Dead Drop - Stolen Secrets

CHAPTER THREE

"How hot do you think it's going to get today? One hundred and five or one hundred and eight?" Kevin parked the Behemoth outside one of the supply houses where it couldn't be seen from the street, the large property landscaped with several large saguaros and dozens of mesquite trees.

"You're lucky we're not in Blythe or Phoenix." Julie said.

"Wait until we start hauling shit out of the supply houses. You'll be singing a different tune about how hot it is."

"We don't have to get everything today." Jake said.

"I know, but the sooner we move the supplies the better." Kevin handed out hydration packs. "Everybody needs to drink plenty of water, especially with all this protective gear on."

Jake gave Michele a nudge towards the house. "Keep your weapon on you at all times. It'll be best if Kevin and I go in first. Y'all two ladies keep an eye out in front. We'll make sure the area behind the house is clear. Then we'll rotate one at a time manning the perimeter outside. Michele, you have the first watch."

"The house is boarded up tight. Looks like the padlock on the front door hasn't been messed with. I doubt the boogie man is inside." Kevin grinned at Julie.

She rolled her eyes at him before smiling back at him.

* * *

Kevin helped Jake and Julie stack supplies and household goods by the front door. He and Jake carried out a sectional sofa, a recliner, a dining room table and some other pieces of furniture. Julie carried out the eight dining room chairs, two at a time. She and Jake secured the furniture onto the trailer hitched to the back of the Behemoth.

Kevin climbed on roof of the two story house to remove a few of the solar panels. He had a clear view of Cooper's bombed out house and looked through the scope of his XM8. "Jake!"

"What do you see?"

"Bodies-a lot of them where Cooper's other house used to be."

"Crazies?"

"I can't tell from here. Let's see if we can find out what happened."

"What's going on?" Julie asked. She and Michele wrangled the last few boxes into the Behemoth.

"Kevin spotted dead bodies over at Cooper's old place. You two stay here."

"I don't think so, jughead." Michele shook her head. "Julie and I are going with you."

"I'll get on the radio and let Cooper know what we're doing." Julie ran to the Behemoth.

* * *

"Holy shit, man. You and Cooper were right. From those tire treads, it looks like someone was here to make sure that we were dead, but what the hell happened to them? Kevin stood next to Jake at the edge of the killing field. "There must be over thirty dead infected here. Most of them were shot but those two look like they were knifed in the head." Kevin pointed them out.

Jake walked past him and stood in the middle of the carnage. Julie and Michele stayed near Kevin. "I think I found part of an exoskeleton." He waved everyone over. "What the hell kind of technology is this new military using? I'm assuming it's them."

"Did he blow himself up?" Kevin found an XM8 rifle nearby and picked it up. He handed it to Jake. "This was probably his. I have one. You're going to love it."

Michele stepped in closer to get a better look at the dismembered soldier. She used the tip of her rifle barrel to tap on the leg still encased in the suit. "It's machinery."

They followed a trail of bodies to the bombed out house and found remnants of an exo-suit and a mechanical hand.

"I bet they sent in a three or four man recon to confirm the kill and bring back whatever they could find. But it doesn't look like they were too successful." Jake picked a black helmet off the ground and dusted it off before tucking it under his arm.

Julie examined what was left of the exo-suit. "It's them. Cooper told me he talked to a soldier wearing one of these before any of you made it to Tucson. He died, but Cooper brought his body back to the house so he could examine him. His helmet was damaged but Cooper found another one.

"What'd he do with the body?" Michele asked.

He burned it but still has the suit and the helmet. It's called a TALOS-Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit. Cooper said the soldier was enhanced. As in Part human, part machine."

"Wait." Kevin held up his hand. "Cooper talked to a cyborg?"