Zombie Dawn Outbreak (6 page)

Dr Garcia reduced the size of the screen and examined the sixth and final camera. The view it displayed made her heart race uncontrollably. The camera was in the corridor opposite from the room she was in and led directly to the elevator and emergency stairwell. In the space were scores of people, all with the same undead look as those below. They must have been trying to get out of the building and had been stuck in that area. They didn’t seem to be doing anything, just wandering around and touching the walls and lift, presumably trying to work out how to get out. She deduced that only a number of them had managed to get to the foyer using the elevator, probably falling against it or hitting the correct button by mistake. Either way, it meant there were a number of these zombie-like things blocking her route.

She hit a key and brought up a plan of the building. The corridor was definitely now the only route out of the building for her, as the secondary stairwell was blocked by debris and still on fire. Her only other option was to go back down the stairwell to where she’d woken up. That was pointless though as it was a sealed environment with no way out.

A window popped up, it stated it was an emergency call from Dr Murphy. She hit the button, activating a remote video conference. A window appeared showing the doctor and several other people in a vehicle.

“Dr Murphy?” asked a bewildered Dr Garcia.

“Holy shit, Anna, you’re alive!” came the response.

“Just about, what happened here? The systems are offline and the place is crawling with crazies.”

Dr Murphy nodded into the camera.

“Yeah, the shit has hit the fan. I mean really hit the fan. I’ve requested an evac team to get you out. They’ll be there in twenty minutes. Are you okay until then?”

She was stunned for a moment, confused at seeing these people after the insanity of the last hours and days.

“I think so. There are lots of those things on the data centre floor. I’ve locked them out but there are still more in the access corridor,” she advised.

“Listen, have you been bitten?” he asked anxiously.

“Bitten? No, I’m fine. Bitten by what, those people?” she asked in a confused voice.

“Yes, those things. Be very careful. Do you know what is going on out here?” he asked.

She turned her head, “No idea.”

“Ok, here is the short version. The accident in the data centre has somehow caused a chain reaction. It started with those killed in the blast and from the chemicals. Somehow they aren’t dying, or maybe they are and then are being reanimated in some way,” he explained.

“What the hell?” she yelled.

“I know, it sounds insane, but look at this,” he said.

The view on the screen changed as he moved his handset to show outside the vehicle. She looked carefully, it was the skyline of a city and yet dozens of columns of smoke were climbing up into the sky. Dr Murphy appeared back in view.

“Everything has gone to shit. Those things managed to break out from the centre and infected a few people at the Memorial Airport. From what we can work out the incubation time is about forty-eight hours and the infection is terminal. When you die you become one of those things,” he said.

Dr Garcia was stunned and she simply stared at the screen.

“We had to abandon the complex because of the biological hazard. In the last forty-eight hours we think the infection has spread to the United States and to Europe. It’s getting out of control. We need you back to help with a response.”

“Where are you?” asked Dr Garcia.

I’m heading to one of the research vessels, The Moreau. It has moved offshore to keep away from this shit storm. Wait for the evac team. They’ll make sure you join us there.”

He turned away, looking at something before returning to the screen.

“I need to go, there are reports the infection has hit London. The team are arriving now, they’ll meet you in the foyer, be careful.”

She nodded into the screen, “Wish me luck.”

The display faded, leaving just the company logo on the terminal screen.

Dr Garcia thought about what was happening. The entire ordeal was insane at best. She was interrupted from her thoughts though by the sound of gunfire coming from the speakers. The change from total silence to what sounded like a battle outside the centre was a shock to her system. She hit the key for the external camera which displayed a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter emblazoned with the company markings. The aircraft was a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter that was used by both military and civilian operators.

It was sat outside the centre on the landing pad. About a dozen heavily armed men, each wearing high tech body armour and helmets were moving around it, some of them firing at targets outside the compound. The remainder stormed inside the building through the smashed entrance. About a dozen shots fired along with what sounded like heavier weapons.

“Thank God for that, they must be the evac team,” she whispered to herself.

She hit the button to bring up the corridor outside her room. It showed the infected moving towards the elevator. They looked agitated but more importantly, they were far enough away from the sealed access door to the stairwell. If she was quick she might be able to use the arrival of the men as a diversion.

The creatures on the lower stairwell must have heard the commotion because the banging on the door started to get louder. A splinter of material tore off to reveal a gap the size of a fist. Blood dripped down it as the creatures continued to smash flesh and bone at the door. Another hand appeared, the bloodied fingers tearing at the material. At this rate they would be through in just a few minutes.

Making a quick decision she decided it was time to leave. Grabbing her rifle she left the terminal and made straight for the doorway that led to the corridor. Opening it a crack she checked on the creatures. As expected they were all up near the elevator and banging on the smashed glass and control panel. It was only a matter of time before they hit the correct key and moved themselves up to the top floor. Before she could get any further in her escape the door to the lower stairwell smashed open. The creatures having finally ripped their way through it poured inside. The leading creatures fell down, the weight of numbers behind them pushing over them as they swarmed into the control room. Ignoring them, Dr Garcia threw open the door and ran down the corridor. She had no choice now. It was either run or be killed. As she reached the secure doorway to the upper stairwell she was finally spotted by some of the things at the elevator. They turned and wailed at her, drawing her to the attention of the rest.

Dr Garcia put in the emergency override combination and swung the door open just in time to avoid being grabbed by the creatures. She tried to shut the door but it was too late, the number of them pushing at the door made it impossible. Abandoning it she ran up the staircase and towards the foyer. As she came closer to the ground floor above her the sound of boots and gunfire became louder. She opened the door as quickly as she could and moved out into the foyer. It was exactly as it looked on the camera, apart from the corners of the room where the angle of the cameras stopped them from seeing into the shadows. She could see what had kept the guards occupied, as there were dozens of the creatures, some stood and others climbing out from behind smashed terminals. Two of the guards moved towards her, moving in quickly to protect her and not a moment too soon. The door to the stairwell burst open and the horde poured into the room.

