Six Feet From Hell: Unity: 6FFH Book #5 by Joseph Coley Read Free Book Online Page A

something in mind.”
    Rick shuffled in his seat slightly. “Not really. I just think that we ought to have a job for everyone here, you know, find out people’s strengths and weaknesses. The way that things are done nowadays seems a little unorganized. We need to get the town together and get some more opinions on what they might want. They are gonna be the ones doing extra work so we can go. I think it’s only fair that we ask if they are okay with what we want to do.”
     
    * * *
     
    “We don’t want ‘em!”
    The grand introduction and explanation that Joe had planned out fell apart in a single sentence. He stood on a table near the entrance to the chow hall, trying to gather the collective attention of the masses in front of him. Nearly all the residents had shown up for breakfast, each one braving the cool drizzle that had begun to fall outside. The denizens of Tazewell were not in the mood for hearing a scheme to bring more work and possibly more problems to the town. A dozen different arguments, all separate from one another, flooded the large building. Joe let his arms fall to his side, disappointed.
    “Calm down and listen to the man!” Larry yelled from beneath where Joe stood. The citizens lowered their chatter and turned their attention to the two men. Larry clambered up onto the table with Joe and addressed his people.
    “Most of you know me personally. Almost all of you knew me before the world went to hell. You know that I would never do anything to put your lives in jeopardy,” Larry said. He paced the top of the table as he spoke. “I was a paramedic for nearly ten years when the undead came. I helped people back then; people who were less than worthy of the caring that they received, but I did it anyway. I didn’t judge people on the base of whether they could pay for my services, whether they were worthy of care, or whether they were decent human beings. I treated them all the same. The people that Joe wants to help are decent people. They took him in and gave him food and a place to sleep. They gave him a truck to drive. They didn’t ask for anything in return. As far as I’m concerned, that qualifies them for help.” Larry stopped and faced the crowd.
    “Where are they?” A voice from the middle of the crowd yelled out.
    “Joe said that they are holed up in an old UPS building in Hazard, Kentucky that they nicknamed ‘Camp Brown.’ It’s about a hundred and fifty miles from here. Normally it would take around three hours to get there, but I would conservatively say five hours now. I think it’s only fair that we at least extend help to them. I’m not asking for anyone to come with us, but if you want, you can.”
    “I’m game,” Boyd hollered out.
    Joe pointed to Boyd. “Not for the Hazard run, Boyd. We plan to put some listening posts in Richlands and Bluefield, that’s why I want to go get the folks from Camp Brown. I’m gonna take as few people as possible for it so we can bring back as many as we can. Camp Brown only had about thirty people, so if I take myself and two others, then we should be able to fit most, if not all of them in the LMTV.”
    “Where is this LMTV? I don’t recall us having one,” Boyd asked.
    “That’s what I want you to come with me on. It will be me, Rick, Curtis, Boyd…and Captain White.”
    The uproar from the crowd was nearly unanimous and simultaneous. Angry shouts, finger pointing, and fist waving. The natives were restless. There had been no explanation of Captain White thus far, and people weren’t going to sit and wait for one. It was time to see if Joe’s risky move would pay off, the first step being the citizens’ approval.
    “That sonofabitch tried to kill you! What in the hell are you thinking?” A random voice rose above the din of the crowd.
    “AT EASE!” Joe screamed. The phrase had little meaning to most of the civilians within earshot, but it subsided the screaming chorus of angry citizens. It was a phrase from his