They got to the first bridge and Olga continued down the pier followed by Steinholtz.
“Steinholtz,” Barney snapped. “Get up on the breakwater,” he said, pointing.
“By myself?” Steinholtz said.
“Oh, God Lord,” the Sergeant Major snapped. “We’re all bloody following
“What?” Steinholtz said.
“Just cross the bloody bridge! It’s not as if there are zombies! The road is bloody clear!”
“Actually, there are, Sergeant Major,” Olga said, pointing. A lone infected had finally found its way to the flock of seagulls feasting on the dead and was now loping down the breakwater. It had a ways to go to get to the group and was still better than two hundred meters away. “Well, one.”
“Can I shoot ’im?” Steinholtz said, racking a round into his weapon.
“Oh, let’s just
Steinholtz raised his weapon and started firing. And firing. And firing.
The zombie had slowed. Not because it had been hit, but because it was emaciated and clearly out of energy. If it even noticed the group it wasn’t apparent. And it definitely didn’t notice the fire.
“Steinholtz,” the Sergeant Major said, pushing through the group and placing his hand on the weapon. “Before you run out of bullets, we’ll just cross the bridge, shall we?”
“But its… ” The infected was still more than a hundred meters away but he was clearly unhappy getting near it.
“Cross the bridge, Steinholtz,” Barney said, giving him a light push. “We’re going to have a demonstration of why one doesn’t attempt to fire from a
He got the reluctant former security guard to cross the bridge then got him down in the prone position on the dirt road of the breakwater. The zombie had closed to maybe seventy-five yards and was starting to speed up with fresh meat so close.
“Now, take a deep breath and shoot the zombie in the chest, Steinholtz,” Sergeant Major Barney said. “One round only.”
Steinholtz fired. And missed.
“Oh, good Lord. You missed
This time the Seaman Recruit managed to hit the infected. The zombie was nearly dead from dehydration and malnutrition and it dropped with one round.
“I got it!” Steinholtz said.
“At under fifty yards with a gun capable of aimed fire at four hundred,” the Sergeant Major said. “We’re clearly going to have to work on marksmanship.”
“I’m better with a pistol,” Steinholtz said, starting to stand up.
“I did not give you permission to
CHAPTER 25
The young recruit is silly-’e thinks o’ suicide;
‘E’s lost ’is gutter-devil; ’e ’asn’t got ’is pride;
But day by day they kicks ’im, which ’elps ’im on a bit,
Till ’e finds ’isself one mornin’ with a full an’ proper kit.
Gettin’ clear o’ dirtiness, gettin’ done with mess,
Gettin’ shut o’ doin’ things rather-more-or-less;
Not so fond of abby-nay, kul, nor hazar-ho,
Learns to keep ’is rifle an’ ’isself jus’ so!
“Having fun, Sergeant Major?” Sophia said. She’d brought her group up to the breakwater and was passing the Sergeant Major and the sweating Steinholtz.
“Just getting a few things clear, ma’am,” Barney said. “Seaman Recruit Bennett has already set up the Singer. If you could keep an eye on things for a moment that would be excellent. Be up there in a trice.
“I think I’ve got it under control, Sergeant Major,” Sophia said, grinning then keyed her radio. “Olga, what’s the status on the first yacht.”
“Door’s locked to below,” Olga said. “Topside is clear. Engineer is working on the lock now.”
“Can we spare some people, Sergeant Major?” Sophia asked.
“One two-man team,” the Sergeant Major said. “Hill and Hadley unless you object, ma’am.”
“That will do,” she said. “I’ll go get them.”
“If I may, ma’am,” Barney said. “Seaman Recruit, get up off your face and run down to the security team. Get Hill and Hadley. Have them report back to the Lieutenant. Do you understand those orders?”
“Yes, Sergeant Major,” Steinholtz said, getting to his feet.
“What were your orders, Seaman Recruit Steinholtz?” Barney asked.
“Go get Hill and Hadley?” Steinholtz said.
“If I may, Sergeant Major?” Sophia said. “The way we do that in the Navy is that the correct response to a direction such as that is ‘Go and get Hill and Hadley, aye, Sergeant Major.’ ”
“Really, ma’am?” Barney said.
“Yes, it’s called a repeat back,” Sophia said. “Makes sure they got the order that you gave instead of what they heard.”
“Well, in this case, that would make sense,” Sergeant Major Barney said. “Because what I told you to do was RUN and get Hill and Hadley, Seaman Recruit. So, here is the ‘direction.’ Run and get Hill and Hadley. Have them return to meet with the Lieutenant. Is that clear?”
“Now what you say,” Sophia said, “is ‘Run to get Hill and Hadley, aye. Have them return to meet the Lieutenant, aye.’ ”
“Run to get Hill and Hadley, aye,” Steinholtz said. “Have them return and meet you, aye.”
“Go,” Sergeant Major Barney said, pointing. As Steinholtz started to trot down the breakwater he shook his head. “WHAT IS IT ABOUT
“Oh, lets, Sergeant Major,” Sophia said.
“I’d say arm in arm, ma’am, but people might talk,” the Sergeant Major said, strolling down the avenue. “What was it you wished Hill and Hadley for if I may inquire, ma’am?”
“I thought they could check the boats topside while Olga and Yu wait on the mechanic,” Sophia said. “Then Olga and Yu can check below. When the doors are locked, there’s rarely an infected in the boat. At least, alive. Or survivors in a situation like this. But it’s a little less nerve wracking checking topside than below.”
“Thank you for the explanation, ma’am,” the Sergeant Major said. “It makes a great deal of sense.”
“Thank you, Sergeant Major,” Sophia said.
“But if I may so detail them, ma’am?” the Sergeant Major said. “That is, in fact, what I am for.”
“So I should have said ‘tell Hill and Hadley to check topside?’ ” Sophia asked.
“Ma’am, you can run things any way you please,” Barney said. “You are the away team commander. However, if you wish some guidance, ma’am, you can tell me ‘Get a team to check the topside’ and I shall be
