Alaskan Undead Apocalypse (Book 4): Resolution (31 page)

In a short while, the Colonel and his men
came upon the piles of lifeless corpses created by Carter’s crew
and those others around him. Marching like GIs through the streets
of Paris in 1944, the Colonel’s men strutted confidently through
the mayhem. They nonchalantly dispatched the few skins they
encountered but it was much more like a casual hunt than the final
actions of a battle.

When one of the big men, a burly guy named
Chance, unknowingly stepped into a knot of bodies, one of the
creatures still harboring some life bit his lower leg. The bite
immediately produced a streak of blood on his light colored pants
and a surprised, angry shout. Stabbing suddenly and violently
downward, Chance plunged his blade repeatedly into the head of the
biter, scrambling brain matter. The creature released the man’s leg
and fell limp.

Chance, looking at the blood running down
his leg, blurted out, “Goddamnit!” before one of the other men shot
him in the head. The others kept going forward pretending nothing
had happened, just another excursion into the wilderness. None of
them would dare let on that he was anything other than comfortable
strolling through the dark with death waiting to pounce all around.
None of the men would have protested if the Colonel were to recall
them to the security of his Humvee either. Seeing how easily and
randomly Chance was assaulted reminded all of them the hazards and
dangers which awaited their every step.

When the Colonel’s window did come down,
they hoped that perhaps he was going to do just that. Instead, he
shouted, “Keep your goddamn guard up! Who was that? Who got
bit?”

“Chance,” came an anonymous voice in
answer.

There was a slight pause and then, “Damned
shame. Don’t let it happen to you.”

All of them, to a man, agreed with that
order. None of them wanted that, including the Colonel, realizing
he couldn’t afford to lose too many of his loyal men before getting
into Whittier. He needed every fighter he could get if he planned
on putting the hurt on those responsible for Sullivan’s death and
the destruction of their home.

Colonel Bear wasn’t sure which thing made
him angrier. The school had been a great location for them. It was
relatively safe, solid, well stocked, and in a great location. It
was off the beaten path while also sitting alongside a major
highway. The school sat just outside of town with a river and a
bridge separating them but was also within quick access when needs
arose. It was also a place where those random survivors still out
on the road might take themselves in hopes of finding help.

Sullivan was more than just the Colonel’s
right hand. Sullivan was the most loyal man he had ever
encountered. No matter the task assigned to him, Sullivan always
got the job done for the Colonel. He neither hesitated nor asked
questions. He was also occasionally and very comfortably cruel.

In the Colonel’s estimation, Sullivan was
the perfect man for him. Sullivan had also gone a long way in
training Carter to step up and do the same. Carter was a bit
different though. He was every bit as loyal and willing as Sullivan
had been to do the Colonel’s bidding, but he was also smarter. In
many ways, Colonel Bear could envision Carter surpassing Sullivan’s
capabilities. Until Sullivan’s untimely death, the only thing
separating the two was experience.

Now Carter would just have to gain those
valuable nuggets of wisdom that only time could deliver. He no
longer had Sullivan to guide his training.

*

It was Carter, standing atop the roof of his
truck, who first greeted the Colonel with a wave of his hat above
his head. They were in the dying light of the late afternoon. The
slow slog getting into and through the tunnel had cost them another
entire day. The only question now was whether to try and find a
place to stay the night out of the cold or tighten their perimeter
and make their current position more secure.

It was not wise to stay outside and all of
them knew that. Carter and a small team were sent on another errand
for the group. Seeing them drive away, the Colonel knew that he
could count on his right hand to find them a place and keep them
ready for the morning and the battle that loomed.

Revenge would just have to wait another day.
Whittier wasn’t a big city or even a big town. There were only so
many places to hide. The Colonel would have his vengeance. He swore
that to himself.

“William, you know it’s the right thing to
do,” stated Neil emphatically. “I just wish we had some wheels.
Never know when we’re gonna hafta’ haul ass outta trouble.”

