A New World: Dissension (17 page)

“We can do that. What would you like sent?” Bannerman asks.

“Radio Leonard and see what he needs. Talk with Krandle and the SEAL Team and see what they’d like,” I answer.

“I’ll see to it. Now, with the new arrivals…” Bannerman starts.

“Let me guess. We’re going to talk quarters,” I say, interrupting.

“Well, it’s way past time. There’s no way we’re going to be able to house everyone in here for the long run,” he replies.

“Okay, I agree. We need to develop a secure, permanent place for us all. I think the base housing is still out of the equation with the night runner adaptations so we need to build something here. Are we going to be able start on those with all that is going on?” I ask.

“That depends. We’ll have the inner wall up in about a week or so. We can focus on the guard towers and have them up shortly or we can disperse our activities between the towers and quarters. I think it’s important to have the quarters up quick or we’re going to start seeing problems crop up,” Bannerman says.

“I agree. We’re going to want them finished before winter. At least in my opinion,” Drescoll adds.

“It seems it’s pretty important to have towers up fairly soon. If what you say is true about the night runners changing, and the fact that they’re going to have more hours of night during the winter, we’ll want our defenses in place,” Robert adds.

“How long until the wall is finished?” Lynn asks.

“About a week or so depending on the weather,” Bannerman answers.

“And how long to get the towers in place if we focus on them?” Lynn further asks.

“That may take another week or two. We’ll have to let the concrete in the upended storage containers set before we can start on the upper levels,” Bannerman replies.

“And the quarters?” Lynn asks.

“Now that will probably take a while. It depends on the design we come up with. I’m thinking we could build them like apartments. Some can support families and others individuals, couples, or roommates,” Bannerman responds.

“So, let’s talk about the design then,” I say.

We spend the next hour discussing a secure design. We come up with building apartment style complexes on top of concrete filled storage containers to have them off the ground. The buildings will have retractable stairs and ramps for entrance. A hoist and pulley system will be incorporated with a garage-like facility for bringing supplies and heavy objects into each building. Retractable ramps will run between the buildings in case we need to pull back into another building with ramps eventually running to the Cabelas roof. This will be our final redoubt in case the apartments become overrun. Overhangs will surround the bottom of the quarters so the night runners can’t scale them from underneath. Steel shutters with firing ports are to be hinged on each of the windows and doors.

“That’s going to take some time to put up,” Bannerman says after we complete the design phase.

“Like, how long?” I ask.

“I couldn’t even hazard a guess. A lot of our projects are nearing completion so we should be able to put a lot of hands to work on it, but as far as how long it will take to complete enough buildings to house everyone, I have no idea,” Bannerman replies.

“If you want my opinion, I think the towers have to do with the safety of the group and the quarters are, while not really a nicety, they don’t match up with providing for our security,” Greg says.

“I couldn’t agree more,” I say. “Anyone else have different ideas?”

The opinions are mixed among us as we ponder different ramifications of each. We eventually arrive at completing the towers and have some people assigned to begin filling the containers with concrete and laying them in place. I also mention Roger, the pilot who was with Sam and his group, and my thoughts of rigging up loudspeakers to a light engine aircraft to help out with the search for additional survivors in the area. Frank comments that he’ll talk with him and incorporate him into the search.

“You know, I have to say that standing at the narrows today gave me an idea about putting a moat around the compound,” Frank adds as the conversation subsides.

“A moat? Really? I’m not sure having stagnant water like that is a good idea. That will breed all sorts of bacteria,” Lynn says.

“True, we don’t have to fill it, but if we dig a ditch, say twenty feet wide and twenty feet deep, it could trap any night runners who try to get close to the walls. We could put a drawbridge at the front entrance and that would seal us away,” Frank replies.

“Wouldn’t that fill up with water during the winter months?” Drescoll asks.

“We could line it with concrete and put sump pumps to drain it,” Robert adds.

“Okay, but I don’t think that’s a very viable option. I mean, building a ditch like that all of the way around the compound isn’t a very plausible solution. That’s four miles of ditch you’re talking about,” Greg comments.

“What about just around the inner walls? We could run the ditch under the existing walls and just encircle the inner compound,” Franks says.

“I suppose that might be viable and we could build a drain field and pump the water into it,” Bannerman states.

“We have the mine field we’ve put up. Do you really think that’s necessary?” Drescoll asks.

“My thinking is that they could push through and once they make a path through the mine field, then they could reach the walls. The night runners have shown themselves to be relentless regardless of the numbers they lose,” Franks says.

“The night runners could come up with a way to build a bridge across it,” I comment.

“Really?! Do you think they could do that?” Drescoll asks, incredulously.

“Who knows? They’ve been pretty innovative in the past. Just look at the hospital. Each of our innovations seems to spur their own. We are, in effect, sponsoring their adaptability by the very nature of trying to keep them out. It’s a cycle. We need to stay at least two steps ahead and think of their possible adaptations,” I answer.

“Are you saying we don’t build something because of what it may spur on the night runner side?” Drescoll asks.

“No. I’m not saying we stop coming up with and adopting solutions, we just need to think ahead to any possible night runner reaction, regardless of how far-fetched it might seem,” I reply. “I think our best solution lies with clearing them out.”

“Well, that’s true and I completely agree with that. So, what do we do about the ditch?” Drescoll says.

“I don’t think we have the resources right now to do that, the towers, and build the quarters,” Bannerman chimes in. “I think we need to concentrate on the towers and quarters.”

