Exterminators Infected (The Exterminators Book 1)

by DeSantis, James

  Marshall was sitting at the table trying to open the milk. He flipped the tip but the top still wouldn't open in a perfect triangle. He tried to rip it open but that only made part of the cardboard fall into the milk. “Goddamn! You'd think after years of advancement in technology they'd make it easier to open milk cartons!”

  Lucy was sitting across the table. She got a good laugh out of her struggling boyfriend. “Really? The mighty Exterminator Marshall defeated by milk!” she said in a funny cartoony voice. She laughed even harder. He just looked at her, annoyed.

  “Ya know what? Why don't you hush up and help me.” He slammed the carton of milk down. “I can't deal with this stuff. You're a woman after-all. You guys do well with this type of kitchen stuff.”

  She stopped laughing and snatched the milk. “First off, this isn't kitchen stuff. It's opening a carton of milk. A monkey can do that. Next, if you ever gender identify me I'll leave your ass at school.” He grinned. Despite her joking he could sense some seriousness in her voice. She slammed the open milk carton down, some of it spilling on him.

  “Geez lady, just a joke,” he waved his hand in a funny fashion. “No need to get all bent out of shape.”

  “Just shut up and drink.”

  Nick sat down near Lucy. He was confused and worried and it must have showed because Marshall looked at him. “Yo dawg, you okay?”

  “Yeah, fine. Hi Lucy.” She smiled back in acknowledgment. “Hey Marshall, can I talk to you in private?”

  “Uhh I'm drinking here,” he took a sip of his milk. “Just tell me what's up.”

  “It's about stuff...” Nick looked at Lucy. “Sorry, no offense Lucy, just man stuff. I'm sure you don't want to hear it.”

  Marshall gave her a quick look. As if to say “it's Exterminator business”. She nodded to him and worked her way out of the table. “I'll go take a trip to the ladies room. You boys try not to get too...rowdy.”

  “We will try baby. No promises though!” Marshall yelled loudly as she walked away. He turned back to Nick who still looked worried. “All right man, what's wrong? You look like you're about to throw up.”

  “It's Peter. He wasn't in class today.”

  “This is what's getting you sick? Come on man.” Marshall rolled his eyes and began drinking more of his milk.

  “Have you ever seen Peter miss a class?” Marshall looked at him now, thinking about it. “Like ever?” Now Marshall felt a bit weary.

  “Now that you mention it...Fred isn't here either.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “No, I'm joking.”

  “Dude!”

  “Yes, I'm serious!” Marshall looked around the lunch room, as if to look for anyone listening in on them. “Do you think a mission went bad?”

  “I didn't get a text message or anything. I'd figure Carl would have called us if something bad went down.” Nick could feel his head spinning. He was thinking of every possibility. He worried both were hurt, or even worse. This was the exact situation that he didn't want to be put into. As a self-entitled leader he felt the pressure none the less.

  “Alright let's just chill. I'm sure both are fine. Just a weird coincidence they are absent.” Marshall said trying to sound confident. Nick knew he was trying to keep calm cause the situation wasn't normal. It wasn't normal for both boys to be absent on the same day. Especially Peter, who almost never missed a class. It was just too important.

  “I say we go to the Station after school.”

  “I say we go right now,” Marshall said determinedly while getting up. “Screw school. We need to check up on our unit.”

  Nick knew he couldn't leave. He was already struggling with grades. If he left now it would end badly. He needed so desperately to catch up on grades, otherwise he might have to repeat his senior year. That was the last thing he wanted to do. “I don't know if I can leave.”

  “Hey man, our friends are in trouble. We can't just sit here and wait till this crap gets out.” Marshall was waiting for his friend to get up. To just march out of the school and rescue their friends, if they needed it.

  Nick was about to argue. He could feel the need to finish school. Yet he had a small flashback of Fred in danger. The way his face was in horror as he was being bitten. He could remember the feeling of failure as he almost watched his new friend dying. Now he had a choice to check up or hope for the best. He wasn't about to sit this one out.

