"Hello? Hello? This is longshot broadcasting on O.R.C channels. Hey jackasses how the hell did you leave me behind? Well if you want to pick me up I am at the secondary rally point. I will be signing off but nearby. Longshot out" I tell the static from the CB radio. Looking around the small room my bag sitting on the bed a few small wrenches next to it. I check the car battery that is powering my radio. It doesn't seem to be overheating but I don't know how much charge it holds. I pull myself to my feet and start packing my tools. leaving the wrench for disconnecting my radio from the battery. Once finished I root through for a can of food and a water bottle. I pull out a can of beans and my multi-tool and open the can. I Find my mess kit in the hood of my bag. As I start eating I hear my radio speak. "Longshot this is Legolas. We are sorry but the ground got too hot. Part of the fence at the airport broke and the area's flooded with walkers. We can't reach you on the roads. we will find a way so sit tight and reinforce the front door. Legolas out." I hear as the radio falls silent again. I pick up the microphone and respond. "I understand. Be careful and plan my escape route. I found some food and water here so I have a few days. Longshot out." I tell Legolas. "God damn Aiden why are you always the man left behind?" I ask nobody in particular. I walk downstairs and check the front door. I peek out a peephole making sure I don't have an unexpected guest. I continue to the living room pulling the curtains shut as I see walkers are popping up on the street. I then look at the bookshelf looking at what treasures it might hold. "Ok, what do we have here? Count of Monte Cristo already read it. Half the Percy Jackson series weird. Oh, the full Eragon series nice." I whisper as I finger through the shelf. I pull out the count of Monte Cristo and the Eragon series and bring them upstairs. I head back downstairs to the basement which sits quiet and dark. I check the washer and dryer for any clothing. As I pull the washer open the rank smell of mold caused by moisture assails my nose. I shut the cover and move on to the dryer. it's empty. I move on to the storage room I can hardly see the shelves lining the wall. It isn't much better until I kick something with my foot it makes a metallic sound and I hear something rattle. I pick up a small briefcase-like box and inspect it. It has a lock on the front and is about one and a half feet in diameter. I decide to stop my search for now and I return upstairs. I set the box down and find the lock picks in my bag and set to work. It doesn't take long to pop the lock and I lift the cover revealing my present. I stare in disbelief at my prize a Browning 9mm pistol. Next to it sits a box of ammo. I open the ammo box to see it is half full. "I found my first claimable item," I say with a very excited voice. I pick it up ejecting the magazine to see it is also full which is odd. "Thisshig" I jump as the radio comes to life. "Longshot its manticore are you okay? We are finishing a plan so pack your stuff and grab any other supplies you deem necessary. Manticore out." I hear smiling at the staticky but familiar voice. Picking up my mic. "Hey, it's Longshot. I am ok. finish you plan the street is getting busy. Longshot out" I reply and I pack the books and metal box in or on the side of my bag. I also jog to the kitchen grabbing some cans, a bottle of bourbon from the counter and pack them. As I wait for the others they finally respond. "Longshot it's Legolas. We did a small drone flyby and we found a clear route. But listen. Exit the house through the back door and head east then south down sable ridge dr. On your left, you will encounter an entrance to a walking path. Here's where you must be careful to follow the path and turn left than right. Follow it until you can turn right again. After you will come to a two way keep left and follow that path manticore and boulderer will meet up and we will turn back. Understand you have three minutes until too many walkers block the street. Legolas out." Legolas says. I respond immediately. "Ok, I understand east, south, turn left onto the walking path, left, right, right, left, stay left. I will encounter you. Longshot signing out and radio disconnected." I grab my wrench and start disconnecting the radio before packing it in the front pouch of my bag. I take the pistol double checking if it's loaded and strapped the holster to my belt. Finally, I strap my quiver to the empty right side of my bag. Unscrewing the cover I make my way to the back door and pull it open.
