The Plague Years (Book 2): At This Hour, Lie at My Mercy All Mine Enemies Read online

  At This Hour, Lie at My Mercy All Mine Enemies

  Mark Rounds

  Copyright © 2016 Mark Rounds

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN-13: 978-1523802678

  ISBN-10: 1523802677

  DEDICATION

  To my wife and family who put up with me. Also to the real “Tomboy One Two,”Lee Shoults, friend and mentor. Life is less sweet with your passing.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I’ll include on this list Colonel Hugh Shoults, USA and Lieutenant Colonel Donald Kaag, USA(ret) for knowledge about the military technical details. I would like to thank Lieutenant Kris Schweigert of the Washington State Highway Patrol for helping get all the police procedures correct. I would also like to acknowledge and thank Thia Kaag who edited my copy and chided me about commas, and Don Kaag who educated me about hyphens. Any mistakes are the fault of the author.

  I would also like to thank my beta readers who helped make this a materially better book, Mike Finkbiner, Donald and Thia Kaag, Karen Schweigert, Hugh Shoults, Elizabeth and Austin Wilmerding, and my son, Garret Rounds.

  I would like to also specifically thank my wife and children (who are no longer kids). So thanks to Jani for computer support, Garret for knowledge about all things automotive, and Bethany for educating me in how not to write a sexist novel, and always to my wife for being softhearted and not telling me to get lost when we started dating.

  Dramatis Personae

  (Carried over from “From Hell is Empty and All the Devils Are Here”)

  Colonel Andrianos Antonopoulos, USAF, Commander of the 62nd Airlift wing and an old friend of Chad Strickland’s from his service days.

  Lieutenant General Buckley, USA, I corps Commander. Military Governor of the State of Washington.

  The Grease Monkey and Sparky, chapter mechanics for the Apple Valley Bikers Against Child Abuse.

  Amber Hoskins, former Sheriff’s deputy who is one of the few Plague survivors to go into complete remission. She is the recent fiancée of Chis Vaughn, whose life she saved in their first encounter with the Infected.

  Amy Howeland, Connor Strickland’s friend and classmate from childhood, who is developing feelings for Connor.

  Horace T. Macklin, former Homeland Security Special Agent who is now the tool of those who would spread the Plague and bring humanity to its knees.

  Smokey, chapter president of the Apple Valley Bikers Against Child Abuse and friend of the Stricklands.

  Chad Strickland, statistical scientist and former Air Force intelligence analyst. Starts the chain of preparation in motion when the information about the Plague is not all it seems.

  Mary Strickland, wife to Chad, mother to their three children, and a food service manager. Her Irish temper, once aroused, is not easily quelled. She is innovative and organized.

  Connor Strickland, tall, athletic and smart, he is the seventeen year old son of Mary and Chad.

  Fiona Strickland, fourteen-year-old sister of Connor, who is a brat on the outside, but fierce in her devotion to her family.

  Bob Strickland, Chad’s older (and some say smarter) brother. He is a Professor at the University of Idaho who has offered the family refuge in Moscow, ID

  David Tippet, Major, USMC ret., recently widowed, former Force Recon officer who was medically retired from the service. Used to teach history at Columbia Basin Community College and now has spearheaded their family group’s efforts to survive.

  Heather Tunney, recently divorced employee of Mary Strickland. She is a single mother of three kids and resourceful in all sorts of interesting ways.

  Chris Vaughn, former Washington Highway Patrol Sergeant, who is resourceful, level headed. He is a friend of the Stricklands and devoted to Amber.

  Glossary of Military Terms

  .300 Winchester Magnum: High performance sniper and hunting round.

  .338 Laupa: The round fired my David Tippet’s sniper rifle. This round is particularly long ranged and hard hitting.

  ABU: Air Force Battle Utilities. Replaced standard Air Force Fatigues.

  AFOSI: Air Force Office of Special Investigation. Air Force Police who investigate military wrong doing, similar to CID in the Army.

