Chapter 8
"Alright, looks like this should work," Dewey said as he yanked a couple of cables out of the engine of the crashed military vehicle. "You find anything else useful in there?"
"Some extra 9mm rounds were in the glove box," I replied. "And it looks like some extra Beretta mags to go with them." I eased myself back out of the cabin and popped the trunk. "Oh, that's nice!" I muttered to myself as I pulled the weapon that had been stored in the trunk out and began to look it over. "Hey Edward, you think I'll be allowed to keep this when we get back?"
"Is that an M4?" Edward asked as he walked over. "What's that weird optic it's got on it?"
"Looks like a holographic," I said as I shouldered the carbine. "It's lighter than my AR-15 too."
"How much space do you got in your pack?" Edward asked me. "Could use the M4 for now and stow the upper and lower receiver in your pack for now."
"Good thinking," I said as I detached the flashlight and sling from the rifle I had brought with me before separating the two pieces and placing them at the bottom of my pack. "This should work," I attached my sling to the mounts on the M4 and my flashlight to the side rails. "Now let's get that radio fixed up, I don't like the way those clouds look," I gestured towards the sky.
"Forecast didn't predict any rain, but I agree that we should get this over with," Edward said as he grabbed the wires he had salvaged and moved back to the chopper.
"Oh, before I forget," I said as I grabbed the 9mm ammo and the mags I had found. "I can use the ammo in my Sig, but the mags won't fit."
"I'll put them to good use," Edward said as he tucked the two extra mags away into a pouch and moved back to the chopper's radio. "Looks like these wires will work, but there's no telling how long the battery will last."
"Then let's get the others on the horn and get moving to regroup with them," I said. "Something's starting to feel off about this area."
"Alright, let's shed some light here," Edward muttered to himself as he pulled a small handheld light out of one of his pockets and gripped it in his teeth as he spliced the wires together. "Flip the power on," he directed me. "Let's see if that worked."
"Power's on," I reported. "Looks like the battery is still good for a little while."
"Radio is on, and we're recieving!" Edward cheered. "Captain, we managed to get the radio in the chopper working, but we're not going to have the juice to reach HQ," Edward reported to the Bravo Team captain.
"Dewey, that you?" Captain Marini asked. "We found an abandoned train to the east of your position while looking for the escaped convict. We're moving to investigate now and will meet you at the mansion we saw on our way down. Captain Marini out. "
"Copy that," Edward replied. "We'll make our way to the mansion. Officer Dewey out."
"So, I guess we get to move to the mansion then," I said as we prerecorded an emergency beacon for the crash site. "Looks like it's about to start pouring, so we should get moving soon."
"Message is left behind for Alpha Team or whoever investigates," Edward said as he shouldered his MP5 once more. "Let's get moving, it'll be a nightmare to try and reach that place after dark."
"Shall we?" I asked as I held out a fist to decide who would be the point man.
"Yeah, let's do this," Edward replied as we played rock-paper-scissors to decide who would be the point man. "Ha! I've got your six," Edward said as we flashed our hands and I lost.
"Copy that, I've got lead," I said as I pulled out a compass and a map of the mountains that I had grabbed before leaving the HQ. "We'll need to keep an eye out for a couple of landmarks first, cuz that mansion is going to be incredibly hard to see as it gets dark."
"What are we looking for?" Edward asked as he watched my six.
"There's a smaller mansion that we should run into first," I replied as I looked at the map. "Looks like either a separate estate or a servants quarters, either way we should run into that one before we see the big one."
"Some people have entirely too much money and time on their hands," Edward said as we made our way through the trees. "Who needs two mansions?"
"People who are way too self absorbed," I replied as I tucked the map and compass away. "Let's get moving, something out here is watching us."
"Get on the fucking train!" Captain Marini ordered the rest of STARS Bravo team. "Those wolves are right on our heels!"
Stopping at the foot of the train, Kenneth boosted Chambers and Richard Aiken up and through the broken windows before reaching up for them to pull him up. "Come on, they're gonna get us!" Kenneth pulled himself up at the same time that the Captain and Forest did.
"Kill those wolves, don't let them on the train," Enrico ordered as he shouldered his Steyr Aug and killed two of the dogs trying to jump onto the train.
"I think that was all of them," Forest said as he turned and looked at the rest of the train.
"Man, this is nice!" Richard said as he first looked at the train's furnishings.
"Until you notice the bloodstains," Rebecca chimed in as she looked closely at some of the stained seats. "I didn't know Umbrella operated railroads though."
"I don't think any of us did," a voice came from a doorway.
"Freeze!" Captain Marini ordered. "I want to see your hands!"
"Aright," the man said as he stepped forward into the illumination of the flashlights. "I'll cooperate."
"William Coen," the captain said as he took a closer look. "You're under arrest until we can turn you over to the proper authorities."
"And if I choose not to come quietly?" The marine asked.
"Then I put you down," Marini stated coldly. "I served both the invasion of Panama, and in the Gulf War, I know not to leave a potential enemy at my back."
"What branch were you in?" Billy Coen asked gruffly as he dropped the handgun he had taken from the MPs onto the floor of the train and kicked it over to the captain. "You don't sound like you were a Marine."
"I'm Army, and proud of it," Enrico replied. "Now come on son, let's not make this harder than it has to be."
"Those dogs out there are vicious," Coen said as they zip tied his wrists out in front of him. "They killed the two MPs after we crashed before I could do anything."
"That does line up with their cause of death sir," Chambers chimed in from where she was inspecting some of the bloodstains. "But I'd be more worried about what's in front of us." She pointed at the stains. "There's enough blood for there to have been four or five people in this compartment."
"Which means?" Richard asked as he shouldered his MP5 and held it at low ready.
"Which means that someone moved the bodies," Rebecca said. "Either that or they got up and walked away themselves. But that's impossible."
"You may want to check that theory again, kid," Billy said as a new door slid open. "Because it looks to me like they got up and walked away," he grimaced in disgust. "And then decided to start eating each other."
"They're moving our way, Captain, " Kenneth reported from the doorway. "Orders?"
"Army, I promise that I'll turn myself in once this is over, but don't let me die without a weapon in my hands," Billy pleaded with the STARS team captain. "A knife or something, I'll even stand in front of you if I have to."
"Fine," the captain responded as he cut the zip tie and handed the Marine his pistol back. "But you only get the one magazine for now," Captain Marini then turned to the rest of his team. "Marine's on point, if he looks like he's gonna turn on us then fill him with lead."
"Wilco/copy that sir," the other male members of the team responded.
"I'll make the rounds count," Billy replied as he moved to take point. "On point," he said loud enough for the rest of the STARS team to hear.
"Copy, on your six," Kenneth replied as he moved into position on the other side of the door.
"First in," Billy called as he walked into the next room and shot at one of the shambling figures that had been feasting on the dead body on the ground. "Five tangos, one neutralized," he said as he triple tapped one of the shambling figures in the chest.
"Next in," Kenneth said as he moved in with his rifle and double-tapped one of the figures. "Targets are not going down with chest wounds," he reported. "Treat as if on drugs," he called as he moved to shoot the figure in the head.
"Clear!" The two men in the room reported as the gunfire ceased. "All tangos are down," Coen said as he leaned down and looked at the man they had been eating. "This guy looks like a train conductor," he said as he gagged on the smell. "He's got a key on him and everything."
As soon as he picked up the key the train began moving.
"I swear I didn't touch anything!" Billy said as he dropped the key.
"It's okay Marine," Forest gave a twisted smile. "You'll know if we're about to kill you."