Zombie Apocalypse: chapter six
well, here it is, chapter six. i noticed that the chapter
name ins't original, but i was too lazy to come up with
something better. hope everyone enjoys this instlalment
of the apocalypse ^.=.^
Chapter six: Kill Or Be Killed
5:00 a.m. third day of the apocalypse
"Things were finally going in the right direction" Ivan thought to himself. Ivan was a bear of a scientist (literally, being a grizzly) everyone that worked around him knew what he expected and only one had ever questioned his authority. Being the leader and founder of "Project Reaper" had had its ups and downs, but today, things were going perfectly. Well, almost perfectly. The top half of the base had been breached, but luckily the lower levels were still secure. "All in all, this was going to be a good day" Ivan smiled to himself. Stepping over to the observation deck, he surveyed the room below. It was a rather small testing room, much smaller than he was used to, but it served its' purpose. "ah, just in time" he mumbled as subject 55 was wheeled in. so far, subject 55 had been the most promising out of all the other specimens. 55 was the strongest, most aggressive specimen that Higgins and his teams had brought in, and 55 had even managed to kill eight well trained heavily armed marines before they could get it contained. Another tank was wheeled in shortly after tank 55. Subject 208 was the most recent specimen added to his collection, and according to his assistants, was also the most promising. According to Ivan's head researcher, 208 had passed all bio tests with flying colors, and while 55s' mind was slightly degraded by the virus, 208s' remained in perfect condition. Most of the tests on 208 thus far had been bio tests, but that was about to change. Ivan was looking forward to observing 208 in action. Both tanks were set on opposite sides of the room, several other scientists gathering around Ivan to observe the test. The liquid nitrogen that was used to keep the specimens inactive was slowly drained, and the short thawing process began. Five minutes later, Ivan was watching in amusement and anticipation as 55 and 208 struggled out of the bonds that held them.
***
Reds' eyes fluttered open. "What happened" was the only thing he could think of. His head was pounding with the worst migraine he had ever had, and his scales felt like ice. He took in his surroundings as soon as his vision cleared, trying to place his location along with how he got wherever he was. The room he was currently in looked like...thinking about it, he decided it didn't look like any room he had ever been in. it was just a huge white room, no decorations, no ornaments, nothing but white walls. Trying to move, he realized that he was strapped down and couldn't move his arms or legs, even his tail was secured. Looking down, he saw what bound him, two solid steel straps on each limb. "Great, now what" he muttered. His surprise was clear when he tugged at the restraints and they snapped like corroded pieces of sheet metal. "Weird" red thought as he stepped out of the tank, eying the broken pieces of metal. It took a second for him to spot another tank on the far side of the room, but he couldn't quite tell exactly how far it was with nothing to use as a reference. He started walking towards the other tank, his thoughts turning towards his last moments of consciousness. He had failed everyone, no matter how hard he tried, he had still failed. His dismal thoughts were interrupted by a booming voice that seemed to come from nowhere, but at the same time, it came from everywhere.
{Subject 208, you'll notice that there is another tank in this room with you. That tank contains subject 55, our leading specimen and at the moment, also the deadliest one. The rules of this test are simple, all you have to do is survive} this last part made red cringe. "Great, more things that want to kill me. This day just keeps getting better and better". Red noticed that the other tank was open, the evaporating liquid nitrogen giving the tank a foreboding appearance. "Aw shit" red mumbled under his breath as the occupant of the tank stepped out. It appeared to be a Doberman, except for the fact that it was ripped beyond belief. The thing was huge, bulging with enough muscle to make the hulk shit himself.
***
Ivan watched the scene unfold, eagerly awaiting the outcome of this test. 55 stood for a moment longer before charging 208. The speed of the attack was blindingly fast, if Ivan had blinked, he would have missed it. 208 was flying though the air before he knew what hit him. 55 didn't stop, he charged again and slammed 208 a second time before he even hit the ground. Ivan frowned; he had hoped that this subject would do better than the previous ones.
***
"Fuck that hurt" red gasped though clenched teeth as he recovered from the blow "that thing is fast". The Doberman was just a few yards away, but once it saw its' prey getting up it charged again. Red didn't have more than a second to react, but react he did. Sidestepping the next blow, he tackled the creature, throwing every bit of strength he had into his attack. He almost couldn't believe it when he pushed the Doberman back several yards and choke slammed the thing into the ground. The white tiles around the impact site shattering from the force of the body being slammed into them. Red blinked, not believing that he'd just done what he did, his hesitation gave his opponent time to recover. One second red was contemplating how he had just choke slammed something that must weigh at least four-hundred pounds of pure muscle, and the next moment he was being held two feet off the ground, struggling against a stranglehold. His instincts told him to fight the Dobermans' grip, but he pushed those natural reactions back and instead did something he knew would work. Grabbing the Dobermans head, red inserted his thumbs into his assailants' eye sockets, pushing them as far as they would go. The Dobermans' reaction was exactly what he was hoping for. The creature promptly dropped him, howling in pain and clutching at what was left of its' eyes.
