The Lazarus Gene

by G M Sherwin

  “Roughly two minutes, no more,” James replied, moving across the room.

  “And once we deal with them, then what? It sounds like the building is on high alert. I can’t imagine we are going to walk out of the front door, just like that.”

  Daniel’s senses were returning as was his training. During the few minutes they had, they both prepared for the soldiers on their way. Moments later, two guards appeared at the door, both heavily armed and suited, both men tall and thickset from heavy training. The smell of their sweat suggested to Daniel that they had been further away than expected and had exerted themselves to get there as per their orders.

  “Where are we transferring the patient, sir?” the youngest of the two spoke first.

  James started to answer the soldier but before he got his words out, Daniel moved forward, hitting the second soldier full on sideways, spinning with the man’s arm to unbalance him as he side-kicked the other to the floor. Spinning back to the soldier in his grip, he brought down his elbow square in his face, knocking him unconscious. Daniel pivoted to face the remaining soldier who was getting back on his feet and reaching for his fallen rifle. Daniel’s foot hit the soldier in the jaw followed by a smash with the butt of the rifle. He collapsed to the floor

  James’s jaw dropped at what he witnessed.

  “Well, they are alive at least,” he said.

  Daniel was already stripping one of the guards of his clothing and boots. Not a perfect fit, but they’ll do, Danial thought as he laced up the boots and adjusted himself to suit the part. Weapon in hand, he looked at James.

  “Let’s move then, shall we?”

  Daniel handed James a sidearm and made towards the door, peeking outwards checking the corridors were clear.

  “Follow me and keep your head down. Most of these guys know each other and may get suspicious of a new face,” James said as he felt the weight of the gun in his hand. It had been some years since he had fired one and so this was alien to him now.

  James entered the corridor first, followed by Danial. The pair moved quickly towards the elevator at the end of the long corridor. The noise of gunfire echoed all around them as they moved on. James looked sideways at Daniel. His stance was alert and determined with an air of confidence—surprising, considering that until a few hours ago, the man had been laid up in a coma. Now, by the looks of him, he was ready to fight and kill if necessary.

  James pressed the button to call the elevator, readying himself for anyone who might exit and quietly confident knowing that Daniel could handle the situation. Doors opened and he sighed with some relief—it was empty.

  Once inside, James sensed Daniel was going to say something, and he was right.

  “What have you guys been working on down here?” Daniel asked, facing James.

  “I’m not sure we have the time to get into this right now, as we will be there in thirty seconds. I do promise you I will explain more when we are a safe distance from here,” James replied.

  “We may be dead in thirty seconds.”

  The doors opened before James could reply.

  “Doctor Edmunds, may I ask where you are going?”

  The soldier that met them when the doors opened looked a little shocked to see him.

  James spoke calmly, hands in pockets and his right hand gripping the Glock. “There is a lot going on downstairs so I decided to move up to the higher levels until we get the all clear. Do you have an update for me, soldier?”

  “From what I know, sir, all hell has broken loose down there. They’re saying the dead subjects are attacking our units, but that’s unconfirmed yet. I’m really sorry to do this, but I’ve orders to keep you detained if I saw you.”

  The soldier looked tense.

  Daniel did not waiting for the situation to resolve itself. He was upon the young soldier in an instant and had him in a chokehold that rendered him unconscious within seconds. He let the limp body slide from his grip.

  “They know, James. What’s the quickest route out of here, and are you prepared to use that gun?” Daniel’s steady gaze focused on James, completely ignoring the body on the floor.

  “There is no quick way out. The main entrance is above us and the next lift will take us there, providing there is no lockdown.”

  “Well, let’s find out, shall we. I don’t know about you, but I don’t fancy taking on the whole complex,” Daniel said before heading towards the last lift.

  James followed him, relieved that this man was more than capable of handling himself. They both entered and waited for the lift to start its ascent to the top floor, with only God knows what waiting for them. James knocked the safety off on his own weapon, praying he wouldn’t have to use it.

  There was a silence between them for those few minutes it took for them to arrive. The doors opened to a deserted floor—that is, except the two guards up ahead. James looked at Daniel to try and read his face for any reaction. He didn’t have to wait long. Daniel moved out, weapon aimed and at head level, slipping towards the two guards. Four shots fired and the guards dropped before they could react.

  “Get the door open now!” shouted Daniel.

  James was behind the counter, looking for the button to release the doors.

  “Move. Move. Move.” Daniel knocked James to the floor as he dropped three more guards that excited the lift. Daniel looked down at James to check. “You okay?”

  James nodded and picked himself up. “Done it. Let’s go.”

  “I’m not arguing with that. Tell me you have a car,” Daniel said.

  “We have transport, don’t worry about that. Through the door, turn left. My car is the Jeep Cherokee six cars down.” James threw the keys at Daniel.

  “What are you going to do?” asked Daniel, puzzled.

  “Making sure they don’t follow. Go. I won’t be long,” James said, smiling.

