Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (Book 4): Walking In The Shadow Of Death (11 page)

13.

When Brad opened his eyes he had
nearly forgotten where he was. He looked around the small living room and saw a
glow of light coming from under the bathroom door. He called out to Sean in as
a low a voice as he could muster.

“I’m in here,” he heard Sean
whisper back.

Brad made his way to the bathroom
door. He tapped and the light went out as the door opened.

“Come in, I’m trying to hide the
light. This bathroom only had a small window and figured it would be easier to
cover.”

Brad moved into the room and closed
the door behind him. Sean covered the bottom of the door with a rolled towel,
then flipped his light back on. He was sitting on the floor and had his gear
laid out in front of him. He was replacing batteries in his night vision optics
and placing a similar type of scope on his rifle. He looked up to Brad who had
taken a seat on the edge of a cast iron bathtub. “How are you doing on
batteries?” Sean asked.

“I have a few fresh sets left, but
that’s gonna become a problem if we can’t find more,” Brad answered.

“Yeah … problem for another day.
Here’s the list,” Sean said as he handed Brooks’ note across to Brad. “You need
to pack up like you won’t be coming back here. I rummaged through the old
folks’ hall closet. Found that coat, looks like it will fit you, and some boots
and old gloves. Boots were my size so I win there, you can have the gloves. “

“Damn, I’m happy with a coat … So
how am I supposed to find this shit in there?” Brad asked, looking at the
paper.

“Just do what you can, give
yourself ten to fifteen minutes inside. If you don’t find what you are looking
for … get out.”

“So just leave empty-handed?”

“That sums it up. Do your best, but
if the stuff isn’t there, get out,” Sean said again.

He handed Brad a small radio set.
“This is my backup. We will have two-way communication but there isn’t much
range to this. Try not to speak to me, I don’t want them hearing you. If you
swallow hard, I’ll be able to pick it up.”

“Okay, and where are you going to
be?”

“I’ll be out there in the living
room, which should give me line of sight over your entire approach. This is
simple, Brad, move one block, cross the street and enter the clinic. Fill the
shopping list and come back the way you came. Last I checked the streets are
still empty,” Sean said.

“For the record, I hate you and
this plan,” Brad said.

“Good. Get geared up. Let’s be
ready to go in the next thirty minutes.”

Sean shut off the light so Brad
could open the door and step back into the living room. He closed the door
behind him and made his way back to his small assault pack. There was enough
moonlight entering the picture window so that once his eyes adjusted he was
able to go through his kit. Brad tried on the heavy coat. It was a little loose
fitting but made of a heavy material, with plenty of pockets in the front and
on the sleeves.

“Yeah, this will do,” he said to
himself as he moved his arms and flexed the material. Brad put on his tactical
vest and the rest of his equipment over the coat. He lifted his pack, but
before putting it on he strolled over into the apartment’s small kitchen. He
put his hand on the refrigerator door’s handle but thought twice about opening
the door, wondering what spoiled mess might be inside. Instead he opened a
cupboard door and smiled.

“Peanut butter,” Brad said just
above a whisper. He took the jar down and opened it. A nearly full jar of
creamy goodness. Brad dipped in his finger; the contents were thick from the
cold, but not so thick that he wasn’t able to gather a heaping mouthful. “Maybe
city life isn’t so bad,” he said to himself, smiling.

Brad looked through the other
cupboards, finding cans of vegetables and spices. Some things were worth
carrying, but he wouldn’t have the room in his pack after gathering the medical
supplies. Brad placed the cans on the counter in hopes that maybe Sean would
find room. And then there was still the supply store down stairs. “So much stuff,
but no way to get it out,” Brad said, shaking his head as he placed the peanut
butter into his assault pack.

He attached the radio ear piece and
throat mic and clicked the small on switch before stuffing the receiver box
into his pocket. Brad tapped the small throat mic. “Testing, testing,” he said.

“Yeah, I hear ya,”
came
Sean’s reply.

