Omega Virus (Book 1): Beta Hour

by Jake A. Strife

  My heart nearly pounded a hole in my chest as I waited for the Corpses to pass. Only a thin sheet of glass separated us from the looming shadows.

  “There you are!” A gruff voice snarled.

  My throat clenched. A long groan came from inches away and then a sickening squish. A thud followed, and the same man began laughing.

  “God, I love this!” He laughed.

  “Stop screwing around!” Another man said. “The damn zombie didn’t fire the gun! We have to find who did!”

  “Shuddup, Blue.” The first argued. “Who knows nowadays? These things are getting bigger and stronger, not to mention smarter too!”

  “Red, the only one who needs to get smarter is you!” Blue gave a heavy sigh.

  Were they military? If I joined, I’d be safe, but I couldn't risk them killing Jessie. Instead of jumping up and pleading for help, I held my breath and kept my mouth shut.

  “Whoever fired the damn gun could be anywhere.” Red belched.

  A second later came the crunch of an aluminum can, and then clattering.

  “You shouldn’t even be drinking!” Blue growled, “We’re looking after one of the only damn men who can fix this crap.”

  “But he ain't fixn' it!” Red said. “So let’s quit bitchin’ and start moving!”

  “I swear.” Blue sighed as their footsteps became distant. “Why do I have to patrol with you? Just let the next zombie eat my brains.”

  Finally, I released my breath. Jessie stirred. Her eyes cracked open, and I could still see life in them.

  “You’re here.” She whispered, and slipped back into unconsciousness.

  “I’m still here.” I nodded. “And I’m getting you somewhere safe. Then I'll find that ‘important’ guy they’re guarding. It has to be the scientist from the mansion.”

  I thought I saw Jessie smile, but it'd been a trick of the light. I peeked up over the wall and spotted the two men walking about a block away. I marked it to memory; that would be the way I’d head.

  Once again, I pulled Jessie's arm over my shoulder, somehow finding the strength to stand.

  “Almost there,” I whispered as I carried her outside.

  To my surprise, the sun already seemed to be setting. The drive had been longer than I'd thought. Long shadows bathed everything in darkness. Upon reaching the habitable-looking building, I brought Jessie into the lobby. Mailboxes ran along the walls, and elevators were on the far end.

  “If only they worked.” I murmured, carrying Jessie towards the stairs.

  Remembering my run in with a stairwell before, I kicked the door open, ready to shoot. Thankfully there weren't any Corpses this time. I stared up into the dark stairwell. Somewhere high above there, I spotted a bit of waning sunlight; a sign possibly. I would start there.

  “Come on,” I whispered and began the climb. I passed the first floor, the second, and all the way to the fifth; but by that point, I'd run out of breath. The light rested just above us.

  “One more floor,” I whispered, and continued climbing.

  A few steps later, I found the door to the sixth floor wide open. Sunlight crawled its way in from a window on my left. The warm sunlight fell on Jessie’s face as I looked down at her. Even being so pale, with blue lips, and dark circles around her eyes, no one's beauty compared. I had every reason to save this girl’s life.

  I looked up and down the carpeted hallway. Apartments were on each side. I chose the first on my left because my arms were about to give out, apartment #621. With a sigh, I set Jessie down and tried the doorknob. Luckily, it turned, and I opened the door.

  The air inside blasted me with musk. No one had opened it in a long time, possibly long before the ZPoc had gone down. Inside there were large cardboard boxes here and there. The floor lay carpeted in dust bunnies, and windows blinds hung broken. I pulled Jessie into the living room and leaned her against the wall. After I had closed the door, I checked my gun and went to the inside hall. One door rested on either side. I tapped the one on the right and listened. No groans came from within. I tapped the left one, and it creaked open a few inches.

  “Hello?” I called in.

  When no answer came, I pushed it open. I'd found the bathroom. The shower curtain had been torn down, and the sink had backed up, filled with gunky water. One safe room.