The leader of the security team moved close to her, “Dr Garcia?” he asked.

She nodded, too exhausted and shocked to say much more.

“I’m Security Chief Hans, I have orders to evacuate you and any survivors to The Moreau,” he explained.

The other members of the team formed a defensive line in front of them as they emptied bullets into the creatures. Though they were able to force them back, the creatures seemed to be able to sustain awful injuries before finally dying.

“Come on!” ordered Hans, holding out his hand to her.

Dr Garcia held on as the group rushed out through the smashed door and into the snow covered parking area. The helicopter was a short distance away but there were also a number of the creatures making their way towards the noise of the machine. The security team kept shooting, their accurate fire clearing a path for the Hans and Dr Garcia. In just a few more seconds they were at the door and Hans helped her into the aircraft. He turned back, adding fire to that of his men. He gave the signal and they began to fall back. A gunner on the helicopter swung his M249 light machine gun towards the building and fired long bursts at the creatures. The rest of the tactical unit retreated, the creatures hot on their heels. With just a few more shots the rest of the men were at the helicopter and jumped in, thankfully with no casualties. With a simple hand signal Hans let the pilot know they were clear and the Black Hawk lifted up into the dark sky.

Dr Garcia slumped back, still unable to believe what she had just gone through. Hans leaned forwards, putting a headset unit on her head. His voice came through clearly.

“Are you ok, Doctor, are you uninjured?” he asked.

Dr Garcia nodded.

Hans turned and pulled out what looked like a tablet computer. He pressed a few keys and handed it over to her. She looked at it intently. It was a summary of all the current news reports and feeds. The first words to catch her attention were those about London. It read that the Prime Minister was injured and that it was being blamed on terrorist action. Sliding the story to one side she checked the next one, it described an attack by a group of rabid men in a large train station in France. It said dozens were hurt and several killed. Each article seemed to be saying the same thing, there were crazed people attacking their neighbours for no apparent reason. As she read further, more stories popped up. It was spreading and spreading fast.

She looked out through the small windows of the helicopter, the landscape was featureless, and this was hardly a state full of monstrous cities. There was just one question on her mind.

“Hans. How did this spread so fast?” she asked.

“No idea, Doctor. From the reports I’ve seen, it seems that the common link is the airport here in Barrow. The people with the infection can apparently carry the condition for two days before you can see any difference,” he said.

The helicopter climbed up higher until above the clouds and continued its progress towards the ship. Dr Garcia turned back to the tablet, reading the most recent story.

It simply read, ‘Zombie Apocalypse hits Manhattan’. Along the scrolling ticker at the bottom of the page was the message that the governor had declared a state of emergency.

“Zombies?” cried Dr Garcia as she almost choked on her own words.

Berkshire, England

The sun beat down upon the large glass windows and flies buzzed around in the annoying manner that they always do. It was another depressing Monday. Dave lay back in his leather chair which was frayed at the edges and the cushion flattened from years of use. He’d worked in this concrete tower for six years, bored to death. The sound of colleagues toiling away on utterly pointless, brain numbing work. For just a few moments his mind wandered from the office hell to a better place, just dreaming of the cool beer he lusted after.

“Dave!” shouted Jones.

The boss’s voice rang out from across the room. The cheap suit buying, BMW driving, golf loving, pink shirt wearing, lower management asshole was stood at the water cooler. He’d spotted Dave’s slackened posture and been all too fond to call him up on the fact.

“Isn’t it about time you got some work done?” said Jones.

The idiot had deliberately said it from across the room, loud enough for everyone to witness, they all hated him as much as Dave did, but that didn’t stop him making examples of colleagues on a regular basis, and getting a kick out of it. Dave said nothing, but simply sat more upright at his desk and pretended to give a damn. His workstation really was rubbish, an old grey dreary desk with horribly outdated equipment. The keyboard was stained yellow from age. The monitor was the same 16” CRT that he’d used when starting the position, this really was a dead end job.

“Did you not get the memo?” said Jones in a smarmy tone.

“Memo?”

Dave knew about the memo, but he would never give Jones the satisfaction of knowing it. That bastard would be an anal git about every potential issue he could, just to make full use of the little power he held.

“Employees are not to tilt back on their chairs. It’s a health and safety hazard. Any and all injuries or damage of equipment as a result of doing so will be at the employee’s expense and liability,” said Jones.

Dave could do or say nothing without bringing down the wrath of the utter bastard, so he simply nodded and carried on with his work. Jones stood upright triumphantly and looked out across the miserly amount of office space he controlled, as smug as ever.

“Where’s Chris?” said Jones.

He was his usual obnoxious self. Chris’s seat was empty, his computer not even turned on. The man had clearly never arrived at work. Chris was a decent chap, not all that interesting, but friendly. He liked nothing more than to simply lay about the house, have the odd BBQ and watch the footie. But Dave knew for a fact that he’d been on a weekend away to Benidorm with his girlfriend, so was probably wasted. Dave felt sorry for Chris already, fully understanding the painfully annoying rant he would receive.

“Did Chris sign in this morning?” asked Jones.

The office only had fifteen computers in it and just as many workers. It was astonishing it had taken Jones an hour to notice someone was missing. He was probably busy tough talking his nancy boy henchmen, the pathetic creatures who would lick his boots for a good word. The room looked around at Jones, a few muttered, but nobody committed to a real answer. In all honesty, Dave wasn’t even sure if he had seen Chris today, as his mind had just switched off to the boredom of the nine to five. Jones picked up a nearby phone, not caring to make the call private, it was for all to hear.