The Z-Strain Trilogy Box Set [Books 1-3]

by Morris, SJ

  “Abby, I had no choice. I risked everything to save you now. If I could have come to get you sooner, I would have. If I could have told you what was going on, I would have.” He said running his hand through his shortly cropped hair in what appeared to be exhaustion or frustration.

  “Right now, I don’t give two shits what you had to risk. You aren’t dead. Oh, I can’t believe this. Rip out my chest tube to wake me up from this living nightmare, please,” I demanded.

  “That’s my Abby, as over dramatic as ever I see? So, the Antivirus 1015 didn’t change that huh?” he said backing up knowing I was probably going to smack him again.

  “The what? An antivirus... you knew? I can’t even put into words how furious I am with you. If I were able to get up from this bed without the risk of bleeding out, I’d beat the shit out of you! I might just do it anyway,” I said using my good arm to pull the sheet away, but I stopped quickly as I realized I was pretty much naked underneath.

  “I had to cut away your clothes to do the chest tube and bandage the rest of your handy work. I guess the tables have turned, huh? When we first met, I was the one pretty much naked and busted up. Now, it’s me taking care of you. I’d call that fate,” he said with his crooked smile again.

  My heart warmed instantly with that stupid smile of his. I was still pissed as hell, but wow did I miss him. I mean, I knew I had missed my dead husband, but now that he was alive, sitting here in front of me, the realization of what was going on came crashing down. Jack was alive, and he was actually here.

  “So, I’m not a conspiracy nut? Some government agency orchestrated this whole thing, didn’t it? Your death, this outbreak…everything?” I asked as I looked into his bright blue eyes wishing he could hold me without causing me pain.

  “Well, sort of. I’d love to tell you we have all the time in the world to talk about this, but I need you to rest up so we can move. I need to get you to another safe house. One far away from the cabin.” He took my hand in his, rubbing his thumb over my fingers gently.

  “Oh, shit! The cabin, did I draw all of the infected away? Are Lance and everyone else back home safe?” I asked with my anxiety kicking in and making the pain come on stronger.

  “Yes, it looks like your little Peter Pan zombie stunt worked. You’re crazy. You know that, right?”

  “These infected make me crazy. Are you sure everyone got back to the cabin safely? Lance, he was outside the gates when they came,” I said, tearing up thinking of my children and everyone else’s safety.

  “Lance is okay, but everyone else, I honestly don’t know, Abby. I was trying to get back to my base, but the corpses were slowing me down. I was almost clear of a large group of them when I heard a siren and an engine followed by the terrible odor of the corpse herd. I kept heading away until I heard the explosion. I knew the cabin was still reasonably close, so I wanted to be sure you guys didn’t need help.

  “Then, I heard your radio. I saw the marks in the dirt, and I knew someone went over the edge. I found your radio in some bushes, and when you yelled, I found you. I grabbed you and ran to get away from the stragglers. I’m still not zombie-proof like you, so I had to get out of there. The radio keyed up as I was making a run for it saying they had Lance and everyone else inside the gates, but I dropped it before I heard anything else. I had to get you to safety, so that I could patch up your injuries. You’re hurt pretty badly, Abby.”

  “By the way, how long have I been out?” I asked, looking around as if the cold cement walls were going to tell me what time it was.

  “Two days.”

  “What? Two days! Did you somehow get word to everyone that I’m okay? They’re going to be looking for me!”

  “Yes, Abby. After I got you all bandaged up, I went back out and put a note on the guardrail saying Geronimo had you safe, and Chris shouldn’t come looking for you. I said you’d be back when it was secure, and you were healed up enough.” He put a lot of force into saying Chris’ name.

  “Oh, no you don’t. You do not get to be jealous right now. You were dead, remember?” I said shutting that shit down immediately. I did not need to deal with his jealousy right now or ever for that matter. I already felt like I was in a horror movie with infected zombies killing everyone, and now I was apparently in the world’s first zombie love triangle soap opera. What the hell? Do you remember me saying in the past that if I didn’t have bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all? I guess that fits right into this situation too.

