Chapter 14

Surprisingly, there were at least twenty different types of vehicles, from cars to trucks, parked neatly in a row on a man-made gravel parking lot. As they looked ahead, they saw that there were a few houses that didn’t seem like they were affected by the apocalypse. There were people walking around freely, and there were children playing in a small park that was just off to the left of one of the houses. It was like seeing a whole new world.

“Is this even real?” Josh asked, as he stared in amazement.

“I am not sure. I don’t think I even believe what I am seeing,” said DJ, slowly.

Slowly, Joe pulled in by the last car in the row, and he put the truck in park. He sighed as he turned the key to shut the engine off, and then he handed the keys to Amanda.

“You can get out of the truck, but the only rule we ask of you is that you lock your weapons inside the vehicle,” said the man over the radio, and they all looked at DJ.

“Hang onto those keys,” he said, as he looked at her thoughtfully, and Amanda nodded, as she put them in her cargo pocket and zipped the zipper close.

Quickly, they all unarmed themselves, and they put their weapons on the seat. Cautiously, they all got out of the truck, and put their hands up.

“Well, if it isn’t the asshole who decided to high tail it after graduation,” said a man, as he approached.

The man was fully dressed in a military uniform, and he had long brown hair tied at the base of his neck. His gray eyes sparkled happily as he looked up at DJ, and DJ’s mouth dropped open.

“Maverick! You’re alive?” he asked, as he walked up to his old friend.

“Well, most of me is still here,” said the man, as he lifted one of his arms, and revealed that he was missing a hand.

“Damn M’s got me,” Maverick added as he looked his stump over, and DJ looked at him oddly.

“M’s?” asked DJ, and Maverick nodded.

“That’s what we call the infected,” he explained, as he looked back up at DJ.

“We call them walkers, daywalkers, nightwalkers, and then the monsters,” mumbled Megan, and Maverick nodded, as he looked at her.

At that moment, another man dressed in uniform walked up to Maverick, and he whispered something in his ear. Maverick looked at the man, and he put his hand up.

“No, that won’t be necessary,” he said, softly, and the man nodded.

“Let me introduce you,” said DJ, as he gestured to the others, Maverick looked at him and smiled.

“These are my cousins, Joe, and Josh, and this is Corporal Amanda, Corporal Megan, and my girlfriend, Christie,” he said, and Maverick nodded to them.

“I am general Maverick, and I am in charge of Overwatch. I built it to protect any survivors out there that need refuge from the dying world. It doesn’t matter where you come from,”

“We tried that down in Florida when this whole thing started, but the infection got in and the camp was destroyed,” said DJ, and Maverick only nodded.

“Not to worry, and I think I know where to put my fellow soldiers. I would like you to be head of my security team,” he said, and Amanda and Megan looked at each other grimly.

They didn’t want to be head of security, that was a very boring job, and they wanted to be where the action was. After a moment, heavily, Amanda sighed, and then she looked at the general.

“With all due respect sir, we are more of the in-action type, and we would rather do supply runs,” she said, and Megan nodded as she grinned.

“We happen to be adrenaline junkies,” Megan chuckled, and Amanda giggled.

Maverick looked at the girls for a moment, and he chuckled, as he put his hands up.

“Alright, action it is. You can be the head of the supply runs, if that is what you want,” he said, and both of the girls nodded.

“Done,” he said, and they quietly cheered.

“So, are you all hungry? I can take you to the cafeteria, so you can get something to eat, and then I think I have a perfect place for you to call home,” said Maverick, and they all nodded.

“That would be great,” said Josh, and Joe nodded.

At that moment, a couple of girls passed by, and they giggled as they looked at the guys. Shyly, they blushed and started to walk a little faster than they were. Joe chuckled as he looked down at Amanda, and he took her by the hand.

“I bet none of those girls are a badass like you,” he whispered, and she blushed.

****************

General Maverick led them to a small house that had been turned into a cafeteria, and they sat down at one of the tables. They all talked and laughed as they ate. Secretly, Joe had his epi-pen ready just in case their food was laced with something like the last time. However, nothing strange or funny happened, and Joe began to relax.

The general led them to a three bedroom house that was just a few houses down from his, and they thanked him for everything. The general told them that there was warm water, but to use it sparingly, and they all agreed. That night they all took showers, making the living room their sleeping area for the time being, and they all fell into a restful sleep.

*****************

For months, everything seemed to be going smoothly in Overwatch. DJ was appointed as Maverick’s second in command, and Amanda and Megan were promoted to sergeants. Evidently, Joe and Josh took a few courses, and they became skilled combat soldiers. DJ made Christie his wife, and they were all happy that they had finally found peace in the chaos of the world.

