To say that the drive back to the airport was bad was an understatement. Morale in the back of this lorry was in the toilet. Across the railway tracks, we see more residential areas and they were starting to burn. It seemed that someone had gotten their act together and evacuated most of the civilians.

The civilian population had also taken the hint and those who could be were already gone. But this still left a lot of people trapped. The sounds of weapons fire from ground troops and helicopters clearly show that heavy fighting was still happening. We had been on the very northern edge and were the most exposed. Pulling us out was the most logical thing to do.

But it still felt shitty.

Return to the Aeroporto Roma Urbe-LIRU and it was clear that they were preparing to pull out. Military transport helicopters loaded with civilians were taken off as fast as possible. The noise had become a solid drone in the background. The guards on the perimeter were ready for trouble.

Greco headed off to the command centre. We all piled into the supply base and restocked on ammunition. I supported a water tank and quickly refilled my canteen after emptying it by drinking the contents. Gregson joined me in refilling his canteen. As he filled his, I noticed that he had acquired another two from somewhere.

Looking around the area, I noticed another two operatives. They were clearly from the Euro Corp and had stripped off the top of their armour. They both look haggard and were sweating heavily.

“Fuck! This is bad.” Gregson said next to me, answering the lid back onto the canteen. Before I could say anything, his sat phone went off and he quickly got out of the tent and answered him. I looked out across the airfield I did not listen to his conversation.

The soldiers that we were around nearly all looked pained. I felt bad for what was happening, but I had no idea what they were going through. This was not my nation’s capital, after all. They had all loaded up with extra supplies and ammo.

“Major Hawk has arrived with a hundred support team-rated soldiers.” Gregson told me.

“Understood.”

“We have been ordered to continue as we are.”

“Okay.” I kept my answer simple as there was nothing more to say. I was tired and drain from the action and heat.

We both stood for several minutes, watching the evacuation. There was still a large number of civilians to get out. But it was clear that someone was getting the job done. Military attack helicopter landing, reloading and refuelling to be sent right back out again. I could see drones flying as well.

To the east, more smoke indicates fires. There were some to the West but not as many as to the east. Everywhere we look to see attack helicopters striking ground targets.

“Is it me, or is this zone coming expanding faster?” I ask, thinking out loud.

“I think you are right.” Gregson agreed.

To the north, we couldn’t help but see the wall of fog that dominates the horizon. It will be here soon and was the reason for the military pull-out being so fast. In the clear sunshine, it was a fluffy white and look like a massive cloud rolling over the city. A cloud of death but a fluffy one.

Greco came back and rallied as altogether. She spoke first to the soldiers. As it was all in Italian, I was unsure what you were saying but expecting some form of peep talk to help with morale. When she had finished, she took us to the side.

“We are heading south to the road bridges that cross the Aniene. We will use them to try to slow down the roving packs. The plan is that this will allow us to slow down the expansion of the zone as well.” Greco looking a bit haggard but determined. “Grab what you can and we will not be returning here.”

The tactics that had been developed for this event were clear. First, evacuate all non-military personnel to slow zone expansion. Second, establish strong points to thin out zone hostiles aiding in the evacuation. Finally, withdraw all assets to starve the zone and halt its expansion. Today we are going to see if this will work.

We were soon once again heading south. We drove past many large buildings dedicated to commercial ventures. We stopped next to a shopping centre of some kind. Just to the south of us, trees and bushes denote the river boundary. The road bridge was easy to see and still had a lot of traffic going across it from the north.

Greco quickly began issuing orders. Gregson and I were kept out of the way and were told that the two barricades would be set up. One on the north side and one on the south. We were to hold the north side as long as possible, then retreat to the south.

“Are you going to blow the bridges?” I had to ask. I thought it was odd that she had not mentioned that point yet.

“As far as I’m aware, no. When the zone reaches us here, it already is over this waterway in other places.” Greco told me before heading off to organise her troops. This meant hostiles could appear from there.

That makes sense as I was looking at the map. There was another bridge just east of us and another barricade was set up there. There was still a steady flow of military and civilian traffic heading south, but we were about to end that.

Greco received an order over her radio and she began to have abandoned civilian vehicles form a makeshift barricade across the road. By this point, only civilians were coming down the road. They are few and haggard at that. Some still had vehicles that were not going across the bridges and they were forcibly abandoned in the car park next to the shopping centre. But this was after a lot of arguments and threats.

By this time, the zones boundary had reached the airfield. Military attack helicopters were firing ground targets now close to us. We knew that we would be attacked soon.

The barricade on the north side was set up in an inverted U shape again. And what trees and bushes could be cleared from the sites of the road which led onto the bridge. This was done by liberating a chainsaw from a DIY store shopping centre. The twelve of us now waited. The barricade comprised half a dozen vehicles and whatever was at hand. The south side was even worse.

