Omega Virus (Book 1): Beta Hour

by Jake A. Strife

  LEVEL 18 – BLITZKRIEG

  Dave hid behind Jeff. “We are so doomed! Doomed I tell you!”

  I had a feeling, this time; he would be right. If the Link Brigade weren't on their way in, then we were trapped like rats.

  Jeff dashed to the door panel. “We lock ourselves in!” He hit the button, but the door opened and closed again. It didn't lock.

  I called out, “Leon! Can you still respond?”

  The computer system no longer existed, but maybe it hadn’t been connected directly. Moments ticked by and the machine gun fire continued. Someone slowly made their way closer with lots of ammo to spare.

  “I hope it's the Link Brigade.” I murmured.

  Jeff cursed. “Someone help me find a lock!”

  Kessa came to the wall opposite of Jeff and ran her hands over the cold steel panels.

  “This isn’t going to work!” I said. “Leon, lock the door!”

  A static feedback came from the speakers, but I couldn’t make out if it were affirmation or denial. To hit the door switch again, would allow anything out there to get in.

  “Dooooomed!” Dave cried, still ducking, and covered his head. He'd lost it.

  I looked back to Jessie, who smiled at me sadly. Even if the Link Brigade were coming, they'd likely kill her for being infected.

  “Hide it,” I whispered and she nodded.

  The gunfire seemed neverending like they didn't even have to reload.

  Two quick explosions shook the room. Kessa gave up on the door and backed up, stepping behind me. I found each breath heavy, like an omen of death.

  “Jeff?” I said.

  “Yeah?” He looked over, worry in his eyes.

  “Guard the girls.”

  “What do you plan on doing? Playing the damn hero again?”

  “Do I have a choice? I’m the leader after all.”

  “Let me.” He argued. “You got stuff to live for.”

  “You’re stronger,” I replied. “You can protect the group better than I.”

  The rattling fire stopped, and all went silent. I stood before the door, prepared to tackle my foe, and likely get shot in the process. But at least the others could get the guns and flee.

  I waited, my heel back, ready to dash. The seconds ticked by as I held my breath, my heart pounding.

  “Come on,” I whispered. “Open the door.” Finally, I’d had enough. “Leon, unlock the door.”

  As soon as the speakers garbled nonsense, I charged. The slid open, and I skidded into the hall, slipping on Corpse matter. I caught myself on the window ledge to the next room. I couldn’t believe it. Nothing in the hall moved, not even a single Corpse twitched. Halfway down were scorch marks from the explosions, probably grenades. Whoever had come and blown the undead away, had left just as quick.

  “Zach?” Kessa called out.

  I steadied myself and shrugged. “We’re clear.”

  “We’re not doomed?” Dave peeked out.

  “I don’t know,” I replied.

  Jeff came out and kneeled next to the first Corpse then stood back up shaking his head. “Whoever it was, they saved our asses.”

  “I owe him lunch then,” Dave said.

  “You still owe me lunch.” Jeff quipped.

  “Sorry, I haven’t been able to cook in the ZPoc.”

  Jessie and Kessa both appeared, side by side, contrasted entirely. Kessa looked sexy, and tall, taller than me, and so model-esque. Jessie stood shorter and a bit curvier. I scanned them both from head to toe, and each smiled at me as if they were looking at their boyfriend. I couldn’t bear it, so I looked away.

  Jeff caught the concern on my face. Then he put his hand on my shoulder and whispered. “I know this new girl is hot. But don’t fall into that trap.”

  Dave came up and put his hand on my other shoulder and leaned in.

  “This Kessa.” He said. “I’ll take her off your hands. You take Jessie.”

  I rolled my eyes. “If it were only that simple.”

  “I think they’re talking about us,” Kessa said.

  “Sounds like it.” Jessie said, “Too bad we can hear most of it.”

  Dave chuckled nervously and walked ahead. Jeff followed him, clearing his throat.

  I tried to change the subject. “Something is going on. I can only hope it’s the Link Brigade.”

  Kessa snarled. “We can’t trust them! The two with the helmets grabbed and dragged me to Wayne as soon as we got here. They lied to us.”

  “Wedge told me how to get the code for the door. The Links want Wayne gone too.”

