Apocalypse Empire (Book 1): Apocalypse Origins (24 page)

"Take a breather," he said. "I'll do the next
few alone."

"I'm fine," Shirley replied breathlessly.
"I'm not gonna sit here cowering while you do all the work."

Jackson smiled. "Alright then." He ducked under a
swipe and stabbed the infected in the stomach. It bent over in pain and Shirley
stepped forward and gave it a solid blow to the back of the head. A second blow
while it was on the ground stopped it from moving. Jackson sighed as more
infected appeared around the corner. He was starting to get tired himself. Just
as the infected started towards them, he heard several shots in quick
succession. Each shot put an infected down. Looking in the direction of the
shots he saw Greg lowering his pistol.

"You guys alright?" he asked.

Jackson laughed. "You have great timing. We're fine
now."

Greg nodded. "We're leaving. Get them over to the
vehicles," he said nodding towards the people cowering near the trailer.
"Be careful. There's infected loose everywhere. Someone cut holes in the
fences." Greg left them to look for anyone else that needed help.

Jackson nodded. "Alright," he said looking towards
his charges, "you heard the man. It's time to go."

A few of them shook their heads. "You heard what he
said. There's infected out there. We should stay here until the fighting is
done."

Shirley stepped forward. "Get up or stay here by
yourselves. We'll fight to keep you safe but we're not gonna die because you're
stupid!"

Jackson nodded. "We're leaving now. Come, or
don't." With that said, he nodded to Shirley and they started walking
towards the vehicles, weapons at the ready. Most of the people got up and
followed although one stubbornly refused to move.

"You guys are crazy. I'm staying right here."

Jackson shook his head as they walked, "Idiot."

James elbowed the infected in the throat then turned to hit
one that had tackled one of his fellows to the ground. Fortunately he'd
intervened before the man was bitten. The man scrambled back to his feet and
nodded his thanks. James finished off the first infected with a solid blow to
skull and took a look around. He didn't see any other infected for the moment
and sighed in relief. 

"Anyone bit?" he asked looking around.

Everyone shook their heads and James nodded in satisfaction.
This morning had reminded him of that day in the hospital and he was glad to
see everyone still standing. James directed a few of the men to remain at the
gate and took the rest to see if anyone else needed help. There were still
sounds of gunfire coming from several areas of the trailer park so the attack
was still underway.

Greg made his way back to the area where Gio was stationed.
He nodded in satisfaction when he saw the group directing people into vehicles.
"Great work guys," he said as he reached them. "I want you guys
to go with this first wave. I'll stay here to make sure people can reach the
vehicles."

Jackson and Shirley both nodded while Carol and Laura shook
their heads. "I'm not leaving without you," Carol said.

"And I'm not leaving without James," Laura added.

Greg wisely remained silent and nodded. He could tell by the
look in their eye that this wasn't a fight he could win. Greg directed a few
nearby guards to accompany the group and the first wave of vehicles started
making their way out of the trailer park towards the meeting point. Greg
noticed that he didn't hear any more gunfire and hoped that meant the attack
had been repelled. A few minutes later, James arrived with some guards in tow.

"Looks like we're clear," he said.

Greg nodded. "Did you check the west fence? That's
where Richard was when this all started."

"I didn't know," James replied. "Everything
was clear there when we walked by. We checked the whole park."

"Alright. Let's head that way. We can also look for
stragglers so we don't leave anyone behind."

A few minutes later Greg was standing over Richard's body.
He was surrounded by the bodies of the infected. They'd taken him down but it
didn't look like a single one had gotten past him. That heroic bastard Greg
thought shaking his head. He also saw the bodies of the guards that had come to
help. From the position of their bodies it looked as if they had arrived after
Richard had already fallen. They didn't run though, they held the line for long
as they could. A howl in the distance caught Greg's attention and he looked
beyond the fence to see more infected. 

