The black hawk slowed down on the rooftop of a corporate high-rise building. "HVT is coming up at the last 2 flights of stairs." the pilot said as it was slowly landing. As soon as the landing gear touched the pavement, Buck disembarked without any hesitation.
"Clearing the landing zone," he called out. "Cupcake! Beans! Provide cover on that door! Switch your with me. Goose overwatch." Buck ordered. A bunch of affirmatives and rogers chattered through the radio as they waited for the HVT.
As the door opened a man in an officer's uniform went through along with 4 military security details in standard army gear. It was dark but Buck could see them clearly through the night vision goggles,
"Cupcake. Beans. Shoot anything that comes through that door." Buck keyed on the radio,
"Thank God you're here!" The officer with the tab Reyes in his uniform called out to Buck directly with his security detail. Reyes was a middle-aged man in his late 30's just like Buck. He was about to get inside the black hawk when Buck kicked him straight in the chest. The officer went flying with at least a foot before rolling over. The security detail stunned, immediately pointed their guns at Buck. But Goose and Switch were already pointing their guns at the detail. Switch sprinted towards the security detail right after Buck kicked the man. Switch now pointing the barrel of his gun at the side of the head of said security shook his head. Making it clear that it's not a good idea to do anything stupid now.
"What ... the... hell.*gasp What do you think you're doing? I'm an officer! I'll have you court-martialed for this!" the officer stated as he slowly stood up. Buck not amused just pointed his gun at him. "Tell your boys to stand down or a bullet will go through your head," Buck ordered. Beans' machine gun started barking. A rhythmic burst of gunfire started to ring out in the background. Reyes for his part realized that now is not the time to argue. "Stand down!" Reyes ordered. The security detail followed. He was about to ask the person who kicked him but was cut off.
"Were you bitten?" Buck asks coldly. Reyes' security detail was shocked at the question. "N-No! It was a graze!" Reyes exclaimed. "I demand you as a higher ranking officer to exfil us now!" Reyes shouted clearly panicking and not knowing that Buck and his team were Delta operators. He just clearly saw the rangers and assumed the other three were rangers too.
"Sir. They are starting to amass. We can't hold them for long." Cupcake calmly keyed to the radio. "Goose check for bites. Including the security detail." Buck said to the mic. "Rog," Goose replied.
"If any of you move while my guy checks you. I won't hesitate to shoot you." Buck ordered to the security team.
Goose check the security detail. "Security is clean." Goose said. He was checking Reyes's lower torso for any marks or blood. "Don't you fucking touch me! I am an officer and I demand the respect that this rank symbolizes!" Reyes exclaimed. Goose was about to ask for Buck when two distinct shots rang out from Buck's position. Reyes fell flat on his back with two rounds on his head and face. "Check the arm," Buck said to Goose. Goose was a bit unnerved but followed otherwise.
The security detail was shocked and was about to raise their weapons when a voice from their blind spot sounded. "Try that and I'll unload a full mag with your heads as targets." Switch said not kidding around.
"Bite wound! Right hand. Probably got it while struggling with the sleepers." Goose said a bit appalled. "Sir we are getting swarmed here!" Cupcake said while shooting with Beans.
"Exfil now! Security first!" Buck bellowed to the detail. The detail didn't even hesitate knowing that a tidal wave of sleepers was starting to flood through. "Cupcake! Beans! Exfil!" Buck shouted over the radio.
Cupcake and Beans started to sprint towards the black hawk and got on. "Switch! Goose!" Buck ordered. As Switch and Goose were firing towards the swarm while they were retreating, Switch tapped twice on Buck's shoulder pointing out that he was the last man.
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Buck turned around and jumped on the black hawk. "Get us out of here Falcon," Buck said. "Roger Wilco." the pilot replied. The black hawk flew higher then dropped on the side of the building and used it as a multiplier to boost its speed, just as the first line of sleepers were racing and falling at the edge of the building.
"How did you know?" Switch asked Buck. "I didn't" Buck replied. Switch just stayed quiet. The death of their squadmates may have affected his captain more than he shows. Hoping against all that his captain has not gone too far down the rabbit hole.
