Free DEAD FACTIONS - the Zombie War Narratives - a Novella by Michael Carr Page B

with a problem.  Patrick, go grab Corey's bag and the box from the jeep.”She reaches to her boot and turns on the tracking device.
    The phone on the wall rings, the General is slow to reach for it. Not taking his eyes off Tonya, he answers the phone. The voice on phone updates the General, “Sir, we have the signal again.”
    Anders desperate to know, “Where is it?!” His face is enraged…his eyes grow large...jaw slightly drops. He disconnects the phone call. General Anders has never been tested like this before nor has he ever felt so powerless. “What is it?”
    Tonya walks over to the Doctor and shows the General where the object is located. The stud that has changed everything,
    “A small device has been applied to the back of your senior medical officer’s head. When he is no longer useful, I will detonate the explosive.”
                  “How did my troops miss those when you entered the base?” 
    Tonya smiles, pleased, “Well they don’t give off ballistic residue and they appear to look like studs on clothing. Really a cool weapon I'd say.”
    The General walks up to the back of Richards to review the bomb, “What do you want? “
    She responds quickly, she knows exactly what they need, “We require a clear path out of here…no obstacles.”
                  The General tries to show less anger and takes a lighter approach. He puts his hands in his pockets and kind of shrugs as if her request might be possible, “A path for whom?”
    In her mind, Tonya already has one foot out the door. She does not want to negotiate further, “Present company, excluding you.”
    The General stays firm, “No can do!”
    Tonya states the obvious hoping not to lose any momentum, “You don’t really have an option. You have everything to lose.”
    He tries to stay calm and intimidate his younger opponent, “…and you don’t ? Remember…you came to me for help.”
                  “Things have changed. We are going to have to protect ourselves and make our own happy ending. Besides, we will leave you to your bigger agenda, like ruling another country, another weapon to build or another dollar to make. You sacrificed your citizens…for what? You have nothing…” Tonya looks over as the Doctor begins to put a somewhat coherent Corey into a wheel chair.
    Patrick returns from the jeep, “Surprisingly everything was there.”
    Richards looks at the General for any last direction. There is none.
    “Alright, follow me.” The Doctor leads them down the hall and to the vehicles.
    Corey calls out to Chief, “Hey Chief, kick it in high gear! We’re leaving.”
    “Nah, gonna stick around and get patched up. I’ll be sure to turn the lights off when I leave.”
    Corey is confused, “What?”
    Tonya pulls his arm, “It’s ok Corey. Come on! You’re holding us up!” Tonya’s mouth tightens as she nods at Chief. He returns the nod.
                  The General walks into the hallway watching them. He will not allow himself to feel defeated. He returns to the examination room, sits down and begins to dial, “Assemble a team to follow the civilians that are leaving with Dr. Richards. Tell the team to meet me at the back platform in 5 minutes.”
                  The four find a medical jeep to which the Doctor has keys. After loading, they pull off with Tonya driving, Corey shotgun, and Patrick behind Tonya holding a gun towards Richards. As the vehicle moves off the base, soldiers ordered to stand down could only stare at the fleeing four.
                  At the platform, the General meets two armored vehicles. Immediately they go to work to locate the runaways. Anders radios to the armored truck behind him, “Start scanning for the signal…Colonel Stevens, tell your men that Richards and Corey are not to be harmed.”
                  Several minutes later Tonya begins to tell Corey what they learned at the base, “You gotta