Requiem

[Sheriff McClelland]

Good stuff . Looking forward to finding out who's calling out and where from , inside or out .

Thanks !

[Redsky]

.I grab Tommy and pull him back towards the vehicle to take cover.
Help us! Comes again from the left of us, whoever is calling out is in the boat house.
The boat house is a two level structure. The bottom level has three roll up doors for boats on the canal.
First time I saw it I thought it was a carriage house. Another thing about Beckett, he had style.
I see someone in the window of the upper level.
Hey!
Who are you? I holler back.
We’re trapped! There are zombies on the bottom floor and we can’t get out.
OK, who are you?
We have some of your people in here as well so help us.
Our people?
Damn it must be raiders.
How many?
Hey come on man.
Okay, hold on I holler. I call Rachael on the radio and let her know what’s going on.
Really? She says.
That’s what they said; Rachael is there any way you can see in there?
No luck on that it’s not covered with any of the active cameras. I could try the phone.
No don’t, let me see if we can take out the infected and then we’ll sort this out.
I double check the weapons as Tommy alerts me to a few infected coming out of the building.
I nod and take them down with the M-4. I change magazines on the weapon.
Tommy, I want you to stay here.
But Uncle Red.
No, you stay here and if I tell you to run you run straight back to the bunker.
No arguments, okay?
Okay, Tommy responds by giving me the kicked puppy look. I scowl at him just to show him I’m serious, and move towards the boat house.
Crawlers start coming out of the door, as I hear wood breaking above me. They must be taking down whatever barricades they put up to prevent the infected from reaching the second floor or the infected are breaking through to them. I don't hear any sounds of fighting above me so they must be trying to take down the barricade.
I shoot the crawlers and step to where the stairs use to be.
I say where because everything that could have been used to block that spiral staircase is in it even doors and parts of the small concession counter that was on the second level along with the popcorn cart and the duck feed machines.
Hold on I holler up through the gap. I catch a glimpse of an unfamiliar bearded face.
What?
This stuff is wedged in too tight and there are still some zombies out there.
So how the hell are we supposed to get down?
Climb out the windows in front.
Um, Err, well the lady up here is hurt kind of I don’t think we can get out that way.
Just come to the front I’ll get the vehicle and you can jump down to that.
Ok.
I run back up to a smiling Tommy and jump in the vehicle.
Are we going to leave now Uncle Red?
No Tommy we’re going to help those people first, but Tommy they maybe the bad guys so keep quiet and point your rifle at them ok?
Ok I’ll keep them covered Uncle Red, just like you showed me. You want me to put on a “mean” face too?
Yeah, Tommy put on a mean face and no talking, okay?
Tommy does just that staring at me he goes, GRRR!
I almost laugh, time to bust a gut later. I drive back down to the boat house and purposely park a little further from the roof than I should.
The bearded raider is waiting on the roof. I don’t see a weapon but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one pointed at me from somewhere inside.
Come on, let’s go I holler.
Okay he says as he turns back to the window to help pull a woman through. I can’t make out who she is but she looks pretty beat up, black eye and blood dried on her shirt. I doubt she was bitten but we’ll see. Next through the window is a raider. This one is holding a pistol. Still it isn’t pointed at me but I keep my weapon trained on him just in case.
How many more, I asked as I glance around?
Two the beard says.
The next one is a raider, younger than the other two holding a shot gun. Great he could blow my head off at this distance.
When I see the man wearing a blue scrub top climb out of window my heart skips.
Doctor Arjan Malik, I presume?
Well it could have ended a little better I guess but that’s the way things go sometimes.
Tommy also recognized the doctor. He hollers the doctor’s name and started jumping up and down like he does when he gets really excited. The one with the pistol took the opportunity to bring up his weapon and was starting to point it in Tommy’s direction. Before the bearded one could yell NO! I shot the one with the pistol. Chain reaction in motion had the one with the shotgun swing it in my direction when all of a sudden, Arjan pushes him off the roof! The shotgun goes off but doesn’t hit anyone as the former owner crashes to the ground with a sickening crunch. Broke something I bet.
I swing the weapon back at the beard. Don’t do anything stupid I say. He raises his hands above his head. I tell him to keep them up and to face away from me and he complies. Arjan is helping the woman, I think its Marisol? Get down off the roof. I tell Tommy to pick up the shotgun.
I direct my next orders at the bearded one. I tell him to check his buddy on the roof.
He replies with: He’s dead.
Seeing that Arjan and Marisol are both off the roof I tell the beard to make his way down as well. I keep my weapon pointed at him as I tell Tommy to keep a look out for other infected.
What’s your name?
Simon.
Okay, Simon you’re going to walk over to the gate house with me. Tommy, keep a good look out, Doc good to see you, stay here with Tommy and Marisol. Move, Simon.
What about Ricky? He says pointing at the other raider on the ground. Who’s currently crying and holding onto his leg.
He ain’t going anywhere right now. Go. I point towards the gate house with the rifle.
Have I mentioned just how much I hate push bars on doors? Well I do. The few infected that had gotten into the gatehouse burst out of the building. If the door had a knob or handle on the inside they couldn’t have turned it, well I haven’t seen them do that trick just yet.
Simon stops in his tracks and begins backing up as I take down the infected. Six shots six kills not bad. Simon makes a move like he’s going to try and grab the rifle from me.
Give me another reason I say and he backs down. Inside I make him check the upper level, luckily for him there are no infected present.
Ok I say, move back to the vehicle I tell him. As we walk back to the vehicle he tries to talk to me and explain why he’s was with the raiders. I don’t care and I tell him as much. He gets quite.
Now what? Arjan asks me.
Doctor can you drive the vehicle back through the gate?
Yeah, sure I can, what about them?
I got it just take Tommy with you.
I want to stay with you Uncle Red.
No Tommy, just go with the doctor.
But, I...
Go I’ll meet you once I get the gate closed.
Simon is looking at me weighing his options.
So what are you going to do with us? Just shoot us?
Pretty much what I had in mind
Aww. Come on man don’t do that I can help, you can’t just shoot me.
Help me get the gate closed and we’ll see.
What about Ricky?
What about him?
You just gonna leave him lying there?
Hadn’t given it much thought.
No man! Don’t leave me here! Those things will get me! Ricky screams.
I shush him. I tell him to be quite.
I tell Simon to get Ricky and help him to the gate. Leave him there I point to spot just inside the gate.
I keep the rifle pointed at Simon as he sets Ricky down none to gently. Look man, he starts again. I just wave the barrel of the rifle back towards the building and he moves in that direction. Once inside I have him open the gate controls and lift the handles so the gate slides back into place and locks. Back outside I have him pick up Ricky and walk over to the vehicle. I chain lock the main gate and walkthrough gate as well. No one is getting through there without a key or bolt cutters.
Put him on the hood.
Simon just stares at the zombie gore on the hood.
Fine he says lifting Ricky on to the hood. Hey, doc! Arjan pops his head out of the vehicle. Do you want to try and set this one’s leg here or what?
Arjan: Too bad he didn’t break his neck in the fall but, yeah I could try it here or wait till we got to the med center.
Fine you drive, Ricky hold on, you don’t want to fall off again. Simon, you can ride up there with Ricky.
I climb into the passenger side brushing off Marisol as she tries to hug me and thank me by telling her “De nada” and “despues”. I climb up in the turret. I look around and survey the day’s work. Hundreds of infected down and 4 more survivors, although I’m not sure how much longer Ricky and Simon are going to live