Brad smiled in response, not
expecting Sean to be on his coms yet.

“I think I’m ready to go here,
Chief.”

“Okay, I’m almost done on this
end.”

Brad looked over his rifle and
magazines, making sure the suppressor was secured.  Then he put on his
head harness for his NVGs, still leaving them powered off and in the up
position. He put on the assault pack and moved towards the large window. He
could see down into the street and to the clinic. From his elevated position it
really didn’t look that far. The building they had entered was in the center of
the block. Another quarter block down the street and on the opposite side sat
the market with the broken windows.

At the end of the street and two
buildings down from the market sat the clinic. Brad searched the street,
finding it empty. He looked across to the market but couldn’t see inside the
darkened interior. He flipped down his night vision optics, watching the street
in front of him illuminate in green. He could see more, but the field of view
was narrow. He turned his head from side to side, still finding nothing.
Satisfied, he powered down the optics and stepped away from the window.

Sean was just walking out of the
bathroom holding his rifle in his arms. He moved across to a window facing the
street. He unlatched the locks and, after a brief struggle, he was able to
unseat the window and slide it open. Sean moved a small chair and a table in
front of the window and readied his rifle. “Brad, take this,” Sean whispered,
handing Brad his small integrally suppressed MKII, followed by a handful of
fully loaded magazines.

“It’s a small caliber, but a lot
quieter than your M4. Hit them in the grape and they’ll go down,” Sean
whispered. “I mounted my infra-red laser, don’t be afraid to use it.”

Brad nodded and took the pistol,
keeping it in his right hand and putting the spare magazines in the coat
pocket. He let the M4 hang loose on his tactical sling. Brad checked the straps
on his assault pack and turned towards the door.

“Okay, take your time getting
outside, use the nods, no white light,”
he heard Sean say over the radio.

“Got it, I’m stepping off now,”
Brad said as he flipped down his goggles and opened the apartment door. He
could easily see down the stairs and to the heavy door below them. Brad held
the MKII tightly in his right hand and placed his gloved left hand on the
stairwell’s handrail. Even though his NVGs illuminated the space, he had no
depth perception and was not in a mood to take a tumble down a flight of
stairs.

Walking slowly he made it to the
bottom step and quietly opened the door. He carefully counted time in his head,
giving anything he might have surprised time to react. Only hearing his heartbeat
and his own breathing, he stepped into the kitchen and scanned the space. Still
empty the way they had left it. Taking slow, deliberate steps, Brad made his
way back to the diner door. Again he slowly opened the door with his free hand
while holding the MKII at the ready.

With the door opened he again
counted to thirty in his head, waiting for an attack that never came. Brad
stepped onto the floor of the diner and swallowed hard.

“Everything okay?”
he heard
Sean answer.

“Good, I’m in the diner moving to
the front.”

“Okay, buddy, when you hit the
street I need you to get close to the curb before I can cover you. You’ll be in
my blind spot if you hoover on the wall.”

“Got it.”

Brad moved to the street entrance
and took a knee; he cautiously looked out of the store front window and onto
the street, searching for threats or movement. After a few tense minutes, he
took a deep breath and put his hand on the door.

“I’m going outside, going silent,”
Brad whispered.

“Roger, slow and steady.”

Brad pulled on the door. He felt
the cold air hit his face as he slowly stepped outside and guided the door shut
behind him. Brad put his back to the wall and searched left and right, finding
nothing. He walked to the edge of the street and kneeled next to the bed of a
large pickup truck with flat tires.

“Okay, I see you now, just
continue to follow the curb,”
Sean said.

Brad swallowed hard to acknowledge
Sean’s message. He got to his feet and walked along the curbside, watching
where he placed his feet to avoid tripping. He continued this slow movement
until he was almost directly in front of the market. He stopped and looked
across the street, still seeing nothing.

The market was positioned farther
off the curb than the other buildings. There were several cars stacked in front
of it. The market had one large double door; it looked like the
motion-activated type, but was currently ripped from its hinges. The entrance
was flanked by what used to be two large plate glass windows which were now
shattered, allowing easy access into the building.

