Escape from the Damned (APEX Predator Book 2) by Glyn Gardner Page A

trooper asked.
    “No,”
    Jackson took a deep breath.  He knew how this was going to go down, but he also knew he needed it.  So did Sgt Procell.
    “Anderson and I were buddies in high school.  You know, played on the same basketball team, double dated, and got in trouble together?  He was the best.  We even joined the National Guard together.  He couldn’t run for shit.  I spent all spring trying to get his ass in shape so basic wouldn’t be too bad on him.”
    “We went to Ft. Knox together.  Buddy team, you know?”
    Sgt Procell knew the type.  He’d seen guys like Jackson and this Anderson guy.
    “During basic, my momma got real sick.  She ended up on a ventilator and everything.  The CO of the training company denied the Red Cross message.  He said my training was too important.  You know what that crazy bastard did?  We was on KP the next day.  He snuck out the back door and ended up in the battalion commander’s office.  I was crying over my sick momma on KP and Anderson was going to the Colonel for me.”  Tears began to run down the young troopers face.
    “What happened?  You get to go home?”
    “Yup, got there just in time to say good-by to Momma before she died.”  His voice got shaky.
    “Anderson got an Article 15 for dereliction of duty and disobeying a superior officer.”
    “Sounds like he was a good guy,” Sgt Procell said.
    “He was.  You know what happened to him?”
    Sgt Procell shook his head no.
    “He got bit on the first day.  He got bit, he changed, and he killed a couple of civilians.”  Jackson was crying now.  He could hardly see through the tears.
    Sgt Procell put a hand on the young trooper’s shoulder.  “I’m sorry” was all he could manage.
    “It’s ok,” the trooper said.  “He was still my best friend.  No matter what shitty thing life dealt him, he was still my best friend.  I’ll never forget what he looked like when he turned, but I don’t ever want to forget who he was.  I miss him.”
    For the next half hour, the pair told the tails of the people they’d lost.  It seemed to Sgt Procell like they were having some kind of twisted, demented wake.  They talked, they cried, and they even laughed some.  When the LMTV pulled over, both men felt like a huge weight had been lifted.
     
    The LMTV pulled over about an hour later.  SSgt Brown told everyone to hop out and stretch their legs.  Jackson pulled the HMMWV in behind the big truck.
    There was very little chit chat.  Most of the group looked to be in a state of shock.  SSgt Brown could see they were tired.  He understood.  They had had it pretty easy for the past week.  They had food, water, and a safe place to stay.
    In the course of 10 minutes, that had all changed.  Now, they were back on the run again.  They’d lost friends.  The kids seemed to be taking it worse than the rest.  All three of them were crying.  He could understand.  They had lost three of their friends and two of their teachers.  The only teacher left was Mrs. Arrington and she was almost catatonic
    “Jen,” he called.  “I need to talk to you about the kids.”
    “They’re in pretty bad shape,” she said.  “They haven’t stopped crying since we got off the roof.”
    “How’s Mrs. Arrington?”
    “Useless.  She hasn’t said a word all day.  She’s shut down.”
    “Can you do anything for her or the kids?”
    “I can try.  Let, Theresa, and Kerry talk to them for a while.  Those two need to get some trauma out in the open too, so maybe it’ll be good for everyone to have a nice group cry.”
    “Ok, get everyone some food and we’ll get moving in an hour or so.”
    He watched her as she walked towards Theresa and Kerry.  He turned and walked toward the HMMWV.
    “Ok, boss,” Sgt Procell greeted him.  “What’s the plan now?”
    “Well, I don’t think anything has changed, except the timeline.  We keep heading east until we cross the river, then we head north.  We just