[Nancy1340]

Another very good one.
Glad the Doc is alive.

Thanks

[Scott in AK]

I like it, please keep going.

Scott

[Redsky]

We pull up in front of the med center and unload Ricky from the hood. Arjan and the rest are leery of going into the building until I assure them that it’s clear. Simon dumps Ricky onto one of the exam tables as directed by Arjan. I take Simon out into the waiting area and search him thoroughly for weapons. Yeah should have done this earlier, got lucky he had none.
After tying his hands behind him, I have Tommy and Marisol watch him while I help Arjan immobilize Ricky’s leg.
It’s not as if we intentionally caused him pain while doing it, but he did scream out a few times.
I can’t do anything more with the leg right now Arjan says, We’ll have to wait a few days till the swelling does down. I will x-ray it once the pain meds kick in, but I’d say he going to need surgery. A few screws and a plate, just a simple internal fixation, the only problem is the hardware to do it.
So what? We need screws and a metal plate.
No, not exactly. The thing is we do have several kits in supply but, I wouldn’t want to waste it.
What you think he’s going to die?
Are you going to let him live?
Well then that’s the question. The 800 pound gorilla in the room no one sees. They (Simon and Ricky) are raiders. They were part of the group that attacked us. If the circumstances were reversed, would they kill us?
I want to find out as much as we can about the group. Who they are, strength, where they came from, stuff like that.
So the only reason they’re alive right now is for intelligence purposes? Arjan asks.
As it stands right now, yes. Later we’ll see. I want to talk to Simon first; he seems to have a little more on the ball than this one. Pointing at Ricky; who is either asleep because the drugs or faking it. Doesn’t matter he isn’t going anywhere.
Look Arjan, I want to go and get Rachael and the baby and bring them over.
What baby? Lisa had the baby?
Yeah.
He doesn’t ask about Lisa. I guess he just new since I hadn’t mentioned her she must be dead.
How old is she?
A little over a week, she came the night of the attack.
I should take a good look at her before anything else.
Are you hungry doc? You need water or anything?
I’m starving; we ate the last of bait yesterday.
Really?
Well we ran out of what little snacks and stuff that was there on the counter. It wasn’t much to begin with.
We both say “What the hell happened at the same time and then start laughing like two idiots. It wasn’t funny just ironic. A stress releaser I suppose, we needed it.
Wait Arjan, let me go get Rachael I’ll be right back.
I could have used the radio or the phone and told her to come over but, that wouldn’t have been safe. I thought there maybe some infected still in the perimeter. I check on Tommy and Marisol. Everything was status quo. I don’t think any of them had moved. Simon sitting there looking down at his hands, Tommy staring at him with the scowl on his face, and Marisol just standing there with no expression what so ever, almost as if she was in a daze. I’ll talk to her later.
Tommy, he looks in my direction, I’ll be right back, keep your eyes on him. Tommy just grunts and rolls his shoulders like a boxer about to throw a punch.
If I didn’t know better, I would be worried. Simon isn’t going anywhere.
I look through the window of the door and see that the coast is clear. Ok good I think as I scoot across the quad.
Rounding the corner of the building my luck changes.
Yeah you guess it.
Infected.
Not really surprised there were some still roaming around the compound. It was only three so I didn’t bother shooting them. One reason was that if I did start shooting it may have caused problems in the med center. Tommy would get distracted not knowing what was going on. The raiders might try to take advantage of the situation, though I doubt Ricky could have done much. Simon although he was behaving for the moment could do something.
I push back those thoughts for the moment and big up the butt stock of the rifle into the head of the closest sending it to the ground. Down but not out, I think as it squirmed its way around trying to get back on its feet. A follow up kick stomp the temporal region makes it stop moving.
Next up gets the barrel to the side of the head. Not enough force not to knock it over but enough to allow me to kick its legs out from under it, with another kick stomp and that one’s done. The third one gives me the most trouble. It manages to grab my arm and starts pulling it towards its mouth. If it had two arms I probably would have lost out on this fight. I managed to get the rifle between us, keep some distance between its mouth and my arm, which was starting to hurt from the grip it had on me. I pull the knife free from its sheath on my vest and ram it up under it chin.
No it didn’t kill it. I didn’t have a 12 inch knife on my vest. That’s what it would have taken to piece the thing from chin to brain. The knife gave me a better way of controlling the head. Finally I manage to push it over and land on top of it. I heard bones break as I landed on top of its ribcage. I twisted my arm free, yanking back on the knife as I scramble to me feet.
The infected is also trying to regain its feet as I kick it in the head with everything I have. I guess the knife did do a fair amount of damage to the neck and spinal column, because on the second kick the head goes sailing across the pathway between the buildings.
I continue between the buildings towards the bunker.
All I can think of is. GOOOAAALLL!

