SURVIVORS OF THE DEAD: FROM THE ASHES (28 page)

Harry continued to scan the area as he replied, “I have no idea. It’s obviously a tour copter but I don’t see any signs of a struggle. It looks like someone just landed the thing and left.”

“Can I look, please?” Frank asked. He had been squinting at the bird with a hand over his eyes to shield them from the bright sun. Taking the binocs, Derrick handed him, Frank gazed at the helicopter for a few moments.

“That’s a Bell 412 and looks to be only a few years old. Very nice bird,” Frank said.

Derrick glanced to Harry, then said, “Should I ask how you know that, Rook, or do I already know the answer?”

Still looking at the helicopter, Frank replied, “My dad had one. I earned a private pilot’s license when I was seventeen and was working toward the add-on for rotorcraft right before I moved out here to attend the academy. I had enough hours at the stick to take the test but never got around to it.”

Harry looked at Frank with some surprise and said, “You’re telling us you can actually fly that thing?”

Removing the binocs from his eyes, Frank turned to Harry and replied, “Yes, I sure can. As long as it’s airworthy and, of course, has fuel. Whoever flew that Bell may have had to sit down over there because they ran out. I can’t be certain from this distance, but the bird looks like it’s in good condition.”

“If that thing runs, do you think there is enough room to land it near Ayala Cove?” Harry asked.

Frank thought for a moment then said, “The rotor blade on a 412 is forty-six feet in diameter and the fuselage is just under forty-three feet long. Yeah, I think the beach area to the right of the docks could handle it.”

Harry looked toward the distant east, thinking of his family in Indiana again. Frank and Derrick had already made it clear that once Harry decided to head inland, and that time was rapidly approaching, they were going with. The men had no ties to the West Coast and the bond the three had developed ensured that there would be no separating them at this point. Harry had tried to argue that they would be better off remaining, even stating he could travel faster alone, but that strategy had failed. Derrick had made it clear that they left together or he would simply follow Harry. Frank had readily agreed with Derrick.

Without answering Frank’s direct question, Harry asked one instead. “Assuming it’s in good operating order and has fuel, or we can get fuel, how far will it fly on a full tank of gas?”

Frank did not hesitate in answering. “Approximately four hundred forty miles with favorable weather conditions. That’s the rated flight distance at least.”

Harry nodded, then said, “I think we may have found a way to close some distance between here and where I need to go. If everything works to our favor, that helicopter could at the very least get us over the mountains and halfway through Nevada. Maybe further if we’re able to locate a fuel source. But let’s keep our heads on what we’re doing right now. We’ll work this out once we get back.”

“I’ll check it out then, Harry,” Frank replied with obvious excitement.

“You sure you know how to fly that thing?” Derrick asked with a trace of anxiety in his voice. He watched as the bright yellow Bell 412 grew smaller as the fireboat picked up speed, again heading toward Treasure Island. “I mean, are those things really safe?”

“Damn, Derry, I forgot you had a fear of flying!” Harry quipped as he winked at Frank.

“I don’t have a fear of flying! I just never understood how a helicopter stays in the air!” Derrick retorted.

With a slight smile on his face, Frank said, “Don’t worry Derrick. I’ve got enough hours
logged to handle that bird. Not to mention it almost flies itself. Oh, there was this one time though that ...”

“Okay, I don’t want to hear about that!” Derrick interrupted. “Can you fly the damn thing or not!”

Frank raised his hands in a surrendering gesture and said, “Just kidding! Seriously, I am comfortable in that helicopter or I wouldn’t try to fly it. We’ll be fine. For the most part.” He could not resist one final jab.

Derrick just stared at Frank as Harry attempted to keep from laughing. “You’re real funny there Rookie. All those points I said you got recently? You just lost them all!”

Harry couldn’t contain himself any longer. His laughter was contagious and Frank was soon bent at the waist, laughing hysterically.

“Oh, you guys are just a riot,” Derrick said in disgust as he turned and headed toward the pilot house to join Jimi. “Have a good laugh, but you just remember that I voiced my concerns when we crash our asses into the side of the damn Sierra Nevadas because you know that’s where it’ll happen!” That just made Harry and Frank laugh harder.

36

It took twenty minutes to reach the western tip of Treasure Island. During that time Harry wondered how they’d know which building the Guardsman were in – and hoped they were still alive. He wracked his brain for facts about the island. He’d read somewhere that it was over five hundred acres in size and man-made, first constructed for the 1939 World’s Fair Golden Gate Exposition and then taken over by the U.S. Navy in 1942.

As they neared the island, they saw its breakwater and a two-lane road which separated the Bay waters from the apartment buildings, now clearly in view. What was also clearly in view were dozens of the infected surrounding one particular apartment building. There would only be one reason to draw their attention like that.

“Frank, do you think we can use our radio to contact anyone on a military frequency?” Harry asked.

“No, unfortunately our equipment is not compatible unless they happen to be listening.” Frank was taking in the scene before them through binocs. “We could try to send out a general broadcast. Maybe someone might be monitoring on the other end, or the Tern will be listening again and relay.”

“I’m not putting much hope on that right now,” Harry commented more to himself than to Frank. After a moment’s consideration, Harry said, “I think we need to get their attention first.” Making his way quickly into the pilot house, Harry instructed Jimi to sound three sets of three long blasts from the Phoenix’s air horn at his signal. Derrick, who had been watching the activity on shore from his position alongside Jimi, was preparing his sniper rifle. Harry then had Phil man one of the forward water cannon and stand ready to flood the area.

“If we could get whoever is in that building through a back window, I can easily cover them with the cannon at this distance,” Phil said as he made ready to open the heavy stream of water. The fireboat was now only about ten yards from the rocky breakwater.