  I turned and started walking.

  Kessa caught up to me and spun me around. “You did it, didn’t you? She kept saying you were hot for your age. The whole ride she told me how I should have taken advantage of you the moment I met you.”

  I took her hand from my shoulder. “Calm down. They put me in a coma. She inserted the catheter; that’s it.”

  “That bitch.” Kessa hissed. “No one touches my angel but me!”

  I should have lied. Kessa stormed off ahead stomping a Corpse here and there.

  Jessie walked up to me and said in a low voice. “Wedge, Kessa, you’ve gotten around.”

  “W-what?” I asked in shock. “I told you nothing happened with Kessa, nor Wedge!”

  Jessie shook her head. “Come on.”

  I sighed and walked a few steps behind her, watching the way her hips swayed. I glanced further ahead at Kessa too. Why did I torture myself? Jessie likely couldn't be saved. Even if my theory of a vaccine proved true, could it cure the virus too?

  I couldn’t take it any longer. I caught up to Jessie and spun her around. Her eyes went wide as I locked lips with her. I gave it my all, pushing my tongue into her mouth and running my hands all over her, grabbing her from behind. She gave a tiny moan but then shoved me as hard as she could. I fell backward over a Corpse and landed hard on the cold floor.

  “No.” She said calmly.

  Kessa spun around. “What happened?”

  “Zach tripped,” Jessie said. “I was going to help him up!”

  “My angel!” Kessa cried, rushing to me. “Are you okay?”

  She reached her hand down, and I took it, feeling utterly humiliated. I tried not to take it personally. She just wanted to protect me from becoming infected too, and wanted nothing more than to be with me. Even though I knew the thoughts to be true, her rejection didn’t sting any less.

  Kessa helped me to my feet, and I walked past Jessie without looking at her. I shoved the thoughts away as we stepped out of the refrigerated hallway and into the normal one.

  “We need an exit,” Dave said.

  “We can’t leave.” I blocked him. “We’re going to pay that jackass Wayne a visit.”

  That son-of-a-bitch used Jessie as fishing bait. He ruined any chance I had at being truly happy. And that son-of-a-bitch would be paying with his life. I just had to decide if I wanted to let him become a Corpse. Did he even deserve that? No, I would just kill his ass.

  I led the way up the stairs and burst into the office of Governor Wayne. He sat behind his desk looking calm and collected.

  “So, you’ve finished your little scuffle with Patient Zero, and rescued your ragtag group?” Wayne asked with a chuckle.

  “About sums it up,” Jeff said. “Now we’re here to drag you to the Corpses.”

  “The zombies? If you had meant to do that, you should have kept some alive. You cleared out my entire collection. That wasn’t very nice.”

  “We didn’t—,” Dave said, but I jabbed him in the rib.

  “Sorry, you know, high scores and all.” I shrugged.

  Wayne frowned. “You sound like Wesley James. Nothing but a child wanting to prove himself before the world.”

  I kept going, “So, to top it off, I thought I’d take out the boss. But I don’t see one so you’ll have to do.”

  “Video games references.” Wayne spat. “I hate video games! They’re the reason my preci
ous Serenade is gone. And soon you'll be gone, too.”

  Wayne lifted a gun from behind his desk; a large silver revolver. He pointed straight at me. I couldn’t tell the caliber of the gun, but I had a feeling it could blow any of us away with a single, even poorly placed shot.

  “It doesn’t have to happen this way.” Jeff held up his hands.

  “The hell it doesn’t,” Wayne said with a dramatic laugh. “You’re all cohorts of that damn double crosser!”

  “Double-crosser?” Dave asked.

  “Don’t play innocent.” Wayne aimed between each of us. “Mr. James may have been working at Epic Impossibilities, but he had a hand in G.O.D Mode too. But when things didn’t go his way, when their aspirations grew to great, he backed out. Serenade followed him, and they manipulated others into forming their rival game company.”

  “What do video games have to do with any of this?” Jeff asked, “I mean they are just games!”

  “Just games?” Wayne threw his arms into the air. “It may have been a game to Wesley, to all of you. but to G.O.D. Mode, it is a pure reality.”