[Nancy1340]

Thanks

[Redsky]

Nothing but a good time…
I escort Rachael and Lisa back over to the med center. I expected that Rachael would be happy to see Marisol and Arjan, but the way she greeted Arjan was not what I expected. A hug, yes, a peck on the cheek, yes, but a full on lip lock and hugging they way they did, definitely no.
Shocked, yeah, jealous, Pissed off!
Marisol’s voice breaks thru the red haze flashing before my eyes by saying, De quien es la bebe?
La madre del bebe fue Lisa.
Oh, la pobre bebe!
Marisol takes the baby and holds her tight against her chest cooing with her. Someone owes me an explanation and cooing me ain’t going to cut it!
I look at Simon, with murderous intent. He starts babbling immediately.
Hey man, look I never wanted to do this. I was just trying to survive. You would have done the same thing.
That was the wrong thing to say to me just then. I grab him by the collar and drag him backwards towards the door.
He’s yelling but I’m not listening, Rachael and Arjan are shouting at me as well, I don’t care.
I notice that there’s a few of the infected gathering in the quad, damn. I turn his chair around so Simon can see them.
I tell Tommy to check the door on the other end of the building where we got the vehicle from and make sure it’s locked and nothing can get in. With an okay “Uncle Red” he races down the hall. At least I can trust Tommy.
Ok Simon, now I want you to tell me everything you know about you group. Don’t lie to me or try to down play anything because if I find out later that you did and I don’t care if it’s 5 minutes from now or 5 years from now I will feed you to those things out there. Do you understand?
He says yes and nods his head furiously as if he’s trying to shake something off of his head.
How did you find us?
We capture some people who left your group. It wasn’t me though I don’t do stuff like that.
Where are they now?
The guys and one of the nurses are dead but, we have one at the Wal-Mart, she working with our hospital people.
Where?
Near Hialeah.
Is that where your group is located?
Yes there and in some of the buildings around there.
How many people do you have?
About 200 to 250 mostly.
How many fighters or soldiers in your group?
About 100 probably less now we came here with about 75 because this was supposed to be our new base.
Why were you going to do that?
There are too many zombies there. It gets hard and harder to keep them out or find food and supplies. Every day we lose people at the gates or on supply runs.
What kind of weapons or vehicles do you have?
Well we did have some machine guns and mortars but we brought then with, I don’t know if they escaped the horde. I wasn’t with those groups, I’m not like that.
Any tanks or armored vehicles?
He close his eyes for a moment, I reach up and grab the door handle and start to open the door pushing his chair closer towards it. He starts to panic saying “No, no, we have a couple of those bank trucks but no army stuff!” This wasn’t supposed to be that hard we have people on the inside that where going to let us in and we could take over.
Who did you have in here?
Some guy named George came in and you guys put him in the radio room, there were two others but I don’t know their names. I wasn’t in on that part of the plan.
Keep talking.
George was supposed to “work” on your radio, because when we interrogated you people they said it was busted. George was supposed to fix it and send us more info or your place, how many people and such.
And the other two?
They were supposed to get the gates opened when we attacked also they were supposed to take out some of your leadership.
Really?
Yeah they were supposed to kill what you guys called the “Tier 1” people except for the doctors.
So what went wrong?
I don’t know man.
I tilt his chair towards the door again.
Ok, ok! I guess that mortar guy wasn’t as good as he said he was because he blew the shit out of the big dining facility, we didn’t want that to happen, we wanted to take out your command center.
Well you guys managed to do both.
I know, I know, I was with the group that was supposed to secure the dining facility. When we saw it burning it was too late to do anything so we grabbed the doc and that girl.
Why.
Well we knew we had to keep him safe even though he was trying to fight us. I just wanted to leave at that point.
And what about the girl?
She was just there he says, with his eyes he looks down and to the right.
Well by then the zombies were pouring into the compound we just wanted to keep her safe.
How did you get here?
We drove most of the way but then one of the cars, I mean trucks got struck on the road and we had to get a round it but the ground was too soft so we had to walk.
Where did the truck get stuck?
A ways back up on that gravel road coming down from the highway.
I think back to the road, whatever type of vehicle it was that got stuck had to be pretty heavy.
Ok, I say now what about the horde?
The zombies? He asks.
Yes, the zombies, they followed you or were they already in the area?
A little of both I guess they always follow you, but in a car you can out run them, there’s always some around. That highway was lousy with broken down cars and we saw some camp areas coming here.
So they follow you or caught up to you once you had to walk?
Yeah, they don’t stop moving, plus all the equipment we were carrying, damn base plates are heavy.
I want to pause right then and ask him why he was carrying a base plate if he wasn’t with the mortars, but I keep going.
So how did you get in the gates weren’t open when the dining facility blew.
I know right? They were supposed to wait. Maybe they figured if they could distract you guys we could rush the gates. Hell, the zombies were already chewing on our asses. We needed to get in.
There were cut places cut on the fence line on the eastern side, what was that for?
We infiltrated the ki.. Umm security teams in through those.
I know what he meant to say, kill teams, not very nice. I let it go.
Ok, Simon, I’m going to park you right here by the door and have a talk with Ricky. Then I’ll be back.
Ricky? He says that kid don’t know shit.
Even so I’m going to talk to him. I turn to see my group standing in the hall behind me.
Isn’t anyone watching the other guy?
You told me to lock that door Uncle Red; I locked it, that’s what you told me.
You’re a good man Tommy.
Both Arjan and Rachael look embarrassed, saying they were caught up in the moment. I just stare hard at both of them. I’m more pissed at Rachael then Arjan, but he never said anything to me about her.
Screw it; it’s their business, actually now I feel relived. No more, guilty conscious for me.
Marisol is still holding the baby, but she’s changed her bloodied shirt to a scrub top. I get a better look at her face and she that she has cleaned up a bit just a swollen, soon to be black eye, and some abrasions on her cheeks. I guess Simon’s idea of protecting her was to beat her up. Nice guy that Simon.
I walk into the room with Ricky.
He’s choking down an MRE like a starving dog.
He looks up and says.
At least I won’t die starving, cracking a wicked little smile.
I pull up the stool beside the bed and stare at him.
“What?” he says setting down the MRE package.
Question time I reply.
Figured as much, so what’s going to happen now?
You’re going to tell me what I want to know and then we’ll see.
What did Simon say? That’s my story too.
Really? You want Simon’s story to be your story as well?
Ricky hesitates, and then says yes.
Ok fine I say getting up from the stool. I guess what he said was right, I’ll let you get right with yourself and god for a couple of minutes, you can even right a letter of your confession like he’s doing then I’ll take you outside.
I know it’s not physically possible for someone’s jaw to actually hit the floor but Ricky’s damn near did.
Before I even reach the door three feet away, he tells me everything I would ever need to know about the Republic.

