Aliens Versus Zombies (36 page)

“Where are you, you mother— Ah, I see you now.”

He had the advantage8. Sure, the attack ship was fast and maneuverable, but it was the only thing in the sky. It was easy to find. Moose, on the other hand, was invisible to radar, and even though he could be targeted by IR or UV, the pilot didn’t know where to look for him. There were thousands of aliens running around like chickens with their heads chopped off. For all he knew, Moose might be one of them. The pilot would have to get close enough for a visual and Moose didn’t intend for him to live that long.

He took his second missile from the duffel, inserted it into the launcher, and got the weapon ready. It locked onto the ship. As soon as the ship was in optimum range, he pulled the trigger.

The missile lanced up through the night sky. The pilot evidently saw the missile coming in time to take evasive maneuvers and eject some sort of decoy, but it was too late. The Stinger hit the decoy and exploded prematurely, but it was close enough to the alien ship that the shrapnel shredded the near side of the ship. It heeled over and crashed somewhere in midtown.

“That’s three of you with two shots! How’d ya like them apples?” He did a brief, if awkward, jig in the sand pile.

“Got one more for ya. Anyone for a Stinger enema?” He laughed at his own joke, and then jumped down. He added the launcher to the duffel containing his final Stinger, threw it over his shoulder, and swaggered off into the night, whistling a happy tune.

* * * *

Daniels decided to risk getting closer to the population center to see if he’d have more target options. Hiram trotted happily along at his side. He knew it was risky, with all the aliens searching high and low for their attackers, but at this point he didn’t care. When you expect to die at any moment, you stop worrying about how or when it might happen. A sniper could pick him off from a distance and he’d never even know he was being targeted.

When he’d gotten as close as he dared, he loaded his last Serpent and looked for targets. He, too, had trouble picking a viable target amid all the flames in the area. He told himself to ignore the brightest ones, because they were probably just fires. Look for the more subdued ones.

He eventually resorted to going back and forth between the thermal sight and the night-vision goggles to give him a better overall picture of the area. He scanned the area for several minutes, before picking a target. It appeared to be a large crowd massed together. Soldiers or civilians, he couldn’t say. Maybe both. But he was way past caring which it was. Now, in his mind, they were all enemy combatants of one sort or another.

Maybe he would rot in Hell for this, but at least he was taking a stand in the face of overwhelming odds. This was his way of telling those damned aliens that humanity wouldn’t just bend over and take it in the ass from the invaders.

He took a deep breath, let it out, and squeezed. The rocket shot forward and exploded in less than half a second. By then Daniels had already dropped the launcher. It was time to leave. The screams and cries of the survivors coming from behind him chilled his soul, but his penance was to force himself to listen to every second of it.

He gripped his assault weapon and began to run. Hiram chased and passed him, leading the way.

* * * *

Julia and Joanie reached their next vantage point and set up. Julia scanned the area ahead for targets. She vacillated between viable targets. The fires burning everywhere didn’t help.

She finally chose a target and fired.

After hearing all of the screams of pain and panic for the last fifteen minutes or so, she was emotionally numb. As a naturally caring person—a nurse before the apocalypse—intentionally causing pain went against her very nature. But she’d been forced beyond the breaking point. If the Zoms and the aliens were going to murder everyone she knew and cared for, by George she’d put a stop to it.

But now, she just wanted it to be over. Maybe the aliens would leave them alone after this.

She knew better. If anything, they’d be even more determined to wipe humanity out.

Unencumbered by the heavy rockets, Julia and Joanie fielded their assault weapons and ran for the Jilt.

* * * *

Aboard the fleet command ship, JorGov, Subcommander for Communications approached Viceroy CresNal and cleared his throat. “Sir?”

“Yes, subcommander?” The viceroy had just finished a soothing massage in his quarters and was in a good mood. He really didn’t want any bad news to spoil the afterglow.

“We lost contact with the city below a while ago. I’ve been unable to reestablish contact with anyone down there. And now sensors are indicating explosions and fires in the city.”

