Indestructible: V Plague Book 7 (20 page)

Dr. Rick Kanger stood in the base commander’s office at
Tinker Air Force Base, listening to an abbreviated version of the conversation
between Colonel Crawford and Rachel.  The Colonel spoke quickly, referring to
notes as he talked.  He was grateful that, unlike so many science
professionals, the man standing in front of him didn’t feel the need to
constantly correct his layman’s terminology.

“The question, Doctor, is can it be done?”  Crawford asked
when he ran out of notes.

“Of course it can,” Kanger smiled.  “With the right people,
the right facility, equipment and enough time and test subjects.”

“That’s not what I wanted to hear,” the Colonel grumbled,
frowning.

“You have to understand, this isn’t like baking a cake. 
This is creating a new virus designed to target a specific DNA signature and
ignore everything else.  At the same time we would have to build in… well, let
me put it this way.  Viruses mutate.  All the time.  Creating a virus to kill
the infected and preventing it from becoming just another plague that would
wipe out the remnants of the human race, well…” he held his hands out to the
side and shrugged his shoulders.

“Can you do it?”  Crawford asked, irritation showing.

“Yes, I can.”  Kanger answered after a long pause.  “But it
won’t be quick.  And I’ll need a proper facility and qualified help.  You said
Joe Revard is on his way?”

“He is, as well as a young woman who is a third or fourth
year medical student.”  Blanchard answered.

Kanger frowned, but didn’t complain.  He was too practical
to expect the Army to have a team of experienced viral researchers available
after all that had happened. 

“What about a facility?  Can you get me back to the
University?”  He asked, then nodded in thought when Blanchard told him the lab
building in downtown Oklahoma City had burned.

“OK then,” he said, rubbing his stubbly chin.  “Other than
here, there’s the CDC, USAMRIID, BioGenesis in Chicago and the Allen Institute
in Seattle.  Any of those still standing?”

“CDC and USAMRIID are gone,” Crawford said.  “Captain?”

Blanchard sat down in front of his laptop and began
working.  It took him several minutes during which time Kanger grew
uncomfortable under Colonel Crawford’s gaze. 

“Where in each city, Doctor?”  Blanchard finally asked. 

Kanger rattled off location information.  He didn’t have
precise street addresses for either facility, but he knew enough to help
Blanchard zoom in on the general area.  Several clicks and minutes later he
turned back to face the room.

“The whole area in Chicago has burned.  Nothing but rubble. 
The facility in Seattle is on a lakeshore and looks to be intact.  Of course I
have no way of knowing what the conditions are inside, but at least the
building is intact and looks to be secure.”  He said.

“What about infected in the city?”  Crawford asked.

“There’s some, but at least the general area appears clear,
sir.”  Blanchard answered, leaning forward to peer closer at the display. 
“Large herds heading east, crossing mountains, The Cascades I believe, but
there’s still infected in the city.”

Colonel Crawford stood thinking, starting to reach for a
satellite phone when he was interrupted by an Air Force Security Forces
Sergeant with news that one of the crop dusters being used to battle the herds
had crashed and the volume of infected at the fence was growing.

“Better warn Sergeant Scott,” Crawford said to Blanchard. 
“I’m going to call the Admiral and see what he can do to secure the facility in
Seattle.”

“Like hell I will!”  Rachel said, anger boiling over.  “I’m
not going anywhere until I know what happened to Dog, John and Katie!”

Scott sighed in exasperation, looking around the cramped
interior of the Bradley for support.  Igor’s face was impassive, as he didn’t
understand what was being said.  Joe just glared back at him.  Irina gave him a
sympathetic look and stepped forward.

“You heard what he said,” she gestured at Joe. “He needs…”

“He sure as hell doesn’t!”  Rachel shouted, tears starting
to run down her cheeks.  “I’m just a goddamn medical student.  Not a
virologist.  There’s nothing I can do that half a dozen people at Tinker
can’t.  Now open that damn hatch and let me out!”

