“Relax, soldier. If they approach the front of the building, we’ll slip back into the stairwell and make our way back up here.”
The man slowly shook his head. “I don’t know ma’am. What if you run into Zeds in the building?”
“Then we cut our ground level observation short and we return.”
Broussard stepped forward. “Do not be concerned. We’ll take no unnecessary risks, I assure you.”
The soldier blew his breath out hard and eyed the pair. “If anybody asks, I was with you the entire time.”
“Understood.” Carol gave him a sweet smile. “Thank you.” Broussard turned for the door and Carol pointed to the parapet of the roof. “You can observe from there. If you see anybody approaching the front of the building, just radio us.”
The soldier gave her a curt nod and walked to the edge. She watched as he lifted modified binoculars to his eyes and peered over the edge.
She turned for the doorway and stepped into the darkened stairwell. When the door shut she blew her breath out hard and looked to Broussard. “I can’t believe that worked.”
“Act as though you are simply doing your job and nobody questions your motives.” He flipped on the torch and aimed it down the stairs. “Listen carefully. We don’t want to awaken any unwanted visitors.”
Carol reached for the handrail. “I’m assuming there’s a back door to this place.”
Broussard chuckled. “There had better be or this will be the shortest escape attempt in history.”
Simon tossed the last of the weapons into the truck and slammed the door. “Godammit!” he cursed as he twisted the key. “I’ve burned too much daylight already.”
He pulled the gear selector into drive and floored the accelerator. The big diesel chirped the tires as he pulled away and down the hill toward the gates. He hung on tight when he turned the steering wheel and the big dually barked tires as he cut the corner too tightly.
He continued to curse as he drove like a madman through town, the large truck protesting at the abuse. He slammed on his brakes and stared at an intersection. “Do I go straight here or…” He blinked in the rapidly dwindling sunlight. “FUCK!” He slammed his fist down hard on the steering wheel and ground his teeth together in frustration.
He instinctively reached for the bottle beside him and downed the last of the twelve year-old single malt then tossed the bottle out the window. He took no satisfaction in the glass shattering on the pavement. “Which way do I go?”
The explosion that sounded to his left caused him to jump and he twisted his face in the direction of the blast. A slow smile formed as he turned the truck down the road and floored the accelerator again. “Thank you, you stupid fucking Rager!”
Chapter 27
Hatcher slid to a stop and stared at the figures darting between the shadows, slowly making their way closer to their compound. “Wait for a clear shot! Don’t waste the ammo!”
He listened as single shots echoed in the evening air. He watched as men scrambled to the walls, their weapons shouldered and their eyes scanning the moment they took their position.
Candy appeared at his side. “Where do you want me?”
Hatcher stared at her in disbelief. “Back in your room!” He grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around. “I want you as far away from this as you can get.”
“I’m not broken Hatcher!” She spun and glared at him. “I’m just pregnant!”
He stared at her with wide eyes. “I don’t care. I need you to stay safe!”
“The safest place for me is at the wall with a damned rifle in my hands.” She shoved him. Hard. “Now get out of my way and let me do my job.”
He stared at her with wide eyes and his mouth hanging open.
“I wouldn’t brother.” Roger appeared at his side, slamming a magazine into the magwell of the AR. “You just thought she was a tough bitch before she got pregnant. Don’t piss her off now.”
Hatcher shook his head. “Stay with her. Keep her safe.”
“Oh, you know it.” Roger trotted off after the future mother of his child and climbed the short section of scaffolding that made up the wall posts. Hatcher watched as he settled in beside Candy and both brought their rifles to bear on whatever threat might be outside the fences.
He groaned as he marched through the courtyard and to the front gates. “Sitrep!”
“We have movement along the tree line, but so far, nothing close in.” Cooper handed him the field glasses and Hatcher quickly scanned the front. “Let’s get non-shooters at each station reloading magazines in case this is a bigger wave then we might expect.”
“I’m expecting the hand of God to reach down and thump us hard for daring to survive this fuckfest.” Cooper gave him a stoic look. “How many bullets do you think it will take to stop that?”
“As many as it takes.” Hatcher replied. He handed the field glasses back to Cooper then marched to the northwest sentry. “How many are they?”
Wally shook his head. “There’s bodies scurrying all over the place but I can’t get a head count.” He continued to stare into the darkening shadows. “Could be twenty, could be two hundred.”
Hatcher groaned again. “Now I’m wishing we hadn’t set those explosives.”
Wally glanced at him. “Why not? They can stop a bunch of them if they go that way.”
“Because that’s what attracted them in the first place.” Hatcher spun and marched back towards the main entrance.
“Hatcher!” Cooper yelled from the front gates. “You need to see this!”
Hatcher ran as fast as his ribs would allow and skidded to a stop at the gates. “What is that?”
“Headlights.”
Hatcher sighed and reached for the field glasses again. “Fucking Simon.”
“Probably.” Cooper lit a cigarette and blew grey smoke into the air. He glanced at Hatcher and shrugged. “What? I kept a pack back for emergencies. My cravings tell me this is an emergency.”
Hatcher grunted.
