“Where the fuck did they all come from?”
“Don’t know, but we better get back,” Webb said. That’s when Webb heard banging on the back of Priest’s Jeep. “What the hell?”
“Oh, we have a guest coming over for dinner.”
“Bagged one, did you?”
“Sure did.” They all loaded up and took off before the truck made its way back to their position. The team hauled ass back to the compound and reactivated the perimeter defenses.
CHAPTER 37
Dr. Caulfield’s voice came over the speaker, “Ah, Captain Webb and Sargent Priest, please come to the CC, we have a problem.”
“Shit, what now?” Webb said, exasperated. Both men got to the CC and Dr. Caulfield pointed to a monitor whose camera covered the front fence. There were figures banging on the gate and fence.
“How did the infected get here so quick?” Priest asked.
“Those aren’t infected,” Webb answered. “Looks like people from the town.”
“You got to be fucking kidding me!” Priest yelled with annoyance.
“I guess they figure this is the best place to be.” Webb turned on the speaker next to the camera and grabbed the mic. They could hear the people yelling and banging on the fence.
“Let us in. The infected are coming. Open up now!” Webb stopped before addressing them.
He clicked over to the internal speakers, “Everyone report to the CC, ASAP.” He looked at Priest, “We are not a dictatorship and we need to put this to a vote.”
Priest signed, “Yeah, you’re right.”
A few moments later everyone was present at the CC and Webb spoke to the group, “Ok everyone, we have a situation. There are a couple thousand infected coming this way. Now, we are safe and can maintain for quite a long time while we wait for this horde to pass. The issue is that the people from the town are at our gate wanting access to the compound.” The scientists looked at each other in bewilderment.
Dr. Rand spoke up, “Are these the people that attacked us before trying to get in?”
“The same people who attacked us a couple hours ago, and these are the same. I told you we were not here to take over, so everyone has a say. So, we either let those people in or we leave them outside. Those are your two choices and I’ll give you a couple minutes to decide.” All the scientists got together to discuss.
Dr. Caulfield looked over at the team, “Aren’t you going to deliberate?”
Priest looked at him, “We already did and know where we stand.” Dr Caulfield still looked somewhat confused, but turned back around to his huddle. Some long minutes later, the huddle broke.
Webb acknowledged them, “Ok, by a show of hands, all those in favor of bringing these people inside, raise your hand.” Three hands shot up, Dr. Holtz, Caulfield and Santiago. All those in favor of leaving them outside our gate, raise your hand. Seven hands went up. “Okay, that is 7 against 3, which means they stay outside?”
Dr. Caulfield spoke up, “Are you really going to leave them there? It sounds barbaric.”
“Well, these people tried to break in before and they just tried to kill us a few hours ago. So, yeah, I am.” Webb went back to the microphone and keyed it. “We took a vote and the majority consider your group too dangerous and untrustworthy.”
Screams of anger and pleading were heard through the speakers. “You can thank the group of you that just tried to kill us for that. You have five minutes to clear that fence and get back down that access road. If not, then we will remove with force. Your five minutes have already started.”
The team continued to watch the screens. Most of the crowd turned and ran back down the road. Seven or eight stayed staring at the facility entrance. They stood there with their faces pressed against the chain link.
One man spoke up, “You don’t let us in, we will die.”
Webb responded, “Hey, jackass, you guys tried to kill us with no provocation. Now you want us to just open our doors and invite you in? You can’t be serious.”
“I didn’t have nothin to do with that. That was another group and isn’t the ones standing here.”
“And we’re just supposed to take your word for it?” Webb could understand their plight, but was he supposed to put everyone in the facility in danger, based on the word of a man he didn’t know?
“I’m telling you; those people weren’t us. You let us in or you will have innocent blood on your hands.” The man was staring a hole right into the camera and something about him was off.