Dead Storm: The Global Zombie Apocalypse

by Nicholas Ryan

Before the helicopters came swarming over the horizon, Chinese fighters re-appeared in the skies above Wellington, flying strafing missions along the congested roads and city streets of the capital. Their targets were cars attempting to flee the built-up areas, community halls and churches.

  Only once the population was suppressed and in deep, stunned shock, did the Chinese launch the first wave of Marine-carrying helicopters.

  They lifted off the aircraft carrier and came skimming over the ocean in black clattering formations, while up and down the coast other choppers launched from the stern decks of destroyers and cruisers were sent to secure key targets. The Yuzhao class Type 071 amphibious transport dock ships that had performed so well during the Dalian campaign were again at the forefront of the assault. They nosed boldly into Wellington Harbor and launched Z-9WA gunships to cover a Marine landing.

  The attack helicopters clattered in the sky above Wellington; big ungainly beasts casting shadows over the cityscape. They fired indiscriminately at anything that moved, cutting people down on the sidewalks and firing missiles into any building that suggested a sinister threat, or seemed a likely place that civilians might seek refuge.

  Finally the Marines led the shore invasion, racing through the calm placid waters towards the shore aboard huge hovercraft. Their objectives were the Evans Bay Marina, where the Volunteer Coast Guard had their headquarters, the promontory at Roseneath, the Clyde Quay Wharf in Lambton Harbor, and the large commercial shipping facilities at CentrePort Wellington. A separate force raced north across the lake-like waters towards a knot of abandoned land opposite a fabric retail warehouse, from which the arterial link road to Petone could be severed.

  The troops cutting the road took sporadic fire from armed civilians holed up in the factory building as their Zubr-class LCAC approached the abandoned ground. Gunships were called for support. They launched missiles into the factory building and it erupted in a ball of flame.

  The Zubr LCAC was the world’s largest class of hovercraft with a top speed of over fifty knots. The craft was packed with almost five hundred Chinese Marines. The vessel came to a sudden halt in a huge spray of thrown-up water and the troops spilled out through the forward loading ramp like they were storming a beach. The gruesome, callous work of murdering the innocent survivors of New Zealand began.

  President Xiang flew into Wellington aboard the Admiral’s helicopter late in the day. Much of the city was still ablaze and the sky hung thick with hazy smog. Bush land to the west of the city had caught fire, burning out of control through steep rugged terrain.

  On the streets and in the suburbs, people were gunned down mercilessly. But police officers, government officials and politicians who had survived the initial attack on the Parliamentary buildings were herded up and marched in chains to Wellington Regional Stadium a kilometer north of the CBD. The Stadium was known to locals as ‘the Cake Tin’, and had been built on reclaimed railway land around the turn of the century.

  The Admiral’s helicopter landed in the stadium car park. President Xiang drew a deep satisfied breath as he set foot for the first time on New Zealand soil.

  “Is everything prepared?”

  The Admiral nodded. “Everything has been arranged to your instructions.”

  Inside the stadium, the prisoners were caged behind high wire fencing topped with barbed wire. The entire makeshift prison was surrounded by Chinese troops with machine guns. A small stage with a microphone had been set up near one end of the grassy field that still bore the faded line markings of a recent sporting match.

  President Xiang climbed the podium and stood beneath a flagpole.

  “This is the dawn of a new era,” he declared loudly into the microphone. “It is a fresh beginning for our people. I declare this new land to be known as New China.”

  There was no music, no triumphant fanfare. Instead two soldiers raised the Chinese flag in absolute silence while the hundreds of captured prisoners looked on in white-faced shock.

  The breeze caught the patch of cloth and fluttered the flag so it shone brightly in the afternoon light. Xiang closed his eyes and drew another deep breath, relieved to be once again standing on firm ground. The troops in the stadium saluted the flag. The silence lasted exactly sixty seconds. When Xiang opened his eyes again, they were filled with a sense of satisfaction and cold steely resolve.