***
Ivan watched the scene unfold in the testing room. 208 was definitely resourceful, attacking one of the few weaknesses that 55 had. 208 didn't hesitate taking advantage of his opponent's inactivity, and promptly charged 55. The virus in 208 still hadn't fully developed, so the attack was slower than 55s', but it was still hard to follow. Ivan heard bones snap (courtesy of the hundreds of microphones planted in the testing center) as 208 slammed into 55s' legs. The impact was probably strong enough to bend reinforced steel, something that Ivan planned on testing later. With his opponent on the ground, apparently out of commission, 208 was about to deliver the final blow, but he stopped with his fist raised above 55s' head. 208 just sat where he was, fist raised but not moving, as if he was searching for something. One of the technicians yelled "finish him" into a nearby mic. In answer, 208 stood up and stepped away from the body. "Great, the last thing this project needs is a subject with a conscious" Ivan thought. Another idea formed, something that he hoped would work. "Bring in subject 1" Ivan motioned to his second in command to make it fast. Subject 1 was the first of two infected that Higgins and his teams had captured. Ivan hadn't spent that much time with 1 until recently, mostly because this particular subject seemed useless at first, gaining no noticeable enhancements from the virus. However, all assessments of 1 had been based on looking for the wrong thing. Several lab techs had placed 1 with another group of infected. After about an hour, 1 had started releasing a strange gas, the other infected in the room promptly going into fits of rage. The strangest part of it hadn't been the other infected and their increased aggression, but rather instead of killing each other, they had all formed a parameter around 1, as if protecting it. Further research was quickly done, and several of Ivan's' top geneticists discovered that the gas 1 released was actually induced an odd form of mind control. Even stranger was the fact that the gas only worked on other infected. After two days of constant research, Ivan and several handpicked scientists had been able to crack the genetic code in the gas and modify it to suit their needs effectively enabling them to control any infected that inhaled the gas. He didn't know if his plan would work, but he had never gotten anywhere in life without trying new things. Grinning as 1s' tank was wheeled into the testing room; Ivan knew that his plan would work.
***
Red didn't know why he had spared the Dobermans' life, as it probably would have been kinder to put the creature out of its' misery. All he could think of as he stood above the mutated fur was that it could've been him lying on the ground. He watched as another tank was carted in, a few thoughts of escape flashing though his mind. preparing for the worst thing imaginable that could possibly step out of the tank, red almost shit himself with laughter when a scrawny little zombie, probably no more than four feet tall, stepped out of the tank. Sure, the thing was ugly, but the creatures' looks only made it more hilarious. "Is this the best you bastards can do" red yelled once he caught his breath. Still laughing, he approached the midget zombie, trying to think of the funniest way he could kill the thing. "Lets see, should I punt you across the room, or just crush you like a grape" red couldn't help but talk to the thing. It was just so funny watching it stand there, and the idea of finally being able to kill a zombie without any kind of fight was almost too good. Unfortunately, he realized his mistake too late as the midget began venting a gas out of it's' skin. He started to back away, but it was too late. He had already inhaled a fair amount of the noxious fumes trying to catch his breath. He started to feel a migraine almost immediately, a throbbing sensation quickly developing near his temples.
***
Ivan watched the scene unfold below, a grin of satisfaction growing as he observed 208. His grin grew even larger when he watched 208 step over to 55, ending his life by slamming his fist though 55s' skull. The tech running the show seemed to be having too much fun, so Ivan decided to take control and see what 208 could really do. He was about to order several of the other test subjects brought in when a security officer ran up, out of breath. "Sir, we have a breach in security, two of the survivors Higgins captured with 208 are down in the storage rooms. Should I send a team to eliminate them?" "No, I have a much better idea" Ivan replied calmly.
***
5:38 a.m.
Swift pulled Ryan into the shadows, hoping that the security patrol hadn't spotted them. Things weren't going well; surveillance cameras dotted almost every room and guards constantly patrolled the halls. It was all swift could do to avoid being spotted; even with his experience avoiding detection wasn't easy. Their one stroke of luck had been finding a storage room full of equipment. Ryan had found a PDA with a detailed schematic of the entire underground complex, including camera positions. Needless to say, this had helped immensely, and it was probably the only reason they were still alive. Swift had been leading them towards a room marked simply as *TS Storage* on the PDA. Ryan had said he had a feeling about that particular room, swift just wanted to blow the place up and get the fuck out. They'd have to find another way around, as the hallway they were going though was heavily guarded. Backtracking, Ryan spotted another door that, according to the schematic of this level, led right to their destination.
