Omega Virus (Book 1): Beta Hour

by Jake A. Strife

  My wave of Lv02s grew close. I tilted the gun almost all the way down and fired at the base. Even though I blasted them apart, the bodies piled up and the Corpses were climbing on top of their fallen brethren.

  The first behemoth grabbed the wall before me, and as its head rose up, I sprayed powerful bullets that tore its face apart. The undead’s roar cut off as it fell, knocking back others.

  “Wesley!” Dave screamed as his gunfire cut off.

  I looked back to see a Lv02 holding Dave by his head. It stood on the wall lifting him several feet in the air; he flailed about desperately. Wesley leaped onto Dave’s gun, spinning it around and hanging off the wall. He blasted the Lv02 in the gut.

  “Whooooo!” Wesley howled.

  The gun quickly disemboweled the Corpse, and its guts poured over the ground. Dave fell back, crying out.

  I could only hope he hadn't died in the crossfire; a Lv02 before me roared and grabbed my turret. I fired, blowing off its hand, but it smacked the gun, and I stupidly held on, swinging over the side of the wall.

  Another Lv02 reached for me, and I pulled up my legs. The next Lv02 leaped up into the air and grabbed the top of the wall next to me. Seeing its long thick hair, I knew I had but one option.

  I swung my legs forward, brought them back building momentum. At the last second, I leaped towards the Corpse. I grabbed its hair and caught a huge handful in one hand. The Lv02 barely noticed me as it climbed up onto the wall. I dropped down to the side and grabbed the turret; spinning it inward I blew apart its spine. It collapsed down into the yard.

  “They’re never going to stop coming!” Jeff yelled.

  “We need to figure out another way!” Jessie cried.

  “There's no other way!” Wesley shouted. “We’re just going to have to hold out!”

  Wesley ran back to my side of the wall and started firing his guns again, but they both clicked one after the other.

  “You were saying?” I cried.

  “We may need to rethink our strategy!” He nodded.

  A Lv02 grabbed the wall in front of Wesley. The Zombie Killer spun, pulled a dagger from the back of his belt and stabbed it right into the monster’s eye. The Corpse roared and fell away.

  “How many more of those you got?” I tried to ignore the sweet smell of his sweat.

  “That was the last one.” he shrugged.

  He planted a kick right into the next Lv02’s face as it came up over the wall.

  I aimed my gun up as one leaped, and the force of the bullets sent it flying back.

  “No!” Jessie screamed.

  I spun to see a Lv02 grab her turret and throw it into the distance.

  “We’re down a gun!” Dave cried.

  “Make that two!” Jeff added as his gun came to a slow cranking stop.

  He'd run out of ammo, Jessie’s gun had been destroyed, and Dave still fought to get back to his turret. We were losing. I looked into the yard where the fallen Lv02s were getting back up.

  “Our way back is about to be blocked!” I shouted.

  “Fine!” Wesley yelled. “Jump!”

  He leaped off the wall and landed on a standing Corpse. Jeff and Jessie jumped too. I was about to jump when I looked to Dave, who stood on the wall, hesitating. I tried to warn him, but I couldn't get the words out. A Corpse swung its long arm and whacked him with a loud crack. He flew through the air like a baseball and disappeared outside over the wall.

  “Dave!” I screamed.

  “We can’t help him!” Wesley shouted, “Come on!”

  “I’m going after him!”

  The Lv02s in the yard were healing, and pulling themselves together. Wesley grabbed Jeff and Jessie and pulled them inside the barracks.

  I no longer had a choice. I ran around the top of the wall, ducking and jumping over the swiping hands of the Corpses. Looking down, I spotted Dave. He stood across the street, Corpses and a building cornering him. He turned to face the door, but the siren hadn't stopped. He’d kill himself!

  I jumped off the wall and came down in a tumble. Rolling, I landed on the sidewalk. I spotted a parked car. One I could only hope had the keys inside. I jumped in and pulled down the visor; this time, keys fell into my lap. I started the car and slammed the gas. The car flew forward as I spun the wheel, slamming right into the two corpses blocking Dave’s escape. He ducked, and one hit the door. It lit up like a Christmas tree.

