The tools and machines of man were called to battle.Thousands of troops and supplies were hauled in at various points on the open highways of the California deadlands.This wasn’t like the ill-fated fight at Fort Sheppard, this time the military was prepared to use every resource in its arsenal.Uncle Sam was taking the fight to the Living Dead.A year ago, that statement would have been used in a pulp novel in a dime shelf bookstore, or a Hollywood production. It’s funny how life throws the impossible at someone, which was what Jose Leon believed.He was stationed at Sector Lima, a ruined ghost town converted into a rough and ready military post.Sectors Ayers, Webster and Bier were a few miles apart.They were named in honor of the men in charge of Fort Sheppard back in Oakland.
Jose and the Green Boys were putting the finishing touching on their gunners nest. It was half of a old 747 that was about the be scrapped.The United States military saved half of it and were going to use it for the frontlines.Jose’s team spray painted the outside hull in order to make it look more menacing, even though the Infected couldn’t comprehend intimidation.Khalid and Mitchell had a machine gun nest at an abandoned gas station thirty feet away from Jose’s ‘tree fort.’A full combat ready regiment of soldiers, marines and allied forces were positioned around the fifteen year old ghost town.It was like D-Day; except the dead were storming the beaches and mankind had to defend what land they had left.
The wind began to pick up and push dust across the battlefield.Jose couldn’t see anything, but he knew the enemy would be close.From the distance skies, seven unmarked planes soared towards the line of fire.They opened their loads and dropped heavy loads of dark red material.“Oh dude that’s gross.”Khalid said with utter disgust.
“Man why do they have to drop that crap here?”David replied.The substances dropped from the planes were hundreds of pounds of animal meat soaked in human blood donated from the Red Cross.“Bait.”Jose quietly muttered to himself.As the sun was quickly falling into the black abyss, the shadow people showed up for their appointment.About two hundred were in plain sight.It was fortunate the modern day warriors didn’t have the vision of an eagle of they would have picked up a different view.Surveillance aircraft picked up a different angle.Thousands upon thousands Infected carriers were making a long undead wall that stretched from the desert to the highways.And the highways lead back to the cities. Secretary of State Washington decided to keep that bit of information from the press and from the fighters on the ground, more bad news wasn’t going to help anyone in this mess of a battle.
__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
The Living Dead slowly began to stop in their tracks and devour the rotting carcasses and tainted blood. The smells reached the soldiers on the front lines and made David want to vomit. To prevent the men from losing their spirit only officers were allowed to watch the sight from video feed and binoculars. The sight was very brutal. Over seven hundred had showed up and were now feasting on red chunks of flesh. It looked like a sunday rush at a buffet. Along with the sounds and smells of the small feast a quart mile away, the air was still. Jose was keeping a watchful eye on the scene at hand. He knew there were thousands if not millions, yet that havent swarmed his region already. Jose was weary of the mission to begin with, Operating on flat land kept the enemy in plain sight but there was no chokepoint to cut them off or slow them down. If the situation got real nasty it would come down to old testament style warfare, something modern day soldiers weren't used to.
While Jose was predicting the hundreds of different outcomes of this 'battle' a loud BOOM! screamed through the air. It was an artillery shell from one of the National Guard Units. The impact from the one shell did a sizeable amount of damage, a thirty five Infected carriers were splatterd across the dirt but nothing major. "Who the hell gave the order?" A voice on the comm links yelled. It seemed a nervous Specialist fired upon the swarm without direct authorization. Nobody was hurt by the action but the did grab the attention from the Infected. They finished their evening brunch and prepared to find whoever fired upon their hive. "I think we pissed them off." Mark said over his link. "We? It was those weekend warriors we should put those Nimrods on the frontlines." Khalid shouted. The soldiers could hear the moans coming from the opposing army ahead. Soon they were joined by seventeen swarms of Infected. The eeries moans of the Infected were now amplified ten-fold. The Night vision scopes made them appear to be green ghouls roaming in the darkness. Jose began to put the pieces together in his head. The first waves were just the Necros simple way of testing the waters, and the United States Armed Forces played right into it. People kept forgetting these creatures were beginning to get brain waves again and could now organize, even on a primitive level. Abandoned cars were taken from the highways and made into barriers that would slow the Infected down, they also had blood and bombs infused with the FM tuners, but that was the Armies little secret. This war brought all sorts of ingenious ideas to cripple the onslaught of walking corpses storm across the country. The East Coast and West Coast were always sharing military tactics and strategies used for combat. Car bombs were just the latest and maybe not greatest, but they sure lit up the sky. The first waves of Infected were unaware they were walking into a death trap. The desert was littered with various claymores and berthas, some were for taking out the legs others were for lucky head shots. As soon as the first thousand were past the point of no return, the bombs began the rip the Earth. Several hundred bodies were engulfed in fire and shrapnel. The sight was beautiful in the eyes of the warriors standing their ground. Even the eyes in the skies were amazed by the turn about. Reports were coming in from the other sectors on the success of the Scorched Earth wave.
The soldiers were fired up from their hearts to their helmets. "Maybe this isn't so hard and we can take back the cities in no time." They thought to themselves. "If I knew it would this fun and easy I would have come in my board shorts and white tee's." others lamented. It was at that moment the dead began to emerge from the smoke. The explosions had caught the attention of over twelve thousand Infected carriers, this time the soldiers weren't dealing with shambling Ghouls, this were the heavy hitters, Stalkers and Alphas.
Stalkers were fast and brutal, Alphas may have had an unoriginal titles, but their strength and size were in a class on their own. the virus adapted to the individuals physical and mental attributes. People who were average height and temperment turned into ghouls, those who were energetic and quick turned into stalkers. Alphas were large, skilled and savage. Their bodies could take a beating and they commanded others to follow ordered. Reports were if you killed an Alpha the others would get confused and go back fending for themselves, much like Buffalo. "Stay Sharp!" Jose commanded. Below Jose's deck were four platoons of machine gunners, artillerymen, and Humvee drivers. The Humvees had mounted guns and would be used to retreat to the last lines of defense. The Infected came stamping towards the frontlines, these ones wouldn't slow down of stop until they were killed or killed their prey. In many ways they were the perfect soldiers. They weren't clouded by emotion or morals, for them humans were not a mortal enemy, but a food source and means to expand their hives, nothing more. Artillery shells were launched from the ground killing scores of Infected on each impact. The flat ground made a perfect killing zone for the Army and Marines, but the Infected brought a near limitless supply of devoted hunters. Any carrier killed in the explosions were replaced by other carriers.
Air support was limited to surveillance and supplies only for Deadfall, the rest of the Air Force was either in the clean up process in the Bay Area or making kinetic strikes all over the Greater Los Angeles metropolis. Carpet bombing were deemed necessary to either flush the Infected out or kill them in hard to reach areas. It also kept property damage down to forty five percent.
The frontlines were covered in barbed wire, hedgehogs and cement blocks. The earth was lifted by four feet in order to give the infantry a small advantage. The first Infected were five hundred stalkers and thirty five Alphas. It was obvious they had been Infected for a while due to the battle scars and caked blood on their bodies. Some had bloody stumps others were riddled with bullet holes, obviously someone forgot head shots in the process. Tracer rounds raked the ground as machine gunners were feeding hundreds of rounds into their hungry weapons. Jose ordered flares to be shot into the air in order to get a better view of the battle. Thousands of screaming Infected were descending across the plains looking for their next meal. The only thing keeping them back was artillery rounds and scared gunners.
