Dylan started to vomit when seeing Julio twenty feet below the very balcony everyone was standing on. Cassandra had her hands cupped over her mouth, trying desperately not to scream.
“I can't believe Julio just did that," Cassandra whispered.
"We need to move now," Jake replied as he began to pack up. "We can't stay here. Not after what just happened."
"We can't just leave him like that!" Dylan exclaimed.
"We don't have a choice! There’s nothing we can do. That and those things may have heard all of this commotion, which means it won't be too long before they find us."
As everyone quickly packed up all of their supplies, Dylan turned on the radio so the group could find out anything new about what was going on. The new's reporter finally had some information:
"...In the Hampton Roads area, and to all of the other survivors that are tuned in to this station: We have just received word that the state of Virginia is not the only place affected by this occurrence. There are reports coming in from the majority of the U.S., Europe, Asia, and other Third World countries. It appears that we are experiencing what many are calling, 'The End of Times.' I can honestly say that this may be the darkest day in global history. There are military bases that are taking in refugees and survivors. We advise that you head to the nearest outpost as soon as possible. We are going to sign off, as this may be our final broadcast. Please, get to safety as quick as possible. Good luck, and God be with us all."
"Julio was right," Dylan replied. "This is it."
"This is not it," Jake stated. "We can still fight through this."
"How, Jake?!"
"For starters," Jake answered. "We can make our way to the Norfolk Naval Base, since that's the closest outpost. They have plenty of food and supplies, they have choppers fueled and ready to go all the time, and I know that area like the back of my hand. We'll be safe there."
Jake and the rest of the group packed up their supplies and looked around, making sure there weren’t any more cannibals. The coast was clear, and everyone hurried out of the lighthouse. They made their way through an alleyway where they were met by seven cannibals that were trotting towards them. Jake led Cassandra and Dylan to another route where three more intercepted them. Jake and the group were close to the naval base, but they had to go through a handful of people. Jake, Cassandra, and Dylan were surrounded, so Jake reloaded his pistol.
Pow! Thp! They didn't fall.
Pow! Thp! They were getting closer.
Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow! Click! Jake was out of ammo, and they were not hitting the floor. Jake pulled out his knife, ready to charge.
Pow! Thp! Thud! A bullet flew by Jake's ear and hit one of the cannibals between the eyes and he hit the floor. Jake turned around to see soldiers armed to the teeth. He, Cassandra, and Dylan quickly dropped to the floor as bullets started flying. One by one, an attacker fell to the ground until all were dead.
Once that brief battle was over, one soldier walked up to Jake. He was a middle aged man with a rough, clean shaved face. He had an eye patch covering his left eye, and he was wearing a naval uniform.
The sailor reached his hand out to help Jake up. "Petty Officer Riley."
Jake immediately recognized the sailor when they shook hands. "Lieutenant Miller."
“Negative, Riley,” Miller replied. “Commander.”
Chapter 6
Commander David Miller led Jake, Dylan, and Cassandra to the Norfolk Naval Base, now set up as a refugee camp. There were a lot of survivors that have taken sanctuary there. There were lines of black body bags laying outside of the gate. There were only a handful of soldiers left at the base that were keeping watch at the borders.
"Go ahead," Miller said to Jake. "Make yourself at home. Not much, but I know you've been in worse when you were in Somalia."
"It was about the same," Jake replied. "Except there were more sailors."
"Yeah, we lost quite a few. Walk with me."
Jake told Cassandra and Dylan to get comfortable in one of the barracks that others were sleeping in. Then, he proceeded to walk with Miller.
"There are a lot of bodies outside the gate," Jake started. “Any of them military?”
"Yeah," Miller answered. "We've lost a lot of good men to this outbreak. Most of the remaining are just rookies fresh out of boot camp."
"Outbreak, Sir?"
"You didn't think that the major world population started losing it over Bath Salts, did you?"
Jake and Miller proceeded to walk through the medical center.
"Remember when the W.H.O. and the C.D.C. were trying to prevent the spread of Vermors Disease?” Miller asked.
