Joel quickly sighted on the nearest zombie threatening a ranger and
fired. The round cleanly penetrated the front of the zombie's face then
tore the entire backside of the head away. He did not wait for the zombie
to fall before targeting and eliminating another zombie threat and another
after that. His squad followed suit and they struggled together to fold
back the advancing zombie line.
Only four of the original dozen rangers remained and Joel saw that they were quickly going to be overwhelmed. He ran forward, firing as he went, and reached the nearest of the rangers.
"Pull back! Rally reinforcements behind us for an immediate counter attack! We need to drive these bastards back out of this stadium or we're all dead. Go!"
The ranger jumped to comply and immediately left to bring more of the airborne soldiers into the battle. Joel and his squad continued pouring fire into the horde and on his command, primed frag grenades and hurled them into the hapless zombies.
Gore splattered the ground as dozens of the undead disappeared into red mists. Joel ad hoc squad was just barely holding the defensive line against the zombies until the rangers returned in force and added their massed firepower to the fray.
The zombie attack disintegrated altogether under the withering assault and turned into a rout in the humans' favor. Three Humvees and two M1 Abrams tanks appeared on the scene and finished the skirmish, pushing into the breach to re-secure the stadium.
All the soldiers followed the vehicles into the gap and made the stadium safe again. Joel and his men stood down and let the rangers secure the breach. He looked sadly at the bodies of the fallen rangers and the cleanup crews that were going about sterilizing the bodies by shooting them in the head.
"Let's head to the armory. I'm pretty much out of ammo."
The Delta operators and Marines followed their leader to the makeshift armory in the center of the stadium and began loading their vests and pockets with more magazines and grenades. They did so quietly, scarcely speaking except when absolutely necessary.
They had just finished restocking when an Army Lieutenant came into the tent.
"Sergeant Roscord, the Colonel wants to see you in his office immediately."
Joel nodded and signaled his men to stand down and await his return. He then immediately left the weapons tent and headed straight for the Command tent. Once there he came to attention and saluted the seated officer. The Colonel made a vague gesture with his hand and Joel stood at ease.
"Very good work today Sergeant. Your quick response undoubtedly saved the lives of all the people in this stadium. But we need you to do it again. We've discovered that the zombies had originally gotten in through an underground tunnel system. We're going to need you to head down into the tunnels and secure the entrance they are using. Once you accomplish that, we can send down ranger teams to search and destroy whatever zombies remain in the complex. But until then, we can't spare them to go into the tunnels and reduce our defense. I hate to have to use you right after the mission you pulled off, you and you're men deserve rest, but you're the only special forces I have at my disposal at the moment. All the other teams are off in the city, or have been wiped out."
The Colonel stood up and moved towards a map mounted on a stand to the side of his desk. He looked at it for a moment, as if deciphering the various colored markings and slashes and circles made on the maps surface. Then after a considerable amount of time, he spoke.
"You can descend into the sublevels here, at this main junction. We'll keep ropes on hand to haul you up in a hurry if need be, so don't worry about getting out. Just get down there, avoid contact with the zombies whenever possible, and get to the breached grilles. You're going to have to seal the opening with thermite and sheet metal which is already in the area."
Joel nodded as he examined the map. He noted escape routes and possible alternate routes throughout the schematic and kept track of them in his memory as well as marking them down on a small notepad.
"Do you have any questions?"
"Sir, no sir."
"Very well Sergeant. Dismissed."
Joel saluted again and spun about. Once he exited the tent he saw his men standing outside waiting for him. They all looked at him expectantly, and though he knew they were ready for action still, he could see the tiredness setting in on their faces, and in their posture.
"Well we got another op. We're heading into the tunnels underneath here, and we gotta seal up a hole that the deadies are coming in through. We're gonna use thermite and sheet metal that we should find at the hole. I got the map and location, so let's head out. Crisp, you're on point."
The Marines and operators strapped on their helmets and loaded their weapons. A minute later, they were at their designated entry point. Four rangers stood guard above the open grate. A drop line dangled hole and disappeared into the dark. Crisp looked at the hole with slight misgivings before turning to Joel.
"I knew I should have stayed at home and become a damn cook. But no. Instead I sign up for this shit and go rappelling into dark ass holes filled with the fucking undead."
All the men switched on flashlights mounted to their weapons and hooked onto the line. Crisp sighed and jumped down, zipping into the dark. Joel watched as his men dropped into the abyss one at a time before following them down himself.