Everything seemed perfect, maybe a little too perfect, in the new small peaceful world, but they didn’t seem to bother with thoughts of their paradise ending. Amanda, Joe, Josh, and Megan went out on supply runs as promised, and Christie and DJ stayed back in the community to help with what they could there.

*******************

“Yo, stop being a spoiled brat and come with us,” Megan said to DJ one day, as they were getting ready to go on a supply run.

He looked at her thoughtfully, and then he looked at Megan. He gave them both a knowing look.

“I think you guys can pretty much handle yourselves out there,” he said, and both Megan and Amanda pouted at him.

“Come on, it will be just like old times. You and Christie,” pleaded Amanda, as she gave him the puppy dog eyes, and blinked dramatically.

For a moment, DJ held his ground, but Amanda let her eyes pool up with tears, and his face twitched, as he sighed.

“Okay, okay, we will come with you,” he breathed, and Megan clapped as she grinned.

“Yay!” exclaimed Amanda, and DJ shook his head in disbelief.

“Do you use that on my cousin?”

Suddenly, Amanda and Megan stopped cheering, and then they turned, as they looked at him.

“Not, yet,” she said, smugly, and DJ laughed.

“Well played with the puppy dog eyes, sergeant,” he chuckled, as he gave her a knowing look.

“What can I say? Works every time,” she said, as she took a sip out of her water bottle.

“Okay, I will go grab Christie, and you two go round up Joe and Josh,” said DJ, and the girls nodded.

Happily, they ran off to find the guys.

****************

“Well, you know it wasn’t an easy trip,” said Joe, as he walked the perimeter with a member of the security team.

Her name was Katy, with a half-shaved head, and long on the top, and she had golden brown eyes with a muscular build.

“I guess I am lucky the general found me when he did,” she said, and Joe nodded.

“I consider myself lucky. If Amanda didn’t pull me out of that hole, I would probably be dead,” he stated, as he smirked, and she only nodded.

“Well, I am glad that we all have survived through hell,” she said.

“Yeah, I agree,” he sighed.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps running towards them, and they quickly turned around.

“Hi,” said Amanda, breathlessly, as she looked at Joe.

“Hi,” he said, as a wide smile spread across his face.

“Come on, we are going on a supply run. DJ and Christie are coming with us,” she said, as she grabbed his hand.

“How did you get my cousin to agree to come along?” asked Joe, and Amanda gave him a knowing look.

“It’s a trade secret,” she said, as she winked, and Joe chuckled.

“Sorry to steal your walking buddy, but…”

Katy put her hand up.

“I know, duty calls,” said Katy, as she laughed, and Amanda grinned as she nodded.

Happily, Amanda tugged Joe’s arm, and they walked toward the truck.

*************

Nonchalantly, Josh was walking toward the cafeteria with a few girls from the community when Megan found him. She wondered what they had wanted. They didn’t look like they needed any help with anything.

“Listen, ladies. I am flattered, but I have a girlfriend,” she heard him say, as she got closer.

“Oh, come on, this is the apocalypse,” shined one of the girls, and Josh shook his head.

“Hi,” said Megan as she approached, and Josh smiled at her.

“Hi,” he said, and then he walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek.

Quickly, she turned to the other girls, and they had the look of disappointment on their faces.

“Is there a problem?” she asked, and the girls shook their heads.

“You shouldn’t be out here harassing the ranks, as his sergeant, I can put you to work for disobeying the rules, and I need people for the night shift to watch out for the mutants that come out at night to play,” she said, and Josh snickered, as he nodded his head.

Surprised, the girls stared at them with wide eyes, and then they shook their heads, nervously.

“Okay then. Dismissed,” she said, as she shook her hands at them.

Immediately, the girls looked at each other, and then they ran away.

“So, what do I owe the pleasure of my very hot sergeant to bother with a poor soldier like me?” he teased, and Megan shyly smiled at him.

“Oh, just a supply run,” she said, nonchalantly, and he looked at her in question.

“Just a supply run?” he asked, and she nodded with a grin.

“With DJ and Christie,” she added, and Josh smiled, widely.

“Just like old times,” he said, and Megan nodded.

“Just like old times,” she repeated, and they headed for the truck, hand in hand.

****************

Hey,” said DJ, as he and Christie approached the truck.

Happily, Amanda and Megan grinned at them, and they all got in the vehicle.

“Are you guys ready to go kick some mutant ass?” Joe asked, as Amanda backed out of their parking spot.

“Hell yes,” stated Christie, and DJ nodded.

It had been months since DJ and Christie were outside of the community walls.

“Alright, let’s do this,” cheered Megan, as they pulled out of the first gate.

Politely, Joe waved to the guy at the second gate, and they turned down the main road. Since Amanda, Megan, Joe, and Josh cleared most of the towns in the surrounding areas, they had to drive a little further out, but they didn’t care. Seemingly, they all needed another adventure together.