Moosehill Militia (Book 1): INFECTED (24 page)

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That evening around 9 p.m. Mike met up with Mac his XO, Jack Majors and Dave Maddox two of his buddy's from the police force and company commanders along with Sean Thornton another company commander and museum curator and retired Master Sergeant, who’s greatly respected. Also sitting there was Robert Aucoin his cousin and Oddie the owner of Opus Shelters and respected members of the base. Rory Scannell Police Chief of Leicester and Brody Dowd Mike’s brother in law married to Karen who has moved to the forefront in ground air operations were present also. Mike thought of him as there new airport manager, he doesn’t know it yet.

When Mac walked into the meeting shaking his head almost bumping Dave and spilling his coffee, “watch it will you.” Dave held his arm out sheltering his precious drink.

“Sorry Dave, my mind was elsewhere.” He told him. Mac turned around looking for Mike he had a story to tell him. “There you are.” Walking over to Mike who was talking with Jack and Oddie Gussdorf.

“We saw the damnedest thing the other day when we were clearing some of the Rochdale section of town. “Do you remember JC Capon?” Mac asked. “Sure I should we worked the same shift for a while.” Mike exclaimed. “Yes, he just up and quit one day said he was going to open a food truck and sell smoked meat sandwiches and his famous award winning chili.” Mac furthered. “Any way, we ran into him. Here we come down River Street the whole damn company sitting up in our APC’s with hardly an Infected in sight for the last few minutes. I pulled up level with his house and the last thing I expected to see was a barbecue going on under the car port of JC’S house. There he was in his shorts and sleeveless white T-shirt with some T-Rex on his shirt with the logo T-Rex Hates push-ups. He had his brother Vinny similarly attired and a few other rednecks sitting around his meat smoker all carrying various selections of assault rifles or leaning against their chairs. I jumped down and walked over, he said. “Hey Mac, about time you guys showed up, I heard you a mile away, shooting the place up like it’s Virginia city or something. Your boys want to dismount I have five gallons of chili just about done to perfection.” JC told me. “Now I’ve had his chili before, so being no dummy I ordered pickets set out and we dismounted right there in the road and the whole company lined up and had a taste of his world class chili.”

“I offered him refuge here at Moosehill, he turned it down flat. Figured he hasn't needed any help so far, he said he should be good. Then he offered his help if we ever needed it. I left him a portable radio and charger and we moved on. We didn’t find another Infected until almost Pleasant and Stafford Street. The hole in the wall gang must have been clearing that section themselves for a week or more. Craziest thing I seen in a while.” Mac said.

“Huh, sure sounds it Mac, we could have used him and his guns. Well maybe in the future. Let’s get this meeting started. We have a shit load to do.” Mike stood up and cleared his throat. “Thank you all for coming, everybody have a drink? Good.” Everyone nodded.

“After the last few days and some discussions we, Mac and I had with various people. We thought we should formalize our rank structure. I was against this at first, but there seems to be a need for it. So from this time onward, I being the Commander of this outfit will formally have the Rank of Colonel in the Moosehill Militia.” Mike took a bow and everyone dutifully clapped, Mac will now be officially my XO and Lieutenant Colonel. We will soon reach the size militarily speaking of fielding two full Battalions and those two commanders will be majors. Company commanders will be Captains and Platoon leaders will be Lieutenants, and so on. I’d like to eliminate some of the enlisted ranks I think they are redundant. Enlisted will go by Master Sergeant, Top Sergeant, Sergeant, corporal, Private First Class, Private. The same will go for our pilots. Regular pilot will be Lieutenant junior grade, up to Lieutenant, flight leaders will be Captains, and Group leader will be Majors. Base Commanders will have the acting rank of Major also. Now I feel kind of foolish doing this. But speaking with Admiral Rin and her escort, we will be more respected with a formalized rank structure, otherwise where just some guys playing soldier to them. It was made obvious that the Admiral wanted us under her command, and maybe one day we will if it’s to our advantage.” Any questions. Everyone stood up and gave their best salutes middle finger first. “No sir.” They said in unison. They all broke out into general laughter. Mike stood with a grin on his face shaking his head. He was thinking, excellent, moral is better than I thought.

