The Last Bastion of the Living: A Futuristic Zombie Novel (28 page)

“Yes, sir, I do.”

Settling in her chair, the commandant raised her eyes toward the ceiling, but her gaze was unfocused. “Everything I do is for my daughter. Yes, I took a vow to the Constabulary and to the city, but at the very core of my being, every decision I make is to ensure the security of
The Bastion
so that my daughter can grow up to be the amazing woman I know she will be.” Her right hand tightened into a fist
.

“Does this concern the special ops clearing the valley?” Dwayne dared to ask.

With a sharp shake of her head, the commandant removed any hope Dwayne had that she would finally draw him into her confidence about the SWD secret mission. “No. I cannot speak of that mission. My involvement in the SWD mission to clear the valley is cursory at best.” Her voice was bitter.

“I see.” Dwayne understood perfectly. President Cabot had the
c
ommandant towing
the line
. The SWD was definitely firmly in charge of the mission Maria was on.

“I have called you in here because I was given recent orders that I have decided should be delegated to you. Because of the president
’
s political maneuverings and grandstanding, the entire city knows that
something
is going on in th
e
valley. Speculation is high as to how the valley is being cleared, but the specifics of the mission are not being divulged until after the mission is completed…if ever. The president needs for
The Bastion
citizens to be firmly focused on that mission. He wants them to have hope for a future without the
Scrags
.” The commandant
’
s voice was growing huskier with emotion. Sliding a report over to Dwayne, she said, “You must see this.” She thumbed the corner of the clear sheet
identifying herself as the reader. I
nstantly
,
the report appeared.

Dwayne read swiftly. His fingers began to tremble. “I thought they said that food production was up this year?”

“
It i
s
. But food production is only to supplement
stores
from before the fall of the gate.
The Bastion
has never been self-sufficient since the gate fell. We
’
ve been living off the stores for years now. Each year, despit
e the production of food, we
’
r
e consuming vast amounts of stored food supplies. As the population grew, we cons
umed more. The government didn
’
t halt the population growth because how else can humanity continue if it doesn
’
t breed? The number of females still greatly exceeds the number of males. This whole situation has always been a conundrum. Everyone in the city knows that our situation is dire, but they don
’
t know how
truly bad it
is.” Commandant Pierce reached out and Dwayne handed
her
the report. Her face wore a neutral expression, but
her eyes sparkled in the light from her lamp.
“If something doesn
’
t change, we will all starve to death within
half
a year
’
s time.”

“They
’
re clearing the valley. Once th
e topsoil is removed and we begi
n farming again, the food crisis will be over,” Dwayne said, his voice tight with emotion. The report had left him with a terrible empty feeling inside.

“If they fail, or take too long in securing the valley, food rationing will begin within the next two months. This is so we can stockpile what remains of our food resources in Section A.”

“The fallback position.” Dwayne knew all about Section A. It had been created specifically
to sustain
a small group of people for up to two years if the city was breached. It was heavily fortified with a water reclamation system and solar panels to provide energy. “Only four thousand people can survive in there.”

Commandant Pierce tossed the report onto the stack of clear sheets resting on the side of her desk. “Though the president and the SWD are certain their
top
secret
mission will be successful, the Constabulary has been ordered to prepare for the death of the city. In four months, if there is no successful push back of the
Scrags
in the valley, the healthiest of our population from ages eighteen to twenty-four will be moved to an area of the city that is being prepared now. The rations being set aside for them will keep them alive for possibly two years.”

Dwayne
’
s mouth and throat felt painfully dry. “I see.”

“I
’
ve been trying to keep this from you, but I realize that eventually your sources will begin leaking this information. Most likely not only to you, but
to
the media. We could
have
a dire situation on our hands sooner than we think.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Dwayne asked, his voice harsh with emotion.

“A small contingent of Constabulary soldiers and government officials will also be allowed into Section A. The list has already been made.” Commandant Pierce drew in a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. “I often play the political game with aplomb, but sometimes that works against me. I offended someone in a high position. Though my name was originally on the list, my daughter
’
s was not. She
’
s only fourteen. I asked for her to be added. I was told that this was not possible. That it would mean removing a much healthier citizen with a better chance of survival, or robbing the survivors of experienced leadership.” Her dark eyes met Dwayne
’
s, her defiance clear in them. “All three of your children are on the list. And now
you
a
re
, too.”

