Revealed: Parables From The Apocalypse - Dystopian Fiction (11 page)

Tanks & Banks

The tank was inching its way to the perimeter of the depository, like they were testing the fort's defenses.  Each pass they made along the fence moved it a little closer to the perimeter.  What they were also doing was getting a good lay of the land. All three of them mirrored the tank’s movements, always keeping the tank between them and the fort. Biding their time, and waiting for the tank to make its move.  Eventually, it did.  Halfway down the perimeter line, the tank turned a full ninety degrees and faced the fort head on. 

Christa looked up to Chaz. "Is this it, are they moving in?"

"Patience, girl."  The old colonel continued to survey the scene.  "Stick to the plan, and stick with Alex."

"Great.  Great plan.  Plain old follow the leader.  We don't even know what the leader is doing."

Chaz glared her down.  "Quiet!  Just watch."

The engines of the tank got louder as it accelerated.  The ground shook, and the smell of diesel filled the air.  The tank pushed forward through the first perimeter fence with ease.  There was movement on the roof of the depository, but it was hard to tell exactly what the soldiers were doing.  Before Chaz had a chance to look through his binoculars, the tank raised its main gun, and fired a shell at the top of the depository.  It hit the uppermost corner of the depository's northern side.  The soldiers on top fell and scattered for cover but the depository held.  No one had ever dreamed that US tanks would attack the depository, but this was no ordinary building.  It would take more than one old tank shell to bring it down.  The guards on the rooftops regained their positions and fired back. 

With the fort focused on the tank, Chaz passed through the hole in the fence, then moved north along the fence line.  While the tank attacked the west wall, Chaz intended to make his way to the back doors.  The challenge for Chaz in his weakened condition was evading freaks still wandering the property.   He distanced himself from the tank action, then cut across the main open area, heading towards the loading doors.  Hopefully, the fort’s attention would remain on the tank before he breached the next fence perimeter.

There was no cover for Chaz to hide behind.  This wasn't like moving through a dark forest, where trees and bushes provided cover.  As stupid as these freaks were, it didn't take a lot of cunning for them to spot him moving across a barren field.  Even the tank’s commotion wasn't enough to distract them all.  Stealth was no longer an option. Speed, and efficient killing, were going to be his best friends for the next few minutes. 

The first freak went down quickly, with a knife through the eye.  Chaz kept moving, but whenever one freak found him, it attracted another.  Chaz moved fast and low, keeping his center of balance strong like a running back focused on the goal line, the goal line in Chaz's case being the rear loading doors.  With a knife in one hand and his pistol in the other, Chaz continued moving through the growing crowd.  He didn't have time to kill every freak.  Some he simply out-maneuvered and ran past.  The problem was, every freak he left behind increased the mob chasing him.  He didn't want to draw attention with pistol fire, but the group behind him was gaining.  He stopped long enough to turn and kill the fastest three chasing him.  As he turned to resume running for the doors, he found himself toe to toe with one big ugly freak.  This guy had to weigh at least two-fifty, and stood tall at six foot four. At one time in his life, he would have been solid muscle.  He blocked Chaz's stab to the eye with his left arm, forcing Chaz to waste two bullets firing into his midsection.  That was enough to get the freak to drop its guard, allowing Chaz’s knife to pierce its skull with his second blow. 
Keep moving
, he thought.

* * *

Alex and Christa continued to follow the path of the tank.  An occasional freak would come close, but they mostly backed off once they caught sight of Christa. Some didn't back off.  Alex had to take one particularly quick freak out with his pistol as it snuck around the side of the tank.  Several more tried, and although Alex was able to take them down, it unsettled him to think they were using intelligent tactics.  The tank continued to bombard the fort.  They fired another shell at the facing wall, and this time there was real damage.  Big chunks of the concrete fell away, and the rebar underneath was exposed.  The tank was winning the game of attrition.  If the fort couldn't stop the tank soon, then it was just a question of time before its walls were breached.  Alex was surprised how accurate the zombies were with their shelling.  He had to wonder how long they had been planning this.

* * *

Chaz continued to make steady progress, but was tiring quickly.  His wounds were beginning to take their toll, and he could barely lift his pistol.  Loading a new clip would be out of the question. 
No point in dragging this out any longer,
he thought.  Chaz opted to empty his clip at the freaks standing between him and the rear loading doors.  There were none pursuing him, so he stood his ground, and took out a dozen or more freaks.  It took less than a minute to empty his weapon, and when it was, the silence was palpable.  Chaz could hear the blood pumping in his ears.  There were still a few freaks standing between him and the doors.  He took a deep breath, and charged full speed ahead.  His knife felled the first freak without breaking his stride. The doors were within fifty feet.  The next freak got a hold of his bad arm for just a second before Chaz knifed it through the nose.  He shook off the freak and kept moving.  His arm throbbed in pain.  Only two of them left, and forty feet to the doors.  They attacked him at the same time.  He straight-armed the weaker one, grabbing it by the throat.  It slobbered over his arm and twisted its neck in every conceivable direction to sink its teeth into Chaz's arm.  The other he stabbed at unsuccessfully.  His first blow swung well wide as his fist glanced off the freak's side.  It almost sunk its teeth into Chaz's neck before he swung again, plunging his blade through the freak's left eye.  Still catching his breath, Chaz tightened his grip on the last one's throat, and threw it to the ground.  It crawled back to Chaz through the dirt.  Chaz went for the easy kill, and brought his foot down on the freak's skull.  It died with the first impact, but Chaz stomped it a few more times to be sure.  The path was clear to the doors.  He heard a mechanical sound, and looked up to see the security camera moving and focusing.  The camera continued following Chaz all the way to the loading doors.

