by Jesse Gagnon
The Azrael
The Reckoning
Book II
jesse gagnon
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
The Reveal
Chapter 2
A Change of Routine
Chapter 3
A Close Study
Chapter 4
The Chicago Lab Outbreak
Chapter 5
Janie’s gotta run
Chapter 6
Assembling The Team
Chapter 7
The Alpha
Chapter 8
Ethan’s Survival
Chapter 9
Clearing The Streets
Chapter 10
The Clean-Up Crew
Chapter 11
Steven
Chapter 12
Simon’s Burden
Chapter 13
A Twisted Mind
Chapter 14
Winging It
Chapter 15
John’s Got It Covered
Chapter 16
Rooftop Camping
Chapter 17
Giselle’s Recovery
Chapter 18
Steven’s Adventure
Chapter 19
433
Chapter 20
Return to the City
Chapter 21
Hunted
Chapter 22
TOUGH lOVE
Chapter 23
A Fallen Friend
Brief Background History of Characters
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Prologue
The underground bunker trembles once more from another explosion dangerously close to the hidden entrance above. Dirt and small rocks provide another coat on top of the Azrael history books on the table next to Dr. Schwinn. He wipes them off and blows out the fine dirt that remains.
“Ah, book number two.” Dr. Schwinn finally locates the second book elegantly written by Taliah. Her handwritten versions were supposed to be the first draft until they were typed up. However, once he saw how beautiful her handwriting was, he decided to keep them as they were. Also, being a perfectionist, Taliah would start over if she made any mistakes.
The lab had taken quite a beating over the past year and there were very few workers left alive in the bunker to make appropriate repairs in a timely manner. Dr. Schwinn had been searching for the second book for a few days. The last big push by the Azrael caused a brief loss of power. Also a large rock broke free above the last table that held all of the books. They were stacked and in order. Now, thrown on top of a plastic folding table, they are in no real order. He had the power restored but had to rewire the lighting since the cable that brought power to the light fixtures in the lab had been severed. Today is the first day since then that he is able to navigate the lab without a flashlight.
Third party and Highwaymen documentation were delivered, analyzed and transcribed. Taliah managed to mesh the accounts of the last book in a way that provided Dr. Schwinn a full spectrum of the Azrael beginnings. However, more information is needed to understand how the mind bridged the gap that the virus created during the necrosis event. Was it electricity or was it something else entirely? Without understanding the logistics of the virus and its interaction with the human mind the cure could be rendered ineffective.
Dr. Schwinn turns to the first page of book two and smiles when he sees Taliah’s doodle of Samson. Each volume following contains a new doodle that showcases her loyal friend. Simon’s conference explaining the new direction of Chicago and their separation from BioTech Industries kicks off the first chapter.
Chapter 1
The Reveal
The morning came sooner than Simon Killbrook wanted. The information discovered over the past week had changed the topic several times over. He lay in his bed staring at the ceiling fan that gently rotated and rocked with a relaxing cadence. He tried to focus on just one blade following it around with his eyes. He thought about the similarities of this simple ceiling fan in comparison to this past week. No matter how hard Simon tried to focus on just one thing, the moving parts that surround the one thing kept pushing his focus out of the picture. The only thing he could do was zoom out and see the picture as a moving living creature that travelled on its own path.
“Shit, it’s going to be a long meeting.” Simon thought sitting up massaging his face with his massive soft hands. Years of pushing pencils and papers made them weak. He slid out of bed on the left and carefully added his weight on his right knee. A sharp pain like several needles digging into his kneecap accompanied his weight. He limped towards the bathroom, popped open a bottle of Vicodin and took two. He glanced in the mirror and noticed the gray hair around his ears that slowly faded into the dark brown on top. His eyes were bloodshot from a long night of tossing and turning. The stubble on his face and on his neck mimicked his hair on his head as salt and pepper wrapped his face. The responsibilities in this new world were taxing on Simon. It was time to clean up a bit.
After a much needed shower and a shave, Simon put on the nicest suit in his closet that was still wrapped in plastic from a recent dry cleaning. He gathered all of the documents, graphs and photos provided from recent Highwaymen activities along with a notebook labeled VFD. The notebook was sealed in an envelope and left in his drawer along with the phone that miraculously appeared inside his locked office. The information inside provided dates and logs of activities over the course of the Azrael virus’ lifespan. It was a timeline that pointed to something over the horizon, something extremely dangerous. He stuffed the documents and notebooks inside his briefcase, locked it and handcuffed it to his wrist. The importance of what was inside sparked an importance of added security. Not that the Azrael would use these documents against us but to keep the information quiet and contained until further study was accomplished. The Vicodin finally kicked in and hid Simon’s limp. He needed to appear strong and in charge. Dr. Schwinn’s armored SUV pulled up to the front of Lake Point Tower Condominium and Simon hopped in the back.
“Good morning Simon.” Dr. Schwinn greeted him.