“Yessir, I do,” Jake answered. “That bacteria recently discovered over in India. Decaying flesh, fever, chills, dementia, coma, then death. A couple guys were talking about it at Christopher Newport. But I thought that was contained.”
"It was, until some of the doctors decided to bring a sample of it to the states for further testing. One of them got in contact with the bacteria, then more after that. Since the bacteria was in a secluded area in Virginia, it didn’t hit the news. Scientists started working on a vaccine to prevent further spreading of the disease. Nobody knew the side effects of the vaccine until it was too late. The vaccine sped up the symptoms and made it more lethal. Turned it into a mutagen. Those that were tested attacked members of the W.H.O and the C.D.C, and it soon escalated from there.”
“They were given a biological weapon and didn’t even know it.”
“I hate it just as much as you do, Riley. And to put icing on the cake, our wonderful president failed to mention that the untested vaccine and samples of the Vermors bacteria were already sent to different labs in the US and the world, courtesy of Genesis Pharmaceuticals."
"You couldn't contain it in the U.S. laboratories?" Jake asked.
"That's the thing: We tried, but every time we did, one of our own would experience the same side effects hours later."
Miller led Jake next to a glass wall, where Jake saw one of the soldiers standing alone in a room. The man turned around and rushed towards Jake. He tried to attack him, but the glass wall was hindering him from getting to Jake. All the man could do was stare at Jake and Miller with hungry eyes.
"Good news: No more Vermors," Miller continued. "Bad news, now we have this new disease to worry about. C.D.C calls it ‘Consimili’, or ‘Walking Corpse’ in Latin. But many of us grunts are just calling it the 'Zombie Virus.'"
"Wait... like zombies off of t.v. shows?" Jake asked.
"More or less," Miller answered. "These things are twice as strong as they used to be before changing, and they can run. To change, you need to be bitten, scratched, or get in contact with its blood or saliva, like eyes, ears, nose, mouth, or cuts, just like Vermors and Rabies. Then you'll become just like Sergeant Mason here within four and a half hours."
"Is there a way we can stop this?"
Miller turned to Jake. "We?"
"Come on, Commander," Jake said. "You're low on personnel, and you said it yourself, 'They're mostly rookies.' You need me, and you and I both know it."
"I'll see about talking to the Admiral about re-instating you temporarily, because I will say that you were one of my best men when you were around." Miller patted Jake's back. "But, I'm not making promises. They may not allow it because of the reason you were discharged."
Jake sighed. "Sir, with all due respect. I can’t change the past. What matters now is keeping everyone else alive, and you won't be able to do much of that with the people you have now."
Miller was silent for a moment, then changed the subject. "You still wanna know how to take these things out."
"Yes I would," Jake answered. “I tried shooting and stabbing. Nothing seemed to work.”
Miller pulled out his sidearm and cocked it back. "Remember when I said, 'Two in the chest, one in the head?'"
"Yes, Commander"
"Forget about the 'two in the chest' kill shots. Only
in the head. Damage the brain with whatever means necessary."
Miller walked close to the button that would open the doors to the room where the zombie was. "Now the CDC is trying to make a cure for this virus as well. They are fools for attempting to do so. They tried making a vaccine for Vermors when Consimili was formed. It’s just a sick and demented irony. Imagine a dog with rabies. No real cure for rabies. The best thing you can do to fix him and prevent others from getting hurt..."
Miller pushed the button and opened the door. The zombie started rushing towards him, ready to attack. Miller raised his pistol and shot point blank in the man’s head. The back of his skull flew open and he fell to the ground.
"...Is put the dog out of his misery," Miller finished.
Jake and Miller proceeded walking back to where other survivors and soldiers were.
"You told me over the phone a few days ago that you were going to propose to Cassandra?" Miller asked, changing the subject once again.
"Already did, Commander," Jake answered. "She said, 'Yes.'"
Miller patted Jake on the back and smiled. "Congrats."
"Thank you, Commander."
"Go and be with her tonight. I'm not making promises, but I'll see what I can do about re-instating you into active duty."