“She’s right,” Joe said, interjecting before emotions ran
any higher.  “Any of the doctors at the base can help.”

“Thank you!”  Rachel said, glaring at the surrounding
faces.  “Now open the goddamn door!”

She started to move forward, intending to push past Scott
and Igor and press the button to lower the ramp, but pulled up short when Igor
held up a big hand like a stop sign.  Rachel balled her hands into fists, ready
to fight, but Igor stalled her by holding up a single finger for her to wait. 
He fired off some rapid Russian as he worked his large frame into the gunner’s
seat.

“He says give him a moment to check the area,” Irina said.

Rachel sighed, nodding but not relaxing.  Igor pressed his
face to the periscope, flipped a couple of switches and started the turret
rotating slowly.

“Govno,” he said after a few moments of looking.

“Shit,” Irina translated when everyone turned and looked at
her.

Scott quickly moved to the commander’s chair and peered into
his scope.  He scanned around the exterior of the Bradley for a moment.

“Shit is right,” he finally said.  “Infected all around us.”

“Bullshit!”  Rachel said.  “Let me see!”

She pushed forward, nearly knocking Scott out of the way to
get to the periscope.  He had been telling the truth.  Hundreds, if not
thousands, of infected were all around them.  Primarily females, but she could
see several males in the small herd.  They had zeroed in on the sound of the
Bradley’s idling diesel, the occupants unable to hear their fists pounding on
the armor plated exterior.

“That’s it.  We’re going to Tinker like the Colonel
ordered.”  Scott said.

Rachel whirled on him, but she didn’t know what to say.  If
she’d been outside like she had wanted, the herd would have run her down and
killed her.  Well, maybe captured like the small group had, but she wouldn’t be
any better off.

“Can we at least head east first?  See if we can find John
or Dog?”  She asked, unhappy with the pleading tone that was in her voice.

“Do you think that’s a good idea?”  Scott asked gently. 
“You know the infected are going to follow us.  We might drag them right to
where he is.”

Rachel hung her head, shaking it.  A tear splashed onto the
steel decking by her feet.

“Let me get you and Joe to Tinker,” Scott said.  “I’ll fuel
up and come back out.  I’ll keep looking until I find them.”

“You’ll miss the evacuation.  You’ll be stuck here.”  Rachel
said, sniffing back tears.

“Not a big deal.  Never did care for the tropics anyway.” 
Scott shrugged.

“I too help,” Igor said after Irina translated for him.

Rachel looked at the two men.  Looked into their eyes and
recognized the same driving force she’d seen in John’s eyes.  The same
single-minded determination to succeed at all costs.  Finally she nodded,
dropping onto one of the troop carrier seats and staring at the floor.

“Irina, let’s get moving.”  Scott said softly.

She looked at Rachel for a moment before turning and
slipping into the driver’s seat.  Scott had already had the system generate a
route that would take them back to Tinker, sending it to Irina’s navigation
screen.  Glancing at the display, she raised her head and pressed her face to
the periscope, took a quick look and spun the Bradley 180 degrees.  Properly
aligned, she goosed the throttle and the diesel engine bellowed as the
thirty-three ton vehicle began crushing infected under its treads.

Scott and Igor had gotten used to Irina’s driving, both men securing
their harnesses just in time to keep from being thrown out of their seats. 
Rachel and Joe, not expecting the violence of the maneuvers, slid across several
seats and barely caught themselves before they would have been thrown to the
floor and pinned against a bulkhead.

As the Bradley came up to speed the ride was bone jarringly
rough, but Rachel was able to muscle herself into a seat and secure a harness. 
She shot a look at the back of the Russian woman’s head, not sure that she
hadn’t been looking for a little revenge for Rachel having punched her in the
eye when they were in Texas.

The ride didn’t get any better as they roared across the
Oklahoma prairie.  The terrain was slightly rolling, the vehicle lifting on its
suspension every time they crested a rise.  But what goes up must come down,
and when something as heavy as the Bradley comes down it fully compresses its
suspension as well as the spines of all the passengers.