“Good morning Doc.” Simon forced a smile and sighed. “You doin’ okay?”
“Better than you it seems. Did you get any sleep last night?”
“Not much, so much on my mind.”
“Relax; you can’t save the world by yourself. You should get your knee looked at again. You’re favoring it more than usual.”
“You noticed. Shit, I thought the drugs took care of that.”
“I noticed, but it’s not obvious. Don’t worry about it Simon. Your presence alone will command everyone’s attention.”
“I hope so.”
“You’ll be fine. Just because the other colony representatives are going to be at the meeting doesn’t change who you are and what you’ve accomplished.”
“I know. It’s the first meeting that involves other surviving colonies. Plus we’ve got new people joining us with information beyond our walls that could potentially reveal even more than I already know.”
“You can’t know everything. Just come prepared to adjust your thinking in ways the Veil of Five Daggers did the other day.”
“I hear you. Damn it, we’re here already.”
“Take a deep breath. Just calm down and know that everything’s going to be fine.”
Simon knew everything was going to run smooth. The problem was the change of the simple Azrael undead to this new super serum given to Giselle. How is he going to e
xplain this? Jason Stone, one of his closest friends, needed to know the truth about his sister…the truth.
The doors were shut leading to the main stage of the small auditorium. All parties were in their seats and awaiting Simon’s brief. On the outside Simon had always portrayed a strong, intelligent and fierce person. Maybe all of the stress had finally taken root. Before he could reach the stage John Masterson greeted him with a smile, handshake and a genuine hug.
“John, what’s this I hear about you jumping out of windows?”
“Shit, that’s nothing. After the brief I’ll tell you about the rest. I just wanted to wish you luck. There’s a lot of fucking people out there. I’d be shittin’ myself if I was you.” John shook Simon’s hand again and exited out the side door near the stage.
“Thanks John, always a confidence booster.” Simon spoke under his breath. He sighed and entered through the folded curtain, walked on stage and took the podium.
“Good morning everyone, my name is Simon Killbrook and I’m in charge of the Highwaymen Project. If you are new to our city then I welcome you. I have a lot of information to go over concerning our current progress along with other issues that may affect our status as an organization.
“First let me begin with the termination of Dr. Schwinn from BioTech Industries. Our funding from the organization and any affiliates have ceased. But this does not stop us from our mission.”
“Are people losing jobs?’ A man yelled interrupting Simon. Some people in the audience began to talk amongst themselves. He could sense concern.
“I assure you that no one will be losing jobs. Our mission is still in effect and our resources are still plentiful.”
“What happens when those resources run out?” An older woman yelled out.
“We have taken measures to acquire new locations where we can harvest food and process clean water. Although it may be dangerous for our construction and contract workers, we are studying our enemy closely and will provide armed guards that will protect them from the Azrael.”
“What have your Highwaymen learned that we don’t already know Mr. Killbrook?” A man in an expensive suit asked with his arms crossed along with his legs.
“The herds are becoming larger. However, this makes them easier to track. If we can lure these Alphas that control these mega sized herds away from our city and our resource farms, then we can rebuild our lives again.”
“How can you be sure that these Alpha Azrael can be tricked into following someone away?” The man in the suit asked.
“They operate on a primitive hierarchy structure. The Alpha leads the group wherever he or she is motivated to go. They have basic primal instincts to attack, infect and move on.”
“I’m sorry sir I disagree. I’m new here, but I’ve seen the exact opposite out there. I’ve been living in the wild for a few years now. These so called primitive creatures have evolved. I’ve witnessed strategic planning along with quiet calculated hunters. The longer they are Azrael the stronger and faster they become. Some Alphas have even led groups to kill their own kind. I’ve seen it.” Mario Cortez interrupted.
“Me too.” Giselle chimed in. “I’ve witnessed other abnormalities out there Simon. A single Azrael saved me and my sister in law from two fresh turners. It tore them apart. Jessica got away. I tried to communicate with it afterwards, but. Well, the Azrael aren’t the only enemies we have out there.”
“I’ve heard rumors, but nothing confirmed. But to hear it from you Giselle and from Mario Cortez am I correct?”
“Yes Sir.” Mario answered.
“It must not be an isolated incident. This may complicate our tactics.” Simon continued.
“I’ve seen those fuckers. Excuse my language. Those Azrael are gettin’ smarter. Maybe whatever disconnect they had in the beginning ain’t there no more. It’s gettin’ dangerous out there.” John added.
“Which brings me to another issue, captive Azrael must be released from the city. These abominations are becoming more and more unpredictable. Along with resource farms I’m developing plans for a lab that would study these Azrael captives well beyond our gates. They will be kept in a heavily fortified and armed facility deep beneath the surface.”
“I’m not working there. That’s suicide.” A man yelled.
“This is why the staff will be 100% volunteers.” Simon added.
“I’m in.” Mario Cortez stood up being the only one in the auditorium to volunteer. Over a hundred concerned citizens mumbled amongst themselves shaking their heads knowing that this volunteer job could get them killed.