  I turned back to the other room knowing it had to be the bedroom. I pushed the door open and aimed my gun, ready to shoot whatever moved, thankfully nothing did. This room had nothing inside except a mattress and a box spring. I kneeled down and pressed my down with my hand. It sank in and seemed comfortable; the perfect place for Jessie to rest.

  A moment later I had Jessie on the mattress, and I covered her with Wesley’s trench coat. She let out a small groan and rolled onto her side. I sighed and went to the window. The sun had fully set, and darkness had come to reign.

  “Going out now is suicide,” I whispered, but I glanced back at Jessie, who had curled into the fetal position. I didn’t have the luxury of safety. Jessie had hours if that. I kneeled next to her and drew the ID badge out of her pocket. The name on the badge read Dr. Marvel Belmont and had a photo of a man, the one from the camcorder video. He had to be the important person the ruffians mentioned.

  Jessie rolled onto her back and shook. I grabbed her shoulders and held her still. She'd fallen into a seizure. I stayed by her side until it ended.

  “I’ll hurry!” I leaned down and kissed her lips.

  With that, I jumped to my feet and headed to the front door. I made sure to leave it unlocked and left. Even though Jessie unconscious on the way up, it creeped me out much more being alone. It dawned on me I'd never been truly alone since the ZPoc began. I didn't enjoy the feeling.

  I walked outside into the cold night air. My breath floated, visible in the air. It had grown beyond chilly. I held up the ID badge, trying to get a good look at the address.

  “3440 Monroe St.” I read aloud. “Now where the heck is that?”

  I glanced around, and spotted a sign; it read ‘Main Street.'

  “A lot of help that is.” I sighed.

  I had no idea how to find anything in a city to which I'd never been. Maybe a map store? They had maps at gas stations. I would just have to start there.

  With that, I began walking, sticking close to the buildings. A few times I heard Corpses groaning somewhere up above, but I didn’t spot them.

  I always looked over my shoulder so I could find my way back. It took twenty minutes, but I finally found a gas station. But with it came a problem, or about thirty-seven problems, so I counted. Outside of the entrance, everywhere from the pumps to all sides of the building were Corpses. They stood around, aimlessly moving, bumping into each other, and into the pumps themselves.

  Checking my pistol, I shook my head. I didn’t have more than six shots, and that wouldn’t take care even a third of the undead blocking my way.

  “How do I get in there?” I shivered as a cold gust blew by.

  If I fired my gun as a distraction, I’d be down a bullet, and I needed them all. Not to mention Red and Blue would hear, and they weren’t friendly. I would just have to sneak. My adrenaline pumped as I snuck up behind a car across from the station.

  I peeked up and over and watched the Corpses. Several shambled on the side of the building where a side entrance existed, a door into an auto repair garage. Being my only chance to get inside, I could only hope it remained unlocked.

  As I waited, I tried to determine a pattern to the way the creatures moved, but felt silly after a while. They didn’t seem to be attracted by anything. Every time one accidently kicked a rock, and it made a noise, they would all turn and walk in that direction.

  I searched for something to throw, but a sudden blaring car alarm went off across the street. Had a Corpse bumped into a car? Either way, I took advantage as the undead horde shambled in that direction.

  Running, I made it to the door and tugged the handle. Of course, it didn't open. In a panic, I sh
oved it with my shoulder. It budged open, but something blocked the door. Pushing harder, I made something inside collapsed, but that also created a loud clanking just as the car alarm died. That’s when all of the Corpses turned to me. I slammed harder into the door. I looked up to see the first of thirty-seven undead stalk back in my direction, followed by thirty-six others.

  LEVEL 26 – DUTY

  Every last Corpse locked onto me and headed my way. I needed to get inside. Something in the window caught my eye. Just a few feet away, I spied a map stand. Break the glass, and run; a simple plan.

  Some Corpses limped, others crawled with torn limbs, but still some came at me in a frantic shamble. As they closed the gap, I darted to the window. I pulled out my pistol and smashed it in.

  From nowhere a Corpse broke out of the group running like a maniac, arms flailing. I’d never seen a Lv01 run, and it caught me totally off guard. It lunged and grabbed my arm just as I grabbed a map. The creature’s gripped so tightly, I lost hold of my gun, and it fell inside the building.