  The undead caught fire and the smell of burning flesh filled the air. Out of nowhere, the siren cut off. All of the Lv02s that were still attacking stopped and looked around confused. The one right outside of the car began beeping like an alarm clock.

  “What the hell?” Dave asked.

  I threw open the car door and tackled him over the side of the apartment’s stoop. No sooner did a series of explosions rock the town. Kaboom after kaboom. I kept my hands over my head as gore rained down around us.

  Finally, after hundreds had gone off, everything went silent, save the splatting of body parts.

  I peeked up to see the bloodiest scene I'd ever witnessed. No video game or movie compared to the devastation. Gore stained every visible surface.

  “What happened?” Dave asked as we climbed to our feet.

  “They self-destructed.” I breathed. “Someone rigged them to blow.”

  Dave turned to see the blackened spots where the electrocuted zombie had been.

  “That could have been me!” Dave sucked in a deep breath.

  “Yeah, but if that zombie hadn’t hit that door and short-circuited the alarm. It would have been both, if not all of us.”

  “Are the others okay?” Dave asked.

  We looked up in time to see the doors to the barracks open. Jessie, Jeff, and Wesley all came running out. Jessie cried and ran toward me.

  Despite being covered in blood, she threw her arms around my neck.

  “I’m so glad you’re all right!” She sobbed. “We heard the explosions, and I thought—”

  “I know.” I hugged her back. “I know.”

  Her overwhelming aroma, had my hunger growing. I had an urge to bite into her neck. It would be playful at first, then I could tear away a tiny piece.

  “Zach!” Jeff snapped me to the present. “You’re hurting her!”

  My eyes shot open, and I realized I had Jessie hugged against me so tight she struggled to get out of my grasp. I quickly let go.

  “What the hell was that?” Jeff asked. “It looked like you smelled her.”

  “I…” I hesitated. “I was just…”

  My stomach growled loudly, and everyone’s eyes landed on me.

  “When was the last time you ate something?” Dave asked.

  “It’s been a day or more,” I said.

  “Dave has snacks in the car,” Jessie said.

  “Let’s get go then.” Wesley agreed and shrugged. “Well, that was fun!”

  “You call that fun?” Dave whimpered.

  This time, Jeff sat in the front seat, and I sat in the back with Jessie in the middle. She handed me a bag of chips and a bottle of soda. I ripped open the bag and devoured them in just a few mouthfuls.

  “It looks like you haven’t eaten in a month!” Dave chuckled.

  “It feels like it.” I chomped on another bag.

  As we drove, I ate more than a few bags of chips and downed two bottles of soda. I'd worry about diabetes later if I somehow survived the virus. It wasn’t long before we pulled up to the parking lot of a marina. A long dock ran out into the water and at the end floated a pair of boats, one a large speedboat, and one a yacht. We climbed out of the car with the remainder of our food supplies, which I'd blown through. The dock rocked in the water as we went, and I nearly fell into the dark water.

  “Can you swim?” Jessie grabbed my arm to steady me.

  “Of course,” I said.

  She shook her head. “You’re still so hot.”

  “Thanks.” I forced a smile.

  “I didn’t mean it like that—but you are�
�but I mean---” She started blushing.

  “Come on love birds,” Wesley said as he boarded the Yacht.

  Jeff helped Dave on board, and I helped lift Jessie up over the railing. As I was about to board, nausea hit me like an avalanche. I doubled over and vomited so bad that I thought my intestines would come out.

  Jessie climbed back out of the boat and came to my side. “Oh God, you’re burning up.”

  “Zach, are you sure your all right?” Wesley stood over us.

  “I-I’m f-fine.” I stood. “Go on Jessie, get on board.”

  Wesley reached down and helped her up, then said. “Jessie you feel kind of warm too.”

  I looked up at Jessie and met eyes with her. She looked a little pale again. I knew in my heart then that the temporary vaccine had started to wear off.

  LEVEL 35 – INJUSTICE

  When Wesley helped me back on the boat, he touched my bare wrist and nearly recoiled. “Man, you're burning up! Maybe we should go back and find you some penicillin!”