[Redsky]

Since I was rolling here's another.

[Redsky]

The Republic
The group controlling the republic is made up of some former military personal all of which were criminals before the event.
Several of them were well established gang leaders; they slowly took over the group from the more moderate leadership by creating discord and murder. They even went as far to disable some of the defenses to let the zombies in one night causing a lot of deaths and panic. Since they had perpetrate the incident they were prepare to react and managed it to save the group.
This resulted in them taking over the command structure of the area. They further eliminated any opposition slowly and quietly. At first they were very generous with the resources they had, there by gathering more support. Any protest against them was rapidly put down.
Then they got nasty. The remaining larger communities (say 50 to 100 people) in the area that weren’t directly under their control were given the option of joining with them, pay “tribute” or being utterly destroyed.
Mostly, the republic got their way without bloodshed, sometimes they had to fight and when they did they destroyed everything they didn't need or want. Anyone who took up arms against them was killed. It didn’t matter whether they were men, women or children. Then there were the zombies.
The republic would target a community and increase the presence of zombies in the area by making noise to draw them out and closer to the barriers of the community. After the zombies had increase to a certain point, the republic would send emissaries to negotiate with the community in question.
If the community agreed, further terms were set in place and the leadership of the community was replaced with republic members. It didn’t always work. Sometimes, there were just too many zombies. But being the republic they would charge the gates and get inside to take out whatever resources they could. They would evacuate some of the people, usually the women, children and anyone with special skills and abandon the rest to their fate.
Any group they encountered with less than 50 they just took over.
Life for a republic soldier was good as far as weapons, food, and clothing went, also they had other incentives; alcohol, drugs, and women. I really don’t have to explain more on that.
Basically, when someone was brought into the group they were welcome openly; if they had resisted being brought in they were treated like slaves.
Of course being a slave to the republic was short life, that’s why so many decided to join.
Simon lied when he said there were only 200 to 250 members. Ricky said that was way less than the total amount of soldiers.
We have to have at least 700 or more. We’re not just in that one place we have people, down in the zoo and out over by the airport as well. We’ve been clearing some roads as well so those people are armed too.
I’m not sure about the National Guard places but we did take over some police stations. The general wants to see if he can get into the port as soon as we clear off a road.
What road?
Yeah we been clearing of the cars and blocking the ramps on the highway by the airport against the zombies. He said if we can clear the downtown area we can get to the boats in the port.
For what?
Escape is what he tells us, I think it’s just more control for him.
Simon said that your group wanted to move here.
Nah, we just wanted your stuff, you’re supposed to have a lot of it. Did Karl Beckett really build this place?
Yes he did.
Cool, so where is he? We were supposed to grab him too.
Never mind that Ricky, listen I need to know if they’ll be coming back.
Man that’s hard to say. Usually we win, you know. But this place is kind of far out we don’t normally go out in the boonies. We had problems trying to take over some of the places down by Kendall so this was just a big run. That’s why we brought so many troops. Do you guys really have a tank?
Why?
Hell, if we had a tank we could take on those people over by the Coast Guard base.
I think about what Ricky has said.
So what about your family Ricky are they in the republic?
Nah, they’re dead, I’m the only one left.
Ok Ricky, here’s the simple rules, I don’t hurt my people, don’t try to escape... Ricky butting in
“Like I’m going anywhere with this, indicating his leg.” Don’t give me any other reason to kill you.
Ok man, I’m going to chill. Just so you know, we were supposed to kill you, so don’t be surprised in Simon doesn’t try something. Simon’s like one of the top leaders too this was his operation.
I nod, saying I appreciate your honesty Ricky, thank you.
Hey man, I know you ain’t gonna trust me, but I for one am kind of glad it’s over. I don’t have to go out messing with zombies or getting shot at just so some leader can get first crack at some ass, or beer and stuff, when we get the leftovers. Plus if this happened to me, pointing at his leg again, with them they would have just left my ass.
Ok Ricky ok.
I know now both of them are guilty as hell. One is more honest about it.
