Peter stumbled backwards and shouted “Son of a bitch!” as his hand covered his nose. His hand came down to reveal a palm full of blood, that quickly started spilling from his hands onto the white floor.
Sue took a step back as she started to rub her fist, “I’m sorry,” she whispered to herself, while Peter held his head back attempting to stop the blood from flowing from his nose.
“Sorry? More like crazy bitch,” he shouted out and started walking over towards Dr. Brooks. “I think she broke my nose.”
Sue and Jordan stood there as they watched Dr. Brooks, gently start to care for Peter’s injury. Sue rubbed her hands together and let out a sigh before saying “What do you mean you’re not?” Dr. Brooks ignored the question, she grabbed Peter’s hand and walked him over to the glass door.
“Hello! I’m talking to you!” Sue shouted.
Dr. Brooks’s hand quickly went up as she pressed her plastic keycard against the scanner pad. The glass door slide open and a computerized woman’s voice filled the room as it said “Welcome Dr. Brooks. There is a message from Dr. Connors, would you like me to play it?”
Dr. Brooks’s stormed into the room pulling Peter alongside her as she said, “No.”
“Who the hell is Speck?” Sue shouted. She was about to step into the lab when she felt someone grab her hand and pull her back. Sue turned to see Jordan holding her hand staring up at her.
“Did you hear that?” Jordan asked.
Sue raised her eyebrow and looked down the bright white hallway, “Hear what?” she replied.
Jordan turned around and softly said, “I thought I heard a scream.”
Sue brushed her hair from over her ears and listened for a moment, then shook her head. “I don’t hear anything.” She said softly.
The boy’s eyes didn’t tear away from the bright white of the hallway, “It was a scream,” he said.
Sue put her hand on his cheek, “Your mom is fine kiddo. If anyone is gonna come out of this okay, it’s her.”
Jordan smiled, “What about dad?” he asked.
Sue stuck her tongue out before saying, “Him too, we’re all gonna be okay,” she started walking into the lab with Jordan right on her heels.
Peter sat on a table with his head back as Dr. Brooks softly applying a bandage to his nose, “Fuck,” Peter said softly.
Dr. Brooks smiled, “You’re such a baby,” she said.
Sue stood there holding Jordan’s hand, “Who’s Speck?” Sue asked.
Dr. Brooks rolled her eyes with a sigh, “She’s the artificial intelligence that helps run the lab.” Sue looked up at the lights of the ceiling before Sue could part her lips she heard Dr. Brooks’s voice, “When the White House fell, the government came to us for an explanation. They wanted answers or better put, they wanted someone to blame.” Dr. Brooks pulled off her gloves and tossed them into a nearby trash bin, “Do you know how hard it is to come up with an answer for a question, no one has ever asked?”
The doctor’s eyes jumped from each of their faces and she laughed, “Of course you don’t.” she said as her hands went onto her hips, “We were tasked to find who or what created these monsters, all while figuring out how to stop them. Not save them, stop them. The Government had already given up hope for a cure, they just wanted to know the best way to put an end to the country’s nightmare.”
“You’re doing a lot of talking, but you’re not really saying anything.” Sue’s eyes went down to the little voice that pushed out the statement.
Jordan was staring at the Doctor as Peter laughed, “The kid’s a savage.” he said.
Dr. Brooks pushed up her glasses and said, “We were given an unimaginable task. Passed down by the president himself, there were four doctors selected to head this up. I can explain bringing three people to the compound, given what we’ve been through but I can’t explain anymore. My seat is barely safe!”
“What’s the compound?” Sue asked.
Before the doctor could answer a high pitch scream was heard echoing through the halls behind them.
Jordan’s head spun around and he said, “There it goes again! Did you hear it?”
Sue’s eyes were fixed on the glass door as she softly said, “We need to move.”
The group stood there listening to the screams and Sue’s head spun around as she shouted, “I said we need to move, damn it!”
With that Dr. Brooks feet took off through the lab and the rest followed, “We need to get patient zero to the roof!” The doctor shouted and pulled out her keycard. Pressing it against a black pad until she heard click and then a white wall pushed open.
Sue heard a soft voice say, “Help me.”
