The Complete Lee West Post-Apocalyptic Box Set, page 47
part #1 of The Complete Lee West Post-Apocalyptic Box Set Series
“You said the sick are housed on the fourth and fifth floors. So what is on the third floor just above us?” asked Sam.
“We moved all of the pharmaceutical supplies and food to the third floor for security purposes,” said Beth.
“We need both the pharma and food supplies to last us to the end of this crisis. The hospital has a policy of not turning away anyone in need, but we can’t be too careful,” said Jerry.
“How are you set for food and water supplies?” asked Jane.
“Those things are easy for us,” said Beth.
“Once we moved the damned cans topside,” yelled an older man from his perch at the window.
“You can say that again,” chimed in Jerry.
“Still not as bad as these babies,” the man said, slapping the filing cabinet in front of him.
“Meet Mitch Brady, our local comedian,” said Jerry.
“Thanks for the backup. We’re really glad you’re here. All of us are concerned that our little fortress can’t hold off the New Order. It’s really nice to have more manpower.”
“We’re happy to help. For now, it’s the ten of us officers, mostly from Porter and Evansville. We brought as many weapons as we could spare from Porter. In addition, we’re expecting to be able to restock the ammunition supply with bullets being made by a local blacksmith,” said Jane.
“That’ll help a lot. And who knows, maybe they aren’t planning any sort of attack and all of this is for nothing,” said Jerry.
“Maybe. But I’m glad we took the measures. I feel much better about our changes, with everything you’ve done,” said Beth.
“I see you have the front side of the hospital well fortified, but are the windows in the back on this floor covered in the same way? Will we be able to watch the entire perimeter of the building?” asked Officer Wheeler.
“Yes and no. We did something a little different in the back. Come on, that’ll be our next stop on this magical tour,” said Jerry.
The small group walked the perimeter of the second floor. All of the windows were either bunker-style lookout posts, perfect for snipers, or completely covered. As they emerged into the back side of the hospital, Jane could see the floor-to-ceiling windows lining what was once a children’s play area. The windows at the lookout posts were shattered and pushed out. However, some remained intact, just merely covered.
“As you can see, we’ve fortified this back area with the same thick bullet-stopping materials. However, we’re also storing our ‘hellfire’ back here,” said Jerry.
“Hellfire?” said Sam.
“We weren’t sure how long we could hold the hospital, given our lack of a proper armory. I guessed that eventually we’d run out of ammunition. Without gunpowder and bullets, once we’re out, we’re out. So I had one of the docs create these with beakers and the chemicals used by the hospital. The bottles contain various forms of highly acidic liquids. If we need to, we can use these slings to shoot acid down on the New Order. I figure that’ll slow them down a little,” said Jerry with a wink.
Jerry pulled the sheets off several tables that lined the back of the room. Glass beakers, bottles and test tubes were neatly arranged on the table. Several homemade slings stood next to the table. The slings were IV stands joined together by various tubes. Given the size of the bottles and the slings, Jane figured they could launch the acid pretty far, causing extensive injuries to the New Order.
“Well, I can certainly see why the hospital didn’t request immediate assistance. Seems like you guys have it covered,” said Jane.
“Yes, for the most part, until we don’t. With the New Order stepping up their operations in the area, we’re acting under the assumption that they’ll eventually hit us with more than we can withstand. The acid, or hellfire as we’re calling it, is the last thing in our arsenal that we plan to use. Hopefully, things won’t get to that point.”
“Are these bottles safe to just sit around like this?” asked Wheeler.
“Oh sure, just don’t mess with the table. You really don’t want to get any of the acid on you. It’ll burn off several layers of skin, leaving nothing but a painful blistery mess. Like I said, these should slow them down.”
“Our team had planned to put guards outside the facility to watch the approaches to the hospital grounds. However, given how well fortified the building is and that we can see all approaches from here, I think we’re better off staying inside and posting around-the-clock watches to relieve your team. Do you agree?” asked Jane.
“I absolutely agree. Besides, we’d rather not have to open the doors to the outside if we can avoid it. We have also rigged the exterior lights to a separate generator. If needed, we can flood the immediate area around the hospital. Given the wattage drain, we wouldn’t be able to do it for long, but it could help if we’re attacked,” said Jerry.
“Is it possible to stand on an external balcony or rooftop? I’d like to be able to hear ’em coming. Everything is so quiet out there that we’ll be able to hear any approaching vehicles long before they get here. Advance notice could make a huge difference for us,” said Wheeler.
“Assuming they approach us using their vehicles, we could use the physicians’ lounge area around the side. We can only see part of the entrance from there, but anyone out there would definitely be able to hear something coming from that vantage point. I’ll take you over there,” said Jerry.
The physicians’ lounge consisted of a small room with concessions, couches and a television. The old books and magazines scattered throughout gave Jane the sense that the doctors didn’t use the room much. The lounge opened to a large balcony, the door to which remained uncovered.
“This is perfect,” said Wheeler as he stepped outside.
“Okay, let’s plan to post two officers at this location. Jerry, we need to develop a watch-standing schedule. I’d like to front end our support to give your team a break,” said Jane.