* * *

Something had to be done about the tank.  If those freaks got inside the fort, everything they had fought for would be for nothing.  Alex had a plan, but it wasn't one he particularly liked. 

"Christa, I need you to do something for me."

"OK, what is it?"

"I want you to distract that tank."

"Are you crazy?  How am I supposed to do that?  Have you seen that thing?  It's huge!  It has big guns!"

"Yes, I know, it's scary, but don't forget who's driving it."

"Alex, I know who's driving it.  That doesn't make me feel much better."

"They won't hurt you.  I know you don't like it when I bring it up, but there's really something different about you.  You have an effect on those zombies, for whatever reason."

Christa looked down, and when she looked up, she was fighting back tears.  "I know, I know.  What do you need me to do?"

"You don't have to ..."

"Alex, just tell me what you want me to do."

"OK, look.  I think I can get into the tank and stop it, but I need you to distract them for just a few minutes."

"How?"

"I want you to run out in front of the tank till they see you."

"You want me to run in front of a tank?"  Fear replaced the tears in Christa's eyes.

"Just for a second.  Just long enough for them to get a good look at you.  That's all I need."

"Well, yeah, I guess I can do that.  But then what?  Some of these freaks will still try to kill me."

"I know, but not the more intelligent ones.  The ones driving the tank have to be more intelligent."

"You’re sure? You're really sure?"

"Yeah, pretty sure. Well ... I'm sorry, Christa, but no, I can't really be sure.  There's been so many crazy things going on lately, I can't be totally sure of anything.  But just trust me, alright?  I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe."

* * *

Chaz ran the remaining way as best he could.  He hobbled up the few steps, holding on to the railing to the door.  He pulled on the door handle, and when it didn't budge, he pounded on the door, yelling, "Let me in.  I have valuable information."

The camera followed him the entire time, but the door never opened.  Chaz continued pounding and yelling, drawing attention to himself.  He looked up and spoke directly to the camera.  "I don't know if you can hear me, but you need to let me in.  I've got information and supplies your scientists need.  I know about your research. I have medicine and research notes from the CDC in Atlanta."

Still, the door remained closed.  Chaz stopped pounding when he heard a voice come from the speaker.  "You need to turn around and defend yourself.  They're coming for you."

Chaz turned, and saw a half dozen zombies making their way to his position.  All his pounding and yelling had drawn the wrong attention.  He pressed the speaker intercom button.

"Let me in!  I can barely stand up.  You need what I have."

The speaker crackled again.  "We can't risk the security of this facility for one man.  Eliminate the insurgents, and we'll open the door."

Chaz looked back one time over his shoulder. "Fucking son of a bitch.  Just open the door."

The freaks started up the steps.

* * *

"I sure hope you're right, Alex.  These things are scary as hell."

"You'll be OK, Christa.  I won't let them hurt you.  I promise."

They moved up close behind the tank as it continued to shell the fort.  Their last shot opened a man-sized hole in the side of the building.  The hole opened into a storage room.  Alex could make out crates and pallets through the opening in the wall.  The tank surged forward, fueled by their success breaching the wall.

"OK, Christa.  Time to go.  Make your move up the left side of the tank. You'll be protected from the soldiers’ weapons fire.  Just get far enough in front to be noticed."

Christa moved hesitantly at first, but with encouragement from Alex, she made her way to the tank’s line of sight.  At first, the tank made no acknowledgement of her.  She did draw the attention of a nearby freak that grabbed her by the arm and gnashed its remaining teeth.  Another human-looking freak grabbed the attacking freak’s arm, and separated it from its shoulder socket.  Christa reeled backwards as the first freak was clubbed to a pulp with its own arm.  The tank continued moving forward.

Alex tried climbing up the back of the moving tank several times, but slipped back into the dirt.   The sound of the tank engine and squeaking treads was too loud to speak over, so Alex motioned to Christa to try again.

Christa ran a bit further up, then cut directly in front of the tank.  It kept advancing towards her.  A few zombies attempted to take her, but the protective one fended them off, and pushed one of them under the tank treads.  Eventually, Christa got far enough in front to stop, plant her feet and scream at the top of her lungs with everything she had in her.  Her hands were clenched in fists and she thought she was going to pass out from screaming so long. Then, the tank came to a stop, and the hatch popped open.  The main gunner popped out of the hatch, and shot the zombies approaching Christa.  Their heads shattered, and brain bits splattered Christa, but she never stopped screaming.  The gunner motioned for Christa to come to him.  He indicated he wanted her in the tank.

With the tank stopped and the gunner preoccupied, Alex scaled the back of the tank.  The soldiers at the fort also stopped firing, and watched.  Quietly, Alex came up behind the gunner, and plunged his blade through the gunner’s right ear.  The gunner slumped forward.  Alex pulled the gunner completely out of the tank and threw him over the side and into the dirt.  He then dropped two handheld C4 explosives into the open hatch, closed it, and dove off the back of the tank.

Seconds later, two muffled thuds came from within the tank, and a wisp of smoke wafted out the tank’s view ports.  Alex pulled himself up, and ran to Christa’s side.  She had stopped screaming, but was sobbing on her knees in front of the tank.  There were dead freaks all around her. 

"Christa, are you OK?  Can you hear me?"

Christa was slow moving, but eventually she looked up. 

"Yes, I’m OK.  I'm fine.  Don't ever ask me to do something like that again!"

"Thank goodness.  You had me worried there."  Alex placed his hands on either side of her face, and looked into her eyes. "You did great, you did really great."