When her eyes made it into the room, she saw a young Spanish man hanging off the side of a hospital bed. There was blood dripping from his arm onto the floor, blood that Dr. Brooks almost slipped in as she raced towards his bedside.
“What the fuck is going on!” Sue shouted.
The man turned his head to stare at the doctor. His light brown eyes locked with her’s. The man’s stubbled jaw started to tighten. He shot up but before his hands could make it to the doctor she jammed a needle into his shoulder. The young man screamed and slapped the needle away causing Dr. Brooks to jump back. “Peter!” she shouted.
Peter sprung forward pinning the young man to the bed. He twisted and turned. Violently swinging his hands to break free of Peter’s hold. He was fighting for his life and then the movement stopped, and his body just fell limp onto the bed. His black curly hair over taking the white of the pillow.
Sue’s eyes never broke away from the man, she went closer to the bed as Peter and Dr. Brooks started to strap the man down. Sue’s hand went out towards the man’s bloody arm. The long metal needle had broken off and was lodged in his shoulder. When Sue’s fingers got closer to it, her hand was slapped away by Dr. Brooks.
For a moment they stared at one another. Sue searched Dr. Brooks’s eyes for any form of empathy but when Dr. Brooks shouted, “We need to get him up to the roof!” Sue knew there was none.
Another ear-splitting cry ran through the lab and Sue’s head spun back to the glass door. Peter pulled the guns out from under his shirt and then handed one to Sue, “You get any better at shooting?” He asked.
Sue took the gun into her hands and said “No, but I’ve gotten pretty good at not dying.”
Peter nodded, “Well that’s better than nothing,” he said.
The two of them carefully moved towards the glass door. A heart stopping screech filled up the room and Sue jumped back. Peter’s hand covered Sue’s gun. She didn’t notice it until Peter touched her but she was shaking.
“It’s gonna be-” Pete got cut off by a small laugh from Sue.
“Don’t say ‘It’s gonna be okay’ nothing good comes after that.” Sue said.
Frantic footsteps slammed along the white tile floor as the hoard raced down the hall.
“Zombies?” Jordan asked softly.
The silver tip of Peter’s handgun pointed at the doorway, “Stay behind us little man,” Peter said.
Sue pointed her gun and closed her eyes for a moment before letting out a slow sigh. When the last bit of air left her lips she saw it. A bald gray skinned man with thick broken glasses, that hung around his face.
His eyes were bloodshot.
His head twisted to the side like a confused rabid Pitbull.
He stepped through the doorway.
Then he took off sprinting towards them.
The man’s eyes were fixed on Sue and his twisted figure was being burned into her memory. She saw his bloody white lab coat dancing in the air as he ran towards them. Hanging barely by a clip from his coat was a plastic name tag. Dark black letters were lined up neatly on the white tag to read Dr. H. Connors. When Sue’s eyes came up she saw Connors’ blood stained mouth rip open and produce a defining scream.
Dr. Brooks’ hands desperately covered her ears, she and Jordan both dropped their heads in hopes of avoiding
the horrifying sound. But for Sue and Peter, there was no avoiding what was to come. That scream was the dinner bell and they were all on Dr. Connors’ menu.
The first shot sounded…
Then the next…
Peter and Sue were releasing bullet after bullet as more of the infected started rushing through the doorway.
Dr. Brooks screamed out over the gunfire, “Speck! Seal The Lab!” With those words the lab door started to slide close. Yet, the glass door came to a stop. It was blocked off by the bodies of the infected that were fighting their way in.
Sue started walking closer towards the growing hoard, firing shot after shot into the infected swarm. She prayed for head shots but took whatever fate was kind enough to give her.
Losing Samantha and Dean…
Being chased through the woods...
Meeting those fucking clowns.
All the hell Sue had been through was racing through her mind as she pulled her finger back on the trigger and let another bullet fly through the air.
“I am so sick of fucking Zombies!” Sue screamed.
The sliding door finally slid close and when it did, a wave of blood splashed onto Sue’s shirt. The glass door was dark red as it crushed the rib cage of the infected, slicing it in half.
