Chapter 13
The two massive Chinooks stood on the landing strip, their rota blades whipping clouds of dust up into the air. A single line of soldiers filed into each of the aircraft, the powerful downdraft buffeting the figures as they made their way up the rear access ramps.
James stood in the belly of one of the Chinooks and watched as two section arranged themselves along each bulkhead.
This was the culmination of three weeks if intensive mission training, triggered by the zombie attack on Camp Bastion. New weapons and tactics had been developed and deployed and the troops, both British and Afghan, had been drilled relentlessly. Hours of practice on the camp ranges had honed their shooting skills, enabling them to deliver the modified ammunition with pin point accuracy. A hand held antidote delivery wand had also been produced for hand to hand combat situations and each soldier had several strapped to their ammunition belts. They were focussed, alert and most of them were still alive (Smurf of course being technically dead)
"Ere sir" said Mansfield Mike " these chinooks are a bit of all right. How come we didn't get them on our last tour?"
James smiled "its one of the benefits of having moved the story into a written format Private, budget is no longer a constraint. People are free to use their imaginations"
"Oh does that mean I can be better looking this time around" pursue Mansfield Mike
"There are limits" said James "we can't go making the story so far fetched that we lose all credibility. No, just concentrate on helping us defeat the zombie king and save the world and it won't matter to people how hansom you are."
Mansfield Mike nodded pensively.
James sat back in his seat and regarded the section with some pride. They were as fit and determined as he had ever seen them. Every member also now sported the new unit badge on their sleeve with pride.
He would never forget the day, a few weeks ago, when they had received them. They had been marching back from the shooting range and had just entered the main parade ground. Colonel de la Billiere had been waiting for him with a number of high ranking officers James did not know.
"Ah James excellent. Form the section up would you? Unexpected visitor, all very irregular but he wanted to come himself to give you the news."
"Who sir, what news? I don't understand" asked James in confusion.
A chinook then came into view and thundered overhead, landing on the far side of the parade ground.
"Ah, that will be him" said de la Billiere and walked swiftly away to join the other senior officers.
The rear door of the chinook had opened and a squad of heavily armed troops doubled out to take positions around the square.
They were shortly followed by a lone figure in desert combats and beret. Even from a distance James could make out the red hair peaking out from the bottom of the man's head gear.
"Bloody hell" said James to himself then doubled over to the section to make sure they were formed up correctly and looking as smart as possible.
"What's going on sir?" Said Molly as he arrived. "That bloke that's just arrived don't half look like the ginger ninja" she offered with a smile.
James looked at her with a wide eyed expression. Molly's grin faded "Shut up!" She said in disbelief. "What's he doing here?"
"I haven't the first earthly idea" admitted James
By this time the visitor had been greeted by the welcoming committee and was being shown towards two section.
James brought the troops to attention and Prince Harry walked quickly over to shake his hand.
"Its a very great pleasure to meet you Captain. I have been following your progress here closely"
"Really your highness? I didn't know your interests extended to zombies" said James
"Oh very much so , have you not seen some of the minor royals?" Responded the Prince.
Harry then addressed the section.
"It is with very great pleasure that I can announce the formation of the newest unit of the British army which is to be formally known as the Special Zombie Service. I can also confirm myself as its first Colonel in Chief."
He then went on to present the new service insignia to each member of two section, making time to say a few words to each.
James noticed the Prince pause to have a particularly long conversation with Mansfield Mike of which he caught only the final sentence from Harry: "yes private it is indeed like looking in a mirror".
There then followed a short farewell and the royal was gone, striding back up the ramp of the chinook before it rose into the air in a whirl of dust.
Two section where left shaking their heads and staring at their badges. A red zombie head with a dagger through it on a black background with the motto 'Attract, Immerse, Revive' on a scroll below.
Brains walked over to James. "Its unbelievable sir" he said
"That it is" agreed James, "a great honour"
"No sir, it's the badge . A head with 'Attract, Immerse, Revive', A-I-R. We'll be known as the airheads in no time at all" said Brains with a pained expression
"Ah, I see" said James.
Back to the present and James checked his notes for the mission. A coordinated attack on the Taliban base would be a tricky affair. It would need careful timing and for each unit to do its part. He recalled Major Morley's initial briefing via video phone the previous week:
"The secret base is located beneath a disused compound to the south of the checkpoint. Its brilliant really, nobody would expect it to be right under the noses of the ANA. The entrance is in one of the blockhouses and is very well guarded. There is no way you could storm that without risking significant loss of life"
"So how do we get in sir?" James had asked
"A local goat farmer has informed us of a second entrance. It is less well guarded and should be easier to access. This farmer has agreed to lead you there."
"A goat farmer?" James had asked nervously.
"Yes" said Morley "well actually a former goat farmer. He went bankrupt after losing his prize breeding male. That's how we were able to bribe him to show us the second access point. He is on the point of starvation. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, no reason" said James grimacing.
"You will access the base via this entrance" Morley had continued. "Then neutralise any opposition before destroying the facility. The ANA will mount a diversionary attack on the main entrance as well as providing support and mopping up any zombie activity in the wider area"
As the chinook now neared its destination James got two section to run final equipment checks and spoke some encouraging words to a few individuals as well as giving Molly a little wink and a smile.
