Z-Level 10: A Zombie Apocalypse Novel

by Cole, Michael

  In the hangar, Keegan stood alongside a Sikorsky Seahawk helicopter. The rotors were already turning, generating gusts of wind that kicked up sand and gravel.

  “Come on, ladies, we don’t have all damn day! Get aboard,” he said to them. The three marines picked up the pace and boarded the chopper. Keegan slammed the fuselage door shut. “Hope ya’ll got a good nap, because you’ve been chosen for a special mission.”

  “Yeah?” Dunn remarked. “We going on a grocery run? President need some ding dongs?”

  “Knock it off,” Reimer said.

  “Why would he need ding dongs when he has you?” Gordon quipped. “So, seriously, what is it Sarge? Another rescue op?”

  “That’s correct,” Keegan said. “Special VIP. Top Priority.”

  “Oh, really?” Dunn said, his voice complete with sarcasm. “Who is it this time? Somebody’s niece?”

  “A doctor,” Keegan said.

  “A doctor?!” Dunn remarked. “Haven’t we rescued a hundred of them by now?”

  “Not like this one.”

  “Why? Is she hot?” Gordon quipped.

  “Maybe,” Keegan said. “More importantly, she might know how to save the human race.” The marines sat silently. Even Dunn’s interest was piqued. Keegan smiled. He knew that’d get their attention.

  CHAPTER 8

  The marines disembarked in a base just west of what used to be Baker City. There, they entered another hangar, which was located less than a hundred yards away from the Border. Like Fort Anese, the area seemed empty, as many of the personnel were out on missions.

  They passed through the enormous closed building structure. It was like a vast cave made from steel, void of almost any aircraft. For them, it was odd to see it so empty. Only one helicopter, a Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion, rested in place. Seeing Navy mechanics testing the rotors and giving it its checkup, Reimer knew it was a safe bet that he was looking at their ride.

  They passed into a corridor on the left and entered what appeared to be a classroom-style setting. There, six other soldiers were seated and waiting. General Spears stood at the front. He held a remote for an overhead projection device on the ceiling.

  “Marines, meet the rest of your squad. These men will be going in with you.”

  “Going where?” Dunn asked.

  “About to find that out, son,” a deep voice called out from across the room. The marines gazed across the room, unsure which of the soldiers spoke out.

  “Let me help you out,” Spears said. “Marines, meet Lance Corporal Bolden.” The soldier stood up, his six-and-a-half-foot stature towering over the others.

  “Should we just call him Goliath?” Reimer joked.

  “And I’ll call you John Wayne,” Bolden said. He was eyeballing the two Berettas strapped to the marine’s thighs.

  Spears grinned. “I suggest you get to know each other. We’re gonna be starting in a moment.” The General turned and accompanied Keegan in the next room.

  The nearest soldier stood up and extended his hand. “Howdy. Name’s Carlson.” Reimer shook his hand. Then Gordon. Carlson reached over to shake Dunn’s, who simply stared at his hand. The cuff of the sleeve had peeled back a bit, revealing a tattoo of an Air Force Cross.

  “You’re not marines,” he said. “Who the hell are all you?”

  “Due to lack of available personnel, they had to branch out a bit,” Carlson joked.

  “I know the marines are short of personnel, but are we really THAT short?” Reimer asked.

  “Yes, actually. They were gonna pair you up with another marine unit, but their last rescue resulted in a bad crash. All members KIA. Another unit was overrun while attempting a rescue mission near L.A. They set their chopper down, and just couldn’t keep the freaks off of them.”

  “Jesus!”

  “Not to mention the issues down by Gold Beach,” Bolden said.

  “What’s going on at Gold Beach?” Gordon asked.

  “People are flocking here from the Pacific,” Carlson said. “We’re like the only functioning entity in the world right now. Europe is in shambles. China’s got a few settlements as far as we can tell. I think Russia’s government is still functioning, sort of. Hate to sound political, but one big reason we held out the best is our good ol’ right to bear arms!”

  “Now we know,” said one of the men sitting beside him. “Washington, Jefferson, and Adams KNEW we were gonna have a zombie epidemic! They totally knew!”

