World of Ashes (22 page)

             
Limping though his recovery had gone well, Allen stepped up next to Ethan while the company halted for lunch before the final two miles into Washington. For the most part the Cavalry had ridden in on a convoy of 5-ton trucks, but now they were leaving the trucks with a security detail and the drivers while the men explored on foot. They didn’t want anyone who might be in Washington to capture the trucks, thus stranding them far from home, or worse yet someone using that truck as a Trojan horse.

             
“I think I’ll stay with the trucks.” Allen seemed ashamed to say, keeping his tone low so only Ethan and Keith could hear. He swished the unkempt curly hair out of his eyes and tucked it under his ball-cap. “My foot still isn’t at a hundred percent. This little jaunt hasn’t helped it. I think I’ll stay home next time. Besides, we’re near that house we stayed in before, remember? I think I’m going to go post a notice on it that I intend to occupy it within one year’s time under the Residency Ordinance.”

             
A couple sergeants and a few of the soldiers got in a shouting match nearby, interrupting Allen’s idea. Since Lee had some
different,
or
more “Old School”
theories on what makes an Army strong he didn’t break up the fight. The argument was allowed to become a full-fledged boxing match, since both men were the same rank. Ethan and Allen just looked away and went back to their conversation while the two men settled their differences in the background. Surprisingly, the smaller man was winning in a flurry of uppercuts. He was so busy he never saw the haymaker the big guy threw at his temple, knocking him in a sideways cartwheel into a truck.

             
“You do realize that no one but our town is going to recognize that notice, right? Not to mention you’ll be completely without the Army’s protection out here. Who knows how long it would take someone to get to you.” Ethan said.

             
“Not if this is going to continue to be a major supply route, and I think it will. With St. Louis nothing but rubble we’ll just have to keep looting from rural areas. This is a good jumping off point for that. Hell, along with a farm I could even start a trading post.” Allen lit a cigar. It smelled expensive. “The bottom land on the other side of the river is invaluable, Ethan. We could feed the entire state if we farmed it. You can’t deny that would be important to the town.”

             
“And what about your brother and parents?”

             
“In case you haven’t noticed,” Allen blew a perfect smoke ring in the frigid air, “My brother is a kid, so he’ll come with me, and my parents are among those who simply haven’t come to grips with the fall of civilization. I don’t think my dad’s left his arm chair since Sports Center went down. Hell, I catch my mom checking her fucking Blackberry and iPad whenever she thinks no one’s looking. Sure there’s enough electricity to charge them, but there’s no wireless internet anymore. No cell phone carriers to place the calls…”

             
“Speaking of electricity,” Ethan narrowed his eyes and looked around. “Do you-”

             
“Get the sneaking suspicion we’re being watched?” Lee walked up behind Ethan, finishing his sentence. Though Ethan was the eldest, they shared a newly rekindled bond in hunting and soldiering that seemed like a special power more attributed to twins. “I think we’ve had a scout trailing us since St. Clair. I figure it’s one of the Texan Marines, a lone scavenger would have lost interest in us or have tried to make contact by now. This guy keeps a predictable two kilometer distance. We’ve caught part of his radio transmissions too, but we aren’t synced with them. It’s only a matter of time before they make a move.”

             
“Let me guess, you want it that way?”

             
“Well, granted I would have preferred not to have be seen at all,” Lee reached over and took the cigar from Allen’s mouth and took a puff. “But if they’re gonna watch us, let’s make it clear we’re not a rabble of retards.”

             
“What do you think the likelihood of an attack is?”

             
“Slim. We’ve shown no hostility towards them and we haven’t made any effort to return to the power plant. This guy is the first scout we’ve actually encountered, albeit from a distance. We’ve been finding their campsites in the woods overlooking key positions for some time. That’s why I asked you to beef up the number of deputies at the Japan checkpoint and at the airfield.”

             
“I shouldn’t have come.” Ethan felt responsible for his men and didn’t want anyone else giving orders if there was an attack. It wasn’t that he knew more, or better than the Lieutenants did, but that he was ultimately responsible for the lives of his men. If one were injured or killed it was he who had to notify the families, or bury the bodies no one was left the claim.

             
“It’ll be fine, Ethan.” Keith said, stepping down out of the truck where he’d been reading an out dated newspaper. “If the Texans wanted to wipe us out, something tells me an air strike would be a lot easier than putting men in harm’s way to prod at our defenses and sneak around our borders. Besides, did you ever consider that maybe they’re on our side?”

             
“No.”

             
Lee rolled his eyes, “Of course you didn’t. Look, Ethan-”

             
“Yes, Lee, the entire world is out to get me.” Ethan pointed to the woods. “If you want my opinion, we should make it look like we’ve marched off, then if after a few hours if the Texans don’t show up, we can go on our merry way. But if I’m right, we might have a chance to question one when he tries to sneak up on the convoy.”

             
“Agreed.” Lee nodded, his eyebrows high in appreciation of his brother’s suggestion. He was just going to go about the unit’s business and wait for the Texans to show themselves and deal with it then, but this was a much safer trap to spring. After issuing the orders that no one was to shoot unless fired upon or threatened, Lee ordered the company to move out around the next corner until they sure that the men were obscured by the hills. The company doubled back silently through the woods and took up positions on the ridge to the left side of the road. They watched the men at the trucks generally do nothing but stand around and smoke, or play cards or read books and tinker with the trucks for what seemed like days. This went on until some of the men hiding the woods began to nod off, but luckily someone from Second Platoon spotted two camouflage figures sneaking up on the convoy through a riverbed and the adrenaline surged through the company.

