"God damn it!"
Jim screams through to the pilot.
"Get us up! We’ve lost him."
The two infected now standing up over Billy turn back up at the helicopter and make an advance toward it while ducking down from the bullets being fired as more come out charging through the door onto the roof.
They slow on arrival as they see fellow infected come in from behind the air conditioning units and begin standing looking over Billy.
As Jim with his men who ascend safely in the helicopter, the young corporal with the Sergeant help Jim into the helicopter from the foot, and as it moves away with all turning to watch Billy turn with every passing moment as the infected soon all turn their attention toward him watching the change while appearing to also welcome him to the pack.
Mike’s ex, with Hamish close behind her move in as Billy stands, while Jim, the Sergeant and the young corporal look on from above within the helicopter when the Sergeant turns to Jim.
"Did you see that?"
The young corporal looks to his Sergeant and Jim.
"Accepting him."
Jim looks on as the infected group coming together with Billy turned acknowledging his new unit, then turns himself with his attention looking up toward Jim and the helicopters.
Moments later turning away as they all make their way back from the rooftop toward the doorway descending down back into the building.
Jim shakes his head while watching below voicing which the others seem to hear. "We should of left it in school."
The Sergeant looks over to Jim, closes his eyes while sinking his head knowing that’s exactly what they should have done with the original strain.
Now safely in the helicopters heading back to command, Jim with the rest of the men look on down into the streets with the infected taking over and heading into the direction of the central business district of the city.
CHAPTER 14
Where In School
Sue now with Charlotte, who has been picked up from elementary and waiting in the car for her mother's return watches a few vehicles come into the school car park.
Sue continues forward to enter the main doors as she goes into the high school to find both Danny and Sean.
Now at the school reception looks to the receptionist as another worried parent soon comes in behind her.
"Hi, I’m Sue Valentine. I need to know what classes my Son’s are currently in, Danny and Sean. You have to evacuate the school and send everyone home!"
The receptionist looks at her blankly, and somewhat laughing it off.
"What, why?"
The parent behind Sue moves in closer.
"I need to know too!"
Sue and the school receptionist look to the worried parent before Sue turns back.
"Turn on the radio. There’s been an accident at my husband's work and people's lives could be in danger."
The school receptionist turns away raising her eyebrows looking sideways at her colleague who looks over upon hearing Sues words, however soon finding the classes her son’s are meant to be attending as the receptionist turns back to Sue.
"Sean is in Block C room 5, and according to our records Danny did not arrive at school this morning?!"
"Didn’t arrive?!"
"No, appears not. But if he is here, then he should be in room 3 Block D."
Sue thinks on it for a moment wondering where her son could be.
"Where is he?"
Upon thinking of his whereabouts, Sue turns back toward the receptionist.
"What about a young girl, a girl he knows called Jennifer?"
"No idea sorry, there are many girls here called Jennifer, and besides I can’t tell you that anyway."
"Yeah okay thanks, but still you have to send everyone home!"
Sue now knowing of the classes Danny and Sean should be in, moves off to Sean’s class which is closer.
Upon arriving knocking on the door before opening immediately asking for Sean then turning her attention to the entire class.
"Hi excuse me. I’ve come to get my Son, and we must evacuate the school."
The teacher somewhat taken back by the interruption looks on to Sue.
"Why would we need to do that?! The alarm has not sounded!"
Sean comes up trusting his mother's words while the teacher stands there blankly, as Sean soon moves in next to Sue who turns her full attention to the teacher.
"There has been an accident and people need to get in touch with their loved ones."
"Mum, are we packing the kit?"
"Yes Son. Everyone is in danger, we all have to get out as quickly as we can. Come on, lets go!"
Sue with Sean motion to move out from the classroom as the students look to one another.
"Is dad okay?"
"Yes he’s okay, and he’s on his way."
Sue and Sean make their way out moving toward Danny’s class where he’s supposed to be, as Sean’s teacher continues to turn and teach his concerned classmates who appear to become restless.
"Have you seen Danny today?"
"No, I haven’t seen him."
Sue with Sean by her side makes it to Danny’s class, knocking on the classroom door and opening to ask the teacher.
"Hello, I’m looking for Danny."
With all attention from those in the room looking toward Sue and Sean the teacher replies.
"Danny, no he’s not here sorry."
Sue looks down at Sean who looks into the class as Sue asks the teacher.
"Have you been told to evacuate the school yet?
The teacher looks to Sue appearing somewhat confused upon the question and while shaking her head responds.
"No."
After a brief moment, Sean looks across and asks the teacher.
"Is Jennifer in this class?"
"Yes usually, but she didn’t turn up either."
