“Just give me a minute to tell Jarvis that he needs to hold dinner for a few.”

  “We—” Cumberland began, but Alvin had already stepped through the portal.

  “Jarvis?”

  “I will hold it, sir,” Jarvis said from the kitchen table. “I had a feeling you’d be delayed. Besides, the women haven’t even stirred from the bedroom yet.”

  Alvin chuckled. “When you’re good, you’re good.”

  Jarvis rolled his eyes, not replying.

  “See you in a bit.”

  Stepping back out of the base, Alvin found Cumberland looking grim and Shawn just leaning on the table. “I’m good.”

  “Follow me, please,” Cumberland said firmly as he opened the door.

  The kiosk was in another room just down the hall. After adding it to his fast travel locations, the three of them made their way for the exit.

  “We don’t know what happened to your vehicle,” Cumberland said when they stepped outside. “It vanished a few minutes before you showed up.”

  “I summoned it back to my base for repairs,” Alvin replied. “No worries. Speaking of the unknown, though, what the hell is a ‘RED HORSE’?”

  “‘Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers,’” Cumberland recited the words as if he said them his whole life. “We’re the Air Force’s engineer team. We make sure that everything functions even in the most hostile environments so the air belongs to us.”

  “Ah, so you’re the reason Nellis survived.”

  Cumberland didn’t reply, but a sad smile proved that Alvin was right.

  “How was it here during the first few days?”

  “Chaos,” Cumberland said. “Putting down men and women I’ve known for years, and in some cases, family. I’ve known war, but this… this was hell.”

  “Lucky the zombies were shambling idiots for a while,” Alvin said.

  “Luck,” Cumberland snorted. “If they’d been like the zombies today, we’d have had real trouble. When the kiosks showed up, that was when we started turning the tide. We’ve saved thousands of people since then.”

  “The Speedway?”

  “Where we house them and let them stay while they work,” Cumberland said. “We charge a very small fee to make sure we can keep it running. Half of the people there still complain like we’re demanding their firstborn.”

  “People are people, no matter where you go,” Alvin shrugged.

  “A few have picked up critical skills and have started to work jobs on the base. The rest, I don’t know, but the colonel is determined to keep them comfortable, or at least safe.”

  Cumberland motioned to a sergeant standing near a Humvee, leading them toward it. “We’ll be going to the base proper for this demonstration.”

  Alvin was about to reply when the sound of an aircraft got his attention. Looking up, he smiled at the Apache helicopter going overhead. “If it sat more people, I’d want one of those. Since it doesn’t, the Huey will have to do.”

  Cumberland snorted. “Colonel would never let one of them go.”

  “Everything has a price,” Alvin shrugged. “It’s all about finding the right one. I’m good with just a Huey. Hell, when I bring one home, Gothy’s likely to thank me all over again.”

  Cumberland stopped with his hand on the Humvee door. “You were late because you were fucking your wife?”

  “I was fucking my wives, not wife. I did all three of them, multiple times. Happy wife, happy life,” Alvin laughed as he opened up the back door and got in. “Come on. I bet if we’re delayed too much longer, the colonel will burst a blood vessel.”

  The major’s eyelid twitched and he grunted as he got in and slammed the door. “Drive, Sergeant.”

  “Yes, sir,” the sergeant said, picking up on the major’s foul mood.

  The drive was short, silent, and a bit tense for Shawn. Alvin seemed indifferent, and the major stewed in his discontentment. The Humvee came to a stop next to a large, open section of blacktop, and the major was the first one out.

  Alvin got out and took a look at the area, unimpressed by what he saw. Where they’d stopped, a few hundred feet of blacktop with lines marked out opened up in front of them. The remnants of a heavy plane nearly a football-field away had been set up to look like a memorial or monument, and there were a couple of buildings standing off to the side between them and the plane.

  “Scenic,” Alvin said. “Also open enough for me to cut loose, but overall, unimpressive.”

  The major didn’t speak, but he didn’t have to, as another Humvee was coming their way. This one was armored up like the Turtle, which made Alvin think the colonel was inside of it.

  When it came to a stop, two men got out of the back and the gunner swiveled the M2 to cover the general area where Alvin was standing. With the men out and securing the area, the passenger door opened and a tall, athletic, and balding man got out of the back.

  Advancing with the two soldiers moving to flank him, the colonel exuded a commanding presence that even Alvin could see. “You’re Alvin?”

  “I am. You’re,” Alvin made sure to drop the air quotes around the name without using his fingers, “‘the Colonel’?”

  White teeth flashed briefly as the colonel’s lips pulled back in displeasure. “Colonel Arthur Douglas.”

  “I’m Alvin Lambert, but I answer to Alvin,” Alvin said. “You wanted a demonstration, Colonel, but I fail to see anything here that would work sufficiently.”