  “Execute them all,” he said.

  In Auckland, a similar flag-raising ceremony was carried out, supervised by Minister Yi Dan. Prisoners were executed on the grounds of Auckland’s War Memorial, and atop the iconic peak at One Tree Hill.

  The wholesale slaughter of New Zealanders went on for several days. Army kill-squads hunted the survivors into rugged bush land and shot them from helicopters. President Xiang greeted each new report with a satisfied grunt.

  “Tomorrow we will begin to disembark the population,” he declared at a celebration dinner aboard the Bountiful Tigress. “New China is our new home. The invasion has reached an end, and now settlement must begin. It is good land, fertile and lush. Here we will begin to build a new Empire.”

  CAMP DAVID

  CATOCTIN MOUNTAIN PARK

  MARYLAND

  Secret Service agents were guarding the grounds and spread throughout the rest of the cabin residence, but in the living room the President and the Vice President sat alone.

  The dark of night had fallen. The world beyond the walls of the Presidential retreat seemed eerily hushed. Patrick Austin paced across the floor and stood with his back to the fireplace. Not even the flickering heat could quite chase away the chill that gnawed in his bones.

  Vice President, Lincoln Hallmeyer, sat on a sofa, frowning. He felt a little uncomfortable in the awkward tension of the room. He had been summoned from Washington without explanation. The greeting between the nation’s two leaders when he arrived had been stilted.

  President Austin looked like a man searching for words. Hallmeyer shifted in his seat and clasped his hands together to prevent himself from fidgeting.

  “Linc, it seems that what is left of the world is stabilizing,” Austin said, taking the circuitous route to his point. “The southern border wall has held, and for the time being, America and Canada are safe. China has captured the islands of New Zealand, and Australia remains free of infection. The small Pacific Islands seem untouched…”

  “Yes, sir,” Hallmeyer agreed. “Our latest information is that there are still isolated pockets of humanity across Asia and Europe – but they won’t survive forever. The NK Plague still shows no signs of burning out. But USAMRIID is optimistic. Your man, Nathan Power, believes a trial vaccination could take place within six months…”

  Patrick Austin nodded. The NK Plague still ravaged much of the earth, and the terror would continue. But for now, the threat of any further spread had been managed and contained. It was the first chance in weeks the surviving world had to draw a consolidating breath.

  The President looked down at his shoes for a long time. When he finally lifted his face, his expression was tortured and anguished.

  “Linc, I’m resigning.”

  Impulsively, Lincoln Hallmeyer leaped to his feet. “You’re what?”

  “I’m resigning.”

  “Why?”

  “Carly Clementine.”

  “The journalist?

  “Yes.”

  Linc Hallmeyer shook his head like a boxer concussed and confused from a heavy blow. “Sir, I don’t understand? What has that woman got to do with your presidency?”

  Patrick Austin let out the breath he had been holding. Now he had uttered the fateful words he felt strangely relieved. He could feel the burden of responsibility he had carried lifting from his shoulders.

  “She asked me a question that evening when she interviewed me. She asked me if I had blood on my hands. Do you remember?”

  The Vice President nodded. “And I remember how you reacted, sir. You were rightly affronted. All of America saw that response. No one doubted you were
genuinely offended.”

  Austin nodded. “I was – at the time. But afterwards, Linc, when I had peace and quiet to reflect, I realized she was right. I do have blood on my hands – too much to ever wash away. The millions of New Zealanders I allowed to be annihilated. The Mexicans and Latin Americans I would not allow into the country before the plague swept up from the south. The North Korean scientists I allowed to be tortured at the Black Site. Flight 553 with our Embassy staff aboard…”

  “Sir! You did what the Commander in Chief had to do. Your every action safeguarded America. You put the people who elected you before everyone else. Other governments didn’t. They didn’t act or react with the necessary measures to safeguard their populations. You did.”

