The Departing (The End Time Saga Book 4) Read online

  Her grandfather leaned his elbows on the table. “How bad is it out there?”

  Gwen adjusted herself in her seat, too full to be comfortable and feeling the need to lie down. “Bad. The East Coast has been overrun by the infected.” She turned to Haley. “Haley, sweetie, how about you set up a game in the other room?” Gwen raised her eyebrows, nodding her head encouraging the girl to leave.

  Haley’s little face looked sad. “Why can’t I stay with you guys?”

  Becky’s voice grew stern. “The adults have to do some grown-up talking. Go to the other room.”

  Standing up, Haley pouted and her blonde hair flung all around her.

  Gwen held out her hands and Haley put hers inside of Gwen’s. “I’ll join you in a few minutes to play sweetheart. Promise.”

  A smile spread across the young girl’s face. “Okay,” Haley chimed and ran off.

  Gwen watched her go, an ache of relief in her heart that her niece was safe. Everyone had always told her that it would be different with her own children but she couldn’t imagine loving any child more than the way she loved that girl. She turned back to her grandparents and Becky.

  “The infection is real. It turns people into wild monsters. Cannibals.”

  “That’s nonsense, honey. That’s just the news trying to scare you,” Gram said.

  “Let the girl speak, Lydia,” Pa growled.

  Gram humphed and got up, busying herself by clearing plates.

  “Pa, it’s real.” She let her voice drop in case little ears were sneaking a listen. “I’ve seen them kill people. I’ve killed them. They can’t be stopped. Only killed.” She had also killed a victimized woman and an American soldier, but she left those parts out of her rendition.

  Her grandfather sucked the side of his cheek. “I saw it on the news before the power went out. Just couldn’t believe it. They said old man Waverly had something exotic like. They tried to take him to county lockup, but he ended up in Iowa City for observation.”

  “Governor closed schools pretty quick,” Becky chimed in. “It’s all well and good until it’s time to pay the bills and you don’t have any money to buy groceries.” She looked down at her food.

  Gram brought in a pot of coffee and set cups in front of each person.

  Pa nodded as if it were settled. “Might not be pretty, but this farm seen this family and our parents before us through a lot worse storms than this.”

  Gwen hesitated but still took a sip of her coffee.

  “Not by feeding an extra hundred mouths out in the barn,” Becky said, baiting Gwen.

  Gwen set her coffee down. “Those people need our help. It’s more than just the infected out there. Law and order has disintegrated. Civil society doesn’t exist.”

  Her grandfather sucked his cheek again. “Nonsense. Sheriff and the mayor have things under control ’round here.”

  Gwen tilted her head. “Pa, people are killing each other for food. A man shot Mark and took me prisoner. We escaped to Michigan, only to get wrapped up in a battle against some cult.”

  Becky’s eyes went wide. “Is Mark?” she started.

  “No, he’s alive.” That mule of a man better be alive because I sure as hell ain’t raisin’ this baby without him. There’s that small town Iowa farm girl coming through again.

  “Where is that friend of yours?” Pa interrupted.

  “In Michigan with the rest of our group.”

  “There’s more of ya’?” he said. He frowned, perturbed at the thought of more people requiring his assistance.

  “Many more. Mark sent us ahead to make sure we were safe from Colonel Jackson’s troops.”

  “Who is Colonel Jackson? And why is he after you?” Pa asked.

  “It’s a long story, but things have gone really bad.”

  Pa folded his arms over his chest. “What have you gotten yourselves mixed up in, Gwenna?” He shook his head. “I never understood what your obsession was with the city. All these things you talk about are flat-out crazy. You never should have left home, Gwen. The only thing that comes from outside Iowa is trouble.”

  Gram took a seat back at the table. She took a small sip of her coffee. A little smirk snuck on her face like she held a secret. “You know who I saw the other day?”

  Jesus Christ, Gwen thought. “No, I don’t.” Yes, I do, of course I do.

  Gram’s neck wavered back and forth in excitement. “I saw Jake Bullis. Asked about you.” She sipped more of her coffee, holding the cup with two hands.

