May 12th – Year 03 A.Z.
Upstate New York
"Do you see that?" Bailey asked from where she was crouched in the mud. Garnett was standing beside her and brought his binoculars to his face.
"Yeah. . . " he said suspiciously bringing the binoculars down and taking out his radio. "This is Garnett to Warren. Garnett to Warren, over."
"Go for Warren. What's up Charlie?"
"We're at the water's edge, could use a little backup."
"Two minutes." Warren's voice replied as Bailey pulled her light brown hair back into a high ponytail, the shorter strands of her still-growing-out bangs falling in her face before she tucked them behind her ear. Still crouched down she pulled her knife from its sheath on her left hip and began playing with it nervously twisting it in her hand letting the sharp tip rest on her finger.
"I say she's here in a minute and a half." She said with a slight smirk as she looked up at Garnett who was looking down at her with a smile."I'll take that bet."
"I'll take that bet."
A minute and a half later Lieutenant Roberta Warren showed up at their post. "What is it?" she asked looking out at the figure in the water. It looked like a boat with two men but three years in the apocalypse taught Bailey that things were not always what they seemed.
"I guess a distress signal." Garnett replied.
"How do you two want to handle it?" Warren asked looking between Garnett and Bailey.
"We've been watching them for a while, as far as I can tell it's just two males. Let's see what they want. Can always turn them back around." Garnett said taking out his flashlight and began signaling the boat.
"How did Nana's eighth go?" Garnett asked as they watched the boat paddle to shore.
"Very good. Good people." Warren said putting her hands on her hips.
"Thanks for doing it, I just – uh – can't anymore. Too many." Garnett said a bit shakily.
"It's okay, she was ready to go." Warren replied with a deep sigh. It was always hard losing people, even when they were ready.
"Aren't we all?" Bailey said shifting her weight so her boots wouldn't get stuck in the mud.
"Here they come." Warren said.
"Alright I'll handle the meet and greet. You cover from here." Garnett told them.
"Any problems you hit the ground. I'll take care of the rest." Warren said drawing her gun and turning to Bailey. "Hawthorne, you go around and cover the right flank so if this goes south you can circle around and take them out from behind."
"Roger Lieutenant." Bailey said with a smile before she crept off.
"That's far enough gentlemen. Identify yourselves and state your business. Team of snipers has you covered so no sudden moves." Garnett said exiting the tree line and approaching the men.
"Lieutenant Mark Hammond. Delta Force." The man in front answered. He was African American, probably around Garnett's age and dressed in a standard army uniform. He also had a long white scar that cut from above one eye and curved around his face like some morbid crescent. "Or at least I was when there was still a Delta Force. I'm on a mission from what's left of the government, and I need your help."
"What mission? For what government?" Garnett asked.
Hammond shook his head almost hopelessly, "Look, to be honest, I don't know if anybody that gave me the order is still alive. I do know it's imperative that I get this person to a medical lab in California, alive."
"Well, I guess I won't shoot him." Warren said coming up behind Garnett still aiming at the men in the boat. "Yet."
"Who is he?" Garnett asked gesturing to the second man, "Some kind of doctor?"
"Not exactly. His name is Murphy. And he may just be the last best chance to save humanity."
May 13th – Year 03 A.Z.
Camp Blue Sky
Bailey made her way into camp with Warren, Garnett and their two newcomers. She adjusted her dark yellow leather jacket and the dark grey tee shirt she wore underneath, she looked down at her black skinny jeans and tried to brush off some of the dried mud but knew it was most likely hopeless. As they walked she noticed many of the Camp Blue Sky residents stopped to stare at Murphy and he seemed skiddish around them. Even with the children Murphy looked ready to bolt but then his eyes would dart to Hammond as if he was remembering that the man wouldn't let him out of his sight. Bailey admired Hammond, he seemed stern and unwilling to consider anyone else's opinion but she couldn't help but admire his dedication. Odds were anyone left to give him commands was dead but he still carried on, still driven to complete his mission for the good of mankind.
"Hey." She heard Warren call softly to her, "Why don't you go find the others? You've had a long night." Warren might only be second in command but she'd made sure to get to know everyone in the camp personally, so she knew that after a long shift Bailey liked to unwind with Doc, Mack and her best friend Addy.