  “I’m sorry, Abby. It’s just hard to see you with another man. You’re my wife, and I’ve missed you all this time. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.” He moved closer and kissed the tops of my fingers.

  “No idea, huh? I buried you, remember? Did you get to watch your own funeral? Hundreds of people showed up; streets were shut down, shops were closed. All so pretty much everyone in town and most of the neighboring towns could witness the burial of a true American hero who died saving a little girl. The flags were flown at half-mast, the honor guard presented me with the flag, and I could barely hold myself together through the Taps. Lance and Tyler practically had to carry me to the car that day. Did you get to see that, because I did? I saw it for months even after it happened. I saw it every time I closed my eyes, lying in bed, alone. Apparently, everything I knew was lies, though. At least, you knew the truth; you got to know that we were okay.” Tears were now rolling down my cheeks as I remembered one of the darkest times in my life.

  “I know, and I’m sorry. If I could’ve had it any other way, I would have, but I didn’t have much of a choice. The military pulled me back in and threatened to kill you, the kids, and me if I didn’t agree to come back and work for them. They would have made it look like an accident. We all would have been dead, or at least you and the kids would have been. You saw how good they were at faking my death, Abby. These people don’t mess around, and I knew that. I always knew in the back of my mind they were never going to let me retire from the military forever. So, I secretly reached out to Troy and made the preparations you now know about today. I needed to make sure you and the kids were going to be okay if the Perdition Virus got out, and it wasn’t isolated.”

  “The Perdition Virus, huh? Very biblical of them.”

  Looking confused, Jack said, “Biblical? What do you mean? I thought it was just some stupid name they thought up in the lab.”

  “You don’t know what perdition is? You never heard of it before, really? It’s the final state of total ruin and reprimand. In some religions, they think of it as an everlasting punishment suffered by immoral people when they die. It’s actually quite fitting, I guess. Troy calls it the Z-Strain. I like his name for the virus better. I’d rather think of the infected as zombies rather than some biblical God punishment garbage.”

  “Still not believing in God? Not all that much has changed, I guess. Well, you have packed on some muscle there though. Looking ripped, hun,” Jack said, looking me up and down laughing.

  “I guess that’s what happens when you’re running for your life every other minute like I’ve been since this outbreak started.”

  “You’ve been through the ringer, Abby, but that’s enough talking for now. You need your rest. As I said, we need to get to a more secure safe house far away from the cabin. The people I work for have been looking for you, and so far, I’ve been successful in keeping them from finding you. I won’t always be so lucky, and I think they’re getting close to locating the cabin. We need to make sure they know you aren’t there, so they won’t go in searching for you and killing everyone in their way.”

  “No resting yet. Tell me more about the people running the show? Tell me more about the Perdition Virus. Hell, tell me about the Antivirus 10-15 I’ve been exposed to,” I said, wanting to get as much information as I could.

  “Abby, I’ll tell you everything soon enough, but right now I need you to rest. I have to check in before they send someone out looking for me. You’re as safe here as you can be. We’re
underground, and no one knows about this place. Well, no one who’s still alive anyway.” He grabbed a needle from his pocket and injected it into my IV line.

  I wanted to say no, but seconds after the needle hit the IV, I was drifting away into a deep sleep. I barely heard Jack say he loved me as he covered me with another blanket, and I was out cold.

  Chapter 5

  I woke slowly in the dark to a rocking motion. Oh, no, not another van!

  “Abbigail, I’m so glad you’re awake. I was hoping we could have a conversation before we got to my compound, said a female’s voice with a heavy southern twang from behind me.

  “Who’s there? Where am I?” I replied calmly.

  “I’m coming my dear, don’t worry. Let’s have a lovely little chat,” the woman said, her voice getting closer to me as she spoke.