The cool spring air blows past. The shuffling sounds of the dead are as loud as the moaning. But above all that I hear something out of place. The buzzing of a drone propeller and a familiar sounding theme. Ride of the Valkyries playing as I see a drone buzz past the house as I come up the side. Leading away from my route I start running. As I reach the end of the street I count five walkers. They are spaced apart enough so I sprint past dodging the last. Turning down the gravel path one solitary walker guards the path. I draw an arrow from my quiver aiming and firing. The arrow whistles through the air and finds its target striking its skull with a thunk. It slumps to the ground and as I passed I grab my arrow. When I reach the first turn I see the left route is clear. "Wow, Logan must have taken his time checking these paths," I think to myself as I approach the right turn. The cold wind blows past but it also brings the sounds of groaning. "Crap the path isn't as clear as I would hope," I grunt as a slight cramp from eating creeps up my side. I slide my bow into the quiver drawing two knives from my bag straps. I grip the handle as a walker stumbles out of the woods. I block its grab shoving his arms away as I slide my push knife under his chin. The walker slumps to the ground and I keep moving. The path now turns to dirt and mud and I slow my speed to make sure I don't trip. The path is forested on the sides. I count seven walkers five of them block my route the others I can slip past. I duck under the firsts' arm and punch the seconds through his eye socket. Spinning past I stab the third in the side of its head. The fourth turn to face me. instead of killing it I slam my foot into her knee nearly taking off her leg. Now crippled she poses less of a threat so I carry on. The fifth and sixth go down easily but the last catches me off guard. I slip in the mud kicking its leg dropping it onto of me. His weight knocks the wind out of my chest and I drop the knife in my right hand. He also is pinning my left arm so I can't use my other knife. I struggle to keep his head away but I hear a scraping sound behind me. I glance behind me. "Oh you are a special type of bitch aren't you." I tell the female walker whose' knee I kicked out as she drags herself closer. I release my grip on the walker above me and try to find my knife. Failing to I pull up his head away this time I grab an arrow from my quiver. I jam the arrow into its head and as it goes limp I flip him off me. I get onto all fours and drive my push knife into the female walker's head. "Ok now, all I have to do keep going until I can turn right then left and I should be in the clear." I think to myself as I pull myself back to my feet and find my second knife.
As I make the right turn I hear a familiar buzzing as our drone flies past. Ahead I see the drone dip down and I see Legolas and manticore ahead. As I approach I notice a walker exit the forest nearby manticore is ready for it plunging a spear into it. "Hey, guys. Good plan with the drone. Also, let's get going they are walkers following the drone and they don't take paths." I tell them as Legolas slides the drone into a frame and hangs it onto the side of his bag. We start running back to where they came and in a few minutes, we reach our ride. A 2004 Pontiac Sunfire on the windows steel wire mesh covered them to help protect us. I see Blake sitting behind the wheel as we approach I hear the trunk pop open. I slide my backpack into the trunk as it barely fits and Legolas throws his into the back seat. I get in the back with Legolas as manticore gets shotgun.
Members of Aiden's team. Legolas looks like a lord or the ring elf extra but his real name is Logan sova. Blake Theodore (codename boulderer)is African American and an amazing at parkour. finally manticore a splitting image of myself and my twin brother Taylor hunt.
As we begin driving back home we take different back roads passing an old movie theatre. The roads are crowded with cars but we are able to squeeze through an area about one lane in size. As we reach the edge of Orleans we turn off the 174 taking jean d'Arc back home. We reach the south-west corner of the wall and turn down towards the school. As we approach the small gate it swings open allowing us to enter. We pass through the semi-circle path stopping at the school's entrance. Logan, Taylor and I get out and pop the trunk as Logan jogs inside grabbing a cart. As he returned we grab the boxes of canned foods placing them on the cart. I turn as I hear another car pull up behind us. Three other raiders jump out and wave to us. "Hey, are you guys raid group 14? You were near the old airport. How did the raiding go?" one asks as he walks up to us. "Yep we just got back and we have some bad news. So once we drop off these supplies we need to find Reiner." I tell the raider as we pull the last box out of the trunk and start wheeling it inside. Taylor pushes it while Blake parks the car in the lot. I enter the office and see only two people working. "Good afternoon Aiden. How was your day?" the older secretary asked as she pulls a binder from her desk and places it in front of me. I flip through the pages until I found our page from when we left. I fill the rest of the form out and remove it from the binder. "So I drop this off to Reiner in his office?" I ask as I move for the door. "Yep once you mark down everything you scavenged and listed any claimed items." the secretary replies as she closes and puts the binder back on top of her desk. I exit the office and walk down the empty hallway before turning into the den. Once it was an area for seniors to sit and talk before classes or during spares. Now a few older raiders sit and are planning a raid. Maps scattered around the table and they argue on which path to take. I smile as I pass before opening the door to the olds foods room.
