Slaughterhouse

THIRTY-NINE.

The battalion bugged out, fighting a rear-guard action the entire way. They paused at the cavalry motor pool, taking a precious ten minutes to raid the facility for ammunition, food, vehicles, fuel, even spare uniforms. The Klowns didn’t make it easy, but Thunder kept up the pace, burning through their mortar ammo at a blistering pace until, in the end, they were hitting the infected horde with smokers. It was enough.

The battalion had killed thousands of Klowns, severely attriting the Infected’s forces until they were down to several packs of hard-core harassers that were easily bottled up by the newly-rearmed Alpha Company as it swapped places with Charlie. They didn’t have to hold the line for long. First Battalion wasn’t staying, and while Echo jumped forward to escort the civilian convoy element further up the road and cover Thunder’s retreat, Alpha mopped up.

By the time the convoy was back on the road and barreling northbound on Fort Drum Road toward the small town of Evans Mills, there wasn’t much left in the way of pursuers. Walker had the foresight to send a Raven buzzing over Evans Mills. They had determined the town was mostly vacant, as it had apparently burned to the ground over a week ago. The news was welcomed by Lee, who didn’t want to run from one fight into another. The plan was to skirt as much of the town as possible then drive out into the farmlands around Jenkins Road.

There, they would halt the column for a fast refit and repair before continuing.

The lightfighters of First Battalion, Fifty-Fifth Infantry, had earned a few minutes of rest.