Chapter Nine
Taiwo led the way this time. The drive leading to the hospital’s main entrance was long and windy. Wide expanses of carpet grass covered grounds stretched off on either side.
They broke into a jog. Taiwo reached the main building first. He froze when he took a good look at it. The paintwork was scratched with long gashes in the underlying concrete.
Every window in the upper stories was smashed. The concrete around the front of the building was stained, smeared with what looked disturbingly like dried blood.
“What do you think happened here?” Kemisola asked, her whisper shattering the quiet stillness hanging over everything.
“Madness!” he growled heading for the door hanging drunkenly on its hinges.
He pushed it aside and stepped into the foyer raising his halogen lamp high. The foyer was empty. Mako gave the elevators a cursory glance before heading for the staircase on the left.
“Aren’t the elevators working?” her words were like a shout in the absolute silence.
Mako froze taking several deep breaths to calm himself.
“Have you heard anything since we walked in?”
She shook her head slowly.
“I am glad we agree on that ___ so do you think the building has ___ well I don’t know ___ ELECTRICITY??!!!”
Her eyes hardened. She was tempted to give him a what for but changed her mind. Fighting him would serve no purpose, it was counterproductive. Not when they had the pressure of the vaccine production to worry about.
He’d been hoping his words would incense her to the point of lashing out so he could give her a piece of his mind. Unfortunately, she didn’t, which was more galling for him.
He climbed the stairs taking them two at a time.
“Don’t you think you should slow down? Those things might be up there.”
“I know they’re here. That’s why I am hurrying. I want to kill as many of them as possible.”
“With all due respect Mako this isn’t a video game where you play the action hero. In the real world people die. They don’t just power up using an extra life they bought in some far away fantasy place. This is real. If you don’t realize this none of us will make it out alive.”
His peace said, Taiwo pushed past him heading down a hall leading to the R&D department where the vaccine was going to be produced.
“Speaking of power, we’re going to need to find and start the generator. We can’t produce the vaccine without electricity.”
A grim look came on Mako’s face. “We best split up when we reach the research and development lab.”
The corridor stretched off into the distance. A staircase leading up lay at the end. They took it slowly with their weapons raised. There was a scuffling sound coming from the top.
Taiwo reached the top first. An infected man lay in front of the closed double doors. He was gasping and twitching as if in the throes of death. Taiwo walked forward aiming his weapon.
“NO!!” Mako barked hurrying over. “If you fire your weapon you’ll alert the others to our presence.”
“So how do I kill it?” Taiwo asked looking very impatient.
“Allow me __” he swung his rifle over his shoulder and walked towards it pulling a razor sharp knife from his belt. Kemisola turned away looking squeamish as the knife slid into the man’s skull. The scuffling sound stopped instantly.
Her eyes drifted upwards resting on the sign which had the words ‘Research and Development’ written on it.
“Seems like we’ve found it__” Her voice like her body was shaking.
Mako reached up pulling at the crack between both doors. It didn’t budge. Taiwo tapped him on the shoulder pointing at the keypad on the right side. It needed electricity to open.
“Where is the generator?”
“Downstairs __ back of the building.”
He sighed facing his men. “Taiwo! You and the doc remain here. Me and the others will try and find that generator. Keep her safe Taiwo. Cos if she dies or turns ___” his voice drifted off. Seconds later, he and his men were gone, disappearing into the gloom leading down the staircase.
Taiwo and kemisola exchanged locked gazes. “You think they’ll make it?”
Her voice was still shaking. He sighed his eyes drifting back to the door.
“They have to.”
Mako slowly stepped off the staircase warily examining the dark corridor in front. It formed a tee junction a foot from the staircase. He examined both turnings as best as he could with the lamp off. He didn’t want to attract any attention at this point.
“I think we’re going right. The buildings schematics say this corridor leads to the back.”
He nodded, hurrying right. His men followed, with two facing the opposite direction with their weapons aimed at the gloom.
The corridor continued for so long he was tempted to stop and go back. The end appeared just as he reached a decision. It was a single door, thick and formidable looking.
He tried the handle. As expected it didn’t budge. His eyes hardened in frustration.
“We don’t have a choice sir __ we have to use our weapons.” His frown deepened. Even though he hated to admit it, he knew they were right. Taking a deep breath he raised his rifle and took aim. Firing two quick bursts into the lock, he stepped back and turned the handle. It opened immediately.
The sight that greeted his eyes made his insides turn to water. The generators lay fifty meters away in wide concrete sheds. Between them and the sheds were almost two dozen infected who turned as the door opened.
“Olorun Oba mi!” *My God, My King!
Their slurring growls turned to screeches as they raced forward. Mako jumped out firing burst after burst. His men followed suit laying down covering fire as two darted through the narrow opening their bullets created.
One of the men racing to the generators was felled by a downed infected. The bullet that brought him down didn’t quite kill him only taking half of his face. The soldier yelled and kicked out. He wasn’t fast enough. The result; long saliva dripping incisors sank into his thigh.
His scream was like a stake driven into Mako’s heart. “KEEP RUNNING!” He yelled at the last soldier.
The man nodded increasing speed. He reached the generator glancing over the controls. The fuel tank was half full. It had to do. An infected screeched a few feet away but was brought down by a well placed bullet. Its head fell inches from his foot. He yelped reaching for the generator’s key. He turned it but it didn’t make a sound.
“IT’S NOT WORKING SIR!”
“Is the choke off?”
He glanced down at the choke realizing it wasn’t on the off position. Correcting it quickly he tried the key again. This time it started immediately. There was a circuit breaker on the wall to his left. He raced to it and pushed the lever up.
The building was instantly lit up like a Christmas tree. It worked. They had power.
“GET BACK INTO THE BUILDING NOW!!!” Mako yelled backing to the door. His men followed. Seeing no way past the mass of infected the soldier at the generator raced round the side of the building heading to the front. He was pursued by seven infected.
“God be with you!” Mako murmured as he slammed the door shut.