The Azrael: Surviving the Outbreak

by Jesse Gagnon

  “You’re using those monsters out there to bait women?” Mario finally broke silence.

  “Oh, so he does speak English. It’s always been this way, even before all this shit. Just now, they do all the hard work for us.” The one who kicked him chimed in with his two cents.

  “It don’t much matter now. Now does it? Jimmy bring me a towel, I don’t want to get blood everywhere. Frank, hold his arm. Let’s get this shit over with. I’m getting tired and horny. Johnny, make sure you clean that bitch off after you’re done. You leave ‘em all wet and sticky like the closet ones.” The skinny man barked off orders and began to size up his cuts on Mario.

  “Wait!” Mario said.

  “Shut your hole Spic. Take it like a man.” The skinny man ordered.

  Mario had been slowly pulling out a nail that was half in the chair he was sitting on. It had some tough leathery flesh pinned to the chair. It probably was used to hold down someone who moved too much. Fortunately for Mario he was seconds from pulling it out with his left hand while his right hand was being stretched out by Frank.

  “Can I at least see the girl before I die? At least grant me this?” Mario asked trying to buy some time.

  “Show ‘em boss..” He was panting. “show ‘em what he’ll never have. Hah…” Johnny said as he was in the shadows with the girl probably having sex. She was panting a bit, but still crying.

  “Why not? Get off of the bitch and bring her over.” The skinny man ordered and Johnny stopped, pulled up his pants and buttoned them. He grabbed the girl by her hands that were in handcuffs and unlocked them. She was half of his size. He snatched her by her hair and dragged her into the light. She had very little fight left. Her face was swollen and her young frame was bruised. She was maybe 16 at the oldest and looked like she was a pretty girl. She had dry streams down her cheek where tears rolled past and she had a thousand mile stare.

  “Wish you could taste this too huh? Not much out there this cute, especially for a dark one.” Johnny said as he dropped her to the floor. It was enough time for Mario to remove the nail and cut through the duct tape binding him to the chair. He rose startling all of them and thrust the rusty nail into the eye of Frank causing him to release his hold on his arm. Mario punched hard into Frank’s gut and tripped him with his right foot causing him to fall backwards as his right hand guided him to the ground by his throat. He followed with an elbow to the face repeatedly splitting the man’s nose, crushing the nasal bone and severely depressing his skull. The skinny man swung the machete wildly and Mario moved effortlessly out of the way and the large blade struck Frank’s stomach, opening him up. If he didn’t die from the assaults to his face, Frank was definitely going to bleed out from the strike to his gut.

  “Shit! Frank! I’m gonna kill you, Spic.” The skinny man yelled and pulled the blade out of his stomach splattering blood across the room.

  Mario quickly disarmed the skinny man taking the blade away and punched him several times in the throat and chest all while turning him around and using him as a shield. He held the machete to his throat and a bolt from the crossbow narrowly missed the two by inches. Mario actually heard the wind whistle by as it passed by his right ear. The big oaf struggled to reload the crossbow. Mario slit the skinny man’s throat, knocked him to the ground and sprinted towards the large man with the crossbow. He hit his hand holding the weapon with the hilt of the machete causing him to drop it and cut him from his left collar bone to his right hip spilling his guts. Mario sheathed his machete and pulled his 6” tactical knife from his right boot while Johnny and Jimmy ran in to help. They were quickly killed by a few precisely placed cuts into vital organs and under their armpits causing them to bleed out quickly. Two more men opened fire on Mario with guns, gunshots that would draw Azrael for miles away. Mario found some pants thrown in the corner and handed them to the girl as they took cover behind the island in the kitchen.

  “You gotta get these on. There’s still two more and they are shooting like idiots. It’s only a matter of time before a herd shows up. Here, take this shirt too.” Mario told the girl picking up a t-shirt from the ground.

  She mustered up enough strength and pulled the pants up, buttoned them and put the shirt on. She sat down still disoriented from her condition close to Mario.

