by D. P. Sloan
“If that’s the case,” Gregg said beginning to stand up to and walking over to the living room window before turning around and looking at the group, “then what do we do? I mean if this is all a set up. If the Government or whoever is behind this then aren’t we just best to get out of this town now and fast?” Gregg asked.
“Well that would be great idea,” Michaels began, “however I think I personally want to find this Lomax. A lot of innocent people died these past few days and yeah I’ve still got the police blood in me which means I want to bring these people down!”
The four teens nodded and smiled.
“I guess you are willing to help me then?” Michaels asked.
Gregg looked at his friends and then smiled at Michaels, “Yes.”
Michaels smiled, “Well let’s get this plan in motion shall we.”
CHAPTER 24
DECEMBER 12TH – 0600HRS
“Good morning you are watching SKY news. Today’s breaking news; Glasgow in Scotland is on lock down. More importantly the small town of Drumchapel. A little over four days ago. Glasgow a once vibrant city, the biggest city in Scotland was savaged of not only by the storm nicknamed via a Twitter thread called, ‘Hurricane Bawbag,’ but what experts believe to be some sort of virus. The eyes of the world have been glued to the city of Glasgow where this unknown pathogen was released. No one knows where or how the pathogen or virus was released but within hours the living died and the dead rose again to live. The Scottish Government have not issued any statement and the first minister has not been seen since the outbreak. What has happened the days following the outbreak has seen the army move in and the dead rounded up from all over Glasgow. For some reason the dead were taken to the small-town Drumchapel where our reporter in the SKY news helicopter has reported seeing a fence being erected around the outskirts of Drumchapel literally fencing in the dead. What we would like to know is if there is any living and breathing human beings in that town along with the dead.
Has the army truly checked every house, flat, garage, school, every building to make sure that no humans remain in hiding? What is the army’s plan? If the Scottish Government are not doing anything then why hasn’t the UK Government stepped in? A lot of unanswered questions. No one has entered Glasgow since the outbreak resulting in only flyovers in planes and in helicopters. The footage that you will see next shows our news helicopter showing the devastation of Glasgow and the town of Glasgow. We warn you the footage you see next could be disturbing to some people.”
*
“As you have seen from the footage there is some white tents erected at the shopping centre. What we don’t know is what is happening in those tents. We also know all communication from within the Drumchapel area is null and void. No TV broadcasts, so they are not receiving this broadcast. No radio shows. No internet access. No mobile phone signals. The place is literally a dead zone, patrolled by the army, secured by the army, stalked by the dead. If there are indeed survivors trapped in there, we as the rest of the UK hope that they stay safe and if necessary stay hidden until this – whatever it is, is finished.”
CHAPTER 25
DECEMBER 12TH – MIDDAY
“Trixie-500 was created should we say accidentally in a lab at the Southern General Hospital over in Govan.” A tall built man with brown short hair began to tell the group of other scientists and Government officials and Army specialists that sat in front of him in one of the white tents that was erected in the square of Drumchapel shopping centre.
“However, although the initial virus was created by two individuals, one of them was working for us and played dumb resulting in what we wanted – the release of the virus into the atmosphere. They two individuals didn’t know what they created until we gave our inside mole a certain extract from a mutated version of the Ebola virus, then and only then did Trixie-500 become deadly.” The tall man stood in front of a white board that became a screen for the projector shown the group slides of the virus before the mutated version of Ebola was added to the lab created one to form Trixie-500.
“We knew what we were creating and we knew exactly what was going to take place. We just didn’t realise how amazing the virus could be. I say amazing because that’s what this is – amazing!” he then switches the projector off and turns on a video.
A video of their mole – Marty Summers tampering with his and his partners’ lab creation makes the white tent room audience smile. Marty had kept a secret video diary that recorded details what had happened.
“The virus being released into the atmosphere at just the right time for the storm to take centre stage. The virus mixed with the rain and well – BOOM! Instant living dead. Our mole was happy, well wouldn’t you be after a big payoff!?! Then he became one of the subjects but now time is running out to get him back here to give him the antidote. Also having the Army in our back pockets and the UK Government backing us, we don’t have to worry about a thing. No Scottish Government. No Police Scotland. We are untouchable. We are the elite and we will create an army to go forward and invade other countries. That is our plan and has been our plan since contacting our mole. Are there any questions? Or have I answered everything that needs to be answered?”
A few people muttered before one man raised his hand.
Sitting four rows in and to the left, he stood up, “When we invade other countries are we going full throttle as in putting the dead upfront? Or are we dropping the virus into these countries to overtake when the country’s population turns dead, making us able to control them?
The tall man smiled and was about to answer when Lomax stepped into the tent.
“I’ll answer that if you don’t mind,” Lomax shouted.
The audience all turned to the main man.
