“We’re on a clock here, Doctor Andrews.” A very large sergeant major directed the men where to stack the crates. “Care to begin?”
Andrews huffed and began wiring up the amplifier. As he plugged the amplifier into the ultrasonic frequency device, he would occasionally glance at the soldiers who were setting up a containment fence around him. “What are you doing?”
“Setting up an electric fence around the device. The colonel doesn’t want them creatures getting to it and messing with it. Maybe accidentally turning it off before they’re all called up here,” the sergeant major replied.
Andrews nodded, but it still made him uneasy. He worked as quickly as he could, totally aware they were in the open. He connected the lithium ion battery pack to the amplifier and flipped on the controller.
As the LED indicators came up, he mumbled to himself and nodded, “Good. The batteries at full charge. We should have at least twelve hours’ worth here.”
He tested the cable connections once more and flipped on the device. Almost immediately, a scream was heard nearby. One of the soldiers dropped to his knee and brought his rifle to the ready. He scanned the nearby trees as Andrews adjusted the controls. Andrews glanced over his shoulder. “Don’t shoot it. I can use its response to fine tune this.”
“What if it comes at us?”
“Don’t shoot!” Andrews yelled back. He adjusted the knob and the screaming intensified. Something large could be heard crashing through the woods toward them, and the soldiers became antsy. Andrews continued to adjust the frequency generator. “Almost got it.”
The creature was increasing its speed as it approached, and the soldier tightened his rifle to his shoulder, ready to fire on whatever broke through the woods and came into the clearing. Andrews fine-tuned the dials then stood. “There, I think that’s it.”
Everyone near the device stood silently, listening for the creature and its approaching footsteps. The screaming had stopped and the rapid advance had ceased. No more sounds of breaking limbs or feet crashing through the woods came at them. Andrews turned to the sergeant major and indicated the barrier. “You might want to finish that. There will be more coming.”
The man simply nodded and prodded his men to step up the pace. They finished connecting the panels together, slipped the rubberized blocks under each side of the panels, and then connected the wires to the battery pack via its own transformer. When Andrews flipped the switch for it, one of the men tossed a stick against the barrier and sparks flew.
Satisfied their task was complete, the sergeant major ordered all gear packed up. Andrews watched the men load the crates back into the truck as a lone infected man stepped from the edge of the woods and lumbered slowly toward them. He made no aggressive moves and seemed almost happy to be finding his way to the sound generator.
Andrews watched as one of the soldiers, excited at the sight of the bloody man, pulled his rifle and was about to fire. “Hold your fire! I need to observe his reactions,” he said as he placed his hand atop the man’s rifle and gently pulled it down.
The infected man walked right past the soldier and around the heavy transport truck. He walked toward the generator as if in a daze, his red eyes almost glowing in the daylight. He moaned low in his throat as he approached the barrier and when his hand hit the electrified barrier, the shock knocked him back and to the ground. He sat there a moment, unsure of exactly what had happened, but sure he didn’t want it to happen again. He looked at his hand and the black burn mark on it. The infected man pulled himself to his feet and walked back to the barrier. This time he simply stood there, swaying gently as if listening to a slow song.
The sergeant major in charge of the outing came up beside Andrews. “I’ll be a son-of-a-bitch. He isn’t the slightest bit interested in us.”
Andrews smiled as he stared at the subject. “No, he’s not,” he replied. “And did you see what he did after he got bit by the fence? He didn’t try a second time.”
The sergeant major checked his watch and patted the doc on the shoulder. “We need to go. Time’s wasting.”
“Are you sure?” Andrews asked. “I’d really like to get some samples while we’re here.” The sergeant major was already pulling him back toward the truck. “I promise, they’re as docile as a kitten.”
“Kittens have claws, Doc. Time to go,” the man said as he pushed him toward the back of the truck. “Load up.”
Andrews lowered his head and sighed. Nobody understood the sacrifices that science demanded these days.
Chapter 10
Bob had watched as a truck full of soldiers drove by while he hid in a bush. He could hear them over the next rise, probably screwing with that damned pickup that blocked the road. He debated on turning back and following them, but, good grief! As big as this stupid park was, there was no telling where they’d end up going. With all of the side roads and possible outlets, he could walk for days and still never find them. He knew better. His strength was just beginning to return, but there was no way he could catch a truck while he was on foot, and if he did, what would he do? He was armed with a tire tool and a Dora backpack filled with warm sodas. He decided to keep working his way back down toward the ranger station and hope to either find help or take a couple of the bastards out with him. Maybe if he was lucky, he could run into some real weapons along the way.
Bob tried to stay to the brush along the side of the road and out of eyesight. If one truck was moving along the roadways, there could easily be more. He may not have much advance