“I agree but I don’t want to completely drop Frank’s notion of a moat. I think it’s a great idea and not only because of the night runners. If Leonard is truly going to let others he encounters know about our location, we may experience trouble at some point from a large group of marauders. We need to prepare ourselves for that eventuality. And that’s regardless of who Leonard meets. I think someone, at some point, is going to find us and decide they’d like our little garden for themselves,” I say.

“That’s true. I’ve thought about that myself. We might want to bring more Strykers down,” Frank says.

“We’re close to being finished with the vehicle storage building and can bring them down and store them when it’s complete,” Bannerman replies.

We begin to wind down our meeting when Horace speaks up. “Sir, I’m just curious, how did you know there were night runners inside of the warehouse?”

And, there’s the bomb! It goes off with little sound but she may as well have tossed a grenade in our midst. I feel my heart beat increase more than it would if I was inside of a night runner-infested building. My initial thought is to scream shrilly and run from the building. My second thought is to suddenly go deaf but Lynn knows that one. I’ve tried that one in the past with little success. I was thinking of telling them anyway but the worry of their reaction has kept my lips sealed.

My cheeks puff out as I forcefully blow air through my pursed lips. “I suppose it’s time I tell you a story. Grab some popcorn and make yourselves comfortable as I have a bit of a story to tell,” I answer

I proceed to tell them the changes I seem to have undergone. I can’t tell them too much really as I really don’t understand it myself. Jaws hit the ground and disbelief crowds everyone’s eyes as I spin my tale. The silence within the group is complete as I finish. The sounds of people shuffling and arranging their belongings within the building rise in stark detail but are unheard in our little circle. Telling what happened and the changes that occurred makes it sound like quite the fabrication. I hear myself as the words come reluctantly from my mouth and I don’t believe it. I wait for the first burst of laughter or “that’s a good one, Jack” but am only met with stares as the thoughts churn inside each head. I worry about their reaction.

“So, wait a minute. First of all, you mean to tell us that the night runners communicate amongst themselves in some sort of telepathic manner? And that you can sense and ‘hear’ them?” Drescoll asks, breaking the tense silence.

“It appears so,” I say.

“Then we can use that,” Drescoll states.

“To some degree, however, they can sense and ‘hear’ me when I open up like that. It’s not as great a tool as you might think,” I reply.

“But still. You know if night runners are in a building before we go in,” he comments.

“It’s not as accurate as that. I didn’t sense anything in the building when we picked up our chutes but they were in there. For whatever reason, it seems to be a hit or miss kind of thing and I don’t want to rely on it being definitive,” I respond.

“Fair enough but why didn’t you tell us this before?” Franks asks.

“Because I don’t really understand it myself and wanted to know more about it before bringing it up. Plus, in all honesty, I didn’t know what your reaction would be. And I still don’t,” I answer.

“You have to know we’re not going to think any ill of you, Jack. We’re a team and that goes no matter what. We may not agree on everything but we still need to operate as a single entity and, honestly, I don’t think we’d be here if it wasn’t for the experience you bring. That goes for the expertise we all bring. I think I speak for everyone here,” Frank states. I look at each to see them nod in agreement.

“Thanks, everyone. I appreciate that and apologize for keeping that from you. It’s just strange coming to terms with not only that, but everything around us as well,” I reply.

“Completely understandable,” Drescoll says. “So, I have another question.”

“Go ahead,” I say with some trepidation.

“You say you can hear better and see in the dark like the night runners. Do you have their strength and agility as well?”

“First, I’m not sure the extent the night runners can hear, see, or smell so I can’t really talk to any comparison. It does seem they are still more advanced in those areas though. I don’t think I could sniff out a single person in a building. So, I’d have to apply that to other areas as well. Why do you ask?” I answer.

“Well, I was thinking if you had the same abilities, we could test them and therefore know what abilities and limitations the night runners have,” Drescoll says.

The big “duh” goes off in my head.
How did I not think of something so plain and simple as that before?
However, I’ve seen what the night runners can do and I seriously doubt I am able to do what they can do. It is worth looking at though. I almost wish I had their exact abilities and knew how to use them. Then we could test out our defenses, to see if the walls are the right height and if other defensive measure we take will keep the night runners at bay.

“That’s an excellent point and I’ll be honest that I never thought of doing that before. We’ll keep it in mind in the future, but remember, I don’t think anything I have measures up to what the night runners have,” I respond.

I look at Robert and Bri who continue to stare at me as if I’d just sprouted wings. I can’t say as I blame them, or anyone else’s reaction for that matter. I’m sure it was a shock but am glad for the understanding. I’ll talk with them later about it but right now, with the meeting breaking up, Robert and I need to get with Frank, plot out the targets for the night, and get some rest.

* * * * * *

Night runners streak in through the broken door. The chase has been a long one playing cat and mouse with this particular pack. I’ve tried to keep the sprints to minimum to lessen the sweating. I know their ability to find me via scent and have used everything at my disposal to keep ahead of them. Pack after pack have found me throughout the night as I try to make my way to a secure shelter. I wrack my mind to figure out why I’m out here at night but I fail to remember why. All I know is that I’m close to being spent and only have a partial mag left in my M-4. If my count is close to being correct, there are only four rounds remaining. After that, the knives at my side are all I have.

I’m spent and it’s all I can do to keep my panting breath from giving me away. Behind what used to be a customer service desk in a store I can’t remember, I hide behind the partition peeking out through a narrow gap. Eleven night runners that rushed in only moments before hard on my heels stand only a few scant feet away. They stand with their noses in the air trying to catch a scent. I hear their low growls deep in their throats and smell the strong, acrid odor of their unwashed bodies. My choice of hiding spots is iffy at best and I’m surprised I allowed myself to choose it. My only way out is through the night runners.