Seeds Of Hunger

Chapter 19: Blinding Fury

"You've been here almost a week and haven't found anyone else?" Jameson asked, unable to believe the soldier.

"That's correct. No other teams deployed have found anyone else, alive that is. Now, what are your names?" Murray asked, watching them with his eyes.

"Miguel Cornnado."

"Anton Jameson, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment."

"Jack Casey, Baltimore PD."

Mirado Carter, Baltimore PD." Carter finished.

"Have any of you been infected or been in contact with those infected?" The Army officer asked the group, weighing their responses.

"We've been in constant contact with the infected but none of us have been bitten or scratched." Carter answered for the group. He didn't make it this far without being second guessed by this no body.

"Lieutenant, we've been engaging the infected for days. We have survived this ordeal. Like you said we're the only group you've seen in a week. Cut us some slack." Jameson spoke to the officer like a non commissioned officer of the United States Marine Corps.

Murray nodded, "You said you were with 1/9, Jameson?"

"Yes sir. Deployed to Iraq twice. Once in 2006, the other in 2008. We're combat veterans and trained police officers. We know how to handle ourselves." Jameson said.

"Alright, pick up your weapons. My boys will escort you to the rear to begin debriefing and clean you up. Its a nice stroll through the rest of the city and we should reach it by late tonight. Now, will you fill me in on what exactly happened." Murray asked as they started walking.

Carter explained everything that has happened up to that point for what felt like the thousandth time. Through it all Murray kept his face calm but inwardly he was terrified. He had never expected his Army career to include killing zombies.

"What evidence do you have of this plant? How sure of you are this?" Murray asked them, still not believing.

"We spoke with a scientist who was working with the plant before he turned. His name was Dr. Allen Rich." Carter explained as Murray snapped his head around.

"The Dr. Allen Rich? The famous scientist working on a cure for Alzheimer's?" Murray asked, as Casey nodded.

"The very same one. Me and Carter talked to him about what happened and that another co worker of his a Dr. Markarth was one of the first infected. They were both working on the plants together." Casey explained to the officer.

It matches the briefing we received before we arrived, Murray thought as they continued on. The soldiers and the survivors talked about what they saw, the infected, the crazy infected they saw and the names they had provided them.

"So we have what you call Leeches, Runners, and what was the other one?" Murray asked Carter.

"The Behemoth." Carter answered him.

"Why do you call it that?" A soldier asked.

"Cause its a huge monster that insanely hard to kill. It lifted our SWAT truck like it was a piece of paper and flung it half of a mile into the building." Jameson answered the young soldier.

"Jesus..." the soldier whispered.

They continued onward, Carter in disbelief as this part of the city was virtually untouched by the infected. They walked for another two hours before they got to the outer perimeter of the FOB.

"That's strange. The guards aren't around. They were supposed to be stationed here." Murray keyed his microphone. " Saber 6, this is Saber 2-1, over." Static. "Saber 6, this is Saber 2-1, do you copy, over?" Murray addressed the group. "The CO isn't responding. Prepare for the worst. Condition One, rounds in the chamber, grenadiers make sure your 203's are loaded with HE." A chorus of 'Yes, Sir' answered him as they made ready to deal with whatever might have happened to the FOB. Murray turned his attention to the survivors. "You four back us up. You made it this far, don't let yourself get killed. Let's move."

President Dawson sipped on his bottle of water as his inner cabinet bickered back and forth. This was the fourth hour of deliberation regarding the use of atomic weapons on US soil.

"We can't risk the use of nukes being deployed to destroy the cities. The EMP pulse will destroy the rest of the United States and put us back into the Dark Ages." Secretary of Defense Paul Baskin said. EMP or electromagnetic pulse, was the energy released when a nuclear bomb exploded, frying all electronics that it touches.

"We could use MOABs launched from the MC-130 Combat Talon II, target four of them per city. That way, the EMP pulse won't fry everything from hair dryers to airliners." Paul Baskin stated, trying to not let nuclear devices be used.

"Paul, has the military seen any survivors?" President Dawson asked.

"Yes sir, one team rescued a group of survivors a few hours ago. The other teams haven't seen any survivors but have put down a lot of infected." Paul delivered hoping it would help his cause.

"So the cities are pretty much dead then." President Dawson sighed.

"Yes sir. It would appear that way." Paul Baskin sounded defeated.

"Ladies and Gentleman, at this time, the room hasn't made a decision so I will. We will launch the Mod 7's to kill the rest of the cities. God have mercy on me but I will not and can not let the infection spread any further. General Miles, RIPSHOOT, LAO." Referring to  Limited Attack Option. General Miles, Joint Chief of Staff, US Army, stood up at attention, almost knocking over his chair.

"Yes sir." General Miles, opened the door and ushered in the military aide, carrying in the "football" the black leather binder holding the launch codes.

"Mr. President in order to start the launch I need you to verify the set of codes on your card, sir." The aid said as he opened the case.

President Dawson opened his wallet and took out his red plastic card. He read the set of numbers he had chosen when he had won the Presidency.

"Sir I confirm your codes. Now I need another set of verification to confirm the order." The Two-Man rule applied, meaning in order to start the launch, another set of codes had to be verified, usually someone Congress had approved. President Dawson looked to Paul Baskin, Secretary of State. The Two-Man rule applied to the President and the Secretary of Defense to confirm the order.

"Paul, I wish there was another way but this is the sure fire way to stop the infection. Please. We can't risk the country." Dawson said to Paul quietly.

Paul Baskin, Secretary of Defense, removed the red plastic card from his wallet as well and read his set of verification codes.

"I confirm your codes, Mr. Secretary." The military aide went to the communications room and broadcast the order. "This is CASPER to NMCC," The National Military Command Center," RIPSHOOT, LAO. Bravo Golf Papa Zulu FOUR THREE NINE SEVEN ONE. Acknowledge."

"Acknowledge, Bravo Gold Papa Zulu FOUR THREE NINE SEVEN ONE. LAO. Baltimore, Maryland and Washington D.C. United States of America. Orders received. Commencing." The voice link was cut. Paul Baskin ran to the nearest trash can and emptied his late lunch into it. He grabbed a bottle of water to rinse the taste out of his mouth and spit it into the trash can. He rose off the floor and laid his badge on the table before walking out of the room.

Emergency Action Messages went out to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana to the 2D Bomb Wing. The Commanding Officer of the Wing, General Flowers, received the EAM and felt the blood drain from his fingers as he held the message of death. He pushed the message to a runner who would take the message to the pilots. Similar messages were given to the bomb crews as well as PALs, or Permissive Action Links, the codes to arm the bombs. They started checking over the Mod 7's. Fins were added to the bombs and the warheads locked into place and armed. They were now live nuclear weapons. The bomb crews pushed the bombs into the bay of the B52H and an automatic loader grabbed the bomb and pulled it into place. Load bearers in the bomber strapped the bomb into its proper place to be released.  

Captain John Howard, prefight checked his B52H as Co Pilot, Lieutenant Jacob Harrison ran over the flight plan.

"I sure hope I wake up from this nightmare." Harrison said as he made an correction to the flight plan.

"It can't be a nightmare, the Packers lost the Superbowl." Howard offered as a light hearted joke. They continued to check the plane as the bomb was loaded into their plane, ready to blast a city to hell and back.