  “It’s okay, they fired almost all of their rounds. I’ll draw more fire and hopefully I can get to them before they reload.” Mario attempted to calm the girl. He poked his hand out waving his knife and three more shots were heard followed by clicking noises. “Now!” Mario broke into a sprint and tossed the knife at one of them in the right shoulder causing him to drop his gun. He unsheathed his machete and hit the other man in the forehead with the butt of it while he swept the feet from beneath him and then thrust the machete at the other man cleaving his head right off. The man on the ground attempted to get up to pistol whip him but was stopped when Mario dropped the machete across his neck removing his head as well. Tactics to kill Azrael do just fine against men as well. Mario thought. He removed his knife from the man’s shoulder, wiped the blood off using the dead man’s shirt and placed it back in its sheath. He did the same for the machete, collected the rogue bolt from the shot that nearly hit him and reached out to the girl.

  “Quick, let’s get out of here.” Mario said and she took his hand. He picked up his crossbow and his pack that thankfully didn’t get disassembled yet. He led her out the back door and slipped into the darkness of the woods. His goal was to get as far north away from the house as possible. The smell of blood will draw the herd. Since the wind was blowing south, they would find these men first but they were still in danger. They needed to mask their scent soon, especially the girl.

  “Hey, we need to cover our scent. Those monsters will find us if we don’t, okay?” Mario said to the girl, and she shook her head.

  “What’s your name? I’m Cortez, uh, Mario. Call me Mario. I came from an army base in Missouri. I’m headed for Chicago, where the signal is telling us to go. Are you familiar with it?” Mario asked. She shrugged.

  “Taliah, my name is Taliah.” She spoke faintly but Mario heard her.

  “Taliah, that is a pretty name. Now let’s get you covered up.” Mario said rubbing mud and plants on her body. He heard a few moans in the house of those not quite dead yet. They began to set out and they heard the rustling of a herd behind them breaking into the house and doing what Azrael do best, eat. It wouldn’t keep them busy long, once the blood went sour from their deaths they would lose interest. The virus can’t infect dead bodies.

  “Thank you Mario.” Taliah said under her breath as they moved through the trees and bushes as quiet as possible. Mario smiled and was glad to have company again.

  “No problem. It’s what I was trained for.” Mario responded and continued to push through the dark woods listening for predators, herds and possibly a lone Azrael. The world wasn’t safe anymore.

  CHAPTER 3

  SIMON KILLBROOK

  In a lab, heavily guarded by private security and military staff in Chicago’s Central District, Jim Short, CEO of BioTech Industries, spoke to the head scientist. “So why are we still doing this doc? You’ve yet to produce a viable cure for the virus. It’s been over three years and you’ve got nothing. We’re tired of all of the excuses. Where is the progress Doctor Schwinn? Where is the progress?”

  “We have made progress. We’ve learned more in the past year than in the first two years. The virus attaches to the host, causes it to die and reboots in a primal rage. We’ve isolated the virus and know the exact proteins they contain. The problem is the RNA within the virus. The moment we cut through the envelope it immediately decays. It must have a host for this information to be revealed.” The Doctor explained with the help of graphs, charts and data from his laptop on his desk. “Lab conditions can’t trick the virus. It has mutated and evolved over the years, becoming more difficult to cure. It is a delicate matter that we just can’t figure out without the first strain or a work
ing cure from the creator himself. I refuse to believe ISIS would have created a biological weapon without a cure for them.”

  “Resources are getting slim Doc.” He said shaking his head. “Your funding is getting cut. I expect your badge on my desk in the morning, Dr. Barnett will be heading the research from here on out. She flies in tomorrow.” Jim said waving Dr. Schwinn away.

  “Her expertise only involves animal biology. What can she do about finding a cure?” Dr. Schwinn asked.

  “She’s been studying animals and their basic primal instincts, which is similar to the Azrael. Her research is pivotal in understanding how these things operate. It will help our armies prepare and train to be able to fight them.” Jim said.

  “The Highwaymen are finding out information about the Azrael as well. We can all work together to get rid of the virus. We’re getting close. We can’t give up now! You can’t give up hope yet. ” Dr. Schwinn pleaded with Jim.