Two tables are piled with cans and another has bottles of water. Taylor and the others are organizing marking the cans with the date we found them. After we place to sort them by brand. finally, we mark what flavors and mark them in another ledger. The process if different for water though. Instead, we list the amount of water it holds and how many of that size we have. water is marked is because when bottles or jugs are empty we refill them with water we clean ourselves. "Oh, how do I claim an item?" I ask the head sorter. Suddenly the room becomes very quiet as the other sorters, my team and the other team look at me. "Do you have said item with you by chance?" She asks as I open my bag and pull out the metal box. I pop it open pulling the box of ammo out. I hear a member of the other group gasp. Then as I reach and remove the browning from my waist and the holster. I hear both Blake and Logan mutter under their breath. "Lucky bastard!" "Well, then that is an impressive find. Where did you find it?" She asks as she takes it from me. "Browning 9mm, Thirteen round clip, fires 9mm by 19mm rounds. My husband used one when he was in the forces. He was a range officer and he also teaches firearm safety. If you even want to learn how to use that he can help." She adds as she hands it back. "Oh for weapon claims talk to Reinhardt in his office." One of the other raiders tells me. I thanks them as I continue to write dates on the cans. As we finish we the cans from similar brands together into cardboard boxes. As we load them back onto the cart from earlier we push it back to the front door where an ATV razor is waiting. We throw the boxes into the back and send it back to the metro. "Ok guys let's go talk to Reinhardt now. He needs to know the results of our first raid." I tell the others as we follow the ATV back. The path is quiet as a patrol walks past. We nod as we walk past.
Information about the Orleans woods community. In the Orleans woods community, we are split into two different groups. We are part of the raiders who work outside of the walls. We run paper messages, supply runs and are the mobile fighters. The other group is the guardians. They defend us from within the wall and they are trained for fighting human targets. They also use firearms more than us. We use hit and run tactics and IEDs usually taking a single target or group out than moving. When raiders are off duty we either train, relax, work where needed or work as guardians.
As we reach the shopping plaza We hear shouting."MARAUDERS HIT THE FLOOR!" I panic as I turn and tackle my brother. A truck with a machine gun attached near the sunroof drives. drives pass and stop opening fire into the shopping center. We start moving to cover behind cars, walls or barricades. We begin to return fire slowly. I grab the pistol from my waist and pull the trigger. Click click click. "Oh shit the safety." I click the safety off and pull the trigger. I nearly drop it as it fires. The rear passenger window shatters as I look at the handgun in my hands. That moment was short lived as I hear someone screaming in pain. I look and see a guardian on the ground clutching his leg as blood pours from it. I see two other guardians not moving on the ground. I holster my pistol and instead grab my bow taking aim and firing through the shattered window. That was the target but instead, it hits a wire of the chain fence and ricochets off the side. I hear bells dingle behind me as a hail of gunfire opens up. "Can I get an hour of goddamn peace and quiets!" A voice with a notable German accent shouts in anger. I turn to see Marko Reinhardt exiting his office, the old TD bank. In his hands is an MP5K firing in short bursts. He continues walking, passing the four of us with no fear. When his SMG ran empty he casually reloads as he continues walking. We hear the tires from the truck hiss as they deflate. The Marauders cover inside unable to return fire but they push the opposing side door open and slip out. They flee into the housing project across the road and after a few seconds disappear. "Raiders and guardians I want twenty of you to go after them. I need another ten to secure that vehicle. NOW!" Marko shouts.
