The Survival Chronicles (Book 3): Mercy Fall

by Nally, Fergal F.

  Mercy pushed on the glass door and entered the room, a large surgical table dominated the room. A door and window lay on Claire’s right. Claire swung around and looked at Mercy, her eyes flicked to Garrett.

  “Good, you’re here. We’re short on time. We’re not going to make it out before the virus is released, we’re going to have to suit up. But first I’ve got to hack into the cells behind that door. I think your friends are in there, give me a minute.” Claire turned her attention to the screen, then said over her shoulder, “Oh, you may want to look at that,” she pointed at a computer in the corner.

  Mercy went to the terminal and pressed enter, the screen came to life. Rose’s image jumped out at her. Mercy clutched the table and scrolled down, a flashing icon caught her eye, she clicked on it. The words “IMPLANTATION SUCCESSFUL: SUBJECT ALIVE” filled the screen. Mercy stared in shock then exited Rose’s profile and opened the next file. Dakota’s face lit up the screen, Mercy scrolled down and found the same flashing icon, “IMPLANTATION FAILED: SUBJECT DECEASED”.

  Fuck, fuck, fuck—

  Mercy’s hands shook as she exited Dakota’s file and found Tawny’s, she repeated the process: “IMPLANTATION SUCCESSFUL: SUBJECT ALIVE”. Mercy’s fingers hit the keys again her heart racing, she found Stevie’s profile: “IMPLANTATION FAILED: SUBJECT ALIVE.”

  Flynn? Where are you Flynn?

  Mercy’s fingers flew over the keyboard.

  “OK, I’m in—” Claire spoke, a metallic click came from the door beside her.

  Mercy opened the next folder and Flynn’s face exploded on the screen, she reached out and touched his image hesitating before scrolling down the page. She bit her lip and clicked on the flashing icon: “IMPLANTATION NOT ATTEMPTED: PREVIOUS SIGNIFICANT REACTION. WARRENTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION. SUBJECT ALIVE.

  Subject alive, the words reverberated around Mercy’s brain, bouncing off her skull. Subject alive, she looked up and watched as Claire disappeared through to the cells.

  Garrett stood in the lab door his rifle at the ready, he tapped his watch, “Whatever you’re gonna do, do it now. We gotta suit up and quick.”

  Mercy followed Claire to a series of glass fronted cells in the next room. Claire was busy punching numbers into a wall keypad. The cell doors clicked and Mercy pulled them open. Stevie then Tawny and Rose emerged from their cells and embraced Mercy.

  “Dakota didn’t make it,” Tawny said, her face drawn. “Flynn’s in there,” she pointed to the end cell.

  “Quick, everyone do as Claire says, trust her, I’ll explain later—” Mercy rushed to the last cell and flung the door open.

  Flynn was lying on a bunk, his eyes closed.

  “Flynn?”

  Mercy knelt beside him and touched his hand. His eyes remained closed. His skin was warm, she could hear him breathing. She leant forwards and whispered.

  “Flynn, it’s me, I’m here. I’ve come for you—”

  Flynn’s eyes opened and focused on her face. “Of course you have,” he smiled. “I’ve just been dreaming, about you, this is still my dream, right?”

  “No dream Flynn, this is real, very real,” Mercy leant forwards and kissed him.

  Flynn smiled, they lost themselves in the moment. “I see what you mean,” he replied.

  “Are you OK? We need to go now, this place is headed for viral meltdown in,” Mercy looked at her watch. “Shit, four minutes.”

  “Good to go, lead on Mercy girl.”

  Mercy watched as Flynn rose shakily from the bed. He smiled and nodded, “Go on, I’ll follow you, I’m fine.”

  Mercy hesitated and chewed her lip, she turned and went back to the lab. Garrett was at the open door zipping up a yellow Hazmat suit. “Come on, there’s suits in the next room. You’ve got to get in one now—”

  Mercy brushed past Garrett into the corridor. The others, wearing Hazmat suits, were emerging from a large room a short distance away. She saw their faces through their visors.

  Claire waved at her from the room. “Over here guys, got two suits lined up for you.”