At the bottom of the tunnel, Joel and his men found themselves in the middle of a horizontal tunnel, running in both directions. They had taken up defensive positions facing both ways, and at the moment it was all clear. Joel then motioned for Crisp to head down the northern part of the tunnel.
"We've got to head down in that direction. There should be a T- junction about a hundred yards that way, then we hang a right. Another thirty yards and a left. Then we should be able to head straight and hit the breach. Got it Crispy?"
"Got it Gunny."
"Good, everyone keep your spacing, and Bear, you got the tail."
"You got it Gunny."
The squad then moved out through the tunnel, slowly and cautiously. They swept every dark corner, every crevice and crack. The lights on their rifles played over every possible hiding place. They were all too aware of how one scratch would doom them, and none were eager to brave a close encounter with the zombies.
After about ten minutes, they reached the first T-junction and Crisp swung out to the right and Townsend to the left. They both signaled the all clear sign and the squad began filing out into the intersecting tunnel. Then Bear yelled out from the rear.
"We got incoming Gunny!"
Bear punctuated his statement with a burst of fire from his rifle and Gunny sprung into action.
"Double time it! Head down that tunnel now!"
The squad never hesitated and began running down the tunnel. Bear fired a final burst before following them down the tunnel. The zombies continued their mindless pursuit, ever following the men down the tunnel.
Crisp immediately found the left hand turn and dashed into it. And he barreled straight into a zombie. The rotting creature reached for him with leprous finger tips but Crisp was too well trained to let a single zombie take him down.
He countered the grasping hands with an upward sweep of his rifle, knocking the zombies backward off balance. Once he had cleared some space between them, Crisp raised his rifle again and blasted the head from the creature's shoulders. Then, unfazed, he continued leading the way down the tunnel.
They reached the breach without further incident. Crisp and Townsend found a large sheet of steel about two inches thick and began wrestling it into position in front of the breach. Joel and Johnson jumped up and helped them, and between the four they managed to wedge it firmly into the gaping hole to seal it.
"Dell, set the thermite."
Dell immediately began molding chunks of thermite around the rim of the steel plate to seal it against the breach. After several minutes, Dell's work was complete and he signaled to Joel with a thumbs up. He held a small detonator in his hand and began back away from the charge down the left tunnel.
"We need to give it some space."
Everyone followed suit except for Bear who fired his rifle again.
"We got incoming again, this tunnel is jam packed."
"They're in this tunnel too!"
Johnson fired at several zombies lurching down the right hand tunnel. Crisp went to join him and Townsend began firing at the zombies in Bear's tunnel when Dell yelled out. He had backed up directly into a waiting zombie and now the undead creature had a grip on him from behind. Dell struggled to break free, but before he could escape the zombie's grasp, the rotting corpse sunk it's diseased teeth deep into his neck.
Dell gurgled blood and clutched at the wound with one hand, while still holding the detonator in the other. The zombie kept its death grip on Dell and continued to bite at his neck, widening the wound and ripping at his fingers and hand as well. Joel snapped his rifle up and blew the zombie's head off, but the damage was already done.
Dell was infected with the contagion, and was mortally wounded as well. In a matter of minutes, he would bleed out and join the ranks of the undead. Joel saw the realization in his eyes as he staggered back to the seal and the thermite charge. Dell jerked his head at Joel and closed his eyes as he waited. Joel and Jonesy then swung into the left tunnel and saw it was clear before yelling to the others to follow them. They all quickly ran past Dell and the breach into the safe tunnel and ran down it. A minute later, a searing blast of light and an incredible heat wave coursed through the tunnel.
Joel shook his head in sorrow as he left yet another man behind, victim of the unsparing evil of the virus. He jogged along quickly through the clear tunnel, following his mental map to where an escape route was. Bear kept his ever vigilant watch on they're rear even as he ran, and everyone in the middle just followed obediently, with their weapons at the ready.
Soon enough they reached the intersection they had been looking for, only to find it infested with zombies. Joel was quickly becoming exasperated with the undead's uncanny ability to show up everywhere they weren't wanted. He signaled a stop and everyone save for Bear drew a bead on a target.
"For Dell, cut them down."
The squad opened fire on full automatic. The blasts of assault rifles was deafening in the tight confines of the tunnel, but none of the men cared. They fired until there was nothing left, in the tunnel and in their magazines. After about three seconds of firing, the corridor was silent and the zombies were dispatched.