Soon such thoughts became irrelevant as the first wave began to attack. The bridge to the east of us was the first one to be hit. They quickly took out the six zombies attacking them. We soon added another five to the day’s account. Looking up the Via Salaria, we could see the zone boundary in the distance.

I had not been of much use so far today. This is an odd sensation as I am the one normally thrown headfirst into danger. As I was armed, it was not practical in this environment for me to be on the front line. Greco had been just behind the mainline to act as an emergency blocker.

Again, this was the established tactic. We can use firearms outside of the zone, so logically they are maximising this advantage.

Overhead military jets were now flying, striking targets on the ground with missiles and bombs. Explosions were now starting to rock the city. The Jets could not go close to the zone. If they flew into it, they would crash quickly. Even if the pilots survived that no rescue would reach them in time.

“They are taking out some of the larger packs of zombies that have been sighted.” Greco told me as she came to stand next to me. “Command has decided to try to use the river Tiber and this one to try to stop the zones advance.”

“That won’t work.”

“I agree, but all we can do at the moment.” There’s nothing I can say about that.

To the north, the zone was relentlessly advancing. It will be with us soon.

“Is command going to blow the bridges?” I asked again. Gregson had Joined us.

“Yes, they are organising the strike package’s now.” Greco confirmed what I’d been thinking. Destroying the bridges would only slow the problem, but slow could be enough to save thousands.

“When are we pulling back?” Gregson asked.

“Soon. I am expecting the order at any minute.” Greco told him.

Before anything else can be said, the bridge to the east defenders opened up. The crack of the rifles was quickly overwhelmed by a roar combined with a screen. I knew what made that sound.

“Ghoul!”

We were looking at the bridge now. As Greco tried to find out what was happening, we saw the ghoul rip across the barricade. The soldiers there did not stand a chance. Through the remaining trees, we could make out them being slaughtered.

“Fuck!” I headed across to the other side. Gregson was right behind me.

We ran across the bridge through the trees to the other. By the time we got there, the ghoul was already across. I jumped the barriers on the road.

The ghoul had seen us and was charging towards me. I got my shield and the pistol in my hand was stabilised on its edge again. I forced myself to wait as the ghoul got closer.

This is one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. I thought every instinct to pull the trigger. I control my breathing and aim. Before I could fire, Gregson opened up.

Like the others, his assault rifle was set to single-round shots. And because he had the better range, he decided to engage. Several rounds impacted the ghoul’s body is advanced. It was staggered by each impact, but it stayed standing and quickly started advancing again.

This gave me the opportunity I needed and as it was close, I felt the grave chill as I squeezed the trigger. Again, the pistol back in my hand bucked. The rounds fired true and struck the ghoul’s head. The back of the head exploded outwards in a shower of brain matter and gore. The ghoul collapsed to the floor and didn’t get up again.

Across the bridge, I could see a large pack of zombies advancing at speed. Looking to the west, I saw Greco signalling to head to the lorry. We quickly followed instructions and got moving.

As we were running from the bridge, a jet screamed overhead.

……..

……..

I found myself lying on the ground and sky. Stunned. My ears were ringing.

Stunned was an understatement.

It took a few seconds for me to get my act together and get up. Everything is aching. There is a lot of dust and smoke in the air.

Looking around, I saw Gregson doing the same. Looking back at the bridges, I saw they had both been destroyed. The jet had been on a bombing run on the bridges. In the military, that was called a “danger close” strike. Fuck me, they were not kidding.

I think my ears are bleeding. I decided it might be a good idea to put my helmet back on. But I left the straps unsecured.

This was not stopping the zombies. The back of at least 20 continued running onto the ruined bridge. They just kept going falling into the river and just kept moving. They were sinking, but as they did not need to breathe, I think they are still moving along the river bed. The zone was now a lot closer.

Gregson and I quickly staggered over to the lorry and we pulled onto the back. Even as they pulled us up, the lorry started off.

“You two, okay?” Asked through the back window of the cab. I gave a thumbs up, coughing a lot.

We didn’t travel far, stopping next to a compound. There were several more squads of soldiers and policemen here. All armed to the teeth with both firearms and hand-to-hand weapons.

A sign wall identified this as Carabinieri Comando Talamo police station of some sort from the look of the building. The barriers were set up across the entrance to the car park. Greco got out and began talking to another officer at the gate.

“You, okay?” Gregson asked.

“First time being bombed.”

“Same for me.”

Greco came back to the lorry and began issuing orders. The soldiers quickly bailed out.

“We are losing the lorry is going to be used to evacuate civilians.” She told us. I got out both of our bodies protesting. We moved like much older men.

Looking around, it was clear that they were not planning to make a stand there and were in the final stages of an evacuation. Seeing our ride being driven off and knowing you would have to foot the rest was not a pleasant feeling.

Fun times. God, I hate going abroad!