***
Ryan was getting more nervous with each step he took. The path they had taken, so far at least, had been completely devoid of guards or cameras. Swift looked even more on edge, gripping his pistol like it was the Holy Grail. Ryan had almost as tight a grip on his pistol, but the thing that really showed how nervous he felt was his tail, it kept wrapping around his legs and getting in the way. Reaching another door, Ryan searched for any security devises before going though. The door was rather small, Ryan's' height not helping matters as he slipped though, swift had a much easier time and nimbly jumped though, pistol held tight and at the ready while he surveyed the next room. Once though, they both realized their mistake. As the door sealed shut behind them, the lights cut off, smothering them in darkness.
***
4:38 a.m.
"Damn this thing's slow" Sylvr thought as the elevator continued it ascent. Several marines had slowed them down by calling the elevator. It had been fun though, seeing the looks on the startled soldiers' faces when the doors parted. Sylvr had shot most of them, muttering "occupied" right before he pulled the trigger on his Berrett, sending them to an early grave. One of the soldiers had actually pissed himself upon seeing the weapon leveled at his head; this however saved his life as Sylvr started laughing so hard he couldn't even pull the trigger. Other than those few distractions, nothing else had hindered their progress. He looked over to Henry, his gaze going soft as he thought about what the young wolf had been though in the past few days. Finally, the elevator came to a halt at the ground floor; Sylvr raised his rifle just to be safe. He sighed in relief as the doors slid open; the small room was the same as when he'd first entered. Stepping outside, his breath caught in his throat. The base was completely totaled; all but one of the buildings was nothing but a smoking pile of rubble. Henry walked up to Sylvr, "what now" he asked in a dead tone. Sylvr didn't know what they were going to do next; he hadn't expected the entire base to be destroyed. He decided the best course of action would be to find a ride out of the city, he only hoped that everything in the base hadn't been destroyed.
***
5:47 a.m.
After what seemed like an eternity in darkness, the only light coming from the PDAs' glowing screen, Ryan had found another door. Several pulls later and they were out of the darkness. Ryan breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped into the light; he hated the dark with a passion and was more than glad to get out. Swift stepped out right after Ryan, apparently just as glad to be out of the darkness. The next area wasn't much to look at, just a long narrow hallway. Something seemed out of place, Ryan couldn't place it, but he knew something was wrong. He felt eyes staring at him, but he didn't see anyone, or anything.
***
4:45 a.m.
The ruins of the base were infested with the undead, mostly just the slow, stupid zombies looking for an easy meal. Most of the hunters had already gone after getting their fill, but a few still remained. Keeping to the shadows, it wasn't hard to avoid the masses of zombies, most of which were busy munching on the few bodies left. Spotting the one thing he had been looking for, Sylvr sprinted for a small garage, Henry following hard on his heels. Only one of the slower zombies spotted them, and Sylvr didn't really care. Reaching the garage, he eased the door open; "I think I've died and gone to heaven... karma, I love you" Sylvr practically pranced up to the single HUMVEE parked in the garage. "Aren't you the pretty one" he said lovingly as he patted the hummer. Popping the hood, he stared at the massive V8 diesel engine, "this just keeps getting better and better". Henry was looking in the cab, "keys are in the ignition" he muttered. "What" Sylvr didn't even hear, practically drooling over the engine. Closing the hood, he looked up, his joy skyrocketing to a new level when he spotted the MK-19 grenade launcher mounted on the HUMVEE. The only problem now was figuring out whether he wanted to drive, or shoot...
***
5:49 a.m.
Ryan froze, not believing what he was seeing. He kept trying to find a logical reason to what he was staring at, but his mind could find nothing. Swift was just as shocked when blood-tail stepped out of a shadowed alcove. "Hey...Ryan, do you see what I see?" swift mumbled. "I think so, but... it's not possible" Ryan replied. The stunned silence lasted for another second before Ryan noticed reds' eyes. There wasn't an ounce of expression in them, not even a flicker of recognition, or anything else for that matter.
***
Swift spotted the bottomless pit in reds' eyes right after Ryan did, his expression going from surprised to aw shit in less than a second. He had seen the exact same look in each and every zombie he had observed. His reaction was a second too slow however, as red lunged at Ryan, the speed of the attack catching them both off guard.
