Little did George know that scenes such as this were playing out across the capital region, at other power generation facilities, water treatment plants, communication centres, and other refineries and natural gas plants. At facilities inside the city, police officers were being used to guard vital infrastructure, so as not to scare the civilian populace, but in locations outside populated areas, soldiers formed the units assigned to maintain the continuity of vital services.
As George headed back inside, he noticed the military tanker trucks had been filled and were headed back out, escorted by the pair of police cars. Time to go inside and call the wife and tell her to get here ASAP, he thought to himself. Otherwise, they’d be stuck out there instead of here, which, theoretically, should be a lot safer. After that, it would be time to call members of the plant’s crisis team and see what kinds of plans they had to deal with a scenario like this.
Chapter 6
September 19th
Xander glanced at his phone, half expecting his panicky mother to be on the other end, and then noticed the ‘Private Caller’ on the ID, “Hello?”
“Hello, Xander?” a woman’s voice – not his mother’s – said hesitantly.
“Yes?”
“Hi, it’s Evelyn,” she said.
“Ummm, Evelyn?” He paused.
“From Saturday night, you know, we met at Suite 69, had a few drinks, and you know,” she replied.
“Ohh, Evelyn. Sorry, my mind was elsewhere. What can I do for you?”
“Look, I know we barely know each other, but I felt a spark last weekend and was wondering if you did, too.”
“I had a great time, but frankly, I didn’t think I’d ever hear from you again. At least, based on what was said, or I guess, not said when I left Sunday morning.”
“I wasn’t sure either. But after some thinking the past few days, I was wondering if you like to get together,” Evelyn said. “Maybe have some dinner?”
“Well, given that there’s a 9 p.m. curfew and infected people running around outside, I’d rather not,” Xander said.
“Oh, of course. I didn’t mean go out, I meant I’d like to cook dinner for you.”
“That would be nice, when?” Xander asked.
“How about tonight?”
Xander glanced at his clock, it was just after four o’clock. “Okay, I can be there in an hour or so.”
“Great, see you then!”
Xander turned off the oven and put the beef jerky strips back in the fridge, then went to his bedroom, put his .38 and a box of ammo in a duffel bag, and for good measure, tossed a change of clothes in as well. Then he quickly did the three ‘S’s – shit, shower, shave. He got dressed in comfortable clothes and grabbed his keys, the duffel bag and a bottle of white wine, then walked out the door and down to his truck. He was careful when he went around corners and when he got close to his X-Terra. He hopped in and locked the doors, then drove to Evelyn’s apartment. She lived on the ground floor of an older building in the area near Commonwealth Stadium.
He parked as close as possible to the front door and looked around before he got out. Satisfied that the coast was clear, he grabbed his duffel bag and an aluminum bat out of the back, then went to the front door and buzzed her apartment.
“Hey, it’s Xander.”
“Come on in,” the speaker squawked gravelly.
The front door unlocked and he walked down the hall to her door, which was open.
“Hi,” Xander shouted as he closed the door.
Evelyn poked her head out from the kitchen. “Hi ya.”
She took Xander’s jacket and hung it in the front closet and then gave him a big hug. “I’m so glad you came.”
“My pleasure. Here, I brought this for you,” Xander said, handing over the wine.
“Oh, what a gentleman,” she responded. “What’s the bag for? Better yet, what’s the bat for?”
“Well, I wasn’t too sure about your area,” he said a little sheepishly.
“And the bag?” she said, cocking an eyebrow.
“Just a change of underwear.” He made a point of not showing her his pistol.
“Confidence…I like that in a man. Well, just leave it by the door,” she said coyly.
Xander set down the bat by the door and followed her into the living room, where he dropped the duffel bag on the floor.
“Come on, I’m just finishing dinner,” Evelyn said, heading to the kitchen.
Evelyn went the stove and started stirring the Hamburger Helper in the pan. Then she rinsed off some lettuce and began making a salad. It wasn’t going to be the best meal Xander ever had, but it was much better than sitting at home alone with a box of Kraft Dinner and watching depressing news all night long.
While making dinner, Evelyn opened up to Xander. “Look, I know I hardly know you, but the fact is, I just moved to this city a few months ago and I don’t really know anyone else. I was scared and wanted some company after watching the news today.”
“I understand. It must be tough being a single woman, especially in this neighbourhood,” Xander replied.
“It is. The only other person I really know at all is Deidre. And she’s usually too busy partying to hang out with me, unless of course I go to all those meat markets she frequents.”
“Deidre?” Xander said.
“You know, the girl your buddy took home on Saturday.”
“Oh, Deidre, I thought you were talking about someone else,” Xander replied, trying to cover his gaffe.
“Bullshit. You forgot her name.” Evelyn laughed. “Must be because you didn’t get to sleep with her.”
“Nah, I would have definitely forgotten her name had I slept with her, simply because I would have woken up regretting it,” Xander shot back.
“Well, she can be a bit much, I’ll admit. Anyways, let’s have dinner, I’m starving.”
Finally, just as they were finishing dinner, Evelyn asked him the question that Xander had been expecting since he walked in the door.
