After the cleansing finished up, Privates Mack and Ross jogged back from the top of the road that intersected with the freeway.
“How are we looking up there?” Dawson asked.
Mack jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “Flat across the interstate, should be easy to traverse.”
“Only about forty hostiles between here and there,” Moss added. “Really spread out, too.”
The Corporal nodded. “How’d the lot look?” he asked.
The Privates exchanged a look, concerning their superior.
“That good, huh?” Dawson asked.
“Couldn’t really get a great look at it, but…” Moss trailed off, scratching the back of his head.
Mack winced. “There was some movement.”
“Fantastic,” Dawson drawled. “Looks like it’s gonna be a long ass night.” He turned to two soldiers taking turns curb-stomping a zombie into the ground. “You boys done?” he asked dryly.
The soldiers straightened up and moved away, falling back into formation.
“Final push gentlemen,” the Corporal announced. “We got some light resistance on the interstate, and unknown hostiles on the lot. Mack, Moss, and myself make a beeline to the front door, and once you clear out the lot, you follow. Who has the night vision?”
One soldier with a rifle raised his hand in the back.
Dawson pointed to him. “I don’t care how you do it, just get on that roof and keep watch on the interstate,” he instructed. “I don’t care about stragglers, but if you see a horde, you start shooting.”
“Yes, sir,” the soldier replied, nodding.
“Where are my mechanics?” Dawson asked.
Two soldiers off to the left raised their hands.
“You’re with me,” the Corporal said. “Until we get those car alarms modified, you stay back. Once we get that done, feel free to run into whatever shitshow you want to.”
“Yes sir,” they replied in unison, nodding.
Dawson appraised his team. “Then let’s move,” he said. “Hit teams, up front.”
Two squads of four moved to the front of the formation as the group jogged down the last stretch of road. Their blood-stained blades and bludgeons sparkled in the moonlight, ready for action.
As they got onto the frontage road, the hit squads leapt into action to take out a trio of zombies. One squad of four rushed up, with the leader using his bludgeon to drive a zombie back staggering into another one. They fell to the ground and two other soldiers made short work of their skulls.
The rest of the squad moved to the interstate, several groups of creatures scattered about the pavement. The hit squads attacked in unison and formation, stabbing and bludgeoning, expertly neutralizing the threads.
They reached the other side of the freeway, not concerned with the zombies that were half a mile down the road. When they got into the lot, the infestation was a lot thicker than originally anticipated.
Dawson stopped short at the edge, staring at the dozens of creatures moving through the cars.
“Poor fuckers must have wandered in there and couldn’t figure out how to get out,” Mack murmured.
Dawson sighed. “We’ll get ‘em out real quick,” he replied. “Hit teams, need a diversion on the flanks. Get that center cleared out for us.”
The two teams of four ran down the outer edges of the lot on either side. When in position, one member from each team got up on top of a vehicle and started making a racket, jumping and yelling and banging their weapons, while the other three stood in front, waiting on the enemy to arrive.
Dawson and the remainder of the squad watched as the zombies staggered off towards the hit teams. They bumped off of vehicles, knocking into each other, but one by one, they stepped up to just get smacked down by the soldiers.
As the fight went on, the center of the car lot emptied out.
“Let’s go,” Dawson hissed, and led his team down the lot. They moved quickly but quietly, staying low so the cars would provide cover. As they approached the front doors, the Corporal stopped at the sight of several zombies pressed up against the glass, banging on them.
He stepped up to the door and pushed lightly against it, noting that it opened inward. At the bottom, someone had put door stops down to hold the ghouls inside. He pulled out his flashlight and shone it into the building.
There were numerous show cars as well as cubicles set up, but very little in the way of zombies outside of those at the front door.
“Okay, Mack, Moss,” Dawson said, clicking off his light and turning to the soldiers. “I’m gonna get those door stops. From what I can see, it’s just these three that we have to worry about.”
They nodded and readied their blades. The Corporal crouched down in front of the doors, getting a good handle on the metal doorstops. He looked back to make sure they were ready, and when they nodded, he dove to the side, pulling the stops with him.
The trio of zombies burst out from the door, immediately going after Dawson who was closest to them. Mack lunged forward, plunging his blade into the side of the lead creature’s head, and immediately throwing it back into the others.
Moss slashed a decisive blow to the face of the other zombie, while Mack jumped over the one he killed and booted the chest of the last one struggling to get up. He slammed his blade down into its eye with a vicious kill shot.
Dawson peeled himself off of the ground, dusting himself off. “Those fuckers came at me like a fat kid at a buffet,” he grunted. “Appreciate the quick action.”
“If we’re gonna get promotions,” Mack said with a smirk, “it ain’t gonna be that way.”
The Corporal chuckled and led the group inside. He pointed at the soldier with the night-vision rifle. “Get topside now,” he instructed.
“Yes, sir.” The soldier nodded and ran off.
“Rest of you fan out, we need keys,” Dawson said. “And keep a watch out for zombies, those fuckers like to hide.”
The group spread out, looking around for keys to the lot full