Cpl. Mitchell was firing his M240 into a sea of undead soldiers, he claimed to have come from a long line of fierce Indian fighters dating back to Sitting bull, how he looked like a paleface was a mystery to everyone else, regardless his rounds split dozens upon dozens of bodies wide open. Mark Ton fired his M4 into the crowd of flesh eaters as well. His shots were was dead on as the others but he was making his mark just the same. The sweat of his palms were absorbed by his gloves and his shoulder was quickly getting sore. Khalid was painting his master piece during the whole fiasco. He brought his Mp3 player and was adjusting his scope while searching for his next target. "Cops never gave a damn about a negro. Pull the trigga kill a nigga he's a Hero." Khalid rapped to himself. He was up to forty-seven kills, and the night was still young.
David was quickly catching up to Khalid's score by using an MGL, he fired four grenades in a matter of seconds, the glowing spheres burned to life as they found their precious targets. He found out earlier that his MMORPG account was hacked while he was on duty, so this battle was a great way to blow off stream and it more intense then any mission in the dark realms. Jose was raining bullets on the hundreds of living dead hordes.
His M4 hit with lighting fast precision accuracy. The dead appeared more frightening through his green tinted scope. The jar heads and grunts brought fire and payback to every flesh eater as possible, blood and gunpowder intervened making a foul odor in the air. The corpses piling up were now used as stepping blocks for the dead to crawl over the barbwire and dirt mounds. One by one the machine guns were silenced as swarms of Infected began to overtake Jose's first defense line. Screams could be heard both on and off the wire. "Get them off!!!!!" One royal marine pleaded while his BDU's and liver was torn out. Another took the butt of her M14 and began smashing skulls in. The battle was turning into trench warfare like The Great War and every war before it. The Mexican gunslinger couldn't watch other soldiers fight on the ground while he sat comfortably on a high rise. He grabbed the cord attached to the left wing of the run down airplane and zipped down into the pits of hell. None of The Green Boys were aware at first of Jose's actions, but as soon as they seen him land on the ground they did whatever they could to keep their leader and homie safe. "Cover the Sarge!" Khalid ordered, even though he was a sergeant as well.
As soon as Jose hit the ground his body was already reacting to the situation at hand. Hid retrieved his M4 and began firing into a pack of Infected biting into a fallen enlisted man. He placed seven careful rounds into their skulls, killing them instantly. His next objective was finding a vacant machine gun nest and delivering a high volume payload into the living dead. His leg, still healing from the shoot out in East L.A. slowed him down as he made his way towards the nearest .50 cal. He fired bullet after bullet into any undead corpse that crossed his path. Cold blood was sprayed into the air as each round found it's intended target. Tracers zapped in all directions, he could have easily been killed by friendly fire as much as an Infected hostile. For the time being he was untouched. The other warriors around him were enamored by his presence.
He already killed twenty six Infected and had no intention of slowing down. Jose was down to his last clip as he removed his empty magazine, from out of the dark void a large black man picked up Jose with one hand and threw him across the rough earth. "Not again." Jose muttered to himself. He reached for his sidearm a 1911 Colt .45 Pistol. This gun was made to survive any scenario man or nature had to offer. The large man's body was wet and slick from the recent carnage at hand. The Spanish sarge emptied two bullets in the chest and one in the forehead before bringing down the huge beast of a man. Jose found another smart tool the army brought back the saber. Sabers were a last resort tool and could be used for many things, but killing it what made them stand out. Jose picked up the Saber and began to hack his way towards his goal. He found a Stalker trying to sink its jaws into a grunt who only had an empty M16 for protection. Jose slammed the Dead into the ground and sliced a large hole inside of its brain. Another Stalker tried to get back up after being shot everywhere but its head. He cut down the walking corpse with the edge of his blade. Jose found a Mossberg 590 shotgun with a M7 bayonet attached laying on a fallen soldier. "Thank you." Jose quietly said to the lifeless warrior.
A stalker came running from the left like a banshee, the shotgun's stopping power tore the carriers face right off allowing Jose to proceed. Another attempted to ambush him only to be greeted by pellets from his barrel. Jose noticed another body running towards him and was about to fire when he noticed it was a living breathing human being. "Sir the enemy has broken through the lines, the rest of us are down to our last clips and grenades." The soldier frantically informed. "Rally the rest of the troops tell them to fall back to November-Lima. The fight here is a stalemate at best, we have to re group with the others back in town." Jose ordered. The Spanish Sargent shot a blue flare into the sky, it was the signal for Lemming the order to retreat and gather with the other forces and mount a second line of defense. "All units with machine guns, grenades, flamethrowers meet up with the Tenth Mountain Division, We'll hold a line of defense so the rest of you can head back to HQ." Jose shouted.
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__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
A volley of anti personnel explosions rocked the earth.Hundreds of Infected carriers were destroyed in the blasts.The dead trudged across the land most of them were no attached with functional limbs and dragged their exposed bellies across the sand.Jose knew what the odds were at winning.Even if the battle was successful there were still millions more crawling in every building and highway from here to Palmdale.Deadfall would just ease the pressure and restore hope to those still trapped in occupied red zones.The battle represented something bigger than firepower or body counts.It means hope still existed in embers among the chaos.Jose had less than a hundred soldiers under his commands, compared to the siege in Oakland; the odds were a little more in his favor.Any minute now the dead would bring in one last push, the landmines created an artificial chokepoint, meaning those who didn’t want to be blown to bits would have to walk in The Green Boys line of fire.Eventually they would get through but not until several hundred of them were cut down in the process.These were the Green Boys and they were the best at what they did.
The moans got louder and louder.Each one represented a hungry ghoul in the area.Jose manned one of the last working machine gun nests, the other soldiers collected whatever rifles and shotguns they could find.The air was still, giving an eerie death call.That’s when the first twenty Ghouls steeped over the corpse steps.They were missing eyes, jaws, and limbs and were not phrased about walking into a kill zone.Jose and Chris took down the first volley while Khalid and another soldier popped head shots in any remaining carrier that got back up.No sooner were the first wave killed fifty more appeared to take their place.Behind them was a whole colony gnashing and fighting their way in.Jose’s machine gun roared savagely as he attempted to cut down swarms of hundreds.“Necros on your three and your eleven!”Khalid shouted over his rifle.Hot lead poured into the wall of death dealers.Bullets torn through blood, bone and brain tissue each kill bought a small victory.
“I’m out!”Specialist Mark Ton announced unexpectedly.Other soldiers were following suite with the same dilemma.Cpl. Mitchell had run out of ammunition after the second wave.He resorted to fighting with grenades and a saber.His blade hacked thru seven Infected hairlines in two minutes with little resistance.He threw two grenades over the dirt mound killing twelve hostiles that approached the perimeter.“Well what do we do now John Conner, I mean sir?”Khalid yelled as he emptied his last clip into a rampage Alpha and seven crawling Ghouls.Jose knew that question would be asked, and responded. “fall back inside any remaining tanks or AIV’s.”He ordered.Khalid relayed the command and the remaining teams sprinted to nearby vehicles.Jose being one to always lead by example kept firing from his newly acquired shotgun as each fighter retreated.
