Omega Virus (Book 1): Beta Hour

by Jake A. Strife

  The fact that I still burned up didn’t bode well, but I hugged her close. I couldn't smell her due to a stuffy nose, but my hunger still threatened to control me. For the moment, I felt content holding her head to my chest. When it had been Kessa, and me, such a moment would have turned into a mad make-out session. But cuddling with our bare skin against each other felt better than anything that ever happened to me. Guilt crept across me. Kessa had died, and the blame landed on me.

  As if reading my mind, Jessie whispered. “It's not your fault that Kessa died. You did everything you could. Don’t beat yourself up. The best you can do is go on living for her.”

  With a solemn nod, I hugged Jessie even tighter.

  “Be gentle.” She giggled.

  “Whoa! What was that?” Wesley jumped into our conversation. Dave, too, stared over wide-eyed.

  “Get your mind out of the gutter!” I tossed a wet sock at him.

  “Now throwing stinky socks is where I draw the line!” Wesley said. “I need to find some clothes. There’s gotta be something in one of these closets.”

  “Who said it was stinky?” I whispered.

  “It wasn’t,” Jessie said. “I’m sure like the rest of you, it smells wonderful.”

  Being so close to one another turned out to be all I could ask for, but time waned. Despite being nearly naked, she still hadn’t seen my bite. So I kept my leg turned to the side and hidden from sight.

  About ten minutes later Wesley emerged from another room dressed in a black shirt and black pair of jeans. He tossed a bundle of clothes at us.

  “I found everything.” He said. “Even underwear for his and hers.”

  I sorted out the pile and found socks and quickly put those on first, pulling them over the bite once again. Jessie took her clothes, a jean skirt, tank top and a thong.

  “Really?” she sighed.

  “Sexy,” I grinned at her.

  Her cheeks turned rosy red, and she quickly walked to the other side of the room, my eyes trailing her.

  Wesley and Dave were already leaving the room. I watched in anticipation as Jessie unhooked her bra and let it fall to the floor. She started to lower her undies, and I saw the beginning of her behind, but then she looked over her shoulder.

  “Zach!” She said. “Don’t peek!”

  “S-sorry!” I said, turning around.

  I changed all of my clothes and pulled on jean shorts and a blue and yellow striped shirt—Definitely not my sense of fashion. Turning back I found Jessie already dressed. My eyes trailed her up and down. She had a pair of ankle converse on and above them were a pair of gorgeous legs. She caught me staring and shook her head with a smile.

  “You’re bad.” She came over and threw her arms around me. “But you know what?”

  “What?” I embraced her, as she put her lips to my ear.

  “I peeked, so I guess I'm worse.”

  Tingles ran through me. She'd peeked at me when I was undressed.

  “No fair.” I nibbled on her earlobe. “I didn't get to see anything.”

  “Later.” she stuck her tongue in my ear, and every hair on my body stood up.

  We fell over onto a couch, and we made out, grinding against each other, I thought I would die if we didn't get to go all the way.

  Wesley's voice broke our fun. “We're here! You two decent or are you in the throes of passion?”

  “We're dressed” Jessie, and I called back in unison.

  Wesley walked in and nodded to us as we continued to hold on to each other.

  “What a cute couple.” He looked me in the eye, and I could see words forming. He wanted me to tell her, but I just couldn’t.

  “So what’s out there?” I asked.

  “See for yourself,” Wesley said as Jessie walked past.

  I gave him a serious look. “What were you about to tell me?”

  “Now, isn’t the time.” He walked to the door.

  “Tell me!”

  “It isn’t important right now.” He said. “Believe me, you don’t want to hear it.”

  “Yes, I do!” I stomped my foot.

  “Here's a deal.” He said. “I’ll tell you when you tell Jessie she’s still infected.”

  My heart sank. Wesley, the biggest jerk I’d ever met.

  “Fine,” I said. “It’ll just have to wait until we get that vaccine then.”

  “If you want to wait that long to find out about her.” He said. “Then it’s no business of mine!”

