Base Read Free Page A

her world had gone to hell.
    The captain stopped firing for a moment. ‘Armstrong, put the women into the last truck. Get down to the base and lock them up.’

Chapter 2
    Captain Jack Lang scanned the street, the truck’s spotlights lighting up the roundabout where his men had placed barriers. They’d built the concrete barrier high at the junction of Middle Head Road and Bradley’s Head. Still he could hear so much groaning and shuffling, he was tempted to lob a grenade, but he didn’t want to risk damaging the barrier. A braindead staggered out of the pub on the corner. Jack would have laughed at the irony if he hadn’t been so exhausted. Taking aim he shot it. It dropped. His men had already done a sweep of the pub and cleared the liquor out. How had they missed this braindead?
    He’d made sure the alcohol was locked away on the base. Alcohol made men stupid and stupid got you bit. Every reward would have to be earned, since money no longer counted. The face of the sexy, red-headed woman came to mind. She was trouble. One petite package with fine features and skin like cream, except her bright blue eyes cut a man like a laser when challenged. Ruth, one of the other women had called her.
    Jack’s cock stirred. In another life he could have fallen for her. Now? No way. Too mouthy. Too demanding at a time he had nothing left to give.
    â€˜It’s getting dark,’ he said to Lieutenant Vassar. ‘Low visibility.’
    â€˜Good body count today, Captain. All the barriers held too.’
    â€˜Why so few live people?’ It had taken an hour with his rifle set to automatic to clean out the rest of Middle Head Road along with the braindeads pressing against the barriers. Damn it, he had to find more. He had a hundred men on the base, many of those had served with him in the Middle East. Good men. Men who’d come home only to find they’d lost all their loved ones. The same men who’d returned to the base to serve under him when he put out the call. The sailors obeyed his rules and it had paid off, they were alive but they needed a reason to keep going. Saving lives gave them that reason. Rewards worked too.
    But he only had three women.
    â€˜Wealthy area. People who could left when the contagion started,’ Lieutenant Vassar said. ‘The rest got bit.’
    Jack turned his truck around and headed back to the base, the other trucks filled with his best shooters followed.
    The large houses with their manicured lawns were fading with the approaching night. Why was no one calling out for help? Were there others trapped and too scared to call out? No one trusted the government anymore. That was for sure. Hell, he sure didn’t, they’d been too slow to act, which is why he decided to work on containment whether the government liked it or not. Keeping the compound clean of infected, blocking roads, clearing out the braindeads, one street at a time on the peninsula. God knows, he could lay his head down on his bed and sleep for a week but he still had the women to look after. Somehow he had a feeling he was going to run into problems when he ordered Ruth to strip.
    ***
    â€˜Hey!’ Ruth hammered on the door of her cell. ‘Let us out of here.’
    â€˜Give it up, Ruth,’ Sue said. ‘I’m sure they’ll let us out when they’re ready.’
    Ruth whirled around. ‘What? You think locking us up on the base without explanation is acceptable?’
    â€˜It’d be better if you quit yelling out. You’re giving me a headache.’ Sue massaged her temples.
    Ruth scowled at her. ‘Sorry to upset your delicate sensibilities.’
    â€˜Quit fighting. I can hear footsteps,’ Lea said.
    Ruth froze. ‘Boots. They’re coming back.’ Her fingers curled around the cell bars. To her right she could see the captain striding down the corridor, all swagger and intent, his two henchmen who had loaded them into