SurvivorZ

69

LLOYD

A guard at the gate separating Divinity Street from the wide courtyard next to Harvard's Biological Laboratory building waved the two-vehicle military convoy through, after an affirming nod at General Stafford's signature on their paperwork. As simple as that, they crossed the threshold from the violent anarchy of the world outside into a confined oasis of security and overwhelming firepower.

Denise drove in silence, following their Humvee escort to the parking area without batting an eye at the military presence all around them. Lloyd supposed the sight of a commandeered civilian structure converted into a militarized zone wasn't anything special to her. Personally, he was spellbound.

From his front row seat, he scrutinized the many security renovations the army added to the campus over the past day. The network of fencing blocking off the footpaths and the walled-in windows at ground level turned the loop of buildings surrounding them into a daunting fortress. Humvees, APCs, a few tanks, and some industrial loaders gouged tire ruts in the once immaculate lawn. Armed troops marched by on paths formerly reserved for students and faculty. Entrenched complements of soldiers stacked mortar shells and loaded machine gun emplacements. Above them, a cadre of snipers patrolled the rooftops, keeping a sharp eye out for threats from both the living and the dead.

Everywhere he looked, Lloyd saw examples of military precision and preparedness. The forces here weren't only ready to repel enemy opposition, they had enough firepower amassed to invade Boston. He thought about the perils of firing off one of those guns, and then realized any hordes of zombies knocking on their gate were apt to end up mowed down into sausages.

Despite their ability to mount an armed resistance, they had other contingencies in the works to ensure their safety. The convoy's arrival precipitated the clanging of bells from the chapel at the end of the road. A few undead stragglers, drawn by the sounds of their engines, started to follow the trucks towards the main gate. The racket from the church turned them around.

Lloyd guessed the distraction was the colonel's idea, intended to keep the dead from straying too close. Considering the mounds of burnt corpses stacked outside the tall structure across the street from the chapel, the ruse appeared to be working so far.

One thing puzzled him, though. He had to wonder if the placement of the mortuary was simply a coincidence, or if anyone here noticed they were disposing brain-dead bodies outside a building that once housed the Psychology and Sociology departments.

"Be it ever so humble," Lloyd muttered, watching as enlisted men shoveled the volleyball court into sandbags.

Denise pulled the truck up next to Martinez's Humvee, killed the engine, and gathered her things. "Keep the snark to a minimum around here," she suggested. "Don't forget, we're trying to pass you off as a civilian contractor. Don't sir or salute anyone, not even as a joke. In fact, maybe it'd be better if you didn't engage any of the soldiers unless you absolutely have to."

"Sure, just give me a sec. I'll leave my nut sack in the glove box before we go."

Denise sighed and shook her head. Without another word on the subject, she let herself out. Whistling a patriotic tune, Lloyd did the same.

While Doctor Bradshaw and the others unloaded the Humvee, Corporal Martinez came over to debrief. She exchanged a salute with Denise and gave Lloyd a quick once-over.

"Everyone's unharmed. We thought the good doctor might have a conniption during the firefight, but he managed to pull through just fine."

"Good." She passed over the truck keys to the corporal. "Have some men check on the generator and the rest of the supplies in the back. I'll see about finding someone in charge who can tell us where they want to unload everything."