“Simply put we will spread the virus, control the dead and overtake each and every one of the countries in the world, starting of course with the Middle East and Africa. It will make our company – Elite Corp, the company that will control everything.”
Lomax walked down the small aisle between all the chairs. He reached the front of the tent and turned to the audience while standing next to the tall man.
“You all as backers for Elite Corp have made this very successful so far. We have paid our mole – Mr Summers for his help in creating this as my good friend here has stated. We are rounding up all the dead from Glasgow and shipping them here to Drumchapel before we suit them up and start infecting other countries.”
Another hand shot up in the air. Lomax nodded for the person to stand up.
A woman stood up, “Can you confirm that no outsiders such as news crews and also that there are no survivors of the human variety in this town apart from those that are here in this tent and those that are in the science lab tent right now?”
Lomax smiled and nodded, “I can assure you Prime Minister. There are no survivors of the human kind in this town apart from those that you mentioned. The dead will rise and Elite Corp will take over everything.”
CHAPTER 26
SIX MONTHS EARLIER
“If I’ve ever despised something really bad it’s Scotland. Do you know the problem with Scotland Lomax? It’s full of Scots!”
“You do know I am Scottish Prime Minister?” Lomax replied smiling.
“Yeah but you were easily bought so you are what they call – a traitor!” The Prime Minister laughed, “Listen Lomax, I have been in power for three years now and along with yourself and your team, I have seen no more forward progress in what we were aiming for. So, tell me when will our project take off?”
Lomax stood up and stretched his legs. The office room in number 10 Downing Street was mainly for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to conduct her business personally before going to the board room or onto the House of Commons. But today it was just Lomax and herself. Lomax walked over to the bookcase which contained classic books of literature including, ‘Of Mice and Men,’ he picked that one book off and flicked through the pages and then placed the book back on
the shelf. He turned to the Prime Minister.
“You know this little relationship that we have reminds me of that book I was holding there.”
“What? Of the great American depression?” the Prime Minister smiled, “I can see where you can see the similarities.”
Lomax shook his head and laughed, “No. The characters George Milton and Lenny Small.”
“Ah so me being George Milton and you being the retard then!” the Prime Minister laughed.
“Ha-ha,” Lomax began, “very funny. No, I’m talking about a smart uneducated woman and a strong well-built man that needs guidance. We are a well-oiled machine but having you on board is an added advantage.”
“Well I am glad I am on board and the plans that your, I mean our new corporation have in place is good. So, what happens next?”
“Well as you know I met up with Martin Summers, better known as Marty. I gave him the money for his part on purchasing the virus he and his buddy created then my team extracted a mutated gene from the Ebola virus gave it to Mr Summers who mixed it with his lab created virus now we wait.”
“Until when Mr Lomax?” the Prime Minister asked.
“Until the storm,” Lomax responded.
“Storm?” she questioned, “what storm?”
Lomax paced back and forward, “We have been working with meteorologists, yip we have the weathermen in our back pocket too. They have been studying storms all over the north waters and predicted that they would join together to form a super storm a bit like the great storm of 1987. We had the tools, knew what was going to happen. Just don’t know when it will take place. It could be tomorrow, next week, a month from now. We do know it will be within the next eight months.”
“And preparation?” the Prime Minister asked.
“When the storm hits we are predicting devastation everywhere but mostly in Scotland because let’s face it Scotland is home to four seasons in one day!” Lomax smiled, “anyway, if its anything like the storm of 1987 then it will bring power outage causing Schools and businesses to close earlier, possibly keeping the public in the buildings on a lockdown till it passes. Transport network will come to a complete halt, no aircrafts, no trains, no buses, no cars, no nothing.”
“And?”
“And that is when we move in,” Lomax told her, “I have a team of about one hundred soldiers who are behind me who will wait on my signal. Mr Summers will start a fire accidentally of course and then the virus will be released.”
“And Scotland?”
“Well Scotland will be our test Country so to speak,” Lomax told her. “You see we need a test Country first before we can build our army of the dead and move on to other Countries. We will select the largest city in Scotland and start there.”
“And the largest city is?” the PM questioned.
“You really don’t know Scotland, do you?” Lomax laughed.
“No, it’s not that I don’t know Scotland,” she told him, “I despise Scotland. So, what is the city then?”
“Glasgow,” Lomax replied, “the Dear Green Place. Soon to be the Dear Dead Place!”
The Prime Minister smiled and laughed, “Dead being the right word!”
CHAPTER 27
DECEMBER 12TH -1659HRS
The group of teens and the police officer managed to make their way down through Southdeen Avenue through the back courts. Ducking behind the bin shelters, hiding in the shadows. They got to Southdeen Park and noticed no one was insight.
“Ryan,” Gregg began, “we cut through this park and it takes us down through to the shopping centre.”
