Z.E.D.S. Series (Book 1): Z.E.D.S. Rising

by Botts, Bradley

  “Do you think he would go if he actually knew?”

  “I honestly wondered that myself but I can’t put it past him considering he will do anything to make the world better for his family. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t know considering he hasn’t bragged about it to me.”

  The door behind us quickly opened with Atlas and Riley walking in the room. Karmen and I went silent so they wouldn’t hear what we were discussing.

  Atlas approached Karmen and said, “Keep an eye on Aurora and Kiere for me please. She has never liked when I went on scouting missions and this one has gotten her worked up more than usual.”

  Karmen reassured Atlas that she would watch over them while we were gone.

  “Don’t worry about Shaun. I will bring him home safe and sound.”

  “You better or I’m going to whoop your ass,” Karmen said while laughing.

  I told Karmen see you later as we entered the truck and raised the door to drive out of the bunker. As the truck began going down our dirt path I kept an eye on Karmen through the rearview mirror staring at us before the door closed. Atlas had his hand placed outside the window feeling the crisp October wind. I was enjoying the breeze as well as it graced my face. Riley was in the back staring out the window as if he was trying to find something. He had a blank stare the entire trip. Atlas and I discussed what we would do if we did find the answers we had been seeking this entire time. He said he was going to start rebuilding our home town stone by stone. He also said that he don’t know if he could live anywhere else besides the bunker because that has been home for so long he wouldn’t know how to feel without everyone with him. I told Atlas that I would start by proposing to Karmen and starting our lives together outside the Z.E.D.S. Even though they have been my family for so long I believe it was time for me to start my own. I almost have what Brock has and Atlas had. I wanted all of it. Unfortunately things have changed.

  We arrived at the city limits of what used to be known as Nashville. It was mostly deserted but there were a couple of roamers still circling around. These roamers weren’t like what they used to be. They seemed starved from our flesh. That could be because the human population dropped tremendously because of the virus and they could only eat so long until there was nothing left. We didn’t try to run them over and we didn’t pay much attention to them because that wasn’t our main concern. Riley directed us to a different building about two blocks away. We parked the truck inside the lower level of the garage connected to the building. The sun gave us visibility around the area, but even with that light we couldn’t see the enemy that was waiting for us.

  As soon as we stepped out of the truck we heard multiple voices commanding us.

  “Put your hands up in the air and get down on the ground.”

  Multiple soldiers surrounded us in a circle and we knew we couldn’t fight our way out of it. Atlas and I raised our hands into the air as Riley stood there not moving.

  I looked at Riley and said, “Riley, put your hands up before they shoot you.”

  He had a look in his eyes that terrified me. I saw Atlas show the same expression.

  “I’m sorry guys,” Riley said as he walked over to one of the soldiers. “They don’t want me. They want you.”

  I looked over at Atlas and saw his hand clinch into a fist.

  “You son of a bitch,” Atlas yelled as he charged towards Riley.

  One of the soldiers pulled the trigger of his gun and I saw a tranquilizer dart enter Atlas’ neck. He stopped in mid sprint and pulled the dart from his neck. Atlas staggered around for a moment before falling to the ground. As I watched him fall I felt a sharp pain enter my neck and realized they shot a dart at me. My vision went blurry and I saw Riley walking towards Atlas before I fell to the ground and darkness settled in.

  I awaken to a barely lit room strapped to a gurney. My vision was still a little fuzzy, but my focus came quickly. I looked around the room and noticed Atlas was strapped to a gurney next to mine. He was breathing but not conscious. I tried to break free from my straps, but they were tied to tightly and my movement was very minimal. I turned to look at Atlas again while trying to get his attention.

  “Atlas, Atlas wake up. Atlas.”

  He didn’t respond to my words and I began to worry. I laid there collecting my thoughts trying to figure out a way to get free. I knew if these straps weren’t to come off or Atlas wouldn’t wake up then something horrible was about to happen. I shuffled my arms more and more until I felt something sharp cut my finger. Apparently they didn’t search every inch of me or just couldn’t find it, but I remembered my blade I had hidden in my sleeve. I tried to get Atlas’ attention once more but I still got no response from him. I wiggled the knife from my sleeve to my hand and began cutting the strap. Before I could cut the strap enough to free myself I heard a door to my right open and slam. I slid the knife back up my sleeve and kept it out of sight. A female voice became present in the shadows.

  “Hello Shaun. It’s good to see that you’re awake.”

  I stared into the dark corner and couldn’t see the face that came with the voice.

  “Who are you? What do you want,” I asked trying to see who I was talking to.

  “My name is Penelope. Your name is Shaun. His name is Atlas. Now that we all know each other I need you to shut up. You are alive because I want you to be right now.”

  I watched as she emerged from the shadows and I asked her, “Why are you doing this?”

  “I have been waiting five long years to see your faces. You know how hard it has been to find you. The only way I could get close to you was to bring you to me.”

  Penelope walked over to Atlas and slowly placed her hand on his face while moving the hair from his closed eyes.

  “The Z.E.D.S. that you call yourselves have caused me and my brothers a lot of trouble, trouble that we didn’t need.”