  Carlson pointed down at the two men dressed in Navy camouflage. “Meet Cable and Dallas, both Navy. Believe it or not, Dallas is a heavy gunner. Doesn’t look it, though.”

  The Navy gunner shifted in his seat. The only thing shorter than his height was his temper. He spat on the floor.

  “You talk too much, Carlson,” Dallas said in a cold tone.

  “I concur,” Dunn said. “What about you?” The other Navy sailor, Cable, looked up.

  “Communications and navigation,” he said. “Wherever we’re going, radio signals are sporadic. That’s where I come in. I’ll be the guy with the SAT phone and map.”

  “You’ve already met Bolden back there,” the talkative Carlson continued. “He’s an Army Ranger, previously with the 75th Battalion.”

  “Gotta love his voice! We call him James Earl Jones,” a muscular bearded soldier joked from the middle of the room. He munched on chewing tobacco while offering a casual wave to the team’s new additions. “Lance Corporal Bell!”

  “Bell? I hope you gave your parents hell for that,” Reimer joked.

  “Part of the All-Lady-Tank-Crew,” Bell proudly announced. Reimer looked to Carlson for clarification.

  “See, all four dudes in his armored unit had names that could be passed for a lady,” the Air Force Paratrooper said. “There was Francis, Casey…I forget the third…you get the idea.”

  “I see you all want to be marines now,” Dunn quipped. “Now you’ll know what it’s like to do some real work.”

  “Actually, you got one more. Private Lowry! He’s a marine, fresh out of boot!” Carlson said. The marines looked to the back of the room, seeing an eighteen-year old kid sitting quietly in his seat. He stood and gave a proper salute to his new teammates.

  “You okay kid?” Reimer asked. “You look like you don’t want to be here.”

  “He’s smart,” Bell said.

  “I’m okay, sir,” Lowry said. “Life has taken a sudden turn in the past few months is all.”

  “Hasn’t it for all of us?” Dunn said as he pulled a chair from behind the back table.

  “Not what he means,” Bolden’s booming voice called out. “You DO know they’ve reinstated the draft…right?” All three marines perked up.

  “No,” Reimer said.

  “Good lord, have you three been living under a rock?” Dallas, the cranky Navy gunner griped.

  “No,” Dunn said, hostility in his voice. “Like I said, we’ve actually been working for a living.”

  “Don’t mind Dallas,” Carlson said. “He’s always in a bad mood. Hence, we’ve nicknamed him Callous.”

  “I know the type,” Reimer said, glancing to Dunn. He turned his eyes back to the young marine. He understood now. Here he was, having received his draft notice, now fresh out of boot, about to be sent on his first mission. And now, he was listening to talks of marines dying in the line of combat. He didn’t ask for this. As far as Reimer was concerned, he had the most right to be unhappy with this situation. “Don’t worry, Lowry. These men and I will have your back.”

  “And not the way they do it in the Navy,” Gordon quipped.

  “Oh, ha-ha,” Cable said. General Spears and Staff Sergeant Keegan stepped out of the office and stood off to the side.

  “Okay! Sounds like you’re all acquainted. Let’s get started!” He dimmed the lights, while Keegan tapped various notes into the computer. Its monitor was linked to the projector, which brought up an image of a woman in her early-to-mid thirties.

  Wolf whistles streake
d from the team as they looked at the image. Gordon’s earlier question had been answered. With blond hair that hung an inch beneath her shoulders, innocent looking eyes, and spotless tan skin, she was VERY attractive to look at.

  “This is our contact,” Spears explained. “You’ve already heard this, but I’ll say it again: this subject is TOP PRIORITY!”

  “You don’t say,” Cable said.

  “Knock it off,” Keegan said. “Don’t forget, sailor, you’re under MY command now.”

  “Her name is Dr. Stacy Hill,” Spears explained. “She’s a genetic researcher, specializing in virus mutation. She’s worked for the CDC, and now is directly overseen by staff who report directly to the President. She’s been studying the contagion from day one in the hopes of developing a cure. We received her transmission yesterday afternoon. It was an SOS signal from a government bunker located in the cliffs of Montana. Your orders are to extract this woman and bring her back. Alive.”

