Project Zulu (7 page)

It is a few minutes before four; the moon is still
riding high in the cloudless sky. Adam Tugto is just slipping out of his front
door, still half asleep, on his way in for the early shift at work. He is
fumbling with his keys, trying to lock the door, while balancing a coffee in
his left hand and a piece of toast in his mouth.

 He hears something that sounds like a badly trained
marching band, before he sees it. He walks out into the street and gawks as the
hoard approaches. He doesn’t know exactly what he is looking at, but he knows that
this group of offbeat marching things is not human. He is scanning his brain,
trying to remember if he had read anything about a movie being filmed in the area.
He sits his coffee cup down on the roof of his car, and opens up the door.
Before he can get into the care, one of the offbeat marchers grabs him.

“Hey, what the hell do you think you are doing, keep
your hands off of me!” He shouts as he tries to push his attacker away. The
first set of grabbing hands is joined by another, and then another, Adam feels
fingernails digging into his forearm. He tries to pull himself away from his
attackers, but they are relentless. Pain begins to radiate down his arm as his
shoulder is pulled  out of it socket, his eyes begin to tear over and his
vision starts to cloud, but not before he witnesses large chunks being bitten
out of his forearm.

Dan Gillsir and Elmer Kinoz are gliding down the
road, side by side, engaged in a whispered conversation, winding down from their
routine morning ride. They are co-captains of an amateur cycling team that
competes in charity rides.  

“Heads up Elm, something is going on up ahead”, Dan
said as he engages his hand break and brings his bike to a stop. He hops off
and begins to walk his bike toward the crowd.

Elmer gets down off of his bike and joins him, “What
the heck do you think is going on, especially this early?”

“Beats me buddy, I can’t really tell. I think
someone is hurt; it looks like there is blood on the side of that car. I think
that there may be some kind of accident?”

“There aren’t any flashing lights or Sirens, cops
must not be here yet. Let’s go see what is going on.”

As the duo continues toward the crowd, Dan’s right
leg quivers and gives out; he goes down hard, dropping his bike, startling
Elmer and drawing the attention of one of the crowd.

“Dan, are you alright?” Elmer sits his bike down and
kneels next to his friend.

“Damn calf cramp; all five of my toes are curled up
and crumpled”, Dan answers as he is trying to massage his throbbing leg.

“You scared the hell outta me, I thought you were
having a heart attack.”

Neither Dan nor Elmer notices the small group
approaching them, until it is too late. They were easy targets, and did not put
up much of a fight. And so the carnage continued as the sun continued to climb,
and the hoard continued to advance.

Ryan Almasung was engulfed as he delivered the early
edition of the dispatch. He was supposed to graduate this summer, and had hopes
on enlisting in the Air Force.

Daphne Joelis and Greta Prosty were out trying to
walk their bodies into a size ten or better. Daphne, the bride to be, and Greta
her soon to be maid of honor were preoccupied by their mp3 players, and smart
phones. They were carrying on a ‘text’ conversation with one another, even
though they were only two feet apart. Oblivious to their own surroundings, they
actually walked right into the approaching zombies. The good news is that they
both lost ten pounds of flesh almost immediately.

The zombies continued through the town, turning
everyone they came into contact with, giving no quarter to anybody; they
attacked women, children, sick and old alike.

The advance scout team arrives on the scene of
Ross’s accident and begins setting up a defensive perimeter. There was no media
near the scene so the officer in charge, Captain Brice Hellatoni, dispatched
two six man teams one mile in each direction; one to cover the forward flank
and one to protect the rear flank should crowd control become necessary. He is
unconcerned about the right and left, assuming nobody will be traveling through
the swamp. Once both of the scout teams have reported back, he sends a radio
message to General Balchor indicating that the crash site is secure and ready
for the search team to move forward.

Mike, Jimmy and OhAy arrive on site just ahead of
the search team. Mike returns salutes as he dismounts the jeep. “Captain
Hellatoni, go and get me a rifle, and please issue Mr. Gaston a rifle and a
sidearm.” He looks toward OhAy, “Doctor, would you like a weapon?” OhAy shakes
her head no. The Captain salutes and heads off toward the mobile armory.

Jimmy pulls Mike aside from the group. “Mike, how do
you know that Ross was trying to sell the thumb from Z? What makes you think it
is still out here?”

“Listen Jimmy, you know that I can’t tell you
anymore than I already have…”

“Bullshit Mike, my clearance is as high as yours!
You tell me what is going on or I am getting in that jeep and I am leaving and
the only way you are going to stop me is by shooting me!”