The men reloaded their weapons and began creeping cautiously forward when Bear yelled out in alarm.
"Gunny! We'd best get this show moving! We got company again."
Bear fired his rifle down the tunnel, dropping a fat zombie, his guts hanging out his side. Joel threw caution to the wind and began running down the tunnel again, the squad following right on his tail. Bear lagged a few seconds behind, emptying his magazine then turning and running down the tunnel as well.
A left at the intersection and another hundred or so meters found the Marines and Delta underneath an exit shaft. Jonesy pulled a flare from his vest and lit it, signaling their presence to the ranger guards above. A single knotted climb rope fell to the bottom of the shaft, and sounds of gunfire drifted to the squad's ears. Joel gritted his teeth as he listened for a moment then shook his head.
"Ok guys, up the rope. Double time it, I have no idea what's going on topside, but it sounds bad."
And so the Marines and Delta began climbing up the rope, one after another. It was no small feat under the burden of armor, weapon, and combat gear, but they did it without question or complaint. Joel was reminded of the caliber of warriors, and of men that his teammates were, and once more he felt a fierce pride at being able to fight along side them.
Once on the surface, a vision of hell greeted the recent escapees. Zombies had broken through the defenses in several places and were now flooding into the safe zone. Joel looked and saw two Humvees burning next to the sideline entrance, and could make out the bodies of rangers immolating inside.
All around pandemonium ensued as people sought to flee, and rangers fought to protect them. A young woman was dragged down, screaming by a female zombie, who might have been the same age. Hell, for all Joel knew, they could have been friends in the previous life. But the hypothetical friendship ended as the zombie sunk her teeth deep into the woman's neck. She spasmed for a few moments, then was still.
Joel surveyed the destruction around him with a practiced eye, and quickly decided what had to be done. He slapped a fresh magazine into his rifle and pulled the charging handle.
"Ok boys, pair off. This seems to be the end here, so fight to save who you can, and bug out when you can't do anymore. Hopefully I will see you all on the other side, away from here. It's been an honor and a privilege, and a damned pleasure to serve with you all."
The remaining Marines and Delta nodded, understanding Joel's orders and intentions. Without another word they paired off and ran in different directions toward separate and individual battles. Joel saw that Johnson remained behind with him and smiled.
"Just you and me big guy."
"Aye Gunny, and I wouldn't have it any other way."
Joel nodded and smiled, then began leading Johnson towards the infirmary. He knew that his family would have gotten out the instant there were signs of trouble, but the one he worried about was Julie. Her mobility had been pretty limited, and Joel wanted to make certain that she had been evacuated and not left behind.
As they approached, they saw that three rangers where fighting a losing battle to hold the line against the ever advancing hordes of zombies. Joel and Johnson lent their firepower to the task as Joel queried the nearest ranger.
"Corporal, is everyone out of the med tent?"
"No idea Gunny, people stopped running out of there a few minutes ago. We're about to pull back."
"Hold the line just a minute longer, I'm going to check it out. Johnson, give the rangers a hand here."
Johnson stood next to the ranger and fired at the nearest zombies as Joel pulled the tent flaps aside and plunged into the interior. Empty beds and spilled supplies greeted him, the area seemingly deserted. But Joel still had to make sure and ran to the back of the tent to check Julie's bed.
He found her next to the cot, her head in her knees weeping. Joel quickly kneeled down beside her and took her into his arms. Her body jerked in surprise, but quickly relaxed when she realized it was him.
"Oh god Joel, I thought everyone had left me. There was so much screaming and gunfire, I was so afraid."
"Nonsense kid, I would never leave you behind. This is what I signed on for, protecting the ones I care about. Now lets get some clothes on you real quick, and I'll get you out of here."
Julie nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes as she pulled on a pair of sweatpants and put her old shirt back on in lieu of the hospital gown. She slipped into her sneakers and Joel put her arm around his neck as he helped her limp out of the tent. Johnson and the rangers were still firing at the zombies, who grew larger each passing second.
"Johnson! That's everyone, let's bug out!"
Johnson followed Joel and Julie to about halfway to the helicopter where they turned and provided cover fire for the retreating rangers. The rangers in turn wheeled and ran to the chopper, where they turned again and covered Joel and Johnson.
There were only two Blackhawks remaining, and one was already loaded to capacity and the other was almost full. The full chopper took off, hovering and providing cover fire with the miniguns, while the second chopper hovered a foot above the ground. Joel and Julie staggered to the bay door and the crew chief spoke to Joel.