  “Let's go.”

  Both the boys headed towards the doors and began making their way towards the Station to check up on their unit.

  A knock came from the front door. Fred jumped to life. He was in the deep, dark room he had been living in the last few hours. He could feel his mind slipping more and more into it, losing touch with reality. His heart was pounding so hard it felt as if it was about to break through his chest. He was sweating like a mad man. He wiped his head and shifted his feet off the couch. He leaned forward, taking long, deep breaths.

  He heard another knock. Then there was a call at the door. It sounded like Carl. His heart began to speed up. “It's fine. He's coming to check up on you. Just get up and answer the door. Stop acting like a freak,” he thought as he lifted himself off the couch. He could feel every ache in his body spring to life once he was fully up. He groaned and walked forward. Each step he took, he felt less of the pain. He told himself it would be fine as he could feel his heart rate returning to normal.

  “Who's there?”

  “It's Carl. Please open the door.”

  “Be right there,” he called weakly, walking closer to the door. He didn't like the sound of Carl's voice. It sounded even more formal than usual, which was pretty hard to imagine.

  “I'm here too, Fred. We're just checking up on you.” It was Jin's voice. He trusted Jin. He felt that Jin looked out for them when Carl didn't. He knew he didn't need to worry now. He gladly opened the door, smiling.

  Carl stood there with Jin. Both looked very serious. Behind them was another girl dressed in a business-like suit. Fred wasn't sure what to make of the visit. It seemed innocent enough, yet he still had something in the back of his head telling him to run.

  “Hi,” he said cautiously, making sure not to show that he was nervous.

  “Hi, Fred, how are you feeling?” Carl asked.

  Fred shrugged. “Decent I guess. Feeling like I got a bad cold or flu or something.” He tried to play it off cool.

  “That sucks. Mind if we come in?” Jin asked. Fred moved out of the doorway and let them in. The girl in the business suit came in last. He slowly shut the door behind him and looked back towards the group.

  “Sorry, I look like a bum. I've been trying to sleep a lot. Sweat this thing out ya know?” he said moving to the side of the doorway. “Sorry I made you guys worry. Who's this, by the way?” He looked towards the business-looking lady.

  “My name is Maria. I'm here to find out more about the situation you're having,” she responded. It caught him off guard. He guessed that she wasn't supposed to say it like that either since Jin and Carl looked shocked when she said it so easily.

  “Maria!” Carl shouted, annoyed.

  “Situation? I don't have a situation.”

  “It's not what we've got in our report. They say you are changing.”

  “Maria!” Now both Jin and Carl yelled at the same time. She seemed unchanged by the yells. She focused only on Fred.

  “I don't know why you guys are here but-” Fred moved to the door, hand on the handle. “-I think it's time you leave. Before I call the cops on you all. Especially you, crazy lady.” Fred tried to keep calm yet he could feel his heart racing. He felt his temper rising, even though he didn't feel angry. He felt something far worse than anger. “Run,” a voice said urgently in his head. He pushed the thought away and watched for someone to make a move.

  “We aren't here for that Fred. We simply came here to check up on you. To make sure all is well,” Carl said smiling. Usually Fred trusted him but right now he felt something was of
f. Carl was acting friendly but his face showed concern. What type of concern though? For himself or for Fred?

  “I really need you guys to leave...now.” Fred could feel his body booming. Something wanted to be free. As if it wanted them to stay. Stay so that he could get frustrated beyond control and it could show its true self. Fred felt less and less like himself as of late.

  “Listen man we're just gonna...” Jin started walking forward.

  “No more talking. You're coming in with us to the Station. You need to be put on trial.” She didn't have a problem speaking freely. Fred could feel his heart speed up.

  “What the hell!?” Jin said angrily.

  “Maria, wait outside,” Carl said softly. She shook her head.

  “He is to come in with us. Do not forget your place. This is a matter we can't simply ignore.”

  “He isn't doing anything wrong, so back the hell off.” Jin now stepped between Carl and her. “He hasn't even been asked. You can't force him to just go.”

