Apocalyptic Pathogen (Full Version)

Chapter 01: Infection

The sky was a dead gray. Abandoned buildings loomed over the two humans, empty window frames staring hollowly like a multitude of dark eyes. A few structures had given in to time and damage, choking the roadway with broken masonry, old steel supports, and a blanket of fine dust.

Having been the target of bullies during his early school years, Wayne had worked at putting on muscle, and his wide frame was packed with solid layers of it. Although it had been enough to make the bullies leave him alone, the undead couldn't be intimidated, but if the armored transport carrier hadn't broken down on the latest research excursion, facing a city full of zombies while on foot wouldn't have be necessary. In the back of his mind, he wished he'd learned some mechanical skills as he might've been able to fix the transport rather than being forced to abandon it.

Wayne helped his wife to climb over the hood of a burned out taxi. Knowing what relentlessly pursued them, they didn't waste precious seconds looking back. They had no time to pause or catch their breath for Wayne noticed a few zombies had started appearing along their current route and knew if he and his wife didn't move quickly, they'd be cut off before they could reach the safety of the barrier. Red lines of energy were visible above a brick apartment building. They were close. Wayne's rapid breathing was causing his side to hurt, but he forced himself to ignore it as best he could and focus instead on pushing ahead toward the energy wall surrounding the city safe zone.

Anna stumbled on the uneven terrain, her coordination and energy diminishing in tandem as time progressed. Her blonde hair was slicked with the same perspiration glistening on her pale skin. Her eyes were half closed, refusing to focus on anything in her semi-conscious state.

Wayne's muscular arm was wrapped around Anna for support, and he kept her moving toward the barrier, but the effort slowed their overall progress. The scuffling noise coming from behind them was growing in volume, indicating either the pursuers were increasing in numbers or were getting closer; Wayne knew whichever possibility had occurred, it was bad for him and his wife. Rounding the corner, Wayne summoned whatever energy he had left, scooped Anna up into his arms, and made a desperate sprint over the final distance to the containment field.

An arch of dusty gray metal stood as the only entrance on the eastern side of the safe zone. Sticking up from the ground every ten feet on either side of the doorway were the stabilization emitters. Flat, solid black, and adorned with triangular crystals of vivid red pointing outward from the left and right sides of its uppermost quarter, the stabilization emitters caused pulses of crimson energy at regular intervals, creating ripples of more intense color as the pulse washed over the semi-transparent surface of the energy wall.

Wayne reached the arch and typed in his personal code. The pad beeped and allowed him access, drawing back the laser edged bars crossing the arch. Lunging inside, Wayne slammed a fist against the emergency close button, his spine up against the inner hatch while looking back for the first time.

From the broken city formerly serving as his home, the living dead came forward like a tide of lava, slow, unstoppable, and inevitable. The staggering hordes of corpses reached out toward the two humans with their decaying hands, flesh hanging in tattered remnants from their exposed skeletons.

The laser bars closed back into place before the zombies could reach Wayne's small shelter within the arch. Because the emergency system had been engaged, an additional panel also slid up out of the floor and covered the bars from inside the arch to prevent any zombies attempting to reach through from being sliced by the lasers and accumulating inside the arch with him. Rotting fists pounded on the arch, occasionally punctuated by a sizzling sound whenever a zombie missed the arch and lost whatever part of themselves touched the laser bars.

His hand was shaking as Wayne brushed away the lank strands of black hair hanging down in front of his eyes. He took only a moment to catch his breath and try to slow his racing heart, but he knew better than to linger too long as Anna was running out of time.

Wayne used a secondary keypad to enter his code again and open the interior door and gain access to the city within the barrier. He was met by a fully armed defense team, their faces hidden behind their faceless and reflective helmets. The black armor they wore was thick and heavily reinforced to protect against weapons or teeth should the team encounter hostiles, living or undead. Prepared to eliminate any thereat, the defense team had their weapons up and pointed in his direction.

"I need an isolation unit," Wayne ordered. No one moved, so he added, "Now!"

One of the team moved away to retrieve the indicated item, but the others remained fixed in place. Their guns were still aimed at Wayne and Anna. Wayne guessed they'd seen the bloody bite mark on her arm.

"What's going on?" a man asked, navigating his way past the defense team to meet Wayne. The silver gray suit the man wore possessed sharp corners at the shoulders, giving the man a boxy appearance. A white beard, short but fluffy, covered the man's chin, but the hair on his head had fled many years ago.

"Councilman Kirby," Wayne greeted. "I need to get my wife secured immediately."

"She's infected," one of the guards reported to the Councilman. Because none of them moved and Wayne couldn't see their faces, he didn't know which one had said it.

"You know the procedures regarding infected people," Kirby reminded.

"I wasn't going to leave her out there," Wayne countered.

"Do you expect us to let you into the population?" Kirby questioned. "How many lives are we going to sacrifice for your wife?"

"None," Wayne promised instantly. "I've already called for an isolation unit. Once I get her to the lab, we'll have full security and no further risk to the city."

"What about you?" Kirby insisted. "You're the lead researcher looking into the cure. If something happens to you, what becomes of your work?"

"I'll back up everything daily," Wayne answered, his mind working furiously as he knew Anna's fate was hanging in the balance. "With the data line from the lab, you'll have copies of my research. If anything happens, seal off the lab and leave us inside."

Kirby scratched at his beard.

"Please," Wayne insisted. "We don't have a lot of time."

"Alright," the Councilman agreed. Kirby turned toward the guards. "Keep them under full security and guard the lab in rotating shifts. Until a cure is found, Wayne is to have a security escort whenever he is outside the lab. Report any sign of infection to me at once."

"Aye sir," the guards answered in unison.

As Kirby walked away, he muttered under his breath. "This is a bad idea."