"Time to go," he announced, "I hate the idea
of leaving Richard's body here but he wouldn't want us risking ourselves for
sentiment. Let's head back." Greg led the group back towards the vehicles
and they knocked on trailer home doors as they went. This turned up a small
family of four but it looked like most of the other people had made it out in
the first wave. 

Greg road in the lead vehicle with Caro, James, and Laura.
They left the trailer park and started taking the main road towards the
expressway. They were nearly out of town when they were forced to come to a
stop. There were several cars blocking the road with a number of people
standing in front. Greg exited the vehicle and everyone else in the caravan
followed suit.

"I'm assuming that's Dawn up there," Greg said
after everyone gathered around.

"How do you want to play it?" James asked.

"I'll meet with her. Hopefully we can do this without a
fight but be ready." He looked around at the remaining guards in the
group. "I don't know who exactly did the deed, but I'm pretty sure someone
cut the fences on Dawn's order. Anyone have a problem if we have to
fight?"

All the guards shook their heads fiercely. They'd gotten
lucky today that they'd only lost Richard but they were happy to exact some
payback on whoever was responsible. Greg walked towards the group of people and
Dawn came to meet him halfway. 

"We heard the gunfire," she said, "is
everyone okay?"

"Really?" Greg asked. "You orchestrate the
whole thing and have the gall to ask if we're okay?"

"I see Richard has poisoned you against me. Where is he
by the way? Did he make it out in that first group?"

"Richard is dead because you," Greg replied.
"He gave his life so we could get away."

"That's a shame," Dawn said with no trace of
remorse in her voice. "That could have been avoided if he hadn't been so
stubborn."

Greg felt rage boil up within him at her casual mention of
Richard's death. "Don't talk about him," he said angrily.

Dawn shrugged. "I don't really care to be honest. We
have a bit of a problem here, Greg. I don't care that you guys are leaving but
you'll have to turn over any supplies. Those belong to the city."

Greg took a step forward. "I'm this close to putting a
bullet in your brain, Dawn. A good man died today because of you. Push me if
you want to."

Dawn looked in his eyes and must have seen something because
she nodded. "Maybe I underestimated you. Alright, you're free to go."
She waved towards her men and they began moving the cars from the road. Greg
waited until the road was clear and walked back towards the cars. A few moments
later they left Dawn behind.

Dawn sighed shakily as Greg's caravan drove away. She'd made
a gross miscalculation. She'd seen the look in Greg's eye when she had pushed
him about the supplies. She had no doubt in her mind that he would have killed
her then and there. She shook her head as if that would dispel her unease. It
was over, she'd never have to deal with him again.

Greg's group reached the rendezvous point after about an
hour on the road. Jackson and Shirley exited their vehicle with relief evident
on their faces. Everyone exchanged greetings, happy to see that their loved
ones had made it out. Jackson approached Greg and pulled him into a fierce hug.

"Can't tell you how glad I am to see you. Wasn't sure
you'd make it and they were starting to look to us for answers."

Greg chuckled. "Oh you would've been fine. How is
everyone? We lose anyone?"

"Only one that I know of," Jackson replied.
"There was one that refused to come with us when we made a run for the
vehicles."

Greg shook his head, "Stupid."

Jackson nodded. "What can you do? I wasn't gonna die
because they were an idiot."

Greg nodded. "Alright, let's gather everyone around.
I've got some news to share." Greg looked out over the people as they
gathered together. They were about sixty people all told. They looked
tired, disheveled, and hungry. And he was responsible for all of them. He
felt something stir within him and knew that he would do everything he could to
keep them safe. Robert's vision of finding a place of their own was good one.
He'd make sure it happened.

"We were attacked tonight," he began,
"someone cut the fences and killed the guards before they raised the
alarm." He looked out over the sea of faces and didn't see much fear, he
did see a lot of anger though.

"Richard saved us," he continued, "we
discovered a breach and Richard held the infected off while I raised the alarm.
He was a hero. And not just him. After Richard fell, Paul and Anthony held the
line." He paused for a moment, grateful that James had been able to supply
their names. "I have no doubt their sacrifice is the only reason so many
of us were able to make it out." A few teared up at this, Richard was well
liked even before he had organized everyone and kept them safe.