Sue watched the blood gushing from the thing’s torso. It had one arm and still it continued to drag itself towards Sue. Then another shot was heard. The bullet went right through the man’s skull and the infected torso dropped onto the blood covered floor. Sue’s head turned back to see Peter staring at her.
“Did you get your little Rambo moment out of your system?” Peter asked.
Sue raised her eyebrow, “Okay, I keep hearing that. Who the hell is Rambo?” She asked.
Peter laughed and looked over at Dr. Brooks, “Which way out of here?” Peter asked.
Dr. Brooks came up from the ground slowly and looked around the lab. The black frames of her glasses fought against the shaking of her hands as she placed them on her face. She took a slow breath before she said, “We need to get to the elevator on the east wing of the complex, if we-”
A chilling metal click stopped the doctor cold, she carefully turned around to see the barrel of Sue’s gun pointed at her face. The doctor slowly put her hand up.
Peter took a step forward and Sue softly said, “Don’t move Pete.” Sue’s head motioned towards the bodies that lined the floor, “You get one shot to tell me what the fuck is going on here.”
“We don’t have time for this,” Dr. Brooks said.
Sue pushed the gun forward until the barrel was pressing into the Doctor’s forehead. “One shot! Before I take mine!” Sue shouted.
Dr. Brooks’ eyes went towards Peter, who was being pulled back with every bit of force in Jordan's tiny body. Dr. Brooks looked back at Sue and softly said, “Get that thing out of my face.”
“Sue, what the fuck!” Peter shouted.
Sue’s right hand came off the gun and she pointed out into the mass of bodies that lined the floor, her eyes never swaying from the doctor. Catherine had some trust issues and Sue knew they were rightfully so, but Catherine’s gut never seemed to be wrong. This time was no different, Catherine said she didn’t trust her and now neither did Sue.
Peter’s eyes scanned over the carcasses that littered that lab. Men, women, even a few children, laid there with twisted faces and bloody bared teeth. Peter took in the sight of leather tight, reddish gray skin. Their veins showed as bright and defined as a road map would, running all along their bodies.
Yet, it wasn’t any of that which made Peter turn away. No, it was the black eyes, so dark and empty. He would never admit it but those eyes were burned into his nightmares.
Peter looked back at Jordan only to hear Sue shout, “No! Keeping looking, find the guy in the lab coat!” She started to back away from Dr. Brooks, making her way toward Jordan as she added, “His name tag says Connors.”
Dr. Brooks’s head turned towards the pile of bodies. Her eyes were racing from twisted to face to twisted face. Right in the middle of the lab, covered in bloody was Dr. Connors. Only recognizable by his thick black glasses and white lab coat that was ripped apart by bullet holes.
“No,” Dr. Brooks softly said.
She went to move towards him, but Sue’s barrel tapped the side of Brooks’ head. The doctor looked back at Sue with tearful eyes, “He doesn't deserve to lay there like some animal!” Dr. Brooks shouted.
“I want answers or you’ll be laying right next to him,” Sue said.
Dr. Brooks was glaring at Sue through the teary eyes, burning a hole into her. They were passed mistrust. Hate was slowly filling up the void between them.
Dr. Brooks’s lips parted and she said, “Play the message Speck.”
“Playing video message from Dr. Connors.”
The lights in the lab dimmed and a blue hologram screen shot up in the middle. Blue and white light scrambled in the middle of the air as the screams and the pounding of the Infected got louder.
A bearded dark skinned man with thick glasses appeared on the screen. He sat there hands clasped over scattered paperwork. His eyes looked away for a moment then they shot back to the camera. His name tag was in plan view, just as clear now as it was moments before. The bright glow of light engulfed Sue’s face.
“Maxine, if you're listening to this, then it’s too late.” Dr. Connors ran his hands over his face and sighed into them for a moment before saying, “I made a grave mistake Maxine.”.
The massive projection filled Sue’s eye with the sight of short cut, wavy black hair, thick black framed glasses that concealed two hazel eyes behind them. Dr. Connors’s fingers slid down his face allowing his fingertips to drag along his shaggy black beard.
