the door, he went into the kitchen telling everyone what had happened. Mike had immediately wanted to go over and burn the corpses. Bruce told him justice was still alive.

Bruce introduced Bridgett to everyone. For the first time, he really got to see her. She had long blond hair with Shirley Temple curls. Her eyes were a dark blue set in a face that looked like it came from a doll. Granted, she was filthy like the rest of them, but he could see she was a pretty young girl. She was a little short for her age with a slight muscle tone to her body. He hoped she was as strong as she looked because they had one long hike ahead of them through hell.

After Bruce had left on his little excursion, Mike had pulled out all the gear, laying it out on the living room floor. They had waited in case they had to take off running again. Each of them knew that if they had to run much further, they would die. Nobody had anything left to give. Bruce looked up at Angela and told her to take a shower. Clapping her hands, smiling, Angela picked up Cade and left for the shower. Alex asked her not to use all the hot water. Then Mike informed him that they had hot water on demand; it would not run out.

Stripping down to his underwear, Bruce walked over to his pack, tactical vest, and SCAR lying on the floor. He was going to have to dump some gear to make room for the weapons they had picked up. Before he sat down, he looked over on the couch, and Bridgett was just sitting there watching him in his filthy scrub top. Shaking his head, Bruce walked to the back room, opening a dresser and pulling out a clean shirt. Turning to take it to Bridgett, he almost stepped on her as she followed behind him. Shaking his head again, Bruce reached down, pulling off the dirty shirt, and put the clean one on Bridgett. Then Bruce walked back to the living room, throwing the shirt in the pile of clothes he was going to put in the garbage.

He sat down on the floor to go through his gear as Bridgett sat down beside him looking up at him. “What?” he asked her.

“When can I cry for Mama?” she asked.

A lump caught in his throat. He held out his arms, and Bridgett walked over and sat in his lap. “When we get home, you and I will sit in the chair in the game room. Then we both will cry for your mama together. Right now you have to stay strong because we have a long fight ahead of us getting home. You have to hold that sadness in because if you let it out now, you might make a mistake and get us killed,” Bruce told her, rubbing her head. “Do you understand, Bridgett?” he asked.

“Yes sir. I have to be a hero for Mama,” she replied.

“What did your mama call you?” Mike asked from the kitchen.

“She called me Buffy,” Bridgett said.

“Like the vampire slayer Buffy?” Bruce asked grinning.

“Yeah, she said I could change the world like her,” she replied.

“Well then, Buffy, I have to say your mother was right. Now bring me your backpack,” Bruce told her.

As she got up, she hugged Bruce then got her pack, bringing it over to Bruce. Bruce asked Mike to throw him a box of Ziploc freezer bags. Bruce pulled out the wadded up clothes and neatly folded the pants, placing them at the bottom of the bag. Then he did the same with the shirts. Next he put all of her socks and underwear in a Ziploc bag, sealing it up and placing it in the pack. Bruce asked Buffy to bring him the Bible. Bruce went through it, removing pictures, Social Security cards, birth certificates, newspaper clippings, and other important family memorable items. When he had gotten all the papers out, he placed them in a freezer bag. The papers alone were about nine pounds of paper. He slid it to the side of her pack. Taking the family Bible was out of the question. It was twenty inches tall, twenty inches wide, and at least ten inches thick, weighing an easy twenty-five. The Bible alone would have taken up most of Bridgett’s pack with not much room to spare. Bruce was going to be close to his max carry weight after he added the weapons, so he decided to leave it here. Maybe one day he could come back for it for Buffy. Angela came into the living room with a towel around her head and Cade wrapped in a towel. Bruce told Buffy to go into the bathroom and get a toothbrush and toothpaste from under the sink. They always bought them in bulk, so Buffy went and grabbed them and put them in her pack.

As Angela was hitting Alex to wake him up to take a shower, Bruce was teaching Buffy how to find stuff in her pack by touch and placement. Alex woke up and walked down the hall to take a shower. Bruce told Buffy to get four bottles of water from the kitchen, and he put them in her pack. Then he started going through his gear.

He took out the two sets of BDUs. He would only take the pair that he would wear, leaving the second here. Then, disassembling one M-4 that had the M-203, Bruce placed it in his pack. When he got home, he would put the grenade launcher on his SCAR, but he did not have the tools here. Grabbing a ballistic vest, Bruce stripped the web gear off of it. Cleaning the blood off of it, Bruce then put his tactical vest over it, attaching the two together.

Next, the holster on his tactical vest that was on his chest for a cross draw, he cut the end out of it so he could put the .45 in it with the suppressor on. It would stick out with the added seven inches, but he wanted at least one of his pistols ready with a suppressor. The suppressor for the 1911 .45 he would keep in his pack for now. Grabbing his boots, Bruce put a new coat of polish on them. Then he disassembled the SCAR, cleaning it and putting it back together. With his pack and new tactical vest, he figured that they weighed about ninety pounds together after he put thirty forty-millimeter grenades in his pack. Then the SAW he would attach to the side of his pack, plus with the hand grenades he had, Bruce figured he would be toting roughly one hundred and thirty pounds of gear.

Mike had moved his gear into the kitchen, putting it on the table. He was going through his pack to see what he would leave also. He set up his pack almost identical to Bruce’s, so if one went down, the other would know where equipment would be in the other’s pack.

While the two were working on their packs, Angela was fixing something to eat. Cade was sitting at her feet playing with a book he had found. Alex came back from his shower and looked like he felt a lot better. Bruce told Mike to go ahead and take a shower. Looking at Bruce, Mike did not argue at all as he trotted to the shower. If Mike did not argue, Bruce knew that Mike was running on empty. They could get some sleep and hopefully leave tomorrow morning.

After Angela finished fixing something to eat, she started feeding Cade, who liked it a lot. Bruce got up to fix him and Buffy something to eat when he looked at the monitors to the cameras outside. There were two infected walking down the road in front of the trailer. When Angela turned to see what he was looking at, she took in a sharp breath.

Bruce assured her that they could not hear them in the trailer with the reinforced walls, and all the shutters were closed over the windows. Unless someone beat on the walls, they would never know they were here. The air conditioner was a quiet model and could not be heard unless you were standing next to it. Plus, with the power still on, all the trailers’ air would be running. He told her and Alex about all the work they had done here. Then Bruce started telling them about the farm when Mike walked in from his shower with a freshly shaved face and buzz-cut hair.

Mike told Bruce to go take a shower. As Bruce got up, so did Buffy, following him to the shower. Bruce looked down at her and said, “You can take a shower before me or after, but the bathroom is off limits until I get out.”

“You are not leaving me, Mr. Bruce,” she told him in a firm little voice.

“Buffy, you just heard me tell Angela and Alex that we are safe in here, okay,” Bruce tried to reason with her.

“I will stand at the door and close my eyes,” she said, looking up at him.

“Whatever,” Bruce replied. He was too tired to argue now. The others were just looking at the two, smiling.

Bruce took his shower with Buffy at the door with her hands over her eyes. After he had shaved his head, he got out and dried off. He told Buffy to get in and wash; he was going into the kitchen and would be right back. First he went to the bedroom and put on some lounge pants then walked to the kitchen.

When Bruce reached the kitchen, Mike asked, “Where is your little shadow?”

“In the shower,” Bruce replied then turned to look at Angela. “Angela, will you go and look her over and make sure those assholes did not hurt her?” Bruce asked.

Angela jumped up and headed to the bathroom. Several minutes later, she returned, reporting Buffy was all right and had asked where Bruce was. Bruce headed back to the bathroom just as Buffy was getting out and drying off. She wrapped a towel around her as Bruce grabbed a brush off the countertop and brushed her hair. After he had finished she put her t-shirt back on that Bruce had gave her. They both walked back to the kitchen, where everyone was sitting around the table in a daze. Looking at the exhausted group, Bruce told Angela and Alex to sleep in his room with Cade. He and Buffy would sleep on the couch. Mike offered to let them have his bed, but Bruce said he did not like it. As everyone headed to bed, Bruce looked at his watch; it was 3 p.m. He walked over to his messenger bag and dug out his cell phone.

He looked at the display, and it had one bar. Normally it would be full here. He typed a message to his Debbie. The first good thing in his life was her. Everything else that was good in his life was because of her. From his kids to Mike and Nancy, it had been she who had come up with the idea of everyone going in together to get the farm. Yes, Bruce had wanted someplace to set up as a place to prepare, but it was Debbie who made it happen. She had followed him for his six years in the Army, four of those as a nurse. Then she only complained one time to Bruce for what he was turning into in the Army and with that one time he left the Army.

After he finished typing his message, the phone only said sending and stayed on that screen. Setting the phone on the bar, Bruce walked back to the couch and lay down. Just then a little girl squirmed in beside him, wrapping her arms around him. Turning on his side, Bruce put his arm under Buffy, pulling her off the edge of the couch.

“Who did you text, Mr. Bruce?” she asked.

“My wife, Debbie. I told her I was fine and I was coming home to her and the kids,” Bruce replied.

“Will they like me, Mr. Bruce?” she asked.

“Yes, Buffy, they will love you. You already have four older brothers and two older sisters,” he replied, pulling her close.

“Mr. Bruce, can I call you Daddy? I never had one,” she asked hopefully.

Bruce turned, looking down at her, and thought before answering, “Yes, you can call me Daddy if you like. You are part of our family now. My kids call Mr. Mike Daddy Mike and his wife Mama Nancy, and so can you, because family comes first.”

She reached up, kissing him on the cheek, and he pulled her closer to him as they both fell fast asleep in a world gone mad. Neither of them heard the phone chime several hours later that the message went through before the battery died. Everyone slept a dreamless sleep. There would be time enough for nightmares later.

Chapter 29

Bruce awoke to the sound of soft voices in the living room. Cracking his eyes open, he saw Buffy playing with Cade in the middle of the living room. They were watching a DVD on the TV, and Buffy was keeping Cade entertained. Bruce lifted his arm up to his face to look at his watch. It read 8 a.m. He plopped his arm back down––almost eighteen hours of sleep. Shit, that had to be some kind of record for him. Sitting up, Bruce saw Alex and Mike at the table drinking coffee with several spray bottles on the table between them as he pushed off the couch to join them.

“I checked your pulse several times this morning to make sure you were all right,” Mike said as Bruce poured some coffee.

“I feel like someone ran over me with a truck, brother,” Bruce said, taking a sip of coffee. Looking around, he asked, “Where’s Angela, and what’s in the bottles?”

“She is in the shower. When Mike told her we had to hike around eighty miles, she wanted to take one last shower,” Alex told him. “Get some food. It’s on the stove. Angela made some breakfast. The bottles are bleach and water to decontaminate stuff if we have to.”

Bruce said thanks, thinking that was a good idea as he grabbed some food, trying to make his body stop its protest to moving around. Getting old sucks, he thought. He was standing at the bar looking at the monitors, and there was nothing outside. Then Bruce looked down at his cell phone, finding it was dead. Oh well. I hope it went through, he thought. The charger was in the Mini, and he was not going to get it.

Mike, seeing Bruce look at the monitors and his cell phone, said, “I got up around 5 a.m. and saw a few infected walking down the road, but when the sun came up, they left. I don’t think they like sunlight. Angela was up before me, and she said there were a lot wandering around when she got up with Cade. Last night before I went to bed, I tried to send a text and call the farm but couldn’t. We have no Internet still, and the only TV broadcast is emergency broadcast system.”

Bruce just stood there shaking his head. The world was crashing too fast. None of the scenarios he had ever read or heard about predicted society to fall this fast. It had only been eight days since the virus arrived on the shores of America. In that time, society had almost collapsed. Bruce figured in another eight days it would be all gone if the rate stayed the same.

Just then Angela walked in drying her hair. She was wearing a pair of Bruce’s boxers and one of his shirts. Staring at her then, Bruce looked down at her little feet.

“Bruce, I have nothing to wear so I grabbed some of your clothes. Your wife’s panties will fit me but she has some big boobies, so I can’t wear her sports bras. Besides, you have seen me half naked––I have a right to some of your clothes,” Angela said, grinning.

“Angela, every woman at the house wears my t-shirts and boxers, so help yourself,” Bruce said, still looking at her feet.

“That is no lie; even my wife wears his boxers because I wear briefs,” Mike said, laughing.

“Bruce, why are you looking so hard at my feet. Do you have a foot fetish?” Angela asked, with Alex and Mike laughing.

“Actually, I do have a foot fetish, but those feet are eighty miles from here. I was just thinking we can’t leave yet. One of the uniforms we took off the soldiers will fit Alex, and one of the pairs of boots fit him. You can’t walk eighty miles in Crocs, Angela,” Bruce said, looking up at her. “We have to find you some shoes.”

“We are not going back into town. I will walk barefoot first,” she said firmly.

“We can check some of the trailers around here,” Bruce said, turning toward Buffy, who was still playing with Cade. “Buffy, is there anyone about the size of Angela that you know of in the trailer park that goes hunting?” he asked her.

After thinking for a minute, Buffy replied, “Yes, the Wallace’s who live right across from you. His wife is a little bigger than Angela, but his daughter is about her size. They always go hunting and stuff, so they should have some stuff for her to wear.”

“Mike, get dressed with everything but your pack. You will probably have to pick the lock for us to get in. You keep your SCAR out. I will put the suppressor on my XDM,” Bruce told him, going to his pack and pulling on his clothes. After he was dressed, he put on his knee and elbow pads. Then he pulled out the XDM and fitted the suppressor to it, chambering a round.

“Why aren’t you using the other .45?” Alex asked.

Bruce held up the 1911 and said, “Six rounds in a magazine.” He then held up the XDM, “Thirteen rounds in a magazine.” Alex nodded in understanding.

As Mike finished getting dressed, also putting on his knee and elbow pads, they walked to the front door. Buffy was right behind them, fully dressed. She had on her hiking boots, blue jeans, and a blue tank top. Bruce looked down at her and could see determination on her face.

“You can come, but you will keep your hand on me the whole time. If you see something, you are to squeeze my leg. You will not yell or talk, understand?” Bruce said.

“Yes, Daddy,” she replied.

“Now go and get your batting gloves on. When you are outside, they are to stay on,” Bruce said.

Mike just stared but did not voice his opinion as Buffy went to get her gloves. When she came back, Bruce asked Angela if she saw anything on the monitors. When she said all was clear, Bruce opened the door and walked out. Closing the door quietly behind them, they moved to the front of the trailer. Bruce stopped looking around and did not see anything moving. He led them across the road to the trailer that Buffy had pointed out. Keeping his pistol where his eyes looked, Bruce moved up to the front door. Bruce tried the handle, but it was locked, of course. He motioned for Mike to move up and pick the lock. This was one area that nobody could compete with Mike; he was a master lock pick. In less than thirty seconds, he had the door open, picking both the handle and the deadbolt.

Bruce went in first with Buffy and Mike following him in. When Mike entered, he closed the door gently behind them. They stood in the living room listening for any sound. Not hearing anything, they moved forward to the back of the trailer where the bedrooms were. There were clothes all over the house like someone left in a hurry. After they cleared the house, Bruce sent Mike into what could only be a girl’s room to look for what they needed. He and Buffy went into the master bedroom, and he opened the walk-in closet. One side was filled with a man’s clothes; the other was filled with women’s clothes. A section in the back held hunting camouflage. Bruce grabbed a set and looked up at the top of the closest. There were two top-of-the-line hunting backpacks. Pulling them down, Bruce felt both held equipment. They would take them back to the trailer to go through them.

When he met Mike in the hallway, he saw that Mike had a bag full of clothes, several pairs of shoes, and one pair of boots. They looked small enough, but Bruce could not tell; then around Mike’s neck were several pairs of sunglasses and safety glasses. Nodding his head, Bruce followed Mike as they made their way back to the front door. Cracking it open, Bruce could not see anything outside. Moving in single file, they went back to the trailer.

When they got back inside their trailer, locking the door, they handed over everything to Angela. Bruce had to admit Buffy had done well. Granted, it was only a short run outside, but she had kept her cool watching what Mike and Bruce were doing. As Angela tried on her clothes, Bruce walked back to the bedroom, pulling out a pair of two-way radios like his and Mike’s from the closet. He could almost slap himself for not getting them out before. It would have been nice to talk to Alex and Angela before they came back across the street.

Bruce walked back into the living room to find Angela had a set of hunting camouflage on with the boots Mike had found. They had emptied the backpacks of almost everything. They kept some binoculars, shooting gloves, and other survival gear. Each pack had a Camelback for water like his and Mike’s. Bruce gave each a radio with ear buds that they put on. Bruce and Mike helped them both set up their packs with ammo, food, water, and supplies. Alex put two of the spray bottles in his pack as Angela put two in hers.

Alex and Angela put on their ballistic vests. Earlier Mike had tightened all the straps on Angela’s vest, so it did fit her better but was still a little big for her. The drop holster was at the bottom of her thigh instead of the top. They each had a Beretta with four fifteen-round magazines and an M-4 with eight thirty-round magazines. In their packs, they put the rest of the ammo they pulled off the soldiers, about hundred rounds of nine millimeter and two hundred rounds of 5.56. Alex had offered to carry Angela’s extra ammo, but Mike told him he couldn’t. If she got separated from the group, she might need every last round.

Bruce called everyone together, telling them the order of march. He and Buffy would take the lead, with Mike in the rear and Alex, Angela, and Cade in the middle. They were going to leave the trailer park through the woods until they got to Highway 79, which they would take to Fillmore, staying single file in the ditch. He told them no one was to get on the road until they had no choice. They would rest every two hours, and everyone was to drink lots of water. No matter what, everyone was to keep his or her gloves and glasses on at all times.

It was 10:30 when they walked out of the trailer, locking the door. Bruce and Mike put on their sunglasses and boonie hats. What they could not carry they left in the trailer in case they had to come back. Before they walked off, Mike showed everyone where the extra keys were hidden in the backyard. Walking down the road of the trailer park to get to the front so they could enter the woods, each was watching everything. When they made it to the front road, Bruce stopped, holding up his hand in a fist for everyone else to stop. Looking around, Bruce saw an infected dark blue man step out from behind a trailer about sixty yards away to his right. The man turned his head, looking at him, and let out what could only be described as a roar. Then the man took off at a dead run toward Bruce after his roar. Bruce had never seen anything but an animal move that fast as the infected closed in on him. Raising his SCAR up, Bruce started firing at the running infected. His rounds were hitting the man in the chest and neck until one went through his skull. The blue fell ten feet from Bruce. Looking down at his SCAR, Bruce saw his bolt was locked back. He had just shot at the runner thirty times to kill it. All throughout the trailer park they could hear moans and growls from other infected stirring.

Bruce turned and said, “Run.” With him in the lead the others followed him into the wood line beside the trailer park. They ran through the trees for over half a mile. When Bruce held up his hand for everyone to stop, everyone just collapsed in the heat. Changing the empty magazine out with a fresh one, Bruce put the empty back in a pouch as he tried to control his breathing. His legs felt like jelly, and they had only run over a half mile. Granted, they ran like scared kids, but this was bullshit. He hoped they did not come across any more runners. They all took long drinks then Bruce said they had to move. They each fell in line, following him hopefully to someplace safe.

By noon, they were at Fillmore when Bruce called a halt. On the road up ahead, there were cars blocking the road. That by itself would not cause much concern, but all the cars were shaped into a V, funneling in any approaching car headed into town. Bruce called Mike up front.

“What do you make of that?” Bruce asked, pointing to the cars up ahead.

“Someone set an ambush,” Mike replied. Alex and Angela were behind them listening and learning from the two.

“If someone set an ambush then we are in trouble. We don’t know where they are, and if we try to pass it, we could walk up on them,” Bruce said.

“It’s about six hundred yards from us now. Let’s sneak up to about a hundred yards and get a better look,” Mike put out.

Bruce looked at Cade asleep on Alex’s shoulder. Only a kid could sleep in this kind of liquid heat, he thought. Bruce just hoped Cade would not wake up crying. So far Cade was a very quiet kid; through this hike so far he had not made any noise. Bruce thought the kid could feel the fear off his parents and that made him scared.

The small group eased up the road, hugging the tree line in the ditch. When they got to a hundred yards, they stopped. They could now see a van parked in the ditch they were following under the trees. Listening closely, they heard voices coming from it. As they were watching the van someone in a car was heading down the road toward the roadblock. They heard a yell from the cars behind the van.

Bruce and Mike looked down the road at the car, a Mercedes Benz. Five men jumped out of the van, running up to the parked cars hiding behind them. From the Benz view, it looked like he could squeeze through until he reached the bottom of the V. Just when the driver started to back up, the five popped up, opening fire into the engine of the car.

The driver jumped out and took off running back down the road the way he had come. It was then Bruce saw a young woman get out of the passenger side holding a baby and grabbing an older toddler. Before she even made it to the back of the car, one of the gang had grabbed her by the hair. The man was a hundred yards down the road when the person they had heard yelled out, jumped out from behind a truck, and hit the running man in the stomach. The driver collapsed in a ball at the gang member’s feet. The gang member reached down, grabbing the crying man by the hair and pulling him back to the van. One of the gang members grabbed the baby from the woman’s arms, throwing him or her back in the smoking car. When the toddler, a small girl, ran to her mom, he kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying. This earned a round of laughter from everyone.

Bruce turned to Mike, and Mike gave him a nod. Dying time was here. Bruce motioned with his hand he would take the left and for Mike to take the right. Turning and looking at Buffy, Bruce pointed to the ground, motioning for her to lie down flat. After she lay down in the ditch and Bruce saw she would be okay, he turned to Angela and Alex, waving them to the ground. Then Bruce and Mike moved forward, raising their rifles. Bruce shot the furthest to the right and Mike the furthest to the left then they started working toward the middle. Bruce had one down and Mike had two down before the assholes even knew they were under attack. The gang member that had pulled the man back to the van started shooting what looked like an AK-47 in Bruce’s direction.

Bruce dove to the ground and started rolling, seeing blond hair on the ground behind him. The man and woman who were pulled out of the car hit the ground when AK opened up on Bruce. Mike lined up his red dot on AK’s chest and put three holes in it. Another gang member fired a shotgun at Mike, missing him by a mile. Mike turned his rifle toward the gunfire and put two bullets in the shooter. The last gang member took off running to the cars in the blockade. Bruce raised his rifle, sighting in on the man’s back and squeezing the trigger three times. Each round tore through the running man’s back, blowing out his chest. He collapsed just feet from the blockade.

Bruce called out, “Two.” Mike answered, “Four.” All the gang was accounted for. The group moved up as the young woman ran to the car, grabbed the baby, then picked up the toddler. Alex handed Cade to Angela and went to help her. Cade was just whimpering but not crying as his mother held him, trying to comfort him.

Mike was walking around shooting the wounded in the head. As he shot the last one in the head, a shot rang out from the other side of the road. Everyone hit the ground. Bruce watched as a gang member fell out of the tree line, rolling down the ditch behind the van, still holding a high-powered rifle.

Bruce stood up looking at the far side of the road and saw two black men wearing orange jail suits coming toward them. Bruce felt a hand grab his pants leg and looked down to see Buffy looking at him. Looking back up at the two men in orange jumpsuits, he saw each had a lever action 30-30. Bruce did not point his gun at them but did turn it in their direction. The action did not go unnoticed by the two as they walked up. Each raised their hands as they approached.

“We ain’t going to shoot you,” the bigger one replied. “We just wanted to check on the family. Don’t know if we could have saved them with these 30-30s here. Glad that you two showed up.”

“Much obliged for taking that last one out,” Mike said. “We did not see him.”

“My name is Darrell, and this is my little brother Eric. We ran up on these punks early this morning and knew what they were doing. So we waited, trying to figure out how to take them out when that car showed up,” Darrell said.

“That was my car and my family you put in danger, assholes,” the man from the car said, getting up and walking toward the group.

“If I’m not mistaken, we just saved you and your family’s ass, boy,” Bruce said, looking at him. “Besides what do you care? If I remember correctly, you took off running, leaving them to die,” Bruce added.

“I told the stupid bitch to run,” the man started saying.

Bruce walked over to the man, punching him in the mouth and knocking him down in midsentence. He then turned to Darrell and Eric, “I am very grateful for you taking the last one out, but we need to get out of here before the infected show up.”

“Yeah, we are heading to our dad’s farm. You are welcome to join us,” Eric replied.

“We are going to our farm as well,” Mike said.

“Just a few pieces of advice, guys. Lose the clothes and take some of these guys’ weapons,” Bruce offered a few words of wisdom.

“Thank you, we will. If you don’t want the van, can we take it?” Eric asked, looking at the van.

“Be my guest, but you really don’t want to be driving now,” Mike said. “Just take a look around here.” He motioned with his hand back to the roadblock.

“We will take our chances,” Darrell said. “Sure you won’t come with us?” he asked Bruce.

“No, we will stay on foot,” Bruce assured them.

Darrell and Eric gathered up the weapons, throwing them in the van. Eric got behind the wheel and started the van. Darrell opened the passenger door and climbed in, looking back at Bruce.

“You be careful. Some of them blues can run fast and for a long time,” he informed them.

“Yeah, we have seen that. You two stay safe,” Bruce said as they pulled off.

Alex walked up with the young mother holding the toddler and a diaper bag. The mother had another diaper bag across her shoulder and the baby in an infant backpack she had put on. She came up, hugging each of the group and thanking them. Bruce told everyone it was time to move; they had been there too long.

Just then the young man stood up and backed away from Bruce before speaking, “You can’t tell me what to do. I’m taking my family to Shreveport.”

The young mother turned, walking over to him, “Jim, I don’t care if you die. Wherever these people are going, me and the kids are going, too, if they let us. I really hope you don’t follow and die real soon.”

With that, Bruce led the little group off of Highway 79 to Parish Road 157. It was almost 1 p.m., and they had a long way to go. As they walked down the road, they found out about the new additions to the growing band. The young mother’s name was Susan; she was twenty-three and a very pretty brunette. The toddler was Cassandra; she was two with dirty-blonde hair and gray eyes. The baby was Joshua, and he was six months old. The husband, Jim, or asshole, as Bruce preferred to call him, was thirty and handsome. He was an investment lawyer and was caught down here from Chicago when the government closed all highway traffic. They had been trying to get to Shreveport to the Air Force base. The radio said it was the last safe zone in the area. Jim had no idea what was going on and kept saying the government would have things under control soon.

In less than fifteen minutes, he had pissed off every member of the group. Buffy had already asked Bruce if she could borrow a knife to stab him. Shaking his head, Bruce just told Buffy not now. Jim did not even carry his own daughter when she got tired, instead making Susan carry both kids. Jim just kept mouthing off about how good he was. Bruce had finally had enough and grabbed Jim by the shirt, pulling him close, telling him if he did not shut up, he would shoot him.

As they made their way down 157, Bruce told everyone that they were going to stop at the school for water. They needed more now with Susan and the kids. Bruce secretly hoped that Jim died of thirst. Walking in the last real part of town they had to go through, they could see infected just wandering in the distance. Walking since this morning, they had come across several animals that the infected had attacked. Everything from dogs to cats to cows––nothing was safe from them. Luckily, they always saw the infected before the infected saw them.

Crossing the railroad tracks, the group once again went into the trees. They walked through backyards until they came to the tree line around the school, where Bruce held up his hand for everyone to stop. He knelt down, and everyone was quiet except for Jim.

He was asking why they had stopped and why he had to kneel down in the dirt in a loud voice. Mike stood up, walked over to Jim, grabbed him by the throat with his left hand, and placed the barrel of his rifle in his face.

“If you say another word, I will kill you. Do you understand?” Mike whispered as Jim nodded his head, trying to breath. “You do not talk again unless someone speaks to you first,” Mike said, letting him go. Jim knelt down on the ground with his hands over his throat trying to get oxygen to his lungs.

Bruce smiled inside. It was one of the few times he had seen Mike lose his temper and the only time he had seen death in his eyes. This meant that even Mike could lose his temper with an asshole. It was always Bruce ready to go balls out when something happened. Mike was always there to fight by his side but always tried to reason with others, even if the person was a stupid asshole.

Mike eased up to Bruce, “Bruce, you know that building has been breached,” Mike informed him.

Not taking his eyes off the building, Bruce replied, “I know Mike, but we need water, food, and backpacks for the others. I know those supplies are in there; we could waste a lot of time looking through houses. We are going through our water too fast just keeping us hydrated. Now we have Susan and the kids to keep hydrated.”

Mike nodded his head reluctantly, “Okay, but remember we don’t have a ton of ammo, and you and I are the only ones that can run if the shit hits the fan. If we get hit we will have to stay and fight it out, running is not an option.”

“Then let’s try not to run,” Bruce said, grinning turning to look at Mike.

Chapter 30

Bruce turned back to the school and could not see anything moving. On the side facing them was a set of doors with one standing open. As a plan finished forming in his head, he motioned everyone close.

“We all are going into the school together. I can’t risk leaving the group out here while Mike and I check it out. If you are attacked out here, we will be too far away to help.” Taking out his 1911, Bruce attached the suppressor and handed it to Alex with some extra magazines. Bruce had shown both Alex and Angela how to use the 1911 along with the Berettas and M-4s they carried. “Alex, you will have to watch our backs. If you see anything, you are to shoot. Don’t think; just raise the gun and shoot. Do not look forward at the group; you are to walk backward. Angela, you stay beside him as his guide, and you do not fire unless you have to. Keep noise to a minimum, no talking, and watch where you step. Susan, you will stay in the middle of the group,” Bruce instructed. Turning to look at Jim, Bruce said, “If you make any noise, you are dead. I don’t care if we don’t find anything.” Jim just nodded his head.

Well, maybe the asshole could learn something after all, Bruce thought as he stood up and headed to the school with Buffy at his side. Jogging up to the open door, Bruce looked in and did not see anything as he slowly went inside. As soon as he stepped inside, the smell hit him like a hammer. When everyone was in the small inner hallway, Bruce motioned for Alex to close the door slowly. After the door was closed, Bruce and Mike moved forward to the main hallway. Bruce took the right and Mike the left.

As Bruce eased around the corner, looking through the reflex sight on top of his ACOG scope, he kept the weapon trained where he was looking. The hallway to the right came to a dead end about twenty yards away. He could see several classrooms, but all the doors were closed. If infected were in them, they were trapped. They had been told the infected could not turn a doorknob but they could beat a door down. Satisfied that the right was secure, Bruce turned to the left with Mike. The hallway ended ahead about thirty yards from them making a right turn. Using hand signals, Bruce took the right side of the hall and Mike the left. They could hear pounding coming from the end of the hallway.

They started down the hall with weapons trained to the front. Bruce and Mike rarely used the safety on any weapon they used. They rested their trigger finger outside of the trigger housing, only bringing the trigger fingers in when they shot. With each step they took forward, the smell was became stronger, and was starting to make Bruce’s eyes water under his Oakley’s. Buffy was holding his left pants leg, walking slightly behind him. When they had gone halfway down the hall, they started hearing movement from around the corner with the pounding. It was the sound of bodies just shuffling around bumping into walls, with a soft moan every now and then.

Bruce held up his left hand for everyone to stop. He motioned for everyone to stay put as he and Mike moved forward. He reached down and moved Buffy’s hand to his right pants leg. If they had to leave in a hurry, he would have to spin left and did not want to run over her. Bruce motioned Mike to come to his side of the hallway. As Mike fell in behind him, Bruce eased forward. With each step he could feel his pulse quicken, his spine start to tingle, and his palms sweat. He was glad he had on his tactical gloves so he could keep a hold on his weapon. Keeping his breathing under control, he eased up to the corner of the hallway. Stopping at the corner, he slowly eased his left eye from the corner edge and quickly pulled back.

The hall was about fifty yards long and ended at several sets of double doors. Bruce figured that was the auditorium. There was another hallway off to the right in the middle of the long hallway. There were over forty infected walking around in the hall, with several beating on the large bank of doors at the end of the hall. The closest to the corner was only about fifteen feet away. He was tempted to just pull out, but they needed supplies for the group. It would not be a question of if they dehydrated, but when, without supplies. From the way the infected were just in this hall, there were probably people trapped behind the door. He could not tell if there were more infected down the second hall.

Mike and he would have to have excellent fire control to take this many down at this close range. Bruce reached down and pulled the loops of cord that held his spare magazines in his tactical vest. Mike, seeing Bruce undo his magazine pouches, did the same.

Bruce turned, looking at Mike. Taking his hand off his weapon, he held up both hands, opening and closing them four times to let Mike know forty were around the corner. He grabbed his SCAR with both hands. Taking a deep breath, he stepped around the corner. Bringing up his rifle, Bruce sighted on the closest infected and squeezed the trigger, dropping the closest, and swinging to the next one, dropping another one. Bruce had three down before Mike swung around to his left side and started dropping the infected. Over ten infected were down before the group turned and started toward them.

The group of infected consisted of men, women, and children moving toward them. Bruce noticed several runners at the door turn and take off toward them. He kept moving his rifle back and forth, squeezing off single shots in rapid succession. In less than fifteen seconds, he felt his bolt lock open, ejecting the empty magazine, and before it hit the floor, the next one was in. Bruce started firing again.

The runners were running into the slower infected and falling over others that had been shot. Seeing Mike put in a new magazine out of the corner of his eye, Bruce started to worry. It was then he noticed more infected were coming out of the hallway to the right. He heard Angela yell for Alex, but Bruce could not help as he felt the bolt lock back again. Replacing the empty magazine, he just kept shooting into the infected moving toward them. Seeing Mike replace another magazine, Bruce started to get ready to pull back as his bolt locked back again. Bruce slammed in a fresh magazine, taking aim at a running kid and removing the top of his head. Lifting his gun up higher, Bruce continued firing, watching heads explode when the bullets slammed into the skulls. He kept firing into the thinning horde until he felt his bolt lock back again.

Dropping the empty and ramming in a new magazine, he looked down the hallway as Mike dropped the last standing infected. Slowly looking back and forth, they could see several infected on the floor crawling toward them. Bruce shot the three on the floor that were still moving and looked at the hallway. It was covered with bodies; the forty infected had turned into over a hundred. Bullet holes were all over the walls, and the doors at the end of the hall were littered with holes.

Bending over, Bruce picked up his three empty magazines and put them in his vest. He only carried ten magazines plus one in his weapon. Yes, he had five hundred in his pack, but he would have to load that. When he got home, Bruce would start carrying more magazines. Bruce hoped nobody was standing behind the doors. He looked at them again as he turned to check on the group.

Bruce saw two infected lying in the hallway in front of Alex, who was still looking down the hall they had come down. Everyone had stayed where he had told them and done what he had said. He motioned for everyone to come forward. Angela, holding Cade in one arm, pulled Alex down the hall backward with the other.

As they got closer, Bruce whispered to Angela, asking, “Where did they come from?”

“They broke out of a room at the end of the hall,” she answered.

“Why did you yell?” Bruce asked.

“Alex used a whole magazine to kill one. I was telling him to change. Sorry I yelled,” she said.

“That’s okay,” Bruce assured her.

Suddenly Susan bent over, throwing up, followed by Jim. The smell now was almost toxic as it burned their throats. Bruce told everyone not to touch any bodily fluids and started to walk to the end of the hall. He moved over to the left side of the wall where bodies were not stacked quite as high. Stepping up onto the pile of bodies, they followed Bruce to the end of the hall. When they reached the doors, Bruce pulled on the handle, and he was not surprised that the doors were locked. Motioning Mike to the door, Bruce pointed at the lock. True to form, Mike had it unlocked in seconds.

Mike opened the door as Bruce stepped through scanning the area. He was right; it was an auditorium. Not seeing anything, he walked around the right side of the room heading for the stage. Everyone followed him single file. When he reached the stage, he climbed up to the stage and motioned for everyone to come closer.

As everyone gathered around, a man jumped out from the left side of the stage and yelled, “Freeze.” Bruce turned to the voice and saw it was a state trooper with his handgun pointed at the group.

“We are not going to hurt you, Officer,” Mike said calmly.

“No shit, asshole. I’m the one with the gun pointed at you. Do you realize that a lot of the shots you fired out there came through the door?” the officer yelled at them.

“Well, there were a lot of infected out there, Officer,” Bruce said in a flat tone.

“This group is filled with geniuses, fuckwad. I know that infected were in the hallway, but I have the situation under control,” the officer said, looking at Bruce. “Now, each of you will put your weapons on the ground one at a time when I tell you. Do I make myself clear?” the state trooper instructed the group, moving his aim from one person to the other.

“That is not going to happen, Officer,” Bruce said. “We came for some water and food and then we were going to leave. But if you will not give us any, we will just leave anyway,” he finished.

“Did you not hear me, punk? You will lay down your weapons now. I have been given orders to execute anyone not complying with my orders. No more arrest; I can kill you,” the state trooper calmly replied, smiling at Bruce.

“Officer, these men have assaulted me and threatened to kill me. I have watched them gun down people and help escaped convicts. I will help you detain them, sir,” Jim said with a smile on his face, looking at Bruce and Mike. Jim started to walk toward the officer, and the officer swung his aim to Jim.

“I knew you were felons,” the officer said. “Move another inch sir, and it will be your last,” he said, pointing his gun at Jim.

Bruce swung his rifle around and pulled the trigger three times from his hip. The first round hit the officer in the chest. He was wearing a bulletproof vest, but it did no good against the rifle round. The round punched through the front of the vest, blowing out the back. The second round hit the officer in the throat, almost taking his head off, while the third round hit him at the bridge of the nose, blowing the back of his head off. The officer dropped where he was standing, still holding his pistol out from his body.

Mike ran to the back of the stage, keeping his weapon pointed at the area where the officer came out. Bruce went to a kneeling position, and everyone else just hit the floor waiting to see if anybody else showed up. Looking at the officer on the floor, Bruce was glad that, unlike the military, he and Mike shot hollow points. The military had to shoot full metal jackets. Granted, FMJs did do damage, but nothing compared to a hollow point. NATO and the Geneva Convention believed that hollow points and rounds like it did too much damage. They believed if you shoot someone, that person should have a chance to survive. Bruce did not share their beliefs; when he shot someone, he wanted the person dead.

Spread out over the stage, they waited for several minutes and did not hear anything. Then Bruce yelled out, “If there is anyone back there, come out with hands held high, or we will start throwing grenades back there.”

“Don’t shoot us, please. It’s only two women and five kids back here. The officer would not let us leave when the school was overrun. He kept telling us he would kill us,” a female voice with a Spanish accent called out.

“Just come out with your hands up. We are not here to hurt you, but the dead asshole laying out here threatened us,” Bruce replied.

“Okay. Don’t shoot. We are coming out,” a different female voice answered.

A small group walked out from the left side of the stage. True to the first voice, it was two women and five kids who all looked the same age. As they looked at the people pointing guns at them, terror was on each of their faces. Bruce motioned for everyone to lower their weapons. He noticed that Alex and Angela were the last ones to lower.

“Is there anyone else back there?” Bruce asked.

“No, it was just us. There was another officer, but he went outside to get more guns this morning and has not come back,” the younger of the two replied. She was about five feet, six inches tall, and slim, and you could see the Hispanic bloodline in her. She had long black hair that came to her waist and large black eyes. Bruce noticed a swollen mark on her cheek when he looked the women over.

