Tales of The Wallking Dead

Chapter 12

Back at the QZ a couple of soldiers were gathered around a table discussing some sort of plan of action. "They shouldn't have escaped. It's against the rules to escape we need to track them down." One soldier said with a dark look on his face. "Listen, whether you wanna execute them or not they'll die out there anyways so just leave them." Another said. "Nah because like, they're just kids they don't deserve to die out there." A third mentioned. "True but even still it goes against our code to let people out." The first soldier reiterated. A fourth who'd been silent this entire time speaks in a strong tone. "The one with the blonde hair. He mowed down 5 of our men with a single round from an assault rifle being only mildly affected by its recoil. Bring the group back and make the blonde kid one of us." The soldier explained how Connor had also killed a guy by stamping his face in. "The tall one, Jacob. He goes against killing the living so when he sees Connor in military uniform with a rifle in hand at all times he'll flip." This was the fourth soldiers bug plan to drive the group apart and keep them at the QZ. "But who's to say it'll keep them here sir." The second soldier said. "They might just leave again but without the blonde kid and plus shouldn't we really be executing them?" He wondered aloud as the fourth soldier gives a scowl. "You should know better than to execute kids. Do that and everyone will wanna leave." The fourth soldier then walked out of the room with his instructions clear.

After the other three soldiers went around the small QZ gathering the other soldiers to track down the group of kids a survivor came up to a soldier with an idea. "Do you guys feel as though you're short on numbers. I've seen you going around recruiting the others for some sort of mission." The man asked. "I mean sort of, why? What's your idea?" The soldier asked raising an eyebrow. "I know a few guys who'd be willing to help out. If you have any spare rifles we'll be happy to join." The man said saluting the soldier. "Well the doesn't sound like the worst idea actually. Bring your people and I'll talk to the captain about bringing you guys in for some training and we'll put you out into the field." The soldier told him and understanding his orders the man ran off to gather his buddies. The soldiers were now all stood in front of an army about 30 or so strong. "Alright so, now that we're all clear on our objective we're gonna give you a quick brief on the surrounding area." The soldier in question who had his second name 'Jones' written on his uniform pulled a map from his pocket and began to explain where the QZ was located. "So right now the QZ's just a little military camp set up in the meadows but long term we hope to turn it into a full scale restoration of the city centre. So now you know we're located in the meadows anyone who lived in Edinburgh before the dead should know where south bridge is. Am I correct?" Jones said to the crowd as a few heads nodded in agreement. "For those who don't know then just a little but further up princes street you'll come across an old building site on a really thin road. Begin to walk up that road while navigating around abandoned cars and the herds of the undead." Jones points to a few circled areas on his map. "We've documented that a herd is gonna pass right through where the group is theorised to be so we've gotta get to them before the undead do." Jones feels as though he's above calling them walkers because he's a fancy military man and a few people in the crowd snigger whenever he calls them undead instead of walkers. "There's an old school building which used to be used for all sorts of things which I didn't care enough to look through and find out so just head down the street which is called 'south bridge' by the way until you come to a crossroads then turn left and you'll be faced with the building to your left and a few pubs to your right." Jones pauses for a second as he thinks to where he was told the group was. "The group should be in one of the three bars to your right. A patrol route heard some chatting from inside last night so it's probably gonna be them." Jones then puts his map away and claps his hands together. "Come on then chop chop. I've better things to do then deal with some damn kids so get this over with." He then walks off as the soldiers he gathered begin to head for the gates of the QZ.

The group of exactly 32 soldiers was now on the road Jones mentioned. "Alright troops." The guy at the front who'd been standing next to Jones announced. "We've made it to south bridge so guards up and guns loaded." The guy whose second name 'Martinez' was also in his uniform. "There's a few walkers scattered here and there so only use bullets if necessary. Conserve ammo in case these kids wanna fight." Martinez then turned back round and kept walking always cautious of walkers as he went. As they advanced up the road a few of the soldiers started making fun on Jones because they were bored. "I don't know why but I find it so funny he thinks he's above us because his rank his second from the top." One guy says mockingly. "Not the first time. Even before the apocalypse he'd bark orders at everyone like do this do that and no you're not doing right, do it better." Another guy responds. "He's a pain in the ass but he can be good under pressure." The soldier who'd started the conversation scoffs. "Ha. Yeah sure we'll see about that mate." They keep having banter with each other until Martinez stops them as they've reached the crossroads. 

Everyone keeps on guard but as they turn the corner the streets are completely flooded with walkers. "Oh my god. There must be at least a 100 of them there." One soldier calls out as everyone stands there stunned. "Sir? What do we do?" One guy asks Martinez as he raises his gun. "We have orders and I intend to follow them." Martinez states as he opens fire on the walkers as everyone else follows suit mowing them down as fast they possibly can. As they fight them a few of the troops the military stole from the NHS staff began to panic slightly and their aim became off. The more trained soldiers took note of this and tried their best to help out when one soldier who was previously a counsellor for the families that had lost loved ones in hospital lost his nerve and tripped up over his feet and everyone watched in horror was walkers began to dig into his chest and devour him. They couldn't stare for long though as more walkers were still coming from all angles and bullets were running slim as they hadn't anticipated this many walkers to be lining the streets. 

"Sir! Ammo and spirits are runnin' low here!" One guy called out as they'd barely made a dent in the walkers on the streets as the noise of the bullets kept drawing them. "Retreat into the old school building! We'll wait the herd out!" Martinez yells as nobody needs to be asked twice and they all see their refuge inside the building with them all making it in safely. "That was an absolute mess sir. We lost a man and we're dangerously low on ammo." One soldier says as Martinez looks up at the heavens. "Yeah I know and I take it none of you are all that proficient in melee combat?" Martinez asks hoping a couple of people nod their heads but nobody does. "Seriously? None of you have the confidence to get up close to a walker and stab it? Actually yeah that doesn't sound appealing." Martinez says correcting himself as he takes in the sights of the school building. "Let's just have 3 or 4 people go off and check out the school and then report back whatever you find. The herd should get bored out there soon enough." Martinez sighs as a couple soldiers walk off in different directions to search the old school building.