Zombiefest Ch. 11

"You have five seconds to call out to your men inside to release them, if you do not, one of you will be shot dead for every ten seconds they remain a captive. Raise your weapon and you die sooner." I warned them and began counting down. When I hit two...

"Alright, alright.. release them now!" he called out. Soon many were stumbling out of the Fort and loading the trucks. I stopped one older man.

"Anyone else being stopped from leaving?" I asked. He leaned close.

"More then twenty young women, their so called entertainment." he whispered and quickly climbed into the Truck.

"Flanks, kill the idiots in your field of fire." I said coldly. Sixteen shots rang out while the men before us looked around.

"What did you just fire at?" he demanded.

"Your flankers are dead, one man for each young woman you still hold captive you fucking rapists, be happy I did not start with you. Now release them or we finish this and I burn your World to the ground." I growled at him and let my eyes glow brightly. All of them stiffened at seeing several pairs of glowing purple eyes.

"Release them all damnit." he called back.

"I find out one single man, woman or child is still being held against their will, and I destroy all of you. We don't carry rockets just for show you know." I called back, soon the women were running out the gate and moving to us. I stopped one of them.

"Anyone else in there?" I asked.

"No just those assholes and a zombie with blue eyes." she said and I released her. A Zombie with blue eyes?, this I had to see for myself.

"Well lets have a look at this Zombie with Blue Eyes. Oh and if we don't come out in fifteen minutes, the rockets and bullets will decimate all of you and believe me my people can and will track down anyone who runs." I demanded and walked over to the second big mouth and yanked him from the horse.

Walking inside it looked like a giant mud pit, no drainage had ever been created to allow for run off. There were a few buildings, makeshift single room buildings from the looks of them but most prominent were cages resting in the mud. Following the man I noted that only a handful of the jack asses were inside the Fort. The next question was, do I leave these assholes to continue to torment anyone who passes by, or finish them off.

He walked up to a cage and started slapping at the figure within, a young woman, maybe even a teenager turned to look at us as her eyes glowed a soft blue color. She backed away from the mans hand trying to slap her.

"Not a Zombie." I muttered and listened as the men inside were moving around slowly. I kept track of them.

"How do you know?" he shot back.

"Because she would have ripped your arm off or bitten you by now ya dumb ass. She's a kid with something else going on." I replied evenly and nodded to the girl who was watching me and the way my eyes glowed as well.

"Take them out now." I whispered into the radio. As the gun fire started outside the walls, I shot big mouth and spun while firing on those inside the walls. The young woman jumped and looked as the bodies fell before returning her attention to me.

"You are safe with me if you will allow me to help you. If not you are free to go as you like." I told her in a calm tone before snapping the lock and opening the gate.

She moved forward as I left the gate clear for her. She started to walk past, but looked conflicted.

"Before you run off, there is food at the trucks, no one will hurt you. There are horses available if you wish to ride away. It is up to you, no one will ever stop you from going where you want." I explained further and she paused and looked at me. In an instant she was standing at my side and shivering. I removed my overcoat and draped it over her shoulders.

Walking back her head was on a swivel as she noted people around us. At the truck I grabbed a water bottle and a sandwich. She stayed by my side while she devoured it.

"You can't allow her to come, she is infected, she has been bitten, look at her arm." someone yelled from the group.

"How long she been in that cage?" I demanded. While holding her gently and waved Torie and Maria closer.

"Almost a year." another voice called.

"Yet in all that time did she ever attack anyone, other then possibly to defend herself, did her eyes turn red, did she ever act like a Zombie in any way?" I asked as if they should have considered this on their own. The silence was answer enough.

"She comes with us if she wants, as for her Blue eyes, who cares, my eyes glow as well. You don't like it then get off my trucks and go back to your hermit Fort. The assholes are all dead, just drag their bodies away, provide better drainage and you could make it livable. Up to you. But either way, she stays if she wants." I said flatly while my people were grinning.

"We will stay, not because of the eyes, but because you are right this can be a good start. We would welcome future trade once we are up and running." The older man stated as he climbed down along with his people. "You are a harsh man, but a fair one. Someone who will hold their word. We do not have much in provisions, could you help us?" he asked hopefully.

"Tell you what, you got anyone who can use the old treadle sewing machines, we can bring them and we could use some mending from time to time and food and materials can be the barter. Water is fresh here and the Zombie virus only lives within the Zombies now. So the soil, plants, animals and water are free of the Virus and safe to consume." I explained and he smiled.

"We have several of our women and men capable of sewing, you find a leather machine and we can help there too. " he replied and I looked back the way we had come, I knew of a couple relay stations that could help power the fort.

"Any electricians here?" I asked and he pointed out a younger man.

"Jason, that roll of wire. And three breaker boxes with some wire and a few switches with light fixtures and outlets." I called over. He was on the radio in an instant.

"What will that do?" he asked slowly. I smiled at the Older man.

"My friend that will get you back from the stone age and into a more stable set up. We have reliable power at our stronghold. We already hooked up to a power station. Now another truck will arrive tomorrow most likely and they will deliver what you need. We will send the commercial sewing machines and a few more exotic ones. If you are willing to help with clothing, we can trade for food and power." I explained and his eyes lit up.

"Now I do not suggest keeping your gates closed to new comers, what I do suggest, fight to keep your home and your freedom if it comes to that. We need to reclaim our lives and we can't do that if we are scared of our own shadows and scared to do what is right. If you like I can have trainers help train your men and women to help with defending your Strong Hold." I offered and he nodded in agreement.

"But yeah, fix the drainage and build better homes for yourselves, I mean that is like, yikes." I said jokingly and he laughed.

"Agreed.. we will remove those damn cages and everything of them that is not what we want or need for our home." he said proudly. I smiled and sent them on their way with a few rations for meals to last a few days.

"Jason tell them to bring two milk cows, three jerked beef and three frozen. Then set up the lights and power for use when the sewing machines arrive." I told him and he nodded while relaying the information. I led the young woman into the truck and everyone loaded up while a few ran alongside to maintain the security.

"Do we know who she is?" Maria asked quietly and I shook my head while getting the rig up to speed.

"She was bitten, as was I, and we both were picked to survive. I was chosen by luck and science while she was chosen by fate." I said quietly. The young woman looked over at me with a curious expression. I looked at her and she stared at my eyes, I allowed them to glow a bit and she smiled.

"P.. P.. Pretty.." she said softly and in a tone that suggested she had not spoken in a very long time.

"I think she likes your eyes, love." Maria said with a smirk.

"Do not make me have you run patrol all night when we stop." I warned and winked at them with a grin. The others laughed while the girl seemed to finally relax and dozed off while leaning against me. It was a helluva start to a trade business and we hadn't even gotten to the Truckee yet.