Bailey and Addy had been best friends since they were in diapers. They'd grown up next to each other and their families had been close. Even as they got older the two girls had been inseparable, regardless of the three year age gap. They had even gone to the same college before the world fell apart. Then everything took a turn for the worst, Addy had to put down her mother and brother the first night of the outbreak then half blinded by tears she'd run to Bailey for refuge. She'd stayed with the Hawthorne's for months fighting for their lives. She'd been there to help Bailey put down her own family when they'd turned and she'd been her shoulder to cry on as well as her rock. And Bailey had been there for Addy too, she'd even talked her friend into pursuing a relationship with a hockey player named Mack who Addy had met the first night of the outbreak. The three fought side by side, they survived side by side and they'd found Camp Blue Sky side by side. Without Addy Bailey wasn't sure she ever would have made it on her own.
She ended up finding her best friend and the others by a van where they were trading with Sketchy and Skeezy.
"I was thinking something silent. Like a club, and sharp." She overheard Addy telling Sketchy and Bailey couldn't help but smile. Addy had done well with several weapons throughout their years in the apocalypse but she'd always been jealous of Bailey's skills with her hatchet. She couldn't help but run her hand down the handle of the small axe where it rested on her right hip as she thought about all the times it had saved her life. But where Bailey succeeded with her knife and hatchet skills Addy exceled with guns. Bailey had never learned how to shoot, she knew it was handy but she also knew it was only worth it if you had enough ammo and she preferred her reliable weapons which needed no bullets just brute force.
"I like the way you think." Sketchy said showing off the metal bat in his hands that he'd pulled out of his van, "Silent but effective. This baby I made myself, I call it the Z Whacker. Started with an aluminum bat and hand cast the spikes from beer cans. They're long enough that they kill the brain but you can still pull it out. Cause nothing is worse than getting your pike stuck into a Z's skull."
"I hear that." Bailey said as she walked onto the scene drawing the others attention.
"Bay." Addy said with a smile giving her best friend a hug before taking the bat Sketchy offered her and took a few swings. "What do you think Bailey? Badass enough?"
"I think it definitely suits you." She said with a slight chuckle before turning to Addy's boyfriend who was looking at a .22 caliber gun in his hand. "Hey Mack."
"Bailey." He said giving her a smile and a nod, "How was night watch?"
"Interesting." She admitted but didn't want to mention Hammond and Murphy, she'd leave that to Warren and Garnett when they got back to Camp Blue Sky. Then Mack looked over Bailey's shoulder.
"Addy behind you." He said and the red head turned just in time to kill a zombie with her new bat.
"Nice." Bailey complimented her kill.
"You alright?" Mack asked.
"Yeah, just a fast one." Then Addy turned to Sketchy, "Brutal."
"Told ya. Hey isn't that Red Hanson?"
"Oh Z's got Red?" Skeezy said turning away from his conversation with Doc. "Damn he was one of our best customers. Tough as bullets. I wonder if his brothers know?"
"Yeah I think so cause here they come." Sketchy said as everyone drew their weapons. Addy readied her Z Whacker and Bailey drew her hatchet. Mack took out the first Z that ran out of the bushes in one hit. Addy ran up to the second and hit it a few times testing out the Z Whacker. Mack then got tackled by the last brother zombie and grabbed it by the shirt to hold it away from biting his face.
"Push it back!" Bailey called as she moved forward. Mack brought his leg up and kicked the Z back making it stumble a few feet as Bailey ran forward and swung her axe leaving a good welt in its skull. She pulled her hatchet back and swung it over to rest on her right shoulder as the Z fell to her feet.
"Closing time." she heard Sketchy say as he and Skeezy packed up their van and the others headed back to Camp Blue Sky.
«»
When they neared the camp they were shocked at what they saw. The whole place was on fire and several gunshots could be heard, it sounded like every weapon they had there was being fired. Doc immediately took out his radio trying to contact anyone who was left alive. The first two frequencies he tried they got nothing but static. By the time he tried a third the sounds of gunshots had died down leaving it eerily quiet.
"Mayday, mayday Camp Blue Sky, this is Doc with Thompson, Carver and Hawthorne. What is your situation over?"
"Hey Doc what's going on?" They heard Garnett's voice respond.
"Garnett, thank God you're alive. We thought everyone was dead. "
"I'm not . . . Camp Blue Sky, what's . . . pening?" he asked but it came in all fuzzy.
"The batteries are dying."
"Wait say again." Then another explosion went off making Addy jump back as flames shot up a few hundred feet into the air. Bailey rested her hands on her hips – one on each weapon – and looked at the ground, another good thing gone.
"Blue Sky has been overrun. The whole place is on fire." Doc relayed to Garnett.
"Survivors?"