  An older, dark-haired woman, mid to late fifties if I had to guess, turned a light on in the rear of the van as she belted herself into the bench seat next to me. I looked around and realized we weren’t actually in a van. It was an ambulance or medical transport vehicle of some sort. Glass cabinets with labels for gauze, tape, bandages, sterile water, IV set-ups, and so forth lined the walls. My situation did not appear to be looking good.

  “So, if I’m here, where’s Jack?” I questioned, hesitantly glancing at the holstered handgun she had underneath her white lab coat.

  “Jack, he’s on his way back to the lab also, but forget about him for the moment. We have much to discuss. My name is Constance Brigantine, Doctor Constance Brigantine. I’m the head of Research and Development with the Army Medical Department, and I report to the US Army Surgeon General, or I did, that is, until he died. The long and short of it is that I’m your new best friend in all of this mess,” she said proudly.

  I imagined if she could’ve had the United States flag waving behind her and patriotic music playing as she introduced herself she would have. That’s how pompous she was.

  “So, I assume Jack’s in trouble for hiding me from you, and you expect me to befriend you? You, who work for the people directly responsible for this ‘mess’ as you call it. Sorry to poop all over your parade, but I’d rather die than help you.” I said turning away from her. My wrists and feet were bound to the gurney I was on, so I couldn’t move much more than turning my head. I did notice my chest tube was removed, which was good since I was going to try and escape the first chance I got.

  “Work for?” she laughed. “That’s funny, Abbigail. I am the person who is solely responsible for this event. The Perdition Virus is of my doing. The US government just bankrolled me.” she chuckled to herself.

  “Well, if you’re taking responsibility for it and laughing about it, you’re more insane than I thought.”

  “Sanity has no part in the cleansing of the world, my dear, Abigail.”

  “Oh, here we go. You people are so full of shit with this cleansing of the world garbage. Why is it that crackpots think they can ‘help’ the world by destroying it? You know how you can help the world? Find a way to go back in time before this shitty virus was even thought of and kill yourself to prevent it from ever being created in the first place.”

  “This is why we have so much to talk about, Abbigail. You know so little, but you play such a pivotal role in this whole situation. You’re the key to humanity’s survival, my dear.” Brigantine said, running her fingers through my hair as if I were a child for her to comfort.

  “You need the Antivirus 1015 from me so you can manufacture a cure. You need me to be able to make what’s left of the human race immune to the infected who pretty much rule the earth now thanks to you,” I replied and pulled away from her touch as much as I physically could.

  “So, you do understand... partially anyway. The antivirus isn’t going to be given to just anyone though, my dear Abbigail. We have to be selective of the people we choose to save. We have to pick people who can contribute to the human race in a positive manner. People who have minds that can improve life as we know it and help the earth heal from the damage the massive horde of insects called humans have done. As a race, we humans have collectively destroyed the planet, and if I had let them continue on that course, we wouldn’t have a planet for much longer. The oceans are dying, the ice caps are melting, the ozone is depleted, and it continues to do so more and more each day with all of the carbon emissions being generated. We are killing our mother, our home. I’m sure you can see the truth in that.” Brigantine stopped to smile and me before continuing on her rant, “So, when the military asked me to come up with a virus to create super soldiers, I did. Just not the super soldiers that would win wars for them. I created super soldiers that would cleanse the earth. Once this cleansing is all over Abbigail, we can rebuild the planet using solar and wind energy. We’ll make a new way of life that can sustain intelligent humans as the master race, and we can start fresh without using gasoline and other fossil fuels that desecrate our planet. We will rise from the ashes better than we could ever have hoped to be. I’m leading mankind’s proverbial Phoenix Event, as I like to call it.”