  “Who?” I asked.

  Wesley shrugged and walked out of the room. I rushed after him, but I forgot about my anger when I saw it. We were docked next to a cruise ship, labeled, ‘S.S. G.O.D.”

  “These guys aren’t subtle are they?” I asked in awe.

  Wesley shook his head. “In the Zombie Apocalypse, subtlety has gone out the window.”

  LEVEL 36 – DYING LIGHT

  I ended up being the last one up the ladder, and onto the deck of the S.S. G.O.D., a massive cruise liner. The rain had briefly let up, but the smell of a wet stink still hung in the air. An eerie aura seemed to float between us. Much like Rockport, no sign of life existed.

  Jeff broke the silence first, “It's quiet.”

  Dave whispered, “You could almost say, too quiet.”

  Jeff spun around, hissing. “I oughta smack you, idiot! You know what happens when people say things like that!”

  “Well, you started it.” Dave's eyes darted around nervously.

  Ignoring the circus clowns, I continued looking around. From below it had looked like a cruise ship, but on deck, it appeared more militarized, complete with cannons and more machine gun turrets.

  Jessie walked towards the center of the deck. “What could they possibly need this for? Who do they need to fight? Who’s left?”

  Wesley joined Jessie and put his hands on his hips. “There's a rival group called Devil Code. They were who I sought out when I went north.”

  “New information to me,” I said. “If they rival these bastards, maybe we should join up with them.”

  Wesley spun in a circle, arms out wide. “You'd think G.O.D. Mode would've considered us more of a threat. They underestimated us. I’m hurt!”

  “There’s still plenty they could do to stop us,” Jeff warned. “Especially with us being unarmed.”

  “I’m beginning to think they're just screwing with us,” Wesley replied. “Think about it. They may have blown us out of the air from Rockport, but here they have triple the firepower. Why not kill us as we approached?”

  “The storm is messing with their guidance system!” Dave suggested.

  “I have a feeling they have better tech than that,” Jeff argued.

  Jessie stared up into the clouds, then looked back to Wesley. “Unless this isn’t a normal storm?”

  Jeff shrugged. “They're controlling the weather too. I wouldn’t be surprised.”

  “Don’t be foolish,” Wesley said. “No one can control the weather.”

  I walked past them, further down the deck. It split into two parts and from what I could tell, the front part where we stood had a building built into the front. With only one story, it stood wide and long. Beyond the building, towards the back of the ship, were more cannons. Not just the kind on pirate ships, they were big and looked as if they could blow a hole in the moon.

  “Let’s start looking for the way down into the base,” I said.

  “Do you think it’s under the ship?” Jessie asked.

  “Affirmative.” Wesley nodded. “Let's start with the cabin over here.”

  We walked across the deck, our footsteps clacking on the wood. A sudden boom of thunder exploded over the ship, and Jessie cried out and grabbed my arm. I tried to comfort her, but another boom overtook my voice. Still she nodded, her wet locks stuck to her forehead.

  Wesley stopped short outside of the cabin. “Cover me.”

  Dave scoffed. “With what? Our good looks?”

  “The only one with good looks here is me,�
� Jeff said.

  “Yeah, right.” I murmured. Only Jessie could make that claim, and she seemed too modest.

  Wesley held up three fingers and counted down, three, two, one. He threw open the door and rushed inside. I went in next and bumped into him. I had to bite my tongue to keep from crying out.

  “What's this?” Wesley asked.

  A flash of lightning illuminated the cabin, revealing a large dining hall with a dance floor in the middle. Strung up through the cabin were balloons and other festive looking decorations. At the side of the room, just by the dance floor sat a stage.

  “If I didn’t know any better,” Jeff said. “I’d think they were planning a wedding.”

  “Grandson is too young to get married,” Jessie said.

  “You know what else goes out the window in the Zombie Apocalypse?” Wesley spoke up. “Laws.”

  I approached the nearest table. Four plates and silverware were set in the center, as well, as a candle encased in glass. Every table looked the same. With a crackle of energy, each candle flickered to life.

