While the women were led to a cabin, Gabe and I were taken to see the Captain. I wasn't surprised to find Higson waiting. He was our CO.
We both saluted, "Sir, what is the situation?" I asked.
"So far, we don't believe it has spread beyond the town limits. We have sentries in place. Once we're at a safe distance, the town will be wiped off the map."
I nodded, I didn't like the fact that there could still be uninfected people there but we couldn't risk letting it loose.
"You will both be checked for infection before we go any further. The civilians too."
We were dismissed and a medic took blood samples from us for analysis. I caught up with Rachel after she was tested.
"How are you feeling?" I asked.
"Better now we're away from that place. What do they plan on doing with us?"
She eyed one of the soldiers who passed her. He was carrying an assault rifle which I was surprised to see. Why would he need it on here? Where they expecting trouble?
"Well, when our results come back, hopefully clear, we'll dock somewhere safe."
We took a walk around the ship. Lynn had Cady, and Gabe was off somewhere, probably looking to press the button that would level the town.
"Tell me how this all started," Rachel said.
"I told you before."
"No, I mean this couple. How did they become infected?"
"They were scientists. They created the virus in their lab."
Her eyes widened, "Seriously? This thing is man-made?"
"Would you rather it was natural?"
"Good point. Did they know what they were doing?"
"I'm sure they weren't trying to create it. They weren't your mad scientist types, they had a child."
"Was she infected?"
"No, she was in day care and they were smart enough to keep their distance from her. Just be thankful it didn't get released where they lived in Chicago."
Rachel's face had turned pale, "What were their names?"
"I'm not sure; I think it was Thompson or something like that."
"Tomlinson," she said.
"How the hell do you know that?" I said.
"Cady Tomlinson. It was her parents. We never knew the details just that they died suddenly. We were Cady's only other relatives."
I tried to wrap my head around what she was saying. How was it possible?
"We stopped in Chicago to deal with their will. We were on our way back."
"This is crazy. That poor kid, it's like the damn thing is trying to catch up to her."
Rachel rubbed at her temples, she looked exhausted.
"Why don't you go get some sleep? I'll wake you up when we dock."
"Yeah, that sounds good."
The boat dipped under our feet and Rachel lost her balance. I caught her, bumping into a door release. The door slid open and inside was an observation room. The guard inside leapt up to shut the door, but I had time to see the zombie they had contained in the observation room.
Rachel saw it too, "Oh my God, why do they have that thing in here?"
"I have no idea, but I need to find Gabe. Go back to your room," I said.
She grabbed his arm, "What if it gets loose?"
"It won't. We're surrounded by soldiers. Please do as I say."
I raced off before she could reply.
*
Gabe
I downed my third drink in the mess room, feeling queasy from the movement of the boat. I felt something dig into my hip and pulled the voice recorder from my pocket.
Tossing it on the table, I took another drink. This was all that dick Acker’s fault. The second he had shown up I knew he was going to cause trouble.
We were called into the hospital on day two of the ‘outbreak.’ The doctor had been contained, but he had already killed two women. I watched him from the observation room as he thrashed against his restraints.
The military were supposed to be in charge. We were supposed to contain and eliminate the threat, but some bureaucrat had decided that the virus needed to be studied before it was destroyed. Acker arrived the following morning.
The little weasel started giving orders and insisted on seeing the effects of the virus up close. Patient zero was strapped down and Acker was taken into the room. When he saw Patient Zero, he practically crapped himself.
He kept his distance while he wrote everything down in his notebook. On the day Patient Zero was due to be terminated, he broke free and Acker got in his way.
I was the one who put Patient Zero down. Acker told us he hadn’t been bitten and we were stupid enough to believe him.
I found Patient Zero’s office trashed a few hours later and Acker stole my car.
Curious, I pressed the play button on the voice recorder.
“I’ve, uh, searched through the files and I think there’s a possible cure. When Dr. Tomlinson’s wife was bitten, she died from her wounds, but there was no sign of infection. I don’t know if she had a natural immunity or an antidote but I know where I can find the cure. I just have to get to her first.”
I clicked the stop button. Tomlinson, Patient Zero, attacked his wife. She bled out and her body was burned. Acker knew that. So how could he find her? Maybe he was just rambling, delirious from the virus. The wife worked with the virus too, maybe they created an antidote and she tested it on herself.
If there was a potential cure out there, Higson would want it. While we were black ops, he was strictly R&D.
Before all this began, we were working ops down in South America. It was a day at the beach compared to this. I wished I was back there now, even if I was getting shot at every day. At least there was no zombies.
Nine
Adam
I found Gabe in the mess room. He was nursing a whiskey.
"Gabe?" I said. I signaled for him to follow me away from anyone who could be listening.
We moved out into the hallway.
"What's the matter? Did she give you the push already?" Gabe asked. Apparently he had been drinking for a while. I knew he was interested in her.
"We have a problem,” I said.