  Austin shook his head with sad dismissal. “That’s not how I see it.”

  “Sir, you’re telling me that a single journalist has brought down a President?”

  “No. I’m telling you that Carly Clementine gave me pause; she forced me to examine my conscience, Linc. She made me reflect on everything that was necessary, and the role I have played.

  “This is a new world now. My presidency is littered with grievous moral and ethical compromises that – as a man – I have to live with for the rest of my life. But the world needs a new beginning – a fresh start. America is still the dominant power. Someone who isn’t tainted by the decisions and cold-blooded choices of the past should lead her. That’s why I’m resigning. That’s why you will become the next President of the United States. Personally, I think you’re the perfect man for the job. The waters have calmed, but there will still be dangers to navigate. You’re a level-headed man, and you have strong moral compass. Together we got through the storm, but that time is over.

  “Now America is in your hands… President Hallmeyer.”

  Acknowledgements:

  Dale Simpson: (US Special Forces, retired)

  Dale saved me from a hundred stupid mistakes across a dozen scenes during the writing process. Dale has always been my first contact in all matters of military research. He probably has a chest full of medals for his service to the US Army. He deserves another one for ‘dedication to zombie fiction’. This book would never have happened without Dale’s constant enthusiasm and keen eye for detail. I am forever in his debt.

  David C. Gompert:

  David is an American government official and former diplomat who served as the acting Director of National Intelligence. Prior to his ascension as DNI, he was Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and continued serving in that capacity until 2011.

  In between government and academic tenures, David worked in the private sector. He has worked in senior executive positions at Unisys, AT&T and as a senior fellow at RAND, a leading research organization that explores topics such as national security and terrorism. He was a distinguished research professor at the National Defense University's Center for Technology and National Security Policy.

  David very kindly helped me to understand America’s strategic and diplomatic posture in the South China Sea, and how the US Government might conceivably act in the face of Chinese military aggression.

  Leanne McGrath:

  For many years Leanne was a Director’s Assistant and also a Director at a major television station. I relied on her expertise heavily for several of the TV news scenes throughout the book including the Carly Clementine scenes and the sequence featuring the news crew in Singapore.

  Debbie Kagan:

  Debbie has been a loyal supporter since the early days of my writing career. When I want to know if a book ‘works’ in draft form, Debbie is one of the first people I turn to for insight and feedback.

  Jill Blasy:

  Jill has the editorial eye of an eagle! I trust Jill to read every manuscript, picking up typographical errors, missing commas, and for her general ‘sense’ of the book. Jill has been a vital part of ‘the team’ since I began writing zombie fiction.

  Stacie Stark Morton:

  As well as being a constant enthusiastic supporter of my writing and a diligent proof-reader, Stacie is also a Texan. When I wrote the scenes that featured my band of border wall vigilantes, I turned to Stacie to be sure the language and descriptions I used were authentic.

  Zane Francescato:

  As well as being a fine young man, a friend, and a fan of the genre, Zane is a law student with intern experience at the US Department of State and the US House of Representatives. Zane helped me to understand the legal ramifications of US operated ‘black sites’, and he also helped to draft the letter the Attorney General delivered to the President in Chapter 19.

  Brittany Bolton: (US Navy Strike Fighter Weapons System Officer)

  Lieutenant Bolton is an active member of the US Navy and an accomplished Superhornet ‘backseater’, responsible for the designation of the weapons systems onboard an F/A-18F. It was Brittany’s knowledge and experience that enabled me to write the dramatic scene detailing the sinking of the Ebony Sunrise, and to ensure the descriptions were authentic and realistic.

  Bob Ziccardi: (Former US Army)

  Bob led a platoon of Abrams tanks in the US Army (amongst several other accomplishments) during a distinguished 23year career. Bob very kindly helped me with the scenes featuring the American Abrams platoon in Germany, correcting my many mistakes in the draft, and helping to make the sequences more detailed and more authentic.

