WalkerZ - A Zombie Apocalypse Story

Chapter 22 - A Walk Through the Past

"All team leads and scouts please report to the mess hall for a debriefing at oh eight hundred hours, thank you."

The tannoy crackled as Mal released the transmit button and Merryn staggered into wakefulness. She glanced at her wrist as she slapped the shower into action. "Bloody hell, fire and flames," she muttered. "Seven o'clock. I'm sure the man's a vampire."

Three-quarters of an hour later she found herself sitting at a table with Gareth, sipping a cup of tea and waiting for Captain Summers who strolled into the room with Mal and Lieutenant Sands in tow.

Summers gestured the Lieutenant to a seat then sat on the end of one of the mess tables. "Thank you for coming. I wanted to gather you here to run over recent events, but also talk about some information and orders we've had from the Isle."

He paused and smiled at Lieutenant Sands. "First I wanted to say thank you to the Lieutenant for her timely arrival yesterday, and for her assistance in bashing a few deadheads. Second, the Prime Minister has asked me to confirm the field promotion to the rank of Captain on Lieutenant Sands too. Congratulations Lily, well done. And with the change of title comes a change in orders, one the Captain and I have already discussed but something we now need to let you know about too.

"As of now, Captain Sands will be attached to this base as our new seafaring mobile unit. The Cruiser is far quicker than our poor old fishing boat, and since the loss of Dave we've been missing a deep knowledge of the sea, something Captain Sands and her team have. They also have considerable fire power.

"But, and of course there is always a but, that will only work for as long as we can keep the Cruiser fueled up and stocked with ammunition. And that brings us to the next topic of conversation. We need to raid the depot at Plymouth again. We didn't do too badly last time considering what was going on there but it's time for another visit. Scout 2, I'd like you to accompany Captain Sands. You know the area well, take Eddie with you, and see if Tom wants to join in too, but he is optional.

"Once there, we need to carry out a reconnaissance mission, see what's left of the local gangs, the deadheads, and the state of the depot. Captain Sands and her team, as well as some more soldiers from here, will raid as much as they can and stock up."

A few hands went up from the team and Summers held up a hand to stay their questions. "Stock up for what? I hear you say. Well, this brings me to the crux of things. The comms team on the Isle picked up a communication from an old air base in the north of the county. It was a distress call from a group of survivors at the nuclear power station on the north coast. They've managed to keep the main reactor going and safe, using the electricity to electrify the perimeter and keep the walkers out. There's about three hundred people there, but a great many more walkers, so they need help. The Prime Minister has decided this is the first step in reclaiming the mainland. A reliable power source would allow us to kickstart civilisation.

"So, we need to get people there, assess the situation, and work out what we can do to help. The PM is hoping this will be the first strategic strike against the walkers, the first of many that will lead to the clearance of the southwest of England, and eventually the whole of the UK. Questions?"

Lieutenant Osborne raised a hand and Summers nodded for him to continue. "Sir, you mention retaking the UK. That's great, and something we would like to do, but need more people to do that. We're not many here, and there are a couple of thousand on the Isle. Are we going looking for other survivors too?"

"Good question Lieutenant, and yes, we are. As well as supplies, weapons, and fuel, we'll be looking for people too. We've had some communications in the past with people on the Islands southwest of Cornwall, rumours of strongholds along the coast, and also communications with the Isle from further afield in the UK too whether it be oil rigs, other islands, old castles, even a few sports stadia, and more urban locations. There are tens of thousands of people still out there, clinging on. We have to try and band them together. It's not going to be quick or easy, but if we don't do this then over time the walkers will win."