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.“I’m Captain Barrigan.You and your men will secure this building this morning.The state legislature was in session today and many legislators stuck around before we had a chance to secure it.We have confirmed several viral enemies within the building.”The men grimaced in surprised confusion at the mention of viral enemies.“You need to clear the building of the Virals and rescue any of the state legislature who are still in the building.Are these orders clear?”All responded, “Yes, sir.”“National Guard will be arriving at 0600 hours.Your work needs to be completed by then.Do you understand?”“Yes, sir.”The Captain took a long swig from a large cup of Starbucks coffee, smacked his lips, and said, “Questions?”Sgt.Arnold was the first to raise his hand.“What are viral enemies, sir?”“Viral enemies are humans exhibiting what we can only describe as hyper-crazed behavior, including severe violence and tendencies to bite.The reason we refer to them as Virals is that sources close to the US military believe the sickness is possibly viral.Avoid bites at all costs, or contact with blood or saliva from these combatants.”“What happens if we do, sir?” asked Spc.Goodson.Cpt.Barrigan told a bold-faced lie.“We don’t know for sure.” The subtext was clear, though.“How do we take them down, sir?” asked Sgt.Nickson.“Intelligence gathered confirm a traditional shot to the head terminates the combatants.Any other questions?”“Why is this happening?” asked Sgt.Arnold.“We don’t know.”The men stood silent.Cpt.Barrigan moved away from the iron gates of the capitol.On the sidewalk just several feet away from the men lay three dead bodies.As the men peered through the bars across the lawn of the antique building, shadowy figures walked in the distance.They seemed human, but now they weren’t so sure.“All right.Get your gear ready,” Cpt.Barrigan stated.The fireteams gathered while their leaders conferred over a map of the capitol with Cpt.Barrigan.“Men, here’s the building’s floorplan.How do you think you want to do it?”“Drop us on the roof and work our way down,” Sgt.Nickson said.“We need to secure the lawn first,” Sgt.Arnold added.“Then, perhaps, we can be dropped on the roof.Are the other gates around the capitol secured, sir?”“Affirmative.This is currently the only approved entrance and exit to the capitol.”“Then our choice is easy,” Sgt.Nickson said, butting in to subtly take credit for the decision.“We secure the yard around the capitol, then get an airlift to the roof.”“Sounds like a good plan, Sgt.Nickson,” Cpt.Barrigan said, patting him on the shoulder.Sgt.Arnold shot Nickson a severe look of disdain.Nickson just smiled back.The fireteams were just in earshot.Both sized each other up, brandishing their weapons with testosterone-fueled pride.“We’re sending you to get it done in five minutes, men.Set up your teams.Dismissed.”“Yes, sir.”Sgt.Arnold returned to his team.Spc.Noble approached him first and made an observation.“Woman’s intuition, but why do I get the distinct feeling Nickson and his goons wish we were dead?”Sgt.Arnold shouldered his grenade launcher and checked the submachine gun he was going to have to use in and around the building.“Because they do.”Spc.Knight moved close.“They’ve been eyeballing us all night, like they’re looking for an excuse to fight us.”“Look, it doesn’t make a shit right now,” Sgt.Arnold said.“Nickson and his shithead crew might be assholes, but we’ve got to work together with them.”“I heard that, Arnold,” Sgt.Nickson said as he turned to the rival team, his men looming behind him, armed and ready.Each had an evil sparkle about them, as if they were picking the rival member they wanted to kill.“If any of you cocksuckers get viral, I promise to put you out of your misery,” promised the cowardly Spc.Garrison, who was unconsciously standing behind the monstrous Spc.Rodriguez.“No, thanks,” Spc.Goodson said.“I’d be too scared Rodriguez would try to fuck me in the ass when I’m dead like he does you, you nasty faggots.”Fireteam Arnold chuckled at the open insult.“Don’t talk shit to Rodriguez,” Garrison said, slapping the stout stack of bricks across the back.“He’ll part you like the Red Sea.” The two smiled, petting Rodriguez’s M249 SAW.“You mean part our ass like he does your ass, you homos?” Spc.Noble chimed.She knew nobody on Nickson’s team had any respect for her, so she had no problem expressing her distaste for them.Sgt.Nickson had been brewing like a teapot, and the final crack, made by Noble, a woman—more like a girl not that far separated from boot camp—pushed him to the boiling point.He shoved Sgt.Arnold with both hands, and Sgt.Arnold immediately responded with a right cross that dropped Nickson to one knee.He clinched, and Sgt.Arnold began to work the body with angry uppercuts.Had Cpt.Barrigan not broke them up, their men might have joined in, the stoic Spc.Talltree being an exception.“Goddammit, you two!” Cpt.Barrigan yelled.“Do you morons understand we’re in the middle of a goddamn global epidemic?! Huh?!”The men stood ashamed, like school children being reprimanded by their teacher [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]