  AGE: Air Ground Equipment. A collection of aircraft heaters, power and start carts common on all military airfields

  AK47: Eastern Block made assault rifle in 7.62 x 39. Tough and reliable, but with less than perfect accuracy.

  AT4: Man portable anti-tank missile launcher.

  AR15: the civilian version of the M-16 rifle in 5.56 mm. They are usually semi-automatic but can be machined to fire full automatic with the proper receiver group.

  Article 15: Non-judiciary punishment. This is an alternative for minor offenses whicl usually leads to fines or reduction in enlisted rank.

  BACA: Bikers Against Child Abuse.

  Beach King Air Twin Engine Turboprop: High performance, long range twin engine business aircraft.

  C-17: The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large four engine military transport aircraft. It was developed for the United States Air Force and is being used by several other countries.

  CID: Criminal Investigation Division. Army police who investigate military wrong doing. Similar to AFOSI.

  CO: Military slang for Commanding Officer.

  Colt 10mm Delta Elite: A high end 1911 style civilian pistol chambered for the powerful 10mm auto cartridge.

  Drone: Any one of a number of remotely piloted vehicles used by the military forces to provide surveillance.

  FRAG Order: A fragmentary order is an abbreviated form of an OPORD (verbal, written, or digital), usually issued on a day-to-day basis, that eliminates the need for restating information contained in a basic operation order.

  Five-by-Five: Five by five is the best of 25 possible subjective responses used to describe the quality of communications, specifically the signal-to-noise ratio.

  General Discharge: A less than honorable way out of the armed services primarily used to get minor offenders out of the military.

  Hydra 70 rockets: A 2.75-inch fin-stabilized unguided rocket used primarily in the air-to-ground role. It can be equipped with a variety of warheads, and in more recent versions, guidance systems for point attacks.

  JAG: Judge Advocate General. Military lawyers who provide legal counsel both for military members and provide military advice for the services.

  IG: Every military member not in imminent combat had the right to go to the Inspector General’s office which functions as ombudsman and ensures the procedures are properly followed.

  LBE: Load bearing equipment used by the military to distribute weight for easy carry.

  M1: Standard U.S. service rifle of WWII. It is an eight shot, semi-automatic rifle in 30-06.

  M112: Demolition blocks: Blocks of C-4 explosive used for all types of demolition and explosive ordnance disposal work.

  M118: Military grade ammunition for M-60’s, M-240’s and sniper weapons in 7.62mm x 51.

  M16: U.S. service rifle in 5.56mm. Now largely replaced by the M-4 version.

  M183: The M183 demolition charge is essentially 16 M112 demolition blocks made of C-4 explosive packed in a canvas M85 carrying case along with blasting caps and detonators. The M112s is used for all types of demolition and explosive ordnance disposal work.

  M2: U.S. military 60mm mortar. The standard U.S. light mortar with some modifications since WWII.

  M203: A 40mm grenade launcher that mounts on the under rail of an M-4.

  M240: officially Machine Gun, 7.62mm, M240, is the U.S. military des
ignation for the FN MAG (Mitrailleuse d'Appui Général, meaning general-purpose machine gun), a family of belt-fed, gas-operated medium machine guns firing the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge.

  M249: M249 light machine gun in 5.56 mm, M249, is the American adaptation of the Belgian FN Minimi, a light machine gun manufactured by the Belgian company FN Herstal. Capable of using standard 30 round magazines or 200 round boxes holding belted ammo.

  M4: The shortened carbine version of the M-16 which it has almost completely replaced in U.S. service.

  M60: Standard 7.62mm x 51 U.S. military machine gun being partially phased out for the M-240.

  M85: Canvas shoulder carrying case.

  M855: Military grade 5.56mm ammunition.

  M870: The military version of the Remington 870 12 gauge shotgun.

  MP5: Heckler & Koch MP5 (from German: Maschinenpistole 5, meaning machine pistol 5) is a 9mm submachine gun of German design issued to many U.S. Special Action Assets.