"We're almost at capacity Gunny, we only got room for one more. We'll have to ditch equipment to get you all aboard. But we gotta hurry, there's an airstrike inbound! In another minute, this place is going to be mighty hot."
Joel glanced back to see Johnson ringed by zombies, firing until his rifle was empty then using it as a club to bat the dead away. The three rangers saw they weren't going to make it out on the bird and charged into the mass of infected in a vain attempt to save Johnson. Joel immediately knew he wasn't going to make it out alive either.
"Take her, and get the hell out of here. There's no time."
The crew chief nodded and helped pull Julie into the chopper. She spun and stared at Joel, fully expecting him to climb aboard as well, but shocked when he pulled back and reloaded his rifle. The chopper began lifting up and Joel stepped back even more as Julie tried to reach for him. She screamed his name and tried to leave the chopper, but the crew chief held her back.
Her eyes never left Joel's as he silently mouthed something to her. Then he turned and fired. Higher and higher still the chopper climbed, its sister bird already disappearing into the horizon. Julie cried and screamed and yelled Joel's name as his form grew more and more distant.
He fired and fired, dropping zombies with every squeeze of the trigger until finally he ran out of ammunition. He gripped his rifle like a club an beat the zombies back, whirling and striking. He knew his doom was upon him, yet he was strangely calm. When the zombies finally closed in on him, he stopped and looked up at the sky, his eyes unfocused. He saw the chopper, but he was looking at Julie. In the last seconds of his life, Sergeant Joel Roscord, United States Marine Corps, knew that his calling had been answered, that he had died protecting the ones he loved.
Julie stared as Joel stopped fighting and looked up, her eyes somehow meeting his over the distance. She saw the love and compassion in his eyes, she saw straight into his soul. She knew inside that Joel had loved her, that he had died to save her. And as the airstrike came in, and Joel and the zombies, and all the bodies of soldiers and Marines in the stadium were consumed in fire, she knew one thing.
In the back of a Blackhawk, bound for God knows where, Julie wept. She wept for the tragedy, for the loss of life. She wept for all those who had died in the senseless violence of the virus, and she wept for all those who had died to protect the rest of humanity. But most of all, she wept for one man, for Joel Roscord. The one who had given up everything for her, the one she loved.
Only four of the original dozen rangers remained and Joel saw that they were quickly going to be overwhelmed. He ran forward, firing as he went, and reached the nearest of the rangers.
"Pull back! Rally reinforcements behind us for an immediate counter attack! We need to drive these bastards back out of this stadium or we're all dead. Go!"
The ranger jumped to comply and immediately left to bring more of the airborne soldiers into the battle. Joel and his squad continued pouring fire into the horde and on his command, primed frag grenades and hurled them into the hapless zombies.
Gore splattered the ground as dozens of the undead disappeared into red mists. Joel ad hoc squad was just barely holding the defensive line against the zombies until the rangers returned in force and added their massed firepower to the fray.
The zombie attack disintegrated altogether under the withering assault and turned into a rout in the humans' favor. Three Humvees and two M1 Abrams tanks appeared on the scene and finished the skirmish, pushing into the breach to re-secure the stadium.
All the soldiers followed the vehicles into the gap and made the stadium safe again. Joel and his men stood down and let the rangers secure the breach. He looked sadly at the bodies of the fallen rangers and the cleanup crews that were going about sterilizing the bodies by shooting them in the head.
"Let's head to the armory. I'm pretty much out of ammo."
The Delta operators and Marines followed their leader to the makeshift armory in the center of the stadium and began loading their vests and pockets with more magazines and grenades. They did so quietly, scarcely speaking except when absolutely necessary.
They had just finished restocking when an Army Lieutenant came into the tent.
"Sergeant Roscord, the Colonel wants to see you in his office immediately."
Joel nodded and signaled his men to stand down and await his return. He then immediately left the weapons tent and headed straight for the Command tent. Once there he came to attention and saluted the seated officer. The Colonel made a vague gesture with his hand and Joel stood at ease.