"Well, there was a ton of gunfire a while ago, but nothing since." Then more static came through as their batteries ran out of juice. Doc hit the radio a few times before giving up and turning to them "Come on, let's go."
They ran through the woods until they came to the main road. A yellow school bus went speeding by heading away from Camp Blue Sky.
"Oh, there's the escape bus." Addy said in relief, "Okay they got the kids out."
Then they saw a zombie hang out the window reaching for them as the bus drove by.
"Shit." Mack said as they all took off for the bus as it veered off the road and crashed. Before they could reach it and check for survivors the doors were thrown open and a horde of zombified kids ran out after them. Their feet dug into the dirt as they stopped and ran in the other direction, they didn't stop until they came to the next road where four zombies were feasting on a corpse. When the fresh meat showed up they all abandoned their meal and snarled at the four humans. In the next second a large black truck barreled down the road and ran the Z's over.
"Get in!" Garnett shouted from the passenger side window and Doc opened the door behind him and hopped in while Bailey, Addy and Mack jumped into the bed of the truck as Warren sped off.
"How many more?" Bailey heard Garnett ask Doc in the seat behind him the small window in the back of the truck was open so she heard their conversation along with Mack and Addy.
"Nobody." Doc replied still catching his breath.
"Nobody?" Warren repeated in shock.
"Nobody I'm sure." Doc repeated.
"Donna? Marion?" Garnett asked.
"No there was no one. Not even time to show any of them mercy. There's nobody back there but Z's. Sorry guys, we tried."
"Nothing left for them now but God's mercy." Garnett said sadly. Then Hammond spoke up returning their attention to his mission. He gave Warren directions as Bailey filled Mack and Addy in on what had happened last night and how apparently the guy Hammond was travelling with – Murphy – was humanity's last chance.
Operation Bitemark Rendezvous Point
Sleepy Hollow, New York
After driving several more miles they pulled up to a high school. Hammond claimed that there was a shelter in the basement that had been converted into a center for refugees. Bailey wasn't sure where he got his information from –he claimed from some ex-cop and a group that had taken shelter in a prison - but she was almost positive it was very outdated. All the cars outside were destroyed and looted, the fence was half broken down and there were dead bodies littering the ground. Hammond got out of the truck first to check the area only to find that the dead Z's were the team he was supposed to be meeting up with. Bailey got out of the truck with the others to help survey the area but only after a moment they all heard crying as Warren fished a baby from the back of a crashed car.
"Whoa, it's a real live baby. I haven't seen one of these in years." The baby cried again, "And it won't stop crying." Garnett took the baby from Warren as Doc, Addy and Mack went around the building. Bailey put her hands on her hips, her fingers grazing the handles of each weapon as she looked around, her head snapped up as she thought she saw movement on the roof but the sun got in her eyes. When she raised her hand to get a better look there was nothing there, maybe it had been some debris blowing in the wind, she thought though the knot in her stomach told her to keep an eye out. Then Addy, Mack and Doc returned with another girl, they brought her inside with Warren Garnett and the baby as Hammond and Murphy followed. Bailey hung at the back of the group and stayed by the door. Addy noticed her friend's hesitation and joined her.
"Hey, you alright?" she asked with her Z Whacker resting over one shoulder.
"Fine." Bailey replied crossing her arms and leaning against the concrete wall, "I think I'll just stay out here and keep an eye out for trouble."
But Addy saw right through her, "What's wrong?" She asked softly starting to stroke Bailey's upper arm. Bailey looked at the ground before looking up at her friend.
"The baby." She admitted, "I just. . . I just don't want to be around when it turns."
"It's not going to turn, we're going to keep it safe." Addy said optimistically.
"Addy we don't have formula, or baby food, we don't even have something simple like applesauce. How are we supposed to feed it? And who knows how long it's been in that car starving?"
"Well someone's turned into a Negative Nelly." Addy said teasingly, "Bailey, we'll figure it out. That's what you and I have been doing since day one, we take it day by day, hour by hour, and figure it out as we go. It's kept us alive so far."
"Sometimes I wish I had your optimism." Bailey sighed, "I think I'll still stay out here though."
