Chapter 37
“Harry, there is a train coming into Union Station.” Aubrey said, entering the main foyer of the Art Institute from the hall leading from the conference rooms.
“No shit? A real train?”
“Yeah, and from what I can gather it is full of real soldiers too. With real guns and a real tank.”
“Well we better send something out that way to deal with this problem then. Are they coming here?”
“Union Station is nine blocks west of here. Close.”
“They couldn't know where we are could they?”
“They might just head for the mob of zombies and hope they get lucky.”
“Hm, good point, I will spread them out a little and send a group towards the station. How long until they get here?”
“No more than five minutes.”
“Five minutes? What do you mean five minutes? No one thought to report a goddamn train full of soldiers plowing through the city until they are five minutes away from us?” Harry was visibly upset and Ella moved to his side and gently touched his arm to calm him down, drawing a small smile from Aubrey.
“We knew they were coming, but they have started to slow down. We think they are stopping at Union Station.”
“You should have told us.” Ella said.
Aubrey didn't bother to respond.
“I should have been told.”
Nodding her head slightly Aubrey said, “We had hoped they would pass through, maybe on their way north. I had some of the troops up there pull semis and a bull dozer over the tracks to block it. I was hoping they would not stop here.”
“You did this on your own?” Ella asked, turning to Harry she said, “You should let her know who is in charge here, make sure she understands the order of things. A good leader doesn't let his underlings make important decisions like this. You could have stopped them before they got this far.”
“Ella…” Harry warned.
“No, I agree with her a hundred percent. Ironic isn't it? What will we do now sire? Send the troops to mob the train?”
“It might be a ruse.”
Aubrey nodded, “I thought of that too. I am not sure how to deal with a tank. Maybe we should wait and see where they go first?”
“I can't see them heading for us. No one knows where we are. Nine blocks is a little close for comfort. Set up the troops in buildings on this side of the station and let's see what they are going to do. Call the zombies who blocked the tracks up north to come down here on some of the semis, just in case. We'll watch and see what they do. Those zombies up north are the former military men, if we have to we will buy time with the ones here until the others arrive. They should know how to deal with a tank.”
“Good enough, I will see to it personally.”
“Aubrey?”
“Sire?” she said with only a slight mocking tone in her voice.
“Keep our zombies a street or two away, so they can't be seen.”
“As you wish.”
Ten minutes went by with nothing more apparent than Aubrey quietly concentrating on moving her troops around. Ella was silently pacing during the first part of the exercise, familiar with what it took for the super zombies to give orders to their subordinates. Finally she leaned over and said, “I am going outside for a walk.”
Ella left and Harry got down off of the throne and approached Aubrey, who was leaning with her eyes closed against one wall. As soon as the door closed Aubrey said, “I thought she would never leave.”
“You done already.”
“Yes. It turned out to be for nothing, they unloaded the tank and other vehicles and took off to the west, they left a group to protect the train, nothing more. We should kill them.”
“If you think so. It might alert them that we know something.”
“Or they will think it is just another zombie attack.”
“Then I vote to wipe the ones at the train out.”
Aubrey nodded, “Whatever you want Harry.”
“This wasn't my idea.”
“I know, but it is still funny.”
Chapter 38
Max was livid. Stewart was not doing much better, Bill was standing with them and most of his squad watching the last of the special forces soldiers drive away on their vehicles. Unloading them from the flat bed car had been as easy as moving a loading ramp from one side of the dock and driving the armored car off, followed by the motorcycles and humvees. Draper had stopped them as they had come forward to load up.
“Sorry to do this to you Max, Stewart. You aren't coming with us.”
“What? Why? How will you find the leader if I am not along?” asked Max.
“We will get him, don't you worry. Just not with your help.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your mission is to find and take out the leader, my bosses have changed the game plan, we are no longer to travel together. You and Stewart need to stay here and protect the train until we get back.”
“There are thousands of zombies in the building over there!” Max yelled gesturing at the buildings separated from them by a canal. “We can't hold out against that many, we don't have enough bullets.”
“I can't stay here to make sure you follow orders. But if you want a ride back you better make sure nothing happens to the train.”
Behind them Bill started forward, only to have Ruben call out to him, “Bill? You got a minute?”
Looking back at the man, then towards the scene unfolding a short distance away Bill sighed and asked, “What?”
“Think of this as a learning moment. A very dangerous learning moment. Now I know Draper won't hurt your friends up there, they are civilians, but you go charging up there with your gun and your men behind you with our guns and, well, someone might do something stupid.”
“What is going on Ruben?”
“Typical spook job. Right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. I don't know for sure, but I can tell you one thing.”
“What's that?”
“Your friends ain't leaving with Draper.”
“Well shoot. What do we do now? Go back?”
“They took the engineer. I bet he took the keys or codes or whatever they use to make this thing run too. We aren't going anywhere until, and if, they get back.”
“I am not liking the sound of that.”
“No one likes shit soup Bill.”
Bill nodded and turned back to watch his friend argue with Draper, leaning up against the train nonchalantly. “Is it okay if I hold my rifle in a mildly threatening manner?”
“Well sure it is! I'll even stand next to you with mine, but I think having Dan on the machine gun is more of a threat.”
“Good idea…” Bill turned to tell Dan, then noticed the old man was already there, polishing the barrel with an oily red handkerchief. Flushing Bill turned back to Ruben, “Maybe I will just lean up against the train and make small talk with you. It seems like you got everything under control.
Miming a surprised look Ruben said, “Who me?”
They both watched Max lose his fight with Draper and come storming back. “He isn't going to take us to the leader. He said he had different orders and my 'magic powers' weren't accurate enough to find the zombie leader. The leader is right over there!” Max yelled loudly. “Right behind about twenty thousand zombies that an armored car could plow right through!”
The door of the armored car slammed shut and the vehicle rolled away slowly along the deserted streets.
“What is off that way?” asked Stewart.
A whole series of “I don't know.” came back to her as everyone within ear shot answered.