I leave Ricky and go back to talk to the group.

[Nature_Lover]

Thanks for the great story...
Two updates, now that's what I call moar!

[SByrd89]

Great story. so far...keep it coming.

[Redsky]

After a quick talk with the group and the fact that it’s getting dark we decide to hold up in the med center. Not that we couldn’t move to the bunker, there were only a few of the infected out there.
I just didn’t think it would be a good idea to let them know about the bunker. I make sure that I mention to the group not to say anything about it to Simon or Ricky just yet.
I tie up Simon for the night and tell Tommy to get some sleep since I’ll take first watch.
Rachael has tried to talk to me a couple of times privately but I keep blowing her of saying I have something to do.
Finally, she gets me alone as Arjan has gone to sleep and Marisol is lying down with the baby, I don’t think any of us are going to hold the baby for awhile. She just clings to the baby like a drowning man clings to a life raft.
Are we going to talk now or you just going to continue to ignore me? Rachael says.
Talk to me then I reply rather abruptly.
Ok fine, I didn’t know, nobody knew he was alive.
Didn’t take you long to get over it.
Damn you! I was just as scared and lonely as you have been these past couple of days. I thought you were my friend and that we could comfort each other.
I stop myself from saying what I really thought and then say it was just a kiss.
Rachael looks like she wants to hit me.
It wasn’t “just” a kiss, I was happy we were alive. You’re my friend; I thought we both needed the comfort of another human being.
I guess I thought something else.
Maybe, I don’t know, Red, I’m glad Arjan’s ok and he’s back with me. I’m sad that whatever could have been didn’t happened but not for me, for you. You need someone.
I have Tommy that will have to do for now.
You know what I mean. Someone to hold you and tell you that they love you and …
What Rachael, what? That everything is going to be alright? Things will get better? I stopped believing about that 3 months ago.
Yes, the world has gone to shit, but if we don’t fight and try to live, we might as well just kill ourselves or let the infected get us.
I know she’s right and I’m being juvenile about it. I just want to lash out at her. Yeah, I can only blame myself. I let her get close.
I’m sorry I tell her.
Its ok she says.
Ok I reply.
So now what she asks?
Well, we start checking the other buildings in the morning, check the fence line again, and clear out some more infected.
What about those two?
Simon will come with us; kind of work off his debt, Ricky stays here, busted leg and all.
So you’re going to let them live?
For now that’s the plan. I won’t give them any guns or anything but we can use them to clean up and repair the place.
So you’re going to let them live? Like prisoners?
No, I’m going to use them for everything I can, I’ll have to kill Simon, that much I know.
Rachael stares at me long and hard.
You’re what dad called a “hard” man. You’re not even going to think about you.ve already decided.
Yes.
What about Ricky then?
We’ll see.
Arjan said he needs to have screws put in his leg. If you’re going to kill him why bother?
I have a better feeling about Ricky.
What if he tries something?
Then I was wrong and I kill him.
Remind me not to cross you she says with a smile.
I look deep into her eyes and say, Ok. Then I smile.
I wake up Arjan next since Rachael has already checked Marisol and the baby. Marisol has already fed and changed the baby and refused to give the baby to her saying, “No Miss Rachael, Yo iba cuidar del bebe.
Rachael just shrugs her shoulders and goes and into one of the rooms to lie down.
Arjan stretches and joins me in the waiting room.
You know I was so glad to see you even if we’re still in quite a mess.
Arjan, we’re pretty much screwed at this point, unless we clear the place out and lock it down again.
So we’re staying?
Not much of a choice to leave nowhere to go.
The raiders will be back you know that.
Hopefully not anytime soon, I think way have some time.
But do what? There are four of us, we couldn’t hold then off.
There’s five maybe six, and we can do it, we haven’t any other choice.
Of course there is we could leave head west towards Tampa maybe, the keys.
Well we’re not.
I vote we do, he says.
Arjan, look, we don’t know what’s in Tampa or the keys and we have no way of finding out. To the east we have a bunch of well established raiders, who will come back here unless we can stop them.
Ok hold on, how are we going to do that?
I’m thinking of something.
Still we should vote.
No Arjan, we’re not voting, nobody is getting killed because we tried to leave here with no clue as to where we would go or what we’ll be facing.
Now as a contingency plan I will prep a vehicle that we can bug out in if we have to but as it stands we stay. Got me?
All right, I wouldn’t begin to know what to do.
Good so it’s settled then. We stay here unless we absolutely have to leave.
Ok, Red. I guess that’s the best we can do for now. Good night.
Good night Arjan.