  “What the crap?” Dave breathed.

  If the room hadn’t been eerie enough, the self-lighting candles took the cake. But it got even stranger. An old instrumental song began to play. It sounded like a waltz. Out of nowhere there stood three people on the stage. They were clearly holograms.

  “Shh!” Wesley held out his hand for no one to move.

  They were that of a bride, with a veil covering her face, a man in a groom’s tuxedo and behind them stood a pastor; a fat man with a puffy white beard. I recognized him instantly.

  “Beauregard!” I whispered.

  Both the bride and groom were looking to Beauregard. He cleared his throat and said, “We are gathered here today to take this man and woman to be bonded together in matrimony.”

  Wesley walked over to a table, pulled out a chair, and plopped himself down. He crossed one leg over the other and leaned forward on his elbow.

  “Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?” Beauregard asked the groom.

  “I do.” A familiar voice said.

  Then he turned to the bride. “Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

  The bride quickly nodded. “I do.” She also sounded familiar.

  “By the authority vested in me by the State of Vexen, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”

  Dave spoke up. “Where's Vexen?”

  Jeff punched him in the arm. “Shh!”

  The groom turned to the side, and my jaw dropped. He looked just like me but older, maybe thirty-something.

  I approached the stage and noticed a crescent moon shaped scar under his eye. The same as mine, again. I stepped back and looked at the bride. Who could she be? What were we witnessing?

  The groom lifted the bride’s veil, and she hid behind her hands, overwhelmed with joy.

  “Come on.” The hologram and I said in unison. “Look up.”

  The girl moved her hands, and I nearly fell over. If the face of the bride had been Jessie, I would’ve believed the scenario, but the face belonged to Tiffany and just as myself, she looked to be about thirty.

  The two leaned in close and kissed. Beauregard looked away, blushing.

  “H-how?” I stumbled into a table, causing a plate to fall and shatter.

  The music cut off, and the holograms fizzled into the air, except for Beauregard.

  “Zach?” He asked, and looked right at me. “If you are watching this, then you have found the G.O.D Report Part 2.”

  I staggered towards the stage. “Beauregard! Can you hear me?”

  “This, unfortunately, is only a recording.” The hologram said. “But I want to fill you in with as much information as I can.”

  “Please!” I said.

  “First off, I wanted to clear something up.” Beauregard continued. “I am the uncle you may or may not remember, but in truth, I'm as much your uncle as your friend Dave. I took you away from your home in Ohio... I took you away from your childhood friend Tiffany Gainsborough and I took you away from the dangers that lie there.”

  I shook my head, “But I don’t understand!”

  “This may seem confusing, as you likely have no memories of ever living in Ohio. I stole those from you. Maybe you don’t remember Tiffany either, but here you are marrying her. This video happens more than ten years into the Apocalypse. So one day, this will likely be a reality.”

  “What?” My eyes began to water.

  “Shh!” Wesley hushed me. “This is where it gets good! Pay attention!”

  “You probably have found out by now, there is a man-made virus, manufactured from a newly discovered element called Omega. Three people worked on this virus together. Myself, a man calling himself Grandfather, and another man, Dante. I regret that I had anything to do with this, but you must understand Grandfather was my friend; until the virus corrupted him to allowing it to spread across the world.

  I know little of his motives any longer, but I do know he was after you. Thus, I took you to Rockport, then I was forced to leave you with your 'aunt' in Milpeg.

  This virus is lethal, and will turn most infected within minutes, if not hours; some subjects have lasted days. I tried to create a cure at the same time we developed the virus, but I did not succeed. My research was taken over by a Dr. Belmont, right before Grandfather ousted me from his circle.

  When the Omega Virus leaks and trust me, it will, the dead will rise and begin to feast upon the flesh of every living thing in this world. No one is safe! Not humans, or beasts. The virus is powerful. Not only does it infect, kill and resurrect the host, but it also evolves at an alarming rate. What one day may be a ‘zombie’ of a human being, may the next be something more akin to an ogre. And it continues from there.