The other woman was older, and Bruce would find out later that she was sixty and her name was Lynn Robbs. The younger one was Maria Costanzia, and she was thirty. Both were teachers at the school, which was a middle school. Bruce told Mike to check out the back and be careful. Bruce turned to Lynn and told her to give them a brief overview of what had happened here.

Lynn started telling the group, “Two days ago the school was overrun with infected. When the infected got in, Maria and I grabbed these kids and were heading to the buses like we had been told. As we were running down the hall, two policemen forced us into the auditorium. There was a man with us then, the janitor. The officers shot him yesterday when he refused to run to their vehicles and bring back the guns inside of them. This morning, the other officer tried to sneak out, but we heard some screams. The other officer looked like he was going mad. He kept fondling Maria, and when she tried to stop him, he hit her. That’s when we heard something in the hallway, and bullets started coming through the door. The officer told us to get back behind the stage. Then one of you shot him, and here we are.”

Maria then walked over, kicking the dead officer’s body and talking Spanish. Bruce was sure whatever she was saying was not nice. Mike came back and reported that the back was clear.

Bruce turned to the women and said, “We are here for some supplies then we are leaving. I suggest you do the same. We have killed what was in the school. And we did not see many around as we came here.”

“About an hour ago a van raced by, and all the ones outside went after it,” Maria told him.

The van would have been Darrell and Eric. “About how many were outside until the van came by?” Bruce asked her.

“About a thousand,” she replied. A chill ran down his spine; they had almost walked into a large group.

“Did the state bring any food here?” Bruce asked hopefully.

“Yes, the gym is full of those packaged meals soldiers eat,” Lynn replied.

“Where is the gym, and do we have to go outside to get to it?” Bruce asked.

“No, you don’t have to go outside. It’s through those doors over there,” she said, pointing to doors on the left side of the auditorium.

Bruce walked over to the dead officer, taking his duty belt off, slinging it over his shoulder, and putting the pistol back in the holster. Then he patted the dead man down, finding a compact Glock on his ankle. Taking it off, Bruce stood up. After pulling the officer’s keys off the duty belt, he motioned Alex over.

“Take your ear bud out and listen in on what’s going on. Do not try to talk to anyone; just listen,” Bruce said, handing him the belt. Alex put the earpiece in and turned on the radio.

“We are out of here in fifteen minutes,” he told his group. He turned to the women and kids, “I suggest you gather what you can and get the hell out of here before more infected or gangs show up. Take as much food and water as you can,” he said to the group.

“Can’t we come with you? These kids watched their families get killed, out of the gym windows. Maria and I are not prepared to protect them,” Lynn pleaded.

Bruce was getting ready to say hell no when Mike said, “Of course you can. Bruce, could you come over here, please?”

When Bruce got close to Mike, with Buffy in tow, he kept his voice low, “Are you crazy? Look at them. They will slow us down a lot. We can’t save the world, Mike,” Bruce told him.

“I’m not trying to save the world Bruce, just little pieces of it. If we leave them, they will be dead before nightfall. If you won’t lead them out, I will. Now what is wrong with you?” Mike stated, talking low so no one could overhear.

“I want to be home with our families, Mike. I miss them. Who knows what they are facing without us? I don’t want those kids or the ladies to get hurt. I just want to get home,” Bruce confessed, looking down at the floor.

“Do you think anyone in the family would want us to leave them, Bruce?” Mike asked.

“No, you are right, Mike, as always the voice of reason,” Bruce said then added, “Asshole.”

Bruce turned around and walked across the stage with his shadow following him. Bruce was no more than three feet from the little group as he stopped, looking at each of them. The kids all took a step back, but the ladies stayed in place. Bruce looked the group over; Maria had on flip flops as did both of the little girls. All the boys had on tennis shoes. Lynn had on dress shoes with low heels. Bruce stared at the group, shifting his gaze from one to the other.

He began, “If you come with us, I’m the boss. Mike is second in command. When we say do something, you do it, no questions asked. If we say go piss on a tree, you do it. You will not ask why or how, just do it. If you see something outside, you will not scream or yell. You will carry your weight, or you will be left behind. You will not eat, drink, shit, or cry until told you can. Do I make myself clear?”

“You don’t have to cuss, sir,” Lynn said like a teacher.

“The fuck I don’t. It is a war out there, and people are dying by the millions. Others out there want to rape and kill you then toss your body away like trash,” Bruce said, noticing one of the girls had tears in her eyes.

Bruce continued, “If you come with us, you will work on the farm as part of our group. It may be one of the last safe places in Louisiana. If you come with us, we will teach you how to fight with guns, knives, sticks, and hands. You will become a badass, but you will always listen to us. Do I make myself clear?”

The five kids replied, “Yes sir,” together. Hope could be seen on their faces that they could learn how to be safe. Both Lynn and Maria said yes with grateful expressions on their faces.

“Now, you women will find shoes you can walk in, along with the girls. You each will find a backpack, gloves, and glasses if you can find some. None of you are to put anything in your pack until Mike or I tell you. Now hop to it. We leave in twenty minutes. I don’t care if you are ready or not,” Bruce said. “Where are the patrol cars parked?” Bruce asked.

“Out back from the auditorium on the far side of the parking lot. You can take the door behind the stage,” Maria informed him.

“Alex take Cade, Angela will come with us, hold the door open and watch our backs. Call over the radio if you see anything. Alex, you will take the group to the gym. No one is allowed in the school or allowed to leave the gym until we get back,” Bruce finished giving orders, changing magazines in his rifle.

Alex was taking Cade in his arms, and Susan was moving with her kids, following them to the gym. No one had paid Jim any attention. He was still staring at the dead officer in shock.

“You killed a cop, you stupid asshole,” he finally managed to get out.

“Yep,” replied Bruce.

“He could have shot me, you idiot,” Jim exclaimed as his face turned red.

“That does it. I’m going to rape him,” Bruce said, starting toward Jim.

Mike grabbed his arm, “We don’t have the time now. Maybe later.”

“Did you hear me?” Jim asked with a pissed-off look.

“Would not been much of a loss,” Bruce replied.

“He was arresting you, and you shot him,” Jim stated.

“I was not in the mood to be disarmed, shit for brains. If I remember, you were willing to help him,” Bruce said with his temper rising.

“Hell yeah, I was. You two are mindless barbarians. Just running around shooting everything,” Jim stated angrily.

Buffy left Bruce’s side, walking over to Jim at an even pace. She stopped in front of him as Jim looked down at her. Buffy reared her leg back, kicking him on his shin with her little hiking boots. She might be little, but Bruce heard the impact. Jim collapsed on the stage holding his leg. Buffy walked back across the stage to stand beside Bruce, looking back at Jim on the floor. Jim looked at her and was fixing to say something when Bruce brought up his rifle, aiming at Jim’s head.

“Say anything, and I will kill you. The only reason I have not done so is because of your kids. Piss me off again, and they will lose their father,” Bruce said, looking at Jim.

Jim became pale looking at Bruce. He could see Bruce’s eye through the scope. He nodded his head to Bruce. Mike came up to Bruce and started pulling him to the back of the stage.

“Alex, if Jim comes with you, he is to get a backpack, too. If he doesn’t, then he stays here,” Bruce said, looking at Alex with Cade in his left arm and the 1911 in his right hand.

“No problem, Bruce,” Alex replied, grinning.

The large group headed to the gym. Bruce, Buffy, Mike, and Angela went to the door behind the stage. They stopped at the door.

“We are going to the patrol cars. Mike, grab everything in them we will leave behind what we can’t carry in the gym. But we will decide that after we bring it back to the gym. Angela, you will hold the door and call us on the radio if you see anything. Buffy, when we get there, you will stand on top of one of the cars keeping a look out. If you see something, just tell us in a low voice. We have to be fast; we don’t want to get trapped here,” Bruce said to everyone, dropping his pack inside. Mike did the same.

Reaching down, Bruce pushed the door open, bringing his rifle up and scanning the area outside of the door. Not seeing anything, he went out with Buffy holding his pants leg and Mike following. Mike moved to Bruce’s left as they headed to the parking lot. Bruce saw the trooper vehicles across the parking lot. One was a Suburban; the other was a regular patrol car, and they were about a hundred yards away. As they moved across the parking lot, Bruce wondered if the troopers’ vehicles had alarms on them. He only had one set of keys, and the idea of setting off a car alarm breaking into the other did not appeal to him. As they walked up to the vehicles, the dilemma was solved for Bruce.

The door to the Suburban was open, and the other officer was lying on the ground––or more correctly what was left of him. The infected had torn him apart. One leg was missing, and his chest was ripped open. In his right hand was his pistol, and the back of his head was gone. He had made it to the vehicle, but the infected got him and he shot himself in the head.

Bruce motioned Mike to the patrol car, throwing him the keys. He lifted Buffy to the top of the SUV. Then he stepped over the body and hit the unlock button. Looking in the front, all he saw was a satchel. Grabbing it, Bruce moved to the back. Stopping and glancing in the second door, he saw it had a cage for prisoner transport so he moved to the back. When he opened the door, his radio went off in his ear, and he crouched down. Angela said she was looking at a couple of infected in her binoculars out on the road and several in the trees on the other side of the road.

Bruce looked toward the road. The school was set about three-quarters of a mile off the road, and Bruce thought he saw something moving but could not be sure. He told her to keep watching and don’t forget about looking to her right and left. He stood back up, looking in the Suburban with awe.

There were three soft gun cases, one hard one, and six ammo cans. Grabbing the cases and setting them on the ground, he looked back at the ammo cans and realized there was no way he could carry all of this in one trip. A thought hit him, and he walked back to the driver’s door, pulling out his knife. Pulling the seatbelt all the way out, Bruce cut the top then the bottom then he threw the latch back into the cab.

Walking back to the rear, he slid the belt through the handles on the plastic ammo cans, tying it off. Lifting them up, Bruce was glad he’d left his pack. Slinging them over his shoulder, he grabbed Buffy off the top of the truck. Looking back in, Bruce saw a large tote bag that SWAT teams used to carry gear, and he grabbed it. He motioned Buffy to pick up one of the soft cases, and he grabbed the other two plus the hard case. Turning around, Mike was waiting for him with two soft cases and a tote bag plus plastic ammo cans like the ones Bruce had. He motioned to the dead officer’s pistol on the ground. Bruce whispered, “Leave it.”

As they started back to the school, their hands were full. If they had to fight, they would have to drop a lot of equipment. Moving as fast as they could, they finally made it back to Angela holding the door open for them. After they made it inside, Angela slowly closed the door. Bruce handed her the two soft cases. She slung the shoulder straps across her shoulder, and Mike handed her one of his.

Bruce and Mike picked up their packs and almost fell down with the added weight. Bruce told Angela to take the lead since she was the only one who could do something. They followed her to the gym. When they entered, the kids had packs lined up on the floor, and all the girls had on tennis shoes. After Bruce and Mike dropped the spoils on the floor in a pile they stood up stretching. Looking up, Bruce saw the five kids were standing in a line. All of them had on batting gloves and safety glasses. In the center of the basketball court were two pallets of MREs and three pallets of bottled water.

Bruce looked at the kids, “You with the red hair, get up on the bleachers and look out the window. Tell me if you see anything coming toward us, but don’t yell. Keep your head low so you can’t be seen from the outside. You with the brown hair, take the other side and do the same thing,” Bruce told the two boys, and they each took off to look out the windows. The two girls and the black boy were standing looking at Bruce.

“You three open up those cases and put ten packages in front of each person’s pack. Then set five bottles of water by them,” Bruce instructed as the three took off running to the pallets.

Bruce and Mike started to unpack the stuff from the patrol cars as Alex walked over spraying them with the bleach water. They got two M-4s that were full auto; each had reflex sights on them with forward grips and ten magazines each. Then two UMP 45s with suppressors attached were also equipped with reflex sights. Next was what brought a smile to Bruce’s face two P90s with suppressors, lights, and reflex sights. The hard case held a bolt-action sniper rifle. Of the seven ammo cases they brought in, two held 5.7x28 ammo for the P90s––twenty-five hundred rounds in total for the P90s. The rest broke down; two cases of .45, four thousand rounds, two cases of 5.56, two thousand rounds, and the last case held .40 caliber for the cops’ pistols. The next great find was a thermal scope. Like the one Mike carried, it attached in front of a regular scope so you had thermal vision. Now both Mike and Bruce had a thermal scope.

Bruce called Alex, Angela, Lynn, and Maria over. He asked Lynn and Maria if they had ever shot a gun; they both said they had. Bruce looked at Alex and Angela, telling them to hand over their M-4s to Lynn and Maria. After they passed them off, he handed the M-4s they had gotten from the patrol cars. He explained that they were fully automatic, and Bruce saw Alex smile. He told them to only fire on auto when you want to keep someone’s head down because as soon as you open up, you will become a primary target. Next, Bruce then handed Alex a UMP 45. The UMP was a .45 caliber submachine gun based on an MP-5. It was very controllable but sucked for range. In reality, it was just a big .45 caliber pistol. Bruce then handed the other UMP to Buffy; he told her not to play with it and he would show it to her later. He quickly showed Alex the selector switch safe, single shot, burst, and full auto. There were a total of twenty magazines for the UMPs; he gave each of them ten. Bruce then picked up two magazine pouches for the UMPs; each could hold ten magazines and was worn over the shoulder like a purse.

Next Bruce picked up a P90, handing it to Angela along with ten magazines and a magazine pouch. He had Mike show her how to operate it fast. The other P90 was going on the other side of his pack with the other ten magazines. He then pulled knee and elbow pads out of the two gear bags, handing them to Alex and Angela. Then he picked up the bags, handing them to Lynn and Maria. He told them to try the BDUs on but to put on the tactical vest no matter what. The two took off to change. He opened the 5.56 boxes and reloaded his empty magazines. Bruce then started breaking the ammo down, spreading it around, laying a stack in front of each of the eight packs, putting a lot in front of Jim’s. Thinking of the asshole, Bruce looked up.

He was sitting on the bleachers holding his head in his hands, with his elbows on his knees, looking at the floor. Susan was feeding the baby, and Cassandra was sitting watching her. They were sitting on the other side of the gym from Jim. As Bruce was watching them, Lynn and Maria came out wearing woodland BDUs, each wearing a tactical vest and tactical gloves. Maria had on combat boots; Lynn had on the tennis shoes she had found. He called the two boys down from the windows; each said he did not see anything. He told the kids to go to their packs. He wanted the ammo in first then food with the water on top.

Watching the kids put the stuff in like they were told, he noticed that Lynn and Maria had moved their backpacks and had the tote bags. The bags were a lot bigger than the backpacks they had found, and the tote bags could be carried like backpacks. Bruce had to admit he was proud of them and mad at himself for not thinking of it. He was ever more surprised as they went to the pallets, putting in more MREs and water. Even Jim was loading his pack. Then Bruce sat down beside Mike as he reloaded his empty magazines from the ammo cans. Motioning Buffy over, Bruce loaded her pack with two bricks of .45, a thousand rounds. Then he put five MREs in her pack. Then Bruce put more ammo in his pack, as did Mike.

Looking at the sniper rifle, Bruce really wanted to take it, but they could not afford the weight. Unless they let Jim take it, and that was out of the question. Sighing, Bruce leaned down, patting the rifle. “We have to leave you here. I hope you help someone and not hurt someone. I really want to take you home, but I can’t,” Bruce said quietly to the rifle.

Once everyone had loaded up their packs, Bruce called everyone over. He watched the kids pick up each pack, putting them on. They were heavy for the kids––Bruce was figuring about thirty pounds per pack. Buffy was carrying as much as they were, plus her clothes, and ammo, so they better not complain. He smiled as Jim grunted picking up his pack, wearing his dress slacks and loafers. Susan was dressed practically with good shoes, jeans, a t-shirt, and batting gloves and safety glasses the kids had found for her. The kids did not give Jim any gloves or glasses, which was fine by Bruce. Once everyone gathered around Bruce, he gave Maria the pistol off the officer’s belt with the extra magazines. Bruce then gave Lynn the compact Glock. He told both to grab a few boxes of ammo out of the ammo can. Looking down at the belt, Bruce took off the Taser and put it on his right thigh. They were leaving the rifle, the ammo for it, and some .40 caliber ammo; the rest was coming.

“Okay, listen up. This is going to be the order of march,” Bruce said as the red-headed boy raised his hand. “Yes,” Bruce said to the boy.

“What is an ‘order of march’?” he asked.

“It’s just how we are to move and what orders you have to follow while we move,” Bruce told him. The boy said thank you, and Bruce started again.

“Buffy and I will be in the lead. Alex and Angela will be next. Then Susan, Jim, and you kids will be behind them. Lynn, you and Maria will follow the kids, and Mike will protect our ass. No talking, and if you have to, it is only in a whisper; sound carries a long way. Unless your weapon has a suppressor on it, you are not to shoot unless we are overrun. If you shoot a weapon without a suppressor we will have to run, and I mean run for miles,” Bruce stopped as a hand raised from one of the kids.

“A suppressor makes a gun shoot quieter. Some people call them a silencer,” Bruce said, and the hand went down. “I will set the pace, and you will keep it. I am carrying over 145 pounds of shit. That is almost half my body weight, so keep up. I will not move fast, but I will move steady. We rest when I stop and only then. We will be moving through the woods and only going on the road as a last resort. The batting gloves and glasses that each of you have––keep them on. Do not touch your face with your hands unless you take your gloves off in case you touch something an infected touched. Infected are out there, so we must be quiet. If you see one, do not yell out. Get someone’s attention with a snap of the fingers or a soft clap of the hands. If you yell, you will die and probably get some of us killed,” Bruce finished.

“I will probably add more, but for now that is it. Let’s move out,” Bruce said, walking to the back door, the others falling in behind him. As he reached the door, Alex ran up to him.

“The university just got overrun. Only two soldiers made it out. They said the Air Force base is close to being overrun. They are starting to fly people out on transports out west,” Alex informed him.

Bruce looked down, feeling the loss of friends he had not gotten out. A lot did get out but some didn’t. Looking at Alex, Bruce said, “Turn the police radio off and get back on ours. We can’t do nothing about them.”

Bruce opened the door with his rifle up and went outside. Looking behind him, he saw Buffy was mimicking his movements with her weapon even though it did not have a magazine in it. Smiling, Bruce headed to the wood line behind the school. Once they were in the woods, he turned south, heading toward the farm. Looking at his watch, he saw it was after three. They had been at the school for almost an hour. Well, it could not be helped and at least the new members of the group were prepared. They were an asset and not a total burden, Bruce thought, moving through the woods. They had at least four hours of daylight left, and Bruce wanted to be at least eight miles from here.
He did not have much hope in that, but Bruce would be happy with five miles.

The small group headed through the woods following Bruce. All but one survivor was holding on to a small flame of hope to survive and live in this new world; the last was hoping to rule it.

Chapter 31

The group had been moving for over two hours and was all drenched in sweat. Bruce held up his hand for everyone to stop. Motioning everyone close, Bruce pointed at the thin girl with brown hair, telling her to take a water bottle out and pass it around to the other kids. Some of the kids made faces about drinking after others until Bruce told them that half-empty containers of water made a lot of noise. With noise came infected and trouble. The faces of disgust disappeared after he told them that.

Lynn and Maria were sharing a bottle of water with Susan and Cassandra. Mike, Alex, Angela, and Bruce were drinking out of their Camelbacks. Bruce looked down as Buffy was trying to get her pack off without setting her gun down. Bruce smiled, touching her shoulder, and handed her the tube to his Camelback. She smiled and took a long drink. Bruce knelt down in front of her, adjusting the sling to her submachine gun. He stopped when it was at her waist instead of her thighs. Lifting the gun up to Buffy’s shoulder to make sure there was enough slack so she could fire it, Bruce let it hang back across her abdomen.

Bruce looked around and saw Jim drinking a bottle by himself. He did not say anything because he did not want to force someone to drink after Jim, as Jim was pretty much hated by everyone. Turning his head, he saw Alex and Angela teaching Cade to drink from their Camelbacks. With the smile on Cade’s face, he looked like he was enjoying it. Taking a closer look at Angela, he saw her hair plastered to her head like she had been swimming. Her M-4 was slung across her backpack, and she had the P90 slung across her body resting on her right side with the magazine pouch on the left. She looked like a young teenager going to kick someone’s ass or die trying. Out of everyone, Bruce was worried about Angela the most. She was carrying more than half her body weight, and when she carried Cade, it was close to three-quarters of her body weight. Alex carried Cade the most, but the baby wanted his mama.

Bruce made up his mind to slow the pace so Cade could walk some giving each of them a rest. Lynn and Maria took turns carrying Cassandra for Susan. They had taken one of her diaper bags that was full of powdered formula, splitting it between each of their packs. Susan was keeping up well with the group, with Joshua in the backpack baby carrier. Jim never carried either of the kids, and as far as Bruce could tell, they did not want to be near him.

Walking back, Bruce told Alex that he was slowing the pace so Cade could walk some. Overhearing Bruce, Angela started to protest. Bruce told her he wanted Cade tired so he would sleep tonight, and she said okay, turning back to Cade drinking from her Camelback. Alex looked at Bruce and winked. Walking back through the line, Bruce quietly told everyone to get up and get ready to move. With Buffy at her usual spot slightly off to his left side, he headed to the front of the group.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out his GPS satellite map. He found where he was then he studied the map. They were coming up on a large pasture that was several miles long. If they stayed along the edge, they could not be seen from the road. It would be much easier traveling for everyone, and the toddlers could walk. Bruce felt it was worth the risk even though anything easy is always paid back double in pain.

Motioning everyone up, he started off, and in thirty minutes they reached the field. Bruce went over the fence first. Then Buffy cradled her weapon and crawled under the barbed wire. After they had crossed, Bruce whispered to stay close to the fence and always be looking. He started walking the edge of the field with everyone in single file. Well, except the toddlers––they were walking everywhere along the line in the tall grass. Bruce kept the pace at a slow walk. He was looking ahead with his binoculars when Maria came up beside him.

“Can I walk with you? We need to talk, please,” she said in a low voice.

“Okay, but no louder than this,” Bruce told her.

“You need to start calling the kids by their names, Bruce. It hurts their feelings when you refer to them by hair color or ‘hey you’,” Maria said.

“I don’t know their names, Maria,” Bruce replied.

“Well, let me teach you. The boy with red hair is Ben. The boy with brown hair is Marty, and the black boy is John. The chunky girl is Christina, and the slim one is Julie. They are all twelve years old and were in the same class. I will teach you their last names later after you have learned their first names,” Maria said with a smile.

“Thank you, teacher. I will do my best,” Bruce smiled back.

“Bruce, I want to thank you for taking us with you I know you did not want to,” Maria said.

“It’s not that I didn’t want to, Maria, I just want to get to my family. With this group, it is going to add days,” Bruce replied with dejection.

“Why not just drive then?” Maria offered.

“Because we would die,” he replied. “There are police and gangs everywhere blocking off roads and shooting vehicles to get at the people inside. You, being a woman, should be extra careful because rape and murder are rampant now,” Bruce told her.

“I have heard,” she replied, suppressing a shudder.

They walked on, talking some, with Buffy following beside Bruce just listening. As they topped a small rise, Bruce dropped down to the ground. Buffy was lying on his left side. Maria, seeing Bruce drop, just ducked low. Bruce told her to lie down, which she did. Looking back at the group, he saw everyone was on the ground except Jim. He was looking around for place to lie down where he would not get dirty. He finally found a spot and sat down. Bruce made a mental note to kill him later. The parents had grabbed the toddlers and were holding them tight.

“What is it?” Mike asked over the radio.

“Infected in the field ahead,” Bruce replied back. Keying his radio again, he said, “Keep everyone down and move them closer to the fence.”

Mike did not reply back, but Bruce saw him moving up the line motioning everyone to the fence. Bruce crept up the side of the hill until he could see over it. Looking over the crest, Bruce saw two runners chasing a cow. That is what caught his eye and made him hit the dirt.

Watching the two runners chase the cow, he was amazed that not only were they chasing it, but they were gaining on it. The cow turned back and forth trying to get away from them, but they were not tiring. But the cow was. One of the infected grabbed the cow’s tail, and the other grabbed the head, making the cow trip. All three hit the dirt rolling. The runner that had grabbed the cow by the head was biting it and ripping at it with his hands. The other runner got up and ran over to the cow. Bruce could see by the way it carried its left arm, it was broken, but it did not care. The cow was covered in sweat and exhausted. The cow was not kicking much as the two tore into it, making the cow bellow out.

Bruce was fixing to pull back but thought better of it as he pulled his rifle up. He did not want two runners in the same area as he was. The carnage was a little under a hundred and fifty yards away––well within his range. He turned the power up on his ACOG, lining up the crosshairs on the one with broken arm. Seeing it through his scope, Bruce saw it was a woman and the other was a man, or they had been at one time, for all he knew about the virus it could have changed their sex. Her skin was a dark blue while his was a lighter blue.

Bruce rested the crosshairs on her head, slowly squeezing the trigger. The bullet hit her in the shoulder, almost taking her arm off. All she did was look up for a brief second and went back to feeding. The male blue never even looked up. Bruce took a deep breath, letting out half of it, resting the crosshairs on her head again, and slowly squeezing the trigger until the gun bucked in his hands.

The bullet hit her in the back of the head, blowing out the other side as she fell on top of the cow. The male blue never stopped feeding. Bruce eased the crosshairs to his face and slowly squeezed again. The bullet hit him in the forehead, blowing off the back of his skull. He then moved the sights to the cow’s head, putting two bullets in the cow’s head to end its suffering. Bruce looked up out into the field and could not see any more infected.

“That was some awesome shooting,” Maria said from his side from where she had crawled up to see what was going on.

“That’s my daddy,” Buffy told her, beaming with pride on Bruce’s other side.

“Come on you two, we need to get moving,” Bruce said, standing up.

Bruce called Mike over the radio and told him they were moving out. Mike asked him what happened, so Bruce told him. He could not believe two infected had not only run down a cow but tackled it then started feeding on it. Bruce reassured him that it had happened and they needed to move.

They reached the end of the field and headed back into the woods. They walked until about an hour before dark. They stopped in a large stand of oak trees. Bruce told the kids–– calling each by name––to clear the leaves out, forming a large circle. He told everyone to break out some food and eat. Taking off his pack and setting it on the ground, Bruce almost felt light enough to fly. He opened his pack and took out an FSR, or first strike ration. One FSR held the same amount of calories as three MREs and weighed much less. Bruce sat, sharing his meal with Buffy and teaching her about the UMP. Alex, seeing Bruce giving a lesson on the submachine gun, came over and sat with them. He showed them how to field strip then reassemble the weapon. By the time it was dark, each of them felt comfortable with the weapon.

Bruce opened his pack, pulling out his monocular NVG and the thermal scope he got from the cop car. He put the headband on his head, mounting the night vision over his left eye then swiveled it up out of his way. Then he mounted the thermal scope on his SCAR, pulling the skirt on the thermal scope over his red dot. The skirt did not allow any light to escape. Looking over, Mike already had his out and set up. Walking around the group, Bruce instructed them not to leave the circle for any reason during the night. If they had to use the bathroom during the night––Bruce pointed to a spot by Jim––everyone should go there. He and Mike each pulled two blankets out of their packs. Mike told the kids to spread one out and cover up with the other. It was still very hot, so the kids did not want to cover up.

Bruce said he would take first watch, Mike second, and Alex last. Angela started to say something until Bruce told her to be quiet. Looking at Angela with a scowl on his face, Bruce told her she would take watch when he said, and right now was not it. Mike told Alex he would let him use the NVG for his shift. There were a lot of clouds so there would be little light to see by.

Everyone settled in, and before long everyone was asleep as the woods became pitch black. Bruce had his back to a tree with Buffy sitting between his legs. His rifle was laying down on his right side, and hers was across her lap. Bruce told her to get some sleep, but she just shook her head no. So Bruce showed her by feel how to use the NVG. The headband would not fit her, but she liked being able to see at night. Then he showed her the thermal scope. Their four-hour shift ended, and Bruce let Buffy use the monocular, holding it to her eye as she walked over to wake Mike for his shift. When she got back, she sat back down between his legs and passed the monocular over her head to Bruce. He put it on, wrapping his left arm around her; his right hand rested on his SCAR. He slowly drifted off to sleep, and the nightmares came.

Chapter 32

Debbie was sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee. She felt like shit after only three hours’ sleep; she would talk to Nancy and cancel a lot of the work outside today. They would bring the cases the boys had dug up and unpack them. Everyone needed a break today. Tonya was making breakfast after sitting up with her mother all night.

Pam had improved after getting blood yesterday. Nancy had taken her off oxygen and stopped her IV fluids during the night. Nancy had gotten to sleep around three. Steve was in mission control, and Stephanie was still in the fort after relieving Debbie last night. The shift was fixing to end, and David was going to the fort, but Steve was staying in mission control.

Danny and Mary both walked into the kitchen, heading straight to the coffeepot. The family had over two years’ worth of coffee stored and had started some coffee plants in one of the greenhouses, but Debbie knew they would run out before the plants made any beans. She had her doubts if this house could function without coffee.

A few minutes later, the boys came into the kitchen, all heading to the coffeepot. Debbie smiled to herself. They all sat down at the table with plates full of food. Some were staring at their plates, and others were eating like the food was going to run off the plate.

Debbie looked down the table and said, “I’m canceling all work outside today. We are going to unpack the cases and take it easy today.” The kids just looked at her, expecting her to say it was a joke.

“Are you serious, Mama Debbie?” Mary asked.

“Yes, I am. We need a break. Plus we need the stuff in those cases,” Debbie said.

“Mom, Matt and I have a project that we want to work on for the family,” Jake informed her.

“What is it?” Debbie asked.

“We don’t want to say; it’s going to be a surprise,” Jake said.

“Well, I don’t care as long as both of you do your chore list,” Debbie stated.

“This project will require the use of the machine shop and some stuff from the armory,” Jake said carefully.

“Jake, you and Matt know how your fathers are about that machine shop. They don’t mind any of you working in it as long as they know what you are doing. As for the armory, you know how your dad is about those guns, son,” Debbie stated.

“Mama Debbie, it is really important, and I promise you we won’t break anything. Everyone in the family will love it,” Matt pleaded with her.

Debbie looked at the two boys and could see that this was important to them. “Okay, you two can do your project, and if the duo have anything to say, I will take the blame,” she told them. “Please don’t make an atomic bomb, boys.”

“Mom, you have to have uranium for that,” Jake said.

“You know what I mean, Jake. Don’t make me regret my decision,” Debbie said.

“That is one thing I can guarantee, Mama Debbie,” Matt said.

“How long will this project take?” she asked.

“Probably two days but no more than three,” Jake said.

Debbie looked at the boys; anything those two could work on for two to three days was going to be dangerous. She just hoped it was not dangerous to the boys. She trusted their judgment and abilities, just not their egos. They were so much like their fathers it was scary at times.

“All right, let’s eat and get the cases unpacked then you two can start,” Debbie said.

Matt and Jake inhaled the food on their plates then put the dishes in the sink. They went outside, moving the cases into the den and game room. After everyone else finished, they went to help Matt and Jake unpack the cases. The first one contained wrapped canvas bags; each contained parts to make one weapon selective fire. Each bag had a label on the outside that listed parts in the bag. The boys stopped counting at fifty. Also in this container were short barrels for the rifles because any rifle barrel under sixteen inches had to be registered and taxed by the ATF.

When Matt opened the second case, he let out a long whistle. Inside were more suppressors than he had ever imagined. Each one had a card wrapped on it saying what caliber and thread type. When he picked up a large suppressor, he called Jake over and they both smiled at each other looking at it. Jake reached in and started pulling out five plastic ammo boxes. Opening the boxes up, he saw there were one 5.56, two 7.62, one .338 Lapua, and one .50 caliber. He picked up one of the fifty-caliber rounds and looked at the tip in disbelief. The boxes were full of armor-piercing incendiary rounds. Only the military had this––how in the hell did his father get his hands on this ammunition?

When Nancy came down and saw what was going on, she told Steve he could go and help. After the second case had been unpacked, Steve told everyone to bring their sniper rifles, assault rifles, and side arms down to the den. Sitting on the floor, Steve started fitting suppressors to the sniper rifles and side arms. Everyone’s sniper rifle already had a threaded barrel, and their primary pistols had extended barrels with threads. Since they could not keep suppressors on all the time, they just put caps on to protect the threads. Steve said he would then start fitting the selective-fire lowers to the assault rifles.

Jake and Matt pulled another case into the game room. This one had a white stripe on the lid. Jake kneeled down, releasing the pressure relief valve, and unlocked the top. Looking inside, they saw weapons in sealed plastic bags. They placed the weapons in a line on the floor. It was quite a line when they finished. There were two AUGs, three M-4s, one Galil, one Uzi, one MAC-10, two Ruger 10 22s, three Beretta M-9 pistols with extended barrel and forward grip, a submachine gun that he had never seen, and two Saiga shot guns with short barrels and folding stocks then two more without folding stocks. Jake could understand why some of these guns were here. The short barreled Saigas were illegal unless you had a tax stamp but not Berettas and 10-22s. While Jake was thinking, Matt ripped open a bag holding an M-4, turning it around in his hands. As he looked at it, he said, “Wow.”

Jake walked over to see what Matt was looking at. At the selector switch, there was a circle with a line through it, then one line, then three lines and finally an infinity sign. Then it hit Jake like a brick. Mike and his dad had already converted these weapons in the machine shop. Looking back down the line, smiling, Jake thought, this is better than Christmas. He had shot a lot of automatic weapons; his dad was a class-three dealer. His dad sold weapons to police departments around north Louisiana and east Texas. So there were over a dozen law enforcement demos in the armory, but you could not really own them, only hold them for the ATF. The forty-foot enclosed trailer parked beside the machine shop was full of tactical gear that Bruce and Mike took to the demos.

Bruce had told him that they made good money at the police demonstrations just selling tactical gear and for Jake not to tell his mom. Bruce told Jake after they replaced stock that he and Mike would go spend the money, usually before they got home from the demonstrations on guns and other stuff the mamas would not understand. Jake did not have the heart to tell his dad, but he knew Mama knew about the charade. Jake just let Dad live the illusion because nothing got by Mom.

Looking back in the box, he saw twenty sealed cardboard tubes about six inches long. He pulled one of the tubes out and saw that it was taped around the middle. Pulling the tape, Jake realized it was a seal. Pulling the top off, Jake looked inside.

“Fuck me,” Jake said aloud.

Everyone stopped what they were doing, looking at him in disbelief. All the kids cussed but not when a parent was close, especially a mama less than six feet away. “Jake, watch your mouth,” Debbie snapped at him.

“Fuck me,” Jake said aloud again, not hearing his mother.

“What the hell is it?” Steve asked, wanting to know what would cause Jake to use language that would unleash the wrath of Mama.

Jake reached in the tube, pulling out a hand grenade. The kids and Debbie jumped up, running over to him and looking at the grenade in his hand. Mike and Bruce had taught the family about grenades. They even had several dummy grenades that they used for the family to practice with. No one other than Mike and Bruce had ever used real grenades. The kids and Debbie had never even seen a real hand grenade much less held one.

“Fuck me,” Danny said out loud. This seemed to be the expression of choice at the moment, much to Debbie’s annoyance.

“Danny, watch the language,” Debbie warned.

“How the fuck did they get this, Mom?” Jake asked loudly, staring at the grenade.

“Jake, that’s enough,” Debbie said with anger in her voice.

“Mom, if the ATF would have come here and found these, they would have just executed us. They would not have arrested us. They would have just shot everyone in the house,” Jake said, finally looking up at her.

“That is why only the adults knew about the crates, but only Bruce and Mike knew what they contained,” Debbie said, looking at the grenade, glad Bruce never told her about them. “And no, Jake, the ATF would not just come in and execute us.”

“There are some people at Waco and Ruby Ridge that would argue about that, Mom,” Danny said.

“Yes, Mama Debbie, they kill people just for having sawed-off shotguns. For these, they would probably throw our bodies in a wood chipper,” Mary said with conviction.

Debbie was going to slap Bruce and Mike for filling the kids’ heads with conspiracy. “I don’t care what they would have done; they are gone now. Bruce and Mike thought this was worth the risk. Now put the top back on it, Jake, and nobody is to touch them until the duo returns. Am I understood?” Debbie told them sternly. They all replied, “Yes ma’am.”

Debbie told Matt and Jake they could go and start on their project. When they asked about the other crates, Debbie told them they could wait. She was actually scared to know what was in them. They both jumped up, running upstairs, getting dressed, grabbing their rifles, and running back downstairs and into the basement. They came up later carrying something wrapped in a blanket and picked up the suppressor they had set aside.

The family just went about the day, making progress on the opened cases. Mary and Danny were moving a lot of the stuff into the basement. Debbie was inventorying what the opened cases contained. She knew without a doubt that the duo had not bothered to do this. The duo just bought stuff, never worrying about inventorying it. Without Nancy and Debbie, the duo would have just kept buying stuff that they already had, which they had done numerous times already. She opened up the two AUGs, taking one to Nancy. Nancy was talking to Pam, who was sitting up and eating.

When Debbie got back to the den, she found the girls had pulled out an M-4 and the Galil. They had their rifles and were taking off sights and fore grips and putting them on their new weapons. When Debbie reminded them not to just shoot on auto, and they needed to sight the rifles in after they set them up, they both just looked at her with that teenage girl expression that she was so stupid. Debbie fought off the urge to slap both of them and continued working on the inventory list.

At 8 p.m., Debbie called Matt and Jake on the radio, telling them food was ready and to remember they had guard duty tonight. They just replied okay. Mary and Danny were on guard duty now with their new weapons. They had asked Debbie for permission to sight in their rifles in the backyard. Debbie said they could. With the suppressors on, unless someone was close, nobody would hear. They also shot their pistols with their suppressors. Mary had taken her AR-10 sniper rifle with her to the fort since she now had a suppressor for it. The AR-10 looked like a large M-4 with a heavy barrel that shot 7.62 or .308. This is what most of the family used for long-range shooting. Mary and Danny both had one and could hit targets at five hundred yards with ease. Jake and Matt could draw pictures at five hundred yards with the AR-10.

Debbie walked upstairs after finishing her list and took a shower then climbed into bed. She reached over to her nightstand for her cell phone. She looked at the display, and the message she tried to send to Bruce had not gone through. She had not received any more messages from him, but she knew he had gotten out of Shreveport and was coming home. They had heard today on the radio they had taken from the constable that the university had been overrun. All of Shreveport and Bossier was a war zone. Everything coming over the radio was bad news. Closing her eyes, she fell asleep holding her phone.