Michaels nodded, “Okay. Let’s go. I’ll go first scan the area then signal for you all to follow. Okay?”
The teens all nodded and watched as Ryan moved forward scanning the area as he went. He then signalled for the teens to follow.
“Gregg?” Katy whispered.
“Yeah babe?” Gregg answered.
“Do you think we will ever get out of here?” Katy asked.
Gregg stopped in his tracks, spun his girlfriend round and placed both of his hands on the sides of her face, “We will honey. We will. Hell, we have a cop on our side remember!”
Katy smiled back at her boyfriend. Just a few days ago she had her mum, her dad. He had his mum and his dad. Now everything had changed, their friends were literally all dead, their family members all dead or missing. A great big fence surrounding their home town and some sort of Army was running the streets having fun watching the living dead eat civilians. She shook her head and let out a little snigger, “Hurricane Bawbag right enough!”
“What?” Cody turned and asked.
“These past few days have been hellish. A total bawbag of a week and here we are the four musketeers and a copper riding into the thick of it all to take down this Lomax and whatever else is going on.” Katy replied, “We are either stupid or brave as hell. I opt for the stupid part. We don’t know what we are dealing with. I mean this virus – what actually is it? Where did it come from? Why are the army bringing all the dead to Drumchapel?”
“Katy babe,” Gregg began, “I’m sure the answers will come soon enough.”
“Yeah Katy,” Rosie added, “let’s just keep up with Ryan okay?”
Katy nodded and they all continued walking down towards the shopping centre.
CHAPTER 28
DECEMBER 12TH - 1700HRS
“Get in there you piece of shit!” the young soldier smirked while forcing a group of five undead ghouls through one of the white tents. “Come on for God sake move!”
The snarling, drooling dead dragged themselves forward as the soldier poked them in the back, “get a move on!”
The dead shuffled forward and then where dragged off by different soldiers towards beds set up along the both left and right walls. The soldiers helped strap them down and when they were secure stepped away as the lead scientist walked in through the entrance.
He nodded to his employees who in return nodded back and walked over to a table which contained various syringes and liquid in bottles and beakers.
“Have we found Mr Summers yet?” the tall man turned towards the group of soldiers.
“We are currently searching for him sir,” a soldier stepped forward and answered.
“Well hurry up time is running out,” the tall man replied, “we need to make sure that the antidote works on him so we know the full control we have over our army of the dead.”
A nod was sufficient enough before the group of soldiers turned on their heels and marched out.
The tall man turned back to the lab table, picked up a syringe full of black fluid and turned around walking over to the far-left table where one of his co-workers stood over an undead specimen strapped to the table.
“This will make the dead respond to our voices,” the tall man said aloud smiling, “we inject into the brain stem at the top of the neck, it takes around sixty seconds to course through the veins before all limbs work as though they were alive and human again. Of course, we control them and once this fluid runs through their bodies we will insert the microchip and control them like android phones. A simple switch, a press of a button, a few commands and our army of the dead will attack and eat the enemy. We will dominate the world. No one will be safe. North Korea – forget about it. Russia – not a chance in Hell. America – they will fall. We as Elite Corporation will own the world. The virus will weed out the weak and make us stronger.”
“Sir,” came a voice from behind him at the back of the room, “don’t you mean Britain will be the world leader?”
The tall man turned to the young spectacled twenty something and smirked, “Boy, this is Elite Corporation yes, we have backers at West Minister but we are the ones in charge, our team and Lomax. We will not be ruled by a Government anymore, this is our world now. Elite Corporation where we deal first hand with the problems. We’ve got their money, we have a living army along with an army of the dead, and we can’t and will not fail! Now do I have any more stupid
questions or can we get back to controlling these dead fuckers and make all of us rich beyond our wildest imaginations!”
Every lab technician and scientist smiled and nodded as the tall man turned back to his table, “lift the head but be careful of the teeth I don’t want you being bitten!” his co-worker lifted the undead man’s head and the tall man placed the needle of the syringe at the base of the brain stem and injected the black fluid into the subject.
The undead man screamed and tried to scratch and bite at his captors to no avail, and then he went as stiff as a board and lay there for what felt like hours. The tall man and his assistant stepped back and both glanced at their watches on their wrists as well as glancing up at the dead man.
Just as it reached one minute, the dead man started to twitch, his fingers then his hands. His arms then his feet. His legs then his shoulders. Before long, his eyes flicked open and he turned his head to the tall man.
“Do you hear me?” the tall man asked.
A few silent seconds passed before the dead man responded through a rasped voice, “yessssssss.”
The tall man and his assistant smiled, “I own you and you only listen to any Elite Corporation employee is that correct?”
“yesssssss.”
The tall man turned around, “Colin get the microchip.”
An older man in his late fifties across the room working with pieces of technology nodded and retrieved a small round microchip. He walked over with it and passed it to the tall man.