__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
Jose was exhausted he felt like Eleazar, one of King David’s valiant soldiers in the Old Testament.He stood his ground as the armies of Israel retreated, and in doing so killed twenty enemies.The pistolero’s grabbed for his saber as he prepared the next surge broke through the landmines.The bodies of the recently decreased soldiers began to rise as the virus began to take affect.Throngs of red-eyed devils marched over the landmines and barbed wire.Jose’s body, weak from battle, fell to the ground.His saber still clutched tightly.
Khalid and David ran as fast as they could to retrieve him, hoping to beat the walking dead to the punch.Jose looked up at the sky.The explosions and flares were very pretty; it reminded him of the Fourth of July.At least he would get to watch something spectacular before he died.The sarge thought to himself.The Infected were only fifteen feet away their feet and bodies inched ever so close, then, they stopped momentarily. They couldn’t register him as food or friend.Jose would never find out the answer for at the same moment a group of hands scooped him from the ground as a Blackhawk chimed in, guns blazing.Up in the sky Trevor Kennedy was firing a mini-gun on the multitude of demons scouring the land.The hail of bullet killed hundreds in mere seconds leaving a small gap in escaping for the team on the ground. “I hope you’re not expecting an invitation!”Trevor yelled over his mike. “Get his brown self outta there Roberts!”
“Screw you pal!”Khalid responded over the walkie-talkie.Pvt. De La Cerda was firing on top of a Challenger into a crowd of dead.“Took you long enough!”He shouted.“Maybe we should throw you out there and stall em!”Roberts replied.As each tank and truck evacuated the scene, the dead had taken the entire frontline.The Generals in charge were mounting armored strikes and requested air support from available squadrons.
__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
The Tenth Mountain Division and 75th Infantry were awaiting at their designated posts both on the ground and rooftops as the last remaining soldiers fell back. Abrams and Challenger tanks fired towards the oncoming onslaught while infantrymen began to spray liquid fire onto the wave of Infected. Dismembered and torn corpses littered the remaining battlefield while napalm entrenched the remains. David was trying to get hold of the First lieutenant in through his headset only to find out her stomach was ripped open and nose bitten clean off. "This is really FUBAR!" He muttered to himself while trying to raise the next officer in charge.
Specialist Ton was providing suppressing fire while an Australian fire team was setting up a line of explosives in order to halt the Living Dead's advance. "Oye don't drop those, you'll blow my donger off!" The officer from down under shouted. "Well if the tops didn't give us the cheap boomsticks to work with we wouldn't be having this bloody conversation!" the private said.
Their calm demeanor under a steady march of walking corpses of admirable. "Ey, Chinaman, you might wanna step back when these beauties go off." The officer said. Ton nodded his head as a replied while reaching for a fresh clip to load. The dead had surrounded one of the AFV's and an Challenger. The mechanics inside definately fired every last shell at their disposal. Pvt. De La Cerda began firing his M16A1 from the driver seat window while blasting Jedi Mind TricksUncommon Valor through the speakers. Staff Sgt. Reyes and his team was lobbing grenades from the opening hatch of a stalled Challenger tank, sending shrapnel's and fire into the undead hordes.
As Jose was getting his edge back, clear cut reports were coming in from the other desert sectors. Point Ayers was taking heavy causalities and losing troops ti thr armies of the dead while Point Webster was inflicting an eighty five percent kill rates. "At least the world will know we went down with a bang." Jose said. "I second that motion sir." Khalid replied. "Look at them, fighting not only for their country but the right to survive. Only a war like this can really show what we all are made of, this isn't about ideals or land. There can be no peace treaty or co existence. Either we go or they do." He said. Before Khalid could put in his two cents a flock of angels came speeding from the south.
"Point Bier this is Chicken hawk." A voice crackled over the mike. As soon as Jose was informed he ran over to the communication tents to relay the message. "Chicken hawk this is Sargent First Class Jose Cerasi." He responded. "Cerasi is that you? Still falling in quicksand again. Where's your commanding officers?" He voice said. "One is recovering from a shrapnel wound and another had her guts all over the sand. Neither one is a pretty sight so it seems your stuck with me." Jose said. "Be advised we are bringing some heavy heat." Estimated time is six minutes. Have your soldiers evacuate immediately, take any gear, or supplies with you this whole place has to go, Necros are swarming all over the place, half of them are crawling to avoid machine gun fire."
"Copy that Chickenhawk. Point Bier out." Jose replied. Afterward he ordered Khalid to rally the rest of the troops and fall back to the designated safe zones. One by one artillerymen, machine gunners, snipers ect. Began leaving their posts. Specialist Ton watched a renegade Stalker try to pounce on an Aussie combat engineer helping his friend off the ground. Ton ran towards the hostile with full force and smashed his skull in with the butt of his M4.
"Point Bier this is Chickenhawk." A voice crackled over the mike. As soon as Jose was informed he ran over to the communication tents to relay the message. "Chickenhawk this is Sergeant First Class Jose Cerasi." He responded. "Cerasi is that you? Still falling in quicksand again. Where's your commanding officers?" He voice said. "One is recovering from a shrapnel wound and another had her guts all over the sand. Neither one is a pretty sight so it seems your stuck with me." Jose said. "Be advised we are bringing some heavy heat." Estimated time is six minutes. Have your soldiers evacuate immediately, take any gear, or supplies with you this whole place has to go, Necros are swarming all over the place, half of them are crawling to avoid machine gun fire."
"Copy that Chickenhawk. Point Bier out." Jose replied. Afterward he ordered Khalid to rally the rest of the troops and fall back to the designated safe zones. One by one artillerymen, machine gunners, and sharpshooters began leaving their posts. Specialist Ton watched a renegade Stalker try to pounce on an Aussie combat engineer helping his friend off the ground. Ton ran towards the hostile with full force and smashed his skull in with the butt of his M4. The attack was followed up by a quick stab to the brain with his Saber. Cold blood squirted out like a freshly punctured orange.
An intense wave of heat and noise surrounded Ton as he wiped the blood on a piece of cloth. The blast ignited a hundred Infected carriers, a futile gesture on account of the thousands more still walking towards the desert but a defiant one. The Aussies grabbed Ton and began to direct him towards the safe zone.
Trevor Kennedy had run out of ammunition for his mini gun and proceeded to lob a belt of grenades into the un dead masses. The pilot looked nervous and informed him of the oncoming airdrop. Kennedy tried to protest but the sight of a C-130 and a squadron of Thunderbolts allowed the soldier to quickly change his mind. "Ok, lets go back. drinks are on me." He said.
McCall's team was escorting a Hercules C-130. The C-130 carried a GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb (MOAB) on board. A MOAB was the largest non nuclear weapon currently. The Joint Chiefs have been wanting to see if the bombs had enough firepower to eliminate a large tide of the walking dead.
