Divided We Fall (20 page)

Chapter 28.

Hassan smiled and embraced Brad in a long hug, letting go only to
grab him by the shoulders and shake him. “We have much to talk about, my
friend,” Hassan said jovially. “I have a wife now; you must meet her. We can
find you a wife as well.”

Brad smiled back at the Afghan scout, looking beyond him to the
large group of people moving down the trail toward the lake camp. “You did
good, Hassan; you kept them all together.”

“And you brought us here,” Hassan said. “The fighting can end
now.”

As Dan promised, they were high in the mountains, far from any
sign of Primals or bandits. Wood-sided buildings surrounded a large, clear,
blue lake. A tall grassy field ran up the hillside meeting towering trees. The
field could be used for farming, and Dan said the woods were full of game, so
there would be no shortage of food.

“It’ll be good here, Hassan. You can have a new start,” Brad said.

“We can all have a new start.” Hassan grinned. Looking over the
land in deep thought, his gaze turned to the long column of people moving to
the lake. “Yes, we will. Brad, I would like to see you tonight at the dinner
fire,” Hassan said, leaving to catch up with the others.

A man came up behind him and slapped an arm around his shoulder.
“So, what do ya think?”

It was Turner; he pulled Brad in and watched as the others moved
down the hill. Chelsea, Cole, and Mendez were taking baggage from the
civilians; Henry was hovering over the children, helping them along. Joey stood
on a large rock with Joe-Mac, stoically keeping watch over the procession of
people.

“I think I might try to get home,” Brad said. “I’m not sure if
this is the right place for me.”

Turner let go and dug through his shirt pocket for a cigarette. “I
don’t know, Thompson; this might be your home. I hear Bragg and Benning are a
total loss.”

Brad laughed and walked to a nearby tree to lean against it. “No,
I mean my real home… Michigan. Cloud said there were still people up there;
maybe my folks are still alive.”

Turner lit the cigarette and watched the families move down the
hill. “I heard what you said to Hassan… about a new start. You could do that
here too. I see the way you look at that girl; maybe she’s the one for you.”

“I don’t know,” Brad said.

“Thompson, you can rest now, brother; it’s okay to stop,” Turner
said. He took a long drag on the cigarette and walked away, leaving Brad alone.

Brad heard the thumping of a helicopter. He paused and searched
the sky, watching as the civilians on the trail did the same. The Black Hawk
circled around then landed near the base of the lake. The helicopter’s engines
shut down but the doors remained closed until the rotors stopped. Brad watched
the doors open and Colonel Cloud step out. From somewhere near the cabins, a
woman screamed and ran toward the helicopter, a young child chasing after her
with Dan Cloud close behind them.

Brad sat against the tree watching the reunion. He then saw Brooks
and Sean step out of the helicopter. They were introduced to Cloud’s family and
his father, Dan, before Cloud moved away, leaving Brooks and Sean sitting in
the open door of the Blackhawk.

Brad stood silently watching the unfamiliar sight of smiling and
happy people. Maybe this was a safe place for all of them. Maybe it
could
be his fresh start. He moved away from the tree and walked to the lake while
searching the faces. He saw her; she was smiling and walking back up the hill
toward him. She stopped to wave. Brad waved back, but it wasn’t him she was
looking at. Shane moved from the group, walking behind the others, holding
Ella’s hand. Chelsea ran forward and lifted Ella in a tight hug then grabbed
Shane, embracing them all as a group… like a family.

“They deserve it,” Brad said to himself.

Brad walked away, staying wide of the group and moving to the
seated men at the helicopter. As he approached, Brooks tossed him a can of
still cold beer.

“So this is why you all didn’t leave to join the others?” Brad
laughed.

Brooks moved over to allow Brad to sit in the helicopter’s open
door next to him. He handed Brad an already lit cigar. “Ericson gave us these
as a going away gift.”

Sean popped the top on a second beer, tossing an empty to the
ground at his feet. “And I ain’t about to share them.”

Brooks reached for a leather bag the size of an eyeglass case and
removed a small white cylinder. He took the tube and pressed it against Brad’s
thigh; a pop and hiss came from the tube.

“Ow! What the hell was that?” Brad said, pulling away and wincing
while reaching down to rub his thigh.

Sean laughed. “Stop crying—it’s another gift from Ericson; the
vaccine, one of the first batches.”

“Well, hell, you should have given it to one of them,” Brad said,
still rubbing his thigh.

“Yeah, thought you might say that; that’s why you got the surprise
pop.” Brooks chuckled, draining his can and digging into the cooler behind him
for another beer.

“So did they get him?” Brad asked. He opened his can and took a
sip; he looked out at the lake, the water a deep blue.

“The general’s gone. Ericson rounded up the survivors and moved
everyone to Fort Sam Houston. They are starting a lab and plan to mass-produce
the vaccine. If they can stop the spread, it won’t be long before they develop
a plan to contain the infected,” Sean said.

Brooks slapped Brad on the back. “And just like that, we are
suddenly unemployed.”

Brad sipped at the can of cold beer, savoring the taste while
watching his people gather around the shore of the lake. “They’re going to be
okay,” he said.

“It’s going to get boring here when the beer runs out,” Sean said.

Brad tipped back his head, draining the can before crushing it and
letting it fall to the ground. “You know where we could find some more?”

Coming Soon from

W.J. Lundy

FALL
2015

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Lundy W. J.  (2015-08-01).

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot: Volume VI

W. J. Lundy is a still serving Veteran of the
U.S. Military with service in Afghanistan. He has over 14 years of combined
service with the Army and Navy in Europe, the Balkans and Southwest Asia. Visit
him on
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OTHER WORKS BY WJ LUNDY