"Shit. Let's get these doors open." Michael ordered.
"Yes, sir." Shane replied getting to work.
They grabbed at the doors to pry them open. Michael felt his muscles tense and a bout of fatigue hit him. The cabin sat trapped between floors with only a small space above.
"That should be enough to get through." Michael lifted Tomas helping him slide through the opening, next, Iona. Just as she slipped to safety the cabin shutters dropped, slamming Michael and Shane to the floor. It then stopped, now blocked by a wall.
"Captain!" They heard Tomas call from the floor above.
"Tomas! Get the doc to safety!" Michael demanded. There was no way he would risk the doctor's life over a malfunctioning elevator.
Shane pried the emergency door open, climbing to the top of the cabin. Michael followed. They grab hold of the wire just before the cabin dropped into darkness.
"Grab the ladder."
"No Problem." Michael reached for the ladder wielded into the wall. They climb up to the open door. "Good thinking." He chuckled once they were free. If Shane had waited a minute too late, they would have plummeted to their deaths.
"Thanks."
"We're out of the shaft. Keep moving, Tomas." Michael ordered over the radio.
The two soldiers trekked the wide foreboding hall. The emergency lights flickered, the smell of death and alcohol filled the air.
Shane walked beside Michael, so far not a soul around to stop them from talking about their relationship and with everything happening, the world in utter chaos, he was afraid they would never find their way back to one another. "Michael. I want to work things out with you."
The other man looked back at his partner annoyed. "Now? You wanna do this now?"
"We may never have the time. If the world is going to hell, then I don't want it to end with us apart."
Michael stopped, rounding on his lover. "Who was he?" He asked, his heart beating faster. It was the one thing he's always wanted to know. "If you're serious, then why protect him?"
"You think he matters? It happened only once." Shane protested.
"Yes, it fucking matters! Who?"
"Ricki." Shane said, his voice becoming small.
Michael recoiled at the thought. "Ricki? The thought of his lover with another man was bad enough, but... "My friend? The motherfucker who has been laughing in my goddamn face for months?!"
"It happened once, and I told you right after..."
"That's not the fucking point!"
"I could have handled a stranger, some motherfucker I would never have to see again, but my friend and the guy I work with?"
"It was a mistake. You were distant, things weren't perfect." Shane tried to explain.
A rustle and crash of metal pots and wares remove them from their heated conversation. They kept their weapons at ready moving carefully to the source. A sound captured Shane, just a squeaking cry in the distance. Separating from his partner who checked the nearby rooms.
"Hello?" Shane shined his light in the dark catching the shimmering glimpse of a small boy of only four years old, naked, covered in slim. Shane lowered his weapon. "Hi. I'm here to help." He ambled toward the child. "My name is Shane. What's yours?"
The boy ran off, his wet feet pattering on the tiles. Shane gives chase.
Michael turned, just realizing his partner was missing. "Shane!"
Michael ran after him watching him disappear around a corner.
Shane followed the child into the dark conference room converted into a large lab. Plastic covered the floor walls and ceilings, and barriers divided the rooms. Shane found the frightened child hiding under a table. "You can come out now. It's safe. I won't hurt you."
The child sauntered from his spot into Shane's arms. He covered the boy with a tablecloth and lifted him up.
"Shane!" Michael ran into the room and stopped once he saw the boy. "What the hell?"
"We've got another survivor."
"Put that kid down!" Michael's voice dipped into a low warning rumble as he aimed his rifle at the boy.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Shane clutched at the boy.
"Look at it!"
Shane looked at the boy, the black stringy slim clung to the sides of his face, but his eyes were not white but cat like slits, and his teeth was not that of the common Jagger but simple fangs. Michael eased forward and Shane moved back on guard against his unpredictable lover. The child lashed out, growling without thought to his well being at Michael before wiggling from Shane's grasp. Shane dropped his weapons quickly scooping the child back into his arms not letting him go.
"Calm down."
"Shane, what the fuck?!"