  “As a Protector I can force whatever I want.” She pointed her finger to his chest. “You better back off before you say the wrong thing and end up in trouble.”

  “I'm not going anywhere.” Fred flung the door open. “Everybody just leave me alone!” he screamed as he ran outside.

  “Great job, Maria!” Jin yelled as he ran after him. She also ran into a sprint. Carl looked around the house. So quiet, so gloomy, so depressing. This was not a house you wanted to live in, especially alone. He looked towards the door. His student was on the run. Scared out of his mind. It was his fault. He hadn't been paying attention. He could fix it, though. He had to try. If he didn't try, he'd hate himself more. He ran outside the door a moment later, leaving the depressing house behind in silence.

  Kelly walked outside the school building. Once again she was left wondering where her lover had gone off to. So much hidden from her, yet she somehow still trusted him. Did it make sense? Was she being dumb? Child-like? She felt that way a lot of the time. She loved him though, that made her trust him. It's what she felt in her heart.

  She sat on the edge of the school letting the cold air touch her. She was freaking out about school ending. She watched as the kids all laughed and walked home. She wondered if any of them cared about their future. She did. Every day she thought of the different possibilities of where she'll end up in a few years. Wondered what career she would have, what school she'd graduate from, what kind of life she would have. All these questions, she kept juggling around in her mind. She hated it, but that's the way she worked. She couldn't change.

  “Need a buddy to walk home with you?” Kelly looked up to see Lucy standing next to her. “Boyfriend left you here?”

  “Yeah,” she said sadly.

  “Yeah, mine left too. Aren't we super lucky?” Lucy giggled. Kelly couldn't help but go along with her laugh. “Come on, let's get out of here. I really don't want to be around school when I don't need to be.”

  They began making their way towards home. Kelly lived only ten minutes away from Lucy but they never hung out. They've gone to the same schools for years. Been in some classes together. Even had some projects to work on together. Yet neither of them ever really hung together outside of school. Never really wanted to get to know each other. It was odd.

  “I have so much homework today. What about you?” Lucy asked cheerfully. Kelly snapped out of her deep thinking and nodded. “Hey, you okay?”

  “Yeah...”

  “Thinking about Nick?”

  “Uh huh,” she said softly. She felt bummed about it. Like he didn't even say goodbye to her today. What a silly thing to get upset over she told herself. She couldn't help it, though. This was the first love she ever had.

  “Don't worry. He'll be back before you know it.”

  “Yeah I know. It just feels different when he's not around.”

  “Yep! I feel the same. I get scared and worried about Marshall. One, cause he's Marshall. Two, cause I feel he might get hurt.”

  “Exactly! I know it's just the gym yet I get this weird feeling that he's in danger. Is that weird?” Kelly tried to smile but couldn't. She wanted to know why she always had to feel upset when Nick wasn't around. She wanted to know if Lucy was the same or not. Only Lucy could understand where she was coming from.

  “They do what they have to for good reason.” Lucy knew she couldn't tell Kelly. Things were to be kept secretive. She wouldn't betray Marshall's trust. “Our men have to do what they have to do. We just have to support them.”

  “I know. It's just hard.”

  “It is.”

  “I just miss him.”

  “I miss him, too.”

  They walked in silence, both reflecting on the past memories of their dating life. They felt a strong gaping hole when the guys were gone. Kelly worried but wasn't sure why. Lucy worried because she knew. Dangers always lurked and anyone can die from a number of things. Every time they went on the missions the percentage of death rose exceptionally. They kept the silence up the whole way home while trying to figure out how to cope with their missing beau’s.

  Fred jumped over the garbage can on the street. He ran into the middle alleyway. He could feel the burn in his chest. The voice in his head was telling him to “run”, it was like a repetitious slogan. He was dripping in sweat but still felt the air biting at him as he ran, almost as if it was attacking him. He didn't know what to do. They mentioned a word trial. What was that? What did they want to do to him once he was captured? He knew only one thing. Run.