__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
The Chicken Hawks flew in hot, firing thousands of rounds of hot steel from their barrels.The Living dead were slaughtered by the thousands in minutes.The smoke and dust from the ground covered the sheer display of bodies torn to oblivion.Brains were shattered and bodies looked like they were put through a meat grinder.Those whose skulls were still intact could barely move over the bloodied corpses of their fallen brethren. They appeared to flop and gnash about, like a fish out of water.Airman First Class Anne Jaime had also been part of the attack.The battle was far more personal for her because she knew her brother David was down their below, she prayed he was outside the blast radius.
The Chicken Hawks secondary task was to drop small packages in the midst of the battlefield to gather the wandering Infected into a more centralized location, now that most the of Alphas were killed at the frontlines.The packages being dropped from the air were barrels filled with human blood and a high pitched noise in order to get their attention.Ten minutes after the initial drops.The remaining Infected that happened to be approaching the battlefield were now focused on these strange yet delicious objects.The Stalkers rushed past the staggering Ghouls in order to bite the metal ornaments.
After the first wave to take down any stragglers occurred, the Mother of all Bombs was brought it.The Hercules was flying high over the battlefield.The crew abroad couldn’t see the carnage of the gutted bodies below; their imaginations were already doing the job.“Damn, after everything we have thrown at them, their still coming from Southlands.”One of the crewmembers said.“The Federales and National Guard had it the worse in Tijuana.I heard only seventeen survived that slaughter, my bet is the booth is still warm at the toll booths.”Another said.“Spearhead this is Arthur’s Courts you are authourized to precede.Good luck and Godspeed, the world will be watching.”
The loading dock opened.It revealed an open sky along with a red trail below.“They look like ants from up here.”The airman said.“And its time to bring our magnifying glass.”
__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
The MOAB fell from the sky, silently falling to earth.The darkness concealed it’s destination.Those hiding inside trenches and tanks prayed that the device would find its target and miss them completely. After what felt like an eternity, a huge orange flash rocked the ground.The impact created a huge blast and destroyed the multitudes in seconds. Bodies were shattered like toothpick models being hit by baseballs.The undead never seen the blast coming, even the Alphas were caught off guard by the surprise attacks.Satellite images captured over 75,000 dead combined with another 56,000 from the ground assaults.The bodies couldn’t even be recognized. It also revealed live feed of Infected hives slowing down.For once in since the dawn of the outbreak, something had the dead spooked.
Inside the trenches all eyes were on Jose wasn’t exactly sure what to say.“You all have done well, I am proud to lead and serve among you.This war is far from over, but at least we have shown the world they can be beaten.The almighty was smiled upon us all today.”He said.Jose then reached for a shotgun and climbed up to the surface.The view was amazing indeed.“So what do we do now sir?”Ton asked.Jose turned around and responded.“We do what Rangers always do, lead the way.”
__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
“Has he tried anything, usual or funny since the last time we spoke?”Sec. of Defense Washington asked.“No Mister Secretary.”The Templar said.“He seemed to get along with everyone.He cooperates with my men, inspections and regulations.To be honest he’s a saint compared to the warlords we’ve captured in Oakland and Sacramento.The only thing he will not oblige is discussing his plans or M.O. with anyone but you.”The black clad envoy replied.Leonard could view Eisel’s rooms.The elderly man seemed to be in good health for a man his age, and quite mobile.He did nothing but write memoirs and do research all day long.His confinement and isolation didn’t appear to bother him at all.“He must be planning to escape.”The old warhorse said.“With all due respect sir.I believe if he wanted to escape he would have tried by now, and would have succeeded.”The man replied.
“Well he wants me, here I am. Bring him in and have three extra guards escort him.”Washington said.
Four soldiers waited outside the room, each with batons and tazers at their side.The door was unlocked from the security desk across the hallway.Robert Eisel was finishing a dissertation on the mating habits of African frogs when the guards arrived to escort him. “The Secretary of Defense would like a word with you Mr. Eisel.If only you’ll give me a few minutes to become proper.It isn’t everyday a man is honored to have a guest such as Mr. Washington.”The man said.As the men accompanied Eisel, he couldn’t help but notice the extra security and armaments.“My boy is all this really necessary?I’m just an old man and have indeed no plans to flee or bring harm to anyone.”He said with an innocent glee.“It’s an added measure requested from the Sec. of Defense, nothing personal.”The Templar replied.
“I couldn’t help but notice they call your unit Templars.I’m sure it derives from The Knights Templar, an elite fighting unit such as yours from the crusades.I’m sure it brings more pride your operation.Did you know what happened to the Knights Templar?”Eisel asked.Neither one of his armed guards could give a straight answer except for, ‘they were disbanded.’“The Templar Knights were hunted down by the Pope and Aristocrats after they were no longer required.To think, the government they were defending was the same one to bring their downfall.It is quite a tragic tale.”The hallway was filled with silence once again.Robert could see that the story had struck a nerve among the men, as was intended.
__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
As the men allowed Mr. Eisel entrance, Leonard Washington sat patiently at the table, along with him a cold pitcher pf Raspberry Iced tea rested in the middle.“Ah Mr. Secretary how goes things on the surface world.I’m judging fairly well due to the fact this base is still operational and I am still breathing.”He said.
“It seems our armed forces are doing a good job of cleaning up the mess you made.I’m not so confident about the rest of the world” Washington replied.“Last time we met you were about to explain why you nearly brought about fall of man.”
“I’m offended you would even use that awful term to explain my actions of believe that was my objective at all.”Eisel said.
“Man is a fallen race; it’s been that way for generations.Ever since Cain struck his brother in cold blood, man has been getting better and better at its own destruction.I witnessed this for over many years. All the way from the deaths camps all the way to the Cuban Missile Crisis.Yet, mankind always finds a way to subside it’s destruction tendencies again and again, if only for a short amount of time.I’ve watched growing conflicts arising in the last decade.Iran threatens the wipe a certain race off the face of the earth while a dictator in the East continues his insane weapons program.Yet for some reason the world does nothing.Even China has been oppressing its citizens for decades while it grows stronger each year like a dragon.I also believe you and them are on not so even terms.I know about each countries contingency plan to neutralize and oppose on another, I can show them to you one day if you like.”Eisel said.
“So you decided to play God? Is that it?”Washington said while pouring another glass.“No on quite the contrary, I intended to save his creation from themselves.Look at the news reports and raw data.North Korea, China, Iran are all too busy fighting their own battles to even continue to even lift a finger to the west.The world has been spared another Nuclear holocaust.Such a war was inevitable and hundreds of millions of lives would have been lost in the process.”Eisel said.
Washington was momentarily stunned.The man did speak the truth, the living dead had governments more focused on their own people more than political interests.Those would could do harm now had another crisis to deal with.“And what about the United States, South America, Africa, Southeast Asia.They are no immediate threat.Why those areas, if anything they are worse off.”Washington shot back.
“The United States was just a decoy, a ruse to have other nations focused on you.Some countries wanted to help, others wanted to exploit it, and while they were guarding their front doors I sent the virus through the back.And those developing areas are a threat, a threat to those who live there.South America changes dictators more than musicians change labels, and it’s the people who have to live in fear, you C.I.A. are good at creating monsters but not so good from preventing them.Southeast Asia has numerous innocents engulfed in human trafficking.All the while your governments of any governments look on.You create protests and sanctions but get nothing done.Meanwhile woman and children are pawned off toward the highest bidder.I could no longer stand by and watch these atrocities go on any longer.