  This Corpse didn't seem interested in eating me. Instead, it struggled, trying to break my arm. The advanced Corpse opened its mouth, and its jaw cracked as it detached. Fangs came down from the roof of its mouth. I gasped, thinking it finally meant to tear into me; instead, it screamed in my face. The sonic blast lifted me off my feet and sent me crashing through the window. Like a ragdoll, I flew through shelves and anything else that stood in the way, finally slamming into the far wall. Objects rained down around me, and my ears rang as if a gunshot had gone off point blank.

  I didn’t have time to sit there waiting for the ringing to wear off, but I couldn't see or hear.

  “Get up,” I said, unable to hear.

  “Get up!” I said louder.

  “Get up!” I shouted but still couldn't hear.

  I stretched my fingers and felt the thick stickiness beneath me. My insides twisted as I feared the worst. I held my hands in front of me, but I couldn't make out anything. The liquid dripped down my wrists.

  “Dumb, dumb.” I heard Tiffany’s voice in the back of my mind. “Get up.”

  I knew it couldn't be her, not only because she'd died, but because my ears still rang.

  “Dumb, dumb! Get up or die!” She screamed.

  Before I could even try, a heavy hand wrapped around my throat and slammed me into the wall. I kicked my legs as it lifted me. I looked down at the shadowy figure holding me high against the wall.

  “What—are—you?” I asked.

  The shadow pulled me forward then slammed me back against the wall again and again. Each hit knocked air out, I feared I would never get back. A different corpse, a Lv03 perhaps, slammed me like I weighed nothing.

  Tears rolled down my cheeks. Death had come, and that meant Jessie's fate had been sealed too. Just then the ringing faded, and I could finally hear.

  “What are you—” It spoke and slammed me. “—Doing here?”

  I couldn’t answer; I had no breath.

  “Mercenary scum!” It hissed and slammed again.

  Across the room, the glass doors shattered and the Corpses started in.

  My assailant dropped me and for a brief moment in the dark, I saw the flicker of green light in the attacker’s eyes. He walked straight for the undead. I could barely see, but he moved faster than a human, or Corpse. He swung his fists in an insane wave of attacks, grunting with each strike. A flicker of flame came to life. I almost thought Corpses could produce flame, but I realized instead, the creature held a lighter. Horror came over me. He planned on blowing the gas station sky high!

  “Get up idiot!” Tiffany screamed in my head. “Zach, get up!”

  Somehow I found strength and rushed for the back. I knew I couldn't escape past the intelligent undead. I ran past the maps and grabbed one. I didn’t have time to look for my pistol, I'd lost it for good. I flew into the back room and stumbled into a tool cabinet that blocked the exit door. I braced myself against the wall and pushed with both feet, forcing the cabinet out of the way.

  Quickly, I threw the door open and took two steps when the night lit up with a gigantic fireball. The shockwave blew over me and once again, I felt like a rag doll, tumbling away. I tried to tuck in my arms and legs as I rolled.

  Did I fly twenty feet? Forty? One hundred? I couldn't tell. As I came to a stop, I felt burning heat on my legs. I looked down to see my pants on fire. I did the first thing that came to find, I rolled back and forth. Finally, the fire snuffed out, and I whispered thanks to the gaming gods.

  Maybe thirty yards away, the gas station ruins remained. Fire and black smoke billowed into the night. If the militants were around, Blue and Red, then they soon come investigate the scene.

  I rubbed my eyes, and as soon as my head stopped spinning, I found myself against a car, its door dented in. My mind buzzed with questions. The Corpse that nearly killed me spoke. But how? It seemed different than the one that threw me inside. Were they both Lv03s? Or even something more twisted?

  As I tried to stand, my legs nearly buckled. I leaned against the green Corvette that had broken my tumble. Nearby Corpses headed for the fire, not caring to look my way. They were drawn like moths. Surely every undead in Houston would be heading my way.

  “Holy hell.” I breathed, as I felt the map in my hand. “I can't believe I still have this.”

