by Smith, I. J.
The fat zombie woman had gotten back to her feet, reaching her arms out to them both. Jack ducked down and swung his machete, slicing her stomach open, her intestines spilled out splashing all over the ground. Frank punched the decaying zombie woman in the head, as she fell backwards to the ground Frank stamped on her head.
Jack grabbed Frank’s arm, “MOVE!” He shouted and they both ran in the same direction as Bray and Zoe.
CHAPTER NINE
DOCTOR GRANT
The zombie horde was once again hitting against the reinforced windows of the MI6 building; Elle tried her best to calm the group. Henry was helping as much as he could, “We’re safe in here!” he told everyone, but they continued to panic.
“Where is the rescue, you promised us?” Ryan asked loudly; he was making the group panic more.
“Get us out of here now!” Ryan demanded.
Elle concerned for her friends still outside, was losing her patience. “We need to wait here for the others!” Henry told Ryan.
“THEY’RE DEAD, THEY HAVE BEEN EATEN! LOOK THE ZOMBIES ARE BACK OUTSIDE THE WINDOWS!” Ryan shouted without consideration of what he was saying.
Elle looked at him angrily, she moved fast to his position, punching him in the face in anger, Ryan’s nose once again started to bleed. “SHUT YOUR MOUTH, THEY STAYED OUT THERE TO SAVE YOUR WORTHLESS ASS!” she screamed at him.
Everyone else went silent; Clare walked over and took Elle’s hand, she looked up at Elle's face that showed she was very concerned. “They are OK, I feel it!” Clare reassured her. Elle smiled at her. A noise came from behind them; turning around Elle could see the entrance to the stairwell.
The door swung open, a tall man walked through, he held up a shotgun, “Don’t anyone move!” he told them.
Elle stared at the man while moving Clare behind her to shield her from any danger. The man had an overgrown beard, and his hair was hanging down to his shoulders.
The man stepped forward, “This is my place!” he told everyone.
He raised the shotgun higher, looking like he was about to shoot when something cold touched his neck. “This is my place now!” a voice said behind him.
Elle’s eyes lit up. She looked at Jack, covered in blood holding a gun to the back of the man’s head. Bray, then stepped through the doorway and relieved the man of his shotgun.
“Please, I would not have hurt anyone,” the man told Jack. “Is that why you have a gun pointed at my friends?” Jack asked angrily.
“It’s empty, I ran out of ammo a long time ago, I was just scared!” the man told him. Jack looked at Bray, Bray checked the gun, and nodded that it was empty.
Jack lowered his gun, “Who are you?” Jack asked.
“David..., my name is David,” he replied in a shaking voice. “David Grant, Doctor David Grant?” another voice asked.
Frank emerged from the behind Jack with Zoe close behind him, “The door is secure!” Zoe informed Jack.
Frank stood in front of the man, “Doctor Grant?” he asked. The man looked concerned, “Yes,” he replied softly.
Frank smiled, “We’ve come a long way to find you!” Frank replied.
Frank and Doctor Grant moved away from the group, to speak alone. Jack, Bray, and Zoe approached the rest of their group. Jack noticed Ryan was bleeding again, “You have any trouble?” Jack asked Elle.
She glanced at Ryan quickly, “Only from a rat!” she replied.
Elle squealed with joy, grabbing and cuddled Jack, “I knew you were OK!” she told him with a warm look in her eyes.
Clare approached them, “I knew they didn’t stand a chance!” she told Jack. The group was cheering Bray and Zoe.
“Doctor Grant, we received your message and came here to save you; there are a lot of very happy people waiting to meet you!” Frank told him.
Doctor Grant just looked at Frank, “We should get upstairs, away from the windows!” Doctor Grant replied as he walked away, back towards the stairs to walk up them.
Frank looked confused as he went to Jack, “Everything OK?” Jack asked a worried looking Frank.
“Not sure, but we should go upstairs and think about clearing a space for the helicopter!” Frank replied.