"Very good work today Sergeant. Your quick response undoubtedly saved the lives of all the people in this stadium. But we need you to do it again. We've discovered that the zombies had originally gotten in through an underground tunnel system. We're going to need you to head down into the tunnels and secure the entrance they are using. Once you accomplish that, we can send down ranger teams to search and destroy whatever zombies remain in the complex. But until then, we can't spare them to go into the tunnels and reduce our defense. I hate to have to use you right after the mission you pulled off, you and you're men deserve rest, but you're the only special forces I have at my disposal at the moment. All the other teams are off in the city, or have been wiped out."
The Colonel stood up and moved towards a map mounted on a stand to the side of his desk. He looked at it for a moment, as if deciphering the various colored markings and slashes and circles made on the maps surface. Then after a considerable amount of time, he spoke.
"You can descend into the sublevels here, at this main junction. We'll keep ropes on hand to haul you up in a hurry if need be, so don't worry about getting out. Just get down there, avoid contact with the zombies whenever possible, and get to the breached grilles. You're going to have to seal the opening with thermite and sheet metal which is already in the area."
Joel nodded as he examined the map. He noted escape routes and possible alternate routes throughout the schematic and kept track of them in his memory as well as marking them down on a small notepad.
"Do you have any questions?"
"Sir, no sir."
"Very well Sergeant. Dismissed."
Joel saluted again and spun about. Once he exited the tent he saw his men standing outside waiting for him. They all looked at him expectantly, and though he knew they were ready for action still, he could see the tiredness setting in on their faces, and in their posture.
"Well we got another op. We're heading into the tunnels underneath here, and we gotta seal up a hole that the deadies are coming in through. We're gonna use thermite and sheet metal that we should find at the hole. I got the map and location, so let's head out. Crisp, you're on point."
The Marines and operators strapped on their helmets and loaded their weapons. A minute later, they were at their designated entry point. Four rangers stood guard above the open grate. A drop line dangled hole and disappeared into the dark. Crisp looked at the hole with slight misgivings before turning to Joel.
"I knew I should have stayed at home and become a damn cook. But no. Instead I sign up for this shit and go rappelling into dark ass holes filled with the fucking undead."
All the men switched on flashlights mounted to their weapons and hooked onto the line. Crisp sighed and jumped down, zipping into the dark. Joel watched as his men dropped into the abyss one at a time before following them down himself.
At the bottom of the tunnel, Joel and his men found themselves in the middle of a horizontal tunnel, running in both directions. They had taken up defensive positions facing both ways, and at the moment it was all clear. Joel then motioned for Crisp to head down the northern part of the tunnel.
"We've got to head down in that direction. There should be a T- junction about a hundred yards that way, then we hang a right. Another thirty yards and a left. Then we should be able to head straight and hit the breach. Got it Crispy?"
"Got it Gunny."
"Good, everyone keep your spacing, and Bear, you got the tail."
"You got it Gunny."
The squad then moved out through the tunnel, slowly and cautiously. They swept every dark corner, every crevice and crack. The lights on their rifles played over every possible hiding place. They were all too aware of how one scratch would doom them, and none were eager to brave a close encounter with the zombies.
After about ten minutes, they reached the first T-junction and Crisp swung out to the right and Townsend to the left. They both signaled the all clear sign and the squad began filing out into the intersecting tunnel. Then Bear yelled out from the rear.
"We got incoming Gunny!"
Bear punctuated his statement with a burst of fire from his rifle and Gunny sprung into action.
"Double time it! Head down that tunnel now!"
The squad never hesitated and began running down the tunnel. Bear fired a final burst before following them down the tunnel. The zombies continued their mindless pursuit, ever following the men down the tunnel.
Crisp immediately found the left hand turn and dashed into it. And he barreled straight into a zombie. The rotting creature reached for him with leprous finger tips but Crisp was too well trained to let a single zombie take him down.
He countered the grasping hands with an upward sweep of his rifle, knocking the zombies backward off balance. Once he had cleared some space between them, Crisp raised his rifle again and blasted the head from the creature's shoulders. Then, unfazed, he continued leading the way down the tunnel.
They reached the breach without further incident. Crisp and Townsend found a large sheet of steel about two inches thick and began wrestling it into position in front of the breach. Joel and Johnson jumped up and helped them, and between the four they managed to wedge it firmly into the gaping hole to seal it.
"Dell, set the thermite."
Dell immediately began molding chunks of thermite around the rim of the steel plate to seal it against the breach. After several minutes, Dell's work was complete and he signaled to Joel with a thumbs up. He held a small detonator in his hand and began back away from the charge down the left tunnel.
"We need to give it some space."
Everyone followed suit except for Bear who fired his rifle again.
