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After the Team received their briefing on the mission details, they settled back for the flight to Indianapolis International Airport.

Sitting next to Priest, Shaw turned his head toward him. “Sarge, none of this gives me a warm and fuzzy.”

“You know something I don’t know?”

“No, just a gut feeling that the shit is getting ready to hit the fan.”

“Well, to be honest with you, I have a bad feeling about the whole thing. Just keep your head on a swivel and let your training guide your steps.”

“Copy that.”

Captain Webb was checking his gear when the copilot came over his comm. “We are 15 mics out of Indy Airport. We are trying to hail the airport for clearance but have not raised them yet.”

“Is that normal?” Webb asked.

“No, sir.”

“Can you raise Fort Campbell’s command? Colonel Madison?”

“Negative. We tried that, and still nothing.”

Webb switched to squad comms, “Ok, ladies, we have an issue. The bird cannot establish comms with the airport or with HQ, and that means we are not sure what is going on at the airport or what conditions we are jumping in the middle of. We are prepared no matter what the situation!” The team all leaned forward and bumped fists.

Minutes later, “Sir, we are coming into the airport, but still no communication.”

“Copy that.” Webb eyed the team, “Drop your cocks and grab your socks. Here we go.”

CHAPTER 6

As the airport came into sight, it looked like a war-torn area of Syria or Libya instead of the Indianapolis Airport. Multiple planes were sitting, wrecked into each other, and on fire. Bodies were lying all over the ground, and blood was everywhere. “Jesus Christ,” the crew chief mumbled, looking out on the destruction.

“What the fuck happened?” Doc asked. He was leaning out of the side door, wide-eyed and in disbelief.

“Sum bitch. Looks like Turkey all over again,” Shaw chimed in.

Priest looked at Webb, “Could the virus have spread this quickly?”

“Dunno. Maybe this is why we can’t raise anyone on the comms?” Webb broke off as they heard a screeching yell. It was loud enough to be heard over the rotors.

“There,” Shin pointed at a woman on top of one of the maintenance buildings running toward the landing chopper. The woman continued to run towards them, her clothes and mouth smeared with blood. She jumped with her arms outstretched toward them, still screaming. Her jump came up short of the chopper, and she plummeted three stories to the concrete below. Hitting face first, her head exploded upon impact with the concrete. The momentum drove her body over the back of her head and snapping her neck. The woman lay there in an awkward position with her body folded in half until her spine broke in two.

“Holeee, Mother Mary, and Joseph. Do you see that shit? Her neck folded in half like a taco. Her body just flipped over her head like some Exorcist bullshit.”

“Dude, we saw it happen. We’re sitting right here,” Myles said, trying to keep his breakfast down.

While Webb communicated with the pilot about contacting HQ, Priest barked out orders to the team. “Everyone out, pull security, and we will regroup on the ground.” The bird set down, and the team poured out, setting up at tactical intervals to provide 360-degree support. The chopper took off, and the team struggled to hear after the whine of the rotors faded away. It didn’t take but a second or two for the team to hear screaming again. They called contact acknowledgments out.

“Contact at 9 o’clock.”

“Contact on our 6.”

“Contact at 2 o’clock.”

“Contact at 4 o’clock.”

Myles shouted, “Do we engage these civilians?”

“Do they look like regular civilians?” Webb growled. “Engage the fucks.”