They traveled like that for close to an hour, cutting across
open plains and cultivated fields.  The only thing that Irina slowed for was
when they had to ford small streams.  Bradleys can ford water up to four feet
deep, but the way she blasted through, even after slowing, everyone on board
was willing to bet all the water in each stream had been splashed well out of
its banks.

  The closer they came to Oklahoma City, the more small
herds of infected they encountered.  All of them were heading south, zeroing in
on the Air Force base.  When she could do so without slowing, Irina would
swerve and run down groups of males, grinding their bodies into the dry soil
with the heavy tracks.  Females stayed out of her path, using their speed and agility
to avoid the rolling monster.

Nearing the half way mark on the computer generated route,
Scott struggled against the pounding motion to reach the communications panel
when a red light began blinking.  A coded signal had been broadcast to alert
him to check in over the FSOC.

“Slow down,” he called over the intercom.  “We’ve got a comm
request and there’s no way we’ll stay locked on the satellite the way we’re
bouncing all over the place.”

“Russian technology could,” Irina said, but slowed anyway, reducing
the violent shaking and vibration to just an occasional hard bump.

Scott ignored her comment and in moments had a green light
on his display indicating successful laser lock.  He switched his headset from
the intercom to external comms and clicked the icon to connect.

“Bad news,” Captain Blanchard said when the circuit came
up.  “One of the two planes the Marines were using to disperse fuel oil to
fight the infected has crashed.  We were barely keeping up with them with two
aircraft.  Now, with one, they’ve been able to move forward and are piling up
against the fence.”

“Is the evacuation in jeopardy?”  Scott asked.

“We’ve got some concerns, but that’s not why I’m calling. 
Unless you have a pilot with you and can find a plane or helo, you’re not getting
back onto the base.  Infected are stacked ten deep around the entire
perimeter.  We can’t clear enough to open a gate without being overrun.” 
Blanchard said.

“Got no pilot, sir.  What’s our alternative?  Can you send a
helo?”  Scott asked.

“Negative.  We’ve got every air asset that’s not already
configured for shipping in use to hold the fence.”

Scott momentarily switched to intercom, “Irina.  Stop.” 
Quickly he switched back to the comm channel.

“…found Dr. Kanger.”  Blanchard had continued speaking,
unaware Scott had dropped off for a moment.  “Getting into the virology lab at
the University is a no go.  Too many infected in the area and on the way, plus
we flew a drone over for a look and there’s been a fire.”

“Where now?”  Katie asked, looking up into my eyes.

“First things first,” I said.  “You need something on your
feet before we go trekking anywhere.”

I sat down on the ground and pulled off my vest and shirt. 
Drawing my knife, I cut the lower foot off the heavy fabric, handing the remainder
of the shirt to her.

“Put that on.  It will give you a little protection.”  I
said, starting to work on the material I’d already cut off.

Katie held the shirt at arms length, pinched between two
fingers and wrinkled her nose.

“It’s covered in blood and smells like an elephant’s ass.” 
She said.

“Suck it up, buttercup.  You need it.”  I said without
looking up from my work.

Bending at the river’s edge, Katie rinsed the shirt as best
she could.  Reaching behind her back she unhooked the tattered bra, letting it
drop to the ground, then pulled the shirt over her head.  It was several sizes
too large, fitting like a poncho or a tent, but it covered her skin and fell
below her hips.  I looked up once she had it on and couldn’t help but grin. 
I’ve always been a sucker for a pretty woman wearing my shirt.

“Just relax, sweetie,” she smiled.  “Until you find a razor
and a bar of soap you’re not getting any.”

“Not what I was thinking,” I pouted, finishing up with my
knife.  “Have a seat and give me your feet.”

“I’m fine.  Really.”  She protested.

“OK, all kidding aside,” I said, looking up at her.  “You’re
in my world now.  I was out fighting in the field while you were sitting on
your cute little ass in an air-conditioned cubicle at Langley.  That means you
don’t argue.  I’m not doing this because I love you, I’m doing it so you don’t
slow us down.”