  The strongest evolution we have seen in a human being is what we call a Lv04; it is far superior to the others in every way.

  Why am I telling you all of this? I want you to survive the ZPoc. I love you like the son I never had. If it were not for me, you wouldn't exist. One day this video of you and your beloved Tiffany will come true, I believe. I want this future for you, Zachary. I want this for you more than anything else in the world. And for this reason, I must place the world’s weight on your shoulders. You are the key to ending this for good.

  The enemy calls themselves G.O.D. Mode and you must use their own weapon against them. You must collect the seven—”

  The image of Beauregard fizzled away, along with the video and music. Then, one by one, each candle went out, leaving us in the dark.

  “Wait! Come back!” I pleaded. I felt so confused. How could I fight G.O.D. Mode? Why did it fall on me to end the ZPoc?

  A spotlight appeared by the middle of the cabin, and it shone down on a pedestal. Something rested atop it.

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  Wesley stood up. “It looks like a vile.”

  With every ounce of energy I had in me, I rushed across the room. I bounded between tables, knocking over chairs, tripping more than once, and shattering plates. I came to a halt before the pedestal. There were two items on it; an injector gun, and a vial of golden liquid.

  “Oh Gaming Gods,” I whispered. “The vaccine! This is the vaccine!”

  I carefully picked the vial up and put it in the injector gun, being sure not to drop it. On the table underneath, the gun rested a note.

  “You’re Welcome, but this is the last vaccine. The others are gone.”

  -Grandson

  Looking over my shoulder, I found my friends approaching. Jessie looked paler than ever.

  “Jessie,” I said. “I need you to come here quick.”

  “What is it?” She but staggered and fell into a chair. “Hold on.”

  “What’s wrong?” Jeff rushed to Jessie's side.

  “Are you alright?” Dave asked. “Is she sick?”

  “I feel…” Jessie hesitated. “I feel like I’m infected again. But how is t
hat possible?”

  I opened my mouth and shook my head.

  “Maybe you are?” Wesley said.

  I shot him a look of utter shock and anger.

  “How?” She began to sob. “Zach cured me!”

  “It…” I whispered.

  “Speak up!” Wesley turned me to face Jessie.

  “It was only…” My voice trailed off.

  “It was only what?” Jessie looked at me with red eyes.

  “It was only a temporary vaccine,” I said, and she looked at me with contempt.

  “You lied to me?” Jessie snapped. “I thought I was cured! That we would actually have a life together and all the while I was still slowly turning into a Corpse?”

  “I’m sorry, Jess! I didn’t want to worry you!”

  “Worry me?” She cried. “I’m dying, Zach! I had a right to know!”

  “I didn’t tell you because I have the real vaccine now.”

  “Is that really it?” She eyed it. “Or is a temporary one?”

  “It’s real this time!” I pleaded.

  I looked Jessie in the eyes, and she nodded; tears still streaming. I took her arm and put the injector gun to her skin; I pulled the trigger. Her eyes went wide and her pupil’s dilated. She fell back in her chair and began to convulse. I grabbed onto her and held her still.

  “Hang in there!” I said. “Just hang in there! It’ll be over soon!”

  She shook so badly I feared she would swallow her tongue, but then finally after a long seizure she stopped and fell forward. I caught her in my arms, and my eyes began to water because I knew that even though I had just saved her life, I'd sealed my fate. Of course, the silly hologram video would never come to pass. Tiffany had died, and I soon too.

  “Oh, Jessie,” I said. “I’m so sorry! I love you, and I’m so, so sorry!”

  Jessie's eyes opened, and she wrapped me in a tight hug. “Why are you sorry Zach? I forgive you! I don’t know what that hologram video was, but we can finally be together because I love you too!”

  “Jessie,” I said. “That’s just the thing.”

  “What is?” She took my hands and squeezed, but then her eyes grew wide. “The fever! No, no, no! Don’t tell me! Please don’t say what I think you’re going to say!”