The APOCs Virus

by Alex Myers

  “You call him Abaddon and not Brian Speaks, do you believe they are two separate people?”

  “Yes and no. Yes, all the bad that was Brian Speaks has brought us here, but no this thing is not human, it’s so much worse. You have a psychopath and the supposed Son of Satan and a hard to kill zombie all rolled into one.”

  "Oh there's no supposed about it. There's definitely something strange going on with that misanthrope."

  “ . . . Now let me ask you a few questions Mr. Bell."

  "OK, shoot?"

  "Well, I think I got your friend Lieutenant McCullough pegged, but you're really a lot different from what I expected."

  "What did you expect?"

  "I'm not sure. I guess you'd know I was lying so I'm not even going to try. I've looked at your bio and I probably know more about you than you do. You don't need me to tell me you're a man of extremes."

  "You mean my military record, yeah I know, I‑‑"

  "I wasn't talking about your military record I was talking about your personal life. I know all about your ex-wife leaving you." She didn't hurry this statement along, but let it simply hang on the gentle offshore breeze and the moonlight. She watched his face for a reaction. There wasn't one.

  They walked another hundred yards down the darkened beach. Twice he stopped and looked like he was going to speak changing his mind at the last minute.

  She was afraid the silence would become a wall so she tried to explain. "Ethan, when I said I knew about your ex-wife, I wasn't accusing you of anything. And I guess it wasn't just the Sophia and your relationship that I meant was extreme."

  She looked into eyes that wouldn’t look back. She grabbed his hands and shook them making him look at her.

  "Maybe Sophia didn't know what she was getting into. Judging from your military sagas, you don’t seem the type to settle down.”

  “I think that’s what she thought. But I am the type to settle down. I’m through with excitement.”

  “I could really see that the last few days in Oceanview.”

  “And that’s different how?”

  “It was something that needed doing. I didn’t go looking for trouble this time—it came knocking on my door.”

  She paused and regrouped. “I’m not sure if this is coming out the way I intended. I guess what I'm trying to say is, your veneer is covering up real wood. From the escapades I thought you'd be exactly like . . . "

  "Like Bill," he said as if he'd been down this road before.

  "Yeah, I guess like Bill. You two are really so different. Yet alike in enough ways for you to be friends."

  "Best friends. There have been times if it wasn't for Bill I wouldn’t have survived, both on and off the battlefield. Especially after Sophia left. What the hell were you doing snooping around in my personal life? And who in the hell would keep a kind of file with that kind of stuff in it anyway?" He said. He felt naked, exposed.

  Ava knew this was dangerous ground, so she took a second to gather her thoughts. She could sense she was about to lose him. At first, he had been so open; it had been easier talking to him than anyone else she had ever met. Now there was a restless energy about his movements; she thought he was devastatingly handsome but she was about to lose him. She had to do something to turn the tide back into her favor. She gently took both of his powerful hands in hers and looked into his eyes.

  "Ethan, you have to realize from all the work you've done for the Army that the DIS keeps extensive background files on everyone in the OSI, NIS, and CIA. It's the Defense Department's policy to do periodic updates even if the agent has retired. Once in always in, I suppose. But, I, ah . . . “ The electricity of his touch, the closeness, the sweetly intoxicating musk of his body, all were commingling and confusing her. She searched for the words that would cut the tension as he looked at her with reproachful eyes.

  "What I'm trying to say is, I guess I had to know if I could trust you.” Ethan said.

  She let his hands go and avoided his eyes by turning toward the water. "When I brought up Sophia it was just to let you know that I understood what you have been through. I wasn't throwing it in your face. I'm not like that. That's the way my boss treats me."

  "What do you mean by that?"

  "His name is Dr. Angus Puck. He's the Chief of Staff at the Center. He's a workaholic, a perfectionist, a chauvinist, and a self‑centered prick."

  Ethan smiled at the way she said this—it was so undoctorish. He stepped up next to her and skimmed a clamshell into the pounding surf.