As Frank started to walk away, he stopped and turned back to Jack, “Actually, Jack can you come with me to speak to Grant?” he asked.
“No problem,” Jack replied.
“Bray, take everyone up to the top floor. Then take a group to the roof and make a clearing for the helicopter. We only have a few hours until it arrives!” Jack told him.
Jack walked over to join Frank and they both followed Grant. Bray turned to the group, “OK, you heard him. Let’s go!” he told them and they all began the walk up the stairs, to the top floor.
Jack and Frank followed Doctor Grant, walking up several floors, following him as he walked into a big room, and that was full of computers. There was a space in the back of the room that Doctor Grant had turned into his living space. As Jack walked across the room; he was surprised to see that Doctor Grant had power in the building. Doctor Grant was standing by a table that contained a CB radio.
Frank was anxious to speak to Grant, “We received your message, I have to say it is impressive you have survived here and continue your work!” Frank told him.
Grant slumped down in a chair, “You should not have come here!” he replied.
Jack stepped forward, “We have come to take you to safety!” he told Grant.
“SAFETY THERE IS NO SAFETY, YOU WASTED YOUR TIME!” Grant shouted in reply.
Jack grew angry, “We lost good people getting to you!” he replied through gritted teeth. Grant just stared at the two men in front of him.
Frank glanced at Jack they both wore concerned looks. “Doctor Grant, is there a problem with the cure?” Frank asked him
Grant looked at him and suddenly burst out laughing. “CURE! That’s the bullshit they fed you?” Grant asked. Frank looked sick, he was in complete shock.
Looking at Jack, Frank noticed how calm he appeared. Frank wanted answers, “Why would they send us here if there is no cure?” Frank asked both Jack and Grant.
“Frank, Calm down.” Jack said calmly.
He turned his attention back to Grant, “Sending us here just for you, after millions were left to die, makes no sense. So, you better start talking,” Jack told him.
“What makes you think I know?” Grant replied.
Jack stepped closer, “TALK!” he demanded.
Grant looked into Jack’s eyes, “Just kill me, that’s the real reason you’re here!” Grant replied.
Jack stood silent, looking Grant straight in the eyes. Grant started to sweat, “You really have no idea, do you?” Grant asked.
“We didn’t even know about the zombies, until they started eating my friends!” Jack told him.
“If I tell you, your life is over!” Grant replied.
Frank walked to stand next to Jack, “Talk!” Frank demanded. Grant was still sitting on his chair, and finally started to talk; “The virus, it was not a terrorist attack, it was a weapons test!” he told them.
Both Jack and Frank stood in silence as Grant continued, “I worked for a private company developing weapons for the military. We created a virus, it was a just a simple flu strain, but it could disable an entire enemy force for days. Imagine a war where no guns are needed, no bullets fired.”
Grant stopped for a moment; he picked up a bottle of water and took a long drink. He then continued, “Due to all the problems around the world and increase of terrorist activity, we could not chance testing the weapon abroad. Therefore, military and government officials decided to test it on a small area of Britain. It was deployed in a missile and sent over the skies of the South of England. God, the first few hours it worked, just as it was supposed to. We had prepared the vaccine, and then we got word of people being attacked by people who had died. The fucking virus mutated. It spread so quickly, we could not control it. WE KILLED MILLIONS!”
Grant told them with shame in his eyes.
“What!” Frank shouted.
Jack stood his ground. Frank started to shake; he looked like he would pass out when suddenly he pulled his sidearm and pointed it at Grant.
Grant sat there waiting for it to come. Jack grabbed the gun from Frank, “No, we need more answers,” Jack told him calmly.
“WHY, why would they send us here for him?” Frank asked Jack angrily.
Jack stayed silent for a moment, then a memory from the mission briefing came to him.
“The message,” Jack whispered. Frank looked at him confused.
“The message, what was in the message you transmitted?” Jack asked.
Grant looked up, “Everything!” Grant replied.
For the first time Jack looked scared, “Shit!” he whispered under his breath.