She stood there for a long moment, hands on her hips. 
Staring down at me I could tell she had several things she wanted to say,
probably none of them very nice, but I know my wife.  Practical almost always
wins out.  With an exaggerated sigh she plopped down on the sand and stuck her
legs out, resting her bare feet in my lap.

I had cut the fabric into two pieces, a long strip removed
from the edge of each.  Doubling the material, I wrapped a piece around each
foot.  While Katie held them in place I used the thin strips I’d cut to bind
the material tightly.

“You made me a pair of moccasins.  How sweet!”  She couldn’t
resist saying something sarcastic.  Somehow I managed to keep my mouth shut. 
Anything I said at this point would only encourage her.

“OK,” I said, resting my hands on top of her ankles.  “We’re
going to follow this river upstream until we get back to the canyons.  Once
we’re there we’ll work our way west until we find Rachel.  She’s waiting with
the Indian I told you about and they’ve got an extra horse.”

“What then?”  Katie asked, pulling her feet out of my lap
and standing up.

“Back to Tinker,” I said.  “Before sundown yesterday I saw a
big dust cloud to the northeast.  Had to be a big herd moving this way.  Last
thing we want is to get caught out here on the plains with a few thousand
females after us.”

Climbing to my feet I turned slightly to rub a shoulder sore
from impacts with the rock in the underground river.  As I turned I caught a
flash of movement out of the corner of my eye.  There had been no warning we
were being attacked, but fortunately that glimpse made me lean back as a female
flew at me. 

Instead of a full on body tackle she grabbed at me as I made
her miss.  Well, mostly miss.  She grazed me hard enough to cause me to spin,
but I maintained my balance even though I was staggered back a couple of feet. 
The knife I’d just used to fashion Katie’s footwear was still in my hand, but I
was turned wrong to use it effectively.

Kicking out, I caught the female solidly in the ribs,
sending her tumbling across the sand and into the water.  Knowing that where
there’s one there’s usually more, I spun in time to be tackled by two more.  We
fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs and as one lunged for my throat I
grabbed her long, dirty hair and stabbed into her neck.

Rolling, I grappled with the other one, getting a knee on
her chest but unable to strike with the Ka-Bar before the first one that had
missed her initial tackle slammed into my side.  We rolled and I pushed her
back with my knife hand and hit her hard in the face with three quick blows. 
With each impact I felt bone and cartilage break, but she wasn’t deterred in
the least.

Pushing hard, I got her off of me just in time to fend off
the other one.  Spinning, I slammed an elbow into her temple, sending her
crashing to the ground.  Changing the knife to my other hand I stepped in,
batted the first female’s hands aside and stabbed directly into her open
mouth.  Pulling the blade out, I kicked her corpse away, spun and fell on the
stunned female that was still lying on the sand.

Knee in the middle of her back I slid the knife into the base
of her skull.  The body twitched once before going still.  Leaping to my feet,
I turned to face the direction the attack had come from.  No other infected
were in sight.  Katie had snatched my rifle up and was watching for other
females while I’d dealt with these three.

Grabbing my vest off the ground I slipped into it and
accepted my rifle when she held it out.  We didn’t need to say anything to each
other.  We turned and started trotting north along the edge of the small river
that had carried us out of the caverns.  After no more than a hundred yards the
dizziness and nausea hit me.  Hard.

Stumbling to my knees I retched, but there was nothing to
come up.  Even on all fours the world around me spun and tilted and I lost what
little balance I had and fell onto my side.  I lay there panting, the world
still twirling around me, Katie leaning over me with a concerned expression.

“What’s wrong?”  She asked.

I tried to focus, but I was seeing at least three of her and
each of them were in motion.

“Bad concussion in the crash,” I gasped between racking
spasms as the vertigo continued.  “Hit my head again in the water.”

“Close your eyes and lie flat, face down.”  Katie said,
pushing on my body to get me in the position she wanted.