“That’s music to my ears. But first, let’s give you some lunch and show you to your quarters.”
Jane and Sam moved into their assigned room, which consisted of two single beds and not much else. Despite having numerous windows punched out from the second floor, the air was stale and stagnant. Jane was glad to take a slight break before lunch. It had been a long morning getting to the hospital. Now that she was on the second floor, she felt much better about their chances of successfully guarding the building and all of the people housed within.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Sergeant Fred Dale dressed with shaky hands as he got ready to meet Father Roy at the church rectory for the reconnaissance mission. Going into Evansville alone scared him more than he would admit to his fellow officers. As one of the youngest men in the Porter Police Department, Sergeant Dale lacked the years of experience most of his fellow officers possessed. He knew this could be a liability in the field. However, he was intent on following Charlie’s instructions. Get to the church without drawing any attention, then lie low and get as much information as possible, from a distance. A quiet tap on his front door caused him to jump. He needed to calm himself.
“You ready to roll? I thought we’d get to the church early to have some chow before suiting you up,” said Ray Ross.
Ray was one of Fred’s oldest friends. The two grew up in Porter together. They had seen each other through everything from football tryouts to disastrous first dates. Knowing Ray would be watching over him made Fred feel exponentially better.
“Sure, sounds good. I’m all set.”
The men walked slowly and quietly toward the church. A sense of doom gripped Fred.
“It’ll be fine. We’ll have your back until Evansville. From there, just slip into the church and lie low,” said Ray.
“Yeah, I know. Just pre-mission jitters. I’ll be fine,” said Fred, trying to sound braver than he felt.
Charlie was waiting for them in the rectory along with Father Roy. Father Roy set out a couple of pairs of pants and two shirts for him to select from. Charlie was right; they were almost exactly the same size. The pants were a little big, but nothing a belt couldn’t cover up.
“Sergeant Dale, we decided against giving you a handheld. The range won’t allow you to communicate with us, and having the radio could put you in danger. We think you’re better off observing as much as you can and then reporting back to us.”
“What if something big happens that I need to communicate right away?”
“I have an idea. I could camp on the outskirts of town, within range of the radio. That way, if he needs help or if something is going down that we need to know about, I’ll get the message. From there, I can relay it back to base,” offered Ray.
“I like the idea, but am still concerned about the prospect of you being searched by the New Order. If they catch you with a police-issued radio, we’ve just signed your death warrant,” said Charlie.
“I’m willing to take the chance. I don’t want to be out there without the ability to communicate. I’d also like to bring a weapon,” said Fred.
“You’ll have plenty of those,” said Charlie, opening a black satchel.
Charlie pulled out two compact semiautomatic pistols, along with a concealed holster. The men helped him strap on the holster while Charlie handed him a suppressor.
“In case you get in a real jam,” said Charlie. “Last resort. I recommend only using your pistol if absolutely necessary. You can still hear the shot with these.
“Hopefully, it won’t come down to that,” said Fred. “I’ll have to tuck it in the back of my pants if I attach the suppressor.”
“However you want to carry it,” said Charlie.
“I have an idea to conceal the radio. He could carry a sacrament box and some blankets. If I remove the items in the bottom of the box, we might just be able to sneak the radio into it,” said Father Roy.
Fred watched as Father Roy disassembled the small box to make room for the radio. Once the clergy cloths and jars were removed, the radio fit snugly into the bottom of the box. Father Roy then placed the sacrament cloth over the radio, concealing it from view.
“The only way they’ll find this is if they take the box and move the top layer of ritual items and the cloth. I think you should be fine. Like I said before, no one has bothered us this entire time,” said Father Roy.
Father Roy then placed the box in a basket with a few blankets on top of it.
“That looks pretty good. I like it. If you were carrying food, I think they’d be inclined to stop you, but that basket just looks like useless church stuff. No offense, Father,” said Ray.
“None taken.”
Glancing at his watch, Charlie said, “You guys should start heading out if you’re going to make the rendezvous point. Mark and Ray, are you all set? Do you need anything else from us?”
“No, we should be fine. The two of us will trail Father Roy and Sergeant Dale until the edge of town. At that point, I’ll get Sergeant Ross settled in place and will head back, unless you need me to stay with you?” said Mark.
“I should be fine. Nothing like a couple of days sleeping on the ground to make me appreciate my own bed,” said Ray with a wink.
As Father Roy and Sergeant Dale walked out of town, the momentary sense of calm he experienced quickly vanished. This would likely be the most dangerous task he ever had to perform in the line of duty. He knew he was ready for it, but still lacked confidence.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Henry Kreen walked to the center of town after his four-hour watch shift on one of the roads leading into Porter. Exhausted, Henry longed to go home and curl up on the couch for a little while; however, his day wasn’t done. Not even close. He had an idea that might help the town in a big way and couldn’t wait to give it a try, despite his exhaustion.
