“By the way what the hell are you wearing?” I asked, he was dressed in a pair SFPD sweat pants which seemed one size to small and a SWAT T-shirt that was stretched to its limits, trying to hold onto him. He was also wearing combat boots like mine.
“It fits and it’s what they had. Not my fault, they don’t make clothes for real men.” He complained.
Vic walked in next, dressed in what I guessed was his old SWAT uniform. They looked like mine, but much better fitting and he had a holstered gun. He had been listening to our conversation.
His desk phone and cell phone went off at the same time and we heard all the phones on the floor go off at once. He grabbed his cell, stuck it against his ear and listened intently for three minutes. He hung it up, and looked out to the floor. Officers were grabbing their equipment and running out to their vehicles. He looked at his phone and dialed a number then put it to his ear. “It’s happening, stay in the garage and pack up those supplies I told you about. We will be there in a bit, there’s a couple of things I need to deal with first.” He hung up then dialed another number. “Hey hun, it’s me. Do me a favor. Take out that handgun I left you. Put it in your purse and go stock up on supplies. Then go down into the basement and lock yourself in tight. I’ll be there to get you as soon as I can baby. I may run into a couple of problems. But I promise I’ll come home to you, for good this time. Be strong, see you in a couple of weeks. I love you to hun.” He hung up one last time and slipped the phone into his chest pocket and velcroed it closed.
“Alright gentlemen, the first call was an emergency call out to all officers, from the Chief. It seems that the riot is getting worse, and all emergency services are being called out. Reports of multiple attacks and murders.” He looked at me. “Sounds a lot like that dream, doesn’t it Dan?”
“Yes it does, and I think maybe you know what comes next. So what’s your plan Vic?” I stepped forward.
“I have a SWAT vehicle with its six shooters, all friends of mine. I say we get you two something to protect yourselves with, then move on to my friends and get out of the city. Sounds like you have a friend you need to get to, and it could be on its way to get my ex-wife.” He stuck out his hand to me.
I grabbed it and shook it hard. “Thank you for believing in Brian and I, and thank you for agreeing to get my Julie.” I turned to Brian and he put his arm around my shoulders. “And thank you big man for having my back.”
He shook his head and smiled at me. “Boss I wouldn’t have it any other way. Now can we get going please? When this city falls it’s going to fall hard and I’d rather not be here when it happens.”
Vic walked away and we followed him, like good little children. He took two flights of stairs and passed multiple secure doors. We then went through a door marked SWAT Armory Authorized Personnel Permitted Only. Past that door another sat with electronic locks on it, standing in our way. Vic pounded on it three times the door locks were disengaged and the door opened slowly on well-oiled hinges. The door was pure steel and had to weigh two tons yet swung effortlessly. Six officers dressed in SWAT BDUs stood around seemingly waiting for us.
Vic walked in and shook the oldest man’s hand and then embraced him like a long lost brother. “Guys, come meet my family. This old guy, is team lead John “Iron” Kuppers, he took me in when I was brand new, taught me everything I know, and then kicked me out and made me become a detective. The short stocky guy next to him is little Jonny, he’s a mean little Irish man, and ex green beret. The stocky guy, over there is Anthony or as we call him Cupcake. The little Asian guy is Kenji Komatsu, he is Japanese American but we call him “Senshi” which means warrior in Japanese, but don’t get him wrong, he was born and raised in Topeka, Kansas I speak more Japanese then he does. The cowboy at the end is John Henry Holliday we call him Doc, I’m sure you can figure out why. Last but deadliest of the bunch is Lozen, she is named after her great, great, great, grandmother who fought with Geronimo, we just call her Apache.”
Apache jumped off the counter and walked over to us. She stood about my height, with long black blue hair down to the middle of her back. She had a body that, even her loose SWAT BDUs could not hide. She could easily be mistaken for the comic book goddess Wonder Woman. But her eyes were the one feature which grabbed my attention. They were the color of milk chocolate but glittered like the stars in the winter sky. “I also graduated from Cornell University in linguistics and then played with the Army for a bit. But I’m a nice person, good to meet you guys.”