Ethan watched one o
f the Marines leave the wood line. It looked like he was going to sneak up on Allen before the boy turned, seemingly unaware of their presence and the Marine ducked behind a truck. That was when Lee personally spotted a squad sized element of Marines moving through the creek bed. Giving the order through hand signals Lee heard everyone’s rifle click from safe to semi and the machine gunners following targets. Tense minutes passed before finally, as if she were really surprising anyone, a female Marine jumped out from behind a tree and ordered Allen to put his gun on the ground and turn around. It was like watching a teenage girl in her older brother’s fatigues play Marine. It was hard to take her seriously except for the gun.

             
Allen took one last drag of his cigar and casually flicked it at her as he turned around. “About time you showed up.”

             
By then the entire squad of Marines, all wearing a subdued Texan flags on their right shoulders, were pointing guns at the drivers, none of which looked terribly concerned. That bothered the Marines more than anything. The lack of concern from the Cavalrymen should have been a sign to them, but it was too late.

             
“I said, put you gun on the ground!” The female Marine, who wore corporal rank, shouted at Allen, furious she wasn’t being obeyed.

             
“Oh, c’mon now, Corporal.” Lee said, pulling the hammer back on his .357 and pressing the cold steel to her head. “You know it’s a
weapon
, not a
gun
.” The trap was sprung, the entire Sullivan 1st Cav came out of the woods and surrounded the Texans.

             
“My name is Captain Lee Cally of the Sullivan First Cavalry Company.” Lee shouted as the Mexican standoff grew tenser. “We’re on a supply gathering mission, we mean you no harm. State your business and show me your commanding officer or NCOIC.” Lee demanded.

             
“I’m right here.” Came a gruff voice. All eyes not trained down a barrel fell on a burly looking man that made R. Lee Ermy look like a fluffy teddy bear. “I’m Master Gunnery Sergeant Judge.” Lurch the Marine stood fast, as if not impressed by Lee or his men. His rifle wasn’t raised, but then it hadn’t been to begin with.

             
“Good to meet you Master Gunny.” Lee holstered his weapon. “So what brings you to my humble supply convoy?”

             
“What do you think, Captain?” Master Gunnery Sergeant Judge didn’t seem to have much patience for the situation. “It’s not often you see a movement like this anymore. We were doing our duty and closing-with in preparation for the likelihood we would have to kill you.”

             
“Well, I would certainly hope the ten of you aren’t going to attack a company size element while surrounded in the open.”

             
“I don’t mind being surrounded. Just means I can shoot from any direction. Ya feel me?” The master Marine remained as still as a stone.

             
“Chesty Puller.” Lee smiled, recognizing the loosely recited quote from the most decorated Marine in United States history.

             
Judge nodded and spat tobacco. “Yeah, you’re an officer alright. So what were ya before all this? A car salesmen who liked to play paintball?”

             
“I was a first lieutenant in the United States Army. But as I’m sure you know, there is no more United States to need an Army.”

             
That statement got a long silence out of Master Gunny Judge as he looked down at the Texas flag on shoulder. “We gotta do what we gotta do.” He shrugged. “Now, if you don’t mind, I think we should put the guns away.”

             
“Agreed.” Lee motioned and the soldiers lowered their weapons, but didn’t put them away.

             
“I suppose you’ve got some questions.” Master Gunny reached into his shoulder pocket and pulled out a tan, all weather notebook. He looked over some notes. “Well, I’m not supposed to give any details to individuals regarding the Independent Republic of Texas, as it’s safer to remain wherever you are rather than risk traveling there, but since you folks don’t count as individuals I think I could explain some.”

             
“That would be appreciated.” Ethan said, sizing up the female corporal. She was short, but pretty. Life as of late had hardened someone who had never expected to see the outside of an S-1 cubical. She had on fingerless gloves, her once manicured nails were grown out and dirty, a bloodied machete in a duct tape sheath on her well- proportioned left hip was a giveaway she was not afraid of zombies. Not many women could make fatigues look good, especially with a rat’s nest in their hair and mud smeared on her face.

             
Master Gunnery Sergeant Judge cleared his throat. “Texas is keeping as many of the power plants going as possible, especially in this area because your town alone seems to have survived the odds, but there are estimated to be thousands of holdouts scattered all over this region.”

“There’s no other towns around that have made it?” Allen asked.

              “The closest towns that can still be called towns beside your own are in Kansas and Arkansas. There’s rumors of one in Indiana too, but-”

             
Ethan had to cut the Marine off, “What about the government safe zones? The one in Oklahoma City specifically.”

             
Judge nodded, searching for the right words. “Texas evacuated as many people as they could, but resources were limited, confusion was the name of the game. I don’t know who you know that went to that camp, but almost no one who went to a FEMA refugee camp made it out. All the camps became hotspots for infestations in the last days. I’m afraid most of the safe zones were hit with thermobaric weapons only a month or so after the Federal Government
supposedly
collapsed. Couldn’t tell you if it was us or them, though. Neither would surprise me.”

             
Ethan threw up, barely able to turn away from the Marine in time. He excused himself and stepped around back to the other side of the truck. The female Marine, apparently the first ever Marine Medic, as Navy Corpsmen would normally do the job, if there were any left, followed Ethan with a look of concern on her face. Spontaneous vomiting wasn’t normal, even after hearing traumatic news.

             
Lee narrowed his eyes at Judge, nearly appalled at his lack of sensitivity. Ethan asked about the refugee camp specifically. Who did Judge think was there? Asshole. “Our entire family was sent there, Master Guns. His fiancé too.”