Dr. Connors started laughing softly, “So you were right, like always. They pushed for us to mass produce the vaccine.” Connors said. He looked off camera for a second time, then he continued, “I don't have much time. Against my better judgement, I gave the vaccine to all personnel who were selected to depart for the compound. Including myself.”
“Matthew, no.” Dr. Brooks’ words came out faintly as if they were never meant to be spoken at all. It was a tone of pain that she didn't want to share with another living soul, but she did.
Her words pulled Peter’s eyes away from the projection and onto her. Dr. Brooks’ hands pressed against her eyes as she felt the warm tears starting to flow.
“That was a two weeks ago and the testing seemed positive. No negative impacts whatsoever. Two weeks!” Connors shouted, his fist slammed into the table before saying “We proceeded to administer the vaccine to the rest of the CDC Personnel and civilians who made it in before the quarantine.” Dr. Connors said.
A loud scream was heard, and Sue’s head spun towards the glass door of the lab. She could see the blood splatter on the glass becoming larger as one screaming woman continued to slam her head into the door repeatedly. Sue turned her head back to the projection to see Dr. Connors staring off again. Slowly Sue’s head turned back to the door and she said, “They turned.”
Dr. Connors closed his eyes and then softly said, “It did something to them, we did something to them.” Connors’ eyes opened and he took off his glasses, “The vaccine didn’t prevent the virus, it just slowed the process and mutated the strain. We were prepared for it not to work or even for a few random deaths, but not for what it created. They are faster, smarter, and far more bloodthirsty than anything we have seen so far and..” Dr. Connors stopped and stared into the camera before softly saying, “I’m becoming one of them.”
Dr. Brooks put her hand over her mouth and shook her head,“No,” she said softly and as if he were standing there among them Dr. Connors responded,
“Yes, love. I'm truly sorry. I'm sorry for what I’ve created, for what we’ve done but above all else. I'm sorry I left you alone in this world.” Tears fell from Dr. Connors’s light hazel eyes as he softly said “If you're listening to this Maxine. I love y
ou and you need to run!”
The projection stopped and Dr. Brooks’s hands dropped from her face as she started screaming, “No, no! There has to be more! There has to be more!”
Sue quickly tucked her gun behind her back and walked up to Dr. Brooks. She fought it at first, but once Sue’s arms wrapped around the doctor, she broke down crying on Sue’s shoulder. “It's okay, it's okay.” Sue said and looked over at the Briggs boys, “Get Zero ready.” she said softly.
Sue looked back into the doctor’s tearful eyes as she asked, “How do we get to the roof?”
Dr. Brooks pointed over to a metal door and said,“There's an elevator.” She started to clear away her tears and fix her glasses. For months she had to have answers and solutions while the rest of the world panicked. Dr. Brooks had to think ahead while the rest of the world got to mourn and for the first time in a long time she got to fall apart. “Thank You.” she said softly.
It felt odd, to be thanked for being around. A hug wasn't a life changing action neither was opening a door, but in this new world the little actions were all that were left.
Dr. Brooks’ keycard tapped a black pad and within an instant the metal door slid open. There was a long hallway with bright lights shining from above, bouncing off the white floors and walls and at the end of the hallway was a silver door. It was their ticket to freedom.
Sue looked at the Dr. Brooks and said, “We’ll take you to the roof and then we’re gonna get the others. So I need you to swear on Dr. Connors’ soul, that you’ll wait for us.”
Dr. Brooks was looking back at the bloody white lab coat that covered Connors’s body. She didn't answer, she didn't even pull her eyes away.
“Hey!” Sue shouted.
Dr. Brooks nodded, “I swear,” she said softly. She started walking towards the pail of Infected as she said,“Just give me a moment to say goodbye.” Peter's hand went out and light took hold of Dr. Brooks’s head, she pulled away and turned to Peter, “I’ll be right behind you guys.”
Sue nodded, “Alright.” she said.
Peter and Jordan rushed patient zero’s bed along the blood stained floor. The wheels of the hospital bed made an intense metal rattle as it scooted through the doorway. The Briggs boys rushed along with it and Sue followed behind after taking one last look at the Doctor.
Planet Dead (Book 1): Bloodthirsty Page 17