"He's not one of those things. If he were, he would have tore through me." Shane placed the child on a table, using the cloth to wipe the slim from his skin. The child calmed down allowing the contact but hissed when Michael approached.
"That thing is dangerous."
"To who? He's only a child."
Michael shook his head knowing it was pointless to continue the fight. Shane almost always won. He slipped but maintained his stance on the blackish ooze and upon further inspection the room his hairs stood with a tingle. Michael guided his light in the dark and moving further into the room until he stopped at the sight of fleshy tubing connecting one pinkish pod to another. He flashed his light on the large pods, each carried a small child, inverted in a fetal position.
"Shane!" Michael called out in warning.
"What is it?" Shane approached, counting fifteen pods in total. "They're children, all of them. "
"They're fucking freaks." Michael aimed and prepared to fire but Shane knocked his gun back.
"You can't do it!"
"They're not kids! Can't you see that?!"
"But they are kids!" Shane said matching his lover's fervor.
The patter of wet feet rush from the room. Michael discharged his weapon in the child's direction, Shane reached out pushing him against the wall.
"Team #2 I want you up here on the sixth-floor conference area B. There are fucking eggs here, a lot of'em. Full extermination." Michael hurriedly contacted the others.
Shane hung his head low.
Chapter Eight
Michael and his squad exited the now empty hospital leaving the official members of the military to drag the bodies to a secure location and burn them. Michael had hoped that whatever that science experiment was no one else was attempting to do the same. He thought of Jonathan, 'Did he lock the doors?' 'Is he safe?' Mostly 'I hope he hasn't done anything stupid.'
Ricki waited and joined the group, now patched up but not enough to be in working condition. "They may not be able to send a helicopter here."
"Fuck." Issac exclaimed. "No offense doc, but this is triggering every bad memory of an escort mission in gaming."
"None taken." She shrugged.
"Then you're back on the team until we find a secure checkpoint." Michael said to Ricki yet this time the concern he felt before had vanished. "But try to keep up. We're all getting out of here alive."
They trekked within formation, firing on the straggling Jaggers on the streets; overlooked during the setup of the barricades, overall the streets, for several blocks were relatively safe.
"How important is this doctor?" Tomas whispered to Shane.
"It's not me that's important, it's my research." She answered looking at the rookie for a moment.
A group of soldiers approached, running fast away from a mob of Jaggers hot on their heels.
"Fire!" Michael ordered as his men fired round after round into the mass. A huge hulking creature rampaged through. A large deformity of a man, with massive muscles and thick armored skin.
"What the hell?!" Shane exclaimed.
Michael checked his rear, the heavy military tank charged ahead. "Get out of the way!"
The tank blasted the large man knocking him back several paces. Michael climbed a scaffolding leading the beast to give chase.
"
Shit!" Shane reached for his radio. "HQ! Our route is blocked!"
"Working on it."
"Like we have time for that." Thinking fast Shane spotted a possible escape route. He ran off with Tomas on his heels between several buildings looking down on the derailed train below. "Tomas, get this fence open!" Shane gathered the soldiers, anyone they could to fight their way to the opened gate. They leapt below reaching a cluster fuck of twisted metal.
Tomas kicked the gravel under his boot, the outbreak was becoming more dire than ever. "The trains are blocking the path! We gotta blow it."
Isaac sat a duffle bag on the ground, his heart racing with excitement. "Now it's time to see some fireworks!" He cheered pulling out fuses and c4 charges. They moved fast to plant the devices on the broken trains. Just enough to create an opening to escape through.
Michael joined his men on the tracks catching up with the straggling soldiers. "That thing ain't far behind!"
"Cover them while they work, move it!" Shane ordered firing on the Jaggers who tumbled and spilled over the ledge.
"Okay! Ready!" Tomas gave the okay and the men dove for the nearest cover.
"Take that bitches!" Jesse yelled, cheering his efforts to keep the creatures at bay.