  “I hate to stop this riveting monologue that you probably practiced in front of your mirror quite a few times, but I’m going to. I don’t care what your reasons are. I will never help you. I will never stop fighting you or your people. If you were as smart as you say you are, you’d be able to find a better way to help our planet rather than killing millions of innocent men, women, and children. You’re completely off your rocker, lady.” I aid nonchalantly as I lay back and closed my eyes. If I couldn’t get her to shut up, I was going to at least not have to look at her.

  “Well then, I guess you don’t want to talk,” Brigantine spat out in frustrated tones.

  “I want you to explain yourself. I want answers, not have a conversation!” I yelled pulling at my restraints and wanting to wrap my hands around her wrinkly, little, know-it-all neck.

  “No reason to get angry. You want answers, huh? Well, do you remember when you started working for N-Tech all those years ago? You had to submit to certain medical testing to verify your ability to work with the deadly viruses you saw on a daily basis? Yes? Well, the blood test results were sent to the government, and more importantly to me. I was looking for people with a highly rare genetic marker. A marker I needed to create what is now the Antivirus 1015. You are one of two humans on this planet I was able to find with the marker, and I needed you. I needed both of you. So, I manufactured the whole ordeal you saw in Georgia when you first came into contact with the Perdition Virus.

  “You what? You killed those men so that I’d be on the team to research the virus? You’re crazy,” I said with tears in my eyes. Those men needlessly died in agony, and it was all this woman’s fault.

  “Yes, Abbigail. I needed to have a long-lasting way into your life, and I did what I felt necessary in order to accomplish that. If a few soldiers had to die to make that happen, then so be it. It’s called collateral damage. I created the perfect cover to get you to meet and fall in love with Jack who I had keep an eye on you for the next few years for me while I perfected the virus and the antivirus simultaneously,” she said smirking at me.

  I had no words. Everything in my life since I met Jack, the man I fell in love with and started a family with, was a lie. I felt sadness. I felt enormous rage, but most of all I felt complete emptiness. I felt utterly alone.

  “How... how could you? Jack... my children, everything. You had a hand in all of it...” I said barely able to get the words out.

  “Yes, my dear, but not just a hand; I orchestrated everything. I know everything about you and your lovely daughter Allycia.”

  “No! You leave Allycia out of this, you monster!” I screamed.

  “I’m sorry, Abbigail, but there’s just no way I could do that. You see, our dear Allycia is the only other person with the extremely rare genetic marker I need. It’s probably passed down from you, no doubt. You’re both very precious to me, and I’ll do everything I can to ensure your safety. So
, you can either work with me and make it easy on Allycia and yourself, or you can fight me, and I’ll make both of your lives a living nightmare. Even more so than they have been. If you choose not to work with me, then I’ll just have my men find your cabin and take it by force. I’ll have them kill everyone inside except our precious Allycia. She can watch everyone else around her, including her brothers, be slaughtered. It’s up to you, Abbigail.” Brigantine paused in her speech for dramatic effect and to flash her yellowing teeth at me. “I’ll give you until tomorrow to decide. By then, we’ll have you all set up at my compound and comfortably on the mend. You’ll also get a chance to see all the good I’m doing. I’ll show you the better future I’m offering you and the rest of humanity. That’s enough for now, my darling Abbigail. Get some rest and think about my offer. We’ll be arriving at the lab soon.” She ended our conversation as she injected something into my IV bag, and I was instantly dizzy as the world closed around me in darkness yet again.

  Chapter 6

  “Abby, wake up please, I need you to wake up! We have to get out of here,” a male voice whispered in my ear shaking me.

  “What the hell? What’s going on?” I replied trying to pull myself out of the heavy sleep my body desperately wanted to stay in.

  “It’s me. It’s Jack! You have to get up. We have to go, and we don’t have much time. I knocked out the guards at your door, but someone will be coming by, and they’ll see the guards aren’t there.”

  “I don’t know if I can get up, I’m tired. Whatever that bitch gave me truly did a number on me. Wait a minute... get away from me, you lying bastard!” I said remembering what Doctor Brigantine had told me about putting Jack in my life on purpose.