It wasn’t easy, I had to create an organization to help run and fund my operation.It took years to infiltrate and bribe various agencies and levels of government.I could have been stopped at anytime but human greed allowed me to continue my mission.I do have eyes and ears everywhere.If I so choose I could have spread the plague at a major event of even in a nation’s capital, but I am not a mad man, merely a visionary.”
A visionary, that’s how the man described himself.It took all of Leonard’s strength to not snap the man’s neck where he stood.Over twenty years on combat experience, It wouldn’t be hard.It also wouldn’t solve the problem at hand, which was why the Man was still allowed to live.
“I see I have struck a nerve with you Mr. Washington.That was not my intent.My intent was to explain myself and let you do with the information as you will.Nothing I have said will destroy my organization or stop the plans that have already been set.There really are only two options.Either the human race puts asides it’s selfish tendencies and eradicates the infection, or they can continue to go about their live and allow the living dead to shallow them whole.If the latter occurs there are various ‘arks’ my organization has constructed.They will be able to house thousands of people during the fall of man.In such we shall start over, and bring about a new Eden.
__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
“So that’s it.You’ve put the world in fear and think nothing of it.”Washington said.“Fear is a powerful motivator.Fear creates action, it creates change.”Eisel replied.“From the looks of your eyes, I can tell you want to kill me.You have all the knowledge you want, I am of no further use of you.”Eisel replied.
“You truly do not fear dying do you Mr. Eisel?”Washington said.“Mister Secretary, when the dead are coming back to life, dying is the least of all our worries.”The sly fox said.Eisel and the old Warhorse exchanged glances.It was like watching two Alpha males, competing for dominance.The reports said how persuasive and friendly the old man was, perhaps too friendly.If the breach of security was true, then the biggest threat came from within.Leonard nodded o the glass mirror.It was the signal for security to open the door.The sliding door opened, Leonard silently stood up and headed for the exit, never once taking his eyes off his prisoner.“Have a nice day Mister Secretary, and I’m glad your daughter was returned safely.”Robert said.
Leonard walked to the security room, calm yet jittery.He’s set up everything from the beginning.The only reason he was captured is by his own hand.” I want an immediate change in security and location.This site and personnel may be compromised.”He said to the Lieutenant.“Sir, with all due respect. I’ve personally trained and evaluated these men.We conduct random security sweeps inside and out of this area.
“My issue is not in your opinions, but your abilities to follow orders.Now begin the transition, immediately.”Washington said.“Yes Mister Secretary.”
The whole game had change. For once,Leonard Washington didn’t know where to begin.
__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
SFC Jose Leon and his troops arrived to Outpost 57 via air transport.The sight below him made his stomach drop.Hundred of dead bodies were littered outside main gates of the makeshift fortress.His mind went to Stephanie, and then Liana, and the others.A thousand ideas poured through his head.His hands began to shake, and knees wobbled.The Soldier had only five hours sleep since Operation Deadfall was deemed a success.Immediately after waking up, David Jaime received a distress signal from Outpost 57.Without hesitation or authorization, Jose, Trevor and Khalid jumped on the nearest.Blackhawk in order to help those trapped inside 57.
“What do you think they’ll do to us?”Khalid asked.“Whip you for going a missing.”Jose replied. “Oh lordy lordy, I’ll never roam again.”Khalid snapped.He teased his superior in order to calm him from the anguish inside.They were close friends, and wouldn’t want to fight alongside anyone else during Armageddon.As the plane touched down, He could see the outside was empty.He readied an M14 while Khalid borrowed a Heckler and Koch MP-5 from Trevor.Both soldiers scanned the area, looking for signs of survivors or Infected.There were tell-tale signs of a struggle.Holes on the gates and bloodstains against the walls.
Suddenly, there were familiar gunshots coming from on top of the roof.Jose tried running, but his leg was still sore from the gunshot wounds days earlier.Khalid raced up the ladder in order to find the origin of the noise.He prepared his mind for a bloodbath.“You gotta do it”.He said to himself.On the roof were two women.One was firing an M16A1, the other was using an AR-15 carbine.They were firing into a staggering crowd of undead carriers.Khalid didn’t want to startle them and get shot, so he did what anyone would have done, he threw an empty can of soda at their backs.
“What the hell?!”The crack shot said.She turned around and seen a fellow sharpshooter as well.There was a plethora of questions for each other.Khalid chose the most logical. “Do you have a boyfriend and what happened here?”He asked.“The first question is none of your business and the second, a fight with-in.”
“Please explain lady.”Khalid asked.“Somebody didn’t do second and third inspections, an infected family came in.They tried to hide their bite wounds.The healthy ones couldn’t kill their youngest kid.I don’t blame them.She looked normal though.With in hours the virus took over and she began biting people, and it was like a domino effect.At least that’s what I believe happened.People tried using blot cutters and trucks to get out.They succeeded, and when they got out, the dead got in.There are a few survivors inside, a few soldiers and their families.The chaplain made it too.
The General’s daughter and I managed to get a hold of some weapons and began killing them all from here.The hill gives us an advantage.There easy to see.So how did the battle go?”
“Well, we managed to kill as many as we could, they are on the run now. I’m sorry we didn’t make it in time.”Khalid said.
“I understand.So who else is here?”Liana asked.The battle had taken a toll on her mind; she hadn’t registered the carnage her mind endured.“It’s just us.We didn’t have authorization to even b here.Who knows what’s going to happen now.”
Stephanie had run out of bullets on her rifle.Her father had taken her to the ranger many times since she was young; most people underestimated her skills with a cold steel.
“Where’s Jose?”She said.Her eyes were flooded with dread and excitement.“Down below, probably looking for you.”He said.The young gunfighter threw they gun down and rushed to the edge of the roof in order to find her true love.Jose was looking for her everywhere.He left no tent unlooked or porta-pottty unopened.She ran to him as her heart pumped faster and faster.By the time he turned around she had already pushed him on the ground and planted kisses on his face.
“Ah! My leg babe!”He said.“I’m sorry, my sexy-mexy.” She said.“Maybe I should get shot more often.”He said to himself.“What a smart ass.”She replied.Suddenly a bright spotlight descended upon them.It came from a humvee.The second light came from the bottom of a Blackhawk helicopter.The United States Army had been a day late and a dollar short.“Sergeant First Class Leon.You better be alive?”A voice said.
Stephanie was still planting kisses on her love and just laughed. “My father is going to have a few choice words for you, but then again. I always liked the bad boy.”
__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
Jose, Khalid and Trevor were escorted to the nearest military tent.Outpost 57 was currently under investigation while Hazmat teams and Marine engineers cleaned up the massacre.Trevor could have sworn he stepped over some brain matter while two military police firmly sat him down.For a few seconds nobody said a word.Khalid made some stupid faces at the guards while Jose scratched himself.From the corner exit, a lean elderly gentleman entered the room.Jose could tell this guy was no west point froot loop from the way he presented himself.Khalid even stood up straight and kept his arms to his side.Trevor immediately recognized the officer from his early days as a Templar.