  “It’s done. It was done a week ago. You are just now getting the message today. In the beginning I had hope for your science and the Scavenger, I mean Highwaymen Project. The numerous resources we’ve wasted on you and your treasure hunters have proven ineffective. You and your Highwaymen just aren’t what we need now. The only thing we can do is figure out a way to get rid of them. Pack your equipment and your quarters. Whatever you leave behind becomes property of BioTech Industries, so get busy. You’ve got a nice place in the Moonlight District. Maybe you can figure it out on your own, but not from us. Thank you for your time and efforts.” Jim exited the lab with a nod as his security force stood outside the room waiting to escort Dr. Schwinn away.

  *

  ‘This was a mistake’ Dr. Schwinn thought. He did have a lab on Lake Shore Drive in the Moonlight District though. He seized the entire east wing on the fourth floor of lake point tower. He also had walls demolished so that all of the rooms connected except for his own personal unit. It was much smaller and his resources would be limited to what he brings with him from here and any new specimens the Highwaymen bring to him. It was where he hoped to work when he left the lab to study live Azrael instead of just the virus. BioTech wouldn’t let him bring a live Azrael in the lab. His research will just have to adapt now. He quickly began to gather his equipment and all the samples, the hundreds of samples. He summoned his trusted apprentice Simon Kilbrook to help him gather everything and hopefully join him at his new location.

  Simon accepted the offer and seemed excited to work on live Azrael despite the extreme dangers involved. The Azrael were immune to most types of anesthesia and the type that did work only kept them down for a short period. The bigger they were the less likely anything would work. Fortunately Simon was a large man and very strong. He was given a full scholarship to play football at Florida State University as a defensive tackle. He finished his senior year with a 4.0, won the Lott IMPACT trophy and was offered a spot in the NFL draft. However, he turned down “the dream job” in the NFL to pursue a Doctoral Degree in Biological Science. It was his passion to become a doctor, so he could maybe one day discover the cure for cancer, a sickness that had taken the lives of three of his four grandparents. He was one semester away from his PhD when all of this started. His brains didn’t bring him to Dr. Schwinn, dumb luck and the fact that he was extremely strong did.

  *

  Dr. Schwinn was leaving CoreMed Pharmaceuticals to be transferred to BioTech Industries to study the virus two months after the initial outbreak. CoreMed didn’t have any military or private security capable enough to protect their scientists from the Azrael. He was recruited by Jim Short from a mutual friend who actually interned under him at CoreMed. She later married Jim’s younger brother and told Jim about the brilliant doctor before they were killed by one of the early herds. Shortly thereafter, Jim reached out to Dr. Schwinn and offered him a job to work on the virus and guaranteed his safety. So when the opportunity arose, Dr. Schwinn was compelled to take the offer.

  CoreMed was on W. Gaines St (between FSU and Florida A & M University). It was a location they used to capitalize in recruiting new graduates that would be eager to work in their field for a cheaper salary. They kept the big paying jobs for doctors like Dr. Schwinn and Dr. Omomoto whose studies and research have been recognized worldwide. They were advertised as leaders in their field of studies and were, for the most part. These great doctors drew in many bright minds to CoreMed and brought them lots of capital developing pharmaceuticals. Dr. Omomoto, who also was offered a job at BioTech, decided to stay in Florida with his family in hopes that he could escape the United States via his enormous yacht. Unfortunately, his attempts to reach his family were futile due to an enormous herd of Azrael that ravaged the streets of Tallahassee and were moving towards CoreMed. If he left when Dr. Schwinn departed then he may have escaped the city with his body and mind intact. Within minutes of exiting CoreMed he was bitten and turned into the Azrael.

  As Dr. Schwinn entered the transit station to pick up his ticket and travel claim a large herd of Azrael funneled through the city infecting and eating everything in their way. The Azrael pack continued to grow and spread throughout Tallahassee.

  Dr. Schwinn boarded the bus that was headed for Tallahassee Regional Airport, where a private jet was fueled and awaiting his arrival. Things don’t always work out the way they were intended and five minutes into the bus ride a small group of Azrael diverted the bus off of the main road and onto a smaller one. It was the road leading to the Natural History Museum. The herd attempted to push the bus as it was moving, but most were caught in the wheel well and were crushed beneath. They managed to escape the herd and in their haste the bus driver turned too sharply and got stuck in a ditch. The back wheels where just spinning in the moist mud. The passengers were fearful of what awaited them outside and argued amongst themselves. Dr. Schwinn attempted to call the pilot at the airport to tell him of the unfortunate change of events. He was unable to break through the busy circuits but still continued to try.