  Manpad or MANPADS: Man Portable Air Defense System. A term used to refer to any number of handheld aniti-aricraft missiles.

  Mini-14: Ruger civilian rifle that fires 5.56mm. It is a very common semi-automatic rifle.

  Mini-30: Ruger civilian rifle that fires the Russian 7.62 x 39 round.

  MRAP: Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle used by the military and some police forces to patrol hazardous areas.

  M-Q8B: An unmanned autonomous helicopter developed by Northrop Grumman for use by the United States Armed Forces. It is available in armed and unarmed versions.

  M-9: Standard US 9mm Parabellum pistol based on the Berretta 92S.

  NCO: Non-Commissioned Officer. Sergeants and technicians of higher rank than privates.

  OV-10A: U.S. Army and Air Force light attack and airborne observation aircraft. Commonly used by forward air controllers in Vietnam and Desert Storm.

  P-19: US Air Force Fire suppression truck.

  P-90: The FN P90 is a personal defense weapon (PDW) designed and manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium. Created in response to NATO requests for a replacement for 9×19mm Parabellum firearms, the P90 was designed as a compact but powerful firearm for vehicle crews, operators of crew-served weapons, support personnel, special forces and counter-terrorist groups. It uses the FN 5.7×28mm ammunition.

  PJ: Air Force Para-Rescue Jumpers. They are extremely skilled medics who are also experts in parachuting, scuba infiltration, and many forms of deadly combat.

  Remington 700 BDL: A Civilian hunting rifle available in many calibers that is known for accuracy and reliability.

  RON: Remain Overnight. Radio short hand used when you can’t return to base and must remain in place overnight.

  RPV: Remotely piloted vehicle.

  Ruger Blackhawk: Civilian single action cowboy style pistol. Reputed to be reliable and accurate. Commonly offered in .357 magnum.

  Smith and Wesson Model 686: A seven shot civilian revolver commonly available in .357 magnum.

  Stinger: FIM-92 Stinger is a Man-Portable Air-Defense System (MANPADS) that operates as an infrared homing surface-to-air missile.

  SWAT: Special Weapons and Tactics police units used for high intensity law enforcement situations.

  UCMJ: Uniform Code of Military Justice. A body of laws that govern the conduct of military members.

  UH-1N: Bell Twin Huey is a medium military. The UH-1N has a fifteen-seat configuration, with one pilot and fourteen passengers.

  USMC: United States Marine Corps.

  USA: United States Army.

  USAF: United States Air Force.

  Chapter 1

  June 3rd, Wednesday, 5:14 am PDT

  Royal City, WA

  Maria was hiding under her bed. Outside she could hear Miguel beating on the door. Mama was shouting back, telling him to go away, that she had called the police and that there was a restraining order, but Miguel was laughing, and threatened to break the door down. When that happened, Maria knew what would happen next.

  Mama was sick and not very strong so Miguel would beat her as he had many times before, then he would find Maria -- and she couldn’t bear to think what would happen next. So even though she was trying to hide, the tears kept seeping out along with stifled sobs, because there was really no place to hide.

  June 3rd, Wednesday, 5:14 am PDT

  I-90 outside of Royal City, WA

  Bikers Against Child Abuse Apple Valley Chapter members Slider and Voodoo stopped their Harleys just outside of Royal City and looked over the town. It was a quiet little place that mainly provided goods and services to the local farmers and ranchers. This morning, in the light of dawn, they could tell something was amiss.

  “Slider,” said Voodoo, looking through a pair of binoculars that had seen better days, “the house we want where the little girl and her mom are holed up is the little white and green one at the top of the hill, right?”

  “That's what Smokey said,” replied the tall Hispanic who, ever since he took a spill off his bike on the Interstate and skidded two hundred and fifty feet down the barrow pit, had been called Slider. “What's the trouble?”

  “There are about thirty or forty Infected just standing around it,” said Voodoo. “And there is one guy just a bangin' on the door. I bet that's the piece of shit step-dad we heard about.”