Chapter 33

Bruce woke up with a startle from a nightmare of blues killing and raping his family. He was covered in sweat even though it had cooled down a lot. When the daytime temperature was 108 degrees with 90 percent humidity, 80 degrees felt cool. He was trying to get the nightmare images from his mind; it was still pitch black, so he reached up, turning on his NVG and lowering it over his left eye. Looking at his watch, he saw it was 4:30 a.m. and 83 degrees. Looking around, he saw Alex standing to his left looking at him with Mike’s NVG. Alex waved at Bruce, and Bruce waved back. Alex had the monocular over his right eye. Bruce would tell him in the morning to keep it on his left. Alex shot right-handed, and with the monocular on his right eye, he would have to shoot from his hip.

With the monocular on the left eye, you could aim down the barrel, and both eyes would transpose the sight picture together. It was not super accurate, but you could hit targets much easier, wasting fewer bullets.

Buffy was still asleep in his lap, holding his arm with her left arm and her right hand on her weapon. Looking around the camp, Bruce saw everyone sleeping. All but one of the kids were lying on blankets; one had rolled off and was sleeping on the dirt. Bruce could not be sure, but he thought it was Ben. No one was covered up with a blanket. Reaching up, he turned the NVG off, flipping it up, and started going over the route they would take in his mind.

Sitting and holding Buffy, he watched the false dawn. When he could see the trees and the group around him, he glanced at his watch. It was 5:20. He tried to roll Buffy out of his lap so he could stand. She turned around and looked at him with wide open eyes.

“Are you getting up?” she whispered.

“Yes, but you can go back to sleep,” he told her in a whisper.

“Why? I was awake before you turned on the NVG,” she said. He just looked at her.

“You kept tightening your muscles up all night, and sometimes you would hold me real tight. Did you have bad dreams?” she asked with concern.

“Yes, I had some bad dreams. Sorry I woke you up,” Bruce confessed and apologized.

“You didn’t wake me up. I was having bad dreams too,” she replied, looking at him. Buffy stood up and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you for rescuing me and being my daddy and not making me sleep with the other kids. If I had to sleep by myself, I would have cried all night,” she said, giving him a hug. “When I am by you, I feel safe no matter what’s around. Back at the school when you and Daddy Mike were shooting the blue people, I was scared but I felt safe. But you are never scared and always keep us safe,” she said while she hugged him.

Bruce hugged her back and then pushed her back, looking in her face. “Buffy, at the school, I was so scared I thought I was going to pass out. I was scared shitless,” Bruce told her. She looked at him in disbelief and astonishment. “Everyone gets scared, baby, but you have to fight through it and continue what you are doing. That is what separates people that live and people that die. Fighting through your fear to fight what is causing it,” Bruce told her in a quiet voice. “Do you understand?”

“I think so. Even though you are scared, you never stop fighting,” she said after thinking about what he said.

“That’s right, because family is depending on you. Family first,” Bruce told her. “Let me get up,” he said, attempting to stand.

Buffy jumped out of the way immediately. It took Bruce a few seconds to stand as his muscles screamed in protest. He felt like someone had taken a baseball bat to his body. Getting old sucks, he thought. He started doing some stretches to loosen his muscles. Seeing Buffy try them with her weapon slung across her abdomen and hitting her with each stretch Bruce reached over, taking it off of her, and laying it beside his SCAR on the ground.

Bruce continued his stretches with Buffy copying everything he did. Next he began push-ups, sit-ups, and lunges. Then he started going through katas, and Buffy was mimicking everything she saw with determination on her face. When she was having trouble with the movements, Bruce would stop and help her. They continued for about an hour until the toddlers woke up.

Cade started hitting Angela in the face, and Cassandra was shaking Susan awake; neither of them made any noise. The moms each woke up to tend to the babies. Susan woke Joshua up, laying him on his baby blanket, changing his diaper, then fixing him a bottle. Angela took Cade to the potty area so he could pee. Bruce almost asked her to let him piss on Jim but thought better of it. He did not want to get mad at the beginning of the day.

Walking to his pack, Bruce tightened the straps on his tactical vest, his drop holster on his right, and his drop pouch on his left. Bending down, he picked up his rifle as Buffy picked up hers, grabbing the magazine pouch and slinging it across her right shoulder so it was on her left hip. As she reached for her backpack Bruce stopped her and shook his head no. He took the tomahawk off of his pack. Turning to Alex, he pointed at himself and Buffy then to a little stand of saplings about sixty yards from camp. Alex nodded his head that he understood.

Bruce led Buffy to the small stand of saplings. Bruce was stepping silently on the leaf-covered floor as Buffy followed, watching him. Copying his movements, she was barely making any noise walking as they reached the small stand of saplings. Bruce stopped and looked at the saplings until he found what he was looking for. Walking up to a sapling that was about six feet tall and about two inches around, he grabbed it with his left hand. He turned to make sure Buffy was not close and listened for any sounds. Seeing Buffy was not in his swing area, and not hearing anything, he swung the tomahawk hard at the base of the sapling. The head passed through on the first swing. He eased the sapling down and then chopped about a four-and-a-half-foot section off the base. He repeated the process on four more saplings. Picking up the five poles he made, he walked back to camp.

By the time they got back, everyone was awake except Jim. Mike was off to the side doing push-ups. Bruce put the poles down, pulling out an FSR from his pack and telling Buffy to get a bottle of water out of hers. When everyone saw them eating, they started pulling out food and water. Bruce was glad to see everyone sharing water, and two people were eating out of one MRE. Hearing people moving Jim woke up and attempted to brush the dirt off his slacks. Seeing everyone eating, he grabbed some food and water. He did not offer any of his food nor did anyone ask for any.

After Bruce and Buffy finished eating, they brushed their teeth and started to get their packs ready. Bruce put the NVG back in his pack but left the thermal scope on. Once they had the packs ready, Bruce left them on the ground and turned to the kids. Bruce called them over in a low voice. They came over to him, and he told them to stand in a line facing him, which they did. Bruce then handed each of them the small staffs he had cut. He looked at them holding the sticks.

“These are your weapons. You will keep up with them at all times. Your weapon should never be far from your reach. Without your weapon, you will not last long in a fight,” Bruce told them in a low commanding voice.

“It’s a stick,” Marty pointed out.

“It’s a staff, Marty,” Bruce corrected. “It is your weapon.”

“She has got a gun,” Marty said, pointing at Buffy.

“That’s because she listens, does as she’s told, and does not whine,” Bruce said, looking at Marty.

Marty clamped his mouth shut as Bruce continued, “With a staff, you can protect yourself, incapacitate someone, and even kill a man with your weapon. Now let me show you how.”

Bruce demonstrated basic techniques they could use with the staff, how to leg sweep someone and drive an attacker back. He told them to work together in groups of two and three when they attacked. As he worked with them, he told them they were to never charge off and attack. They were to only use the weapons if something attacked them. The lesson went on for half an hour. When he stopped, Bruce told them to get their packs ready. The blankets that he and Mike had given them last night were to be placed in their packs. When the kids took off to get their bags ready, Bruce gathered several empty MRE bags. He walked over to Alex and Angela with Buffy telling them to follow him. Mike walked up to Bruce with his SCAR held out.

“Give me your rifle Bruce and you take mine. I cleaned mine. While you are gone, I will clean yours,” Mike offered.

Bruce handed Mike his rifle and took Mike’s. “Thank you, brother. Tell the others they will hear us shoot so don’t be scared. Also let them know unless something is close, we won’t be heard with the suppressors,” Bruce told him.

“I figured that is what you were going to do. I will watch Cade while you two go with Bruce. When you get back, we will be ready to go,” Mike assured him, taking Cade from Alex.

Bruce led the group away from camp and told them to stop. He went about twenty yards out, placing the three empty bags on the ground, and walked back to the group. Giving them instructions, he had each of them fire at a bag. He made them shoot single shots and bursts. Then he made them practice changing magazines; this was hardest for Angela since the P90’s magazine was on top of the gun and not the bottom. He then went over how to clear basic jams, always behind cover. Then he explained that cover was hiding behind something that the enemy could not shoot through. Concealment only hid you, and someone could shoot you through it. As each one took turns shooting, he told them to be ready to go to their sidearm if their main weapon went dry. He looked at Buffy and told her he would get her a sidearm when they got back to camp. Then he told them until they learned trigger control, they were to keep their weapons on safe until they were going to shoot.

After each of them cleared their weapons, he led them back to camp. As they got back to camp, Cade ran into Angela’s arms. Bruce told them to reload their magazines that they had used. Angela and Alex sat down with Cade between them and started loading magazines. Buffy ran to her pack, pulling out one of the five hundred-round bricks Bruce had put in at the school and sat down.

Bruce walked over to Mike, and they swapped rifles. They ran over the day’s trip and decided to leave the thermal scopes on their rifles. Bruce then asked Mike if he had his .357 and the ankle holster. Mike said he did; it was in his pack. Walking over to his pack, he dug it out, handing it to Bruce. Bruce looked at his watch. It was 7:45. He told Mike they were leaving at 8 a.m. Walking over to Buffy, he saw she had not loaded her magazines, not from lack of trying but because she didn’t know how.

Bruce kneeled by her, showing her how to slide the bullets in from the front while pushing down. She smiled at him as the bullets started going in the magazine. Once the magazine was half full, she had some trouble pushing the spring down but was still loading the magazine. While Buffy kept loading magazines, he walked over to his pack, pulling out a roll of Para-cord––the same cord they used on parachutes. Cutting off two pieces about two feet long, he put the Para-cord back in his pack. Taking the ankle holster, he pulled out his knife, cutting two holes on the top of the holster.

Walking back to Buffy, he saw she was working on her second magazine. He told her to stand up but to keep loading. He put the ankle holster on her right thigh. Then, running a piece of cord through each hole he had cut, he tied it to her belt making an improvised drop holster. The band of the ankle holster fit her thigh snugly. Bruce smiled at his invention then told her not to touch it until he showed her how to use it. She promised, finishing her last magazine and looking up at him.

“I’m sure glad I have these gloves. That hurts your fingers,” she said, putting the loaded magazines in her pouch.

“Yes, it does,” Bruce said. “I want you to carry your weapon loaded today but on safe,” he told her.

“Yes sir,” she said with joy. Making sure her weapon was on safe, she took a magazine out of the pouch. Slapping it in her weapon and chambering a round, she again made sure it was on safe. Then she looked up at Bruce, smiling. Bruce nodded his head, smiling at her. Buffy’s smile got bigger, as she saw that he was proud of her.

“Remember, your finger never goes on the trigger until you are ready to shoot. That is your primary safety and the only one you ever trust,” Bruce told Buffy, who gave him a thumbs-up.

Bruce looked around and the kids were still practicing what Bruce had shown them with the staffs. He could see determination on each of their faces as they swung and jabbed their staffs in the air. Bruce hit his chest with his fist, and everyone stopped what they were doing, looking at him. He held his right arm out and made a circular motion with his hand for them to mount up. Only Mike knew what it meant. When everyone saw them grab their packs and put them on, they understood. Each one grabbed his or her pack and put it on.

Bruce looked around to make sure they had not left anything. All he saw were some wrappers and empty MRE bags. He had told everyone to keep the empty plastic water bottles. They could refill them. Seeing they had everything of value, he led the group off through the woods.

By ten, the clouds had cleared, and the merciless sun beat down on them. Bruce kept the pace slow and stopped every two hours for everyone to rest and drink water. During the march, Bruce would look at Buffy to make sure she had her weapon on safe and her finger was off the trigger. Each time he looked, her weapon was on safe and her little finger was laying outside the trigger well. At each stop, he taught Buffy more about her weapons.

They stopped by a small creek at noon. Everyone was completely drenched with sweat and almost out of water. Bruce looked at each person to judge his or her status. Looking at the kids, he saw they were starting to get sunburns, as were several of the adults. He took off his pack, setting it on the ground. When everyone saw him take off his pack, they did the same in this weird game of Simon Says, or more correctly Do What Bruce Does. Buffy set her pack beside Bruce’s and watched him dig through his pack. Maria walked over to Bruce.

“We are getting low on water,” Maria told Bruce.

“I know, that’s why we stopped here,” Bruce said, still digging in his pack.

Maria looked at him then the creek. “You can’t be serious. Who knows what we will catch if we drink that water,” she told him.

Pulling out what looked like a weird bicycle pump from his pack, he looked at Maria. “Keep your voice down. This is a water filter good for a thousand gallons. We are going to refill the bottles,” he told her then handed her a bottle of sunblock.

“Go around and put this on everyone,” Bruce told her.

“Marty, John, Ben, Christina, Julie, come here,” Bruce said. They all jumped up and ran over, carrying their staffs.

“Christina and Julie, get all the empty water bottles and bring them to the creek. Boys, follow me,” Bruce said.

Leading the boys to the creek, Bruce stopped and looked down at the creek for snakes. Not seeing any, Bruce stepped down the three-foot bank into the water. It was only six inches deep. He told the boys to take off their shoes and socks. After they were barefoot, they came over to Bruce.

“Ben, you hold the pump with the bottom tube in the water. Make sure you keep it upstream so you don’t pull up mud that you stir up. John, you pump, and Marty, you will fill the bottles, understand?” Bruce said to them. They replied in unison, “Yes sir.”

Bruce climbed out of the creek as the girls brought the first load of empty bottles and started passing them to the boys. Maria walked over to the creek and stood watching the kids with Bruce. Bruce looked back at the group and saw several of them rubbing lotion on their bodies. Mike was behind them keeping guard. Bruce pulled off his boonie hat and glasses, wiping the sweat off of his face with his sleeve. Buffy reached over, taking them out of his hand and holding them for Bruce. He looked at Buffy and told her to take some of the bottles that had already been filled and fill up his Camelback in his pack, then do the same for Mike and take the empty bottles back to be refilled. Setting Bruce’s hat and Oakley’s on his pack, Buffy took off as Maria turned to Bruce.

“How can you, Mike, and the young couple walk around with your shirts buttoned up and your sleeves down? It’s over a hundred easy,” Maria asked.

Bruce turned and looked at Maria. Her Battle Dress Uniform top was unbuttoned, and her sleeves were rolled up. Her t-shirt underneath her BDU top was soaked. Glancing back, he saw Lynn had her BDU top tied around her waist.

“It’s 109 to be exact. These shirts may only be cotton, but it may save us from a bite,” Bruce told her.

Maria just stared at him with a look of shock. She put the sunblock on the ground and buttoned up her shirt and pulled her sleeves down. She picked up the sunblock, waiting on the kids to finish so she could coat them in sunblock. Bruce told her to put the bottle in her pack; it was now her responsibility. She said she would.

It only took the kids fifteen minutes to fill up the forty-five bottles after Buffy had filled Mike’s and Bruce’s Camelbacks. Then Buffy filled up Alex’s and Angela’s. Finished, the boys climbed out of the creek as Bruce told them not to put their socks and shoes on until their feet dried. Smiling, Bruce patted each one on the shoulder, telling them they had done a good job. Then Bruce took the filter pump from Ben. All five smiled at the compliment as they grabbed staffs, socks, shoes, and bottles of water, returning to the group. Maria chased each of the five down, covering exposed skin with sunblock.

They all sat down, pulling out food, and started eating. Voices were kept low as they talked with each other. Bruce did not say anything, letting them talk as long as they kept their voices down. When he and Buffy finished eating, they went over to relieve Mike so he could eat. Bruce and Buffy stood watch as Mike sat down and ate.

“Well, how are we doing, Bruce?” Mike asked between bites.

“We will average about eight to ten miles a day. Since we are going cross-country and have people that are not prepared for a hike, I can live with that. Since the farm is only sixty miles away now, we should make it in six days. I don’t think we will make Lake Bistineau Dam before nightfall. If we do, we will still camp on this side before crossing the bayou below the dam,” Bruce told him.

“Bayou, my ass. That is a full-fledged swamp, and it’s at least two miles wide. That’s if we could just go straight across, but we will have to weave around deep parts. So in actuality I put it at four miles. Why not just try the road on top of the dam?” Mike wanted to know.

“Too risky. That road is straight and over two miles long with nowhere to hide,” Bruce told him.

“The lake is low now so we could go down into it if we had to,” Mike pointed out.

“Then we would be stuck with a plain of mud and water on one side and the dam on the other with nowhere to go. With the lake low, the bayou will be, too,” Bruce replied.

“But the bayou will be full of that mud you were talking about. We have more than just me and you here,” Mike said.

“Mike, quit being a pussy. If we don’t go through the bayou then we have to walk twenty miles to Highway 71. Use the bridge to cross over it, which poses the same problem as with the road across the dam––we would be exposed and in a choke point. Then have to walk twenty miles back, adding at least four more days to our trip, which the supplies cannot take,” Bruce said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“I’m not a pussy,” Mike said, irritated.

“I know that, Mike,” Bruce shot back.

“I was just playing the devil’s advocate,” Mike said.

“The devil can suck my ass,” Bruce said. “Who would have thought a plague like this could break out this fast? Turning people into blue speed demons that want to kill you.”

“It could be worse; they could be zombies. And very few are speed demons,” Mike replied.

“They might as well be zombies. You have to shoot them in the head. Enough of the infected are speed demons that they scare the shit out of me,” Bruce told Mike, looking at him eating.

“They have a heartbeat and do breathe. You saw that at the hospital on the one that turned while he was on the cardiac monitor. They are not zombies, and if you don’t think they scare me, then you are crazy as a shithouse rat,” Mike told Bruce as he stopped eating and stared back at him.

“Then why don’t they die when you hit them in the chest?” Bruce asked.

“I have no idea. When I get a chance I will ask one,” Mike replied.

“Don’t you even think about it, brother. I refuse to drag your ass across north Louisiana just because you want to talk to a blue,” Bruce told him.

“I love you too,” Mike replied.

“Come on old man, we need to move,” Bruce told him as he and Buffy started walking off.

“Buffy, thank you for filling up my Camelback,” Mike told her, reaching out and rubbing her hair.

“You are welcome, Daddy Mike. Can I ask you a question?” she said, looking up at Mike as Bruce stopped to wait on her.

“How crazy is a shithouse rat?” Buffy asked him.

Both Mike and Bruce busted out laughing until Lynn told them to be quiet. They stopped laughing, but the smiles remained on their faces. They were a little embarrassed about making noise. Mike turned to Buffy. “Baby, I have no idea how crazy they are, but they have to be pretty crazy to live in a shithouse,” he told her.

“Yeah, you’re right. They have to be crazy to live in a shithouse,” she replied with a serious face, walking over to Bruce.

Bruce tapped his chest, getting everyone’s attention. He held up his right hand with fingers extended then moved his hand in a circular motion. Then he said in a low voice, “We move out in five minutes.” He and Buffy walked to their packs, and Bruce put the pump back in his pack hoping that it had dried enough. Having water leak out in a waterproof pack was bad. He was in no mood to unpack all the shit he had in his pack to let it dry. Not much in the pack could be hurt by water, but there were some things that could.

Bruce put on his pack, watching Buffy put her pack on then checking to make sure her weapon was still on safe. That laugh had felt so good after the last week and took a lot of tension off of Bruce. This little girl had only been in his life for a little more than forty-eight hours, and he could not see himself without her now. The constant following had gotten on his nerves at first, but if she was not under his feet now, he would wait on her. She did not like being far from him still. When she had to use the bathroom, she made him come with her, and he would turn around while she did her business. She was a good kid, and Bruce was happy to have her as a daughter.

Seeing everyone was ready, Bruce crossed the creek and started through the woods. They walked through the woods, coming to a field. Bruce held up a fist, and everyone stopped. Jumping the fence, he motioned everyone to follow. They either went over, under, or through. Since the start of this hike, they had crossed close to a hundred fences, so everyone had practice. Bruce moved ahead, waiting until Mike gave the go ahead to move out.

Mike called over the radio and said move out. Walking across the field, they heard gunfire coming from up ahead. It was way off in the distance, but it sounded like it was coming from where they were headed. It had been a long time since they had heard any gunfire. The gunfire continued as they crossed the field and went back into the tree line. It sounded like a full-blown battle ahead. As he walked, Bruce pulled out his map.

From the sound, he judged it was about four or five miles away. Looking at the map, Bruce guessed that would put it on this side of the dam or on the dam itself. On the route they were taking, they would never see the dam and at the closest would be over a mile away. The gunfire stopped then they heard a few single shots, then they too stopped. They were coming up on Highway 154, which ran over the dam, but the group would cross it five miles from the dam.

Bruce wanted to hurry and cross the road in case whoever was shooting at the dam came this way. He called Mike, telling him what he was thinking, and Mike agreed they needed to move. Mike called Alex over the radio, telling him come to the rear. Mike would give them a break in carrying Cade. A grateful Alex replied, “Okay.”

It was a little after three when they reached the highway. It was only a two-lane blacktop, but it was heavily traveled in normal times. The tree line was twenty yards away from the road on each side. Bruce stopped several yards inside the tree line, looking at the road. He could hear heavy breathing from the group behind him. They had not stopped for a water break on the way here. Mike had moved up and down the line telling everyone why as they pushed forward.

They had heard another round of gunfire about an hour ago. It had lasted for half an hour and then stopped. The volume of fire they were hearing was tremendous. Bruce had been in combat before, so he knew what a firefight sounded like. It would take at least fifty to sixty guns to get up to the volume he was hearing. Whoever was shooting was going through thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Bruce turned around, looking at the group. The kids were leaning against trees or on their staffs trying to catch their breath. The adults were no better, leaning over and breathing hard. Only Mike was walking around, moving from person to person making sure they were okay. He even stopped and asked Jim if he was all right. Jim just nodded his head. Bruce had not pushed them to a run, but they had walked very fast and everyone had kept up. Susan came up to Bruce asking if she could fix the baby a bottle.

Bruce thumped his chest and pointed to the ground in front of him. Everyone moved to where he pointed, then he pulled them in tighter. He looked around and then laid out his plan in a whisper.

“We are going to rest here for ten minutes. I want everyone to drink some water. Do not drink it fast, or you will get sick; take small sips. If we do not see or hear anything, we will cross here two at a time. Buffy and I will be the first then Mike will tell who to follow. If for some reason we get attacked and separated during the crossing, I will be on that side of the road and Mike on this side. Whichever side you are on, you listen to us. Mike, I will wait at the campsite I showed you earlier. I will wait for one day then move out, and you head home however you can with who you have. No noise now. Okay, we move in ten minutes,” Bruce said, completing the briefing.

He received nods from everyone including Jim. Bruce turned back to the road and felt a tug on his pants leg. He looked down at Buffy as she pointed at the tube to the Camelback. Kneeling beside her, Bruce put the end of the tube in her hand. She started drinking, looking toward the road.

Bruce looked at Buffy. She looked like someone had taken a water hose to her. Her clothes and gloves were soaked and sticking to her body. Sweat rolled from her curls, under her glasses dripping on her shirt. Both of her arms had scratches from all the bushes they had gone through. Yet her right hand was still on her weapon, her left holding the drinking tube as she watched the area. Feeling very proud of her, Bruce reached out, pulling her head to him, and kissed her on top of the head. She turned to Bruce, smiling, with her face flushed from the heat. He smiled back at her. Buffy held out the drinking tube in front of his mouth. Bruce shook his head no, and she just pushed it in his mouth. He took several long drinks and passed it back to her. She turned to the road and put her back against his chest. With the heat radiating off her body, Bruce wanted her to move away a little. Bruce just did not have the heart to move her. He smiled to himself as he admitted to himself he loved her as his daughter. Great, he had another daughter who would drive him crazy when she became a teenager.

The two sat watching the road. Bruce reached around her, taking the drinking tube, and took a last drink before putting it back. Bruce turned on the thermal scope; it took almost a minute to warm up, and he might need his scope. Turning to the group, Bruce thumped his chest, and everyone looked at him. He raised his arm and gave the signal to move out. He and Buffy moved to the edge of the tree line and stepped out. Bruce pulled Buffy to a kneeling position. He looked to his left down the road that led to the dam; not seeing anything, he turned to the right. The road curved away from them a quarter mile away. He grabbed Buffy’s shoulder and squeezed as he stood up, and took off running across the road. Buffy took off in a dead run, which for Bruce was a fast jog. The distance was only about fifty yards, but being exposed, it felt like miles. They ran into the tree line on the other side and stopped. Buffy leaned over with her hands on her knees.

Bruce pulled his rifle up and looked down the road toward the dam then back the other way toward the curve, not seeing any thermal signatures except the group. He called Mike on the radio, telling him to send two. Next came Lynn and John, and he was leaving her behind. When they made it into the tree line, Bruce called Mike again and they repeated the process until it was only Mike and Jim left to cross. Scanning the road again and not seeing anything, Bruce told Mike to come on. Mike and Jim came out of the tree line. Mike took off like the demons of hell were behind him. While Jim, was doing a limp-dick sissy jog. As Mike reached the edge of the road, he turned and did not see Jim. He slowed down, looked back, and saw Jim was only halfway across the twenty-yard shoulder. Mike turned around, grabbing Jim’s shoulder, and started pulling him in a dead run. Jim had no choice but to run or fall flat on his face. As they crossed the center stripes, Bruce heard a roar coming down the road from the curve. Bruce literally felt his ass pucker.

Bringing his rifle up and stepping out of the tree line, Bruce aimed down the road to his left toward the sound. He saw a human figure running at a speed that should have been impossible for a human. The figure was nowhere as dark in his scope as a regular person was, Bruce noticed. Taking a deep breath and letting half out, Bruce aimed at the head and started squeezing the trigger. Then Bruce heard someone beside him start firing with a suppressed weapon. Whoever was shooting was sending a ton of hate downrange, and they were tearing the blue’s chest up, causing it to slow down. As it staggered from one of the shots to its chest, Bruce pulled the trigger, and he saw its head snap back.

Backing into the tree line looking to his left, Bruce saw Buffy stepping back into the tree line. After she was a couple of yards in the woods, she turned, checking on Bruce. Then she reached for a new magazine, ejecting the used one, Buffy let it hit the ground. After she put it in, she picked up the empty one, putting it in her pouch. Bruce smiled at her doing the same to his rifle. Turning back to the road, he listened and watched. From behind him, he could hear harsh whispers and hits to a body. Turning around he saw Lynn, Maria, and Susan had Jim backed up to a tree. Jim had his hands over his head and was leaning over while the women hit him and whispered in harsh tones. Hearing something from the curve, Bruce thumped his chest and motioned everyone down, not taking his eyes off the road.

Pulling his pistol, Mike walked over to Jim, putting it in his face and pulling him to the ground. Bruce eased to the ground, lying flat with his rifle pointed to the road. He could hear running feet coming down the road from the curve the same direction the one he shot came from. He then saw a group of twenty to thirty run past them on the road. They never slowed as they neared the body of the one Bruce shot. Bruce even saw several jump it. The group just kept running toward the dam. After Bruce waited for minutes and did not hear anything, he motioned for everyone to follow him as he led them away from the road. Glancing back after they had gone a hundred yards, Bruce saw Mike still had his pistol aimed at Jim.

Bruce led them further away from the road, crossing fences and almost running across any field they came to. After they moved a mile from the road, Bruce held up his hand. Looking around the woods around him, he could see about sixty yards in any direction. He knelt down on one knee, pulling out his map. The field he wanted to make it to was less than half a mile away. He wanted to make it there because it was only a half a mile to the bayou from there. He wanted to give them a lot of time to clear the bayou. Looking back at the map, he saw they would be in the woods until they came to the field, and it was at least a few hundred acres from the satellite map. The only road they had to cross was the driveway to the house that was at the far end of the field, and they would never see it. He folded the map, putting it back in his thigh cargo pocket. It was 5 p.m. now. They might just make it, he thought.

He stood up, turning around to tell everyone to move out, and stopped. Everyone was laying down breathing hard. They were spent. Even Mike was sitting down leaning back on his pack breathing hard. He still had his pistol across his lap and was looking at Jim with bloodlust. Bruce could not ask them to move any more. If he used what they had left and something happened, they would have to fight it out to the death. He felt Buffy lean on him, and he looked down his left side at the top of her head. He could see and feel her breathing hard. As he moved, Buffy pulled away to follow and wobbled on her feet. He turned to the group and thumped his chest with his left hand. Everyone looked at him and started to stand up. Bruce held up his hand for them to stop.

In a low voice, he told them they were camping there tonight. A look of relief could be seen on everyone’s faces. He told the boys to move all the leaves and sticks; they nodded and slowly moved to start. He told the girls to get the blankets spread out. He looked at Maria and Lynn, telling them to get some water and MREs out. He wanted everyone to eat a whole meal––no sharing tonight, not even water. They stood and started their tasks. Bruce walked over to Mike, who had stood up, putting his pistol in his holster with the seven-inch suppressor sticking out the end below his knee. Mike loosened his pack and let it fall to the ground as he walked toward Jim. Mike pulled out his knife and lunged at Jim, knocking him flat on his back. Mike had one knee on Jim’s chest and the point of the knife under his chin.

“If you ever put another member of the group at risk like that again, you are dead. Before I kill you, I’m going to let Bruce rape you. I don’t care if Satan himself is coming after us. You will be raped and then I will slit your throat,” Mike told him in a cold flat tone. Jim was looking up at Mike with tears streaming out of his eyes.

Alex and Angela were lying down not far from Mike and Jim. Angela called out in a weak voice, “Alex, Bruce is going to rape Jim. I don’t have a dick, so go rape him for me, please.”

“Bruce is not going to rape him now, baby,” Alex told her.

“Well, when he does, you will help Bruce rape him for me, won’t you?” she asked him.

“Yes, I will, baby,” Alex replied, trying to catch his breath.

Bruce smiled at the comments, but Mike never looked away from Jim. “Do I make myself clear?” Mike asked. Jim just nodded his head.

Mike stood up and walked back to his pack, putting his knife up. Bruce walked up to Mike, who had his eyes closed and was taking deep breaths. Bruce knew Mike very well and knew he was trying to get his temper under control. Buffy walked around Bruce and up to Mike, wrapping her arms around his waist. Mike jumped at the contact and looked down at Buffy. He put his arm around her and returned her hug. Mike turned to Bruce, smiling, as Bruce walked over to him.

“You okay, brother?” Bruce asked.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” he replied. “I really want to kill him, Bruce. If those kids were not here, I would have.”

“I wondered what stopped you,” Bruce said as Buffy let Mike go and came back to stand beside Bruce.

“When I heard that roar, I thought I was a dead man. All because I went back and grabbed that son of a bitch. I never even looked; I just prayed you had me covered. When I heard your gun start to cough, I knew you had my back as always,” Mike said, grinning.

“If Buffy had not jumped out and started putting rounds into its chest slowing it down so I could kill it, the situation could have gone bad,” Bruce told him.

“I saw her popping caps at that runner,” Mike said, smiling at her.

Bruce looked down at Buffy, “Why didn’t you aim at the blue’s head?” he asked her.

“He wouldn’t keep it still, and you said only shoot at what you can hit,” she replied.

“Little one, when you shoot at something, it’s not going to stay still. But you did a very good job, and I’m proud of you,” Bruce told her, chuckling.

Buffy jumped over and hugged Bruce. “Thank you, Daddy. I love you,” she said.

Just then they heard the gunfire start again. It was much closer but still over a mile away. Bruce was sure that it was coming from this end of the dam. He turned back to Mike.

“I have a hypothesis, and I want to run it by you. The blues stayed on the road, running to the gunfire. They did not run through the woods to take the shortest route. They did not stop at that one I killed, and I’m sure they heard it roar. They only leave defined areas to go after food, like they are scared to get lost. They have no reasoning ability––once they start after food, they don’t stop,” Bruce said.

“You killed those in the field,” Mike said.

“Yes, but they were chasing a cow,” Bruce said.

“Okay, so they follow roads because it’s the path of least resistance. They stay near or on the roads until they start chasing food. They may associate roads with food because people stay near roads,” Mike replied, sitting down and leaning back on his pack.

Bruce dropped his pack by Mike’s as Buffy started raking leaves and sticks away with her feet until she cleared out a large area. Then she dropped her pack, took off her gun, and laid down with her head on her pack. Bruce looked at his watch; there was still several hours of daylight left.

“I’m going to scout around before dark. We have several hours before nightfall. I should only be gone an hour. I want you to stay here with the group,” Bruce said, looking at Mike. Buffy started to get up, but Bruce stopped her. “I want you to help Mike, Buffy. He is tired and will need your help, okay?” Bruce said to her.

She looked at Bruce, unconvinced, but said she would. Bruce told them both to stay awake until he got back. Leaving his pack, he moved off toward the dam with Buffy watching him. After he disappeared from sight, she turned to Mike.

“Can I ask you a question, Daddy Mike?” she said.

Mike looked at her. “Okay, but only if I get to ask you one,” he replied.

“You first,” she said.

“Why do you stand on Bruce’s left side all the time?” Mike asked her.

She looked at him like it was a stupid question. “You remember when we rescued Susan and her babies?” she asked.

He noticed she did not mention Jim as Mike said he remembered. “Well, when Daddy started shooting, I was following him. I was on his right, and all the shells coming out of the gun were flying behind him hitting me. Let me tell you, those things are hot,” she replied as a matter of fact.

Mike chuckled. That was a good reason. “They are called brass or cases,” he told her.

“Well, whatever you call them, they are hot when they hit you,” she informed him.

“Okay, now you,” Mike said.

“Did I make Daddy mad? Is that why he wouldn’t let me go with him?” she asked Mike.

“No, baby, he knows you are tired and need to rest. We have a long way to go, and it’s going to be hard,” Mike answered.

“I’m scared if I make him mad or not do good, he will stop being my daddy. I always wanted a daddy like the other kids. My mom had boyfriends, but they were mean,” Buffy told Mike.

Mike looked at her, and he could feel tears coming to his eyes. This little girl was willing to push herself to death just for Bruce’s love. He was going to talk to Bruce about that. Then Mike chose his words carefully.

“Buffy, it does not work like that. Bruce will love you no matter what. He told you he would be your daddy, and he meant forever, baby. I will tell you this: if you push yourself too hard and hurt yourself, that would hurt him more than anything,” Mike told her.

“Really, he will still love me and be my daddy even if I disappoint him?” she asked.

“Yes, Buffy, all you have to do is your best. He will take that and be proud of you, but he will always love you,” Mike said, looking at her. Buffy had always followed Bruce no matter where he went. She was learning how to shoot and move like he did. With her actions, Bruce had looked at her as being a young adult, but she was a little girl who was scared of losing something she always wanted.

“Thank you, Daddy Mike,” she said.

“Lay your head down and go to sleep,” Mike said.

“Daddy said not to,” she said.

“I said you could, so it’s okay,” Mike replied.

“Tell me about my new family,” she asked.

Mike started telling her about the farm and each of the kids. After a few minutes, he looked at her, and she was sound asleep. Mike looked around the camp and noticed everyone was asleep. No one had even opened an MRE. He just sat there watching the birds and squirrels in the trees. He heard Bruce coming back long before he saw him. He still had his rifle pointed in that direction until he saw it was Bruce. Laying the rifle across his lap, Mike watched Bruce walk back. Watching Bruce, Mike could see he was moving slowly, and Mike still heard Bruce before he saw him. That made Mike feel much better––if Bruce could not sneak up on them without being heard, neither could anyone else.

Walking through camp to Mike, Bruce noticed everyone was asleep and no one had eaten. Looking at the passed out bodies, Bruce was glad he stopped for the day. Reaching Mike, he looked down and saw Buffy asleep. Bruce smiled as he sat down. Mike told him of the conversation he had with Buffy, and it sent a chill through Bruce’s heart. He had been treating a little girl like a soldier. Bruce would set the record straight tomorrow. Bruce had to admit he wondered why she always stayed on his left side.

Mike asked him what he saw, and Bruce told him nothing; that made Mike very happy. Bruce told Mike to take the first watch; he would take the shit watch. The 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. shift was called the shit watch because that’s what you feel like the next day. He pulled out his NVG, laying them by his rifle so he would not have to dig in his pack during the night. He turned around and pressed his back against his pack to make sure it would not slide out from under his back. Buffy was lying on her back with her head on her pack. Bruce lifted her up, putting her between his legs with her head on his lap. She never even stirred. He picked up her gun, laying it on his left side where she would be when he got up. Bruce closed his eyes and was asleep in seconds.

Mike smiled, looking at Bruce and Buffy. He then started using every technique he knew to stay awake until he woke up Bruce.

Chapter 34

Bruce woke up with Mike shaking him awake. Opening his eyes, Bruce looked around; it was good light out tonight. He looked up and through breaks in the trees, seeing a clear sky full of stars with a full moon. Turning to Mike, Bruce could see his face clearly. After he told Mike he was awake, Mike leaned back on his pack and was fast asleep.

Bruce reached over, putting his NVG on and flipping it down over his left eye. Then he turned it on. He could see just as far as he could have during the day with all the moonlight and starlight. He turned it off and swung it up off his eye. Looking around, he could see about thirty yards past camp. Looking at his watch, he saw it was 11:08.

Looking around camp, he saw no one had moved much and everyone was still fast asleep. Bruce just sat and listened to the woods. A little after midnight, he saw Cassandra sit up, look around, then lay back down by Susan, to go back to sleep. A few minutes later, he saw John stand up, grab his staff, walk the edge of the circle they had made, and pee. Then John went and laid back down holding his staff. Bruce just sat there and started rubbing Buffy’s head. She might be a little girl, but she was a good soldier, Bruce thought. He would make a point to try to take it easier on her, but he had a feeling that the time of little kids playing was over.

He sat there listening to the woods when he heard something crash to his front and off to the right. It sounded about a hundred yards away, but it was moving toward the group at a fast pace. Bruce reached up and turned on his NVG, flipping it down. He reached down and turned the thermal scope on with his heart racing. He saw something coming right at them, bouncing through the woods. It sounded like an army moving toward them. Just then, Bruce saw a doe and two fawns stop forty yards away, off to the right of the camp area. Bruce almost shot them for scaring the shit out of him. The three deer sat there looking at Bruce then turned and ran past him at a dead run on his right side.

Just as his heart was starting to slow down, he heard a sound that froze his blood. Roars sounded off to his front where the deer had come from. Bruce reached over, grabbing Mike and squeezing hard. Mike sat up, grabbed his rifle and put his NVG on, flipping it over his left eye, and turned on his thermal scope. Bruce woke up Buffy. As she sat up, he said in a normal voice, “They’re coming.” Bruce put her gun on her lap as he stood up. Crouching over, Bruce walked over to where everyone was sleeping on the blankets that were spread out. Everyone but Jim was sleeping on the blankets. Reaching down, Bruce shook Maria awake and felt Buffy on his left side. Maria sat up and saw Bruce looking off to the right as fear gripped her heart. Bruce quickly told her to wake the others and keep them quiet––infected were coming. He told her they may pass by them but, if they didn’t, not to shoot her gun unless she had no choice. Bruce told her to relay what he said to Lynn, and they needed to stay down so they would not get shot.

Bruce looked over where Alex and Angela were sleeping. Mike had already woken them up, and they moved over to the group. Angela put Cade in Julie’s arms and whispered for her to watch him. In the area they were in, the trees were no bigger than twenty inches around and spread out. About thirty yards out, they became thicker and bigger. Bruce motioned for Mike to take his position and for Alex and Angela to come to this side of the group. Bruce moved forward to the edge of the circle the boys had cleared. Bruce had formed a firing line on the group’s right side with him and Buffy at the front of the line. Alex and Angela were the middle and Mike the anchor.