  Simon Killbrook was travelling with two other teammates, James Woodrow and Trent Brooks. All three massive athletes rose to their feet and began to make their way to the front of the bus. Simon whispered in the ear of the driver, he nodded and they exited, and walked behind the bus. The patrons of the bus watched and wondered what the three young men were up to. Dr. Schwinn, however, knew exactly the sacrifice those brave men risked, and paid close attention to their efforts.

  “We can’t move this bus man. The wheel is like six inches deep in mud.” Trent sounded discouraged at the situation while inspecting the gouges in the muddy grass.

  Simon surveyed the surrounding area. “We need to break apart that sign there, and place it in front of the tires. But we need to push hard. Trent grab as much of the gravel in the parking lot over there to lie on top of the sign.” Simon said.

  “Let’s give it a shot.” The always optimistic James accepted the challenge.

  The two massive athletes broke the museum sign apart and proceeded to place the wood planks in front of the tires. Trent layered a shirt full of small rocks over the broken sign in hopes that it would also add with the traction. Simon jogged over to the driver’s window and explained to the driver what he wanted him to do. The driver nodded and he headed back to the rear of the bus and the three began to push. The bus rocked back and forth while the wheels began to spit mud back on the young men. They pushed and pushed, while the bus rocked forwards and backwards. Their legs were slowly sinking into the mud. A man in the window at the rear of the bus began to panic and holler pointing behind the panting men. Simon turned around and noticed five Azrael sprinting towards them. He turned back around, without fear and began to push even harder. The other two were too caught up in pushing to notice what was happening. Two seconds later the bus caught traction and it began to move forward on the road.

  Simon turned back around and drove his hands out in a defensive push catching the two quickest Azrael in the chest knocking the wind out of them, landing on their b
acks several feet away stunned. The other three were tripped by the two and fell in the mud face first. The three men took this opportunity to break for the bus. Simon pushed his friends out of the ditch and began to climb out when one of the fallen Azrael blindly grabbed his ankle and attempted to bite him. His awesome strength yanked the bastard out of the mud with him onto the road keeping the Azrael from pulling itself towards Simon to bite. It lost its grip due to the slippery mud and struggled to pull itself up. He kicked him in the chest back into the muddy grass pit with the others and joined his friends back towards the bus that was moving at a speed slow enough for the brave men to board. Trent got on first, then James with Simon not far behind. All three were covered in mud and received a hero’s applause from the bus patrons. One woman tore the bottom of her long skirt and proceeded to wipe mud off of them. Other passengers did similar acts, removing shirts or pulling towels and clothing from backpacks to clean off their heroes. Dr. Schwinn watched as the football players accepted their praises with humbleness and respect. These men were truly heroes on and off of the field, he thought.

  Simon noticed Dr. Schwinn and asked if he could sit next to him.

  “Of course, there is plenty of room for you here.” Dr. Schwinn said.

  “Thank you, sir. I came over because I know who you are from my studies and know what an amazing scientist you are. Of anybody who could come up with a cure for all of this, it would be you. I am glad that I could have been given the opportunity to help get you to wherever you need to go. Trent and James both have families who live nearby that they hope to reach and protect. I, on the other hand, am from Atlanta sir. I have no one left to go home to, so I stayed here and tried to help my friends the best that I could. When the outbreak happened, no flights were going to Atlanta or to any airport in Georgia. It was a no fly zone and traveling by land wasn’t an option since no one wanted to go there. I never got a driver’s license, since it wasn’t necessary. We took the bus to get to everywhere we needed back home and my parents didn’t own a car, so there wasn’t one to practice with. Listen to me, talkin’ a hole in your head. It would be my honor to escort you to wherever you need to go, as one fellow scientist to the other.” Simon said hoping his long winded greeting didn’t put off the Doctor.