The Ark Series (Book 3): The Ark of Alliance

by Kotrous, Scott

“Do you want to try and stand up, John? Just take it slow and please use our help, but it’s good to get the blood circulating down into the legs.” Ena reaches out her hand and waits.

  John stares at her, still not knowing what to do, so he just takes her hand and the three of them pull him to his feet and then let go. He stands there for a minute but doesn’t move, just waits for things to feel somewhat normal again, which they do rather quickly. He looks at the three of them and then takes a step, and then another one. His back feels tight, but he’s not in pain and he’s able to walk.

  He stops moving around the room and looks at Ena. “What the fuck did you do to me? How is this possible? You said my spine was severed.” He looks at his leg. “And how did you fix my leg like that . . . I didn’t realize the military had that kinda technology.”

  “We’re not with the military, John, but we fixed it, and now you’re good as new.” Ena smiles at him.

  He starts to back away from them, moving toward Maggie and Peter, who are still passed out on the ground. “What is this, some kinda joke or something? What did you just do to me!?” He starts to get visibly anxious and very nervous.

  Ena puts up her hand. “Please, John. We just helped you because you asked us to. We would never do anything to hurt you, you must know that.”

  He reaches around and feels his lower back which feels surprisingly good; better then it’s felt in years, and absolutely pain free. He then kneels down to feel for a pulse on both Maggie and Peter, and realizes neither Isla or Chris are here. “What did you do with Isla and Chris? Why aren’t they here?”

  Ena looks at her people and then at John. “They both had severe injuries and needed to be taken to your medical bay for maintenance. But rest assured that they are fine and just resting.”

  “Maintenance?”

  “Yes, maintenance. Their bodies needed major repair and could not be fixed with what we have available.”

  He looks at them one more time, but then jerks his head around and looks at the rubble. He jumps up and moves over to the rubble and starts to toss chunks of concrete aside.

  “You won’t be able to get to her like that, John. That rate of debris removal would take you roughly three weeks to clear at that pace, and other means of retrieving your wife should be considered.”

  He turns around and looks at Ena like she’s crazy. “How the fuck do you know?!” He again looks at the rubble and then back at Ena while showing his palms. “I just can’t sit here and do nothing . . . my wife needs me.” He turns back around and then goes back to tossing rocks aside.

  “Based on the density of the concrete slide divided by your rate of debris removal multiplied by the average circumference and weight of each chunk, I’ve determined the likely rate of time it would take to accomplish your goal, and by then she’ll be long gone. So an alternative plan of retrieval is strongly recommended.”

  John stops and turns around again. “Well, I can’t think of another way. So unless you have a better idea, I suggest you shut up or help.”

  “There is no need for hostility; we are just trying to help. But since you asked . . . based on your current position, your only means of getting to your wife would be to use an external route and intercept her at the exit. But with the amount of Infected moving into the area, your window is closing rapidly.”

  John turns completely around and puts his hands out showing his palms. “Okay, then, how the hell do I get out there?”

  Ena looks at her people and then at John. “This is your structure and you don’t know how to maneuver inside it?”

  “Well, I don’t know every nook and cranny. Now, will you help me, or are you just going to continue to waste time?”

  “If you would like our help, we would be happy to assist you in any way. You just need to ask.”

  He drops his hands. “I thought I just did?”

  “Very well. How would you like us to assist you?”

  He puts his hands on his hips. “Getting to my wife, what do you think!?”

  “I’m detecting a tone of hostility, John. You do realize we are trying to help you?” Ena looks at him, confused.

  He puts his hands in the air again and holds them out. “Then fucking help me!”

  Ena looks at her people again and then looks at John. “We do not tolerate rude behavior, John, and ask that you please try and relax.”

  “Try and re—” He stops himself and then cups his hand over his mouth and takes a second to calm down. He pulls his hand down his chin and tugs at his beard before he lets it go. “My wife could be dying over there and I need to get to her. So can you please help me do that? However you see fit or most effective, I just need to get to her . . . please”

  “Your wife and children are safe, and yes, like I said, we would be happy to help you. You just need to tell us what kind of help we can assist you with.”

  John tries everything he can to keep his composure and remain calm. He takes a deep breath and exhales loudly. “I need to either get through the rubble, or find a way to get to her outside like you said . . . so if you could help me with that, I would greatly appreciate it.”

  “Most certainly, John. In which way would you like us to assist you, getting through the wall or getting you outside?”

  He leans forward while sticking out his neck and showing his palms. “Are you fucking kidding me?” He throws his hands to his side. “I don’t fucking care. Just fucking help me, for fucks sake! Like I said, the best way you see fit.”

  Ena moves her head back. “I’m not sure why you continue to get hostile with us. It’s just not like you John.”

  “Not like me? How the fuck—” He stops himself again and tries to calm himself down by taking a deep breath. “Listen, first of all, you people don’t know me, so don’t act like you do.”

  “On the contrary, we know you rather well, John Angelite. But none of this is helping your wife right now, so we should probably worry about the task at hand, don’t you think?”