I’m pretty sure I resisted, wanting to curl into a ball
until the world decided to stop snapping back and forth, but she didn’t give up
until I was stretched out on my stomach.  It helped a little, but even with my
eyes closed I still felt like I was being spun in a sadistic amusement park
ride.

Katie’s hand was on the back of my neck, gently stroking my
skin when I heard the scream.  Female infected, and she was close.  Too close. 
I pushed up onto my knees, immediately wobbling and falling onto my side. 
Another scream and I thought I could see movement in the dark, but since I
couldn’t focus my eyes on anything I wasn’t sure.

Moments later there was the sound of bodies striking, a cry
sounding that I recognized as Katie.  Forcing down the rising sickness I pushed
back onto my knees, then my feet, drawing the Kukri.  I stood there, swaying
like a drunken sailor.  Katie was on the ground, fighting with a female and
four more were only yards away.

Adrenaline is an amazing hormone.  In small amounts it helps
our bodies regulate all kinds of things, chief among them being our blood
pressure.  When our brain recognizes danger our adrenal glands go into
overdrive, producing massive amounts, which is pumped by a pounding heart
through the blood stream to our brains, muscles and organs. 

When that happens, humans are able to ignore many injuries
and illnesses.  Not indefinitely, but the body’s fight or flight mechanism is a
wonder of nature.  As my brain responded to the threat, my heart rate spiked,
pushing freshly released adrenaline throughout my circulatory system.  I don’t
know if the vertigo went away, or my aching brain was able to compensate for
the disorientation because of the hormonal surge, but I steadied and leapt
forward to meet our attackers.

I collided with the closest female with a shout of exertion,
stopping her cold and slamming her body to the ground.  I stomped on her head
as I slashed the Kukri at the next one to arrive.  I felt the skull of the one
on the ground shatter and collapse under my boot’s sole as the blade entered
the second female’s body.

With a scream I slashed up, opening her from navel to throat
and continued with my momentum, spinning an elbow into the back of her head
hard enough to snap her neck.  I let the spin take me all the way around,
building speed and aiming for the neck of the third female as she charged in
from my left.  If I had connected there was enough force behind the strike to have
cleanly decapitated her, but at the last second she ducked under the swing and
the Kukri whistled harmlessly through the air over her head.

If I had tried to stop my motion and reset for another
attack I would have been vulnerable as she leapt at me.  Instead I let the spin
take me, twisting my body as she connected, and threw her ten feet across the
ground.  As she tumbled I met the last one.  Kukri on the far side of my body I
leaned towards her as she lunged and brought my left fist up in a wicked
uppercut.

Her teeth clacked together hard enough to break.  Her head
snapped back and all forward momentum stopped, then her eyes rolled up in their
sockets and she crumpled to the ground.  Turning in time to face the one I’d
sent sprawling, I let the Kukri fall to the ground as I reached out and grabbed
her upper arms while she was in mid-leap.  Lifting, I pressed her over my head
and let myself drop back.

Falling to a seated position on the sand I drove her head
first into the ground between my knees, her neck snapping loudly.  The body
slammed against me as it fell and I shoved it away as I snatched up the Kukri
and scrambled to the female I’d knocked out.  I buried the blade in the back of
her skull.  Spinning, I rushed to help Katie as I saw her rolling on the
ground, grappling with a female.

Before I could cover the distance between us a dark shape
streaked in from seemingly nowhere and slammed into the infected, ripping her
off of Katie and tumbling towards the river.  I dashed to Katie’s side as Dog
pinned the female and after a brief battle, ripped her throat out. 

Katie was on her feet before I got to her, holding her hand
out to me.  As I reached for her I felt the dizziness return.  Fight over, the
adrenaline was dissipating out of my system and by the time I touched Katie’s
hand I had to drop to my knees to keep from falling flat on my face.  She knelt
beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders to stop me from pitching over
and Dog trotted up, sticking his bloody muzzle in my face.