"Ok, you know where we are if you need us." Addy said giving her a brief hug then she joined the others inside. Bailey brought one leg up so the bottom of her foot was resting against the wall as she relaxed in the shade. Looking around at the destruction that was now Hammond's rendezvous point Bailey knew this wasn't going to be the easy drop off mission they'd been planning, but what did it matter now if they got sucked into Hammond's final order? Their camp was blown to kingdom come, even if they dropped off Hammond and Murphy and went their separate ways, where would they go? They'd have to start all over again, an idea that Bailey wasn't sure she was happy or upset about. Sure the camp had been nice, it had been stable, but it was also boring. On the other hand, being out in the world scavenging day after day was adventurous but after a few days without food or water and suddenly having a camp to return to didn't look so bad. Bailey let out another sigh, this was what she hated the most about the apocalypse – aside from the death – not knowing what you wanted, not knowing what you were living for. Before the camp she lived because Addy needed her, at the camp she lived because they needed her, now she didn't know, she just hoped the others would come out soon with a plan so she had some idea of where she'd be tomorrow.
She was pulled from her thoughts when she caught a slight glimmer along the roof again. This time it was further down the rooftop and as nonchalantly as she could she made her way to the door so she was out of sight. She was tensed up ready for the worst as she reached into the messenger bag that was strapped across her torso and pulled out Garnett's binoculars. She held them up to her eyes and refocused the lenses, then she walked back into view again – with her back to the building making it look like she was watching down the road. Then she quickly turned to look along the roof, she could barely make out a thin line of metal that briefly reflected the sunlight – a gun maybe? Then it moved and a figure popped up from where they were lying belly down on the roof. She wasn't able to make out any specific features before the person ducked and she lost sight of them. All she knew was it had been a person - a living person with a weapon, which meant a possible threat.
"Shit." Bailey whispered to herself lowering the binoculars just as Mack, Addy, the new girl and Doc came out the front doors behind her.
"We've got orders from Mr. Mission." Doc said as he passed, "He wants us to search the cars and bodies for anything useful."
Bailey was about to tell them what she saw but peered through the binoculars just to be sure. When she looked at the roof the figure and the gun were gone. Double shit, she thought as she followed the others, keeping the gunman to herself not wanting to worry them, but at the same time keeping her eyes peeled.
They made their way to the parking lot just outside the school's gymnasium, as Mack began patting down dead bodies for ammo, medicine or any other useful supplies. Bailey hoped the mystery gunman had gotten scared off after getting caught. Addy poked a corpse with her Z Whacker while the girl they'd saved – Cassandra – took out a knife while she checked another body. Bailey walked slowly between all of them not being able to help but scan the roof every now and then. Then her attention was drawn to Doc as one of the bodies leapt up and grabbed him. The Z lunged for Doc's neck as Mack drew his gun and Bailey pulled out her hatchet but the Z was too close to Doc and if the older man stopped moving he'd get bit for sure.
"Guys!" Doc shouted, "Get it off!"Then there was a loud bang and suddenly the zombie was missing the entire center of its skull. Bailey immediately looked to the roof as the others turned in circles looking for the source. Finally they spotted the sniper too. They could only see the persons shoulders and head but both were covered by a reddish brown fabric – a scarf maybe? Then the sniper got up and ran off the roof and out of sight. The gym was too big to go around and try to head the shooter off, they had no chance of catching them but Bailey was at least able to relax a bit knowing whoever it was seemed to be good enough not to shoot and rob them all.
«»
When they got back to the main doors they found Garnett and Warren outside.
"What's the holdup?" Hammond asked.
"Where's the baby?" Addy chimed in.
"Turned." Warren answered, then Murphy scoffed.
"Surprise, surprise." Then in a flash Garnett grabbed him by his jacket and slammed him up against the door. Hammond immediately drew his gun and aimed it at Garnett.
"Let him go. Or I will send you to walk among the dead." Garnett stared down Hammond for a moment before he let Murphy go. Hammond lowered his gun, "Let's get in the trucks. We're moving out."
"What about the baby thing?" Warren asked. "We can't leave it like that."
"Yeah she's right." Mack said speaking up, "Even if it is turned."
"It sounds so sad." Addy said listening to the zombie sounds coming from behind the door.
"It's not sad. It's a zombie." Doc said.
"Amen brother let's go." Murphy agreed.
"We can't leave it like that." Warren said again this time more forcefully.
"I'll do it." Garnett volunteered but before he could go in Hammond blocked him.
"I'll do it. You need to pull it together." Then he turned to the others, "Two minutes. Be ready to go." Then he readied his gun and went inside. Bailey had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach and headed to the truck. She'd dealt with a lot in the past three years of this hell on earth but seeing a zombie baby might just be enough to push her over the edge, and she didn't need anymore nightmares.
