Read The Dying of the Light (Short Stories): The Walker Chronicles (Tales From The Dying of the Light) for Free Online

they exited, the first thing Randall noticed was that the truck was gone. Well, no surprise there. I hope they make it somewhere safe. The second thing he noticed was the smell, and he wasn’t the only one.
    He thought he heard retching, but he didn’t turn to find out for sure. “Hastings, go find us that colonel’s command car. Might as well ride out of here in style.” The trooper ran off to retrieve the dead SS colonel’s personal vehicle, and Randall made sure all his men were accounted for. Except for Murphy and the snipers - they’d make their own way to the rally point.
    He thought he could hear an alarm from over the hill in the direction of the main Belzec encampment, and climbed into the car as Hastings pulled up. “Time to get gone, boys.” He glanced back only once, making sure the lab building was good and burning. Wouldn’t do to leave evidence behind. Wonder what Moretti will think of this?

     
    Allied Headquarters
London
     
    Corporal Maxwell knocked once and entered Colonel Moretti’s office, where the other man was on the phone. He set the cup of coffee down on the man’s desk, and Moretti nodded his thanks.
    “Yes, sir, general sir. I’ve recalled them, per your orders, sir. I agree, but in this case… no, sir. I… yes, sir. And you, sir.” Moretti hung up and massaged his temples. “Roger, if I ever accept a promotion to general of anything, will you please shoot me?”
    “With pleasure, sir.”
    “You don’t have to sound quite so happy about it.”
    “Sorry, sir. Quite a mess, isn’t it, sir?”
    “More than you know, Maxwell, more than you know. They destroyed an enemy camp, lost a man, and killed over five thousand walkers.”
    “Pardon me, sir, but apart from the lost paratrooper, that sounds like a win for our side, sir.”
    “Oh, it is, don’t get me wrong! It just puts us in a difficult spot.”
    “How so, sir?”
    “Well, when this is all over, you don’t think the Germans will just say ‘Oops, sorry, we didn’t mean to mass-produce zombies?’” Moretti sighed and sat back. “No, it will go unacknowledged and unremarked by virtually everyone. And our job will be harder than ever. Don’t be fooled; that wasn’t the only camp the Nazis had, I’m sure. They’ll take care of the others, but who knows if they’ll do it right ? All it takes is one… and then it’s all over. As for our men, oh, they’ll take care of them, but quietly, without fanfare, and without anyone knowing what it actually was that they did.”
    “But, well, sir, isn’t that kind of the point?”
    “Of Unit 73, you mean?” When the corporal nodded, Moretti leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk. “You’re sharper than you look, Mr. Maxwell.”
    “Thank you, sir.”
    “Yes, this will get buried under the rug, and no one but us will know about it until… well, whenever the problem becomes to big to ignore, though let’s hope that’s not for a long, long time. And when that day comes… well, I’ve got some ideas. You know, Hitler’s got a bunker under Berlin?”
    “So I’ve heard, sir. Seems like a good idea, having a hidey-hole you can retreat to in a pinch.”
    Moretti eyed the young man once more, weighing a clearly important decision. “What are you doing after the war, son?”
    “Well, sir, I’ve been thinking about that piece of land in the middle of nowhere, like you suggested.”
    “Horrible thought, isn’t it? Being so far from the action?”
    Maxwell grinned. “That’s exactly what I was thinking, sir.”
    “I’m glad. So that’s settled then. You’re in. But bear this in mind, when you’re in, you’re in , son. There’s no backing out. You’ll be with me the whole way; I need someone I can trust. What do you say?”
    “I say, what did you have in mind, sir?”
    “Good man. Now, let me show you something I’ve been working on for a little while now,” Moretti said, pulling a large, rolled up paper tube from the shelf behind him and