When the Future Ended (The Zombie Terror War Series Book 1)

by David Spell

  “I’m serious, Chuck. If you ever decide to go on another cross-country trek, let me know and I’ll go with you,” Andy said, finally smiling.

  “Oh, no,” McCain answered. “Then I’d have to answer to your wife and I’ve heard that Marine wives are the toughest women on the planet.”

  Fleming laughed. “She is that and then some. I’m really glad you’re OK, boss. It sounds like we’ve got a big adventure in front of us.”

  “Yes, we do,” he nodded, gently guiding Beth to where he could introduce her. “Andy, I want you to meet my wife, Elizabeth. We just got married a week ago. Beth, this is Andy Fleming. He’s one of my team leaders, but more importantly, he’s also one of my best friends.”

  The former Marine shook the pretty young woman’s hand and laughed. “See, this is just what I’m talking about. I leave you alone for a couple of months and you come back married. It’s very nice to meet you, ma’am. I hope this guy hasn’t corrupted you too much. I’ll introduce you to my wife, Amy, later. She can offer you some tips on how to handle knuckle draggers like us.”

  Beth looped her arm through Chuck’s and smiled, enjoying the banter between the two friends. “That would be nice. I’d love to meet her.”

  Centers for Disease Control Compound, East of Atlanta, Sunday, 1630 hours

  After lunch, Admiral Williams briefed all the CDC agents on the nature of the mission that lay before them. He played the two drone videos that he had shown Chuck the day before. This time, though, the drama was played out on the large screen TV in the team’s small office. The resolve of the agents was solidified even more as they watched body of the dead woman was dragged out of the back of the van and dropped onto the pavement, her head bouncing as it struck the surface, and as the laughing cartel soldiers herded the other women into the high-rise building.

  Williams made it clear to the agents that McCain was in charge and would immediately begin planning the mission. The admiral also let them know he was going to be bringing in more shooters than the ten CDC agents that they had on hand. For the time being, the officers would begin studying maps and brainstorming. Although the President wanted a mission executed ASAP, Williams had told him that with all the moving pieces it might take as long as two weeks before they would be ready to go.

  The Director of Operations for the CIA concluded, “I realize that these are not optimal living conditions here and you’ll need a better location more conducive to planning an operation. Agent McCain and I will be flying over to Dobbins Air Force Base in the morning and lining up accommodations, equipment, and logistical support for you.”

  Andy Fleming’s hand went up. “Sorry to interrupt, sir, but weren’t they overrun a few days after those thousands of Zs swept north out of Atlanta?”

  “That was correct, Mr. Fleming. However, in the last month the base has been retaken by a mixture of National Guard and active duty troops, mostly Marine Corps personnel,” he added, nodding at Andy, Jimmy, and LeMarcus, “as well as some police officers. Air Force and Marine air units have been running multiple sorties everyday, shredding packs of infected. They’ve killed thousands of zombies and have resecured the air base.

  “At any rate, we’ll meet with the major in charge and make sure that Dobbins will suffice as a staging and planning area. And, yes, I said, ‘major.’ They suffered a lot of losses and Major Singleton is the ranking officer.”

  “Admiral, what about this location?” Eddie asked. “Our families and some very hardworking scientists are here. We haven’t had any zombie activity to speak of but we can’t leave this site undefended.”

  “We’re working on that, as well, Mr. Marshall. You are correct. We will not leave this location without security. I’m just not sure yet what that security will look like.”

  Chuck was feeling a bit overwhelmed as he walked out of the meeting. He had been off the grid for the previous two months, trying to get to Melanie, rescuing Elizabeth, helping defend the technical college that she had worked at, getting shot twice, getting married, and not having any contact with his teammates during that time. Now, he was not only being thrown back into the fray, but he was also being asked to plan the biggest operation he had ever been involved in.