“You removed yourself,” Dwayne said in awe.

“I
’
d rather die with my daughter than survive without her. Once the evacuation begins to Section A, the city will spiral into chaos. There will be riots and bloodshed. I won
’
t leave Lucy behind to endure that alone. I already informed the president of my decision.
You
’
re
now officially in charge of preparing the evacuation to Section A and anticipating all security measures for the city.”

“This may all be unnecessary if the valley is cleared,” Dwayne reminded her. He was touched by her stance, shaken by her words, and afraid for the city, but he had faith in Maria. Even in the face of such calamitous news, he believed Maria and the men and women in her squad could save them.

Commandant Pierce
’
s face regained its stone-like impassiveness. “These words stay between us. The mission has just begun and already there is reason for concern
. I am beginning to wonder if the plan was viable to begin with.
”

Trying to maintain a professional demeanor, Dwayne shifted in his chair, trying not to ask her the many questions filling his mind. He already suspected why she was having misgivings, but mayb
e there were more happenings to which he was not privy
.

“Of course, I cannot go into any detail other than to say that the task I have sanctioned you with is of the utmost priority. Though I hope the SWD will be successful in its endeavor to save us, my faith rests with the Constabulary and with you.”

“If the SWD fails, Section A will only give us two more years of life.”

“Two years where maybe you and the powers that be will be able to find a way to save the remainder of humanity.” The commandant lifted her shoulders in a diffident shrug.

Dwayne recognized that she was trying to maintain her composure. He had known that there had to be a reason for the president being so forward about the mission to clear the valley, but he had never imagined it was to keep the focus away from the dwindling food supplies.

“I will do my very best,” he said finally.

She pushed a pad across the desk toward him. “Your orders. The parameters of your assignment are clearly defined. You will report to me and I will report to the president and his council.”

“Understood,” Dwayne said, the heaviness in his chest
worrisome
and painful.

“As far as you need be concerned, the mission to clear the valley is not a salient component to your mission. In other words, prepare for the worst. Dismissed.”

It took another two hours for him to read through all the details of his orders
,
and another thirty minutes to walk home in utter darkness. The curfew had passed and the city was dark. He was stopped by security patrols a few times, but a quick flash of his
wristlet
was all that was needed for him to continue on his journey.

When he finally secured the door to his flat behind him, he checked his wristlet. It was almost time for Maria to call. He couldn
’
t wait to hear her voice
,
or see her face.

That night
,
Maria
didn
’
t
call
,
nor respond when he called her.

And she wouldn
’
t for the next two months.

Chapter 20

The world was full of death, fire, and endless days and nights of killing.

The day of the conference call
,
the SWD had reclaimed control of the wristlet alarms, locking out any chance of Maria reviving herself so she could speak with Dwayne.
The loneliness that ached inside her only worsened every night before she fell into torpor.
She missed him so much
. S
he craved the ability to cry and to dream. Perhaps crying would have brought relief. Maybe her dreams would have been filled with Dwayne. Instead, she spent her days killing in the shadows of the high mountains and the city she had once called home.

The camaraderie of the early days had faded as the days droned on. The mixed group of SWD security and Constabulary often socialized apart
. S
ometimes there were tense moments, but overall the squad was working well together.
Though
Gutierrez
was SWD security,
he
often hung out with Mikado and McKinney
playing ball
. Hopefully, the group would continue to integrate.

It was hard to find respite during the days of killing. Though there was still some joking and laughter during the breaks, it was easy to be foul-tempered when the small joys of life were missing. Even though they didn
’
t need food and drink, they all missed sitting down to meals. Though they didn
’
t need to sleep, being unable to find comfort in dreams was taxing.

As the first days faded into weeks and the weeks faded into a month, Denman lobbied Chief Defender
Omondi
for more down time for the sake of the squad
’
s emotional well-being, but
Omondi
replied that the SWD had declined. They were on a tight schedule and the SWD was closely watching their progress.