"We got incoming again, this tunnel is jam packed."
"They're in this tunnel too!"
Johnson fired at several zombies lurching down the right hand tunnel. Crisp went to join him and Townsend began firing at the zombies in Bear's tunnel when Dell yelled out. He had backed up directly into a waiting zombie and now the undead creature had a grip on him from behind. Dell struggled to break free, but before he could escape the zombie's grasp, the rotting corpse sunk it's diseased teeth deep into his neck.
Dell gurgled blood and clutched at the wound with one hand, while still holding the detonator in the other. The zombie kept its death grip on Dell and continued to bite at his neck, widening the wound and ripping at his fingers and hand as well. Joel snapped his rifle up and blew the zombie's head off, but the damage was already done.
Dell was infected with the contagion, and was mortally wounded as well. In a matter of minutes, he would bleed out and join the ranks of the undead. Joel saw the realization in his eyes as he staggered back to the seal and the thermite charge. Dell jerked his head at Joel and closed his eyes as he waited. Joel and Jonesy then swung into the left tunnel and saw it was clear before yelling to the others to follow them. They all quickly ran past Dell and the breach into the safe tunnel and ran down it. A minute later, a searing blast of light and an incredible heat wave coursed through the tunnel.
Joel shook his head in sorrow as he left yet another man behind, victim of the unsparing evil of the virus. He jogged along quickly through the clear tunnel, following his mental map to where an escape route was. Bear kept his ever vigilant watch on they're rear even as he ran, and everyone in the middle just followed obediently, with their weapons at the ready.
Soon enough they reached the intersection they had been looking for, only to find it infested with zombies. Joel was quickly becoming exasperated with the undead's uncanny ability to show up everywhere they weren't wanted. He signaled a stop and everyone save for Bear drew a bead on a target.
"For Dell, cut them down."
The squad opened fire on full automatic. The blasts of assault rifles was deafening in the tight confines of the tunnel, but none of the men cared. They fired until there was nothing left, in the tunnel and in their magazines. After about three seconds of firing, the corridor was silent and the zombies were dispatched.
The men reloaded their weapons and began creeping cautiously forward when Bear yelled out in alarm.
"Gunny! We'd best get this show moving! We got company again."
Bear fired his rifle down the tunnel, dropping a fat zombie, his guts hanging out his side. Joel threw caution to the wind and began running down the tunnel again, the squad following right on his tail. Bear lagged a few seconds behind, emptying his magazine then turning and running down the tunnel as well.
A left at the intersection and another hundred or so meters found the Marines and Delta underneath an exit shaft. Jonesy pulled a flare from his vest and lit it, signaling their presence to the ranger guards above. A single knotted climb rope fell to the bottom of the shaft, and sounds of gunfire drifted to the squad's ears. Joel gritted his teeth as he listened for a moment then shook his head.
"Ok guys, up the rope. Double time it, I have no idea what's going on topside, but it sounds bad."
And so the Marines and Delta began climbing up the rope, one after another. It was no small feat under the burden of armor, weapon, and combat gear, but they did it without question or complaint. Joel was reminded of the caliber of warriors, and of men that his teammates were, and once more he felt a fierce pride at being able to fight along side them.
Once on the surface, a vision of hell greeted the recent escapees. Zombies had broken through the defenses in several places and were now flooding into the safe zone. Joel looked and saw two Humvees burning next to the sideline entrance, and could make out the bodies of rangers immolating inside.
All around pandemonium ensued as people sought to flee, and rangers fought to protect them. A young woman was dragged down, screaming by a female zombie, who might have been the same age. Hell, for all Joel knew, they could have been friends in the previous life. But the hypothetical friendship ended as the zombie sunk her teeth deep into the woman's neck. She spasmed for a few moments, then was still.
Joel surveyed the destruction around him with a practiced eye, and quickly decided what had to be done. He slapped a fresh magazine into his rifle and pulled the charging handle.
"Ok boys, pair off. This seems to be the end here, so fight to save who you can, and bug out when you can't do anymore. Hopefully I will see you all on the other side, away from here. It's been an honor and a privilege, and a damned pleasure to serve with you all."
The remaining Marines and Delta nodded, understanding Joel's orders and intentions. Without another word they paired off and ran in different directions toward separate and individual battles. Joel saw that Johnson remained behind with him and smiled.
"Just you and me big guy."
"Aye Gunny, and I wouldn't have it any other way."