  "He keeps a pretty short leash on all his people. He does this by learning everything he can about you and then exploiting your weaknesses."

  "And what are your weaknesses?"

  "Well, Puck seems to think I carry a feminist chip on my shoulder. He thinks I'm always trying to prove I can do the work as well as a man."

  "And are you?” Ethan asked, tossing another shell into the water.

  "In a way . . . but if he knew more about me he'd see that I wasn't just proving to him that I could do the job as well as a man. I try to do it better than everyone."

  She crossed her arms over her chest and shivered slightly. Ethan could see the tiny goosebumps on her tanned skin. Now that he thought about it he was getting chilled also. "It's getting kind of cold," he said. "Do you want to start heading back? I think we have a ways to go."

  Ava looked around her for the first time and asked: "Where are we?"

  "Those lights up there are Little Creek Naval Base. I guess we walked two or three miles."

  "I hadn't really noticed."

  "Me neither."

  "Do you want to go back to your place and talk some more?” she asked.

  "I think that'd be nice," he said. He tried not to sound too eager just in case she might be teasing or suddenly change her mind.

  She moved very close to him and he put his arm around her. The touch of her bare back felt good, firm, real. They talked about lighter subjects on the way to his beach house. They discovered that neither had dated much in the last year, they both liked Dave Mathews’ music, and they both loved white wine. He lifted her effortlessly onto his back patio and hopped up himself.

  "What would you think about a little chardonnay and Dave Mathews?” He asked in a cheesy French accent that sounded a lot like Pepe Le Pew.

  "I don't think so."

  "What?" he asked sounding surprised. He knew she'd change her mind.

  "Oh no," she said, quickly seeing the disappointment on his face. "I mean, yes that sounds wonderful. I'd just like to do something first. While you put on the music and open the wine, would you mind if I took a shower? I feel all sticky from the salt water."

  Relieved Ethan said, "Sure let me show you where it is."

  He opened the patio door and led her up the stairs.

  "Do you think I could borrow something to put on? My clothes are in my bag out in the rental car."

  Ethan got her a bathrobe and a towel and waited outside the bathroom until he heard the water come on in the shower. He thought just on the other side of that door was a beautiful woman naked. All he had on were his swim trunks. How easy it would be to step out of them and slip in there with her. He shook his head but couldn’t shake the thought away as he went down and got the wine and put on some music.

  He had opened the wine to let it breathe and sat the glasses on the patio table. He went inside and still heard the water on, so he took the opportunity to go to his room and get out of his bathing suit. It felt good to be naked and to know that in the next room Ava was naked too, it got him sexually aroused. He put on a silk bathrobe much like the one he gave Ava and went out to the deck to wait.

  He was finishing his first glass and lost in the rhythm of the waves when he heard: "You've got speakers out here?"

  She appeared on the deck toweling her hair, the bathrobe clinging to her partially wet body.

  "Yeah, I have them throughout the house," he said, pulling a seat around for her.

  "I heard it
in the bathroom. It startled me a first—I thought it was you coming in to join me."

  "I guess I could see how that would scare you."

  "I didn't say that,” she said smiling. She dipped her finger into his glass of wine and seductively sucked on it. "That wouldn't have been so bad."

  He shivered with the words.

  "Here, let me pour you a glass. I hoped you don't mind that I started without you."

  "I don't mind as long as it's the wine you're talking about and not something else." She took a long hard swallow and finished in one drink.

  "It looks like you were thirsty."

  "I was. And it looks like you changed your clothes."

  "I did. I hope you don't mind." He could see the outline of her nipples sticking through the thin material of the bathrobe.

  "I might. It all depends what you have on underneath it?" She poured herself another glass and sipped on it.

  "Nothing . . . I'm bare‑assed naked under here."

  "Good," she said gulping down the second glass, "you can go get us another bottle. I hope you don't mind if I watch you get up."

