Savage Mist

by Jason Merchant

  “No, too much noise. Only if you have to.” Xavier said as he ran toward the savages.

  He thrust the butt of his rifle into the head of the first savage, crushing its skull. He swung the rifle hitting the second savage in the head, and a third before one of the savages got a hold of him. Xavier dropped his weapon and turned around to fight when the last savage jumped on him from behind in a chokehold. Xavier pushed his thumbs into the eye sockets of the savage in front of him while being choked, the savage began swinging wildly.

  The only weapon Regina had was her pistol, she ran over to the savage that was choking Xavier and struck it in the back of the head with the butt of the pistol as hard as she could, but when she did, the gun went off. The savage fell to the ground, but the soldiers surely heard it. Xavier picked up his rifle and they ran toward the street, away from the building.

  They couldn’t make it out of the area before being spotted by the Chinese again, the soldiers began firing on them. Xavier took another bullet to the arm and leg as he trailed Regina.

  “Regina, you have to keep going and don't look back”

  “No, I’m not leaving you.”

  “You have to, please.”

  “Xavier, no.”

  “I’m already hit in the back,” Xavier lied. “I’m done. Let me slow them down for you please. Just go.”

  “No, keep running.”

  Xavier stopped running without telling Regina, she continued for about 100 yards or so before she noticed he was no longer behind her.

  Xavier made sure Regina kept going, then he took up a position behind a tree. The magazine was full, he had a good thirty rounds until he was out, and the Chinese would move on him. He waited until they were close and began firing.

  One after another, Xavier killed the soldiers as they made their way into the small greenbelt. The soldiers fired back, overwhelming Xavier with a wall of bullets. Xavier could barely peek his head around the tree to fire back, when he did, he was hit in the shoulder. The soldiers advanced, Xavier blind fired around the tree, waiting for the magazine to empty and for the Chinese catch up to him.

  The rifle bolt locked to the rear and Xavier was out. He would make a move at the first soldier he saw and try to get their weapon before he was killed, maybe he would get lucky and be able to take out a few more. He took two deep breaths and prepared to step out from behind the tree, an explosion sent him back. The blast tore through several of the soldiers, it was quickly followed by another and massive gun fire. Xavier looked behind him, soldiers, American soldiers.

  Chapter 17

  Refugees

  Xavier emerged from the tree line into a strip mall parking lot, Regina was waiting for him anxiously near a light pole. She ran to him as soon as she saw him, relieved he had not been forced to sacrifice his life for the preservation of hers. He looked like the hero from an action movie: wounded, but triumphant, unfazed by his injuries.

  Regina’s smile faded into concern, she put a hand on Xavier’s chest and looked him in the eyes.

  “They said we have to go east, we should follow highway 18. They said Fort Lewis isn't safe.”

  “Well, where are we supposed to go?”

  “They just said east, they said to follow the other... refugees.”

  “I guess we should get moving then.”

  “They said most of the area had been cleared of savages, they used another word for them though...B.R.”

  “The Army loves acronyms”

  They headed east and joined a stream of displaced citizens walking along the highway, families carrying as much as they could on their backs, wounded people who escaped with only their lives, mothers carrying babies. It was a scene the average American would think impossible in the United States. A lot of people had stopped on the side of the road, arguing with one another on continuing east or returning to their homes. Two men, obviously vagrants before the invasion, broke windows and rummaged through virtually every abandoned vehicle they passed. Others shook their heads with disapproval, it would only be a matter of time before those same people would come to realize those vagrants were far ahead of the game.

  Xavier looked down at the blood on his clothes, he lifted his shirt and ran his hand over the nearly healed bullet wounds. The bleeding had long ceased and dried, he was healing faster than was humanly possible. Regina began to examine the exit wounds on his back, confusion and concern appeared on her face as she tried to make sense of his supernatural abilities.

  “I don’t get it. I mean I’m happy you’re alive... but you shouldn’t be.”

  “Considering what we’ve been through the past few days, none of us should be alive.”

  “Yeah, but you were shot up Xavier, you’re walking around like it didn’t happen.”

  Xavier ignored Regina’s curiosity, took a deep breath, turned to Regina and pulled her to the side of the road.

  “Did you ever stop to think about how empty Seattle was?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean it’s like we were the last people left alive in the entire city. When I went back for Lisa, there was no one there but the Chinese and the savages. How did we survive there when everyone else either died or escaped? We survived a shootout with Chinese soldiers Regina.”

  Regina stared at Xavier, unable to grasp his concern.

  “What are you saying? It was all a dream? Because I’m right here, dead tired, scared to death and wondering what the hell life is going to be like from here on out Xavier. This isn’t a dream.”

  “No, no, not a dream, just…not possible.”

  “It wasn’t possible for a lot of us Remember? Jake, Richard, Carly...Mr. and Mrs. Schulz...others. It was definitely real for them.”

  “Yeah, it was. Okay, maybe I’m over thinking it, I just can’t shake how little sense this all makes.”

  “I don’t think anyone walking along this freeway can.”