“Explosions? Fires? Not good. Not good at all. Report your findings to Commander JesBronn.”

“Um, sir, he’s on the surface, too.”

CresNal sighed as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. “Do I have to do all the thinking around here? Report to whoever is third in command of the troops. And have him send some ships down for a closer look. And have them take a comm system with them, in case it’s needed.”

“Yes, sir!” JorGov snapped off a salute-nod, turned, and left.

But it was too late. CresNal’s good mood had already soured. Maybe he’d have another massage.

* * * *

Moose was the only one left with a projectile to fire, but he’d known from the beginning that he’d be the last one out because he had one more than anyone else. He accepted that. For him, the satisfaction of doing something good for the world, for mankind, far outweighed the danger he faced. He’d been a bad person in his youth, and he’d been trying to make amends ever since. Now, he always tried to do the right thing. Sometimes it was difficult to know what the right thing was, but he tried.

However, here, tonight, he was certain what the right thing to do was and that was to kill aliens and help defend his planet. If he had to die a glorious death in the process, so be it.

It was time to find his final target.

* * * *

FronCar reached the landing area and searched for an attack ship that appeared undamaged. It took longer than he’d liked. The first few he checked all seemed to have some sort of damage.

Finally, he found one and entered. It had been a long time since he’d had the pleasure—or time—to fly one. He welcomed the opportunity, if not the reason for it.

It had been several minutes since the last shot had been fired. It looked like the attack was over, but he’d be MemKar-damned if he’d let the perpetrators escape unscathed.

He donned the helmet/HUD, and fired up the engine. Once aloft, he’d have a view of the entire “battlefield,” although “killing field” was probably more accurate. As far as he knew, no one had spotted the attackers yet, let alone fired a shot; so it was hard to call this a
battle
. A slaughter was more like it.

With a better idea of what was going on, he could relay orders to the soldiers on the ground through their individual communicators.

The helmet scanned his eyes to see which virtual controls projected on the inside of the helmet he looked at. This allowed him to keep his hands free to operate the other aspects of the ship, including weapons.

After he stared briefly at the controls for power and then lift angle, lifted the fighter off the ground.

In a few minutes, he would be back in control of the situation.

Daniels maintained a steady jog through the streets of the city. A few more minutes and he might even get out of this alive.

He ran through an intersection just as an alien vehicle full of soldiers turned onto the street he was crossing. A shout told him he’d been seen.

He looked for some sort of cover. There! Up ahead was a porch stoop made of concrete. Perfect.

He ducked behind it, and readied his M16A4 rifle for burst mode. Then he loaded an M433 grenade into the grenade launcher.

As soon as the vehicle rounded the corner, he sighted, acquired, and fired.

The vehicle exploded in a shower of shrapnel and body parts.

Daniels started to get up. A green blast hit the other side of the stoop, sending a spray of concrete chips and dust into the air. He dropped back below the top of the stoop. Another blast hit the other side.

He snatched a quick peek around one of the steps to see what he was up against. Two aliens fired at him from behind the flaming debris. They couldn’t get any closer, but he couldn’t leave his spot without exposing himself. Using the M16 itself now, he snapped off a three-round burst at one of the aliens, and then the other. That forced them to take cover.

Daniels began to sweat. They had him pinned down and
they
could afford to wait for reinforcements. He didn’t have that luxury.

He fired two more bursts in their direction to keep them honest. He didn’t have unlimited ammo; a few minutes of this and he’d be down to his pistol and knife. Well, he did have two buckshot rounds for the grenade launcher, but their effective range was way too limited for this fight. Unless the aliens got closer, he couldn’t use them. Why hadn’t he brought more than one grenade?

* * * *

Julia and Joanie rounded a corner and Julia ran right into the chest of an alien soldier. The two fell to the ground. The soldier quickly recovered. He rolled over and grabbed Julia by the throat with one hand. He held her down with that hand while he brought his weapon to bear with the other.

