Cody studied the face of the man who emerged. He was haggard and tired looking, probably ten years younger than his face would indicate, worn by the cares of trying to hold an oasis of civilization in a world full of rampaging infected and human predators like Ruger. Cody wondered briefly how he’d do if he had to run a town full of civilians who presumably had no training and no concept of military discipline under similar circumstances. Probably not too well.
“Derek Wyler, mayor of Millersville,” the man said in a raspy voice, extending his hand. “You sure arrived at an opportune moment, captain.”
“Jeff Pearson,” Cody’s commander said as he shook the offered hand. “Glad we could help out.”
“The government—somewhere—still has units to deploy then?” Derek asked hopefully. “Or wait, you said on the com you were a Sectors unit. Have they come to help?”
Cody had seen Jeff do this countless times on their many missions, talk to a local chieftain or authority, gain their trust, seem open and ready to help on the surface while giving away as few details as possible about their mission. “Sorry to disappoint you but neither assumption is correct,” Jeff said now. “We’re a small unit, sent in for a different mission before the Western flu hit.”
“But you’ll stay?” Derek asked, eyes narrowed. “We can use the help. Ruger will be back and there’s an infected swarm?—”
“We’ll hunker down here for a day or two,” Jeff said, cutting off the list of threats to the good citizens of Millersville. “Help out where we can while we’re here. I’m on my way to Glastine and then points north. Can’t say more than that.”
The mayor wasn’t pleased and he eyed the APC’s speculatively. Cody’s finger tightened on the trigger, ready for the meeting to go south, glad Tamsyn and the others were safe inside the APC. Even if he and the captain were killed or captured, Zach would take over as next in command and rain holy hell down on the city.
“I could order you to stay,, impound the vehicles—” he said.
“You could try,” Jeff agreed with as tight smile. The megacannon on top of APC2 swiveled to point at the group. “Not a good idea. Let’s do our best to work together while my team and I are here. We’ve bought you time with both Ruger and the infected. All we want in return is safe passage through Millersville and an exchange of information.”
Eyebrows drawn together in a frown, Derek said, “What kind of information?”
“Let’s get into the specifics later,” Jeff replied. “Right now I believe you have an urgent medical situation with the wounded from your battle.”
“We have a few paramedics, an EMT, several nurses and well meaning volunteers,” Derek told them. “It’s better than nothing but not by much.”
“I have a doctor and a combat medic on my team,” Jeff said. “I’ll be happy to lend you their services while we’re here.”
“A doctor?” The mayor could hardly suppress his excitement and Cody remembered Norwood had told them the mayor’s wife was in the middle of a difficult pregnancy. “I didn’t think there were any left on the planet except maybe one or two up at Glastine. I didn’t think I could be more grateful to you than I am already but if you truly have a doctor to offer us, even for a few days, you can pretty much name your price.”
Jeff shook his head. “No price, aside from what I already mentioned. If we’re in agreement then let’s get this going. The wounded need help.”
“We cleared the hospital as one of our first actions to get control of the city,” Derek said. “There are teams out now gathering the wounded and taking them there.”
“Then I need to get my doctor and her team there as well,” Jeff said. “Can the APC maneuver through your streets from here to the hospital?”
“Yes. I’ll send an AGcycle rider with you as a guide,” the mayor offered. One of his men left the group at a dead run and came buzzing back on the cycle in short order.
“Mount up,” Jeff said to Cody. “We’ll get the doc to the hospital and then you and I need to get together and talk,” he told the mayor.
“I’ll have Sigi there guide you to what currently passes as the mayoral mansion,” Derek said with a tired grin. “Of course the wounded are the top priority for now but afterward I need the doctor to see my wife. She’s pregnant and there have been scary complications.”
“Of course. We’re here to help,” Jeff assured the man. He and Cody withdrew to the APC.
“Follow the rider,” Jeff told Zach. Trent had left APC2 and joined the group on APC1, bringing a heavy combat medic pack with him. “Five minutes to the hospital,” Jeff told Melly as the APC lurched into motion. “No idea what we’re riding into, as far as resources for you. Bunch of volunteers I guess.”
“We’ll cope.” Melly had put her hair up into a tightly wound bun and had her small medkit out, ready to get to her patients. “I’ll need the supplies from the cargo hold. Unless this hospital is still stocked.”
“The mayor didn’t say. I’d assume the worst.”
As they got closer to the hospital, Cody thought Jeff had been generous. One wing was burned to the ground. Many of the windows in the remaining two wings were broken and it was obvious there’d been pitched battles in the vicinity. Black ichor stains clung to the walls and sidewalks and he shuddered at the idea of how many infected must have come from the hospital, as victims of the flu turned and the authorities were overwhelmed. The mayor was doing an amazing job holding the town together
The Emergency entrance was lit and the APC pulled up to the doors, which stood open.
“We clear the area first, then I’ll escort you inside,” Jeff told Melly and Trent.
“I’m going too,” Tamsyn said. “I’m here to support the doctor in whatever way I can.”
Cody bit his lip to keep himself from protesting. Tamsyn was stubborn but she did have a wealth of experience handling veterinary emergencies on the ranch and she stayed levelheaded in crises. If it was up to him he’d keep her wrapped in protective shields and never let her go near danger but that wasn’t the world they were living in.