  Thankfully, McCain had great people on his team and he intended to utilize their expertise. Andy had been a MARSOC Marine and was an elite, world-class operator. Walker and Trang from the D.C. CDC office had both been in special operations, Jay in SEAL Team Six and Tu as a Green Beret. Each of the other CDC agents had extensive military or law enforcement backgrounds, or both. This would be a team effort as they put the op together.

  All of the living quarters were occupied and he had no idea where he and Beth would sleep. Probably on the floor of one of the offices, he guessed. She had insisted on coming. Now she was going to find out what it was like to live as a grunt. Still deep in thought, he almost ran into the figure that materialized in front of him on the sidewalk.

  “Hi, Agent McCain,” Grace Cunningham greeted him.

  “Grace! I didn’t get a chance to say ‘hello’ earlier,” he said, embracing the campus police officer. “I haven’t had a chance to catch up with Jimmy, either. I just asked him how he’d managed to get to you and get back here in one piece. He just shook his head and said it was the trip of a lifetime.”

  Cunningham hung her head. “Yeah, I guess that’s what it was,” she said, quietly. “Could I talk to you for a few minutes?”

  Chuck started to say ‘no’ and see if they could set it up for another time, but there was something in the her eyes that told him this was important.

  “Sure, you want to walk and talk?”

  She nodded, sticking her hands in her pockets as they started around the perimeter of the location.

  After a few moments, Grace blurted out, “I had to do something really bad and it’s eating me up on the inside. I was hoping maybe you could help me.”

  We’ve all had to do some really bad things, he thought. That’s the nature of living in a society where zombies roam the landscape and law, order, and decency have broken down.

  “I had to shoot my parents,” she continued. “I tried to get them to leave town but my daddy was a pastor in Athens for over twenty years. Plus, he was stubborn,” she smiled bitterly. “He was a good man but he was stubborn. Somehow, he or my mom got infected. I had to kill both of them. My sister, Hope, was already dead. Mama and Daddy had…”

  Cunningham stopped and took a deep breath. There were no tears now, just a deep sadness in her heart.

  “I’m so sorry, Grace,” Chuck said, shaking his head and putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. “What an awful world we live in where you would have to do something like that.”

  Grace looked into the big man’s eyes, hoping that he would somehow understand what she was feeling. “I wanted to talk to you because I know that you lost someone you cared about. I was there when it happened, but I didn’t know everything until later when Jimmy told me the whole story. I know it’s different but how did you get over it? I feel so sad all the time. I told Jimmy I was even having suicidal thoughts for a while.”

  Chuck nodded. “I understand. When Rebecca got killed I blamed myself. I relived that shootout everyday, and was having nightmares every night. I just couldn’t forgive myself. I hadn’t been able to protect her and I thought I was going to carry that pain around forever.”

  Grace nodded, having experienced the same emotions. “What happened? You don’t act like you’re sad now. How were you able to move on with your life?”

  McCain took a deep breath, remembering that day in a cold, abandoned house when he and Beth had opened their hearts to each other. “Did you meet Elizabeth?”

  She shook her head. “Not yet. She looked a little overwhelmed with everyone wanting to shake her hand. Jimmy told me that you guys got married last week?”

  “That’s right. It’s a crazy story, but I never thought I’d ever be able to love again. Then I met Elizabeth and, well, we did fall in
love.”

  Chuck paused, looking into the young woman’s eyes. “Can I ask you for a favor? I’m going to be very busy over the next couple of weeks with an assignment. Jimmy and the rest of the guys, we’re all going to be working on this. Would you make a point of getting to know Beth? I’d feel better knowing that she’s got some friends.

  “She and Emily met yesterday and seemed to hit it off, but she still doesn’t know anyone else here. And, I think it would help you to hear a little of what she’s been through. I’ll let her give you all the details but Beth had to kill her mother after she got infected. Then, her dad turned, as well, and tried to eat her. She watched the police shoot him. That sent her spiraling into a really deep depression.”

  Grace’s eyes grew large at the revelation that she wasn’t the only one who’d had to take out infected family members.

  “Are you sure she wouldn’t mind talking to me?”

