John looks forward while driving thinking on what Mike had just told him as two police cars come speeding past in the opposite direction.
"I had another one last night. Charlotte asked me again this morning what I do."
Lizzie voices through from the back seat upon hearing John.
"Your dream, it was warning you."
John turns his attention toward Lizzie before turning back to the road upon voicing "I saw them, as in the dream this morning looking through my office door window."
Ray somewhat leans in to ask John.
"In your lab?"
John looks to Ray and Lizzie through the rearview mirror nodding before turning back to the road.
"Exactly as in the dream."
Mike looks toward him, and somewhat fixated on John from what he had just heard.
"Hell!"
All sit quiet for a moment as they see more police heading toward them with lights flashing and sirens blaring as Lizzie moves on to ask.
"Was there anything else you remember?"
John begins to reach into his pocket, pulling out the USB drive with all attention looking toward the device appearing in hand.
"Yeah, there was. This."
CHAPTER 11
Debrief
Jim begins to inform his men of the task ahead of them, advising of the developed strain and what they potentially could be up against from those who have become infected.
"Right listen up, we don’t have all the details at this stage, but we do know there has been a breach at VIROTEL CORPORATION, with civilian casualties and infected persons moving off site. I’m sure all of you who were there will remember the school, well you’re about to meet their cousin. Like there, a one shot kill is the target, and use your rounds sparingly for we don’t know how many we’re up against. The strain has developed further, and I’m sure we will have more details as they arrive although we’ll see for ourselves soon enough. The local enforcement are currently moving in on the scene, we need to cover them and clean up this mess before anymore civilians become infected."
Jim pauses momentarily looking to his men with a slightly concerned tone as he continues.
"Use extreme caution today and remain vigilant! We’ll work our way from the South East supporting local enforcement in the process then sweep wide looking to move back toward the compound as backup arrives, and if it gets too hot be prepared to abort. Now, until then, are there any questions?"
Some of Jim’s men look to others, with two questions coming from the recent additions to the unit.
"What happened Sir, and what are we up against?"
"Yeah, and what are they going to do if it’s too hot?"
Jim looks at the two men from their questions, then speaking to both as he moves his attention toward the entire unit.
"Like I said, we don’t have all the details, but the enemy will no longer appear human, and we’ll worry about that if the time comes."
Jim while looking toward his men, and then without any further delay turns to Sergeant.
"Right, let's move on out!"
The Sergeant turns to the men, with some who appear deep in their own thoughts on what they had just heard.
"You heard the man, let's move!"
All the men move out swiftly toward the awaiting three helicopters as they soon pack in with their weapons in hand, placing upright standing between their legs as the helicopters ready for takeoff and Jim entering the lead.
The helicopters immediately take off upon loading, moving out and heading toward the compound with the men inside considering what’s install for them upon their arrival.
Each in their own thoughts, with some looking out from the helicopter toward the surrounding ground level.
Meanwhile John continues driving down the back route toward home with his passengers all in silence, with Ray looking over toward the East of the city as the traffic builds a little causing them to slow with Lizzie soon directing her attention over toward John and Mike as does Ray with him moments later asking.
"So, what’s on the drive?"
Mike looks to John as he begins looking into the rear mirror briefly to answer with Lizzie also appearing keen to hear.
"Details of the strain."
"Is it viral?"
John looks to Lizzie briefly through the rearview mirror upon her question.
"Yes, and it’s developed further."
"So it’s stronger than the original?"
"Very much so!"
"Is there a cure?"
Mike turns back to Lizzie.
"Our colleague was working on an antidote for the original."
Ray cuts in abruptly on the conversation.
"Is that all?! The government should of closed you guys down along time ago!"
"They may have known all along, but the board wanted something to test out in the field."
Lizzie appearing somewhat shocked by Mike's last words.
"Them, out in the field?!"
With Ray sitting there shaking his head voices to the group.
"That’s just mad!"
John and Mike look at each other, with John looking toward Lizzie momentarily as he moves on to say.
"Believe me when I say this wasn’t meant to happen and we were trying to do the right thing. But something was different about C.J, we noticed it in her DNA last night. Looking at it now I think the strain had just found the right host and which developed further overnight."
Ray and Lizzie appear to think on what John had just said before Lizzie asks.
"Was C.J a monkey?"
Mike turns slightly toward Lizzie.
"A fresh one at that!"
"So you’ve worked on others, have any of them tried to get out?"
John looks into the rearview mirror at the two back seat passengers briefly before turning back to the road as he continues.
"We always followed procedure, and above all to prevent their escape."
Ray's attitude toward the two men continues as he voices his opinion.