Bruce heard someone behind him waking up Jim and leading him back to the group. He risked a quick glance and saw it was Marty leading Jim back to the group. Well, better Jim being awake now instead of waking up and drawing attention to the group later, Bruce thought.

Bruce turned back around and could hear a lot of movement to his front. The deer may have sounded like an army running through the woods. The infected sounded like an army of tanks, and they were getting closer. Bruce could see four or five running as a small group in the direction the deer had run, about sixty to seventy yards out, catching glimpses through the trees. A larger group of runners of about twenty stopped about fifty yards off to the right of Bruce, looking around. Bruce was lying down on the ground praying. His heart was beating so fast he was sure the infected could hear it. Bruce could still hear a lot of movement in the woods behind where the infected had come from. A roar sounded off to his right where the small group had run after the deer. Then, as one, the entire stopped group started moving off at a slow pace following the small group of runners. “Well fuck me,” he mumbled.

Hope started to build in his chest as the infected moved. Then the smell hit him like a wall. From fifty yards away, he could smell them. Then all twenty of the infected roared in front of them. It actually hurt his ears it was so loud. From behind him, Bruce heard a baby cry, and the infected stopped, looking toward the group.

“Well, just fuck me sideways,” Bruce yelled out loud as Joshua continued to cry.

The group of infected let out another roar as Bruce rose up, taking aim and dropping two in quick succession. Out of the corner of the NVG, he saw movement. Turning his head to his left, he saw a very large group moving at a slow jog toward the group.

“Fuck me sideways with a midget,” Bruce yelled, taking aim at the runners as they broke into a run toward the group.

Bruce and Mike, with the NVG and thermal scopes, opened up first because they had range, dropping five. The infected could not run full speed because of the small trees. Bruce watched one that had taken off in a dead run hit a small tree headfirst and fall back on its ass. Bruce aimed at the closest and started squeezing the trigger. When it went down, he moved to the next dark shape in his thermal and started squeezing the trigger until it went down.

Bruce heard Buffy, Alex, and Angela open up. There were only eleven left, but they were less than forty yards away. Taking aim, he pulled the trigger twice, hitting one in the neck and dropping it as he felt his bolt lock open. He dropped it and put in another one and kept firing. Angela shot the last runner in the head less than five feet from her. It literally landed at her feet. Bruce could hear everyone breathing hard and Alex say, “Holy shit.” Turning his head to the left, Bruce could see the slow movers were less than eighty yards away. The group moving toward them numbered easily over several hundred. The front of the mob coming toward them was at least fifty yards across. He had no idea how deep it was but knew from the sound it went back a long ways.

“It’s not over. Shift the line to me,” Bruce said out loud. Everyone started hearing the growls, grunts, and snarls coming from the woods. Then Bruce realized that they had only heard runners roar, but that made no difference now.

Mike looked in the direction Bruce was looking. “Oh fuck,” he said very loudly.

“How many?” Alex asked, with alarm.

“Over a thousand easy,” Mike said with despair.

“Yeah, fuck me sideways with a midget holding a broom,” Bruce yelled, pulling his magazine out; feeling it was almost empty, he dropped it, putting in a new one. He could feel his fear easing and being replaced by anger and hate. Everything he made the group do did not matter: long runs, going without eating, and always being quiet. It did not matter here in the middle of the nowhere in the woods they had a fucking mob of infected coming at them.

“Maria and Lynn, be ready to give me and Mike your magazines,” Bruce yelled to them as he raised his rifle; being quiet did not matter now. “I’m working from the left with Buffy; Alex and Angela, take the center, Mike, right. Buffy, stay on my right side. I want you to have someone on each side of you.”

Oh well, it has been a good life, Bruce thought. Looking at Buffy, he could see her shaking with fear, but she was kneeling down and holding up her weapon, aiming where she heard the noise coming from. Looking at Alex and Angela, he saw they had just released from a hug and stepped back to kiss Cade. Alex pulled out his Beretta, holding it in his hand, and looked at Cade then back to Angela. She looked at Alex and nodded her head, wiping tears off her face as Alex put the pistol back in his holster. They kneeled down together and aimed toward the noise, which was getting very loud. The hate and anger in Bruce unleashed in the wave of rage he had once loved. The wave crashed over him bringing him peace, for the coming battle.

“Come on, you cocksuckers. Come and get you some so I can fuck your mama!” Bruce yelled at the top of his lungs, scaring the shit out of the group. Raising his rifle, yelling, Bruce started firing. In less than twenty seconds, his magazine was empty, and twenty infected were down. When he dropped the empty and rammed in a new magazine, he yelled, “Suck my ass, motherfuckers.” As he aimed down his rifle, he just released a rebel yell. No words, just a yell filled with hate and rage.

Everyone was watching Bruce in disbelief; even Mike thought he had gone mad. Then they heard a small yell join Bruce’s voice. As Buffy drew her next breath, they heard her small voice scream, “Come on, motherfuckers.” Mike let out a yell, raising his rifle and opening up. Alex and Angela joined in yelling then everyone behind the shooters started yelling any cuss word they could think of. The five kids stood up, holding their staffs in the air, as Maria went to stand by Bruce and Lynn beside Mike, both yelling. Bruce’s rage had spread; they were not scared anymore. If they were going to die, they were going down fighting.

As before, Mike and Bruce opened up first. Unlike the runners, the single shots they fired were taking down the joggers and walkers. With almost each pull of the trigger, they dropped one. The only problem was there were another two to take its place. As Bruce and Mike’s rifles ran dry, Maria and Lynn started passing their magazines to them. In less than seven minutes, Bruce and Mike had each used the ten magazines they had been given. With everyone in the group yelling, the infected could not even be heard. Maria and Lynn moved to Angela’s and Alex’s packs to get their magazines for Bruce and Mike.

As Bruce’s bolt locked open, he dropped the magazine and slammed in a new one. He pulled his rifle back to his shoulder and started firing again. Aim fire, aim fire. With each squeeze, one dropped as the mob got closer, as he continued screaming at the infected. As his bolt opened, Bruce replaced the magazine. Then the other three opened up as the infected mob was now forty yards away.

With all five now shooting, the infected were dropping fast, but they were also spreading out as those in the back were moving around the ones that had fallen. Bruce dropped another magazine and replaced it. That magazine was the last from his vest; Bruce only had the six on his left leg. Bruce started turning further to his left. The infected mob was starting to surround them. Dropping and replacing magazines, he was attempting to stop the left side from closing on them. Out of the corner of his right eye, he had seen movement. Turning to look, he saw an infected woman jogging toward Buffy, and she did not see her coming. Bruce swung his rifle over, shooting the woman in the head. The woman landed ten feet from Buffy, Bruce yelled out “Bitch” as she hit the ground. He aimed in front of Buffy, taking down nine joggers that were threatening to overrun her. Feeling his bolt slam open again, he dropped and replaced from his thigh.

He turned back to his left side and dropped thirty in less than forty seconds. He changed magazines and repeated, dropping thirty in quick succession, then did it one more time. In less than two minutes, Bruce had dropped ninety. Slamming in a new magazine, he turned toward Buffy. He saw her changing magazines, and at least two dozen were within ten yards of her. Bruce swung his rifle and dropped fifteen before Buffy had a new magazine in. As she raised and shot four, Bruce dropped fifteen more. Dropping and replacing, he only had one magazine left. Turning back to the left, he saw a young man was reaching for him. Bruce kicked the man in the chest, and he fell down. Bruce shot him before he got up. He looked up and started snapping off his shots.

He yelled out, “One magazine left.”

Mike yelled, “Last magazine.”

Angela yelled three, Alex yelled two, and Buffy yelled one.

Bruce dropped and reloaded with his last magazine. He raised his rifle up and dropped thirty more in rapid succession. He was fixing drop his rifle when he felt something hit his arm. It was Maria handing him the magazine from her rifle. He dropped and changed and started again, swinging back to Buffy’s side. Once again, they were pressing her, and several were close. He dropped thirty then put another magazine Maria had pulled off of Alex’s pack and started shooting anything close.

Bruce heard a roar to his left past Mike. Then he heard Mike yell, “Runners.” Bruce could not help Mike as he heard several of the kids scream then yell. As his bolt locked back, he dropped the SCAR, pulling out his XDM with the suppressor on. Bruce dropped thirteen as fast as he could pull the trigger. As he dropped the empty magazine, slamming in a new one, he heard Mike yell then heard something hit the ground behind him. Bruce turned, looking at Mike to find a runner had tackled him. It looked like a large man, and he was on top of Mike. Mike had grabbed both of the infected man’s wrists and was forcing its arms across its chest so it could not bite him. As he started to move to Mike, something grabbed his right arm. Turning, he saw an old lady had grabbed his arm and was coming at his forearm with her mouth open. Bruce punched her in the face before she could bite his arm. The old lady stumbled back from the hit into another infected. “Bitch, don’t try to bite me,” Bruce told her.

Bruce shot both of them then he took out eleven more of their friends. Dropping and changing, he pulled the trigger as fast as he could, dropping thirteen more. Dropping and changing for the last time as he put his last magazine in, he looked to his right for Buffy. He did not see her, and panic gripped him. Bruce turned around looking for her then he saw her jump over Susan, who was holding Joshua, Cassandra, and Cade. Buffy ran up to the infected Mike was fighting with, putting the barrel of her gun to the side of its head and pulling the trigger. Before the infected had fallen off of Mike, she moved past them. Then Buffy kneeled down, aiming at a runner coming right at her. When it was twenty yards from her, she let off a three-round burst that hit it in the face.

Bruce turned back around and shot an infected little boy who could not have been much older than Buffy. Another infected grabbed him from behind; he elbowed it off of him, spun around, and leg swept it, knocking it down. He stepped to its head, raised his leg, and drove the heel of his boot through its skull. Turning around, he shot twelve more, dropping his pistol. Reaching down, Bruce pulled out his predator machete and tomahawk. He was a big fan of Arnold and had a blacksmith make him one like the one in the movie. Looking back to his right, he saw no movement, but bodies were stacked five high in places. Turning back to his front, he saw several dozen walking toward him. They were fifteen yards away, and he did not think he had time to put the suppressor on his 1911. For him to try would mean putting down the machete, and that was not an option.

He glanced to his right and saw Ben and John beating the shit out of an infected that they had on the ground. Beside the blankets that were spread out, Christina, Julie, and Marty were waling away on an infected woman who was trying to grab them. Christina kept calling the woman a whore in between blows as Julie moved to the side of the woman then hit her on the knee, knocking the woman down. Marty then raised his staff up, driving it into her skull. The three looked up and saw two more approach as they attacked the closest one. After Ben and Marty crushed the skull of the one they had down, they saw the second one closing on their friends and charged, yelling at it.

Turning back to the infected advancing on him, Bruce let out another rebel yell and waded into combat. The two closest were both women; he kicked the first one, knocking her down then rearing his right arm back, he swung the machete around, chopping the woman’s head off. Then he walked over to the other one as she was getting up; he drove the point of the blade into her head. He dealt with the next four the same way. Seeing eighteen more left, he watched as they stumbled over bodies toward the group. Bruce charged the infected, yelling, “It is a good day to die, but I’m going to shank some fuckers first.” Stabbing, chopping, and hacking with the machete and tomahawk, Bruce saw one lunging at him. He tackled it, and as they landed, he drove the blade into the skull then he rolled off, standing up. Turning to his right, he saw one more left as he rolled off the infected. As he stood up to face the last one, he heard a suppressed shot from behind him and saw a bullet hit the infected in the forehead, dropping it. Bruce turned around and saw Angela lowering her P90.

They had all watched in fascination as Bruce charged into the last group of blues with his machete swinging and tomahawk chopping. He dropkicked an infected, and as it attempted to get up, he grabbed a handful of hair with his left and brought the machete down, chopping its head off and throwing it at another one coming at him. Bruce advanced toward the rest, chopping off arms and heads, yelling the entire time, and throwing his tomahawk at one, hitting it in the forehead. They just stared at him standing over the bodies breathing hard.

Ben broke the silence first. “That was fucking awesome,” he declared.

Bruce looked around but could not see anything moving. Bending over and wiping his blade off on a blue’s shirt, Bruce put his machete back in its sheath. Collecting his tomahawk, he wiped it off. Then Bruce walked over, picked up his rifle and pistol then all of his magazines, and calmly walked to his pack. He dropped everything, pulled ammo out of his pack, and started reloading magazines.

In a calm voice that trembled in rage, he said, “Gather all your stuff and move over here. Make sure to get your magazines and start reloading in case this mob called their friends to come to this party.”

Everyone ran to gather their stuff and brought it over beside Bruce. Those who did not have weapons helped load magazines, except Jim, who was sitting with his knees pulled to his chest, crying. It took them twenty minutes to load the magazines then they sat in a circle. Taking out the bleach water, they all sprayed down until they smelled like bleach. Those with guns were facing out protecting those in the middle.

Bruce looked at his watch; it said 3:08. The battle had only lasted forty minutes, but it felt like years. Everyone was still breathing hard, pumped from the adrenaline rage that Bruce had filled them with. They all sat in the circle waiting on the sun, which hopefully would bring a better day. If it didn’t, then oh well, they would fight again until they died or made it to the farm.

Chapter 35

At 5 a.m., Bruce stood up and motioned for everyone to get ready. Everyone gave a sigh of relief, wanting to leave. The smell was overpowering; everyone had vomited at least once, including Mike and Bruce. Their throats and noses burned from the smell, and everyone was ready to leave. Mike had already walked the area making sure they had not missed anything of value. He found some water bottles and MREs, but they were covered in infected blood, as were the blankets. They left them where they were. It was still dark, but they had fought a battle in this light, and the light was increasing, so they could move in it.

Bruce looked around with a stone face. The bodies of infected spread out like a sea. In places, there were bodies piled five high. He looked at where he and Buffy had been. He could take one step and walk for over fifty yards never touching the ground and in places be several feet off of it. He had asked Mike what he thought the numbers were. Mike guessed about fifteen hundred to two thousand, and Bruce agreed with him. Bruce was ready to move; hearing the toddlers both throw up again had made his mind up. Bruce turned and made sure everyone was ready and moved out.

Avoiding the worst areas, he led them around the sea of bodies. His blood was still boiling, feeling the rage course through his body as he rode the wave. He could see on everyone’s faces that they were letting the rage go. They were letting it go as their adrenaline left their system. Bruce was filled with pride when he looked at Buffy. She had run over and shot the runner off of Mike from the small pack that had turned back to them then stood her ground as the rest advanced, taking them out when they got close. She might be a little girl, but she was also a kick-ass warrior.

As he led the group through the woods, he saw the path that the infected had made to them. He steered the group to the beaten-down path. It was coming from the direction they were heading. They came up on a dirt road that led to the field they were going to. Bruce looked down the road then into the woods. He motioned for everyone to follow him down the road. Mike called him over the radio.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Going home,” Bruce replied.

“No shit, smartass. I’m talking about following the road. I thought we agreed no roads,” Mike shot back.

“It’s not a road; it’s a large fucking dirt path. If you want to go through the woods then go. This is the way I’m going,” Bruce said in a sharp tone.

Mike did not answer back. He had known Bruce for years and had never seen him like this. After a fight or an argument, he always calmed down and relaxed. Granted, it took a few hours, but this time he was different. Mike could see it in his eyes after the battle when he walked back to his pack. As he watched Bruce run at the last group of infected with his big knife and tomahawk, Mike would swear Bruce was enjoying it. Feeding off his rage like a drug. Watching Bruce as they sat in a circle, Mike could see it on his face: Bruce wanted more to come. Mike could tell by watching him that Bruce wanted to feed his rage.

Mike admitted to himself that in a battle that was the kind of person who you want at your side. That was not the kind of person you wanted leading a group of women and kids because they would look for a fight. This was not the time to feed the thousand-yard stare. Angela dropped back to Mike and fell in step with him.

“Something is wrong with Bruce,” she said in a low tone.

“He is still on his adrenaline high,” Mike tried lying to her and himself.

“Mike, I know adrenaline junkies, and this is way different,” she said as Alex fell back to them, holding Cade. “He was like a berserker.”

“If Bruce had not started screaming, yelling, and getting everyone stirred up, we would have died, baby. I was ready to shoot you, Cade, and myself, for Christ sakes,” Alex said to her.

“I know, baby. I was ready to die, but Bruce is still acting like he wants more. His eyes have a dead look in them,” Angela said.

“We have to trust him. He knows what he is doing, and he is good at it,” Mike said in defense of Bruce.

Angela reached out with her hand and touched Mike on the arm to make him look at her. “Mike, for what you and Bruce have done for my family, I will stand at the gates of hell with you, but I will not unnecessarily endanger my baby’s life,” she said.

“Then trust him and help by taking some of the responsibility off of him to ease his load,” Mike said,

Angela said okay, smiling at Mike. Then she and Alex moved up to their spots in the column. The group had been walking for thirty minutes on the dirt road when Bruce held up his arm for everyone to stop. Then he pointed to the right side of the road and motioned everyone to him.

“Everyone, take out an MRE and a bottle of water. We are eating on the move. Jim, you will only drink half a bottle of water and will not eat. Every time we have eaten, you have had a whole meal while everyone else had half rations,” Bruce said in a normal voice. Jim drew in a breath to reply, but Bruce turned his body so his rifle was pointed at Jim. Jim, seeing the movement, just looked down at the ground.

“You sure you don’t want to say something, bitch?” Bruce said, looking at Jim. Jim just kept looking at the ground. Mike could not see Bruce’s eyes now because he had on his Oakley’s, but Bruce’s face was stone cold. Still looking at Jim, he said, “I’m ready to skull fuck someone, and you look to fit the bill. Please say something to question my authority.” Jim just kept looking down.

Mike almost said something about the voice level Bruce was using but decided not to. From the looks on several other faces, they wanted him to lower his voice also. But seeing the look on Bruce’s face, they would rather face infected. Susan made her way to Bruce and stood in front of him.

“Bruce, please don’t hurt Joshua. He is only a baby. Please don’t make me and the kids leave. We will die,” Susan pleaded in a low voice, tears running down her face. “I will try to do more to make up for us.”

Bruce turned from Jim and looked at Susan, asking, “Did Joshua steal something from me?”

The question caught Susan off guard, “Wha- What?” she stammered.

“Did he steal something from me?” Bruce asked again slowly.

“No,” she answered, with a shocked and confused look on her face.

“Then why in the hell would I want to hurt him and make you and Cassandra leave?” he asked her.

“He started crying, making the blues attack us. If he wouldn’t have cried, they would have passed us by,” Susan said, wiping tears from her face.

“Stupid bitch cannot even take care of a baby. You are worthless,” Jim said in a harsh voice with a sneer on his face. Bruce was fixing to lunge at him, but Marty beat him. Marty spun around, driving the end of his staff into Jim’s abdomen like a spear. Jim let out a rush of air and collapsed, curled into a ball. Gasping for air, Jim really should have thanked Marty for saving his life.

“Nice spear thrust, Marty,” Bruce told the boy, who smiled big with the compliment. “Buffy, if he makes any noise or moves, kill him,” Bruce said to Buffy. Without hesitation, she aimed at Jim lying on the ground, and Jim looked up at her in terror.

Mike did not like that. He knew Buffy would do it without any doubt. Mike did not want her to kill an unarmed human because Bruce said so. Bruce was not easing up on her; he was pushing her more.

Bruce turned back to Susan, who was looking down crying after Jim’s comment. Bruce reached out and lifted her head up to look him in the face. “As I was fixing to say before I was interrupted, let me play last night for you. Twenty plus runners were less than a hundred yards from our camp and all let out a roar together that made my ears hurt. I almost shit my pants at that noise, and you think I could hold it against a six-month-old because he cried? I’m forty years old, a former Ranger, have studied martial arts for years, and I know when I pull down my pants today I will have a shit stain on my underwear. Now, for the second part, if Joshua would have not cried, we would have died. The large group was too big and the edge of the mob would have walked right over us. The only reason we are alive is because we started the engagement at a distance. If the mob had been any closer before we started shooting then we would have died and not taken many of them down,” Bruce said, telling her the facts.

“Now about your request to do more––it is denied. You are taking care of two kids by yourself, and that is all that is expected from you. That in itself is more than one person can handle. Have I made myself clear?” Bruce told her in a flat tone.

Susan looked up at him in awe. She reached out with her free hand and put it on the back of Bruce’s head, pulling him to her and giving him a long kiss on the lips. It was not a passionate kiss, just a kiss of thanks.

Everyone had listened to what Bruce said as he laid out the attack. All of them, including Mike, had not realized that the baby had saved them. They all had a little shiver run up their spine as Bruce spoke again.

“Get out food and water. Change the baby. We move in three,” Bruce said.

“Daddy,” Buffy said, still aiming at Jim.

“Let him up and come here, little trooper,” Bruce told her, and she ran over to him.

Bruce told her to turn around and took one MRE and two bottles of water out of her pack. He gave her the MRE and a bottle of water, telling her to open it and start eating.

“What about you, Daddy?” Buffy asked, taking the MRE.

“I will eat later,” he said, opening the bottle of water and taking a drink.

“No,” she said, stomping her little foot. Everyone froze, watching the two, waiting on Bruce’s reaction.

“What did you say?” Bruce growled.

“No,” Buffy said, stomping her foot again.

“Buffy, I told you to eat, so do it!” Bruce commanded her.

“No, you can have mine. You said everyone has to eat, and you are the most important,” she said, holding out her MRE.

“Buffy, I said eat,” Bruce said in a low tone, pushing the MRE back to her.

“I will eat only if you do,” she said as she crossed her arms over her chest in defiance.

Bruce and Buffy stared at each other. Then Mike saw Bruce slump his shoulders in defeat and told Buffy to turn around. Bruce took out an MRE, opened it, and started eating. True to her word, Buffy waited until Bruce started eating before she opened hers. After Susan had the baby ready, they moved out. Bruce had finished his meal in a few minutes and tossed the package in the ditch.

A little after 6 a.m., they came to the edge of the field and a large section of fence that had been knocked down. A wide disturbed path led from the fence down into the pasture. Well, they knew where the infected had come from. There must have been a lot of cows here, he thought. Bruce entered the field, and the group followed. The field was three-quarters of a mile wide and sloped down to the tree line. They had to cross it to enter the tree line then walk half a mile to the bayou. Bruce was judging how long it would take them to cross the bayou when he dropped to the ground like someone had shot him.

Everyone saw how fast Bruce dropped and dove to the ground. Had anyone been watching as the group dove down, they would have thought everyone had fallen over dead. All of them stayed lying down for several minutes. Then Mike keyed his radio.

“What is it?” Mike asked.

“Smell it,” Bruce said.

Mike lifted his head up and smelled the air and caught a whiff of infected. He strained to catch any sound but could not hear anything.

“Alex and Angela, pull the group to the fence, one of you on each end. Mike, crawl up to me. We are going to the edge of the slope and see if we can see anything,” Bruce said over the radio.

They did as instructed, and once Mike got to Bruce, they low crawled to the edge of the slope. Several hundred yards to their right, they saw a large tree in the field about twenty-five yards from the tree line. Around the base of the tree was a mob of infected clawing at the tree.

Mike turned to Bruce. “Let’s back out to the road, move, and cut through the woods to the bayou,” Mike suggested.

“If they hear us, they could follow us into the bayou. I really don’t like the idea of a running gunfight in the bayou,” Bruce said, turning on his thermal sight.

“You can’t hit them from here, Bruce,” Mike said.

“Not trying to,” he replied, aiming his rifle at the mob. In the tree he saw three dark objects about halfway up.

“There are people in the tree. Looks like two adults and a kid,” Bruce said, taking his eye off the scope and looking at the slope to their right.

“We will back up move down until we are even with the tree then we will crawl up to the edge of the slope. That will put the mob at about hundred yards then we will take them out from range.” Bruce said then started to stare at Mike like he was waiting for something.

“What?” Mike asked.

“The infected that tackled you last night,” Bruce said.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Mike asked.

“You said you were going to ask an infected why they didn’t die when you shoot them in the chest,” Bruce said.

Mike smiled, remembering the conversation, and said, “Fucker wouldn’t tell me, said it was a secret.”

“Ask nicer next time,” Bruce told him.

“No, I will let them keep the secret. They don’t bathe,” Mike said.

Mike followed Bruce as he backed up, and using the edge of the slope to block them, they stood up and jogged forward. Mike was glad Bruce was starting to relax. He heard Bruce tell Alex the plan: If it went south then hide. As they neared where they were going to crawl out over the hill, Bruce stepped closer to the edge of the slope. Then he backed up and went to the right about forty more yards and dropped his pack, and Mike did the same. Mike followed him and started crawling when Bruce did, dragging the packs behind them. As they started getting closer to the edge, Mike could see the top of the tree, and it seemed really close. When they came over the slope, the mob was only eighty yards away. It looked like the mob numbered about fifty––not a lot but enough, Mike thought.

Bruce raised his rifle and saw Buffy do the same; he turned to her, shaking his head. The mob was way out of range of her submachine gun. Bruce lined up his sights, picked a target, and fired. Hitting one in the neck, he adjusted and fired again, dropping it. He heard Mike fire and drop one, first shot. Asshole, thought Bruce as he lined up again. True to form, the mob did not notice anything when they could see prey.

They kept shooting into the back of the crowd. The mob was making more than enough noise to cover any sound the suppressed shots made. They had shot all but fourteen when one heard the sound of the suppressor. Before any of the infected could locate the group, the rest of the mob was down. Bruce stood up, put his pack on, and crouch-walked down the slope to the tree.

Looking up into the tree, Bruce saw a man, woman, and teenage boy. They climbed down, and the man came over, shaking both of their hands and thanking them. He introduced himself and his family. He was Paul Stewart, his wife was Cheryl, and his son, Chad. Bruce studied them as Paul talked. Paul was a good ol’ country boy, six feet, two inches tall, about 260 to 270 pounds, with brown hair. Cheryl was a typical farmer’s wife: slim, five foot seven, about 160 pounds, with weathered skin. Chad was a true country boy, thick for his age and friendly like his dad.

As Paul told them their story, Bruce called over the radio for the group to move up. Paul and his family had been up in the tree since Saturday evening. He had shot a few infected during the day, and they lost power so he started the generator up. A few hours later, the house was overrun with a few hundred. They had to run upstairs and lock themselves in a room, but the door was not holding, so they jumped out the window and took off running into the field. When they got into the field, they heard roars from the house, and he told Cheryl and Chad to make for the tree. He did have a rifle and a pistol but had used up all of his ammo slowing the crowd down. The crowd kept getting bigger during the day and night. The tree even started to shake with the assault of bodies. Bruce looked at the tree; it was a sweet gum and the base was an easy five-foot diameter. That was a lot of timber to move. Bruce turned back to Paul as he continued.

“There was a couple of thousand here last night. Then a group of deer ran out into the field right past the crowd of infected. Then, just like that, a large portion of the crowd took off after the deer. Only the group that you killed stayed. Cheryl thinks they did not see the deer. I was trying to work out a way to break off a branch and kill them one at a time. That was when I noticed some of the infected were falling down, and we saw you,” Paul finished.

When the group showed up, Bruce made quick introductions and called Jim over. Telling Jim to turn around, Bruce took three bottles of water out and three MREs from Jim’s pack, giving them to the family. Bruce told Paul that they could give them one weapon so they could go home, but the group was leaving. Paul and Cheryl looked at Bruce with a grave look. Paul told him the house was destroyed; he then asked where they were headed, and Bruce told Paul about their farm. Knowing they would not ask if they could come with the group, Bruce made the offer. They jumped at it even after Bruce told them the rules. They told him they could pull their weight. Bruce told Angela to give Paul the M-4 she was carrying. She still had her P90. When Bruce asked Paul if he knew how to use it, he told Bruce he had served ten years in the guard.

Bruce told everyone to move out as he crossed the fence into the tree line. He had Paul walk beside him and started asking him questions. The first question was why were there so many infected around here. Paul told him Homeland had set up a field hospital in a field five miles from here on Tuesday, and by Friday it was gone. Bruce then asked him if the infected had come through the woods. Paul said no, they came out of the logging road that started where his driveway stopped. Bruce let out a breath of relief; the infected were still staying on roads until they saw food. He then asked Paul about all the gunfire they kept hearing. Paul told him the military had set up a blockade on this side of the dam, and the infected just kept coming at them. He asked Paul if he knew how many people were at the field hospital. Paul told him that he heard on his CB radio Thursday that there were over nine thousand. Bruce’s blood ran cold as he told Paul he could go back to his family. Paul walked back to his family with the M-4 slung over his shoulder.

After walking for twenty minutes, they reached the bayou, and Bruce held up his hand. Everyone stopped and looked out across the bayou at the water and cypress trees. Bruce turned around, looking at the group.

“Okay, here we are. The bayou is two miles across. We have been doing that in an hour. I’m giving us two. Lace your shoes tight so they do not come off. Remember, keep your weapon out of the water. Do what I do and go only where I go,” Bruce told them as everyone started tightening shoelaces. He looked at Paul and his family as they laced up their work boots.

“Bruce, before we start this escapade, can I ask you a question?” Angela asked.

“Sure,” Bruce said, standing back up.

“Are you horny?” Angela asked with a straight face.

Bruce actually took a step back, looking at her in shock. He was not shocked easily but he damn sure was now. “What?” he asked, wanting to know if he heard right.

“Well, the reason I ask is last night during the fight, you kept yelling for the infected to suck your ass, then your dick, then you wanted to fuck their mothers, and then you wanted a midget with a broom to fuck you sideways,” she said, counting each one off on her fingers. Everyone was laughing quietly. Even Paul and his family, and they did not even know the whole story, but it sounded funny.

“I mean, if you are horny, I’m here and a few others are, too. We could just run behind the bushes real quick. Let you get your sexual frustration out, you know,” Angela said with a very serious face.

“Uh-uh,” Bruce stuttered as he started to blush.

“You can take two of us if that’s what it takes. The group wants you on your A game and not daydreaming about someone sucking your ass. We have a long way to go, you know. Don’t worry, I have talked it over with the group except the new members,” she told Bruce as she turned to Paul. “Would you mind if Bruce takes one or two of us in the bushes for a few minutes?” she asked him.

Paul just held up his hands, shaking his head no.

“Uh-uh,” Bruce stuttered, blushing more. He could not believe that this tiny young woman was asking him this now.

“If you think you can hold it, we could wait,” she offered.

Bruce just nodded his head at her, thankful for a way out.

“Okay, we will wait, but if I find a midget and a broom, you, the midget, and I are going in the bushes. I don’t know what getting fucked sideways with a broom is, but it sounds interesting. Don’t worry, Alex said he would watch Cade,” she told him with a serious expression.

Bruce spun around and walked to the water’s edge. Kneeling down, he finished tightening his bootlaces. Alex and Mike came up to stand beside her.

“That was great, honey,” Alex said, kissing her.

“I never would have believed he could blush. That was great. Just one question for you, though?” Mike asked. “What would you have done if he said okay?”

Angela looked at Mike and replied, “Run and hid behind Alex and told Bruce to take him first.”

“Like hell. I heard what he’s packing,” Alex said.

“Don’t you love me?” she asked with a hurt expression.

“I don’t know if I love you that much,” he replied.

Angela punched him in the arm as they heard Bruce hit his chest. They looked at him, and he was still looking toward the water. He waved forward and stepped into the water. It was 7:04 when he entered. Everyone followed him into the bayou in single file. If Bruce had stepped in fire and said to follow, most would have done it. He had gotten them this far.

Chapter 36

It was 12:15 when Bruce walked out on the other side of the bayou, then he fell to his knees, then collapsed on his stomach. With everything he had on his vest, that hurt a lot. Forcing himself up, Bruce rolled over and rested on his pack. Buffy was watching him and dropped to her butt, falling back on her pack. The rest of the group pretty much did the same as soon as they hit the bank. Everyone was wet and covered with thick gumbo mud that stank. Even the weapons that they had tried so hard to keep out of the muck were covered in mud.

The trip had been ten times harder than Bruce had imagined. In several places, the water had been up to his chest. It would have only been to his abdomen, but he was sinking almost to his knees in the mud. Making each step took a force of determination. He had never seen more snakes in his life than on that trip through the bayou. When they saw the first alligator, he thought the group was going to start climbing trees. Bruce told them to quit acting like pussies and tighten the lineup; he wanted no more than two feet in between each person.

Just after 9 a.m. they’d heard gunfire from the checkpoint. It carried on for over forty minutes then just stopped like someone threw a switch. The group had stopped once on a small island to take a breather and drink water. Bruce was looking at his map when he heard something and turned and saw all five kids beating the shit out of Jim with their staffs. He did not care if they killed him, but apparently Lynn did because she had made them stop.

Bruce stood up after a few minutes and told everyone to get ready to move. He had to get them going again; they were still too close to the dam. He called Mike and Paul over to him as he pulled out his map.

“Paul, is there a farm close by where we can wash this mud off and refill up on water?” Bruce asked.

“We can go there. I know them, and it’s close––less than a mile from here,” he replied as he pointed at a spot on the map.

“The house and barn are too close to the road, as is the property. I want something like yours, way off the main road,” Bruce told him.

Looking at the satellite map, he pointed and said, “Then we can go to the Snead farm here.”

Bruce looked at where he pointed. It was actually on the route he had planned. On the map, he saw the small dirt parish road that left the blacktop and passed the farm. Then off the parish road was a driveway that cut back and forth through the fields that led to the house. It was less than four miles away.

“You know them?” Bruce asked.

“Yeah, I cut hay for Marcus every year because my tractor and hay baler are bigger than his. He always tries to pay me, but I can’t take money from him,” Paul told him.

Bruce told him thank you and put his map up. He turned to the group and told them they were moving out and they were going fast. They needed to get away from the dam because infected could hear the gunfire. Next, he told them he thought the military position had been overrun. They had not heard it again, and it stopped too fast. That had gotten everyone’s attention.

Bruce turned and started walking as Buffy came up to his left side. He led the wet, muddy, and smelly group at a quick pace. The mud that covered everyone started to dry in the heat. Mike called him on the radio several times for him to slow his pace for a few hundred yards to give the group a break.

They reached the dirt road in less than an hour, but the group did pay a price for the speed. All the water was now gone, and they were approaching exhaustion. They crossed the road and the fence into the Snead farm. The house and barn were almost a mile back, and they still could not see it. Bruce asked Paul how big the farm was, and he said it was over twelve hundred acres. Damn, Bruce thought, almost two square miles makes our farm seem little.

He saw a small stand of trees in the field and led the group to it. Once they got to the other side of the small stand of trees, Bruce could see the house off in the distance––an easy five hundred yards. He turned to the group and told them he was going to check it out. Paul tried to convince Bruce that he should go, too. Bruce told him no, that there was no way they knew what was up there. It could be infected, bandits, or nothing. He told Mike, if anything happened, to bug out. Mike just nodded at him.

Bruce walked out of the trees toward the house with Buffy beside him. He almost told her to go back but decided not to. If they were normal people, they would be less likely to shoot someone with a little girl beside him. As they got closer, he could make out a man working on the fence around the house. He told Buffy to put her weapon on her back as he slid his around to his. When they were two hundred yards away, he told her to raise her hands up like him and wave. Just as they raised their hands, Bruce saw a dog run from the house and stand by the man as the man grabbed something that was leaning on the fence.

As they got closer, he saw an old black man in coveralls holding a pump shotgun with a bloodhound beside him. When he got within twenty-five yards, Bruce stopped and yelled just loud enough for the man to hear, “We mean you no harm, sir.” The old man waved them closer.

When they got ten feet from the old man, they stopped with their hands still up. “Y’all can put your hands down. I ain’t goin’ to rob you,” he said, smiling. “I don’t know what swamp you two done climbed through, but y’all brought half of it with ya,” the old man said.

“Yes, sir, we did. My name is Bruce Williams. I am leading a group of men, women, and children to my farm. We just crossed the bayou. One of your neighbors, Paul Stewart, said we might get some water from Marcus Snead,” Bruce told him.

“Paul is with ya?” the old man asked.

“Yes, sir, him and his family were trapped up in a tree by the infected when we rescued them this morning,” Bruce told him.

“You rescued Paul and his family? Bruce, you and your group are welcome to anything at my farm. I will get Carroll, my wife, to get ya some food, and I am Marcus, Bruce. Tell them to come on up, just don’t be yelling; them infected are everywhere,” Marcus said.

“Sir, just water, a place to rest and clean up. Food is going to be scarce soon, and I don’t want to burden you or your family,” Bruce stated, then keyed his radio telling Mike to come up.

“Won’t be a burden. We have plenty, and if the rest of your group looks like you, they need it. Then y’all can come inside and wash up,” Marcus said.

“Please, sir, I wouldn’t feel right about the food, and we can wash in buckets outside,” Bruce pleaded.

“Okay, Bruce, I won’t offer any, but I ain’t promising for my wife. You can take that up with her yourself, and the name is Marcus. I know my age, Bruce,” Marcus told him.

“Marcus, I do appreciate this more than you know,” Bruce told him then looked down and saw a bat with nails driven through the end leaning on the fence.

Marcus saw what Bruce was staring at and said, “You can shoot those crazy blue people, but it just brings more. I made that a few days ago, and it works pretty well.”

“You have used it?” Bruce asked in astonishment.

“Yeah, shot one Thursday and then three more showed up. I shot them and ran to the barn and made this up real quick, and ol’ Moose here,” Marcus was patting the bloodhound, “told me more was coming, and I ran down the driveway, and sure enough, seven more were coming. Let me tell you, some of those things can move fast,” Marcus said.

“You killed a runner with that?” Bruce said in wonder.

“Runner, eh-, that’s a good name for ‘em. Yeah, Moose grabbed him as he ran at me. As he was trying to get Moose, I whacked him in the head then I popped his friends. Was going to leave them but do they stink. Me and Carroll grabbed a cart from the barn, loaded them up, and dragged them to the edge of the property. Didn’t want to use the tractor; too much noise, why I don’t have the ginny running,” Marcus told him, looking behind Bruce and seeing everyone walking up.

“Did y’all leave any mud in the bayou, Bruce?” Marcus asked, watching the group walk up.

“A little but not much,” Bruce replied.

As the group got closer, introductions were made. They crossed the fence and walked up to the house. Marcus led them to the backyard and four picnic tables sitting under a huge oak tree. Marcus pointed out the water faucet in the middle of the yard.

“I thought you did not have power?” Bruce asked.

“Don’t. One of my kids bought me a solar water pump few years back ‘cause we lose power so often here. Let me get Carroll,” Marcus said, heading to the house. A few seconds later, an old black lady wearing a dress came out the door with him. Cheryl got up and went to her but didn’t want to hug her, motioning to her clothes. Carroll grabbed her in a hug then they walked to the group.

“My word, I can plant two gardens with the mud and dirt on all of you,” Carroll said, stopping in front of the group. “Let me get some soap so you can wash your clothes and selves. Then I will fix something to eat,” Carroll told the group, turning and heading to the house with Cheryl in tow.