“Umm, would you, umm, mind staying over tonight?” she asked sheepishly.
“Well, I don’t have anything better to do. But…”Xander trailed off.
“But what? Are you wondering about the sleeping arrangements? It can be whatever you’re most comfortable with. It’s not like we’re total strangers.”
“No, no, it’s not that. I’m just not too confident about staying in your apartment is all,” Xander replied.
“What’s wrong with my apartment?”
“Well, first off, it’s on the ground floor. Secondly, you have those huge sliding doors, which are 99% window. The neighbourhood already looks like a demilitarized zone, and that’s without these crazy rabies maniacs running around. Do you have a weapon besides your stunning good looks?”
“No, I don’t. Growing up, we never had guns around the house,” Evelyn replied.
“Look, I’m willing to stay tonight, but only for tonight. Tomorrow morning, we head back to my place and stay there. It’s on the second floor of my building, and the neighbourhood is much better. That’s the best I can offer.”
“Hmm, running off with a man I only met a few days ago…whatever would my mother think of me?” She paused. “Okay, I’ll pack up some clothes later and we’ll go to your place tomorrow.”
After dessert, Xander helped Evelyn with the dishes and then she packed, while Xander closed all the blinds and made sure the windows and doors were locked. For good measure, he pushed the sofa in front of the patio doors, although he wasn’t sure it would make much difference.
He walked into her bedroom and saw her packing a huge suitcase, and laughed.
“What?” Evelyn said.
“How long do you expect to stay at my place? Until Christmas?” Xander chuckled.
“Well, a lady needs more than just jeans and a T-shirt like guys do,” Evelyn fired back.
Xander smiled and nodded. “Okay, just remember, we have to lug whatever you pack back to my place.”
&nbs
p; They spent the rest of the evening watching TV, but it was difficult to really enjoy it because news bulletins kept popping up during the commercial breaks. After a while they popped in a DVD and enjoyed Jim Carrey’s antics instead. Despite the light hearted comedy and hi-jinks, it did little to cheer them up.
After the movie, they got ready for bed, with Xander being sure to bring his duffel bag into the bedroom. While Evelyn was in the bathroom brushing her teeth, he pulled his .38 out of the bag and checked it. He left the first chamber empty as a safety precaution and then stuffed it under his pillow.
When Evelyn came back, she was wearing a see-through teddy and a giant smile. Her body was just as amazing as Xander remembered.
“Let’s see if the second time is better than the first was,” she said as she dove into bed. Their sex was an odd mixture of urgency, passion and athleticism that seemed to last all night long. Afterwards, they fell asleep in each other’s arms.
When Xander woke up the next morning, he felt refreshed. He slipped out of bed and headed into the living room, where he turned on the news. Nothing much had happened the night before in town, and a couple of glances out the window showed the streets were as normal as they usually were. He walked back into the bedroom and nudged Evelyn.
“Come on, sleepyhead.”
She opened her eyes and looked up at Xander. “It was even better the second time around.”
“I know. Let’s get ready and go.”
“I’d rather eat something else first,” she said and dragged him back into bed.
An hour later, they both got up and shared a shower, which went much longer than a normal shower should. Then they dried each other off before spending another couple hours in bed. Breakfast wasn’t eaten until almost noon, but Xander couldn’t remember a more perfect morning in a long, long time.
September 20th
“All of these theories on the internet are just that, theories. This pandemic is not an act of bio-terrorism, alien invasion or military experiment gone awry. The sheer number and breadth of Patient Zeroes across the planet is staggering,” the President of the United States said emphatically. “And finally, no, we did not consult with George Romero on how to deal with this crisis.”
“So Matt Drudge’s posting that this is the work of Al-Qaeda is incorrect?” a reporter queried.
“Absolutely that report is incorrect. Some of the first cases of this disease appeared in Mecca, Medina, Qom, and even Islamabad. If you were Al-Qaeda, would you release such a horrific weapon in your religion’s holiest cities?” the President replied.
“But Mr. President, surely the appearance of the first cases on the anniversary of September 11th is no coincidence,” a reporter shouted out.
“As a matter of course, the NSA and CIA are examining intelligence gathered over the past few months, but as of yet, they have found nothing to suggest this is a terrorist attack. Additionally, no other terrorist organization has stepped forward to claim that this is their work either,” the President continued.
“This pandemic has reached every corner of the globe in a very short time. While it’s possible that people have unknowingly assisted in this transmission, there is no evidence at this time to suggest it was in any way deliberate. Neither NASA nor NORAD are tracking UFOs in orbit around the planet, moon or solar system, and no government that we have spoken with, that is to say, every major government on earth, has knowledge of this as a biological weapon.
“This appears to be a case of an existing virus, in this case, rabies, mutating and becoming incredibly deadly. This is not unprecedented. The Spanish flu in 1918 that killed millions of people worldwide evolved from a simple avian flu virus that previously most humans had immunity to. The Black Death of the Middle Ages is another example. The key difference is that medical science is far more advanced than it was in either of those outbreaks and the administration… no, I believe that the end is in sight for finding and distributing a vaccine for this awful disease.”
