Outbreak (Book 1): Emerald City by Jay K. Anthony

flipping switches and turning knobs. “Who screwed this all up?” he asked.
    Williams frowned. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “Just get ahold of the Army Command and tell them we have a survivor for them to come pick up.”
    “I’m B-negative,” Tasha offered.
    Everyone but Tanner turned to stare at her. “What?” Williams asked.
    “My blood type,” Tasha said.
    “Yeah,” Tanner said. “That’s right. She said that the last helicopter to pass over dropped leaflets from Command. Something about needing people with B-negative blood.”
    “Wait,” Tasha said and dug into her pocket. She found the leaflet which had fallen on the roof of the cannery and gave it to Williams.
    Williams took it and read it quickly. “About damn time,” he said.
    “What is it, Sergeant?” Cleveland asked.
    “Sounds like they are working on a cure,” Williams said. “Otherwise why would they need this B-negative blood stuff. When you get ahold of those guys at Command, tell them to make the pick up a priority, or whatever. Just make the damn radio work.”
    “You got it, Sergeant,” Cleveland said.
    “Ortiz,” Williams said. “You and Tanner get your asses back out on the perimeter and make sure we don’t have any more vegetables coming up that road, or more survivors wanting to donate blood.”
    “Yes, Sergeant,” Ortiz said and left the tent, but Tanner hesitated.
    “What is it, Private?” Williams asked.
    Tanner looked at Tasha and swallowed. “I just … uh, I just want to make sure she, uh …”
    “I’ve got it covered,” Williams said. “Get your ass back out there.”
    “Yes, Sergeant,” Tanner said and met Tasha’s eyes for a moment before he ducked out of the tent.
    Boys , she thought. My first day out of the cannery and I feel like I am back in high school. I wonder which one is going to ask me to the prom?
    “Hey, Sergeant!” Cleveland said. “I got someone.”
    Tasha moved into a corner of the tent to be out of the way and watched as the older man, Sergeant Williams , she reminded herself, picked up a microphone. Cleveland pointed at a button on the side. “Push here,” he instructed.
    Williams slapped Cleveland’s hand away. “I know, Goddammit,” he said and pressed the button.
    “Mercer Island Command,” he said. “This is Broken Top Alpha, over.”
    A voice came back through one of the speakers on the radio. “Broken Top Alpha, this is Command, Corporal Creed speaking. What is your situation? Over.”
    “Hey, Creed,” Williams said. “What’s up, man? This is Sergeant Williams.”
    “Hey! Good morning, Sergeant. How you holding up out there?”
    Cleveland looked at Williams. “Do you know everyone?” he whispered.
    Williams ignored him. “The weather sucks,” he replied into the radio. “Otherwise everything's just peachy. Hey, we have a survivor out here and are requesting priority evac. Just came in this morning. Female, I think she said eighteen.”
    “No shit? Hey, is she hot?”
    Tasha blushed. Cleveland covered his mouth to keep from laughing.
    “What?” Williams asked. “Shit, uh … yeah. I don’t know. No. What? She is standing right here, you want to ask her?”
    “What?” Creed’s voice said through the radio. “Am I on a speaker?”
    “Yes,” Williams said and Cleveland had to use both hands to keep from exploding in laughter. Williams pushed the young soldier on the shoulder and Cleveland fell out of his chair and onto the floor of the tent.
    “Shit,” Creed said. “Command is going to have my ass. Hey, anyhow, that evac is going to have to wait. Got a slight situation.”
    “What kind of situation? Over,” Williams said.
    “We had a couple zombies get over the wall last night and some asshat put holes into one of our Blackhawks, so we only have one in operation. That one is currently on mission and ETA is unknown. Just button up until it can get back to Command, get refueled, and then they’ll come pick her up. How copy?