"Sure thing, Commander."
The next day, David Miller approached Jake, who was having a conversation with Dylan and had his arms wrapped around Cassandra. Cassandra, who was happy to see Miller, ran up to him and gave him a hug.
"I heard about your engagement with Jake," Miller started. "Congrats. He's a good man."
"Thanks, David," Cassandra replied.
"You wouldn't mind if I borrowed him for a little while, would you?"
Jake walked up to Miller. "What's going on," he asked.
"I talked to the Admiral," Miller answered. "You're back in the Navy, for the time being."
"Thank you, Sir."
"Anytime. I'm going to ask you to raise your right hand."
Jake raised his hand.
"Do you solemnly swear to support, uphold, and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, both foreign and domestic?"
"Yes, Commander"
"Then on behalf of the United States Navy and the state of Virginia, I hereby temporarily re-instate you as Petty Officer First Class Jaycob Riley, Master-at-Arms."
"Yes, Commander."
Miller shook Jake's hand. "Suit up," he said. "There are few sailors at the north gate that could use some assistance. I'll take the main gate."
"Yes, Commander" Jake answered.
With that, Miller headed for the main gate, and Jake headed to the north gate to keep watch there.
Chapter 7
Three days have passed since settling in at the Norfolk Naval Base. Jake and his squad were running a mandatory patrol a hundred yards from the base when overhearing some shots being fired in the distance.
“Coming from the city?” One of the sailors asked.
“Negative,” Jake answered. “Sound is way too close.”
The squad began hearing more shots fired and started hearing distant screams.
“That’s coming from the base!”
Just then, Jake was contacted on his radio by Commander Miller.
"Riley!" Miller exclaimed. "The base has been overrun! We need you and your men to rally to the main gate now!"
Jake arrived at the main gate to see a mosaic of dead sailors, civilians, and zombies scattered everywhere. Blood and gore covered the concrete they stepped over. They looked ahead and saw running corpses heading straight for him and his squad. They began firing rounds at many of the undead. Miller and his squad soon met up with Jake and assisted in battling the overbearing hoard.
"There's too many of them!" Miller shouted. "This base can't take much more, so we need to get these civilians out of here! I called for a Black-hawk to meet my team at the shipyard in Portsmouth within two hours. I need you and your men to go to the helipad and see to it that the choppers evac safely. Then you need to get out of here!"
Jake and his squad made their way to the helipads, firing at any decomposing zombie that crossed their path. They were not far from the pad when Jake saw zombies chasing Cassandra and Dylan. The squad began to open fire and eliminated the group of zombies chasing the two.
"Cassandra! Dylan!" Jake exclaimed. "How come you're haven't evacuated yet?!"
"Those things just tried to kill us!" Cassandra screamed.
"Follow me, and don't look back!"
Jake gave the order for covering fire around Cassandra and Dylan as everyone made their way to the last Black-hawk that was still grounded. The pilot stopped the group.
"Whoa!" The pilot ordered. "Not all of you will be able to fit on this chopper, Petty Officer! Two of you will have to stay behind!"
"Get these two on the chopper!" Jake ordered, referring to Cassandra and Dylan. "I'll stay behind with whoever won't fit! There's another Black-hawk that's supposed to be waiting at the shipyard in Portsmouth! If I'm not there within two hours, leave without me!"
"Yessir!" the pilot replied.
Jake turned his eyes to Cassandra. "I already know where you guys are heading to! If you leave Portsmouth before I get there, then I'll see you again in Fort Benning, Georgia!"
Jake and Petty Officer Third Class Matthew Stewart stayed behind on base. As the chopper took flight, Cassandra took one last look at Jake. Once the Black-hawk was gone, Jake and Matthew reloaded their weapons and proceeded to rendezvous with Miller and his squad. When the two arrived to the battleground, Miller was surprised to see them.
"Riley!” Miller yelled. “I gave you a direct order to get out of here!"
"Rescued some more survivors!" Jake replied. "The evac choppers were already gone, and not all of us would fit! Me and Matthew stayed behind so they could evacuate!"