"Ha! I must say, you’re not very good at preventing it’s escape!"
Mike shaking his head at Ray, turns to both him and Lizzie.
"The CEO came down with visitors earlier than expected, we had been trying to get in touch with him. I thought they had already seen John before they came through, but they all just waltzed on in like they owned the place."
Lizzie motions toward Mike slightly.
"But he was in charge though, right?!"
Upon hearing this, John turns his attention toward Lizzie.
"Well technically yes, and they didn’t follow protocol."
"What should they have done?"
"Make contact with me first. This could have been prevented."
Mike nods his head to agree with John as he turns back toward Lizzie.
"Upon getting C.J’s blood to test the results with the strain, there were distractions and too many visitors in that room. C.J came to sooner than expected and I also believe it developed inside her overnight."
John immediately continues on from Mike looking through the rearview mirror toward Lizzie.
"The difference between her over the rest was already in her blood."
Ray although paying attention to the conversation, continues to look out the window as he voices.
"A ticking time bomb."
Mike and John nod to agree somewhat from hearing Ray voice with Mike turning toward him.
"Which found the right fuse."
Ray looks to Mike nodding his head slightly as they look toward each other with Lizzie looking over the claw marks down the side of Mike’s face and soon asking him.
"Did C.J do that?"
Mike nods his head, and appears deep in thought for a moment.
"I was trying to strap her back in, she kicked her legs up when William shouted for us to get out. Sam got him and Kev."
Upon hearing this, Ray tur
ns his attention toward Mike.
"What do you mean she turned?"
"When the strain takes over, they become something they were not and we have at least half a minute to react as you saw with the guard."
Lizzie voices to herself.
"Half a minute?!"
Ray turns to look at Lizzie.
"Yeah, it was about that."
John turns his attention to the three from the road and looks to Ray through the rearview mirror.
"Hm, but it really depends on location of entry. The closer to the brain, the less it is."
"How?"
"On initial infection, which rapidly reproduces itself and also taking over the cells it comes into contact with until the new host is one with the strain. When it reaches the brain, that’s when you begin to really see the change away from the person you use to know."
Continuing on from John, Mike begins to add.
"From that point onward, the host belongs to the strain which is in full control."
"You guys are crazy to be toying with something so evil!"
John upon hearing Ray tells him of their plan.
"We were looking at destroying it."
As John looks back toward the road, Lizzie asks directing her question to both.
"But you didn’t get the chance to?"
Mike motions his attention slightly toward Lizzie.
"No, we didn’t get one."
Lizzie watches Mike shaking his head in disappointment of himself and the after effects of their work as he turns back to the front placing his head back on the headrest with eyes soon closing, as John looks back through the rear view mirror asking the passengers on the back seat.
"Do you want to get dropped off somewhere?"
"No, this is my story and I need to cover it. If you don’t mind I’d like to stay."
Mike opens his eyes upon hearing this as Ray turns to Lizzie.
"Do you know what we’re in for with these two?!"
Mike looks back to Ray, then toward Lizzie who says while looking into his eyes. "Yeah, I want to stay."
Ray huffs a little in a form of disgust on seeing the two toward each other and appearing somewhat jealous before looking away with Mike soon turning to the front.
Ray however quickly remembers it’s his job to stay with his reporter, while also thinking it’s probably the best option for the moment as he looks out the window reluctantly saying while slightly shaking his head.
"Okay."
John looks in his rear view mirror toward Lizzie then to Ray, as he voices "Alright then" before looking slightly over to Mike.
John with a slight smirk for Mike continues to focus solely on his driving of the vehicle, as Mike nestles more into the seat for some rest soon completely zoning out in relaxation.
CHAPTER 12
The Clean Up Crew
The unit make their approach toward the compound, with Jim in the lead helicopter as the pilot voices through to him.
"E.T.A in three minutes Sir."
Final thoughts enter the minds of the crew, as on approach they begin to witness the emergency services at road level upon heading toward the scene.
Jim responds to the pilot.
"Copy, we may have to change tack."
The pilot acknowledges Jim’s last words.
"Control be advised, sending location for touchdown on arrival. Over."
Control immediately responds to the pilot.
"Copy that."
As he looks ahead toward the direction of the compound, Jim soon witnessing the chaos down at street level which appears to already be making it’s way toward the central city districts as he voices to himself.
"Dear god."
The onslaught of the infected now in droves head toward vehicles becoming caught in the traffic, and ducking down from the bullets being fired from the police officers then moving across beside the vehicles.
