Free Deadrise 2: Deadwar by Steven R. Gardner Page B

in a larger force to attack us?”
“Why would I do that?” Smitty asked.
“You are raiders. You said so yourself. Maybe you want what we have?”
    “There are easier pickings. Besides, humans are an endangered species. We have enough to worry about without us killing each other.”
    “You got that right.” The suspicion seemed to drain from Hughes.
    “We will meet with your people, but we are going nowhere. This is our home. God has delivered us to this place, and we have sacrificed much to keep it safe.” Smitty could tell by the look on the faces of the Mountain View residents that not all shared Hughes sentiment.
    “Fair enough.” Smitty and Hughes shook hands. Hughes might well be insane, but that would be for the Rainbow Lake Council to figure out. Smitty grabbed the walkie-talkie from his belt. “Chico, call home, give a report. Tell them to get someone out here to meet with these people ASAP.”
    “Right, boss.” Chico’s voice crackled back over the mic. Moments later, Chico radioed back that Captain Turner had dispatched a pair of squads from Evanston to Mountain View, and that the Council would be sending representatives by helicopter within the hour.
    “The Council?” Hughes asked, his suspicion rising once again.
    “It is how the people of our community have chosen to govern themselves. I would try to explain it but I’m no diplomat, but one will be along shortly.” Smitty could hardly believe the words coming out of his mouth...
     
    It was just past two in the afternoon when Smitty and his crew finally rolled out of Mountain View. They had spent the past two and a half hours mingling with the inhabitants of the community while Jenkins, Patty Marshall and Sheriff Busley met with Hughes and his people. The people of Mt. View were a mixed lot, much like those at Rainbow Lake; one hundred people with shattered lives, banded together trying to stay alive in this hell on earth.
    Once outside Mountain View, the forest and the mountains seemed to melt away into the background, replaced by grass and scrub covered hills and wide-open country. The wonderful view made the fifty-mile ride to Green River pleasant enough, and only a few zombies were scattered along the highway, and the occasional vehicle parked along the side of the road.
    Each abandoned vehicle they passed was a potential piece of salvage. So were the zombies when you got right down to it. Many of them wore jewelry, and Smitty surmised that would always be valuable, regardless of the state of the world. Many zombies were also carrying prescription medicine and illegal drugs in their pocket and purses, holdovers from their lives before they became walking dead. The potential for power and profit in this new world boggled Smitty’s mind. All one needed was the tools and the gumption to use them, and anything you wanted was there for the taking, like a great big pussy just waiting to get fucked. It brought a smile to Smitty’s face every time he thought about it.
     
    Two miles outside Green River they came to a tiny airfield with a small control house at one end and a row of barn-sized hangars on the other. Half a dozen zombies could be seen staggering about, but they would be easy enough to deal with. Smitty signaled a halt to the bikes, and they all pulled to a stop on the access road beside the control station. Smitty wanted to assess the situation one more time before they advanced into the city. Green River was about the same size as Evanston, with a pre-dead population of about eleven thousand. But whereas Evanston had been primarily a mining and refinery town, Green River was an important railroad hub and major tourist center year round. At any given day of the year, there were one to five thousand visitors, which would translate into a larger number of zombies.
    Smitty climbed out of the truck, stretching his knees and back until they popped. Augie and Wild Billy had dismounted from the bikes and were approaching the nearest zombie,