Mike runs his fingers across his closely cropped
hair. “We have… I mean had an informant close to Joseph Victorino; we knew that
he had his hooks into someone inside Syscorp but we didn’t know who. The
informant was scheduled to come in and tell us who Victorino had inside
Syscorp. We didn’t know anything about the thumb, until our informant told us
that Victorino was ready to make a play for it. We were suspicious of Ross
because we figured that it had to be someone with the ability to cover up the
existence of the thumb. We assumed that he had exaggerated the total
consumption of the thumb.” Mike stops and looks Jimmy directly in the eyes. “We
were not sure about you Jimmy…whether or not you were involved with Ross, or
maybe by yourself.”

Jimmy’s mind is racing. “Mike, you don’t think that
I…”

“Jimmy, we have known each other a long time. I know
how much Julie means to you; when I heard about the second kidney failing I
have to admit that I was worried about you. I am still worried about where you
got the money for the transplant she just had. I feel less concerned since you
are standing here and Ross…well let’s just say Ross looks a lot guiltier than
you.”

“What do you mean had and informant close to
Victorino, what happened?”

Mike begins pacing in a small circle. “Our guy was
killed, not just our guy, Victorino and a couple of his most trusted guys too.
A messy job, downtown right in front of the bus depot, couple of car bombs and
a lot of gunfire; couple of civilian casualties too. Our informant told us that
Victorino was picking up some package, and that he had indicated that it was a
big score. Someone went to a lot of trouble to take him out; conflicting
witness statements have described the attackers as Asian. If we do not find the
severed thumb here, we have to assume that Ross had already delivered it. Who
knows, maybe his accident was foul play, you know Victorino welching on
whatever he promised to pay. Jimmy, you have seen what contamination from
this…this, hell I don’t even know what to call it anymore. I guess zombie will
have to do. Anyway we have to completely rule out any possibility that the
thumb is still out here.”

Before Jimmy can respond Captain Hellatoni
approaches carrying the requested firearms. “As you requested Sir; with your
permission I am going to join the team on the highway perimeter. They have reported
a visual contact, someone approaching on foot.”

Mike and Jimmy take their weapons, and Mike
dismisses the Captain.

“Report back once you figure out what is going on
down the road, probably just some drunk staggering away from that damn biker
bar. Jimmy, let’s go see if the search team is making any progress.”

They approach OhAy, who is watching groups of people
decked out in hazmat suits slodge through murky swamp water. Jimmy walks away,
following the final path of Ross’s car. “Hey Mike, how fast do you think Ross’s
car was going when he hit the tree? Anyone figure out why he wasn’t wearing a
seat belt, and how come there are not any skid marks?”

“I do not know Jimmy, do you think it has any
bearing on finding the missing thumb?”

“Maybe, why are we looking here; didn’t you have the
entire accident scene scooped up and hauled away? We should look beyond the
original scene; anything that was here is bound to be wherever you had everything
shipped to. I am going to take a walk, you want to come?”

Mike shrugged, “I have to stay; now I am the ranking
officer since Captain Hellatoni left. You want to take a couple guys with you?”

“Nope, I will be fine, I only plan on going a couple
hundred feet, maybe I will ask the good doctor to keep me company and continue
my zombie education.”

Jimmy and OhAy walk away, further down the road,
OhAy breaks the silence. “I can tell by your tone that you still don’t believe
in all of this.”

“I believe something is happening, but you’re right,
I am not buying into zombies and Voodoo and possession by evil spirits. That
carnival sideshow ceremony that you did, back at the building on Z, I mean what
kind of crap was that?” Jimmy responds with a smirk on his face.

“Why is it so hard for you to accept? What religious
beliefs do you follow?”

“Well Doctor, not that I understand what religion
has to do with any of this, I am a Christian, Roman Catholic to be exact.”

“Religion has everything to do with this. Voodoo is
a religion practiced by over 60 million people.”

“Listen OhAy, I do not doubt your personal religious
beliefs; I just have a hard time buying into zombies, petrified chicken feet
and corpses walking around.”

OhAy chuckles, and replies with a bit or sarcasm and
a smirk of her own. “I know, it is hard to believe, that someone that is dead,
oh I don’t know say for three days, could come back to life and walk around. Oh
wait, isn’t that what your religious beliefs are based on. Didn’t Jesus rise
from the dead? Didn’t he bring Lazarus back from the dead? Isn’t the biggest
symbolism of Catholicism eating human flesh, and drinking human blood? It
sounds an awful lot like you worship a zombie to me; you believe that the dead
can rise and walk, based on faith alone. But you don’t believe it when you see
it with your own eyes? You just watched your friend Ross’s corpse reanimate and
kill two people.”