“Gentlemen, I’m General Logan Reese.It seems we have a little subordinate issue on our hands.You commandeered a government issues aircraft, left your post and cost the taxpayers money all in the name of your little stunt.Frankly, I’m impressed.It takes balls to do the right thing, even when society would have you do otherwise. If my family were in danger I’d cross a minefield in order to save them.Unfortunately, your commanding officers and other members of brass want to make an example of you.It also doesn’t help when one of you happens to be a ticking time bomb.”
The three soldiers looked around pretending to be stunned, but everyone knew he was talking about Jose.He was the only infected carrier to show no signs of the symptoms.It gave him an edge, but also painted a bulls eye on him.
“I wish I could make this go away, but sadly I must follow the rules. So, I’m going to send you on a trip. A three month trip instead.”He said.The General began passing around manila folders with classified documents inside.Khalid poorly hid his curiosity.
“Africa! Asia?!”He said.“What the hell is this about?? Sir.”
“I’m glad to asked soldier.”General Reese replied.“This is a goodwill mission.Our nation may have got lucky by halting the spread.Other countries have not.Russian military is quickly being pushed back to the seas while The Chinese are just now desperate enough to allow support in defending their capital and evacuating civilians.There are a few other countries on the list as well.Your mission is to help eradicate the Necros abroad.This may be our way to strengthen ties with those countries.I don’t what the outcome may be, all I know is this.If mankind must fall then it will be together.”
“You all have a weeks leave before you head off.I suggest you spend it wisely.That will be all.”With that, the general left the area.Everyone’s eyes were still wide open. Khalid had to break the silence once again. “Oh this is some ol’ bull…!”
__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.”- John 3:19
Vietnam
Coordinates: Unknown
The aircraft rumbled while cutting through the misty background. The soldiers inside joked and teased one another. The Green Boys consisted of, Sgt. Khalid Roberts. Specialist Mark Ton and David Jaime.Cpl. Chris Mitchell and newbie PFC Germaine Ferrier had signed up for the abroad mission.Because he piloted the helicopter that took Jose to Outpost 57, Agent Trevor Kennedy had to tag along as well.Unlike previous operations, Jose wasn’t in charge.The man leading Operation Salvation’s Tide was Alan Torres.Alan was what the men considered a lifer. He had been in under Uncle Sam’s command since the sixties.He had served in Vietnam and the C.I.A. alongside Jose’s uncle.Currently, Vietnam had become a No Man’s Land.The Infected had pushed back most military forces and citizens into the Central highlands, or to the Pacific Ocean. the Dead were slowly expanding to Laos and Thailand. The Vietnamese claimed they made a profound discovery at one of their outposts off the Mekong. However, the outpost hasn't made contact in over several days. The team was given two days to retrieve a special package in exchange for military assistance from the United States.
Secretary Washington had authorized Torres participation under Operation Salvation’s Tide only a week before the mission.As far as the men were aware of, it was a simple search and rescue mission.Typically Rangers weren’t sent in for these types of Joint operations, but the Red Crisis had made strange bed fellows.Torres was instructed to find a village in the thick of the jungle and bring back a valuable package. His secondary order was to keep an eye on Jose and eliminate him if he began to develop symptoms.Washington believed The Green Boys would fail to pull the trigger when push cam to shove.
The men were instructed to enter the jungle under the cover of night and receive the package.A Seal team would be waiting for extraction via the river.Khalid turned off Tupac’s Killuminatti as Torres gave the heads up.“Soldiers, we are a go.”He said.With in merely seconds, the men were sliding down the long dark rope.Each man wondered if it was the last time they would ride in a helicopter alive.The air was humid, and the wet season presented a mist that permeated the ground.The men had to be quiet and steadfast.There were reports of guerilla fighters taken advantage of the outbreak while Infected carriers from the villages began to scour the bush for prey.Torres believed there was a connection between the two.
The half moon shone brightly under the darkness.The light exposed a beautiful valet with gracefull waterfalls.The ground was full of marshlands due to the wet seasons.The splash of the water gave off a smoothing presence.The insects and animals cried out in the bush.Whether it was out of fear or notthe soldiers couldn’t tell. As the men walked, the jungle became darker and more frightening.The Green Boys lost their nerve a little bit.They had been trained for Jungle Warfare at Ranger school, but their training didn’t include bloody thirsty zombies.The Rangers filled to night vision while their other senses adjusted.Jose’s senses began to go off the radar.It made him twitch a little bit.“They’re all around us.” He quietly said.“What?”Khalid asked.
“Infected, their hungry, and they already had a feast not to long ago.”He said.Khalid didn’t know how much he bought into Jose’s newfound abilities.But he knew Jose had never steered him astray so far.There was an orange glow in the distance.“Sir should we check it out?”Specialist Ton asked.He had a personal stake in the mission.His distance relatives still lived in Vietnam, particularly this region of the country.
“No can do soldier.We are on a limited time frame; it also might give away our position.”Torres ordered.The conversation ended there.While the end walked closer to their destination, the make out what the orange glow was.A village was on fire.The smoke rose from amidst the flames.There were awful screams of villagers trying to escape.In the few seconds it took to register.The monsters came out of the darkness.Dozens of Infected carriers ripped apart villagers while dragging their remains back into the darkness.The men tried to defend the woman and children with spears and other tools to no avail.Others were trapped inside burning huts, their lungs engulfed by smoke.While only Ton could understand what they were saying, the terror was universal.
“We have to do something sir.”Jose said.Khalid backed him up with a, “You got that right.”His M14 lined up parallel to the burning huts. Torres turned around looked at Jose in the eye and said. “And what would you do soldier.How would you save those people and carry out the mission at hand.”Torres wasn’t a heartless man, merely a logical one. “If we stay and help them, we lose valuable time and potentially give away our position.”He said.
“But if we do nothing sir, this battle isn’t worth fighting. I’d rather be court marshaled then stand by, sir. I suggest me and Jihad Joe pound a few rounds into their skull while the rest of you find the Village.What are a few minutes and a few bullets to Uncle Sam anyway.” He said.
Torres was in awe of the young soldier standing before him. Jose reminded Alan of himself, in the same exact jungle many years ago.But he didn’t have the moral fiber or will like Jose did. “You know, my reports said, Sgt. Roberts was the defiant one.”Torres remarked.“Well I guess my middle-eastern amigo is rubbing off on me.”Jose said.“That’s not the only thing being rubbed!!”Jaime said.
“Then Sergeant Roberts and Specialist Ton will stay here until the threat is neutralized.The rest of you, we leave in two.”Torres said.
“Thank you sir.” Ton said.“De nada soldier.”The agent replied.
The remaining soldiers sprinted quickly through the Jungle.Trevor wished they all would have stayed and killed every single one them, but he knew he’d would get another chance later.The sun was beginning to rise from over the horizon.The sunlight broke through the trees as well as the fear in the men’s hearts.Long patches of grass blocked the ground the men were walking on.“Stay sharp, we don’t know what’s on the ground.They could be lying in wait.It takes on blunder gentlemen.” Torres said calmly. “Oh man I didn’t need to hear that dude.”Ferrier said.“Well that’s just how it goes.”Mitchell remarked.His face was covered in camouflage; it gave the impression of a vengeful jungle spirit.