"Take cover, now!" Michael ordered knowing every delay in blowing the train was time for the creatures to regroup.
"Yes sir!" Jesse replied, turning and feeling the claws on his legs, dragging him away from his intended destination.
"Fuck!" Michael rolled away from his spot yet he couldn't move an inch further. His body pinned like a massive weigh had fallen on him.
"Blow it now!" Shane ordered.
Jesse screamed as they piled on him. The explosion sent him and the creatures flying in a burning inferno. The rest coward back yet still hungered to attack the soldiers who scurried through the wreckage.
The soldiers ran toward the bridge of freeway overpass overlooking the near congested road below. Several civilians who tried to cross the overpass found themselves trapped between a half-destroyed bridge and the extended belly monster who led the Jaggers from the other side.
"Those civilians aren't gonna last long. I told you they're organized." Iona watched the creatures get into formation.
A massive explosion on the bridge took the men off guard. Michael turned to the direction of the shot which triggered it. Shane removed his eye from the scope of the sniper rifle. The soldier he took it from lay slumped against the railing, lifeless. He had shot the tank of the gas truck parked on the bridge.
"It's better they go out quickly than torn apart." Shane sighed shaking his head at the mess.
Michael, closed the gap between them, angry and on the verge of lashing out. "Don't ever make that decision without my say so again!" He leaned in close. "And I know what you did back at the train, too." he whispered.
"Michael..."
"Move out!" Michael ordered the soldiers to keep going. He walked away leaving Shane behind, who followed along with Ricki who kept a decent pace. They walked the curved ramp onto the empty freeway. Michael's unit lead the tired and injured soldiers through the maze of empty cars. Issac looked at their group, sans the injured soldiers, with Jesse gone, they were down to six including himself. He thought of the times he laughed with his friend and fought by his side.
Tomas walked by his side and Issac marched ahead. "Stay the fuck away from me rookie piece of shit."
"What?!" Tomas replied in shock.
"Your negligence cost my friend his life."
"I didn't detonate the charges, I swear!" Tomas protested.
"Right."
"I didn't do it. The boss was gonna go after him, I saw..." he stopped before he finished.
"Boys, what's done is done. Jesse is gone." Klaus said wanting to soothe the dissent before it began."
They must have walked for an hour in the blazing sun when Shane called to stop their advance.
"We gotta get these guys to the nearest safe zone." Michael said knowing the zone was straight ahead.
"I know, but if we take this ramp up, we'll be at Luc's parent's house. If they're home we should get them to safety."
"Shit, you're right." Michael agreed.
"I know I'm not supposed to make this personal but, with the way things are--"
"No. You're right. we should work on securing our family. And it's not that far of a walk. We can get them."
"Shit I don't think I can take another detour." Ricki sauntered over.
"No, I suppose you can't." Michael spat before turning to Issac. "Make sure they and the doc get to the checkpoint alive."
"Yes sir."
"Then I'll go with them. Take care of yourselves." Ricki said looking to Shane then the rest before departing.
They entered the quiet neighborhood, a fence blocked entry toward the street they needed to go, they clipped the barbed wire and climbed the barrier. The houses lined up perfectly, large, and clean in the sectioned neighborhood. Aside from the scattered trash, strewn clothing, missing purses, and luggage; the area was typical suburban squalor. The men stopped in the center of the street.
"Oh, no!" Shane gasp. The bodies lined up in a perfect row, men, women, and children. Shane ran over the row checking them out one by one the only relief is that Luc's family weren't among them.
"These people weren't infected." Michael stood in shock.
"How did this happen? Why?" Shane kneeled to check the bodies, finding a single hole to the back of the head. "They were executed." he walked away. "I don't understand."
Klaus grabbed his neck and groaned in pain before crying out and firing wilding around the trees. Iona ran away as fast as she could and Tomas tried to control the muscled comrade only to be flung back on his ass.
“What's wrong?” Michael grabbed Klaus and held him down, he saw it, a small black dart embedded in his neck.