***
Ryan was too shocked to move, resist, or do anything else. The attack was so fast that he didn't even have time to blink before he was slammed against a wall. he finally recovered from his initial surprise and immediately started struggling against the grip red had around his neck. Swift didn't hesitate raising his P345 and emptying the clip into reds' back. This got him released, but red immediately turned his attention towards the distraction and went for swift. Even after the first attack, swift still wasn't ready for the speed that red had gained from the virus. He barely had enough time get into a defensive position before the next series of blows came, one right after the other. Ryan recovered upon seeing his friend getting pounded into the ground and made a desperate move. Grabbing red around the waist, he managed to lift him off the ground, giving swift a chance to recover. Again however, he underestimated the abilities that the virus gave to those infected. Red merely grabbed Ryan's' shoulders and threw him on the ground, the impact knocking the wind out of him. He watched as blood-tail prepared to deliver the final blow, accepting that this was the end, Ryan closed his eyes.
***
Ivan held all the cards, the two interlopers no match for 208. He watched the entire scene unfold, enjoying every pained expression the two intruders made. He signaled 208 to finish the fight, watching in satisfaction as the command was immediately followed. 208 had the green tiger on the ground before the fool even knew what happened, preparing to make the killing strike.
***
The end never came. Ryan held his eyes shut for another second before slowly opening them. Blood-tail was standing above him, reds' claws just an inch away from his face. He spotted something in blood-tails' eyes that hadn't been there before; a look of pain, sorrow, and... a plea for help.
***
He had to fight it; he wouldn't let it control him. The pain in his head intensified tenfold as he tried to resist the urge to kill. *kill them* these words kept repeating in his head, over and over again.
***
4:52 a.m.
A single zombie stepped though the door, searching for another meal. Sylvr knew at least one would come, so he had Henry stand on the HUMVEEs' hood, acting as bait. Sure enough, the dumb piece of shit didn't even notice Sylvr crouching behind the door. He made his move, sprinting out of cover and putting the undead in a headlock. The zombie struggled as Sylvr dragged it over to the HUMVEEs' open door. "Don't worry, we're just going to take a little off the top" he said quietly to the thrashing moaning corpse. Pushing the creatures head down, Sylvr slammed the HUMVEEs' door shut as hard as he could, spraying blood everywhere. "Never did like olive drab" he chuckled while removing the now "completely" dead corpse from the driver's side door.
***
5:55 a.m.
Swift was baffled as to what was happing. One second he was getting the shit beaten out of him, the next he was watching in horror as blood-tail almost bashed Ryan's skull in, and now he was watched as the dragon stumbled around the hall clutching his head. His first thought was that the virus was doing something else to him, but he crossed that idea out once it became apparent that no mutations were occurring. Stepping up to Ryan, he voiced his question "WTF is going on?" Ryan just shook his head "not sure, I think he might be trying to fight the virus".
***
The pain was starting to fade. Whoever was trying to control him was apparently losing that control as time passed. The voice in his head was getting fainter with each passing second, taking more and more of the pain with it. After several more agonizing minutes, he finally managed to dispel the voice completely.
***
Ivan slammed his fists into the computer monitor, rage seething though him. How could 208 break his control? There hadn't been any problems with 55, and those tests had gone on much longer with no problems whatsoever. "Take all your guards and kill those intruders" Ivan practically screamed this order at the head of security. The captain bristled at the rage behind Ivan's voice, almost running as he went to carry out the command.
***
Ryan walked up to red, concern showing plainly on his face. "You okay?" he asked. Red just shook his head "are you and swift okay?" the question surprised Ryan, but he understood why it was asked. "We're fine" he answered quickly. Red looked at both of them, guilt showing on his face as he looked down at his claws. "I... I can't say how sorry I am for what I did, for what I almost did". Swift clapped red on the shoulder "don't worry about it... now, can we just get out of this shithole before we get caught?"
***
5:00 a.m.
Sylvr had to make the hardest decision of his life... "To drive or not to drive". Looking between the steering wheel and the MK-19 automatic grenade launcher, he finally decided to drive, mostly because he couldn't run things over with the grenade launcher. Getting behind the wheel of the HUMVEE felt as natural as sex to him. Turning the key in the ignition, he took in the wonderful sound of the custom V8 engine, glad to finally be behind the wheel again. Henry climbed into the passenger seat, still looking rather hollow, but seeming to lighten up as he felt the rumble of the engine. Sylvr put the HUMVEE into drive and slammed on the gas "let's have some fun"
and there you have it. i could've made this longer, but i didn't want to use all my ideas in a single chapter. please leave a comment as to whether or not you liked it. i hope those who gave me ideas like how i used them ^.=.^
p.s if anyone feels like it, please point out any grammer mistakes (preferably in a PM) so i can defeat my mortal enemy and bring balance to the force. XD
p.p.s something i was wondering... should i tag my stories as adult. not quite sure, guess it depends on ones point of view.