  “You can suit up and go through the paces of it right here,” Douglas said.

  “Could, but that’s boring as fuck. I have another idea, if you want to see what the suit is fully capable of, though it takes a modicum of trust.”

  “What did you have in mind?” Douglas asked, clearly uncertain of any proposal.

  “My base has an upgrade that can run real combat simulations, but it’s perfectly safe for the people running it.”

  Douglas and Cumberland both seemed to think that what Alvin was saying was pure shit, but Shawn cleared his throat. “Sir, he’s not wrong. I haven’t seen it myself first hand yet, but trusted associates of mine have. They gushed about how helpful it’s been for their settlement.”

  “Sir,” Cumberland said hesitantly, clearly on edge about letting the colonel go with Alvin.

  Douglas held up a hand to cut Cumberland off. “You’ll take me, my two men, and Cumberland?”

  Alvin shrugged. “If that’s what you need. Shawn, you want to come, too?”

  “Won’t say no,” Shawn said with a gleam in his eye. “We haven’t taken that upgrade for the base yet, but considering the windfall we got with you, I was seriously thinking about it. If it’s everything James says it is, I’m definitely going to, but being able to see it ahead of time will make it so much easier to sell.”

  Alvin pulled five keys out and tossed them to each person. “Give me a moment.” Tapping through his interface, he summoned the Turtle. “Everyone in.”

  “Where are we going?” Douglas asked, not moving to the Humvee.

  “My base,” Alvin said.

  “Where is it?”

  “Alternate plane of existence.”

  “What?”

  “Sir,” Cumberland said stiffly, “as I told you earlier, he and his wives just vanished in the briefing room.”

  “His base is not on earth,” Shawn added. “He can get there through a portal from inside a building or from behind the wheel of a vehicle.”

  “Fine,” Douglas said, starting for the Humvee before slowing. “This only seats five.”

  “True,” Alvin nodded. “One of your men can jump into cargo. He won’t be there for more than a few seconds, anyway.”

  Both men flanking the colonel glared at Alvin, who ignored them.

  Douglas motioned to one of them. He nodded and moved toward the cargo compartment. Shawn went up to the front while the others all got in the back. Alvin waited for doors to close before he toggled the base portal— which earned gasps from those in the back— and drove through it.

  Parking the Humvee, Alvin got out with a smirk on his lips. “Okay, I know it was a long trip, but come on. We’re here.”

  When everyone got out, the Colonel and his men looked around, but mostly eyed the Bradley being repaired in the bay. Shawn just shook his head as he watched the mechanical arms at work.

  “No wonder you never need me to repair shit for you,” Shawn said.

  “It can’t do everything you can,” Alvin shrugged. “It does what I need it to, though. Now, let’s not gawk. Follow me. The demonstration awaits.”

  Leading them straight into the training room, Alvin had the room pull up Nellis as he’d last seen it. All the men looked around warily, and Alvin chuckled.

  “It’s a holographic simulation of Nellis. All damage is simulated, but the pain feels real and, if you die, you’re rendered paralyzed until the simulation ends,” he explained. “Computer, when I am killed, end simulation. Set all weapons and armor to be identical to what each person normally carries.”

  When he finished speaking, Alvin walked a dozen yards away and turned back to the colonel. “Have one of them kill me.”

  The man who’d been in the cargo space stepped forward. “Permission to kill him, sir?”

  “I don’t want to cause hard feelings,” Douglas said slowly. “You’re sure of this, Alvin?”

  “Yup.”

  “Kill him, then,” Douglas said.

  The man brought his rifle up and hit Alvin three times in the head. Alvin blinked and laughed, waving him down.

  “Sorry, I forgot to remove my armor. Computer, set all my armor to zero for this simulation.” He gave him a nod. “Go ahead.”

  Grimacing, the man shot Alvin again. This time, blood and brains flew, and the soldiers looked a bit worried. That worry was replaced with wide eyes when Alvin stood back up, dusting himself off a few seconds later. The gore from his brain being forcibly removed from his skull was gone.

  “So as you can see, death is not permanent here.”

  “How do we get a room like this?” Douglas asked, swiftly seeing the training potential for his men.

  “It’s an upgrade to my base and for your settlement, but it’s expensive,” Alvin replied. “Now, before we stray too far, this was to show you what the battle armor can do.”

  Douglas stopped his next question, just nodding instead.

  “Computer, outfit everyone here with a suit of battle armor, equal to mine.”

  Douglas and his men exclaimed in surprise when they were suddenly inside the armored suits. Alvin held his laughter, letting them flail for a moment.

  “Okay, if you want it gone, just will it to retract.”

  A moment later, the armor was pulling back from the four Air Force men. Douglas watched the armor intently as it shrunk down to the accessory slots.