  Ebony Sykes:

  Ebony is my fiancé and sounding board. When I was developing the plot for this novel, Ebony made several storyline suggestions that appear in the finished manuscript. The book is better for everything Ebony contributed.

  Larry Bond:

  Larry is a bestselling techno-thriller author who worked closely with Tom Clancy on some of his most famous novels. Larry first contributed his ideas when I wrote ‘Zombie War’, and when I reached out to him for this novel, he once again very kindly offered his thoughts about a defense of Western Europe against a potential zombie plague.

  Mark Fortune: (US Navy, retired)

  Mark is the secretary of the USS Arleigh Burke Association. His 35 years of Naval service has included time aboard 3 Aegis destroyers, USS Arleigh Burke, USS Gonzalez, and USS Mahan. Mark was an incredible help throughout the writing process. He gave up his time to correct the destroyer scenes in the novel and guided me through the epic battle in the South China Sea, and the USS Haley’s adventures in the Philippine Sea. Put simply – I could never have completed this novel without Mark’s priceless input, his experience and his enthusiasm for the project.

  Dave Hamlyn-Wright:

  Englishman, Dave Hamlyn-Wright, is one of the world’s foremost authorities on military vehicles. He is also the owner of the http://tanknutdave.com website. Dave was an enormous help to me while I wrote the battle scenes involving the Chinese Type 99 tanks. Dave’s knowledge and experience enabled me to create highly realistic sequences with lots of authentic detail.

  Gunter Krebs:

  Gunter runs the science and space website https://space.skyrocket.de

  When I started researching the NRO’s secret MISTY satellites for this novel, Gunter was able to provide me with the excellent background information that I use in the book.

  Randall Haskin: (USAF Pilot, retired)

  Randall served in the US Air Force for over twenty years as a fighter pilot and instructor. He is now a commercial airline pilot. Randall helped me with all the intricate F-16 sequences in the novel, including the dramatic attack against Flight 553. Randall’s contribution cannot be understated; he even wrote out scenes and sequences to help me clearly understand the terminology, the technology and the communication procedures between pilots to ensure I had a clear grasp of the details. Randall checked through each scene to ensure accuracy and authenticity and was a constant source of encouragement and inspiration throughout the writing process.

  Bill Seery: (Former US Navy)

  Bill was one of the very first people I spoke to about this book. He was involved during the
early plotting stages and again during the opening chapters of the book when I introduced the crew of the USS Haley. Bill’s been a good friend and ally for several years, and has made invaluable contributions to several earlier novels.

  Michael Bates:

  Michael is a Houston law enforcement officer who flew to Europe and dedicated a great deal of time to training the new generation of Ukraine riot police. Michael was a crucial help when I wrote about the despised Berkut troops and the action that took place in Independence Square, Kiev.

  Margaret Besheer:

  Margaret is a journalist for Voice of America. She has been correspondent to the United Nations for over a decade, reporting world news from UN Headquarters in New York. Margaret was a wonderful source of information and detail when I wrote the UN scenes early in the novel.

  Stephanie Ho:

  Stephanie was the Voice of America Beijing Bureau Chief for over five years and has been reporting on China for well over a decade. Stephanie was an invaluable source for understanding how the Chinese Politburo operates, and how the Chinese political system functions.

  Michael Kofman:

  Michael is a Research Scientist at CNA Corporation and a Fellow at the Kennan Institute, Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington, D.C. His research focuses on security issues in Russia and the former Soviet Union, specializing in defense and military analysis.

  His previous experience includes working as a researcher at the U.S. Institute of Peace, HSBC Bank, and on international science and technology cooperation programs at NASA. He has published articles on security issues in Eurasia, focusing on Russia and Ukraine, along with numerous analyses for the US government. He has also appeared in major television, online, and print media as a commentator and subject matter expert. Michael holds a M.A. in International Security from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University and a B.A. in Political Science from Northeastern University.