Free Blue Plague: War (Blue Plague Book 6) by Thomas A Watson Page B

out. We sent out UAVs and found the gang.”
    “Any others?” Bruce asked, feeling a headache.
    “Yeah, several dozen. They average a hundred or so.”
    “What are you not saying?”
    “Well, we have found several in Alabama that are going out finding white sheets hanging out and capturing survivors,” Mike said.
    Feeling the world crash back on his shoulders, Bruce dropped in his chair. “Someone tell Gopher to shut his trap and announce only bring out sheets when they hear choppers because gangs are moving in before we can get everyone,” Bruce said.
    “May I continue now?” Jake said, looking at him and Mike.
    “Go ahead, son,” Bruce said.
    “Like I was saying, Gopher is making promises we can’t keep yet. When the savaging crews get back to rotate out with new crews, they all just collapsed, so we can’t use them to pick up the survivors. The crews only have one day off before rotating back out,” Jake said.
    “Okay, from now on, the scavengers unit will be called Sigma, and the home guard will be the Praetorian Guard,” Bruce said. “We will use some of the units of Sigma that were here—”
    “Ah no, Bruce, my Sigma units are still storing the crap brought in and are working fifteen hour shifts; they are tired,” Stephanie interrupted.
    Angela stood. “Bruce, the Sigma units out now are only getting five hours rest a day. They are getting down time even if I have to lengthen time out. The ‘Praetorian Guard,’” she exemplified, “barely got that. Gamma had to send out several platoons just to replace them so they could rest.”
    “Why the Praetorian Guard?” Mike asked, curious.
    “First, when I think home guard, I think of the old men in England during World War Two: not the image I want. Second, the Praetorians guarded the seat of power in Rome. Now, they guard something we can’t live without. Our home.”
    Mike shrugged. “Oh, I like that. I just though you came up with it when you were tired. You hallucinate some wild shit when you’re tired.”
    Bruce shook his head, not even going there. “Well then, I will take Omega out to gather the survivors that are close—” he stopped as everyone jumped up and started yelling and pointing fingers at him. Bruce fought the urge to run.
    “Shut the fuck up!” Mike screamed at the top of his lungs, and the room fell silent with everyone looking at him. “I’m first, so back off,” he said, looking around the table. Then, he turned to Bruce. “Okay, you want to leave and go get some survivors. Correct me if I’m wrong, but we all agreed that you would stay here until the government troops were handled one way or another,” Mike growled. “I don’t see Gene here, and I haven’t been told you wiped them out, so that means they are still a threat. Just because there is something going on elsewhere, don’t think you can just take your toys and go play.”
    Throwing up his hands in disgust, Bruce said, “Mike, the attack is over a month away.”
    “Bruce, they could leave in a few days. I know they just can’t up and leave on short notice with seven thousand men, but they can decide to leave today and start in two days. If you go out, you could get tangled up with a gang, a mob of infected, find the Grail, or get abducted by aliens. Point is, we want you close until this is over,” Mike told him.
    “Mike, I could be back here long before they get close,” Bruce said.
    Shaking his head, Mike glared at Bruce. “You get distracted in the field too easy. We want your entire attention on this until it’s over,” Mike said. “Bruce, they are coming with seven thousand troops. They have been trained to fight and have the same shit we do, granted no fixed wing air, but they have toys.”
    “We are not trying to fight them, Mike.”
    “Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. Sound familiar?”
    “I have, Mike. If it comes to that, we will wipe them out by air. I’m not going to get in a slug fest with them.”
    Mike threw up