CHAPTER 19
Institute, WV
The glow from the emergency lighting was all they had as they scoured the rooms for weapons on the security deck and loaded up. Everyone was in a zombie suit. Automatic pistols were strapped on every hip, while the black synthetic .12 gauge shotguns were charged. Myrtle seemed calm as she put two belts of ammunition over the top of Rod’s massive shoulders. The big man had a fiery look in his eye as he talked on his short wave radio.
“Status report all stations!” he ordered.
“One check.”
“Two check.”
“Listen up, this is Command One. We have a breach. Zimmerman 23. Zimmerman 23. Over.”
“Check.”
“What’s Zimmerman 23, over?”
“Zombies are on the loose, fellas. Maybe a dozen. But they're fast. We already have men down. Take the high ground. Report any sightings immediately.”
“Roger that.”
“Roger.”
“Henry, we have four guys out there. The gate's not reporting. What’s the plan?”
Everything in the security manual depended on the availability of backup power. The zombie panic room on their floor was locked. The computer stations were dead.
“What do we do, Henry?” Tori was shivering at his side.
He had already seen what the zombies had done to a well-armed security fire team, and he didn’t have any inclination to take them on. The last thing he wanted to do was put any more lives in jeopardy. They were either going to have to fight, or hide and hope that the cavalry came in time, but deep inside he didn’t figure that was going to happen. He had to give his friends hope even though he didn’t have any. He was too smart to figure this for some kind of accident.
I can’t believe they're doing this again. WHS playing games with men’s lives. They must figure we're worthless or that I know too much.
It seemed that the WHS had other plans for the XT serum. The zombies were moving so fast, and the only thing he could think of was that the serum must be a part of that. No, they weren’t trying to cure the zombies; they were trying to control them. All he could figure was that his usefulness must have come to an end. Burn off the loose ends. It infuriated him. Lab rats again.
“Henry! What do we do?” she said again.
“I’m thinking. Just give me a second.”
“Team One to Command One, we’ve got movement over near your building.”
“What’ve you got?” Rod said.
The man's voice on the radio was almost inaudible.
“Take a look out of your east entrance windows.”
“Oh my!” Myrtle cried. “There must be twenty of them coming our way. Geez! They move as fast as us!”
Henry tried to remain calm, but the sight of the zombies swarming the building uncoiled his nerves. He counted the heads bobbing through the fog and was relieved that there weren't any more than ten of them.
Weege shouted, “Shoot them before they get here. Shoot them now!”
“Shut up, Idiot,” Tori said. “They don’t need to hear us, too.”
“They can’t hear,” Weege said.
“We don’t know that, so keep it down for now,” said Henry.
“What’s your location, Team One? Why aren’t you in a secure location?” Rod said.
“Sorry Rod, but the nearest bunker was locked down. We’ve been all over as far as we could stand to go. We’re on top of the Municipal Building now. We can’t see in your windows, but we're on the ledge facing you. We had a clean shot on them earlier, but not much that a pistol or shotgun can do from this distance.”
“Keep it quiet, watch your back, and let me know if you see anything else. Team Two Report.”
“We’re good. The bunker in the south quadrant is locked up. The fence is hotter than the 4th of July. No zombies though. Over.”
Blam! Blam! Blam!
Everyone lurched. The sound of the shots was muffled and distant.
“Disregard! We’ve got three walkers! Fast ones!
Another procession of gunfire rang out from deep in the complex.
“Get on the buildings, Team Two! Shoot at their legs!”
“We’re on the building! Damn things keep moving! Got on some kind of suit, like ours. Who in the hell put the walkers in zombie suits!” Rod’s face was dripping with sweat, but Henry thought he was handling the situation quite well.
“You should be safe on the building. Hold your fire and save your ammo until help arrives.”
“Rod …”
“What is it?”
“They can climb.”
Henry felt the goosebumps rise on his arms. He'd known in the back of his mind that if the zombies were on the XT Formula that it was a possibility. Now, it was confirmed that the zombies were on the formula, and the evil powers of the WHS were at work again. He grabbed Rod by the arm and said, “Tell them to get as close a shot as they can of the zombie's face. It’s the best chance.
“Fire Team Two, aim for the face. Over.”
He could see the small flashes of light reflecting off the windows in the distance. The steady popping of gunfire gave him hope that the creatures were about to be stopped. Every face in the room was almost pressed against the window as each critical second passed. Then the silence fell. They all looked at each other then back over to Rod, who held the radio up to his lips.
“Fire Team Two, Over.”
Nothing.
“Fire Team Two, Over.”
“Rod, it’s over.”
A collective sigh of relief filled the room along with a few fists pumping in the air.
“They didn’t make it. We can see the entire thing. One zombie down. Sorry Rod, but they're gone. Fire Team One. Over.”
“Dammit!” Rod said. “Those fiends! I must have heard over fifty shots fired, and they’re still moving! We’re gonna need some more fire power, Henry! My men ain’t gonna die for nothing.”
“Hey, what’s going on?”
It was Rudy.
“Why are you guys geared up?”
“Tori, get a med kit and give him an oxygen shot.”
“Zombies, Rudy. Remember the zombies before you passed out? Well, they’re everywhere. Do you know anything about that? Because anything you might know might save all of our lives.” He waved his hand across the people in the room. Rudy blanched. “You know something, don’t you?”
Tori handed Rudy the oxygen tank and mask. He breathed heavy breaths in and out as his eyes flitted from one face to another. Rudy knew something. Henry was sure of it. Rudy began to stare at Tori’s chest as he sucked more into the mask. Henry stepped into his view.
“Rudy, what do you know?”
“I overheard Alice talking to the director about a drill and new zombies. That’s all.”
“Henry, get over here.” Rod was talking from somewhere down the hall. “We’ve got movement down there.”
“Get Rudy in a suit, Myrtle.”
He headed down the hall with Tori sticking to his side. Rod had the fire exit door cracked open. The big man said, “Listen.”
The voices were haunting and fast.
“Numma-Numma. Numma-Numma.”
Tori shrieked. He ran over to the other door and cracked it open.
“Numma-Numma. Numma-Numma.”
“They’re in both stair wells. Let’s get these doors secured.”
“We can’t lock them without power!” Rod shouted. “We need padlocks and chains!”Rudy had wandered into the hall with his suit half on.
“What’s going on?”
“Can you hear that?” Rod said as he charged his shotgun.
The steady sound of Numma-Numma was getting louder in the stairwells.
Rudy looked like he was about to puke when he said, “Yeah.”
Rod smiled as he said, “Then grab a weapon, Rudy. The Zombies are coming!”