  The sun was rising ahead of them, they had been walking for hours. The sound of gunfire and explosions had faded, there were no signs of savages or fighter jets, the purple and orange hues on the horizon gave a calming comfort that they had escaped what laid behind them in the darkness. The towns they passed were dead, not deserted, but not business as usual. Shops were closed, the streets were just parking lots and the lights were off. People began splitting from the freeway down into the town, no doubt looking for supplies and sustenance. Refuge. There would definitely be looting, from the looks of things, there would be no law enforcement, no order.

  Xavier and Regina decided it was a good idea to follow along and gather some sort of supplies while they still could, there was no use starving or dying of thirst while trying not to break a law that no one was around to enforce. They made their way to the off ramp and were turned around by excitement on the freeway, everyone was looking to the north, shocked, horrified, frozen in fear. Xavier and Regina stepped around and oversized pickup truck to get a better view, an enormous mushroom cloud rose over the horizon high into the sky after a brilliant flash of light.

  Regina wrapped herself around Xavier’s arm, her jaw locked open and face filled with terror.

  “Xavier…”

  He showed no real emotion besides disappointment.

  “We’ve been through so much hell the past few days, I never stopped to realize that all three of the world’s biggest nuclear superpowers were at war. The invasion, the savages...nothing compared to the destruction our governments are truly capable of.”

  The dark skies behind them to the west lit up a bright white, then orange. Then another. The United States of America was under nuclear attack. Xavier took Regina by the hand pulled her back toward the off ramp, they would need supplies quickly and to abandon any populated area. Regina stopped him and called his attention to a commotion a few dozen yards up the freeway.

  “We don’t have time to worry about that Regina, trust me, we’re going to have bigger problems.”

  He tugged on her arm causing her to let out a cry th
at stunned Xavier. He let go of her and asked if she was okay, she nodded, he couldn’t help but notice the two steps back she took when she did.

  Regina looked back over to the commotion and noticed a female bystander and a familiar child. She pointed them out to Xavier, he was once again baffled by the fortunate, but abnormal coincidence of finding himself in the same location as the rest of his group.

  Xavier and Regina hurried to Lisa and Charles, a sigh of relief escaped Lisa’s mouth and she hugged Xavier.

  “Xavier, it’s Sheila, look.”

  “What is she doing?” asked Xavier.

  “She’s attacking people...like a savage. You have to stop her, Jacob is going to shoot her, he already went after her.”

  Xavier took off running toward Sheila, as he did, he noticed a helicopter approaching them from the south.

  Regina stayed back with Lisa and watched from her side.

  “How did it happen?” Regina asked Lisa.

  Lisa had one hand covering her mouth and tears in her eyes.

  “She said she wasn’t feeling well, she was complaining most of the time we were walking. She seemed so agitated and angry. There were a lot of people around us on the freeway, people were bumping into each other. Someone bumped into Sheila and she lost it, she hit the guy, but Heather and Jacob were able to calm her down.” Lisa began to cry a little harder and had a tougher time describing what happened next. “Right before those large explosions in the distance, her and Heather were arguing. Heather wanted her to rest and drink some water because she was sweating a lot and looked a lot worse than earlier. We knew something was wrong, she went from being agitated to being really quiet, almost calm. She just stared at Heather, she didn't say a word, she just hit her in the face, she hit her so hard that she flew over a car.”

  Lisa turned her gaze to a blue sedan to her left, Regina could see the arm of someone lying on the ground behind it. She ran over to see if Heather was alright, her eyes were still open, but she was gone. Regina closed her eyes and began to cry. She stood up and looked over to Lisa, she was clutching Charles tightly and looking back at Regina.

  Xavier caught up with Jacob just in time to see him raise a rifle and point it at Sheila, he yelled at him, “No, Wait!”

  Jacob turned around, surprised to see it was Xavier, he lowered his rifle. Sheila was beating a man on the ground in front of Jacob, Xavier stepped in and grabbed her from behind. He slammed her on the hood of a car and tried to hold her there, she flailed wildly until she was free and kicked Xavier onto the trunk of the car behind him. She jumped up and threw herself on top of him, there was no emotion in her face: her pupils were dilated, she was sweaty, and breathing heavily and never said a single word. Xavier pushed her away and got off the car, she ran right back at him. He picked her up, slammed her to the ground and placed all his bodyweight on her hips. He began screaming for her to stop, pleading for her to recognize him, he received only the cold stare he had seen from the savages he came face to face with before.

  Sheila was able to roll Xavier off her, she climbed on top of him and began striking him in the face. Xavier retaliated with punches of his own and eventually pushed Sheila off him and rolled underneath the pickup truck to the other side. Sheila squatted down and lifted one side of the truck, she pushed it over on top of Xavier. He pulled his knees toward his chest and stopped the car from crushing him with his legs, he kicked it back toward Sheila. She wasn't there. Xavier jumped to his feet and scanned the freeway for her, he could hear someone vomiting. A crowd had gathered around the two in amazement of their superhuman strength, a portion of the group seemed to have their focus where the vomiting was coming from.

  On the other side of a sedan was Sheila, on all fours, breathing heavily over her own vomit.

  “Sheila?” Xavier said as he kneeled down next her.

