State of Decay✔️

Chapter 38: Decisions

Before Marcus could do anything, he received another call over the radio. Lily asked him and Maya to join her at her area. He'd just finished getting the others settled in, showing them around the place and where they would be sleeping. When the call from Lily came through, he made his excuses and hurried back through the truck stop, wondering just what in the hell was going to go wrong this time.

What else possibly could at this point?

He supposed that a ton of things could.

He and Maya entered Lily's radio area at about the same time and he saw that she was wearing a worried expression as well.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I've just received a call from Sergeant Tan. He's asking for you two to meet him at the north bridge that leads over to Fairfield. He says something big is happening, he also said you should bring guns, lots of them...do you know what he's talking about?" Lily replied, sounding nervous.

"Not specifically, but he said he might need our help for something big...I guess this is that. Keep everyone on alert, just in case," Marcus replied.

"Let's go see what he's bullshitting about," Maya said.

They went over to the supply station, stocked up on bullets and anything else they thought they'd need. Marcus swapped out his machete for a brand new crowbar someone had found out in the field and dropped off. He stocked up on ammo for his pistol, then grabbed one of only two shotguns they had in stock and stuffed his pockets with ammo for it. If someone like Sergeant Tan was telling them to bring lots of guns, chances were he knew what the hell he was talking about. He noticed Maya gearing up as well.

Once they had their supplies, they headed outside, got into one of the SUVs and drove off, making for Fairfield.

"What do you think it is?" Marcus asked.

"I don't know, but it must have something to do with Fairfield. That's supposed to be where the Army had their headquarters this whole time. Maybe something went wrong. Maybe they got overrun and he wants some help," Maya replied.

"Maybe they're finally fucking ready to offer us a way out of here," Marcus said.

Maya snorted. "I'm so sure."

They drove out of Marshall and along the road, passing the Grange and waving to whoever was on guard duty in the watchtower. They drove past the south gate of Fairfield, which had been closed off some time ago with an immense steel gate, erected by the military. After passing another warehouse, they followed the river up the road to the north gate, where they saw a collection of black SUVs and a half-dozen soldiers.

As they pulled up, Marcus could hear shouting.

He got out.

"Come on you goat-fucking sons of bitches! Open the fucking gate! I'm not even sick you fuckers! Man gets a cough from living in fucking third world conditions for a month, course he would! OPEN THE FUCKING GATE!"

Marcus and Maya approached. It was Eric shouting. The other soldiers looked uncomfortable. He started shouting again, staring up at a watchtower erected just behind the gate that was clearly empty. Nobody and nothing moved beyond the gate. His shouting was interrupted by a thick, racking cough that sounded familiar.

It was the same cough that Pastor Will had had.

"There's nobody up there," Marcus said as he came to stand behind Eric.

The man spun around, seemingly startled, then he sighed and shook his head. "No fucking shit," he replied. "I was waiting for you to show up."

"So what's going on?" Maya asked.