“No. Not you.” Shaw looked past Craig. “You,” he stated, looking at Joe.
Joe looked confused. Shaw shot Joe an irritated look. In fact, it was more than irritated; it was dangerous. “Yes. You. Go inside. And get the others.” He barked out the words, obviously not used to anybody questioning his orders.
Craig nodded at the big man, who turned and started walking towards the school.
“And make sure nobody is carrying weapons. That way we can avoid any unpleasantness,” Shaw called after him.
Joe froze for a second, then continued into the school.
Several more rifle shots sounded as more zombies were cleared from the fence. Shaw didn’t flinch. He looked at Craig, who had started to speak. Craig’s mouth hung open for a second —Shaw clearly wanted him to stay silent — but he couldn’t help himself.
“Captain Shaw. Can you tell us anything about the US government?
“There is no ‘government,’ Mr. Van Gilze.” Shaw immediately responded. “Your world is about to change.”
Of course. That’s it! John realized his oversight. Craig started arguing with Shaw. John shot a surreptitious look towards Keith. Keith’s only response was to raise one eyebrow slightly.
“But surely you still answer to somebody?” Craig had asked.
“Yes. There are people I answer to... The people you all answer to. But they have no affiliation to the scheming, lying bastards in Washington.” Shaw was getting himself worked up.
“What?” Craig took a step backwards.
“Don’t!” Shaw drew his sidearm and pointed it at Craig.
Craig shook his head in disbelief. “Whoa! Take it easy ... What’s wrong with you?”
John took a half-step forward. Just close enough to the nearest soldier. “I think I know what’s going on.”
Shaw shot him a sharp look, his 9-mill wavering between Craig and John.
“Tell me something, Captain Shaw,” John went on. “Why are you wearing a lieutenant colonel’s insignia?”
Shaw’s eyes grew wide.
“What?” Craig exclaimed. “You’re not from the army?! What do you want from us?”
He did something unexpected then: he took a threatening step towards Shaw.
Several things happened. John registered it all, while his own training took over and he sprang into action.
He saw Shaw’s arm swing back to point the gun at the approaching Craig. He saw Shaw pull the trigger, shooting Craig in the face. He registered Craig falling backwards.
John had already lunged forward at the man in front of him, pushed aside the barrel of his M4, and stabbed him in the throat with his prosthetic fingers extended. The man pulled his trigger, sending a bullet ricocheting off the sidewalk as he crumpled to the ground, temporarily unable to breathe. John drew his sidearm in the next motion and shot another soldier in the leg and then in the chest as the man fell down screaming.
Keith had shot forward a millisecond after John. He was in between two soldiers. Both men tried to turn towards him, but he had already grabbed the wrist of one and put his whole body into the twist. There was an audible crack as bones broke. He then put the injured man between him and the fourth soldier, who hesitated to take the shot. Keith shoved the injured soldier into his comrade and the two soldiers fell down heavily; the fourth soldier pulled the trigger and shot his own man even as he crashed to the ground. The bullet exited the soldier’s back and narrowly missed Keith.
Further out, the soldiers at the SOV were lining up their shots when two sharp cracks rang out simultaneously. One shot took the driver in the shoulder. He dropped his weapon and collapsed back into his seat. The other shot hit the soldier manning the machine gun in the upper torso. He tumbled backwards off the vehicle with a wail.
Bellows, Molson, and their leader were about thirty yards away, at the fence. They started shooting at the snipers on the roof while working their way back along the fence towards the SOV.
John wouldn’t notice this until much later, though. It might as well be taking place on the moon. His world had narrowed down to his immediate area.
He took a rushed shot at Shaw, more to screw up the other man’s aim. It worked, as Shaw missed Keith. The officer jumped back behind the open door of the Humvee, then decided he preferred the safety inside the vehicle and entered it.
The Humvee shot forward as soon as he was in. Inadvertently, it ran over the ankle and foot of the soldier John had struck in the throat. The man could not even scream as the rear tire climbed over him, leaving him lying with half his lower leg on the curb and everything below crushed into the roadway.
The second Humvee was also in motion, heading to the gate.
Bullets whizzed over John’s head as his cover moved away on him.
“Get down!” John shouted.
Keith did one better than that, diving behind a low planter and out of sight. John dove forward, landing partially on the first soldier he had taken out. The man was still struggling to breathe, his eyes flared wide in panic and pain. Bullets continued to whiz around John, but he remained unharmed. He used the wounded soldier as a human shield and tracked Shaw’s vehicle.
The Humvee had driven into the main parking lot and started making a U-turn.
John reached past the wounded soldier and snatched up an M4. He took aim and started shooting out the tires of the Humvee in the parking lot. The Humvee pitched sideways as both near tires were taken out. He sighted higher and peppered the driver-side windscreen, emptying the entire mag. The glass held for the first few bullets but ultimately shattered inward. The vehicle suddenly lurched forwards, the U-turn becoming a circle and slammed into a light post. The post snapped and fell with a loud clank as the Humvee came to a stop on top of the concrete base.
John detected an increase in shooting and knew that Mel and Emily had