It was hard to still feel human at the end of the first month. The squad could finally see their progress as they made their way through the valley. Each night the bonfires smoldered as they dragged the dead to the flames. As the bodies were cleared away
,
the ramshackle
remains of the old settlements
became visible. Old sealed subway stations were cleared of debris, listing fences were knocked down and used for kindling, pre-fab houses lay in broken ruins among the growing weeds.
Little by little
, the cleared areas began to sprout grass and weeds. Any bushes that had survived being trampled began to grow leaves. When the rain came, the ground was muddy and difficult to traverse, but the next day the valley was a little greener, a little more alive.

Some days were easier than others.

*
*
*

One day they had tallied up their kills and tried to figure out what nice additions they could add to their future home. There had been a lot of laughter and gentle ribbing as each person shared their dreams. Holm
’
s desire for a cloned horse was met with some surprise, while Jameson
’
s desire for a hot tub in bright red was to be expected.

“What about you, Vanguard Martinez?” Mikado asked.

Maria smiled at the thought of her and Dwayne sipping beers while staring out at the lake from their new home. “A nice porch that overlooks the lake. I
’
d like hanging plants, too. Maybe a nice barbecue pit to cook something other than soy protein.”

“I cannot wait for them to start cloning livestock again!” McKinney said with a feral grin. “Damn, I want a steak so bad.”

“You don
’
t know what a steak tastes like,” Cruz reminded him.

“It looks so good in all the vids. It has to taste good,” McKinney responded.

“It
’
ll be a few years before there will be enough livestock for actual meat on our tables,” Cormier said in a sober tone. She blew her hair out of her face and sighed.

“I can wait,” McKinney said. “It
’
ll be worth it.”

“What about you, Denman?” Cruz asked.

“A nice yard. For the kids to run amok,” he answered simply.

“Kids, huh?” Cruz grinned. “I think I want one of those.”

“Want to start practicing?” Jameson asked,
leering playfully
.

“With you? No. With him,” she said pointing to Mikado, “maybe.”

Mikado grinned at Cruz. Maria sensed the pulse of attraction between them and she missed Dwayne all the more. Jameson
’
s face clouded with anger as he looked away from the exchange. Maria felt sorry for him, but the young man had been rather testy of late. He seemed more on edge than the others.

“Enough talking. Back to work,” Omondi ordered.

There were groans all around as the squad broke up into teams. There were
ten
groups and Maria walked behind Denman, Jameson, and Cruz. The
Inferi Scourge
horde around the city had dissipated around the edges now that there was not a regular human presence on the wall. There were still thousands clamoring against the walls, but the din of their cries was muted now.

Maria slammed the end of her bolt weapon against the head of a
Scourge
and pulled the trigger. The bolt thrust out, whirled, then the
Scourge
fell. She barely glanced at its body before advancing on the next one. Denman worked beside her, efficient and silent. Ahead of them Jameson was giving Cruz a hard time. Though he was always joking, Maria sensed there was a bit of venom in his comments.

“This one has a better ass than you do,” Jameson said, slapping the buttocks of a naked
Scourge
with long blond hair.

“It also has a bigger dick than you,” Cruz grinned.

Maria smirked as Jameson yanked the
Scourge
around to realize it was a very young man. With a hard shove, Jameson knocked it over and dispatched it.

Cruz
’
s laughter trailed on the wind.

There was a storm starting to move over the mountains and Maria dreaded working in the rain. If the downfall was significant, they might be able to take shelter in one of the decr
epit
houses nearby.

It would be Omondi
’
s call and she doubted he would have any mercy on them. Since the conference call almost two months before, he was a somber, colder version of himself. Maria rarely saw him smile. He looked like a man carrying a heavy burden.

Kicking
the creatures
over and killing them, Jameson was cutting a swath through the patch of
Inferi Scourge
they were destroying. He seemed in a particular fury today. Maria looked at him warily and noticed Denman watching him as well.

“Maybe you should calm it down just a bit, Jameson,” Maria called out.

Jameson whirled around, his bolt weapon clenched in his hands. The grayish cast to his face seemed more pronounced in the shadow of the storm clouds sliding overhead. His mouth twisted into an ugly shape as he appeared to struggle with his emotions. He didn
’
t answer. With a howl, he swung about and slammed his weapon downward. Instead of dispatching the bolt, he brought the weapon down again and again, smashing the
Scourge
’
s head into mush.

