they have a phone book and some maps, we can find the stores that have what we need.” I washed the last bite of my egg down with the last of my coffee and got up when Kaplan did.
“Sounds good. Let’s get this place secured and get ready to move out for the day. Corporal, you and Mr. Stewart have latrine detail. Miss Weiss, you keep watch from the upstairs. I’ll see to the fireplace and our bunks.” Hernandez moaned at our assignment, but I kept my complaints to myself. I got the distinct feeling he was testing me to see how I’d react. We found a shovel and some other tools in the garage. The shovel got put to use right away.
Once we finished taking care of our job, we grabbed a pry-bar and crowbar we found and double timed it to the back door and pushed the refrigerator back in place. While we waited for Kaplan to come down, I went to my pack and pulled one of the two olive drab shemaghs from a side compartment. The smoke in the air was getting thicker, and just the little bit of time we’d spent outside was already making my throat start to burn a little. I tied it bandit style so it covered my nose, then pulled it down and grabbed the second one.
“Let’s get ready to head out,” Kaplan said as he walked into the room. “The streets seem to be pretty clear for now, so let’s get busy.” Amy was right behind him, rifle slung across her shoulder. I handed her the shemagh and showed her how to tie it. Kaplan and Hernandez covered their faces as well, and we headed out the door.
The street was clear, so we hoofed it to the left and crouched by the thick hedge that ran along the side of the last house on our side of the street. An empty lot occupied the corner on both sides of the street, with big real estate signs facing the road. Across the four lane street ahead of us, I could see the tan building that proclaimed itself the Campbell Food Mart. A chest high fence ran around it, with a rolling gate across the driveway. Weeds grew up through the chain link fencing, but it looked like it had stood up to the zombie apocalypse well enough. Kaplan and Hernandez looked left and right for a couple of minutes before he shrugged and started across the lot toward the Food Mart. Kaplan didn’t even bother with trying to open the gate. He planted one hand on it and vaulted over while Hernandez pointed to the left and broke right so she could cover the street that ran beside the store. Taking my cue from her, I turned and looked to my left, covering the street. I heard the fence rattle as Amy climbed over it, then Kaplan was calling my name. I holstered the SOCOM and hopped the fence using both hands to get me over it. Hernandez jumped the side fence and moved to the corner of the building as Kaplan kicked the glass door in. He gestured to me to follow him in and ducked under the bar on the door. I drew the pistol and stepped in behind him. Inside, the store smelled of spoiled milk, stale beer and blood. To our right was the checkout, with racks of cigarettes and hard liquor in cases behind the two cashier’s stations, and a clear display of lottery tickets taking up the counter space between them. Two narrow aisles took up most of the store to the left of the door, with a couple of shelves directly in front of the door and an office to the right. I brought the pistol up and clicked the tac light on.
“You hear that?” Kaplan asked after a few seconds. A moment later, I heard a thump and the sound of bottles clanking together from the murky depths in front of me.
“Yeah,” I said. “Sounds like it’s coming from back by the cooler.” From behind me I heard Kaplan’s boots on the linoleum as he came up beside me and pointed his flashlight down the narrow aisle. When we saw no movement there, we stepped over to the next aisle and pointed our lights down it. Both of us jumped when the glass door at the far end opened slightly and closed again with the clink of glass on glass again. A few seconds later it moved
“Sounds good. Let’s get this place secured and get ready to move out for the day. Corporal, you and Mr. Stewart have latrine detail. Miss Weiss, you keep watch from the upstairs. I’ll see to the fireplace and our bunks.” Hernandez moaned at our assignment, but I kept my complaints to myself. I got the distinct feeling he was testing me to see how I’d react. We found a shovel and some other tools in the garage. The shovel got put to use right away.
Once we finished taking care of our job, we grabbed a pry-bar and crowbar we found and double timed it to the back door and pushed the refrigerator back in place. While we waited for Kaplan to come down, I went to my pack and pulled one of the two olive drab shemaghs from a side compartment. The smoke in the air was getting thicker, and just the little bit of time we’d spent outside was already making my throat start to burn a little. I tied it bandit style so it covered my nose, then pulled it down and grabbed the second one.
“Let’s get ready to head out,” Kaplan said as he walked into the room. “The streets seem to be pretty clear for now, so let’s get busy.” Amy was right behind him, rifle slung across her shoulder. I handed her the shemagh and showed her how to tie it. Kaplan and Hernandez covered their faces as well, and we headed out the door.
The street was clear, so we hoofed it to the left and crouched by the thick hedge that ran along the side of the last house on our side of the street. An empty lot occupied the corner on both sides of the street, with big real estate signs facing the road. Across the four lane street ahead of us, I could see the tan building that proclaimed itself the Campbell Food Mart. A chest high fence ran around it, with a rolling gate across the driveway. Weeds grew up through the chain link fencing, but it looked like it had stood up to the zombie apocalypse well enough. Kaplan and Hernandez looked left and right for a couple of minutes before he shrugged and started across the lot toward the Food Mart. Kaplan didn’t even bother with trying to open the gate. He planted one hand on it and vaulted over while Hernandez pointed to the left and broke right so she could cover the street that ran beside the store. Taking my cue from her, I turned and looked to my left, covering the street. I heard the fence rattle as Amy climbed over it, then Kaplan was calling my name. I holstered the SOCOM and hopped the fence using both hands to get me over it. Hernandez jumped the side fence and moved to the corner of the building as Kaplan kicked the glass door in. He gestured to me to follow him in and ducked under the bar on the door. I drew the pistol and stepped in behind him. Inside, the store smelled of spoiled milk, stale beer and blood. To our right was the checkout, with racks of cigarettes and hard liquor in cases behind the two cashier’s stations, and a clear display of lottery tickets taking up the counter space between them. Two narrow aisles took up most of the store to the left of the door, with a couple of shelves directly in front of the door and an office to the right. I brought the pistol up and clicked the tac light on.
“You hear that?” Kaplan asked after a few seconds. A moment later, I heard a thump and the sound of bottles clanking together from the murky depths in front of me.
“Yeah,” I said. “Sounds like it’s coming from back by the cooler.” From behind me I heard Kaplan’s boots on the linoleum as he came up beside me and pointed his flashlight down the narrow aisle. When we saw no movement there, we stepped over to the next aisle and pointed our lights down it. Both of us jumped when the glass door at the far end opened slightly and closed again with the clink of glass on glass again. A few seconds later it moved
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