Contaminated: A Zombie Survival Novel

something, the next junction would stop the transmission of whatever it was to the next floor.”

“Then we have a decision to make and it isn’t going to be an easy one.” Arthur walked over to a portion of the venting system that now lay in a crumpled heap on top of the center table. “This is a junction box, so whatever was in here is on the floor above us. If nothing happened there, the people don’t know they’re breathing contaminated air,” Arthur said.

Smith looked like she’d been hit in the gut, or at least Arthur assumed, since it was hard to tell behind the masks they were all wearing.

“Oh, my God, my husband’s up there. We need to warn them,” Smith screamed.

Dixon kicked a chunk of the wall and one of the drawers containing the samples rolled out. “Then we need to figure a way out of here,” he said.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. We have no idea what’s out there,” Benson said.

“Stop whining and help me, Benson,” the big man replied.

Arthur made his way over and grabbed one of the rocks, placing it in a canvas carrying case with a small lock on it. A thin layer of lead lined it, providing him a small measure of safety, as he stuffed it into one of the outside pockets on the suit.

“You guys crack the code yet?” Arthur asked.

The glares sent his way let him know that both he and his jokes were not welcome.

Fine, he thought, I’ll find my own way out of here.

Digging up his discarded jacket, he picked out the laminated map “the man” whose name he now knew was Monroe, gave him.

The observation room might be an option. He climbed through the trashed window and stumbled onto the floor as he slipped on part of Williams. He held back the bile and heard the others coming in after him.

As he suspected an emergency exit led into the hallway, most likely in case something like this happened. Quarantine the scientists, but make sure the others can get out.

“Not bad, Doc, now let’s get to that armory.” Dixon smiled.

All four of them needed to put their weight into opening the door. After much protesting, it finally gave way. Arthur had no idea how this qualified as an emergency exit, then decided nothing much made sense here.

Dixon exited first with the aid of a gnarled hand wrapped around his neck. He let out a scream and Benson jumped into the hallway after him. Arthur knew his days were numbered, because Sunset Inc. would kill him for the cost of damages he’d caused alone.

What the hell, he thought, and joined them.

Dixon was fighting for his life with three contaminated people. Unlike those in the lab, these were more grotesque in appearance. Their greenish skin made them look lizard like in the flickering emergency lights.

The Desert Eagle went off a few more times, but only two of the things went down. One with an aerial view of its brain, most of the top missing, and the other missing a leg from the hip down. Arthur felt helpless as he watched Benson try to help Dixon free himself of the third attacker. From the looks of it, it was a woman. Long blonde hair soaked with blood, and when he caught a glimpse of her face, he noticed a milky white substance covering her eyes as blood dripped from her mouth.

The one legged thing made its way over and was trying to climb Arthur’s leg. He kicked at it and he almost threw up when his foot went straight through the man’s ribcage. He pulled out his entrails encrusted foot and brought it down once more on the head of the thing, several times for good measure.

He watched the body on the ground in front of him, waiting for it to move. A large puddle of brain matter and bone shards spread out on the floor where the head was. Benson came up behind him and Arthur nearly jumped through the ceiling.

“Nice foot work.”

Arthur nodded, not knowing what to say in response. Smith walked ahead of him and Arthur followed the group toward the armory.

Chapter 5 –

Carson answered his phone with a smile when he saw who was calling; the snivelling rat Barrow, lap dog to Hooks.

“What do you want? I got things to do.”

“Your team’s being called. Monroe will be waiting for you with further orders.”

The line went dead and Carson let an ear splitting grin cover his face. He went to his office and pulled up a corner of the area rug from the floor. A moment later, he reached in and grabbed the phone he’d found a year ago with over a $100,000 and a note telling him to call when the Covington project went South at the silo.

The phone was like nothing he’d ever seen; no numbers, just a red and green button. He was about to press the green button when the thing vibrated in his hand. The shock almost caused him to drop it.

“Carson…” he said in a voice strange to his own ears.

“You’ve been asked to come in. I was waiting for you to contact me,” an accented voice said with a note of accusation.

“I was just notified. I had your phone in my hand.” No matter how tough he was, he didn’t want to piss this guy off.

“That’s good to know, otherwise, your gambling debts would be called in. Now, your job is simple. On your doorstep is an envelope. Inside is a photograph and instructions, follow them and everything will be fine.”

“Will do.” Carson wanted off the phone. He could feel the guy’s voice slithering into his brain.

“One more thing, your debts will be taken care of upon completion.”

The line went dead and the phone went up in smoke. He threw it away and watched as it turned to a pile of dust within seconds. Closing the safe and replacing the rug, he wondered how these people knew about the silo before him, and how they knew he’d been called.

On his front porch, a manila envelope waited for him, and he realized the full extent of the knowledge of the people he was dealing with. They made Sunset Inc. look like a bunch of charity do gooders.

Carson opened the envelope and memorized the face of the person in the photograph. His orders were to bring the individual back alive, or not bother returning himself. His last orders were to make sure no one else came out, and the building was inoperable.

He would have to kill his team. He wondered if he would be able to do it, then remembered his gambling debts and the fact they were ready to collect his legs as motivation. Yep, he could kill his buddies. He didn’t get along with most of them anyway.

Carson grabbed a set of keys out of a container marked cookies and went out to his shed. Shoving the worktable aside, he unlocked the latch and prepped his go bag. On site, he would be provided with whatever body armor was necessary to the mission, but he liked to take his own weapons.

A couple of M4 Carbines, Beretta, Desert Eagle, and a Ruger. Ten magazines each sounded like a good number as he counted them off. A few grenades and thirty pounds of Semtex rounded out his haul. A bright light lit up his yard for a moment and he knew the stealth helicopter Hooks sent for him was waiting. The latch was locked once more and the table put back into place.

He hefted the bag over his shoulder. Time to go.

* * *

  Monroe paced the floor of the kitchen as he waited for his team to arrive. He knew it wouldn’t take long as he stationed them all within a five-minute helicopter ride from the facility. He made sure, only the best would come in, but it didn’t make him any happier. When he’d been put in charge of the operation, he thought, it would be a cakewalk.

Threaten scientist.

Watch scientist.

Oversee construction of lab.

Steal samples when they arrived.