“Me too.” Taliah added herself to the roster as she stood up next to Mario. Several people disagreed with her decision and verbally said “No.”
“You should stay here where it’s safe.” Mario urged with a hand on her shoulder.
“It’s safe with you Mario.”
“Not there. I can’t protect you from everything.”
“I’ve been informed about your story. Taliah, am I right?” Simon asked as he stepped down from the podium and approached her. His voice still carried across the room despite the lack of a microphone. The other people in the auditorium were pointing at Taliah and sharing her story with each other from an excerpt that was elegantly written in the program provided to each attendee. Timothy Yuen took the podium and continued to answer any more questions.
“Yes sir.” Taliah answered with respect. His presence alone commanded respect as did his title. However, her parents gave her good home training.
“I have an important job specifically for you. Dr. Schwinn, I have your scribe.” Simon gestured towards Dr. Schwinn sitting nearby and shook Mario’s and Taliah’s hands.
“Exciting! Lucky you. This puts you in the penthouse suites of Lake Point Tower Condominiums. Come walk with me. I’ll explain what you’ll be doing.” Dr. Schwinn exclaimed. He strategically placed himself in the same aisle that Taliah was seated in since he knew that Mario would volunteer.
Taliah scooted past the others in her row and met Dr. Schwinn who was already standing in the stairway opening of the aisle. “What can I do that’s so important?” Her eyes sparkled in the lights and brought a smile on Dr. Schwinn’s face.
“We have thousands of journals, photos, stories and video documentation that you and I can document chronologically. Think of it as writing a new history book for the next generation about the Azrael and our journey. Savanna said that you liked writing and telling stories about Mario. Now is your chance to tell the world about Mario and other heroes who have risked their lives to teach us about our new world.” Dr. Schwinn pitched a good game.
“Sounds good. Can I still keep in contact with Mario?” Taliah glanced back at Mario and had to crane her neck a bit to see him. He was talking to Mr. Simon but caught her gaze and waved at her. She smiled, waved back and turned to Dr. Schwinn with a troubled look.
“Of course, we’ll provide a video feed from your living quarters and from the Lab to the offsite facility where Mario will work. Don’t worry he won’t forget you. Who can? You are an amazing person.”
“Thanks sir. So, when do we start?” She spun around and gave Mario the thumbs up. He returned the favor and continued his conversation with Mr. Simon.
“I knew you would agree.” Dr. Schwinn beamed.
The rest of the citizens cleared out by then and were gathered near the podium asking Timothy Yuen more ridiculous questions since all the good questions were addressed earlier. Timothy seemed annoyed but still tackled their concerns without pause.
Dr. Schwinn led Taliah back towards Mario and explained the arrangements. “Sounds Perfect. I couldn’t think of anybody else who could do better.” Simon marveled at Dr. Schwinn’s decision. He unlocked the handcuff that connected him to the briefcase and massaged the irritation on his wrist with his other hand. He handed Dr. Schwinn the briefcase that contained the new information about the Azrael. They shared a silent nod.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Can I keep Samson at my new ho
me?” Taliah’s eyes grew big and she put her hands in a praying position.
“Arrangements have already been made. We’ll all be safe with Samson around.” Dr. Schwinn admitted.
“Thanks.” She bit her lower lip, formed a fist with her right hand and brought her elbow down.
“I want to go too.” John approached Mario.
“Don’t leave me out of this. Can’t split up the team.” Savanna joined in wrapping her right arm around John’s waist.
“Sure. We’ll have all of your documentation prepared tomorrow. We’re blessed to have all of you. Thank you for volunteering. With all the information we know about your troubles beyond the gate, I’m sure any scientist would feel safe working under your protection.”
“Thank you Simon. It’s what I was trained to do.” Mario stated bowing his head with respect. Simon returned the gesture.
“I’d like to go there Simon.” Giselle approached the group. She was wearing sunglasses. Mario assumed she was hiding a black eye or a drug addiction. He kept his thoughts to himself though.
“I see. Let’s have a chat in private.” Simon summoned Giselle to follow him and said his goodbyes to Mario, Savanna, John, Taliah and Dr. Schwinn. She followed him to a back room and closed the door behind her.
“What’s the problem Simon?”
“Let me see them?”
“See what?”
“Your eyes.”
“So you know? Did the doctors tell you?”
“No, someone else did. I wanted to see it for myself.”
Giselle removed her glasses and her creepy gray film covered eyes stared back at him. “I don’t know why I haven’t turned Simon.”
“I know why.”
“But how? Why? What the hell is wrong with me?”
“Nothing is wrong with you Giselle. Everything is right with you. But I’m not the person to talk to. He is.”
A man exited the shadows that blacked out a small corner of the room, a shadow barely large enough for a small child to hide in. The man was dressed in all black and appeared to be in some ninja type uniform. The symbol on his uniform was familiar to Giselle.
