Zombies versus Aliens versus Vampires versus Dinosaurs by Abugov Jeff

Author:Abugov, Jeff [Abugov, Jeff]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2015-12-03T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Private Roger Hayes darted about the reception area of his Captain’s office in his shiny new electric wheelchair with the vitality of a man reborn, his countless years of street living lingering in his mind like a terrible nightmare that he couldn’t shake. The irony that his newfound dignity was a direct result of the greatest threat to mankind was not lost on Rog, but he tried not to think of it in those terms. Instead, he laid all his gratitude at the feet of the Captain-with-the-scar who had taken him in when society as a whole had cast him aside, with the Captain who had given him a job, a uniform, the respect that even the lowest-ranked soldier receives, with the Captain who had given him a reason to live. Rog would do anything for the man.

His duties were primarily secretarial, which was A-okay by him. As much as he wished he had the ability to risk his life in battle with his fellow soldiers, that privilege was reserved for those with two working legs—it was Rog’s duty to do everything else, everything he could, anything they’d let him. He loved it when his Captain ordered him to deliver a note or memo or stack of papers or whatnot to another building or part of town with no regard for his handicap, as if he were any other private, any other man. He didn’t even mind the few times he had been chewed out, only for minor mistakes, but always with no pity or regard for his handicap, as if he were any other soldier.

He was whole again—if not physically, then at least emotionally and spiritually, and that was plenty. The Captain-with-the-scar had made him whole again, and Rog would never ever forget it.

He was filing printouts of soldiers’ background checks. It was a boring task, but he was nonetheless proud to do it, honored that his Captain had entrusted him with the personal files of virtually everyone on the base. One of the Captain’s primary responsibilities as head of base security had been to validate the backgrounds and records of all the soldiers who had volunteered, denying entry to anyone who lacked the records to prove a human-born existence beyond a shadow of a doubt. Those for whom even a tiny question had arisen were denied entry—a ninety-nine percent certainty simply not being good enough—and all those refused left screaming and yelling and cursing and promising a lawsuit.

Rog’s mind wandered as he performed his boring task and a new irony occurred to him. From an alien perspective, his Captain’s position would be the perfect cover for their spy. For one, who had checked him out? Presumably, he checked himself out and deemed himself a pass. If he was in fact the spy, he could let in as many other spies as he wanted while refusing any human soldier he deemed a threat to the bug cause—and Rog had noticed some dubious judgments on his Captain’s part in that regard.

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