Taylor and I joined the eighteen other members hunting the two bandits who fled. Logan and Blake were securing the truck. We ditch our bags and sprint across the parking lot and help push the gate open as we exit. we shuffle around until we are in groups of two or three and proceed into the project. Half of us runs into the street entrance and the other half through the walking path. I am part of the group heading up the street the road is empty of anything living. Our heads are on swivels looking for movement or open doors. "Ok, they are most likely in a flight situations meaning they are running. Look for anything out of place or agitated walkers" One of the other raiders tells us. "Guys we have a blood trail someone got hit!" A guardian said as he points to a small puddle of red liquids. We hit a turn in the road and a group of three peels off following that path off. We continue on until just Taylor and myself and a member of the guardians are left. "Guys we have some walkers to our left they seem excited about something. Oh, gods, we found one of them. GUYS, WE HAVE A TRAIL!" I shout as I see a group of walkers shuffling towards as two or three others eating a bandit on the ground. I release the arrow from my bow dropping the closest walker as the guardian clicks the safety off on his rifle. I hear a muffle pfft pfft pfft sound as he opens fire the suppressor dampening the normally loud report. He easily drops the majority of the walkers as they are all distracted. We switch to melee weapons Taylor uses a hatchet the guardian a spear and I use my push knives. I look at the dead bandit and notice a gouge across his calf. "Aiden you must have shot him when you blew out his window," Taylor tells me as we continue past the body after stabbing his brain. We passed the houses and we run into a small hill which levels out to a river.
As Taylor and the guardian look around it crouch and look at the ground until I find what I need. A large set of boot prints and a medium size set nearby. "I have a trail they are following the creek possible looking for a place to cross. They ditched the other one since he will slow them and to distract any walkers. That was a mistake as that lead us to them." I tell the others as I start following it. The Guardian speaks to his walkie-talkie. "Guys one of the raiders found a trail following bilberry creek. Take Orleans Boulevard and any street on the left side until you reach the bridge. Once there cut onto the side of the 174 and head east back towards us. Over" We pick up our pace as we hear the other groups respond and make plans. We reach the first possible area to cross the creek and We see muddy footprints on a fallen tree. We also cross and continue following the tracks. After about five minutes of uneventful jogging, we reach the edge of the 174. The ground becomes grass again and I lose the trail. We see the others slowly jog towards us. Once they reach us we all stop and catch our breaths. "Guys we lost the trail they could have jumped the fence or kept traveling east. Let's head back and tell Reinhardt. " Taylor says as We head back to the road. "Hey this is Ashton can we get a ride back two pickups will work thanks." The guardian who was with us says into his walkie-talkie as he switches to the main community signal. He gets a response and with a few minutes two pickups are driving up to meet us. We pile in the back while some get in the truck. When we return home we park and head back to the plaza. The plaza has been cleared the deceased removed. The other ones who were injured have been moved to the medical center. The medical center is the old dollar store. All the shelves have been cleared and a makeshift medical area has been set up. three curtains are pulled shut but you can see movement behind it. We reach the old TD bank and we stop outside. "So who should go inside? I feel like I should along with Taylor since we have to talk anyways after." I tell them "you two as well." I say pointing to a raider who split from our group and a guardian who took the walking path. We all agree as for the others who claimed the vehicle appear around the corner. "Hey, Aiden you guys better go talk. We will go and gather any arrows and shell casing in the area. See how many bullets we lost and how many they fired at us." Ashton says as they disperse around the plaza.