  I recognized the name G.O.D. Mode. I'd seen it on a video game at Epic Impossibilities.

  “A game company has a hand in the zombie apocalypse?” Jessie asked. “Why?”

  “Why not?” Wayne spit. “Set something loose, play your pieces and control everything from the background, just like a controller, never putting yourself at risk, and never losing a single life. It’s strategy.”

  “It still doesn’t make sense!” I broke in.

  Wayne snapped. “Shut up, brat! You know nothing of the world! You’re a baby in diapers compared to even Grandson.”

  “Grandson?” I whispered.

  Someone called Grandson, two game companies that had something to do with the undead invasion, and Wesley James. I felt like we were in a game, trying to piece together a puzzle on hard mode. And with the name G.O.D. Mode, it could mean only thing; that had to be the G.O.D. Beauregard mentioned.

  “What does G.O.D. Mode plan to do?” I asked.

  Wayne raised an eyebrow. “Do you think they would tell me? Whatever they're planning, it’s over my head. I’m just one of their pawns! I want them all dead as much as you do, but the power they wield makes them actual gods!”

  Dave held his hands up. “If you want them dead, why can’t we join forces?”

  “Simple. I’m not going up against them directly.” Wayne snapped, and then looked past us. “Ah, it was about time you got here!”

  “Sorry, sir.” Sergeant Fox said.

  The Link Brigade walked in and surrounded us, all five of them, each holding a gun pointed in our direction.

  “I knew you were in on this!” Kessa hissed at Wedge.

  Wedge shrugged and pointed a gun at her.

  Wayne said, “Even now the Omega Virus is being refined! It has unlimited potential, and as humans we are barely tapping in! Alas, I have said too much, no matter. Sergeant Fox, take these five teenagers to the Chamber.”

  “Sir!” Fox saluted Wayne.

  Wayne asked. “You look troubled.”

  Fox said, “There’s an intruder in the facility. Allow Lu and Lo to hunt them down.”

  Wayne waved his gun. “Fine, fine. Just take them. To the arena.”

  “Sir!” Fox nodded to the twins. I couldn’t tell them apart with the helmets on.

  An intruder? Did Wayne have more enemies? And were they on our side?

  Lu and Lo left the room while Fox grabbed me under my arms and shoved me forward.

  “March!” Fox yelled.

  I began walking and more than once, I wanted to wrestle Fox’s gun away. If I did Biggs or Wedge would shoot me dead, and the rest of us too. Single file we went, down the stairs and into the underground level. As we walked, Wedge came to the front and shoved me.

  “Hey!” I snapped.

  “You idiot!” She whispered through her teeth. “What were you thinking? Entering the labs without us!”

  “What does it matter? We killed Patient Zero!” I whispered back.

  “You did what?” She asked. “I don’t know what you think you did. But I guarantee it wasn’t dead. It’s practically a Lv02. There’s only one way to kill one. Headshots don’t work! And neither does decapitation or dismemberment. It will just put itself back together.”

  “When we left the glass was in its spine!” I argued.

  “Yeah and as soon as that piece is removed, it comes back to life more pissed off than before.”

  “So you’re going to feed us to it?” I asked.

  “No, it wouldn’t eat any of you, only other zombies to sustain its strength.”

  “Then where are you taking us?” I snapped.

  Wedge leaned in close, letting her lips graze my ear. “To get your revenge.”

  LEVEL 19 – RETRIBUTION

  Wedge brought us for revenge. So did she know about Jessie’s bite? Either way, I wanted it. Wayne had to pay. A smile crept across my lips. I saw myself placing a gun to Wayne and shooting him in the gut, and letting him bleed. Then I would shoot his kneecaps out and throw him into a horde of Corpses.

  In the cloud of darkness, a glimmer of conscience came through. I remembered Tiffany at the 7n20. She'd been so upset I’d taken a human life, even though they deserved it. Just like Wayne. She hadn't understood the new rules of the world.

  I clenched my fists as we walked down the rocky tunnel. With each life taken, would I lose my humanity?

  Before the outbreak, I never could have imagined taking a life, good or bad. I would’ve let justice take its course, in the new world justice had died. If I let Wayne live, then he would only hurt more innocents.

  “This is what you want, isn’t it?” Wedge's whisper snapped me back.