__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
“Cut the feedback.We need total silence.” Torres said. “It’s like dealing with highschoolers.”He thought to himself.The Green Boys entered the improvised outpost carefully.The village had scattered tents and huts.There was barbed wire that covered various points of the perimeter.Two guard towers were empty.There were no bullet holes of blood.It was as if they had simply been deserted.Agent Kennedy and PFC Ferrier flanked to the left while Jaime and Torres entered straight through.It wasn’t the most strategic plan, but time was of the essence, and the Dead would be picking up their scent soon.
“This is Special Operations Officer Torres.We are here under the Joint authority of the United States and Republic of Vietnam.Are their any survivors? Xin chào các b?n! ng??i s?ng sót*?”Torres waited for an answer. There noting but the silence of the morning air.The Intelligence Officer began to prepare for the worse.Many years ago, he remembered coming to an unknown village in South Vietnam, it turned out to be an ambush, only he and two others made it out alive.One of them was Jose’s uncle.
“Xin chao hòn bi”* A voice said in the distance. “Please keep safeties un-switched.”
A short man with a tattered olive dabbed shirt but well polished hat.He was three red stripes, a rank higher than a mere grunt in the Vietnamese Army.The soldier walked out of a small hut with his 9mm sub-machine gun in the air.
“You speak English?”Torres asked.
“More than grandfather, Mr. Torres.I am Trung SiAnh Dung, the last of militia forces.”He said.
“ A Trung Si is a sergeant, correct?” Torres said.
“Yes.” Anh Dung said.
“If that’s true, where’s everyone else?” Torres demanded, never taking his finger off the firing switch.
“The plague hit us hard. It spread from the Laos and Thailand. Hospitals and tourist zones were worse places to be.Our equipment is not advanced as other countries.That didn’t kill our courage or honor. My father and his father held out against the French and the Japanese.Our generation took up the fight as well.They were not the invaders we normally trained for.They eyes are red and soulless like devils.The locals call them Quy. Demons.
__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
“We have six survivors.There were forty-five people only four days ago.”Anh Dung said. “They came at night. Crawl through bushes.We still believed them mindless.That was a grave mistake on our part.The first Quy’s run past our gunfire and mines.Are weapons aren’t as powerful as yours or other countries, but we make up for it with sharp shooting.We hold them off.The devils scream and howl through the night.A scout ran for help in dead of night.They only found a red hat by dawn.By day three many men leave the fort.
They run back to defend their own villages and families.At night we can hear them attacking other villages and huts.It’s as if they know we can’t leave and help other people.My commanding officer fought two that got past of defenses.He was bitten.He took his life after killing both Quy.Now I am in charge.”
“I’m sorry for your losses.We’ll escort your people out of here, right after I examine the girl.”Torres said. “I’m going to ask that you temporarily hand over any weapons at your disposal.”
“I’m sorry, but my standing orders are to ensure the girls security.My weapons will not be leaving my side or any soldier’s side.Surely you understand.”Anh said.
“Then I’m sorry for our current predicament.Sergeant First Class Leon, Specialist Jaime, please retrieves Mr. Nguyen’s arsenals, and search for his friends as well.Our orders supersede his code of conduct.”Torres said.
Jose and David were hesitant to carry out the command.But they were given orders.The Sergeant walked towards Nguyen.His weapon held at a forty-five degree angle.Suddenly, his body began to twitch.His insides began burning.He could barely walk towards Anh Dung.
“Jose is losing his crap!”Trevor said. “Somebody do something!”
“Get him on his back.”Specialist Jaime said.
“Nobody get anywhere near him. Jaime say on Anh Dung. Pop one in him if he moves.”Torres ordered.
The combat veteran pulled out his Colt .45 and walked towards Jose.He was briefed from his superiors that his body would react to the virus eventually; the vaccine secretly inserted inside his body was merely a placebo.The infected soldier had been closely watched by various branches and agencies.Torres deemed it necessary to put Jose out of his misery once and for all.Meanwhile on the ground, Jose was flooded with emotions. Fear. Hunger, Anger. The Hunt.The Infected’s instincts rolled through Jose’s mind.They were coming.They were being lead by something more sinister.
__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
Across the river, Sgt. Khalid Roberts and Specialist Mark Ton had engaged several hostiles.
“Ton, get your cousins and let’s haul ass!”Khalid barked over the comm link.
“I’ve found two non-infected. Leaving in a few.”Specialist Ton said.
“Dammit! There’s Necros on your eleven and twelve.We won’t have a few.”Roberts spat.
The crack shot aimed his modified M14 at the river village.He pounded half a clip into a small herd of Dead carriers.Their heads popped like zits under the force of the bullets.Stalkers and Ghouls poured from the woodwork.Khalid concentrated on the Stalkers.His clip blasted away at their necks and skulls.Blood and rotted flesh splattered across the green backdrop.While Khalid created a wall of bullets, Mark was instruction two Viet fishermen to grab any weapons and clothes they could find.
He heard the footsteps of homicidal corpses. Their small footsteps began to grow louder.Their moans of hunger sent chills down his soul.Ton held the butt of his shotgun against his shoulder.A mangled body began to reanimate and stand up.The sight disgusted every sense known to Mark.He lined the barrel up against the face, and fired away.The buckshot slammed through the carriers face and out the back of the skull.The Infected was only thirteen years old, the same age of Ton’s younger sister.As the soldier and the villagers made a mad dash for the shallow river, two more Undead ran from the shadows.A bright flash of yellow and orange cut through their bodies.Ton loaded two more shells into the lock before running himself.
Through his scope, Khalid could see other bodies rising.The virus was coursing through their bodies.He placed mercy shots inside each of their craniums.
Another twisted observation smacked him like a freight train, the Infected choose which victims would be eaten and which victims would join their ranks.
__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
Khalid slapped a fresh clip inside his rifle while Mark and his new guests sloshed across the stream.“Congrats Hong Kong Phooey, you saved two rice farmers and managed to give away our position.”He said.
“What the hell are you talking about?”Ton said.
“That’s what.”Khalid said.
A strong swarm of the dead stormed across the village. They came on various shapes and sizes. They all had blood shot eyes and bite marks.Dozens had exit wounds from blades and bullets.Others had uniforms from the Vietnamese military, a couple had Chinese insignia.They sniffed the air and stood at the riverbank.It was as if some unseen force had ordered them to stay put.Khalid froze still.He had fought through in Africa and the Middle-East.Just when he had the Dead all figured out, they always pulled a new stunt.His finger was still on the firing switch, but he couldn’t squeeze the trigger.
“They know we’re here, they are staring at us.”Khalid murmured.
“Khalid, Sergeant. We have to move out.”Mark Ton.
Amongst the horde, a young woman walked through the crowd.Her face was bloodied and her clothes were tattered. But she didn’t appear infected.The Living Dead just stared at her and bobbed back and forth.She picked up a hand and cut it off with a curved blade.Her teeth sunk into the morsel with glee.She tore it apart like a chicken finger.It she got bored playing with her food, the girl threw the hand into the crowd.Her eyes turned towards the river.Her eyes sensed the Ranger’s intrusion.The twisted woman put her feet into the shallow river.A loud hiss was let out, and the hell hounds were set loose.
__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
Alan flicked the safety off his sidearm and began to approach Jose cautiously.
“Son, if your still one of us you better let me know right now.” He said.
