“Sorry, but this ain’t my fight. I stay out here to avoid trouble because I’ve had a passel of it in the past.”
“Please Mr. Brodie; those women, me and Smokey don’t deserve to die just because some low-down rapists attacked my wife and died for it. You’re my only hope.”
Prolonged silence. Then, “How come you know my name and knew where to find me.”
“Charlie Dugal told me about you before he left for Canada. He said you lived somewhere out past Thaddeus Pohlman’s cabin. We took it over.”
“Yeah, I know. I’ve watched you and your woman there. Thad was a good old man, and I liked Charlie. I went in his store a few times over the years, but I didn’t introduce myself, so he didn’t know me.” Brodie stepped from behind a rock outcropping and carefully approached. A scoped M16 rifle pointed at the ground. Smokey watched each step of his progress and tensed but stayed silent. Brodie was tall and broad chested. He looked fit even covered in loose army issue camo field clothing. They were well worn but hung naturally on his lean, sinewy frame. The face under the camo boonie hat was weathered and sported several days growth of hair on the square jawline. Sam noted the dark brown eyes were focused and piercing. Had Smokey not given away Brodie’s position, Sam might not have heard him approach from the outcropping.
Sam stood. “Will you help me?”
“I saw the bodies of that bunch that attacked your wife; I got there right before she shot Darrell. Should have buried em or at least hid em in a ravine instead of making a big show of it. You asked for this. When you deal with rough bastards like the Hooper clan, you don’t poke em in the eye and expect em to forgive and forget.”
Sam nodded. “Yeah, in hindsight it was dumb and cocky . . . I should have known better. I didn’t think about this kind of payback. . . . But will you please help me? I’m going to try to get those women back with or without help. But we might all die in the process.”
“Can you control that dog, so it doesn’t bark and give us away?”
“Smokey’s well trained; he obeys my commands and he’ll attack only when told to.”
“Do you have a sleeping bag and a real backpack instead of that girly thing you’re carrying?”
“No but I—”
“I’ve got an extra sleeping bag. Can you shoot that rifle? I mean can you hit what you aim at?”
“Yeah, I’m a good shot. I’ve had lots of long range practice on zombie’s brains.”
“You better be damn good if you’re going after Riley Hooper; he’s bad news. He’s tough and he’s mean. Always has been since he was a kid and when we went to high school together.” He hesitated as he studied Sam’s rifle. ”That M21 you’re carrying is a good long range sniper weapon,” Brodie said as he looked off their highpoint elevation, then pointed. “There’s a black walnut tree about two hundred yards away on that opposite ridge. Pick a nut.”
Sam laid on the dirt on the flattest spot he saw and located the tree. It was partly obscured by trees growing up from down the ridge he was shooting from. He picked a nut near the top, steadied, and fired. The nut moved slightly but hung on. He sighted and fired again. Same result. On the third shot the nut exploded.”
“Good enough, you’ll do. . . . What’s the situation with those dead monsters up roamin around? They still a threat?”
“If you haven’t heard, they’ve completely taken over Asia and Europe. Before all methods of communication went down, our military couldn’t even stop them. They took over all the large US cities and then drifted out to rural areas like this. Lately we haven’t seen many around here. I think the majority in this area have been stopped.”
A somber Brodie shook his head. “Hard to imagine that happening.”
“I guess you know only a head shot to destroy their brain will stop them.”
“Yeah, I learned that the hard way. Almost got taken by the first one I met until I got far enough away to riddle the body then moved up to the head. Damnedest thing I ever saw. Good thing I’m a damned good shot and hit what I aim at.”
Then Brodie said, “I’ll go to my place and get the equipment we’ll need, then meet at your place in a couple hours. We’ll sleep a spell and head out at 0400 hours. We want to be there before first light. It’s about six miles to Hooper’s salvage yard. Go light on food and water, heavy on ammo. Last time I was over there on a recon, Riley had ten men plus him and a couple women. After the four who attacked your wife there should be about seven men left. That’s not good odds.”
“Six. I shot another man this morning and wounded a woman when they snatched my wife and a friend.”
“Good. That helps. If he hasn’t picked up anybody else, we’ll just have to handle those six. Does that motorcycle I saw at your place run?”
“Yes. I used it a few days ago. It ran smooth and strong.”
Brodie abruptly turned and walked into the trees without another word and silently disappeared from sight. Sam strained to hear footsteps but heard nothing from the damp, leaf-covered ground.
At the cabin, Sam lit an oil lamp and then gathered all six magazines for both M21 rifles and