William knew it was the right thing to do,
but he didn’t relish the thought of going back out away from his
home. He woke that morning startled and disoriented from a dream
about death, dying, and running. He hadn’t been able to shake the
feeling in the hours since. He was edgy and jumpy already. Neil
bringing up his plan and suggestion had heightened his stress. He
also agreed with Neil’s assessment about their need for a
vehicle.

Ignoring the first half of Neil’s comment,
William answered the second, “Sorry. My truck is stuck back in
Whittier where we got caught up. My other two trucks are down at
the docks. I’m recently carless I guess.”

The balance of Neil’s suggestion was still
hanging in the air unanswered. Neil thought it wise to go to each
of the homes in Shotgun Cove, even the unfinished construction
sites here and there, to warn everyone they could find and maybe
even gather people and supplies into fewer locations. William knew
that most of the residents of Shotgun Cove would likely defend
their own homes in favor of gathering themselves. Trying to
convince the other lodge owners to move in together would likely be
a doomed proposal, but William did think that suggesting working
and communicating with one another was in everyone’s best interest.
His neighbors deserved a fighting chance.

He consented to Neil with a nod and it was
decided. Now the question was who would go? Obviously, William
needed to go, which was exactly what he didn’t want to do. Neil was
already getting his gear together assuming he would be going
too.

“Danny,” Neil called.

The boy ran from the kitchen where he was
nibbling some toast and stopped next to Neil. “Yeah?”

Danny was always excited to be included in
the grownup plans that Neil envisioned. He stood there waiting on
the balls of his feet like he was ready to jump.

“Danny, I need you to stay here up on the
balcony with Jerry and keep an eye on things for us. Okay?”

Danny had thought that maybe he would be
part of the group going out into Shotgun Cove, excited to get a
chance to prove himself. He should have known better. He was still
thought of as just a kid by everyone, including Neil. Danny knew
that he was ready. He didn’t let his disappointment show too
terribly bad. He kept it together and nodded to Neil, remembering
that he would be able to hang on to the rifle he had been handed
recently. He was told it was a Mini-14 but he only knew it was the
coolest thing he’d ever had in his hands. He was eager to get up to
his post.

He walked confidently and casually to where
the rifle was leaning. His head nearly swooned when he picked up
the gun. Its stock was already folded on the rear of the gun,
helping to make its length much more manageable for his shorter
arms. With his back still to the room to avoid any questioning
eyes, Danny slipped the rifle’s strap over his shoulder and then
stepped away.

Neil said to everyone else, “William and I
will need two more.”

Emma was already picking up her rifle and
throwing on her coat. She motioned to Neil with her chin to let him
know she was going. When Jess walked forward and put on her coat as
well, everyone was a bit surprised.

Jess could sense the looks. “What the hell
are you all lookin’ at? I got balls too.” She looked at Neil and
said jokingly, “Bros before hos,” and laughed at him. Jess slipped
her pistol, an intimidating forty-five caliber Glock, into her
pocket and tightened her boot laces.

Emma found another rifle leaning against the
wall. It was a vintage Mini-14 semiautomatic rifle, the bigger
brother to the one that Danny was using. It was a beautiful firearm
with a dark hardwood stock and finely greased and polished action
and barrel. Emma wasn’t a “gun” person necessarily, but she did
recognize how well kept and cared for the rifle had been. It was
obvious that it had held some significance for its previous owner,
the care and attention lavished upon it.

They had two long clips of ammunition for it
with twenty rounds each and two short box clips holding ten rounds
each in addition to what was already in the gun. Emma hoped they
wouldn’t need any of it but also realized the world was becoming
increasingly more dangerous and having the guns sometimes made the
difference between living and dying. She handed the rifle and the
extra ammunition to Jess and asked, “Do you know how to reload
this?”

Jess looked at the rifle and asked, “Is this
the release?”