I pull the door open holding it as the four of us walk into the bank. The inside has remained the same although more chairs have been added inside. Taylor goes and signs us in at the front desk while I drop off the paper from the school with our raid info. The guardian with us knocks on the door to Marko's office and we hear him tell us to enter. The inside of his office is painted red. bookshelves decorate the walls filled with thick binders. He replaced the old desk with a large U shaped desk. On the wall within arms reach to his right are three different firearms. His MP5K, a G36 assault rifle, and an FP6 shotgun. All Heckler & Koch brand firearms from Germany. Marko Reinhardt was an officer from Germany and was a member of German special forces. He was found on one of our first raids once we pulled together as a group. That mission was a train wreck until we found Marko. He was with six other German spec ops but when we rescued him only four soldiers were left. We lost another in a gunfight leaving three. They work as combat trainers and work as our most dangerous raid team. "So did you find those bandits?" Marko asks as We sit. The tall back leather armchairs are uncomfortable so we shift around. "No, we found one of them dead being eaten. We think I grazed him when I blew out their window. We found the tracks in the forest across from the other high school. They lead to the edge of the 174 then we lost them." I respond as I recollect everything that happened. "That's not good. I believe that one of them might have been ex-military. The gun on top of the truck was a medium machine gun C6 model. Hey stopped firing back since they were out of ammo so it's next to useless though. We also have to get it off the roof of the truck." Marko tells us. "We also lost some people in that attack. One raider, one guardian, and a civilian. Four other people were wounded but they should recover if lucky." He adds.
"Um major question why would they even risk attacking us or bother attacking us? Taylor asks the larger question as Marko shifts in his seat. "Well to answer that. Bandits are very popular outside of cities and often visit from the states. The problem lies when they gather into large groups or gather too much firepower. Although that attack highlighted something important about our defenses. We are prepared for walkers not humans with guns." He replies with an annoyed look on his face. I glance around looking at the collection of guns on his wall. "Have we ever patrolled the countryside for bandit camps?" I ask as I turn my focus back to Marko. "Yes, Apollo usually handles those types of missions. They haven't found any camps or groups though. Which means they were working by himself." Marko tells us as he walks to a shelf and pulls a binder off and sits back down with. "Sir those guys weren't by themselves they were working with others we found a map with our area circled. We don't know about the other communities bu….." Taylor attempts to say before he is interrupted as the door slams open. In the door stands a teen about our age. She is panting and red in the face I recognize her as a member of the radio team. They work out of the school library monitoring CB radios and walkie-talkies for raiders on missions. "Marko sir. Its Apollo they are under attack as we speak. They are holding them off but they need help!" she says in a panic.
We turn to look at Marko than to the girl then back to Marko. "Does this mean to get the guns? I am pretty sure this counts as a get the guns situation." I say my voice squeaking from excitement. "Yes, Aiden it's a get the guns moment. Put out a radio call to the guardians all raiders get their gear and meet at the school parking lot." Marko says standing up. He lifts G36 off the wall and opens a drawer grabbing some magazines. "I want you and the other riders in the parking lot to head to the school. Get some ieds and anti-vehicle traps and leave now. Get Logan to set the perimeter. Avoid fighting and set traps. Then engage from the back striking from inside houses. Go!" Marko shouts years of experience almost noticeable in his voice. Taylor and I jump out sprinting into the parking lot shouting. "All raiders follow us now! All raiders follow us now!" They catch onto the situation and follow us sprinting to the school. Once we reach the door we split up I ran through the den gathering other raiders. We reach one of the supply rooms where we keep our body armor. I grab a kevlar vest before moving to the next supply room. Inside are six guards all armed. "Apollo under attack. It's a get the guns moment." I gasp as the adrenaline dips. One of the guards reacts taking a key from his vest and unlocks the cage surrounding the guns. I grab a Remington bolt action rifle and about 5 boxes of .223 so about 100 rounds. Other people enter the room as I leave. I pass Taylor who is carrying two boxes of road spikes. "These are in the olds drama room upstairs. Go to the library and grab some walkie-talkies and radios from the library and meet in the parking lot." He tells me as I turn and sprint the opposite way to the stairwell heading upstairs.
