As The World Dies - Siege Part 21

* * * * * Bill was the one who went in to get Jenni from her holding cell. She had attacked everyone who had tried to enter, but when she saw him, she collapsed into tears and clung to him. Together, they followed the tall, handsome man who had questioned them down a long narrow white hallway.

Another soldier handed them two bags. Inside were rations and a blanket.

"Your sleeping a.s.signments are in the folder at the bottom of the bag. It also holds your schedule and what work detail you are on," the soldier explained. "We'll talk more later about your fort, but for now, I think you need to see the world we have built here."

Holding tightly to each other, Bill and Jenni stepped through the gla.s.s double doors and gazed over the railing down into the world of Madison.

"f.u.c.k," Jenni whispered. "It's a mall."

Chapter 11 1. Waiting Peggy slammed her cup of coffee down on the table, a little slos.h.i.+ng onto the wood. The people gathered around the large table in the dining room looked up at her curiously and she shrugged.

"No word. Nothing. It's quiet out there." Tucking herself into a chair next to Dale, she grimaced.

Lenore reached for another biscuit and shrugged. "That ain't good." Her expression was grim and her eyes close to tearing.

Tenderly, Ken rubbed her shoulder and leaned against her. "It'll be okay.

They'll come back."

"We shouldn't have left them," Linda whispered, pouring whiskey into her coffee. "It was the wrong thing to do."

"We had to get out of there. Had to get the equipment back," Dale said firmly. "Plus, the d.a.m.n zombies were coming out of the woodwork."

Maddie Goode ran her delicate hands down over her long tousled hair. It was a pretty mix of white, silver, and strawberry blond. It was hard to tell her age. Her smile was youthful, but the skin around her eyes and lips was finely lined. "You can't second guess yourselves. You did what you felt was right."

Peggy grabbed a biscuit from the Tupperware container in front of her and reached for the b.u.t.ter and peach jam. Rosie had put out the day old biscuits for a late night snack. Coffee and hot tea were set out on a counter nearby. "Well, there ain't nothing out there tonight but static, so I have no clue where the h.e.l.l our people are. Storm is kicking up a lot of wind and the lightning isn't helping."

Pa.s.sing the liquor bottle over to Dale, Linda set her elbow on the table and leaned her chin on her knuckles. "They just came at us so fast. It was so quick. I still don't know how we got Ken out of there."

"It was a blessing you did," Maddie said patting Ken's hand.

With a sigh, Ken shook his head. "Not if it got the other team killed."

"I did what I had to. I was not letting my best friend die."

"No one is blaming you, Lenore," Dale a.s.sured her. "I would have done the same d.a.m.n thing. It got crazy fast. You did what you thought was right."

Lenore wiped a tear away from her eye and her jaw set in a stubborn line.

"Felix, Jenni, Bill and Roger all kick a.s.s on a regular basis," Linda decided. "If anyone can make it out of a hospital full of dead people, it's them."

Another tear rolled down Lenore's cheek and she shook her head. "If they died..."

"Oh, Lenore, don't cry!" Maddie slid to her bare feet and rushed around the table to hug her. "You did what you thought was right."

"I may have gotten Felix killed," Lenore whispered. "And Jenni. Bill.

And stupid ol' Roger always going on about Star Trek and..."

Ken covered his face with his hands. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know the doors led to where they were all stashed! I wouldn't have gone down that hall even though it was on the map if I knew the zombies were there!"

"It was on the map. It was on your instructions. What else could you have done?" Linda downed her coffee and this time poured straight whiskey into the cup. "You were doing your job."

"It's okay, li'l buddy. You were a tough hombre out there and you did good," Dale declared. "I was d.a.m.n proud of you."

"Really?" Ken peeked through his hands at Dale.

"I sure was."

Lenore leaned into Maddie, holding onto her and looking more emotional than most people had ever seen her. Peggy felt awkward about the whole situation. She was torn between being spitting mad and sobbing terrified.

It was her family out there and though they had been trying to do their best for Juan, she was p.i.s.sed at everyone involved to some degree. She was tired of losing people. Tired of the pain of loss. Tired of the whole d.a.m.n mess.

"It's not like we didn't know the risks," Linda mumbled. She downed her whiskey and poured more. "We know the risks. Every time we go out there, we know the freaking risks."

"Should we cut you off?" Dale eyed the cute little Latina thoughtfully.

"Try it." She gave him a sly smile.

"No flirting!" Ken pointed at her accusingly.

"You stop first!"

Dale chuckled as Ken sputtered.

Peggy sighed and stuffed the whole biscuit in her mouth. Dale looked at her with an impressed smile on his face and she chewed the wad of white flour goodness slowly. With a shrug, she said, "I was hungry." The truth was she was about to say something that would have p.i.s.sed everyone off.

She was in a bad mood and knew it. Yet, she didn't want to be alone.

Looking harried, Curtis walked into the dining room. He spotted them and headed over, his hand shoving his thin blond hair back from his face.

Peggy thought he looked about as p.i.s.sy as she felt.

"Linda, there you are. I thought you were going to come down and join me in the communication center," he said, reaching the table.

"I'm getting drunk," she answered. Clicking coffee cups with Dale, she dismissed Curtis with a look.

"Oh, well. You could maybe come down to the communication center and we could talk," Curtis said, a little more gently. He looked peeved at Dale as he drew up a chair and sat next to Linda.

"Felix was such a great guy," Linda declared. "He was my buddy. And Roger, that f.u.c.king perv, taught me how to swear in Klingon and told me all about Vulcans and s.e.x. And Bill...man...Bill..."