Sue immediately looks to Sean, then back to the teacher as a student in the room receives a text from a concerned parent to meet outside at the main gate as Sue then remembers.
"Jennifer, their date!"
Sue looks at the students getting to their feet in the class, as others begin to get a bit restless with Sue while thinking of Danny’s friend Jennifer politely asks the teacher.
"Please, can you send everyone home."
Without waiting for a response, Sue immediately grabs Sean’s hand to leave with a few students appearing to follow suit as one already gathers her things and leaving the from the text she'd just received.
The teacher tries to stop her at first, but others begin to leave their desk with bag in hand or over shoulder ignoring her request to stay.
The teacher soon receives a call herself which appears to be from her partner.
Moments later Sue now racing down the hallway with Sean comes across a fire alarm, she breaks the glass then proceeds to flick the switch causing the alarm to echo throughout the buildings and over the school grounds.
Sue and Sean soon make their way back to the SUV wagon of theirs, opening the drivers door on arrival and removing her phone from the center console as Sean gets in buckling his seat belt on the back seat next to Charlotte.
While standing at the drivers door, Sue proceeds to ring Danny who appears to ignore the call from his mother with Charlotte asking through from the back seat.
"Mum, where’s Danny?"
Sue looks toward her with phone in hand up to her ear.
"I don’t know Charlotte?!
Sean turns to Charlotte voicing as he has a good feeling of his older brothers whereabouts.
"He’s with Jennifer."
Sue responds somewhat angrily with herself as she hangs up the phone.
"Yes, it’s looking that way."
Sean sees the concern over his mother's face and she stands their thinking for a moment.
"Send him a text Mum, he might answer."
Sue nods her head to a
gree.
"Good idea."
Soon enough the text is sent through to Danny’s phone, as Sue then jumps into the wagon to head home for the kit before heading off to fill the wagon and containers.
CHAPTER 15
The Cinema
Danny with Jennifer, who have both skipped high school to spend time together in the city, now sit in the movie theater for the mid morning session.
Jennifer appears to feel a vibration coming from Danny.
"Was that you vibrating?"
"Yeah it was."
"Are you going to answer it? Could be important."
Danny reluctantly pulls his phone from his front pocket and proceeds to view the text as Jennifer notices the look on Danny’s face as it changes while he reads.
"What does it say."
Danny looks up to Jennifer.
"Get home, we’re packing the kit."
"The what?"
"It was mum, we have to go!"
"But the movie’s just about to start."
"I know sorry, but Mum’s packing the kit and there would only be one reason for that?!"
Danny holds Jennifer’s hand tightly, looking into her eyes getting ready to pull her up as he stands with her looking more than concerned.
"What would that be?"
"I don’t know yet, but there’s something wrong, and we have to get home now."
Jennifer now disappointed and while also somewhat reluctant in hand moves out of her seat. Through the theater they move out toward the main foyer, as they come across people standing around a live television broadcast of the mayor now advising for everybody to move from their location toward the West or leave the city completely.
Danny looks to his phone and proceeds to ring his mother Sue, with her moments later answering on speaker while driving, as Jennifer continues to watch the news as it moves to live footage overhead of the Eastern district of the city.
"Danny where are you?"
"I’m in town."
"In town?! You were meant to be at school!"
"I know Mum, sorry."
Danny looks over at Jennifer who begins to ring her mother, then father who are working together at the same company in the East near where the helicopters are now flying over with the live video footage with Sue going on to ask.
"Whereabouts are you exactly?"
"Central City Cinemas."
"Oh Danny! Ring your father so he can come and get you!"
"I will, I’ll do it now."
"Head toward home, find a bike, anything, just get home!"
"Okay."
Danny hangs up, phone then dials straight away ringing his father.
John’s phone echoes through the car startling Mike who had found time for a power nap, with John immediately moving to answering the phone.
Danny continues to watch the TV above before looking around the foyer of the Cinema as he talks to his father over the phone.
"Danny, have you guys got the kit ready?"
"I’m in town dad."
"You’re what?!"
John pauses for a moment on the thought.
"You have to get out of there! Where are you?"
"We’re at CC Cinemas and leaving now. Can we meet you somewhere?"
"The Cinema, at this time!"
Danny looks to Jennifer, then moves to hold her hand with her looking to him briefly with a concerned look as she holds on to his tight before turning her attention back to the live video feed.
"So I’m guessing you’re with Jennifer too then?"
With Danny and his attention firmly on Jennifer replies.
"Yes, I am."
"Danny, you’re as bad as your old man.. Um, meet us at the bus depot near West City Mall. We’re not too far from there either. Be careful Son and you have to move fast!"
"We will!"
"If the lines are still up, ring me when you get there!"
"Okay."
They hang up the phone to each other as Jennifer looks to Danny.