  I slowly slid the knife back out of my sleeve and began cutting the strap once more.

  “You and your brothers? What are you talking about? We don’t even know you.” I replied with befuddlement by her lecture.

  “You think you don’t know me, but everyone knows me and my brothers. Just like we know you and your brothers. You were supposed to die when all of this began, but you didn’t. We have slowly found ways to eliminate you from the equation, but I have to say Atlas was the one we have been searching for this entire time. No matter how close he has come to death he still doesn’t seem to die.”

  This woman was severely focused on us. More than any person should she was focused on Atlas. I was still trying to slice through the strap, but it wasn’t cutting fast enough. Penelope walked over to a table near Atlas and reached her hand onto a metal tray.

  “This is the concoction I cooked up that set up this Project Rev virus. It done wonders to this world, but unfortunately it wasn’t perfected enough to take out everyone. I honestly don’t know where I went wrong, but it’s okay considering here are two prime members of what we have called a rebellion against natural order laying in front of me waiting to die by my personal hand.”

  Penelope had a syringe filled with a lime green liquid.

  “Listen here you crazy psycho. I don’t know what your deal is and I really don’t care why you want us dead so badly. You need to let us go or I swear on everything that is holy my face will be the last thing you see when I shove a knife in your head.”

  Penelope had a startling laugh that shook my soul. She stepped towards me as I slid my knife back into my sleeve.

  “You know, I was going to place the virus in him first, but since you felt like running that loud mouth of yours I believe I want to watch you turn before him.”

  Penelope bit down on the plastic cover that protected the syringe and kneeled down towards my arm.

  “This will only hurt for a moment. When you turn, I’m going to make Atlas watch you starve for his flesh, then unleash you.”

  As the needle became closer to my arm I hear Atlas scream from behind her.


  “Stop! Leave him alone!”

  Penelope turned around and stared at Atlas.

  “Well look who decided to wake up from his slumber. You know I expected you to have woken up before him considering all of the stories being told about how you are so strong and not to be underestimated. I believe Shaun here should have out ranked you a long time ago.”

  “I don’t know why you want me dead, but if you want it so bad then come over here and take care of it yourself you cowardly little girl,” Atlas shouted to her as he struggled in the straps.

  While her head was turned I began cutting the strap again. Penelope stood up with the syringe still in hand and stepped toward Atlas once more.

  “Such harsh words coming from a soiled meat suit such as yourself. I don’t know about the two of you, but I love the way you are talking to me and actually believing you have a chance here. Do you honestly think there’s a way out of this?”

  I could hear the strap beginning to break as I kept slicing through.

  “With the luck you have had over the years there might actually be a possible chance you will make it out of here. So in order for me to insure that you don’t I will give you a gift I have tried to give you this entire time,” Penelope lectured as she stood over Atlas.

  Penelope gripped Atlas’ arm and shoved the needle through his skin while applying pressure to insure the virus entered his body.

  “No! You evil bitch,” I yelled as I saw pain come across Atlas’ face.

  “There you go. We’re all done. Now we don’t have to worry about you anymore,” Penelope said while laughing in Atlas’ face.

  I felt the strap break free from underneath. I gripped the blade tight and threw it towards Penelope. She screamed an earth shattering scream as the blade pierced her neck and she stumbled backwards across the room. I unhooked the other strap from my other arm and began freeing my legs. Penelope stood to her feet and yanked the knife from her neck. Blood splattered across the room and she smiled.

  “Do you honestly think this little knife would kill me you pathetic hairless ape?”

  Penelope ran over to me and placed her hands across my throat. The air began to disappear from my lungs and I struggled to get free from her grip.

  “I’m going to watch your soul leave your body,” her voice expressed while her spit was splattering on my face. I could feel the life of me beginning to say good bye. Before I drew my last breath I saw Atlas tackle Penelope off me. I placed my hands on my throat while coughing uncontrollably while looking at Atlas fighting with her.

  “I hope you rot in Hell,” Atlas screamed at her as he placed a syringe with the virus inside of it into her head.

  Penelope screamed a glass shattering scream while Atlas injected her with her own creation. He stood to his feet and walked towards me.

  “Are you okay Shaun,” he asked me while cutting the straps attached to my legs.

  “Yes, I’m fine. Let’s just get out of here,” I said placing myself upright on the gurney.

  As I stood on the ground Atlas began to fall to the floor. I grabbed him before he collapsed.

  “Come one Atlas. I need to get you home.”

  “Shaun, I don’t think I’m going to make it home. The virus is in me. You need to go home without me.”

  I saw a look in his eyes that scared me more than anything in the world. He knew he was going to die.

  “I’m not leaving this place without you,” I said while placing his arm over my shoulder.

  We staggered out of the room into a dark hallway with dim orange lights. There wasn’t anyone guarding the door, but we could see pacing soldiers down the connecting hallways as they passed ours. I placed Atlas against the wall and secretly walked over to one of the men. As he passed the hallway once again I snuck to his back and gripped his head. As his head twisted to the right I heard a break and he fell to the floor. I took the assault rifle from his shoulder and the pistol from his holster. As I ran back to Atlas the other man pacing a hallway saw me.

