Dead Mech by Jake Bible

Jeezus…,” he muttered.
    He tapped the security icon and scrolled to
the vid feeds.
    ***
    “So the UDC puts killing deaders and zombies
before saving humans? That’s fucked up,” the Rookie said.
    “It’s not that cut and dry, but yeah, pretty
much,” Mathew answered, pouring more ‘shine into the Rookie’s
cup.
    “So what if, say, Six Flags was under
attack? Where does that fit into the UDC’s priorities?”
    “That’s different. I’m talking about out in
the waste. It’s kill or be killed out here.”
    “But what about all the survivor pockets?
Don’t they count?”
    “As far as the UDC is concerned, if you
aren’t city/state, you aren’t people,” Rachel joined in.
    “That’s fucked up, man…”
    ***
    She needed to get a response to her
colleague, but Capreze would know right away if she sent a secure
message, so would the UDC for that matter.
    She pushed away from her desk, exhausted and
frustrated. Then it hit her. She quickly grabbed her tablet and
started a requisition order for medical supplies she knew they
could only get when they traded with Foggy Bottom. Hidden in the
order would be her analysis and reply. She would give it to Capreze
in the morning telling him stock was low and was urgent that a trip
was made right away.
    ***
    Rachel stood and stretched, dusting the dirt
from her backside. “Think I’ll walk back and get the ATV. Looks
like Jay could use it.” She glanced down at the Chief Mechanic
passed out on the ground. She turned from the campfire and peered
into the darkness. “Haven’t heard from Steve or June in a bit.
Think I’ll check on them first.”
    “Careful. They may be having a moment,”
Mathew quipped.
    “With the way she has the hots for you, I
doubt it,” Rachel scoffed.
    Mathew rolled his eyes. “Oh just go be
responsible or something.”
    Rachel blew him a kiss.
    ***
    Capreze checked the barracks vid feed.
    Masters and Harlow were actually sleeping
for a change. Bisby was crashed also. Mathew, Jane, the Rookie’s
bunks were empty. He expected to see Rachel’s empty since she
preferred to sleep in her mech most nights, but where were the
others?
    The Commander flicked from one feed to
another. The rec room: empty. Mess hall: empty. Showers, latrine:
both empty. Hangar: empty also.
    “Hmmm…,” Capreze muttered. “What are they up
to?”
    He switched to external feeds and quickly
found what he was looking for. Flames flickered from the fire pit
as Capreze zoomed in.
    ***
    “If the UDC could give a shit about the
people in the waste, then why don’t they order the mechs to wipe
out the Cults? Just fucking wipe them off the face of the earth,”
asked the Rookie.
    “That, I’m not sure,” Mathew admitted. “My
guess is it keeps the gene pool fresh. I mean, how many humans are
left in the world, do you think? Three, maybe four million? All the
city/states combined equals only about two million people at last
count.”
    “Nothing fresh about the gene pool with
those crazy fucks,” the Rookie muttered, anger tainting his
voice.
    ***
    A scream came from the darkness. Mathew and
the Rookie straightened, suddenly considerably more sober than
before. Mathew tapped his com.
    “Rache? You okay?”
    “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m not sure what just
happened. I heard Steve scream…”
    “That was Steve? Damn, he screams like a
girl.”
    “Focus please!”
    “Okay, sorry, focused.”
    “By the time I got to him he was muttering
‘don’t take my balls’.”
    “Is he hurt bad?”
    “Yeah, he’s bleeding from his thigh quite a
bit.”
    “Shit. Okay, you apply pressure and I’ll get
the ATV and the doc. Where’s June?”
    “Not a fucking clue. Hurry.”
    “Will do.”
    ***
    Doctor Themopolous’s head nodded. She shook
it hard, fighting the drowsiness. She didn’t want to go against her
own medical advice and drink the coffee she had set on her desk,
but she really needed to finish the encrypted message.
    Her com buzzed, the emergency tone