  “Not at all. She’s a good person and I’m blessed to have found her. Part of her healing and my healing was finding each other. I don’t want to pry or get into your business but I know a guy who’s crazy about you. I’m sure he’s frustrated because he doesn’t know how to help you.”

  The young woman looked down, thinking about what the big man had just told her. “You’re right. Thanks for talking to me, Chuck. I’ll get to know Elizabeth and look after her. And I’ll try to let Jimmy into my world. I love him, too, but this black cloud makes it hard to even think about having a relationship.”

  They had gotten back to where they had started their walk. “One more thing, Grace. I know you said your dad was a pastor, but we all have to sort out our own relationship with Jesus. After Rebecca died, I prayed and read my Bible but I felt so far away from God. I couldn’t understand why he had allowed her to die, or why we’re having to deal with the zombie virus. I had so many questions and no answers.”

  Cunningham nodded slowly as Chuck articulated exactly what she had been feeling. Before Jimmy had come for her, she’d spent hours reading the Scriptures and trying to pray, only to feel that the Lord wasn’t anywhere to be found.

  “I’ve felt the same way,” she admitted quietly.

  McCain gave her an understanding smile. “I still don’t have all the answers and there’s still a lot of things that I wish God would make clear. But, one of the things that I do understand now is that the Lord often heals us through the love of the people he has put around us. For me, it was Elizabeth, and some of the goofballs that I work with. For you, it might be Jimmy, maybe Beth, and even some of the other people onsite here who have had to deal with tragedy. But then, after you get healed, God is going to use you to help others, as well.”

  Chuck’s words resonated with the young woman and she nodded. “I’ve never looked at like that. I guess I’ve just been focused on my own grief, but you’re right. There are a lot of hurting people in the world right now. You’ve really given me some things to think about.”

  Grace gave him a quick hug and then turned towards her camper. Chuck headed for the dining room, looking for the woman who had helped him climb out of his own dark hole.

  McCain found Beth seated at a table with Emily and Andy’s wife, Amy, who stood and embraced her husband’s boss. Mrs. Fleming’s shoulder length brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, her green eyes sparkling as she greeted him.

  “Welcome back! And congratulations on getting married!”

  “Thanks, Amy. It’s good to be back. I heard that Tyler has become an unofficial member of the security team.”

  “You know it. He’s so much like his father, it’s scary,” Amy smiled.

  “I guess that’s good and bad,” Chuck laughed. “I’m just glad you guys are here and are safe.”

  “Well, we’re glad you’re back where you belong. We were all worried about you, but I could tell that it was really eating away at Andy. And I can’t wait to get to know Elizabeth,” Amy said, smiling at the younger woman.

  McCain spoke to several people in the dining room and then offered to show Beth around the compound. The couple walked hand-in-hand around the perimeter, enjoying a peaceful few minutes together, knowing that things were about to get hectic for Chuck and his team.

  He told her about his conversation with Grace and saw the understanding his wife’s eyes. “Would you mind talking with her?” he asked. “I think you’d be able to help her and y’all might end up becoming good friends.”

  “Sure. I was just wondering if maybe God was going to somehow use what I went through to help others.”

  “That’s usually the way that it works,” her husband said. “God takes some trial or tragedy that we’ve dealt with and helps us get through it. We’re then able to bring that same healing to other people.”

  They walked in silence for several minutes before Elizabeth spoke up. “What’s the deal with Dr. Edwards?”

  He glanced over, a puzzled expression on his face. “I don’t know. What do you mean?”

  “Did you two ever date or anything?”

  “Me and Nicole? No. I don’t think I’d ever even had a conversation with her until the day we rescued her. She and one of our security officers had gotten trapped in the CDC Headquarters so we went in and got them out.

  “After that, she stayed at my house for a couple of weeks. Her apartment was in Buckhead and there was no way that she could go home. She and Emily shared my guest room, Scotty slept on the couch, and Darnell slept in my recliner. He was Emily’s paramedic partner.

