Zombie Theorem: The End Game (17 page)

The Chief, at first bristled, at my threat to recall him into the military, but then he squared his shoulders and spoke to the people in the auditorium with a loud and commanding voice. His son tried to interrupt him, but was chastised and instead, took his father’s hand and stood by his side. His people got to their feet and started gathering their belongings.

“Major, my people are behind you and will help. How soon can we leave?”

Hase stepped into the conversation at that point. “Kuppers has the convoy inbound now, they are ten minutes out.”

Just then Hunter’s .50 cal started firing. Heaven and I met eyes and ran from the room. I yelled back to Hase. “Make sure you get these people ready to move the instant the convoy is here. We will handle this new problem.

Howser stood just inside the doors with his rifle at his shoulder ready. “What’s going on?” I asked him as Heaven and I got to the doors.

“The fastest of that horde has made it to the city limits.” He reported.

“Stay here and keep guard on these doors. Back up, Hase.” Heaven and I went out through the doors and made our way out to the Humvees. “Where is Harry and Helmut?” I had to yell my question to Heaven because the .50 cal was firing again and the sound was like continuous thunder.

“They are on a side mission to find diesel. Hase sent them out, the minute we pulled into town. They should be back any minute. Probably faster, once they hear Hunter rocking and rolling on the fifty.”

Just as he finished speaking, Harry and Helmut came around the corner in a black Ford F-150, carrying what looked like four-fifty gallon drums in the bed. I waved them over and once they recognized me they slowed down and angled in toward us.

“Guys, take this thing out toward the convoy. We shouldn’t need your guns, but tell Kuppers to hurry it up.”

They didn’t wait for anything else. With Harry at the wheel, he spun around and gassed the engine, sliding the big truck sideways and then rocketing out of town via the backroad we’d come in on. The rocks and dirt barely had time to settle back onto the road when Hunter stopped firing. I looked in his direction and saw he had ducked back into his cupola and down into the Humvee.

“Is he out of ammo?” I asked.

Heaven took off running and I tried to keep up, but fell behind. I was still hurting and not back to hundred percent but something told me that I would never be able to keep up with that man. Brian started firing his M-4 as he stood in the cupola of our Humvee. I turned in mid-stride and ran toward him. I climbed up on top of the Humvee, and was careful to stay out of his field of fire and brought my MP-5 to my shoulder. My fingers switched the red aiming reticle on. I sighted in on my first target and squeezed the trigger. It surprised me when it bucked in my hands and hit my shoulder. The round zipped out and covered the distance in no time. I was slightly amazed that it hit the zombie exactly where I had aimed. A small hole appeared in the area just above the nose and between its eyes. The zombie stopped and collapsed to the ground. All of this happened within a second, I moved the red dot to another zombie and this time, had time to see that it had been a woman. She was young when she’d died, wearing a black Kanye shirt. Her hair was a mess and missing in spots. I sneered at her choice of music, but mostly at that artist. I squeezed the trigger and was rewarded a second later with her and that offending shirt falling to the ground and out of my sight.

I moved through a small crowd of zombies putting each one out of their misery. Not every shot was a perfect headshot, but more hit then not, and the second shot hit home every time after I’d missed the first. Brian’s gun had gone quiet, but we kept our weapons shouldered, surveying the area for more threats. The fifty had stayed quiet, and I turned my head, sparing a minute to see what was going on. Heaven and Hunter sat on their Humvee with their rifles at their shoulders ready. I guess they were out of ammo for the big gun.  

I heard a roar off to my left and swung my MP-5 in that direction. Kuppers’ APC appeared followed by one Humvee and two transports. They turned to point their hoods back out toward the open fields and came to a stop next to the front door of the auditorium. I jumped off the Humvee and ran toward the trucks, the doors to the auditorium were open and the Chief was leading his people out and into the trucks. Kuppers exited his APC and came up to me.

“Looks like you have this all tied up.”

