The Ancillary sat by the window in the executive suite. In one hand she had a glass of what she considered delicious white wine. She took a delicate sip and then brought her arm up to rest on the arm of the chair. Her bodyguards had moved the chairs under her direction, and beside hers was a seat for Sebastian. Between them, a small glass table already had his glass of wine waiting for him. It concerned her that she hadn’t heard from him, but she wouldn’t show it. There was every chance he was seeing to last minute preparations and would appear any minute now. The Witness would complete her task and prove herself worthy, and the Teacher would be satisfied. But still, a faint flutter of worry would whip its way through her when she looked at the empty chair beside her.
“Ma’am?” One of the men questioned from behind her. With her free hand the Ancillary gestured for him to approach and he came around into her field of vision.
“Yes, Aaron?” She responded.
“We’ve received a communication from our comrades at the local and state law enforcement level. We’ll be able to take off in twenty minutes, and we won’t be pursued.”
“Excellent. Have you heard from Sebastian?” The Ancillary questioned, her voice coming out a little more uneven than she had intended.
“Ma’am.” Aaron started, unsure how to continue. “We’ve... well, we’ve received an update on the heart rate monitors.”
A strange, cold feeling filled the Ancillary. She knew exactly what she was about to be told.
“He’s dead?” She asked, her face locked in an expressionless mask.
“Yes. As are all our brothers in the theatre.”
“Was he infected?”
“No, ma’am. We believe the Witness killed him before he could conclude his service.”
“I see.” The Ancillary responded. She wouldn’t reveal her emotions in front of the men; she needed to remain in control of herself. But she felt a profound sadness; a deep, painful wound had opened in her heart at the thought of her lover being murdered by the Witness. All the Teacher’s words echoed in her head, the assurances that any who laid down their lives would be helping to build a better world. All those who were turned would wash away their sins and help build a brighter future for the chosen. Not once had the Ancillary really considered that she or Sebastian would be required to make that sacrifice. She’d been prideful, assured in her ability to use her position to protect him. And now the Witness had taken him from her. Briefly, she wondered if it made her a hypocrite to expect sacrifices from others but not to have expected any to be necessary from herself or someone she cared about. However, hypocrisy aside, the Ancillary felt a rage towards the Witness bubbling up within her.
“There’s more.” Aaron said, snapping the Ancillary out of her private thoughts.
“What?” She snapped.
“We’ve lost control of the security system and the hostages appear to have been taken to the security room. We’re sure that if we don’t leave on time the police will be storming the hotel. As the majority of our men are dead, we’ve enacted the Teacher’s mandate that all collars be deactivated to prevent our enemies using them against us.”
“Fine.” The Ancillary conceded absently, before realising this wouldn’t be sufficient. “Do what needs to be done. And untie Kimberly and splint her finger.” She commanded. “The Witness left her in the bedroom. I have a task for her.”
“As you wish.” Aaron acknowledged, moving away quickly to carry out her instructions. Once she was alone again, the Ancillary gasped softly, allowing a brief crack in her emotional armour, then she threw her glass of wine against the window, watching it shatter and spill its contents. If anyone had seen her, then he or she would have seen the fury in her eyes and guessed the murderous thoughts that were occupying her mind.
Melissa was closing in on the door beside the cashier’s desk that led to the casino floor when she heard the frightening sound of the doors holding back the infected break apart. She looked down the corridor and saw them spilling through, over the ramshackle barricade of objects she and Roberto had erected, and felt fear punch her in the stomach. She reached for and frantically swiped the gold key card she’d used earlier into the lock, and then went out onto the casino floor, slamming the door behind her. Melissa allowed herself two deep breaths before pressing on, bringing the axe up and ready in both hands. She was in a corner of the casino, across from the large, arched entrances, and although most of the infected had been drawn out by the fire alarms and the ensuing gun battle, there were still dozens of them occupying the room. Some were clumped together in groups of five or six, others were by themselves, clawing at their heads as though the sound of the fire alarm was driving them insane. Melissa held a great deal of pity for the infected in the back of her mind, but at the moment, all she was concerned with was reaching the Ancillary before she made her escape.