Brian shook her hand. “Brian Leeder, former Marine with the 26
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expeditionary force.”
I shook her hand and she almost crushed it. “Dan Welko, middle manager for Next Level Analytics, girly man and plain old civilian.” Lozen laughed and patted me on the back.
“I like him,” she said.
The rest came over and shook our hands. “Ok Vic so what the hell are we doing here? Since, we are ignoring direct orders, we’d like to know why” Kuppers asked.
“Dan and Brian here are the only known survivors of the Transamerica Tower yesterday. Believe it or not they know what’s going on out there, and better yet, they have had to fight and kill their way to safety. Dan do you want to fill everyone in?” Vic pointed at me.
“I don’t know what to say. Brian and I were trapped in the tower with our office mates, the “Wild Fire” virus got into our office from an employee sneaking in from New York. One of our secretaries was attacked and mutilated and somehow reanimated and I had to kill her with a metal chair leg, driving it into her head. We had to fight numerous ferocious people whom, all in all, looked, acted, and died like the zombies from all those horror movies. Brian and I got out of there barely and lost everyone we tried to help. Now the police have lost contact with the morgue, hospitals are having hungry patients and I don’t think Jell-O is going to satisfy them, and now that riot out there is turning bloody.” I looked to Brian.
“He said it best ladies and gentlemen, we are going to be neck deep in flesh eating zombies very soon. I know you don’t believe us; probably think we’ve lost it. But we have been fighting those damn things over the last couple of days. Seen a lot of death of friends, coworkers, and someone we tried very hard to save. Very soon you are going to be face to face with these things, don’t let your guard down, that’s all I can ask of you.” Brian informed them.
“Well said gentlemen, ok what kind of weapons can we arm these guys up with?” Vic pointed at us.
Kuppers scratched his chin and looked over at Doc. “What do you think Doc?”
Doc smiled wide and walked back to a cage unlocked it and opened it wide. “What’s your poison boys?”
Brian walked over and pointed at two weapons. “I’m checked out on all those weapons and proficient as hell with that M4 and the M14.”
Doc nodded his head reached in and took out the weapons Brian indicated and also handed out an M1911 .45 sidearm. “Sorry but we don’t have any armor to fit your gorilla like physique but here’s a narco zip up jacket. Its size is XXL so should fit you.” Doc handed him a black vest that said SWAT across the back. Brian backed away to load up and check his gear.
Doc waved over to me and I meekly walked over. “I’m not a gun guy. Never held one, never used one, I have no use for one. But I’d be happy with a steel collapsible baton and a night stick.” Doc looked me over and nodded his head.
“Tell you what son. If we make it out of here in one piece, I will teach you all you need to know. But when you leave here with nothing then we might not be able to tool you up later. So I’m going to arm you up. Just leave them alone until we teach you. But you are going to carry your own weight. Got me boy?” Doc stabbed his finger into my chest.
“I’m more than happy to be a mule Doc.” I said meekly.
Doc looked me over then handed me a blue vest looking thing that you see most SWAT members use in movies. “Like you care son, but that there is a second chance tac vest. The pockets will carry ammo, a radio, and some other great pouches. It also has a chest plate and a back plate. So if you get shot hope it’s in one of those places. It’s heavy but keep it on and don’t screw with it.”
I shrugged into it and Apache helped me settle it properly, zipped me up, and velcroed over the zipper. “Looks good on you Dan.” She winked and stood back.
Doc frowned at the weapons in front of him then started handing things to me. Thank God for Apache; she just started filling my pouches up. “Don’t touch any of that stuff till we show you what to do with it later.” He then took out a weird holster and handed it to Apache. “This is a 6004 SLS tactical leg holster. You wear it on your thigh, there. This here is a M1911 .45 sidearm, it fits in that holster. The magazine is loaded and the gun is ready to fire. So don’t touch it unless told to do so.” He handed it to me, butt first. I carefully slid it into its holster and snapped the strap over it to keep it snug.