  Mercy and Flynn found two Hazmat suits laid out for them. Claire hovered making sure they put them on correctly. Mercy pulled the last seal shut, sweat trickled down her back. She cursed, she realized she had left the Beretta inside the suit strapped to her belt. She looked at the clock on the wall.

  No more time—

  They joined the others in the corridor. Claire stood beside Garrett and spoke, “Once the virus is released into the air it’ll spread through the complex in seconds, alarms will activate. Some people will turn within minutes others will take longer, this is a variant of the original strain, there’s a kill switch in its RNA, it’ll burn out in an hour or two—”

  I’ve heard that one before— Mercy thought.

  “We need to look and behave like NSA, these suits will help. You need to follow me, let me do the talking but be ready to fight. Pick up some lab equipment to look the part, remember we are lab staff tasked to counter the viral breech—”

  Claire went into the lab and emerged with a small hand held device. The others grabbed bits of kit from the benches and tables in the room. Garrett slung his rifle behind his shoulder and they set off down the corridor and left the lab complex.

  A high pitched alarm sounded as they left the lab, red and yellow lights flashed in the corridors and an automated voice reverberated through the facility, “Warning, infective agent detected. All personnel must evacuate to quarantine areas immediately. Repeat, infective agent detected, all personnel must evacuate to quarantine areas immediately. This is not a drill.”

  The message repeated, the lab’s electronic door locks engaged. Claire glanced back to check they were all through, satisfied, she turned and led the way.

  Mercy watched Claire’s every move. Where’s she taking us? We won’t all make it up that shaft to the surface. I hope she’s got an ace up her sleeve—

  Mercy heard noise then saw figures running ahead. Claire broke into a jog, they came to a T junction and were met with a mass of people streaming from deeper inside the complex towards the entrance. Claire turned into the stream of people and pushed her way through. On seeing the Hazmat suit the personnel parted allowing her to pass, the others followed. They pressed through the crowd and reached clear space as the first screams pierced the air.

  Claire looked at the others, “Run—” she dashed down the corridor.

  Mercy glanced back and saw panic in the group of people that had passed them. Without warning a handful fell to the ground writhing, others screamed and tore at their clothes and necks. Those that were on the periphery turned and ran, fear in their eyes. They knew what was happening; the end of life, the beginning of death.

  Claire led them down a series of corridors, twisting and turning through the complex until they reached a windowed door. The door was open, lights flickered above them. Claire raised her voice, “Something’s happened to the power, the back-up generators have kicked in. Watch your step, there’s a cavern out here, rough ground, water ingress, there’s a lift to the surface, to a helipad. Escape route for the top brass—”

  They filed through the door, Mercy in the rear, she turned to close the door. A NSA soldier ran toward her, his face contorted with bloodlust. She slammed the door engaging the lock. The soldier rammed into the door banging it with his fists. His eyes locked onto Mercy through the glass panel, he smashed his head repeatedly against the glass. The skin of his forehead burst, blood smeared the glass obscuring her view, his nails and teeth scratched at the metal and glass.

  He’s scented the others somehow, through their suits? Or maybe other people have come this way?

  Mercy turned and followed the others into the dimly lit cavern. She looked up, the chamber was roughly hewn extending high above their heads. Emergency LED lights lit the way across the concrete floor. She ran to catch up and reached the others with her heart pounding, the suit was suffocating, she wanted to tear it off. The others had stopped, Garrett was at
the front, rifle in hand.

  Shit, what now?

  Mercy pushed her way to the front and touched Claire’s shoulder, “What is it? Why have we stopped?”

  Claire pointed ahead, Mercy squinted and froze. A large group of people from the complex were standing, swaying in the dim light. Some lay on the floor, their clothes torn and blood stained. A cluster of figures were bent over a body tearing at its flesh.

  Other people have come through here. They’ve turned. Christ, Claire was right, that was fast—

  Garrett brought his M24 up and took aim. Mercy put her hand on the rifle forcing it down.

  “What the hell, Mercy?” Garrett hissed.

  Mercy pulled a face, “Wait, keep quiet, keep your voices down. I’ve been in a situation like this before.” She turned to Claire, “We can’t go back can we? Is this our only way out?”

  Claire nodded, “Correct.”