“So the reports of the deceased coming back to life is erroneous?” another reporter asked.
“Of course they are. Victims may appear dead, but I’ve have been assured by officials at the CDC that this is not the case.”
“What about the infected victim’s high levels of aggression and violence? Does their violence justify the actions of vigilantes?” another reporter asked.
“They are very much alive, and vigilantes running around and shooting them in the head are just murdering innocent people. The real victims here are the poor infected being slaughtered by survivalists, not the infected themselves. Is a person with the flu to blame if someone in his family dies because they got it too? No, it’s just a terrible twist of fate. There is no such thing as zombies.”
The President continued, “Federal authorities at the Centers for Disease Control and at the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, better known as USAMRIID, report that they are close to isolating the vector this pandemic is taking and are on the verge of preparing a vaccine as we speak. My advice to citizens is to stay home, lock your doors, and avoid contact with the infected. Watch a movie or play some games with your family, and authorities will deal with this situation. Should you need emergency assistance, call 911 and follow the operator’s advice.”
-------
Normally, EPS officers were given a leave of absence when a family member or a spouse died. How long the leave lasted was entirely up to the police officer and his family. Ed, however, was given a pep talk and sent right back out into action.
Dan had asked him if he wanted a new partner, given his wife’s role in Sandra’s death, and he replied, “No, you’re the only thing like family I have left.” Even if Ed had wanted to go home and drink himself into a stupor in a dark room, his sense of duty prevented it.
The worst part was that Sandra’s sacrifice failed to protect Jessica at all, as she too had been infected when their house was breached. Perhaps it was better that Sandra had died by herself in the basement, instead of in the master bedroom, where Jessica might have turned and began feeding on her, Dan thought idly. Jessica was in an ICU ward in the city’s best hospital, but Dan didn’t hold out much hope. So far, no one infected had ever recovered.
And so they went out again and alternated between patrolling the streets and helping maintain quarantines around the city. With their experience in dealing with infected, they were usually among the first to be dispatched to quarantine breakdowns or violent situations.
Life on the ‘happy’ side of the quarantine zone for Dan and Ed was becoming less and less happy as the days ticked by. In fact, it was getting more and more disturbing each day. Initially, the quarantines had been easy to maintain, and peace officers usually just apprehended infected individuals, used plastic cuff ties to bind their hands and feet, and then transported them to a medical facility for observation. While police officers always had the authority to use deadly force to protect themselves, the Mayor’s office and City Hall had quietly requested that infected individuals be subdued whenever possible, instead of simply shot and killed. After all, the Mayor reasoned, what if a cure could be found? Killing infected citizens would not only be morally outrageous, but he would also lose all those voters. The chief, while against the policy, agreed to it, as long as it didn’t endanger his officers.
The problem was that the number of cases had skyrocketed, from a few dozen to hundreds, almost overnight. In under a week, the number of cases in Edmonton had gone from half a dozen infected to several thousand, with more and more appearing every day. When the isolation wards at local hospitals filled up, they were taken to a massive warehouse in the city’s west end, which had been converted into a makeshift medical facility. There they were strapped down to gurneys and there they remained. Soon, that facility filled up too and the city was left with nowhere to put the growing population of highly infectious individuals.
Dan’s fellow constables, Adams, Norris and Smythe had long since succumbed to the
infection, and scores of other police officers had been infected in the week since the crisis began. Dozens of others had been killed outright. Starting with roughly fifteen hundred police officers, they already had over twenty percent sidelined, either as a result of infection or injuries sustained subduing the infected. Just over half of the officers remaining were still in the primes of their careers and actually capable of street duty. The rest were administrators who worked at desks, not on the streets. Many of them were older or too out of shape for patrolling the city. As such, EPS officers were getting more and more antsy about dealing with the infected. The Edmonton Police Association, their defacto union, had suggested refusing calls dealing with infected, but that was against provincial laws, as was going on strike or some sort of work stoppage. Worst of all, Dan and Ed’s story of familial loss had shot through police ranks like lightning, and more and more police officers were simply not coming into work, instead choosing to stay at home with their families to protect them from the rising tide of violence sweeping the city.
The police chief, backed by the Edmonton Police Commission had finally, after the loss of nearly four hundred officers, convinced the Mayor and City Hall that such a policy was detrimental to the ability of the EPS to provide law and order throughout the city. Therefore, the use of deadly force by police officers was once again authorized and officers were allowed to exercise their judgment when dealing with the infected.
That made Dan and Ed’s jobs far more grim. What went from a babysitting job with peace officers suddenly became almost full on combat. For Dan, who had been in Afghanistan for two tours as a part of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment and had spent years on the Tactical Team, it wasn’t that big an adjustment. He had seen not just combat, but heavy combat with the Taliban during a major spring offensive. For Ed, whose entire career had consisted of pulling over speeders and writing up traffic violations, it was a major change. He had never, not even once, had to pull his firearm, never mind use it. Edmonton just wasn’t that kind of city.
Zombie Night in Canada (Book 1): First Period Page 6