"Who did it?" someone yelled. The crowd began to
murmur then, many of them expressing a desire for payback. Greg raised his
hands for silence and the crowd complied.

"Dawn Stamper did it," Greg replied. The crowd
expressed surprise at this revelation, who would think that one of their city
officials could turn on them like that?

"Do you want revenge?" Greg asked. The crowd
nodded their assent at this. "Let me tell you what means. It means that we
go back and fight the very people some of you grew up with. Are you prepared
for that? Further, I believe most of those people back there are just trying to
survive. I don't even think they know what Dawn orchestrated. But we can go back,
is that what you want?"

The crowd quieted then and Greg nodded. It was one thing to
want revenge, who wouldn't? But they weren't ready to kill the innocent along
with the guilty. "I say we take this as a lesson. We move forward. Richard
wanted to find a place where we could all be safe. I say we do that, but there
will be a few changes."

"Richard was a good man. He believed that everyone
deserved the benefit of the doubt. I say the rules we used to follow are gone.
The world we knew is gone and we can't live the way we used to." Greg
paused as the ideas he had been thinking about became cemented in his mind.

"If someone shows hostility, we put them down. No
questions, no hesitation. If they hit us, we hit back twice as hard."
The crowd began nodding then, some responding with shouts of agreement.

"Follow me and I will lead you to a place to call our
own. We will claim it, we'll defend it, and we'll rebuild what we've lost.
Who's with me?"

The crowd erupted then, everyone voicing their support. Greg
nodded in satisfaction and raised his hands again for silence. When the group
complied he continued, "We've had a long day. We're gonna get some more
miles on the road and set up camp for the night. You all know your jobs, let's
get to it."

The crowd dispersed and Greg heard many of them talking
excitedly amongst themselves. Something was different now. Before, they were
little more than a group of individuals trying to survive. Greg felt they were
something more now, their shared trauma having forged a bond between them. He
had no more doubt that they would follow his lead. He'd lead them out of the
trailer park and not a single person had been lost save Richard. 

"Good speech," Shirley said as she walked up to
him. "You been planning that?"

Greg shrugged. "I've been thinking about it, the rest
just happened."

"Looks like everyone is on board," James said.
"Don't think we'll have too many problems."

"Scouts are out," Jackson said as he joined the
group. "We can head out now."

Greg nodded and headed for his vehicle. It would be slow
going but they had decided it was a good idea to send scouts out before them.
If they ran into trouble, they could radio back so the main group could respond
accordingly. The arrangement was simple, the guards were set in vehicles at the
head and tail of the caravan with all the liabilities in the middle. Greg felt
this would give them the best chance to respond in case they ran into trouble.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. The scouts found a
suitable area to set up and they stopped for the day to pitch their tents.
Later that evening, Greg walked the camp and checked in with each of the guards
on sentry duty. He didn't stay long, he just exchanged a few words to let them
know that he appreciated them.  Morning came and everyone loaded up after
a quick breakfast of instant oatmeal. They traveled about fifty miles that day
and then stopped to find a suitable camp.

The scouts had found a truck stop and the group were glad to
have a semblance of civilization after clearing it of infected. The vending
machines were raided and they had a treat with their dinner that night. Morning
came and the scavengers were sent out to look for supplies. A few of the
vehicles were running low on gas and Greg didn't want any problems on the road.
The respite also served to let the group recover further. No doubt many of his
people were still stressed about the trailer park attack. After that, he'd been
trying to put as much distance as he could between them and Dawn's people.
Taking a break for morale would be good for everyone's psychological health.

That night, Greg gathered his inner circle and they poured
over a map they found at the truck stop. He'd also invited Don Dixon and Joe
Montiel, these men had become the de facto leaders of the scouts and scavengers.
Don was an experienced hunter and was the best man to lead the scouts. Joe had
already proved his worth because he was planning on hitting a town as soon as
possible to deal with their walkie situation.