An instant later, a diving Joanie knocked him to the side. She had her knife out and stabbed at his exposed throat. He blocked her thrust and again tried to use his weapon. She bent his pinky finger back until the knuckle popped. When he shrieked in pain she went for his throat with her teeth. He turned his head just far enough that his helmet blocked most of her attempt. Instead, her teeth barely scratched his chin.

Then a green flash sizzled past her head. She looked back. Julia was firing at a group of aliens running toward them and firing back.

“Run!” Julia shouted.

Ignoring the injured alien, Joanie ducked back around the corner they’d just rounded, followed by Julia firing behind her.

They were able to reach the next corner before the aliens got up enough courage to turn the corner the women had just left, with Julia continuing to fire in that direction.

The women sprinted for where they’d left the Jilt.

* * * *

Moose, now in position to take his final shot, waited for the ship lifting off to get high enough to ensure a resounding crash after he shot it down. He licked his lips in anticipation.

* * * *

FronCar rose to 300 vorts and viewed the overall area in UV. It was alarming how much damage had been done in just a few minutes. The landing area was mostly littered with pieces of ships, a number of buildings were on fire, many of the troops in the vicinity of the barracks lay dead or seriously wounded, and there was debris everywhere. Most of the people on the ground seemed to be wandering aimlessly, as if in shock.

He gritted his teeth.

Whoever is responsible for this attack will pay dearly.

His threat warning alarm sounded. He heeled the ship over to try to slip the missile, while simultaneously attempting to fire at the launch point.

He got a shot off, hitting a building and producing a fountain of shattered bricks and concrete. But he had no idea whether he’d neutralized the threat.

Then the missile struck the tail end of his ship.

* * * *

The blast destroyed the corner of the building across the street from where Moose was standing. The shower of debris caused him to duck into the doorway beside him.

He looked up in time to see the ship spiral down into the pond in the middle of the park. It didn’t explode, but, “You’re not walking away from
that
, dude.”

He turned and ran for the Jilt.

* * * *

“Control, this is attack flight leader.” The flight screamed down through the atmosphere in battle mode.

“Acknowledged, Leader. What’s the situation down there?”

“Long-range imaging shows the southern part of the city to be in flames, with multiple buildings shattered as if by explosions. The area is in the dark. A few scattered portable lights. No power. Approaching for a closer look.”

“Acknowledged, Leader. Keep us apprised.”

“Acknowledged, Control. We—. Wait! I see a smoke trail. Missile. Someone fired a missile at one of our ships. It’s going down. We’re going in to assist.”

* * * *

Julia and Joanie reached their Jilt without further incident. They climbed inside to wait for Daniels.

“Come on, Sarge, move it!” Julia fretted under her breath. “We’ve gotta get going!”

“Maybe not coming. Maybe dead.” Joanie offered.

“He’s
not
dead! We just have to give him more time.”

“How much?”

“I don’t know, Joanie. Enough.”

* * * *

Three minutes later, on the other side of town, Tim reached the other Jilt. He, too, entered and then began to get antsy.

“Hurry it up, guys. It’s too hot to hang around these parts. We gotta go! I’m givin’ you ten minutes and then it’s boogie time.”

* * * *

Moose was happily jogging along, rifle held loosely in his hand, when four aliens crossed the street ahead of him.

“Shit!” He fumbled with the weapon as he came to a halt.

The aliens raised their weapons.

He fired off two bursts, hitting one of the soldiers before two lances of green light burned holes through his chest.

His final thought was, “Gotcha!”

* * * *

Julia kept checking her watch.

“Damn it, Sarge, hurry up!” Julia hissed. “It’s been 15 minutes already.” She turned to Joanie, “I’ll give him five more and then we have to leave. Those were his orders.”

“Maybe not coming. Maybe dead.” Joanie said.

“Quit saying that! He’s
not
dead! He’ll be here.”

