Trucks arrived not long after that to collect the corpses of the undead. They’d be taken to a dump some distance away from the base and burned. The bodies of fallen soldiers were carted to the mortuary for ceremonial cremation later that day.
Not wasting any time, Saul busied himself clearing the field. Working next to him was Sergeant Dean and a couple of other soldiers. Together, they removed all the dead and loaded them onto the waiting trucks. A second team did the same on the other side of the fence while a third reloaded the fifty caliber and repositioned the barricades.
It was a big operation and took several hours to complete. By the time they were finished, dawn was breaking, and streaks of orange and purple lit the sky. A group of engineers and construction workers arrived from the civilian quarters to assist with the repairs, and a fresh unit replaced the battle-weary soldiers on guard duty.
Saul wiped the sweat from his brow, more tired than he was prepared to admit. “A hot shower would be nice round about now.”
Sergeant Dean nodded. “Let me show you the way to the communal bathrooms. I’m sure I can scrounge up a fresh uniform for you. After that, you can join us in the cafeteria. We might as well eat before we brave the dragon’s den.”
“You mean the major?”
“That’s the one. I’ll try to convince him to use me as a guinea pig for the cure. If it works, he might change his mind about you guys.”
“Enough to clear out the lab?” Saul asked.
“The lab?” Sergeant Dean’s eyebrows raised. “That’s crazy talk. There must be over a hundred zombies in there!”
“Nevertheless, we need that facility. It’s the only way Tara can produce more of the cure. Imagine if there was enough for all of you,” Saul said. “Nobody else would have to die from a bite ever again.”
Sergeant Dean mulled it over. “It’s an attractive proposition, and it would give us an edge against the infected.”
“So, you’ll speak for us?”
“I’ll give it my best shot, but I can’t make any promises,” Sergeant Dean answered.
“That’s all I ask,” Saul said. “Now, how about that shower?”
Sergeant Dean laughed. “Follow me.”
After a quick shower and a shave, Saul followed Sergeant Dean to the cafeteria, where he found Dylan, Tara, and Ethan. They were seated at one of the many long tables that graced the floor, half of them occupied by a mixture of soldiers and civilians.
After collecting a bowl of soup and a cup of coffee from the serving counter, he sat down with his friends. “Hey, guys. This is Sergeant —”
“Dean, right?” Dylan interrupted. “I saved your ass, didn’t I?”
“Dylan!” Tara said in a shocked whisper.
Sergeant Dean grinned. “It’s okay. She did save my ass.”
“I thought I did, but I wasn’t sure. Everything’s a bit blurry, you know?” Dylan replied, wiggling her fingers in front of her face.
“Well, you did, and I owe you one.”
“No problem. You’d do the same, I’m sure,” Dylan said, taking a sip of coffee.
“What’s next?” Tara asked. “I’d say we proved ourselves last night. Surely, the major will listen to us now.”
“I wouldn’t count on it. He’s a stubborn one,” Sergeant Dean said. “Lucky for you, I got bitten during the fight. If I can convince him to let me try the cure, and it actually works…”
“He might be more eager to clear the lab,” Tara finished, her eyes shining with excitement. “Let’s go see him right now.”
“Hold your horses, Doctor. Let me speak to him first,” Sergeant Dean said. “Saul can accompany me. As a fellow soldier, the major might be more lenient.”
Tara rolled her eyes. “This is why I hate bureaucracy. All the red tape. It’s the reason the world’s in this mess, right now.”
“Why don’t you wait at the infirmary?” Saul asked. “If the major agrees, Sergeant Dean can meet you there.”
“Good idea,” Tara said.
Dylan yawned. “I’m gonna hit the sack, though I’ve no idea where. I’m not going back to my cell.”
“Could you sort that out with the major as well, please?” Tara asked. “We need a proper place to stay.”
“Will do,” Saul said, taking a big sip of his soup.
“Much as I’ve enjoyed your company, I must go,” Ethan said, pushing back his chair. “The infirmary is bursting at the seams, and they need me.”
“So soon?” Dylan asked. “That sucks.”
“I know, but there’s a shortage of medical staff, so we all have to work overtime,” Ethan replied. “The other doctors too.”
“We could help you? Dylan and I?” Tara offered. “Besides, I want to see if anyone else has been bitten.”
Dylan groaned. “Really? I was hoping to get some sleep.”
“Come on. Don’t be lazy,” Tara said. “You can sleep when you’re dead.”
“That would be funnier if I didn’t almost become a zombie a few weeks ago,” Dylan said, getting up as well.
Before anyone could reply, a passing soldier hit Dylan in the back and sent her sprawling across the table. Saul’s half-empty bowl of soup ended up splattered on her shirt, and coffee drenched her hair.
“Hey,” she cried, struggling to extricate herself from the mess. “Watch where you’re going.”
The soldier smirked at her and remarked to his friends. “Oh, look. Clumsy me. Luckily, it’s only the zombie chick.”
“Zombie chick? Who the fuck is your zombie chick?” Dylan said with a growl as she whirled around to face him.
“Oh, come on. Don’t play the innocent. We all know you’re crazy,” the soldier said.
His friends chuckled, and Dylan honed