[Redsky]

Was rolling on the story so here's another installment.

I grab a couple of hours sleep on the sofa till Tommy wakes me up.
Morning comes and I start putting the work plan for the day together.
Things to do:
Sweep compound kill reaming infected; look for crawlers!
Double check the perimeter!
Solar field panels; have put that off to long!
Clear a few buildings; find a new Command Center.
Keep an eye on Simon!
I gather up my gear and eat something. I make sure everyone is squared away for the tasks for the day.
Rachael will take Marisol and Lisa back over to the bunker after I leave with Tommy and Simon.
Simon’s being bitchy about being tied up overnight. Tough! I could care less about his “comfort”.
In the vehicle, we head towards the bungalow I shared with Tommy and his dad; there are a few things I want to pick up.
We pull up to the front and I turn off the vehicle.
So what are we doing, Simon asks?
We are picking up a few things.
Ok so now what?
Get out.
Simon cautiously opens the door and climbs out of the vehicle as me and Tommy take up positions on his flanks.
Simon looks at me questionably, and I direct him to the front door.
We stack on the door and I tell him to knock on the door.
Is there somebody living here he asks?
No, living but you never know.
He raps on the door softly, and waits.
I lose patience with him and reach past him and pound on the door.
Knock like you mean it, I say.
Then we wait and listen for movement from inside. I don’t hear anything so I tell him to open the door and step inside.
It’s been awhile since we been here, but the place looks the same. I tell Tommy to get his dad’s wheelchair as Simon and I check the rest of the place out. It’s small but functional; two bedrooms full bath, living room and a kitchenette. No infected.
I tell Tommy to grab the back packs and stack them on the wheelchair.
Can I grab some other stuff Uncle Red?
Ok Tommy but not too much, we’re going to be coming back here.
Oh, he’s says, surprised at my statement. He grabs that damn picture!
I don’t look at it as he sets it on top from the bags on the wheelchair.
Simon notices this and smiles a smirk ass smile; was that your woman he says?
Black eye and bloody nose later, he’s loading the bags and wheelchair into the vehicle.
Tommy’s upset that the glass on the picture frame got broken. I tell him we’ll get a new one for it later.
Back in the vehicle we start a perimeter sweep.
Simon tries to say something to me; I shut him up with a glance. I knowing that sound will draw out the infected I take a side trip through the bungalows and trailers. I tap the horn and watch as they come out in the open.
Tommy starts to sight in on them with the rifle, but I tell him to wait. I make Simon get out of the vehicle and hand him a hammer. He looks at me and says, No way, just shoot them.
I tell him no and grab the katana and tomahawk out of the vehicle.
I rather not have a bunch more show up; we do this the quite way.
He hesitantly lifts the hammer testing its weight; I guess he hasn’t done this kind of thing much.
Truth be known, neither have I and I need the practice.
Wow! I am impressed!
Not with Simon. He probably took down two before he ran back to the vehicle.
The katana handles well; it’s the tomahawk that impressed me. Just under a foot and a half long and weighing less than two pounds this thing just drops them in their tracks.
Feeling a little cocky I threw it at one; yeah I hit it right in the head like I wanted. Perfect placement dropped that thing straight out. Won’t do it again as then I had nothing in my hand to defend myself afterwards.
Great weapon, very impressed must write the manufacturer, just a little sarcasm there.
After cleaning the “ville” as we call it I drive along the fence line crushing a few crawlers.
There are a number of then out here. Well you can’t get a kill with every shot.
Rachael comes up on the radio to tell me she’s monitoring our progress and everything’s normal.
Code meaning everything is normal, fine would have meant problems.
My thoughts drift a little; thinking of Rachael, then the picture comes to mind. I physically shake it off. Simon catches this and opens his stupid mouth again; A penny for your thoughts? A punch in the head is what he gets.
I really hate this guy. He just keeps pushing my buttons.
Who am I really hitting? Simon? Rachael? Myself?
I was never like this before.
Just so damn mad at everything, I push the bad away and concentrate on the task at hand.
After the sweep is complete and another 30 infected are put down, Rachel call’s saying there’s a guy at the front gate.
Ok here we go again.