“Ma’am, no food, please. We don’t want to burden you. Times are fixing to be real hard,” Bruce said.

She just waved her hand at him then walked to the house while Cheryl waited by the back door. Carroll soon came back out and handed her a pile of towels, rags, bars of soap, and bottles of soap. Cheryl started to the group as Carroll went back inside.

Bruce turned to Marcus and asked, “You don’t mind some of us running around half naked and others naked, do you, while our clothes dry?”

“Bruce, if I had that much mud on me I would have stripped buck naked and walked home not giving a rat’s ass who saw me. I’m sure y’all have mud in some good places,” Marcus said.

Bruce laughed and said, “I have at least enough mud in the crack of my ass to plant two or three rows of that garden that Carroll talked about. Can I ask another favor, please?”

“Sure,” Marcus said.

“Do you have a large bucket to wash clothes in and some rags so we can clean our weapons?” Bruce asked.

“Be right back,” Marcus said, heading to the barn.

Bruce turned to the group. “Lynn, Maria, put your weapons on a table; we will clean them. Take the fearsome five,” what Bruce started calling the kids from the school, “and start washing your clothes, shoes, and packs. Cheryl, you and Chad go with them. Susan, you and the kids go with them, also,” Bruce said, not even acknowledging Jim.

“The rest of us will start cleaning weapons. Rinse them off with the water hose first,” Bruce said. Everyone nodded as Marcus walked up with a metal washbasin and a new roll of cotton shop towels. Marcus laid the towels on a table and carried the basin to Lynn, who was telling the kids to strip. Everyone went over to rinse off their weapons then headed back to the picnic tables.

Bruce dropped his pack and dug out a plastic box that had his cleaning kit in it. As he was digging it out, he saw the inner bag had kept everything dry. The outside of the pack was a different story. Mike dug out his cleaning kit as Alex and Paul put two of the tables end to end. Then they started laying weapons out as Bruce took the P90 and SAW off the sides of his pack and put them on the table. Bruce, Buffy, and Angela were on one side of the two tables that were pushed together with their backs to the rest of the group. Mike, Alex, and Paul were on the other side of the table.

Bruce and Mike took off their tactical gloves, throwing them down, walking over to Lynn, and washing their hands. They came back and sat down at the table as Marcus walked back to see if he could help. Those at the table sat back down after washing their hands with Marcus and watched as Mike and Bruce disassembled their SCARs in less than thirty seconds. They did a complete disassemble on the other parts in another thirty seconds then they took the suppressors apart. There were springs and small pieces of metal spread out in front of them. As they started wiping them down, Bruce stopped and looked up to see they had an audience.

“Guys, we need to get these weapons cleaned,” Bruce said to the shocked faces.

They all turned to the weapons in front of them and started field stripping them. No one except Bruce and Mike did a complete disassemble.

“Never seen anyone but gunsmiths take guns apart that far before,” Marcus said, watching Bruce’s and Mike’s hands fly over the pieces, wiping each one down.

“I am a gunsmith,” Bruce said, shoving a cleaning rod down the barrel.

“I ain’t ever seen anyone move their hands that fast over a weapon,” Marcus said.

Bruce laughed as he finished the big things and then took out a small metal dental pick. Then he started cleaning the little cracks on the SCAR and scopes. In less than ten minutes, he and Mike put their weapons back together. They took off their three-point slings, throwing them by their gloves. They got up and put the SCARs on an empty table without loading them then walked back to the table. Both walked behind the people on their side of the table and disassembled the field-stripped parts. Buffy watched as Bruce took the pieces of her gun and made them smaller. When he walked away, Buffy started wiping down the little pieces, hoping Daddy would put them back together.

Angela watched Bruce reach over her, take the three pieces of her field-stripped P90, and turn them into more than twenty. She looked up at him.

“I hope you don’t expect me to put it back together,” she said with hope in her voice. When Bruce told her he would put it back together for her, she sighed in relief and started cleaning.

Lynn walked up behind Bruce and said, “All right, all of you strip so we can start on your stuff.”

“That’s okay, I will do mine,” Bruce said, not looking back, grabbing the SAW and getting ready to disassemble it. Mike and everyone else had already stood up and started undressing.

“Bruce, I was telling not asking. You will let us help you, or I will spank you now, young man,” Lynn told him.

He turned around, and Lynn was standing there in her bra and bloomers with her hands on her hips. He bent down and started undoing his boots then he kicked them off. He started undoing buckles on his tactical vest and drop holster so he could lay it on his pack.

Lynn told him, “Take everything out of those vests so we can clean them also.”

Bruce was going to tell Lynn no but when he looked up at her, decided not to. He stepped over to the empty table and started making a pile and telling everyone they would have to clean magazines, to.

“Magazines, too?” Alex whined.

Bruce pulled one magazine out of his vest, turning it upside down and pouring water out to demonstrate why. He then took and separated his vest from the ballistic vest. Then Bruce handed his tactical vest to Lynn, who had her hand out for it. Maria ran over, grabbing the ballistic vest. When she lifted it up, shocked at the weight, she just stared at Bruce as she took it over to the hose. Then Bruce started taking off his clothes, handing each item to Lynn. As he was taking his pants off, Angela turned to him.

“Leave your boxers on, Bruce,” she told him.

“I had planned on it, Angela,” Bruce said, looking at her standing in her bra and panties.

Bruce looked at Buffy, who was standing barefoot in her panties and muddy blue tank top telling Lynn she would wash it later. Bruce walked over to Buffy and sat her back down beside Angela and asked her what was wrong.

“Everyone will see my boobies,” she said to him in a low voice. “Christina and Julie have bras on, so I don’t want no one seeing my boobies,” she told Bruce in a firm voice.

Bruce turned around and, sure enough, the two other girls had on training bras and panties while scrubbing clothes. Bruce was sure Buffy had never worn a training bra, but be damned if he was telling Buffy she had to show people her boobies. Bruce looked at Lynn to tell her no one else was telling Buffy, either, when Angela said hold on and went to her pack and pulled out a sports bra that they had gotten from the looted trailer.

There in front of everyone, Buffy pulled off her shirt, handing it to Lynn, and waited for Angela to bring over the sports bra. Bruce was fixing to say something about her standing there with her boobies exposed as Angela put the sports bra on Buffy. He decided not to as he watched Buffy jump back to the table with a sports bra that was too big, picking back up where she left off cleaning weapons.

Bruce walked back to his spot at the table in his boxers and the cake of mud and dirt on him then went back to cleaning weapons. After he finished with the SAW, he put it on the clean table and grabbed his pistols.

Putting his pistols at his spot, he leaned over Buffy, reassembling her UMP and suppressor then he did the same to Angela’s P90. He told them to put them on the clean table and for Buffy to grab two Berettas, and Angela an M-4. He disassembled his pistols then showed Buffy how to unload and field strip a Beretta. Then Bruce walked behind Angela and broke down the M-4 she had field stripped. Walking back to Buffy, who had field stripped the Berettas, Bruce then broke both of them down.

With Bruce on one side of the table and Mike on the other, the little assembly line continued. In less than an hour, all the weapons were cleaned. Then Mike told everyone to grab magazines and told everyone to unload them, making piles by caliber. Mike and Bruce showed the assembly line how to take the magazines apart to clean them. This took almost as long as the weapons.

Hearing giggling behind him, Bruce turned around and saw the four naked boys washing themselves and their underwear with their backs to everyone. It was Julie and Christina doing the giggling, pointing at the boys. When Chad and Ben tried to put their underwear back on, Cheryl told them their bodies were not clean yet. Bruce heard Cheryl yell if they did not get clean she would come over there and do it. The boys started scrubbing with soapy rags really hard. Bruce thought that skin might come off just to keep Cheryl from coming over.

The toddlers were running around naked, playing in the water in front of Susan. She was holding a naked Joshua while wearing her bra and panties. He saw Jim get up from near the back porch, take off his muddy clothes, and walk over to Susan, holding them out and saying something to her. Then Susan turned around, told him something, and turned back to the kids. Jim started walking toward Susan and stopped when Lynn said something to him, pointing her finger at him. Bruce could not hear what was being said but knew Jim did not like it as he walked over to the wash bucket and started washing his clothes.

Alex, Angela, and Paul got up from the table and went out where everyone was washing. Bruce watched as Angela took off her bra and panties, grabbed the water hose, wet herself down, grabbed a rag and soap, and started washing. Bruce laughed; that girl was not shy in any form or fashion. The rest of the adults stripped and started washing then the girls stripped, joining them. The four boys turned around and saw everyone naked then turned back around to look out at the field. That action made Bruce laugh again as he turned back to the table; boys may talk all big and bad, but that’s all it was. Mike had already grabbed the rest of his gear from his vest and was cleaning it. Bruce went and grabbed his, doing the same. Knives, multi tools, radios, lock picks, and everything else they carried.

Then Bruce went to his pack and pulled out the inner waterproof bag, setting it aside. He emptied all the outer pockets and held up the pack that had mud caked all over it. “I’ll wash it for you,” Bruce heard from his side and turned to see Susan was standing there with her hand out, still wearing her bra and panties. He looked past her and saw Angela holding Joshua and Alex playing with the toddlers. Everyone had their underwear back on and was doing a last washing of gear. The four boys still had their backs to them, looking out in the field.

“Let me get that for you, please?” Susan asked him. Bruce could see she really wanted to do this, so he handed it over. She walked past him to Mike, who had broken his pack down also. Susan held out her hand for the pack and said, “Please.” Mike handed over his pack.

Bruce watched as Susan walked back to the wash area in the middle of the backyard. She laid the packs down and started washing them with a brush. Lynn and Maria walked over to help her, but she shook her head. They joined the rest of the group as they walked back to the tables. Maria ran up to Angela and asked to hold the baby. Angela reluctantly gave her the baby and walked over to the clean-gun table, grabbed her P90, and joined everyone at the table. Bruce started cleaning gear from his pack when he heard a door behind them shut. Marcus and Carroll were walking toward them. They were each carrying two plates of what looked like sandwiches. Carroll had a double-barrel shotgun across her back. Marcus had his pump shotgun and his bat tucked under his arm.

Bruce had never noticed Marcus leave them, but the old bloodhound was lying there. He felt bad because he had left the group unguarded while they were washing and cleaning weapons. They walked up to the table and set the plates down. Everyone looked at the plates then at Bruce as Carroll spoke.

“Now Marcus done told me what you said, and let me tell you, young man, you can’t tell a woman how to treat guests at her house,” Carroll said in a firm tone. Bruce had heard that tone from Debbie enough to know he was in trouble.

“Ma’am, we are a large group, and I, along with everyone here, do not want to place hardship on your kindness. It would hurt me and this group knowing we were taking what you need to survive the hard times ahead,” Bruce replied carefully.

“Marcus said you would say something like that and we should respect your feelings. Well, he and I had us a long talk inside until he saw my position,” Carroll said.

Bruce looked over at Marcus, who was looking at the ground. Great, he got both of them in trouble. “Ma’am,” he started before she held up her hand for him to stop.

“If we showed up at your house, would your family feed us?” she asked.

“Yes, we would, but we have stored food,” Bruce said.

“Bruce, we have enough jarred and canned food to last several years. Not counting the chickens, cows, pigs, and the gardens we are fixing to bring in. Our boys and girl are coming home to us. Marcus and I have lived through tough times, so I know. But none of that matters. We want to break bread with you, and you can at least return the courtesy,” she told him in an even voice that meant the lecture was not over. Listening to her, Bruce could almost hear Debbie saying the same thing. Women must go to class to learn that tone that made a man shut up and listen, Bruce decided. Before he could speak, Carroll started again.

“All these people are not your family, but you are taking them to your home to provide safety and sustenance to them. I know they will help and work to provide that safety and gather that sustenance, but you are opening your home to them,” she said, as he thought he had her––his group was not doing anything here for what they were giving.

Then Carroll continued, “I know what you are thinking, young man. You and your group are not providing us anything for this sustenance.” Damn, she could read his mind just like Debbie. Was this knowledge passed down from mother to daughter, he wondered as she continued.

“You are going through this land helping those you can and taking them to your home. That is what you are providing us. Hope. We have heard on the CB all the violence out there and not from just the crazy sick blue people. Let us provide for you,” she told him.

“Yes, ma’am,” Bruce replied, wanting the lecture to end.

“Bruce, I really like you, but if you call me ma’am instead of Carroll one more time, I’m going to get a switch and take it to ya,” she said, sounding like his mother.

“I can see you have a good, kind heart and put others before yourself. Just looking at the little blonde girl there,” she said, motioning to Buffy, “I can see that. She looks at you like a daddy but I can tell you ain’t her father. Because you are showing her things with these guns and stuff I know you would have taught your kids from birth. I can see that in you. Any asshole can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a daddy,” she finished his tongue lashing.

“Yes, Carroll, and thank you and Marcus for the food and letting us wash up. I hope we did not offend either of you,” Bruce said.

“Bruce, if you are talking about everyone running around naked and in underwear, you have not been on many farms. Paul over there has stripped in this backyard to wash mud and hay off of him, as Marcus and I have,” she said as a fact.

“Thank you, Carroll, and yes, I did grow up on a farm, and we too had to strip, hosing off before we could go inside,” Bruce told her, hoping he was not going to get a switching.

“Okay, Bruce, thank you for listening to me. Now, eat. I’m going to start supper. Marcus and Cheryl, come inside and get the jugs of tea and Kool-Aid and bring them out here,” she said, turning around and heading to the house. Cheryl got up and followed Carroll to the house.

“I told ya, Bruce. You should’ve listened to me,” Marcus whispered to Bruce.

“I’m sorry I got you in trouble,” Bruce said sincerely.

“Ain’t nothing. I didn’t want you to get a tongue lashing, too,” Marcus admitted.

“Marcus,” Carroll called, and he walked to the house.

Bruce turned to the group. All the men had grins on their face like, “Duh, you earned that.” All the women were looking at him with flat expressions that said, “Just do what we say and don’t argue.” Looking at Buffy, he saw it was even on her little face, and that startled Bruce. That could only mean the information was passed on genetically.

“What?” Bruce asked in a threating tone.

“I’m not even going to start,” Mike replied, grinning. “But you earned that,” he added.

No one had touched the sandwiches yet, waiting on Bruce. He looked across the yard and yelled just loud enough to be heard, “Ben, Marty, John, Chad, over here.” The four boys were still looking at the field with their backs to the wash area. As one, they peeked over their shoulders to see if it was okay. Not seeing naked girls around them, they turned and ran to the tables. Chad ran over and sat by his dad, and the boys sat down where they could. Bruce looked at the group.

“Julie, Christina, Ben, John, and Marty, hold up the hand you write with,” Bruce said, as they did as they were told.

“That is your dominant hand. You will eat with your nondominant hand only, and that means drinking also, until I tell you otherwise. Buffy, you will use your left hand when we get back from washing. Save us some food. Come on, Buffy, let’s get clean,” Bruce said, walking off as she ran to catch up to him.

Everyone looked at Mike for an explanation, and he said, “It’s to teach and train you how to use your weak side.”

“Come on, Mike, I will not eat with your stinky muddy ass beside me,” Bruce called back to the table while taking off his boxers.

“Save me some, too,” Mike said, leaving the table and heading to Bruce as everyone grabbed sandwiches with their nondominant hands.

“Holy shit,” Paul said, looking out at the yard.

Everyone looked at him to see what was wrong. Seeing him looking at the wash area, they all turned except Angela, who was practicing breaking down her P90. They saw Bruce, Mike, and Buffy walking past Susan, who was leaning over scrubbing one of the packs. Susan glanced up. Looking at Bruce, Susan jumped back, sitting up on her knees. Bruce waved at her, but she just watched them. Mike and Buffy stripped down as Bruce grabbed the water hose and started wetting down all three.

“That is not natural,” Alex said.

“I told you,” Angela said, still working with the P90 and not turning around, having already seen what they were looking at.

“Doesn’t Bruce get tired of carrying it around?” Marty asked.

“If you told it no, it might beat you up,” John predicted.

Marcus and Cheryl came back to the table, set the jugs down, saw everyone looking in the yard, and followed their gazes. Cheryl gasped, putting a hand over her mouth as Marcus informed everyone, “That boy is deformed.”

Maria said something in Spanish. Then Paul said, “I keep expecting it to pick a trunk full of grass off the ground and shove it up his ass.”

“See, Mike is a normal man. He has enough to be proud of. Bruce has enough to be scared of,” Alex said, looking at the three washing off.

“If I was Ms. Susan, Buffy, and Mr. Mike, I would get back from it. Because it might be hungry,” Chad said.

“And you were willing to let him use that thing on me,” Alex said to Angela, who had just put the P90 back together.

“I sure wasn’t going to let him use it on me. Don’t you love me?” she asked, looking at him, but Alex was staring at Bruce.

“I don’t know if I love you that much. There are some things that terrify a man and having something like that used on them is pretty much at the top of the list,” Alex told her, watching Bruce and them wash their bodies.

Susan finished the packs and came over to the table, looking back at Bruce. As Susan reached the table, all she said was, “Oh my.”

“It’s not that bad,” Lynn said.

“You’re demented, woman,” Marcus told her. “He could put a shoe on the end of it and enter a three-legged race by his self,” he said.

“Let’s ask Carroll,” Lynn said.

“She can’t see that; it might scare her,” Marcus informed her.

“I think we should get his wife a medal,” Cheryl said.

“I bet she is proud to have all of him as her husband,” Lynn said.

“If I would have been dating him, I would have took off running the first time I saw it,” Maria said. “I might have come back, but I would have definitely taken off running first,” she added.

“It’s hard to believe that you were in a bathroom half naked with that, Angela,” Alex said as he finally took his eyes off of Bruce and took a bite of his sandwich.

“What?” several of them asked, turning back to the table and looking at Angela. She looked up and saw everyone looking at her so she sat back and told them about her, Mike, and Bruce making plans to escape the university from the crazy captain and then the escape.

“You did not run screaming when he said y’all needed to get out and get dressed because he might get excited?” Alex said, hearing the whole story for the first time.

“I’m not scared of Bruce,” she said.

“I’m not talking about being scared of Bruce but of his mutation,” Alex said.

“No, I was not scared of it,” Angela replied.

“You are the bravest person I have ever met,” Alex said, looking at Angela.

“Who is the bravest person you know?” said Bruce, walking back to the table, setting a bowl of water down, wringing the water out of his boxers, and setting them by the bowl.

“Angela,” Alex replied.

“What did my favorite resident do?” Bruce said, bending down and picking up a small plastic box that was in the pile of stuff that had been in his pack.

“She looked a monster in the eye, showing no fear, and stood her ground,” Alex said with pride.

“She can take down any monster she meets just using her hands,” Bruce said, opening the box and closing it. Several were giggling at his reply, but Bruce was not paying any attention as he grabbed his boxers, putting them on. Mike and Buffy walked up to the table putting their underwear on.

“Mr. Bruce, can I ask you a question, please?” John asked. Everyone took a breath, not knowing what was coming.

“Sure, John,” Bruce said, pouring a glass of tea.

“Where do you put it when you put on your underwear? Where does it hide?” John asked, pointing at his groin.

Bruce still did not notice everyone looking at him trying to hide giggles and grins. He thought the boy had asked a question that a twelve-year-old boy would ask. “There is a pocket sewn in my boxers that it lays in,” Bruce told him, taking a drink.

“Oh, come on, you have got to be kidding me. You have to build it a home in your underwear for it to sleep in? That’s just not right; you are not supposed to build it a home,” Paul said, putting down his sandwich and getting up from the table. “Why not just wrap it around your waist and tuck it in like a towel?” Paul asked.

As everyone busted out laughing, Bruce finally realized what was going on and looked around. He just cocked his head to the side and closed his eyes, shaking his head.

Mike said, “It gets mad if he tucks it in then starts to growl.” The laughter started again.

As the laughter died off again, Maria looked at Bruce. “I want to withdraw my offer to go to the bushes with you. The three of us in the bushes would be scary,” Maria said to him, and everyone started laughing again. Marcus and Cheryl were having trouble standing they were laughing so hard. Chad fell off the bench laughing.

As the laughing died down again, everyone was wiping tears from their eyes and holding their sides to make the muscles quit hurting. Buffy did not know what everyone was laughing about, but they were funny.

Bruce looked at Alex and said, “I need to borrow your wife.”

“Now come on, Bruce, you will break her; she is really little,” Alex said in shock as the laughter started again. Anyone looking at the group would have thought drugs were involved, with a large group of people sitting around in their underwear laughing.

Bruce picked up the bowl and plastic box, walking over to Angela. “I need her to shave my head. I don’t have a mirror,” Bruce told Alex.

Angela got up and said, “Sit down, Bruce.” She opened the box and put shaving cream over his head and on his chin around his goatee.

Buffy ran over to them, “I want to do it, Daddy.”

“No, Buffy, maybe next time. Angela has experience shaving her legs,” Bruce said.

“And her,” Alex started saying, looking at Buffy then his wife’s angry face, “armpits,” he finished.

“Nice save,” Bruce replied, grinning.

“Yeah,” Angela said in a cold voice. Everyone knew someone who was in trouble.

Bruce told the fearsome five to get their weapons and start practicing then Chad came over saying he wanted to train, too. Bruce called Marcus over and asked him if they could cut a tree to make a staff for Chad. He said hold on, went to the barn, and came back with seasoned oak poles that they used for the tomatoes. The poles were treated and solid. Bruce nodded his head. As Chad grabbed one, the other kids came over and asked if they could have one. Marcus handed them each one, and they all walked out and started practicing. Bruce asked Mike to go and teach them. Mike walked out and started teaching the six kids basic staff.

Bruce asked Marcus if he had a 10-22. Marcus told him yeah, he used it for hunting squirrel and had over a thousand rounds of .22. Then Bruce asked if he had fiberglass and a list of other things. Marcus said he did. Bruce told him if he wanted, he would make him a silencer if he gathered all the stuff. Marcus ran to the barn to gather everything Bruce asked for. Angela finished shaving his head and wiped his head off. She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed the top of his head. Sitting on the bench, Bruce was taller than her. Bruce told her thank you and got up, grabbing a sandwich.

He told everyone sitting to start loading the magazines but first to wipe off the shells. Everyone was getting really good at loading magazines here lately. Marcus brought the supplies from the barn, put them on the table, and went to the house to get the gun and aluminum foil. Bruce started setting out the supplies.

When Marcus got back, he gave Bruce the rifle and foil. Then Bruce went to work, wrapping the end of the barrel in foil, cutting PVC, and carving a small dowel rod to fit in the barrel. Then he put a smaller tube of PVC in a larger piece and put wire mesh and stuff in between the tubes. Then he slid it over the rod, mixed the fiberglass, and applied it over the foil and the outer, larger PVC pipe. It had taken Bruce forty minutes to make it. He told Marcus that when the fiberglass dried tomorrow, he would have a silenced weapon. Bruce walked out to the clothesline.

When he stepped from the shade into the sunlight, it felt like a weight hitting him. The heat in Louisiana could not be gotten used to, only tolerated on different levels. Right now, Bruce’s heat toleration level was really low. Grabbing the tactical vests off the clothesline, he found out they were dry, and on one of the plastic buckles, he actually burned his hand. He opened the magazine pouches and did not see any mud in them. Satisfied, he grabbed his and Mike’s vests, carrying them back to the table. Lynn told him when he got back that she knew how to clean something. Bruce thanked her and everyone else for getting the gear cleaned.

He and Buffy reloaded both the vests with the equipment and magazines. He put Mike’s pistols back with the suppressors on. He put the XDM in the cross draw with the suppressor. He left out the 1911 with the suppressor and all the magazines. Next, he put the ballistic vest under the tactical vest. Then Bruce put the slings back on the rifles and started putting small drops of oil on all the weapons.

Mike walked up with the kids, and all were sweating. Mike looked at Bruce working the actions of the weapons and asked if they were leaving.

Bruce calmly looked at Mike, stating, “Are you fucking insane? Carroll is fixing supper for us, and we are not leaving until we eat. Be damned if I’m getting hit with a switch.” Mike said he forgot as he sat down at the table.

Everyone continued to get the gear ready, from polishing boots to loading magazine pouches and getting packs ready. By 5 p.m., everything was loaded and ready except for the nineteen people still in underwear sitting on the picnic tables. When Marcus came out of the house, Bruce called him over.

“Can we stay in your barn tonight, please?” Bruce asked.

“You can stay in the house,” Marcus said.

“The barn, please. That way if something happens to one, the other will be able to help,” Bruce said.

“Not put all your eggs in one basket, it’s fine with me. I will get you some blankets,” he said, walking back to the house.

Marcus came out of the house carrying a very big stack of blankets. “Here you go,” he said, putting them on the table.

“Do you know what this is Marcus, and have you used one?” Bruce asked, holding up the 1911.

“Colt 1911 with a suppressor. I was in Nam Bruce, and yes, I have used one several times,” Marcus told him.

“Here,” Bruce said, putting it in his hand.

“Bruce, I can’t take this. It must have cost a fortune,” Marcus replied, staring at the gun.

“It’s a gift from me to you, and yes, it is expensive, over three thousand dollars altogether. It would make me feel better knowing you had something more than a silenced .22,” Bruce said.

“Bruce, I’m sorry. I can’t take this; you might need it,” Marcus said, trying to hand it back.

“Marcus, if you give it back, I’m going to tell Carroll you told everyone she farts in her sleep and made everyone laugh at her,” Bruce told him.

“You wouldn’t,” Marcus said, looking at Bruce with fear on his face. “Okay, I’ll take it, and thank you. She does fart something awful in her sleep,” Marcus admitted.

“After we make it home and the world calms down little, I will bring you some real weapons,” Bruce promised him.

Moose jumped up, growling, looking toward the driveway. Bruce grabbed his SCAR and one magazine and took off to the front yard. Two hundred yards down the driveway they saw an infected heading toward them. The way it was moving, they knew it was a blue walker. Mike ran up beside Bruce, looking down the driveway. Bruce told him to take it; he would never admit it, but Mike was a better shot at long range than he was.

Mike kneeled down on one knee, taking aim. Bruce held up his middle finger toward the blue as Mike squeezed the trigger four times in rapid succession. The infected dropped.

“That’s cheating,” Bruce said.

“Eat me,” Mike replied as the rest of the group came around the house.

“Is your gate closed?” Paul asked Marcus.

“No, if the boys are not here tomorrow, I will close it. I’m worried that if I close it, and they are in a hurry…” Marcus said, leaving it open.

Bruce was damn sure not going to tell him to close it. Turning around, Bruce saw everyone had followed them, and they had their weapons. Bruce told everyone to grab their stuff and carry it to the loft in the barn, seeing no other threats. They walked back to the picnic tables to get their stuff. Laughter was gone out of their faces with the arrival of the infected.

Chapter 37

The group was in the loft of the barn, each claiming an area. The four boys had laid blankets out side by side as the girls had done. Each one had a new staff by his or her side. Everyone had their clothes and boots at the foot of their makeshift beds and their weapons lying on the blankets. Everyone was just sitting around in their underwear in the oppressive heat. Mike and Bruce were sitting and talking in the open loft door, looking down at the land from thirty feet up. Bruce had told everyone not to put on shoes so their feet and boots could dry out. Everyone took that as “stay barefoot in underwear.”

Bruce turned around and saw Angela catch Cade, taking him back to the blanket that she and Alex had spread out. Bruce saw her limping and did not know which foot she was favoring. He called her over as he stood up.

Angela walked over barefoot in her bra and panties, looking up at Bruce.

“What, Bruce?” she said, just wanting to lie down. She hurt in places she never knew existed.

“Sit,” he said and pointed to the chair. After she sat down, Bruce got on his knees and said, “Give me your left foot.”

“Jesus, my feet again? We have got to get you home to your wife,” Angela said, blowing him off.

“Foot, now,” Bruce said with iron in his voice, snapping his fingers. She lifted her left foot up to his hands. Bruce saw a blister that ran from her heel to the mid-foot; for a foot that was only a size four and a half, that was a huge blister. Then, looking at her little painted toes, Bruce saw several blisters on the ends of several of them. He looked at her with a scowl.

“They are only blisters, Bruce,” she said. Mike came over, looking at her foot then at her with disappointment. “Now you have a foot fetish too, Mike? I really worry about you two––all these women running around half naked, and you two look at my feet,” Angela exclaimed. Mike walked to his and Bruce’s packs, digging a flat wide plastic box out of each.

“Other foot,” Bruce said, and she lifted it up to him. It had several blisters also. He opened the first aid kit that Mike had dug out and started tending to her feet.

Mike called Ben over and had him sit in the chair and looked at his feet. He also had several blisters. He and Bruce went to work cleaning, popping, and putting moleskin over the areas. Bruce finished with Angela first and told her she could leave; she stood up, kissing him on the head.

“I’m only going to let you play with my feet from now on,” she promised, walking off as Bruce just shook his head and called Buffy over.

He and Mike checked everyone’s feet except Jim’s, and everyone except Bruce, Mike, the Stewarts, and the toddlers had blisters. When they were finished, they put up the first aid kits. They heard Susan say ‘no’ pretty loudly and turned around. Jim was spreading a blanket beside her.

“You are not sleeping by me, Jim. I don’t want you anywhere near me or the kids,” Susan told him.

“You are my wife, and these are my kids. You will do as I say. If I say we leave this group then that’s what we will do. I have let you get away with a lot because I know this has been stressful,” he told her as he reached out, grabbing a handful of her hair. Jim continued, “From now on, you will do as I say as you always have. These people are nothing but trash, and when the government gets things back under control, I’m going to sue some of them for everything they have. Now, you will shut your mouth and spread out my blanket,” he said, pulling her hair.

Bruce was tired and not in the mood. He took a step toward Jim and Susan when a hand grabbed his arm. Turning, he saw Mike holding his arm. Bruce looked down at Mike’s hand then up at Mike. Mike held up his other hand for Bruce to wait.

“Get your fucking hand off me,” Susan said, slapping him and then hitting his arm. Jim let go, stunned by her attack and took a step back. Susan reached down, picking up Joshua and Cassandra and ran to Bruce and Mike.

“Can I sleep between you two tonight?” she asked, looking at them.

“Sure you can, Susan. You and the kids get on our blankets, but don’t let Cassandra touch the guns; they are loaded,” Mike told her, smiling at her. She jumped on the blankets beside Buffy that Bruce and Mike had laid out side by side for their beds. She sat down holding Joshua in one arm and little Cassandra in the other. Cassandra had her arms around Susan’s neck.

“Bitch, you come here now. Don’t make me come and get you,” Jim called after her.

“I want to see this,” Cheryl said, sitting up.

“Shut up, you country hick bitch,” Jim said.

“That’s my wife, you asshole,” Paul said, standing up and balling up his fist.

“Oh, shut up, you stupid-ass dirt farmer, or I will sue you, too. I just don’t think I would get more than five dollars for your cow-shit-covered farm,” Jim told him with his crooked grin.

Paul stepped toward Jim when Mike called out, “Paul, hold on for a minute, please.”

“Mike, he has insulted my family,” Paul said in a dangerous tone.

“Family, huh? Bunch of rejects,” Jim said.

“Wait, Paul,” Mike said forcefully. Mike turned to look at Susan and asked her, “Do you want to go with him?”

“Never again,” she said. “I will never let him hurt me or Cassandra again.”

Mike turned to Bruce, releasing his arm. “Sic him,” Mike said like someone would tell an attack dog.

“Paul, I would take a step back if I were you,” Mike said as Bruce started walking toward Jim.

Paul saw the look on Bruce’s face and took several steps back. He did not want to get caught in the storm walking to this end of the loft. He motioned Cheryl back as they cleared the area as Bruce approached.

“Don’t even try to threaten me anymore, fuckwad. I’m telling the cops you killed those people on the road and those soldiers at the hospital. Then all those infected that Homeland Security said only the military and police could deal with. Any private citizen caught shooting an infected would be dealt with in the courts. You don’t look like military or police to me, just a muscle-bound asshole that carries a gun,” Jim said to Bruce as he walked toward him, stopping in front of him. Jim had dealt with this type of person before. He just had to threaten them with a lawsuit and prison then they backed down. Wishing he had done this earlier, Jim smiled at Bruce. He watched Bruce look him up and down. Using the same tone he used in court, Jim knew he had intimidated the asshole. Bruce was just standing in front of him breathing hard. Jim continued smiling at him, letting Bruce know he was not scared.

“I know you and Mike are fucking Susan, and I can tell you that really does not bother me. Hell, I have let a few clients fuck that whore. What does bother me is I trained the bitch, and you think you can take away my toy. Let me tell you about that bitch Susan. I found her four years ago working in a shithole diner. She was a whore then like she is now. All women are whores, but I trained that whore, and she is mine. I had to beat her like I have beaten other people,” Jim said, wanting Bruce to know he had delivered his own pain. Jim looked at Bruce. Seeing an angry expression and heavy breathing, Jim mistook it for fear.

Jim kept his grin, knowing he had to keep at the idiots to intimidate them, then they all would be scared of him. He would keep Mike around, but Jim knew he would have to kill Bruce soon after he took control. Mike always did what Bruce said, so Jim knew he had to get Bruce under control first, making Bruce scared of him. After Mike started listening to him, then he would kill Bruce. Jim wished he had done this from the start, but he had admitted, sitting outside today, that he was scared earlier. Not anymore. This group was just another client he had to get control of. Jim continued looking back and forth from Bruce to Mike.

“That bitch could not even give me a son first. Let me tell you, she got the beating of her life when we got back from hospital. Then I had a revelation I could use the little bitch like I used her mother. In another few years, I can use Cassandra to get more,” Jim said with a chuckle. He wanted these people to know that what he could do to his own was what he could do to them without a thought.

“Then Joshua came––my protégé. The bitch had finally done something right. I will train him to be just like me then better. I have an empire of over sixty million, so I have power. With that power, I can take anything you have or will ever have. This will end, and the government will get everything back to the way it was. You can’t kill or hurt me anymore because someone will talk, just like how everyone here has bragged about what you have done. Then you will pay for anything you do to me,” Jim said, looking into Bruce’s face. He had to let them know he had lots of money and power; that always intimidated simple people.

“Now, I might forget some things if I’m put in charge now and you do what I say even after we get to this shithole of a farm. So start doing what I say now, and I might even let you keep your farm. I will even let you fuck Susan sometimes if you do a good job. I might even let you fuck some of these other bitches. But your first order is to bring that bitch back down here,” Jim told him as his smile turned into a grin. “Now, idiot,” Jim told Bruce.

Bruce looked Jim up and down. Jim was wearing his torn slacks, dress shirt, and loafers. Bruce looked up to his face when Jim called him an idiot and saw the grin. Bruce smiled an evil grin that would have made Satan shiver.

Jim saw Bruce’s smile and knew he had him. Bruce was scared of him like he should be. Tonight was going to be a good night. After he put Susan back in her place, he just might have Angela or Maria. He would have Bruce and Mike keep the others under control.

“Take off your clothes,” Bruce told him in a voice that could have come out of a grave.

“Fuck you. I’m going to beat the shit out of her before I fuck her,” Jim yelled, thinking Bruce just wanted to fuck her first. “Now do what I told…” Jim started to say as Bruce palm punched him in the stomach, sending him ten feet down the loft. Jim collapsed, holding his stomach and coughing.

“Take off your clothes,” Bruce said again.

“I’m going to sue you then you are going to prison…” Jim was saying as Bruce kneeled down beside him and started hitting him with finger strikes over the body’s pressure points. The blows were landing so fast the group could barely follow Bruce’s hands. Starting at Jim’s head, the hits went down his body, ending at his knees. Bruce stopped and stood up with his evil grin.

“Stop please, stop please,” Jim said in a whimper, crying. He had never felt pain like this before; his whole being hurt.

“Take your clothes off,” Bruce told him.

“I’m sorry. Please stop,” Jim pleaded, knowing he should have beat that bitch first to show Bruce he could hurt others, too. Then the pain started again.

Bruce started kicking the areas that would not break bones, only deliver pain. Punishment would come later; humiliation would come now. After Bruce had finished the flurry of kicks, Jim had been moved halfway back to Mike.

“Take off your clothes,” Bruce repeated with the grin still on his face.

“Why?” Jim managed to get out. “I won’t do anything to you, I promise, just quit,” he begged Bruce.

“I’m going to rape you right here, right now,” Bruce said, like he was giving someone the time of day. “I know you will never hurt anyone again. I’m going to hurt you in ways you never dreamed of,” Bruce told him, feeling the rage coming at him in waves, crashing over his body. It felt like ecstasy.

“Bruce, you can’t rape him. That is humiliating and demeaning another human,” Lynn said.

“Just what this sack of shit has done to others his whole life. Let’s see if he likes it. Now shut the fuck up and sit down. Justice is here,” Bruce told her, and Lynn quickly sat back down, feeling the anger on her just for a few seconds. “Take off your clothes,” Bruce said, looking back down at Jim.

“Please don’t. I will do whatever you say. Please don’t rape me,” Jim said, crying. This always worked before, but this man did not care. The pain was unbearable shooting through his body.

“Take your clothes off,” Bruce said, and he kneeled down beside Jim starting the finger strikes again. Jim could not yell out because it hurt too much to move and breathe. He could only manage small gasping pleas for mercy. But mercy had taken the day off.

Bruce stopped the strikes and said, “The only way for the pain to stop is for you to take your clothes off.”

Jim moaned, “Okay, but please stop.” Jim struggled to pull his clothes off. Fighting through the pain with each movement, Jim continued his task. That pain did not compare to the pain of Bruce hitting him.

Once Jim pulled off his clothes, Bruce said, “Now bend over and tell me you want me to rape you.”

“Never,” Jim said, and the pain started again as Bruce started hitting again.

Bruce stopped and said, “I’m waiting.”

“Rape me, please, but stop hitting me,” Jim said in a weak crying voice.

Everyone just sat and stared in awe and fear. They had just watched Bruce beat a man into submission then beg to be raped just to stop the pain. Ben stood up.

“I want to rape him, too,” Ben said, looking at Jim.

“Ben,” Maria said.

“For what he said to John in the swamp,” Ben said.

Marty jumped up. “I want to rape him, too. What do I have to do?” Marty said, looking to everyone for guidance.

“Sit down, you two,” Mike told them.

“What about what he said to John?” Ben said.

“It’s being dealt with,” Mike said.

Bruce looked down at Jim; he was on his knees with his head on the floor. Bruce reached down, grabbing Jim’s scrotum. Jim let out a yell as Bruce squeezed and said, “Make another noise, and I will rip it off and make you eat it.” Jim immediately shut his mouth, and Bruce relaxed his grip.

“Now crawl to Susan,” Bruce said. Jim took off on his hands and knees with Bruce keeping a firm grip. Jim crawled over in front of Susan.

“Now beg her for forgiveness, and apologize,” Bruce said. Jim did as instructed.

“Now go to John,” Bruce said, and Jim crawled to John.

“Now apologize,” Bruce said, and Jim begged for John’s forgiveness.

“Now crawl to Paul and do the same thing,” Bruce said, and Jim did as he was told.