As though smelling her, the closest of the infected turned to look at her, and then began to shuffle eagerly in her direction. Their arms were outstretched, keen to grab her in their deadly embrace and satisfy their unending hunger. Melissa started running, realising that the door she’d shut wouldn’t hold back the surge of infected in the corridor behind it for very long. One of the casino infected on her left lunged as she passed but missed her entirely; falling to the ground and groaning as it shot out one of its hands to try to grab her ankle, missing by inches. A second infected was on a much better trajectory, and Melissa raised the axe and swung it blade first into the side of its head. It split open as the blade dug in, creating a deep wound that sprayed blood as she yanked the axe free. It was hard work to remove the axe, but Melissa didn’t have time to worry about her aching muscles nor the fresh blood seeping from the cut on her hand. She continued running forward, her heart set on reaching the elevators before the tide of infected pressing up against the door broke through. Melissa weaved between another pair of the casino infected, stopping a second later when what she thought was a dead body suddenly reached out and tried to trip her. Melissa spun around and used the spiked side of the axe in an overhead swing to kill one of the two infected behind her, then yanked it free so she could do a sidelong swing into the temple of the second. As it let out a final death rattle, Melissa retrieved the axe and turned back to the crawling infected, now with its hand around her ankle. Flipping the axe, she brought it’s blade down onto the top of the skull, splitting its head wide open and sending a shower of blood over the leg of her jeans and the bandage covering the bite as she pulled her weapon free.
Melissa was breathing harder, exhaustion from running and the melee combat setting in, but she forced herself to keep moving. The sound of fighting, along with Melissa being the only living person remaining on the floor, was now attracting the more distant of the infected to her. She looked to her right and saw a group of three charging at her, almost running on their stiffened limbs. She darted away from them, behind a blackjack table, going around it but still trying to keep to her intended direction. She weaved between gaming tables hoping to shake them off, but a quick look behind her revealed she was beginning to attract quite an entourage of the ravenous mob. A moment later, she heard the cashier desk door burst open and a swift glance over her shoulder showed the surge of infected, once behind it, had been unleashed into the room. Melissa darted in the direction of the slot machines, deeming it reasonable to suppose that not being able to be seen easily would deter some of the infected. As she fled into the maze of noisy, flashing, machines, Melissa knocked over any stools and chairs that were still standing, in the hope they would slow down some of her pursuers. They were baying at her, hungry and excited, as though the chase was something they enjoyed, and she could just imagine the look on their faces; a frightening image Melissa pushed from her mind as she turned and twisted through the labyrinth of slot machines, always trying to move in the direction of the exit.
As she rounded a corner, an infected lunged at her and knocked them both to the ground. The axe fell from her grasp but, although winded, Meli
ssa was able to force the scrambling, snapping, female infected away, knocking her to the side. Melissa rolled away, snatched up the axe, her mind concentrating on trying to escape without becoming involved in further, time consuming clashes, all the while hearing the thundering footsteps of the infected that were chasing her getting closer. Before she could make her desperate bid for freedom however, the infected woman grabbed her ankle, nearly tripping Melissa again. Unable to shake her leg free from her grasp, Melissa wheeled around and cleaved the woman’s head from ear to ear with the axe. The grip relaxed and Melissa was able to get her leg free and run, catching sight of a few of the infected coming out from the aisle she had turned out of as she did. She’d disturbingly lost a lot of the distance she had previously held between her and the horde following her, and now ran flat out to get it back; the pain in her leg a secondary concern to the need to survive. Although they moved slowly individually, Melissa noticed they moved faster in packs, when they were incensed and closing in on a prey; not that this observation gave her much comfort, but the investigative part of her was always working. Melissa exited the slot machines and came out into an open space. Ahead, about twenty feet away, was the exit to the main floor. Melissa moved towards it and quickly clambered over the barricade that the Reborn had placed there, managing not to lose her footing as she had the first time. Although she continued moving at speed, on the other side of the obstruction she felt she could afford to slow slightly. She had regained much of the ground she had lost and the barricade would surely slow them down somewhat, so Melissa wanted to try and conserve what remained of her energy. She hoped it wasn’t a mistake, but she was breathing hard and her muscles burned with exertion. The majority of the infected were behind her now, with a few lingering in the direction of the theatre. The latter were hunched over, and Melissa’s stomach turned when she saw they were consuming what remained of Jim, a couple of them in full Reborn uniform.
