Read Strands of Sorrow for Free Online Page B

angle.
    “Given the hours of training and the conditions, that’s a fair landing, Ensign,” Captain Wilkes said while the gunners directed the rotors-turning offload of their passengers. EZ remained in the cockpit, but kept his one good eye on the goings on in the back. “But only fair.”
    “Yes, sir,” Sophia said.
    “Force Ops, Dragon Three,” Wilkes radioed.
    “Dragon Three, Ops.”
    “Spotted more survivors in base housing,” Wilkes said. “Continue mission, query, over?”
    “Stand by.”
    “Fuel state?” Wilkes asked.
    “Eighty-six hundred,” EZ said instantly, glancing over his shoulder to check the fuel panel readout.
    “Dragon Three, Ops. Negative. Reconnaissance of Blount Island. Check status of fencing, determine infected levels. Pick up survivors, Marine and civilian side. Repeat back.”
    “Ops, Dragon Three,” Wilkes replied. “Reconnaissance mission Blount Island, aye. Check status fencing, infected levels, aye. Pick up survivors, Marine and civilian side, aye.”
    “Roger. Discuss rescue ops, Mayport, on RTB.”
    “Roger,” Wilkes said. “Continuing mission.” He turned to Sophia. “Think you can back this off the pad?”
    “Yes, sir,” Sophia said. The wind had steadied out a bit, and would only help her power situation.
    Wands came on the radio. “Tail’s in and secure, sir,” she said. “Clear back and up fifty.”
    “Starboard,” Yu said.
    “Port,” Olga replied.
    EZ slewed back around in his seat, a satisfied look on his face. “Before Takeoff Checklist Complete,” he said. “Watch the dirty air from the tail rotor, Co. You got this.”
    “And we are away . . .” Wilkes said as Sophia added collective and lifted off.
    * * *
    “Pilot, Port. Permission to engage infected targets of opportunity,” Olga commed.
    The Marine side of the island wasn’t exactly crawling with infected, but there were fair numbers. Many of them had been down by the water’s edge where there was a line of dead infected. Most of the kills appeared to be old; they were mostly skeletal. But apparently the infected had gotten used to feeding there.
    What there did not appear to be were any survivors.
    “Negative, Port,” Wilkes replied. “We need this stuff and rounds do bounce everywhere. Continue to the civilian side, Ensign. But make a swing by each gate.”
    “Aye, aye, sir,” Sophia said.
    “And do note the great big power lines,” Wilkes added. “Wires like that are the bane of any helicopter pilot’s existence.”
    “Note the wires, aye,” Sophia said. “I’ve been keeping an eye on them. They scare the hell out of me.”
    “As they should,” EZ said. “Call them out for your scanners, Co. That’s what they’re there for.”
    “Roger,” Sophia said. She approached the fence line cautiously, slowing her forward airspeed so that her scanners could get a good look. She continued to decelerate until they reached a normal hover speed, though their hover was well out of ground effect, being well over the approximate eighty feet of their rotor diameter. The massive primary power lines were just on the far side of the fence.
    “Fences are intact in this area,” Wilkes said. “Cruise the line. Starboard, you got those wires?”
    “Contact wires,” Seaman Apprentice Leo Yu replied.
    “Roger, keep us clear. Can you spot the gates?”
    “River side gate is closed,” Yu said. “Fence appears to be in good shape.”
    “Pilot, Tail: We’ve got a bunch of infected just following along,” Anna said. “I can take them with the fifty.”
    “Port: no shot this side,” Olga said, regret in her tone.
    “Hold off on engaging right now,” Wilkes said. “Keep your speed down, Wolf, and let’s see how many follow us. Starboard, how are those wires doing?”
    “Wires at fifty feet,” Yu replied. “Doing good, Co. No drift this side,”
    “Thanks,” Sophia said, though her teeth were clenched slightly with the effort of keeping everything under control. Thankfully, the