People driving toward the scene unaware, with a few nose to tail accidents beginning to cause delays for those who are now vulnerable to attack, with local law enforcement soon forming a blockade between the city and the strain infected persons.
The pilot in the helicopter begins to circle back around above the blockade. Billy upon seeing the movements of the infected down below at street level turns to Jim.
"Ah Sir. What is this again?"
Jim who is also looking down toward street level seeing for his own eyes along with the whole crew, the stealth actions of the infected turns with radio in hand.
"Control, how long before backup? Over."
A brief pause from control during communication as Jim patiently waits. "Copy. E.T.A in eleven minutes. Over."
"Copy that. Can we push it any sooner, it’s getting messy down here. Request an immediate evacuation of all surrounding areas. We may have to sweep."
"Copy that, an immediate evacuation request noted. Over."
As they come in closer looking for a new location to land the crafts taking note of a small park a few hundred meters north of the police blockade while advising control and head toward for touchdown.
Upon hearing Jim’s words the Sergeant looking on says to himself although everyone hears.
"We definitely need to evacuate!"
Jim upon hearing his Sergeant, slightly nods his head to agree before turning to his men.
"Lock and load boys! Make em count!"
The approaching helicopter which has already brought about the attention of the infected with some directing their immediate attention toward the hovering helicopter coming in to land.
People who are beginning to flee from their vehicles, with others reversing at high speed to get away crash into those behind and accidentally taking down some who are not infected.
Jim’s men look south to the oncoming, as the infected take down civilians on their way toward the blockade who in time turn themselves.
As the first two helicopters touch down, with the remaining which circles from above and begins firing down on the infected.
As the infected get shot, or see their companions go down, with some looking up to the helicopter showing aggression toward the men shooting from inside with snarly grunts with looks toward one another before moving off again now in their direction.
From the third helicopter, the young corporal pauses momentarily looking at the sea of people, and having trouble distinguishing who is infected although seeing the two looking up to him from below saying to himself.
"There’s too many"
Frankie hears this, then turns toward him momentarily as the young corporal moves on to say "And they..", although interrupting the corporals train of thought, Frankie shouts over.
"Just keep shooting, and don’t think about it!"
The men including Jim soon quickly get out from the helicopters upon landing, moving into position on the ground and with the third helicopter which is circling with comrades firing from above.
Running civilians move into the line of fire while fleeing from the infected targets, with some soon heading toward the men and looking for an opportunity to escape via the military helicopters.
Ready to make way for the hovering craft close overhead, the first helicopter begins to take off with cries from panicked civilians wishing to leave the area.
The hovering aircraft with the firing sounds of gunshots draws more attention from the infected toward the men from beyond and their actions from the helicopter being noted also.
The newly infected numbers grow, with a stream of both them and uninfected persons moving toward the blockade.
Uninfected persons who find themselves trapped on their own, either become victim to the strain or are eaten alive by those infected which appear to be forming in groups and preying on civilians for meat to satisfy any hunger.
Some of the men in turn see this, fire on one group especially which soon disperses sending the infected turning and ducking down for cover from the incomi
ng bullets although some are killed in the process with the survivors now looking on to the gunman.
Sergeant notices some of the infected move into the alleyway next to the blockade after fleeing civilians heading toward in the direction of the C.B.D.
Panicked people in fear for their own life plead to the men for help with a couple moving to get on the second helicopter still on the ground as the first begins to take off allowing the third to come in.
The sergeants attention is drawn to civilians looking for a way out, as he pulls them off before pushing them away from the helicopter which begins to take off as they plead toward him.
"Please, it’s just me!"
"Get out of it that’s our ride, move on out while we cover!"
The civilian realizing he won’t be getting on any, looks back at the quickly approaching infected coming from beyond as the sergeant holds his ground.
Civilians rush north away on foot with others as the third helicopter moves in to land as the men fire out on the infected from within.
Frankie looks ahead as the third helicopter touches down, with Jim who signals forward to the men to move toward the street and in to help local enforcement struggling to hold the blockade.
The remaining men along with Frankie get out and approach following behind Jim and their sergeant with Frankie moving closer to the pair.
"Sir, they’re moving into the city."
"Damn it! Where?! We have to follow!"
"The alleyway, beside the blockade."
The third helicopter takes off, as Jim radios to his men advising to move into position toward the blockade to hold and take the alleyway.
"Move up in support, we have to check through and hold that alley."
The men all continue to move forward covering each other as they approach the blockade with the newly infected also turning, making their way swiftly up between the stranded cars with some going through nearby doorways in the adjacent stores and apartment buildings beyond.
Viral Evolution (Book 1): Retrovirus Page 8