  “I’m sorry, but what does that have to do with me?”

  Her grandmother shrugged. “Just thought maybe you two would want to catch up.”

  Gwen gave her the best smile she could muster. “We shall see.”

  “Jake’s family have a lot of cattle. If this is as bad as you say it is, you would do well to treat that boy with some respect. He could be feeding us all winter,” her grandfather said.

  “Gwenna,” Haley shouted from the other room. “Come and play.”

  “Just a minute, sweetheart.” She switched gears back to Mark and the others. Anything to not talk about Jake. “Pa, whether you like it or not, Mark is coming this way with a lot of people.”

  Her grandfather huffed. “Well, it ain’t me you got to convince, but I’ll tell you one thing. We got enough on our plates with all the folks already here.” He pointed a finger out the window. “What happens when they eat us out of house and home? Will you just move on again? ’Cause I ain’t leaving.” Her grandfather looked away from the table, agitated.

  “Of course not,” Gwen mumbled.

  “You need to think about what you are asking this family to do.”

  “They’re not useless mouths. They can help you bring in the harvest and build shelters. I’ve brought a few that can fight too.”

  Her grandfather’s eyes narrowed. “Fight?”

  His look pulled on her heartstrings. “Pa, we need people who can fight, whether it’s against the living or the dead.”

  He cocked his head away, disapproval settling on his face. “We ain’t fighting nobody.”

  They sat quietly for a moment, each enamored in their own conflicting thoughts.

  She reached out and took his weathered, wrinkled hands in hers. “I’m asking you to save these people’s lives. Give them a chance.”

  Pa nodded his head as if he had thought long enough about it and released her hands.

  “I’ll take you to town in the morning and get you a meeting with the mayor. Nothing happens without his approval.”

  Gwen drank a bit of her coffee. “Perfect.” She turned to her grandmother. “Can I help you with that food?”

  Lydia stood shaking her head. “Of course not. Give me another ten minutes here and we’ll take it out to them.”

  A knocking at the door turned all their heads.

  “I’ll get it,” Gwen said, pushing her chair backward. “It’s prolly Gregor checking in on me.” She smiled at Gram and walked back into the foyer.

  “Gwenna,” Haley whined from the other room.

  Gwen wrapped her hand around the doorknob while looking at the other room. “Just a minute, babe,” she said. She swung open the door. A man leaned on the doorframe. He was over six feet tall and his face was smooth and handsome. His brown hair was partially brushed to the side to make way for his protruding brow bone and deep set dark eyes. A fine plaid shirt was tucked into his Carhartt pants kept in place by a large silver belt buckle. His lips formed a wide smile when he saw her.

  His deep voice had a slower rural cadence to it. “Well, Miss Gwen Reynolds.” His smiled widened. “I can’t believe it’s you. It’s still Reynolds, ain’t it?”

  She tried to give a pleasant smile, and she brushed her hair out of her face in a fluster. “Hi, Jake,” she said and sighed. “It is still Reynolds.” Her eyes met his after a moment spent trying to avoid him.

  “That’s good to hear. Sheriff told me you came in today, so I thought I would stop by and say hello fo
r old times’ sake.”

  She crossed her arms over her stomach, holding it. “That was very sweet of you.”

  His mouth settled into a smirk. “You know what they say about Iowans. We’re nice. Speaking of, how’s saving the planet out in Washington?”

  His tone and look irritated her. “Jake, do you realize what’s happening out there? So many people have died, and you’re acting like nothing ever happened.”

  He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Well, it ain’t too bad out here. Seen a few of them. Sheriff’s puttin’ ’em down like rabid dogs with a slug to the head. News said the world was ending before the power went out, but we ain’t so bad. It’s got many a folk saying we must be in God’s country to be so lucky.”

  “Sure seems like it,” she muttered.

  She felt little hands pushing on her hips to get by her.

  “Uncle Jake,” Haley screamed. She jumped into his arms, and he hoisted her up easily into his arms.

  “And how’s my favorite niece?”

  Haley wrapped her arms around him. “Bored. Nobody will play with me.”

