“Guys, this follows pretty close to what I am getting from my interviews with the prisoners. They said they are identifying alternate ways to spread the infection, instead of just transmission through saliva. I also found that many of the technicians are actually from overseas. Some are from Germany, Italy and Iran. They all spoke broken English, they say they were hired by Ridder to do research on a highly infectious disease. The weird part was they were hired three weeks ago before the outbreak. So it seems that this has been planned out meticulously by someone out there. We need to find out more information.” Vic hands over the file to the Captain. “I suggest you summarize this through your command structure in the guard. I would keep it out of federal hands until you can identify who is part of this Culling Initiative.”
“I can agree with all of that, I also think I need to share this with the MP group attached to us.” The Captain looks like he is about to start asking questions when his radio goes off. The Captain puts his hand over his ear and has an intense look on his face as he listens. “Roger that, we are coming out.” He looks over at us. “Gentlemen, we were just overflown by a Blackhawk that isn’t one of ours. One of my pilots said it circled the camp then headed out toward Stinson Beach. I wonder if we are about to get a visitor.” The Captain turned to walk away and we gathered our documents and followed.
The sun was starting to make an appearance over the mountains to our east painting the sky in red. “Red skies in morning, sailors take warning.” I whisper. While we had been inside discussing the issues we found, more helicopters had dropped off troops and supplies. We walk over to one of the big helicopters, and the Captain reaches in and takes out a radio handset. I didn’t understand the language or military lingo he used, but figured out he was passing along some of the information we have and asking for air support, and more troops.
I pulled Kuppers aside and asked a question on my mind. “If that Ridder helicopter flew toward Stinson, how do we know if they have other troops there or what their intentions are?”
“I have those same questions on my mind Dan. Hold on I have an idea.” Kuppers clicks on his radio. “Senshi and Apache, I have a mission for you. Get over here and let me lay it out for you. Brian, cease your over watch and bring Angel down here. Cupcake, retrieve the Beast and get it down here. Doc, scare up some more ammo from the Guard guys and bring all you can over here.” He looks over to me and points to the ground. “You stay here and have everyone rally around the Beast when it gets here. Not a word to anyone. I’ll explain it all out when I get back.” I nod my agreement and he walks away to the Captain’s command helicopter.
I look north toward Stinson and wonder what is going on over there. I think about our team and what we are about to go through. I think about the people we lost already. I think about how there is a group of people out there calling themselves the Culling Initiative, and how they are the source for the pain we have gone through and the death of millions. I think about their name, the Culling Initiative, it seems that their name has come to fruition, a Culling is exactly what is going on here. But to what end? How many must be culled? What is their final plan? And finally, if they know we know, will they send Ridder to try and destroy us?
“Hey, what are you doing Boss man? Studying the sky?” I was pulled from my deep thoughts by Brian and Angel walking up to me.
I hunched down and picked Angel up giving her a hug. “Hey kiddo, you having fun hanging out with Brian?”
She hugged me back “He let me eat some candy and a cookie he had, but he said to keep it a secret, so don’t tell anyone.” She looked quickly over to Brian and winked at him. He smiled back and winked at her conspiratorially.
The Beast rumbled up and stopped in front of us. Cupcake turned off the engine, popped open his hatch and walked to the rear. We came around and saw he had opened up the back and was leaning against the door. I carried Angel over and put her in so she could sit down on one of the chairs. Apache and Senshi walked over and sat down on the ground around the rear hatch. “So what’s going on Dan?” Apache inquires.
“I was ordered to keep my mouth shut and let Kuppers tell you all.” I answer back.
Doc came over, pushing a small pallet of ammo and weapon parts. “I think we should start cleaning our weapons and loading extra magazines. He started handing out cleaning kits to everyone but me. Instead he sat me and Angel down with a crate of loose ammo and a crate of magazines. “Dan, if you and Angel can fill those magazines for us that would be very helpful.”