  He bites his lip for a moment and then puts his hands out, revealing his palms. “If you can get me through this wall . . . great. If not, getting me outside and to the exit point would also help. But whichever way is best for you.”

  “Certainly, John.” Ena walks toward him and hands him something that looks like glasses. “Please put these on. They’ll instantly detect light variations and automatically tint themselves to protect your eyes.”

  John takes the glasses and holds them for a few seconds while he contemplates asking her what they are first, but then decides to just put them on and keep his mouth shut. He puts them on and is immediately met with a display readout that says retinal scan in progress…

  It takes only a few seconds after it finishes for his eyesight to be clearer and for the readout to display various statistics such as temperature, range of sight, and its current mode of operation.

  Ena tells him to stare at the pile of rubble and wait. He looks at the pile and waits for the display to begin to show objects that appear to be glowing red. It takes a second for him to realize that he’s looking at heat signatures through infrared sight. “Okay, I see them, the people, but what—” He stops mid-sentence as the image starts to get clear.

  “Just give it a minute.”

  He stares at the image of one person next to three smaller people and when the image turns into something that resembles a 3-D sonogram, he can recognize Erica’s face when she turns toward him . . . almost like she senses his presence.

  A smile rapidly grows on John’s face when he realizes his family is safe. He reaches out and then starts to move toward them, when the image goes away and he panics. “What happened? Where’d they go?!”

  “Relax, John. The image resets once you move, but as you can see, your family is safe for the moment. And if you’ll please stand back, we will commence rock removal.”

  Nye walks over to Ena and says in a low voice, “I’ve detected multiple Opock lifeforms within the group; we need to proceed with cauti
on.”

  “Copy that.” She looks back toward John. “Please take a few steps back, John.”

  “Ah—what did she just say? Opock life form? What the hell is that?” He waits a second, but then takes a step back while showing his palms.

  “Thank you. And that’s of no concern to you at the moment. Just drag Maggie and Peter behind us and wait.” She smiles and then looks at the device in her hand that appears to be changing shape and turning into some sort of handheld device.

  After Nye and Tye get into the same position as Ena, they all point their now gun-shaped devices at the pile of rubble.

  John quickly drags Maggie and Peter behind them and then his glasses instantly tint once the beam of light emanates from the devices and starts blasting away at the concrete chunks like a sand blaster. As the sand begins to pile in front of the wall of rubble, it slowly starts to almost melt and diminish in size.

  And as a hole slowly begins to form at the top corner of the hallway, John’s heart rate gradually increases, making him very anxious.

  Ena moves toward the right side of the hall and both Nye and Tye fall in line right beside her. “Tye, break off. Prepare for contact.”

  Tye’s device stops emanating its beam as soon as he pulls it toward him. He taps the screen and then moves around and then in between the two girls and gets into a blocking position.

  “Get ready! Stun only, unless it’s Opock,” Ena yells over the sound of the blasting sand.

  Once the wall collapses, their lasers turn off and a glass-looking shield forms in front of them, stemming from Tye’s device, just as the rifle report sounds the attack from the other side, followed by a barrage of ricocheting bullets that pummel the shield but don’t penetrate.

  As soon as the gunfire slows, Ena and Nye both step forward and put their devices through the shield that somehow looks like it almost liquefies itself around them. They hold up their weapon-shaped devices that fire something that shocks the men and sends them to the ground unconscious.

  The shield turns off and the three of them move forward, crawling over the now sand-like rubble.

  They quickly get past the rubble and enter the room using a flash grenade and their stun guns. They soon holler for John to move up, and he does so without hesitation.

  Once past the rubble, he runs into the room and is somehow able to see through the smoke with his glasses. John sees his wife in the corner covering their three children.

  He rushes over to them and places his hand on Kate’s shoulder. She slowly turns around and then lunges for John once she recognizes him.

  They hug and kiss for what feels to John like there was a stoppage in time before his children wraps their arms around them while yelling out for their daddy.

  John’s eyes pop open and slowly move toward Adam now coming to on the ground. He says to Kate in a very low voice, “Please take the kids in the other room.”

  Kate’s eyes focus on his, trying to match his intensity as he stares at Adam. “John, what are you planning on doing? Think about our family before you do something you’ll regret.”

  John stands up—eyes still locked on Adam. “I am thinking about our family. Get the kids outta here now, Kate.”

  Right when he starts to move toward Adam, Kate escorts the children into the other room.

  John picks up a handgun and points it at Adam’s head just as he sits up. He presses the barrel into his forehead. “You backstabbing Judas cocksucking piece of shit. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t take your fucking head off for putting my family in danger . . . just one.”

  Kate rushes into the room, runs up to John, and places her hand on his shoulder. “John, please don’t do this. He’s not worth it.”

  Ena moves closer to John. “She’s right, John. He’s not worth it . . . and sometimes there’s no coming back from what you’re thinking about doing. Some things just can’t be erased.”

  John stares at Adam while sweat pours off his body. “I just want this no-good piece of trash to give me one good reason why . . . and what he would do if he were in my shoes.”

