Page 2

Two of the men on the barricade, one in uniform, the other an old geezer in a short-sleeved dress shirt, were conversing animatedly with General Mann and Lieutenant Geary, as Webster came closer.

"…..of a gang, and that’s when we decided to put barricades across the roads leading into town," the uniformed man, a deputy sheriff, was saying. "There are at least four people on each of the other barricades," he said, in answer to Mann’s question. "But this is the main, state road into town."

Webster added two and two, understanding that, with the quick collapsing of order, heavily-armed gangs of looters were already starting to spring up and rampage across the countryside like Atilla’s Huns. It didn’t take long for the barbarians to sprout up when there was nothing really keeping them in check. They’d already encountered two such groups on their journey between towns; in fact, three of the Marines killed had been lost in the ensuing firefights. None remained upright, alive or otherwise, from either of those gangs. They’d made certain of that.

"You’re the first….‘official’….people we’ve seen in a good while", the other, older man said. "The last were a coupla state police troopers; we’d just set these up," he motioned at the vehicles. "They said to stay here and wait for instructions. That was…." he looked at the deputy, "….four days ago?" The uniformed man pursed his lips and nodded uncertainly.

Mann turned to Webster. "Sergeant Webster; This is Mr. Beller, a senior member of the town council," the tense, disheveled-looking older man, holding a double-barreled shotgun, nodded once to Webster, "…and Deputy Sheriff Fordham. This is Gunnery Sergeant Webster, third in line of succession to the Throne in this convoy." Mann smiled slightly as he introduced Webster, trying to ease the tension. The two men did not smile. Webster nodded in greeting.

"So, what is the situation in the area now?" Mann asked.

Beller spoke up. "Well, we don’t know what the town’s like, just now….we haven’t been there in a few days. There weren’t…..many…..of’em…..there when we left to set up these roadblocks. Just a few, maybe. We just wanted to protect our town from the gangs. Every once in a while we’ll see one of those things wander by; if one comes close enough, we shoot it and burn it."

"I see….good," Mann said, and nodded his approval. "Would you gentlemen mind if we went on into your town? That is our mission, after all; clearing the towns and cities as best as possible." Both men nodded and shrugged. It was okay with them; they were happy for the help.

Mann, of course, had federal jurisdiction in the area which, at the moment, was under martial law, like the rest of the nation. Even if the men had said no, he could easily have told them to go pound salt, even arrested them for disobeying government orders. But, this was America, not Nazi Germany or communist China, and the General was good at dealing with people. It was his opinion that they had been through enough here, just lately, without the added stress of having a military jackboot on their throats; of actually seeing their way of life utterly collapse, even though it had. More flies with honey, and all that. "So, there aren’t many of the reanimated corpses in the area?"

Fordham sneered slightly. "‘Reanimated corpses’…..that’s what you’re calling them?"

Mann raised his brow. "You have a better term?" he asked flatly.

The deputy shrugged, slightly deflated. "Guess not."

Beller cast him a dark glance and, turning to Mann, said, "There are quite a few out at the Bess warehouse."

"Beg pardon?" Mann asked, suddenly apprehensive.

The older man frowned. "Well…..the TV was sayin’ to shoot’em all in the head and burn the remains; the mayor, now…..well, he didn’t see it that way. Felt it was disrespectful; that maybe they could be…..saved…or cured…somethin'; i don’t know. I ain’t never heard tell of anybody comin’ up with a cure for advanced death; then, what do I know? I didn’t go to Ohio State, like him." It was clear that Beller’s opinion of his mayor was on the deficient side. He paused, and shook his head sharply, as if clearing the thought, then continued.

[ Continue to page 3 ]