“No shit. Listen to this.”
He held up a voice recorder, I recognized as Acker’s. He played the last recording.
“What do you think he meant?” Gabe asked.
“He was looking for Cady.”
“Who?” he asked.
“The kid. Rachel’s cousin. She is the daughter of Patient Zero. He must have thought she was immune too and went looking for her. He must have been following them.”
He swayed on the spot, “Seriously?”
“They were in town for a will reading. He must have heard about it and went looking for them. There’s also a bigger problem. There is an infected on board."
Gabe reached for his gun.
"Relax," I said, "It's contained. They know about it."
"Why the hell do they have it? All traces of the virus are supposed to be eradicated."
"Obviously they have another agenda. What do we do?"
Gabe cocked his gun, "We were given our orders. We put it down, nuke the town and that will be the end of it."
*
Gabe
I tried to clear my head, as Adam and I made our way through the ship. After everything that happened, I had been trying to relax. I didn't think I would be needed again tonight.
A goddamn infected, I thought, how stupid were they?
I knew that Higson wanted to know more about the virus, but bringing one of them onboard was crazy. Obviously someone higher up wanted this virus to survive. I knew what that could mean. No, I would double tap that infected piece of crap and incinerate the body. Higson could court martial me if he wanted.
We arrived at the room. Since Adam had already been seen by the guard, I went in by myself.
"This is a restricted area," the soldier on duty, barked.
"No shit. Your watch is over. I'm here to relieve you."
"Nobody said anything t
o me," he replied.
I clenched my fists; I badly wanted to punch this jackass.
"Take it up with Higson," I said, coldly. I lowered myself into the chair in the room and stared in at the infected. It was male, wearing ragged clothes that were smeared with blood. It beat against the glass, desperately trying to escape.
The soldier made another weak protest before leaving. He was obviously too chicken shit to confront Higson directly, so we had some time.
Once he was gone, Adam came in. I rose from the seat and checked that the coast was clear.
"Keep watch, I'll take care of this."
The door was locked with a keypad. I didn't have time to try and guess the code. Using the butt of my gun, I smashed the keypad. The door beeped and opened about half a foot. The zom rushed it and reached a decaying arm through at me. I backed away, fast.
"Someone's coming," Adam hissed.
I raised the gun, trying to get a shot, but the door was blocking its head.
"What the hell is going on?" Higson barked, "Stand down."
Adam immediately obeyed, but I was still trying to get the shot. If it would just stop moving.
"Take his weapon," Higson said, to the two soldiers flanking him.
I fought them but the drink was slowing me down. They took my gun and dragged me away from the cell, while a technician tried to get the door closed.
"Get the fuck off me," I yelled.
"Let him go," Higson said.
"What the hell is this? Why is it onboard?" I snapped.
"We've been ordered to bring one back for study. I don't like it either Gabe."
I shoved past him out of the room. Fuck orders. The whole world was going to hell.
Rachel was lingering outside her cabin door.
"What's happening?" she asked.
"Ask your boyfriend," I snapped.
*
Rachel
I swore at Gabe as he barreled past me. He was such an asshole. I found Adam outside the room with the zombie in it. He looked pissed off.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"There's nothing we can do about the zombie,” he said, “They want to study it.”
"I don't want to stay here," I said. Not so close to one of those things.
"I'm sorry, but right now we don't have a choice. It's secure..."
Before he could even finish his sentence, the technician screamed as the door opened by itself, releasing the zombie. It tore out his throat in seconds. It ran at us and I screamed.
The ship rocked violently, a storm was raging outside, and we were thrown to the floor. I slid across the floor, the zombie followed.
Before I could get back to my feet, the zombie grabbed my ankle and sank its teeth into my flesh.
*
Adam
"No! Nononononono, this isn't happening," Rachel cried. She dragged herself away from the now dead zombie that lay on the floor. I snapped its neck, but I was too late. She’d been bitten.
"Oh, God. It's going to be okay. There are scientists on board, they have all the research, I'm sure they can create an antidote," I knew I was babbling. I had no idea if there was an antidote on board, but I couldn't tell her that.
She looked at me and the terror in her eyes chilled me. I couldn't let her die.
I grabbed a medical kit and bandaged her wound, making sure to disinfect it, even though I knew it wouldn’t make a difference. It was something to focus on so I wouldn't lose it.
"I'm going to get the doctor. I want you to stay here and don't move."
She gripped my arms as I tried to stand, "Don't leave me, please."
I pulled her into a hug, "It's going to be okay, I promise. I'm going to do everything I can to fix this."
Without thinking, I kissed her. She opened her mouth to say something, but her eyes widened in horror before she could speak.
I turned to find the zombie getting up off the floor.
"Fuck," I cried. I reached for my gun but the zombie collided with me as it tried to get up, knocking the gun away. It was having trouble maneuvering considering its head was bent at a ninety degree angle.