[Redsky]

Again nuff said

A lot to catch up on over that last couple of days;
First we have more people which are great; they’re not any of the enclave folks, which is bad.
The first part of that last statement I can live with because this is good. We help someone who needed our help desperately, and they will be an asset to our survival, albeit a little beat up and traumatized right now.
The second, reflects how bad the battle actually was and how quickly we were overwhelmed. I won’t let that happen again.
Reflecting on that I can honestly say it wasn’t my fault.
My “promotion” to head of security didn’t happen until a few days before the attack by the raiders. I was still trying to get a handle on things. A change to established procedures was moving slowly, plus the fact that I had to argue with Beckett on the most trivial changes didn’t help. I should have just did it and then told him. Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission.
I’m worried about Tommy. I have made him things that shouldn’t be asked of a kid like him under normal circumstances, but who could call this life normal anymore. Watching how he reacted to Simon made me proud of him; how he did it makes me worry.
Paul.
What a trooper this guy is. Multiple injuries, from which he’ll recover, yet there is no quit in him.
When we met him at the gate he already had two bullet wounds and a badly twisted ankle, the first thing he ask for was more ammo, since he had run out and the pack of infected that was following him was getting pretty close.
I should have let him kill Simon when he recognized him as a raider, it would have saved us all some injuries and emotional stress we really could have lived without.
Marisol
Black eye will heal another tigress. How many times she got hit with that hammer protecting Lisa I don’t know. I saw the bruises as I helped her dress and clean up for the first time in days, I honestly tried not to look, beautiful girl.
Arjan
I knew he was a fighter even if he says he isn’t. No doc, you’re a bad ass. You can swing a bat with the best.
Rachael, never had my doubts about her fighting skills, Must remember not to piss her off.
Ricky
Good job man, real good job. I guess you’re with us now. Not like Simon is going to be saying anything to the raiders about your switching teams.
Simon
You are dead. Screw you for making me do what I did. You may have succeeded in making my friends think I’m crazy. But as they said, they rather have me on their side.
The Mena family; Welcome. I wish we had gotten to you sooner. Now you are part of our group. I’ll try to do right by you that’s all I can do for now.

Wall to wall
Jumping out at the gate I saw this guy dress in fatigues limping up towards us rapidly waving his arms saying I’m alive, I’m alive. I told Tommy to open the gate and let him in. As soon as he cleans the gate I’m yelling at Tommy to close it. Simon moves towards the gate house as if to help Tommy. I yell at him to get back. He gives me that whipped dog look and tries to say he was only going to help.
I turn a back to Paul for a very brief introduction and have Simon help him into the vehicle as Tommy jumps in. Paul is bleeding from his leg wound but his shoulder wound seems fine for now.
You’ll be okay now I tell him, we’re going to take you to our doctor he should be able to patch you up.
Paul interrupts by saying he came from a group that got attacked by some raiders a couple of days ago. He needs to get back to them and that they need help as they are trapped by the infected and are critically low on everything. I assure him as we rush back to the med center.
He turns in the seat and stares at Simon.
Simon looks back at him and gets that same stupid smirk on his face that earned him a bloody nose and black eye with me and says what?
Paul has that knife out so quick I almost don’t catch him and block him from stabbing Simon. The vehicle swerves all over the road as I have to struggle with Paul, especially when he starts to fight with me. I slam on the breaks as I continue to struggle with him.
Paul’s yelling saying we’re raiders, I yelling saying we’re not. Tommy saying we’re the good guys, Simon saying we’re all going to die. I finally get Paul to stop by placing my pistol against his chest.
If I was a raider I would have shot you already. Simon validates my statement by saying; I wouldn’t have let you in the gate.
Paul relaxes, and apologies to me, he cut’s a look at Simon, who’s smirking again, and we head into the med center.
I guess if Rachael and Marisol had stayed at the bunker what happened next wouldn’t have.
I never expected Simon to do what he did but I should have.
As Simon was helping me carry Paul into the med center he tripped. Well, I thought at the time he had, what he was actually doing was shifting Paul’s weight more on me and then he pushed hard as we entered the door. I guess he held on to that hammer because that what he used to start clobbering Paul and me as we fell to the floor. He started screaming for Ricky to help as well. I kicked out at him and caught him in the knee as he stumbled down the hall right into Marisol and Lisa.
He swung at Mari and grabbed for the baby at the same time and wrenched the baby from her arms while striking Marisol on the shoulder. They were both screaming at the time so I’m not sure if it was from fear on pain. As I struggled to get a stunned Paul off from me I saw Tommy leaping over us and chasing after Simon. By the time I got to my feet Simon had Rachael and Arjan backed up in the waiting area as he held Lisa in one hand and the hammer in the other screaming that he would kill her.
Not good.
Next he was telling Ricky to get off his ass and grab a gun. Rachael and Arjan decided to move at the same time, but Simon just stepped back and knocked over a cart blocking their path.
Don’t try that again, he warned as he shifted Lisa in his arms and squeezed her tiny little hand making her scream. I guess that was it for Tommy because what happened next was just surreal.
With a roar Tommy leapt over the cart and crashed into Simon. As he collided with him, Simon lost his hold on Lisa. I drove for the baby barely catching her as I could hear Tommy struggling with Simon.
The baby was screaming, everyone was yelling, I started seeing red. I recall pushing the baby into someone arms as I pushed myself off the floor and turned in time to see Tommy clubbing Simon to the floor.
Simon really shouldn’t have said what he did, but whatever I don’t think the outcome would have changed any.
GET OFF OF ME YOU RETARD!!!
Which was rapidly followed by, NYAH, NYAH, NYAH, as Tommy just started pounding the crap out of Simon.
Getting to my feet I realized Tommy wasn’t stopping. I tried telling him to stop but he wouldn’t. I tried pulling him off but, he didn’t even recognize me. Finally, I grabbed him around his neck and shoulders to pull him back when Simon hit us both with that damn hammer again. Tommy caught the brunt of it in a glancing blow that opened up a nice cut on his face. He calls it his GI Joe scar now. And I took one to the side of my head. Down we went. I guess I dropped the pistol along the way because Simon was going for it about the time Ricky jumped on him.
Yeah, Ricky
He crashed into Simon and began punching him, I didn’t see the scalpel, and I guess Ricky spent some time in prison because he was shanking the hell out of Simon. I stumbled over and pushed Ricky off, saying Enough!
I took the liberty of giving Simon a couple of good kicks to the ribs, listening to him grunt and gurgle a few times in response. I shake off the pain beginning to creep up on me, and reach down and grab him by the ankles.
Rachael is holding Lisa trying to comfort her, Arjan’s checking on Marisol and Paul. I start dragging a whimpering and wheezing Simon across the floor, guess he has a punctured lung, that won’t matter much longer.
As I drag him through the doorway out to the breezeway, he starts to struggle. I pay him no attention as I yank him down the stairs banging his head on every step on the way down.
He’s begging now saying he’s sorry. I notice a crawler heading our way. It’s probably one of those that we ran over as I can see a tire track from the vehicle on its back. I drop Simon’s feet. Simon starts to crawl away from me as Rachael calls out to me.
Red, just stop it.
I look up at her.
Don’t do this. Please he’s not worth it.
I look down at Simon, then at the crawler. I walk up to Rachael and she smiles. I grab her pistol from her holster.
Hey! She says as I point the weapon at Simon. He’s crawling away from me right towards the crawler. For a second I think about letting it get him. I shoot Simon in the head just as the crawler reaches him.
The crawler stops and looks up at me as if to ask why. I shoot the crawler and say, I don’t know. I really don't know.

