“The lab is gone, I’m afraid,” Major Reed said.
“Gone? What do you mean, gone?” Tara asked aghast.
“Someone on the inside was infected. Despite all our precautions, this person managed to hide his condition until it was too late. He turned on his colleagues, and within minutes, the place was overrun.”
“How is that even possible?”
“You tell me, Doctor. You’re the scientist here. Anyway, there’s no one left to vouch for you. All the records are sealed inside the lab along with a hundred-plus zombies.”
“When did this happen?”
“A couple of days ago,” Major Reed replied.
“Can’t you clear the building?” Tara asked, her desperation rising with each passing second. “I need the facility to study the virus and produce more of the cure.”
Major Reed sighed. “Dr. Lee. The situation here is not what you seem to think it is. Much has changed since the outbreak.”
“I’m aware of that,” Tara said, “But the mere fact that you’re still operational —”
“It means nothing, Doctor. We are holding on by a thread here. I have several thousand civilians living on this base. The families of resident officers and refugees like yourself. They all need to be fed, clothed, and protected. Every day, more of my men die defending these walls. Every day we have fewer supplies to feed us. Washington has gone dark, as has most of the other military installations and bases. The Government is MIA, and I am the highest-ranking officer left on these grounds. What exactly do you want from me?”
“I want you to get off your ass and help me!” Tara cried. “Don’t you understand? I’m the only chance you’ve got. If the situation is truly as dire as you say it is, then you need me, unless you want to die just like all the rest. “
She jumped up and paced the room, laying out the facts as she saw them. “The zombies aren’t going away. They don’t rot like normal corpses. Plus, they’re drawn to movement and sound. Given a chance, they swarm into groups that number in the thousands. That’s what happened to Fort Knox.”
She turned toward the major, pleading with him. “Imagine what you could do if a bite from a zombie was no longer a death sentence? If I could cure any of your injured men before they turned? What if I could produce a vaccine? Get me inside that lab, and I promise you that we can turn things around. There’s still time.”
“I cannot risk the lives of the few men I’ve got left to secure that facility, Doctor. I need them to protect the fence. We’ve got kids here. Women. Old folk. My first responsibility lies with them.”
“And mine lies with the world. Humanity as a whole.”
“You’re being unreasonable. It cannot be done. Not with the number of men I have at my disposal.”
Tara stared at the major with gritted teeth. She wanted to shake him until he understood exactly how vital her mission was. Didn’t he get it? The entire human race was at stake.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. One so wild, she almost dismissed it out of hand. But, her back was up against the wall, and she could see no other way out. “What if we do it for you?”
“What do you mean?” the major asked, taken aback.
“Let my friends go. Arm us,” Tara said. “Give us what we need, and we’ll clear out the lab ourselves. Except for Ethan, Dr. Hayes. He’s not a fighter.”
“And you are?”
Tara lifted her chin. “Saul taught me a couple of things. I can handle myself.”
“Three people against a hundred zombies? I may not know you, Doctor, but I didn’t take you for the comedic type.” He pushed back his chair and stood up. “Once again, you’re wasting my time.”
“Please, Major,” Tara cried. “What have you got to lose? Three people you don’t trust. Three fewer mouths to feed.”
The major hesitated, his eyes narrowed. “It’s too risky.”
“No, it isn’t. The only risk lies with us. If we can’t do it, you’re still in the same position you were before,” Tara said. “However, if we succeed, you’ll have your lab back, and your men will have an edge in the fight to come.”
“A cure doesn’t guarantee we’ll win,” Major Reed said. “Nor does a vaccine.”
“No, it doesn’t, but it’s more than you have at the moment,” Tara said. “It’s more than anyone does.”
Major Reed leaned on his desk with both hands, thinking it over. At the same time, a knock on the door interrupted them, and he looked up. “Come in.”
“Sir, zombies are attacking the Veterans gate,” a soldier said upon entering the office. A radio crackled at his side, and he had a wild look in his eyes.
“How many?”
“Dozens. More than King and his unit can handle. They’re asking for reinforcements.”
Major Reed slammed his fist onto the desk. A pile of files toppled over and fell onto the floor with the impact. “Great. Just what we need. Another attack. Send in one of the reserve units.”
“Yes, Sir,” the soldier answered. After a quick salute, he grabbed the radio and raised it to his lips. Shouting out commands, he dashed away, leaving Tara alone with the major once more. She realized that they faced an opportunity to gain the commander’s trust and turned toward him.
“Let us help them fight the infected,” she said. “Allow us to prove ourselves to you.”
The major eyed her with disfavor. “Are you still here?”
“Yes, and I’m not going away. I’m offering assistance. Take it,” Tara said, lifting her chin and meeting his gaze with hers.
“It’s not my habit to send civilians into combat,” the major said.
“These aren’t normal circumstances. It will give us a chance to prove to you that we can fight. Besides, it seems to me that you can use all the help you can get.”
The major sighed. “Fine. I’ll send you to the fences for the night. If your friends can do even half of what you say, my men won’t be needed anymore and can
