thigh.
"Light 'em up Private!" he barked.
Seconds later, the heavy machinegun topside began chattering. Although far from quiet, it was not nearly as loud as Matt had expected. It continued for perhaps five seconds before it fell silent, leaving only the ringing in Matt’s ears.
"Deadfucks eliminated Sarge!" the Comtech said.
"Carry on!" Jenkins called. The Humvee began rolling again.
"What did I tell you?" Ron said. "Safe as could be."
"What are we going to be raiding tomorrow?" Matt got right back to the point.
"Your boy here is all business." Jenkins laughed. Matt didn't like him.
"I just like to know what the hell I'm getting my ass into."
"We are going to be hitting a couple places. An Instacare unit and a grocery store." Ron said.
"The usual." Jenkins said.
"But like I said," Ron continued, "You always save some cargo space for yourself. And you would be surprised what is worth value around here. Hard liquor, beer, candies, chewing gum, toilet paper, toothpaste, soap. Those are among some of the most valuable."
"Don't forget CDs and cassettes, clothes, books and magazines." Jenkins added. "Fuel and ammo are always valuable. You name it, somebody wants it."
"Plus we also have to equip you for your trip into the mountains. So what do you think?" Ron flashed him a crooked smile.
"I'm in." Matt said.
"Good man." Ron smiled. "You won't regret it."
The patrol continued on up the road another two miles. They stopped at two checkpoints along the way. The checkpoints were nothing more than two squads of men in Humvees, just like them. They radioed in to base at the checkpoints, as well as did their own bit of trading. Ron swapped two packs of cigarettes and a pint of whiskey for several bottles of prescription medication.
The patrol continued on another half mile to the next checkpoint before turning east, headed towards the mountain. Looking out the back window, Matt could see the midmorning sky was clear, and provided an excellent view of the valley. A few fires still raged across the city: one out in Kearns, another in North Salt Lake and one far to the west, near Magna. From here they looked like nothing more than match flames, but Matt knew their flames must tower over one hundred feet tall as they spewed thick black smoke into the clear sky.
The muffled but audible Crack! Crack! Crack! Of several weapons firing also came to their ears.
"Listen up!" the Comtech called at the top of his lungs. Everyone paid heed. Even the top gunner crouched down to hear. "We're coming up on the Northeastern perimeters main division. They are at the edge of the campus. West and North of them are the old neighborhoods. Now they are crawling with zombies." he was looking at Matt, as if everybody else in the already knew what he was saying. "Like I said earlier, aerial recon reported the deadfucks massing together. Well they've been coming out of the neighborhoods in waves several dozen at a time. They are having a problem keeping the perimeter secure. Control has ordered all units in the vicinity to assist."
"Hotdamn!" exclaimed Johnson. "It seems we're going to see some action after all!"
The Humvee accelerated quickly, weaving through a large grove of trees, emerging into another broad expanse of grassy knolls. Matt could hear what sounded like a large firefight. Ahead, spread out over 200 feet, was the Northern Perimeter encampment comprised of An M1A1 Abrams tank, a dozen Humvees, three personnel trucks and almost two hundred soldiers. The Humvees were spread out in a ragged line nearly two hundred feet in length, the top gunners firing to the northwest. The Tank sat squat in the center of the Humvees, turret facing northwest. The trucks were parked thirty feet behind the line of Humvees facing south, ready for a quick getaway if necessary. Soldiers were spread between the row of Humvees, others atop the tank. All were firing to the northwest. As their Humvee came pulling into the rear of the encampment, a soldier in full
"Light 'em up Private!" he barked.
Seconds later, the heavy machinegun topside began chattering. Although far from quiet, it was not nearly as loud as Matt had expected. It continued for perhaps five seconds before it fell silent, leaving only the ringing in Matt’s ears.
"Deadfucks eliminated Sarge!" the Comtech said.
"Carry on!" Jenkins called. The Humvee began rolling again.
"What did I tell you?" Ron said. "Safe as could be."
"What are we going to be raiding tomorrow?" Matt got right back to the point.
"Your boy here is all business." Jenkins laughed. Matt didn't like him.
"I just like to know what the hell I'm getting my ass into."
"We are going to be hitting a couple places. An Instacare unit and a grocery store." Ron said.
"The usual." Jenkins said.
"But like I said," Ron continued, "You always save some cargo space for yourself. And you would be surprised what is worth value around here. Hard liquor, beer, candies, chewing gum, toilet paper, toothpaste, soap. Those are among some of the most valuable."
"Don't forget CDs and cassettes, clothes, books and magazines." Jenkins added. "Fuel and ammo are always valuable. You name it, somebody wants it."
"Plus we also have to equip you for your trip into the mountains. So what do you think?" Ron flashed him a crooked smile.
"I'm in." Matt said.
"Good man." Ron smiled. "You won't regret it."
The patrol continued on up the road another two miles. They stopped at two checkpoints along the way. The checkpoints were nothing more than two squads of men in Humvees, just like them. They radioed in to base at the checkpoints, as well as did their own bit of trading. Ron swapped two packs of cigarettes and a pint of whiskey for several bottles of prescription medication.
The patrol continued on another half mile to the next checkpoint before turning east, headed towards the mountain. Looking out the back window, Matt could see the midmorning sky was clear, and provided an excellent view of the valley. A few fires still raged across the city: one out in Kearns, another in North Salt Lake and one far to the west, near Magna. From here they looked like nothing more than match flames, but Matt knew their flames must tower over one hundred feet tall as they spewed thick black smoke into the clear sky.
The muffled but audible Crack! Crack! Crack! Of several weapons firing also came to their ears.
"Listen up!" the Comtech called at the top of his lungs. Everyone paid heed. Even the top gunner crouched down to hear. "We're coming up on the Northeastern perimeters main division. They are at the edge of the campus. West and North of them are the old neighborhoods. Now they are crawling with zombies." he was looking at Matt, as if everybody else in the already knew what he was saying. "Like I said earlier, aerial recon reported the deadfucks massing together. Well they've been coming out of the neighborhoods in waves several dozen at a time. They are having a problem keeping the perimeter secure. Control has ordered all units in the vicinity to assist."
"Hotdamn!" exclaimed Johnson. "It seems we're going to see some action after all!"
The Humvee accelerated quickly, weaving through a large grove of trees, emerging into another broad expanse of grassy knolls. Matt could hear what sounded like a large firefight. Ahead, spread out over 200 feet, was the Northern Perimeter encampment comprised of An M1A1 Abrams tank, a dozen Humvees, three personnel trucks and almost two hundred soldiers. The Humvees were spread out in a ragged line nearly two hundred feet in length, the top gunners firing to the northwest. The Tank sat squat in the center of the Humvees, turret facing northwest. The trucks were parked thirty feet behind the line of Humvees facing south, ready for a quick getaway if necessary. Soldiers were spread between the row of Humvees, others atop the tank. All were firing to the northwest. As their Humvee came pulling into the rear of the encampment, a soldier in full
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