[Redsky]

11
Catching up
Ricky’s surgery turned out well. Arjan said it will be six to eight weeks recovery time before his bones heal well enough to walk and, probably another couple of months to take out the screws. I thought that screws stayed in. Guess I just learned something new.
Paul’s healing up nicely now that Arjan has him on antibiotics and cleaned out those wounds. Paul’s full name is Paul Robert Reid. He is /was a Corporal in the Army National Guard, the 112th (separate) Brigade of the Georgia National Guard.
The last assignment his unit had was securing the port. It didn’t end well and he hasn’t said much more about it. Still he’s a fighter and has managed to survive pretty much on his own up until now.
There are people out there other than the raiders. Paul said he ran across a few places, some better organized than others.
We’ve worked on the bug out vehicles. Going to use two of the JTLV’s and two of the big MRAPs, they’re fully loaded and ready to go should we need them.
We did another sweep of the compound, killed a few more infected quite a few crawlers.
Perimeter is secure, no holes and even cleared out the watch towers Replaced some cameras so now we can seen everything.
Finally, got to check the solar field, the panels are fine and we replaced some of the batteries and did some maintenance on them. Back up generators are fine and the power house is fine. The fuel tanks checked out good as well.
Took us awhile to clear out the remaining buildings, had to have Arjan help us with that since neither Paul nor Ricky are really able to physically to at this time.
Arjan and Rachael even get to have their “private time”. Good for them. At least they can have some normality in all this.
Marisol. She has really taken over a lot of the domestic duties for our group. She takes very good care of Lisa.
Lisa’s little hand is going to be fine. No broken bones. It was bruised pretty badly but it’s healing up just fine.
I am considering relocating all of us to the barracks building. It’s a solid concrete block building and easier to defend. We can turn some of the rooms into storage and work areas. Moving the equipment from the bunker shouldn’t be too hard. Just hope we have enough cable to connect back into the system from the bunker. One of the tunnels leads straight towards it so we can keep the cables underground.
I haven’t had the chance to completely explore all of the tunnels but it’s on the “to do” list. It’s just not a priority right now.
Getting the Mena’s settled in has taken up quite a bit of time. They are a good fit for our group, even though half over them are injured or recovering from injuries. Megan’s stump is healing fine.
They try to see to their own needs and not burden us much. I have talked to Diego about this and he said that they are slowly beginning to accept the reality of their new situation. It’s overwhelming to be in such a place after what they been through in the past couple for weeks. Plus it’s not like we met under the best of circumstances.
Even the stupid horse is doing fine. Tommy insisted on showing it to the other kids, Vick, Robert, and Megan. Damn thing bit me when I forced it out of her stall, but she settled down once we cleaned up the mess in there and started grazing in the field. Stupid horse! Oh and the black and white cat is still around. The kids are calling him BW. Go figure!

[Nancy1340]

Really enjoying your story here. Thanks