him.
Brian cleared his throat, clearly nervous, and continued. “The APC’s comm. system started itself up about an hour ago. The onboard computer was designed to interface with the other units within a certain proximity radius so that individual crews would have a better idea of the big picture of the battle happening around them.”
Thane snarled. “And you’re just now mentioning this?”
“To be honest, sir, I thought it was nothing more than a glitch caused from the damage the APC took before he left New Denver . . . but it could be there are other old world units and military systems operating in the area that caused the APC’s own systems to try to link to them. If so, perhaps it’s why the beasts are gathering, to attack whoever is using them.”
“That’s great, Brian,” Sebastian said, sarcasm lacing his tone, “but it doesn’t change the fact we need to get out of here now before the beasts realize we are here and come after us.”
“Wait!” Thane snapped. “Can you use the APC’s systems to track the signal that activated them to its source?”
Brian nodded. “Of course, sir.”
“Thane,” Sebastian said, “we didn’t leave New Denver to go looking for another fight.”
Thane’s hand blurred as he whipped the pistol from the holster on his hip. He put a round through Sebastian’s right knee and another into his arm. Sebastian clawed for his revolver as he fell, screaming from the pain. Roberts came charging at Thane, her battle axe already swinging at his neck. Thane ducked her attack as his pistol cracked again. A round ripped into Roberts’s stomach at point-blank range, splattering her intestines onto the sleeve of his uniform. He kicked her in the middle of her spinal column as she was still staggering from the wound to her guts. She went sprawling, her axe flying from her hands.
Thane thrust his pistol in Sebastian’s direction. “It’s a good thing I’m fine with you both staying here to cover our retreat or I would kill you for taking that tone with me.”
The noise of the shots echoed into the valley below. Hundreds upon hundreds of snarling heads looked up in the group’s direction at the sound of them. Already, a few larger beasts were running for the hill.
“Brian!” Thane shouted. “It’s time for us to go!” He ran towards the APC.
“Thane!” he heard Sebastian cry after him.
The APC’s heavy wheels tossed chunks of dirt into the air as Brian put the hammer down and it roared away from the hilltop. Thane didn’t bother to glance around at those he’d just sentenced to death. They were only getting what they deserved for questioning him.
* * *
Greg sat on the edge of the bed in his quarters. Dr. Morrison had given him a tour of The Bunker as promised when Greg was released from his care. After his tour, he and the doc had met up with a hard-but-polite man with a questionable sense of humor who had been introduced to Greg as Commander Weger . They had briefly discussed Greg’s set of skills and in the end decided he would best serve at The Bunker by joining the loose, civilian militia that acted as support and grunt labor for the commander’s soldiers. He’d been assigned new quarters, equipped with the gear he would need, and was told where to report in the morning for his first day on the job.
It was all so surreal. These people, this place . . . it was like the world before the dead overran the earth. The Bunker was nothing short of a miracle and now he was a part of it. He wished Anna and Eric were still alive to see it. His heart ached the moment his late wife’s beautiful face crossed his mind’s eye. Ensuring the others hadn’t seen him, he turned away for a moment and wiped the moisture from his eyes.
After, he felt better knowing that if humanity could truly rise up and reclaim this broken world, it would begin here in The Bunker. Of that, he was sure. There were marvels of technology inside these walls that made the world before
Brian cleared his throat, clearly nervous, and continued. “The APC’s comm. system started itself up about an hour ago. The onboard computer was designed to interface with the other units within a certain proximity radius so that individual crews would have a better idea of the big picture of the battle happening around them.”
Thane snarled. “And you’re just now mentioning this?”
“To be honest, sir, I thought it was nothing more than a glitch caused from the damage the APC took before he left New Denver . . . but it could be there are other old world units and military systems operating in the area that caused the APC’s own systems to try to link to them. If so, perhaps it’s why the beasts are gathering, to attack whoever is using them.”
“That’s great, Brian,” Sebastian said, sarcasm lacing his tone, “but it doesn’t change the fact we need to get out of here now before the beasts realize we are here and come after us.”
“Wait!” Thane snapped. “Can you use the APC’s systems to track the signal that activated them to its source?”
Brian nodded. “Of course, sir.”
“Thane,” Sebastian said, “we didn’t leave New Denver to go looking for another fight.”
Thane’s hand blurred as he whipped the pistol from the holster on his hip. He put a round through Sebastian’s right knee and another into his arm. Sebastian clawed for his revolver as he fell, screaming from the pain. Roberts came charging at Thane, her battle axe already swinging at his neck. Thane ducked her attack as his pistol cracked again. A round ripped into Roberts’s stomach at point-blank range, splattering her intestines onto the sleeve of his uniform. He kicked her in the middle of her spinal column as she was still staggering from the wound to her guts. She went sprawling, her axe flying from her hands.
Thane thrust his pistol in Sebastian’s direction. “It’s a good thing I’m fine with you both staying here to cover our retreat or I would kill you for taking that tone with me.”
The noise of the shots echoed into the valley below. Hundreds upon hundreds of snarling heads looked up in the group’s direction at the sound of them. Already, a few larger beasts were running for the hill.
“Brian!” Thane shouted. “It’s time for us to go!” He ran towards the APC.
“Thane!” he heard Sebastian cry after him.
The APC’s heavy wheels tossed chunks of dirt into the air as Brian put the hammer down and it roared away from the hilltop. Thane didn’t bother to glance around at those he’d just sentenced to death. They were only getting what they deserved for questioning him.
* * *
Greg sat on the edge of the bed in his quarters. Dr. Morrison had given him a tour of The Bunker as promised when Greg was released from his care. After his tour, he and the doc had met up with a hard-but-polite man with a questionable sense of humor who had been introduced to Greg as Commander Weger . They had briefly discussed Greg’s set of skills and in the end decided he would best serve at The Bunker by joining the loose, civilian militia that acted as support and grunt labor for the commander’s soldiers. He’d been assigned new quarters, equipped with the gear he would need, and was told where to report in the morning for his first day on the job.
It was all so surreal. These people, this place . . . it was like the world before the dead overran the earth. The Bunker was nothing short of a miracle and now he was a part of it. He wished Anna and Eric were still alive to see it. His heart ached the moment his late wife’s beautiful face crossed his mind’s eye. Ensuring the others hadn’t seen him, he turned away for a moment and wiped the moisture from his eyes.
After, he felt better knowing that if humanity could truly rise up and reclaim this broken world, it would begin here in The Bunker. Of that, he was sure. There were marvels of technology inside these walls that made the world before
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