of ammo. Going to need a second trip back for all of it.” They cringed as the front of the store was ripped apart by gun fire.
“Those idiots are going to keep us pinned down until they run out of ammo, or drive through the store.”
“I can start taking some shots at them and see what happens.” Sharon said.
“Let’s wait for another minute. If they keep doing what they’re doing, we open fire. It’s pretty easy to figure out when they reload.”
“Is it safe to come for more carriages?” Tony called from an aisle.
“Not so much,” Frank answered. “Park the one you have and start getting boxes.” They heard his footsteps squeaking on the tiles as he took off. The gun fire started again.
“Are you scared, Frank?”
“Shitless. You?”
“I don’t know if I should throw up or pee.”
When the outside gunfire stopped Sharon and Frank got up and opened fired. Their volley dropped two of the 12 outside. Frank put fresh clips in his gun. Sharon dropped the rifle in favor of her pistols.
“There’s more than 6, Frank.”
“I saw that. You know what we need? The cavalry.”
“They’re a long way away.” Frank looked out past the entrance; on the sidewalk in front of the store were propane tanks, the kind that go on grills. He started thinking of a plan. One that could hurt them all.
“What are you thinking, Frank?
“On the next exchange, stay covered. It’s going to get loud.” Frank took the rifle from the floor and loaded it. He handed Sharon his guns and counted down with his fingers. When the bullets stopped flying, he stood, took quick aim and fired.
The store shook with the explosion. The fireball enveloped the cars and the people outside them. Sharon screamed as pieces of shrapnel stuck in her cheek and her forehead. Frank dove, covering her with his body. He grunted as his back and legs were peppered with more shrapnel. They heard the screams of the men burning outside. When it was over, Frank stood, wincing at the chunks of metal and glass in his back.
Sharon stood after and without warning, Frank plucked the metal from her cheek and head. He handed her his bandana.
“It’s clean.”
“Little more warning than that next time.” Tony and Gerry came racing from the back of the store.
“Get more carriages, fill them up,” Sharon barked. She limped from behind the service desk.
“Where are you going?” Frank asked. He walked slow and gingerly from the back.
“I saw a pharmacy sign. Going to see if I can get into it. They’re usually locked up pretty tight. You stay there, I’ll get some bandages. Anything specific you want, Frank?”
“Beer?”
“I’ll see if there’s any left.” Sharon spun and pulled out one of her guns at the sound of approaching steps.
“We got to go back for the trailer,” Tony said. “I found Twinkies a fuck-ton of them!” Frank eyed him suspiciously. “And some generators.”
* * * * *
“Meredith, go to the hall closet and get it out please.” Meredith padded down to the hall closet. It was packed with boxes. She pulled out the printer and set it up. “Better hurry. God forbid we find some coffee, but electronics were available.”
“Even if they shut us down now, we’re set everything is in the laptop memory,” Grace said.
“Even your searching for Mr. Pierce yesterday?”
“Everything. Not that we got anything on him.” Meredith grinned and plugged in the USB printer. The lights dimmed and flared back up. The printer spewed out pages and then the connection went dead.
* * * * *
“Very good, Crowe,” Crenshaw said. Crowe nodded and stepped back. “They should think by now that we’re shutting them down, not giving them small windows of opportunity. That and whatever they find on the servers, we can use.” Crowe nodded, looked at the door. “Oh yes, you can go. Check in when you hear back from Williams.”
* * * * *
The “wagon train” headed home, the trailer full with boxes and
“Those idiots are going to keep us pinned down until they run out of ammo, or drive through the store.”
“I can start taking some shots at them and see what happens.” Sharon said.
“Let’s wait for another minute. If they keep doing what they’re doing, we open fire. It’s pretty easy to figure out when they reload.”
“Is it safe to come for more carriages?” Tony called from an aisle.
“Not so much,” Frank answered. “Park the one you have and start getting boxes.” They heard his footsteps squeaking on the tiles as he took off. The gun fire started again.
“Are you scared, Frank?”
“Shitless. You?”
“I don’t know if I should throw up or pee.”
When the outside gunfire stopped Sharon and Frank got up and opened fired. Their volley dropped two of the 12 outside. Frank put fresh clips in his gun. Sharon dropped the rifle in favor of her pistols.
“There’s more than 6, Frank.”
“I saw that. You know what we need? The cavalry.”
“They’re a long way away.” Frank looked out past the entrance; on the sidewalk in front of the store were propane tanks, the kind that go on grills. He started thinking of a plan. One that could hurt them all.
“What are you thinking, Frank?
“On the next exchange, stay covered. It’s going to get loud.” Frank took the rifle from the floor and loaded it. He handed Sharon his guns and counted down with his fingers. When the bullets stopped flying, he stood, took quick aim and fired.
The store shook with the explosion. The fireball enveloped the cars and the people outside them. Sharon screamed as pieces of shrapnel stuck in her cheek and her forehead. Frank dove, covering her with his body. He grunted as his back and legs were peppered with more shrapnel. They heard the screams of the men burning outside. When it was over, Frank stood, wincing at the chunks of metal and glass in his back.
Sharon stood after and without warning, Frank plucked the metal from her cheek and head. He handed her his bandana.
“It’s clean.”
“Little more warning than that next time.” Tony and Gerry came racing from the back of the store.
“Get more carriages, fill them up,” Sharon barked. She limped from behind the service desk.
“Where are you going?” Frank asked. He walked slow and gingerly from the back.
“I saw a pharmacy sign. Going to see if I can get into it. They’re usually locked up pretty tight. You stay there, I’ll get some bandages. Anything specific you want, Frank?”
“Beer?”
“I’ll see if there’s any left.” Sharon spun and pulled out one of her guns at the sound of approaching steps.
“We got to go back for the trailer,” Tony said. “I found Twinkies a fuck-ton of them!” Frank eyed him suspiciously. “And some generators.”
* * * * *
“Meredith, go to the hall closet and get it out please.” Meredith padded down to the hall closet. It was packed with boxes. She pulled out the printer and set it up. “Better hurry. God forbid we find some coffee, but electronics were available.”
“Even if they shut us down now, we’re set everything is in the laptop memory,” Grace said.
“Even your searching for Mr. Pierce yesterday?”
“Everything. Not that we got anything on him.” Meredith grinned and plugged in the USB printer. The lights dimmed and flared back up. The printer spewed out pages and then the connection went dead.
* * * * *
“Very good, Crowe,” Crenshaw said. Crowe nodded and stepped back. “They should think by now that we’re shutting them down, not giving them small windows of opportunity. That and whatever they find on the servers, we can use.” Crowe nodded, looked at the door. “Oh yes, you can go. Check in when you hear back from Williams.”
* * * * *
The “wagon train” headed home, the trailer full with boxes and
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