“Special Constable Jameson, calm yourself!” Maria shouted. She stormed over and gripped his shoulder, yanking him
away
from the
Scourge
.

Around them, the
Scourge
were stirring. Jameson
’
s howl had broken their torpor.

“How can I be calm when there are so many?” Jameson shouted. “It never ends. There so goddamn many! Everywhere I look
they
’
re
just standing there waiting to fucking die!”

Denman appeared at their side and rested his hand on Jameson
’
s other shoulder. “Special Constable Jameson, I need you to sit down.”

“They
’
re all around us. It doesn
’
t matter how many I kill, there are always more. All around me,” Jameson gasped.

“Sit down,” Denman said, his voice a soft order.

Collapsing to the ground, Jameson covered his face. His shoulders were shuddering, but no tears fell from his cloudy eyes.

Cruz crouched beside him, cradling her weapon in her arms. Her dark eyes were full of compassion as she whispered, “It
’
s okay, Kurt. I
’
m here with you.”

Pulling out his diagnostic equipment, Denman started to scan Jameson. Maria watched the
Scourge
around them slowly coming out of their torpor. Their dead eyes rolled about crazily in their sockets, seeking out human victims.

Maria squatted next to the others, her gaze scrutinizing their predicament. The
Scourge
were not riled sufficiently to respond to their voices, but she was unnerved by how quickly they had responded to Jameson
’
s cry. It had sounded like a
Scourge
howl.

Overhead, thunder rolled.

Next to her, Denman studied the results of his scan, comparing them to a previous
one. O
ne of his tasks was to monitor their functions every day. The
Inferi Boon
V
irus animated t
hem, but it was unknown how the
virus would affect them ov
er time. Denman rubbed his chin thoughtfully
.

Jameson
’
s face was covered by his hands. Though his posture was that of a weeping person, Maria knew that tears were not falling. Cruz
’
s hand rested on his arm as she whispered to him in a soothing voice.

“Is there an issue?” Maria asked.

“Emotional duress,” Denman said quickly. “I told the Chief Defender that we
’
re pushing too hard.”

Eyes narrowing, Maria regarded Denman thoughtfully. He was lying and she knew it. Meeting her gaze, Denman didn
’
t seem defiant, but afraid. They would have to find a way to speak in private.

A
Scourge
howl ripped through the air
,
instantly aggravating the
Scourge
around the soldiers. Their howls mingled with the original cry. A few
Scourge
lunged at each other, snapping their teeth in aggravation before realizing their prey was not before them. Maria motioned for her team to be silent as the
Scourge
surged around them, twisting around in circles, seeking out a human to bite and infect. Another howl pierced the growing din around them.

Maria shifted on her feet and cautiously stood, her bolt weapon clasped in her hands. The
Scourge
jostled her as they frantically
thrust
each other aside, seeking prey. Her wr
istlet vibrated
. It was most likely the Chief Defe
nder calling her, but she didn
’
t dare speak aloud. She didn
’
t want the
Scourge
mistaking her for prey and pouncing on her like they had Coleman.

Again a loud, terrifying howl rose above the
Scourge
cries. It was closer this time. Maria spun around on her heel, seeking out the source of the cry. She had a horrible inkling that they were being stalked. If there was another thinking
Scourge
out here
—

Another knot of
Scourge
crashed into her, nearly knocking her over. She struggled to regain her balance under the onslaught. Widening her stance, she managed to stay on her feet as the stampede rushed past her.

“Hungry!” a voice snarled, then strong hands gripped her shoulders and yanked her backward.

“Fuck!”

Maria slammed her bolt weapon over her shoulder
. I
t impact
ed
with flesh and bone. Her feet slid out from under her and she fell out of the grasp of her assailant. Flipping onto her side when she hit the ground, she kicked out, striking
the groin of
the d
ark shape lunging at her
. The impact was jarring, but she managed to
drive
the creature back a few feet
.

Denman leaped over her and tackled the
Scourge
attacker to the ground. It writhed under Denman, clutching at his armor, its teeth gnashing. Cruz and Jameson flung themselves onto the creature and grappled with its flailing legs. Rolling onto her knees, Maria crawled rapidly to the struggle.