Harry made his way back to Frank and told him to be ready to start broadcasting the fireboat’s position and that they were here to render help. “You know what to tell them once the water starts and what to expect.” Frank nodded his understanding and went into the pilot house to use the fireboat’s more powerful radio.

The last instructions Harry gave were to the state trooper and the nurse; he had them position themselves at the bow of the boat with their rifles. He reminded them that visibility was going to be extremely limited due to the water, and told them not to fire at anything unless they absolutely were certain of the target. Both indicated they understood and got into position.

Making eye contact with everyone, Harry finally gave Jimi the go for the air horn. The blast was nearly deafening, but it immediately got the attention of a large number of the infected around the building. The second series of blasts got them moving away from the building and toward the sound. The last series just seemed to agitate them. Harry made the decision to try to clear some of the things, so he joined the other two at the bow, reminding them not to burn through their mags and to make each round count. All three began to fire, with Derrick adding to the efforts with the sniper rifle. Each round sent into the horde brought a body down. But for every one downed, at least two fought to occupy the space that had been vacated.

Harry looked back toward where Frank was standing in the pilot house. It was obvious he was frantically relaying a message through the mic, then pausing to listen for a reply. Frank saw Harry looking in his direction and shook his head, indicating that he had not received a reply from anyone on shore.

Harry motioned for everyone to cease firing. There was no reason to waste any more ammunition than was necessary. He was just turning to make his way back to join Frank when he heard a shot ring out from the direction of the apartment building. He let his rifle drop on the tactical sling and quickly brought the binoculars to his eyes just as he heard another shot. This time he saw one of the infected toward the back of the horde fall. It took him a couple of moments to pinpoint the location of the gunfire but finally looked to the roof.

There were five soldiers waving frantically and a sixth using a pair of binocs looking straight at Harry. This soldier waved and Harry returned the gesture. Harry watched as the soldier then said something to the others on the roof. They stopped waving and just stood looking toward the fireboat.

“We found them!” Harry said excitedly. Everyone except for Jimi, who was maintaining the Phoenix’s position, rushed to the bow.

“Now what?” Derrick asked, watching the mass of infected that now crowded the road, half focusing on the fireboat sitting out of reach and the other half still clawing at the apartment building.

Harry was watching the Guardsmen on the roof. The soldier with the binocs shrugged his shoulders in an exaggerated manner, as if to ask the same question that Derrick had just posed. “Phil, do you think you can create a wide enough gap with one cannon for those people to get through the infected?” Harry asked.

“It would be better if we used two,” Phil replied, indicating the second water cannon on deck. “One would work but two would allow us to cut a wider path through those things.”

“I’ll get on the other one,” William, the state trooper offered. “I worked a fireboat out of Anchorage and these water cannon are similar.” Phil quickly outlined the pattern he had found worked best at the marina and made certain William knew how to operate the water cannon.

Harry had been formulating a plan as he continued to scan the horde, the apartment building, and the people on the roof. The soldier was looking fixedly through his binocs toward the fireboat. Harry finally came up with what he thought might work.

“Phil,” Harry began, still looking through the binocs in his hands, “I want you to put some water into that crowd for a couple of minutes, then shut ‘er down.”

Without further comment, and while Harry continued to look at the other soldier, Phil activated the powerful cannon, sending a heavy high-pressure stream into the horde of infected. Dozens were knocked off their feet, while those to the right and left of the heavy flow of water scrambled to back away from it. Harry was relieved to see that the jet of water nearly reached the apartment building before Phil shut it down.

The soldier on the roof immediately gave a thumbs up, indicating that he understood what was going to be tried.
After which he extended his hand showing all five digits, closing it once, then repeating. Harry assumed the soldier meant they would be ready in ten minutes.

Harry told everyone what he had seen and they all got into position: William and Phil on the water cannons, with Harry, Derrick, Frank, and the nurse shoulder-to-shoulder at the Phoenix’s bow to add whatever support they could, although they would be unable to fire directly into the horde. The soldiers would be on their own getting to the
Bay. As an afterthought, Harry had Jimi maneuver the fireboat as close to the breakwater wall as possible, since the Guardsmen would have to jump into the water once they reached the breakwater. There was no way Harry could land onshore with that many infected milling about, and he was concerned if the fireboat got too close some of the things might jump aboard.

Once the fireboat and everyone on board was in position, all they could do was wait. Harry had the binocs fixed to his eyes waiting for a signal from the survivors on shore while the ten minutes seemed to pass very slowly. When that signal came, and Harry had no doubt it was the signal, it took him by surprise. Gunfire erupted from the lower floor of the apartment building, increased to a crescendo, and was then followed by three very loud explosions that rocked the horde closest to the structure.

“That sounded like flash bangs!” Derrick said from Harry’s left side.

“NOW!” Harry shouted to Phil and William.

Within seconds, thousands of gallons of high-pressured water poured into the horde. Phil and William gradually widened the gap down the middle of the infected like the parting of the Red Sea. Almost immediately after the water began flowing, Harry watched as six figures emerged from a large window in the building about ten feet above the ground. The six soldiers dropped down, formed a line and began to run the gauntlet between the two walls of infected flesh created by the water streaming from the fireboat.

The precision with which the soldiers executed their escape impressed Harry. He could clearly see three with weapons pointed to the right and three pointing to the left, all six firing into the horde as they ran. Each soldier carried a large pack, but two of them had what appeared to be equipment strapped to their backs.

Harry heard the report of Derrick’s weapon from his left and saw a runner brought down to the rear of the fleeing soldiers. There were three more shots from the sniper rifle Derrick held before the soldiers made it to the breakwater wall and jumped into the cold Bay waters. Everyone on the fireboat held their breath as each of the heavily-laden soldiers popped to the surface and began their swim toward the Phoenix.