Frank was still confused and needed answers, “Jack, tell me, please!” he asked.
Jack looked at Frank and replied, “They picked up the message, and blocked it. So, no one else could hear it, but they couldn’t do that forever, so they send us in.”
“What is the point of sending us here, he can’t escape?” Frank replied, still looking confused.
“If the world found out, that a weapon was tested by us, on British soil against British citizens, it could lead to another war!” Jack spoke out.
Jack walked away for a moment, “We’re screwed, as soon as we get back, we will be thrown into isolation and left there, telling everyone we are infected!” Jack explained to Frank.
At that moment it hit Frank, this was only ever going to be a one-way mission. “They sent us to HELL! All to stop a radio signal!” Frank said angrily.
“Keep the secret, it’s all about covering their backsides,” Jack replied. “You can kill him now!” Jack continued. Before Frank could reply a gunshot echoed out, Grant apparently had another gun and had shot himself in the head with it.
Frank watched as Grant’s lifeless body fell back into the chair as his blood and brains dribbled down the wall, “Why did he do that?” Frank asked.
Jack simply replied, “Guilt.”
Frank walked towards the radio, he was about to switch it off, “Don’t!” Jack told him.
“I have an idea,” Jack told him.
CHAPTER TEN
SURVIVE
Bray was on the roof with Zoe and several of the survivors, they had cleared most of the debris.
“That should be enough,” Bray told them.
Zoe threw some more rubbish over the side of the building, she could hear, the zombies below still frantically trying to get in.
“Do you think the door we came in will hold?” she asked Bray.
“It only needs to hold for another hour, and then we are gone,” Bray replied.
“We should never have broken the door to get in!” she told him.
Bray stopped what he was doing and said to her, “We didn’t have a choice, we were surrounded,” he simply told Zoe.
She stood on the roof looking down remembering how they escaped from the zombie horde, they had found themselves trapped behind the MI6 building, only a fire exit was available, and Frank had given them an order to break it open. She remembered how Jack was against the idea, he feared that it would put the others at risk, but still Frank and Bray broke it open. Zoe had agreed with Jack.
“It will soon be over!” Bray reassured her.
Zoe did not reply, Bray spoke again, “Come on, we should go back to the others,” he told her. Bray and the others left the roof; it took Zoe a moment to join them.
Jack was running up the stairs, Frank followed closely, “JACK STOP!” he shouted to get Jack’s attention.
Jack looked back at Frank, “We only have an hour, we need to get moving,” he replied.
“Not till you tell me your plan,” Frank told him.
Jack looked up, they only had a few floors until they reached the others, “OK, we don’t tell anyone what we just heard!” Jack told him.
“Jack, no way is the helicopter going to let survivors on board without approval, and from what we just learned tonight, no way will they give it,” Frank told him.
Jack smiled, “I don’t plan on asking, just trust me!” he asked.
Frank looked at this man in front of him, stained in blood, exhausted and hungry, but he was still going, so many times in the last 23 hours Jack had saved their lives. “I always trust you Jack,” Frank replied with a smile.
“Then come on!” Jack told him. They both continued their journey to the top floor.
Elle was walking round the room, most of the kids were sleeping, and the survivors were resting, a door behind her opened, she looked at Jack and Frank as they entered the room. “You both OK?” she asked them.
“I heard a gunshot,” she continued. “I’ll explain later,” Jack, told her as he approached the group of survivors.
“OK, I need everyone to listen!” he told the group. Everyone sat up and paid attention to Jack.
“In the next 60 minutes a helicopter will arrive to start evacuating. Now we had no idea any of you were here, so there is limited room!” he told the group.
Everyone started to panic. “Calm down and listen. The kids get on first and we have to escort them back and arrange for further rescue, so you will need to stay here for a little longer,” he told them.
The group started to get louder with complaints, Ryan shouted out, “You’re going to leave us again, and you should stay here to make sure they send a rescue!” Jack looked annoyed.
