“The dam? Why would he be there?”
“Those guys you met? Well, they used to find survivors too, only they give them to the Variants. I captured one of the traitors and extracted some information. The Variants use the dam as a meat locker, a slaughterhouse, and a bloody nest!” Ben spat the last words.
Dee felt herself fall to the ground. Food? Her Jack, now food? The mere thought of it curdled her stomach. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes.
“We have to try and find him,” she sobbed. “I need to know. Will you help me?”
Ben stroked his long beard. With a steely glint in his eyes, he said, “Hell yeah. Let’s go kill these bastards!”
Dee and Ben spent the rest of the evening making preparations. Planning a rescue was not something Dee had ever thought she would be doing, but the thought of her Jack being stored as food to be consumed was not something she could bear to imagine. This guy, who through kindness and a quirky sense of humor had helped her through the darkness. Who, through sharing his joy of movies, books, and the natural world, had helped Dee see the magic of the universe. She wasn’t going to give up on him. She had to know, and if she could banish some of these monsters to the pit of hell from whence they came, then all the better.
Dee checked on Boss a few times, but the poor kid just slept right through. With exhaustion creeping in, the bunk next to him looked more and more inviting.
“Hey, Ben.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m going to turn in. Wake me up for my watch, okay?”
“All right, sure. And Dee, don’t worry. We’ll go find him.”
She could see the genuine belief in Ben’s eyes. Seeing it comforted her, but that old demon of self doubt nagged at the back of her mind, threatening to pull her back down.
Dee lay awake for some hours, her body battered and bruised but her mind racing, thinking out all the scenarios. What if Jack is dead? Could I still go on? What chance do we have? Sleep finally pulled her into its embrace.
Dee woke to Boss shaking her shoulder. “Hey, sleeping beauty. Where are we?”
Pushing herself up, Dee struggled to shake the cobwebs out of her mind. “Umm, we’re safe… Ben… saved us… his place.”
“Ben?”
Dee ran her hands through her pixie haircut. She patted Boss on the shoulder. “It’s okay. After you were knocked out, Ben shot those two rapists and brought us here. Come on, I’ll introduce you. I bet you're starving, anyway?”
Boss looked relieved, and followed Dee into the war room. Ben turned as he heard them walk up. Dee could see his eyes were red and slightly puffy.
“Hey. You should have woken me for my watch.”
“It’s all right. You guys looked exhausted, thought I’d give you some rest.”
“Still, you need it too.”
Ben tilted his head to one side. “I’m used to it. Been surviving on little sleep most of my working life. This must be Boss?”
Dee grinned. “Oh yes, sorry. Ben, Boss, Boss, Ben.”
Holding out his hand to Ben, Boss said, “Thank you for yesterday.”
“That’s all right kid. Not all men are bastards. Just a lot of them.”
Dee watched the exchange, admiring how they accepted each other so quickly. She guessed the apocalypse could bring out the worst and the best in people.
Before the Hemorrhage Virus had torn into the fabric of society, throwing the country into chaos, she never would’ve imagined herself doing any of the things she had done in the last couple of weeks. Deep down inside is a strength most of us never know exists, until the greatest of circumstances call upon it. That time is now. Today it is time.
After a hearty breakfast Ben rustled up for them, Boss started to look more like his old self.
Ben gathered them around the table in his war room and spread out one of the maps. Ben filled Boss in on what they had figured out while he was unconscious, then outlined his plan.
“So. This is the nest where we think Jack is. There are multiple entrances, but only three of us.
“Boss, you’re going to be in the river on the boat you two found. Dee and I are going to go in, look for Jack, and get out, killing any of those bastards we can. As you discovered, these things don’t like the water for some reason, so that’s our escape route. Now, I’m not going to sugarcoat it: this is probably a suicide mission, and I’m disobeying orders. But I’m tired of the Army just running and hiding.” Ben looked both Dee and Boss in the eyes, then carried on. “I’m giving both of you the opportunity to back out now. I know neither of you have training, but someone with determination and a will to survive can overcome great odds.”
Dee put her hand over Boss’s. “I know it’s a lot to ask, Boss. If you don’t want to do this, it’s fine.”
Boss nodded, shrugged. “Sure, why not, I’m in. Two weeks ago I was just another millennial playing video games and annoying my parents. It’s better to burn out than to fade away, eh?”
She couldn’t help but grin at his movie reference. Just like Jack. Probably why she liked the kid so much.
“Thanks, Boss. I appreciate it.”
Hearing this, Ben crouched down and opened a big duffle bag next to the table. Pulling out some guns, he placed them on the table.
“All right. Boss, you’re going to take these in the boat as backup. If we get out of there alive and Variants are attacking us, as I know they will be, you’re going to have to give us covering fire. Don’t worry too much about hitting them. Just give them something to worry about. I’ll give you both some quick lessons before we move out at 1100 hours, okay?”
Dee and Boss nodded in agreement. Satisfied, Ben pulled out a rifle, the same as the one Dee had seen him use in their rescue.
“This is for you, Dee. Again, I’ll give you a quick lesson before we go, okay? I’ll also give you a shotgun — easier to hit them with. Now, if we get out alive, Boss, you fish us out of the river and we motor to this vehicle I’m going to drop off here,” he pointed to a spot on the map. “Then we hightail it up this road straight to this airfield. I’ll call in the chopper to get us out to Mayor Island.”
Dee looked at Ben and saw a determined look. She felt happier knowing he was a seasoned professional. It was an extremely simple plan, but as he was the only one with military training, it was the only course of action to take. Jack was out there, and she had to know.
Boss said, “Umm, why can’t we wait for your army buddies?”
“They would never approve it. The order went out about a week ago. Get out with as many survivors as you can find, or hunker down. The virus hit too fast. Our small armed forces were not ready for this. It was a miracle the Navy and Air Force were having exercises in the Pacific. As harsh as it sounds, they are not worried about one man. It’s us, or no one,” replied Ben.
Smirking at Ben and Dee, Boss said, “Let’s go hunt some Orcs!”
Dee looked at Ben, curious to see his reaction. Ben returned her gaze, then started laughing, a deep down belly laugh.
Dee couldn’t help but join in. It felt good to laugh. It settled her building nerves.
At 1100 hours Dee found herself following Ben back down the same road they had driven up the previous day. She couldn’t help but shudder in disgust as they pulled onto the farm where Missing Teeth and his buddy had tried to rape her.
Dee and Boss climbed out of the vehicle and headed toward the boat.
Dee hugged Boss goodbye before he climbed in.
As he moved out into the current, she waved. “Good luck… Thanks Boss.”
Boss returned the wave. “Now, you owe me one.”
Jumping back into the car, Dee found herself grinning as she followed Ben again.