  “Then I have to do this,” Mercy said. “Trust me, if they ignore me I can get us through, your suits should hide your scent. Remember I have NSA biotech inside me. She looked at Tawny and Rose, “I saw your records back in the lab. Dakota didn’t make it but you two did and you’re like me, you’ve been implanted with their phage biotech. So if I’m invisible to those things you might be too. Let me try first, if it works you come next and if we’re good we can guide the others through that lot,” Mercy pointed at the mass of tropes scattered throughout the cavern.

  Flynn interjected, “No, Mercy you can’t be sure—”

  It was too late, Mercy already had her zip undone. The others watched in horror as she removed her Hazmat suit. She stood still, took a deep breath then turned to the swaying tropes. She shrugged and walked towards them, muffled gunfire echoed in the distance followed by the crump of a grenade. Garrett raised his rifle aiming at the tropes in Mercy’s path.

  Mercy reached the first trope and stood beside it hands by her sides, open, unprotected. The trope ignored her continuing its downward stare, vaguely swaying. She stepped deeper into the mass of tropes moving between them, they ignored her allowing her to pass freely. Their faces were still fresh, pink with humanity, one trope was holding a clipboard. Mercy looked back at her friends, she felt detached, as if she was on a bridge between two worlds.

  I have a foot in both sides. I have two lives, one of the living and one of the dead. Is this what it feels like to be dead? It’s not so bad—

  One of the tropes lifted its head and stared at her with vacant eyes, its nostrils flared, drool dripped from the corner of its mouth. Mercy stepped forwards bringing her face close to the trope, nose to nose, breath to breath, challenging it.

  Mercy whispered, her voice calm, seductive. “Go on do it, rip my throat out, go on, do it.”

  The trope did not respond.

  No? We all have to die some time, right? What’s it like in there? On the other side? I envy you, you have no more pain, no more worries, no need to survive, no more anything—

  The anger and frustration that had been building up in Mercy surged through her, it crashed on her like a wave and broke. She felt sorrow for what she had lost and sorrow for what she still had to endure. Her eyes closed, she took a deep breath, grounding herself.

  It is what it is, you are where you are, deal with it. Some good may come from this, you have to keep going, for the others, for you—

  Mercy opened her eyes and looked around, the LED floor lights extended to the back of the cavern, a set of stairs led up to a steel door in the cavern wall. The door was open.

  That must be where Claire was headed—

  Mercy squeezed through the last few tropes and walked to the door. A sign on the wall proclaimed: EVACUATION POINT, STAIRS TO SURFACE EXTRACTION POINT.

  Someone’s ahead of us, they’ve escaped—

  Mercy turned towards the cavern and walked back towards her friends.

  Tawny and Rose don’t need to endanger themselves. I can do this. I’ll lead them through—

  Mercy reached the others a few minutes later.

  “OK everyone, stay suited up. There’s an open door on the other side of the cavern, it’s a way to the surface. So I think we’re good, check your suits, make sure you’re zipped up tight. I’ll lead you, you’ll be up close with the tropes, just do as I do, no sudden movements, don’t panic. We’ll get through. It’ll be OK, keep it quiet—”

  Claire nodded, “What you did took guts, biotech or no biotech. We’ve got no choice so yeah, let’s do this.” She started checking Garrett’s suit.

  Once they were ready Mercy started off across the concrete floor taking the same route as before. She watched the tropes as they approached. They remained impassive, swaying gently their eyes sunken and dull. She turned to check on the others, Garrett stood behind her his face just visible behind his steamed up visor. She looked at the others and frowned, their body language was obvious.

  They’re afraid, shit, it’s written all over them. Come on, keep it together, keep moving, no mistakes—

  Mercy turned back to the path and brushed past the last few tropes. Her shoulders relaxed when she emerged into open space. She kept walking as if on a tight rope, her eyes glued on the door ahead. She counted the steps.

  Two, five, nine, thirteen—

  Movement in the doorway caught her eye. She frowned and crouched down. A shot rang out, a muzzle flash lit up the doorway. She dropped to her stomach and rolled pulling out her Beretta. She glanced back, Garrett was down, blood leaking from a hole in his Hazmat suit.