"If we wanted to ditch these two." Doc said walking over to her, "Take the truck and run. Now would be the time." Bailey, who had her forearms leaning on the side of the truck bed looked at him blankly, Doc only shrugged, "Just sayin'."
She couldn't help but give a slight chuckle. That was one of the things she loved about Doc, even in the apocalypse he had a way about him that always cheered her up. Then screaming came from the building and Doc ran over to the others who were charging inside. Bailey stayed put, she had no gun and between Warren, Garnett, Doc and Mack they had plenty of fire power to take care of the zombies inside. When they came back out one look at their faces told her all she needed to know, they'd lost Hammond.
"You know," Murphy began and she rolled her eyes, "none of this would have happened, if you'd just left that damn baby."
"I didn't tell Hammond to go get eaten by a baby." Garnett snapped at him.
"Never mind that now." Warren spoke up drawing attention, "We need a plan."
"My plan." Murphy said, "Is I am taking this truck and I am forgetting about vaccines and labs, and all of you. I wanted off this train from day one, and now's my chance."
"Wait, wait, wait you can't just go." Doc said, "What about California? What about the vaccine?"
"What if it's real? What if there's a chance? And what if it's you?" Addy asked.
"Addy. How do we know this isn't all just bullshit?" Mack asked raising a good point.
"How does anybody know anything anymore?" Murphy asked.
"Camp Blue Sky is gone. We know that much." Bailey spoke up, "And if we're not going with Hammond to California what's our next move because it will be dark soon and we need to do something."
"Delta X-ray Delta."
"What the hell is that?" Warren asked.
Addy ran back inside and came back with a radio. "It's Hammond's radio."
"Delta X-Ray Delta. This is Northern Light."
"Hello?" Addy spoke into the radio.
"I copy you Delta X-ray. This is. . . this is Northern Light. Who am I speaking to?"
"Addison Carver."
"Okay, I need to speak to Lieutenant Hammond."
"Hammond's dead."
"I'm sorry. I. . . I didn't copy that Delta X-ray. Did you say that Hammond is dead?"
"Yes."
"Is the package safe?"
"Package? What. . . what package? Who is this?"
"Listen, I need to speak to whoever's in charge."
"Who's in charge?" Addy asked the group. Warren looked up at Garnett.
"You are." She said so Addy handed him the radio.
"This is Sargent Garnett of the National Guard. Who is this?"
"Sargent Garnett. Lieutenant Hammond was transporting a civilian named Murphy to California. Is he alive?"
"Yes he's still alive."
"Good, good. Are you aware of Operation Bitemark?"
"You mean the lab in California?"
"Yes! Yes! Listen to me! It is imperative that you get Murphy to California. I repeat it is imperative that you get Murphy alive to California. Do you copy?"
"But we don't know. . . Who are you?" then the radio went to nothing but static, "It's dead." Garnett said trying to get the signal back.
"So?" Warren asked.
"So, it looks like we're taking Mr. Congeniality here to California."
"Says who?" Murphy asked.
"Says me." Garnett said throwing down the radio, "Now get in."
Garnett got in a military truck with Warren while Addy, Mack, Murphy and Cassandra got into another which left their final truck to Doc and Bailey. She called shotgun and hopped in the passenger side as Doc took the wheel. She kicked her feet up on the dash, her ankles crossed and one leg bent at the knee. As they drove away from the school they passed a boy who looked about her age – maybe early twenties, nineteen or twenty at the youngest – with messy black hair and a rifle swung over his shoulder, he wore a grey camo shirt with khaki pants that had black tape over the knees and on his shoulders were what looked like shoulder pads made from the soles of a pair of boots. Resourceful, she thought, and clever. And it looked like they'd found their mystery sniper, she thought recognizing the reddish brown scarf he wore.
"Hey. Hey there. You're that sharp shooter that saved my ass aren't you?" Doc asked he pulled over and Bailey leaned forward and rested her elbow on her bent knee to get a better look at the guy. "Oh man, I want to thank you. Do you need a ride?" Doc asked and Bailey looked at him from the passenger seat with an eyebrow raised. The guy shrugged and hopped in the bed of the truck. Bailey leaned back in her seat as Doc took off down the road again.
"So we're picking up strays now?" she asked looking out the broken window, the wind getting in and blowing her hair from her face.
"Oh, come on Bailey." Doc said lightheartedly, "You saw the kid shoot, he's an asset."Bailey didn't respond, she only continued to look out the window at the passing landscape not fully convinced that taking in two people in one day – both who they barely knew – was a very smart idea.