  “It is,” I said.

  She continued. “Are you or your friends up to it? I could do it. I won’t feel bad. I’m a soldier. It’s my job to kill the enemy. You're just a kid after all.”

  “Kids don’t exist anymore.” My voice iced over.

  Jessie spoke up. “This world is what we make it. You don’t need revenge for my sake.”

  I glanced back to find her looking serene. Had she accepted her death so readily?

  We came to a set of reinforced steel doors. I felt something cold slide into the back of my waistband. Wedge had given me a gun.

  She leaned in close again. “If you don’t do it, we will.”

  Fox and Biggs brought the rest of the Gamer's Guild behind us.

  Biggs pumped his fist. “I never thought Wayne would let us in here.”

  “Shuddup.” Fox snapped. “Don’t blow this. We need him to open the stores.”

  “The stores?” I asked.

  “Hush!” Wedge hissed.

  An intercom buzzed to life with Wayne's voice. “Fox, deliver the prisoners to the center of the arena. Patient Zero is being loaded onto the lift.”

  “Zero is really still alive?” Dave gasped.

  “Nice knowing you guys.” Jeff sighed.

  “We killed it once.”

  “It was still half frozen from its hibernation,” Fox said. “This time, we won’t be so lucky.”

  “You’re gonna fight on our side?” Dave asked.

  “Nah,” Biggs said. “We planned on leaving you to get ripped to pieces.”

  Dave chuckled nervously. “That means you're on our side, right?”

  Biggs didn't answer as steel doors slid open.

  Kessa wrapped her arms around me. “I just wanted to let you know; I love you!”

  “We’re not going to die. Not a single one of us.” I said.

  “You said you could only kill a Lv02 one way?” Jeff asked, “Pray tell what is it?”

  Wedge laughed. “Not easily.”

  “Seriously?” Dave asked, annoyed. “I thought you had a plan!”

  Fox adjusted the gun strap of his AR-15. “We found a Lv02 on the road. It was loaded with lead, burnt, and blown apart; the bastard was still twitching.”
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  “Have a little faith, sir,” Biggs responded.

  “Crap, faith ain’t done nothing for us, and you know it,” Fox replied. “And mother bugging dead things rule the world now. Forgive me for my lack of belief in a higher power.”

  “Ever the atheist.” Biggs chuckled.

  The door clanked to a halt leaving a wide-open view of the cave beyond. The facility had been 3D printed, but this had already been here. Being greater in size than a football field, it stood large enough to look like a gladiatorial arena.

  “This is where it happened.” Jessie breathed.

  I spied a wooden beam sticking out like a fishing rod dipped into the arena. They'd strung her up there. Anger boiled within, but Fox jammed his gun in between my shoulder blades.

  “Ow!”

  “Gotta make this look real until he plays his hand.” Fox reminded me.

  I led the procession of prisoners to a metal platform above the arena. We all stepped on, save the Link Brigade. I watched Wedge’s eyes as Biggs flipped a switch, lowering us. When we stepped off the lift, it went back up. A ploy or not, I didn't look forward to being a sitting duck.

  “I don’t like this!” Dave whimpered.

  Jeff elbowed him. “Quiet! None of us do!”

  I watched the three Link Brigade members walk around the rim above. Halfway there I spotted a silver tube leading up into the ceiling. It looked like an elevator, probably from Wayne’s office. Sure enough, the door opened, and the bastard stepped out.

  “Ah yes, there it goes.” Wayne’s voice boomed through the cavern. “Come, come, children, move toward the center so I can get a better look at you.”

  “Don’t give him the satisfaction,” Jeff said.

  “I want a good view if they decide to blow his brains out,” I replied and walked towards the center. I didn’t look back to see if the others followed.

  Wayne said. “As I'm sure you've noticed, the Omega Virus is not contained. In fact, it’s spreading, evolving even! If left alone, the zombies will change; grow stronger, and faster. We discovered this when we found a Lv02 rampaging Houston. So many soldiers fell. And the speed at which they turned was far greater than ever anticipated.”

  I arrived at the near center of the arena and stared up at Wayne. Fox stood to his left, and Biggs to his right. I didn’t see Wedge.