"We don't know what has happened yet. We shouldn't start having their wake just yet," Maddie said gently.

"You didn't know them. How would you know?" Curtis crossed his arms and glared at the older woman.

"I may not know them. But they're people and I do care. I believe we should not mourn until we know for sure," Maddie answered in a tone that was a little more firm than one would expect from her delicate appearance.

"And don't get in Maddie's face. She's a good one," Dale said shortly. He folded his big arms over his chest. "Besides, who the f.u.c.k are you, you punk a.s.s kid."

"I am a police officer here in this fort and I will let you know that I know those people who are out there and-"

Peggy put her hand on Curtis' arm and squeezed. "Shut up."

"What?" He looked at her in surprise.

"Just shut up. We're all sitting here, upset, p.i.s.sy, and just trying to get a little comfort from each other. We don't need you wagging your badge or your d.i.c.k in our faces."

Linda snorted whiskey out of her nose, laughing loudly.

Curtis looked at her with a hurt expression on his face.

Slamming her hands down on the table, Lenore glowered at no one in particular. "I did what I thought was right."

"I wouldn't be here if not for you," Ken said, hugging her arm.

"But maybe the rest of the team would be here if you hadn't gone off firing your gun," Curtis snapped.

"That's it!" Peggy grabbed Curtis' wrist and dragged him out of his chair.

"Go back to the communication center and do your job. Now!"

Curtis sputtered, but the look on Peggy's face shut him up. With a dark scowl, he stomped off.

Linda downed the last bit of whiskey and stood up, swaying on her feet.

"I'll go calm his a.s.s down."

"Is that what they call it now days?" Peggy felt a sharp pang of disappointment as Linda started after Curtis. She wasn't sure if she was jealous that Linda and Curtis were going to mess around or if it was because Linda deserved better than a surly boy with a badge.

With a shrug, Linda kept walking after Curtis.

"I'm not going into the communication center until tomorrow," Ken decided.

"Let them get naked. As long as they are listening for our people," Peggy sighed.

"Nothing wrong with comforting each other in our time of need," Dale said.

"No, not at all," Maddie agreed. She was seated next to Lenore now, gently stroking her hair.

"You remind me of my grandma," Lenore said in a low voice.

"Thank you, hon."

The people at the table lapsed into silence and Peggy began to b.u.t.ter another biscuit. She should get up to check on Cody soon. He was sleeping over with a friend and she wanted to make sure he was okay before his friend's parents turned in. Maybe it was the manly scent of Dale next to her or the smell of the biscuits, but she was feeling a little more relaxed now.

"I hope they come home okay." Ken reached out to grab the peach jam.

Lenore wiped another tear away.

Peggy had nothing to say that would be productive, so she just ate.

2. The Thoughts of One Man Kevin Reynolds leaned against the railing of the second floor of the mall watching the newcomers. He could tell the woman was still reeling from the blow to her head. Her companion, Bill, had not left her side all night.

They were now settled into what had been a children's clothing store, both of them lying down on the army issue cots they had slept on during the night. He could barely see the very pretty Latina's red sweater standing out amidst all the other people in the store.

Rubbing his hand over his head, he felt the p.r.i.c.kle of his closely cut hair tickle his palm. He felt bone weary. His brain felt overwhelmed. Without a doubt he was going on pure adrenaline at this point. It was certain sleep would be long in coming.

An army private wandered past him, gun slung casually in his arms, and they both acknowledged each other with half-a.s.sed salutes.

Kevin wondered if this how Fletcher Christian felt on board the HMS Bounty. Knotted up inside until he felt like he could barely breathe?

Below him the soft voices of the four hundred people living in the mall murmured. It was past noon now. Rations were pa.s.sed out. Water bottles, half full, were being dispensed. Work crews would be changing s.h.i.+fts. The few children that had survived the flu were in school.

Everyone looked drawn, tired, and scared.

And after what he had recently discovered, they should be.

His fingers traced over the flag on his jacket thoughtfully. America didn't exist anymore, but the people did. They were gathered down below, struggling to make it through. They were fighting tough. He could see that, but they were getting worn down by the powers that be.

He was worn down by the powers that be.

The Senator and her cronies formed a parade as they walked across a bridge nearby. They headed into Foley's, where they were headquartered.

They were the 'haves;' below were 'have nots.' How the Major General did not see this was beyond him. Ever since the rescue station started up the Major General had been intent on preserving "the American people," and yet, he was helping the Senator create a new world where the American people were... As a black man it made him cringe... ...but they were making slaves.

If the Senator was truly in touch with the President and this was what the government had planned under martial law for the American people, then the world he had known was truly dead.

The very pretty Airman Second Cla.s.s named Valerie Gomez strode up to him. She always looked impeccable in her uniform despite its lack of was.h.i.+ng and her closely cropped hair set off her Native American features beautifully.

"The fort is broadcasting, sir," she said.

"Right on schedule," he said with a sigh.

She nodded, her keen eyes reading his expression.

They were, despite their immense differences in background, best friends and sometimes more.

"Then we're on schedule."

"Yes, sir."

"Carry on," he said, watching her eyes give him a soft, imaginary hug.

He looked back down over the people below... Yes, this must be how Fletcher Christian felt as he considered mutiny... The knot in his stomach wound tighter...

3. h.e.l.l is Other People The words of Jean-Paul Sartre flitted through Bruce Kiel's mind as he walked among the survivors living in the Madison Mall.

h.e.l.l is other people.