  "Not at all," Ethan said, slightly embarrassed. He got the other bottle of wine and they were half way through it when she became serious.

  "Ethan, I hope this is not going to upset you, but I have to ask you for a favor."

  "What is it?" he reluctantly said.

  "First I've got to be honest with you. It wasn't an accident that we met up tonight on the beach."

  "I kind of figured that. So what else?"

  "I need you and Bill. Something big is going to happen in Oceanview in the next couple of days. I'm not sure what it's going to be . . . “ She was looking down and swirling her wine.

  "Something to do with the Apocs, you think?" He wondered if somehow she caught wind of Admiral Prescott's plan. He didn't know how much he should tell her.

  "Yes. I figured either you or your friend Bill would know."

  Ethan sat for what seemed to Ava an hour without saying a word, with only a blank expression on his face. Then he exploded.

  "Is that what this is all about? You get me back here and seduce me just so Bill and I will help you catch this maniac?" He got up and stormed to the railing of the deck. He was silent again. He turned quickly to yell at her again but she was standing behind him looking dejected. He bit his tongue.

  "I know that's what it must look like. I admit that meeting you on the beach was set up. But everything that's happened since has been real."

  He turned his face away and looked out at the water.

  "Ethan, look at me please." She grabbed his shoulder and he turned without much coaxing. Two big tears were rolling down both cheeks. She grabbed him and hugged him close. She turned her face, kissed his ear, and whispered. "I told you I'm not like that. I just had to ask you if you would, that's all. Ethan, I don't even care about the Apocs or my job or anything right now—just you.” She turned his face so that he was looking directly into her eyes. "Ethan, all I want right now,” she said as she took a step backwards and opened the front of her robe, "is for you to kiss me."

  She told him to, but before he could she stepped forward and moved her lips to his. Just before they touched she let out a small exhale. Then their lips met it was like two live wires sparking. When their lips parted she stepped back to soak him all in.

  He stepped forward opening the front of his robe and then slipping his hands under hers. Their naked bodies closed together as one. His cock squeezed between them and she ground herself hungrily into him. His tongue sent shivers of desire racing through her setting her body aflame. He bent over and took a swollen nipple into his mouth. Her heavy, full, breast surged at the intimacy of his caress. He was about to carry her inside when they heard it.

  The phone was ringing.

  Acting as if he didn't hear it, she asked if he was going to answer it.

  "Let it ring!" he exclaimed as he swept her into to his arms and went into the house. They were halfway through the living room when the answering machine kicked on. They heard the caller leaving a message.

  "Ethan!" a gruff male voice screamed, "If you're there Ethan, for god’s sake man, pick up! This is Admiral Prescott! It's about Bill. Are you there?"

  He stood her upright and dashed to the phone in two long leaps.

  CHAPTER 25

  ALMOST THERE

  "Admiral Prescott, sir. This is Ethan. What happened to Bill?" He was out of breath.

  "Haven't you been watching the television, or heard anything on the radio? There was a concert tonight at the Coliseum in Hampton and the Apocs were there. And so was Bill. They got him, Ethan. Showed it right on TV."

  "We'll get him back, sir."

  "Ethan, it's worse than that. I've got a team of Seals at the bridge tunnel ready to blow the damn thing up as soon as the Apocs get in it."

  "Can't you call and tell them to forget it?"

  "Can't, communications are out. Get over to Oceana. We're going to head over there."

  Before Ethan could answer the line went dead. He stood there with his mouth open just staring at the phone in his hand.

  "What is it Ethan?” Ava was asking from the stairs.

  "It's Bill. I've got to go."

  "Then I'm going too," she said rushing to him.

  Too shocked to talk he changed his clothes, got hers on the way, and they were off to Oceana to see the Secretary of Defense. They didn't speak a word until the guard at the front gate went to check their verification. Ethan leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Boy, talk about coitus interruptus."

  How often are we to die before we go right off this stage? In every friend we lose a part of ourselves, and the best part.