  Collins

  He was on his third magazine and they showed no signs of stopping. Bullets tore into their flesh and even ripped limb from body. Still they came and with each wave, they were faster and more vicious. Several of the men had fallen to these monsters. Swarmed and torn apart, one of the soldiers screamed as he fell.

  “This is useless. Withdraw. Now! That’s an order. We will seal this place off until we have reinforcements,” Collins shouted his orders as he backed away, still firing into the horde.

  He didn’t even know what to call them. Zombies? That’s ludicrous, he thought. He loosed short bursts of gunfire. Empty clip. Releasing the magazine, Collins rammed in his last one whilst still retreating, not taking his eyes off the oncoming and relentless creatures—some of which he recognised as bodies he had brought down here to the morgue.

  Damn, Stanmore, what have you done?

  His thoughts were now becoming a distraction as he narrowly avoided being grabbed by one of those . . . zombies. His men were not so lucky. He saw the last of his team overwhelmed by the swarm. Collins’s back was against the wall now, left hand searching for the lift call button whilst his right firing into the bodies that were hungrily feasting on his fallen team. They were distracted for now, but for how long?

  Where is that damn lift? he thought. I'm not going out like those poor souls. No, never.

  Thoughts of suicide quickly evaporated as the door chimed open and he fell inside, still letting off enough rounds to keep the clawing few that were deathly close from feasting on him.

  The doors finally shut, muffling the screams of his men left behind. What a fucking horrible way to go, man. Resting for a moment against the cold steel side of the elevator, Collins sensed his adrenaline was easing. That’s when he felt the pain in his calf. He looked down and saw the tear soaked in blood, and on closer inspection the wound was more evident. Shit! Nasty bastard did get me after all. But at least he was still alive, unlike the others. Stanmore was going to get his full-blown and fucking awesome report about this, and then a fist right in that smug little bastard’s face for allowing this to happen. They were good men,
dammit, and all dead because a silver-spooned prick wanted to play God. To hell with orders. Somebody is going to pay for this goddamn mess.

  Collins’s anger now outweighed the pain in his leg and even the worry of what the consequences would be of being bitten by one of those things. Would he become one of them? Nope, he chided himself. You put a bullet in your skull if it looks like that’s going to happen. No. Stanmore is the man with the answers and that fuck was going to supply them or that bastard would end up down here with his own creations.

  The doors opened and Collins, now enraged, headed past all the other soldiers.

  “You guys follow me, and you stand fast. Nothing, and I repeat nothing, comes out of that elevator. Shoot with extreme prejudice, because your life will depend on it,” Collins said.

  One of the soldiers spoke. “What’s happened down there, sir? We’ve heard rumors . . .”

  “Let’s just say that anything left down there is no longer human. I don’t care what you see, but if anything makes its way up here, your job is to take it down and not stop until every last one is on the floor and no longer moving. Do you understand me?”

  Collins was not really asking.

  Emelia

  Emelia sat at the breakfast counter in her apartment, partly watching Sky News on the television.

  Same old news, just a different day, she thought.

  The newsreader was reporting on a missing woman who had not been seen since last Friday after a night out with friends. Police were asking for witnesses as this was now classed as a potential kidnapping from unconfirmed reports. All the other news headlines were the usual political fallouts from around the world.

  The cereal was bland but it was serving its purpose for now. Emilia looked around her apartment. Everything in its place and tidy, just the way she liked it. No one here to mess with the order of things. Being single had its benefits, but the feeling of loneliness was ever present for Emilia, even though she wouldn’t openly admit it to anyone.

  No, she didn’t have time for another in her life right now. Work was busy and her career was the focus in her life. Besides, Emilia could do without the complications of having a partner for the time being.

  Walking around in her underwear without some overbearing man wanting to grope her gave Emilia a sense of freedom. She was happy to just be herself.

  Emilia’s career was more important to her now. Working for the city’s largest newspaper for over six years had given her the sense of accomplishment she had craved. It also meant she could be independent from her family, especially from her father, whom she had not spoken to for several years. Emilia did miss him but could not let him run her life as he had done for years after her mother had passed away from cancer.

  Her life was uncomplicated by having few friends and people in her life that would try to change her into something she was not. That was the way she liked it. Still that loneliness started to creep into her thoughts.

  Nope, you’re not feeling sorry for yourself again, Emilia, she told herself.

  Clearing her breakfast away, Emilia moved into the bedroom where she caught her reflection in the mirror. Not bad, she thought, for thirty-five. Slender but not skinny, breasts holding up to the rigors of time and not yet sagging. Then again she had not had children, which she kind of found a blessing considering her lifestyle.

  She was loving her new hairstyle. After years of having the same style, the hints of blonde in her long mousy brown locks set off her deep green eyes and fell down past her shoulders.

  Slipping her jeans on, she threw on a vest top to go under her off the shoulder lightweight jumper that gave away a hint of what was underneath. She may be single but Emilia didn’t mind the occasional male glance her way. She smiled slyly to herself at the thought. Emilia had often been approached by her male colleagues, asking her out for a date. She’d never taken them up. Mixing work with her personal life was not on the agenda—far too messy seeing someone from the same workplace.

