“We also plan to draw them away by the thousands once they reach these two intersections.” Nick drew two arrows on the map with a permanent marker, each pointing in a different direction away from the fort.
“How?” Grissom asked.
“By using decoys. Cars equipped with sound systems,” Nick replied. “Their objective will be to lure the infected onto a different trajectory. One that leads them away from us. What do you think, Tara? I defer to your expertise when it comes to all things zombie.”
“It could work,” Tara said with a firm nod. “The infected respond to noise and movement. If they see or hear something, it will trigger their hunting instincts, and they will follow.”
A low murmur of approval ran around the room, but Nick raised his hand to forestall it. “That doesn’t mean we won’t have to fight. There are many things that could go wrong with such a plan, and even if it works, not all of the zombies will follow the decoys. Some might push ahead on their path. Therefore, we need to set up several lines of defenses outside the fort with each falling back onto the next.”
“What happens if those defenses fail?” Andrew asked. “What about the civilians inside their homes? Who will protect them?”
“The main problem we face is the sheer size of the fort. The base is simply too large for us to defend with the number of people we have. Even if volunteers and new arrivals greatly augmented our fighting numbers, it would still be impossible. That’s why I want to pull everyone back into this area.” Nick drew a line that encompassed the lab, infirmary, the supply warehouses, munitions warehouses, and a single housing block with a community center.
Andrew frowned. “You’re asking people to abandon their homes and move in there?”
“Even more. I’m asking that everyone who is not actively engaged in the battle take refuge here,” Nick said, pointing at the community center. “All the women and children. The frail and the sick. We’ll make sure that extra vehicles, fully fueled and supplied, are ready to ferry them to safety should things go wrong.”
“You mean if the zombies win,” Andrew said.
Nick inclined his head. “It’s better to be prepared for every eventuality, is it not? But, if we’re lucky, it won’t get to that. We’ll use everything at our disposal to reinforce the fences: razor wire, stacked cars, containers, and ditches.”
“Why bother? Why don’t we leave now, before the horde gets here?” Grissom protested.
“Because I believe this is our best chance at survival,” Nick said. “And because I believe this place is worth fighting for.”
“For you, maybe,” Grissom said. “Not for me.”
“You’re welcome to leave, Grissom,” Dylan said, her temper snapping. “Nobody will stop you.”
“I’m sure you think that but who else thinks it’s better to leave?” Grissom asked, looking around. A few hands went up, mostly among the civilians, and Dylan itched to tell them how stupid they were being.
“Tell me something,” Nick said. “Where do you plan on going? Where do you think you’ll be safe? Because there is no such a mythical place. The infected are everywhere, and you’ll have to stand and fight at some point. It might as well be now on terms of your choosing.”
A few hands went down, but Grissom remained resolute. “It’s better to live to fight another day. We all know what happened to Fort Knox. What makes you think we stand a better chance than they did?”
Nick straightened up, squaring his shoulders. “Listen up and listen closely. Anyone who disagrees with my plan is free to leave, but you’d better be gone by nightfall. Also, you’re not taking anything except that which belongs to you. What we need now is people of resolute heart and spirit. People willing to fight for their place in this world. If that’s not you, then get out while you still can, and God be with you.”
“I’m going,” Grissom said, backing away.
A few others, mostly civilians, went with him, but the majority stayed.
Dylan shook her head and mumbled below her breath. “Good riddance. What a bunch of pussies.”
Nick looked around the room at those remaining. “My offer stands. You have until nightfall to leave. Please make your people aware of that fact, Andrew. Let it not be said I stood in anyone’s way.”
Andrew nodded. “I’ll tell them.”
“Good. Let’s get back to business, shall we?” Nick said. “Mr. Davis. As our engineering expert, I want you to shore up our defenses, focusing on the last line of battle. We need to ensure the safety of everyone and everything inside that border. We will also require sufficient lighting, water, and electricity for those buildings. Feel free to recruit anyone you need to assist you in these endeavors. You have two, maybe three days maximum.”
“My team and I will do our best,” Davis said.
“Mac, you know what you need to do. Arm our fighters and ensure a steady supply of ammunition throughout the field of battle,” Nick said. “And Mandy, you will have to distribute emergency supplies to each building and line of defense, plus set up the community center.”
“I’ll need more runners,” Mac said.
“And I’ll need a whole lot of extra hands,” Mandy added.
“I’ll see to that,” Saul volunteered. “As soon as the civilians come in, I’ll send bodies your way.”
“Thank you,” Nick said, looking around. “Is there anything else? Any questions?”
Silence reigned.
“We still need to iron out a few details regarding the outer defenses, observation posts, and fighting teams. For