“Okay, ha. Funny. Serious for a second. Mac are we set for tomorrow’s trip to Westover?” Mike asked.

“Yes we are. We have seventy trained pilot’s going and Charlie Company with Captain Thornton commanding.” Mac looked at Sean Thornton with a grin. Sean was at least five years older than Mac, pushing sixty, you’d never be able to tell by looking at him, and he looked like he was made of steel. There’s no give in that man Mike thought.

“We will be taking all five Blackhawk's with door mounted gunners, we will insert at Westover with fifty five Troops of Charlie Company secure that part of the base where we have information that those choppers are stored, and the runway for the 8 C-130’s two of which will be bring in four M113A2 APC’s and the rest of Charlie Company, the pilots and a civilian volunteer work crew of aircraft mechanics that have had a lot of practice lately.” Mac heard snickers from the crowd at that comment.

“At that point we grab as much loot as we can.” Mac finished.

Mac you’re in charge here, keep pushing the perimeter out, rescue as many as you can. Start planning a raid into Auburn to BJ’s and Home Depot, that supermarket Park and Shop and a TJ Max also. Try and get as much as you can out of that plaza. We need to be emptying gas stations of diesel and gas also, where using a lot of fuel. We have only tapped less than five percent of our total fuel reserves, but I’d like to replenish as much as we can. I’d like to think about putting in a few more large fuel tanks into the ground as well. Get some of our construction people thinking on that? Keep working on the Abby and Becker Bases. I’d like to see them totally enclosed by the end of tomorrow. Okay everybody, early morning tomorrow get some sleep. I’ll see some of you at six a.m. Good night.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Day +7

Bay of Maine, British Task Force

The Task Force led by the HMS Ocean and commanded by Commodore Chase Hanford of the Royal Navy approached Portland Maine from the south east, included in that task force the Flag ship HMS Ocean, HMS Bulwark a Albion-Class amphibious transport dock, HMS Westminster and HMS Kent both type 23 Frigates and HMS Defender a type 45 or Daring class destroyer and HMS Mersey a River class offshore patrol vessel. Accompanying the British task force the USS Whidbey Island the lead ship in the Whidbey Island Class dock landing ship with five hundred U.S. Marines, along with thirteen hundred Royal Marines were coming to Portland Maine.

Admiral Rin of Second Fleet had dispatched the Ocean Task Force to assist the citizens of Portland in their fight against the Infected. It appeared the city was still holding out. It was in a defensible position on a peninsula with several good size islands off the coast in Casco Bay and Portland had a deep harbor that could take up to mid-size ships, anything larger like a Carrier or Amphibious Carrier would have to stay out in the Bay a mile or more away.

“Sir, where approaching the south coast of Peaks Island, the Quarter Master announced, the largest Island close to Portland. He recommended coming to a complete stop at these coordinates just south west of Peaks Island.

“Okay, let’s send an air unit ashore and make contact, let’s see what the situation is before we commit any units to landing.” The Commodore looked at his aid Lieutenant Ted Brother.

“Aye, Aye Commodore.” Ted called the air boss and skipper of the ship and relayed the orders. The commodore could watch the action on deck from the large monitor screens placed in his Flag Bridge. Almost immediate he noticed increased activity on the deck of the Ocean. A Lynx helicopter was already on the deck and started to spin up its rotors while Ted who ran from the Flag Bridge and out onto the deck along with a security team of four Royal Marines got into the helicopter. Inside the chopper ready to go was a pilot and co-pilot and a crew chief/door gunner.