“We gotta do something man.” Germaine said.
“There’s really nothing we can do. We either shoot Torres or shoot Jose, and how’s that going to look on trial. I’m sorry General, my gun accidentally went off. Negro please.” Trevor said.
“Nobody interfere.” The gunman said. After twitching around for a few more seconds, Jose’s body shut down. His mind, his nerves, everything. The men hoped he wouldn’t piss himself. Torres crouched down and kept the gun at bay. Suddenly Jose’s body jump started itself like a rebooted computer. Using lighting speed he managed to disarm Alan and throw him to the ground. The nine millimeter now gripped in Jose’s hands. It happened so fast Alan couldn’t react in time. Especially now that his sidearm was pointed directly at his forehead.
“No sudden moves or tricky CIA maneuvers. I have a few questions. We all have a few questions, and your going to answer them.” Jose said. “What were you planning to do with this gun? And why are we here for some kid?”
“I was told to eliminate you in case you began to turn and became unstable. The higher up’s have deemed you a liability. The only reason you’re not locked away is for observation.” Torres said.
“Under whose orders exactly?” Jose said.
“Secretary of State’s Washington. You’re soon to be father in law. It seems King Saul has been making deals with the devil in the darkness. After all of this is done, he’ll be coming after his shepherd boy.”
“And the package, Why is it so important?” Jose demanded.
“You think you’re the only immune individual? There’s only a few hundred around the world. We have kept it in the dark because most cases don’t last long enough to be tested. People are demoralized enough. We are on the losing side of this war, many options are being looked at. Nuclear arms have been considered a factor. The best hope we have is sampling the blood from those who have survived the initial symptoms. There’s a girl here, was bitten only two weeks ago. The family reported the incident to the local authorities. By the time they arrived to pick up the corpse, they found a healthy little girl instead. Unfortunately there wasn’t a standing government around to extract her. That’s where we come in.” Torres said.
“This better not be some sort of Mickey mouse game.” Jose said, as he kept his index heavily on the trigger.
“He’s not.”
A voice said from behind a small hut. A young woman in her late twenties walked out from behind a fortified hut. She had dirty blonde hair, clear skin and eyes greener than a field harvest. “I’m Emma Drake. I am a the international outreach initiative assisted to help in these parts. I was the one who called in the anomaly. Even though we didn’t expect her to survive, my colleagues and I held faith. We believe that’s the reason she is still alive. I’ve heard. You’re a man of faith as well, and you share the same disease, yet the symptoms have not consumed you.”
“That is one way to put it. Can I see the girl?” Jose asked.
“Of course.” Emma said.
She motioned for Anh Dung to retrieve the young girl and bring her out for the soldiers to see. As the sergeant took off, Jose gave the gun back to Alan, who was still laying on the wet ground.
“We’re soldiers, not killers.” Jose said.
The rest of the soldiers released a sigh of relief as the tension began to cool down.
A sixteen year old girl walked out of the wire laced hut. She was 5’3, had almond eyes and charcoal black hair. She was very chipper for a girl who survived contact with the Living Dead and lived to tell about it. Jose slung his rifle back over his shoulder and bowed to the young lady.
“I, Oahn. You know my customs?” She said.
“That is correct.” Jose said. “How do you feel?”
“I feel warm all the time.” She said.
“You get used to it.” Jose replied.
Oahn went on to explain, “At first it burned, I was very afraid. The blood wouldn’t stop leaving my body. I was thought I would die. My parents tried to keep it a secret. But my screams brought notice. They villagers said, I would become a Quy like my sister. She had bitten a fisherman and ran off into the woods. We never found her. The others felt I was a danger to all. The elders wanted to kill me. Bu the missionaries tell them to lock me up in shed and wait till I turned. I sat there alone and in sorrow. I pray to anyone who could heed my answer. Then a soothing voice tell me he is here to comfort me. I believe it was the Christ the missionaries speak of. After suffering many days, the pain goes away and I am renewed. The doctors check me, and they can find no illness in me. Miracle I say. I pray for my sister, but I fear she is lost in the woods. She very wicked indeed, I think she wanted to become like Quy.”
“Well your safe now. We’re here to take to out of here. Back to America. You’re a very special girl, you can save many lives.” Jose said.
“My family is gone, what choice do I have?” She said.
“Your part of the Lord’s family, the biggest one of all. But we will mourn the loss of your village when we get away from here. I promise.” Emma interjected.
Before Jose could ask more questions, the comm link went haywire. Gunfire could be heard over the POP. POP. POP of small arms fire.
“I hope your all ready because we’re bringing unexpected guests.” Khalid said.
“How many?” Torres asked.
“Two living. Thirty undead.” Khalid retorted. “Please don’t not panic and shoot us.”
Torres snapped back into instinct immediately.
“We leave in two minutes people. We have hostiles coming in from the south. I told Ton that village would bring us hell.” He said.
“So what’s our position sir? Fight or flight” Pvt. Ferrier asked.
“Flight. We didn’t come for a firefight. The Seal team is waiting to extract us.” Torres said.
“But the bush is crawling with Necros, sir.” Ferrier said.
“If I may put in my two cents. Sgt. Nguyen, has told me of a hidden underground route. It’s been here since the Tet offensive.” Emma said.
“Sweet, sweet memories.” Torres muttered. “So where is this route and where will it take us?”
“It has many paths, depends where you want to go?” Sgt. Nguyen said.
“Take us down stream.” Torres said. “I’ll take care of the rest.”
“I need your word, you’ll take as many people as you can.” Sgt. Nguyen.
“If this is some threat or scheme to save your own skin, your barking up the wrong tree.” Torres said.
“No, my men will stay and fight just take the girl, the doctor and my nephew, he’s the one holding the M16.” Nguyen said.
“Deal.” The Operative replied.
“Vo Chinh, take these people, they’ll lead you to safety. Honor our family and our nation.” Anh said.
“Yes uncle.” Vo Chinh said with tears. He wanted to express with love and loyalty to his uncle, but he knew the best way to was to remain on course and fulfill a dying man’s order.
In the distance, four figures running towards the camp. One was firing into the bushes while the other was loading shells into his moss dale trench shotgun. It was Sgt. Roberts and Specialist Ton along with there two new friends.
“When they arrive, Sergeants Nguyen, Leon and myself will be providing suppressing fire. Jaime and Ferrier will keep in contact with the gunboat. Sergeant Roberts will be in charge until we fall back.”
The Living Dead marched towards the outpost with deep hunger. They had consumed the surrounding villages and now had their sights set on the noises. Bullets were taking down their ranks quickly. Blood and brain matter turned the green background red. They were ordered not to rush, not yet anyway. Roberts and Ton were given a brief moment to catch their breath before rounding up the survivors. Lance Cpl. Mitchell was setting up a small explosive zone using claymores. The Infected walked closer to the village while the soldiers mounted a makeshift defense. Birds and other creatures in the area here fleeing with the rotting corpses. Their god given instincts motioning for them to get the hell out of dodge. Torres and the others waited until head shots could be increased. The Quy's stepped of the darkness and into the camp's sight. Ton had estimated thirty, but clearly more had joined the party.
__________________ "Last name Ever. First name Greatest. Like a Lightsaber, boy I ain't nothing to play with."