I got the eye of the Chief and son and waved them over. They came over quickly and stood next to me. Once they identified Kuppers’ rank, they snapped to attention and threw crisp salutes. Kuppers gave me a sideways look and returned their salutes.

“Kuppers, please meet our new guides. This is Chief Winnemucca of the Shoshone Paiute tribe and his son Henry. Gentlemen, this is Colonel Kuppers, the leader of our little convoy. These gentlemen are going to help us navigate through the desert and to our final destination.”

Kuppers shook their hands and thanked them for their help.

“I am honored to meet you, gentlemen. I take it you served?”

The Chief answered for the two. “I was a Lieutenant, leading a small squad of men through a hot sweltering jungle in a little country called Vietnam. My son served in the first Gulf war as a Sergeant in the infantry. Our people know this land like no one else. We will help you get to your destination.”

Kuppers regarded both men for a moment and then offered the Chief to ride in the APC with him.

“I must stay with my people. I am responsible for them, but I would like my son to ride with the Major if you will allow it. From there, he will guide us to the mountains and your facility.” The Chief answered.

Kuppers gave me a sideways glance and I nodded my agreement to this plan. Kuppers opened his arms wide, “Sounds like a good plan to me.”

At that moment the M-240 machine gun mounted on the top of the APC opened up, and a couple of M-4s joined in. I stepped in front of the Chief and his son and raised my MP-5 to my shoulder, protecting them before I knew the situation.

The horde was coming around the building, making its presence known. Kuppers took the Chief’s arm and escorted him to the two trucks holding his people and helped him inside. I kept Henry behind me and we made it to Brian and the Humvee. Brian was in the cupola, firing his M-4 slowly, picking his shots. Henry took the wheel and I climbed into my normal seat as he fired up the Humvee and took us out of the parking lot and across an adjacent field. Kuppers’ APC with Delta’s Humvee and the two trucks in tow stayed behind us as we left the horde behind. I pointed out the windshield to the convoy, sitting about a mile away. Henry nodded his understanding and made his way to them.

Brian dropped out of the cupola and dogged the hatch behind him. He looked at me for a moment then at Henry. I picked up the un-asked question that Brian was throwing at me.

“Henry the Sasquatch in the back is Brian, my personal pet, I guess you could say. Brian. this fine man is the Chief’s son, Henry. He was a Sergeant in the Army during the first Gulf War.”

Henry took his right hand off of the wheel and slid it behind his seat, never taking his eyes off of our path. Brian took the proffered hand and shook it quickly.

“Nice to meet you, Henry. The Major, by the way, is a big cry baby, but he will grow on you. Kind of like herpes.”

Henry’s face had looked like it was carved from stone into a flat feature, but it cracked into a half smile and he let a little laugh escape.

“Looks like I got the fun Humvee. Nice to meet you, Brian, or Sasquatch. Once we meet up with your convoy, I will direct them across the desert and over some mountain passes. It will take a while to make it to our destination, more if we have to stop for the night.”

“Oh we will need to stop, before it gets dark. We find driving at dark is not a good idea. When you find a good flat area, we will have the vehicles form a wagon circle and we will eat and rest, and then leave again at first light.” I suggested.

“You have your reasons, sir, and who am I to question them? I have the perfect place for us to rest for the night.”

We pulled up to the convoy and took the lead, with Kuppers’ APC right behind us. We drove on through the terrain, letting it dictate our speeds. We forded through small streams and one river that seemed to have seen more water at times. Henry drove the Humvee better then Brian did, and seemed to become more comfortable as we went. Brian climbed back up into the cupola, manning his M-4 and keeping vigilance of our path and flanks. I sat with the map open on my lap and tried to figure out where we were, by glancing out at mountain ridges and natural formations. I took out my notebook and made notes of the thoughts, running through my head. The thoughts consisted of our supplies, possible rest stops and what I thought would be the best path through the mountains to get to our destination.

Brian tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a handheld radio. I took it and pressed it to my ear. “Kuppers to Dan, come in, Dan. Over.”