Doc removed a wide belt and told me to snap it around my waist and adjust it tight. He reached back into the locker and took two collapsible batons. “These are Smith and Wesson twenty-one inch collapsible batons, they open up and allow you to kick some serious ass. These feel free to use without supervision. I also have a normal police baton or night stick as you call it, if you want it.” I nodded yes and he handed it over.
“Hey Doc, I know this is a stupid request but do you have any knives I could carry? Gouging out eyes and pulping the brain has become kind of a staple for me.” I asked with surprising strength in my voice. I felt out of my league with all this stuff, but I felt confident in what I needed.
He reached to his side and unbuckled something off his belt. “This here, is my daddy’s Marine Kabar, he carried it with him almost his whole life. The blade is seven inches long and sharp as hell. I want this back at some point.” I was stunned he would give me something like that. I promised him I would make sure he’d get it back.
“One last thing I have for you. It’s very dangerous so don’t touch it, hell don’t even look at it. This is a Benelli Nova tactical pump shotgun, with pistol grip. You will wear it over your shoulder on your back. We may need it so you get to carry it.” Apache took it and slung it over my shoulder and tightened the strap so it wouldn’t bang against me when I moved.
“These are tactical gloves with Kevlar reinforced knuckles and palm. I take it you know how to put these on?” He smiled when he handed those over.
I slid them on and jumped up and down making sure everything fit right. I felt over loaded and to tell you the truth a little like that pack mule I talked about earlier. Brian came up and patted my back. “You look good Boss; we’ll make a soldier out of you eventually. Just stay by my side like in the tower and we will be just fine. These guys are professional and look competent enough to me.”
“Mount up guy’s, Vic do we have a plan? How about a route? Or even a direction?” Kuppers enquired.
“Well the Bay bridge is out, we’d have to go around the riot on Folsom to get there. Think south is the way to go?” Vic asked the group.
“If I may put my two cents in?” I raised my hand.
“Put your hand down, for God’s sake we are not in 5
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grade. Now what do you have to add?” Vic motioned toward me.
“We need to go north. South and east just get us into denser cities and probably more trouble. West is the ocean and that won’t work either unless we have our own boat and lots of food and supplies. But you guys are free to do what you think is best. I am going north, my father and someone else is that direction. Plus, going that way has woods and lakes and probably easier to hunt and survive out there.” I noticed I had spoken too much and shut my mouth, and leaned against a table. Brian came over and put his arm on my shoulder.
“You heard the man.” Vic announced.
Kuppers looked at each of his team mates and every one of them nodded their agreement. “North it is. So the Golden Gate then? Let’s hope it’s not choked up by the time we arrive to cross. Or we are going to be royally fucked.”
Cupcake walked over and opened two double doors at the end of the room and we all followed. After a short walk we came to a garage big enough for four fire engines. What sat in the middle was a big black military looking vehicle with SWAT painted in white on its flanks, it exuded roughness and assurance. Cupcake walked over and slid his hand down the side. “Gentlemen, this is a 1999 Lenco BearCat armored personnel carrier. She has a 300 hp Caterpillar turbo diesel residing under that hood over there, she has hardly any mileage on her and I baby her. I do all the work myself. This is my girlfriend, and she treats me very well. We’ve stacked some basic supplies and strapped some fuel containers on top because she is a thirsty girl. Mount up and let’s get the fuck out of here already.” He opened up the back then went up front and climbed in behind the wheel.
Little Jonny took my arm and loaded me in first. “In the front buddy, if we have to dismount let us go first, since we can use our pretty toys. Before you sit down swing the shotgun around in front of you and point it at the floor. Got it?”
I stammered out a yes and made my way to a seat. I swung the shotgun around pointing it down and made sure my hand was nowhere near the trigger. I strapped myself in and swallowed my apprehension. Brian got in and sat across from me, his monster like knees pressed up against mine. Apache was next and she sat next to me and Senshi slid in next to her. Little Jonny sat next to Brian and Doc next to him. Kuppers entered last and took the last seat near the rear doors. Vic took the front “Navigator” seat next to cupcake. The doors closed and the engine rumbled to life. Darkness enveloped us then and a red light snapped on pushing back the dark.