The Death Trilogy (Book 1): The Death: Quarantine by John W. Vance Page A

barked out, “Everybody, let’s head back to the Osprey. Come on, let’s go. Hurry!”
    Lori looked to see if she could identify who this unknown threat was, but they were still too far out.
    “Let’s go, people,” Chance ordered.
    Everyone listened without hesitation except for Lori, who stood in the same spot and kept looking at the group of what she estimated to be over a dozen people.
    “Lori, come on!” Chance ordered.
    She turned to face Chance when the loud crack of a whip snapped near her right ear, followed by the echoing of a gunshot in the distance.
    “Lori, hurry, they’re shooting at you!” Chance yelled.
    Never having been shot at, she didn’t recognize that signature cracking sound of a bullet going by her head. Movies always described it one way, but what she heard was strange and scary. Reflexively she crouched down and began to sprint towards the Osprey that was easily a half mile away. A steady stream of fear filled her as she realized how vulnerable she and the others were in the open valley. They were unarmed and exposed to the threat, a group of people who obviously wanted to shoot and kill them.
    More shots rang out as the sound reverberated through the valley and bounced off the eastern mountains.
    “Who are they?” Lori screamed.
    “They’re Scraps. Now come on, hurry!” Chance screamed.
    The Marines on the Osprey heard the gunfire and readied the .50-caliber machine gun; the only issue was Chance and the others were in the line of fire.
    Not knowing exactly what to do, Lori began to zigzag through the tall grasses, hoping that she would make a difficult target.
    More gunfire from the Scraps came their way, fortunately missing everyone.
    As they closed in on the Osprey, Lori began to feel that they’d all make it.
    The propellers on the Osprey began to turn slowly as the pilots began their prep for takeoff.
    “We’re almost there, faster, faster!” Chance yelled.
    Lori was so focused on getting to the aircraft that she never noticed she had passed Maggie. When she hit the ramp of the Osprey, she looked back and saw Maggie was barely running at a jog.
    Brad made the ramp and dove into the fuselage, panting and hacking.
    Chance was right behind him.
    The crew chief called loud enough into his headset mic that Lori could hear, “All on board but one.”
    The .50 caliber suddenly came to life.
    Lori watched in horror as the tracer rounds flew just a few feet from Maggie.
    The roar of the machine gun made Maggie scream. She was in a full panic, her heart rate racing and her head spinning. The altitude of the valley was near 8,500 feet, so that added to her cardiovascular issues. Now her pace had slowed to a jog with repeated stops to catch her breath.
    Then Lori saw her fall; she disappeared into the tall grass. Not one hundred feet behind her were the Scraps, and they were closing in,firing as they went.
    The propellers of the Osprey were now spinning fast .
    The crew chief yelled at Chance, “Sir, want us to go get her?”
    “Where is she?” he asked.
    “Not sure, sir, she collapsed some forty feet out.”
    The .50 caliber was still laying down fire, but the Scraps had spread out and were taking aim on the Osprey. Pings and pangs began to be heard from their fire hitting the side of the Osprey.
    “Take us out of here,” Chance ordered upon hearing the rounds hitting the side of the aircraft.
    Lori looked at Chance in horror and barked, “You can’t leave her! She’s one of us!”
    “Not anymore, she’s a Scrap now,” he snapped at her, then turned back to the crew chief and said, “Get us out of here!”
    Lori was still standing on the ramp when it began to rise. “No, we can’t leave her!”
    The crew chief marched over, grabbed her by the arm, dragged her to a chair, and tossed her in it.
    “No, no, we can’t leave her!” Lori screamed.
    Brad was sitting across from her. He was trembling in fear and appeared to be in shock.
    She shot Chance a look of hate.
    He