Read Online Indestructible: V Plague Book 7 by Dirk Patton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Dirk Patton
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Spread out below us was a perfect circle, pressed fifty feet
into the ground as if a giant had come along and stuck his finger into the
dirt.
In the middle were two tall windmills, their towers raising
the blades high enough to catch the wind that seemed to be constantly blowing
across the prairie. Between them sat a large, circular tank full of water. It
reminded me of an above ground swimming pool, no more than four feet deep.
Both windmills were turning in the stiff breeze and I could see a disturbance
on the surface of the tank as more water was pumped in.
In several places around the perimeter of the depression
there were well-defined trails leading down from the prairie. These had to
have been worn into the ground by the heavy hooves of the cattle that came to
drink. There weren’t any cows in sight, but there were three horses tied to a
leg of one of the windmills. Two men stood in the shade of a willow tree that
grew close to the far edge of the tank. The tree was massive with lush, green
branches, almost certainly well watered by overflow from the stock tank and
well fertilized by the animals that frequented the location.
“More warriors?” I mumbled to Joe, looking at them through
my scope.
“Yes. For the same chief as the man we found. The extra
horse must be his.” He answered.
I was still watching them through the scope and neither had
moved. Something didn’t seem right, and I took a moment to scan the open
ground to our rear. Nothing was moving other than wind tossed grass. Turning
back to the front I focused again on the two Osage warriors. They still hadn’t
moved or even shifted a foot.
“You said there were a lot of Osage that refused the
vaccine. Right?” I said.
“Well over half. Why?” Joe asked.
“I’m guessing your tradition bound warriors all refused.” I
said, still watching the two men stand perfectly still.
“Shit,” Joe muttered, understanding where I was going with
my questions. “Infected?”
“Can’t tell from here, but neither of them has moved a
muscle since I started watching. Not definitive, but that’s kind of odd.” I
said.
We stayed where we were for a few minutes, watching and
waiting, but the men never moved. The horses were calm, which threw me off,
but then I didn’t have any idea how a horse would react to an infected. People
think horses are smart, and in some ways I guess they are, but in my experience
they are one of the dumber animals. Don’t get me wrong. I love horses. I’m
just not sure they’re terribly smarter than a stick.
Standing up to get a better view I scanned the area, but
couldn’t see over the far lip of the bowl to my front and sides. Behind me,
the prairie stretched away, seemingly to infinity. There wasn’t anything
concerning in any direction that I could see. I got back on my belly and
settled into my rifle, zeroing in on the man to the left.
“Joe,” I said, making sure I was solidly on target. “Would
these guys have a problem with you if you went down there by yourself?”
“No. I might not be friends with them, but we’re the same
clan. Why?”
“Because we either need their help, or we need their
horses. And we definitely need water. Go talk to them and see what you can
do.” I said.
I was fairly well convinced these two had turned. Humans
don’t just stand rock still like a statue for no reason, and they certainly had
no reason to behave this way. Not out in the open like this. We’d been
watching them for several minutes, and not once had either of them turned to
check the area around them.
“You think they’re infected, don’t you.” He said.
“I do, but I don’t want to start shooting until I know for
sure. You’re the bait. If they are, I’ll drop them before they ever get close
to you. If they’re not, I’ll stay right here with the rifle in case you have a
problem.” I answered.
After a few
into the ground as if a giant had come along and stuck his finger into the
dirt.
In the middle were two tall windmills, their towers raising
the blades high enough to catch the wind that seemed to be constantly blowing
across the prairie. Between them sat a large, circular tank full of water. It
reminded me of an above ground swimming pool, no more than four feet deep.
Both windmills were turning in the stiff breeze and I could see a disturbance
on the surface of the tank as more water was pumped in.
In several places around the perimeter of the depression
there were well-defined trails leading down from the prairie. These had to
have been worn into the ground by the heavy hooves of the cattle that came to
drink. There weren’t any cows in sight, but there were three horses tied to a
leg of one of the windmills. Two men stood in the shade of a willow tree that
grew close to the far edge of the tank. The tree was massive with lush, green
branches, almost certainly well watered by overflow from the stock tank and
well fertilized by the animals that frequented the location.
“More warriors?” I mumbled to Joe, looking at them through
my scope.
“Yes. For the same chief as the man we found. The extra
horse must be his.” He answered.
I was still watching them through the scope and neither had
moved. Something didn’t seem right, and I took a moment to scan the open
ground to our rear. Nothing was moving other than wind tossed grass. Turning
back to the front I focused again on the two Osage warriors. They still hadn’t
moved or even shifted a foot.
“You said there were a lot of Osage that refused the
vaccine. Right?” I said.
“Well over half. Why?” Joe asked.
“I’m guessing your tradition bound warriors all refused.” I
said, still watching the two men stand perfectly still.
“Shit,” Joe muttered, understanding where I was going with
my questions. “Infected?”
“Can’t tell from here, but neither of them has moved a
muscle since I started watching. Not definitive, but that’s kind of odd.” I
said.
We stayed where we were for a few minutes, watching and
waiting, but the men never moved. The horses were calm, which threw me off,
but then I didn’t have any idea how a horse would react to an infected. People
think horses are smart, and in some ways I guess they are, but in my experience
they are one of the dumber animals. Don’t get me wrong. I love horses. I’m
just not sure they’re terribly smarter than a stick.
Standing up to get a better view I scanned the area, but
couldn’t see over the far lip of the bowl to my front and sides. Behind me,
the prairie stretched away, seemingly to infinity. There wasn’t anything
concerning in any direction that I could see. I got back on my belly and
settled into my rifle, zeroing in on the man to the left.
“Joe,” I said, making sure I was solidly on target. “Would
these guys have a problem with you if you went down there by yourself?”
“No. I might not be friends with them, but we’re the same
clan. Why?”
“Because we either need their help, or we need their
horses. And we definitely need water. Go talk to them and see what you can
do.” I said.
I was fairly well convinced these two had turned. Humans
don’t just stand rock still like a statue for no reason, and they certainly had
no reason to behave this way. Not out in the open like this. We’d been
watching them for several minutes, and not once had either of them turned to
check the area around them.
“You think they’re infected, don’t you.” He said.
“I do, but I don’t want to start shooting until I know for
sure. You’re the bait. If they are, I’ll drop them before they ever get close
to you. If they’re not, I’ll stay right here with the rifle in case you have a
problem.” I answered.
After a few
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