  He shot out of the alleyway and onto the street. He hit the beeper button and jumped realms. He dashed between two people on the street. They could feel his presence but couldn't see him. They both turned to their sides, trying to locate what hit them. They didn't see a thing. He was already down the block when they gave up their search.

  He stopped at the street light, trying to decide which way to go. Where wouldn't they look to find him? He had to think fast. He quickly took a glance behind him. He saw Jin and the woman, Maria, turning out of the alleyway where he just came from. He didn't have time to decide where to hide. He ran to his right and was nearly hit by a car as it drove right past him. He darted through traffic as best as he could. They kept their normal pace due to not seeing him, so it was his turn to be quick on his feet to not be hit. Jin spotted him once he reached the end of the street. He yelled as both he and Maria ran towards him.

  Fred kept running. He could feel his lungs burning. He needed to hide somewhere safe. “Do not stop. Run!” the voice roared in the back of his head. “Shut up!” he screamed, running down the street. The voice told him to run again. That's all it said. Run. How long could he run for, though?

  “Fred!” He heard the scream as he darted to his left. He ran half way down the block and dove into the middle alleyway. He slowly walked to the middle of it and hid behind the trash can. He could feel his heart pounding hard on his chest. “Do not stop! RUN!” The voice was getting louder. It wouldn't stop repeating the words. He ignored it, listening for footsteps.

  Jin and Maria stopped at the end of the block. Jin looked down the block Fred went down. “You go that way, I'm going to go across the street and check down that block. If you see anything let me know. Do not approach him.”

  “It's our job. I will arrest him if I see fit.” She sounded annoyed.

  “We don't know what's wrong with him. Scaring him won't help our situation.”

  “Our situation is blown if you haven't noticed. He knows he's done wrong. He also knows we're on to him. I will capture him or you will. Simple as that. Now go.” She ended the conversation before Jin could say another word.

  Fred could hear her walking down the block slowly. How could he hear so well from here? He didn't care at the moment. They knew he couldn't be far. That he must be in hiding. He slid a little bit more to his left side, trying to conceal his entire body. He didn't know what they'd do if they found him. He wasn't even sure what he did wrong. Yet, he felt if t
hey caught him, he'd be finished. They'd exterminate him. He found it ironic. He couldn't help but give a small chuckle. “Run,” the voice in his head said again. He sat still trying to keep silent.

  Nick stepped off the elevator. Once he stepped out he grabbed on to the wall. He still hated the rides down. They gave him a terrible curl in his stomach that took a while to go away. He shook his head trying to wave away the terrible feeling.

  “You okay?” Marshall asked. Nick nodded.

  “Let's go see our friends.”

  They both made their way towards the rooms. They checked Carl's office but it would not open. They tried knocking, no answer. So they kept on walking. Next they checked the healing spots, nothing in the entire room. They felt a little better not seeing their friends lying on the tables, badly injured. They kept walking forward. “There's only one place left to check in here.”

  “You think they skipped school for training?” Nick asked.

  “Peter might. I can't imagine Fred would.”

  “Well there's only one way to find out.” Nick walked a bit quicker, wanting to get the anticipation out of the way. They walked to the gym door. Nick placed both his hands on the door. He felt the pressure. If they weren't here, where could they be? Dead? That was the last thing Nick wanted to think about. He pushed open the door.

  Peter threw another fire ball against the gym wall. It exploded into a dozen small balls and hit the floor. A bunch of little pops and the fires went out. Peter looked to see his teammates entering the gym. He returned his gloves back to a Rod and attached it to his belt. “Hey,” he said. He wasn't sure what else to say.

  The boys walked up to him and stopped. Both saw the bad bruises on his body. The left side of his neck was dark purple. His face was badly beaten. Purple covered the majority of his face. His lip was badly cut as well. He looked at them without showing much emotion. He didn't feel any emotion but they didn't know that. They weren't sure how to approach the situation.

  “Dude, what the heck happen to your face?” Marshall finally said.