  Gwen gave Haley an unimpressed look. “I said I would come and play in a minute.”

  Jake gave a knowing smile at Gwen. “I’ll tell you what. How about you stop by the farm tomorrow and we can feed the bottle calves? But only if your Aunt brings you by.”

  “Yeahhhh,” Haley exclaimed. Her eyes lit up at Gwen. “Can we please?”

  Gwen rolled her eyes. “After I get done talking to the mayor, but only if we have time, can we stop by Jake’s farm.”

  Jake set her down. “Now, go run along, little girl.”

  He gave her a smirk. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Miss Gwen.”

  “Goodnight, Jake.” She put a hand on the door, closing it save for about a foot.

  His boots clomped down the porch as he marched back out to this pickup truck. She watched his lean body walk away. He was every bit of muscle from working the farm from the time he could walk. What am I doing?

  “Old habits die hard,” Becky said from behind her.

  Gwen closed the door quickly and gave her a dirty look.

  Becky smirked. “Just saying.”

  Gwen gave her a nasty stare. “All right, Haley, let’s play.”

  KINNICK

  Peterson Air Force Base, CO

  The female Air Force captain looked like an adult child ready to throw a tantrum. Her lower lip pushed out a hair.

  “Why are they sending you?” Gallagher asked softly.

  Sarcasm dripped from his voice. “The VP hand-picked his finest.” He was far from a great warrior or superior commander. He could fight, but he wasn’t the best man to shore up a collapsing nation by organizing and training the civilian population along the Mississippi River in order to hold the front against the infected. He was a nuisance and had overstepped his station attempting to prevent the use of nuclear weapons on the West Coast. Now, he found himself going to the other front line. He was better left out of sight or dead than to continue showing up at Peterson. I should have left the government a long time ago. Then I could have died with everyone else out East. He wouldn’t have been in the Golden Triangle if he wasn’t tied to the government. He would have been stranded in Washington and perished with the millions of others stuck in the district as it collapsed. Like your wife and kids. He pushed that thought far away and deep into his guts.

  Her blue eyes clouded at the injustice. “You aren’t even Army. You’re Air Force.”

  He nodded, “I know sweetheart, but it doesn’t matter.” He tossed multiple uniforms into his pack. Nothing matters to them. Just get the job done and be quiet. “I’m retired. Well, was retired. I shouldn’t even be alive. Yet here we are.”

  She crossed her arms. “What does this mean for us?”

  There’s an us? He turned to her, trying not to wear the reality of the situation on his face. Her friendly, almost doe-like eyes were scared and sad at the same time. “Kate, you’re a good woman.” He reached up and ran his hand gently down her cheek. Her skin was soft beneath his fingertips. “Do whatever you have to do to survive. I won’t lie to you and tell you I’m coming back. I feel like I’ve been too lucky as it is.”

  She shook her head no. They had only been shacking up for a few weeks. She had latched onto him because he provided her some sort of emotional support. He latched onto her because everything else he had was gone, and she was a pleasure to pass the time with as they waited for the end.

  “I don’t want that,” she whispered.

  He avoided her eyes. He didn’t want to hurt her, but that was the world they lived in. “You stay safe.”

  She tilted her head in pain and then looked away as her eyes watered.

  He gently put a finger on the side of her chin turning her face back to him. He leaned in and locked lips with her, kissing her for all his worth. Probably the last time I’ll do that with a woman. Her mouth felt warm and welcoming, all her emotion building into a single kiss. He let their lips disconnect. He hesitated for a moment, his face lingering near hers. He pulled away. Her eyes were closed and her mouth still open.

  He took a step away from her and looked her up and down one more time. Even in her Air Force hoodie and sweats, she was a lustful reminder of what he was going to miss for what were mankind’s final days on earth. Her figure is to die for and those hips and those lips. Damn, I am a dumbass.

  “I’m getting too old for this,” he said to her, but it was more for him.

  He hoisted his pack up onto his shoulder and snatched up his M4 carbine that rested propped up in the corner of the room. He opened the door and left without another word. Some of the best things were better left unsaid and far behind.

