Priest turned to Doug, “Where do you think we are?”
“Well, based on the horizon and the land, I would say close to Coldwater, Indiana somewhere.”
“Are you aware of any close airports or refuel points?”
Doug acknowledged and remembered a small airfield he had come across a few times.
Twenty minutes later they sighted the airport. They circled the area looking for any infected, so they buzzed it three or four times with no movement. After the final flyover, Doug located the fuel tanks.
“They’re over at the maintenance
building right there.” Doug was pointing to a tan painted building sitting to the right of three small hangers, which probably housed two or three single engine airplanes. Across from the hangers were two buildings that housed support vehicles for the airport. Most of the pavement on the flight line wasn’t in the best of shape, and there were cracks throughout with various weeds growing out of them. Most of the buildings had seen better days suffering from peeling paint, rusted pipes and faded signs.
“Guess we will have to take a chance and see what we find.”
Shaw quipped, “Famous last words.”
“Ok boys, you know the drill. Doc, Shaw and myself will provide security. Doug stays in the bird and Allison pumps.”
“Wait, what?” Shaw stutters. “Why is Allison going out to pump fuel?”
Priest looks at Allison, “Can you fly a helicopter?”
“Ah….no, I can’t.”
“Ok, there is your answer. Doug is the only way any of us have a way out of here. If it makes you feel any better, Shaw, you can cover that side. Her safety is strictly in your hands. Feel better?” Shaw just looked at him and Priest gave him an enormous ass smile.
Doc started giggling. Shaw leaned over to face Doc, but Allison patted his arm.
“It’s ok, I got this. You can cover my ass, but just don’t stare at it too long.” Shaw blushed, which made Doc laugh even louder. Allison slapped Doc hard on the shoulder.
“Ow” he howled.
“Cut it out or I will let Shaw do whatever he wants.” Shaw then leaned forward past Allison, looked at Doc with a shit-eating grin, and cracked his knuckles. Doc stopped laughing and turned to look out his window.
“Ok, heads up,” Priest barked. Doc and Shaw immediately went into business mode, which was one thing Priest liked most about the two. Doug navigated the helicopter down and rotated to get the fuel port next to the tanks. Doug kept the engine running as the team jumped out. Shaw took the copilot side with Allison, which was the side with the fuel port. Doc took the pilot side and Priest took the nose and Overwatch. With the noise of the rotors, it was hard to hear, so Priest used his squad comms. “Shaw, report.”
“All good here, Sarge. Allison is fueling as we speak, and I see no infected.”
Doc reported, “All good here too, Sarge. No infec….”. A shot rang out and struck the chopper a couple feet from Doc’s head. “I’ve got contact,” Doc came over the comms.
“Who the fuck would shoot at us,” Priest thought. He rotated behind the aircraft to see where that shot had come from, and Doc did the same. It didn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure it out as several soldiers came out of one hanger with weapons a hundred yards away.
Priest shouted, “We’re with the US Army, 13th/101st. Do not shoot.” The soldiers continued to fire but not accurately and as they got closer, Doc could see the blood on their faces and the twitching head movement.
Doc keyed the comms, “We have infected. These soldiers are infected.”
“You sure?” Priest asked.
“Positive.”
“Then fuck them up,” Priest replied. Priest and Doc opened up sending 5.56mm down range and started taking the soldiers out. Shaw stayed guarding Allison and his area of responsibility, which regardless of his feelings for Allison, was what they trained him to do. There were a dozen of the infected, who were easily dispatched. However, behind them another wave of soldiers come pouring out of the hangar.
Shaw keyed, “We are full. Let’s get the hell out of here.”
“Copy that. Move people and I’ll lay down suppressive fire,” Priest took out the front runners of the group, jumped in the chopper and they took off heading for Louisville.
CHAPTER 16