Doc showed us how to fill them and explained that yes, the magazine could hold thirty but only to load twenty-nine so the springs wouldn’t fail. Angel I started a game of it, to see who could load more magazines in a ten-minute period. She won, by one magazine, because she has smaller hands and can load faster. I lost the next three desserts to her and her little hands. While we were working Kuppers comes marching up with Vic hot on his heels. Our entire team was finally present.
Kuppers stands there and takes in each member. “So far our journey has had many trials and tribulations, I am sure you would all agree with that. For it being just a couple hours past two days, we have lost a lot and gained a lot. We lost our brother Jonny, but we’ve added to the family Brian, Dan and Angel. We have connected with the NG to help save civilian lives, and now we have won a battle with the Ridder Group. Information gained by Dan and Vic have also answered and yet asked many more questions. We now know of a group calling themselves the Culling Initiative. This group is responsible for creating this seemingly apocalypse. They are responsible for the murder of millions of innocent people. Through their dealings with the Ridder Group, they have released this plague and they have set up these camps to research more ways to murder even more innocents. They have also ordered the Ridder group to slow down, if not stop the Government and FEMA from helping save as many as they can.” He stops and looks around at the team again, I see the same horror and pain in his expression that he now sees in the rest of his team’s expressions. “We were over flown a little while ago by what we believe was a Ridder Blackhawk, gathering intelligence on what we’re doing here. The Blackhawk we believe landed in the Stinson, the small town to the north of us. The Captain of the NG force agrees with me that Ridder must be acquiring more troops to face us and take back their camp. But we have no solid intel on this. I volunteered Apache and Doc to gather the intel we desperately need to prepare a welcoming committee for them, if and when they decide to come after us. We cannot board the Beast and avoid this fight, since they stand squarely in our way. That and our family are not cowards, who run away from oppression. We will stand and we will fight if necessary. The Captain is trying to find more air and ground assets to bring to bear on this upcoming fight. But as of right now we are on our own. Any questions?”
I think for a while looking at the Beast and the helicopters. “Couldn’t we just evacuate the scientists and civilians, destroy the camp and retreat?”
“Parts of that plan are already underway. The civilians were loaded up and as of right now are flying out to relative safety. But we believe that time is not on our side. We do not have the resources to get everyone out before we believe Ridder will attack.” Kuppers answers.
“When do Doc and I leave? We are wasting time sitting here debating.” Apache stands and starts to replenish her ammo and weapons for the upcoming mission. Doc joins her in the process.
“Go ahead and get moving, we will keep planning and let you know the details when we have them hammered out.” Vic orders.
Apache and Doc check on each other’s supplies and gear, making sure they have what they are going to need. Then take off up the hill back out toward the road, disappearing into the rocks and scrub brush. Kuppers puts his hands on hips and points at Senshi. “I want you to go find First Sergeant Hinton, work with him on planning some defensive positions and a good place to stock supplies for the upcoming battle. Also see if he has any ground to air weapons. We may need them if Ridder decides to support their troops from that direction.” Senshi grabs some more loaded magazines and heads toward the temporary command post. “Cupcake, you and Brian take the beast and park her up against the tent there on the hill side. Keep Angel with you buttoned up in that thing. See if you can find her some body armor to wear and a helmet. She needs to stay in there at all times.” Cupcake and Brian climb inside the Beast, firing her up and moving her back to their appointed position.
Kuppers and Vic turn their combined attention on me. “You’ve done good to this point, but we need to get you up to date on those weapons. I can’t spare you anymore, or treat you with fragility. It’s time you start pulling more of your own weight. Vic, you got this?” Vic nods yes and Kuppers pats me on the back and heads off to the command post.
Vic wraps his arm around me and we walk to the rear of the tent facing some hills and most important, away from people and machines. “Get that scatter gun off your back and place it on the ground along with your side arm.” I loosen the shotgun strap and remove it from behind my back and place it on the ground with the barrel pointing away from us. I also remove my handgun from its holster and place it the same way next to the shotgun.
