“Provisions?” Sgt. Nick asked, mentally calculating what supplies he had.
“Two weeks per man, tops. We’ll live off the land and the goodwill of fellow survivors.” Captain Tamikara smiled thinly at the chuckles this comment drew. They all knew how they would live and force the issue with the barrel of a gun.
“What’s our route?” Sgt. Rod asked, pulling open a large road map of the United States.
Tamikara leaned forward. “We’ll use secondary roads. The highways will still have numerous cars and obstacles, including a good supply of roaming zombies. We’ll be able to see who’s still alive and where supplies are. Most towns off the main highways are dead zones anyway. We’ll avoid major towns and cities, since we won’t have the manpower to deal with large hordes of zombies.”
Lt. Lon nodded. “I see your point, but what about the waterways? We could take the rivers or follow the coast and not have to worry about zombies at all. Everybody knows zombies don’t swim.”
Tamikara shook his head. “I think the land route is the most direct. Besides, I’d rather not be caught on a boat when a storm hit, would you?” Captain Ted spoke casually, but deep inside he was reeling. Just the thought of being on a boat set his stomach to heaving as he had a deathly fear of water.
Lt. Lon shrugged. “Okay, then, that settles the how. What we need to do is decide the who and when.”
Captain Ted looked out the window and tilted his head to the side, looking at the overcast skies. “I’d rather leave when the cold hits. Frozen zombies are a whole lot less of a threat and there is less risk. As far as who goes, I’d say we need to leave behind an officer, an NCO, and support staff.”
The rest of the men in the room nodded agreement then came to attention as Major Thorton swaggered into the room. He eased his bulk into a protesting chair, then leaned forward, looking at the map on the table.
“Sorry I’m late. My new toy is such a distraction.” Ken purred as he leered at his men. All of them, save the Captain, leered back. “What have you planned so far?” he asked, leaning back in his chair and folding his massive arms across his chest.
Lt. Lon outlined the general plan and broke down the specifics. Major Thorton nodded his big head. “I like it.” He said. “Except for the part about leaving in winter. We’ll stay here, then travel when the snows break.”
“Why not travel when the zombies are frozen?” Captain Tamikara asked, the only man there who dared question the Major.
Major Thorton would normally bristle at this insolence, but today he was feeling magnanimous. “I agree it would be easier, but we don’t know what kind of shelter we might be able to secure for ourselves. Here we’re established and are ready for winter.” Reluctant nods were seen around the table.
Ken continued with a wicked grin. “Besides, I was looking forward to a winter tucked away warmly with my toys.”
The NCOs shared a glance and Lt. Lon smiled openly. Only captain Tamikara kept a straight face, but it was wasted on Major Thorton. The man was a full blown pathological narcissist and would not be distracted. Major Thorton sat back and waved his hand. “Dismissed. You know what we need to do,” he said as he turned in his chair and looked out the window.
The men left the room, to reconvene outside the mill compound. Captain Tamikara issued additional orders. “We will need to make sure we have adequate supplies. Raids from the north will focus on gathering materials for the trip. We’ll store them there,” he pointed to a tall brick building that once was a saloon, but now was unused. “When the snows break, we’ll be on the move. I want to be able to just pack in and go. The sooner we get this… job finished, the sooner we can look to expanding our operations.”
None of the others seemed to notice the pause, but it summed up what a lot of them were thinking at the same time. Their leader may not be completely sane.
The men dispersed to their various duties and to inform the rest of their men what the coming spring held in store for them. The wind over the hills was noticeably colder and everyone knew that winter was close behind. For the poor people of the settlement, it was a small release from the work that was required of them. But winter was long and cold and the people were literally prisoners in their own homes, only allowed to leave when the time came to pick up their foodstuffs or supplies. The animal caretakers were kept busy, making sure the animals were fed and healthy.
The only thing that broke up the monotony was the raids and the materials they brought back. Sometimes they brought back new people for the town. Sometimes they brought back new equipment. Once in a while not all of them came back.
The big excitement happened when someone actually escaped. A soldier came stumbling in from the outer posts, holding a ruined and bloody mouth. Apparently someone had decided they had had enough and disappeared into the wild.
Captain Tamikara was not pleased. He confronted the man in his office who was trying to clean himself up.
“Do you have a weapon?” he asked quietly.
“Yeth,” the private said thickly, dripping blood onto the floor.
“Then why did you not kill the man when he approached you?” Tamikara asked.
“He din’t loog lige trubble,” the private said, gently dabbing his face with is sleeve.
“Really?” Captain Tamikara’s voice softened and the private winced visibly, expecting a fatal bullet. Tamikara continued. “Well, I guess he was trouble. You’d better go get him before more of these fools think it is okay to hit their guards with rocks and leave.”
“Now?” the man squeaked, looking at the new blanket of snow that was falling from deep grey skies.
“Right now.” Tamikara dropped a hand to his sidearm, a nickel-plated Browning Hi-Power, his one vanity.
The man shouldered his rifle and headed out into the gloom, pursuing prey that would not want to be caught and would fight if cornered.
Captain Tamikara watched the man leave, then shook his head. First this lunatic wild goose chase and now someone escapes, he thought to himself. If I believed in omens, I would say we just got handed a big one.
After three days, neither the escapee or the soldier chasing him had shown up and Captain Tamikara had new things to worry about. A truckload of prisoners had been brought in and after the separation of families and couples, there were the requisite beatings and rapes and children crying for their mothers. It kept the men busy and the Major was pleased with three new additions to his little harem.
But the additions also stirred up the pot again about rights being violated and the Major was determined more than ever to get rid of that which vexed him.
5
Winter was brutal, with long periods of time when no one could go outside for there was too much snow and it was too cold. Three infants died in the camp, adding to the resentment the people felt towards their captors. A work party tried to overpower their guards and Major Thorton chose to hang them all in the center of the town as a lesson to the rest. As the bodies swung in the wind, the looks around the assembled populace were not defeated, but stoic in their resolution. Thorton was unaware of the animosity, but Tamikara and the rest of the men were all too aware. They gripped their weapons nervously and huddled close together, not wanting to be alone near any of the people.
Winter passed slowly, but eventually came the first signs of spring. Warm air blew over the hills and people emerged from their homes, turning their faces to the brighter sun. The thawing snow reawakened the dormant feelings of rebellion and Caption Tamikara was all too eager to get moving on. He pushed the men with intensity, but urged them not to reveal what was happening. He did not want on uprising on his watch. If the people revolted after he and the others left, what did he care?