up this way and begin carting supplies south. I think we can inventory all of this and leave a lot of it up here, replenishing as necessary. We’ll also have to gather more shipping containers. The only problem might be securing the place sufficiently. We can lock the rolling doors no problem but the security doors will be the problem. Anything we put on the outside can easily be cut. I suppose we could restore the generators and search the office spaces for the security codes.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I say happy we won’t have to continue going into possible night runner lairs searching of supplies.
We’ve been fairly lucky to this point but we push the odds each time we have to go inside a building. Plus, we can now clear out the area around our sanctuary without any fear of destroying supplies we need. This has been a good find. We load up and head back south. Passing by the bases, I see the sign for Madigan. The thought of our wall keeping the night runners in surfaces and I’m curious about the results. We don’t have much daylight left but make a note to visit tomorrow. Arriving back in the compound, I take Robert and Bri out for training before the sun begins to cast the last of its rays across our little space on earth.
Bannerman gives a basic rundown of our inventory at our meeting. He describes a plan for organizing crews to gather additional shipping containers, a full inventory of supplies, and provide a list of items to keep stocked on hand. He’ll take a couple of teams with him to provide security and to help search for the security codes.
“We’ll have plenty of supplies now so that just leaves the housing to work out. The walls will be up soon. When do you think we’ll be able to move into the housing?” Bannerman asks finishing up with his brief.
“I was thinking of taking Red Team up and look at the walls around Madigan tomorrow. With our supplies settled, I want to start clearing this area out and will take Craig, Robert, and Bri up to start getting them acquainted with the AC-130. I’ll gather the manuals as well and start training on the weapon systems. I was thinking about using Red Team for the crew. Anyway, my point is that we’ll look at the walls around the hospital and see what’s going on before making plans to move into the housing up there,” I answer.
“We can make do with what we have for the time being but it’s growing a touch crowded in here. It’s only a matter of time before that spills over into tempers,” Bannerman says.
“Okay, I’ll let you know what I find out. What about the man at the gate today? Did you manage to find out anything?” I ask Drescoll.
“Nothing. He doesn’t remember a thing. Only vague recollections but nothing of significance,” Drescoll answers. “I’ll keep talking with him but I don’t think we’ll get much. Julie’s memories haven’t returned yet either.”
“Alright but keep an eye on him. What turns once can turn back. I almost want to quarantine him until we can be assured. Julie seems to be okay, providing she was even one of them once. I’m still not convinced that’s what happened but we need to be safe,” I say.
“I’ll make sure someone keeps an eye on him until we’re sure,” Lynn says.
“Okay, I guess that’s all unless anyone has something else,” I say. No one does and we head to our small rooms for the night.
The next day I head north with Craig and Red Team. We’ll check out the walls and then take the AC-130 up for a quick flight so everyone can get used to the small differences. Most of the differences are in the back so we’ll pull the manuals and start studying. I’m anxious to get started clearing the area around Cabela’s now that our supply situation has been satisfied. I would just take bulldozers, copious amounts of C-4, or just use Bradley’s but I want to actually take out the night runners rather than just clearing possible hiding places for them. The AC is ideally suited for that.
Pulling up to the large steel gate, I open up and cast outward. I don’t sense anything within the immense facility but I can’t trust that. I didn’t sense any when we were getting our chutes down south but they were definitely there. I exit and, with the rest of Red Team, open up the gates. Looking to the sides with the possibility of seeing night runners where they starved to death outside, my heart stops. I mean literally stops before starting again with a heavy pound.
“You have to be fucking kidding me?” I say.
“What the hell?” Robert says at my side. “Why would anyone do that?” He says looking at a stack of chairs, tables, lamps, gurneys, pillows, and other miscellaneous stuff piled against one of the walls.
“Oh shit!” He says as the realization of what happened filters in.
“Oh shit is right,” I say feeling the icy feeling of dread sink to my stomach.
Just when things seem to be going right and we actually seem to be becoming more secure and safe. Staring at the piles of objects stacked against the wall, I now feel as if we were actually barely treading water and are now sinking. I walk over to the area and notice the grass trampled flat to the point that most of the area is bare earth. There is no doubt in my mind they scaled the wall and escaped. The sheer number of night runners it took to trample the area flat like this must have been immense. It almost makes me feel like giving up as we just can’t seem to get ahead. The walls, which we’ve spent an eternity on and relied on to provide safety, are not exactly rendered moot but they aren’t as secure as we thought.
“Base, Jack here,” I say into the radio staring at the large pile of crap still not believing what I’m seeing.
“Go ahead, Jack,” I hear.
“Get Bannerman and Lynn but clear everyone else away from the radio,” I say.
“Will do, Jack. Stand by.”
“Jack, what’s up? Why clear everyone away from the radio?” I hear Lynn ask.
“Can anyone else hear me?” I ask.
“No, Jack. You’re good. What’s going on?” Lynn says. I tell them what we just found.
There is a pause on the other end. “That’s all kinds of fucked up. Are you sure that’s what happened?” Lynn asks.
“Yeah, I’m sure,” I answer. “Is Bannerman there?”
“Yeah, I’m here, Jack,” I hear Bannerman say.
“Okay. We need to divert the wall crews now. We’re going to need an inside walled compound built with towers. Lynn, if you can still hear me, gather the other team leaders. I’m on my way back. Think about how to tell the others as well,” I say.
“I’ll call the crews now and divert them. Lynn says she’ll get the others. See you when you get here,” Bannerman says.
“Okay, let’s turn this around,” I tell Red Team.
“Sir, what does this mean?” McCafferty asks.
“It doesn’t mean we are exactly fucked right now but the doc is lubing up his gloved finger,” I answer.
“We’ve been through worse. We’ll get through this as well, sir,” Gonzalez says.
“Damn straight. We’re going to get the manuals right now and study them hard. Then we’re going to turn the Spooky (AC-130) loose,” I say.
“Hooah, sir,” Gonzalez says. I sincerely think she says that just to see me roll my eyes.
After dropping by the aircraft and picking up the manuals, we head back to Cabela’s to discuss this new development. The fact that the night runners were able to get over the walls drastically changes our plans and our measure of feeling secure. The knot that has formed in my stomach tightens even more with the thought that the night runners have the capability to penetrate the walls.
Pulling into the parking lot at what I once thought to be our secure sanctuary, I hurry inside. Lynn has gathered the team leaders that aren’t out on assignments. I quickly detail my observations at Madigan which brings a silence to the group as each ponders for themselves what this means.
“Well, it’s obvious our walls aren’t going to be able to hold the night runners out on their own,” Lynn says breaking the silence.
“So much for our move to base housing. At least I’m assuming we won’t be able to do that as the houses themselves aren’t secure,” Drescoll says.
“Yeah, I think we need to drop the idea of moving to the bases for now,” I reply.
“That still leaves us with the problem of housing then,” Bannerman says.
“True. I believe we need to think about building quarters here in the compound. I think that will be quicker than fortifying the houses up there and it will leave us with the building here as a secure fall back point. Let’s table that for now though and talk about what we need to do to beef up our security here,” I say.
“I think your idea of building another inside wall to create an inner compound is a good idea,” Robert chimes