  I unfolded the paper and pulled out Dr. Belmont's ID badge. I read the address again, then scoured the map. Several blocks away, I spotted Monroe Street. Not far, but not close either. It would take a while to get to on foot. I couldn't take a car or the living, and the dead would take notice. The last thing I needed would be to run into either. I shuddered at the thought of the shadow Corpse attacking me again. Next time he’d finish the job.

  “Red?” I heard Blue call from nearby. “Red, where the hell did you go?”

  The militants had already arrived. I spun behind the Corvette and peaked over to see a man come around the corner, dressed in brown and green camo.

  “Red?” the man called out.

  “It was probably just a freak accident.” Red appeared from a nearby alley.

  He had a short red mohawk and wore a tank top, despite the freezing temperatures.

  “Can we put it out?” Blue asked.

  “Doubt it.” The other muscle-head spit. “It’ll just have to burn itself out. Nothing else caught fire.”

  “Why does this crap happen on my watch?” Blue put his head in his hands.

  Both of the militants had an assault rifle strapped to their backs. Red also had a pump-action riot shotgun.

  “Hold up,” Red said. “I think I found something.”

  Blue cocked his head as Red turned in my direction and walked toward the Corvette. I held my breath and watched him. I didn’t have a gun and knew I couldn't fight them. Thankfully, Red stopped short of the car and kneeled down.

  “An ID badge for the Labs,” Red said. “Well, what do you effing know? It's the boss' ID!”

  Two things dawned on me, their boss wasn’t President Luigi, and two I no longer held Dr. Belmont's badge.

  I silently cursed myself out.

  “He said he left it back at his house.” Blue scratched his head. “How the hell did it end up out here?”

  “Who knows,” Red said. “Good thing I found it, though, if anyone else did they could get access to the Labs.”

  My heart sank. My ticket to the labs had been stolen. Now someone held it who would never hand it over, even if I asked nicely.

  “Well let’s get back,” Blue said. “I don’t like being out here with the Creepers running around.”

  “Yeah, Creepers, zombies, I don’t like any of them,” Red replied.

  Red and Blue left in the direction of the labs. I had no choice, I needed to follow the jerks.

  With a sigh, I edged along behind the cars and watched them go. I darted every time they were far enough away, running from one piece of wreckage to the next.

  After five blocks t
hey hadn’t noticed, so things weren’t going so badly. I’d almost reached G.O.D. Mode Games, and I still needed to somehow get that badge. Red and Blue were a full block ahead of me. I moved forward just as a shadow figure stepped out in front of the pair of militants. I gasped and dove behind a wrecked car.

  “A creeper! Crap!” Red shouted.

  I watched the scene unfold. Both Blue and Red drew their rifles and unleashed hell. The figure leaped into the air and came down behind them. They spun and fired in my direction. I ducked my head and rushed to the next car, out of the line of fire. Red and Blue fired and fired, but the single creature they called a Creeper proved too fast. It leaped about like a frog, from the tops of cars to hanging on the wall of buildings.

  “Shoot the damn thing!” Red screamed.

  Out of the alley came a sonic screech, followed by an elongated arm, stretching like rubber. It grabbed Blue by his head and tore him into the alley with a loud scream.

  “Bob!” Red roared and ignored the Creeper. He aimed his gun into the alley and fired there instead.

  A blood-chilling scream pierced the night from the alley. Something had killed Blue.

  “Bastards!” Red roared.

  He reached for his belt and pulled a grenade pin from his teeth, then hurled it into the alley. An explosion of dust and debris launched into the air. Red stood still, waiting, ready to shoot again.

  I didn’t want to get closer, but I needed that ID badge!

  The Creeper now hung off a lamppost by one arm, staring down at Red, laughing.

  “Merc scum! Merc scum!” It mocked.

  Red yelled. “Shut the hell up!”

  He spun to aim at the mocking creature and fired, but the attack never met its target. Another arm shot out of the alley and grabbed Red's arm.

  “No!” I cried, running straight for him.

  Red stared at me, and I became the last thing he ever saw. A split-second later, the elongated arm ripped him from his spot, right into the shadow tomb.