Vic hands me his M4 and shows me how to hold it against my shoulder and points out where the safety, select fire switch, and magazine release button is. He walks me through removing the magazine and ejecting the round in the chamber. Then shows me the process of inserting the new one and how to use the charging handle to chamber a round. He has me practice snapping the weapon to my shoulder and using the front sights to acquire a target. Once I have practiced that more times then I think are necessary, he has me practice clicking on and off the safety. Never once do I place my finger into the trigger guard or onto the trigger itself. I feel very uncomfortable; this is not natural for me. Of course I have seen guns used on T.V. and movies. But for me, this just feels wrong. If it wasn’t for my new family needing to rely on me to carry my own weight, I would be putting this gun down and rely on my batons. Instead I listen and pay close attention to every word and action Vic demonstrates. “Ok, I think you are ready to shoot. I can explain all about the rifle and give you some pointers on aiming and using the sights. But the rest is up to you and how well you learn to adjust. You will not be perfect on these weapons after today. But I want to make sure you know at least how to handle them.” Vic hands me some yellow ear plugs, and I stick them in. He brings his hands up as if he is holding the gun and I mimic his motions but with the M4. I flip the safety off and bring my finger onto the trigger. I start to squeeze the trigger and surprise myself when the gun fires and then rocks into my shoulder.
“Not bad for a first shot. At least you didn’t blow your toes off and didn’t over react when it fired. I want you to slightly lean forward when you fire and when the barrel starts to rise I want you to correct and pull it back down.” Vic reaches over and changes the selector to a different point and gives me the go ahead motion. I snap the gun back to my shoulder and slightly lean forward into the gun and again squeeze the trigger. This time the gun bucks in my hands and the rifle raises, when I feel this I pull it back down and continue till the gun clicks and fires no more. I hit the release button on the side and the magazine falls to the ground. I reach into my vest, pull a fresh one out and push it into place and pull the charging handle back loading a round into the chamber. I work my way through two more magazines when Vic motions for me to safe the gun and lay it on the ground.
“No new holes, so you’ve proven to me you can aim, shoot and reload. Good enough for now. When we have more time I will show you how to clear a jam and how to clean and lubricate it. Let’s move onto the shotgun next. Pick it up and I’ll explain it to you. We will learn to load it, aim it, and fire it.” He walks me through how to load from in front of the trigger. We load the first round into the chamber and hit the release, next we feed seven rounds into the magazine tube. He shows me that the safety is a pin behind the trigger and to push on it to take the safety off. Next he had me work on bringing it to my shoulder and aiming it. When I feel comfortable with it, Vic has me load rounds in. “Alright I think you are ready to fire this thing. But let me warn you, it’s gonna beat up your shoulder more than the M4 rifle did. As fast as you pull that trigger, it will fire. So I suggest one at a time slowly. This is the kind of gun that works when you are surrounded by the undead. Instead of aiming at heads you should aim this bad boy at their legs and force them to the ground, let them create a log jam with the zombies behind them.”
Vic motions for me to go ahead and fire the gun. I raise it to my shoulder and acquire my target and pull the trigger. I feel like my shoulder has been kicked by a horse. I look over at Vic who has a smirk on his face as he tries to not outright laugh at me. “You should be happy it’s not one of the older pump shotguns. Those kicked harder. Just be ready for it and after a while you’ll get used to it. Go ahead and empty the magazine, reload and do it again. Then I want you to show me your skill with the 1911.”
I roll my shoulders and stretch my neck, then slowly bring the gun up and trigger off the last seven in the magazine, taking a little bit of time between rounds to prepare for the next mule kick. I reload quickly from the side carrier and bring the gun back to my shoulder. I decide to see how bad it can be and continuously keep pulling the trigger after brief moments of correcting the muzzle climb. I start breathing harder and place the gun on the ground. It takes a while for me to catch my breath and get myself back under control. “Holy crap that thing takes it out of you.”