  “What happened to me?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m here with you, we all are. Do you remember us?”

  She looked up into Xavier's eyes, she began to cry. Xavier reached for her but stopped when he heard a helicopter hover in low over the freeway, a gunner opened fire from the side door. There was no warning, no mercy. Innocent women, children and men were gunned down instantly.

  Xavier immediately searched for Lisa, the crowd scattered in all directions for safety, he couldn't see her. He pulled Sheila to her feet, took her by the hand and ran toward the last place he saw Lisa and Charles, he couldn't lose her again.

  “Xavier! Xavier!” Lisa shouted.

  He could see her beyond the scrambling crowd, a few dozen yards away. He tugged Sheila’s arm and ran toward them, relieved he didn't lose them. He pushed past people and jumped over those who had fallen, once he reached them, they could escape together. As he neared them, he saw Lisa pointing toward the sky behind him. He turned around to see four men with rifles repelling from the helicopter, the gunner purposely ignoring him and Sheila. Once the four men touched down, the helicopter flew over Xavier and Sheila’s heads, hovering over Lisa and Charles and blocking their egress.

  Contact

  Michael’s phone had been ringing for over an hour, he couldn't ignore it any longer. He left the roadway and hiked a short way up into the tree line.

  “Hello” he answered.

  “Michael where the hell have you been?” George demanded furiously.

  “I lost visual with the targets, I’m following the civilians on highway 18 east. There wasn't much left of Federal Way, my gut says they're headed east like everyone else.”

  “Fuck your gut Michael, we need them now. I mean right now, Michael.”

  “Well George, it's a little fucking difficult to track people when your boss is using biological weapons on the people all around you. I’ve been quiet about it, but I’m going to need some FUCKING ANSWERS George.”

  “That doesn't concern you Michael, you have your mission and I have mine.”

  “Bullshit George! Those are goddamn American citizens, what the hell did you do George? What the hell have you done?”

  “I did what any patriot would do, I defended our country.”

  “At the expense of American lives?”

  “Lives we were going to lose anyway, you saw that massive bombardment by the Chinese.”

  “Jesus Christ George, you killed so many.”

  “Get your head in the game, we need those subjects. They could mean the difference between winning and losing this war Michael.”

  “Not until you tell me how? You tell me what the hell you did to those people, or you're on your own.”

  George sighed, a few seconds of silence passed, then he began.

  It’s call Ochlos3, it was developed by our scientist a few years ago but it failed to deliver on its intended purpose.”

  “Which was...?”

  “Which was to turn soldiers into super soldiers.”

  “That's why you have me following the subjects?”

  “Yes, we believe they were somehow exposed to the virus in a way that was different than the payload delivery.”

  “How?”

  “We think... it might be contagious. We think the subjects may have had close contact with a B.R., most likely during a fight.”

  Michael’s heart raced, he remembered his first encounter with the savages downtown. He was pinned under one of them in a restaurant, covered in its blood.

  “George, how does it spread?”

  “It doesn't survive long outside of the body, but if you're close enough, it can be spread by air. Through the breath.”

  A long silence.

  “Michael, did you come into contact with any B.R. without your mask?” George asked calmly.

  “No...no I’m fine. George if this is a virus that we created, then we also have the cure...right?”

  “Nothing has been tested. Michael, we need you to secure those subjects, so we can run test on them, to see if our theory is correct.”

  “And when you’re done with them?”

  “...Well...
we’re...we’re not gonna hurt them if that's what you're getting at, they’ll be fine. Listen, Michael, they're a danger to those people out there-”

  “No George, you’re a danger to these people.”

  “Are you going to do your job Michael?”

  “Yeah, I’ll do my job, then I’m done.”

  “Fair enough.”

  Michael hung up the phone and jogged east through the herd of displaced victims, the subjects had to be nearby. He didn't want to capture the two, but his own life may depend on it. He could only hope a cure existed, and worked. He would tell George once the mission was completed, he didn't want to risk becoming the subject himself.

  A large explosion back in the direction Michael had just come brought an end to his jog, he looked on in as much disbelief at the innocent civilians around him. He had no time to stop, with everyone focused on the explosion, it would be easier to make up lost ground.

  He barely moved a few yards before spotting the man he was looking for, he was still with his female companion who, to his surprise had survived the artillery blast. Totally disregarding that anyone may see him, he pulled out his satellite phone and called George.

  “I’ve found them.”

  “Outstanding, what's your location?”

  “Highway 18, right in front of the Auburn exit, east bound.”

  “Who are we looking for?”

  “Black male, dreadlocks, tan hunting attire. Black female, yellow shirt, blue jeans. They have a child with them also, maybe 9 or 10 years old. Blue jacket, blue jeans.”

  “Alright Michael standby, I have an extraction team inbound. Do not lose sight of them. 5 minutes.”

  Michael put his phone away and did his best to ignore the onlookers who were surely curious of his ability to communicate by phone, he began to trail the subjects who were moving toward a commotion. The longer they stayed distracted, the easier it would be to keep an eye on them. He hung back and watched as Xavier and another female began fighting, it was spectacular, inhuman.