  Alexander Pope (1688‑1744)

  English poet

  CHAPTER26

  THE CONCERT

  Henry turned his head away from the people toting the protest signs that approached as he turned in off Armistead Avenue. Heavy, dark cumulus clouds were starting to gather on the western horizon. They reflected the turbulence he felt inside.

  Even though it was against Henry's better judgment, Tom accompanied him to the Hampton Coliseum. They arrived three hours before the concert and the parking lot was a flurry of activity.

  There were four distinct groups congregating in four distinct areas. The first group and by far the biggest consisted of the faithful followers of the Reverend Ira Swanson. Young and old marched along the entrance to the parking lot half carrying signs denouncing the members of the band "Devil's Reich" as demon worshippers, and the other half with signs aimed at the Apocs. Placards with "You'll burn in Hell" and "Apocs mean death" were being thrust at the windshields of every car entering the lot.

  The second group and by far the most organized were the Keeper's of the Peace. The group consisted of members of the Hampton City Police and Sheriff’s Departments, the Norfolk Police Department, two squads from the Virginia State Police, and a company of men from the Virginia National Guard. Two fire trucks from the city of Hampton and several ambulances and rescue vehicles were also on hand "just in case". All the assembled men and women kept close tabs on the third group.

  The third group and the most ominous were the Apocs who had gathered at the south end of the parking lot as far away from the others as possible. They had arrived at the scene in six large semi-trucks. These trucks formed a semi-circle like a wagon train, and the people with the virus congregated inside it.

  The fourth group was the seemingly clueless people that actually showed up to see a Devil’s Reich concert.

  The only people, other than the few curious onlookers, that were entering the Coliseum parking lot were members of the press. The big leagues were there with their trucks carrying their satellite transponders; all the networks and the cable news outlets. Local crews were also on hand from Norfolk, Richmond, and DC along with a few from as far away as Raleigh, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore. The reporters and their crews quickly set up their equipment and began to do prelimi
nary "background" interviews with anyone who would grant one. They frantically searched for that humanistic side of what was sure to be a major confrontation. They scurried from one group to another only to find that, other than the police, people were unwilling to speak to anyone other than GCG journalists.

  "How long do I have to wear these sunglasses, Mr. Henry?" Even with the seat fully back the big man's knees were crammed against the front dash.

  "Just until the people start coming in and we can get out and mingle." Henry said, as he parked Dick Haloran's car in the end spot where the religious people had parked. "You'll need to keep that hat on too." Henry reached over and playfully adjusted the rim. The storm provided the perfect sunscreen allowing the Apocs to be out without protection during the day. “Don't need anybody thinking I've got Arnold Swartenoodle in the car with me."

  "Why did we park here? I thought we were going to see Miss Nattie?"

  "We are, just hold yer horses. I've got to do a little reconnoitering first. Just stay in the car, okay?"

  "Arnold says ‘I stay in car. Hasta la vista bay-bee’.”

  Henry figured the best way to not be noticed was to go with the flow, and right now the only flow between the groups was by the media. He fell in with a group of TV reporters heading to the Apoc section. A cameraman and a female reporter were admitted to the inner sanctum of the guarded truck enclosure. Henry milled around the back perimeter trying to finish his plan.

  Dang, he thought, if I only knew which one of those trucks that son of a bitch Abaddon was riding in. Then he saw his answer.

  On the far side hidden from view was a customized tour bus. It was the kind that rock bands often used. Only this custom coach, instead of being for the band members of "Devil' s Reich, it was for Abaddon and his Nattie. From where Henry stood craning his neck he could see Abaddon descend the steps of the bus to greet the female reporter that had been granted access. Nattie was already at the bottom of the steps and looked to be part of the welcoming committee. Henry watched his wife move with ease and agility that for years had been denied her. The sight made his heart ache to hold her again. It also brought back memories of the two of them younger, happier, with their whole lives yet to be lived. He was going to get her back, all right. The final details of his plan fell into place.