  “Damn it!” said Slider looking at the eight other riders with them. “No time for any fancy stuff. Just ride in fast and loud. Shoot up any of the Infected who don't run, but for God's sake try not to waste any ammo. Let's roll.”

  Without another word, the ten riders jumped on their motorcycles and raced down the road. It took only a couple of minutes before they were all off the highway and into the residential neighborhood where the little house was. Then they opened their throttles all the way. The low restriction pipe that passed for mufflers on their bikes held little back and the roar of ten Harleys was loud and unnerving. Several of the Infected hanging around the house were not that involved, so they took off. Others, who were further gone, turned and headed for the bikes.

  Several of the chapter members began firing from moving cycles. They weren't hitting much but they did add to the spectacle. Voodoo’s was the first bike to reach the crowd of Infected and he had not drawn his pistol, but rather a three-foot section of bike chain attached to a handle. He whirled it over his head as he rode in and struck the first Infected in his way. The added momentum of the motorcycle, which was doing approximately forty-five miles an hour, and the swinging chain dished in the side of the infected man's head and he dropped like a sack of grain.

  Two other club members, one with a set of nunchaku and another with a machete, raced through the crowd of the Infected, striking down whoever was convenient, reducing their number slightly, but more importantly disorienting the group’s leader. The eight other bikers slid their bikes to a stop and dismounted. Slider had a pistol grip Winchester Model Twelve sawed off at the top of the cylinder that he pointed at the crowd. His chapter brothers were armed with a motley collection of shotguns and pistols of various calibers. No one had much ammo.

  Slider looked for the most infected person he could find. It wasn't hard, because as the infection took hold, sufferers lost track of their surroundings and belongings and ditched what they didn't immediately need. This guy was nearly naked, emaciated, and charging straight for Slider who fired twice from the hip. His shotgun wasn't accurate, but up close, it was devastating. Firing number-four buckshot, it tore up the semi-naked Plague sufferer hideously and knocked him off his feet.

  Slider fired twice more at various Infected that seemed inclined to hang around, as did the other members of his club, but the appearance of ten armed bikers willing to do mayhem caused most of the rest of the crowd to dissipate rapidly.

  In the excitement, Slider had lost track of the step-dad who had started this mess, but Voodoo hadn't. From around the side of the house, Voodoo, now off of his ride, was chasing the miscreant as he made for the street. The step-dad was stopped by the impact of
Slider's big, gloved fist.

  “I'd have caught him,” said Voodoo, panting a bit, “if you had given me a chance.”

  “You are suckin' wind pretty hard there, friend,” said Slider with a smile. “I thought I'd help out.”

  Both were startled by a shout from one of their chapter brothers.

  “Slider! Voodoo!” shouted VD, which was actually short for Viking Dan. “She's in here and she is ok!”

  From the doorway stepped Maria, a pretty little girl of ten, dressed in jeans and her 'colors,' the BACA vest that Voodoo had given her when they stepped in to help her. Behind her was her mother, Fátima, who was trying to cover her face with a scarf because she had the telltale lesions of someone with the Plague.

  “Fátima,” said Slider standing a little back from the pair. “you're sick, maybe you should move away from Maria?”

  “Not with that pendejo here,” said Fátima with venom pointing at her ex-husband. “Abuela said I shouldn't marry him but what did I know! Then when I found out he was doing unspeakable things to Maria, I threw him out. But he kept coming back. Then you showed up and I thought he was gone for good. When I got sick, I was going to leave Maria with my abuela, but he came back, and I will die before I leave Maria with him!”

  “She is my daughter!” said the step-dad who had awakened from Slider's love tap. “I adopted her all legal like, and you're sick. You're not a fit mother!”

  “Shut up, pendejo!” said Slider, who put the barrel of his shotgun in the step-dad's face. Then he spoke more gently to Fátima. “You can't stay with her anymore. You know that.”

  “I know that,” said Fátima looking at the ground. “Will you take her to abuela's house? She can stay there. Will you watch out for her too? I don't think so good; I know it's only a matter of time before ...”