“Now that is some justice,” Marcus said from the end of the loft. “Food’s ready. Drag his ass out of the loft,” he said.

“How long have you been there?” Paul asked.

“Since those two took care of y’alls’ feet.” Marcus said, pointing at Mike and Bruce. “He is just the type of person I had him pegged for,” Marcus said, pointing at Jim. “Y’all come on,” Marcus said, walking down the stairs.

Bruce let go of Jim’s scrotum and grabbed a handful of his hair, dragging him out to the picnic area. As Bruce pulled him along, Bruce told Jim if he yelled he would drag him by the balls. Jim never made a sound above a whimper as Bruce dropped him by the tree.

Everyone came out of the loft to eat wearing underwear, but they brought weapons with them. Mike handed Bruce his rifle since he had brought Jim down. Everyone sat down and started eating as Jim lay under the tree crying. Marcus went and told Carroll what had happened as they sat and ate.

As everyone was eating, Susan said, “I’m sorry,” looking down at the table, holding Joshua. Cassandra was sitting by her, eating, never looking at Jim.

“For what?” Angela asked.

“You know what he made me do. That I could not protect Cassandra,” she said, crying.

“What, because a sadistic asshole beat you and your baby and made you do what he wanted?” Angela said.

“I’m a whore,” she said, crying, holding Joshua closer. Carroll got up and went to Susan, and the old black woman hugged her from behind.

“Susan, you done what you had to for you and your babies to survive, just like we are doing now. That is nothing to be ashamed of. Holding it against yourself for surviving is,” Carroll told her, hugging her. Carroll sat and held her until she stopped crying, as everyone had stopped eating in the uncomfortable silence and looked off.

“Daddy won’t hit us anymore, Mommy?” Cassandra asked.

“No, baby, I will kill him myself,” Susan told her with determination.

Carroll turned to Cassandra and said, “He is not a daddy, baby. A daddy is someone who will love and die protecting you from anything.”

“Like my daddy and Daddy Mike,” Buffy said, leaning over, hugging Bruce’s arm, laying her head on his arm, and reaching to Mike’s hand sitting on the table to hold it. Mike grabbed her hand, squeezing it and smiling at her.

Cassandra looked around, not understanding. Her daddy was mean, always hitting her and Mama, but then he was not Daddy. Buffy had two daddies that she liked, and they never hit her. Tears came to her eyes. “I want daddies like Buffy,” Cassandra said, crying.

“Baby, we will find a daddy. I will find you a good daddy,” Susan said.

“Will you be my daddy, and you?” Cassandra asked, looking at Bruce then to Mike.

“Baby, that is not something you ask someone. It is a lot of responsibilities. We will find a daddy,” Susan told her. Cassandra jumped from the table, running around the other side to Bruce.

Bruce watched her run around the table heading to him. Not wanting to run away from the little girl, Bruce started taking deep breaths to be strong; he had already taken on one kid. He did not think he could handle two more as Cassandra came up to him crawling up on the bench seat. Cassandra stood up, jumping and grabbing Bruce’s neck with her arms. Bruce wrapped his arm around her so she would not fall.

“Please be my daddy. I will be good, and Joshua will, too. I will help him,” Cassandra said, burrowing her head in his neck.

“Cassandra––” Bruce started.

“Come on, Daddy, she needs good daddies. I already have four older brothers and two older sisters. Now I can be an older sister, too. I will help Cassandra and Joshua be good,” Buffy asked.

I will talk to Buffy later, Bruce thought as he reached up, pulling Cassandra back to tell her he would be a good friend. Looking in her tear-streaked face and her little eyes, Bruce’s heart crushed. He felt like a big pussy.

“Yes, Cassandra, I will be your daddy,” Bruce told her, and she hugged him, kissing his face. Cassandra jumped out of his arms, ran to Mike, and climbed him until she had her arms around his neck.

“Will you be my daddy, too?” Cassandra asked Mike with hope, looking in his face.

“Yes, baby, I will be your daddy, too,” Mike told her. Cassandra covered his face in kisses then squeezed him tight. The she stopped, leaned back, and looked in Mike’s face.

“What about Joshua?” Cassandra asked, thinking of her brother. Mike looked at her.

“When Bruce,” Mike said, emphasizing his name, “said he would be your dad, and I said I would be your daddy, that means you, Joshua, and your mama now are part of our family. For better or worse, you are stuck with us,” Mike said, looking at the little girl. Cassandra started kissing Mike all over his face. Mike wrapped both of his huge arms around the little girl, with tears running down his face.

Bruce moved his plate back, leaned over, and started beating his head into the table repeatedly. Debbie was going to kill him.

“What’s wrong with Daddy Bruce?” Cassandra asked Mike, turning around to see what the noise was.

“He is celebrating in his own way,” Mike told her as Bruce stopped.

“I love him, but he can be weird,” Cassandra said.

“Now go over and finish eating,” Mike told her, putting her down, and she ran to her mom and said they had daddies now so everything was okay. Almost everyone had a smile on his or her face during the exchange of words. Ben stood up and hit the table.

“It’s not fair,” Ben said. Oh shit, thought Bruce, not wanting to be anyone else’s daddy.

“What is not fair?” Lynn asked him.

“Jim needs to be raped for what he said to John,” Ben said, holding his head up. John was his friend, and this had to be taken care of.

“Do you even know what rape is, Ben?” Lynn asked.

“No,” he admitted, “but it sounds bad, and that’s what he deserves,” Ben said.

“What did he say to John that all of you kids started hitting him like a piñata?” Lynn asked, laughing and smiling.

“I can’t say. It’s bad words, and I will get in trouble, Ms. Lynn,” Ben told her.

“It’s okay, you will not get in trouble,” Lynn said.

“He told John he was just a nasty little nigger that they should just throw to the alligators and do the same with all the other niggers,” Ben said with tears in his eyes. “He hurt John’s feelings so we started hitting like Mr. Bruce showed us.” Everyone just looked at Ben in shock. Jim would threaten children just to have someone fear him.

Lynn jumped up from the table, grabbing a fork. “I’ll kill him,” she said, walking toward Jim. Maria jumped in front of her, and they started yelling at each other. Maria tried to reason with her, but Lynn kept saying she was going to rip his dick off and shove it down his throat. Maria finally calmed her down and brought her back to the table. The kids were looking at Lynn in awe.

As they sat back down, Bruce looked at Jim lying on the ground curled up in a ball. He told the kids to get their staffs and go over, hitting Jim two times each anywhere but the head. The six kids jumped up with their staffs and took off toward Jim.

Jim was lying on the ground wanting the pain to end. He was going to kill Bruce if it was the last thing he did. Just then he saw the little demons coming at him with their sticks as they started hitting him. They may have been little, but it hurt and made him move, setting off the pressure points Bruce had hit earlier. The attack stopped as suddenly as it had started, but the waves of pain were racking his body.

The kids came back to the table, sat down, and started eating. Paul told the kids that was some fine hitting. They all smiled back at him. Cheryl told him not to encourage it. Paul told her he could not wait for Bruce to tell him that he got a turn. Cheryl told Paul he could not hit Jim unless she could, also; it would not be fair.

Bruce stood up telling everyone it was time for bed. They needed to move out in the morning. He told the kids that they would be on guard duty tonight with an adult. They all smiled and started talking to each other with excitement. Bruce did not have the heart to tell them guard duty sucked. They would find out for themselves. Everyone thanked Marcus and Carroll for the food. Cheryl and Maria helped Carroll clear the table as Bruce walked to Jim and knelt down.

“I felt you thinking bad thoughts about me. That’s why you got hit, and it will get worse each time you think bad thoughts,” Bruce told him.

“I didn’t…”Jim started saying as Bruce struck the pressure point over his kidney. Pain raced through his body. How could this man increase the pain?

“Don’t lie, and I can deliver more pain than you can imagine,” Bruce said, grinning. He could not read Jim’s mind, but he knew the type and how they thought––always scheming.

Jim started crying. Bruce could read his mind; he had no chance. Who was this muscle-bound man to hold this kind of power? As he felt Bruce grab his hair, lifting him up, Jim at first did not put his feet down then he felt pain race across his chest. He heard Bruce say follow, and he did so the pain would stop. Bruce threw him in the middle of the floor then Bruce hit him in the side of the neck, sending pain shooting through his skull. Jim had wanted to ask Bruce what he had been thinking lying outside but he passed out.

Bruce told everyone the watch schedule. With six watches, everyone could get some good sleep. He showed the ones who did not know how to use the NVG. He was taking first watch with Buffy. If there was any trouble later, they should wake him and Mike up then wait for instructions. Then he told them to hit Jim really hard as they came on shift. He told them not to hit his head and to try not to break any bones. He did not want to have to carry Jim off the property.

He and Buffy got dressed but did not put on their boots. They sat looking out across the field lit up with starlight and waited for dawn so they could go home.

Chapter 38

Bruce awoke with a hand grabbing his shoulder. He opened his eyes and found Mike leaning over him.

“Company coming. Several vehicles coming down the driveway,” Mike said.

Bruce sat up, grabbing Buffy’s arm, and she sat up. Seeing him get ready, she followed. Bruce looked around; it was still dark but he could see the sky starting to get brighter. Seeing if everyone was up, he saw Ben, who had been on watch with Mike, going from person to person waking them up. Every time Ben walked past Jim, he would kick him. Bruce put his feet in his boots, grabbing his rifle and joining Mike at the loft opening.

“What do we have?” Bruce asked, looking over his shoulder and turning on his thermal scope.

“Five or six vehicles just turned on the driveway and are just creeping down the road, blacked out but coming steady,” Mike told him then continued, “If it was someone who was going to hit us, they would either rush down the road to us or get out and walk.”

“Maybe they are just getting used to being bad,” Bruce offered.

“It might be the family that Marcus is waiting on,” Mike replied.

“Could be. You stay here. I’m going to the edge of the house in case things get hairy,” Bruce said, turning to leave. “Be careful and make sure your radio is on,” he said over his shoulder.

“What, you like the sound of my voice?” Mike asked as Bruce started down the stairs with Buffy behind him.

“No, it’s scary outside when it’s dark,” Bruce replied over the radio, leaving the barn and heading to the house.

On the way, Bruce told Buffy to keep down and only shoot if he told her to. Then he reminded her that she was to aim at the body on these people. When she asked why she just couldn’t shoot them in the head, he explained that is harder to hit, and they were going to be shooting back. She nodded up at him as they reached the side of the house. They kneeled down as Mike told him the caravan was a hundred yards and closing.

In a few minutes, the vehicles pulled to the front of the house and cut their engines off. That did not make sense to Bruce; they had just made it harder to leave for them but better for Bruce and Mike. He heard several doors open up and people get out. Then he heard the door to the house open up. Bruce came out from the corner and saw Marcus hold a hunting rifle and Carroll holding her shotgun, standing side by side.

Bruce looked to the vehicles and saw several people running at Marcus and Carroll with weapons. “Make one more move toward the porch, and you are dead. Everyone slowly raise your hands. I have a thermal scope, so I can see you very well,” Bruce said out loud.

Looking at the group at the vehicles, he guessed there were about twenty-five. After he finished speaking, everyone started to raise his or her hands up, and he saw more than one set of shoulders slump in defeat.

“Paw,” Bruce heard from the dark by the vehicles.

“Darrell,” Marcus said.

“It’s us, Paw, we made it,” came a reply from the vehicles.

“Bruce, put your gun down. It’s them,” Marcus said as he and Carroll ran to the group.

Bruce told Mike to tell everyone to stand down and get everyone ready to go as he headed toward the barn so he and Buffy could get their gear ready.

“Daddy, when we get home, is it going to be like that with our family coming out to us?” Buffy asked, looking up at him.

“Better,” Bruce told her, looking at her, seeing the smile on her face.

They ran up to the loft and started getting gear ready and folding the blankets to take back down. Reluctantly, Bruce made Jim get dressed. Then he looked around to make sure everything was back the way they found it and nothing was left behind. The group followed Bruce down and out of the barn. It was dawn as they came out of the barn and headed to the picnic tables.

The group that had come in this morning was at the tables. Bruce saw black, white, and Asian people, young and old. He saw Marcus talking to several men off to the side. Dropping his pack, Bruce told Angela, Alex, and Susan to stay with it––he would be right back––as he started walking toward Marcus.

“You must drive like shit. I beat you here walking with women and kids, having running gun battles with infected,” Bruce said to one of the men talking to Marcus. The man turned to see who was addressing him like that.

“How the hell did you make it here before us?” Darrell asked.

“Wasn’t easy, and a fight the whole way,” Bruce replied as Marcus was looking at both of them with shocked expressions. Bruce, looking at Marcus, explained how they met at the roadblock. Darrell had changed and was wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt, holding in his hands the AK from the gang at the roadblock.

“Should have listened to you. We had five cars shot out from under us,” Darrell said, telling Bruce they had run into the military checkpoint at the dam and they had shot at them. It was the same everywhere they went: Either military or gangs had blocked the roads. They had finally taken old logging roads to get home. Bruce asked if they had gone south. Darrell said they had and hit a military unit blocking a crossroad ten miles from here.

Shit, Bruce thought, there were too many military units moving around. He got more information about the checkpoint as Eric walked up and shook Bruce’s hand. Eric told Bruce he had tried to get Darrell to walk, but he wouldn’t. Then they started picking up survivors and supplies, and they could not carry all of it. Bruce told them he was happy to see them, but they had to go. Marcus held up his hand.

“Carroll almost has breakfast ready, and if you try to leave, I am to go and get her,” Marcus told Bruce. Then Marcus said he did not want to get her. Bruce nodded, saying they would stay for food, but then they had to leave, not wanting another tongue lashing. Marcus said he was going to see how food was coming and went inside.

Bruce asked Eric and Darrell how Carroll and Marcus could have kids so young. They told him that they were their grandparents. They had taken them in with the two other brothers and sister after their mother and father were killed in a hold-up at the store they owned in New Orleans. Bruce told them he was sorry about their parents but could not have found any better people than those two, but to watch out for Carroll; she had already threatened him with switching with a willow branch. The boys were laughing then stopped suddenly, looking at each other in regret.

Bruce asked if he had said something wrong. Darrell looked at him and said no, but they were going to get beat later. When Bruce looked at him with a questioning look, he supplied the story. Eric had graduated college two weeks ago, and they were in town celebrating. They were drinking and drag racing each other and got pulled over by the cops. They were arrested for DUI along with several other charges. They were in jail for that and would not be able to bond out until next week, after the trial. Carroll and Marcus had come one time to see them, and that was the last thing she told them––a switch is waiting for them when they got home. Eric said he knew it was coming, he just wished she hurried and got it over with.

Marcus came out followed by Carroll and several other women with plates and bowls of food. They spread the food on the tables and said for the kids to come first because they were the future. The kids from his group ran to the table with the kids from the new group. Carroll and Marcus came over to Bruce. Bruce noticed Darrell and Eric looking down and not walking away because that would draw attention. They just looked down, trying to avoid eye contact.

“Bruce, thank you for waiting. All of y’all needed food in ya before taking off. I know you want to get home, but waiting on a good meal now will pay off later. Now, you listen to this old woman and watch yourself out there,” Carroll said, walking up and hugging Bruce, kissing him on the cheek.

“Old woman? Where?” Bruce said, looking around.

“Quit funnin’ me now. What are you going to do with Jim?” she asked, looking back at Jim.

“Take him a few miles down the road and cut him loose,” Bruce told her with no remorse.

“Is that the asshole from the ambush?” Darrell asked, following their gazes. “Who beat the shit out of him?” he added.

“That’s enough out of you,” Carroll snapped at Darrell, and he immediately lowered his head. “I have never been so happy to see you, but do you know how embarrassed we were when our two youngest college boys got arrested? Everyone at church talked about it like we did not raise you right. I love ya, but we will be making a trip to the tree later,” Carroll said, looking at the young men.

“Ma’am, I want to take their switching for them,” Bruce said. Carroll turned to Bruce.

“That’s a lot of hits to be taking for these two. May I ask why?” Carroll asked, studying his face.

“When we rescued Susan and the babies,” omitting Jim, he continued, “a sniper had me, Mike, and Buffy in his sights. They shot him, saving us. If they had not been there for us, we would have died and so would have everyone in our party,” Bruce said, handing his SCAR to Marcus and undoing his vest.

“What are you doing?” Carroll asked, watching him take off equipment.

“Taking my vest off. Now where is this tree?” Bruce replied with apprehension.

“Bruce, stop right now,” Carroll said, turning to Darrell and Eric. “Is this true, and don’t lie or everyone is getting a switchin,’” she asked, looking at them.

“Yes, ma’am, Darrell shot him while I was looking through binoculars telling him where to aim,” Eric said, looking down.

She ran up to them and hugged both of them, crying. “The good Lord put you there to help these good folks and these others. I may not like it, but I can’t go against his workings. But don’t be doing stupid stuff like that again. Drinking and driving. Do I make myself clear?” she finished.

“Yes, ma’am,” they both said together.

“Now go and get them ten bottles of water out of the root cellar,” she told them, and two grown men took off running. “I guess you think that’s funny with them running off like that,” Carroll said to Bruce.

“No, ma’am, my oldest got a spanking with a belt two days after his eighteenth birthday for taking my truck without asking. I got my last spanking from my mama when I was twenty,” Bruce told her.

“See, I knew you had a good heart. I got my last spanking when I was twenty-six from my mama, and so did Marcus,” Carroll said as Marcus handed Bruce’s rifle back. “Bruce, the good Lord has brought us together. This is too much for coincidence. I don’t know what for, but he has. We can’t know his ways. You and your family do go to church, don’t ya?” Carroll asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” Bruce replied, almost asking about the spanking they got from her mother but deciding not to.

“Now back to Jim. You want us to allow him here?” she asked.

“That is entirely up to you, but he is evil incarnate, ma’am. I have him broken now, but he will fall back to what he knows, which is hurting others. I would say shoot him if he shows up,” Bruce said.

“If he shows up here without you, we will bury him in the garden. I just wanted to make sure it would not bring hard feelings from you,” Carroll said.

“Carroll, I would shoot his ass right here, but I don’t want to drag his ass out. Then I don’t want Cassandra to have doubts about me,” Bruce told her.

“I think if you gave that little girl a gun, she would shoot him,” Marcus said, with Carroll agreeing.

“Unless he forces my hand, I’m just going to cut him loose. He will be dead by nightfall,” Bruce said.

Bruce told them to have a CB tuned to the channel they monitored at the farm, and if they needed them, they would come. He would return in a few weeks anyway to bring them better weapons. Marcus and Carroll thanked him for the pistol and patted the holster across his chest that Carroll had made last night. He told them where the farm was and that they needed to come there if it got hard here. They just needed to warn them on the radio or approach real slow with hands up as soon as they started on the dead-end road.

Marcus said they would try to make their stand here but thanked him for the offer and told Bruce that they were always welcome here. Carroll told him get some food and get home before his and Mike’s wives worried themselves sick.

Bruce went to get some food with the rest of the group then walked back to the packs so Alex could get some food before they left. Alex said he had sent Angela and Susan with the kids to get more food. He did not feel comfortable leaving them here with Jim.

Bruce told him that was fine and good judgment as he sipped some real coffee, savoring it. Then he started eating, looking down at Jim, who was sitting down and looking at the ground, crying. He was covered in bruises, and his right eye was swollen shut. He would have to find out who did that. Not that Bruce cared, but someone had disobeyed him.

“I would give you some food, but you had bad thoughts about us when the cars pulled up. I felt them,” Bruce said, looking at Jim with his tears hitting the dirt.

“I’m sorry, Bruce, I tried to make them stop. Every time one came in my mind, someone hit me last night. How can you read someone’s mind?” he asked, still looking down crying.

“An old Chinese man taught me where to hit someone and bring pain then where to hit them on the neck to link with their mind,” Bruce lied to him, smiling. It sounded good, though. Bruce saw his shoulders slump after his lie. He really believed it, Bruce thought, feeling that wave of rage rising up. He wanted to bring pain to this target again. He took several deep breaths to bring it under control.

“Who hit you in the eye, and do not lie because punishment will be severe,” Bruce said.

“The boy with red hair,” Jim answered immediately.

Bruce threw down half a biscuit on the ground by Jim. Picking it up, Jim started eating. Drinking his coffee, Bruce kept throwing food on the ground for Jim to pick up and eat. He would deal with Ben later. Mike came back to the packs finishing a cup of coffee. Bruce said he was taking his plate back and getting some more coffee. Then they were out of here. He pointed at Jim, telling Mike to babysit. Mike gave him a thumbs-up. Bruce passed his group, heading to the packs, and told them they would be leaving soon. Eric and Darrell passed him with the water bottles. Bruce put his plate down, refilled his coffee, and headed to say bye to Marcus and Carroll.

He approached them and hugged them bye, telling them he would see them in two weeks. He turned to Carroll. “I just wanted to tell you I still get regular tongue lashings from my wife,” Bruce said to Carroll.

“You’re supposed to. We have to keep you men under control or y’all start doing stupid stuff,” she replied.

“The tongue lashings stay the same, Bruce, but the lovin’ gets better,” Marcus said, putting his arm around Carroll as she reached up, kissing his cheek.

Bruce waved bye to them and to Eric and Darrell as they walked past him, thanking him for saving them from a beating. He told them to be good because be damned if he was doing that again. They each laughed and hugged him bye. As he approached the group, he saw Jim bowing at Susan’s feet. As he got closer, Bruce could hear Jim beg her to talk to Bruce. Not seeing Cassandra, he started looking for her and found her in Mike’s arms trying to touch his teeth, and Mike was trying to bite her hand. She was laughing at his attempts and not paying Jim any attention at all.

Bruce heard Jim plead for her to ask. He knows he did wrong, but he did provide for her and the kids. Bruce laughed; he was trying to take credit for something he was supposed to do. Strike one, thought Bruce. He promised he would not talk to her or bother her or the kids, and if everything went back to normal, he would give her half. That’s a lie, Bruce thought, and strike two. Jim just sat there bowing at her feet. From the look on her face, Susan was enjoying it. Bruce told him to stop it now. Jim, not having heard Bruce walk up, immediately curled up in a ball. Damn, he can turtle fast, Bruce thought.

“I told him the kids and I were part of Mike’s and your family’s now. I told him I would relay his request to not leave him behind, which I am, but I don’t care one way or the other,” Susan said, walking over to the baby backpack and putting Joshua in. Then she put the pack on and picked up the diaper bag and walked over to stand by Bruce.

Thanks, Bruce thought, looking at Jim and seeing his pack by him. He had a thought. First Bruce turned to Ben, “Ben, did I not give you specific instructions about where and how to hit Jim?” Bruce asked.

A look of panic flooded Ben’s face as he replied, “Yes, sir.”

“Twenty push-ups now, non-stop. Next time it will be a hundred when you disobey my command,” Bruce told Ben. Ben dropped down and started doing his push-ups.

Looking at the group, Bruce said, “Everyone, put the water they just gave us in Jim’s pack. Then I want everyone to take two of their bottles and add to it.” Everyone ran over, putting the bottles of water in Jim’s pack, grateful to be carrying less weight. When they finished, Bruce looked at the bulging pack, guessing the weight around hundred pounds; half was water.

Walking over, Bruce stood over Jim. “You will carry that pack, touching nothing inside. I will make my decision in one mile. If you listen and do what you are told, I will allow you to live and stay with us. When I feel an evil thought, I will hit you. If I feel a lot of evil thoughts, I will kill you real slow,” Bruce said to the turtled Jim. Lifting up his foot, Bruce stomped on Jim’s side. “That was for the evil thought when I walked up,” Bruce told him.

Jim just started crying as Bruce stomped him again. “I did not tell you to cry. Unless I say it, you don’t do it. From now on your name is gimp. Do you know what a gimp is?” Bruce asked. Jim nodded that he understood.

“You are my bitch now,” Bruce said with a grin. “Now stand up and put that pack on. You will follow ten steps behind me until told otherwise,” Bruce told gimp.

Gimp shook his head and said he understood and struggled to get the pack on and stand up. Bruce had no idea how he was going to explain this to his Debbie, but he was going to try. He felt joy when he thought about her savoring it for a moment. Then he looked at his group and led them away from the farm, across the field into the tree line.

Chapter 39

As Bruce led the group through the woods, it felt like they had been at the Snead farm for years instead of an afternoon and night. Bruce held up his hand for the group to stop and pulled out his map and compass. As he was looking at the map, Buffy leaned over to look. He pointed out to her where they were. Then Bruce showed her where he wanted to stop this afternoon so he could see the checkpoint and if it was a threat.

Buffy asked, “Where is home?” Bruce unfolded the map, pointing at the farm a panel over. She whispered, “That is a long way.”

“You have anything better to do?” he asked.

“No, I’m just following you, Daddy,” Buffy told him.

Bruce motioned for the group to drink water; they were moving in five minutes. He had allowed the gimp to stay, of course. Everyone was happy that their packs were a lot lighter. At the one-mile mark, Bruce had sent the gimp to walk in front of Mike. Bruce called Mike over the radio, telling him the gimp could have half a liter of water but nothing else.

Mike called back, saying that he would see to it. Then Bruce told him to slap gimp across the head hard, telling gimp he heard that thought earlier. Mike laughed and said he would. Bruce had told Mike what gimp believed. They had four more miles to go then he and Mike would go the last one and half miles and look at the checkpoint. Motioning to move out, he realized they were halfway home, and it felt good.

They walked for two and a half hours before Bruce called another halt. They were in the area where the group would stay as he and Mike would go and take a look at the checkpoint. The checkpoint sat on a crossroads. The only thing there was a large convenience store. After finding a place for the group to stay in a stand of oak trees with a magnolia tree in the center, Bruce called them together. Even the gimp crawled over to listen.

“We are close to the checkpoint. No noise at all. Mike, let Paul use your 1911 with the suppressor,” Bruce said.

“Just give him your P90,” Mike told him.

“No, I might need it,” Bruce replied, grinning. After Mike gave Paul the weapon, Bruce looked at everyone.

“Alex, Angela, and Paul, one of you are to be on watch at all times. If infected come close, take them out but don’t go after them,” Bruce told them. Bruce took the SAW off the side of his pack, giving it to Paul. “You know how to use it, so if a mob shows up, shoot the runners in the legs and run to the east. There is a fence. Follow it south to the field at the crossroads,” Bruce instructed.

Bruce looked at gimp, who was breathing hard and was red faced with heat exhaustion. Gimp would not cause a problem. That’s the reason why Bruce did not let him have much water on the march. Pointing at gimp, Bruce said, “Kill him if he causes problems, but otherwise everyone leave him alone.” A look of relief came over gimp’s face then Bruce said, “We will stay in radio contact. If I feel evil thoughts, whoever answers will kill the gimp.” Gimp’s shoulders slumped back down: Bruce could feel them over a long distance.

“No eating until we tell you over the radio when you can. We might have to leave fast, and I don’t want y’all to have to pack first. If we say run, you had better answer back with the group running behind you,” Bruce told them. Everyone nodded as Bruce and Mike stood to leave. Susan came up to them, kissing each on the cheek and telling them to be careful, as did Cassandra. Bruce ran over and kicked gimp in the side.

Gimp curled up. “I only wanted Susan to trip,” he whimpered.

“I don’t know what you think, only that it’s bad,” Bruce told him. Jim whimpered that he was sorry and would not do it again. Bruce looked at the group and winked.

Then he, Mike, and Buffy left, heading to the crossroad. Without the group they moved fast, covering the distance in less than twenty minutes. They stopped before entering the field. Pulling out his map, Bruce saw a small rise in the middle of the tree line that would overlook the intersection. It was 1 p.m. as they crawled up to overlook the area, leaving their packs in the tree line.

Bruce saw the store on the southeast corner of the intersection. There were two Hummers, a deuce and a half with a trailer, and a Stryker infantry vehicle sitting in front of the gas station. Leaning over Buffy asked about the military vehicles. Bruce explained the deuce was a six wheeled truck, used to haul heavy equipment. Stryker’s were used to move men to a fight they were 6x6 and could haul a squad of infantry. The Hummers were what the military uses as cars. They could see several people walking around the station with weapons. They had been watching the group before it hit him that they were wearing different clothes. Some were in civilian clothes with ballistic vests, and others had on army combat uniform tops or bottoms. He commented about this to Mike and told him to look at the left side of the store.

Bruce lifted his binoculars and saw a man beating someone. When the beater ripped the top off, Bruce saw it was a woman. The man threw her up against an ice machine, raping her, then dragged her to the store, taking her inside. Several people outside hooted and hollered while the man raped her and threw her in the store. When the beating rapist went in, Mike and Bruce heard renewed screaming from the woman. They were almost a hundred yards from the store. Bruce looked at Mike then he called over the radio to tell the group it was not military but bandits with military gear. Bruce could have cared less if all of them were active military. With what he just saw, they were outlaws.

He told Mike to start counting and he would do the same. Bruce looked down at Buffy, who had heard the screams. She was just staring out across the field with a tear running down her cheek. She did not have any binoculars but she knew what that scream was. Her mom sounded like that. Bruce pulled her close even though it was 106 degrees, telling her to be strong. They needed to find out if this group was a threat to the farm.

After watching the group for four hours, they pulled back into the tree line to their packs to compare notes. Bruce told Buffy to get out some water and MREs. He called back to Angela on the radio and told them to eat. On a whim, he told her to get Alex to go and hit the gimp, telling gimp it was from Bruce. Then Bruce told her that after everyone finished eating, gimp could have half an MRE and half a bottle of water. If gimp did not say he was trying to be good after Alex hit him, gimp didn’t get food, only water. Angela laughed and said okay and all was good there. Alex had been listening to the police radio, and the Air Force base had fallen yesterday, and all military and police units were ordered out to Colorado. Bruce told her to call if they needed them. She said she would and for them not to do anything stupid. Bruce said okay and looked at Mike then his notepad and started a quiet briefing.

Bruce started his report as Mike followed in his notepad, “I counted thirty-two with an assortment of military weapons. I don’t think they are military because I have only seen three actual guard positions, one on the roof, the second on top of the deuce and a half, and east side of the store by the ice machine. I have seen them stop one vehicle with the cars that are blocking all lanes of the four-way intersection. They took five people from it as hostages: two males, two females, and a child, unsure male or female. Have seen four more hostages that have been brought out of the store, not counting one that was stabbed by the gas pumps. He was approximately fifty-five to sixty-five, male. I have only seen three of the hostiles fire shots. One was a runner, another was a hostage, unsure what guard on roof shot. Have seen over two dozen infected engaged but with only blunt weapons. Impression: Thugs that know a lot of noise draws infected. Have excellent tactics for dealing with infected but still thugs that rape and pillage. I feel they are a threat to us. Reason: Once they can’t find anyone to bully and rape, they will move on. Where, we can’t be sure, that’s why I feel they are a threat.” Bruce looked up after reading his notes, which was difficult with all the sweat on the pages.

“Okay, tell me what you have different,” Bruce said.

Mike looked at his pad and started, “I counted forty-one hostiles but saw two more guard positions, one on northwest corner in the back of the pickup, two guards, and one on southwest corner sitting in a Jeep. Agree with thugs and infected tactics. Seen four more hostages, three at northwest corner in back with guards: two women, one teenager, sex unsure, one more hostage in the Jeep, female, hands tied to roll bar. Disagree that they are a threat. The odds they will find us are very remote before they get overrun by infected or another gang.” Mike finished and set aside his notepad for the argument he knew was coming, and he was not in the mood for it. It was too hot. In the week since they had left home, he had lost at least ten pounds, mostly from sweating.

“How can you say that?” Bruce asked him.

“Bruce, our farm is off a small parish road that you have to turn off onto a smaller parish dirt road that then comes to a dead end. The parish road in front of the house is not even on most maps. The odds are in our favor,” Mike said, getting a drink of water.

“Mike, one of those Hummers has a Mark19 grenade launcher on it, and the other three vehicles have M-2 fifty-calibers. Those alone will level our farm,” Bruce said.

“We have not even seen any of the military vehicles move. For all we know, the hostiles don’t know how to operate them. I have not seen the remote firing station move on the Stryker all day, thank God. With that thing’s thermal, we would be dead. If we were to attack, you want to bring up Angela, Alex, and Paul to attack forty-one or more. My number is closer because I counted four times by what they were wearing, and you did not see the post across the road. That would be eight-to-one odds. I can tell you we would lose several of us if not all,” Mike said in disgust.

“I was just using us. We can’t use the others; they have not trained with us,” Bruce said, lying back on his pack.

“That’s twenty-to-one odds. Even SEALS do not fight those odds. Let’s just get it out in the open. Yes, I want to rescue those people, but I’m not going to die to do it. It would serve no purpose,” Mike said, looking at Bruce hard.

“Buffy is here. It’s thirteen-to-one odds. Will you just listen to my plan?” Bruce asked.

“If you tell me now that you are taking Buffy on an assault of this size, I swear to God I will shoot you in the leg, leave you here, and tell Debbie where to find you. Then she can beat some sense into your head,” Mike said, looking at Bruce, letting him know he was not kidding.

“I can help, Daddy Mike,” Buffy told him.

“Not now Buffy,” Bruce said, looking at Mike. “We hit them late at night with you on over watch and Buffy watching your ass. I sweep in from the west, take out the guards there. I start at the northwest corner and sweep around and come in from the back. You take out roof, truck, and corner guards from here. When they try to come out the front to circle around to get me, you take them out. If we get compromised, we just disengage and leave,” Bruce finished.

“If we hit them, we have to kill them, or they will try to find us,” Mike said, looking at him. “I don’t want to hit them; it’s too risky.”

“Think about our wives, daughters, and sons then answer,” Bruce told him.

“That is not fair,” he said, looking at Bruce. Nodding his head, Mike pulled out a notebook and a laser range finder to make a sniper sketch of the area for ranges. He put his boonie hat on and crawled out to the overlook.

“Angela,” Bruce called over the radio.

“Here, Bruce,” she answered.

“Follow the fence line to me. I want to give you the map. Move slowly and be careful,” he told her. She replied she was coming.

Twenty minutes later, Bruce headed to the fence line; he did not have to wait long for the two to show up. Pulling out his map, Bruce showed her where they were and where the farm was.

“Why are you giving me the map and showing me this? You are leading us,” Angela said, holding the map.

“We are attacking them,” Bruce replied.

“Are you fucking nuts?” she asked.

“Keep your comments to yourself, and listen. If anything happens to us, lay low and ease further east then head south to the farm. The radio you have on is being monitored at the house. Call them when you get within two miles. Don’t just walk up to the house; you will get shot. If Mike and I have to pull out if things get bad, we can’t come to you. We will lead the gang away from the farm, and you take the group to the farm. If the attack goes good, we will call you up here,” Bruce told her.

“Bruce, please don’t do this, or at least let us help,” Angela begged with tears in her eyes.

Not in the mood for another argument, Bruce said, “No, they are a threat. You have your orders, now follow them. Don’t talk on the radio after it starts unless you are attacked. Mike and I will need the radio open to talk to each other. Don’t let anyone unpack anything after dark. When we start the attack, wake everyone up and be ready to move toward us or away from us.”

“Bruce, I can help. You have Buffy here; why can’t I help?” she asked, crying.

Bruce felt like he was talking to one of his kids, shaking his head. “No, you might get killed or get one of us killed. After you train then you can but not now. Can you find your way back to camp?” Bruce asked.

Angela wrapped her arms around him. “Yeah, Cheryl and Paul are by the fence so we won’t pass them,” Angela said, pulling him down and kissing him on the cheek. Bruce kissed her on the cheek and watched the two leave, then he and Buffy went back to Mike.

At 6:30, Mike reported the guards had changed over the radio. He pulled back so they could go over the sketch. They both agreed that the guards were probably on six-hour watches. He said the hostages were still at the two guard stations and another car was stopped. The hostiles had killed two, an old man and woman. They took what looked like two teenagers from the car into the store; he could not tell what sex they were. He also reported what sounded like gunshots from the store.

They talked back and forth and agreed on a plan of attack. They would start the attack at 3 a.m. if the guards changed around midnight. They agreed the rally point was the camp or the farm. Then they started to prepare equipment. Bruce pulled his tomahawk off his pack and put it on his back. Then, taking out his Gerber with an eight-inch blade from his pack, he tied it to his left forearm. He called Buffy over, giving her his Benchmade switchblade. He showed her how to unlock it then open and close it then clipped it inside her back pocket. After he put it in her pocket, she turned to him.

“I want to go with you,” she said.

“Buffy, you have to protect Daddy Mike so nothing comes up behind him. If something happens to him, we all die. Do you understand? You have to watch his back. Once this starts, you are not to look at that store at all. Watch the woods and the field,” Bruce told her. He knew she could do it; they were not worried about the hostiles finding Mike, but infected. If an infected was on the road, then they could hear him when he fired.

“Okay, Daddy, I will protect Daddy Mike,” Buffy said, hugging him, and he returned her hug.

They took turns on watch, seeing a lot of the same movement around the store. Only a few infected came against the hostiles, and they always took them out with silent weapons. Around 10:30, the hostiles quit walking around outside, and only the guards were out, but Mike had seen the one on the roof use a radio. That could complicate things, so he had to be the first to go.

As the time started getting near, the rush started hitting Bruce and he let it come. At 12:30, the guards changed. Mike and Buffy moved into position. Mike was looking at the store, and Buffy was lying between his legs, looking back. Bruce watched her settle in checking her weapons and magazine pouch. In the starlight and moonlight, he could see her shaking. Bruce rubbed black face paint over his face while looking at Mike and Buffy. He thought about calling Paul up to take her place then decided not to. He had seen her fight, and she did not freeze up. He did not know how Paul would perform. Bruce pulled back to the packs.

He picked up his P90 and the magazine pouch. The magazine pouch would go under his left arm and the P90 under his right. He jumped up and down to see if he made any noise and heard a buckle flapping. He tied it down and jumped again and did not hear anything. Lowering his NVG over his left eye and turning on his thermal, he walked into the woods. He put distance between himself and Mike. After he went a hundred yards and stopped then he headed west to take out the far guards. When he reached the road, he stopped in the tree line and saw a blue walking down the road to the store.

The blue was only twenty yards from him walking down the center of the road. After the blue passed, he eased out looking to his right and did not see any more blues coming. Pulling his tomahawk, he left the tree line, running across the ditch onto the road behind the blue. As he ran up to the blue, it was starting to turn toward him. Bruce buried the spike of the tomahawk in its head. The body almost yanked the tomahawk out of his hand as it fell, but he managed to pull it out of the skull as the body hit the pavement. He ran into the woods on the west side of the road and headed toward the truck first.

He called Mike on the radio, telling him about the blue on the road. Mike said okay and that nothing had changed. Bruce eased through the woods until he came to the small clearing at the intersection. The truck was pulled into the clearing with the back toward the road. He saw a man raping a woman on the ground by the passenger door. Her hands were bound, and she was not even fighting her attacker. Looking around, he could not see the other guard at the truck. Looking across the road, he saw the Jeep and the guard sitting at the steering wheel. He did not see a hostage with the guard.