  Glancing at her phone and her schedule, she knew how this day would go: an interview with an over-friendly politician in the Leeds borough council, then on to cover a protest against racist hate crimes.

  Living the dream, Emilia thought. Living the dream.

  Grabbing her car keys, Emilia made her way to the front door as her phone chimed with a text alert.

  Probably Mike keeping tabs on me from the office.

  Swiping to read the message, Emilia was surprised to see a new message from James, her old friend from University. Wow, that’s a blast from the past, she thought.

  More strange was the message itself. No obligatory small talk and greeting, just the words—Call this number.

  Interesting. . .

  Lockdown

  The major eyed Stanmore carefully before he spoke. Tall and lanky, Stanmore had a face the major could quite easily crush underfoot. He didn’t enjoy the company of Stanmore but he had been useful and his loyalty was needed. Best tolerate the reptile.

  “Get as many of your most trusted men up here and quick. There is one thing I’ve not told you about this building,” the major continued, not waiting for a response from Stanmore who was clearly fazed by the whole situation, “when we fitted out these complexes.”

  Stanmore, meanwhile, had clocked the fact that the major had said complexes and was surprised by that revelation. Why are there more of them? he thought. And, more importantly, why was there a need for multiple sites? Surely we have more than enough test subjects here to be working on.

  Stanmore listened as the major continued, fully aware that time was of the essence here.

  “We installed a safety measure for . . . well, let’s just say, for unusual breaches.” The major paused now for some reaction from Stanmore. There was none. “What I'm telling you, Stanmore, is I’m not just here because of our Lazarus friend downstairs. The organisation that has funded this program for the last ten years has encountered several such breaches. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

  “You’re telling me that this complex is not as unique as we were led to believe, sir, and you’ve chosen to keep us in the dark. So now may I ask you a question?” Stanmore was feeling confident to push for the answer that was plaguing him now. “This project here was never about resurrection, was it? There’s something more to what we are working on. Tell me what it is. And what’s the safety protocol installed?”

  “You are correct in your assumptions, Stanmore, and I’m bringing you into the fold by telling you what I’m about to say.” The major walked over to one of his security men and spoke just out of earshot, then turned to face Stanmore before speaking again. “Understand this, what you will know today will get you killed if you betray me. Is that clear, Stanmore?”

  “I understand, sir. Please do continue.”

  “Very well then. Before we do, my man has initiated the lockdown and the Lynx is fired up and ready to leave. Things will get a tad hot round here. Your man Edmunds has escaped with the subject, but not to worry. We’re tracking their movements. Come, let’s go,” the major said as he turned and left.

  “What about all the research, sir?” Stanmore asked.

  “No matter. We have all we need where we’re going.”

  The Garage

  Edmunds knew that to make sure they wouldn’t be followed, he needed to enter the shutdown protocol for this floor and that would give them a good head start at least. No time to think but simply react. This was not how he had planned it in his mind but the circumstances had brought the event a lot closer.

  Sitting behind the desk, Edmunds started to key in the lockdown codes. Although he was curious as to why this wasn’t done already considering the mayhem that was occurring on the lower levels, his thoughts were distracted. Think about what you’re doing, James, he told himself. They would be on their way, he was sure of that, and hopefully Daniel had the Jeep started. Now, they would have to get past the barrier, but he could take care of that.

  The screen confirmed
the upper level lockdown.

  Before he moved away, there was one more thing he needed to take care of. James swiped the screen of his phone and began to type.

  Message sent.

  Emilia was James’s only chance of breaking this whole operation wide open and he knew she would be hungry for this story. Plus he had Daniel as his confirmation of the resurrection program.

  James knew that he had to tell Daniel at some point the truth of his two years spent here and that the danger they both now faced was far from over. There was another scientist he needed to contact—the only one in the scientific community that James respected and trusted enough with the information he now possessed.

  All done. Now to get away from this abyss of horrors. James turned and ran towards the open doors and made his way to Daniel who was heading back in his direction. A little confused, James was about to speak but Daniel yanked him behind one of the vehicles to his left.

  “Sshhh—patrol.” Daniel nodded towards the entrance.

  Up ahead James could see what Daniel was concerned about. Four guards were heading in their direction. James looked at Daniel for instruction, but he had already started to move around the back of the other vehicles. James crouched and waited.

  It wasn’t long. Two shots echoed out. Then two more shots followed. He wasn’t going to hide this anymore—Daniel had saved his life more than once in the last half an hour. Jumping up, James raised the gun he had and aimed at the first guard he locked eyes with. James squeezed the trigger and the shot sounded out. The guard was hit but not fatally. Grabbing his shoulder, he ducked behind the car to his left. Damn it, thought James. He thought he would be a little rusty. That shot was meant to kill, not disarm.

  James saw movement to his left-hand side. Was it the other guard? He turned the sight of the gun, looking for his target. The whizz of the bullet that missed him by centimetres made James fall to the floor.