“Assume formation! Someone else is attacking!” Shane shouted.
Michael took off after the figure leaving his men and the doctor behind. His mind raced as fast as his heart. ‘It can’t be!’ he thought as he raced toward the direction it.. .no, she went.
Shane hesitated before running after his husband. “Michael!” The last he heard was Klaus’s screams.
Michael ran fast into the woodlands off the road. Shane was not too far behind. Gunfire echoed from the distance. Shane wanted to go back but there was no way he would leave his partner without back up from this strange figure ahead. He had made his choice, and he was prepared to live with it. The factory seemed to reside in the middle of nowhere. The long-abandoned building hung on by a thread. The figure swiped away the tall unkempt grass and entered with Michael hot on her heels. It disappeared within the rubble. Causing the man to panic. Shane entered and Michael pointed his gun at him before focusing his attention back on the task. It zipped by, Michael aimed and fired hitting air and twisted metal.
“Bitch!” Michael fumed.
“Calm down.”
Michael ran toward the rusted stairs with Shane taking another set to cut it off. The figure ran with Michael at its back and stopped only when Shane arrived from the other side. Michael pointed his weapon eager to fire, his finger on the trigger yet he couldn't bring himself to end... her.
Michael blinked, unable to believe his eyes. “Jona?”
Long auburn hair and soulful eyes, the same birthmark on her exposed shoulder. The splitting image of his beloved sister staring back at him.
Michael hid his gaping mouth behind his hand.
“Jona? She's dead Michael.” Shane tried to reason with him, to make sense of the situation.
“I know!” he turned his attention to the woman. “What sort of fucking game is this?!”
“You wouldn't shoot your own sister, would you?” She raised her hands high, surrendering.
Michael aimed his rifle with conviction. “My sister is dead!”
“No brother.” She shook her head. “I'm very much alive. Changed, better... you can come with me. We c
an all be a family again.”
Michael pulled the trigger firing several rounds into her leg, she screamed.
“Michael!” Shane fired on the tall figure which approached at lightning speed grabbing the woman and landing on the ground below.
He was tall with blond hair and crisp blue eyes and fair skin. Well built, strong, and handsome. His movements resemble his arrogant nature. He looked up at the two military men with their weapons ready to fire. He dropped her, uncaring about her injuries. The deadly looking man never took his eyes off the two men.
“Jona, You're a fool. First your husband and now brother?” His voice was deep and measured, commanding, and it carried a slight German accent.
“I... Why did you save me?” The woman cried, the bullets slipping out in a bloody mucus filled ooze. She placed her hand over her injuries in a vain effort to stop the pain.
“Hush girl.” He dismissed her with undisguised annoyance.
“Who are you?!” Michael demanded to know.
"He's the doctor!" Shane said surprised. "He was at the hospital after the accident, he wanted Jonathan's blood... his name was...."
“Kaiser Reiniger, your boss, but I'm afraid I must terminate our contract effective immediately.” He moved fast slamming his fist into the steel pillars shaking and bringing down the second level. Michael and Shane held on tight riding the twisted heap of metal until they make a drastic leap.
Reiniger kicked a fuel tank in their direction blasting fire and debris. The building blazed with flames and they collect themselves grabbing their weapons. “Amazing, you're still alive.” He attacked. His moves too quick to catch.
Michael and Shane shoot at him, he dodged their bullets in rapid secession. They were weak compared to him, he knew this, and lorded his superiority over them.
“Is this what you want?” he said to Jona.
“Stop it! Please!” She shouted.
“You're not my sister!” Michael replied.
“You're right!” Reiniger dashed ahead, wrapping his hands around Michael's neck squeezing the life from his body. Shane fired forcing him to release his partner. Reiniger whipped fast connecting his fist to Michael’s kidneys and slamming him against the scratchy wall. Shane ran; blade out and swinging before landing a hard kick. Reiniger stumbled back surprised by the connected blow. Michael gathered his bearings, shaking off the pain in his head.
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