* * * *

Daniels continued to trade fire with one of the aliens. He now fired in single-shot mode to conserve ammo. He was surprised that reinforcements hadn’t arrived yet. Maybe their communications had been totally hosed in the attack. That gave him a moment of grim satisfaction, but it didn’t help his situation. Undoubtedly the other alien was attempting to work his way around behind Daniels. At any moment he could be caught in a deadly crossfire. He had to dispatch the alien in front of him before he could deal with the potential one behind.

He looked around for ideas.

Behind him was an empty steel garbage can someone had knocked over. He pulled it over to him, and then kicked it as hard as he could with the sole of his boot. It flew out into the street with a loud clatter.

The alien turned and fired at it.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Daniels sighted carefully and fired off three quick shots in a row. The soldier flew backward and disappeared behind the smoldering wreckage of the alien vehicle.

At the same moment, Hiram growled and raced behind Daniels. Before Daniels finished turning, he heard the sound of growling and a cry of pain. Then he saw a green flash and heard a yelp. He stood and put two bullets into the alien’s face, where body armor did him no good.

Hiram had heard or smelled what Daniels, involved with the other alien, couldn’t: that the second soldier had gotten to within 30 yards of Daniels’ exposed back. Without Hiram,
he
would have been the one lying on the ground.

He, knelt down and stroked Hiram’s side. He couldn’t pet his head, because the top of it was missing.

“Thanks, boy. I’m so sorry. You were a good friend. That makes twice you’ve saved me. I won’t forget you.”

He stood and then ran toward the Jilt and escape.

* * * *

Tim checked his watch for the fourth time in the last thirty seconds. “That’s it Moose, Jason. I’ve given you all the time I can. If you’re not here in the next minute, I’m buggin’ out.”

* * * *

Daniels reached the street where he’d left the Jilt. Where was it? For a moment, he thought he was on the wrong street, or maybe it was a block up or down the street. But then he recognized the colorful sign for Sam’s Barbershop across from where he’d left the Jilt.

He was all alone in a city full of aliens looking to kill him.

“Shit.”

* * * *

PlevHun, the soldier whose finger Joanie had broken, was taken to the emergency triage station set up in the one corner of the park that hadn’t been obliterated. Because his injury wasn’t life threatening, or even particularly serious, he was put in the “can wait” category and given a painkiller. There were far more serious injuries to care for first.

* * * *

In the absence of FronCar, who was unaccounted for, second-in-command Commander JesBronn, took over both the rescue operation and the hunt for the attackers. He ordered the immediate shipment of ten massive field power units and comm gear to the city below. That would be enough to run the perimeter barrier, lights, and the other equipment needed right now for emergency care. The power units would arrive from one of the carrier ships in the next hour.

He also ordered six defensive weapon emplacements to be delivered and set up around the city. That would protect them against further attacks from the ground or air. It would take several hours to get them in place and online.

Until then, those on the ground had to stand firm and endure.

But that’s what soldiers do.

* * * *

Daniels stood where he was for a minute, pondering his situation. What next?

The Jilt was missing, which probably meant that at least one of his team had survived to get this far, presumably Julia—unless Joanie had learned to drive when he wasn’t looking. That was good news. On the other hand, it didn’t help him one bit. He was much later returning than he’d planned. Undoubtedly she had waited until she couldn’t wait any longer.

He couldn’t really blame her, even though he knew he would have waited until hell froze over.
Leave no one behind.
But she was just following orders—
his
orders. He smiled at the irony that essentially he’d abandoned
himself
.

Now he had to find somewhere to hide, and then figure out how the hell he was going to get out of here alive.

* * * *

From a hilltop several miles from the city on the route back to the armory, Chrissy had stopped to view the city through her night-vision binoculars. She’d observed the explosions and fires earlier, including the ships Moose had shot down, and then the arrival of more alien ships.

That didn’t bode well for the humans inside the city.

If everything had gone according to plan, they should all be gone by now; but as Chick said, no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy.

“Come on, lover. You can do it. Come back to me.”

She continued to watch, while listening for the sound of oncoming Jilts.