  Mercy looked at the crowd of tropes behind them, her eyes widened.

  Chapter 14 Wild Blue

  Mercy spun around, pointed the Beretta at the open door and returned fire. “Run, get to the door,” she shouted at the others.

  Claire and Tawny helped Garrett up, they staggered towards the door. Mercy emptied her magazine and inserted a new one. She picked up Garrett’s M24 and raced after the others. Tropes broke out of their stupor in twos and threes, their heads snapping up, alert. Blood lust ignited across the dead and as one they surged across the cavern in a great tide of hunger.

  Mercy watched as Claire and Tawny reached the door, they wasted valuable seconds manhandling Garrett through.

  Mercy screamed, “Go, go, go—”

  Rose, Stevie and Flynn went through next as Mercy launched herself up the steps into the doorway. She tripped and sprawled on the floor coming face to face with a dead NSA soldier in a bio hazard mask. One of her bullets had destroyed the visor; the back of his skull was a pulp of shattered bone. Everything slowed as Mercy’s eyes adjusted to the gloom. She was aware of movement, shouting and gunfire.

  Mercy rolled over. Flynn and Tawny were pushing against the door, flailing trope arms reached through preventing them from closing it. Mercy’s hand went to her webbing, she pulled out her combat knife turning it to the serrated edge. She jumped up and launched herself at the door.

  “Hold it… keep pushing,” Mercy shouted as she hacked and sawed at the twisting limbs.

  Stevie and Claire joined Tawny and Flynn, between them they managed to stop the door from being forced open. Mercy tore and slashed at the trope arms and hands, blood covered her arms and face, her knife was slick with gore. Finally her blade bit through the last arm and the door slammed shut. Flynn turned the lock and the door’s deadbolt engaged.

  Savage banging rained down on the other side of the door. They stood in shocked silence for a few seconds before Mercy spoke.

  “Everyone OK? Garrett? How’s Garrett?”

  A flame flickered on as Claire lit her lighter. Garrett was on the ground clutching his arm. “OK, I think, just a flesh wound from this guy,” he kicked the dead soldier on the floor.

  “That’s the last thing we need down here,” Claire said.

  “I got some first aid,” Tawny said. “Let me have a look.” She unzipped her Hazmat suit and threw it on the ground. The others looked at each other then started taking off their suits.

  Mercy stared at the dead N
SA soldier, “I wonder why he stayed behind?”

  Flynn crouched beside the body, “Looks as if he’s got an injured leg, bandages. Who knows? Could be recent surgery? He’s beyond caring anyway, I’ll take his gun.” Flynn pried the Glock 19 from the soldier’s hand.

  Mercy looked at the steps leading up. The hammering on the door was reaching a new intensity. “We’d better get a move on,” she said, eyeing the door.

  Tawny helped Garrett out of his Hazmat suit and examined his arm. “You’re one lucky guy, an inch to the right and that bullet would have shattered bone. You’ll be fine. Claire, hand me the lighter, we need to cauterise the wound.”

  Claire gave Tawny the lighter. Tawny took Garrett’s combat knife and heated the tip. She looked him in the eye, “You ready for this?”

  Garrett nodded. Tawny placed the hot blade against his oozing wound. The smell of seared flesh filled the confined space. Garrett gritted his teeth and moaned, sweat glistened on his forehead.

  “That should do it, I’ll bind you up. Keep an eye on it, it could start bleeding again.” Tawny returned Claire’s lighter then tore Garrett’s shirt sleeve into strips and bound the wound. When Tawny had finished she turned to Claire, “Good to go sister.”

  Garrett got to his feet and nodded. Claire started climbing the stairs using the lighter. The others followed her dim light, their feet making wet scraping sounds on the damp concrete. The stained walls glistened with moisture. The staircase seemed endless.

  Why hadn’t they built a lift? Mercy asked herself. Because a lift needs power and in a world post nuclear war there’d be no power, but there’ll always be stairs—

  Mercy’s breathing was laboured after two hundred steps. Claire pushed the pace. Was there something she was not telling them? Mercy was in the rear behind Flynn. She no longer heard the pounding on the door. The air became cool, she looked up, tiny pinpricks of light pierced the darkness.