Emma nodded. Jess knew how to handle herself
and just hadn’t been given much opportunity to show it yet. Emma
could see a strength in the other woman that many lacked. Jess had
vowed that she would find her daughter who’d been out on the ocean
fishing when all of the troubles began. She carried a picture of
her daughter with her and had it in her hands during most peaceful
moments the way some would hold a Bible. Emma typically dismissed
vows of that nature as merely talk. With Jess though, Emma thought
that perhaps she was one person capable of fulfilling her sacred
promise to herself. Emma was glad Jess was going with them
today.

Jules and Nikki were playing school in the
other room. Actually, Jules was playing school and Nikki was just
sitting quietly in a chair with a blank piece of paper in front of
her. She watched Jules move about and didn’t resist joining Jules
for the game, but she was decidedly not participating. Jules,
acting as the teacher, had a dry erase board and set of markers
William had given her. Her patience with Nikki was stretched but
she continued her lessons for the “other” students in the room.

Jules could hear the discussion and knew
that something was afoot. She didn’t see much point in involving
herself in the grownup decisions that were happening whether she
was in the room or not. Danny was very different from her in that
regard. Jules was perfectly content being a passenger through all
of the strife while Danny wanted to contribute. Meanwhile, there
was an important lesson about the alphabet she was teaching to
Nikki and three stuffed bears she found in a closet.

The group of four adults left for the lodge,
and Danielle decided to stay downstairs near the two girls as they
played. She didn’t try and play the hovering parent, but she was
certain to keep the girls’ voices within earshot. It just made good
sense to keep close to the littlest and most vulnerable in their
group, even if they were in a relatively safe and secure lodge.
William’s home was solidly built, with most of the windows above
arms’ reach from the ground below. This was to discourage unwanted
visitors like burglars and, of course, curious or possibly hungry
bears. He wanted his guests to be able to
see
the bears but not find themselves on the menu.
Danielle and the others felt safe in his home but there was no
point in becoming complacent.

Danielle also thought it a good idea to keep
her distance from Jerry. It was likely just the circumstances in
which she was finding herself, but she couldn’t deny her attraction
to him. She knew she was older than him but she didn’t know by how
much. She wasn’t feeling like an infatuated teenager, wanting to
write his name on her notebook or anything like that. She was,
however, wanting to be in his presence more and more, and finding
ways to make that happen. This was largely happening without her
realizing it at first, but when she did she thought it best if she
made a conscious effort to maintain some distance.

Danielle didn’t know Jerry at all and had
only met him a couple of days earlier. He was brave and smart and
had Neil’s respect, which meant quite a bit to everyone else. Jerry
was also kind and caring, clearly concerned about the welfare of
the children with them, especially Jules and Danny. He was very
protective of them. While analyzing her feelings and their origins,
Danielle found herself again longing to be near Jerry.

“Jesus girl, you need to get a handle on
yourself,” she said aloud, reminding herself of her mockingly
reproachful older brother who used to say that to her when she was
twitter-pated as a much younger girl. Seeing her brother’s face in
her memory following her comment surprised Danielle. His smile was
as bright as the spring sun. In that instant, she missed him more
than she ever had. She missed him enough to solicit a sorrowful
sigh and a few silent tears.

When they were waiting in the boat harbor
for William and Neil to come back with
Serenity
, Danielle had the time to look around a bit.
Through the tightly packed crowd of boats she thought she could see
her brother’s very small boat still moored between two much larger
craft, though she couldn’t see it clearly enough to be certain. It
had been a couple of summers since the last time she had been on
it, but she was pretty sure the little wooden boat with peeling
white and green paint was his.

He’d always planned to paint it, get a new
motor for it, reupholster the seats, and a dozen other projects
which needed to be done to the boat. There was always something
else that took priority. Regardless of the fact that his was the
smallest and the ugliest boat in the Sound, her brother loved his
boat and proudly motored her out to chase fish every summer.