The Mississippi Zombie Chronicals

Chapter 42: Escape

Explosions rattled the entire town.

I watched Kate get blown to bits as Wade, Major Grimm, and her crew attempt to get back to their tank.

Wade had thought to grab the cure from his desk and shove it in a protective case before we heard the explosions.

The six of us ran hard and fought our way through, until we reached the tank.

Then, time slowed down and I knew Jake had left as many of us as he could in normal speed.

I hadn't seen him since the RPG got Kate and those two boys, Tony and James.

We all reached the tank and made sure we had extra supplies. Then, we brought the fight back to the raiders.

We shelled the mass hordes of attackers until there wasn't anything in town left but smoldering buildings.

"Well, we're alive." I said to Wade, who was sitting in the floor of the tank cockpit.

"Yeah, but now what? Everybody else is dead." Said one of the soldiers.

"Take the cure and one of our trucks. Get the Hardy's and finish your mission." Said Wade, handing Grimm the case.

Nodding and shaking his hand, Grimm took the case.

Wade and I crawled out of the Abrams, then found what gear we could, loaded up a Ford pickup truck and drove in the opposite direction.

We had no idea what to do, or where to go.

So we drove.

Wade and I drove until we came across signs that lead to a safe house.

Expecting the worst, we loaded our weapons: my UMP 45 and his M-4 that Jake had given him were locked and loaded.

As we pulled up to the area, a sign pointed down to a hole in the ground, with what appeared to be a hatch.

I opened it up while he covered me, expecting a rotter to rush us.

It was just an empty metal staircase that was lit up on both sides all the way down.

Reluctantly, we walked down the stairs, until we came across a open cavern with people in it, two guards standing behind barricades.

There were tents and lean-tos in a circle, a fire in the middle, and a door in the concrete wall with another sign that read: Keep Out Authorized Personnel Only.

The guards saw us as we walked up, and told us to hand over our rifles.

"I can't, in my right mind, hand over my most valuable possession. This this is pure gold and they ain't making anymore." I said.

After arguing for a while, a woman in a tan beret and multi-cam shorts and a tank top walks up.

The guards salute and stand down.

"That's a nice piece. Where'd you get it?" She asked.

"My brother. He found it in a collector's house two years ago. It's been with me ever since." I replied.

"Well, you and your brother have an eye for fine weaponry." She said.

"His rifle is nice too, an M39/M21 EBR with drum mags, a nice scope, bipod and suppressor. He calls her Black Mamba." I replied.

"You boys are well equipped. I take it this isn't your brother, though? He's too redheaded to be related to you " she laughed.

We all laughed.

"My names Bob, this is my buddy Wade." I said, sticking out my hand.

"Captain Mary McLaughlin. U.S. Army Intel. These two here are Corporal Lincoln and Sergeant Rodriguez." She said.

Then it hit me, McLaughlin.

"Wait, are you related to Sergeant McLaughlin, Delta Force?!" I said excitedly.

"How did you know that? How do you know my brother?! Is he alive?!" She said, shock in her face.

"Our group was the one that found him and Williams after their crash. Then we helped them at the ANG base in Jackson and the bunker down at Camp Shelby." I replied.

"So that was you!? Wow! You guys are heros! Come on in. We'll get you set up here." She said.

We followed Mary to the room that had the restricted sings on it.

Inside, there was a command center set up; communications, Intel, weapons, the works.

"Still running ops?" I asked.

"For the most part, yeah. From here we can monitor teams out in the field. We've hacked satellite arrays, local radio towers, hell, we even grabbed the security cams still working in the area. I've got two three man teams out in the field now." Said Mary.

"Ah. Well, we need a place to stay, we've been on the road for a good while. We could help out on runs, or help coordinate ops." Said Wade.

"With guys like yourselves here, we'd definitely gain from that. I don't have many fighting men, mainly civilian women and children. Two men already trained and experienced would be a Godsend. One condition though." Said Mary.

"Go on."

"If you find booze out there, hide it or bring enough for everyone." She chuckled.

Remembering the bottle of whiskey in my pack, I pull it out. "As a measure of good faith." I said.

"I'm liking you already." Said Mary with a smile as she grabbed the bottle.

"Mind if we set up shop? Where's a good place?" Asked Wade.

"All my soldiers get their own rooms. Through the door on your right is a hallway with about ten or so rooms. Last two on the end of the hall are open. Should already be setup and clean." Said Mary.

"Ma'am, Alpha team has caught some resistance at the supermarket in town. What should we do?" Said a younger man, he was blonde and had on a Navy combat uniform.

"We'll help them. Call it a test run so you can witness our skills." I said, stepping forward.

"Deal. Here's the info and the location. Tune your radios to 139.57 and we'll stay in contact." Said Mary.

Wade and I grabbed our weapons and rushed topside.