~~~~~~
Day 5 9:16 PM
After thoroughly checking and making sure the rooms were clear of the unclean, the group decided to hole up in one of the 2nd-floor bedrooms. To make sure that we can look after each other. As one flashlight was the only light source in the room, all of us were taking it slow to eat our so called rations. With a faint hope that were safe at least for now.
" So what's the plan now?" Amber asked while eating from a can of beans. "Take a rest for the night," I answered. "Bennie and I will blockade the stairs and make sure every entry to the 2nd floor is impassable to the unclean. We all deserve some rest." I added.
"Tomorrow?" Abigail asked me. "Secure the fence and blockade it. Then Bennie and I would check if this facility is still able to run. This facility is a bit ways off the populated area so it should be relatively fine with the noise. I was hoping for you and Amber to take inventory of what we have. Medical, food, and useable equipment in the storage respectively. Anything that isn't expired or spoiled." I explained.
"That should be easy enough," Amber said. "Any thoughts Ben?" I asked Bennie. "Weapons. Hopefully firearm. We can deal with a small group of unclean, no problem. But sooner or later, more like not if but when other survivors stumble upon this place, we need a better way of protecting ourselves rather than hammers and screwdrivers." Bennie explained while tapping on the hanging weapon with an empty magazine on his chest.
"I got that covered," Amber spoke. Bennie and I perked up, interested. "Give me at least until I can move better. I'll go back to the checkpoint. See what I can scrounge up." she added.
"But that's suicide!" Abigail argued.
Amy on her part squeezed tighter to Amber's side while holding her sandwich. Amber smiled a bit slowly and hugged Amy with a free hand. "It's okay. I won't take any unwanted risks. I'll just try to take what I can and get out of there. If it's impossible, I'll just find whatever I can in the nearby buildings and go." Amber explained. "You both need to do what needs to be done here right? Besides, I still need to look after little miss princess here, I'd rather have miss Abigail watch over princess here than drag her across the desert." Amber said jokingly while pinching Amy's nose. Amy grunted and slapped Amber's hand away.
Bennie and I nodded. She was right, we needed at least 11 personnel to keep this place running. The power plant was on the smaller side but it's already a tall order with Bennie and me, let alone just one guy. "Thank you. I need this. For closure." Amber spoke softly. It doesn't take a genius to tell what she was thinking. She was feeling guilty leaving her unit. She told us a bit of her story when we were on the trek to this place. She was tasked to report back to their HQ and ask for reinforcements. They weren't able to contact HQ because of the communication blackout, she said she was about to drive a humvee but the roads were too congested. With no choice, she left the humvee in a nearby alleyway and proceeded on foot. That's when the gas explosion knocked her out.
Bennie and I looked at each other when Amber was talking about it. We still remember the flash on that night. A grand fireball that lighted up the night sky of the border town. Even I would want some closure. After knowing your unit was wiped out and you could've done something about it but you got knocked out the entire night. She also told us how she met Amy. The poor girl. She probably has been traumatized for her whole life. Losing her father like that and seeing the carnage in the city when she should've been in school at her age.
She also asked us questions and in return we answered truthfully. We were some lucky ones who got out right before the mesa was overrun. It's better to have a trained mercenary with us than against us right now.
After the meal, everybody was clearly exhausted and wanted to sleep by the looks on their faces. "You guys go on ahead and sleep. Bennie and I will start barricading the stairs and entries. We'll think about what we can do about this place tomorrow." I said.
"Thanks," Abigail replied and Amber nodded. While carrying the now sleeping Amy toward a bunk bed.
Bennie and I went out staring into the night sky. "You think we can make it?" I asked Bennie. "We must, the other choice is to be unclean chow or be killed by thugs. I don't even want to know what would happen to the girls if we just lay down and die." Bennie said. "Yeah, true. Reason to live huh?" I said while chuckling.
Bennie and I laughed for a few moments. " Shh!" Bennie said in a hurry. "You hear that?" Bennie exclaimed. "Hear what?" I asked.