  ***

  When he walked onto the airfield, a soldier with a thick brown beard and a black eyepatch met him. A SCAR-H was slung downward on his chest. A nice optic lined the top of his weapon. His battle belt was lined with multiple magazines for his sidearm. His chest was covered with magazines for his rifle. A ball of chew stuck out of the lower left side of his lip. Next to him stood a half-Asian soldier, his face expressionless. He carried a short-barreled M4A1 carbine. His kit was lighter than that of his comrade, but he was no less deadly. The wind whipped and fluttered his longer black hair.

  Kinnick smiled at the two men. “You two look happy to see me.”

  Master Sergeant Hunter’s single eye darted in the direction of his comrade. He spit on the ground and the brown juice splatted the pavement. “I will speak on behalf of Hawk and I. We’re both about as happy as a possum with a sweet potato to see you.” Hawk’s eyes gave a half-blink in agreement with Hunter’s words.

  The Green Beret winked his one eye and dropped his voice. “Thanks for getting us off this base. We were starting to get bored waiting for Turmelle.”

  “That’s,” Hawk chimed in with a baritone voice. He paused.

  Hunter turned in his direction, his jaw dropping a bit.

  “Correct,” Hawk finished. His mouth set back in a thin line. His contribution to the conversation was complete.

  Kinnick nodded at his two Special Forces soldiers. “Sins and skins, gentleman.”

  Hunter spit again. “Sins and skins, Colonel.”

  “Let’s get everyone organized,” Kinnick said. He gestured at a cluster of eight UH-60 Black Hawks. “This us?”

  “Yes, sir. We got a solid crew.” They walked toward the gray-green Black Hawks. The helicopters’ rotors rested tilting downward.

  “I’ve worked with at least half of the men in the past.”

  “That’s good. Once we get in the field, we won’t be seeing them much.”

  “That’s just the way we like it.”

  A cluster of rugged-looking men lounged near the helicopters. Their natural face armor consisted of long beards that gave them the appearance of a biker gang. All of their gear was unorthodox and modified, none of it standard-issued. They eyed Kinnick and the remnants of the “Skins” ODA 51. They knew
when to listen and stood gathered around Kinnick, awaiting instruction. Hands rested atop gear, others had their fingers wrapped through loops on their vests.

  “Gentleman. We have a long road ahead of us. You will be tested and tried in the field without a doubt. Good part about it is you don’t have to take any language lessons for this op. At least depending on how far south you go.” This garnered a few chuckles. “It’s up to us to get the American public involved in the fight and to hold back the undead. This is your mission and I expect you to complete it.”

  The five Operational Detachment Alphas of Green Berets, roughly sixty men total, nodded.

  “I’m sure you were expecting one of your own to lead you. Don’t be offended by my presence. The Air Force sent their best field operator to lead you.” More of the Green Berets smiled at this. They knew he had only a fraction of their field experience. Can I imagine sitting them at the controls of a C-130 and saying ‘fly’? No. Laughable.

  “Yet times are tough. If you’ll show me to the nearest golf course, I’ll be on my way.”

  The men outright laughed now. They smiled, showing teeth through bushy beards.

  “In all seriousness, don’t expect much relief out there.” Smiles faded away from the younger men’s faces. They knew what to expect. “Whatever you’ve experienced, expect less. Your nation expects you to do more with nothing. There is no telling when you will get any support in the field.” He took a deep breath before he continued. “You don’t need a reminder, but I’m going to do it anyway. The indigenous people out there are Americans. They’re your neighbors. They’re scared and need our help to weather the coming storm. Let’s get them in the fight. Good luck, gentlemen.”

  A short man with wavy black hair and captain’s bars on his chest stepped in front alongside Kinnick. “You heard the colonel. We will be linking up with a portion of the 4th Battalion, 2nd Marines in La Crescent where we will be acquiring our SURC rides. Be ready in five mikes to hit the skies. Hooah.”

  “Hooah,” the Green Berets responded.

  “Captain. A word,” Kinnick said waving at the man.