Counteraction by M.D. Massey

Author:M.D. Massey [Massey, M.D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Modern Digital Publishing
Published: 2016-05-20T05:00:00+00:00

21

MIGHTY

Sam Tucker was a caravaneer and scavenger who worked all the abandoned cities south and west of Austin in the Corridor. He had based his operations out of the settlement where Kara and I had lived and frequented her bar before the ’thrope attack. He was also one of the few friends I had in this world, and on the even shorter list of people I trusted. No way I was going to leave him to die.

Through the monocular, I could see he was looking around to locate whoever or whatever had made all that racket. From what I could tell, he looked to be in pretty decent shape. The weather had turned cooler, so he couldn’t be baking too much inside the van during the day. Still, I’d bet dimes to donuts he was running out of water and food, and that he wouldn’t last two more days. Most folks couldn’t carry more than three or four liters on them, and even if he’d rationed his water out, he was probably on his last dregs.

I put the monocular up and crawled over to Gabby and Bobby. “New plan. We’re going to go inside this place and get what we need, then I’m going to draw off that herd while you two rescue the occupant of that vehicle down below.”

Gabby arched an eyebrow and smirked. “I take it you know this person?”

“He’s not a punter—he’s a friend from the settlements. And not only that, but I figure he was tracking the wolves after they took everyone—there’s no other reason why he’d be here. He might have some useful intel on the status of Kara and the settlers, and what we’re facing.”

Bobby raised his hand. “You should let me do it. I’m a lot faster, plus I’m not sick.” I started to protest, but he held up a hand to shut me up. “Now, now, you know as well as Gabby and me that you’re not exactly up to snuff. All it would take is for you to have another episode, and then those shamblers would have you for dinner. I’ll draw them off, and you and Gabby get what you need from inside. I’ll meet you back at the church before dawn.”

I couldn’t argue with his logic. “Alright, you win. Let’s get what we came for, and then we’ll deal with Sam.”

I stuck my head into the hole we’d made, and saw nothing but a lot of HVAC vents and a drop ceiling about ten feet or so below. We’d lucked out and broken in over the upstairs offices. I pulled a rope out of my pack, tied it off on one of the HVAC units on the roof, and swung into the darkness below, sliding down until my feet hit a ceiling tile. I kicked it to the floor below, then I followed it down, sliding down the rope with care so I didn’t tear more flesh from my already damaged hands.

At the bottom, I moved off to one side and drew the sword.

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