I kicked out at it. The momentum caused it to hit the wall but at the same time it was able to find its feet. It staggered away down the hall.
I dived for my gun to take the shot but it had already turned a corner.
"Stay here," I ordered, taking off after it.
Rachel yelled my name. I wanted to stay with her but I had to put it down first.
As I turned the corner, I found an open door leading out onto the deck. Rain lashed me as I looked outside. The zombie must have gone outside. With any luck it would get swept out to sea. In case it didn't though, I ran out onto the deck.
Ten
Rachel
I sat curled into a ball on the floor, sobbing. I didn't want to become one of those things. To end up like my mom.
"No!" I snarled, getting to her feet. I wasn't going to let this get me. Damn it, I was better than this. I headed down the hall, in the same direction Adam had gone in.
I would find the doctor myself and they would have to make me a cure. They had weeks to work on it, they knew about the infected, shouldn't they have found something by now?
I passed my cabin and Lynn popped her head out the door.
"Rachel, there you are. I heard shouting. Is everything okay?" she asked. She looked like she had been crying.
I forced a smile, "Everything's fine. Is Cady okay?"
Lynn nodded, "Out like a light. She was asking for you earlier. She wanted you to tell her a story."
I wondered vaguely if Cady liked horror stories because that was all I had to offer.
"I'll see her when she wakes up," I said.
"You look tired honey. Come in and get some rest."
So I can wake up as one of those things? No, thanks.
"In a while. Stay inside. I don't think these soldier guys like people wandering around."
"What about you?"
"Its fine, I'm with Adam. He's just gone to check on something."
"Okay, well I'm going to try and get some sleep myself."
I said goodnight to her, feeling the smile strain my face. I was relieved to drop it, when Lynn closed the door.
I followed signs to the sick bay area. As I got closer to the door I could hear two men talking inside.
"Any results back yet?" one of them asked. He had a deep, gravelly voice.
"Nothing yet. It'll probably be morning before we get anything," the other replied. He was English.
"Well, the sooner the better. If any of the stragglers are infected, we need to take them out before they go feral on us."
I froze. That was their solution? Shoot first, ask questions never?
I backed away from the door and stepped out onto the deck. I was soaked in seconds, the boat lurched about and I nearly lost my footing.
Looking out at the grey, turbulent sea I felt reality sink in. I was nothing more than a member of the walking dead. The thought of attacking innocent people like Cady, Lynn or Adam...
I didn't want to be a monster. And I wouldn't give that soldier the satisfaction of putting a bullet in me.
That left one other option. As if in a trance, I walked towards the railing. Images of my parents and friends filled my mind. Was that what they meant by your life flashing before your eyes?
I said a silent goodbye to them all and climbed up onto the railing. I held my arms out on either side of me, and let gravity do the rest.
*
Gabe
I was slugging back the contents of my hip flask, staring out at the sea. I barely noticed the rain soaking me. How could Higson be so blind? When this was over I was going to get myself transferred to another unit.
I glanced up and was surprised to see Rachel out on deck. What was she up to? I watched as she began to climb the railing. Was she crazy?
"HEY!" I screamed, but the storm drowned me out. I dropped my flask and ran towards her, slipping an
d sliding on the deck.
She tipped forward over the railing and I threw myself forward. I grabbed her wrist at the last second. I yanked her back up onto the deck. We collapsed in a heap.
"What the hell are you doing?" I screamed.
She was trembling and crying, "I got bit," she said, showing me her ankle.
I stared at the bandages in shock, trying to remember if I had my weapon on me. When I looked up into her eyes though, I knew that I had to at least try to find another way first. I got up and hauled her to her feet.
"When did it happen?" I asked.
"I don't know, maybe twenty minutes ago."
"Maybe they could amputate the leg, it might stop it spreading."
Her eyes widened in horror, "What!"
"Let's go see the doc."
We got back inside out of the rain.
"I already went to sick bay. One of the soldiers said he would kill any of us that were infected."
"We'll see about that."
Higson had disarmed me, I remembered now, but they didn't get my back up weapon. I removed the .22 from my ankle holster.
We arrived at sick bay to find that the doctor was alone. He was examining something in a microscope.
"Doc?" I said. He turned to find the .22 pointed at his head.
He looked alarmed, slowly raising his hands in the air. He was in his mid-forties with brown hair and hazel eyes.
"What is this?" he asked.
"How's that cure coming?" I asked.
"We're working on it. Why?"
"I've been bit," Rachel said. I swore silently, she should have kept her mouth shut.
"The cure isn't ready. It could be months before I have a working anti-virus."
"Yeah, well she doesn't have months," I snarled.
"Okay, just put the gun down. The first thing I need to do is take a blood sample to see if she is infected and how far it has spread."
I moved aside while he took the sample, but kept the gun trained on him the whole time.
Where the hell is Adam? I wondered.
The intercom buzzed on the doctors’ desk. He looked at it in alarm, then up at me.
Indeadpendence Day Page 4