Looking swiftly to her right, before the revolting sight could dominate her thoughts, she saw the large, heavy security gates were still down and Melissa wondered whether Roy was working to get them up so that the police could get inside. Some of the infected were gathered near them, and Melissa could only assume it was because they could sense the living on the other side and were waiting for their chance to reach them. Knowing there was nothing she could do to diminish their numbers, Melissa refocused on the route to the south elevators. She pounded the pavement as she ran, turning down into the hallway which housed her objective. Melissa looked over them and saw that the LED display showed all the elevators were above the twentieth floor.
She turned and looked towards the casino as she heard a great crash; the surge of infected had hit the barricade like a tidal wave, and although it had indeed slowed them down, they had torn right through it and were advancing on her. Three or four dozen of the infected were closing fast on her position, their hurried, shambling gait frightening. This had also cut her off from going across the hall to the north bank of elevators, as she’d be trapped if one wasn’t magically waiting for her, with the doors open ready to carry her to safety. So, Melissa charged towards the door to the south stairs, with the infected getting closer by the second; the scent of flesh filling them with fresh endurance to hunt down and consume the last living person they could reach. Melissa’s own fatigue was causing her heavy legged footsteps to slow, but she managed to reach the door to the stairs and without pausing, forcing it open quickly. Stumbling through, she wheeled around to shut it but two of the infected were almost on her. She slammed it as hard as she could, but one had managed to get his arm in the gap and let out a furious growl, and a then a second as Melissa tried to slam the door again, even though her weary brain was trying to tell her the door wouldn’t shut if the infected didn’t retract his arm. A second limb appeared in the gap and another growl fluttered in.
Slowly, Melissa was being pushed back and the door was opening, enough so that the first infected snaked its way further in, its head and upper torso now in the stairwell with Melissa. Her options were getting fewer, so Melissa decided to retreat, and in doing so let the door fly open. Taking a few paces up the stairs, she swung the axe sideways and nearly cut the first infected head clean in half. Yanking the weapon back, she brought it down overhead and dispatched the second. The blade went deep, and Melissa had to fight to pull it out. As the blade came free, a spray of blood gushed out of the wound. The body dropped heavily and Melissa risked a look up at the door, where she saw a trio of the infected bearing down upon her. Melissa had barely enough time to get the weapon ready to swing again before the next howling, murderous infected was within striking distance. With a heavy grunt of exertion, Melissa swung the axe and killed him, but the blade imbedded deeply this time and she knew there wouldn’t be time to free it before the second was upon her. Melissa let the weapon fall from her hands and pulled out the pistol at her side, firing a single shot for each of the two oncoming infected and executing them in the doorway. The larger horde was coming though, focusing in on the gunshot. Melissa twisted around and, breaking into a sprint, fled up the stairs.
She turned back and fired at the first few who started scrambling after her, killing them and sending sprays of blood over the white, concrete walls behind them. Melissa continued up the stairs, while she reached for the radio on her waist.
“Roy!” She yelled. “I need help!”
A few silent moments passed and Melissa executed another infected duo mounting the stairs in her wake. She passed the second floor exit and started up to the third.
“Damn it, Roy, pick up the radio! Roberto! Anyone!” Melissa demanded, hoping she’d get the help she desperately needed.
“I’m here, Melissa, I’m here.” Roy said, sounding a little out of breath.