  I sighed and wiped the sweat from my brow. “Let's just get this 'quest' over with. I'll take some aspirin later, or whatever.”

  As I made my way to the upper deck stairs, Jessie stopped me. “Come lay down inside. I'll take care of you.”

  I avoided her eyes. “I just want to be alone.”

  “Zach, what’s wrong? You can tell me anything.”

  I didn't have the heart to be around her. For all I knew, I'd be turning into a Corpse at any moment. I couldn't put her at risk.

  She walked up behind me. “Is it about Kessa? I know how you felt about her.”

  I grimaced but kept climbing. “Just help Wesley or whoever sail the ship.”

  She whimpered as I walked away, but what could I do? Telling her about my bite would only make her worry more, and if she knew, we were both infected she'd hate me. Better not to cause her stress, I decided. It wouldn't be too long before she seized in pain again. Negative thoughts weren't getting me anywhere.

  The boat engine roared to life, and we pulled away from the docks. For twenty minutes I leaned on the upper railing, staring into the sea. My mind, however, went completely blank. I couldn't think even if I wanted to.

  The sky above darkened and storm clouds seemed to come for us like a monster. The wind picked up, and the waves crashed against the ship, making it shift up and down, back and forth. A storm over the final battle? It seemed only natural, given the coming raid of the G.O.D. Mode base.

  Nausea came over me again. I leaned over the railing and vomited. This time, it felt like my throat had caught fire. Ten times worse than heartburn, I feared the acid would eat through my throat.

  “Zach?” Wesley called.

  “Crap.” I wiped my face clean on my dirty shirt.

  He joined me at the railing. “There's more to talk about, friend.”

  I turned my head away. “I don't think so.”

  “Sure there is!” He slapped my back. “There may not be enough time to chat later.”

  My throat clenched. “What do you mean by that?”

  “This quest could kill us all.” Wesley stared into the distance, although I could see something serious going on behind his eyes.

  “We’re gamers,” I said. “We have so many lives we can kill any Corpse that comes at us.”

  “Unfortunately.” Wesley sighed. “We’ve only got one life each, just like a cat out of luck.”

  “You don’t have anything wiser to say?” I muttered.

  He stayed quiet for a few seconds then said. “What do you really want to do after all of this is over? When we take out the entire G.O.D. Mode family?”

  I stared down at the choppy waters. “I haven’t thought that far ahead.”

  “Why not?” Wesley put his back to the railing and crossed his arms. “The world is going to be saved you know. The good guys always win.”

  “Still sucking pretty bad at the pep talk.” I rolled my eyes.

  “Let me cut to the chase then.” Wesley glanced from the corner of his eye. “I know you’re sick.”

  All of my mental alerts went off, and I shook my head.

  “No way!” I replied. “I haven’t been bitten!”

  “Who said you were bitten?” Wesley cocked an eyebrow. “Now, I know it for sure. You are infected with the Omega Virus.”

  “I’m not—” I tried, but he cut me off.

  “Just show me your bite.” He said. “I’m not going to throw you off the boat—yet.”

  With a sigh, I lifted up my pant leg. He kneeled down and poked the wound.

  “Ow! You bastard!”

  “You still feel pain.” Wesley said, “Means you have time left.”

  “Do you know how much?” I asked. “I have to get into that base and find the vaccines.”

  “I would say no more than an hour and a half—two hours max.” He said.

  “Crap,” I muttered.

  “Jessie is still infected too, isn’t she?” Wesley asked.

  “Shhh!” I threw my hands over his mouth.

  He pulled back and slapped me away. “Don’t touch me with your zombie hands!”

  “I’m not one!” I replied.

  “Yet.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence.” I sighed.

  “I don’t know that you’ll make it.” He shrugged.

  “Thanks again.”

  “But here’s what I do know.” Wesley kept going. “It’ll take us at least 30 more minutes to get to the exact spot where that base is. Which gives you an hour to find the vaccines.”

  “Aren’t you going to help?” I asked.

