Zombie Theorem: The End Game Read Online Free Page B

looked over. Two men on crutches and a woman in a wheel-chair were lined up, looking at me.
    I opened my mouth to say something when the woman, cut me off and started to speak. “We would like to introduce ourselves, sir.” I unlocked my wheels and backed up from under the table and turned to face them fully. “I am Marine, Master Sergeant Maria Cruz, the young man behind me is Sergeant Tony Torrez, and the grizzly-looking old guy at the end is Gunny Sergeant Neal Mauseth. We were attached to a Marine platoon that was hit and decimated by a combined Ridder and Army company. We have been on this base for almost a week and have no duty. Marines do not do well sitting around doing nothing, we would like to volunteer to work for you, sir. We are very adept at gathering and assimilating intel.”
    I sat quietly, looking each of them in the eye. I smiled when Brian walked up behind them. “I have a soft spot for Marines. This is Brian Leeder; you will work for him.” I pointed at the new recruits and smiled at Brian. “Brian, these are some of your kind and they want to work with us, so they are yours, since I do not speak Marine.”
    Brian put the two trays of food down on the table and held out his massive hand. He shook their hands in turn and wrote their names down on a notebook he’d started carrying. “I was a first Sergeant with the 26 th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Now I do something harder, I work for this moron. Grab your chow, let’s get these tables put together and join us for a meal.”
    All three moved off to gather their food and, then watched as the Sasquatch picked up a table by himself and put it down against ours. He pointed to the chairs and told them to park it. They did as were told and we sat around enjoying our warm food and chatting. I explained what their jobs would entail and that it was not going to be easy. I asked Julie to pass it by Kuppers that we’d brought on these three. She wrote it down in her notebook and ate some of the mashed potatoes on her tray. I looked over the food on my tray, and felt my stomach start doing back-flips.
    Julie watched me out of her peripheral vision, and tried to hide a smile. She then turned toward me and produced a bowl of soup that she had been hiding. “Something made me think that you wouldn’t be able to handle regular food yet, so I got you some crackers and soup just in case.”
    I gave her a thankful smile and took a cracker and popped it into my mouth. I chewed it slowly breaking it down and savoring the salt. “Thank you, sweetie.” I then took a bite of the vegetable soup she had put in front of me. The warmth of the soup helped lift some of the exhaustion off my shoulders that had been threatening to knock me out. I ate slowly, blocking out everything around me, I took the small Styrofoam cup and sipped at the hot coffee remembering how a couple of weeks ago in the Tower, I would’ve killed to have my coffee hot. That brought a sad smile to my lips, as I remembered draining many cold cups of coffee.
    I was pulled out of my dream world by Brian patting my shoulder. “Hey, Boss, I think it’s time to go home. Let’s go.”
    I looked up, a little surprised at how I kept losing time. I thanked the new group of Marines that had joined our team and Brian pushed me out of the cafeteria into the cooling air outside. Julie came up beside me and took my hand. I twirled her around and pulled her down on my lap. She let out a little squeak and Brian, standing behind us let out his hearty belly laugh. “Can my driver and I offer you a ride back to your castle, my lady?” I said in a nice little British accent.
    “Why yes, kind sir, I’m sure my father the King would pay you generously for bringing me home safe and unmolested. He may even offer the barn, and feed for your pet Sasquatch.” she giggled out.
    “Ooh clean straw! So much nicer than what he makes me sleep on.”
    “Enough, Sasquatch” I jokingly berated Brian. I then turned my attention