but they’re all gathered together near the kitchen doors. There’s a slew of dead bodies close to the front entrance. Seems they’re steerin’ clear of them.”
“Jesus, how in the world will we get everyone out in time? And what about everyone else who ain’t here? How we gonna warn them what’s goin’ on?” Turner asked.
“One crisis at a time, son. Okay, here’s the plan: Martha, you and Turner come with me and we’ll get Lt. Pack and his cohort. Lamar, you and Reed fetch the other fool. Deputy Bailey, you and Allsop got your cuffs with you?”
“Yes, but we each only have one set,” Deputy Bailey replied.
“Then I guess one of them will just need to take a nap,” Walt said, patting the butt of his rifle. “After we secure the trio, we’ll round up the remainin’ grunts and then we’ll get our friends and neighbors to safety. Got it?”
The rest of the group nodded in agreement.
With Walt and Martha on point, the group made their way across the blacktop to the back door, guns at the ready and hearts pounding with dread.
Once they reached the back door, Walt glanced at Martha. He could see the fear in her eyes, along with determination. Her blue eyes shimmered in the bright sunlight. He winked and motioned with his head for her to move behind him.
Yanking the door open, Walt burst into the kitchen, gun pointed at the head of the lieutenant. Martha and Turner split off and flanked right, their own weapons trained on the sergeant. “Hands up and mouths shut, or my face is the last one you’ll ever see,” Walt growled.
The two men froze. Lt. Pack stood next to the seated sergeant, his hulking frame crammed inside an ill-fitting uniform stained with blood. Two rifles sat on the counter out of reach, a Beretta M9 rested snugly on both of their hips.
Sizing his quarry up, Walt guessed the lieutenant at around 6’2”. With the solid build of a linebacker, a harsh face with a square jawline and dark brown, unreadable eyes, Lt. Pack was a formidable opponent. Maybe forty, judging by the deep lines on his forehead and around his orbital bones. From his periphery, he could see the sergeant was smaller yet lean. Maybe thirty, tops.
Walt saw Reed and Lamar to his right. They moved past them and stood at the entryway to the cafeteria. Walt gave a slight nod and the two disappeared through the doors.
The lieutenant’s gaze never left Walt’s. With slow, calculated movements, Lt. Pack raised his arms in compliance with the order. The sergeant next to him was young, scared, and stupid. Like a fool, he reached for his weapon. His arm moved less than two inches before Martha rammed the butt of her rifle into his wimpy face, knocking the bastard off of his perch.
“That wasn’t necessary. He was just doing his—”
“Shut up, lieutenant. I ain’t got no time for givin’ orders twice. Here’s a new set: help your buddy to his feet and let’s take this out back. No tricks or sudden movements or we will shoot. Got it?”
The hatred behind the soldier’s eyes was almost palpable. Walt couldn’t help himself and let out a wide grin. After the smack down of the sergeant, Martha and Turner backed up and moved to the door, opening it wide. The lieutenant finished giving Walt the evil eye, bent down, and yanked the other man to his feet. In seconds, they were back out in the bright daylight.
Allsop and Bailey were ready. They came up behind the men and cuffed them.
“Local militia. I knew it. Been begging for years for the higher-ups to wipe you all out. Now, when the world crashes around us, all you bastards swoop in and try to take control when you have no idea what’s really going on!”
Walt’s right arm shot out and connected with the bulbous nose of the lieutenant. The force of the punch knocked the big man to his knees. “That’s for not keepin’ your hole shut and for givin’ the order to kill innocent people. Fuckin’ pussy! You’re supposed to be helpin’ your fellow man, not
“Jesus, how in the world will we get everyone out in time? And what about everyone else who ain’t here? How we gonna warn them what’s goin’ on?” Turner asked.
“One crisis at a time, son. Okay, here’s the plan: Martha, you and Turner come with me and we’ll get Lt. Pack and his cohort. Lamar, you and Reed fetch the other fool. Deputy Bailey, you and Allsop got your cuffs with you?”
“Yes, but we each only have one set,” Deputy Bailey replied.
“Then I guess one of them will just need to take a nap,” Walt said, patting the butt of his rifle. “After we secure the trio, we’ll round up the remainin’ grunts and then we’ll get our friends and neighbors to safety. Got it?”
The rest of the group nodded in agreement.
With Walt and Martha on point, the group made their way across the blacktop to the back door, guns at the ready and hearts pounding with dread.
Once they reached the back door, Walt glanced at Martha. He could see the fear in her eyes, along with determination. Her blue eyes shimmered in the bright sunlight. He winked and motioned with his head for her to move behind him.
Yanking the door open, Walt burst into the kitchen, gun pointed at the head of the lieutenant. Martha and Turner split off and flanked right, their own weapons trained on the sergeant. “Hands up and mouths shut, or my face is the last one you’ll ever see,” Walt growled.
The two men froze. Lt. Pack stood next to the seated sergeant, his hulking frame crammed inside an ill-fitting uniform stained with blood. Two rifles sat on the counter out of reach, a Beretta M9 rested snugly on both of their hips.
Sizing his quarry up, Walt guessed the lieutenant at around 6’2”. With the solid build of a linebacker, a harsh face with a square jawline and dark brown, unreadable eyes, Lt. Pack was a formidable opponent. Maybe forty, judging by the deep lines on his forehead and around his orbital bones. From his periphery, he could see the sergeant was smaller yet lean. Maybe thirty, tops.
Walt saw Reed and Lamar to his right. They moved past them and stood at the entryway to the cafeteria. Walt gave a slight nod and the two disappeared through the doors.
The lieutenant’s gaze never left Walt’s. With slow, calculated movements, Lt. Pack raised his arms in compliance with the order. The sergeant next to him was young, scared, and stupid. Like a fool, he reached for his weapon. His arm moved less than two inches before Martha rammed the butt of her rifle into his wimpy face, knocking the bastard off of his perch.
“That wasn’t necessary. He was just doing his—”
“Shut up, lieutenant. I ain’t got no time for givin’ orders twice. Here’s a new set: help your buddy to his feet and let’s take this out back. No tricks or sudden movements or we will shoot. Got it?”
The hatred behind the soldier’s eyes was almost palpable. Walt couldn’t help himself and let out a wide grin. After the smack down of the sergeant, Martha and Turner backed up and moved to the door, opening it wide. The lieutenant finished giving Walt the evil eye, bent down, and yanked the other man to his feet. In seconds, they were back out in the bright daylight.
Allsop and Bailey were ready. They came up behind the men and cuffed them.
“Local militia. I knew it. Been begging for years for the higher-ups to wipe you all out. Now, when the world crashes around us, all you bastards swoop in and try to take control when you have no idea what’s really going on!”
Walt’s right arm shot out and connected with the bulbous nose of the lieutenant. The force of the punch knocked the big man to his knees. “That’s for not keepin’ your hole shut and for givin’ the order to kill innocent people. Fuckin’ pussy! You’re supposed to be helpin’ your fellow man, not
Similar Books
The Cougar and the Wolf
Mina Carter
Class Reunion
Juliet Chastain
Not Dead Enough
Warren C Easley
The Paladin Prophecy
Mark Frost
The Drift Wars
Brett James
Necropolis: London & it's Dead
Catharine Arnold
Taking What's Hers (Forced Submission Book 3)
Alexa Riley
Gives Light(Gives Light Series)
Rose Christo
My Deadly Valentine
Carolyn Keene
The Warrior's Path
Catherine M. Wilson