Henry wondered if he should answer. Was Nostrum looking for leverage? Was he probing for information he could later use against Henry? He decided to give an answer that was both honest and something Nostrum already knew. “I want to get as many people to the Gulf of Mexico as possible, reestablish land-based civilization, and take back North America.”
Nostrum chuckled. “That’s a good answer, Henry. A lot of people, they’d answer that they want the undead to go away or their loved ones to come back. Everyone wants those things, but that’s not going to happen. You want real things, attainable things. That makes your dreams more than fantasy. You can achieve your dreams. That’s healthy.”
“My dreams would be much easier to achieve if incompetent politicians would get out of my way and let me do my job.” Henry answered bitterly. “What do you want? To float here until we’re overrun or run out of food and supplies? To go to war with the Chinese and get us all killed?”
“Sirs…” A young sailor barely in his twenties had approached them. “We’re going to be taking off soon.”
“Oh look!” Nostrum picked up his suitcase and gingerly stepped toward the helicopter. “My ride’s here.”
Henry glared at the Senator, but he picked up his own suitcase and followed. The two men got into their seats and buckled in. The rotors roared louder and louder until the ungainly helicopter, piled high with boxes and bags, took off.
From the air, the fleet looked unlike anything Henry had ever seen. Destroyers and cruisers patrolled a wide perimeter. Large groupings of civilian vessels were huddled together like floating neighborhoods. Smaller yachts and fishing boats sat next to larger cruise ships. Further inside the perimeter sat the container ships and supply frigates that were vital to the fleet’s survival. At the center of it all, sat the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan Super Carrier, looming like a mighty giant over its domain.
The view was impressive, but there were other, more ominous sights as well. Here and there, undead floundered helplessly about in the ocean waves. Abandoned and capsized vessels dotted the sea, their broken and half-submerged carcasses floating aimlessly through the military perimeter. Oil fires of sunken ships, gasoline slicks, garbage bags, and human filth — the sum of the waste that thirty thousand people can produce—covered the ocean like a watery garbage dump. The fleet truly was a floating city with a complete lack of plumbing or trash collection, and the blue water carried a brown and green tint.
As quickly as it had taken to the air, the helicopter landed on the deck of the Horizon Pacific container ship. Henry sat patiently while the marines and sailors unloaded cargo.
Nostrum unbuckled himself from his seat and stepped onto the deck. A heavy set man with a gray beard approached the Chinook. He had his arms wrapped around two attractive young women in bikinis, and he wore a gaudy gold ring on every finger. With a red-faced toothy smile, he extended a hand in greeting. “Senator!” The man said with the rough voice of a life-long sailor. “It’s good to see you again… you didn’t have to bring the squaddies, though. I would have sent an escort to get you.”
Henry had heard the derogatory term ’squaddies’ before, but not in a long time. Ever since the military became the difference between life and the undead, they commanded a level of respect among the civilian population that was unassailable. It took a special kind of degenerate to insult the Navy in private, let alone in their presence.
“Captain.” Nostrum took the man’s hand, nodded, and seemed about to continue speaking, when the boisterous man shoved one of his women toward a soldier who had just set down a large sealed black box.
“C’mon, boys! Stay a while. We got beer! Food! Women!” The man chuckled.
The soldier caught the woman. Her face was expressionless—almost sad—as she ran her hand up the inside of the marine’s thigh. The soldier released her, pushed her gently away, shook his head, and returned to his work.
“Men?” the captain grinned. “I know about you navy boys…”
“Captain, I’ll meet you on the bridge momentarily.” Nostrum interrupted as he watched the woman the captain had pushed scurry away between containers. “I need a moment with Dr. Damico.”
“Eh? Dr. Damico?” The Captain turned his attention to Henry who sat quietly in the helicopter. “Well… nice to finally meet the Admiral’s butt boy. Here!” He shoved the other woman toward the helicopter. “Have a blow job and stop taking my loot!”
The woman began to climb into the helicopter with Henry. Now that she was closer to him, he could see the unmistakable outline of bruises on her face and arms. Makeup had been caked on to cover the abuse, but—in the bright sunlight—it was plain to see. Henry made eye contact with her and shook his head. “Get out,” he ordered. A feeling, part pity, part anger, and part helplessness, washed over him. He slowly shifted his gaze to meet the captain’s as the woman climbed back out of the aircraft.
The captain’s grin vanished from his face as he met Henry’s icy stare. “This is my loot, Captain. You’re just watching it for me. Do not abuse that privilege.” Henry was almost surprised at the words coming out of him. For the first time, he felt the intoxication of power and how it could be seductive. He was both horrified and excited by the sensation. “There are plenty of people who can do your job. Just give me a reason to replace you.”
Nostrum broke in. “Captain, I’ll see you in a moment. Please…”
The Captain gaped for a moment, unaccustomed to being spoken to in such a manner on his own ship. He was about to protest, but thought better of it. Wordlessly turned on his heels and walked away.
Nostrum walked back over to Henry and leaned in. “The fleet is not a place for high ideals, Henry. People know your name, and you can’t expect them to understand what you do. There’s no in between for you. People love you or hate you. He…” Nostrum nodded in the direction of the captain, “hates you and he has more power to spread that hate than you know. You do not want him as an enemy.”
“It sounds like he’s already made me his enemy,” Henry replied. “We have to tolerate men like him? I could have the Admiral…”
“What? Kick him off his ship? Execute him? Banish him for being a womanizing asshole? For taking advantage of his position?” Nostrum interrupted. “Listen to yourself.”
Henry was about to argue back, but Nostrum’s words rang in his ear; “For taking advantage of his position…” the rebuke had touched on a sore spot.
“You’re a smart man, Henry, but you don’t know a damn thing about what’s going on out here. This isn’t Camelot, and there isn’t room for any white knights… Go to the Boxer. Go see your wife and let me do my job,” Nostrum continued. “When you get back you’ll have your Gulf of Mexico.”
Henry cocked his head curiously.
“I’ll give you the Gulf, but when I need a favor from you… you’re going to deliver.” Nostrum stepped away from the helicopter and smiled. “Deal?”
Chapter 26
Private Stenson took a running jump, and he reached up to catch the top edge of the second story clinic. A swarm of zombies burst onto the ground floor roof of the music store behind him. He pulled himself up with a grunt, and he dragged his body onto the ledge. Dozens of howling monsters reached after him in frustration as he crawled exhausted onto the elevated clinic roof.
Well out of reach of the angry horde, Stenson rolled onto his back and gazed up at the blue sky. Every part of him wanted to rest… to stay there and let exhaustion have its way with him. Sleep deprived and pushed to his physical limits, he let fatigue win for a moment. While the bright California sun warmed his weary body, the clamor of the undead swarm seemed to fade into the wind.