I reach the library and it is a flurry of activity as reports flow in from Apollo. I am not the only one there for the radios so I grab two CB's and head for the parking lot. We are gathered around a few different cars loading gear into them as we ourselves pile in. I am shotgun with my brother driving. The gate is barely open enough to let us through as we barrel past turning up onto Orleans Blvd. About four more cars follow as we speed towards Apollo.
We pass a set of lights when another group of cars turns next to us. I hear the CB radio on the dash sputter to life as I plug it in and a voice comes through. "He guys in the suburban next to us. We are arrowhead raiders. We will be your partners today so let's start planning what we will do." An arrowhead raider tells us as I see the passenger in the other car waving to us. "Understand. Our plan is to set up an anti-retreat area so they can't flee. After we are to take up strategic positions inside houses shooting to kill. Once the rest of the raiders from our base get there we switch to an offensive fighting style. Pinning them against Apollo's fence. Once we get to the pinning part remember we alternate fire. North and east than south and west." Taylor replies from the backseat. "You guys should have a map with the recommended ambush locations." He adds. They respond and the rest of the drive is quiet for us as the main tactical planners do their work. We approach the target area stopping a good distance away and disembark. We unload the traps and get to work splitting into many groups. we cover the main roads setting explosives on smaller streets.
Once we finish we begin moving closer to the actual fighting. Taylor, Logan, and Blake are with me as we slowly open the gate to a random backyard. One solitary walker shambles around the backyard tripping over a swing set. we barely hold back our laughter as we watch the scene unfold. "Taylor deal with him. Logan gets the map out I want to know the best house for sniper coverage. Blake you and Taylor can attack from the base floor building an area to cover behind first." I tell them as Taylor spears the fallen walker. I jump as a burst of gunfire echoes throughout the area. "Fucking hell they are going to bring every unrestricted walker in Orleans on top of us if they keep going," Logan swears as the echoes die off. "Okay so looking at the map and from the knowledge of where roughly are we need to jump two fences east and then one south." He continues as he packs the map and we get ready to move again. We jump the first fence leading to an empty yard but we are stopped by the hedge in the next. "Blake uses your machete to clear a small path for us but be quick we don't know how much time we have before they dip," I say as more gunfire echoes but I notice something about the gunfire. "Guys they have a machine gun similar the marauders who attacked us," I warn them as Blake clears us a small path through the hedge and we move towards the fence behind the house. We notice this fence is too high for one person himself. "Buddy jump," Taylor says as he and Blake brace against the fence. Taylor and I jump and pull ourselves up before helping the other two. Two walkers are bashing them self into the gate while we land. I grab my pistol from my waist moving towards them. I only open fire when the machine guns are firing. As I drop the two of them
We move to the patio door of the house. It is already unlocked as I drag it open. Thankfully the front where the window is has a brick outer layer making it good for cover. "Okay move the kitchen table, legs facing away from the window and get comfortable. Blake upstairs with me" I tell them as they clear and move the table. Blake and I run upstairs to a room overlooking the street out front. We decide on using the master bedroom and I drag the nightstand to the window. I open the sports bag on my back and take out the boxes of ammo. I also take the scope and attach it. Then I slowly open the blinds preparing to see what lays out front. What I saw I wasn't prepared for at all. I see a dozen lifeless corpses on both sides of the fence. Others who were injured but can't get to safety. Blood is splattered everywhere. I look past the chaos and I look at the bandits scattered on the ground. We have an advantage on them as they don't have cover from us. But what they do have are not one but three more machine guns two are mounted while one is smaller and is moveable. They alternate fire, shooting when necessary pinning Apollo's guardians. I also grab a walkie-talkie from my bag turning it on. "Ok guys here the plan I am going to fire the first shot taking out the smaller machine gun it's dangerous since it moves. After that, you focus on anyone returning fire and the two mounted machine guns. I will do the same. On my mark, get ready" I tell the others downstairs as I lift the window open and get into position. "Okay Remington 700 VTR don't fail me now"I pray in my head as I curl my fingers around the trigger. I take aim at the bandit behind the light machine gun aiming at his upper center mass. I pull the trigger as I feel the recoil and hear the report of the rifle.