  “As you can see, it takes up five accessory slots to use it, and takes a few seconds to form or retract,” Alvin said. “Those suits are identical to mine. They’ve been upgraded from the base with radios, extended batteries, and a flamer. I think the best way for you to understand what they can do is by doing. Any objections to a simulation?”

  “I’ll sit this one out,” Douglas said. “I want to watch it first.”

  “Fine,” Alvin said. “Computer, Nellis as it is today. Add in a hundred of the local zombies with equipment. Colonel Douglas and I will be in observer mode. Start when Douglas says to.”

  “Sir?” Cumberland asked.

  “Suit up,” Douglas said. “Let’s give them a workout to see if they’re worth what he’s asking.”

  “Yes, sir,” Cumberland said. The battle armor started to form up over the other three. “Ready, sir.”

  “Begin?” Douglas asked.

  Alvin chuckled as he watched Douglas react to the room turning a bit translucent. The zombie horde came rushing at the four men from the far side of the rusted-out airplane memorial. The three military men turned as a unit, bringing their guns up and firing. Shawn stood back, clearly working through what his armor could do first.

  “Do you want me to disable their guns?” Alvin asked Douglas.

  “Why?”

  “To make them use the armor.”

  Douglas’ lips pursed. “They’re safe from real harm?”

  “Yup.”

  “Can they hear me?”

  “Computer, let Douglas speak with the people fighting.”

  “Cumberland,” Douglas said, “the guns will run out of ammo for the simulation. Focus on using the armor. You’re safe from real harm.”

  “Sir, yes sir,” Cumberland replied, clearly unhappy with it.

  “Computer,” Alvin said, “disable the armored men’s guns in ten seconds.”

  When the guns stopped working, both of Douglas’ guards drew knives and rushed at the horde. Alvin watched them go with a chuckle, knowing that right now, they’d both forgotten that this was only a simulation.

  Cumberland dropped his gun and brought his right arm up, pointing it at the zombies closing on him. A gout of fire erupted from the arm, covering the zombies in sticky flame. The zombies were burning, and those nearby stopped trying to get to Cumberland.

  The other two were in the thick of a brutal fight. Their K-bars were doing the majority of the work for them, but their armored hands fractured skulls, as well. Shawn was suddenly beside them, flame coming from his suit, surprising the two men. They jerked away from him slightly before they also began to use their flamers over the zombies.

  The battle was over moments later. The armor had been shot, hacked at, and bludgeoned by the zombies, but none of the undead had survived the short conflict. Cumberland and the three men were discussing the suits and how well they worked.

  Alvin had the simulation reset and looked at Douglas. “Give it a go yourself?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay,” Alvin said.

  ~*~*~

  Stepping back out of the base with the others following him, Alvin collected his keys from them. “Now, about my Huey?”

  Douglas held up a hand to stop him from going further. “The Dwarves make this armor?”

  “Yeah. My father-in-law is the ruler there.”

  “Directions to their Gates, letters of introduction, and a dozen suits,” Douglas said.

  Alvin laughed. “No.”

  “What?” Douglas asked, glaring at him.

  “No. Each base suit— which doesn’t include radios, extra batteries, or the flamers, by the way— costs fifty thousand XP. That by itself should be a Huey. I’m not buying and giving you those and everything else.”

  Douglas continued to stare at Alvin for a long moment before asking, “What do you want your Huey to be equipped with?”

  “I thought they just had door guns,” Alvin said.

  “They do, but some of the more advanced ones also have a forward-mounted gun for the pilot.”

  “Oh,” Alvin thought for a moment. “I don’t need it to be in good repair, as I have a mechanic who owes me a favor. If you include the guns and ammo for them, I’d go for six sets of armor, the Gates, and the letters.”

  “Eight sets, and the rest,” Douglas said stiffly.

  “Split it?” Alvin asked.

  “Fine. Seven, but with radios, batteries, and flamers.”

  “Nope. If you want all the upgrades, it’ll be four sets.”

  “Six.”

  “Five?” Alvin countered.

  Douglas gritted his teeth before nodding. “Five.”

  “Works for me. I’ll see how quickly I can get them. Can you arrange for the Huey tomorrow?”

  Douglas looked to Cumberland, who nodded. “Sir, I can arrange it.”

  “Yes,” Douglas told Alvin.

  “I’ll go back to the briefing room and speak with Cumberland tomorrow,” Alvin said. “Once I deliver the armor and letters, I expect the Huey to be handed over.”

  “Major, see to it,” Douglas commanded. “Men, we’re moving. I have to look into getting that simulation room.”

  Cumberland saluted the colonel as he left, and Alvin just shook his head.

  “I need a place to crash, as do my men,” Shawn told Cumberland.

  “I’ll arrange it,” Cumberland said, blowing Shawn off. “Alvin, when do you think you’ll have the armor?”

 

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