  “We talked a little during the time she was there, but I probably wasn’t the best host. I was still reeling from Rebecca’s death. Plus, we started running daily rescue missions in the city until the power and communication grids broke down. Me and the guys would brief early in the morning in my living room and then we’d leave. We’d get back after dark and I’d eat and go to bed.”

  Beth nodded thoughtfully. “Okay.”

  “Okay?” he echoed. “There’s got to be more to that question about us dating than just ‘OK.’”

  “You really don’t know, do you?” she said, with a slight smile, amusement evident in her eyes.

  “Know what?” he answered, starting to feel annoyed.

  “That woman is in love with you. When you introduced me as your wife, I saw it on her face. She was devastated. I saw her a little while ago in the dining room. She wouldn’t even make eye contact with me and looked like her world was coming to an end.”

  That revelation sent the big man back on his heels and he immediately went back through his interactions and conversations with Nicole, looking for clues. He also wondered if there was anything that he might have said or done to lead her on.

  He finally shook his head, realizing that he had never picked up any signs from the beautiful scientist. “It’s the zombie apocalypse and I’m living in the Days of Our Lives.”

  Elizabeth stepped in putting her arm around his waist. “You’re cute,” she said. “Dense, but cute.”

  Over Atlanta, 1500 feet, Monday, 1000 hours

  The Blackhawk cruised across the overrun city at one hundred and fifty miles an hour. Admiral Williams, Chuck, Tim, Tom, and Scotty gazed out the open doors as the ground rushed past them. Scotty was along as an extra gun just in case they had to make a forced landing or if they encountered any unexpected problems.

  McCain had instructed the CDC agents who had remained behind to begin studying the satellite maps of Buckhead which the admiral had provided them. Although everyone would be able to offer their input as they planned, Chuck specifically needed Andy, Tu, and Jay’s spec ops expertise and asked them to start sketching out the operation.

  Chuck’s goal was to have a working plan by the end of the week. That would leave them another week to train and prepare. Hopefully, by that time, the other assets whom the admiral had spoken of would have arrived.

  When they were a mile out, co-pilot Major Custodio radioed the tower at Dobbins Air Force and requested permission to land. It was immediately grant
ed, Chuck figuring there weren’t a lot of flights going in and out of the large air base. They were directed to land adjacent to a large building just northwest of the control tower.

  Major Singleton was a stocky woman with short, black hair. Her olive green flight uniform was clean and pressed, as were the fatigues of the tall, lean Marine Gunnery Sergeant and the two heavily armed airmen who accompanied them. McCain suddenly felt self-conscious at his own black BDUs, which hadn’t been washed in weeks, and his unshaven face.

  The major waited as the visitors ducked under the still-spinning rotors and approached her and her escort. A Beretta 9mm hung from a shoulder holster under the officer’s right armpit. The African-American Marine cradled an M-16 rifle to go along with the cocked and locked .45 ACP pistol hanging from his waist. McCain watched the two of them scrutinizing the newcomers as Admiral Williams approached the woman with his hand out and a smile on his face. Singleton shook his hand, nodded at the others and motioned towards the two-story building behind her.

  The front door opened into a lobby of an administration building. Once inside, they could speak without having to yell. The major introduced herself and Gunnery Sergeant Eric Gray.

  “Thank you for receiving us on short notice, Major. My name is Jonathan Williams. I was an admiral in the greatest Navy on the planet, but my current position is that of Director of Operations for the Central Intelligence Agency.” Williams nodded at his companion. “This is Chuck McCain, the Officer-in-Charge of the Atlanta office of the CDC Enforcement Unit.”

  When the admiral mentioned his previous rank, both the major and the gunnery sergeant stood up a little straighter.

  “Why don’t we go into the conference room, sir” the major said, pointing at a large room behind her. “When the Chief of Staff called me yesterday on my sat phone, he didn’t give me a lot of information about your visit. He just said that a CIA official would be visiting and that we should cooperate in every way possible.”