Joel nodded and smiled, then began leading Johnson towards the infirmary. He knew that his family would have gotten out the instant there were signs of trouble, but the one he worried about was Julie. Her mobility had been pretty limited, and Joel wanted to make certain that she had been evacuated and not left behind.
As they approached, they saw that three rangers where fighting a losing battle to hold the line against the ever advancing hordes of zombies. Joel and Johnson lent their firepower to the task as Joel queried the nearest ranger.
"Corporal, is everyone out of the med tent?"
"No idea Gunny, people stopped running out of there a few minutes ago. We're about to pull back."
"Hold the line just a minute longer, I'm going to check it out. Johnson, give the rangers a hand here."
Johnson stood next to the ranger and fired at the nearest zombies as Joel pulled the tent flaps aside and plunged into the interior. Empty beds and spilled supplies greeted him, the area seemingly deserted. But Joel still had to make sure and ran to the back of the tent to check Julie's bed.
He found her next to the cot, her head in her knees weeping. Joel quickly kneeled down beside her and took her into his arms. Her body jerked in surprise, but quickly relaxed when she realized it was him.
"Oh god Joel, I thought everyone had left me. There was so much screaming and gunfire, I was so afraid."
"Nonsense kid, I would never leave you behind. This is what I signed on for, protecting the ones I care about. Now lets get some clothes on you real quick, and I'll get you out of here."
Julie nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes as she pulled on a pair of sweatpants and put her old shirt back on in lieu of the hospital gown. She slipped into her sneakers and Joel put her arm around his neck as he helped her limp out of the tent. Johnson and the rangers were still firing at the zombies, who grew larger each passing second.
"Johnson! That's everyone, let's bug out!"
Johnson followed Joel and Julie to about halfway to the helicopter where they turned and provided cover fire for the retreating rangers. The rangers in turn wheeled and ran to the chopper, where they turned again and covered Joel and Johnson.
There were only two Blackhawks remaining, and one was already loaded to capacity and the other was almost full. The full chopper took off, hovering and providing cover fire with the miniguns, while the second chopper hovered a foot above the ground. Joel and Julie staggered to the bay door and the crew chief spoke to Joel.
"We're almost at capacity Gunny, we only got room for one more. We'll have to ditch equipment to get you all aboard. But we gotta hurry, there's an airstrike inbound! In another minute, this place is going to be mighty hot."
Joel glanced back to see Johnson ringed by zombies, firing until his rifle was empty then using it as a club to bat the dead away. The three rangers saw they weren't going to make it out on the bird and charged into the mass of infected in a vain attempt to save Johnson. Joel immediately knew he wasn't going to make it out alive either.
"Take her, and get the hell out of here. There's no time."
The crew chief nodded and helped pull Julie into the chopper. She spun and stared at Joel, fully expecting him to climb aboard as well, but shocked when he pulled back and reloaded his rifle. The chopper began lifting up and Joel stepped back even more as Julie tried to reach for him. She screamed his name and tried to leave the chopper, but the crew chief held her back.
Her eyes never left Joel's as he silently mouthed something to her. Then he turned and fired. Higher and higher still the chopper climbed, its sister bird already disappearing into the horizon. Julie cried and screamed and yelled Joel's name as his form grew more and more distant.
He fired and fired, dropping zombies with every squeeze of the trigger until finally he ran out of ammunition. He gripped his rifle like a club an beat the zombies back, whirling and striking. He knew his doom was upon him, yet he was strangely calm. When the zombies finally closed in on him, he stopped and looked up at the sky, his eyes unfocused. He saw the chopper, but he was looking at Julie. In the last seconds of his life, Sergeant Joel Roscord, United States Marine Corps, knew that his calling had been answered, that he had died protecting the ones he loved.
Julie stared as Joel stopped fighting and looked up, her eyes somehow meeting his over the distance. She saw the love and compassion in his eyes, she saw straight into his soul. She knew inside that Joel had loved her, that he had died to save her. And as the airstrike came in, and Joel and the zombies, and all the bodies of soldiers and Marines in the stadium were consumed in fire, she knew one thing.
In the back of a Blackhawk, bound for God knows where, Julie wept. She wept for the tragedy, for the loss of life. She wept for all those who had died in the senseless violence of the virus, and she wept for all those who had died to protect the rest of humanity. But most of all, she wept for one man, for Joel Roscord. The one who had given up everything for her, the one she loved.