  “A researcher,” Dunn said with a smirk. “There’s been hundreds of them studying this thing since it began, most of them federal. What’s so important about her?”

  “What’s important is that you shut up and follow your orders,” Keegan snapped at him.

  “To answer your question,” Spears said, “this person actually did it.” The room went silent.

  “Hold on,” Bolden’s voice boomed. “Sir, you mean to say that this person actually has the cure for this virus?”

  “That is correct.”

  “Like…does it make the undead…not-dead?” Carlson asked, unsure how to word the question.

  “No, son,” Spears answered. “From what I understand, whatever formula she’s created will prevent the rest of us from being infected. So, whenever someone dies, regardless of the cause, we won’t have to worry about them getting back up again. Another thing, if you were to be bitten by one of the ghouls, theoretically you shouldn’t turn.”

  “Like I said, men: you will be saving the world.”

  “Shit, aren’t we a little late for that?” Dallas asked.

  “It’s never too late for that,” Spears said, his voice stern. “Keep in mind, marines, soldiers, and sailors…”

  “Damn, I feel left out,” Carlson muttered.

  “…Mankind’s been battling plagues from the start. Perhaps we were overdue. Maybe. Maybe Mother Nature had it in for us. Maybe she planned to wipe us out entirely. But the U.S. Military does not adhere to that. That’s where you men come into play. YOU are gonna go toe-to-toe with Mother Nature, and bitch-slap her across the fucking face.”

  “And where is it that we’re gonna bitch-slap her?” Bell asked, his teeth yellow from the chewing tobacco. Spears fought against a solemn feeling that started to boil within. He hit a button on the remote to bring up the map. It was a satellite image of a forest region. In the center was a red square marked several inches south of a large lake.

  “It’s in the Gallatin National Forest, Bordering Yellowstone National Park,” Spears said.

  “Shouldn’t this be an easy pickup?” Reimer asked. “If we know where the bunker is located, can’t we just chopper down, send someone with a harness, and haul the Doc aboard?”

  “I wish it could be that simple,” Spears said. “The problem is the canopy. It’s too high for us to put you down right there. The forest is thick in that region, with trees standing as high as a hundred and eighty feet. Unfortunately, we’re gonna have to put you down around this region here near the town.” He pointed at a cement-colored spot on the map. “You’re gonna disembark around this area here, in this nearby town. Satellite imaging shows that the number of infected should be low enough for a successful incursion. We’re instructing the pilots to keep far enough away from the town, due to the large gathering of hostiles.”

  “Sir, that’s like three or four miles away from the target zone!” Cable said.

  “I’m aware,” Spears said. “That’s why you have to move silently. The area is going to be crawling with the infected, so you won’t want to attract attention.”

  “Oh, I KNEW it,” Dunn said. “What is the outbreak level?”

  “Listen, men,” Spears said. “I would never send you into such a dangerous area if the mission wasn’t of ABSOLUTE importance.”

  “Sir?” Dunn said.

  “Bear in mind, this was one of the earliest locations to fall. It’s where the first documentation took place. It’s part of the reason why we established a foothold on the west coast in an attempt to prevent…”

  “SIR?!” Dunn was standing up now.

  General Spears stopped and turned to look at him. “Yes, Marine.”

  “What is it? What is the outbreak level?”

  Spears took a breath. “Outbreak is at…Level…” he took another breath, “Ten.”

  The room came alive with loud exclamations. In the blink of an eye, the disciplined military personnel’s calm disappeared into unruly clamoring. Even Keegan was astounded by the information. He stood silently, taking several seconds to process what they were going into, before remembering to take control of the team.

  “Okay, knock it off!” The soldiers quieted down, with the exception of Dunn and Dallas. “Get your act together. Quit acting like a bunch of virgins.”

  “There’s always a catch,” Dunn said. “Good ol’ Uncle Sam’s gonna have us prodding around a Zombie Outbreak Level 10…a Z-Level 10!”

  “Hope that cure works, cause nobody’s coming out of that place untouched,” Bell said.