He could soon sense the aircraft descending and presently felt the jar of the helicopters wheels touch the ground. The rear access ramp then started to slowly open and two section trooped out into the pitch black Afghan night.
James had them fall in on him and then led them to the nearby drainage ditch that they would follow to the checkpoint.
He ordered Nude-nut to lead them off and they were soon on their way to the rendezvous with their guide.
The night was very still and James became acutely aware of his own steady breathing and the soft tread of his soldiers boots on the ground.
Then suddenly there was a loud detonation nearby which shook the ground and sent them scuttling for cover. James saw panicked expressions as everyone tried to workout the location and source of the explosion. "That wasn't Thunder" said Baz Vegas in a shaking voice.
Then Molly wrinkled her nose and said "what's that whiff?"
Mansfield Mike appeared clutching his stomach. "Sorry, but I tried to hold it in. I always get bad wind when I'm nervous."
James stared at the private "Jesus, I thought that was a mortar attack and that we were done for"
Molly made a face. "We still might be if we don't get up wind of Mansfield's guff" she said.
"Ok" said James "lead on Nude-Nut"
The horizon was tinged with pink as they came in sight of the checkpoint but instead of progressing to the compound as before, they left the ditch and went cross country, soon reaching the foothills to the west of the bridge.
By a tumbledown field shelter they met up with the goat farmer. He nodded to James and looked suspiciously at Smurf before turning and leading them down a narrow path running along the edge of a rough pasture. James tried not to show his relief that the man had not recognised them.
They walked in silence for a time then, near a rock outcrop, the farmer signalled for them to get low to the ground. They then went forward at a crouch until they reached a large boulder where they came to a stop. James looked at the farmer who peaked over the rock and nodded towards a small copse of trees about 50 metres away. He then wished them luck and left.
James took out his binoculars and surveyed the scene. The copse looked deserted but just as James was about to turn away he spotted a figure emerging from the trees. James focussed in on the face and noted the telltale red eyes. The athletic gait confirmed the guard was a Mark II as they now called the new breed of zombie.
James turned to two section. "Fingers, we have a Mark II 50 metres away just by that copse of trees. I need remote delivery asap"
Fingers nodded and unslung his rifle. He exchanged the live ammo clip with one containing the antidote bullets. He then screwed a silencer onto the nozzle of the rifle and creeped around the boulder to take up a prone position on the stony ground which surrounded the rocky outcrop.
He adjusted the sight on his rifle and peered through it towards the group of trees. He then waited to get a clean shot.
"Come on, let me see your love bite" said Fingers in an undertone, referring to the mass of dark tissue at the back of the neck which would be his target.
"Gotcha" he whispered and pulled the trigger. A low 'phut' issued from the rifle and the distant figure staggered forward and fell to its knees.
"Let's move" said James and two section doubled forwards, rifles at the ready.
By the time they had reached the figure it was convulsing on the ground. Molly knelt by the zombie and waited for the transformation to complete. She then checked for vital signs and looked at James.
"Dead sir, must have been a corpse to start with"
James nodded. "Ok let's find this entrance"
Two section entered the trees and started to scan the ground for evidence of an opening.
"Over here sir" said Kinders who was standing over a metal grate set into the ground.
The grate was quickly lifted out of the way to reveal a metal ladder descending into the darkness.
James unclipped a torch from his belt and shone a beam of light down the hole.
"Looks like it goes down about 20 metres. Nude-Nut lead off while I radio Captain Azizi to commence the diversionary attack"
They each climbed down the ladder in turn. At the bottom was a narrow tunnel carved out of the rock, weakly lit by a series of electric bulbs strung from the ceiling. The passage slopped steeply down further into the earth.
They advanced in single file picking their way carefully along the tunnel, the stone floor of which was slick with mud.
Suddenly a cry from the rear of the line indicated that something was amiss. As James turned he saw Mansfield Mike, Smurf and Fingers careering towards him one after the other on their rear ends. He tried desperately to avoid the avalanche of bodies but the tunnel was too narrow and in an instant he was swept off his feet by the combined weight of those behind him. Molly also tried to evade them but ended up on James lap as they slid along the stone floor.
Those in front of Molly met the same fate and for a moment the whole section was moving as one down the tunnel, arms and legs flailing, before being disgorged into a wider space at the bottom of the slope.
As they erupted out of the tunnels narrow opening they cannoned into a group of zombies assembled just beyond, sending them sprawling. The whole mass of bodies eventually came to rest against the opposite wall of the cavern.
James desperately tried to free himself from the tangle of arms and legs all around him. There then followed a desperate struggle as soldiers and zombies grappled to get the upper hand.
James managed to free one of his antidote wands from his belt and drive it into the neck of the nearest zombie, sending it into a writhing frenzy.
He then rolled away and came up on one knee to try and get his bearings. Kinders, Brains and Fingers were each engaged in desperate struggles with zombies. Molly was bent over Nude-Nuts motionless body whilst Dangleberries had his rifle raised covering her as she worked. He could not see Smurf or Mansfield Mike anywhere but had no time to give them further thought as another zombie loomed up in front of him.
James sprang at the figure and knocked it backwards. The zombie landed heavily with James on top of it and he was just about to drive his second wand into its neck when something hit James on the back of the head, sending him sprawling and plunging him into oblivion...