The Lynx was quickly off the deck and heading toward Portland at speed. It still holds the helicopter speed records at something around 245 mph, they should be there awfully quick the Commodore thought. The Lynx flew towers Portland’s waterfront at mast height pulling up and over the wharfs most of which have buildings on them. Commercial Street along the water front is a nice wide stretch of road that the Lynx could land on. Ted observed the street and immediate surroundings for a minute. He noticed there was hardly any traffic, some people were walking around and there were a few fishing boats pulling out of their docks. Ted motioned for the pilot to put them down in the middle of Commercial Street. That should get someone’s attention he thought. As the Lynx was settling down onto the road, several people watched from the sidewalk, a Portland City Police vehicle sped down the road with its lights and siren on. Ted Brother and his escort stepped out of the helicopter as the police cruiser came to a stop near them. Ted walked forward toward the cruiser and the driver got out and walked around to Ted.

“Good morning sir, that’s a nifty little helicopter you got there. What can I help you with today?” The Police Sergeant said.

“Good morning Sergeant, I’m lieutenant Commander Ted Brother off the HMS Ocean, the big ship you can see out in the Bay.” He said pointing toward the ship they could see in the distance. “We were authorized to come up here and help the citizens of Portland in these troubling times. Who can my Commodore speak with? We would be glad to transport someone out to the ship.” Ted said.

“Send your helicopter back to your ship and pick up this Commodore and bring them back here. The City council and City manager would be glad to speak with your Commodore in City Hall.” The Police Sergeant said.

Ted sent the helicopter back to the Ocean and stayed with his escort. They stepped to the side of the road and waited for the Commodore and more vehicles to transport them to City Hall.

Ten minutes later the Lynx helicopter was back with the Commodore and two more Royal Marines. By this time two vans had showed up to transport their guests up the hill toward City Hall. While driving up toward Congress Street where the city government was located, Commodore Hanford noticed the lack of people on the streets.

On arrival they were escorted by their drivers into City Hall down a hallway and into a meeting room. Around the table were two men and one women.

One of the men came forward and offered his hand, “Good morning Commodore Hanford and Lt. Commander Brother. I’m Stanford Bason the City manager and these two are city councilor's Lauren Aylor and Robby Hagen.

“Mr. Staford and Council persons, I’ll get right to the point. I hear you have an Infected problem. Your one of the few city's still standing as far as we know. Maybe it’s because you’re on a peninsula or there’s not as many people around to get infected. I don’t know.

I’ve been tasked from Admiral Aki Rin the Commanding Officer of Second Fleet to come here and render aid. Now could you tell me your predicament?”

“Thank God someone’s offering help Commodore. We have every able bodied man constructing a fortified line across the peninsula here.” Pointing to City Map on the Wall behind them. “Where using Interstate 295 as the line it’s raised above the surrounding ground all along this section.” Mr. Bason showed tracing his finger along the highway as it crosses the peninsula. The underpasses we have filled up with rubble and anything else we could fill it with. We could really use some help. Police Chief Robert Grady is up there now and is in charge of the defense. Please go see for yourself and any help you give would be a blessing.” City Manager Bason told the Commodore.

“We will see what we can do. Could your driver take us to the Chief of Police?” Commodore Hanford asked.

“Of course.” As they walked out to the front of the building and shook hands again, before the Commodore and her escort got back in the Vans and drove west to Interstate 295.

They arrived coming down Forest drive which turns into the 10th Mountain Division Highway after it goes under Interstate 295. The Commodore and her escorts pulled up and exited her vehicle. Before leaving her vehicle she gave instructions by portable radio for her helicopter to relocate to this location, and back to Ocean to get the full complement of Marine ready to land near the Ferry docks.

They walked up to a RV Command vehicle with the Portland Police Department Logo on the side it had several antennas sticking out of it.

“Who might you be Sir?” A Short stocky man in a Portland Police uniform with stars on his collar asked him.

“I'm the man who’s bringing you thirteen hundred Royal Marines and five hundred United States Marines to help little man.” he said with a smile, being at least an inch taller than him.

His eyes grew big, as he exclaimed. “F#@king A, we’re saved!” He threw out his hand to shake the Commodore’s with a big grin. “I have the feeling were going to be great friends.” Chief Grady announced.

“Commodore Chase Hanford at your service Chief, I have the Marines prepped and ready where do you want them.” He told the Chief. “What’s your situation?” he asked.