Chapter 10
I searched behind us for any familiar landmarks, in search of our destination. "So, we are just driving around for fun? Now that I am up and about, I have sensors to de-crow."
"Please. I already installed an auto de-crow system, so you don't have to do anything. Anyway, I thought we would check up on a couple of the shacks bordering White Forest. You know; lookout and supply."
I nodded, and lookout out the window or at least, where the window would be. I squinted my eyes as I glanced up at the blazing sun over the snow capped mountains. You could see them from White Forest, and for miles around. Lazlo decelerated slightly, and turned left into the trees. He quickly took his left hand off the wheel to fix his glasses. "Here we are," he exclaimed, slowing the car to a stop in front of a metal shack.
I climbed out of Lazlo's vehicle, and observed the building. Anyone that didn't know where it was located would never find it, as it was hidden deep within the woods. "Anyone home?" Lazlo said, knocking on the door.
"What's the password?" a female voice said from the inside.
Lazlo replied, "I'm not even goona tell you. Just shut up and let me in."
"Okay," she said as the door was unlocked. Lazlo smiled at me, and walked inside.
Was that the password, or what?
The brown haired woman glanced at our car, and said, "Wow. Did you build that?"
"Why yes, yes I did," Lazlo proudly said.
"Oh," she replied, disgusted at him. She thought that I had built it. As she led us into the makeshift base, Lazlo stuck his tongue out at the back of her head.
*****
"We got a visitor, Rosa?" a man asked, without looking up from the surveillance monitors.
"We sure do," Rosa replied. "They have a pretty nice ride as well."
"They do?" the man sarcastically remarked, bolting up and out of his chair. I could see, via his TV screens, that our car had been watched ever since we had gotten within two hundred meters of the base. It was freakish how many cameras we pasted by without our knowing.
"Everything okay down here?" Lazlo asked, ignoring the man's remark.
"Sure is," Rosa said. "There's another outpost not far from here. You can pick up some ammo there if you need it."
"Got any spray paint cans?"
"What?" the man chuckled. After a moment or two of Lazlo staring, he replied, "Uh, I guess I have a few. What for?"
Lazlo winked at me as the man bent down under his desk, and said, "I have a job to do."
The man pulled out a red crate, and removed a pink spray paint bottle. After handing it to Lazlo, the man put the crate away. "Thank you. We'll be off." Lazlo walked out of the small room, and out of the door. Just before closing the metal door, Rosa smiled at me. I motioned at my ring finger, and she blushed, slamming the door.
Ha
"Let's go, Griggs!" Lazlo yelled while honking the horn.
"I'm coming," I mumbled as I climbed back into our car.
*****
"Am I that unattractive?" Lazlo said as we drove. I could tell he knew why Rosa had responded in the way she did. "Is it my hair? My glasses? My clothes?"
"Lazlo," I said, leaning over, "If there is one thing we understand even less than the combine, it's the opposite gender. I would assume it is a combination of all three."
"Eh, you would think that they would be crawling at my feet after the things I have accomplished."
"I agree," I replied.
"Well, the base should be right up the road," Lazlo said, slightly saddened. I looked at the trees we were passing for any signs of a base. Lazlo peered at the forest to his right, searching for the same thing.
"I wonder what she saw in me. I don't have anything that man didn't, besides manners."
"I saw what you did. Why did you make her think you were married, and just didn't have a ring?"
"I'm not into relationships," I said. "And besides; with the combine at large as they are now, it wouldn't last long."
Lazlo nodded in agreement. "Ah, here we are!" He pulled up in front of a larger metal building. After turning the engine off, I started to get out, but he stopped me. "Something doesn't look right. People always come out to greet you here. They should have spotted us on the cameras by now. Hmm."
He pulled out the paint can, and a lighter. Then, after fumbling around in his pockets, he pulled out a green circuit board, and a roll of duct tape. Then, he wrapped the three in it and after a few adjustments and wiring, he smiled and proudly examined his contraption. Then, he saw the look on my face, and said, "I'll tell you how to make one later. Let's go." He got out of the car, and trotted towards the base.
As we got to the open door, he put out a hand, and said, "Stay here. I have a bad feeling about this." After that, he sprinted into the darkness. I equipped my machinegun, and scanned for enemies.
After a minute, I started to worry. I gripped my machinegun, and started to sweat.
Lazlo will be out in just a moment. Stay calm.
After three minutes, I checked that my clip was loaded for the fourth time. "Lazlo? Hurry up in there!" The forest was eerily silent. I glanced through the dark doorway, still open. Then, I noticed a thin trail of smoke coming from the building. Relieved, I exhaled and laughed slightly. Suddenly, a terrible thought struck me. Cautiously, I inched my way around the building. My hands were shaking by the time I got half way around. I nearly dropped my machinegun when I saw what was sticking out of the building; a headcrab canister. "LAZLO, GET OUT OF THERE!" I sprinted as fast as I could to the door he entered by, but when I got there, nobody came out.
Then I heard breathing. "Lazlo?" I softly said. The breathing turned into snarling. As if on cue, as soon as I looked up, a terrifying fast zombie lurched from the roof. Screaming, it flew behind me. I spun around and fired my machinegun at the headcrab controlling it. It fell to all fours, and then began to sprint towards me. I fired at it, but to no avail. The zombie leapt onto me, pinning my machinegun to my chest. I could feel its claws tearing into the fabric covering my arm. "GET OFF!" I yelled, pushing it off with all my might. Startled, it was blown backwards, and stopped for a moment. I aimed my machinegun at the beast, and pulled the trigger. Click.
You have got to be kidding me.
It screamed at me, and came in for the kill. I pulled out a grenade, and removed the pin. Just before it reached me, I kicked it in its vital spot; the head. The headcrab was hurt, and the zombie stumbled backwards. Then, I shoved the grenade between the headcrab and the victim's head, and ran. I covered my ears just in the nick of time, but it didn't save me from getting splattered in yellow blood. I moaned and rolled onto my back, inspecting my wounds.
"Found it!" Lazlo exclaimed, running out of the building. He saw me on the ground, with my arms bleeding. "I have the radio. We have to get out of here!"
"You think?"
Then, a flaming zombie crawled out of the door. It screamed in agony, before crumpling into a charred heap of flesh. Lazlo bent down over the fast zombie I had killed. "Victim is…female. Still has most of her flesh and hair…hmm…this was very recent."
"They're shelling the bases with headcrab canisters," I said, getting up. "That can only mean one thing."
"We have to warn White Forest," yelled Lazlo, getting in the car. "Here; you call them. I'll drive.
*****
"This is Griggs Harrison, come in White Forest."
"This is White Forest. What do you—"
"GRIGGS! You are supposed to be on crow duty, not taking a stroll!"
"Magnusson, please!" I shouted into the radio. "They shelled outpost five. They are attacking! Repeat; the combine are attacking!"
Magnusson was shocked for a second, saying nothing. Then, he replied, "How did you get all the way to outpost five?"
I turned over to Lazlo, wondering how I should respond. Lazlo rolled his eyes, and took the radio from me. "LISTEN! The combine will attack any moment! If you don't prepare your defenses now, it'll be too late."
"Okay, Lazlo, but I am not doing what you ask of me. I am simply taking your advice." After that, he shut off the radio.
Lazlo started to drive faster and faster, still perfectly calm, at least on the outside. Then, I heard something. "Hey, uh Lazlo, do you hear thumping?"