I found the transmit button and pushed it down. “Dan here, Kuppers, what’s up? Over.”

“So, we are going to drop military standards for talking on the radio now? Over.”

I rolled my eyes. “I see no reason to be all professional, Kuppers. I see we don’t use ranks anymore either. Over.”

“Fine, you do have a point. We have a vehicle in the convoy that needs to stop for repairs. Are there any places nearby where we can circle the wagons? Over.”

“I’ll check with Henry. Over.”

I turned to Henry and found him studying the terrain. He pointed up ahead to a small hill. “If the vehicle can make it up that small hill ahead, there is a natural flat area with good sight lines of the valley. There is also a small creek with flowing water up there that is clean to drink, Major.”

“Kuppers, do you see that small hill in front of us? Over.”

He came back a second later. “I see it. Over.”

“Henry says it’s a perfect spot to camp and do repairs, if the said vehicle can make it. Over.”

“Roger, if we have to, we will tow the damn thing up there. Lead the way. Over.”

I handed the radio back to Brian and he stowed it. I was getting tired and no matter how I adjusted my armor I hurt. I needed to eat something and maybe take a little medication from Apache and catch a small nap. Henry expertly climbed the small rise, picking the right lines that lessened the jostling. I turned back to Brian.

“You just lost your driving privileges. Henry here knows how to drive with much more courtesy, instead of your full speed up the rocks and throw everyone around technique.”

“If it means I don’t have to hear you complain, he can have the job.” Brian showed me his middle finger and stuck his tongue out.

Henry came to a stop on the far side of the plateau and turned to see if we were being serious. “You two don’t treat each other like an officer and his aide.”

Brian and I both bust out laughing at the same time. “Oh Henry, we have a story to tell you.”

Brian filled him in on our brief history together, and our misadventures in the Trans-America Tower in San Francisco. Henry’s eyes grew wide as he listened to the story. He then regarded us in a different light.

“I knew you were not in the military long, Major. You just don’t have the bearing. Most officers are also self-absorbed jerks, and you just don’t fit that mold.”

“First, Henry don’t call me Major, my name is Dan. Secondly, I was drafted into the military and had this rank thrust upon me. But I am doing my best, and with Brian here to stop me from making too many mistakes, I am doing ok so far.” I chuckled a little.

“Ok. Sounds good, Dan.”

Brian and I crawled out of the Humvee and Henry came around the hood over to our side. He looked around and then at us.

“Any way I can get one of those nice big guns?” Henry asked.

“When Doc gets here, I’ll introduce you to him. He tends to be the scrounger and I am sure he can hook you up.”

“Brian, why don’t you and Henry go make sure the convoy is doing ok and show them the best lines. I will stay up here and cover the area.”

Brian saw the pain in my eyes and nodded his agreement. “Come on Henry. Maybe you can show those guys the line you came up on. They, like me believe that power is all it takes.”

They walked off and I leaned against the Humvee’s hood, feeling the pain in my torso spread out and roll to my back, even my teeth were starting to feel the pain. I tried to act like I was keeping watch, but failed pretty bad when Apache appeared next to me. She slipped her arms around me and helped me to the ground, resting my back against the side of the Humvee. I hissed in pain and bit my lip from letting out a cry. Apache watched my face and gave me a weak smile as she slipped her hand into her vest pouch and retrieved that bottle full of little white pills. She shook three into my hand and retrieved my canteen. After opening it, she handed it over. I threw the pills into my mouth and took a big pull of water off of the canteen. The water was warm, but at this moment, it could have been boiling and I still would’ve drank it.

“Dan, if I don’t get you something to eat soon those pills are going to do more damage to your stomach, than they will dull your pain. Stay here and relax for me, ok?”

I nodded my head carefully yes and closed my eyes. I listened to everything around me and tried very hard not to fall asleep. Next thing I was aware of, something warm was in my hand and a semi-pleasant smell invaded my nostrils. I opened my eyes and met Apache’s.