Porter had two locally run gas stations, and Henry was convinced they could get the gas from the underground tanks. Last night he’d met Jeb Engles, the owner of Sureright Gas Station, in order to run a couple of ideas past him. Within an hour, they had a plan that sounded feasible. Tonight they’d give it a try.
“Hey, Henry! Nice to see you,” said Jeb.
“You too, man. Thanks for letting me try this. I’m hoping this idea works better than trying to rewire the electric. I guess I didn’t appreciate how much power was needed to pull up the gas from the tanks.”
“Sure, it’s no problem. If we can get the gas outta here and into circulation, we’ll all be better off,” said Jeb.
They walked around the back of the station, where Henry had stored the items for his experiment. He pushed a wheelbarrow filled with two sump pumps and a few hoses toward Jeb.
“Here, let me give you a hand with those,” said Jeb.
“There’s another wheelbarrow back there,” said Henry. “And about twenty gas containers. If this works, the gas will gush out of that hose, and we won’t be able to control it without shutting down the generator. We should have them all lined up in a row.”
When they had assembled all of the gear next to the tank access ports, Henry went to work.
“Thanks. We might need to remove the submerged pumps in order to bypass them. I’m hoping I have the tools we’ll need for it. Otherwise, I’ll have to walk around town looking for help again,” said Henry, slightly frustrated.
Jeb lifted the heavy lid off the first of two underground tanks. Collectively, the tanks held thousands of gallons of gasoline. Although it wasn’t a permanent solution, it would help their immediate situation.
Lying on the ground, Henry shined his flashlight into the well. A strong smell of gasoline permeated his nostrils. “I should be able to remove the exterior casing to allow us to drop the hoses into the tank.”
Using a crowbar, Henry was able to remove the top of the casing used by gas trucks to refill the tanks, releasing toxic gasoline fumes.
“Got it! This might actually work.”
After connecting two hoses to the generator-powered sump, using custom-designed fittings fashioned earlier in the day by a guy in town with a serious metal workshop, he snaked the long hose into the well and set the other inside the first five-gallon gas container.
“Ready?” said Henry.
“Okay, hit the power!”
The generator rattled and hummed, bringing the sump pump to life with it. The familiar sound of the sump pump’s start-and-stop action assured Henry the idea would work.
“Geez, man, who would’ve thought this would work?” said Jeb.
The dark liquid filled the first container faster than they expected, spilling over the top.
“This is going to get messy,” said Henry.
“Gonna smell like gas for the next week,” said Jeb.
They filled one canister after another until they got to the last can, and Henry signaled Jeb to kill the generator. When the town went quiet again, Jeb walked over and stood next to him.
“Unbelievable,” said Jeb, shaking his gas-soaked hands.
Henry stared at the line of gas cans and grinned. What had started as a crazy idea would undoubtedly make a big difference in Porter and the surrounding towns.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Sergeant Fred Dale and Father Roy had nearly reached the point where they would meet Father Mackey, sending Sergeant Dale’s heart rate into overdrive. Fred tried to calm himself by doing a deep-breathing exercise an ex-girlfriend had taught him. She was one of those yoga people, always prattling on about breathing meditation. Now he was grateful to her. He managed to somewhat calm himself as they walked.
“Everything will be fine,” said Father Roy, like he had read his mind. “You’ll see. They completely ignore us.”
“I hope you’re right. I’d like to make it back alive.”
Sergeant Ross signaled them using a familiar birdsong. To anyone else listening, they would not realize that Sergeant Ross and Mark were using subtle whistling to reassure the men that they were close.
“There he is,” said Father Roy, pointing ahead.
A lanky man dressed in a priest’s uniform and a red ball cap walked toward them. His gait was swift and purposeful, like he had every right to be out walking. Fred watched the man closely so that he could mimic his walk as best as possible.
Extending his hand to the man, Father Roy said, “Nice to see you. I brought a friend with me. This is Sergeant Dale from the Porter Police Department. The police were hoping you’d be all right with swapping with him for a couple of days. They want to get a look at what the New Order is up to and have no other way than to sneak in the good sergeant here.”
“Oh sure, but I think the parishioners will know the difference.”
“We’re not too worried about them, only the New Order. My plan is to get to the church and lie low for a while—gathering information. I’m thinking I’ll be there for two days at most.”
“That should work just fine. Do you know where the church is located?”
“Of course, my grandmother lived in Evansville. We spent most of the summer at her house. I know the town very well.”
“Then you should be fine. If you go up the steeple, you could probably see most of the town. That should help you. Do you need anything from me?” asked Father Mackey.
“I don’t think so. Any places I should avoid as I walk into town?”
“From here it’s a fairly straight shot to the church. I typically walk down Magnolia and then to Front Street. The church, as you know, is on Front.”
“I’m glad you told me your route, I might not have walked that way into town. I don’t want to vary from what you usually do in any way. Would you mind lending me your ball cap? If anyone saw you walking out of town, they’d be expecting to see you wearing the same cap on your way in.”
“The cap will help, but a man of the cloth would wear his shirt neatly tucked into his pants. You might want to tuck that,” said Father Mackey with a nod to Fred’s shirt.