"I can’t get hold of Mum or Dad?!"
With worry across Jennifer's face setting in as she looks into his eyes while thinking of her parents.
"Where are they working?"
Jennifer points up toward the TV as she watches live footage of infected persons overrun the streets, with adjacent buildings close to where her Mum and Dad work.
"Together, down there."
Danny looks up to the footage being shown on the television then turns back to Jennifer.
"Maybe they got out?!
We’ll keep trying, but we have to move West to the depot and my Dad will meet us there."
"I want to see mine safe too."
Danny looks up at the television again as the news crew in the helicopter capturing the footage do a wide sweep of the industrial and commercial eastern suburbs with the infected continuing their approach toward the central city before turning back to Jennifer.
"Try them again."
Jennifer tries calling them both again.
Jennifer’s mother meanwhile now fully turned in the eastern commercial zone stands over her father who is beginning to turn himself with bites to his hands and face in the office which they both work.
Jennifer’s mother looks to the sound of the phone ringing from inside her bag below her office desk, then storms over to it throwing her foot down stomping on it and smashing the phone as the father begins to stand up from behind her.
Now fully turned himself with the mother looking back to him, acknowledging and moments later moving off together toward the screams coming from the offices further down the hall.
Jennifer looks to Danny.
"It was ringing, but it’s gone dead?!"
Danny while looking to Jennifer unsure of what might of happened with some form of sympathy, although has thoughts of his father's words in mind too.
"I’m sorry. We must leave, we’re not safe here."
People begin to leave the cinemas with Jennifer holding Danny’s hand tighter, as she looks to him knowing they have to leave for their own safety from what she had just witnessed on the TV.
Both look at each other with them acknowledging to one another as they continue moving out toward the busy sidewalk.
As they get to the exit, finding cars blocked in from delays which have been plaguing the city since the beginning of the transit strike and move their way West toward the depot some twelve blocks away.
Shuffling amongst the panicked people as some fall to the ground in the stampede, with others ditching their stranded cars in the road causing others to yell obscenities from their vehicles, and some hearing the broadcasts then deciding to make a run for it from their vehicles themselves.
As Danny with Jennifer make it through the first few blocks, Danny looks back as he hears a helicopter behind in the distance and hovering back closer from where they’d come.
Jennifer notices Danny’s attention move, then looks back herself with them both walking slowly backward for a moment.
"They’re not far are they?!"
"No not at all. Come on!"
Both swiftly turn again continuing to run West, crossing the next intersection dodging the blocked traffic as they make their way across the road.
CHAPTER 16
Tommy Leave
Tommy, standing at his hot dog stand, with his sound system playing in the background and beginning to wonder what all the commotion is toward the East.
A customer forgets brunch, moving off with her cell phone to ear leaving Tommy with hot dog in hand as his questioning voice fades out while watching the woman run off to the West as he calls out after her.
"Hey lady?! You want your..?"
More people move swiftly his way from the East as he says to himself questioning their actions.
"What the hell is everyone up to?!"
As more people begin to make their way out of adjacent buildings heading West toward him
, he then decides to ask someone.
"Yo Mr, what’s going on?"
"You haven’t heard?! They’re evacuating the city!"
The pedestrian continues to move past Tommy who then asks loudly.
"What for?"
Turning back at Tommy, the pedestrian goes on to say "People are going crazy, attacking others! It’s all over the news! before turning away continuing to head West.
Upon hearing this, Tommy somewhat acknowledges the passer by, then looks and moves toward his sound system while voicing to himself.
"The news?"
Tommy presses stop, then changes the player to the local radio station hearing the latest report cutting in.
"Never seen nothing like this, and as more footage comes through we are seeing shocking scenes of what can only be described as absolutely horrific! We are witnessing thousands of people attacking others who then go on to attack people themselves?! We’re trying to find out what’s causing this, but we strongly urge all citizens to immediately evacuate the city and move westward as the mayor suggested as quickly as you can! Authorities.."
As the report continues with Tommy in motion voicing over the report, "Thousands?!" as he then moves on to close up shop while continuing to listen.
"..Are advising to pack up essential supplies, medical kits and do not make any contact with anyone coming out from the eastern districts."
Tommy listens while moving, as he then turns off the equipment.
"Supplies, are we at war?!"
There is a momentary pause on the radio as Tommy slides back a cupboard door to bring in to view a set of keys and pistol.
He then takes them both out as the station report goes on to say with Tommy double taking from what he hears.
"Okay. We have more information, it appears to be a sickness, an infection of some sort, and this report here even calling it viral."
Tommy moves across toward turning the radio off as he thinks on these words for a moment.
Viral Evolution (Book 1): Retrovirus Page 10
