up Andy and Ush at zero-two-hundred, the rest of us will get up at oh-six. Let’s get some chow and some rack before we hit that station tomorrow.”
Rick blinked sleep from his eyes as Usher gently prodded him with his boot. He cracked his back as he stretched, the LAVs had reclining seats for sleeping, but they were extremely uncomfortable. Rick wanted a quality night’s sleep in a king-size bed, with a continental breakfast the next morning. Fat chance. He settled for weak coffee and a pimento loaf MRE.
After breakfast in bed, he made his way forward. He was startled to see a dead man in coveralls looking directly into the starboard camera. “That’s Victor,” Usher told him. “He’s been here since before Cole woke me.”
“Is he the only one?”
“You mean is he the only former-American that I’ve seen since taking over watch? No. I saw a few walk past us and go for the truck stop, but I also saw some walk off into the wild black yonder never to return.”
“Why did you name him Victor?”
“I didn’t. I would imagine his parents did. His name is on his coveralls.”
“Oh. Nobody else came for a look?”
“Some. They all moved on except for Victor. There’s been little activity at the truck stop, but my attention has been on my buddy Vic here.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s extremely focused. Whenever one of the other Limas would come toward his side of the LAV, he would get riled and push them away. One of the speedy ones fought back for a second, knocking poor Vic down, but then it just ran away, and Vic stood back up and stared into the camera. Watch this.” Usher moved a small metal joystick below his monitor. The effect on Victor was immediate, his red eyes grew big, and he followed the camera with his entire head. He became agitated and put his dead hands on the hull of the LAV.
“Maybe he was a mechanic, and he remembers something about vehicles,” Rick opined.
“Either way he poses a threat.” Boone was also staring into the monitor now. “He’s infected, and his interest in us is irrelevant. They aren’t pets, Usher, they’re dangerous.”
“Understood, sir. It’s just that this one seems different somehow.”
“That’s even more reason to shoot him here rather than have him follow us.” Boone picked up his radio. “I hope everyone had a good breakfast. The plan is the same as before. We’ll drive LAV Two up to the truck stop and make some noise. The Limas will come and follow us back this way as we back up. We’ll dismount snipers at one hundred yards and take them out on the road. Seyfert, you’re on the LMG, and Andy, you’re on the Bushmaster for backup in LAV One, which remains on station at this location to conserve fuel. If we get in hot water, bring up the second LAV, and save our asses. Any intelligent questions?”
“Yes,” answered Rick. “Usher told me that other walkers came and went in the dark. Where did they come from and where did they go?”
“Good question, but I don’t know the answer. We’ll stay on our toes.”
Victor got even more agitated as LAV Two fired up its engine and rumbled slowly toward the truck stop. The dead man followed them at a quick shamble. He loped along, swaying his arms instead of putting them out in front of him zombie-style. This creature was slightly faster than the other undead they had come across, but he wasn’t sprinting, and was clearly dead. There were bloody bullet holes stitched across the back of his coveralls, indicating he had been shot while his blood was pumping. He wandered after the LAV, and was soon very small in the distance. Cole radioed to Boone to let him know that Victor was coming behind them.
True to the plan, LAV Two rolled up to the outskirts of the gigantic truck stop, and a baker’s dozen dead things took notice. As before, the LAV reversed and the snipers got out and took positions on the hot road. The thirteen undead were re-killed in less than a minute. Easy peasy.
Rick blinked sleep from his eyes as Usher gently prodded him with his boot. He cracked his back as he stretched, the LAVs had reclining seats for sleeping, but they were extremely uncomfortable. Rick wanted a quality night’s sleep in a king-size bed, with a continental breakfast the next morning. Fat chance. He settled for weak coffee and a pimento loaf MRE.
After breakfast in bed, he made his way forward. He was startled to see a dead man in coveralls looking directly into the starboard camera. “That’s Victor,” Usher told him. “He’s been here since before Cole woke me.”
“Is he the only one?”
“You mean is he the only former-American that I’ve seen since taking over watch? No. I saw a few walk past us and go for the truck stop, but I also saw some walk off into the wild black yonder never to return.”
“Why did you name him Victor?”
“I didn’t. I would imagine his parents did. His name is on his coveralls.”
“Oh. Nobody else came for a look?”
“Some. They all moved on except for Victor. There’s been little activity at the truck stop, but my attention has been on my buddy Vic here.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s extremely focused. Whenever one of the other Limas would come toward his side of the LAV, he would get riled and push them away. One of the speedy ones fought back for a second, knocking poor Vic down, but then it just ran away, and Vic stood back up and stared into the camera. Watch this.” Usher moved a small metal joystick below his monitor. The effect on Victor was immediate, his red eyes grew big, and he followed the camera with his entire head. He became agitated and put his dead hands on the hull of the LAV.
“Maybe he was a mechanic, and he remembers something about vehicles,” Rick opined.
“Either way he poses a threat.” Boone was also staring into the monitor now. “He’s infected, and his interest in us is irrelevant. They aren’t pets, Usher, they’re dangerous.”
“Understood, sir. It’s just that this one seems different somehow.”
“That’s even more reason to shoot him here rather than have him follow us.” Boone picked up his radio. “I hope everyone had a good breakfast. The plan is the same as before. We’ll drive LAV Two up to the truck stop and make some noise. The Limas will come and follow us back this way as we back up. We’ll dismount snipers at one hundred yards and take them out on the road. Seyfert, you’re on the LMG, and Andy, you’re on the Bushmaster for backup in LAV One, which remains on station at this location to conserve fuel. If we get in hot water, bring up the second LAV, and save our asses. Any intelligent questions?”
“Yes,” answered Rick. “Usher told me that other walkers came and went in the dark. Where did they come from and where did they go?”
“Good question, but I don’t know the answer. We’ll stay on our toes.”
Victor got even more agitated as LAV Two fired up its engine and rumbled slowly toward the truck stop. The dead man followed them at a quick shamble. He loped along, swaying his arms instead of putting them out in front of him zombie-style. This creature was slightly faster than the other undead they had come across, but he wasn’t sprinting, and was clearly dead. There were bloody bullet holes stitched across the back of his coveralls, indicating he had been shot while his blood was pumping. He wandered after the LAV, and was soon very small in the distance. Cole radioed to Boone to let him know that Victor was coming behind them.
True to the plan, LAV Two rolled up to the outskirts of the gigantic truck stop, and a baker’s dozen dead things took notice. As before, the LAV reversed and the snipers got out and took positions on the hot road. The thirteen undead were re-killed in less than a minute. Easy peasy.
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