Jimmy stops walking and makes eye contact with OhAy.
“I am sorry for criticizing your beliefs and doubting the validity of your
religion. I understand the point you are making, but please don’t compare Jesus
Christ to one of these creatures.”

The smile leaves her face, and the sarcasm is gone
from her voice. “You are right, I apologize for my comments. I truly believe
that all religions can trace their roots back to a common source, and that
everyone believes in some greater force. Good and evil are around everyone,
everywhere, these creatures are not necessarily evil. I think they are just
empty. They did not choose to be what they are; they simply are what they are
because of manipulation.”

Mike quickly approaches the two of them. “Is
everything alright, it sounded like you two were arguing?”

They both shake their heads, Jimmy answers. “We were
just discussing how similar religious beliefs are at their roots. We are gonna
go check out the road down there now.”

“I decided that I want you to take a guy with you
anyway; I do not want you out of radio contact.”

“That sounded a lot like an order?”

“It was. Sergeant Sonrox, accompany Mr. Gaston and
Dr. Solaine, report back any findings. Hank Sonrox saluted, “Yes Sir, General.”

A second soldier approaches the General, “Sir, I
have a call on the satellite phone from Major Chonk, he says it is urgent Sir.”

Major Chonk is the ranking officer left at the
Syscorp location. Jeb Chonk is a career military man, and he understands protocol,
an urgent call from him is just that, urgent. What was bothering Mike was the
fact that it was coming over the satellite phone, not normal communication
channels.

Mike lifts the phone to his ear, “Go ahead Major.”
The line is dead. “Get me the Major back, either on the satellite, or radio, I
do not care.” He trots to catch up to the group walking away “Sergeant, cancel
that last order; sorry Jimmy, I am going to need you to stay put.”

Had Jimmy, OhAy and the sergeant walked ten more
feet they would have discovered the rotting piece of thumb, teeming with
maggots.

Amy wishes that she had another cigarette; actually
she wishes that she had a whole pack. It seems to her that she has been walking
down this road just about forever. Not a single car has passed by and she has
not passed a single building. She is about to give up walking and sit down
right in the middle of the road when she sees the approaching headlights. At
first she thinks her eyes are playing tricks on her but then she realizes that
the two far off dimples of light are indeed headlights. She begins to move a
little faster, at first just a slight increase to the briskness of her walking
pace; then she begins to jog. Before she can get up to a full run, the sides of
the road in front of her come to life.

“Don’t move! Get down on your knees, cross your
ankles and put your hands behind your head.”

Before she has a chance to argue, she is shoved to
the ground and her arms are twisted and lashed behind her back. While being
dragged back to her feet, a wire mesh bag is draped over her head. She hears
someone talking.

“Area secure for your approach Sir, the subject has
been subdued; her hands are contained and a bite bag has been place on her head.
No Sir, the subject appears normal, I think she is alright. Yes Sir, the
subject is female.”

Amy tries to remain calm; the fact that this guy is
talking to someone on a walkie talkie means he is probable some sort of cop.
She hears a vehicle arrive; it is left idling while the driver and the
walkie-talkie guy speak again. The pair approaches, and her blindfold is
removed.

“My name is Captain Hellatoni. I apologize for the
restraints, but until you answer a few questions I am afraid that they are
necessary. Can you tell me what you are doing walking down the middle of a
deserted highway at this time of night?”

“Captain, I will tell you anything you want, I will
do anything you want, just not here. Please, let’s get in your jeep and drive.”

“Are you running from somebody? Are you in some kind
of trouble?”

“You would not believe me if I told you, can we
please just get out of here, and can I have a cigarette?”

He lit a cigarette and handed it to her, “Try me.”

She pulled a long drag, held it, and then exhaled the
smoke up toward the stars. “Ok, you asked for it. There is a bar back down the
road a couple of miles, a biker bar, only instead of being full of bikers, it
is full of …I don’t even know what to call them…but they aren’t human, at least
not any more. They are like living corpses, you know, zombies.”

“Soldier, clip those ties from her wrists and put
her in the jeep. You and the team disappear back into the swamp, and report any
other activity. Do not engage again, stay in stealth mode.”

“Hey listen, I told you that you wouldn’t believe
me. Where are you taking me?”

“Who said I didn’t believe you?” Captain Hellatoni
said as he walked around to the driver side of the jeep; speaking into his
communicator. “General we have a confirmed sighting. No Sir I do not have a
count, I will be back with her in less than five minutes, I do not know her
name.”

“My name is Amy, Amy Sunoon. Where are we going to
be in five minutes?

He ignored her question. “General, her name is Amy
Sunoon; I will see you in five, Sir.”