Sitting less than twenty yards from the truck in the woods, he kneeled and waited. At 1:40, Mike called him and said two were coming toward him. Crouching lower, he waited and saw a hostile take a hostage to the guard at the Jeep. The Jeep guard got out and took the hostage to the other side of the Jeep. The hostile then walked over to the truck guard. Bruce saw the second guard sit up from the bed when the hostile who brought out the hostage to the Jeep called to the truck. The call could not have been heard very far. These fuckers have learned that sound brings trouble, Bruce thought. The hostage delivery man went back to the store. Guard number one left the woman on the ground and walked to the back of the truck. Bruce could hear them whispering but not what was said. They started giggling as Bruce heard a beer being opened. He smiled. Hope you get drunk. This will make it so easy, Bruce thought. Guard number one kicked the woman on the ground and made her get in the back of the truck. Bruce sat and watched the guards drink two six-packs in thirty minutes. Then guard number one opened the passenger door, climbed in, and laid down. Bruce watched number two lie down in the bed of the truck.

Bruce could feel the wave coming, starting in the small of his back. Goosebumps started coming up, and his pulse quickened. As the wave hit him, it felt like a drug coursing through his body. Rage began to fill him as his breathing became shallow and steady. He almost started early because he just wanted to feed the rage and ride the wave; targets were near. Then he heard Mike in his earpiece tell the group they were starting.

Bruce eased out into the clearing, moving like a shadow up to the passenger door. He saw the guard lying asleep. He saw three people in the back of the truck: a woman and a young boy, both with their hands tied, with rags tied in their mouths, and the guard asleep. Bruce eased around to the driver door, opening it very gently. Pulling his knife out from his forearm, he eased his left hand over the guard’s mouth. Then in one motion he clamped his hand over the guard’s mouth and drove the knife into the top of the skull then twisted the handle. His body became instantly tense then limp. Bruce yanked his knife out, feeling blood hit him in the chest, and eased to the bed of the truck. Holding his rifle with his left hand so it would not hit the truck, he leaned over the side of the truck, raised his right hand over the sleeping guard, and drove the knife into his forehead. His body twitched several times then went still. The sleeping hostages never stirred.

He clamped his hand over the woman’s mouth, and she woke up. When she saw Bruce, she tried to pull back. He shook his head and pulled her to him, whispering, “I’m here to rescue you. Wake the boy, and get in the truck. Don’t start it, or you will be shot by the rest of my team. Lie down in the seat, and lock the door. If you hear two soft knocks, open up. Now move and be quiet. No noise, and whatever you do, don’t shoot a gun, or you will be shot. I will give you a gun later.” She nodded her head that she understood. He pulled the body out of the front, and seeing a knife on the man’s belt, took it off, giving it to the woman. They climbed out of the bed. As they got in the cab, he told them to close the doors easy. They whispered thank you and closed the door.

He turned to cross the road and told Mike, “Truck post cleared.” Then he crouched, walking across the road, coming up from behind the Jeep. Easing his head around it, he saw a woman curled into a ball, crying, with her hands tied. He did not see the guard. He eased back down when Mike said on the radio that the guard was sitting on the front bumper. Bruce eased around the driver side, not wanting to have the hostage give him away. Seeing the guard with his back to him, Bruce rushed him, coming around the front of the Jeep, and drove the knife into the man’s throat, knocking him to the ground. Bruce landed on the man’s chest and put his hand over his mouth as he pulled his knife forward through the man’s throat with his arms and legs hitting the ground. Blood splashed over Bruce from the man’s throat. Bruce turned the knife around and drove it through the man’s skull, and he stopped moving. Going to the hostage, he told her the same as the others and cut her bound hands, telling her to go to the truck and knock softly twice but be quiet. She nodded and went to the truck.

Bruce reported, “Jeep clear” and went to the back of the store. Two hostiles were sitting in chairs with M-4s beside them, twenty feet from the back of store, looking at the lot behind the store. One was asleep; the other was listening to music with headphones on. Bruce eased up along the wall until he was behind music man. Clamping his hand over music man’s mouth, Bruce drove his knife into the base of the skull, twisting it in one motion. The man never even lifted his arms. Bruce repeated it for sleeping beauty, never waking him. Moving along the wall, Bruce eased along the back of the building until he came to the back door. He put his right ear against the door––his left had the earbud; not hearing anything, he updated Mike. Mike said hold.

Bruce strained to hear the suppressed shot and thought he heard something a couple of times but was not sure then Mike said guards were down. Now any guards seen outside would be shot on sight by Mike. Mike told him to hold; someone had come out the front and was heading to the east toward the ice machine. Then Mike reported, “Man down.” Bruce was fixing to grab the door when Mike told him that Buffy had just shot two blues and for him to hold. Mike came back up and said to continue; they were good.

Bruce grabbed the handle, gently turning and easing the door open. Seeing light coming from his left down a hallway from under a door, he moved slowly to the door. Opening it, he saw a man sitting at a desk, with his right side to Bruce, reading a porn mag with a clip-on book light. He rushed him and drove his knife under the right ear and upward. The man kicked the desk several times, sounding really loud to Bruce. Shit, he thought, this was going so good. Looking on the desk, he saw a radio. Well, he got the radio operator. Mike reported another one down. Bruce just clicked his radio; he did not want to risk talking after that asshole had kicked the wall.

Moving down the hall, Bruce came to the last door. It should lead into the store, he thought. Opening the door slowly, he eased through and saw hostiles sleeping everywhere. Then he noticed at least four hostages. The only light in the store was coming in the front window, and that was moonlight that was at the far west end. To his left eye, he could see everything; his right could not see shit. Four hostiles were sleeping in front of the cooler. Looking in the cooler, he saw several hostages with hands tied and gags in the mouths. The cooler door had been right in front of the door he used to get in the building. He did not go in it because who could have known that was being used as a prison cell.

Moving forward, Bruce started on the four lying in front of the cooler, driving his knife into the base of the skull and covering the mouth on each one. The last one knocked over a bottle of whiskey when he twitched but nothing more. Bruce looked down the three aisles of the store, seeing several people lying on the floor. He saw a hostile walk across the front of the store and out the front of the store. Mike called, “One outside.” Bruce did not remember him saying that last time, but he was a little busy then. Then Mike called, “Man down.” Bruce moved to the back row, seeing eight hostiles and one hostage. Bruce started an assembly line of death.

Taking down three more, he moved to the next hostile, who had a naked woman lying beside him. The woman was turned to the racks; the hostile was turned to the wall. He shoved his knife into the man’s skull, and his knee hit the wall. Bruce froze, waiting for hell to unleash, but it didn’t. Moving down the line until he came to the last one, Bruce looked in the main area. In front of the sales register, he could see six hostiles and two hostages. These hostiles were lying on mattresses thrown on the floor. He would save the last one in that aisle; he was too close to that bunch. Bruce moved back to the hostage. He rolled her over and put his hand over her mouth and leaned to her ear, whispering he was here to rescue her but there was fixing to be shooting, so she had to lay down and act like she was asleep. She rolled back over and acted like she was asleep.

Bruce moved back to the back of the store to start on the middle aisle. Mike called, “Four o’clock.” Damn, an hour already? Time flies as you’re having fun, he thought. Bruce saw a hostile stand up and head to the door. As he heard the door open, Mike called, “One outside,” then “Man down.” Mike then said Buffy had seven blues down and one runner that didn’t have a chance to roar. How in the hell had Buffy done that? Bruce wondered. He clicked his radio to acknowledge.

He moved down the aisle taking them out one at a time then he got to number six, who had a hostage with his arm around her. As he drove the knife into the man’s skull, he must have grabbed her hard because she sat up and saw Bruce and tried to scream through the gag. Bruce let go of the knife, punching her in the jaw, knocking her out. Bruce heard laughter from at least two hostiles at the front of the store. Shit, they were waking up. Then, taking a deep breath, he thought, Ride the wave. He backed down the middle aisle and moved to the front aisle. Bruce was getting tired, so he sheathed his knife, pulling up the P90.

Mapping his targets on the floor and running it through his mind, he watched a hostile stand up front and walk to the door. He wanted tell Mike so bad that one’s on the way. As the hostile walked through the door, Mike called, “One outside.” Then he called, “One down. Five o’clock.”

As Bruce was getting ready to start, he heard from the front, “What the hell are they doing out there?”

“I’m telling you, Jack scored some weed off one of those cars today. I smelled it on him.” Bruce sat listening to the conversation.

Then Nosey said, “Well, I’m going to get me some.”

And Tattletale replied, “Wake Luther up, or Jack won’t give you any.”

Nosey replied, “Fuck Luther, and I will shoot the jackass if he doesn’t give me some weed.” Nosey stood up and headed to the door.

Tattletale said, “Hold on, I’m coming.” As Tattletale got up and followed, Bruce kneeled down and whispered in his mike, “Two coming.” As the two walked out the door it was time to see just how good Mike was. Bruce swore he heard a round hit the wall on the other side of him.

“Two down,” called Mike.

Fuck it, thought Bruce, time to put up or shut up. He walked down the front aisle. As he passed each man, he put one in his head. Bruce had made it to the end; as the last hostile sat up, Bruce put one through his forehead. Coming around the counter, he flipped to full auto and started firing two- and three-round bursts into the hostiles waking up from the suppressed shots. Bruce was trying not to hit the hostages but had already clipped two. Seeing movement on his left down the middle aisle, he sprayed the rest of the magazine through the rack, hearing several cries of pain. Turning back to the front of the store, dropping the P90, and pulling up his SCAR, he saw a man stand up with a woman, holding a gun to her head, yelling, “Drop it, or she is dead.” Yeah, like that was going to happen, Bruce thought, as he lined up the holographic dot on the man’s head.

Then he heard metal scraping the floor behind the rack he had just shot through. He pulled the trigger and started turning, hearing a shot coming from the front of the store then a three-round burst from behind the rack. Bruce felt his left leg pushed out from under him and sharp pain erupting from his thigh. Bruce started pulling the trigger until the bolt locked. He dropped and slammed in a new magazine. Bruce heard from the area in front of the back aisle, “Hey, quit shooting, man. We give up.” Bruce turned toward the voice and could hear several others whispering.

He tried to bluff. “This is the state police SWAT team. You are under arrest; we have orders to shoot on site anyone who resists us. Throw out your weapons and come out with your hands up, and you will not be shot. To prove my point,” Bruce keyed his radio and said out loud, “Sniper number three, fire five rounds through the front window.” Five rounds went through the front window, hitting the far wall.

“Okay, man, tell them to quit shooting. We are coming out,” the voice said.

“Either all of you come out, or we rush you and kill you all,” Bruce said, feeling his BDU pants getting soaked with blood and hearing the debate at the counter.

“Man, it’s the cops, or we would be dead already. Come on, man, we get a good lawyer, we be out in two to three years,” the voice said.

“Five seconds. Prepare to rush, alpha team,” Bruce yelled to the back of the store.

“Okay, we coming out, don’t shoot,” the voice said.

“How many so I can tell the snipers not to shoot, and any weapons seen will be seen as an act of aggression,” Bruce yelled back, hearing stuff hit the floor.

“Seven of us are coming out,” the voice said.

Keying his radio he said, “Seven coming out with hands up. Sniper three and Charlie team, do not fire unless you witness a hostile action. Alfa team will secure the prisoners after the building is secure. Do you copy?” If you bluff, you bluff big, Bruce thought.

“What the fuck are you talking about, and who the fuck are you talking to?” Mike said over the radio, demanding an explanation for Bruce’s insanity. “Oh,” Mike said over the radio, seeing the hostiles walk out the front door with hands up. Mike did not know how Bruce had bluffed that many, but he was impressed.

Bruce got in a kneeling position, tracking the men walking by with his weapon as they went out front and kneeled down in front of the door. Getting up, Bruce saw several wounded hostiles moving, but he had other things to do. Walking to the small hardware section, he grabbed two packs of zip ties; his were in his pack. Walking to the door, he made fourteen loops and put the rest in his pocket. Then calling Mike on the radio, he said, “Alfa one coming out. Rest of team is securing building, and Bravo is chasing two by back door through woods. Have caught them but are using Tasers to make compliant.” He finished as he walked out to the seven and started placing cuffs on them.

“Yeah, mighty Alpha one, Buffy is at fourteen now, and I have killed three blues. Move your ass. We are too spread out,” Mike said.

“Copy, Commander,” Bruce said, bending down and tying another’s hands.

“Commander, l like that,” Mike said in a cocky tone.

“Don’t let it go to your head, Commander. Call the camp up here now, sir,” Bruce said into the radio after he tied the last one. Pulling the ties out, he connected three together to make leg ties and went back down the line tying legs. He had not searched them but couldn’t yet.

“Don’t move, or my snipers will kill you. I know I have not searched you yet, but one of your partners that ran ‘accidentally’ just got shot so I have to go back there,” Bruce said, going back inside.

“Told ya, man, you don’t run from the police,” the talker said.

Looking down at his leg, Bruce saw the entire thigh was covered in blood. Well, it’s working, I have to move, he thought. Taking his knife out, he shoved it in the brains of the three hostiles he found moving. Rolling both of the hostages he clipped over, Bruce found both of them dead. Moving around the store gathering the five women out of the rows, Bruce cut their bonds, telling them to free the people in the cooler but not to come outside and not to shoot a gun because runners were around. That seemed to frighten them a lot. They ran off to the cooler. He started gathering weapons, placing them in a pile in front of the door.

“Camp group is five minutes away. Do you want me to meet up with them?” Mike asked.

“I want you and Buffy here now; I’m getting mad,” Bruce said, feeling the wave grow, but he was too tired to ride it.

“What’s wrong?” Mike asked.

“I got shot, but don’t do nothing stupid getting here. Take your time,” Bruce said.

“Oh my God, are you okay, Bruce?” Angela cried out over the radio, out of breath.

“I don’t think this operation is over, and you are breaking radio silence,” Bruce snapped at her.

“Fuck you, asshole,” she said in between breaths. Then Angela repeated, “Are you all right?”

Damn, they must be moving, “I’m fine, little foot, but I need you here ready to engage blues, unknown number,” he said, stepping outside to frisk the hostiles.

“Blues, man. You need to hurry and get us somewhere, or I’m calling my lawyer,” a voice said.

Bruce turned and looked at the voice. He was a white man about forty, with tats over his body. Then, looking at the other hostiles, he saw four were Hispanic and two black. He walked to the voice.

“Are you telling me how to do my job and threatening me?” Bruce asked in a pissed off tone.

“I’m just saying, man, you need to move us; blues are getting thick here,” Tats said, looking around.

“You’re telling me how to do my job,” Bruce said, pulling out the XDM, placing it against his head, and pulling the trigger. The front of the voice’s face disappeared, and his body hit the pavement as one of the Hispanics turned around, looking at him.

“Did I say look at me, motherfucker?” Bruce said as he aimed, pulling the trigger and hitting the man in the throat. He fell down making sucking sounds at the entrance and exit wounds. It took several minutes for him to die. While the thug was dying, Buffy ran up to Bruce, hugging his leg and sending pain through him.

“Buffy,” he pulled her back, looking down at his leg, and she followed his look. When she saw it, he put his finger on her lips.

Bruce looked up and saw the group crossing the road with Angela in the lead. They had never moved that fast for him. Well, she was prettier than him; that must be it, Bruce thought. Hearing movement behind him and turning, he saw people digging through the pile of weapons he had gathered. Telling them to stop and get out of here, the hostages moved outside as he heard footsteps run up behind him. He waved his hand to the right, and his group formed a firing line.

“We need to get my aunt to the hospital,” a cry came from behind the counter.

“She is dead. Get out of here, please,” Bruce said, trying to keep the rage in check.

“Please call an ambulance. You are cops. I heard you yell about teams and snipers. Someone can take her,” the female said.

“If I come in there and get you, it will not be pretty,” Bruce growled.

“Cindy, come out here now,” one of the girls said.

A nude teenage girl came out of the store and walked over to the hostages. Bruce looked at the hostages. There were three soldiers, four women, five teenage girls, one man, and one teenage boy, plus the two women and teen boy in the truck; that was seventeen rescued. With the four that were killed in the shootout, that meant there were twenty-one hostages here, half the strength of the hostiles. Bruce pointed at a soldier then at Angela.

“Soldier, take that lady over to the Stryker and show her how to lower the door then come back over here,” Bruce said.

“I just spent two days getting the shit beat out of me because that is what these assholes here wanted me to do for them. Teach them how to drive the military vehicles and use our gear. I didn’t tell them. What makes you think I’m going to tell you?” he said, looking at Bruce.

Bruce walked closer to the soldier and stopped in front of him, looking at his torn shirt. “Listen, Corporal Conner, I can walk over there and do donuts in the damn thing then take it apart. I’m tired, hungry, and pissed off. If I walk over there and do what you were told, then you will walk from here without anything. Do I make myself clear?” Bruce told the corporal.

“Then I walk,” Conner replied as Bruce started walking toward him. Angela and Mike both grabbed him.

“Jesus, Bruce, you are covered in blood,” Angela said. Bruce looked down, and he was covered in blood everywhere he could see.

“Where are you hit?” Angela asked.

“Leg,” Bruce replied. Angela started looking at his right leg, feeling it up and down. “The other one, Angela,” he said, annoyed.

“How the fuck was I supposed to know? Your pants are soaked in blood,” she said, annoyed with him also. She went to the leg and started feeling around as Mike stood in front of him.

“Let me handle this, Bruce,” Mike said.

“No one leaves until they are checked for bites. If they don’t want to get checked, they get a weapon with one magazine and sent on their way. As usual, we both have to agree on who comes with us,” Bruce said.

“Who the hell do you think you are talking to? I know the rules. Remember, I’m the commander,” Mike said, smiling at Bruce.

“Only you go inside. There are three wounded I left,” Bruce said, not in the mood. The wave wanted to be fed but his body could not deliver, and it was making him mad.

“No, they are dead, and you left two. I stomped their heads in,” Conner told him as a challenge.

“Listen, you little snot-nosed brat. I just killed nineteen men with a knife then shot fourteen more,” Bruce told him, walking to him, almost knocking Angela over. Mike put his hand out on his chest to stop Bruce as Connor took a step back from this man that was covered in enemy blood. Then Bruce looked at the two on the pavement. “Sorry, sixteen shot. What have you accomplished today besides taking the ones out that I shot?” Bruce said to him.

“Easy, Bruce,” Mike said, feeling Bruce’s heart beating in a rapid tempo.

“Easy, my ass. I like this trooper. We might be able to use him. You may ride yet, son,” Bruce said to the corporal. “I’m going to open the Stryker,” Bruce said, turning to the vehicle.

“Hold on, sir, I will open it,” Conner said as he jogged ahead. Bruce motioned to Susan, who had all three kids to follow.

The corporal jumped on top and jumped down the driver hatch then opened the rear ramp. By the time Bruce arrived, he was showing Susan how to raise and lower the ramp. He then walked out the back to Bruce and started heading back to the hostage group. Bruce stopped him.

“Conner, we can use you, but you have to be checked out. I cannot risk my family or my crew. If you are not infected, you have a place with us,” Bruce told him.

“I cannot go without my troops,” Connor said, motioning back to the other soldiers.

“If they are not infected, they can come, but I’m in charge of this little army,” Bruce said.

“Then I guess we will be seeing each other. We have not engaged blues yet,” Conner said.

Bruce took off his SCAR and held it up. “Do you know what this is?” Bruce asked him.

“SCAR-light 5.56 assault rifle…” Conner started to recite until Bruce held up his hand.

Bruce told him to come over, take off his uniform, and just pull down his pants, leaving his boots on. Conner complied, and Bruce looked him over, seeing no bites and that he was in great shape. After he redressed, Bruce handed him his SCAR. He told him to report to Mike for orders and to assist him. Bruce told Conner to ask Mike to have his troops checked first. Conner looked at Bruce and said, “Your troops, sir.” Bruce told him to go, and he ran to Mike.

Mike looked at Conner holding Bruce’s rifle and knew a new member was coming. He told Conner to get his troops out and undress like he did for Bruce then go and get the people out of the truck. He told the soldiers, a private and a specialist, to come forward and undress, and Alex gave them a clean bill of health. Mike told Connor to get them armed, but only he could fire unless they were hit hard. They took off to do as they had been ordered.

Bruce, with Buffy at his side, walked back to the hostage area as the inspections continued. As they got closer, the man that was one of the hostages did not want to take his shirt off. Bruce said he would only get a pistol with one magazine then he could leave, but if he came back, he would be shot on sight. The man said that was fine with him as Mike told Marty to get him a pistol. One of the teen girls said he was a gang member that had attacked this gang three days ago. The man called her a liar as Bruce came up beside Mike. Then one of the men being held said the girl was right; they tried to raid to take the bitches. As the man turned to run, Mike shot him in the back three times, and he fell to the ground crying and coughing up blood. Mike told the girl thank you and continued.

Bruce stepped back and sat down on a garbage can and started keeping watch. Buffy stood in front of him.

“Daddy, did these bad people do rape to those women over there?” she asked.

“Yes, baby, they did,” Bruce said. He was not in the mood for an inquisition right now.

“Did those women do something bad to them?” Buffy asked.

“I doubt it,” Bruce said. Buffy walked up to one of the teen girls and asked her if she had done anything bad to those men, pointing at the tied-up hostiles. The girl said no, she was going with her grandparents to a safe zone when they attacked them, killed her grandparents, and took her.

Walking back to Bruce and stopping in front of him, Buffy said, “These are bad men, and they need to be punished.”

“They will be, baby,” Bruce said.

“They are bad people that just like to hurt and make people feel bad like my mama,” Buffy said, looking up at Bruce.

“That is why I’m teaching you and taking you with me. You will be able to stop them from hurting you if something happens to me,” Bruce told her. He wanted the wave back, but he was tired. He loved this little girl but just wanted her to be quiet.

“Nothing can happen to you, Daddy. Mama is watching us, and you are the greatest,” she said, hugging him. He hugged her back but did not answer. She let him go, looked up at him, and smiled. She walked over to one of the Hispanic prisoners.

“Why do you hurt and do rape to girls?” she asked him.

“I rape girls and boys, little puta. Leave before you find out,” he said, then he spoke Spanish and laughed at her.

Buffy turned to Bruce, looking at him for an explanation, and Bruce said, “He said he likes doing it and would do it to you.”

Buffy spun around, raising her UMP, and fired a shot in his belly. Mike and everyone spun around to see what was attacking them. The shell tore through the self-proclaimed rapist above his navel and exited above his pelvis. He fell screaming to the ground, and Buffy reached down and took the bandanna off his head, shoving it in his mouth. She pulled out the knife Bruce gave her, pushing the button, and the blade popped out. The man was screaming into the rag in his mouth, not realizing he could push it out. Buffy looked at Bruce, and Bruce just nodded his head.

Mike turned to Bruce, and Bruce shook his head no to leave her alone. He could tell Mike did not like it, but he could care less. Looking at Buffy’s face, Bruce could see the wave had found her, and she was riding it, enjoying the rush as she turned back to the man.

Chapter 40

Bruce was sitting in the back of the Stryker with Angela working on his leg. A bullet had hit the magazines that were on the drop pouch on his thigh. The polymer magazine had exploded, sending plastic shards into his leg. Eight in total. Angela had taken them all out with the equipment from the medical kit from his bag. She had wanted to numb it with Lidocaine, but Bruce told her that would take too long and just sew it, please.

Angela did not want to hurt Bruce, and in truth the stitches were hurting her more than him. He had that look on his face again, and she did not like that look. She knew he would never hurt her or her family, but when he had that look, it was like he wanted to find something. Finishing her stitches, she told him to take it easy. She turned, hearing a suppressed shot behind her. They had shot over a dozen blues since she had led the camp to the store two hours ago. Looking at her watch, she saw it was 7:52; they had been here too long. Granted, they had gotten tons of stuff––over thirty M-4s, several SAWs, and other weapons she did not know––that the outlaws had taken from the military or police. One of the big trucks with four wheels on the back, that Bruce called a deuce had four pallets of ammo. The other big truck from the side of the store had two pallets of MREs, two pallets of ammo, and packs for the troops that the gang had killed yesterday.

Conner had told her that his platoon had been ordered to back up and reinforce the post on the dam. They had stopped here at the gas station to get fuel as they had driven in from Mississippi. While they were here, the gang came out, killing a lot of the troops. The lieutenant ordered everyone to lay down their weapons when the gang started killing the women and kids. They were the only ones who survived. Then the gang beat them, trying to get them to show them how to use the military weapons, night vision goggles, and thermal scopes.

The group had already filled both Hummers, the big army trucks with trailers, and what they called the Stryker. Then they got one of the gang’s trucks, a huge Chevy with a trailer. It was making Angela dizzy thinking of all the stuff that they were getting. Bruce and Mike did not want to leave anything. Bruce told her with the military vehicles they could fight through an ambush so they were going to ride. Since they were riding now, it was time to take everything they could.

Only two women did not want to come; they wanted to try it on their own. Angela had told them good luck––since moving without armed friends worked well the first time they had tried it––as they shook her hand, thanking her. They both took their hands back, looking at her, then Angela turned to Alex, telling him that these were some stupid bitches as she pointed at them. They grabbed some bags of food and left. They will be dead by tomorrow or captured and raped again, Angela thought, watching the two leave.

Angela was not one to depend on a man, but if you don’t know shit, find someone who does and learn. In the past four days, she had learned more from Bruce and Mike than she thought was possible. At times, she wished she had a notebook so she could take notes: Learning how to move in the woods, always listen to what is around you, never trust what you see, and the list just goes on.

With those two gone, the group was now at thirty-one. She could see from the look on Mike’s face that he wanted as much stuff as they could get and to not leave the farm unless they had to. He did not seem worried yet with the increasing shots. With the three soldiers, at least they had others trained in combat. When she mentioned this to Bruce while she was sewing his leg, he looked at her and said they would need a lot of work but Conner was going to be good. Then Bruce said any of the kids at the house could take them in combat or hand to hand. This sent a shiver up her spine as she thought about what Buffy had done to the man she shot.

Bruce and Buffy walked up beside her as she was sitting in the back of the Stryker watching the kids with Susan. He called Mike and Alex to meet them at the Stryker so command could get this cluster fuck moving. It filled her with pride when he referred to Alex and her as part of the command personnel. Looking down at Buffy, Angela thought she looked like a small version of Bruce; they were both covered in blood. Buffy was looking up at Bruce with an awe-inspired look that spoke volumes. When Angela had gone into the store to get supplies, Buffy grabbed her hand, dragging her down the aisles to see what her daddy had done.

Mike and Alex joined the group as Bruce said, “It’s time to go. We have been here way too long.”

“There is still a lot of stuff here, Bruce,” Mike protested.

“Mike, a mob is going to show up soon. When those women killed the other hostages they made a lot of noise,” Bruce said. At mention of a mob, Angela almost took off to drive the Stryker off and leave them. “We can come back for it, Mike. We do not have enough fighters here and too many depending on us for protection,” Bruce told him.

“It won’t be here,” Mike replied.

Bruce looked at him like a parent looks at his kid in a toy store and said, “We will find some more. I will even look for a teddy bear for you.”

Mike gave Bruce a pissed-off look. “All right, douche bag, let’s go,” Mike shot back.

“Buffy, Conner, and me will lead in the Hummer with the fifty cal. Mike and Kenner will take the Hummer with the Mk-19 covering our ass. Paul will drive one of the deuce and a half’s. Cheryl and Alex will take the other deuce. Chad will drive the truck and trailer,” Bruce told Mike. Angela had no idea what they were talking about. Then Bruce knocked the shit out of gimp as he walked by the group, telling him that was for the bad thought he had when Angela told the group that he had been shot. Gimp just looked at Bruce like he held all power. Gimp got up, walking into a truck and hitting himself in the face. Bruce chuckled, saying the gimp was kicking his own ass.

Bruce leaned over, kissing Angela on the cheek, which startled her. Angela smiled up at him then jumped up and hugged him, and he hugged her back. Then Bruce told Angela to watch the driver to see how he operates the vehicle. She promised, watching Bruce knuckle bump Alex, telling him to do the same. Angela was riding in the Stryker, and Alex was riding in one of the big army trucks. When Bruce finished talking to Alex, she ran over hugged and kissed Alex then climbed in the back, yelling, “Clear.” The private closed the ramp, and she started moving over equipment and ten people, including the kids; it was no mean feat. She climbed behind the driver to keep her promise.

Bruce walked to the lead Hummer, opened the door, and turned around as Buffy had already opened the back door and jumped in, closing the door behind her. He sat down in the seat and closed the door and slid the window down. He picked up the internal headset, or CVC, turned around, and pointed at one for Buffy, and she put it on. Bruce started telling Conner where to go. Then Bruce asked Conner his first name, and he replied, “Jeff.” He told Jeff in less than thirty minutes they would be home. Jeff replied that was good because he was from Olive Branch, Mississippi, and it was burnt to the ground, and his family and home were gone.

Bruce looked at Conner, telling him, “No, son, you are wrong on two accounts. One, you are with your new family, and, two, you are going to your new home. I like Conner better than Jeff.” Bruce did not see the tears on Conner’s face when he told him that.

They turned off the main road and started taking back parish roads. Fifteen miles from the farm, they passed a burnt police car, and Bruce started to worry. The last time they had heard from the farm was Friday morning. He knew they could handle themselves, but anyone could be overwhelmed with firepower. In a few more miles, he would call home. If he didn’t get an answer, he would park and walk up; he did not want to scare them with the convoy.

Just a few more miles then he could call home.

Chapter 41

Danny was sitting in mission control watching the monitors, listening to the police radio that they took out of the police car, and listening to the guard radio and the outside radio. That was the one she wanted to go off more than any. That would mean Daddy was home. She told Mama yesterday she had cried herself to sleep the night before because Daddy was not here. Mama told her she had cried herself to sleep every night since he had been gone. Danny had asked if they could go look for them. Mama asked her, “Where would you start?” Danny told her, “Anywhere. Let’s find both of the daddies.” Trust her mother to break out the logic when she told her if something could stop the duo, the family would not stand a chance. Danny looked at the monitors and, seeing nothing, laid her head on the desk.

Mama had worked their asses off yesterday filling sandbags for the house, and everyone had worked from dawn till dusk. Then Mama had let everyone sleep late but not her; Danny had guard duty. Danny threw her tantrum that it was unfair everyone else got to sleep late and she had to get up at 5:30 for guard duty. Then she had mission control. At least in the fort, you might get a chance to shoot something. So far she had killed three blues; one was a runner. Danny had never seen a person move that fast. On the day Danny had shot a fast blue, Mary had called over the radio from mission control saying she saw something run by the camera at the end of the road. Then Mary said she saw him on the gate monitor coming toward the driveway. The blue man just ran right by the driveway down the road when he got to the dead end. He just stopped, looked at the woods, and turned around and started walking back. Opening the back window and bracing her AR10, setting the crosshairs on his head, she slowly squeezed the trigger. His head popped like a melon, and he just dropped. Danny would not admit it, but that one scared her. She could not run that far that fast.

But in mission control you had to be in full dress with BDUs, vest, and weapon. If something attacked, you couldn’t leave, you just had to watch someone else have fun. She could hear everyone else just now getting up. Mama and Mama Nancy had set the start today to 9 a.m. Smelling food, Danny got up and ran to the kitchen, finding all the boys were downstairs. Their boots were lying on the floor along with their vests. At least they had put their weapons in one of two racks. Both mamas were cooking as Danny grabbed a plate and fixed some coffee. Her mom looked at her with “the eye.”

Danny said, “Mom, I’m just getting food. You have not even said anything to the boys about throwing equipment all over the kitchen. If those were my boots in the middle of the floor, I would get in trouble.” Debbie turned around, giving her the eye with the raised eyebrow. Danny knew she was pushing her luck, but she didn’t care right now.

“What, they can make a mess but I get in trouble? If Mary or I had done that we would be on stables and shit detail for a month. But the boys, oh no, it’s okay, just throw your crap anywhere,” Danny spouted off. Then Mama Nancy turned around with the eye, and Danny fled the room. You never made both mamas mad. She and Mary could get the daddies to do what they wanted almost all the time. When they couldn’t, it was because of one of the mamas had usually intervened.

Daddy and Daddy Mike, all you had to do was give them a hug, tell them you loved them, and give them the puppy dog eyes. They just melted, but that never worked on either mama. They would just say, “The look does not work on me.” She was sitting in mission control eating her biscuit and sipping her coffee when Danny heard, “Base, it’s Big Daddy 1. Do you read? Over.” Danny dropped the coffee cup, and it hit her plate, making a loud clank.

She heard her mom yell from the kitchen, “That had better not have hit the computer.” But the words did not mean anything to her. Danny turned to the radio that had “Outside” written on it in a daze. She saw the lights come on the outside radio and heard, “Base, it’s Big Daddy 1. Do you read? Over.” She knew that voice; it was Daddy. Just staring at the radio, Danny stood up slowly as she heard, “Base, It’s Big Daddy 1. Do you copy? Over.” Danny took a deep breath and screamed at the top of lungs, “DADDY!”

Everyone else was sitting at the kitchen table dreading the coming day. Jake and Matt had finished their project and were going to show it to everyone today. Mama Nancy had given them a one-hour block open today at 1 pm. Then it was back to work. Everyone looked up as Mary walked in, laying her vest on the table, putting her M-4 in the rack, and heading to the food. Nancy turned from the stove with another skillet full of bacon when she heard Danny scream at the top of her lungs.

Danny may have said “Daddy” but all everyone else heard was a scream from a teenage girl at the top of her lungs. Then they heard it again. Everyone moved at the same time heading to a gun rack. Ten people cannot occupy the space meant for two no matter how hard they try.

As the skillet from Nancy’s hands hit the floor, Jake attempted to jump the table to get his weapon first. Jake overshot his jump, knocking every plate and cup in his path off the table onto the floor as he landed on his face. As Jake landed on his face, Mary dropped the coffeepot on the floor, breaking it and sending hot coffee and glass across the floor as she lunged for the gun rack.

Debbie heard her baby scream again as panic set in. She was fighting to get to the rack, but stuff was in her way; Danny was scared and needed her. Something blocked Debbie from the rack, and she shoved it hard. Debbie had pushed Tonya down just as she was about to grab her gun. Like everyone else, Debbie did not see the other family members, just stuff in her way. As Debbie turned, she slipped on the food Jake had knocked over, landing on the floor beside Jake. Matt and Steve came around the table; neither of them saw Tonya tripping over her, and both fell to the floor. Matt hit the back door before falling down on top of the sea of bodies, crawling over them to the rack. Steve hit the table, turning it over, spilling everything that Jake missed, but instead of the floor, it landed on people. Food, water, and coffee fell, but nobody felt it as they heard another scream coming from mission control.

Nancy slipped in the coffee, landing by Debbie. Both were crawling over bodies to the gun rack telling people to get the fuck out of the way. Debbie heard her baby scream as she reached the gun rack, throwing Matt out of the way and grabbing her rifle. Debbie stood up and saw an open spot in the mass of bodies. Jumping over Steve and landing on Tonya, Debbie never stopped running toward Danny. Rounding the knocked over table, Debbie yelled, “I’m coming, baby,” as she heard another scream that tore at her heart; something was scaring her baby.

It was going to die, she thought, as she chambered a round in her AUG ready to kill as she ran down the hall to mission control. As Debbie ran out of the kitchen, Nancy, Matt, Mary, and Jake had their weapons and were fighting each other to get to the fight. Danny was in trouble, they thought, as everyone chambered a round, heading for the kitchen door. Steve finally made it to the rack, reaching for his weapon just as Tonya knocked him back down. Tonya turned, heading out of the room and chambering a round. Nothing was going to hurt her new family or her fiancé. She did not realize she had just bowled Steve over into David.

Debbie ran down the hall with tears in her eyes, hearing another scream. I was just mad at her; that will be what’s on her mind. I’m a horrible mother, Debbie thought. Leveling the gun ready to kill what was hurting her baby, Debbie came around the door, pointing the gun in the room and expecting demons from hell. Debbie saw Danny standing staring at the monitors, and her heart sank. Lowering her rifle, she ran to see what was scaring her baby. Fuck the gun, Debbie thought, I’m going with a knife to bring them pain. Standing by Danny, she looked at the monitors, finding all were empty except the livestock monitors. Nancy, Matt, and Mary came through the door with weapons leveled, seeing only Debbie and Danny. They were looking at the monitors; as fear gripped them, they ran to join Debbie to see what had scared Danny. The others entered the room the same way; seeing everyone at the monitors, they walked over to see what hell was coming.

Debbie turned to Danny, who was just standing looking at the desk. Debbie’s heart was beating a thousand miles an hour. If she is throwing a teenager fit, I will kill my child, Debbie said in her heart. She grabbed Danny. “What is it?” she asked.

Danny just pointed at the radios. Debbie knew if anything got Stephanie they could see it, when she heard, “Base, this is Big Daddy 1. Someone had damn well be in mission control. Over.”

Then they heard, “Base, this is Big Daddy 2. If the mailman or delivery man are there, you damn well had better throw them out. Over.”

Everyone started screaming at once, jumping up and down, until it dawned up on them that the weapons were live. Almost at the same time, they stopped jumping, clearing their weapons. Then Debbie picked up the mic and called back, “Big Daddy 1 and 2, base copies.”

“Base, this is Big Daddy 1. So you wait until Big Daddy 2 calls to answer? Am I not important enough? Over,” Bruce complained.

“Base, this is Big Daddy 2. Ignore Big Daddy 1. He is jealous because I’m sexier,” Mike shot back.

“Base, this is Big Daddy 1. Big Daddy 2 has been a worrywart. We had to stop and get him a teddy bear because he was scared to sleep in the woods. Over,” Bruce kidded them.

“Big Daddy 1 and 2, this is Little Foot. If you don’t tell base we are almost there, I’m going to kick both of your asses. If I get shot by one of your kids, I’m going to kick your ass twice.” After a few seconds, they heard, “Over.” It sounds like a kid, Debbie thought.

“Base, Big Daddy 1. We are coming in a convoy of six vehicles and twenty-nine extras. Have gate open. Meet us at the barn. We will be on our road in two mikes. Do you copy base.”

“Big Daddies, this is Mama 1,” Debbie said––hell if she would ever say big––“six vehicles, twenty-nine extras, meet at barn. Did you leave anyone in north Louisiana on your trip here? Over”

“Base, Big Daddy 1. We might have missed one or two, but hell is a much friendlier place now than Earth. I can see the turn now. Have gate open. Big Daddy out,” Bruce called back, excited.

Debbie turned to start giving orders; everyone was covered in food and coffee. “Steve, Matt, go to the barn now. David, Jake, you two in the front yard to point the vehicles where to go. Danny, as soon as the last vehicle is in, close the gate and then go to barn.” She thought, Oh shit, grabbing the guard radio and saying, “Stephanie, six vehicles coming. It’s Mike and Bruce. Leave fort, come to barn.”

“I’m glad you called to tell me about the military convoy coming at me. It was scaring the hell out of me,” Stephanie replied from the fort.