“You’ve got control of the elevator’s again!” Melissa declared, firing her weapon three more times, but failing to kill both of the infected she was aiming at. She paused for half a second to line up the next shots and then executed them cleanly before continuing her sprinting gait up the stairs. The infected were piling into the stairwell, and their hungry moaning and groaning echoed creepily up the chamber.
“We do. I’m on the phone with the FBI now and we’re trying to—”
“Don’t care. What floor is the lowest elevator on?” Melissa demanded, and had to wait several seconds for Roy to respond. She kept moving, killing the closest infected and praying Roy would have an answer for her sooner rather than later.
“It looks like there’s one on the tenth floor on the west side elevator bank.” Roy informed her.”You can use that to get to the fifty-first floor, then take the stairs on the south or north side to get to the top floor like you did earlier, if you’re hell bent on reaching the Ancillary.” Roy explained.
“Can you hold it there for me using the hotel’s security system?”
“I think I can. I’m not the best with computers, but I’ll figure it out. It’s the second elevator on the left side of the west elevator bank.” Roy instructed clearly, repeating himself for more clarity.
“Fine. If you can’t hold it or it moves let me know so I don’t get trapped!” Melissa said breathlessly into the radio. She needed to get up eight more floors. Fortunately, the stairs were proving difficult for the pursuing infected to navigate, so she’d gained a little distance from the closest ones. She paused, leaned over the railing and unloaded her weapon at the four who rounded the stairs first. She killed three but only winged the fourth before her weapon ran out of ammunition. Melissa started moving again, ejecting the clip and fishing for its replacement while in motion. She slammed it home and pulled back the barrel of the pistol, chambering the next round. She risked a look down and saw the dead infected were causing those advancing behind them to stumble, which helped to increase the distance between them.
Melissa continued going up the stairs, taking them two at a time and pulling on the banister for support. She was getting winded, however, and she was soon forced to slow
down as she rounded each turn and even then, needed to further reduce her speed and take the stairs one at a time. She was able to keep ahead of the infected, but was acutely aware that they were ever so slowly starting to catch up. The more recent infected appeared to move faster than the older ones. They weren’t quite running, but their gait up the stairs was more agile and much quicker, which meant as Melissa slowed down, they inched ever closer. Melissa didn’t waste time trying to kill them; it was more imperative to keep ahead of them, get to the right floor, and the elevator. She continued to scramble up the stairs, virtually pulling herself up with the banister; round and round, floor by floor, grim determination spurring her on, until finally, she reached the tenth floor. Out of breath and near exhaustion, Melissa pushed open the door and shut it quickly. She leaned heavily against it, relieved not to be hearing the monotonous moaning and groaning of the tracking infected. The relative silence calmed her nerves slightly, and she allowed herself a moment to catch her breath.
Eventually, she pushed herself away from the door and pressed on to the west elevator bank, hearing, only seconds later, the door she had been leaning against burst open. Almost instantly, a pair of infected Reborn began a hurrying, shambling gait down the corridor towards her. Melissa raised the gun and fired a quick volley of shots, killing one then the next before turning left, following the short passage and then turning right, barrelling down the corridor. She reached the west elevators, and found the elevator Roy was holding for her. She pressed the call button and waited impatiently for the doors to open. It was slow, but once inside, Melissa hammered the button for the fifty-first floor. It was then she heard more growls, and then the rising chorus of the infected getting closer. However, although moving slowly, she was certain the doors were going to close before the horde reached her. As they shut Melissa let out a heavy sigh of relief and slumped to the floor in the corner. The elevator ride would take a few minutes and Melissa wanted to recover as much of her strength as she could as she wasn’t entirely sure what she’d find waiting for her up there. She was confident most of the Reborn were dead, but the Ancillary would surely have a few guards around her. With the deactivation of the collars, Melissa was certain they wouldn’t have allowed any of the infected up there. For now, Melissa thought, the nightmare of the infected was behind her, but that didn’t mean she was out of danger. Melissa lazily brought the radio up to her mouth.
A World Reborn: The First Outbreak Page 22