  “Hey you, Stop right there,” he yelled as he began running towards us.

  I aimed the rifle towards him and started firing bullets in his direction. He jumped into a room and I kept running to Atlas.

  “Here, take this. We are going to have to fight our way out of here,” I said while handing him the pistol.

  Atlas placed his arm around my neck and aimed the pistol towards the gunman. A loud siren was present along with red flashing lights when the gunman ran from the room and disappeared down a different hallway.

  “We need to find a way out of here right now,” I said to Atlas looking down each hallway we approached.

  Atlas began coughing the further we ventured.

  “Shaun, you need to just leave me here. You can get out.”

  “You know we don’t leave anyone behind no matter what. I’m especially not leaving you.”

  As we turned another corner we stumbled upon the one who betrayed us. He was standing in the middle of a corridor staring at us. He had a gun in each hand and darkness in his eyes.

  “Riley, get out of our way right now before I force you out of the way,” I commanded while trying to understand why he was just standing there.

  “Atlas, Shaun I am so sorry for what I’ve done. There’s something in me that I can’t control. It’s feeding off whatever innocence I have left. I have it buried deep inside me but I don’t know how long I can hold it.”

  Atlas looked at me and looked back at Riley.

  “I don’t know what is going on with him, but whatever Riley is talking about right now he has it under control.”

  I stared at Riley as he had a painful look on his face.

  “Riley if you get us out of here we will do what we can to help you. I swear if you betray us I will not hesitate to shoot you. Is that understood?”

  Riley motioned for us to follow him while he said, “Please keep your gun pointed at me. I will do what I can to get you guys out, but this thing inside me isn’t going to stay gone long. We need to hurry.”

  We followed Riley down hallways of the building while I kept an eye on him. We didn’t know what thing he mentioned was inside of him. I don’t think he knew. Whatever that thing was he was fighting it. He was trying to help us regardless of his previous act. Riley was shooting armed men around every new entrance while screaming at the top of his lungs. Atlas was becoming weaker by each moment that passed. He began puking blood and slowing down no matter how hard he tried to stay on his feet.

  Riley turned and looked at us with a painful stare in his eyes.

  “This is as far as I can go. I feel it clawing its way through and I can’t hold it back much longer. You guys need to go while you still can. Atlas, I am truly sorry. This is my fault,” Riley said while handing me one of his guns.

  Atlas raised his head while wiping his vomit from his mouth.

  “It’s okay Riley. I know it wasn’t you. I wish I knew what is happening to you. I wish I could help.”

  “You guys need to start running now,” Riley said while pointing the gun at his head.

  He pulled the trigger and he fell to the floor.

  “Hang in there Atlas. We’re going to get home. You’re going to see your family again.”

  We stepped over Riley’s body and his eyes became cascaded with a black tint. As we stumbled further down the hallway I looked behind me to see Riley moving again trying to get back to his feet. He wasn’t lying when he said there was something inside of him. Whatever that thing was kept him from dying. We had reached another hallway which connected to a door that had a bright light shining out of the window. My speed increased for the salvation of being outside when Atlas lost his footing and fell to the floor.

  “Atlas, come on. We are almost out of here.”

  “Shaun you have to listen to me. Leave me here and get out.”

  I kneeled down to him and told him, “You need to stop telling me to leave you here. It’s not going to happen.”

  A
tlas pushed me away.

  “Leave now Shaun. I order you to go,” he yelled at me while tears began streaming down his face.

  “With all do respect captain, your orders don’t mean shit to me right now. Get your ass up because we are going home.”

  I picked him up one more time and he began firing his gun behind us trying to thin out the herd of soldiers running behind us. The door opened while I forced my body through it. The fence surrounding the building was the only thing keeping us from leaving now. Zombies were trying to claw their way through the chain link. I didn’t know how we were going to get through it until I seen a parked vehicle to our left.

  “Atlas, just make it to the hummer and I can get us home,” I said while pushing through the strain on my body from bearing my weight and Atlas’.

  We ran to the opposite side of the vehicle that wasn’t facing the building and I placed Atlas near the tire.

  “Shaun, I’m out of ammo,” Atlas said while trying to catch his breath.

  I could see it across his eyes he was dying.

  “You stay with me. You have to get home. You are going to have a baby,” I said to Atlas while placing a gun in his hand.

  Atlas stared at me shocked at what I just told him.

  “What did you say,” he asked while cocking his gun.

  “Aurora is pregnant. You’re going to have a baby.”

  Atlas sat there staring at the ground when in an instant bullets began flying towards us. I ducked down next to him and got his attention.

  “Do you understand now? We have to make it back. Aurora and Kiere need you. Your baby will need you. You can’t leave them here.”

  Atlas pushed himself to his feet while squatting next to me.

  “You promise me Shaun that you will take care of them. You’re going to make it back and you will watch over them. I won’t be there so they will need you.”

  I looked at him and refused what he said.

  “No, you’re going to be there. We have survived worse and you can survive this.”

  Atlas began shooting towards the gunmen coming out of the door,

  “Get in the truck and find the keys. You need to get out of here,” Atlas demanded as he kept firing,