Dead America_Heartland by Derek Slaton

Author:Derek Slaton [Slaton, Derek]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-03-30T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Kowalski drove the lead SUV, with Kersey in the passenger seat. Mason and Tim were somber in the backseat, both staring out their own windows. Bretz followed behind, with Bill, Baker, and Johnson in tow.

“This is Sergeant Kersey for General Stephens,” Kersey said into the satellite phone, and a woman on the other end confirmed his connection.

There was a click, and then Stephens asked, “John, how did it go?”

“We found Bill,” Kersey replied tersely, taking a deep breath.

“That’s great news,” the General said, “are you heading for Topeka now?”

“Negative,” the Sergeant replied. “Bill suggested North Platte, because it’s the biggest rail yard in the country and it has a lower population than Topeka. He’s already proven to be extremely helpful.”

Stephens paused. “Okay, that’s good foresight. Is there something else, John?”

Kersey rubbed the bridge of his nose with a deep sigh. “We lost Edwards.” He slammed his fist down on his thigh. “He’d gotten bit, back on our last mission, and didn’t tell anyone. He turned and caused a lot of trouble.”

“I see,” Stephens replied carefully. “I’m sorry you lost your teammate, Sergeant, but forgive me for asking, how bad was this trouble?”

“It’s contained,” Kersey assured him. “We left no infected in La Crosse.”

“Good,” the General replied, though his tone wasn’t unkind. “You’ve done us a great service today, Sergeant.”

“Don’t say that until we’re all safely on the train,” Kersey countered.

Stephens chuckled, though there wasn’t much humour there. “Ten-four, Sergeant. We’ll get ready to move.”

“Ten-four.” Kersey ended the call and pocketed the phone, resting his head against his seat and closing his eyes.

“There,” Tim said suddenly, and his traveling companions perked up. “Over there,” he said, and they looked to where he was motioning, a beautiful big tree in the middle of a farm field.

“You heard the man,” Kersey said quietly, and Kowalski turned down the dirt farm entrance. They parked about twenty yards away from the tree, and everyone got out of their vehicles.

Bill looked at Kersey and stepped up next to Tim, and the Sergeant nodded his acceptance of the unspoken question. The duo wandered towards the tree, Kersey following at a respectable distance with his gun drawn just in case of any trouble.

“I’m sorry, bud,” Bill said.

Tim shook his head. “It’s not so bad. At least this way I know I won’t become one of those things. The last thing I would want is to hurt my family and friends, all because I was selfish.”

Bill swallowed hard, admiring the man’s bravery. Tim sank to his knees, in front of the tree, and began to pray. His executioner pursed his lips and cocked his gun, standing behind him, hand shaking as he pointed it at the back of Tim’s head.

The man whispered a tearful, “Amen.”

And then Bill pulled the trigger.

His shoulders slumped with the body of the man who’d sacrificed himself for La Crosse, the town that Bill himself had grown up in. It maybe wasn’t the best place to live, what with the shitty attitudes most of the residents had, but it was home.

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