With that, Miller gave the order to push the onslaught back. Miller, Jake, Matthew, a handful of sailors, marines, S.W.A.T. and national guardsmen, including Corporal Jeremy Polanski, Gunnery Sergeant Brandon Peterson, and Private Arnold Lancaster, bunched up together to hold back the zombies. However, the undead were too strong, and they were everywhere. One that was crawling grabbed a sailor's feet and tore into his tendons, causing him to topple over the crawler, becoming its meal.
"We've got to find a way out of here!" Miller shouted.
Jake tried to look around through the battleground and found an opening.
"Over there!" Jake shouted, pointing to a small gap near the south gate.
"It'll do!" Miller replied. "That's our window and it's closing fast! Everyone fall in!"
The mixed squad ran to the small hole that was a few yards away from the south gate. Some were tackled and devoured by the undead. The gate was infested with zombies, so the squad had to crawl through the hole. Jake went through it first while the others gave him covering fire. Once Jake made it to the other side, he gave covering fire so Miller could crawl through. Miller then assisted Jake in giving covering fire for another soldier to crawl through. Each one that made it through gave covering fire for the next guy.
Corporal Jeremy Polanski was the last to crawl through the space. As he was crawling, a zombie grabbed his feet and proceeded to drag him back. Stewart and Lancaster gave covering fire while Jake, Miller and the others tried pulling Polanski through the hole. More zombies grabbed on to Polanski's feet, and it soon became a game of tug-o-war with Polanski's life. While the soldiers were pulling on to Jeremy, he started screaming in pain. The zombies were not only pulling him back through the hole, but they were also feasting on his entire lower body that was still on their side of the opening. It was getting harder and harder to try to pull Jeremy out of that hole. Polanski was in excruciating pain.
Suddenly, Jeremy stopped screaming, and the tension broke. The soldiers fell back as Polanski flew and landed on Jake. His entire lower body was completely severed. Some of his intestines were laying on the floor, and his lifeless body was
twitching. Jake shuffled back away from Polanski's corpse, holding every bit of bile back.
Miller picked up Jake. "On your feet, Sailor!" he ordered. "We have to keep moving if we're gonna make it to Portsmouth alive!"
The remaining soldiers started making a run for Portsmouth.
"Let's light these bastards up!" Miller shouted.
Everyone started to open fire as they ran into the city, passing every corner and street. As the soldiers sprinted block after block, some zombies would tackle the men that would grow weary.
“Don’t stop!” Miller ordered. “Keep on pushing through! We gotta get to Portsmouth!”
After passing through the tunnel in Downtown Norfolk and fighting onslaught after onslaught, Jake, Miller, Arnold, Matthew, and Brandon were the only men left, and they were still under heavy attack. They were close to running out of ammo from all the three burst and automatic firing.
The group arrived at the shipyard in Portsmouth, but it was already overrun. Jake saw two Black-hawks at the top of a building that was close to a hundred yards away from them. One was carrying Cassandra, Dylan, and Jake's squad. The other Black-hawk was for Jake and the rest of his remaining team. The only thing staggering in the way were dozens of undead.
The group flipped their switches to semi-automatic to conserve their ammunition. They were slowly inching their way to their destination, firing at anything that would try to attack them. The machine gunner on their chopper aided the group by giving them covering fire so they could get to the building, paying no attention to the handful of zombies that were behind him. The group had to move fast if they wanted to stop them from reaching the Black-hawk.
Jake and Miller started firing at zombies that were in the building. The group fought their way up each floor, taking the stairs. They were blasting zombies left and right. Jake and Miller, leading the way, would also use the walkers' strength against them, throwing them off the stairway.
The machine gunner on the Black-hawk fought back as hard as he could. The pilot and copilot also aided, unholstering their sidearms and firing at the walkers. The walkers ended up besting the Black-hawk, slaughtering everyone on that chopper. The zombies then trotted their way to the second chopper.
Z-Day Chronicles (Book 1): Genesis Page 3
