Zompoc Survivor: Odyssey by Ben Reeder Page B

PVC pipe in every size imaginable lined the roadway, then gave way to a storage business on one side and a line of repair shops on the other before it ended at a cross street.
    “That’s the armory,” Allie said, pointing to a two story brick building with a chain link fence surrounding a lot on the side facing us and a white garage or storage building that butted up against the fence “It doesn’t look like it’s been-” she started to say, and then abruptly stopped as a man wearing black pants and a green flak jacket emerged from behind the storage building. Immediately, he brought an assault rifle up to his shoulder and opened fire. As soon as I saw the gun move, I pushed my foot down on the gas, and we burned rubber across the road and jumped the curb, then bounced over the concrete parking stops. Rambo ran out of rounds before we hit the curb, but he still managed to hit the truck a few times. We shot across the side lot, then across the road that ran in front of the armory before we hit grass again and found ourselves in a shaded park. More shots rang out behind us, but it seemed like most of them were killing any trees that dared to shelter us, though a couple of rounds hit the body of the truck with hollow sounding thunks . A beige building loomed up ahead, and I swerved to put it between us and the armory.
    “I think someone took over the armory,” McKay said.
    “Yeah, I was getting that impression!” I yelled as I yanked the steering wheel to the right to miss a Humvee that was bearing down on our left side. The other vehicle hit its brakes as we swung through someone’s yard and came back onto the street. I heard the chatter of a machine gun for about a second and saw chunks of asphalt fly in front of me and to my left. I swerved right and left to spoil their aim, but they didn’t seem to be shooting at us.
    “The gun jammed!” McKay said from behind me. In the rearview mirror, I could see her looking out the back window.
    “Good,” I said as I poured on the speed. More automatic fire came, and I reached out to push Amy down in the seat as I heard a few rounds hit the rear of the truck. Then the back end started vibrating and the Humvee gained ground as I lost speed. The sound of rubber slapping against asphalt and the truck frame beat an uneven rhythm as I tried to keep what little lead I had on our pursuers with a rear tire gone. Behind us, I could hear someone yelling triumphantly, and I promised myself I’d make them pay for that.
    “We’re going to have to ditch the truck,” I said as the back end started slewing back and forth. “Once we stop, McKay, I need you and Amy to get to cover.”
    “Copy that,” McKay said as she slid my M4 onto the seat beside me. “We’ll cover you.” She handed Amy the shotgun and chambered a round in her own rifle. Seconds later, the Humvee rammed us, and I almost lost control of the truck. As I tried to straighten the front end out, shots rang out behind us, and I heard rounds zip through the cab. Then a telephone pole filled the windshield and everything stopped except for me.
    The next thing I knew, I was face first against something white, and I felt like I’d been kicked in the chest by a mule. I pushed back and found myself looking over a deflating airbag. Amy was shoving her way clear of hers, and McKay was slumped over the top of the seat with a red stain spreading across her back. I shoved McKay’s rifle at her and groped for my own.
    “Cover,” I said through the cotton that seemed to be filling my mouth and head. “Get to cover.” She grabbed the gun and opened the door of the truck as I fumbled for the latch to my door. Finally, I got it open and stumbled out. The ground swayed beneath me and I went down, the M4 clattering away from me as I caught myself.
    “Man, look at this fucking loser,” I heard someone say. The world moved around me as I tried to see who was talking, tried to find a target. “We seriously poned his