“I need you to get in the
street, cross to the vehicle on the other side. The angle is too steep where
you are at.“

Brad swallowed hard again and
quietly stepped between the parked cars. He was moving very slowly, standing
nearly upright now. He was trying to move as quietly as possible, counting on
the darkness to conceal him. Brad cut into the street and took two steps into
the center before he heard Sean again.

“Hold.”

Brad froze and looked in both
directions, at first seeing nothing. He slowly dropped to a knee and held his
position, trying to control his breathing. Then he saw them. Two of them,
walking along the street in his direction. They looked almost normal, walking
upright with their eyes straight ahead. Brad estimated their distance at close
to a hundred yards and coming from the direction of the clinic. 

Brad turned to face them. They
seemed oblivious to his presence. They continued to walk in his direction,
looking straight ahead. Brad scrunched as low as he could and tried to hide in
the shadows of the parked cars. He felt the pistol in his hand and silently
clicked the safety with his thumb, then used his pointer finger to activate the
laser.

“Take the one closest to you,
I’ll hit the trailer.”

Brad swallowed hard and raised his
hand, watching the green dot dance about as his hand shook nervously. He used
his left hand to steady his aim and carefully placed the IR dot that was
invisible to the naked eye on the primal’s forehead. When they closed to within
several yards, he exhaled as silently as possible and depressed the trigger
until he felt the pistol buck in his hand. He immediately heard a
thhhhpt …
thwack
as a round ripped through the air and hit the other primal. Both
creatures dropped heavily to the ground.

“Clear, move up.”

Again Brad swallowed hard. He
closed his eyes tightly as the strain through the NVGs was already beginning to
take a toll on them. He got back to his feet and looked towards the market.
From his new position he could just see inside the broken window. The space
appeared empty.
Must all be outside,
he thought to himself.

Brad continued to follow the parked
cars. He was close to the clinic now; he could see the outline of the first
rows of law enforcement vehicles and the entrance to the building. He had to
repress the urge to walk faster, not to run. He wanted nothing more than to be
back inside.

“Hold.”

Brad looked left and right, seeing
nothing.

Thhhhpt … thwack … thhhhpt …
thwack

Brad heard a dull thud from behind
him.

“Clear, move up.”

Brad could feel his knees shaking
as he turned and looked all around. Just behind him he saw the body of a primal
with fresh blood oozing from its head. Farther back lay another one.

He swallowed hard and willed his
legs forward. He was moving between the law enforcement vehicles now. Two
police cars with shattered windows. A car door was open. Brad looked inside the
car and saw a police officer with his throat torn out. He quickly looked away
and continued towards the clinic.

“Hold.”

Bad, bad idea,
Brad thought
to himself as he froze in place, trying to make himself invisible.

Thhhhpt … thwack

“Clear, move up.”

Brad moved to the wall beside the
clinic door and pressed against it. Just to the left of him was the entrance.
It was jammed open. A body lay on the ground preventing it from closing. Brad
looked at it, unable to identify it as male or female because of the snow
covering it. Brad leaned out away from the wall and looked inside. There was a
small lobby littered with objects and bodies. Furniture had been tossed about,
and a long drift of snow was piled up just inside the door.

Bad fucking idea,
he
thought.

“Okay … once you get inside I
won’t have eyes on you,”
Sean said over the radio.

No shit Sherlock,
Brad
thought angrily as his mood continued to go south.

He took another deep breath,
swallowed hard, then stepped over the body and into the clinic. He quickly
moved inside and backed against a wall, trying to conceal himself. He thought
of trying to close the clinic door so nothing could sneak in behind him. He
grabbed the edge of the door with his free hand, but it was completely blocked
by the body and frozen in place. Probing the body with his boot, he found that
it was frozen to the ground. Brad reached down and gripped its frozen shoulder
with his gloved hand and started to tug.