  “No.” He said, being brutally honest. “I’ll leave that to you guys. I’m going straight for Grandson. Maybe I can make him talk.”

  “I’m so screwed,” I muttered, chin in my palm.

  “So you really aren’t going to tell her?” Wesley questioned. “Doesn’t she have the right to know?”

  His words made me feel like scum. “I can’t—I told her she was cured when I gave her the partial vaccine.”

  “So there was a temporary one?” Wesley asked. “How long did that last?”

  “Since early this morning.” I sighed. “I had hoped it would last longer, or maybe even work entirely.”

  “We aren’t that lucky.” Wesley shook his head.

  “Do you have much more to say?” I asked. “I’m not feeling well.”

  “I do have one very important thing to tell you about the girl.” He said.

  “What about her?”

  What more could he tell me?

  “It’s about Tif—” A huge wave crashed over the bow and drenched us. The water froze me to the core. I glanced over, and Wesley balanced precariously on the railing.

  “My hat!” He cried and dove into the water.

  “Wesley!” I shouted and lost sight of him as he disappeared below the waves.

  “Guys!” I screamed. “Wesley went overboard!”

  Thunder rumbled in the sky above as Dave and Jessie came to my side.

  “Where is he?” Jessie cried, looking down into the choppy water.

  Another huge wave splashed the three of us.

  Dave cried out. “He’s done for! We should get inside!”

  “Give me that rope over there!” I snapped. “I’m going after the idiot!”

  “Not a chance!” Jessie cried. “I’m not letting you go!”

  Dave handed me the rope and caught Jessie’s glare. I quickly tied the rope to the railing then around my waist.

  “Hold the rope!” I ordered them.

  “Stop being so reckless!” Jessie pleaded.

  I didn’t listen to another word she said. I climbed on the railing and looked at the waves beneath me. I had always been afraid of what lied beneath dark waters. Surely there were sharks, giant squids, and dangerous venomous jellyfish ready to attack me, hell even a sea monster, but I didn’t care. Wesley had been about to tell me something important and who better to risk their life than the one i
nfected with but an hour or so to live?

  Breath sucked in, I threw myself forward. I splashed down, and the shock made me go numb. Within minutes, I’d be suffering from hypothermia.

  Darkness encroached from every direction, still, I reached around blindly trying to grasp Wesley and bring him up. Something grabbed my leg, and I screamed, or tried to, and water rushed into my mouth. I kicked my leg trying to get free from the sea serpent. But then a hand reached up and grabbed my arm. Hoping I'd found Wesley, and not a Corpse, I wrapped my arms around him. With all my strength I tugged on the rope.

  We weren’t being lifted out of the water, we were actually sinking even deeper. The roped jerked and our heads broke the surface. Thankfully, I did indeed have Wesley. Moments later we were brought on board to find Jeff, Dave, and Jessie all holding the other end of the rope.

  Jessie cried in joy and hugged me tight. I smiled, sitting there on the yacht’s deck, her warmth much-welcomed. Next to me lay Wesley whose eyes were closed. He'd gone unconscious, but in his hand, he had grasped that black fedora with the now limp red feather.

  “Let’s get them inside,” Jeff said. “Everyone’s gonna get sick.”

  We carried Wesley inside to the common area and then Jeff and Dave excused themselves to go back to try sailing the ship. We were so cold that we didn’t even care about humility; we stripped off our soaking clothes down to our undergarments.

  “What kind of party am I missing?” Wesley coughed.

  I replied by hurling my soaked shirt at his face.

  “I nearly died, and you’re abusing me?” He groaned.

  “You nearly got us killed, moron!” I snapped.

  Wesley sat up and stripped off his clothes revealing pale skin. “I needed to save the hat! It... means a lot to me.”

  “Sentimental value versus life or death?” Dave asked. “Sounds important!”

  “Sure is! Why in fact—”

  I drowned them out as Jessie crawled over to me. She wore only a blue bra and underwear. With myself in boxers, she wrapped her arms around me and gave a happy giggle. She felt so warm compared to my icy blood.

  “You’re so hot,” Jessie said. “Keep me cozy.”