Free Human Extinction Level Loss (Book 2): Substation (The Last Stand of Gary Sykes) by Philip A. McClimon Page A

occurred to her.  She dropped it into drive and hit the gas.  The truck lumbered away at a respectable pace, but not towards the Western Interconnection.
    “Where are you going?!  The Western Interconnection is that way!” Gary shouted.
    Beverly kept her hands to the wheel as she sped across the landscape.
    “Just trying to thin the herd a bit,” she said as she aimed the truck at a group of Walkers. 
    There was a tremendous thud as the front end smashed into the Walkers.  The truck shuddered and bounced as it first blasted some out of the way and then rolled over others, grinding them into topsoil.  Viscera splashed the windshield and Beverly nonchalantly pushed the wipers.  Water sprayed the glass and the windshield was scraped clean. 
    Beverly cranked the wheel and the truck leaned in squealing protest as it circled back and headed for a line of Shufflers.  They were all heading towards the control building and their backs were towards the truck.  Beverly bit down and pushed hard on the gas.  The headlights bathed the Zombies in pale light.  Their heads just began to turn as the truck plowed through them.  Like a bowling ball scoring a strike, Undead were launched into the air around the truck.
    Beverly smiled.  “How does that song go?  Sometimes you’re the windshield.”
    “Sometimes you’re the bug,” Gary countered. 
    A few more passes with the truck and Beverly had created a substantial Zombie free buffer zone between them and the Western Interconnection building.  She cranked the wheel around and headed for the door. 
    “Alright, Gary.  We’re looking good.  Just be prepared to get that door open,” Beverly said.
    Gary gripped the crowbar and took a breath.  Beverly sped up to the front door and hit the brakes.  The truck skidded to a stop, the front end inches from the building.  Gary jumped out and ran to the door. He reared back and brought the crowbar down hard on the glass panel.  The door was reinforced safety glass and the crow bar only knocked a small chunk out of it.  Gary continued his assault, knocking small shards away with every strike.  Behind him, Beverly stood guard with her back to him.
    “I thought you were supposed to be the bodyguard,” she said as Gary continued to wail away at the door.
    “If you know a way to cut through safety glass with bolt-cutters, I would love to hear it!” Gary said as he took another swing at the door.
    The impact of metal on safety glass began to attract the attention of some of the closer Dead and several turned towards them and began to approach.
    “You’re doing fine, Gary and there is nothing to worry about, but anytime now would be great!” Beverly said, her voice rising an octave.
    “Just one more!” Gary grunted as he struck the glass and a large chunk fell away.  He jammed the curved end into the hole and twisted away the metal strands in the glass.  Reaching his hand inside he flipped the deadbolt and the door swung open.
    “We’re in!” he shouted.  Beverly turned and dived into the building as Gary slammed the door closed behind her and flipped the bolt back to locked. 
    “Okay, where to now?” Beverly asked. 
    Gary turned and headed to a short flight of stairs leading to a large open area.
    “Down here,” Gary said.
    They both took the stairs two at a time.  Beverly followed Gary to a row of five large boxes secured with padlocks.
    “These?” Beverly asked.
    “Cut ‘em,” Gary confirmed. 
    Beverly took a breath and went to work cutting locks.  As the locks fell away, Gary swung open the doors and flipped a series of five switches in each one.  Beverly cut the last lock as Gary jumped in front and began flipping the last of them.
    “Why wasn’t this done already?” Beverly asked.
    “It’s election time next month and State and Federal bigwigs wanted to make it a big photo-op, figured it would be good for votes, you know, look what we’re doing.  Like we would just forget they are all