“Ryan, Shut up! Please listen! We have lost too many of our team tonight, so the four of us need to go back to reassure command that we are not under duress,” Jack told everyone.
Henry stood up, “We are safe here, at least for an extra few hours. If Jack says this is the plan, I for one believe him,” he said. Jack smiled at Henry.
The group’s attitude changed. They were happier. “Jack, I need to talk to you,” Frank demanded.
They walked across the room, out of earshot. “What are you doing, we both know that there is no rescue after we’ve gone,” Frank told him.
Jack looked around the room, looking at the group, “I know, but we don’t have a choice, but we can save the kids, and that’s the best we can hope for now. If we tell them the truth, they will bombard the helicopter and no one makes it out!” Jack replied.
“We are going to leave them to die; I can’t give that order!” Frank told him.
“It’s on my shoulders Frank, I am giving the order,” Jack stated.
Frank was shocked and too scared but managed to reply, “I can’t ask you to take that responsibility.”
Jack put his hand on his friend’s shoulder, “You don’t have to, and Captain Jenkins told me to take command if I felt it necessary. So, this one is on me,” he replied.
Frank put his arms around Jack, “Thank you!” he told him as they hugged. Jack hugged his friend with a look on his face, as if he was holding something back.
Bray approached Jack, “It’s almost time,” he told him.
“Then go, get the kids to the roof!” Jack told him.
Jack began to walk towards the door that would take him to the roof when Elle stopped him, “What’s going on?” she asked.
Jack did not have time for this, “We’re going home!” he simply told her.
Elle was not convinced, “You’re hiding something,” she replied.
Jack took her hand, “Trust me!” he asked. Elle smiled, looking deep into his eyes, “Always,” she replied softly.
Jack wanted so badly to kiss her, but he could not, he walked away and disappeared through the door.
Jack stood on the roof looking up, he checked his watch as Frank joined him, “Only a few minutes,” Frank told him.
“We should get ready,” Jack replied.
Frank pulled several flares from his vest, opening them up they sparked and lit up. Glowing bright red, he scattered them on the roof, within a moment the search light
from the helicopter appeared. The noise got louder and the helicopter started to land. Jack walked over to the helicopter as the pilot disembarked to greet him.
“Time to leave?” the pilot shouted.
Before Jack could reply the pilot began to pull his sidearm, he had seen Bray emerge from a doorway with several kids in tow.
Before the pilot could raise his gun, Jack had his sidearm pointed at the pilot’s head. “Just, hand the gun over!” he told the pilot.
As the pilot handed his gun to Jack he spoke, “We can’t take them!”
Jack simply looked at the pilot, “You don’t have a choice!” Jack coldly replied.
Frank joined Jack, “Is this your plan?” he asked.
Jack did not reply, he turned to Bray, “Get the kids on board!” he told him.
The pilot began to move aggressively; Jack grabbed him and pointed his gun at the pilot’s head again. “I have had a shitty day, killed a lot of people so one more is not going to bother me too much!” he told the pilot.
The pilot looked scared as Elle helped Bray get the kids on board the helicopter. “Frank! Stay with the pilot!” he told him.
Jack walked to the helicopter door, he opened it and pulled a pair of headphone out and placed them on his head. He adjusted the frequency to match H.M.S Albion’s, “Groves, this is poker buddy, come in,” he said into the microphone.
The static remained for a few moments until finally he heard a voice over the headphones, “Identify yourself!” a familiar voice replied over the radio.
“Groves, I don’t have time, but I need to know it’s you. How much do I owe you in poker winnings?” Jack asked.
A laugh came over the radio, “I owe you £50,” the voice said.
“Finally, some luck, Groves listen to me. The helicopter headed back to your ship needs to be protected, it has a valuable cargo and I need you to use only people you trust,” Jack told him.
“Jack, what the hell is going on?” Groves asked.
“I can’t tell you, but when the helicopter arrives, you will know everything. Can I trust you?” Jack asked.