Debbie and Nancy looked at the monitors at the convoy heading down the road toward them. They both ran to the kitchen and saw someone had set off a bomb in there. The table was turned over, and food was everywhere. Well, someone’s getting in trouble, they both thought, wondering how that happened and how they had missed that. Once they got outside, they stopped, looking at each other, each cleaning the other off, picking egg out of the hair, bacon stuck on clothes, then they turned, walking to the barn. They heard the door close behind them as Danny flew by them.

Debbie hoped that Danny had waited until all the vehicles were in before she closed the gate. But Debbie knew without a doubt Danny closed it only after being sure because that would disappoint Bruce, and the one thing Danny could not handle was Daddy disappointed in his little princess. Danny would always do her best just for his approval in anything, never realizing Bruce was happy with anything she did.

Debbie watched as a Hummer pulled around with a fifty cal on the roof. When it stopped, she saw a young, handsome soldier get out of the driver’s side. Debbie could see trouble on the horizon, but she put that out of her mind. Then she saw Bruce get out of the other side. Debbie smiled, seeing Danny and Mary jumping up and down on their toes with their hands clasped together like seven-year-olds expecting a present. As soon as Bruce turned around, Danny flew at him like a fighter jet. Danny jumped from eight feet away, hitting Bruce square in the chest and wrapping her arms and legs around him. Bruce had to throw his hand back to catch himself from hitting the Hummer. Then he wrapped his arms around Danny, holding her tight. Once Jake and Steve realized they were not going to get killed by Danny’s hysterics, they ran to Bruce. Jake ran up, jumping on Bruce, forcing him to the ground, then Steve joined in.

Mary, not seeing her daddy in the first vehicle, took off in a dead run to the last. Poor Mike never saw it coming. As soon as he got out of the Hummer, Mary hit him full force in midair like a bowling ball just as he turned to face her. Unlike Danny, Mary got to build to a full run, and unlike Bruce, there was no Hummer for Mike to catch himself on so they hit the ground. Mary had already wrapped both her arms and legs around Mike, kissing him once before she braced for the impact. Matt and David ran, jumping on the two on the ground.

Nancy looked at Debbie. “How come we always come last?” Nancy asked her.

“Save the best for last, maybe?” Debbie said.

“You believe that?” Nancy asked hopefully.

“No, but what I do believe is we have the best husbands in the world and we gave them the best kids in the world, so we must not be half bad,” Debbie said.

“I can live with that,” Nancy said, walking to Mike, who was getting beat down with lovin’.

Debbie came around the front of the Hummer as Bruce was getting up from the ground. Danny was still bouncing up and down, waiting until after Mama hugged Daddy so she could hug him some more. Bruce looked at Debbie, and his heart skipped a beat as he smiled at her.

Debbie’s heart almost stopped when she saw it in his eyes. He had fought out there and fought hard coming home. The last time she saw that look in his eyes was when he got out of the service. She had made the ultimatum: me and the kids or the Army. Bruce chose her and the kids. He was different then; he still loved her and the kids, but he chased the wave, as he called it. He loved the rage. Never had he raised his hand to her or the kids, but very few others were safe from it. She ran to him, putting her hands in his.

“What happened out there, Bruce? I can see it in your eyes,” Debbie asked.

“Just ran into a few hiccups, that’s all,” Bruce said, looking at her.

Debbie looked him up and down. “Holy shit, your clothes are soaked in blood! Are you okay?” Debbie almost screamed.

“It’s not mine. Well, most of it’s not mine,” he said, looking down at his leg. Debbie followed his gaze.

“You got shot,” Debbie screamed this time, seeing the torn magazine pouch and ripped pants with the bandage on his leg.

“Daddy, I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Danny asked, wanting to cry, afraid she had hurt him.

“Princess, the day I can’t catch you is the day you put me in the ground and throw dirt on my face,” Bruce told her.

“Where is the son of a bitch that shot ya?” Jake asked with malice in his voice.

“Jake, watch your mouth,” Debbie said.

“He’s dead and all of his friends are, too,” Bruce said.

“Where is his family then?” Danny asked, stepping beside Jake.

“I don’t know, it was just some gang. I didn’t think to check his wallet,” Bruce said, trying to calm his kids down. But he was very proud of them.

“Where’s the body?” Steve asked, trembling with anger.

“You kids will not go off on some vendetta; your father took care of it,” Debbie said, trying to bring the testosterone down. With that said, Debbie looked at Danny and could see anger on her face. I need to make sure she does not have balls, Debbie thought.

“His family is probably dead already; the blues are bad out there. We got hit by a mob of infected, over a thousand easy,” Bruce said, trying to get to the back door to introduce Buffy.

“Over a thousand?” they all said together.

Shit, I wasn’t going to say anything about that yet, Bruce thought to himself. Oh well, now he could introduce Buffy.

“It took all of y’all to kill a thousand?” Steve asked.

“No, it was only me, Mike, Angela, Alex, and Buffy. The kids from the school beat a few to death with the help of the teachers,” Bruce said.

“Is that where this came from?” Debbie asked, motioning to his clothes.

“Blues don’t shoot, babe. This came from a little camp we hit last night,” Bruce said, moving to the back door.

When he said “little,” Debbie immediately locked eyes with Bruce. “How ‘little’?” she asked.

“A couple, babe,” Bruce replied nonchalantly.

“Bruce Williams, how many,” she almost yelled.

“Fifty-two, and we killed all of them,” Bruce replied quickly.

“So this entire group with you attacked the gang?” Debbie asked hopefully.

“No, most of them were captives there. The group at that time was Angela, Alex, Maria, Lynn, Paul, Cheryl, Susan, gimp, and the kids.” Bruce replied, pointing out the people as he said their names. He could see the look in her eye. Bruce admitted to himself he felt safer with the mob coming at him.

“So just five or six of you attacked fifty-two?” Debbie asked, raising her voice.

“No, I didn’t want to risk the others, so just me, Mike, and Buffy did it, and when we started, we thought it was only forty or so,” Bruce admitted, hoping the wrath of Debbie would pass quickly, leaving him intact.

“Three of you! Just three of you attacked fifty or so, and who is this Buffy?” she yelled at him with tears in her eyes.

Bruce turned around, opening the back door of the Hummer with flair. When Bruce opened the door, they all expected a badass bodybuilding bitch with a bone stuck through her nose to step out, but they did not see anyone get out.

Bruce, not seeing Buffy get out, looked into the back of the Hummer and said, “Buffy, come on and meet the family.”

“No, they won’t like me,” they heard a little voice say.

“Buffy, come on out, it’s okay,” Bruce said gently.

“No, they won’t like me,” they heard a little voice on the verge of tears say.

“Buffy, you come here right now!” Bruce snapped at her. All of Bruce’s kids moved toward him on impulse because that’s the voice he used when you were pissing him off. And pissing off Daddy was bad because the wrath of Mama followed.

They saw him reach in, pulling out a little pre-teen girl with blonde hair and deep-blue eyes and holding her in his arms. She had an UMP submachine gun across her chest and magazine pouch on her hip. They all looked at Bruce with shocked disbelief to see if he was kidding.

Then Debbie, looking at Buffy, said, “Oh my god, she is covered in blood. Was she hit?” She ran to the little girl, feeling her over.

“No, she was not hit, but she saved our asses several times,” Bruce said with pride.

“You took a little girl into battle!” Debbie yelled.

Bruce had had enough. His leg hurt, he was hungry and tired, and even if the wave came, he couldn’t ride it. “I would take Danny out there right now. I would feel comfortable sending any of them out. I have trained them. Buffy had to fight to live, and she might be as good as Danny one day. But you cannot sit there and judge me or my actions. Women and kids are being raped at every turn out there. Infected are everywhere you go, and you have walkers, joggers, and runners. When they come, they come to kill. So do not judge my actions until you know what you are talking about. She has saved my life once and Mike’s twice,” Bruce told her.

“Actually, I put it at eighteen with all those that she shot in the field. But when the mob hit us, we had mowed down about three hundred at that time. Let me tell you, it was closer to two thousand. Then another group of runners came back, and one hit me, knocking me down. Had me on the ground and was trying get him a little nibble. Buffy jumped over Susan, who was protecting the babies, and laid the muzzle of that UMP on its head, almost blowing its head off. Then Buffy kneeled down just like Bruce showed her and took out several more runners. Get this, she waited so they could get real close before she popped them. Then Bruce ran out of ammo, pulled out his Hollywood machete and tomahawk, charging the last group just chopping them son of a––” Mike stopped, seeing he went a little too far with the story. “Anything to eat?” Mike asked, trying to cover.

Debbie looked around, noticing everyone was watching them. She felt ashamed that she had doubted Bruce’s judgment; it had brought him home. She looked at Buffy, who was trembling. Debbie brushed Buffy’s hair out of her face. “Baby, I never was mad at you. I am mad at myself because I did not trust in his judgment, believing he endangered you and foolishly risked his life,” she told Buffy, rubbing her face.

“I did what Daddy told me to, Mama,” Buffy told her then quickly added, “Debbie.” Then she laid her head on Bruce’s shoulder.

Turning to the crowd, Debbie saw the teen girls, two teen boys, and four women. The group had sheets and blankets wrapped around them; the one had a t-shirt on and nothing else. Bruce was right; he had to do it. She reached up, kissed him and hugged him, then kissed Buffy. “Forgive me?” Debbie asked.

“For what?” Bruce asked, thinking this was a trick question.

“Being bullheaded,” Debbie said.

“That’s what I married ya for. Now if you had a cow’s ass then I might have a problem,” Bruce said, making everyone laugh.

Debbie reached up, kissing his face, then kissed Buffy again. Buffy almost leaned to her but stopped.

“Danny, Mary, get those girls upstairs. Give them anything that fits and let them shower. David, Jake, take those boys to your rooms, get them clothes, and let them shower. Steve, Tonya, start cleaning the kitchen; we will find out who messed it up later. Matt, I want you to take the guests on the tour of the farm so they have the layout down. Nancy, let’s get these women upstairs and get them some clothes. Everyone, we will do introductions later,” Debbie shot out orders. “I understand why you did it. But please let it go. I need the real you, not the one looking for the wave,” Debbie said, walking away.

“What is she talking about, Daddy?” Buffy asked.

“Nothing. Come on, let me show you the farm,” Bruce said, carrying Buffy off to the horses and trying not to limp.

Several hours later, Debbie came downstairs to see if the kitchen was done. As she walked into the kitchen, it was spotless and she smelled food. She saw Steve and Tonya sitting at the table watching an elderly woman cook. “Nice job on the kitchen, guys,” she said in amazement.

“We didn’t do anything, Ms. Lynn did. She told us to shoo,” Steve said, looking at the woman with awe. “After we moved out of the way, she opened every cupboard and drawer, looked at them, then in thirty minutes, the kitchen was spotless. Then Ms. Lynn asked me if she could start something for supper. I told her to knock herself out. She made stew, and it tastes great. Not saying you and Mama Nancy can’t cook, but just taste it, Mama,” Steve said, watching Lynn.

“I can’t cook, son. The dogs don’t like what I cook,” Debbie said.

“I love your cooking,” Steve said in an injured tone.

“Thank you, baby, that’s why you were first to make me feel better, but you will eat anything that does not eat you first,” Debbie said. “Hi, I’m Debbie. Let me help you,” Debbie said, introducing herself to Lynn.

“No, honey, you let me cook for ya. You go and be with that husband of yours. You got yourself a good one there, and if I was twenty-five years younger, I’d wrestle ya for ‘em. That’s yours and Danny’s bowls of soup there,” Lynn said.

Debbie tasted the stew, and it was delicious. “You would not have to wrestle me. If he would have tasted your cooking, I would have lost,” she said.

“I doubt that; that’s why I said wrestle ya for him. Every time those boys spoke of you girls, I could see the love on their faces. I am not going to lie, I thought both you would be the kind that is mean to those kind of boys. They are the kind that gives all or nothing, and they don’t usually get good women. I’m glad I did not have to take either of you to the switching tree,” she said, cooking.

“What about when they got here?” Debbie asked.

“Debbie, anyone could see you were angry that you could have lost him by attacking such a large number of bandits. Not by what he did. I have to admit he threw me for a loop for a time or two,” she answered.

“Like the gimp?” Debbie asked. That’s one she could not get the story on, and she really wanted it.

“Yeah, and if you don’t mind, I really don’t want to talk about him,” Lynn said in a flat tone, looking at a knife.

“Bruce meant that much on the trip?” Debbie asked.

“Debbie, no one would be here right now without him. Then you have to take into account all the evil he has removed,” she told her.

“What about Mike?” Debbie asked.

“Just like I told Mike, his job was to hold Bruce in check. Bruce can do something I have never seen in all these years on this earth. He can unleash something in him, and you can feel it around him. When that mob came, we were all ready to die. Mind you, we were going to fight, but until you see it, feel it––and I pray you never do––seeing that much hopelessness coming at you. Bruce turned something on, and it infused us all. Those five kids in there I have known for over half their lives. They started banging their sticks on the ground feeling what he was feeling. I even felt it, and even I kicked some ass that night. But I can tell you when that feeling left, I wanted it back. Mike, he is not afraid of anything but second-guesses himself too much. Bruce does not. If his plan does not work, he will make it,” Lynn said, putting a pan in the oven.

“Danny has not come down to eat?” Debbie asked.

“No, I think she is with those girls,” Lynn said. Debbie had seen those girls outside an hour ago.

Debbie said thanks and went back upstairs, heading to Danny’s room. She knocked and said, “It’s Mom” and then went in. Danny was lying on the bed with her face buried in a pillow, crying. Debbie sat beside her, rubbing her back.

“What’s wrong Danny?” Debbie asked.

Danny lifted her head out of the pillow. “I’m a bad daughter that’s ugly, fat, old, and Daddy wants to replace me,” Danny wailed.

“Is that all?” Debbie asked her.

“Is that all? She took my daddy,” Danny cried out, putting her face in the pillow.

“Don’t you think this is a little immature for you?” Debbie asked her, trying not to smile.

“Why hasn’t he come and talked to me? I’m his baby girl,” she said as she cried.

“Because he is trying to make Buffy feel at home,” Debbie answered.

“I’m his little girl,” Danny shot back.

“That’s why he expects more from you. You are his daughter,” Debbie tried to make her understand.

“He hates me,” Danny said, feeling her world collapse.

Hearing enough, Debbie jumped off the bed. “Danielle Alexandria Williams, you of all people can say nothing like that about your father. Who wanted a Galil even though all the parents said ‘no, it was not compatible with everyone else’s weapon,’ but who got one? Last summer I wanted to go the New England for a weekend with your dad but someone comes in saying if they did not go to this concert in Dallas, they were going to die. I wasn’t in New England, but someone had their dad drive them and six friends to Dallas. Who gets the newest phone whenever they want it? Everyone in this house has phones over a year old. Who goes clothes shopping with Daddy once every other month and stays out a whole day? I can’t keep him with me in a store for more than ten minutes. You throw a temper tantrum or just bat your little eyes then, wham, he is sitting in a chair watching you change clothes like a fashion model. Need I go on?” Debbie yelled at her. “Now sit up,” Debbie ordered her calmly.

Danny sat up, knowing Mom was really mad, calling her by her full name. Feeling a little bad for the things Debbie pointed out, Danny looked at Debbie to listen.

“Have you heard how they come across each other?” Debbie asked. Danny shook her head no.

“Long story short, they escaped the hospital with almost no sleep in over eighty hours. When they got to the trailer, your daddy heard a scream. They had heard a lot of screams since they left the hospital, but he had to go to this one. He sneaks into this trailer and four men are raping Buffy’s mother in front of her and fondling Buffy to make her mama scream. Buffy watched and endured this for hours. Your daddy saved her life then gave his word to her dying mother that he would care for her and make sure she could do it herself as she got older. And do you know your father almost said no? You want to know why?” Debbie asked.

“No,” Danny said, shaking her head, not wanting the answer.

“Tough. He did not want you to feel threatened nor have your feelings hurt. He was almost willing to let a little girl die so you would not feel threatened,” Debbie told her with ice in her voice.

“I’m horrid,” Danny wailed, throwing her face back into her pillow.

Sighing, Debbie rubbed Danny’s head. “No, you are just a teenaged girl, but you are stronger than most. With mine and your father’s bloodline of stiff necks, you are lucky you can turn your head. Do you know Buffy can recite anything about you?” Debbie said.

“You talked to her?” Danny asked in amazement.

“Yeah, after I got those women something to wear, Daddy wanted some throne time after that many days in the woods. Daddy said he is not raking any leaves this year for any reason. Buffy has literally been with him 24/7 except the four hours that your insane father attacked the fifty-plus gang members and Buffy was protecting Mike. Her real name is Bridgett Summers,” Debbie informed Danny.

“See, she has got to fight with Daddy and I want to,” Danny said.

“That’s not funny, and don’t ever say that again,” Debbie in a very serious tone.

“Yes, ma’am,” Danny replied.

“Now get your face fixed; you’re blotchy. Everyone is gathering downstairs,” Debbie said and walked out.

Danny went and fixed her hair then went and put on a different t-shirt since there was that sexy soldier there. Maybe Matt would get a little jealous. While putting on some new earrings, she heard a knock on her door––probably one of those new girls, she thought. It sent shivers through Danny thinking about what they went through. “Come in,” she hollered. It was no one in this family; they just ran into someone’s room.

The door opened. There was little Buffy. Somebody had cleaned off her arms and face. Danny admitted to herself when Buffy got older, oh my word, was she going to be a knockout. “Come on in, Buffy. Did Mama send you up?”

“No, I wanted to ask you something, please,” she said, looking at Danny.

“Well, come in. The boys are always listening, trying to get us in trouble.” Danny said, starting Buffy’s lessons on brothers.

“I never had any brothers and sisters,” Buffy said, walking in and looking around. “Wow, purple is your favorite color.”

Danny snapped her head, looking to Buffy and almost asking her how she knew that, but instead asked, “What’s my favorite band?’

“Nickelbuck,” Buffy said.

Yeah, that’s what Dad thinks they are called, Danny thought. “Pizza?” Danny challenged.

“Pepperoni and black olives,” Buffy said.

“Why did Daddy tell you all this?” Danny said.

“I asked him,” she said.

“Why?” Danny asked.

“Because when he talks about you, he is really proud of you, and I want to be like you,” Buffy said.

“But you did not even know me,” Danny said.

“Doesn’t matter. Daddy is proud of you, how good you do in school, any sport you do, hiking, shooting, and martial arts. He said anything you do, you always give it everything. I want him to be proud of me just a little bit,” Buffy admitted.

“He is proud of you. I can tell by the way he looks at you,” Danny told her, feeling like the biggest jerk who ever walked the planet. “Well, what did you want to ask, Buffy?” Danny asked her.

Buffy just looked at Danny, and tears started running down her cheeks. “Please don’t stop him from being my daddy. I never had one, and he is the best. If I cry, he holds me. If I’m scared, he teaches me how not to be scared. I will do whatever you want, I promise. If I lose him, I have nobody. I saw how he held you when we came home then I saw you look at me like you didn’t want to share,” Buffy begged her, crying. “Please. I will do whatever you want,” Buffy wailed out.

Danny reached out, pulling Buffy to her and hugging her tight. Buffy wanted a daddy and a family. Danny started to cry with her, ashamed of herself. They held each other, crying, and from that moment on the two became inseparable.

“I promise I will never ever try to take Daddy away from you. Do you promise me the same?” Danny said.

“I can’t take him from you. You’re Danny, the one he trained, and he said sometimes you can even beat up the boys,’’ Buffy said, looking at Danny like she had lost her mind. Take Daddy away from her––yeah right.

“’Sometimes’ my ass, I can take them whenever I want to, but if I hurt them, I get in trouble with Mom,” Danny told her.

“Now, you have to learn when you really want something, you have to hold your head down like this and look at him with your eyes looking up at him. Now, don’t use it a lot, or he starts getting used to it,” Danny started teaching the finer art of how to manipulate Daddy, and Buffy just listened in awe.

Then Danny told her to take a shower. As Buffy showered, Danny went to her closet and pulled down a box of her old clothes that she thought would fit Buffy. Buffy walked out with a towel wrapped around her body. Danny looked at her still covered in dirt and led her back into the shower. Danny pulled off her clothes, getting in the shower with Buffy. Danny scrubbed her down then rewashed her hair twice then put some conditioner in it. Then Danny got a little nail brush and started scrubbing the end of Buffy’s fingers and toes, trying to remove the dirt as Buffy laughed, trying to hold still.

Danny asked Buffy if her mom ever did this for her, and Buffy said no, she had to work all the time. When she did get time off, she would go look for a daddy, Buffy told her. Danny got her out of the shower and dried her off, brushed her hair, then put some bows in it. Then Danny painted her toes and fingernails a light red color. Then Danny pulled out one of her first training bras that almost sent Daddy into fits. She put on a white shirt with short ruffled sleeves and blue jeans with silver thread. As Danny was showing her how to tie neat bows on the high-tops Danny had put on Buffy, Danny told Buffy from now on this was her room, too, and she was to sleep in here with her. Buffy wrapped her arms around Danny, squeezing her tight.

“Buffy, can I ask you a question? If you don’t want to answer, that’s okay,” Danny asked.

“Okay,” Buffy said.

“How long did you cry for your mama?” Danny asked. The thought of losing either Mom or Dad terrified her.

“I haven’t yet. Daddy said I had to wait. The bad people were trying to kill us, and I had to hold it in for now. But he said when we got here, he would put me in his lap, and we would cry together,” Buffy told her with a sad face but no tears. Danny did not think she could have done it.

“Have you called Mama Debbie just Mama yet?” Danny asked.

“No, I don’t think she wants me to. She didn’t think I did a good enough job helping Daddy. I did my best. I did everything he taught me,” Buffy said, defending herself.

“No, she was just mad that Daddy put himself in danger. I tell you what––when we go downstairs, walk up to Mama then tell her to lean toward you. When she gets close, call her Mama. I bet you a horseback ride tomorrow that she picks you up and squeezes you tight,” Danny challenged.

“Daddy said we can’t ride the horses right now,” Buffy pointed out.

“Details,” Danny told her, waving her hand. “You have to remember that we are Daddy’s princesses and the rules of others don’t always apply to us. Is it a bet? Don’t you want to ride one of the horses?” Danny said.

“Okay,” Buffy said, not convinced about either part of the plan.

Danny got off the bed and redressed then fixed her hair. Danny put on a little makeup then looked at herself in the mirror. Buffy watched her every move. Danny went to the door and told Buffy to follow.

The two went downstairs, and everyone looked at little Buffy, telling her she was beautiful. Everyone was inside, some in the den, others in the game room and kitchen. It was not overcrowded, but it was close. They found Debbie in the kitchen. Danny told Buffy to be brave and go on and do it. Buffy walked up to Debbie then stopped, standing in front of Debbie, looking up at her. Debbie looked down at the beautiful girl in front of her and told Buffy she was beautiful as Buffy smiled up at her. Then, like Danny said, she put her finger out, motioning Debbie toward her. Debbie smiled, leaning closer. Buffy leaned toward her ear and whispered, “I love you, Mama.” Debbie snatched Buffy up off the floor, squeezing her tight, crying, and telling Buffy she loved her, too. Buffy wrapped her legs around Debbie as tears ran down her cheeks; she had a mama. Debbie held her for a long time until Susan called for her, and reluctantly Debbie set her down.

Buffy did not mind that Mama had to go to the other sister and brother. When she got back to Danny, Buffy smiled. “Told you. Now follow me,” Danny said, laying out her plan. “I’m going to sit on one of the arms of Daddy’s chair. You sit on the other. Watch me and do what I do. It works better in his lap, but his leg is hurt.” Bruce was sitting in his recliner with a bunch of men around when the girls came in. All of them said they were beautiful. Danny only had on a t-shirt, BDU pants, and combat boots but accepted the compliments.

Danny sat on Bruce’s right and Buffy on his left. Danny laid her head on his shoulder, so Buffy did the same thing. Danny put his arm across his chest, and Buffy did the same thing. Then Danny asked in a small little voice, “Daddy, I really need to show Buffy how to ride a horse. It will only be a short one. We can do it real early, and you can come, too. Please?”

Bruce let out a long breath and said, “Okay.” If Danny had told Buffy it was going to rain M&Ms, she would have believed it and run outside with a bucket. Mary asked them to come and shoot pool. Danny told Buffy to come on, and they kissed Bruce on each cheek.

Bruce knew he was going to hear about it from Debbie, but that was okay. The girls were happy together. Paul asked if that was Danny that Bruce told them about, and Bruce nodded his head. Nancy and Debbie walked in, and they handed them each a big glass of tea. Mike and Bruce thanked them.

Paul told Bruce, “I just don’t think a teenage girl can do the things you say, Bruce. Now she does have muscle, but take down a full-grown man? Come on.”

Bruce smiled at Paul then glanced over at the gimp, catching gimp staring at him. Gimp quickly turned his head when Bruce looked at him. Bruce called Danny over to him; she passed her cue stick off and went to Daddy with Buffy following. When she got to Bruce, she kissed him on his head.

Bruce pointed to the gimp, “Do you know that person?”

Danny replied, “Everyone said you named him the gimp.”

He pulled her close, whispered in her ear for a few seconds, and everyone saw her face turn red. Danny’s eyes got a distant look in them as everyone in the theater area got quiet, seeing the change. When Bruce quit whispering, Danny stood up straight, pulling a rubber band off her wrist. Then Danny pulled her hair back in a ponytail as she headed to the den.

Gimp was standing in front of the main door. Danny rounded the corner of the bar fixing to charge, but Marty and Ben were in her way. Seeing the look on her face, they moved very fast to get out of it. Buffy stopped at the corner of the bar.

When Ben and Marty moved, Danny ran toward the gimp, yelling, “You’re mine, bitch!”

Then Danny jumped in the air, pulling both knees to her chest and leaning back. Gimp looked up, hearing the yell just in time to see two small but hard combat boots hit him in the chest. The hit sent him into the door, which stopped his momentum, then crushed him against the solid steel door. Feeling her momentum stop, Danny arched her back, extended her arms, and hand sprinted back. Once she was on her feet keeping her momentum moving, she then bounced back toward the gimp as he was sliding down the door. Danny extended her right leg, with her right foot hitting gimp in the chest, causing gimp to fall forward. Landing on his side, he rolled onto his back. What little air was in his lungs was now gone.

Then Danny started dropping heel kicks on his chest and stomach, but they were too slow. He had tried to hurt Daddy. He did hurt Ms. Susan and little Cassandra, was what kept going through Danny’s mind.

Moving to the gimp’s side, she started snapping kicks off as fast as she could. The gimp started crying with the assault; this action only infuriated Danny. She jumped into the air, dropping on his chest with her knees, yelling, “You wanted to hurt my daddy.” Then Danny spread her knees, straddling his abdomen, and started throwing palm strikes then started alternating with chops to his body. Then Danny stopped, putting both hands on gimp’s chest and lifting her body into a handstand on his chest. Then Danny dropped both of her knees down on his stomach. Gimp tried to curl up after the knees hit his stomach, but he couldn’t because Danny shot back up into another handstand, pinning him down. Danny dropped her weight, bringing her right knee out. Curling her left into her body, she drove her right knee into gimp’s groin, sliding his body several inches on the floor. Then Danny rolled off of him before he could throw up on her.

Debbie was sitting by the fireplace in the theater room staring at Bruce, who was just staring back at her grinning, as she said, “Bruce.” Then Bruce turned and looked at Mike sitting in his chair beside him. They clinked their glasses together, smiling, as Bruce ignored Debbie once.

Again Debbie just said, “Bruce.”

Bruce yelled out, “That’s enough, Danny.” As Danny kept the onslaught up, Bruce said, “I’m not kidding.” Danny just kept raining down blows.

Bruce yelled again, “That’s enough.”

Danny stopped and stood up then walked to the end of the bar. How can he stop me? I have not even broken anything yet, Danny thought to herself. Everyone who was close to the gimp did everything they could to get the hell away from him so they could not be mistaken for the gimp. Danny paced back and forth at the end of the bar, judging how close her target was. Danny never took her eyes off the gimp; she continued pacing back and forth.

Then suddenly she lunged at him, yelling, “I’LL KILL YOU.”

Gimp was still lying on the floor as she grabbed his throat with her left hand, and her right hand grabbed his balls. When her right hand closed, she squeezed and twisted. Pain shot through the gimp’s body. Gimp could only manage to weakly grab her face, but then Danny let go of his throat and his balls at the same time. Danny brought her right hand up, spear handing him in the throat. Gimp was lying in the floor struggling to breathe. Danny stood up as Bruce yelled, “Enough!” She walked back by the pool table with the other teenagers. All except the family cleared away from her, but Danny kept pacing back and forth, breathing hard. Then all of a sudden, Danny took off running back toward the den. Bruce held out his arm, catching her as she went by, pulling Danny into his lap and wrapping his arms around her. Bruce whispered down to her as she tried to struggle, but she eventually gave up. Everyone started talking to each other as Bruce continued talking to Danny as she curled up in his lap.

Buffy walked over from the bar to stand beside the chair as Bruce held Danny. Then Buffy grabbed Danny’s hand, squeezing it to let Danny know she was there. Danny was the best sister anyone could have, and that was the coolest thing Buffy had ever seen.

Angela stood up from the couch and said, “I apologize to you, Bruce, for threatening to kick your ass today over the radio as we drove up to the farm. I only meant that for Big Daddy 2. Will you please tell your kids at no time did I ever threaten you? So they will not do that to me.” Everyone started laughing at her remark as she sat back down beside Alex and Cade. Bruce looked at Mike with a smile. Mike looked back at Bruce and started chuckling.

Nancy said, looking at Mike, “Mike, don’t you dare. That man in there cannot breathe. I don’t know what he did, but don’t do it.” She knew what they were thinking; it was as if she were inside their minds.

Mike turned his head. “Mary, come here, please,” he said.

“I’m not kidding, Mike. Don’t you dare,” Nancy said, looking at him.

Mary, who had gone back to shooting pool with the other teens, bounced over to her daddy. Nancy started giving him a dirty look as Mike pulled Mary down to him and started talking softly to her. They could see shock cross Mary’s face then anger set in. Her eyes narrowed, and her breathing started getting deeper. Unlike Danny, Mary did not feel the need to prepare for battle nor announce to her prey that hell was coming.

Mary stood up and walked around Mike’s chair, heading to the den. Mary rounded the corner of the bar, heading toward the gimp, who had just stood up, coughing. Danny jumped out of Bruce’s lap, following Mary with Buffy in tow.

Mary walked up to the gimp and front-snap kicked him in the stomach. The gimp hit the floor face first. Gimp quickly got back to his feet, and then Mary started the beatdown. Mary’s assault was not as flamboyant as Danny’s, but it was in no way less in intensity or ferocity. Mary paused between the hits and kicks and yelled, “Who’s the bitch now?”

Gimp was doing everything he could to keep on his feet. He knew if he went down, the pain would get worse. He even attempted to grab and block her arms and legs as Mary threw punches, but she was too fast. Then gimp balled his fist and threw a punch at her. That was a mistake, which he paid for dearly. Mary grabbed his wrist and rotated her body under his arm. Then Mary pushed her hips into him and flipped him over her back. When he hit the floor, it was flat on his back. The air he had worked so hard to get back left him again, and gimp thought he would never get air again. Mary started working the gimp over; still holding his wrist, she was snapping kicks into his side.

Nancy told Mike, “Stop it.” Unlike Bruce, Mike told Mary to stop the first time he was told.

“Mary,” Mike yelled.

Mary, unlike Danny, also stopped the first time she was told. Mary and Danny looked at each other and knuckle bumped, walking back to the game area. Lynn came out of the kitchen after watching what both girls had done. Lynn walked over to them, hugging each girl and asking them what their favorite desserts were. They both said, “Apple pie and ice cream,” at the same time. Lynn told them that she would see what she could do. The girls walked back to the pool table, both stopping and kissing Bruce on his shaved head and Mike on each cheek.

Both Nancy and Debbie were looking at the duo, not liking the fact the girls had been used like gladiators. Then Bruce told the wives why they treated the gimp the way they did. For over an hour, he told them of the times gimp put the group in danger and how he treated both Susan and Cassandra, from the gimp’s own admission. How he demanded to be put in charge and use the women like he wanted.

As Bruce finished, both mamas were pissed off. First, that he was in their house, and second, not being told about gimp before now. Debbie and Nancy turned to look at each other. Then Debbie yelled, “Gimp, come here now.”

Gimp came into the game area holding his side and his groin. Debbie pointed to the area beside Bruce’s chair. Gimp glanced at Bruce then at the spot where Debbie was pointing, moving to it and not liking being that close to Bruce.

“Get down on your knees. You will not stand while Nancy and I talk to you. From this moment on, when any female talks to you, on your knees is where you will be. Never again will you look down on any female; you will always look up. Do I make myself clear? If I ever see you disrespect any woman, I will get a cheese grater and run it over your body until nothing is left,” Debbie said with her face set in stone.

“Yes,” Gimp replied, looking down.

“Let’s get something clear right from the start. Look at me when I talk to you,” Debbie told him, and he snapped his head up.

“You are now looking at the head of the household when you look at us two women sitting right here. When you address us, it will be with respect, and ma’am better be the first and last words out of your mouth. Would you like for us to demonstrate what we know on your body? I promise it’s a lot worse than what two girls can do,” Debbie informed him.

“Ma’am, no, ma’am,” gimp replied, fear gripping his soul.

Then Nancy spoke with the same stone face as the gimp turned to look at her. “If either of us tell our husbands right now to cut you open and eat your liver, making you watch, it will be done. But just to show you who is in charge, watch this,” Nancy told him. Turning to the pool table, Nancy spoke, “Danny and Mary, you will not touch him again unless he threatens you or someone else or if he does not do as we tell him. Is that clear, girls?”

“Oh, mom,” both girls cried together.

“I mean it, girls,” Nancy turned her head, looking at them.

Seeing the look on her face, both girls quickly replied, “Yes, ma’am.”

Turning back to the gimp, Nancy continued, “I can see by the look on your face you think we have given you a reprieve. Far from it. If you do not complete what we set out for you every day then punishment will be in order. The punishment may come from us, our girls, our boys, or our husbands; you will never know which. We will give you a chance to join the human race again or we will kill you ourselves. Do I make myself clear?”

“Ma’am, yes, ma’am,” gimp replied, staring at the women with mortal fear. Gimp was more terrified of these two women than any of the others. The power they held was absolute; he had seen it before and even willed it a few times. The power was now held over his head.

Debbie spoke next, “Our boys will show you your chore tomorrow. It is known as shit detail on this farm. Every morning you will start and complete it then come and find one of us for your next task. You will not approach or talk to Susan for any reason ever again. She and the kids are no longer yours. They belong to this family now.”

All six of the kids snapped their heads up at the mention of no shit detail. Shit detail had different names on every farm. Someone took a wheelbarrow with a shovel and pitchfork and picked up dog and goat feces from the main yard. Then you took the wheelbarrow to the fields and picked up cow and horse feces then to the back of the property to dump it in a pile to be used as fertilizer on the hayfield. Then you took the wheelbarrow to the chicken coop, rabbit pens, quail and pheasant pens, and cleaned them out, taking the crap to a pile for the gardens and greenhouses. It was done every other day, and it took half a day to accomplish if you were lucky. Everyone tried to get out of it, even the adults. That was why it was referred to as shit detail––because you moved it, piled it, smelled like it, and that’s what you felt like after playing in it. All six kids looked at each other, grinning. Having the gimp might work out after all.

“Don’t think either of us doesn’t know your kind. If for any reason we feel you are trying to slack off or get by, we will unleash the family on you to torture then kill you. We are giving you a job we do on this farm ourselves, but we don’t like it. You have a purpose, and if you have a purpose, others will allow you to function. Any breach of the rules will be dealt with rapidly and severely. When I say rapidly, I mean you will not be given a second chance, and by severely, I mean power tools will be involved. Then Nancy and I will beat you to death with our bare hands and bury your body in one of those piles of shit,” Debbie told him with an icy gaze.

“Ma’am, I will do what both of you have said, ma’am,” gimp said, knowing he had to make himself useful, or he would die a painful death. The group would never have major trouble from the gimp again, as the last of his selfish pride left his body. He would eventually in time be seen as a necessary part of the group, doing jobs that no one wanted to do.

“Now, gimp, go lay in front of the door like a dog and go to sleep. I don’t want to look at you anymore,” Nancy said to him then turned her head and, looking around the room, told everyone to get something to eat.

Everyone jumped up, forming a line to get some food. Nancy and Debbie went to help Lynn in the kitchen. The kids walked by talking about no shit detail and high-fiving each other. Mary told Danny that she was glad they had not cut him. Mike told Bruce he was getting some food and left Bruce sitting in his chair alone in the game room ready to doze off, feeling safe with Pam in mission control.

Feeling eyes on him, Bruce turned around and saw Buffy still standing at the end of the bar looking at him. Seeing her eyes, Bruce held out his arms, and she ran into them as he pulled her onto his lap. Bruce told her, “It’s okay, baby. We are as safe as we can hope to be now. I know your mother loved you very much. You can cry now, baby,” Buffy started crying, squeezing Bruce tight, letting the hurt out as tears streamed down Bruce’s face. With each memory going through her head, she squeezed Bruce tighter. Bruce’s body shook as he cried with Buffy, her pain breaking his heart.

Danny was in the kitchen eating. Realizing Buffy was not around, she started looking for Buffy to make sure she got something to eat. Danny ran upstairs to her room then back to the game room and found her in Daddy’s lap crying and squeezing him tight. Danny walked to the other side of the chair then climbed into Bruce’s lap. Buffy and Bruce wrapped an arm around her, and they hugged each other. Tears rolled down Danny’s face as she joined her little sister in the sorrow.

Debbie got someone to take her place in the food line, noticing Bruce had not come in and figuring he had gone to sleep in his chair. Debbie went to the game room to wake him up. Seeing the three in the chair, she stopped and caught her breath. She went to the front of Bruce’s chair, kneeling in front of it, wrapping her arms around them, and joining the group in crying in sorrow.

So it went as each member of the family came in looking for another and joined the circle until all ten plus Tonya were together. They all cried with the little girl, not only for the loss of her mother but also for family and friends that were now gone. The family was what they had. The rest of the group left them alone with their grief, feeling a little out of place but thankful the family had accepted them in.

Maria went to mission control to ask Pam if she knew where any more tea was. Maria told Pam she did not want to disturb them. Pam said she knew where it was and went downstairs to show Maria where to get some more. If she had stayed and watched the monitors, she would have seen a pickup truck pull onto the road, driving slowly down it. The computer detected movement but labeled it environmental. The truck was much bigger than a human body and not recognized as a threat. It stopped in front of the house, and someone in the truck pointed out a window at the driveway. The truck then turned around and sped off. With no one assigned to the fort because of Mike’s and Bruce’s return, all went unseen. Pam came back and sat down, looking at the monitors and not seeing anything.

The truck was a curse and a blessing. Someone now knew where the farm was, but it also led away the mob of several thousand that the convoy had stirred up, leading them away from the farm.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgement

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41