  “Sir?” Cable stood up. “If that’s a Z-Level 10, and this Dr. Hill is such a high-value scientist, what the hell is she doing in such a hot zone? Why wasn’t she extracted at the start?”

  “And how the hell does an area like that become a level-fucking-ten?!” Dunn said. “It’s not New York City!”

  “Like I mentioned before, this location was one of the earliest to fall,” Spears said. “Several CDC and military personnel were sent to the region to help contain it, which only resulted with more and more being infected. We weren’t sure exactly what the disease was at that time, so the proper quarantine procedures weren’t being followed.”

  “Was Dr. Hill there for that?” Reimer asked.

  “Initially, yes,” Spears said. “She was sent there as part of a team. Despite the team being overrun and most killed, she decided to stay and continue studying the cause of the outbreak and develop an anti-virus. During which time, she was given coordinates to a bunker, as well as the necessary codes. During the last several months, we hadn’t heard anything from her, which forced us to assume she was KIA until receiving the SOS.”

  “Listen up, fellas. There’s no choice in the matter,” Keegan said. “We’re low on manpower, and unfortunately the world doesn’t care about our staffing problems. The longer we wait, the more likely Dr. Hill will be dead, and her data lost forever. Meaning all of this will be for nothing.”

  “What the Staff Sergeant means is that you all don’t have a say in this,” General Spears said. “You can complain all you want, but it won’t change a damn thing. You’ll still be getting on that chopper. Give me a problem and before I’m through with you, you’ll be begging to be eaten alive by the infected.” He turned to face Keegan. “Sergeant, why don’t you show them to the armory.”

  “Yes, sir. Men, follow me!” The group stood up from their seats and assembled out in the hangar. On their way out, Dunn tapped Reimer on the shoulder.

  “What did I tell you?” he barked.

  “This is different,” Reimer said. “At least the objective makes sense. Calm down.”

  “Calm down? Corporal, we’re going into territory that’ll make Idaho look like a picnic.”

  “Quit losing your head,” Gordon said. “Look, I’m scared too. But with everything that’s going on, they wouldn’t waste our men and resources if this individual wasn’t of great importance.”

  “Right, sure! You keep telling yourself that, Gordon. I’m not buying it. I’m sick of having my ass put
on the line for petty shit!”

  “Then stay behind,” Reimer said as he followed the rest of the unit out.

  “Believe me…if I could…” Dunn shook his head in anger, then reluctantly followed the others. After they assembled, Keegan led then across the hangar to the armory.

  CHAPTER 9

  “We will NOT be using our standard armaments,” Keegan explained to the unit as they assembled into the armory. Several tables were lined up with tactical gear, grenades, weapons, and ammo. “As you well know, the ghouls are highly attracted to sound. Considering their high numbers in the region, it is of utmost importance that we remain silent as we journey to our destination.”

  “What about suppressors, sir?” the rookie asked.

  “It depends on the weapon, but suppressors aren’t like how they are in the movies,” Keegan explained. “They tone down the volume, but typically, the gunshots are still loud enough to attract the undead. So, General Spears took the time to gather some actual silent weapons for us.” Keegan grabbed an army-colored bolt action rifle and pulled back on the bolt. “This is an Accuracy International .308. It’s designed by our lost friends in the United Kingdom. It’s a manually actuated bolt action system. Holds five rounds at a time. Effective at 800 meters.”

  “Sir, we’re gonna need more than five rounds at a time if we’re going into a Level 10,” Cable said.

  “Sailor, I’m aware of that,” Keegan said. “Problem is, you fire a single shot from your M4 or H&K, suppressed or not, you’ll bring every ghoul in Montana down on us.” He shoved the rifle into Cable’s hands then moved to the next table. He held up the next weapon, which was a submachine gun. “This is an Izhmash AK-9. This is a shortened format, AK-105 variety. Nine-by-thirty-nine caliber and adjustable iron sights. It’s got a removeable suppressor. Its magazine capacity is twenty rounds. It’s capable of firing subsonic and standard ammunition. This gun is VERY quiet. Check this out.”