Zombie Road , Simpson, A. [best authors to read TXT] 📗

“Doesn’t need one.” Forhees said. “It can be mounted on a tripod and if you have a good extension cord to power it up, it can be aimed directly at the target. Imagine a laser beam slicing through a horde of undead as easily as a hot knife through butter. It never runs out of ammo as long as you have electricity.”

Gunny and Griz both were suitably impressed now.

“The biggest drawback is you have to be careful where you aim it.” Forhees continued. “It’ll destroy the target and everything behind it. If you don’t mount it high and aim it down, the beam will blast everything in its path.”

“Good call saving this.” Griz said and finger combed his beard. “I bet we could rig up a rail system on top of the wall and have it anywhere we needed in just a few minutes. No more worries about a big horde from Dallas finding us.”

“How much power does it use?” Gunny asked.

“It takes about fifty thousand watts to make it deadly to people and zombies.” He replied. “A hundred thousand to destroy solid objects like buildings and walls.”

“It’ll blow up buildings?” Griz asked, eyebrows raised.

“It doesn’t really blow things up, not like you Marines are accustomed to.” Forhees said. “It’s not an explosive device like you’re thinking. Basically, it shoots a beam of accelerated particles that have a high kinetic energy. It instantaneously super heats whatever it hits and alters its molecular structure. If it hit your container walls they would basically fly apart. If it hits people, it’s instant death. The zom’s, well just hold the trigger down and rake back and forth. It’ll slice them to pieces. If you raked it back and forth aimed at a town it could level every building in a few minutes.”

“I’ve delivered 100,000-kilowatt diesel powered generators to hospitals.” Griz said. “They fit on the back of a truck. This could be mobile.”

“This could be the most powerful weapon left on the planet.” Gunny said.

“It can be anything you want it to be.” Forhees said. “It belongs to the United States and we wanted you to have it back, Mr. Meadows. It seemed a shame to send it to the bottom of the sea.”

“Well, let’s keep it under wraps till we get home.” Gunny said. “We’re not traveling through enemy territory but they’re none too friendly. Speaking of which, I had to promise them your guns for safe passage.”

At the navy men’s frowns Gunny assured them they had plenty more in Lakota.

“But it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if your boys emptied their mags taking out the undead. The train won’t get them all and I don’t want to leave a huge horde at their wall.”

“Or leave them with a bunch of bullets.” Griz added. “I don’t trust ‘em. They might decide to get wise and start demanding more stuff.”

The captain nodded. “Understood. Consider it done. Do you have a place to store the laser?”

“Under your bunk is fine.” Gunny said.

“Yes sir.” The Captain said and motioned for his men to crate it back up.

Gunny went back to the lead locomotive and Xavier was sitting in the engineers’ seat, driving the train. Bridget was still pointing out different controls and what they did. She seemed to be hovering a little closer than was strictly necessary, leaning over him to explain various readouts instead of simply pointing. They were both smiling and Gunny noticed her shirt wasn’t buttoned all the way up. A little cleavage was pushing against the black denim and she’d repositioned the goggles on her head so her hair covered the missing ear. Even with the scar on her cheek, she was still the prettiest girl the boy had ever seen.

“How’s it going, Xavier?” Gunny asked, voice raised to be heard over the dull roar of the motor. “You getting the hang of it?”

“Oh yeah!” he said, the grin wide on his face.

“Hollywood needed you for something.” Gunny said “Go on, I’ll show him the rest!”

“Thanks.” He said quietly as she passed. “You’re acting skills are still good. You haven’t lost it.”

“Wasn’t all acting.” She replied with an impish smile. “A girl likes to be appreciated once in a while. And not just for how good she can kill zombies.”

Gunny watched the boy as he checked the controls, kept an eye out for any danger on the tracks and piloted the locomotive down the rails. He was a good kid and had lost his bike, risked his life and saved a lot of sailors in the process.

They talked, passed the time and Gunny learned a little more about the Utopia Simon was building.

Xavier said Simon wasn’t one of the tech guys. He was kind of a guru guy at the resort. He was one of those expensive counselors that taught them how to get in touch with their inner selves.

“You know, be calm in your soul so you can be better at business and things like that.” Xavier said.

“A motivational speaker?” Gunny asked.

“I guess.” Xavier said. “Everybody likes him. He pulled us together in the beginning, got everyone organized to build defenses. We didn’t have an election or anything, Simon was the leader and we did what he asked because it made sense. He kept everyone alive.”

“Who’s that big guy with the bad attitude.” He asked. “His bodyguard?”

“William?” Xavier asked. “Nah, not really. He drifted in a few months after we’d barricaded the resort. He was really good at killing the undead. He helped us clear the town and get more food.”

“And he sent you as a guard, to keep an eye on us?”

“I volunteered.” Xavier said proudly. “When I heard you were coming, I wanted to help. We knew all about you guys, we have radios you know. Bastille named everybody that was coming, the same people I’ve heard stories about for a year. And when he said Bridget was on the train…”

He cut himself off abruptly and looked embarrassed. “I wanted to meet you guys, that’s all.”