  Adam looks up at John and grins ever so slightly. “I’d blow my fucking brains out if I were in your shoes, John, I’d blow my fucking head off.” He inches forward and presses his head harder into the barrel. “So do it, John. Be a man for once and end my fucking life, you fucking pussy. Pull that trigger and show everyone that you do actually have a pair and you’ve not just been fucking your wife with a vagina. You fucking—”

  John cold-clocks him with his free hand, whipping Adam’s head to one side, followed by a splatter of blood.

  Kate grabs his arm still holding the gun and attempts to push it down as she gets right up to him. “I know you’re better than this, John. And the man I love . . . the man who’s been the best husband and father that’s ever existed would never hurt another human being just because his pride was hurt . . . you’re better than this, John. Please put the gun down.” She slowly starts to move his arm down with gentle pressure applied.

  He grits and grinds his teeth as he stares at Adam with an intensity Kate’s never seen before. He takes a deep breath and puts the gun all the way down and to his side. “I’m not going to kill this piece of shit.” He looks at Kate. “’Cause you’re right. He’s not worth it.”

  Adam sits up and puts his arms on his knees and laughs. “That’s what I figured you’d do, you little pussy.”

  Kate quickly turns and kicks Adam square in the nuts, forcing him to scream and double over.

  Nye and Tye return from clearing the area and walk up to Ena. “These three, including this one here on the ground, are to be taken into custody. Did you find the fourth? And what about their combatants? Are they still a threat?”

  “Last Opock was deceased. Combatants were also K.I.A.” Nye bends down to cuff Adam while Tye cuffs his two men with very strange looking handcuffs.

  Right before John’s about to say something, Peter and Maggie walk into the room, followed by the three children.

  Jason moves toward them. “Peter, Maggie?” He looks around them. “Where’s Kelly?”

  Chapter 27

  The Major gets back to his office and drops his head on his desk. He hasn’t slept in days, and it’s beginning to wear him down. Just as he feels himself drift to sleep, someone opens his door and the Major instantly raises his head.

  His captain is standing there and tapping on a tablet that he soon lowers. He then salutes his superior officer, followed by showing him the tablet.

  “Sir, I’ve just received word that the third wave of reinforcements has arrived. We were also able to secure one of the Ark’s outer blast doors, so there’s no need to try and find the evac tunnel. We will be moving out as soon as the tanks level a playing field for us, sir.”

  The Major looks over the tablet while his captain shows him the plan laid out on it.

  He looks up and smiles right when a few explosions go off outside. “Nothing like the sound of heavy artillery making our lives a whole lot easier.” He hands him the tablet and then walks out of the room and onto the porch with Captain Mitchel right behind him.

  The machine gun fire is overwhelming and resembles an all-out war-like scenario, but they are the only ones firing, now with the added tank cannons sending Infected vaulting in the air.

  The Major relays his commands to his captain, and he in turn steps out to the edge of the porch and looks through his binoculars at one of the Strykers with a soldier hanging out of a port. He blinks his light using Morse code to relay his commands that the soldier quickly confirms before he moves onto the next tank company.

  After each unit confirms their commands to their squad, they start to move into position.

  The tanks either blast their way past Infected or just run them down, but with the help of everyone inside the gates, they are able to move inside and quickly take out almost every Infected in the area.

  The Major stands there, confused, as he stares through his binoculars at the si
ght of many of the Infected running away from the slaughter, while most stay within the pack, only to get taken apart by his soldiers. He notices the runners taking off in the direction of the Ark as well as further into the town; it appears as though they are trying to hide, but he finds that hard to believe.

  The Major turns, runs into the house, and finds Simon on the couch. “How are some running away from our attack when most just stay in packs?”

  Simon exhales while shaking his head and takes a moment to respond. “We call them Incipients . . . I thought I mentioned that in the past.”

  The Major looks at him, frustrated. “I don’t remember anything about Incipients. What are they, and why does it look like they are hiding and taking cover?”

  “Same reason they learned how to hibernate and possibly procreate . . . their primal survival instincts are still intact and they are simply surviving. So now they can run and hide . . . excellent . . . soon they’ll figure out how to fire a gun, and then you’ll finally have an enemy that fights back now, won’t you?”

  The Major goes to leave the room, then stops himself, but doesn’t turn around. “Sarcasm in a time like this, doctor . . . seems a little unprofessional, don’t you think?”

  “I guess I stopped being professional after you dragged me around this place instead of allowing me to work on a cure . . . but, hey, what can I say . . . I guess I really needed a vacation while the world goes to hell . . . thanks a lot for that, Major.”

  “Just prepare to move out.” The Major walks out of the room and then goes back outside to where his captain and his personnel are discussing plans.

  He gets quick confirmation from his captain before he and his men break away. The Major goes back into the house and gets geared up while he sees his men walk Simon past his office. He follows behind moments later and they all load up in a Humvee.

  The gunfire and explosions increase momentarily while each squad prepares to move out. The tanks clear a path for the Stryker’s, and they are able to move down the hill and successfully make the turn onto the trail leading toward the Ark.