Project Zulu by Fred Waltz Page A

to
the command post. I have lost contact with Major Chonk. I want you to assume
that the building has been compromised, take no chances. I am going to call
back the forward team, and we will be bringing up your flank in about forty
minutes.”
    “No disrespect General, but are you sure you don’t
want me to wait until the forward team is back and we are at full strength?”
    “No disrespect taken Captain, and I would very much
prefer to wait, but I do not believe that I have that luxury right now. I need
you to scout the command post, and let me know the status A.S.A.P. And Captain,
I would have been concerned had you not questioned my logic, well done son.”
    The Captain is already barking out orders as the
General returns his attention to Jimmy and Amy. “Alright then Miss Sunoon, do
you feel up to telling your story again?”
    “You can call me Amy, and like I told Captain
Hellatoni, I will tell you anything you want to know, in exchange for a
cigarette.”
    “Somebody get me a pack of cigarettes and a
lighter!” Mike shouted at nobody in particular, and within a minute he had
three brands to choose from.
    “Will one of these suffice?” He asks holding the
cigarettes out to Amy; she takes all three packs.
    Mike and Jimmy listen to her story, stopping her
occasionally for some clarification. OhAy joins them mid story and listens intently.
Amy finishing the story, and her eighth cigarette, and lets out a sigh
    OhAy speaks first. “General, if this woman is
telling the truth, we have a serious situation on our hands.”
    “Every word is true, if you don’t believe me all you
have to do is get in that jeep and drive back down the road.” Amy said pointing
over her shoulder.
    Mike answers her, “Amy, I have no doubt that your
story is mostly, if not all true. I am curious about one thing though. You
mentioned you had an on again, off again boyfriend.”
    “Ya, Breaker, he is absolutely my ex-boyfriend now.”
    “Breaker; that is a unique nickname, any chance his
real name is Francis?”
    “Ya, Francis O’Leary, but I wouldn’t recommend
calling him that to his face. Can I go sit down for a while? I am beat.” She
walks back toward the jeep before Mike has a chance to answer her.
    Jimmy steps up to Mike, “Francis O’Leary, why do I
recognize that name Mike?”
    “You probably heard about him during an intelligence
briefing when we were picking security team members. He is a former SEAL,
highly decorated, he went rogue after the September eleven attacks. He, and a
couple of his team members, launched an unsanctioned wave of attacks and took
out quite a few Al Qaeda factions. He was allowed to retire, and avoid court
martial in exchange for a non-disclosure agreement. I can tell you he is one
Bad Ass Mother, and certainly someone I would not want to piss off.”
    “General, I can guarantee you that if what Amy is
telling us is true; you are going to want to piss him off even less.”
    Mike and Jimmy both look at OhAy like she was crazy.
    “During her story, she talked about how Breaker’s eyes
were glowing red. You both have seen zombies; they don’t have red glowing eyes.
I think that I now know what happened to the Loa that was inside Z. I think
that Breaker is now Azaka.”
    Jimmy interrupts OhAy. “Can you do your ceremony
again, get Azaka out of Breaker?”
    “No, it is too late. Azaka must have undergone
re-birthing. He is free to do as he pleases now.”
    Before Mike or Jimmy can really even understand what
OhAy is saying, one of the soldiers approaches the group. ‘Excuse me General; I
have an urgent call for you on the satellite.”
    “Finally, word from the command post, Major Chonk
you had me worried, is everything alright back there?”
    “Hello, this is Cam, Cam Alk; sorry I mean Corporal
Alk.”
    “Just calm down and relax Corporal Camalk, are you
at the command post?”
    “No Sir, I am at the forward post. We have a
situation Sir I don’t think we can hold out, I respectfully